'Magic' Kinesio Tape

Two posts in one day! 

Don't worry. This won't become a trend.

However, I just returned from another round of Occupational Therapy and thought I should post an update.  My left elbow had been flaring up recently, so I followed my mother's advice and returned to the therapist to get her opinion and see if she could give me some ultra-sound and some Kinesio Tape (like a splint…only in tape form) to get a little control over it before I leave for Tour with the Touring Choir on Saturday (wow…run-on sentence. Sorry.).

Diane starts checking my elbow and then gives me "The Look". 

Emily's thought:Oh, shoot. That's not a good look.

Diane: "Emily. Let's just say…it's angry. Really angry."

Emily's thought: Oh great. My arm is angry with me. Superior.

Emily's words: "Ummm.  Can we work on that?"

Diane: "We'll try."

Excellent.  So we did ten minutes of ultra-sound on it, which calms it down a little and then Diane taped it.  For those of you who have never heard of Kinesio Tape, it is a miracle-working tape that is quickly moving up on my list of Top 10 Favorite Things. As in, Maria Von Trapp should have sang about it in "The Sound of Music".  It's from Japan and acts like a splint for your arm, only it moves with you, so I still have my full range of motion.  And, best of all, it keeps at bay the throbbing, aching pain that usually lives in my elbow.  So for a few days, my elbow will hopefully not be as angry at me.

While it is disappointing to not actually be 'healthy', as I had hoped I would be when I stopped therapy in February, I am thankful for Diane's wisdom, Kinesio Tape and the healing process that will continue. Hopefully this second time around will allow me to move further on my journey back to 'normalcy'. 

Here's a picture of my arm all taped up:

I think I look ridiculous.  Diane 'bragged' about her fancy artwork.  Apparently, you have to tape a certain way for certain effects: so I have the baseline taping, the oscillated taping and the seagull.  Don't ask. I have no idea what any of that means. 

On the way out of the office, she announced that I win the award for most taped up.  

Thanks, Diane.  Thanks.

"Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me and I shall be saved, for you are my praise." Jeremiah 17:14