Waiting to see: Chinese herbal medicine vs American medicine

[tsap seui]

DISCLAIMER

Ladies and gentlemen: The following is not a debate, nor should it start one about whose medicines are better. The above title is just a joke between my wife and I. I fully believe in herbal medicines and did so well before I ever sat foot in China, or married a tiny hiney Chinese woman. So, no need for anyone to get their short and curly's straightened out in a huff.

 

Okay.....

 

About a week ago Wenyan started complaining that her vision was a little "fuzzy'. I asked her if she wanted me to call our eye doc, or call her team doctor at the VA hospital and ask for an eye exam? "No, I'll try my medicine first, says lil' Brer Rabbit.".

 

That went on for a few days and she thought it may be getting a little better with some herbs she mixed up that her ex husband sent us from China. Yet, it wouldn't clear up, and she started saying it was like her one eye was looking through a film or smokey room.

 

I get something wrong with me like that and I just place a call to my "blue team" doc (Wenyan is on the "yellow team through her ChampVA) at the VA hospital and they line me up with a visit with my primary care doc or the eye doc. Yesterday morning I had had enough of this, it wasn't geting any better and she's starting to complain her head hurts in places when she touches it.

 

I'm worried about her and I place a call to our eye doc we used for Fengqi when they first came over, and they told me they had a cancellation, could see her on Monday. Then I call the VA yellow team and explain it to them. Was told they would relay the info to the primary care doc and call me back.

 

It took them a few hours, as that is a busy place, but they called me back and said the doc told them she "wanted to see Wenyan TODAY, get her into the schedule ASAP".

 

By now Wenyan has been on the computer and reading up....oh my, we go through brain tumors, etc. I thinkin', don't tell me that crap, let's just see what the doc says, knowing that the VA will run every test known, CT scan, eye doc, whatever, should they see fit. I talk calmly to her and try to diffuse this in the bud...and pray for the best.

 

We check into the yellow team, and in about 10 minutes are walking into her doc's office. Doc Karen telling her she "remembered Wenyan, and wanted to see her before she went home for the weekend". That she, the doc "wouldn't be able to rest if she didn't see her before the weekend. "

 

Luckily, the brain tumor jazz was quickly dispelled. Fluid in the ears. So much fluid (the doc asked me if I wanted to take a look....I sure did) that her ears looked like they have a small balloon in them that is about to pop from the pressure. I look and ask in astonishment to Wenyan, "Great balls o' fire lil' rabbit, this must hurt like crazy, yes?" I can't believe how much pressure must be built up in her sinuses, judging by the bulges in her ears that look like water filled balloons ready to burst.

 

Thank God, nothing a lil' anti-biotic and a zrytec pill in the evenings won't take care of. All of the VA personel are so kind to Wenyan, they all remember her just from her first visit to get all the comprehensive bloodwork and initial exams and what not done for her initial intake.

 

With joy I see the VA taking care of my wife for absolutely free, including her meds. If they had found something seriously wrong they wouldn't have hesitated giving her a CT scan or whatever they felt she needed.

 

It also gives me satisfaction that so many years after I walked into an Army recruiters in oldtowne Rockville, Maryland, with my peace beads, long hair, and bellbottoms, and told the sarge there that I wanted to fly helicopters for the Army (boy, he about fell out of his seat when I said that...LOL)...that my country is now caring not only for me, but my wife, as well as my son when he turns 18 next year...all for free.

 

Yeah, it took me going to Vietnam and flying into a horror story most everyday, added in with a good ol' agent orange heart to give me a service connected rating of 100%P&T, getting spit upon and rotten fruit thrown at me when I walked off the freedom bird in San Francisco by the draft dodgers, CO's, and bozos who only take their freedoms off the backs of others, giving nothing in return for their country , and a life of extreme nightmares and messed up life...but the thrill of seeing my family get free medical care now far outweighs the crap that soldiers of my era had to go through by our own countrymen.

 

A nice vindication....only took 26 years of denials from the VA to get here too. http://www.chinafamilyvisa.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/thumbup.gif The price of freedom....and the price of vindication.....well Bubba, it jes ain't easy sometimes. http://www.chinafamilyvisa.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/roller.gif Ya jes don't get either one of them handed to ya on a plate.

 

I know many despise the VA and think their docs are quacks. That is the past.

 

tsap seui

 

By the way: I have nothing against Chinese medicines in the least. They seem to work just swell. Just needed another herb or something this time. Yes, Wenyan says they have anti-biotics in China.

 

 

[Mick]

Glad to hear everything worked out okay, tsap. I imagine that kind of pressure build up, had she not been seen before the weekend, would have created major problems before Monday rolled around. God bless that doc for being a dedicated professional.

 

Yes, they have antibiotics in China and give them for just about everything from a headache to a hangnail. Often they are given I.V. , even for minor problems. At least that is how it was when I was over there. I never will forget walking into one ward in a hospital, looking for a doctor's office, and saw rows of babies with I.V.s going, with the needles inserted in their foreheads.

Freaked me out but good. Also, somewhere in the bowels of Candle there is a write up of my trip to the eye, ear, nose, and throat doctor in China. I had a wax build up in my ear - what an adventure that turned out to be.

 

Anywaze, happy to here the little rabbit is doin' better.

[pbatt]

Happy to hear lil' rabbit is doing well. I cannot imagine the pain she was going through.

My experience with Chinese medicine vs. Modern medicine took place in Singapore. I had a gout attack and went to see the doctor under the apartment building.

He said traditional Chinese medicine will take 5 days to work or can have a shot and gone tomorrow.

I opted for the shot.

Edited March 23, 2013 by pbatt (see edit history)

[Fu Lai]

I had a skin rash on my face and the Chinese doctors cut slits in the back of my ears to let the "heat" out