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The Faeve Story
My husband sees a lot of patients. I’m not bragging, I’m stating a fact. In fact, I try to get him to come home early, to not start at 7 am , to take 5 minutes to eat lunch. Nope. His patients need him and he wants to be there for them. It’s maddening as a wife.
One of his patients, whom we will call Martha, came to us every 2 weeks for the past 4 years. She started coming for low back pain, which worked. Then it didn’t anymore. Long story short, she had ovarian cancer. She came to my husband to treat the symptoms of chemo etc. She was a lucky one that after a few months was able to go into remission. During this whole time, she never stopped coming to see my husband. Unfortunately, the cancer had come back. She was single and lived alone. She didn’t always make her standing appointment, but she always called. Always. One day she didn’t. We knew she was alone. We called her cell, we emailed, her “emergency contact” was disconnected. We decided to call the area hospitals. She apparently changed oncology offices because she wasn’t a patient at the one we had on file. We were stumped. More than stumped, we were sad, and slightly afraid for her. We felt powerless.
One day in 2016 she just walked into the office to make an appointment. I saw her come up to the window from my office. She looked terrible. I ran up to her and gave her a hug. I told her how worried we were. I asked what happened and how we could help. Her reply was my game changer. My husband’s game changer. It is the reason for this company.
Martha lives in a retirement development. She has a lot of “friends” and goes to a lot of meet ups. Approximately one month earlier, she went to a Multi Level Marketing party for Essential Oils. Her “host” was a friend’s daughter who was from out of state. This host told Martha that Frankincense could kill cancer cells. Then proceeded to tell her how it was appropriate to ingest this oil in somewhat large quantities for Essential Oils. Well, she got sick. Deathly sick. She had to be transported to a University Hospital for over 3 weeks. She took 3 steps backwards in her treatment.
My husband was beyond angry. Having dealt with the MLM stuff over the years from patients wanting to push their products in the “best of health” made us sick. Never would we sell anything with an upline, sideline, by line, whatever line. We feel it takes away from the doctor patient relationship. We have always been strongly against any MLM lines.
However, Essential Oils were the rage. You could even get them at Wal-Mart. Patients were talking to their doctors about them. Science did have some validity if you looked on Pub Med. But what was the truth?
Many of you may be dictated by science, so I know you understand my plight here. I am also sure that some of you are rolling your eyes. Please, keep rolling them. I beg you. Just keep reading.
A few nights later after some deep thought, at 12:30 am, I signed up for a $50.00 Aromatherapy Class. It was garbage, but piqued my interest. I decided that weekend to spend a few thousand on a real 250-hour class. “Lucy, you got some splaining to do…” was the look I received from my husband. I was told that my idea was stupid, there was no scientific basis and in the nicest way possible, my husband called me a twit.
I enjoyed it so much, I ordered the next program a few months later. Another eye roll from the husband. I guess at that point he figured I was happy and just leave me be. Perhaps this was better than a shoe and purse problem?
I left work early one day “to study”. Well, Mr. Science came home and saw everything I was doing for an exam laid out on our bed. He started looking at it and looked at me puzzled…what are you doing this for? I had a Chemistry exam I had to finish that evening and a Biology the next day. He said I haven’t seen this since I was in school. You have to do this? He asked. He left me alone pretty much after that and started to ask me questions….
I took that as a good sign and took the last graduate course for yes, another few thousand dollars. He didn’t say anything this time. No eye roll. I was making progress.
So, 700 credit hours later I was ready to sit for my Registered Aromatherapist (RA) Exam. I had to drive 1.5 hours to a testing location like you would for your nursing exam, massage exam or acupuncture exam, you get the drift. Two and half hours later, I finished the exam.
Three weeks later I got word that I passed. I was now 1 of 4 people in the State of Florida that passed this exam.
I started making product. I made things I knew our patients needed. Mr. Science was still doubtful. He was proud of me though, even if he couldn’t’ admit it.
One day I walked into the office and he brings me into an exam room and shuts the door. He was visibly upset. “What did you do” he says. I had no clue what he is talking about and I told him that. “You got rid of toe fungus”. I looked at him confused. He had apparently given away my anti-fungal spray I made to a patient to “try”. He never told me. Well, after a week, it took away the fungus. It was my turn to look at him like he was crazy. “Of course it did, when you use the chemical components of these two oils it does a one two punch of lowering the inflammation and then killing off the fungus.” It made complete sense to me. “Do you know how hard it is to get rid of toe fungus” he growls at me again. I shook my head and walked away. This time HE was the crazy one. He then asked me to bring a few more bottles of that into the office.
Then there was the dust mite spray. My son, 11 years going on 72, has dust mite allergies. We have redone his room, his blankets, got rid of his stuffed animals. Changed his pillowcases and put mattress covers on. We have done everything the doctor and Dr. Google has told us. One day while I was studying I was told I had to make a hydrosol for an exam. I decided to make a hydrosol blend for dust mites. So after doing my research I make a dust mite blend and bring it home to my son. Let me tell you, he is his father’s son. More eye rolls. But being Big Momma I can say “DO THIS” and he will.
A few weeks later, my very not congested boy comes up to me very sheepishly with an empty bottle of dust mite spray. “Momma, may I please have more. Can you make me some?”. I laughed. Again. That’s in the line now too.
Our office deals mainly in pain. Neck pain, back pain, shoulder pain. Our patients have used so many products and unfortunately none of them work the way they are advertised. Personally, I think that working with Acupuncturists have made me look at pain a little differently than a R and D guy for a major corporation. Acupuncturists treat pain in an all-encompassing manner and not just at the one specific area. I wanted to make a product that would help those patients in pain, no matter what type. A leading cause of pain is inflammation. That’s where I went first. Then I realized that there were so many carrier oils that also helped with inflammation. When I figured that out my mind was blown. Then I researched all of the Essential Oils that help with pain and inflammation. Hemp extract also came available to us at that time and I started researching that. I wanted to write one recipe. I couldn’t. I wrote 30. All of them scientifically backed that they would work. Which one could I use? Which one would work best? I had not a clue.
So I put a sign in the window of our office asking for patients in pain to do a little test. They had to do all the legal mumbo jumbo, but also had to use the product for a week. After that week they had to fill out on online form. If they wanted to, they could get a new sample to compare against. My assistant and I went into my lab and made all 30 of the samples. It took hours, but it was really fun as well.
After these tests, two came out the strongest. I then made those two and had the patients try them yet again until we came down to 1. That was how Hemp Joint Oil was created. I’ve had so many wonderful testimonials about that product with getting the swelling down with RA patients to helping with chemo infused neuropathy pain on feet.
I now have private consultations on Friday’s at the office. Our office butts up to a dermatologist. I know the PA that works there (he’s examined my parents no sunscreen rule very thoroughly over the years) and bumped into him during lunch one day. He asked me if I was the one “making the creams” there. Once I told him I was he asked me how I knew what I was doing and how I came about my blends. He was surprised when some of his patients told him that they were working better than the pharmaceutical creams he prescribed.
We had a good laugh. Because here is the honest truth…I don’t know. I know that I get into my zone. I sit around my computer and medical textbooks and I write out the client. Then I research and research until I get 25 ingredients. Then I keep taking out items until I feel it’s just right. Then I blend. It can take me 3 minutes or 3 days. It doesn’t matter what I’m making. But each blend is made with the ailment or client at front focus.
I found that besides being surprised at the success, I was also enjoying myself in a way I have never enjoyed myself at work before. I had always been envious of people who said, “I LOVE what I do”. Including my husband. It wasn’t until this that I understood that statement.
I’ll be the first to admit that I go to a therapist every few weeks to air out my laundry in a safe place. I see no harm in telling the world that. I believe mental health is important. Well, one day my therapist cancelled my appointment…permanently. I was shocked and hurt. A few days later, she called my cell phone. She explained that she was just diagnosed with a rare cancer and had to shut down her practice. She gave me some new names to go to. What was interesting was that she asked me to give her a consult on the oils. She knew she wanted the oils to be part of her treatment plan within the chemo and hearing me babble about it all the time in session she knew she wanted to use me. I said okay and went to work. We spoke via text about her medications she was taking, how often she was getting chemo etc. It took me 3 weeks to come up with a plan of care. I advised her not to do anything without her doctors permission and gave her all the studies and science I could find on why I made what I made.
Two weeks ago, I got a text from her stating that she showed everything to her oncologist and not only was she impressed by the research and science I did, but by the dosing as well (which is extremely important in cancer patients). So I went from being laughed at by my husband to getting clients from an oncologist at a high profile cancer center.
I am not a doctor. I do not play one on TV either. There is so much I don’t know. But I know Essential Oils. I know Carrier Oils. I understand their chemistry language and how they talk to each other. That’s what I do know. Every product I create is build upon that platform. Why? Because Chemistry rocks. Chemistry works.
I also know my place. I can make a nice soap when I want. But it’s not my passion. I’ll make soap the way some people make cookies. They always work well and have the therapeutic properties you are looking for, but may not always look nice. It’s my dream one day to hire a dedicated soap lady to just make soap for my company. So please understand that I am also humble about my work. I know what I am good at and what I’m not. I am not afraid to tell a client when I don’t know something. I’ve seen too many practitioners try to go out of their scope of practice to please the patient. I never do that. If I don’t know something, I will find someone that will.
This is all how Faeve came into being. Faeve means many things to me. One, from a marketing standpoint it’s pronounced Fave so hello, there’s that. According to Ancestry DNA I am 44% Irish and 35% Scottish with the balance made of UK and European mixes. Fae means Fairy in Celtic. In Irish folklore, it was the fairies that always helped you get well and overcome your troubles. So that’s in the name as well. The last reason is my daughter Maeve, named after my Irish Great Grandmother. She was at my side the whole time while I was studying, she would help me with my flash cards and has a great love and understanding of Clary Sage. She was my rock throughout all of this. So Maeve Faeve, you get it. The best part? Maeve is only 7. When my husband was eye rolling and my son following his Dad, it was the 7 year old that read along with me. It was not uncommon to have us splitting headphones and watching webinars at the same time.
So that’s Faeve. My Faeve. Chemistry driven.
Everything made with intention, spirit and science.
DISCLAIMER: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Faeve products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. They are health tips only and is to support, not replace medical advice on personal health matters directly from your physician or other healthcare professional. Do not replace any information contained on or in any product label or packaging as a substitute for your existing physician.
Faeve Plant Therapies, LLC is owned and operated by Christopher Cheshire, DOM and Meredith Cheshire, RA. For the last 12 years of their life, they have followed a path that led them on an adventure to search out mindfulness, peace and serenity in their everyday busy lives. As they educated themselves they found that certain products helped them achieve the type of simple bliss that is needed in today's come and go world. Faeve is a company built on these tools and products that are here for you to assist you in finding mindfulness in the everyday. Naturally. Organically. Scientifically.
Christopher Cheshire, DOM is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine that owns and operates Mulberry Integrative Medicine in The Villages, FL. He is a certified nutritionist and Chinese Herbologist. He is constantly seeking out new and natural alternatives for physical and mental health.
Meredith Cheshire, RA is a Registered Aromatherapist and Outreach Trainer for The Monroe Institute in Faber, VA. She works with her husband overseeing the medical practice but dedicates most of her time to her lab where she is constantly working to create beneficial, healthy products for the Faeve line and her family.
