Of course so much has happened since our last entry:
Power outage in LA from Saturday to Monday, the day we left. Kids had a great time playing with the Kim's three boys, putting up a tent in the living room (and sleeping in it), playing hide and seek with flashlights...we made some great memories.
On Sunday, Matt and Helen's pastor graciously invited us to share about Japan for a few moments at University Presbyterian Church (http://www.upcla.org/). It's right next to the UCLA campus, and has, of course, lots of students. Great service, great energy, great heart for the Lord. Had a very good conversation with a Japanese student who was a very interested seeker.
On to Dallas without much incident. We stayed with Daniel and LeeAnn Young for a few days, and they were great and gracious hosts. Even gave us their bedroom, which was so very comfortable. Daniel is the pastor of NSD (New Song Dallas: http://www.nsdchurch.typepad.com/nsdchurch/ ), which is kinda sorta a descendant from Living Word, our old church. But then again, so much has changed and so much time has passed; NSD has carved out its own identity.
We were in Dallas for the Big Snow of 2010, where over 13 inches fell in one day. Pretty cool. We also stayed a few days with our dear friend, Melissa. Saw lots of people that are precious to us, great time in Dallas.
Now we are in Bham, and meeting lots more. Tiring, but fun to reconnect. Tomorrow is dentist day, and we're not looking forward to it, but such is the life of a missionary when he comes back to the US.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Friday, February 5, 2010
Stick, Stuck, Stucken
Tonight we went to Friday Night Bible Study with our friend, Haekyung, and her family. It's right across from part of the UCLA campus, and has lots of students. Great time meeting some new brothers and sisters in Christ.
Afterward, there was a gentleman and his wife who came in. Turns out he is one of the best doctors of "Oriental Medicine" in LA and a pain specialist. We turned one of the church nurseries into a treatment room. First, he had me lay on my back. He felt both legs, and discussed what he thought was wrong (mostly in Korean). He had me push my left foot against his hand in several different positions, asking when I felt pain.
Next, he had me roll over on my stomach. This is where the needles started to go in. They felt like little bee stings. Some "burned" a little in my muscles. He determined the problem was in my calf, where the muscles were very tight and not in good shape. This was in turn affecting my ankle. I told him I had, in the past few years, easily damaged Achilles tendons. If I carry something heavy up stairs, I can't walk for a day or two, so I'm always having to be careful. He thought this and the current left ankle injury were related to the condition of my calf muscles.
While I was on my stomach, he put a number of needles in my (left) calf. Some hurt more than others, but not because of the needle. It was like they were affecting the muscles in my legs in different ways, some quite painfully. He massaged my calves, and said he could feel the muscles knotted up. Indeed, as he massaged, it felt like they would cramp at any moment.
Next, he had me stand up. He put two needles in my right hand (the first ones I had actually seen). Not sure why he did this, put it was "interesting" to see them go in.
Then he went behind me and placed a needle in each of my Achilles tendons. "Try to walk." When I did, the pain was quite great. So he had me just rock slowly side to side. This hurt too, but slowly began to get better. He led me slowly into walking, and with a little work it didn't hurt anymore.
Was it all instantly better? No. But I was able to walk a little easier. He said I would be able to tell a difference tomorrow, but that it would still take a week or so. And he advised me to do more stretching exercises every day. I walk a lot, but haven't really exercised regularly since starting as a full-time student last year.
Bottom line, he seemed to really know what he was talking about, and it did seem to help some. And it was quite painful at times, but not from the insertion of the needles. My friend Haekyung is a MD, and she was there interacting with the OMD (Oriental Medicine Doctor) the whole time. He was showing her where to put the needles in my calf, and Kyehee informs me the plan is for her to stick me again tomorrow. (Haekyung is also studying oriental medicine right now, so I'm like her homework, I think.) More later as things progress...
Afterward, there was a gentleman and his wife who came in. Turns out he is one of the best doctors of "Oriental Medicine" in LA and a pain specialist. We turned one of the church nurseries into a treatment room. First, he had me lay on my back. He felt both legs, and discussed what he thought was wrong (mostly in Korean). He had me push my left foot against his hand in several different positions, asking when I felt pain.
Next, he had me roll over on my stomach. This is where the needles started to go in. They felt like little bee stings. Some "burned" a little in my muscles. He determined the problem was in my calf, where the muscles were very tight and not in good shape. This was in turn affecting my ankle. I told him I had, in the past few years, easily damaged Achilles tendons. If I carry something heavy up stairs, I can't walk for a day or two, so I'm always having to be careful. He thought this and the current left ankle injury were related to the condition of my calf muscles.
While I was on my stomach, he put a number of needles in my (left) calf. Some hurt more than others, but not because of the needle. It was like they were affecting the muscles in my legs in different ways, some quite painfully. He massaged my calves, and said he could feel the muscles knotted up. Indeed, as he massaged, it felt like they would cramp at any moment.
Next, he had me stand up. He put two needles in my right hand (the first ones I had actually seen). Not sure why he did this, put it was "interesting" to see them go in.
Then he went behind me and placed a needle in each of my Achilles tendons. "Try to walk." When I did, the pain was quite great. So he had me just rock slowly side to side. This hurt too, but slowly began to get better. He led me slowly into walking, and with a little work it didn't hurt anymore.
Was it all instantly better? No. But I was able to walk a little easier. He said I would be able to tell a difference tomorrow, but that it would still take a week or so. And he advised me to do more stretching exercises every day. I walk a lot, but haven't really exercised regularly since starting as a full-time student last year.
Bottom line, he seemed to really know what he was talking about, and it did seem to help some. And it was quite painful at times, but not from the insertion of the needles. My friend Haekyung is a MD, and she was there interacting with the OMD (Oriental Medicine Doctor) the whole time. He was showing her where to put the needles in my calf, and Kyehee informs me the plan is for her to stick me again tomorrow. (Haekyung is also studying oriental medicine right now, so I'm like her homework, I think.) More later as things progress...
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Arrival in LA
We arrived in LA about three hours ago, and had a very smooth flight. God was so gracious. I sprained my ankle a few days before we left, and I was (and am) in pain. Our original plan was to take the shinkansen down to Tokyo, then in Tokyo Station catch the Narita Express to the airport. This would have involved a lot more walking on my aching ankle, but our options were few.
But then our friend Yuko happened to be taking someone to Narita at the exact same time. We were able to hitch a ride, going right from our door to Narita Airport. Wow, what a mini-miracle.
When we got on the plane, we found we had the middle row at the start of a section. That means we had the big screen right in front of us, but we had all that legroom. I was able to stretch out my legs, and even prop my leg up on my backpack. The only thing better would have been business class. But hey...it was great.
Immigration and customs were a little strange. At immigration, the guy asks, "Hey, you got a brother?" Now, I do, but we didn't grow up together, and he never leaves his part of South Alabama. So I was taken back. No.....er, I mean, yeah, sure, I have a brother." "Hmm..." the guy says. I'm dying to know what it says about me.
Then, when we go through customs, he asks, "Got any food?" Now, I take that to mean fruits, veggies...things you have that might have insects and such. We do have some commercially produced jellies and cookies, but in my flying experience that's not what they're looking for. "No." ...."Not even any food from the airplane?" What? I've never been asked that. We did have some little OJ cups we didn't drink, but maybe he means partially eaten stuff?
So then we end up getting the full inspection. Which is fine, we have nothing to hide. But then they take my passport and again sit looking at it and their computer screen for like 10 minutes. What IS on that screen? What weird info do they have about me? Or someone with the same name? Something I could clear up if they would just ask. But the mystery remains. No questions, no answers, just pass me through. Hmmm.
So now comes the least favorite part....jetlag. I hate hate hate the time change. Feeling wiped out and waking up at 3 AM. But it's good to be back in the States.
But then our friend Yuko happened to be taking someone to Narita at the exact same time. We were able to hitch a ride, going right from our door to Narita Airport. Wow, what a mini-miracle.
When we got on the plane, we found we had the middle row at the start of a section. That means we had the big screen right in front of us, but we had all that legroom. I was able to stretch out my legs, and even prop my leg up on my backpack. The only thing better would have been business class. But hey...it was great.
Immigration and customs were a little strange. At immigration, the guy asks, "Hey, you got a brother?" Now, I do, but we didn't grow up together, and he never leaves his part of South Alabama. So I was taken back. No.....er, I mean, yeah, sure, I have a brother." "Hmm..." the guy says. I'm dying to know what it says about me.
Then, when we go through customs, he asks, "Got any food?" Now, I take that to mean fruits, veggies...things you have that might have insects and such. We do have some commercially produced jellies and cookies, but in my flying experience that's not what they're looking for. "No." ...."Not even any food from the airplane?" What? I've never been asked that. We did have some little OJ cups we didn't drink, but maybe he means partially eaten stuff?
So then we end up getting the full inspection. Which is fine, we have nothing to hide. But then they take my passport and again sit looking at it and their computer screen for like 10 minutes. What IS on that screen? What weird info do they have about me? Or someone with the same name? Something I could clear up if they would just ask. But the mystery remains. No questions, no answers, just pass me through. Hmmm.
So now comes the least favorite part....jetlag. I hate hate hate the time change. Feeling wiped out and waking up at 3 AM. But it's good to be back in the States.
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