One day in the month before she became less able to carry on her usual work, I saw my mother rush into the bathroom. I suspected something was wrong with her and thought she was vomiting in there. I still remember the unpleasant premonition I felt at that moment and when she came out I asked her if she had been vomiting. She said yes and went back to her patients as if nothing unusual had happened. Nobody seemed to have noticed it except myself. This reflected my mother’s determination not to cause any anxiety to her patients.
It was quite rare for her to vomit, no matter how tired she was. In fact, it had never happened before. Maybe something was wrong with her digestive system, I began to suspect. It was six months later that she passed away because of pancreatic cancer.

(“Cruel” words of a doctor)
In most cases, cancer that affects digestive organs makes it difficult or impossible to eat. Suffering from pancreatic cancer, my mother was no exception. I asked her doctor if even sipping a little soup was inadvisable. He said that the fragrance of food induces secretion of bile and may cause vomiting. What a cruel opinion, I thought!
One day she asked me what would happen if we stopped eating for a month. I could only say in response, “Nothing very serious would happen.” When she said, “How cruel!” I could say nothing more. The chit-chat with my mother still remains in my mind and agonizes me.

(What does eating mean?)
Today, I saw a special program on TV entitled “Disintegrating eating rules.” On the program it was reported that no small number of women were eating simply to fill their stomachs. These people eat sweet buns for breakfast, cookies for lunch, and only some hamburgers for supper. A university professor said he was satisfied only if his stomach was filled, and his main food was cup noodles, cookies plus 300 tablets of supplement a day.
A psychosomatic specialist was saying that our psychology was much influenced by what we eat. All the 20 young sufferers of depressive psychosis mentioned they had never enjoyed meals together with family members. When they got together at the table, which was quite seldom, all that they did was loud quarreling, they said. It was also mentioned the lack of communication at eating times in their childhood prevented them from developing normal communicative skills.

(Evidence of being alive)
A scene at another hospital was being introduced. Here a man who had lost use of his
limbs due to a stroke was being trained in eating rice porridge. He was not able to speak, but according to his wife, he always insisted that eating proved he was still much alive. Another patient who had suffered an apoplexy began to smile and talk when he completed one-year training to eat, saying “How delicious! I’ve finished eating. Three cheers for me, ha ha!” His recovery was amazing. To those who take three meals for granted everyday may not be able to believe this. Eating, indeed, is firm evidence of being alive and gives us power to sustain life. This is an unfathomable truth.

(Becoming able to love and be loved through eating)
Once I heard Ms. Fusako Tatsumi, a gastronomic specialist I respect, say something very important about food. Let me summarize her talk: She said, “Each time we eat, we are ceaselessly renovating ourselves.” Being able to eat helps us realize the power of our life, and thus create confidence in ourselves. Being able to believe in ourselves, we keep growing to believe in the existence of people and things around us. This belief leads us to hopes for the future. And the hopes will be the foundation of the mutual love and compassion among us.

(My mother’s last wish to taste polished rice)
The words of a man who had lost use of his limbs made me think very seriously. …”Being confined to bed unable to eat takes away from us all the hopes for the future.” This TV program brought back to me the words of my mother in the final stage of her illness. People in normal health may not be able to understand this feeling. Eating, like breathing, is an indispensable act in life. When my mother was no longer able to eat, she honestly yearned for some polished rice (hakumai), which is a staple food of the Japanese. “How I want to eat some polished rice!” As I thought of her last words, I could not help offering a heaped bowl of boiled hakumai at her altar. I feel grateful to my mother who taught me how I should address patients who are not able or allowed to eat.

(Beginning of a struggle)
Chinatsu first came to my acupuncture therapeutic office on February 18th of this year.
She had nervous gastritis at the age of 13. It persisted on and off before she came to my acupuncture office. When she saw me for the first time, she said she had met me somewhere before, and she was much pleased with the encounter. She was a very pretty woman in every respect, but something that gave me a negative thought about her facial expression. It was some wrinkles between her brows, which made me suspect that she easily got frightened and often worried about anything she experienced and was not able to get rid of anxiety about anything that caught her. She had little appetite and complained about a backache.
It was diagnosed as gallbladder cancer. Moreover, the case was much advanced and the doctor declared she had only thee months to live. It was the beginning of her all-out battle with the cancer.
Soon later, I had an opportunity to visit her and met with her husband for the first time.
There I saw thousands of dietary supplements, expensive Chinese medicines, lots of therapeutic drugs including anticancer materials. Her husband was doing everything to stop the cancer and even took repeated leaves from his workplace for this. I took the liberty of eliminating many of the medicines that were not absolutely needed. She said, “Thank you indeed because I had too many things to take!” Naturally her husband looked worried and irresolute. But eventually he listened to me and declared courageously that he would stop using the anticancer drugs. His “courage” was enormous, because he had spent most of his precious time and energy trying to fight against his wife’s cancer passionately. My mentor says our life power helps us resist
cancer successfully.

(Life power cannot be expressed in numerical values)
She turned 45 years of age this year and has a nice high school student daughter and a lovable son in elementary school. As requested by her husband and herself, I agreed to
help her take care of herself as an outpatient of the hospital. I am quite aware what an onerous task it is to attend to a cancer patient at home. The husband was the only person taking care of her. Neither of the couple wanted to have the kids see their parents struggling. And of course she hoped to be spared the cancer pain and was not yielding to the enemy so simply. They knew the truth about life power. She “overturned” her doctors words and lived a fullest life until the very end. She proved that life power cannot be expressed in numerical values.

(A bag on the front door)
One day I saw a bag on the front door which was full of empty bottles of alcohol, telling us about how much he was doing for his wife. Although he was always behaving undauntedly, the fact was he was much more worried than his children about the condition of his wife. Sometimes he was so much worried that courage failed him to take a look at her medical report. His only help was sedative and sleeping pills. This tells us how hard it is to watch and look after our loved ones suffering from cancer. It is not only the patient but the people around him/her who suffers from cancer.

(Unfathomable power of life)
Chinatsu’s power of life surprised me and her husband. Repeated blood discharges were overcome; swollen legs regained their normal shape; the cancerous belly pain disappeared. Occasional states of delirium soon disappeared, and she never forgot to ask her children if they had done their homework. Once she smiled and mentioned the
most delicious melon she had ever eaten. When I was talking with her husband in whispers while she seemed asleep, she suddenly opened her eyes, smiled and said, “I heard all that you said, sensei.”
On September 30th, about a week before her death when her urination had stopped,
she was still able to apply ointment to her lips by herself, drank tea by herself with a smile on her face, and to communicate with others. When she looked at her husband and asked, “Honey, are you OK?” he could not help bursting out into tears. Her reaction to it was just saying, “Thanks honey, but stop crying. I am OK.”

(Accepting death)
I do not remember on which visit it was, but anyway, I remember her peaceful and happy look on that day. The usual wrinkles on her face were gone. When I saw her, I
intuitively knew that she had accepted her end. She had been talking with her husband about their first meeting, happiness about the encounter, or the sadness of parting from each other in this world. But I tried to continue to do my best to let her live as much as possible. She muttered, “Acupuncture is marvelous.” I felt strong-mindedness in her words.

(October 3rd, the day she went)
I visited her in the evening after finishing my work. The moment I went to her room, she woke up and opened her eyes. Until the day before, she was complaining about the heat of the weather, but now she lay quiet and peaceful. Her limbs became increasingly cold. I told her children to warm their mother’s hands and feet.” Despite
the approaching death, the room was filled with peaceful atmosphere. Now it was not possible to check her blood pressure. The pulse rate was 24, which rose to about 40 as
we rubbed her hands and legs. Soon she stopped breathing and closed her eyes peacefully. It was 11:30 p.m. It was an extremely impressive departure. All her family was watching her. She victoriously conquered the cancer. It was not only her victory but victories of her husband and all the family members! Her husband said, “She was waiting for you to come.” This time he was not crying.

Thank you Chinatsu for the past eight months I was with you. Have a little rest until we meet again sometime somewhere. Thank you for teaching me so many things. Your departure was just wonderful. Lastly I wish to commend her husband and their children, Momo-chan and Ken-chan, for their continued fight, too.
Please remember Chinatsu will always be watching you all somewhere.

(Surprising increase of dizziness spells)

During the past 10 days, an increasing number of people have visited my clinic, complaining about nausea, stuffed ears, ringing in ears, and other related physical problems. In Oriental medicine, dizziness comes from a variety of causes. One of them is Meniere’s syndrome. Simply put, it comes from excessive changes in emotions. It often brings a stiff right or left neck. In other words, the problems are likely to occur to people who lack proper sense of balance. Excessive emotional excitement may attack the digestive organs such as the stomach or bowels, causing various types of dizziness. In any case, those who have experienced it can understand how unpleasant it is.

(Does weather have anything to do with it?)
Why are we seeing so many cases of dizziness at this time? I have to say that weather is really playing a big role in causing physical problems such as these.
This year, summer seems to have gone so quickly that no lingering heat was bothering us too much. Comfortable weather came and made us put away electric fans away. Then the hot summer returned all of a sudden about 10 days ago, compelling us to start using air conditioners again. The heat bothered us during the daytime only. But such rapid changes in weather are prone to physically excite us and to affect especially the upper parts of our bodies, where headaches or stiff necks are likely to occur.

(Wetness is to blame)
This year’s heat carries with it heavy wetness, which affects our digestive organs such as the spleen and stomach. These digestive organs seek dryness. In such dry places as Hawaii, even tremendous amount of meat seldom sits so heavy on the stomach. Thus, it is definitely undeniable that wetness, overeating, and mental stresses cause the functions of digestive organs to weaken. Wet weather often brings about exhaustion and uncontrollable sleepiness. I think many people have experienced it. Moreover, hot and wet weather exacerbate various physical problems such as an empyema, sty, pimples, and many other pus-carrying troubles. This proves that weather has close cause-and-effect relation with our physical conditions

(My brother makes his debut))
My brother is also running an acupuncture clinic. For decades he has strenuously been researching the relation between weather and our bodies. I pay him deep respect for his continued effort. Early in October, he will publish an unusual type of book based on his research. It is titled Daikei Kishougaku Nyumon (Introduction to Meteorology). Its idea is based on the theory that weather plays a major role in detecting the cause of diseases, which helps us to find dependable therapy for them.

(A new type of influenza)
Yesterday, I happened to see him preparing a feature TV program on the new type of influenza. Although it is already known that biologically its virus does not change easily, questions remain as to why it is more likely to attack children and why it claims lives even among people in good health. Many other related questions remain unsolved.
Mr. Rempu Fujimoto, my great mentor in acupuncture, warns that the influenza we see today is known as a hot-temperature disease. It seeks heat and wetness and very quick to “invade” where its favorite conditions exist. It is likely to attack lively kids or grown-ups carrying too much heat (maybe due to insufficient consumption of vegetables) somewhere in their bodies. Moreover, it is said the current influenza often causes pneumonia. In Oriental medicine, the lungs are considered a most favorable place for the virus.
Mr. Rempu Fujimoto, a noted clinician, taught us about this fact, which made me think that no words are more reliable than those of therapists who attend very seriously to patients day after day.
My brother was motivated to write this book by what Mr. Fujimoto had said, “I suggest that you to begin to research on meteorology.” Thus, Mr. Rempu Fujimoto is a great mentor for both myself and my brother. We are very grateful to him.

As I give my thought to my brother’s success, I always see my mother smiling happily somewhere, for that is what my mother wanted him (my brother) to do.

(Kuangchou Medicine University and Hokushin Association)

My acupuncture master will leave for Kuangchou in China tomorrow.
Prof. Tou Tettou in Kuangchou Medicine University who is cooperated with Hokushin association will receive the Chinese medical saint from the government. That is why the master leaves for China to celebrate him.

When any is connected means coincidence and mysterious.
We often understand later that the coincidence becomes inevitability.

The video of the documentary program named “100 years of Chinese medicine” was shown by Mr. Sugimoto who is a Chinese teacher of Hokushin association in 2007.
The SARS case in 2003 was shown in that.
Prof. Tou Tettou declared that chance of the Chinese Medicine came, while Western medicine doctors were fighting hard. He accomplished to prevent the world pandemic by using the Chinese Medicine.
He has passion and conviction to Chinese medicine though he is old. I got to know his existence with impression.

When the master Renfu was reading a book written by Tou Tettou, he found his own name in the book in several days. Master Renfu is a specialist who finds the law, and develops the tongue analyzing among a lot of clinical experiences and the book of tongue analyzing is published.
Tou Tettou paid attention how great the master Renfu’s tongue analyzing and introduced it in the book.

The exchange meeting was set quickly through a Chinese teacher, and the academic exchange was achieved on the 24th of September in 2007.
I went to Chinese Medicine University in Kuangchou to attend the academic exchange with impression and the expectation two years ago.

(Chinese medical saint)

According to Chinese Prof. Masako Sugimoto, to elect the Chinese medical saint seems to have been set as part of the Chinese medicine promotion plan that had started from policy the support of the medicine business development at the 6th meeting of the 16th term in Chinese Communist Party.
Main conditions to become Chinese medical saint are: 1) more than 55 years at clinical experience 2) be refined, praised and respected by all people 3) to contribute the development of Chinese medicine with having strong responsibility and mission 4) to contribute the excellent science result and to succeed the experience without any hesitation, and so on.
Both wonderful characters and technologies are requested.
The people who were elected in vast China this time are only 30.

(Chinese and Western Medicine General Hospital)

It tends to actually incline at Western medicine though it is thought that there are a lot of people who have the image of treatment by acupuncture and Chinese medicine in China.
Therefore, there is a crisis that younger successors can’t be taught technologies by excellent Chinese medicine doctors. This is the present condition in China.

I went to have a look the hospital named “Chinese and Western Medicine General Hospital” in China 7 years ago.
“Chinese and Western Medicine General Hospital” means that Chinese medicine doctors and western medicine doctors work together of course, but …
They are in the only same hospital actually, and there is a doubt whether they discuss each other or cooperate or not.

As the idea of the medical treatment is quite different in Western medicine and the Oriental medicine, it doesn’t naturally advance ahead in a simple controversy that either is good easily.

Gentle eyes trying to watch inside the human being and minds respecting to man originally having a wonderful marvelous recovery power ･･･
(To be able to cure the sickness of course)

Now, only the doctor who has both this two actually is an important factor for the patient. The patient has already felt this, I think.

I would like to believe that the exchange of Hokushin association and China is run-ups.
It is the time when it cannot help reviewing the world of acupuncture more and more.
I want sincerely to pray that visiting China will be no accident and become the enhanced further man exchange.

(Happy news)

Just the other day on June 10th, I heard happy news. It was about my patient who had given birth to her first child at the age of 43. The baby arrived in normal delivery process 45 minutes after the labor pains had begun. Even her obstetric doctor was amazed. She owed it to acupuncture they said. She had been coming to my acupuncture clinic for a long time, but it was not for infertility per se. She was suffering from an ovarian problem and endometriosis. These problems made it quite difficult for her to become pregnant. This made the birth of the baby that much more exhilarating.
Maybe the continued rise in the birth rate during the past three years is pushing up the number of new mothers coming to my clinic. Needless to say, I am delighted at this phenomenon. Just recently a 41-year old woman conceived her first child. She first came to my office a year ago for infertility. Before she came to me, she had several unsuccessful conceptions. She then often visited me for acupuncture treatment, which resulted in the recent happy outcome. “What a remarkable kind of treatment acupuncture is!” This utterance made me extremely happy. I’m now carefully looking after her in this most important period of gestation.

Here is a story of another patient. About three months ago, she experienced breaking of the amnion in her ninth month of conception. Besides, the child was infected with group B streptococcus and died, which was in fact something unbelievable.
Subsequent attempts at artificial insemination did not help her at all before she came to my clinic. I advised her to try to regain her bodily and mental balance, but she was in such a hurry that she was not easily persuaded. So, finally I put it straight to her: “Why not forget about everything and concentrate on acupuncture/moxibustion treatment for three months?” It was four months afterward that she did get pregnant at last and is expected to give birth in October this year. What a delightful development it was for both of us! But we should keep watching it until her baby actually does arrive in October.

(How is infertility regarded in Oriental Medicine?)
Oriental medical term for infertility defines it as a case of women in their reproductive age remaining incapable of conceiving for three or more years after marriage, though not practicing contraception. Various documents comprehensively refer to infertility, citing its basic cause in six different areas, both physical and psychological. But in any case, it has been proven that at the bottom of it is the weakening of the renal functions, which is the source of congenital vitality in the parents. If either parent suffers from the weakening of the kidneys, it is likely to produce children with inborn health problems. Also, aging is closely related to backaches and fragility of bones and teeth. Hair turns white and loses its gloss. Urinal problems may follow. Such age-connected problems are more likely to appear. Moreover, the number of male infertility cases is on the increase, and some couples are receiving treatment together.

(Helping patients materialize their wishes)
A number of people facing infertility-connected problems are visiting my clinic. The instances of successful treatment are giving them strong hopes for the future. Understandably, people who are yet to succeed feel anxious: “Why not me?” They get increasingly worried. Thus infertility is now becoming a major factor that causes wide anxiety among infertile people.
It is not just infertility that lies at the bottom of various problems. In many cases, unwelcome psychological complications give rise to various connected symptoms. I as a therapist am quite aware of how important it is for us to help these people see the light of hopes for their future. After offering acupuncture treatment to so many people, I am now absolutely convinced that my service is really helping those who come to my clinic. I am learning so much from what is happening in the life of my patients.

(The springboard of spiritual power)
Once we are attacked by a physical problem (or problems), what we must guard ourselves against is the likelihood of allowing the problem to weaken our spiritual power, too. It is no exaggeration to say that the evil power of sickness deranges our mentality. The more serious or critical the health condition is, the stronger should our spiritual power remain. If the spiritual power remains strong enough, the struggle with the sickness will give the patient strong power to be an objective thinker. Only those who share the common experience with the patient can understand how each patient feels.
The rebounding spiritual power is required equally of both the patient and therapist. I firmly believe that acupuncture/moxibustion is the best and quickest way to strengthen the spring-board of our spiritual power.