The Wizard of Washington

by Larry Elliott, Victoria Paulette Almquist (editor)

Have you ever had a medical problem, such as anosmia and ageusia, and you found a specialist who says you need to see a psychiatrist? Another doctor, after hearing you tell him of your symptoms, threw up his arms and say, “So, what do you want me to do about it?” Not getting the results you needed, you go see yet another doctor where tests are run, MRI’s and the answer is found, “voila”. Surgery is needed and done. Again, nothing changes; they’re wrong again. It happens over and over. A different misdiagnosis, a different surgery this time. However, these new efforts bring no help. That’s the way it was for my wife, Carin Elliott back in 2015, even before covid came and plagued our nation. Still, covid did bring attention to these terrible symptoms – and to the world with its misery and sadness. My wife never had covid though, but she was sick for three years before covid appeared. She began having these symptoms as well as having phantosia and phantageusia every day, and most nights. And no one knew how to treat her and didn’t know what had caused her symptoms. Carin shed many tears with no relief in sight. She didn’t give up though. Instead, she had faith, though sometimes the size of a mustard seed. She also had patience. This is the story of that journey, and of the misery Carin went through, and of “different” tears she finally shed when this kind, compassionate, ‘genius’ brought back what my wife had lost!

116 pages, Paperback

Published October 26, 2023