Grabbing Surgeon's Arm; MD/Reflexologist Jesus Manzanares Method

Thank God: Unused Antibiotics

Arriving in Boston

Waking up with the rising sun..

I finally decided to undergo oral surgery, namely the extraction of tooth 17 in the very back of the lower left; the decision was made rather spontaneously.   I liked one of the options offered by the oral surgeon I was referred to; previous alternatives just sounded too daunting so I had been postponing a decision.  My initial intention was to save this tooth at all costs but taking the big picture into consideration and what the surgeon suggested made a lot of sense thus I reconsidered, and opted to sacrifice the tooth to improve overall dental function.  

While I was sitting in the chair waiting for the surgeon to begin, I did the usual DC Basic Session and some hand reflexology*, in addition to tuning into my breath to be more relaxed.  I even did a light forward bend - the dentist's chair was inviting me to do so:-)  As usual I wanted to go easy on the anesthesia and being as balanced, as relaxed as possible would support this.   

Headache at Dinner

Three days ago, R and I went to dinner to one of our favorite neighborhood restaurants. At one point we compared notes as to whether we still suffered from cold remnants - we both had come down with the flu nine days prior and were still recovering - he said that at the moment he had a headache.  May I, I asked, and put my knuckle on his forehead and started rubbing (the head reflex area according to the "frog on the face" projection of the body on the face); I did not use much pressure, since I know by experience how R reacts to even the slightest pain, namely, he distorts his face and wants to pull away.  Despite my wariness, I was able to finished the session with Point 0 Zone on both sides; it took less than half a minute I think.  R's headache subsided immediately.  I actually thought that the pressure may not have been sufficient, so I was pleasantly surprised about the result.    

Stress Relief - Week 6

Week 6 ended in a state of heightened relaxation. The delays I was dreading on the busiest travel day of the year as my son, my sister and I travelled via train and then, joining my parents, via car on our trip to Massachusetts never materialized. And although I helped clean up, I was shamefully uninvolved in the preparation of Thanksgiving dinner. Instead, I took a 2 hour nap next to my son. As I said, shameful.
But a break from both the city and my daily routine did wonders for my psyche. I like to think that my practice of Dien Cham helps forge a silent but steady current offering energy to my every action. Some circumstances are just more conducive to receiving that energy. Unfortunately, I don’t think my current day to day offers such circumstances. But all the more reason to practice!
I worked on both my sister and my sister-in-law over the Thanksgiving break. One’s neck and shoulders were bothering her; the other had a migraine. Both seemed relaxed by the session even though this was the first time anyone took a pen to their face. But neither reported immediate relief although neither did they report pain in any of the points I worked. So I may have missed the point so to speak.
I worked from the image of the frog on the face to address the neck/shoulder pain since I didn’t have my book with me. And from MFM’s protocol for migraines since I later realized my Mom did have her book with her.
My Mom and I were talking generally about the study when I realized I haven’t had a single headache since the study began. Headaches are part of my plan of action. I should mention that I think my headaches prior to the start of the study were from altering my caffeine (coffee) intake and I have been more consistent since the study began.
On a side note, I finished a book called “Born to Run” over the holiday which I would highly recommend. I thought about it a lot in light of foot reflexology as it talks about the design of the foot, our inherent nature as runners and the benefits of barefoot running.

Stiff Neck - Week 1

Let's see-the first week began on a low note on all 4 counts: physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Having been traveling for the best part of two weeks and then coming back to work for three days and traveling that weekend I felt unsettled to say the least. Like Catherine I have found it more productive to keep notes on each session. This way I can remember what I did, why I did it and if I tried any new points.

I've been reading the book by Marie-France Muller sporadically rather then front to back. I find it to be a good resource in that it's easy to understand and has loads of suggestions and info.