“Gerard Bartholome is a respiratory re-educator and has been asked by Professor Michel to devise a climbing program for asthmatic children.

Why climbing?
This sport is compatible with their asthma state. It is a complete sport that allows to restore a more ludic respiratory re-education. Whilst remaining a muscular re-education. We chose climbing, because climbing is a sport, but it is in competition with a very particular protagonist – nature – There is no need to accelerate the tempo like in tennis- the rock is eternal, it has all the time in the world – therefore the child can adapt himself to the sport.

What development do they follow?
These children can have a respiratory re-education that can last for a long period. Through this re-education, we are observing the child at the physio’s practice, the same exercises, the same therapy, etc.
The climbing allow them to continue the respiratory Education without noticing that they always are doing the same exercises, always the same therapy.
I look after the 10/12 years old ..up to 16/17/18 years old. Then they can take their exam.

Is it a large group?
No, I have 7 children at a high level.

Do they have a different approach towards asthma?
One thing for sure, they have a different approach towards physiotherapy.
The physiotherapist is closer to them, is not a “punishment” as it often is.The appointments are held each week but we are meeting as a group of “buddies” , the physiotherapist being one of them.

What is the psychological profile of these patients that appear to be different?
To start with, they are asthmatic children that I have selected because they appear enthusiastic about a lot of things.
From that, I try to fire them with enthusiasm about mountain climbing and soon after they are fighters in that domain. If they are not, they go somewhere else. The ones that stay are mad about it.

According to you, will they pull through better than the other asthmatics?
When we are passionate about something, Yes, I believe we are a bit obsessed. We are going to forget about the stresses that have brought the asthma in. It is a very personal view, however, I believe that if we want to do something, we can keep at bay from our field of vision, things that are harmful.

…This re-education through sport can it be transported in other fields?
What I have done with climbing and high mountaineering can be done with other pathologies, through other sports.
But it is very important that the re-educators come out of their walls from their practices and succeed in proving to the Public that we are part of the daily life.

Daily life?
Daily life is sports, leisure time everything that people are searching for. It is life outside the job. It’s life outside of life. In this area, I believe we have a role to play and if we don’t take it now, we are at risk to have other professions taking it out for us.
Each time a physiotherapist does more than re-education he believes that the physio job is outside of the practice ‘s walls.
The walls of the practice get narrower and narrower…”

Olivier Gasmann
Interview Kine Press December 1991
Gerard Bartholome
Diplome Initiateur de Haute Montagne a la F.F. de la montagne
Activites re-educateur respiratoire essentiellement en liberal.Enseignant.
Date du D.E. de kinesitherapeute : Juin 72

“Gerard Bartholome
Un kine sans etats d’asthme
Le mercredi vers 13 heures un kinesitherapeute de Montpellier ouvre le plus vaste cabinet du monde.
Du peek-flow aux pics des Alpes, recit d’un exercice peu commun.

Comment peut-on appeler votre profession?
Je suis re-educateur respiratoire, Et m’occupant d’asthmatiques, j’ai ete, a la demande du Professeur Michel, amene a m’occuper d’escalade pour les enfants asthmatiques.

Pourquoi l’escalade
Ce sport est compatible avec leur etat d’asthme. C’est un sport complet, qui permet de rendre une reeducation respiratoire plus ludique, tout en restant une reeducation musculaire. Nous avons choisi l’escalade parce que l’escalade est un sport, mais en competition avec un protagoniste tres particulier, la nature. Il n’y a pas obligation d’accelerer le tempo par moments , comme au tennis, Le rocher lui est immuable, il a tout son temps. Donc l’enfant peut s’adapter, adapter son sport.

Quel cheminement suivent-ils?
Ces enfants suivent une reeducation respiratoire, qui peut durer longtemps. Au travers de sa reeducation, on va observer l’attitude de l’enfant devant le cabinet de kine, les memes mouvements, le meme kine…L’escalade leur permet alors de continuer la reeducation respiratoire sans s’apercevoir qu’ils ont toujours les memes mouvements.

Votre groupe est important?
Non. J’ai sept enfants que je forme a haut niveau.
..
Ils ont de ce fait une autre approche de l’asthme?
Ils ont surtout une autre approche de la kinesitherapie. Le kinesitherapeute est beaucoup plus proche d’eux, n’est pas un pensum comme, bien souvent, nous le sommes. Les rendez vous sont hebdomadaires, mais on y va pour retrouver un groupe de copains, le kine etant un copain.

Quel est le profil psychologiques de ces patients un peu particuliers?
Au depart ce sont des enfants asthmatiques que j’ai selectionnes parce qu’ils me semblent enthousiastes pour des tas de choses. A partir de la , j’essaie de les enthousiasmer vers un sport de montagne, et, tres rapidement , ils deviennent des batants dans ce domaine. S’ils ne sont pas des battants, obligatoirement, ils passent a autre chose. Mais ceux que je garde, ce sont des enfants passionnes.

A votre avis, ils sortiront mieux de l’asthme que les autres?
Quand on a une passion, oui, je pense qu’on devient obssede. Si on devient un peu obsede, on va negliger un peu les stress qui amenerait de l’asthme. C’est une vue tres personnelle, mais,..je pense que si on a envie de faire quelque chose, on peut eloigner de notre champ de vision des choses qui seraient nefastes.

L’escalade fait partie de votre exercice professionnel?
Tout a fait. Mon activite d’initiateur de haute montagne et mon activite de kinesitherapeute sont parfaitement liees.
….
Vous avez le plus grand cabinet du monde , de ce fait?
J’ai un cabinet qui , en surface et en hauteur est assez enorme…

Cette reeducation pour le sport peut etre transposee dans d’autres domaines?
Ce que j’ai fait avec l’escalade et la haute montagne, on peut le faire pour d’autres pathologies, par le biais d’autres sports, Mais il est tres important que les reeducateurs sortent des murs de leur cabinet et reussissent a prouver au public que nous sommes dans la vie de tous les jours.

La vie de tous les jours?
La vie de tous les jours, ce sont les sports, les loisirs, tout ce que les gens cherchent actuellement.
C’est la vie en dehors du boulot. C’est la vie en dehors de la vie. Dans ce domaine, je crois que nous avons une place a prendre. Et si nous ne la prenons pas maintenant, nous risquons fort de se la faire prendre par d’autres professions.
Chaque fois qu’un kinesi fait plus que de la reeducation , il estime que l’avenir de la kinesitherapie est en dehors des murs du cabinet..
Les murs du cabinet s’etriquent de plus en plus…”

Propos recueillis par Olivier Gassmann

Gerard Bartholome
Date du D.e de kinesitherapeute : Juin 72
Diplomes: Initiateur de Haute Montagne a la F.F. de la Montagne
Activites : Reeducateur respiratoire essentiellement en liberal, Enseignant.
Hobbies; Montagne, planche a voile, ski.

Walking is a pleasant activity.
Looking closer at the word walking in French (m archer) it contains the quality of an archer in it- when the body is in harmony with oneself and moves with life’s rythme.
Marcher = getting in touch with nature, a healthy way towards recovery …and it’s FREE.
I know it works for me.
With love
Marie-Christine

The whole tree is in us. The solution was in the fruit.
Dr Alain Soulier

I just felt very strong that this man,bless him,is a victim of todays society.
Its so easy to loose trust.
easy to get trapped in fear and loose control.
Its so human ,so, simple.
When this kind of trauma happen to us, its very important to keep it simple….
The key is to openly accept the pearl in the mud….to welcome whatever comes,even death….die before you die.
Cancer can be a gift..
A key to many deeper issues,lying under the surface..through cancer we have the chance to recognize them and most of all….a chance for healing on all levels at a higher plane…
Cancer was for me a great door opener..to an initiation,confronting my demons,giving up fals ideas of who i thought i was,,,,,any way…always look upon the great gift in all things….they can be absence for the eye,but deep down,wow,,,a secret seed of enlightment for the soul…too grow out of the mud,becoming the pearl..

This is a beautifull article to share, thanks.
Brigitte.

“This image is a lot more than a simple parabola.
The Chinese Energetics understood this some 3,000 years ago with its five elements’ law.
The kidney is the guardian of the ancestral memory.
the liver is the Energy and creative factory,
the lungs deal with relation,
the heart makes love moves,
the pancreas ensures the equilibrium,
there is also the gall-bladder who is the Peace Judge of the inner reference,
the organs of the senses provide the perception and communication.

On several parts of our body, one can find the whole of our body (iris, hand, foot, ear, inside the nose, tongue, ) the aim of our functioning is to maintain this equilibrium. Medicine calls it homeostasis. From this equilibrium depends our good health.
It is the definition itself.
The body can then be seen as a society in equilibrium. Let’s talk without taking too much risk about the analogy of human society.

- The immune system can be compared to the Police and the Army, also to Justice,
- the muscular system fits with the working world and also the setting-up of action and fulfilment,
- the cerebral system is the Government,
- the digestive system is similar to the agricultural one and allows using the wealth that have been given to us to develop,
- the hormonal system is linked with culture and feelings,
- the pulmonary system is linked with the world and ecology,
- the kidney represents structures, constitution, the patrimony, our integrity and our identity,
- the heart , of course, talks of love , sharing, it is also the prime-mover for life,

The illness reminds us of social conflicts, crisis, wars and transformations.

All this together , that came to us after millions of years of evolution go hands in hands with wisdom.
Nothing happens by chance.
To understand illness as a wisdom would allow us to understand that the troubles of the world could only be illnesses that carry solutions.”Dr Olivier Soulier

Jung has said very well :”You will not heal from your illnesses, your illnesses will heal you.”

I find this brilliant article written by Dr Soulier of Nantes and wanted to share it with you. It helped me to understand myself better.
Love
Marie-Christine

Le Dr Olivier Soulier explique dans cette article la relation du corps lorsqu’elle est en equilibre et ce qui se passe lorsque la maladie s’installe.

“Notre corps, une mini-societe en equilibre.
Cette image est beaucoup plus qu’une simple parabole.
L’energetique chinoise avait deja compris cela il y 3000 ans dans sa loi des cinq elements.
“Le rein est le gardien de la memoire ancestrale. Le foie est l’usine a energie et a creation. Le poumon s’occupe de la relation.
Le coeur fait circuler l’amour. La rate assure l’equilibre. Il y a encore la vesicule biliaire qui est le juge de paix de la reference interieure. Les organes des sens assurent la perception et la communication.

Sur plusieurs zones de notre corps se trouve resumee la totalite de notre corps (iris, main,pied, oreille, face interieur du nez,langue..) Le but de notre fonctionnement est de maintenir cet equilibre, la medecine appelle cela l’homomeostasie. C’est de cet equilibre que depend notre bonne sante,c’en est meme la definition>
Le corps peut donc se concevoir comme une societe en equilibre. Poussons sand trop de risque l’analogie avec la societe humaine.
- le systeme immunitaire est semblable a la police et a l’armee interieure , a la justice aussi.
- Le systeme musculaire correspond au monde du travail, mais aussi a la mise en action et la realisation.
- le systeme cerebral est le gouvernement.
- le systeme digestif correspond a l’agriculture et permet l’utilisation des richesses qui nous sont donnees pour nous construire,
-le systeme hormonal est lie a la culture et aux emotions
- le systeme pulmonaire est relie au monde et a l’ecologie
- le rein represente les structures , la constitution, le patrimoine, notre integrite et notre identite.
- le coeur, evidemment , parle d’amour, de partage, c’est aussi le moteur de la vie.
- La maladie rappelle les conflits sociaux, les crises, les guerres et les mutations.
Tout cet ensemble , parvenu jusqu’a nous apres des millions d’annees d’evolution, fonctionne avec sagesse. Rien n’arrive par hasard. Apprehender la maladie comme une sagesse nous permettrait de comprendre que les troubles du monde ne seraient que des maladies porteuses de solutions.
Jung l’avait bien dit:”Vous ne guerirez pas de vos maladies, ce sont vos maladies qui vous gueriront.”
Olivier Soulier medecin

My dad and I are certainly honoured that you have shared his article on your wonderful blog. You have made him a very happy man. I am not sure if there is a word limit but could you possibly correct the title/web address as my dad’s name is Albert Lim Kok “Hooi” and not Albert Lim Kok Hoo.

Thomas my heart and thoughts are with you to help you defeat your illness. You must have faith and you will be prepared for anything that life has planned for you.

Paulo, thank you for sharing this.

Alfredo

It makes sense to ask for different opinions, but in the end you have to trust one doctor and first of all yourself.

My doctor now goes into retirement. I hope I will soon find a new doctor I trust simply out of my intuition.

A first experience with death, was at about 7 years old, when a friend’s father died. Completely bewildered by this word and what it might mean. No one would talk about it. I went to the praire for answers, watched clouds and realized that my friend’s dad had vanished to the eye, gone to be with god. I could understand wanting to be with god, but did not understand ‘why’ he wanted to leave when he did. And wondered how long he would stay with god before coming back to tell stories of his adventure.
So at the time, my friend and I did not comprehend why everyone was so sad. But we saw together in time, that her dad was not coming home to her. And special events that her family celebrated, were especially difficult.

Then, a few years ago, I turned on the radio – not something I normally did. A broadcast was on, about raising awareness of childhood cancer. The announcer was interviewing a little 6 year old boy, chatting about the hospital stays, his fight, and then asked the boy,’Are you afraid?’
He said cheerfully ‘oh NO, because only two things can happen. Either god will take the cancer from me, or the cancer will take me to god’.

Just before my dad died, the doctor asked what she could do, to make him more comfortable. He asked for a sex-change operation, then chuckled ‘because he heard women live longer than men’. He could see that she was feeling really sad and was able to cheer her up! We had a huge party for my dad, because he loved parties.
The the night he died, he sent everyone home but asked me to stay behind. He told me to take his little blue suitcase home with me, in the morning. I got him comfy as could be, pulled up a chair, and put my head into the crook of his arm. The nurse came in and woke me up a few hours later. My dad had died.
The little blue suitcase was heavy but did not care to open it until later that day when alone.
My dad’s humor lived on into death. In the the suitcase was dad’s watch (it had stopped) and also, it was FULL of jelly beans (my favorite candy). I smiled and said ‘thank you’, then cried for two days.

I am not afraid of death. But love living, still have things to do, see, and experience!!!!!!!!

Lots of Love to All, Jane : ) xo

What did Jesus say? To conquer death, you only have to die.

BUT!! I have to say that I am very fearful of any of my loved ones dying.

loveNlight
Gabi

Love
Olta