Q & A with Bernie – August 26, 2013

Question for Bernie:

love medicine miraclesI hope you remember me. It has been some 40 years ago since I wrote to you from Montgomery, Alabama. I have MS and read your book, Love, Medicine & Miracles. You wrote back to me in purple ink! We continued to write for about a year until we were both convinced I had fallen in love with myself.

I live in the Atlanta area now to be near Dr. William Stuart. I’ve told him how you whipped me into shape. Now, no matter what MS causes me to lose, I invent ways to accomplish what I need in spite of it.

You taught me so many wonderful lessons! I want to thank you for changing my life.

Bernie’s Answer:

I didn’t change your life—you did.  You accepted me as your Life Coach.

Take credit for the work you did to get to where you are.  You have a life that you love and that works for you just as it should!

Peace,

Bernie


Question for Bernie:

hand in waterI read with interest your article on Breast Cancer Wellness. As one who has been through “BC” twice, I was especially intrigued by the following quote, “To do well you must have your intuitive and unconscious wisdom agree with your intellectual decisions.”  Unfortunately, I did not have that agreement when I decided on having a mastectomy.  However, I was in total agreement with my “unconscious wisdom and intellectual decisions” when I refused all adjutant therapy for that especially aggressive cancer.

Of course, I researched the suggested therapy, AC chemo (named after the initials of the chemotherapy drugs used which are doxorubicin, which was originally known as Adriamycin® and cyclophosphamide), Herceptin and Als thoroughly before making my decision to decline.

Two oncologists spent considerable time trying to convince me to do the protocol but my “heart” wasn’t in it.  All the therapies could be heart toxic and as I have a strong family history of heart problems, I decided it was not for me.  Yes, I did believe it was poison and not in my best interests.  Now, at almost eight years later, I have no regrets in refusing to go down that path.

I absolutely agree with you that there is not enough consideration given to the patient in making these decisions.  It seems to me that for most doctors, there is a formula to be followed regarding cancer treatment but that formula does not suit everyone.  If we are to truly make progress in treating cancer, I believe kinder, gentler treatments must be explored and more weight given to the sometimes permanent and unacceptable side effects of treatment.

We need more doctors like you who believe in looking at the whole picture, starting with the quality of life a patient can expect following treatment.  Rarely do people want to “just live” without any quality of life, finding themselves battling far more after treatment than just the initial diagnosis of cancer.

Thank you for your valuable work and commitment.

Bernie’s Answer:

Yes, the key to maintaining the quality of life that you want is to evaluate treatment options based on choosing what is right for your life—not just simply trying to avoid dying.

I have had discussions with my own family along these very lines.

We have also worked on interpreting our dreams and drawings, finding that they often reveal the truth on which we make some of our best decisions.

Check out my regular column, MIND HEART MATTERS, at http://www.ctbulletin.com/

Doctors are trained to treat disease and not people’s experiences.  Some have said that doctors who practice Western medicine treat symptoms but don’t heal the person.  Our medical model is still very much biased against seeing the practice of medicine holistically, so I try to help patients do for themselves what their doctors can’t or won’t do—focus on healing the whole body, not just treating seemingly disjointed symptoms.  So, one of my favorite pieces of advice to patients is, “Let your heart make up your mind.”

Peace,

Bernie


Question for Bernie:

It has been a little while since I last wrote to you. My husband went through a round of palliative chemo which really reduced the melanoma tumors in his lungs. He did amazing well. I am hoping you remember us.

Anyway I listened to everything you suggested that we do and we did it.  We focused on enjoying life, laughing, and being with our sons and other family members.  The results were healing in many ways. We took a trip to see family and talked about things that we had avoided before.

Last week he finished the last round of chemo and this Sunday had a major seizure in the living room. I realized then that despite all of our efforts at continuing to treat the disease, it had gone to his brain. The ER confirmed that and added that it was in the bones and liver as well.

end-of-lifeWe were very fortunate to have been given the gift of the extra time to “re-think” our lives and really enjoy it. I am grateful for that time.  When asked about continuing with radiation, my husband said no. He simply does not want to go through the treatments anymore.  What is comforting to me is that he is sad that he won’t be able to spend more time with us, but he is not afraid of what is going to happen. He is ready.

Thank you so much for being part of that process. It has been a difficult road and I know that he probably doesn’t have much longer. But we had quality, loving time together and that is something that will never go away in our hearts.  Would it be possible for you to write a short note I could read to my husband?  It would really mean a lot.  We have been so grateful for your help, and I understand if this is too much to ask after all you have done.  Please accept our heartfelt gratitude.

Bernie’s Answer:

Please keep this truth in your mind—the only thing of permanence in life is love.

Your husband will be immortal through his love.

For your husband…when you are ready to leave your body, you will become perfect again and your consciousness will still be there for you and other to communicate with.  Please go to the link below and listen to Sandra Champlain, author of the recently published best seller, WE DON’T DIE, read the foreword I wrote for her book:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6WhMQx3ctg

Peace,

Bernie