3-442.12.04
Case by Anton Kramer.
Woman, 80 years old, incontinence for urine.Her main complaint is urine incontinence.
Her speech is slurred, as though drunk. It is slow, almost impossible to understand. The movements of mouth musculature are difficult. She is also not clear in what she wants to express: beating around the bush and hesitant. She often changes subjects.
In the past she had a CVA with paresis and speech problems. These improved almost completely; in recent months the problems returned a little.
She is chaotic, not organised. She wants to keep notes of her problems and improvements, but does not succeed: “That is a weak point of mine. It is my negligence”. She is afraid to offend someone: “I am a coward, I do not dare to make my point in discussions”.
She says: “I do not open myself to people, do not tell about my complaints or emotions. I make a joke instead. I am somewhat superficial; the good thing is that that keeps me out of discussions and fights. I can enjoy meeting all sorts of people.”
Uncertainty. “Emotionally I feel rickety, wobbly”.
In her forties she finally finished High school, then studied two languages. When she finished she was a rather good teacher. But she did not dare to work, unless she was invited to. Then she was happy for a moment.
“So I did not do much with my life, did not accomplish anything. And now I am in the end phase of my life.” In a way she was capable; she seemed to function well. She raised two children, assisted her husband in his company. But she kept feeling very insecure in everything. “How can it be that my children are happy?!”. But when the children accompanied her in consultations I understood that their upbringing was not easy all the time.
“I am full of contradictions. In several respects I am very capable and conscientious. And I can enjoy life intensely. But emotionally I feel wobbly and uncertain and incapable and shy. In my life I started many things, never continued nor finished them. And I did not dare to take responsibilities. I do not like parties. I hate small talk, I want to hide”.
One of her children says she is strange. “She does not say what she wants, she agrees with everything, everybody and she says she understands everyone’s position!”. She herself says: “It probably has to do with my youth; I did not escape the system. I fitted myself in in the structures and I functioned quite well most of my life.”
She is, on the other hand, optimistic, refined, takes things easy, enjoys life very much. She often reacts laconically in matters. She loves to read, already as a child.
She was born during World War II in Germany. Her mother was very tense and afraid. She knows there must have been many bombardments but she does not remember them. There was famine during and after the war. During the French occupation her mother was raped several times by soldiers. She herself realised later that she must have made herself very small, keeping quiet and not demanding anything from her mother. But her nature was more lively, outgoing, stubborn. She must have wobbled back and forth.
She missed her father very much in her life. He was in the German army in World War 2. Her parents did not see each other for four years. When he finally came home for a short period (because of a funeral in the family) she was conceived. Her father came home after the war and had his internment when she was three years old. He was great; our patient was deeply connected to him. But he died a year later due to an injury.
Her parents wrote each other letters every day during the war. Both were in essence lively and joyful people with slightly eccentric friends. Her father was very warm and, in the short time they lived together, gave much love.
Her mother had a shop during and after the war, doing rather well considering the circumstances. She was a good business woman, the shop grew steadily. “She was very focused on her work, so I had much freedom”. At the age of thirteen her mother took her from school to work in the shop. Her mother was domineering, did not allow her to choose a study; she had to do the study that was needed for the business of her mother.
AnalysisFerns: blocked child development, and recently old age retrograde development: losing speech and mobility; slight incontinence for stool, but intense for urine.
Blocked child development caused by war situation. Intense shyness. Many qualities, but not able to really engage in society.
Iron series:
Polypodianae, 3-440.00.00: not escaping the system, just fitting in in the structures; ‘functioned’ quite well.
Carbon series:
Polypodianae, 3-442.00.00: strong incontinence for urine; loss of speech, loss of father.
Subphase 2,
Cryptogrammoideae, 3-442.12.00: deeply insecure behind her functioning; did not dare to act in life; coward; uncertainty; hide; agrees with everything; on the sideline.
Stage 4: Coniogramma emeiensis 3-442-12-04; coward; uncertainty; hide.
Prescription: Coniogramma emeiensis C30.
Follow upAfter six weeks there is a clear improvement. Her incontinence is much less. Her speech is clearer both in pronunciation, as in the train of her thoughts. She talks a little faster. She is still a bit chaotic in her life, and still very tired. She can sleep again after breakfast, especially when she is alone, and less when there are other people around.
After 10 weeks she calls by telephone and tells that she seems to go backwards, though not as badly as before.
Prescription: Coniogramma emeiensis C200.
After 5 months she is much better. She is more lively, active, has better speech, and her incontinence improved. She is much fitter, more in contact with friends and family. And in this contact she is much more self-aware and self-assured than ever before.
What adds to the situation is that her daughter got a closer look at her lifestyle. That helped to improve her daily rhythm and also made some improvements in the toilet. This saved patient many hours per day and in doing so also much energy. But before this help a big shift was noticed already. And she could 'receive' help and tips better dan before.
All in all: she and her children are happy, as she is emotionally much more present and aware. And she is, more than ever, able to express her desires, and her opinion. This makes it easier for people to relate to her. Her daughter was irritated with her whole life, because the patient never was open nor direct, so is now happy because she can relate to her mother for the first time.
She has been in treatment since one year.
Before Coniogramma emeiensis she was doing quite well for half a year, on
Cannabis sativa.
Cannabis sativa was indicated because of incontinence, confusion, happy, joyful, nothing troubles, loquacity, slowness of speech, speech wavering, incoherent. Later
Barium aceticum was combined: shyness, blocked in her child development. But she did not improve further, and her speech did not improve, nor her tiredness.
More than 20 years earlier I saw her for a while. She then reacted quite well on
Aluminium muriaticum and later on
Aluminium silicatum.