Overwhelmed.... and on and up.............

I am overwhelmed with the response we have had regarding the fund raising for Jan Schmid’s family. We have now increased our target in order to start allocating funds to the terminally ill children in Malaga. I am so grateful to the support we have had so far and hope that people will continue to contribute to this cause.

A long summer on many levels. I am not complaining about the continuous sunshine here, but admit that I am looking forward to some rainy cloudy days.

What has made this summer seem so long is the battle to regain my health and my strength. Since the first ( only) chemo session in June 2016, my PH has been low. 4.5- 5. That means my body is very toxic and of course cancer cells love toxic bodies, the ideal breeding ground for them to multiply and grow. I had stopped eating meat, pork, only ate organic chicken, only ate goats cheese and one glass of red wine a day, yet my PH stayed low, which stressed me out.

I had my last Herceptin session the beginning of August, where the ‘stand in’ oncologist was not sure if I should continue or not. I was initially told ‘one year’ and then they could not agree if should have a total of 15 or 17 sessions ( I only had 15), and one of  the two oncologists, wanted me to add on another 6 months, following the second cancer. Make up your mind guys!

I decided to make my own decision, and not to get involved in the two different opionins of the ‘professionals’. I stopped! I had 15 Herceptin sessions in total and felt that this was enough.  The best thing I could have done and retrospecitvely wish I had not ever started with it. Interestingly, neither of the oncologists spoke to me, there was no ‘good bye’………….  I actually feel liberated, but also mightily ‘let down’ by the oncologists, they earned €50000 as a result of my treatment, I guess it is all about money.

The middle of September I went on a ‘detox week’ with my daughter Rhea in Portugal. A friend of hers had been and was raving about it. I knew that we were going to have juice for a week and nothing but juice, but have to admit that I had not spend too much time looking into it. I was looking forward to spending a week with Rhea.

http://www.juicyoasis.com/work

Sitting here now, writing this, I can honestly say that I have not felt as well as I do now, since I was 18 years old. My PH is at 7, which is what it should be. I have started to work out again, feeling fit, have heaps of energy. and I truly feel ‘back to normal’, What happened?

I went to the Juice Oasis in Portugal and I really believe that this experience has turned my life around. What an amazing place. It is located in the middle of nowhere and yes, we only had juice for one week. I had expected to drink ‘orange juice’ or ‘apple juice’ etc, and had not expected to drink what we did. Jason Vale the founder is a truly remarkable man. Apparently in his past he was fat, hugely overweight, suffered from psoriasis, diabetes, asthma and was a chain smoker, taking more pills then found in a smarties box. If you see him today, he is lean, fit, full of energy, owns the Juice Oasis, has published a number of books and loving life.

How? He started juicing.

The week consisted of a full programme that people could either participate in or not. From yoga, to spinning, fitness classes, rebounding, water skiing to massages, swimming, spa, sauna, long walks in the mountains ( 10 k),  including colonic irrigation. The group of people attending the week, were lovely. No pressure having to talk to them, just an easy-going atmosphere. The place itself was beautiful. I made some great contacts.

What was amazing is that I started to exercise again and firstly found I could actually do it, (after 17 months of no exercise at all, even walking upstairs had been a challenge), I felt fantastic and loved every minute. The juices were tasty and filling. We learned how to make them and I have since bought a juicer and have continued to have a minimum of two juices a day instead of eating a meal. When I do eat, I only eat vegetarian and often vegan. I stopped drinking alcohol, but don’t feel bad in saying that I will have a glass for special occasion. (in the past every day was a ‘special occasion’)

I had not realized what a huge impact the food we put into our mouths has. Juicing is a fantastic concept, the amount of fruit and veg in just one drink is too much to eat on a plate as a meal. The juices varied every time. To think that one juice can contain 4 apples, celery, ginger, hand fulls of spinach, avocado, broccoli, pineapple,  lemon, or lots of carrots, beetroot, apples, lime and so it went on. A simple protein drink would consist of homemade almond milk, with banana, tahini, cocoa powder……………..  There are hundreds of variations and my personal favorite is the ‘wake up apple ginger shot’.

Every shelf and space in our kitchen is now covered with fruit and vegetables and I am loving it.

And yesterday I had a wonderful moment. I have been having reflexology for 4 months now and each time, had to grind my teeth with the pain when the points on my feet relating to my breasts, liver, pancreas and lymph nodes were touched. It hurt so much each time. Well, yesterday was the first time that I have no pain at all, so not only is my PH where it should, the reflexologist was perplexed at my ‘miraculous recovery’.  

All this because I am eating a mainly vegan diet, cut out alcohol, stopped Herceptin and started to exercise again. I could skip through the house with joy and will do my up most to continue.

I would like to thank Rhea from the bottom of my heart for 'getting me out of the hole' I was in, the retreat was exactly what I needed. It is so easy to live in self pity and despair, which is where I spent the majority of my summer. But that is now over and I can't wait to jump out of the plane for our new charity 'JAN SCHMID'. I will do everything I can to make sure his name lives on and that we can help other children with cancer here in Spain.........................

I of course want to mention my entire family who have had to put up with my ups and downs over the last 17 months. Safe to say, I am back!!!!