dealing with a bad sciatic nerve episode

over a few days

i tried waiting it out

only getting worse instead of better

to the point where it affected my leg

shooting pains

hard to even sit down

 a knee refusing to bend

after trying many strategies to solve this

 all to no avail

i sought out an expert

a therapeutic massage and body work practitioner

did a lot of reading

found just who i needed

a strong eastern european therapist

with a small practice

close to home

personalized for each client

luckily she had a spot for me

when i arrived we talked for a while

she explained

what she could offer

how she worked with olympic swimmers

and others whose lifestyles or vocations or circumstances

led them to have body pains and challenges

how the body is all connected

one thing impacts the others

it would not be easy

but i would find relief

me explaining

my medical history

current issues

goals for the visit

she assessed

how i

walked, moved, sat, stood

 then we began

in a quiet and warm room

 calming music and dimmed lighting

i had booked an hour and a half visit

knowing that i needed a lot of work

like nothing i’ve ever experienced

she was very physically strong

moving and realigning my body

in ways that i didn’t know it was possible to do

some of it hurt, as expected

she told me to tell her if it felt like too much

but i really wanted relief

so knew i had to try to endure it

i fell into a kind of relaxed state

lost all sense of time

in spite of the intensity

when it was all over

she mentioned a few things:

she had gone a little over our planned appointment

it had actually taken 2 1/2 hours

my body was so resistant

that i fought her much of the time

why she had to take water breaks

 i had even inched up off the table

trying to escape?

survival instinct?

i asked if it was like wrestling with a bear

she laughed

covered me with hot towels to relax my muscles

i’m quite sure she must have been exhausted

told me all of the places that she could tell were tense

including my feet

 not even mentioned in our conversation

also clear that i drink a lot of coffee

 i now should feel better

when i stepped off the table

it was like a miracle

i was no longer hobbled

i could bend my knee

put weight on both legs

 move without pain

 all pain was gone

we had a conversation after

where she told me

the best ways for my body

to sit, stand, walk, run, eat

to keep it healthy and strong

told me to drink water after this long session

no extra charge

for the hard work, extra time, or helpful conversations

she had me stand again

 i thanked her profusely

for taking my pain

changing how i treat my body moving ahead

i almost cried

maybe i’ll even become an olympic swimmer.

——

“massage is the study of anatomy in braille.”

– jack meagher

 

 

 

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photo credit : catster