Hiya hot stuffs!
WOWWWWW, I am so thrilled about this monumental post! Our very own Debbie AKA (Debbiedoesraw - God I love that handle) has some UBER delicious news to share with you. She is one inspiring sassy cat, a true gem. Stories like precious Debbie's teach us all to be turtles. Huh? No race, one step in front of the other, be patient....believe.
Take it away RAW Queen Mayor Debbie....
"A year ago I paid my first visit to the oncologist. An elevated white blood count had prompted my regular Dr. to refer me and I was scared out of my wits. Leukemia had taken my fathers life over 15 years ago and his mother’s life when I was 5 years old. I was angry and more than a little put out. At 47, I was an active athletic PTA mom with a home business doing hairdressing. There was nothing wrong with me; I had no symptoms. This must all be some sort of weird mistake on the labs part. As I sat in the waiting room I kept thinking, “I don’t belong here, I should not be here.” I answered all the questions, twice, gave many vials of blood and left with a new appointment and a possible diagnosis. CLL or chronic lymphocytic leukemia was the doctor’s guess. Whatever that was... I had no idea just how many types of leukemia there were and what this type was. I cried all the way home, more frightened than ever.
The next time I brought my husband with me, as I had to get a bone marrow biopsy. Many of you have had some type of biopsy so you know they are no picnic. I was told it would take “2 minutes” and be a little sore for a few days. After a harrowing, sweaty episode with the gianormous needle, I realized that I was being sold a bill of goods ie: it hurt like hell, seemed to take forever and was sore for a good two weeks. That episode didn’t do much for the trust level between the Doctor and I.
Some off handed comments were made that day, for example,” you could have this for decades” and “ you are not likely to die from this disease but from something else (a bus accident, a TV falling on me or perhaps another unrelated illness?). As I sat weeping, the oncologist’s assistant poked her head into the room and said “Surprised?” like it was an episode of Punked and boy, did Ashton Kutcher know how to freak someone out, huh? My reply was “I have a six year old daughter.” She had no witty retort for that one. I asked what the treatment was and the Doctor said it is incurable and there is no treatment. At least, not until it got to an advanced stage. His assistant breezily let me know that it would be chemo by mouth, as if that makes it all ok, easy peesy lemon squeezy. Shit. I left feeling ready for a fight, angry at the disease, and really angry with the Dr and his wonder assistant, Ms. Sunshine.
I hit the Internet with a fury, finding out all I could on clinical trials, symptoms, treatments, natural cures, anything. I think the hardest thing I learned is that leukemia is canser. I know, duh, but it had never dawned on me. I always segmented it away as a separate illness. Nope, CLL happens when white blood cells join the Blood’s gang called Lymphocytes (wonky, immature white blood cells) and wreak havoc on the lymph system, the liver and the spleen. Even chemo would only reduce them for a time, then they would join a new gang and need a new swat team to take them out. Eventually, they would join The Crips (they no longer respond to the Police aka chemo drugs) and it was game over. The only true cure to make them move out of the hood was a bone marrow transplant, that in itself fraught with dangers of rejection and infection that could take your life or leave you in a worse state of health. At the library, in a five-pound book on cancer, I learned that leukemia, being that it is blood borne soft tumors, is automatically considered metastisized. Double shit. I alternatively cried and was cheered, depending on what I read and whose opinon or research I found.
I read and read till my eyes bled. I research, I networked, I found out all I could about CLL. The markers for the disease prognosis were etched in my brain, so when the Dr. spelled it all out for me I was ready. He said I had a good prognosis; all my markers were in the right place, nothing that would make it harder to treat or quicker to progress. I was thrilled as the news could have been so much worse. My husband held my hand as the good Dr. pronounced, “Your prognosis is good, 7-10 years.” People let me tell you, at that moment I was overjoyed at that news. I let everyone know that I had all the good markers, that it could have been much worse. After the dust settled, I did a mental double take; wait a minute… 7-10 years? Well, hell that is nowhere near enough time! I do not accept that expiration date.
One morning my husband told me he saw a girl on TV, saying she was young, had an incurable canser and had written a book called “crazy sexy cancer something.” For some reason, I pictured a woman dressed in Victoria’s Secret undies with screaming red hair running around yelling, “It’s crazy, it’s sexy!” I went on about my business and put it out of mind as one more book that would just rell me stuff I already knew. I needed facts, damn it, not fun!
I discovered macrobiotics, hit up the Japanese market and quickly found out that it takes a million hours and that all that chewing made me mental. I found books on mental visualization like Getting Well by The Simontens. I tried Qi Gong and self massage. The Power of Now by Ekart Tolle became my bible. I worried, a lot. Books on miracles, sudden remissions and the power of faith kept hope alive. I kept reading.
Each visit with the oncologist brought higher and higher white blood counts and a seeming lack of interest on his part in my questions or my case. I took to calling him “Dr. Textbook” as he would give standard style answers to my queries on diet, treatments and pretty much had no time for me. I felt like I was wasting his time, somehow not sick enough for him to reallly seem to care. Once, after my excited explanation of the visual exercises I did, twice daily picturing my bad cells getting eaten by sharks (killer cells), his assistant Ms. Sunshine, calmly replied, “You just have to accept that you have this disease and that it is not going away.” Pulled my plug and out drained my enthusiasm, but not for long.
One night in October 2007, while browsing the new book area at my favorite library, I saw the book my husband was talking about. Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips:. hmmm, hey she’s cute and this book looks like the breath of fresh air I needed in the isolation tank of research life I had created. Fast-forward to midnight, many tears later, I finished Kris’s book and my life changed forever. I did what Kris said, I read PH miracle by Dr. Robert Young and all the other books she reccommended. TLC had her documentary on and I taped it. In tears and laughter, I watched her go through a near identical journey to my own. I was amazed at all the stories of young beautiful women stricken by various forms of canser. Her blog became my new network and home base. I made some fast friendships with Dee, Bav, Sherry, Michelle, Chris, Callie, Clint, Sandra J, Jennifer, Lisa, Dr. Sue and so many, many other fantastic people. I went raw, starting writing a blog, got a juicer and starting doing the things I needed to do to heal.
Two months later I went for a blood test, oh so confident that I would get super results. Not so fast Quick Draw Mc Graw, the tests came back worse. My white blood cell count had climbed to 29,000 (normal is under 10,000: when diagnosed I was at 17,000). I cried with dissapointment, sure that I had done something wrong or that it would never work. But I kept on the path, doing crazier and well, sort of sexier stuff, like enemas and colonics. (If you go for that sort of sexy, wink wink). Kris and all my other blogmates urged me on and taught me new tricks. Daunted by the raw food cookbooks, I began to keep my food very very simple. I cooked for the family and did raw for me, throwing them a taste every now and then that they loved. You should know that I made a decision not to tell my daughter or stepdaughter about my diagnosis. It’s complicated, but until and unless I am very ill or need treatment, I prefer to keep it to myself and about 500 or so close friends. They just think I eat weird stuff. Being a raw vegan was an adventure and you know what? It was freaking fun! Recently I added more yoga and meditation with my man Deepak Chopra’s Healing the Soul CD. Just a week or so ago, Kris dubbed me her “mayor” of Crazy Sexy Life, her fab new forum/playground. What an honor from the woman who undoubtly saved my life.
Yesterday I went to the oncologist again, this time with a new attitude and four months of raw and green juice under my belt. I had all the good wishes of all my friends, prayers, hope and wisdom, tucked neatly into my backpack. I had a plan, inspired by a chance story I read in ‘Kitchen Table Wisdom: Stories That Heal’ by Rachel Naomi Remen M. D. called “Who is That Masked Man?” She did therapy with many oncologists and discovered their heartbreak at the poor outcomes of some of their paitents and a deep sense of loneliness. For the first time, I felt compassion for my Dr. and his assistant. Perhaps I needed to approach this visit differently. Instead of taking my resentment and anger with me, I left it in the trash heap of toxic emotions and took a new approach.
As always, the assistant came in and started rattling off the same questions as she had each time. I stopped and kindly said, “You don’t have to ask me all those questions, I feel great and I still have no symptoms,” She smiled, seemed amused and told me in a happy tone that she “Had to ask them.” She sat down next to me, doing her exam. Suddenly, she could be my friend. Ms. Sunshine had become another human, doing her job and trying to be helpful. She had not changed, I had. After the blood draw, my oncologist entered the room. I greeted him and asked about his family. He had mentioned that he had a daughter who liked to run, so I asked if she ran the LA marathon. His face changed, he looked down, smiling and told me she does not run that much, with a bit of a chuckle. Then he told me that my white blood count was at 16,000. The lowest ever since I had met him. It took me a second to register this news, then the excitement hit. I mentioned that I had been coming to see him for a year now and that this was the best blood ever. He remarked “You would not be here if you did not have that blood test, you would never have known.” I told him that actually I was very glad I did find out, that I did meet him a year ago. If I had not made all the changes in my diet and my stress level, used all I had learned from Kris, then I would have met him when the disease was more acute.
In essence, I recognized the gift of the oncologist referral, the gifts that I have received due to the most frightening diagnosis I have ever gotten. He looked at my file, noted that I lost ten pounds since we met and for the first time in a year, really looked at me. He said I looked fit and had good color, looked healthier…hee hee my raw glow was showing! I shared with him that I hoped that I would never have to take chemo and he replied that if my blood stayed this way, I probably never would have to. As he left the room, smiling, I remarked, “ I will come to your retirement party!” Something tells me I will be there and you know what? I’ll miss the guy after all."
For more from Debbie and the rest of the Crazy Sexy Gang visit http://my.crazysexylife.com/
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Celebration day for Debbie!!!
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60 comments:
OH. MY. GOD.
Congratulations Debbie, that's absolutely AMAZING news! I don't know you but I'm in tears over your fantastic news. Keep up the good work!!!
Debbie,
As I sit here typing my reply to you I have tears pouring out of my eyes. I came here because I was on my own mission, to save Tom. But along the way I made friends, and you have always been one of my favorites. Your upbeat, funny remarks always bring a smile to my face. I've known about your diagnosis for months now, but I think in order to be able to get closer to you and others here, I have to try to put that out of my mind. Watching my Tom pass away was and still is so scarry and painful. It reminded me that all the friends I've made here are a little bit or a lot more vaulnerable than any other friends I might make. You have cancer. I've questioned myself, asking why am I letting myself get so attached to people that might brake my heart, not on purpose, but because I love them so much, and they might be a little bit closer to heaven than me. So as I sat and read your reply and read that your doctor gave you an experation date of 7-10, and having fallen in love with you as a siter or friend or both, it scarred me to death and broke my heart. But I kept reading, knowing the end of the story already, because I need to hear it, all of it. I don't know what my purpose is, I don't know why I feel like I belong here with all of you crazy sexy cancer fighting warriors, but I do. Your story is absolutely amazing. You are the reason I need to be here. You and Callie, and Kris, and the others that are teaching the oncologist instead of them teaching you. You guys are rewriting the book on what it means to have cancer. It's a wake up call. It's a big red flag. I love you because you are more awake than most people I know. I love you because you have found the meaning of life and are sharing it with people like me. Raise your voice, you have a choice. I'm so fricken happy for you. I love you like a sister, and I've never even met you. I wish I could give you a hug and a high five and cry and laugh with you, but you are there and I am here, so please just know that I am so proud of you Debbie! My heart is filled with joy and I'm crying happy tears because you did it! I love you!!!!!!
Jennifer
This is a wonderful story of transformation. When you first talked about your doctor I was sorry you couldn't have my team of docs. Then you realized the part you were playing and that's a real wake up. My surgeon "guessed wrong" when he sent me for my biopsy. When he read it to me - ductal carcinoma in situ - he was visibly shocked. When he did surgery, he found tissue that did not seem right to him, and removed a lot more of the margins than he had planned. When my pathology reports came back he was thrilled. "It's the best path report you could have." I think its important to understand what is behind those glasses on our docs noses! With a new job, I may have to change docs. My surgeon tells me - I like to follow my bc patients for five years. Sigh.
WOW! What an amazing story, Debbie. I’M SO HAPPY FOR YOU!! Your daughter is adorable and I can tell by the picture she LOVES YOU SO MUCH. Congratulations on your hard work and determination. Keep up the good work!! I just love this blog and also CSL. Thanks for sharing your story.
Hi Mayor Deb,
I really enjoyed reading your post--you are a fantastic writer. Congratulations on your blood count and you deserve much kudos for not knocking your oncologist's and his assistants blocks off on one of your visits...and all kidding aside: it amazes me that when we change "our" behavior and change how we "react" to people, how wonderfully it can all turn out. However, insensitivity to one's patients is just not an excuse. Yes, it is probably a lonely path that the Doctor and assistant have taken--but not an excuse for bad behavior. But in changing your response to them--and using your crazy, sexy and postivie attitude you probably taught them a crazy and sexy lesson! And a happy positive one at that...!
Keep doing what you're doing Deb, eating raw, your enemas and colonics, and especially keep that fighting attitude, as it is quite an inspiration. Not to mention you are the Mayor of Kris Carr's crazy and sexy town...
I suspect that the next time you go for bloodwork that you'll see even better results!
Best wishes! Celebrate, spring is around the corner and it's a beautiful life.
MY darling friend. I have never been so happy for you. I am not however shocked and surprised. I am in awe. In awe of your determination, faith and hard work. In awe of a woman who knew a miracle when she saw one. And then she trusted herself enough to go for it! You have worked your rear off with joy and abandon not only to detox you body but your mind and spirit. You sprinkle your pixie vegan dust across us all and our lives are better. We could never be happier for you. I belive when we are doing things the right way and stepped into the vibe of the universe we are affirmed over and over. This is the first of many affirmations. I have made my owns jaws sore from smiling and Duncan and his mens bible study have been praying thanks and we all toasted you with margarita's them and water us.. last night. I have not been this happy for anyone ever. God bless and keep you dear partner, love and friend. You will be cured. I am not talking the healed that we tread lightly around here. I am talkimg cured. We have the answer. We have to follow your lead. We all who have been given this news know. For some nothing will help but they will live happier and healthier for others they will heal for others they will cure. I wish you all the joy and happiness on earth. DO not wait for it to turn.. embrace you miracle with joy. Like I always say a miracle is 1/3 inspiration, 1/3 preparation and 1/3 work. If we dont work with the universe it cannot work with us. YOU DID IT!!!! I cannot wait for the next test. Congrads and this blog is beautiful and lovely and perfect Congrads you national blogger and cancer ass whooper. Love you dearly. Callie
PS> I cannot wait to this to happen to all of us. Debbie, Kris and I all good news.. lets get this party started and keep up the work. Love you all.
Debbie... you are truly blessed! I am still sitting here - one full day later - crying tears of joy for you! We have definitely found the best bunch of compassionate, selfless, prayerful people here on this blog and on CSL!
Kris... you are the reason for this. Your amazing strength and spirit keeps everyone's own spirit lifted and -we have Debbie as proof- turns dreams into reality.
I am very proud to call you both - as well as the rest of the crazy, sexy bunch- my friends.
Peace and happy, sunshine-filled days!
Lisa xoxo
Debbie, I feel so privileged to glow in your light, which I can feel warming my soul from clear across the country, my friend. Congratulations on taking charge of your wellness and setting an example for us all!! I am so proud of you, so pleased for you and your family, and as always, so inspired by you.
Rock on, Girl!
Hugs,
b
Where do I begin? I am so honored and feel like I am in a Twilight Zone episode right now.. Kris, I love you like a sister, you are the best teacher a girl could have!
Here Goes:
@ Annika:Thanks for the tears.. I shed a few myself!
@ goony: Sister love, you are so talented in the ways of the heart.. love you big, thanks for all your love and support always there, always pulling for each of us!
@ dianne: you said it.. we need to unmask our drs and see them for the sensitive beings they are.. good luck with yours..
@survivorchick: my Sam is my reason for being here, on csc, on this planet..end of sentence!
@skyecat: you are right, I had to change.. but some docs just do not work out.. no reason to be mistreated on the most important journey of your life!
@ Callie, my partner, my dear dear friend.. girl, we ARE the party and we've only just begun.. sorry for the Carpenters reference there! love you more than words can say!
@ cravin: I would say that the part of me that has grown the most is my compassion..I had not realized how much I had seperated myself off from a lot of the world.. we are all one in this universe, we all need to care for each other. love you!
@ bav: Dear sweet girl, taking charge is what I do best! love you, hope you are well..
So much to do today, but this is home for me so I can't stay away!
Deep bows of gratitude to Kris and the whole posse,
deb
Hey Deb, you ROCK!
YOU are amazing, sisterfriend! What an inspiration you are to all these women. You are also an inspiration to those of us who have known you for years. I feel so blessed that I get to see you, hug you, and share green juice with you whenever I want. What a gift our friendship has been. To think, it all started with our kids. Now, you keep on kicking serious LLC ass!!! 'kay?
I love you!!! - Kath
Awesome post Debbie.
I am so prou of you an your achievements & all the obstacles you have overcome. You truly inspire me. You and many others have shown me to stay dedicate to my health to strive for the best and on't settle for less. I have lurked on the site for months & months before posting and I feel like I know each of you , like we are all family. I cry when things are tough and smile and cheer when I hear the good news. I love this CSC family and look forward to growing and learning with each of you. Thank you & congratulations on your amazing news..you are amazing.
Debbie!! You are such a rockstar! I'm so proud of you. Thank you for sharing your story and spreading such great inspiration. I hope that I will be able to help all you guys spread the word in the future. I know I can now through interactions with people, but once I start working in a hospital I really hope I can help get the message out. I'm still figuring out how I'll do that since I'll be working with kids (how could I get kids to drink green juice?) and their families, but I just know something will come along that will be the perfect platform for this. I'll try to team up with the nutritionists and the CAM department. I'm sure there are lots of possibilities.
Congrats again!
Debbie your story and your outlook have totally brightened my day and blown my world a little more open! Thank You.
Debbie,
I know I already told you this on your page in sexy town but I am absolutely ecstatic. Reading your whole story... wow. I am in tears. You are such a strong, wonderful woman and mother. You are beautiful. I am SO happy for you! I am sure you are swinging from the chandeliers!! Keep drinking that green juice!! Your story is amazing-- shout it from the roof tops!!!
Debbie!!
I am so happy for you! I have only recently gotten to know you and you have been such a light in my life. Your blog and comments on mine always make me so happy! I loved reading your story. You are such an inspiration to so many people! I just think your are fabulous! Cheers to another ambassador of health!
Bueller
DEBBIE, YOU GO GIRL!! Congratulations!! I am thrilled to hear your last visit to the doc went well. It's incredible how our mindset can move the immovable-- this idea is what propelled me to look into a career in alternative medicine. I have always said 75% of getting better is psychological: if your outlook is trashed in the gutter, your results will reflect this!!
So glad to hear your successes!! You are truly an inspiration!
Thoughts breed things!
Sabrina
Wonderful post Deb. I've come to really enjoy reading your blog and your comments/contributions here and over at CSL land. You have an amazing spirit and you're truly an inspiration! Take good care!
Beautiful story and blog post! I really loved reading it. Congrats on such great news!!
Hey Debbie
I congratulated you on the forum pages, but you can never have too much good cheer! You keep at it and those numbers will fall and fall! I am very proud of you and so thankful that I have met you here on the blog. Your support has been wonderful....stay home and together with us here and we can all move mountains together. I will never forget cleansing with you.....it was actually the most fun I have had on a cleanse ever!
Tons of hugs, kisses and green cheer
xoxo
LauraB
Debbie,
Congratulations to you.. you are such an inspiration to people. Tears are also flowing from my eyes while reading your post. So beautiful. You are a wonderful person and I feel so lucky to know you... thank you!
xoxo
Dear friend Deb, i am amazed and humbled by your story!!! I am so very happy for you sis!! I only wish your story would rub off on my mom who is so very hard to get through to sometimes!!! Raising my green juice to you in salute!!! Love ya!
Michelle
Debbie,
You rock! Ever since yesterday I've been happy happy happy for you!
My husband was the one to find CSC too. funny that. He was keeping up on a billion RSS feeds about cancer when I was diagnosed.
Anyway, you and your blog are an inspiration to me. I'm so glad to have found you and this community.
Hi Debbie: As Annika says: Oh. My. God. You are SUCH an inspiration!!! This whole group is an inspiration!
Your blog is a work of genius! I hope that one of these days Oprah has a bunch of you back on her show to show what an amazing community of hearts belong to CSC. Your story needs to be told!
I'm telling everyone I know about this group. I swing in a circle of human resource types and I'm trying to figure out a way to get the word out to them so they can pass the word on to the people who work in their companies.
I feel privileged to know about you guys every time I connect to the blog and to the forum. Who said the Internet is an isolating thing?
Your honesty and courage emanates from your writing. Thank you so much for sharing your journey. Congratulations from the bottom of my heart. I hope you'll continue to share and educate others. I learned a lot from reading this post!
XO,
Sundari
Debbie!! You already know that I have had you in my thoughts all week. It was great to read your story from beginning to end. Sharing a piece of your heart with your onc,...well, it gave me chills down my spine.
You are such a generous soul and deserve to be right up there on cloud nine. (Did you come down long enough to watch Top Chef? hehee)
Hugs,
Joy :)
Congrats Debbie!
I have some problems myself, but gona try to stay positive, even after my check-up in a couple of weeks.
My Leukemia Role Model:
I don't think I could be happier for you. I wish I had your strength! Fear causes me to not think about things rather than face them. You're amazing, and like Kris, someone I NEEDED in my life to look up to.
I hope you celebrated with a big green something, no one deserves it more.
If only I could take some of your strength for tomorrow, I'll def. be taking your words.
<3
Jessie
That crazy sexy vixen haha
Hey Deb
You are someone we should all aspire to be like. AND you are someone I admire tremendously. This whole CSC community has done so much for me, my morale and my health. I am more inspired every day I log on. I agree, you are rewriting the book. THANKS!
Green toasts to ya girl. YOU DONE GOOD! Strut your stuff. You deserve it.
Belinda
Debbie,
THANK YOU for your wonderful post! You are an inspiration! I am SO HAPPY for your success! I love how you write about changing the way you viewed your doctor. A very good point!
Rock on!
Still up on Cloud Nine, Miss Mayor of CSL and Raw Guest Blogger Wonder Woman!!! You already know the joy I have in my heart for you, and its so great to be sharing it here on Kris' blog!! Your dedication and diligence are paying off with the most valuable dividends. I hope you're hugging your family just a little tighter today - this is so precious. Keep being you and sharing the light...told you I could see the glow in Jersey!! Love ya so much,
Sherry
Wahoo! You, Callie, Dee...my rock and my light
Congratulations, Debbie!
Wonderful post! My next green juice is for you!
Deb Meister,
Again.... am SO happy for your victorious outcome !!
You make Xena Warrior Princess look like a Wus.... serious bear hug from me to you !
Clint
Dearest Debbie!
Fellow leukemia-ite, raw foodist and woman of light and love, Congratulations kiddo!!!!
I am so happy for you and your family too. Yes, 7-10 is NOT ENOUGH for us. (I only got 3-6 but I'm going for 40 more years.)
You are a rock star and an inspiration. Your energy and dedication is wonderful and your honesty is beautiful. Keep it up and keep sharing as you do. I appreciate all your comments and encouragement to me and my family.
Can't wait till our next BMBs (they seem to hit at the same time huh) so we can celebrate together. My results won't be back for two more weeks..... But I am hoping for a party too! We can wear our Dorothy in OZ red slippers and dance the night away!
Hugs and love to ya,
Rhonda (and Lili too)
Debbie - I am so happy to read this post - what an inspiring story - you've worked hard jumping over the fence to "greener" pastures. What an accomplishment; and proof that your positive thoughts and tenacity conquers all. xoxoxo, M
Debbie my sweet CSC friend & fellow "greenie"....HIGH FIVE from me to you! You have rocked my world in so many ways, and yet here's another one! I'm ecstatic for you and your dear family and I'm thanking God for this incredible group of empowered folks who give me joy daily. Kris, Debbie, Dee, Callie, Bav, Goony, Clint,....and the list grows hourly - what a testimony to life you all are to me! Thank you everyone and may God richly bless you more than you could ever dare to hope or imagine :-)
Debbie, your story moved me so much. YOU ARE SO FIERCE, GIRL. The part where you say you started looking at your doctors/nurses as human beings really moved me.
I wish you lots of love and continued good health. You are such an inspiration.
Hi Debbie,
Congratulations! Glad that you are well and you look great as many raw foodies do! There is something to be said about the "glow". I recovered from advanced breast cancer (thru macrobiotics) and yes there is/was a lot of prep/cooking but it was well worth the effort and it was my path to healing. That said, Horray for any sensible plant-based diets.. whatever works, works! And it doesn't kill you. :-)
This is your mayor...bowing so deeply in humility and wonder at all the love you have shown me. Each one of your comments, each one of your lives is a light, leading the way for all us to vibrant juicy health.
All I can say is WELCOME TO THE TEMPLE .. this is truly a place of miracles and awe.
Now, TAG, you're it.. go get green, do what cowgirl Kris says and come to the temple with your story of wonder and health.
I love you all more than words can say.. I would give a "shout out" to each of you, but this comment would be about a mile long...
Namaste
I am honored to be part of this CS family.
love to all you green juicy people
deb aka Mayor of CS ville xoxoxoxoxoxo
CLL Survivor. Liver of LIfe, Rodeo Queen etc etc etc
YOU GO GIRL Congratulations, that is GREAT news! What a great story.
Wishing you all the best!!
Laura (yogramma)
Debbie,
I'm sending my love an congrats to every post I can find about your success. It's worth repeating a hundred times! You know I have eaten raw in different percentages for 5 years now, but really never 80/20 except for short bursts. You are an inspiration (if you haven't already figured it out) to have a commitment for 80/20. For those whose don't know, I don't have canser, but may have MS. I have slight symptoms, suspicious brain MRI, but clear neck & spine MRI & all other office exams are normal, so the neurologist says "I don't think you have it, but could get a spinal tap to find out". I think I may have it BUT because I've eaten at least 50% raw for 5 years, amongst other good behaviors, this is as bad as I'll every get & now am committed to strive to a "higher rawness" & see what happens. So thank you, you are simply wonderful!
Love you,
Sue
Wow, what a story! Thanks so much for sharing!!
(Remember, "Healthy Crops. Healthy Craps.")
Hey Loves... I have missed you all this week. Seems like this blog is so nice to come home to. I miss it often.
I am so happy for debbie and just heard from nessa that dee was heading home. Her antibiotics are working and today was no two steps forward three steps back day. Today was a good day. So God willing the storm has passed. I have been holding my breath so long I was so releive. She is sleeping in her own bed tonight and will have her house and her smells around her. And her Momma C in the kitchen. Fab. So life is certainly getting better. Poor nessa deserves the congressional medal of honor for all the work she has done just to get all the phone calls and flowers and everything handled and love to them all.
I am so thrilled for them all. Clint I found a dr. who does ozone therapy here and he also does hydrogen peroxide therapy although I haven't heard alot about that.
well I am going to be gone on speaking and babysitting weekend tour. Duncan is turning 44 tomorrow and my cancerversary is tomorrow. Poor Duncan I found out on his birthday I had cancer. Fun .. Poor man.. But his year I am almost 20 days cancer free. So for once it is not a reminder of the hell but of the good. We can change the meaning,
Talk with you all Monday. Love you bunches. Callie
Oh My God!!! I just realized Clint said debbie made Xena the warrior princess look bad... whooooooooooooooooo that is a big compliment you dont dish the dish xena. She is it.. her in compliment land. Cute one. Missed it for a minute. Hugs Callie
and she does. she is the best. and deserves the best.
Debbie, thank you for sharing your story all in one blog like this. I started lurking around the CSC blogosphere in October and had always followed your blog entries and your DDR blog, but I was never sure how all the pieces fit together. I, like Goony writes, have always felt a little mystified as to why I come here, and I still am not exactly sure, but I know it has something to do with the awe and respect I have for you and others like you, who have embraced new ways and seen obvious positive changes. It's what drew me to Kris and her documentary and this blog and, now, to CSL. You provide such hope and inspiration, and all of us, whether we have cancer or not, can sure use some of that!
Congratulations again on your 16,000. This blog entry puts that in true perspective and I hope you are very, very, very proud of yourself for making it happen.
Debbie,
What an inspirational story.
Thank you for sharing it so beautifully.
I too, have a six year old, and I can't imagine how hard that "news" was for you at first. I am so convinced of this raw food living. I don't have cancer, but have been praying and searching better eating and health for myself and for my family. I know that this stuff is the answer. I need a juicer! But until then, I'm trying to eat raw until dinner and detox myself from meat and dairy. The kids are psyched...."mom says we don't have to drink milk anymore!" It's like a party at our house. (They like salad better anyway.)
Callie! Happy Canservesary and Happy duncan 44th!
Both of those events are due to YOU and all you do for yourself and Dunc and all the lucky lucky folks who find basicmissions!
You deserve a deluxe spa day.. Dunc are you reading this?? I know it's your bday, but Callie gets some credit for that too!!
Love you big partner in crime
deb xoxooxox
Got to go Hiking now!
Debbie! This is so beautiful!
I'm crying after reading this! You're beautiful inside AND out, and well, I've gotta say, you're funny, too.
(I loved "they would join the Crips and it was game over" and "I pictured a woman dressed in Victoria’s Secret undies with screaming red hair running around yelling, “It’s crazy, it’s sexy!” haha awesome!)
You're a superstar, a rock star, and I'm so proud of you!
Let your inner (raw food) glow shine through! Haha
Thank you for sharing this with all of us!
<3!
Hey Guys. Debbie thanks for the well wishes. We are having a big weekend. It will be wild around here. I have to work plus we have all the huskies plus uncle loki (malamute) Uncle bently (beagle) so we are heading to duncan;s brothers to load all this kids up. Then the family will celebrate duncan;s birthday and the nephew will play with the dogs.. then off to speak. and the hotel. It is fun with the babies int he hotel. They are so quiet and they lay around and just watch the world go by and force me to walk when we are on the road. Duncan's step dad is having a defibulator put in his heart on Monday but he should do great. So we are really going to run the wheels off the old man car full of dogs and shoes..hahaha.. that old lincoln of duncan's that we travel in is hilarious but he loves it and he is comfy so off we go... love you all. callie
Hey Callie!
Happy Cancerversary and happy birthday Duncan!
I miss this blog too. It's special :)
Debbie, stories like yours and Kris INSPIRE AND MOTIVATED ME. You are all my angels, and I am honored.
Just Breath,
Mariely
Debbie,
You are my hero!! I too have CLL and was dx in 2006. I have the more aggressive form of the disease with poor markers. I've had FCR treatment last year with a 4 month reprieve until the dragon came out of his lair again. I need more treatment now and looks like a Bone Marrow Transplant is in my future.
I saw "Crazy Sexy Cancer" on television and asked my "Cll specialist" if this "diet" would work for me-he replied-"no it can make it worse because it can proliferate the white cells".
You, my brave new friend have proved them wrong!!! I am so happy for you Debbie and this have given me the proof to try and duplicate what you and Kris are doing-conventional chemo has left my immune system shot and polluted with chemicals.
Thank you for giving me hope.
My heart is with yours
Wanda
BTW-
Debbie, feel free to email me if I can support you in any way
Wanda
Wanda, Wow, you are in the right place my friend.
I did not even ask my onc after he gave me "food pyramid" style answers.
Go to crazysexy life and please join our leukemia-ites unite group.. you will be in the company of others just like yourself.
Do what Kris says, you WILL get better results re: wbc count.
Hang in there sister!
love deb
WOW! what a beautiful post Debbie! :)
What an amazing testimony! I'm gonna copy it & paste it and email it to my aunt who is in remission (breast canser)... I know this will inspire her! :) actually lol, I'll copy and paste it along with Kris' newest post "Crazy Sexy Life Diet"...
Alot of green ammo in these 2 posts! :)
APSM!! Where have you been girl?
thanks and good thoughts to you and your aunt!
deb
Debbie,
If you have all the good prognostics (I wonder what tests your hem/onc did) and your red counts and platelets are good then 7-10 years is, er, crazy. I also had a hem/onc tell me the same and it is BS. If you have good prognostics, are healthy and symptom free his prognosis is based on very old data. Did you consult a CLL consortium doc?
Hi eb
I believe you.. I think that my onc is using a very very conservative approach.... I do not believe that prognosis, never did, never have, never will.
I will see a specialist IF it progresses, this guys just takes my blood, nothing more. So for a copay every four months, that is fine with me.
Thanks for the info, I read CLL topics frequently to keep abreast of the latest info.
deb
Debbie,This is great! great! great! to hear. The Venkats (cll topics ) are wonderful.
Hey eb,
are you on CSL? Please join our Leukemia group, we need more knowledge!
love deb
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