That sunday morning I woke up and could not turn my head to the right at ALL. I looked in the mirror and saw that my head wasn't screwed on right. I also realized that if I wanted to stand comfortably, I had to stand with one heel lifted up, and bear my weight on the toes of the same foot. I knew that this thing about how I had to stand had been going on for a while now. Apparently I had slept wrong, and now that straw had done the final damage.

I realized that I needed Grandpa's help. And I made plans to make the 400+ mile trip from Wichita Kansas to Granbury Texas. My boss understood and had no problem in not expecting me for work the next day.

Since I could not, even by force, turn my head to the right, I figured that it would be irresponsible of me to drive the distance by myself. After all, my young daughter August wasn't even a year and nine months yet. So, I called my mother to ask and see if she could meet me at the intersection of Highway 412 and Interstate 35. That way I only had to go approximately 100 miles by myself and then she could take over for me and we would be protected from my inability to turn my head.

Apparently my father had made plans for Mother's Day and saw my request as a selfish intrusion on their day. He told me to stay put and go see the doctor the next day; he also voiced his opinion that I might need surgery. I told him that I knew what the problem was and that I was blessed to have someone who actually knew what he was doing to go to, and that I would make the trip by myself if I had to. My mother wanted to go but she was being held against her will; she pleaded with me to stay where I was. But again, I simply said that I was blessed to have Grandpa and that I would be alright and was going anyway.

All hell broke loose. It was a tumult that I would not want to face again. And, the entire family was thrown into the furnace in the process of me making the trip that was predestined to change my life forever.

I called my mother from ten miles south of Blackwell, OK to check to see if Daddy had changed his mind and would let her come. I could NOT turn my head to the right and I felt vulnerable for an accident. I really needed her help. She had checked with neighbors and had found a chiropractor in Blackwell that would see me right away. So, I turned around and went back to Blackwell in the hope that this man would know something.

He was good to see me, but unfortunately, he wasn't Grandpa. He put me on a machine that was supposed to relax me and left me there for what it seemed to me, forever. By the time he returned to start the next phase of the treatment, tears were streaming down my face from pain. He stumbled about for approximately forty five minutes trying to fix the problem. Suddenly I felt a little better and told him so. He immediately stopped his routine and got me up to send me on my way. I asked him if my head was now in place. When he looked at me funny I knew he didn't know what I meant. So I asked him, "What do I do if I hurt again tomorrow?". He said, "Come back and see me tomorrow.".

After I left his office I knew that he didn't know enough to correct the position of my head. But, I did feel a bit better and decided that perhaps I could complete my journey with less danger to me and my daughter. I called my mother to tell her of my treatment and the ensuing results. I said that I felt better and thought I could proceed with less danger, but that my neck was still NOT what it should be.

She was devastated, and was fearful that we would be hurt on the road. She told Daddy that she was going anyway and that I needed her. Daddy then drew the line and went so far as to tell her that if she left, that she no longer had a home to come back to. He called Grandpa himself, and told him "that all I cared about was my selfish self.". When I reached Grandpa on the phone, he understood the situation and said that it would be better for me to take my time and make the trip anyway since he knew what to do to get me on the road to recovery. He also said that if the problem was not fixed right that I would be in the same boat tomorrow and would still be needing to make the trip.

I had a male friend in Ardmore and my mom asked me if I thought I could make it that far. She asked me to stay the night in Ardmore and finish my trip the next morning after a rest and some massage. So I called my friend, and he agreed to put me up for the night and help in any way that he could to loosen up my neck.

The next morning I finished the last leg of my journey. Grandpa looked me over and found that the doctor in Blackwell had not done his job right. He found both a subluxated pelvis and a subluxated occiput. He set them both straight and gave me exercises to do to encourage the joints to stay in position. He fed me dinner, and then turned me around to head back to work. I made the return trip in one shot with MUCH less pain and potential damage to me and my daughter. I could turn my head again; it was still stiff and sore, but at least it worked.

I have since referred to that infamous day as the day that changed my life. At times, it is almost as if that was the day that I was born. That day I learned about the limitations of the system of health care, and found a fire that now burned deep within my heart and soul. I began to heal.