(This article was originally posted in 2017. However, it still stands true)
Now this could be a humorous article or a serious ‘no holds barred’ article.
Either way – the message is still going to be the same.
AND ladies you should be encouraging your fellas to do this.
Got it? ... Great!
It has taken me nearly a week to come to terms with the outcome of this Blog and to therefore write about it, but last week I had a new client present at my clinic – I’m going to call him Fred.
Fred was a referral.
His boss (a long term client of mine) had recently injured himself at work and could barely walk into the clinic when he arrived. After Bowen, when he arrived at work the next day, his work mates could barely believe he was the same person – the boss was walking and moving normally!!!
I like getting new clients. It gives me the opportunity to sink my teeth into a complete full body function assessment and have an in-depth chat with them about their general health and well-being.
When Fred first made contact he literally had ‘verbal diarrhoea’ telling me about all the treatments and modalities he had tried over the past 10-12 years for his back pain – herniated discs.
‘Nothing’, he said. ‘Nothing has worked’. However, he had seen his boss have miraculous results with Bowen Therapy and was being nagged to give me a go.
Now even with the outcome his boss had had and evidence right before his eyes, Fred said he was still very sceptical I would be able to do anything for him ... cause as he had told me.... ‘nothing has worked’ ...
Fred arrived at the clinic and he too could barely walk into, and up the height of a normal door stoop, into the clinic. In fact, as I observed him climb out of his 10-tonne truck, and walk, the visible excruciating pain on his face was heartbreaking to watch.
So I assisted Fred into the clinic and we did the usual introductions. I asked him to sit but he couldn’t, he just couldn’t sit he’s in that much pain – pointing to the top of his pelvic bone (ilium). I immediately see his belt is pressing right where he is pointing so I ask him to release it ... ahhh ... a miniscule bit of relief but still unable to sit and the facial expression was still painful to watch.
Fred then reveals he previously had herniated discs, L3/4 he thinks, and had a practitioner (not GP) put them back in. This was some 10-12 years previous. According to Fred this practitioner ‘worked wonders’. Then four years ago the back pain became excruciating again. So back he went to the practitioner who had originally ‘put them in’ and whilst it gave him relief in the beginning it was now pretty much a case of chewing one pain killer after another to get through the day.
I asked a multitude of questions, like does he have any recent medical reports? NO. I asked how long since he’s been to the GP and had an assessment. Fred hadn’t been to the GP in 10-12 years!!
I took down a full history of Fred’s health even asking him about his diet, work practices, lifestyle, you name it we covered it. All information presented as normal based on what he told me.
Still after 10 mins Fred could not sit and was standing leaning over my table to try to ease the pain. We commenced the body function assessment. “Yep OK but I’ll tell you now I don’t think anything is going to work”.
Throughout this conversation I was gently encouraging him to go to his GP to find out exactly what we are dealing with. Firstly, because it has been 10-12years since he has been near a GP and secondly, I don’t diagnose and I can’t see what’s going on beneath the skin surface I’m a soft tissue therapist.
Now here’s the strange bit.... he was able to complete every assessment I had him undertake and every single one was completed within full range and all lead to the same single point of pain – the highest point of the Iliac crest. Palpation, while standing, revealed nothing on this point. I asked him what activities aggravated the pain and he said everything.
We moved on to the gentle Bowen treatment. While Fred was in the face down position on the table I felt a hard rigid lump on his iliac crest. Standing and assessment had not revealed this lump. I mentioned it to Fred and said it would be a good idea to have this checked out and yet another reason to visit the GP. I asked Fred if he could feel me touching it and how hard it was and he said NO.
Hmmm, so this in itself rang alarm bells for me.
Fred, occasionally chatted throughout the treatment sharing his love for his family, how he loves spending all his spare time with his grand-kids and partner. ‘I’ve only got two years left to pay off the house then I can deal with this properly’... my reaction to this was ‘Mate, I’ll be honest you are in so much pain you need to deal with this now not in two years’ .... “Yeah yeah I hear ya if it’s not any better in a couple of days I’ll go see someone.
I finished the treatment and asked him to sit up on the side of the table. I assisted him to do this and the visible severe tremor that ran through his body made him break out into a dripping sweat. The pain was so bad just performing this movement.
He said he had experienced some very mild relief while laying on the table but still I again encouraged him to see his GP.
Fred again stated if it wasn’t better in a couple of days he would go see about it.
On Monday night I received a text from the wife his Boss (also a client) telling me that Fred had been to see his GP and was immediately referred to the public hospital who had conducted extensive testing..... the rest of the text left me sitting staring at the screen for almost half an hour.
Fred will not be coming home ... he has advanced prostate cancer which has spread into his spine. He is on morphine to ease him through ......
There is no point in saying or asking did he not have, or recognise, the signs ......
GUYS FOR GOD SAKE TAKE YOUR HEADS OUT OF THE SAND
FOR A FEW MINUTES OF DISCOMFORT
A SIMPLE BLOOD TEST COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE !!!!!
November is “Host A BBQ for Prostate Cancer” month. Get your mates together, have a BBQ and start discussing male health. http://www.prostate.org.au/…/host-a-bbq-for-prostate-cancer/
For more information about Prostate Cancer go to:-
http://www.prostate.org.au/…/what-you-need-to-know-about-p…/ www.canceraustralia.gov.au www.cancer.org.au www.andrologyaustralia.org www.healthyactive.gov.auNow this could be a humorous article or a serious ‘no holds barred’ article.
Either way – the message is still going to be the same.
AND ladies you should be encouraging your fellas to do this.
Got it? ... Great!
About:
Gail Tumes is a qualified Bowen Therapist and Scar Tissue Release Practitioner living and practicing in Forest Lake, Queensland. Having been on the receiving end of Bowen Therapy for over 20 years, in 2015 Gail decided to embark on a long desired career in Complementary/ Alternative therapies. Gail now has her own thriving practice where she works with clients from all walks of life and all age groups providing them with the healing gift of Bowen Therapy.
If you would like to learn more about how Bowen Therapy can assist you please call Gail on 0417 005 510.
Disclaimer
The information on this website is not intended to replace your personal relationship with your GP and is not intended as medical advice or as a replacement for prescribed interventions. The material appearing on the website is for educational use only.