An even more comfortable soul

[Kathryn Woodall]

At 19 I was sitting at a table paying some bills when I decided to stretch. Something popped and I felt my legs get cold. I looked down and they were bluish-grey. I had no idea what had just happened but there was no pain so I went ahead and brought my hands down. It was then that the spasms hit. It took me almost a full hour to get from the table to the phone less than 6 feet away. My chiropractor said that my x-rays looked like they belonged to someone much older, so before I left for college, I went to an orthopedic/sports doc. The prognosis was that by the time I was 25 I would be in a wheel chair. The pop had been a disc herniating and there were several others close to joining that one as well as a few in my neck and upper back. The doc said that it would be no time at all before my hands would be affected too. In fact, I had noticed that they were going to sleep fairly often and that my hand would go numb while playing the guitar. It also explained the intense headaches I had been getting for a few years which had been explained away to stress and TMJ issues.

That prognosis was a truly horrible thing to hear. I had participated in sports all of my life and being physically active was how I dealt with the stress of a difficult home life. Thanks to a mentor who became a dad to me a few years earlier, I found the will to change who I was. I attended chiropractic college and searched for ways to heal. Over the years by utilizing many wonderful techniques and therapies, I slowly healed and have stayed out of a wheelchair. But the pain in my lower back never went away and was often accompanied by pain/pain and numbness down my left leg. I lived most of the last 17 years with a pain level ranging from 6-9. During the good times, it would get to a 4. Because that was such a break, I called it my zero. But it was still not zero. More often than not, going for a ride that was more than 45 minutes would send me to a 9-10. I would plan my life around how much pain certain events were likely to cause. Mowing the lawn or vacuuming the house would mean increased pain for several days. Playing with my great nieces also meant pain for several days. I had learned to practice after I was hurt, but the more people I saw, the harder it was to walk at night. There were times when I couldn't walk (unless you count the excruciating trips to the bathroom on crutches), or practice, or do much of anything for a couple weeks or more at a time.

Sometime near the middle of January this year I purchased and started practicing Intu-flow. I have practiced it daily since then (unless my doc advised otherwise) and am happy to report that on May 20th, for the first time since I was 19, I reached true zero for a pain level. :-) It was there for fleeting moments off and on that night and the next morning before disappearing again until June 8th. It was fleeting that day also but returned again this morning for a brief moment.

I went for about a 20 mile bike ride today after doing yard work on Friday (which included digging a rather large hole in our yard to repair a leak in a pipe leading to our pool, edging, mowing, etc.), riding around for an hour with my husband while he ran errands Friday, driving 40 minutes to see my great niece play T-ball and then wrestling around with her and her little sister before driving back on Saturday, and then driving to and from a party last night also. I might also add that my chiropractic practice has doubled if not almost tripled in the last 3 weeks so I am seeing significantly more people and being able to come home and train or go for a walk with my husband and dog. Though I have consistently had regular chiropractic adjustments and meridian therapy, since starting Intu-flow, each treatment now builds on the previous one. While there are many things that have helped to get me to this point – chiropractic, nutrition, acupuncture, muscle activation technique, massage, etc., etc., -- Intu-flow has definitely been the missing piece of the puzzle that brought them all together. The zero pain isn’t consistent yet, but yet is the key word. My ability to function consistently has gone through the roof compared to years past.

Thank you Scott and Jodie for all that you do, and thanks to the rest of the tribe for the encouragement and support that you have given along the way. Reaching zero pain is not the end of my journey but the beginning of a new one. It will be exciting to take new x-rays in a couple of years and see if the space between the discs has returned to that of a healthy spine. While I realize that it is not a thought shared by many, I do believe it just might be possible. We are the accumulation of our motions, thoughts, and nutrition. If we change those things, we have the ability to change ourselves.

[Scott Sonnon]

At 19 I was sitting at a table paying some bills when I decided to stretch. Something popped and I felt my legs get cold. I looked down and they were bluish-grey. I had no idea what had just happened but there was no pain so I went ahead and brought my hands down. It was then that the spasms hit. It took me almost a full hour to get from the table to the phone less than 6 feet away. My chiropractor said that my x-rays looked like they belonged to someone much older, so before I left for college, I went to an orthopedic/sports doc. The prognosis was that by the time I was 25 I would be in a wheel chair. The pop had been a disc herniating and there were several others close to joining that one as well as a few in my neck and upper back. The doc said that it would be no time at all before my hands would be affected too. In fact, I had noticed that they were going to sleep fairly often and that my hand would go numb while playing the guitar. It also explained the intense headaches I had been getting for a few years which had been explained away to stress and TMJ issues.

That prognosis was a truly horrible thing to hear. I had participated in sports all of my life and being physically active was how I dealt with the stress of a difficult home life. Thanks to a mentor who became a dad to me a few years earlier, I found the will to change who I was. I attended chiropractic college and searched for ways to heal. Over the years by utilizing many wonderful techniques and therapies, I slowly healed and have stayed out of a wheelchair. But the pain in my lower back never went away and was often accompanied by pain/pain and numbness down my left leg. I lived most of the last 17 years with a pain level ranging from 6-9. During the good times, it would get to a 4. Because that was such a break, I called it my zero. But it was still not zero. More often than not, going for a ride that was more than 45 minutes would send me to a 9-10. I would plan my life around how much pain certain events were likely to cause. Mowing the lawn or vacuuming the house would mean increased pain for several days. Playing with my great nieces also meant pain for several days. I had learned to practice after I was hurt, but the more people I saw, the harder it was to walk at night. There were times when I couldn't walk (unless you count the excruciating trips to the bathroom on crutches), or practice, or do much of anything for a couple weeks or more at a time.

Sometime near the middle of January this year I purchased and started practicing Intu-flow. I have practiced it daily since then (unless my doc advised otherwise) and am happy to report that on May 20th, for the first time since I was 19, I reached true zero for a pain level. :-) It was there for fleeting moments off and on that night and the next morning before disappearing again until June 8th. It was fleeting that day also but returned again this morning for a brief moment.

I went for about a 20 mile bike ride today after doing yard work on Friday (which included digging a rather large hole in our yard to repair a leak in a pipe leading to our pool, edging, mowing, etc.), riding around for an hour with my husband while he ran errands Friday, driving 40 minutes to see my great niece play T-ball and then wrestling around with her and her little sister before driving back on Saturday, and then driving to and from a party last night also. I might also add that my chiropractic practice has doubled if not almost tripled in the last 3 weeks so I am seeing significantly more people and being able to come home and train or go for a walk with my husband and dog. Though I have consistently had regular chiropractic adjustments and meridian therapy, since starting Intu-flow, each treatment now builds on the previous one. While there are many things that have helped to get me to this point – chiropractic, nutrition, acupuncture, muscle activation technique, massage, etc., etc., -- Intu-flow has definitely been the missing piece of the puzzle that brought them all together. The zero pain isn’t consistent yet, but yet is the key word. My ability to function consistently has gone through the roof compared to years past.

Thank you Scott and Jodie for all that you do, and thanks to the rest of the tribe for the encouragement and support that you have given along the way. Reaching zero pain is not the end of my journey but the beginning of a new one. It will be exciting to take new x-rays in a couple of years and see if the space between the discs has returned to that of a healthy spine. While I realize that it is not a thought shared by many, I do believe it just might be possible. We are the accumulation of our motions, thoughts, and nutrition. If we change those things, we have the ability to change ourselves.

We broke into tears of joy for you reading your triumphant story, Kathryn. WE ARE SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!!!

Huge, big, forever hugs from Jodie and Scott for your courage and compassion!!! :D :D :D

[Kathryn Woodall]

Scott and Jodie,

Words are just not enough to expres my thankfulness for the two of you. Despite reading my article, you can really only imagine how much my life has been transformed by two people whom I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting in person.

In two weeks (not that I'm counting down the days or anything :-) ) I have every intention of experiencing and returning those hugs in person! :D :D :D

Warmly,

[Chuck Kechter]

Very, very cool!

Congratulations Kathryn!

[bretc]

Truly inspirational!!!

[rich attridge]

That's one amazingly powerful journey. Thanks for sharing Kathryn!

[Jarlo Ilano]

So wonderful Kathryn!

[Ryan Murdock]

Congratulations Kathryn!! :D :D :D

The coolest thing is that it's just the beginning...

And thank you for posting your story here to inspire others who may have taken their own unpleasant diagnoses lying down. That's leading from the front!

[Coach Flanagan]

Congratulations Kathryn and thank you for sharing your inspring story!:) :)

[Connie Brown]

Wow Kathryn, what a tear jerker. Please I want to see this as a movie even!

I'm a little curious about your thoughts on why the *particular* movements of Intu-Flow are the special piece of the puzzle. You mentioned a bunch of therapeutic modalities you've tried over the years. Were there any movement ones? rehab, yoga, and why or why not do you think they worked or didn't?

[peterng25]

When life says: "Sit down, be quiet, shut up and suffer in silence!", Scott Sonnon says: "You can be free, you can stand up, you can be the master of your own style (read life!)
The coolest guy I've ever met. (The other head coaches are close)

[Kathryn Woodall]

Thanks everyone!

"The coolest thing is that it's just the beginning..." Well said, Ryan. Well said.

Connie,
I'll address your question as best I can. Yes, I tried other movement based modalities. Tai Chi and yoga were among them, but I believe that they failed me because I had (and still deal with) a great ability to disassociate so I would jump into the practice and then be debilitated for days. Rehab did not work for me because it concentrated on my area of pain, but I didn't just have a low back issue. Keep in mind that the disc herniated while I was sitting at a table stretching. That isn't exactly trauma so in order for there to be enough instability present to herniate with a stretch, there had to be several other compensations at work and most likely for some time. The disc was simply my body saying that it could not pull off the compensations anymore and I needed to change.

Why Intu-flow? I actually turned in an article about this that I have been told will be published with the next CST magazine, but I'll make this reply specific to your question. It was the missing piece for me for a few reasons. One is that it addressed my entire body...the repeatedly sprained ankles, the knees that were taken out on first and third base, the dislocated shoulder, the entire spine...Intu-flow integrated all of them and made me aware of the relationships that they share in a way nothing else had. Second, the feedback that is requested helped me to stay present instead of disassociating. That made it hard for the pain to run away on me and get out of control. Third, when I had issues I came to the forum and asked questions that were answered by people who "have been there and done that" so that I could feel comfortable that it wasn't just someone throwing a wild guess at me. And fourth, it is something that I can do everyday where ever I am.

Some of the things that I tried gave me temporary relief (again, never less than a 4 of pain level but that is sweet relief compared to higher levels) but because my entire body wasn't being addressed, things eventually went awry again even when I continued doing the very things that had initially helped.

Last, I don't think that Intu-flow is the entire puzzle but for me, it was a key piece. I also think that it is a great place to start if there is a puzzle present. Without having changed my nutrition so that I was getting good building blocks, IF might have been less effective. Without working on my thoughts and emotions I would still be carrying around excess baggage that would fight the progress of IF also. I still carry around extra poundage that I am working on melting away, and having that gone will help also. I don't know what would have happened if I could have started right in on it when I was 19 and freshly hurt...Scott was slacking and didn't have it on the market for me yet. :D Maybe my ego would have thought it too simple to even try then. Maybe I would have recovered fully in a short time and be a well known athlete by now. Who knows. But I know that it is helping me now and I believe that it has the ability to help others too.

[Connie Brown]

Thank you Kathryn, that's exactly what I was wondering and especially if it was the whole-body normalizing that happens with IF.

Congratulations on some really wonderful ground-breaking work that I'm sure will help others too.

You are such a good example of...

never give up
never give up
never, never, never give up

Connie

[Joseph David]

Kathryn,
Thank you for sharing your story! Many will be inspired by your example. It has been a blessing to be able to share with you in the last six months. I look forward to the next chapter.

[Coach Hurst]

Kathryn,

Absolutely wonderful and inspiring! :) :cool:

[Coach Simon]

Kathryn,

You are doing such a wonderful job. I am truly inspired watching your progress my friend.

[Kathryn Woodall]

You're welcome Connie. :-)

Thanks everyone for such kind words!

[Coach Gostnell]

I don't know what would have happened if I could have started right in on it when I was 19 and freshly hurt...Scott was slacking and didn't have it on the market for me yet. Maybe my ego would have thought it too simple to even try then.

"When the student is ready, the teacher appears." ??(some Zen person, no doubt.)

Beautiful, moving depiction of your painful journey, Kathryn, & I look forward that much more to meeting you in person next week.

[wadem]

Kathryn, I think your story is incredibly inspirational and should be used as a measuring stick for the rest of us who may occasionally use lame excuses like, "I'm too tired," or "My back is sore." I think most of don't know what sore is after reading your story! I will be keeping you in mind every time I practice or think of skipping!

Best to you in your continuing improvement!

[BanzaiBonnie]

I am so happy to hear of this event. And onward you go.

[Kathryn Woodall]

Someone clicked through to my blog from this particular post the other day which caused me to read it. It has only been three years, but so much has changed.

It might have been July or August of 2006 the last time I felt any of the symptoms mentioned here...I really don't remember. (There was pain all over with the parasites, but that is different than the disc pain of old.) My life has taken other twists and turns, but no more disc pain and no more days of being unable to walk.

We have a trip scheduled in November where we'll be in the car for at least 8 hours and my back didn't even cross my mind. One of my little great nieces isn't so little anymore, but I still manage to pick her up and swing her around (only when her friends aren't looking, of course). There is no thought telling me I can't do it because I might drop her if my back/leg gave out or that I'll pay dearly for that simple act. Now all that crosses my mind is, "She is growing up so fast that she won't want to be swung soon."

CST is the most incredible system I have ever encountered. When I first came here, I had no expectations that it would help me. I'd been in pain for too many years. I came to see if I could learn something to help my patients. But it did help me and it helped my patients, so I stayed. Then because of a few parasites, I nearly lost my life. By the time they were killed off and it was revealed that some of the damage they did was permanent, I was much weaker than I'd ever been and I felt quite broken. That was just a few months ago. 10-40 minutes a day and I'm already much stronger and moving better. I've still a ways to go, but when you consider where I was...

Twice now the practice of CST has taken me from a state of dysfunction and returned me to a life of pain-free movement, strength, and grace. I grumble in my logs about how hard it is and I silently curse the yoga poses that show me how far I still have to go. Don't let the grumbling fool you. I practice one or more of the three rings each day and wouldn't have it any other way.

Jim Romig recently said in his log that it was probably old hat to everyone else but that the changes he experiences when he puts it into practice amaze him. I don't know about everyone else, but it amazes me too.

[Coach Gostnell]

What a long, strange trip it's been for you, and watching even from afar has been both scary and enlightening. I agree with you and Jim: "old hat" is still amazing to me.

I look forward to seeing you in person again, swinging clubs and all the rest. It's a privilege to be a fellow traveler on this journey with you.

[Chuck Kechter]

You both rock!

[RonP]

I didn't know your story, Kathryn. That is something. Quite impressive. Great example of the brilliance contained in the system. Thank you for telling us.

[Kathryn Woodall]

Jeanne,
It will be good to see you in person again, swingin' clubs, etc., too!

Chuck,
Maybe we can coerce Jeanne into meeting up near your place sometime next year. I've been missing the mountains and it would be good to meet you in person. :)

Ron,
The system is truly amazing. It is there waiting to carry forward anyone who is willing to do the work. You are no stranger to working to improve...keep up the good work. :)

[Chuck Kechter]

Chuck,
Maybe we can coerce Jeanne into meeting up near your place sometime next year. I've been missing the mountains and it would be good to meet you in person. :)


That would be cool with me Kathryn! I would love to get together with you and Jeanne!

And would love to meet you in person as well!

Let me know what I can do to make it happen.

[Kathryn Woodall]

Once I get past a couple major projects between now and the first couple of months, I'll give the calendar a once over and we can email out the rest of the details. :)

[Chuck Kechter]

Sounds good!