Part 19

The next very major adventure in my life started in about the spring of 1976 just before or just after I got called to the bar.

The history of the event goes back a number of years but jelled while I was in law school.  I had a serious what I considered an ear ache.  I went to the doctor who decided that it was probably just tension and prescribed valium - albeit the lowest dosage.  With the benefit of valium I was able to focus on studying even though the ear pain - which was more like neck pain - persisted.

When I cam back to Toronto in the spring of 1974, my friend AG thought that he might be able to assist me with my problem.  He was going into 4th year at the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College.  When he started his internship I visited the college clinic.  The first thing was providing a history, then the physical examination and an x-ray.

I was advised that I had a subluxation.  Obviously, being ignorant, I asked where I caught it and did I have to tell my wife to get checked.  It got a laugh.  I was told that I would benefit from an upper cervical adjustment and all I remember is being told that besides relieving me of pain it would move some joints.  I don't listen well after hearing any health care diagnosis.

So I provided my consent and AG was to provide the adjustment.  I am not happy with anyone touching me anywhere. I was told to put my head at the top of the table.  I did but was then told that I had to lie down on the table.  You can try and figure out what I was doing  -- and that also got a laugh.  I take instructions very very literally.

AG then tried to provide the adjustment.  Once, twice and three times, but I tensed up every time he touched me and told me to relax.  He left the room for a couple of seconds and then came back with his supervisor.  A licenced chiropractor, BK whose nickname I later found out was "killer".

Dr. BK asked AG what the diagnosis was and the suggested treatment.  BK then took my head in his hands, didn't both to tell me to relax and then gave me my first upper cervical adjustment.  I saw stars and jumped to my feet - their expressions were probably priceless.  I asked what they had done, asked who owned the building in case of a lawsuit and then realized that the pain had instantly gone away.

Apparently, my pain was not caused by stress -- it was caused by years of bending my neck over a desk and reading, reading and reading textbooks and studying.  It was amazing!!!

I then asked AG what was next.  He indicated that I would likely need at least 8 more adjustments, and I asked whether I could get them at the same time.  I was serious but that also got a laugh.  We booked all of the appointments.  They were all necessary and many more but a little while later I found out why 9 visits was important - a patient would only be defined for the purposes of the intern's clinical requirements if there were nine visits.  

Many people who may be adverse to seeing a chiropractor use the excuse that once you see a chiropractor you will always see a chiropractor.  My reply, is -- of course.  Not unlike seeing a dentist.  The chiropractor allows a patient to maintain a level of wellness.  There is acute care and there is maintenance care.  But I am not going to deeply into the importance of the profession and what services they provide.  There are plenty of articles and publications dealing with those subjects.

So after I calmed down, I asked AG and BK who taught the subjects concerning consent to treatment, privilege information and other legal matters affecting chiropractors.  They told me that the individual, actually a chiropractor, had retired.  They asked if I had any interest in teaching and when I said yes, they gave me the name of the individual to contact - AR.

And that is where the next part of the adventure began.