Crohn’s, Polycystic Ovaries, and Liver Disease, Thank God by Malka Pais

Crohn’s, Polycystic Ovaries, and Liver Disease, Thank God by Malka Pais

A few months back I begged my very inspiring friend Malka to write something about her story for JewishMOM.com…here it is. Thank you Malka!! And please keep Malka Sima bat Mindl Raizl in your prayers…

I grew up in Madison, Wisconsin with very little Jewish identity. My family celebrated the big holidays, but in my high school of mostly non-Jews I did not proudly share my religion.

After college, I worked as a grassroots organizer in the inner-city of Milwaukee. I often worked 12 hour days and although it was very inspiring work, I got “burnt out” and decided to travel around the world. I thought I would start my travels in Israel as I had heard it was very spiritual and beautiful, had interesting models of community development, and kind-of as an afterthought, I thought “I’m Jewish so I might as well check it out.”

A friend who was studying in Israel at the time invited me to stay with her, and I started going with her to a women’s yeshiva. For 13 years since then, I have been blessed to live in Eretz Yisrael with a life full of Torah and mitzvot. I have been blessed with 2 beautiful, caring, creative, fun, joyful children, a wonderful husband, and supportive family, friends, and community.

I have also been blessed with Polycystic Ovaries, Crohn’s disease- a debilitating, chronic irritable bowel disorder; and Primary Sclerosing Colangitis (PSC) a progressive liver disease that usually leads to liver failure and the need for a transplant, God forbid. Conventional medicine has no known cure for any of these diseases.

I was diagnosed with the Crohn’s and PSC when I was 14 years old. I remember a series of doctor’s appointments, with tubes being stuck in various parts of my body and talk of a liver transplant. For the most part, though, I felt healthy. I played soccer on my high school team and attended parties at Cornell University where I went to college. I took some medications and was monitored by blood tests.

It was not until I became pregnant with my daughter (which a gynecologist told me is a miracle considering my Polycystic Ovaries) that the Crohn’s became very severe. Since then the Crohn’s is active and I can no longer work and oftentimes I am not able to leave the house, either because of weakness or digestive distress.

I continue to work on accepting myself as the best mother for my children, and the best wife for my husband regardless of my limitations resulting from these diseases. My husband is incredibly supportive, Thank God, and wonderful with the children and a help in the house; besides being incredibly busy as a rabbi continuing his studies in kollel, teaching, and starting work as a scribe.

After a lot of guided inner work and self reflection, I have come to realize that the illnesses that I suffer from are actually gifts from Hashem.

The body is a gateway for God to communicate with us. If my body was not crying out for help, I do not know if I would have stopped to listen to the amazing wisdom and gifts that rest inside me. I have become aware of many deep-seated insecurities and worked through barriers to self-expression. Some other jewels resulting from this inner work are:
-My deepened awareness of the incredible power of knowing what you want and going after it.
-The joy of Ayin Tova/ literally a good eye or positive thinking.
-Rebbe Nachman’s teaching on Nekudot Tovot- the ability to recognize and give thanks for my good points, thank God for them, and love myself regardless of whether those good points are shining at this moment or not.
-Finally, discovering that Hashem really does love me and only wants good for me.

As you can see, my suffering has turned into a tool for empowering myself, IY”H, to reach my highest potential as a wife, mother, healer, and Jew.

The sickness in my body has also led me to pursue healing with a passion. After trying all kinds of conventional and alternative healing techniques, I have found my path for healing in a combination of a raw living food diet, exercise, Torah, joy, love, and deep inner work.

I myself am a healer and I have a dream of building a healing center in the north of Israel where I live. Through a lot of Divine providence that vision is becoming a reality.

This month I plan to travel for 3 weeks to the Hippocrates Health Institute in the US to participate in their Life Transformation Program. Although it is not easy for me to leave my family, I would rather go now and empower myself to live a jubilant healthy life, than God forbid leave them for a long hospital stay for a liver transplant somewhere down the line. I also want to learn from a successful model of empowering people to attain optimum health through live food, exercise, and positive thinking. And when I return, I want to establish a health center here in Israel based on the Hippocrates Institute model.

Malka still needs to raise $2000 in order to cover the cost of her trip to and treatment at the Hippocrates Health Institute. Click here to make a donation.
Donate

On Yom Kippur, we say Hashem Hu Elokim. Hashem- which is the Supernal name of G-d Who is All Merciful, above nature, and capable of miracles. God is Elokim- a name of G-d referring to His presence in nature. Ain Od Milvado- There is nothing besides Him. God is One and All Powerful, He is present in our everyday lives, and can either use the laws of nature, or go beyond them, to bring about miracles. I have been told that it will take a miracle to bring me the kind of healing that I need.

Chanuka, the time of miracles is coming, and I believe in miracles. Hodu L’Hashem Ki Tov, Ki LaOlam Chasdo- Give thanks to Hashem for He is Good, for His Kindness is everlasting.

Click here to donate to help Malka raise the $2000 she still needs to cover the cost of her trip to and treatment at the Hippocrates Health Institute.
Donate

Checks can be mailed to:
Malka Pais
c/o Dymzarov
4101 Monona Dr. #102
Monona, WI 53716

Malka Pais
Moshav Keshet
Ramat haGolan 12410
Israel

16 comments

  1. Bluma Sheindl

    Malka Sima is truly an inspiration to everyone she comes into contact with. A truth-seeker, she is constantly in dialogue with herself and Hashem–so courageous in her faith-in her humility, so inspiring in her un-self-conscious open heart and, as her weekly chevruta and confidante, I am literally constantly thanking Hashem for her daily. She’s not only bringing down her own dreams, but helping me and all those she comes into contact to have the faith and courage to bring down our dreams too. This world needs Malka Sima bat Mindel Raizel healthy and thriving. Please daven for her and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE consider contributing to her trip to Hippocrates Health Institute (she’s leaving in 3 days) where-G-d Willing–she will receive powerful healing and transformation for her refuah sheleyma for the sake of all of Israel and the world. (She still needs to raise at least $2000) I love you MS!

  2. Bless you! My husband also has Crohn’s disease. We are thankful that he is doing well after a life threatening bowel resection and he now is on Humeria! Humeria is a G-d send! My you find peace and healing Malka!
    Blessings Kelly

    • Dear Kelly,

      Your husband should continue to have a refua sheleima, complete recovery. Thank you for sharing and for your blessings. Love, Malka

  3. I admire you greatly. I understand you will be attending the institute with hopes that you will continue to receive donations. I will continue to talk to people about your story.

  4. Hello Malka….
    I found you through Ketriellah Goldfeder…whom I was blessed to spend a few years with in Boulder.
    I am writing with an invitation to check out another vegan healing option.
    I was a long time raw food person – doing the Anne Wigmore style as taught by Hippocrites for some time – and raw food for 4 plus years. It helped me some AND…now I have transitioned away from it because it really stopped working and started hurting.
    I have found another vegan model offered by Dr. John McDougall – see the website
    http://www.drmcdougall.com/
    From all that I have read it seems like a more long term solution.
    If you are interested in this, please let me know …
    Good luck
    K

    • Dear K,

      I have to admit that in all the years I’ve done raw foods, I am rarely 100%. I looked at the McDougall website and was a bit overwhelmed by all the information. I would love if you want to write me a few points of what the basics of his nutrition program are. My email is 26pais@gmail.com.

      Please send my love to Ketriellah if you are in touch with her.

      Love and Blessings,
      Malka

  5. Leah Hochbaum

    Malka – my son also has all kinds of health issues – including a gi disease similar to Crohn’s. You may want to look into Helminthic Therapy – it may be helpful to your other health issues as well. autoimmunetherapies.com. We have worked with them and it is worth checking out. If you want more info – contact me! Refuah Shelaimah and lots of strength!

    • Thank you Leah! I am in awe of Am Yisrael’s love and concern for one another. Bli neder, I’m going to check out the therapy you suggested. Blessings, Malka

  6. Chana Devorah Schwartz

    Refua sheleima and brachas! I want to share a very successful naturopath/homeopath who is also a homotoxilog and more. I highly recommend him, he is HERE and treats people up North as well as Jerusalem. He gets results. I’ve been to many ‘healers’, only a few really knew how to get to the real roots of the problems & diagnose & properly treat & got results, he is one of them & the best I know alive now. Please try him, he’s very good with digestive disorders & so many other problems. His name is Dr. Boulos, 0547-331-956. He is endorsed by Rabbanim like Rav Lazer Berlind who sends his talmidim to him as well.

    I also have been through health things, was treated & then learned under top Israeli natural doctors (like Prof. Amram Abuchatzeirah z’al) and also do preventative health counseling. Please be in touch & leave a message here if any of you have questions and want to know more about Dr. Boulos or the counseling I offer which is from the teachings of Prof Abuchatzeirah, who was the natural doctor for nearly all the Gedolei haDor of our generation. He was the grand nephew of Baba Sali, and Baba Dovid supported the Prof work and agreed with it’s validity.

    • Hi, can you kindly share about dr boulos , how he works and his success with fertility? Thanks

  7. Chana Devorah Schwartz

    I’d like to add that I’ve sent many people to Dr. Boulos, and all got results that followed through, including an 80 year old woman who had so many food allergies & digestive problems, she could hardly eat anything. She tried many natural doctors & alternatives & nothing helped and she got worse over the years. I finally told her about Dr. Boulos and she tried, and GOT RESULTS!!! She was able to eat more variety of foods and started doing much better than she had in years!
    Dr. Boulos 0547-331-956

    • Dear Chana Devorah,

      thank you for all your care and the recommendation of Dr. Boulos. I’m going to pass it on to a friend as well. When I get back, I may be in touch. Blessings, Malka

  8. Shalom Malka Sima!

    May you be blessed on your healing journey!

    In addition to the loving comments above, there are a few things I feel compelled to share.

    I have heard anecdotes of people finding relief from Crohn’s from medical cannabis. It may not be your path, but it is not a frivolous comment and bears looking into. With friends in the industry, I have learned more than I ever thought I would about the healing power of cannabinoids–my grandma is now using medical cannabis lotion for pain! Personally, it is not my medicine, but the stigma around it conceals it’s powerful healing properties, so I wanted to mention it.

    I also wanted to mention that a raw diet, while cleansing and vitamin rich, has the potential to be depleting as well. Please be mindful of this. There are some animal foods that, when from healthy, pastured animals, can be profoundly healing and nutritive and are irreplaceable in the plant world. This discovery has been a key on my healing journey, so I offer it in the event that it is useful to you.

    Love!
    Satya

    • Satya haYekara,

      It’s so good to “hear” from you. Thank you for sharing your creative ideas. You have always been a source of wisdom. Please come visit when you’re in Israel.

      Love and Blessings,
      Malka

  9. Malka, fellow Big Red you are an inspiration! Wishing you refuah shelayma, may a cure for all these ailments be found, or that they disappear, Hashem can do anything. You are an amazing woman. Do follow up on all the advice offered, we never know who Hashems shaliach is and different cures work for different people with the true Rofeh HaRofim. But you know that. – Esti

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