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Walt Oleksy (RIP 2021)
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Gender:
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Location:
Glenview, IL
Occupation:
writer

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Walt Oleksy (RIP 2021)

Beloved Grand Eagle, Male, from Glenview, IL

I am a freelance writer of books for preteens and teenagers. A list of them is at www.walteroleksybooks.com Nov 2, 2012

  • My Story

    (moderator edit: we lost our dear Walt in 2021. His obituary is here: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/chicagotribune/name/walter-oleksy-obituary?id=4616539 (Walter G. Oleksy Obituary (2021) Chicago Tribune))

    That's me with my darling Annie, a 70-pound lap dog.

    I was 82 and never had any pain except a few toothaches when I was a teenager. I was never even sick, just had a couple of hernias from lifting my dog the wrong way. Then last fall I lifted a case of 36 cans of beer into a shopping cart at the supermarket and felt excruciating pain in my back. Somehow, I got home, but the pain stayed with me.

    I try never to see a doctor and didn’t with the back ache, figuring he’d want to give me strong pain killers or have an operation. I toughed it out, then after about two weeks I emailed a friend who is a nurse in Hawaii. I asked her advice and she said I should read a book, Healing Back Pain, by Dr. John E. Sarno. She said it helped another friend, a psychiatrist, who had back pain, so I bought a copy and learned that Dr. Sarno says most if not all our back and other pain is not caused by lifting or any structural damage from aging, but from our repressed emotions.

    I read the Sarno book and followed its 12 daily reminders that reinforce the knowledge that the pain is a disorder he calls Tension Myositis Syndrome (TMS), a slight deprivation of oxygen to parts of the body that is caused by our repressed emotions. It suggested “journaling,” writing down what we can remember of our youth, since many of our pain problems began back when we were young, from family or other stresses. I certainly fit that description growing up during the Great Depression of the 1930s and World War II.

    I grew up with my parents never having much money and drinking too much. They divorced when I was about six years old, Mom remarried, a man who owned his own house, which gave my older brother and sister a roof over our heads. A year later Mom left him and went back to my birth father. Ten years later he died and she married his brother who was very jealous and also a heavy drinker. He made life miserable for my sister and me, but my brother had run away and joined the navy.

    I went to college, then the army, and had no anxiety, but that returned when I became a newspaper reporter and then freelance writer, never having regular income. You want a stressful job, be a reporter on a Chicago newspaper and cover crime and violence. And being self-employed brings its own stresses, for me mostly financial uncertainties.

    During my freelance years, I also tried caring for my mother but learned the hard way how difficult it is to be a caretaker. After two years I asked my brother to find another place for Mom to live, and that left me with a lot of guilt. I thought I had repressed it, but lifting that case of beer gave me back pain to tell me I hadn’t put that guilt to rest.

    Sarno’s book helped me to get rid of about 95 percent of my back pain, but I still felt lower back pain. I refused to believe that 100 percent of my pain came from TMS repressed emotions. It took me more than six months before I decided Sarno was
    100 percent right and the pain went away.

    I attribute my pain relief mainly to Dr. Sarno and the web site www.TMSWiki.org. I found that many others became free of pain by following advice and posts on that web site and I highly recommend it to everyone, even if they are not in pain. It is an amazing treasure house of information and help on healing.

    Along the way over the past year I’ve felt some pain relief from reading another Sarno book, The Mindbody Prescription, as well as The Great Pain Deception by Steven Ray Ozanich, Pain Free for Life by Dr. Scott Brady, MD, You Can Heal Yourself by Louise L. Hay, Hope and Help for Your Nerves by Claire Weekes, Loving What Is by Byron Katie, and Instant Self-Hypnosis by Forbes Robbins Blair. Most recently

    I have found more great healing techniques by following the advice and writings of Dr. James Alexander, psychologist and author of The Hidden Psychology of Pain, and Dr. Alan Gordon, psychotherapist, following his Recovery Program free on www.TMSWiki.org.

    I also believe I have been helped to be pain-free by daily playing a hypnosis DVD, “Stress Relief for Life,” by London psychotherapist and hypnotherapist Susan Hepburn.

    Mainly, I believe I finally stopped feeling back pain because I convinced my subconscious mind that it was 100 percent from TMS repressed emotions. That, and deep breathing, relaxed me and enabled me to learn the pain was all in my head.

    Also, last but probably not least, I added the spiritual element to my healing, which Dr. Brady suggests in his book. I began reading The Bible and began walking more closely with God, following His own advice: “Ask and you shall receive.” I asked to be pain-free and for release from guilt and anxiety and to achieve some steady income, and He answered my prayers.

    One or more of the techniques suggested by Dr. Sarno and the others I have read could help you to overcome your pain, whatever it is. And ask whatever God you worship to help you and He will. “Believe and you shall receive.”
    1. azacarmical
      azacarmical
      Very inspiring. I really believe about asking God and you shall receive
      1. Eric "Herbie" Watson likes this.
    2. IndiMarshall
      IndiMarshall
      Great to hear this. i needed this today .. i am down...what is the kind of pain you had ? did it go down one of your leg?
    3. VeryHopeful
      VeryHopeful
      That's a powerful story, Walt. I especially appreciate the part about your renewed walk with God.

      Blessings
      1. PamD
        PamD
        Walt you are very inspiring
        May 19, 2015
      2. Walt Oleksy (RIP 2021)
        Walt Oleksy (RIP 2021)
        Thank you so much. God has helped me heal.
        Ask and you shall receive.
        Have a wonderful day.
        May 19, 2015
    4. patrickelvin
      patrickelvin
      you kindly commented on my dogs so I thought I woudl visit your profile and really appreciated your story and how the TMS came into your life andhopefully has exited .

      I see only 420 characters but have written a load more ..
    5. winterhaven123
      winterhaven123
      Excellent writing & inspiring . Sure gives Me hope Thanks for sharing & Yes believing &Faith is Key Thank you.
    6. IrishSceptic
      IrishSceptic
      just got round to reading, fair play to you Walt
    7. Wow - Really?!
      Wow - Really?!
      Fantastic - I am so grateful you shared this. It is helping me see what is possible. Thanks!
    8. scottyboy8
      scottyboy8
      Finally found your story Walt as have been searching for it to get some background on your TMS. I am glad you have healed 100%. You are an inspiration and a very caring man. Thank you for quoting Matthew 7:7 too. I was suicidal with my pain and I certainly sought and found. God bless you.
      1. IrishSceptic likes this.
    9. Laudisco
      Laudisco
      Thanks so much for sharing your story Walt! I have never read the full account of your TMS recovery, so it's really encouraging.
    10. donavanf
      donavanf
      Walt, thank you for your story and for your many marvelous contributions to the forum. I'm a new member, just posted for the first time yesterday, and just wanted to say hello.
      And also, a very Merry Christmas, to you! :)
    11. Raynor91
      Raynor91
      Hi Walt,

      Just finished reading your story and I want to say thank you for sharing it with us. I'm happy you won the battle with TMS. I'm excited about my journey and can't wait to cross the finish line.
      1. Eric "Herbie" Watson likes this.
    12. Joan
      Joan
      WALT IT IS JERSEY JOAN IS THERE ANYWAY I CAN TALK PRIVATELY WITH YOU..IT IS A SITUATION WITH MY DAUGHTER THAT I FEEL IS CAUSING THE PAIN. MY E-MAIL IS JOANREMAXREALTOR@AOL.COM i NEED YOUR HELP
    13. mike2014
      mike2014
      Hi Walt, that is a touching story and vey heartfelt, you seem like a very wise and level headed person. I'll definitely be looking at that DVD. Thanks again and god bless sir.
    14. BrianC
      BrianC
      That's a great testimony, Walt. I hope many others will read it and be influenced by it.
    15. mstlymebutmstlyu
      mstlymebutmstlyu
      great story and repertoire of books. i love byron katie and louise hays. i def want to read the great pain perception. glad you are better walt!
      1. Eric "Herbie" Watson likes this.
    16. Eric "Herbie" Watson
      Eric "Herbie" Watson
      Love your story Walt - Awesome
    17. Velo drew
      Velo drew
      Thanks for sharing your story.
    18. Walt Oleksy (RIP 2021)
      Walt Oleksy (RIP 2021)
      1. Velo drew and G.R. like this.
  • Loading...
  • My Story

    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Glenview, IL
    Occupation:
    writer
    (moderator edit: we lost our dear Walt in 2021. His obituary is here: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/chicagotribune/name/walter-oleksy-obituary?id=4616539 (Walter G. Oleksy Obituary (2021) Chicago Tribune))

    That's me with my darling Annie, a 70-pound lap dog.

    I was 82 and never had any pain except a few toothaches when I was a teenager. I was never even sick, just had a couple of hernias from lifting my dog the wrong way. Then last fall I lifted a case of 36 cans of beer into a shopping cart at the supermarket and felt excruciating pain in my back. Somehow, I got home, but the pain stayed with me.

    I try never to see a doctor and didn’t with the back ache, figuring he’d want to give me strong pain killers or have an operation. I toughed it out, then after about two weeks I emailed a friend who is a nurse in Hawaii. I asked her advice and she said I should read a book, Healing Back Pain, by Dr. John E. Sarno. She said it helped another friend, a psychiatrist, who had back pain, so I bought a copy and learned that Dr. Sarno says most if not all our back and other pain is not caused by lifting or any structural damage from aging, but from our repressed emotions.

    I read the Sarno book and followed its 12 daily reminders that reinforce the knowledge that the pain is a disorder he calls Tension Myositis Syndrome (TMS), a slight deprivation of oxygen to parts of the body that is caused by our repressed emotions. It suggested “journaling,” writing down what we can remember of our youth, since many of our pain problems began back when we were young, from family or other stresses. I certainly fit that description growing up during the Great Depression of the 1930s and World War II.

    I grew up with my parents never having much money and drinking too much. They divorced when I was about six years old, Mom remarried, a man who owned his own house, which gave my older brother and sister a roof over our heads. A year later Mom left him and went back to my birth father. Ten years later he died and she married his brother who was very jealous and also a heavy drinker. He made life miserable for my sister and me, but my brother had run away and joined the navy.

    I went to college, then the army, and had no anxiety, but that returned when I became a newspaper reporter and then freelance writer, never having regular income. You want a stressful job, be a reporter on a Chicago newspaper and cover crime and violence. And being self-employed brings its own stresses, for me mostly financial uncertainties.

    During my freelance years, I also tried caring for my mother but learned the hard way how difficult it is to be a caretaker. After two years I asked my brother to find another place for Mom to live, and that left me with a lot of guilt. I thought I had repressed it, but lifting that case of beer gave me back pain to tell me I hadn’t put that guilt to rest.

    Sarno’s book helped me to get rid of about 95 percent of my back pain, but I still felt lower back pain. I refused to believe that 100 percent of my pain came from TMS repressed emotions. It took me more than six months before I decided Sarno was
    100 percent right and the pain went away.

    I attribute my pain relief mainly to Dr. Sarno and the web site www.TMSWiki.org. I found that many others became free of pain by following advice and posts on that web site and I highly recommend it to everyone, even if they are not in pain. It is an amazing treasure house of information and help on healing.

    Along the way over the past year I’ve felt some pain relief from reading another Sarno book, The Mindbody Prescription, as well as The Great Pain Deception by Steven Ray Ozanich, Pain Free for Life by Dr. Scott Brady, MD, You Can Heal Yourself by Louise L. Hay, Hope and Help for Your Nerves by Claire Weekes, Loving What Is by Byron Katie, and Instant Self-Hypnosis by Forbes Robbins Blair. Most recently

    I have found more great healing techniques by following the advice and writings of Dr. James Alexander, psychologist and author of The Hidden Psychology of Pain, and Dr. Alan Gordon, psychotherapist, following his Recovery Program free on www.TMSWiki.org.

    I also believe I have been helped to be pain-free by daily playing a hypnosis DVD, “Stress Relief for Life,” by London psychotherapist and hypnotherapist Susan Hepburn.

    Mainly, I believe I finally stopped feeling back pain because I convinced my subconscious mind that it was 100 percent from TMS repressed emotions. That, and deep breathing, relaxed me and enabled me to learn the pain was all in my head.

    Also, last but probably not least, I added the spiritual element to my healing, which Dr. Brady suggests in his book. I began reading The Bible and began walking more closely with God, following His own advice: “Ask and you shall receive.” I asked to be pain-free and for release from guilt and anxiety and to achieve some steady income, and He answered my prayers.

    One or more of the techniques suggested by Dr. Sarno and the others I have read could help you to overcome your pain, whatever it is. And ask whatever God you worship to help you and He will. “Believe and you shall receive.”