Kula, Golden Retriever Life With Her Cancer, Part 5: Keeping Healthy Gums

After Kula was diagnosed with spleen cancer she was not able to walk so I decided to do all-holistic bodywork to help her walk again.

Morning body routine before morning remedy drink and/or breakfast:
1. Massage her gums
2. Body scrub
3. Shiatsu
4. Do-in exercise

I felt that massaging Kula’s gums were important, since she had abuses on her left-side gums, as you can see in the photo. Her gum area was discharging pus. Holistic veterinarian Dr. Lane showed me how to make a gum rinse formula with green tea and myrrh essential oil (which is very good for gums and can also be used as a mouthwash to help eliminate dental infections) and massaged her gums with loquat tea (made from loquat leaf) and sea salt every day.

Here I am showing photos of Kula’s abscess how it got better.

650 Kula gum abuses

Holistic veterinarian Dr. Lane is disinfecting Kula’s abscess on May 27, 2016

 

650 Kula's gum on 05-27-16

Kula’s abscess gum on May 30, 2016

 

650 Kula gum 05-30-16

Kula abscess gum on June 3, 2016

 

650 Kula gum 07-29-16

Kula’s abscess on July 15, 2016

 

Recipe

For dogs:
1 cup green tea or loquat leaf tea
2 drops myrrh essential oil (if for cats, I just use sea salt, since cats are very sensitive to essential oil)

For people:
1 cup green tea or loquat leaf tea

4–5 drops myrrh essential oil

 

650 Gum massage oil-water

Loquat leaf and the tea and myrrh essential oil with a soft gum brush

 

Use a very soft, small toothbrush. If you want to, you can use your finger (usually index).

Photo: Toothbrush and loquat leaf

In this video, I am massaging Kula’s gums.

Wishing healthy gums and teeth for your dog and you!
Love, Sanae 💖

Wedding Anniversary

Usually we celebrate our wedding anniversary by going someplace special and exchanging traditional anniversary gifts, followed by dinner at the Shutters hotel, where we had our wedding dinner with family and close friends in 2004.
This year, we felt we should do something different.

Our eldest dog, Kula, was diagnosed with spleen cancer last month (I wrote about her here, with two weeks to two months to live. So, we wanted to take a video of how I have been taking care of her every day. The first one shows me giving her shiatsu and Do-in exercise. I posted it on Facebook and got more than 1,700 views in one day, so I also posted it on YouTube to help other dogs.

It was a wonderful way to start our wedding anniversary. This marks 12 years, for which the traditional gift is silk/linen or pearls, but we broke the traditional gift exchange by giving each other stand-up paddle boards (SUP) and going paddling in Marina del Rey with our dog Lumi. Eric found two used SUP boards at a reasonable price on Craigslist, and it was in Manhattan Beach, so we decided to drive there as our wedding anniversary event. They were the perfect size, so we got them and went to Marina del Rey with Lumi right away. They were sturdy boards and heavy, so it was not easy for Eric to put them on his car, but he is such a strong guy!

 

650 Eric lifting SUP

 

It was a great day for us to go all the way out by the Burton Chace Park area to paddle. I wish we had photos to show you, but we were too busy paddling. Lumi was good at balancing, and popular with everyone who passed us, since she was so cute in her life jacket. I think I did pretty well, too, for a beginner; I did not fall at all. It was an absolutely different anniversary than usual, and we enjoyed it so much. Here is a photo that a woman from Sweden took of us.

 

 

650 2016 Wedding Ann

 

We learned that day that it is all right to break tradition, as long as we are enjoying our lives together and still celebrating our special anniversaries!

 

650 Eric with Lum taking shower on the beach

 

Happy Anniversary to anyone celebrating also!

 

Love, Sanae

Life is a Balance of Yin and Yang – Pray fro Kula!人生は陰と陽のバランス – クラのために祈って下さい。

Life surely is a balance between yin and yang-light and shadow. I have had higher highs and lower lows in my life. Many times tragedy struck when I least expected it.

These are a just a few.
I met Eric while I was going through a divorce from my first husband. Eric was working overseas so we kept in touch by phone or/and fax, since this was before we used the internet. I was happy that he moved to Santa Monica the following year as we started to enter a deeper level in our relationship. Then I got ovarian cancer in 1993.
In 2001, after I had started a career as a certified macrobiotic counselor, I had a near-fatal car accident in the Arizona dessert on my way from taking classes at the Kushi Institute. I was also ready to marry Eric after being together for 10 years, but when I awoke from my coma, I found out that he was about to break up with me.
In 2006, my first service/therapy dog, Kin had a litter, and I learned that my mother passed away suddenly after battling a long illness, from an asthma attack.
Eric and I were working hard to fulfill our dream of opening Seed restaurant, when one of our dogs, Dore, was killed in a hit and run accident. Ten days later her mother Kin died suddenly in 2008.

Now, my beloved dog Kula (she is Kin’s daughter and Dore’s sister), who had joyously just turned 13 last week, is stricken with spleen cancer.
We took her to her annual checkup and blood test and found out she has internal bleeding, so we had to take her to a special internal medicine animal hospital to get an ultrasound and x-ray. I was fervently praying that it was nothing serious, but she was diagnosed with spleen cancer, which had already spread to her lungs. I knew she lost some muscle around her hip area last month after injuring her leg and not walking as much, but it was not her leg injury that was causing her muscle loss. I also noticed one night that her tummy was bigger than usual, so I was concerned, but a few days later I did not notice it as much, so I thought she must have eaten too much. At her age she has a good appetite and enjoys meeting people at Farmers Market every Saturday, and still visits senior homes as a therapy dog.

Kula today!

Kula at a senior home as a service dog on May 26, 2016

I asked myself that what did I do wrong?
Why didn’t I take her for a checkup when I noticed her tummy was bigger?
Why didn’t I catch when her condition change?

The questions kept haunting me.

 

Dr. Lane is checking Kula

Kula with Dr. Lane

I talked to three vets (two holistic vets and one conventional). Dr. Lane (my main holistic vet) and Dr. Hadar (conventional vet) both said since five of her brothers died from cancer at a much younger age, and most golden retrievers get cancer because of a genetic propensity, Kula may have succumbed to that. Kula still has a good appetite, and she enjoys her life without reserve, so the chemical free and GMO plant-based homemade food has kept her from losing her appetite and retreating from a normal life. Dr. Hadar, who performed the ultrasound and x-ray, told me that Kula will live a few weeks to two months. I was too shocked to hear about it. As I am writing this I am not able to accept it and numb from the sudden prospect of losing Kula, but I know in my heart that Kula needs me to focus on her healing, not on my feelings of guilt or grief. She is eating, doing her best and not giving up on her life.

Kula with her 13th birthday gift of new bed

Kula loves her 13th birthday gift of her new bed!

I have been studying animal communication, so I talked to her about her cancer. She said “I am not feeling pain, but sometimes I feel more tired, so I thought I was just getting old. I still enjoy my life and now I have more time to be with you so I am not worried. Please don’t worry, because then I will worry about you. I enjoy my short walks, going to Santa Monica Farmers Market and seeing Leyla the apple vendor and all of the children who come to pet me and feed me snacks of organic Fuji apples (she only likes Fuji apples). I also love visiting our neighbor Nancy and going to a senior home as a service/therapy dog.”

Kula at Santa Monica Farmers Market

Kula at Santa Monica Farmers Market

When I asked her if I can share her story, she said “ Mommy, do you need to ask me that? You wrote Healthy Happy Pooch book so that you can share with others what you thought was best for you against all odds and wanted others to benefit from what you experienced and learned. I trust you to do the same and help other dogs and dog’s family go through tough times the best way they can, through my story and photos.” She made me feel that I have been loved by her so much that I can’t even express with words. She also talked to my animal communicator teacher, Lydia Hiby and she is not ready to leave so soon and she really enjoys her life and appreciates everything she has been receiving from us and other five dogs and two kitty family are very understanding her condition and caring what she is going through.

I was so sad when I found out about her cancer and did not know what to say.
This is unbearably difficult for me, but being in denial is not going to help anything or anyone, so I am accepting my fear, sadness and mental suffering so that I can go on with my daily ritual of getting up in the morning, appreciating my life and Kula’s life and her courage, kindness and beautiful soul.

Please pray for her to fulfill her life and miraculous recover from this cancer one day at a time.

Kula is enjoying being on the deck after dinner.

Kula enjoys being on the deck after dinner.

 

I am making special remedy drink and healing food for her. I also give her body scrub, shiatsu, Reiki, moxibustion and more.
I want to share what I am doing to help her through this healing journey whenever I can.

I appreciate so much for all of your support and prayer for Kula.
Love and healing for Kula,
Sanae

 

人生は光と影、陰と陽のバランス。
今までいろんなことがあった。悲しいことは思ってもいないときにやってくる。

エリックに知り合ったのは、前夫との離婚をすすめていた時、海外で仕事をしていた彼と連絡をインターネットがない時代、電話かFAXでしていた。次の年にエリックがサンタモニカに引っ越ししてとても喜んでいたのにその後、自分が卵巣癌だと告知された1993年。

2001年、マクロビオティックカウンセラーになる資格を修得するためにマサチューセッツにあるクシ・インスティテュート行った帰りにアロゾナの砂漠で臨死体験をするほどの酷い車の事故にあった。出会って10年以上経っていたが、丁度、この事故をする前にやっとエリックとの結婚へのこころの準備が出来ていたのだが、エリックはもう別れることを決意していたと昏睡状態から戻って聞かされた。

2006年、私の始めてのサービス・セラピードッグ、キンが子犬を産んだ日に母が昔から患っていた喘息で急に亡くなったと知らされた。

エリックと私は一生懸命働いてSeed レストランをオープンする夢を実現させようとしていた時に愛犬ドレちゃんが自宅のすぐ横の裏道で車にひき逃げされて亡くなってしまい、その後、10日後に母親のキンが急に亡くなってしまった、2008年。

そして、今回は、大好きなクラちゃん(キンの娘でドレちゃんの妹)が楽しい13歳のバースデーを過ごしたブログを2週間前に書きましたが、クラちゃんは13歳の健康診断に行って血液検査の結果、内臓出血をおこしているとわかった。その後、内科専門の犬猫病院でいろんなテストをして脾臓のガンと告知され、ショックで何も考えられない1週間が過ぎてしまった。

何か自分の育て方に落ち度があったのか?
お腹のところに何かあるのを見たときにすぐ検査に行かなかったからか?
なぜ、もっと早く気が着いてあげなかったのかと何回もいろんなことを責めている自分に気がついた。

内科専門の犬猫病院のドクターハダーさんと、主治医のホリスティック・ドクターレインさんからゴールデンリトリバーは、ガンになる確率が高い犬種で、またクラちゃんブラザーの8匹中5匹がガンで若い時に亡くなっているから原因は遺伝と思われると言われた。手作りのドッグフードでずっと育ててきたからクラちゃん13歳まで病気もしないて元気で生きられたんだと言って下さった。ドクターハダーさんは、クラちゃんは後、2週間から2ヶ月の命だろうとも宣告した。
ショックで何も考えられない、こうしてブログを書きながらも受け入れられないでいる心の表面は麻痺した状態を感じる。でもね、恐々、心の奥深いところを覗くとクラちゃんが私を必要としているのを感じる。罪悪感で自分を責めたり悲しんでいる場合ではない。クラちゃんはまだよく食べているし、ヒーリングフードに変えてからもちゃんと食べて、生きる気力をまだまだ捨てていないで一生懸命頑張ってる。

Kula with Beach sign sm

海が大好きなクラちゃん

昨年からアニマルコミュニケーションの勉強をしているので、クラちゃんとこのガンのことを話してみた。クラちゃんは、「痛くないよ。ただ疲れやすくなったのを感じてたから、初めは年を老いたからだと思ってた。まだ、楽しいことあるし、このことで、ママと一緒にもっといられるからクラは嬉しいから心配してないよ。ママ、心配しないでね。ママが心配するとクラも心配するから。短い散歩、サンタモニカのファーマーズ・マーケットに行って、オーガニックりんごを売っている、レイラに会って、リンゴを買いに来る子供たちと一緒にフジりんごを食べるのも楽しいし、近所のナンシーさんのところに遊びに行ったり、老人ホームにサービス・セラピードッグとして行くのも楽しいよ。」と言って、私が、今回のことをみんなにシェアーしてもいいか聞いたら「ママ、今更何を言ってるの?ママはみんなのヘルプが出来るようにヘルシーハッピープーチの本を書いたんでしょ。もしクラが他の犬たちとその家族のためになるなら、写真も今までのように撮ってね。」と言って私を励ましてくれた。自分がこんなにクラちゃんに愛されて支えられていると再確認して感謝の気持ちいっぱいで言葉にもできませんでした。

私のアニマルコミュニケーションの先生のリディア・ヒビーさんにもクラちゃんと話してもらったら、クラちゃんは痛みはなくって、まだまだ逝く気はない、今までの幸せな彼女の犬生に感謝している。他の犬とネコの家族もみんな理解してくれているから安心しているって言ったそうです。
クラちゃんがガンになったと知って悲しくって誰にも何もすぐ言えなかった。耐えられないような苦しみを感じてしまったけど、この気持ちを否認していたのでは、本当にクラちゃんを癒してあげられないから、どんなに苦しくても怖くて悲しくても正直な自分の気持ちを認めて毎日、クラちゃんのために早く起きて、まず自分の人生とクラちゃんの優しくって勇気ある素晴らしい魂に感謝して1日を始めてます。

どうぞ、みなさん、クラちゃんが彼女の命を1日でも長く全うできるため、ガンが奇跡で治るように祈ってあげて下さい。お願いします!

クラちゃんの癒しのレメディードリンク、癒しの食事を作って、ボディースクラブ、指圧、レイキ、温灸などを毎日してあげてます。時間ができたら、クラちゃんにしてあげている癒し療法をシェアーしますね。

愛とクラちゃんを癒すために…

草千

Spring Remedy Drink for Allergies: Sinus & Eczema

Spring is a time when everything is growing, but at the same time sinus and skin allergies are starting to exasperate us.

In Macrobiotic practice, these symptoms come when you have had too much protein and animal fat. This remedy helps to detox excessive protein, animal fat and also release cholesterol. It also helps the function of the liver and gall bladder gently.

Leafy Greens and Red Radish Remedy Drink

Makes for 1 person

½ cup minced greens (kale, dandelion and collard)
1~ 2 grated red radish,
2 cups filtered/spring water
1 umeboshi plum (California organic ones can be purchases at Seed Kitchen)

1. Add minced greens in a small stainless pot over medium flame and bring to almost boil.
2. Bring the flame to low and simmer for 3~5 minutes.
3. Strain the greens* and put back the remedy to the pot on low flame and add red radish.
4. At the end add umeboshi plum and transfer to a cup.

• Use this greens left over from straining for soups or to sautée with other vegetables.

Do not boil. Have this remedy before breakfast for 7 to 10 days, take 3 days off, and then repeat for three months.

Personal counseling inquiring email to sanaehealing@gmail.com

Love, Sanae