Notes from the Dragon Diary 2: Sheila has felt a bit achy in her arm or leg or knee, but I wasn’t aware of the imminent impact her aches would have on me. While enjoying breakfast in Beijing, a fellow traveler stopped by our table to ask what time we were supposed to return from our outing to the Hutong (Mandarin word for a preserved piece of old Beijing housing). This woman had contacted an acupuncturist and wanted to set up an appointment for herself for early evening. Making this story short, Sheila set up an appointment for me to have a treatment. I didn’t even know I needed one. I was a bit leery, but Sheila said that Jim Savko, our longtime Orlando buddy, swore by acupuncture as the most direct path to perfect health. I wasn’t fooled, fully realizing that I was to be the “test case”. Even so, I was a bit intrigued by the idea of having acupuncture in Beijing, China. If not there, where?
So, by 5:30 I was stretched out on the bed wearing my very best animal print pj’s and looking very much like a patient in need of treatment. Soon, a young Chinese doctor and his able assistant who, thank God, spoke some basic English, arrived . The doc promptly donned his white lab coat over his Bermuda shorts and t-shirt, assessed the general area of my ailment, and pulled out a whole bunch of needles. For self-preservation, I turned my eyes away from him and from what he was about to do. I was scared, and even Sheila’s caregiver looks and the doc’s white coat and his assistant couldn’t divert my attention from what was about to happen. I knew I would soon be writhing in pain…I could just imagine the whole horror of it.
I was able to endure 4 stabbings before I could bear no more. I couldn’t even look at the needles…I could only count the minutes up to 30 when the doctor duo returned and removed the needles. I hate acupuncture, and even the “romance” of having it first performed in China did nothing to alter this strong opinion. Ancient Chinese medicine, indeed. After the drama subsided, my hand might have felt a little bit better.
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