Harley Street Visit - Part One
7 - Jan 2022
As I wait on the platform for the fast train to St. Pancras, I can hardly believe how much has changed. Less than a a year ago, I stood in almost exactly the same spot, anticipating what was to be my first chiropractic adjustment.
The blame game helps no-one
When you are unwell for sometime, or like me suffer from a chronic illness, or have sustained a serious injury, you reach a stage when desperation forces you to act. It’s all too easy to judge with a, ‘Why didn’t you do something about it sooner?’ - told you so attitude. That doesn’t help anyone, even if it’s true. Some of us ‘fools’ soldier on for months and years even. Why is that?
There’s a time when stoicism becomes foolishness
By the beginning of the summer holidays, I’d reached a point of utter desperation. I simply couldn’t function. It hurt to walk more than a few meters. I had multiple areas that needed attention. I was truly in a sorry state.
Anyone that knows me, knows that I have an iron will and equally strong constitution - I walked across the car park to the hospital entrance with my cervix dilated 8 cm and gave birth with no pain relief (I was one of the lucky ones that had no complications). Not trying to boast here but wanting to give you a picture of the pain I have experienced and how I dealt with it.
Many years later, I suffered a herniated disc and developed crippling sciatica. Yes, it’s true, that pain is worse than childbirth, At least in childbirth you have a little miracle delivered into you arms at the end of it. I was off work and virtually bed-ridden for 6 months. I had to use a walking stick. It was horrendous. Some people say sciatica was invented as revenge against men for women’s birth ‘traumas’.
My point is?
Where was I? Oh yes. Standing on Platform 1 reminiscing... reaching that point of needing to find some relief from my suffering… I couldn’t go on living this way…
It wasn’t just about me. My health was affecting my family, my closest friendships, my ability to work. Work means income. Income means … everything, doesn’t it? To be financially independent is a woman’s goal, isn’t it? I’ll let you mull that statement over and come back to that.
Research the shit out of it
There’s not many things I will categorical say I am good at, but research is one of them. I research the shit out of stuff. Perhaps it’s my way of taking control of my own decisions, my own future. Who knows. I’ve always been this way.
I researched different treatments for the problems I was having at this point in my life. I’d previously tried several manual and holistic therapies, such as phythiotherapy on the NHS, acupuncture, yoga, meditation, CBT. All played a part in my journey to wellness. But any positive effects were short term. I needed to address the source of the pain, which I instinctively felt was ‘structural’. The time was right for a powerful adjustment. My research eventually led me to chiropractic treatment as the way forward.
You need to find what works for you
This is not advice to go out, find a chiropractor and then be disappointed if it doesn’t ‘work’ for you. This is about sharing my story to empower others to seek help, perhaps earlier than I did, to have an open-minded approach and research the shit out of their choice, and trust that it may help. I felt that a chiropractor would address my ailments and settled on Gonstead chiropractic as the treatment for me. Gonstead is meticulous in a way that I felt would suit my personality and needs.
Prior to my research, I wasn’t aware that there were different styles and approaches. All can be effective. And the practitioner-client relationship may also be a hugely important factor in the success of the treatment. I had spoken on the phone beforehand and had read up on the person that would be treating me.
X -ray
Finding the clinic was easy. Harley Street is a short walk from Oxford Circus. I know the area like the back of my hand having worked in Television Post production in and around Soho, albeit many years ago.
Before going to the clinic I was to have an x-ray. This was straightforward, painless, I’d had x-rays before.
As I stood having them done, I was aware of how mis-aligned I was. I felt I couldn’t stand up straight even if I tried. My left foot was a problem. I’d been tripping up steps for some time. I had to hold on to something or sit down to put my knickers on in the mornings. I was developing a hump on my neck. That’s not right is it. I’m only 55.
Part 2 tomorrow
Forgive me. I’m not deliberately leaving you in suspense. There’s only so much I can fit into a daily blog and time’s up for today.