Feb 16, 2008

Do you believe in miracles?

I'm not a big believer in miracles, per se. Yes, the sun rising in the morning, flowers blooming in the Spring, the birth of babies, etc., are certainly miracles. But have you ever witnessed a non-nature-related miracle? I have. My daughter has a pinched sciatic nerve. Right after she had her son (almost 2 years ago), she went through a period of agonizing pain. I mean, this girl would get out of her car and stand in my driveway and scream like someone was killing her. She couldn't stand, she couldn't walk, she couldn't sit without screaming. It was absolutely horrible to witness, especially since as a Mom, I wanted to "fix" her and couldn't. She went to doctor after doctor, emergency room after emergency room. They wanted to either pump her full of drugs or push her on to the next doctor. Appointments sometimes took weeks to get. No one seemed to care. Her family suffered. She was not able to take care of her baby son. She missed work. If not for a very understanding boss, she could have lost her job. This dragged on forever and we just could not find any answers or anyone who would help her. Doctors (and nurses in their office) just seemed so heartless and just didn't care that she was absolutely in agony. Honestly, they just did not care. The answer to everything was drugs, and she didn't want drugs because of her past history of drug dependency and abuse. One day when she was exhausted and in shreaking pain, I got on the Internet and looked up every doctor in a 20 mile range. We started calling - one after the other. No one cared. Two weeks to an appointment, a month to an appointment, go to the nearest ER. No one cared. Until Mary made the phone call that literally changed her life. The name of the place is the West Chester Back and Pain Clinic and it was less than 2 miles from my house. At the time, it was in a strip mall and we'd passed it a thousand times and never noticed it. She called and they said "Come right in!". Mary arrived and had to be brought in in a wheelchair, moaning and screaming with pain. Forty-five minutes later, Mary walked out of Dr. Shrickel's office with a smile on her face. The pain was gone. No drugs. No pushing her to the next physician. This doctor stopped the pain then and there. It was a miracle to witness. I can't say enough about a docto who cares and who has compassion for his patients. This doctor actually gave Mary his personal cell phone number in case she needed him OVER THE HOLIDAYS! He opened up his office on New Year's Day for her -- with his children in tow! The funny thing is, our family is not a believer in chiropractors, and if we had known Dr. Shrickel was a chiropractor, Mary would never have gone to him. But we didn't know (fate)... and she did go. And he stopped her pain and made her life livable again. This past week she went through a similar incident. The pain wasn't quite as bad (at least, I didn't hear her screaming, just crying). But when she called Dr. Shrickel, he was away to a conference until Friday! She missed all but one day of work this week because she couldn't sit, couldn't stand, couldn't function. Lo and behold, she got in to see him on Friday afternoon and what do you think? Forty-five minutes later she walked out with a smile on her face. The pain was gone. Before Mary went to her doctor on Friday, I promised myself that if this worked for her a second time, I would make an appointment to see him for my back problems. One time, I said, could have been a fluke. But TWO times -- the man knows what he's doing. So this week I will gladly call for an appointment.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

My sister had sciatica really bad too. One morning she was fine and went to work and by lunchtime she couldn't move. She went to a chiropractor as well and within a week she was up and moving. She still goes periodically for a "tune-up" and if she starts to feel the sciatica returning, she increases the amount of times per week she goes until she feels comfortable again. It's worked wonders for her .....and no drugs. My mother also goes to a chiropractor. Many years ago...maybe 25?....she fell on ice in the driveway and the next day she couldn't move. She went to the chiropractor, and same as my sister, within a week she was mobile and to this day, she still goes for periodic tune-ups! I hope you do make an appt, Joan, and I hope it works for you! After all these years, your back is probably so mis-aligned....it might take a few weeks or even months to get you straightened out but it'll be worth it!

Unknown said...

I'm glad that something finally worked for Mary. I didn't know the story behind all this.

You know, I'm not necessarily a fan of chiropracty either, but if I were in shrieking pain, I would go! This is what chiropracters do-they fit you in right away because you're having bad pain. Is there not another doctor that could have helped her this week so that she didn't have to miss almost a week of work? That is really a shame.

As I'm sure you know, you end up having to keep going to chiropracters. I work with a guy who guys once a month for an adjustment.

But for me, never having had back pain, I feel like I would do whatever was necessary to help it. Of course, chronic pain management through drugs and surgery are the absolute last resort.

Joan J said...

I've actually been to a back specialist, a chiropractor, a massage therapist and probably a few others I don't remember. My problem is that they all want to lay me flat on my back for any treatment, and that will quite literally cripple me for several days. Hopefully, this doctor will understand and have some options for me. If not... well, I'll worry about that after I have my first appointment.

Anonymous said...

HI Sweetie.... I'm so pleased to hear that you will be going to visit a chiropractor. Kimberly (Joan's step-sister) has had back and leg problems forever! While visiting me here in Florida last July, she was in such bad shape that I called my chiropractor and he had her come right in! (They DO care!) She went three more times before she left and hasn't had the same problem since returning to Colorado. Hope you have great results. :-) xo

Kim said...

I used to have severe heartburn and trapped gas pains every single night, so bad that I couldn't sleep. I was on meds and nothing ever seemed to work. A friend suggested chiropractic care - I went 3 times a week for a couple months and the pain is COMPLETELY gone - I now go once a month for adjustments - I can feel when things are starting to get out of whack again. I was sKeptical at first but I highly recommend it.