Do you know anyone who has spent an extended time in the hospital? I think my longest stay was 3 days, and that was for the delivery of my first child, and then again when I had a severe bout of vertigo while pregnant with my third. But if you know anyone who has spent a week or more in a hospital, you probably didn't hear them say things like...
Gosh, I got the best sleep there! The bright lights, the constant beeping machines, the random voices and loud noises in the hallways, and the check-ins that occurred at all hours of the day and night just really set me up for some restful and restorative sleep!
Oh, the food is amazing! Fresh, colorful, so full of flavor and nutrition! They really understand the importance of diet when healing from a serious condition.
The daily sunlight was such an encouragement to me. I loved seeing the green trees and all the beautiful flowers and even the wind and rain outside my window. That simple yet steady connection with nature kept my spirits up on the most difficult days.
They catered to me and my family so well! There was an extra bed for my loved one to spend the night with me, and the doctors warmly invited conversation and a differing perspective about my care throughout my stay. They were so excited about our ideas for holistic healing and absolutely supported food and supplements brought from home!
I could go on, but I think you get the point. I don't know of anyone who has had an experience like this. Certainly there are really compassionate doctors and nurses who are out of this world with their patience, care, and calming presence. But I'm not talking about the many amazing professionals who work in the hospital; I'm talking about the hospital experience itself...the hospital system as a whole. The machine.
In my experience, people in a hospital often feel like prisoners. Things are done to them, said about and around them, and decisions often made without their input. I've sat in a hospital room with people I love who talk seriously about pulling IV's out of their arms and simply walking out the door because they feel so unseen and unheard and so frustrated. They feel trapped and totally out of control.
To be clear, I understand that hospitals don't offer care like what I described earlier because they simply cannot. There is not time, or money, or expertise, or enough staff to personalize care in such a way, even if the intent and desire to do so was there.
The truth is - the hospital is where you go to be put back together or to be kept alive.
But it is not a place to heal.
And that's why I am working so hard - slowly but steadily - to bring healing back into our own home. Home, where the heart is. Home, where people know you and love you. Home, where good food is made with care and just the way you like it. Home, where you can open windows, invite the dog onto your bed, and sleep soundly as long as you need to in a quiet, dark, and peaceful room. This is the atmosphere where true healing is most likely to take place. And while we can't always avoid a long hospital stay, we can certainly do our best to handle the little things at home with relatively simple remedies.
I wish I could say I am an expert on home health and homeopathy, but dietary and lifestyle intervention aside, I'm really just beginning the journey into this kind of care. If you have a trusted resource, I sure would love to hear about it! This is the one I am digging into now - it's written by a mentor I discovered a year or two ago, and I've been so impressed with her work and thankful for the many resources she makes available. You can find her on all the socials, and she also has a solid website.
Listed in the Table of Contents of The Mommy Apothecary:
Understanding Quality Supplements
The "Healthcare" Field and Parental Rights
God's Farmacy
Safety First
Silver Solutions
Full Spectrum Hemp Extract (CBD) Topical and Internal
Systemic Enzyme Therapy
Probiotics
Belly Issues - Leaky Gut
Oil of Oregano
Key Vitamins
Parasites
Homeopathy
Detox, Binding, Drawing and Nourishing
Essential Oils
Castor Oil
Athletic Recovery Protocol
Helpful Kitchen Items
Protocols (Skin eruptions, ear aches, fever, sinus issues, sore throat, immune support, poison ivy, tick bites, gastrointestinal issues, gut health - pregnancy, baby and child, yeast overgrowth/candida, covid hair loss, extra protocols)
Animals
My copy just arrived today so I'm just familiarizing myself with it over the next few weeks. I am excited, and a little nervous, to take more responsibility for my own health and the health of my family, so that we can save those emergency hospital visits for when they are absolutely necessary. If you'd like to get a copy of The Mommy Apothecary for your own home (e-book or hardcover), you can purchase it here.
Bring healing home, my friends!
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