“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for
us.” Hebrews 12:1
High School is supposed to be an exciting and memorable time
in a person’s life. 17-year-old Kerri had the world at her feet. She was a talented runner who had anchored
her school’s 4 X 800 relay team, taking 1st at the state track meet
and holding the school record. Kerri was
also a star volleyball player, known for her killer left-handed spike. Kerri’s senior year of high school opened up
multiple possibilities for the future.
Unfortunately, her dreams took a detour one October day in 2004 at a
high school volleyball game. Kerri
experienced an intense fall after going up for a spike and colliding with
another player. She suffered from
whiplash and had a concussion as a result from the collision. Little did she know that this injury would
have a lasting impact on her life.
Kerri's relay team takes first at state in 2004
A Detour from Normal Life
After the accident, Kerri resumed her busy and active
lifestyle as a teenager. Then,
everything came to an abrupt halt in late December as she began to have
flu-like symptoms. After a week of stomach cramps and diarrhea, Kerri began to
notice blood in her stool. Her mom,
Clara, was very concerned and scheduled a doctor’s appointment. The doctor informed them the symptoms looked
like ulcerative colitis, an autoimmune disease characterized by open sores in
the large intestine. The doctor
prescribed various maintenance medications for the disease, however they did
not help her symptoms. The physician
treating her condition stated this was by far the worse case the clinic had
seen. He prescribed very high doses of
the steroid prednisone in an attempt to decrease the symptoms. Over time, the affects of the steroid and the
disease began to further compromise her health.
Kerri’s condition was declining rapidly as she was losing massive
amounts of blood and undergoing significant weight loss. That March, she was hospitalized for about a
week, receiving two blood transfusions for anemia. Kerri was also treated for C. diff, a
bacterial infection of the colon. Sadly,
she spent her 18th birthday in the hospital. The doctors tried everything they knew to
help Kerri, however her condition remained unchanged.
No End in Sight
Kerri felt like she had hit a wall and her active lifestyle
became non-existent as she was forced to navigate life with such a debilitating
condition. Her life essentially revolved
around being near the bathroom. Kerri
had constant fear of leaving the house or having company over. When going to places like the mall, she had
to plan carefully and shop at stores close to the bathroom. As the disease took over her life, Kerri
became more withdrawn and her confidence was fading.
It broke Clara’s heart to see her daughter suffer through
the dramatic changes in her life. The
prednisone caused puffiness in the face and damage to Kerri’s adrenal
glands. Kerri experienced appetite loss,
adrenal fatigue, and mood swings from the medication. At 5’ 9”, she was barely
100 pounds. Kerri and her mom felt as
though they were running out of options. Kerri’s parents, Kenny and Clara,
wanted to provide the best help available for their daughter so they made an
appointment with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. There, Kerri met a surgeon who recommended
she undergo a colostomy procedure, stating she was a perfect candidate for the
surgery. The doctors at Mayo insisted
that there was no possible way to heal the disease, and Kerri’s only option
would be to have her colon removed. Both
Clara and Kerri were devastated at the idea of her spending the rest of her
life utilizing a colostomy bag. She was
only 18 years old. Surely there were
other options.
The affects of the disease caused significant weight loss for Kerri
A Glimmer of Hope
Clara and Kerri were not willing to give up on finding
another path for healing. Hope came from
an unexpected direction. An old
classmate contacted Clara and shared with her that his daughter had suffered
from a similar condition as Kerri’s. His
daughter’s symptoms started after she was involved in a car accident, and he
was convinced that the disease resulted from her whiplash injury. Clara’s classmate happened to be a healthcare
professional so she was very interested in what he had to say. She felt like there were too many parallels
between his daughter’s and Kerri’s situations.
The man suggested that Kerri go the alternative healthcare facility
Riordan Clinic in Wichita, Kansas where they would run an array of blood tests
and work towards getting Kerri’s body back in balance. He also referred them to a chiropractor his
daughter saw. This chiropractor
practiced in Boulder, Colorado and specialized in upper-cervical care for
adjusting the atlas.
After some discussion, Clara and Kerri made an appointment
for her to see a certified naturopathic doctor from the Riordan Clinic. Kerri then started the recommended treatment
plan based on her test results. She was
put on Dr. Eliane Gutshall’s specific carb diet—no sugar, grain, or dairy. She primarily ate meat, vegetables, fruit,
and smoothies made with homemade yogurt.
Kerri was treated for the fungal infection candida and received a vast
array of supplements including a high dose of fish oil, a strong probiotic, and
digestive enzymes. She also continued to
take prescription medications for ulcerative colitis. Kerri and her parents began to travel from
Kansas to Colorado for weekly chiropractor adjustments to her atlas. X-rays revealed that her atlas and axis were
significantly out of alignment, cutting off the nerve supply to her colon.
The Long Haul
Meanwhile, Kerri was barely managing life as a freshman at
Kansas State University. The prednisone
gave her around 8 functional hours so that she was able to attend classes,
however her evenings revolved around the excruciating and painful affects of
the disease. She continued to have
approximately 20 bouts of diarrhea daily despite taking high doses of the
steroid medication. The weekly visits to
Colorado were also becoming increasingly difficult to manage. They searched the Internet for an
upper-cervical chiropractor closer to home, however had no success. Kerri began
to notice some improvements from the diet and supplements, however she realized
that it would be a painfully slow turnaround.
Kerri finished her finals in early December. Afterwards, she came home and crashed,
completely exhausted. Kerri and her family members were at the end of their
rope. Some serious changes needed to be
made in order for her to achieve a full recovery from the disease. Kerri and her parents decided that she should
take some time off college to focus on getting well. Kerri needed to be home where her family
could take care of her.
Around that time, Clara learned from a customer at her place
of employment that there was a chiropractor in Savannah, Missouri that provided
upper-cervical adjustments to the atlas.
The travel time would be significantly less for Kerri’s weekly
adjustments. While living at home, she visited the chiropractor in
Savannah twice a week, was diligent with her diet, and continued with the
supplements and colitis medications.
Kerri also saw the naturopathic doctor regularly for tests and
check-ups. There, she received IV
vitamin cocktails that were used to aid in the healing process, and her
practitioner suggested she take time-released oregano for her candida problem.
As time went by, Kerri slowly began to see a turnaround in
her health. In the fall of 2006, she was
able to return to college. One day about
two years after the accident, Kerri called her mom exhilarated that she made it
through the day without any diarrhea.
It never came back, and she was able to wean herself off of the
prednisone. It was a long haul as
Kerri’s life seemed to be on hold those two agonizing years, but she persevered
through the battle and stayed with it.
Marked by the Race
Kerri and her family members were forever changed by this
experience. They were left with some
scars from the painful journey. Kerri
initially asked herself, “Why is this happening to me?” As time went by, she came to the conclusion
that God chose this path for her. It was
up to her to either live in fear or be proactive and find a way for her experience
to help others. She was overwhelmed by
the support and care given by family and members of her community during the
healing process. Clara attributes her
daughter’s healing to the combination of naturopathic therapy, diet changes,
supplements, chiropractor adjustments to the atlas, and prayer.
Kerri’s battle with this disease had a lasting impact on her
family. Kerri’s sister, Kelly, chose
chiropractor therapy as a career so that she could help patients like
Kerri. Kelly now has a successful
practice in Bonner Springs, Kansas.
Recently, Kerri’s dad, Kenny, was diagnosed with colon cancer. He
decided to visit the Riordan clinic for vitamin IV’s, supplementation, and
dietary changes. After undergoing
naturopathic treatments combined with surgery and chemotherapy, Kenny is now cancer
free! .
Kerri’s family members have used their experience as a way
to help and inspire others who are struggling with chronic and debilitating
health conditions. Both Kerri and Clara
have been an encouragement to others by sharing their testimony of
healing. Kerri tells others to never
ever give up. “Do not let your health
struggles define who you are. It really empowers you to do as much as you can
to win the battle with your health.”
“Even youths grow
tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength. They will
soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and
not be faint.” Isaiah 40: 30-31
Kerri's family at her sister's graduation from Logan College of Chiropractic
Resources
Kerri’s experience inspired her sister, Kelly, to pursue a
career in chiropractor therapy. Here is
more information about her practice in Bonner Springs, Kansas: http://www.pmihckc.com/about-the-doctor.html
For more information on the upper-cervical chiropractor care
Kerri utilized for adjustments to her atlas, visit this website: http://www.erinelster.com/
This is the website for the Riordan Clinic in Wichita,
Kansas: https://riordanclinic.org/
Here is more information on the Specific Carbohydrate
Diet: http://www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info/
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