We would like to say as a family, that without Ricky, our lives would be very, very different. Initially, we came with our older daughter, to ask for help because we could find no other way. Our elder daughter had been diagnosed with ME. We had been referred to all sorts of specialists, who variously told us that the problem lay with out pets, who, we were told, must be destroyed (which we did not do), that it was our daughter’s own fault, that the problem lay with Richard and myself, because we were pushing her too hard. Prayer had helped, but for some reason, there was still no cure.
I will never forget our first visit to Ricky. It was soooo different. He took us seriously, and told us exactly what the medical problems were. Then, wonderfully, he gave us a timetable for the process that needed to take place. We came out of the office, feeling we had been heard and that there actually were answers that we could access. It really was like walking on air. But that was not the end of it! Ricky had warned us that the process would not be a short one. She is now a great deal better, but not completely so. However, while many people with ME/CFS are unable to work and spend most of their time in their homes, she had completed a degree, is working on her masters, and looking towards a PhD. Without Ricky’s help, none of this would have happened.
On a visit, Ricky started to talk about an illness which I recognised in myself. Having said this, he then diagnosed me with several other problems… Up until this time, I had been having more and more problems with my memory. I had been afraid I was suffering from early onset alzheimers. Thirty minutes after seeing someone, I would have forgotten all about the meeting, and greet them as if I had not seen them in weeks. Other memory problems were also happening. It was scary. Ricky diagnosed a chemical problem, and since then, I have been able to complete not only a degree but also post graduate level studies, ordination. Work for me is now full and varied, and I no longer have the memory problems of those many years ago.
Some years ago, our younger daughter became very worried about her new baby. The GP said he had a simple cold that would clear up over time. Our concern led us to bring them to see Ricky – and thank goodness we did! He had a severe pneumonia, and could have died, but with Ricky’s help, he is a bright 10 year old, who thinks Ricky is the best doctor he has gone to because he knows Ricky makes him well. His younger brother also goes to Ricky. He too had a life threatening illness as a baby, which Ricky found and the GP didn’t.
Ricky has also found that both boys have a problem with getting Mercury out of their systems. Young Aaron, the younger boy, now 8, had been classified as almost unteachable, and was being seen as the ‘difficult’ child in his class. With Ricky’s treatment this year, he has gone from a problem child exhibiting symptoms of ADHD. However, his behaviour has changed and he is now able to manage his body as he has not in the past.
Over the past 20 years, we have continued to go to Ricky because we trust him and because we know that he will find out what is wrong with us and get us the right treatment that will enable us to continue with extremely busy lives. The above list of help is only a small part of what we have received. There isn’t enough room to put it all in!! Without Ricky’s help over the years, I dread to think what would have happened. We will certainly continue to visit Ricky when we need to, even though we live in Auckland, because he is the one who we can trust.
(Rev) Sandra Gibbons