Acupuncture and "bloodletting"

I just had the most unbelievable experience. My friend Hugo did come at exactly 8:50 to take me for acupuncture. Her father had an errand to run right near the hospital so she had him pick us up in his brand new car. I misunderstood her because I thought both her parents spoke English since they are in international trade but in actuality only her mother speaks English. So we get into the car with him and I introduced myself and he drove us to the hospital where I told him "shay shay" (thank you).

A friend of Hugo's mother met us at the hospital and we bypassed all the red tape and went right to the acupuncture clinic where they understood arthritis but not fibromyalgia so finally I just told them that I wanted them to treat my neck and my shoulder. The doctor wrote a prescription but put in Hugo's name rather than mine. We waited about 1/2 an hour during which time Hugo's mother's friends daughter who is also a university student who speaks English quite well joined us.

While we were waiting and talking I smelled fire. I looked around and saw them heating what look like inverted glasses and puttiing them on a woman's back.

When my turn came they put the acupuncture needles in my shouders, arms, and hands and left them for 1/2 an hour. Then they said they were going to give me the full Chinese experience and so they put the "hot cups" on my upper back and upper arms. They felt like suction cups and they began to burn so they took them off. The purpose of them is to draw the blood to the surface and suck the toxins out of your body. (Reminds me of the days of leaching!!)
I think both treatments worked because my right upper arm does not hurt anymore and my neck feels more relaxed. HOWEVER, the cups leave round red circles on your skin and one cup sucked so hard that I actually bled and they put what looked like mercurochrome (SP?) on it.

I can shower but I can't press on the circles or put soap on them until they go away. I took a picture of me which I'll send to all of you when I get back to FL. I think when Burt first sees me he's going to freak but it's really okay.

You all have to admit I am truly having the full Chinese experience!!!

This afternoon I am going to sit in on someone else's class. I'm looking forward to it particularly because it is the class of a 29 year old woman who teaches English at the high school level in the States and she got the highest rating of everybody on the student evaluation sheets.

Guess that's it for now.

Love to all.......Shelley