by Margaret Dubay Mikus, Ph.D.
This is a story of courage, hope and success in one woman's healing from breast cancer.
By nature I am a practical and cautious person. My educational background is in science, I hold a B.S. in zoology and a Ph.D. in microbiology. Serious illnesses have transformed my life in unexpected ways, drawing me into the world of complementary medicine.
Using my own combination of therapies, I was successful in healing from multiple sclerosis. In June of 1996 I was diagnosed with two different cancers, one in each breast. At the time I was only 44 years old and had few major risk factors for breast cancer.
After much consideration I chose to combine conventional medicine with my own blend of unconventional therapies. I integrated surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, Reiki, spiritual connection, energy balancing, visualization, psychotherapy, affirmations and yoga. I formed a healing circle for family and friends who sent me positive energy and prayers. At every stage I used Reiki, sometimes in quite unusual ways. I never felt helpless because I could use Reiki, regardless of what was happening to me.
I used Reiki directly on the larger tumor, which did not vanish, but according to the pathology report, the cancer was breaking down. There could be other explanations besides Reiki, but it was an intriguing finding.
Before surgery, I was quite fearful. I decided to give myself Reiki sessions regularly and for about two weeks I sent Reiki every night to the surgeon and the surgical team to ensure the best healing experience for all of us. The surgery was to take place in a large teaching hospital and I was afraid that my needs would get lost in the cold technical atmosphere.
On the day of surgery I encountered only warm and supportive people. I requested only local anesthesia so I could be fully aware the whole time. I was able to speak to each person on the medical team myself. I sent Reiki into the cold surgical suite.
As surgery progressed, I asked to see the tissue samples that were excised, sending them off to the lab with my blessing. Everyone was most caring and considerate. My sense was that the Reiki energy set up a deeply healing experience for all members of the team, including me. I felt most empowered and the surgeon, nurses, resident and medical students were exposed to a very different way of doing medicine.
After surgery I sent Reiki directly into the bandaged areas. Even though large amounts of tissue were removed, I needed painkillers for only one day following the double lumpectomy. Scarring has been minimal and internal healing has been amazing. Much of the breast tissue has filled back in!
About a month after surgery I prepared for four chemotherapy sessions, as recommended by my medical team. To prepare for this I had an advanced Reiki attunement, and received a full Reiki treatment before each session. Bill Farber, the Reiki Master/Practitioner also did some psychic surgery.
The night following each chemotherapy session I used 10 to 15 minutes of Reiki treatments directly on my abdomen, along with accupressure bands on my wrists to control nausea. Reiki also helped boost my immune function. As seen in blood tests prior to each chemotherapy session, my immune cells stayed within normal healthy range, allowing me to complete the treatments on time.
The night before my last chemo treatment, after much consideration and consultation with a number of health care professionals, I decided not to take the anti-nausea drugs that were prescribed for nighttime. I felt the negative side effects of these drugs outweighed the positive benefits for me, but this was a very personal decision. In addition to Reiki, this time I used energy balancing techniques, a ritual to call spiritual guides to my aid, and used Reiki to bless my drinking water. I incorporated affirmations from the book "Heal Your Body" by Louise Hay.
I listened very carefully when my body spoke to me. If it wanted three sips of water, I gave it exactly three sips of water. I made it through the night and awoke clear headed, feeling a tremendous sense of empowerment and success.
One month later I began radiation treatments. I used Reiki to help recover from the burns, as well as the emotional and spiritual effects of cancer treatment, which is very stressful.
Probably my most unusual use of Reiki was during the actual administration of the gamma rays. I drew the Reiki Master power symbol and the distant symbol in the path of the radiation beam, calling on the spiritual guides to help protect me from harm and to help send the gamma ray energy to the earth, which is so in need of energy. I also used visualization techniques. I continued this during 23 sessions, each time with eight different positions.
I continued to use Reiki in the post-cancer treatment recovery period. I knew from my inner guidance that the cancer was gone and would not return. All medical tests done so far confirm this. I have done what I needed to do to heal completely on all levels, body, mind and spirit. Reiki was a crucial part of my integrated approach to recovery from life-threatening illness and difficult medical treatment.
I think this is the future of Reiki, that each individual will find the combination of healing tools that is right for them, selecting from a large "menu" of choices. We are limited only by our openness and our imagination. It has been my experience that the healing of one individual heals all around them.
I continue to use Reiki on a daily basis in my own journey to wholeness. I have also created two volumes entitled: Shrink Wrapped and Heat Sealed: Writings to Nurture and Heal Body, Mind and Spirit Book I and Book 2. These contain the writings I collected during my cancer treatment, including poems, photographs, letters and inner listening conversations. These pieces have been very healing for me and for others. I use them in my workshop series "Expanding Our Possibilities", which is designed for groups of adults or children. If children learn these skills early, they'll be better able to heal as they go through life. My intention is to spread the word!
Copyright 1998 by Margaret Dubay Mikus. Reprinted with permission.
We would like to thank Margaret for her beautiful story, for her courage to document her journey into wellness, and her willingness to share her success with others.
