Emberley's Story:

This year (2006) I got an early birthday present...my health back! In what seemed like a never ending battle with many painful symptoms, I had all but assumed this was just the way I was to live my life.

I am 31 and I remember awaking one Thanksgiving morning and my jaw was completely locked. I found I had temporomandibular joint syndrome... the pain had only begun when I was 16.

I was raised a sick child: my immune system was always on guard and my body always sore and the doctors from a young age of 11 through 31 allowed me to believe I was a hypochondriac – the doctors version of a victim of my own mind, my version of the pain – I felt like a victim of my own body. The doctors could find nothing. I knew I was not going crazy. This pain so long I held onto was wearing me down. I experienced major depression, stomach aches so nauseating every morning, noon and night. I wished I was normal; I wished just one day to wake up without pain; I wanted to be normal like everyone else.
Other symptoms were constipation, lower and mid back pain, upper shoulder pain, kidney problems, 100% all day every day nausea, headaches often, very low self-esteem, problems gaining weight, ear aches, swollen throat glands.

I started visiting a chiropractor at the age of 21. For 10 years, on and off visits brought me no relief. I was giving up. I woke up crying one day and said to my partner – I am tired and want out of this trapped body; I want my mind free of worry and my body free of pain; I don’t want kids; I don’t want a job; I don’t want medicine; I don’t want to be here anymore; I just want to forever lay in bed. That may sound good to some folks but to the ones that suffer you know that is handing your life over to the pain, not being lazy. And I have been called lazy from lack of activity to pain. My partner said calmly, “Well we are getting married this year and I do want kids and to work and to live, so together we will fix this. Now do you think you can go to my chiropractor’s office?” (He had been trying for 2 years to get me to go to this doctor that saved HIS life from pain), I thought his pain couldn’t possibly be as bad as mine. That is how people living with pain feel – like no one understands. I found myself now adding selfish to my symptom list. “Instead of feeling sorry for your pain poke back at it,” he said with a smile, “My doctor love to heal and get that pain out. THAT is HIS Joy!”

I visited Doctor Johnston and (funny – he was the only doctor to take x-rays). I walked into his office, mind and body shut down, with only attitude. Doctor Johnston and staff fixed my spirit to already feel better. I thought “ok, I will be positive for them.”

I walked out of his office 2 hours later and was so shocked at the immediate relief. I wanted no one to touch me... this couldn’t possibly last! I felt so good I had not yet realized the pain I disliked the most was completely gone – my nausea. The nausea was the worst on my mind pain. It held me back, feeling I was not normal.

I have gained 5 pounds in the past 2 months (when I couldn’t eat before). I get up 1, maybe 2 times to go to the bathroom – before it was 5 – 8 times. I have only had 1 headache, my body, mind, spirit soar into a world where I feel FREE. I felt like a kid and I could not stop smiling. I felt so good I can only thank Doctor Johnston. I feel I owe him so much more but knowing him, that is his return gift – my health. Doctor Johnston has this smile and warmth that is part of his gift of healing and his staff are little angels working over time to make sure everyone can be seen and given the proper attention.

I can only hope if you or someone you know suffers with pain in the mind, body or both, please try Doctor Johnston. Your pain will not like him and his mission is to make sure of that. You will feel peaceful, just give yourself a chance to live again, never give up! I now regularly look forward even with no pain to going to see Doctor Johnston.

Yours truly,
Emberly