Hi from Hev!

[Hev]

Hi everyone, just joined up to this forum and thought I'd introduce myself. I am 47 years old, and was diagnosed 'out of the blue' in August 2010 with Ovarian cancer. Had a radical hysterectomy in september and told my cancer was a stage three. I embarked on a raw vegan diet, gave up alcohol (tricky!) caffeine (equally tricky!)gave up work(easy!)and increased my excersise (much to the delight of my two kelpies)and started meditating. I went to the gawler foundation in the Yarra Valley for ten days in Oct, and can honestly say it was the most deep, profound life-changing experience of my life thus far. So now I have a different outlook on life and living, an appreciation and realisation of its precious and fragile nature. I believe I have not only been given a wake-up call but a second chance...which I am grabbing with both hands! I just re-read this post and think thats probably enough soul-baring for now:) Hev.

[Jules2]

Hiya Hev I read an Ian Gawler book many years ago when I was first diagnosed with cancer. I think attending one of the gawler clinics would be fantastic. How did you manage giving up caffeine? I would love to but struggle with trying to kick that habit. Julie

[Hev]

Hi Julie, hmm well I just went cold turkey really with the caffeine/alcohol, must admit I had withdrawal symptoms for a few days, headache, tired, moody...but it passed and I started to feel better than I had before. Now I have dandelion root 'coffee' with soy milk, green tea and my glass of 'red wine' is pomegranite juice in a wine glass!My motivation was to allow my immune system to focus only on dealing with the cancer in my body and not have to deal with any other toxins, I think if you can find 'substitutes' that you enjoy eating or drinking then it makes it easier to give up. Which book did you read? perhaps'you can conquer cancer?'...very inspiring. I just read his biography 'the Dragons blessing' (I think that was what it was called anyway) very interesting. I'm in the middle of a book called 'the essence of health' written by a Dr Craig Hassad that lectures medical students at Monash on mind/body/medicine, he came to give a talk when I was at the Gawler Foundation...what he says makes sense. And yes...you're right attending Gawler's was fantastic, a real turning point for me in terms of deling with my cancer.

[Jules2]

Hi Hev Guess I will have to be braver to give up my caffeine. lol I only have two (usually) a day, so you think it would be easy. Will have to have a look for this dandelion root coffee and give it a try. I don't really drink much alcohol since my treatment, which is suprising as I used to luuuuurve wine. Living in the gateway to a great wine region = luuuurve wine. I drink a lot of water now so am happy to stick with that. I can't recall the name of the book as it was 22 years ago when I read it. I just remember reading and being inspired by Ian Gawler. There were two others I read at the time and I leant them to a friend who unfortunately passed away from cancer and I didn't ever get the books back. One was on a raw diet which was meant to be able to help those suffering from cancer. That lasted all of four days from memory. The other book was about a cancer clinic in america and they cited how people were when they arrived and then after the clinic gave examples of how people had changed, which I found very interesting. Your new book sounds interesting! Julie