{"id":654,"date":"2024-04-03T20:03:26","date_gmt":"2024-04-03T20:03:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/opheliarises.com\/ophope\/?page_id=654"},"modified":"2024-06-29T17:49:12","modified_gmt":"2024-06-29T17:49:12","slug":"our-story","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/orhope.com\/ophope\/our-story\/","title":{"rendered":"Our Story"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"654\" class=\"elementor elementor-654\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5dde384 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"5dde384\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2866136 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"2866136\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Our Story. THIS IS A DRAFT STAGING SITE<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1c368f0 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"1c368f0\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b3f4ae0 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"b3f4ae0\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ed55168 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"ed55168\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/orhope.com\/ophope\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/TEST-portrait-image-300x300.png\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium wp-image-241\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/orhope.com\/ophope\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/TEST-portrait-image-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/orhope.com\/ophope\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/TEST-portrait-image-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/orhope.com\/ophope\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/TEST-portrait-image.png 705w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d0ff7d1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"d0ff7d1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">LYN<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-04ce109 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"04ce109\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-68c293e elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"68c293e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Our clients become family.<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9dcff7e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"9dcff7e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">This journey for us began in March 2021. After both of us having Covid in January, 2021, with recovery from acute Covid, I immediately began to have symptoms of\u202f<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cdn.newsapi.com.au\/image\/v1\/926415785a82170b09eb2f4299892cc3?width=650\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Long Haul<\/span><\/b><\/a><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u202f<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">or PASC and my already tenuous health declined even more.<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<br \/><span data-contrast=\"none\">I have had\u202f<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5770746\/\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">chronic EBV<\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u202f<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">most of my life which has caused multiple major health diseases and conditions. For most of the last two decades, EBV was in a chronic flare, uncontrolled and continuously seeking out new organ systems to destroy in my body. I had chronic lymph node swelling under my jaw and along my neck for many years.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:2,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:432}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"none\">I had\u202f<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/health\/epstein-barr-virus#cancer\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">mono (EBV)<\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u202fwhen I was twelve, but already had health problems in my childhood. My tonsils and adenoids were removed by the time I was two. I had\u202fmultiple\u202ffood allergies. My family history involves many chronic autoimmune disorders with almost every close relative.\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:2,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559740&quot;:432}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<br \/><span data-contrast=\"none\">From my\u202fearly twenties, I began to have health concerns including migraines, undiagnosed\u202f<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3391953\/\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Lupus<\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u202fwith classic malar\u202frash,\u202f<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/hr201635\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">autoimmune hypertension<\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u202fbefore I was thirty, quickly followed by<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u202f<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3381924\/\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">a<\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">drenal fatigue<\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u202f(HPA axis).\u202fI was diagnosed with\u202fHashimoto&#8217;s which over many years became very unstable and eventually,\u202f<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jofem.org\/index.php\/jofem\/article\/view\/583\/284284370\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">oscillating hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism<\/span><\/b><\/a><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">.\u202f<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u202fThis became unmanageable with medication. I was offered surgery to remove my thyroid which I refused, believing the chronic EBV would prevent recovery.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<br \/><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u200bMy gut also began to struggle with\u202f<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/celiac.org\/about-celiac-disease\/what-is-celiac-disease\/\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Celiac<\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">,\u202f<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/diseases-conditions\/irritable-bowel-syndrome\/symptoms-causes\/syc-20360016\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">IBS<\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">, grain intolerance,\u202fleading to\u202f<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/diseases\/15522-gastroparesis\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Gastroparesis<\/span><\/b><\/a><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">,<\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u202f<\/span><\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/diseases\/22722-malabsorption\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">malabsorption<\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u202f<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">and an unintentional weight loss\u202fof 35-40 pounds in one month as my body began to shut down.\u202fI was having diarrhea every ten minutes all day long.\u202fI began a strict high fat carnivore diet (anti-inflammatory) which helped\u202fstabilize most of my medical problems.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<br \/><span data-contrast=\"none\">Other health problems that I experienced during these many years were\u202f<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/is-rosacea-caused-by-liver-congestion\/\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Rosacea<\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">,<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u202f<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/diseases-conditions\/interstitial-cystitis\/symptoms-causes\/syc-20354357\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Interstitial Cystitis<\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">,<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u202f<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK459445\/\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Uveitis<\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">, inflammation in liver, spleen, lungs, and circulatory systems. Allopathic medicine had diagnosed me with pre-diabetes, asthma, reflux, depression, stress headaches, chronic inflammation and other things.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<br \/><span data-contrast=\"none\">My body lived in constant fight or flight, chronic<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u202f<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6349415\/\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">immunodeficient state<\/span><\/b><\/a><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">,<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u202f<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mayoclinicproceedings.org\/article\/S0025-6196(21)00513-9\/fulltext\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">CFS\/ME<\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">, insomnia for twenty years required increasing and large doses of Xanax.\u202f<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6349415\/\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u200b\u200b<\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">Most of my life changed over this time from a normal, active adult to very isolated, no longer able to work, drive, or even participate in normal life having to shut down most of the outer world.\u202f<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u200b<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:2,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559740&quot;:432}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bba3bfb e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"bba3bfb\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a0ab2f2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"a0ab2f2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Long Haul.<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b036e15 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"b036e15\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">We believe I first had Covid in the fall of 2020 after experiencing an exacerbation of fatigue, body pain, chills and drenching sweats.\u202fAfter this initial bout, I began to have worse neurological symptoms with depression, increased anxiety, inability to tolerate any stress. I also began to have\u202f<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.potsuk.org\/about-pots\/what-is-pots\/\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">POTS<\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">,\u202f<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mastcellaction.org\/mcas-symptoms\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">MCAS<\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">,\u202f<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ninds.nih.gov\/dystonias-fact-sheet\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">dystonia<\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u202fincluding gross muscle contractions and body contortions into not normal body positions as well as conscious seizures.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<br \/><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u200b<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:2,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559740&quot;:432}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"none\">As Long Haul set in, I began to have gastroparesis again, vomiting even just water. Unable to retain most meals, I began an almost liquid diet of carnivore shakes and I was in a losing battle again. I began to have heart\u202fpalpitations, AFIB on average over 130&#8217;s. I was unable to tolerate any activity, even my own self-care.<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<br \/><span data-contrast=\"none\">Brushing my teeth was exhausting. With any activity, it took me hours to recover, my blood pressure would remain well above 200\/100 even medicated. Most of my life was not worth living. I could not feed myself without exhaustion.\u202f\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<br \/><span data-contrast=\"none\">I was seen in the ER, diagnosed with Long Haul and told there was nothing they could do, not even given medication for AFIB. I began experiencing worsening encephalitis with constant excruciating headaches, worse than migraines with the feeling of burning lava in my brain. It felt as if my brain was being squeezed within my skull. Nothing helped the pain or inflammation. \u202fI couldn&#8217;t sit still, rocked for comfort, which increased anxiety.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<br \/><span data-contrast=\"none\">With this new inflammation, I began to lose more cognitive abilities including the ability to read, add simple numbers, or write. I couldn&#8217;t recognize letters and numbers,\u202fas if I had dyslexia, and dyscalculia.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:2,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559740&quot;:432}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:2,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559740&quot;:432}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"none\">I couldn&#8217;t remember words, events and I couldn&#8217;t consistently ask for help. I couldn&#8217;t comprehend what was being said to me, couldn&#8217;t follow directions and could not communicate effectively.\u202f I could no longer drive safely as I could not comprehend signs and the actions of other drivers for an immediate response for safety.<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<br \/><span data-contrast=\"none\">This caused me to further retract within myself and isolate more.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<br \/><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u200b<\/span>\u00a0<br \/><span data-contrast=\"none\">This wasn&#8217;t the first time I told my husband that this was no way to live. I wanted it all to end, it would&#8217;ve been easier to just let go than watching my life pass me by.\u202fWe had only been married for a year and a half and it was breaking me to see my life disappear. Yet, I couldn&#8217;t let go.<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<br \/><span data-contrast=\"none\">JT and I had planned to return to Mexico to just live out whatever life I had left as comfortably as possible. I said goodbye to my kids the best I could, saying goodbye without saying the real words for them to realize it may be the last time. My body was tired, my brain was exhausted.<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<br \/><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u200bJT and I both were thinking about death, both of us trying to figure out how to say goodbye to each other. Both of us not speaking about the pain of this.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ad68850 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"ad68850\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1415ab7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1415ab7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Fate stepped in and put people directly in our path,\u202f \u200bleading\u202fus to stem cell therapy. <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-608c3db elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"608c3db\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span class=\"TextRun SCXW225014072 BCX8\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW225014072 BCX8\">When we arrived <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2Themed SCXW225014072 BCX8\">to<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW225014072 BCX8\"> Mexico, I used my rolling luggage as a walker through the airport, leaning heavily on it for support. JT carried the rest of our luggage and backpacks. When we arrived at our Airbnb, I struggled to walk up the stairs to the second floor of our casita.\u202f<\/span><\/span><span class=\"LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW225014072 BCX8\"><span class=\"SCXW225014072 BCX8\">\u00a0<\/span><br class=\"SCXW225014072 BCX8\" \/><\/span><span class=\"LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW225014072 BCX8\"><span class=\"SCXW225014072 BCX8\">\u00a0<\/span><br class=\"SCXW225014072 BCX8\" \/><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW225014072 BCX8\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW225014072 BCX8\">While showing us around, the host tried to give me a key and I refused, telling him that I could not leave by myself. He looked at me strangely, as most people see me as <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW225014072 BCX8\">very healthy<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW225014072 BCX8\"> &#8212; the classic &#8220;not overweight with no obvious health problems&#8221;. But with invisible illness, it is <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW225014072 BCX8\">very difficult<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW225014072 BCX8\"> to see the devastation inside our bodies, even wearing a blood pressure cuff constantly, even with a constant gray pallor.\u202f<\/span><\/span><span class=\"LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW225014072 BCX8\"><span class=\"SCXW225014072 BCX8\">\u00a0<\/span><br class=\"SCXW225014072 BCX8\" \/><\/span><span class=\"LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW225014072 BCX8\"><span class=\"SCXW225014072 BCX8\">\u00a0<\/span><br class=\"SCXW225014072 BCX8\" \/><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW225014072 BCX8\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW225014072 BCX8\">During our stay there, we would talk to the <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2Themed SCXW225014072 BCX8\">owners<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW225014072 BCX8\"> and they finally came to realize that I was <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW225014072 BCX8\">very sick<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW225014072 BCX8\"> and our purpose for being here was to be comfortable as\u202fI passed away. Our host would tell us of his stem cell treatments he was receiving locally for diabetes. Soon, as we met other strangers, they would ask what was wrong with me, and ask if I had tried stem cell therapy. It became clear that we would need to go down this path, if not for relief, then maybe to save my life.\u202f<\/span><\/span><span class=\"LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW225014072 BCX8\"><span class=\"SCXW225014072 BCX8\">\u00a0<\/span><br class=\"SCXW225014072 BCX8\" \/><\/span><span class=\"LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW225014072 BCX8\"><span class=\"SCXW225014072 BCX8\">\u00a0<\/span><br class=\"SCXW225014072 BCX8\" \/><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW225014072 BCX8\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW225014072 BCX8\">I spent several days struggling through difficult research with a broken brain, reading everything I could <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2Themed SCXW225014072 BCX8\">find<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW225014072 BCX8\"> and we quickly decided to try it as our last hope as I had nothing to lose at this point.\u202f<\/span><\/span><span class=\"LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW225014072 BCX8\"><span class=\"SCXW225014072 BCX8\">\u00a0<\/span><br class=\"SCXW225014072 BCX8\" \/><\/span><span class=\"LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW225014072 BCX8\"><span class=\"SCXW225014072 BCX8\">\u00a0<\/span><br class=\"SCXW225014072 BCX8\" \/><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW225014072 BCX8\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW225014072 BCX8\">We had spent several weeks just being with each other, taking life as slowly as I could tolerate it. During the <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW225014072 BCX8\">hard times<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW225014072 BCX8\">, I would tell JT that\u202fif I had three minutes to live, it was <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW225014072 BCX8\">going be watching the sunset with him.<\/span><\/span><span class=\"LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW225014072 BCX8\"><span class=\"SCXW225014072 BCX8\">\u00a0<\/span><br class=\"SCXW225014072 BCX8\" \/><\/span><span class=\"LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW225014072 BCX8\"><span class=\"SCXW225014072 BCX8\">\u00a0<\/span><br class=\"SCXW225014072 BCX8\" \/><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW225014072 BCX8\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW225014072 BCX8\">We watched many of them.\u202fAnd this is how we lived for weeks&#8230;<\/span><\/span><span class=\"LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW225014072 BCX8\"><span class=\"SCXW225014072 BCX8\">\u00a0<\/span><br class=\"SCXW225014072 BCX8\" \/><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3504c09 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"3504c09\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b29cc69 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"b29cc69\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Beginning stem cell therapy!<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dc4870b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"dc4870b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span class=\"LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW225014072 BCX8\"><span class=\"TextRun SCXW201442074 BCX8\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW201442074 BCX8\">My first treatment was on April 1st, <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2Themed SCXW201442074 BCX8\">2021<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW201442074 BCX8\"> and within days, I began to notice significant changes in my health and ability to do things for myself. A pink or rosy color returned to my face. I was able to do more, even without thinking about it.<\/span><\/span><span class=\"LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW201442074 BCX8\"><span class=\"SCXW201442074 BCX8\">\u00a0<\/span><br class=\"SCXW201442074 BCX8\" \/><\/span><span class=\"LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW201442074 BCX8\"><span class=\"SCXW201442074 BCX8\">\u00a0<\/span><br class=\"SCXW201442074 BCX8\" \/><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW201442074 BCX8\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW201442074 BCX8\">I no longer had activity intolerance, but just a normal muscle wasting that I needed to rebuild with exercise. My muscles now could <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2Themed SCXW201442074 BCX8\">work<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW201442074 BCX8\"> and I could be more active. Within the first few days, we were slowly walking back from <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2Themed SCXW201442074 BCX8\">dinner<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW201442074 BCX8\"> and I turned to JT and asked him how far we had walked, and he told me about a mile. This was significant, as just a few days before while walking to the <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2Themed SCXW201442074 BCX8\">doctors<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW201442074 BCX8\"> office for treatment, I had to stop to breathe, sit on the curb and wait several minutes to catch my breath and still my heart every few steps. I no longer experienced air hunger.\u202f<\/span><\/span><span class=\"LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW201442074 BCX8\"><span class=\"SCXW201442074 BCX8\">\u00a0<\/span><br class=\"SCXW201442074 BCX8\" \/><\/span><span class=\"LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW201442074 BCX8\"><span class=\"SCXW201442074 BCX8\">\u00a0<\/span><br class=\"SCXW201442074 BCX8\" \/><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW201442074 BCX8\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW201442074 BCX8\">The encephalitis seemed to resolve quickly as well, I no longer had brain burning and the cognitive and neurological deficits quickly faded. I found myself being able to think more, reason well again, read and I even started learning Spanish.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-163e1e3 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"163e1e3\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e157c7d elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"e157c7d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Recovery<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1fc877d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1fc877d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span class=\"TextRun SCXW172553697 BCX8\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW172553697 BCX8\">I began trying new foods that I had not been able to eat for many years.\u202f\u200bI would pick <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2Themed SCXW172553697 BCX8\">foods<\/span> <span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW172553697 BCX8\">off of<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW172553697 BCX8\"> JT&#8217;s plate to try and found I was not having any food reactions. I no longer had MCAS symptoms.\u202fI began to crave different foods.<\/span><\/span><span class=\"LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW172553697 BCX8\"><span class=\"SCXW172553697 BCX8\">\u00a0<\/span><br class=\"SCXW172553697 BCX8\" \/><\/span><span class=\"LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW172553697 BCX8\"><span class=\"SCXW172553697 BCX8\">\u00a0<\/span><br class=\"SCXW172553697 BCX8\" \/><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW172553697 BCX8\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW172553697 BCX8\">I had made so much progress <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW172553697 BCX8\">immediately<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW172553697 BCX8\"> that I had <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2Themed SCXW172553697 BCX8\">hope<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW172553697 BCX8\"> that I would be able to live a normal life again.\u202fThree weeks later I was able to carry our heavy backpacks as we <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW172553697 BCX8\">moved to a new place.\u202f<\/span><\/span><span class=\"LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW172553697 BCX8\"><span class=\"SCXW172553697 BCX8\">\u00a0<\/span><br class=\"SCXW172553697 BCX8\" \/><\/span><span class=\"LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW172553697 BCX8\"><span class=\"SCXW172553697 BCX8\">\u00a0<\/span><br class=\"SCXW172553697 BCX8\" \/><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW172553697 BCX8\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW172553697 BCX8\">\u200bThis was the beginning of my healing journey with more healing to come!<\/span><\/span><span class=\"EOP SCXW172553697 BCX8\" data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:2,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:432}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8f7c2ac e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"8f7c2ac\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b9df0a9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"b9df0a9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">OPHELIA<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-947ed34 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"947ed34\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span class=\"TextRun SCXW105698664 BCX8\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW105698664 BCX8\">As I began to heal, I began to sleep for the first time in decades without medication, dropping off easily at night and even taking naps during the day which I was never able to do. <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun AdvancedProofingIssueV2Themed SCXW105698664 BCX8\">I pretty quickly stopped any medication or supplement to allow my body to do its work.<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW105698664 BCX8\">\u202f<\/span><\/span><span class=\"LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW105698664 BCX8\"><span class=\"SCXW105698664 BCX8\">\u00a0<\/span><br class=\"SCXW105698664 BCX8\" \/><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW105698664 BCX8\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW105698664 BCX8\">\u200b<\/span><\/span><span class=\"LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW105698664 BCX8\"><span class=\"SCXW105698664 BCX8\">\u00a0<\/span><br class=\"SCXW105698664 BCX8\" \/><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW105698664 BCX8\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW105698664 BCX8\">With miraculous and healing sleep, dreaming came back as well.\u202f<\/span><\/span><span class=\"LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW105698664 BCX8\"><span class=\"SCXW105698664 BCX8\">\u00a0<\/span><br class=\"SCXW105698664 BCX8\" \/><\/span><span class=\"LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW105698664 BCX8\"><span class=\"SCXW105698664 BCX8\">\u00a0<\/span><br class=\"SCXW105698664 BCX8\" \/><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW105698664 BCX8\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW105698664 BCX8\">The first dream I had was about an infant named Ophelia, that I did not have in real life. In this dream, Ophelia saved me<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2Themed SCXW105698664 BCX8\"> I realized<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW105698664 BCX8\"> that this was not only a dream but a vision of what was to come.\u202f<\/span><\/span><span class=\"LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW105698664 BCX8\"><span class=\"SCXW105698664 BCX8\">\u00a0<\/span><br class=\"SCXW105698664 BCX8\" \/><\/span><span class=\"LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW105698664 BCX8\"><span class=\"SCXW105698664 BCX8\">\u00a0<\/span><br class=\"SCXW105698664 BCX8\" \/><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW105698664 BCX8\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW105698664 BCX8\">Ophelia became my story of rebirth, hope and salvation from dark and desperate times. I told my husband that we could not just return to our lives, retired and\u202ftraveling, but that we had to help others find this same hope and their own rebirth.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b9342d1 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"b9342d1\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-36f1359 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"36f1359\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Life is completely different now.\u202f\u200b <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1da85d2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1da85d2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">I am now able to travel again, even by myself. I can drive and take care of all of my own needs. I can be with my family and my grandchildren, hike and enjoy being actively involved in life again.<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<br \/><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u200bMost importantly, we are able to help others find their own healing journey as well.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:2,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:432}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Over the past few years, we have chosen to help others find this same hope, working every day harder than we ever did in either of our professional careers. We spend tireless hours listening to those who have been devastated by invisible illness, chronic diseases, and disorders that are deemed incurable or that are not even recognized by modern medicine as a true diagnosis.<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<br \/><span data-contrast=\"none\">We speak with countless numbers of people daily who have been abused by the medical establishment, who suffer from PTSD from being called &#8220;lazy and crazy&#8221; and those who have searched everywhere and found no answers within allopathic medicine.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<br \/><span data-contrast=\"none\">We work tirelessly for Ophelia to be able to offer this same hope that we have experienced to others who have also been left alone to suffer, unable to cry out for help and have no hope.\u202fThis has been the most\u202frewarding\u202flife work that either of us have experienced.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:2,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559740&quot;:432}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e1c0dd5 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"e1c0dd5\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c736335 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"c736335\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f4feb37 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"f4feb37\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/orhope.com\/ophope\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/portrait-image-300x300.png\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium wp-image-437\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/orhope.com\/ophope\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/portrait-image-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/orhope.com\/ophope\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/portrait-image-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/orhope.com\/ophope\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/portrait-image.png 705w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e218b70 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"e218b70\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">JT<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4f231bf e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"4f231bf\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5fdf6d0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5fdf6d0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>In 2020, I was a fairly hyper-healthy person who trained every year to ride competitively in long distance amateur bicycle races. I often drove and sometimes flew with my bike to events all over the country. I&#8217;d even had fellow cyclists blow smoke at me about maybe thinking about tuning up to compete in cycling in the Senior Olympics. In one<br \/>particular year, I&#8217;d ended third overall in my age group in the state of Missouri. Let&#8217;s give me the benefit of the doubt that I&#8217;d been racing more than two other guys&#8230;<br \/><br \/>Point being though, that I was way above average in fitness, suffered from no long term illnesses, and rarely even from minor day-to-day ones.<br \/><br \/>In January, 2021 , my wife Lyn and I came back to the US from a trip to Mexico and we both soon came down with the original Covid. It&#8217;d proved a relatively easy, modest and brief illness, though as I recovered she seemed to head straight into what would later<br \/>become known as &#8220;Long Haul&#8221; symptoms. We barely knew what that term was, and certainly, nor did doctors. Nobody knew at that time that the symptoms of Long Haul Covid would prove to be in most cases worse than the disease itself.<br \/><br \/>Dial forward a couple months and we were quickly approaching a planned return back to Mexico. However, with Lyn seemingly losing more ground everyday, and having very little of it left, we decided to go forward with the trip just to live our lives as comfortably<br \/>as possible. We fully recognized the great likelihood of her imminent passing. But then God or the universe or blind luck, whichever one cares to believe, intervened in a spectacular set of coincidences that are described in Lyn&#8217;s story. So while she began to undergo stem cell treatment and get back on her feet, I returned to the US in a few weeks. Warning, there will be a pattern arising here.<br \/><br \/>Before returning to the US, I was feeling fine and looked healthy and normal. There were no reasons to anticipate that my physical and mental health would soon decline precipitously.<br \/><br \/>Long Covid hit me in the same manner Hemingway described how he&#8217;d become bankrupt&#8230; &#8220;Gradually, then suddenly.&#8221;<br \/><br \/>While in the US, I began to not be as well as I had been. One day I was out and active and living a full and enjoyable life, and then next I could only gingerly walk downstairs in the morning to sit in a chair, and find myself drained by that tiny effort. So I&#8217;d fester all day staring at a TV screen and entirely oblivious and uncaring as to whether it was even<br \/>turned on.<\/p><p><br \/>My vital signs became erratic and quite worrisome. From the time I planted myself in a seat downstairs, my blood pressure would rise about 10 points every fifteen minutes or so. In short order it&#8217;d be climbing through 170\/120 with the sky seemingly being the limit. I&#8217;d never had blood pressure problems before. So there I sat with a blood pressure cuff and a bottle of Lisinopril and a bottle of Clonodine, chasing the digits with the meds until my body finally succumbed to the chemicals. Then my BP would drop like a stone down to dangerous levels around 80\/50&#8217;s, and I&#8217;d wonder how I was ever going to make my way back to bed.<br \/><br \/>During that time, unbeknownst to me, Covid was silently and quickly damaging my lungs. Before I knew it, and timeframe wise I mean within days of the proverbial Long<br \/>Covid greyhound bus hitting me, I could no longer walk twenty yards without succumbing to oxygen exhaustion. I&#8217;d done many &#8216;century rides&#8217; at full gas in the heat of Texas summers and not gotten so blown-up physically as merely walking up and down our short driveway in my Covid body.<br \/><br \/>I hadn&#8217;t had the slightest idea of the extensive micro-clotting occurring throughout my body, and how my lungs were being permanently savaged. My brain became foggy. Depression set in, and at times my thoughts and words became aggressive, as if I were bipolar. I began to experience suicidal ideation. Fortunately for me, but in no way enjoyable to them, were family members who picked up that Dr. Jeff was descending<br \/>into a very dark Mr. Hyde.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6a65fe0 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"6a65fe0\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bb9d68c elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"bb9d68c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">How the tables had turned! <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f8a4496 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f8a4496\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">As my family helped me struggle through daily activities such as cleaning up and cooking and bringing me food, we quickly figured out that Lyn and I were in different emergencies.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<br \/><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u200bLyn, just a few short weeks earlier unable to walk or\u202ftravel by herself, now knew she&#8217;d need to, and was actually once again able to, return unaided to the US. \u202fStem cells had done her a life-save, and now I needed salvation from whatever was hollowing me out.<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<br \/><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u200bInstead of me needing to help Lyn through the airport and carrying our bags, now she was helping me through DFW as I struggled with each st<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:2,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559740&quot;:432}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"none\">When we arrived back at the same Airbnb in Ajijic, our host Tony commented, &#8220;Well, this is quite a change in events,&#8221; pointing at Lyn, &#8220;You look healthy and he looks like he\u2019s dying.&#8221; \u202fI didn\u2019t even have the breath to reply.\u200b<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:2,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559740&quot;:432}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Preparing for my first stem cell treatment, we had blood labs drawn. \u202f The results gave my physician immediate concerned about a possible pulmonary embolism, and sent me for a chest X-ray.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<br \/><span data-contrast=\"none\">The X-ray found that I had\u202f<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/diseases\/10959-pulmonary-fibrosis\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">pulmonary fibrosis<\/span><\/b><\/a><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">.<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u202fwith Covid this is known as &#8220;glass lung&#8221; and considered incurable.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<br \/><span data-contrast=\"none\">The doctor demanded to see me right away, as my\u202f<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC8553152\/\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">d-dimer<\/span><\/b><\/a><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u202f<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">was hovering at emergency levels. \u202fI was treated immediately with Aspirin and a blood thinner and told I\u2019d likely be on them for a year. \u202fDuring that time we\u2019d do regular testing to ensure my blood thinned, or else I might suffer a stroke at any time. \u202fOf course, flying on airplanes\u202fwith thick blood\u202fwas out of the question, so traveling anywhere except by car was out also of the question.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:2,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559740&quot;:432}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Within days of my first treatment, brain fog began to lift, as well as the depression. \u202f I was taken off the blood thinners, as my d-dimer numbers had returned to within normal range. \u202fPulmonary fibrosis would of course be permanent, and we could at least consider ourselves lucky that it hadn\u2019t gotten so bad as to bring lung transplants into conversation. \u202fAh, silver linings.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:2,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559740&quot;:432}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-48561c9 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"48561c9\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2c720fb elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"2c720fb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Recovery<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cc1943c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"cc1943c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>After several weeks, I went back and had some new films shot, starring my right and leftlungs.Those x-rays, by the way, cost US$20 each, no insurance or appointmentneeded.You get the films handed to you within 20 minutes.And what do you know, they were clear as a bell and you-know-who no longer hadfreezer burn lungs!All the sudden I could get out again for long hikes and my onlyphysical barrier was being out of shape (&#8230;that part hasn\u2019t improved so much; somedayI\u2019ll get on that, I keep saying).<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-53c0bf5 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"53c0bf5\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-79cb298 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"79cb298\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">My stem cell journey, Part II<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bf87572 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"bf87572\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">In December, 2021, I was in a motorcycle accident while on a business trip in the US, leaving me with head trauma and multiple fractures in both my left tibia\/fibula and arm\/wrist, with only soft tissues holding the bones together. I was taken to a large, prestigious hospital (that will not be shamed here, because I\u2019m above that) in Dallas, only to be told I would be seen in the parking lot! \u202fIt was a serious enough situation that over the coming days I tiptoed quite close to the line of becoming a motorcycle fatality statistic. \u202f Weeks later Baylor Scott &amp; White\u202femailed me to ask if I wanted to schedule to come in for followup treatment. \u202fBless their hearts because for all they should have known, they\u2019d be emailing a dead man. \u202fBut let\u2019s not dwell on the US healthcare systems and prestigious hospital systems, shall we?<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<br \/><span data-contrast=\"none\">Once again, my wife was called to urgently rescue my sorry self! \u202fAs the ER grudgingly sloppily wrapped up some of my broken bones and left me to deal with other the unattended ones and dispatched me home \u2014 Lyn got her \u2018go bag\u2019 and headed to the airport for an overnight flight back to the US.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:2,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559740&quot;:432}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"none\">I was dispatched from the hospital with much haste on their behalf with a pair of crutches. \u202fNevermind a broken left leg in barely an ace bandage. \u202fOr a broken left arm entirely unsplinted. \u202fOr the TBI which had knocked me out cold for minutes, or the injection of Morphine the hospital had given me without even asking if I was in pain or had allergies. \u202f<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<br \/><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u200bTwo fraught steps later came the inevitable\u202ffull-frontal faceplant getting in the house. \u202fWhich of course re-separated various broken bones in my leg, beat up all my soft tissues once again, and since this time I WASN\u2019T wearing a helmet, produced a second TBI in about as many hours.\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:2,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559740&quot;:432}\">\u00a0<br \/><br \/><\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">As a long time wound care nurse, Lyn didn&#8217;t like the look of the tissue which was losing circulation and immediately called our physicians in Mexico to consult and an emergency plan was made to return for surgery and stem cells. She expected me to lose parts of my leg with an amputation if gangrene set in. She set about gathering appropriate necessary equipment for the trip including a wheelchair.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<br \/><span data-contrast=\"none\">My wife wheeled me in a wheelchair with leg elevated, semi-splinted fractured arm, crutches and other medical equipment through the airport without any physical issues after having recovered from Long Haul also. During the trip, I also went into shock on the airplane and a kind stewardess helped my wife stabilize me.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:2,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559740&quot;:432}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"none\">We landed in Guadalajara after midnight, and were met and taken to a fantastic hospital, where I had surgery that evening.<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<br \/><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u200bWe were told without that immediate intervention, I would have lost the leg as it had been improperly set by the harried doctor at Baylor.\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:2,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559740&quot;:432}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"none\">The surgery involved 13 people in total with three different surgeons working on different parts of me at the same time. \u202fAs I was being rolled into the \u2018theatre\u2019 I was asked if I wanted pictures of the procedure. \u202fWell, HECK YES I did!\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<br \/><span data-contrast=\"none\">After I\u2019d been stitched up and rolled back to my room, \u200bI received a dose of 200 million stem cells. \u202f<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<br \/><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u200bI now have multiple screws and plates holding things in place, recovered without any further problems,\u202fand was able to quickly resume walking and never required physical therapy.\u202f<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u200b\u200b<\/span>\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0d8dbe7 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"0d8dbe7\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-278f7a7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"278f7a7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Stem cells have saved us both in many ways.\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8be9754 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"8be9754\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW116523381 BCX8\">First, they saved my wife&#8217;s life and saved me from having to let her go. They fully restored my brain and body from Long Covid. \u202f<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun AdvancedProofingIssueV2Themed SCXW116523381 BCX8\">And they allowed my body to heal after a devastating accident where <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun AdvancedProofingIssueV2Themed SCXW116523381 BCX8\">in all likelihood<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun AdvancedProofingIssueV2Themed SCXW116523381 BCX8\">, I would have lost a significant portion of my body, which would have changed my life drastically.<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW116523381 BCX8\"> \u202fI no longer even think about a good or bad arm or leg, as there is no deficit in either.\u202f<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7571a4b e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"7571a4b\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-57a5bb3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"57a5bb3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">We made it our mission to help others.\u202f<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-73ccbaa elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"73ccbaa\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">When stem cells saved my wife and she began to get better, she told me that we needed to help others, allowing them to find this same hope for recovery.<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<br \/><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u200bWe decided to help as many people as possible and we put off our retirement to do just that. We have even invested our retirement into helping others.\u202f<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u200b<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:2,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:432}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"none\">After recovering, we have still experience health incidents that one does in life. \u202fMost frequently, additional bouts Covid that have arisen as we\u2019ve both traveled and hosted people to help them through their illnesses. \u202fWhat we know, is that we\u2019ve got access to a powerful life substance that is not medicine but works better than any medicine. \u202fSo we can go forward doing what we do, without fear and without holding ourselves back.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-15d3cb3 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"15d3cb3\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-268bb10 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"268bb10\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Our clients become family.<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-236e615 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"236e615\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Our stem cell journey doesn&#8217;t end here. Over the past few years, we have not only helped hundreds of clients but also provided education for others to find their own\u202fjourney. We have helped locals who cannot afford this treatment to receive it at cost or even for free. We have also helped many members of our own families recover from Covid, Long Haul and other medical problems. \u202fWe continue to support the community we built with weekly calls and post-treatment support months after clients have returned home.\u202f<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u200b<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:2,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559740&quot;:432}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fb85773 elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"fb85773\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/opheliarises.com\/ophope\/our-difference\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Learn More<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Our Story. THIS IS A DRAFT STAGING SITE LYN Our clients become family. This journey for us began in March 2021. After both of us having Covid in January, 2021, with recovery from acute Covid, I immediately began to have symptoms of\u202fLong Haul\u202for PASC and my already tenuous health declined even more.\u00a0\u00a0I have had\u202fchronic EBV\u202fmost [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-654","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/orhope.com\/ophope\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/654","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/orhope.com\/ophope\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/orhope.com\/ophope\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/orhope.com\/ophope\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/orhope.com\/ophope\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=654"}],"version-history":[{"count":67,"href":"https:\/\/orhope.com\/ophope\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/654\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1518,"href":"https:\/\/orhope.com\/ophope\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/654\/revisions\/1518"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/orhope.com\/ophope\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=654"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}