Tera Warner

(90-Day Detox) Day 54: Enough About Me. Let’s Talk About YOU!

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I’m always moved by the stories and emails I receive from others. And sometimes (though I’m somewhat self-indulgent and loooove the attention) I get bored with hearing my own voice and talking about my life. One of the reasons I do what I do is to connect with YOUR life–your story.

And so, this Easter Sunday I thought I’d stick to posting a few stories that touched my heart. These are the people who, like you, are peppered around this beautiful planet working hard to make life better. Overcoming their obstacles and believing that solutions are out there.

Enjoy! These are your sisters, too:

My dearest Tera,
As I’m writing to you, my body is moving. Let me explain…

My mother passed away from cancer, as sad as that was, I recieved a box. In this box, I found papers that told me about my younger years. When I was 2 months old, I was seen for skull fractures. By the time I was 2 years old, my parents noticed that I was clumsy, so they did a test. Mother sat at one end of the table and my father, the other end. Mother would talk to me, while my father pushed a piece of candy up the table. I never saw the candy!

Another visit to the doc’s revealed an infection, in my left eye, which ate the optical nerve and moved into my brain. I was sent to Boston for an unusual operation, for the year of 1962.

In my teens, I started having infrequent seizures, mother told me that what I was experiencing, was normal. When I got married and raising my young children, I started getting very sensitive. For example, when we sat down to eat, at the table, they were eating too loud, and I would get so angry! and I would yell at them, poor little things! I hated this, so I would leave the table when I couldn’t take it anymore.

In 1994, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. After the operation and the treatments, my body wouldn’t move right! My husband left me, so the doc’s felt that it was depression. My body started locking up, like if I was walking, my legs wouldn’t move! By 1998, I could be shopping, when my back would bend forward or backwards. The backbends would be so intense that when I sat in a chair, my leg muscles would raise up and I would end up over the back of the chair.

Then my head would twist and roll around from side to side. If I attended school, I would sit in a chair with arms, by a wall, to help balance myself, only to have my head bang against the wall. Then there were times when I couldn’t talk.

Every time I visited a neurologist, they would tell me that I was a hormonal, depressed, complaining patient. I kept asking my mother if there was anything she could tell me….nothing! No matter where I went, my files would increase, to the point that some of my freinds and doc’s didn’t beleive me. They told me to go to a psychiatrist. I was able to get referrals for EEG’s. They showed that both of my templeral lobes were spiking and each one after that, not only showed consistancy, but that the seizures were increasing. I was seen by a movement specialist and was diagnosed with a seizure disorder and dystonia.

These seizures can happen at any time, when I’m relaxing or sleeping, ect. I can have up to three small seizures a day or I’m in the ER, writhing in pain from the seizure activity and dystonic postures. This week I’ve been in the ER three times seizing and posturing for 6 or more hours.

My senses are on overload, which include lights, noise, movement. If I walk to a door, my brain prepares to open the door, if someone on the other side, opens the door, my brain can’t process that information and I go into a siezure.

Even though my condition is progressive, I’m not only learning how to adjust my lifestyle. I was on another forum, when I heard about Raw, this works for me!, along with faith, music and art. It’s been a little over a year since I’ve included Raw in my diet, and I’m still learning things! I sing to Andrea Bocelli, Sarah Brightman, Josh Groban, along with others, to help me to breathe and use the wonderful air to infuse my body with deep breathing. I paint watercolor paintings and give them to family and friends.

You ‘Diva’s’, along with a few others, all the help and energy that is infectious!, make my days more healthy, vibrant and full of life and luv!

boogying my style,
rawmzmartha!

You’ll see Martha’s comments often around here. How do you know what your neighbor is going through if you don’t take the time to ask? to listen? Think of how many times we burp out our problems on someone else only to realize their dog just died, or something. I’ve been thinking a lot about the power of positive communication. I’ve been thinking a lot about the responsibility each of us can CHOOSE to take for the messages we send out to the world. There are days I would probably have a few things to complain about, if I chose to do so, but I prefer finding the good and shouting from the top of the mountain about how good it is.

Things just keep getting better every time I do that. 😉 Here’s a neat email I got last week:

Thank you so much for all this encouragement,

I have never done a detox before, never had the courage i guess. I have always had break out skin, and it has really bothered me for several years, i am seeing the link to hydration, and oils in my diet now that i am observing through this fast.  I am still having a few break outs, but not as much, I also have recently broken up from a seven year relationship with my children’s father, and this too is what made me take my power back and to do things i’ve allways wanted to do, like eating raw, and doing a detox like this.  I have never felt so worthy of love and powerful as i do when i read your emails, it is very encouraging and helping my self esteem, which I know is lacking. thank you thank you for this positive outlook ont his journey. I also have just become a single mother, so it is very challenging to not have someone to love and give affection to where i am used to giving it, now i realize I can give that love to ME!!!

The water fast was incredible, i couldn’t believe i did it, I went to the grocery store smelling all those delectable smells, seeing all the avocados lined up made my mouth water, but i got my melon and walked out , my two daughters are actually really supportive, making sure i follow not eating oils or nuts (so hard when you are used to drenching salad in dressing, even if it’s efas and home made organic dressing, it’s still oil!)   The kids eat greens, lots of greens, so we are encouraging each other.  Organic food is super pricey in Canada, and i almost always buy organic everything, i ate a lot of money this week so far! I will try to drink more water and eat only what the body needs to feel full. My blender is just a cheap hand blender but it works, so i can have some banana and blueberries with salad greens in a smoothie, and it goes down, the kale not so much blended and was a little chewy, I will be sure to invest in a better blender in the near future!

Yesterday i broke down and had a piece of avocado in my salad wrap, i just couldn’t help but see my daughter wasn’t finishing hers and i stuffed it in my salad wrap and i felt guilty, but when you said that we are not all perfect i thought, hey i’m doing really great so far, i won’t let that slip get me down.

I have been riding my bike every day (which i do anyways) but it is exhilerating while on this detox, and then this morning i did yoga and kriya breath work for three hours, at two am, i just woke up with all this energy, now i am reading this email and thinking i should really sleep while my daughter is in kindergarten for the next three hours.

I just wanted you to know that this is feeling so good, and i am so greatful for all this support, I feel a little overwhelmed with the powder room because there is so much to read and i don’t know where to start, but i will try to post something there.

Thank you thank you!
Warmly,
Menak dasi

WOW! I’ll admit to the fact that I live a humble life. The pay isn’t always that luxurious given a lot of the choices I make to accept work trade, or offer FREE programs. But I would sweep floors, make beds and change diapers on the side if I had to. What we do here is the most fulfilling thing a person could ever hope to achieve. I’m so grateful for these letters. It’s like pay day every time I get one.

THIS is the stuff that counts. THIS is what Life is all about. The retirement savings plan,  the car, the house, the sparkly dresses and lip gloss… those are extras. The stuff that matters most is how we’re all doing on the inside. How positive our outlook is toward life–toward others.

I think you ladies are just amazing and I love, love, love watching the community grow.

Thanks for helping to spread the word. It means a lot.

Here’s one more before I sign off and wish you sweet dreams until tomorrow…

Hi,
I completed my detox last week and I just wanted you to know how fantastic I think this is. The first 2 days were the most difficult (obvious hunger from the water) and the second day of being really conscious of how much I snack on sugar, candy, and other little edibles in the office. The third day was 180 degree turn around. My family said I had a “glow” and the puffy dark circles under my eyes were almost gone, not to mention my energy level was amazing (though I consider myself an athlete balancing 3 kids), and my skin was clearing up. I could literally see a difference in my body when I looked in the mirror (which is motivation in itself) and happily did the last 4 days.  By the seventh day I lost 11lbs. I don’t have those cravings for sugar anymore and I am realizing habits I need to change which result in a happier, healthier, longer lasting body.

What’s great is that my children (ironically) came into this earth as vegetarians – of my 3, 2 refuse to eat meat of any kind except fish and the third only has meat once a month – if that. They had a great time helping me make my smoothies in the morning and a great motivation to get them up and moving first thing in the a.m.

I am attaching before/after photos and just wanted to say thank you. I took the after photo because it seemed like B&W photos were able to show the blemishes and dark undertones better.  I am soooooooooo looking forward to getting my Janet Jackson body off lay away (it’s been there for 11 years) and have found this is such an easy way to do it – knowing you are respecting the very thing that brings you life (your body) and doing it happily rather than with judgment.

Thank you,

Lea