What a day.

We woke up early to get ready for filming. The girls found clothes that didn’t have any emblems or logos on them, and Quinn wore his Sunday church suit.

He waited on the driveway and was so excited when they pulled up.

Jared and Joe.

Jared looks like Anderson Cooper and is such a cool, chill guy. Joe is just as much of a sweet soul, and I found out they had never worked together before, but you would never know it. They had a great rhythm and flow the whole day.

We piled into our filming caravan and went to Darla’s house for the Kaits Angels yard sale. It was overwhelming to see everyone volunteering on my behalf. Darla does everything with grace and class and love and a smile. I saw some friends there as well and got lots of hugs. Jared and Joe were filming all around us and yet were unobtrusive. I spoke with Lisa Finn of the patch, and she wants to do an article on pinktober and the stage four needs more sometimes soon.

We left and started to set up for the shoot. I realized just how not real the reality shows are. It takes forever to get lighting and cameras and lenses and microphones correct. Of course it was a humid day and my hair kept curling up. We laughed when I said I needed only five minutes, instead of twenty. I barely wore makeup, because I want the message to come through, not my appearance.

I was interviewed for an hour, and at times it was hard to choke out my words when discussing my family. The purpose of the film is to have the medical work open their eyes to this path of healing, and how it can support what they do with great results. It’s based on science, and Donnie Yance is a genius. What will happen when he retires? His Mederi method needs to be a legacy for generations to come.

My interview finished and we took a break for lunch. Then the best part of the day happened.

I met Kym.

Kym has been a client of Donnie’s for seven years. She has had multiple cancers since she was seventeen and is now in her fifties.

Listen, I ‘ve met people with cancer and there is a little bond, but if it was a lesser stage, they look at me with fear or pity, like a “God, I hope I never have to be her.”

Then I’ve met a few stage four people in person. I’ve met many online, and made many dear friends. I am still mourning three close friends from the past five months. Think about that. If you’ve had a close friend die, think of the mourning you’ve had… the grief. Now multiply by three. There aren’t many stage four people who live close by, and everyone is busy, including me. Touching someone’s hand and hugging someone who is in this arena is a gift.

I’ve met several people who use my herbalist, and it’s like a secret society. They know who they are, and when we see each other, it’s like a whisper and a feeling of sisterhood and brotherhood that we had the guts to go meet a guy on a street corner who is helping us live.

But Donnie? He is like the Wizard of Oz.

He lives far away, not in an emerald castle, but in Oregon. I’ve read about him and read his books… or at least tried to. He is a genius. A true savant in a way. I finally met rick Shapiro, who wrote a book called “Hope Never Dies”, and he interviewed Donnie. Finally I made a connection who met this man and knows he is real deal.

But Kym?

She showed me her pill case. We both take a huge amount of pills a day. We laughed over how the smoothie tastes. She gave me tips about taking the pills before I eat, and meal tips. We discussed finances and how expensive it can be. I heard again that sticking strictly to the protocol is key.

I needed to hear that.

I needed to see someone else who knows exactly what this life is like.

I needed to meet someone who has been told news several times and continued to move on.

I hope to be like Kym some day, hugging and holding someone else’s hand who is just starting and saying, “It will become a lifestyle. You’ll just do it.” She flew in from Maryland at JFK, rented a car, drove out to my house, then drove back the same day for a late flight home. That’s how dedicated she is to get the message out. She said she read my blog, and loved it. You have no idea what means to me. She said it is helping so many, and to hear that from someone in this life filled my soul. Kym understood when I said I follow Gods whispers , and even now as I type the words just flow. She said she got me something, and as she handed it to me I knew already what it was. A calendar with a picture of a butterfly. She said that after reading my blog, she had to get me the butterfly picture because I am still changing. I cried as I hugged her goodbye.

I love her.

She also spoke to Maddie about her son who just started film school in a school we never even heard of and sounds amazing. Another sign for Maddie.

Madison found out she got a part in the school play, “A Chorus Line”. She is Lori, the high school version of the male character Larry. She is still excited and can’t believe she got a part. The whole crew of us cheered.

Kym left, then we went to the beach where I grew up. It was surreal to sit on a rock where I made my dad take pictures of me when I was sixteen because I wanted to enter the teen magazine “Seventeen” cover girl contest. Here I am, thirty years later, being shot for a cancer movie.

We ended up needing a WiFi password, and down the beach we heard some voices. It was my mone boys, and the vicari clan, all having dinner. I ran up the deck with rob and they gave us the password. I also got some quick cries out and some amazing hugs. It was just the amount of love I needed to keep going.

They asked if I could walk barefoot, and I made a decision. Even with my feet a mess, I took off my shoes and walked over the hard rocks and shells. Over and over. The drone followed me and joe walked beside me. I kept praying to God that His plan was a good one, and thanked Jesus for his suffering on the cross so I can be healed.

Maddie took some pictures and there was an orb right over my head. Thank you, Jesus.

The crew had me say, “That’s a wrap”. Then they let Maddie film using their camera.

She was in heaven all day long. There are no doubts that this is what she wants. God sent us this film crew who was so kind and patient with her to show her what her future could be like. Joe said it’s fifty percent talent, fifty percent personality. He said she has it.

The crew said goodbye at 7:30, and we sent them to the Elbow room. We ate dinner and then went to bed.

Today they are coming at 7:30 to do another full day of shooting. We will film in the kitchen the juicing and smoothie, and also the pills. We are showing how intense it is and that you have to be dedicated, but it works. Yes, I have a pet scan and the news may take my breath away again, but right now I feel good. I’ll stay in the moment and trust in the process and plan.

Then we head to my classroom to shoot some film and I have some former kinders from last year coming. Then it’s to maggie’s farm to get produce. Quinn really wants to be filmed riding his bike, so we will do that, and rob is going to fire up the pizza oven for the first time in three years. We will wrap by five or six, then Jared and Joe will pack up the gear and head to JFK.

Today I pray for good weather, great shots, lots of hugs and laughter. I thank God for the people in my life and placed in my path. May my path help lead the way for others and may we all be healed.

In Jesus’s name, amen.

Xoxo

Keri