As some of you know, I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis — severe in my right hip and noticeably present in my left hip and lower back. The orthopedic surgeon explained that I had the arthritis in all my joints and that while there is no cure for the condition, ”it won’t kill you.” To which I added, “But you’ll wish it would at times!” The remedy? Hip replacement surgery. It took me until the third doctor said it for me to really hear it. Hearing it …really hearing it…was the first step on my journey. Then the question for me became, “Now what’s your strategy for playing in this sequence of experiences?”
For a while, I focused on the outcome I wanted … namely, to heal the thing and not have to spend too much time dealing with the inconvenience of it all. It wasn’t until I moved my focus from “outcomes” to “process” that doors opened for some really neat new and different experiences. Yeah. It’s true….”it’s not the destination, it’s the journey.”
So, I got to thinking…who is Kay and how would she dance and play with this arthritis character? Well, I love science. I love mysteries. And most important of all…I LOVE FUN and EASY! The science of stem cell research fascinates me. When I asked if the doctor knew of anybody doing stem cell research, I learned of a doctor in West Lake doing just that. I was cautioned that he is not funded and is collecting anecdotal data only AND…he tends toward “alternative” medicine. ”Perfect!” I thought. My kind of guy! I quickly called for an appointment with Dr. David Harris and began hip injections a few weeks later.
The hip injections and I’ve had a set of 2 so far, are “far out”– way cool! For 2 days after, I am sore and my legs feel like they belong to a puppet-on-strings. Jan pointed out that probably results when the space is opened for cartilage re-growth. Yes, I said “re-growth.” Dr. Harris is convinced he can re-grow cartilage, bones and thus repair the joints! Even though I’m not into outcomes, that outcome would work for me.
My doctor reminds me of a mad scientist. His hair is unkempt, his clothes are wrinkled and represent convenience — not style. The room and the table I stretch out on are stark and white and without anything to soften the glare of the bright lights. Last time, I started to imagine spider webs in the ceiling corners and I swear I could hear the wind forcing it’s way through the castle walls as a dark, foreboding dirge from some hidden pipe organ began echoing…….hmmmmm…. wait a minute….I seem to have flashed onto an old Frankenstein movie. Erase that…
Anyway, Dr. Harris has a strong dedication to “helping people” even in the midst of criticism from his peers. There is a sadness I can hear in his voice when he speaks of the importance of his research and the lack of acceptance by his professional community. On some deep level, I know that will change for him as he works with me. He’s still experimenting with the mix of natural substances he uses in the injections. My teachers told me “vibration” is a key in the process…so Steve and his didj became my map to vibrations/frequency/sounding. Dr. Harris is cool with that, too.
So, I’ve learned so much from the process — the journey – and am excitedly looking for the experiences awaiting me just around the next bend… Oh, and yes…my mobility is better. Guess we could call that a cool “side-effect,” right?
