| This is the case of G., a 37-year-old man, married, with two children aged 8 and 4. He consulted me because of frequent colds with high fever (over 39°C), and because of sudden attacks of "terrible coldness" which he has suffered since childhood. Hot drinks worsen his condition; he feels better when he has perspired. The physical symptoms or pains do not bother him particularly, but he does feel limited by his complaints because he cannot work and function normally. He is an office worker in an advertising company, where he prints flyers, brochures, labels, etc. He actually had higher ambitions, but lacked the motivation to continue his studies. |
| As a child he had a difficult relationship with his parents. They had a small farm, and he had to work hard there, which he did not like. He was interested in travelling and wanted to discover new places and countries. After he left his family home, he finally felt free to pursue further studies at university. He attended a sports college because he was very good at many sports. Cycling, and especially mountain biking, which is defined more by performance and less by money, were his preferred sports. "Cycling is a team sport, where every member of the team works for the best rider. There is no established leader; everyone supports the best rider." G. is not a champion, but he is very persistent; he rides 100 kilometres daily as routine exercise. When he was 15 he cycled to school every day, in sun or rain, which his mother greatly disliked; she considered it foolish. His best experience with cycling was a mountain marathon in Switzerland; a 115-kilometre race with descents of up to 2400 metres; it took 11 hours. He loves applause, likes being the centre of attention and talks about his achievements. He left competitive sport voluntarily: "Nobody threw me out of it." |
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| He has certain ideas about his parents' lives. Since he left home, his relationship with them has improved. He spends a lot of time with his children, mostly doing sporting activities: cycling, cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, ice-skating, etc. His children are as persistent and strong-willed as he is. G. thinks it was easier for them to achieve outstanding sporting results than it was for him; he had to work much harder to achieve the same results as his children, whom he now coaches. He achieved his sporting results under pressure, whereas his children are much more relaxed and spontaneous. He built himself a bar, which he largely designed himself, with some help from an architect. |
| He sleeps well. His dreams have the following themes: falling into water as a child; new experiences in his daily life (after a bike ride the previous day) – after he received a new bike, he dreamt about cycling all night. He likes the colours yellow, orange and red. He has no problems with eating; craving meat of all kinds with vegetables. |
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Analysis: His perseverance, his need for pressure and for support, and his sporting activities point to the silver series – despite his lack of artistic interests. He is an employee, but with higher aspirations, which excludes him from the iron series. He is not a manager, not a true leader in sport or in professional life; he lacks the overview of a leader. Despite his sympathy for teamwork in small groups at work or in sport, his desire for applause and attention, and although he is his children's coach, G. has no characteristics of the gold series. He often promises more than he can fulfil and needs collaboration. All this indicates stages 7 to 9. He has a strong will, shows perseverance, needs exertion and pressure, which in turn points to stage 8. Consequently I prescribed Ruthenium 1M. |
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Follow-up: He is healthy and feels well. He has not had a cold in the last 11 months. He finished building his bar and has opened it. He now works there together with his wife. He feels strengthened by his work and is very satisfied with it. |
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Group analysis according to Jan Scholten: He is a persistent athlete.Essence: To master oneself in order to show one's ideas. The remedy name Ruthenium comes from the Latin name of Russia: Ruthenia. Like most peoples of the Soviet bloc, the Russians are a symbol of extreme strength. In 1972 Czechoslovakia won the ice hockey championship in Prague. Our team defeated the Russian team – Zbornaja Komanda*. I was eight years old then and heard everywhere: "The Russians will go to Siberia." I understood that they had lost, but why Siberia? Later I realised: To strengthen their forces! |
| *Zbornaja Komanda is the name of the Russian team, which mainly consisted of players from the Soviet Army team. |
| Pavol Tibensky (tibus@stonline.sk) |
| Illustration by Vicki Mathison |
| Categories: Cases Keywords: Perseverance, Performance, Silver series, Ruthenium Remedy: Ruthenium metallicum |
