My first acupuncture treatment

I have always wanted to try acupuncture and was really pleased when my health insurance confirmed I was covered in full.

With each chemotherapy session I have been feeling worse and worse and I am running out of energy and patience to deal with the side effects. I love massages, it really relaxes me and makes me feel good but unfortunately a good massage in a decent place is quite expensive and it is not covered by the insurance. It is a shame massages are not considered complementary therapy. I was looking for something that could help improve my general wellbeing and after some recommendations and some consideration, I’ve decided to make my first appointment with an acupuncturist. The first appointment was last Thursday and I will be going there once a week.

I don’t expect miracles but I am hoping it will help lessen the annoying noise in my ear caused by the throbbing vein and relieve the nausea, headaches, pain, insomnia and fatigue. As I don’t have high expectations, any benefit will be a very positive outcome. In fact, right after the first session, the throbbing vein was no longer there. It was back the next day but even a short-term benefit is welcome.

The session started with a questionnaire about my medical condition, diet, emotional state and sleeping pattern. She checked my pulse and the colour and coating of my tongue and explained me how the treatment was going to be like. The atmosphere was very relaxing and friendly. I then laid down and she inserted needles on my feet, ankles and lower legs, hands, wrists and lower arms and head. It didn’t hurt at all, I just felt a light tingling. She left the room for about five to ten minutes, leaving me to relax. And it really was very relaxing to lay there in silence. When she returned she gave me a pressure point massage on my neck and shoulders, which was simply amazing. I loved it and I believe it helped me feeling relaxed.

I don’t know much about acupuncture and I think I am going to buy a book about it to understand better how it works.

During the acupuncture session I had fun imagining a voodoo doll not of myself but of cancer, almost like if it was possible to personify cancer, turning it into a doll and sticking some needles into it, not to treat but to kill.

I know acupuncture will not end the pain, nausea, fatigue, etc but I liked the way I felt afterwards: relaxed. Feeling relaxed is a luxury for me. Since this cancer era started, only in very few occasions I felt relaxed and good. If stress in a risk factor for cancer, I think we can say that cancer itself is cancerigenous and since I have never had so much stress in my life like now, I am exposing myself to an undesired risk. If I can learn how to deal with stress and start relaxing more, I am sure it will only do me good.