Volunteerism

There are two things I need to get done before I leave Oregon for good. One of these is to drive down to Eugene and meet a remarkable woman named Jane Katra, who practices spiritual healing. You can find out more about her by reading her books.
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The other thing I need to do is learn all about Reiki. Reiki is a Japanese method of healing. It has been around for a couple of hundred years. In Reiki, the practitioner lays the hands on the patient, allowing the Chi force (or life force) to pass through into the patient. The whole experience is very relaxing. Often times someone who is suffering will become so relaxed that they will fall asleep. I want to learn how to do Reiki, and I want to get very good at it. Then I will be able to volunteer my time to help other people who are suffering from the horrors of Cancer.
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Listen: Fundamentally I am, and will always be a Christian. Through the parables of The Prodigal Son and the Good Samaritan, Christ was telling us about the tremendous benefits of trying to help others, which is what we all should be doing. It is the only way that I can think of that will allow Mankind to evolve into a better creature than the Cave Man we all are today. We can become better than mere brutes, and probably should start moving into the direction of Becoming. But more about all of this later.
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This morning I had to drive out to Beaverton to St. Vincent's hospital for another one of these four hour sessions of Chemo. Driving out there I was in agony. My hands had cramped up so badly with muscle spasms that I could hardly grip the wheel. I was going to see my Delightful Oncologist this morning, and I could not wait to get there so she could help me with these cramps, which has wrecked me for the past week or so.
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I got there on time. I signed in, and they had me wait before they called me back to do some Lab Work. In Lab Work, they take a blood sample to see how all the chemical balances are working in the body. By paying attention to what I buy to eat, and choose to cook, my balances are, and have always been in, the Super Normal Range. I may have Cancer, but my body itself is still in remarkably good shape. I am actually healthy.
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Following the Lab Work, they always weigh me, and they take my blood pressure too. Today I was disappointed to learn that I had actually lost a pound since last week, in spite of my efforts to load up on calories and to gain a bit. But I have been getting plenty of exercise lately. Maybe the fat is getting turned in muscle. I feel pretty good. I know that I am getting stronger. These are the things I need to be doing if I am going to continue to be a Cancer Survivor.
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Sophir, my Delightful Oncologist's assistant, escorted me to a small room. I sat there meditating, focusing on my breathing. I was allowing myself to relax the body, and to slow down the heart rate, which had been elevated due to all the pain I was experiencing.
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Soon my Delightful Oncologist entered the room. I always look forward to our little visits. She is very easy on the eyes. She is an attractive woman, and an athlete. I am lucky to have her. She has treated me for Cancer now for two years. I owe her everything for trying to keep me alive.
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The first thing we addressed was this awful cramping problem. For her, the answer was simple. Drink Gatorade to restore the electrolytes, which I had been losing due to all the physical activity lately. This was an easy thing to do.
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The second thing we discussed was to cut back on the medicines she had prescribed. One of these is Dexamethasone, which is a powerful steroid. We will be cutting that one back to once every other day, as it has a tendency to make people very hyper if they take it every day.
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The third thing we talked about was this blog which you are reading. I directed her to read "The Ground Rules" first, which explains what I am trying to do with all of this writing. And then to read "National Health Care", to see if I was painting an accurate picture. My Delightful Oncologist will become a valuable resource because of her extensive knowledge on these topics. She will be someone I can talk to in order to keep me on the right path with all of this. If she sees my body of work and likes it, she is in a position to promote what I have set out to do here to the very audience I hope to reach, which are fellow Cancer patients.
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I fell asleep during Chemo, and the four hours passed fairly quickly. On the way home, I bought some Gatorade.

Mr. Charming