I don't know. Dandelion wine has to count for something. Are any of your relatives still living to ask about botanicals?
Lewis On Sat, Jul 4, 2009 at 10:51 AM, Diane Perrin <mdlorra...@comcast.net>wrote: > > Lewis, > Yes, I vaguely remember mustard plasters, and I'm sure there were > other botanical remedies, but I can't remember them at the moment. > The dandelion wine probably doesn't count! > > On Jul 4, 11:47 am, Lewis Mehl-Madrona <mehlmadr...@gmail.com> wrote: > > Diane, > > > > You can perhaps see that you grew up with a certain story about > > "doctors" and their "god-like" role. That story persists even today, > > since our childhood stories are so strongly embedded within us. > > Nevertheless, you've begun to incorporate other stories, including > > those that are critical of medicine. I wondered if you grandparents > > used botanical medicines at all? I remember mustard plasters and > > drinking strong bitter teas as a child. Did you have any of that? > > > > Lewis > > > > On Jun 28, 4:03 pm, Diane Perrin <mdlorra...@comcast.net> wrote: > > > > > F. How have the various subcultures to which you belong influenced > > > your definitions, interpretations, and management of illness? > > > > > My upbringing was in a traditional Catholic, French Canadian family > > > setting on a rural farm. As discussed by Linda Sussman in the Role of > > > Culture chapter of the ‘Handbook of Culture, Therapy and Healing,’ I > > > can see where our health care was first managed by lay people, > > > specifically in my family, by my mother and father and with occasional > > > suggestions from grandparents. When one of us became ill, my mother > > > would diagnose, if she could, and give us her remedy if she thought it > > > was a fairly minor, manageable illness, such as a cold, or fever. I > > > remember Vicks rubbed on our chests, and holding our towel-covered > > > heads over steam. There were also ‘folk’ remedies such as gargling > > > with salt water for a sore throat (which my doctor now recommends) and > > > I think baking soda for upset stomach. > > > > > Family and friends taught us to almost revere ‘the doctor.’ I don’t > > > know if anyone ever questioned his treatments. When I was little, the > > > doctor was called to treat us at home, and I remember hiding because > > > he came to see me quite often for illnesses like mumps, measles, and > > > chicken pox. For emergencies, like cutting my leg on broken glass > > > that needed stitching up, or my brother falling head first from the > > > hayloft to the cement floor of the barn, we were rushed to his office > > > for treatment. (His skull was fractured and he ended up in the > > > hospital, but was sent to stay with our grandmother because they > > > couldn’t keep him in bed.) > > > > > As we grew older, other subcultures that influenced us would have been > > > friends, classmates, work associates. Our religious affiliations most > > > probably affected some medical issues concerning pregnancies, and end- > > > of-life decisions. > > > > > I myself have had to make a conscious effort to research and question > > > treatments that have been recommended by the medical profession. It > > > has been difficult to overcome that ‘godlike’ attitude that I saw as a > > > child. > > > -- IMPORTANT WARNING: This e-mail and any files transmitted with it contain CONFIDENTIAL information, including PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL HEALTH INFORMATION which is intended for the use of the person to whom it is addressed. If the reader of this e-mail/attachment is not the intended recipient, employee, or agent responsible to deliver it to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, reproduction, reading, or copying of this information is STRICTLY PROHIBITED AND A VIOLATION OF FEDERAL LAW. If you received this e-mail in error, please delete the related e-mail and all attachments and notify the sender immediately (reply e-mail) at mehlmadr...@gmail.com. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "CulturalandTraditionalHealthandHealing" group. To post to this group, send email to culturalandtraditionalhealthandhealing@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to culturalandtraditionalhealthandhealing+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.ca/group/culturalandtraditionalhealthandhealing?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
