Hi, Gallen
I'll answer you as I read your post.
quote:
Originally posted by gallen:
Hi Mike,
Your topic heading certainly caught my eye. My initial reaction was to shift into healer mode and tell you some things to do regarding the exercises/qigong, etc., but there are several issues you mention that seem to come first. [By the way, that 'was' a very thoughtful and caring response from Claire.]
**I know Claire is trying to be thoughtful and caring Gallen, but my remark about this particular "gift" still is true. You can say anything is a gift, if you try to look for the silver lining in the middle of the storm. Nonetheless it doesn't change the fact that this particular issue is fearful and can be tragic. It requires faith in a God who makes everything purposeful, and belief also in an eternal spirit, to think of a disease that might end up in death as a "gift." I don't have that faith, for better or worse--and I like to think "for better."
In all fairness to her, there's a sense in which this kind of disease is a gift. It's like the world is saying to me, "Time to change your way of life to one that is more healthy--or else." That's a very hard challenge for me to take up, but I've begun to try. Just doing the Qi Gong work is hard for me, as I mentioned in my reply to Pete here. In general, westerners tend to see the world from a western perspective, and don't acknowledge the fact that mosT of the world is populated by people/cultures that are not western. Most of them have been around much longer, and some, have a wealth of knowledge and experience that we are , to a large degree, ignorant of.
The structures ,processes, and criteria we have established for analyzing and testing some of these 'new to western medicine things' are very slow and cumbersome. To get a significant size test group with the same constants and controls is extremely difficult . Data has to be accumulated over a long period of time. Western treatment is usually going on simultaneously, making it difficult to discern what did what. If you were looking at qigong from an Eastern perspective, it is science. It is natural, and it is real. There can be a spiritual aspect to qigong study and experience, but it is not a requirement, and you can practice it
purely as physical exercise if you choose to.
You will feel benefits from it.
**The problem is that the chemotherapy may not be good for the type of cancer I have--stage 2B colon cancer. I'm getting a 2nd opinion at the City of Hope on the 23rd of August, and I'm seeing a doctor who is into vitamins but NOT into drugs--he's a bit of a crank on the subject, which scares me!!--but this is the best I can do, along with gradually getting into Qi Gong, gradually doing aerobic exercise on the machines I have at home, and going on a low carb diet to, hopefully, lose about 150 pounds of excess weight. Notice I said "gradually" about all this, because I'm not the type of person who can just jump into the water unless the fire is right behind me. I have to dip into the water gradually.
You don't have to stop seeing a doctor to practice qigong. You have access to both. You can utilize both. You have choices, and you do have some time to work with. If I was making difficult choices, I would want to be centered and clear. Taking better care of yourself will move you in the right direction. Take one step at a time. Do something positive, you will feel better, and you can build on that. I am not a beginner in regards to qigong. I have seen many people benefit greatly from it. You have nothing to lose, and everything to gain.
**Well, I know that Qi Gong is certainly great for serious stress. I have an audio tape at home for anxiety and worry, created by Dr. Nathaniel Branden, probably the greatest overall psychologist of this generation IMHO. However, when the stress is serious, the tape does little, but the video of Qi Gong makes a HUGE difference. How much this will affect the recurrance of cancer, I have no idea.
Thanks, in any case, for your interest. What other issues did you want to bring up, Gallen?
best wishes,
Mike
moochy_hope@yahoo.com
