HEALING STRATEGIES
By: Myrl Jeffcoat
Written for: =93In The Know=94
September 27th 2007
In December 1984, a search for healing strategies would have been the
furthest thing from my mind. I was very fit, rarely became ill, and
could leap 7 steps easily in a single bound. My life was busy, raising
very active kids, while managing a real estate career.
But in December of that year, I was one of the millions of women, who
went down a silent path, which was to change things for me =96 health
wise, for some time to come. It came with the decision to be
augmented with silicone breast implants.
After the augmentation, I enjoyed a few years of continued health, and
had no regrets for the decision I had made. But, increasingly, I
began suffering near daily excruciating headaches, as well as some
gait problems, and involuntary head tremors.
By late 1988, I began seeking medical assistance for my health. At
that time, I was diagnosed with a thyroid problem, a heart arrhythmia,
as well as other disorders. I was no longer a well person.
Treatment continued on for the next few years, during which, at no
time, did my medical professionals suggest that it could be my
implants, as the cause of my problems.
I believe it was 1992, when I first read a magazine article about the
health issues associated with silicone breast implants. Imagine my
horror, when I saw listed nearly all of my own illnesses and symptoms.
Not long thereafter, I became one of the 440,000 women, who became
part of the massive Class Action against the breast implant
manufacturers.
My health continued to spiral downward, with Chronic Fatigue, and
Fibromyalgia being the most devastating to cope with. It wasn=92t only
physically difficult =96 my ill health had devastating financial
consequences as well.
The crucial moment, when ill health, finances, and a poor quality of
life, all met together, and created a perfect storm, came in April of
1997. I woke that morning, and literally screamed out loud, =93Myrl, do
you want to live, or do you want to die?=94
I chose LIFE. It was a conscious decision, I knew, would require a
very real plan, and some hard work to achieve. But, knowing that I
had made the decision, also gave me some form of minute energy to work
with.
I tapped this new energy long enough, to get myself cleaned up, and
drive the few miles, to the tem****ary hiring agency, Kelly Services.
I would not commit to a permanent hiring agency, because I honestly
was concerned I might not be able to handle a permanent job. I didn=92t
really know if I could handle a tem****ary one either =96 but I was going
to try.
Kelly Services soon dispatched me to a wonderful international
software development company, where I stepped foot in the door, as a
Receptionist. I was to be there for 4 months. The work environment
was extremely pleasant, in the rotunda of a state of the art building,
which had won several architectural awards, and was known as their
Research and Development Center. I was hired permanently after just 5
weeks. I had difficult days with pain in the early months, but
managed to work my way through it. And interestingly, the movement
provided by the work environment, miraculously worked better than
being in bed.
Ultimately I was to remain with that wonderful company for the next 8
=BD years, climbing the ranks to a Senior Assistant to one of the
Directors, while also assisting several Vice Presidents.
The next step I embarked upon, was to try to restore some health. I
did this by dramatically changing my diet =96 making conscious decisions
about food, which would benefit me, rather than further deplete me.
Immediately leaving my refrigerator - was soda pop. I purchased a
juicer instead.
I am blessed with a really superb Farmer=92s Market that congregates
each Saturday Morning in the parking lot of a local shopping center.
I buy nearly all of my fresh vegetables, fruits, breads, eggs, cheese,
and olive oil, from the market.
Because my company had employees from all over the world, I became
interested in international recipes and cooking. I focus mainly on
the more exotic dishes, which are also somewhat healthy as well.
It would be a number of months longer, before I began to pursue a
meaningful exercise program. In those early days, I was feeling
accomplishment by just making it to work each day.
Approximately 7 months after beginning the job, I underwent the
explantation of my silicone implants. I had been concerned that I
might spiral downward, as some implanted women had =96 post
explantation. But, I was lucky, and only had some minor recovery
issues from the procedure.
What I have learned from my journey back to wellness, is that it is a
process. It is best to not dwell on the goal, but to embrace the
journey. There can be so much learning and growth that comes from the
process.
On one really overcast day in mid December 1998, my company gifted me,
and several other women employees with a day, which has considerably
changed my life.
I awoke, that morning with a persistent and difficult headache. My
body was in pain.
On that day, we were to board a bus at the company, and be taken to a
surprise destination, for a day of fun. I was fighting to get myself
together to make this trip. And that morning, I wasn=92t feeling very
enthusiastic because of my pain. But, I managed to make my way to
bus, and board with the rest of the group. Within a couple of hours,
we arrived at a wonderful place called The Claremont in Berkeley,
California.
Linda Prout, the Claremont=92s fitness guru, was the facilitator for the
day.
No sooner had we arrived at the Claremont, when Linda had us to place
our chairs in a large circle.
Linda explained that many of us hold on to more tension than we
realize, and that there was a technique for releasing that tension
from our bodies.
She prompted us to put feet on the floor, hands palm up in our laps,
while instructing us to close our eyes.
The next step had us rotating our shoulders in an upward and over
motion. Linda explained that we were a nation of shallow breathers.
She prompted - =93breath deeply in - then deeply out.=94
It was at this point that she walked over to me, and reached in her
pocket and pulled out a little gauze pad, which had a few drops of
Peppermint oil on it. She gently waved this in front of my face, and
shortly thereafter, I noticed that my headache was beginning to
disappear.
With our eyes still closed, she continued to prompt, =93Starting at the
top of your head =96 If it is tight - then loosen.=94
Continuing, =93If your forehead is tight =96 then loosen. If your eyes
are tight =96 then loosen.=94
This same prompt was continued on down the body - the jaw, neck,
shoulders, arms, chest, legs, knees, feet, etc.
What I learned so quickly from that exercise, was that I had no idea
how much tension and pain, I had been holding onto, which could be
surrendered or consciously released or dismissed.
After lunch that day, Linda went on to discuss diet. And it has been
the building upon what I learned that day, which I feel has
contributed greatly to my restoration of health.
There are several truths out there, which I=92ve made my own, which have
served me well. . .If I can=92t gather it, fish it, or hunt it =96 then I
don=92t eat it. There are exceptions to this of course, and I=92m not
without opening an occasional can of something to eat. But, I have
significantly reduced the amount of processed foods that I consume.
At some point I realized all the cans in my recycle bin were from one
kind of soda pop, or another. The labels on those cans, clearly
demonstrated, there wasn=92t a thing in those cans which were benefiting
my body. And there were a number of ingredients that were physically
harming me. Eating fresh is vitally im****tant.
=46rom my own fitness journey I have come to understand, that it isn=92t
really wise to pop large mega amounts of vitamins, minerals, wonder
elixirs, that are marketed as being some miraculous cure for women
harmed by breast implants. After all, our bodies are often quite
challenged from the chemicals, which were contained in the toxic
silicone gels or =93soups=94 of the various implant models. This is
especially true of our women, who experienced implant ruptures. LESS
is far more, when it comes to vitamin supplements.
Personally, the only supplement I take, is the recommended dose of
Calcium, which my doctor recommends. All other vitamins and minerals
come from that trusted juicer on my counter top, and ALL those fruits
and vegetables that I continue to bring home from the market place
each week. I know what is in the produce, and the quality it bears.
This isn=92t always true, when we purchase various pills and tablets,
from wherever.
About a year and a half ago, I semi-retired when there was a layoff at
the software company. I say, =93semi-retired=94 because I continue to
work as a Realtor.
But, my departure from the company, allowed for further op****tunity.
I had been using the company gym a bit, for several years. But, my
true love, has always been swimming. I also find that swimming is so
much easier on the joints, than running on the treadmill, and some of
the other machines.
I joined a local health center, and began swimming laps, and spend
time =93marinating=94 in the Jacuzzi. I am currently swimming
approximately 2 miles, four to five times a week.
A few weeks back, I was swimming back and forth in that pool one
night. It had turned a bit colder here in Sacramento, so the pool
looked something out of Dante=92s Inferno, or maybe a witch-and wizard=92s
convention in Yellowstone Park. The temperature of the air was much
cooler; than the 82=B0 warmth, of the pool. And, this was generating
mists swirling up about thirty feet. The only illumination came from
below, from the underwater lights of the pools, and through the mists,
it looked something like hell. The swimmers struggled back and forth
- often two in each lane, of the lap pool. They were barely visible
and gave me the impression of tortured souls in purgatory. Flitting
about from one group of tortured souls to another in their section of
the pool.
And there I was with them =96 but with one very defining realization. I
was not in pain, and as I looked downward in the pool, as I stroked
through the water, the illumination of the lights, made me realize I
was beginning to see a very bright and real light at the end of a
tunnel. And, that is what a journey to wellness is all about!
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