Now that all conventional medical responses have been temporarily suspended, Sue took the opportunity to commence an alternative therapy. We have had to travel interstate to access the best environment for what is essentially a self-help process. After considering the options, Sue elected to travel to Melbourne. We arrived on Thursday evening, and commenced the first round of retail therapy first thing on Friday morning!

The value of our decision to travel to access the best of this alternative therapy was almost immediately affirmed. We walked only three blocks from our hotel before meeting the first retail practitioner. Her rooms were immediately soothing and she was able to provide Sue with some quick relief by way of a new leather purse/wallet. Better yet, the practitioner revealed that she is able to assist interstate patients online on an ongoing basis!

A period of light physical and ocular exercise (walking and looking) followed. In this process Sue became acutely aware of her loss of retail fitness over recent months. She was partially re-energized by an infusion of caffeine from a nearby apocethary, but was also warned that further top-up doses would be needed throughout the day.

We then visited a specialist women's therapist of some renown. Some of you will know of her - she trades under the name of Pandora. Pandora's has discovered the secret of increasing feelings of well-being in women by the wearing specially formulated and individually tailored wrist bands. To the uninitiated and skeptical male, this sounds like a scam. I have searched the web for rigorous longitudinal studies supporting (or refuting) Pandora's claims. I can find none. What I can offer is my personal testimony that Sue was attended by a caring and attentive 'Pandora nurse-practitioner' and came away from the consultation energized and happy! I watched the process unfold - taking Sue's history, discussing her needs, formulating a treatment plan, choosing wristband elements, trial fitting - I was impressed by Pandora's professionalism and care. A decision was made and the wristband was fitted. Sue seemed to 'lift' almost immediately.

For those of you who have an interest in such things, a photo of Sue's therapeutic wristband appears below. Apparently it takes some specialist knowledge and experience (and preferably Y chromosomes) to interpret and understand the intricate and subtle effects of the band elements.

I should issue a warning at this point: Please do not copy Sue's band and expect good results. Pandora stressed that just as each patient is different and each condition is different, so too is every therapeutic wrist-band. Moreover, as the condition changes, the band may need to be adjusted - almost certainly by the addition of further wristband elements. Apparently, more recent testing has shown that additional benefits can be achieved by changes to the band itself and the wearing of the same wristband elements around the neck, and even on the ears! Innovation in alternative therapy seems unstoppable - how fortunate are we that there are those out there who demonstrate this sort of commitment to women's well-being!

Being a pragmatic male, I was initially dubious about the length of time that the evident benefits of the band would last. I was assured that they would continue unabated until at least the eve of Sue's next birthday at which time it may need to be refreshed, and then refreshed again around Christmas. At least Mother's Day is covered!