Snow day = winter wonderland = hydrotherapy opportunity

An unprecedented snowfall has lead to a day and a half school closure. This is a two pronged post with a couple water therapy techniques recently talked about in our hydrotherapy class.

With the extra morning time, I added a hydro technique to my usual shower routine. Post conditioning rinse I took the removable shower head out of its support and turned the water temperature to the coldest setting. While it is not necessary to have a detachable shower head, it does make this particular procedure easier. I sprayed the water from my right heal to the back of my knee and back down, then repeated on the left side. Yes, this was incredibly cold and borderline painful, but immediately after I got a fantastic warming sensation. I followed this by spraying the top of my foot up to the front of my knee and back down, repeated on the left side, then sprayed both my arms in the same manner. Classically you finish this treatment by air-drying after wiping as much water as possible off your skin. I towel dried because of the need to dress myself, but perhaps will take the time over the weekend.

The second part of the hydrotherapy experimental day included a barefoot walk through the snow. A standard treatment through the snow is 3-5 minutes. I made it about 45 seconds before I cried uncle. Not surprisingly I experienced pins and needles tingling, redness, along with soreness running up my legs and very slight nausea. Once socked up my feet began to warm very quickly. I don't feel as though my energy level noticeably changed after the walk, but noting the redness and warm I can safely say that blood flow through my legs certainly increased.

Hydrotherapy, or Water Cure as it was originally coined by the early naturopaths, is a form of treatment and preventative measure using water. The fundamental principle at work here is that circulation of blood can be used to bring nutrients to and waste products away from injured tissues. General increase in circulation also supports the bodies vitality. Application of water therapy can be done on any part of the body with varying water temperatures.

Gettin into it

Here I am, done with my first midterm. Before the midterm our professor handed out sprigs of rosemary to clear our minds throughout the exam. How neat! When I was thinking about some of the more complex questions, the aromatherapy helped my mind focus. I will have to remember to save this trick for future exams when the instructor is not so forth coming with test taking aides.

There's a Fire Starting in My Heart

Over the summer, I had my first encounter with future colleagues of mine, these, of the MD variety. The student housing I reside in is also used for guest lecturers and temporary guests. Several M.D. students attending a two week course on Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) were housed here over the summer. This is an opportunity for traditional medical students to be exposed to a holistic approach to healthcare.

They seemed excited about "alternative" therapies and learning about the medicine. Their instructor specialized in herbology and exposed them to several of the modalities offered through naturopathic medicine that are not part of the M.D. curriculum.

One evening we were gathered around the kitchen sharing experiences. The D.O. student did a few osteopathic manipulations, an M.D. student spoke of his father, a cardiac-surgeon, who used lifestyle counseling, and I explained how the naturopathic school was organized. At this point of the conversation it was hard not to notice the smirks they were not so successfully suppressing. Inside I immediately became defensive and angry at their demeaning display. I shrugged it off as ignorance and felt even more determined to get the most of school so I could "prove" to them at some point in time that they were ignorant and wrongfully judgmental.

While I want to say that the resentment that I feel for them will help me study harder, I know that I need to let this go, be myself and not let the opinions of others affect my decision to be what I will ultimately become. Yes, this is the classic rise above! But in reality, it's more than that; it's not about N.Ds versus M.Ds. As both our professions advance I hope we will learn that this is not an us versus them situation. Really the only thing of concern is what is the best care for the patients and how can each healthcare practitioner tailor their gifts to meet these needs.

So, while the there is certainly a fire in my heart, it is not burning with a conviction to outdo my M.D., D.O., N.P, P.A., etc. colleagues, it's burning with curiosity for healing and understanding.

Umm need to concentrate

My tailbone has fallen asleep (will edit once medical jargon has been covered)- that's what happens when you sit in a chair for hours on end. I vaguely remember this feeling from my undergraduate years, but somehow put it out of my memory until now.

What I did not forget about, and have actually been dreading, is my keen ability to nod off during lecture. That's right, only one hour and fifteen minutes into my very first class at medical school and my eyelids become too heavy to keep open. Shit... this is going to be a long four years. One of the Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine professors suggested that I rub the crown of my head (self-inflicted noogie) to combat classroom fatigue. I tried this technique; it worked for about five minutes. After a brief break I nibbled a piece of dark chocolate and made it through the rest of lecture. During the pre-lab discussion I stretched at the back of the classroom while silently thanking myself for not attending allopathic medical school where this sort of behavior might be construed as odd.

New strategies for staying awake (no I don't drink coffee daily): sip water, ask lots of questions to stay engaged, head noogie, stand and stretch, and take copious amounts of notes.

Ok, time to walk off the tingling in my legs.

Hot damn, it's go time

Yeah, my guess is that I will be using lots of antiquated exclamations to emphasize my excitement, so brace yourself.

Tomorrow I enter the world of naturopathic medicine!! I just spent the last week driving out to Seattle from Billings, MT through some of the most beautiful country imaginable. For the love of what makes this life worth getting up for, I highly recommend taking a road trip or bus trip when transitioning in any part of your life.

More to come...