Learning and Healing

Posted by twinklev

At this time day after tomorrow I’ll have already changed flights to be on my way to my destination. I’m excited to learn and heal even more. This will be the first time since I was 17 that I’ve flown alone. I’ve been on flights since but never without my husband or children. The last Amtrak I was on derailed outside of Fresno California on the way to Corcoran. Initially that trip would have only been Ozra and I. Husband and Kharisma came at the last minute, Rikki was already in Corcoran with my mom and dad. We only sustained cuts and bruises. I can still remember grabbing for my baby as he tumbled and pushing Kharisma into my husband so he could hold onto her. I was the one injured the most but that was a result of my own actions to be sure the 3 of them would be okay. I never feared pain back then. Perhaps because it was acute pain or injury. I think that was mid 1997. My mom and dad were married in 1998 and this was before that. Ozra and I had taken the train several times from Sacramento to Corcoran. I haven’t been on a train since and within 3 years we’d lose our home and everything we worked for in the prior years to a fire, I’d be injured at work and not give birth to our last child due my own body during physical rehab and the medical mistakes and manipulation that followed.

I’m not afraid to fly. I love flying. ~laughs

Ironically the day I leave California, January 8th (2002) is the anniversary of that loss nearly 12 months after that injury that led to CRPS. Maybe I can finally let it go. Maybe.

I didn’t realize until later what the manipulation was all about and that’s why it’s stayed with me. And that’s why I always believed even when my faith was dangling that I wouldn’t hurt hard forever but I’d have to suffer to get there.

I want to help people feel better and find joy and laughter again. I want to be apart of showing others that there is an option for pain relief in MLT and the Gohl Program and I want to be apart of it in person, not solely online. I don’t want to live online. The internet does give a modicum of life back to people who are otherwise unable to have one. I know because I’ve been one of them. The internet also removes in person interaction and that’s why so many of us become isolated and develop social anxiety disorders. I still can’t drive but there may even be possibility in that again.

I have a lot of work to do to reverse 16 years of physical and emotional deterioration. I also know hard isn’t over yet, but it’s the beginning of living something I really don’t know to feel without pain. I’ve used pain as pain relief, a distraction. Pain diverts pain after all.

Looking forward

Image Source: PJ McClure

Gohl Program | Thank you!

Posted by twinklev

Last year, I can barely recall Christmas. There’s a few pieces and parts, some of it I’m blessed to remember other parts I’m blessed that I’ve forgotten or have chose not to remember.

8 weeks ago I was at the Gohl Program‘s healing retreat in Loomis, California. Sacramento to most people. 5 days of Manual Ligament Therapy, also known as MLT. 16 years after the injury that led to the 2003 diagnosis of CRPS type 2 and subsequent diagnosis’ since.

If you follow my story, you might understand. I’m so proud of my babies and our grandson.

Rikki, Ozra, Kharisma and De’Mantai

This Christmas ..

Thank you Arik Gohl, Dr. Ed Glaser and Monica Depriest.

There wasn’t a cane, or walking stick. No wheel chair, and no laying down in between family affairs of Christmas.

twinklev-rsdcrpsfire-with-grandson-demantai-xayvier-h-xmas-2016

My grandson De’Mantai (‘Tai) and I.

I can’t wait until next year.

Christmas 2016

Posted by twinklev

Christmas 2016- Image Credit- PSDGraphics

The best Christmas I could ever receive is the ability now to use my legs longer, stronger. Longer than just going to the bathroom, more often than just those few minutes at a time. Progress continues. Recovery from pain with the hope to re integrate back into society on a full part time basis. Perhaps one day, full time.Thinking back to the end of August when there really wasn’t any hope left inside me and fear still impacted me greatly. Not because of my legs so much, didn’t think that could be changed as much as it has been, but my spine, neck, arms, my hand(s). How would I do anything losing them? That’s what I had left. In 2013, 4 days after surgery, the second one in a year, I was still trying understand other issues internally. My OBGYN suggested burning the lining off my uterus due to increased thickness. I passed on that and instead chose Nexplanon to control those symptoms. I had it implanted in my left arm so that I could reduce any chance of CRPS spread to my worse side. It worked fairly well until new Ovarian cysts began growing at a rapid rate. I dealt with that with repeated ultra sounds for over half the year in 2015. In 2014 I did though have surgery to replace my internal SCS battery for the next 9 years. Choices. Which was more important. This was. Also in 2015, after a colonoscopy where a polyp was removed from inside there and the diagnosis of Diverticulitis and a few other things, I was suppose to have band ligation surgery to repair those problems. I didn’t have it. I had to have Nexplanon removed due to the cysts. I’ve had ovarian cysts since first discovered during an exploratory laparotomy when I was 22. Not that big of a deal. I did allow that to be recorded and used in teaching hospitals.

I was draining so fast. Physically was one thing already, emotionally became it’s own troublesome dilemma. None of this included family. Husband or children. My husbands recovery from quadruple open heart surgery in December of 2012, or our daughters diagnosis of EHE in 2013 or our sons birth defect diagnosis from Shriners hospital in 2014 or our daughters ongoing appointments at Stanford’s liver transplant clinic, or the other things only a handful of people know at all.

I’ve had 2 documented TBI’s. 1 when I was 17 and the other at the time of the same injury that led to my CRPS diagnosis. In 2013 I was diagnosed by overnight sleep studies with central and obstructive sleep apnea (mixed/complex apnea), cheyne stokes respiration and narcolepsy. I’ve actually had 2 overnight sleep studies and a 2 week at home study using a breathing machine. I was prescribed an ASV unit. Auto Servo Ventilator.

My lower back has been incised twice and my right butt cheek 3 times. Each time over previous incisions. Those things I rarely talk about. Those scars look good though. I sometimes wonder if my belly scar that’s over 25 years old, 10 inches wide or about, torn, and my back scars aren’t contributing to discomfort from scar tissue. Or my belly button due to several laparoscopies over the years and the 4 other tinier scars on my stomach that could be contributing. Maybe not the smaller ones, I have little doubts about my belly and my back because they are front and back to each other. How can anything work right around organs in the space between the scar tissue? I really don’t know. I’ve already had part of my liver removed (2013) and I haven’t had the other lesions on the rest of it checked since. One good thing about the liver is it grows back quickly.

Due to strengthening myself, my internal battery is shifting. It was already fairly low and that’s why I often shift to my left butt cheek when sitting. Otherwise I’m constantly sitting on it. Sore. It’s numb over the scar itself, don’t much feel that, but there’s some intensity outside that area like getting stabbed or socked in the butt all day. I can’t have it checked because I don’t have a provider/physician for my SCS anymore. I have to be careful of abrupt shifting and be mindful not to do anything that will tug the 2 leads on my spine. One of which is center and the other to the right. I also cannot not let it get in the way of healing progress, movement, and all these physical accomplishments.

Earlier this week I took 2 walks 2 days in a row. First time with my daughter Kharisma and grandson De’Mantai. The second time, I was heading off by myself, but took ‘Tai with me. I made it a couple of blocks each way. Without having had MLT (Manual Ligament Therapy) via the Gohl Program, or the custom fit orthotics I might have made that first walk, but wouldn’t have even tried the second. Since summer time, when ‘Tai comes over we do go for a walk. I had already started trying just didn’t get that far. I had to do it around pain being leveled off, not just get up and go. When I had to sit, I’d just plop down on the sidewalk. Ha! Oh and I’m sure my new shoes helped. My feet dislike feeling confined. My toes dislike feeling squished even when they really aren’t.

Yeah it’s good Christmas.

Hoping 2017 becomes a brand new start using all I’ve learned and endured on my path for all the years to come.

Stress’Less

Posted by twinklev

Definitions of stress include the physical pressure, pull, or other force exerted on one thing by another; strain, mental, emotional, or physical strain or tension. In physiology, stress is defined as; a specific response by the body to a stimulus, as fear or pain, that disturbs or interferes with the normal physiological equilibrium of an organism. In medicine: A physical or psychological stimulus that can produce mental tension or physiological reactions that may lead to illness. Stressless is then the opposite of the above, having no stress, without.

Image Credit by Ozra

Included in my letter of resignation to the International Pain Foundation was that “Stress is my weakness” right now. It had become my weakness since January of 2015. I had come to realize a long time ago that stress increased physical pain and uncontrolled physical pain instigated anxiety highs for me. I had struggled on and off with bouts of depression. Prior to this year diagnosed with mild recurrent major depressive disorder secondary to the injury that led to my CRPS and a psych sequela. A confirmed diagnosis of PTSD, which I’ve shared a couple of times over the years, but have not discussed much of. My PTSD isn’t a solo diagnosis for a specific event, but rather multi diagnosis’ for multiple unrelated events.

It’s been a hell of a year! It’s also been heaven! Can you imagine? The best and the worse, the worse and the best happening simultaneously over a short period of time? Next month begins a year since that first night I can’t ever erase from my existence. Valentines Day becomes a year to the day, and the 3rd week in April is the second. I’m really only 8 months forward from it all. I really have a way to go in healing.

I think I’m doing pretty darned good for pain having not been addressed until a few weeks before I tried the Gohl Program (October 24th) and the Manual Ligament Therapy performed by Arik Gohl. After transferring my primary care to the Ellison Ambulatory Care Center and choosing the teaching facility so that students could learn from me and I could learn from them, I was sent to a new pain management facility rather quickly. This though only covered my upper body, not my lower. I was now opposite of what I had endured in the many years prior. I had been covered for my bilateral CRPS and SCS, but not for my upper extremities. I had a CT, learned of what had been occurring with my spine, the several new diagnosis’s, started PT, ended PT and I had 2 cervical steroid injections and decided after the program to cancel the 3rd.

Leaving iPain was abrupt and perhaps shitty, deactivating my Facebook account was also abrupt and spontaneous. Heck, declining followup appointments, injections, and mental health care was also on the spot. I know each of the perceptions that can be considered. 1. I’m reckless. 2. I’m Bipolar. 3. I only considered myself. 4. I’m playing games. 5. I’m crazy. 6. Out of character.

Let me help sort these out. 1. I’m not careless of consequences nor am I irresponsible. 2. I wouldn’t care if I was, but I’m not. 3. I considered everyone in those split seconds, including myself. 4. The only games I like to play are slots. 5. I love my crazy as do many others. 6. Perhaps, though it could have been in character all along.

What does that mean? In character all along? Pain, passion, purpose. Compassion, forgiveness, devotion, appreciation, thankfulness, gratitude,and diversity are all strong traits for me as is compliance, submission, and loyalty. Those can sometimes provoke conflict. But then again, I’m a different kind of duck.

As 2013 ended and I couldn’t change what I needed to, I couldn’t make someone else want to live, take care of themselves, after being given new life, or repair someone else’s frontal lobe from damage, or make tumors disappear in another and I couldn’t change the errors of others from a 2012/2013 healthcare related failure for myself, I rose and fell, but got back up each and every time.

Until I couldn’t, until I didn’t want to anymore.

In 2012 I had my Gall Bladder removed after a painful 20 hour wait in the Emergency Department. Acute or Chronic, the wait was painful. When I was taken back, I was scheduled for surgery immediately. I hemorrhaged during both surgeries a year apart.

I had never felt judgement in healthcare prior to this second removal. I had never been treated adversely or in any judgmental way. Ever!

A month ago, I would have never considered resigning as Advocacy Director and after being apart of iPain 5 years. On the contrary my only vision was remaining indefinitely.

“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” — Dr. Seuss

Fighting for your own life, while already fighting for others, up close and personal others, in addition to advocacy. And not knowing, or understanding, right in the midst of the end, who to choose, what to choose. Me or them. I can still hear the words that slipped from my lips to him that night. I can see it all so vividly and I can hear my own quivering voice say it to him so powerful that..

(Maybe I’ll share the rest of that another time)

But I survived. And then I survived again. And I was pissed! I had to be who someone else wanted me to be.. still. I couldn’t be unwell, not dangling, and make sure that I didn’t disappoint anyone, pretend it never happened because such events are unbecoming of family matters, social knowledge and sometimes even friendships or that online I had to be talked about in whispers and private calls and that would have all been okay as long as the record was correct. All it takes for accuracy is to ask the question. If someone doesn’t wish to answer it still doesn’t mean to create a scenario.

I was negative for all prescribed and illicit drugs, including all those extra’s screened for. I declined pain care by first responders and I declined pain management upon arrival at the hospital.

Consider that I had not been taking pain meds, opioid related, legal or illegal, benzo’s etc, and once injected in the ambulance there would have been no way to prove I had none of these substances in my system. Not even Marijuana. Understand? I don’t regret the 200 ml bottle of Vodka I finished just minutes before those acts of “I’m done!”. Nope!

All I’ve wanted to do is fight. I won’t go looking for confrontation, but if I’m confronted, hands. It’s really not as wrong as it seems. It just means that I protect my space and my ground.

Stress is down. Leveled.

Without, in regards to the internet.

“The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” — Mark Twain

I always knew why, I just didn’t want to know to what extent.

https://rsdadvisory.com/2013/05/18/endoscopic-retrograde-cholangiopancreatography-52113-due-to-gall-bladder-removal-fiasco/

https://rsdadvisory.com/2013/07/17/gall-bladder-fiasco-continued-and-hopefully-the-final-chapter/

Review – Gohl Program | Part 3

Posted by twinklev

Review – Gohl Program | Part 3

By Twinkle VanFleet

It’s time to heal by Kori Leigh

It’s important to understand that MLT isn’t a magic pill we get to swallow and become miraculously cured by. It’s the beginning of curing ourselves. Cure in medicine is defined as:

cure (kyur)
n.

Restoration of health; recovery from disease.
A method or course of treatment used to restore health.
An agent that restores health; a remedy.
cured , cur·ing , cures
To restore a person to health.
To effect a recovery from a disease or disorder.

Remission in Medicine is defined as:

remission re·mis·sion (rĭ-mĭsh’ən)
n.

Abatement or subsiding of the symptoms of a disease.
The period during which the symptoms of a disease abate or subside.

It’s not really difficult to understand that a cure is just as possible as remission can be. How? The answer is simply by restoring a person to health.

“Manual Ligament Therapy (MLT) is a new and original technique created by Arik Gohl. … We have learned that ligaments are a significant source of pain, especially in cases of chronic pain. Until injured ligaments can heal from their underlying dysfunction, muscles will remain in a tense and guarded state.”

I know what you’re thinking. If you have Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy/Complex Regional Pain Syndrome that you’ll forever live a life of pain with potential spreading from the original site of injury to the rest of your body.

It can be true, but it doesn’t have to be. All of those symptoms, burning, allodynia (pain resulting from a stimulus (as a light touch of the skin) which would not normally provoke pain; also : a condition marked by allodynia) hyperalgesia (increased sensitivity to pain or enhanced intensity of pain sensation), hyperesthesia (unusual or pathological sensitivity of the skin or of a particular sense)

I really don’t have either of the above anymore. My body is still learning not to feel sensations of pain while also recognizing those areas that aren’t hurting. If anything its just hyperesthesia I’m working through. Example, sock me and I’ll feel that sensation long after the actual event. Like a repetitive action.

Keep in mind after years of pain, signals misfiring, injuries taking on abnormal healing paths, other areas of my body becoming effected beyond the site of the original injury that I have a main role to play in reversing these abnormalities. I have to reset my perception to pain by reversing all that my body knows, felt, and has learned as a result.

5 days of Manual Ligament Therapy has gotten me to this point. The custom orthotics is correcting every abnormal step I’ve taken since January of 2001.

You might be thinking manual? Yes, you’ll have to be touched, and you’ll have to move areas you’ve stopped using due to RSD/CRPS, chronic pain. This isn’t traditional physical therapy, you’ll actually feel restricted tissue, muscles, and a myofascial release of those symptoms and connective fibrous tissue eased.

What about burning which is the hallmark symptom of RSD? It’s eased the same way.

Currently MLT isn’t a covered therapy under insurance. Like many other integrative, complimentary, or holistic practices, including acupuncture, acupressure and similar therapies which may be beneficial we’re still legislatively working on these options for you.

MLT is non-invasive.

Another healing retreat will be held at the Sheraton Los Angeles International Airport beginning Monday, November 28, 2016. http://www.sheratonlax.com/

The cost for the treatment is $2,500 and doesn’t include travel or hotel. I know it sounds like a lot, but it’s not compared to a single injection or invasive procedure billed to insurance or accumulative and yearly co-pays. For more information please contact Monica Depriest: Monica@gohlprogram.com

I’ll be present also to follow-up on my own therapy.

So with that I look forward to meeting you and hope that you’ll give yourself the opportunity to feel better. Sometimes it takes pain to get rid of it. It’s a process of not only healing but believing in yourselves enough to understand that’s it’s possible rather than impossible and pain being the rest of your lives.

To be continued…

Review – Gohl Program

By Twinkle VanFleet

Part 1 – https://rsdadvisory.com/2016/10/31/review-gohl-program-part-1/

Part 2 – https://rsdadvisory.com/2016/11/06/review-gohl-program-part-2/

Review – Gohl Program | Part 2

Posted by twinklev

Review – Gohl Program | Part 2

By Twinkle VanFleet

Monica Depriest and Arik Gohl picked me up from my son’s home on October 23^rd, 2016. My husband and I had spent the weekend there to take care of our grandson De’Mantai so his mom could enjoy some time away. I had just had a cervical steroid injection. This was my second in 8 weeks. I had only ever had Lumbar Sympathetic Nerve blocks prior and over a dozen of them. I had began with a series of 3 scheduled one week apart in 2006. It had taken 6 years for any treatment other than medication management due to Worker’s Compensation. So that I’m precise rather than confusing, these weren’t denied. Had they been denied I could appeal, instead just stalled and delayed. Since the first 2 series of 3, I’ve had one injection a year since, generally during winter and often times delayed beyond my physician’s control.

We arrived in Loomis California an area outside of Sacramento that evening.

Photos above taken 3 hours apart and the same day as the video below. November 4, 2016.

Admittedly, my body was weak and pain was high, but I hadn’t shared that yet. I tend to go off on my own, and attempt to distract myself when among others. As we arrived, Susie and her son Tommy who has RSD/CRPS, along with her son David had also arrived. Jamie and Spencer arrived later. Jamie Pearson is active in the RSD/CRPS communities, too. Arik’s wife Veronica was amazing and helped us all feel at home. Vero’s hospitality and playful spirit afforded us the ease of being less anxious and at ease among those we didn’t know. Sam Ballentyne licensed therapist and energy healer was also present during the week. Dr. Edward Glaser arrived the next morning. Dr. Glaser is the owner of Sole Supports and an engineer and DPM specializing in Podiatry and Orthotics. Another Podiatrist joined us to observe and all our therapies would begin the morning of October 24th.

16 years. 10 with a permanent Spinal Cord Stimulator (SCS) that hasn’t been turned back on since the morning of the 24th. My only blessing that has been on day in and day out since 2006. The only time it’s ever been off is to either charge a drained battery or to push past 2-3 days to allow my brain to scramble and disguise the pain signals it provided. Our brains realize it’s being tricked. Turning it off let it work better again when turning it back on.

It’s been over a week since returning. I wasn’t suppose to ever be able to do this, at least without added pain or causing a flare-up. Lets see if I can get to the point of running one day. 2 days ago, I was still told I never will.

So what is Manual Ligament Therapy?

Are you still curious? ANATOMY PHYSIOLOGY, PATHOPHYSIOLOGY REVIEW Ligaments: A source of musculoskeletal disorders

Review – Gohl Program | Part 1

By Twinkle VanFleet

https://rsdadvisory.com/2016/10/31/review-gohl-program-part-1/

https://gohlprogram.com/

https://gohlprogram.wordpress.com/

I know you can’t wait to learn more and I can’t wait to share it with you. Stay tuned for Review – Gohl Program | Part 3

In the meantime, here’s Jamie’s story on

Dragonflyy’s Journey

To be Continued…

Review | Gohl Program | Part 1

Posted by twinklev

Review – Gohl Program

By Twinkle VanFleet

Approximately 3 weeks ago I was contacted by Barby Ingle, President of the International Pain Foundation with a program to consider. Barby sent me Dr. Edward Glaser’s phone number and a link to what the program entailed.

Those of you who know me would also know that I had to do more research on the Manual Ligament Therapy (MLT) being offered. I had to learn more! I had to try to understand the concept, and how it might work if it could. It wasn’t just the Gohl Program itself that I researched. I also pulled up each name involved. 3 of which were Dr. Glaser, Arik Gohl, and Dr. Forbes. Then I read up on Monica DePriest and her daughter Haley DePriest who had CRPS and who is well today because of the program and the techniques that Mr. Gohl’s therapy provider her. Testimonials.

http://rsds.org/tag/the-gohl-program/

See how my curiosity piqued even more? We’ve all been told that CRPS/RSD is incurable. We’ve learned that it’s also in our blood not just our bodies. I wasn’t as skeptical as some may have been because I had already, several times, researched techniques involving manual trigger point therapies, acupressure, Chinese medicine techniques and similar holistic treatments dating back to the 1800’s. I had already been treated earlier this year with the Bowen Technique.

I had become so let down by western medicine not being able to relieve my own CRPS, or specifically CRPS Type 2/Causalgia in any way other than by Lumbar Sympathetic Nerve Blocks, medications, and traditional physical therapies that only provided minimal relief, if any, that depressions worsened and hope was nowhere to be found. Since December of 2006 the only steady I had was my Medtronic Spinal Cord Stimulator which reduced or disguised enough symptoms that walking wasn’t as painful as it was prior, and pain medications could be reduced by my choice in the permanent placement.

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: Systemic Complications
CRPS is becoming the great imitator in pain medicine. This article discusses the symptomatology of the disease, including atypical presentations.
By Robert J. Schwartzman, MD

http://www.practicalpainmanagement.com/pain/complex-regional-pain-syndrome-systemic-complications

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Guidelines 4th Edition

CRPS-guidlines-4th-ed-2013-PM

All those things I had accomplished over the years, I found little happiness in. I put on the fake it to make it mask and I wore it quite well. Who would have ever thought that I struggled so badly with suicidal ideations that even my spiritual beliefs couldn’t stop me from wanting to bail on this world.

A mid-metatarsal separation of my right foot (also known as a Lis Franc fracture) January of 2001 in an industrial injury began the last 16 years of uncertainty, loss, rejection, abandonment, failure, and secondary diagnosis’. I still had my upper body though. My hands, fingers, and arms would make up the difference. I could still write type and use social media. In 2009, 9 years after, I got a left foot accelerator pedal installed on our van to be able to drive again. Oh I tried! By that time my left leg was too weak also to drive safely.

I had already had degenerative changes in my spine, but pretended that I didn’t. My legs hurt so bad that it diverted any back pain. 3 years ago my arms started doing things I didn’t understand. Beginning with my left and worsening on the right. By the time I had an EMG my left was reduced and my right just continued to worsen. I’ve never had an EMG or nerve conduction studies on the right side. As 2016 approached the pain in my neck, shoulder, chest, upper and mid back, head, face, the sensations of pulling, tugging, ripping, intense pins and needles, paraesthesia, became so unrelenting that I really couldn’t take it anymore. Bending at the waist started a flare each and every time. I still have to work on that. I had lost feeling in my thumb, forefinger and wrist. My right hand had lost strength.

But wait! I still had my left hand and arm. If I ever needed the gift in being ambidextrous, I would really need it now more than ever to be a part of anything, offline or online.

I had unknowingly believed in hope while other’s told me I was in denial and that I had to accept all those things I wouldn’t be and couldn’t do and would never do. At a higher level of consciousness I saw the light ahead, but was conflicted by the darkness of despair.

I’m already so much better than I’ve ever been in 16 years because of MLT.

I celebrated my 48th birthday while at the program. My son drove my husband to Loomis CA to spend an hour or so with me. First time I’ve been away, on my own, anywhere in 15 years.