From Bedridden to 120-Mile, 10,000-Foot-Climb Bike Race MAY / J U N E 2 0 1 4 51 My name is Ned Creed and I was born in San Rafael in 1974. I lived an active life growing up, playing soccer, football, and basketball and skiing—and quite often taking some hard shots! I learned to ski at a young age and also enjoyed many years cycling and skateboarding. College years at the University of Utah included many days of skiing and mountain biking, along with some crashes. As I got into my thirties I began to have some back pain. An excessive episode would last four days—until the spring of 2008. I was 34 years old, living in Napa, and over the course of about a month I took the pain in my lower back too far. A few friends needed help moving, so I offered. I worked in a vineyard doing a lot of lifting. I rode my bike three days in a row (about 90 miles total), which at the time was a lot for me. My back really hurt and I couldn’t move! It was actually getting worse, locking down and causing everyday tasks to become impossible. No more bike riding, no more projects fixing up my home, no more lifting cases of wine at work. Sleeping was on and off but never completely restful. In June of 2008 I went to see my medical doctor. He referred me to a physical therapist, not a chiropractor. I started PT visits at three times per week, but after five months, I had plateaued, and wasn’t getting better. So my doctor referred me to a spinal surgeon after my MRI. The surgeon recommended disc replacement, which would have cost thousands on top of my growing medical bills, now going on for eight months! That was when I decided to try cortisone injections. From mid-January to late February of 2009 I went through three rounds of six-inch needles piercing my lower back to the depths of my L5 in hopes that a drug would fix my situation. It didn’t! And, still no referral to a chiropractor! In so desperately hoping that medicine would work, my judgment was obviously clouded, because rarely does a drug heal problems; it hides the truth. Over a year later of physical therapy, MRIs, three rounds of cortisone injections, I was NO better and out quite a bit of money. It is depressing to reflect back on that time now and remember how I was coming to accept that everyday life includes pain and difficulty in movement. While standing, cooking, shopping and carrying groceries, I was thinking “I can never be able to do those things I loved!” I had exhausted all the medical options and I was worried that if surgery failed I couldn’t work! (There was a 40% chance it wouldn’t work!) I was getting depressed! I chalked it up to “just my luck.” I called a cousin who I remembered many years past had gone through the same thing I had, but he was back at it, and going strong in his early forties! He said a chiropractor was the choice that brought him back. THIS IS WHERE THE STORY CHANGES! I wish I had called him sooner. I asked a few contacts in Napa if they had worked with a chiropractor and Dr. David Eade was the strongest recommendation. I was nervous, but willing. After reviewing my past MRI and taking some x-rays, Dr. Eade gave me the most confident presentation that ended with “I can help.” I believed him and that set our course. In April of 2009 I had my first adjustment. Have you ever heard the quote, “You have to laugh to keep from crying sometimes.” The best way I can describe it is emotional happiness. Thinking back on that first adjustment evokes this sensation. I remember instantly feeling relief, at a multi-faceted level including stress relief and pain relief. I underwent care and the rest is history! No surgery, no more serious pain, and a whole lot of bike riding! In fact I have felt so good I did the Death Ride in the high Sierra Nevada. That’s over 10,000 feet of climbing and over 120 miles in one day! I could never have dreamed I would be doing this. I could never have imagined in my year of pain and despair that I would be one day riding again, carrying on like I was normal. If I had just followed the medical route I probably wouldn’t be in this article, and I know I wouldn’t be bike riding! So if you are scared, reluctant, or just not sure about chiropractic…. DON’T DO WHAT I DID AND WAIT! Get seen NOW! Thank you, Ned, for your stirring testimonial for chiropractic care. For those of you readers, who are interested, normally our examination is $279. It includes any necessary X-rays, history and computerized testing. But it is available now to a limited number of people for only $37. There is a deadline of April 1 or 11 people. We can’t help everyone, so we will let you know if we can accept your case. Call now: (707) 927-1491. Just ask for Danielle. And for more info see www.eadefamilychiro.com ADVERTISEMENT Ned Creed and Dr. Dave
NVLife_MayJune_2014
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