Lymphatic Talk
For the past 4 days, I took an intensive Lymphatic Massage class with the Upledger Institute. It was quite overwhelming and I came away with a heck of a lot of new knowledge and massage techniques. Lymphatic Massage is really amazing. The instructor (who was phenomenal) brought some pictures of this woman he'd been treating. The first photo he showed us was when she first came to him with a case of some sort of paralysis on the right side of the face. I don't think it was actual paralysis (I can't remember the actual name the instructor called it) but the result is that one side of her face drooped and it was move evident in her mouth - one side was normal and the opposite side looked like some invisible hand was pulling it down.
The doctors had tried drugs to cure her and, when those didn't work, they said there was nothing they could do for her and it would be something she'd have to live with.
So she went to see our instructor on a referral (he lives in Michigan in a small city of 5000 people and has a very successful Physical Therapy practice where he also treats people with Lymphedema)... he took a photo of her then did 40 minutes of Lymphatic Massage on her face. Then he took another photo which we also got to see. It was simply amazing the amount her face had improved. And after nine more treatments her face was completely back to normal and she does not have to see him again as it will stay this way. The difference between the very first photo and the very last one left me in awe at the wonders that this very very gentle and non-invasive massage could do for someone.
I have enrolled in the level 2 class which will be in July. I'm also considering taking the Visceral Massage class with the institute. They do a fine job... I am very impressed with my first experience.
I am not loving the generic massages I give now at the community center where I've been working... most people want deep tissue and it just wears me out. Not just only in the "I'm tired after 3 back to back treatments" but also in the sense that I can feel tendon and ligaments and tissue aches/inflammation that, given time, will end up with chronic issues. I'm not interested in serving people who just want me to dig into their muscles because it feels good. Yes... I know it feels good and I like when my muscles get that kind of workover... it's just I'm not interested in being the person who does that kind of work. I don't love it and I really want to do something different.
I want to specialize in some technique(s) that are really specific in the way it heals. I don't know if this will lie in Lymphatic Massage, Visceral Massage or other areas I'm interested in learning such as Iridology, Reflexology, etc. We will see where my journey takes me.
Anyways, a few things about the past four days...
1) Today during our last lab, a lady that I had not yet worked with asked if I would be her partner. I said yes and I went down on the table to receive as she gave. She placed a blanket on me and then asked, "Are you allergic to dogs?" I said no and then she proceeded to say, "Good. This is my dog's blanket. I shook it out this morning real good so it should be fine."
WTF??? I almost leapt off the table in utter exasperation that someone would just assume it would be okay for me or any other workshop participants to be draped with a blanket that THEIR dog uses - not even one that had at least been washed prior to participant use but merely just shook out. I mean seriously... WHAT.THE.FUCK??!!??
I would never do that to a friend, client, whoever. Just because I might have, for example, achieved a certain comfort zone with my cats doesn't mean that it should be assumed that anyone else would have that same comfort zone with sharing a blanket that my cats use.
People cease to amaze me with their hygiene habits and assumptions and lack of thought or consideration when it comes to hygiene.
2) The hotel the workshop was at was in Los Angeles at The Radisson. A couple of times I ate lunch at their hotel restaurant. The first day I ate there I discovered a typo in their menu. It said: Roasted Chicken Beast. I did not order it but I kept watch for a large charred beast on a gurney plate.
3) I don't know what it is about buildings in California. It doesn't matter where you go... every place is freezing inside. Seriously, at this time of year we don't need the air conditioning running at full tilt. The room we worked in at The Radisson was so cold that even our Michigan born and raised instructor started complaining about the temperature. He asked one of the teacher's assistants if they could go ask the hotel personnel to turn the temperature to around 72 degrees. When nothing changed after an hour, he asked the TA's to ask the personnel if they could just turn it off. Nothing ever changed. It was so bad, that I saw one person run outside during one of our 15 minute breaks with a heavy jacket and snow cap on and plop herself down in the sun. She sat there in it for the entire break, never taking the jacket or ski cap off.
If it hadn't been for our teacher thinking it was cold (he was wearing long pants and a long sleeve button down with a tie AND did I mention he lives in a state that is freezing this time of year??), then I would say we are all just being a bunch of sun/warmth-spoiled babies. If HE was cold, then imagine what it was like for us - especially during the times where your partner in a particular lab component would act the part of the client and had to be half undressed (meaning either a bikini or a sports bra/shorts).
That was a long dumb rant about the temperature inside buildings here in California. If you're still reading then say, "Oh yeah." and I will think up something special to reward you for putting up with my dumb rant.
4) I met some good people this past weekend. I hope to see some of them in July. But not the dog blanket lady.