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!
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