Monday, June 7, 2010

Ode to an RMT

My Registered Massage Therapist is a god. He is so amazing and I truly do not know how women go through pregnancy without one. I have been seeing him for a couple years now because of some reoccurring back pain but it has been his help with all aches and pains pregnancy related that I am now officially in love with him. He works out the kinks and the knots in my back, neck, shoulder, hips and sometimes even my gluteus maximus. However, it is my feet that have been the bane of my existence these days and where he has performed recent miracles.

I am a sweller. I have been steadily swelling over the last month and it is getting worse by the day. I am doing everything that one is supposed to do to reduce swelling but nothing really works. When I wake up in the morning my feet are usually already swollen and it just gets progressively worse as the day continues. My shoes do not fit, my feet ache and they just look awful. I had a wedding to go to a couple weeks ago and as I tried on each pair of heels in my closest it became clear that I was Cinderella's ugly stepsister trying to cram my fat foot into the beautiful shoe.

Even my doctor was slightly concerned because of the extreme and early nature of my swelling but all tests are normal. Even the extra blood tests she sent me for are all normal so I guess it's just how my body has decided to react to this thing called pregnancy. Now all I'm looking for is a little relief in order to get me through the next 6-10 weeks and this was provided to me last week by my sweet RMT.

After the usual back and hip massage I asked him if there was anything he could do about my swollen feet and legs. He then spent I don't know how long slowly and softly pushing the liquid up out of my ankles. Now I must explain that this is a painful process. It feels like my feet and legs are bruised when they are touched but he carefully massaged all that liquid up and out of my ankles. I swear I could not only see the difference but my feet felt a lightness and freedom they hadn't felt in weeks. I could feel the fluids moving and the relief in my feet was indescribable. He says with all pain it is good when it moves, so the fact he was able to successfully move the fluids up my legs is a good thing (and it certainly felt like a good thing).

Another good thing is my husband; he is a good thing for so many reasons not the least of which is that he has now taken up the cause of daily foot/fluid movement massages. How did I get so lucky to have this man? I think he may be suspicious of the increasing love I have developed for my RMT or maybe he's just feeling cheap because I have run out of insurance covered massages (weeks ago in fact). Whatever the reason, there are no words to detail the appreciation I feel to my men (my husband and massage therapist) for there help in getting this women successfully to the end of pregnancy when presumably my swollen feet will be cured by actually having this baby already. Can't wait to meet you baby and can't wait to see my old feet again too.

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