Open Letter to Joel Embiid & Scott O’Neil
Dear Joel Embiid & Scott O’Neil:
When news broke Saturday of the setback in Joel’s foot, I joined Sixers fans in a collective gut reaction of fear and disappointment. I assumed that an injury occurred during workouts, but later learned that the setback was from insufficient healing in the surgically repaired bone. Words like “insufficient healing” are words that I am quite familiar with.
Ten years ago, I suffered a broken neck in a taxi cab accident. I did my 12 weeks in a cervical collar, but didn’t heal as anticipated. I had “insufficient healing.”My doctor said the only real option was a fusion surgery, if I wanted to be healed in time for my wedding that October. This was May. I asked for any other options because I wasn’t too keen on having plates and screws in my neck. He didn’t think so. He said my fracture looked like an old fracture on my CT scan and X-ray. I said I’d try anything.
My doctor said I could try wearing a bone stimulator around my neck at night. However, even if that kick-started new bone growth, it would be slow going and he doubted I would be out of my collar in time for my wedding. He really doubted it would work at all so he scheduled me for a fusion surgery at his next earliest date, eight weeks later. He would do one last check with me the week before the scheduled surgery to see if there was any progress.
I called around to make an appointment for a second opinion. I was actually told by a receptionist at a competing cervical spine specialist “if he says you need surgery, you’re gonna need surgery. He’s the best there is on East Coast” referring my current doctor.
I wore my bone stimulator every night. I also researched fracture healing and bone growth on my own and through the website and leads of Dr. Andrew Weil. I came up with a plan.
I avoided “bone-robbing” foods. These are foods that are alleged to rob your bones of calcium. Caffeine was a major bone-robber and I gave that up totally.
I found a guided imagery CD that Dr. Andrew Weil did with another MD, Dr. Martin Rossman. They suggested guided imagery for a number of conditions and fractures was one of them. I did the imagery exercises every day.
A few friends suggested that I try Reiki (pronounced ray-kee) healing, which is a gentle Japanese energy healing done through the laying of hands with no manipulation. I found an extremely knowledgeable and skilled local reiki healer and saw her twice a week.
Some friends thought these were a waste of time because science cannot currently prove any clinical effects of these methods. But, I had nothing to lose.
Eight weeks later, my doctor cancelled my surgery without consulting me. A CT scan from a few days earlier indicated that my C-2 facture was completely healed. I saw him and X-rays confirmed the CT scan. I was placed in a soft collar for three days and then went to some physical therapy.
I say this because surgery on Joel’s foot would be a major setback. As a Sixers fan, I hope you are open to alternative/complimentary methods. Renowned experts told me surgery was the only real option and they were wrong. I’ve got medical reports to substantiate this and would be willing to share. The photo at the top is also evidence of my injury. DM me on twitter (@ViolatoinsGreg) and I’ll hook you up with some peeps and CDs. Call me crazy, but call me healed. You got nothing to lose!
Also, I’ve written a memoir about my journey so if you have any publishing connections, I could use a meeting.
Thanks. Get that foot healed!
10-9-8-76ers!
Sincerely,
Violations Greg