A Lesson Learned and Lavender Used

Two nights ago, while making some coconut banana bread (my husband's favorite), I stuck my finger into an immersion blender to free up butter that, as it turned out, was still too cold to fully blend (you're not really supposed to use an immersion blender for baking, my chef-aunt told me yesterday). The blades are extremely sharp, but I always take great care when reaching in. Well...my right hand didn't exert the same caution, or it had a vendetta against the left. For whatever reason, it hit the ON button!
It took me 2-3 seconds to register what was going on, as the blades hacked away. Long story short, after a 1.5 hour procedure, I had 9 stitches in my index finger from the last knuckle to the fingertip. To make matters MUCH worse, because only 1 of 5 very painful numbing shots to the traumatized area actually worked, I had to endure 7 of the stitches without any pain relief. And they were sewn with a sickeningly large-gauge "fish hook" due to the toughness of finger skin. It felt like torture: it just wouldn't end, and there was no pain relief. My "high tolerance for pain" was indeed tested, as the finger tip is one of the most sensitive areas of the body. It was both physically and emotionally traumatizing. And on top of it, I was concerned about caring for my 5-month-old with an injured hand. Thank goodness for friends and family who have stopped in to help! So, the reason for my telling you about this? I got the idea for today's post last night. After removing the hospital's bandage, I remembered my lavender oil and doused my finger in it before re-wrapping it, so the oil could work its magic on my wounds AND on my frazzled nerves (the procedure left me kinda shaken). And now, I am using this experience and this week's only post, to fittingly talk about Lavender essential oil. I can't title this "Lavender to the Rescue!" considering the title of my last post, but I wish I could. It's how I feel.

LAVENDER: what a blessing. This miracle oil has healed mine and my family's wounds in record time and saved me from countless scars and infections. Lavender is known for its ability to heal and to calm. I feel like I have a friend in Lavender. Yes, of course you are familiar with this plant/aroma, but what you may not know is that because lavender became so popular in aromatherapy, much of what is on the market is low-quality and contains fillers. I use the YL lavender because it is found in its purest, therapeutic-grade form, from their own lavender farms in regions around the world where it grows healthiest. For those interested, another Lavender product from YL I love is called Lavaderm. I used this spray (mainly lavender and aloe vera) to heal after delivering my daughter in April. I also use this on all light skin abrasions or if Noëlle gets any kind of diaper-sensitivity. And--as a bonus--it calms her. I use a few drops of oil in her bath water and sometimes I diffuse a couple of drops in her room if she is having a hard time getting to sleep. For anyone interested in using essential oils, this book is an absolute must as soon as you make your first purchase--if you do so from Young Living: Reference Guide for Essential Oils. I have this book on-hand at all times. It has notes, highlights, bookmarks and is "dog-eared" all throughout. Any time someone I know gets cut, or there is a headache or stomach ache, or a sore throat to take care of, I have my nose in this book! I don't know what I would do without it. PLEASE buy this book if you order any YL oils.

So that's it for today! I learned my lesson and will not be sticking my finger into the blades of an immersion blender again, but I also wanted to use this real-time experience to shed some light on just how well non-toxic, all-natural products work for me and my family and how they can for you and yours! Please do not hesitate to ask my questions via the comments section. Always happy to share! Stay safe and well!