Today I live, today I walk, today I have recovered from progressive multiple sclerosis ... and much of it is thanks to Douglas Cottrell.

 

I was diagnosed with MS in late 1999. Contrary to my neurologist's predictions that chilly October morning – "I think you'll do very well with this" – my case of MS was fast-moving, aggressive and relentless. ("It hit you like a train," a friend said.)  The steady march of symptoms included progressive tingling, numbness, stiffness, and a steadily worsening gait; then vision problems, and pain that became almost unbearable. Eventually, I couldn't walk without support. I had difficulty moving my hands; I could barely turn over in bed; I could barely tolerate being touched. Even the pressure of clothing sometimes hurt.

 

I submitted to two rounds of intravenous steroids, which didn't seem to help. Then the neurologist recommended chemotherapy, a very aggressive treatment, to try to stem the relentless progress of the disease. "When is this going to get better?" I asked. His answer was flat: "You are not going to get better. We're just trying to slow this down."

 

But along the way I also turned to Doug, whom I had known for many years. I drove from the United States across Ontario , alone, and hobbled from the car into his office, barely able to walk. My first and most burning question: "Will I be able to heal?" His one-word answer that gave me hope, from that day forward: "Indeed."

 

Doug's is a remarkable gift. In that first reading, he laid out for me an incredibly detailed program of recommendations that included acupuncture, massage, and a slate of other instructions, including working with healing oils, obtaining two devices recommended by the late U.S. psychic Edgar Cayce, drinking two ounces of Dr Pepper every few days, and applying a weak electrical current to my body. He recommended that I eat squid to correct an imbalance that kept me from assimilating food.