Giving Western Medicine Another Chance

Throughout my life I have always struggled with digestion issues. When I was an infant my mother had to change my formula to a soy based one because my little tummy could not handle dairy very well. I remember as a child having Pizza Nights with our neighbours every second Friday night and often, I would have to go lie down after eating the pizza because of migraines and stomach pain. I have tried different diets and taken tests for food sensitivities multiple times. Two years ago, I stopped eating meat and cut down on my dairy consumption. I also cut out caffeine and alcohol almost 4 years ago. Still, I have struggled with digestion issues and for the past year, I have dealt with a lot of pain. I do not want to detail my struggles too much because, well, bathroom issues are not everyone's favourite topic. But I have decided to share this here because it is something very real that I have been going through and I know that a lot of other people share these struggles too. Just like alcoholism, it is yet another subject that we are brought up to feel is inappropriate to talk about. 

This past year, I have endured a fair amount of pain and I have not been able to regulate my digestion well. In the past my pain would happen in short spurts of time where I could always see the finish line. But since the beginning of 2019, it has been a bit of a downward spiral for me. It got to the point last week that even walking had become painful and I wanted so badly not to have to use the washroom for just a few hours. I realized that I needed to take action. 

Living in Korea, my experience with Western Medicine here has been quite traumatizing. For one, there is the language barrier which can make for some confusing and overwhelming conversations between the practitioner and the patient (me), but I have also found that the medicine they prescribe here is very mild, and I have spoken with other foreigners here who have had the same experiences. I had a rash last year that I received the correct diagnosis for but the cream that was prescribed to me did not work. When I came home to Canada and visited my general doctor, she prescribed cream for the same rash and it was gone within a day. I do not know what the reason is, but my body does not take as well to Western medicine in Korea. I even bring my own Advil here because I find Korean Ibuprofen to be ineffective. I have also experienced some traumatic health issues here in Seoul and have found that the approaches I received from doctors here made the overall experiences much much worse. So this is why I have avoided going to the doctor in Korea.

On the other hand, I have thoroughly enjoyed the availability and accessibility of Eastern Medicine here. I have seen multiple doctors that offer different services including Acupuncture, Chinese Cupping and Light Therapy for very reasonable pricing and effective results. I have enjoyed my experiences with these doctors who offer a calm respite from my busy life in Seoul. I have never felt fear or pain in their offices and so I have taken full advantage of their services with the help of my 'personal translator' (my wonderful hubby). 

I do believe though, that the best treatment plan for my digestion issues is one that incorporates both Eastern and Western Medicine. So this past week, I had to succumb to seeing a Western Doctor. After a very rushed and somewhat painful appointment with her, I left it looking forward to my appointment with my Eastern Doctor for some much needed rest and relief. I am now on an 8 week treatment plan with my Korean (Eastern) doctor and have a prescription from the Western Doctor for the next 2 weeks. Things are improving, and my pain levels have decreased immensely (!!). There is still room for improvement and my recovery has not been linear but I am finally seeing a light at the end of the tunnel which gives me such great relief.

Being a goof on a good day with my hubby!

Overcoming my fear of going to the doctor here was not easy for me. In fact, there is more to it than that. I have been resisting seeking treatment for my digestion issues because I think some part of me did not want to face the reality that my body is failing me in some way. There is a grieving process that I entered into subconsciously when I realized that my body was not bouncing back the way that I wanted it to. Maybe this is a part of turning thirty this year? I have always been a quick moving girl who loves to travel, and be out in the world. Suddenly, my body was not allowing me to enjoy doing those things all the time. My work schedule was taking more of a toll on me than I wanted it to. And on top of this I am sober, and have been for a while now so there is a part of me that just wants everything to be easier because I am sober now. My gosh it does not work that way. After getting sober, I actually started to become more in touch with my body and suddenly emotional and physical injuries and

impairments started to come to the surface more and more. I can understand now that the Universe waited until I was ready to deal with some of the more difficult events in my life until I was clear minded and ready for them. What a drag. I do have moments though, when I am very grateful for the fact that I am dealing with what life throws my way sober and not making it a million times worse with alcohol.

This week I have had off because of midterms at my University. I don't give midterms in my class, so the students can focus on their major class midterms and I get to have a vacation (Yay!). I have taken this week to stay home and work on rest and recovery for my body. It is not my ideal situation and I fought it for a while. I tried to schedule a vacation for myself, make plans with friends and even take an extra job. All of those things fell through for reasons outside of my control. I finally surrendered to the fact that I am meant to be home resting and taking care of myself. I have tried to embrace my staycation! After all, I will be leaving this beautiful life that I have created in Seoul in just a few months so it has been a great way for me to cherish my time here. 

I hope that the treatment that I am taking for my body helps and that I can get to a place where pain does not play such a large role in my everyday life. For anyone else who is struggling, I want to send love and compassion your way. I also encourage you to step outside of your comfort zone and try a new approach to your recovery. I resisted seeing a doctor for a long time and it only got me into a state of more pain. I think it is common for us to have fear around Western Medicine, especially when it has failed us and caused us a lot of stress in the past. I do believe that the best approach is a more holistic one that incorporates both styles of medicine. Sending love, good health and comfort your way!

                                                                             xoxo