ANNA'S POST

I am doing the post this week as Elmer is down with the flu that John had.  One thing about John is he minds what his Mother says.  Elmer does not mind what his wife says,

When he got ill, I told him to go to bed - our children would take care of the farm while he was ill, but he did not listen.  I woke up the next morning and Elmer was not next to me.  Once I got up and looked out the window, he was in the barn milking the cows.  I knew there was no sense arguing, so I went and helped him.  Of course I mubbled how he should be home in bed.

After feeding the animals, we had breakfast.  He wouldn't even let me take his tempature.  Out again, he went to do chores.  It was a hour or so later, he came in and admitted that he didn't feel well and went to bed.  When he awoke, he was sicker.  Finally, I got a tempature and called the doctor.  Elmer would not go to the doctor, so the doctor came to us.

Our doctor is a man doctor, but he is getting up in years and considering retiring, so he does not do house calls anymore unless absolutely necessary.  He has a new doctor who will be taking over his practice when he retires - she is a lady doctor.

Now Elmer has nothing against a lady doctor for a shot in the arm or to look at a cut on his hand and alike, but he does not like a lady doctor that comes in his bedroom and sees him in his night clothes.  He feels that is just not right.

Well, the lady doctor has been through this before.  She explained that he did not have to pull down his blankets or quilts.  She also explained that she understood how he felt, but he would not come to the office to the man doctor, so this was the best he was getting at home. Elmer, for once, did not know what to say.

She took his blood pressure, temperature, etc. and prescribed the same medicine the other doctor gave John.  In fact, she called it into the drug store.  I called our daughter Alma to go and get it for me, which she did.

I offered the doctor coffee and some muffins, I made and we sat and discussed medicine.  She said that the other doctor has said that us Amish have our own medicines and ways.  He called it back hills medicine, and that I was one of the leaders.  I told her I didn't know he felt that way.  During our conversation, I explained that there was a time there were no doctors or the people couldn't afford it.  There are many natural ways that we can use it.  Also I explained that I only go so far as I knew Elmer needed a doctor - I had toget the  medicine to cure him.  I went into what kind of tea, I will give Elmer to drink.  Certain foods he can eat at this time and some he shouldn't.  Many of todays medicine that the doctor uses are part of natural medicine.  She was very interested and wanted to know if she could come back and talk to me again.  I told she was welcome anytime.

I apologized for Elmer not being happy with the lady doctor.  She said many men are that way Amish and Englishers - they prefer a man doctor.

Oh, someone asked if we get flu shots.  No, we do not.  We believe that any illness we get or don't get is God's will.  If a doctor says a patient should have it, Bishop Eli will approve it, but most of us don't get shots - we trust in the Lord.

Right now Elmer is on the mend.  He still won't listen to what the doctor says, but I make him take the medicine.  Went out to milk the cows, but two of our sons and one of our son-in-laws were there and ordered him back in the house.  Elmer can be stubborn sometimes.  Yes, he knows I am saying this.  Still, I couldn't ask the Lord for a better man.

Trust God's Wisdom,
Anna