Another Case of Strep Fought and Won

I posted just recently that Dane had had strep and we had cleared it up with colloidal silver and rest. I was really wanting Essential Oils when he got sick, but didn't have any yet.

Well, I got mine on Thursday and wouldn't you know, that very same afternoon when I picked the boys up from my mom's, Webb was burning up. He had just woken up from a nap and we thought that was the reason for lethargy. He had a fever of 102.7.

I felt so very prepared because I had un-expired colloidal silver at home AND now my Young Living Oils.

He was complaining of a headache and Dane had recently had strep. I assumed strep for both those reasons. When I was little and had strep, my only symptom was a headache.

Webb wanted daddy to inspect him and daddy checked his throat. He had very swollen and red tonsils.

I started giving him Silver Shield and Echinacea immediately and continued to every hour. I also applied Thieves to the bottom of his feet, Lavender to his chest (didn't know then it would help with fever), and Peppermint to his forehead to help with headache.

I also diffused Thieves with the diffuser I got with the oils.

If you google what Thieves is good for, you can find 101 uses. No, really. A website that lists 101.

Here is the first 30 it lists:

1. Dilute with V-6™ Enhanced Vegetable Oil Complex and apply to cuts or open wounds to prevent infection and promote healing.
2. Mix with a tablespoon of water, gargle and swallow for a sore throat.
3. Apply undiluted directly to the skin of your upper chest and throat for bronchitis.
4. Place a drop on your thumb and apply to the roof of your mouth for a headache.
5. Put 10-12 drops in a size 00 capsule undiluted and swallow daily for longevity.
6. For acne, take internally and apply to the skin diluted with Young Living’s V-6™ carrier oil.
7. Put directly on the soles of your feet to protect you from colds and flu.
8. Breathe in the vapors when you have lung congestion.
9. Use to clean pet cages, creating a healthier environment for them.
10. Add to your dishwasher for cleaner dishes.
11. Add to your laundry cycle for cleaner clothes.
12. Add to your mop water for cleaner floors.
13. Mix with water to make a spray to repel insects on your flowers and plants.
14. Use to dissolve the gummy adhesive on price labels.
15. Apply to bee and wasp stings to neutralize the toxin and relieve the pain.
16. Apply to gums to prevent and treat gum disease.
17. Apply orally to maintain healthy teeth and reduce cavities.
18. Apply to gums and teeth for pain relief from toothaches.
19. Diffuse in homes or business to solve mold problems.
20. Add to orange juice and drink to reduce phlegm and congestion.
21. Apply to broken bones or joints for pain relief and to hasten healing.
22. Put a drop in your cup of tea for flavor and to maintain health.
23. Put on the tip of your tongue to help you stop smoking.
24. Put on cold sores and canker sores to make them disappear.
25. For warts, apply topically, inhale and ingest in capsules to make them disappear.
26. Rub on sore joints to relieve arthritis pain.
27. Drink a few drops in water or juice every three hours to stop a cold.
28. Place a drop on the tongue and a drop in a glass of water every day for herpes.
29. Rub on the bottoms of children’s feet for protection before school every day.
30. Diffuse in the house as your children come home from school every day to kill airborne bacteria.

It is pretty amazing stuff!

You can also Google and find out all the amazing things Lavender is good for and Peppermint.

I'm trying Lavender out today as deodorant as I have heard numerous testimonials to this working.

My first experience with using Thieves was when Webb had had a rash on his bottom a few months ago. He had red dots on it for a least a month before he started complaining that it bothered him. Once he started complaining about it, it progressively got much worse. I tried EVERYTHING. Every single homemade remedy I heard about, every holistic treatment I googled, and even resorted to buying anti fungal cream. Absolutely nothing worked. I was about ready to cave and just take him to the dr for an antibiotic because it was irritating him. As a last resort, I posted on FB asking for help.

Someone asked me if I had tried Essential Oils on him. I was clueless to what they meant and how they could help him. I didn't even know what they were. She knew someone who possibly had some samples to help him.

I got a sample of Thieves and when I'm telling you the rash was gone in 48 hours, I'm not kidding. He had had this thing for at least 6 weeks and after 2 days of applying Thieves to the bottom of his feet and his bottom (with a carrier oil of coconut oil) it was GONE!

I have been a believer since. It just took me longer to get my hands on a kit.

With Dane's strep infection, it was gone in 48 hours. He was still lethargic and whatnot for another 24 hours.

Webb was 100% back to his normal self Friday morning. I continued doing everything I had done the evening before. He only had a fever around 3pm of 99 and I just applied more Lavender (as well as everything else).  I checked his throat then too. Significantly less red in color, more of normal pink and not swollen at all.

I couldn't believe it!

The only difference in either treatment was the oils.

I was so thankful they worked faster because I sort of have a hot date with my hubby tonight ;-) and because it's hard to see your kiddos not feel well.

Essential oils pretty much can be used to treat anything your family faces- anxiety, headaches, hyperactivity, teeth coming in for babies, RASHES (lol), acne, strep, ear infections,  you name it. I bought the Premium Starter Kit.

Young living sales tons of individual oils as well as a few kits. The oils can be used internally or externally. Some need to be put in a capsule for internal use. They are derived from the plant extract and are super concentrated, way less than you would get with herbs. I watched an online webinar explaining them. The lady explained that they are fat soluble and able to penetrate the cell wall and affect the virus inside the cell. They can also get through the blood-brain barrier. The pores on your feet are the largest pores on your body, so you can add oils there to get into your blood stream the quickest, in 30 sec. They can be used aromatically- and trigger emotional responses. The scent enters your body through cilia and goes directly to your limbic system in the brain. It also cleanses the air. They can be used topically- great and safe for kids and offer immune support. They can be used internally-put in capsules, use in cooking or add lemon oil to your water (tried that and super yummy!). They can also be used for household things like disinfectant, removing gum, grease, and permanent marker, polishing furniture, sanitizing bathroom, or added to your dishwasher to help fight the grime.

I am in LOVE with these oils and already have a running list of individual oils I'm wanting to order.

I am signed up as a distributor so if you are interested in ordering any, let me know!

I plan to keep up the testimonials as we use them and see them work. So, if you are interested, stay tuned!

Webb this morning before running errands with daddy... completely better. Dressed himself in everything too big too.

FIrst Day of Classical Conversations

Wow!

I knew I was going to to be awesome, I just didn't realize how awesome.

We really enjoyed our first day and now we are even more excited for what this year holds.

Dane was super excited about "school" today. He got up and picked out a special outfit first thing. He got his backpack and was dressed and ready to go when I got out of the shower.

Once we got there, we waited in the main room for everyone to get there. The kids were all excited to be back and the moms were enjoying catching up.

There were some announcements and pledges to the flag and Bible and then a family stood up to give a presentation. Each week, a different family will introduce themselves and present something-- whether vacation memories, family hobbies, unique interests, etc. It allows us to put faces with names and get to know one another better.

After that, we were dismissed to classes.

Webb and I get to stay with Dane. There is technically a 4 year old class I could have paid for, but I didn't really think he was ready. I am able to keep him with me as I sit in Dane's class. He thinks he is hot stuff and he is learning right along with big kids. The mom's have to stay and pick one of their child's classes to sit in on. I LOVE that because then I learn with Dane and also see how he is behaving.

Today, the class gave their own mini-presentations, which will be weekly (kind of like show and tell). No child gets to say they don't want to and I love that too! Dane's teacher is amazing and great with the kids, stern, yet fun. It is required they get up each week and follow the presentation guidelines which are things like: speak loudly and clearly, don't talk forever, look at people when you speak, not the ground, have good posture, etc. It creates a familiarity and confidence with public speaking and I am thankful for that. Dane did not want to do it, so I was really glad he didn't have a choice. I know this will be so good for him.

These are the following facts they practiced/learned.

All are learned with a song and hand motions and repeated numerously with fun activities thrown in too.

History
Acts and Facts Timeline:
Age of Ancient Empires, Creation and the Fall, The Flood and the Tower  of Babel, Mesopotamia and Sumer, Egyptians, Indus River Valley Civilization, and Minoans and Mycenaeans. 

History Sentence:
Tell me about Columbus.
In 1492, Columbus made the first of four trips to the Caribbean on three Spanish ships named the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria.

Geography
States and Capitals:
Augusta, ME
Concord, NH
Boston, MA
Providence, RI
Hartford, CT

English
An INFINITIVE is "to" plus a verb, used as a noun, adjective, or adverb.

Latin
Prepositions
in            in
apud       with
per         through  
sine        without

Math
They counted by 1s and 2s

Science
What are four types of tissue?
Connective, Epithelial, Muscle, and Nerve

They also learned the scientific method and did an experiment using that method.

He had art where he learned about drawing basic shapes.

They have snack time each week too.

Overall, our day was great!

I treated the boys to Chick-fil-a. We went and got a few last minute school supplies and copied a big map for us so Dane can trace the United States daily and just slowly become familiar with it.

I usually TRY to get up by 5:30am so I can get my time with the Lord in and have some alone time each day (I aim for an hour of alone time).

Yesterday, I got up around 5:50am and Dane was up at 6:10am and today I got up at 5:45am and spent a little time with the Lord and then had to start on breakfast for Brent. While I was cooking, Webb got up! LOL. They are supposed to sleep late! That is the beauty of being schooled at home. Not my boys.

So this afternoon, after a new school day, lots of errands run, and a fun evening planned, I'm just letting the boys relax in front of the TV. Actually, Webb is asleep! I guess I should go wake him up. Then, I plan to get the house all in order so tomorrow (my birthday!!!) I can relax... to some extent.

My Newfound Love of Wheat

I have enjoyed making bread off and on for the past few years.

I felt like it was healthier and cheaper than store bought bread and it made me happy to be able to provide my family with nourishing food.

Although I knew there was such a thing as grinding your own wheat, that really meant nothing to me.

I kneaded the dough by hand and baked it in loaf pans in my oven. It was an all day process... due to rising and baking.

A few friends at Bible study talked about a store in Woodstock called Bread Beckers and that got me curious about learning more about grinding wheat and starting that process at my house.

One day this summer, my BFF from Bible study contacted me to tell me she was selling her Zojrushi bread maker and her Wondermill bread mill. She wanted to know if I was still interested in getting started.

Although I hadn't ever started the process of learning more about grinding my own wheat, I felt like it was too good of a deal to pass up and jumped in with both feet.

She gave me some basic ingredients to get started immediately and then I visited Bread Becker's the following week and stocked up on everything I would need.

I love Bread Becker's because they are christian owned and operated and apply biblical truths to what they teach and present.

I am definitely still learning and I so enjoy what I discover about the benefits of grinding my own wheat at home and I love being able to dump all the ingredients in the bread maker and leave!

Sue Becker states on her rebuttal of the famous book, Wheat Belly: "God created and gave us food to perfectly nourish our bodies.  He knows how our bodies work and what nutrients are needed for good health.  He made food to give us those nutrients.  When we alter God’s design and plan, we discredit His wisdom and we will suffer the consequences.

I have great concerns when diets eliminate entire food groups, especially ones that God has declared as good for food.
“But the Holy Spirit declares that in the latter times some will turn away from the faith, giving attention to deluding and seducing spirits and doctrines that demons teach…who teach people to abstain from certain kinds of foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and have an increasingly clear knowledge of the truth.” I Timothy 4:1,3 (AMP version)"

I highly encourage you to read that article as it is VERY interesting and informative.

So, why are real and freshly-milled grains so important?

1) Of the 44 nutrients most essential to your body, wheat contains 40 of them.

2) Whole grains and beans are the richest food sources of Vitamin E, which is literally needed by every cell in your body.

3) Real whole grains and breads made from freshly milled flour, with no added gluten and white sugar, have a very low glycemic index.

4) Once milled, real whole grain flour begins to oxidize rapidly, promoting spoilage and rancidity, greatly diminishing the nutrient content. Milling as you need it is the key to maximizing the health benefits of whole grains.


I hear of so many people who are against breads and wheat in general. I have to say, I am against store bought breads, grains, and flour. I DEFINITELY think that your intake of that should be reduced. There is really no nutritional benefits to them. I am not against, at all, limiting a nutritious product that God created in its entirety to meet the nutritional NEEDS we have.

Sue also had an article with truths she has found through extensive research.

I also highly encourage you to get this FREE cd that Sue offers. Here she breaks down so much of the scientific mumbo jumbo. If you would rather read it, go here. Although I think this is a condensed version and you miss out on a lot of the good parts.

I find all this so intriguing!!! I could sit and listen to this topic or read up on it for hours.

Here is a little history lesson Sue gives:


"What a blessing to know, that the eye of the one who created us is on us and this very one who created us, created the whole universe. This very God caused the earth to bring forth the vegetation he knew would best nourish and benefit our bodies and He gave to man "every plant yielding seed and every tree with seed in its fruit to have for food".(Genesis 1:29) After the flood of Noah's day, His provision for man included "every moving thing that lives" (Genesis 9:3) as well as the green vegetables and plants. I trust God completely in His provisions to know what foods will best nourish our bodies. Man, however, has altered His provisions first for the sake of convenience and now greed.
Look with me for a moment at the example of the children of Israel in the wilderness. With nothing to eat, God lovingly provided them with manna from heaven. It was to be gathered daily. Some tried to gather tomorrow's portion today. But God says six days you shall work and one day shall you rest. On every day but the Sabbath, God caused the manna that was gathered for tomorrow to get worms in it. The manna had to be gathered everyday before the sun came up. I'm sure if some enterprising Israelite could have discovered a way to keep the manna from spoiling, to allow it to be stored for several days, he would have had a very marketable product, especially to those who were simply too lazy or too busy doing other things to get their food every day. This is exactly what we see if we look more closely at the foods offered in the grocery store today and how they got there.
Prior to the 1900's most flour was milled locally and the bread baked at home. God designed the wheat kernel, as well as other grains, to perfectly store the nutrients within. Once broken open, as in milling, the nutrients immediately begin to oxidize. Within about 72 hours, 90% of over 30 nutrients are virtually gone due to oxidation. Also since the germ oil causes the flour to turn rancid very quickly, only enough grain was ground fresh each day to meet the needs of the community. This meant that just about every family was "gathering" their manna daily. However, in the 1920's new technology allowed enterprising millers to separate the wheat components. By removing the germ, germ oil, and the bran, the remaining white flour could be stored indefinitely. This began to eliminate the need for local milling and people began to relinquish their own responsibility of preparing their bread daily.
Lucrative markets were also found for the nutritious "by-products" of this new milling process. The bran and wheat germ were sold as high protein food supplements for cattle. Local mills soon went out of business as the large roller mills produced huge volumes of long lasting white flour.
This appeared to be a great advance in technology. In just a short time, however, cases of beriberi and pellagra began to drastically increase. Both of these diseases are the result of vitamin B deficiencies and health officials traced the problem to the new white flour. The new milling process strips the B vitamins as well as about 24 other nutrients from the wheat kernels.
Health officials urged mills to return to producing whole wheat flour again but they did not want to lose their very profitable market of selling the germ and bran as cattle feed. Instead, millers chose to "enrich" the white flour by replacing 4 vitamins for the 25-30 that are removed. This solved the problem of beriberi and pellagra, however, we are now plagued with many diseases that are directly related to our consumption of white flour (appendicitis, diverticular disease, hiatal hernia, heart disease, diabetes, obesity and more!).
Knowing this information we were convicted to purchase an in-home grain mill and to begin making all of our own bread from fresh milled grains. The health benefits were immediate. We felt more energetic, constipation was totally relieved for me and our cravings for sugar were greatly reduced. This enabled us to virtually eliminate white sugar from our home, consequently we have seen much less sickness. "


The How and Why of Freshly Ground Grains---

All grains come in their own divinely designed preservation packaging, the bran. This exterior shell of the grain is made up of many nutrient rich layers. More importantly, it protects and preserves the vital nutrients stored in the grain—almost indefinitely! From Biblical accounts, we know Joseph stored grain for up to fourteen years—enough to feed the entire nation of Egypt during seven years of famine! It has even been said that grain found in the pyramids, buried with ancient rulers such as King Tut, has been found to be viable even thousands of years later.
Once the bran has been damaged or cracked open, the inner elements are exposed to oxygen, which destroys the vitamins and oils in just a short period of time. Within twenty-four hours of grinding or cracking wheat, forty percent of the nutrients have oxidized. Within seventy-two hours of processing (just three days), ninety percent of the nutrients have been destroyed. From this point on, the flour still maintains its mineral content and (of course) its caloric value, but the life-giving vitamins and oils have been essentially destroyed—over twenty-five of them! By immediately using the freshly processed flour or grain, you are consuming and reaping the health and flavor benefits of these essential vitamins and oils.
The bran, however, is more than just fancy packaging. It is rich in vitamins, minerals and proteins. Further, it is a great source of valuable fiber, which acts like a sponge, absorbing and removing toxins from the body as it “scrubs” the digestive tract. Regular intake of fresh, whole grains eliminates the need for dietary fiber supplements.
Just inside the bran is the endosperm, a white starchy substance with a low level of nutrients. This is the “white flour” that makes up most of the baked goods and grain products sold in the stores today. Buried deep within the center of the endosperm is the most vital part, the germ. Although the germ is the smallest of these three components comprising only 2½ percent of the entire kernel, it contains a high concentration of some of the most valuable, all-natural nutrients. The wheat germ contains tocopherol, God’s version of Vitamin E oil, which some claim to be the “oil of youth,” keeping skin and other vital organs soft and pliable. Researchers have found tocopherol to be a crucial element to a healthy reproductive system (as indicated by its very name: tokos is Greek for offspring + pherin means to bear). The germ also contains a rich supply of all the essential fatty acids.
What is true for wheat is also true for other grains, such as corn, rice and oats.

We use Hard Read Wheat and Hard WhiteWheat (equal ratios) when making bread. I use Soft White Wheat when making things like cookies, cakes, pancakes, tortillas, etc.

 I buy a big 5 gallon bucket of Hard Red and Hard White because I make bread a minimum of once a week... I am generally making other things to eat as well. This is my smaller bucket I keep it in so I don't always have to open the big bucket.

Sorry for lots of history and info in this post. If you are truly looking for the healthiest option for your family, I would encourage you to research the the authenticity of this and find out for yourself the health benefits of grinding your own flour.

Grinding our own flour has led us to no longer use refined or bleached sugars. We use honey granules for white sugar and sucanat for brown sugar. Sucanat is pure dried sugar cane juice. Honey Granules are a unique sweetener that are made from a combination of unrefined sugar cane juice (Sucanat) and a bit of honey in order to lighten the color and texture of the final product. The best place to source Honey Granules is from Bread Beckers, who ships all over the US. I buy the convenient 5lb pail. I find Honey Granules to be the most accurate 1:1 natural sweetener swap for white sugar. The color of the final product will be more rustic, resulting in a cream/egg-shell rather than a pure white Unlike common white sugar, Sucanat is unrefined and therefore contains the molasses mineral content typically lost in the refining process, resulting in a rustic and deep flavor. Aesthetically, Sucanat’s closest relative is brown sugar, for which a 1:1 substitution is commonplace; however, Sucanat is more granular, less moist and more nutritious. Brown sugar is typically common white sugar with just a bit of molasses added back.

I've made everything from sandwich bread, french bread, hamburger buns, muffins, Ezekiel bread, muffins, tortillas, pizza dough, biscuits, cookies, and more with my freshly ground flour and I LOVE it. The kids love it and my hubby loves it.

We love using freshly ground wheat and we don't plan to ever stop doing so!!

Silver Shield and Strep

Well, I told you guys about Dane being sick in my last post.

We concluded he had strep due to his symptoms and the sick kiddos he had been exposed to.

I asked some other holistic friends what they did with strep since this was our first rodeo with it.

A friend I highly trust told me to use Silver Shield every hour.

We did a few other things to begin with, but religiously stuck to giving a dropper full every hour of Silver Shield.

I also tried to give him some ALJ.... he threw up most of what I gave him, but he was able to keep some of it down.

Other than the time his fever was close to 104 for 3ish hours, I let his fever run it's course and do it's thang. We took him for a chiropractic adjustment also on Monday morning.

He was sick from Sunday morning/afternoon, until Tuesday. He was fever free from Tuesday morning and on. He was still puny and lethargic so I continued to make him rest and take the Silver Shield. I think so many times we let kids get crazy again before they are completely better and hinder their healing process. Their little bodies require rest to heal.

By Wednesday night, he was totally and completely better!

I am so thankful I listened to the Lord here and did what I knew would work and didn't get scared away from healing strep at home. I'm also thankful I now know how to treat strep.

A friend of mine said if we stayed away from antibiotics, he would most likely develop an immunity to strep. I'm curious to see if that is the case too. I sure hope so.

Now, where to buy these natural suckers (I have no idea if this is considered homeopathic, natural, holistic, herbal, etc. When researching it, I found it to be classified as homeopathic, but someone, who knows more than me, corrected me on FB. I decided that doesn't really matter. All that matters is that it works!). When you are in dire need of something, you can't wait for it to be shipped and you are willing to pay lots and lots of money (just think of all you save with co-pays and antibiotics!). I went straight to the herb shop Monday morning and bought fresh colloidal silver since mine was expired.

BUT......

I recommend stocking your medicine (that is what we call it, but it is full of herbal, homeopathic, holistic goodies) cabinet  before a sickness occurs. At least with some of the basics (Silver Shield, Elderberry, ALJ, Golden Seal, Echinacea, raw Apple Cider Vinegar, raw honey, and the most recently discovered, Oregon Grape) . Like me, you may go into the herb shop with as sickness and have the herbalist tell you of a product you have never heard of before to treat something (She told me Oregon Grape is especially great for kids because it tastes like grape, unlike ALJ, and it is great for flu, strep, viruses, colds, etc. It helps your lymphatic system work properly.). I still didn't buy that one, I searched on Vitacost while in there and found it was S12 instead of the $32 the herb shop was asking and stuck with just the Silver (it was $35 at the herb shop and on Vitacost it was $15).

I do plan on buying some extra Silver on Vitacost and some of that Oregon Grape to make sure I have on hand. It is so much fun though to go into the herb shop and ask questions about common illnesses and find out what works! I seriously love learning about it.

If you decide to purchase things off Vitacost, I posted a blog a long time ago telling you how you can save $10 off your first purchase made through them (or through a new email address). Then you can stock up as well.

I have had many ppl ask me about how my husband feels about holistic health care since he is in the medical world.

Funny you should ask.

I think his opinion changes from time to time, but when it comes to our kids (so not necessarily himself), he lets me lead. He hasn't done the research like I have and I do believe he trusts me with my plan because he has seen it work every single time. He also sees the abuse of the system up close and personal. So many folks who take drugs just for a sniffle or sneeze and immune systems that literally don't know how to function. I think he actually might be proud of me for taking a different route, a road that sometimes gets judged or analyzed a little harshly, but is safe and effective.

His only stipulation is that our children not suffer unnecessarily with a fever. Because I believe fevers are a good thing, I don't like to give fever reducing meds, ever.

When Webb was 18ish months old, he had a febrile seizure. He was teething and he slept with us or I might never have known he even had one.

I woke up in the middle of the night to Webb nursing and I could tell he had a fever. He wasn't fussy though, just nursing and I knew he was teething. It was the first time, EVER, that I thought out of nowhere, "I hope he doesn't have a seizure." I think God allowed me to be concerned so I would be half awake when it happened. I started feeling him shake and I put my phone light on his face. I'll never forget the horrifying picture. His eyes were back in his head, his fists were clenched up at his head, and he was convulsing. I yelled at Brent, "Wake up! He is having a seizure!!" He was currently in EMT school so I actually felt very safe. He was asleep and we had a sick goat he thought I was talking about and he mumbled something and rolled over. I yelled, "BRENT!!!! Webb is having a seizure!!!" He jumped up telling me to turn the light on. He knew what to look for and how to position him. He told me to call 911 while he did those things. I stayed calm until I heard, "911, what's your emergency?" Then I lost it. By the time the ambulance came, he had come out of his seizure and was in the postictal phase. Very very confused and fussy. Like I said, had I not been sleeping with him, I never would have known why he was acting this way. We decided to travel by ambulance since Webb had a history of passing out daily just to make sure it was fever related and not another issue. Once at the ER, it was confirmed that it was due to his fever either raising too quickly or lowering to quickly. In tears I asked, "Is this my fault? Since I don't do fever reducing medication? Could I have prevented this?" The Dr on call said, "No! Most children that have these actually come from families who DO use fever reducing medications. That is the thing about a febrile seizure. They are sudden. You can't predict them or prevent them. We like fevers around here, just like you. We don't recommend using fever reducing meds until a fever hits 103.4 anyways. You didn't do anything wrong." That made me feel so much better. Still, the horror of what I saw was engraved on my mind. Brent and I agreed that day that if the kids ever had a fever around 104 that wouldn't lower, we would give them a small dose of Tylenol. Brent was adamant that if our boys were teething, or something that a fever didn't benefit them from, that we would give them something before that if we felt like they were in pain. Marriage is about give and take. Even though I didn't feel 100% on board with those decisions, Brent lets me make their healthcare decisions for the most part and I knew if this made him feel more comfortable, I needed to agree. So, I did. We stopped on the way home the hospital that day and bought Infant's Tylenol and only used half the dose that very night when Webb's fever spiked again. The only other time it was used was Sunday night when Dane's fever was 103.8 and had been for 3ish hours. I knew if Brent were home that would be his choice and I wanted to respect that.

So, there is our seizure story if you never heard it before! It was definitely one of the most terrifying things I have ever experienced.

I believe I will continue to stick to my natural remedy mindset. I just love the fact that God created exactly what we need to heal us!

Wednesday morning, as I was getting ready for Bible study, Brent came into the bathroom and told me, "I just want you to know you made good decisions with how to treat Dane. You did a good job."

That my friends, is music to my ears :-)

Sickness

My Dane is sick.

I can honestly say he has only been sick a handful of times in his 6 years.

The worst thing he has ever experienced was an ear infection and I was able to treat that at home with chiropractic care and his urine applied in his ear. He never had another ear infection after that. He was around 8 months old.

The same would be true of Webb. He has been sick about 3 times and the worst thing he has ever experienced was also an ear infection. I cleared that up the same way and he, also, never had another one.

Now, one might jump to conclusions and say it is because they are homeschooled and not exposed  to as many germs....

But, I argue that case. I don't raise them in a bubble. Quite the opposite. I am a busy woman. We go to church, play groups, Bible study, birthday parties, story times, restaurants, co-ops, and lots more. I am in and out of hospitals with birthing momma's and Brent is on the ambulance more often than not. We are definitely exposed to our fair share of germs.

I think a huge component is that I am not scared of germs for one.

I love germs! Bring on the germs, folks!!!

My kids drop their food in public, I let them pick it up and eat it. Your kids have recently been sick? Well, by all means, please have them sneeze on mine. Ok, not really that last one. BUT... if your kid did, I can assure you, I would NOT freak out. I might get grossed out, but whatever. Mine will survive.

The only germs I do try to stay away from are stomach bugs because NO ONE likes to deal with that.

But seriously, I think germs are great and I do not try to keep them from getting on my kids, scrub them off my kids, or bleach any surface the germs might have gotten on... or whatever y'all germ conscious folks germaphobes do ;-) 

For 6 years now, I have used holistic, homeopathic, herbal, and or home remedies. They have NEVER failed me.

I repeat.....

N-E-V-E-R

My kids have never had an antibiotic.

Their immune system kicks butt!

I believe God created the very things I need to fight infections in my home. I truly believe that. He is an amazing God and when it comes to things I put in my body, I stand firm in my belief that God-made is ALWAYS better than man-made; be it food or medicine.

Matthew 10:1 says:

And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease

I'm not saying He has given me the power to heal my sons or myself, but I do believe He has given me the tools to do so. I believe He created certain herbs for the very purpose of healing, fighting infections, and boosting immune systems. Even as basic as the internet where I can search and read up on this lifestyle, I believe is a gift from Him.

So, when my Dane is exposed to kids at church who have strep and then he starts showing signs and symptoms of the same thing, I am not going to change my philosophy now.

Nope, I am going to research, ask my fellow voodoo friends and relatives for advice, take him for an adjustment, and go to the local herb shop and talk with the herbalist.

A friend of mine, Danielle, reminded me of Colloidal Silver. I always turn to Elderberry, Echinacea, Golden Seal, Apple Cider Vinegar, Honey, and Vitamin C. I always forget about Colloidal Silver. Mine was even 2 years expired, but I started giving that to Dane last night every hour. Colloidal Silver, I believe, is God's antibiotic. It is an amazing herb that can be used for pretty much anything! And it tastes like water too. I also gave Dane honey water with ACV, Vitamin C, and Elderberry last night. I kept a cool cloth on his forehead and he laid on an ice-pack because his head hurt. I also was feeding him ice chips and giving him lots of cold water. He took 2 luke warm showers as well.

I spent the afternoon/evening praying over Dane and asking God for wisdom. I asked Him to remove my peace if I was to do something different with Dane.

By bedtime, his fever was 103.8 and stayed that high for over 2 hours. He was almost delusional, but he still told me, "I'm feeling better, mom". I truly believe that fever was aiding in fighting his infection. I believe fevers are a good thing that if left alone, they raise up to where they need to be in order to play offense in his body. However, after 2 hours of it not lowering (and because I knew his daddy would ask me to give him some if he were home and that is really his only stipulation for my voodoo medicine) I went head and gave him some Infant's Tylenol (it was expired too!). We had that from when Webb was a baby and had a febrile seizure. It had been used once, so I think it was still good. 

He slept all night and I checked on him off and on and prayed for him. Once in the middle of the night, I was praying over him and as I closed, he piped in a sleepy, "Amen". LOL. 

As I was going to bed, I had lots of feedback on a FB post I had made about him being sick. I KNEW beforehand I would have some medically minded/folks completely opposed to holistic care/worried friends who would warn me. I have to say, not as many as I expected though! Whew, because defending my beliefs can sometimes be exhausting and honestly, not really worth the effort.

Naysayers don't bother me though (I know you find that hard to believe with all my alternative approaches). I appreciate their concern, but ultimately, Dane is mine and Brent's and we answer to God for how we raise Him. We choose paths that we feel comfortable with and that bring us peace. Every decision made is made out of a complete and abundant love for our children and with their health and safety (long term too) at stake and in our mind. I am not going to change my choice for fighting sickness just because I hear of a horror story or 2 (I have my opinions on the horror stories though). You will always hear horror stories.... no matter what path you choose. Alternative or not. I could list horror stories for antibiotics, circumcision, vaccinations, hospital births, etc. But I don't and I won't, because my convictions aren't always other's convictions. I don't answer for them, just as they don't answer for me. I appreciate the warnings, because they really and truly do make me think through my decision and ask God, "OK, are You using this horror story to show me something or is the devil trying to take me off the path you have chosen for me and bring fear into my heart and life?" And really, I appreciate the opportunity to know, that I know, that I know, that this is the lifestyle God has chosen for me. And clearly, what we do works for our family. 

My children are evidence of that.

So, I will keep on until it I find that it doesn't work for something and then, I will try another route.

Please know that I don't think badly of anyone who chooses a different path than we do for issues such as strep. Like I said, this is my conviction and I feel as strongly about this as you probably do about using meds and that is fine. We are not all the same, but that doesn't mean we have to cast judgement or look down on one another for our differences. I also appreciate the fact that there are medications WIDELY available to treat pretty much everything under the sun. I am grateful to know that if the need, that is NEED, ever arose for us, I can get something we need and get it fast. 

Oh, and the herbalist today said that ALJ, and Oregon Grape are also great for fighting strep along with Colloidal Silver. She said Colloidal Silver works great though and will most definitely fight off this infection. Since this is my first time dealing with strep, I'm anxious to see... I'll keep you all posted! And Dane has been fever free all day, although he is still pretty lethargic and puny.