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Year Three, Day 176: Declaring War...

...On this cough I am!!

 An amazing thing happened at breakfast with my mother this morning. We were discussing my lingering cough, wheezing and discomfort with taking yet another dose of steroids. We talked about how my first experience with a lingering cough was when I was pregnant with my daughter. Over 27 years ago. I was working as a chiropractic assistant, doing massage and office work. The cough lasted several months. I did not take any medications because of my pregnancy. I remember it was difficult to sleep because the cough would worsen at night. Finally, the acupuncturist at the clinic took pity on me and gave me a free acupuncture treatment, and cupping with moxa. She sent that cough packing!

"Maybe I should get acupuncture", I told my mother.

She nodded thoughtfully. My mother is a retired R.N. She has always been skeptical of my "alternative medicine" beliefs. But it is obvious to us both that mainstream medical treatment is not doing me much good.

Just then my phone rang. It was the mother of one of my students. The young man who rolled his ankle last week. I asked her if his ankle was better. She said yes it was, but this morning he woke up with a stiff neck. He said he felt something pop when he was laying in bed last night and now can hardly move it. She asked me if I knew a good chiropractor.

I told her I used to work for a chiropractor, but haven't used one in years. I suggested they put ice on his neck today and tell him  not to move it.  Then tomorrow, alternate ice and moist heat. If it was still hurting, then she should ask some of her friends if they know a good chiropractor.  I also told her that I have had success with acupuncture. She thanked me and said they would be missing piano lesson today.

We hung up.  I looked at my mom, perplexed.

"How strange", I said. "We were just talking about my cough when I worked for a chiropractor..."

Then I remembered that this particular student had a history of bad asthma. I used to teach him in his home. His mother heard me coughing last year and told me she cured her son's cough with ginger.  She started making me homemade ginger tea every time I visited.

So I got back on the phone and called her.  She said she takes fresh ginger root and minces it. Then she takes a tablespoon of the ginger and mixes with a bit of honey. She had her son eat this every day, and in about 6 months his asthma was gone. He no longer uses an inhaler!

I thanked her and hung up the phone, beaming.

"I have a plan!" I told my mother.  The church I teach at is next door to a Chinese market. The same market where I purchased the Chinese herbal cough syrup Nin Jiom Pei (you can read about it on Year Two, Day 317 of my blog: http://soulrunnings.blogspot.com/2017/03/year-two-day-317-nin-jiom-pei-pa-koa.html).

After breakfast, we headed over to the church. I had my mom warm up on the piano playing her scales. She grimaced. My mother HATES playing scales!

I went to the Chinese grocery store. I picked up a bag of fresh ginger root, a lemon, some honey and Nin Jiom Pei syrup.  I minced a big chunk of ginger and added honey and a squeeze of lemon.  Then I brewed a pot of green tea and added the ginger/honey/lemon mixture to each cup. It was certainly tasty!

I also had a tablespoon of Nin Jiom Pei.

I am armed and dangerous!

And I will show no mercy!












I will keep you posted.

I do know that having a plan of attack lifted my spirits.  Luckily, I brought my hoop to the church. It felt good to do my hooping in a warm building on a smooth, even floor.

I am still coughing.  But I feel stronger.

And I practiced piano for three hours today!

I am playing the piano as a sub for a little Presbyterian church in the morning. I am so happy tonight is the night we set our clocks back one hour. An extra of sleep sounds divine!

Speaking of which, I am heading to bed right now.

Hopefully it will be a good breathing night.


Here is today's hooping video:



Talk to you tomorrow!

Love,

Zita



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