Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Going Back To Basics

I suffer from stomach problems such as gastric pain since I was in my 20s. After I left the banking sector, my gastric problems improved but I developed another problem, indigestion. I did not pay attention to it. I believe that people with stomach problems if left untreated are very prone to develop chronic disease later in life. Anyway, in the current case, the main problem is I think is that I took too spicy food. I have stopped taking such foods and the incidence of acid reflux is slowly getting better.

Last night, I was quite sleepy but yet I could not settle down to sleep. There is always something disturbing me. My pair of restless legs. I feel lack of energy in my legs and as I result, I have to sort of massage it every now and then. It becomes more prominent when I lie down to bed. Anyway, I think the situation is turning around slowly. I need to relax a more particularly just before I go to bed like meditation, something which I forgot in the midst of my problems. I will go back to the basics and re-foucs like I did in the early days.

An Evening With Lothar Hirneise
Yesterday evening together with my friend Yeong, his wife Khatijah, we met Lothar Hirneise, his wife and two other friends at KLCC. They were really friendly and we adjourned to a nearby Indonesian restaurant for dinner. I took the opportunity to find out more about his work and his clinic in Stuttgart, Germany. I found out something interesting about how they treat cancer patients at his clinic. They run a 5 week program and the very first two weeks are spent on detoxification and mind work. Basically, he said that getting patients to change overnight is almost impossible and the mind is the key to recovery. He quoted a case about a healthy man who went for a scan and the doctor said that he could be suffering from pancreatic cancer. After hearing the news, he died weeks later believing he had cancer. Later, they discovered he did not have cancer. So reprogramming the mind is most important. One of the exercises that they ask every patient to do it to make a contract with oneself that is in how many months would one be free of cancer. Other aspect include visualization that is to develop the mental imagery skills for motivation mastery for coping with difficult circumstances. Surprising it may sound, he said the partners (notably husbands) are a barrier to the patient's healing and in such a case, they would ask the partner to leave the clinic.

There is so much to talk but we had too little time, only about 2.5 hours. Before he left, he gave my friend a copy of his book Chemotherapy Cures Cancer and The World Is Flat. The book is 776 pages thick and I managed to glance over a few chapters. Unlike some books that I read which is nothing more than a compilation of various alternative cancer protocols, it reflects his deep understanding experiences with cancer which led to the development of the 3E program to treat cancer. He is also one of the only two students of Dr Joanna Budwig. I hope to read his book one of these days.

12 comments:

  1. Hi Chang,

    You are the most patient person I have ever come across, in terms of treatments and relations with inconsiderate and rude intruders.

    Yes, the mind is the fore runner of all things. As you are a well-informed Buddhist, you would be aware of the the first 2 verses of the Dhammapada which I quote:

    Verse 1. Suffering Follows The Evil-Doer
    Mind precedes all knowables,
    mind's their chief, mind-made are they.
    If with a corrupted mind
    one should either speak or act
    dukkha follows caused by that,
    as does the wheel the ox's hoof.

    Explanation: All that we experience begins with thought. Our words and deeds spring from thought. If we speak or act with evil thoughts, unpleasant circumstances and experiences inevitably result. Wherever we go, we create bad circumstances because we carry bad thoughts. This is very much like the wheel of a cart following the hoofs of the ox yoked to the cart. The cart-wheel, along with the heavy load of the cart, keeps following the draught oxen. The animal is bound to this heavy load and cannot leave it.

    Verse 2. Happiness Follows The Doer of Good
    Mind precedes all knowables,
    mind's their chief, mind-made are they.
    If with a clear, and confident mind
    one should speak and act
    as one's shadow ne'er departing.

    Explanation: All that man experiences springs out of his thoughts. If his thoughts are good, the words and the deeds will also be good. The result of good thoughts , words and deeds will be happiness. This happiness will never leave the person whose thoughts are good. Happiness will always follow him like his shadow that never leaves him.

    Take care.

    Patience has its limit; assertiveness is the next stage.

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  2. Dear CT,JUST A QUICK NOTE ABOUT RESTLESS OR TIRED LEGS,WHEN I GOT THEM DURING MY CHEMO AND RADIATION DAYS AND EVEN NOW, BEFORE I SLEEP I MAKE IT A POINT TO SOAK MY LEGS IN A TUB OF HOT WATER WITH EPSOM SALTS,THE WATER TEMPERATURE MUST BE HOT BUT COMFORTABLE TO YOU TO MAKE THE BLOOD CIRCULATE BETTER AND IT WORKED WONDERS FOR ME,TRY IT OUT IF YOU ALREADY HAVE NOT DONE SO,IT ALSO RELAXES YOUR WHOLE BODY AND MIND.KEEP GOING AND WELL DONE FOR MEETING LOTHAR BEST REGARDS AND GOD BLESS FR AL MAL.

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  3. Dear Justin,

    Does that comment mean that you are not? Not patient with rude intruders? What makes you think you aren't one of these so-called intruder?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous @ 1.09pm,

    Reveal your true self and I shall engage you in my blog. Leave this blog which belongs to a Buddhist alone.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Whoever appointed this Justin fella to designate our friend CT's blog as belonging to a Buddhist alone???

    We are here to support CT and of late, ever since the arrival of this Justin fella, all sorts of sweeping comments are being made.

    Sorry CT, just need to get the point across.

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  6. Come one guys. From the comments posted, I can understand everyone tries to help CT Chang in one way or another to lessen the impact of cancer on him. I myself had witnessed a cancer patient before and I can understand the pains caused are unbearable even to those who see the patient in pain, what more the patient himself or herself.

    I understand some of you are / were cancer patient yourselves and somehow yours faith in God helped you in your cases, and I believe so in the case of CT Chang himself, his understanding in Buddhism helps him to go through his difficulties this far.

    So, love and compassion are what we need here when commenting or giving suggestion without overzealously imposed what we believe on him, as love and compassion know no boundary and with no price or condition attached.

    I am new to this blog and have roughly glanced through CT's writings about his experiences with doctors, at no time the doctors mention the word 'God' to him. The doctors maybe a Buddhist, Christian or whatever faith, but at no time they imposed their beliefs on CT in their efforts to cure CT's illness.

    So, it is best to leave CT on his own. What we can do is to share his pains hoping that he can be cured soon. I believe if 'God' really want to help CT in this, He shall help him impartially without any condition attached or even though he is not a believer in God.

    For those who think that God will only help if one submitted to Him, is to me, paint a bad light on 'God' Himself. God should help all living beings without insist of anyone believing in Him before hand. Shouldn't this be the way?

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  7. Dear CT,I AM SADDENED BY ALL THE UNNECCESSARY COMENTS,I KNOW YOU ARE STRONG AND WILL NOT TAKE ANY NOTICE OF ANY NEGATIVE COMMENTS AS ALL MEANS WELL ANYWAY AND KEEP GOING AS YOU ALWAYS HAVE AND YOU WILL BEAT THIS BIG C AS I KNOW AND BELIEVE YOU WILL,I DID IT SO CAN YOU.REGARDS AL MAL.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I don't normally respond to 'anonymous' comments, but this round, I make it an exception.

    Anonymous@6.10pm, may I know my comment @5:37pm is one 'UNNECESSARY COMMENTS' you mentioned? If yes, please enlighten me as to why you deemed it as unnecessary. A sweeping statement like yours doesn't help in promoting love and understanding, more so in this wonderful blog of CT. Please be mindful to others as well to yourself. If not, what's so great with what you believe in?

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  9. CT,

    Allow me to share a few words.

    Visitors to this blog come to listen and support CT. Please do not abuse this opportunity to promote yourself, your blog, your smart-aleckness or just your sick ego.

    Many of the cancerous comments above, CT can do without and certainly, the space of this honest blog can live without.

    May I suggest that those egoistic pracksters and encyclopedic brains out there (you know who you are) give this blog a pass rather than distact the honest journey of CT shared amongst simple friends.

    Please spare a thought for CT whom I am sure is already having a long journey of his own.

    Lets all help add meaning to this journey and not burden him or the rest of us who are trying to listen to his thoughts.

    CT, hope I have done you justice.

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  10. hi CT,

    glad you were able to meet friends face to face// just want you to know that you are always in our prayers...

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  11. Dear CT,Just keep fighting and beat the big c,i am not going to be drawn into any exchanges of thoughts at your expense,my humble apology to you firstly and if i offended anyone,but try out the soaking of your feet with hot water,the temp comfortable to you to get rid of the restless legs,regards and TRY TO GET SOME REST,GOOD NITE. fr AL mal.

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  12. Dear CT,

    I believe doing some kind of charities, either by donation and / or get yourself involved would help. In a way, this will keep yourself occupied and keep the Big C out of your mind.

    Thanks for sharing your experiences.

    ReplyDelete