From a Baseball to Ping Pong Ball

February 2010

Today is Thursday - I love Thursdays...

Thursday is the day that I attend Laura's 8:30 Guinea Pig Class in Haverhill. It's hard to believe I actually like getting up in the morning to go there.

Just a few months ago I had a very difficult time dragging myself out of bed at all ... Actually I wasn't even able to sleep in my bed, I had to sleep on our couch in our family room, sitting in an upright position, because the pain in my left breast was so excruciating when I tried to lay down. If I slept for more than 2 hours at a time, I was lucky.

Not a good thing...

Now, after  getting a good night's sleep, I jump out of bed at the crack of dawn, and feel ready to conquer the world !!

What caused this complete turn around, you may ask ? Three very simple words:

TONG REN THERAPY.

Tong Ren Therapy..how I love those words.

Just three months ago, I was officially diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer that had metastisized into the lymph nodes and lungs. Dave and I were shocked to say the least.

After much thought and debate, we decided to forego all traditional treatments, and go full force with Tom Tam's Tong Ren therapy.

Tom's theory behind his Tong Ren Therapy is very simple: All illnesses and diseases are caused by blockages. Once the blockage is released, the body will heal itself. That's it, plain and simple.

Well, after going full force by attending four Guinea Pig Classes a week, tuning in to at least one live broadcast online on days when I couldn't attend class, having weekly tui na sessions with Laura, and weekly acupuncture treatments with Tom, my life has changed completely.

My energy levels increased dramatically, I am able to sleep peacefully, and now function as a normal human being ... Once again, I am able  to complete my regular tasks which I couldn't always do before, such as cooking, cleaning, doing the grocery shopping, etc.

My husband is very happy now. He likes to tell people that he has a "new wife" ...
( I am sure he means that in a good way..)

Last Friday, during a follow up check up with Dr. Daly, we discovered that my primary tumor had diminished by 84% in three month's time... 84% !!

We were  ecstatic.

The best part about having such wonderful news, is sharing it with Tom  and the Tong Ren community. Tom is so funny. I love to see his reaction when I deliver my good news to him in person ...

Last Saturday I came in early, and excitedly told him that the tumor had shrunk by 84%.

He replied with a deadpan look,"Eighty four percent only."...

Gotta love him...

(I later found out from some very reliable sources that he was very, very pleased.)

Since I wasn't able to attend Saturday night's class, I asked Tom to make sure that he shared the good news with everyone, which he graciously did...I just wish that I could have been there.

So I was  very excited when I was able to share our wonderful news at the Burlington class on Sunday. Everyone was so happy to hear about it. They were caring, loving, and supportive...It felt great to tell everyone that I experienced first hand, the success of Tom's Tong Ren Therapy. I can attest that it really and truly does work - there is no denying it.

Now it's Thursday, and I will share my wonderful news once again...

I love Laura's class. Such  strong energy. Such a  good group of people. All of my favorite people are there...Tom, Dr. Daly, Laura, Monica, Eleanor...all under one roof. Could it get any better?

As it was getting close to being my turn for the healing, I notice Dr. Daly  leaving to get his acupuncture treatment from Tom. On his way out, he approached me and knelt down to say something...

Uh oh.

I begin to panic, thinking ,"He's going to tell me it was all a mistake. It really didn't shrink 84%..."

( Why do I always think the worst?... I need to stop doing that... ).

Dr. Daly whispers, "Tell them it went from the size of a baseball to the size of a ping pong ball."

" What ? "

Again, he whispers, "Tell them it went from the size of a baseball, to the size of a ping pong ball."

" Seriously?! "

He nods, gives me an assuring smile, and goes on his way...

I am stunned, flabbergasted...

I think, "A baseball?... A baseball?... Seriously, A BASEBALL???"

I am trying to wrap it around my head that I once actually had something the size of a baseball growing inside my of my breast...

I used to joke to Dave that it felt like someone punched me and forgot to take their fist out...but now, I realize that it really wasn't a joke... what I was feeling  was very real.  It's no wonder I couldn't sleep at night...

You try sleeping with a baseball attached to your chest. It's not very comfortable...

A baseball...a freaking baseball.

"Hi Sandra! You have some good news to share with us, don't you?'

It's sweet Laura, so anxious for me to share my wonderful news.

Still stunned by the information that Dr. Daly had just given me, I begin to tell my story...

I explain how I was diagnosed this past November with stage 4 breast cancer. How we made the decision to do just Tong Ren Therapy, and how in only three months time, it has diminished by 84%...

When I begin to tell them what Dr, Daly had just informed me, I become overwhelmed, and start to choke up...

Why?  Because until then, I didn't realize how serious my condition was. Medically, I am sure they would consider me to be terminally ill. I am also sure that they would have given me a death sentence, a time frame of how much time I had left..

From the very beginning of this 'crazy adventure', I choose to look towards the future. There was never a doubt  in my mind that I had a long future ahead of me. Never.That is why I was so shocked when I realized how large my tumor was. I really was shaken.

I believe it was probably best that I didn't know. I am glad that I never really understood the numbers... For me, going from 396cc to 63cc just proved that the tumor had shrunk significantly. That's all that mattered...

I never had a visual ... Now I do.

From a Baseball to a Ping Pong Ball.

Now, when people ask me how I am doing, I can say, " I have a tumor. Three months after treating it with Tong Ren, it went from being the size of a baseball to the size of a ping pong ball. "

That's right.

From a Baseball to a Ping Pong Ball.

Unbelievable.