Diary of a Homeopath: 18.1.18. Homeopathy for End Of Life Care

I've been visiting a very frail man with 4th stage pancreatic cancer and today he passed peacefully.  
He is a buddhist bound for another adventure and although he was determined to recover even to the last, he was clearly not going to [in this incarnation] when I went to see him yesterday.  I'd given him 'sip-sip' [He and his wife called it this and it will be sip-sip to me from now on] ... magnesium phos up to MM potency for pain, in a homeopathic solution.  That meant he didn't need to be taking codeine or opiates and could be as alert as possible until he passed into unconsciousness this morning.  
I'd also been giving him arsenicum 30c which eased the burning he was experiencing when eating, relieved the oedema in his legs and helped him to be peaceful and unafraid.  
Arsenicum is a perfect end-of-life remedy and he was extremely peaceful in his passing.  
I strongly believe it is really important to be peaceful whilst making this transition. 

Photo by Sarah Ball on Unsplash

I don't believe it was a coincidence that they found me when they did.  The universe knows I have a mission and a willingness in this way.  When I was 3 my father died alone in an ambulance.  When I was 16-18 I sat with a lot of elderly people to be with them whilst they were dying, so that they had the right kind of attendance if they needed it.  It's probably a strange thing for a teenager to do [I was nursing these people daily though & had relationships with them], and I hadn't realised the connection between how I felt about my father's death and my voluntary sitting until many years later.  So, I am not surprised that I was called for the duty of making this lovely man's passing more peaceful.  <3  

The significance for me also as a homeopath was that I was afraid to accept a request to treat people with cancer and I have usually referred them to the Banerji clinic in India.  The universe knew I needed to be asked by someone who's expectations were not too heavy to ease me into being prepared for the next patient that asks for my help.  The Banerji clinic [I found out] hadn't replied to my patient since he requested help in September [which means I can't in all conscience refer without feeling I've sent people away].  Also, I have done some research in the meantime and begun to learn more about cancer treatment protocols such as the one the Banerji's offer.  

On a more light-hearted note, I have been treating a WHOLE lot of the flu.  My daughter's hairdresser was going home when I was in town today also and I've managed to prescribe for her and leave the shop with a little supply of Eupatorium Perfoliatum 200c.  I've also let our local health food shop know which remedy the epidemic seems to need. 

Today and tomorrow are my main work days and I'll be following up with lots of patients and have a good number of new patients incoming.  Many of the new patients I've had recently have had anxiety or OCD or quite simple skin problems.  It's a change from the more severe cases I'm used to.  In some ways it is harder for me to treat people who have fewer symptoms!  In other ways, it is easier.