Update: Big Man Tater's Airway

It's been several months since we've needed our nebulizer and albuterol for Big Man Tater. And I have been more than thrilled.  Enter disclaimer: remember when I said that we weren't going to beat ourselves up for using conventional methods if we felt like the need warranted it? Well, that day came three days ago.

Wednesday morning, our big guy was just fine, but by the evening, he had developed a cough. As a busy mom, with 3 little's under five, our house is crazy on MOST days, so I didn't really notice any change in his breathing until that evening. Mind you, we've had colds until now, and our handy stash of oils have kept the invaders to a minimum for him.

My first mistake was not having the necessary oils on hand to apply EARLY and OFTEN, and nip it in the bud. My Thieves supply was severely LOW. Shame... :( So, I had to turn to others, which worked, but because every person's body chemistry is different, some oils don't work as well as others for the same need.

I used what I had, but not what I needed. And, I watched Big Man's cough get drier and drier overnight, and by the next morning, we were dealing with the dreaded reactive airway... again. Not sure what that is? Think asthma symptoms that go from non-existent to acute within 12-24 hours. NOT. FUN.

And, so hesitantly, we pulled out the nebulizer until I could get my hands on an oil to help my guy. And immediate relief covered me as I heard my guy beginning to take deeper and deeper breaths. His airways were opening up. Temporarily. I knew that I only had a short amount of time to get my hands on something that could provide as much relief as the albuterol had.

At this point, my brain kicked in, and I remembered that my good friend, and YL enroller, might have something in her arsenal that would be helpful. So, I picked up the phone... dialed, praying. She answered. After a short conversation, she mentioned that she had just ordered a "Breathe Again" roll-on, and she wasn't sure why because none of her family suffers with asthma. But, it had JUST come in.

I begged her for it :) ... she obliged, and within hours, I met her to pick up the newest members of my oily toolbox. BREATHE AGAIN and EUCALYPTUS BLUE.

My friend also contacted one of her friends, who just happens to live right around the corner from me (in my neighborhood), and she brought me an oily version of vapor rub. Among all the chaos, I did another inventory of my oils, and found a tiny sample bottle of Thieves. Yippee!!! So, we got to work.

Yesterday we oiled our big guy throughout the day, both topically, and ran our diffuser (humidifier for oils - AWESOME, btw), during nap time and when he went to bed. And in just one day, I could see a MARKED difference. The cough is still there, but is productive, and  we're not  gasping for breath anymore.

I pinky-promise that my next post will be about Thieves, because now that we're over the hump, it's definitely time to restart our daily Thieves application to build his immune system back up. But, for now, we're happy our little man can breathe.

How we met Young Living Essential Oils

Man, oh man, how our lives have been affected by the simplicity and beauty of essential oils. I am truly grateful that we stumbled on these products. They have proven quite instrumental as our first line of defense against sickness, and have replaced much, if not all, of the medicines in our cabinet.

Now, I hear you saying, "Are you seriously not taking ANY medicine?, What about the doctor? Isn't that his job, to treat illness?, And, what about emergencies??" Well... we still go to the doctor when there is a "real" emergency. The purpose of oils is to promote health and well-being (many times, by eliminating the problem), instead of masking symptoms, to help us feel better. Although oils may be used for acute conditions, they are NOT meant to replace a doctor's care and advice in a true emergency situation.

Have I confused you?? If so, then it's easiest just to tell you how we met Young Living Essential Oils.

I first learned about the potency of Young Living Essential Oils around 6 months ago. My big man Tate was experiencing continued breathing issues that took the form of asthmatic symptoms, which came upon him quite suddenly, the minute his nose would run.

To this point, we had seen our pediatrician numerous times (and even an ENT) about this issue, which began when he got RSV as a 4 month old, and had only come out with a nebulizer and a boatload of steroids and antibiotics, which had NOT fixed the problem. And the moment he got sick, I would have to pump meds into him, and pray that we would avoid ANOTHER visit to the ER, or possible admittance to the hospital.

Two words. NOT. FUN.

So, at this point, I was SICK of the "plan", and saw that we were making no real headway, in terms of treatment. So, I researched other options, and learned about Young Living. And what a difference they have made for him!! The first YL oil we met was "RC", which stands for Respiratory Comfort. And, man, did it provide that!

This oil is actually a blend of oils, which include: FOUR different kinds of eucalyptus (Vapor Rub, eat your heart out... LOL), Myrtle (also great for sinus and respiratory issues), Pine, Spruce, Marjoram, Lavender, Cypress, and Peppermint. When you smell this oil, it's like you brought an evergreen forest in your house. And who doesn't LOVE the smell of the forest, in all it's glory? Me personally, HUGE fan. I just love crisp smell of the forest, and that feeling of rejuvenation I experience when I am breathe it in.  Great word picture?? :) Well, I'm not exaggerating. Who knew that those trees would have such an ability to bring health to a body? God knew. :)

Anyway, I digress. So... we met RC. I decided I wanted it in Big Man Tate's face continually, so I splurged and bought the Everyday Oils Kit, which included a diffuser (a humidifier designed for oils). Within TWO DAYS, I noticed that the virus was almost gone, and my son's throat hadn't closed. His coughs were productive throughout, and I didn't have to use the nebulizer once we placed the diffuser in his room.

 I thought to myself... "Could it be that we have BEATEN this reactive airway?" Only time would tell. It wasn't long before Big Man Tate caught another virus. But this time, I jumped right on the oils, applying RC, and Theives. I'll tell you more about this AMAZING oil in my next post. But, I will say this... Since finding RC, the nebulizer and steroids have started collecting dust.

Praise God for essential oils!