Traditional healing can be best at times.......

This is a story of an american recovering from Parkinson's disease after he underwent traditional healing here in Bhutan. Micheal is parkinson's patient for last thirteen years.

28th June, Thimphu: Micheal Borre had deep brain stimulus surgery for his Parkinson’s disease, which he had for the last thirteen years, in January 2003. And since then he had his right side of the body fully controlled by a machine fixed inside his left chest. The machine when put on with a help of a remote control generates energy and sends it to the brain, which then makes his right side of the body numb. It is the latest scientific treatment for Parkinson's disease.But in the last two weeks his body has been functioning without the help of this machine. This was possible after he underwent traditional healing under His late Holiness, the Nyezer Trulku (highly regarded lama and also the former head of the monastic body in Bhutan) before he passed away on 11th June 2005.He was the last person to have given the audience by the late Nyezer Trulku. Micheal told BBS that he was very fortunate to meet and get the blessings from the Late Trulku. “It was remarkable,” he said.He had the opportunity to meet various lamas. He told BBS that he was very lucky, having got the chance to come across so many lamas and get their blessings in a short time. He said his body’s mobility and flexibility was coming back. “ I have cut down my medicine by half. It is some sort of a miracle,” he said. The Code of Culture, Bhutan Dance Preservation Project, brought him to Bhutan for traditional healing. He receives Jabthro (ritual) from Lopon Yeshi every morning.Before coming to Bhutan he said he did not believe in any traditional healing but was optimistic. “ I have tried other forms of healing also, so I thought why not give it a try,” he told BBS.He said he regretted for his surgery done in 2003. “ I should have come to Bhutan before the surgery was done.” The deep brain surgery in the left hemisphere of his brain to control his right side of the body lasted for seven hours and had to be awake through out the operation time. “ I could feel the drilling done through my skull though it was painless.” He added that he had the idea of doing it for the right hemisphere to control the left side of the body as well. Now he has given up that idea. Being raised as a catholic he said he couldn’t think about other religion. “Now I feel that I can embrace Buddhism,” he told BBS.Micheal Borre has a wife and three children in Kalamazoo Michigan, his hometown. He is 45 years old.
He is flying back to USA tomorrow. "I will come back to Bhutan with my family," he said.

By Jigme Thinley

This story was run on National News, the Bhutan Broadcasting Service (BBS)