Brian has been suffering with constant diarrhoea for over a year and his doctor has continued to treat him with conventional medicine.
In January 2019 his wife Christy was introduced to ozone therapy. Brian has been making steady but slow progress. This is his story.
Between 2005 and 2014, Brian and Christy worked in Ghana; they were involved in the logistics for a US$175 million mine expansion project. Brian was the Logistics Manager to the MD of a clearing and forwarding company and Christy was Business Manager looking after some mining accounts for a Forwarding Agent.
Brian was responsible for the movement of cargo to several of the local Ghana mines which were located in various areas throughout Ghana. In addition, he consulted at Government level and to the Environmental Protection Agency regarding the transport of hazardous cargo and dangerous goods. He also attended Chamber of Mines meetings, in an advisory capacity, concerning import and exports for Ghana.
At the end of their contract period, they were given an opportunity to invest in a Ghanaian transport company. It was a working, known entity looking for investment partners to expand and carry out further business and looked very promising.
The prospect of work in South Africa wasn’t good and they liked the potential of the business. The registered, legal, signed, stamped official company documentation was presented and on the face of it, everything seemed above board.
However, the documents were fraudulent and the whole set up was a scam. Their new investment cost them 8 years of secured funds from their retirement plan in South Africa.
Their dream had been to eventually return to South Africa and open a B&B, giving them an investment and continued income but their future was no where near their dream.
During their time in Ghana, Brian had malaria four times. His symptoms manifested like a bad dose of flu; upset stomach, back pain, fever, headache, feeling weak and nausea. He took Coartem tablets which are very good. However, there was 1 very bad malaria case where he had to be rushed to hospital and was on a drip for 2 days.
Tragically, in 2014 Brian’s son died and he returned to South Africa whilst Christy remained in Ghana. They felt that if they both left, they’d lose any chance of recouping their money, but after being threatened and intimidated Christy managed to return safely to South Africa.
The stress of this situation and the loss of his eldest son, all within a two month cycle, resulted in Brian suffering a stroke. Tests indicated that the stroke was in the cerebral section of the brain. Brian was also diagnosed with an abnormally enlarged spleen, portal hypertension and cirrhosis of the liver which was apparently medically induced by cholesterol tablets prescribed years earlier. Further tests on the liver resulted in the doctors deciding that the situation didn’t need treatment as there was no damage to the kidneys and the enlarged spleen was put down to the portal vein not functioning properly. (see page on medical explanations)
The doctor prescribed various medications which Brian took for a couple of years.
Lexamil - anti depressant
Peridoxine – Vit B6
Bayer Aspirin – to prevent blood clotting
Gastriwin 40mg daily for 6 months – treatment of digestive diseases
Inderal 10mg for 6 months. – treatment of high blood pressure
(For information see page on Medical Explanations)
On their return to South Africa, almost destitute, they were supported by friends and family. Christy managed to eventually find work, albeit at a fraction of the salary she was used to receiving.
In 2017 Brian’s condition suddenly worsened. From 2014 to mid-2017, Brian’s weight had remained a steady 95 kgs. By mid-2017 he started dropping weight and suffering with constant diarrhoea.
In September 2017, Brian had his first major fall. He fell backwards down some stairs and damaged his rotator cuff requiring an operation which he had in the October. He also damaged his hip substantially.
From then on he would fall two or three times a month. The doctors couldn’t find a reason and thought it might have something to do with the stroke he suffered but they couldn’t understand why the condition had taken four years to manifest.
The falls were random and there was no warning; he didn’t feel ill, didn’t have nausea, no blacking out, so no epilepsy. He would realize that he was falling so would spin as he went down to avoid further injuring his shoulder. Occasionally the fall would be so bad that Christy would have to call an ambulance to take him to hospital.
One possible cause of the falls is the weakness of the right leg which resulted from the stroke. It’s possible that the leg would just give in.
The most recent bad fall was on the 31st January 2019 when he fell in the bathroom and cut his head open. His blood pressure had dropped so low that he was almost in cardiac arrest. The paramedics measured it at 110/32. This resulted in yet another trip to the hospital.
During 2018 the diarrhoea continued to escalate, even with medication, to the extent that Brian started losing between 2 and 5 kgs every 3 months or so. On Brian’s previous scheduled visit to see the specialist, the doctor wasn’t particularly concerned at the weight loss, however, on his last appointment the doctor was shocked when Brian arrived pushing a walker.
In the last year, Brian has lost 32 kgs. He couldn’t keep food in, couldn’t eat food supplied by anyone except Christy and because the diarrhoea was too volatile, he didn’t feel comfortable leaving home. His weakness meant that he needed help with everything he did which put immense strain on them both.
According to the specialist, Brian has no known disease, so he has no idea what the problem is. The doctor wanted to do a colonoscopy to check for cancer, but Christy refused for two reasons; lack of funds and she felt that Brian was too weak to undergo any procedure. A Gastroscopy in 2016 diagnosed a few lesions, but no cancer.
At the end of 2018 Christy decided to change Brian’s diet to eliminate gluten and lactose and there was an improvement, but not enough. She so wishes she’d known about gluten earlier.
Then one day a man walked into Christy's work who suggested that Brian go for ozone therapy.
When Brian and Christy had their first appointment with the doctor specializing in ozone, his first reaction to Brian’s situation was to state that four of the medications prescribed by the doctor had side effects of diarrhoea! No wonder Brian had been so progressively unwell!
The ozone treatment which Brian has is an intravenous one whereby ozone is pumped into the vein in a liquid form. His first treatment was three minutes long, the second one was six minutes.
After the third treatment, Brian started to feel like something positive was beginning to happen. By the fourth treatment he was definitely able to walk more easily, although still with the walker.
Between the gluten free diet and the ozone therapy, the diarrhoea has almost ceased, and if there is no lapse in Brian’s food intake, it’s a good day.
He is now able to get himself in and out of the bed and walks quite confidently with his walker and no longer needs to be moved in the wheelchair.
The one condition which hasn’t yet improved is the fluid. His abdomen is still very bloated, and his lungs are definitely carrying fluid. The diuretic helps this condition but in his weakened state he can’t afford to lose any nutrients.
Christy and Brian were given an old walker by a friend, but they find it very heavy to manoeuvre and Christy finds it difficult to get into the car.
They desperately need a lightweight walker with a seat. These cost upward of R1000 (€62) and Christy just isn't in a position to buy one.
Although they are thrilled with Brian’s progress, it is costing them more than they can afford right now. Christy is still trying to recover from all the medical bills along with the shortfalls on the bills that the Medical aid doesn’t cover.
The overall health cost of treatment averages
R3 500.00 per month. (€217)
This cost includes
Daily ozone treatments,
Vitamin and mineral drips
Iron supplements
Daily probiotic, vitamin and mineral tablets
Weekly check-up by the doctor.
Fuel :
From home to the Clinic is a round trip of 46.9kms, @ R3.50, (which was before the latest price increase in fuel) equates to R164 a round trip in fuel cost, daily. R820.00 (€51) a week.
So a total of around R 4320.00 = €268.60
Brian is improving but the financial strain is a challenge
