Marit's Story - Body Pain, Brain Fog + Bed Bound for 4 Years

MARIT HAS GENEROUSLY SHARED HER STORY:

Fifteen years ago I had to stop working. ‘Everything’ was wrong. Severe back-pain, all sorts of pain all over my body, so tired I could barely get out of bed, let alone shower or cook or any of the other daily tasks I needed to do. My brain was foggy and I struggled with basic things like time and memory. My digestion did not work and I tolerated less and less foods. I was getting extremely sensitive to all sensory input, my mood was all over the place, everything stressed me simply because I did not have the energy to deal with it – in short – my life was going down the drain. And no doctor had any idea why. I had tried every alternative practitioner I could find in Yellow pages – some gave temporary relief - but in general I was only getting worse for every passing year. 

Two years after giving up my job, a friend called me and wanted me to travel with him to see an upper cervical specialist who had helped him greatly, and who he was convinced could also help me with my back-pain. I was not convinced! But somehow I decided to go along anyhow. After four weeks of treatment, my life was returning. From rarely being able to do a slow, ten-minute walk, I was now hiking in the mountains and going for an hour-long walk every day. I remember how vivid colours became and how music again was beautiful and not just a hollow noise ambushing my brain. For the first time in many years I could sit down through a whole meal with friends without having to regularly take lie-down breaks due to the back-pain. I was filled with joy! 

For bureaucratic reasons, I could not stay, and I returned home. The following couple of weeks saw a steady return of all of my symptoms. It was very hard. Six months later, I was able to re-visit the specialist for two weeks, but it was not enough.

I was still having bureaucratic problems and could not stay for longer, but five months later they were finally solved, and I immediately booked a three-month-long stay. My suitcase was packed and everything ready, but a few days before leaving I woke up in the morning, and my brain was on fire! It burned so bad, and when I tried to get out of bed, I fell to the floor. My legs had stopped working. Everything hurt. I no longer tolerated any sensory input, and barely had the energy to speak.

I spent four years in bed in a dark room with earplugs and an eye-mask and with only a light duvet on top of me, as the pressure of a normal duvet caused too much pain. At the worst I could not turn in bed. And I was continuously getting worse. 

During this time I knew the treatment from an upper cervical specialist would help me, but I was bed bound and could only sit up for a few minutes per day on good days. There was no way I could travel. At this point I came into contact with Sophie.

Long story short – I travelled in an ambulance-plane to Barcelona and I moved into an assisted living place there. Sophie came to check and adjust me up to three times per week. We figured it would take a few weeks, and then I would be back on my feet and could go and see her in her clinic. Six months later however, I had still only made little progress. Progress, yes – I was more awake and had more strength - but I was still mostly in bed and in the dark. My neck would not stay aligned and came out within an hour after treatment. It was difficult not to despair. 

At this point Sophie recommended a practitioner who specialises in toxicity and very sensitive people, Lauren Keller. She started helping me. She found out that I was suffering from mold-toxicity, and the place where I was living was full of mold. I also had several other pathogens that were causing me harm. We started a regimen, mostly consisting of homeopathics and Chinese herbs, to drain my organs and body of toxins, but I tolerated very little of it. Where other people would take half a teaspoon up to six times a day of any given herb, I could often only tolerate one drop per day, or not tolerate it at all. This made the task extremely challenging. However, without Sophie's adjustment, I could not even tolerate a micro-dose, so Sophie's treatment was essential as it aided my body in tolerating these other treatments that could help.

This combination of treatments was very successful, and slowly, slowly I was getting better.

There were many wonderful milestones; the first time I was able to talk to loved ones on the phone, the first time I was able to stand up etc. It took two years before I was able to go outside for the first time. It was an immensely happy moment! We were outside for fifteen minutes, and it took me more than two days to recover. Six months after that, I was able to go outside for half an hour occasionally.

And four and half years after arriving in Barcelona, I stopped using the wheel-chair almost entirely. Now, after five and a half years, I am both walking and biking. 

Meditation and Qigong is an important part of my daily practice. In the beginning I could only do mental Qigong practices, and then slowly, as my body healed, I was able to do physical Qigong exercises too. I shield myself from electromagnetic radiation and do generally not use a mobile phone, which is quite challenging in our society.

The importance of being aware of my beliefs and thinking around my own illness also became apparent to me at some point. I now know that my body is able to do amazing things. It can heal itself, but it needs me on its side. It needs me to believe in it too. Part of this is to trust my own inner voice and to do what I feel is right. My body knows better than any doctor, no matter how qualified or famous they may be. This has been a very important learning point for me.

Today I see Sophie every three or four weeks. I find it difficult to express just how grateful I am to Sophie. Not only for being an exceptionally skilled chiropractor and upper cervical specialist, but also for never giving up no matter how bad things got. For always searching for new ways to help me, for always keeping an open mind. She is one of those rare practitioners who has a true passion for what she does and who always listens and takes in what you tell her about your body, mind and soul. I know that without her, I would most probably not be alive today, and I would not be getting up in a minute to ride my bike to meet my dear new friend at the beach.

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