santa barbara, 1995, state street...i let carol elizabeth meyer, l.ac. put some needles in my back for my herniated lumbar discs. face down on the massage table, my face smooshed through the donut making me look curiously similar to a goldfish, i remember thinking, "what the f*%k am i doing here with this crazy woman? i hate needles. why am i paying her to torture me?" yet, a 21 year old with a disabled placard and an impending back surgery will do a lot of things to try to feel normal again. and lo and behold...2 months and many acupuncture needles later...i was a new woman...jogging and all! until, i fell down a flight of stairs and broke my ankle! of course i avoided the md until 2 weeks later when it was 2 weeks too late. so back to the needle lady. she did her magic and managed to help me finish college and ship me off to san francisco to join the adult world and the job market.

i do not do well behind a desk all day. i do not do well with people telling me what to do. i do not do well with a set schedule and being punctual. i am not a morning person. i don't like wearing suits. i don't like helping other people make lots of money. i don't think i'm meant to have a boss or work in an office!!! i started working at andersen consulting. let the migraines begin! HELP! back to the acupuncturist i go. this new needler in sf fixed me up. i'd had a 3 month long migraine - went to bed with it, woke up with it, had it all the time! in two treatments, it was gone!

what the f$&k?! who are these people and how do i become one?

i quit my job and back to school i went. i had no idea it would be 4 years of graduate school. it really needs to be. i mean, you don't want your acupuncturist sticking needles in at the wrong angle or depth or location. that would hurt or puncture something that shouldn't be punctured! and you don't want the wrong herbs. acupuncturists need to be trained well...although 4 years is a ridiculously long masters program. we really should be doctors...i'm just saying! :)

i've been practicing now for 8.5 years. it never gets old. i like to think i'm my own boss but really my patients are my boss. i have fun patients, grouchy patients, crazy patients, regular patients, interesting patients...you name it. i plan to write about different cases and topics in this portion of my blog. i'm hoping to let people know more about what chinese medicine can do. it really is primary care. it's just a different form than most people are used to. and for all those that say i practice alternative medicine...to what is it an alternative? isn't it traditional medicine and western medicine is the alternative? uh huh...i thought so! seriously, i am 100% about complementary medicine. let's take the best of both worlds...we're lucky we have both. hope you enjoy!!