‘Scuse the sock fluff in this pic. I’ve been pondering acupuncture since last year, but was feeling appointment-fatigue in the run up to my DIEP surgery and afterwards was a little fed-up with being prodded and poked by people I hardly knew. There are mixed views about the efficacy of acupuncture (even the hubster is a little 🤔). I’ve been encouraged by others in the insta cancer community. And Susan, my amazing acupuncturist at The Kinghorne Cancer Wellness Centre, also sent me some evidence-based research so I thought I’d crack on. Despite the number of run-ins I’ve had with needles over the last 18 months, they still give me the collie-wobbles. I’m not gonna lie, a couple of them did hurt a little when they went in. These were the Chinese needles which are thicker and go deeper than the finer Japanese ones (Susan uses a mix of both). However, it was more the idea of them that bothered me and once I’d deep belly-breathed through it, all was good. I’ve come away with the teeniest, tiniest needles plastered in a couple of places. I’ve also got a moxa stick to burn to help with abdominal swelling from my DIEP. The hubster went into eye-roll overdrive at this, but I’m happy to give it a go as part of a relaxing ritual for my body and scars (I’ve been assured it shouldn’t set off the building’s smoke alarm!). I do worry I’m pinning too much on these little needles as I’ve got a fairly extensive hit list of issues. Here’s hoping!