Thursday 22 December 2011

Endofyearitis

As a Homoeopath I am often expected to prescribe a remedy, sometimes it is apparent and sometimes it is not. Sometimes the 'remedy' is a hug, a glass of water, a change of diet, lifestyle...the list goes on. It is a challenge sometimes in this world where we are used to a 'pill for every ill' to make a change, to do something other than take a pill for your ill.

I found myself in this predicament, so when my dearest friend asked me if I wanted to have a few days away with her, I jumped at the chance. I mean......how often do you get the opportunity to spend time with your best mate without the interruption of children, partners, phones...the list goes on.

3 days and 3 nights later I am back and I feel like I have had the best rest of my year! I am sparkling and ready for Christmas and my sons birthday, 4 days after Christmas.

So dear, worn, tired, irritable (the list goes on) loving, wonderful, stoic (the list goes on) mothers (and fathers) this is my remedy recommendation for you, if you have endofyearitis is: some time alone with your dearest and bestest buddy, reading, walking, swimming, laughing like drains, cooking (on fire if possible), silence and sleep.

Thursday 15 December 2011

Mumps

My dear son of 11 years had an earache the other day. 'Mummy it hurts when I eat'. He has always done very well on Pulsatilla so I prescribed that. He is staying at his Dad's (we are divorced) so I had not seen him....I popped in the following day to see a puffed up face! He looked like a lolipop! Unable to chew but able to swallow smoothies and ice cream (of course!).
I immediately saw it was mumps, a childhood disease that is infectious when the glands are raised. The disease can incubate for 14-28 days! So he had been at it a while. No other symptoms, no swelling of testes (yet!), just painful, raised paratid glands (the salivary glands in front of the ears) and looks like a hamster or lolipop, depending on your preference!
In response to seeing him I prescribed Merc viv and Pulsatilla and he is doing very well thank you very much. (The other remedy that is very good for pain on swallowing is Phytolacca). He cannot go out to play just yet as he is infectious, but his immune system is building and he is getting stronger each time he does a childhood disease.
Hooray for our healing ability, hooray for Homoeopathy and hooray to all who have the courage to face these diseases without fear. This is a challenge in a society when 'the powers that be' would rather we lived in fear of disease: it takes courage to not follow the herd and courage to be present for our children when they are sick. It is all part of parenting and constantly I am taught lessons of patience and trust.