Beginning a journey on a road to healing. I’ve suffered a lot over many years, going back to my childhood, teenage years, and early adulthood. I survived bullying and gang violence, but it left scars. I have forgiven those people long ago, but in some ways I haven’t been able to grow past it. I believe that the Creator gave us these mushrooms for our healing. I don’t want to be held back any more.
The last several years have been a challenge because my wife is profoundly handicapped. I’m beyond burnt out. She can’t walk and is in a wheelchair. She can’t breathe properly on her own, so she’s on a ventilator. She can need nursing help around the clock and usually it’s just me. It has been exhausting. It’s hard for me to get enough sleep.
I’ve been trying to look at it as a gift. It’s hard to find nurses able to do what I do. …and I’m not a nurse or any sort of medical professional. So my ability to do this has allowed my wife to live at home, not in a nursing home. She’s only 58 and doesn’t want to go into a nursing home. God has to help me with this. I believe that God has helped me. I want to take advantage of all of the Divine Gifts. I have to. I don’t see any other way to keep going. This will be my first religious ceremony with mushrooms. I’m trying to have faith.
I remember that essential oils and prayer did cure my shingles. By “cure” I mean that the bloody wounds closed, and the pain went away. I can still see the red, shingles band around my waist. But it doesn’t hurt, hasn’t erupted, and hasn’t cause me any problems. So, the Creator has given us plants for our healing, I believe.
Doug Carlson, July 20, 2026