Masso Institute

Peppermint the Decongester

Mentha piperita had always been something I carried on my person.  Most of my patients often complains of airway congestion and I had given to a lot of Peppermint to the end stage patients to help cope with their lymphoedema issues.  First it dries up the fluid a little, next it is a wonderful anti spasm and of course it decongests the airways which will also fill up with water and that’s the way most of them pass on, from respiratory failure due to congestive obstructive pulmonary issues.

One of my last stage colon patient who was under my palliative care had been with me since Feb this year till July, until she departed she had like others before her struggled with breathing in the last 2 weeks, her sternocleidomastoid muscles were so straining till it’s visible on her emaciated upper body, loud rasping sounds were coming from behind the oxygen tube and she was wearing a mask that was spraying medication for airway dilation.  I was only visiting at this stage to give support to the family and her carers the room was filled with her immediate relatives, they had been told by the hospice doctor that she will be going anytime now.  So I rushed over to say my goodbyes and tried hard to fight with my tears.  In an effort to distract my emotional self, I decided I should do something about her breathing…

I performed a simplified MLD on her neck and sternum to stimulate the lymph nodes there, I couldn’t touch the face because of the mask.  After 5 mins of therapy I concluded with dropping a couple of drops of peppermint on the front of her neckline and on her sternum.  I left the rest with her family members.  As I was washing up and leaving one of the sister in law exclaimed that she is breathing easier and much less noise then before… they were all quite amazed as all the drugs were not really effective for her.

The next day I received a surprise message from her sister, “she woke up in the evening after you had left, she asked if Veronica had been here to massage me”  she talked for a while to the sisters and family and asked why everyone is gathered in her room… the hospice doctor was so surprised he had visited her, “she even said that the doctor is handsome” said her sister and had asked for her hair to be brushed into place, she wanted to look neat, she laughed.  After talking for a while and being alert for a few hours, that night when she lay down to sleep as her usual routine, she slipped back into unconsciousness again she hung on for 10 more days and passed on peacefully after the monks had finished chanting their prayer for her at 2pm exactly on 9 of July 2010.  May she rest in eternal peace.

Rosemary the Mucolyctic

I have currently on my hands 3 persons who have had radiation therapy to their heads done for treatment of their cancer, 2 of them 1 male and 1 female are both tongue cancer patients who has been treated with massive surgery chemotherapy and radiation in 2008 2008 and 1 is a 78yo male who had nasal pharyngeal cancer 18 years back and had only been treated with radiation.  All of them complains of lack of saliva secretions and of difficulty in swallowing food and talking for more than a few minutes because their throat will become irritated from dryness and they will start coughing.

JT had the female who had recovered from a stage 3 tongue cancer, had been with me the longest since 2008 immediately after her surgery.  I had helped her in various ways then using aromatherapy sprays and oils for anti-radiation spread to treating of multiple ulcers and radiation burns etc… So I finally decided to try Inula after her repeated complains of mouth dryness and her constant need to clear her throat.  After performing MLD on her face and neck, I applied Inula neat on her sub mandible glands and throat.  I waited for any skin reaction, but there was none, then I sent her home.

The next week, she came back she said she felt different, a lot more moisture had appeared and she needed lesser water for a couple of hours immediately after.  She had asked for more Inula.  So my idea of turning the thick phlegm discharge into a more watery  format had worked…I decided to try Rosemary Cineole, a more economical version of mucolyctic.  She took one home and used it 4 hourly a day as I instructed applying it neat on the sub mandible glands, throat and even one the lower maxilla glands.  She came back very happy the next week, she reported she could speak more and she chatted happily with me during her session.

I then introduced this idea to the 2 other men who were also reporting the same dry mouth and throat issue, and with the 78yo NPC case, it was even good for his congested sinus, as he started applying it to the sides of his nostrils.

The daughter of the 78yo had dropped by my place one sunday night after 4 weeks of therapy with her father, was so happy that she had to come over and give me a token of appreciation she said “my father could eat more tonight, during dinner, I saw him eat bigger chunks of meat and he even had a 7-Up” she gushed.  So I realized he could hardly manage his food because his throat bleeds a lot all these 18 years and she had noticed the difference.  “He even sang karaoke” she beamed at me.

New Aromatherapy Seminar by Dr Kurt Schnaubelt

Date: 6 & 7 March 2010

Venue: to be advised

Plant Language is for Everyone

Most aromatherapy courses teach therapists how to treat patients. Plant Language speaks to the individual. Where conventional courses give the student a list of essential oil properties, Plant Language encourages personal experience. Simple, non threatening applications are suggested to observe one’s own individual response to specific oils, thereby building a repertoire of physiological knowledge.

The suggested encounters with essential oils can provide valuable pointers towards fundamentally improved health. The real benefit might accrue when we need essential oils to heal as we already have the confidence to use them effectively.

Sign up now and enjoy the early bird special price of $299.00 only for the first 20 after which Before 31 Dec 2009 the price will be $369!  From Jan 2010 it will be Dr Schnaubelt’s published price of $395 don’t miss this special price!

More details on the course on www.vyaroma.com or contact veronica@massoinstitute.com or 93873867 for course outline and registration

22 International Lymphology Society Congress in Sydney

22nd international Society of lymphology congress @ darling convention center, sydney 21 to 25 sep

Thank God the Congress is over… phew!!

It was a eye opening experience for me at the 22 ISL Congress, to meet the numerous professors researchers, surgeons,  doctors, nurses, physiotherapist, lymphodema therapist garment suppliers, machine suppliers, even a feisty lady who promotes the bouncy ball.  It was a sharing and converging of a wide myriad of skills and experiences with the presentation set at 7 min per speaker it was really fast a furious flashing of slides and talking, so you can’t help but try not to blink. In general there are 3 groups of treatment approaches, the conservative manual therapy method supported by the Germans, the Liposuction method supported by the Swedens and the Lymph Vessel Anastomosis Micosurgery method supported by the Italians there was much to learn and much more to discover… so the journey continues…

Congress Party

After all the intense seminars, it’s time to relax and boogie woogie…

Congress Cruise   

Nope that’s not alcohol in my hand…

Veronica is now a Leduc graduate

To further advance herself in Lymphology field, Veronica studied with the Leduc method of lymphoedema treatment.  It was very science and evidence based.  Most of the work and technique reasoning was backed by more than 300 cadaver experiement making this method very effective and highly efficient especially in complex lymphoedema.  While this method concentrates on lymphoedema, the Vodder method has a wider range of condition coverage such as varicose veins, and joint management techniques as well.  Veronica hope to attend the advance level of Leduc method, when time and money permits… perhaps next year.

More details on www.vylymph.com

The Art of Aromatherapy Reopens!

It has been some 3 years since I have made the heart breaking decision to give up active aromatherapy practice and teaching due to overload on my lymphology work with my cancer and non cancer patients, i had to make the choice because there is no other help available and the patient’s needs are urgent. I am now happy and proud to announce the return of The Art of Aromatherapy, my company I first started with, together with my new partner Annie Lim who is a well established and well qualified Aesthetician who will handle the non medical cases.

We have been busy working on setting up our little treatment room right here under my roof and for the last one month in August, we had received some clients already. Indeed it is such a blessing to receive such support from our loyal friends and current patients.

Introducing the unique combination of established aesthetic techniques and cutting edge nano technology. Using micro and nano frequency, the brains behind the Perfector is non other than the original inventor of the heart pace maker Gerry Pollock and the Nano Technology expert Dr Xanya Weiss. Together they have produced the Nano Perfector which is non-invasive, skin rejuvenation computerised device that builds new tissue, lifts sagging muscles, purifies and detoxifies transforming the skin within one session. Come and experience this unique state of the art technology. More details on www.vyaroma.com

My 10 Year Journey

That’s how long I’ve been in this business since 16 June 1997, the day I registered my business after half a year of injection therapy following my surgery for my stage 4 endometrosis, I had survived it and had made a decision to stay in a business that I hardly knew anything about i.e. health care. With nothing but a massage bed and some massage oils and a bedroom space in my mom’s home, I started work as an Aromatherapist and left my corporate life behind.

Looking back…

God has indeed worked greatness into my life, coming from a corporate environment in administration and secretarial work, I chase the same dream every young person had, I wanted all the 5Cs too, cash, credit card, condo, etc… I was half there, I had a good executive salary, stable job, but not happiness and certainly not my health. I have lived the life, eating from hotel buffets, having my hair treatments every other week, pamper myself with new clothes every month, rubbed shoulders with people of influence, I wined and dined and socialized. But I was feeling empty and used everything material to try to fill up that feeling.

Wanted to repay kindness….

When I left Arthur Anderson, I already had endometrosis, I was confused and scared, don’t know what the condition is all about, it was totally new to me that my health is vulnerable at such a age. I was job hunting and found an offer with an International Merchant Bank, when my former boss offered me a position in his company as a Training Administrator. The salary was much lesser, but he was kind to me while I was with AA and he had given me opportunities to grow and I wanted to return his kindness. I accepted the position and came into the Beauty Industry to set up a training institution. It opened my eyes to a whole new world, first thing I learn about was Aromatherapy. Then massage, then I wanted to know more, I could see my body was responding to it my insomnia was better, muscle aches was soothed, my eczema was better, my stress was lesser… my passion was fired.

Recuperating from surgery…

By the time I had surgery I had just finished my IFA exams and I knew in order to heal well, I needed time, so I decided to put off work and started working as a part time Aromatherapist from home just to see if it works out. It was a series of withdrawal symptoms for me, I gave up my credit card, my manicures, my hair appointments, my social life, my hotel buffets, my new clothes, most of all I assumed no corporate identity, I realized it is the hardest thing in the world when people ask what your job is and you want to be able to impress but come off being obscure. As time passed I learned to accept this new life, God brought people to me, and from their contact and life, I learned and grew in a way I have never grown in my corporate world. I learn to care for others, think of others, humble myself, I learn to be patient, understanding, and feel their pain. I began to like myself, of what I have become, I have found myself as I gave up myself. I decided not to worry about tomorrow, it was entrusted to the Lord, I will live each day to my fullest and make use of each opportunity to appreciate what I have been given, a second life, a chance to give love and a chance to live with passion.

Never looking back…

It has been 10 years since the day I took this step, I have no regrets, of course I had many struggles on this long journey, it is a hard juggle between family and work, I have been tempted many times, by generous offers, but every time I try to get over the excitement and remember my promise to the Lord to heal his people and let him take care of things for me and accept being humble. So I have grown and grown and grown so much, my personal evolution is amazing, I never known I could have achieved this much, between studying, having children, working full time and running a business and teaching, I’m still a one person business now with 3 other therapist helping me, someone called me an octopus I think she might be quite right… ha ha ha

Thank you one and All…

Most importantly, I would never have make it without you all, all your love, encouragement, support, care and concern, you all are more than just my students, my clients or patients, you are all like my good friends, my sisters who have shown me in so many ways how RICH I am in your love and how LUCKY I am with your support and loyalty. Many of you have been with me through the years, see the many milestones I had, I am sure you will be with me to see me through more good years. For that I THANK YOU ONE AND ALL. I pray for God’s blessings upon you all to keep you all and your loved ones healthy and safe. Once again, words cannot express my gratitude, but I am sure you can feel what I am trying to say. THANK YOU!