"You're going to die within two years or possibly 10 years".
That was the best case and worst case prognosis Gary Walton said he was given by his urologist upon being diagnosed in 2004 with an aggressive prostate cancer.
Walton, a resident of Rodeo, California, was 64 years old at the time of his diagnosis.
Since then he has rebounded from that dismal prognosis and is retaining the richness of his life with alternative treatments that offer far less negative side effects than any of the treatments recommended by his U.
S.
doctors.
"It was devastating to get that diagnosis," said Walton, "It was presented by the doctor like a death sentence.
We asked him what kind of negatives would introduce at that time, and his response was, 'there's a lot of things that can happen, but you just have to understand that this is the only way that you can go.
'All the doctor wanted to do was to surgically take out my prostate.
It was pretty much a given that after surgery I was going to be incontinent and impotent.
" "Prostate cancer is devastating to a male because it attacks the male testosterone and the male physiology and consequently that's all devastating mentally as well as the physical problems," said Walton, "Men in their late 70's and 80's may have only slight sexual urges.
But when you're in your 50's and 60's and still virile, it's absolutely devastating.
" The Walton's researched alternative treatments, insisting on referrals to physicians specializing in Brachytherapy seed implantation and radiation.
"Because of my Gleason number, I was told I was not a candidate for seed implantation, so I started radiation treatments.
At no time did any of the doctors we saw give us any indication that there were other alternative treatments," said Walton.
"I woke up one morning after a sleepless night and I told my wife, 'you know this is a big wide world.
In Europe, in Asia, in South America and in Canada, there must be some research going on that maybe we don't know about here in the U.
S.
', so one of the first places we went to was WHO, The World Health Organization.
" said Walton.
Walton said WHO suggested HIFU and Dendritic treatments.
That's when the Waltons chose to travel outside the U.
S.
for the treatments they required.
"I could have gone to Canada, but because it was February, we chose Mexico.
" Walton claims the positive results of the alternative treatments are undeniable.
"Between my first and second trip to Mexico for Dendritic treatments I had not taken any additional medications or treatments suggested by my doctors in California," said Walton, "So I knew that since my PSA had been level for almost a year that it had to be due to the Dendritic treatment.
" According to Walton there are clinical trials of Dendritic treatments going on in the U.
S.
"I sought the opinion of Dr.
Lawrence Fong, University of California San Francisco Medical Center.
Fong is a specialist in the Dendritic area and he told me there were worthwhile clinical trials going on showing positive proof that Dendritic treatments would be a good treatment procedure for all kinds of cancer.
" Walton has made three trips to Puerto Vallarta for treatment.
Based on the predictable results, the Waltons anticipate maintaining his PSA level by making annual trips to Puerto Vallarta for the treatment.
Each trip takes about week.
Walton describes in detail his medical experience in the U.
S.
and in Mexico in separate recorded interviews on Traveling4Health.
com.
"At all times we were treated with the upmost respect and professionalism.
For a very difficult experience, in a strange country, everyone made us feel comfortable.
We had an English speaking interpreter with us at all times during the treatments and available 24/7 for our calls and questions" said Walton.