Monday Morning... Big News!

Monday 9am and I want to stay in bed, well, I can't. Have to see the doctor who wants me in for blood test results. Hubby is in with me for his own test results and to keep me company as well. We spent the whole day together, it was such a nice day. Lunch in China Town (yummy), Chinese Herbs Shopping (yucky), laughs and more laughs... oh wait, I'm getting side tracked, the blood test results!!!!

Everything is normal except for:

• Iron: I'm Anemic the doctor says, I have to be careful and start treating the Anemia with Iron pills and eating more Meat (I rarely eat meat) and other things, well, you know all the things that contain iron and blah blah blah... I'm not listening, all I'm thinking is "OK, tomorrow I'll tell Ethan (TCM practitioner) about this and he will help me fix it! The Doctor announces that this is a delicate thing and it probably has something to do with my period... REALLY!!!! I've been telling you for years that there is a problem with my period, you hear but you don't listen!!!!!! He gives me iron Pills to take, we will see about that.
• Low Blood Pressure: Doctor says that my Blood Pressure is very low and that I have to be very careful. He asks if I get dizzy often. I actually do, when I get up after sitting/lying down for a while, sometimes I see little stars (that's so cute) or see black for a couple of seconds if I force too much at something like a flying side kick or a superman punch... LOL kidding about the techniques, not kidding about the little stars and the blurry vision! Doctor advises to be very careful when standing up, forcing too much and he makes sure I understand I can pass out anywhere, anytime and get injured from the fall...Oh gosh... seriously??? Like I didn't have enough with all the rest!!!
• I have a small cough, well it is more like clearing my throat and I do it often, the suggests that I have post nasal drip that is causing that "throat clearing cough", he has told me this before and I know it very well, it happens every time allergy season arrives. He checks my nose, ears and throat, he says, nose is a bit dry and inflamed, SURE!!!! I've been sneezing quiet a bit in the last years!!!!, ears are fine and throat is suffering due to the nasal drip... once again, blah blah blah... taking mental notes for Ethan tomorrow! Doctor gives me a prescription for the nose, a Corticosteroid that I've taken before and will no longer take!
• Since Allergy season is here and I missed the first vaccine, Doctor puts me on the list for the second batch and in August I am due to receive a vaccine that will help with the sneezing, not sure I want to do that, have to consult Ethan for it!
• Hormonal profile came out PERFECT!!! Nothing wrong with my hormones.
• I was tested for Arthritis and Autoimmune diseases (Lupus, Mono, etc.) because since 2009 I had serious joint pains and in the first test I came out positive/reactive for Arthritis, so this results were in too. He sends me to see the Reumatologis right away, who is on the same clinic, so off I go to see the Rheumatologist and the verdict, OK, Diagnosis: Out of three Arthritis Tests, one is borderline, in his words: "it means nothing since the other two tests were negative" so no pills for you, if you have pain take a hot bath or an Advil" OK that sounds right, hell no! The Lupus test, same thing: "Out of the three tests we did one came out borderline" WHAT???? I almost fainted!!! "It means nothing since the other two are negative" AAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGG I want to scream, he explains there is nothing to worry about.. hell yes! I'm worried and I have to go back for more test and explanations!!! I wanted to do some research about this and go back to the doctor armed with the right questions, and lucky me tomorrow I have an appointment with Ethan and he will get blasted with questions as well, I know he can stand the heat, he is awesome and I trust him way more than I trust my doctor right now, and don't take me wrong, my Family Doctor is a friend of us and a wonderful human being, I'm just not feeling it right now. I feel Western Medicine take things lightly and they only come to play when it is too late, so I am responsible for my health and cure of any problems. I will get informed as much as I possibly can and then ask the pertinent questions!

Lupus is an autoimmune disease where the body's immune system becomes hyperactive and attacks normal, healthy tissue. This results in symptoms such as inflammation, swelling, and damage to joints, skin, kidneys, blood, the heart, and lungs.
Under normal function, the immune system makes proteins called antibodies in order to protect and fight against antigens such as viruses and bacteria. Lupus makes the immune system unable to differentiate between antigens and healthy tissue. This leads the immune system to direct antibodies against the healthy tissue - not just antigens - causing swelling, pain, and tissue damage. (* An antigen is a substance capable of inducing a specific immune response.)
Several different kinds of lupus have been identified, but the type that we refer to simply as lupus is known as systemic lupus erythematosus or SLE. Other types include discoid (cutaneous), drug-induced, and neonatal.

Patients with discoid lupus have a version of the disease that is limited to the skin. It is characterized by a rash that appears on the face, neck, and scalp, and it does not affect internal organs.

Well, let me add something here: I've had pain in my joints since 2009 when all this problem started, specially the joint pain and the getting sick during period attacks. And I've had this rash on my scalp and part of my face for a while now and nothing I use for it helps ease the problem.

What are the symptoms of lupus?
Since no two cases of lupus are exactly alike, there is a wide range of symptoms that are known to affect many parts of the body. Sometimes symptoms develop slowly or appear suddenly; they can be mild, severe, temporary, or permanent. Lupus episodes, or flares, are usually noted by a worsening of some of the following symptoms:

• Achy joints (arthralgia), arthritis, and swollen joints, especially in wrists, small joints of the hands, elbows, knees, and ankles. I have this problem!!!
• Swelling of the hands and feet due to kidney problems.
• Fever of more than 100 degrees F (38 degrees C).
• Prolonged or extreme fatigue.
• Skin lesions or rashes, especially on the arms, hands, face, neck, or back. I have this problem!!!
• Butterfly-shaped rash (malar rash) across the cheeks and nose.
• Anemia (oxygen carrying deficiency of red blood cells). I have this problem!!!
• Pain in the chest on deep breathing or shortness of breath.
• Sun or light sensitivity (photosensitivity)
• Hair loss or alopecia
• Abnormal blood clotting problems
• Raynaud's phenomenon: fingers turn white and/or blue or red in the cold
• Seizures
• Mouth or nose ulcers
• Weight loss or gain
• Dry eyes. I have this problem!!! 
• Easy bruising. I have this problem!!!
• Anxiety, depression, headaches, and memory loss. I have been treated for anxiety and depression!!!
• ALLERGIES!!!!! Yes, Allergies!!!!! A*L*L*E*R*G*I*E*S

I might be exaggerating but I prefer to be safe than sorry and tomorrow I will take care of this carefully and meticulously. Like my teacher says : "The way we do anything is the way we do everything". And I will take good care of this!

I'm going to bed now, feeling a bit worried and calm at the same time, even if I have Lupus there no cure, just ways to live a better a life, even with it, so really, we are all on the quest to living a better life. This won't change anything for me, and if it does is only for the better and with the amazing support system I have, I'm golden!!! I'm more worried about how my entourage will react I think. And with total honesty I really feel like crying but can't find my tears, I look inside and feel only strength and power. No time for emotional breakdowns.

I am Health, I am Strength, I am Power, I am Amazing, yes I am!!!

Spartan Sunday

The Spartan Race in Mt-Tremblant was super fun, lots of people racing in mud and under the rain. Dirty!!!
People dressed up (and down) having fun with family and friends. Here are some moments I caught on camera.

This were the true Spartans LOL

Spartans in action

So, Sunday was fun but I was a bit stressed out the whole day. It was raining and usually a little drizzle over my head means that I will get sick! I dressed up very well, had winter running pants, a tank top, long sleeve t-shirt, think cotton hoodie, a rain jacket over all, wool socks and a running cap. I planned in case sun came out I could peel the layers out.

And there you see me wearing all my gear, I was comfy and felt protected, that's important for me!
Well, despite the rain, the cold, and all the rest, I still did not get sick and woke up today Monday feeling awesome, well rested after 9 hours of sleep and ready to visit my Family Doctor who had results from last week's blood tests.

Next Post... Results from the Blood Test and Doctor's Advise... oh please!

Serenity, Homework and Fear...yes, Fear!

Things are calm here. I'm back to normal and wondering for how long. I sure feel better and will be ready if this thing attacks again, with my Chinese weapon in hand!

Next Tuesday is my Appointment with Ethan so I will keep you posted on any new events.

In the meantime...
I reading Yoga Literature and doing homework, catching up with my life.

Wednesday I went running again, adding another 5K to my log :-) really cool, this time with a steady pace, strong legs and a clear and calm mind. It felt good to run!
Thursday I went to Ashtanga Yoga with Frank, a great teacher with experience in Martial Arts who adds a Martial flare to his classes, specially when I visit, and I love it! I also taught a Kickboxing Class in the evening, it was a good class, as I said before, I feel strong and ready... for what? We will see.
Friday it was Budokon day.  '...Practice and all is coming'.

And Friday I realized something important is happening in my body... OVULATION!!!! OK, I don't mean to be graphic and this is not an invitation to anyone getting/suggesting ideas on what to do when I'm going through this stages in my cycle. I'm sharing this info because this is when I get sick, this is the time when things get rocky. And this time for the first time in a looooooong time I'm fine, not sick and nowhere near feeling sick. In fact I did not realize I was going through the process until the obvious was obvious (if you are a lady you know exactly what I mean) and so I right away logged the info on my PDA a.k.a iPod Touch where I have an app called Menstrual Calendar and where I keep track of all this info and I started to worry, just a bit. Since yesterday I'm feeling a bit scared that the monster is going to hit and that I won't see it but so far so good and here I am going through my process like any normal chick should, felling happy and sexy! I worked out really hard today, 90 minutes of  Kickboxing, great workout and in the back of my head the fear that I should not strain my body so I don't get sick.
After that and a good shower I drove to Ethan's place, he was teaching today and needed guinea pigs for Tui-Na massages, so I showed up with my friend and we both got an awesome mini massage, free of charge :-) which was perfect to ease my mind and relax my body.
This process lasts 3-4 days so by Tuesday (I have an appointment with Ethan) we will see if things actually were smooth or not, so far so good! I didn't tell Ethan anything, you know maybe I tell him I'm perfect and the next day I'm down. I only told hubby and he was happy to see me healthy and bubbly.
I'm also keeping up with my Chinese Tea, am I getting used to it? NO... Do I like it better now? NO... Will I continue drinking this horrible tasting concoction? YES if it helps with the process! Period!!! (no pun intended) LOL

Tomorrow, is the Spartan Race in Mont Tremblant, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sPEka2VYbg&feature=related and I'm going with my friends, we are not racing, we are going to encourage the boys from CrossFit CapOp and Training Mobs. Tomorrow I will post pictures and comments about it.

Now, off to bed, to rest and dream of health and love :-)

Thursday came and with it the storm...

Little I knew what was coming.

Thursday I had to visit the clinic, a bunch of blood tests to do. My family doctor wanted to check many things and so, more than 15 tubes were filled with my blood. I was suggested to do this tests months ago but I was done with western medicine, couldn't take another vague answer or another prescription. So it took me a while to get there and finally get it done.

I had my drink (chinese herbs) the night before as usual, not knowing if it was going to affect the blood test, I honestly didn't care much for the blood test. Didn't feel like breaking the rhythm, things were smooth and I wanted to keep it that way.
Thursday I was in crying mode, not sure why I was crying, I'm feeling nostalgic and maybe a bit sad (que patetica!!!) I also had diarrhea, rare thing for me (now, that's serious sh*t, no pun intended!).
I had all this feelings girls talk about before their period. I never had them before or maybe very mild many years ago, when I was a teenager, I even feel like eating lots of sugary things. I guess all that is more representative of the monthly process than being sick, and I assumed that as we worked to break that pattern, the regular/common state comes out and sets it.
If I was going to feel more like girls do when that time comes, I was fine with it, I can certainly deal with that!
The morning was quiet, I had breakfast after the blood tests, I was a bit cold and was being a crying baby.
And, let me add some sneezing to that, nothing serious though, It seems silly but if I get just a bit cold my body reacts immediately and I sneeze. So I wasn't too worry about anything, I sent a message to Ethan with this news so he would be prepared for the next day, not that he needed my advise, the man is brilliant and an excellent practitioner, I am very happy to have found him!
For moral support I asked my husband to try the drink, he did, his words: "not so bad, smoky flavor. Whatever it is, keep drinking, you are sleeping good, snoring loud. You're feeling better, and your snarky sense of humor is back, so definitely on the right path, now stop crying"

Then noon came and with it my period and with it the sneezing monster. Amazing, how with the first drop of blood the sneezing starts and I can't control it! I don't mean to be graphic but that is exactly what happens!!! I mean all morning I was kind of fine and BOOM!!!! period comes and that means that I sneeze my life away!
I sneezed non-stop, 10 times, 20 times, may times, it was bad. I decided to be strong and keep up with it. Meditation helped very little, I lay in bed waiting for it to go away but it doesn't. Off I go to work and the reaction of everyone is "OMG you sick again", "wow, you looking terrible today with the allergies", "I think the TCM is not helping you at all, look at you", "oh, she is sick again"... and I teach 2 hours of Kickboxing feeling really bad, sneezing like crazy, and wanting to go home badly.
I get home, sneeze away all night, sleep very little and cry so much feeling devastated, the sneezing monster attacked again and there was nothing I could do about it. I felt defeated. Had been drinking the horrible tasting concoction, done the exercises, followed every suggestion to the T and what happens? This! I am sick again!

Friday I have my app with Ethan and I get there swiming in a sea of tears, I couldn't control myself. I felt a bit silly to be there crying. And I had the drink with me so he could taste it.
He explains that it is all ok, that things are actually better and to let my emotions run freely, there is nothing wrong with feeling melancolic and crying a bit. But I was mad at the whole thing happening again. I was so congested from crying that I couldn't tell if the sneezing was totally gone, I mean I was not sneezing right there but I had the symptoms and well from all the crying I couldn't really tell what was what. I got my treatment, a back massage, needles that hurt very very much and I was left there to rest under a blanket.
Ethan drank the conconction and I think he liked it!!!! He didn't make any face, he even took two more sips of it and his reaction, very much like hubby's, hhhmmmm smoky flavor, not bad at all! I was hoping he would hate it and feel my pain! No mercy!
We also spoke about feelings, emotion, decisions that are coming my way. He promised that all this will be over soon, sometimes it takes months to get things back to normal. This time we talked a lot, I think this appointment was more about moral support,  I felt reassured, until I left... as soon as I got into the car, I started sneezing again, hard. What a nightmare. I was discouraged. And I sneezed away all weekend up to yesterday (Monday 23rd).
I sent an email to Ethan about my discoveries after much thought during my weekend. Somehow in all that sneezing, crying and feeling sorry for myself I found the light. 

After much thought and some tough hours sneezing and crying this is what I came out with. Perspective!
I was sick again, YES! Was it as bad as the previous months, NO, in fact not at all!!!

I feel defeated, angry, frustrated, annoyed, sad, depressed, blah blah blah (Oh Lord so many words I could use) every time I get a sneezing case, when in fact I can start feeling relieved that it is not as bad as before and that even though I am sneezing I can still function and do all the things I usually do, so really, suck it up and stop whining, it could be worse and you know it! (I'm talking to myself).

Yes I was still sneezing hard on friday and saturday, and the moment I got out of bed on sunday the sniffles started, annoying, yes! impeding me from going to work and live my life, no! So I decide to take a pill saturday morning and sunday morning and before I felt bummed about it, I took two minutes to think about it. I took the pill and time to breath, relax and see clear.

It hasn't been bad at all, in previous months and for over two years I was sick almost every two weeks, very sick, in bed and even had to skip work and since last October I had to stop most of my physical practice, because any physical strain would bring a cold or a respiratory track infection.

I started Traditional Chinese Medicine treatments on March 25th, I was very sick the week before my first appointment and the week after, so TCM came to play right in the middle of my monthly process. But after that I have not been seriously sick, some rough moments yes! Some crying yes! Some back pain yes! And it is all related to the work done on me.

It is now about two months that I'm in treatment and I have taken 4 pills in two months, FOUR!!!! I usually go through boxes of allergy/cold pills in a weekend, taking up to 6-8 a day, 2 pills every 4 or 6 hours as per doctor's directions or out of desperation. And when allergy season starts I am supposed, by doctor's orders, to take ONE pill a day from april to december, which I of course don't do and haven't done at all this year!

So, really,  it is not that bad, in fact is all GOOD!!!!!

I sleep like a baby!
I'm back to practice all the sports I love!
My toe is perfect,  I can wear high heels and kick ass!
I have not missed work in two months!!!
My sense of humour is back, I'm snarky funny me again :-)
I feel more educated and comprehend better what happens to my body when I get sick.
And I have even come to face my fears, hold my ground and fight for what I believe without fear of rejection or isolation. This is huge!

This time I allowed my emotions to take control and I lost perspective.
My next goal, is to control my mind from playing this tricks on me. If I get another sneezing episode, for sure I will have small episodes, I understand that it is going to take a while before all of it goes away, I have to be mentally prepared. I think this time I was more "mentally sick" than the actual sneezing. Things could have probably gone better if I was calmer and grounded, if I was more cool and understanding of the whole process. I know why I feel better/calmer/safe when I see Ethan, because adding to all the work he does, his words help ease the thoughts in my mind, he is objective and uninfluenced by emotions.
So, overwhelmed by own emotions, as soon as I left the office, felt sick again.

If I could get to be calm, objective and unaffected by emotions on my own I will for sure feel much better when the sneezing monsters attacks again. I will definitely be more careful about how I react next time this happens, I mean, more action less reaction. And actually, the chinese herbs even tasted better this morning... well not really, but I was happy to drink.

Now, I am not completely cured but I feel that a big heavy weight has been lifted off of me and I am on the way to stronger than ever me.
Monday I was still sneezing a bit, nothing serious, I decided not to take pills, just chill and let it be. I was off from work so nothing to worry about. I went to buy some more herbs and passed by my favorite hang out place, Lululemon Athletica St-Denis, talked to the Pros, Mathieu Dumontet from CrossFit CapOp
http://www.crossfitcapop.com/ and my Favorite Superhero Peter, a.k.a. Paleo Pete http://www.paleopete.blogspot.com/ both gave me great advise on running and positive thinking. So as I got home went running in the evening, snifles and company couldn't stop me from running my best run. 4.97K in about half an hour, not bad not bad :-)

My next appointment is Tuesday 31st and as of today things are back to normal, you guessed right, menses is gone and with it the sickness and the problems.Tonight I am teaching Kickboxing and I'm so ready to kick @$$... Are you?

Friday the 13th

Friday the 13th is here and I have an appointment with Ethan, finally, the week was long!

Acupuncture, Back Massage, Bone Cracking-boob squashing, and all the likes. He has a plan for what happened, he was totally prepared and armed with a prescription for Chinese Herbs, this time, the real deal, no more powders, I have to go to the Chinese Pharmacy (well, he calls it the store, I call it the pharmacy) and get this:

This formula is rather big, special, lots of ingredients, it is called:
Xiao Chai Hu Tang + Si Wu Tang with additions (Cold Quell)
We are going to shock my system, so bad that it won't know what hit it! Now, we are talking my language!!! LOL
There is a special way to cook this and I'm excited because I love cooking and this is going to be fun. I hear that this could taste very bad, but at this point I am so desperate that if someone told me that eating sh*t is the cure I would probably eat it, so I am going to drink this, no matter how bad it tastes. Twice a day, day and night, drink away babe!
I am supposed to start drinking this on Monday 16th since I thought that my period was to come in about 7 to 10 days counting from Friday 13th, WRONG!!! I got home and Friday night the signs were there, It was coming, I knew it! So I started drinking on Saturday night.
OMG the taste is BAD, really BAD, HORRIBLE... Really, I have no words to describe it!!! BAD, I just drink, no time to complain. It is however hard to swallow.

The weekend went well and smooth, I felt the sniffles wanting to take over but I didn't pay attention and it didn't happen. This weekend I started my Ashtanga Yoga studies under Mark & Shankara Darby, what a beautiful experience, amazing teachers, beautiful space, loved the whole weekend, except for the drink!
I sent a warning (OK, an email) to Ethan to let him know that there is no way I can go long drinking that! and that I'm not sure how I am supposed to feel after drinking it. I was supposed to drink for four days but four days passed, no period and no more herbs. His advise:  "get four more. I know you are tough so the taste... well it's not a big concern. Please plan to bring some with you next time you come so I can taste it too"  Aha!!!! I am so happy that someone else is going to drink this concoction, and I'm finally going to get him back, can't wait to see his face when he drinks! I won't be the only one drinking this!!!
I asked Hubby to taste my drink, he says NO!!!
And so, the weekend went away and I was feeling fine until Thursday morning came and the storm with it... here we go again!

Catching up...

So, as I said in the previous post, things were looking good, the month of April was quiet and I've been sleeping like a baby, 8 hours and more a day. Did not miss work this month and apart from some sniffles here and there, the world was starting to turn again... for me.

So, May comes and I start my running endeavours. I bought the shoes, remember the pink rockets on the previous post? I bought a watch to measure the distance, time, calories, etc. and off I went running. Oh, I almost forgot, Hubby (yes, I have a Hubby, he is awesome, we will talk about him sometime, he comes up often with his smart insights and dark sense of humour) gave me a book to learn about running. He used to run and thought the book would be of great help (how sweet of him), indeed the book has proven to be very good, simple to read and offers great advise.
The Competitive Runner's Handbook. Bob Glover and Pete Schuder. The Complete Training Program For All Distance Running.

Do I have a plan? I want to run the 10K
How am I going to do it? Running...duh!
So, first things first: Go running... and here I go!

My first run was a wet run, it was raining and hubby said, it doesn't matter, runners don't care about the weather. So, I look through my closet and found out I have plenty of gear for running in extreme weather. OK, a little drizzle is not extreme weather, but for me it was!

You can see Baby Spark in the picture, aaawww my sweet doggy!
OK, back to running, I ran 2.8K in about 18 minutes. It is not a lot but it was a start, my start! I felt good about my cardio and breathing, at one point my legs were feeling heavy, I guess that's normal. I came home and was sweaty inside but perfectly protected on the outside, not too hot, not cold at all.

2nd Run. 3.22K, weather was mild outside and I wore less than the first day, sun was shinning, wind was cold (found out while running)

I was feeling strong and my stride was firm and fast. The choice on what to wear was very good too up to my neck, yes, my ears started to feel cold, very cold, to the point of hurting, I started running with my hands over my ears LOL and ended up going back home, it was a pain, in the ears LOL
I felt that if it wasn't for the ears I could have gone forever, OK not forever but a for longer run.

On the same day I had an appointment with Ethan, the Chinese Doctor, I got there all pumped and feeling awesome, even though I had the sniffles, some stupid sneezing I didn't care much for. The month had been so smooth that when he asked about my cycle, I said lightly, Ovulation time already passed and I'm feeling great, so he started working on the SER (Somato-Emotional Release) and at one point in my treatment he left and a lady came in to announce in a very sweet voice that she was giving me a back massage, I was surprised, didn't expect it, she applied some hot oil in my back and warned that it will heat my spine, and then she started the massage. A deep, painful massage, she was going vertebra by vertebra, I felt that she was moving each one of them and I was in pain, I was shy to tell her that it hurt, somehow the voice in my head was telling me that I was being a cry baby, she was sent there to give me a massage and that I was not to say anything, and she kept going, at one point I couldn't take it anymore and I voiced out my "It hurts" and she asked, where does it hurt? but by then it was too late, Ethan came in, she was done with me! They exchanged some words and I was crying my heart out. I couldn't stop crying. He said it was normal, it was part of the SER process and I was not to feel sad about anything. Enjoy your emotions and live them, he said, or so I understood.
Ethan is very cool, he has a very positive view on all events and every time pain, emotions or anything comes up he would say, "that's cool", "oh very good", "I'm not too worry about it" and even one day I got hit by a car from behind (I was driving too) and my neck was hurting. he said: "that's so cool" Me: wwhhhhhhaaaaaa???? He: "well, you were driving here, so I can fix that right away". So clever!
He finished the treatment with the bone cracking, this time I did not laugh,  nothing funny about it anymore. And I went home crying. That was Friday May 6th and here is a resume of my weekend went... Horrible!
This is part of the email I wrote to Ethan to let him know how I was feeling. The first email I exchange with him.

Friday 6th was the sneezing day! The sneezing went on after I left the office, it was actually worse than the morning, but I somehow thought that it was something to expect after the treatment and that eventually later in the day I would feel better, that didn't happen. I sneezed so much and so hard on Friday that I couldn't do much, just lay down and by 8:30pm I was asleep and exhausted (last thing I remember was looking at the time).
I also found out on Friday that it was ovulation time for me, I  misread the signs of my body and thought it was last week when I was in fact going through/starting the process on Friday (don't ask me for details, I just know and I'm 100% sure), so here I go again with this thing ovulation/period=sneezes/allergies/cold/sickness

I have to say that I've felt better since I started the treatments and my last period was uneventful, which was a bit of a miracle but once again it happened... Bummer!!!

Saturday 7th: I slept 12 hours!!! And the moment I got up the sneezing started, non-stop. My abs were sore from sneezing and my nose was beyond sensitive and irritated. I had to work, so I took my allergy medicine and even though it didn't stop it completely, it got me through my classes, the longest 4 four hours ever! Didn't want to take the pills but had little choice. After class the sneezing came back stronger and by then, I was tired, and mentally gone! Couldn't think clear anymore. I cried my heart out in disappointment at I don't know what and I just laid down and sneezed away. Sunday I had to attend a big workshop, couldn't miss it, I was teaching the workshop!!! What a nightmare, so I took one more pill but after two hours nothing happened so I took another one and went to bed (around 10pm) and suddenly the sneezing was gone but my heart was about to get out of my chest, racing, out of control, I was sure a heart attack was coming to get me, I couldn't even move without my heart going bananas inside my chest, how scary! So I did not sleep at all on Saturday, scared, tired, preoccupied, felling stupid for taking that pill. The sneezes were gone though!

Sunday 8th: Exhausted from sneezing and lack of sleep went to work with a choppy heart rate, a horrible back pain, dry eyes and mouth, the effects of the pill for sure, well at least I wasn't sneezing!... for a short while! After work I went home and straight to bed, still sneezing but I didn't care anymore, was mentally and physically tired, I cried my eyes out until I fell asleep. Slept 8 hours

Monday 9th: I woke up feeling "better" in the sense that even though my nose and eyes were a bit itchy I wasn't sneezing. I am however tired and have very little energy and I'm not referring to energy for work, move or do what I have to do, but that super cool feeling I have when I get treatments. All that is gone and I wish I knew how to get it back :-(
I practiced Yoga today looking to restore some of that energy but not sure it helped. My whole body is sore, painful joints (shoulders, elbows, knees, ankles), back pain, wrinkles... Feels like I've had a rough weekend!

I had to contact the Chinese Doctor on Tuesday 10th because I was going nuts!!! And,  I didn't talk to anybody about any of this, fear of being labeled as something, fear of I don't know what, but I've kept this very secret from my world and only my family doctor, mom and husband know the extent of it. Well now, Ethan knows and you all.
As I told you in previous posts  my monthly attacks are usually this intense or worse and they happen twice a month, usually ovulation time, then a week goes by uneventful and it comes back as I get my period.
Last month it was pretty much uneventful. I was so happy :-)

Wednesday 12th I was feeling "better" (lack of a better word), I was not sneezing anymore, in fact like nothing happened during the weekend. I went running and training that morning and did my things all day feeling OK. I am supposed to pass by Ethan's to pick up a Chinese Medicine, he wants to see me for a couple of minutes. I hate when this happens, hate to explain to people/doctor that I was sick but then they look at me and I look totally fine and of course I'm told that I'm crazy. And, I really wish I know what to do when this happens without having to jump right away into the pills.
I went to pick up the Herbs and The Chinese Doctor assures me that I'm not crazy at all. And as usual, he is not worried about it yet, "we didn't totally break the pattern in one shot but no big deal".  He also thinks that he got sidetracked by the SER so we didn't stay on top of the "allergy thing", so I have to go back on the herbs, this time Ba Zheng Tang. Granules that I mix with hot water and drink twice a day, taste factor: OK, it could taste better!
He asks when I'm expecting menses and I respond 7 to 10 days... WRONG!!!!! More on that, next post, on the scary Friday!

In the meantime, I went running again :-)

Short & Sweet: 3.46K and again posting my outfit because my sister from another mother Stef (that's a long story and I love my sister, she is awesome) loves to check out my running outfits.

I'm drinking the herbs and Friday 13th... scary.... is my next app with Ethan, can't wait!!!

My life is Movement

So after the monthly monster went away and I somehow had more peace of mind and the help of my Chinese Doctor [he is not Chinese, but how am I supposed to call him?] the Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner, see, that's too long! I decide to move a bit more and start going back to what I love the most, movement!

In the next month I started doing more Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga to be more exact. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashtanga_Vinyasa_Yoga to complement what has been my primary practice for the last three years, Budokon, a Living Art that combines Yoga, Martial Arts and Zen Meditation.
In the words of my Teacher and creator of Budokon, Kancho Cameron Shayne :

"Budokon is a living art. By that I mean it is the art of living. It is your waking and your sleeping, your walking and your sitting, your living and your dying. I cannot say that it is more special than any other art. In fact, it is not special at all. It is the practitioner who brings all that the art is, all that the art will ever be. Budokon is not about gaining ideas. There is nothing to gain from it. It is simply a way. Our way is the Zen way. We are not a religion or a devotional practice. We do not practice to become enlightened. We practice because we are enlightened. If you are seeking something in order to gain something, this is the wrong practice. Budokon is empty of gaining ideas. If you believe there is something to gain from it, you will always be disappointed by it. This is the first lesson in our art. We must come to it, like all things, with a pure mind, free from attachment and gaining ideas. This is why we suffer. Budokon is freedom from suffering, nothing more."
http://www.budokon.com/

I am also focusing on my Budokon physical practice and some more advanced techniques that have been challenging for me. So, the month of April has been filled with Yoga, Budokon, reading beautiful and pertinent books, and some Martial Practice as well.

I was invited to a party to celebrate and meet the Ambassadors of Lululemon in Montreal. What a beautiful night, a very special event where I met wonderful people. The night started with a Yoga Class led by the beautiful, sweet and talented Yasmin from Yasmin Yoga http://www.yasminyoga.com/, inspiring and fun, really fun! And the night kept rolling with great music, yummy food and of course the Lululemon Ambassadors who are awesome people, how do I know they are awesome? because I am one of them! *shy face and laughs*  Yogis, Runners, Athletes, Dancers, Kung-Fu, Cross Fit, Capoeira, Budokon, many arts, styles and sports represented, it was a great networking event. And there I got great advise and upcoming meetings to acquire more knowledge on my next stunt, Running 10K in the Montreal Marathon!
http://www.eventsonline.ca/events/marathon_de_montreal/ , this may sound like a regular thing to you, however, I am not a runner and have done very little running in my life. So, with the help of the best in town and all the love and support I get from Lululemon Athletica St-Denis, here I go, hunting for shoes and preparing for my 10K in September!
I decide to run the 10K to celebrate my body and the willpower I have to get things done. I will get better and come out of this monthly sickness very soon, and I will do whatever it takes to get there, the same way I am going to complete and cross the finish line at this 10K.
Also at this party I was given the Gift of Yoga by my friends at Lululemon St-Denis and with that gift I decide to deepen my knowledge in Ashtanga Yoga and study under the best in Montreal: Mark Darby at Sattva Yoga Shala. http://www.sattvayogashala.com/about%20us.html

So, this month brought lots of love, peace, health and challenges and so far I'm keeping up with it!
If you are wondering why Running, why Ashtanga Yoga and not more Martial Arts? Well, I love Martial Arts and is my passion, so I tend to run to it most of the time, it is definitely my comfort zone, I am no master in any way but it is what I love the most so I don't find it challenging/difficult to get things done in that field. Right now I get my fair share of Karate, Taekwondo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Boxing and Kickboxing.
Now, Yoga is a different thing, I started practicing Yoga regularly 3 years ago when Budokon came to my life and even though it is a vital part of the practice I haven't work to achieve my maximum potential in it, again I tend to do the martial practice more often. So studying Ashtanga Yoga will be a powerful complement to my practice and the first weekend proved to be a great challenge!
And the Run, well, something new, motivating, special, this is all about new challenges and achievement! And a super cool pair of running shoes (yay!!! more shoes... I love shoes).

Insomma, the month has been filled with movement, lots if it!
And to complete this post, what I do:
I am a Fitness Professional, have been in the field since 1998 and I specialize in Group Fitness, even though I am a Personal Trainer too. I've taught Step, Hi-Low, Zumba, Spinning, Toning, Latin Dance, you name it, I have done it! In the last 5-6 years I have come to focus more on Fitness Kickboxing which is more my strength and what I love the most. So to be more clear, I teach Fitness/Cardio Kickboxing (not Tae-Bo/Billy Blanks Style at all! if you are wondering), it is more a fusion of Cardio Drills, Kickboxing Techniques and Fighting Combinations, really fun, I love it and the participants love it too! For many of the classes we use Boxing Gloves, Focus Pad, Jumping Ropes and all that comes with that type of training. Sometimes I also teach only the Cardio drills for the people that want to sweat it all out and punch the air, well, there is nothing wrong with it.
I also conduct certifications for Fitness Kickboxing Canada in the Montreal Area. http://www.fitnesskickboxingcanada.ca/
 I teach corporate classes as well, a different approach, people that want to keep in shape and disconnect from work even for an hour, increasing their productivity at work and breaking the routine of the week. For this classes I like to use what I call the Mind/Body/Fitness Model, every week is different and it can go from Pilates to Budokon to Functional Training to stretching to Dancing, many options, all fun and beneficial.
And finally, my beloved Budokon. I am a Certified Budokon Teacher, currently a Blue Belt and the Regional Director, so I teach the art and represent Budokon International here in Montreal. I take care of organizing events, certification, workshops and teacher trainings with the Master, he comes to Montreal 3 times during the year and I make sure that things run smooth and without glitches :-)
You can experience my Budokon classes at Lululemon athletica St-Denis anytime, get their schedule and find me there!
I also teach at The Ohan Brothers Martial Arts School in St-Leonard, at Ashley TaeKwondo School, at Studio Locomotion (off for the summer) and at the Jarry Park during the summer.
There are many other teachers in Montreal as well, so find them in the budokon web page and enjoy the fun!

Next post, some insight on my running training, some pictures and as April away and May comes the monster returns unexpected...

More Treatments, More needles, Sweet Sleep and Good Training... Life is good!

Yes, after some more treatments, I'm feeling better and certainly more active. I'm back to training regularly, apart from the classes I teach, I've made the time to train and it feels good.
I sleep better, so I have more energy to do things and I'm loving it.
Yoga 2-3 times a week, Budokon 2-3 times a week, Kickboxing/Taekwondo once a week, even running (my new challenge, we will talk about that later).
www.budokon.com

In the following weeks I have received different treatments including more acupuncture, back massage, some TLC for my toe which after three treatments is actually almost perfect! I can bend it, it doesn't hurt at all, it doesn't get purple when I kick and the best of all, I can wear high heels again!!!! Well, after all I'm a girl and I love high heels :-)

OK, I took that picture while organizing my closet and thought it was so appropriate to describe how much I love shoes LOL
April started to go smooth right after I passed my period and right after Ethan worked on all the issues that the process brings along and things were looking normal, well, things go back to normal like nothing happened after the monthly nightmare goes away and with it all the symptoms.

Ethan had also been working a lot on my back and something that he called SER, Somato-Emotional Release.
This is what I found on it:
... "Somato-Emotional Release is a therapeutic procedure that uses the concepts of cranio-sacral therapy to free the body and mind of the discomforting side effects of trauma. The therapy focuses on establishing a strong mind-body connection in order for the release of emotional trauma and the resolution of physical symptoms... Somato-Emotional Release is beneficial to patients who are experiencing problems associated with injuries, physical trauma, car accidents, challenging life experiences, and surgery. The release process can be modified to suit the needs of each individual, thereby bringing optimal relief. It can be used as a complimentary therapy to help relieve physical conditions that are intensified by stress, tension, and anxiety. Somato-Emotional Release is a form of therapy that uses the power of the body-mind connection to facilitate change and the healing process, allowing the body to fully recover from traumatic experiences.
Now, if you are wondering how all this relates to my experience, here it goes:

In the last two years, maybe more, I have been getting sick every month, twice a month, for 3 to 7 days, even more, depending on how good (or bad) things go.
I get Allergies/Cold symptoms every month, they start with ovulation, lasting from 3 to 7 days and they come back with the period, lasting another week or so. I have been to the doctor, done blood tests, and many other tests and received vague answers, I am weak during my period, my immune systems gets compromised during that period, so I am more disposed to getting sick. I have to rest, eat better, sleep better, relax, blah blah blah, really... OK I don't sleep very good but I eat well, I am careful specially during that time, it is been a while that I don't even train as I used to. And the worst thing is that as years pass things get worse.
On a regular month, I get sick as I get my period or ovulate, an allergy attack (how I call it) that last about three days, it could get worse if things get out of control and I might end up with a respiratory tract infection, bronchitis, a fever, I have to stay in bed, miss work and all of the likes. My body hurts, specially all my joints, and last year I was diagnosed with Arthritis and sent to a Reumatologist who said this could be the result of an infection and sent me home with another pill to add to the list, oh gosh... all this has not been unusual in the last two years. In fact people that know me would say that I always have a cold. At one point in all this my doctor thought that I was going through a depression and that everything could be in my head... aaaaaarrrrrgggggg... well, now it seems that I am crazy, I don't think I am but certainly heading there! I don't know what to do anymore about this and don't want to be sick ever again. So in the last 6 months things are getting worse and my emotions are all over the place, stress levels are very high and I am extremely worry about getting sick every month, I can even track it and know exactly when I'm getting sick, it is so precise that as the first drop of blood comes out of my body the sneezing starts! Sorry, I don't mean to be so graphic, well, yes I do!
It is very discouraging to be very sick for about 3-7 days and then everything goes away like nothing happened, I am OK for a week and the next week it comes back and the roller coaster starts again.
I have tried many remedies, I have taken many pills, specially when I have to work and deal with the symptoms, so I take lots of Antihistamines and when those don't work I swallow cold/flu pills, syrups, anything that would help, at the end it is not pretty, I know all this is toxic and I can't keep going on like that, so I was happy to find Ethan and to have such a smooth month. And to be even more honest I didn't talk much about this to other people for fear of being tagged as a crazy cuckoo, so I was keeping it all to myself lately.
So, insomma, I started to see Ethan right after a sneezing attack, after the second appointment it was period time and apart from some sniffles and little pain it all went smooth, so things were looking bright plus all the work he was doing on me felt so good and beneficial. I was in heaven, until...

In the next post, what I did with that blessed month of not being sick! from April 5th to exactly April 6th.
and some info on what I do for a living and for fun :-)

Day 2... Let the fun begin!

March 29th 2011, noon and here I am with a very weird back pain waiting for the Chinese Doctor to see me.

He explains that adjusting the back and allowing it to be in alignment is very important for this process and well, yes, it hurts a bit. It is a surprise for me since I NEVER had any back pain or problems and I actually thought my back was quiet strong, wrong! After a set of exercises on the ground we discover that my back is lacking strength, that I rely on my abdominal wall to perform some of the exersices and that I should do some new exercises to allow my back to get stronger and aligned.
So some of the exercises are, to lie on by back and lift the legs slowly while keeping the abs engaged and the lower back grounded, no rocking motions and no lifting the lower back of the ground. I'm getting there!
Another exercise is to roll a big towel/yoga mat or a foam roller and place under the scapulae and lie there for 5 minutes or more, it is very uncomfortable but very beneficial at the same time. I often times forget to do this exercise, how convenient!
He also suggested another exercise to allow Qi to flow throughout the body. It is some sort of squat position, feet parallel to each other, wider than hip apart, feet pointing forward and knees following the alignment of the feet, tail bone pointing down to the ground, hips are lowered to a point in which is easy to maintain balance (I keep rocking back and forth, it is not easy to keep the posture and the balance at the same time) and arms are lifted in front of you, palms facing your chest, arms are relaxed. I am supposed to stay there for some time, minutes. I feel that this posture helps to develop patience, yes patience, it is not easy for me to stay there like a three and just breath. I do it it too sometimes, but I also forget... very convenient, again!

In this appointment we talk more about what I am going through, the steps to follow to feel better and we also talk about Traditional Chinese Medicine, I have so many questions. Ethan explains and works at the same time, this time more needles, and again, they hurt and I feel like a burning sensation where the needles are placed, I feel like a bunch of ants are walking up my legs. He also works on my head and neck and sometimes I feel some sort of heat wave (for a lack of a better description) going up and down my body. I kind of like the whole experience, and it feels freaky too.
He takes my pulse, sometimes twice in the same appointment and he also asks me to stick my tongue out (funny LOL) to check the "moss" on my tongue, to which I might be a problem 'tampering evidence" since I am usually chewing gum and he asks me to throw it... oooppppssss, saw-ree...
He checks my toes and chuckles in announcement that, "it is nothing serious", after all I will be OK, and he sticks needles on and around the offenders (the toes) and OUCH!!!!! I scream again, and I feel the thing working, whatever is called, it itches and send all this energy around my feet and legs!!!!
And again, the bone cracking session begins and I start laughing without shame, loud like I usually laugh when something really funny comes up, this however is not funny but somehow I get this laughing attack that makes me a bit shy, well, I feel shy, it doesn't make me anything, if you know what I mean. And then I complain that he is crushing my boobs on the intent of cracking my upper back bones, this time is Ethan who  says saw-ree and he keeps crushing and I keep laughing.
I feel very good after the whole thing, another 90 minutes of pure bliss, I just want to go home and crash, sleep and let my body absorb it all. We set another meeting for next week.

I ask for more information on TCM, he recommends a very good book, The Web That Has No Weaver, Understanding Traditional Chinese Medicine. Very interesting and an open door to the Chinese Healing Art.
I am also reading A Tooth From The Tiger's Mouth by Tom Bisio, there is some controversy around Bisio and this book but I don't know the details and won't get into that. I find the book helpful as well!
And to unwind into a more relaxed less serious lecture I'm reading The Way Of A Warrior, John F. Gilbey (Robert W. Smith), and The Fighter's Mind, Sam Sheridan. Fantastic books, lot of laugh and light for me.

Resuming, I'm liking the experience and from today to the next appoitnemnt, lots of events. I got my period and with it, the allergies/cold symptoms again (ggggrrrrr). I also experienced lots of back pain, not related to my monthly process since it is nothing I have experienced before, I think is more due to the treatments and the exercises, a total body soreness that is hard to explain, my toes hurt a bit a bit as well, I am tired and also cried quiet a bit, feel a bit depressed and worried (I don't know what I'm worried about though). I have to add that even thoguh I felt all those symptoms and emotions I still managed to work out all week, yes, Yoga, Grapling, Sparring, I worked out all week and it felt good! I also slept better and better everyday, going from 4 hours to up 8 hours per night. I feels good to be able to sleep!
It seems that with this treatment I got all my symptoms, aches and pains to flare up and resurface, well, good thing, so I can see clear and start treating them or should say dismissing them!
Next appoitnment, more details and maybe some links and pictures to ilustrate my experience a bit more.

Love and light,
Mo

Preparing for my 1st TCM appointment

I had no idea what to expect, read a bit about it on the Internet and prepared a list of some of the issues I had lately, and by lately I mean the last two and a half years.


This is what I wrote on my note book:


Common denominator:
Period/Ovulation = Cold Symptoms/Allergy(sneezing,itchy eyes,etc)
Bronchitis/Respiratory Tract Infections/Influenza and all the likes :-(
*Lasting from 2-7 days


Hair Loss/Itchy Dry Flaky Scalp
Dermatitis/Rashes
Insomnia/Stress/Restless Mind
Cold Hands/Feet
Acne/Dry Skin
Arthritis


Injuries:
Right shoulder (Inflammation due to over use)... stop using it Duh!
Left Hip (Inflammation due to Over use) ... Yeah, I know...
Right Foot, Broken Toes.


And with that in hand I made it to Ethan's office.
A nice, clean place, it looked more like a Dojo to me. On one side mats, clearly a training area (Ethan, the Chinese Doctor is a Martial Artist as well). On the other side, big windows, lots of light coming in, a library and many books, lovely plants, a cute little bird singing loud, a kitchen, a bathroom and two small cubicles for treatments. The whole place smelled of something I couldn't describe, it was not unpleasant but it wasn't a nice smell either, I found out later, on my own, what that was.


I got there early and was was excited with anticipation, didn't know what to expect. And there he was with a warm smile and a questionnaire of 4-5 pages with very detailed and personal questions, now this looked serious. He walked in and out of both cubicles, he looked serious and busy.
I was asked to wear comfy clothes, yoga-like wear. What for? Am I going to stretch? Little I knew what was coming!!!


He walked me into a small room, clean, very clean and I was asked to lie on my back and to stick my tongue out, so funny (in my head). We spoke about my monthly issue before over the phone because just days before my appointment I was sick, again! And he was asking smart questions, he seemed to be prepared for today. He didn't speak much, he worked on me, it seems that he had a lot to work on, and he wanted to get the best out of his time and help me out right away, first thing, get me to sleep!
And after that, I was lying on my stomach and Ethan gave me a back massage, it felt good but at the same time it was not a relaxing massage, he was checking my back, which he said had a lot of tension and back health is an important factor when it comes to treating my overall condition. So, he started pressing hard on my vertebrae, I think checking the alignment of my spine. Spinal Alignment is believed to be important to keep you in a healthy state. When the spine is misaligned, immune function becomes impaired and many other problems arise. And it seems that the flow of my Qi is impaired as well, o sea, my Qi is not flowing properly throughout my body, and for that the needles came in handy... so turn around (me of course), pull your pants up and the needles are out and he stuck them on me... OUCH!!!! that hurts!!!
He then covered me with a blanket so I wouldn't be cold and then he started working on my head, my neck, pressing some points behind my neck, massaging my skull and even touching my ears, all very soothing. I didn't ask many questions.

There are many definitions for Qi, I like this sentence,
"The ancient Chinese described it as "life-force". They believed Qi permeated everything and linked their surroundings together. They likened it to the flow of energy around and through the body, forming a cohesive and functioning unit. By understanding its rhythm and flow they believed they could guide exercises and treatments to provide stability and longevity".

Back to my treatment. I was cold he said, cold inside my body, my organs maybe? Cold was ruining the whole homeostasis thing for me and I had to protect myself from it. 

Homeostasis is the body's ability to maintain a normal physiological state when external conditions change. When extreme changes, like the weather strike, those changes have an effect on the body, this can become stressed because it has to work harder to keep all systems running smoothly. To help the body maintain a healthy state, measures should be taken to assist the body in attaining balance on the emotional and physical level. When the systems in the body work together harmoniously and are balanced, homeostasis is achieved.
Well , here I was taking "measures" to get myself back to healthy me.

And then the worst (I now like it) came, the bone cracking... Oh My Gosh... he started pulling my arms and legs and positioned them in a certain way to crack my bones, the back, the legs, the neck, the fingers, the toes, he hands me some cotton to bite on so my teeth don't clash????!!!! Whaaaaaaa????? And he pulls on my head but it didn't do the trick, he chuckles in disappointment, I am relieved that is over... ooouuffff, what an experience. It sounds like it hurts, it feels good, not sure I like it but I want more and I get a giggle attack when he does this bone cracking thing, he says [or I read] is good for energy releasing. I was laughing loud and hard, very funny, for me!

He took 90 minutes to treat me and then he rushed me out and told me: "I took the time to work on you, we will talk more next time you come" I understood he used most of his time to help me feel better, less talking more walking, I like it :-)

I didn't know what to feel or what I was supposed to look for in this first treatment but the truth of the matter is that I went home feeling relieved that someone believed that I was not insane, that I really had a problem, it was not serious and that all my issues could be resolved/cured.

He gave me some herbs to drink, granules that I had to mix with hot water and drink twice a day. I heard that this could taste bad), it was not that bad in the end. So off I went, with a bottle of Gui Pi Tang in my hand and a mind full of questions and a bit confused. My body however felt good. In my opinion the whole experience was somehow trippy.

That weekend I slept about 3-4 hours per night, a very good start. I had a bit of a flare up of my symptoms but overall it was OK. Some allergies, some back pain, a bit of crying, no appetite and my toes were hurting. Lucky me, I had another appointment on Tuesday, yes! Just four days after the first treatment. And after that things got better, but that's another post, the 2nd appointment!

Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Don't know where to start to explain how I got to experience TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), it is a long story.

I broke a toe last October during a TaeKwonDo practice, diagnosis: Fracture and second degree sprain, OUCH!!! My toe didn't heal properly, it was painful and I couldn't spar or grapple without causing my toe to become purple and painful again.

So, one day after an intensive training and another toe caught in the mats, a fellow practitioner gave me a massage and something he called "bone setting", it felt very good, almost no inflamation and I finished my training with little pain. I spoke to him about my broken toe and he suggested that I see his Teacher, a Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner, so after a brief meeting with The Man (which I know call my Chinese Doctor, even though he is not chinese) and an appoitnment on my agenda, off I went to see the Chinese Doctor for an assesment that little had to do with the broken toe.

My health had been compromised lately; sleeping problems, lots of stress related to not sleeping well, multiple respiratory tract infections, allergies, arthritis, a serious health issue related to the monthly process girls go through, a couple of broken toes and well, the list goes on. I am a tough girl and can handle pain, stress and responsibilities well, or so I thought, however things were looking dark for me and I certainly was in need of some serious help.
Know that I had seen my Family Doctor many times and after many tests, vague answers, a referal to a Reumatologist, a Psychiatrist and a bunch of pills to treat depression and to help me sleep I was discouraged, hopeless and somehow doubting my own sanity.

I will explaining some of my issues, they will come out as I share with you my TCM treatments.