For Dr. Spear
My wife, Theresa, had been encouraging me for months, maybe years, to see Dr. David Spear at Body of Light Chiropractic here in Eugene. According to her, Dr. Spear had worked wonders on her back and relieved her of substantial pain that had resulted from a genetic disposition to scoliosis as well as an injury she had suffered after a severe fall while she was riding her bicycle. Theresa was back on her bike, pedaling away.
Theresa knew I had been experiencing pain for years from lower back surgery and was unable to participate in some of my favorite activities (including indoor and outdoor rowing) because of it. She wanted me to talk to Dr. Spear, or "Dr. David" as he likes to be known, and experience some of the same life changing relief that she felt.
Well, when it comes to alternative forms of medicine, I am skeptical at best and disparaging at worst.
After a great deal of coaxing on Theresa's part, followed by an equal number of negative responses on my part, Theresa bought me a gift certificate to see Dr. Spear for an initial examination and report of findings. She placed the gift certificate by our phone, where I could see it lying there like a ticking time bomb every time I picked up the receiver to answer a call.
After months of looking at that gift certificate, we made "the call" and met with Dr. Spear. I filled out a brief questionnaire and was taken into an examination room where he unveiled a computer monitor, which prominently displayed the image of a spine in the middle of a human back. This looked like more technical mumbo jumbo to me, and my misgivings only increased as Dr. Spear picked up some kind of diagnostic tool hooked up to the computer and began clicking his way up and down the left and right sides of my spine.
"I want you to know right up front that I don't believe in this stuff, and I don't think it's going to work," I said with great conviction.
Dr. Spear smiled patiently, perhaps with a hint of bemusement.
"I understand where you are coming from," he responded. "We don't work miracles here, but I think we can help. Just give us two months, and if you don't feel we are helping you, at least you can say you gave it a good try."
Well, that seemed fair to me, especially considering the fact that our insurance copayment was relatively low and that appointments didn't require a huge time commitment. We were generally in and out within 15 or 20 minutes.
A quick look back shows how things have gone, and how my viewpoint has changed: Within the first two months of that initial examination, I was able to begin rowing on our Concept 2 ergometer without experiencing any of the debilitating back pain that always seemed to trail in the wake of previous workouts. Over the months since Dr. Spear started "cracking my back," I have subsequently amassed nearly 370,000 meters and hope to complete 1 million meters in the next several months. I also hope to begin rowing outdoors again, soon.
Finally, I would never have thought of entrusting our 11-year-old son's care to anyone other than a medical doctor. That has changed dramatically. Only recently, our son, Joseph, accompanied me on a visit to Dr. Spear. Joseph had been complaining of stomach problems and headaches. Dr. Spear, once again, working his chiropractic prestidigitation, put Joseph on the exam table, maneuvered Joseph's back into a few quick, audible pops, and Joseph left Dr. Spear's office feeling as good as new. I had never seen such a dramatic change occur in Joseph like that.
Would I have ever believed these things before meeting Dr. Spear and giving him those first two months? Absolutely not. Will I give up our medical care? Absolutely not, and Dr. Spear would not want us to do that. We have a terrific medical doctor!
However, I do think that chiropractic care in the hands of a practitioner such as Dr. David, who strives to do the best for his patients and who pursues excellence in his practice, holds a position in the healthy-lifestyle tool box side-by-side with medical practitioners.
Thanks, Dr. David, for all you have done for our family!