DR. JESSICA'S STORY

In 1996, something happened that changed my life forever. And, in turn changed many other lives, too. At the time I was in college working toward my degree in Psychology & Criminology. The summer before my senior year of college I was hit head on by a drunk driver.

I spent several years in pain; suffering from severe headaches, and loss of feeling in my hands. Following the accident I was in and out of physical therapy, pain management care and being prescribed a myriad of cortisone shots, painkillers, and muscle relaxers without much relief. 

All of the pain medications may have helped mask the trauma I sustained. But, it wasn’t long before the medication began exercising its own vise-like grip on me – before I knew it, I was hooked. 

When one medication stopped working, I was prescribed another, until it got to a point where my quality of life just started going downhill. I’d be walking around in a cloud all day, and that doesn’t even account for the physical side effects – the hair falling out, the digestive issues. It became apparent to me that this stuff was incredibly toxic. On top of it, I was in college, partying- drinking and smoking. Doing a fantastic job of numbing all my pain. 

Just a few months after my accident, I learned that my childhood friend -Jeanette, had been struck and killed by a drunk driver. This jarred me. 

I’d spent a lot of time and energy trying not to be angry after my accident. And then something like this happens and I realized -I could have died. At this point I began looking at my own survival in a new light.  

After attending Jeanette’s closed casket service, I recall standing in the parking lot of the funeral home with an open heart and open mind and instead of asking, “Why me?”. I decided to ask a better question- “ What am I going to do with this experience?”

However, all of this still wasn’t enough for me to stop the pain killers, and the drinking, and the smoking. I was an addict.

Fast forward 2 years, I meet Dr. Diane Capone of Circle of Life Chiropractic in Weymouth, MA while she was performing spinal screenings at the gym I was at. 

I had no idea what to expect when I stopped at her booth to get my spine checked. I will admit I was quite skeptical. She absolutely blew my mind. She was able to determine all the areas that bothered me most by simply laying her hands on me. She was such a warm and caring person. I agreed to go to her office for an examination that very week.  After a very short time I started to get relief of my symptoms. I also noticed my overall health changing for the better; my skin started to clear up and all my digestive issues began to ease.

Being under chiropractic care gave me back my quality of life. I reduced the amount of pain killers and muscle relaxers I was taking over time until I was no longer taking any;  and life started to become clear.

After some time under chiropractic care she suggested I consider a career in chiropractic. I wasn’t so sure about this idea. So, she suggested I work for her chiropractor part time to get a feel for how the office ran.

Eventually I began working for the other chiropractor and went back to school at night to fulfill my prerequisites for chiropractic school.

Six years later, after meeting Dr. Diane at the gym -I graduated from New York Chiropractic College.

When someone asks me what it is that I do for a living, I tell them that “I get sick people well, and I do it without drugs or surgery.” I managed to turn the tragedy of being hit by a drunk driver into something really beautiful for me. I get to wake up everyday with a purpose in life. I get to share the gift of chiropractic with others everyday. I feel extremely blessed that I met my chiropractor at the gym that day. I don’t even want to imagine what my life would be like today if I continued on the path of endless prescription drugs.

Since being a chiropractor I have had the opportunity to help others discover health again and regain their quality of life. I come from a place of real understanding and compassion when people show up in my office in pain, feeling hopeless- because I’ve been there too.

My experience with painkillers eventually helped me come to grips with a fundamental flaw of our healthcare system – the ad nauseum prescribing of medication for another’s side effects that amounted to putting band aid on top of band aid to no end.

Because of my husband, and my experience in owning and operating a chiropractic practice for close to 17 years, we get to share with people not only what chiropractic can do to better their lives. But, how living a holistic lifestyle – body, mind and soul is achievable for everyone and anyone. 

And so, Pillar Holistic Living was born from this deep desire for us to share our passion and knowledge with others about what living holistically looks like. And, be there to support our community wherever they are on their journey.

We can’t think of a better way to live our lives!