AKA the therapeutic relationship
This week I was asked to visit a woman in hospital with septicaemia. She had had intravenous antibiotics, but these had been discontinued as they had not improved her condition. It was an acquaintance of theirs that asked me to visit because she knew they had used herbs before, and her husband would welcome a herbalist.
I was hesitant for two reasons.
i] I didn’t know the woman, she wasn’t my patient, and to boot, she was in hospital under NHS care.
ii] What in fact could I do? Septicaemia is a serious condition, and often fatal. Orthodox treatment had been withdrawn because it wasn’t succeeding – what did I think herbs could do?
And then I remembered what the intermediary said:
“Even a visit in hospital to make a general assessment would have huge psychological benefit for the couple who are soulmates.”
I made sure the husband knew that I could make no claims for any herbal input when I called him. Of course, I asked him many questions about the history of what had happened; how it started, how it progressed, what her symptoms were and what medication she was on. And I made up a mix.
What did I put in it?
- Echinacea – antimicrobial [for the infection]
- Thyme – antimicrobial [ditto]
- Nettle seed – kidney trophorestorative [her kidneys were having issues]
- Horsechestnut – deobstruent [she had blood clots in her legs]
- Chilli – circulatory stimulant
This is not ‘a mix for septicaemia’ obviously. It was the best I could do with what I had available. I would have liked to add Pokeroot, but I had run out. While I was there I arranged for a friend of theirs to bring in flasks of hot thyme infusion, so that he could apply compresses to her chest.
And there it is.
Some sort of response is better than nothing. We use the education we have been given, add a dash of creativity and a sprinkle of compassion and we will see…
Am I convinced herbs will make a tremendous difference? Not at this stage, but I know they will do no harm.
Am I glad I went? Yes, because I went with no claims but to contribute the little I can in a difficult situation.
Maybe all I contributed in the end was ‘the human touch’, but that is a vital ingredient of the therapeutic relationship that we can have with ill patients and their families, and we should treat it with the respect it deserves.
