Number 5

The number five has become quite important to me. A few years ago, I had a lingering cough. It was a nuisance during the day and at night I would wake up choking, gasping for breath. I had tried every cough remedy I could find but nothing seemed to appease it. At the time we didn't have any pets so there seemed to be no explanation for it.

Every time I went out shopping I would scour the shelves looking for a cough treatment that I had not yet tried ... then one day, whilst in a health store, I came across a display of tissue salts. At the time I had never heard of these before. This was my first introduction to homeopathy. The tissue salts contain a minute amount of something which allegedly acts on the body similarly to an inoculation. I picked up pot after pot and eventually found 'New Era Biochemic Tissue Salts Number 5' in my hand.

The little tub bravely declared "A biochemic remedy for minor respiratory ailments and for coughs, colds and children's feverish ailments" with 450 moulded tablets.

I purchased the pot and placed four of the small pills in the centre of my tongue as directed. The tablets were tiny and sweet and dissolved slowly. When first taking them, if the complaint is severe, the directions advise that the process should be repeated every half-an-hour until symptoms subside ....... amazingly, the tiny tablets worked. I have been a fan of tissue salts ever since.

One Christmas, a long while ago, my husband treated me to a bottle of Chanel No 5. I sprayed it onto my neck and wrists and sucked in it's fragrance ... I don't know whether it's my imagination but deep within its smell, I fancy that I can smell the faintest suggestion of daffodil. Since that very first application I have never used any other perfume ... I just adore its soft, sweet, haunting, feminine smell.

So you see ... the number five has become quite important to me.