Belly Cupping, Herbs and the Tears of Job

As I continue my healing journey, I kicked up the exercise routine again. Four mornings this week I went at six in the morning before work. I also took one lunch hour to go back to the gym and sit in the sauna for twenty minutes. I know the sauna is good to relax the muscles and detox. My foot hurts after the gym still, so I've been icing it and using the massager. It is definitely better after the six week rest I gave it, but there is still the inside of my foot above my flattened arch that still aches. The good thing is though, with some ice, the massager, and a short amount of rest, it feels better.

This week I went to my second acupuncture appointment. After a short talk about how I was feeling, Elizabeth put the acupuncture needles on my head, ear, hands, belly, legs and foot to help with my foot pain and weight. She left me this time for 30 minutes to relax. It was comfortable and peaceful. I listened to the soothing music and closed my eyes. After she returned and gently removed the needles, she did cupping on my abdomen for help with my weight issues. They weren't hot, and while she moved them around, I could feel a light suction. There was no pain, and no marks. 

I also asked Elizabeth about herbs for weight loss. She gave me a bottle of Chinese herbs called Poria 15 Formula. I'm to take two tablets 3 times a day. She also gave me a list of foods to try that will help resolve dampness in the body as well as excess water. I find it so fascinating to learn about how different modalities approach how to heal the body. Frog is one of the items to help resolve water. I think I'll go with celery instead! The herbs she gave me is supposed to improve digestion, increase elimination, aid in lipid metabolism, reduce serum cholesterol, phlegm, and water excess in overweight people. It helps with "damp accumulation in the lower and middle burner." Now isn't that a much nicer way to look at being overweight? I have damp accumulation! I love it, it feels like something that can be solved instead of judging myself over it. My body is not in alignment, but I can get it there!

Elizabeth also suggested I try Job's Tears tea for weight loss too. I left the session feeling pain free, relaxed, yet excited about adding the herbs, tea, and the various foods to my healing plan (minus the frog).

Job's Tears Tea

The next day I was signed up for a college tour with my son, so I didn't try the herbs yet, not knowing how they would affect me (especially the "increase elimination" part). After over an hour of walking and standing, my foot was in so much pain. The Motrin I took beforehand didn't help at all.  When we returned home I rested my foot but it was still sore the next day.

Along with healing my body, I'm also working on my mind and the spiritual, soulful aspects of my life. I am working on bringing more joy and purpose into my life. I'm creating the life I really want. Several years ago I was let go from a job and it left me fearful of being in that situation again. I worked awhile at another job not as an employee, but in a contractor position. When I was later hired by a wonderful company at a great salary, I was afraid to let go of the other job completely. So I still worked every Sunday at it telling myself it was a good thing, what was I doing on Sunday's anyway, and it was paying off my car.

Well the truth was, I was keeping the job out of fear, it was keeping me from working on my writing and my small businesses, and it was keeping me from spending more time with my family, relaxing, and having fun. Was it worth a car payment that my full time job could afford? Well I decided to let go of fear, and make some space in my life. I know when you let go of what no longer serves you, doors open. So I let go. I was originally planning on leaving at the end of the year, but the more days went by thinking about it, the more I wanted to go! So I gave two weeks notice, and admittedly, I still feel some fear, but I'm doing it anyway!

Til next week...

In Gratitude & Love,

Kerri Mulhern
www.suitablegifts.com

Human Pin Cushion In Search Of Healing

To continue the healing with my foot, I made an appointment for acupuncture this week. It is something I have never tried before, but it does lend itself to the holistic approach I am employing to alleviate the pain.  I was curious to see if it works, and looked forward to the Friday evening appointment.

Thursday and Friday I got back to my morning gym routine. I went at 6AM to work my muscles and do lots of crunches to help shrink my belly. It felt good to be back, but honestly, my foot was sore afterwards. I continued using the massager and ice to alleviate the pain, and rested it as much as possible.

I'm on the fence about the new shoes I bought. The insole has an arch that seems to scrape against my foot. It's comfortable for a little while, but I have to switch those shoes with my old shoes that have the Good Feet Store insoles in order to have a consistent level of comfort. I wish my foot felt good all the time.

I know my weight is still a major factor in all of this, but I didn't have the best week honestly. I'm not gorging myself, but I haven't been listening to my body as I was. It's so easy, I'm not sure why I let it slide. But I know I will get back on track again, this is too important.

Friday arrived and I excitedly went to my appointment. Elizabeth is sweet and soft spoken, and well versed in all things acupuncture. We had a long consultation before we began, and I told her about my weight loss goals and the issue I was having with my foot.

Elizabeth decided to use acupuncture as well as cupping in my session. I have not tried either before, but decided to give them both a whirl. I was a bit uneasy about cupping because of the bruise-like marks it leaves on a person. I wondered if it was causing any harm to the body to mark it that way.  

I changed into a gown and hopped up on the table underneath a sheet. Carefully. Elizabeth began to put the acupuncture needles on me. There were maybe two that I could actually feel. It was a pinch, but nothing serious. I really was relaxed going into this. Between the soft music in the background and my positive attitude, I wasn't expecting this to be anything but helpful. She put needles into both my hands, my stomach, my forhead, my leg, and my foot. She lowered the lights and left for me to relax for 15 minutes. I felt a little pain in my foot for a short amount of time, so I lifted my foot, put it back down gently and the pain was gone. I closed my eyes and listened to the music until she returned.

While feeling like a human pin cushion, Elizabeth removed the acupuncture needles and asked how I felt. So far so good!  Next she had me flip over and brought out the cups. She started with glass ones and I could hear her light the flame inside two of them. She placed them on the bottom of my back and it felt like it was burning me. She noted aloud, "yes, those will leave a mark." I wasn't surprised! What did surprise me later, was that it didn't feel like a burn at all. If I had not felt that or looked in the mirror at home, I never would have known they were there. Normally a burn hurts for a awhile after and is sore, these didn't feel like anything at all. So, supposedly the marks are from unwanted toxins being pulled to the surface from the suction the cupping creates. Cupping is a treatment that can help with pain, inflammation, blood flow, relaxation, and as a type of deep-tissue massage.

After using the two glass cups, she switched to silicone which were gentler. I didn't hear her lighting them, she put oil on my back and used them to glide around my back while the cups provided suction as she went along. It was kind of like having your back vacuumed. It was moving the lymph around which is also good to release toxins. 

At the end Elizabeth put magnets in my ears to help alleviate food cravings. She said they'll probably come out in the shower.

I left feeling relaxed and my foot was pain free. Will I try it again? Of course! I'm going back next week. Elizabeth is going to provide more acupuncture and cup my belly! I forgot to ask her about herbs, so we'll see what she advises next week.

See you soon...

In Gratitude & Love,

Kerri Mulhern
www.suitablegifts.com

Week 6: Walking A New Path

This pause in my life wasn't about a foot injury. It was to help me reawaken my creativity. It was to help me do what I came here to share with others. I don't believe our purpose necessarily needs to be tied with a job or career. Sonia Choquette told me I am a messenger, and I have thought about that. I started a clutter clearing certification course and the beginning is a deep dive into your ancestry and personal history. I answered questions on my childhood and what I wanted to be at that time. I thought back to what I did when I was younger. I was always writing, drawing, and pretending I was a teacher. When I was a teenager I was writing, and drawing. What I was meant to do, I always knew (we all do), but somehow along the way I didn't recognize that I could do something I loved for a living. Even going to an art school for college, I still didn't believe I could do it.

I have been writing more and with ease, and working on my businesses more. This six week hold on my life has brought more joy that I could have imagined. There is a blessing when something happens to stop us in our tracks, so we can reflect on our lives and immerse ourselves in the things that make us happy. Even taking a break for self care is so vital. Resting, rejuvenating, and refreshing yourself can be a lifesaver.

I started writing a children's book over this six week rest. It was something I have been holding for eight years. Yes, for eight years I couldn't give myself the time to work on this! I knew I had some notes I had written, and some sketches. I searched around my office but couldn't find them. Through Sonia Choquette's Ask Your Guides course, she teaches about all of the guides around us. I completed this course in 2016, and have used this wisdom ever since. We have "runner guides" who help us. This may sound way out there, but that's me! If you need a parking space, ask the runner guides to find one for you before you reach the store, or if you need an easier spot in line, ask (and always remember to say thank you after!). Since I couldn't find my notes, I asked for help. Within less than a minute, I had a thought to check a drawer to see if I had filed it. I found a page! I thought again to recheck that drawer, and I found a folder marketed "Writing" with pages of notes and sketches! 

What would you do if all of the things you say you "have to do" weren't in your way? I see now that I put them there. I was stopping myself from doing what I really wanted to do. It is more than ok to put yourself on your to-do list. It is vital. Don't ever leave yourself out. I certainly won't make that mistake again.

I went back to the Integrative Healing Institute on Saturday for more healing therapy. I didn't lose weight this week and I talked to Kim about my self sabotage. She treated my foot with more reflexology, which felt fantastic, as well as lymphatic drainage on my legs and chakra clearing with Reiki. When she was working at my crown chakra, I felt a wave of energy flow down my body. It really is such an exhilarating, yet completely relaxing experience! The next day my weight was down a pound and a half, too. 

I mentioned last week about Mona Lisa Schultz's book Intuitive Advisor and how it suggested seeing an acupuncturist and a Chinese herbalist. Kim brought up acupuncture during our session so I asked if they offered it, and she told me Elizabeth at the front desk is an acupuncturist and I should also ask her about herbs too! I set up an appointment for next week and I can't wait for this new experience in holistic therapy.

My foot feels so much better. It's not perfect, there's still a little bit of pain, but certainly nothing I would get six surgeries for. I'm still grateful for that visit to the podiatrist though. He got me off my feet for awhile, showed me that I am the best determiner of what to do about my health, and propelled me into a much more exciting and fulfilling future. There is something good in every experience.

I ordered some good shoes (Brooks Ariel '18) for flat  feet, plantar fascitis and other foot issues, along with exercise bands (TheraBands) to help rehabilitate my foot. I found some exercises online to help with posterior tibial tendonitis and to make my feet stronger.

Getting back into my life again, everything is changed for the better. I am not doing for others unless I have taken care of myself first. I'm not talking about emergency situations and I don't mean this at all in a selfish way, I mean it in a way that I am not using that as an excuse not to follow my dreams. 

So even though these six weeks are finished, this is only the beginning of this new path, and I will be continuing to share my journey with you.  Thank you for walking along with me.




In Gratitude & Love,

Kerri Mulhern
www.suitablegifts.com

Week Two: It's All About Balancing (Chakras, That Is)

In my second week of healing my foot (and my soul), I'm working on a combination of inner and outer work.  I have been Googling so much about my injury that a massager advertisement appeared in my Instagram feed to help with my issue. It looked really good, like a deep tissue massage, and it was something I could do myself.  I ordered it for same-day Amazon delivery. That just amazes me that I get get something in one day, but I did!

It works great, and has all of these accessories that you can massage your whole body, even a facial massage, which is perfect for my TMJ (from years of teeth grinding from anxiety & stress). So I use it daily on both feet and calves and they feel great! I also have been using the facial massager tip with lotion and my face feels wonderful!

I found some exercises for Posterior Tibial Tendonitis and have been doing the ones that don't put any stress on my foot. I'll do the weight-bearing exercises after 6 weeks to strengthen my calf, ankle, and arch. I'm still debating cancelling that 3 week foot doctor appointment and maybe going in after 6 weeks. I'll figure that out next.

For the first time in a really long time I feel rested. I have been well taken care of and it feels really nurturing. It also feels wonderful not to feel so responsible for everything. I know I have been divinely forced into this situation by knocking my feet right out from under me so I could see this. I don't need to do so much. Everything will be fine. Everything is fine. I could feel myself heading towards all of this, but I kept pushing myself. Now I hope that this rest is enough, because I really don't want surgery. I mean I REALLY don't want surgery at all.

I am still meditating and it feels fantastic to be back in that flow. It was another thing I often gave up because I didn't have the time. I pushed the things I needed to do for myself to the back of the line because of that feeling that I wasn't doing enough for everyone else, that everyone else's needs were more important than mine.  I knew better, I just couldn't do what I needed to for myself until I was forced into it by this foot injury. I am grateful for it, I know it was necessary. I'm grateful that what took me out wasn't more serious.

After lamenting the prospect of surgery, someone dear suggested I try holistic methods since that's what I gravitate towards. Honestly, I gravitate, but I've never tried it for a health issue before. But of course I should try it! So I once again Googled like a maniac and found holistic health practitioners in my area. I found this incredible integrative medicine center nearby called the Integrative Healing Institute, and I was like a kid in a candy store (well, I was actually like ME in a candy store) browsing through their online menu of services. I picked out two to start with: a reflexology massage and chakra balancing (to work on that third chakra). The reflexology description mentioned that it was great for foot pain and plantar fascitis, so this seemed like a great place to start. I booked them back to back and looked forward to the appointments. Although I had some butterflies in my stomach, I had a very good feeling about this place and the healing it would provide, and I know that is important to the outcome. When I had the remote intuitive healer pull the inflammation out of my foot, I know part of the reason it worked, was because I was visualizing along with her that the healing was occurring. It is law of attraction at work. Expect what you want the outcome to be and feel the feeling of what you want. We can create our outcomes, that's why the placebo effect works. If we think something is helping us, it will.

So a few days later hubby brought me to my appointment. The waiting area was a spiritual paradise with crystals, essential oils, jewelry, holistic creams and more. There were cozy chairs and a couch, relaxing music piped in and friendly staff at the desk. After I filled out a few forms, I hobbled around a bit to check out the crystal tables. I eyed a set of chakra discs that looked great. I placed them down, hoping the other woman looking at the crystals wouldn't buy it before I came back from my session. But I didn't want to be impulsive, if it was meant for me, it would be there an hour from now.

Soon Kim Krost appeared and introduced herself (I found out later that she is the owner of the healing center). She was friendly and kind, and I knew I would be in good hands. I left my husband amongst the crystals and sleep inducing sounds and was led to her room. It was a calm, dark, heated room with gentle music playing. The room was small but it fit a couch where I sat, a desk and chair, as well as a massage table in the center of the room. We talked for a bit about my issues. Obviously she knew my foot needed help with the giant boot I was wearing. I told her I was trying to avoid surgery and she spoke of the various clients she has seen with foot issues. It felt reassuring that she has dealt with this before. I told her I also was trying to lose weight so if she had any thoughts or could work some reflexology magic, I would appreciate it. She talked about juicing, and eliminating gluten from my diet and the impact it has had on some of her clients. I appreciated her help.

Next I took my left shoe off and my right boot and gently hopped up on the table and lay down face up. A wedge was under my lower legs. Kim decided to do the chakra balancing first. She placed the same type of chakra discs I spied in the waiting area around and on me. The lower chakra discs were placed towards the right of me on the table. She said as long as the crystals are near the chakras, they help activate them. She placed the heart, throat and third eye chakra discs on me and the crown chakra disc behind my head. She also placed two clear quartz crystals on either side of my head under the pillow I was resting on. She took the sheet underneath me and pulled it to cover my arms. I was cocooned and ready! She was very descriptive about what she was doing and told me she would be employing Reiki in the session. Reiki is an energy healing I have wanted to learn myself and I have thought of getting certified. It so happens she also teaches Reiki! 

Kim told me that the energy that flows through the body starts in the right foot and flows up through the body and down through the left foot. So this aching foot could be a part of a block. She showed me with a pendulum as it swayed back and forth that my chakras were closed. She worked her way up with her hands, applying very light pressure. When she was at my knees, it felt like a current was flowing down my legs a few times. When she got to my third chakra, I felt uncomfortable. I was scared for a moment thinking I was having a panic attack. I was thirsty, maybe it was too warm in there. This is going to sound odd, but here goes. It felt like my chest was a solid thin piece of bone instead of ribs. I'm not sure why that popped into my head, but that was what it felt like. It felt like I had a pressure on this solid piece of bone. I knew this would be good for me, so I said nothing. Most of the time I kept my eyes closed, but I watched her work on my third chakra, and when she was finished, the pressure was totally gone. She moved up to the remaining chakras and then finished by circling around my body with some hand motions. I asked her about it all after and she explained some of the symbolism behind opening and balancing the chakras, as well as the "stitching" she was doing of my aura at the end. It all felt like a beautiful ceremony. I felt very relaxed. She used the pendulum again across my chakras and it spun in circles as it is supposed to when they are functioning properly. We spent quite a bit of my appointment time on the chakra balancing, but I know I needed it. 

The reflexology massage was wonderful too. It was very gentle as she applied pressure to specific points on my foot and calf. I felt no pain, and my foot felt great after. She also did a lymphatic drainage on my right leg. This would help with inflammation. It was also very gentle and pain free. It was one of the options I was considering when booking the appointment, because it detoxed the body and can help with weight loss. She told me it usually helps more with inches but she actually had a client who lost 7 pounds in a day from it. She applied some Kinesio tape and said next time she'd tape up my whole foot to help align my foot better. She told me to use a soft roller under my foot at home to loosen the fascia.

 Kim told me she would email me some information about gluten free bread and flour, steps on keeping my chakras balanced, and some other info (which she did right after I left). She walked me to the waiting area and I felt nothing short of euphoric. My entire body was calm, I didn't have a care in the world and I was pain free. I seriously felt spectacular.

Kim gave me some lymphatic cream to try and I found the chakra discs waiting patiently on the table I left them at. My sweet husband managed to keep himself from being lulled to sleep by the music, and headed outside to swing the car around so I wouldn't have to walk far. 

I thanked Kim for her help and set up an appointment for two weeks from now for another reflexology massage and the lymphatic drainage. I can't wait! The next day Kim responded to my email response and mentioned the Reiki classes again. I signed up to get my Reiki 1 certification in November. 

The journey continues next week...

For more information:
Integrative Healing Institute: Click here
Chakra stone set: Click here
Body Massager: Click here


In Gratitude & Love,

Kerri Mulhern
www.suitablegifts.com

I Can't Put My Foot Down

My feet have been a longtime source of pain for me. I have had flat feet since I was a child. I was lucky enough to work for a podiatrist for a short time when I was 19. He x-rayed my feet and noticed there were some extra bone chips in there. He asked "Were you dropped as a baby?" That certainly would explain more than my foot problems! 

He fitted me for orthotics and I was on my way to pain-free living, it was a Godsend. Over the years I didn't keep up with taking care of my feet and my trusty orthotics are long gone. I would periodically have plantar fascitis, but it would always feel better the more I walked.  

Almost 2 years ago I called in to Denise Linn's Hay House radio show to ask her about foot pain and if it could tie into a past life. She told me she could see me from the knee down hundreds of years ago. I was in Poland or Russia. I was a refugee, but what was odd to her was that I was all alone, I wasn't traveling with anyone. She saw me barefoot walking in the cold dirt and snow. I have wondered since if the chips in my foot were a remnant from that life so long ago. And I also wonder what the lesson is that I need to learn that caused these symptoms to appear in this lifetime. 

The last several months, my right foot has given me tremendous pain. So much so that after a short time on my feet, I was literally dragging that foot along, because any weight on it was excruciating. I had gained quite a bit of weight before the pain, so I assumed it was from that. I wanted to lose the weight before seeing a doctor, how could he help if that was the issue? Also, to be quite honest, going to a doctor while believing that my fat was causing this, was humiliating, I couldn't bring myself to it. I imagine that there are other overweight people that also deny themselves help because they don't want to be seen. I have felt that way often. Even though I wouldn't judge anyone for being overweight, I judge myself harshly, and I hide.

I even reached out to a remote healer. She took a look at my foot (over the phone) and told me she was removing the inflammation. She said I just needed one chiropractic adjustment and I would be fine. For three days after talking to her, I was completely pain free.  I didn't see a chiropractor, because honestly it was the fat issue again. I'm embarrassed to admit that, but it's the truth.

In desperation I went to the Good Feet Store to get some orthotics. I didn't realize walking in that they weren't custom. They are a manufactured orthotic that the salesperson pulled from the back room. I also didn't realize I'd be hobbling out of the store $1,000 poorer. But as I mentioned, I was desperate. They did help a little, but I knew there was still something seriously wrong.

Finally I realized that I needed to swallow my pride and see a podiatrist. I often passed a foot and ankle clinic when I was out shopping at a local shopping center. I Googled it, found good reviews and made an appointment. 

The appointment felt like an ambush. I'm being a bit dramatic with that description, but it was odd and overwhelming.  The podiatrist came sweeping into the room with his latest associate to the practice. After asking for a brief synopsis of my injury he began examining my foot with a pen. He pushed with his hand on parts of my foot asking for my rate of pain, scribbling the number on my foot and relaying the proper medical name for his diagnosis to the associate. This went on for several minutes.  He concluded that I needed 6 different surgical procedures.  He asked his new associate for his opinion, to which he commented that he didn't agree on one of the procedures. He said the practice he worked at previously didn't have much success with it. The main doctor kept trying to be witty and how horrible my feet were (even the one not hurting), but it all just didn't feel right.  I mean, seriously, I just expected a steroid injection and some ice packs. 

He told me all of the names of the procedures but not the diagnosis. He said I pulled a tendon that stretches from the calf to my arch. I later Googled it and it appears to be Posterior Tibial Tendonitis. It looks like it can cause your arch to collapse. But my arches have always been collapsed. The doctor told me that a bone inside my foot wasn't being supported, it was essentially rolling around in there. He pulled up the x-rays they took of both my feet to show a gap between that particular bone and another on top of it The gap was supposed to show why I was in pain. When he zoomed in and compared both feet, the gap looked exactly the same in both pictures. He even commented so. 

I told him I wanted to be more conservative, so he gave me a boot to wear and told me to consider getting a knee scooter to keep weight completely off my right foot.  He downplayed the effectiveness of orthotics even thought he insisted I use them, even in the boot. He was going to give me some nitroglycerin cream to put on my foot, but he mentioned not to use if it I had high blood pressure. I didn't want to take a chance with it, but I did buy the tendon strengthening vitamins he suggested. He wants to see me back in 3 weeks. I am glad I went to see him, because I thought I might have somehow broken or fractured something. It is good to know what is causing the pain.

I continued to Google like a lunatic and found exercises to heal the tendon, instructions to use Motrin and ice, and to give it rest. It could take 6 weeks to heal, and using my foot again too soon could undo any rest I've given it. I also read a blog on someone who had the foot surgery and it sounds quite painful, could take a year to heal, and even my doctor said I still might not be able to walk as I had before after it.

I also had a wonderful call with the incredibly kind and uber talented Gary Ramsey (if you haven't read his book Bliss: One Hero's Journey, you need to get it!). He works with clients employing the Alexander Technique and provided me with healing visualizations (which have worked every time I have pain!), taught me how to walk properly, gave me additional tips to sooth the pain, how to sleep, taught me how important it is to strengthen my calf muscles, and more. I'm very, very grateful to Gary for his help.

So this is what's happening, 6 weeks off my feet. But it is more than that. Our outer circumstances reflect something inward, and that is what I will be discovering over these weeks. I will also be letting go of all of the things I "have to" do and take care of myself. I have to ask for help and allow others to be there for me. Much as that past life described, I tend to do it all alone, I don't want to bother anyone else, I don't like to ask for help. This is a journey of not moving, but nonetheless, I know I'm headed somewhere to heal something that has been neglected for a long time. I am going to take this time to meditate, pray, write, create, reflect, eat healthier, and exercise (just not on the foot!). This is a time for reflection and transformation and I'm looking forward to sharing it all with you.  

In Gratitude & Love

Kerri Mulhern
www.suitablegifts.com