John Wetherill
August 9, 2003
Dear Ginny,
Words can’t even begin to express the overwhelming gratitude I feel towards you for sharing your experiences with Crohn’s and macrobiotics.
I was diagnosed with Crohn’s in 1980, but it has been relatively quiescent until last January (three months after the birth of our first child, Jack) when it flamed up with vengeance. My doctor, a highly regarded Crohn’s specialist at Stanford, was insisting on surgery, which was scheduled for May 12. The weekend before the surgery I was blessed to come across your book in a Whole Foods store.
I read the book in one day, then cancelled the surgery, and I’m happy to say that my health has been improving dramatically since starting to eat and live macrobiotically on May 18.
The first two months were miserable, as I was in lots of pain and the food I was making was bland and disgusting. But then my lovely and supportive wife Gina discovered the website for French Meadows Macrobiotic Camp here in California.
I attended camp for 10 days and it was one of the most profound and uplifting events of my life!
During the camp, and since, I’ve been aware of a profound sense of gratitude for Crohn’s as it is what brought me to this new sense of health and well-being.
I have some work to do yet, as I’m still on steroids and in some pain, but I know I’m on the right path, and for this I thank you.
Enclosed in a picture of my family (Gina and Jack) taken immediately after Jack’s baptism. He turned 9 months old last week. Having a child has completely changed my perspective and priorities. I now have infinite more motivation to heal!
With infinite thanks and blessings.
Love, John Wetherill
P.S.: During the closing campfire at French Meadows camp, Carl Ferre asked for suggestions for next year. I recommended that he invite you as a lecturer for next year. This was met by several enthusiastic “Yes!”s from other attendees. I hope you consider this. The camp is a wonderful experience, and many people there knew people with Crohn’s.
