Health in layers – like an onion

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Back in March 2014, my dad, who had dealt with his Parkinson’s diagnosis for nearly 13 years was nearing the end of his rope. He had chronic back problems, with scoliosis and a 55-degree tilt causing him to shy away from even his most beloved activities because of the constant, excruciating pain.

As we documented this summer, dad found some relief in his work with Dr. DeMartino. As important as the relief was, the feeling of hope in knowing there was something my dad could actively be doing to improve his quality of life was and remains equally as valuable (something he heard nothing about from his doctors at Kaiser).

Earlier today, he received the results of his second set of blood work from Dr. DeMartino, who did a draw at the beginning of my dad’s process back in May. The marker that showed up differently this time indicated an infection in my dad’s kidney. The fascinating thing about that information was that it didn’t show up a few months ago, and nothing in my dad’s recent history would suggest him getting an infection between May and now. However, he did have kidney stones back in the mid-90’s and had a very powerful and disruptive sonic blast treatment that broke up the stones (and almost certainly damaged his kidney, too). Dr. DeMartino suggested that some of my dad’s back pain and the scoliosis itself could well be tied to this infection. The fact that this infection wasn’t even on the map previously due to all the other things my dad was dealing with (pancreas in crisis, mercury levels off the chart, etc.) suddenly made sense. The body can only deal with so many fires at once. The idea that we have layers of health, source or core problems that manifest in other ways than are directly evident is fascinating.

“It’s like an onion,” Dr. DeMartino said, with a smile. “Like Shrek.”

 This immediately gave Dr. DeMartino a new course to work with for my dad and my dad some interesting food for thought. He’d known about his low white blood cell count for some time (indicative of an infection), but hadn’t received any assistance on where it might be. It’s clear my dad has peeled back some layers of disease from himself already, literally in the extra weight as well as the heavy metal toxicity buildup internally. The idea that he could peel back another and, perhaps another yet, to get closer to the core health of his being is fascinating and quite hopeful.

Improving through Improv

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Day two of our journey to Los Angeles included a pair of interviews I felt were very important to our story. The first was with Rob Belushi, son of Jim Belushi, and a man I consider to be a good friend after spending time studying improv with him at Las Vegas’ wing of Second City. My dad and mom wondered aloud what Rob’s added value or pertinence to the documentary would be – not as a person, as they didn’t know him, but in a "what’s improv go to do with it?” sense. Improv is a faith-based performance exercise. You have to walk on to the stage believing you and your stage partners have enough with just what you have (which is just you). You have to connect. You have to be truthful. It helps greatly to give a lot more than you take. In the words of Jim Belushi (according to Rob), “the guy who gives the most wins”.

My line with Rob was to have him talk about his experience as a performer and teacher and draw a line between improv, faith and health. 

“One of the core principles is to say yes,” Rob said. “As we become older we become more comfortable with a certain way – our daily experience levels tend to shrink. By saying yes, life can continue to surprise you.” 

He also talked about fear, as a personal motivator for him and what it’s like to be on stage, wondering if what he’s doing will be funny or work on any level. 

“[It’s important] to not let fear totally destroy your ability to participate in things”. 

That one hit home in a number of ways for me and my dad, too. Dad doesn’t like the attention on him or his Parkinson’s so he tends to shy away from some social situations. It isn’t that he’s a recluse, but, at the same time, he’s inclined to stay in an increasingly shrinking comfort zone. That’s one thing I worry about quite a bit.

“What we learn in improv [about fear] is that it’s going to be okay,” Belushi said. “Just keep taking specific steps and making choices and it will lead you somewhere that you couldn’t see over here.”

One of the things Rob does in his class to set his students at ease is give up something personal about himself, often something personal.

“There’s a feeling of ‘we don’t have to be perfect here’,” Belushi said. “We’re just trying to be real.”

He made another interesting insight when he talked about how in creating an improv scene, performers often have to take on unsavory roles or characteristics because that’s what their partner has given or labeled them. It’s by saying yes to these things that the performer earns the audience’s applause and laughter. This applies to life off the stage, too.

“I think when people are struggling with health, mental health, addiction, the main instinct is to isolate,” Belushi said. “It’s a form of denial, of shame, of being overwhelmed, hopelessness, despair – all of these things make you want to remove yourself. An improvisational coach would say to wear these types of things with a badge of courage and fully engage more. The ‘scene’ of your life is being shared by more people than just you.”

The Boys of Summer roll along, but we need your help to complete this year's journey. Please see our site for the latest on how to contribute. Thank you!

Calling all Skeptics

My dad has begun an interesting healing process under the watchful eye of Dr. DeMartino at Superior Health Solutions (SHS) in Las Vegas. Over the next two-to-three months he will be in Las Vegas four days a week for treatment. Too bad we couldn’t have booked him for some stage time, too.

filming dad in the foot bath at Superior Health Solutions

What makes this interesting, first and foremost, is my dad’s hopefulness. There’s a lot of research about placebos and a patient’s willingness or fight to get better. I’ve read lots on both sides of the argument and by no means do I think what my dad is doing at SHS will reverse or cure his Parkinson’s Disease (PD). The greatest thing they’re offering and feel fairly confident about is pain management. My dad told me today he feels a significant uptick in the amount of pain he goes through on a daily basis over the last several months.

“Golf just isn’t much fun anymore,” he said to me flatly over lunch today.

That one line was heartbreaking because there have been two threshold points we’ve been measuring my dad’s PD with: golf and driving. We have said for some time when he’s unable to do either, let alone both, we’ll be looking at all of this quite differently. These things lend to his freedom and enjoyment of life. Without them, the world as he understands it looks very different – far less appealing to say the least.

We sat down with Dr. DeMartino and he went over my dad’s bloodwork. Then dad had three modalities of treatment: 1) Ionic foot bath (which Dr. DeMatino admitted and a quick search of the Internet will verify is highly controversial in terms of its efficacy), 2) light therapy, 3) Chiropractic adjustments – focusing on dad’s misaligned hips via pressuring points in the neck.

I am not familiar with the foot bath or light therapy enough to say more than they appear interesting and certainly do no harm. I want to reiterate a few things: we’re not paying for the treatment (outside of dad’s travel expenses), he’s allowing (even encouraging) documenting and challenging everything, the goal here is sustained pain reduction. The outside hope would be for a halt of PD symptoms but, again, that’s not the main thrust or anything that’s been promised.

As we were told, the foot bath changes colors as
toxins are pulled from the body. 

At the end of the treatment, dad did feel as if he was straighter. He did feel some pain relief. He seemed to wish he could keep getting treatment (almost as if to say: “Fix more! Fix more!”), but Dr. DeMartino is taking a slow, cautious approach.

Here’s what I want: if you think this treatment is bunk or Dr. DeMartino is a hoax, please sound off here. Let me hear specifically what you question and why. If you have any research or personal experience, again, I welcome it. My dad has said that when he’s shared this treatment plan with some others they’ve looked at him with pity – as if to say, “Oh, you’re really that desperate, eh?” While I wouldn’t say he’s desperate, he is in pain. Looking ahead at a life of filled with chronic pain without what have become assumed freedoms (driving) or enjoyed recreation (golf) has a way of coloring one’s point of view. So again, I ask: do not pull punches here. Let us know what you think.

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the whole body approach

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Healthy or not healthy? That is the question. Or is it? Just as my dad (and most people I've met with a chronic illness) does not wish to be defined by his illness, the question of whether or not one is healthy or not is a bit more nuanced than yes or no. This is of particular interest now as we're heading down a new path in dad's maintenance. Superior Health Solutions, a medical facility here in Las Vegas, has offered to treat my dad for no cost, save for the supplements they require he take. Make no mistake, this is a lengthy list -- but so is the list of ailments they found in diagnosing his blood work.

This is a difficult crossroad for people who are afraid or in pain. Do I stay the course with what is known, paid for by my insurance, and generally accepted? Or do I strike out and try the new thing, potentially risking health, finances, and precious time? We came to Superior Health Solutions through a local Las Vegas friend and Parkinson's fundraiser. After making the introduction, I went in to meet Dr. DeMartino and his PR/Marketing Director, Michelle DellaMonica. I liked their facility and approach right away. I also appreciated that they were not only willing but encouraging of my documenting every step along the way, seeing a mutual benefit for them in terms of getting the word out about new approaches to PD. I am very sensitive to putting my dad in a compromised position. At the same time, I recognize the folly of inaction when there are potential actions that can lend to a greater quality of life.

Sometimes the argument in these matters comes back to "a cure". While the pursuit of a cure is noble, it is beyond anything we, as lay people, can do. Scientists and doctors have a far greater understanding of that process than I do, so it seems best to let that be and let them do while we take care of the part we can. What can we do? Be curious. Be active. Be engaged. Be bold. Be smart.

The selfish benefit of this proposal is having my parents in Las Vegas for a bit more time, now with the built in "excuse" of being treated. It's a different kind of journey we're on this time around - but quite interesting, all the same. I hope it's, perhaps, even more approachable as we're not doing what, for most people, is unthinkable: taking two months out of our lives and going. This is piecemeal. Life is very immediate and demanding, both from a health perspective and a family perspective with two little ones.  All of these things are part of the whole body or, maybe better, whole life approach.  

After we work on some logistics in a conversation early next week, we expect treatment to begin very soon. I will post results as we get them as I believe this approach is about more than just my dad or Parkinson's.

We are still fundraising for the sequel documentary and we need your help! Please click here to donate to our film. We will keep a running tab of how much we've raised and what are expenses are for so you can see where the money goes. Thank you.