Uechi-Ryu.com

Today is the anniversary of the day I briefly died nineteen years ago at around 10am when I was run over. Each year on this day, I light candles, one for each year I have made it; my New Year's celebration from dark to light.

If any of you are into prayer, please remember me in your prayers before you retire this evening.

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Allen Moulton from http://www.ury2k.com/

Allen, it will be done. Mary

Amen. Selah.

student

Gambatte kudasai!

Beauty and light in extension to you, Allen.

Warmly, Jackie

One day at a time Allen!

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GEM

Allen M, I accidentally came across this site and was drawn to your post. I have been in Martial Arts for 38 years and 2 1/2 yrs ago had an accident and broke my neck which paralyzed me. I learned to walk again and still have some problems but I was very lucky. My HMO could not help me in my recovery so I do much research on the net and saw something in you post that I felt I should warn you about. A medical study (not sure which one) warned of using deep tissue massage for pain. They said it could trick the nerves to perceive all sensation as pain even though it was neutral or pleasant. I also wanted to pass on something to Bill B. You mentioned about the bad stuff which I can imagine what that is. I would recommend you look into visualization and imagery as I have seen it help or cause remission. You use your current medical treatment but add it as an adjunct to the treatment. I have a Doctorate in Clinical Hypnosis and would be happy to pass on anything I know as we are members of a unique brotherhood. This also goes for you Allen as it can help reduce pain. If I can help I will and will watch this site to see if you are interested. You could also contact me direct at gatewood@adnc.com.
Good Luck, and keep up the fight,
Ron Gatewood

Allen M, I think that stuff has expired as it does not come up but that's okay. Where are you today, on two of your posts I could feel the pain of remembering. All we have is today and tomorrow and we must move forward. Trying to forget doesn't work, if we work with someone who has tragic memories there is a method called revivification where you have them, while in an Alpha state (which you pass through when you wake up or go to sleep) view there experience as an observer rather than a participant. Each time they watch it a funny thing happens as the sting gets less and less.
I'm glad to hear the acupuncture is working for you. When you exercise to help your muscles be sure to think into the muscle you are working, the power of the mind can not be over rated. If it could not heal then placebos would never work. There are also procedures for working with pain if you would like to hear and I could also give you info about getting into an Alpha state.
Let me know, RG

Where am I today? Getting ready to teach the 4pm Uechi-ryu class at my humble dojo which looks like it is going to start early today.

Fortunately I'm usually too busy to be trying to forget, and often wish there there were eight extra hours in the day so that I could get some sleep. In terms of pain management, I have 20 years experience of knowing when to cave-in to it, then regroup, and then come back to earth when my eyes clear up again.

How long ago did your accident occur? I've met and became friends with several people who have suffered broken necks, and recovery was drastically different for each one of them. How much of your body came back and how long did it take to come back? How many operations did you have? I'm really interested.

As an aside, what browser are you using? The page never expires and is always there. If that doesn't work, Ron, try


http://www.uechi-ryu.org/auto/



or


http://www.uechi-ryu.org/auto/index.htm




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Allen Moulton from Uechi-ryu Etcetera

Allen,

My thoughts are with you.

I think that you are an exceptional person to kick your body through a TC workout, as you did last night, in spite of obvious discomfort.

It is that sheer determination that is making you prevail.

Best to you my friend.

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Van Canna

Thanks for the very kind words, Van. On dark nights like that I'd prefer no one see me. I'd rather people see me happy. But then again I was happy to just be there and work out.

Just before class began and before my face got a little pale, you discussed with us that the hardest thing about practicing karate is just bringing our butts to the dojo, but once we get there it isn't so bad after all. Little did you know that for the moment I wasn't agreeing with you, eh?

However, those words are ever so true for most of us most of the time, including yours truly. If more potatoes would roll out their front door, dojo attendance would swell.

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Other than with my family, some of the best memories in my life are from inside the dojo; must be my second home. Van, to be honest with you, I'd be lost if I couldn't do it.

I really appreciate and thank everyone who lets me practice in their place and lets me do what's necessary to keep my feet as warm as the warmth of their hearts.

But this is no time for "soft-soap" because it's either determination or stubborness that keeps me on my feet, and as long as there is still fight in me I'm going to continue to rumble as best I can and maybe even still raise a little hell along the way.



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Allen Moulton from Uechi-ryu Etcetera

Allen M, I broke C3 &C4 on Aug 4, 1998 and was taken paralyzed by ambulance to the Trauma Center. Operated on the next day and slowly things began to return to about 95% but I have some really strange things I would like to discuss with you because even the doctors seem surprised when they see them. I had to go to the internet to do the research as Kaiser (HMO) were totally inept in helping me. I use Tai Chi and attempt to control Chi energy as part of my rehab. My energy and and balance are still off and I found out you can develop Chronic Fatigue from a spinal cord injury. I was going to ask if you have trouble sleeping, from my research I found that to get a good nights sleep you must get to stage 4 sleep. I don't like taking any drugs but Xanex has been an excellent means to this goal. I take 1/2 a pill before going to bed and when I wake I feel refreshed and rested with no grogginess. The Chinese seem much more advanced when it comes to energies and you may want to search Noi Gung and Chi Gung to learn to send energy to the parts of your body where needed. I have much in my bookmarks if you would like any.
It sounds like the main problem is pain, can you stand or walk. I had the coldness in one foot but when I felt it, I could feel no cold. I then knew it was perception and not real. Your mind can help with this also.
Everyone thinks (like the movies) to push on and you will prevail but I found out the hard way, with a spinal cord injury sometimes you need to rest, regroup and go again.
These are just things I have learned as each spinal injury has a live of it's own.

If you can’t get to my site, the short story is this, Ron:

I had just started my daily 8-mile run on January 2nd 1981 at 10am, and hadn’t yet had the time to cross the street to face traffic when this pickup truck lost control, left the road, hit me, and dragged me 100 feet. I was rushed to the hospital in a coma, and during that time had an out-of the body experience. When I came out of the coma

I was told I’d never walk again. Like you, I used what I knew of tai-chi and Chinese arts to get this thing called “chi” pumping through my legs from the dan tien and after awhile was able to do the mind over matter thing with it by mind-control rather than physically trying to move my legs, bypassing whatever wasn’t responding; rather a neat trick, actually, to move a limb by thought alone -- when you think about it (pun).. I graduated from my chair in 9 months to a pair of canes, then to one cane, then none. I peaked-out after about 3 years maybe a little more afterwards, but kept doing therapy afterwards. Karate has helped me greatly in the recovery arena. Acupuncture has also restored some movement as well as other things. It has been a long, slow, and sometimes painful haul (esp. in the beginning). Like yourself I have no properception (sp), meaning I can’t tell for squat what my legs and feet are doing or where they are and have to consciously lift one foot up, move it forward, put it down [purely mechanical], else either it doesn’t happen or I fall on my face when I get distracted as well as a host of other interesting things I no longer think about unless the occasion calls for it and take things in my stride (pun again? Loaded with em). I was on codeine cocktails for awhile but weaned myself away years ago and either aspirin or Celebrex does it for me a fair percentage of the time.

I know about pain and can think it away – sometimes and some places, so maybe I already have some control over alpha waves.

Now this thing called “TC” that Van Canna Sensei mentioned above. It has made weak men strong and transformed the feeble into fearless fighters -- that’s how good it is. Plus it has also flatly physically destroyed those who didn’t do it right by their own dismerits. For me, Van came to me at just the right time and the TC has been just what I needed in the past two years I have been Van’s student. It has been a tremendous physical, emotional, and spiritual uplift as well as having me realize that this is cool stuff.

I am working now, but in a few months I will not be and will have some spare time. Perhaps then I can explore the avenues which you suggest, Ron, as I am greatly interested in finding out more tools to help keep me ticking a little while longer. Your riposte has also been a great encouragement to me because when I feel alone even though I am surrounded by friends and colleagues, and someone reaches out from within the dark and says “Hey! I’ve been there” I don’t feel so isolated.



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Allen Moulton from Uechi-ryu Etcetera

Allen and Ron, I can feel your pain and at the same time think how mentally strong you both have to be. To fight back from such devestating injuries takes a special person. Some of what you say, I can relate to, others of course I can't. In many ways our little problems are similar, in many ways they are not. Of course I know Allen, we have talked and we have worked out together. I think that both of your situations are harder than mine. Your injuries came suddenly, there was no preparation, in seconds your lives changed. You have worked, continue to work,improve every day be it mentally, physically or both. My problem is disease, I was diagnosed, made a plan of attack and did what I had to do. Life had suddenly become a race, a day by day fight. Same as you guys. Survival. Ron I have my feelings about pain and no question I have changed in the five years since my diagnoses. (Allen, 2/16 was 5 years since they finally found the cancer). Bone cancer can cause extreme pain. At times I have had that. One thing that was very hard for me was sometimes surendering to it. When I just couldn't put it away, couldn't beat it. I hate taking medication, always have. What they have done to my body is criminal. Tons of the strongest chemo, intense radiation, including, full body radiation, bone marrow transplant, more radiation after I relapsed. I feel myself deterioring but like both of you, I still have my mind. I spoke with George today about doing kata. I still can't ease off, starting nice and slow and soft is easy, but, before long things start to "pop". That power on the end of a thrust just naturally starts on it's own. I have not been able to adapt yet. This could easily cause me to break a bone so I quit. I really need to beat this, slow it down. Allen you have my address, Ron for you and anyone else, billbauknecht@aol.com. If you want to discuss the pain thing, coping, whatever, we can do it here or email. I'm sure there are others reading our post, maybe we can get some other input. We have had a number of people respond, some with injuries some with other handicaps. Please join us folks. How are you doing Lori?? And Ron, thank you for taking the time to visit us. I wish you every success whatever your goals, reach out, you are already a winner.

Bill

Your post, Ron, made me think of some of the nastyness that still shadows me. A few years ago, I wrote some of the early history and gory details at


http://www.uechi-ryu.ws/auto/

Got to get into the right attitude "Awoh it hurts so good. " But that's not too funny, especially today.

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Allen Moulton from Uechi-ryu Etcetera