Coming to Acubalance was a huge step for me.

After all that I had endured medically and surgically it was a leap of faith of sorts.

I knew that my body had been taxed by all the procedures and instrumentation of the surgeries and the complications that ensued. I was grateful that in knowing my medical history you felt you were up to the challenge of helping me regain my strength and get well.

Your knowledge, skill and sensitivity to what I had gone through was evident. I remember coming to my first appointment arms full of Operative Reports, and Pathology, feeling I had to prepare for being dismissed. I was shocked when you didn't look at a single paper. It was obvious to me right then that this was going to be a totally different experience than what I was used to. You just listened. You observed and took in what I was saying before discussing any decisions about my treatment. That simple change in approach and compassion was very validating. I realized I didn't have to prove myself and I didn't have to be afraid of saying that my experience had been difficult.

Throughout my journey I came to fear my doctor's appointments because I felt I had to detach myself from the reality of what I was going through. I felt like I had to be impossibly brave as there seemed no room in the doctor's office for emotions. But having gone through so many surgeries and serious complications, there were emotions and I was changed as a person having had those experiences. Leaving all that at the door was especially hard. When I came to Acubalance I didn't feel like I had to be this "rock" and not only that but my feelings about my experience were significant to my overall well-being. That was a incredible gift for me.

I think it is so easy to say when a medical "crisis" passes to focus on getting back to "the way things were." But the body and the spirit of a person has been changed and I don't feel that can be overlooked. Through acupuncture and herbs your care impacted my physical well being, by helping to increase my stamina and energy. You helped me to emotionally reconnect with some of the traumatic aspects of my experience and find the great freedom of release. You made moving forward a very hopeful and attainable prospect for my life, by encouraging me to recognize strengths in myself that were positive and signified my ability to overcome.

Thank you for all that you have done to help and guide me through this transitional time as I continue to regain my health. Through my time at Acubalance I not only improved my physical health but I gained understanding about what it means to truly heal. For the first time I feel like I am doing that.

Sincerely,

Kate