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Witch Hazel

After working 10 hour shifts for the past week, I have noticed bruises appearing on my arms and thighs. They are quite large and started to rise questions from the people that don’t know what I do. Upon seeing them people jump to the conclusion that they are coming from someone rather then something, and I’ve just about had enough of that. 

Witch Hazel is a powerful astringent, which means it has the ability to constrict body tissue. This works perfectly for bruising as it can basically shrink the area of pooled blood and break it up. For the most part is has helped my bruises fade faster then they ever would have on their own. 

It can also be used for various sores and swelling or irritation, along with fighting acne. It is used for patients with psoriasis, eczema, and hemorrhoids. 

You can buy it at just about any pharmacy.  

Therapeutic Use of Self

Half of class today was dedicated to compassion, attentiveness, and the ability to relate and show empathy towards patients. 

During this time we had to partner up with someone we didn’t know very well. One of us was to stay silent and listen, and the other was to talk about whatever they felt comfortable with sharing.

This was to go on for ten minutes. 

A man named Fitzroy turned to me and asked if I would be his partner, and seeing that he seemed quiet I did so on the condition that he would be the one talking. And so our time started, and at first it was awkward. He didn’t want to open up to me, a person he had just met, a stranger. But I looked at him, stared dead on and smiled in encouragement, and it was as if the flood gates of his mind opened. 

He started off telling me the life he had growing up on the island (Jamaica I assume because of his accent, and due to my not being able to talk I couldn’t ask). He talked about his travels to Europe. He told me about his five children and how he was a proud business man when he came to the states. And he did this for years, raised his children and worked at a meaningless job to provide for them. He told me that if he had more money he would never have stopped having kids, whether they were his own or he would be able to adopt. He continued on to his grandchildren and how he loves them more then anything else and they helped him come to the realization that his life needed to change. He needed to change. And there was this look on his face that made me reach over and touch his knee in reassurance and this man who had been a stranger to me moments before now looked as if he was about to start crying. 

Our professor abruptly announced that time was up and to move back to our seats. 

She asked us about our experience, and Fitzroy immediately raised his hand to talk. He said how he was hesitant to open up, normally not one to tell people about himself. Then he said how my undivided attention and my eye contact made him feel comfortable enough to start. How my smile and the expression in my eyes allowed him to see that I was interested and that is what pushed him on. How my simple touch was enough to make him feel like he wasn’t alone in his feelings and  that even though I was unable to talk, he felt that it was enough and knew that I would help him. This big man, who was tall and strong and a hard worker, admitted that just by my look that he knew he was safe. It was something he had never experienced before. 

Never underestimate the Therapeutic Use of Self. 

janetdevlinoffic:

Always remember that you are not worthless, organs are extremely expensive on the black market

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