The night following my break up with my boyfriend, I just wanted to get a good night of sleep. I took an Ambien to help me fall asleep. However, I made the dreaded mistake that many make when taking such a powerful sleeping medication. I stayed awake. I decided to make a sandwich and get a glass of water, which I accidentally spilt. The next thing I know, I am in my hospital room with a pounding headache and could only see out of one eye. The lights were too bright, my vision was pixelated, and I was pretty sure my head was going to explode.
The doctor told me that I had suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury and had been unconscious for the past 12 hours. My roommate found me at 7am, unconscious, badly bruised all over my body, and bleeding from my mouth and my nose. It appeared I had slipped in the water I had spilt and hit my head on a hard surface in the kitchen. In a stupor, I proceeded to fall all over my apartment attempting to get help and fell multiple times, hitting my head against hard surfaces at least 5 more times. I had 2 black eyes and 59 bruises on my body.
The next 6 months, I suffered with unbearable migraines and ice-pick headaches, photophobia (light sensitivity), dizziness, a stutter, aphasia (difficulty getting my words out), extreme fatigue, depression, anxiety, and more. I was taking multiple different medications to try and manage my symptoms. The medications barely took the edge off my extreme headaches. I was diagnosed with Post Concussive Syndrome. This is the condition made famous by NFL players who have been promoting concussion awareness. Even as an ICU nurse, I had no idea how debilitating Post Concussive Syndrome could be. My neurologist anticipated it would take over a year to feel like myself, but it was also possible I might never fully recover. I felt like I had no hope, no end in sight to my condition, and no relief from my constant headaches.
I made a brief attempt at returning to work a few months after my accident. During this time, my coworker Sierra was hoping she could help me with my pain. She had just taken a Healing Touch Level 1 class and thought that this pain technique might help diminish my headaches.
Healing Touch is a relaxing, nurturing energy therapy that is based on the concept of the body having a biofield. Energy (also known as Chi or Prana) flows through and around our bodies through energy centers called Chakras. When energy along these pathways becomes congested or depleted, the person experiences symptoms such as pain, inflammation, anxiety, stress, etc. The practitioner uses their hands in a heart-centered, intentional way to direct the flow of energy, release the congested energy, and put the energy field back in its original smooth flowing alignment. With the body in perfect harmony, relaxation occurs and the body has the ability to heal itself.
Each night at work, Sierra and I would go into an empty room during our break and she would practice her Healing Touch techniques on me. I immediately connected with the treatment, felt my headaches diminish, and had more energy afterwards. I would be able to continue my shift in the ICU and have just enough energy to drive home in the morning. The treatment effects would last only a day or so due to my unhealthy lifestyle, which included trying to fight my bodies natural sleep-wake cycle by working the overnight shift.
On my days off from work, there were times I could barely get out of bed. I had unbearable migraines. My energy level was severely depleted. Despite all of this, I would still try and be a normal 30-year old woman. I would meet a friend for a drink, watch my football team on Sundays, or go out to eat. Each event would cause severe headaches, nausea, dizziness, and the stimulation of all the activity going on around me would cause me to zone out. I would stare off into space as my overloaded brain would shut down as it just couldn’t handle the stimulation. Each attempt at being "normal" would set me back even further.
7 weeks after returning to work, a visit to the neurologist changed everything. She placed me back on disability for 3 more months against my wishes. She saw how depleted I had become in the past few months. Instead of making progress in my recovery, I was regressing. My multiple medications to control my headaches were at the maximum dosages and I was still constantly in excruciating pain. I was at the end of my rope. I was utterly depressed and lost without my job. My friends were disappearing because I couldn’t keep up with their social lifestyle and my depression was becoming a drag. I didn’t know how much longer I could suffer this way. My thoughts were constantly negative and pessimistic.
It was at this time that Sierra had urged me to take Healing Touch Level 1 to learn how to heal myself. I laughed, “Heal myself? I can barely get out of bed, how on earth am I going to heal myself?” I decided she was right. I needed to take this class.
In my 2 -day Healing Touch Level 1 class, I spent the weekend learning about chakras, energy, positive intentions, and about loving yourself. I was able to give and receive multiple treatments all weekend long. I learned how to do a self-chakra connection on myself which helped to open and balance all of my chakras and energy field. Every time I received a treatment, I felt rejuvenated, peaceful, and re-energized. It was eye-opening to see how a positive intention, a loving heart, and the flow of energy through your hands could provide such deep relaxation and pain relief. By Sunday evening, I was glowing! My depression had lifted, I barely had a headache, and I had so much energy! I was happy, hopeful, and suddenly full of life!
My healing began immediately. It dawned on me that I was sabotaging my recovery from my brain injury by living my life out of balance and refusing to listen to what my body was telling me. I started living my life in perfect harmony, treating myself with twice daily self-chakra connections, repeating positive affirmations, journaling, eating a healthy diet, meditating, and reading anything I could find on Energy Medicine, Holistic Medicine, and Personal/Spiritual Development. I began a yoga practice that helped me to gain strength physically, as well as mentally. I aligned my physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being and realized that all along I had the innate ability to heal myself. I exchanged treatments regularly with Sierra, at support groups, and with new friends from each Healing Touch class I took. My symptoms from my brain injury were rapidly disappearing and I felt amazing! I realized that from chaos comes clarity.
6 months after I took Healing Touch Level 1, I had worked my way up to taking Healing Touch Level 4 and started my 1-year apprenticeship with a Certified Healing Touch Practitioner as my mentor. I had healed completely from my brain injury and felt so blessed to embark on this incredible journey of self-healing. During my apprenticeship, I completed over 100 documented Healing Touch sessions, multiple reading and writing requirements, and began a community project providing Healing Touch to homeless veterans. I used Healing Touch everyday in the hospital with my patients and coworkers.
When my apprenticeship was complete, I took Healing Touch Level 5 (the final level of the Healing Touch certificate program) and completed further homework to achieve certification. Receiving my pin as a Certified Healing Touch Practitioner was one of the most special moments in my life. It symbolized the strength, perseverance, and dedication to my healing journey. I became an Energy Healer spreading healing light and love to those I touched. The saying “everything happens for a reason” suddenly made perfect sense to me. My brain injury had become a true blessing in disguise. Finding Healing Touch saved my life.
Today, I have a Healing Touch Practice, Healing Nurses in San Diego with my best friend Sierra, who had helped me to heal and encouraged me to take my first Healing Touch class. I continue to work in a Surgical ICU and have been busy promoting and teaching other nurses about Healing Touch. My patient’s experience less pain, less anxiety, and a faster recovery from receiving Healing Touch treatments while in the hospital. My dream is to become the Healing Touch Nurse at my hospital so that I can consult daily on patients in severe pain that will benefit the most from this relaxing, nurturing energy therapy. I have spoken in many different settings about my healing journey in hopes of helping others in chronic pain.
Healing Touch has become my passion in life. Spreading this treatment to all who are looking for optimal health and wellness has become my mission. Healing Touch is being taught throughout the country and is being used widely in hospitals due to the effectiveness of helping patients to heal. To experience a treatment for yourself, visit my website Healing Nurses to schedule a Healing Touch session. To find a class near you and begin your own healing journey visit www.healingtouchinternational.org.
Receiving my Certified Healing Touch Practitioner pin from my mentor Donna Cahill
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