1999 - Mexique

Summary of Mexican Training

Let me tell a beautiful, true story, the first of a long list to come. Seven practitioners have undergone training in Mexico!

 

Once upon a time...

A seven-year-old boy burdened with severe asthma lived in a small Mexican village. His parents suffered with him through many crises, including taking him to the hospital when he was dangerously ill.

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This is Panchito, the boy to whom we gave all our attention, so that he could live a normal life.

Here he is 7 years later

11 years later, he is a surgeon.

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Panchito's father, Francisco, discovered my Web site and wrote me, asking what could be done to heal his son. He thought I would not reply. But I answered immediately, even though I wondered how I could treat his son with 10 000 km between us. Needless to say, neither of us had enough money to finance the treatment!

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Francisco presenting me with a gift

 We felt we just had to find a solution, and so took the first step. We felt that somehow help would arrive to enable us to undertake the second step. To this end, I suggested that he try to find two practitioners willing to be trained according to my techniques, along with twenty people either stricken with asthma themselves or having asthmatic children.

I felt that this number of people would be able to share the expenses of my trip and lodging for a week. I explained that the total price was not based upon the number of practitioners or patients. Francisco answered at once he was ready to try. Sometime later, he told me he had found the two practitioners and twenty people, and had succeeded in collecting part of the money needed. This amount was not yet enough but I had already decided to go. Nothing could prevent me from doing so.

Chance does not exist ; if it does, it arranges things as they should be !

One of my patients, who had earlier come for treatment from the Canary Islands, noticed on my site that I was looking for sponsors. He asked about my needs. I explained that I needed to train practitioners in countries where the standard of living is too low for people to afford my techniques. Many of these people are already in debt because of the high cost of medicine and hospitalization. I want to mobilize people so that they make the first effort to achieve their goals. Most government organizations bring people fish to eat one day, but I want to provide the net and teach them to fish, so they will have food every day! If people make an initial financial effort in line with their ability, I will find money from donations for the remainder of the project. He asked how much I needed to achieve this particular goal. I said 1,000 $USD, and he said, "All right, I'll send this amount as soon as I'm back home."  

That evening, I wrote Francisco: "Everything is settled. I am coming." You can imagine his joy. Some problems still remained, though: I had to be free as soon as possible, have working tables made, etc. But Francisco's efficiency brought everything together in no time. He convinced Dr Ricardo Rojas Lucero, who runs a clinic in Huixquilucan, to let us use rooms for training and treatment. He also arranged for my lodging, and freshly cooked food whenever needed.

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Dr Ricardo
Rojas Lucero

I arranged to be there from October 11th to 19th, and on the 11th, set out for Mexico.

I had previously phoned someone of Mexican origin who now resides in France (I had earlier treated her son), to give her the good news. She said, "I am going with you; you don't speak Spanish, and I'll help you with the translation." While I speak no Spanish, I felt I could have managed, since I understand a little. I figured I could find somebody with a fair knowledge of French! However, this was a wonderful addition to the party. I thought, "One more person. What an opportunity!!!"

Everything was now arranged so that my dream could be realized.

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Lucia Arellano

My adventure began. Mexico City is impressive, a megalopolis of 20 million people and a very busy airport with planes coming from everywhere, frequently. Finding my way out was a struggle, as was going through Immigration and Customs. As I went to find my luggage, I spotted a large yellow board saying "Jacques, welcome to Mexico", held high by a strong man with a big smile on his face.

Finally, I walked through the maze of posts and markers pointing out the way. Lucia came up, kissed me, and led me toward two smiling men. I was suddenly caught in vigorous and warm abrazos. We drove for an hour and a half to reach the small village of Huixquilucan, situated at 2 800 m above sea level. They gave me lodging in a very nice, large room whose furniture had been lent by a local maker. I ate dinner, relaxed, then slept soundly after my 18-hour trip. Such joy ! At last !

I had 7 practitioners to train !

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Lucia, my voluntary interpreter, did a remarkable job, translating more than 15 hours a day (a real achievement, even for a professional).

Note: in the photo at the right, I demonstrate, on an asthmatic patient, palpation of chondrocostal joints in partial dislocation, in order to prove to physicians their permanent presence.

My practitioners saw 45 patients with the same partial dislocations. They were able to verify with a stethoscope: (1) the presence of the bronchial spasms before the manipulation, (2) its near disappearance as soon as the ribs were back in their proper place, and (3) its total disappearance at the end of the treatment, followed by perfectly normal breathing.

I treated a child declared untreatable by the physicians who had examined him the day before my arrival. The results were the same!

 

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That afternoon and the following day, practitioners were trained on patients with severe breathing pathologies.

I was deeply amazed to discover the skill and speed with which they were able to learn my techniques. I therefore formed two separate teams and let them work alone, merely providing a final control, which proved effective. (In the photo below Ana is missing; we named her "Super Ana" because of her high degree of skill).

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"Super Ana" at work

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By Saturday evening the practitioners were able to work efficiently without my guidance; I was very proud of them and their fantastic work!

On Sunday I was given a quick tour of Mexico City, the Modern Art Museum, the Guadalupe Virgin Basilica, driving into the crowds, and in the heights where the air is much purer though quite thin for anybody used to living at sea level (one ran out of breath with the least amount effort).

We made a thousand plans, very realistic and simple, taking into account the environment and the general standard of living in the country. We decided to implement the experiment one more time, within a few months, in another village. Best of all, a generous person has offered to pay for the travel and lodging. It is possible to be rich and generous, a rare but real thing. Perhaps we'll be a bit short of money, but we are thoroughly convinced we will be able to find it.

This work proved concrete and useful, and came about because of the efforts and strong values of an entire team:

Solidarity: Dr Ricardo Rojas Lucero 
Generosity: Léo Bohnke, mecena
Courage to walk into the unknown: Francisco
Compassion: Lucia

Many thanks to everyone!

Jacques

 

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