National Geographic experience....

For those of you who live on the other side of the world (heeheehee) and don't know our everyday little aches and pains, my huuussssband, Harry, has had difficulties with his right elbow for the passed, hmmm, maybe 6 months. We call it " Tennis Elbow " for lack of a better diagnostic.

He tried heat and cold and exercise and advil, and GOLF!!!  heehee, just kidding...
But he actually thinks that he might have hurt it on a "tour de 18" at Antelope Hills.. (that was our previous and dearly missed golf community where we use to live in Colorado) . Golf, they say, can be a strenuous HOBBY, sport, no, Hobby, OK... Sport... : ) Sorry guys...

So, in China, it has only progressed to a worsened condition.. leading Harry to find a solution. He had always wanted to try acupuncture, so thinking that China was the land of Acupuncturists, we decided to go on a hunt for the perfect one.

Mistake # 1... No one advertises services here. Where to look????

Mistake # 2... Acupuncturists are RARE in China... Ask a Chinese person, and they look at you as if you had 3 heads...

Mistake # 3... Don't ask a Chinese person.. Ask an foreigner.. they'll know exactly where to go...

So I find him, ( through my large network of foreigners ) "the perfect practitioner".

With the help of the assistant Shella (her westerner name)  at work, he makes an appointment, jumps in a cab and heads to the wrong address!!!  That happens alot here. The addy that I had provided him with, landed him at a hairdressers shop.
He eventually made his way to the Doctor 1/2 hr late.
Once there, He was introduced to the Doc who was, are you ready for this, BLIND!!! So here is Harry, at a 6 bedded clinic in an alley, about to let this person with completely white eyes, looking like something out of National Geographic, poke needles in his arm!!!
OK.. Not so bad... But it was a remarkable experience... The Doc started out by asking questions, he spoke a few words of english,like hard muscle and OK, then proceeded with deep, what they call "medical massage". He then performed "GUA SHA". This is where they take a cows horn, yes you read me right, a cows horn which was well polished and proceeded to removed the knots in Harrys muscles by pressing down on the skin, HARD! To go deeper and into the nook and crannies, he uses the pointy end! Harry said, it hurt like a SOB!!!!!
He then pinched a pressure point, the  fleshy part between the thumb and the index, laying his whole body weight into it and looked at Harry and said " 3 minutes" . The first minute was pure hell. After 3 minutes he released, and that is when it hurt the most. Harry said, for 2 seconds, it was like sticking a hot poker through your hand.
I think it was supposed to be a pain reliever, Hmmmmmm, let me think about that one.....
After all this, he finally inserts the needles, and places a hot lamp over them for 1/2 hr. This was a 2 hr treatment, Cost, $20 US.
After all this was over, he mentioned to Harry that he must come back everyday for 5 days. Ouch!!!!!! After just the first treatment, his arm looked like it had taken a beating... Poor Harry, I had to kiss it better : )))))))
But he has been going back every day, just like the doctor ordered... Good boy....
So, again, stay tuned to my blog for the results of "Harry's Tennis elbow in China!!"

Your word of the day is,
"Jia na da" Pronounced as it is spelled and meaning, Canada!

Ok, Ok, Here is for you Americans... " Mei Guo"  pronounced " may e gwa" Meaning, America..

Cheers, Pauline : )