My neurologist treated me with beta blockers and other tablets that definitely helped, but over the next few years, the condition became gradually more severe, the medication increased and I was having difficulty coping.

By 2016, despite being on medication both night and morning, I couldn’t write, drink a cup of tea with one hand or even carry one without spilling it. I went back to my neurologist to see if there was another approach. Yes there was. It is called Deep Brain Stimulation or DBS. In a R1m operation, electrodes are inserted deep into the brain, one into each thalamus (images from Google).

Then a pacemaker-like device is used to stimulate the thalami and that stops the tremours.

The brain surgeon and specialist neurologist in Pretoria confirmed that I was definitely in need of the op and that because of my health and general attitude I was a good candidate. I was told that I would have to come of my medication prior to the operation. My medical Aid gave the go-ahead and all was booked for November 2016. I decided in the September to stop my medication.

But then I figured “Hey, what is it that the thalami do that they will stop doing if they are stimulated?” I figured out that they must be some kind of gate that limited the signals (of position) that my fingers were sending to my brain and were causing an unstable feedback loop (that’s the engineer in me).

I checked on Google and sure enough, all senses except that of smell pass through the thalamus. The gates are to stop sensory overload. So if, using my Mind Power, I could open the gates wide, maybe the tremours would stop.

I did it! One 10 minute session and the tremours were gone. Two years later, they’re still gone and I didn’t have the op.

That, dear reader, is the power of the mind!