My head feels heavy and my neck barely supports it. My eyes close because my eyelids can no longer stay open. I lay my warm forehead on the cold bench and hope the teacher doesn't call my name right now. It's been another night where I haven't slept at all....
My childhood, from the time I was a few months old until I was about 14, was a continuous oscillation between "will live" and "may die at any moment".
I suffered from very aggressive allergic bronchial asthma. Anything triggered a flare-up: from dust, pollen, poplar fluff, the slightest whiff of damp or mold, to the feathers of a parrot or a seagull. I couldn't breathe at night, sitting up more than lying in bed, and this translated into many days in bed and hours and hours of sleeping at school with my head on the bench.
I never enjoyed any seaside vacations, although my parents tried countless times. Even though I was perfectly healthy a few hours before, from the first evening I would go into asthma attacks. Eventually they realized it was from the feathers of the seagulls, even though I wasn't standing nose to nose with them.
And many, many other examples.
Whenever I started a treatment, when I reached the high dose of substances, I would go into a bronchial asthma attack. Astmopent - a spray that I knew I should use as little as possible because it has adverse effects on the heart, but it was the only way to clear my airways for a few moments. Yes, it helps me not to die - or at least not of asthma. But it doesn't cure.
One day another doctor saw me, in full crisis, caused by the high dose of the treatment. I was about 9 years old. She explained very firmly to my father that my only chance to live was saline. And he prescribed me 21 days of spa treatment.
There followed years in a row in which every 6 months, every 21 days, I entered the first elevator with the miners, and I left the salt mine with the last elevator, also with them. Most of the time I was accompanied by my mother, who I don't think had ever guessed that all her vacations would be spent in the salt pans - or by various benevolent relatives who sacrificed themselves for a week to keep me there, in a boarding school.
In short, we had 2 major activities: playing ping-pong and sleeping. Ping-pong was by appointment (between us kids) - because there were only 2 tables. In the morning I would start doing my homework - but it didn't take long before the bright light of the bright bulbs around the room would wipe the letters from my eyes. Besides, the cold was quickly seeping into my bones. A few games of ping-pong followed, to warm up, and then sleep.
We were sound asleep for hours. There were beds. Lots of blankets on me. Yes, yes, those pathetic-looking blankets - who knows how many years old. But I didn't get hurt by them, J. When I woke up, I was playing ping-pong again. I wasn't allowed to eat or drink too many liquids in the saline.
Despite the poor conditions, the day passed very quickly and I loved it there. I had made friends and couldn't wait for the next 6 months to pass before I saw them again.
When we left the salt ponds, we used to go to the local salt lakes. The warm water kept me afloat and I loved it. The only challenge was keeping the water out of my eyes - it was a bit of a bad bear, but it passed quickly.
Although at first I didn't make the connection between Spa yes Balneo, a year or so after launching despreSpa.ro, I realized how well the natural resources of Romania (mud, medicinal herbs, salt, clay, etc.) can be integrated into Spa rituals.
I approached the balneology and we have dedicated some sections to it in aboutSpa.ro blog. Especially for the natural healing factors, which my illness has taught me to appreciate at their true value. But I still felt it was not enough. I still hear of people who don't even know what natural healing resources we have!
I continue to wonder why people don't use these natural healing factors that are made available to us - for free - for the most part - by nature. Why would you opt for a chemical treatment when there are natural alternatives, often cheaper and certainly more effective?
As of January 2020, we have decided to communicate constantly on the topic spa therapies - so that the information reaches as many people as possible. Dr. Gabriela Dogaru - Vice-President of the Romanian Association of Balneology, writes 1 article / week. Most, based on recent scientific studies: https://desprespa.ro/balneo/
At the beginning of the year, when I realized the need for these articles, I didn't even think about COVID. Strengthening your immune system at a time when wave 2 of the epidemic is predicted to follow - seems essential to me. A priority. For the health that no doctor can give us. For which we and we alone are responsible. Now, I hope that more and more Romanians understand the benefits of balneology and natural healing factors and to spend their vacations in seaside resorts.
Where will you spend your next vacation?
Ioana Marian, founder of despreSpa.ro
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