"Alternative" Medicine

I'm not 100% sure I'm okay with the term "alternative". Or "Eastern." Definitely not "Oriental." What a problem. I can't even come up with a way to describe the medicine I'm trying. Homeopathic? I will have to do some research.

Okay, so I do acupuncture (one c, why? Apparently I can't access the OED off-campus, but I will try to remember to look it up on Tuesday) at the East Wind Acupuncture Clinic in Bothell. The main page describes what she practices (with herbs and acupuncture) as:

Traditional Chinese Medicine using acupuncture, Chinese and Western herbal medicine and nutritional supplements.

"Herbal medicine." So, now we know. I have some herbal medicine from the acupuncturist, which was very expensive and tastes awful. You put two tiny spoonfuls (they provide you with a baby spoon) in a small amount of water and chug it down quick as you can (not because the directions say so, but because it tastes so nasty. Seriously. Like mud and cinnamon). And it cost about forty dollars, which I don't so much have as now owe.

But it worked, at least at first. I've taken it three times so far, and the first two times the pain went away. But now I have a terrible headache and I've already had as much as you can consume in a single day! Curses! I will have to go back to my tea . It is now brewing, and I will tell you how it goes. That one seems less potent, but it does help take the edge off.

A gal in class tonight told me about this place downtown. I promised myself I would remember the name without writing it down, but apparently I am an ass to myself. Oh... well, I remembered "rainbow" and knew that it's in Seattle, and apparently that was enough. It is called Rainbow Natural Remedies and is in the U District (the other U, not the Bothell one... or the Tacoma one...) That is very convenient. I hear that they will personalize your herbs and make a tea to soothe your particular ailment/s. And that it is CHEAP. Well, I can handle cheap (what I can't handle is $40 for a medicine that only works twice! Oh, it is called Qian Zheng San... and I can't understand any of the sites that give info on it.) I'll try to get a book from the library on these herbal remedies. Anyway, I should be able to get to the U District next Friday, so I'll let you know how it goes!

Anyway, that is what is on my mind. Crazy pain level right now, and all I want to do is take the Vicodin. I shall persevere! Rawr!

P: 9
M: 8 (oh, btw, I think the anti-depressant, Cytomel, is working!)