Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Surprise!!


I celebrated my 33rd birthday this past November where my best friends Jodie and Erica took me to dinner at Trader Vics in Beverly Hills. Well, it was supposed to be the three of us, but when we got there, all of my closest friends jumped out of a bungalow and surprised me! It was so much fun…I was completely surprised! Haha!
(and it was before my new diet was in full effect, so I enjoyed a couple cocktails and calamari…yes I did!)

Anyways, my good friend Chad brought his girlfriend, Janet who I heard about, but never met before. She was very sweet and beautiful and seemed to be having a good time. A couple days later, I got an email from her saying she had a great time and was sorry we didn’t get an opportunity to talk more. She went on to say that she was one of the producers of the Dr. Phil Show, and she wanted me to meet with her to discuss being on a future show. She couldn’t tell me much about it, but she planned for me to come to Paramount for a meeting and watch a taping if I wanted to.


How fun…I was really excited! So, the day finally came for the taping but she didn’t mention anything about the meeting afterwards. She said to just call her when the show was over. Holy Moly!!! I NEVER expected anything like this!! Evidentally she submitted my story to get me on this show weeks prior. It was Dr. Phil’s Holiday Giveaway Show and everyone in the audience received over $10,000 worth of prizes! From, free homecooked meals for 2 months to a new camcorder! I was in tears! What an amazing day… and what an amazing girl Janet was, for setting this up! You better believe I called her right away! I couldn’t be more grateful!

Oh, also check out these messages I got from 2 people I don’t even know!! So cool!!

Hi there! I'm a random person that you don't know... lol.
I was just sitting at home with my fiance, watching Dr. Phil, when they did a scan of the audience and we both said "WHOA! Where do we know that girl from?!?"
We argued over it for a few minutes.. and then I said "Hey it's the girl who did Can't Touch This on Rock the Reception!" You are totally famous now, just so you know, if people like me are recognizing you in a 2 second camera scan! lol.
He didn't believe me, so I went googling and found you here. We argued again over it not being you, but I win because I know I'm right. : ) Apparently we have waaaaaay too much time on our hands! Anyway I had to write, because since I saw your RTR episode, I have thought about you more than once, and hope you are in great health!
It can never hurt to know that someone way out in Toronto Ontario is rooting for you.
All the best Mary Beth (and Alex... even though he is a unbeliever! haha)

So my name is Emily, I'm from Ishpeming MI (and know of your husband). I was bored sitting here and came across his page. Noticed your hilarious wedding reception dance (very awesome by the way!) and noticed the website for the angels4tlc. org. So I was just checking things out, and was inspired by your story, and I don't even know you! :) The weird part of this story is that I'm sitting here watching Dr. Phil, and saw YOU! Well I didn't know it was you at first, but thought "Wow, that really looks like the girl who's website I was just looking at!" I thought for sure it had to be just an imagination since I was looking at your website, but I thought maybe you'd have something about it on your myspace. Low and behold, you have a blog that mentions it! I just thought it was so neat that such a coincidence happened like this!
My step mom had breast cancer and overcame it, so that's why your website caught my eye. I hope the best for you, and thought I would share my lil story with you! :)
God Bless,
Emily

Crazy!!! Hope everyone has a Happy Holiday and thanks for visiting my blog once again!! Told you I had lots to talk about!! Xoxoxo Trysh

Monday, December 15, 2008

More Holiday Blessings!

So continuing on from my last blog, (Holiday Blessings) I just finished up my meeting at the water store in Laguna. (Pristine Hydro) As we were finalizing our purchases, an older gentleman customer had come in to fill up his own water. As I was looking around the store, he and my mom began talking about my breast cancer and what I’ve been through, how young I was etc. etc. He asked if we had ever heard of a Dr. Young. We said no, and he urged us to look into him. He also went as far as to say, “If it were my daughter, I’d take her to see him immediately.” He said “If you want to get your body to an alkaline state, you need to see him, and this water is something you absolutely need to have as well!” He also then coached us on what supplements to buy from this store and what things we really don’t need at this point. He said “I know how expensive cancer can be. Go with the water and go see Dr. Young.” He was a very kind and genuinely concerned man. We exchanged information with him and before he left, he admitted that he didn’t really know why he came into the store today. He had planned on coming in that weekend to fill up his containers, but as he was on his way home from work that day, he spontaneously took an alternate route and just decided to stop. He said “This is no coincidence.” (Which we agreed with also.)

Wow and wow. My mom and I had a lot of information to sort through. These things can be so overwhelming, especially if you have committed to a specific way of treating this dis-ease. My mom and I would discuss this later as I had to get to Knott’s for my shows. That night, I had a difficult time concentrating on anything other than what happened that day. When I returned home that night after my shows, I had about 3 emails from the gentleman we met. Most of them were forwards on Dr. Young’s protocol. There was SO much information! Again…overwhelming! As the next few weeks went on, my research began. I knew how important nutrition was, but these new theories proved that diet and lifestyle were EVERYTHING in beating cancer! Dr. Young described cancer as a four letter word, ACID. The theory was simple. Cancer thrives in an acidic environment, but cannot survive in an alkaline environment! So I just need to get my body alkaline…sounds easy enough! Yeah, not so much.

I began an email conversation with Dr Young’s assistant, Dr. Patrick. I told him I would really like to discuss this alkaline protocol, but I’d have to wait until my Knott’s shows were over to set up a meeting. I knew certain things were highly acidic which I was prepared to stay away from like meats, dairy, alcohol and sugar. But I asked him if there were any other things I may not know about that I just stay away from in the meantime. Here was the list he gave me:

Trycia, “Make sure you are doing NO mushrooms of any kind, no vinegar, no apple cider vinegar, no spirulina, chlorella, blue-green algae, brown rice, brown rice syrup, sweeteners, preservatives, additives, no fermented or processed soy, no fermented or processed foods, no veggies heated beyond 115 degrees, etc.
READ EVERY LABEL very carefully. Many products in the health food store are very problematic....especially for someone in what it sounds like is your situation.
Later.”
Dr. P

Ok, whoa! My response was “What the hell CAN I eat? This is my dilemma! “ His response:

“No, Trycia, the dilemma for you is how to raise your children when you're dead. The rest is a piece of cake...:-)”
Dr. P

OOOOOkie Dokie…HARSH! I wasn’t about to wait another couple weeks to call this guy! After THAT message and after my mini breakdown, I called him from my car on the way to Knott’s and we talked for 2 hours. On a side note, when one is battling cancer, the amount of information sent to you about “THIS overnight miracle cure” and “THAT miracle herb” can get extremely confusing! There are so many scams out there and so much false hope! I needed alot more specific information on this “alkaline protocol” if I was going dump what I’ve been doing and buy into THIS! I mean, I have been drinking Kombucha (mushroom=acidic) everyday, drinking Mona Vie (sugar=acidic) everyday, Green Tea (caffeine=acidic) Fruit (sugar=acidic) probiotics, seafood, supplements galore, ALL my medications (acid, acid, acid) and the list goes on! I mean I DO believe I had been doing a lot right however, or I wouldn’t be as healthy as I was and tolerating the medications so well. This “alkaline protocol” would mean a complete lifestyle and dietary change and I didn’t know if I was ready for that! I also knew that if I were to do this, it wouldn’t make sense to stay on the meds, which I REALLY wasn’t prepared for!

So, my conversation with Dr. Patrick was extremely informative and overwhelming, but made a lot of sense. He told me I needed to do my research and be well-informed before I set up an appointment with Dr. Young, because he is NOT cheap! ☺ I went to the website, (www.phmiracleliving.com) signed up for the newsletter, bought 3 of his books, a series of CD’s on Cancer, the “Deluxe Starter Pack” and began my journey.

I had also just got approved by my oncologist for Herceptin (a drug that Dr. Moon (Korea) wanted me on) and was already on my 3rd dose. One day as I was driving to my appointment, I was listening to Dr. Young’s CD’s on Cancer. I started to get confused again! Why was I going to fill my body with this poisonous drug when this other protocol made so much sense to me?? I arrived there early and sat in my car for awhile crying. I wasn’t ready for this! Finally, after about 15 minutes I sucked it up and went in. After all, I had worked so hard to get approved for Herceptin and I was already committed. I walked in to the doctor’s office and was a bit disoriented. I sat down and began reading my Eckhart Tolle book “A New Earth.” I really loved this book. It seemed to center me and keep me in the moment. I looked up from my book to be present in this moment. When I looked around and breathed in my surroundings, I noticed how sick and miserable everyone looked. My inner voice told me “You don’t belong here!” I remembered something Dr. Young said in his CD which was “Do you want to be healthy?? Than hang around healthy people!!” I tried to fight the feeling off as I sat their waiting for my name to be called. I sat very uncomfortable for several more minutes until I couldn’t take it anymore. I stood up, gathered my belongings and took off! The halls to the parking garage seemed endless…I couldn’t get out of there fast enough! As I began to drive away in my car, I completely lost it. I was still so torn and confused, but I knew I had to get out of there! I called my mom, told her what happened and said I needed to meet with Dr. Young as soon as possible. She sounded very relieved. She had been doing a lot of research of her own and she never wanted me on the chemo and Herceptin in the first place. It never felt right to her, but she and my dad supported whatever I was going to do. I mean, NONE of us were experts on cancer! This was all a game of trial and error and we were just taking things day by day, moment by moment. Support of one another was essential.

A few days later, my mom, Mike and I met with Dr. Young. Here is a brief background on Dr. Young.

“Within the past decade, Robert O. Young has been widely recognized as one of the top research scientists in the world. Throughout his career, Robert Young's research has been focused at the cellular level, with a specialty in nutrition. Robert Young's research findings have been published in noted journals.”

AND…he was located in San Diego! We arrived at his beautiful avocado ranch and sat down to discuss my situation. He performed a live and dried blood analysis on me and went into extensive detail about diet and lifestyle. We discussed alternative medicine as compared to conventional medicine. He basically gave me all the information he had, offered his opinion and left us to sort out the details. The hardest part about this program is it’s ALL up to me. He gives me the tools, but I have to do all the work. I can’t just take a magical pill and allow it to control the cancer for me. This is a strict regiment. I have to choose what I eat on a daily basis, I have to make sure I exercise on a daily basis, (and sweat!) I choose what thoughts to put in my head, what resentments to let go of, what water to drink, what to avoid, to meditate, to continuously have strength, and if I DO screw up, do not beat myself up for it! Cancer is a dis-ease of the mind, body and spirit. It’s about getting everything back in balance and starting from scratch. I truly believe that this is the way to beat cancer…”whole”-istically.

So, about 3 weeks ago I began the program which started out with a 2-week cleanse. This meant only pureed foods and liquids for 2 weeks…just in time for Thanksgiving…argh! This initial cleanse was to eliminate all the toxins and build up from years and years of over-acidity. I also decided to give up all the medications...I owed it to my body to get healthy and go 100% with this. Otherwise, I would be leaving room for error and I’m ready for the cure! The cleanse actually wasn’t as difficult as I thought, except for the occasional sugar binges and cheesecake on Thanksgiving…whoops! But I’m not beating myself up! That was some damn good cheesecake and I enjoyed every bite! I had to cancel a trip to Mexico with my family for Thanksgiving because I knew I couldn’t handle being around food and alcohol. I think it was the smartest thing to do even though I still ended up eating cheesecake…ha! Oh well. The first couple days of the cleanse, I felt some pretty aggravating detox symptoms, but now I have more energy than I have had in years!! During the second week, I was in ‘8 hour a day’ dance rehearsals for a New Years show! That was pretty brutal. But now I am on my fourth week, eating solid foods and feeling great! There are several fantastic, flavorful recipes in Dr. Young’s books. It’s not like I have to eat rabbit food the rest of my life! Shelly Young, Dr. Young’s wife is who developed all these great recipes. The two of them work together as a team….and what an amazing team they are!

Dr. Young said my cancerous condition should begin reversing in around 12 weeks. To know for sure, I probably will get another petscan in a couple months, even though he doesn’t recommend it because it is very toxic to the body also. He says I could monitor things through blood work along the way….I’ll just take a step at a time. Another amazing thing Dr. Young said is that I will be able to have babies! Before this, I had pretty much given up on that possibility!

I really believe that I am on the right path. I also believe that everything else I have done in the past was the correct decision at that time. The stem cell therapy I received in Korea worked wonders on my immune system and kept me healthy while going though all the other treatments. Also, I believe all the supplements I took at the time greatly reduced my side-effects. Then there were the Rising Star Healings with John, my wedding, the support and prayers from my friends and family, the donations from all of you…etc etc. Body, mind and spirit! Now the journey continues to become alkaline. My mom always says “We get what we need when we need it.” I truly believe that. The proof is my life.

I have one more really exciting thing to share, but I’ll need to tell you more details in my next blog. For now, if you could watch the Dr. Phil show tomorrow (Tuesday Dec. 16th) on CBS, I am one of the studio audience members. This show is similar to Oprah’s “Favorite Things” show. It is called:

Dr. Phil and Robin's Classic Holidays
You've heard the saying that Christmas is "The most wonderful time of the year," but Dr. Phil's audience members say they're feeling stressed and worried about affording the holidays this year. To their surprise, they've been invited to celebrate a classic Christmas with Dr. Phil and Robin on their holiday giveaway show! From necessities like gas cards, cash and home-cooked dinners to cool high-tech gadgets like the latest cell phone, video camera, watch and GPS device -- each audience member is going home with more than $10,000 worth of goods. What would Christmas be without family? Dr. Phil and Robin's sons, Jay and Jordan, and daughter-in-law, Erica, join them to give away their favorite products, including clothes, beauty items and housewares. Special celebrity guests drop by to share their hottest Christmas gifts, and Santa brings a sleigh full of toys for children of all ages. When Kermit the Frog joins the show seeking advice for his relationship with Miss Piggy, he has Dr. Phil in stitches! And, Robin suggests presents for the woman in your life. Plus, don't miss the amazing musical and dance performances. If you're looking for great gift ideas for your loved ones, you won't want to miss these best-of-the-season items for every budget. And, learn how you can get discounts on some of these products!

Peace and Blessings to all!
Trycia

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Holiday Blessings

Hmmm…where to begin?! I planned on writing my update blog today because I had a variety of great things to talk about. But as I sit here to write, I find myself feeling quite sad. I was informed this morning that one of the beautiful women I was receiving treatment with in Korea has passed away today. Deborah O’Hara suffered from stage 4 colon cancer. She was young, strong, vibrant, and had a wonderful sense of humor. She truly was a beacon of light for all those around her. I will really miss her humor, her smile and her zest for life. I’m very happy she is at peace now, but I am saddened to know that she suffered. Four other people I was with in Korea have also passed away since I’ve been back. I’d like to take a moment to honor these brave warriors as well. Robert Bennett, Jim McCoy, Dudley Brannum, and Mira Santos all lost their battles to cancer this year. I also found out that a neighbor of mine who I grew up with and is all of 30 years old was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma around 6 months ago. In that same neighborhood, 3 other people have been diagnosed with cancer and one (Tom Watson) just recently passed away. What is going on here?? This is madness….something needs to be done!

About a month ago I began doing quite a bit of research on diet and alkalinity. My good friend Erin told me about this new water store that opened on Main Street, a few blocks from my apartment. She said she really wanted me to meet with the owner to discuss the healing effects of this water. I was still doing my show at Knott’s and dancing my butt off…literally. I was starting to get on even more of a health kick and had remembered that oxygenated water was supposed to be very beneficial for helping the body achieve a higher PH. My nutritionist was always on a mission to get my PH levels higher as well. So, I met Erin at the water store for a short meeting before I had to get on the road to do my shows at Knott’s. The owner was not working that day, but we started talking to one of the other employees and a woman he was assisting. They were testing the PH level of 2 different brands of water to see which was the highest. The competitor came out highest at a 10.5PH. He confessed to us that he had been researching and working for this other company on the side and planned to switch over as soon as he could relocate. He educated us on the different stages it took to create this highly oxygenated, reverse osmosis, alkaline water and how important it is in a cancer patient’s healing process. (Since the body is mostly made up of water) He also mentioned that the other company only uses glass containers, not plastic containers that could leak BPA’s into the water. He was very passionate about this water which really captured my interest. The lady he was assisting agreed and recommended this “other” water also. She had been researching several brands for months now and got down to these final two. The only dilemma for me was that this company was located a few blocks from me and the “better water” was located in Laguna. I eventually decided to meet with the other company and called my mom to meet me over there. Oh my lord! I had no idea I’d be opening Pandora’s Box by meeting with this guy! We got schooled on the corruption of our government, our poisoned food and water supply, pharmaceutical companies, the “cut, poison, burn” tactics of our medical system, etc. etc. etc. for at least 2 hours! I mean, it all made sense and I’ve been aware of certain things but I felt I just took “the red pill” like Keanu Reeves in “The Matrix!” It was all very overwhelming. He definitely sold me on the water (and some other great supplements) but since they’re a very small, startup company, they didn’t have a lot of other locations. The crazy thing was, they just took on a small distributor just blocks from me in Santa Monica, called “Rawsome” where I just became a member! What a synchronicity!

So this is where the next part of my journey to alkalinity begins…lots to tell, but my vision is starting to get foggy from being on the computer. Things are going really well for me…I feel great and have a lot of energy. Truly…if I didn’t know I had cancer, I wouldn’t think anything is wrong! I’ll continue with my update tomorrow. In the meantime, I wish everyone holiday blessings, good health and prosperity. Everyone knows someone who is in a battle or has lost a battle to cancer. Please take a moment to pray for those suffering tonight. Pray that they find peace and strength throughout their journey and when the time comes to transition, let it be a joyous celebration.

Peace and Blessings, Trycia

Angels