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Living with Multiple Myeloma in Hyderabad , India . Random musings .

Category Archives: self help

self help


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Recipe for Treating Cancer

All of us have come across mails/posts via mails/social media about effective methods to treat Cancer. Being a patient myself and having researched the Internet for a cure , I wanted to share my thoughts on these remedies .

Once a person is diagnosed with cancer and the word spreads , they receive suggestions from family, friends , colleagues and other well wishers about various Alternative treatments.

It is up to the individual to believe in the methods that are being followed by other patients to heal themselves. Once they have faith in these treatments , they can choose from the available options based on their conviction and then follow those particular remedies. There is no single recipe that is suitable or preferred by all.

Several ingredients are available to make a great Recipe to treat Cancer. Here are some that I would like to share from my own experience :

  • Avoid sugar
  • Exercise/Yoga
  • Reduce consumption of carbohaydrates like Maida / All purpose flour .All bakery products to be eliminated from the diet.
  • Avoid acidic foods and increase intake of alkaline foods : More of fruits and vegetables and less of meat , caffeine etc
  • Drinking lemon juice
  • Drinking wheat grass juice
  • Doing pranayama : Systematic Deep breathing
  • Meditate
  • Take Herbal supplements like ashwagandha and curcumin (very effective)
  • Eat lots of immunity boosting foods.
  • Reduce stress
  • Getting more of the sunshine vitamin (vitamin D) : check your Vitamin D levels and take supplements as advised by your physician and increase your exposure to the sun.
  • Check your Vitamin B12 levels and take supplements if required.
  • Include probiotics : Include Curd / Yoghurt in the diet
  • Juicing
  • Fasting
  • Replace refined oils with cold pressed oils
  • Use clarified butter . Also known as Ghee . Cow Ghee is the best.
  • Avoid all processed foods.
  • Stop drinking and smoking.
  • Respect every Cell and Organ in your body .
  • Forgive yourself , forgive others, love yourself.
  • Learn to say NO.
  • Pursue a hobby.
  • Read success stories on the Internet.
  • Subscribe to some motivational and fun stuff on various social media on the Internet.
  • Be Grateful for what you are blessed with.

Choose from the above as per your convenience and belief. Read up on the Internet about those which appeal to you. Follow the method strictly.

Continue your Chemo medication along with the above.

I have been doing my best to follow all the above.

It is all about maintaining a Healthy Body and Mind by eliminating foods that feed Cancer cells and including foods that help in the Apoptosis (destruction) of the Cancer cells.

Have faith and hope that you will get healed.

And Lo ! you will get healed.

With all the available methods there is no reason why any form of cancer cannot be eliminated from this planet. There is absolutely no reason why anyone should lose the battle.

 

“If you think you can or you think you can’t , you are always Right – Henry Ford “.

 

 


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Stop being too nice

Unknowingly , I made some of the biggest blunders in my life . I always said nice things to people , was always accommodating and mostly didn’t hurt others feelings. 

I had always felt that one should not hurt others feelings at any cost.  It was always about telling only sweet things to all and ignoring anything negative.  Height of Positive thinking I guess 🙂

Everyone calls me a Nice person. Feels nice to be called nice but I was not truly happy just being nice. Many times I suppressed my true feelings. I now feel that a nice person is actually not nice and is not genuine all the way. I was always in a fix not knowing whether I was right in being ‘nice’ . I now realize I was subconsciously afraid of being criticized for having expressed the not so nice things , that I was not strong enough to face the consequence of expressing my true feelings and that I was not ready to lose friendships nor my reputation.

I have come across several people who are very straight forward and frank in whatever they say. I had a wrong opinion about such people. I now realize that they were being true to their innermost feelings . They express exactly what they feel. They just don’t care if they are being harsh or hurtful. Whereas, it is us who unnecessarily attribute too much importance to their opinions. Everyone is free to express their opinion isn’t it and so should we. Express and let go.

After some introspection , thanks to some of the motivational quotes that I see on FB, Whatsapp etc , I finally feel happy expressing what I truly feel .

Here are a few such quotes which have been very powerful in creating a new me.

I now enjoy saying No 🙂 . I feel powerful and in control when I blurt out that No or when I disagree. Of late I have begun expressing my true feelings at home, at work or with friends. It feels so good , feels like new found freedom. Am sure this helps in improving our health too.

I have made up my mind not to regret after those words have left my mouth 🙂 .

I will just say and forget .

I will be strong about my opinion on any matter.

Will let people find their own solutions.

And it is ok to not be liked .

express

 

 

 

 


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Shakti , Mitochondria, Energy , Mother , Health , Fasting and Cancer

The words in the title don’t seem to be related in any way , isn’t it !?  🙂

Let me attempt to explain how all of these are very much interrelated. Get ready to recall some Biology lessons from your school days 🙂

Each cell in the Human body consists of several Organelles and one of them is Mitochondria . These are known as the powerhouses of the cells. Woww , sounds like Thermal Power stations or Nuclear Power stations isn’t it !!? And our body is a Power Grid !! 🙂

Mitochondrial_dna_lg

It is these little things inside the cell which convert the food that we eat into Energy. This  Energy is used by the Cell to carry out its functions efficiently.

Hope you also remember reading that a cell contains a Nucleus which in turn consists of the DNA . But, did you know that Mitochondria have their own DNA too … This is News to me tooo 🙂 . The biggest surprise is that Mitochondria is originally a Bacteria . The Mitochondria invaded a normal cell and started a Symbiotic relationship. This was how the complex multi-cellular organisms including human beings evolved. Sounds unbelievable and interesting . Anyway, this is a different subject altogether.

matrix

Now comes the most interesting part. It has been scientifically proved that the Mitochondria in the cell comes from the Mother and not from the Father. Let’s see how that happens .The Mitochondria from the Father disintegrates as soon as the zygote is formed by the fusion of the Sperm and the Egg .In effect , all the Mitochondria currently existing in the world is from the Female Gender. Isn’t this amazing .

Permit me to digress a little.

In the Hindu culture , a Goddess (feminine form) is worshiped and is referred to as ‘Shakti’. Shakti  is a Sanskrit word which translates to ‘Energy’. Fasting is an important part of worshiping  Goddess Shakti during various Hindu festivals. The Goddess is fondly addressed by most Hindus as Mother .

Let’s come back to Mitochondria. These Mitochondria are susceptible to damage due to various reasons. Thus , the efficiency of the Cell is affected leading to several illnesses including Cancer. One of the major causes of Mitochondrial damage is Medication. Medications like Analgesics, psychotropic medications , Statins, Antibiotics etc damage the DNA of Mitochondria. There are other reasons too… like inflammatory diet, stress etc

Thankfully there are ways to repair and Boost the efficiency  of Mitochondria, thereby improving our health.

  1. Fasting 
  2. Exercise
  3. Sun Exposure 
  4. Eating more Fat and protein , less of Carbs (Ketogenic Diet)
  5. Meditation
  6. Avoiding inflammatory foods like Maida (All purpose flour)
  7. Reducing Stress

Just after the recent Navratri festival,  my Ayurvedic Doctor had sent me a message about how Mitochondria is linked to Shakti/Energy, to Fasting during Navratri and worshipping of Mother Goddess  . The festival lasts 10 days during which Goddess Shakti is worshiped .

This was a revelation to me .

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Here is the entire message sent by Dr Nitin Kochar, M.D, Ayurveda :

Why to worship Durga or aadi shakti ? 
(Ancient wisdom with modern science)
For survival We all need a constant supply of energy, which is produced in our cells. Whatever food we eat, is converted by our cellular bio-fire into  energy, which is stored in the form  called ATP. 
This ATP is produced by Mitochondria ( cellular biofire) 
Our every cell is enriched with this Mitochondria and they are in abundance in our digestive and muscular system. 
Surprisingly all these Mitochondria are transferred to us through our Mother only as paternal Mitochondria are immediately destroyed after fertilization. 
So our Mother is the source of providing us energy . Hence we should be thankful to her and worship her. 
The best treatment to improve the functioning of Mitochondria is to do intermittent fasting or to consume limited quantity of satvik aahar. So in these nine days one should observe fast and consume only fruits and milk . 
As per the latest research , dysfunctional Mitochondria is the root cause of Cancer. And those who are doing intermittent fasting through out their life , they have very less or remote chances of getting cancer.  
Remember healthy Mitochondria is the  prime requisite of Good and robust  health. 
So worship and respect your Mother. Follow the ancient wisdom of fasting or eating controlled diet of satvik aahar to keep yourself fit. 
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Pious Hindus also fast during other days like Ekadasi (the 11th day of waxing and waning moon) . That would be twice a month.

Cow Ghee (clarified butter) is an important ingredient in the preparation of Prasadam (food  offered to the Deities) . It is good fat. As per Ayurveda , there are 60 health benefits of consuming Cow Ghee and hence it is recommended to eat Ghee everyday.

In spite of being a Hindu I had always doubted Hindu Rituals and customs since I was a kid . Whereas most of such rituals and customs have health and hygiene as the underlying principles .  There are a lot of folks who are attempting to revive such customs by interpreting in a scientific way. The western world is taking cues from  Eastern traditions , is experimenting and confirming what was already known and in use in the Hindu way of life since thousands of years.

I always wondered as to why I perennially felt lethargic and was highly susceptible to Chronic cold, cough and Bronchitis attacks. I had no option but to take antibiotics each time. This cycle kept repeating once every two months till I was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma. I now realize that my Mitochondria were severely damaged by all the Antibiotics which resulted in Cancer.

Hopefully one can now appreciate how all these words are connected and make sense.

So thankful to my Ayurvedic Doctor for enlightening me.

One need not accept or worship Goddess Shakti or know about Mitochondria to realize how important it is to ensure that our Mitochondria and thereby our body is healthy .  Just follow the above methods and stay healthy.

Durga-mata

Shubham Bhooyaath !!

 


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Perspective is Everything : Change your Perspective and Change your Life

Came across a few thought provoking statements recently via Youtube/ Books/ Quotations etc which I would like to share :

  • Our body is a conglomeration of a variety of single cellular organisms that have come together to form a body and  give us a beautiful experience on this Beautiful Blue Planet . Our body is a moving colony of cells, bacteria and other micro cellular organisms inside and on our body that have decided to live together in a symbiotic relationship to give us this experience.
  • We are here to express ourselves and not to suppress our thoughts and feelings. We have been brought onto this planet for a purpose . Each Individual is a unique package that is creative , has different thoughts , full of emotions and  full of ideas which have to find an expression. So, don’t hesitate to speak and express emotions . Not letting them out leads to stress in the body and mind which results in disease. Release your emotions and thoughts. Speak up, Forgive , Forget and Let Go ..in turn get healed and live a Healthy life. It is also very important to say NO when you actually feel that way.
  • Earth doesn’t need us, we need the Earth. The Earth knows how to repair, heal and revive itself and to continue it’s journey. It is time to save ourselves by helping the Planet to heal faster.
  • WE make choices every moment which in turn decides the next moment . It is we who are creating our future every moment.What happens to us is mostly the result of what we have chosen to do. Let’s not blame others for whatever is happening to us. We have the power to create our world by choosing and reacting wisely to every situation that we encounter.
  • To Worship or Pray , is to be full of Gratitude. In this unpredictable world this is the ultimate form of worship.


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Consumption of Curcumin / Turmeric, its effect on Body Heat and remedies.

 

Curcumin is definitely helping many patients all over the world in successfully managing Multiple Myeloma .

I have been using Curcumin and Turmeric since 2015.

When I recommended Curcumin to other MM patients/Caregivers , I got a feedback that many were unable to take Curcumin as they were experiencing uncomfortable side effects.

Nose bleeds and  diarrhea seem to be some of the common side effects.

Consumption of Turmeric and its extract Curcumin , might increase the body heat in a few people. This in turn results in the above effects.

I would recommend foods like Cucumber  ,  buttermilk etc which cool the body. These foods help in balancing the body heat.

It is equally important that we avoid foods which increase Body Heat. Avoid Oily foods , Cold Drinks, Caffeine , Spicy food .

Everyday, I carry a box to work , that has Cucumber which has been peeled and cut into pieces. I have it as a snack between breakfast and Lunch.

My Cucumber for today 🙂

wp-image-811266279

I also carry buttermilk , in a bottle , to work everyday.

My advise is to consult an Ayurvedic practitioner rather than losing faith on Curcumin because of the above side effects . These side effects can be easily overcome and managed by simple home remedies and one can realize the benefits of Curcumin.

So , don’t loose heart …. have faith … do your research on the internet… a lot of information on foods that cool the body is available out there on the Internet….and get in touch with an Ayurvedic practitioner.

Stay Coool !


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Taming Multiple Myeloma – A Success Story from UK

Came across this article where a 67 year old woman from UK has successfully tamed Multiple Myeloma.

Dieneke Ferguson, the founder and CEO of https://www.hiddenartshop.co.uk learnt about Curcumin through Margaret’s Blog .

I was very excited when I read that Dieneke Ferguson too , just like me , was also inspired by Margaret’s Blog and started using Curcumin.

Here is the whole story :

https://hiddenart.co.uk/2017/07/28/how-our-ceo-dieneke-ferguson-beat-her-incurable-cancer-through-curcumin/

Hopefully this news will inspire many others to believe that there is hope and not to give up.

 

 

 

 


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Forgive and get healed

Love this message.

Such a beautiful message….so simple yet profound. Practicing it can do wonders for every individual.

Easier said than done 🙂

But try it and see the results for yourself. Makes you feel powerful and in control of yourself and every situation.

One feels light in the body and mind.

Keep trying . It is very easy to fall in the trap of an unforgiving attitude. But , don’t give up. One day you will be free. Just like a bird that is let out of a cage.

Unforgiving attitude creates stress in the body and mind whereas letting go heals the body.A mind that is free of unnecessary thoughts fosters creativity, healing and growth in all aspects.


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Treat Cancer – Yes, you can !

I had been diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma ( a form of Blood Cancer) Five and half years ago.

I have come across many articles on how to ‘Manage’ the condition.

Here is nice compilation that I received from a WhatsApp group .

I do believe and have been practicing most of what is recommended in this compilation and hence wanted to share.

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AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY (‘TRY’, BEING THE KEY WORD) TO ELIMINATE CANCER, JOHNS HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY .. 
Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins: 

1. Every person has cancer cells in the body.. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size. 

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person’s lifetime. 

3. When the person’s immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors. 

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, but also to environmental, food and lifestyle factors. 

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet to eat more adequately and healthy, 4-5 times/day and by including supplements will strengthen the immune system. 

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract etc., and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc. 

7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs. 

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size.However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction. 

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications. 

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.

11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply. 
*CANCER CELLS FEED ON: 
         a. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc. are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses, but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in color . Better alternative is Bragg’s aminos or sea salt. 

       b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus.. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk, cancer cells are being starved. 

        c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer. 

       d.. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).. 

       e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer fighting properties. Water-best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it. 

12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines becomes putrefied and leads to more toxic buildup. 

13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body’s killer cells to destroy the cancer cells. 

14. Some supplements build up the immune system.

(IP6, Flor-essence , Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the body’s own killer cells to destroy cancer cells.. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body’s normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells. 

15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit.A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor.Anger, unforgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Be a forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.

16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

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Please share the above with those who can benefit.


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A Success Story : A Fighter who Conquered Multiple Myeloma !!

Here is the success story of Dr Gayatri , who has beat Multiple Myeloma with grit and determination.She has been my mentor for almost two years and has inspired me and guided me to take on the fight with courage and hope.She counsels many patients and advises them about the hospitals and Doctors in the country for getting treatment for MM.

Hopefully , this story will inspire many more just the way she has inspired me.

This write-up is by Dr Gayatri herself.

****************************************************************

BOUQUET OF HOPE

(My fight against cancer, written in October2002)

There is a very special reason why I would like to share my story with all of you who would be reading this .The word Cancer still evokes a lot of fear and despair and people are still petrified of being identified with cancer. Even in today’s modern times, you will be surprised as to how ignorant most of us are about cancer. Most lay people associate cancer with death, a painful end. And it is for these and many others who would read this book that I as a cancer survivor would like to share my experience with.

In this era of modern medicine, there are so many who have bravely and courageously fought their personal battle with cancer and many have been successful at getting rid of it. There are those who continue to fight, never wanting to give up. Don’t you think their efforts need to be appreciated? Life is a wonderful gift to each one of us and many of us take it for granted. But when one is struck with a life threatening condition like cancer, every moment of life suddenly becomes so precious that you want to savour every moment spent with near and dear ones. There is a hidden strength in each one of us that may have not surfaced otherwise but when a calamity strikes, you will be surprised at your own display of courage and fortitude.

When I was first diagnosed as having cancer in November2001, I was surprised as to how little I as a doctor knew about my cancer. Being a paediatrician my medical school knowledge about cancer was limited and my husband and me had to do a lot of reading and Internet surfing to help us understand my cancer. Also I was fortunate that we had many friends who would bring us articles and any information they could gather about cancer. About few years ago, it was thought best not to let a cancer patient know much about his or her condition. But I feel, it is very important for each and every cancer patient to understand his cancer, the available modalities of treatment and try and avail the best that is available to you. If one decides to nothing is impossible. The idea is to never give up. 

So here, I share my experience with cancer. 

It all began in the autumn of 2001. There was no warning, for my life was to change forever.

I am a doctor by profession, married to an Air Force pilot for the last 12yrs. It was oct2001 and I was reflecting on the joys of life, thanking God for a loving husband and two beautiful daughters aged eight and six years. I had a career that I enjoyed. Life was good, quite fulfilling.  I was so much at peace with myself. Little did I know that a while from now my life was going to change in a major way.

In the month of dec 2002 I was diagnosed as a case of Multifocal plasmacytomas, a variant of multiple myeloma. Multiple myeloma is a cancer of plasma cells. In myeloma, a single defective plasma cell (myeloma cell) gives rise to the much larger number of myeloma cells which build up in the bone marrow .

Diagnoses was’nt easy, I had  a surgery for a lytic bone lesion(initially diagnosed as osteoclastoma) on my left leg (tibia) on 8thNov 2001 and biopsy reported it as “Non Hodgkins Lymphoma” at Base hospital Delhi. A sample sent to Tata Memorial reported the tumour as Plasmacytoma. Further investigations confirmed diagnoses as Multiple Plasmacytomas. Over a period of 5 months I received 6 cycles of chemotherapy. I was immobile because after surgery my leg bone had not healed ( Non United Fracture). I was still not in remission after chemotherapy and so I went through an autologous bone marrow transplant on the 3rd of sept 2002 at Army Hospital( R&R),N- Delhi. I was admitted for a total of 20days and kept in isolation in a BMT centre. This transplant according to my doctors was a chance to buy time for me to fight this cancer, which has no cure.  The key thing here is the marrow you get is your own so there is no problem of graft-versus-host disease. The experience of a transplant was very painful for me. I could’nt swallow, my throat hurt, I had no saliva and I was bone tired. I was nauseous and vomited every sip of water I tried to swallow. For about a week I  totally gave up trying to even swallow liquids. I felt lousy and had no strength to talk. I used to watch a little bit of TV  but used to tire easily. I felt I would never get out of that room. My husband kept telling me I was going to make it and kept encouraging me. My family, my parents and in-laws have been a source of immense strength to me, I could never have got through this ordeal without them.

Today 3 months after my transplant I am in remission and will have to go through another transplant,( mini allogenic transplant) very soon at CMCH Vellore, maybe in the next one month. This transplant will be my chance for a cure and I am going for it! It is so strange that there was a time when I was worried about how I would fair during one transplant and here I am going for another!

The last one year has been a real testing time for me and my family. I have been through  series of misdiagnosis and long period of immobility.  We have gone through so much. I say “we” because I believe, as much as I have suffered, my family has endured much more. It is true, love can endure all things, that marriage and commitment go beyond the good days of youth and good health. It is love alone which has helped me to understand that the vows of marriage, promising to stand by each other “in sickness, in health, in good times and in bad”, is for keeps. My sickness also showed me the spiritual path and I gathered a lot of strength and courage in meditation and in the readings of Sri Sri Paramahans  Yogananda. His teachings gave me an inner calmness and the belief that I was going to survive. Come what may, I was going to fight this cancer till the very end.  From the day that I knew I had cancer, a strange calm came over me. Of course I was very distressed in the beginning but not once have I ever questioned God as to why me?

I believe, God knew I could take this pain and I was brave enough to go through this ordeal, and also I had a very caring family, which is why he gave this to me. I have no complaints, if I was destined to suffer this pain then so be it! God knew I was strong and wanted to show great things through me. And I know He has many more great things in store for me, so I like to look positively at that.

( The following extract is a summary of the period post my allogenic BMT at CMC vellore in Jan 2003 , till 2010)

There have been setbacks after setback, relapses which never seemed to leave me. I had an allogenic transplant soon after my autologous, at CMC Vellore under one of the best doctors in the country. But I relapsed six mnths later and a DLI was done( donor lymphocyte infusion). Thereafter I developed acute GVHD and was followed few mnths later by chronic GVHD, in the form of scleroderma and hypothyroidism. Scleroderma was another testing time, that landed me with ILD(interstitial lung disease). Pranayam helped me along with Rajyoga, a healing meditation technique by the Brahmakumaris, to come out of the effects of scleroderma.It took three years to counter these effects, and in the midst of all this I also had osteomyelitis of left tibial lesion. I was advised above knee amputation but somehow I felt, my leg could be saved. So started another round of trips to TMH Mumbai and a series of surgeries after which the oncosurgeon told me he would do an amputation if i agreed. He gave me one last option of trying to get the bone united and clear it of osteomyelitis by using the illizarov technique.So Iwent for it and after two years of repeated surgeries for debridement I could save my leg, though with shortening. The period post my allogenic transplant till 2009, Oct , I used to walk with help of a walker.

After the DLI, I still did not go into remission and had a bad relapse in 2007. It was a near death experience for me then, but my trust in the Almighty saw  me through this phase too , leaving behind peripheral neuropathy as a reminder.  

My message to the many who will hopefully read this piece is, Cancer is something, which any of us can be afflicted with, but that is not the end of life. Today medical science is so advanced and a lot of research is on to find better modalities of treatment.

By strong will power we can overcome disease, but the will vibration must be stronger than the vibration of physical or mental disease. More severe the disease, more stronger should our will be to fight it. Remember, beyond every cloud there is a silver lining….I have finally reached mine….and so will you!

By              

Dr Gayatri Bhat  (MBBS, DCH)

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Dr Gayatri’s experience is one of the most complicated cases one could ever come across.

If she can then we all can.

Lets prove to the world that nothing can beat Will Power.

Thanks to her , I got the courage to chronicle my experiences too via this blog.

Thank you Ma’am .


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My experience with Meditation

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There are a lot of people all over the world who are able to manage and control chronic illnesses with Meditation. Blood Pressure, Diabetes, Stress, Anxiety , Depression and Cancer too can be ‘managed’ well by including meditation as a part of your daily routine.

My curiosity about meditation and yoga began about 15 yrs ago.
I wanted to learn to meditate but didn’t know what it was all about.

I bought books on Meditation. All the books mentioned a wonderful experience and wrote about a lot of steps and discipline that are required to reach that blissful state. I got discouraged reading all this. I even feared it , thinking I would die during meditation , especially after reading about yogis who pass on during meditation . This is called ‘Samadhi’

I continued reading up on the Internet .

I came across various methods to meditate. Some of them are ..

  • Staring at an object a little away from you. A flower or a candle should do.
  • Sitting with closed eyes and trying to concentrate on the gap between two consecutive thoughts.
  • Focusing on various parts of the body starting from top to the bottom while relaxing those parts of the body.
  • Gently focusing  on the point between the eyebrows with closed eyes.
  • Chanting a mantra etc

I later came across various spiritual organizations that taught meditation. But, I was not ready to accept any Guru.

I continued reading and one day came across ‘Chakra meditation’.
This particular method appealed to me. I read about it several times and one day decided to try it out.I had read enough of theory and was confident and ready for some practicals :))
The experience I had was indescribable. I couldn’t discuss my experience with anyone.

During the process of  meditation all the chatter in my mind had stopped. Breathing was very slow and steady.  I was not able to feel my body, only  a part of the face, the throat, and the breath. It was as if the body had disappeared and expanded into a balloon , this balloon had a diameter of a few meters. There was a lot of energy in this balloon.It was a peaceful state and all was still , as though time was frozen.

This was my first experience. There was no way of knowing if all those who meditate have the same/similar/better experience.The experience was good and I was happy that I was able to ”meditate” without a Guru :))

Soon all was forgotten.

One day , a few years later , I learned that a course was being held by a spiritual organization , close to where I lived. I joined the course hoping to know more about meditation. They didn’t teach any meditation but I learned Pranayama and other rhythmic breathing techniques which are supposed to improve our health and clarity in the mind.

Later on, I also did the Meditation course conducted by the same organisation. The experience was just ok . I  was unable to sit for long periods with my spine erect during all those different kinds of meditation sessions. It was painful 🙂

Once in a while, I would practice Pranayama followed by Meditation. Each time my experience was different.

I have now begun to meditate regularly. So glad that I had learnt to meditate .

Advantages of Meditation :Thoughts too create havoc in the body. Meditation helps in calming the mind which in turn helps the body to relax and heal.

  • Clarity in the mind.
  • A reduction in unnecessary thoughts which drain your energy.
  • One feels calm and peaceful within.
  • Better management of chronic illnesses.
  • Feel more energetic.
  • Deep Rest. It is said that 15 mins of deep meditation is equivalent to 4 hrs of deep sleep.
  • Improves the immune system.
  • Stress relief.
  • Reduction in Anxiety.
  • …and many more

I too had a lot of doubts about meditation dulling the mind. But NO , it helps you to be more efficient as all the clutter is out of your system and you feel more energetic.

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Here is an easy method to make a beginning  :

  1. Sit in sukhasana (cross legged) on a mat on the floor.The spine should be erect.You can also sit on a chair or lean on a wall. You can use pillows/cushions to ensure your spine and head are upright.Place your open palms facing upward on your lap/knees .
  2. Gently close your eyes.
  3. Gently try to focus your eyes at the center of your eyebrows. Do not  apply any pressure while doing this.
  4. Start observing your breath going deep inside your lungs and also observe the air going out through your nose.
  5. Continue to observe your breath.
  6. If your mind wanders , try to gently push the thought away  and bring back your focus to your breath. You can even arrive at a solution to whatever that is bothering you and gently push the thought away.
  7. Continue to bring back your focus to your breath.
  8. Sit in this position for as long as you can.You can also set a timer for 15 mins. It is okay if you are unable to sit for 15 minutes initially. Do this for as long as you can.
  9. Slowly open your eyes while cupping them with your hands.

Initially the process seems irritating as you are unable to focus on your breath and the mind continues to wander. Regular practice will definitely help in focusing and thereby to reach a state of thoughtlessness and the benefits should follow.

The practice can be done anytime during the day. Ensure your stomach is not full , should be almost empty. The best time to meditate is before having breakfast , lunch or dinner.

Where can one learn to Meditate ? 

There are several organizations that conduct regular meditation courses all over the world. You can earn from more than one and choose the one that you are more comfortable with.Take your time to accept the process. There’s no hurry.

A lot of CDs and YouTube videos are available which can help you make a beginning. Once you learn the technique you no longer need any external aid and you will be able to meditate anywhere.

Your experiences are unique to you. We need not compare with others experiences. Just go ahead and enjoy the feeling.

Practicing any art form makes the mind stay calm. These are wonderful methods to calm your mind. Any hobby is good too.

I am enjoying writing these posts and it is definitely helping my mind to stay calm.

Benefits of Meditation have been proven scientifically.

~~Om Shanthi Shanthi Shanthihi ~~