What Rose Taught Me

For almost two years now our dear dog Rose has not been with us. I miss her everyday. And Shasta is working her magic by shining her light on the darkness I carry within. Grieving takes as long as it takes.

Last year Chris Boyd made a special marker for Rose's Rest.

Rose taught me a very valuable lesson about pharmaceutical drugs as opposed to herbal medicines.

Yarrow flowers and leaves have been
used for thousands of years. An example
is on the ancient battlefields where the 
leaves and flowers were thickly applied 
to staunch bleeding.

Doctors practicing within the allopathic system have one standard response, or so it seems to me since I have heard it from quite a number medical doctors, to the use of herbal medicines, "there is no quality control."  Herbal medicines do not kill people like those produced by the mega pharmaceutical industrial machine. Nor do herbal medicines have "side effects," which in my way of present thinking is a misnomer for how the drug actually affects the human body.

Homeostasis is a natural process by which the human body rights itself, or in other words, a way to keep the human organism in balance. The drugs, used as a matter of course for almost any ailment a person goes to see her or his doctor about, do nothing to support this process. From Rose I learned that herbal medicines support this natural rebalancing of the physical form. After her leg amputation, the vet who did the surgery sent home with us not only narcotics to control the pain, but pharmaceutical drugs to "fight infection" and "reduce the inflammatory process." None of these drugs was to Rose's liking. She said the antiinflammatory drug actually blocked her "natural rhythm" and the antibiotic caused violent vomiting. I was able to talk the vet into allowing me to use an oil I had made instead. 

This organic olive oil infusion of comfrey, plantain and yarrow flowers, 

Comfrey

Plantain

Yarrow

once applied to Rose's shaved skin around the amputation site, worked magic. Within a few hours of application, she wanted to go out and pee. Well, she had the most huge pee I have ever seen from any of my dogs. From thence forward there was no swelling in the area. There was also no redness and the wound healed incredibly fast. After 48 hours the only medicine Rose found supported her healing was the oil of comfrey, plantain and yarrow.
The vet insisted Rose continue to take an antibiotic.  I insisted on a different one than the original one that caused the fierce vomiting. Rose agreed to take it saying, "if you insist but I do not need it."  All the antibiotic capsules she took as prescribed until they were gone.  

So what Rose taught me was, as any herbalist knows, that herbal medicines made with the whole plant with no man made chemicals will work with the body's natural cycle not only supporting homeostasis but healing as well. Herbs are a part of the interdependent fabric
of all BEings.

"I thank you God for most this amazing day:

for the leaping greenly spirits of trees

and a blue true dream of sky;

and for everything which is natural 

which is infinite

which is yes."

e.e.cummings

As you consider healing choices and "everything which is natural" may you