Sunday, July 10, 2011

Acupuncture...

“Would you please just go to the clinic?” my roommate Dana pleads to me one Sunday evening after I’ve relayed the details of my ever-increasing overeating and stress lately. I’m embarrassed to say that after nearly 4 years after my last binge, the idea of indulging in that crossed my mind and freaked me out so badly that I had immediately gotten myself to an OA meeting.
“I will.” I promise. “I‘ll call tomorrow.”
Dana has been asking to try acupuncture since we met given my issues with dermatitis on my hands, constant anxiety and lets not forget my personal favorite, PMS. I’ve read a thousand times that acupuncture helps these issues among many other things, by ways of regulating the flow of energy within the body. I don’t see how sticking a bunch of pins into various body parts will help but I’m so desperate right now that I’ll try anything.
On Monday morning I call the clinic at the school that Dana attends and am able to get in to see Joanna at 3pm. I am told to wear comfortable clothing, to eat something before I come and to prepare to stay for ninety minutes. I text Dana immediately and squeal about my upcoming appointment before setting about my day.
I arrive at the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine a few minutes before 3pm. I’ve been here once before with Dana when she wanted to practice massage on me, something I will never turn down. The classrooms take up floors 17-21 in a massive building in the Loop. The giant windows in each room reveal spectacular views of downtown Chicago. I’m so glad I’ve at least been here once before, otherwise, I don’t think I would have found it.
I get to the 21st floor and check in. As I’m filling out the stack of paper work feeling grateful that I have no allergies and I’m not currently taking any medicine I feel I familiar stab in my lower abdomen. I sigh as I’m stabbed again by a dull aching pain sending heat throughout my entire core. Cramps. Great. I take deep breaths and continue to fill out the paper work hoping they don’t get any worse while I’m here.
Once completed, I hand over the stack to the receptionist and sit down again. Usually when in waiting rooms, I grab a magazine or a book from my bag but I have no desire to do any such thing. I try to examine whether or not I’m nervous. Nope. Not really, which again is unlike me. I don’t mind trying new things obviously, but I still get nervous. Today there is nothing but hopefulness that this acupuncture business will work.
“Melissa?” A pretty brunette materializes in front of me.
“Yes.” I smile.
“I’m Joanna.” she smiles back extending her hand.
I stand and shake it. “Good to meet you!” I exclaim, while again being stabbed in the stomach.
“This is Charlene, my assistant.” Joanna steps back and I shake Charlene’s hand.
“Come on back.” Joanna and Charlene lead and I trail behind them until we enter a small room with a massage table in the middle of it, a few chairs against a wall and a counter with some cabinet space and various doctor-looking things on it. I try not to stare.
The three of us sit and Joanna, holding my paperwork, asks “So what brings you in today?”
I explain everything and she asks if I’m nervous.
“Nope.”
“Good.”
The questions that follow are more intense than anything I’ve ever told even my primary care doctor before. I don’t feel shy in answering, as I feel I’ll do whatever it takes to make this better. The cramps are ever increasing and I feel myself beginning to sweat. I don’t however relay to her that this is happening.
Joanna and Charlene take my pulse. They look at my tongue and Joanna writes some things down. Minutes later, I’m on the massage table with my shoes and socks off, my yoga pants rolled up to my knees, and I’m staring at the ceiling while Joanna and Charlene prep.
“Ok, I’m going to put two needles in your ears first to induce a calming effect.” Joanna says before I feel a tiny sharp prick in the upper right part of my ear. She does the left and asks how I feel.
“Good.” I nod. I have no awareness that anything is sticking out of my ears at the moment.
She rolls up my shirt a little to expose my stomach. She puts four of the tiny needles into my belly. Two on top, two on the bottom. A few more are placed into my arms, and legs. I’m amazed at how I barely feel anything.
“Ok. I’m going to place this heat lamp over your abdomen.” Joanna says, bringing over this contraption to have it hover over my exposed flesh. “I’ll be back in five minutes to check on you then leave you for another fifteen. That ok?”
I nod.
She and Charlene exit and in about a minute and half I’m practically asleep until I hear the door open.
“How are you Melissa?” Joanna’s head peeks through the cracked open door.
“Good.” I smile.
“Good. I’ll be back in fifteen.”
I do actually fall asleep in this time and it feels heavenly. Fifteen minutes felt like fifteen seconds as I hear the door open again and Joanna returns with Charlene. She removes the lamp and the needles asking me if I’m ok with taking some herbs.
“Of course.”
“I want to give you two. One for the PMS and one to help calm the itching in your hands.”
“Perfect.”
“I’m going to leave them up front.” Joanna says removing the last needle and doing another quick check to make sure she’s gotten all of them. “I want to see you once a week for a month and then we’ll re-evaluate where to go from there. Sound good?”
“Yes.” I smile.
Later, when my shoes are on, my herbs are in my bag and I’ve made my appointment for next week, I notice as I walk out with Dana, whom I ran into, that my cramps are gone. Completely gone, as if they were never there.

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