It’s so enlightening looking at challenges in new ways.

I don’t know if it’s because I used to teach school or because I’ve had so much school, but I see the world in terms of a classes with a syllabus and lesson plans. In the lesson plans, there’s a warm-up, the lesson, the integration, and the modifications for different learners. Some classes suck. You hate the teacher, lesson, all of it, and yet there is an objective to be met which you hope to achieve so you can pass the class.

First, all of life is like this. Second, I’m in the middle of one of those sucky classes with my “Trigger Finger.” That’s in quotes because we have no idea of that’s what’s wrong, but basically my right thumb won’t straighten up and is in pain. No big deal. Not like I’m a writer, right? Here’s the story of how this happened and the super secret (I hope!) fix.

First, behold the thumb.

When you look here, you might not be able to tell how much it hurts, but it hurts so much it makes me nauseous. I have a very high pain tolerance so that’s a lot. It happened one day when I was trying to make friends on Twitter because I was tired of just standing staring at a wall and saying blah blah blah (look at me) blah blah blah. I wanted to be in balance, in interaction, in connection with others on there. I was so insecure about how to do this, though, that I summoned my eldest child who had recently stepped into that world and understood it better than me. We talked about groups and I found the #WritersCommunity where I promptly felt like I’d found my tribe. I set out to find writers and filmmakers, light workers, wine people, kind people, but the writers were where I found the most kindness. I studied what was happening and noticed this thing called a #writerslift was something people did so I tried it.

The next thing I knew, I was madly typing on my phone screen for 3 days, making new forgiving friends who I’m sure could tell I didn’t know what I was doing, but I was so happy to connect on a playground I never had, that I just kept going. On Monday, my thumb wouldn’t work. This, my masseuse says, was “my qualifying event.”

Carrie doesn’t think Trigger Finger is what I have, and I have an appointment with a hand doctor IN NOVEMBER, but this is one idea a timely commercial pointed out what might be wrong.

I started trying everything because I need my thumb. I was finishing the a book draft, taking several classes that required papers, setting up my Bottoms Up 2020 Wine/Spa Blog tour (almost here!) and this was no time for a thumb issue. Plus, I had new Twitter friends to play with and I didn’t want to blow that new discovery. My chiropractor sent me to an additional bodywork person, the amazing Janene Maloney, and I cussed through most of that treatment because it was a tissue overhaul. In addition to being Nationally Board Certified (look for this in your practitioners), Janene is writing a continuing education course on side massage, which includes back, front, and sides instead of just back and front. Janean feels the benefits are endless for both therapist and client, especially for therapeutic work. I always learn something new.

The issues are in the tissues, they say. You got to feel it to heal it, they say. Dear God, I felt it. But after, my thumb felt so much better. I was so grateful, and she was so kind to get me in quickly and really work my neck, arm, and all potential impending culprits. I was convinced, through more bodywork, this could be fixed without surgery or shots which often fail anyway and are far more invasive.

After about a week, it hurt again. It’s a journey. Back to Carrie for my regular visit, picking up where Janene left off. It felt better. I know what you’re thinking: “How are you going to a massage therapist during Covid?”

Glad, you asked. Though all offices range in how strict they are, Carrie is the strictest. Check this out. Two thermometers. Custom table mask changed each time and filled with peppermint. She wears a mask (but wouldn’t let me take her picture so you just get the mask and her hygiene station.) Inventory each visit. A money cleaner machine. Yep. And 8 pages of papers even though we’ve been her clients for 12 years. That’s a Covid massage.

Now, they’re not all like this. In fact, Carrie’s is the strictest I’ve seen. Many just take temps. But, honestly, I’d like to keep this going. I’ve never felt safer or cleaner conditions out there in the big, wide world. In my next thumb sequel visit, we worked on fascia, the connectivity to all things in your body.

Think of fascia like Saran Wrap. It wraps around everything in your body. When it gets all tangled and crinkly, your body can begin to have issues, and a trained masseuse who knows what they’re doing are the only ones that should do that. However, when it’s done right, it seems to REALLY HELP. That’s my non-medical term. Here’s the tool Carrie used, which she told me also seems to help with cellulite for those who are worried about that.

My thumb is not fixed yet, but we’re working on it.

I’m not crazy about this class on Trigger Finger, but I see one of the objectives as I see the Covid Season: we need to think outside the box, stay creative, and look for kind people who are available on the ready to help us. We can look to the fascia for the metaphor. When we get all tight and restricted, so do our tissues. The issues are in the tissues. It’s all connected, like the fascia. We’re all connected, like the fascia.

You’ve got to feel it to heal it. The right hand happens to represent the present moment of what is wanting to be held onto and what needs to be released. This is my homework. I’m a good student so I will figure that out.

And, the final integration, is one of gratitude. Gratitude for the people who help us. Gratitude for our qualifying events. Gratitude for our connections, and an understanding, of the higher frequency of love in all of it.