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Published: Tuesday, Apr. 27, 2010 / Updated: Tuesday, Apr. 27, 2010 03:40 PM

Thanks to ACE, pain at bay

Approximately 40 years ago, I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. In my early 20s with a long life to live, this seemed like a real setback.

Having lost 40 pounds and suffering the raving effects associated with Crohn’s disease, our persistent family doctor sought a physician from England, who had recently immigrated to Canada. His doctorate was in Crohn’s. I was taken under his wing and within weeks was onto the road to stabilization. He gave me my life back.

Unknown to me the progression of the disease have been inhibited by a series of drugs that would have serious side effects in my 60s. I began to experience severe pain, tingling and numbness in my feet. As an avid walker, a golfer when time permits and gardener, this was devastating.

A battery of tests by specialists revealed the drugs prescribed had created neuropathy. I was told the drugs had severely damaged or killed nerves in my feet. “What now?” I asked.

The specialist compassionately replied “Live with it.”

For months I was virtually held hostage with severe pain even on the shortest walks. Neuropathy is typically the after effect of chemo drug treatments, shingles and diabetes.

My wife, Dianne, was seeing a massage therapist, Jeanni Rogers of Ace: A Caring Environment across the gate from River Hills in Lake Wylie. Dianne mentioned the situation to Jeanni, who asked if I would be interested in coming in for an evaluation. I jumped at the chance.

She said there is evidence in her field of therapy that massaging certain trigger points could rekindle the feeling in the feet. But she made no promises. We began the process.

I immediately felt progress, the burning went away the first week, the severe pain was greatly reduced to gone and I was able to walk again.

I am writing this letter to the Lake Wylie Pilot as a personal recommendation to Jeanni Rogers and ACE.

Lee A. Kehler is a River Hills resident.