Pain Revisited

In 1984 I was in a car accident.  My youngest son and I had just left the middle school in Owasso, Oklahoma for enrollment at school.  I was at the stop light at Main Street and 86^th St N, the light turned green and as I began a left turn, a car coming to the left of me on 86^th street hit us as they ran a red light.  Fortunately, neither of us were going very fast, and I somehow had the thought to speed up to keep from being hit.  So, when the car hit, it hit behind me, square in the middle of the car.  I was driving an old, heavy ’73 station wagon, I think it was a Chevrolet, and how it was spun 360 degrees, I don’t understand.  I was very shaken, the mom’s who were behind me were shaken and I don’t think I was making much sense to the policeman.  Plus, my son was saying things like, “Wow, that was cool, did you see that, mom?  I saw a stop light, then another stop light, then another stop light, then another!  We spun all the way around.”  I was in a total daze and I really didn’t think I was hurt.

By the next morning, I was in a great deal of pain.  My son, fortunately, was fine.  This began a journey, a journey that to this day has residual effects.  Severe whiplash that exacerbated an already bad case of TMJ.  It wasn’t the usual back to front whiplash. My friends behind me said I looked like a rag doll flopping around and around. No, I did not have a seat belt on.

A year later, my dentist who had been treating my TMJ finally said, “You need other treatment, the standard muscle relaxers and pain medications are not working”.  He referred me to a Chiropractor, who in turn, also directed me to a Bio-Feedback Specialist.

Life altering experiences is the only way I can describe seeing the Chiropractor and the Bio-Feedback Specialist.  In less than six months I was almost back to normal.  But, I would never ever be the same again, and not because of pain.

The treatments from the Chiropractor helped me heal very quickly.  The visits to the Bio-Feedback Specialist changed my life forever.  I was assessed and placed with a woman who had only recently moved to Tulsa.  She was from California and I found out, her way of treating people was very effective and popular.

I won’t go into the details, but Susan used the electrodes, etc., but she also taught me to meditate.  She taught me to visualize and to make changes in my body with breathing and relaxation.  I could change my blood pressure and she documented it.  Susan recommended books and when I finished my “treatments”, I knew that spiritually, doors and windows had been opened and light was flooding in.

I’ve been re-visiting all these memories of the pain recently with some dental problems that always end with TMJ problems.  I went through an entire year back in the 80’s eating only blended and soft food, and I never want that again.  So, I am back into the program with more meditation than I usually do, using visualization and more relaxation. 

I wrote Susan the following poem that she printed and hung in her office.  Long time ago, but it still works!

Ending of a Cycle

You are my partner in waking and sleeping.

All-consuming to the inner portion of me,

My senses explode, and the tension takes hold.

My only salvation comes from looking deep within.

I call upon that part of me not seen or heard.

As calm transcends,

I go within,

Not struggling.

For as I resist,

The cycle begins again.

My choice---

Go within and rise above,

Ending the pain.

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