I was in a lifting accident one summer going into my first year of college. 2007 was the year. I herniated two discs in my lower back. It changed my life.
I was in constant pain. Everyday tasks were unbearable. This lasted for years. I tried rest, physical therapy, cortisone shots, chiropractic adjustments, and acupuncture. I went to see doctors and specialists. They all suggested surgery. They all recommended that I never have a physically demanding job. One doctor told me that I would have to mow half my lawn one day, and come back the next day to do the rest.
I felt like I was too young to go through that, so I just kept pushing myself. I needed to get better. I wanted to lead a healthy lifestyle.
Nothing seemed to work. I accepted it as my new normal.
Fast forward to 2015. I was still pushing through the pain. It didn’t seem to be getting any better.
I got another MRI scan. I was diagnosed with the following:
Herniated discs
Degenerative disc disease
Foraminal narrowing
Spinal stenosis
Treatment options: Surgery
Then I changed my way of thinking.
I decided that I was going to change everything. I was going to fix myself so that others might learn from my experience. I was going to do research. I was going to find out exactly how the body was designed to work.
I became a human guinea pig. I tried different diets, different supplements. I had injections of platelet rich plasma and prolotherapy. I tried acupressure, different sleeping positions, and different ways of exercising. Things started improving. Slowly but surely.
“True desire in the heart for anything good is God’s proof to you sent beforehand to indicate that it’s yours already” -Denzel Washington
I overcame. Today I am living pain free. Every day. I want to help others do the same. I am not extraordinary or genetically gifted. I am simply human, just like the rest of you. If I can do it, so can you. Not only does my back feel better, but my whole body does. My mind too. I am getting into tech, and I realize that I can help people who work desk jobs, or just people who live in this modern world. This is what I am going to do. It is my desire.
January 30, 2023