It begins in a dark place as most adventures are born here.
You know that space where your whole world kinda falls apart and you are left searching for answers and your soul that just faded into its self.
It was here, I discovered the Tao and other ancient teachings, I CHING and many others.
I had worked as Health Care Provider and Activities Director, in Local Nursing and Assisted livings for 6 years. Now 23, I wanted adventure and to help someone who would challenge my abilities and teach me new things. I wanted so badly to spend winters in Hawaii, I didn't know how or why but I really wanted to care for someone who choose the natural disease management route living out life 100% natural not interference with modern medicine and drugs. I didn't know if it existed but I could hope and believe it could be real.
Two weeks went by, I managed a very small general store and RV park in my home town in Colorado. Marble, population 85, home to some hardy thick headed, big Hearted souls. At some point all these folks left civilization and landed in the Rockies for some sanity.
A neighbor called me and said I have a friend who is coming in he has Parkinson's Disease. I naturally said yes I would love to meet them. I drove up this windy dirt road in my 1994 purple dodge neon, you follow cliffs and narrow turns that are just piles of deep deep dust. Sometimes running into huge dodge trucks hauling horse trailers, then a quick reverse till you had a spot to pull off.
I turned into the drive way and two yurts appeared located in the aspen trees the Mountain view is spectacular. The house sits right on the cliff with a covered patio over looking a waterfall lake river and the town.
I walked in the huge Bali Framed doors and there sitting with his daughter in law was this, tiny, fragile white haired man with the deepest blue eyes and a smile that melts the heart of every woman. Our eyes met and a chemistry so magical appeared he stood up and walked to his shoes. His daughter in law in tears, he hadn't walked that easily in two years. He put his shoes on, with one look I knew this man and I were meant to be. He walked me up a mountain one mile at 9000 feet. With Parkinson's and no medication, my dream was coming true. I didn't realize they were from Hawaii until I spoke to his wife on the phone, on my second day she hadn't met me yet. That conversation went something like, "so when are you coming to Hawaii? She was blunt to the point and determined to have help with him. I was shocked and blown away that the universe just delivered exactly what I wanted... I flew down there a month later, I left a man behind what was a child hood friend and who loved me deeply. We just were not meant to be in this life.
I arrived in Hilo, it had been arranged that I stay with some Friends and then meet this old man at a local cafe in down town. My ex had walked me down to the cafe the next morning. We sat there waiting and then this tall wispy man in his 70's walked by and sat down. I thought it was him I asked are you Tim. He smiled politely and said, "You are going to care for Andre, he is so stubborn and you are but a child." Offended by his immediate judgement of me, I stated well are you ready for the ride back to the ranch. He explained how things work out there and that we were off the grid and used hydro electricity, we don't shop in the store we shop from the land. And we practice acceptance of all things including his wispy white hair flowing in the wind from the truck window rolled down.
I was shocked at what I had signed up for but it was perfect.
I had my own bungalow out in the orchard right next to a grapefruit tree. That night I settled in, screen and thatched walls, I learned really quickly that the rain blows in the Jungle and if your roof is off pitch you will get soaking wet. So I managed to move into the yoga studio until we found another suitable place. My first night on the ranch was Surreal. I just moved out of everything familiar to me and out of my comfort zone crazy quickly.
My first day, I was put alone with him for a 72hours. I spent a few hours learning how to cook his food with his wife before she left. In that first three hours with her I learned more about food and disease management then I ever could have in A College.
I learned his supplements were crucial to his disease management and his rich healing foods helped his shaking, pain and dementia spells. All these things were managed naturally by foods and supplements. I learned Aloe is edible and its a treat with lime juice and agave.
He loved pancakes but these were bran cakes that I just made up with mango and papaya topped. I made home made macadamia nut pancakes with plantain bananas and surnaum cherries were a perfect snack. Our beach picnic included rich, soups and sweet potatoes from the farm near by. Everything was done without going to the store, his sugar intake was so low only chocolate was his weakness. We would sneak off some mornings and get a chocolate muffin and tea in the morning and people watch. We loved to socialize and work out, go swimming and sit on the beach listening to the waves roll in. I would let him drive the electric car through the orchard making him feel so independent and alive. It was a beautiful gift to be there and help him and his family. I learned so much... This is only the beginning of the story so please come back for more!
What an amazing adventure!!!!
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