Reflexology For The Win
We’re now 3 of 5 days done with this week’s chemotherapy treatment and all is going as planned thus far. Right now the main side effect from treatment is fatigue. After the morning chemo treatment Matt will eat some lunch and then take a few hours nap. It just really seems to wipe him out.
Whenever Matt goes in for his treatment there’s always a lot of foot traffic in and out of his room during his week long stay so he doesn’t really get much rest there. There’s the nurse who’s assigned to him to get him hooked up and get the chemo going. She also comes in and out and monitors things throughout his time there. Matt’s nurse coordinator usually pops in with any updates on treatment and prescriptions, and one of the oncologists usually comes in to check on him from time to time.
One other person who shows up several times during his stay is a reflexologist. She actually makes it a point to find out when Matt is on the schedule so she can visit and perform her massage magic on him. She showed up on Monday and probably will be back on Friday. For those who don’t know, reflexology is a type of therapy that uses gentle pressure on specific points along your feet and hand to help you feel better.
She shows up with a big bag full of all kinds of scented items, pressure point charts, lotions and creams. Kind of like Mary Poppins but without the umbrella. She’ll then ask Matt what scent he likes and fills up the room with that aroma. Then she’ll ask him where his pains are and after a quick glance of the chart goes right to work massaging that area.
This is no quick 15 minute superficial massage either. It’s 45 minutes to 1 hour of deep massage of the hands and/or feet. She and Matt talk about all different things during the session: music, movies, news, whatever’s on their mind. It really does seem to relax him. She’s even offered to work on my hands and feet, but I politely declined. It would probably take the likes of a steamroller to work out the balls of stress in my body.
But does reflexology really work? I always just thought of it as a general massage of a certain area and then muscles relax to relieve the overall tension. Well here’s a case in point. The last time Matt was in for treatment he had some constipation issues going on. Believe it or not this happens more frequently than you might think when you’re given chemo. When the reflexologist came into the room for a session, Matt told her the situation. She looked at the chart, found the pain points on the feet and started massaging that area. No less than 10 minutes after she leaves, he was off to the restroom and found relief.
Sometimes the best medicine is simple good old fashioned natural pharmaceutical free therapy.
Below is a reflexology chart if you’re interested in trying it out for your aches and pains.
Loved the refresher on reflexology!! Having a reflexologist on Matt’s team is absolutely approaching the Whole patient!! Great treatment! Love acupuncture for some of the same results!!
Reflexology is so cool and heals. All massage helps. So grateful there’s a MT in the clinic. Sounds like a wonderful relationship too. Prayers for healing continue. Love you all.
Thanks John, This is helpful for all of us and helps us understand Matt’s daily struggle. We are there for you guys in any way needed.
Please remind Matt that when he’s ready, Cousin Carter and I are taking him up to the GA mountains and staying at a cool camp on Springer Mt called “The Hike Inn”. It’s very near the start of the Appalachian Trail.
Thanks Alan! Matt would love to do this. We hike around some of the local parks when he's feeling good, but he really wants to hike some mountainous trails.
A few months back he bought some nice hiking boots at your recommendation but hasn't gotten a chance to break them in.
We actually visited the Springer Mt. area when the boys were young. Went to Amicola Falls in Ellijay. Made it to the top where there was a lodge. I recall there being a trail up there with a sign saying it was Springer Mt. the start of the Appalachian Trail.
I posted a link to a photo (Amicola Falls Trip 2007) above the comments section of that day in 2007. Matt in the red hoodie was just a little over 4 years old. I miss those clip on cell phones.