Behcet’s syndrome causes problems in many parts of the body, including skin sores, swelling of parts of the eyes, pain, swelling and stiffness of joints meningitis, blood clots, inflammation of the digestive system, and blindness. The condition mostly affects people in their twenties and thirties There is no cure. Treatment focuses on reducing pain and preventing serious problems.
Randy Gillett, Upland, California, retired manager of a bedding manufacturing company:“In 1999, I was diagnosed with Behcet’s syndrome..was left profoundly deaf and in a constant state of vertigo, a result of lack of blood flow to my inner ears and vestibular (balance) centers caused by inflammation.
I also lost sight in one eye and had constant joint pain, especially in my blistered and swollen feet. I developed ulcers in my mouth and lesionson various parts of my body, and I was left extremely fatigued.
”After months of medications and bed rest, I was able to return to work but still had to take multiple medications to reduce inflammation and regulate my immune system.”
“At the end of each work week, I would be very fatigued and spent most of my weekends sleeping. My feet got progressively worse with pain and swelling. I had to start wearing sandals to work and kept a pair of house slippers by my desk to wear around the office. My doctor prescribed Vioxx for the pain and inflammation in my feet. I fully expected that some day I would not be able to walk, and chronic pain was some-thing I must live with. Between the medications and pain, I would be up three to six times a night and sometimes couldn’t sleep at all.
“I started sleeping grounded in 2004. After the third night, my feet were no longer swollen. I was able to wiggle my toes and didn’t have any pain. It was unbelievable. Every morning after that was like waking up with new feet.I was able to stop taking the prednisone, the Vioxx, and a blood-thinning medication. I was sleeping deeper than ever and most of the time completely through the night. On weekends, I was now able to enjoy my leisure time.
“Ear cochlear implant surgery, along with behind-the-ear sound enhancement technology, has helped my hearing on one side, although it is nowhere near what God gave me. I do not expect the grounding to restore my hearing and cure the vertigo or completely restore the damage done to my body, but I wake up pain free every morning.
“I sleep grounded every night and will always do so. It keeps the inflammation in check and helps me to be as healthy as possible. Because of grounding I am able to function pretty good. It has kept me from having major flare-ups for all these years.
“I still see my doctor every four months and get blood work done every year. My doctor tells me my blood tests are like that of a man in his thirties, twenty to thirty years younger than my actual age.
“I tried working for five years after getting better, but everyday business was just too stressful. The amount of energy and focus to try and stay balanced and understand what was being said was exhausting, and driving was dangerous. So I keep busy around the house, watching aging parents, and doing things to help wherever I can with family and friends.If I am busy doing yard work and chores around the house, the pain in my feet sometimes creeps back, and by the end of the day I am ready for sleep and grounding, but again in the morning I feel good and pain free.
“I can’t express enough how much grounding has made my life better.I feel blessed, and I am happy to be alive.”