Japan Spring 2023 Diary Day 3 Tokyo

There are many hands-on classes in Japan to learn about Japanese culture. 

On this day, I originally wanted to go to the hands-on Kintsugi class (Kintsugi 金継ぎ, “golden joinery,” also known as the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery by mending the areas of breakage with lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum; the method is similar to the maki-e technique.) early in the morning, but I decided to take it easy. 

Sometimes, less is better, and I believe an opportunity to learn kintsugi will come in the future.

 

After relaxing and having breakfast, Ringo-chan and Shigeru-san accompanied us to the bus stop, and we took the bus to Futako Tamagawa station.

Our first destination was our favorite glass shop, JINS (4th floor of Futako Tamagawa Rise).

JINS is a Japanese glasses store established in 2001. I found out about JINS 5 years ago on a 2020 Tokyo TV show program. I saw JINS’ mission is to provide functional, innovative, and lightweight eyewear at affordable prices for everyone. 

 

 

JINS frames are designed in Tokyo and carefully assembled with the spirit and passion of Japanese craftsmanship. 

We went to JINS in Asakusa 4 years ago for the first time. Indeed, JINS was efficient, courteous, prompt, and reasonably priced. Eric liked it very much and was looking forward to going to JINS again to get new glasses made.

This time we chose 5 glasses. If we made 5 pairs of glasses in America, we would be bankrupt here in America, but it was less than 1/4 of the price there. 

Eric chooses two cool bifocals. I have one for bifocals, one for computers, and one for craft/calligraphy.

While waiting for the glasses to be ready, we went to the “Bunkyodo” bookstore on the 6th floor for about an hour. 

* Bifocal glasses take 1 week. In our case, JINS send it to our friend in Setagaya, and she will send it to Santa Monica. If you go to Japan and make bifocals at JINS, I recommend that you go there as soon as you arrive in Japan and pick up your bifocals a week later.

 

I love Japanese bookstores. A spacious and full of things other than books, where you can find something you did not even think to enjoy. Check out the calligraphy pens, ink, and Japanese paper, browse magazines and comics, and I could spend time all day there.

I only know a bookstore like the Japanese one is Burns’s Nobel bookstore on the third street promenade Santa Monica. I was sad when it closed. 

When I was in a wheelchair, I often went there with my service dog, Kula. Checked out various magazines and books, grazed at photos of thick heavy hardcover photo books, and chose colorful stationery.

While I was focusing my viewing, Kula accommodated everyone and made them smile. 

The Bunkyoudo had the same relaxing atmosphere; it reminded me of the nostalgic good time I spent with Kura at the bookstore.

I was not looking for particular books, but I bought Snoopy’s book, “Snoopy Prepares Your Heart.”

This book explains Japanese quotes and Zen words.

 

Peanut comics, which are drawn in black and white and have blank spaces, have something in common with Zen, and the lines of the characters that appear often overlap with Zen language.

Even in silence, there is a world that is familiar to Zen.

An example given at the beginning of the book is the – Natural result.

“You just do it first and see what happens.”

This is one of my life mottos to live my life.

I learned English by reading Snoopy’s book when I was little, so I felt a connection with this book, and there was something I could learn from this Snoopy book again.

I had Snoopy’s book and Dennis the Menace’s book to study English. I also watched Sesame Street TV shows, listened to English music records, and translated the lyrics, which are fond memories.

 

Well, after the bookstore, we were hungry, and I was exhausted.

It was lunchtime, and there were long lines at all the restaurants, so when we were wondering what to do, we saw one restaurant called “Japanese Cafe Tsumugi” with almost no queues, and we thought this place might not be so good food.

We decided to eat there anyway since we did not have much time. As for the taste, the food was fresh and delicious for us to enjoy it.

Thanks to lunch, I regained my sharpness a little. We went to pick up my three glasses, then took the Tokyu Den-en-chofu Toshi Line train and the JR line to Ikebukuro. 

 

Ikebukuro station, where we were supposed to be, was not easy to find, and I got a little tired, so I was relieved to see Junko and her family.

When Junko was a student, she did a homestay at our house in Santa Monica to study English. We’ve known each other for a long time since Junko returned to Japan, and now she is married and has two children. Eric and I are so surprised to see her children grow up fast every time.

 

Our final destination and purpose for the third day were to go to Itabasshi to see Masaki, an old friend who worked as a chef in Los Angeles. We used to go to where he used to work every Fri. with other friends. The last time we saw him was almost 20 years ago in Shinjuku. Maybe I was in a wheelchair at the time. After that, he moved to Spain and New Zealand.

He recently returned to Japan and opened his new restaurant, “Space Cafe,” in Itabashi, Tokyo, and we promised to see him at his new restaurant.

Junko kindly chose where to go near Masaki’s restaurant with her husband, Hisashi, who used to live in the area. 

We went to Tokyo Great Buddha (I did not know there was Great Buddha in Tokyo). 

After some research, I found that the “Tokyo Great Buddha,” synonymous with this temple, is Amida Nyorai. The Tokyo Daibutsu Jorenji Temple in Itabashi Akatsuka, Tokyo, has a history of 600 years.

This temple was a resting place for the Tokugawa shogun’s falconry. The height from the base is 13 meters/42.6 feet, and the head alone is 3 meters/10 feet. It weighs 32 tons.

At the time of its completion, it was the third largest Buddha in Japan after the Great Buddha of Nara at Todaiji Temple and the Great Buddha of Kamakura at Kotokuin Temple.

Amida Nyorai is the Buddha who created “paradise” to save people in a world without suffering. Please put your hands together and say, “Namu Amida Butsu.”

I have seen Great Budda, Nara Todaji, and Great Buddha, Kamakura, which are eye-opening Great Buddhas. The Tokyo Great Buddha looked softer, as if it had a gentle soul relaxing its vibrations in the busiest city, Tokyo.

We took many pictures and had a great time with Junko and her family. Her son Ikkei danced on the ground of Tokyo Great Buddha to impress how good a dancer he was to us. 

He wants to study abroad in America, so he might come to stay at our house like his mother, Junko. It’s a double memory that shares the past and the future. I hope it will come true.

 

After Tokyo Great Buddha, for my request to go to a botanical garden – they chose Akatuka Botanical Garden, a walking course blessed with nature, which was within walking distance from the Tokyo Great Buddha. 

This botanical garden was opened in October 1981 as a facility that uses the hilly area of ​​Akatsuka, which still retains the vestiges of Musashino, where nature and plants can be more familiar. 

It started to rain, so we had to shorten our walk there, but it was the gift of nature: I gained my energy back and got ready to meet more friends.

 

When we were driving by Masaki’s, the rain stopped, and he was outside looking up at the sky – he could not hear, but we called his name loudly, “MASAKI!”.  Eric quickly got out of the car to surprise Masaki.

Masaki said later to us, “It might be a rainbow after the rain, so I was outside, but instead of the rainbow, Eric came!” with his big smile!!!

 

What a reunion for the first time in 20 years!

Masaki’s restaurant opened about a week ago, so he was alone greeting customers, taking orders, cooking, and cleaning up. We were so impressed with him.

We also planned to meet up with Kuni and his wife, Kumi, at Masaki’s restaurant. Kuni used to work in Tahiti with Eric more than 30 years ago, and Kumi loves dogs, so I had a mutual connection.

We all had such a great time with Masaki’s sophisticated, tasty food! 

What a way to see old friends with good food!

 

After we left Masaki’s restaurant, Junko’s daughter, Mako, said, “How about Gelato?” 

We stopped by A La Campagne near Soshigaya Okura Station on our way to Setagaya, where we were staying. 

I didn’t eat gelato, but Eric bought me a cute bag for dessert.

There are many cute shops around. When I passed by after gelato, the flower shop that caught my eye was called “Green Mind.” The next time, I definitely want to go there, so I’m looking forward to it.

Well-planned and executed, unexpected things and plans for the future.

Ending the third day of my Spring 2023 trip to Japan was perfect!

Love, Sanae ❤️

Japan Spring 2023 Diary Day 2 Chiba to Tokyo

On the first night of my spring trip to Japan, I fell asleep to the chorus of frogs, and on the second day, I woke up early to the sound of rain.
The spring rain did not seem to stop.

Eric and I were supposed to go hiking in Ubara Utopia with Deco-chan, Yamabushi (the thirteenth generation of the 400-year-old temple lodging “Daishobo” in the Temukai area at the foot of the three mountains of Dewa), and his students; of course, no more hiking.
After breakfast, Deco invited us to a local sound bowl healer session with Mr. Hoshino Sentatsu Yamabushi and his students.

 

I forgot to tell Eric we were going to Singing Bowls Healing.
It was all in Japanese, and maybe Eric was new to Sound Bowls Healing, so I wondered how he felt.

 

After the session, all the participants shared their impressions individually, and Eric said, “The sound was soothing and connected to his heart.” What a perfect answer.
I am amazed at him once again.
I remember when he went on ten-day of Vipassana meditation; even though he first did not want to go, he came back home and said that it was challenging to sit for so many hours every day for ten days, but it was a meaningful experience to him.
Eric loves sports and is physically active, but he is not just a physical person, and still amazes me.

After the Singing Bowls Healing session, fortunate to see a tiny part of the healing work by Mr. Hoshino Sentatsu Yamabushi.

One of the joys of traveling is not knowing what to expect.

Deco took us to a bakery with a firewood kiln,” Acoustic,” open only on weekends.
There were delicious-looking bread and baked goods lined up in a cute shop.

I wanted to eat them right away when I saw them, but I bought them for a snack for a train ride later that day.
Took a photo with the baker, his wife, and son.

 

We shopped at Brown’s Field Rice Terrace Cafe, their new Brown Rice pasta, etc. We love pasta and can’t wait to try it when we get back to Santa Monica!

We ate the lunch box that we were supposed to eat on the hike while having a last fun chat with Deco-chan.
It was a short stay, but visiting Brown’s Field gave us strength and hope to come back there again.

 

Took the JR Sotobo Line Wakashio to Tokyo Station. While riding the train, I ate “Acoustic,” a cardamon roll. It was so delicious each chewed.

 

At Tokyo Station, one of Japan’s leading terminal stations, about 3,000 trains arrive and depart daily, and 400,000 people pass through the Monster station.
When we transferred to the Chuo Line, the crowds were so dizzying that I felt that I couldn’t breathe.
I had an aunt in Tokyo, and I often visited her from my parents’ house in Nagoya as a teenager. I enjoyed the visit but thought I couldn’t live in Tokyo because of too many people. The feeling got more certain.

Arriving in Shinjuku, in the rain, we went to the green Italian restaurant “Torcia” 
in the Isetan department store to meet some macrobiotic teachers and activists.

Trucha is a restaurant I went to twice when it was a Chayama Macrobiotics.
About a year and a half ago, Torcha opened as a vegan-friendly Italian restaurant where you can casually enjoy a vegan menu. The atmosphere mostly stayed the same, but everything has changed to Italian, and not only is it vegan, but the menu is abundant.

There were 7 of us, so we ordered all of the vegan menu items and tasted them. My favorites were and Strawberry Mont Blanc. It felt like 12 courses tasting menu!

 

 

 

 

I was a little nervous at first meeting everyone because there were some people I never met before, but everyone was so warm and kind. They belong to the Japanese Macrobiotic Society “Wa no Kai“: Minaka Nagai, Yuko Sakurai, Miyumi Chiba, Shugo Nanabayashi, and Nana Arisawa.


We had a good connecting time.
I was filled with gratitude for meeting them.

I felt that it would be great if we could keep in touch with everyone and hold Eric and my workshops and talks in Japan someday.

I had a good time chatting with them and felt sad to say goodbye, but after saying goodbye to everyone, Eric and I headed to Setagaya, our accommodation in Tokyo, and boarded the Odakyu Line from Shinjuku Station.


I have known my friend in Setagaya since I was at Pepperdine University in Malibu, CA.
Ringo-chan (a beagle dog) welcomed us there, and I gave her dog cookies, shampoo, etc.

 

 

After a long walk, I massaged my swollen feet in the bath and fell asleep with the excitement of connections of Japanese macrobiotics people on the second night.

❤️Sanae

Japan Spring 2023 Diary Day 1 Chiba

Eric and I attended my niece’s wedding in Japan. We took this opportunity to enjoy our trip to Japan.

I share it as Japan Spring 2023 diary.

Day 1:

Eric and I arrived at Haneda Airport, Tokyo, at 4:30 am.

The flight was smooth, and the vegan meals I ordered were pretty decent, so I ate them with my brown rice onigiri.

I usually have difficulty sleeping in an airplane, so I watched two movies and started to knit my new sweater. 

We left LAX around 1 am and 11 hours and a half later, still dark outside when we arrived in Tokyo. It was a wired feeling to have the darkness for a long time, and it did not make sense to my head, but the excitement of being in Japan for the first time in four years blew away the confusion.

I was supposed to be in Japan for my niece’s wedding two years ago, but because of the Pandemic, we had to wait for two years. The long waiting gave me more excitement.

I have been using a wheelchair in the airport to rest my legs since I injured my legs from a severe car crash in 2001.  I was surprised to see a wooden wheelchair arrive for me to use. I have heard that Japan Airlines (JAL) has developed a wooden wheelchair for smooth movement within airport facilities. 

You can pass through the security checkpoint while using a wooden wheelchair. I have seen it on the NHK World News program (NHK is a Japanese public broadcaster offering local, national, and world news reports in English), but it was for the first time I used it.

I liked riding the wooden wheelchair because I felt that it was soft and connected to my body. Also, the person who assisted the wheelchair was polite, and she pushed it gently and slowly for me. I sure felt that I was in Japan.

 

Itsuko-san, who I met on the FB talk page “Body Joy” (she and Masayo are organizing the talk), was attending my class and kindly offered to pick us up at the airport. I felt this was a gift from heaven.

We did not know each other much, and it was our first meeting, but we felt we had known each other for a long time. We were talking and talking so much about Flower Remedy, Animal Communication, and more.

Eric suddenly said, “Are we going to under the water”?

Yes, we were passing Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line, a rare road between the seabed and the sea. It is a toll road with a length of about 15.1 km(9.4 miles). About 10 km(6.2 miles) undersea tunnel “Aqua Tunnel” on the Kawasaki side and about 4.4 km(2.7 miles) bridge “Aqua Bridge” on the Kisarazu side. Eric got so excited for the first time going under the water/bay road.

We all felt the ride was fast after Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line went through the countryside.

 

We arrived at Brown’s Field, welcomed by our long-time friend, Deco Nakajima, who has operated her organic rice field for 20 years.

We had breakfast and visited Matinee (Deco’s daughter) ‘s first baby.  The baby, Sui, was so precious. 

I have helped 45 puppies to be born and raised, so I have no problem holding puppies but holding a human newborn was scary for me. I could not have a baby because I had ovarian cancer.

It was a breathtaking moment!

We had Deco’s delicious homemade “Cherry Azuki beans steamed bread” there. So beautiful to see pickled Cherry Blossoms.

 

Then we went to the Kujyuu Kurihama beach, where Eric planned to Foil surf with a local Foil surfer, Jun Adegawa, who owns a surf shop, “Ted.” 

The powerful windy day for foil surfing.

I heard about the Kujyuu Kurihama beach a long time ago as a child.  Most of the beach in Japan does not have long white sand beaches like here in Santa Monica, so when I heard that Kujyuu Kurihama has 41 miles of long white sand beach, I wanted to go there someday. It was like a dream that I was there now.

Eric started to Foil Surfing almost right away.

Itsuko, her dog, Chacha Maru, and I also enjoyed the beach with the wind. It was Chacha Maru’s first time on the beach, and he had so much fun.

Eric stayed at the beach for Foil Surfing, I returned to Brown’s Felid with Itusko, had lunch at the Rice Terrace Cafe, and prepared for my Spring Flower Remedy and Medicinal Tea with Macrobiotic class.

While I was having lunch, Eric met other local Foil surfers and kept surfing for over 3.5 hours. He was supposed to finish his Foil Surfing in two hours and return to Brown’s Felid to eat lunch and help me with my class, but he must enjoy surfing so much!

I could not believe Eric could Foil Surfing for so long the day we arrived in Japan. I was so impressed by Eric, who was full of stamina. 

When he returned to Brown’s Field, he was so excited that how much fun he had with local surfers and met Jun’s family.

 

Eric also thanked me for giving him the brown rice ball I made in Santa Monica before I left the beach. He was, of course, still very hungry. I was glad that I did not eat my lunch everything so I could give him.

 

My class went very well with the help of the students. I did not teach in Japan for a long time, so I was concerned about how I teach; I carefully prepared in Santa Monica, bringing pressed medicinal plant leaves and three blended medicinal plants teas I made, etc. 

I enjoyed it a lot. 

Participants were all to learn enthusiastically and asked questions mannerly and politely. This class was also successful because of the help of Keiko-san, who took my online Flower Remedy classes last year. She is a foot massage therapist and gave me a foot massage after the class. Her strength showed how she massaged my foot; it was a special treat.

 

 

All the Brown’s Field staff and volunteers made the delicious dinner with Deco. Our favorite was bamboo balls with Kuzu sauce and Ume Shio condiment. It was heart-warming to spend time with a long-time friend, Deco-chan, and a new friend, Itsuko-san, with people at Brown’s Field.

At night, when I was lying on a comfortable futon, I heard a chorus of frogs, and I went out and sat down around 3 am.


The sky was cloudy and unfortunately I could not see any stars and the rice fields were pitch black as if my eyes were closed.


Only the sound of frogs put my mind at rest.
It was my first day of Spring 2023 in Japan.

❤️Sanae

Vow with the New Year Sunrise

Santa Monica (Southern California) is known that it does not rain much.

There is Albert Hammond’s 1972 hit song “It Never Rains In Southern California” (the Japanese title is “Blue skies of California”)
If you listen carefully to the lyrics in the song, you will hear, “It never rains in California. But girl, don’t they warn ya? It pours, man, it pours.”

My garden succulent with rain drops

This song might have more meaning, but as actual weather here in Southern California, it is true that we get a lot of rain in some winters.
This winter was one of those winters.
It rained a lot in December and all day long on New Year’s Eve.
I was concerned that I might not be able to go see the annual first sunrise, but the rain stopped early in the morning, and when I got up at 5:00 a.m. and went outside, the scent of my favorite petrichor was in the air.

As the pitch-black sky gradually turned indigo blue, my breath slowly exhaled on the mountain path and disappeared like white smoke, becoming one with the outside air.

The intense reddish-orange light dyed the whole horizon in a blink of an eye.
Praising the light was so comfortable, and I noticed I was not breathing.
I focused on moments of being “Alive” with the light; the realization was present without effort, then my natural breath came into my heart.

Suddenly I noticed some clouds and no more indigo blue in the sky.
As if to counteract my fears, the sun showed a golden thread of light on a wavy line, shining orange on the thick clouds over the mountains.


It seemed as if it took longer than usual for the sun to show its face, as it had been raining for a few days, and the sun felt shy.
When the sun finally rose, it did so slowly, gently, and grandly, with a light of joy like I had never seen before.
I couldn’t even speak.


I was so lost in admiration that I forgot to take the video I always take.
There was only gratitude.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, I repeatedly muttered as if I was reciting the Buddha’s prayer.

The sun seemed to be trembling with joy to see us for the first time in a long time after its whole body had risen.
The light became stronger and stronger, and rose higher and higher.
The whole sky was connected to the light.

 

After I came back home, I was moved again when I looked at the photo of the first sunrise while eating New Year’s Ozouni.


I was happy to see the first sunrise of the new year in such good health once again.
Seeing the New Year sunrise is very personal and connects to my soul.
Even only on New Year’s Day, I wake up really early in the morning, hike up a mountain, and formally say “thank you!” to the sun.
I can let the sun know how much I appreciate it officially.

In the afternoon, a rain started to fall again.
The sun was hesitant to say goodbye but left a promising vibe that we would see each other again.
Yes, we will see each other again!
Until then, I vowed with the first sunrise to practice getting along with the clouds and the rain.
(The weather report said it will rain continuously for at least two days!)

Love,
Sanae❤️

Looking back to 2022. . .

This year is almost over (today is December 30th), and I was eating miso soup with mochi (brown rice cake) for breakfast, looking at the cloudy sky, and thinking about this year.
The weather report says it rains heavily on New Year’s Eve!
Ummmmm…can we go see our annual first sunrise of the year?

The year 2022 was said to be the year of passion in Kyusei Kigaku (Nine Star Ki-a popular system of astrology, often used alongside Feng shui), where I stand in the highest position of “summer” in the south, illuminated by light and gathering everyone’s attention and expectations.
I can see the goal of life in the brightness, my head and feelings are clear, and I can demonstrate the power of my birth star.

Certainly, this year I was able to hold five Bach Flower Remedy classes online for the first time and three seasonal outdoor medicinal herb workshops (selecting medicinal herbs based on the five elements of Yin and Yang, how to make remedies and taste them, how to grow them)at a garden center in my neighborhood. I was also given a lecture on how to make seasonal macrobiotic diets and cooking methods.

Online Bach Flower class

 

Medicinal Herb Workshop at Merrihew’s garden in Santa Monica

Eric is trying out my organic herbal toner

Fennel seeds and Tangerine peel medicinal tea infusion

In addition, I studied one year course in “Cancer Care Herbology.” 

I completed training for an international education instructor who can provide the certificate to students with the Bach Flower Foundation of the UK.
I was thrilled to hear that I was the first Japanese teacher of international education in North America.


I also offered online counseling, and as the covid virus was lowered, the clients could come directly to receive the healing session at my tiny healing studio.

Physically, it’s been 21 years since the terrible accident I had a near-death experience. I was diagnosed by a doctor that I could no longer walk. For the first year, I was bedridden. After that, I was in a wheelchair for three years. I went to physical therapy to try my best to walk. Two years later, I could walk with two canes. Another year later, I could walk without one cane and no more cane inside the house. 

This year, for the first time, I was able to walk outside without a cane. I now walk one mile daily and take a short hike once a month without a cane.

The other day, I blurted out, “I want to participate in a marathon on foot oneday!”
I still have a big dream! Who knows, I may run someday!!!

Indeed, I started to see what I wanted and could do, and I began making plans for the first time in a long time.
For example, I love traveling, so going to Paris and Rome with Eric was on my bucket list for a long time. Hiking up to Mt. Fuji in Japan( this is just a dream, but I would love to revisit Mt. Fuji someday.)

In 2017, I was diagnosed with stage IV diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, fast-progressive cancer, with less than one month to live.
It has been a long, challenging recovery process. Six months of EPOCH chemotherapy (Red devil chemotherapy which was 24 hours for five days every three weeks) and macrobiotic cancer healing food helped, so I got remission miraculously after one year without any complications.

While I was sick, I could not do any things at home.
After I got better, I wanted to clean my art room, which my cats share.
It became a storage room, so I felt terrible for them, but I could not have enough strength and mood to do it since clearing the space somehow took so much of my emotional state.
Finally, two days ago, I felt suddenly I was in the mood to move things, clean them up, and organize the room.
I wish you saw my cats’ surprised eyes when they saw the room had lots of space for them to enjoy, haha!

Tin Tin and Mai Mai

I learned from my challenging life that there is no need to hurry and do what I can. It’s only natural that I have things to worry about, but when worrying things come to mind, I just deal with them like a cloud in the sky. I pay attention a little, so I worry a bit and just say, “See you later.”   Why see you later?                                                                                                             Because I know it will come back again like clouds in the sky.
So I acknowledge it – worry a little and learn to be happy.
This process has been helping me, so you might try it.

I always wanted to be or live with many people, like a community life.
I’m envious of the people who can live and do with many others together because it looks fun with a big family, but I realized that being with more than a few people is exhausting and losing my energy is too much for me.
The way for me to feel comfortable with my true self is to have creative time alone.
It does not mean I want to live totally alone and isolated. I love living with my dogs, cats, and plants/nature and am lucky to find another human I could live and marry.

With Dogs family at Bass Lake

So, since 2017, I’ve spent much time alone to heal myself from stage IV diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and my heart is calm even with the coronavirus pandemic from 2020 with my husband, animal family, and a garden full of my plants’ kids.

I admit that I’m moody, and my mood changes a lot. I learned to accept my mood.

It took a long time, but I want to work a little and do a lot of art, gardening, handcrafting, and making artisan foods, which makes little happiness for me. 

Today we made Yuzu Kosho

Yuzu Kosho-ingredients that we used:
100g Yuzu zest
30g Japanese green chile pepper
40g sea salt

I will post a full recipe in New year!

My first Sashiko embodied bookmark made with old jeans and clothes

 

My tiny (2.5″ x 3.75″)holiday watercolor

My first trying holiday wreath drawing with calligraphy pen and watercolor

My blooming succulent with my original mosaic pot


Next year Kyusei Kigaku (Nine Star Ki), I will be in the middle of winter in the north, a year of rest, a year of long-term planning while reflecting.
I want to start and finish writing the next book I’ve always wanted to write.

And just like this year, I will continue to practice living a slow life, walk every day without a cane, have the compassion to notice when I’m tired, take a break, and start the new year with a vow to take care of myself.

I hope you find truthful yourself and have a wonderful New Year!

With gratitude and love,

Sanae💖

How I Care for Myself When I Got Sick with “Covid”

Covid came to the world over two years ago, and many people’s guard has been down.

I was cautious with my health since I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s large B-cell lymphoma stage IV and received aggressive chemotherapy “Epoch,” which calls red devil. 

Because of Covid, I saw limited people, did not go many places, and only offered classes online and outdoors.

But I got Covid three weeks ago. 

I had a high fever, headache, dizziness, cough, and nausea.

The fever took about ten days, but I was too weak for another ten days.

Finally, I am getting better now.

Blood cancer directly affects making antibodies. I had low antibodies to fight Covid because I had lymphoma, one of the blood cancers.

Also, I received aggressive chemotherapy “Epoch,” I have been getting blood tests resulting in low red and white blood cells and low platelets, which has not been issued in everyday life, but not fighting Covid.  

I received chemotherapy because I realized holistic medicine and macrobiotic approaches could not stop growing cancer quickly enough. I received Epoch Chemotherapy because the cancer was advanced.

I post some blogs during my treatments. Here is one.

One year after I received the chemotherapy, I got in remission and had been able to live my life comfortably.

The following year will be the five-year mark which is a big goal.

My oncologist Dr. Mead told me that my blood tests showed minor issues: low platelets etc., which have been a little low after Epoch chemotherapy, and she also said it is not an issue for me to worry, so rest when I am tired and keep up what I have been doing to nurture myself. 

Dr. Mead does not understand macrobiotics or holistic medicine and modalities, but she has always been supportive and never judged what I practice.

I consult with her if there is concern about what I am doing with my diet, medicinal herbs, or supplements.

I heard that blood cancer, like lymphoma, has no or low antibodies to fight Covid even after vaccinations.

I was extra careful, but unfortunately, my husband got Covid at work on September 3rd, and I got it on September 5th. 

He had a fever, nasal mucus, stuffed nose, sore throat, joint pain, and cough, but it improved after five days. I had a fever for about ten days, a cough, headache, dizziness, nausea, fatigue and joint pain. I could not eat much for two weeks, so I lost weight and became too weak. I could not even speak much, could not write and read.

Even watching TV/Movies were not fun because of headache.

Usually, when I get sick, I write, but I could not even write till now.

The three weeks had been so challenging, discouraging, and lonely.

It was time for me to be my best friend once again.

I acknowledge my feeling sucked, down, discouraged, frustrated, setback, and disappointed. 

I noticed that I wanted to blame someone or something. 

I was so careful and did not see many people for a long time. 

I did not like myself and anybody.

Only what helped me was my cats and dogs, who just lay next to me. They were quiet and looked at me. “Mommy, just rest; we are here with you till you get better!”

When my fever went down after ten days, I could go to the outside garden to see how my trees, plants, and flowers were doing. 

They were happy to see me and told me they had been waiting for me. 

I planted some of the trees 37 years ago when I moved here. 

They looked strong, smiled at me, and said, ” We are here for you like you are here for us!”

I remember when I came back to life after three days of coma when I had a near-death car crash, the first thing I wanted to see was the sky, sun, and trees/plants.

There is power great than me is there with nature.

I appreciate my husband, Eric, for caring about me when I get sick, but this time he got Covid too.

His fever went down for five days, but he did not feel better for at least seven days.

I did my best to care for him for the first two days very carefully before I got sick. But I think I was already exposed to Covid before his symptoms came out.

I found out later he was not wearing his mask at work; I was shocked and upset with him, but I could not tell him. 

I was too fatigue to speak. I also did not know what/how to tell him. I know he did not mean to get Covid and gave it to me.

I kept that feeling for two weeks and contacted my therapist. It was good to tell how I was feeling to someone. I also shared my feeling with Cancer Support Community meeting on Zoom.

I was able to share my feeling with my husband. He promised to wear his mask at work no matter what, and now he is also taking a shower when he comes home.

After communicating with my husband, my negative feelings are lifted. I felt much better and could eat more, and I started noticing that I was recovering from Covid.

Today was the first day I felt so much better and had almost no headache, so here I am writing. 

Writing always helps me sort out my feelings and release/detox unwanted emotions during a crisis. 

I went to my garden and saw birds (doves, hummingbirds, and many little birds), butterflies, caterpillars, spiders, grasshoppers, squirrels, and ants. 

 

I am grateful for recovering from Covid, another health challenge, and for writing my blog.

Here is the list of how I care myself:

  1. Rest, rest, and sleep
  2. Cuddle dogs/cats family and communicate with them 
  3. Miso scallion remedy and Daikon ginger for fever
  4. Tofu plaster and Cabbage leaves for forehead to reduce fever
  5. Loquat leaves body scrub and cool towel compress
  6. Lotus root tea for cough
  7. Echinacea tea
  8. Lemon, ginger, turmeric, and sea salt remedy
  9. Elderberry tea
  10. Mullen, Mashmallow, Astragalus, and Nettle tea
  11. Foot bath, massage my feet and hands
  12. Homeopathic medicine
  13. Acknowledge my feelings, especially not to denial of my negative emotions: sad, lonely, fear of not getting better, overwhelmed, and anger
  14. Bach Flower remedies
  15. No socialization to talk to most of people ( I was too fatigued to speak)
  16. Meditation (mostly laying down)
  17. Be a best friend to me
  18. Laydown outside to receive a little Sun Vitamin D
  19. Talk to my therapist
  20. Share at self-support group (Cancer Support Community)
  21. Let my husband know my feelings
  22. I did not have an appetite, so I ate comfort foods(rice cream with nori tsukudani condiment, pancakes,  melon, berries, steamed cake etc.)
  23. Contact my doctor and took blood tests
  24. Took supplements of Chlorophyll, Vitamin C, D, and Standard Process of Echinacea Premium, Epimune Complex, and Andrographis Complex
  25. Stay in my garden to connect with nature
  26. Walk outside little bit with dogs when I felt I could walk 

Love,

Sanae ❤️