East Meets West

18 months ago I was hospitalized for a week with a diagnosis of «end stage COPD.» I was on 13 prescription medications. I had been on medication for asthma since I was six months old. I was on insulin injections, five meds for respiratory problems, blood pressure meds (even on the meds, my BP was ²⁰⁰⁄₁₁₁), meds for bladder problems, etc. After leaving the hospital I was on codeine cough syrup, one bottle a week, just to sleep at night. I had to take six cough drops per hour just to keep from coughing so I could work. My life was miserable. Then I found that Rhonda was a licensed acupuncturist (I had only known that she was a biochemistry instructor before). Since that first treatment some 15 months ago, I have not coughed even one time; I’ve lost 50 pounds; I’m on NO diabetes meds as my A1C is perfect; my blood pressure is now ¹²⁰⁄₆₄; my resting heart rate dropped from 94 to 64; and the only prescriptions I take are for thyroid, cholesterol (dosage has been cut in half) and diuretics. My lab work is within normal range except for a slightly elevated cholesterol which is going down at a good rate and I’m told I’ll probably be off the cholesterol meds soon. I am taking a couple of herbal medications from the White Crane pharmacy here. I’ve never been in better health. I believe that if I had not been treated by Rhonda when I was, I would not be here today. The acupuncture has removed my sciatica pain faster and more completely than even prescription pain meds. Seeing her has totally given me a new lease on life. And my outlay on meds and health care is about 5% of what it was before. I totally believe that our country could solve the healthcare expense problem by incorporating acupuncture and Chinese herbal meds into the healthcare protocol.