Health fads come and go. But the use of essential oils is one I’ve been buying into for over 2 years and will continue on. First, allow me to shed some extensive light on my background as to why I believe what I do now. But if you don’t have time and you are only interested in the essential oil part scroll through to the second half of this blog.
I grew up in a home where Dad brought in a very reliable and steady income as a pharmacist who worked for a big American Pharmaceutical Company. I remember at 4 years of age helping him tape bubble gum to antibiotic samples that he dropped of in pediatricians offices. I advanced into answering the phone and taking messages for him as that was the means to contact him in the days before cell phones. I loved to play in his office and flip through his medical books.
The time came for me to choose a major in college. To Dad it was obvious: pharmacy. But there were deep insecurities in my learning at this time. I had performed poorly three times on the SAT’s, struggled in high school chemistry, and never advanced to Calculus. This was just the kind of student they administrators planned to weed out in freshman Biology, Chemistry, sophomore Organic Chemistry, and Physics at WVU. Thankfully, I did land that small cello scholarship. Mr. Skidmore, my cello professor, made my private lessons therapy and the means to survive the college madness of survival of the fittest. But, one needs to make a living and the art world can be a scary one for someone who grew up with Dad bringing in a steady income.
So, I made a compromise. Science teachers seemed to usually be in demand. I really preferred my first job, teaching swimming lessons at the YMCA, to standing on my feet counting pills and charging people a lot of money. I negotiated with my that I could change my major to Secondary Education with certifications in Biology and General Science and if I earned good grades I could still do what he did, work in the pharmaceutical industry.
I upheld my end of the commitment. I graduated Cum Laude. It would have been Magna, but I hadn’t overcome my insecurities as a student until I completed on of my educational classes the second semester of my sophomore year. But I also liked my student teaching experience and sought work in public education first.
The high school I graduated from had a half day-long-term-substitute teaching position opened when I completed my undergraduate studies and secured my provisional state teacher’s certificate. They also needed both a head and assistant Varsity Boys and Girls Swim Team coach.
During the interview I think they were more interested in my possible ability to coach than teach. Their team had fallen into undisciplined shambles and needed help right away. I certainly didn’t think I was that individual. But I did agree provided they sent me for coaching training. Off I went to Philadelphia for a weekend to earn 50 units level 2- HS from The American Swimming Coaches Association.
I managed to apply this training and discipline at practice to earn the respect of the parents, competing teams, and took the Girl’s Team to win the District division. I was well positioned for the next full-time permanent teaching position in the school district. However, a conversation was reported against me that had political ramification against me.
A student who wasn’t in any of my classes or on my swim team approached me in my off teaching hours while I worked in the library. She asked, “Ms. Mucklow, I heard you’re a Christian. Is that true?” I replied, “Yes.” She proceeded, “Then how can you be a science teacher? You believe in evolution don’t you?” I replied, “Evolution is a theory just like Creationism is. There’s data to support both theories.” Excitedly she said, “Really? Where can I learn the data that supports Creation? I want to write a report for English class.” I offered her some of my books by Dr. Duane Gish, PhD and asked that she return them when she was done. A reading teacher over heard the conversation and reported it to my science chair person. I was reprimanded even though I sited all the statistics that I ran in “Evolution and Ecology” my junior year at WVU that should how major species adaptations that could lead to a jump in species turned out to be 99.999% fatal.
So, the district did offer me a full time teaching position the next year, but cut that 9th grade science position back to half-day. This was going to be tricky. In 1990 the Pennsylvania’s process for achieving a professional teaching certificate required that one teaches 4/6 years consecutively in the same district. Hmm do the math. I already lost one year with only half day credit. Meanwhile, I took it in hopes that a full-time position would open soon. A position did open up and it did before Christmas. Funny, during the interview, that conversation I had with the student was brought up. I didn’t get the job and I knew why.
A few months later, a health care recruiter called my dad to see if he wanted to change companies. He replied, “No, but you might be interested in talking to my daughter.” Susan Green from Health Care Recruiters in Pittsburgh help me to land my first job as a pharmaceutical representative for an American company.
I really didn’t care for the job and missed teaching for the first three years. However, it paid really well and had enough training of interest to keep me. I performed well, won some awards, and earned a promotion to move to the big cities of the NE to figure out a new sales job for the company to consider. I did well again, and earned a promotion to become a medial liaison for new drug development. But this new product I was assigned to was having safety issues, so the company cut our positions back so that I had to cover 1/4 of the United States.
Travel was fun, but scary, and hard on me. I gained weight, had no time to exercise, and started having asthma attacks in the hotel rooms late at night. I just wasn’t suited for this in my late 20’s. I wanted to get married and had no time to meet anyone. I did well again, was compensated handsomely, but I was discontent. A former colleague jumped ship to work for another company. She gave me a call. Would I go back into sales? For a healthier lifestyle, yes! So much to my former companies begging me to stay, I left.
Initially, I had a great time with this International Company. They had establish products that were market leaders, well published studies to back their claims, and lots of money to do business with. The later part was necessary because the only way we could convince HCPs to talk to us is if we brought lunch or took them out to dinner. None of us liked it, but it’s what we had to do in order to complete our work.
What I valued most is the privilege to sit in to listen to the morning rounds, noontime conferences, journal clubs, and Medical Grand Rounds. Gee, I was getting paid to listen to this while those medical students were paying exorbitant tuition fees to do so! I valued this so much that a few professors of medicine took notice and encouraged me to go to medical school. I seriously evaluated this, but realized that it was a bad business decision. Why would I go into that kind of debt when I already was making almost as much money as some of them? Plus, deep down I knew I didn’t have the health to work the hours that they did.
I was the company poster child. I took most of the medications I sold. So, I added personal testimony to the company lines cheerfully. And they knew it because they were the doctors who diagnosed me, wrote the prescriptions, and saw my improvement. But a few haunting questions would come up. What about the long run? Will tachyphalaxis (the body adjust to the drug and no longer work) occur? What about long-term side effects? I got what I deserved. Of course I assured them with the company line that all was well, but now as a middle aged woman, I suffer these long-term effects.
I bruise so easily. My skin is so thin. This is one of the long-term side effects of intranasal and inhaled corticosteriods. I’m also resistant to almost every antibiotic on the pharmacy shelf. I’ve gone under the knife (surgery) two times. I wound up applying for and being approved for disability retirement the first round due to my chronic sinusitis condition.
But one of the realities I didn’t consider was that I would not be able to afford to pay my 40% responsibility towards health insurance offered to me through my former employer with my disability income. Therefore, I gave up the insurance. I tried the Affordable Health Care Act, but was so infuriated at how expensive and incompetent the care was. Then I found out about Christian Health Share programs. This solution was helpful, but puts the emphasis on me to get well.
My mother, sister, and other home school moms were starting to use essential oils. I was highly skeptical. I tried a sample here and there, but found no adequate relief. Then at a conference, I was in so much discomfort I sought out the Young Living booth.
Cocco was offering a make and take bottle. I shared with her my discomfort, needs, and interests. She then suggested I try a mix she made on the spot for me. I immediately went the the rest room to apply. I was shocked at how quickly I felt relief. I ran back to the booth and signed up to become a member.
However, my credit card company stopped the transaction for fear that my card had been stolen. So I had to wait to go home and try again.
I had been going through a lot. I was in the middle of my third separation from my then husband and father of my daughter. I had an unpleasant departure from my 12 years in the pharmaceutical industry and teaching career. I gave way to fear and ordered the basic starter kit instead that retails for only $45 instead of the Premium Starter kit illustrated here for $165 that includes a diffuser. Do the math for yourself to see the value is much more than double.
Oh how silly I was. I wound up paying the price for the Premium Starter kit two weeks later. But, I’m glad I did. Because I realized that Young Living really offers an amazing introductory kit.
It’s been almost two years since I’ve started using their essential oils. I’m not thrilled with network marketing. It’s not where I want to spend my time. I’d rather write more blogs, publish another illustrated book like
read a book, teach piano, violin, cello or tutor. But, I will account that two years later, I have sustain the best health I have had in over 20 years without any of those maintenance prescription drugs. I also believe that facing all of my loss, heartache, and pain head on with a desire to work through it in order to grow and become stronger has contributed greatly as well. These in addition to adequate rest, exercise, and healthy eating combined have enabled me to live a pretty healthy lifestyle considering my underlying diseases. This is why I write this blog, to encourage you too.
If you’re ready to give essential oils a try, click here to become a member yourself.
https://www.youngliving.com/vo/#/signup/new-starter-kits
If you need more encouragement on facing the demons of your past and present scroll through my blogs.
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