GUEST BLOGGER: Homeopathy and the Surgeon’s Daughter
Natural medicine was frowned upon in our home as I was growing up. My father was a highly regarded, gifted surgeon trained in the allopathic tradition and he had learned to distrust alternative medicine. My father and I were close and I loved him dearly. He had a brilliant mind and a huge heart. It was heartbreaking to watch his health begin to decline when he was only in his 60s. In the pursuit of health, he consulted his colleagues regarding his ailments and one medication after another was added to his regimen, some of them addressing symptoms caused by other medications. When he died at the age of 75, he was on a long list of medications, which I believe obstructed and confused the process of finding what was actually causing his illness.
If you had told me when I was growing up that I would one day become an advocate of natural medicine, I would not have believed you. But, events transpired that profoundly changed my conception of health and healthcare. In 2016, I began experiencing severe digestive issues. It was a very stressful time in my life, so my physical symptoms were not surprising. Unfortunately, the debilitating symptoms persisted for days, and weeks, and months. Over-the-counter medications helped only temporarily. I became quite concerned and consulted my primary care physician. She ordered a colonoscopy, the results of which were normal, and I was given the diagnosis of IBS. Wary of the medication that was suggested, I consulted an MD specializing in functional medicine. He gave me the diagnosis of intestinal yeast overgrowth and prescribed Nystatin. Still unconvinced, I consulted an internal medicine physician, who ordered a lab test to rule out intestinal parasites. She believed that my symptoms were stress related, and prescribed Xanax and Seroquel. While these were all excellent doctors, I remembered my father and was very reluctant to begin taking the various medications recommended.
Two and a half years passed and some of the earlier stressors in my life had been resolved, yet I was still suffering from the same severe digestive issue. I was beginning to feel hopeless. In January of 2019, I decided I had nothing to lose by trying homeopathy and scheduled an appointment to see Dr. Chris Chlebowski at Ashland Natural Medicine; at that point, my experience went from “last resort” to “life changing”.
My initial appointment lasted well over 90 minutes, with Dr. Chris asking me a wide range of questions pertaining to my history, my family, my likes and dislikes...and my digestive issues. I was in the presence of a doctor who was truly interested in getting to know his patient. He informed me that a lab test that had been ordered was inaccurate and outdated, ordered a different lab test and we scheduled a follow up visit. Using the lab results and my subjective reports as a guide, Dr. Chris administered a homeopathic remedy and a few other supplements that would prompt my body to begin healing itself. This was completely different from the approach sometimes taken in our culture of using pharmaceutical medications to suppress symptoms. This was an approach tailored specifically to me as a unique human being, with the goal of true healing from the inside out.
On one occasion, I caused my own setback by taking another product containing an ingredient that would counteract or “antidote” my homeopathic remedy. Dr. Chris administered a different remedy, which held for weeks, until I experienced a very stressful event which triggered a relapse. These setbacks or relapses gave Dr. Chris the information he needed to determine the remedy that would provide lasting relief of my symptoms. Again, he administered a different remedy and my symptoms resolved permanently. I have been free of my digestive symptoms for over a year and I am not dependent on pharmaceutical medications. Prompted by the homeopathic remedy, my body has healed itself. This was not a quick fix; it required patience on the part of both the doctor and the patient, but the process has yielded lasting results.
Healing my digestive system was only the first step in my journey toward optimal health and vitality. Ill health can be deep-seated. It may be the result of an unhealthy environment or unhealthy habits. The body may express unresolved emotional pain, past trauma, or cumulative stress by way of physical ailments, such as heart disease, arthritis, insomnia, cancer, etc. In my case, my nervous system first expressed alarm through my now-resolved digestive problems. However, I had not yet addressed the deeper cause of my health problems.
In the summer and fall of 2019, I began experiencing an intermittent, localized rash on my arms. I also found myself waking with a pounding heart several times a night. Over the course of the previous few years I had provided end-of-life care for three people whom I loved. During that same time, my children each had a serious illness and I was providing care for my visually impaired mother. Surmising that these events were the cause of my pounding heart, I decided it would be wise to seek counseling.
My counselor and I spent the first sessions talking about stress management techniques and general family history. Our third session was very intense. In one breathless torrent I told the counselor about the loss of my loved ones, stress in my family, and memories of a traumatic event in my childhood that I had rarely spoken of with anyone. I went home from that session completely drained and completely unaware of how my body was about to express itself.
Over the course of the next two days, my arms broke out in a rash and began to swell. I asked a friend of mine, a nurse, to come look at my increasingly swollen arms and she was very alarmed, encouraging me to go to the hospital. I decided to wait until the next morning to seek medical care. While I had been delighted with the results of homeopathy in treating my digestive issues, my first reaction to this new situation was to seek care from an allopathic physician. I went to the office of an internist whom I had seen in the past. His receptionist took one look at my arms and I was seen right away. The doctor took a brief history, looked at my arms, and prescribed steroids and antibiotics. He also referred me to a dermatologist, making arrangements for me to be seen the next day.
At this point I was quite distraught, having no idea what was happening to my body, except that I was growing more uncomfortable by the minute. By this time, blisters were emerging on my arms. Aware of the potential side effects, I was extremely reluctant to take steroids or antibiotics without a definitive diagnosis or evidence of infection. Deciding to seek a second opinion, I drove to Ashland Natural Medicine to see Dr. Chris, which was one of the best decisions I have ever made.
When I arrived at Dr. Chris’ office, I was crushed to learn that he was not seeing patients that day. Tearfully, I showed Lisa (his receptionist) my arms and shared my alarm. She listened with compassion and said she would get the message to the doctor. At that moment, Dr. Chris emerged from his office saying, “I hear sounds of distress. Come on back, I’ll see you.” That single act of compassion changed everything. Dr. Chris examined my arms and listened intently to my account of how the rash and swelling had begun. He informed me that, while there certainly was a place for antibiotics and steroids, he did not think they were indicated at this time. Based on his observations and my report, Dr. Chris administered a homeopathic remedy and advised me to keep my appointment with the dermatologist.
The following day I saw the dermatologist, who was impressed with the appearance of the rash. She prescribed even stronger antibiotics and steroids, took biopsies of my arms and trunk, and told me she thought I had eczema. When I got home, I began doing research on eczema and read accounts of people who had taken steroids to treat their condition. Initially, the rash would respond to the steroids, but then reemerge in a much angrier and inflamed form. It seemed to me that taking steroids would address only the symptoms of the eczema and leave the underlying cause untreated; I had a deep sense that it was not the way to achieve true healing. Because Dr. Chris had successfully treated my digestive problems, and because I knew him to be a thorough, honest, and excellent doctor, I put my trust in him and in natural medicine.
The next eight months were the most difficult I have ever experienced. It was as if my body was releasing over 50 years of fear, stress, tension, and sorrow, trying to call my attention to issues I had long neglected to address. It seemed to me that I was inhabited by some living thing that was taking on strange forms in various systems of my body, producing a wide range of symptoms. I experienced chills, hot flashes, headaches, nausea, jaw tremors, swelling of my arms and legs, oozing from my cracked and peeling skin, unbearable itching, styes, muscle spasms, drainage from my ears, intense anxiety, despair, blisters and bumps on my arms and legs, extreme fatigue, and at one point I turned beet red from my neck to my ankles for weeks. Every morning for months I awoke with the goal of simply making it to the end of the day. I felt imprisoned by my body and longed to escape it somehow, but I also felt God drawing my attention back to His presence in each moment and I witnessed His presence through the love of those who were caring for me. Dr. Chris encouraged me in my faith as well, reminding me to have hope and to pray.
During this time, I saw Dr. Chris on a weekly basis and communicated with him on a daily basis. He administered the appropriate homeopathic remedy according to my changing symptoms and my subjective experience, with the goal of prompting my body to heal itself from the inside out. I was frightened by my condition and was tempted to take steroids, simply wanting my nightmare to end. Dr. Chris assured me that my situation was “life-changing, not life-threatening” and that he still felt the steroids and antibiotics were not necessary. However, he also told me that if I chose to take them he would support me in that decision. Every single time I became impatient, fearful or desperate, Dr. Chris took the time to listen, encourage, and remind me that we were making progress; together we were pursuing true healing, not the suppression of symptoms.
Because my skin was so sensitive, I wore pajamas to my appointments at ANM...even in December. I relied heavily on encouragement and hugs from the office staff - Natasha, Lisa, and Ute - who responded to my numerous (truly numerous) phone calls and emails with infinite patience. I was also blessed beyond words by the support of family and friends. My husband kept a roof over our heads, our children took over the running of our household, my sister frequently sent me encouraging text messages, and my mother provided emotional and financial support. My church family sent cards, brought meals and prayed for me. Gradually, the symptoms began to subside and I could see the light at the end of the tunnel. My experience highlights the necessity of community in achieving and maintaining good health. We are simply not created to “go it alone”. The support I received from everyone at ANM was an important key to my recovery.
Another vital part of my healing was addressing the underlying pain that I had carried with me since experiencing a traumatic event in my childhood. Because of the severe reaction I had to my initial sessions, I was reluctant to try counseling again. Due to my deep trust in Dr. Chris, however, I felt safe sharing memories and feelings with him, though I did sometimes experience flare ups following these appointments. He received my outpourings with compassion and wisely told me that, once I was able to express myself verbally, my body would not need to express itself through my skin. He also helped me to explore ancillary therapies I would never have considered before, such as craniosacral therapy, somatic counseling, EFT, and hypnotherapy. For me, hypnotherapy has proven to be healing.
One year later, I am still on my journey to optimal health and vitality. I am becoming a healthier and happier person. Occasionally, I will remember with a smile all of the medications that I am NOT on! Over the months, my rash and a few other symptoms have continued to flare up in response to stress, but each time the flare up is less severe and shorter in duration, and each time I learn something new about managing stress and living a balanced life. My despair has lifted, I am becoming more emotionally stable, I am gaining strength every week, and I have a much greater understanding of myself. All of my relationships seem sweeter to me and I express gratitude to God every day.
We are fearfully and wonderfully made, intricate, complex, and multifaceted. While our bodies are made up of different systems, these systems are interconnected and cannot be treated separately. Illness manifesting itself in one area of the body, may actually be due to a neglected illness in another part of the body or the result of an imbalanced life. Indeed, Dr. Chris has told me that the role of illness is to invite us to do something differently in our lives. In our culture, we have come to expect quick results - we want fast food, fast electronic devices and fast cures. I have begun to understand, though, that changes to our lifestyle and mindset take time. True healing resulting from true change takes time. Because of Dr. Chris’ steadfast support and attentiveness, I have had the courage to continue this course, allowing the homeopathic remedies and supplements to prompt my body’s God-given ability to heal itself. In keeping with the holistic approach inherent in natural medicine, Dr. Chris and his staff at ANM have addressed my health concerns at every level: physical, emotional and spiritual, and the results have been life changing.
I think my father would approve.
Veronika Comerchero