Save Laurens Heart

For a few weeks now I have been going for Maya Abdominal Massages.  I am currently so happy with my “healers” and this woman in particular has made a huge difference in the way I feel.

Here is a little snippet from the web about this massage technique:

What is a Maya Abdominal Massage?

Maya Abdominal Massage is a non-invasive, external, massage technique. It guides internal abdominal organs into their proper position for optimum health and well being. The technique works by relieving congestion and blockages to improve the flow of chi and fluids of the circulatory, lymphatic and nervous systems to prevent the progression of chronic disease symptomology. Maya massage improves organ function by releasing physical and emotional congestion from the abdomen. This massage is effective for both men and women.

Mayan massage is used for many things including digestion issues, fertility and women’s health issues, general stomach discomfort, etc.. It is super interesting to read about; you can google it and find more!

My massage therapist uses Castor Oil packs and puts a heat pack on my stomach before the massage.  It is so comforting and you feel like you are in the womb!  Then, she does this amazing massage that wakes up my tummy and gets the blood flowing down there again.  She has also taught me how to do it myself, so I have have the tools and I feel armed when I am having one of those nights pacing back and forth not knowing what to do.  So many times I have wound up in the hospital with escalating pain from my stomach and I didn’t know how to help myself.  Now I do, and I have been giving myself the massages regularly.  She says she already sees a difference in the tissues and veins in my stomach and I have actually been getting hungry AND eating!  It’s so amazing how taking some time out to help myself and pay attention to certain areas of the body can make a HUGE difference in quality of life.  As you can see, I am so happy that this woman Nicole is in my life.  Also, castor oil is amazing in itself, it has such healing qualities (including anti-inflammatory) and i often find myself moisturizing my legs and arms with it.

Mayan massage along with the acupuncture and yoga has turned me into a much stronger, much more confident Lauren over the past several weeks.  I have been working so hard on my body.  Everything I do I am so conscious and mindful and I am trying everything I can.  Next week I have a bunch of appointments with the heart docs:  my heart failure doc, my new pacemaker doc (both at Columbia), and my general cardiologist —all to check in with the ticker and see how she’s doing.   I have been talking with her and I am hoping we see a big inprovement.  The best thing to hear would be that we see one of the walls of the heart starting to move again regardless of the scar tissue.  This is a dream of mine.  Hopefully the healing trend will include the ticker and we will have much more good news to celebrate next week!

For now, it’s a day of rest.  I am super tired today and feeling pretty weak.  So  I will just take it easy and lay low and read my book —which I have to put down every now and then because it’s actually making me angry!

xoLauren