Healing All Around

Last night my dear friends, Diana and Risa, rescued me from my depression by having a raw potluck at Diana's home. It was a wonderful effort that I so appreciated. I go back more than a decade with both of them, so it was easy conversation and lots of raw food. A few other guests were also present and we had such a good time that I really didn't want to come home. My two friends had decided that it would be good for us to do this on a monthly basis and rotate the hostessing duties going forward. This decision came right about the time Joseph was diagnosed with cancer, so I really didn't have much of a part in planning the first event other than to say "great idea...run with it!" I threw my hat over the wall and said I would host the next one in January. I have no idea how things will be with my husband by then, but it would be nice to have friends over for New Year's.

Last night's fare included zucchini and spaghetti squash noodles with pesto sauce, collard burritos with a cheesy sauce, kale chips, salsa, crudites with a sunflower seed pate, a kale salad, pomegranate pudding, and raw pumpkin pie with a whipped topping. It was all so good that even the non-raw foodists in the bunch seemed to really enjoy it.

I was so happy to have this diversion as it has been really difficult to maintain a very positive outlook since my husband's cancer diagnosis. This weekend he decided to review the Landmark Forum, an adult educational seminar, to help get himself into a better frame of mind before starting chemotherapy tomorrow. I stayed home so I could process massive amounts of produce through the blender and juicer for him to take with him for the weekend. Shopping and chopping vegetables have been the hallmarks of my weekend until last night. The social activity was very welcome.

Joseph has been struggling with the 100% raw diet. When I realize what he instantly changed in his dietary intake, it is a wonder he has been able to function! He has had caffeine withdrawal, lots of emotional detoxing, all kinds of physical sensations, and cravings galore. The poor man has really given it his best and has finally decided that he needs to go back to a transitional diet. I agree, but we are still trying to sort out just what he needs to be eating right now. We have added some fish and chicken back into his fare along with brown rice, quinoa, lentils and some beans. I believe that having these cooked foods will make things much easier for him. He has already given up coffee, processed starches, refined sugars, all red meat, eggs, and dairy. That is a huge change already.

Last night Diana's mother gave me a well-worn copy of A Cancer Therapy by Max Gerson, M.D. I have been listening to tapes about his treatments and reading his daughter Charlotte's book Healing, The Gerson Way. Much of it seems really radical, especially to someone coming from a standard American diet, but to me, a lot of it seems quite logical. What Joseph has implemented that the book completely supports is juicing. In the interest of not busting the budget completely, we have limited the juices to one quart a day for each of us. It is having a very positive effect on me and I know that at some level, it is healing Joseph. We just don't have the evidence for it yet.

Another healing modality that we have brought back into our lives is the work that Aniel Love and Fred Payne do. Both of these energy workers have been instrumental in restoring complete health and vitality back to Joseph. Again, we don't have the evidence of it, but it is making a huge difference in his daily outlook.

Cancer seems to demand that it's victims take a long, hard look at themselves and how they have been living their lives. It goes from the inside out and back again. We have had so many people tell us of various things to do that it is hard to research every one of them. But the consistent theme among them all is having a positive mental outlook. At this point I can report that we are doing everything we can. I pray it is enough.