A different type of Earth Day post

Good morning everyone! I know I didn't announce it (because I'm not a big birthday person) but yesterday was my 38th birthday. 38 years. If you would have told me I would be here at 38, I wouldn't have believed you. You see, my dad died of leukemia when he was 38. My ex-husband's mom died of cancer at 38. One of my best friend's husband has Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer - and he is 38. Luckily, he is where the pattern has stopped. He was given 10 months to live in January of last year and is doing so well that radiation is now an option and he is being studied by researchers because he is defying the odds. Of course, if you knew Ben that wouldn't surprise you. He has worked full-time (and then some) since finding out he had "a death sentence". He is one of the most strong-willed men I know (being part American Indian and part Irish might have something to do with that). And while he is as tough as they come, his wife, Erica, is the sweetest, most loving person you will ever meet. She and Ben have been together since they were 16. They have that real love that film and tv try to emulate - you know the kind you look at and ask "is this real?" But it is. And they are.

Erica found out that Ben had cancer on New Year's Eve 2013. I was at Disney World with my family and mom. She sent me a text saying she needed to talk to me but to call her when I get back. Of course I knew instantly it wasn't good (because she wouldn't have contacted me while on the family trip if it weren't important). I called her immediately and she kept saying "we can just talk when you get back." Yeah, right. I pushed her and then I heard it in her voice. The tears she was trying to fight back, and then, that Ben had pancreatic cancer.  She cried. I tried not to (but failed).  We talked a lot that night. We cried a lot that night. And for the next few weeks she went on the roller coaster ride that is cancer.

Now, if this was where the story ended you would never read it. I wouldn't share because of the heartache it would have brought. But luckily this isn't where it ends. Erica loves her husband - more than I ever thought was possible - and once she got over the initial shock of it all, she got to work. I gave her a juice book so she could get Ben extra vitamins and minerals. But Erica, Erica became a pro at knowing everything there is to know about Pancreatic cancer. Soon, she turned to oils. When she told me about it I thought "she's grasping at straws, but whatever keeps her sane." She told me of the 45 minute daily foot rubs she gives her husband (apparently the feet absorb oils the best). And yes, you read that right. 45 minute foot rubs. If that doesn't speak to her love for Ben...

Over the months she would call with scan findings. Every scan, the masses in the pancreas and liver were decreasing or staying the same. And now, a little over a year from when he found out he had "terminal" cancer and 6 months after he was supposed to be gone, Ben is still defying the odds.

So, what does this have to do with Earth Day? Erica and I have had many talks about faith along this journey. We are both believers and we know what the power of prayer can do (those who know about my daughter and her own escape from the edges of death know how I feel about prayer). One of the things Erica would always say is that God has given us everything we need to heal ourselves. We would laugh at how oils are considered "alternative medicine" even though they've been here since the dawn of time and used for ages. Slowly but surely, I started looking into oils. My daughter got hand foot and mouth and the topical meds she was given by the doctor just weren't working. I knew that Erica was a fan of frankincense and lavender so I grabbed a few essential oil balls at the grocery story (frankincense and myrrh and lavender) and had my daughter take a bath. Would you believe the next day it was gone. I could tell when she got out of the bath that night that it had done something but gone the next day? Crazy!

Before I start this next part I want to say I do not sell essential oils. There are a lot of bloggers out there who do. I honestly just don't have the time. I am writing this in the hopes that someone out there will read this and that perhaps this will be the answer or the help they need. I am going to give you a break down of what Erica has used and swears by. I will add an affiliate link to Amazon for those interested. I didn't want to, but just in sharing this draft with friends I was asked "where do you buy it". I want to add that neither myself nor Erica are doctors. We do not make claims that this will cure cancer. I have used essential oils sparingly and am not a huge proponent of them. However, Erica (and Ben) have seen such huge gains from incorporating them into Ben's routine that I felt I should share. Again, this is just my opinion of the situation and if you have any questions/concerns, you should reach out to a professional to discuss them.  

Erica's program

Black Seed Oil/Black Cumin.

Ben takes black seed oil in liquid and capsule form every single day. 

Info about Black Seed Oil/Black Cumin from the National Institute of Health can be found here.

Thieves Oil

Erica says she uses this two to three times a week. She massages it into Ben's feet (lucky man).

Frankincense

Erica uses this on the days she doesn't use Thieves Oil. She massages it into Ben's feet.

Cedarwood

Erica uses this on the days she doesn't use Thieves Oil. She massages it into Ben's feet.

Update: After sending this to Erica to make sure I didn't misrepresent anything, she told me "after his last scan his tumors were half the size from when we began this journey." How amazing is that?!?