The Story Continued...
The ordeal for Caroline, both physically and mentally, was immense. She underwent three operations to remove the cancer, nearly dying from an MRSA septicaemia following one of the operations. Six bouts of chemotherapy and seven weeks of radiotherapy concluded with 24hrs of internal beam "annihilation." As a young couple, you just don't expect to face such trials and tribulations.
During all of this, I was ironically, in the middle of my training to be a GP, doing a six month rotation in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the local community hospital. I was seeing women bring life into this world and at the same time seeing women die from the same condition as Caroline. Somehow, I had to make sense of it all. The most caring and loving person I had ever met was fighting for her life and even as a doctor, I felt powerless to help.
You see there's something about cancer, or any serious illness/event, that forces you to re-examine your purpose in life and start asking yourself the really important questions, like, "Why am I here?" and "What's it all about?" When you do this you will almost always focus more on values such as love, health and happiness above any materialistic considerations.
I resorted to what I knew best, the scientific approach, which involved reading every medical book or journal on the subject. Trawling through every conceivably relevant web site on the net for what seemed like an eternity. I was looking for any ray of hope or morsel of information that would improve her chances of survival. It was around this time I also started to read books and listen to CD's on personal development, which helped me enormously to make sense of what was happening in my life.
Now, I know that we've all read in other personal development books that it is the actions we take as a result of the decisions we make, that score us the goals in life. And, of course, this is often easier said than done. However, unless you get this belief deeply embedded into that "muscle" they call your brain, changes and "living the dream" will never be easy. It is the ability to take action and discover your own life's purpose that will make a difference in the quality of your life.
I am very pleased to write that Caroline has now made a full recovery, and is now healthier and more beautiful than she has ever been. She recently took over the running of a new business with great success. As a result of our experiences together and the inspiration I gained from Caroline's courage, I am now fulfilling my own purpose in life, helping set up a brand new online health service in the United Kingdom called the "People's Health Service" ( www.thephs.com ). The mission/vision is to help make a difference in people's health by empowering them to take better care of their own mind, body and soul, and generate much needed revenue to sow back into health facilities in local communities. In fact, you might even call it the "Robin Hood" health service.
Dealing with the uncertainties associated with cancer, or any life-threatening illness/event, can be mentally crippling unless you take action. One of the keys to success in the whole healing process is to take an active role in the rebalancing of the mind, body and soul, and to do whatever it takes to regain your health. This is not something that happens by passive osmosis, you've actually got to get out there and make it happen. Find out about the illness, learn about your mind and focus on those things that make you healthy and happy.
Dr. Robert S. Powell.
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