"I
was injured at work in late 2001. My injury was misdiagnosed and I was given inappropriate care. On the day I settled my workers
compensation case I received a fax from my neurologist who had done EMG and NCV testing on me several weeks earlier. The test
results confirmed his earlier diagnosis - a chronic pain condition called Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD.) The day he told
me I had RSD, he patted me on the shoulder and told me how sorry he was. The look on his face left me thinking, (This
must be how someone just diagnosed with untreatable cancer must feel.)
I was introduced
to chiropractic and holistic medicine in 1974. I have seldom gone more than a month without chiropractic care. I turned to
my current chiropractor, who recommended I add massage to my frequent chiropractic adjustments. I started getting weekly massages
at his office. They were relaxing, but none of the massage therapists could get deep enough into my muscles to break up the
adhesions and scar tissue that had built up. I also had been injured in a van-versus-mobility-scooter accident in 2004, adding
insult to injury.
I
have struggled most of my life with what chiropractors call a “left short leg,” meaning my pelvis was twisted
- not that one leg was measurably shorter than the other. Chiropractic adjustments “fixed” the problem temporarily,
but it never stayed fixed.
Early this past summer, I was talking with a forward-thinking
friend one evening. She asked if I would be willing to try a different type of massage therapy - one which could possibly
give me relief from a frozen shoulder and the other problems that were accumulating because I was not able to move due to
extreme pain.My friend offered to pay for my first treatment with Judy Randolph,
and they made it a house-call because I am transportation-challenged (no car.)
The first thing Judy did was explain what she could and couldn’t do for me. Some might say
it was the beginning of a partnership, because I was going to work as hard as Judy to correct as many problems as we could.
Judy assessed the structural problems with my body. The pelvis is like the foundation
of a house. The legs are an extension of that foundation. If the foundation is level and solid, the upper body can then be
corrected over time. Judy balanced my pelvis using Structural Energetic Therapy. And she did it without touching my lower
body. It was amazing.
I
was a competitive-level ballroom dancer before my injury, so I am very aware of body position. For the first time in my life
I felt “grounded.” My body was definitely straighter and more solid than it had ever been. I still had pain, but
I was balanced so well that now I only use my cane as my “security blanket.” I’m still using a wheelchair
or mobility scooter when I have to “walk” long distances, but Judy thinks I may be able to put those “crutches”
away eventually.
I
have continued weekly treatments with Judy, and the improvement has been amazing. It has not been easy, and it has not been
pain-free. But I can now reach for things with my right hand without excruciating pain in my formerly “frozen”
right shoulder. (When I say excruciating, I mean the falling on the floor, rolling-around, crying, screaming, kind of pain.)
I am now able
to do passive exercises with my upper body - things like stretching, releasing, then stretching farther. I think I should
call my neurologist (who I no longer see,) and tell him that RSD is not going to keep me down.
Judy takes special care to reduce the
degree of pain we know will occur as she works deeper into the layers of muscle. She is creative and innovative in her use
of techniques. I truly believe her positive attitude is as healing as her hands. Judy
believes that someday I will be nearly pain free. She is starting to make a believer out of me. She is truly one dedicated,
talented, professional, caring massage therapist! And she ends each session by reminding me I can call her anytime between
appointments if I “get into trouble.”
P.S. I
was able to drive a dump truck at the county landfill as part of a class I am taking. It was such a treat to be able to use
both arms without pain, and to fully participate in the learning experience. Thank you, Judy!
Aleda J. (A. J.) Devies, Daytona Beach Florida
