Carol
Welcome to our site!
I have hope that you have come to this site because you have fibromyalgia or know someone who does. Or because you are either on the guaifenesin protocol or are thinking about starting it. I have been on Dr. St. Amand’s guaifenesin treatment for fibromyalgia for seven years now. This website evolved out of my desire to be a part of spreading the wonderful news about a treatment that reverses this degenerating disease. With this site, I wish to educate, encourage and give some measure of comfort to all who have FM and are on the guaifenesin treatment or thinking about starting it. My daughter, Cherylyn, has graciously given of her time and energy to design this website for me. Thank you, Cherylyn, for plodding on even when you had no energy or brain to figure it all out! You’ve done a wonderful job!
I was born in Glendale, California, and when I was four years old I went to Paraguay, South America . My parents, Duane and Mary Stous, were missionaries with New Tribes Mission (NTM). I lived in Paraguay until I was 16. After graduating from high school in Waukesha, Wisconsin, I went through the NTM’s training and received my BA in Intercultural Ministries. During that time I met Gary, my ex-husband. Upon completion of our training, we began teaching at NTM’s Linguistic and Language training center in Camdenton, Missouri. Between teaching Spanish and Indonesian while there, I had two children, Michael and Shelly.
In 1979 Gary and I left MO and went to Paraguay, South America, as missionaries with NTM. Our ministry took us to a very remote area in Paraguay with the Chamacoco Indians. Just before returning to the States, I became pregnant with my third child, Cherylyn.
1985 found us in Bolivia, South America, continuing our work with NTM. Nine month later my health took a turn for the worse. In the fall, I had come down with mononucleosis, and by February I began to gradually deteriorate mentally, physically and then emotionally. I struggled on for two years hoping that I would improve but much to our disappointment I continued to worsen. With much regret, my family and I had to return to the States. By 1989 I was debilitated with a draining and an all-consuming fatigue that kept me down most of the day, and being down didn’t matter anymore because I had no brain left. My brain fog was so severe that I could no longer function outside of the home: just running errands became almost an impossible feat.
In April 2000, I discovered Dr. St. Amand's guaifenesin treatment for fibromyalgia. I began his treatment in August of that year. Today, December 2007, I've written two books, I'm working full-time again, enjoying life as a grandmother, mentoring other fibromyalgics and writing as I find time. What a contrast to the previous paragraph!
You can read about my experience with fibromyalgia and the guaifenesin treatment as you browse our site. I’ve also added my missionary journal for anyone interested.
If you have any further questions about fibromyalgia and the guaifenesin treatment, please feel free to email me: chetler@satx.rr.com
This treatment changed my life and it can yours too.
Cherylyn 
My name is Cherylyn. I'm 22 years old and I'm currently struggling to continue managing a Gymnastics Gym Office here in San Antonio, TX, while on the guaifenesin protocol. I'm the daughter of Carol Hetler and, at my mother's request , I've designed this website, hoping to help others find some light in the black haze of this horrible disease. I'm fairly new to the Guaifenesin protocol ( Feb 05' ) and I'm slowly learning to adjust to my life, that has been changed dramatically, by fibromyalgia and then even more so, on this treatment. As a child, I remember lying in bed at night crying. I was terrified at the thought that maybe the mysterious illness that had taken over my mother and my entire family's lives, would soon kill her. At that time, the disease that my mother had was on a downward spiral, and the doctors had no answers.
Very early on in my own life, I had odd symptoms that would appear from time to time. My mom told me again and again, on the weekends when I was in bed with horrible fatigue, that it was the sign of a much deeper problem - Fibromyalgia. I was often terrified at the thought that I would become very sick and follow in my mother's footsteps. My mother's suspicions were correct. I'm blessed that I did not begin to display more severe symptoms until after my mother found out about the Guaifenesin Treatment.
My Fibromyalgia Symptoms presented Fall of
2004, while attending my
first semester of Nursing School. I acquired a
throat virus that would not go away. I visited my PCP and then an ENT
specialist, but neither seemed to know what the cause was. I was tested for Mono and when the
results came back negative, I was told that it was just a throat virus.
After having this virus, my symptoms became progressively worse.
I would awake in the morning to do a 10 hour clinical, attempt to drag myself out of bed only to just collapse back in bed with horrible fatigue and cramping in my legs. It was by sheer will that I pushed to go on and drag myself to the hospital. I constantly began to feel that something "just wasn't right". But I would just shrug my shoulders and tell myself, "This is just the fatigue of being in Nursing school" or "just stress" or "just in my head". The horrible exhaustion and depression was partly due to Nursing school, but after taking a month break during Christmas vacation, the symptoms did not let up, they only worsened.
" What doesn't kill me, can only make me stronger. "
I was in denial about the fact that I had the disease that haunted my mother. I have come to terms with that harsh reality, most of the time. Although it was a VERY difficult decision; I've made the decision to leave nursing school, due to my deteriorating health and other factors. I've started the treatment, and I've begun the journey to becoming myself again. I realize, that for now, I have to accept that I'm ill and that this is where I've been placed in life. Someday maybe I'll know why I've been chosen to carry the burden of this disease. As I struggled through the demands of Nursing school, I often would whisper to myself, " What doesn't kill me, can only make me stronger ". I believe this still applies to my life today. This disease is developing my character. I believe that this development is the 'good' that will come out of this burden, I've been given to carry.
