Going Into the Poor House

I’m flying to San Diego today. Ugh. As if ten visits with the chiropractor, the yoga passes and taking time off from work weren’t enough spending, I’m flying to San Diego today to see an acupuncturist and massage therapist. Have I lost my mind? Maybe, maybe not.

It all started with a networking cup of coffee. Somehow we got on the subject of back pain and as we exchanged stories and ideas about healing, she mentioned an acupuncturist in San Diego that had done wonders for her on her initial visit and she recommended that if I was ever planning a trip to San Diego, I should see this practitioner. I was just starting my sabbatical and a couple of days later, my friend Laurel asked if I wanted to go to San Diego. Virgin Air was having a fare sale and she had to meet with a client down there. Serendipity! We booked the flights and got a great hotel rate through Priceline and I e-mailed my business contact to get the information for the miracle-worker.

I have an appointment tomorrow. THREE HOURS. Initial consultation, acupuncture treatment, then I go to another doctor in the same office for a deep tissue massage and then “cupping”. Have you ever heard of “cupping”? It’s supposed to draw out toxins through suction cups that are placed on your body. The unfortunate thing is that when you’re done, you look like a teenager whose make-out partner went a little overboard on the hickeys. I had it done once by my good friend Sara who is an acupuncturist here and because it was for allergies, she did it around my upper back and neck area. I wore turtlenecks (in the summer) for a week! Let’s hope the “cupping” will be applied to my LOWER back. Should look good at the hotel pool on Thursday.

So should I be spending all this money? I suppose in the grand scheme of health care and healing it still isn’t that much, but I’ll be pretty bummed if I don’t see any results. A tall order for trying to work through pain that’s been there for three years.