August 9, 2018, 1:30 p.m.
It has been more than a month since my last acupuncture appointment. Paul confirmed that today is session #4. We talked while he got the treatment chair ready. I reminded him that we had gone on a 28-day cross-country road trip. He asked what was the most fun part of the trip. Well, for me, it was our 5 days in Dallas, spent with my two oldest grandsons and their parents, and time with my BFF Charlene and her dogs.
He asked about my pain level, and I said I had to confess that I’m now on Lyrica. “The dosage I’m on doesn’t provide full pain relief,” I said, “but just enough to enable me to function. I don’t want to remove all pain because then I wouldn’t know when something is wrong. I want to go beyond even total pain relief (without prescription dugs) and seek healing.”
Looking at my medical record on the monitor, he asked, in a routine manner, “What about the migraines?”
I was quick to respond that migraines are no longer an issue since last November when I started CBD. Now, remember, I have previously told him that I’m using a medical cannabis salve (when he asked if I used any topical medicine). At my mention of “CBD,” he asked what form. I did not hesitate to tell him. “Sublingual tincture,” I said. “It’s a 1:1 of CBD to THCa, the non-psychoactive form.” Paul nodded. And once again we shared our thoughts about how illogical the system is in regard to “the sacred plant.”
His placement of the needles was quick but precise. He asked if I wanted the heat lamp on my back and I said, “That would be lovely, thank you.” The background music was the same genre as last time. Pleasant but not distracting. I closed my eyes and concentrated on mindful breathing. As always, it was relaxing and refreshing.