By Monique Jellerette-deJongh
This testimony is provided by Monique Jellerette deJongh for use only in its entirety and only with her expressed written permission to post and or publish. All changes, editing, omissions, and/or revisions are strictly prohibited without the prior expressed written permission of
Monique Jellerette deJongh.
MY TESTIMONY
My name is Monique Jellerette-deJongh. I am living with Early-Onset Parkinson’s Disease (PD). I am a happily married, 45 year old mother of two teen age daughters living in New York, where I grew up. As far as I know, I’ve never been exposed to environmental pesticides/toxins except for those found in home lawn fertilizers. My first symptoms were noticed by my mother in 1993. I was 35 years old. One day she asked me nonchalantly, “Monique, why don’t you swing your left arm when you walk?” “What?” I said, as I glared at her. “...And why is your left hand always in that ‘claw’ position?” she insisted. At the time, I thought she was just being annoying, as mothers tend to be, until I noticed that these bodily betrayals were in fact happening on a consistent basis.
Upon my next routine visit with our family doctor, he asked me to perform some ordinary hand movements of flipping back and forth my hands repeatedly on my lap. Astonished, I could only use my right hand normally. My left hand performed these seemingly simple functions quite poorly. “I want to run some tests” he said, “Just to rule out a possible brain tumor.” After a stunned momentary nervous giggle, I said, “You’re kidding right?” “No” he responded, while jotting down something, “It’s probably nothing but just to be sure here’s the number, make and appointment to get a CAT scan as soon as possible.”
I did in fact get a CAT scan right away. With great relief I was informed that I had no brain tumor. Whew! I dodged that bullet but my left hand continued to betray me. So I also had a myriad of tests over the course of the next five years; MRI’s of the brain and spine, blood tests for numerous other conditions, especially Lyme Disease, whose symptoms mimic PD; you name it, and they tested me for it! Eventually he said, “I think it’s time to see a neurologist.”
My first visit with a neurologist, was non-spectacular. At the end of her examination she quietly said, “It most likely is Early Parkinson’s Disease. But it’s too early to tell.” I asked her, “Isn’t there a test for Parkinson’s Disease I could take?” She responded, “Not really. I’d just like to watch you over time. Okay?” I really didn’t ‘hear’ what she said on a gut level. I was still in denial. I had developed an all too reassuring habit of taking a battery of tests to then sit and listen to the litany of “Nothing seems to be wrong’s!”
I decided to go to a chiropractor for one year who adjusts me successfully. He eventually gave me his advice to, “Go see a neurologist.” Because however straighter my spine became, my left side symptoms kept getting worse.
I then consulted an acupuncturist in Chinatown. “Your energy (Qi) is blocked!” he said. “I may be able to help you but I’m not sure I can. If you wish, I will try to unblock your energy (Qi).” So I received acupuncture treatments for a few months. He inserted needles into my energy pathways to try to stimulate and move the energy and he also prescribed Chinese herbs for me to drink to do the same. The result was deep relaxation only but no real relief from the PD symptoms.
As the PD continued to progress, completely frustrated, I even self diagnosed myself as having some unique autoimmune disease until my visit with a Rheumatologist, assured me, after her examination that, “You exhibit none of the symptoms that indicated any such thing.”
Five years later, in June of 2000, since the symptoms were now starting to manifest in my left leg, affecting my walking slightly, as well as my left arm and hand, I decided to consult an expert in the field of neurological disorders, specifically, Parkinson’s Disease. So I visited a neurologist from Columbia Presbyterian Hospital’s Movement Disorder wing in New York City. I noticed articles of their experimental research treating PD with stem cells often appearing in the New York Times. The doctor told me, “You don’t have a clear presentation of the symptoms. So here’s what we’ll do.” I moved to the edge of my seat. She continued, “Take the L-Dopa, if it works, you have PD, If it doesn’t work, you don’t have PD.” “That’s it,” I thought? “This is what the top professionals have come up with?” “Well, to be honest with you,” she said, ”I could order a PET scan but most insurance companies won’t pay the $3, 000 for it. It would examine activity in your substantia nigra, brain stem to determine if you have PD. Otherwise, I suggest you take the medicine.”
“Okay,” I said, “But don’t the PD medications have severe side effects?” I had gone online and read a lot of information all about PD and the available treatments. She responded, “Yes, well first of all the meds can stop working smoothly after about five years. They can after awhile cause; severe nausea, hallucinations, and brady-kinesis, but we’ll monitor you closely and if any of these symptoms occur we’ll adjust the medicines and we have additional meds for each of these side-effects.” She continued, “I especially monitor and treat hallucinations in women because I found that their husbands aren’t very tolerant of their wives when they start having hallucinations. Husbands are very quick to commit their wives into mental homes so they don’t have to deal with them. But don’t you worry my dear, you’re still very young. This happens most often with older PD patients.”
Astonished I asked, “Brady-kinesis is shaking right?” She answered, “I see you’ve done your homework, yes it is.” Dumbfounded I continued, “You’ve got to be kidding me? You’re telling me with a straight face, that you want me to take a medicine who’s side-effect is ‘shaking’ for a disease that causes shaking?” She paused sympathetically and said, “Unfortunately my dear, it’s either the medicine or nothing.”
I chose nothing, so to speak…shortly following this depressing visit with the big shots of Western medicine I decided to join a Gary Null Health Support group. My dad had been listening to this self proclaimed ‘Guru’ of whole-istic alternative medicine for many years. He hosts a daily radio talk show called “Natural Living with Gary Null” where he espouses a self healing protocol of a mostly vegetarian/green juice diet, routine exercise, emotional balancing, self forgiveness, a regimen of anti-oxidant vitamin supplements, an awareness of, and eradication of negative influences in one’s life, including bad relationships, bad career choices, and bad eating habits, etc., plus a commitment to developing an ever growing awareness of global/local political realities and a dedication to becoming more involved with creating solutions to these problems as apposed to being ignorant of or contributing to the causes.
I attended the evening weekly meetings religiously and followed his protocol very closely. I transformed my life as I slowly and methodically integrated most of his paradigm into mine. It was beneficial. Mr. Null personally appeared at the meetings speaking on various health related issues. One night he spoke about the dangers of living with mercury fillings in your teeth. As it turns out, mercury toxicity can cause symptoms that mimic PD. He told me point blank, “Please do yourself a favor and have all of them removed by a holistic dentist, as soon as you can afford to!” He continued, “I guarantee that you will be a new person in a few years, if you do.”
So I did just that. I waited a few months until our tax return arrived and then I went to a dentist in Manhattan. “You have an infected root canal my dear!” she exclaimed as she pointed to my x-rays. “But, do you know how many dentists have looked at these x-rays without noticing that fact? I asked her. “Listen, I don’t care about that.” She said, “All I know is toxins, mercury or otherwise can leech directly into your brain through that infected root canal! That tooth must come out!” She insisted.
The dentist removed that bad tooth and proceeded to replace approximately 18-20 mercury fillings with porcelain composite fillings that are compatible with my body. She gave me a vitamin C drip concurrently during each procedure. The reason I had so many mercury fillings was a direct result of going to dental school dentists to save money. They did a great job filling my cavities with mercury. Because I was such a good patient, many of the dental students asked me to “sit for them” so that they could take their state board exams. I suspect I ended up with more fillings than I actually needed.
And sometimes at the Gary Null Health support meetings, he would have a guest expert in health related fields address the group. In addition, I completed all of the written home work assignments which encouraged positive visualization techniques, and spiritual meditation practices. The homework also forced me to sustain a committed focus on the progress of my healing work.
Eventually, I paid for a private consultation with one of Mr. Null’s assistants. This lead to three very critical relationships in my path to healing; She introduced me to an AMMA Therapist®, and a physician, who in addition to supervising my extremely needed heavy-metal detoxification protocol, made me aware of the advanced Stem Cell treatments given at Bio Mark International.
First let me share with you the life saving experience AMMA Therapy® was and is for me: Its creator is Grandmaster Ms. Tina Sohn. My therapist uses AMMA Therapy® to balance the movement of life energy (Qi) in my sick body. Whereas the acupuncturist inserted needles into these energy pathways to stimulate and move my energy. AMMA Therapy® uses all the techniques of the major forms of therapeutic massage plus it relies primarily on the sensitivity and strength of the hands to manipulate and balance my life energy (Qi) to remove blockages, free the flow of energy, and bring healing energy to problem areas.
But I always feel wildly alive after an AMMA Therapy® treatment or as if I just completed an hour’s workout. When I first spoke to her letting her know I suffered from PD, she replied eagerly “We have a long way to go Kiddo!” She is always able to stimulate my energy (Qi) to healthy levels. This is no small feat considering the PD would routinely drain my energy levels to their bare minimum. “You have to never stop moving, Monique. Never give in to it!” she would always encourage. I can always hear her supportive voice saying, “Move, Move, Move!” It’s the mantra I will always hear in my head. I don’t know what I would have done without her treatments and ceaseless encouragement. I benefited greatly from these treatments because AMMA Therapy® is a complex therapeutic healing art that uses the knowledge of chiropractic, Shiatsu message, acupuncture, Chinese medicine, exercise and diet.
At this time I also started a regimen of physical therapy at the a Clinic in New York for a few months. This helped so much that after awhile the insurance company refused to continue paying! And unfortunately I did not maintain a regular routine of exercise. This remains the weakest link in my fight against PD.
As I mentioned earlier, Mr. Null’s assistant also introduced me to a doctor. During our initial three hour meeting, he explained, “Heavy-metal toxicity can cause a myriad of serious conditions.” He continued, “Most people don’t even realize that they have heavy-metal toxicity…and most doctors don’t check for it in routine check-ups.” I was very impressed with him because his scope of possible causes for disease was much more inclusive than the norm and he strongly advocates prevention. He is a traditional M.D. with Holistic influences, by far one of the smartest, most well informed doctors I’ve ever met. He was instrumental in the eventual abrupt turn around in my state of health. I feel lucky to know him.
Based on the results of blood and urine tests he ran on me, my doctor started me on a detoxification protocol to allow my body to heal itself. I received intravenous drips of EDTA, and DMSA, chelating medicine to pull out the high levels of mercury and iron my blood test results revealed. I was also given IV infusions of glutathione, alpha lipoic acid, vitamin C and other minerals and vitamins, to put back some of the depleted ‘good’ minerals. he recommended that I compliment my cleansing with a series of colonics which I did receive. I also received Ion Cleanse treatments. He also recommended that I eat a completely raw diet, of fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, a daily laxative and vitamin supplements. My doctor often spoke of the benefits of daily meditation. I followed his recommendations, this routine for approximately eight months. It was extremely hard to do. I got very weak during the detoxification process. It was a necessary evil for me to endure so that my body could heal it’s self.
Based upon the protocol of Dr. David Pearlmutter, a world renowned neurologist specializing in PD, my doctor also recommended that I take BrainSustain a powder drink with supplements specifically geared to helping improve brain function and that I get high doses of glutathione dailly. So at first I got glutathione via IV’s. Now I use glutathione suppositories (1500mgs) daily. I just stopped taking this treatment.
Once again I joined a Gary Null Health Support Group aimed at PD sufferers where he also recommended the high levels of glutathione as well as high levels of CoQ10 (1200mg) daily. It’s here I started daily spiritual meditations focusing on balancing my seven charkas after meeting a spiritual guide at one of the meetings.
One fateful day, my doctor told me about a new company he’d hear of, called BioMark International. I spoke to them on the telephone about the benefits of umbilical-cord-blood-derived stem cells. They seemed well schooled in most natural remedies for strengthening the human immune system as well as advanced treatments for serious neurological conditions and positively convinced that stem cells could help me deal with my PD. They said. “The data is there to support that these stem cells definitely help improve neurological diseases.” I got my husband on the line too, while we spoke at great length about how stem cells work at BioMark Intl. and all of their therapeutic effects. We were impressed, and even if they worked only to a small degree of what she promised, that would be something great! My husband and I did a considerable amount of research on the World Wide Web to garner any and all the information we could find about stem cell treatments. Our findings were very encouraging. What we found was that other stem cell therapies conducted in other countries were much more invasive. BioMark Intl. seemed to be a more holistic approach. After serious consideration, and the generous contributions of my family and friends I decided to receive a stem cell treatment from BioMark Intl.
May 16th, 2003 my husband and I flew to Atlanta, GA and drove directly to the Clinic from the airport. Quite unceremoniously, I received a small shot of one million umbilical stem cells in the fat under my skin on my stomach from the doctor. Painless. We flew back to New York the next day. Now I just had to wait.
Three months later the first thing I noticed was that the aggressive progression my PD symptoms came to a screeching halt. I had been on a sharp decline which slowed to a near stop. From that point on my PD symptoms continued to progress at a much slower pace.
About six months later, I experienced a unique thing, I told my husband, “I feel as if I’m getting better and worse at the same time.” It was a weird feeling. I think the stem cells were strengthening my immune system while the PD was still slowly warring on me. My levels of energy were consistently improving within the typical cycles of energy PD sufferers know all too well; good days and bad days.
Somewhere in here, I read the amazing book, Dante’s Path by Richard and Bonney Schaub. They teach a comprehensive path of emotional and spiritual development mapped by the 13th Century Italian poet Dante and modernized by the 20th Century Italian psychiatrist, Roberto Assagioli. I was so impressed with this writing that I tracked them down and attended a book reading they had. Shortly thereafter I started visiting a therapist at the New York Psychosynthesis Institute. Through using guided imagery meditation, my therapist has helped me to get in touch with my own courage. “I need to find courage.” I told her in our first session. “You’ve already found It”, she told me. “It took great courage to come here and face yourself!” she assured me. It takes great courage to live with such an unforgiving disease. My therapist has helped me to realize my own healing capabilities through spiritual growth and self forgiveness. I could not have gotten this far without her thoughtful and kind insights.
A year later I decided to visit an Upper Cervical Chiropractor in White Plains, NY. He explained that, “If you have a subluxation of the spine, specifically if the C1 bone (top vertebrae) is crooked, you can never be well…because all of the trillions of nerves from the brain go through that bone down through the spine. If these nerves are restricted it could cause PD.” So he proceeded to make a correction of just that C1 vertebra. Surprisingly, my entire spine has straightened itself out.
Earlier this year (Feb. 2004) I started a Physical therapy program of wonderfully encouraging visiting nurses coming to my house twice a week for five weeks. Then I graduated to out-patient Physical Therapy twice a week at a Parkinson’s Disease Treatment Center with a neurological clinical specialist. She encouraged me to take the PD medicine. I can’t say loud enough how greatly this physical therapy has helped me, still helps me.
At or about the same time, I decided to take the PD medication for the first time. I had avoided taking the meds for ten years in hopes that I would find another cure and/or treatment. But my physical state had deteriorated to the point where I was using a wheelchair most of the time and had less and less energy. My husband said, “It’s time for you to try the medicine. You’ve tried everything else.” So I met with a neurologist. He said, “Take the medicine. Let me help you.” He started me first on Sinemet L-Dopa and eventually on Requip Dopamine Agonist at very low doses.
In a matter of weeks, I had a miraculous reaction to the medicine. I was out of the wheelchair completely in a month after taking the medicine and approximately a year after the stem cell treatment. I walk, drive, bathe, get dressed all by myself again. I can’t say definitively that it was any one thing that has “cured” me. I’m not sure how much the stem cell treatment has added to my improved condition. My neurologist says that it is surprising that I’ve responded so well to such low doses of the meds. Perhaps the stem cells had to be shown what I needed by the medicine.
I think that everything I’ve done has worked together to contribute to my living a better quality of life. It has been a long and lonely road and I still take each hour, one hour at a time. But I awaken each morning happy that I’m able to move more independently appreciating the simple joys of living.
This testimony is provided by Monique Jellerette deJongh for use only in its entirety and only with her expressed written permission to post and or publish.
All changes, editing, omissions, and/or revisions are strictly prohibited without the prior expressed written permission of Monique Jellerette deJongh.
Remembering Nana
