pain in the process of reversing pathogenesis

August 21, 2007

Hi Hugo,

That is exactly the issue: She was NOT in great pain or distress, on the

contrary, though there still was a lesser degree of pain after the treatment,

she was calm, able to sit up, had appetite, and was smiling, though weak. The

decision was made based upon the aphorism, " No pain is good pain. " This is my

problem, and this IMVHO is a major precipitant of

auto-immune dis-ease, mental illness and dysfunction in Western civilization.

As our friend Al Stone so astutely reminds us of the famous statement by the

late great Adlai Stevenson: " Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional. " Often

during treatment I ask patients if they are in pain, and they give the qualified

answer " yes, but it's good pain " meaning that it's pain that changes, that

transforms, that opens up. I believe that one of the underlying principles of

Chinese medicine is metamorphosis and transformational morphology. We find

that in the process of illness and wellness; We find that in the transformation

of the five phases; May I suggest that we also find it in the pathogenesis and

reversal of the process thereof (I tried to find an antonym for pathogenesis but

couldn't--any ideas?) that cause Qi Zhi, as manifested originally as discomfort,

but not pain,then become actual pain, and if left untreated become more fixated

Xue Yu, blood stasis. BUT, I

firmly believe, that this process can be reversed, that the tape can play

backwards, and I witness it daily with patients! I think that any astute

physician or therapist who has treated patients in a real physical way, unafraid

to touch their bodies and feel their Qi can confirm this process. But even

approaching the area of blood stasis can be painful, and evoke fear. Opening up

calcifications or fibrous bundles of scar tissue before needling them can be

excruciating! But by explaining to the patient the incredible benefit, 90% of

the time they agree to continue, to let go. This is good pain. Going back to

my cancer patient, Hugo, I felt that many layers of pain had been released. The

pain she was enduring when I left was completely tolerable. But alas, not for

the attending physician!

I know this perspective might be radical, but heck, my dad was a delegate for

Adlai Stevenson in 1956, and I was a Bobby Kennedy activist in '68. I have

never gotten involved in politics since then (except briefly in '92, when

senator Bob Kerry of Nebraska ran for president and lost the democratic

nomination to some guy named Clinton who I didn't vote for. Don't get me wrong,

though, I do generally vote!) as I have rarely found someone in a position to

make a difference, whose deep caring for people is truly altruistic and

uncynical, without an agenda. I never considered myself radical--just open to

the need to change when the status quo was unacceptable.

Indeed, pain does not have to be suffering. Rather pain is a manifestation of

the blockage of a tremendous power needing to be released--Qi.

Sincerely,

Yehuda

Hugo Ramiro <subincor wrote:

Hi Yehuda...I think the question that I would have, and that I would

ask you clarify fully for the group is whether the patient was in pain or not,

and whether this pain justified morphine - in other words, did the patient ask

for it.

In any case, it is clear that both morphine and poppies (from which morphine is

derived) can cause generalised weakness, dizziness, mental cloudiness,

deficiency type headaches and so on. Morphine itself has a dangerous side-effect

termed respiratory depression. Supposedly morphine also affects a part of the

brain called the chemotactic trigger zone, which leads to nausea and vomiting.

This leads to a fairly clear picture in terms of , although

western medicine is adamant that the above effects are not clinically

significant - docs are just supposed to keep an eye out for respiratory

depression.

So the dangerous question about whether or not the docs are killing people by

administering morphine? I guess I would not be sedating or " hypometabolising "

someone who is in a weakened state.

Thoughts?

Hugo

pain was down significantly Friday, after my second treatment with her (I also

brought her a decoction of herbs which her family faithfully gave to her), but

nonetheless, her Western physician said that since her signs and Xrays were so

discouraging, he felt it would be beneficial to increase the IV morphine. After

that it was all downhill, and she passed away this morning. I strongly suspect

that the Morphine may have just too strong for someone in her fragile state, and

did her in. My question is, have any of

you had similar experiences with strong pain killers such as Methadone, Morphine

or Vicodin? This is my 3rd " coincidence " when a patient who was showing

significant improvement, passed away after receiving the analgesic Western

intervention.

Sincerely,

Yehuda

www.traditionaljewi shmedicine. net

------------ --------- --------- ---

Take the Internet to Go: Go puts the Internet in your pocket: mail, news,

photos & more.

August 23, 2007

Yehuda,

<<pain is a gift which we DO have a choice in dealing with: either

ignoring, avoiding or blocking (which resolves nothing and can actually

exascerbate the accompanying cause) or listing, releasing and

resolving>>.

Having spent some time in a hospice program as an acupuncturist I

have seen the ravaging effects of illness, debilitation, and

intractable pain. I have seen those unfortunate souls who have died in

horrific pain for whom nothing could be done. I came to greatly admire

the " No Pain " credo that offends you so.The hospice patients wanted to

pass with dignity and peace but it is darned difficult to do that when

pain takes over. I'll bet not one of them saw their pain as a 'gift'.

I pray when my time comes that I will go gracefully and easily, with

or without pain meds as needed.

Peace

Beata

______________________

AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free

from AOL at AOL.com.

August 23, 2007

Beata,

I respect your opinion, and respectfully disagree. I feel that death is a

passage which like the gift of life, is beyond our control. I therefore

consider the phrase, " death with dignity " to be an oxymoronic cliche. I find

nothing dignified about accelerating death, but on the contrary, find

tremendous dignity in the focus to live in the face of unbearable pain, and our

responsibility to do everything in our power to support and strengthen that

brave person's will.

sincerely,

Yehuda

coastacu wrote: