I've been tight-lipped about what I've been doing as a healing journey when not tango'ing with folks in white coats with needles & IV drips close by. I've been tight-lipped as a self-protective mechanism, not wanting to engage in debates. I am also painfully aware of what a trudge this is, for whomever might be reading this blog having Googled "cancer," "leukemia," "AML" or the like. And I have become aware of alternate healing modalities reading others' sites. My leukemia sucker-punch was that it came on so SO suddenly late last October. It was not really until I'd completed my 2nd hospital stay (my 1st and only Consolidation to date) that I began to catch my breath and consider options other than 'slash, poison and burn' to quote one of the freedom fighters out there.
My hope and solace are in Christ Risen. Regardless of which herb or natural protocol I feel guided to embrace, that is first and foremost in my life and I cannot live with myself unless I state that unapologetically. I ask that all beings who seek "The Divine" find their spiritual home everywhere. God's Table is enormous. This is how I humbly sit at my chair at God's Banquet.
May God guide your path if you have pulled 'the cancer card' and need to take steps after prayer! Here are some websites I use as educational:
Webster Kehr's extensive site: http://www.cancertutor.org/
Cancer, Step Outside the Box: http://www.cancertruth.net/
A little lad and his family: http://www.jaymun.com/
Essiac Tea: http://www.healthfreedom.info/essiac_info.htm
Independent Cancer Research Foundation: http://www.new-cancer-treatments.org/
The Cancer Cure Foundation: http://www.cancure.org/home.htm
Apricots from God: http://www.cancure.org/home.htm
There are mountains of information sources out there. This list is by no means exhaustive! My path has included listening to my intuition, which I pray is based on the indwelling Holy Spirit. One of my first steps in today's journey of alternative healing came after my last release from the hospital on January 2nd of this year. As each week went by, my strength returned and my blood counts gingerly rose (with myelodysplasia and neutropenia, every little blip is a cause for celebration!). My hair crept back in. Et cetera. And when my oncologist said, "I think it's time to plan for your next Consolidation," everything inside of me shrieked, "NO!" That was my first step. I wrote about it in my former blog.
Everyone's path of healing is their own! For those who embrace orthodox or conventional methods, bless you! For those who do not, bless you also! While I believe that many M.D.s and nurses are great-hearted and wise, I firmly believe that the system as such is tragically flawed and, in many places, broken. And since no one in that system can give me a guarantee, I feel far more empowered and liberated to attend to wholeness and healing as best resonates with my soul.
If you're reading this and you have a life-threatening illness, I ask God now in prayer that you are soothed and Shepherded to a path that surrounds you in God's love.
Diane
ReplyDeleteYou have traveled so much further on this path than I. To me, you are out in front lighting the way, and I hope to continue to learn from your life (and your links). I have a lot to learn, and a lot of decisions ahead. I'm taking the conventional route in these early steps, but we shall see...and I hope to keep growing in awareness of alternative healing paths.
I really rejoice in what you said about God's table being enormous...I was born and raised a Jew, dabbled in Eastern mysticism, and then in cynicism and resignation, considered myself to be a secular humanist...and then, in one remarkable day through one remarkable revelation came to faith in Christ 25 years ago. And 25 years later, i still revel in His love.
I love the way you write from the heart, and I just so appreciate you. It makes me happy to think of you seated at God's banquet table, and I pray daily that you are filled with all the comfort, peace, joy, and presence of God that your life can hold till it flows over. I pray for you wisdom and right intuition as you forge a path of healing. I will remain a faithful reader and friend in prayer.
Response on your blog, my friend... and prayers far beyond the confines of this web page!
ReplyDeleteForgive me Diane...you may not wish to post this...Here is what is happening to me, and I am trying to sort it out...and since we are "cousins"...I can vent a little here. I left my appointment yesterday, PET scan results in my head, and felt relief upon relief that there seemed to be a pretty decent chance of recovery...even...dare I say... "cure." (maybe I am naive). And I was doing OK, and still am, in that regard. But I woke up this morning aware that I was angry...about you... I, who have NO symptoms yet, can be all philosophical, poetic, lightness and goodness on my blog...and mean every word of it. But I am as yet, feeling nothing but tingly good physically...cancer is somewhat still a surreal concept that I can wrestle with intellectually ...and I realize you are having to live something else here...I dont know how else to say this...I ache for you...I dont want you ill...I dont want to accept this for you...and I dont think I have your courage...this is my tonsils, for crying out loud, not ADL. I dont want to say the serenity prayer here...I want to make this stop for you. Of course, I am praying for you, but something has changed...I think a few weeks ago, you were an inspiration... like Lance Armstrong or Mother Theresa... now, it feels like...you are a friend. Diane...I am also scared for you...I know you are traveling an alternative healing path...you are obviously well read and well researched in this area, but that is all new to me, and that scares me too. So, I feel angry and I feel helpless and I know God love's us, but I REALLY want it to go well for you. I want for your health...not just spiritually, or emotionally, but physically as well. Just know I am begging God on your behalf...
ReplyDeletesteve