Three Thousand Years And Nadia – Taking The Leap (Part 2 of 4)

At just 6 weeks old my daughter was diagnosed with a disease for which they said there was no cure. In Part 1, I explained what it was and how it affected our family. Then an unexpected saviour came into our lives.

This four part story is taken from my book The Mother and The Therapist, read more about my work and why I do what I do.

The first family visit to Bandung was well planned. We all needed to be part of the journey, and feel comfortable and in agreement about Nadia’s treatment. At 5am we packed the car and drove behind Anne Vibeke and her husband Michael Bendix all the way to Bandung, leaving early to avoid the chaotic traffic of Jakarta and to be the first in line for treatment. After 7am there would be a long queue waiting for Ms Anne to heal their ailments.

A kind woman in her early seventies welcomed us at her modest house, radiating love and inner peace. She asked me to place Nadia on her simple massage table. Holding my frail and tiny Nadia in my arms, I felt like I was giving her all my love and protecting her from the deadly prognosis, so it was difficult for me to let go of her, especially as she was crying from stomach pain.

Without any touch Ms Anne scanned Nadia with her hands and calmly announced that Nadia lacked the enzymes to digest fat. How did she know? No one had told her; we had not even brought any medical files along for her to read.

I was dumbfounded, but somehow I knew that we had found the right person to treat Nadia. My baby girl had stopped crying and was looking up at me with peace in her eyes.

When Ms Anne told me that she could help as long as we followed her treatment plan and advice strictly, I almost collapsed from weeks of physical and mental exhaustion. Finally I could let go and be weak for a moment.

Unexpected Results

To experience the effects of the treatment and energise my mind and body, Ms Anne asked me to have a healing session before Nadia. What did I expect from a treatment without any touch? Not sure, as I had never had a healing session and had entered a world totally unknown to me at that time, but I definitely did not expect it to be painful or uncomfortable.

Wow, was I in for a surprise. It was extremely painful and almost unbearable to stay on the table. I felt sorry for myself, crying in agony and despair. I had been through enough emotional pain and wanted to run away and hide in a safe secure place, but I knew that I had to be committed, stay strong and show resilience for Nadia and my lovely family.

The session calmed me down. I felt an inner peace, more balanced and energised, which gave me the strength to let Nadia undergo a similar treatment. She did not cry, she screamed, and her skin turned red as if it was on fire. It was almost too painful to watch. As Nadia’s screams worsened, tears ran down my face and I so wanted to take her into my arms and stop the ‘experiment’, but shortly after the treatment Nadia went into a peaceful sleep for the first time in her seven weeks of life.

With confidence Ms Anne outlined Nadia’s food and treatment plan for the next few weeks. We had to stop the milk feeds and replace them with sieved soup made from red rice cooked for several hours, plus three weekly treatments. Depending on Nadia’s growth and development, the red rice would later be replaced by mung beans with a touch of salt, constantly guided by Ms Anne. This was an ancient way of feeding new-born babies when the mothers were unable to produce breast milk.

The trip back to Jakarta felt longer than usual. We were exhausted and my brain was jammed with information that I did not have time to assimilate. I felt as if I was the focal point of the situation and needed to be strong, but I did not feel strong at all. Without the physical, emotional and mental support of my husband, Anne Vibeke’s genuine care and my instinct to provide for Oliver’s needs and Nadia’s comprehensive treatment, I am not sure I would have coped.

Keep reading to find out what happened next to our beautiful daughter…

The reality is that a pain-free life is just one connection away. And that can start for you and those you love right now.

I wonder if you have a similar story. Please share it with us.