Session 7

February 28, 2001

Well, by now you know the routine, so the routine it was but with no needles. I got it confirmed for a fact that needles are on alternate days. So think of me this week on tuesday, thursday, saturday, and next week monday and most likely Wednesday. If you think of me on other days, you won't hear me complaining either :-)

One of the assistants chastized me for walking like a gimp. I am gimp, I reminded her. She said put your heel down first and roll over to the ball of your foot as you move forward. I said, I'm too scared to do that. She said, Come on, do it. I said, Give me a break, this is only day 7. Luckily, the doctor called me in then; even more luckily, he didn't give me any needles.

Actually he gave me a couple. On the legs, just below each knee. Didn't hurt going in, didn't hurt going out. I asked him if he's ever felt the pain he inflicts on the finger. He said he was the most enthusiastic volunteer during training practicums. I hadn't even considered the fact that you need to get trained to insert these needles. Somehow just figured you stick them in and watch your patients writhe in pain. Point being, he knows what kind of pain I feel. Good to know. Except that I'm pretty certain he didn't shout and whine the way I do each time I feel the sharp pain from a needle. But hey, I am what I am, as my man Popeye is fond of saying.

Okay, so I'm almost half way there. The knee is feeling stronger. I am now trying to walk on the heels-then-roll-to-the-ball-of-my-foot method, but that is slow going and still scary. However, truth be told, today I'm feeling somewhat sanguine about the ACL actually regenerating itself.

If it does, I wonder: can one really express immense gratitude? (a collector's edition of gold plated needles?)

Session 6 - Is the magic happening?

February 27, 2011

Today's session was around 11 am to 1 pm, this being a Sunday. It wasn't too crowded. However, there was only one assistant today instead of the usual four. This meant that everything was really slowed up as one might imagine. I did the magnet machine but when I asked if I should do the electrogmagnet, the assistant told me to wait for the doctor's assessment.

The doctor wasn't in yet. So I asked if I could get the strengthening exercises out the way. Okay, do it, says the assistant. So I do, and by the end of that the doctor is in, so I await my turn. I'm already wincing in pain, apprehensive about the needles that the doctor had promised me yesterday.

And the doctor does deliver as promised. I ask him, are all the needles always going to be on the fingers? He says, yes, there are four to choose from. Great, I say. I'm about to choose when he says he's going to stab my little finger. Then, he probably takes pity, and decides to stab my forefinger.

I thnk the pain will become more bearable, but lemme tell you, it's freakin INTENSE. And the thing is it's needle after needle after needle in pretty much the same spot. Some don't hurt at all, others hurt like hell. When he's done with my forefinger, he says wait. My middle finger gets five more, but those are not clustered and don't hurt that much.

But it hurts all over again when the assistant removes the needles from my forefinger. It's just not fair, right?! why does it have to hurt pretty intensely even when the needles are being extracted? Me no like.

I ask the doctor when he thinks he can tell whether or not I am on my way to healing up the way I'm supposed to heal. He says you can 't tell anything before ten days are up. So I guess after four more days, I should be feeling better and I'll venture to ask again.

Other than that, I chat with two guys who are also there with torn ACLs in their left knees. We commiserate. One guy named Mandeep, a sikh, is pretty cheerful about the whole thing. He's on day 5, one day junior to me. The other guy, Sunil, is also pretty relaxed. He's on day 14 and has been told by the doctor that 3 more days are needed. As far as he knows, his complete tear has resolved itself to a partial tear. Let's hope so, and let's hope he is healed. That will give Mandeep and myself hope.

But there's a guy I met two days ago, who was on day 16 and told me he had a completely torn ACL and torn MCL. He's what you might call large or big, if you go for such euphimisms. Anyhow, he calls in to the doctor to announce that he is HEALED! he's gotten an MRI done and they say there is no tear in the ACL. This gives the three of us a reason to smile and hope.

If it can happen once, it can happen again.

Session 5

February 26, 2011

This time my appointment is in the morning, since the weekend schedule is abbreviated. I get there at 10:45 am, and it is packed!!! No doctor in sight, but seeing the number of people waiting around, I am pretty confident he will be coming in. When the magnet machine is ready, I get on it for the requisite 10 minutes. Then the routine follows, with the electromagnet for my knee, then the strengthening exercises.

When I get to see the doctor, he just adds a one kilogram weight for my leg exercises, and tells me that's it. No needles today? No, he says, that's for tomorrow. He asks me how I'm feeling. I tell him the swelling is down somewhat and that the leg is feeling stronger. I also tell him that I'm giving it as much rest as possible, so I don't really know if it's healing yet.

Then I want to ask him if he thinks I'm progressing, if he thinks my ACL has started healing, but he looks like he's preoccupied. Perhaps just busy with so many patients to see today. I guess I'll try to get some sign of what he thinks is going on when I come back for my needles tomorrow. I wonder where they're going to be applied. Another finger? In the legs, perhaps? I've a feeling it's fingers and more fingers.

I can't wait to be back for Sunday.

Session 4 - the more rest the better

February 25, 2011

Okay, today went off smoothly and as expected. The doctor was in and that means welcome acutorture needles! I did my magnet disks, the electromagnet on the knees, and the simple exercises to strengthen the knees. Then, with a certain sense of trepidation (who can blame me) I went to see the doctor.

He took one second looking at my file (which really is just a piece of letter sized paper on which he''s scribbling his notes), nodded and uttered the dreaded word: "needles."

Is it in the hand again? Yes. Will it hurt the same? yes. Does the hand hurt more than the leg when pierced with needles? Of course.

So this time, it was the middle finger that was up for torture. He stabbed 7, and just like last time, a couple really, really hurt. I relaxed, and said wow! that was pretty much like last time, thanks. We're not done, he said. Then he put at least 7 more needles in pretty much the same spot! I'm like, how many needles can you put in on one target, dude?!

Anyway, then I lay down in the dark for 30 minutes. This time when an assistant named Anwar removed the needles, some of them actually hurt a little on the way out. Wassupwithat?!? Then I got my finger wrapped up in fenugreek seeds as previously, and was sent home.

But just before leaving I peeked in on the doctor and asked him if it is okay for me to walk. Less exercise the better, he said. The more the rest the better, I asked. Yes. Try to do as little as possible except for your exercise routine twice a day.

All right then. I'm glad I'm at my folks house, being looked after for food and the such. I guess I'm looking forward to 10 days of absolute self-indulgence in terms of avoiding movement at all costs.

From stillness springs wellbeing.

Session 3 - Is there a doctor in the house?

February 24, 2011

I show up, early as usual. This time the lights are on, the electricity is running, and there are only two people waiting. Two! That's it! Nice, I say to myself.

Knowing the routine, I head to the back corner of the reception room to get my hands on those electric drum like devices. I find out later that they are called "magnet machines." I don't know if that's an official moniker or what. But magnet machine it is.

While I'm magnetizing my palms, then, I overhear one of the assistants mention that the doctor won't be in today. What?! what about my acutorture session? What about the magical healing? This totally sucks. I ask across the room, no doctor? No, he says, but finish your magnet machine and then head for electromagnet on your knees and your exercise.

Sheep as I am, I shrug inwardly, do as I'm told. While I'm busy with my stuff, Manoj calls the doctor. He must have given him instructions, for when I head over for the next step, I am treated to a acupressure massage with an electric device, on the small of my neck and proximal vertebrae. This feels nice, so I can't complain.

Then Lochan applies those laser-thingamajiggies to three points on my legs. The white, electric razor like devices glow red, vibrate somewhat, and apparently have a laser effect somewhere in them.

This is all tranquil and peaceful. I am relaxed because there's going to be no acupuncture and its surprisingly painful prick-pains. But, I wonder, what about my healing?

Patience and trust, that's what it's all about.

Session 2

"Magnet Machine" on whose discs hands and feet are magnetized

February 23, 2011

This time I step in somewhat early, it's twenty minutes off six pm. And guess what, the reception area is pitch black. As in there is no electricity in the house. It's also crowded. Almost every chair is occupied by some patient or the other. I panic--what if there is no electricity all evening? What will happen to my healing process? Why me? Why me?

Anyway, these thoughts are quickly put to rest once I see that there is an electrician on the premises. He opens the main power switchboard, finds the wire that has burnt out, and fixes the whole thing in about 5 minutes flat. The lights are back on, everything is as it should be, and it's not even 6 pm (which is the time of my appointment anyhow...serves me right for coming in a bit early).

So I go get my dose of gentle electric current and vibration from the little steel drums, for my palms and for my feet. It is really crowded today, and I am sent to the backest of back rooms where I do my ten minutes of electromagnet stimulation on the affected knee. That done, I signal to one of the assistants, Manoj, that I'm ready for the main course.

But there is a bottleneck of patients. I hang around for about 30 minutes, hoping that the electromagnetic charge hasn't dissipated or some such, and that the acupuncture will still have its intended effects.

At last, I am summoned by the doctor. He asks me how I feel. I say great. I think the swelling on my knee went down a little. He says great. I want to ask a question, I say. Shoot, says he. Well, you've promised this healing in 15 days to 20 days on the outside. Could I book my ticket back to the States at the end of the 19th day? (reason being, I can get in on a Sunday and recover before the work week begins). No problem, says he. You should be healed in 15 days, if the swelling is already down somewhat.

He asks me when I ate last, then asks someone to feed me a piece of candy to raise my sugar level. Don't want you getting dizzy, he says.

Then he grabs my left hand and pokes the ring finger on the side with his probe pen. No laptop this time. The pen pushes hard onto the side of my finger--he's just covering a line about an inch long. He presses a point. It hurts. He presses a few others. Some of them really hurt.

Then it's an all out assault on my ring finger. Seven needles in quick succession. On some, there is intense, as in INTENSE, pain. Who knew a little needle inserted only a little into the finger could hurt that much. I shout mutedly, and on one stab I can't resist cursing. Sorry.

But once the needles are in, they stop hurting. No needles on the legs today? I ask. No, he says. Now go and lie down. So I lie down for 30 minutes. Nothing hurts, which is nice.

Manoj removes the needles, and tells me to go do my exercises. After completing those, I return to have my finger wrapped and taped with seeds that look like fenugreek. This is done by another assistant, whose name I'm not sure about, but sounds like Lochan.

And that's it. I pick up a bunch of food supplements that have been prescribed for me and head home. Not as tired as day one, and my headache only mild in comparison to last time.

Session 1

SHARNAM CLINIC is where all the healing takes place

February 23, 2011 -- session 1

I show up at six pm. the place isn't too packed, which is good. They direct me to the back corner of the reception area, where there is a device that has two steel plates, about 5 inches in diameter and half an inch thick. It looks like a makeshift electronic drum kit, raised on a white plywood structure. It's plugged in and starts to vibrate. I am to put my palms on it for 5 minutes.

My guess is that it is electrical stimulation, gentle at that. But I don't ask.

After 5 minutes, I am told to remove my shoes and place my feet on a similar device that is stationed on the floor. Yup, you guessed it, for five minutes.

At the end of this, I am feeling charged up. Electrified. I'm sizzling with expectation.

Next, I lie on a bench and they strap my knee with electromagnets. This feels tight on my knee, really tight. Like they are somehow pressing down on the knee, even though the magnets are small disks of three inches or less in diameter. This time, it lasts 10 minutes.

Then the fun part. Where the real magic happens. Dr. Chaudhary inserts 4 needles, them acupuncture needles, into my legs. Two needles in each leg. They don't hurt much at all going in. Both legs have needles placed symmetrically to each other. I keep the needles in for 30 minutes. During this session, an assistant holds two devices that look like electric razors, except that they have glowing, pulsing red heads where the razors should be. These, I'm told (because I do ask) are lasers. Yes, lasers!

Little did you know.

After the needles are removed, I'm shown some leg strengthening exercises, which I do without much incident. And then I go home.

I get home exhausted, with a severe headache. I've been so tense all day about getting this procedure started, I guess it's caught up with me. I pretty much crash out as soon as I can.

Sleep, the greatest healer of them all.

First meeting with the Delhi Doctor, Dr. Chaudhary

A view from the Street of the SHARNAM HEALING clinic, Delhi

February 21, 2011

The entrance to the clinic is nondescript. It is housed in a rag-tag assembly of three to four story apartment homes. I'm guessing the clinic is a residential apartment converted to suit the purpose of healing patients.

My appointment is at 6 pm. I get there with my dad (good to have a second opinion, right?), and we almost turn around when we look at the uninspiring setting for the clinic. But we climb up a flight of stairs, figuring we've come this far, so might as well meet the doctor before turning back.

Knowledge is always better than ignorance.

The reception area is small. There are two patients waiting. We wait as well. The small desk that I'm guessing is the receptionist's is vacant. From the reception area, there are several beds visible on which patients are getting treatment. Someone in charge takes notice of us, and comes out to inquire what we want. When told, he nods his head and tells us to wait.

We wait.

Turns out the doctor hasn't reached the premises. He shows up at 6:25 or so, and we are ushered into his office forthwith.

Dr. Chaudhary is young, in his mid-thirties. He's soft-spoken and has a very matter of fact attitude. I tell him I've torn my ACL. He asks me for my hand. My wrist it turns out. He holds his finger on my vein to feel the pulse.

Actually, he's reading the pulse. I've heard of doctors in India who can tell your life history just by putting their finger on your pulse. Apparently, he's doing something similar. He reads my pulse for a good two minutes.

Then he tells me that I have a completely torn ACL, a tear in the meniscus, and a torn MCL. This pretty much corroborates the MRI scan I'd had in USA, except that the MRI scan report said the meniscus is seemingly intact. (I know from the previous knee surgery that the meniscus is visually re-checked for tears during surgery, so maybe Dr. Chaudhary's correct about this too).

Then, without missing a beat and in the same confident, soft-spoken manner he says it will take 15-20 days of treatment to heal me.

Which means what exactly, I ask.

Which means the ACL will regrow and re-attach itself.

Well, that's what the word was about his special technique, treatment and skills. Twenty days, max, to undergo his treatment, and see if what he says can and does actually happen.

Will the ACL heal, as he promises? I decide to take the plunge.

Sign me up, I say! When can I start?

I can start right then, it turns out. But I decide to come in the next day.

So there's this Doctor in India...

Dr. Jatin Chaudhry, alternative healing option for torn ACL

February 10, 2011

Surfing around the web, I finally come across some information that seems to provide a glimmer of hope where there hasn't been any. Apparently, there is one person on the planet (at the very least) who claims to heal ACL injuries without reconstructive surgery. That's exactly what is claimed. This is Dr. Jatin Chaudhary, who works with alternative medical techniques, such as the Ingham method (never heard of it before), and what appear to be acupuncture needles. He is located in Delhi, India.

Hmmm....

I read up as much as I can on the internet. He's vetted by some of the most prominent athletes in India, from Yuvraj Singh (cricketer), Sania Mirza (tennis player), and Arjun Atwal (Golfer). They and others rave about his treatment. The word "miracle" is tossed about frequently.

Hmmm.................

I realize that what Dr. Jatin Chaudhary's patients claim is what allopathic medicine, with its proclivity for nuts & bolts solutions to the human body, considers impossible: to regenerate the ACL ligament, heal up an ACL tear without surgery!

But I'm hurting, hobbling, desperate, and desperate enough to investigate any option that might avoid my having to succumb to the surgical knife and drill (yes, allopathic surgeons use a drill very similar to your regular wall drill to make nice little holes and tunnels in the bones in and around your knee).

So I get Dr. Chaudhary's number, book an appointment, buy a ticket for Delhi, and start packing my bags.

A second opinion never hurts.

ACL has a high grade to complete tear!

February 4, 2011

Well, that's actually the day I went in for the MRI scan. It was a Friday, if memory serves me correctly. Anyway, on Monday, the doctor called me in the afternoon, confirming my worst fears--nearly complete tear of the ACL, as well as a high grade tear of the MCL. We're talking about the left knee here.

I'm just past forty. I've already had an ACL reconstruction in my right knee, about 17 years ago. It was a patellar graft back then. I don't think the Hamstring option had been devised. Anyway, the reconstruction has held up admirably well, and I've been active in all sports--up until this new ACL tear. My preferred sports these days are tennis and b-ball. I play tennis at a decent level, involving a lot of chasing the ball and hitting it hard. We're talking singles here, no namby-pamby standing around doubles. I know I need my ACL to work.

So, even before I go in to meet Dr. Who, I know that he's going to recommend reconstructive surgery. Which is fine by me, if that's the only option. And it is, as far as I know. The problem with the ACL tear is that it is  a ligament in the epicenter of the knee, a ligament that gets no blood (or very little) and therefore doesn't heal. So they fix it with a graft, and eventually the body generates its own cells around the graft, absorbing it and making it a new, bonafide and functional ACL ligament.

But is there another option? Another way that doesn't require surgery?