Sylvia's Journal

Annette is gone and everything is quiet again. Nothing was cleaned or moved yesterday. Axel was also gone most of the day. David took him to his physical therapy session. After that they joined Chuck and Anne in Salem for lunch and a visit to the Peabody Essex Museum. I was curious how he’d do since I have always found a museum hard on the body, even when it is in good shape. It tired him out but the acupuncture session afterwards allowed for some rest after the needles were placed.

While he was away I tackled a growing list of tasks for work, went to my EMDR session and then met up with Axel at the acupuncture clinic in Beverly at the end of the day. I also made arrangements for what is likely to be my first trip, to Kenya, early next month.

I walked around most of yesterday with a fairly intense pain in my neck. And that is how I arrived at my EMDR session. We decided to tackle this pain and inquire into its meaning using the EMDR technology (two buzzing biscuits in my hands). It was a bit of an unusual session in that I seemed to take off on a course that did not quite conform to the protocols but it released some tears. I had started off with an image of a closed gate which I did not know what to do with but now I realize that this might have been about floodgates. I walked out without the pain in the neck. And when it came back later in the evening it was much less intense. I am still not sure what this is all about, other than that the physical therapist has been working hard on re-aligning my cervical spine and the neck muscles are being strengthened. But the pressure of the tears that did not come out was strong. It puzzled me. Ruth asked me what the few that did escape were tears off. I finally settled on tenderness and recounted the two experiences of this last weak where I realized I could have been a widow.

The acupuncturist targeted my belly scar, shoulder and ankle. I told him about the change in sensitivity at the sole of my food and that I wanted more of that. This morning I keep checking it hoping for a miracle and fearing no effect at all. I think there is another change but I am not sure. As for Axel’s acupuncture session, it is too early to tell; besides, he is still asleep so I cannot ask him.

In the evening we fished Lynndsie’s shepard pie out of the freezer and enjoyed it while watching Brother Where Art Thou.