Just wanted to start a blog because some of you are hard to reach. Recent update of my condition, I have had a breakthrough with acupuncture and counselor. Going into year 3, I had pretty much lost my Hope for ever getting better. Such a long battle with pain. During my 4th acupuncture, I realized I was in no pain! Being face down I first thought that gravity opposite of the famous Pundendal Nerve, was the only reason. As 30 minutes went by and another of being perfectly still, it was in the third set when I knew it was for real. It may sound crazy but I did have an image that clearly came in my mind. It was so beautiful! It was an aspen grove that had a path right down the middle. The limbs were perfectly symmetrical on each side, a mirrored reflection of each other. The sky above the path was bright blue. Off to the right through the trees was a streaming light. As quickly as I was there, the first trees bowed left and the first trees on the right bowed right. Like a soft wind they whispered a breeze as if to welcome me in. Each followed until they reached the back of the path. It was beautiful! As soon as I acknowledged what had just come into my mind, it left me. When the lady came back in to check on me, I told her about what I had seen. She said, "That is amazing, everything I've used today connects to the element of wood. Wood in acupuncture is one of the five elements of the earth which connects to the liver. The liver controls emotions and carries the blood to the nervous system along to the pelvic region specifically." I was shocked! She then read to me from one of her books about the Japanese culture, the roots of the tree, was like the nervous system. Cypress oil and sandal wood was also used on me during this session. I left there and went straight to Michael's to find a big sheet of grey paper. I told her when I got home I wanted to draw and paint what I had seen. She told me that nobody had ever had such profound imagery before in her 12 years of practice. Excited I came home and quickly sketched in my drawing journal the image that I saw. Then I started to draw. It was like coming home. I had strength to sit up and still had no pain! It was a very remarkable experience. I wondered why out of all the trees that there are, why aspen trees. I looked up on the Internet, symbolism of the aspen tree and was amazed at what I found. The very first thing
I read said, "The aspen symbolizes peace of mind, sacrifice, and higher awareness. (Native American Cherokee) Determination and overcoming fears and doubts. Many cultures and religions associate the aspen as the voice of spirit, and in the leaves and boughs, the wind finds a distinctive voice to inspire others who would listen with patience and sensitivity. A grove is actually a single living organism." Wow, my mouth fell open! I thought back to where I was standing in this scene. Tamara ( my acupuncturist ) said she thought that when I got past the trees I would be free of pain. My thoughts looking down the path was that this was my path to healing. The trees were even similar to nerves bowing out of my way to welcome me further down the path. It was like wheat in a field how they carry the wind, the bowing of the trees. Now if I was a hippie and smoked pot this might make sense to some you. Not sure of sharing this remarkable event made me hesitant. I'm not a hippie and I've never smoked pot so I'm sure that this was a spiritual gift of enlightenment. I actually went to church and sat on the pew without my pillow but did have small ice pack to shield me from anything that might be unbalanced. I also wore my first pair of jeans on Monday. You can't wear anything tight that might constrict you when you have P.N. I've lived in loose pajama bottoms and baggy pants this whole time. This was a first. I also sat on the jeep seat with nothing, amazing! My counselor did note that my image was perfectly symmetrical. I remember the limbs exactly across from each other and the importance of that standing out in my mind. Her name is Tara. Tara told me that she thought it was interesting that everything was in perfect balance. She said, "Everything is coming into balance. You are finding yourself again, all the things you have lost." So to all of you I share this and thank you for your prayers, your support, your love, and not giving up hope when I had. We are not out of the woods yet as I still have some pain returning. It is not bad but I can feel the burn. I'm going back to see Tamara on Monday, chiropractor on Tuesday for x-rays, if the skeleton has moved any, and Tara on Thursday. Each of these things do wear me out for the day but I am moving ahead with a renewed hope and joy. I certainly could not have gotten this far without my precious Ed hanging in there with me and holding me in my darkest hours of pain. He has been my constant grounding lifeline. I will keep you updated. Who knows... You might find my next post hiking the Appalachian Trail do climbing once again the face of Mt. Yonah. Until then, we are keeping our fingers crossed. Love to you all- Mom, Ladye, Grammama, Cat, and various other titles of gratitude! Oh.... The blue paint is what I mixed for the sky in the picture, a color that shows I'm on my way down my "Path to Healing", the title of it all!
