Last Wednesday, (July 13, 2011) I woke up at 6:45 AM to my alarm clock. I could barely move. For the next five days, I experienced the worst back pain I had ever had, near-constant migraines, and nausea (that didn't end well two nights in a row) for the first few days. Wednesday through Friday I stayed home from work for two reasons: first, I had no idea whether what I was experiencing was contagious (as there was the nausea and migraines) or not; second, the pain was excruciating and I had no energy for anything. I came to the conclusion (after research and consulting with family and co-workers) that the nausea was most likely caused by the migraines, and the migraines (as explained later) were a direct result of the back problem I am experiencing. So, I decided to make a chiropractic appointment for Monday night (July 18, 2011).
Dr. Frank Berzanskis is first and foremost a follower of Christ, and also a credible doctor in the field of chiropractic. He is part of the "Board of Wellness" for the USA Wrestling, Judo, and Weight-lifting Olympic teams in the 2012 Olympics in London. More information is available at his website: http://bit.ly/oDS780.
On the first visit, I received X-Rays and an adjustment. I was then scheduled for a follow-up appointment on Thursday (July 21, 2011). So, last night I went to find out the results of the X-Rays and determine a course of action. From the X-Rays, it has been determined that I have a "loss of cervical lordosis." In other words, instead of the cervical arc (the neck area of the spine) curving at 43 degrees backward like such ")" the curvature measurement is -11 degrees, meaning it bends forward as such "(". This causes the rest of the spine to misalign itself. All this adds pressure to various nerves in the Nervous System. These disturbed nerves cause other problems all through the body. A misaligned spine also causes back pain, migraines and head aches, insomnia, inability to concentrate, and the inability to find a comfortable position (all of these symptoms I have had for a while.) It also causes many other things that I am not "experiencing" quite yet. An article describing this condition in more detail is found here: http://bit.ly/nN3yae. Also, searching "loss of cervical lordosis" on google.com/scholar will provide you with medical journals on this condition.
All this to say that I am still in great pain (though each adjustment temporarily relieves some pain) and will need to continue at this rehabilitation center to correct my spine and "retrain" my muscles to keep proper posture and spine alignment. Unfortunately, this is not free. The entire process will take 12 months of in-office adjustments and physical therapy/spinal rehabilitation and prescribed at-home exercises/stretches. The first month will be frequent visits and ends with an x-ray to confirm progress. The next two months are either semi-frequent or frequent visits, depending on how far along the progress is, and ends with another x-ray. The next 9 months are 2-4 visits per month, again determined by current progress. The price of this from any Doctor would be nearly $8000. While this is a very large sum, the value is priceless. If this problem is not corrected, it will continue to reduce the quality of my life, my effectiveness in daily situations, and every aspect of my physical existence. This problem, left uncorrected, could easily inhibit any physically stressful missions work. Considering I plan on doing language survey in Nepal, hiking through the Himalaya mountain range, physical health is quite necessary. So, $8000 for a year of spinal rehabilitation to prevent all sorts of disease, sickness, and other problems for the rest of my life is a pretty good deal.
What's better, though, is that Dr. Frank does not charge this. Instead, he would charge around $2600. However, he is also giving me a discount for being in the ministry. So, my total cost would be $2200. That's nearly $6000 less than any other doctor would charge for the same process. Also, if I am able to pay the sum in one payment, the price would decrease to around $1900. This would come out to around $160/month.
I am telling you all of this because I need your support through prayer and financially. If you are able and willing, seek the Lord's will and consider supporting me financially. If not, please pray! Also pass this on to others, as there is no such thing as too many prayer partners!
I love you guys and I am so thankful for your support, both prayerfully and financially!
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