No surgery for now.

I postponed Sam's ear tube surgery. I wasn't feeling comfortable with it for a few reasons:
1. The whole general anesthetic thing.
2. It's only temporary and isn't really guaranteed to take care of the problem when they fall out.
3. He hasn't had any infections since I took away the pacifier, gave him a new pillow and changed the carpet in his bedroom.
4. The surgery leaves a permanent scar on the eardrum, which does cause some amount of hearing loss.

So, I'm trying to utilize zoning for Sam. It's kind of like reflexology, but more specific. Thomas was kind of skeptical at first, so I would like to point out a few things about the body.
1. The body is a type of bioelectric/biochemical machine. The body works on electric impulses that come from the brain. The brain and other parts of the body produce natural chemicals that determine a lot of what goes on in our bodies.
2. Body systems need to communicate with each other for the body to work properly.
3. Parts of the body are connected to seemingly unrelated parts. Have you ever had an itch somewhere, then found that when you scratched it, it wasn't actually itchy in the spot you thought it was?
4. I was having really serious after birth cramping after Sam was born. It was definitely way worse than labor and delivery. My mom said she would rub my foot in the spot that corresponds with the uterus. I was going to say something like, "Whatever! No, don't touch me," feeling like there's no way it would work, and I was really hurting. She starting rubbing on that spot, and I got instant relief, no joke. Every time a cramp would come, Thomas would rub on that spot or I would do it myself if no one was there.

It makes sense to me that this form of making sure the body is all "opened up" to receive the biochemical and bioelectrical messages works.

I decided that I would give it a month to see if it is working out for him, but Sam is actually improving already. He started getting a cold (a runny nose), and I put thyme oil and peppermint oil on his feet in the areas that correspond with his ears, nose, eustachian tubes and thymus (the gland in the chest, just behind the sternum, that is the brain center for the immune system--produces T cells and other things that help protect the body). Next day, no runny nose. His language is already becoming more clear, and he is communicating more with me, using words. I believe that Heavenly Father has given us this way to help us take care of our bodies. I will let you know as more develops with this.

Addendum on Dec 22nd: When my mother-in-law was on a mission in Cambodia a few years ago, one of the women they knew was laid out on a table outside because she was dying. So, Leola went over to her and started rubbing on her feet. Everytime she hit a spot that hurt, she really worked that area, and then onto the next spot. She rubbed and worked on her feet (not like a foot massage, but really working those areas) for more than an hour, at least. When my in-laws were leaving Cambodia to go home, this woman practically jumped on my mother-in-law, hugging her and leaving kisses (they kiss with their noses, like eskimo kisses) all over her face and neck because she was so grateful. I know there is something to this.