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Neuropathy is experienced by nearly 20 million Americans.

With pain, numbness, and burning - it can be debilitating and life-changing.

Neuropathy Pain Relief in Trammels, TX

Neuropathy refers to a condition characterized by damage or dysfunction of the peripheral nerves, which are responsible for transmitting signals between the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord) and the rest of the body. Neuropathy is caused by conditions including diabetes, infections, traumatic injuries, autoimmune diseases, and exposure to certain toxins. As a consequence of nerve damage, individuals with neuropathy often experience a range of symptoms such as pain, tingling, numbness, and weakness in the affected areas.

Neuropathy can significantly impact a person's quality of life, affecting mobility and daily activities. Neuropathy is more than painful - it's also stressful, bothersome, and all-encompassing. It causes both men and women to become reclusive, depressed, and unable to enjoy life. If you're suffering from neuropathy, you might feel like all hope is lost. But the team at Texas Nerve and Spine are here to help.

Neuropathy relief in Trammels, TX, is more achievable than you might think, and it doesn't need to involve harmful surgeries or addictive pain medications.

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The Texas Nerve and Spine Difference

Difference

At our nerve and spine clinic in Trammels, TX, we have a simple philosophy: Treat every patient the same way that you would treat your parent, spouse, or child if they were patients at Texas Nerve and Spine. As a family-owned and operated institution, that's just the way we do business. While some spine and nerve pain clinics focus solely on monetary transactions and ROI, we prefer to put our patients' needs first before anything else. And that, in a nutshell, is what sets Texas Nerve and Spine apart from all the others.

We supplement our patient-first philosophy with innovative neuropathy therapies. Our therapies restore our patients' health while correcting the underlying causes of their nerve issues without relying on damaging pharmaceutical drugs or expensive, invasive surgeries.

It all starts with our unique Brain to Body system - a cutting-edge approach developed specifically for people with chronic pain and nerve diseases. This system helps treat patients suffering from a wide range of conditions, including:

  • Chronic Pain
  • Sports Injuries
  • Carpal Tunnel
  • Sciatica
  • Scoliosis
  • Plantar Fasciitis
  • Diabetic Neuropathy
  • Idiopathic Peripheral Neuropathy
  • Trigeminal Neuralgia
  • Post-Surgical Peripheral Neuropathy
  • Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy
  • Problems with Balance
  • Vertigo
  • Herniated Discs
  • Muscle Weakness
  • Extremity Tingling and Numbness
  • Migraines

If you're in search of lasting relief and world-class therapies for neuropathy, our team is here to serve you.

How the Brain to Body System Provides Neuropathy Relief in Trammels, TX

To reverse neuropathy, areas of the body that have become weak due to disease or injury must be restrengthened. This encompasses your brain, nerves, muscles, blood vessels, and cells. Our experts at Texas Nerve and Spine developed the most advanced chronic pain and neuropathy therapy system to do all of this and more, and we call it the Brain to Body System.

From chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy and extremity numbness to diabetic neuropathy and sciatica, our Brain to Body System helps restore your health and corrects the causes of your problems. Unlike treatments from other nerve and spine clinics, our system provides long-term relief without relying on invasive surgeries or dangerously addictive pharmaceutical medications.

To understand how our Brain to Body System solves chronic pain and similar conditions like nerve disease, you need a basic knowledge of the conditions themselves. That way, you can understand why so many who suffer from them rarely improve.

Neuropathy Pain Relief Treatments Trammels, TX
Neuropathy Pain Relief Treatments Trammels, TX

Neuropathy

Neuropathy is nerve damage that causes pain, numbness, and burning in the extremities. This is a type of condition that does not get better on its own and it doesn't alleviate after the use of traditional medical treatments or prescription pain meds.

Pain from neuropathy causes a domino effect; it starts with inflammation, leading to decreased blood supply. This reduction in blood supply results in a lack of oxygen. When your body doesn't get enough oxygen, it loses crucial nutrients that your body needs. This progressive effect often leads to long-term problems such as:

  • Chronic Pain
  • Motor-Function Loss
  • Loss of Sensation
  • Muscular Atrophy
  • Loss of Movement
  • Depression

But with our Brain to Body Strengthening System, patients suffering from neuropathy build strength through rehabilitation. This advanced system helps:

  • Stimulate New Nerve Pathways
  • Strengthen and Grow Muscles
  • Promote Cellular Repair
  • Improve Circulation and Blood Flow

Our Brain to Body System is central to our approach to neuropathy relief in Trammels, TX. By following our system, we can provide several services to patients suffering from neuropathy.

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EWOT: Exercise with Oxygen Therapy

Breathing in higher levels of oxygen helps to improve your health. Exercise with Oxygen Therapy is a technique that increases oxygen circulation at a more rapid pace than oxygen therapy alone.

How Does EWOT Work?

At Texas Nerve and Spine, our doctors use the NuStep Recumbent Cross Trainer. This specialized machine trains your muscles, brain, and nerves to work together, which supports your body's whole healing processes. While using the NuStep Recumbent Cross Trainer, patients are hooked up to an oxygen generator to enjoy the benefits of EWOT and reach their neuropathy relief goals.

When you oxygenate your blood with EWOT, it can have amazing benefits that can:

  • Restore Blood Flow
  • Improve Oxygen Circulation
  • Reduce Inflammation
  • Boost Energy
  • Increase Strength
Neuropathy Pain Relief Treatments Trammels, TX
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Flexion/Distraction Therapy

Neuropathy Pain Relief Treatments Trammels, TX

Many patients who visit Texas Nerve and Spine are suffering from neuropathy, due to spinal issues. This requires specialized kind of care from highly trained doctors. If you're in search of a safe, gentle, controlled treatment for nerve and spinal pain, Flexion Distraction therapy may be for you.

How Does Flexion/Distraction Therapy Work?

Finding relief for this type of condition and pain is often easier said than done. Fortunately, relief is right around the corner at Texas Nerve and Spine. Our Flexion/Distraction Table stretches the spine safely and gently, allowing injured tissue and damaged discs the chance to heal and become hydrated, which lets the affected area recover more effectively and efficiently, while taking the pressure off the nerves that cause the neuropathy.

Patients looking for neuropathy relief in Trammels, TX choose Flexion/Distraction therapy because it:

  • Reduces Spinal Pain
  • Fosters Healing in Damaged Discs
  • Removes Pressure on Spinal Nerves
  • Is Non-Invasive
  • Is Cost-Effective
  • Does Not Require Downtime
  • Has No Risk of Infection
  • Provides Quicker, Easier Healing
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Laser Therapy

With more than 20 million people in the U.S. suffering from neuropathy, it makes sense that most of them want a solution that does not require pain medication or invasive surgery. That's where laser therapy from Texas Nerve and Spine comes into play. Laser therapy has been used for therapeutic purposes in medical environments for years. In fact, it is FDA-approved and backed by more than 2,500 research studies, which have demonstrated its efficacy in neuropathy relief in Trammels, TX.

How Does Laser Therapy Work?

Though laser therapy is a common treatment option, not all lasers are the same. Our Class IV laser therapy, used in all applicable programs, is the most efficacious and powerful laser available for tissue healing and regeneration and healing. Class IV lasers use photobiomodulation, which provides excellent results for Musculoskeletal disorders. This process has also been proven to help with other various conditions that cause chronic pain, such as sciatica, carpal tunnel syndrome, low back pain, shoulder pain, and much more.

Our chronic pain patients choose laser therapy from Texas Nerve and Spine because it:

  • Provides Significant Relief Without Pain or Side Effects
  • Cost-Effective
  • Reduce Inflammation
  • Boost Blood Flow
  • Accelerate Tissue Repair
Neuropathy Pain Relief Treatments Trammels, TX
Neuropathy Pain Relief Treatments Trammels, TX
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Motor Function Re-Training Therapy

When your motor functions are limited or non-existent from neuropathy, it can ruin your life. You lose the ability to be independent - one of the hallmarks of being human. Fortunately, with Motor Function Retraining Therapy at Texas Nerve and Spine, patients suffering from neuropathy related motor function issues have a light at the end of the tunnel. This type of specialized physical therapy helps people recover from neuropathy that leaves their motor functions lacking. The goal of Motor Function Retraining Therapy is to regain coordination and strength.

Motor Function Retraining Therapy is a crucial part of the motor function rehabilitation process because it helps patients regain the independence they lost. It helps patients return to their original level of motor function or better.

Neuropathy Pain Relief Treatments Trammels, TX
Neuropathy Pain Relief Treatments Trammels, TX

How Does Motor Function Re-Training Work?

Based on our Brain to Body Strengthening System, our experts design custom exercise programs based on the patient's needs. We may also use electrical stimulation and other modalities for more effective sessions and recovery.

Motor Function Retraining Therapy provides many benefits, including:

  • Improved Flexibility
  • More Strength
  • Increased Range of Motion
  • Re-Claim Independence
  • More Independence
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Neuropathy Pain Relief Treatments Trammels, TX

Myofascial Release Therapy

Myofascial Release Therapy gives patients neuropathy relief in Trammels, TX, and boosts mobility by loosening tight muscles. There are similarities to traditional massages, however, Myofascial Release Therapy focuses on soft tissues and the muscular system in your body to relieve tension and stress on muscles.

How Does Myofascial Release Therapy Work?

Tight muscles have reduced blood flow and less oxygen, leading to restricted movement and intense pain. Our system uses state-of-the-art technology to apply acute, high-velocity vibration directly to the affected tissue to provide the patient with the environment necessary to increase mobility and reduce pain.

Benefits of this type of therapy include:

  • Improved Tissue Recovery
  • Reduced Soreness
  • Improved Range of Motion
  • Increases Blood Flow
  • Better Neuromuscular Efficiency
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Neuro Impulse Therapy

When the nerves are weakened, due to neuropathy, pain develops, inflammation increases, and blood flow decreases. If you're searching for a safe, effective way to deal with painful spine related nerve issues Neuro Impulse Therapy may be a great option for neuropathy relief in Trammels, TX. Unlike common chiropractic therapies, this advanced therapy does not involve any "cracking" or significant adjustments.

How Does Neuro Activation Wall Therapy Work?

Any type of injury can cause dysfunction and weakness in your brain. To improve cognition and the neurological connection between the brain, the muscles, and the nerves, some injured patients choose to undergo Interactive Neurocognitive Therapy using our Neuro Activation Wall. This wall retains, strengthens, and restores proper function to the brain and nervous system without relying on medications or invasive therapies.

Neuro Impulse Therapy works by using very specific impulses directed at the area causing pain. These targeted impulses send a signal to your body so that it can begin healing and repairing your body naturally.

Texas Nerve and Spine patients choose Neuro Impulse Therapy because it:

  • Improves Cognition
  • Strengthens Damaged Nerves
  • Boosts Balance and Mobility
  • Is Non-Invasive
  • Does Not Require Addictive Medicines
  • Does Not Require Recovery Time
  • Does Not Present Any Risk of Infection
Neuropathy Pain Relief Treatments Trammels, TX

Peripheral Neuropathy Rehabilitation

Neuropathy Pain Relief Treatments Trammels, TX

Peripheral neuropathy occurs when there is a lack of blood flow to the nerves in areas like your feet and hands. When these nerves are devoid of blood, they begin to decay and degenerate because they don't have enough oxygen or nutrients. Eventually, the nerves in your body shrivel up, causing pain, numbness, balance problems, and other painful symptoms.

How Does Peripheral Neuropathy Rehabilitation Work?

Our Brain to Body program works wonders for neuropathy issues like these by using state-of-the-art technology like laser therapy and personalized, strategic plans of action created around our patient's needs. If you're looking for both short and long-term pain relief from peripheral neuropathy, this could be the solution you need.

Spinal Decompression Therapy

Spinal conditions that cause neuropathy range in severity from bearable to crippling. To get to the bottom of your spine conditions, our team uses X-Rays to pinpoint the location of your spine's disease. From there, we craft a custom rehabilitation program that addresses the underlying causes of your pain and neuropathy.

Neuropathy Pain Relief Treatments Trammels, TX
Neuropathy Pain Relief Treatments Trammels, TX

How Does Spinal Decompression Therapy Work?

Spinal decompression works by gently stretching the spine. When the spine is stretched, it changes its position. This change relieves pressure off the discs in your spine, which act as cushions in your back. By creating negative pressure, herniated and bulging discs retract, giving the nerves and structures in your back relief. This relief sends nutrient-rich fluids and oxygen to the discs so they can heal properly.

Your Path to Neuropathy Relief Starts at Texas Nerve and Spine

Neuropathy can be debilitating. But it doesn't have to be permanent. Your journey to a neuropathy-free life starts with a simple four-step process at Texas Nerve and Spine:

step-one

Identify the Root Cause of Your Neuropathy

At Texas Nerve and Spine, our doctors understand that true neuropathy relief in Trammels, TX, won't happen until we can uncover its underlying cause(s). Our specialists will perform detailed exams and review your medical history to understand the full scope of your condition.

step-two

Develop a Plan for Healing

Once we have discovered the underlying reasons for your neuropathy, it's time to begin healing. Our team will work together to craft a personalized treatment plan to provide long-term relief for your neuropathy.

step-three

Provide a Plan of Care

Our team has the experience and resources to provide you with your plan of care. This plan will be based on your needs and our Brain to Body Strengthening System, giving you the relief you deserve - naturally.

step-four

Continued Support

Neuropathy relief cannot be accomplished without a tested system and a purpose-driven team that supports your recovery. That's why our expert staff will assess your journey to recovery and be there for support every step of the way. Because when you are a patient at Texas Nerve and Spine, you're never alone.

Latest News in Trammels, TX

Dallas developer Trammell Crow’s CEO is departing

The top officer of Dallas’ largest real estate development firm is headed out the door.Mike Lafitte has been CEO of Trammell Crow Co. since 2020.Lafitte was previously the global chief executive officer of real estate investments for commercial property giant ...

The top officer of Dallas’ largest real estate development firm is headed out the door.

Mike Lafitte has been CEO of Trammell Crow Co. since 2020.

Lafitte was previously the global chief executive officer of real estate investments for commercial property giant CBRE Group which has owned Crow Co. since 2006.

The departure of Lafitte from the company he’s worked for since 1997 was disclosed in a company filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that said it was “mutually agreed that Mr. Lafitte would depart from the company on February 17, 2023.”

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Lafitte is a global group president and also oversaw CBRE’s client care program.

“Serving as CEO of Trammell Crow Co. for the past few years has been the honor of my life in business,” Lafitte said in a statement. “Now I am looking forward to serving on various boards, investing in real estate along with other business opportunities, staying active in the community and spending more quality time with family and friends.

“On the business side, I intend on staying active more as an investor in real estate deals and looking for opportunities where I can add value along with investing,” Lafitte said in a message. ”I have been blessed with a great career and intend on staying active.”

CBRE said that Lafitte after his departure will be “pursuing outside business and investment opportunities and personal interests.”

“During his 25-plus-year tenure, Mike has made major contributions to the enormous growth and positive change in our company,” CBRE CEO Bob Sulentic said in a statement. “Mike has been an exceptional ambassador for CBRE and TCC and we wish him great success in his personal and professional endeavors.”

The CEO role at Crow Co. will now be handled by Danny Queenan, CEO of CBRE’s real estate investments division. Queenan has headed the property firm’s investment sector — which includes the Crow Co. — since last year.

Trammell Crow Co., which was founded in Dallas in 1948, is the country’s largest commercial builder with a record $13.5 billion development pipeline at the end of the third quarter.

In North Texas, Crow Co. is a major developer of industrial buildings, offices and mixed-use developments.

Lafitte’s departure comes as CBRE is making significant cutbacks in operations and staffing to position the company for an expected recession and business slowdown.

In October, the company said it was targeting $400 million in cost reductions, “with the vast majority coming from headcount reductions.” The firm had a 16% year-over-year decline in its third quarter 2022 revenue.

CBRE is the country’s largest commercial property broker with 500 offices and more than 100,000 employees.

The company in 2020 relocated its headquarters from California to Dallas.

Related:Another building planned in Jerry Jones’ Frisco industrial park

Meant to be: New Dallas Wings Head Coach Latricia Trammell ready to build relationships in DFW, bring championship to city

Trammell has been watching film, contacting every player and building relationships. And she gave a shoutout to the DFW community and the best fans in the world!ARLINGTON, Texas — Welcome to Dallas!Latricia Trammell was officially introduced as head coach Friday by Dallas Wings President and CEO Greg Bi...

Trammell has been watching film, contacting every player and building relationships. And she gave a shoutout to the DFW community and the best fans in the world!

ARLINGTON, Texas — Welcome to Dallas!

Latricia Trammell was officially introduced as head coach Friday by Dallas Wings President and CEO Greg Bibb at Troy’s in Texas Live! in Arlington.

And before things got underway, Bibb honored veterans and WNBA star Brittany Griner, who has been wrongfully-detained in Russia.

He then spoke of why he believed Dallas was not only Trammell's job but her destination.

Trammell has spent the last four years as assistant coach for the Los Angeles Sparks. And prior to her stint with LA, she spent a season as an assistant coach with the San Antonio Stars, a former WNBA team that relocated to Las Vegas – eventually becoming the Aces.

So, she’s not exactly a stranger to Texas.

According to Bibb, she was top of mind when the organization decided to move in a different direction for head coach.

Bibb said he and Trammell met years ago, and she had a lasting impression due to her communication and genuine desire to build relationships with others.

So when he started the hiring process, Bibb said it was not only her resume that stood out, but her proven track record of 30 years of coaching experience across all levels, including two collegiate championships and awards.

"I couldn't find a darn person to say anything negative about her," laughed Bibb.

RELATED: Dallas Wings hire Los Angeles Sparks assistant as new head coach

Trammell joked she's had Bibb on speed dial for years!

She expressed her excitement during her introduction, saying it was an honor and privilege to be sitting in her seat as the next head coach to lead a dynamic and talented team.

"I've tried to chest bump Greg twice this morning," she laughed.

Trammell said she's ready to make an immediate impact and take the Wings to the next level.

Then, she got teary-eyed explaining how hard she'll work for the team.

When asked what she would bring to the table and how she described herself, she answered, "passionate."

"[She] lives, breathes, eats and sleeps basketball," Bibb said.

Growing up, Trammell, an Oklahoma native, was influenced by her older brother who coach for several years, her sports family, and coach Sherry Cole with the University of Oklahoma. She also said sometimes your mentors are people you've never met like legendary women's basketball coach Pat Summitt.

After learning she was hired as the new head coach of the Wings, and ironically at a practice at OU, she said, "I sat down and thanked God."

Now, she's ready to go. Trammell has been watching film, contacting every player and building relationships with her new squad. Trammell gave a shoutout to the DFW community and the best fans in the world -- which played a role in realizing Dallas was the best fit.

The Wings have made back-to-back playoff appearances, yet it seems they just can't get over the hump in post-season wins.

Trammell is ready to right the ship, and a key she said is helping immediately with defense – her bread and butter. She led the Sparks to one of the top three best defenses for three consecutive years.

Trammell also said she hopes her players will buy-in, and made references to talent from the likes of Arike Ogunbowale, Satou Sabally, Marina Mabrey and Allisha Gray and more.

She wants to instill hard-grit and a bring a championship home. But the most important? Relationships.

"They're capable. Everyone is going to have an opportunity to eat," said Trammell.

Time will tell, but one thing is for sure, Trammell's energy during the press conference showed how fired up she is about this team.

Let's go Wings!

Trammell’s Trace: From Arkansas to Texas

Where: The Magnolia Room, second floor of the Reynolds Center on the SAU Campus, Magnolia, AROur November speaker will be Gary L. Pinkerton who will talk about his work reconstructing the route of Trammel’s Trace. Across the Pinkerton family farm near Mt. Enterprise, Texas, an old roadbed is visible through the woods on both sides of a pasture. The road is a remaining section of the old Trammel’s Trace, the first north-south road into Texas, traveled by thousands of families on their way into Texa...

Where: The Magnolia Room, second floor of the Reynolds Center on the SAU Campus, Magnolia, AR

Our November speaker will be Gary L. Pinkerton who will talk about his work reconstructing the route of Trammel’s Trace. Across the Pinkerton family farm near Mt. Enterprise, Texas, an old roadbed is visible through the woods on both sides of a pasture. The road is a remaining section of the old Trammel’s Trace, the first north-south road into Texas, traveled by thousands of families on their way into Texas. Trammel’s Trace ran from Fulton, Arkansas and Pecan Point on the Red River north of Clarksville, to Nacogdoches. There it connected with the El Camino Real, also called the Old San Antonio Road, running east and west. With origins shaded by its use for smuggling horses and contraband through the Neutral Ground, Trammel’s Trace was also the path into Texas for heroes like Sam Houston, David Crockett, Stephen F. Austin, and James Bowie. Its history from the early 1800’s through Texas’ statehood, is the history of migration, lawlessness, and conflict that defined that period.

Gary’s passion for learning about Trammel’s Trace has become a book nearing completion. This book will fill a broad gap for researchers and genealogists by collecting all available information on Trammel’s Trace and the man for which it was named, Nicholas Trammell Jr., into one source. In addition to his historical research, Gary and other “rut nuts” continue to work on locating and mapping its remaining pathways. Gary’s vision of the outcome of his research on Trammel’s Trace includes the founding of a non-profit organization to preserve the history, additional publications, photographs, and a 180-mile walk down the historical route.

In his professional career, Gary has adapted his talents to a range of businesses that include non-profit organizations, small business start-ups, and a Fortune 200 corporation. In addition to serving organizations in human resources and training, Gary is an outstanding presenter and speaker. Gary earned his Master of Social Work (MSW) degree at the University of Houston. His undergraduate degree in Social Work and Psychology was conferred by Texas A&M University – Commerce.

In 2003, Gary won the South Carolina Sierra Club Award for Fiction and has been recognized for both his writing and photography. He has been a presenter on multiple occasions for the East Texas Historical Association, and an article on Trammel’s Trace treasure hunters appears in the East Texas Historical Journal where Gary is a member of the Editorial Board. A summary of his work on Trammel’s Trace appears in the online Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture. In 2005, a weekly series of excerpts from his research appeared in the Trammel Trace Tribune, the local paper in Tatum, Texas.

Information about Trammel’s Trace is available at http://www.trammelstrace.org

Also see the entry on Trammel’s Trace at:

http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/

Come learn about this important, historic route in our region—Tuesday, November 13, 7:00pm in the Magnolia Room on the second floor of the Reynolds Center on the campus of Southern Arkansas University.

Who’s behind the lawn decor at Abrams and Trammel? Curious Texas has the answer

Only at the corner of Abrams Road and Trammel Drive can you find a 7-foot-tall chicken, a cannibalistic order of fries and a bike-riding dinosaur all in one place.Hundreds of commuters pass by the intersection in northeast Dallas’ Ridgewood neighborhood on a given day. Laura Digan lives nearby and has been wondering for years who is the mastermind behind the eclectic yard.That’s why she asked Curious Texas: Who owns and decorates the lawn on the corner of Abrams and Trammel?...

Only at the corner of Abrams Road and Trammel Drive can you find a 7-foot-tall chicken, a cannibalistic order of fries and a bike-riding dinosaur all in one place.

Hundreds of commuters pass by the intersection in northeast Dallas’ Ridgewood neighborhood on a given day. Laura Digan lives nearby and has been wondering for years who is the mastermind behind the eclectic yard.

That’s why she asked Curious Texas: Who owns and decorates the lawn on the corner of Abrams and Trammel?

Curious Texas is an ongoing project from The Dallas Morning News that connects readers with journalists and their resources. The idea is simple: You have questions, and our journalists are trained to track down answers.

It took a little sleuthing, but we tracked down Gary Isett. He’s a born-and-raised Dallasite who moved to Richardson about 20 years ago to start his family, but moved into the house on Abrams in July 2012.

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That winter, Isett ran electricity to every tree on the lawn and used Christmas lights to illuminate the yard. Isett called it the “Christmas Paradise.” Neighbors started to notice the lawn, but the Christmas display was just the start.

In March 2013, Isett hauled home a 7-foot Kip’s Big Boy statue and set it in the yard. A neighborhood celebrity was made.

He said he bought the statue off another Dallas resident who told him it had originally belonged to the Kip's on Northwest Highway and Hillcrest. The Big Boy started out on the corner, but was moved behind the house after a run-in with local code enforcement agencies.

“At first, everybody was like, ‘Who’s this guy and what’s he putting in his yard?’” Ridgewood resident Hugh Gifford said. “Then after a while, it just became a staple in the neighborhood. Everybody loves it. The kids love it; they want to drive by every night on the way home.”

Isett is a landscaper by trade. During Fall 2012, his company, White Rock Landscaping, was hired for a waste removal job.

The waste in question? A 3-foot tall concrete Billiken — as in the smiling imp that is the mascot for St. Louis University.

“Somebody paid me $100 to take it away from their house,” Isett said. “It was in their living room. They thought it was creepy.”

The Billiken found a new home in Isett’s front yard. A year later, Isett began a new tradition: painting the Billiken silver and blue for the Dallas Cowboys during football season and red and blue for the Rangers during baseball.

But in November 2015, the tradition abruptly ended when the Billiken disappeared.

A few folks in the neighborhood told Isett they’d seen the Billiken thieves. But he never reported the theft.

“I can’t watch my yard 24/7,” Isett said. “It was just a prank.”

He had no hopes of getting the original Billiken back, so he replaced it with a smaller statue. He painted it silver and blue just like always and set it out in the yard. That was two years ago.

Then in April, Isett’s phone rang. At first, all he could hear on the other end was laughing. But, they’d found the Billiken and it was ready to come home.

The caller tracked Isett down on Facebook after finding the Billiken in a house in West Dallas and brought it back to him.

“I mean, what are the chances that A) it’s found, and B) somebody that found it knew where it belonged,” Isett said. “That’s how popular that stupid little thing was.”

After the first Billiken went missing, Isett wasn’t the only person hunting for a replacement. Isett’s neighbor Hugh Gifford and his 9-year-old son, Trip, were scouring eBay for a lookalike of the neighborhood mascot.

The Giffords knew Isett through Zion Lutheran Church and School, where Isett worships and volunteers. Isett heard about Trip’s search for a replacement Billiken, so after the original statue was returned to Isett, he gave Trip the replacement statue as a token of thanks.

“Now I have someone to keep me company in my room,” Trip said with a smile.

Isett doesn't spend much time actively searching for new items for the lawn. Like the Billiken, most of it "finds" him. The community sends him tips on his Facebook page and friends tell him about whatever wacky thing they see and think he should buy.

“It’s just got to be unique,” Isett said. “It’s got to be unique and stupid. I’ve had people approach me with McDonald’s and Burger King signs — that’s just too ordinary.”

More Curious Texas:

Tell us:

What do you wonder about the culture, people and institutions of North Texas — and the rest of our great state? Help us investigate stories that matter to you.

No question is too big or too small. Let's get started!

Briana Lao. I am a breaking news high school summer intern for the Dallas Morning News. I graduated Plano East Senior High School in June 2018. This coming fall, I will be attending the University of North Texas with a full ride. I am a National Merit Scholar and a previous Editor in Chief of my high school newspaper, The Panther Prints (peshprints.com). I hope to eventually go to graduate school at NYU and work as a journalist in New York. Learn more about me and view my online portfolio here: brianalao.wixsite.com/digitalvalise. All constructive criticism is welcome!

[email protected] twitter.com/laobriana

Texas Hacker Debunks Link Between Bitcoin Founder and Online Drug Market

Israeli academics Dorit Ron and Adi Shamir thought they may have uncovered an intriguing link between the anonymous creator of the bitcoin digital currency and the illicit online drug marketplace the Silk Road. But it turns out the idea was bunk.This past weekend, the two researchers published an article describing what they thought might be a transaction between Bitcoin's founder -- who is known only by the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto -- and the founder of The Silk Road, which was shutdown by the feds earlier this year. But now an Aus...

Israeli academics Dorit Ron and Adi Shamir thought they may have uncovered an intriguing link between the anonymous creator of the bitcoin digital currency and the illicit online drug marketplace the Silk Road. But it turns out the idea was bunk.

This past weekend, the two researchers published an article describing what they thought might be a transaction between Bitcoin's founder -- who is known only by the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto -- and the founder of The Silk Road, which was shutdown by the feds earlier this year. But now an Austin, Texas man has come forward to claim ownership of the bitcoin account they thought was Nakamoto's.

It's an object lesson in the perils of jumping to conclusions in the world of bitcoin, which has suddenly become a rather popular digital money and payment system. This world is a paradoxical place that is both transparent and very murky.

Here's how things went wrong. The researchers spotted a bitcoin address that had made a March 2013 transfer to another address known to belong to Dread Pirate Roberts -- the creator of the Silk Road, who federal authorities have identified as a man named Ross Ulbricht. And by examining the blockchain -- the public ledger of all bitcoin transactions -- the researchers then linked that address to an account that was active within a week of Bitcoin's creation, back in 2009.

Because this account was active so early on, it might have belonged to Nakamoto, the researchers speculated. "The short path we found...suggests (but does not prove) the existence of a surprising link between the two mysterious figures of the bitcoin community," wrote Ron and Shamir, both of the Weizmann Institute of Science, in their paper. The idea was quickly picked up by media around the world.

On Tuesday, however, a Texas security researcher named Dustin Trammell came forward to thoroughly debunk the theory. The early account was his. Soon after Nakamoto announced the project on cryptography mailing lists, Trammel started mining bitcoins -- i.e. helping to operate the worldwide software system that drives bitcoin in exchange for some of the digital money.

The Israeli researchers had linked this account -- via several steps -- to an address that sent money to the Dread Pirate, and this address, it turns out, was controlled by a Japanese bitcoin exchange called Mt. Gox. Trammel used the address to sell 1,000 bitcoins (worth $60,000 at the time; $1 million today) on the exchange. But anyone could have subsequently bought those bitcoins on the Mt. Gox exchange and then moved them to the Dread Pirate Roberts' address.

"I hope this puts to rest any further speculation regarding whether or not I am Satoshi Nakamoto and whether or not I have had any involvement with the Silk Road," Trammell wrote on his blog. "I am not and have not."

Dustin Trammell is a noted security researcher with a love of cryptography and a penchant for all the color green, says Dragos Ruiu, the organizer of the CanSec West security conference, where Trammell has spoken in the past. Ruiu doesn't believe that he's Satoshi Nakamoto.

That the early bitcoin address belonged to Trammell and not Satoshi Nakamoto was already a matter of public record, Trammell said in his blog post. "I am a security researcher and fan of cryptography as well as a Libertarian and a fan of alternative currencies. Being both of these, Bitcoin hit my radar almost immediately when Satoshi posted his original white paper about Bitcoin on October 31 2008," he wrote.

Reached via email, Trammell declined to comment further on the matter.

Meanwhile, the researchers have retracted their claims after reading Trammel's post. "We find this post completely believable, and thus we no longer believe that the very early Founder account we identified in the full bitcoin transaction graph belongs to Satoshi Nakamoto," Adi Shamir said in an email message. "We will revise our paper accordingly."

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