I wanted to share a remarkable story with you. It’s a story about health, power of the mind, love, friendship, support, attitude and yoga.

This is a story about my friend, Linda Harbison and was written by another friend of mine, Karrie AuBuchon of Yoga Bala.
Please read this amazing story – I know you will be inspired!

Linda’s Story, by Karrie Aubuchon
I know many of you watched the documentary Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead. This film inspired me & many others to begin juicing and taking total control of our health and diet. Over the last year, my best friend Linda Harbison and I have become very serious with juicing, eating vegetables and whole foods.  The body/mind connection is such a powerful tool and believing in this connection can truly heal oneself.  Though this is common sense, I know… eating healthy brings health to our bodies, but often we forget. So as a reminder I wanted to share Linda’s story.  Many of you know Linda as my yoga partner. We do our practice together daily. We help one another with adjustments, and playing with new techniques. We also share our appreciation and gratitude for the life of a Yogi.  Earlier this year, Linda was MIA most of the time and many of you would ask “where’s Linda”? I would respond with, she has an injury or she is nursing her injury, she not feeling well etc…

In reality, Linda was very, very ill and was going through a clinical chemotherapy trial for Hepatitis C. (Which by the way, approximately 4.5 million individuals carry this infection). Sad to say, because of the stigma attached to Hepatitis C, Linda felt uncomfortable sharing her diagnosis with many people. When Linda was at her worst I encouraged her to tell others as we are surrounded by all of you great Yogi’s, but she just didn’t want others to feel uncomfortable and really wanted to focus on as much positivity as possible. The “oh I’m so sorry for you” can sometimes be daunting, even though others are merely trying to be kind.

So late last year, Linda received the news from her doctor that she was in stage 4 liver failure and had no other option but to begin the chemotherapy trial. The trial was to last 10 months. Within a month or less the drug was in her system and Linda was barely able to function. She stayed as strong and positive as humanly possible, but by the third month she could not handle the severe side effects.
I remember the day Linda told me she couldn’t do it any more. Linda was so disappointed in herself and sad as she felt she was letting down the people she loved. The ones who do love her told her to do what she needed to do and be okay with it – we would never be disappointed in her.

Linda’s doctor was very upset as he cares for Linda and wanted her healthy but his words were. “Linda, I tried to give you a long life and now that’s gone, there’s nothing else we can do, your body is going to start shutting down.”
When Linda told me the news, my mind and my heart spun…. I thought, okay, fine, but there are two choices:
One, we start preparing for the end of Linda’s life or two, hell no! We will fight with everything we have.
So we simply chose not to accept that she was dying (as her doctors said), and decided to heal her. I can tell you with 100% honesty there was no way I accepted that Linda wouldn’t get better.

That day after the doctor’s appointment, I called Meaghan Phillips (as you know, her knowledge on health and healing is fabulous) and told her what was happening. We came up with a diet for Linda to begin. Basically it was, juicing, eating vegetables, nothing processed, no sodium, etc… Very strict. I was nervous to tell Linda because I was worried it would be so overwhelming. Well for those of you who know Linda, you won’t be surprised. She took it, stuck to it, continued her yoga practice every day, (even when she was at her sickest – as sometimes her practice was just sitting on her mat and practicing gratitude – tears and all). She ate to live and fully believed with her whole heart and soul she would heal. Within 3 weeks she was back with me every day practicing second series Ashtanga!

In the mean time…the doctor’s were still saying she is sick, there’s nothing that can be done, etc, etc… Linda just kept her yoga mind. We continue to do our practice every day and we get excited about the juice or smoothie we just made so we can keep on going!!

JUST BELIEVE!
Four weeks ago Linda called me first thing in the morning and said her doctor had called her and needed her to to go in and see him ASAP. There was nervousness inside both of us, as that request rarely happens unless there is bad news. When Linda walked into the room her doctor came over to her and kissed her cheek and said, “Linda, you just won the lottery – you are healed!” The doctor was in a state of disbelief. Both Linda and her husband went numb, with tears rolling down their faces.

The virus is gone from Linda’s body. Her liver is healing and she is going to live a long life! Basically for any of you who are not in the know about Hepatitis C, there is no cure. So, this my friends, is a miracle!

The chemo treatment did its part in just 3 months to treat the virus, but without Linda’s positivity, her gratitude, yoga, love, perseverance and a clean diet the chemo would not have been enough. The disease would have taken over Linda’s body – but instead Linda took over the disease.

So… my friend Linda, I love you. You inspire me, you inspire many. Thank you for being you and being here!
Positivity heals! Believing in life heals! Taking charge of your health heals! Yoga heals! Love heals!
So, we may have to believe in the diagnosis, but never believe the prognosis.
Namaste,
Karrie