Coincidental Or What?

I noticed of late that everytime I had a cough, there would be a little blood clots in the phelgm. There are no other developments around the chest areas such as pain. Also for the last two days, just after dinner, I would feel a little feverish but no ferer temperature. I am happy as this is a healing reaction, some good guys and bad guys are battling inside the body.

Most of other areas are more or less normal, minimal pain at the usual places. I hope my project "Eat More" would yield some positive results this week.

Meditation
I am a little pre occupied with the question of whether to do or not to do. No easy decision. I have collected data from my doctors, read articles, formulated some theories on how I should go about it but despite all the knowledge I have gathered, I still have not been able to make a decision. The reason is that there was no widom. Wisdom can arise out of meditation.

Last week, my friend CL SMSed me to remind me to spend at least 15 minutes a day to meditate and just a couple of days ago, my friend Bro Lim whom I met in Saudi Arabia also exhorted me to meditate. This morning CL followed up with her reminder by passing me two books on her way to work by stopping at the place where I practiced qi gong. Thanks CL. She asked me to read Chapter 22, Cancer and Serious Illnesses of Eric Harrison's book, How Meditation Heals, a Scientific Explanation. I read that chapter and it was a timely reminder of many of the lessons that I have forgotten in my quest for wealth during my pre cancer days.

I felt ashamed when I read and I quote "If you're a meditator, you will instinctively know, this is the time to meditate." I have been actively meditating during the early years of 2000s but the habit soon died off by 2005. Now more than ever, I should not have any excuse and I MUST START NOW!

Joanne
Today I would like to share Joanne's story. I hope you don't mind me using your real name (all names used in my blog are real). I met Joanne, in her forties last Sunday. She has three young children and so you can imagine what it is like to have cancer. Last March 2009, she found out that she had Stage 3 womb cancer and had the womb removed and also chemotherapy treatment and the doctors were happy that she was "cured". Life went back to normal. But unknown to her, what has been cured is only the symptoms because the underlying defence systems in the body which has failed to prevent the cancer in the first place is still down and so it was a matter of time the cancer cells regroup and launch a second attack. Within 9 months, the cancer reappeared and has now spread to the spine and the liver. She is suffering from severe back pain and could hardly walk.

Before I continue, I would like you to remind people you know who are in similar situations and think had their cancer "cured" to think and act differently. THEY ARE NOT CURED AND CANCER STAYS WITH YOU FOR LIFE! Change lifestyle (not just diet) and to rehabilitate the defense system if you do not want a recurrence. If the cancer do come back the second time, it will be with a vengence.

For Joanne, she had a second chemotherapy treatment but that did not seemed to help and the doctors are recommend a third round of chemotherapy but warned that the outcome will not be good. The chemotherapy will be more expensive and since the outcome is not good, she has decided to stop conventional treatment. Friends has been recommending some alternative treatment. Being Christians, they prayed for an answer.

When I met her, she looked frail and was obviously in pain. But she is a very courageous women. To be cured and then relapsed and then told of no cure is not easy to take, even for a cancer patient like me. But she is lucky, she is surrounded by very good and supporting friends, caregiver and husband.

One of her friend said that I was the answer to their prayers. I do not believe in coincidences and you judge for yourself. Three weeks earlier, I received an email from my ex-colleague whom I have not contacted for 7+ years who asked me to help and see her friend Joanne who is suffering from cancer. A few days later, I was having farewell dinner for Allen who is going to Singapore to work and he told me of his neighbour's case. Unknown to me, both my ex-colleague and Allen were talking about the same Joanne. Also do not underestimate the power of prayers.

I told Joanne, I am not a doctor and neither a therapist but another cancer patient. I have no products to sell and I don't even know what I am going to say is suitable for her, let alone a cure. But I do have stories to tell and lessons to share (borrowed from the late Bro Foo Hee Boon, author of Gifts of Life). She, her friend and husband were receptive to hear what I have to say. I started with the mind trying to find out the current state and then some pep talk to ensure that her mind is not only positive but it is equally important that she understand what I am saying and believed that it can help her. I then explained to her about cancer and then the theory of Gerson therapy. They were convinced it could help and I left behind my book and some videos for them to read further. She was very keen to do coffee enema but unfortunately her last chemotherapy cycle was only completed in August, she has to wait for 6 months before she can begin and I explained to her the reasons why. At the same time she was doing some other detox and asked me if it was safe to continue. I told her I am unable to help her as I have no experience with that detox method. I also took some of my food like oats and rye bread which I ate in front of her to tell her that our food is not that really bad. I was relieved to hear that she can take such plain foods. She was surprised at my energy levels. She saw me in person and although I told her I still have a long way to go, I now lead a qood quality of life and she too can have one.

I also warned her to follow the therapy as closely as possible and do not mix and match with a bit here and there. She can add therapy that complements but have to be careful when choosing because a life is at stake. You may not get another chance.

At the end, they were very happy and as I was leaving her house, I smiled to myself. I knew I had made a little difference in her life. Joanne, the journey is long but you have taken the first step to change the outcome. I wish you the very best.