This week, I spent extra time in the clinic observing patients
as well as being a patient. My student intern suggested that I do
weekly Russian steam hydrotherapy treatments for detoxification,
stress relief and overall immune support. There are two phases to
the treatment.
The first phase is pretty intense as you start out in a mini
steam sauna for 20 minutes where only your head is exposed. The
intern takes your temperature and pulse every five minutes to
ensure you don't get overheated, and offers you sips of water to
keep you hydrated. After you get good and sweaty in the sauna, you
transfer over to a hydrotherapy table.
This second phase of the treatment is spent lying on the hydro
table wrapped up tight in a wool blanket and sheet that has been
soaked in ice-cold water to induce sweating yet again. Yes, you are
expected to climb into the cold wet sheet and wrap up! The contrast
of being warmed in the steam sauna and then wrapping in a cold
sheet is an important part of the treatment. It is typical to see
the body temperature decrease by a few degrees after transferring
from the steam sauna to the cold sheet wrap, but it will quickly
rise again once you are wrapped up! This phase can last anywhere
from 30 minutes to two hours
I only lasted 30 minutes in the wrap but my intern said that the
more I get the treatment done, the longer I will be able to last in
the wrap. We will see how I feel by the end of the month after a
few more Russian steam treatments!
BBQ and Baby
This weekend some friends and I got together for a barbeque and
to hang out with our friend from school, Fayaz, and her 3-month-old
baby boy, Layethe. Layethe did very well considering he was being
passed from stranger to stranger! I know it must be hard taking
care of a new baby and trying to finish out two more trimesters of
school but Fayaz defiantly does a great job.
It made me realize that sometimes we can get so wrapped up in
our school weeks that we forget that life outside of NUHS does go
on. Although my reality is not taking care of an infant at this
time in my life, it makes me realize just how much I do take on.
With 30 credits, student clinic, two gardens, blogs, and work, I
couldn't imagine adding even one more thing on right now. Not to
mention it is summertime! It was really nice to finally get to meet
little Layethe and to end the weekend with an amazing
barbeque!
Garden Update
We have been slowly sprucing up the garden with plant markers,
fencing and a new watering system. The plants seem to be taking off
and are thriving. The only thing left to do is work out a watering
schedule and the garden should be set!
