My Journey with the Purple Dragon: Living with Leiomyosarcoma, a Rare and Aggressive Cancer

By Patricia Moreira-Cali

Patricias world turned upside down when she was accidentally diagnosed with Leiomyosarcoma (LMS), an extremely rare cancer affecting only 1 in 5 million people. LMS is also a very aggressive type of tumor, thus nicknamed the Purple Dragon.

After the initial shock of the diagnosis subsided, Patricia was ready to discover ways to heal herself and find hope. She went from being a counselor to thousands of patients on how to be proactive and take charge of their own health, to taking unknown paths in search of hope for surviving a disease that does not have a single established medical treatment. She embarked on a spiritual journey, which took her to Omega Institute, Bali and Brazil, where she met healers, a guru, a physician and other extraordinary people who became instrumental in her finding peace within and starting to believe that everything can be healed, even the Purple Dragon.

Born in Brazil, Patricia moved to the United States at age 20. She has a Master of Nutrition Science from the University of California, Davis, and has worked as a university professor, researcher, speaker, clinical dietitian and diabetes educator. She is also the proud mother of three children (including an angel in heaven) and the founder of Helping Children Heal (HCH), an NGO that provides medical treatment for impoverished and sick children who dont have health care. Patricia is a world traveler, having backpacked solo in Tibet, Nepal, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Namibia, India and many other countries.

Above all she is a proactive woman who has been inspiring many as she travels the paths of healing and discoveries, keeping alive the flame of faith that even the Purple Dragon can be tamed.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Balboa Press
• Release date: Nov 25, 2014
• ISBN: 9781452517582

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Copyright © 2014 Patricia Moreira-Cali.

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The author of this book does not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems without the advice of a physician, either directly or indirectly. The intent of the author is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for emotional and spiritual well-being. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself, which is your constitutional right, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for your actions.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

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ISBN: 978-1-4525-1757-5 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4525-1759-9 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4525-1758-2 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014912393

Balboa Press rev. date: 11/24/2014

Contents

Foreword

Preface

July 29, 2013 - Flying From Home To Abadiˆania, Brazil

The Catalyst: An Unexpected Diagnosis

November 2012 – The Routine Checkup

December 2012 - Good News: No Growth of Fibroids

March 2013 – Not So Good News: Gray Area Growth of One Fibroid

March 20, 2013 – To Brazil I Go, to Celebrate My Mother

April 1, 2013 - April’s Fool Day Brought Me No Joke

April 17, 2013 – Robotic Surgery

April 23, 2013: And From This Day on My Life Changes Forever. I Am Introduced to the Purple Dragon.

April 25, 2013 – The First Oncologist appointment of Many (Forever) Ones

April 24-30, 2013 – Time of Deep Grieving

Meditation and Relaxation for Acceptance and Healing

May 3, 2013 – Sarcoma Center and My Sister Goes Back Home

May 4, 2013 – Still Haven’t Shared The Dragon News

Back to Work, Trying to Add Some Normalcy in My New Life… Not Easy

May 16, 2013 – Third Opinion at Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida

Opening Up About the Cancer and Reaching Out for Support: Extremely Essential

May 29, 2013 – Support Starts to Flow from Different Parts of the World

Let The Coincidences Unleash

June 1, 2013 – Coincidences Abound and I Am Introduced to the Unknown

June 6-10, 2013 – John of God Appears on My Radar

June 14, 2013 – Friends

June 20-22, 2013 – Visiting a Very Special Family in South Carolina

June 23, 2013 – More Encouragement to Search for John of God and Finding Dr. Weiss (Who Later Tells me, There are No Coincidences)

Going to MD Anderson Cancer Center

June 26, 2013 - And The Cats Sneak into My Life

June 25, 2013 – At Third Sarcoma Center

Family Trip to Central America and Practicing Courage

Miracle Happens Workshop and too Many Coincidences to be Ignored

July 12, 2013 – Omega Institute with Dr. Weiss and Doing Regression!

July 13, 2013 - Day 2 at Omega: The Cat Re-Appears and Dr. Weiss Talks to Me!

July 14, 2013: Guided to Go Further in Time and Going Back Home

Searching For and Finding John of God

July 21, 2013 – Getting More Unexpected Encouragement to Go See John of God

No Signs of the Dragon and My Collection of Number 23

July 29, 2013 – Introduction to Spiritism

And To Brazil I Go To Meet The Healer John Of God

July 30, 2013 - Arrival in Abadiânia to Meet John of God and More Cats Appear

Introduction to the Casa & John of God

My Spiritual Surgery

August 2, 2013 - The Day After the Spiritual Surgery

August 3, 2013 – It’s Quiet in Abadiânia on Non-Casa Days

August 4, 201³ _ Going to The Waterfall and Starting to Let Go of Resentment

August 5, 2013 – Frightening and Unexplained Pain

Feeling More at Ease with It All

August 7, 2013 – Second Week at The Casa Starts

August 8, 2013 – Spiritual Stitches Removed

August 9, 2013 – My Brother Meets Me at The Casa

August 10-12 - Weekend with Family

August 13 – Another Cat Enters My Life

August 14, 2013 – Third Week at The Casa

August 15, 2013 – Learning More About Spiritism

August 16, 2013 – Meaningful Encounters at The Casa

August 17, 2013 – More Happenings on a Non-Casa Day

August 18, 2013 – Day Visiting Friends

Unbelievable Encounter with a Clairvoyant and a Scary Night

August 20, 2013 – Around Abadiânia

August 21, 2013 – Finally Comfortable with It All at the Casa

August 22, 2013 – Nice and Happy Day

August 23, 2013 – Last Day in Abadiânia

August 23, 2013 – Oh! I’m Leaving Abadiânia on Another 23!

August 24, 2013 – Another Plane Seatmate Connected to Gainesville

Back Home, It’s Not Easy at First

August 31, 2013 – Another Friend Diagnosed with Cancer

Continuing to Learn How to Heal the Spiritual Causes of Illness

September 4, 2013 – Insomnia and More Regressions

September 10, 2013 – Individually Guided Regression at Home

September 15-24, 2013 – Positive Shifts at Work

Five Months Journeying with the Dragon & Full Circle with The Original Cat

Returning to Abadiˆania and the Casa

October 2, 2013 – I Feel at Home

October 3, 2013 – Back to the Casa, Feels Like Arriving Home

October 4, 2013 – Letting My Intuition Guide Me

October 5, 2013 – Meeting Casa Veterans and Going to Waterfall

October 6, 2013 – My Sister Andrea Arrives in Abadiânia

October 7, 2013 – Sister Time is Healing

October 8, 2013 – Another Peaceful Day

October 9, 2013 – Recognized by Entity!

October 10, 2013 – Amazing Stories

October 11, 2013 – Last Day at The Casa

Back Home Again

Going Public to Potentially Help Others With LMS

October 20, 2013 – Time to Start Tests for 6-Month Checkup

October 22, 2013 – CT-Scan Day

October 23, 2013 - Yannick’s 18th Birthday

Celebrating 6 Months Dragon Free

October 24, 2013 – Tic-Tac, Tic-Tac…

October 25, 2013 – End Let the Party Begin

October 30, 2013 – Verbalizing the Importance of Guidance on How to be Positive

Embracing My Spiritual Growth

The Traveler Within & the Sinkholes

November 17, 2013 – Serendipity and The Aleph

November 23, 2013 – Discovering a Magical Little Place

Thanksgiving and Bruno’s 25

November 26, 2013 - Experiencing The Aleph?

November 27, 2013 – Preparing for an Early Christmas

November 29, 2013 - More Unusual Happenings I Don’t Even Try to Explain

November 30, 2013 – Unexpected and Surreal Response

December 1, 2013 – More!!!!

December 4, 2013 – Intrigued

December 19, 2013 – A Red Address Book!

December 20, 2013 – Hmm!

Finally Ready to Listen

and Respect My Deepest Desires

December 5, 2013 – A Special Picnic and Hike

December 6, 2013 – A Day of Great Surprises

December 13, 2013 – Thoughtful Gifts

December 16, 2013 – Awakening

And to Bali I Go Again

December 23, 2013 – A Day in Bangkok

December 24 to January 4, 2014 – Family Time in Bali

Feeding My Body and Soul in Bali

January 6, 2014: Living Ubud and The Alchemist

January 7, 2014: New Rhythm of Life

A Case of Coincidence, Channeling or Synchronicity?

January 9, 2014: Uneasiness Happens Even in Paradise

January 10, 2014 – Meaningful Ties are Created

January 11, 2014 – Another Balinese Day of Yoga, Connections, and Healing

January 12, 2014 – A Spiritual Day: Travelling to Temple with Tony

Focusing On Helping Children Heal

January 18, 2014 – Last Day in Bali

Back in the USA for 9-Month Checkup

January 22, 2014 – Test Day

January 23, 2014 - Unexpected Shift: The Dragon Awakens

January 27-28, 2014 - More Surreal News

January 30, 2014 - Another New Beginning: Treatment to Tame/Slay the Dragon

February 1-9, 2014 - What a Roller Coaster Ride!

Unexpected Outpouring Of Prayers And Support: How Can I Be So Blessed?

Chemo: Dive into the Unknown

My Birthday and My Biggest Gifts: Loved Ones and Fundraiser For LMS Research

February 18, 2014: Second Chemo Session

Wig Shopping & Donating My Hair

Learning to Receive and Shine

February 26, 2014: Enjoying the Week Off-Chemo

… And Cancer Takes Friends Away

Tolerating Treatment & Enjoying Life

March 4, 2014 - Second Round of Chemo Starts and I Am Still Holding On

March 5, 2014 – Spiritual Surgery at Home

A Gloomy Day and Losing My Hair

March 7, 2014 - There is Always Another Day, Potentially Brighter

March 8, 2014 - What a Mix of Emotions! What a Bumpy Journey!

March 9, 2014 – Glorious Sunday

Shaving My Head

March 11, 2014 - Chemo Without Hair But in High Spirits

Another Coincidence?

Seesaw of Emotions

March 15, 2014 - Friendship: Does The Dragon Give Just to Take Away?

Practicing Courage by Zip Lining

St. Patrick’s Day & Celebration

March 18, 2014 - Treatment is Working. YES!!!

March 22, 2014 – Possibility of a Meaningful Project Brings Joy

Comfortable Bald; I Am Who I Am

March 24, 2014 – Third Round of Chemo Starts

Loneliness Overtakes My Heart And Soul

March 25, 2014 – Now I Know: The Dragon Gives and The Dragon Takes Away

March 26, 2014 – Another Down Day

March 27, 2014 – My Sister Leaves and More Unexpected News

April Fool’s Day, A Year Since the Fibroid Grew, My Purple Wig & New Friendship

April 2, 2014 – More Teasing by The Dragon or The Universe?

Picnic, Mixed Emotions & Anemia

April 4, 2014 – Tea With an Old Friend and Down Again: Mixed Emotions

April 5, 2014 – Farmer’s Market and Great Chat

April 6, 2014 – I Hike Again, Despite Anemia. Yeah! I Trick The Dragon.

April 8, 2014 – Hey Dragon! You Can’t Catch Me…. Ha, Ha, Ha

Two Months on Chemotherapy

April 11, 2014 – Visit From My Nephew is Refreshing & Biopsy Results Upsetting

April 12, 2014 – Merging with Nature

April 13, 2014 – When Life Deprives Me of Color, I Go To The Indian Holi Color Fest to Get Colorful

Finally Understanding Synchronicity

April 15, 2014 - Forth Round of Chemo Starts

Burnout and Love: The Dragon Wears off People. The Journey Becomes Lonelier.

April 19, 2014 – As Some Doors Close, Others Open

April 20, 2014 – Easter

April 22, 2014 – Facing the Emotional Pain of a Loved One is Heartbreaking

April 23, 2014 – One Year Anniversary of My Journey with the Purple Dragon

Foreword

I met Patricia at meditation group. During a break, she was sipping tea and I was waiting to use restroom. We shared a smile and I spoke to myself out loud, something about the journalist in me. Her eyes widened.

You’re a writer? I am in search of a writer. Actually an editor.

And so our friendship began. Over a number of lunches and coffees, I realized Patricia didn’t need a writer so much as someone to help organize and edit her journals of healing from a rare form of cancer. With the help of typist extraordinaire Jessica Miller, we three pieced together a slice of Patricia’s life (from diagnosis to chemotherapy and one year anniversary) that is nothing less than extraordinary.

Whether or not you believe in the healing capabilities of gurus, entities, or past life regression, whether you’re a follower of Spiritism, Buddhism, Christianity, or any other practice, whether you are an agonist or an atheist, your belief system is irrelevant. Patricia’s story is one of survival, a search for hope, and a release of the past to embrace a fearless future.

I am so fortunate to have met Patricia and proud to call her my friend. She has reminded me every single day that we all have the power within ourselves to heal what ails us. We each need to believe in ourselves and in the truth that we seek out. That’s when we will truly be set free – when we find peace within.

- Jennifer Grant, April 23, 2014

Preface

The courage to make public my journey with The Dragon (Leiomyosarcoma), as recorded in a journal I kept since July 2013, did not come easily. My words were written to myself (my soul) and to the invisible audience around all (the invisible world and beings), as I came to realize later. But once Jennifer Grant insisted that they could help others going through their own journeys with cancer or other hardships, I surrendered to the fear of being judged for having taken unconventional detours along the conventional road of grieving and towards healing.

These are the words of MY own path. The places I went and the experiences I lived are the result of me finally listening to my own voice, my intuition, which went from being whispered softly in my ears to firmly screaming in my heart and soul. With difficulty at first, I tuned away from my conscious, rational, and analytical mind, and followed my gut instinct, my intuition, the feelings derived from the deepest perception of my soul and the Universe.

On my path, there were just too many "weird coincidences" to be ignored, making it easier for me to just dive in and go explore the unknown, without rationalizing my decisions. I soon learned that there are no coincidences in life; I learned that I seem to have a distinctive perception of what is around me, at times hearing with more than my ears, and seeing with more than my eyes; I appear to connect with the energy around, "scanning" what surrounds me with great curiosity, perhaps perceiving just a little more than most would, although everyone has this innate ability. The end result of increased awareness is more synchronicity and channeling, which lead to what we call coincidences. I now accept the premonition dreams I have had, the odd encounters throughout the small villages of remote areas of the world, and my guessing as part of who my true self really is; I am now okay with my own being, without need to whisper my truth in my sister’s ears while asking for secrecy. No embarrassment. No fear of being poorly judged or ridiculed. I accept my own truth and finally can embrace it as part of who I truly am as a spiritual being having a human experience. I know now that my body, mind, and soul coexist, but they are not the same.

Yes, I have a diagnosis of a voracious cancer, the dragon called Leiomyosarcoma (LMS), but this fact does not define me as a person. This is a medical condition my physical body has, but it cannot sicken my spirit. I am who I am as a person, as a soul. I am my actions, my smiles, my tears, my feelings, and my true being.

I hope that sharing my steps towards healing, from fear to peace, from tears to smiles, from feeling stuck to moving forward with The Dragon, enlightens you, even if in a small way.

With desire of health and peace within all,

Patricia

P.S. Please take into consideration that I am not a professional writer; I am just a woman, a mother, a dietitian, and a human being diagnosed with cancer, sharing her thoughts and feelings while on her healing path.

A human being is a part of the whole that we call the universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separated from the rest – a kind of optical illusion of his consciousness. This illusion is a prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for only the few people nearest us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by embrace of all living being and all of natures. — Albert Einstein

(This powerful quote was written on a painting hung on the wall by the table I sat at a café, before heading to the airport in Orlando, to fly to Abadiânia, Brazil, on July 28, 2013. It touched me then, and its meaning has stayed with me.)

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Don’t be intimidated by other people’s opinions. Only mediocrity is sure of itself, so take risks and do what you really want to do. — Paulo Coelho, Aleph

July 29, 2013 - Flying From Home To Abadiˆania, Brazil

I had never heard of Abadiânia until a couple of weeks ago. I don’t know anyone there, and I’m not sure what exactly I will do there, or what will happen. But I am going, flowing with the cascade of events that started… When exactly did it all start? Two weeks ago? Three months ago? A year, twenty-five years, or maybe an eternity ago? I truly don’t know.

The coincidences or happenings that have led me to be seated on this plane, flying to encounter the unknown, have kept me swirling, both physically and emotionally, during the past fourteen months, and especially during the last three. My beliefs have been shaken, and I have chosen to allow myself to embark on a journey through territories somewhat out of my comfort zone.

Where should I start telling this tale? To make some sense, I hope, I will start with the most pertinent and recent events.

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Never ignore warning signals in your body, even the smallest ones. It doesn’t matter the experience of others if your intuition whispers that something isn’t as it should be. — Patricia Moreira-Cali

The Catalyst: An Unexpected Diagnosis

November 2012 – The Routine Checkup

I usually have my annual gynecologic exam in August. But in 2012, I didn’t see my doctor until November. As usual, my mammogram was normal. I reported that my migraines and insomnia were managed with treatment, and all else seemed fine. The doctor proceeded to do a PAP smear. With the exam complete, I