Monica's Feet

January 2009

I love Monica. She is one of the massage therapists that I go to for my weekly
Tui Na sessions. Most times she is loving and kind and gentle, but if you are doing something that she feels could be harmful to your health, she is "a force to be reckoned with" 

I know, because I have seen it first hand ...

I didn't always like Monica. I tell her that now and we laugh about it, but seriously, she scared the hell out me in the beginning. I will never forget the first time that she treated me ...

It was a busy Thursday afternoon at Tom's office in Haverhill. I was there for my acupuncture appointment with Tom. I think it was either my second or third visit, and I was feeling a little bit better. The pain was disappearing, and my energy was slowly coming  back. Tom had put the needles in my back, and I actually was relaxed enough to fall into a nice, peaceful sleep. (that rarely happens ) ... the room was so warm ... the music so soft ... so peaceful ... so nice ... so relaxing ...

All of a sudden I hear a door open.

Wow, it's that time already? It felt like just a few minutes had passed, when actually it was 20... Wow...I felt so relaxed ...

I open my eyes while facing down, peeking through the hole in the massage table. All can see are these two little feet wearing croc shoes ...

I think , " Hey, those look like MY feet....cute." ( I have crocs too.)

Suddenly, without any warning, I feel this sharp, piercing pain on my back...what the...?! Whoever is attached to those cute little feet , has very  strong hands . I deduce that it must be a guy with tiny feet. Those hands were way to strong to belong to a woman. They were massaging me in all the right places, but holy cow !

I try to endure, but finally, I very politely say, " Ummm, excuse me, but that really hurts."

The body attached to the cute little feet replies, "Good. It's supposed to. It's good for you." .

I think in my head, "Oh my God, it's a woman!"

I don't dare ask why she insists on torturing me...but I hope and pray that she will be finished soon, because if she doesn't,  guaranteed, I will begin to scream like a banshee...

Thankfully she stops. She says, "Okay... you're finished. Take your time getting up."

I notice that she has a distinct accent ... Italian?... Spanish?... Swedish?...I wasn't sure. She quietly left the room.

I lay there muttering to myself, thinking, "I am not sure if I actually CAN get up ..."

Surprisingly I did, and I was amazed at how much better I felt ...  my back felt so much looser ... it felt good ... but I wasn't sure if I ever wanted to go through that again ...

I walked out into the large room where other clients were waiting. I wondered if they knew who this crazy woman was, and did they ever get a massage like that?

My eyes began to dart the room. I needed to find this woman with the cute little feet and freakishly strong hands. Why, I don't know, but I just had to know who she was.

Then I hear the voice with the accent..."Okay, it's your turn..." She is talking to the next client who will be treated by Tom. Her back is facing me. I look at her. I figure,  "She must be one tough cookie..."

I hear Tom say,  "Monica..."

She turns around and I am shocked to see the sweetest and friendliest face, accompanied by a huge smile that could light up a room...
I am speechless.

THAT'S HER ?!

She seemed so normal, so sweet and kind. What, does she turn into some crazed massage monster when she enters the treatment room ??

I shuddered at the thought... Again I wonder if other people felt the pain that I felt ?...

Maybe I am a wuss...

Thankfully I didn't have Monica massage me for the next few sessions. I was relieved to say the least. I always had either Laura or Eleanor (two very sweet  ladies). They have gentle hands...

At one point Tom suggested that I get a full Tui Na massage. I asked him who was available and he directed me to Laura... I was happy. I don't know what I would have done if he directed me to Monica - " the lady with the freakishly strong hands and cute little feet..."

The Thursday, after my first full Tui Na session on Wednesday with Laura, I find myself lying face down on the massage table in Haverhill. Once again, I am falling into a peaceful slumber, when the door opens, and I see those cute little feet again...

Oh no.

"Hi Sandra. How are you doing ?"

She actually knows my name? Wow, I am impressed. I have been avoiding her like the plague these past few weeks...

Monica begins to massage me. I brace myself for the pain...

Hmmmm...it's quite nice...it actually feels good!  I relax while Monica works her magic on me. It feels great...I come to the conclusion that I am just a wuss.

I decide that Monica has 'magical hands'... not 'freakishly strong' ones. I feel ashamed that I thought what I did. I actually enjoyed that session. Go figure.

My health increasingly got better.  Once a week, I was seeing Tom for acupuncture, and Laura for Tui Na. Those, along with the Guinea Pig classes were doing me a world of good...

Around the holidays, Laura informed me that she would not be available for two weeks in December...I was a tiny bit sad, but I  understood that she needed time off for her family. She suggested that I see Monica if I didn't want to miss a week.

What?

At first I panic. Then Laura tells me how good Monica is, and since I trust Laura with my life, I decide to take her word for it ... Besides, the last session wasn't too bad ...

I see Monica on Thursday and arrange the appointments.

In the meantime, Dave and I realize how close Monica's place of business is to our home, and find out that she has Guinea Pig classes there every Friday night. We decide to go.

The first night was incredibly enjoyable. The group was so warm and friendly. They all behaved like they were one big family, having a nice cozy gathering at Monica's ... Dave and I were impressed.

 After the class, we stayed and chatted with Monica. Dave noticed the pictures on the wall showing the fire cupping method and the acustone (Monica's copyright) method. He asked her about them. She explained them to him and said, "Why don't you come here with Sandra, when she has it done? Then you can see for yourself."

Umm, what??

I am having fire cupping AND acustone therapy done to me along with the Tui Na??  I am not so sure about this....

Dave was intrigued and said that he would definitely make the effort. Great.  Now I actually had to go through with it .

The day came for my first Tui Na session with Monica. I was a tiny bit nervous, but Dave would be there, and that made me feel a little bit better...Yes, I guess I  truly am a wuss...

Monica was so happy to see us both, it made me feel warm and fuzzy ... she really cared. First she did some tapping for me, then asked me a few questions. Next, she led me to the treatment room.

"Just take your top off, lie face down, and I will be back in a few moments."

I ask her where the johnny is. She looks at me smiles, and says, "There is no johnny.  We don't use those here."

Me, being the modest person that I am, am mortified. What?! No johnny??

"Dave...?"

Dave comes into the room. I whisper to Dave that there is no johnny.

He looks at me like I have two heads, and says, "So what? It's just me and Monica."

"Okay..."

I secretly  make a vow to myself that next time, I am bringing my bathrobe with me.

Monica enters the room, and starts the treatment. First she taps the doll for awhile, and then begins to explain to Dave about the fire cupping. I feel the first one on my back. It feels like I am being sucked up through a thin straw. I begin to laugh...It feels so strange ! She does it so quickly ... before I know it my entire back is covered with cups.

Dave is amazed. I am curious. I tell Dave that I wish I could see too. He takes out his cell phone and begins to take pictures. Great. Those should be good for the family album ...

Monica leaves the cups on for a while. Surprisingly enough, it didn't really hurt. When she finally takes them off, they make a funny sucking noise. I begin to laugh again. It's all so strange to me! Dave is totally fascinated. I imagine he will be going online as soon as we get home, researching fire cupping ...

"How does it look?" I ask.

I hear Monica and Dave discussing the different points that have turned really dark.

"It looks good Sandra. Really good!"

Dave takes pictures AGAIN...I  begin to feel like I am some sort of tourist attraction. I secretly make a mental note of deleting those pictures when we get home, after he is fast asleep...

Now I feel some blankets being put on me. So nice and soft, and then...

Total warmth.

The Acustone Treatment!...I like this!! It feels go good, so relaxing.

The warmth just envelops me... I feel so loved ... I really like Monica ... she's so nice...

I think I dozed off for a bit, I am not sure ... I hear Dave and Monica discussing the acustones...I am just enjoying the moment ...

So nice ... so peaceful ... so warm ...

I am not sure how long I was on the table with the stones on me, but I decided it wasn't long enough. I could have stayed there forever... It was a bit sad when Monica began to take them off, (it reminded me of the feeling I get when my vacation is over).....I kept thinking, "I can't wait for the next time..."

Next, Monica begins the Tui Na part of the session... I brace myself...

I was pleasantly surprised...It actually felt wonderful !  I begin to wonder if indeed it was Monica who gave me that tortuous massage in Haverhill a few weeks back... Is there somebody else there that has an accent and little feet? ...
I wonder...

Monica tells me, " Your back and T4 have loosened up quite a bit since the first time I massaged you in Haverhill. Laura is doing an excellent job! "

Then it hit me.

I realized that it wasn't her fault that massage hurt me so much the first time ... It was the fact that my back was so tight and full of knots, and I hadn't had a full Tui Na session yet ... That was why it was so painful ... that is why her hands felt so freakishly strong ...

Monica wasn't a crazed massage monster after all !

I open my eyes, and peek through the hole in the massage table, and see cute little feet with crocs on. This time I smile... I am happy to see them...they don't scare me anymore...

Yes, I love Monica.

She is not a massage monster with freakishly strong hands.
She is an angel with healing hands, and...

cute little feet.