Under Construction: My road to health

Over the course of about 6 years, I have been on “the path to wellness.” For many who know me, this story is a repeat (sorry family 😉 ). For those of whom I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting, welcome to my story.

While my occupation is “university student,” I initially came to Victoria for a completely different reason. Around the age of 16, I suddenly became very sick and was hospitalized almost on a daily basis.

The reason for being unwell was unknown, but my symptoms created an extensive and curious list that left doctors puzzled. Thus I became a lab rat for tests where I was poked, prodded, scanned, studied, and chiropractically adjusted.

Unfortunately, everything that I would complain about came back as “inconclusive.” I had debilitating headaches (sometimes 3 at once) lasting for weeks on end. I would wake up and go to bed with excruciating pain to the point of wanting to be unconscious just to escape it.

Accompanying the headaches, I had stomach problems that caused me to be ill, pain in my kidneys, heart concerns and inexplicable pain that wracked my entire body to the point of tears because I could not escape my agony. As dramatic as this already sounds, the list extends beyond these main concerns.

Between health attacks, I continued to attend school, work part time, and volunteer. I had incredible family members, teachers and administrators who were protective, caring and did all they could for me to be successful in my high school career. Because of their help and support, I graduated with honours.

An answer at last

Through some contacts, my arduous path finally brought me to Backfit, a Victoria spinal wellness clinic that combines physiotherapy, chiropractic and spinal traction.

In only 2 meetings, my doctor gave me the answer that countless doctors couldn’t give throughout the several years of testing. We discovered my spine was grossly unwell and I have been receiving treatments to reshape it since.

It is also important to note that through specific dietary restrictions initiated by my doctor, we discovered that I have a serious sensitivity/allergy to sugar. While it is one of the better things to be sensitive to considering how terrible it is for people, I still mourn this news almost on a daily basis. 😉

Although I still have a long journey ahead of me until I reach my physical goals, I am nowhere near the alarming condition that I had been in before Backfit. This may sound like a sales pitch, but I found the answer I had been seeking for years through Backfit, and it has been used to change my life.

I am a healthier and stronger person, and am/will be a successful student at the University of Victoria because I no longer struggle with copious and unending amounts of pain. Because of this, I have been able to focus on my studies, continue to volunteer and simply enjoy life as any young person should be able to do.

The title that I chose for this blog post is to signify the (literal) blood, sweat and tears that have been poured into getting me healthy. My “team” of family members, friends, doctors and technicians have surrounded me to help get me to the place that I want to be.

Through this journey of rebuilding myself, I have experienced tremendous growing pains (literal and figurative) and I am not the same person that I was even a year ago. Without these people in my life, I wouldn’t be where I am today. This is only a small glimpse into the life that I have experienced and while it is major, it is only part of my “Under Construction” story.

Before and After

In these pictures, the left hand image is the “Before Backfit” X-ray, and the righthand image is the “After Backfit” X-ray.

In my lower back, I had vertebrae that were twisted and turned up which wreaked havoc on my nerves and in my neck, instead of a proper “banana” shaped curve, I had a reversed-straight curve which also caused numerous problems.

These X-rays are from 2 years ago, but they can show the improvement from my treatments.

A heartfelt thanks

To the team at Backfit, I know you hear these types of stories quite frequently, but I now have the ability to dream about being pain-free.

Many of you have come to feel like family, and while I don’t necessarily like my treatments, I love getting hugs and visiting with you on a weekly basis. My future is bright and I get excited thinking about what it might hold for me.

I couldn’t be where I am without your help, I can now experience things I couldn’t before simply because I am no longer “sick”. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you for everything.

** While I tease about sounding like an advertisement, I truly believe in the work and results that the team at Backfit provide. They have helped thousands of people and I am living proof of what they have to offer. They are accommodating, friendly, caring and committed to help people become the best version of themselves. A consultation may be the answer that some people need for their wellbeing.