Mosquito experiments

A few weeks ago, I experienced the feeling of being an "all-you-can-eat" buffet for a little cluster of mosquitoes. Well, I assume it was a cluster, since I found multiple bites over my legs, but I guess that it could've been just one greedy, indecisive one!

Well, as a little experiment, I decided to just treat one of these bites with Reiki, and let the others heal by themselves (I'm not a fan of that after-bite ammonia stuff). Next day, after just one short treatment, the treated bite had stopped itching, but I still felt itching or discomfort from the other bites.

Now, no good scientist relies on the results of one case study to form a definitive conclusion. So, when the buffet opened for business again, three days ago,  I had the chance to run another test! This time, I decided to heal the left leg and leave my right leg alone. Once again, Reiki seemed to ease the itching. The left leg eased for the rest of that evening and the following day. The right leg, meanwhile, drove me nuts! (In fact, it still does occasionally, three days later!!) The only sensation in the left leg came the following day, when the lowest bite on the left leg did seem to start itching again, but a little repeated treatment has helped.

As I sit here, still itching, I have decided that mosquito experiment #3 will be performed on EVERY bite... because these things are driving me crazy right now!!!!

Feeling the burn!

OK... it's confession time. I am a klutz! Yup... a totally clumsy goof, and as the designated family cook, this comes with it's own perils and challenges. I honestly cannot count the number of burns and cuts I have received over the years, dating right back to my university years, when I first learned (badly) how to tackle an electric stove and its elements of torture! Well, it was only a matter of time before my kitchen minefield would find me yet another daily use for my new Reiki skills. In fact, it only took a few days...

I distinctly recall Jan teaching me a method for treating a fresh burn. (I even remember thinking at the time "Oh, this one is SO for me!") So, when I gave myself a nasty steam burn on a finger, that week, I figured it was time to give it a try. Honestly, I felt pretty silly at the time. As I sat there monotonously blowing away in the method we had been taught, I could not help thinking to myself "I don't think this is going to work... I should've put it under the tap straight away. I feel silly. I wonder if it is too late to try the cold water now??"

Doing this for 5 minutes felt, at the time, like an eternity. I had the dinner to finish cooking and this was taking FOR-EV-EEEERRRRR.... and then I crossed the 5 minute barrier... and the burning sensation stopped. "Hmmm... interesting... maybe it is actually working?" My patience and the awaiting dinner preparation could not wait any longer, so I stopped and continued with cooking.

Now, I don't know what your experience of burns are, but mine (and remember, I have extensive practical research in this field!) are that the initial cooling of the burn helps at first, but you will experience a little re-heating of the wound a few times over the coming hours. The next day, you will often meet Mr Blister (and maybe a few of his friends) who don't take kindly to any contact with warm or hot water. Well, the follow-up from THIS burn was very different. I had no residual sensation in the hours that followed, no blistering, and you could barely see any indication of the original burn the next day. Result!!

A photo taken the day after the steam burn - can you spot the injured finger??