Extraordinary Treatment by TLC Nielsen

In the search for health, I found myself drawn to the naturapathic medical community; massage therapy, acupuncture and chiropractic adjustments to name just a few. Ten years ago, I discovered Naprapathy, a branch of medicine that focuses on the interconnectivity of the muscles and ligaments that hold the skeleton together. I met Dr. Jesse Murayama and experienced his extraordinary expertise in dealing with neuromusculoskeletal conditions.

Welcome, Dr. Jesse!

Q) What drew you to the medical profession in the first place?

A) Previously I had been working as an MD in Mexico. I became discouraged by the system there because it created a lack of interaction between the doctor and patient. When I came to the United States, I found Naprapathy and was drawn to it because I felt that I would be able to treat the patient more effectively through the use of Naprapathic modalities coupled with the opportunity to spend more time with each patient.

Q) I met you almost 10 years ago, right after I became a grandparent. How long have you been practicing Naprapathy?

A) I am a 1999 graduate. I began practicing as an associate, and then I opened my own practice in Grayslake on January 1, 2004.

Q) How long has your beautiful office manager worked with you?

A) Becky, my wife, has been with me through the entire journey. She had been working as an assistant for a Naprapath and one of his associates was the president of the Naprapathic association at the time. When he found out about my background, he introduced me to it. Once I entered my internship, my wife began working full time to support the family. Later she was the one who found the space that our office occupies today. I felt a desire to open my own practice and she found the space. From day one, we have worked together.

Q) How did you know she was the right one for you, way back when?

A) We met while we were both working at Motorola way back in 1988. I invited her out to lunch and she accepted. She continued to accept my invitations and even showed up on Sunday mornings ready to pick me up for church. The rest is history. We married 13 months after we met, 26 years ago. 

Q) Your medical literature mentions Naprapathy as a connective tissue specialty. How do you work with connective tissue in the body?

A) Connective tissue is made up of anything that connects the body’s systems; muscles, ligaments, fascia, nerves, tendons etc… Sometimes there is tension or trigger points or inflammation or scar tissue, or there could be a combination of these ailments. Naprapathic techniques will correct soft tissue structures, helping to restore structural balance. You can find out more at my website.

Q) I’ve seen you for a variety of issues. What is the scope of the areas you work on in a patient?

A) Anywhere in the body where there is musculoskeletal pain. Some of the most common ailments that I treat are:

·      Back pain

·      Migraines/headaches

·      Neck pain

·      Sciatic nerve pain

·      Herniated discs

·      Carpal tunnel

·      TMJ

·      Fibromyalgia

·      Sports injuries

·      Arthritic conditions and other inflammatory conditions

·      Plantar pain

·      Joint pain

Q) Where in the process of healing should patients seek Naprapathic help? I know I seem to wait too long to seek any medical help.

A) The sooner you receive treatment the better. Catching a condition as soon as possible generally reduces the amount of treatment required. It is human nature to try some home remedies prior to seeking medical help; but when you are not able to resolve the situation quickly, it is advisable to seek professional help.

Q) What is something unexpected about your profession?

A) All doctors of Naprapathy treat patients a little bit differently, but for me, I am able to spend as much time as I need with a patient. I am able to work one-on-one with them. Each treatment takes about an hour and during that time I am able to get to know the patient, their lifestyle, and which treatment works best for them.

Dr. Jesse’s website:  www.PainTreatmentCare.com

Thank you coming to the Extraordinary Ordinary blog, where ordinary folks with extraordinary stories share their journey! If you know someone with an extraordinary story (no famous folks, please) email me at soulfixer13 at yahoo.com and please put Extraordinary Ordinary in the subject line.

Extraordinary Learning

by TLC Nielsen

February 29, 2016

Caroline Ebeling is a Chicago-area bilingual teacher I met a few years ago. She lives an hour away from work and has written a trilingual book she hopes to publish one day. Her enthusiasm and upbeat nature continue to impress me when I visit her school while her love of learning and chipper attitude impact her students as she co-teaches 1^st grade. She has the extraordinary job of teaching in several languages.

Welcome Caroline!

Q) I have to ask - why did you want to become a teacher?

A) I went into the field of education for one reason:  to inspire children.  Every single day, my goal is to show my students that they are capable of doing amazing things in their lives.  I am proud of my students every day, and they constantly surprise me.  I teach first grade, and what these six and seven-year-olds are capable of doing is truly incredible.  In addition, I lead the environmental club at my school for third, fourth, and fifth graders.  Seeing these children's passion and dedication to making the world a better place encompasses exactly why I wanted to be a teacher.

Q) At what point in time did you realize you wanted to follow this dream?

A) Although I always loved playing "teacher" as a child, I knew for sure that I wanted to be a teacher in high school.  I was a babysitter for many years and always loved children.  I felt like relating to children was a strength of mine, and I knew I could make a difference as a teacher.  I first realized that I wanted to work with students acquiring a second language when I was completing my student teaching experience.  In my assigned classroom, we welcomed a new student from Haiti who only spoke French.  Neither my cooperating teacher nor I knew the language, but it was my responsibility to teach this little girl to the best of my ability.  Through this experience, I realized that I had a passion for teaching English as a second language (ESL), and the rest is history!

Q) What are some challenges you face as a bilingual educator?

A) There are many challenges that I face as a bilingual educator.  First and foremost, I hold the responsibility of teaching my students to be fluent in two languages, Spanish and English.  This is an extremely important and intimidating goal.  Bilingual education can be compared to a flower garden; it is a beautiful thing, but requires much effort, dedication, and care in order to keep it going. Therefore, my lesson plans need to "pack more punch" than monolingual classroom lessons.  For example, I often try to unify themes and topics across content areas in order to aid language and vocabulary acquisition.  Therefore, utilizing thematic units is an amazing strategy for bilingual educators.  Lastly, the time challenge:  time to accomplish all that you had planned for one day is a struggle that EVERY teacher faces daily.

Q) How do you share the work-load as a bilingual co-teacher?

A) Some people might think that being a co-teacher means doing half the work since you have a partner, but in many ways, it requires you to work even harder!  My colleague and I make great efforts to plan our lessons together and split the instructional time evenly throughout the day.  If she leads the whole group lesson, I pull students for extra instructional support, and vice versa.  Also, we often team-teach, teaching the topic together.  It is so easy to fall into a pattern of teaching the way that you always have.  Therefore, being a co-teacher has allowed me to step outside my comfort zone and challenge myself to adapt to a shared teaching environment.  I think being a co-teacher in an elementary classroom has taught me how to be more collaborative.

Q) Do you live in the community in which you teach?

A) I do not live in the community where I teach. I teach in Berwyn, Illinois.

Q) How would you describe your school’s community?

A) My school's community is vibrant, culturally diverse, and inviting.  Every morning as I walk outside to get my students, I am greeted by parents and students who have smiling faces, incredible stories, and uplifting attitudes.  In my last five years teaching in this district, I have felt so welcomed by the community and lucky to be surrounded by such positive and fascinating people. 

Q) What is something you found unexpected in teaching?

A) One unexpected thing that surprised me was how much the students have taught me. I learn something new from each group of students, especially new, fun ways to teach. You go into teaching thinking that you are going to affect the children's lives. And you do. But no one ever talks about the impact the children have on us. I'm more creative because of my students. My Spanish improved since I speak it everyday to my class. I'm more patient and understanding. For me, the students' impact has been extraordinary.