Road Trip into the Wilderness
02/04/14 21:00 Filed in: Road Trip into the Wilderness 2014
Klamath River and Forest - only one road through the beautiful forest, ponderosa and jeffery pine, cedar, douglas, red and white fir trees as far as the eye can see, with many acres of old growth forest.
Its old-growth forests include Coast Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii), Tanoak (Lithocarpus densiflorus), Pacific Madrone (Arbutus menziesii), and White Fir (Abies concolor).
Where we were, the river runs west along the south side of the Siskiyou Mountains until it takes a sharp southward turn near the town of Happy Camp. From there, it flows southwest over whitewater rapids into the Klamath National Forest, receiving the Salmon River, and passes the unincorporated community of Orleans.(source;Wikipedia) Here are some of the clearest and sparkliest refreshing waters I have ever swam in. A true gem that the locals visit yearly and few others experience.
Falling in love with the forest and river landscape, feeling more at home and alive, grateful and appreciative of the immense beauty of California’s environment and the small pockets of wilderness still left and preserved.
Coming from England where most of the forests were cut down long ago, and many of the rivers polluted, it is joyous to be in places still wild.
Meandering on with the river, to meet with friends in an old growth redwood forest, by the Eel river for their daughter, River’s birthday, shared with our daughter’s sixth birthday.
To the giant redwoods if southern Humbolt and the rivers surround.
If ever there was Lothlorien on earth, here she is. Breathtaking beauty, red wood, green carpets of sorrel and fern. Magical old energy and stillness as we are the only visitors to these guardian trees.
Arella works her old soul magic as she wizards with the trees.
We journey on..through Humbolt to the Briceland road down to more California Wilderness and rugged roads that hug steep drops of our old forests, lazy creeks with drought supplies of water and flashes of ocean views between the trunks and leaves.
Sinkyone Wilderness -named after the Sinkyone tribe of that area. The lack of major road and highway access has led to the Sinkyone Wilderness area being referred to as the Lost Coast.
Pacific Ocean views and coastline
Usnea abundant and two beautiful Hawthorn trees overloaded with berries and hummingbirds are the gift of the whole wilderness for me!
Playing in the sunlight
Watching it lower, and we journey on, changing rivers for ocean and following the coastline home.
Spring road trip
02/04/14 20:42 Filed in: Spring Road Trip 2014
Point Lobos along the California Coast in Monterey. Stunning landscape of rocks and fresh, clear blue waters and lagoons where mermaids surely play and lure men to their doom
Whales migrating and seals barking. Family time away from school and routine and busy living into relax, nature-filled senses and appreciation and love for each other and where we live.Ocean spray splashing away any cobwebs left over from winter and ushering the fresh negative ion filled rush of life into blood and veins.
Trident and symbol of Venus made out of seaweed.
Waves crashing against the rocks where we stood gazing for Whales and breathing in the fresh salty air.
My Girl grinding up rocks and mussel shells to make rock paint.
My 7 Month old baby had Whooping Cough and this is what I did
08/01/14 21:55 Filed in: My 7 month old baby had Whooping Cough
Whooping cough in small baby=no fun!
Whooping cough is a contagious infection of the respiratory system caused by the Bordetella Pertussis bacteria.
The symptoms follow three phases of manifestation;
Phase 1 ~ Symptoms are similar to a common cold, and include runny nose, sneezing, possible low grade fever and mild cough.
Phase 2 ~ Paroxysms, which are coughing fits that often end in characteristic whooping sound, and difficulty in catching breath, often causing choking/retching or vomiting. The coughing is often worse at night and can cause exhaustion and susceptibility to secondary infections. This phase often lasts 1-6 weeks. Note that babies often do NOT make the whooping sound.
Phase 3 ~ Rest and recovery, the cough lasting a further 2-3 weeks on average. Whooping cough was known as the 100 day cough in China.
This is my regimen of remedies so far;
Beginning stages are like a cold and cough and for Rosie manifested as RSV and bronchiolitis.
She was very congested and mucous was thick and wet. Plus ear infections, with no fever.
I used Garlic mullein oil in each ear, hot compresses and massage along the Eustachian tubes.
I gave her steam room inhalations several times a day/night as needed which loosens the phlegm and makes breathing easier. Nasal saline and suction, which helped a LOT to clear what she couldn't clear on her own. For this the Nose Frida worked better than any other suction bulb.
Homeopathic Kali Bich for thick stringy yellow mucus.
Chicken soup bone broth with tumeric and cumin, coriander.
Albuterol when the wheezing got bad and made her lungs crackle at night, and she found it hard to breathe.
Sleeping upright on a raised cushion (boppy pillow).
Drop doses of Wild Cherry Bark, Marshmallow root and Elecampane. In hot water.
As the pattern changed and the wheezing stopped and cough became more dry and painful and spasmodic, we have switched to 1m homeopathic Drosea which is great and effective so far in lessening amount of spasms and helping to bring up the mucus from her lungs where the cilia have been eroded. This is what the toxin released from the Bordetella Pertussis bacteria does.. It erodes the Cilia (tiny hairs) which help to bring up mucus from the lungs effectively. Thus the coughing to prevent pools in bottom of lungs. Appetizing I know!
Drosera is effective when coughing fits are mainly at night and end in gagging and vomiting.
She was also given 200c of Oreodaphne by her homeopath.
We are giving her Lobelia drop doses and Grindelia. Tea with Red Clover (good specific for whooping cough) Plantain for soothing mucus membranes, Oatstraw and Nettle and Alfalfa for minerals and energy and thyme for anti microbial aromatic support.
Time will tell - but I am so thankful for plants and their wise healing gifts. I seek their refuge and help where the medical world has told me nothing can help!
I am grateful also to the advice given, particularly Darcey Blue and Benjamin Zappin from Five Flavor Herbs.
Chrisitine Ciavarella for her unparalleled excellence and continual homeopathic and medical support in my children’s lives.
Time did tell, and it was the Drosera which had the most noticeable and dramatic healing effect. After 2 doses she coughed up a big pool of mucous and it was a particularly horrible moment of coughing. After that, she slept better and coughed less. The next night we did it again, and she coughed much less - the difference between every hour on the hour having paroxysms to once or twice a night, much milder and not ending in choking or vomiting.
It is now a couple of weeks later and my baby girl has continued to improve and sustain good health.
I know that each person is different and make no claims that this regimen will work for and cure everyone but it is what worked for me and Rosie and there are helpful suggestions for what can be done to alleviate the symptoms of pertussis with homeopathy and herbs.
Please always check in with a doctor AND herbalist/homeopath who you trust, especially when dealing with young babies.
Be supported and be smart. Hours of waking at night consistently can be really hard on the parents.
Here are some useful links to articles about Whooping Cough and alternative treatments.
http://www.vaccinationcouncil.org/2012/09/07/vitamin-c-for-whooping-cough-updated-edition-suzanne-humphries-md/
http://holisticsquid.com/was-the-whooping-cough-epidemics-caused-by-unvaccinated-kids/
http://twincitiesmidwifery.wordpress.com/2012/06/06/pertussis-herbal-remedies-by-aviva-romm/
http://avivaromm.com/whooping-cough-in-the-thick-of-it
Whooping cough is a contagious infection of the respiratory system caused by the Bordetella Pertussis bacteria.
The symptoms follow three phases of manifestation;
Phase 1 ~ Symptoms are similar to a common cold, and include runny nose, sneezing, possible low grade fever and mild cough.
Phase 2 ~ Paroxysms, which are coughing fits that often end in characteristic whooping sound, and difficulty in catching breath, often causing choking/retching or vomiting. The coughing is often worse at night and can cause exhaustion and susceptibility to secondary infections. This phase often lasts 1-6 weeks. Note that babies often do NOT make the whooping sound.
Phase 3 ~ Rest and recovery, the cough lasting a further 2-3 weeks on average. Whooping cough was known as the 100 day cough in China.
This is my regimen of remedies so far;
Beginning stages are like a cold and cough and for Rosie manifested as RSV and bronchiolitis.
She was very congested and mucous was thick and wet. Plus ear infections, with no fever.
I used Garlic mullein oil in each ear, hot compresses and massage along the Eustachian tubes.
I gave her steam room inhalations several times a day/night as needed which loosens the phlegm and makes breathing easier. Nasal saline and suction, which helped a LOT to clear what she couldn't clear on her own. For this the Nose Frida worked better than any other suction bulb.
Homeopathic Kali Bich for thick stringy yellow mucus.
Chicken soup bone broth with tumeric and cumin, coriander.
Albuterol when the wheezing got bad and made her lungs crackle at night, and she found it hard to breathe.
Sleeping upright on a raised cushion (boppy pillow).
Drop doses of Wild Cherry Bark, Marshmallow root and Elecampane. In hot water.
As the pattern changed and the wheezing stopped and cough became more dry and painful and spasmodic, we have switched to 1m homeopathic Drosea which is great and effective so far in lessening amount of spasms and helping to bring up the mucus from her lungs where the cilia have been eroded. This is what the toxin released from the Bordetella Pertussis bacteria does.. It erodes the Cilia (tiny hairs) which help to bring up mucus from the lungs effectively. Thus the coughing to prevent pools in bottom of lungs. Appetizing I know!
Drosera is effective when coughing fits are mainly at night and end in gagging and vomiting.
She was also given 200c of Oreodaphne by her homeopath.
We are giving her Lobelia drop doses and Grindelia. Tea with Red Clover (good specific for whooping cough) Plantain for soothing mucus membranes, Oatstraw and Nettle and Alfalfa for minerals and energy and thyme for anti microbial aromatic support.
Time will tell - but I am so thankful for plants and their wise healing gifts. I seek their refuge and help where the medical world has told me nothing can help!
I am grateful also to the advice given, particularly Darcey Blue and Benjamin Zappin from Five Flavor Herbs.
Chrisitine Ciavarella for her unparalleled excellence and continual homeopathic and medical support in my children’s lives.
Time did tell, and it was the Drosera which had the most noticeable and dramatic healing effect. After 2 doses she coughed up a big pool of mucous and it was a particularly horrible moment of coughing. After that, she slept better and coughed less. The next night we did it again, and she coughed much less - the difference between every hour on the hour having paroxysms to once or twice a night, much milder and not ending in choking or vomiting.
It is now a couple of weeks later and my baby girl has continued to improve and sustain good health.
I know that each person is different and make no claims that this regimen will work for and cure everyone but it is what worked for me and Rosie and there are helpful suggestions for what can be done to alleviate the symptoms of pertussis with homeopathy and herbs.
Please always check in with a doctor AND herbalist/homeopath who you trust, especially when dealing with young babies.
Be supported and be smart. Hours of waking at night consistently can be really hard on the parents.
Here are some useful links to articles about Whooping Cough and alternative treatments.
http://www.vaccinationcouncil.org/2012/09/07/vitamin-c-for-whooping-cough-updated-edition-suzanne-humphries-md/
http://holisticsquid.com/was-the-whooping-cough-epidemics-caused-by-unvaccinated-kids/
http://twincitiesmidwifery.wordpress.com/2012/06/06/pertussis-herbal-remedies-by-aviva-romm/
http://avivaromm.com/whooping-cough-in-the-thick-of-it
