My Father was Arrested for Practicing Medicine without a License!

"My Father was arrested for practicing medicine without a license!" Yes, it's true. Although he had 5 state licensures for chiropractic, it didn't matter in the state of Louisiana. It happened back in the 1960's and the last time was in 1968. There they didn't license D.C's (Doctors of Chiropractic) and D.O.'s (Doctors of Osteopathy) until 1974! My Dad received his licensure 6 years later in 1974 for the state of Louisiana. He was practicing in Oklahoma by then and chuckled when he got it.

Such a rich part of history of our profession! Approximately over 200 D.C.'s went to jail from the mid 1910's to the 1960's. They've even created a Bell Tower in Marietta Georgia where Life Chiropractic University inducted my Father among many other D.C.'s for their valiant efforts to save this great profession from the auspices of the medical dogma.

The irony of these events is that upon being forced to leave Lousiana or go to Leavenworth Jail, my Father sold his home to a medical doctor! You an imagine the emotions that were evoked by my Dad?

So, for some of you this may explain my behavior as a son of a jaildog! Ha Ha Ha Iwill have to elaborate the many stories that surround his events of those years from 1960-1968 in Lousiana.

Have We forgotten our History Chiros?

It constantly amazes me at how many in my profession have no clue about the history of our great profession. So many docs became chiropractors in the late 80's and current because it was a fast growing and good income profession. When my Dad went to Palmer Chiropractic College in 1954, most all students went because of a personal experience thru chiropractic saved their lives or made drastic improvements! As a result, the passion for our profession has gradually decreased. Is it just a job?

Up until the mid 70's chiropractic reimbursement was strictly thru a cash basis. After that point it was covered under insurance. Up until the mid 70's, chiropractic was known for helping asthma, ulcers, allergies, indigestion, diverticulis, etc....... It was not known for headaches, back pain, neck pain, sciatica, numbness, or tingling as it's primary source of treatment until the insurance companies dictated the profession as a neuromuscular/orthopedic form of treatment. As a result, limited thinking developed over the last 40 years.

It's time for my fellow chiropractors to spread the word of how great our profession is in restoring nerve function and all else follows! We don't treat back pain, neck pain, headaches, sciatica, etc.! We treat nerve interference, know as subluxations, that create a whole host of symptoms in our bodies! We don't cure anything, our body does all the healing!

Before insurance, it was widely known, that to get the body back in shape neurologically, it would take dozens of visits; then, a level of wellness could be maintained at twice a month. After insurance, chiropractic was utilized only for pain control and it would take 8-12 visits to accomplish this deed. What an unservice to each person receiving adjustements! Now, you had insurance companies telling the docs what and when to treat! How appalling! This would not be tolerated prior to the mid 70's, but now the insurance companies hold the money purse.

Instead, it's time to tell the public the truth about the healing process and chiropractic! People are striving to hear the truth in the day and age of pharmaceutical failures. Today's pharmaceutical use has risen too vastly and too quickly. Today's improved quality of life is achieved thru better lifestyle choices not better drugs!

What Inspires Me

About a month ago, while attending a continuing education seminar, I was asked to write down what or who inspired me to become a chiropractor and list a few points about your practice. So, here are a few of the points I wrote:

1. Observing my Father's chiropractic practice as a child treating a multitude of conditions beyond just back pain or headaches was routinely helped each and every day was extremely motivating to me to help others achieve better health and wellness.
2. Our common quote is "you don't have to be sick to get well!" My practice focuses on not just getting you out of pain, but keeping you out of pain.
3. Seeing the results of people changing and saving their lives from ongoing and future years of degenerating, damaging, and depressed functioning spine and nervous system is very rewarding.
4. Where else can you practice as a healthcare provider that actually focuses on the cause of a problem and not just cover up the symptoms only to see even greater problems develop?!
5. Expect to be educated in our office about developing improved Wellness lifestyles. In excess of 70% of today's diseases are preventable by better lifestyle choices. In America we spend in excess of 2.5 trillion dollars on healthcare of which 95% are spent on diagnosing and treating disease and only 5% on prevention and wellness. We help you Discover Wellness!

Would You Love Your Profession for 50+Yrs?

This morning I was thinking of my Dad, a chiropractor for 51yrs, and thought of the congruency of his actions. He believed in natural living, no artificials and no pharmaceuticals for the average day of a person. Yes, pharma is necessary for emergencies, but the chronic emergencies, as is the case in America, is way too over used. He practiced this way 50yrs before it became the fad, the trend and the shift of peoples' consciousnesses.

Imagine the wherewithal he had to have to begin his life with these daily lifestyle choices? How many of you can even begin to listen to your gut and break trends of bad choices even before they begin as a society? What wisdom one must have to silent their thoughts and just listen.

Why has America just gone with the flow? I thought we were the country that broke out and created new innovations, not new ways to drug you up. But, that's what's happened. Big controlling interest, companies, look at people as just commodities of trade and profiteering.

Yet, too many enjoy the numb state! Why think for ourselves? It's too comfortable just to live in this somber state of hum drum, don't rock the boat.

It's time for all of us to wake up from this trance placed upon us!