by Kathleen H. Christ, LMT, NCMBT
Seeing this ad (to the right), one can’t help but regard it as a profound testament to the spirit and drive of the American way of life. My dad, the man in the photo, was born in 1918 with a serious heart murmur, serious enough that his father warned him not to do physical things that might overstress his fragile body. So sports, which my dad loved, were to be observed and not played. Well, that certainly didn’t last long! My dad was the middle child of five children, having one older brother and two younger brothers and his one and only oldest sister. They played hard and struggled as most families did during those years. Fighting was just a normal introduction to a new neighborhood or school. Who would get to be the top dog?!
Early on, my dad decided or discovered that he was a lover, not a fighter, and that he could be persuasive in discussions or even in a first meet. He also had an innate sense of other people’s talents, and would help direct them toward their life’s work, and to others that could also support and help with their education and advancements. My father opened so many doors for so many people in St. Louis that it is truly amazing. Most of them have passed on now, but their children and families still express gratitude to my dad and what he meant in their dads’ lives. What a wonderful legacy!
Through training and natural God-given gifts, my dad found he had a talent for numbers. It wasn’t long after school that he became a Certified Public Accountant, first working with the Defense Department, and later, the IRS. He was rejected for service during World War II because of his heart.
He and my mom met at a parish dance in north St. Louis when he was 21 and Mom was 18. Four years later they were married, and nine children slowly filled their cribs and their home. My dad was determined that he would make the dollars and cents necessary to keep everything together and moving forward. When the sixth child was arriving, he began his own CPA firm: Huber, Ring and Co., and several years later, a computer company. Working exceedingly long hours and being a soccer coach for his six sons certainly took a toll on him and my mom. Yet, he always believed that attitude was everything, and if he would sleep on a problem, usually by morning he would have a good working solution.
I mention all of this because people look at the accompanying picture and think: “Well, there’s some good genes.” However, my dad has walked this earth and experienced life just like everyone else. In 1990, he developed prostate cancer (PSA 74.9) and was not pleased with the treatments that were offered here in the U.S. So, knowing nothing of Germany or the German language, he went alone to Germany for three weeks of hot water treatments for his prostate. He returned with a PSA of .002 that remained for the next 10 years. In 1992, he had a four by-pass heart surgery, and in 1994, he had both of his knees replaced. Whenever my dad had surgeries, the top concerns were pneumonia and congestive heart failure. The medical community stressed that those were his greatest threats. Since 2000, his prostate has again become a problem, and his treatments have had limited success. For ten years following his Germany treatment, he was given a hormone shot once a month and all was well. Then the insurance company and the doctors decided that was too often, and changed his hormone shot to once every three months, and then to once every six months. Immediately, his PSA number changed for the worse and is now 135.
He has been blind in his left eye since a stroke in 1976. He had major surgery in 2009 for a hernia which was blocking his stomach (it had pushed his stomach upside down and made processing food nearly impossible). More recently, in 2011, my dad’s prostate became so large that his urinary tract and colon were totally blocked. With this level of difficulty plus his age, the medical community bought him time with a catheter and meds for bowel movements. He was in constant pain, not sleeping, and was giving up on life very quickly. He lived in a nursing home for four months.
So what is a daughter to do? Like my dad, I enjoy pushing the outer limits, and since holistic healing and health are my passion and my life, and my dad has been willing to try every new therapy and modality that I learn and can offer, I went to work with a rife (frequency generator) machine and a red laser. Every day for a month I did intervention with those devices, which were shrinking his prostate. Naturally, working on a 95-year-old male body is quite different than a top-performing athlete, a woman, a child or an infant. So, a measured, thoughtful, easy-does-it approach is a must, especially when this is your dad! Dad showed improvement within two days, and left the nursing home two weeks later to continue healing and caring for my mom.
For the past eight years, my mom was suffering with kidney failure, and my dad was her primary caregiver. Her concerns were first, and if there was time later, then my dad would have treatments. My mom died at age 91 on May 16, 2012. Since then, we have developed a daily and weekly plan that has worked like a gem for my dad. His strength, energy and mental abilities are steadily increasing. He is enjoying renewed hope and confidence for the future, and many activities with 66 grandchildren and great grandchildren (with more on the way!). He always loved kids and always wanted a BIG family! He, of course, is missing my mom tremendously, but he talks with her daily and has wonderful dreams with her regularly. What a grace and a blessing!
In the photo, taken six weeks ago, my 95-year-old dad had just completed a wave runner ride at 62 mph. We will be highlighting his adventures all year long in this space – don’t miss it!
Please call the St. Louis Aquatic Healing Center at 314-432-5228 for more info.