2006 January

Rosa damascena,_The rose

by Anne Wirtz
Some say love it is a river that drowns the tender reed.
Some say love it is a razor that leaves a soul to bleed.
Some say love it is a hunger and an ever-aching need.
I say love it is a flower and you its only seed.
It's the heart afraid of breaking that never learns to dance.
It's the dream afraid of waking that never takes the chance.
It's the one who can't be taken who cannot seem to give.
It's the soul afraid of dying that never learns to live.
When the night has been too lonely and the road has been too long,
And you think that love is only for the lucky and the strong,
Then remember in the winter far beneath the bitter snow,
Lies the seed that with the sun's love in the spring becomes the ROSE.


Case
On the 19th of April 2001 a male patient born 1972 came to me because of his allergies, which prevented him from leading a free life. His respiratory organs in particular were the focus of his health problems. At home the cat and dust aggravated his symptoms. I asked for the food influences and he told me that beer worsened his condition a lot, his nose would block very fast after drinking it.
As a kid he had pneumonia twice and from his 3rd to 7th year he was given a lot of antibiotics. From his 8th year he was given a diet and some homeopathic complex remedies. He started doing sports and after that he had some good years.
He started smoking at 19 and from then on he again started coughing and had bronchitis with several courses of antibiotics. The catarrh became chronic. At 23 he stopped smoking and since then everything had gotten worse, his complaints continued non-stop! "My nose is always blocked, it drains my energy". Sleep was ok lately, but falling asleep was difficult and he was seldom fit in the morning. He is a slow starter. He was doing hospital practice as a student nurse. He had previously finished his environmental studies, but kept looking for something more interesting because the practice disappointed him. He chose nursing. His father happened to be psychiatric nurse and he found in the end he had the same interest.
He said about his character, “I am an idealist, a dreamer. I like the green environmental idea, but it still needs to be structured". He played guitar in a band with friends, wrote songs and they 'perform a bit'. "I try to plan my life. I am not attracted to the city, it’s too busy. Too many sounds disturb me, the hustle and bustle, the traffic, the sirens etc.... outside of town is a relief."
He lived alone and that was ok for him. He had some brief relationships with women and was deeply in love a few times, but suffered disappointments. "Since then I became more careful". At the time of his first real love he was 21 and she was only 16. They went ahead slowly and carefully, but she then was assaulted and had some family problems. She broke the relationship off. "I wanted to be there for her and did my best, but a few months later she went off with one of my close friends".
"I am not open when hurt, not even to myself. I do not want to feel it, just suppress it. It is part of family culture that a man keeps his feelings to himself!!
I am an only child. My mother shows her emotions. I have loving parents and they are there for me. My dad is quite closed, he doesn't express his opinions and easily feels threatened. It is as if he feels a kind of competition with me. He does love me, I know, but our contact is difficult although he wants it too. With Ma the communication is easier. Both find each other quite timid, they support one another unconditionally, which is very nice. Ma would like him to open up more, but he doesn't. They never go out. I recognize in myself the same characteristic, timidity. My mother suffered some brain damage as a child and dyslexia, she was a slow thinker and they called her stupid. She had a difficult childhood, including emigration. She was always totally there for me and I felt supported".
"As a child, in my own neighborhood, I could be a leader or play alone. At school I was timid, a very good student, but outside the group. They bullied me, it hurt a lot. Dad advised me to ignore it, but it got to me and I became more timid still". In high school I started to play the guitar, which people liked. I like to go to the pub, if it’s not too crowded. At the age of about 18 I used to follow my friends readily. In my university years I started to blossom and became more courageous, I had romantic experiences and wrote songs about 'broken love', about nature and my own longings about romantic love. If my love didn't work out, I became cynical and I don't like that."

Physical
"Sinus problems. Flying in an airplane causes painful pressure in the ears especially when my nose is blocked. My sense of smell is totally gone since last year, which annoys me a lot. Histamine-cortisol spray relieved it for a short time."
Digestion: Stool was a little soft before exams. He desires rice, had been vegetarian for six months because of the better suitability for his own health and the environment. He was thirsty with a dry mouth in the evening and night and needed to drink water. Doing sports suits him well, running lessens the nasal obstruction.
Climate: He prefered warm, not too humid nor too hot. Perspired more than others from heat or exercise.
Dreams: About work, friends, musical heroes, music. “Life is more concrete nowadays because of my work in the hospital. I miss the release of the dreamy creativity. I like to work in my parents’ garden and see the free growth and blossoming of nature". He liked quality in connection with people and communication on the emotional level. He liked to travel, and have a little adventure.


Analysis:
The overall idea in this case is the Romantic Quality and Sensitiveness, his openness and giving me the feeling of a sweet child who trusted me totally to solve his problem. The love theme as an essence (esp. partner-love) is known from the flower family 'Rosaceae', as Jan Scholten has found. The romantic love theme colors this case. Jan told me once, this belongs to ROSA DAMASCENA. The special theme of romantic, ideal, courtly LOVE.
I looked in the Materia Medica, Murphy and Synoptic 2, and they gave the allergic symptoms especially in the sinus and ear area. So I gave him ROSA DAMASCENA MK in a solution (bottle) to be taken when he felt the need. (I try to help my patients to develop a feeling for the rhythm of taking the remedy.)

4 weeks later:
The nose opened up a bit, his voice got better. He had some fever in the second week. The aggravation from the cat diminished by 50%. Beer which used to worsen his condition didn't affect him as much as before. His work gives him stress, "I don't like to ask for help too quickly, it is a big responsibility. One must not make mistakes and I am inexperienced". His interest was to work with the mentally disabled. He felt quite tired. It was difficult to make the right choice and after he had made one he began to hesitate.
Advice: continue remedy.

6 weeks (10 weeks) later:
"I have positive news! My back pains are totally gone (I didn't know he had them!) and my energy is remarkably better. My smell gets better all the time, slowly but surely, though not yet 100%". The nose is still blocked from time to time. The reaction from beer is still there, but only briefly. "I feel more peaceful, stress doesn't touch me so much anymore, I get over it, I am growing." What did he think about a relationship? " Not yet, it used to be a question of life and death, but not any more. I feel much more self-confident!" He had some red itchy eruption at the margin of his pubic hair, but it doesn't bother him really. He dranks lots of water in the evening.
Advice: continue.

10 weeks (18 weeks) later:
He felt fine. The nose not totally free yet and his smell was still improving, no allergic reactions to the cat. He feels strong and flexible. The eruption was still there, but was no problem. His studies were dealing with psychiatry now, and were very interesting: "That is why I started these studies."
He was enjoying being creative, playing music and writing songs. "I want to know why I do things. I used to miss the feeling that I really wanted myself".
Advice: continue.

8 weeks (26 weeks) later:
"My smell has totally returned, and many different odors with a whole spectrum of memories have come up". He could easily breathe through the nose, much better than before, and the sinuses felt free. There was more intensity to his music and he feelt more energetic to do the things he likes. "I realized that I use to have romantic fantasies, with myself as a big hero lauded by the people or as a victim earning their sympathy, but not receiving it. Then I fell into a melancholic mood. I see now that it is unreal, not from this earth. Since last year I have been keeping notes of all kinds of feelings which came up frequently. I recognize the tendency to romanticism, but I don't value it so much any more. I feel more empowered this last half year. There is so much more peace in my head. I can enjoy making choices much more consciously. I feel that my life is rich and I feel connected and more aware of my feelings. My attitude is positive".
Physicals: No problems.
Advice: continue as before.

4 weeks (30 weeks) later:
His nose was giving some problems again. He felt a bit restless and had less energy. His smell had diminished again.
Advice: 10 MK in solution.

7 weeks (37 weeks) later:
He felt very well. (He found out that too much of the remedy doesn't feel good, so he takes it in moderation.) He has had an affair, he was in love, but she broke it up after some weeks. It was disappointing, but no matter of life and death like before.
The smell is perfect, " better than other people’s"! When I asked him if I could use his case for publication as an example of ROSA DAMASCENA, he was excited AND SO I DID!
(At the beginning of this month I met him in the street and he is still feeling very well.)

Categories: Remedies
Keywords: rosa damascena, plant
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