February, 2009

It snowed sometime a few nights ago.
Most Seattle-ites I know are tired of the winter and wish it would go

Let me say this at the outset. I am not an astrologer. I received the text below in an e mail before 2/14/09. I’m taking their word for it that we are now officially in the Age of Aquarius. I nearly cried.

A new study from the University of Alabama shows that acupuncture is remarkably effective for the anxiety experienced before getting acupuncture.  Dr.

“The fool performs a sacred role in the community…a teller of truth standing naked in the marketplace… confronting the powerful with playful disorder.” --Ken Feit

I like being a technician. I like sometimes being able to know what would work for the patient in front of me without doing too many diagnostics. I like not having to be a counsellor or a doctor but someone who listens to the needs of my patient as they prioritize them and then uses whatever is in the collective grab bag of tricks to bring that person some relief.

Arizona Illustrated from PBS visited Tucson Community Acupuncture a few weeks ago to do a story. 

Here's the links:

The story is entitled: "Acupuncture for the Masses". I thought the reporter Ann did an excellent job of composing this story in a new and interesting way that is especially relevant to the times - lowering the carbon footprint for medicine. Did anyone hear it live on NPR?

 

Hey kids!  Did I ever tell you about the time that an introvert moved to a new town where she didn't know anyone and tried to start a high-volume-dependent business in the dead of winter? 

Although I have a whole bunch of other things I really ought to be doing (more on that later), there's this article in last month's AT that I can't seem to stop thinking about.

Capitalizing on a loophole in scope of practice laws for AOM in Oregon, a chimpanzee has been “hired” to needle patients in a southeast Portland clinic.  Peaches, a five-year-old female chimpanzee, has been needling patients for two years at Monkey Shines Community Acupuncture.  “She has amazing skills and gets fantastic results.” said clinic owner and guardian of Peaches, Harold McRae.

    The sliding scale is still an unusual concept and some people struggle with it and what to actually pay. Following is a blended version of recent conversations I had with several new patients.
 

 

I’ve run my clinic by myself for almost 17 years.  This means that I’ve worn ALL the hats that are needed for running any business, and as many of you can understand, it’s hard, demanding work, and the only consolation is that you don’t have to check in with anyone else when you make a decision.  Today I want to share with you my gratitude that someone else is now wearing a few of t

This will give you a good laugh, and maybe a few ideas....

http://portlandveteranacupuncture.homestead.com/services.html

scenes from a reluctant blogger.

I left work tonight feeling so very satisfied.  This feeling has been happening more and more recently, and for good reason – the clinic seems to be on a good roll – numbers are up significantly over the last month or so and have been steadily increasing little by little each week – the power of word of mouth is becoming more and more noticeable and substantial – and the miracles of acupu

Just wanted to share some inspiration,

In keeping with LarryG's Dream Journal series of blog posts, I'd like to submit a letter I received from a patient who been getting treated at our CAP in Manchester, NH - with her permission of course.  

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This morning I caught an interesting interview on NPR's "To the Best of Our Knowledge", produced by Wisconsin Public Radio. It was with Harvard economics professor Stephen Marglin, who wrote a book: The Dismal Science: How Thinking Like an Economist Undermines Community.

Happy Super Bowl Sunday everybody! Are you excited? Going to a Super Bowl party? Got any money riding on the outcome? Before you start your festivities I'd like you to read a blurb from Sports Illustrated's Peter King. Take a gander and lets look at some of the implications it has for our profession.