A Hero’s Journey

Healing Multiple Sclerosis: A Hero’s Journey by Karen Gordon

Even though I do not have Multiple Sclerosis I still do have an illness that the doctors have given me no hope for a cure and only hope to become disabled. I can relate to the feelings that you feel when you get diagnosed with something that is not curable and you only get bad news. What I like about Gordon’s book is that she has taken the positive, fighter mode and turned her illness around. Yes, she has to be careful about what she eats, but she can still be a lover, friend, mother, and aunt to those in her life. I have not heard of any of the eating plans she has mentioned in her book, but I know what I will be reading and researching next. And she gives great advice on how to deal with the negative people in your life, because that is something no one needs when they are ill. The negative comments and tips from those who think they know how you feel or what your body is doing, she has a wonderful approach and that approach is to talk to those in your life about what it is you need. I like that. Communicating needs is a must have for any healthy relationship. If that does not work then kick out of your life for a time.

“Every time I sit down to eat a meal, I am aware that I’m making a decision on behalf of my cells and thus on behalf of my health. The healing journey is a constant evolution, a regular weighing in and assessing of where I can improve and be even healthier than I thought was possible yesterday.” Karen Gordon

Food that is my biggest problem area and something I am aiming to improve on. I love Gordon’s comment above; she makes a conscious thought about what she puts in her body to feed her cells to help her on her own journey. I have been making a conscious effort to not eat mindlessly, meaning I don’t just sit there stuffing my face with food without truly chewing it and taking the time to savor the food and be thankful for the nourishing effects it will have on my body. I do have one big problem area, soda and carbonated drinks. Here is why, it is the only thing that cleans out my pipes in my throat. My trach, which is located in the middle of my throat, gets clogged up like a kitchen sinks drain and needs to be cleaned out. I can’t always get it out by suctioning and taking the trach out several times a day to clean it out of the gunk is not an option. I want a better option than drinking soda or other carbonated drinks because I know it is not nurturing to my body. Therefore I am aiming to find a different solution to my problem.

I recommend this book to anyone suffering from MS or any other illness. The way this is written is not as an attack, but as an encouragement and uplifting message to seek other areas of healing besides from the doctor. There are solutions, one of them is to have a positive attitude and not I am going to die so I will just hide under the bed until death comes to get me. Fight on, no matter what. You are worth it.