It's Been a Weekend?

I think today was my weekend. But it went by too fast for me to recognize it. For those of you who may not know (I make a lot of assumptions of my 5 ish readers) I work on Sundays which means that I don't get 2 day weekends. Pretty much ever. Thus, my weekend consists of Saturday and I also get Mondays off but that doesn't count as a weekend to me.

Anyway, on Friday I went to acupuncture for the first time for my shin splints and plantar fasciitis. I left work a bit early and rolled up to Meridian Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine. I'm a big believer in herbal, natural and holistic healing techniques ever since I met with Ayurveda Wellness Counselor Jo Matson earlier this year. She helped me turn tea and honey into a full on allergy cure which is amazing to me. But back to the point. I didn't really know what to expect but my shins and feet have been bothering me for so long that I was really to the point where I just wanted to feel better. I was so far gone that I even forgot to ask how much it would cost! Acupuncture is really relaxing and goes hand in hand with massage so it's no surprise that the room I was in literally looked like this:

Photo Credit to Meridian's website

I did think of you all while I was there and considered taking pictures. But that's not really acupuncture friendly. It's more about healing and relaxation so I'm not sure how a camera phone would've fit in. I was also afraid to move. My practitioner sat and chatted with me first about my overall health and then specifics about why I was there. Everything was normal and fun aside from her looking at my tongue and drawing a picture. Not sure where that fits into the treatment but hey, I'm a team player. From there I laid on my back on the table and she got to work. There was some light pressure as she found my "channels" and then in went the needles. I really don't think it's fair that they're called needles because it's nothing at all like getting a shot or a tattoo. I also don't find either of those things particularly terrible so I may not be the best source. There were 2 spots however that were slightly unpleasant, the inside of my ankles and the arches of each foot. But even those were as unpleasant as a finger stick. A quick "Ouch!" and then that's it. I laid on my back and after 15 minutes or so she came back to take the needles out. I flipped onto my stomach and got to put my face in that great soft head hole that only massage tables have. I got more needles in my back and that's when she got my feet. Another 10 minutes or so and I was finished. The whole appointment was about an hour and I felt pretty good when I got up but not hugely different. Friday is an off day for running so I wasn't really in pain to begin with. She also talked to me about herbal teas to compliment the treatment. I'm a sucker for herbal teas. So much so that I have serious plans of opening my own tea room one day. But I digress. She said she'd get a batch whipped up for me that I could pick up Saturday. And when the time came to pay I was very pleasantly surprised! My life is full of expensive habits (ahem, triathlon) so I was happy to see a bill for less than $100. Even if I hadn't gotten the fantastic Yoga on Baxter discount (thanks Kristi!) it still wouldn't have been so bad. And quite honestly, it's worth the money to feel good. I love the idea of preventative medicine and can only imagine the possibilities of training pain free. Later that night I got home and after sitting and relaxing on the couch for a bit got up to grab some water. Oh. My. Gosh! I got up with no limp, no foot cramp and no crippling shin pain! I just got up and walked into the kitchen like a normal person with 2 completely functional legs! Now she was honest and said I might feel great for 2 or 3 days but that the pain would probably come back since I'd only had one treatment. She recommended I drink the teas (one mason jar a day) and continue treatment once a week for 4-6 weeks. After that my body will start to respond better and I'll get longer lasting results. I'm excited for my new tea and will start tomorrow.

Darker tea than I'm used to...

Mmm Mmm...hopefully

List of ingredients for your googling pleasure

My ridiculously busy day today included my first pure barre class at Pilates Village (can I say ouch?), Christmas shopping (yes, I'm an early bird and in fact, I'm just about finished), picking up my tea then a holiday fashion show for the Kids Center for Pediatric Therapies where I used to intern. My role was to escort one of the kids onto the stage and just make sure she didn't wander or get distracted. My little girl was 9 and in a wheelchair though she was learning to use a walker. She was adamant about using her walker and walking onto the stage for the first time (she'd been in the show for 3 years already). A few minutes before it was her turn her therapist helped get her up with her walker and we got her legs under her. She did great! She was so excited and I made sure she practiced her princess wave ahead of time. She walked out and posed for pictures then made her way back. She was so cute! We all know I'm not a kid person but kids with special needs are so amazing to me and I absolutely love them and surprisingly have all the patience in the world for them! Here are some not so great photos.