Miracles Of Healthy Healing
“My cancer scare changed my life. I’m grateful for every new, healthy day I have…” Olivia Newton John a cancer survivor said. Cancer is a life altering, devastating diagnosis. It’s a disease you have to take control of or else it will take control of you. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the world, statistic rise every year. There are more than one million cancer cases just in the United States. Cancer affected my life personally when my Grammie was diagnosed with breast cancer. Watching her go through the fight and survive with her head held high, determined to survive inspired me to live life in a different way. My point of view of my Grammie changed, I see her as a warrior, a survivor. Cancer survivors are everywhere we look they are some of the greatest fighters of our lifetime. Cancer patients inspire and change people’s lives every day; the story of a fighter I have had the pleasure hearing of is James “Rhio” O’Connor, a cancer transformer, conqueror, an inspiration. If I was faced with the diagnosis of mesothelioma and told I only had one year to live as O’Connor was told, I would make him proud with my plan of survival. Albert Schweitzer once said, “Every patient carries her or his own doctor inside.” My doctor inside would assist me with the cure of natural self healing. I would survive the fight with my determination, healthy life changes, research and aid from cancer survivors and specialists.
Mesothelioma or Mr.Meso as James O’Connor call it, is a rare cancer found in the mesothelial cells, which are the thin layer of cells found on the outer tissue that lines the body’s internal organs. Mesotheliom is commonly caused from the exposure to asbestos. There are four forms Pleural mesothelioma occurs in the lining of the lungs. This is what O’Connor was diagnosed with, it’s the most common. The second type is Peritoneal mesothelioma, which occurs in the lining of the abdominal area which includes the liver, pancreas, stomach, and bowels. The third type is Pericardial mesothelioma, which is rare it only occurs in one to five percent of cases, it developed in the membrane that surrounds the heart. Testicular mesothelioma the fourth type is the development of cancer around the lining of the testicals, this is rarest of all mesothelioma, there are less than one hundred cases reported. Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that has challenged many heroes to life threatening fights.
Inspiration is what artist thrives off of; it’s what brings art to life. James O’Connor’s life is an inspiration to me. His life has brought me to write this paper. His story would not leave my mind. Not acknowledging his inspirational life was not an option I could accept. It is rare when you find a story about a stranger’s life that affects your life as if it was someone you knew. James O’Connor’s story was meant to find me. His story inspired me to never give up and not let anyone or anything other than me determine my fate. He was told the worst news, that he only had a year to live. He refused to let the cancer determine his future. In respect and dedication to my new found hero, I write this essay. I hope it will reach out and impact someone’s life the way James O’Connor’s story impacted mine.
When being diagnosed with cancer, there are crucial decisions that need to be made. The first decision that has to be made is if you’re going to fight the unpredictable battle or give up. Lance Armstrong a cancer survivor says it best “…when you think about it, what other choice is there but to hope? We have two options, medically and emotionally: give up, or fight like hell.” I would make the decision that I’m ready to fight until the end. I would have the determination just like my hero, to never give up. When you make that decision, your journey begins. Christopher Reeves once said, “Once you choose hope, anything’s possible.” So get ready Mr.Meso if you want to take me down good luck and get ready for a good fight.
Life is an unpredictable rollercoaster. From the day you are born utill your last day there are obstacles that need to be overcome. From the day I was born I was prepared to ride the rollercoaster, even through the rockiest of times. I was born a fighter just as James O’Connor was. When he was diagnosed with mesothelioma no positive news was near. He was told by oncologist that they couldn’t perform surgery on him due to the position of his tumor and was informed that chemotherapy wouldn’t do much but decrease the quality of his remaining life. He was told that he had one year left to live. O’Connor refused to accept this diagnosis; he decided he was ready to fight.
The second step, I would take if diagnosed with O’Connor’s fate is to figure out whatever I could do to prove the diagnosis wrong, do whatever it would take to survive. I would start with consulting my family, cancer survivors, oncologists, and mesothelioma specialist. Consulting with my family during this time would give me the love and encouragement I would need. Talking to cancer survivors and hearing their stories would make me feel as if I were not alone. Meeting with an oncologist and specialists would inform me on what to expect, information about mesothelioma, options I would have and assist in developing natural cures and remedies. After working with a diverse group of knowledgeable people to assist in tackling Mr.Meso, I would move on to the next step of my plan of attack.
Changing the way I live, which is a hard thing to do. We all make New Year’s resolutions to change something in our lives and after a few weeks forget about them during the chaos of our daily lives. But when in battle for your life, the decision has to be made to change your way of life for good. The third step I would take would be to change the way I live. This includes the way I eat, exercise, and think.
I would start with researching and visiting a nutritionist, I would work closely with the nutritionist to find foods to help my whole body, especially my lungs. There is the saying you are what you eat. If you’re eating healthy, you will be healthy. I would eat healthy foods that I enjoy. This change will cleanse my body and help me feel better inside and out. Eating healthy food boosts energy which would assist me through the fight. Feeling healthy would bring out more inner strength.
In addition to eating healthy, I would add exercises. I would do thirty minutes of cardio at least four times a week to keep my body in good shape, and let my body know that I haven’t given up. Yoga which is a physical, mental therapy and meditation would be part of my daily routine. Yoga has been known to heal many different sicknesses and disease. This is one of the wonders in the world we cannot fully explain and many people cannot believe. This is what I would need to keep my mind clear and help heal me.
The essential part of the third step would be to transform my life into abundance of positive energy though my thoughts. People have been healed through positive thoughts and gratitude. Author Dr. Demartini’s states, “Whatever we think about and thank about we bring about.” Keeping a journal of my journey, goals and what I’m grateful for would assist in the healing process. I would take time every day to give thanks to all I have. Motivational speaker Anthony Robbins says, “When you are grateful fear disappear and abundance appear.” Being grateful for everyday, my health and the health I wish to receive would make the fear vanish and abundance of healthy days appear. Positive thinking and gratitude are vital to cure the incurable.
Cancer changes peoples’ lives drastically. When given bad news, you have the power to make the choice to fight or give up. James O’Conner was faced with this choice and proceeded to fight. He ended up living seven and a half years longer than the doctors expected. If I were faced with the same diagnosis, I would fight utill the very end just as my hero did. My determination, life changes, and aid from knowledgeable people are steps that would assist in the defeat of Mr.Meso. I will continue living and tackling whatever comes my way in this rollercoaster of a life. As the wise Winston Churchill once said “Never, never, never give up.”
Works Cited
Anoymous. Quotations for Cancer Patients Survivors and loved ones.
06.June 2009. 20 Feb 2010
Think exist. Graditude quotes. 1999-2010.
20. Feb 2010
Ulla. On “Curing” Cancer: Inspirational, Spiritual and/or Empowering Quotes for Cancer
Patients and other People in Search of Healing 2004-2010. 20.Feb.2010
Mesothelioma. 14 Dec. 2009. Asbestos The Leading Mesothelioma Cancer Resource.
20. Feb 2010.
By: O’Brien, Kaylee
