God's Miracle: Healing Me from Dopa-responsive Dystonia

I was born epileptic but I was declared cured when I was around 13 years old.

As you know, towards the end of 2005, I had dopa-responsive dystonia (DRD) which affected the way I walked. This condition is midway between dystonia and Parkinson's disease. Just to refresh your memory, it is a condition where the basal ganglia (the part of the brain which regulates body movements) was losing control of my forward walk (dystonia), and the level of dopamine (the substance which lubricates the brain and regulates body movements as well) in my brain was depleting/being blocked (Parkinson's disease) at the same time. In my case, my left foot turned everytime i walked.

I consulted with 3 neurologists the last one of which was the only one who diagnosed my condition correctly. They found through MRI that I have pineal region cyst. The pineal region is between the left and right hemispheres of the brain. They told me it could have been there in the last 15 years. They also told me that it will not be removed since it seemed to have no effect at all on me and that brain surgery is the last option always.

The third doctor is a US-based Filipino neurologist who I found through google search. I e-mailed him and he replied. I consulted with him when he came to Manila. I rarely followed any of the 3 doctors' instructions in taking my medicine. This is because one doctor instructed me to slowly increase my medicine intake until the time I was satisfied with the way I walked. So when they told me to take 1 and 1/2 tablets a day, I just took 1 tablet a day.

I also attended 2 masses officiated by Fr. Fernando Suarez (www.fatherfernando.com), a miraculous Canada-based Filipino priest who goes around the world to officiate healing masses.

In between the time I was well and got sick, I joined the La Salle-based Singles for Christ.

There was a time when my condition got worse. The turning of my foot became more pronounced even though I took my medicine regularly as instructed by my doctor. I asked him once my condition was getting worse, was it leaning more toward Parkinson's or dystonia? He told me that my sickness was definitely dystonia and should it get worse, I may manifest signs of Parkinsonism. I remember, there were times I observed the way people walked on the streets each time I was commuting just to remind myself how to walk normally.

This condition forced me to push myself harder to do more things all at once. I continued with my master's classes because I didn't want to suffer from one of the possible side effects of DRD which is alzheimer's disease. This year, I also secured a gym membership to tone my muscles.

In February this year, my Lola gave me a box of medicines good for 30 days. I took it with my medicine and noticed that my walk was consistently good and effortless. When I finished the box, I thought of buying the medicines but decided to wait for the time my walk would again get worse then buy the medicines. It continued to be consistently good and effortless I actually thought of reducing my medicine but just continued taking the medicine at the dosage recommended by my doctor.

I had my checkup with my US-based doctor when he came to Manila last month. He again told me to walk back and forth from the door many times. When I was fed up with what I was doing because I felt it lasted forever, I told him "Doc, wag ka na maghanap ng wala." Which he answered with "Let me be the judge of that." Then he told me to sit down and happily told me that this was the only time he saw me walked well for long. He also told me to reduce my medicine intake.

Then I joined the Akyat Brother Andrew. I thought, I would stop at any point during the competition once I have a hard time running. I finished 523 steps, 21 storeys effortlessly in 9 mins and 43 secs.

Then I attended the Metro Manila Singles for Christ (SFC) Conference in Bataan. I packed my things in a hurry because I went home late the night before and thought I forgot to take my medicine. I have decided to brave the weekend without taking the medicine because I know our schedule was unbelievably jampacked.

The first night, my foot acted up. It hasn't occured for quite some time but that night, hindi na naman mapakali yung paa ko. It was typical when I skipped taking my medicine. The following morning, I expected my foot to turn in all directions while I walked kasi syempre I hardly slept the night before. Miraculously, I was able to walk quietly the whole day which lasted late into the night. Take note, it was a very busy day of hearing talks in between running all around.

Then, the following day, I found my medicine. I stared at it for a while then decided to skip it and see until when I would function well without it. It was a busy 3-day conference and I was able to survive it without my medicine and supplements. I couldn't stop crying the moment I realized what happened.

I have decided to stop taking the medicine altogether. I claim that the good Lord has healed me completely.

I shared it in the SFC chapter assembly and a brother told me that I seem to have forgotten that on the 2nd night of the conference, a sister stood up on the stage and declared that a sister was healed of brain tumor that night. He told me that I was the sister that was healed of brain tumor, that my pineal region cyst is gone.

It has been more than 3 weeks since I last took my medicine. Until now, my walk is still consistently good and effortless. The good Lord is truly a loving father God who gives what is best to us His children.

May you be inspired by this story.

God bless us all.