Trees Peek In

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It was my first homeopathic consultation.  I was a bit uncomfortable on my drive up the mountain; Diana's office was 1-1/2 hours from my home. I had read a little about homeopathy; it sounded weird. But I was getting desperate, and tired of steroids.

I had some concerns if homeopathy was biblical.  But I remembered Craig Martindale mentioning homeopathy in The Way's Advanced Class. So it must be o.k. as long as one didn't take it too far making it, instead of God, their sufficiency. My believing to get well was a constant struggle; I'd wonder if I was leaning too much on medical treatments. I often felt like the woman with the issue of blood in the Gospel of Luke who spent all her money on doctors and couldn't get well; except it was my husband's money.  But I had to breathe.

Unknown to Dr. Wilson, my allergist, I had thought about homeopathy before my next appointment with him; the appointment where he suggested homeopathy might be worth a try.  We were grasping at straws trying to get me off hydrocortisone, which I'd been taking twice a day for almost seven years.  Not to mention the intermittent prednisone, magnesium and other IVs, epinephrine, supplements, inhalers, theodur, and whatever other "bandaids" I needed to keep me breathing.  Yet I had improved since I had first started going to Great Smokies Medical Center.  I had found them (or rather they me) in 1985; that's when Dr. Laird and Dr. Barrie were there.  It was now around 1992. 

Diana's office was located in Asheville.   It was in large old house with some other alternative medicine practitioners. Each appeared to be independent services. The house was located in a beautiful large yard with a sloping hill.  Oak tress and willows graced the yard; I recall lots of shade. It must have been spring.

Connie, Dr. Wilson's wife, was also going to be present at my consultation.  She had only recently become a homeopath; Diana had been practicing for at least a decade.

Diana's office was upstairs.  The house was quiet as I ascended to the second floor.  I entered the door to the office. I don't think the door had her name on it, but rather she had told me the number that I'd find on the door.  It was an older, paneled, painted wooden door, I think it has an older-type doorknob, one of those round brass ones as opposed to the shiny gold juice-glass-shaped type. 

I entered the door into the waiting room. In it were a couple upholstered chairs and maybe a love seat.  There were some children's toys and big old windows that let the trees peek in.  It didn't feel like an office but rather a room in a home, like a parlor or small den.

Another old wooden door entered into Diana's office space.  The door was like the waiting room entry door, but maybe the doorknob was different, smaller.  Diana had a large stained wooden desk; it was real wood.  Even though it was large, it wasn't precocious.  It was placed in front of the large windows where the same trees could peek in.  There was one large wooden book shelf in the room and a couple upholstered chairs.  The office was smaller than the waiting area and also felt homey.

Diana was from Great Britain. She was probably in her early fifties; I was around thirty-three.  Diana had a down-to-earth gentle way about her, very real.  She was tall, at least to me; I'm short. Her hair had streaks of gray mixed with light brown that fell almost to her waste; she reminded me of a hippie.  Connie was younger than Diana.  She had short blond hair and was closer to my height; she was American.  I wasn't sure who I would end up with, Connie or Diana.  I didn't mind them both being there.

We began the homeopathic interview; that's what the first appointment is called.  I was told prior to the appointment that it would take a couple hours; it ended up taking six, which included a 45-minute lunch break.  As we went over various aspects of my life and health, we continued to find layers.  Diana asked if I had time that day to stay longer, especially since I lived 1-1/2 hours away.  Connie said she could stay as well.  They both helped me feel at ease and comfortable.  I had brought my lunch, which I did regularly those days; I had lots of food allergies. 

Toward the end of the interview, Diana and Connie spoke privately while I waited in the other room. I was concerned how much this was going to cost.  Six hours.  Insurance wouldn't touch homeopathy.

It wasn't long before they called me back in.  Connie informed me that she simply couldn't take my case; it was too complex.  Connie was a new practitioner and she was concerned she wouldn't be able to manage the case.

Diana looked at me.  With her tender voice, yet with serious gravity, she stated, "I will take your case.  But you need to know...it's going to get messy.  You've had lots and lots of suppression.  But if you're willing to give it a try, I'm willing to go it with you.  You'll need to continue your work with Dr. Wilson as well."

Yes. I was willing.

Oh how I grew to love Diana.  She was a Buddhist, but I didn't care.  She loved her work and she was good at what she did.  I also liked that she didn't believe homeopathy was a cure all; life is more complex than that.  She ended up holding my hand over the phone in wee morning hours when I couldn't breathe. She was almost always there for me.

"How much do I owe ya'll?" I asked, trying to hide my concern. If it was too much money for me at once, I felt sure we could work out payment arrangement.

Connie replied first.  "Nothing to me.  I've learned a lot just from being here in this interview.  Thanks for letting me join."

I looked at Diana.  "Sixty dollars," she replied.

My eyes got big and my jaw dropped, "Sixty dollars?!?  We just spent six hours together!"

"I've been on sabbatical for a year and haven't taken on any new patients.  You're my first as I'm coming off sabbatical.  I'd like this interview to be like an offering."  She smiled.  It was genuine.

I wrote the check for seventy-five.

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