Vamanos? No, Foldamos!

Being in the stress relief business, I tend to think I can handle anything. Hubris, I know.

           

Two weeks ago my mother-in-law had retina and cataract surgery and one week ago my spouse had an arterial leg bypass. Other than the Jack Skellington staples, honey is fine. Mum is okay, too.

           

But I did something bad. Really bad. Here I am, stress expert and I thought I could work last week. We had a daytime nurse aide, and I was on a reduced schedule, sure, but I was frazzled. Come Saturday, I had eight hours of massage scheduled at the office and my butt was dragging on the ground.

          

It is tough to do massage when you feel tired and un-focused. As a massage therapist, I always want to be at my best. I wasn’t feeling that way.

           

Saturday, when I got home at 930 p.m., I felt it. Tingling in the legs and arms, and a deep tight sensation in my chest. I had been shallow breathing all day. No, not good.

           

I got into bed supine, a pillow across my thoracic spine, and did the Buddha/zen breath. Easy in through the nose, filling the area behind the belly button like a balloon, easy breath, mouth open as I sighed my air out.

           

It took a while, but I felt better and was able to get to sleep.

           

Human, after all, yes. At least I have a ready-made tool kit to handle those times when I assume I am Mighty Mouse.

          

Sunday I tackled the mountain of sheets and towels that had built up from the week. After three hours, the man who owns the laundry saw me heading to the door with my huge duffel bags of laundry.

           

"Vamanos?” he said.

           

“No vamanos,” I said. “”Foldamos!