Healthcare 101

After three different bouts with croup after school started in September, three rounds of antibiotics, three rounds of steroids, the morning Jacob woke up with the telltale barking cough I knew we were in for round four and I had had enough. That was in early December. He has tried and failed to have croup twice more since then (he is prone to it, in case you were wondering, and since it's highly contagious,if you have it, then statistics show, so will he) and this time, we defeated it without a trip to the doctor, without any antibiotics and without steroids. And let me tell you, if we never see another steroid again it will be too soon.

The truth is, we haven't seen our pediatrician since November. We made it through the worst of the winter sick season without a single stop at the germ ridden doctors office. We made it through 2 attempted croup cases, three sinusitis cases, croup in Kaylen, a fairy serious burn on Marlee's hand and who can even remember what else without once setting foot at the doctors office or the pharmacy.

 Because we have a high deductible health insurance policy every time we go to the doctor we pay out of pocket. I figure I have saved in the neighborhood of $1000 since November. Money that still resides in my pockets rather than the payroll of our dear family doctor. Who I love and admire, I should add, but who I'd rather not pay my hard earned money to. 

I've always been the mom who avoided high fructose corn syrup, who hides the lollipops given out at the bank, who delays vaccinations significantly, who opts to let a fever burn out rather than medicate, who only goes to the doctor when absolutely necessary and who refuses the flu shot not only for myself  but for all my kids as well. I'm not at all opposed to modern medicine and am grateful it exists, I am simply wary of it's intrusion into everyday life and guarded against it's exorbitant cost. 

How did you deal with all that sickness without medicine? I'm glad you asked. I started using essential oils. The day that croup round four reared it's ugly head, I started treating Jacob with an essential oil called RC (Respiratory Care). I rubbed it on his feet and I diffused it in the air while he slept. Guess what happened to the croup? It went away. 

When Jacob brought home sinusitis  (which I did self-diagnose but we have had it before and I knew it the minute I saw it) from school and shared it with his sisters, in between wiping noses I diffused more RC in their rooms and I began putting three different oils on their feet morning and night. Guess what? It went away. 

After defying me and laying her hand on a hot burner, I liberally applied lavender oil over and over on Marlee's hand. Not only did it relieve her pain, by the next week, the blister was gone and the old skin was already peeling away to reveal soft, new skin beneath. 

If these experiences in their simplicity are a sign of the healing power of essential oils, then I'm in. 

I even put some drops of lemon oil in Jacob's stinky boots that were so unbearable they had to stay out in the garage. Guess what? It worked. 

Just today, Marlee came inside with a bug bite on her foot. Mosquito, ant, I don't know, but if you know Marlee and remember last summer she puffs up like a marshmallow whenever she gets bit. I put lavender on her bite and put her down for her nap. When she woke up, I couldn't even figure out which foot the bug bite was on! 

I'm sharing this with you because I know many like-minded moms who dislike the candy dispensing of prescriptions and want natural ways to not only fight sickness but to also build immunity. I'm dipping my toes in the water and finding that the deeper I go, the more I love it. 

It's true that these oil companies are turning a profit and you can turn these oils into a multilevel marketing business if you want. And I'm fine with that. Because from my limited experience I am finding that I want what they are selling without a single person ever giving me a sales pitch. And every day I see another mom with a child battling chronic ear infections, or juvenile arthritis, or whole families who seem to stay sick for months on end, I can't help but think "I wonder if these oils would work for them too?" 

I'm finding that the more I learn about essential oils, the more I want to share them with others. If this is you, and you are looking for options outside of the white walls and white coats of modern medicine, if you are facing yet another round of croup which includes medicine that makes your child crazy and it doesn't really seem to be working, if you spend more time and money at the doctor than anywhere else, then talk to me. 

I'm still learning, but I'm convinced that this is how God planned our healthcare system ages before modern medicine existed. 

If you want more info about my experience with oils and the company I purchase them from, shoot me an email at jsmith10204@gmail.com.  Although my experience is in the "mom" realm, every age can benefit from these amazing oils.