My son Lebu, who is now 16 years old, had a stroke when he was six and another one when he was eight years old. No medical diagnoses could be made, not any explanation given as to how or why it had occurred.
Naturally, we explored every possible option trying to find the cause and a treatment. We went from Cape Town hospitals and neurologists to Pretoria Academic Hospital to consultation with doctors and professors at the University Of Cape Town Private Hospital. Finally with a doctor at the London Children’s Hospital, where a muscle biopsy was done, the results we received read “medical diagnosis incomplete”.
After much more research and many guesses about what caused the strokes, many more episodes with medical professionals, our family decided to focus instead on our son, accepting him as he was after the strokes and supporting him physically, emotionally and intellectually.
He was now classified as having and would be living with the effects of cerebral palsy. He had left side haemopleagia. This essentially meant a permanent paralysis or spasticity of his left arm and a noticeable limp from the effect to his left leg.
We explored numerous interventions, wearing orthotics, wearing a brace to keep his leg in a good walking position and many alternative healing processes. We looked at having his Achilles heel cut to loosen up the muscles but were cleverly advised not to do so, because if it was cut incorrectly, it might result in him dragging his foot, instead of limping. As a last resort, we agreed to Botox injections in his left calf. Nothing made any difference.
Lebu adjusted to his new physical constraints and we continued with his medication which was a cocktail of supplements and vitamins with a quarter aspirin. Every morning a total of 23 capsules were taken.
Many well meaning friends referred us all over for interventions to assist Lebu physically. In 2008 over the Christmas holidays, I met up with a good friend who looked completely different to the last time I saw her, 4 months before. A long story summarised…she told me about Directed Pressure Point Technique she was having. She said the practitioner “performed miracles”. For years she had unexplained pains in her joints which were diagnosed as arthritis just before she went for a second opinion. He asked her to be patient and give her body time to heal while it unravelled on the path to wellbeing. She did this, and the result was the new person I met. She was now pain free for the first time in years. She spoke so highly not only about his work, but about his gentle and caring approach.
They did not deal in or prescribe medicines, nor would any pressure be put on her to exercise or exercise more. You would not be told to watch your diet and all the usual feedback we get from medical professionals or alternative healers.
She suggested that I take Lebu to see him. I didn’t make the connection at the time, but she had lost weight and that was where my interest lay. Anyway, I forgot about it and saw her three months later. The feedback she gave me about her therapy, especially her weight loss, convinced me and I chose to take Lebu and myself to see him.
In May 2013 we will celebrate three years of the most effective therapy Lebu has had access to, 15 minutes every two weeks! His limp has changed and he walks more normally, evidence that the treatment is making a difference; He has better control with his left hand, which claws up every time he has to focus on doing anything. His confidence level is at its best.
After many months of treatment we have come to the realisation that all was not as permanent as we were told with his left sided paralysis / spasticity. As he improved, Lebu started swimming and doing field events for the physically challenged. He was invited to trials for the provincial disabled teams and has represented Cape Town at three or four national events. He now proudly sports a few gold and silver medals he has won.
I wrote and submitted two articles which were published in magazines to give others hope on his personal journey. We have no intention of stopping the Directed Pressure Point Technique therapy. Lebu is in his best physical form. He doesn’t take that many supplements anymore because his body is working more correctly. He is now also preparing himself for possible selection in the 2016 Disabled Olympics.
Without Directed Pressure Point Technique and the visible proof of the improvements to his physical form, as his Mom, I would still have been stuck in the regime of only supplements and moderate to no exercise (not being able to do anything due to his condition). More importantly, I would still be stuck in a world of “how does my son’s future look?”…. This was not my plan for him. NOW I am sure there is a new and better plan for him, but I had to trust a process which at the time, made no sense to me at all. (No medicine, no exercise and no diet??)
I feel Lebu is getting his second chance at a new and different but greater life. His achievements are tangible, his confidence is overwhelming and his belief in Directed Pressure Point Technique is evidenced by how he courageously recommends it to various people we meet. At least 14 of our referred friends and acquaintances have enjoyed its benefits but unfortunately a number of them have not trusted the process and shown the necessary patience to have it transform their bodies by restoring the communication.
Those of us who are committed, who want to get better, rather than a “quick fix” are all at different phases of recovery.
I have full confidence that Lebu’s disability will one day only be in other people’s perception.
Lisa