Thailand

Below are photos  from our three day trek.  Enjoy!

Back Again

More strange encounters with Indian medical practitioners.    My back has been getting worse, aggravated by yoga but also it seems like everything. So I guess I've learned a lot about pain management at this point in the trip.  I skipped a day of practice this week because I truly could not tell what was  helping or hurting me at this point.  Our anatomy teacher recommended that to a place called Jag therapy. I thought I had nothing to loose at this point.  I emailed them to see about price,scheduling, and treatment options.  Over the course of 4 email exchanges I got exactly 1 of these questions answered.  So I thought Well I will just show up and see how it goes.  The clinic is somewhere across town, so I go to the rickshaw driver with a page and 1/2 of directions to help find the place.  (directions in India=describing every little thing you will see along the way to get there, and while I love an adventure I kinda miss google maps and street signs).  It takes a very long bumpy rickshaw ride down some  very questionable dirt paths to get there.  We stopped at least 10 times to ask every village person where the place was.  But we made it !  yay!  I go in, the man at the desk gives me some paperwork and a number tag and tells me to wait.  I did.  I waited for 2 hours, during this time the clinic filled  with patients.  I'm ushered  into a room with an older Indian Man and two western looking students(?).  

This is what ensued 

Doctor: What is it?

Me: I've had low back pain in my lower right quadrant radiating up and  down for 1 month and half

Doctor: Lay down. He proceeds to feel down my spine stops at this huge knot I have in thee middle of my back.   He Stops there and starts laughing, after a minute I think he is going to stop but then keeps going,  I can see his feet lifting off  the ground as he continues to laugh.  The laughter subsides and she says ASSHHHTANNNGAA

Me: Ummm, yes I've been practicing Ashtanga 

Doctor: Pattabhi  Jois, Stupid STUPID, Ignorant Man... They don't care about ALIGNMENT,  they just put you in a posture, no instruction.  STUPID Stupid man.  

Me: ummmm

Doctor:  I asked him why do you do this to people.  he said if you give me this much money I will stop.  (I think implying Pattabi was all about the money- which may have some validity to it).  He then proceeds to move my knee to my nose, while doing something with my arm.   Then he says okay

Me: Okay? 

Doctor: try?

Me: Try what?  

Doctor: Feel better?

Me: I get up do a forward fold, I do notice some relief but still have pain.  

Doctor: lay down- he then does something to my stomach and knee.  then says Okay Done.  

Me: Okay?? Ummm thank you?

It was pretty hilarious, and refreshing to  hear someone bad mouthing the Ashtanga Institute.  

I had one day of relief, but then the pain came back.  It was bittersweet.

Speaking of bittersweet, Today is my last day in India(Just kidding, I'm in Thailand now- this is just the first bit of internet time I have had since getting here).  We are off to Thailand for some trekking, climbing, delicious food, and massages.

We visited the essential oils shop

Learning how to make incense