Hattie and Bertha

Dear Patient,

“Can acupuncture help with my hiatal hernia?” a patient asked me. “I named her Hattie.”

“Sure,” I said, “And, um…Hattie?”

“Yep, I named her Hattie. And I named my sprained ankle Bertha. I like to talk to them.”

The patient went on to tell me how she wants to get Hattie under control before she becomes a Helga, because Helga sounds mean and scary, but Hattie doesn’t seem so bad. The naming helped her feel more in touch with what was happening inside her own body.

This conversation reminded me of another patient I had many years ago, who named her brain tumor Gregory. She figured if she was going to be living with this thing for a while, she might as well get to know it. Naming it seemed like a good first step.

Ailments can feel like unwanted company. We just want to get rid of them. But Hattie and Bertha and Gregory and their ilk might have other plans. They might stick around for a while. They might decide to move in and get comfortable.

To reckon with these surprise visitors, these guests we never invited, we can first acknowledge their presence. From there we might think of a question or two for them: Why are you here? What can you teach me?

Hattie and Bertha might have some interesting answers.

Love and gratitude,

Your Acupuncturist