I AM HealingStrong
Discover how to transform the most challenging chapter of your life with Jim Mann's inspiring podcast. As a stage 4 cancer survivor, Jim interviews famous musical artists like Tasha Layton, Ellie Holcomb, Katy Nichole, and Tim Timmons, as well as health influencers who beat incurable diseases like depression and addiction. Through humor and a renewed sense of purpose, guests courageously share their stories of overcoming the toughest times and learning to trust God. Tune in to Jim's powerful podcast to find hope and inspiration.
I AM HealingStrong
102: Emotional Healing After War, Polio, and Colorectal Cancer with Faith and Community | Cindy Jewell
What does it take to find true healing after escaping a war-torn country and facing lifelong challenges? Cindy Jewell shares her incredible journey from being born with polio, escaping Vietnam, running away and being trafficked in her youth and eventual escape, being in an abusive marriage and eventual cancer diagnosis.
Cindy's story demonstrates and testifies to the human spirit and spiritual strength that helped her continue on in her journey. Her story is one of resilience and triumph, eventually finding solace and healing through the HealingStrong organization.
Cindy's faith and resilience are put to the ultimate test as she navigates this harrowing journey with the support of her loving husband. She candidly discusses the tension between traditional medical advice and alternative treatments, including a plant-based diet. Through it all, Cindy's unwavering faith becomes her anchor, guiding her through the storm. Join us as we explore Cindy's inspiring story and learn how Healing Strong provides a supportive community for those facing similar struggles.
CONTACT:
Bangor, Maryland HealingStrong Group Leader
healingstrongbangor@gmail.com
HealingStrong's mission is to educate, equip and empower our group leaders and group participants through their journey with cancer or other chronic illnesses, and know there is HOPE. We bring this hope through educational materials, webinars, guest speakers, conferences, community small group support and more.
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When you do, you will receive additional resources such as: webinars, access to ALL our past and most recent conference videos, downloadables and more, as a bonus.
To learn more, head to the HealingStrong Membership Program link below:
I got married. I wasn't happily married because I had a lot of issues that I never took care of when I was younger.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:You know, and. I tried my best to be happy, but I didn't know why I had so much issue. I had anger issue.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:You know, I was easily triggered and I just didn't know why I was being like that. Because I had a wonderful husband who treats me so well. I've never been like treated like a queen before. And I had a baby and you know, she's beautiful, she's 11 years old now and I should be really happy, but I wasn't. And then she started when she got a little older, she started noticing that, you know, mommy's not happy, you know, and I didn't want her to see me like that. So I tried to find ways to heal myself and that still didn't work. It wasn't until I found Healing Strong that I was able to really find people to help me, to talk about my past.
Speaker 3:You're listening to the I Am Healing Strong podcast, a part of the Healing Strong organization, the number one network of holistic cancer support groups in the world. Each week we bring you stories of hope, real stories that will encourage you as you navigate your way on your own journey to health. Now here's your host stage four cancer thriver, jim Mann.
Speaker 2:Well, I am so excited to talk to Cindy Jewell. How are you doing, Cindy?
Speaker 1:I'm doing good. How are you?
Speaker 2:Great, you're all the way up there in Maine. And now full disclosure. We had recorded this earlier and there were some technical difficulties On my end. Something happened. I don't know what it was, because I've never made mistakes before, but actually I think something went wrong with the board. I don't know, it doesn't really matter, because Cindy was telling her story and she was just bringing in all these facts left and right and I'm like what, what in the world? So I'm glad to do this over, because I want to get this full story, because this podcast is not just about people overcoming cancer even though that's how it started and that's like our main focus but you have overcome so many things from birth until now, and so I just want people to be encouraged by this. So, cindy, take us all the way back. You were born in Vietnam, born with polio, right?
Speaker 1:Yes, born in Vietnam and I had polio as a baby. And then my parents were very scared, so my dad decided that we were going to come to America and we escaped, leaving on a boat, a small boat, with other people too.
Speaker 2:So you had to escape there. You can't just leave, huh.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we left that night when it was really late and I just remember being on the beach and everybody's telling me please don't cry, please don't cry, wow. And then we saw a boat, and then we just ran to the boat and other people was on it too, and then we started sailing.
Speaker 2:Wow, was it really crowded.
Speaker 1:Not as crowded as the other pictures that I saw, but it was a lot of people. Yeah, wow, so it really crowded. Not as crowded as the other pictures that I saw, but it was a lot of people.
Speaker 2:Yeah, wow. So how far did you get?
Speaker 1:I'm not sure, but we were rescued by I believe it's American Navy ship and they took us to I think it's like another island, like near Taiwan, something like that, and we stayed there with immigration and we filled out papers and my uncle sponsored for us. So we came to America and to California.
Speaker 2:Okay, which is where your uncle lived, right?
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Okay, so you were able to find a doctor there to kind of figure out what to do with your polio.
Speaker 1:Yeah, the doctor gave me some braces to wear when I was younger and I didn't walk. I didn't know how to walk at first, but with the braces they helped me to walk and every day I would go for a walk with my dad and then one day I just started walking on my own.
Speaker 2:Wow, but how old were you at that time?
Speaker 1:I think I was probably four or five when I escaped from Vietnam. I was three.
Speaker 2:Okay, yeah.
Speaker 1:And then I learned how to walk around maybe four or five.
Speaker 2:That was probably exciting for you, wasn't it?
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah. Everybody was cheering me on like come on, you can do it. I remember all the neighbor's kids were there. And then I took my first walk and everybody was shouting yay.
Speaker 2:Wow, so you've lived there in that area of California, up until your teens, right?
Speaker 1:Up until I met my husband online about 15 years ago and then he lived in Maine and he had a job already and I didn't work at that time. So I figured I'll just come over to Maine and try to make him come over to California soon. Try to make him come over to California soon. But that never happened, because I realized that Maine is a beautiful place to raise your family and I enjoy living here.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, maine is a beautiful place, as long as you like cold.
Speaker 1:Yeah, at first it was like challenging, but now I don't really mind.
Speaker 2:Well, let's go back a little. I think somewhere in your teens you lost your mother, right yeah?
Speaker 1:Not until later. It was a couple of years ago when I was living in California with my father. My mom wasn't here yet. My dad sponsored her to come over, but she didn't come over until 15 years later excited to have her and my brother and sister, and I thought that we were going to be really happy, like the Brady Bunch family. You know, I have two brothers and two sister and I was the only child, felt like the only child at first, coming to a big family, and things just didn't um, came to be like I wanted, um, you know, there was a lot of drama and stuff like that sadness and I just couldn't handle it and so I ran away from home when I was a teenager.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:And when I was on the run, I met these people. I'm a group of people, a female and about three guys and they said you can come with us and we'll provide you a place to stay and food. And, um, I was a runaway with a friend of mine and I talked to her and she said, okay, but then I don't know what happened, she disappeared, and so I end up going by myself and, um, everything was good, they let me stay with them and fed me. And then one day, um, the girl came into um what she told me to take a shower, and she told me, um, what to do. And then I just thought that was really weird. And then, um, she came in the shower again and tell me to come outside.
Speaker 1:And when I went outside, all of them were sitting around and one of them had a gun, and he didn't say anything, but she started talking. She said I need you to do something for us and you're going to have to do it. And at that moment I didn't realize what she was saying because I was really nervous about the gun. And then she said that this guy is going to come over and we want you to entertain him. And then that's when I figured it out.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that had to be scary.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I don't know how long I stayed there, but I was planning my escape for a while. But I was planning my escape for a while and then one day I had a thought that maybe I could just tell them that I'll get some more girls you know, I'll get my girlfriend that was a runaway to come down. And they thought, ok, so they gave me a quarter to go outside and call on the payphone and I called my friend and I asked her, like if she was planning to go home. And she said no. And then I called my dad when they weren't around and I asked him. He heard me and he said that, oh well, you know, please come home. You know, please come home. We really love you and miss you. And I told him well, if I, if I'm gonna come home, I want things to change a little bit, you know. And I also told him, like, well, if you really want me to come home too, I have a friend. She has to come with me because I didn't want her to be left alone and, you know, end up like something like me. You know, I was really scared for her. So I said, please, you have to let her come. And at first he said no, but then I said that I'm not coming home unless she comes home. And then he agreed.
Speaker 1:And then I looked around to see where I can go to get help. And I was in front of a bar American bar and I just went in there and the guy followed me because he was wondering where I was taking so long. And when I went into the bar I looked around for somebody to talk to and I just immediately started busting out in tears and saying please help me. I really need help right now. And when the guy saw that I was crying and you know telling them, you know I needed help, he was really scared. So he took off and I never seen them again and I told the bar guy to if I could use the phone.
Speaker 1:I called one of my friends and I asked people at the bar to give direction because I didn't know its direction. They took me to LA and I was in Orange County. That's about half an hour away or an hour. I didn't know street direction either. Luckily there was somebody there that knew the direction to come from. I gave him the phone and he gave the direction to my friend. My friend came to pick me up. I went to pick up my friend and she came to live with us. She stayed with us for a couple weeks and then she went home to her family, so that was good so how did your parents feel?
Speaker 2:were they excited to see you?
Speaker 1:obviously um, my dad was really excited to see me, yeah, yeah, I just really felt like awkward around my family because I wasn't really close to them at first. So I just like, when I came home, I just stayed in my room and I just like not talked.
Speaker 2:Yeah, how old were you at that time?
Speaker 1:I think I was 16 or 15, 17.
Speaker 2:That's almost normal behavior for a teenager, then, to stay in the room for some of them anyway.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, I didn't have a room at first because it was a big family and I was staying with my sister and my mom, but I knew that at home was, you know, it's very challenging and I needed a place to escape. And I told him please, please, let me have my own room. And he agreed to that. I just felt like maybe you know my other other family, my brother and sister, might not had liked it so much, because you know I come home and I get this and get that yeah, so your, your dad was like really strict right yeah, he was very strict yeah
Speaker 1:yeah, he didn't let me have any friends. He expected me to go to school, get straight A's, and you know, I, during that time, I, when he, he worked all the time so I was left at home all by myself, starting at age of eight. You know, I had my own keys, I go in the house and he said, don't go anywhere. And you know, and I had food and he wasn't around to help me with homework and you know so I felt like I wasn't very smart in school and you know so I felt like I wasn't very smart in school, so I didn't have good grades and that was really a big problem with him. And he didn't let me have any friends too. So you know that was something. I went to school and I had friends and I couldn't go hang out with them, I couldn't talk to them on the phone.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:So it was like I wanted to have some freedom and have some friends.
Speaker 2:I couldn't even have girlfriends, you know, wow, yeah, that's kind of rough. Feel isolated, didn't you?
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, very isolated.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I don't have any friends either, but that's a whole different story. Just kidding, I have friends, but they all live in other states. I should take that personally, I guess. So what happened from that point? Did you eventually just move out as you got older?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I moved out and then I was in a relationship and it was abusive. So he started doing drugs and you know I did it and then I saw that the like really helped with my depression. And that's all I did when I was older, at least for a couple of years. I was just doing drugs and just trying to forget. And then one day I just had this thought like you know, if I keep doing things like this, then my dad is going to bury me and I didn't want him to do that because I didn't want him to think, like you know, I hated him or anything like that. So I left, I tried to leave my ex, and then I went back home because I knew he couldn't find me there, and I got clean and I had a little niece and nephew too at that time and they were like around three years old.
Speaker 1:So I took my time. Like the whole time I just took them out, took care of them, and that really helped with my depression because, you know, they're so loving and they don't judge. So I love them very much.
Speaker 2:Kids can be great.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and then when they get older around, like when they were 10, I started going online to find somebody and I met my husband online and he was living in Maine and I'm like, oh, my goodness, I guess it's not gonna happen then because he lives in Maine.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's a little ways from California.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and he was legally blind so he couldn't drive. So I was thinking, oh well, I guess he can't come here. But then he did. He visited me and he visited me with his father. And the first time I met him I was so excited and nervous, I was laughing all the time. Um, I fell in love with him and I, you know, I just knew at that moment like, okay, he's the one. I knew he was the one because, um, we were on the bus and it was so crowded and I was just thinking about him and then all suddenly I just started getting so much anxiety and I could like, I was breathing like really hard and he had to take me off, to carry me off the bus. That's like the first time I knew like, yeah, this is gonna be serious, he's the one that I'm gonna marry and I just it just got me like really a panic use for some reason yeah, yeah he went home, I just felt like I had to be with him.
Speaker 1:So I told him I'm going to come visit you. He bought me a ticket. I was supposed to come visit him for Thanksgiving. He bought me a ticket and I just stayed.
Speaker 2:And that's where you've been ever since right.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Okay, so you got married and you're still happily married, right?
Speaker 1:I got married. I wasn't happily married because I had a lot of issues that I never took care of when I was younger.
Speaker 2:OK.
Speaker 1:You know, and. I. I try my best to be happy, but I didn't know why I had so much issue. I didn't know why I had so much issue I had anger issue.
Speaker 1:You know I was easily triggered and I just didn't know why I was being like that. Because I had a wonderful husband who treats me so well. I never been like treated like a queen before. And I had a baby and you know she's beautiful, she's 11 years old now and I should be really happy, but I wasn't. And then she started when she got a little older, she started noticing that, you know, mommy's not happy, you know, and I didn't want her to see me like that.
Speaker 1:So I tried to find ways to heal myself and that still didn't work find ways to heal myself, and that still didn't work. It wasn't until I found Healing Strong that I was able to really find people to help me to talk about my past, and Pastor Seaman helped me how to release my emotion, and he counseled me for quite a while. And then, um, when he didn't counsel me anymore and times when I was really upset, I just talked to myself and say what is it that you're upset about? And if it's nothing, then just let it go. And if it's something, then is it worth being upset, right, you know? And then I would just do what he taught me to do.
Speaker 1:I would close my eyes and pack up all my anger and then give it to the Lord and say I don't want this anymore, please take it from me. And it actually really works. I felt so much better, and so I do that every time, like I really I get triggered and you know I I'm seeing a counselor and my mind start being really healthy, I start thinking clearer and I started, um, you know, uh, figuring out what I wanted to do with my life. Yeah, um, but um, that that was before. That was during the time when I was diagnosed with cancer that I found out.
Speaker 2:Right, wow. So let me back up here. Cindy, I think you've had kind of a rough beginning. I think you shouldn't be too hard on yourself, which I'm sure you probably were. You're probably not now. No, yeah, like all of us, you had a hole in your life that you were trying to fill and you didn't know which direction to go until you found God, obviously, because that's what that hole was all about. But when did you become a Christian?
Speaker 1:because that's what that hole was all about, but when did you become?
Speaker 2:a.
Speaker 1:Christian. I was a Catholic being raised but I didn't really go to church because my father didn't go to church. He stopped going to church. But I always thought of God as somebody who's made all the world and stuff like that, like they say. But I didn't really understand who he was Right and at times I'm wondering if he made this world, why is there so many sadness and why am I born like this? Did I do something bad?
Speaker 1:I used to think like that, and when I met my husband he was a Christian, so he goes to church every Sunday, and so I started going to church with him. But I didn't really feel God until later, when I was diagnosed. And then I called my friend and I told her I'm really scared, I don't know what to do. And she told me just pray to God and ask for forgiveness. And that day I prayed to him and I cried so much and asked for forgiveness and I said I don't know what I'm doing with my life. It seems like everything that I choose is wrong. So please help me. I surrender my life to you. Please show me the way to whichever way I'm supposed to go, because I don't know what to do anymore and I don't want to make any more mistakes.
Speaker 2:Right, wow, yeah, that's the best place to be. That's when, especially when you had such a rough life, and then you get a diagnosis, and God becomes very real during those moments, because you feel out of control and you're like I'm scared, I don't know what to do. You're kind of at rock bottom, and that's where God shows up in our lives, because we're at the end of our ropes.
Speaker 2:So, man, you have quite the story. You have a movie in the making here. So, when the diagnosis, what were your symptoms? What made you realize you need to go to the doctor?
Speaker 1:my doctor um wanted me to uh do. And how do you say that?
Speaker 1:colonoscopy yeah, colonoscopy, because I was at the age of it and, um, it was during covid and I was the only one who was able to go by myself. My husband wouldn't allow to go with me. But, um, I was put asleep and when I woke up, my um, my husband was there and I'm like, okay, so they didn't tell me at first. But then when the doctor came in and he said, okay, we found something and he believes that it's cancer because he's done this a lot of times and he's going to refer me to a surgeon from there, there, an oncologist. And you know, I didn't even understand what he was saying at first because it didn't really pick up in my mind, because I was going through a lot of stuff at that time. Before COVID, my mom had passed away, and then, during COVID, my mother-in-law passed away and I was just like in shock of every event happening to me, just like in three years, you know. And so it didn't click to my head.
Speaker 1:And when I went to the surgeon, he was telling me that he wanted me to have surgery to remove it because I had rectal cancer, rectal colon cancer. He wanted to remove the bottom of the rectal colon cancer and have me go on a colostomy bag. And that's when I broke down in tears and like, oh no, I don't need this, please, I don't need this, please, I don't need this right now. And then the next day I asked him, like the next week, when I went to visit him again, I asked him like am I going to be able to remove it by myself? Because I can't. My right arm is paralyzed, you know, and my husband, you know, he's like going blind, so he can't help me in that issue. There. And the doctor, I guess he really had sympathy for me and he said, like okay, we just removed your cancer, but you have to do chemo and radiation.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:And I went home and I did a lot of research and I found Crispy's cancer and I heard that he had colon cancer and it was stage three. Mine was stage one and he didn't do chemo radiation and he said that he changed his lifestyle, eating plant-based food, and I said I think I can do that. And I talked to my husband and he said, okay, if that's what you want to do, I'll stick by you. But he said that he is kind of nervous because you know we don't know what to expect.
Speaker 1:And, um, I told my surgeon that and he said well, before you decide to not do it, please go to your oncologist and talk to them. And when I it was three hours of lecture, and how wrong I was.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and you had to pay for that. Wow, yeah, some doctors don't like that.
Speaker 1:They don't like the natural stuff. That worked well. I said do you think changing your diet will help? And he said no. Wow. He flat out said no. Wow. He flat out said no.
Speaker 2:That's crazy. Yeah, I fortunately had a good one that said, yeah, you know what you eat, matters, exercise matters and all kinds of stuff. So I was very fortunate with that. But, yeah, some of them they think chemo is it? That's all you can do, and that's not true. I can tell you that I'm not a doctor.
Speaker 1:My regular doctor, he was fine with it. He said okay, we'll monitor you, make sure everything is good. And you know, I had blood tests. At first it was like every month to see how my blood work was and it went down to normal. And then, um, every month it was still normal. And then my doctor said, okay, we just do three months, and three months it was still normal. So now he's saying we're gonna do it every six months yeah, yeah, that's always a good, good sign yeah and so and that's where you're at now, right Every six months still.
Speaker 1:Yep.
Speaker 2:Okay and everything looks good.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:All right, you sound like you have a great husband.
Speaker 1:Yes, I do. He's wonderful, he's an amazing man.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and you are also, you're in the right frame of mind now as far as, yeah, you know putting obviously god as your uh, your provider, your resource, in charge of everything and and, of course, we're always going to make mistakes because we're human, but as long as you know, we have god that we focus on, uh, things will be great. You don't have to worry about, you, don't have to stress out about. You know how I mean. You've gone through so many obstacles, so many things in your life that most people would have given up by now, but you're an amazing person. Let me tell you that. Thank you. Yeah, you just keep on going and you seem so happy now.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yes, I am really happy. I figured out what I wanted to do with my life. I wanted to be a nutritionist, and that's all because of Healing Strong too. It's just a passion just started firing in my heart and I went to adult learning to do my English and my math before I started college, because I was really terrible. It's been like years since I gone back to school, you know, and I'm in college now. It's my second year and last year I did really good. I got three days. Wow, I'm really proud. But I couldn't have done it without God. Every morning, you know, I had so much anxiety going to school because I was so scared, but I prayed to him and every morning I get up at five o'clock and I just tried to have that time with him first, and then every day would go so smoothly when I had time to be with him.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so he goes to school with you. Huh, yes, he does.
Speaker 1:That's the first thing I say. I'm like, please, God, be with me today. In school. I need you and he's always there. And sometimes, when things go wrong and I get so panicky, but then I have that voice inside me Don't worry. You said give it to God, so trust in him. And I say, okay, trust in him, trust in him. And then it works out on its own because I trusted in him.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's crazy, isn't it? Yeah, and so now you're a group leader, right?
Speaker 1:Yeah, when I tried to look for a group in Maine, there wasn't any, and so at first I didn't want to do it because I was really nervous. I didn't want to talk I don't like talking but I realized that my journey was really hard and I needed the people on Healing Strong and they helped me so much. So there might be people here that need that kind of support. So I said, okay, god, please help me with this.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so when did you start that?
Speaker 1:I started last year.
Speaker 2:Yeah, last year. How's that going?
Speaker 1:It's going good. Yes, I have a couple of members. It's like I get people calling me to go to my Zoom meeting and then when I talk about the stuff you know, about how to stay away from sugar, how to don't eat a lot of meat and processed food and junk food and stuff like that, and they get really depressed so I don't hear from them anymore. But the one that really like, really believes in that they stick, they stick around and they you know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, man, that's great. Well, cindy, I'm glad we got to do this over again, because you have there's so much to your life and I'm sure there's so much more that you're not talking about. But, man, if anyone's listening and they're in Maine, what's it? Bangor, bangor, bangor. Okay, if you're in that area, you got. Well, of course you're Zoom, right.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm on Zoom every second Monday at 5 o'clock.
Speaker 2:Yeah, okay, so if you're anywhere on the planet, you can join her group. How about that?
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Okay, and how can people get in touch with you?
Speaker 1:They can reach me. My information is on Healing Strong and I can reach at reached at healingstrongbangor at gmailcom.
Speaker 2:Okay, like I said, you're an amazing person and you've come a long way and it's so good to see you being happy. I love your little smiling face there.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you just make me happy talking to you.
Speaker 1:It's a pleasure to speak to you.
Speaker 2:Okay, maybe I'll join your Zoom meeting sometime. When is it again? Which day is it of the month?
Speaker 1:The second Monday every month. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Second Monday okay.
Speaker 1:At 5 o'clock.
Speaker 2:All right. Well, I look forward to hearing more as you go on in life and as you do great things, especially with the nutrition. I'd love to learn more about that. I don't know, but I am eating right. I'm doing the Chris Work salad and juicing like crazy and I feel so much better. I've been eating it regularly for the past several well, for this week I've been very good at it and I feel great today. I got a lot of energy. As you can see, I'm looking very beautiful right now. Cindy, thank you so much and hopefully we'll cross paths again. I know you were in Houston, but I didn't get a chance to talk to you then because there's just so many people there.
Speaker 1:Yeah, there was.
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, you have a great day and thank you so much for doing this.
Speaker 3:Thank you so much for having me, and you too have a great day is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to connect, support and educate individuals facing cancer and other diseases through strategies that help to rebuild the body, renew the soul and refresh the spirit. It costs nothing to be a part of a local or online group. You can do that by going to our website at healingstrongorg and finding a group near you or an online group, or start your own, your choice. While you're there, take a look around at all the free resources. Though the resources and groups are free, we encourage you to join our membership program at $25 or $75 a month. This helps us to be able to reach more people with hope and encouragement, and that also comes with some extra perks as well. So check it out. If you enjoyed this podcast, please give us a five-star rating, leave an encouraging comment and help us spread the word. We'll see you next week with another story on the I Am Healing Strong podcast.
