A Bump in the Road
In October, 2014, I was diagnosed with a potentially life-threatening pancreatic tumor. Like a grain of sand in the oyster, I believe the tumor grew out of my work experiences. The pancreas relates to the sweetness of life. During the last few years of my corporate career, the sweetness had all but disappeared. The Universe intervened, and I ended up leaving Corporate to focus on finding my joy again through healing myself and others.
I am one of the lucky ones. The growth was caught in its early stages. But in August, 2014, a scan showed that the cyst had grown. A biopsy revealed that I had a pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor. I was scheduled to see a surgeon to remove the tumor, part of my pancreas, and my spleen. Though, I was terrified of the diagnosis and surgery, in an email to family, friends, and colleagues, I described my hiatus as “a bump in the road.”
While I was coming to terms with the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis, the Universe was at work once again. Appointments were scheduled and rescheduled from one doctor to another by my HMO. My surgical date was postponed, providing opportunity to get a second opinion. These changes, which could be viewed as annoying or disruptive, were blessings that led to choosing the right healing team for me.
Meanwhile, Earth Angels intervened in my healing. My friend and business partner called to schedule a lunch date. I offered three possible dates. She responded that she would be over on all three days to give me Reiki the week before my surgery!
As surgery approached, I did self-Reiki with guided imagery, imagining that I was surrounded by friends and family, as skilled nurses and doctors worked on me, creating a successful outcome. Friends created prayer circles with the same energy.
The surgery went well. Once I returned home, the healing accelerated at an incredible rate! My husband, daughter, family, and friends continued to provide loving support. My Reiki family came to my home to share a feast and lay their healing hands on me to quicken my recovery. I did self-Reiki and played my Tibetan bowls nearly every day. By eight weeks, I was released to normal activities.
During my recuperation, my surgeon called me at home to tell me that the biopsy showed that the tumor was cyst-like (encapsulated) and that it looks like he got it all! He told me that I would probably look back on this whole incident as “a bump in the road.”
And so we’ve come full circle in this tale. I am deeply aware that circumstances vary greatly from one person to the next. I have seen disease take beautiful friends who have had the right attitude and done all the “right” things. But for some reason, I was spared. I had the good fortune to heed the Universe’s messages. I believe that the Reiki, prayers, intention, and the outpouring of support contributed to easing my fears and speeding my recovery. The experience reinforced how precious life is, the healing power of love and the collective consciousness, and that the Divine is omnipresent within each and every one of us.
*
Kate Casey, Owner of Body and Hearth, seeks to gently awaken the senses to facilitate peace and joy, inside and out. She is a certified Black-Sect Tantric Buddhist (BTB) Feng Shui Practitioner, Usui Reiki Master-Teacher, Karuna Reiki® Master, sound healing facilitator-teacher, Rune reader, minister, artist, and author of The Miracle Path: Stepping Stones on Your Spiritual Journey. Join Kate Casey and Marion Hakata on Saturday, Oct 14th for an introductory workshop on The Healing Power of Reiki and Sound.