Section:   A

Page: A1

Author: John Mason

               Staff writer

Coeur d’Alene, ID- On a scale of 1-10, Ted Rogich’s pain was consistently a 10. 

            At 69, Rogich spent the past three years with a debilitating pain in his feet so great he couldn’t walk anywhere without falling down.  “God, I’ve fallen so many times you’d think I was a drunken sailor,” he said.

            An avid golfer, Rogich was spending his retirement years playing on the many Las Vegas courses.  But the constant, stabbing pain meant he’d rarely stand on the greens.  Instead, Rogich would roll up to his ball in a golf cart, turn the seat sideways, slide out and lean against the cart before swinging a club.

            “My feet would constantly burn, like they’re always about to fall asleep,” he said.  “It felt like they were soaking in a bucket of ice water.  I was a basket case.”

            Rogich was suffering from neuropathy, a degenerative nerve condition that most commonly affects 60 percent of all diabetic Americans.

            Rogich was not diabetic, but that’s where the difference ends.

            Like other neuropathy patients, not a single doctor Rogich saw could tell him how to reverse the painful symptoms so he could sleep comfortably, walkup a flight of stairs or even stand on his own. 

            “I probably saw at least eight neurologists and 10 chiropractors,” he said.  “I even went to an acupuncturist.”  Rogich was so frustrated by the lack of help he received, plus the amount of money he was spending, he even turned one doctor in to Medicare for “ripping him off.”

            One doctor said his walking imbalance was an inner ear problem.

            “I thought I was really screwed up,” Rogich said.

             Then an old friend who recently moved from Las Vegas to Hayden, read a March 31 Coeur d’Alene Press story about a local chiropractor who claimed to do what the most respected medical literature said was impossible: reverse neuropathy symptoms. 

            Ivan Tuttle, owner of Scooters America in Coeur d’Alene, knew Rogich’s condition well.  He had, after all, sold Rogich two scooters within the last year to keep him mobile.

            “I read the article once, twice, 10 times over to look for any loophole, any out to not send it to him,” Tuttle said.

            Doctor James Palmer’s story, despite his incredible claims, had no flaws Tuttle could discern.  He mailed Rogich a copy.

            Like Tuttle, Rogich cynically scanned the story.  He didn’t believe anyone could reverse awful pain.  That’s what everyone told him.  But he gave Palmer a call, got on a plane and came to Coeur d’Alene. 

            “I was ready to try anything,” said Rogich in his hotel room, where he’s resided Since April 28^th. “If he told me to stand on my head for three hours a day, I’d do it.”

            The treatment was a lot less complicated than that.       

            Palmer used physical medicine which causes the body to emit enzymes that give rise to increased blood flow due to vaso dilation. 

            He’s treated Rogich every day since his arrival.  By the fourth treatment the pain was partially gone.  Remarkably, Rogich could walk straight without a cane for 150 yards. 

            Tuttle couldn’t believe it.  “I’ve never even seen him stand up before.  I never knew he was that tall!”  “I’m tickled.”

           “I’ve been on a wild ride,” said Palmer, who brought his sister-in-law up from Indiana to help him organize his patient load.  “I saw 24 patients last Friday alone,” several of which, like Rogich, were from out of state, Palmer said.  
            Also since March, a whopping four local physicians are referring patients to Palmer, up from two doctors before the article came out. 

            Palmer’s not surprised.  It’s the same old debate between traditional western medicine versus an anecdotal, untested practice, he said.

            “Let’s be honest, most doctors look down their noses at chiropractors.” Chimed Rogich.

            But the momentum is growing.  Palmer’s treatment is gaining recognition due to widespread word of mouth.  He estimates half his new clientele never even read The Press article, but were referred from friends who had.  Rogich alone has 25 friends in Las Vegas suffering from neuropathy who are waiting to see how he turns out before enlisting Palmer’s aid.

           ADA statistics suggest that 1800 diabetics suffer from neuropathy in North Idaho alone.  If the ADA will endorse Palmer’s treatment, then perhaps more patients will respond like Rogich.