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A Day with a Healer*

by S. Colet Lahoz. MS. RN, LAc

     There is a depth and breadth to healing that amazes me even after 13 years in private practice. I left my position as director of nursing education at a large children's hospital in 1984 to start a practice in holistic medicine. I use acupuncture herbal medicine and other natural modalities. The clinic has grown. Early on, I worked alone seeing about 30 clients a week. Now between my associates Val Hanna, RN, LAc, Matthew Heinz, Lynda Ahlgren and me, we see about 150 people a week.

     I'd like to invite the reader to view a snapshot of a typical day.

     I start my day with a short meditation and a prayer - Dear God, make me your healing instrument, let me be filled with compassion and love for others who are suffering. Let your healing and regenerating powers flow through my body so those I touch may feel your presence. I give you my full faith and gratitude for your healing gifts.

     The main clinic is set on the west shore of Bald Eagle Lake. On this beautiful morning, we can hear the gentle lapping of the waves against the shore. The flowers, birds and squirrels add to the serenity.

     My first patient is an 18-year-old female. Gina, who is pregnant for the first time and is two weeks overdue. Her mother, a client, called me to say that her daughter was scheduled to start a Pitocin drip the next day. If that did not work, a Caesarean section would be done. I used acupuncture points Spleen 6 and L14 and gave them strong stimulation, then balanced her chi (energy) according to her pulse reading. I left her with the needles for a half hour while she listened to a meditation tape. (I use meditation or soothing music as a regular component of a treatment session. With receptive clients, I may pray with them and do Pranic healing, a form of laying on hands.) The outcome: Gina gave birth the following day to an eight-pound baby boy. She had a normal, vaginal delivery.

     Edmund E. is next. In his late 50s, he retired early because of a car accident in 1987, resulting in a crushing injury to his chest. He had multiple fractures involving the clavicle, sternum and several ribs. He was indeed lucky to be alive but it left him with chronic, severe pain for the last 13 years. He had tried several Zylocaine injections and was taking Nortryptiline. He wasn't depressed, but had a lot of pain. He was told to live with the pain, that nothing can be done to help him. But one of our patients, a Catholic priest, suggested Edmund try acupuncture.

     With Edmund, I used a combination of acupuncture, moxibustion and cupping. (Cupping is gentle suction applied with a heated glass and provides an efficient way, to achieve myofascial tissue release. Moxibustion is a procedure wherein a lighted herbal cone is used to provide heat to the acupuncture needles.) Today is Ed's fourth visit and he is a happy man. He says it is the first time in 13 years that he feels no pain and can turn his head with more flexibility. I gave him magnetic discs two-by-three inches in size, applied directly to fibrositic tissues to use at home. I had not anticipated this early turnaround; usually it takes at least 10 treatments before achieving significant relief. He will continue to come twice a week until he is satisfied. The outcome: Ed was satisfied with his treatments after10 sessions.

     Faith B., a 9-month-old infant is next - her first visit. Her mother brought her here because of recurrent otitis media. She was already scheduled for P.E. tube insertion but her parents wanted to see if I could do anything to help and perhaps even prevent the need for surgery. An otoscopic exam of the ear showed some redness, no pus, but a lot of ear wax. I did ear coning on both ears to clean out the wax and accumulated fluid. Ear cones are paraffin funnels; the children's size measure about six inches long by about half an inch in diameter. The narrow end fits snugly in the opening of the outer ear and the wider end is lit. As the oxygen is consumed in the hollow funnel, a gentle suction and drift occurs drawing the fluid and the wax from the ear canal. Then I used acupressure points to help the middle ear heal. I gave them suggestions on an antioxidant to strengthen her immune system. I explained that she caught colds frequently because her immune system was weak and that nutrients and acupressure treatments could support her immune system. The outcome: Faith responded well to the regimen and did not need the surgery. She still takes Co Enzyme Q 10 regularly and this keeps her from getting colds.

*This article was the cover story for Creative Nursing, No.3, 1997 .