About 2-weeks ago now, I went to the emergency room in some of the worst pain I have ever been in.  The back of my throat was blistered and I had a deep pain in my upper chest.  For three-nights I had been up with this terrible pain that did not respond to Ibuprofen or any of the over the counter treatments I had to try.  In the emergency room, I was told that I had acid reflux and was given some very powerful medications—-including one that has irreversable neurological problems as one of the common side effects. I had a suspicion that I actually had a viral infection and made an appointment with acupuncturist Melissa Sokulski at the Birch Center.  In addition to the viral infection, I suspected that recent headaches and some of my complaints were related to stress and grief.  I had responded well to acupuncture before, so I had high hopes for this treatment and my recovery. To my absolute amazement, the morning following my treatment, the blisters in the back of my …