Alternative Treatment

Ugggh, I think it's official. I work too much (although, somehow, I feel better when I'm driving home at night and see the Chicago skyline twinkling. It reminds me that I've come sooooo far in these last couple years and really shouldn't let up).

Anyway, yesterday was another 12+ hour day where I ran from meeting to meeting (to meeting!). My last meeting of the day was with Nurse Jackie, where I updated her on a few things I've been working on, then she gave me a couple new things to work on, and so on goes the gravy train.

In the last five minutes of our meeting, she wanted to go over my evaluation. My evaluation?! I get one of those?! I didn't even know I was due.

It was short and sweet and while she spewed all sorts of positive and uplifting praise, it was very nice to receive some feedback. Anyone who knows me well knows that I sort of (okay, totally) thrive on recognition and achievement. Trust me, I'm working on it.

After another couple hours that I spent drafting a policy and writing a white paper, I stretched out of my wired-in posture and about fell out of my chair. The long hours are completely mangling my back and my super-sized knots aren't going away. One time the pain was so bad that I thought I was coming down with kidney stones. Yes, yes, I know, that should be a sign to cool it. Again, working on it!

In my fit of desperation, I called our in-hospital medical spa to see if I could pull a few quick strings for a massage appointment. One of the masseuses offered to stay late to help me, but I didn't want to pull the political card. So I did a quick search closer to home and found a masseuse in my neighborhood (in a doctor's office). I gave him a quick call and he said he had a cancellation tomorrow evening opening for a medical massage.

A medical massage? What exactly is a medical massage?

Yeah, I thought the same thing! Sign me up! If something is "medically necessary," then I have permission to relax and indulge, right?

I took the appointment. I'll let you know how this "medical massage" varies from the typical "buff and puff" massages in the salons. Ever since I lost my dear masseuse when I left SB (this woman was amazing...I had monthly 2-hour hot rock massages where I could barely grasp the steering wheel to drive home), I've been on the look out for a new masseuse. I tried a couple, but they just couldn't compare. Most of the masseuses out there chat at you and ask questions while you're *trying* to relax. Did they not get the memo!?

I've recently become interested in researching these alternative therapies. I've never been a supported of osteopathic, chiropractic medicine, or holistic treatments, but I'm getting desperate. All I can really do with "modern medicine" is take pain relieving drugs and take 2 weeks off from work to stretch and soak in a tub. Neither approach is working for me (the pain relievers make me foggy at work...a no-go...and the tub isn't feasible *at* work). So I've branched out. Tomorrow I've getting a back crack AND a medical massage.

I really hope this helps. I do not see the hours letting up anytime soon and I hope the treatments help me cope...sans pain relievers!