Where Do I Draw The Line?
I had an interesting experience today that I am still digesting and attempting to discriminate what is my truth about it. Let me explain.
I have been attempting to find some way to interface with Western Allopathic medicine in some format that is both useful to my patient’s, while being one that benefits my own journey. In this adventure I contacted a local cancer center, attempting to offer acupuncture and Chinese herbal therapy as a complimentary therapy for patients undergoing chemotherapy. This is one of many area’s that I think these two medicines can work in a synergistic fashion to enhance the power and efficacy of the therapy. Today I had a meeting with the Director of Supportive Services.
What amazed me were two things. First of all I am amazed that he is supportive of my ideas (that is always a welcome surprise). The next area is the one I want to explore here, writing a research grant about using acupuncture in the treatment of cancer.
The issue that I have to get clear about is: Do I want to be involved in “research” acupuncture? The issue at hand is that in order to do acupuncture research I have to treat by ‘protocol’ (same points every treatment with no variation permitted) not based on what I feel in the patients’ pulses or actual current symptomatology. Is that truly following my Path, is that truly nourishing my own Destiny?
I do see value in doing research acupuncture. If I can be a part of the process of getting acupuncture into allopathic medicine it might be worth dealing with my own frustration of not giving my best treatment to each patient every time I see him or her. But the questions looms: “Is it really worth it? Is this real medicine, or what is it really?”
In my world-view it is my responsibility to give every one of my patients the best possible treatment every time I have the honor of giving her or him a treatment. If I am truly applying the lessons I have learned over the years then using a protocol does not fit into my idea of giving a treatment. My patient’s are constantly changing, just as everything else is. While I can appreciate the intent of testing to see if particular acu-points are scientifically, verifiably decreasing the patients experience of nausea; how does that fit into my perception of giving a patient the best possible treatment I can? Then again if a patient accepts undergoing acupuncture for research does that change my Karmatic responsibility of giving the best treatment I can? Or if I can force a wedge into the Western allopathic paradigm is that worth my own uncertainty or uncomfortability of the process?
JUST WHERE DO I DRAW MY LINE?
I have been attempting to find some way to interface with Western Allopathic medicine in some format that is both useful to my patient’s, while being one that benefits my own journey. In this adventure I contacted a local cancer center, attempting to offer acupuncture and Chinese herbal therapy as a complimentary therapy for patients undergoing chemotherapy. This is one of many area’s that I think these two medicines can work in a synergistic fashion to enhance the power and efficacy of the therapy. Today I had a meeting with the Director of Supportive Services.
What amazed me were two things. First of all I am amazed that he is supportive of my ideas (that is always a welcome surprise). The next area is the one I want to explore here, writing a research grant about using acupuncture in the treatment of cancer.
The issue that I have to get clear about is: Do I want to be involved in “research” acupuncture? The issue at hand is that in order to do acupuncture research I have to treat by ‘protocol’ (same points every treatment with no variation permitted) not based on what I feel in the patients’ pulses or actual current symptomatology. Is that truly following my Path, is that truly nourishing my own Destiny?
I do see value in doing research acupuncture. If I can be a part of the process of getting acupuncture into allopathic medicine it might be worth dealing with my own frustration of not giving my best treatment to each patient every time I see him or her. But the questions looms: “Is it really worth it? Is this real medicine, or what is it really?”
In my world-view it is my responsibility to give every one of my patients the best possible treatment every time I have the honor of giving her or him a treatment. If I am truly applying the lessons I have learned over the years then using a protocol does not fit into my idea of giving a treatment. My patient’s are constantly changing, just as everything else is. While I can appreciate the intent of testing to see if particular acu-points are scientifically, verifiably decreasing the patients experience of nausea; how does that fit into my perception of giving a patient the best possible treatment I can? Then again if a patient accepts undergoing acupuncture for research does that change my Karmatic responsibility of giving the best treatment I can? Or if I can force a wedge into the Western allopathic paradigm is that worth my own uncertainty or uncomfortability of the process?
JUST WHERE DO I DRAW MY LINE?
posted by Michael Clifford, L. Ac. | 8:32 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home