"My experience at Bastyr Center for Natural Health has been an incredible blessing of healing and building relationships. When I became a patient in 2011, I was desperate to find relief from years of chronic pain after a herniated disc led to two surgeries in 14 months. In that time, I also received seven cortisone shots to try and avoid surgery, as well as physical therapy. But as a heart transplant patient of 2008, I cannot take anti-inflammatory medications and also avoid pain medications as much as possible.

"When I finally came to Bastyr Center, my visit was long overdue because of a lack of knowledge about alternative medicine. The acupuncture has since managed my chronic pain. The caregivers have taught me much about my body. I now know about qi and meridians and moxa and anti-inflammatory diet, plus the joy of making some good friends.

"They all got more than they bargained for with me as a patient. No sooner than they had calmed down my sciatica pain, they had to help me get over the numbness in my whole right leg and effects of foot drop. We found out that I needed a new right hip due to avascular necrosis caused by the high doses of prednisone I had to take in 2007 and 2008 before my heart transplant. This caused another round of high pain daily, level 5 to 8 out of 10, plus more inflammation in my whole right leg and foot.

"However, the doctors and students persevered and continued my treatments twice a week for the three months it took for me to research the hip replacement, choose a surgeon and have the surgery. Today, I am almost totally pain-free, can sleep on my right side, and am able to swim and even play tennis. "