My kind of doctor visit

I knew it was going to happen.  I was long overdue for a cold, and there’s nothing like 32 hours of traveling, plus highly polluted city air to push my immune system over the edge.  A headache, congested sinuses, and an overall drained achy feel had me stuck at home all day yesterday.  But today I decided to take action against this assault to my system. 

At the suggestion (via Facebook) of Aunt Debbie, Amy’s mother, I decided to visit a local Ayurvedic doctor here in Kathmandu.  Aunt Debbie made a habit of visiting the Ayurvedic healing center when she visited back in the fall.  My understanding was that the treatment would involve a healing full-body massage, and would cost what I would normally hand over for a co-pay for a doctor visit in the U.S. (approximately $20-$30).  And it would very likely speed up my recovery from my cold.

Off I went to the Ayurveda Health Home.  After a brief consultation with Dr.Rishi Ram Koirala, it was decided that I would benefit from a 90-minute full-body healing massage, followed by a 30-minute facial massage, supplemented by an herbal steam treatment of my face.  I couldn’t agree more. 

My therapist, Pernilla, spent over two hours massaging my aching body, stimulating various pressure points and effectively unblocking my clogged up lymphatic system.  My sinuses opened up and I started breathing through my nose again.  My body was reduced to a pile of putty on the table.   

After the treatment, Dr. Koirala met with me again to determine the next steps of treatment.  He asked various questions about how I was feeling after the first treatment.  I suppose the treatment mellowed my brain just as much as my body, because after a while, the doctor stopped asking questions and said, “You’re too relaxed to talk now.  We’ll talk when you come back again.”  I had to laugh when I reflected on how dopey I must have been during the conversation.  But, not to worry, I told him; I will most definitely be back.  I have found my doctor in Kathmandu!