I would die without water: a case of Hydrophis cyanocinctus

The patient is a fifty-four-year old woman, the secretary of a well-known construction company’s manager. She is very active, constantly moving, talkative, pleasant, and always smiling. She talks a lot, skipping from one subject to another. Her speach is somewhat childish, using diminutives. She likes working with people. Her head is crowned with rich blond hair and she wears distinctive black eyeliner. She is attractive, with a slim waist and big bosom.

She says that she gets along well with everyone; she has no problem talking to anyone, including strangers. She demonstrates a strong personality. She is very caring. She has two adult children who still live with her. She cooks and cleans for them.

Physical complaints
Her main problem is pain her hips, which both hurt but the most affected is the left side. It started five years ago: "It was Christmas time and I was paralyzed; I could not stand up. The pain is worse when walking rapidly, in autumn and winter. I have no pain when biking." Last year, she used to wake every night due to the tingling in her hands. When the feeling passed, it became very painful: she writhed in pain. First, one hand was tingling, then the other and vice versa. Allopathic medicines caused her indigestion; she felt poisoned by them and stopped using them.

Animals are her life. She has three dogs, and in the past she had cats. She takes the utmost care  of the dogs, taking them for long walks and cutting the meat for the smallest one into tiny pieces and feeding him. She aquired allergy to cats, sneezing frequently.

KJ: What are your other complaints?
P: “I have no appetite for sex. I sweat more than normal. When I'm barefoot, even my feet are sweating. My palms sweat extremely, the sweat drips off them. I have a headache before  menstruation, at the temples, alternating sides: first on the left, then on the right. The pain is dull and improves with pressure. I am extremely warm-blooded.”

Pregnancy
Both pregnancies were risky. In the eighth month, she had a ravenous appetite for pickled (sour) cucumbers with hot peppers. She got very swollen at that time. The swelling itched. She did not tell doctors anything, so she was not hospitalised. Since then, it recurs: something is always itching. It is unbearable and it changes location; she scratches constantly until it bleeds. It mostly affects her hands, back, and chest. She has aggravation from sunshine in summer; the worst  time is autumn. She has extremely dry skin; worse after a shower.

She talks strangely about her pregnancies: "I was very afraid that I would hit my belly and hurt the child, and yet it happened. When I was frying some food, I burnt my belly with oil. My daughter was born with a mark on her forehead. Both pregnancies were at risk, I was bleeding."
                                                                                                      

Appetite
She is very thirsty. "I would die without water. My zodiac sign is Pisces. I can be without food, not without water. Even at night, I have to drink. The first thing I do in the morning is to drink a glass of water. I drink water after every meal. I use lots of salt."
She likes fried dishes, French fries, schnitzel, cheese, potato salad, carp fish, seafood,  a combination of sweet and salty tastes.

External environment
She does not like rain and wind. She does not like it when people are sad or not in a good mood. 

Family history
Uncle had a cancer, grand father had cancer and varices, mother has varices.

Personality
P: “I'm crazy. Music improves my mood. I like to take baths and have a glass of wine. I always look forward to my dogs when I return home from my job. At home, I am slower; it takes me a long time to cook and clean. I even cook the whole day. In my job, however, I am very fast and efficient, as if some insecurity was chasing me. I do not like feeling there is something I do not know. I always fix everything myself, never asking the help of others. I do everything at home alone, I run the family. I do not need a man for anything. When some other woman's husband dies, it is a disaster for her. I cannot die, because my husband and the children do not know anything. Even for a trip to Bojnice (small medieval town in Slovakia) I went with  just my children and left my husband at home.”

KJ: What do you desire?
“I want to be at least three days alone, to do what I want! I am always doing what I have to. I have to do shopping, go to the post office, cook, walk the dogs. I want to be on my own, in the bathroom, put a turban on my head, put a mask on my face and drink a  glass of wine.”

KJ: What would be your three wishes?
P: "1. Everyone should be healthy; 2. To have a bit more money than now; 3. To stay young forever, not to have any  wrinkles. I want to look like I do now forever.

Next week, she plans to go to a party and wants to lose some weight. She would be happy to see other women chubby and have everyone praise how good she looks at her age. She likes to be attractive, and she notices how the others look. She is happy about her appearance, except her big bottom.

Analysis
I was sure the patient needed an animal remedy. She has a very strong animal energy, there are themes of competitiveness and attractiveness, as well as her very close relationship with animals.
Her main problem was the left hip pain and the itching of the body, changing location.
Several times, the theme of water appeared; she talked several minutes about how much she likes to take a bath. So, I looked for a remedy connected with water.

I picked two rubrics and narrowed my selection to animal remedies only.

1. EXTREMITIES – PAIN  - Hips – left
2. SKIN – ITCHING – single parts

Repertorisation showed Hydrophis, a sea snake. The patient was very talkative, which fits Snake remedies.

According to Massimo Mangialavori, the main themes of this remedy are:
- The dual perception of own body
- Socialising, but significant distance
- The space where they can restore energy is the bathroom
- Paralysis of the lower extremities
- Frigidity

This picture fits the patient very well.

Prescription
Hydrophis cyanocinctus 200C, 2 x daily during the first day and one dose the next day

Follow up after eight months
The pain in her joints has nearly disappeared. She has begun to walk more and does very well. She was pleased that she survived the fall and winter without pain, as it used to be the worst seasons for her. The itching completely disappeared. She assessed her overall improvement in health as 85%.

Photos: Shutterstock
Drought land without water; ImagePost
Forever young; Gustavo Frazao