Alive for Now Alive for Now

Sarah generously shares what her life has been like living with stage 4 colorectal cancer for 9 years including:

What it was like to initially be diagnosed

How her life has changed

What she has learned, how she has found her voice

How she courageously feels her feelings

Radical remission

How she turns towards death instead of away when having children

Practices she’s learned to cope

What she thinks happens when we die

Update: Sarah texted me later in the evening after this interview and wanted to convey that her responses at the time of this interview were coming from the place of her higher self, and that this level of clarity isn't always there for her. I found it to be so incredibly generous that she wanted anyone who listens to know how hard it can be for her at times so that they don't feel alone in that suffering.

I talk with Hospice Maui CEO Dr. Greg LaGoy. Greg also happens to be a naturopathic physician and a former Navy pilot among many other things. We discuss

-His practice of using death as an advisor leading to taking on this role

-Intuition

-The resistance to hospice that can exist vs. how individuals and their families tend to feel after receiving it

-Why it’s helpful to bring the awareness of death into our lives before we’re inevitably forced to ... with our loved ones and/or through our own experience

-How the potential failings of society show up in healthcare and hospice

-Common misconceptions about hospice & the experience of hospice workers

-The danger of acting purely out of habit

-The connection between creativity and living

-How the hospice Maui training intends to clear anything out of the way that might not be serving

-How not all hospices are the same and how to choose a good hospice

-Greg being white male with grey hair in a leadership role yet tapping into the feminine qualities of intuition and listening and presence and mystery (while still being competitive and masculine and getting shit done)

~Oct. 2019 On a flight Hawaii > NY, Ethan had a stroke, diagnosed with a plum sized Stage 4 Glioblastoma Brain Tumor, immediate surgery, radiation, chemo
~He recently had an apartment fire, losing all of his possessions
~Currently in the hospital in Charlotte, NC with a major head infection, requiring more surgery
~There are many more details, that simply sums it up the best I can.
~We discuss what might be the meaning of illness, how he stays present, the guilt and shame that can arise with these challenges, how he feels about death and healing, intuition, how we might support him, etc. Lots of love and continuing to feel inspired and in awe of his journey.