Gohl Method

Posted by twinklev

I’ve referred to MLT dozens of times over the years. MLT is Manual Ligament Therapy.

The therapies and protocols are what I’ve used to maintain my comorbidities.

Now that video demonstrations are available it’s easier for me to recall some of what I learned, yet had also forgotten. What I mean by forgotten is the specifics to certain movements and stretches.

Spinal pain had been creeping up. I’ve been using an inflatable traction device since yesterday. Since having MLT years ago, I’ve only had a few instances of this. When I attended it was at its worse and it had been ongoing for more than a year.

I had been sent to the physical therapy center for traction of my spine and a few other treatments including heat and manipulation. I underwent cervical injections. The second one I had was the day before the Gohl Method/program healing retreat. (Oct 2016)

In fact, I spent my 48th birthday there. The spinal problems had caused cervical radiculopathy. Part of my right hand, fingers, wrist and forearm are partially numb. The treatment restored loss 9f feeling in my third finger. Its the finger I type and text with. I canceled the 3rd injection.

I was seriously scattered yesterday. Too much pain distorts my thought process. I kept changing my mind all day.

I couldn’t concentrate. I watched and rewatched 2 Spanish lessons, and couldn’t retain a single thing.

Background noise was terrorizing me. Hypersensitivity to sound. My anxiety kept rising.

I wanted to reach a 5 day exercise goal. Then wasn’t going to do it. I thought I had other weeks ahead to accomplish that.

I replaced that with Anterior Body Stretch. I could visually focus as I mirrored the video. That helped me complete it.

My mind kept nagging me, I’m not even kidding, to not miss my music movement therapy and achieve 5 out of 5 days that my fit bit would log as actual exercise not only active minutes.

I rewatched all of the Gohl Method presentations and demonstrations.

The little inspirations fit bit give you. You’re a pro! Ha! 10 minutes is hardly that, but hey, at least it sounds supportive. It would be the first time reaching a 5/5 goal. I did!

Today, so far, stress is lessened. There’s no worry to miss song movement today. I just had to reach that goal!

I’ll repeat anterior stretch, and take it easy.

I really like Abdominal Self Massage, and have been doing this one for years. Not to the full extent of the video though. I use my therapy balls more than my hands, I’ve been doing it hands-on for 2 weeks.

I mentioned in a previous blog I wasn’t taking on anything in 2021 other than increased weights. These therapies don’t count as they are already in progress and therefore will simply continue.

The only thing I can think of that caused or contributed to this flare, or re injury is banging my knee 2 weeks ago tomorrow. It’s still bruised and swollen. It looks like I fell and I didn’t. I dinged it in the doorway coming out of the bathroom. My dog was weaving between my legs, and smack!

That hurt like a bish, but then I didn’t think any more of it. I just thought I was sore and tender because CRPS does that anyway. I hadn’t even noticed the depth of bruising and swelling until the 4th day, when I was getting ready to go with my auntie to Thanksgiving eve prayer service.

It occurred to me some before and more so after rewatching these videos that maybe I threw my posture off and as a result my spine as well, which led to my current state.

I’m really not certain. Random flares occur often enough.

It makes sense to me. I’ve been attempting to repair my poor posture over these last several years, too. I’ve fairly well fixed my breathing issues, which is fast slow, even in my sleep and documented in sleep study reports. I don’t panic breathe, anymore. I’ve avoided hyperventilation.

I pray these methods help others as much as they’ve helped me. I have faith they’ll help even more into the future.

For more information-

https://gohlmethod.com/

Feliz viernes

CRPS, Loss of Care, MLT Memories

Posted by twinklev

A memory came up in my Facebook today that both made me smile and recall all the amazing moments I had after the treatments. MLT is Manual Ligament Therapy and was performed by its creator Arik Gohl. I attended a 5 day healing retreat in October of 2016. 8 months after losing access to CRPS and Spinal Cord Stimulation pain management care. I had a second set of treatments in late December of 2016 and into the beginning of 2017. I went to Tennessee for 2 weeks. While there I also learned some of the MLT techniques which gave me knowledge of the unique therapy and its process.

I was treated for CRPS and Spinal issues. Degenerative Disc Disease, Degenerative Joint Disease, Stenosis, Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, Radiculopathy. Neck, arms, legs, feet, and spine. All of me. I felt like it relieved my Levoscoliosis too. Some say scoliosis doesn’t hurt. It does! We never get treatment for comorbidities in regular health care. The focus is always just one at a time, if there’s any focus at all. Often times care is advertised as treating the “whole person”. I’ve never had a physician treat all of me. And with WC, it’s not even allowed. You’re not even allowed to talk about anything other because each carrier isn’t responsible for the other. Okay, fine! Understood! But shouldn’t each physician at least know your history? It causes errors with our full bodies.

I’ve undergone traditional Physical Therapy many times since the injury that caused CRPS type 2. The longest was nearly 9 months straight 3 times a week after the period of non weigh bearing/ and the surgery to place the lis franc screw to attempt to repair the fracture and dislocation of my right foot. Another surgery to remove it. This year was 2001.

The repeat of this is for the new readers to the this blog and I imagine I’ll repeat in future blogs.

MLT isn’t traditional western physical therapy. Often times these therapies are the same for each patient. MLT is specifically tailored for individual injuries, illnesses, syndromes and conditions and targets pain relief for the specific individual. It was a gentle technique that restored blood flow, reduced edema, minimized discoloration and so much more.

I had my first suicidal hospitalization just a week before being dismissed from my PMD of 12 years. I was fired for being in distress. There’s no other explanation. The physicians assistant was annoyed prior to ever seeing me that day and which had nothing to do with me and her bad day until she stepped into the office. For one she was upset that Medtronic was there and that took space in her schedule. Those appointments have always been scheduled the same way and for 10 consecutive years.

She was also highly upset at me for telling her what happened and how I tried to reach out to them to no avail prior to the suicide attempt. My dismissal letter didn’t say I did anything wrong at all. I had always been in excellent standing and compliance with them. My physician gave me a lumbar sympathetic nerve block just 2 weeks before that. Odd right? The letter stated “patient-physician breakdown.” She wasn’t my physician, she was his PA and he was on vacation at that time. He was also in the process of selling his practice which became final soon after.

Who knows why it all rolled that way.

My second suicidal incident was less that 2 months after that. I was already having a horribly hard time with pain. My appointment that day was the block followup appointment and to have my SCS checked by my Medtronic rep. I never even got to the point of being able to get an xray to check if my leads migrated. Only the check of the battery at the time which seemed to be working. My rep as always was kind. Today there should be 3 years left on the battery yet it hasn’t worked at all in approximately 18 months.

My attorney of 19 years has been no help at all. I’ve met this man in person just a handful of times. My son took me to him in 2018. I was still trying to re establish care. It is Worker’s Comp. I had retained lifetime medical on my foot, which included my SCS. They just wont approve me care. Nor will the lawyer appeal the denial for me.

When my son and I were there he once again referred to my injury as a sprain. It seems each time I see or speak with him he refers back to the original ER report. Soft tissue damage, sprain/strain. That is true. On the day of the injury that’s what my diagnosis was. It was incorrect though. A misdiagnosis at the time. It was a major fracture with torn tendons from the bones. Yet he’s adamant to refer to it as a sprain, still. That makes me look like I’m trying to get care for something mild, old and done with. This has never been done with.

It was relieved though by MLT and I believe with all my heart I could have maintained that relief and progress if I could have gotten care.

We had asked him to either help with care or move forward with cashing out my claim. That way I could pay for my own treatments. He hasn’t done that either.

The memory that came up in my Facebook today was a live video. Because of MLT I was able to skate with my grandson, 11 years old at the time, for the first and only time in his life. He held my hand the entire time. I did fall seconds after getting on the floor. My legs and feet were strong enough for the carpet but not to actually skate. Best of memories, no matter.

Also in that year 2017 and into a little 2018, I attended Church in person, attended my nieces baby shower, a Project Ride event, 2 days of California Advocacy Day at the Capital with the California Chronic Care Coalition and the National Patient Advocacy Foundation. I attended NAMI Walks in 2018 though I didn’t walk. I was able to be there for my 103 year old grandma as she lived her last days and with family as we raised money doing car washes to pay for her final expenses.

These are major blessings, even miracles, I would have never gotten, otherwise. It was definitely a remission from what I had been enduring all those years prior. A remission that western medicine could never offer.

That did entirely end in 2018 as well.

Today I’m still receiving some residual blessings from MLT. At least I’m alive. While I did have another suicidal hospitalization days after returning from Tennessee, I’ve not had any since.

Why, some may wonder, would that happen after relief. I had no other support, I sought follow up help, I was getting messages from people on social media thinking I left my volunteer position for other organizations, pressure. I left because I was in bad shape, and trying so very hard not to be. To be clear that’s not the reason it happened but it sure as hell didn’t help the pile on. Mainly, I had no idea how. How I’d be able to go on. How I’d be able to maintain myself with it all. How.

I both have and haven’t.

I didn’t just go through the cold turkey withdrawal from the various medications I had been taking, pain rose considerably. Cymbalta was the worse.

Now a days, I’m just trying to live all over again. New. It’s limited, no relief to wake up, or end my day, nothing in between other than the natural remedies I’ve learned along the way. They each contain benefit but not enough to take a major edge off a flare or even calm nerve pain damage.

Magnesium, Valerian Root, Ashwagandha for depression and anxiety. Kratom, as needed for pain, Matcha for a boost. Oil of Oregano, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Turmeric/Curcumin, Ginger and Potassium. These are what I use most. There are others dependent on the ailment. I’ll share more about each of these in the coming months.

I’ll continue to tell the above stories as its relevant , but at least I have little emotion over it now. It doesn’t hurt me to tell it.

Today’s goal is to get in my kiddie pool for some water PT. I attempted that yesterday and got no farther than trying to fill it.

Try, try again.

Happy Friday!

12

Posted by twinklev

I’ve talked about weightless water activity and being able to increase movement in my kiddie pool. Today I did 12 girl push ups without water. I reached 5 and I was like OMG that’s enough, but I went for 6 and then I told myself just one more so I did. I reached 8 and knew I should probably stop, but I didn’t. 10! Come on cry baby you can do another one. I did 2 more and 12 was it!

I’m so sore. My right side fingers started pulsating and that arm started throwing a fit. I took some Ibuprofen and then a nap.

Here’s my dilemma. My goal will need to always be 12 now +. Ugh! I know it’s new pain so there isn’t anything negative about it. I know the old pain will sometimes be instigated by pushing myself. I just don’t want to feel like if I don’t make the 12 I’ve gone backwards somehow. I’ve done this to myself several times before. Overdoing new efforts and increasing pain levels as a result. I also put on some Voltaren Gel before I fell asleep.

Last time I increased pain was from spinal movements in both my lumbar and cervical spine. Ouch! That was a little rough. It was about 5 weeks ago I think and lasted a few days. This is why I don’t have the time I want to have in other things offline or online. These routines and movements take up a fair majority of my days and I’m just whooped after.

How many want to even attempt doing things like these or even care to spend much of the day doing it? Hardly no one. Some won’t do 5 minutes a day. It wouldn’t have been my first choice for long term pain stability and the constant efforts in rehabilitating my own body wouldn’t have happened either if after having MLT, a sheet of paper was tossed at me with physical therapy therapies to try to achieve on my own that I couldn’t reach in all that horrible pain. . It’s hard!

Nearly everyone who goes to outpatient PT is sent home with exercises to perform as self therapy. Some people try, others throw it away, a few actually get through those at all and most don’t continue trying because expectations are set up for failure. Some people need help to even be able to move themselves, or parts of themselves. I never in a million years thought I would ever reach any of this. It could be that being forced to by not having any other pain care is what made that difference for me after the Gohl Method.

I don’t want to wither away from any pain or illness and I don’t want my future to be nothing but disabilities. I’ve accomplished something else too in it all. It’s a habit to do these stretches and movements each day without having to remind myself and it’s a habit even when I don’t feel well at all.

This is why I needed a year and why I may need another one before I can be active in advocacy again. I can’t worry about the internet so much right now, time spent here, would be accumulated aches and pains too.

Even those people who didn’t have any pain issues, the working class, end up having pain from sedentary positions. It’s why ergonomic work stations were developed in order to reduce complications in one’s body.

Reducing or removing stress factors are important also because the body itself feels stress as physical pain. Stress isn’t just in the mind. Relaxation, meditation, breathing exercises, a little yoga has all benefited me in the water and out of it.

Easier said than done, I know.

I’m hopeful that eventually energy will increase and I’ll get at least 5 decent years out of it all.

images - beach

Cutting Hair

Posted by twinklev

My anxiety has been a little high over doing something I haven’t done in many years. My husband asked me to cut his hair a couple of weeks ago. I use to cut his hair, our children’s hair, family, I did a few friends as requested. I use to do body piercings for others. I’ve pierced brows, I’ve done Monroe’s, I’ve done bellies, nose etc. That’s something I’ll most likely never do for anyone again. I’ve been asked, I’ve declined. My hand isn’t quite that steady anymore, but I think it’s steady enough to cut his hair.

His hair is really long right now. It’s close to being as long as mine. His hair is curly so the worse result is that any errors will be hidden in shorter curls or would need to be fixed by a professional.

Learning to reduce fears of trying again isn’t always easy, yet to try at all is rewarding. If I wasn’t trying some of these things again, I wouldn’t have ever gotten this far and I doubt I’d get any further.

In pain we stop doing the things that pain prevents us from. We don’t want to hurt more, we don’t want to instigate spreads, or flare ups, we stop using what hurts and we also stop it for the rest of our bodies and the result is deterioration, more diagnoses’, gastrointestinal issues and it’s not all a direct result of originating illness itself. It’s partially due to non use after the fact.

A few months ago, post MLT, the feeling in my middle finger returned, my index finger while arthritic has most of it’s feeling back. It’s just my thumb, inner palm and the part of my wrist that’s connected to my thumb that doesn’t feel fully.

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I wish you all pain eased days and nights.

Sunshine and Nature

Posted by twinklev

I’ve been spending a lot of time outside in the sun in a little kiddie pool soaking up sunshine and nature. I’ve been using my pool to my advantage by doing weightless water movements in order to continue strengthening overall weakness in my body and to keep pain as minimal as I can.

I’m using chia seeds as a holistic and natural approach to pain relief. It’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties have been helpful. I take Magnesium daily also.

I’d cut my internet time down considerably compared to the last several years in order to just take care of me for a little while. I wanted to share love and laugh instead of post only about pain and while it still included it I meant to keep it less than. I wanted to heal myself the best that I could with what I endure because I still don’t have pain management, use any form of pain medication, or receive any other kind of treatments or therapy related to pain.

“Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.” ~Marilyn Monroe

I wanted to share progress in accomplishments since receiving MLT and from continuing to utilize the techniques that I had learned at the Gohl Program. I wanted for people to know I understood their pain because my own physical problems have been many. I wanted you to know there’s possibility in what we end up believing is impossible.

I didn’t want to feel responsible for things I either couldn’t or didn’t provide other people these last few months or more.

As of last night my Facebook is deactivated again. For how long I’m not certain. Maybe a couple of days, maybe longer. My Stronger Than Pain page should have shifted to my son as the sole administrator.

It’s time to head outside for my daily dose of sunshine and nature.

Stronger Than Pain Cover

MLT Update

Posted by twinklev

It’s been 7 months since I first attended the Gohl Program and approximately 4 months since receiving Manual Ligament Therapy (MLT) the second time. The first time my Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type 2 was minimized drastically in pain and symptoms. Remission of sorts. I was able to move and stand better. I could bend my toes and come up on my toes. I came home after the 5 days of treatment and utilized the techniques in stretching I had learned from Mr. Arik Gohl. I was able to bend over and touch my toes. I could still come up on my toes with more ease, and I could dance for moments at a time. These weren’t things I could do on the fly at any time of the day, but rather things I could do as I progressed or had an ability to do at any given moment. Or things I was unable to do at any given moment also.

My spinal issues had still been giving me trouble. Pain wasn’t so much in my back other than strain, but in my right arm, hand, fingers. Numbness, tingling, paresthesia. Medical Definition of paresthesia. : a sensation of pricking, tingling, or creeping on the skin having no objective cause and usually associated with injury or irritation of a sensory nerve or nerve root. I wasn’t only experiencing creepy crawlers but intense and moderate to severely painful buzzing that would begin with tightening and pique with an intensity often hard to bear before decreasing. A crippling sensation as my entire arm would lock up for the duration of the symptom. This occurred every few minutes all day and all night long for over a year. I had finally received a cervical injection for C6 and C7 Cervical Radiculopathy. I had the second injection the day before Arik Gohl and Monica Depriest of the Gohl Program picked me up for the healing retreat. I had never met them before. I had also just learned 2 months prior that my CT results listed lost of disc height, Levoscoliosis, Spondylosis, Osteophytes and other spinal deteriorations. I’ve had bone spurs in my right foot and ankle for many years (2003 MRI), my spine I had no idea. Osteophytes are a bony outgrowth associated with the degeneration of cartilage at joints. I knew I had degenerative disc disease upon an imagining diagnosis in my mid to late 30’s. By January of 2016 I had so much physical pain compiled on me, and without pain related treatment or medications that I failed myself in being able to apply my coping strategies I had learned, wrote about and had shared for others years before. My CT had revealed C4-5-6-7 issues. I’ve known I’ve had Osteo for many years but I didn’t have treatment for it.

There wasn’t anything I could do for myself anymore. In that I mean I couldn’t get pain down enough to even try. I continued to dangle on the edge. I had always been willing to try. I tried so many times over the years for bilateral CRPS.

And then I had MLT.

The therapy literally saved my life.

It brought my pain down so much that I was able to become active in my own healing again. I had no one to rely on in healthcare, nothing to relieve pain, nothing to stop my head from spinning over pain. I lost the ability to survive. I went through motions of living, but I had already died inside.

To this day I haven’t stopped my routines in keeping my flesh, my body from becoming so restricted again. Fascia, all that fibrous tissue, connective tissue, bone pain, crps pain, spinal pain. I’ve kept my own pain levels stable.

Check out all these success stories

Gohl Program TV

Gohl Program Webinar – Chronic Pain

Gohl Program Webinar with Monica Depriest

Twinkle V Case Study Documentation

Twinkle V. – RSD/CRPS, Spinal DJD, Generalized Chronic Pain (Full- before and after treatment sessions)

I can’t even watch those videos because I don’t want to be that person. That’s a lot of pain to see myself in because I know how I really felt arriving there. I don’t even look like that anymore and it only took 7 months. I can’t wait until the 1 year mark which will be on my 49th birthday. I celebrated my 48th while attending the Gohl Program healing retreat in October of 2016. I hope that turning 50 becomes everything (or something) that my 30’s and 40’s should have been.

I know that it’s difficult for some to believe how far I’ve come in such little time. I also had a new injury to my right foot which is a month old today. It did cause a setback in my overall progress yet I retained progress in other areas of my body, mind and spirit during it’s healing time. Even in this injury I didn’t take or have access to any pain medication other than having used the topical Voltaren Gel, Epsom’s soaks and ice. Yes ice! I had not used ice since PT in 2002 for the fairly severe injury in January of 2001 which led to CRPS Type 2/Causalgia. This time began almost immediately desensitizing as not to allow a reversal of progress back to full blown CRPS symptoms. I began wiggling my toes the best that I could again. I’m on my road to recovering that foot once more.

My YouTube videos I’ve chosen intentionally to do raw and real for whatever day it is, moment of the day, pain, progress, humor, sorrow. Same with Facebook videos. There isn’t any reason to disguise myself beyond what I am at that moment.

This year is healing for me. I already dropped out of most advocacy related volunteering and awareness activities toward the end of last year. I’ve remained a Medtronic Patient Ambassador which I’ve been since 2015. I’ve attended training webinars, and I represent and support the Gohl Program.

Aside from these I just want to live, love and remain free right now. Find myself, learn myself, laugh and smile as much as this life can offer. 16 years of nothing but pain, disability, uncertainty, loss, lack of access to care, suffering and suicidal actions changed me.

While living keeps throwing it’s obstacles at me, I’m able to get through them better. Yes there are days movement is harder, of course there are moments when a pain rises for a few. While my Spinal Cord Stimulator leveled my legs out, my upper body had no relief. I lived at a 7 with 8-9’s too often. I fell over the edge at 10.

I haven’t been above a 7 at all. When I have been it was a combination of causing my own acute pain from rebuilding bodily deterioration, or from unrelated belly issues. I’ve held well between 2-5. 5 meaning issues not CRPS and my new injury was decently painful at onset.

Can you imagine living in nothing but physical pain and being able to survive it without medication management for pain? I have. Easy? Not at all. It’s been 15-16 months since I’ve had any. It’s turned out to be so very worth it.

I couldn’t have done this without MLT, Arik Gohl, Dr. Vero Lizarraga, Mr. Warren Gohl, Monica Depriest, Dr. Ed Glaser and the after care tools that I’ve continued to provide myself on a daily basis.

blessing-clipart-god-s-blessings-clipart-1

MLT Revolution – Gohl Program

Posted by twinklev

Why Ligaments? Ligaments, there are over 900 in the body, are very sensitive to all kinds of movement and stresses such as environmental (Gravity), physical, and emotional. In some research studies, ligaments have been shown to have many times more sensitivity than our skin!With this sensitivity, ligaments are able to coordinate all the contractions and de-contractions necessary to provide us with the movements of our body and its systems. When they are stressed through injury at physical or even emotional levels, the ligaments direct our nervous system to contract areas of our bodies to protect the vital organs as well as the site of an injury.This is a great thing in the first few days but unfortunately, because ligaments have very low blood supply, they do not heal well and often remain in a state of stress thereby continuing to tell the nervous system to protect the body. And this is where the not so good things start to compound and our bodies begin to suffer pain, spasm, and even systemic problems as it tries to find balance under stress.Getting to the sourceMLT directly interacts with ligaments in a very gentle and non-invasive way. Using very light finger pressure on certain ligaments throughout the body, MLT is able to correct the cycle of stress and contraction-inducing signals the ligaments are sending to the nervous system. The effect only takes just a few seconds but the outcome can be dramatic. This is because instead of focusing on the muscles which are only doing what the ligaments are influencing, MLT focuses on the source of what the problem was to begin with, the sensitive and influential nature of the ligaments.

MLT Founder

Arik Warren Gohl has been a clinical manual therapist since 1999. In the years since graduating, he has developed numerous clinical practices and curriculums for Physical Therapists, Massage Therapists, and Chiropractors.

In the past 12 years, Arik has become well known for creating a new type of treatment called Manual Ligament Therapy (MLT) and has been endorsed by some of the most respected researchers and doctors in the world, including Dr. Moshe Solomonow PhD and Dr. Edward Glaser, owner of Sole Supports orthotics.

In his time as a therapist, Arik has continued to seek new and more effective ways to treat difficult conditions with an advanced combination of modalities including dynamic stretching, movement re-education, and manual therapies. The end result is his protocols are able to resolve both simple and difficult conditions in a fraction of the time it would normally take in conventional physical rehabilitation.

For this, he has an international reputation as a sought out clinician for those suffering all levels of symptoms, as well as being respected as an educator of advanced subject matter such as neuro-ligament sciences.

Currently Arik owns a Physical Therapy clinic in Guadalajara, Mexico which has become the “go-to” clinic for patients of all varieties as well as some of the best athletes in the country. In addition, Arik has recently teamed up with Dr. Edward Glaser of Sole Supports orthotics to focus on the treatment of the debilitating condition known as Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome (RSDS) with the goal of providing a non-invasive, non-surgical resolution for the disorder.

View Original Source: MLT Revolution – Gohl Program

New Injuries After CRPS

Posted by twinklev

Tonight begins the 3rd day since I re injured my right foot. Any number of reasons could have been the cause. For one, I’ve been somewhat overdoing myself in healing, progress and maintaining pain levels. I refused to miss doing my stretches, or routine, even when I caused myself pain unrelated to any illness or injury. Pain that was a result of not moving or using muscles and bones for too many years. A good pain even if it hurt because no matter it was progress forward. I’ve re injured myself several times over the years and always with the same result in flareups and associated issues. Until the Gohl Program.

Another reason could have been that I’m so tired I was just absent minded to make the step I intended to, another could be I had just gotten off the slider not long before and my back was sore and my knees wobbly. That’s why I left it down in the first place. I wasn’t finished using it. I’m still fairly weak and don’t do big sets at once. I learned my lesson already. Mostly. I mis judged stepping over the bottom metal leg of the machine as I moved toward the doorway and as a result stepped entirely on it with all my weight, left hand grabbing the dresser to keep me from falling, and my foot was still on it. My entire right side was heavy on it.

While both the bottom and top is bruised it’s the bottom that’s worse. When I weight bear the knot on the bottom presses into the ground and the rest of the knot in the center pushes upward through to the top. (insert potty mouth words) but I’m still walking on it.

Normally people with RSD or CRPS wouldn’t use ice. I did. I’m getting rid of my worries and hurts and I can’t let using an ice pack be one of them. Not at this point. I didn’t have any adverse reactions. I did put a dry wash cloth between it and my skin. Voila! No problem.

Bending my toes isn’t happening right now. I’ve manually bent them. You know like how the 5 little piggies went to the market. Anyway, I’m not kidding.

I sometimes miss that quarter beat. In other words, I’ve never been a whole note. Ha!

Of course it’s something that’s a total bummer. Especially after having worked so hard these last 6 months.

It’s going to be most interesting to find out how long it takes to recover and be standing on my toes again.

As it heals from where it is now, I’ll keep working with my upper body and spine. Once the bruising and swelling comes down I’ll know better how much of a setback it may have caused. I do have a soft back support brace on now and it’s only so that my spine doesn’t shift as I’m unable to walk right. I’m minimizing anything that can get in my way of continued healing and anything that can cause the injury to want to get out of line.

I’ve come way too far and fairly fast after 16 years to fall behind now. I can’t stop, I’m obsessed, or maybe possessed. Both?

I helped my husband carry in bags from the car today when he asked for my help. That could go 2 ways. Either why would he even have asked knowing I hurt myself or I could be glad I got myself up to do it even so. I could have said no? I’ll stick with being glad.

I’ll re ice again today. Yep, I’m starting over it a way, but I’m not starting all over from last year. That foot has had tendons and ligaments torn off bones, chip fractures, entrapment’s, surgeries, scars, dings and much more. CRPS, Achilles tendinitis, arthritis, osteo, heel spurs, plantar fasciitis, etc and so forth.

Looking forward to learning how fast I can reverse and heal from another new injury to a CRPS extremity using post MLT routines.

I’m keeping a log and photos. I’ll share any delays or progress.

All I need to know now is who has the voodoo doll?

220px-Poupée_vaudou - image source- wikipedia

Understanding My Truth

Posted by twinklev

As I approach my truth from an entirely different perspective, I’ve realized how much I overcame from the beginning. The very beginning. I had always known that I had survived inside my mom even after she lost my afterbirth during her 6th month of pregnancy. This is also known as Placental Abruption. I’ve always known that it was suggested I may be born physically and mentally handicap. I later learned what my dad and grandma had been told by the doctor. I’ve always known that I was lucky to have been born into this world at all. There’s an overwhelming sense of peace in learning what I hadn’t understood before in the “could have been or should have been” aspect of me. I always knew I was different from all the kids or adults I had ever known. I’ve always been quite quirky. My mom had always referred to me as perfect. She would say it to me over and over again as I grew and she would tell others that I was as well. It was a standard no one could live up to. In my 20’s I told her to stop saying that to me. I never had any leeway for mistakes and my personality type while A became mixed with other types and traits. My mom and I were extremely close when I was little and my dad was a hard father. I was always held to expectations I never thought I could reach. Both of them couldn’t have raised me any better. I love them for that. I was born seemingly fine, outside of any hard defects and was full term. I was a forceps delivery. I understand now why she told me how perfect I was. I would tell my “different” baby that too. I knew I was born with arthritis and ailments of the neck/spine, but I really didn’t know myself different in that aspect because being born a certain way becomes you. I’ve always had hearing loss, but again because I’ve never been able to hear any other way, I don’t know it to be unusual. My tone of voice as well as the tones I hear are unique. The only time I can tell my hearing is off a little is dependent on frequency and vibrations around me. Sometimes I get louder when sounds are louder. My own voice becomes distorted in my ears by pitch around me. Second grade or about 6 years old is when we learned about my hearing loss. Before that while in the first grade and at another school, I can still vividly remember having to go to speech therapy because I didn’t talk right, or pronounce words correctly. I was a little slow. In that I mean that I was delayed in some learning abilities yet I was also extremely bright at the same time. I was wearing glasses in my second grade photos. I woke up one day in that same year and never needed them again until prescribed for the second time when I was in my early 30’s. I was reading well by the time I was 5 and writing poetry and stories by 7. My ability to walk when I first began was a bit off. I didn’t know that until I listened to my mom tell Dr. Ed Glaser of Sole Supports and the Gohl Program while in Tennessee a few months back. I can still remember my pediatrician always messing with my legs even when my sister didn’t get her legs tested? at our checkups. I’ve always been drained of energy. I’ve always slept too much. My normalcy wasn’t consistent, but neither was my little impairments. Tiny jerks, dozing, sudden lapses, momentary confusion, knowing to go left, or being directed to, and starting to go right. Breathing has always been a problem for me. Not because of any direct lung issues but because of forgetting that I’m suppose to.

This past week I had another Pulmonary Function test. I was asked if I was born premature, I said no. The question was asked in regards to Central Sleep Apnea and the high amount of central events that my last sleep studies revealed from 2012 and 2013. 51 in an hour. The events aren’t recorded as an episode unless one doesn’t breathe for either 6 or 10 seconds at a time, I can’t recall at the moment which for certain. I had 28 Obstructive events in the same hour. I was placed on an Auto Servo Ventilator by RESMED/Philips. The exact model is here. I quit using my breathing machine some time ago, after my decline in pain management.

I’ve had the aches and pains all my life, but I couldn’t show it. I learned to disassociate myself with anything disabled because I was able. So I held it.

It’s been quite a journey and all I know for certain is that I am product of fetal brain damage, I haven’t been able to breathe since inside my mother and I doze/dream/sleep/awaken different than most.

My mom didn’t do anything wrong in her pregnancy in regards to each reason that can cause CP. There are only 2 that would apply to her as a cause. 1. Multiple pregnancies (carrying more than one baby) and 2. Injury (as in a car accident, etc).

In a recent Facebook post I said

Twinkle VanFleet

“I never believed that disabled children (as you will) should be treated and raised disabled. I believed that they should be nurtured and supported to thrive, loved. I believed that they didn’t need the world on them to judge them. I believed from somewhere deep down inside that “and I posted this to my own son when he was diagnosed finally with a birth defect” I said “Go on as if you never knew you had it”. As I get closer to my truth, I understand why I have those beliefs in me. And I’m okay that.

You’re baby can’t crawl? Don’t put the toy closer, make her/him reach for it. I promise you, most babies will. You’re teenager need a wheelchair, don’t! As a parent you want to ease them, you’ll also cripple them further. You’re kids can’t play sports? Yes they can. It doesn’t matter how slow they are, might be, could be,, it matters that they are playing with everyone else.

I’m not talking about the babies that had to have the wheels in the first place. Had to. Feeding tubes, hard physical/mental. I’m talking about everyone who becomes disabled as a result of not just the illness but the parents who bring them up that way. I was blessed. So blessed that mine didn’t. And I never knew. I didn’t want to know, as it lingered inside me, but you know what? I came up from places no kids will never be. Most babies born like that, or I was, haven’t ever reached my potential. Lauren Wood you were a hard daddy, who loved, but didn’t ever let me be anything other than what you believed me to be, Melody Wood Tresca you are a loving mama, the both of you did right by me. I love you for that.”

I never could see/feel things that most others did. Ethnicity, lifestyles, people, color, differences, etc. I didn’t know if that was natures blessing on me, compassion, or…

One of my friends said to me not long ago, she was telling me about her husband and physical changes, hair. I’ve known them for a long time, I’ve met them in person, and have seen them live. I never realized that he was experiencing what she was describing. I never saw that even though it was right in front of me. To be honest, I had to go pull a recent video to see.

I’ve always loved learning, I can’t get enough. I’ve always loved teaching and passing on what I learn. The last 6 months have been healing on so many levels. I started to want to force people to dislike me because I never really felt accepted right, wrong, or indifferent. There always had to be something I had done wrong even when all I knew was that I hadn’t.

I don’t think it would have made a difference that the world knew my brain is faulty. The problem wasn’t with me it was with humanity, judgement and perception.

Life, love, liberty, lessons,
Faith, trust, intense, impressions,
Hope, laughter, healing, rain,
Cleansing, blessings, clearing pain.
©2017 Twinkle VanFleet

“The placenta nourishes a growing fetus. If it is compromised, such as in placental abruption, the unborn baby may be deprived of oxygen. This can cause stillbirths, premature births, or future growth problems. Oxygen deprivation can also cause brain damage, including cerebral palsy.

When a baby’s brain is deprived of oxygen during pregnancy or birth, parts of the brain may begin to die. This sort of brain damage can result in developmental problems, motor skill issues, and other symptoms of cerebral palsy later in life.” http://cpfamilynetwork.org/placental-abruption/

To be continued

PDF- https://www.gstatic.com/healthricherkp/pdf/cerebral_palsy.pdf

Cerebral Palsy Guide https://www.cerebralpalsyguide.com/cerebral-palsy/

What is Cerebral Palsy https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Hope-Through-Research/Cerebral-Palsy-Hope-Through-Research

Definition of Cerebral Palsy http://www.cerebralpalsy.org/about-cerebral-palsy/definition

Fetal Asphyxia https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9683410

Review – Gohl Program | Part 4

Posted by twinklev

Review – Gohl Program | Part 4

believe

It’s not yet been 6 months since first attending the Gohl Program healing retreat. Let me begin by saying that your journey is yours in pain; my journey is now mine from pain. Nearly all of us share, raise awareness, learn, teach and offer support to others. Many belong to or own groups, websites, blogs, are a not for profit or are a part of nonprofit organizations or businesses doing the same. My main goal is sharing my progress and healing after receiving Manual Ligament Therapy to proffer hope where hope had no longer existed for me. To share this option for chronic pain relief, testimonials, webinars, case studies, until people believe impossibles are possible. While everything I’m doing now may not be directly related to the Gohl Program it is because of it. An example would be the use of fresh herbs for their medicinal properties instead of the use of Over the Counter medications. The Gohl Program didn’t tell me to go home and do these things. I chose to continue the holistic course I had already begun as part of my overall healing experience.

On February 26, I shared to Facebook:

February 26 •
#MLT #Fact = In what became 4 months (2 days ago) since my first treatment session at the Gohl Program Arik Gohl, I’ve been able to:
1. Move my toes
2. Bend over to touch my toes
3. Raise my legs
4. Walk without assistance, or needing to stop a few steps later.
5. Walk to the store (A couple of blocks, each way)
6. Dance
7. Sleep better
8. Re quit Gabapentin and Cymbalta
9. Squat
10. Adjust my spine to better alignment when sitting, laying down and standing.
11. My Spinal Cord Stimulator has been off since hours before my first session on October 24, 2016.
12. Did I mention dance?
13. Regain strength in my upper right extremities. Raise my arm, move my shoulder.
14. Since my last treatment in January of 2017, I’ve been able to regain better use of my right hand and fingers.
15. Belly flares (Diverticulitis, Gastritis, Kidney, Liver, etc, general inflammation and associated pain) has been reduced in the duration of time and discomfort associated with those diagnosis’ and symptoms prior to treatments.
16. I skated with my Grandson for the first time in his 11 years of life on February 18, 2017.
17. I’m not prescribed opioid pain relievers (nor have I had any since February of 2016)
18. Mr. Arik Gohl, Mr. Warren Gohl, Dr. Edward Glaser, Dr. Veronica Lizarraga, Ms. Monica Depriest, the Gohl Program and MLT literally saved my life.
19. I’m living 16 years later without pain being a constant physical and emotional reminder of what I couldn’t do, shouldn’t do or would never do.
20. I’ll never quit again.
~Twinkle V.

On March 4th:

March 4 at 12:57am •
After a fairly intense moment with the dad Mr. Warren Gohl, Arik Gohl’s father, who I’ve been blessed by, I left my emotional garbage in a rock filled parking lot in Tennessee. I left the beginning, I left iPain, I left my Facebook deactivation and the reasons why, I left advocacy and awareness for which it was, I left the medical mistakes, I left the pain I caused my children, I left thinking I wasn’t a good wife anymore, I left the hurt of believing I would never be anything more than I was and that I wouldn’t go any farther than I had. I left the gossip and the whispers. I left caring too much. I left being a pain person. I left the end of it all and a new beginning was born. Because of that my path was paved in a new direction, and if I worked for it, I could be free of all that it had been and find peace in a forever where pain wasn’t my captor anymore, but instead a reminder that if I hadn’t endured all that I had physically and mentally, I’d never be right here, right now.
There’s no other place I’d rather be.
Can’t never could do anything anyway.

On April 3rd:
April 3 at 7:50pm •
There has only been 4 years scattered among the last 17 that I haven’t had major surgery, procedures, or blocks. There’s been several times over the last few years that I was cut cold turkey off of medications and went through hard withdrawal. No opioid withdrawal, just an increase in pain as a result. I’ve had other major surgeries prior to #CRPS, one of which kept me out of work for 3 months. I never filed for State Disability. I went back to work as soon as I was cleared to. After #CRPS I still fought by butt off to beat it enough to manage and the secondaries began and my entire being was overcome with all of it. Finally dropping out of the healthcare system was the best thing I ever did. No one asked me to, no one told me to. The stress itself of waiting on authorizations, scheduling, how to get to an appointment, who to rely on, all interfered with more than they helped my ability to cope. And I know many of you go through the same thing. We dwell on the unknown and that in turn raises physical pain. Physical pain then instigates stress and emotions and you can’t ever get out of it. Until you understand that you can.
No one wants to believe in anything other than surgeries that rarely heal us. Especially if we can’t do the followup care for ourselves for them to be successful. Few want to believe in anything other than pain medications and I know if it’s all you have, it’s all you have to survive and I understand that more than you may realize. People lose themselves to pain. You all have one way or the other. Few are taught basic techniques for self care, and healing,
I talk about stretching and people freak out. I talk about the decrease in my own pain and people think I couldn’t have ever been as they are. I talk about progress, everyone wants to know how, but then can’t believe in it. Not even as an option to share.
If you can suspend your disbelief long enough you might get at least part of it in the overall meaning of what we’re all capable of doing for ourselves or with the assistance of a caregiver until we can. When you have an open mind, you learn. Closed minds leave us right where we are in any circumstance.
I was heading for reconstructive spinal surgery. I was already scheduled for banding ligation, and I cancelled my last cervical spine injection.
I chose to go off the last 2 medications I had only restarted the month prior to receiving #MLT. The program didn’t ask me to, or imply that I had to. I quit Gabapentin so that I could feel any changes without something overshadowing it.
I quit Cymbalta so that I could just be me.
How could I do all this?
GohlProgram.com
Since the first post containing the 20 points, I’ve also began using a stationary bike, I worked myself up from light stretching to being able to do another exercise/stretch to strengthen my neck, shoulders, back, stomach, legs, arms and hands. These stretches and techniques were directly taught to me by Mr. Arik Gohl and are not what is taught or expected in traditional physical therapy. Traditional PT is often unrealistic with exercise or stretching prescribed that is beyond an expectation to succeed. Rather, most patients are set up to fail and because of this many never recover.

On the query “Do tendons feel pain”
Answer: Most people feel a general achiness, stiffness, and pain. Symptoms can occur throughout the body. Any soft tissue (muscles, tendons, and ligaments) may be affected.

There are over 900 ligaments in the human body and more than 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments in the foot alone.

If you can imagine then that when our feet are properly aligned and supported solesupports.com and when our feet and body is relieved with Manual Ligament Therapy that chronic pain conditions can be eased, cured, or that remission really is possible even in the most complicated cases.

I said cure didn’t I? Cure the word that’s become taboo when it comes to the supposedly incurable. Trust me, if someone threw around the word cure to me, I probably wouldn’t have believed, but I would have looked into it. If I knew someone that went from 0 to living I’d be watching and listening intently on their progress, setbacks, or healing.

I did that with Ketamine. I seen results and so I wanted to for myself. I just never had that opportunity. Now I’m glad that I didn’t. 1. I would have had another chemical in my body. 2. I may have come to rely on it. 3. Its hard having relief of any kind and having it either taken away or become unavailable again. With the Gohl Program there isn’t any taking away because it’s up to you whether you do or don’t after the treatments.

I imagine that I’m in a time where healthcare as we know it now doesn’t exist. I imagine what I would do for myself to live through colds; flu’s, promote healing in injuries, acute or chronic pain and I remember that it wasn’t even so long ago that my own pediatrician who was also my children’s pediatrician always suggested Ginger ale when we were sick. Something I rarely or if at all hear of anymore. Ginger, or ginger ale, relieves colds, flu’s and pain. I use ginger often for its anti inflammatory effects.

I imagine that if I wanted to live through the worse I’d have to find a way by being responsible for myself and my own well being whether it be living off the land, using home remedies, and moving myself even when it hurt that I could survive.

I’ve found that way through the Gohl Program. I hope I can show you the way, too.
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/
Part 3 – https://rsdadvisory.com/2016/11/08/review-gohl-program-part-3/