As anti-infective agents, I used [xiii]Golden Seal and [xiv]Echinecea, [xv]Amantadine and fresh [xvi]St. John's Wort from my garden. I continued to use [xvii]Motherwort to keep on an even emotional keel. At the doctors' offices, the nurses asked what substances I was taking. I told them “herbs," and they wanted to know which ones. When the list reached about fifteen they told me to forget it and just keep doing what I was doing.
Finally, for magic and acceptance, I approached the Crone. The timing was perfect. Mabon, autumn equinox, is the last grain harvest and the time for gathering fruit, roots and nuts. There were open rituals the weekends before and after Mabon. The next Sabbat would be Samhain, the blood harvest.
When the nurse called to confirm my appointment, I told her that this visit would be my interview of the surgeon, and not just his evaluation of my case. It was very important that I made sure that he knew from the outset that we would be working together as a team.
Given that the doctor's patronymic was Lim, I thought he was Chinese. To confirm this, I asked the nurse if he was Asian. She sounded a little startled, and said yes. I then asked where he had been born. When she told me China, I told her how pleased and relieved I was. I figured that although he received his medical training in the United States, his fundamental background would be more in line with my approach than some cut-em-up member of the College of Surgeons. (I'm a wort witch and an herbal healer, and I hold grudges.) I know a doctor who is a vascular surgeon and loves slasher movies. Would you want this person approaching you with sharp objects while you were unconscious?