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Hi, Pregnant with cancer, going raw! :)

Hi, My name is Leslie, I am 28 and live in Honolulu, HI. I have a 20 month old soon and I am 3 1/2 months pregnant. Yep, I have thyroid cancer, medium aggressive, into my lymph nodes. Recently, after praying and meditating, hoping for a miracle, I saw the film, "The Beautiful Truth" on instant play/Netfilx. I am amazed and very delighted! Everyone, I mean everyone, ought to see that film!

I know this is going to be a major adjustment for me, but I am all in! I have been living a life of MCD, soda, meat, and cancer is such a health awakening. So far I am seeing a naturopath and maybe an insurance paid nutritionist to help with the radical changes during pregnancy and being vegan. I got some pH strips(??) today and on my own, I am trying to accomplish a 95% alkaline diet, if that is even possible. I don't know all of the great effects of going raw, but I am so grateful and thrilled to have this recipe site!

Comments

  • ambiguousambiguous Raw Newbie

    I wish you the best of luck! Eating raw vegan is great, but be sure to listen to the advice of your naturopath over that of well-meaning laypeople, if it comes down to it. And though I'm not sure what the percentages are, you can be too alkaline. Again, listen to your physician and/or nutritionist on this one.

    I'll look for the movie you recommend, and I'll be interested to hear about your journey!

  • Wow, that is alot to take on. I can't wait to find out how well everything goes. Keep us posted on your journey and welcome to the board!

  • spiritedmamaspiritedmama Raw Newbie

    Glad you joined us! This is a very supportive community. Though I do not have cancer, I do have hoshimotos thyroid disorder, and I had a raw pregnancy with my now 7 month old. I know you can do this! Let us know how we can help!

  • Good luck to you and your growing baby, I will pray for you! It's great you discovered eating raw, I beleive raw foods give our bodies the nutrients it needs to heal itself.

    Steph

  • superfood2superfood2 Raw Newbie

    Welcome! Might want to mention where you're from so if there's anyone in your area, they can offer support.

  • chriscarltonchriscarlton Raw Newbie

    Welcome greenacresmama,

    Open door anytime purelyraw@yahoo.com

    also...

    Kris Carr - http://www.crazysexycancer.com/

    and Brenda Cobb is a fave survivor of mine also, if you haven't already heard of her.

  • Thanks for the support everyone!

    Oh right! I live in Honolulu, HI. My name is 'greenacresmama' because I live in a half built shack on a few steep acres of land (should really have a goat if I could afford the fence ;) ) I live in a semi-ghetto or family ghetto valley, called Palolo. We bought this place because it is in the heart of east Oahu and close to a lot, yet country with a load of mature fruit trees! Just a little note about buying acres in the tropics, you are always in the yard weeding or it is wild! Very much a choice, Honolulu mortgage and dirt in your nails :).

    I am sorry about the typos., like this one: I have a 20 month son.

    About the alkaline, I do agree, and I need to stay cautious, especially with a baby in the belly. It just seems to be such a common factor in these cancer cure diets. I still need to begin (ordered) reading the Gerson Therapy book, but I bet I don't start, if I do, until after baby is born. DH will be around at least to help me get started. Sleep will be a huge issue and one I don't think any mother of young ones can avoid unfortunately. I will try my best.

    I saw the naturopath for the first and last time yesterday. ( I am sorry if it seemed like I had been going for a while, "seeing" meant the next day). Didn't work out. I believe in vitals being checked and didn't feel confident with the level of care for the baby, with my body taking supplements for the cancer. Just wasn't explained enough. Kind of arrogant too.... oh well. I know everyone has there own strengths. Still trying to get into to see a nutritionist.

    Spiritedmama, do you still have symptoms? Is Raw food helping? I am so glad to here you had a raw pregnancy! Thank you for sharing!

    Chris, that movie looks fantastic! Thank you for sharing, I can't wait to see it!

  • Hi greenacresmama - Just wanted to wish you good luck on your journey and let you know my prayers are with you! Many, many people believe they have cured their bodies through raw foods, and it sounds like you are coming from such a positive place, so I'm sure you will reap the benefits!

    I have an older friend who had thyroid cancer when she was relatively young. She practices yoga daily and swears that it helped her recover then and helps keep her body in balance now. I don't know if you already do yoga or not, but I thought I would mention that. Take advantage of the sense of community here (and of course try the recipes!).

    Where are you so far with raw foods? What have you been experimenting with? Best of luck!

  • rawmamanibblesrawmamanibbles Raw Newbie

    Congradulations greenacresmama!! U can do this - i agree try to find some support in your area , i know www.pangaia.cc is there in HI - i dont know which iland though, but they are raw.

    Have you thought about how you want to give birth? being your on a natural healing journy, there nothing more healing than eating fresh living food created for you and your baby and birthing your baby the way you were made to. Maybe look into some midwifes in your area......

    U CAN DO IT!

    dont le tthe detox syptoms scare you - your body knows whats best and i think it's smart enouph not to dump loads of toxins into you baby.

    www.thegardendiet.com

    also...

    look into the dvd

    birth as we know it - on u tube

    and check out

    Ina May's guide to childbirth

    I cant wait to hear you beautiful testimony :)

  • Congratulations. You've taken a very important step in knowing that the body heals itself. As a pregnant woman you now have company to add to your well of hope. i wish you the very best and i'm happy that you are listening to your instincts on how you feel about your doctor. i really hope you find the perfect one. Perhaps a dula could point you in the right direction? Sometimes you just have to fall into a community of ppl to help you with your new direction. Hopefully, once you start visiting health food stores and meeting ppl in different circles you will get the help you need. I'm not saying you'll meet a doctor in the health food store, but you might meet someone that had a great doctor. Best Wishes.

  • vegan2rawvegan2raw Raw Newbie

    Hi Greenacresmamma what an amazing journey you are on. I have had two babes naturally at a birth center with only midwives and had amazing experiences I was never vegan only vegetarian and not as aware as I am now I am currently at about 21 weeks and have been staying high raw and vegan (I have had a couple tries at organic buffalo when craving it but now that I am past the first trimester all that tastes and looks disgusting its amazing how your body will tell you what it needs at that moment) My advice to you would be to start a blog or join a support group so you can have help with your other child through this process and make sure you find a health care provider you are comfortable with b/c it can be dangerous switching to raw while pregnant and fighting cancer. I know its important not to worry but it is also important to be aware of the risks and an all raw diet is detoxing naturally and you do not want to detox some of the bad stuff in your system into the babe so find a naturopath or doc who is totally supportive and also is able to run all the tests and help with a gradual switch. I would reccomend staying vegan and gluten free and high raw slowly adjusting to all raw but I am just speaking from personal experience that as a healthy individual who was all organic and had been vegan for a year I still got sick and expericenced some detox symptoms when going one hundread percent for a month last summer. I have a raw chef friend who goes to Hawaii often so I will ask him if he knows of any good resources. You are on the right path so keep it up and this site is amazing with supportive people who will help you find the answers you need.

    Namaste

  • One quick thing to know.

    Unless you have a respiratory disease or malfunction it is highly highly unlikely to be too alkaline.

    If you so a simple google search for the term "alkalosis" (which is the condition where blood is too alkaline) you will see from many credible sources that what helps balance out blood alkalinity is CO2 - carbon dioxide. In the body, there is no shortage of carbon dioxide since it is the one of the primary metabolic wastes that we produce. If your blood slips too alkaline you lungs simply expel less CO2, keep in in the blood and balance out the PH. Acidosis is what is more problematic because it is much harder for the body to balance it out.

    It can't be easy to face a young child, pregnancy and a frightening disease all at the same time.

    People here have already offered some great resources, so I can't offer any more...just my best wishes

  • Oh wow! Thanks for all the love. I am diggin' the resources! I have a friend hooking me up here with a raw food potluck on the 11th. So where am I in raw? I am in a very drab place, eating lots of fruit, carrots, broccoli, avocados(!!!) kale, salad, nuts, and just recently sprouted beans, lentils, and rice (ewh rice). I had 1 egg, half can of wild salmon, 2 yogurts, cooked oatmeal 2 times and cooked a little choi sum and beet after being upset I couldn't eat the flavor. This is all in 5 days. I don't feel discouraged, because I am pregnant and these things just can't happen in a blink - I have no idea how to eat raw. I have been checking out cookbooks, printed a simple 25 recipes to go raw for today's shopping, and I am waiting for DH to take the plunge for a Vitamix. Not sure about the juicer and going to wait to see if I can strain out the vitamix efficiently enough. I have not had butter, milk, or ice cream and feel very proud, because those actually are my saddest good-byes. The egg, salmon, and are to help the baby while I switch..and I don't think the was yogurt is a wise choice - not enough protein to count. No sugar or breads...not sure, but I never want to going back again to those and milk products. I am sure I need dressings and starch soakings - will start soon.

    Nut butters and celery sticks are on the top of my mind today.

    Not sure about detoxing, but I do believe, with cocaine babies turning out like miracles, and many other horrible stories my mid-wife friend has told me - I bet this is going to be okay while pregnant. The placenta is made like that. Of course we all know everything is bad that isn't natural during pregnancy, but many moms out there show us how powerful the wonder sac is. I do think going slowly into it is best. Like cooking some oatmeal, but I need to get my protein counted before I can switch, even what I eat now is too low. Nuts, seeds, nuts, seeds, avocados (!) is the biggest thing on my mind...maybe body is signaling my protein direction. I actually am feeling completely more paranoid about eating animal hormones while pregnant now - this is what I think was a big contributor to my cancer, and sugar & glutamate just killing my immune system to fight it.

    Without sugar, chocolate, coffee, I feel very spaced out. I am so glad I am a SAHM and that my son takes naps! (I get to talk to you guys, read, and research). My DH is noticing all the changes and taking them in stride (God bless him). Acting kind of stupid and such.

    Thank you all again for the support!

  • Oh! And I did give birth to my 9.24 lb son naturally after 24 hours of labor! I gave birth in the position that I wanted and he was out in 3 pushes, no joke. I had him in the hospital with the most natural dr. on the island, vs. a 3k home birth, I was very happy with doing it there! We prepared ourselves and yes, I do yoga, and did pregnancy yoga too. It was the best and amazing! I would LOVE to have a home birth! Especially with #1 around to watch and be here! Sometimes I think we it will go so fast next time, it will be a home birth, lol. But really, having a house without windows (buying windows for 3k) or having a natural hospital birth for free ???? It is hard to spend that kind of money right now.... especially now. But not sure still. I do wish insurance covered these beautiful people.

    HMSA doesn't even cover a nutritionist! Isn't that bizarre!! My DH was so furious, we are both thinking so sick with anger that they don't help people with a proper diet, just medicine....so gross.

  • Greenacresmama,

    I came across your story after doing a google search for something else and want to offer you my help and support. I was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma and had 6 rounds of chemotherapy during my pregnancy...this was followed by a baby in the NICU for 5 weeks and 17 rounds of radiation...

    And both my daughter and I are doing well. We just celebrated her 3rd birthday on the 17th of April!

    I would love to invite you to join www.pregnantwithcancer.com We're trying really hard to begin a support community for this. It's terrible to go through this and feel alone!

    Take care,

    Kris

  • greenacresmama, I just want to say I think you are an inspiration and also "Good for you!!!" I mean for taking charge of things and such, it's not easy, but it's amazing what you're doing. I'll be praying for you and your baby while you're on your journey to healing. Do you know the sex of your baby yet?

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