Cancer Archives

When Is Enough — Enough?

Alexis Acker-Halbur Cancer, Did you know?, Healing, Never Give Up, Trauma March 10, 2023March 10, 2023

This past January, I turned 66. I noticed I was slowing down more than ever. I still have word search problems (Aphasia), extreme fatigue, balance issues, and short-term memory loss. I thought old age was coming after me with a vengeance having lived with diabetes for 50 years. But oh, how I missed the signs of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)!

I didn’t fall and hit my head like Amy Zellmer did, author of [Life With a Traumatic Brain Injury: Finding the Road Back to Normal], but I had Stage IV colon cancer (twice) and went through 18 sessions of chemotherapy (24 hours each — equaling 432 total hours). After reading Amy’s book, I contacted her and asked if my cancer treatments could cause TBI.

She responded, “YES — chemo brain is often referred to as a ‘chemical concussion,’ and I hear it over and over again.”

YIKES!

I went to bed that night wondering when enough is enough. Trauma of the brain is so scary, and I realized after reading Amy’s book that it is complex and so misunderstood. People undervalue those of us with TBI with comments like “It’s just a concussion, you’ll be fine,” or “You just fell and hit your head–it will heal.” Amy says, “This invisible illness is very real.”

In Amy’s comforting and kind words, I found a new “angel” in my life who delivered a very crucial message to me. I have TBI!

Am I angry? Does this knowledge make me sad? Yes, of course, I am, but in Amy’s story I found someone who told me the truth directly and without pity. Like my cancer, diabetes, and now TBI, I can assure you that I’ll never give up living this life as fully as I can. Through Amy’s book I found the courage to accept this news and begin again.

Amy Zellner

Life With a Traumatic Brain Injury, is a collection of Amy’s short articles, some of which were published in The Huffington Post. This book is perfect for TBI survivors and the rest of the world to gain a better understanding of the frustrations and struggles TBI survivors go through. We aren’t lazy or not paying attention, our words get jumbled and meanings are lost to us. We can’t remember how to use things like, for Amy, the microwave, or me the computer. We have to learn and relearn information every day. We sleep lots or not at all and the reason for this is our brains are trying to heal. Lots of people think that it takes a mere few months for the brain to heal, but in reality, our brains try to heal every day and night.

Understanding Is the Key

I’m slow, I sleep, I stumble over words, but I am a woman trying to live Life’s trials and tribulations. I ask for your understanding before you judge me on my inabilities to be “normal.” I live a “new normal” life with constant pain and tremendous self-doubt. But, I’m alive and I’d go through TBI hell to have this life I’m living. And I have Amy Zellmer to thank for writing this book and for the courage to keep going. As I always say, “NEVER GIVE UP!” I won’t — will you? Order and read Amy’s book today at https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Life+with+a+brain+injury&i=stripbooks&crid=2UZHWN7GSKPMF&sprefix=life+with+a+brain+injury%2Cstripbooks%2C106&ref=nb_sb_noss

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Alexis Acker-Halbur is an award-winning author and medical miracle.
Child abuse made her seriously ill and put her in harm’s way many times.
She survived and shares her experiences and tools with women and men
who have been traumatized.

Believe in YOU!

Alexis Acker-Halbur Cancer, Did you know?, Healing, Never Give Up, T.R.U.T.H. Program December 8, 2021March 26, 2023#achievers, #climbmountains, #have-no-fear, #lightsof the season, #pandemics, #survivers, believe, care, HappyHolidays, hope, love, remember

Hello Wellness Seekers:

This is my new post after a long hiatus. I’ve been so busy with writing my next book, Your Moment of T.R.U.T.H., that I’ve sorely neglected my website posts. For those of you who are still checking in on a regular basis for new posts, I want to thank you for your loyalty to this website. Your support means everything to me.

For this holiday season, I want to encourage you to believe. Believe in yourself and believe that you will do wonderful things, such as listening for positive messages, remembering your great memories, doing good things for others, and believing in universal peace. At a time of prolonged pandemics, we need to concentrate on the beauty in our lives, like catching a snowflake on our tongue, seeing all the bright lights of the season, keeping warm against winter’s icy chill. If we forget — we have nothing.

Winters here in Minnesota are long and arduous.

I spent yesterday shoveling our driveway. I stopped at one point to listen to the snow falling. Many people believe that there’s no sound when snowflakes fall, but I BELIEVE I can hear them. It’s a silence so profound that it makes me tear up. When I sit at my computer, all I have to do is look to the right and I can see deer strolling through our backyard. This makes me smile. In my office, I have a very big sign that says, Believe, because this is such a special word for me, and it always will be.

Fall in Canada

I visited Canada this past fall and explored Banff and Lake Louise. I even went on a four-mile hike up the St. Agnes Tearoom trail. It took us two and a half hours to scale and two hours to come back down. There were many times I wanted to stop, but after a rest, we continued. This was the most difficult hike in my life and yet I made it. ME! Me who climbed the mountain, survived Stage IV colon cancer — twice, had two near-death experiences, and have had insulin-dependent diabetes for almost 50 years. I’m not only a believer, I’m also an achiever. I’m proud of my accomplishments and I truly believe in my strength, courage, and love. Yet, I know I’m no different than many of you. As wellness seekers, you’re on a journey to climb those mountain trails, bike across your state, and look for the good in everything.

If you’re feeling depressed or anxious during this time of year, remember to believe in yourself, because if you believe you’ll experience the very good in this life. Happy holidays!

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Alexis Acker-Halbur is an award-winning author and medical miracle. Child abuse made her seriously ill and put her in harm’s way many times. She survived and shares her experiences and tools with women and men who have been traumatized. To order her book, Never Give Up: Break the Connection Between Stress and Illness, click here, or her newly published fictional novel, THE BEAR: In the Middle of Between click here.

Minnesota’s Author Fair

Alexis Acker-Halbur Cancer, Did you know?, Healing, Never Give Up, Sexual Abuse, T.R.U.T.H. Program, Trauma October 27, 2021November 29, 2022#books for the holidays, #Healingfrom trauma, #nevergiveupinstitute

Hello Never Give Up Institute Seekers and Followers:

I’m going live at the Minnesota’s Author Fair on Saturday, November 13, 2021, in beautiful Stillwater, MN. I’d love it if you could stop by and visit with me. I can tell you about all the BIG PROJECT I’m working on at the Institute. It’s going to be amazing. I’ll have all my books and workbook to sell on that day. These would be great gifts for the holidays. Many of the authors who will be there that day are from my Women on Writing (WOW) chapter. They’re wonderful women with their own award-winning books. Stop by if you can. Thanks!

Keep Speaking the Truth

Alexis Acker-Halbur Cancer, Did you know?, Healing, T.R.U.T.H. Program, Trauma May 7, 2021November 29, 2022#, ##liars, #childabuse, #living, abuse, Cancer, healing, hope, illness, Lies, survival, truth

Dear Wellness Seekers:

I received this picture and saying from a woman I greatly admire. In fact, this photo and saying are so touching that I wanted to share it with everyone I know. It has a very personal effect on me since some of my siblings have disowned me for speaking publicly about my childhood abuse. I am the only one in our family who admits that my father was the abuser, despite knowing some of my siblings were abused, too. (But that’s their story to tell. I can only write about my story.)

Telling the truth about an issue so despicable is never easy. After I survived Stage IV colon cancer, I finally learned that if I didn’t tell my personal story I was going to die. Sounds dramatic, but it’s the truth. What I learned was I had stuffed all my life’s trauma into my body, mind, and spirit, and the trauma dove deep inside my muscles, cells, organs, and bones. I could never understand why I had so many health conditions, that is until I was diagnosed with cancer – 3 times. In my research to find how I could survive a 6 percent chance of survival, I began to research and pray to keep living. My book, Never Give Up: Break the Connection Between Stress and Illness, helped me realize that I had the power to heal myself. (You can view this book on this website.)

Many of my siblings refused to believe and were angry that telling my story was a healing journey. They, in fact, thought I was seeking attention. They knew I’d been abused, but felt the truth should be hidden. Hiding that truth made me deathly ill. I struggled with telling the truth until cancer became a wake-up call for me. Now I believe that the siblings who disowned me are not liars but are living a lie. I never thought they would act against me.

My world has not come to an end and many of my cancers have come and gone making me extremely grateful. That is why I chose to tell the truth.

You can, too!

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Alexis Acker-Halbur is an award-winning author and medical miracle. Child abuse made her seriously ill and put her in harm’s way numerous times. She survived and now shares her experiences and tools with women and men who have been traumatized. To order her tools for healing trauma book, Never Give Up: Break the Connection Between Stress and Illness, click here. If you would like to read her 2020 published fictional novel, THE BEAR: In the Middle of Between click here.

Start Healing from Trauma — TODAY!

Alexis Acker-Halbur Cancer, Did you know?, Healing, Never Give Up, Sexual Abuse, T.R.U.T.H. Program September 8, 2020November 28, 2022#childabuse, #healingabuse, #healingtrauma, #mind-body-spirithealing

Dear Wellness Seekers:

You can’t heal from trauma until you’re ready to truly live. I know this by experience with so many illnesses and traumas in my life. At the age of 50, I was diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer and given a six percent chance of survival. No one gave me this news at the time, but I learned it when I was cancer-free. Was I shocked? Absolutely, especially since I was diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer three years later.

Many people have asked how I survived. To answer their questions, I wrote a book titled, Never Give Up: Break the Connection Between Stress and Illness, and created a self-survival program called T.R.U.T.H. (The Road to Unresolved Trauma Healing). Both of these projects list over 100 ways you can expand and intensify your healing from trauma.

Here are some tools I recommend:

Never ever give up no matter how bad things are going.
Be truthful to yourself as to why you are ill or traumatized. We all play a part in our illnesses and traumas.
Find meaningful ways to forgive yourself for the trauma you experienced. Remember the golden rule: You are not responsible and did not cause your trauma!
Seek professional support for medical issues and emotional distress.
Never call yourself bad, stupid, or ignorant because you aren’t. Start calling yourself beautiful, lovely, and amazing.
Lower your stress level by listening to music, yoga, or painting.
Learn to love yourself for who you are.
Be authentic with your feelings.
Realize that anger is natural and healthy, hiding it causes medical and psychological issues.
Talk to someone about your fears, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

When you work on these tools you’ll start to understand that you can beat fear, resolve past trauma, and live the life you’ve always wanted. I know from experience that life is so much more satisfying when you shred the trauma and put your energy into creating the life you want. “Impossible” you say. No, not at all. When you focus on balancing your mind, body, and spirit you can do miraculous things like find joy, strengthen your immune system, and energize your life.

I did! And now I’m living the life I’ve always wanted. You can too! Use the tools found in Never Give Up: Break the Connection Between Stress and Illness, and T.R.U.T.H. Program. Both are available on the Healing Tools page.

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Alexis Acker-Halbur is an award-winning author and medical miracle. Child abuse made her seriously ill and put her in harm’s way many times. She survived and shares her experiences and tools with women and men who have been traumatized.

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