Editor’s note: FES donated flower essences for the volunteer work done by Dr. Valerie Simonsen. She traveled to the Bumi Wadah Childbirth Manager & Medical Relief Clinic in the heart of the Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda disaster zone, Dulag, Philippines. Typhoon Yolanda occurred in November of 2013 and reportedly was one of the strongest and deadliest typhoons ever recorded. Following is Dr. Val’s report on her work (it has been slightly edited for presentation). Read the USAID Fact Sheet on Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda, and rough statistics for 4 months of services provided at the Bumi Wadah clinic here .

I arrived in the Philippines with five different flower essence formulas: Grief Relief , Grace , Five-Flower Formula , Post-Trauma Stabilizer and Yarrow Environmental Solution. I prepared bottles of water with the formulas in them to offer clients as well as others throughout the area. One spray of each remedy, along with a prayer of hope and peace, was added to every bottle of water. I drew a flower on the lid and HOPE was written on every bottle, and that is just what the formulas inspired. Some would call it miraculous...I call it flower essences! Magical for sure...but natural and the way it is supposed to be!

Each of the 6 Philippine midwives, 2 nurses, the birthing and medical tents, visiting midwives and official personnel of the camp received a kit. During the time I was there we experienced 70+ births, hundreds of women for prenatal care and every day 85 to 125 clients in the medical tent.

There were 4 kits left when I exited the camp. I left them in capable hands and later received word that they were still making bottles of HOPE water for everyone. The people are so grateful!

Every client that came into the birthing area of the camp received a bottle of water. We did experience times when we ran out of water and in these cases I added the essences to lotions that had been donated. Prenatal visits were supported by different remedies and when they were available, every woman received a bottle of essences for themselves to take home to share with their families and loved ones.

In the medical tent the numbers of clients far exceeded the resources of bottled water. Some of the medical conditions we treated with flower essences were hypertension, trauma, lacerations, wounds, convulsions, seizures, influenza, dysentery, typhoid fever, dengue fever, diabetes, strokes, heart attack—and the list goes on!

My time at Bumi Wadah was 99% donated to clients, and I plan to go back again. It will be a time when we are predicting a high number of birth defects with newborns. (I would like to retract the predictions and hold the vision of healthy babies being born.) Unfortunately, I already have witnessed some birth defects...perhaps from malnutrition and environmental toxicity. But the women coming for their prenatal care now receive the essence water, multi-vitamins, food and perhaps that will prevent future birth defects.

Outside the gates of Bumi-Wadah, a tour around the island left me overwhelmed with the overwhelm that everyone continues to experience. There is disaster in every direction. I sipped on my bottle of essences and practiced my breathing techniques. We saw where the ships washed ashore killing everything and everyone in their paths. There were piles of rubbish taller than mountains. People were walking on the roads looking for something…perhaps a lost one or something that was familiar. I wanted to share the essences with everyone I saw. Instead I offered the prayer that there is HOPE.

Hawai’ian Vietnam veteran; diagnosis of PTSD

62 year old male. Dealing with road rage and great irritability secondary to activities of daily living. He took one spray of Post-Trauma Stabilizer . His voice became calmer and he relaxed into his chair.  20 minutes later he asked for another dose. Within moments he excused himself from the room and went to bed. The next morning he approached me for another spray stating last night was the first night he had slept through in decades. I honored his request and made him a quart of the remedy with instructions to dose 1 tb. 3 x day.

Victim of the typhoon; great anxiety and frustration

30 year old female. Gave 1 spray of Post-Trauma Stabilizer directly into her mouth. We visited and she shared some of her story. I asked her to come back in the morning. She arrived with a smile on her face requesting more of the flowers. Request honored. A bottle of essences was made for her and her family.

Cervical lip during birthing process treated with Grace

As per the doctrine of signatures whereas a botanical (plant) will resemble various parts of the body that has an aliment: when the cervix dilates open it looks like a lily. The cervical lip resembles one of the petals of the flower that is retracted, probably secondary to some deep emotional pain that is being held in the vagina and cervix. I administered 1 spray of Grace into the mother’s mouth and 1 spray on the pubic bone. Within minutes the midwife announced that the cervical lip spontaneously receded and a happy baby girl was born.

Woman in labor with hypertension

She presented with a blood pressure of 220/120. We offered homeopathy, acupuncture and Five-Flower Formula . She quickly delivered a vibrant little boy with a resting blood pressure of 200/120. Hours later I visited the mother and asked about her hypertensive history. She said she developed hypertension with her second child. She was in an abusive relationship and she left her violent husband after child was born. I asked if she had regrets and she cried. She was so sad that the relationship did not work out. The baby born today was from a different husband that she said he treats her well but she is mean to him.

I administered Grief Relief , Grace and Post-Trauma Stabilizer along with Natrum muriaticum homeopathic. The next morning the woman was nearly unrecognizable as joy radiated from her face. She shared that she was freed from the past and had a new life now. Blood pressure was 120/90. We sent home a bottle of essences for the rest of the family to deal with the trauma they had experienced throughout the years.

Convulsions secondary to a high temperature

2 year old male. I administered Five-Flower Formula and Post-Tramua Stabilizer onto the child’s chest. After icing for 10 minutes and one dose of Aconitum homeopathic the child rested peacefully in his mother’s arms.  The temperature dropped to normal in 20 minutes. The boy and mother left after 2 hours of observation with a bottle of essences. Instructions were to give the child 1 tsp every 2 hours for 2 days.

2 year old boy with high fever and diminished consciousness

I administered essences on the boy’s head and in this belly button. I made the decision to transport the boy to the hospital which was 1 hour away.  On the way, the boy quit breathing. I started rescue breathing and applied Yarrow Environmental Solution (YES) to his mouth with my fingers. He would open his eyes and offer a slight cry every time I would apply the flower essence. We arrived at the hospital and offered him to the ER personnel. I am convinced the salt in the YES helped by replacing vital electrolytes that aided in his consciousness.

Extreme abdominal swelling, severe cough, fever and obvious malnutrition

We completed an exam of 7 year old Marvin and opened a new world for Marvin and his family. What do you do when there just isn’t much you can do? You believe in them and the little resources we had available: homeopathy, flower essences, supplements and Karen Rae Ferreira gave them her extra vegan foods. We also believed in a hospital an hour away, where they had a few more resources than we had. We visited the family compound. The flower essences were utilized by the family of Marvin as well as us, the healthcare providers. It was an emotional day for us all! A ride to the hospital in the ambulance, then Marvin was diagnosed with a number of parasites and tuberculosis. Brave Marvin and his loving parents, with financial support from foreigners, underwent weeks of hospitalization. He is now home and doing well. There are fundraising projects underway to help this family and now they have a boat, clothes, food, medicine and lots of hope.

Ankle necrosis

A 27 year old man presented with a 14 day old wound to his ankle. His tissues were dying and the smell was revolting. Hospitalization was indicated but not an option as he had no money. Nurse Faye decided to debride the wound area to the best of her abilities. I decided it was time for essences. I sprayed the flower essences on the wound and also gave them to all the medical personnel. In addition, I used my cold laser on the area. Antibiotics, multivitamins and a home-cooked meal were offered. He came back everyday and within a week the tissues were healed.

Laceration treatment without lidocaine

A young man presented with a 12” laceration on his leg. We had no more lidocaine so I gave him repeated doses of essences as well as a neck massage while the nurses sutured his leg. He received 23 stitiches, antibiotics, and a bottle of essences to take home. He was a strong man with no other options available to him.

Laceration 3 year old child

This sweet little girl had slit her wrist on a piece of metal roofing (which was a common wound). Essences were offered to her, her father, and the medical team. She came back the next day after she had taken a few of the stitches out of her wrist. She wanted more of the essences and gave us permission to put stitches back in. She was only 3 years old but knows what makes her feel good!

Emotional paralysis of child when there were storms

This sweet little girl would become paralyzed every time there was a storm.  She was limping and on exam I found she had a hip displacement. The mother claimed her daughter had been injured by flying debris. I gave her a bottle of essences and a dose of Arnica homeopathic and asked for her to come back the next day.

The next day she came back and gave me a hug and allowed me to manipulate her body. Her hip easily adjusted and she left the compound skipping. A week later they came back and the little girl was still thriving!

Impetigo on 18 month old baby

We utilized honey infused with flower essences topically, and antibiotics were given to the little guy. For follow up we used homeopathy, vitamins, Chinese herbs, and probiotics. The family was gifted a bottle of essences and success was achieved! This little one with severe impetigo was healed with essences and natural remedies.

80 year blind herbalist

We used the essence water to wash her eyes 2 times a day. We then applied coconut oil infused with Cell Salt Silicae. One dose of Natrum muriaticum homeopathy was given. She returned in 1 week with the claim of being able to see shadows. I gave her a cranial sacral adjustment and minor chiropractic adjustment. The following week she stated that she is back to cleaning the fish for their family. One happy woman as well as her family!

The healer was giving me medical care for my knee injury. She would “listen” with her ear to my knee as she treated me. She asked me if I had anything that would help her with her blindness, which had occurred after a bike accident when she was young. Again I used the essence water to cleanse the eyes. Then, I infused the essences into coconut oil with Silicea cell salt. Some multi vitamins, 1 week of probiotics, and homeopathic Arnica were given to her. She came back the next day and claimed she could see. A dose of homeopathic Ledum was given and she continued having improvement with her vision.

3 year old boy with an enlarged head and paralysis

What do you do when you have nothing to offer? You believe in them. The little boy reached out to me with a smile. The eyes of our hearts connected.  I told him he was going to be okay. I gave him a bottle of essences, homeopathic remedy Natrum muriaticum, probiotics, cranial sacral treatment and a toy. With his family, he returned 1 week later. The boy was sitting for the first time in his life. I treated him again and made coconut oil infused with essences to apply over his entire body. I asked them to return in 1 week. The mother cried as she stated she had come from another island and had no more money for travel. I assured her she could continue treatment without me. I gathered protein powders, essences and vitamins for her to take home with her, and taught her how to do some physical therapy with her son. They left crying with hope…

Post partum depression

A man came back to our center 2 days after his baby was stillborn. He claimed his wife was speaking gibberish and was turning circles in the bedroom. I gave him a bottle of essences and asked him to come back in the morning with his wife. They both came the next day but he did not remember why he had come the night before.

Local authorities calmed by flower essences

A day with local authorities assessing damage and recovery was an opportunity to give a bottle of essences to the 4 men. One gentleman was extremely anxious and stressed with the governmental involvement and misuse of international financial donations. After 30 minutes of sipping on the essences he settled into the car seat and took a nap. He awoke with a smile on his face and a new attitude of hope!

My own injury

There was a woman having a massive stroke in front of our eyes. We made the decision to transport to the hospital. I ran into the building to get a pillow for her and slipped on the carpet at the door. I landed on a tile floor and dislocated my right knee, right big toe, and scraped my left elbow. Our team was on me in seconds… I am grateful for flower essences: the team immediately sprayed me with Five-Flower Formula and gave me Arnica homeopathy. Then they gave me Post-Trauma Stabilizer . In my physical therapy I utilized the flowers internally as well as topically. There were no options other than to heal, and I continue to do so, as hope is in my cells and soul.

22 year pregnant female post-leprosy

The woman had been treated with medications for 3 years since the age of 12. Her hands and feet were disfigured and she was in constant nerve pain that was a 10 on a scale of 0 to 10. She hid her face behind her hair and made little eye contact. The first visit I gave her a bottle of essences and asked her to return in 2 days. During the second visit she made eye contact. I gave her a coconut lotion made with the homeopathic Naturm muriaticum and Post-Trauma Stabilizer . 7 days later she presented to camp in labor. Her nerve pain was at a 3. She delivered a healthy little boy as her loving partner held her deformed hand during the entire process. 2 days of recovery in the birthing camp allowed time to treat her 3 x day with physical therapy aided by the application of Post-Trauma Stabilizer . She left the camp able to open her hands, move her fingers, and hold her baby and stroke his face. A week later she presented to the camp with her hair pulled back to reveal her beautiful face that was shining with bright red lipstick. I refilled her lotion. 1 week later again she returned requesting a bottle of essences for her family while proudly holding her little boy who was beaming from her gentle pain-free arms and loving hands.

Visit the Bumi Wadah Facebook page.

USAID Fact Sheet on Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda in Philippines

21 April 2014
U.S. Agency for International Development
Washington, D.C.

TYPHOON HAIYAN/YOLANDA
FACT SHEET #22
NUMBERS AT A GLANCE

16 million People Affected by Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan in the Philippines
— Government of the Philippines (GPH) National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) – April 17, 2014

6,300 Deaths Associated with Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan in the Philippines
— NDRRMC – April 17, 2014

4.1 million People Displaced by Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan in the Philippines
— NDRRMC – April 17, 2014

1.1 million Houses Damaged or Destroyed by Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan in the Philippines
— NDRRMC – April 17, 2014

Meet Dr. Val