07 November 2012

Let’s Twist Again – Not Chubby Checker’s


This is nothing to do with that song, Let’s Twist Again, made famous by  Chubby Checker in 1960’s, over which Pakcik’s age group went crazy doing the ‘twist’,  or doing the ‘rock’ to Bill Haley’s Rock Round The Clock. No, this is something more serious.

This morning Makcik and Pakcik decided to accompany a husband-and-wife couple to town.  They are our close friends, known to Pakcik from my school days in 1950’s.This morning the wife was going for her second appointment with an acupuncture practitioner. She was suffering from weak knees. For that matter, who at our age does not have some weak spots somewhere? Her husband, still very active in tennis, has knee problems too.  Makcik has her complaints and I have mine no less. But we all pretend to be young and strong like a hundred-year oak tree with all the knots and twists.  

Accordingly, while the wife was being treated by a Chinese lady Makcik decided that she too should also have a go, and she did. While the ladies were having their needles in one room my friend and Pakcik sat talking to the lady’s husband, also a practitioner. Knowing our interest in his medical practice he  began to tell us about his grandfather who came to Malaya from China bringing with him the special skill that was handed to his father and later to him and wife. That does not end there. One son is practicing at a hospital. Another son and a daughter are now undergoing the course in China. ( What are we doing with our children, forcing into them biology, chemistry and all to become doctors? )  By then I was sufficiently conned into admitting that I had been having slight pains in my shoulder joints whenever I tried to TWIST my upper arms to reach for something behind my back.


 
Before I knew it I was already unbuttoning my shirt. Needles after needles were planted on my shoulder, knees and feet. I thought there must be about a dozen of them, and I must be beginning to look like a balding hedgehog.  But I would not dare to look directly at them. There was no real pain which I had been anticipating. Instead it was gentle wriggling of the needles here and there – at the nerve nodes, according to him. Hardly five minutes later the good ‘doctor  asked me to  do the ‘TWIST  with my upper arms to feel the lessening pain. I am not sure whether it was auto-suggestion or fear that made me admit that the pain had indeed lessened. After a bit more of wriggling and twisting of the needles he began to pull them out and threw the used needles into a waste paper basket. Well, I thought, there was no fear of being infected with that dreaded whatever. My friend, who was watching the act throughout confirmed the use of new needles on me.

Finally my good wife was poorer by sixty ringgits and I was by fortyone hundred in all for two. I think my friend is going to be the next to do the TWIST.

And now, as I am writing this, I recall the time I had

an attack of Bell’s Palsy three years ago ( posting of

21st Nov 2009 - click here ). In that posting I noted

down that Awang Goneng had suggested acupuncture after doing a well researched thesis on Bell’s palsy. On hindsight if I had followed that advice the duration of my embarrassing ‘half smile’ suffering could have been a few days shorter.

Berkhidmat kerana Tuhan untuk kemanusiaan

14 comments:

Cat-from-Sydney said...

Dear Pakcik,
Both my Mama and Dad have been acupunctured many times Down Under but have yet to find a good one in town. Perhaps next time they are in KT you could show them where this place is? They'll be heading your way very soon, I heard. purrrr.....meow!

kaykuala said...

Dear Pakcik,
Heard of it,read a little about it but never ventured out to try it. It comes highly recommended here.
I've joint pains affliction too. ( Am taking hovid's Cosamine 250 at the moment, so also Shadah) It's a brand name label for Crystalline Glocosamine. It eased off the pain but not quite. May just try acu'ptre one of these days. Thanks for sharing!

Hank

abdulhalimshah said...

For whatever claims that are made on this type of treatment, I have my reservations on its effectiveness. Half of all the ailments are physical whereas the other half lies elsewhere. If only we can mange that half, then half the battle is won.

Al-Manar said...

C-f-S

But of course we will take you there. Mind you we are now the sole agent. So naturally we will talk later about fee up on our tree house; but no scratching up there or else we will have a few needles stuck somewhere on you!

Al-Manar said...

Hank,

Hovid's Cosamine 250. I wonder if we need medical advice for this. There are so many types of pills taken every day these days and I wonder if one nullifies the other. All these health pills do not come cheap these days.

Al-Manar said...

AHS,

Evrery illness has its cure. Some need a doctor and his prescribed medicine and nothing else. Some believe in traditional medicine. Now we have people who put their trust in homeopathy. And of course the acupuncture has been around for a very very long time in China. If I have a common fever, a day in bed well wrapped up in blanket will cure me in twenty four hours, no pills of any sort, nothing. But I am willing to submit myself to the operations table if a medical specialist tells me I need to.

We all have our personal preferences. That day's experience has made me think whether there is something in it after all.

naliahmad said...

Dear PakChik, that is so very brave of you and MakChik. The thought of having even one single needle inserted gives me the jitters, and you are talking needle after needle....

MamaTim said...

asSalammu'alaikum Pakcik.. BEKAM is good. My Lalliiing has tried it twice but stopped there b'coz there's always something else to do (regretfully, we often prioritise work and other stuff above health unless and until ache turns to unbearable oain, sighhh). As for me, the sight of blood sends me into drama-mode: mata kabur, rasa nak pengsan.. LOL!!

Praying towards your better health.

Al-Manar said...

Nali,

No, we are no better when it comes to needle. I have to occupy my mind with something although without much succeess. I try not to watch it but involuntarily the corner of my eye would still have a glimpse of it, or the fingers handling it. Then I imagine a red ant biting into the skin and I try to show a brave face, biting my teeth that an 'ouch' would not come out. That is how brave I am. Makcik feels worse, the result of her traumatic experience in the 1960's when our three children opted not to emerge voluntarilly into this world.

Al-Manar said...

Mama Tim,

No, no bekam for me. I cannot imagine someone sucking blood from my shiny top with a buffalo horn or such like. Try acupuncture. You may enjoy the Cinese speciality.

aliya said...

Dear Pakcik,
That was brave of you both. I shiver at the sight of needles and I have this strange fear that the practitioner might poke at the wrong nerve. So it's a huge no-no for me. So will continue popping pills for high bp :)

Al-Manar said...

Aliya,

I would most likely not go for it in the first instance, not my first nor my second if I can help it.

ajax85 said...

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Al-Manar said...

Man,

Terima kasih. Munkin ada pelawat yang ingin tahu.