Keep Doing What You're Doing - Doctor's Orders

Art print provided by Annie Karayiannis of eakdesign

On our most recent ENT (ears-nose-throat specialist) visit, the doctor took one look at my son, asked his usual questions, and then turned to me and said, "I don't know what you're doing, but keep doing it."

Then, he waited for some kind of explanation.

But all I could say was, "I have my secrets."

Let me backtrack a second here.

When my son was born, we were given a bunch of envelopes containing future appointments for him at the hospital.  Some were routine, but some were going to be lifelong visits.  ENT was one of them.

At our first visit, we were told that since he has a malformation of the larynx, my son would have difficulty feeding.  We were told to expect ear infections often. We were also told that babies with special needs often have issues with upper and lower respiratory illnesses brought on by viruses or bacteria (in his case it would be likely from the malformation in the throat).  Further, a simple cold could be dangerous for him. 

Needless to say, I was freaked out.  Here I was - this first-time mother having not only to worry about regular baby stuff, but also having to worry about these scary medical novelties.  Things like possibly having recurring ear and throat infections (which could mean surgery to insert tubes to drain), possible aspiration (meaning he could inhale milk into lungs), and pneumonia (which he could be hospitalized for).

I was a complete nervous wreck (and, to be honest, I still am) worrying about absolutely everything there was to worry about.  And, I even made some things [to worry about] up... you know... in case I had completely exhausted my worry list.

I soon realized that the more I listened to doctors and their very nonchalant way of putting things, the more stress I found myself dealing with.  In an attempt to save my sanity, I asked very little questions, and I eventually stopped reading medical sites online.  That was when my life took a drastic change.

It was through the guidance of  my friend, Sue, that was able to find natural remedies with common ingredients in the home.  I don't know how many email exchanges we had during that first year - mostly of me freaking out about little things like diaper rashes, but also about more serious things like running an apnea test in-home.

What I learned during those frantic conversations, and through my experiences, are points I'm hoping you'll remember and consider in your life in one way or another.  These are things I didn't have the courage to tell the ENT when he wondered what I was doing to keep my son so healthy.

This is what I "do" and don't "do" (AKA: My secrets)

Prevention is key

What I do: I have to be fair and say that since my son does not attend daycare, nor does he have other siblings, it's actually easier to help prevent the spread of colds in our home.  However, I also make sure to reinforce his immune system with healthy, organic foods and herbs.  When I know that viruses are running wild, he's on echinacea for a few days.  Also, he's given probiotics and sterols to help boost his system.  I also do something sneaky.  I make sure to book medical appointments for my son away from flu season.  It's quite the art to be able to pull that off, let me tell you - since doctors are only available when they are available.  That means, if I have to stretch out the appointments, I will (because I can).  I just don't want my well-child sitting among sick children.

It's important to keep prevention, rather than "quick-fix", at the forefront.  As a society, we are really quick to reach for headache and cough medicine first. Don't stock your pantry/medicine cabinet with "just in case" bottles.  Instead, ask yourself what you can do on a daily basis to prevent the viruses from overtaking your (or your family's) body, and then stock the shelves with those products.

Herbs and spices in my pantry.  I lined them up neatly for the purpose of this photo, so don't compare your organizational skills to mine just yet.

What I don't do: I've not given my son a flu shot since the H1N1 scare.  I'm not sure if it was a coincidence or not, but the year he got that vaccine, he had the unhealthiest season.  Each year, his pediatrician recommends the flu shot (followed by some scary facts). But each year, I nod and make sure to do the above instead.

Embrace the fact that alternative medicine is a natural compliment to modern medicine

What I do: My son has no choice but to take prescription medication for reflux as he suffers from GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease, which is like heart-burn to the maximum degree).  We tried everything we could in the natural realm when he was 4 months old, but he was in too much pain.  Instead, to counteract the daily meds, I try to help balance his system.  I am careful to feed him foods that do not cause further harm.  I have limited dairy in his diet, I make sure to give him probiotics, and, with Sue's guidance in Ayurveda, I include healing spices in his food.

The point is, even when we have no choice but to use prescription drugs, we can find other ways for the body to cleanse and rid of the toxins those provide, and also support and strengthen it with gifts from Mama Earth.

My spice rack

What I don't do: I don't let conventional medicine rule our lives.  It's clear that conventional medicine has a place in our home, but it's not the only thing we rely on.  In fact, I always ask myself what I can do naturally first, then, at last resort, I reach for conventional solutions.

Trust my intuition

What I do: As new parents, we can really be scared out of our minds if we read too many parenting books.  This is also true when we receive a new diagnosis - even as adults.  We can scour the internet until we've wrung it dry, only leaving us feeling lost, alone and quaking with fear.  What I've learned is that if we stop and listen to our gut, we have a lot of the answers.  If we feel that the baby's cries are just not right, we can take action.  If we feel that our digestion is completely off, we can take action.  If we feel that we need a second opinion - whether from a doctor of modern medicine or from alternative medicine- we can take action.

Just trust that you'll know what to do, and that there are many options for you.  I know that this is so empowering for me - and helps to rid of the crazy anxieties I so skillfully create.

What I don't do: Doctors are not going to like this, but the truth is, I don't take everything they say at face value anymore.  Let me explain.  I was shaken to the core at the time of my son's birth (he spent the first 5 weeks of his life in intensive care).  I trusted everything the medical team said - thinking they were going to give him only the best, safest and, presumably, non-toxic care.  However, in spending 5 weeks in the hospital almost 24/7, I was so disappointed by what I witnessed.  I saw the overuse of chemical products around incubators, I saw them apply antibiotic ointments in newborn's eyes - whether they needed it or not, and I heard a crazy amount of excess noise in a place that should have been serene as a mother's womb.

It was clear that doctors and nurses had not read the same books I'd been reading throughout the pregnancy.  I could not understand this discrepancy.  How could a system created to make people healthy be so intensely toxic?  It was a huge wake-up call for me.  Between what I first experienced and what I continue to witness in the medical world, it's really hard to listen to everything a doctor suggests when the evidence proves that we're not on the same page in terms of what being healthy really means.  Eventually, I learned to do this: at appointments, I'd get the diagnosis from the doctors, but I'd select most of the remedies myself (yes, sometimes, I'd toss out their prescriptions and find the natural alternative instead).

Basically, I trust myself enough to know when there is something serious, requiring a doctor visit, or when it's something I can try the natural route with first.

Keep the home free of toxins

What I do:  This is probably one element that is most overlooked when it comes to keeping the respiratory system healthy.  Conventional cleaning products are known to not only increase toxins in the home, but to also increase illnesses such as asthma and respiratory distress.  It was really easy for me to do this one thing for the benefit of my son; and in the same stroke, I've made sure that the home is safe for everyone else.

I made the switch to Shaklee's Get Clean products when I couldn't keep up with making my own homemade concoctions. (Yes, shameless plug, but it's the honest truth about what I've been "doing").

What I don't do: Easy. I don't sterilize my home with junky cleaning products that leave a film of additional toxins behind.

Don't underestimate the power of energy healing

What I do: This was completely new to me. When I first took my son to see an osteopath, who was also a healer, I didn't know what to expect.  But what I witnessed and experienced completely had me hooked from day one.  In addition to visits with these practioners, however, I also pray.  Sometimes, I pray alone, other times with my son.  Connecting with the sacred is something that is difficult for me to describe, yet it completely grounds this chicken-who-regularly-runs-without-a-head.

What I don't do: I don't turn my nose up to therapies that might sound a little wacky at first just because conventional doctors don't believe in them.  I'm open to anything that is non-invasive and has a solid track record (I do my homework first).  I also don't tell the doctors and therapists that my son sees a chiropractor to help reduce the risk of ear infections, to help his posture, and to keep his immune system in check. 

So, what is it that I'm doing, the doctor wonders?

What I want to tell him is that I avoid him and his colleagues like the plague (hospital waiting rooms are the worst for picking up viruses).  But, the answer is very basic.

I just trust.

In Mama Earth.

In the divine.

In my son.

In myself.

And, because the doctor said so, I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing.

What do you do that goes against the grain?