Three weeks ago, I dreamt that I was a quarterback. I fumbled the ball and attempting to get the ball I fell out of bed on my head suffering a concussion, severe laceration and severe dislocation of my 5th cervical vertebrae. For five minutes my left arm was completely dead. I was in the hospital four days with severe (9/10) pain in my neck, not relieved by pain killers. Three days later I was doing a medical marijuana license for a 72 year old patient. He was a retired chiropractor. He told me about his nephew who was "the best chiropractor and acupuncturist in Oklahoma".I saw his nephew a few days later.He had at least 30 patients waiting to be seen. He did a lateral neck xray and we both saw the severe dislocation of the fifth vertebrae which they all missed in the hospital despite having done both a CT scan and MRI of the neck, failing to do a plain lateral x-ray of the cervical spine, the cornerstone of a traumatic injury to the cervical spine. Thanks to gentle and kind chiropractor, I can get some relief from the severe pain in the neck though certain mild and not so mild symptoms persist, thanks to the Gohonzon and Namu Myoho renge kyo, I am neither a quadriplegic nor dead.
Then, this week, my son was visiting from Florida. My best friend, wife and I did a powerful gongyo (Buddhist practice of chanting Namu Myoho renge kyo and two of the most important chapters of the Lotus Sutra). After gongyo, my wife was answering a few questions that my friend had about the faith and practice of our Buddhism and then we talked with my son. I went to buy some charcoal for our dinner. I always park with my high beams facing the grill. My wife and son didn't realize that I returned but my friend, out of the blue, got up to help me if needed. He opened the passenger seat car door as I was just about to get out to begin grilling and beneath the grill were two copperheads that I failed to see. My friend however saw them. My son had then come out and my friend asked my son if he had a gun. My son passed my friend his handgun and he shot and he killed the snakes. If my friend had not come out, I would have been bitten and with my kidney failure, here too, I might have died, My friend acted as a Buddhist god, protecting me thanks to our strong gongyo and faith in Namu Myoho renge kyo and the Gohonzon.
but Dude, did you recover that fumble and win the game?....don't leave us in such suspense! A few years ago, the 7 foot center for the Portland Trailblazers, Bill Walton, was promoting his book about years of living with severe back pain, until that is, like yourself, he got good advice.....he found a good doctor, which Nichiren likewise advises. His story was so gut wrenching, i had to ask myself the question; could I have weathered such sleeplessness from pain and boldly challenged my practice and faith - to live through and achieve victory, so that I could encourage others as you have - kidney disease to boot. I have always maintained that we can end the pain at anytime......I just don't know the profound implications of ending your own life. The book: Back from the Dead....by Bill Walton https://www.amazon.com/s?k=bill+walton&i=stripbooks&crid=3HSJEE0Q8Y8QW&sprefix=bill+walton%2Cstripbooks%2C172&ref=nb_sb_noss_2
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