Acupuncture6Although I’ve tried acupuncture many times before, I’ve never felt as much of a response as I am feeling now after my four sessions with Raffaele Vavala. It’s possible my body wasn’t ready for it, being in ‘the thick of it’ until about a year ago my onion was just too big!  But I also believe some practitioners do have more of a gift than others and Raffaele is gifted!

The consultation methods make great sense to me. My scans have been considered, but my tongue, palms and pulses on both wrists do all the pain and story telling. These body parts describe a system that is quite debilitated after dealing with the years of Chronic Pain, an issue Raffaele understands in-depth. So when I speak of sounds hurting, activity accumulating into a flare up fire-ball, fluid retention, my legs unable to move with extreme heat conditions, the desperation for Western intervention in the form of an implant and nerve blocks, my exhaustion that arrives with the pain and ‘protects me’ by encouraging me to sleep, the inability to focus, reach out and ‘just move that thing’ or carry out a simple task, the ability to create seeming too exhausting, Raffaele understands… ALL OF IT.  He reminds me of my diagnosing physio, and for once I’m the one staring in disbelief at their look of complete understanding for me (when other practitioners screwed up their faces or frowned at my statements).

After four weekly consults, I’m beginning to feel ‘bits’ I’ve not felt in a long time. This week we’ve started to talk ‘sweet’ mechanical pain (I know ‘sweet’ sounds quite mad but remember I’m entitled, chronic pain and depression go hand in hand…). What I mean by ‘sweet’ is the ache, pinch, poke, stab, pulling of pains that make me feel alive! I have a body finally able to tell me to MOVE IT! It’s telling me my muscles are waking, they’re slow, lazy and need to get stretching, a word completely avoided for the last six years because it was always followed with ‘flare up’. And as terrified as I am for fear of provoking a flare up when I’m completely focused on getting past my 5-6 month target with my current block, I’m going to try subtle stretching. Walking seems to become painful after 15- 20 minutes and I reach straight for Theo’s arm but I’m hoping this is weakness in my lower back and with strengthening the achiness and shooting down pain will resolve.

I’m feeling my legs have dropped, my pelvis cool, I’m feeling a relaxed wwooooobbbliness and from the herbs I’m given some much-needed energy has kicked in… and it’s bliss. When I have pain now, I can still think and plan, I’ve even managed to be a bit more creative which is like a miracle to me. Yes, I’m in all sorts of sitting positions but I have stamina to make it past that where before the thoughts of shifting position every few minutes were enough to tire me. Compared to how I was, I feel like Wonder Woman (if only I had her magic rope!).

I’m also happy that Raffaele hasn’t insisted on treating me for depression and that he understands I don’t have depression. I even got an answer for ‘Why didn’t I get depression?’ and it makes complete sense. I’ve always had a hunch about creativity and it being one of life’s biggest survival mechanisms. When you think of anyone losing their connection to the world, (their work and social abilities in many cases) through an injury, what connection to their world is left? But my connection, creativity has remained throughout, even if it’s one scribble or a journal entry, it’s my way of life and although extremely affected, I still had it. It kept me thinking, stimulated, planning, the mind was distracted and socialising about my art or for art on the internet was a great social outlet. Of course the best social outlet was my walking, even though minimal but I was still able to head up the street.

So I’m having weekly consults for now, I’m taking herbs extracted from unheard of vegetable roots, seeds and flowers and I’m hoping this treatment will give longevity to my nerve block (actually I hope I never need one again!). But most exciting of all is that I’m left to ponder this question from Raffaele, ‘What will you do when this is over?’…

Raffaele Vavala consults from 4a Mitchell St Northcote VIC. His number is 9489 4483 (but please make sure there’s an appointment space left for me when you book!!!)
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My family, Theo, Origin of Image & Zephyr…
The big bang injury…
The way relief started…
The way relief continued…
Diagnosis: Physiotherapy at The Women’s…
Building Blocks…
Next stop: Traditional Chinese Medicine…
Soula’s PN Weather Update…
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