“What is Lazy, Achy, and Flaky!”
Mom! No one, and I mean no one, (except for Linda Santini), is going to get your reference to Johnny Carson’s “Carnac the Magnificent”—a skit he used to do on the “Tonight Show”!
They’re not?
No!
Might I suggest that we move on to the Death Report, which is very bad this month! A month ago we lost baseball home-run legend and right fielder for the Atlanta Braves, Henry “Hank” Aaron, at 86.
He will always be remembered as the home run king who broke Babe Ruth’s long-held, 39 year record.
Hank Aaron was my hero! I’ll never forget when I heard the news on TV. The news commentator said, “When we come back (from commercial) we remember Hank Aaron.” I said, “What? What do you mean we’re going to remember Hank Aaron? What are you talking about? Why do we have to remember Hank Aaron? He’s not dead is he? Would someone please tell me why we have to remember Hank Aaron???!!!!”
Well, yeah, he was dead, alright; and I had to sit through 4 minutes of commercials to find that out. Very upsetting!
Breaking Babe Ruth’s home run record was not an easy feat, mainly because Ruth was such a legend that the idea that someone might replace him, never mind a black player? OMG! It was apparently too much for some fans of baseball to handle! Hank Aaron was subjected to an increasing number of death threats as he came closer and closer to Ruth’s record of 714 career home runs. Here is a vintage clip of Babe Ruth of the New York Yankees:
Babe Ruth
But, fast-forward to 1974 and the highly celebrated day that Hank Aaron hits his record-breaking 715th home run at his home stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.
Sportscaster, Vin Scully, reports it on air as follows:
“What a marvelous moment for baseball, what a marvelous moment for Atlanta and the state of Georgia, what a marvelous moment for the country and the world. A Black man is getting a standing ovation in the Deep South for breaking the record of an all-time baseball idol. And it is a great moment for all of us …”
Apparently baseball has it’s own hall of fame and Hank Aaron got inducted in 1982. I had no idea.
Oh, he’s in the Hall of Fame, alright!
Which brings us to February. Sadly—and you might want to sit down for this, Mom—we lost Mary Wilson of the Supremes.
Aaaaah!!!!! What??? No way!!!! Mary Wilson????? This is a disaster!!!!!
She was 76. I certainly did not see that one coming. The Supremes, by the way, had 12 #1 hits!
Here’s one of them now! The Supremes from 1965:
How can Mary tell me what to do, when she lost her love so true…
“Back In My Arms Again”:
Good-bye, Mary. It isn’t fair!
I suppose we have to start the Quiz now.
Who’s in the Quiz this month?
Carlos Von Flurgg.
Who? What kind of a name is that???
All the other names were taken!
What was wrong with “Carlos”?
I’ll let his mother tell it. Basically, he’s a procrastinator, he puts everything off to the last minute, has to be nagged to do anything, and he’s off to college in 5 days!
Well, that’s just great!
____________________________
Hi Elaine,
My son Carlos is leaving this Saturday (September 5) for university. His main complaint (mine, really!) is procrastination!! Funny enough, I guess I’ve been procrastinating about talking to you about it! I was hoping he was going to spring into action – hahaha. Procrastination has always been part of his personality. We have been nagging him to get packed and he has been, but, with great effort/nagging from his parents! He still hasn’t printed out a list, is winging it, etc. My husband and I were thinking that he has shelter (student residence) and food (flex meal plan) – maybe he needs to figure the rest out for himself. He’s already reached out to his roommates and they’ve been communicating on what they can share, etc – so that’s good, at least. He has been away from home before and did very well (but also didn’t pack until the last minute). I’m more concerned because he’ll have to set the schedule himself, unlike high school where everything is done for you. I want to give him the best tools to succeed! I’m not sure how much cooperation I’ll get from him to complete the Questionnaire, but I’d like to try.
So, if you could let me know if you’re able to take his case, that would be great. But, if it is too rushed, I completely understand as well!!
Thanks,
Patsy
Adolescent Questionnaire
Adolescent’s name: Carlos Von Flurgg
Parent’s name: Patsy Von Flurgg
Address: [Place]
Telephone number: 555-5555
Parent’s email address: ****@gmail.com
Date: August 31, 2020
Gender (male or female): male
Weight: 134 lbs
Height: 5’ 10”
Date of Birth: 2002
Body type: average height/thin.
Nationality/race: Canadian (English ancestry)
_______________________________________________
- What is the chief complaint?
Procastinating
Knees hurt
Dandruff, large flakes, itchy scalp
- When did the problems start if not already mentioned?
Carlos says that he was dealing with his emotional stuff and wasn’t really procrastinating. (Mom & Dad) – elementary school, he would procrastinate when he didn’t want to do something – and say it was fine and be very stubborn about it.
In Grade 8, he lied to us saying that a project was already done – when it wasn’t. He had a girlfriend then who was very controlling as well.
Knees started hurting in Grade 8 to 9.
- What aggravates your complaint/s?
Missing meals makes him more irritable, hard to have a conversation with him, gets easily frustrated.
Certain kicks in swimming irritate his knees or long-distance running.
- And now the opposite of #3: what makes the complaint, or you, better?
Eating seafood (favourite food) makes him happy. And, generally music makes him feel better. Being active really helps.
- What is the worst time of day for you?
Morning upon waking – feel sluggish.
- What symptoms accompany the chief complaint?
Right knee constantly aching, if used feels sharp pain. Left knee only sometimes.
Dandruff – large flakes
*************************************
- (This question is for Mom and Dad only, and all questions up to and including # 11, though Mom and Dad and friends, etc. are certainly welcome to add their “2 cents” to any of the other questions too!) What was the pregnancy and birth like?
Pregnancy – a lot of nausea. Took nausea medication for 2 months.
First ultrasound showed cyst on head. Next ultrasound, cyst disappeared but new cyst showed on kidney, was non-existent at birth.
His heart-rate stopped during labour and an emergency C-section was performed. But was born breathing normally and was fine.
Breast-fed for 9 months.
- Father’s health at time of conception:
Father had good health during conception.
- The child’s milestones:
Early to speak (11 months), Started teething at 3 months, walked at 14 months. Toilet trained in 2 days.
- Was the child vaccinated?
DPT, MMR and Mennigitis.
- How did the child react to the birth of a younger sibling? How would you describe his or her childhood from your standpoint?
He gave his brother one of his special blankets when he was a baby. Very sweet boy, very happy boy. Caring towards his family and people in general. Never rushed into anything – if he saw kids running to do something, he would stand back and observe first. Struggled with close friends through grade school and high school. Struggled with girlfriends (meeting girls who would treat him nicely, sometimes letting them walk all over him).
*****************************************
- How do you react to school?
For the most part, he really enjoyed school. Struggled with time management on “big projects”, had to constantly remind him to do homework.
- How do you feel about spending the night away from home?
No problems.
- How do you feel about traveling?
It’s something I enjoy but not crave all the time.
- Give an idea of how much prescription drug treatment you’ve had over the years, and for what?
Antibiotics a few times for inflamed tonsils.
- Any skin conditions treated with cortisone-type cream?
Eczema (6 months) – temporarily treated with cortisone cream. Stopped and changed diet and used homeopathy.
- Did you have an especially severe childhood illness? Explain.
No.
- When you’re ill or upset, to what extent do you want sympathy, consolation and support; or would you prefer to be alone?
When he was younger, he wanted consolation and support. But now, prefers to be alone. But, will reach out to his parents to talk it out.
- What are your well-meaning friends and relatives always trying to change about you or help you with?
My friends say “be more positive about myself”. My parents say, “try to plan out your study schedule”.
- What feed-back do you get from teachers, school counselors, camp counselors, coaches, etc.?
If we could have more kids like Carlos in our classroom, that would be great. He is very polite, very courteous student. Very well put together for presentations (oral presentations done very well).
- How do you feel about and treat animals?
Likes animals but not too affectionate with them.
- What foods and drinks do you love?
Seafood, sushi, spicy foods (hot-spicy), Red-bull, green tea.
- What foods and drinks do you have an aversion to?
Apple juice, carrots, eggs and pork.
- Do you desire ice or ice-cold drinks?
No.
- Describe the kind of eater you are.
Wishy-washy – trying to change that now but before would just eat whenever. Usually no breakfast – because of no appetite in the morning. Before, would sometimes forget to eat but he is now trying to have a better schedule (trying to put on weight).
- What fears do you have?
Used to be afraid of spiders but that is getting better. Heights used to bother him but not so much anymore. Afraid of not being enough for people I care about in my life (close friends and family) – and that I would be a disappointment for them.
- Do you tend to be chilly or hot?
Neither.
- When are you most likely to perspire and where on your body?
Underarms, sternum area.
- How affectionate are you?
Don’t like to show too much affection.
- How sympathetic are you? (Concerned with the suffering of others)
Very much so.
- How affected are you by music?
Love music, one of his passions. Can amplify emotions for him.
- What emotion tends to predominate in you?
Mellow.
- How neat or messy are you?
Very neat in his bedroom (makes his bed everyday) but sometimes surrounding areas can be a little untidy.
- How sensitive are you to criticism or reprimand?
I like constructive criticism – feel like I’ve built a thick skin to it. I work to improve.
- Do you have any digestive complaints?
Bowel movements every day. Never really been constipated (only as a baby for a short time).
- Any complaints with sleep?
Sometimes hard to get to sleep (thinking too much).
- Any skin issues–warts, moles, rashes, acne, etc.?
Acne, small amount (chin and forehead), blackheads mainly on nose. Scalp is quite flaky (very large flakes) – not really itchy but tends to pick at scalp to remove flakes.
- What is most striking, defining or characteristic about you?
My curly hair. Left-handed and ambidextrous.
- How cooperative are you?
Very cooperative, likes to get along with others.
- What’s standing in your way of moving ahead, making progress, reaching your goals?
(Mom & Dad answering) He says not really anything. He’s lacking in motivation and having attainable goals. Has big dreams and says he going to do a,b,c but struggles with getting started. Fears failing at the first try (saw this with sports, art, etc). Analyzes in his head before physically trying it and then gets very frustrated when he can’t get it right the first time.
- How often do you get sick?
Once a year with a cold (typically swollen tonsils, sore throat). Has had large tonsils all his life. Allergies sometimes in the summer.
- Ask your mom what illnesses run in the family.
Cancer – maternal grandmother (died 59), dementia – maternal grandfather. Rhuematoid arthritis/psoriasis – paternal grandfather. Diabetics (paternal grandparents). Maternal grandmother (thyroid cyst) and Paternal Grandmother (thyroid removed), kidney stones, high blood pressure.
- What do you really love to do?
Being active and being creative.
- Time-line (you may need your parent’s help):
Birth – Emergency C-Section
Age 3 – front tooth went black (unsure if it was a fall?) had to be removed.
Age 4 – thyroid glossal cyst was removed (day-surgery), no reoccurrence
Grade 9 & Grade 11 – issues with friend group – was “ghosted”, felt very hurt and alone.
Grade 10 – concussion from football game.
- Are you on any drugs or supplements at the moment, if not already stated?
Zinc (always tend to be low), paraguard (for parasite) and vitamin C.
- Do you throw the covers off at night or stick your feet out of the covers?
Covers on, feet out.
- Please give me an idea of what you eat/drink in a day.
Late morning (11:00 am) bagel with cream cheese
Lunch (1:30 pm) – meatloaf
Dinner (6:00 pm) – chicken fingers w/green beans
Snacks – popcorn/noodles (11:00-12 pm)
- Who’s a difficult person or persons in your life and why?
Grandmother (always criticized him, her racist comments, older mind-set).
- Describe your nature.
Very considerate, cool and collected, doesn’t really show too much emotion. However, is very open to talking to his parents about issues, problems, etc. Family orientated – loves his brother and is close with his parents.
- What do you want to change about yourself?
Wants to be 6’ tall and wants his knees to stop aching.
- What happens to you over and over again (the “story of my life”, as they say)?
In school, leaves things to the last minute. (Mom & Dad answering) His poor school performance in grade 11 was, in our opinion, directly related to his girlfriend. He was constantly getting pulled and manipulated and wasn’t focusing on school.
He finds new friends and they eventually “ghost” him and he becomes upset. This has happened twice. He has a core group of friends that have stuck by him but when he searches for more friends (perhaps, cooler friends?) – they don’t last for too long.
- What are you most proud of?
My musical knowledge.
- What makes you cry?
If friends hurt him but he says he doesn’t cry a lot.
- What makes you angry? What do you do when you get angry?
Can feel frustrated but doesn’t really feel he gets angry.
- What bothers you most in other people, how do you respond to it?
When they’re not punctual. Gets disappointed.
- Describe your thirst/drinking habits.
Thirsty at night but not during the day.
- Sleeping: Any issues here?
Not really. Sleeps on his back, covers on but feet out.
- What are you sensitive to?
Clutter in his room. Allergies – pollen/ragweed.
- Anything note-worthy about your appearance or your voice?
Curly, mid-length hair.
- What really gets on your nerves?
Build up of clutter and lots of problems all at once.
- What’s your ambition?
Still figuring it out.
- Describe your energy
mellow but energetic with physical activity.
*********************************************
Answers to follow-up questions:
Hi Elaine,
I’ll try and answer some of your questions.
So, I would say he’s naïve and trusting. With his Grade 8 girlfriend (not the same one in Grade 11) – I think he was naïve and trusting and then didn’t know how to get out of it. She was mad at him one day and slapped him in the face in front of friends, and I think for the first time, he stood up for himself and yelled, “What the heck did you do that for??!” Apparently, she quickly became quiet and then apologized. The girlfriend was very bossy and with him being 13 – we stepped in and told Carlos he needed to end things. He actually lied to us and went behind our backs to see her but did quickly break up on his own with her before we discovered his lie. Once he stood up to her, it was like it was more of an attraction for her. She was still pining for him for the entire Grade 9 year but after breaking up with her, he never looked back.
I think in regards to the Grade 11 girlfriend, he didn’t think too highly of himself so would put up with her shenanigans just to have a girlfriend. I think once he’s had enough of being walked on (and he does thankfully get to that point), then he’ll break up with them. And once, his mind is made up – he doesn’t want to look back.
Patsy, how do you reconcile Carlos being a procrastinator and disorganized with making great oral presentations in class?
The presentation comments were Carlos’. I think he was referring to a couple of his presentations that he did well on in English (he really enjoyed the topics). But, I don’t believe all his presentations are done to that extent in every class. At times, I think Carlos amplifies the positive to make himself feel better. I would say he does well in classes but is not consistent – his energy nor his follow-thru aren’t consistent.
He said he’s also anxious and hasn’t been sleeping well because he knows he’s moving and is going to be 5 hours away from home.
Dear Patsy,
I’m thinking the remedy is __________30C, 3 times a day, in water, with five succussions before each dose. A striking improvement means stop dosing for as long as the improvement lasts. Also, if he gets worse, stop dosing.
Hi Elaine!
I gave Carlos his first sip of the __________30C in water at 11:35 am (as he was waking up), and around 1:00 pm he asked his dad if it was ok if he took the car to meet his friends for a milkshake. What?!?! He never asks to take the car! In the past, we have had to push him to take the car to see his friends, run errands, etc! I will keep you posted, but, this is truly amazing! And, just for curiosity sake, is the remedy stronger in water than just taking the pellets directly?
Yes, stronger.
He also packed last night – his dad said he could leave it till the next day but he did it before he went to bed. He even asked about the bedding (which has been washed/folded and sitting on a chair for the last two weeks)? So, cool!
Hi Elaine,
Carlos just called and, although we didn’t talk for long, he sounded great. Things seem to be going really well with his roommates and he appears to have settled in well. He was buying his school books online today as classes are starting on Sept 9 (what?! Isn’t leaving it till the last minute?!!). I asked him about his knee pain and he said it’s still the same.
Thanks,
Patsy
Five Months Later:
Hi Patsy, please tell me how Carlos is doing.
HI Elaine!
We’re going to see him on Wednesday of this week (it’s his reading week) so I can get more info then.
But, I would say his procrastination has greatly diminished since he’s done very well for his first semester. I don’t think his dandruff bugs him anymore since he’s not constantly itching his scalp on FaceTime calls as he was before. But, I believe his knee pain is still there. Carlos previously said it was just a constant ache but he can ignore it, so I still don’t know what that means. He did say that very strenuous exercise can exacerbate it for a few days.
His girlfriend is absolutely lovely and it appears they have a good relationship and really enjoy each other’s company. Also seems to have a good relationship with most of his roommates. He had an issue with one of them being loud until 3 or 4 in the morning, and Carlos spoke to him about it. Not sure if it’s resolved because he kept on doing it so Carlos has escalated the issue with his Resident Administrator. But, Carlos dealt with the issue head-on!
And, he drove 4 hours from university to the cottage today in snowy weather and overall seems in good spirits. Btw, he took his car to university after Christmas (he previously had no interest in driving at all).
Talk soon,
Patsy
__________________
Alright, everybody, that’s it! Do you know what the remedy is? Write to me at [email protected] and let me know. The answer will be in the March ezine. See ya then!
Votes:
Nat-mur
Sulphur-4
Lycopodium-3
Medorrhinum
Carcinosin
Hello Elaine and Shana. It’s Lori D from NYC.
Hi Lori!
I tried to come up with something as catchy as “lazy, achy and flaky” which definitely sounds like the title of a country western ballad.
It does. But don’t worry, I’ll come up with something for you!
OK, so:
Used to like consolation, now prefers to be alone
Lori, remember, use common sense! He’s an 18 year old boy. He’s not going to go to his mother for consolation anymore, he’s going to try to work things out by himself. Actually, his mother did say that he was willing to talk things over with his parents.
Well behaved as a child
True. And he’s still well-behaved.
Grief or disappointments in love
Actually, his mother said he’s completely over the girl who was mean to him. She said, “Once he breaks up with a girl, that’s it for him, it’s over!”
Holds in their emotions
No, Lori; he’s a boy, he’s 18. We don’t expect him to be “emotional”. That would be quite surprising.
Highly sensitive, easily offended and hurt…dwells on past criticism from grandmother
We don’t really know that he “dwells” on it. Because I didn’t ask too many follow-up questions about the grandmother, we don’t know how significant this criticism was.
Deeply affected by music
Aversion to mental work difficulty of thinking
No, I didn’t see that in the case, that his thinking was the problem. It was the constant need to remind him to do his homework or pretty much anything.
Desires fish, salt and tea
He does love fish. But in general, it’s pretty common to like these things; unless there is some obsession with them, we should probably stick to the mentals to find the remedy.
Thirsty at night
Dandruff is large flaky white
past issue with eczema
Worse in the AM, feeling sluggish
Lower extremity issues with knees
My guess is Natrum muriaticum.
OK, Lori, I’ve got it!!!!! Check this out:
Yo, it’s Lori D from NYC
And I’m here to tell you all about my Rem-e-dy!
I read the case and I know for sure
That what Carlos needs is a dose of Nat-mur!
Peace!
It’s as close to a Country-Western song as I could get!
OK, you know what? This isn’t going to get us anywhere! (And neither is my “song-writing”!)
We’re not seeing the big picture! What is the chief complaint? He procrastinates. He’s done it his whole life. He has to be prodded to do anything. What else? He’s a very nice boy as you said, mild disposition, considerate, polite; but, what stands out about him? Other than procrastination? His friends leave him (“ghosting”)! And his girlfriends push him around, order him about, which means what? He’s passive, timid. It’s really kind of sad, don’t you think? A procrastinator–meaning he’s slow–a slow child, timid, sincere, well-meaning, sympathetic, who gets abandoned and mistreated. Who does this sound like? Who does he remind you of? What famous cartoon character? A nice boy, means well, slow, naive, trusting, fear of failing, “the last one to know” (as they say), who gets abandoned by his friends and mistreated by a bossy girl. Who is this?
While we’re waiting for Lori D from NYC to come back….. here’s Chelo Olmos:
Hi Elaine,
I think Sulphur would be a good remedy for Carlos.
Chelo Olmos
OK, Chelo, I’m out of the song-writing business for now; but, see my response to Wayne below who also picked Sulphur.
Hi Elaine,
Hi Wayne!
I think this month’s remedy is Sulphur.
The pain in the knee is shooting and darting…
I didn’t see the words shooting and darting. I saw aching but sharp during exercise and swimming. Meaning that he’s worse for exercise or exertion.
…a sulphur symptom, perspiring under the armpits is also a Sulphur clue…
But pretty much everyone perspires under the arms if they’re exerting themselves. That’s why they make antiperspirants. (But don’t use them! Don’t suppress your sweat! It’s very dangerous!)
… as is the need to sleep with the feet uncovered.
Right, but, other remedies stick their feet out too.
Sulphur people have big plans,
but often they are unfulfilled, possibly due to the procrastination the patient suffers from.
Here is why Sulphur gets nothing done: He has no trouble getting started with something he wants to do, his problem is finishing! Sulphur gets so easily side-tracked, going down one rabbit hole after another, because his mind is veritably percolating with ideas! (The iconic image of Sulphur’s desk piled high with books!) In the end, Sulphur has done a lot of “work” and accomplished absolutely nothing.
Regarding “big plans”, our patient, Carlos, has no ambition. For the question, “What’s your ambition?” he says, “Still figuring it out.” His mother was the one who said, “He has big dreams and says he’s going to do a. b. and c. but struggles with getting started.” So, your big take-away here should be that Carlos Can’t Get Started. He can’t even pack his bags for college!
One of the remedies for dandruff is Sulphur.
That’s a large rubric; over 50 remedies, it’s not really going to help us. And when a case has mentals, Wayne, as this one does, the remedy has to be there. We should be concentrating there. We’re a lot less concerned with things like Dandruff or knee pain UNLESS the knee pain was front and center with inability to walk or lead a normal life.
Considering the above, the miasm appears to be psoric and I would give Sulphur.
What goes against Sulphur?
- Sulphur is not sympathetic, Carlos is very sympathetic
- Carlos keeps the covers on at night, Sulphur has an aversion to covers.
- His friends tell him to try to be more positive about himself (Sulphur is egotistical and very sure of himself!)
- He’s sensitive to clutter, Sulphur doesn’t notice clutter.
- He’s not hot. Sulphur is notoriously hot.
So, you’ve really overlooked the center of the case, namely, his nature. What is his nature? Let’s list the elements of the case:
- Cooperative
- Polite
- Sympathetic
- Sincere
- Timid
- Passive
- Friendly
- Considerate
- Victimized
- Fear to leave home (hasn’t been sleeping well, anxious about college)
- Slow to start anything
- Worries he will be a disappointment to friends and family
- Abandoned by friends
- Naive
- Trusting
- Lacks ambition
- Fear of failing
What remedy famously cannot get started and also fits the list above? You’re familiar with Charlie Brown of the Peanuts cartoons, right? This is what I hoped Lori would come up with.
What is Charlie Brown famous for saying? He goes to his mailbox on Valentine’s Day, opens it up, and there’s nothing there. He says, “I know nobody likes me; why do we need a holiday to emphasize it?”
In one of my Quizzes, I asked everybody to guess the constitutional remedies of the Peanuts Gang based on “A Book Report On Peter Rabbit” from the Broadway play, “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown!”
So, in “Book Report”, Lucy is writing very fast, trying to get the assignment over with. Schroeder hasn’t read the book (too boring) but he has read Robin Hood, so he enthusiastically writes about that, throwing in generalized remarks about Peter Rabbit, hoping the teacher will think he read it. Linus goes off on a tangent, postulating that Peter was actually an outcast in a tightly-knit family of rabbits. But Charlie Brown….Charlie Brown can’t get started!!!!!
Here’s what he says (singing–it was a musical–see lyrics underneath for my non-English-speaking friends):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iE4oCUsh5qs
If I start writing now
When I’m not really rested
It could upset my thinking
Which is not good at all
I’ll get a fresh start tomorrow
And it’s not due till Wednesday
So I’ll have all of Tuesday
Unless something should happen
Why does this always happen?
I should be outside playing
Getting fresh air and sunshine
I work best under pressure
And there’ll be lots of pressure
If I wait till tomorrow
I should start writing now
But if I start writing now
When I’m not really rested
It could upset my thinking
Which is
Not good at all.
How do they expect us to write a book report
Of any quality
in just two days?
_______________
So, Wayne, what do you think now? Do you still think it’s Sulphur?
Hi Elaine,
Thanks for your reply.
I have just read your very excellent article on Calcarea Carbonica
and can now presume that the answer to the quiz is Calc-carb which is a psoric remedy.
Yes, Carlos Von Flurgg is a Calc-carb!!!!!
I thought that this child has something worrying him and heat signs…
What heat signs, exactly? His feet? A lot of people don’t know this, but, Calc-carb’s feet heat up in bed at night. And yes, he had a lot worrying him. Especially college which was too far away from home, 5 hours away. He wasn’t sleeping well due to thinking about it, according to his mother.
He has some areas of concern – bullying could be one.
Yes, Calc-carb gets bullied, which is why they often don’t try to put themselves forward. They just assume they’re going to fail or not be very good at whatever it is.
He has many fears and feels he has been abandoned, so he feels all alone as well as being unable to make a decision. It is difficult to predict the main symptom.
All of this is Calc-carb. On the other hand, Sulphurs are leaders. They don’t have these problems. And they don’t care what others think of them. Calc-carb is always worried that he’s being noticed, that people will find out he’s inept or a failure if he puts himself out there too soon or joins in some activity he’s probably not good at. I think we all know the famous Calc-carb symptom: “afraid people will notice that he can’t cope”.
Do you remember the Beethoven quiz? Beethoven is a Sulphur. He was invited to be a guest of the Prince for some formal affair. He declined the invitation. The Prince’s messenger was shocked! No one declines an invitation from the Prince! Seeing his shocked expression, Beethoven said, “There are plenty of princes, there’s only one Beethoven, you can tell him I said that!”
See? That’s Sulphur for you! Calcarea, on the other hand, would have said, “Oh no, I couldn’t possibly attend, I have nothing decent to wear, I’d probably say something stupid… everyone will notice I don’t belong.”
Thank you for your reply and your time in composing it. I appreciate your advice and the thought that goes into it and I never cease to be amazed at the number of points of character that you can produce about a person. Thank you for writing the Calc-carb article of Charlie Brown, a character I had glossed over as uninteresting.
Uninteresting?! Poor Charlie Brown. No one likes him, even Wayne!
Regards,
Wayne
And now…. It’s Maria!!!!
Hi Elaine and Shana!
Hi Maria!!!
For this month’s quiz my vote goes to Lycopodium.
I know why you picked Lycopodium. It’s the main remedy in Murphy’s Repertory for “Mind: procrastinates” but, in fact, Carlos’ remedy isn’t even there, though it should be! (Yet another short-coming of the Repertory!) But it IS under “Mind: Slowness”! So, I suggest you make a list of the elements of the case and I think you will see that Lycopodium isn’t well-represented for many of them; for example, Lycopodium children are not known for being sympathetic, caring or sincere… in fact, Lycopodium is in bold for “Mind: abusive, insulting, children insult parents”; they’re also known for pushing underlings around; but Carlos is apparently very nice to his younger brother; in fact, his mother and teacher have nothing but nice things to say about Carlos, about how he treats others; but, it seems that others treat him terribly! So, you can assume that he is not one of the “cool kids”! In fact, he seems kind of sad. He tries to make friends and then they blow him off! His girlfriends boss him around.
If I am wrong I will try again.
OK, try again.
P.S. Great tidbits article!
You got such a high score on the Tidbits Test, I just knew you were going to ace this Quiz! “Maria will know the answer for sure,” I thought.
Well, you wrote in the last quiz that homeopaths will have no trouble agreeing (for Allum Cepa).
I am sure this will not be the case with this new one, though 😀
You are so right about that!
Oh boy! Here we go.
I thought of Calc-carb but I ruled it out.
Why?
I’m thinking of Phosphorus instead because he is thin, he wants to put on weight and likes to be active.
In Murphy’s Repertory, go to “Constitutions: lean, thin”. Calc-carb there as a 2.
“Likes to be active”. He’s only 18, Maria! So that statement doesn’t really surprise us. Almost any 18 year old thin boy would be capable of “activity”. We’re not really sure what he even means by “active”, am I right? We do know that his knee symptoms are worse for exercise; so, he can only be but so active. It’s not the kind of statement that we can take to the bank, is all I’m saying. I would have to have asked a follow-up question and said, “What do you mean by ‘active’?” The fact that I didn’t ask, meant that I knew enough already, just based on his girlfriends bossing him around, and his “friends” abandoning him. It was also peculiar that he had to be prodded into taking the car to run errands or go anywhere! What 18 year old boy doesn’t want to take the car????? That’s a real shocker! Also, he’s going to college and has no idea what he wants to be when he grows up. How’s he going to pick a major?
He is sympathetic, creative. I know many relatives of mine who are Phosphorus and are the biggest procrastinators!
Do you know why? Phosphorus is easily distracted. They day-dream. They’re not well-grounded. Phosphorus is made of light; they can easily be pulled off-task, off on some tangent, or exciting new thing very easily and consequently, accomplish little to nothing.
He also has the irritability from hunger (a reason I picked lycopodium previously), likes spicy.
I know, Maria, but, these are all very nit-picky little things which are way, far away, from the center of the case. You know that if a case has mentals, the remedy has to cover them. And if the remedy that covers the mentals doesn’t also cover some food desire, are we really going to care?
Phosphorus also has dandruff.
And we’re not going to care about that either!
His mom said he is naive and trusting. Phosphorus is a 2 under lacking self confidence (another reason I picked lycopodium before).
But there are 100 remedies in that rubric!
I am sure I missed elements of the case. He is surely not a typical Phosphorus, if he is a Phosphorus at all. But he reminded me of the ex-model from a previous quiz who was also not a typical Phosphorus. If I am wrong I will try again.
Try again….
Tough quiz Elaine, I love it!
Well, that’s the spirit!
P.S. The high score in Tidbits I got was due to me being your biggest fan and re-reading your articles time after time after time 😀
What a nice thing to say!!!!!! Well, Maria, regarding Phosphorus, he can’t be Phosphorus because he can’t make friends! Making friends is the one thing Phosphorus does well! In the quiz about the Phosphorus fashion model you just alluded to, I said to her, “Do you attract a lot of friends?” And she said, “I do make friends easily…. People tend to gravitate toward me.” That was all I needed to hear, especially after seeing her picture and her bright smile and sparkling eyes! But Carlos’ friends dump him! Or as his mother says, “Ghost him”. So, even though I’m sure Phosphorus can be a procrastinator with the best of them, Carlos’ inability to make friends or be treated with respect by the ladies, would make me not want to give Phosphorus as my first choice.
Well my final shot is Calc-carb.
Well, at long last!
It was the first remedy that came up in my mind when I finished reading the quiz.
And here is why: Your article on Calcarea Carbonica!
Yes, I knew you read that article, which is why I thought you would get the right answer!
He reminded me of it. He has so many elements of Calc-c.
I know!
But then I started seeing what didn’t fit with Calcarea and voted for Lycopodium and Phosphorus instead.
What didn’t fit? That he was thin? You can never say, “He’s thin, it can’t be Calc-carb.” Or, here’s another one for you, I’m really shocked that no one saw this: he doesn’t like eggs! How can he be a Calc-carb and not like eggs? But guess what? Under “Eggs, aversion to”, Calc-carb is a 2! Whatever a remedy is known for, the opposite can be true as well—though, granted, you will find fewer of those; but, you will find them! We even had a quiz once, a Bryonia case, where the patient couldn’t lie still! It’s a rare situation, but, there it was!
What else put you off of Calc-carb, that he likes to be active? He sure doesn’t like to be active doing what he’s supposed to do! You know, there’s a great rubric probably no one is aware of. It’s “Mind: busy, fruitlessly”, in other words, busy doing the stuff that doesn’t need to be done. So, in that sense, Calc-carb can be very “active”; but, Carlos, his whole life, has had to be nagged by his parents to get anything done. And, you know, when you think you see something a remedy is known for in a case? Before you run with it, you have to ask yourself, “Does anything support this remedy?” And then, “Does anything go against it?”
And sure, wouldn’t it be great if Calc-carb had been in the “Procrastinates” rubric where it belongs— as a 3. I know that makes this case harder than it needed to be. But, Calc-carb is a 4 under “Mind: slowness”, which is what a procrastinator is when you come right down to it: SLOW. Slow to get started. So slow that they have to be nagged repeatedly to get to work. Calc-carb is also under “Late”! (“Mind: late, always”.) Doesn’t that suggest that he must be a procrastinator? Always late? What more do you need to know?
Once again, the Repertory really is not a perfect instrument, not logical, it’s as if it were written by a bunch of different people who didn’t know what the others had written before them. Sometimes you’ll find a remedy in a sub-rubric that isn’t in the main rubric!
And here’s another good rubric for this case that goes for Calc-carb: “Mind: change, aversion to”
Carlos does not like changes, does not want to want to grow up. He doesn’t want to take the car!!!! How peculiar is that? What 18 year old boy doesn’t want to drive the car? What could it possibly mean when an 18 year old has to be prodded to take the car? A car means independence, it means you’re in charge! Carlos doesn’t want to be in charge. He’s anxiety-ridden about going to college, which means being on his own; he can’t sleep at night thinking about it. It’s 5 hours away. He doesn’t know what he wants to be when he grows up. When asked about his ambition, he said he doesn’t know. He also couldn’t pack his bags—until after he took the remedy!
Here’s another interesting thing about Calc-carb: fish/seafood is Carlos’ favorite food. Catherine Coulter says Calc-carb desires fish, and being that Calc-carb is the Oyster Shell, that makes sense; but, it’s not in the Repertory; one more thing that’s not in the Repertory that should be there!!!!
So my 3rd vote is for Calc-carb, the King of Procrastinators! Ι noticed he doesn’t like eggs too. I also thought that it is rare to find someone to like sea-food. That one made me think that is a sign of an oyster remedy. You are so good at this Elaine! You nailed it with the driving explanation! Unfortunately the thin and active part drove me away from my first guess.
I guess I should remind people, again, to read “Repertory Round-Up, part 4”:
And you are so right about the polarities of the remedies! I have given, for example, Arsenicum to flu cases with absolutely no thirst. And it worked.
Did you see the unmistakable Arsenicum mentals in the case? The mental state over-rules anything that comes below it in the Hierarchy Of Symptoms; so, it would over-rule a physical/general like thirstlessness. This is what I explain in “Repertory Round-Up, part 4”.
It fascinates me how a remedy can manifest in such different ways, but the remedy core is always there. I loved the quiz Elaine, I learnt soooo much! Thank you!
Thanks for being a loyal Quiz participant!
Who’s next?
Hi Elaine, how are you?
Fine, thanks!
I was first thinking of Lycopodium because of procrastination and large flakes dandruff (Gentry Repertory).
But then I considered other aspects of the case like he had a fear of spiders which although he no longer has but personal growth does not change the underlying constitution.
Also he has a desire for music.
A family history of cancer and autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis. A feeling that he will be a disappointment to his family and friends.
All of these point to Carcinosin, and I think that’s the answer.
Tell me, am I right, or whether my first choice was correct??!!
Well, you make a good case for Carcinosin! But, I’ll tell when I knew the remedy: It was when his mother said:
“Never rushed into anything – if he saw kids running to do something, he would stand back and observe first.”
I said, “OMG! I know what that is! I’ve read those very words! This is Calc-carb! But where did I read it?” I had to go through book after book to find it, but here it is:
Hahnemann Revisited, p. 114: “Maybe he is cautiously watching the other children…waiting for an invitation to join. (Calcarea).”
Portraits of Homeopathic Medicines, p. 54: “In group situations, he plays the role of the passive and non-judgemental observer…”
The Homeopathic Treatment of Children, p.38: “Plodding…cautious about anything new.” p. 5: “Calc-carb children discover early in life that they are slower than others their age. During play, they find themselves slow at games and sports—perhaps to the extent that other children taunt and laugh at them. To avoid this ridicule, they may become quiet, withdrawn loners who play by themselves….”
***
This characteristic of watching cautiously, observing, standing back in place of participating, is indicative of Calc-carb. And then if I look at the other elements of the case, like “inability to start anything new”, it all goes for Calc-carb. Maybe you should read my article,
“The Life Of Calcarea Carbonica”:
I think you’ll find the whole case there.
Thank you for your wonderful explanation.
– Dr ABHISHEK CHOUDHARY
Do we have another contestant?
My answer is “MEDORRHINUM”
Dr.KETAN KUMAR SINGH
Hi Dr. Singh. Medorrhinum is a very badly behaved child. He gets bored easily, craves stimulation, is impulsive and thrill-seeking and likes to engage in ostentatious behaviors in order to shock people and get attention; for example, he might have tattoos all over his body and face. Medorrhinums go to extremes. They don’t follow rules and don’t do what they’re told. You might even say that Medorrhinum is the exact opposite of our quiz patient who is polite, considerate, caring, sincere and sympathetic. His only problem is that he is slow and passive. Does this help to ring a bell? I’ve written a number of articles on Medorrhinum, including:
Elaine, now I am confident that the remedy is “CALCAREA CARBONICA”.
You’re right!!!!!
Hi Elaine,
It’s Krista from Nebraska !
Hi Krista, great to hear from you again!
Life threw me for a loop,
I hate it when that happens!
but I am back to participate in your fun quiz !
Thank goodness! We really missed you!
I hope you and Shana are doing well.
Yes; but, it’s income tax time here, the worst time of the year!
My answer to the quiz for Procrastinates, Lazy, Dandruff and right knee pain is- SULPHUR.
Well, Krista, Sulphur seems to be the popular answer for sure! Popular, but not the right answer. I think you have to make a list of the elements of the case. For example, I’ll give you a head start:
- Girls boss him around and insult him. Meaning what? He’s passive.
- Despite, apparently, having his own car? He doesn’t drive it! His parents have to prod him to take the car to run errands, visit friends. So strange in an 18 year old boy who should love nothing more than to drive the car.
- Thinking about having to go off to college has led to many sleepless nights for him.
- He has a fear of being a disappointment–to his parents, I assume. Meaning he must think himself a failure or will most likely fail at whatever he tries to do.
OK, that should get you started.
Ok it’s got to be Lycopodium then, is that right ?
D’oh! Krista, you didn’t complete the list. You went with what I wrote, which does look like Lycopodium, but, why can’t it be Lycopodium? Lycopodiums are bossy and bombastic to compensate for their inner feelings of inferiority. They have a love of power and a superior attitude. But our patient isn’t like that. I guess this is the last time I start a list for people! Try again. This time, you really do have to find the elements of the case.
OK, Elaine,
Boy am I rusty… .
Ok I’ve got it ( I think )
This boy is lacking GRIT.
He anticipates failure so he procrastinates.
He is yielding and passive because he has a lack of self confidence
His knees hurt
Well, that’s good so far. I don’t think he procrastinates because he anticipates failure. He can’t even make a list of things to take to college! What does that suggest? It suggests that everything is perceived by him as a stress, especially if it’s something that HAS to be done; then he’s suddenly overwhelmed and almost paralyzed with inaction! There’s a rubric, “Mind: stress, overwhelmed by.”
I hope 3rd time is the charm…I am going with SILICA
You know, it’s very unusual to find a Silica boy. Philip Bailey, author of Homeopathic Psychology, says he’s never seen a Silica male. Most Silicas are females, according to him. They’re very refined, artistic, pale, straight hair, delicate… basically, everything that I am! (except for the straight hair)…. Timid, but with strong principles, such that they will stand up to a bully despite their fear in the moment, and especially if the bully is victimizing someone else. They can’t tolerate injustice, much like Causticum. High integrity and defenders of Truth. (Yeah, that’s me!)
Here are the main features of the case:
Procrastination whenever anything HAS to be done
Is victimized, pushed around by girls
Friends leave him, abandon him
Afraid to leave home for college
Has no ambition
Poor self-confidence
Fear of failure
Fear of change
Mild disposition
Sympathetic
Polite
Yielding
Mother says he’s naive and trusting
Warning: this remedy is missing from a lot of the rubrics it ought to be in!!!! For example, it’s not under “Passive” nor “Yielding” nor “Procrastinates” nor “Naive”… Want to keep trying? Not much time!
Oh look, it’s the gang from Slovakia!
Hello, Elaine and Shana,
Hello, Miroslav and Jitka!
We are sending our solutions of last quiz.
Miroslav votes: Lycopodium.
Super easy quiz!
It was?
– as Elaine said in one of her previous quizzes about the symptom: he sticks his feet out from under the blanket – Sulfur.
However, I looked at it a bit and I was mainly interested in the following symptoms:
The chief problem in this case was: procrastination, but I couldn’t find it in the repertory.
It’s in Murphy’s 3rd edition.
So instead of the rubric “procrastination” , I used the rubric
– Mind, duty, lack for.
That’s a great rubric! I didn’t know that rubric was there! In Murphy’s, the rubric is “Mind: duty, sense of duty, has none”. And yes, I see Lycopodium is there in bold. But there’s another remedy in bold there too, did you see that?
– as a child: when he saw children running, he would stand sideways and watch them (but Sulfur is a leader …)
Yes, exactly, Sulphur is a leader! Sulphur would never be standing back, observing. Excellent! But what does it mean that Carlos stands back and watches instead of jumping in with the play of other children? Fear of ridicule? Fear of rejection? Fear the others will notice he’s not good at whatever they’re doing? Remember his mother said, “He’s afraid he’ll fail on the first try.” I think this is a good example of that!
– since the 3rd grade he fought with girlfriends (he was met with girls) who treat him nicely (fear of people and men …?)
OK, I’m not sure what you just said. There’s nothing in the case about the 3rd grade and fighting with girls. What it did say was that he has always struggled with girls treating him badly, manipulating him and walking all over him.
– teachers said he is a polite and decent student
– fear that he will not be enough for people (loved ones and friends) whom he cares about and he would be disappointing for them and also the fear of failure on the first try – this can be a rubric: Mind, fear, failure, of
– he is sensitive and gentle, he hates the accumulation of things (what Sulfur loves …)
You mean he hates clutter, right?
– pain in the right knee, also problem with dandruff …
So I choose Sulfur, but in its herbal version, and that is Lycopodium.
What doesn’t go for Lycopodium here? What would we be looking for to confirm Lycopodium? What’s missing? You know, Lycopodium is abusive, right? Polite to superiors, dictatorial to inferiors? It’s a 4 under “Abusive, insulting”! It’s a 3 under “Rudeness”. Chances are that the girls who walked all over Carlos were Lycopodiums! Under “Abusive, children insult parents”, Lycopodium is a 3! But Carlos is very nice to his parents and his little brother too. It just doesn’t look like a Lycopodium case to me. Plus which, Lycopodium doesn’t stick his feet out of the covers. All we’ve got going for Lycopodium here is procrastination and fear of failure. That’s all we’ve got.
Jitka votes: Sulphur
Since the main problem with the boy was procrastination, I looked for such a rubric in our Murphy´s translation, but I found neither “procrastination”, nor “postponing” nor “delaying”.
But there is a rubric, “Mind: slowness” and the one Miroslav found about lacking a sense of duty.
So I used Google and found information from your colleague, Alan Schmukler, in his article “Tips And Secrets“, where he lists SULPHUR, NAT- MUR, LYCO and Medhor. as the main remedies for procrastination.
It’s terrible that the main remedy for this symptom isn’t there!
I hesitated for a long time between two remedies, Natrum mur and Sulphur. The questionnaire contains some symptoms that would fit more to Natrum mur., he is emaciated.
No, no, he’s just thin, Jitka. Emaciation would be very serious!
He has big white dandruff flakes, problems in love.
Well, but, state what the problem is: he gets abused, walked all over, manipulated. Which means what? He can’t stand up for himself! And there’s a big item you and Miroslav both missed: his friends desert him! This is why he can’t be Sulphur! Sulphurs are leaders. They’re full of enthusiasm and adventure, and they don’t care what others think of them. Carlos, on the other hand, is very worried about what others think. He’s afraid he’s going to disappoint his family and his friends. Notice also that he doesn’t use the car, even though he has permission to; meaning, he has no sense of adventure, no desire to strike out on his own and be independent–even if just for one hour. He also doesn’t know what he wants to be when he grows up. And he’s losing sleep and is anxious over having to leave home and go away to college.
He desires seafood and likes music. But other symptoms pointed more to Sulphur, and especially the distinctive symptom “sticks feet out of the blanket”; so, I decided that I will vote, in this case, for Sulphur.
That rubric, “Feet: heat, soles, uncovers them” has 11 remedies in it. Which one best matches Carlos?
Elaine,
We are sending our corrected answers to your quiz:
Based on your review, Miroslav changed his mind as follows:
It’s Calc-carb.
He has hot feet in bed and is also in bold in the rubric: Mind, duty, lack for.
It would also explain his timidity, his fear of leaving the house, and his fear of failure on the first try. Calcarea is very afraid of ridicule and revealing that he has little energy and will not be enough for others …
Excellent! Perfect!
Jitka: After your pointing out on the rubric “Mind, duty, lack of sense of”, I also found out that the second big remedy there is Calc-carb., and when I added in all of Carlos’ fears, I think it is right remedy for him.
You’re right!
Hey everybody, Vamsi’s in the house!!!!!
Hi Elaine,
Hi Vamsi, great to see you again!
Procrastination, Knee Pain, and Dandruff! – Yet another good one from you.
Looked tough initially, but Guess I could Crack it…
Okay here go my findings…
1) Procrastination –
2) Knees Hurt and It’s the Right Side sharp Knee Pain
Only on exertion. Otherwise it just aches.
and sometimes Left too.
( Right Sided complaints)
Let me just remind everyone, as I explained in “Repertory Round-Up, part 4”, if your case has Mentals, the remedy has to match that! And this case is very much all about the Mentals! So, it would be very easy to get side-tracked by knee pain that isn’t all that serious and right-sidedness, or dandruff and large flakes, but the fact is, we’ve got ourselves a constitutional case here! We need to find a remedy that matches his mental/emotionals!
3) Dandruff, large flakes, itchy scalp – Skin eruptions
4) He is submissive at bossy people ( his girlfriends were bossy )
5) Very low memory – constantly need to remind him of things…
Not because of his memory, Vamsi. His memory is fine. His problem is, he can’t get started doing anything! He can’t even pack for college or make a list of what he has to take with him!
6) Has a problem getting to sleep…
No, not quite; he has no trouble getting to sleep. His sleep problem is due to anticipated home-sickness due to having to leave home and go 5 hours away to college! That would be like me, a Pennsylvania resident, having to go to college in North Carolina! Or, at best, southern Virginia. Either way, it’s just hopelessly too far from home! So, anxiety over leaving home is a big part of the case!
7) Covers on, feet out. (Covers on, feet out, maybe he has his feet warm and body cold…)
The main clue was the direction; symptoms seem to spread from right to left; right knee to left.
No. See, this is exactly what I tried to teach you kids in “Repertory Round-Up, part 4”.
If a case has no etiology, no sudden onset, and there are clear mental/emotionals, your remedy has to match them. All the other symptoms in the case that are below the mentals in the Hierarchy Of Symptoms, become irrelevant!!!! Go back and re-read “Repertory Round-Up, part 4” or you will have trouble with all your cases! And by the way, my other article that deals with the Hierarchy Of Symptoms is the one about my kitchen sink:
Acute vs. Chronic Remedies, the Hierarchy of Symptoms, and the Kitchen Sink
The procrastination, his knee pains, skin complaints, submissive nature, sleep problems go with, no doubt, to LYCOPODIUM. Please let me know.
No. You haven’t assessed this boy’s mental/emotionals; his nature. You haven’t listed all the elements of the case. Lycopodiums are bullies. They’re mean to underlings and polite to superiors. All those mean kids who “ghosted” Carlos (deserted him) and insulted him were probably Lycopodiums. Did you ever watch “Leave It To Beaver”? Remember Eddie Haskell, Wally’s best friend? He was probably a Lycopodium. He was always trying to impress Wally and Beaver’s parents with his phony good manners. “Oh, Mrs. Cleaver, don’t you look nice today!?” Then when he’d be alone with 7 year old Beaver, he’d say, “Get lost, squirt!”
Elaine,
Please excuse my naiveness. Yes Elaine, I read through both your articles. The Acute vs. Chronic Remedies paper was really mind blowing.
It was?
Somehow I missed seeing this Paper. But I have bookmarked them, and it will be a forever reference, before each quiz of yours.
Cool! (I hope you don’t get sick of them!)
Yes the present Quiz had lots of Mentals, which I did overlook. I was carried away by the physicals which is incorrect.
Let me try solving the quiz now with a different perspective altogether.
1) Caring towards his family and people in general.
2) When he was younger, he wanted consolation and support.
You know, we have lots of examples of this every month: people taking note of normal behavior and writing it down as if it was a symptom. What you just read was an unremarkable statement about normal behavior: A child wanting consolation and support in his younger years. Is that unusual? Is it peculiar? No. So we should just ignore that.
3) Prefers to be alone.
Again, as with what I said above, he’s 18, and he’s a boy; this is normal, to be independent of his mother at that age and not run to her with his problems, he’s going to try to sort them out for himself. Even so, his mother added that he will come and talk to his parents about certain things, so, my hope is that my readers will try to be more discerning about what patients are saying and ask themselves, “Is this really unusual? Could there be a reason for this that makes sense?” Do you remember Gabi’s vertigo case? She said she didn’t want company. That seemed like a really good symptom! But then we found out the company that was there wasn’t helping her at all! It was her family! You know how families can be: selfish, disinterested, aloof—especially to the mother! She’s supposed to take care of everyone else, but, who takes care of her when she’s sick? No one! We have to start thinking more like police detectives and less like passive note-takers, court-room stenographers, just taking down what people say without the least judgement!
4) friends say – be more positive about myself” – means there is a sense of depression in him.
No, I would say it means he has poor self-confidence. First of all, “depression” is an imprecise word that can mean almost anything! Do you know how many remedies are in the “depression” rubric? Roughly 500! But the “confidence, lacking” rubric contains a more manageable 100 remedies.
5) Preconceived notions of failure and disappointment, even before he starts to take up a job.
Yes, that point was made very clear by his mother who said, “He’s afraid he’s going to fail on the first try.”
6) Homesickness as he does not want to leave his family as he is very attached with them.
Yes, it seems he does have anxiety about leaving home.
I see all this because of the mental feebleness.
No. Don’t confuse mental feebleness with procrastination. Mental feebleness is a serious problem! That would be a real emergency, especially in a teenager! This kid’s problem is that he is easily overwhelmed by almost any task. Almost anything is too much for him. There’s a good rubric, “Mind: stress, overwhelmed by”.
And he also wants to be alone, which is a very important symptom.
No, he doesn’t want to be alone. Don’t just take down what people say! Be circumspect! His mother said it, and then she took it back two seconds later! “Oh yeah, he’ll talk things over with us.”
I felt The MENTALS seemed to be loaded in this case, wherein the other symptoms vanish away.
And the main Homesickness Remedy which ranks top in the list is Phosphoricum Acidum.
Elaine I tried to analyse, if I am wrong do let me know and I shall work on it for sure.
Ok. You know, the Acids are known for their debility and weakness. This is why Phos-ac. is famous for Ailments from Loss of Vital Fluids. And it’s a very pathological remedy, with sunken features and dark circles around the eyes. Remember what his teacher said? “I wish there were more kids like Carlos in my class.” What does that mean? It means he’s a teacher’s dream! Nice, polite, stays out of trouble, good manners…. He presents as really normal! Phosphoric acid is not normal at all.
Note : Thanks a ton, for giving me a second chance.
Do you feel like taking a 3rd chance?
Oh!! Elaine…..yes Phos-ac. has other symptoms too, but I went with the homesickness being prominent and loneliness. But as said by you they are not that prominent….
Right, they’re not.
But I knew the physicals were not going with the case.
You !! giving me a Third chance…..I would surely Try!! Lose or Win….it’s always a learning experience.
Exactly!
Under Mind : Stress : Overwhelmed …Good rubric….
We have Calcarea Phos, Ignatia and Nux Vomica. Let me do an elimination….
What about Calc-carb? I have Calc-carb in that rubric.
Ignatia – NO, he is not hysterical
Nux Vomica – Not oversensitive and Irritable.
Calc Phos – Yes , this could be the one, as he is troubled by leg pains too
Actually, knee pains.
and surely ( growing age )
(I am now …………………….fingers crossed)
If i dont get it this time tooooooo , then please elucidate…………..I give up!!!
Tough Quiz to crack….the Winner really needs to be given 5 stars..!!!!
Yes, if there were such a person…
OK, what is this case about? Definitely, it’s about procrastination! But the winning remedy is not in the “Procrastinates” rubric! In fact, the winning remedy isn’t in a lot of the rubrics it belongs in, making this case tougher than it should be!
But, what is the case about? Carlos is:
- a procrastinator
- yielding–lets himself get pushed around, doesn’t stand up for himself
- fear of failure
- poor self-confidence
- mild disposition
- gets abandoned by friends
- prefers to stay at home (won’t take the car, won’t drive the car, something most boys are dying to do! Why won’t he do it? Wanting to stay at home? Fear of accidents? Perhaps another example of lack of self-confidence? We don’t know! But it’s very strange!)
- Anxiety about moving out of the house and going to college 5 hours away.
- Trusting
- Naive
Do you know what it is yet?
ELAINE !!!! …………OMG!! IS it SILICEA …..?????
Low self esteem??
No but you’re getting warmer. The remedy has a lot in common with Silica. Both are shy, slow and easily tired.
Baryta carb?
The best rubric for this case is: “Mind: stress, overwhelmed by” because he literally can’t do anything when there is a deadline. He goes into a state of overwhelm, almost paralysis, when something HAS to be done, even if it’s just making a list of what he needs to take to school, he can’t even do that.
I see only 4 remedies under
Mind: stress; overwhelmed by
Calcarea carb, calcarea phos, ignatia and Nux vomica.
Right! And it’s one of those 4!
Elaine, did I miss Calc-carb?
Yes, you missed Calc-carb!
Is that the one??
Yes!
And but how can he be a Calcarea carb??
Read my article, “The Life Of Calcarea Carbonica”:
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And now everybody, I want to thank all of you who tried so hard! But you know what? The more wrong answers we get, the more we learn! Don’t forget to try this month’s quiz, it’s a short one! See you again next time!
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Elaine Lewis, DHom, CHom
Elaine takes online cases. Write to her at [email protected]
Visit her website: https://ElaineLewis.hpathy.com
