No Returns and Follow Up

As I returned to church Sunday morning from the van ministry taking the riders back home, I noticed that someone had tossed a large number of beer cans along the highway. The litter wasn’t in the church parking lot, but started at the driveway next door and extended about twenty-five feet. I thought, “That looks so nasty”

At home the sight continued to bother me. It wasn’t exactly on church property, but it seemed to advertise that our church condoned drinking alcohol and gave a slovenly appearance to the unspoiled countryside. I decided to clean up the mess Sunday evening. The church collects and crushes aluminum cans to sell for scrap money. I tossed them in with soda cans and told our pastor when they’re crushed, there will be little chance others will notice that they were beer cans.

Monday I drove to my first appointment at a local chiropractic and acupuncture clinic. I was greeted by a pleasant lady who took my paperwork and my insurance information. Next, a slender young gal took my vital signs and gathered my history before I was taken into a small examination room. Another lady questioned me farther about my symptoms and the duration. She also had me sit on a stool to wait for the physician to see me. A younger doctor came in and began to explain what he was planning to do in his examination. He used a stimulation machine to evaluate the balance of electrical impulses from the center of my spine to my sides and extremities. Once the exam was through, he explained where the problems were. The graphs matched my symptoms almost exactly.

Then he felt my vertebrae, noting the alignment before he asked if I’d ever seen a lift and drop inversion table. He explained that he’d strap my ankles to the table before he would manipulate and reposition me on his table. With my usual off-center nurse’s humor, I teased, “You’re not going to do anything kinky while I’m strapped down.” He laughed.

Strapped to the table like Dr. Frankenstein’s monster, he began to raise and lower my legs evaluating whether it caused an increase or lessening my symptoms. Lifting and dropping sections of the table, he used it to manipulate my pelvis and vertebrae. Now comes the “kinky” part. He used a stimulator and a vibrator to relax my muscles. So I guess kinky wasn’t quite out of the question. JUST KIDDING.

He also manipulated my neck because I have symptoms of snapping and popping in my neck as well as headaches. The sudden sensation has always surprised me. Now I need to exercise to see if things improve.