Medical Diagnosis and how the mind can take you on a scary roller coaster ride…

by RB, massage therapist, mother, artist, business owner, Goonellabah, NSW

I recently had my first hospital experience and since then I have been on a roller coast ride that I created myself in my mind.

I had severe swelling around my spinal cord that was causing nerve damage to my left leg, digestive system and urinary system, so that I could not walk or pee properly. I left the hospital with a wheelie walker and was taught how to use intermittent catheters each time my bladder was full.

When the doctors first told me I had transverse myelitis I researched all about it, and I got so into it, the fear of it all and the “what ifs”. Then I went to see a Neurologist 3 hours drive away, the next step in the process, and she was certain that I have what is known as Neuromyelitis optica (NMO). I then research this, join Facebook pages and really investigate it. I get so into it, that I become it. I am no longer me. I have suddenly allowed myself to be NMO. I am planning what will happen with my 10 year old daughter when I am in a wheel chair and who will take care of her when I die.

Continue reading “Medical Diagnosis and how the mind can take you on a scary roller coaster ride…” →

My First Hospital Experience

by RB, massage therapist, mother, artist, business owner.

Recently I was away from home, studying and training for a week. I developed a pain in my back which got worse by the day, but because I am always so tough on myself, I just continued on regardless. It was compulsory work training, after all!

I have never taken much medication – instead I have been the hippy herbalist who would avoid doctors and medications at all costs – but this time the pain was getting too intense. I started taking off-the-shelf pain killers to the maximum dose and was still not getting any relief. I tried hot showers, sleeping on the floor, walking, moving, whatever, to just get relief from the pain, but it kept increasing.

By the end of the week, the pain was crazy, so I asked my trainer if I could leave early and drove home. I tried to play with the kids when I got home, but was really struggling with the pain, and the next morning my flat mate tried to convince me to go to the hospital or at least to see a doctor. I kept saying I would be okay, but when I realised that I couldn’t urinate anymore, I finally admitted something was wrong.

Continue reading “My First Hospital Experience” →

How a Cervical Smear Test became possible through Loving Choices.

by Ruth Ketnor, Frome, UK 

At the age of 29 I gave up on having cervical smear tests. I found them so extremely painful and distressing that I decided I wasn’t going there again.

At the age of 50 I had to have a smear test as one of a series of tests (note I said had to). I went to the appointment in dread of what was coming and felt a lot of tension. With a very caring nurse we tried 3 times after which we called it a day, as it was still so painful.

The next year I attended a group in which Natalie Benhayon presented Sacred Movement. When starting this gentle and very subtle movement of my pelvis I felt pain and a real tightness, a hardening I had been holding in my pelvic area, particularly on the right side. As I did the movement in the classes and then daily at home, these symptoms cleared from my body quickly, the movement becoming more flowing, even, and as if my body was naturally doing it rather than me intentionally doing it. Continue reading “How a Cervical Smear Test became possible through Loving Choices.” →

Healing from Cancer: Embracing Conventional Medicine and Universal Medicine

by Frances Taylor-Marshall, aged carer, nanny and counsellor, Sydney.

I am writing to express my heartfelt thanks to the Universal Medicine Practitioners who played a part in my healing processes. I am in deep appreciation for their super loving and professional care during the year I underwent chemotherapy and radiotherapy for lymphoma.

I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in August 2013 and in late June 2014, was told that my body had had a complete metabolic response to treatment, therefore leaving me completely clear of any cancer. My haematologist said that given the stage and location of my cancer, he was in the beginning quite concerned for me, therefore, as he stated, he was “truly thrilled” that my body had responded as well as it did.

I feel this healing was in no small part thanks to Universal Medicine and its teachings and practitioners. Continue reading “Healing from Cancer: Embracing Conventional Medicine and Universal Medicine” →

My Experience of Vaccination and Self-care

 Jennifer Smith, Registered Nurse, Australia

As a health professional working in a hospital, it is a requirement to be vaccinated against a variety of infectious diseases. When I was in my twenties, prior to any training in health and health care, I had chosen to be vaccinated to travel overseas. I was fully informed and chose to be fully vaccinated, as I was travelling to some very isolated areas and communities.

Later in life, I learned more about vaccines and health care, and made the conscious choice not to be vaccinated, based on certain beliefs.

Recently I began to ask myself:

Why choose vaccination then, and not now?

What’s the difference between getting vaccinated to go travelling and getting vaccinated to go to work? Continue reading “My Experience of Vaccination and Self-care” →

A Fresh Start – a detox for life.

by Cherise Holt, Nurse, Australia. 

At times throughout life we may find ourselves searching for a fresh start, to create a new relationship with food and exercise, or to eliminate any form of sickness that our bodies have suffered, or to rid the body of its accumulated toxins and the harmful substances we have poured into it, such as drugs, prescription medications, alcohol, sugar and gluten.

The objective is usually to live with greater vitality and physical energy in our day-to-day routines, where we feel well in our minds and bodies and can live a happy and healthy life.

A quick internet search indicates that there are many products and diet plans out there customised for just this kind of goal. You can cut out fat or carbs, juice every fruit or vegetable under the sun, eat only raw foods or invest in a lemon tree. If you don’t want to look at the food you are eating, you can book yourself in for a colon cleanse or attend a health retreat where all is organised for you. Most detox plans are marketed to increase weight loss, gain a ‘bikini body’ for summer or create a fresh start towards a healthier way of living.

But what happens to us and our bodies when the detox program is complete? Continue reading “A Fresh Start – a detox for life.” →

Choices, Choices, Choices

by Julie Snelgrove, Merchandiser, Somerset, UK

Three weeks ago I hurt my big toe. The pain was intense at the time of injury. As I was crying in pain I could feel the pain was coming from a much deeper place than just my toe!

The wound was too painful for me to allow the paramedic to clean it up, so they took me to the local minor injuries unit where I could have Entonox (gas and air). I’ve had this before so thought: “Ah, that’ll be ok”.

I was sitting in a chair when they brought the gas in. At that moment my head was feeling vulnerable so I asked my daughter to get me a pillow. As she was getting it – I started breathing the Entonox. I took a couple of deep breaths and then the words the doctor said kept repeating as I lost consciousness and collapsed sideways in the chair. In that moment a part of me was pleased this had happened and for a split second I WANTED this depth of numbness. Then inside me something screamed “Get me out of this now!” I chose to come back and said No to the numbness. It felt like I was dragging myself out of mud and I never want to feel like that again. Continue reading “Choices, Choices, Choices” →

Exercise, Fitness and Nursing.

by Jennifer Smith, Registered Nurse, Australia

Working as a nurse, I spend a great deal of time standing and walking during my work day. I could easily say that I would walk 5kms most days as part of my job. I used to think that I was getting plenty of exercise during my day, at work and that would suffice for regular daily exercise. So other than the activity that I would do at work, I did no exercise.

I loved walking, but would only walk if it meant that I was travelling from point A to point B. This worked quite well for me when I use to live in a city and relied on public transport, but once I moved to a country area I needed to use my car all the time. So the ‘incidental exercise’ and walking that I did came to a standstill.

Fitness and exercise as a young adult, was also very goal driven for me. There was an area of work that I was keen to join that required a certain level of fitness. I was very determined to get into this line of work, so I pushed myself very hard so that I could run so far, do so many sit-ups and push-ups, all within in a certain time frame. I can honestly say that I didn’t enjoy any of it and I had a particular dislike for running, but I had to do it. I was determined to get into this job. Once I was in, there was no need for me to continue this style of exercise, so I stopped and did nothing. Continue reading “Exercise, Fitness and Nursing.” →

Letting go (of my stubbornness) and Learning to Love my Colon.

by Susan Lee, UK. 

I recently became aware of how stubborn I can be – I have always known it, but this time I felt it at a deeper level. A week or so after this awareness I became constipated.

A few days later I noticed some blood along with my faeces – twice this occurred before I took action.  As I am writing this I can see how deep-rooted this stubbornness is and how it has become part of my day-to-day living. I will not listen to my body giving me signs that everything is not OK until the last minute.

My first appointment with my local General Practitioner was great – he gave me an internal examination and the time spent with him felt as though he was a deeply caring man. He found nothing conclusive and referred me to my local hospital.

My next appointment was quite a different experience and, in retrospect, I realized I had not been taking the events seriously. I can now see, in hindsight, that I did not wish to even contemplate that I may have colon cancer, as this would mean that I would need to start taking responsibility for how I have lived my life. For many years now it has made sense to me that illness didn’t just happen to me, and that the way I responded to stress somehow harmed my body.   Continue reading “Letting go (of my stubbornness) and Learning to Love my Colon.” →

Getting Away with It…

by Anne Malatt, Australia.

A dear friend sent me a link to a funny photo, which came from a facebook page with the title:

“Yes, Officer I did see the Speed Limit sign, I just didn’t see YOU!”

When I saw the title I laughed out loud and then I was stopped in my tracks.

I realised that this was how I had lived my life, thinking I was getting away with it.

What do I mean when I say this?

For me, it means that I know I am doing something that is not right, but I somehow think I have a right to do it, and that it will not have the same consequences for me that it has for other people.

The arrogance of this is stupendous.

How do I do it?

When I was younger, I used to drink like a fish, smoke like a chimney and root like a rabbit. I did not get away with it, any of it. As a consequence, I was forced to make major changes to the way I lived, in order to keep on living. I made these changes at the age of 28, long before I moved to the Byron Shire and met Serge Benhayon. Even though I cleaned up my act, I was still not self-loving in the way I lived. There was still a hardness there, especially on myself, and a drive, that came from never feeling enough, just as I was.

Now, my life is much more loving and seen from the outside, probably pure and boring, but I still do stuff. Continue reading “Getting Away with It…” →