Janet Lane
P.O. Box 812
FLORIDA
1710

Tel : 4722435

2 February 1997

Dear Dr Petrovic

The year 1996 was very traumatic for me as I was negotiating for and organizing the renovations of a house so as to start a Nursery School.

The utter, extreme and unwarranted tiredness was unbearable. My emotions were of complete despair. My life was extremely stressful and of course my husband, who is retired and permanently around me, was blamed for most of the adverse situations as he was filling the role of friend, advisor, renovator and financier.

Many a day I wanted to give-up but the Lord nudged me on and with great difficulty I did the rounds of visiting doctors, homeopath, dietitian and a
wonderful psycologist, where I spent many an hour weeping my heart out. This was a release of sometimes uncalled for emotional over reactions.

My mother, a very healthy 78 year old, would laughingly tell me some " old age related things happening in her life, short term memory, aches and pains etc. and I would have a sinking thought, "but I am like that now, 20 years younger, what will I be like 20 years down the line?"

With hind sight I see I have been spending most of my married life, 38 years, on a quest for health. If it was not general aches and pains, varying in severity and coming and going, it was tiredness, headaches, emotional instability and reg- ular bouts of anaemia. Although I felt like this, most of the time I looked well, cool calm and collected.

In 1980 we were transferred to Carletonville where I spent the unhappiest 12 years of my life, until my husband retired early in 1992.

In 1988 I was diagnosed as having Ankylosing Spondylitis and I tried every type of pain killer, muscle relaxant and anti inflamatory drug. None of which really helped, so I refused to continue to take them. I also reacted badly to most medications and wondered what I would like if I stuffed so many pills down my throat for 20 years?

This period was also my menopausal time and I had every symptom and severity listed for the " change of life ". EXTREME depression, I don't think I laughed or smiled in 2 years. I never took hormones.

Weeping was my best thing.' My husband described me a "only happy when you are miserable". Headaches - doctors, backache - chiropractors for many years, coun- sellors - trying to deal with my mood swings. Then I tried to get back a fitness in my stiff body. Result of two sessions exercise was catastrophic, I took at least 3 weeks to recover. I took up tennis again - two games only and I fell flat because my body had lost it's agility and the muscles took atleast three weeks to settle down.

Starting in 1972 I had Iritis, which then in 1988 I found went hand in hand with Spondylitis. That time I nearly went blind. Since then I have had several occur- ances of Iritis

My friend all seemed to be having a changed life by going on hormone replacement Early in November 1996 I decided to give in and try a progesterone cream. This was a disaster! Headaches, menstral type aches and pains etc. worse than any I ever experienced during my normal cycle.

Once more in despair I went to a new female gynaecologist who I expected to understand female moods, and I explained briefly my " dis-eased" health and history, and quest for health and a quality life. She suggested that I consult with you as you worked only with vitamins and natural elements.

An appointment was made for a Teusday but on Monday morning I reached a peak I could not handle.

It was breakfast time, I was trying to prepare breakfast and make sandwiches. The wahing machine was on, the kettle was going, the microwave was on and my husband and adult son were talking. The noise was unbearable, I couldn't think or concentrate and my husband asked me a question. That was the end. I began to weep, with fingers on my temples to fendoff the feeling once more of anxiety and despair. I said " I can't cope".

Under normal circumstances I was capable, practical, emotionally stable and organised. So for me to say I can not cope meant the end. Off to my very understanding G.P. and she said "Now this time you must listen to me and take anti depressants ( which I had avoided for many years) and take a day or two off in the clinic to break the cycle of stress.

I cancelled my appointment,took anti-depressants for five days but stopped on the Friday.

On Friday you diagnosed me as having Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and prescribed vitamins and other natural elements necessary for my recovery. After two months I am my old self again.

Two weeks ago I started my Nursery School with enthusiasm. I start my day at 5.30 a.m. after sleeping well, having gone to bed at about 10.30 p.m., and get home after school and shopping, to cook a meal and prepare for the next day.

I am a totally emotionally new woman, happy, laughing. Tiredness depends on what shoes I'm wearing, not half an hour of doing nothing but suddenly feel- ing as if someone has pulled out the plug and turned me inside out.

Concentration is normal, no mind going into a skid, having to think ahead. I've even caught up on a back log of 2 year old correspondence.

My body is free of the underlying tightness of tendons and muscle weakness. I had got to a stage that I could not read a book ( my favourite recreation) as I had no concentration or ability to hold up a book ( or the telephone) with- out pins and needles and dead aching arms.

Although by deciding that I needed to feel well no matter at what cost, I have been the cause once more, a financial burden to my husband as Medical Aids do not pay for vitamins, only consultations. The results are worth every cent and I feel confident that the Medical world will not see much of me in the future.

Dr Petrovic I hope you and your associates are on a 100% path of cure for a sick world and let us have a really New South Africa via the road of good health which means good and emotional stability.

With a new enthusiam for life
Yours Sincerely,

P.S.
To God be the glory! great things He hath done! is the opening line of a Methodist hymn which was spoken into my heart as I wrote this letter. Since 1988 He has walked with me and guided and ad- vised me along my quest for health. He want us to be happy and joyful.

I pray that He will guide you in all that you do.
Shalom