Sick So Young But Well At Last

Article #1: Sick So Young, But Well At Last!

The Juliet Groll Story by Paulette Groll

Juliet was born December 7, 1979. She came into this world drug free (but within her first year of life this would drastically change), a beautiful, 7 lbs. 1 oz., full-term baby girl. We were thrilled! After nine years of marriage we finally had our baby girl.

Three days after her birth we were told we would have to leave Juliet in the hospital nursery because of a high bilirubin count. Reluctantly, but obediently, we agreed. Mother and daughter were separated long enough so it look days to reestablish breast-feeding.

After this episode I believed we were off to a great healthy beginning. This was until Juliet’s “well-baby” checkups came along. Each one was more disturbing than before. “Her weight is still down.” “She’s so far off the (weight) graph she isn’t even in the running.” For months her legs did not rotate properly in the hip sockets. (This later corrected itself.) Her skin was pale and looked transparent. She was losing some gross motor movement. At six months the test for cystic fibrosis was just around the corner. Fortunately, this never happened. Our temporary “solution” to our daughter’s weight problem was the magical “formula.” Yes, her weight increased, but at the same lime, another more serious problem was on the horizon.

Juliet had an ear infection. The usual treatment was given—antibiotics. We thought nothing of it at the time. But what was to follow brought much thought and change into our lives.

From this first ear infection our journey down the long road of one ear infection after another began. Constant probing, ear “floodings,” lab tests, hearing tests, along with ear drops and more antibiotics. A few months later came the ear “specialist” with more “specialized” equipment which terrorized our little girl. On one visit it took her mother, two nurses and the doctor to hold her still so the doctor could get a better look. As Juliet worsened, the medical visits out of town increased. A week without antibiotics and she had a roaring infection. Constant pain, illness, and exhausting examinations filled Juliet’s life. For months we dumped antibiotic after antibiotic into her precious body. We ran the antibiotic gamut, then repeated them over and over.

At this point I was just learning about Natural Hygiene. Having followed the diet, along with weekly 24-hour fasts for eight months, we were considering (very cautiously) Natural Hygiene for Juliet. A Christian counselor friend had introduced me to Natural Hygiene. After years of therapy for depression, counseling, along with the principles of Hygienic living, brought me tremendous freedom and health. So, when he suggested trying mashed banana instead of formula, we decided to give it a try. This was the beginning of Juliet’s introduction to the world of Natural Hygiene.

Now we found ourselves torn between the world of medicine and Natural Hygiene. A natural diet of raw fruits and vegetables, with nut butters was being topped off with antibiotics for dessert! We were told this long road of ear infections hopefully would come to an end—after surgery. Self-dissolving plastic tubes were to be placed through both eardrums. I asked to read the medical textbooks about this procedure but was put off. By this time Juliet’s ears were bad and her hearing was minimal. We had no encouragement to resist. So, out of ignorance and desperation we allowed our 13-month-old to be hospitalized in January of 1981, and surgery was performed.

The surgeon told me, “We really like to feel justified in doing surgery on such a small child. In her case it was justified. The liquid behind her eardrums was like glue. If this doesn’t work, there’s nothing more we can do.”

We really were hopeful. We wanted an end to all this misery for our daughter. And we thought that end had come until another ear infection came along. Then another. We were on the same journey down that same long road again! Juliet was on “antibiotic row” until she developed a reaction to a common drug. Her body was covered in red blotches from her toes to her chin. She was given adrenalin. When still another antibiotic was prescribed, I declined. My only thought, “There just has to be another way.”

Out With the Old, In With the New

My Christian counselor friend had recently told me about a place in Hollister, California, the California Health Sanctuary. He was going there to fast under the supervision of a Hygienic practitioner. I had been interested in going for myself. By now, my thoughts were on Juliet’s immediate need. Could a one-year-old be fasted? We had many questions and concerns. With a feeling of nowhere else to turn, my husband and I made an appointment with the Hygienic practitioner at the California Health Sanctuary. Everything he said about the body’s being able to heal itself, and that fasting provided the best environment to do so, made perfect sense. He explained that healing is a normal body process which goes on all the time in relation to the amount of energy available. During a fast, the body can save all the energy usually used in eating and other activities and use it to cleanse, repair, and restore itself. Juliet’s body needed repair and restoration for sure. So, a week later, April 27, 1981, we arrived at the California Health Sanctuary to embark on a totally new experience.

I knew this would be a unique experience and began keeping a journal the first day. Mother and daughter would stay at the Sanctuary, while father and son returned home. We did not know how long this separation would be.

Juliet walked and played outside all afternoon. The Sanctuary is beautiful and perfect for a toddler to explore. We began getting to know the staff and other fasters. All around us was a spirit of love and sensitive caring. Juliet was given a bottle of distilled water. She always had her bottle close by whether for thirst or comfort. She quickly entered her fasting experience by vomiting a little on the second day. Her breath smelled of anesthesia, so did her body and diapers. As the fast progressed, her nose and ears drained and she had upper respiratory congestion. All this was her body’s way of eliminating the poisons within.

While fasting, Juliet enjoyed being outside in her crib or going for long walks in her stroller. She would look up and give me her special smile as if to say, “I understand I’m getting well.” It was a special time for both of us. We were totally together. I held her much and slept with her cuddled in my arms.

On day eleven of her fast I knew Juliet was on the road to recovery. Her symptoms were slowly lessening. Still, I was anxious. How much longer would she fast?

The most difficult part of Juliet’s fast was not the fast itself, but others’ reactions to us, as parents, fasting our child. Some of our dear friends (who knew us and trusted us) thought we had lost our minds. Many could not understand our new approach to health, and a few would not even respect our right to choose what we thought best for Juliet. But none had walked in our shoes. None of these people had been forced to seek a health alternative as we had been. How could they understand?

Yes, there were days I was tired and ready to go home, but the strength always came. God used all those at the Sanctuary in a beautiful way to give Juliet and me all that we needed to go on and see that her body was restored to health. My husband’s support was invaluable. He didn’t have the benefit of seeing firsthand Juliet’s body healing itself. He had to rely on my secondhand information. Also, he did not have the fellowship of the Sanctuary people, those who already knew the healing that was and would continue to be taking place in our daughter. We were trusting the principles of Natural Hygiene through faith, not experience.

A Good Sign Appears!

Day twelve the drainage from Juliet’s ears became “runny.” This was a good sign! When It became like water and then stopped altogether the fast would be nearing a close. Day thirteen Juliet’s ears drained liquid but she was congested. This would have to clear before she was ready to break her fast. Day fifteen the director gave his first and only prediction as to approximately when Juliet would be ready to break her fast—two or three more days! I was excited until the next day when Juliet showed a lot of mucus, ear drainage, and congestion. As the fast came to a close (day eighteen) her breath was sweet, her body and diapers had no odor, her chest was clear with no drainage from her nose or ears. Her ears were healthy for the first time in nearly a year! Her eyes were bright; her face alert. Day nineteen came and Juliet was breaking her fast. She really ENJOYED her first fluid ounces of diluted, fresh-squeezed orange juice. It was a JOY for me to give it to her.

We stayed on at the Sanctuary while Juliet was gradually placed on a diet of raw fruits, vegetables, and nut butters in proper combinations and in modest amounts. Now, seventeen months old, she was also given bottles with freshly-prepared juices (apple, green leafy vegetables, and orange).

It was time to bring our daughter home. This was just the beginning of health for Juliet. She is twenty-six months old now and doing fine.

Try Natural Hygiene for yourself and your children. It’s a great way to live!

Reprinted from Naturally, The Hygienic Way, April, 1982.