Thank you w.c. and Freebird and all who pray for my family. Doctors will start Mike on dialysis tomorrow. His spirits are down today but he's trying to hold on to the hope he is being offered. Thank you for your continued prayers. I'm very tired. Couldn't sleep much last night. I'm going to try and take a nap now before going back to ICU tonight.

Thank you, thank you for all the love and support. Everyone at the hospital have been wonderful. Compassion is being offered by everyone around us.

Love,
Tate

Tate:

Just a thought that I know may be too much to consider:

If Mike is open to it, you could consult with a naturopathic doctor regarding amino acids such as Taurine, L-Carnitine and N-acetyl-cysteine that research shows support kidney function and may minimize some of the side-effects of dialysis.

To find the abstracts on this research where the findings are summarized, do a google for

Pubmed

Then type in you keywords (without the quotation marks), such as "Taurine" "kidney dialysis" etc. Then click on the author listing and that will pull up the abstract; these can be given to the physician for consideration.

Please keep us posted on how it's going, Tate, and know that you're in our prayers.

Phil

Dear Tate,

May it comfort you to know that our thoughts and prayers for you, Mike and your family continue.

As you are guided by God, look after yourself by getting enough sleep, rest, and make an effort to eat for the needed strength and vigor necessary in facing the unknowing each and every day. Trust that God will bring you through Mike's illness and allow you to give of yourself as his loving mother.

A rested body, mind and heart together with prayers keep you centered in your faith and hope.

May God's love, mercy, compassion and healing light enfold you and your family. All of our prayers are answered in doing God's will. The sacred heart of Jesus is soft and tender and hears your pleas.

Love Freebird

Again, I thank everyone for their prayers for my son, Mike. He was taken out of ICU yesterday. Today is his third day of dialysis. He is feeling better, appetite is coming back. His color is looking better. They still don't know what has caused this kidney failure. Tests have ruled out a lot of things. Doctors are thinking it might be a kidney disease called Glomerulonephritis.

One doctor wants to try dialysis for a while, then stop a few days and see if his kidneys will start working again. Another doctor says his kidneys are too scarred. We'll see!

Thanks again for your love and support. Will keep you posted as I find the time.

Love,
Tate

Yesterday I had a session with a most delightful client with a deep spiritual awareness. Now mind you all, what I am about to say is not my opinion but this man's deep insight on God.

He told me that God is Spirit and needs to be worshipped in spirit and in truth. God tells us that we are created in His image, which is spirit. He further feels that much of humanity through error has created God after their image, instead of knowing the truth of us being created in His image. I thought about his remark the rest of the afternoon and found some truth in his statement. How do any of you see this?.

Good, basic insights, there, Freebird. Nothing very controversial, imo. I think it was Voltaire who said that God created us in "his" image and likeness, but we have turned it around and done the same."

quote:

Originally posted by Freebird:
[qb]

He told me that God is Spirit and needs to be worshipped in spirit and in truth. God tells us that we are created in His image, which is spirit. He further feels that much of humanity through error has created God after their image, instead of knowing the truth of us being created in His image. I thought about his remark the rest of the afternoon and found some truth in his statement. How do any of you see this?. [/qb]

I think your client is correct. History pretty much bears out the fact that man has been trying to create God in his (man's) own image from the beginning. I don't know, maybe it's the inherent desire we, as humans, have to feel that we "know" everything and have the ability to relegate God's characteristics to Him or something. We have a tendency to box God up and explain Him in ways that are pleasing to our own ears. Thankfully, He is patient and more than willing to open us up to the truth of who He really is and who we really are in His heart.

God bless,
Terri

Bless you too Terri, you truly understand and know this truth being alive within you.

I have befriended my American Indian client and her mother, and see both outside my work. They are coming for lunch next Thursday and we will be burning sweet grass to purify ourselves and my home. I have found such a warm and tender sharing of spirit between us, and am learning so much about the love and strength of people with a strong faith in Spirit (Great Eagle) respect and honor for Mother earth and every living thing. What a treasure I have found together with spiritual camaraderie where I truly belong.

I hope that you also will learn more about your ancestry. Good to have you share Terri.

One day, it was suddenly
revealed to me that
everything is pure spirit.
Ramakrishna

Relating to our earlier posts.

This is a sorrowful quote by an American Indian elder who first encountered a white man:

"When the first white man came over the waters, he was but a little man.....very little. His legs were cramped by sitting long in his big boat, and he begged for a little land. But when the white man had warmed himself at the Indian's fire, and had filled himself with the Indian's hominy, he became very large....(we know the rest of what happened to these great men and women who were here first).

This quote comes from -Speckled Snake, Creek

I wonder what the natives on the land this elder was now dwelling in thought when his tribe first arrived?

Seems that's the way it's gone just about everywhere for a long, long time, doesn't it?

Heavenly Mother of us all

Let us when swimming with the stream,
become the stream...
Let us when moving with the music,
become the music.....
Let us, when rocking the wounded,
become the suffering......

Let us live for the grace beneath all we want,
let us see it in everything and everyone,
till we admit to the mystery
that when I look deep enough into you,
I find me, and when you dare to hear my fear
in the recess of your heart, you recognize it
as your secret which you thought no one knew......

O Let us have the courage
to hold each other when we break
and worship what unfolds....
Let us embrace
that unexpected moment of unity
as the children of God.........

O God, Great Spirit, that is not done with us,
let us love without a net
beyond the fear of death
until the speck of peace
we guard so well
becomes the real world......

Hopefully Tate will share with us a report as to how her son, Mike, is doing, and what progress he is making from his serious health condition. How are you, Tate, and the family? in all of your holding up from this trial that had come upon you. Blessings and God's strength be with you.

Freebird, thank you and everyone here for your concern and prayers.

Mike is adjusting his life around dialysis three times a week. His biggest struggle with the diet changes is having to greatly reduce his intake of liquids. He is often thirsty.

He has not eaten meat for several years so this lifestyle is helpful now in that animal protein is hard for his system at this time. Can't quite remember why; I'm overwhelmed with lots of information at this time.

Since we have come through the crisis stage, we are now looking into herbs and alternative methods of helping his situation. Thank you, w.c. for your post about amino acids. I'm finally able to consider these suggestions now.

My son is hoping that his kidneys will kick in and start working again. Doctors don't give much hope for this. He has started juicing so as to have the liquids he does intake to be nutritious. Also he is taking a few herbs that we discovered are good for kidneys. He is taking an active part in his recovery. I'm very proud of him. He seems to be handling all the stress much better than me.

He is being scheduled for a trip to Augusta, GA for testing to see if he qualifies for a kidney transplant and hopefully at that time I can see if I'm a match. He doesn't want to take a kidney from a live donor because he has read it is quite painful for the donor. I assured him that the pain I would go through for a few weeks would be much less than I would experience emotionally from him going to dialysis for years. I seem unwilling to allow him to win this battle of the wills.

In the meantime, for me it's been a process of trusting God and letting go. Some days, I can't wait to find a moment of privacy to pray, but my prayers don't get very far before I'm overwhelmed with tears. I realize my weakness in the face of this crisis. And I also experience God's strength and His Presence, especially in those moments of surrendering all of this, my life and Mike's to Him.

In His Love,
Tate

Tate:

Good to hear he is out of the woods, so to speak.

I'd be careful with herbs for the kidneys, unless you are consulting a licensed acupuncturist trained in herbal medicine. Many common Western herbs sold to improve kidney function are diuretics which can actually weaken the kidneys if they are already challenged.

Herbs that seem to support kidney function as actual rejuvenatives without strong diuretic effect would be Cordyceps and Ashwagandha and Schizandra. But your son stands a much better chance of utilizing herbal medicine to real advantage, and without contraindication, by working with a licensed acupuncturist.

A naturopathic doctor licensed and trained in one of the five accredited naturopathic medical schools on the North American continent would be best for utilizing amino acids.

Augmenting kidney dialysis would be important from a naturopathic pov as this procedure is thought to actually weaken the kidneys over time.

Thank you, w.c. Actually, just this day a friend of mine was telling me about a licensed acupuncturist not far from where my son lives. The friend has been to him and said the Chinese herbs he recommended for her was very helpful in a health problem she was having. I got his name and number.

Also, thanks for the caution about herbs. I have been uneasy about him taking these without supervision from a person trained in this area, especially with regards to dialysis use. He has only been taking them for a few days so hopefully I can convince him to hold off until we see the acupuncturist.

God help me! -- all my control and protective instincts as a mother have come forward and have probably been difficult for Mike on occasion. I have been aware of this and we have talked about it. He seems to understand my struggle and says he's grateful for my love and support. But has also let me know when I needed to back off. I'm grateful for his strength in doing this and honor his choices and decisions as best I can. This seems to be an opportunity for old patterns of mother and son to arise and hopefully our love and relationship will become healthier and stronger.

Mike is not married or dating at this time. I find myself wishing he had an intimate someone to be with him and help him at this time. As I say, God help me to quiet my obsessive mind.

Tate:

It seems nothing could be harder than a mother seeing her child suffer with a life-threatening disease. You're really up against it, as they say. But this is certainly different than a parent with little awareness of her tendencies.

So many families can't stand the honesty and fall back into patterns of response that just create more heartache. These old patterns are familiar, and we are almost addicted to them, even when we know better. So it sounds like you're actually somewhat ahead of the curve - the inherently painful and crazy curve of human attachment. As you say, there is some unique growth potential in this re: love and understanding as all of this comes so close to breaking the heart.

w.c.:

Thanks for you kindness and words of understanding.

...all of this comes so close to breaking the heart.

Yes, often my cry in prayer is that my heart is broken. When I allow this brokenness in...and stop pushing it away by incessant thinking and trying to fix the situation, there is blessed peace.

Dearest Tate,
How precious, loving and giving your sharing brings to us. To be molded into Christ's likeness and share in His sufferings, is to truly know that He could not be any closer to you. God's love encompasses you with His light, strength and power, and your broken heart can and will mend anew. My prayers for you, Mike and family will continue.

With gratitude I acknowledge your beautiful giving to us, and thank you for same. Like a beacon your light shines forth.

Hello, Tate
I just wanted you to know that I, too, am holding you and your son in prayer. We have just been through a major health crisis with our young adult son (in this case, a psychotic episode) and I know well the feeling that your heart is literally breaking...I also felt my protective instincts rise up like a mother bear! (Hosea 13:8a) It's so hard not to be able to fix anything...I decided that parenting adults in ten times harder than parenting little ones.

I found some comfort in the story of the Emmaus road, where Christ is revealed in the breaking of the bread, and in reflecting on the difference between being broken (which adversity can do) and being broken open, which only Christ can do. He was so deeply alive in the midst of our pain...and still is. May he sustain you in yours.
Blessings on you and yours,
Revkah

Original post by Freebird on 2-13-2006;

"I thought it might be beneficial and helpful for the women on Shalom Place to have their own posting area for the discussion of problems as they come up in our daily lives, together with healing issues, what works, and what does not work, conflicts with others, all which may hinder us from living our lives to the fullest potential as women.

Men on the forum are not allowed to post. This will be our private sanctuary of support. Here we can share our poetry, thoughts as they arise, our joys and sorrows."

For myself, I'll try to adhere to the suggested boundaries, except for the occasional moderator function. How does everyone feel about the experiment? Freebird, have you changed your mind about the "private sanctuary of support?" How does everyone wish to proceed?

caritas, mm (michelle)

Doesn't matter to me, michelle. Maybe we could say the thread is "For wo-men only?"

What say, Freebird?

"Hear ye, hear ye, one and all, the gates to my sanctuary are now flung open, and everyone is welcome to post.

MM good to see your name on the board, and am wondering how your life is going lately.

revkah:

Thank you for your prayers and words of comfort. Many blessings to you and your family as well. So sorry to hear of your son's crisis.

He was so deeply alive in the midst of our pain...and still is.

Yes, yes...He is alive with me in this pain. This is being brought more clearly to my awareness and experience. When I find Him in the pain, there is a sweetness though the suffering may continue.

And the true blessings to all of this, is Mike is being brought to Christ. Upon his return home from the hospital, I gave him a framed picture of Christ that Phil has on this website. Mike told me today that he talks to Him a lot. My fears and obsessive/controlling activities quieten and rest(one moment a at a time) knowing he is looking to Christ, the source of Love and Peace for the healing which only He can give.

Many Thanks,
Tate