2 people who mean a lot to me…
Meet Crystal (my Kitty) and Olivia (my new friend who lives at the Woodstock Farm Sanctuary). www.woodstockfas.org
Hey, take a peak at their website and browse through the wealth of knowledge available. While you’re at it, coo over the angels who live there. We’re so lucky that badass farmer Jenny Brown (that’s her real name) and her groovy hubby Doug Abel are our neighbors! They birthed this beautiful oasis for rescued animals and Olivia the goatess is one of their treasured Queens. Olivia is also a cancer cowgirl (so is soulfull farmer Jenny).
Winters are tough in the mountains and Olivia’s Lymphoma isn’t making it any easier on the girl. So Jenny and Doug brought her inside to hopefully bide her some more time. Enter Crazy Sexy Olivia’s Revolution.
On a recent mid-afternoon hooky visit to the farm, Jenny and I brainstormed about her healing. Why not try some wheatgrass? Bingo! My awesomely educated vegan BFF rang up our local veggie hut for a mat poste haste. Wellllll, guess who took a turn for the better? Guess who went from not being able to stand to walking again? OLIVIA! If it works for a goat…hmmm….Jenny also feeds Olivia a healthy diet, herbs, lots of good greens and buckets of immune boosting love.
Olivia is the poster child for why they need to build an animal hospice, which will provide a warm, clean facility for incoming animals that must be in isolation and those with special needs. Please support WFAS in their efforts to provide care for animals like Olivia. Again, check out their website and if you’re feeling generous send a little of YOUR green to Crazy Sexy Olivia’s wheatgrass fund! You don’t have to be a millionare to make a difference. AND if you’re in NYC on March 24th, check out their “Komedy for Karma” benefit. It will be massive fun and hopefully hubby and I will be there so we can all hang out!
Now on to Crystal, my hairy daughter of 15 years. This kid is ridiculous! Fun for days but lately not so much. Well, if a lifestyle upgrade works for the goat Queen, how about for mine? Enter the wheatgrass. She starts today. Zen kitty. Check out the needles in her noggin! Zoinks. We found a kickass complementary vet so yesterday was all about getting her chi flowing and glowing. Right now she’s lives in snot and sneeze city. I gotta say we went the western way and no luck. In fact, she’s worse. Not that it’s their fault but the problem is bigger than the symptom. Sound familiar?
Crystal and I will now be going to acupuncture once a week (if I’m gonna haul out the cash for her I better damn well do it for me). Plus, her diet is in for a major change. This morning she looked at me with that knowing pit in her stomach. I think she feels like death row kitty and that last night was her final junky big Mac meal. She’s right. If healthy eating is good enough for NY city prisons, it’s good enough for kitty – and for you and me too! These kids make me want to step it up in my own life. If I’m going to take the time out of my day to care for my hairy child then maybe I can do a bit more for me too.
Do you ever put other people first and forget or shelf yourself? Do you ever feel like you just don’t have time for you? Priorities…..
Peace and fur (on the folks that need and truly own it),
K
PS. Guess what!?! We have a Guest blogger from the Humane Society who wants to give us more skinny on their triumph. How cool! I hope he’s done with the post later today or tomorrow.
Bye for now. Talk amongst yourselves. :)
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117 Comments
That is the best picture I have seen in a LONG LONG TIME. Crystal is a true good sport! Love to all.
I wrote up my story on my blog today and raved about you and how you helped me reverse cervical dysplasia.
I think it’s a really important message to get out there as surgery is often recommended when it’s not necessary. I’d love for you to read it and use it if you should ever need a guest piece!
http://www.buellerskitchen.com
peace!!
Bueller
Kris I’m so glad you blogged about pets! I love my animals and my sweet doggy Teddy was the best! I am still so mad that he got prostate cancer last year. It really wasn’t fair! Obviously there never is a case where it’s fair. But he was only 7 and neutering a dog is supposed to prevent stuff like that. Geez!
So I wish I had known about holistic approaches cuz I would have tried anything. I was looking up stuff like crazy. I’d call my mom and say give him walnuts cuz causes cancer cells to commit suicide! Then I’d call her and say Stop the Walnuts — their toxic to dogs! Then I went home and started feeding him cayenne pepper (from pills) smushed into peanut butter. Can you believe he actually ate up that spicy peanutbutter? Silly dog! I probably gave him too much PB. Poor doggy. Loved that boy. Miss you Teddy Bear! Mama loves you!
:)
Kris love…. I am so anxious to see our new forum… are you able to update us? I heard it was going to be on Vday? The computer didnt gobble it up, did it?
Peace and veggies!
Krystle Freelove
Here’s a video on Going Green with your pets
http://video.nbc4.com/player/?id=89917
and here’s the web site of the Big Bad Woof, a women run, free trade pet store in Takoma Park DC.
http://www.thebigbadwoof.com/
GOONY happy belated b-day
hope you got my e-mail
I can sense your frustration with the situation you are going though and your oncologist inability to support you in the alternative-conventional hybrid you seek.
he did not lie though – there is no case in the medical literature that suggests there has been a “cure” through diet- but that does not mean it will not or cannot happen as long as the foods chosen cannot do harm
May I suggest that you clarify how did he think diet can counteract the particular chemo offered and what foods in particular?
don’t though let this get to you.
you have my e-mail and i can help you through how to review the medical literature if you want.as It is a tool available to everyone.
for example i when i searched wheat grass this is one of the things I found
Wheat grass juice may improve hematological toxicity related to chemotherapy in breast cancer patients: a pilot study.
this is the link
again do not despair .. clarify things more and find the balance you seek between science , healing and hope.
you will not lose
love
Reem
Goony Sorry ,, i cannot seem to post the whole link
let me know and i will take you step by step how to look something up- you can always ask the oncologist for clarifications when you want about what you find.
by the way .. a pilot study means
a small scale one that if shows any results can be expanded into a bigger study to confirm the results.
i will try and search a funny link to send it to you .. i have a feeling you can use something that can make u smile
let someone give you a big hug for me!
Reem
Hi,
Regarding Wheat Grass juice and all things dark green…
I was neutropenic (sp) after the first month of chemo for CML. I had to stop the chemo because my levels were too low and I had pneumonia. I was told not to have raw foods during this time and not to do severe detoxs because it could negate chemo effiency. So, for the first month of chemo I complied and was ‘just’ a vegetarian, cutting out dairy and sugar where possible too.
After I took a week off the chemo I was full on raw (80/20) and ate MASSIVE amounts of veggies that were dark green, dark purple, dark orange, etc. I added wheatgrass, etc. In the two months that have followed my blood levels are NORMAL. Not just ‘good for a girl with blood cancer.’ NORMAL. I have the immune system of a very healthy person, with the dark rich oxygen filled blood I so love.
I am not in a clinical trial for wheatgrass, fermented yeast, probiotics, vitamins, and raw food… but I can tell you that these changes have made a huge impact on my ability to take the life saving drugs to fight my cancer! I am stronger and am trying to handle the chemo and LIVE along the way. The wheatgrass and veggie foods are helping me balance the conventional with the ‘complementary’ medicines.
Yes, I also enjoy acupunture (although my dog hasn’t gotten any yet). I also try to get a massage from time to time. I also think lots of sex may help, but I’m working on that one. (Laughter is also a big help in healing!!!)
Wishing you lots of health and love,
Rhonda
http://www.rhondaradliff.blogspot.com
Rhonda
good for you and keep it up, because of people like you – studies like i mentioned are thought of and only to prove that science can back up this and it is not a sporadic case or two.Once benefit is confirm there will be more advocates- once benefit is a possibility and no harm can be done
why not give it a shot – as debbie who is now doing raw – the best of luck to her and everyone else.
you are a true inspiration.
thank you
Reem
Dee, Reem, Rhonda, Rebecca,oh shit, howabout everyone that responded cuz I can’t remember……brain is melting from thinking too much!
I asked the oncologist about vitamin C therapy, ozone therapy, IPT therapy, diet changes, green juice, supplements, trials. He said that “there is no scientific proof that these things work. There is a lot of stuff on the internet, but no proof. People can say whatevery they want. In theory, the nutritional things like vitamins and green juice could work against the chemo, because of too much antioxidants”. He even used the words “snake oil” at some point. I tried for a bit to explain that I hadn’t just been surfing the net and found some interesting info on how to Cure Cancer With Flavanoids!!!!, but that I speak with real human beings everyday that are taking control of their healing and having tremendous success. His response was to “do whatever makes you feel better”. So what makes my FIL feel better is trying more chemo. This time he’ll be doing Gemzar. The first time he did chemo it was a drug called Doxtril. He can not do any trials because he had his knee cap removed last month due to a staph infection, and it is not healed yet. So he won’t be trying the IPT, or the Vit. C therapy, but we are still looking into ozone, and we are definately doing lots of green juice, a probiotic, MSM, and faith. I need to start getting educated on wheat grass. Does this clear things up? If I’m not making sense it’s because I’ve got a lot going on in my head and it’s just getting jumbled up and coming out wrong. I’m terrible at explaining things so people can understand. But anyways. I love, love, love all of you that have resonded to the poll. It is really interesting to me to see who is trying what and having success. Ok, I’m signing off. Gotta watch a movie starring huggy bear, I mean George Cloony! Michael Clayton! Sleep well everyone. I’m sending a big fluffy blanket of peace and sweet dream vibes to ya’ll (Callie really has the accent!)
Jennifer
Jennifer:
Most doctors (notice I said most, and not all) think as a Group, and not as individuals.
In your situation, you are forced to get your answers for yourself, for one simple reason, he doesn’t Have the answer(s). As much as you’d like or want him to.
He doesn’t have an open mind.
Kris’s doctor (in her documentary) had an open mind, and was open to looking at alternative viewpoints, and wasn’t as fear based as your doctor appears to be. (no offense).
When I was 21, my doctor told me to eat 2 servings of Jello a day (to help heal a severely ulcerated colon ??? … WTF??) and said … “it doesn’t mater what you eat, we’ll eventually have to remove your entire colon”.
I was on my own after he said those words, and haven’t seen him since.
Stay the course, and don’t be discouraged …
And for the record… George Clooney BORROWED the name Huggy Bear from me… he caught me on a good day.
;-)
Clint
Jennifer,
Happy belated birthday! You sound SO much better, less stressed, more confident & more in control. Sometimes a situation just calls for action & you stepped right up! You got some good advice from the group. Writing down your questions & not being afraid to ask them. Good for you. Knowledge is power. I’m so proud of you. I know your FIL is. That was a really big step & I bet that doc thought about what you said to him & the questions you asked him. Bravo!
Tae,
I’ll take 2 Trailmix pancakes please!
In my early 20′s a guy I knew always called me “flatbutt”, nice, huh? Did I call him “freak animal murderer” when he was in a punk band & ripped the head off a bat with his teeth during one of their shows? I did not. But I never forgot that nickname.
Hilary,
That’s a good idea getting the water fountain, my cat always wanted to drink from the faucet too.
I was giving Lactate Ringers as the IV fluid & would just lay most of the bag in a big mixing bowl of hot water to warm it up. We all love our animals, don’t we?
xoxo Sue
Hello all!
Your kitty is GORGEOUS!! My cat Fishbreath (yes, I think it’s a very classic name) died almmost a year ago and he had SO much personality. I love cats for that. One time he was chowing down on our dog’s food & I caught him red-handed and yelled at him. Well wouldn’t ya know he took one look at me & then proceeded to take a HUGE bite of food and scampered out…I couldn’t be angry at all I just laughed and laughed.
I am very interested in holistic medicine and any web links on holistic medicine (fields to go into, education programs, or any specific interests you all know of) I would love to read any info you know of!! I really liked all the info on links about holistic healing for cats/dogs. I am pursuing a Nursing degree but would like to specialize…possibly open up a practice under my father and be the first holistic practitioner in the area. Everyone here offers a wealth of knowledge and I’ve learned an incredible amount in the short time I have been a part of this community!!
I’m sending lots of love out to you all! Each and every one of you possesses an awe-inspiring strength …you are all amazing sources of inspiration to me (and I know to everyone here as well!). Thank you Kris for having this blog!!!! I can only imagine how fantastic the forum will be!!
-Sabrina
Lurky McLurkington,
Laughing histarically about your comment about dog’s paws smelling like corn chips. I always call my dog’s feet “dorito feet” but fritos might be more appropriate. :) I agree that they should be added to the list – something I look forward to when I wake up and come home each day.
As for all of you battling tough times – I am sending loads of love and positive energy your way! This site touches my heart every time I get a chance to visit and hope that the charma of positivity and support comes back to touch each of you as needed.
What an incredible group of people!
Hello everyone. I am Rebecca’s mother-in-law who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer 13 months ago. Rebecca has inspired me to join in this wonderful blog. Wow! What an amazing group of people you are! I’ve learned how important it is to surround oneself with loving friends/family and I can see how you all have done this for each other. I’m honored to be able to participate. As Rebecca told you, I was given 3-4 months to live and even the oncologist as well as the radiologist and family doc concurred. They all said that even chemo would not make a difference, so when I decided not to take it, no one tried to talk me into it. WELL…something shifted in me that day I was diagnosed. I was given the gift of hope.
I had lost faith in “hope” several years ago when my 19 year old daughter Shelby had died after a 5 year struggle with depression and anorexia. As we (she and I) fought hard against these afflictions, we never tired because we just knew that she emerge, finally, well and happy and ready to help others. We had big time hope. And tremendous faith in God. So, when she died, hope died too. And my faith was badly damaged.
I’ve experienced many blessings in the years since Shelby died, including 2 grandchildren, a great son-in-law Michael who married my daughter Lylen, and now the wonderful REBECCA (who you already know and love) who married my son Jason. But throughout these last years, is spite of all the joy, there was something wrong deep down inside me. I felt a deadness, a hopelessness, an inability to truly grieve for my daughter. I experienced way too much self doubt and blame and recrimination. I lost the ability to cry. But when I was given the “terminal” cancer diagnosis, the deadness immediately disappeared and I just KNEW THAT I WAS NOT GOING TO DIE.
I was lucky to know about naturopathic medicine cause my daughter was about to graduate as an ND in Oregon. Within days, I headed right to Portland to see Dr. Dickson Thom. He acknowledged the seriousness of my condition, but he was optimistic. He explained that we get cancer when 3 systems are compromised: the digestive system (including pancreas, liver, stomach, kidneys, colon, etc.); the immune system (including the lymphs); AND the emotional/mental system. His naturopathic protocol would address the digestive and immune systems. That is, his prescribed regimen would strenghten my body so that my body could heal itself. But he stated emphatically that I must deal with whatever emotional/mental/spiritual issues I was carrying if I hoped to get well.
This resonated with me. I knew that I had to finally deal with my personal “stuff”. I knew another doctor in Oregon whose practice is based on the mind/body/spirit connection and he was willing to work me in. He utilizes NET: neuro emotional technique and kinesiology to find and identify blocks to healing. He found that I had what he called a “bitter root” which had progressed through the years from anger and unforgiveness to a deep embedded bitterness, the next stage of which is death. Carolyn Myss talks about this in her book, Anatomy of the Spirit. She says that our biography becomes our biology. I cannot emphasize enough the value of this work. My work with Dr. Kris Peterson (Hermiston OR) and my own spiritual journey back to faith and God is a key reason that I am doing so well and thriving 13 months after I was given a death sentence.
There are 3 factors that I credit for this miracle: The diet, the protocol that strengthened my immune system and the resolution of personal trauma accompanied by spiritual growth. Spiritual growth is very personal. Each of us has to find our own way here.
I did start chemo last June, six months after diagnosis. The naturopathic doc adjusted my protocol so that my body would be ready for the onslaught and I have tolerated it well. And the tumor has shown zero growth since then.
I’m not out of the woods yet. There is a still a big honkin’ tumor on and in my pancreas. But it is just sitting there. There has been no metastasis. And the pancreas is still functioning normally. Pretty cool, huh? Thanks for giving me a place to tell my story.
JANN- had to tell you what a warrior princess you are… I deeply believe in the trinity that you mentioned…emotional stuff is so important to clear.
Bravo to you and keep us posted,
deb
“These are animals, not human.”
What a great observation! Maybe kris should put up a bunch of pictures of humans and animals and we could all play the game “Is it a human or an animal” Ding Ding Ding…It’s a goat, no it’s abe lincoln, no it’s a goat…awe times up…it was a giraffe. Oh damn I was gonna say giraffe!












Tae the Egg Fryer Lady:
Can you post it on Youtube?
love deb
February 22, 2008