Introducing myself with my success story:
Healthy active 40's backcountry skier, canoer, hiker, worked as wilderness ranger...then:
3 years worsening foot pain, in the arch of the foot. 14 doctors, blood platelet injections, 3 sets of orthodics, low dye taping, physical therapy, sports medicine, etc etc. MRI, emg (nerve testing), ultrasound imaging, Dr Dellon's pressure sensory device testing for neuropathy.
Diagnosed with plantar fasciitis, then neuropathy and tarsal tunnel (nerve entrapment). Pain so bad that I could barely stand more than 15 minutes, minimum walking, wheel chairs and crutches for stores, lost all my former life of activity.
I became a chronic pain "shut in" since all activity hurt me. I became increasingly isolated, fearful of more pain, and worked very hard to find the solution (14 doctors!!). It is a hell of a downward spiral, this aspect. I felt like I aged about 20 years.
Got from many podiatrists suggestions for "plantar fasciitis surgery," but I was opting for the "better diagnosis" of nerve entrapment surgery. Two weeks from "tarsal tunnel" surgery I began Sarno's practices, thank goodness.
2 months into it, my first overnight hike (8 miles round trip), and my first backcountry skiing in 4 years. Yes, that's right!!! Pain 70% to 90% gone. Trying to be patient with the remaining pain. I have my life back. I'm getting physical. The 20 years of premature aging is falling away. I am alive again, and young.
It is hard to even believe I am writing this. I have my life back. The big breakthroughs all happened in the last couple of weeks.
The Sarno method works. It is mind blowing for me. I know that Sarno understands something about chronic pain that no else did. What a gift.
Other sufferers take heart. It will work, it takes effort. I am still learning to refine and practice that effort (as in think psychological and talk to my mind body to stop the pain). I get that right about one out of 30 times the pain arises. Even so, the results are remarkable.
The hardest part was accepting my TMS diagnosis (especially after the 14 highly paid and trained Dr.s told me I had something physically wrong), but it all fit so well. And Dr. Sopher was invaluable for me there. I also inquired into my resistance about the diagnosis in the beginning, with generous Ken Malloy, a TMS coach. This opened my way.
Thank you Dr. Sarno, Ken Malloy, Dr. Sopher, and thanks to members of this forum.
