Yes... I woke up this morning feeling rather excited... the day I was really going to try *acupuncture!
Suami already called TS Hospital yesterday & we were advised to come between 2-5 pm, i.e. less crowded.
(For the field of Neuroscience, acupuncture is something that one looks at sceptically. Of course there have been many reports / documentaries of its success, even as a replacement to anesthetic agent for an operation... I've shown this documentary to my Neurobiology class. BUT how does it work?)
Before we went, packed Durrah's stuff because her Ipoh Mali cousins (Umar, Syifa' & Widad) invited her to go back with them & spend part of the school holidays in Ipoh (Syifa's b'day & a bowling event) & a trip to Maxwell Hill (Datin Osh's bday!). Aiman couldn't follow because he has his tuition classes. He seemed so determine to go to ASiS for his Form 4... following the footsteps of his big brother!
When we left for TS Hospital, those leaving for Ipoh were still at home. First we went to the department, so that I could do the normal exchange of documents with my NeuroRG post-grad students... downstairs near the surau.
Then off to TS with a printed out map from its website & we managed to find it without much difficulties. It was at the junction after the end of the row of shops opposite the infamous Pudu Raya.
Coming in through the entrance gate, there were 2 junctions: Left to Western Medicine & Right to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
As we came in through the TCM front door, a guard on duty already pressed the button to give me a number to register.
To be honest, I had withdraw quite a sum of $, in preparation in case it wasn't going to accept credit card & that it was going to cost us a bomb!
So, we were very surprised that we only needed to pay $25:
a) Registration fee was $3
b) Acupuncture session (using disposable needles) with a specialist from Beijing University (an Associate Prof. Dr. WZT) was $22.
I was actually given the option to see a Malaysian doctor who would also be an acupunturist specialist for (only) $18. Adoi, "non-branded"?
Well, we came all the way... so, as much as my "Malaysia Boleh" in me... the option taken would be rather obvious!
We were then asked to go upstairs (room 120) to see the doctor.
As we walked up the stair case we saw some posters on acupuncture on the rather bare walls. Nothing fancy in sight & all I could think of "everything is just based on functionalities". The only frivolous things I saw were ornamental bamboo trees in big plastic brown pots!
While taking in the hints from the work environment of the place, we kept walking to a row of chairs close to room 120.
An Indonesian young lady who was walking slightly ahead of me with a limp, sort of slowed down & then just fell flat on her back in front of my path.
A group of nurses rushed to the scene, each bombarding me repeatedly with questions: "Is this your daughter? What happened to her? Is she your amah? Did she eat today?"
Aiyyahh! Am I supposed to be in charge of this girl (also)?
Suami & Aiman were also shocked & they had this "what's going on look" on their faces!
I thought Aiman had even asked me whether I pushed the girl?
"Hey... Mama tahulah Mama ada Bell's Palsy, but I don't go round knocking people down! Biar betul..."
Luckily, the commotion caused the boss of this young lady to come out from a nearby room & she mentioned something like the girl had complained about pain in her leg for the past 2 weeks, etc etc etc. I also heard the girl said that she had not taken anything today (it was already way past 3 pm!!)
I didn't get to hear much anymore because my name was called & I went into the consultation room with Suami & Aiman, with thoughts like, "Did the Indonesian maid want me to save her from a situation?"
Sitting beside the doctor's table, a nurse came to help with the translations of getting the background session (Onset? Had I seek western medicine? Western medicine being taken?).
One thing for certain, I could tell that the doctor wasn't too happy with the fact that it had been TEN (10) days before I came to have my 1st acupuncture session.
After he wrote it all down in my file (but I couldn't deciphere his writings), he asked me to put my left palm on *a white square pillow.
He analysed my pulse & my face, asked me to stick out my tounge.
He told me something like, "You... No computer, no TV... Sleep! Sleep!" The nurses happily added, "No shopping!"
The doctor looked a bit embarassed that his nurse dared suggested an absurd thing.
But I thought... "Hmmm, this nurse must have met many ladies with Bell's Palsy :)"
Then, we were asked to go to the single bed treatment room next door.
The nurse made me lie down in the direction so that my right face would be close to the side of the bed. An infra red lamp (?) was turned on with its light to my feet.
I was asked to take off my glasses, my tudung & also the anak tudung then to roll up the right side of my pants up to just below the knee.
The doctor pushed the first needle onto my right foot just below the knee while I was answering his question about something. That was a trick, huh..!
Ouch! Not too painful but rather I was just too surprised by the whole thing.
I mean why poke needle to my feet... it's the face with the problem!
The doctor said something about the feet-the face being connected.
Suami told me to just let the doctor do his job!
Then, the doctor just went on quickly, pricking in the needles... more on the foot, then a few on my right arm, a few on the midline of my head & finally many on the right side of the face. Even surrounding the eyes. Scariest to me at the moment!
At some points the needles were connected to some electrical gadget, I think.
He then asked me to close my eyes... by that time more nurses were in the room & excitedly told me to close my eyes!
I thought "CRAZY! I have not done that since 10 days ago!"
Suami & Aiman also joined the chorus of urging me to close my eyes.
I did it. I closed my eyes & I thought the nurses clapped their hands & excitedly said, "See... she closed her eyes!"
They were all excited, like as if I'm a baby who just took my first step.
The nurses & the doctor then left the room leaving the 3 of us behind.
Left to ourselves, Suami & Aiman excitedly counted the needles on me. 21 of them! Of course taking pictures & asking me whether I was in pain, etc... etc...
Nope, I wasn't in pain, but I could feel the twitching of some of the muscles.
I felt so very sleepy & I thought I went to the zzzzz land a couple of times while trying to stop myself from the urge to snore :)
After about 20 minutes the nurse & the doctor came in again.
They started taking out the needles & ensured none was left still sticking to my body.
The nurse told me that the doctor would like me to buy a packet of herbs, but I didn't have to do it if I didn't want to.
It was going to cost $46 & I could get it at the dispensary counter (hmm.. interesting, the term pharmacy was not used).
I asked the doctor, "Any animal... animal parts in the packet?"
He was shaking his head, "No... All plants... Herbs... HALAL! Malaysia Boleh!"
He told me to come again... twice a week would be good.
As we went downstairs to the dispensary, I tried closing my right eye... Nope, still couldn't do it :(
Near the dispensary there was a white board & on it were flyers about TS going for ISO.
Interesting... I know a certain someone who believes strongly in ISO has a clinic in TS Western Medical side :)
Anyway, after getting the packets of herbs, I was given a short briefing on how to double boil the herbs.
Part of the instruction was something about adding a bowl of water.
So, I asked the lady who dispensed the herbs, "What size is the bowl?"
She replied, "Oh... you know the normal size of the bowl you eat rice in."
My first instinct was to say, "Lady... I don't eat rice in a bowl."
Then, I wanted to say, "You mean the bowl we used when it's time to eat the fried rice during a dinner event that serves Chinese dinner?"
Finally, I thought to myself, "She's talking about the bowls used in Chinese dramas lah..."
By then logics came over me, "Girl... Lebih kurang sajalah... ini bukan nak buat solutions in the lab!"
Once done, we just wanted to get out of KL before the jam started.
In the car of course the conversation was about the cost, the no nonsense outlook of the hospital & the wonders of acupuncture.
I was just too tired... I told Aiman, "Nabi kata tuntutlah ilmu hingga ke negeri China... mungkin ini salah-satu ilmunya"
When we reached our housing area, we went straight to Restoran Yasin, a new restaurant in our place, for roti telor garing & mee mamak to calm the nerves + carrot susu to quench the thirst!
On reaching home I went straight to bed & slept in a semi-sitting position as I had been used to doing when I slept during the day!
That night I had to write down in point forms the translation of the instructions about the boiling of the herbs to Tini.
Once the boiling was done & it was cool... I took a sip.
Urghhh... I'm supposed to drink this yucky pahit drink daily & at a rate of a packet a day?
Into the fridge, first, while I think some more about this directive!
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laL-kax2ctw
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