December 19, 2024 • 33 mins
In this heartfelt episode of the Pound of Cure Weight Loss podcast, Dr. Matthew Weiner and Zoë explore Raquel’s inspiring story of transformation. Raquel shares her experience undergoing gastric sleeve surgery, navigating emotional and spiritual healing, and embracing her cultural roots, including the meaningful gifting of an Ojo de Venado. Her journey exemplifies resilience, recovery, and the powerful connection between medicine and spirituality.
Gastric Sleeve Surgery: A Key to Recovery
Raquel’s path to healing began with her decision to pursue gastric sleeve surgery, a life-changing step to address obesity, chronic pain, and limited mobility. Weighing over 387 pounds and coping with trauma from the tragic loss of her husband and struggles with addiction, she found hope through Dr. Weiner’s guidance. The surgery not only enabled her to lose weight but also paved the way for essential double knee replacement surgeries, significantly improving her quality of life.
Ojo de Venado: A Spiritual Connection
A standout moment in this episode is the gifting of an Ojo de Venado by Raquel to Dr. Weiner. This sacred Yaqui symbol of protection and blessing was offered to Dr. Weiner on the day of her surgery as a gesture of gratitude and trust. For Dr. Weiner, wearing the Ojo de Venado became a source of grounding and strength during challenging times, embodying the interconnectedness of patient and caregiver.
Recovering from Trauma: Finding Strength Through Healing
Raquel’s life is a testament to overcoming adversity. After the loss of her husband, addiction, and the temporary loss of her children, she found recovery through a Native American program. Her determination to heal extended beyond physical transformation, as she regained custody of her children, pursued a meaningful career, and embraced her cultural identity. “Healing from trauma isn’t just about the events—it’s about finding strength and purpose in their aftermath,” she reflects.
Spirituality in Medicine: Honoring Cultural Practices
This episode highlights the profound role of spirituality in healing. Raquel shares how practices like sage cleansing and the Ojo de Venado provided comfort and focus during her journey. Dr. Weiner emphasizes the importance of recognizing and incorporating diverse cultural practices in healthcare, fostering a deeper bond between patient and caregiver.
Life After Gastric Sleeve Surgery: A New Chapter
Now nearly two years post-op, Raquel has lost over 150 pounds, achieved mobility through knee surgeries, and embraced a healthy lifestyle. Beyond her personal success, she dedicates her life to helping others as a domestic violence facilitator, embodying her philosophy: “We go through these things, we fight, we heal, and then we teach.”
Conclusion: Resilience and Renewal
Raquel’s story, shaped by gastric sleeve surgery, cultural traditions like the Ojo de Venado, and recovery from trauma, inspires hope for those on similar paths. This episode serves as a reminder of the strength found in resilience, community, and embracing holistic approaches to healing.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Raquel (00:00):
A big part of my healing journey and losing all this
weight had to do with my abilityto heal myself from trauma.
We go through things in lifeand we need healing, we need
recovery.
Going through this surgery hasreally helped me.
Dr. Weiner (00:21):
Okay, welcome back to the Pound of Cure Weight Loss
Podcast we are here with Raquel.
Raquel (00:26):
Welcome, raquel, hi.
Thank you.
How are you doing today?
I'm doing well, awesome.
I'm excited to be here.
Yeah, we're so excited to haveyou here.
Dr. Weiner (00:34):
I've been really looking forward to Raquel coming
here for a while, like when wefirst started this podcast.
You've actually been on ourroster for a while.
We just haven't been able tosync the timing up.
I've always loved talking toher and I think first of all,
before we tell the story of yourbariatric surgery, I want to
tell everybody just from myperspective about this thing I'm
(00:56):
wearing.
So if you're listening, youcan't see, but talk to me, tell
everybody what I have on.
Raquel (01:02):
So I made Dr Weiner an ojo de venado, and it is a form
of protection in our nativeculture, in the Yaqui culture,
and we gift these to people.
Some people purchase them, butI gifted this to Dr Weiner on
the day of my surgery, whichhappened to be scheduled on Ash
(01:22):
Wednesday, so it was thebeginning of our Lent ceremonies
during Guaresma that's how werefer to it, so it's the
ceremony that we participate inin the Yaqui culture.
So I thought it was very movingto give this to him as a form
of protection and I asked him towear it during my surgery.
Dr. Weiner (01:45):
Yes.
Raquel (01:46):
Oh, I don't know if I've heard that story.
I know you had it, but that'sjust very, very so it was.
Dr. Weiner (01:52):
I mean first of all, it was really.
It was really a powerful moment.
I would like I run.
I remember that, like I do alot of surgery and I talked to a
lot of patients before surgery.
I remember, like that, thatmoment very vividly.
And I think there's somethingelse like so you know, of course
I was, I agreed like absolutelyI'll wear this, this is
fantastic.
(02:13):
But she kind of told me aboutabout how it's kind of
protective and we were goingthrough some things in our
practice, in our business world,that were really, really
challenging for us.
You know, the year kind of whenyou had your surgery, that year
was a very difficult year forme and this kind of came right
at the beginning of this and Iactually have worn this 50, 60
(02:36):
times since then.
So I you know that you gave itto me, kind of thinking about
the surgery, but it wassomething I needed at the time
and I really wanted to thank youfor that and let you know that
it is, you know, it's well worn,uh, and in fact I think I went
and I told you, I brought thathome to my wife and she was like
, oh my God, this is amazing.
(02:57):
And then my wife wore it, whichI guess is a little not.
Is that not?
Is that a little bit againstthe rules?
Raquel (03:04):
Well, technically, if it's made for you, you wear it.
And then I was moved to hearthat she was interested in it
and I actually made her one aswell.
She made my wife one.
Dr. Weiner (03:14):
My wife has one as well, and so she wore that.
So she only wore it for like abrief period of time.
As soon as we found out, shewas like, okay, I'm not wearing
it anymore, but she does stillhave hers and she does wear it
on occasion.
And so, you know, I thinkhaving something like this kind
of being in touch with your,some spiritual energy and I've
been on a little bit of aspiritual journey as I kind of
(03:37):
reached more midlife and kind ofhave some things go on in my
life that are maybe not exactlythe way I'd want them to be, and
so I'm kind of always searchingfor answers and my place in the
universe and everything likethat.
So why don't you share a littlebit about just what are some
basic things that all NativeAmericans, that we should know
(03:59):
about Native Americans?
Raquel (04:01):
I think it's just being open to the culture.
I think that's one of thethings that I I was very moved
Like I had met with you a fewtimes before my scheduled
procedure on video and I wasjust kind of forcefully moved by
creator to like give you thisand I was so worried about is he
going to be open to it?
Like, what is he going to think?
Is it?
Is it going to be open to it?
(04:22):
Like, what is he going to think?
Is it?
Is it going to be like bad jujuor whatever?
So I think one of the things isjust being open to the
different cultures and receivingon the blessings that come with
ceremonies.
Um, we all, um have a differentway of reaching our higher
power.
(04:42):
What native american cultures,cultures, any kind of cultures,
right, and we all it's for thesame purpose.
And so just being open to thedifferent cultures and the
different ceremonies andreceiving whatever blessings you
can at the moment and leavingwhat you can't.
Dr. Weiner (04:58):
So higher power.
So I mean, I think in in kindof you know, christianity and
Judaism, there's this idea ofGod.
You use the word creator.
It seems to me like all kind ofthe same concept.
But is there something uniqueabout the higher power of the
creator in Native Americanculture?
(05:18):
How is that philosophically alittle bit different?
Maybe the term God that most ofus are familiar?
Raquel (05:25):
with I just picked up the term creator during my
recovery.
So my, my story is very unique.
Right when I came to find you,I had just went through a
significant loss of my latehusband significant loss of my
late husband.
I had to find my recovery.
Um, I am a recovering addict.
(05:47):
Um, I've been sober for fouryears.
Dr. Weiner (05:56):
Um and then I just found um creator.
Raquel (05:56):
I just found what I connected to and that's and
that's what we kind of go to.
I, I, I have um some kind of Ithink I have some kind of what's
the word?
Like I don't like putting namesand labels on things and so
when we refer to differentpersons, whoever you refer it to
(06:17):
is who you refer it to, right,and so creator, just the creator
of Mother Earth, creator of theuniverse, the creator, and so
that's how I just relate.
Dr. Weiner (06:25):
That connection like really resonates, yeah yeah,
just the idea that there's thishigher power kind of governing
things that is outside of yourcontrol.
Right and uh, because it'soutside of our control.
We're kind of lucky and shouldbe grateful for every moment we
have, every blessing that comesto us, every good thing that has
, and also understand thatsometimes bad things happen to
(06:48):
us as well, and maybe theyaren't because you're a bad
person or because you've done abad thing, but just because
that's the order of the universeat that moment.
That the idea that it's anypoint in time your life is going
to only be good and always begood going forward, is that's
just a foolish thought.
And so understanding that whenit's good, it's good and when
(07:13):
it's not, it's not, it's allpart of this higher order, this
higher powers.
Am I?
Am I on the right track withthat?
Raquel (07:19):
Yes, absolutely, and I think it's.
It's also um, we need to knowthat even the things that are
unfortunate that happen to us,there's learning opportunities
that come at those things.
Dr. Weiner (07:31):
So I'm into that.
Yes, yes, I've experienced that, you know, quite directly
lately.
I think it's interesting thatyou had some concerns about
giving me this Ojo, because youknow, and I've talked to other
surgeons about this too, and Ithink in general most of us
(07:51):
agree that when you're meetingand I've been asked to pray with
people and prayers that are notthe same religion I practice
and I think people are sometimesapprehensive about that I've
always just said you want topray, let's pray Whatever is
going to bring you some comfortat this moment.
(08:12):
Our job is to take care of yourbody, but it's also to take
care of you spiritually andunderstand there's an amazing
amount of trust you're puttingin the surgeon.
When you are going to sleep,you're basically saying I
surrender my body and I willallow you to do whatever you
like to it while I'm asleep andI'm trusting you to make those
(08:33):
changes in order to make my lifebetter, and that's just an
incredible amount of trust toput in another person.
And so, first of all, I'malways just amazed at that and I
that if whatever I can do tokind of help someone feel
comfortable, that that alsohelps their physical recovery
too.
So if you feel comfortable, youfeel like, oh, I trust this
(08:54):
person, I trust that things aregoing to go well, then you often
do yeah.
And if you're like, oh my god,every time I have surgery, it
always goes bad, I always havecomplications.
There's always goes bad, Ialways have complications.
There's always issues.
You're going through a changein your body, you're going to
find something that's not goingthe way you want, and so it's
(09:14):
really about where you put yourenergy, and I think, kind of you
know, however you do it, youknow you're giving a gift and
asking them to wear it.
You're asking them to pray withyou.
Whatever's going to bring youcomfort.
Raquel (09:29):
I think it's the surgeon's responsibility to to
honor that.
Yeah, yeah, and I and I wasreally grateful that you were
open to allowing me to sharethat with you and share that
moment, cause I felt like almostlike I mentioned, like almost
like forced, so I was likecreator was like give it to him,
give it to him.
And it wasn't for for you toprotect me or for me to feel
protected.
I think it had a lot to do withwhatever was going on that I
had no clue about, and sothere's an even exchange that
(09:52):
happens right, like when we dothings and for whatever reason,
we cross paths and we were ableto meet and I gave blessings to
you and you gave blessings to meyou did so it was a healing
opportunity.
That's exactly what happenedthat is.
Dr. Weiner (10:06):
You know, that's that's really.
I think you kind of felt thatmaybe I needed something too.
And a lot of people look attheir surgeon and they think
like, well, this guy's got itmade.
Yeah, not understanding thatsurgery is probably one of the
most stressful jobs there is,and with any stress comes a lot
of issues, right, you know,stress is hard on somebody.
(10:26):
It takes its toll physically,it takes its toll emotionally,
it takes its toll with yourrelationships, and so you know,
I think you have to understandthat when you're talking to your
surgeon, that especially a highstakes, bigger surgery that
that person is, you know, andand we've become accustomed to
and are able to manage it, um,but it doesn't mean that we
(10:49):
don't need a little helpsometimes, right?
So, and I think you that thiscame to me, this was so helpful
to me and it was something I,you know, I I've used and I
thought about over and overagain since then.
So creator was dialed in thatday, um, so let's talk a little
bit about.
You know, four years ago youwere struggling with addiction.
(11:10):
Um, you were overweight.
Just kind of tell a little us alittle bit about your story.
Raquel (11:15):
So, um, Just to give a little bit of background, I come
from a criminal justice major.
I went to get my associate'sdegree at Central Arizona
College and I went on to ASU fora while.
I interned with severaldifferent police departments,
sheriff's departments, and did alot of my work out of Pinal
(11:36):
County and Pima County.
I met a judge and I startedworking for him as a bailiff and
then went on as a judicialassistant.
I got married and my latehusband was murdered on January
1st 2018.
I became a single mother offour kids, two of which those
(11:59):
kids were his and they wereliving with us.
Um, so they're my adopted kids,Um, but their mom was murdered
to domestic violence two weeksbefore their dad was murdered.
Dr. Weiner (12:08):
So in the midst of like, so these kids lost both
their parents within two weeks.
Raquel (12:12):
Yes, yes, and so I went on to like adopt them and um,
and then we went through somethings in the family dynamic um,
my adopted son, sexual illnessand my daughter who was a year
and a half so you could justimagine like all this trauma, um
, so that I'm in like a short,within like six to eight months
(12:34):
period.
Um, and then COVID hit and soall of our services, from
therapy services, were wrappedfrom Honduras.
Um, I tried drugs for the firsttime and immediately got
addicted, and the judge I workedfor he dropped me off at CBI
and he was a big supporter ofgetting help and getting into
(12:56):
recovery.
My kids were taken by CPS.
So I kind of like was at myrock bottom right and I had this
image that I worked so hard formy career that I felt like that
was gone.
My husband was gone and thenall this.
(13:16):
So I worked really hard.
I got into treatment.
I went through the NativeAmerican program at the Haven
here in Tucson, got my kids backwithin nine to 10 months.
We had the tribe behind us.
I don't know if you guys arefamiliar with the ICWA law, but
it's Indian Child Welfare Actwhere the kids are protected.
So our family was protected sothat they couldn't go outside
(13:37):
and be placed with other peoplelike strangers place with other
people, like strangers, um.
So when I went through recovery,um, I was overweight and in
addiction I lost weight rightCause I didn't eat.
I was addicted tomethamphetamines and, um, when I
got into recovery I gained alot of weight.
I was, um, probably well, myheaviest um was I was a 402
(14:01):
pounds when I had my daughter.
I was 387 pounds when I gotinto recovery, when I had it
like, so I was really overweight.
And you know, like, coming fromum addiction, your body craves
carbs.
Your body like you just eat,you just eat and eat.
And so your body like you justeat, you just eat and eat.
(14:21):
And so that that was like mygo-to.
That was my next addiction.
Um, I also was born with adeformity in my legs.
Um, that really, um, I wasseverely knock-kneed and then I
tore my ACL.
I got into a car accident andmy both of my legs um were
messed up after that when I was13.
So going to lose weight wasvery difficult for me.
(14:46):
I couldn't lose weight becauseof my knees, I couldn't work out
.
No surgeon would do knee surgeryon me.
They didn't want to touch mebecause I was overweight.
I went to several differentsurgeons and everybody was like
no.
So then I found you and I wasready.
(15:06):
I was ready, it just fit inwhere I was at in my life, in
recovery, um, and then likegetting having to do the you
know all the tests to make surethat I was ready for this change
.
I had done the work, um, sogetting my kids back doing the
work, I got a job with the tribe.
I currently work for the PosseWaikiki tribe as well.
(15:27):
Um, I am a domestic violence umfacilitator for offenders.
Uh, for the HEOPSI program.
I've been there for about threeand a half years and I've been
sober for four years.
So I really maintained myrecovery, my career.
I got I nothing happened to me,thank God, me, thank god, like
um criminally right, you know.
So I still was fortunate tolike be able to do all this work
(15:50):
that I'm doing, and so a bigpart of my healing journey and
losing all this weight had to dowith my ability to heal myself
from trauma.
yeah, you know from everything,not just what happened to me but
childhood we, we go throughthings in life and um we need
healing, need recovery, um, andso going through this surgery
(16:15):
has really helped me.
So I had my surgery, um mysleeve surgery, done February
and then I was able to get myknee.
I lost enough weight and I gotmy knee surgery.
I got two double kneereplacement surgeries three
weeks apart.
So in February I got thesurgery and then in October I
had my first knee surgery andthen three weeks later, in
(16:36):
November, I had my second kneesurgery and it was the most
painful surgery Way more painful.
Dr. Weiner (16:44):
The knee surgery is going to be way more painful.
Bariatric surgery yes, it's abariatric surgery like a walk in
the park.
Raquel (16:49):
Yes, so, um, with that being said, that's like my story
.
I I was able to recover.
You know, I'm almost two yearsin february, two years for my
sleeve surgery.
I'm a year out um post-op formy knee surgeries, just about
around the corner.
But this has really helped meto recover in my life.
Recover not just from food, notjust from being overweight, but
(17:12):
just from life itself.
Dr. Weiner (17:16):
I think sometimes with addiction, your, I think,
is typical about it when therewas so much pain, so many bad
things happened, all of theterribleness that you described.
That that's when you kind ofturn to drugs, and sometimes,
just you know, it's no surprisePoor people are more likely to
(17:38):
use drugs than rich peoplebecause poor people suffer more
pain, have more difficulties intheir life than rich people.
And so sometimes, if you can,just you get that little extra
edge, you know, and I think atsome point there's the judge who
gave you a chance and whomentored you and really helped
you, and that you know it kindof gave you that edge.
And then some things happenbeyond your control and and then
(18:01):
you dropped down and had thatpain again and then, and then
now it was a surgery that kindof helped you and the weight
loss and the physical healing.
Um and so.
So what's next for you?
You know?
What are you planning on?
What are you aiming for?
What's your relationship likewith your family now?
You know?
Talk to us about what life islike now.
Raquel (18:18):
Well, I definitely, like , I got my kids back.
We adopted another child, so Igot remarried and I, I, just,
I've been so much healthier, my,the healthiness with, like my
choices, being able to bepresent in the moment, right,
and so even being present withfood right, being able to say
(18:39):
like I, I, I don't have to havethis because it's a want and not
a need, and so being inrecovery helped me to, like,
identify those things all acrossthe board.
I'm still working, I'm stillhealing, I'm still on my healing
journey.
My perception of things is likewe go through these things, we
(19:06):
fight, we heal and then we teach, yeah, so that divine
connection that comes through meand it goes out and I share
that it's not mine to keep, it'smine to share, and so, um, just
like your knowledge, you share,that you heal people, you have
healing hands, you know you, um,we all do so that's so powerful
.
Yeah.
Dr. Weiner (19:25):
Really so you brought us some things today.
Raquel (19:28):
I did, yeah, I did so, tell us a little bit about what
you brought.
So I brought some medicine.
Um, we always um, offermedicine, offer the blessings,
um, I know that when I came tosee you for my year um follow-up
, I, um, I don't think yourecognized me, cause I hadn't
touched base with you, like Iseen Deidre but I didn't see you
(19:50):
.
So, um, and then I think yourecognized me, cause you were
like, oh, the oval, and thenyou're like, oh, I remember you,
so that then we made thatconnection.
Dr. Weiner (19:59):
But you had lost about 150 pounds at that point.
Yes, yeah, you looked quitedifferent, right yeah?
Raquel (20:06):
So that's fair.
But I had brought you medicine,I had been thinking a lot about
just revisiting you and seeingyou, and so we offer like Sage,
I brought you a show, I justoffered that medicine as a form
of thank you, and so that's whatwe do when we um, we express
gratitude, we express um ourfeelings, our connections, and
(20:29):
we express that with medicine.
So we always um bring some.
So I brought you some more Ilove it so I brought you some
more sage and I brought youcedar as well, okay and cedar is
the same thing.
You you light it on fire yeah,you, just you, just with this
one you can we're going to lightthe sage.
Dr. Weiner (20:46):
You know that, right , yeah.
Raquel (20:47):
We'll light, we'll offer it.
Dr. Weiner (20:49):
Yes, we're going to bless this off, yeah.
Raquel (20:52):
Yeah, we'll do a blessing, but first I'll give
you this.
So when we give this to eachother, you open your hands like
this, and then I'll go one, two,three, four and you receive it.
Thank you, you're welcome.
Dr. Weiner (21:07):
Thank you for this.
You're welcome.
Yeah, this is really special.
Raquel (21:10):
Yeah, so I also brought there's some.
This is a maso, this is ourdeer dancer.
Okay, just a pin.
So it's a pin.
Thank you, you're welcome, and Ialso also just like a shirt
somewhere yeah, you can pin itor you know wherever, wherever
you want, but, zoe, I made youone.
Oh, you got it, oh, zoe.
(21:33):
So, um, these are used as aform of protection.
Um, there's a lot of things outin the world, right, um, and
this is just another tool, right?
Another form of protection to.
You can choose to wear it, youcan choose to hang it up, um,
however you want.
Um, but I did put a lot ofprayers into um.
(21:53):
Every beat is a prayer.
Every um, yeah, every beat is aprayer.
Dr. Weiner (21:59):
Those of you listening, there's hundreds of
beats there's a lot.
Raquel (22:03):
I didn't count, but there is a lot so every beat is
a prayer yes, and when we makethese, we make them with good
intentions.
You really have to be centeredright.
We want to, we're makingsomething to protect somebody,
and so you have to like before Imake these, I offer a prayer, I
clean myself, I offer a prayerand I just ask for that
(22:23):
connection, that divineconnection, and then I just be
and I have good thoughts, andthat's.
That's another form.
When I got into recovery, Istarted beating as a way to help
my thoughts right.
So we we tend to like have amillion thoughts come through
our heads and so then we don'tknow how to center ourself.
It's hard to get away from that, especially when we have a lot
(22:44):
going on, and there's a lotgoing on in the world.
So beading really helped me tohave like allow those thoughts
to be acknowledged, but likealso have them go like a form of
meditation, right, right.
So, like I did with dr, so, so,like I did with Dr Romero, so I
(23:11):
appreciate it.
Yeah, and I also made you onefor your for here.
Dr. Weiner (23:21):
So these are our.
So just for the office, yeah, Ilove it.
So you can.
These can be a place as well asa person.
Can you know I?
Raquel (23:29):
love this.
Some people hang them in theircar, some people just hang them
by their beds.
You know um it whatever.
Whatever you feel connected toand where it's supposed to be
placed, it'll be so.
This is for your office andthese are colors of our Yaqui
flag, so this is really special.
(23:51):
There's a lot of protectionthat comes with this, so thank
you.
Dr. Weiner (24:02):
So I mean I think I feel very connected to this
office.
I really love the people that Iwork with zoe, sierra deidre,
all of our staff here.
I mean I think we're all reallycommitted to helping other
people in their in their lifejourney not just their weight
loss journey and of all theplaces in the office, it's
actually this room we're sittingin right now.
That's really my favorite room,without question, and so it was
(24:24):
there as we were kind ofdesigning it, and this was the
only room I really kind ofthought about.
So, but I think we need to finda place to kind of hang this
into our background, so it juststays there.
I think we'll play.
We'll have Lauren Well yeah.
Life actually designed sidewhere it goes, life actually
designed her, that's nice, Ilove it.
(24:45):
She may move it around, we'llsee.
I think we need to keep that inhere.
Is that an appropriate way tohandle it?
Raquel (24:52):
Absolutely Every once in a while.
I don't know if you do this,but every once in a while just
give it a cleaning with the sage.
Sage is really good.
It's a really good part ofhealing.
Can you show?
Dr. Weiner (25:04):
me how you would do that, sure.
So this is a good plug forpeople to watch us on YouTube as
opposed to just listen to us,because there's a lot going on.
So sage is lighting thepetrified sage.
Now, even the YouTube viewerscan't smell that.
It smells pretty awesome.
Raquel (25:24):
We can, we can, yeah so we're just gonna, um, take a
moment to acknowledge, um, likeour space, this is a safe place,
right, we want to be be able toacknowledge a safe place, be
able to um, acknowledge likemother earth.
Um, I like to really just umwhen I sage, just take off my
shoes and just feel like, justfeel the ground, just feel um.
(25:49):
So I just like to just feel theenergy, um, and just repeat
that I learned to just walk onmother earth gently and just
receive the four elements, theyou know, the air, the water,
the fire, like all these thingsthat we have, just to be able to
receive those um, and I justlike to sit with this um sage is
(26:11):
also um, just really healing.
You can just feel like, evenjust the softness of like voice,
even just like just you.
Just it was open.
So you know, I just I get intoconnection and I just for that,
(26:32):
and when you smudge, you want tojust smudge with.
So I'm just going to stand up.
Dr. Weiner (26:38):
Okay, not legal, sure, it really smells so
kitchen Sure it really smells sogood.
Raquel (26:48):
Yeah, and I'm just going to open myself up.
Dr. Weiner (26:54):
Can we do this too, yeah?
Raquel (26:55):
Yeah, you guys can stand up, we'll clean you up, all
right.
So you just take a deep breathand then you just clean yourself
, and then I will.
(27:15):
Actually, since we're here, isit okay if I clean you?
Dr. Weiner (27:19):
Sure Okay.
Raquel (27:21):
So we'll just move these over there, clean you, sure?
Okay, so I'm just going to ask,like permission to be in your
space, right To your safe place,um, and then I'm just going to
offer a blessing, and so whenI'm done with the front side,
we'll turn that way and facethat way, and then, when I'm
(27:41):
done, we'll turn full circle andface me again.
Okay, all right, adjourn.
(28:12):
Lift up your right foot.
Thank, you, you're welcome, andI also just made this the other
(29:04):
day in our art class, so I'mgonna give this to you as well,
and you can just let that.
Beautiful, yeah, and this isjust gonna burn for a while,
yeah right, yeah, you can justlet it burn.
Um and uh.
Usually when you do a blessingto somebody, you want to make
sure that you ask permission tobe in their space, because it's
(29:27):
a connection that happens whenwe're in front of each other
we're connected, or open to eachother.
We're connected when I takethat deep breath.
You can feel my energy and Ican feel yours.
So I clean myself first, sothat I don't transfer any energy
to you, and then I clean you.
So that's usually that's how Iwas taught to do it.
You know, we usually, where thesun rises, the sun sets, like
(29:57):
all those things matter the fourdirections, the four seasons,
the four peoples, you know, likethere's a lot more of that goes
into it.
Dr. Weiner (30:05):
That's why it's one, two, three, four.
Yeah, when you do something,yeah, yeah, oh yeah.
Raquel (30:10):
That's how I was taught to do things.
Dr. Weiner (30:12):
I mean, well, I think, the connections between
people.
That's really all we have inthe end.
Yeah Right, it's not thepossessions that we own.
Raquel (30:19):
own, it's the connections we make yeah, and I
feel like this is this is not uma coincidence that we cross
paths.
There was a couple differentprograms that I had tried that I
didn't feel connected to,before pound of cure and, um,
when I met you, I knew I and Ididn't even have to meet you in
(30:40):
person I, I did a teller, yeah,teller.
Dr. Weiner (30:42):
Health yeah.
Raquel (30:43):
So I knew.
And so when we're thatconnected and we know, the
answer is there, you know.
Dr. Weiner (30:51):
Well, I also feel very connected.
I've been talking to Zoe aboutyou for a long time and I've
always loved talking to youevery time we speak in the
office, and you know, and so Ifeel very lucky to have been
able to be part of your journey.
And I think you know, you, youcertainly have had some hard
things in your life and and youmanaged to kind of tackle them
(31:15):
and and, uh, heal from them andthen and then, I think, most
importantly, to share yourgrowth with other people.
Yeah, which is really, you know, to me, if just the surviving
is always amazing, but then whenyou can take that and use it to
help other people, which issomething that you've done and
you continue to do, I thinkthat's so important and I'm so,
(31:37):
so happy to see you do that andI wish you all the best as you
continue on that path.
Thank you.
Raquel (31:43):
Appreciate it, thank you .
A big part of my healing journey and losing all this
weight had to do with my abilityto heal myself from trauma.
We go through things in lifeand we need healing, we need
recovery.
Going through this surgery hasreally helped me.
Dr. Weiner (00:21):
Okay, welcome back to the Pound of Cure Weight Loss
Podcast we are here with Raquel.
Raquel (00:26):
Welcome, raquel, hi.
Thank you.
How are you doing today?
I'm doing well, awesome.
I'm excited to be here.
Yeah, we're so excited to haveyou here.
Dr. Weiner (00:34):
I've been really looking forward to Raquel coming
here for a while, like when wefirst started this podcast.
You've actually been on ourroster for a while.
We just haven't been able tosync the timing up.
I've always loved talking toher and I think first of all,
before we tell the story of yourbariatric surgery, I want to
tell everybody just from myperspective about this thing I'm
(00:56):
wearing.
So if you're listening, youcan't see, but talk to me, tell
everybody what I have on.
Raquel (01:02):
So I made Dr Weiner an ojo de venado, and it is a form
of protection in our nativeculture, in the Yaqui culture,
and we gift these to people.
Some people purchase them, butI gifted this to Dr Weiner on
the day of my surgery, whichhappened to be scheduled on Ash
(01:22):
Wednesday, so it was thebeginning of our Lent ceremonies
during Guaresma that's how werefer to it, so it's the
ceremony that we participate inin the Yaqui culture.
So I thought it was very movingto give this to him as a form
of protection and I asked him towear it during my surgery.
Dr. Weiner (01:45):
Yes.
Raquel (01:46):
Oh, I don't know if I've heard that story.
I know you had it, but that'sjust very, very so it was.
Dr. Weiner (01:52):
I mean first of all, it was really.
It was really a powerful moment.
I would like I run.
I remember that, like I do alot of surgery and I talked to a
lot of patients before surgery.
I remember, like that, thatmoment very vividly.
And I think there's somethingelse like so you know, of course
I was, I agreed like absolutelyI'll wear this, this is
fantastic.
(02:13):
But she kind of told me aboutabout how it's kind of
protective and we were goingthrough some things in our
practice, in our business world,that were really, really
challenging for us.
You know, the year kind of whenyou had your surgery, that year
was a very difficult year forme and this kind of came right
at the beginning of this and Iactually have worn this 50, 60
(02:36):
times since then.
So I you know that you gave itto me, kind of thinking about
the surgery, but it wassomething I needed at the time
and I really wanted to thank youfor that and let you know that
it is, you know, it's well worn,uh, and in fact I think I went
and I told you, I brought thathome to my wife and she was like
, oh my God, this is amazing.
(02:57):
And then my wife wore it, whichI guess is a little not.
Is that not?
Is that a little bit againstthe rules?
Raquel (03:04):
Well, technically, if it's made for you, you wear it.
And then I was moved to hearthat she was interested in it
and I actually made her one aswell.
She made my wife one.
Dr. Weiner (03:14):
My wife has one as well, and so she wore that.
So she only wore it for like abrief period of time.
As soon as we found out, shewas like, okay, I'm not wearing
it anymore, but she does stillhave hers and she does wear it
on occasion.
And so, you know, I thinkhaving something like this kind
of being in touch with your,some spiritual energy and I've
been on a little bit of aspiritual journey as I kind of
(03:37):
reached more midlife and kind ofhave some things go on in my
life that are maybe not exactlythe way I'd want them to be, and
so I'm kind of always searchingfor answers and my place in the
universe and everything likethat.
So why don't you share a littlebit about just what are some
basic things that all NativeAmericans, that we should know
(03:59):
about Native Americans?
Raquel (04:01):
I think it's just being open to the culture.
I think that's one of thethings that I I was very moved
Like I had met with you a fewtimes before my scheduled
procedure on video and I wasjust kind of forcefully moved by
creator to like give you thisand I was so worried about is he
going to be open to it?
Like, what is he going to think?
Is it?
Is it going to be open to it?
(04:22):
Like, what is he going to think?
Is it?
Is it going to be like bad jujuor whatever?
So I think one of the things isjust being open to the
different cultures and receivingon the blessings that come with
ceremonies.
Um, we all, um have a differentway of reaching our higher
power.
(04:42):
What native american cultures,cultures, any kind of cultures,
right, and we all it's for thesame purpose.
And so just being open to thedifferent cultures and the
different ceremonies andreceiving whatever blessings you
can at the moment and leavingwhat you can't.
Dr. Weiner (04:58):
So higher power.
So I mean, I think in in kindof you know, christianity and
Judaism, there's this idea ofGod.
You use the word creator.
It seems to me like all kind ofthe same concept.
But is there something uniqueabout the higher power of the
creator in Native Americanculture?
(05:18):
How is that philosophically alittle bit different?
Maybe the term God that most ofus are familiar?
Raquel (05:25):
with I just picked up the term creator during my
recovery.
So my, my story is very unique.
Right when I came to find you,I had just went through a
significant loss of my latehusband significant loss of my
late husband.
I had to find my recovery.
Um, I am a recovering addict.
(05:47):
Um, I've been sober for fouryears.
Dr. Weiner (05:56):
Um and then I just found um creator.
Raquel (05:56):
I just found what I connected to and that's and
that's what we kind of go to.
I, I, I have um some kind of Ithink I have some kind of what's
the word?
Like I don't like putting namesand labels on things and so
when we refer to differentpersons, whoever you refer it to
(06:17):
is who you refer it to, right,and so creator, just the creator
of Mother Earth, creator of theuniverse, the creator, and so
that's how I just relate.
Dr. Weiner (06:25):
That connection like really resonates, yeah yeah,
just the idea that there's thishigher power kind of governing
things that is outside of yourcontrol.
Right and uh, because it'soutside of our control.
We're kind of lucky and shouldbe grateful for every moment we
have, every blessing that comesto us, every good thing that has
, and also understand thatsometimes bad things happen to
(06:48):
us as well, and maybe theyaren't because you're a bad
person or because you've done abad thing, but just because
that's the order of the universeat that moment.
That the idea that it's anypoint in time your life is going
to only be good and always begood going forward, is that's
just a foolish thought.
And so understanding that whenit's good, it's good and when
(07:13):
it's not, it's not, it's allpart of this higher order, this
higher powers.
Am I?
Am I on the right track withthat?
Raquel (07:19):
Yes, absolutely, and I think it's.
It's also um, we need to knowthat even the things that are
unfortunate that happen to us,there's learning opportunities
that come at those things.
Dr. Weiner (07:31):
So I'm into that.
Yes, yes, I've experienced that, you know, quite directly
lately.
I think it's interesting thatyou had some concerns about
giving me this Ojo, because youknow, and I've talked to other
surgeons about this too, and Ithink in general most of us
(07:51):
agree that when you're meetingand I've been asked to pray with
people and prayers that are notthe same religion I practice
and I think people are sometimesapprehensive about that I've
always just said you want topray, let's pray Whatever is
going to bring you some comfortat this moment.
(08:12):
Our job is to take care of yourbody, but it's also to take
care of you spiritually andunderstand there's an amazing
amount of trust you're puttingin the surgeon.
When you are going to sleep,you're basically saying I
surrender my body and I willallow you to do whatever you
like to it while I'm asleep andI'm trusting you to make those
(08:33):
changes in order to make my lifebetter, and that's just an
incredible amount of trust toput in another person.
And so, first of all, I'malways just amazed at that and I
that if whatever I can do tokind of help someone feel
comfortable, that that alsohelps their physical recovery
too.
So if you feel comfortable, youfeel like, oh, I trust this
(08:54):
person, I trust that things aregoing to go well, then you often
do yeah.
And if you're like, oh my god,every time I have surgery, it
always goes bad, I always havecomplications.
There's always goes bad, Ialways have complications.
There's always issues.
You're going through a changein your body, you're going to
find something that's not goingthe way you want, and so it's
(09:14):
really about where you put yourenergy, and I think, kind of you
know, however you do it, youknow you're giving a gift and
asking them to wear it.
You're asking them to pray withyou.
Whatever's going to bring youcomfort.
Raquel (09:29):
I think it's the surgeon's responsibility to to
honor that.
Yeah, yeah, and I and I wasreally grateful that you were
open to allowing me to sharethat with you and share that
moment, cause I felt like almostlike I mentioned, like almost
like forced, so I was likecreator was like give it to him,
give it to him.
And it wasn't for for you toprotect me or for me to feel
protected.
I think it had a lot to do withwhatever was going on that I
had no clue about, and sothere's an even exchange that
(09:52):
happens right, like when we dothings and for whatever reason,
we cross paths and we were ableto meet and I gave blessings to
you and you gave blessings to meyou did so it was a healing
opportunity.
That's exactly what happenedthat is.
Dr. Weiner (10:06):
You know, that's that's really.
I think you kind of felt thatmaybe I needed something too.
And a lot of people look attheir surgeon and they think
like, well, this guy's got itmade.
Yeah, not understanding thatsurgery is probably one of the
most stressful jobs there is,and with any stress comes a lot
of issues, right, you know,stress is hard on somebody.
(10:26):
It takes its toll physically,it takes its toll emotionally,
it takes its toll with yourrelationships, and so you know,
I think you have to understandthat when you're talking to your
surgeon, that especially a highstakes, bigger surgery that
that person is, you know, andand we've become accustomed to
and are able to manage it, um,but it doesn't mean that we
(10:49):
don't need a little helpsometimes, right?
So, and I think you that thiscame to me, this was so helpful
to me and it was something I,you know, I I've used and I
thought about over and overagain since then.
So creator was dialed in thatday, um, so let's talk a little
bit about.
You know, four years ago youwere struggling with addiction.
(11:10):
Um, you were overweight.
Just kind of tell a little us alittle bit about your story.
Raquel (11:15):
So, um, Just to give a little bit of background, I come
from a criminal justice major.
I went to get my associate'sdegree at Central Arizona
College and I went on to ASU fora while.
I interned with severaldifferent police departments,
sheriff's departments, and did alot of my work out of Pinal
(11:36):
County and Pima County.
I met a judge and I startedworking for him as a bailiff and
then went on as a judicialassistant.
I got married and my latehusband was murdered on January
1st 2018.
I became a single mother offour kids, two of which those
(11:59):
kids were his and they wereliving with us.
Um, so they're my adopted kids,Um, but their mom was murdered
to domestic violence two weeksbefore their dad was murdered.
Dr. Weiner (12:08):
So in the midst of like, so these kids lost both
their parents within two weeks.
Raquel (12:12):
Yes, yes, and so I went on to like adopt them and um,
and then we went through somethings in the family dynamic um,
my adopted son, sexual illnessand my daughter who was a year
and a half so you could justimagine like all this trauma, um
, so that I'm in like a short,within like six to eight months
(12:34):
period.
Um, and then COVID hit and soall of our services, from
therapy services, were wrappedfrom Honduras.
Um, I tried drugs for the firsttime and immediately got
addicted, and the judge I workedfor he dropped me off at CBI
and he was a big supporter ofgetting help and getting into
(12:56):
recovery.
My kids were taken by CPS.
So I kind of like was at myrock bottom right and I had this
image that I worked so hard formy career that I felt like that
was gone.
My husband was gone and thenall this.
(13:16):
So I worked really hard.
I got into treatment.
I went through the NativeAmerican program at the Haven
here in Tucson, got my kids backwithin nine to 10 months.
We had the tribe behind us.
I don't know if you guys arefamiliar with the ICWA law, but
it's Indian Child Welfare Actwhere the kids are protected.
So our family was protected sothat they couldn't go outside
(13:37):
and be placed with other peoplelike strangers place with other
people, like strangers, um.
So when I went through recovery,um, I was overweight and in
addiction I lost weight rightCause I didn't eat.
I was addicted tomethamphetamines and, um, when I
got into recovery I gained alot of weight.
I was, um, probably well, myheaviest um was I was a 402
(14:01):
pounds when I had my daughter.
I was 387 pounds when I gotinto recovery, when I had it
like, so I was really overweight.
And you know, like, coming fromum addiction, your body craves
carbs.
Your body like you just eat,you just eat and eat.
And so your body like you justeat, you just eat and eat.
(14:21):
And so that that was like mygo-to.
That was my next addiction.
Um, I also was born with adeformity in my legs.
Um, that really, um, I wasseverely knock-kneed and then I
tore my ACL.
I got into a car accident andmy both of my legs um were
messed up after that when I was13.
So going to lose weight wasvery difficult for me.
(14:46):
I couldn't lose weight becauseof my knees, I couldn't work out
.
No surgeon would do knee surgeryon me.
They didn't want to touch mebecause I was overweight.
I went to several differentsurgeons and everybody was like
no.
So then I found you and I wasready.
(15:06):
I was ready, it just fit inwhere I was at in my life, in
recovery, um, and then likegetting having to do the you
know all the tests to make surethat I was ready for this change
.
I had done the work, um, sogetting my kids back doing the
work, I got a job with the tribe.
I currently work for the PosseWaikiki tribe as well.
(15:27):
Um, I am a domestic violence umfacilitator for offenders.
Uh, for the HEOPSI program.
I've been there for about threeand a half years and I've been
sober for four years.
So I really maintained myrecovery, my career.
I got I nothing happened to me,thank God, me, thank god, like
um criminally right, you know.
So I still was fortunate tolike be able to do all this work
(15:50):
that I'm doing, and so a bigpart of my healing journey and
losing all this weight had to dowith my ability to heal myself
from trauma.
yeah, you know from everything,not just what happened to me but
childhood we, we go throughthings in life and um we need
healing, need recovery, um, andso going through this surgery
(16:15):
has really helped me.
So I had my surgery, um mysleeve surgery, done February
and then I was able to get myknee.
I lost enough weight and I gotmy knee surgery.
I got two double kneereplacement surgeries three
weeks apart.
So in February I got thesurgery and then in October I
had my first knee surgery andthen three weeks later, in
(16:36):
November, I had my second kneesurgery and it was the most
painful surgery Way more painful.
Dr. Weiner (16:44):
The knee surgery is going to be way more painful.
Bariatric surgery yes, it's abariatric surgery like a walk in
the park.
Raquel (16:49):
Yes, so, um, with that being said, that's like my story
.
I I was able to recover.
You know, I'm almost two yearsin february, two years for my
sleeve surgery.
I'm a year out um post-op formy knee surgeries, just about
around the corner.
But this has really helped meto recover in my life.
Recover not just from food, notjust from being overweight, but
(17:12):
just from life itself.
Dr. Weiner (17:16):
I think sometimes with addiction, your, I think,
is typical about it when therewas so much pain, so many bad
things happened, all of theterribleness that you described.
That that's when you kind ofturn to drugs, and sometimes,
just you know, it's no surprisePoor people are more likely to
(17:38):
use drugs than rich peoplebecause poor people suffer more
pain, have more difficulties intheir life than rich people.
And so sometimes, if you can,just you get that little extra
edge, you know, and I think atsome point there's the judge who
gave you a chance and whomentored you and really helped
you, and that you know it kindof gave you that edge.
And then some things happenbeyond your control and and then
(18:01):
you dropped down and had thatpain again and then, and then
now it was a surgery that kindof helped you and the weight
loss and the physical healing.
Um and so.
So what's next for you?
You know?
What are you planning on?
What are you aiming for?
What's your relationship likewith your family now?
You know?
Talk to us about what life islike now.
Raquel (18:18):
Well, I definitely, like , I got my kids back.
We adopted another child, so Igot remarried and I, I, just,
I've been so much healthier, my,the healthiness with, like my
choices, being able to bepresent in the moment, right,
and so even being present withfood right, being able to say
(18:39):
like I, I, I don't have to havethis because it's a want and not
a need, and so being inrecovery helped me to, like,
identify those things all acrossthe board.
I'm still working, I'm stillhealing, I'm still on my healing
journey.
My perception of things is likewe go through these things, we
(19:06):
fight, we heal and then we teach, yeah, so that divine
connection that comes through meand it goes out and I share
that it's not mine to keep, it'smine to share, and so, um, just
like your knowledge, you share,that you heal people, you have
healing hands, you know you, um,we all do so that's so powerful
.
Yeah.
Dr. Weiner (19:25):
Really so you brought us some things today.
Raquel (19:28):
I did, yeah, I did so, tell us a little bit about what
you brought.
So I brought some medicine.
Um, we always um, offermedicine, offer the blessings,
um, I know that when I came tosee you for my year um follow-up
, I, um, I don't think yourecognized me, cause I hadn't
touched base with you, like Iseen Deidre but I didn't see you
(19:50):
.
So, um, and then I think yourecognized me, cause you were
like, oh, the oval, and thenyou're like, oh, I remember you,
so that then we made thatconnection.
Dr. Weiner (19:59):
But you had lost about 150 pounds at that point.
Yes, yeah, you looked quitedifferent, right yeah?
Raquel (20:06):
So that's fair.
But I had brought you medicine,I had been thinking a lot about
just revisiting you and seeingyou, and so we offer like Sage,
I brought you a show, I justoffered that medicine as a form
of thank you, and so that's whatwe do when we um, we express
gratitude, we express um ourfeelings, our connections, and
(20:29):
we express that with medicine.
So we always um bring some.
So I brought you some more Ilove it so I brought you some
more sage and I brought youcedar as well, okay and cedar is
the same thing.
You you light it on fire yeah,you, just you, just with this
one you can we're going to lightthe sage.
Dr. Weiner (20:46):
You know that, right , yeah.
Raquel (20:47):
We'll light, we'll offer it.
Dr. Weiner (20:49):
Yes, we're going to bless this off, yeah.
Raquel (20:52):
Yeah, we'll do a blessing, but first I'll give
you this.
So when we give this to eachother, you open your hands like
this, and then I'll go one, two,three, four and you receive it.
Thank you, you're welcome.
Dr. Weiner (21:07):
Thank you for this.
You're welcome.
Yeah, this is really special.
Raquel (21:10):
Yeah, so I also brought there's some.
This is a maso, this is ourdeer dancer.
Okay, just a pin.
So it's a pin.
Thank you, you're welcome, and Ialso also just like a shirt
somewhere yeah, you can pin itor you know wherever, wherever
you want, but, zoe, I made youone.
Oh, you got it, oh, zoe.
(21:33):
So, um, these are used as aform of protection.
Um, there's a lot of things outin the world, right, um, and
this is just another tool, right?
Another form of protection to.
You can choose to wear it, youcan choose to hang it up, um,
however you want.
Um, but I did put a lot ofprayers into um.
(21:53):
Every beat is a prayer.
Every um, yeah, every beat is aprayer.
Dr. Weiner (21:59):
Those of you listening, there's hundreds of
beats there's a lot.
Raquel (22:03):
I didn't count, but there is a lot so every beat is
a prayer yes, and when we makethese, we make them with good
intentions.
You really have to be centeredright.
We want to, we're makingsomething to protect somebody,
and so you have to like before Imake these, I offer a prayer, I
clean myself, I offer a prayerand I just ask for that
(22:23):
connection, that divineconnection, and then I just be
and I have good thoughts, andthat's.
That's another form.
When I got into recovery, Istarted beating as a way to help
my thoughts right.
So we we tend to like have amillion thoughts come through
our heads and so then we don'tknow how to center ourself.
It's hard to get away from that, especially when we have a lot
(22:44):
going on, and there's a lotgoing on in the world.
So beading really helped me tohave like allow those thoughts
to be acknowledged, but likealso have them go like a form of
meditation, right, right.
So, like I did with dr, so, so,like I did with Dr Romero, so I
(23:11):
appreciate it.
Yeah, and I also made you onefor your for here.
Dr. Weiner (23:21):
So these are our.
So just for the office, yeah, Ilove it.
So you can.
These can be a place as well asa person.
Can you know I?
Raquel (23:29):
love this.
Some people hang them in theircar, some people just hang them
by their beds.
You know um it whatever.
Whatever you feel connected toand where it's supposed to be
placed, it'll be so.
This is for your office andthese are colors of our Yaqui
flag, so this is really special.
(23:51):
There's a lot of protectionthat comes with this, so thank
you.
Dr. Weiner (24:02):
So I mean I think I feel very connected to this
office.
I really love the people that Iwork with zoe, sierra deidre,
all of our staff here.
I mean I think we're all reallycommitted to helping other
people in their in their lifejourney not just their weight
loss journey and of all theplaces in the office, it's
actually this room we're sittingin right now.
That's really my favorite room,without question, and so it was
(24:24):
there as we were kind ofdesigning it, and this was the
only room I really kind ofthought about.
So, but I think we need to finda place to kind of hang this
into our background, so it juststays there.
I think we'll play.
We'll have Lauren Well yeah.
Life actually designed sidewhere it goes, life actually
designed her, that's nice, Ilove it.
(24:45):
She may move it around, we'llsee.
I think we need to keep that inhere.
Is that an appropriate way tohandle it?
Raquel (24:52):
Absolutely Every once in a while.
I don't know if you do this,but every once in a while just
give it a cleaning with the sage.
Sage is really good.
It's a really good part ofhealing.
Can you show?
Dr. Weiner (25:04):
me how you would do that, sure.
So this is a good plug forpeople to watch us on YouTube as
opposed to just listen to us,because there's a lot going on.
So sage is lighting thepetrified sage.
Now, even the YouTube viewerscan't smell that.
It smells pretty awesome.
Raquel (25:24):
We can, we can, yeah so we're just gonna, um, take a
moment to acknowledge, um, likeour space, this is a safe place,
right, we want to be be able toacknowledge a safe place, be
able to um, acknowledge likemother earth.
Um, I like to really just umwhen I sage, just take off my
shoes and just feel like, justfeel the ground, just feel um.
(25:49):
So I just like to just feel theenergy, um, and just repeat
that I learned to just walk onmother earth gently and just
receive the four elements, theyou know, the air, the water,
the fire, like all these thingsthat we have, just to be able to
receive those um, and I justlike to sit with this um sage is
(26:11):
also um, just really healing.
You can just feel like, evenjust the softness of like voice,
even just like just you.
Just it was open.
So you know, I just I get intoconnection and I just for that,
(26:32):
and when you smudge, you want tojust smudge with.
So I'm just going to stand up.
Dr. Weiner (26:38):
Okay, not legal, sure, it really smells so
kitchen Sure it really smells sogood.
Raquel (26:48):
Yeah, and I'm just going to open myself up.
Dr. Weiner (26:54):
Can we do this too, yeah?
Raquel (26:55):
Yeah, you guys can stand up, we'll clean you up, all
right.
So you just take a deep breathand then you just clean yourself
, and then I will.
(27:15):
Actually, since we're here, isit okay if I clean you?
Dr. Weiner (27:19):
Sure Okay.
Raquel (27:21):
So we'll just move these over there, clean you, sure?
Okay, so I'm just going to ask,like permission to be in your
space, right To your safe place,um, and then I'm just going to
offer a blessing, and so whenI'm done with the front side,
we'll turn that way and facethat way, and then, when I'm
(27:41):
done, we'll turn full circle andface me again.
Okay, all right, adjourn.
(28:12):
Lift up your right foot.
Thank, you, you're welcome, andI also just made this the other
(29:04):
day in our art class, so I'mgonna give this to you as well,
and you can just let that.
Beautiful, yeah, and this isjust gonna burn for a while,
yeah right, yeah, you can justlet it burn.
Um and uh.
Usually when you do a blessingto somebody, you want to make
sure that you ask permission tobe in their space, because it's
(29:27):
a connection that happens whenwe're in front of each other
we're connected, or open to eachother.
We're connected when I takethat deep breath.
You can feel my energy and Ican feel yours.
So I clean myself first, sothat I don't transfer any energy
to you, and then I clean you.
So that's usually that's how Iwas taught to do it.
You know, we usually, where thesun rises, the sun sets, like
(29:57):
all those things matter the fourdirections, the four seasons,
the four peoples, you know, likethere's a lot more of that goes
into it.
Dr. Weiner (30:05):
That's why it's one, two, three, four.
Yeah, when you do something,yeah, yeah, oh yeah.
Raquel (30:10):
That's how I was taught to do things.
Dr. Weiner (30:12):
I mean, well, I think, the connections between
people.
That's really all we have inthe end.
Yeah Right, it's not thepossessions that we own.
Raquel (30:19):
own, it's the connections we make yeah, and I
feel like this is this is not uma coincidence that we cross
paths.
There was a couple differentprograms that I had tried that I
didn't feel connected to,before pound of cure and, um,
when I met you, I knew I and Ididn't even have to meet you in
(30:40):
person I, I did a teller, yeah,teller.
Dr. Weiner (30:42):
Health yeah.
Raquel (30:43):
So I knew.
And so when we're thatconnected and we know, the
answer is there, you know.
Dr. Weiner (30:51):
Well, I also feel very connected.
I've been talking to Zoe aboutyou for a long time and I've
always loved talking to youevery time we speak in the
office, and you know, and so Ifeel very lucky to have been
able to be part of your journey.
And I think you know, you, youcertainly have had some hard
things in your life and and youmanaged to kind of tackle them
(31:15):
and and, uh, heal from them andthen and then, I think, most
importantly, to share yourgrowth with other people.
Yeah, which is really, you know, to me, if just the surviving
is always amazing, but then whenyou can take that and use it to
help other people, which issomething that you've done and
you continue to do, I thinkthat's so important and I'm so,
(31:37):
so happy to see you do that andI wish you all the best as you
continue on that path.
Thank you.
Raquel (31:43):
Appreciate it, thank you .
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