New Experience. Bruised.

Last night I had an appointment with my natural health practitioner.  I'd been looking forward to this appointment as I had several questions for him, and I was even more relieved for the appointment to arrive because I've been fighting with some severely sore muscles and bad headaches for the last couple of days and knew enough to know that he would probably be able to relieve some of the symptoms.

This was a new one, though.  The muscles were so tight that he declared that "cupping" was the only thing that was going to quickly and effectively loosen the knots, giving me me relief.  (By the way, there was no bloodletting - which the article I linked to mentions!)

It worked, but let me tell you, you should see my back and shoulders.  They're much looser, and I have large, perfectly round bright reddish purple bruises where the cups were.  Ugly, big bruises.  Apparently this is from the release of toxins.  It wasn't all that painful, except for one, and even that was more of a growing pulling pressure than really pain.  But, let me tell you, I won't be wearing a bikini (or bathing suit of any kind really) or a low backed top, or really anything in which you can see the back of me anytime soon!

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My thoughts are all over the place still.

Fairly late last night I realized that I wasn't having any success slowing my racing mind and spirit, calming them, in the hope that I could sleep. I phoned my mom, and broke down again. I phoned her and asked her to pray for me. I needed to hear someone's voice, talking to Jesus on my behalf. Mom wouldn't always be my first choice for that, but the pickings around me are slim these days, and she is reliable in her willingness to care for me in that way.

It helped a little. For the first four or five hours of the night I mostly slept. The time after that was a bit more challenging. I spent a lot of time tossing and turning, quoting scripture or old hymns as the panic, fear and voices encroached.

The last time I woke, I was choking and dry heaving. Some combination of the encroachment of the fear and the fact that I'm still struggling with this cold and my throat had completely dried out overnight, plus my sinuses had begun to drain. I stumbled to the bathroom and sat leaning against the bathtub, waiting to be able to breathe again, for the moment to pass, before returning to bed to await the beginning of the day.

I suspect that I was thrashing in my sleep again, too. Upon waking I discovered a deep purple bruise, about the size of a nickel, on my left knee. It wasn't there when I went to bed last night. I often wake with bruises that can't be explained, particularly along the left side of my body, but they're usually the shallow, yellowy-green sort that fade after a few days. This new one is quite and purplely-blue, and seems to still be coming to it's full color.

I'm listening to a recording of a long list of classic hymns. I was raised on these, and my affinity for the deep beauty of their lyrics and melodies has never faded. I'm particularly enjoying this particular recording by Jon Buller and friends.

I also watched this again this morning. A dear friend sent it to me the other night, chuckling at the timing given the rather challenging conversation we were having that day. I needed to hear it again this morning, and suspect I'll play it once or twice more before the day is out.

The fluctuations of my body temperature tell me that I'm likely still running a fever. I'm watching my newest piercing closely, as it's showing signs of trying to develop an infection in the midst of this week where my immune system seems to be refusing to function.

And with that, I must re-direct my attention to other matters! Until later...

Sunday Morning

I've been laying in bed for the last three hours or so, awake off and on.

My right shoulder, my neck, and the right side of my back are pretty stiff and sore from yesterday. Actually, basically the whole right side of my body. But, no black eye. Tender spots on my face, a few marks that I can hide with makeup when I have to go back to work tomorrow, but thankfully no black eye.

It did, however, snow several inches again overnight. So, it'll be a day spent at home most likely.

Which means that I either need to find some particularly fabulous ways to avoid. Or that I need to spend some time reading and writing and dealing.

Hopefully not a black eye...

I went sledding with one of my roommates today.

And on the run that I'd already declared my last one for the day, I caught an edge in a funny sort of way, and flipped. I bashed up the right side of my head and cheek pretty good, bent my glasses badly, and have a pretty sore shoulder neck and back on the right side.

I got the glasses fixed, but I'm waiting to see what the damage to my face will end up being. They pushed into my cheek and eye pretty hard when I crashed.

There are some definite marks on the bridge of my nose, around my eye, and on my cheek. The big question is whether or not they will bruise further as the day goes on, or settle down... Wait and see I guess!