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| Photographer Unknown |
My love of herbs started near the end of my first pregnancy.
We had a rough birth, at least as far as emotional trauma, that sometimes still resurfaces, but over the years I have come to appreciate that experience. If it wasn't for the way I was treated, the feelings that were not acknowledged and the way my particular birth experience went, I probably never would have been lead to the ancient wisdom of herbalism.
This is my story.
I was nineteen when I had my son, I wasn't as educated on patient rights, and natural childbirth, let alone herbal medicine as I am now, (I am no expert, there is always more to learn) so when "problems" arose I didn't know what to do, or how to handle it. I'm not going to go into the full story, because it really takes me to a dark place and I don't like fueling that fire.
Anyway, my son's entire baby-hood was pretty much an herbal experiment. See he had pretty bad excema, and after everything the doctor's recommended didn't work I took it into the hands of herbs & essential oils. BEST. DECISION. EVER. By the time he turned 10 months, not only was he taking his first steps, his skin was finally clear, we were eating better and generally feeling better. This was step 1.
Warning step 2 may be considered graphic or triggering (Heavy Menstruation)
Fast forward a few years and we will find me suffering with extreme moon-time flooding. Not something I really enjoy talking about, but it is a huge part of my testimony of herbal medicine. There was a point where I didn't stop bleeding for over a year. Yes, you read that right. Some days were super faint, but others were so bad I could hardly stand up. Now, you may think I am crazy and only looked to herbs for help, well you are wrong. I actually only looked to allopathic medicine because frankly I just didn't know. The years leading up to what I call a wake up, were mostly me still going to the Dr. and doing as they say, pap-smears every year, Depo Provera shot (birth control) at 3 months postpartum because, "You are very fertile, and don't want any more children right now. Besides, you are 19." which lead to my first miscarriage (the pregnancy didn't show up on a test when they gave me the shot.) and the downward spiral of hormonal imbalance, and constant flooding. I continued listening to everything they would recommend but then looked up herbal remedies because something was drawing me to them. However, I pushed that call to herbs aside and did what what the doctor's said anyway. I did it because because I was scared. Actually, I was terrified I was going to die.
Then the day came that started it all. I remember it vividly. My husband and I had just got our family a milk cow, April, and she had just calved a few weeks earlier, we would milk her twice a day. So it was after an evening milking, I was feeling particularly tired, sore, and stiff, (Note that I had been hemorrhaging constantly for about two months here) I decided to take a nice warm shower when I got in. It was hard for me to enter the shower and I should have taken that as a sign. But I didn't.
The water felt amazing on my tight muscles, and pounding headache. I remember turning to the back of the tub and feeling funny. I let out a small yelp, "Ike..." (my hubby), I don't how he even heard me, it was the tiniest squeak, but he came running, and opened the shower curtain pushing me back to the wall. Some how he knew I was passing out. He protected my head and lead me safely to the floor of the tub. That was a connection between husband and wife I had never seen before. He helped me up and I sat on the edge of the tub where he and my mom comforted me. My mother was an RN and was checking me over. I was nauseous. We called the ambulance but then decided my husband could take me to the hospital instead of paying for an ambulance.
So off we went, and when we got there I had many tests done. Apparently my hemoglobin was down to a 7.3. A normal menstruating woman should be around a 12. The suggested I get a transfusion, but I again was terrified, and said no. They sent me home with synthetic progesterone, and iron pills and I spent the next 3 days on the couch eating liver until I could get a doctors appointment. I went to that but had to sit down in the hall because the back of my head was pounding so bad and I felt like I was going to pass out again. When I finally talked to the doctor, they put me on birth control and said I should feel better in a few days.
Those few days had passed. I felt a we bit better but not much and I was bleeding even more!
Ike and I were going to check out a tree for some firewood, and on the way there I had to go because the bleeding had gotten so bad, so we stopped at the park, and I used the rest room there. We by passed the wood and I went to the ER one more time, this time my hemoglobin was 4.7. I should have been dead! I requested the transfusion that was offered to me at my previous ER visit. I was in the hospital for 2 days. I was given 4 bags of blood! And had it shoved in my face over and over that I needed to be on this birth control. I was offered 2 more liters of blood but I felt good enough to go home. So off we went.
3 days later the bleeding had gotten the worst it had ever been. I had had enough! I had a small boy who needed his mama. And at that current time I couldn't be mama. So I did something about it, I quit taking the birth control. It wasn't working for me and I had to find something fast that did. I researched and researched and found a naturopathic doctor in our area. She had a consultation with me, and told be about natural USP progesterone, and DIMpro (an herbal supplement derived from brassicas [broccoli & cauliflower] that is used to help remove excess estrogen from my body). We did a double dose of each for a few days because of my size and the severity of the problem. And I lived back on the couch for about 2 weeks, slathered my self in progesterone and ate liver chopped into venison burger religiously for almost every meal... let's just say I haven't eaten liver since.
The progesterone and DIMpro helped immensely but didn't make the bleeding stop. That job was left for a plant unadulterated by man, a plant that has become such an ally to me that I had a botanical drawing of it framed and hanging on the wall of my apothecary. That herb was Shepherd's Purse.
My life became blood & bleeding, all I could think about was blood. Did I have enough? Would this move make my menstrual cup overflow? How much iron have I lost today? Can I get up? If I play with my son, will I faint? My mind was obsessed. The pages of the web zoomed past my tired eyes faster than one could fathom. My brain was processing massive amounts of information on natural hormonal balancing, heavy flow and stress, excess estrogen, birth control side effects, infertility, PCOS, endrometriosis, herbs to stop excessive menstrual bleeding, etc.
After what seemed like ages, I finally found it, (remember, it wasn't so long ago that knowledge of herbs and their medicinal uses was almost non existent on the internet) an article written by a Native American healer (unfortunately I cannot remember the name). The article stated that Shepherd's purse had been used traditionally for the very purpose of stopping hemorrhaging, from child birth and heavy menstruation. So after reading this article, I searched more and more the doors were finally opened, I knew what to search for and finally found many accounts of this plant helping women the way I needed to be helped.
After a long day of research, Ike told me I needed to get some fresh air and walk around outside. I stepped out the door and looked at our yard. It was covered in Shepherd's Purse!!!! That plant was NOT there the last time I was outside. Heavenly Father placed those plants there because he knew I needed it.
I harvested it, collected seeds from it, and tinctured it. A few weeks later, (not knowing I could swipe a little after the first day or two) I used it. It wasn't more than a half an hour later, my bleeding completely stopped! Over the years a few people have told me that Shepherd's purse didn't work for them they way I had described. And that is totally normal some times our individual bodies' constitutions are not the same and some times an herb simply doesn't work for some people. But that is why herbalism is so great! It isn't a one herb fits all system. There is an herb for every person, and a person for every herb.
All because of one little herb, placed on this earth to serve, a life was saved. There is no going back for me. Herbs work. I have seen it time and time again with many different herbs and ailments. And the more I study, the more I want to share with the world the amazing thing herbs can do. Many well known herbalists state that herbal medicine is the people's medicine, it truly is. The knowledge needs to be unlocked and easily available for the general public to take control of their health.
My mission is to empower people to take control of their own health, whether by offering inexpensive high quality herbal products, or teaching what I learn about herbs through blog posts, classes, and Wanderings With The Weeds (my version of educational herb walks). I hope this website can be of great value to the herbal community.
I hope you will stick around, get to know me, and if you like the info I provide, let me know! I love to hear from you! Also if you would like to stay up to date or keep in touch, please feel free to like Wild River Apothecary on Facebook, Follow on Instagram & YouTube.
Warning step 2 may be considered graphic or triggering (Heavy Menstruation)
Fast forward a few years and we will find me suffering with extreme moon-time flooding. Not something I really enjoy talking about, but it is a huge part of my testimony of herbal medicine. There was a point where I didn't stop bleeding for over a year. Yes, you read that right. Some days were super faint, but others were so bad I could hardly stand up. Now, you may think I am crazy and only looked to herbs for help, well you are wrong. I actually only looked to allopathic medicine because frankly I just didn't know. The years leading up to what I call a wake up, were mostly me still going to the Dr. and doing as they say, pap-smears every year, Depo Provera shot (birth control) at 3 months postpartum because, "You are very fertile, and don't want any more children right now. Besides, you are 19." which lead to my first miscarriage (the pregnancy didn't show up on a test when they gave me the shot.) and the downward spiral of hormonal imbalance, and constant flooding. I continued listening to everything they would recommend but then looked up herbal remedies because something was drawing me to them. However, I pushed that call to herbs aside and did what what the doctor's said anyway. I did it because because I was scared. Actually, I was terrified I was going to die.
 |
| By Karol Bak |
Then the day came that started it all. I remember it vividly. My husband and I had just got our family a milk cow, April, and she had just calved a few weeks earlier, we would milk her twice a day. So it was after an evening milking, I was feeling particularly tired, sore, and stiff, (Note that I had been hemorrhaging constantly for about two months here) I decided to take a nice warm shower when I got in. It was hard for me to enter the shower and I should have taken that as a sign. But I didn't.
The water felt amazing on my tight muscles, and pounding headache. I remember turning to the back of the tub and feeling funny. I let out a small yelp, "Ike..." (my hubby), I don't how he even heard me, it was the tiniest squeak, but he came running, and opened the shower curtain pushing me back to the wall. Some how he knew I was passing out. He protected my head and lead me safely to the floor of the tub. That was a connection between husband and wife I had never seen before. He helped me up and I sat on the edge of the tub where he and my mom comforted me. My mother was an RN and was checking me over. I was nauseous. We called the ambulance but then decided my husband could take me to the hospital instead of paying for an ambulance.
So off we went, and when we got there I had many tests done. Apparently my hemoglobin was down to a 7.3. A normal menstruating woman should be around a 12. The suggested I get a transfusion, but I again was terrified, and said no. They sent me home with synthetic progesterone, and iron pills and I spent the next 3 days on the couch eating liver until I could get a doctors appointment. I went to that but had to sit down in the hall because the back of my head was pounding so bad and I felt like I was going to pass out again. When I finally talked to the doctor, they put me on birth control and said I should feel better in a few days.
Those few days had passed. I felt a we bit better but not much and I was bleeding even more!
Ike and I were going to check out a tree for some firewood, and on the way there I had to go because the bleeding had gotten so bad, so we stopped at the park, and I used the rest room there. We by passed the wood and I went to the ER one more time, this time my hemoglobin was 4.7. I should have been dead! I requested the transfusion that was offered to me at my previous ER visit. I was in the hospital for 2 days. I was given 4 bags of blood! And had it shoved in my face over and over that I needed to be on this birth control. I was offered 2 more liters of blood but I felt good enough to go home. So off we went.
 |
| By Karol Bak |
The progesterone and DIMpro helped immensely but didn't make the bleeding stop. That job was left for a plant unadulterated by man, a plant that has become such an ally to me that I had a botanical drawing of it framed and hanging on the wall of my apothecary. That herb was Shepherd's Purse.
My life became blood & bleeding, all I could think about was blood. Did I have enough? Would this move make my menstrual cup overflow? How much iron have I lost today? Can I get up? If I play with my son, will I faint? My mind was obsessed. The pages of the web zoomed past my tired eyes faster than one could fathom. My brain was processing massive amounts of information on natural hormonal balancing, heavy flow and stress, excess estrogen, birth control side effects, infertility, PCOS, endrometriosis, herbs to stop excessive menstrual bleeding, etc.
After what seemed like ages, I finally found it, (remember, it wasn't so long ago that knowledge of herbs and their medicinal uses was almost non existent on the internet) an article written by a Native American healer (unfortunately I cannot remember the name). The article stated that Shepherd's purse had been used traditionally for the very purpose of stopping hemorrhaging, from child birth and heavy menstruation. So after reading this article, I searched more and more the doors were finally opened, I knew what to search for and finally found many accounts of this plant helping women the way I needed to be helped.
After a long day of research, Ike told me I needed to get some fresh air and walk around outside. I stepped out the door and looked at our yard. It was covered in Shepherd's Purse!!!! That plant was NOT there the last time I was outside. Heavenly Father placed those plants there because he knew I needed it.
 |
| Fresh Harvest of Shepherd's Purse |
All because of one little herb, placed on this earth to serve, a life was saved. There is no going back for me. Herbs work. I have seen it time and time again with many different herbs and ailments. And the more I study, the more I want to share with the world the amazing thing herbs can do. Many well known herbalists state that herbal medicine is the people's medicine, it truly is. The knowledge needs to be unlocked and easily available for the general public to take control of their health.
My mission is to empower people to take control of their own health, whether by offering inexpensive high quality herbal products, or teaching what I learn about herbs through blog posts, classes, and Wanderings With The Weeds (my version of educational herb walks). I hope this website can be of great value to the herbal community.
I hope you will stick around, get to know me, and if you like the info I provide, let me know! I love to hear from you! Also if you would like to stay up to date or keep in touch, please feel free to like Wild River Apothecary on Facebook, Follow on Instagram & YouTube.
Wishing you blessings of health, wisdom, and happiness.
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