A Crash

A little over a week ago my friend Brandie and I were on our way to the school, congratulating ourselves that not only were we going to be on time to our 2nd graders reading celebration, we might even be early. We were about 10th back in line at a red light and had been stopped for about 15 seconds or so when WHAM! someone rear ended us. 

Both Brandie and I's necks were hurting almost immediately. But we had to call our leasing company so that they could call 119 and get the police to the scene. Coincidentally the woman who hit us was a European expat, not an Asian, so she was in the same boat as us. The police came and took pictures then moved us off the road where we waited for the International Police who actually speak English. Anyway, an hour later Brandie and I made it up to our kid's class just in time for the closing tradition of the Chicken Dance. We gave it all we had...

...Then went home and crashed on our respective couches. I had an unrelenting migraine and pain down my neck and back. I got the kids off the bus but only made it an hour before calling Nathan and asking him to come home.

Long story short, we both have some nice whiplash going on and we have spent the last week getting all manner of treatments, all of which will be covered by the other lady's insurance. 

This was my first acupuncture experience. It was so awesomely Asian. After I met with the Dr., he felt my neck and shoulder and said two words, "Like rock." That pretty much summed it up.

Next you go into the little closet and they shoot super hot herbal tea steam on the afflicted area. The steam comes out of some sweet jerry rigged beakers with Wilcox style bungee cords and old tubes and funnels. You can see it better in Brandie's picture below. (I feel like Brandie would appreciate my disclaiming that we had both basically rolled outta bed and into the office for our "treatments")

After I had steamed for a bit the dr. came in and put the needles in my upper forearm, actually. Doesn't hurt... but I'm also not sure yet if it helped. I'll have to go a few more times to know I think. 

We have also had several massages. Massages are very popular and inexpensive, generally. They can also be shady or a bit inappropriate. My R.S. President tells a laugh out loud story about the time she had more of her "pecs" massaged than she had intended. Thanks to her forewarning I have narrowly missed that specific service 3 times in the last 2 weeks. 

But generally, massages are just a safe, relaxing, therapeutic escape from reality. 

Yesterday our sweet husbands sent us off for 2 hour full body massages, hoping to help us get our backs/necks back in shape. It was a fabulous 2 hours, topped off by the most hilarious Chinglish I have yet seen. Since the picture is likely too small to read I will transcribe verbatim what was written as their spa rules. Enjoy!

1. This store is a professional SPA guild, don't do porn service item, please match with.

2. In order to have regard for other honored guest's rightses, this store drinks to store customer Don't do a reception.

3. When the professional teacher of this store contributed efforts to the honored guest, please don't have     Not appropriate action.

4. Before honored guest's curriculum starts, please tell first whether once had already begun Shu or the body other conditions, the in order to prevent causes unwell and injury.

5. When pregnant woman did a curriculum, please tell first, is evaluated by the professional teacher Its safety.

6. The product that this store curriculum use all comes from an advanced technique Switzerland. France. Italy. Indonesian etc.... The foreign import makes. 

7. The tool that this store honored guest use all pays attention to personal hygiene, A set a person is used up to namely disinfect, and provided the abandon type the article.

8. Our company preserves the correction power of the activity of special curriculum.