Miraculous Millet

When one thinks of Spring Break, one thinks of vacation, relaxation, drink in hand, warm weather, etc.  Life is great!  You dread going back to work and wish you could just squeeze out a couple more days or weeks of vacation, right?  My Spring Break 2013 has been FAR from what has been just described.   So far away you wouldn't even see it with that telescope from Macklemore's song Thrift Shop.  It all started with a fever on Saturday and proceeded into vomiting and much more.  I have had to wash bedding twice, my couch once and LOTS of underwear and shirts in between.  My body has knelt next to a little girl's body in the bathroom while her whole body convulses as she's throwing up for what seems to be the 15th time.  Meanwhile you have a hungry, active 20 month old who is throwing everything in sight and doesn't understand that his play mate can't do the usual hide-and-go-seek games at the moment.  As my daughter was losing pretty much everything in her body and not able to keep anything in, I decided to consult my Chinese Medicine book called Healing with Whole Foods by Paul Pitchford.  I looked up "vomiting" and "diarrhea".  What I found was right in my pantry....millet.  I was a little surprised, but what the heck?  Supposedly millet soup ceases vomiting and a bit of a thicker millet concoction, such as a porridge, is supposed to thicken stools.

As I was making it, I knew in my head that my daughter would snub her nose at it because she hates millet and she's the kind of kid that doesn't like anything out of the norm.  I didn't tell her what I was doing or what I was making.  All I knew is that there wasn't going to be any sweet talking about it.  It was either eat it or I am going to have to take you to the hospital.   She ate it....about 7 bites of it.  I have to admit, it was bland, very bland.  The results - EVERYTHING CAME TO A HALT!  From then on, she sipped water slowly and started to recover.  It could've been timing or it could've been the millet. Whatever the case may be, you can be sure that in the future I will be trying this again.  

I am thankful and grateful that we are on the mend and trust me, I will not be trying to squeeze any days out of this Spring Break.  Monday will be a refreshing day as I enter back into work.  Perhaps summer vacationing will go a bit smoother.  I can see it....relaxation, warm weather - I am ready!