I have had the honor and privilege or serving St. Charles County and St. Louis County as a family chiropractic physician since 1988. I have been at Crosby Chiropractic & Acupuncture Centre since 2013. I have watched my profession grow and struggle during these past several decades and I am proud to say we are offering an even higher quality of care to our patients today than ever before in chiropractic history. It is indeed rare to find a profession that allows the opportunity to positively change the lives of thousands of people with little to no risk of complication or contraindication.
My journey is rather unique in a way because I was motivated to become a chiropractic physician as a result of my own personal success story. Challenges have a remarkable way of making us become defeated or they can continue to make us stronger. By God’s grace and with the loving support of friends and family, I was able to change my scars into stars. In my youth, I was afflicted with a rare form of arthritis called Ankylosing Spondylitis. It is a progressive and debilitating disease that presents many painful challenges. The fact that it presents most commonly in the teens and twenties, the social aspects of progressive stiffness, bent and forward posture and almost total lack of spinal motion often seemed too much to bare. Statistically, the most common cause of death from Ankylosing Spondylitis is suicide. That was not part of my plan. I had decided to move forward, not in spite of but because I saw it as the only path. The arthritis had already ended a promising musical career. I was not going to allow it to block any future plans no matter the pain, no matter the physical appearance and no matter what the text books said about my future. It produced a resolve so deep inside, there would be nothing to get in my way. There have been many challenges, but once I was introduced to the art, science and philosophy of chiropractic healing, my destiny was clear.
I found along my journey that I had a thirst for knowledge, especially in the areas of human health and nutrition. While chiropractic colleges offer significant study in nutrition, my drive to learn in greater detail led me to years of additional study. I discovered we had neglected asking many of the most important questions before presenting any useful answers. I also discovered that “health care” was actually “disease management” and I wanted nothing to do with that model. Eventually my work evolved into specific nutritional formulations. I found, as have many true healers, that the majority of health issues are self-inflicted and their treatment often does not involve natural healing and prevention, rather it involved the prescribing of medications. Oftentimes, the answers have side effects that are damaging and/or dangerous, creating additional health concerns that need to be addressed. The decline of health over time is a slow steady spiral. It was and remains my goal to rectify this situation by presenting wholesome and truthful information, supplementation and lifestyle choices that support wellness.
One might consider it a distraction in my journey but, as it turns out, it was just another horizon of the same destiny. I had always been fascinated with the ancient Chinese culture especially the time-honored healing arts. My studies in human immunity directed me to investigate many of the ancient herbs and concoctions of Traditional Chinese Medicine. I was invited to study under three of the Grand Masters of Traditional Chinese Medicine with the intention of earning my TCMD (Traditional Chinese Medical Doctor). My journey with my Masters and teachers has lifted me to a greater understanding of life, and the energy that created and sustains it. It is my hope that my additional learning has enhanced my ability to serve the patients who entrust their care into my hands. I remain a humble student drawing ever so closely to my TCMD goal.
What is left of my hair is turning gray. I am now a seasoned practitioner of my art but still find myself learning something new on a regular basis. At one point, I turned my focus to “Functional Medicine” but have since abandoned that path and have changed it to “Functional Wellness”. My studies have taught me that healing is an internal phenomenon. As physicians, it is our prime obligation to support rather than replace the natural functions of the body. To enhance the performance of the body from a subcellular basis to the development of a stronger, more vital person. That is why I have enjoyed my tenure at Crosby Chiropractic and Acupuncture Centre. I have been given a free hand to approach my patients with the purest form of healing one will ever experience. We are collectively a “wellness” center with a strong consideration to every need of the patient, their family and friends. I my particular case, I am no longer building a practice but constructing my legacy. My journey is far from over and my list of things to do extend far beyond the dark prognosis of my youth. For those who know me or have met me, they soon forget about the arthritis as I have for many years. When one is blessed with the life I have been given, the only thing that can be felt is gratitude and joy.
