ode to dr. gugliada

today i went to the chiropractor because of a nagging pain in my neck that i got on the plane ride out here. somehow, someway i managed to completely screw my neck up while sitting perfectly still on an aircraft. how this is possible is beyond me, but if anyone could do it...well, you've found her.

it has hurt to turn my head from side to side and especially to try to sit up from a laying-down position. i tried to cope with it for the last 11ish days or so, but it has gotten rather painful and, frankly, inconvenient. therefore, shelby's daughter laura was kind enough to give me a ride into town to see the chiropractor. (aside: the photo you see here was the poster i saw when i walked up to the door. strange?)

as most of you don't know, i was very attached to my old chiropractor, Dr. Gugliada, who passed away earlier this year. both of my parents, my brother and i have been seeing him for years. we loved him dearly. he had magic hands and without even asking what was wrong, could have you totally cured in just one session. he also started work at 4 am. psycho. but, he had a loyal following, and even though you often had to wait for 2+ hours to see him (because he didn't turn anyone away), his patients sat with patience, because they knew how special he was.

going to see him wasn't just about getting an adjustment, however. it was about the experience of showing up, seeing the room jam-packed full of people at some god-awful time in the morning, watching tv show after tv show on the little television in the waiting room as you sat in anticipation of your name being called. it was about seeing his tubby, ominous figure walking from room to room, greeting people in his stern but loving way. it was about going into a room and having him come in and without laying a finger on you say, "you're not standing straight" and then place his hand on exactly where it hurts. he'd usually scold you for wearing the wrong shoes or doing whatever it was that hurt you, but it was only because he cared. then he'd lay you down and crack your back and neck in every which way imaginable, making his puffy little noises with each new position. in the meantime we'd talk about our families, my dad's new building project, my mom's insurance agency, my brother's law practice, and i'd ask him personal questions to get past his seemingly indifferent demeanor. what lied beneath was someone who was actually full of emotion just bubbling beneath the surface, and sometimes i managed to get there. then within moments, it was over; i would hop up from the table a new woman, we would say goodbye, and i would often not see him again for several months.

with this kind of relationship with my past chiropractor, you could imagine that the thought of going to a new doctor was really unappealing. i was convinced i would end up more injured than well. but i went because i had no choice. the doctor was nice, young, and his method was different. i had to tell him why i was there, had to explain my pain and where it was, etc. he put heat on my shoulders and then used a massager on my back, then cracked it. he then cracked my neck, which hurt like hell, but - i think he might have taken care of the problem. its too soon to say. i can now turn my head most of the way without pain, and the constant ache is mostly gone, so that's a good thing. however, it is sore, and so that's obscuring my ability to say exactly how much better its doing. we shall see.

so, all in all, not a bad appointment. he was a nice man, and he seemed competent. i didn't wait 2 hours at 5 o'clock in the morning to see him, and that was a nice change. but at the same time, we didn't talk about our families or what we've been up to, i didn't get the mild scolding that i secretly enjoyed, and i certainly didn't receive a magic touch. those days are over, sadly - not just for me, but for all of dr. gugliada's patients. he really touched our lives and made going to the chiropractor a special experience.

i miss him. i hope he knows that.