Sleepnessless

The list of ailments these two compiled between them would be enough to make most people's heads spin. Adam, who had been born blind as a result of his premature birth, was diagnosed with depression at a young age and was treated with medication. He began having stomach problems as a teen and was told he was hypoglycemic. He was further medicated. Then he began developing arthritis-like symptoms. He was diagnosed with tendonitis,  and was medicated some more. Next he began having difficulty breathing which turned out to be asthma. He got still more medication and breathing treatments. Then came the hiatal hernia and acid reflux, which was a reaction to all the meds. Finally, he became unable to sleep, even when totally exhausted. Diagnosis: fatigue, which led to " you guessed it " more medication. Ambien to be exact. At this point, he could barely get out of bed. The pain, accompanied by exhaustion and drowsiness from all the drugs, was just too much. He now needed a wheelchair because his energy level was too low to walk. The hospital became a second home with monthly, sometimes weekly, visits.

Adam's first visit to the Institute was memorable to say the least. The detox was so severe that he ended up being hospitalized and the attending physician speculated that it could be spinal meningitis, which it turned out not to be. Returning home after a week, he continued on his vegan health quest with the full support and cooperation of his loving wife Denise. Both were now convinced of the need to take responsibility for their own health and well-being.

The next time Adam came to visit he had stopped using a wheelchair to get around as a result of working with mobility coach Daniel Kish from World Access for the Blind in Long Beach, Ca. At 40 years old, Adam realized he was not getting any better because of the many doctors and medications that were so much a part of his life. Quite the contrary, he was getting worse with each new drug that was prescribed. He was not happy with the path he was on and where it seemed to be taking him. He had become dependent on both the doctors and the drug companies. He decided he no longer wanted to live this way and definitely did not want to die this way.

The first connection he saw between diet and his illnesses was when his asthma flared up every time he ate any type of meat - so he stopped. The results were so good he stopped needing his inhaler. This convinced him to become vegetarian. It also allowed him to quit several of the 13 prescription drugs he was taking, including the Ambien, prescribed for sleep. At this point Kish, his mobility coach, suggested Hippocrates to Adam so he could learn the correct way to live a vegetarian lifestyle. Adam says he will be forever grateful to Kish for this recommendation.

The first time I saw Adam, he was in a hurry to get to an appointment at the therapy center and was scurrying across campus with such speed that I would never have guessed he is blind. Seeing that he was using a cane to navigate, I assumed that he had trouble seeing, but was shocked to find out that he can't see a thing. Even more shocking was learning he prefers getting around on his  electric scooter. Next I had the pleasure of meeting his wife Denise, who is also totally blind.

Although Denise struggled with the idea of never eating meat or cheese again, she saw the results Adam was getting and wanted to support him. Her health had also deteriorated severely and progressively since she began to lose her vision 25 years earlier. She too was on medications for everything from a herniated disc to irritable bowel syndrome. She was overweight and suffered the ill of effects of diabetes which was out-of-control. She decided to accompany Adam to Hippocrates on his second visit, taking time off from her job as a rehab counselor to immerse herself in the Life Change Program. She could walk only halfway across the room without stopping for breath when she arrived. She needed a wheelchair to go any further. The first week was quite a difficult adjustment for Denise, even though she had begun making dietary changes before coming. The second week everything changed and the light of consciousness came on for her. It was then that she realized how much stress she lived with and that her life needed a major overhaul.

Denise's diabetes has turned itself around, and both she and Adam are nearly pain-free. Adam no longer needs pills to sleep, nor does he ever use his inhaler. Denise has realized a dream of becoming a ballroom dancer and recently entered a dance competition. Adam is up to 7-mile walks when he feels like strutting his stuff and Denise hopes to join him in that distance soon.

Residing in Coral Springs, Florida, they both travel quite a bit, mostly for the sake of education. Even though they find it difficult to find proper foods while on the road, they are sticking to it. Denise said the closest thing to a vegetable at most bus stations is a potato chip. (How sad is that?) They both have great aspirations to counsel others, especially the visually impaired, on how to live a happy, healthy life.

Adam is writing his first book, "I Didn't Know I Was Different," for which he is looking for a publisher, and hopes to someday open a center for the blind. He is enrolled at Louisiana Tech to complete his graduate work. Denise is returning to school also in Louisiana to get the degrees necessary to become a mental health counselor. They  are such a happy couple. When I asked how long they had been together, Adam quickly replied, "Not long enough." They have just celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary. Congratulations Adam and Denise!

Vol 29 Issue 1 page 16