Inspired by Reiki
The impetus behind my writing the Donovan Series was the belief that illness, or dis-ease requires whole-body participation. By this, I mean that the body doesn’t simply grow a tumor in the abdomen without the mind and spirit being in cahoots. This became the catalyst for Kim Donovan who, as a surgeon, incorporates science and non-medical alternatives into her medical practice. Since the medical world is slowly catching on to the idea of whole body medicine, I saw this as an idea whose time had come.
My research for this series took me many places to study the practices of alternative care. One place of inspiration was the little-known world of Reiki. Out of all the different forms of complementary care I studied, Reiki was the most transformational, and went from a byline to staring role in my character’s life. Read More
Amazon Adventure
As I completed the first of the series, my writing took me to on a journey to the Peruvian Amazon. I thought I’d be able to get by with interviewing those who had been on medical trips to the jungle, but I quickly realized that in order to provide realistic flavor to my story, I had to touch, taste, smell and live the experience.
At the urging of Patty Webster, head of The
Amazon Promise, I accompanied Patty, who serves
ably as the clinic pharmacist, head cheer leader
and chief bottle washer, two Peruvian doctors, a
bevy of local Peruvian porters, four medical students,
one other non-medical volunteer, and myself for
seventeen days in the jungle.
Our longboat took us 120 miles upriver to provide clinics for the outlying villages whose only exposure to medical treatment are what Patty’s group provide. We slept and lived with spiders the size of a man’s hand, barking dogs, piranha, pink dolphins, mosquitoes whose only mission in life is to bite every square inch of a person’s skin, and, of course, the people of the Amazon. It was an experience that will live with me forever. To look deeply into the grateful eyes of those we helped requires no thanks. Their health is thanks enough, and provided rich background for my writing. Amazon Photo Gallery
