Massage

I had a massage yesterday. I have gone regularly, but not real often for many years. I started when I was a grocery checker and had a perpetual knot in my shoulder from scanning all day.

First was some guy at a massage place. OK, but awkward.

Then Richard, at his house in La Costa. He had his pic in his ad and seemed OK. Saw him for years, then he moved away. He would often go deep, but I knew I needed some of that. He taught me to breath through the pain, and it would help loosen things up.

Next was Linda, just a few miles away, which was very nice. Plus she was a bunny person. That was a plus. Her dog, which did not like every one was always so excited to see me. I would only go about every 3 months, and parking was a ways away. Yet he always knew when I drove up. She was real good. I was sorry when she made a career change. I wondered if the dog missed me.

Then Marni. She was farther away, and OK. Not quite as good as Linda, but OK. By then I was not making near enough to live on, let alone any extras. I didn't want to totally stop going, so figured I would just go a lot less. She offered me a half price deal. I was grateful and reluctantly took the deal. Years later when I was making more, I upped it $5. and planned to gradually work my way up to full price, but things kept coming up, and I did not. Sometimes I would feel guilty, but then think maybe $35. today would be more useful to her than $60 in two more months, cause I would need to go less. Anyway, one day about a year ago I was 15 minutes late...for the first time. I was sorry, and she was annoyed. I knew it would have to be a shorter session. After I handed her my check, make an appt. for 2.5 months later, and left. The next day I get an e-mail saying she was sorry, she could no longer afford to give me a reduced rate, I might want to try a massage school. I felt like I had been fired. I asked if that did not work for me, if I could still come see her, and she said of course. But it felt so awkward, after I was "dismissed", that I have not. I feel bad it ended that way. I would have payed more if she had asked, I would have just gone less, but the way it was presented after all these years just did not feel right.

I went to a place in Oct. It was OK. She went very deep in my shoulder area. I let her, figured I needed it. So even though it was kinda hurting, I didn't ask her to lighten up. It was OK. Nothing wrong, but seemed like 3/4 of her time was my shoulder area, and I wanted equal time on the rest of me. I would have gone back eventually, but hadn't.

Well someone at work recently mentioned going for a massage. I asked who and where and she raved about Naya. She is fairly close, and runs different special deals. I tried her out. It was good. I have serious bone pain now, that I had no expectation of her helping, but thought she could un-pretzel some of my muscles that are compensating. Not exactly sure what she did different, but what a difference! I felt 2 inches taller. My pain went from my usual 8 down to a two after. Of course it is going back up today, and I can't see her every day, but even today its less than 8 and I am walking better than I have for a while. I know it won't last, but what a treat to feel a lot better for a while. I plan to see her at least one more time before my surgery, and soon after I am able to drive again. I hope she sticks around for a while.

I am happy to have found a good one in the area again.