Cupping

Dr. Yang has started me on my way back to health.  After a thorough health-check on Tuesday afternoon, she made two home-visits here (Wednesday and Thursday) to guide me on how to use 'the bench'.  This bench is specifically designed to get at stretching the smaller muscles inside my pelvis, which she feels are very weak and failing to perform their function.  By getting back in touch with these muscles, she feels that my larger muscles will be able to release my left sacroilial joint, and that I may one day, move freely once more.  I am willing to put in the time and energy (and she is very considerate about how much time and energy I possess) to make this happen.

Today she surprised me by performing cupping (but not with fire, as she did not want to bring fire to my home) on me.  This is something I have heard of, but never tried.  I will admit that initially, when the suction cups were placed on my back, it was quite uncomfortable.  However, once all the cups were in place, Dr. Yang started to apply pressure on various points on my legs (energy meridians I predict).  When I focused my mind on what she was doing with my legs, I no longer felt the cups on my back.

This is my back

I got Peter to take a picture of my back (look away mom and dad!) and little A, who saw the bruises for the first time said "WOW!  Pretty circles mom!  Ms. Yang put pretty circles on your back!".  Which is such a great response, as I was worried she might be upset by them.  Despite how atrocious they look, I am pleased to report they are not causing me any pain and Dr. Yang says the only thing I might notice is that they might get itchy.  

On a more 'cute' note:  Smile-ah attended her first (possibly only) baby group today.  One of my neighbours (Noora from Bahrain) was hosting, and drove over (two houses--likely on her way elsewhere) to invite me.  So, even though I am pretty much past the baby group stage, I baked some oatmeal raisin cookies (excellent new recipe!), got dressed and popped over.  I am glad that I went.  It was nice to meet some new people and just sit and be with Smile-ah on our own for a little while.  She played a little, and as we were getting ready to go, she fell asleep in my arms.  

Right before bed-time

On a sad note: today we said our good-byes to Cleo the beta fish.  Actually, we said our good-byes yesterday, as I asked Malou to move him into her room (as it is warmer there).  He has not been well since BEFORE Peter's New York trip, however Malou has been insistent that he would recover.  As I was not interested in euthanizing this fish, I indulged her.  Finally, yesterday, I couldn't take anymore, and told her that he should go into her room.  This morning, she reported that he died. 

I really enjoyed Cleo aka Chinese New Year Fish.  He was a fun and interactive fish.  I am not sure what caused his illness, and despite my efforts to nurse him back to health (I bought medicine that cost three times as much as Cleo did), he didn't make it.  I can only hope that I will have the strength to continue to say 'NO' when little A asks to replace this fish.  For the last three weeks, she has began many a sentence with "When Cleo dies, can we get a ....".