A room fit to heal

Yesterday, after a fresh morning swim at the nearby Villa Therese I walked home ahead of the rain clouds in time to make a little lunch for Erdem and I. As I entered through our big red gate Jemmes the security guard asked me where my car was. I tried to tell him in very broken French that I prefer my feet - he told me I need a car - I told him I like to swim. Truly a conversation that is lost in translation. But we communicated something that ended in smiles.

Walking down the bumpy path to my home I felt the first inklings of a pinched nerve in my neck. ignore. Begin to make a modified Waldorf salad without the walnuts and with grapefruit instead of lemon squeeze - each time I bend to relieve an ingredient from the fridge I feel my neck spasm...hmm.

Erdem arrives, I ask him to crack the ol' back. He does. I can't move. Literally my whole upper body in spasm. This hasn't happened since I was writing the last pages of my thesis nearly 10 years ago. Erdem calls his chiropractic genius who agrees to see me. I have to keep my elbows up in order to walk, I get in the jeep, and try to brace myself for every bump, crater, traffic jolt that comes our way. I felt like a bobble head - neck disconnected from body - I can no longer ignore the pain. 

The Haitian Chiro/acupunture/masuese man stuck needles in my neck and moved them around until I thought I might just pass out. I didn't, and in fact my neck began to move again.  He told me to sleep and breathe and I'd be okay. 

Then came driving to 4 different pharmacies to buy 2 pills. Two didn't have, one did but wouldn't give, and finally the last had and gave 10 pills! Go figure. I slept for hours on my back under the mosquito net. Erdem killed those that snuck in - so that they wouldn't eat me as I was too vulnerable too fight back. I slept with the rain.  And the nets that surround me like a protective vail.  Peaceful.  Again, sleep beckons...