Oxygen is Life - Cindy Stevens
Do you have Fibromyalgia (FM)? I do. Has it changed your life? It has mine. In 2002 I was told I have Fibromyalgia but there wasn't anything I could do about it. I didn't even know what FM was, how or why I got it or what it was actually doing to me. I lived with it! In 2007 I bottomed out, I quit work and life. I was done! From 2002-2007 I was challenged with many medical issues which could not be explained. In 2007 I met my "savior", a neurologist at Samson Clinic, Dr. Rosenfeld (now in the Carolinas). After multiple tests and extensive blood work, my FM was confirmed. I was told I had hypothyroid (destroyed by my antibodies), I had no hormones, I was deficient in minerals and vitamins and through a sleep study it was determined that my brain does not sleep. I also found out that all the medical issues I had experienced were all to the FM. So, now I knew why I couldn't focus, find my words, make a sentence, became dyslexic, was depressed, couldn't multi-task, couldn't remember names or physically accomplish a simple task (like turning over in bed) and my body hurt and felt as if it were on fire.
Why am I sharing this? Two things, after many trials and errors and time, Dr R. found the right combo of supplements, sleep aids, pain meds, and other measures to bring me back to life. FM never goes away and bouts of stress still leveled me. The mental challenges still existed and I always felt like I had a first degree sunburn. I know this is not life threatening and have felt blessed. I can live with this.
Until recently, I thought I was as good as I was going to get until one day I coincidentally parked in front of Nirvana Hyperbaric Institute - Wellness Center. "What the heck is that?" I asked myself. My husband went next door to get his hand brace adjusted and I ventured into "Nirvana". See, I have been on a mission to find "wellness" for my husband who has Parkinson's and is riddled with pain from 5 back surgeries and 2 recent neck surgeries, one of which left him palsy in his left hand. I was desperate and open for anything.
Here it was!! Oxygen, the very essence of life! Shock and intrigue set in as I learned about the benefits and life changing effects of oxygen therapy. Who would have guessed that the very basic ingredient for life could be used to heal, improve and prevent health issues? An epiphany for me!
My husband is their first Parkinson's patient and after 15 1 1/2 hour treatments in the hyperbaric chamber, there has been marked improvement for him. Through a recent EMG (nerve) study of the damaged C8 nerve and C6-C7 impinged nerves (requiring another surgery), it was found that those nerves were actually recovering - healing! We postponed the recommended surgery and are giving "oxygen" a chance to heal him (oxygen expedites healing). With decreased pain from the neck, he is sleeping at night (huge), no more napping throughout the day, his shuffle has turned into a gait, he's regained mental clarity and focus and can communicate without struggling. OXYGEN! Is the Parkinson's gone? No, but my husband is back! We look forward to more wellness as he continues his treatments (25 total).
As for me, I have been doing EWOT (exercise with oxygen therapy) while my husband is in the chamber. We both then sit in the infrared sauna for 30 minutes, which sweats out the toxins that the oxygen stimulates through treatment. I am a different person mentally and physically! I recently cut back on my sleep meds because oxygen medications work more effectively, I don't need as much. I have so much more energy! I don't know where to start on catching up on life. My pain has subsided and I can actually turn over in bed easily. No more burning and I've been able to deal with stress without crumbling. Most importantly, I can focus, think more clearly and remember what I went into a room for. I have my life back!
I feel we have been given a new lease on life. We have embraced the blessings and joys of every day anyway, but now we are rejoicing in our new found wellness. Oxygen, Nirvana, God - all the same to me.
Cindy Stevens - Solvang 5/18/2011
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