Words from the Mothers- Sister Lily Pyatskowit

 A keeper at home must wear many hats, including that of being a nurse when her husband and children are sick.

There are many books available for the home library on the subject, but the two that I have referred to over and over again are:  “Smart Medicine for a Healthier Child” and “Smart Medicine for Healthier Living” by Janet Zand.

The review of the first book states:  “Revised, updated, and expanded to reflect the latest thinking and information on children's health issues, Smart Medicine for a Healthier Child enables parents to combine the best of conventional and alternative approaches. Part One explains the full spectrum of techniques that can be employed to effectively treat childhood health problems, providing an overview of the history, fundamentals, and uses of conventional medicine, herbal medicine, homeopathy, acupressure, diet, and nutritional supplementation. Part Two contains a comprehensive A-to-Z guide to the various health problems of childhood, from acne to chickenpox to thumb-sucking. Finally, Part Three offers guidance on using the therapies and procedures suggested in Part Two, from locating acupressure points to preparing herbal remedies.”

So, when any member of my family comes down with symptoms, I refer to one of the above books.  It tells me what the “normal” treatment would be if I take the child to the doctor, which herbs I can use, and foods to encourage.

Most often, I need to put everything else on hold.  My patient is more important than my “To-do list”. I need to make her comfortable, hold her, sing to her, or read her a story.  She needs to know that I’m there for her.  My words and actions need to be kind and gentle.  I feel a tidy home is important to creating a relaxed atmosphere, but that is secondary to my patient’s needs.  I can put a load of laundry on when she drifts off to sleep.

 My first step is to put on a big pot of chicken stock.  I keep a whole chicken in the freezer for such occasions.  I place the whole chicken in a stock pot, cover it with cold water, add 2 Tblsps. Of apple cider vinegar, 2 carrots, 1 large onion (quartered) and 2 stalks of celery.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and simmer for 12 to 24 hours.  Eventually, I will make chicken soup (with plenty of garlic) for my sick one.  Here’s a link for a good chicken soup recipe. http://www.nourishingdays.com/2011/02/seriously-healing-soup-and-the-healing-properties-of-garlic-thyme/ 
We also keep a rice pack in the freezer and another (for heat) in the medicine cabinet.  Our living room is normally our “hospital”.  I make a comfy bed on the couch, complete with an old ice cream bucket that the patient can grab if vomiting is involved.

We drink a lot of hot tea, so I always try to keep our tea cabinet stocked with “Sore Throat Coat”, “Immunity Booster”, “Cold & Flu Chaser”, and “Stomach Soother”.  Everyone in our family takes boat loads of Vitamin C when anyone else is sick and we wash our hands thoroughly and frequently, as well.

Normally, we use natural cleaners for our home, but when illness is going around, I make an exception and buy a disinfectant, paying special attention to door handles, light switches…anything that could transfer germs.

I also put about 1 Tblsp. Of bleach into my dishwater.  (Those of you who use a dishwasher could probably skip this step.)  We make sure to rinse the dishes thoroughly.

Fear of catching an illness may cause you to withhold the love and care your child needs.  I encourage you to trust the Lord to protect you from the illness.  Rarely do I ever catch what my patient has.  I really believe that God protects us when we are doing what He has called us to do.  In this case that is nursing our loved ones.

We keep all medicines in a cabinet above our refrigerator, out of reach of small children.  My medicines consist of a mixture of herbs and conventional medicine.  For instance, I don’t necessarily treat a fever (unless it is above 102) with Tylenol, but I will give Tylenol for a headache.  I try to keep everything I need on hand.  There’s nothing worse than a child waking at 2:00 am with an earache and not having “Wally’s Natural Ear Oil” on hand.  Keeping the thermometer, heating pad, medicine, herbs, essential oils, and vaporizer/humidifier in the same place, lets you find what you need quickly and with little effort.

As young ladies, you may want to start preparing to be a good nurse, by learning to make chicken stock and chicken soup from scratch, purchasing the above mentioned books and reading through them, compiling a first aid kit and medicine/herb cabinet, growing and drying your own herbs for teas, and learning the importance of hand washing and disinfecting every item the sick person uses.  Understanding first aid and CPR would also be very beneficial.

You can practice nursing a sibling who is ill or lend a hand by keeping the other children entertained and the rest of the household running smoothly while mother is busy tending the sick patient.

 Blessings,
Sister Lily