When I first came to Fuller Chiropractic, I could not sit in a chair for more than 20 minutes without experiencing excruciating pain and requiring 2 to 3 minutes to ratchet myself up to a semi-straight standing position. A genetic condition exacerbated by years of being on the road playing music and traveling in planes, trains, buses and cars did this to me. At one point, I even thought about surgery, considering my life was so drastically limited by this chronic condition. I met Dr. Scott Fuller through a fellow student friend of mine while I was in school re-training for a career in Dental Hygiene, which would allow me to stay off the road and work in a program that would allow for recovery.
From the very first appointment, I knew I had come to the right place! The clock was not ticking in Dr. Fuller’s world. I felt like I was his only patient. Quite frankly, I was not accustomed to the continuous follow-up calls and concern that he show for my condition and me. I felt like I had a trainer in my corner! I attended one of his classes and was amazed at the depth of his knowledge. I have been to many chiropractors before, not to mention acupuncturists, acupressurists, medical doctors, herbalists, faith healers, soothsayers… you name it. I tried them all! And no one had the complete understanding and wherewithal to disseminate information like Dr. Fuller. It was based on this body of information that I was able to assimilate what was necessary for my recovery. From that point on, I took every word of advice, every exercise, technique and recommendation that Dr. Fuller prescribed and made it policy. This brings me to the reason I am writing this testimonial.
I now live a relatively pain-free life! For those of you that are at the starting gate with your therapy, heed my words: the road back to health can be a long one, and at times it may seem like nothing will ever get you back to the freedom of movement you desire. After 18 months of compliance with my therapy, and occasional windows of relief, I was still not where I wanted to be. Dr. Fuller never gave up on me, so, I didn’t give up. I doubled my time on the exercises and the foam block that was part of my therapy, and came more often to see Dr. Fuller, putting my faith and trust in his medicine. After all, it took years to get to the condition I was in, so it made sense that it may take some time to rectify it. Well, somewhere around the two-year mark, I made a miraculous breakthrough. Talk about a new lease on life, I felt like someone had just quitclaimed a new spine to me and shaved 15 years off my life. I was able to live like a normal human being again (something I had long given up on). I went for months without any relapses, and when I did have a relapse, it was due largely to the fact that I was taking risks like a teenager again. That’s how good I felt, being able to run, bike, ski, workout, etc., sometimes pushing the limit.
Now I see Dr. Fuller once a week and do my therapy at a maintenance level that has all but allowed me to forget I even have a back condition. I did give up certain activities that tax my limits, and I suggest you evaluate the risk-benefit factor in any activity. But all in all, what I have given up has been easy considering the reward of living an active, limber, flexible and pain-free life! Trust Dr. Scott Fuller, stay the course with your therapy, and have faith that someday you will wake up feeling all whole lot better!
John Garnache, RDH, FBP (funky bass player!)