“You’re doing that, aren’t you?”

The first chemotherapy treatment is always given with caution. Some of the chemical agents come with serious side effects, so the patient is monitored closely for signs of physical distress -  shortness of breath, nausea, and changes in blood pressure.

I like to work with people during their first chemo treatment. Jin Shin Jyutsu helps them relax and lessens their anxiety. In general, everything just seemed to go better. I find that people who receive Jin Shin Jyutsu before or during their first treatment don’t seem to have the levels of expected nausea days after the treatment as well.

One morning I was working chair side with a young man receiving his first round of chemotherapy. He was friendly and outwardly calm. As the nurses prepared him for the infusion we talked as I shared Jin Shin Jyutsu as I did with most of the patients.  The infusion began.

After a few minutes his blood pressure and heart rate began to rise.  Sam pushed the call button at the end of the cord the nurse had put in his lap “just in case”. The nurse arrived and slowed the infusion rate. She said she’d stay close by and watch his heart rate for a few minutes to make sure he was stable.

I asked Sam if I could take his left hand. Placing my fingers between his middle, ring, and pinkie finger I gave his hand a gentle squeeze and held on. We watched the heart rate monitor as the pace began to lower. The nurse looked surprised and how quickly Sam’s heart rate was returning to a normal range. “You’re doing that, aren’t you?” he said.  I smiled and said “No, you are, with the help of a little Jin Shin Jyutsu”. The nurse checked the blood pressure again and found it had returned to normal range along with the heart rate. She returned the infusion to its original speed. Sam and I continued to work together. 

You can help yourself with an accelerated heart rate or change in blood pressure by wrapping the fingers of the right hand around the pinkie finger of the left. Holding each of the fingers one by one can also calm the emotions at a time when stress is high.

Want to learn more? Go here to download my free Self-Help For Strong Emotions Guide. You can also learn more at my upcoming Self-Help class on September 12th at the Apiary in Lexington. Information here.