Haddon Township cellist beats the odds over MS
August 16, 1999, was a day Bob Cafaro will never forget.
It was five days after he had been released from the hospital where he was being treated for a mix of symptoms including severe dehydration and motion sickness brought on by his third and most vicious attack of multiple sclerosis.
The diagnosis, often so difficult to ascertain, had been shocking enough. But the effects of the disease on this member of the Philadelphia Orchestra could not have been more devastating.
Cafaro recognized the connection — the lines of communication between his body and his mind — had run amok.
He describes that terrifying realization in a book he has written, "When the Music Stopped: My Battle and Victory Against MS."
He describes how, in seeking some pleasure and reaffirmation in his life after his hospitalization, he reached for his cello, the instrument he had mastered after years of study, practice and dedication.
COOPER CONNECTION: Multiple sclerosis
"It was an unexpected shock to find out that even drawing the bow across the strings with my right arm was nearly impossible. The left hand was even worse. I could barely line up four fingers on one string."
The piece he had chosen was one Cafaro had studied as a child and performed many times. But he could not begin to play it.
As the book opens, we meet a man who dropped to his knees and wept uncontrollably. He could no longer write legibly, hold a phone or play his beloved cello.
That day, Bob Cafaro contemplated ending his own life so as not to become a burden to his family.
In "When the Music Stopped," Cafaro lets us into his odyssey of going from wellness to desperate illness — and back again to health.
It's a journey he has been committed to sharing.
"I now am probably healthier than I was before my diagnosis," says the Haddon Township man, the divorced and remarried father of two adult children and proud member of one of the premier orchestras in the world.
"Bob's book will give you the strength and inspiration to create your own miracle," suggests Nando Parrado, one of 16 individuals who survived a 1972 plane crash in the Andes mountains.
Parrado, always an inspiration to Cafaro, offers a message in Cafaro's book, noting that this musician's book has inspired him.
Another voice in the book belongs to one of Bob Cafaro's early diagnosticians.
Dr. Robert Sergott, director of neuro-opthalmology at Philadelphia's Wills Eye Institute, confirmed Cafaro's diagnosis of MS. There is no definitive blood test for MS, an autoimmune disorder in which the body's immune system attacks the coverings that protects the nerves.
It was Sergott who would break the news to the 40-year-old cellist in 1999.
Remembers Cafaro, "I was unable to read even the largest letters and numbers on a basic vision chart."
Another vision test also was a dismal failure. That's when Sergott turned to Cafaro and said words the latter will never forget.
"I will write you a note for permanent disability."
A surge of anger came over this musician, who determined that he would absolutely not go down that road.
It was not easy, but Cafaro was back at work with the Philadelphia Orchestra a month later.
"I had no medical knowledge," he confides, "but I did know that the very best of Western medicine treatments for MS could only slow the progression of the disease or at best keep it in remission."
So Cafaro, who had challenged himself so many times in his musical life, including gaining acceptance into the Juilliard School in 1976, began a new pursuit. He feverishly studied every grain of information that existed about general health and wellness, especially concentrating on diseases that affected the central nervous system.
One early breakthrough was his discovery of what is known as "The Water Cure," which involved drinking tremendous amounts of water. In Cafaro's case, that meant 80 ounces a day. Cafaro has no doubt that The Water Cure was a key weapon in his arsenal. (Drinking too much water can threaten your health or even prove fatal. Do not attempt such a cure without consulting your physician.)
A longtime sensible and careful eater, he would go way beyond "sensible." He totally changed his diet, eliminating all wheat products, particularly wheat gluten. He also would eliminate all dairy and vegetables in the nightshade family and say goodbye to any and all processed foods and chocolate. (All such dietary changes should always be in consultation with a doctor.)
Vitamin supplements, weight training and meditation became inviolate. He also increased his commitment to yoga and bicycling.
Fast-forward over the years, and the results speak for themselves.
Today, Cafaro is still playing cello with the Philadelphia Orchestra, one of the highest highs of his life.
As his longtime biking pal, Cherry Hill resident Andrew Palashewsky, an investment counselor, attests, "He just wouldn't give up."
Palashewsky has watched his buddy steadily increase his endurance to the point that they go on 35-mile rides together.
"Bob is one of the most amazing people I know. I don't know many people who could do what he has done."
When Sergott, the same physician who talked to Cafaro about permanent disability papers, saw him in later years, he was amazed. He has offered a comment for Cafaro's book citing how this Philadelphia Orchestra member delivered his very own "Best Personal Medical Performance."
"Initially, I truly felt for this young musician — I thought that the odds were really against him," said Sergott. "But he reminded me that you can't always deal with percentages. Fortitude and determination can play a part in most illnesses, and in this case, it clearly did."
Today, Cafaro's MRIs show no evidence of the disease. He has astonished his doctors by doing handstands in their offices. He has been told by doctors that he has done the impossible.
Cafaro was reflecting recently that the fight against MS was the greatest and most difficult learning experience of his life.
"Despite all the hardships and suffering this disease brought into my life, I would not trade what I went through for anything in the world," he said. "We are capable of far more than we realize."
For more information
To order "When The Music Stopped: My Battle and Victory against MS" by Bob Cafaro, visit bobcafaro.com.
Disclaimer from the author: This book is not a cure for any illness or disease. The steps the author has followed to fight MS are for informational purposes only, and they are not a promise or a guarantee of any results. Before following any of the steps outlined in this book, each person is advised to conduct their own research and consult with their own medical professional.