By the time Lou and I got to the parking lot of this “healing arts clinic,” we were both pretty spun-out.
But I was so eager to find out what this homeopath had to say, so I felt myself rally. I was hanging a lot of hopes on
It was pretty difficult to get an appointment with him, and the fact that he made room in his schedule for Lou felt like a sign. Plus, when I called, the receptionist told me how much the appointment would cost — it was pretty affordable — and, it included a chiropractic adjustment. That was awesome news for Lou because the stress, coupled with the time in the car, was definitely taking a toll on his back and shoulders.
My sister and I spoke on the phone on and off on the drive up to Minnesota, and we had started to sketch out a plan where Lou and I would stay in Minnesota for a few days (to help Dave and Judy add to their downline), and then we’d drive over to Michigan where we could “impose on family.”
But our travel plans did depend on what this doctor had to say about Lou’s condition.
My sister wasn’t convinced that this homeopath was our best option, but she was very careful about her words. She knows that Lou and I believe in alternative medicine, and so she’s always done her best to support me in my health decisions. I assured her that if this doctor wasn’t able to help, we would definitely go to the hospital in Minneapolis that was affiliated with the Mayo Clinic. But for now, we had to start with this natural approach first.
But even I recognized that this situation was very different.
A bleeding situation that was getting worse by the hour wasn’t something you take lightly. It was beyond serious, and it warranted “Grade A” medical treatment, no doubt. But I tried to explain to my sister that Lou and I were trying to take in the whole of what we might be facing, and for us, we had to go this “natural route” right now. So we just needed to meet this homeopath, and add his insights to the mix of the decisions we knew we were going to have to make.
My sister was awesome with her reaction, even though I know she was worried and didn’t fully agree with our plans. But I promised I’d let her know what we found out as soon as we left the appointment. I knew we’d all feel so much better once we had more answers — even if Lou and I were going about it all in a different way.
When we finally entered the healing center, the plunky sound of the Asian pan flute, and a gurgling water feature in the corner of the room were very soothing, and, pretty typical of these types of offices. There were no patients in the waiting room — in fact, it was blissfully still, and this stillness gave me some instant relief. It was cool, calm, and quiet. Lou checked in with the receptionist, and she gave him a long form to fill out about his medical history.
I tried to let the scent of Chinese herbs mixed with some natural astringents that smelled just like Ben Gay comfort me. My mind was kind of racing, but it felt good to be out of the car, and about to meet with this well-regarded healer we’d been hearing so much about. Finally, Lou finished answering all the questions, and he sat down next to me to wait.
The strain of everything was really catching up to Lou, and I could see it in his eyes.
After what felt like an hour — but was probably more like 10 minutes — a small man with sandy hair, a tatty white lab coat, and Birkenstocks with beige socks came out to greet Lou. He seemed like a nice man as he sized up Lou. Lou softened as if just seeing the doctor made him feel better.
I watched Lou slowly stand up, and then follow the little doctor into one of the treatment rooms. Behind the closed door, I could hear the vibrations of their voices as the doctor started asking Lou a few questions. I could hear bits and pieces of the conversation, and it seemed like the doctor’s voice remained calm.
“That’s a good sign,” I remember thinking. “Maybe he’s seen this kind of thing before…”
I couldn’t read a magazine. I was completely amped up, and my nerves felt very fragile. So I pinched my eyes shut as tight as I could, and I prayed for God to give us answers. I asked God to give this doctor special wisdom to detect the cause of all of this bleeding, and for Him to give me the strength to handle it if the diagnosis was my worst fear.
I asked for God to keep us from being deceived. We needed truthful answers about what was going on, so if this doctor wasn’t able to give them to us, I asked for God to make it obvious and clear to me that we needed to go to a different doctor.
After about 40 minutes, the doctor finally came out to the waiting area without Lou. He said, “Would you like to see your husband?”
I nearly tripped over my feet trying to get up — my legs were numb from so much sitting, and my body felt thick with worry.
When I came into the treatment room, Lou was stretched out on this weird looking massage table. He had his shirt off, and a white sheet covering his lower half. The lights were off, and only the late afternoon sun coming through a high window lighted the room. Lou looked pretty relaxed, so that was good.
But I really just wanted answers.
So I moved toward a short stool in the corner of a room that was right next to a wobbly looking table with a giant potted bamboo plant on it. When I took a seat, I knocked over a few of the “Asian cupping” cups — which I could see that the doctor had used on Lou. I remember nervously fumbling around to right the cups. I was such a mess… I just wanted answers. Solid, easy to understand answers.
“So…” the doctor said in a very deliberate way. “I think I know what’s going on here. Lou’s got a very stressed out and emotional kidney. In Chinese medicine, the kidney manifests symptoms of fear and financial loss, and from what Lou has told me, you’ve been experiencing both. I think Lou’s kidneys are emoting this stress very dramatically, and he needs to face those emotions head on. I would highly recommend that you find a place to stay for a few days so Lou can rest. And, I also recommend that you rent the movie, ‘The Secret Life of Bees.’ It is a wonderful film that I think will truly help Lou get into a space where he can connect with his emotions, and tap into that courage I know he has so he can overcome his fears of financial strain.”
Um. What?
(I’m a fiction writer, but I simply couldn’t make this up.)
Lou and I exchanged awkward glances as the doctor continued to talk about what a great film this was, and how it touched on “a deeper pain” and “familial sadness” in such a poignant way. As the doctor collected his Asian cupping kit from the table next to me, I wasn’t sure if I was going to laugh or cry. I just felt completely numb.
When I looked at Lou, his eyes were closed. Maybe he was praying…? Or trying to hold back his tears… Or trying to keep from laughing?
Finally, Lou said, “So your receptionist said something about a chiropractic adjustment?”
The doctor said yes — he thought an adjustment would be excellent for Lou, and he even offered to do one for me as well. But I just wanted to get out of that office as fast as I could. So I politely declined the adjustment offer, and quickly left the room.
As soon as I got to the lobby, I realized that I couldn’t wait in that tacky wing nut’s office for a second longer! So I asked the receptionist to tell Lou I’d be waiting for him in the car.
When I got to the SUV, I realized that I didn’t have the keys, so I just leaned up against the fender and tried to breath.
I couldn’t believe that this guy said Lou had what amounted to sad kidneys. And… He thought watching a movie would be the cure? I remember feeling almost as devastated as I did when Lou came home from the ER and said the doctor told him he “probably has cancer.”
It was the second of two baffling statements from people we went to for help — except that these statements seemed to be riding on polar opposite ends of what I was hoping was the truth!
I couldn’t stop staring up at the sky while I was waiting for Lou. I guess I figured if tears started to well up, they might pool in my eyes longer if I was looking up. The sky was a perfect shade of summer blue. And the air had a quality of freshness in the breeze that felt nice on my face. It was as if I was experiencing the moment when the hot day was starting to slip into a cool Minnesota summer night.
Then, I felt a strange and unexpected peace wash over me when I suddenly realized that God had just answered my prayer. I asked Him for clarity, and to protect us from the wrong answers about Lou’s condition. I had asked God to make things “obvious” for me… And, I think He just did.
How much more obvious can it get that you need to keep looking for another doctor than a medical diagnosis of sad kidneys that can be treated with a movie about bees…? Staring Queen Latifah?
When Lou finally made it out to the SUV, he leaned on the fender with me for a moment. He let out a heavy sigh, and then said, “The good news is, that guy probably gave me the best chiropractic adjustment I’ve had in my entire life.”
