Amy D.
To my dear friends at Clairpointe Family Chiropractic,
I want to thank every one of you for all you have done for me over the past 5 years. Without
Dr. Shoemaker, and everyone in the office, I wouldn't be the person I am today.
When I first came to doctor Shoemaker in the fall of 2004, I was a 17 year old who was broken just as emotionally as I was physically. At that point in my life, coming to the chiropractor was a last resort to be “fixedâ€. I so desperately wanted to be normal college freshmen like everyone else my age. Although I was unaware at the time, that first day when I walked into Dr. Shoemaker's office, life, as I knew it had ended, and in its place was something beautiful- a life that contained health and happiness.
For you to understand how much Dr. Shoe has helped, you have to know my story.
You know the saying, “Enjoying high school… these are the best years of your life,†well, for me, it was the complete opposite.
As a freshman, that's all it was - a stomachache, but as I got older, and gained sophomore ranking, the stomachache became more troublesome when nausea, and a constant sinus headache were added to the mix. After several months of dealing with the combination of horrible symptoms, my parents set up an appointment with my pediatrician, who sent me to my first of many specialists. After a firm handshake, a quick feel of the exterior of my belly, a few suggestions, we walked out the door with a prescription for purple pills and a positive attitude. Unfortunately, the upbeat mindset went down the drain after several weeks of choking down the horrible horse pills which seemed to do nothing but gag me and left me feeling no relief from my stomach trouble. After two more gastrointestinal specialists, a set of X-Rays with die cocktail that would make a grown man cry, we went back to the pediatrician for another referral. From there, we were sent to see a dietitian, thinking a change in my eating habits may produce the relief I was looking for, however, after cutting foods out and adding new ones in, and mixing flaxseed with just about everything I ate, the stomachache, nausea an headache were all still there.
Junior year, is when the depression set in, so along with several appointments with specialists, whom at this point thought I was faking, and a couple of trips to the emergency room with still no explanation for my symptoms, I began seeing a psychologist once a week. while psychiatric appointments provided me a place where I could vent about my frustrations with the medical world, they did little for calming my nerves and actually made me start to believe that maybe it was all in my head, and that I wasn't really sick after all.
For the remainder of my junior year, and the majority of my senior year, I fought a battle with my stomach daily, and sometimes, even by the hour. At that point, I rarely got through the day without being sick to my stomach, and my immune system was so suppressed that I caught every bug that went around school. It seemed the longer that I was sick, less people believed me, and the less they believe me, the more depressed I got. It was so emotionally draining to live life the way I was, while simultaneously having people telling me that I was faking, or that I just wanted attention. By the end of my senior year, even my own parents were beginning to doubt me, however, I was able to get them to take me to another specialist - an allergist. I thought maybe those 4 years of suffering may have been allergy related, but after a huge panel of testing, and very little reaction, I was still left wandering in the dark.
Dr. Shoemaker was my light at the end of the tunnel. The first time I walked into his office and told him what I had been dealing with, he looked at me and said something I will never forget, “I believe you.†From that point on, my life has never been the same. After my first few adjustments, the headaches were gone, after about a month, I had noticed a huge difference in the frequency of my stomach aches and nausea. All of my unpleasant symptoms subside completely after a few short months, and by the end of the first year, I had my health, as well as a new attitude about life.
This fall marked the completion of my 5th year under Dr. Shoemaker's care, another year of being happy, healthy person. I just wish I would have known how significantly chiropractic care would change my life, back when I initially felt sick. It would have saved my parents me a lot of wasted appointments with specialists as well as money, time, tears and heartache. Everyone at Clairpointe Family Chiropractic has become a second family to me, and I am so grateful to have them in my life. They brighten my day with their friendly attitudes and smiling faces every time I come in to get adjusted. Dr. Shoemaker: I owe my life to you. You brought back the Amy I never thought I'd see again, and for that, I am forever grateful. Beginning and continuing chiropractic care has been one of the best decisions I've made and I'm fully confident that anyone else who puts themselves under your care will feel the same way. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to enjoy life again.
Barbara K.
Our one year old daughter suffers with†grade 5†Vesicoureteral Reflux. Simply put, each time she urinates, her urine backs up to her kidneys through her you to her. She was diagnosed after a urinary tract infection put her in the hospital when she was 6 weeks old. The bacteria in the urine traveled up the ureter into the kidney, subsequently infecting the kidney. Our daughter has undergone a series of X-rays and nuclear medicine test, it has been taking a preventative antibiotic daily for 10 months. At this time her kidney functions at 35%, rather than 50% like that of a normal kidney. This damage is permanent.
According to her Pediatric Urologist, at 14 months our daughter will undergo a second series of that same test indicate whether or not she has “grown-out†of it of the condition. This is somewhat likely in “grade 1-3†Reflux patients. In her condition has not at least improved at that time, surgical intervention to correct her condition will more than likely be necessary (as is more common with “grade 4-5†Reflux patients).
Two months ago, I was made aware of the possibilities chiropractic care provided children. Like most people I know, I would never have considered taking a child, no less a baby, to see a chiropractor. At the same time, a second urinary infection prompted the second series of tests sooner than expected. Through the infection was treated quickly and no additional damage to the kidney have been indicated, we were led to the conclusion that surgery was a serious consideration.
Feeling helpless, and not wanting to put our one-year-old through a surgical procedure, we elected to make an appointment with Dr. Shoemaker to hear what he thought he could do to help. Our daughter was scheduled for her test (which would make the decision regarding the likelihood of surgery) in two weeks. Upon initial exam, Dr. Shoemaker found a substantial curve in our daughter's spine. Dr. Shoemaker was unsure whether or not he could make a difference in a two-week period but committed enthusiastically to try. He saw our daughter every day, (including his days off) up to the day of her test.
While we still find the outcome incredible, our daughters test results indicated that Reflux condition is gone. The doctor performing the test is identified her as having no Reflux. Even the urologist specialist does not believe the results.
Though we will never officially know whether or not our daughter “grew-out†of her Reflux condition or its aggressive chiropractic care provided by doctor shoemaker made it possible for her body to “repair the problem†itself, we are ecstatic with the results. Regardless of the answer, the coincidence is too strong to deny.
Present day, our daughter continues to see doctor shoemaker for weekly adjustments. She seems happy and full of energy, even a bit spunkier than before. My husband, are 5 1/2 year old daughter and four-year-old son, as well as I have begun getting adjustments with Dr. Shoemaker also. We are now believers of chiropractic care.
Geoff G.
When I came to Dr. Shoemaker's office about 6 weeks ago, I was not just in fairly bad shape, I was in absolute misery. I could only walk about 40 or 50 feet, then I would need to sit down and rest for a few minutes before walking another 40 or 50 feet.
Sleeping at night, with my sore right knee, it was almost impossible. I couldn't lie on my back, stomach or side without pain and discomfort. I would try sitting up in a chair, lying on the floor, just about anything to get some rest. for about 6 days before going to Dr. Shoemaker, I was lucky to average 2- 2 1/2 hours of sleep one night. With so little sleep I was zombie-like, tired throughout the day. I felt like 61 years old going on 80 years old. I was ready for the scrapheap when I came to D. Shoemaker.
Dr. Shoe quickly diagnosed my problem, fusion of the vertebrae in my lower back causing me to lean to one side and giving me pain in my right knee and little feeling in my right thigh. For about a month, he concentrated his adjustments on this problem area, getting my body back to normal. Since then, he has been working on my whole spine.
How do I feel today after this short treatment? I feel like 61 years old, going on 45 years old. The soreness in my right knee is gone, there is feeling in my right thigh and my weight is more equally distributed on both feet. I stand straighter and move about easier. I now sleep so well at night.
Feeling so much better, it seems like I should be ordering my Superman Cape.
In all seriousness, as you can really tell, I am very grateful for the care provided by Dr. Shoemaker.
