On June 14th, 2018, while surfing at the inlet in New Smyrna Beach, I found myself caught in a sudden summer electrical storm. With nowhere to hide, I and six other individuals tried to seek shelter under the boardwalk. Unfortunately, it was not enough, and I was struck by lightning.
The lightning bolt hit my right side. I started convulsing, stopped breathing, and then went into full cardiac arrest. A friend, who was uninjured, was able to perform CPR for approximately ten minutes until I started breathing again. Rescuers were on the scene within a half-hour to take me to the hospital.
Three days later I was released from the hospital. I expected life to resume as it had been before the lightning strike, but I had underestimated the amount of damage that had been caused.
It is said that a lightning bolt can carry between 15,000 to 30,000 volts of electricity. It was determined that the shock of that blast had damaged my peripheral and motor nerves from head to toe. What that means is that I was experiencing numbness, or hot/cold sensation, or no sensation at all, in my peripheral nerves. At times I could not feel my arms or legs. Worse yet, with the motor nerves damaged, I was unable to walk or maintain my balance. I also developed cataracts, which is a common lightning strike side effect. Additionally, the back and shoulder muscles on my right side were barely responding. And I had a concussion from the blast just to top it all off.
It was at this time that I had to make some decisions about my recovery. I chose to embrace a proactive path with respect to hydration, diet, stretching, and exercise. It was definitely going to be a day by day recovery. As part of this plan, I decided to incorporate acupuncture into the mix. I had never undergone acupuncture treatment before but had researched it in the past, and I believed that I could benefit from it as part of a wellness/recovery strategy.
I chose Dr. Rusty because I was aware of her reputation and she had successfully treated two of my family members in the past. After an initial consultation, she began working on my extremities, specifically my arms and legs to help restore sensation. I saw results immediately as the numbness disappeared in my upper arms and legs. After five weeks of treatment, the only areas that are still affected are my fingertips and the pads of my feet- and we are working on that. My balance also improved noticeably after the first session. I was able to complete my first two-mile jog, albeit slowly, last week. The positive mental benefits from this milestone alone have been worth it. Think about it- I was barely walking five weeks ago, now I’m jogging. It’s proof that I am getting better. Last week we started working on the vision issues as well. I have had three treatments since then and this morning I was trying to determine if it was my imagination or if my vision had actually gotten better. I am fully convinced that it has improved.
Here’s the bottom line—acupuncture works and Dr. Rusty is a pro. She can help you. My only goal for writing this testimonial is to inspire you to seek out her services, especially if you are uncertain about the benefits of acupuncture. Sure, it’s a process, but I am living, breathing proof of the benefits. Life’s too short—get well! —Frank, New Smyrna Beach