I have had a number of interactions recently that have prompted me to view the differences in how I approach health and how other people approach health.  I am curious about what motivates us to choose our way of caring for our health.  Consider these four interactions that occurred yesterday.

• I started the day meeting with the founder of an intensive counseling program.  We were discussing the possibility of me offering services (Access Consciousness Bars and/or ThetaHealing) as part of their program.  Although it did not come up in the short conversation, I was acutely aware that their website claims their program is “evidence-based” and if you read my earlier post, you know that I believe the best therapy may not be the one with scientific validation.

• After my meeting I headed to the bunny rescue to help clean cages.  I had a nice conversation with the caretaker.  She fosters/owns 21 bunnies, many of them with health issues raging from broken legs to abscesses.  She talked about treating a rabbit with an antibiotic resistant staph infection, another with paresis and how she was treating “head tilt” successfully with antibiotics.

• Later at home I had a client that mentioned having an emergency appendectomy after a urgent care scan revealed a swollen appendix.  We also talked about a surgery in a friend that resulted in pain so severe it couldn’t be controlled by morphine.

It wasn’t until the final conversation that I got how different I am.  First, given the symptoms my client mentioned I would not even thought about going to urgent care.  I would have started treating the symptoms at home.  Further, if I did find out my appendix was swollen, I would not have automatically opted for an appendectomy.  I would have looked for the cause of that and treated the physical aspects with herbal medicines and the non-physical with intuitive insight and energy.  I don’t rule out mainstream medicine, but it usually is not the best choice for me.

I was also surprised about the friend with the severe post-op pain.  I wondered, “Why didn’t he call?”  Energy work is quite effective at relieving pain and, if that doesn’t do it, ThetaHealing or acupuncture are also good options.  Of course, I probably would have tried other alternatives before the surgery he chose as well.

All this got me thinking about the bunnies and the choices the bunny rescue makes in regards to the health care of their animals.

I have been thinking about adopting a rabbit.  However, the contract is too restrictive.  The line, “You should take your rabbit to the veterinarian for a yearly check-up” clearly makes me a “bad” pet owner if I do not take my pet to a veterinarian.  It also suggests that there is only one good way to care for pets.

I am reminded of a time when Chispa, my chihuahua mix, was attacked by a larger dog in a trail head parking lot.  The other dog had taken her by surprise when he jumped out of the window of his car to get what might have looked like a squirrel to him.  Upon inspection she was free of open wounds and I thought she would recover from the fright.  However, she began to limp soon afterwards.  I thought she might have bruised her hind quarters and it would resolve.  A few days later, she was still holding her rear leg up when she walked.  A thorough inspection of the leg led me to conclude that there was no injury.  She felt no pain when I palpated it and she had full, pain-free range of motion.  I suspected some sort of pinched nerve.

I never thought to take her to the veterinarian.  When it did not resolve within the week, I called a friend of a friend who is a pet whisperer.  At first Glen Philips could not find the problem.  All he “saw” was an old injury on the other leg that she had when I let her move in with me.  When I told him I thought the issue was located nearer the spine he was able to “see” the pinched nerve.

What happened next blew me away.  Now, keep in mind, Glen is at home and we are talking on the phone.  Glen tells me he is moving the nerve from where it is being pinched.  In the next moment, Chispa gets up on her back legs and puts her front paws on my lap.  This is the first time she has put weight on the leg in a week.  Amazing!  Where do I send the check?!

Why would I take her to the vet?  I do not think mainstream medicine is necessarily the highest form of care.  I also know that the results we get with whatever form of medicine we chose are not based on the medicine.  Medicine has no self-existent power.  The results are based on our own beliefs, subconscious programs and what we are thinking.  Hence, I would not say my way is best.  I just know it is best for me.  I also know that each person knows within themselves what is best for them.

So, I’ll bite my tongue and allow people to choose surgery or pain or pharmaceuticals.  I will continue to choose magic and natural products.  Sure, I am crazy.  It is nice having the freedom to be so.