Alternative Treatments

When I learned that my neurologist was referring me for aquatic therapy at our local hospital, I was very excited. I love pain therapies that don’t involve prescription medications! After today’s evaluation and seeing the pool and all the work that goes into this new therapy, though, I’m left with a different feeling altogether…. **

Body

One word to describe my Lupus body today:  Exhausted

Which habits and rituals did I practice to soothe my Lupus body?

• Slept well
• Ate a clean diet
• Moved and stretched
• Breathed fresh air
• Stayed hydrated
• Protected delicate skin

More details about my physical symptoms:
Today was busy and exhausting. I had an evaluation for aquatic therapy for my Lupus arthritis, which continues to cause joint pain and swelling throughout my body. My neurologist recommended this aquatic therapy during my visit with him two weeks ago when he expressed concern about the compression of my spinal cord and the effect it is having on my nervous system. The goal, he said, is to get stronger through exercise that minimizes the effects of gravity, which causes additional pressure on my joints. I already have a physical therapist for my “land work,” as the new aquatic therapist referred to it, and this new aquatic therapy is meant to be an adjunct to that. The evaluation was grueling, as he tested my range of motion, posture, and gait. I left in more pain than when I arrived. Isn’t that always the way? Now that the evaluation is done, I’m scheduled to start aquatic therapy next Monday at the hospital’s 93-degree saline pool. It sounds soothing, but….

Mind

One word to describe my Lupus mind today: Tentative

Which habits and rituals did I practice to strengthen my Lupus mind?

• Managed expectations
• Focused on the positive
• Managed stress response
• Managed time and energy

More details and thoughts about how I’m feeling emotionally today:
Just as I’m beginning to feel stronger physically, I feel like I’m being forced into taking the next step to increase my strength. Adding this new aquatic therapy is meant to take me to the proverbial next level. I understand that, but unfortunately, the fear is taking over, and I’m feeling very unsure about it. My argument now is that I would just like to stay strong in this place for a while before moving on to more activity, which will probably cause more pain as I move into uncharted physical territory. Sometimes, I just want to be still for a while and enjoy my newfound strength. I don’t think that’s too much to ask. So, I’m thinking about delaying the start of the aquatic therapy for at least a month in order to be truly ready—physically and emotionally—for the next step. It’s still just a thought. I have some time to decide….

Spirit

One word to describe my spirit today: Spent

Which habits and rituals did I practice to nurture my Lupus spirit?

• Enjoyed sacred space
• Meditated, prayed, visualized

Thoughts about my spiritual connection and spiritual lessons learned today:
Understanding that growth of any kind—physical, emotional, or spiritual—requires stepping outside of our comfort zones to do and be more than we thought we could. When you live with Lupus, with all its chronic conditions, it’s easy to feel like you just don’t want to try so hard anymore, though. So many times, I have pushed forward only to be pushed back as my body reacts unfavorably to something new. Sometimes, it even reacts out of the blue when I’ve done nothing new or out of the ordinary. This disease is so darn unpredictable! So, after today’s activities, I’m faced with two choices: 1) taking that next step toward growth by starting aquatic therapy on Monday; or 2) delaying the start of it in favor of just not trying so hard for now. I have no way to know which answer is right, but I’m working on listening to my soul to figure out the direction I should take. In the meantime, I’m going to be still and quiet and pray. That’s easy enough.

Meals

Today my meals were:

• Breakfast: Gluten-free oatmeal with raisins, cinnamon, and honey; clementine
• Lunch: Leftover five-spice, sesame chicken breast and rice
• Dinner: Grilled turkey burger, red potatoes, green beans, yellow squash
• Snacks: None
• Water: 51 ounces

Thanks

At least one thing that I’m grateful for today:

• Meditation

**(This post is based on the format of the Lupus Diary that I developed for keeping track of how Lupus affects my body, mind, and spirit, I check-in here once a week to let you know about the more interesting days of my Lupus journey. To learn more about the Lupus Diary, how I developed it, and why I use it, click here.)

All the hoop-la caused by the hives and the resulting blood test and biopsy have calmed down a bit now that both tests came back negative for urticarial vasculitis. For those few weeks of waiting and taking extra medications, I found myself very drugged and unable to maintain my very limited routine of physical therapy and acupuncture. Getting back to my “normal” has proven difficult, but today I realized how important my physical therapy is in managing this disease. No more missing these appointments…. **

Body

One word to describe my Lupus body today:  Sore

Which habits and rituals did I practice to soothe my Lupus body?

• Ate a clean diet
• Moved and stretched
• Got a gentle massage
• Breathed fresh air
• Stayed hydrated
• Protected delicate skin

More details about my physical symptoms:
At physical therapy today, I was especially stiff and sore as she realigned my hips and tested my range of motion. The avascular necrosis in my hips, the spinal stenosis in my lower back/sacrum, and the peripheral neuropathy in my legs have all ganged upon me lately since I have not been moving and stretching as much with this breakout of autoimmune hives. I’ve been pretty sedentary while adjusting to the increased meds, and now my Lupus body is suffering the consequences.

Mind

One word to describe my Lupus mind today: Appreciative

Which habits and rituals did I practice to strengthen my Lupus mind?

• Asked for and accepted help
• Learned about Lupus

More details and thoughts about how I’m feeling emotionally today:
My physical therapist remains one constant in my management of this disease. And for that, I’m extremely appreciative. As a practitioner who specializes in autoimmune diseases impact on the body, she knows my Lupus body and shows me how to reduce the pain though movement, massage, and other therapies. Seeing her every week gives me a bit of solace knowing that someone understands what pain does to my Lupus body, mind, and spirit.

Spirit

One word to describe my spirit today: Love

Which habits and rituals did I practice to nurture my Lupus spirit?

• Loved myself (trying)

Thoughts about my spiritual connection and spiritual lessons learned today:
The idea of conditional love is a lofty one. We think of having it for our children, especially. Despite their flaws, mistakes, and overall annoyance at times, we still love them. The idea of applying that unconditional love idea to myself has been something I struggle with. I continue to label myself as flawed because of the Lupus, unable to see its value in my life. I do want to love myself though, so one of the areas I plan to focus on more in my spiritual journey is self love. It’s my next step of spiritual growth as I live with Lupus.

Meals

Today my meals were:

• Breakfast: Gluten free toast, boiled egg
• Lunch: Homemade chicken salad lettuce wrap
• Dinner: Grilled salmon, French fries, salad
• Snacks: Kind bar with almond and coconut

Thanks

At least one thing that I’m grateful for today:

• My physical therapist

**(This post is based on the format of the Lupus Diary that I developed for keeping track of how Lupus affects my body, mind, and spirit, I check-in here once a week to let you know about the more interesting days of my Lupus journey. To learn more about the Lupus Diary, how I developed it, and why I use it, click here.)

Acupuncture isn’t for everyone. In fact, before my Lupus diagnosis, I just didn’t get it. I tried it for allergies and other ailments, and it just didn’t work. But, with the pain of Lupus and fewer options for pain relief, I found myself turning to acupuncture more and more. **

Body

One word to describe my Lupus body today:  Acupuncture

Which habits and rituals did I practice to soothe my Lupus body?

• Ate a clean diet
• Breathed fresh air
• Stayed hydrated
• Smiled and laughed

More details about my physical symptoms:
Whenever my weekly acupuncture appointment comes around, I’m so ready for it. Today, it’s my nerve pain in my legs and the muscle and joint pains in my hips and back. The pain levels subside a bit after each session, but by the 7th day, I’m back to square one, it seems. I really wish the effects could last longer. On top of it, some days I just don’t feel up to driving to get to the appointment, then, afterwards, I don’t feel like driving home due to the hazy after-effect feeling it causes. I’m not sure if everyone who has acupuncture experiences that after-effect, but I do each and every time. It’s a great feeling, almost like a buzz, but more “floaty” and relaxed.

Mind

One word to describe my Lupus mind today: Calm

Which habits and rituals did I practice to strengthen my Lupus mind?

• Managed stress response

More details and thoughts about how I’m feeling emotionally today:
The after-effect of acupuncture isn’t just felt in my Lupus body. I also feel it in my temperament. I could be overwhelmed and stressed out about whatever’s bugging me most on a given day, but after the acupuncture, I feel like I don’t have a care in the world. My first clue is how I get into my car after a session and notice that the traffic doesn’t bother me—at all. I typically hate driving. So, as usual today, I’m calm after acupuncture and ready to ask in my quieted body’s afterglow.

Spirit

One word to describe my spirit today: Connected

Which habits and rituals did I practice to nurture my Lupus spirit?

• Enjoyed sacred space
• Meditated, prayed, visualized

Thoughts about my spiritual connection and spiritual lessons learned today:
A “floaty” body with reduced pain and a calm mind without a care in the world, makes for a great foundation to connect spiritually. Meditation came easily to me this evening as I focused on remembering this feeling. Being in the now, the proverbial present moment, I feel like I’m one with everything. Ahhhhh….

Meals

Today my meals were:

• Breakfast: Apple and wheat-free, gluten-free waffle with butter and honey
• Lunch: Tuna salad over a bed of greens with sliced tomatoes
• Dinner: Grilled pork chops, red potatoes, green beans
• Snacks: Kind bar with almonds and coconuts

Thanks

At least one thing that I’m grateful for today:

• Acupuncture

**(This post is based on the format of the Lupus Diary that I developed for keeping track of how Lupus affects my body, mind, and spirit, I check-in here once a week to let you know about the more interesting days of my Lupus journey. To learn more about the Lupus Diary, how I developed it, and why I use it, click here.)

Dear Diary,

For some reason, my acupuncturist AND my physical therapist were traveling last week, so I missed a week of important pain management activities. I definitely felt the void, having more pain in just about every part of my body.

But, today, we got back on track with both appointments, back to back.

First was physical therapy, where she worked hard to loosen up “the usual spots,” as she says. The avascular necrosis in my hips and the spinal stenosis in my lumbar spine and sacrum become very painful when the surrounding muscles compensate for the compressed and inflamed bone structures.

My physical therapist literally has to pull one leg down so that it becomes even with the other leg. Then, she goes through a series of steps, checking the evenness of my pelvic bones, loosening up the iliotibial band (connective tissue) on the outside of both thighs, and finally, massaging the gluteus medius and maximus muscles where there’s so much tendonitis, myalgia, and myositis. (Can you tell by my use of technical musculoskeletal terminology that I used to be a certified personal trainer?)

Today, we discussed how so many medical experts say that Lupus doesn’t affect the spine—only affecting other joints in the body. But, because my physical therapist specializes in treating movement disorders related to autoimmune diseases, like Lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis, she notices that most of her Lupus patients do have spinal deterioration along with the other symptoms of Lupus.

She says my spine resembles that of an elderly person. And, since I have had no major spinal injuries, it has to be autoimmune disease causing the rapid deterioration.

Surgery would seem like a normal option to correct my spinal abnormalities, but I’m not considered a good candidate, unfortunately. It’s just too risky with my bleeding issues and inflammation. Every orthopedic surgeon I’ve ever consulted with says the same thing in so many words—“I wouldn’t touch you with a 10-foot pole.”

Thankfully, I have my physical therapist…and my acupuncturist, whose office I made my way over to afterwards. The needles felt a little jolting today—more so than usual. It seemed like each one hit a raw nerve. But it was fine once I got over the initial shock. Heat lamp on. Lights out. Very deep sleep. I guess my body needed that after all I just put it through.

Love,

Olivia

Dear Diary,

Okay, so I did go back to see the chiropractor today. Only because Hubby had an appointment, and I wanted to let the Dr. R know about my severe pain and difficulty breathing after my last treatment with him.

When we got there he was in the typical “let’s-get-to-the-adjustment” rush mode.

“Are you ready?” he said.

I said, “We need to talk.”

The smile immediately left his face. In fact, his face kind of went blank. I proceeded to explain that the last adjustment caused me way too much pain and difficulty breathing. Much more than after the first few sessions. And, after thinking about my upcoming possible treatment for Lyme disease, I thought it would be better to stop the chiropractic treatment altogether for now.

He apologized and speculated that he did too much during the last visit. No kidding, really?  He said he should have gone slower due to the inflammation in my body, which would normally get worse with treatment. For whatever reason, he broke his promise to me to be gentle and aware of my special needs. Even still, he tried to convince me to continue. That’s not happening.

On the down side of all this, I felt like this was yet another failed attempt to feel better. No matter what I try to do, or where I try to go, or how thoroughly I try to explain my body, very few health practitioners get it. And the ones who truly care at least will be willing to listen and understand. The ones who are more money minded or who are a part of a well-oiled marketing machine, will simply reel you in with promises they can’t keep and brush you aside when you don’t fit into their way of doing business. Sadly, this experience was the latter.

On the upside, this just fuels my desire to never give up. Early in life, I’ve learned to use my anger as the resistance I need to fly and keep flying until I meet my goals. In this case, that’s finding what I need to feel better….

Love,

Olivia

Dear Diary,

On the day after I met with the Lyme disease doctor in California, I made an appointment to see my internist to tell her the news about the Lyme disease tests and to get help with my sudden bout of back pain. I believe it’s the result of riding in the car too long without getting out and stretching my muscles. Extended car rides are known to be problematic for me, but Hubby and I were too preoccupied with being on time for my doctor appointment that we just didn’t think about taking our normal precautions.

I’d hoped it wasn’t my kidneys acting up, so she ran a urinalysis, which was fine. It was definitely my back. She said she could even feel the spasms as she touched my thoracic spine.

So, as much as I’ve been avoiding it, I had no choice but to finally meet with the chiropractor that she recommended, Dr. R.

First: The Measurements
Within a day, I found myself in Dr. R’s office. Our session started out with the doctor’s assistant asking me to stand on what looked like a weight scale, but where you put one foot on one side and the other foot on the other side. This “scale” measures how evenly your weight is distributed on each side. She said that if you’re within five pounds of even weight distribution, you’re considered to be balanced in the way your spine handles your weight. She told me that there was a 14-pound difference in my weight distribution from left to right. Weird, but probably due my use of a walking cane.

Next, she used what’s called a neuromuscular scanner to take readings from each of my vertebrae. The scanner measures three areas: the electrical/nerve activity of the spine, muscle tension along the spine, and the balance of muscle pull from one side to another along the spine.

Second: Meeting with Dr. R
After the scan was complete, Dr. R came in and asked me about my medical history, my diet, my pain levels. I gave him my MRI reports of my spine and hips from the last few years. His initial response was that he wasn’t even sure if he could help me because of the Lupus and because he wasn’t sure if the damage to my spine was too far along. He then examined me, putting me through several physical maneuvers to test my range of motion, leg length, etc.

After the exam, Dr. R ordered x-rays (done in his office), and he asked me to give him time to review my MRI reports before he could come up with a treatment plan. I made an appointment for later that day to return with Hubby to go over the results of the x-rays and get Dr. R’s assessment.

Third: The Results
So, when Hubby and I returned for the second appointment, the receptionist gave me a folder with the results of my tests, and then Hubby and I, along with another couple and a lady with a baby, were ushered into a room for a “presentation.” I was so angry, fearing that this was just some kind of sales pitch. I don’t have time for that kind of nonsense. But, I stayed so that I could see the doctor and get my results. Dammit!

Suspicious, I listened to what the chiropractor (a different doctor) had to say. What he said made a lot of sense to me, and it reminded me of my friend, Carol, a bit. She’s a chiropractor, too, and she has a holistic approach to everything.  He said that current treatment protocol for spine pain and abnormalities is to give you pain killers and muscle relaxants, then progress to muscle trigger point shots and epidural cortisone injections, and finally surgery. Nine times out of 10, the protocol progression does not help the patient at all. In fact, it often leaves the patient in more pain than they had before. That rang a bell with me because the trigger point muscle injections that I had in 2012 were so very painful that I vowed never to do them again. How could something that’s supposed to help me make me feel so bad?

Continuing on… The presentation was short and sweet. They talked about nutrition and whole body wellness and how the spine plays a big part in that. Yada, yada, yada. Yep, I got it. Then, they took us to our respective doctors to discuss our test results and a recommended treatment plan. Finally. The results are as follows:

Neuromuscular Scan Results
The first electrical/nerve activity section of the report (top left) showed that my cervical vertebrae #1 or C1, is off the charts with severe nerve activity. Dr. R says that’s from the Lupus. The other areas of elevated nerve activity are the C3, T9, T10, T12, L3, and L4. (The T stands for thoracic spine, and the L stands for lumbar spine.)

The second muscle tension section (top right) showed that my L5 and T10 were areas of the worst muscle tension. The legend of the chart showed green for mild, blue for moderate, and red for severe. My L5 reading was black, and Dr. R said that meant that the tension was so bad there that it was beyond what the readings consider “severe.”

The final area of the report, the balance of muscle pull from each side of my spine, showed another “beyond severe” black reading at the L5 vertebrae on the right side. The L3 also on right side had a severe reading. Those two are due to the avascular necrosis of my femoral heads of my hips. I had varying degrees of muscle pull imbalance ranging from mild to moderate — the C1, T6, T12, and L1 on my left side, and the C3, T1, T2, and T10 on my right.

X-Rays
The x-rays supported the diagnosis of lumbar spinal stenosis (narrowing of my spine in my lower back). Nothing new there.

What was new is the fact that my cervical spine is SO bad. I mean, I knew I had problems, but the level of compression and nerve damage to the C1 vertebrae is pretty scary. He said I had calcification and severely compressed discs all along my cervical spine. Thankfully, no discs were herniated yet. Also, the normal curvature of the cervical spine is about 35 degrees. Mine was nearly straight up and down. Dr. R said that my cervical spinal distortions were partly responsible for the troubles I was having all along my spine. The other muscles were compensating for the imbalance at the top.

Also, new was the area of disc compression at the T10 vertebrae. That’s the pain that really sent me in to see him, finally. I’ve had two doctors, my internist and my orthopedist, recommend him specifically. I ignored them until last week when I saw my internist, complaining about my awful back pain that started during our visit to the Lyme disease doctor.

The Bottom Line
Dr. R said he could help me, mainly because none of my discs had herniated. If that had happened, I would not be a candidate for chiropractic care. His treatment plan is to use spinal manipulation (manual and with instruments) to release the compression of the discs in my cervical and thoracic spine first. Then, whatever wasn’t corrected in the lumbar spine, he would address with massage and other methods of decompression so as not to aggravate the avascular necrosis of my hips.

He said that because of the Lupus, my system is overreactive to everything that touches it. That’s why I had such a bad experience with the previous chiropractors, who did no diagnostic tests and just went at me hard with a manipulation instruments or manual adjustments. I told him that it felt like my system went into shock after their treatments. He said it probably did.

So, he promised that his plan is to go very slowly. It’s going to take more time, but it’s going be more effective and helpful to me that way.

I asked him whether or not it would be beneficial to continue seeing my “go-to team” for pain—my acupuncturist and my physical therapist. He said yes, and he would be an adjunct to their support. He just wanted to be sure that my acupuncturist didn’t only focus on pain reduction because pain is a helpful indicator. I told him that she’s definitely been treating me holistically—as evidenced by her suggestion to get tested for Lyme disease.

So, all in all, the news is promising. But, even with the treatment, he expects that I’ll only get about 50 percent reduction in pain. It’s sad that I’m happy to settle for that at this point. Oh well….

Love,

Olivia

Dear Diary,

I had my first appointment with the Lyme-literate medical doctor (LLMD) yesterday. As you know, he came highly recommended to me by my acupuncturist/naturopath here in Reno as well as ILADS.org, the website for the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society. He’s a board-certified family practitioner. He also has certifications in the treatment of Lyme disease and Oriental and naturopathic medicines, among others.

Hubby and I arrived with my notebook of medical records in tow, and we were ushered into an exam room. The walls of this room were filled with seminar flyers and framed clippings of articles about Lyme disease from newspapers and magazines. Many of these featured him as the keynote speaker or subject of the articles. The bookcase was filled with stacks of Lyme disease textbooks, too.

Once the LLMD entered the room, we had a long discussion about my health history, and he looked through each and every page of my medical records notebook. He seemed to link other abnormal blood tests to the Lyme disease. These were things that I thought were just coincidental. I was so thrilled by how very thorough he was during our time together, which amounted to just over one hour.

And that hour was extremely overwhelming for me. He explained what Lyme disease is and how it was most likely to be the cause of my Lupus because the results of my Lyme blood test showed a particular marker that indicates an overactive immune system. In other words, autoimmune disease. He said that he’s personally seen Lyme disease cause other autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. He knows of other physicians who have treated Lyme-induced Lupus, but I am his first personal case of Lupus caused by Lyme.

He also gave me the history and controversy of Lyme disease treatment protocols and how there’s a divide between doctors, labs, the CDC, the insurance companies, and the drug companies, especially when it comes to long-undiagnosed Lyme disease.

As he concluded our session, he explained that before he could recommend treatment with long-term antibiotics or other drugs, he would be ordering more extensive blood tests and cultures to determine if there are any “co-infections” along with the Lyme bacteria. Co-infections are other bacteria and/or parasites that accompany the Borellia Burgdorferi bacteria that causes Lyme disease.

So, now I have to start the process of getting those labs done here in Reno as soon as I can before my next appointment with him on March 16th. In the meantime, before I see him again, he recommended that I read the book called “The Beginner’s Guide to Lyme Disease” by Nicola McFadzean.

I feel like I’m in good hands so far, but the uneasiness with it all remains. I liked his disposition. He was caring, thorough, and honest. But his assertion that my Lupus and other issues may have been caused by the Lyme disease is very hard to swallow. I mean, how can he say that with certainty? There’s no way to prove it, really.

I can’t forget that he calls himself an LLMD.

All I know is that my strange symptoms began just after I gave birth to my son (who will be 24 years old next month). Since then, my life has continued to be riddled with intermittent bouts of illness, ranging from the nuisance of hair loss to more life-threatening conditions, like the bilateral pulmonary embolism (multiple blood clots in both lungs) I suffered in 2008.

I’m approaching this with an analytical mind, weighing the facts against hearsay and seeking out alternative opinions along the way.

I have too much to lose to go off will-nilly on the results of lab tests that may or may not be accurate.

Even with the uncertainty of this latest news, I’m optimistic. I have to be. I don’t have a choice.

Love,

Olivia

Dear Diary,

Despite the news about the severity of the spinal stenosis, Hubby and I decided to go ahead with our trip, taking precautions as needed, including using a wheelchair. Our flight is today, but before leaving I decided to keep my first acupuncture appointment.

As I mentioned before, my new orthopedist suggested that I start with acupuncture to manage the pain because of my past experience with trigger point injections. Utter fail. So, I wasn’t sure about how to go about the process of finding an acupuncturist, so I called my health insurance to find out if there were any participating providers who specialized in acupuncture.

To my surprise, there was an extensive list of providers here in Reno. I can remember a time when health insurance companies wouldn’t ever consider covering something they considered so “non-medical.” Now, acupuncture is included in a wide variety of what they call “alternative care.”

When my health insurance representative listed the names of providers near me, I heard one that sounded familiar. I recalled that my physical therapist’s assistant had a healing experience with her as she was battling some sort of thyroid disease. The acupuncturist’s name is Dr. F, and she’s a certified doctor of Oriental medicine (OMD) and a certified naturopath. Her practice encompasses a wide range of services, the most prominent of which is acupuncture.

After making the appointment with her, I was sent an extensive health history form—one of the best ones I’d ever seen. I filled it out, attached my last month’s food diary, and wrote out my list of questions on the “Doctor Visit Form” that I created for myself.

With that package in hand and Hubby by my side, I arrived at my appointment fully expecting only a consultation. You know, to go over my forms, etc. She did that, and asked if I’d like to start acupuncture today. She could tell that I was in pain and nervous. Little did she know that my nerves were also due to the fact that we were flying out that same day to start our two-week trek back East.

I agreed, and she began a treatment that involved both acupuncture and something called cupping. I had to take off my blouse, unsnap my bra, and lie on my belly. I felt a warm oil being poured all over my back, which she rubbed into my skin. Next, came the sounds of glass bottles and the sensation of each one being placed like suction cups all along my spine. It didn’t hurt. It was strangely relaxing. I lied there for about 10 minutes. Once the “cupping” was done, my husband helped me close my bra and put my shirt back on.

Then, I was instructed to lie on my back, as Dr. F gave me my first acupuncture treatment. I experienced each needle being placed in strategic points on my arms, hands, legs, and feet. Nothing hurt, but I sometimes felt a sensation similar to an electrical impulse. I suppose was from where the needles hit a nerve. I’m told that’s what’s supposed to happen as the needles open up the designated meridians or nerve centers, as outlined on the acupuncture map that I see hanging on Dr. F’s wall.

Once the needles were all in, I rested with a renewed sense of calm. Like I was a happy butterfly floating on air. That feeling remained after we left the office and returned home to finish packing. We took our flight to Michigan, and as someone who doesn’t like to fly at all, I found out that acupuncture also works to relieve the stress and fear that I’m used to up in the air. I was feeling no pain and no worries.

I like this acupuncture.

Love,

Olivia