About 10 years ago, I was diagnosed as having Dupuytren’s contracture in my right hand. Along the way, it started to develop in my left hand also. It is a non-painful condition where there is fixed forward curvature of one or more fingers. It is caused by the development of a fibrous connection between the finger tendons and the skin of the palm. It is a condition that is common in people with type 1 diabetes. It is also a hereditary condition. It is most common in men over age 50.
In my case, lumps started forming on my palm under my ring finger. I make a daily effort to do various yoga poses that cause my palms to be flat on the ground, such as downward facing dog. I also do planks almost everyday, which also cause my palms to be flat open on the ground, with my body weight leaning into my palms. I intuitively wanted to keep my hands open, not constricted shut.
I noticed many years ago that my father had Dupuytren’s contracture in his hands also. He also lived with type 1 diabetes for 49 years. Perhaps I have this condition because it is hereditary, or perhaps it’s because I’ve now had type 1 for 34 years. When I went to see my father on his death-bed at the hospice nursing home, as I sat with him, I noticed how curled in his hands were. I knew that he could no longer even open his hands.
My former boss is Elliot Washor, the co-founder of Big Picture Learning. Elliot is extremely passionate about people using their hands in learning. I’ve heard Elliot talk at length about the connection between hands and our brains, and the connection between our hands and our hearts. As I was sitting next to my father, I thought about the hand-heart connection. My father had isolated himself for most of the last 15 years of his life. He was often angry, frustrated, and alone. All his energy went to surviving.
Living with type 1 diabetes is a time demanding condition to live with. It is easy to shrink into oneself when so much time and energy is focused on keeping one’s blood sugars “in range.” Thus, I realized, the hands can begin to curl inward, a self-protective desire to protect ones heart.
As I sat next to my father, realizing he would die very soon, I made the decision that I did not want to close off my heart. I want to continue to receive love and support from this beautiful world. I don’t want my hands to curl into themselves. I want my heart to keep reaching out and giving to the world, to the beautiful and amazing people who are in my life and who will still come into my life.
I went home and started doing lots of research about Dupuytren’s contracture. I found some exercises I could do several times a day. I started doing them. I go to acupuncture almost every week, but I had never asked for an acupuncture treatment for the Dupuytren’s contracture.
Last week, I took a deep breath, and told my acupuncturist at the Penny George Institute for Health & Healing, Kristianne Schultz, about my hands. I shared the website I had found that described an acupuncture process that could be used. She was into it, and we decided to go for it.
Kristianne put two needles into my left palm and almost instantly, the most amazing thing happened. I felt my heart open up. It was a profound, very kinesthetic experience. Tears came to my eyes. My heart felt looser, lighter. I felt my hands open up. It felt like my hands were letting go. I felt a wave of love. I knew I was safe. Kristianne then put needles in my right hand, and she got the electrical stim machine hooked up.
That night, I slept better than I had in quite some time. I see Kristianne again tonight. Over six to eight treatments, we shall see what will happen. I believe there’s a very good chance we will remind my body to keep letting go, to keep opening my heart, to keep opening my hands to the love and support that are all around. I will keep you posted on how it goes.
I put my palms together, and bowed my head and said to my father’s spirit self, since he is no longer embodied in this life, Namaste.
