A little break from politics and economics with today’s note…

On Tuesday night, while we were on vacation in Hawaii, my wife turned “the wrong way” while sleeping, heard a loud crack in her neck, and was instantly in serious pain, essentially unable to move her neck or shoulders without great discomfort. She’s had this issue before, but this time was one of the worst.

She’s had some success with acupuncture in the past dealing with that very same problem and Kristen had remembered seeing a newspaper advertisement for “Aloha Healing Company” an acupuncturist in Kona, about 45 minutes south of where we’re staying.

Now, I almost never offer endorsement of products or services on these pages, but what Tyrone Humprhies accomplished was so effective and so amazing to this western mind that I think it bears mentioning.

Tyrone, who was very serious about “fixing the problem” and not just “making it feel better", used acupuncture needles in the side of my wife’s hand, one in her arm above the wrist, two around her angle, and two near the top of her forehead. Although the pain in her neck and shoulders didn’t completely dissipate, Kristen said that the relief from the treatment was more and faster than any treatment she’d ever had.

To reiterate, the acupuncturist nearly cured an intensely stiff neck and shoulder without any treatment directly in the neck or shoulder, he did it in half an hour, and for less than $50.

As we left, he said that I should apply pressure to the outside edge of my wife’s hand and little finger if her neck continues to hurt.

I’m not having the easiest time wrapping my brain around how that could and does work, but I also realize that several thousand years of Chinese medicine probably has something real behind it, even if I don’t understand it. After all, I don’t really understand how gravity works either.

I hope you didn’t mind this brief diversion away from politics and economics for a little personal note. As you read this, we’re in the middle of a 2-flight long trip home with our little ones. On a separate note, I can’t overstate the value of direct flights when traveling with children…