Iridology and Reflexology
While working with the TCM doctor he continually counselled
us on integrating all aspects that might be beneficial to my recovery. Already
we had been working with acupuncture, vitamins and nutrition. Added to this
he believed strongly in reflexology. The basis of which is that every nerve
in your body is connected to the extremities, the hands and feet. It is through
manual manipulation of these areas that the whole of the body can be helped.
Working the pressure points of my hands and feet extensively, he was able to
teach my mother, and husband, some of the art of reflexology, giving them direction
for when we were back at the apartment. Later, to my advantage for years to
come, they both took a one-day course on the subject. This became one of the
mainstays for keeping my temperature down, they had learned about a spot near
the top of my spine, that when given pressure, could lower my body temperature,
which was essential for as time passed it continually tried to rise above normal.
This was one of the measurable symptoms that let us know the cancer was gaining
strength. With the reflexology though we were able to gain a semblance of control
over my temperature keeping it down to near normal as well as to soothe my aches
and pains, which were ever increasing with my limited movement, helping me to
relax.
There were many a night that my mother or my husband would be working with me
doing reflexology throughout the night. I was having trouble sleeping, but not
anything like my parents and my husband, who, I found out years later were fearfully
listening for me to stop breathing, as the lump in my throat was again at extreme
proportions. One night I was awakened by them coming in the room they came in
to check to see if I was still alive, only there was a huge hairy spider taking
up the whole of the doorway, following them in! It was obvious to all that we
were losing the battle. The hallucinations were back!
We were recommended, through the TCM doctor, that a Dr.Bernard Jensen, who had
written a book on iridology, was giving a seminar in town. It was suggested
that we might find an interview with him informative. After his lecture, he
met with us in the back room of the hall where he had his iridology camera situated,
looking something like the first cameras back in the 1800’s, set up on
a tripod. He had me look directly into it, one eye at a time, and took pictures.
From his inspection, he suggested that I had some major problems with my lymphatic
system.
Well this correlated well with the truth of the matter, giving credence to his
methodology, yet he didn’t really tell us anything we didn’t already
know. He made suggestions towards diet and vitamins, albeit we were already
on this route, so we were impressed enough to buy his book and yet we never
really gained anything more than proof that there was more to non-traditional
medicine than being acclaimed, at the time (1978), within the medical profession.