I
was conscious of the need to ‘balance’ Carolie’s metabolism. In yoga
and other ancient therapeutic practices, the idea of balancing bodily
energies is central to healing. I was
aware of various therapists working in Canberra with a reputation as
healers.
Just as I had organized
acupuncturists and a samvahan practitioner
to assist balance the natural healing rhythms, I was keen to explore various by-ways
of chiropractic techniques, with its focus on nerve function and restoration
through adjustments to the spinal column.
I knew that variants of this approach used extremely gentle
manipulations of the spine.
With help
from a fellow yoga instructor I arranged for a highly recommended
therapist to treat Carolie in the ward room.
I cleared this with the physiotherapist manager, and other
therapists. I checked with nursing managers
and the ward social worker. The
neurosurgeons had cleared the way for an acupuncturist to treat Carolie on the
high dependency ward. We assumed this
less intrusive technique would present no difficulties for medical staff. Wrong!
The
day of the first treatment was the last.
The therapist moved Carolie to her custom designed table, which was
better suited to treating the patient on their stomach. The technique involved very gentle pressure
to the spinal area for fifteen minutes.
Immediately Carolie responded favourably – her breathing was easier and
she felt better.
A senior nurse not in
the ‘loop’ decided the therapy was outside the ward regime and rushed off to report
to the ward manager, the formidable 'lady-in-charge'. She descended with great gusto to find the
therapy session complete. She 'ordered'
me to meet with her and other colleagues immediately. “The Queen's croquet ground” with associated
threatened ‘head lopping’ loomed large as I prepared for yet another dangerous
bend in the labyrinth.*
A
rapidly convened meeting confronted me, including the aforementioned senior
nurse, one of the physiotherapists (not the manager I had spoken to earlier), a
social worker and the 'lady-in-charge'.
It felt like an extraordinary Star Chamber process with me at its
centre. I was asked to explain who the
therapist was and the basis for her treatment of Carolie. I was called to justify myself in a way I
found demeaning and disempowering.
I
knew Carolie would benefit from the treatment course – I had seen her response
to the earlier therapies. After one samvahan treatment her response was
overwhelmingly positive. During the
initial treatment of about twenty minutes’ duration Carolie indicated her
breathing felt easier and she responded well to the gentle manipulations of her
lower spine.
Despite my reasoned
arguments on the obvious benefits the clear message from the 'meeting' was that engagement of outside
therapists was against hospital 'policy' and that I would have to seek approval
from a rehabilitation specialist to continue. It was also clear the
lady-in-charge would brook no opposition to her authority. I thought of displaced posters and Alice's
dismay at white roses that had to be painted red to appease the Queen.
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