Two Tigers in a Treatment Room

December 30, 2012 — Acupuncture wellness, Chinese medicine, U of A Cancer Center

Elizabeth, White Tiger Acupuncture

I was lucky to be called when an appointment opened up at the U of a Cancer Center Supportive Care for Healing where I am the substitute. I have been seeing Justine for lymphatic drainage or cranial sacral work regularly by booking the cancellation slots on short notice. The volunteers call me when sessions become available. I was offered the chance to try acupuncture, which I know is good but I have not tried. My  iatrophobia extends to all things needle, but I took the opportunity to face my fear. My spleen is delighted that I went, and so am I.  I go to practitioners of wellness rather than the drug docs. My presence at the hospital is still for wellness care, but surrounded by drug docs…slightly expanding my knowledge of what they do. So far I have seen no evidence of allopathic negligence, so my phobia cure is working. I think I may be the only one who goes to use it as a self-care facility rather than as a treatment for cancer, but everyone is super kind to me. The cost is about half and the quality about double what is found on the open market. It is a fabulous deal to be the substitute. The practitioners are in it for the value they can give to the community

My session with Elizabeth Hachenberg of White Tiger Acupuncture began with pulse and tongue reading to determine my situation. She concurred with Jon Thomas who told me last month at my Tui Na session that my spleen was trying to talk to me. I listened to her advise about diet, meditation, and demeanor which was brilliantly delivered. She was so right, I was eating on the fringe of my balanced diet, consuming too much alcohol, greasy rich food, and sweets.   I had gone too far out of healthy bounds for too long and need  to move closer  to the center of balanced eating target. She was elegant about saying this without blame or need for sudden radical change.  Her deep knowledge of Chinese Medicine is well communicated in language anyone can understand. She was born in the year of the tiger, as was I, so there was a certain compatibility in Chinese terms just because of the 12 year difference in our ages.  I had no problem trusting her to work on me.

She placed the needles on my meridians, most with very little sensation.  A tiny prick or a tingle quickly passed as she moved around the table quickly inserting the next needle.  When she arrived at my left foot I noticed pain, ache, then a dull sensation that followed that particular point, which turned out to be on the liver meridian..the pumpkin pie martini point. It only lasted for about a minute, but it was distinct from the other points she targeted.  She let me rest for about 20 minutes to allow the process to take place.  She gave me a great meditation to use during the rest.  I used an imaginary cheese cloth to strain the contents of my body, starting with the tip of my toes, and slowly removing impurities until I reach the top of my head.  I enjoyed the cheesecloth visualization, and collected a huge load o schmutz to dump.  I felt really good all day after the treatment, and will go again. I am over my fear completely, just like that.  I am correcting the dietary issues and feel better in general after about a week of that.  If you have wondered how acupuncture might help you I highly recommend that you try it.  Elizabeth works on the far east side of Tucson in Civano, taking appointments Tues-Sat.