Keep Calm and Carry On

I bought a forty pound bag of salt crystals for the water softener. I don't have a water softener...
Why would I do such a thing?

Because it clears the energy. It grounds. You take them to hotel rooms (the pellets), they absorb the negative energy and when they are full, you throw them away. As a light worker, you can feel it. Right now they are about two meters away from me. All of them. It feels good. All it takes are a few to clear a space.

A lot of changes are happening in life. In the world. I am mindful that newspapers sell newspapers to survive, and news programs seek ratings for their own survival. It is not for the benefit of me, the slant by which it is presented.

Disconnect from that which makes you panic, or are afraid. Seek love and harmony and nature.

You can also buy salt pellets.

Have a good day, my friends.
I am so very thankful for a second day off. I have not had a full weekend off (Friday night, Saturday and Sunday) in a long time. I look to enjoy it.

Namaste,

Reiki Doc

Reiki to the Max

Whew! Dear Readers, yesterday's call was quite a day. Reiki got me through. I felt it, more different, than before. A human conduit of light in the clinical setting.

I took a nap. Code Blue rang. I no longer go to it, since ER Doc does, and medico-legally it is best to avoid risk. Then the phone rang in my call room. 'Difficult airway in SICU'. So I went.

Actually, I went downstairs to the OR in L and D. I got my Fasttrack intubating LMA. I ran upstairs to see the worst airway of my life, with an ER doc ready to try conventional direct laryngoscopy that I could tell was not going to work.

Sats were okay, until he induced anesthesia, paralyzed the patient and went in. Couldn't see a thing. Kept looking. Kept desatting. Down to 15% and the patient turned blue. Started to brady down. Death was within seconds.

He withdrew and we masked him up. I held airway and mask. Back to 90% plus. Then I inserted the Fasttrack. Got good exchange. But when I went to intubate, the tube was so old the plastic connector ripped the tip of the tube off. I asked for another Fasttrack. And the Glide Scope from the ER. And the difficult airway cart.

I had a c-section scheduled for five p.m. I was away from the labor deck and committed to this airway. If there was a crash OB would be without anesthesia services. I called for back-up. There was none.
The head nurse thought the epidural cart was the difficult airway cart. The poor thing ran. When the right cart came, the fiberoptic scope was pediatric, and the connections to the light source were not able to connect. Another anesthesiologist had arrived. I took a Glide Scope ETT, went through the Fastrack, got end-tidal CO2, then re-anesthetized the patient and took out the Fastrack, leaving the tube in place.
I noticed the teeth on the bottom had dislodged since the patient bit the metal tube on the Fastrack device.

Where was the Reiki? I was calm. The whole time. No fear. No  emotional letdown after the event. And everyone looked at me as the hero. Even the neurosurgeon for the patient when I saw him in the hall later. But even this did not register into my ego. It just was. I call this 'Reiki in action'.

Immediately after, I placed an epidural in a woman with a BMI of 54. I had to hub it and press in with the Tuohy needle. I put it in in less than fifteen minutes. During the whole procedure I felt and incredible tingling sensation coming through the top of my head, down and out through my arms. I was grounded and aware of this energy. Again, no anxiety. Just calm. Nurses looked at me like I did something special. But no ego reaction to the event. Just service. And the opportunity to do more good work.

Next was a c-section for HELLP, a life-threatening condition in a twin pregnancy. That went off without a hitch and was the smoothest OR procedure I had seen in months. No ego reaction. Just calm.

In the middle of the night, a woman with a spinal condition who had been told by her midwife 'no epidural' wanted one. I researched it. My assessment was that there was more to lose and less to gain by placing it. Conus medullaris syndrome, incontinence of urine and bowel. I explained it and offered nubain. She agreed. Confidence, no ego, no reaction.

Early morning, a nurse, senior who had worked the heart floor now headed up OB, could not place an i.v. I did. There was concern it was leaking. I reassessed. The connector was not right. We added a new extension to the i.v. and it worked fine. No ego. Just work.

I checked with all three of my patients to see how they were doing. They were glad to see me. This anchors the experience in their memory. No ego. No pride. Just doing the best for what is right.

This is not like me. I am an anxious and emotional person. I fall apart after close calls and emergencies. I am still standing. This work I am doing is not like before. It is different. I think it is a good idea to be open to Spirit when working in the service of others. I could not have done all of this on my own. Think about it.

Namaste,

Reiki Doc

Dear Patient

Dear Patient:

Your energetic imbalances lead you to surgery.

They are so out of whack and full of negative energies that suck the life out of you. My angels would not let me interact with you to heal your energetic body. Only to connect. It was an 'inside job' for them.

You absorb what you see. You weaken yourself with alcohol. I saw your liver, knotted and swollen, so big it wrapped around the gall bladder like a hot dog bun wraps a hot dog.

Only a very powerful surgeon could take t out without cutting you open or harming you. Only a very technically skilled patient could find an airway through all that obesity.

Your spirit was not clean. Your thoughts and mental patterns are you. Not the YOU that is a spark of God. But the You who gets to clothe it, make a mark in the world, and get It back.

I hope you start a new day, post-op day one, today, from surgery. Try to take responsibility for your thoughts and actions.

Namaste,

Reiki Doc

Grounding

One of the first things we do before start of surgery is placing a big blue sticky rectangle square on the patient. The grounding pad.

Electrocautery does not work unless there is a path for it to be a complete circuit. The bovie doesn't buzz and the surgeon will get angry and someone has to run and plug it in.

Whenever you do Spirit work, you ground yourself. To Earth. Imagine a tail pulling down deep to the very center of the Earth, and wrap it tight around it. Then imagine roots coming out of both of your feet, stretching down to the center of the Earth, and hanging on.

It is then that there is a complete circuit, and the Reiki Healing Energy can flow in.

Grounding is important. Drinking water, enjoying the out-of-doors and Nature. Being with loved ones. Touching a pet.

Whenever you feel out of sorts, stop and think, 'maybe I should ground myself?' Give it a try. It really works. When you are going through big changes, ground yourself as often as you need. Sometimes I just put myself in water--a tub, a pool, even my feet in a fountain. That helps ground you too.

Good luck and in deepest love for you my fellow healing human beings,
Namaste,

Reiki Doc

Reiki Birth

Dear Mother,

While you are in your labor, I help you with the pain of the contractions. I am an anesthesiologist, trained to place the epidural. If you go to cesarean section, I help you with this also.

You do not know me. I am female. I have had birth. By c-section. I went post-dates. The induction stopped at four centimeters, and I was taken to the OR. We talk about this, if the need arises to make you feel at ease with the childbirth process.

I work well with Doulas. I really like them. The very best Doulas understand my role as an anesthesiologist. They give the mother the okay to stop and ask for help if they think it is right. It is all about you. Really. It is. 'You are the Queen today,' the post-partum nurse told me as she helped me take a shower, 'for today you have given birth.' Her words affect the way I treat you, my patient. She is right. You are the Queen.

What you do not know, is that I am a Reiki Master. I teach Reiki. I studied more to become a Karuna Reiki (R) Master. I teach that too. My vibration is very high. On purpose. I work as a team with the Higher Realm. All Reiki light workers do.

When I scrub your back, it is a spiral. We are taught that in basic sterile practices in the OR. However, the spiral is also used to start a Reiki healing. I do BOTH when I start my work with you. I also ask Spirit for help, especially if your back is not straight, if you have fat or edema over the spine, or you are especially nervous. Also if your labor is fast, or baby is under stress.

If you have trauma in your past, I know. I feel it. My energy links with yours as I heal you. I understand the problems that you have with your husband. I have had that also. I understand molest. I have compassion for all you have experienced.

The space I select to place the epidural is not random. Although it is in the lumbar spine, I have a choice between a little higher or lower, depending on how easy it is for it to insert. This choice is always guided. I know 'you will not be happy at that level' if I aim for the wrong one. Believe me, before I tuned in, I went anyway, always having difficulty. Now I know.

My spiritual practice helps to ground the chaos of labor. My love from my heart, for you in your condition, comforts you. I ask about the baby to distract you while I work. I check, twice, to make sure the epidural is going to be right for you and offer you relief. As I place the tape on the back, I end my Reiki session, and the healing flow stops.

After your pain is less, I can talk. I find out what I need to know, and as I fill out my forms and start the pump, I reinforce whatever it is I think you might need to know. What is okay, what isn't with a running epidural. What to anticipate when the head drops into the birth canal. I set an example for you to stay calm amidst the chaos of new life.

Afterwards I check on you in post-partum. I want you to know I really care, and am honored to share your joy.

The hardest ones are the birth ball birth plan patients. They have no idea how bad the pain can get. They consider it a failure to ask for my services. I want to say I really know, and wish so much I could share 'you now have a Reiki birth'. This is so much better than trying to twist the fate to match your will. Your baby will be born in the love that is of Heaven. And your body will not have pain. You can actually enjoy your son or daughter's birth!
In thinking you have judged anesthesia to be what it is not. Relax and know I have your safety first, and always your comfort with the best of all realities. (I wish I could teach this to everyone who works on Obstetric patients, especially anesthesia caregivers like me.)

Welcome to the world new family. I hope you start things right. Enjoy your miracle: New Life!!!

Namaste,

Reiki Doc

The Proof of One (Patient)

I quote from an email 'letter of gratitude' sent to the CEO and Chief Nursing Officer at the organization where I work:

"Last August 3, 2011, I had my first major surgery...I felt a bit anxious & nervous. "

"I am writing to share with you all how happy I am with my whole experience @ your hospital & with your staff. I would like to make special mention each staff (sic) & the difference they made:

To Dr. C my anesthesiologist who explained everything that she...was doing and informing me what the "normals" are to expect after surgery. This really helped me after surgery, because I understood what was happening."

"...Whan 1 of the nurses asked me if I was in pain? I happily told her I was never in pain since the one & only dose of morphine given to me since surgery. Maybe its still in effect when I was being discharged already. She then replied 'mmmmm...its because you had a good doctor'. I did."

"...you all have my deep gratitude for being very professional in what you do, efficient in how you did your job & compassionate to your patients. I THANK YOU ALL."

Sincerely,

Patient M



So? What's going on here? Is it the robot (Da Vinci)? Is it the organization? Is it the Reiki?

Here's my thoughts:

This surgeon is very astute, calm, and grounded. He is like me in manner although we have not talked openly about it yet.  In response to her he said, "i am very proud of you...being a decent, kind and responsible citizens of this planet and appreciating all the goodness that she (the planet mother) can offer..." This is one very spiritually aware doc.

He sets the tone for the surgery.

Second, the health care setting has it's own culture. Like minded-individuals work here.
Third, Reiki is everywhere. I pray every day for the group at the hospital. Everyone. The prayer is for 'deep love and gratitude', a form of Divine Peace Healing. It is in the walls.

Last, the lack of pain medicine  is very Reiki. And the deep gratitude and responsiveness to compassion is very Karuna Reiki (R--trademark). Intra-op, this patient had a dose of Reiki, Deeksha, Karuna, balancing of her chakras, and possibly some DPH.

Whatever it is, this patient's experience is a model for what all surgical care can be. It is in the patient's best interest, and the hospital's to have everything 'go right the first time'.

Namaste,

Reiki Doc

Reiki Advanced Muses

Yesterday was quite different. I had two Reiki experiences that sound more like what would happen to someone else than me.

First patient was born on same day as my father, six years earlier, in same state in New England. She was going for cancer surgery, removal of primary plus mets to the liver. She was in her eighties.

While doing Reiki on her, she talked to me. Soul to soul, mind to mind. Like I do with my deceased patients. But this one was alive and had a mind that worked wonderfully.

She wanted to die. She had made a promise to take care of her husband. She had thought he would die first, long ago, but he hadn't. Cancer was a way to get out of her bargain. Indeed it was. Unresectable liver met.

I was surprised. I kept up with the Reiki, and  I attuned her to Reiki I. She woke up fine.

But the surgeon had shared what she told him--she had just gone home to say goodbye to all her family and friends a few weeks before discovering the tumor and having surgery.

The other learning was 'Reiki on the Go'. While walking back to my car in the Target parking lot, I saw a woman in her fifties with the unmistakable bandana on her head. Chemo. I felt compassion for the woman. Something told me to send Reiki to her as we walked. I did. Got the transition symbol in.

And the funniest thing? As I was 'blasting' away with pure love and Reiki healing, she turned around. And looked at me. I was in scrubs, for it was after work. But the wonderful Reiki energy made her look. Just like when you feel someone is looking at you. Neat.

Don't work too hard and have a nice day,

Namaste,

Reiki Doc

Snake feeding and the Power of Intent

My boy has a snake. Cecil is a 8 month-old ball python. I like him. He makes a good pet. Except for one thing: he eats live rats.

Rats scream. I have done a great deal of acceptance with the fact that the 'Circle of Life' was created by our Creator for a reason. The snake has to eat. Rodents would overpopulate the earth. But I have trouble with the duality that for one to live another has to die.

We pray when we feed the snake. 'Dear Jesus, take care of this rat. Let it not suffer. And rat, please say hi to Jesus for us when you are in Heaven.'

My son, a six-year old, does Reiki on his snake. And I have done Reiki on the rat. But still, strike, coil, and scream. I couldn't look at it.

The last two times were different. I REALLY could not tolerate it any more. (Earlier, before, a rat went in that the snake did not eat. I kept it for a pet and named it 'Lucky'. I felt that if one lived it would justify the death of all the others.)

The next-to-last time, I prayed with my heart for this one not to suffer. It was a small grey one, just a bit older than a pup. It lay still. It didn't run, or hide. The snake did something different. Like in slow motion, it yawned near the head of the rat. Then it coiled and the rat didn't fight. There was no scream.

I thought about that rat a lot. How brave it was, how accepting of its fate. I have clocked the time it takes to loss of consciousness--it is less than thirty seconds.

I didn't think there was a pattern until the last. A small one that looked like Lucky. I gave it Reiki for a good long time. With the Transition Symbol. I gave Karuna, too. When I fed it, the snake did not strike at all. It lay next to the rat, gently coiled it, and squeezed. This one too, did not suffer.

When the intent is true, things happen. Even if it is just a small as my not wanting to watch this drama of life-and-death in my home. It works. Reiki happens. Try it. You'll like it. Reiki today : )))

Namaste,

Reiki Doc

Reiki In the Neurosurgery Suite

Yesterday was a blur.

It started off at 6:30 a.m. putting a head frame on a patient in recovery room. This stereotactic device looks like a Christmas tree holder being applied to someone's head. The same screw knobs to tighten to hold something inside, but instead of flat metal discs, it had sharp points.

Then we go to the CT scanner. Again, under 'sedation'.

Then to the operating room. Head 180 degrees away, with sedation only until the burr hole (skull hole) is drilled. Then we 'wake up'. 

After careful positioning of the deep brain stimulator electrode, the neurology specialist 'quizzes' the patient to make surge the probe has not altered any other brain function. Open and close your hand. Count backwards from 100 by fives. Follow my finger with your eyes. Tell me the days of the week.

Once complete, sedation begins until the wound is closed and a new burr hole is on the other side. Repeat. And, after, sedate for CT scan trip.

This was the first time Spirit guided me to give Reiki to the whole room.

It was psychotic. A micro-managing neurosurgeon who is pleasant with a team that couldn't get the equipment right. I think he manifests small problems because he focuses on them. Even the scrub tech student dropped expensive little parts that were in the kit, and the surgeon had to make do. Until a serious part was missing. Then it cost $11,000 to open a new one. The rep had to run and get it from his car.

It was crazy. All of us hovering for four hours. Jumping at every patient whim. I drained pee from a bag with the nurse because the patient complained about how we took care of his need to pee the last time he complained. He complained about everything.

The whole time I was trying to feel it. Parkinson's. The energy profile, the behavioral patterns. I picked up that micromanaging or too much control of emotion can lead to it. And the predominating thought pattern shows up in the body, either as pill rolling tremor or rigidity.

The second patient had the worst restless legs syndrome I had ever seen. It was like restless body! It got worse with the sedation, so I gave less. It was a miracle they were able to do surgery at all. Good thing for head frames. She said it made her tired to do all that motion all the time.

I found the symbols for the head and the higher purpose to had somewhat calming effect. But not much. I had to cover her feet with a blanket to not have to watch. I really tucked them in every ten minutes as she worked and rubbed and kicked them off. 

Anyhow, although the day was suboptimal from a personal point of view (my work schedule and inability to do anything else during the case), I learned a lot.

And after picking up my son, a supplier came to the house he was at. A spiritual man. Upon seeing me he said, 'Wow! Look at your aura! It is white. You are an Earth Angel. You could power Los Angeles with an Aura like that!'

That being said, this Earth Angel has to go get ready for work. ; )

Namaste,

Reiki Doc

Case Report 2: In the GI lab and Case Report 3: MRI

Today I worked in the Gastroenterology Suite and in Radiology. These are remote locations. Anesthetizing is more complex because I do not have the option for true general anesthesia. I have to keep the patient breathing on their own, no matter what the procedure entails. Both of these cases I present because of the effect Reiki had on patient care--indirect. It was Reiki to the environment, the team, and the providers that enhanced patient outcome.

Case 2: GI Lab

Gastroenterologist was late. He was upset with his staff. The patient had not stopped her aspirin for seven days before her scheduled esophageal dilatation. This was to be the first in a series. He was flustered, angry and verbalizing this in front of the patient who was partially sedated in anticipation of his arrival to the gastroenterology suite.

I looked at him with mindfulness. No one got defensive, not the nurse, not the endoscopy technician. The patient lived in a board and care, and most likely the message got lost on their end. I stayed in my vibration of love and gratitude.

This patient was not an easy one. Technically, she had no chin, a pacemaker, and a very long list of problems that made anesthesia for this a 'challenge'. I always had done this with an intubated patient before at my prior work setting. I was homed in on the challenge and nothing could sway me from my duty on this case.

I also trust in spirit so much more after my 'short break' in Europe. It is not 50-50, it is like 80-20 with Spirit taking more of the work. I knew everything would happen for the best for this patient, even though there was this risk of bleeding and the dilation had to be delayed.

After finishing his rant, the Gastroenterologist caught himself. He stopped. He spoke about Emotional Intelligence, and how it is so much a part of patient care these days. It is what sets apart the best.

I smiled.

He thought about it and chose to take a look. This woman could not keep down solids and had lost 70 pounds without trying. What he thought was untreated GERD with the big scope turned out to be a sliding paraesophageal hiatal hernia when he changed to the pediatric scope and went past the stricture.

The woman needs surgery. No dilation. He put her on a high-calorie liquid diet.

I set the tone. Although the patient was a poor historian, she could notice the suffering, and she is on the right path to heal. I think Reiki played a part of this.

Case Report 3: MRI

This 83 year old woman was 'a piece of work'--in other words, a drug-seeking frequent flyer who drives the nurses nuts. RN gave report to me on my arrival, and asked, 'is there any way we can move up the case?'

I studied her laundry list, grounded myself, and came to her room. When I asked how she was, I was surprised she started with her problem from the right shoulder injections to the left shoulder not being the joint but degeneration in her neck. She was terribly anxious and would have benefitted from some anxiolytic right then and there.

With love in my heart, I listened. I assessed. I touched her arm and said everything is going to be okay.

She got more nervous. I laughed, inwardly, for being sent such a magnificent patient on a gorgeous Friday afternoon. I explained politely that I would love to treat her anxiety, but if I did, she would agree to anything and the consent would not be valid. I promised I would treat her claustrophobia as soon as she came to the MRI suite. I also made sure when her next pain meds were due.

Transport was delayed because 'she was in excruciating pain'. Once the RN, who is also a mother, promised her I would give her 'lots of medicines' at the end of the trip, she quickly agreed and asked for a wheelchair.

So her and her sleep apnea and list of problems made it to the MRI. With love and Reiki Master attitude,   I started with the case. Spirit told me what setting to put into the propofol pump. One hundred twenty micrograms per kilogram per minute. I have never used that setting in my life, and do no plan to (usually I would pick 125 or 150 or increments of 25). But it worked.

On the way back to recovery, the transport RN and MRI techs and transport tech remarked 'this was the smoothest MRI with sedation we have ever done. It was seamless.'

In the elevator, the RN commented again. I said my specialty was the 'fibromyalgia patient' (AKA 'piece of work' or PITA: pain-in-the-ass for you non-medical folk). She was stunned and blurted out,'you have a good soul!'.

I do.

Namaste,

Reiki Doc