Homeopathic oils and ultrasound

Stardate 12/2/04 Captain's log, supplemental

Even though the doctor drained my blisters on Monday, I have more forming each day. I went to my chiropractor Carol Shinmoto today for a neck and back adjustment; since my right leg is often in the CPM machine, there's a weird imbalance in my hipbones that causes lower back pain. That rides up to my neck and triggers bad headaches.

So anyway, Carol didn't like the swelling in my knee and the fact that fluid wasn't seeping out through my incisions, but instead forming blisters. She thought something was blocking the fluid from draining, so she rubbed this homeopathic oil on my shin and knee, which really stung at first but then started feeling quite nice. Then she did a few pressure points with her hands, and then she used the ultrasound machine on my knee to try to break up what might be blocking fluid from draining, and to get some movement.

After the appointment with Carol, I hung out at my husband's workplace and then we went out to dinner at Frankie, Johnnie and Luigi's Too!, a fabulous Italian restaurant nearby. We haven't been there in a while, although we both love their food, especially their pizza. It was a wonderful, relaxing dinner, and we both ate way too much food.

I'm home now, and I don't know if it's because of the ultrasound or the number of hours my leg wasn't propped up (or both), but the knee is really swollen. Moreso than it's been since Monday, even though I've spent longer hours with my knee down than I did today. It's elevated now, and I'm hoping the fluid will finally drain out of my limb.

I made a homeopathic oil tonight. I tried it once, when I wanted to make something to help my husband's inflamed knee, but Snickers got to my jar so I had to trash it before we'd used it more than a couple times. I think I figured I'd try it because the oil Carol used made my knee feel better. I used jojoba oil with a few drops of several herbal essential oils at a ratio of one Tablespoon oil to one drop essential oil:
Bay, Nutmeg, Clove Bud, Rose Geranium, Fir Needle, Cedarwood, Tea Tree, Rosemary, Sweet Orange, and Ylang-Ylang. All of those aid in inflammation, arthritis, or circulation. I get my essential oils from It's My Nature: http://www.itsmynature.net/. They have a lot of information about essential oils and aromatherapy.

I'm not sure why, but when I put the oil on my leg it didn't burn as I thought it would. Maybe because of the oil Carol used, maybe because of the ultrasound. I hope it works.

Well, that's the update on the gimp. Not much writing done because of the awkward angle I have to put my computer in order to type, but lots of reading accomplished, which makes me feel good.

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