Stories from the Heart
We get so many heartfelt stories and letters of appreciation flooding in, yet it is we who have to thank you for the opportunity to serve you. Stories from the Heart provides a way from us to share some of patients' experiences with others.
A Cure for Cerebral Palsy?
My name is Chris D., and I have “CP.” I am a 27 year old male who was born with spastic quadriplegia cerebral palsy. At birth, I suffered from: Perinatal asphyxia with shock, respiratory failure, ncephalopathy with seizures, bilateral pneumothoraces, and a depressed skull fracture. The doctors said that I wouldn’t make it through my first night; however, after surgery to elevate the skull fracture and spending 15 days in the hospital mostly in intensive care, I went home with a guarded future. Growing up, my mother was my greatest advocate, as I was actively involved in an early intervention program along with private therapies and daily home exercises. From the age of ten months, I was busy with physical therapy, occupational therapy, therapeutic horseback riding, swim therapy, and speech therapy.
As I grew up, the therapists were continually amazed at my progress. It was little by little, but people with a neurological disease such as “CP” do not deteriorate nor do they improve beyond a certain point. Yes, these improvements along with the fact that I am breathing is in itself a miracle, but I was a long way from being “cured” or “normal” which to most experts in the field would be a preposterous goal. To paraphrase a well-respected neurologist, “You’re doing great. What more could you want?”
This was the first professional in the field that I sought out as an adult when I hit a brick wall. In the last 15 years, I became more and more involved in the equestrian world to the point where I was teaching some of my childhood riding instructors. This was great, but it would not be enough it in my pursuit in the art of classical dressage. Dressage is an equestrian sport, and at its highest level, it becomes an art. It requires balance, coordination, strength, and mental concentration just to name a few necessary qualities a good rider must possess.
My doctor referred me to a neurologist who didn’t see what my concern was considering how well I was functioning taking Baclofen which I had gradually increased up to 100mg. I realized then that I wasn’t going to find my answers in the traditional medical field.
My riding instructor Darla, who was a certified riding instructor with NARHA and a program director at a local therapeutic riding program, always taught me to look past my limitations and encouraged me to never stop growing and learning. A friend at my riding stables had recently experienced great success with a massage therapist, and Darla thought it would be good if I gave it a try. I thought, “Well, it will make me feel good, but what can this person do to help someone with “CP”?
From my first visit with Dr. Phil Meyer, of La Gianna, it was an experience unlike anything I had ever experienced. At the time, he was about to graduate from Chiropractic school, but he was more than just a traditional Chiropractor or massage therapist. Dr. Meyer is always looking for new ways to help people by studying many different techniques, such as, learning with neurological chiropractors, the Feldenkrais Method, and chiropractic kinesiology.
It was amazing how this helped my riding. After years of hearing Darla tell me to “open my thighs” so the horse could use his back, my thighs were looser and my entire body wasn’t so tight. Despite my initial skepticism, I was now sold. I continued working with Phil and explored Feldenkrais for the next two and a half months until I moved to Virginia.
In this short period of time, I had improved my riding and overall quality of life more than all the work I had done for years on and off of horses. I have since recommended Dr. Meyer to many who need help improving their physical bodies.
After relating to Darla how great my last treatment was with Phil, she said that he reminded her of a woman named Sharon Weiselfish who she had worked with at a NARHA (North American Riding Association) conference 15 years earlier. She remembered how this woman helped two people after just one treatment. One was a wheel-chair bound individual who was now able to walk, and the second was a baby who now was able to sleep despite previously suffering with incessant crying and an inability to sleep. I wasn’t sure if there was any exaggeration in this story or not, but after my experience with Phil, I was bound and determined to find this Sharon.
After a little research on the internet, I found that Sharon Weiselfish was now Sharon Giammatteo, Ph.D., I.M.T., C,and she had a practice called CenterIMT (Integrated Manual Therapy). After moving to Virginia, I managed to visit a CenterIMT location in Washington D.C.
I was unsure what I would encounter, but I did know that I wanted to get the most out of my two days at the Center. Therefore, I decided to gradually cut my Baclofen back to 20mg. Yes, I knew I should have consulted my doctor first, but I didn’t. The day I walked into the Center I felt very tight and contracted. I was evaluated and my therapist indicated the three areas that were coming up in my body. She then said that she was going to call and consult with Sharon. I thought, “What can she tell you over the phone?” She said that Sharon could read energies even over the phone. “Sure,” I thought.
Anyway, while communicating to Sharon the areas that came up in my body, she had her hand on my body the whole time. Sharon told her with all certainty and very matter of fact that she needed to focus on T-10, and gave her more details as to the how and why. I thought this was totally crazy because all that the therapist did was to place one hand on my spine at T-10 and her other hand on various parts of my body. “At least Phil massaged different parts of my anatomy and positioned me in different ways, but what the heck is this IMT stuff?”
After approximately two hours of treatment, I got up, and to my amazement, I felt looser then when I was on my full dosage of Baclofen. I was floored. After that, I continued IMT treatment for four hours a month at an independent IMT center in Norfolk, Virginia. I continued to make great progress in my riding and overall quality of life due to my treatment, but I still had to meet this Sharon Giammatteo.
I arranged to go up to Connecticut and spend an entire day in treatment with Sharon and her staff. The therapists I worked with were the best practitioners I had ever worked with in my life, and I have obviously worked with many. Then, there was Sharon. It is hard to explain exactly what I felt during the hour that Sharon worked on me. Sharon told me to focus on what I felt in my brain. Not exactly sure what this was going to accomplish, but I complied. The changes that I felt take place in my skull are hard to describe, but I had never had that experience before or after that hour of treatment with Sharon.
A few months after I started IMT treatment, I was totally off Baclofen and have been off it ever since. Even though I had experienced things through my treatment with Phil and various IMT practitioners, it did not stop me from being amazed at what happened that spring day in Connecticut. When I got up off Sharon’s table and others throughout the day, I felt like I had a different body. It took a while to find my balance, coordination, etc. because the patterns in my body that I had lived with the past 25 years had been dramatically altered.
I made the eight hour drive back to Connecticut last fall and experienced similar amazing results. My life has changed for the better is so many ways. People no longer ask me to repeat myself because they cannot understand my speech. The spasticity in my chest and throat are gone. I no longer have an antalgic gait. My hips are dramatically more open. I no longer have pain from writing with my right hand or typing on the computer. I no longer walk around with my right arm held up close to my chest in constant spasm.
Many people would say, “Good! You’ve achieved great results. Now, go enjoy it.” But, I say that this is just another step in my journey of becoming who I was made to be. I am not going to stop IMT treatment but will continue just like I will continue to study the equestrian art of dressage. There is always room for growth and improvement.
So, can cerebral palsy be cured? No. It is obvious that brain damage can’t be reversed, but can most or all of the physical symptoms be taken away? I definitely think so.
Yes, I know all this seems “out in left field.” By nature, I am a skeptic, but if we could all take just a minute to “think outside the box” and explore the possibilities, imagine what could happen. The only advice I have to give is to never put labels or limitations on yourself or others in your world and to follow your dream.
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R.R. - Dog with Cancer
In January of 2003 Klaus, my six-year-old Rottweiler, was diagnosed with Subungual (nail bed) Squamis Cell Sarcoma. At the same time, a suspicious spot in his lung was also identified and four weeks later an x-ray confirmed that this spot was cancer.
In the four weeks between the initial diagnosis of sarcoma, and the x-ray confirming lung cancer, Klaus had his infected toe amputated. After the surgery the oncologist recommended that I have Klaus treated with chemotherapy for the lung cancer. He could give me no guarantee that the outcome would be favorable, that I would even have Klaus one month longer than if I simply let him live with the cancer. This concerned me and as a result, before committing to the chemotherapy, I decided to speak with a number of people who treated their dog's cancer with chemotherapy. Unfortunately, none of the people I spoke with had fond memories of this treatment, for their pets or themselves.
Discouraged and distressed, I realized I had to make some kind of a decision on the course of treatment for Klaus; whether it was to allow him to live his life to the fullest without intervention or to intervene and take the chance of being miserable during the chemotherapy. Fortunately before I had to choose one of the aforementioned options, I heard about IMT for canines experiencing health difficulties such as limited range of motion and cancer. After one treatment I knew I had made the right choice for both Klaus and myself.
Pre-amputation I had a dog who would not walk when he could run, chased everything that moved and played with and teased his brother and sister whenever possible. Post amputation I had a dog who favored the paw from which the toe was removed and one who was obviously experiencing depression. This depression was demonstrably shown by what I could only call an overall apathetic attitude. Though still loving, Klaus's personality was 1800 different from the dog I knew before the surgery. Upon one treatment with IMT, Klaus's gait showed dramatic improvement. The improvement - the ability to walk normally - allowed Klaus to regain his energy and zest for living. The combination of the two outcomes, normal gait and increased energy, have impacted his mental health in a wonderfully positive manner.
To date I continue to take Klaus to the CenterIMT for monthly treatments and I make sure he receives the prescribed supplements on a daily basis. His condition continues to improve daily and I continue to see more of the Klaus that I knew prior to surgery. He is back to playing with his brother and sister and consistently takes delight in teasing them by stealing their toys. Every day the four of us play after I come home from work and Klaus is back to being the first one to retrieve whatever item I have thrown. His level of fatigue is now no greater than the other two dogs and his appetite has returned with a vengeance! Not bad for a dog diagnosed with terminal cancer.
There are no words that would adequately express my appreciation for what CenterIMT has done and continues to do for Klaus. I owe CenterIMT his happiness and renewed love for life. Herra and Rosie owe you their brother's return to his former playfulness. Last, but not least, I owe CenterIMT for my happiness in knowing that Klaus and I will have wonderful experiences together for as long as he is with me. And that is a gift which is truly priceless. Back to Top
R.R.
Dianne Johnson - Multiple Symptoms
The date was December 29, 1994. I was 24 years old. I was walking in the mall one day, and suddenly I was dizzy and nauseous. As I walked through the Food Court, my condition seemed to dissipate. However,the next morning I awakened with such dizziness that I could not force myself from my bed. This was the beginning of what seemed like the end. The dizziness led to other symptoms such as intense vertigo, headaches, earaches, jaw stiffness, facial swelling, pressure in my head, muscle stiffness, involuntary head movements, floating spots in my visual field, and general malaise. My condition affected every area of my life from driving an automobile to working- every task was a struggle. My condition left me exhausted, tired and wondering how I would get up the next day.
The short story of my condition tracks like this. In my quest to get well prior to CenterIMT, I did the following:
- Visited 9 different physicians
- Had 9 different initial history and physicals and consultations performed
- Had at least 40 various follow-up medical appointments
- Was diagnosed at least 4-5 different times
- Was prescribed 13 different drugs to improve my condition
- Had 2 x-rays performed
- Had 9 different tests performed plus a complete blood work up and evaluation
- Had 1 surgery recommended
After all this, my physicians told me that I was perfectly normal. To me, I was sicker, more exhausted, losing hope, and no closer to feeling better. Does this sound familiar? This vicious cycle could have just continued in my life, however, after one year of searching to receive help, tired and frustrated, I discharged myself from the search.
In 1999, after 5 years of living with this condition at age 29, I was introduced to CenterIMT at Regional Physical Therapy in Bloomfield, CT. CenterIMT proved that my symptoms were not all in my head. CenterIMT has changed my health and my life forever. I have regained my health. I am no longer dizzy, I am able to drive a car, I am able to work, and I am back on the golf course, my true passion. I am not a very clinical person, however, I do understand CenterIMT's approach. Their approach was not to treat my symptoms, but to treat me as a whole person. We are all products of our circumstances and conditions. What I bring to CenterIMT is my own unique 29 years of existence, and another 29-year old will bring their own unique experiences and existence. Our treatment plans would be very different. For the first timesince 1994, I am not thinking about how to get through the next day, or survivethe next week. I am thinking bigger - I am thinking about my long-term career goals, my personal goals, and most important to me, how to continue to improve my golf game! My family and I thank the partners and staff at CenterIMT for taking me to the road to recovery! Back to Top
Dianne Johnson
Wendy Bialek - Fibrous Dysplasia
My medical history began at age 7 with a diagnosis of fibrous dyplasia in my left leg and hip - a condition where spongy tissue grows instead of healthy bone. Over the course of the next several decades I underwent 7 surgeries, each time not knowing if I would ever walk again. My life was a study in pain management, uncertainty and rehabilitation. Several years ago at age 44, I began noticing acute chemical, environmental and food sensitivities in conjunction with a rapid decline in both my mobility and overall health. I had tried every kind of healing modality you can think of - and I felt like I was going to die. Then I found out about CenterIMT and scheduled a block of sessions. It was a trip that would change my life.
At first I wondered why the practitioners were spending all of this time working on other parts of my body when the problem was in my leg! I soon came to understand that their Integrated Systems Approach and Integrative Diagnostics address the cause of the problem - something that nobody had every found in my case. I had been asking myself and others a simple question for years: If our bodies rejuvenate themselves constantly, then why does mine keep growing unhealthy tissue? CenterIMT answered that question, identifying factors that traditional medicine might deem unrelated such as "leaky gut syndrome" (where the body is literally poisoning itself) and mercury toxicity. They found that all these toxins from my body had been stored in my leg. After they addressed these issues in other systems, the work they then did on my actual leg and hip was profound.
The transformation I underwent in that trip is almost impossible to put into words. I am a new woman. I have reclaimed my health, my vitality, my career and my life. I am functioning "normally" for the first in my life. My husband used to have to wait for me to poke along when I felt well enough to hike. Now I have to wait for him! Stand back, world. I am woman... hear me roar! Many heartfelt thanks to Sharon, Tom and the CenterIMT team! Back to Top
Wendy Bialek
Sedona, AZ
