Today was the MRI – and it went – well the ARA place is so so weird right now with the COV procedures – like you register on your phone or computer and then you wait to be called/texted back – then you do the prescreen, and then you do the check in – then you sign the papers, and then you wait. They only have like 7 chairs for waiting – so they are basically queuing up people in a manner to insure that they don’t have overflow of people. This means effectively where I’d talk to 2 people my whole visit for tests in the past, now I’m dealing with 7-8. So so crazy. I don’t really think it was any faster lol – took about the same time, just so so many more hoops to jump thru. On the plus side, all of the people were super nice, and they didn’t feel rushed so Go go new policies. Also the place felt very clean which is – well it doesn’t feel dirty usually but it definitely feels super clean now. Due to these things, they were also super fast with the actual test lol so test seemed ALOT faster. Here is hoping results are good and just as fast.

Had a dream last night – it was one of those super imagination ones that for me are often so so therapeutic especially right now. Christopher Robin was all grown up – same actor from the movie recently – but in my dream he was a new type of doctor. Sort of medical sort of Not – like psychology/mental/emotional doctor. He had this office that was just like a college doctors office. We went in and talked, and he said to me, “well thats enough information Alethia, I’m quite certain you need some Pooh Therapy.”

I was immediately intrigued, and he explained that it couldn’t really be explained it had to be experienced, but would I like to spend some time in his Hundred Acre Woods. I ofcourse said yes emphatically – caution to the winds as it is most times in my dreams.

He explained that time runs differently there…. that he would only have me in the woods for the remainder of my hour – it was a therapy session of sorts, but it would feel like as much time as I needed it to feel inside – days, months, years – however long I needed to get the therapy out of it that my body was craving.

He had a wooden door that popped out of the wall that suddenly was a tree with a door on it – a little lower than I was tall – and he said, well this will never do – he grabbed a toy beam gun thing that looked sorta lazer like but more like a pop gun, and pointed it at me, and started making this sound – space gun sound, and winding it in a circle, and suddenly I was shrinking.

I became just a little shorter than the door. He opened the door and shouted inside “Pooh, I’ve a vistor for you. Her name is Alethia and she needs to spend some time with you and your friends – is this a good time?” – There was a laugh at the end of the pathway, echoing back up – and it replied “its never a bad time for you Christopher, go ahead and send in this new friend, we will make her at home, and let her find what she seeks”

After that, Christopher adjusted his arm and glanced at his watch. “Right then, off you go. I’ll call back at the end of our hour, it would be kinder to me at this time – I’ve so many other patients – if you were to come out on your own when I call. Thank you Mrs. McNeely – I’m excited to hear next week all about your visit but for now, Pooh is waiting. Have fun”

At this I started down the path, it was dark at first, but I followed down and I was suddenly abruptly inside the hundred acre woods. I was wearing – lighter fluffier versions of my clothes that didn’t seem very attached to me at all, but I also found I had a basket with a few things, including a bucket of Honey. This was a VERY happy thing which Pooh eyed as soon as I arrived.

“Oh what a wonderful guest” Pooh clapped and shouted in glee “to bring a basket of lunch for us to enjoy” – We started down the walk and I felt as though all of my body – all of my difficulties melted off of me, like a shadow being left behind. I stopped as I felt this, to which Pooh stopped too. I looked behind to realize I had no shadow. I frowned in a minor questing sense.

Pooh asked “something the matter?” – I said “well, my shadow is missing” – Pooh said “Oh dear, do we need this shadow?” – I replied “well, it seems like its always been a part of me, and I do hope it didn’t get lost or attach to someone else” – Pooh said “right we will go see owl…. after lunch… he will know where to find this or if it will come back to you after its gone off exploring”

The rest of my days there started much the same way. Pooh found me a small cottage to live in , and he and Pigglet came every morning to take me out exploring. We did find my shadow. It had gone off and was fishing with Eeyore – it took a few weeks to find this.

We visited Rabbit, Gopher, Kanga, Roo – and a few other people who I’d never heard of before – My time seemed so long, but the days were without number and I honestly felt like I was just going to be blissfully living there forever. Time just passed, and I wasn’t super aware of it at all, which is just not typically me. I slept, we ate sometimes but mostly Pooh ate honey – which magically seemed to appear all over the place all the time. I tasted a tiny bit of it once, and it was very gammy – it had a unappealing taste to me. The carrots Rabbit offered were a touch better, but overall I just wasn’t hungry. The rest and sleep periods seemed so satisfying… quiet, comfortable, and carefree.

My shadow seemed content fishing with Eeyore so I waved it good bye as I headed for exploring with Pooh.

There was suddenly a call and Christopher let me know it was time to head back now. Pooh called out and asked if I had to go so soon. They talked a little bit, and his bear like plight for me to say was not effective enough. Christopher expressed I’d be coming back again soon most likely. I headed to the doorway, and the whole hundred acre woods was suddenly there to throw me a going away-coming back soon party. They had cakes and drinks and magical fireworks that didn’t require lighting but shined and flared like sparklers. It was a grand party, I hugged each of them, and took in memories of their smells and feelings, to carry back with me.

As I walked back up the dark pathway in the tree, carrying two cupcakes – one for me one for Christopher, I began to feel much taller, either that or the passage was getting smaller. This hurried my steps and as I reached the door into his office, I was suddenly full size.

The cupcakes didn’t arrive quite as well as when I left, but there was something in the lingering magic, as I quickly handed him his and shoved mine into my mouth. It had a glowing sparkling light that was fading so fast as I entered his room.

He reached over and hugged me, and asked how my adventure was… I couldn’t use words, tears streamed down my face…. and he nodded. He understood.

“thank you for your visit Mrs. McNeely, we will schedule you again for next week I think?” he smiled and said.

“Yes please, it was so…..” My mouth wouldn’t work “beyond words.” I said and nodded.

The dream faded, and I realized that the bathroom was calling me, and even my sleeping state I’d slept so much better than in a while, and longer than expected. Sometimes dreams are powerful healing tools. Thank you Pooh for your help.