| One of the most frequently asked questions I | | | | wheel chair to bed. Following two |
| hear from my clients is, "What made you leave | | | | aromatherapy massages using a blend of |
| your career in Nursing and start your own | | | | essential oils with Juniper essential oil, |
| practice?" | | | | her diuresis increased quite dramatically. |
| | | | As she had been in a wheel chair at home for |
| The earlier part of my nursing career was | | | | many months a little joint release for her |
| spent in Australia in high dependency primary | | | | arms was required to relieve stiffness and |
| care and later in medical/oncology and | | | | restricted movement. She was soon able to |
| palliative care. Illness surrounded me and | | | | walk with a frame; some thing she hadn't done |
| death was more common than not. | | | | for a long time. Her spirits were lifted |
| Disempowerment was augmented by a system | | | | giving her new hope and motivation. |
| resistant to change and it was not much | | | | |
| longer til light soon shone in a new | | | | When I returned home to Australia my newly |
| direction physically, mentally, emotionally | | | | acquired skills were greeted with much less |
| and spiritually. | | | | enthusiasm from the more conservative M.D. |
| | | | colleagues (their comments termed them, |
| I travelled overseas and whilst nursing at a | | | | "hocus pocus"). I brushed aside their |
| private hospital in Surrey (U.K), took up | | | | scepticism and used essential oils in subtle |
| further studies in Aromatherapy. The Medical | | | | ways such as Lavender or Roman Chamomile |
| Consultants there were very open to | | | | essential oil bed baths and placed a few |
| alternative complimentary therapies and | | | | drops in a small fan on the bedside table for |
| permitted me to use this therapy in the ward | | | | the terminally ill. I included oils such as |
| where I worked. This was a positive | | | | Cypress, Clary sage and Melissa for the |
| beginning and the improvements in the | | | | grieving families to restore comfort and |
| patients' physical and overall wellbeing was | | | | peace. It wasn't long before I began my own |
| most impressive. | | | | private practice and furthered my studies in |
| | | | Kinesiology & Emotional Healing. |
| One particular patient I recall in her 50's | | | | |
| was a regular on the ward in and out of | | | | I offer a holistic approach to health and |
| remission diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. | | | | having had first-hand experience of how |
| She had symptoms of pitting oedema (chronic | | | | disempowered and dependent patients can |
| fluid retention), immunosuppression and | | | | become in hospitals, it is my belief that |
| immobility to name just a few. Before | | | | prevention is the pathway to empowerment. |
| treatment she was only able to transfer from | | | | |