A note to Roberta,

I hope you didn't think I was saying anything negative about TCM.  On
the contrary, I once read about a dozen books on Chinese medicine,
because a doctor told me that western medicine couldn't help me with
some difficulties I was having and I was very interested in it all.  I
can't say I understand a great deal of it, but I do have familiarity
with it.  I went back to Kaiser after reading the books and got their
acupuncturist (for arthritis pain) to do pulse diagnosis on me.  I
thought I had a kidney yin deficiency.  She said yes, lung yin also, and
a damp digestion.  I totally unnerved her because I wasn't an arthritis
patient.  She was an OMD.  Interesting experience.  If I could I would
junk most Kaiser medicine except the acupuncture department!  I will
send you some e-mail later, since I live in Northern California (Santa
Rosa) too as does Tom Billings.  Thanks for the comments.  Mary Jackson