bubbles from the fish tank: May 2008

I am only posting this because I was asked at the conference what I went through. For those who already know, just skip it! I have been pain free since 1/16/08, so feel like I'm on top of the world! I still have some sensations, but it is few and far between. I wish I knew how to link to a document, but don't so here it is...

March 22, 2007

I’m hoping to get this all together. Not just for you, but for others out there who are suffering from this disease and can’t find any information on alternative treatments.

I was diagnosed with RSD/CRPS about 3 months after an injury to my foot. That was in October of 2004. By the time of the diagnosis I was unable to walk for any period of time. I could not wear shoes and had to make socks that would not fit snuggly and were extra warm. I was in searing pain 24/7. I was not able to have anything on the foot that had weight (such as a blanket while sleeping). I was having intense flare-ups after each shower I took due to the difference in temperature of the water and the air hitting my foot. I was feeling heightened pain sensations when I was near any electronics (so much so that we had to take everything out of the bedroom – including the clock) and I could feel when the refrigerator began running even when sitting in a different room.

In a nutshell, I believe RSD afflicts us because our bodies and minds have been overtaxed and our bodies can’t handle any more traumas. One has to stop exposing the body to toxins as well as stop putting things into the body that are hard for the body to process and eliminate. If more good things go into the body and less bad, the body will be able to cleanse and heal. With this in mind, I have done things to cleanse both my body and spirit – to visualize and see myself as whole and able to maintain balance within. I constantly visualize myself doing everything I wish – pain free and without repercussions of those actions. One of the biggest right now is being able to ride bikes with the kids. I see myself able to run around with them at the park without any hesitation. I have certain shoes I feel on my feet in comfort. Sand in between my toes feels soft!

I have tried many things that have failed. Pain killers only helped for a very limited time and did nothing but take the edge off of the pain. They also made it easier for me to do more than I could reasonably expect and I often paid dearly for it. Pain killers did nothing for the swelling and ultra-sensitivity to touch my foot seemed to have. The warm/cold water baths the physical therapist suggested were absolute torture. It took me at least 2 weeks to come down from those flare-ups (I only did it twice). Most of what the physical therapy did was not effective for the disease, but may have helped keep the muscles from total atrophy. I stopped all formal and/or conventional therapies within the first 4 months. I used a special herb blend to take down the swelling called Bio-Inflammatory Plus by Biogenesis. I was able to get these through a nutritionist in the area.

In my meditations (5 minutes before bed is all I have carved out for myself so far) I confirm that I am whole and complete and healing. I am finding the positive mental healing is there if we dwell in it.

There are things I have physically tried that have helped. These are lymphatic drainage, detox-ing via juicing, quantum touch energy healing, craniosacral work and raw foods.

LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE:
Most massage places will have someone that does lymphatic drainage. It’s the only system in our body that doesn’t have its own pump. When I first went in to get the lymphatic drainage massage, the practitioner said my lymph system had a light pulse at the groin, had no pulse at the knee and was trying to go backwards at the foot/ankle. I went to several sessions until the system was going in the right direction. I have since found those mini trampolines. Bouncing (just an inch up and down) create the ‘pump’ for the lymphatic system. I started with 50 bounces every time I went to the restroom. This meant that I was ‘pumping’ my system many times a day. It’s an amazing feeling and you can tell immediately that it is working because your whole body tingles. You don’t need the trampoline, either; it just makes the bouncing easier when you have RSD in your lower extremities.

DETOX-ING VIA JUICING:
The next step I took toward healing is a whole body detox. I first tried the Master Cleanse by Peter Glickman. I recommend you buy the booklet before trying this one. It’s worth the money to have it on hand. I started the Master Cleanse and within 2 hours was vomiting. My body was so overwhelmed with toxic stuff that it couldn’t handle the onslaught of junk in my system. I stopped immediately and looked for a more gentle start to cleansing. I then found a good juicer and started juicing vegetables 2 times a day and eating a vegetarian dinner. I stayed away from sweets and from anything white (flour, pasta, rice and potatoes). The juicer I started with was the Champion, but I have since been using the Green Star Juicer. I highly recommend the Green Star since it does everything you can ask a juicer to do and does it really well. It will also help you if you decide to eat more of a raw diet. The Green Star will also juice leafy greens and wheat grass. I highly recommend the wheat grass juice for its healing qualities. When I began the juice detox, I started with carrot adding in one of the following: fresh ginger, beet, kale, cucumber or celery. I used the carrot as a base for the others, but you may find in your research that you prefer another juicing method. I was on this juice fast for 21 days. Thereafter, I juiced once a day for about a year. I still try and juice at least 3 times a week.

QUANTUM TOUCH:
Quantum touch has changed how I see healing. When I first heard of the workshops, I told Jeff that it was either the biggest and saddest scam ever or it would be exactly what I needed. Quantum touch funnels life force energy (which is all around us) through one person into another in order to heighten the vibration of the one being ‘worked on’. This heightened vibration amps up the healing ability of the receiver’s body. I took the class the weekend before Halloween 2005 and by the end of the workshop I was able to walk and wear my tights and go trick or treating with the boys. I was totally pain free for almost 2 full months. It did come back, but it has never been as intense as it was. I am not able to run energy on myself effectively, but know that I get some healing as I work on others. I choose one person to work on every day (distance healing) and I have a friend I work on every week in person. I do not put limitations on this type of healing. For some, it heals quickly and they have immediate tangible results. For others, it may take more time for the body to heal. This modality can never hurt you and at a minimum will relax you more so you can deal with the pain. Yet it has the potential to completely heal you.

CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY:
This modality has done tremendous things for my body. I can say it has literally changed my body for the better. I have been able to let go of so much emotional baggage through this and feel as if my soul has been lightened of its load. I believe our body holds onto emotions we haven’t dealt with as well as physical things. Our body has cell memory. We have the ability to let our body go back and heal itself until it has returned to its true state. Craniosacral therapy has healed me both emotionally and physically.

RAW FOODS:
I have come a long way from where I started. Most days I am pain free. I get flare-ups when I do too much, do something new that I am not used to, or when my foot gets chilled/cold. I would say I am 85% pain free at this point. Besides the almost 2 months of pain free time mentioned above, I have only been totally pain free while on a 100% raw foods diet. When I came off the raw foods, I could tell immediately that I was no longer on them. The area on my foot that has RSD was sensitive to the touch again and I began to have flare-ups again. I can’t say enough for the raw foods, as I know my health is and has improved. It is a challenge to maintain a 100% raw diet. I have been raw for 2 months solid and am currently trying to get back on it 100%. It takes great dedication, but must be a bit more doable without having to serve others who are not 100% raw! Most people, from what I gather, fall out of the raw habit about 4 times before they are able to stay 100% raw. There is more out there than just salads and the like. Many recipes are available for free and there are some fabulous raw recipe books. It is so worth the time it takes to change. The recipes are often no more work than a regular cooked meal would be, and there are no pots or pans to clean. For equipment, I recommend getting a really good blender (like KTec), a food processor, and a food dehydrator (9 tray if you can find one). All items can be frozen after prep and then eaten throughout the week. I have to stress this – it’s the only time I have been completely pain and sensation free!

I hope this helps those who are looking for something other than the conventional treatment of RSD. I know our bodies can heal themselves and with help we can cure ourselves of horrendous disease. Believe and live in that reality.

In peace.

bubbles from the fish tank

Saturday, May 31, 2008

My healing journey

Things...