Dear Belleruth,
First of all, I want to thank you from the bottom of my broken heart: I am a trauma survivor of some years now, and last year at about this time, I went sick with a 'frozen shoulder' - a quite painful condition, that takes a lot of time to (self) heal - there is no real cure.

It was the latest of a whole series of illnesses that I had experienced that were, in hindsight, related to my traumas. I read about you in Maggie Phillips book 'Reversing Chronic Pain', then read your book 'Invisible Heroes' and then ordered three CD's two months ago.

More and more, we’re learning to reconsider the way we view animals and our relationship with them.  Check out this remarkable video of a touching reunion between a man (Damien Aspinall) and a gorilla (Kwibi) who just can’t bear to part with him again, after years of separation.  Check it out.  Their powerful bond never diminished. Click here.

Listening to guided imagery helped me so much 4 years ago when I was dealing with breast cancer. I am a cancer thriver today, even though the chemicals were debilitating, I never missed a night of sleep using the chemo and restful sleep.

I found in the process that I was more auditory, and use affirmations now. Guided imagery helped but was a little more difficult for me to do.
 
These audios and the experience of cancer profoundly affected my Life, so that each day I wake up with gratitude. I also continue to find the daily, mundane tasks in life so profound. This has not changed in four years and I do not believe it will for the rest of my life (and I plan to live a long time).

Dear Belleruth,

Several months ago (I remember the date: November 5, 2003) I received a diagnosis of metastatic prostate cancer. My PSA was 600 and my alk phos reading was over 700. Both are problematic barometers, as you may know. That was the beginning of the journey… and the adventure..

In these past several months I have invented, reinvented and kept inventing protocols to take me toward being well. And this is in the fullest sense of being well. I will get there, because I know it is not time for me to die, as I do have unfinished business, and service to render.

Ed note:  This is Diana’s response to BR’s reply to her question, posted here.   Clearly this is one plucky dame.

Dear Belleruth,
I was just viewing a video clip linked to your blog ... I somehow wandered smack dab into it and this is what I saw - I saw a 92 year old woman dancing the salsa with her 29 year old grandson and I felt joyful just watching her.

We found this note posted on our Weight Loss page. It’s very encouraging for anyone currently doing battle with his/her own body over weight issues.  Here it is:

“This CD was sent to me by a friend at one of the lowest points in my life.  Although I was once healthy and active, after my father's death and a couple of other major life changes, I found myself 100 pounds overweight, compulsively bingeing, anxiety ridden/severely depressed and unable to do anything about it.

This note arrived last week, and it might strike some as odd, but this is definitely not the first time we’ve heard these sentiments.  There’s something to be said for having your heart cracked wide open by the love, care and appreciation that can surround a person who knows he/she is dying.  Read on:
 
I am a 69 year old man, in the hospital at the moment getting 5 days of chemotherapy treatment for another recurrence of a cancer that I’ve been fighting for 5 years.  Realistically speaking, I probably have less than 6 months to live.

This parable of the fern and the bamboo is a nice teaching story for anyone who’s discouraged with how things are going.  We got it courtesy of Beyond Blue, that wonderful blog on Beliefnet designed to help with depression.  (Warning to atheists, agnostics & feminists: this story is formatted as a conversation with a traditional, male God.)

Here’s what she writes:
 
Because I'm needing some extra encouragement and inspiration these days, I thought I'd publish this lovely parable that my guardian angel Ann sent me awhile back.

A survivor of decades of debilitating posttraumatic stress wrote this letter to selected military and volunteer mental health professionals, and copied us.  She is reacting to an AP article by Sharon Cohen, published on April 12, 2010, [Revolving door of multiple tours linked to PTSD], which describes PTS as something you just have to learn to live with, because the symptoms just don’t go away.  She refutes this, explaining,

“I am determined to keep speaking up until my time is up!  If just one person reads this and thinks,,,,just maybe this could be true for me,,,,,,,then it's worth it...”