So, you have Breast Cancer...read this

This is a letter I sent to my friend, when her friend in California discovered she had breast cancer. Since then Pat has said I should share my experience with the public. Here goes:

Dear Pat,
Sorry you are in distress about your good friend. As I mentioned before I was glad to get a better perspective when my email pal said, “Don’t let the “C” word scare you—its like appendicitis.”

I was talking with the radiologist today and he said at least cancer is curable (caught in time) but heart disease and diabetes are not. Be glad you don’t have those; you’d have to live with them for the rest of your life. At times, like when getting your diagnosis, you need to put a positive spin on everything.

That said, my attitude about my breast cancer was at the very least defiant. I thought, I don’t want this, I don’t have time for it—it has to go. (No doubt about it!) My motto was from 1980-something was “I will not be subdued!” I felt as if for the entire length of my life I had been suppressed, repressed, oppressed, depressed, well, just pressed in general and always between a rock and a hard place if not under someone’s thumb! No more! I took my life in my own hands and I treated it more gently and lovingly than others had. I got real strong back then. But somehow over the years I lost my edge. Like a blade become dull. That happens unless we are challenged to stay sharp. The challenge is not the disaster that befalls us, not the disease—it is what we choose to do with it. In my world I meet it head on. In my world I win.

It is my belief that God does not challenge us, we challenge ourselves. God does not test us. We are tested by life, by ourselves and often by each other—but not by God. We are not victimized or inflicted with anything by God. As a parent we do not do these things to our children. God is Love. Love is everywhere around us and within us. Again, it is merely my opinion—but my breast cancer was a teacher, a wake-up call to forgive old hurts, resentments and to let go of old pain, shocks and trauma. My cancer was a call to come to terms with my faith and begin once again to choose to live in Grace.

I had dismissed the old hurts and filed them away under “experience”. Now it was time to change my experiences from negative to positive, drag out the resentments and old pain, face them squarely and work through them. It’s like getting to the other side of the pond. Sure, you can go around it and not get wet—but what if the point is that you must get wet in order to wash away the old stuff? Kind of like another baptism. You have to plow right through the middle of the pond and then release it all. Yell, cry, swear and beat the pillows, rage and rant and weep if you have to. You don’t forgive others for their sake. The truth is you forgive others for your own sake (and the sake of your soul’s well-being). Holding bad or sad feelings inside the body is bad for the body. Get the toxins out; the hurt, the anger, the resentment and the old pain, these are poison. This was the central theme for my cure. Yes, there is a cure! In my thinking my chemo regimen was the supplemental method. It helped the other processes by reducing me to a point in my life where I had to figure out if I was staying around—and if I was, then how was my life going to be? I had to identify what was and was not necessary in my life. Love was necessary. Inner Peace was necessary. The old crap was not.

When people offered books and literature about cancer, confidentially, I thought to myself “Why? Cancer isn’t something I’m keeping.” I said to my friends, “Rather than invest my time and energy learning about what was wrong I’m investing my energy in healing.” I laughed, a lot, especially at funny movies. People sent me jokes. I laughed at myself, and the grandchildren are terribly funny. Laughter IS good medicine. I dealt with my old issues and hurts. I had to forgive my ex for not being the person I thought he was. That one made me cry. I had to forgive my newly ex-daughter-in-law for taking Torri away from us. I had obsessed over that one and it was only months later I found the lump. I changed my diet to be more alkaline. I was gifted with a bottle of Waiora NCD Zeolite liquid (Natural Cellular Defense). I took 10 drops three times a day for the first week then reduced it to seven drops then to five, finally just once a day.

I was proactive, not RE-active. By doing positive things I put the power right square back in my own hands. I chose life because it is joyful—not because I was afraid to die (big difference there). I bless my experience for teaching me, giving me the opportunity to see how many people loved me and to appreciate how deeply loving I am—and to get right with the past. It gave me the opportunity—and still provides, for this kind of ministry.

I have to add that Angie recently told me that when she was talking with someone else, that they were asking each other if I was really that positive—or was I just putting on a brave front? I told her, “Yes, I really was that positive. If I wasn’t I wouldn’t have gotten the same results.”

Pat, I hope you can share some of this with your dear friend. You would know better than I what she is willing to receive. My advice is be open to all forms of healing, be open to the healing power of love and forgiveness and above all, get in touch with all the good things life has to offer. Be passionate about living and living in the present moment, without a past. Have fun, play like a child and giggle every chance you get—makes it worth staying around for!

Love and lots of hugs!
Linda