Cancer Treatment and the Holistic View
Most definitions of cancer broadly conform to the current NCI definition: “Cancer is a disease in which some of the body’s cells grow uncontrollably and spread to other parts of the body.”
By Dr Catherine W Dunne MSc. D. (Hon), Reiki Master (RGMT), M.H.I.T: Master Acupressure, Practitioner of Reflexology, Aromatherapy, Deep Tissue/Myo-fascia Massages, Infrared Treatments, Vibrational Sound and Colour Therapist, Tissue Salt Advisor, Pendulum Healing Dowser, Chakra Practitioner , Tao Cosmic Healing Practitioner, Practitioner of Plant and Herb Medicine and Nurse.
These definitions tend to describe what cancer “looks like” or “does” but do not describe what cancer “is” or “has become.”
Hi, and welcome to my today’s post. My intention is not to discuss the treatments for cancer. My intention is to discuss the “side-effects”; how the diagnosis and treatments affect the person, and why it is important to offer holistic approaches during those times.
I have a client who has breast cancer. The diagnosis, as expected, was a shock to the “system”-self and family and friends. Once the diagnosis and type was confirmed, everything has been and still is happening very fast. The more I think about this, the more I conclude, that because from time of diagnosis to treatment is a highspeed roller-coaster-ride, it is actually good that this happens so fast. If you are given too much time to think and dwell on the idea of having cancer, too many boxes filled with questions, cans of worms, are opened … and time is of the essence … how long would it be, before you’d make the decision this is “good” for you? Would it be too late?
She is a very optimistic person. With a Pharmaceutical background, she was aware of the chemical side-effects. But she decided to embrace it and face it full on. She started to look for holistic practitioners near her, having studied all the profiles, she was amazed to find someone less than 6 minutes up the road from her, and someone who is a practicing Medical Professional. This is Ireland.
From hereon in, I shall refer to her as Yvonne. I am protecting her identity.
Yvonne rings me one day asking for a Reiki session. I gave her an appointment. The following week we met for the first time. Yvonne explained her journey to me; how Breast Check had a cancellation and had rung her, asking if she was free that afternoon to attend … her planned appointment wasn’t due for another 5-6 weeks. This is October 2023. She works close by and agreed to go.
Yvonne is very spiritual. But more so secretively. She had a hunger to learn something along the holistic paths, not quite sure what though. Work is taxying. Very demanding. No longer satisfying. Yvonne had already looked into meditations, started reading up on the powers and benefits of crystals, before the call from Breast Check came, offering her a cancellation appointment.
Butterfly
Yvonne started her first chemo treatment at the start of December and had another before Christmas. Yvonne’s first visit to me was some time in November. She had done “her homework” in regards to Reiki and knew what to expect. The first 30 minutes we just talked about the diagnosis itself, how she felt about it, and her family … still sinking in … but determined not to allow cancer to get the better of her. I introduced myself to her, given her my background history. I explained that while Reiki is Energy Healing, with all the various types of Energy Healing under my belt, today it is difficult for me, JUST to do Reiki – in the traditional sense, I mean. I also explained that the terms “Healer” and “Therapist” when it comes to these type of therapeutic treatments have never sat well with me, and that I haven’t come across a term I like. And if you, the reader, are a Reiki Practitioner, you know we are not Healers, but Conductors. I explained I will start off today’s session as a typical Reiki session, but as I also do ByoSen, if I pick up something, I will give that part of the body my 100% attention. Was she happy with this? This first session was not long after the biopsy and was awaiting it’s result. Still sore.
My hands are very sensitive. I knew why she was here and knew what to expect in the chest area. I felt the cancer in her breast. I felt it large and strong (how big in size it actually was, I couldn’t tell you, but it’s EGO was large and strong!) What I hadn’t expected was the energy around her ovaries. Dark and hungry, is how I would describe this energy. Made me feel sick in my stomach. (Downside of being an Empath). I explained to Yvonne what I was picking up and that I did not believe the cancer to be in the ovaries, but the breast cancer is on the Mama gland pathway and so connected to the ovaries – energetically for now. I also explained, that for that session, I wanted to remove this energy from the ovaries and “retract” it and confine it only to the breast. But, this was Friday and next Friday was surgery and I wanted her back on Tuesday before that surgery. I felt this cancer to be strong minded and if not curtailed, would get a run … Yvonne agreed to return on Tuesday.
Just to give you an idea, the energy over her ovaries was palpable 3 feet above her abdomen. 3 feet up. I forced it down and away from her ovaries with great effort. Just as we were finishing up, something caught my attention. I looked around to see what it was … and there on the window was a butterfly, flying up and down the window inside the treatment room. I was surprised to see on and said out loud:” wow, there is a butterfly … ” and Yvonne, laid there, smiling at me and said: “I thought I had heard wings flapping … this is amazing! Too amazing to be a coincidence“. The question mark on my face must have been visible to her. Yvonne went on to explain, that earlier in 2023 a close friend of hers had died. A butterfly was with the coffin all the time. This friend was a great believer in butterflies.
Excerpt of the meaning of Butterflies in the spiritual sense: Butterflies represent transformation, rebirth, freedom, and hope in different cultures and traditions. In many cultures also, butterflies symbolize the soul’s journey after death and the process of spiritual evolution.
When she returned on Tuesday, Yvonne told me she had told her friends about the butterfly and they couldn’t believe it either. Remember, it’s winter. Yvonne made herself comfortable on the treatment couch. I examined her and the energy was back over the ovaries, weak, but back. What happened next was a first for me. Yvonne felt it, I felt it and struggled at first with it. I managed to capture the cancer’s energetic body and forced it back on itself. I managed to “crack” this cancer’s large EGO. I felt sick to my stomach, heaving, but carried on. I was now down on my knees, holding on to this energy … no way on God’s given Earth was I letting go. AA Michael and Raphael were there and the Butterfly. The room flooded with an electric blue and I knew I was doing good. I was doing right. It felt like 30 minutes, and when all was completed, 1.5 hours had passed. This “big headed, ego driven” cancer now was no larger than a walnut. In 3 days she was having surgery. Mastectomy was last resort, if cancer, as per CT scan, really was that big. I texted Yvonne before Christmas, how did the surgery go? “All went well. All good. Surgeon surprised at size … was much much small that expected!” Brill! Merry Christmas, and I’ll see ya in January. C.
Chemotherapy
Eight rounds of Chemo, followed by 15 radiotherapies! Good Lord! That’s a lot of toxin the liver has to work through. Next week is round 6. Hair is starting to thin out after round two. Still in relatively good form and eager to learn all things to do with Complementary therapies. Round 3. Noticed the tiredness setting in. Yvonne informs me that she has great support from families and friends. Round 4. Viral infection. Cancelled. Round 4. Looking to get wig made, doing a lot of meditation, son is keeping her busy with school. She is actually taking the cancer now as a “sign” that she had to spend more time with son and help with school. Round 5. First Triple treatment. Was told will cause pins & needles to hands and feet, including numbness. If unable to send text messages, to report back. Needless to say, the whole worlds is texting her…. lol. Me too and offered her a wellness treatment on me. Round 6: next week. For today, Easter Saturday, I gifted her a Wellness Session. A full body massage including facial, but at her request, left out head massage. 2 hours. Reflexology Hand and Foot massage. Lymphatic Drainage. Acupressure on sciatica. Aromatherapeutic back, neck and shoulder massage. Facial with massage. And all with homemade balms and creams and infused oils. Yvonne arrived and I seen her struggle. Her body clearly was aching all over. Hoovering hurts her. Gets triggered when asked “how ye doing?” “is there anything I can do for ye?“ Feeling very peri-menopausal. Hot flushes and then freezing cold. Moody. Forgetfulness. And now numbness in left foot. Pins & needles in toes and fingers. All the while she’s explaining her woes to me, I see a fragile person in front of me, who is putting on a brave face. And she only today “copped” the notion of what it means to be an Empath. Today came as a blessing to her. Today came at the right time for her. “How did you know I needed this?” … 2 hours later, she felt light like a feather. Her posture was straight and positive.
When Yvonne starts her radiotherapy, it’s Monday to Friday with weekends off for 3 weeks. This is in June. I won’t be able to give her face to face support, but will, between now and June, set up something for her, to draw on … and then there is always Distant healing, right?
Here in Ireland, Reiki in hospital setting is fit only for End Of Life … why? That is beyond me. Anybody going through cancer deserves better. Why can I not sit with her for those 3 hours of Chemo and offer Reiki and Reflexology? I may not even end up giving 3 hours to her, I may share myself to those in the same room as her. Reflexology, Foot and hand massage goes a long way, when you are feeling low, mood wise. You do not need to be an Empath to feel/see what’s needed. Look into your heart and see what you would like to have, when more or less living in “lockdown” scenarios during chemo~ and radiotherapy. Think about it: 8 sessions Chemo at fortnightly basis, pause, then 15 sessions Radiotherapy, Monday to Friday x 3 weeks.
Two more things I wish to highlight: 1) today I let the butterfly out and sat it on a dandelion. 2) I am not charging her. Catherine CWD 30 March 2024/Ireland
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