Short Stories of Healing with Qigong

I fell down a flight of stairs 31 years ago. Seven or eight stairs hit me in the middle of my back. I have had pain ever since. It started in my back, progressed to my hips and eventually affected my neck and shoulders. The misalignment caused continuous pain and discomfort. This also prevented me from breathing properly and caused me to sit hunched over. I sought a variety of treatments in hopes of easing the pain. First I started with physiotherapy, which did not help, so I turned to chiropractic, acupuncture and massage therapy. These treatments did very little to alleviate the pain. I simply got used to living with it day and night.

After being diagnosed with breast cancer, I visited Wellspring Niagara ( Niagara’s cancer support centre). There, Instructor George Picard introduced me to Qigong. George touted the benefits of doing these exercises on a daily basis . At first I was skeptical, only because up until that point I had not discovered anything that helped me, so why would this be any different. I started doing these exercises ( 24 posture Therapeutic Qigong) faithfully everyday. In as little as three weeks I was pain free and felt invigorated! Since I started doing Qigong, I have not had to seek adjustments. I feel better physically and mentally. I feel whole again!

— Liliana Ewanick

Dear Mr. Picard,

I would like to thank you for what you and Qigong have done and continue to do for my life and wellbeing. I am seventy years old and had radiation treatments for prostate cancer in December 2008. In January 2009 my outlook on life was not very promising. After my first Qigong lesson everything changed and since then there is a long list of improvements in my life. If I may say, I look about twenty years younger than in January 2009. My life’s quality has improved tremendously. In January I never thought that I could feel this well again.

In spite of Zoladex injections ( one of the side effects is bone loss) my bone density improved. I amsure that when I stop the injections, with the help of Qigong my bone mass will return to normal and healthy completely.

My ability to deal with stress has improved and I no longer suffer from anxiety, depression or insomnia. My memory, concentration and stamina have improved. The “good days” were very few and far between, now every day is a good day.

Mr. Picard, I can not thank you enough for the quality of life Qigong has given me.

Sincerely your student forever,

— Elmer Suveges Sr.

Six years ago, I was suffering severely from bulging discs in my lower back and narrowing of the spine. I was going to the chiropractor two or three times a week. I would be fine for a few days but one wrong turn would bring me back to square one. One attack left me in bed unable to move, until the paramedics were called to lift me from my bed and transport me by ambulance to the hospital where I was completely immobilized by drugs for pain for a few days. When I was home again, I walked with a walker and went to the chiropractor once more but to no avail. I began taking Qigong and Taiji, and after a short time of this regular therapeutic exercise, I no longer needed the chiropractor and I was alive again. The more I did Qigong the better I felt and the less pain I experienced. I no longer need any pain medication.

I have more great news; I was a hairstylist for many years and all the hairspray and chemicals I worked with caused me to develop asthma, which was also triggered by the use of any aerosol sprays, such as paint and other strong cleaning chemicals. I was on Flovent and Salbutamol puffers for years, but the deep breathing and Qigong exercises helped open my Qi and cleared my lungs to enable my breathing without the use of puffers. I am faithful to my exercise. I have my life back, and the key is Qigong.

— Toni White

Case Descriptions

Susan
As reported by Susan during the interview,..

 Susan is a 51-year-old woman. As an adolescent, she developed scoliosis. Working as a hairstylist when she was 18 or 19, she began to have severe pain in her hands, making her work very difficult. She had carpal tunnel surgery on her right hand which provided temporary relief. Her symptoms slowly returned and she continued to have intense pain and difficulty with her daily activities. Seeking relief in her symptoms, she received treatments from chiropractors and Chinese medicine practitioners, each with no significant benefit. She also tried yoga and swimming but depending on the Yoga movements or swimming strokes, she began to have more pain. 

When Susan was in her early 40’s, she began to have weakness in the lower half of her body. Her legs would frequently give out on the stairs, causing her to fall. Control of her bladder and bowel function also began to deteriorate. She had an MRI and based on the results she was scheduled for emergency surgery to stabilize her cervical spine and relieve spinal cord compression. She was informed that it would be outpatient surgery and she would be home the same day.

In May of 2011, Susan had a 6-level cervical spine fusion to stabilize her spine and relieve pressure on her spinal cord. When she woke up, she realized something was wrong. The entire right side of her body was paralyzed. What was supposed to be outpatient surgery with a return home the same day ended up being an 8-week hospital and rehabilitation stay to learn how to walk again.

In August 2012, Susan had a second surgery. The goal of the surgery was pain relief however she reported her pain was significantly worse afterwards. She would receive weekly injections for pain relief that she reports would only marginally decrease her pain for about 1 week. She was also taking high doses of medication for nerve pain relief which she also reports marginal benefit. She had areas of heightened sensitivity on her legs where a bed sheet or even a gentle breeze would cause intense pain. Exposure to hot water would feel cold, and cold water would feel hot. She was unable to walk more than 1 block and remained in bed for over 10 hours/day. She suffered extensive personal and professional quality of life losses at this time.

Looking for relief, she tried medical yoga and received temporary relief. She also practiced traditional Tai Chi but had minimal to no relief. She continued to have intense pain that had a significant impact on her quality of life and ability to perform daily tasks, including walking. In 2014, she tried a Qigong class and reported something was very different about this class. Almost immediately, she felt a strong sense of relaxation that she reportedly had not found in many years. She was unable to attend many classes, but purchased a video of the movements and over the next year, began to practice the exercises consistently until she was able to attend formal classes.

Susan credits the practice of Qigong with saving her life. She says it gave her a reason to get out of bed and socialize in the very early days of her practice. She is now able to walk with no limitations and her pain has improved by approximately 90%. Within 3 months of beginning Qigong, she was able to stop all medications and injections she was receiving for pain relief. She continues to have some weakness in her arms and her hands, but it does not interfere with her ability to complete her daily activities. Despite her extensive cervical spine surgery, she reports full mobility in her shoulders and has nearly recovered full mobility in her neck. Her energy has also greatly improved and she routinely teaches 3 Qigong classes per week. In addition to this, she also teaches at special events, including a Qigong class at a large Yoga festival with over 1000 people in attendance. Recently, she also received her first full time employment in over 6 years. 

James

As reported by James…

James is a 70-year-old male. Over 10 years ago, he was diagnosed with multilevel degenerative disc disease (DDD) in his lumbar spine, as well as severe central stenosis or narrowing of his spinal column around his spinal cord at L3-4, L4-5, and L5-S1. In 2011, he had a CT scan and was told by his physician that at this rate, it would not be long until he must rely on a wheelchair for all mobility. Surgery was presented as an option, but James was informed that the success rate was less than 10%. 

James decided to forgo surgery and take his chances. Gradually, his legs became weaker and he would fall spontaneously. He worked as a salesman and as he was talking to clients, his legs would give out without warning and he would fall to the ground. To help his situation, he would park as close as he could to the entrance of stores or other destinations, would walk with carts or hold onto shelves or furniture. This would only help for so long before he would fall again.

He began looking for other options to help manage his condition. In 2012 he tried yoga. While it helped to temporarily control his pain, it had no effect on the weakness in his legs and he would continue to fall. One year later at the suggestion of his wife, he tried a Qigong class. Due to his family’s personal schedules, he was unable to attend another class for 2 months. He decided to purchase a video of the movements he had learned and practiced them each day for 4-5 months until he was able to return to normal classes. 

Since he has begun participating in the Qigong classes, he has not fallen even once, and has no reports of pain. He stated that “Qigong gave me my life back.” He has no other medical problems to mention and takes no medications. He revealed that the improvements he has experienced have gone far beyond what he expected. Where he used to fall often and without notice, he has not fallen since he began Qigong and reports that he now even has a “spring to his step, and a spring in his heart.” Not too long ago, he sustained a left rotator cuff tear. After continuing to practice Qigong, he had a full return of strength and movement with no pain or difficulty with his routine daily activities, all within 6 months.

In his professional life, he felt like he was burning out as an IT programmer but practicing Qigong has reinvigorated him. He was able to complete many projects (some complex) that he never would have thought possible. He has since become certified to teach Qigong and tells anyone who will listen about his story. He has also witnessed many others gain significant benefits from the practice of Qigong, and is thrilled that he gets to share this with others.

Patti Brooks