Category: Memoir Publisher: Bez Publications
ISBN-10: 0976500248
Pages: 261
Copyright: April 10, 2009
ISBN-13: 9780976500247
Free-falling from a 40-foot cliff on October 16, 1982, the author took a plunge that crushed her spine and broke open her heart.
Finding My Way From Paralysis To A Rich, Full Life is a personal and professional exploration of implementing natural therapy options for wellness. Nancy M. Turcich discovered paralysis can leave you frozen in time or, incredibly, it can awaken your spirit.
Nancy’s healing began with conventional medical treatment. Her physical structure was reconstructed in a hospital, however, her flesh and bones became a stranger. The allopathic design left little room for personal growth. Growth emanated from ancient healing modalities including:
* Swedish Massage
* Aromatherapy
* Polarity Therapy
* Shiatsu
* Deep Tissue Massage
* Craniosacral Therapy
* Colonic Therapy
* Eye Therapy
Excerpt
Chapter 1: The “Fall” of 1982
My right boot slipped. I glanced down to see it dangling to one side. The momentum swiftly consumed me and propelled me forward at a rapid pace. Desperation fired my engines up as my eyes darted right to left, up and down, scanning the terrain for something to halt my progression. It became immediately apparent that my efforts were futile. Not a branch, a root, nor a plant lay in my path to stop or slow my descent over the edge of a hidden cliff. In fact, the natural rocky surface morphed into a terror-filled amusement park ride, fast and slick.
The slide reminded me of a childhood scare on the “Mad Mouse” that made roller coasters my least favorite ride. It didn’t take long for the cliff ride to lose its appeal and I urgently wanted to push the EMERGENCY STOP button. However, before the ride concluded, I slid twenty-feet and became airborne. A flip, a twist, and an extremely rough landing scored far below an Olympic performance.
“Oh my God” were the words I uttered just before I flipped over the edge. The drop-off was approximately forty-feet. I came to a dead stop on a boulder that pulverized my upper spine as if it were rock in a quarry bed. Another thirty to fifty-feet of vegetation and scattered rock separated me from the canyon floor and my friends. Michael, who squatted behind me, froze on top of the cliff where I abruptly vanished like a magician’s assistant in the middle of a trick. It became obvious that our chosen route was not a continuous, safe path to the canyon floor. My perception was terribly inaccurate. In fact, I’d taken a hellacious fork on my life path.
The boulder that stopped my progression became a bed where my arched spine lay frozen for nearly three hours. My right wrist challenged another boulder and broke upon impact. My attempt to defeat gravity had not gone unnoticed. From the canyon floor, several friends absorbed the horrific event in utter disbelief. With little hesitation, Tom and Rick, hit the canyon floor running in search of help. A number of others scurried around the dense landscape to my aid. In that moment, it was as if a super hero was spinning the world faster than I could comprehend. I gazed skyward hunting for someone to turn back time at a million revolutions per second. Nothing but blue sky and a tall, skinny tree filled my vision.
The first person to make physical contact with me was my boyfriend. Kevin knelt at my side and cupped my ribcage. I immediately acknowledged my broken arm. He concurred.
Then I said, “There’s more and it’s bad!”
Kevin bowed his head. With mustered encouragement he said, “It’s going to be okay.” He remained by my side for a short time and then he disappeared from sight.
The instant Kevin withdrew his hands I knew wholeheartedly that my journey had only just begun. My insides instantly expanded as if my body were a water balloon being pumped full of a high volume of liquid. It felt as though my insides were being forced against my outer shell and it was reaching a critical level. I felt helpless, out of control, and extremely scared. Even my knight-in-shining-armor could do little but wait for help.
Professional Reviews
Eleanora Lipton, Registered Polarity Educator
"Finding My Way From Paralysis To A Rich, Full Life" was so moving, so powerful as the author describes her experience. Nancy showed incredible courage and stamina. She described some of the most difficult experiences one could go through with some of the most powerful and progressive therapies available. Her story is inspiring, uplifting and it gives hope to so many who are unaware of the many healing options presently available.
