RE: Digest Number 308

[Guest guest]

>From: candidiasisonelist

>Reply-candidiasisonelist

>candidiasisonelist

>Subject: Digest Number 308

>Date: 27 Mar 2000 08:12:38 -0000

>

>------------------------------------------------------------------------

>From: ltldab1@...

>Subject: Re: NIH Web Space Stats

>

>Wood; I would sure love to see a 24 hour toxic metals urine

>challenge test done on you by Doctor's Date or simular Lab. All of

>your symptoms that you listed mirror chronic mercury poisoning. They

>can also do a hair analysis for toxic metals as well, both tests are of

>value, and do not cost much. You can reach the lab by typing

>doctorsdata.com The address at the bottom of this post will get you into

>the sum total of all medical knowledge in the world today, and it's use

>will even educate your doctor.

*****

, I'm going to check out the sites to see about this...however, how

could chronic mercury poisoning occur? I have no fillings, (no cavaties!),

and I don't work with mercury at all -- mercury thermometers are archaic...

Hmmm.....I'll have to investigate this...

Cris

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[Guest guest]

Mercury is contained in over 200 OTC products, from nose spray to eye

drops. If that is not enough mosts vaccines (shots) contain thimerosal

(mercury). Nice, they protect your health and poison you at the same

time.

From:

" Cristina Wood " <criscarile@...>

>From: candidiasisonelist

>Reply-candidiasisonelist

>candidiasisonelist

>Subject: Digest Number 308

>Date: 27 Mar 2000 08:12:38 -0000

>

>------------------------------------------------------------------------

>From: ltldab1@...

>Subject: Re: NIH Web Space Stats

>

>Wood; I would sure love to see a 24 hour toxic metals urine

>challenge test done on you by Doctor's Date or simular Lab. All of

>your symptoms that you listed mirror chronic mercury poisoning. They

>can also do a hair analysis for toxic metals as well, both tests are of

>value, and do not cost much. You can reach the lab by typing

>doctorsdata.com The address at the bottom of this post will get you into

>the sum total of all medical knowledge in the world today, and it's use

>will even educate your doctor.

*****

, I'm going to check out the sites to see about this...however, how

could chronic mercury poisoning occur? I have no fillings, (no cavaties!),

and I don't work with mercury at all -- mercury thermometers are archaic...

Hmmm.....I'll have to investigate this...

Cris

______________________________________________________

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Send blank message to candidiasis-unsubscribeonelist if you want to UNSUBSCRIBE !

[Guest guest]

> Mercury is contained in over 200 OTC products, from nose spray to eye

> drops. If that is not enough mosts vaccines (shots) contain thimerosal

> (mercury). Nice, they protect your health and poison you at the same

> time.

Do you have more info (web page, text,...)

Thanks,

[Guest guest]

Hi Group, I've been MIA for a bit. We had a death in the family so I've been

dealing with family stuff and all. Lots of crying, lots of laughing, lots of

head-shaking as in " I can't believe I actually share blood with that person. "

You all know how it is. But we're okay. (It was my mom's mom, my Grams.)

Anyway, belated happy birthday to Gail, belated Happy Easter and Passover to

everyone (we're Passover people here, anyone besides me sick of matza yet?),

and love to all the cuties!!! I was happy to get through all my digests

without any " emergencies. "

Today is just about the first nice spring day we've had! Hope it stays that

way!

Happy Spring to you all,

love debbi, mom to Logan (almost 6) eli (DS) and Milo 3 1/2

[Guest guest]

Debbi,

Iam very sorry for the lost of your Granmother.

Mabel, mom to Carolina, Cristian, a-ds 13 months

>From: DebraLGB@...

>Reply-Multiples-DSegroups

>Multiples-DSegroups

>Subject: Re: Digest Number 308

>Date: Mon, 24 Apr 2000 15:15:21 EDT

>

>Hi Group, I've been MIA for a bit. We had a death in the family so I've

>been

>dealing with family stuff and all. Lots of crying, lots of laughing, lots

>of

>head-shaking as in " I can't believe I actually share blood with that

>person. "

> You all know how it is. But we're okay. (It was my mom's mom, my

>Grams.)

>

>Anyway, belated happy birthday to Gail, belated Happy Easter and Passover

>to

>everyone (we're Passover people here, anyone besides me sick of matza

>yet?),

>and love to all the cuties!!! I was happy to get through all my digests

>without any " emergencies. "

>

>Today is just about the first nice spring day we've had! Hope it stays

>that

>way!

>

>Happy Spring to you all,

>

>love debbi, mom to Logan (almost 6) eli (DS) and Milo 3 1/2

________________________________________________________________________

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[Guest guest]

The angry postings this weekend serve as a reminder of how wonderful,

generous and valuable are the efforts Gretchen puts into this discussion

group for our benefit. Overseeing an online discussion group of this size

always involves straightening out emotional misunderstandings, smoothing

bruised egos, and sometimes taking the brunt of misdirected anger without

losing one's cool. I've been in Gretchen's place and want everyone to know

that the type of effort she puts in is never fully appreciated. I hope she

keeps sharing her generosity and time to help all of us.

[Guest guest]

----- Original Message -----

From: <egroups>

<egroups>

Sent: Tuesday, May 30, 2000 6:37 PM

Subject: [] Digest Number 308

> ------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Missing old school friends? Find them here:

> 1/4055/10/_/616793/_/959726257/

> ------------------------------------------------------------------------

>

>

[Guest guest]

<< Not to mention that she looks and acts like a 20 year old! LOL Sorry

if i came across wrong Margaret.

Gail >>

Hi, Everyone..........Gail......I was laughing, too. Your hair is (was) just

as nice as mine!!! Besides, I only act 20 in my dreams!!! Lately the ole'

bones have been a'hurtin in the back. It's from all those yrs. of carrying a

certain individual who should've been walking!!! Word of advice....don't

give into Seth and carry him around everywhere......especially a few yrs down

the road!!! Loriann.........had to laugh about riding

in the shopping cart when he's 16 (I think that was you!!!). Anyways, Gareth

still wants to sit in the cart (where the groceries go). I get so angry and

frustrated, but usually give in because then I don't have to worry about

losing him in the store. I have to find a bench for him to step on and crawl

in. It's no wonder my back is gone........all those yrs of lifting him

around!!! Take care, everyone. Margaret

[Guest guest]

HI Jennie,

What a GREAT post! Go Isaac and Jennie. Doing things outdoors is very

motivating to our kids as we all know. Recently my daughter's therapist(who

I wish I could clone) took her for a walk. She asked her what color the fire

hydrant was and responded " yellow " . They walked on and when was

asked " What color is the grass? " said " gr " . They continued on and the

therapist asked if the flowers were yellow. correctly said " yah " !! I

will definitely use the fall leaves to review and teach colors as we go for

walks to gather them and then paste(fine motor) them in a leaf book.

Something I did with my 8 yr. old when he was 3 and 4.

Recently, when our private speech therapist and I were having a mtg. at the

supper table while my three kiddos were having " Happy Meals " I (quite

frankly) was stimming on a plastic Disney Pluto dog. All of a sudden

when there was a lull in the conversation looked at me and said " dog " .

Fully understandable too. You can believe she got Pluto pronto! Yesterday,

while waiting for our dr. because we thought broke a small bone in her

foot (she's on steroids) we were looking through her Barney Farm Animals

Book. I told her pigs said " oink, oink " . We flipped through and got to the

cat page and before I could utter a sound said-- " MEOW " Perfectly! I

almost fell of the examining table. I guess our kids give us these days to

help us go on, something which has been very hard for me these days.

Congratulations again Jen,

--mom to 8 1/2 perfect, 5 1/2 autism and LKS/Variant and

3--PDD Verbal with serious sensory issues. Never a dull day in my

home.

[Guest guest]

One of my son's character of his Apraxia is he is automatically adding OFF to

TAKE (this is only an example). When I ask him to say " Can I take (a) bath? "

it becomes Can I take off bath? " can I take (a) break? " becomes " can I take

off break? One of remedies I am thinking of would be writing Take off, take

bath, take break, take+XXX etc on the same sheet of paper, have him read and

practice saying them back to back.

Dawn

In a message dated 9/19/00 1:32:11 AM Pacific Daylight Time,

egroups writes:

<< Message: 1

Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2000 10:53:13 -0700

From: " N.WHITNEY " <nwhitney@...>

Subject: how can does apraxia impact on full speech development

Hi , my name is Norrah I am a mom to a great 4.7 year old.

We have been working ( as some may know frm ME list) for alittle over two

years, but sadly with HEAVY financial restrictions. So for most of the two

years we have not been able to have the level of Professional Speech that I

think is also critical to any good home based ABA program.

My question is how does/can apraxia impact on full development of speech and

the use of aquired speech? >>

[Guest guest]

Hi Sharon! Well about my thyroid medication, I didn't want to take any

drugs soI tried to treat it naturally with kelp, bladderwrack, and some

various other herbal combinations, but I didn't notice any results. So I

went on Cytomel liothrionine (sp) which is T3. It works pretty well for me,

I think. But, if I could treat it naturally I would much rather prefer that,

it seems like it would be better for my body. Good luck! --ana

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[Guest guest]

In a message dated 10/30/01 9:52:43 AM,

writes:

<< Message: 12

Date: Tue, 30 Oct 2001 14:47:51 -0000

From: mbla4hdq@...

Subject: Grass fed organic beef in MO.

As I posted earlier, We will be moving to Mo. on to an organic

pasture farm. We are not down there until the end of Nov.

Anyway They have taken their beef to the locker and know they are

going to be cutting them up. They have 3 left.

They are wanting $1.80 per lbs hanging weight, they weigh about 500

lbs.

They are on certified organic land and have not been feed any grain.

May have got a little when they were young not much because they were

left with the mother. No Soy and on pasture. No Antibiotics. They

live near Brookfield MO. I think he needs to know today if I had

anyone that was interested so he can start looking for someone. They

can sell it by quarter, halves, or whole.

Let me know.

Barb >>

A friend and I are interested in buying some if its still available --

perhaps we could start with just a quarter -- I've never bought beef this

way. Could you explain the details. I live near Los Angeles.

818-889-4130

[Guest guest]

Hi, ,

Sorry to respond so late here. What an interesting little flurry I started

with my " cerebral " discussion....

I have actually never had hardware. When I had my original surgery in 1967,

some of the surgeons were using the Harrington rods. Dr. Green, who was older

and more conservative, was leery of them. As he had been my ortho for years,

and my parents (who made the decisions then) trusted him and his reputation

greatly, that was the chosen path. I actually had an unusually low curvature,

fused T9-L3. My hospital roommates had their Risser jackets to one knee only,

and often had headpiece extensions. I am the only one I remember who was

casted to both knees and one arm, the cast ended just above the bustline.

Evidently the weight of my own bone plus the location of the curvature

contributed to the relatively early onset of my postop problems, in my early

20's.

When I sought help for all the pain I was regarded as a failure of the surgery

and made to feel that I was very unusual and that the other people who

underwent this surgery were generally doing very well. I had 5 " second

opinions "

before my 2nd fusion. Some recommended hardware, anterior approaches, etc. I

was bewildered by the choices and all the docs seemed equally competent by

reputation. So I went with the one who made the effort to relate personally,

and

who treated me with the most compassion and respect (the late J. Drennan

Lowell from the old Bent Brigham in Boston).

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. What I have found over the years is that a

great many of the practicing orthos were trained by Dr. Green, and were

uncomfortable dealing with the failure in my situation. So the message I got

was not

to pursue more surgery, live with what I had. 25 years ago, Boston was

" medical Mecca " , and it didn't occur to me to travel. What happened was that I

underwent pain rehab and gradually built a really nice, quality life, pain and

all. A very difficult decision to rock the boat by risking more surgery,

especially spinal revision. I have mostly lurked to store information in case

things really degenerate, though.

Back to " cerebral. " I have actually been doing a seated martial arts program

for the last 4 years and fallen in love with it, very unexpectedly. Saw the

inside of a HS ladies' locker room for the first time at age 49, as I was

excused from phys ed all those years. But it's true that most of what I love to

do involves reading and thinking and doesn't require that much physical

activity, so I don't grieve my limitations as much as many.

>

>Message: 3

> Date: Mon, 26 May 2003 14:13:30 -0500

> From: " poetryperson " <poetryperson@...>

>Subject: Re: Digest Number 306

>

>Sherry,

>

>Welcome. I'm glad you " spoke up. "

>

>Do you have hardware of any kind since your 1978 surgery? Most of the people

>at this list do suffer specifically from Harrington rod deformities

( " flatback " ),

>but we all have in common that we were surgically fused for scoliosis in

>the past, the vast majority of us with some kind of instrumentation. It's

>beginning to look as though later, segmental instrumentation systems (circa

>mid-1980s or later?) have potential drawbacks of their own.

>

>I must say I have been overwhelmed by all the strenuous and even athletic

>exploits so often reported, between operations, by individuals who have

>scoliosis coupled with a highly gung-ho attitude. So, thank you sincerely

>for speaking up on behalf of the more cerebral among us! Let's hear it

>for the bookworms!

>

>Yup, I think that even in my " active years, " at age 13, I was better able

>to put up with long-term incarceration in a spinal cast than were some

>of my more gymnastic or sports-crazy peers. Not to start a riot or anything.

> (OK, folks, take it easy -- Yes, I know a bunch of you are already inputting

>outraged replies to this post, to inform me of just which strenuous feats

>you excelled at, and how many medals you were consequently awarded, DURING

>your time in that 30-pound Risser jacket extending to your right hip and

>your left knee. But let's face it, not all of us can or will be inspired

>by your awesome example! May I be so rude and uncool as to say that some

>of us are actually sort of peeved to keep hearing about your outstanding

>prowess at 8.5 different exceedingly demanding careers and hobbies requiring

>utmost musculoskeletal fitness and extreme endurance! Go tell it to your

>equally aerobic and phenomenally weight-bearing physical therapist while

>working out with her on your lunch break from the pole-vaulting-off-high-dive

>event sponsored by the Society of Maniacal Overachievers with Scolioisis

>Who Are Currently Eight Months Pregnant! Thank you kindly -- " No offense,

>Maynard. " )

>

>Also, I am quite sure you are not the only person here to have hip-problems

>or concerns, Sherry. I trust you will get some helpful replies from people

>who share your own particular " issues. "

>

>

[Guest guest]

Sherry,

What a wonderful letter.

I'm not sure Boston is NOT the mecca, even today. After all, that's where I went (from Chicago) to get my own revision surgery, with Rand at New England Baptist.

Those casts you described, though . . . . oh, dear. (I myself had one of the casts down to one knee. Two knees is a bit much.)

I am so intrigued to hear there is such a thing as seated martial arts! When you get the chance and the spirit moves you, please write more about this.

Also, what kind of pain rehab worked for you?

Let's keep in touch . . . .

Re: Digest Number 306>>Sherry,>>Welcome. I'm glad you "spoke up.">>Do you have hardware of any kind since your 1978 surgery? Most of the people>at this list do suffer specifically from Harrington rod deformities ("flatback"),>but we all have in common that we were surgically fused for scoliosis in>the past, the vast majority of us with some kind of instrumentation. It's>beginning to look as though later, segmental instrumentation systems (circa>mid-1980s or later?) have potential drawbacks of their own. >>I must say I have been overwhelmed by all the strenuous and even athletic>exploits so often reported, between operations, by individuals who have>scoliosis coupled with a highly gung-ho attitude. So, thank you sincerely>for speaking up on behalf of the more cerebral among us! Let's hear it>for the bookworms!> >Yup, I think that even in my "active years," at age 13, I was better able>to put up with long-term incarceration in a spinal cast than were some>of my more gymnastic or sports-crazy peers. Not to start a riot or anything.> (OK, folks, take it easy -- Yes, I know a bunch of you are already inputting>outraged replies to this post, to inform me of just which strenuous feats>you excelled at, and how many medals you were consequently awarded, DURING>your time in that 30-pound Risser jacket extending to your right hip and>your left knee. But let's face it, not all of us can or will be inspired>by your awesome example! May I be so rude and uncool as to say that some>of us are actually sort of peeved to keep hearing about your outstanding>prowess at 8.5 different exceedingly demanding careers and hobbies requiring>utmost musculoskeletal fitness and extreme endurance! Go tell it to your>equally aerobic and phenomenally weight-bearing physical therapist while>working out with her on your lunch break from the pole-vaulting-off-high-dive>event sponsored by the Society of Maniacal Overachievers with Scolioisis>Who Are Currently Eight Months Pregnant! Thank you kindly -- "No offense,>Maynard.") >>Also, I am quite sure you are not the only person here to have hip-problems>or concerns, Sherry. I trust you will get some helpful replies from people>who share your own particular "issues.">>Support for scoliosis-surgery veterans with Harrington Rod Malalignment Syndrome. Not medical advice. Group does not control ads or endorse any advertised products.

[Guest guest]

Sharon,

I too had the walking Risser cast-actually 2 of them 5 months for the first high rise up around the neck, then 4 months with more of a t-shirt style one. I even went on a couple of hayrides in mine. I remember when I got it removed there was a lot of hay down inside-no wonder the thing always felt itchy to me. I had my surgery the summer before I started high school-I hated having to go to school with that cast on. I always got compliments from my choir director about my wonderful posture--it took a while before he realized it was not voluntary on my part! I think the thing that got me thru all of it the most however was my close friends and my church. I had lots of support-much like the support given on this website. Having someone to share the good moments and the bad ones with is important -- well enough of my rambling--hope you all have a wonderful painfree weekend!

Dee

Harrington Rod 1973

Discectomy/Laminectomy 2003

[Guest guest]

Can't say as I've ever worn a Merry Widow (Helluva name!). My prom/choral

concert gown was actually an unsophisticatedly comfortable 70's home-made

floral " maxi " dress with a V neck and a back sash tie. Long, straight hair

completed the flower child look. I made the mistake of talking my

" boyfriend " into going to my junior prom with me. (Well, hey, I went to

HIS with HIM.) Tall, blue-eyed, sexy " jock " that I knew would impress my

classmates. I was going to have at least a little standing in backwoods

Maine teenage society. We got our parents to drive us to a restaurant

about half-way between our towns and had dinner as a six-some. Then

sometime between the first dance and the first cup of punch (or

there-abouts) he started in on " the talk " . Stinking SOB broke up with me

at my own junior prom.

So I spent the rest of the time choking back the tears and forcing smiles,

thankful that the lights were low. One " cool " but troubled girl who had

probably never spoken 2 words to me before complimented me with a " You've

got a cute one! " To this day I can't be sure if she'd overheard the

dumping conversation.

I called my dad to come get us early, and we rode in silence in the back

seat to return him to his parents.

I might as well have still been in the damned axillary jacket for how

attractive I felt that night. Men! Thankfully and quite unimaginably to

me there was at that time an 11-year-old Israeli boy who was destined to

move to America, become a computer genius, and grow into an amazing, loving

husband for a gal who still looked pretty good at 32, scoliosis and all.

Life is amazing stuff, especially when you pull a foolish all-nighter on

this amazing electronic useful time-sucking toy. Forgive me, friends, if

my candor is embarrassing to you, as I'm sure it will be to me after a few

hours' sleep.

Sharon

At 02:06 AM 5/31/03 -0500, you wrote:

> I agree. We need to let it out.

Oh, those cast-memories. I can smell and feel the wet plaster and the cold

steel Risser table in that " plaster room " at Walter .

My brain just went, " OK, next memory. " So what did I fast-forward to? To

age 16 and the junior prom. Which was actually not a whole lot more fun as

a memory, come to think of it. (For innumerable interlocking reasons I

probably need not enumerate here. I tend to be slightly verbose as it is.

Does anyone really want to hear about the junior prom at Lathrop High

School in Fairbanks, Alaska, back during the time of my youth in the

Pleistocene Epoch? And did I really wear a strapless [mail-order] gown in

May, in Fairbanks, which was probably still winter by " lower 48 "

weather-standards?)

Oh, hey, I just got the connection. The " Merry Widow. " Do young women

still wear that incredible lace-trimmed orthotic-lingerie item under their

strapless formals? Gimme a break. They saw off the cast, and you graduate

to some other blasted torture device for which one does not even need

scoliosis to qualify?

Well, okay, so I am much older and wiser and now have all kinds of new

orthopedic limitations and existential second thoughts and so forth. But I

just have to remind myself: I am not encased in plaster casts or bizarre

underwear! I will never have to worry about a bouffant hairdo and whether

it will hold up through the photo without another toxic barrage from my

purse-sized canister of " self-styling Adorn " ! I will never again sleep

(sleep?) on BRUSH ROLLERS!

Sheesh, it seems to me that adolescence is plenty hard enough without

throwing scoliosis into the brew.

OK, enough sniveling. Thanks for sharing. I mean it. We do need to do this.

[Guest guest]

Please do not spend one second being embarrassed. This is a wonderful, poignant story. I hope the shmuck is having deep second thoughts about the folly of his fateful decision to "dump" you. I like the shrewd little side-comment on the "cool" girl who might actually have made her remark to you in a calculated way after witnessing the end of your relationship. Ah, yes, I hope all the cool girls from high school are . . . well, happy in spite of it all. I never did figure out how being a majorette--now a vanished occupation, apparently!--with a deft touch when putting on subtle eyeliner made life a sure bet. I wondered what happened when the strains of "Pomp and Circumstance" died away and the yearbook took its place on the shelf.

I love the happy ending, your marriage to a mensch. L'chaim.

Re: Digest Number 308

Can't say as I've ever worn a Merry Widow (Helluva name!). My prom/choralconcert gown was actually an unsophisticatedly comfortable 70's home-madefloral "maxi" dress with a V neck and a back sash tie. Long, straight haircompleted the flower child look. I made the mistake of talking my"boyfriend" into going to my junior prom with me. (Well, hey, I went toHIS with HIM.) Tall, blue-eyed, sexy "jock" that I knew would impress myclassmates. I was going to have at least a little standing in backwoodsMaine teenage society. We got our parents to drive us to a restaurantabout half-way between our towns and had dinner as a six-some. Thensometime between the first dance and the first cup of punch (orthere-abouts) he started in on "the talk". Stinking SOB broke up with meat my own junior prom.So I spent the rest of the time choking back the tears and forcing smiles,thankful that the lights were low. One "cool" but troubled girl who hadprobably never spoken 2 words to me before complimented me with a "You'vegot a cute one!" To this day I can't be sure if she'd overheard thedumping conversation.I called my dad to come get us early, and we rode in silence in the backseat to return him to his parents.I might as well have still been in the damned axillary jacket for howattractive I felt that night. Men! Thankfully and quite unimaginably tome there was at that time an 11-year-old Israeli boy who was destined tomove to America, become a computer genius, and grow into an amazing, lovinghusband for a gal who still looked pretty good at 32, scoliosis and all.Life is amazing stuff, especially when you pull a foolish all-nighter onthis amazing electronic useful time-sucking toy. Forgive me, friends, ifmy candor is embarrassing to you, as I'm sure it will be to me after a fewhours' sleep.SharonAt 02:06 AM 5/31/03 -0500, you wrote:> I agree. We need to let it out. Oh, those cast-memories. I can smell and feel the wet plaster and the coldsteel Risser table in that "plaster room" at Walter . My brain just went, "OK, next memory." So what did I fast-forward to? Toage 16 and the junior prom. Which was actually not a whole lot more fun asa memory, come to think of it. (For innumerable interlocking reasons Iprobably need not enumerate here. I tend to be slightly verbose as it is.Does anyone really want to hear about the junior prom at Lathrop HighSchool in Fairbanks, Alaska, back during the time of my youth in thePleistocene Epoch? And did I really wear a strapless [mail-order] gown inMay, in Fairbanks, which was probably still winter by "lower 48"weather-standards?) Oh, hey, I just got the connection. The "Merry Widow." Do young womenstill wear that incredible lace-trimmed orthotic-lingerie item under theirstrapless formals? Gimme a break. They saw off the cast, and you graduateto some other blasted torture device for which one does not even needscoliosis to qualify? Well, okay, so I am much older and wiser and now have all kinds of neworthopedic limitations and existential second thoughts and so forth. But Ijust have to remind myself: I am not encased in plaster casts or bizarreunderwear! I will never have to worry about a bouffant hairdo and whetherit will hold up through the photo without another toxic barrage from mypurse-sized canister of "self-styling Adorn"! I will never again sleep(sleep?) on BRUSH ROLLERS! Sheesh, it seems to me that adolescence is plenty hard enough withoutthrowing scoliosis into the brew. OK, enough sniveling. Thanks for sharing. I mean it. We do need to do this. Support for scoliosis-surgery veterans with Harrington Rod Malalignment Syndrome. Not medical advice. Group does not control ads or endorse any advertised products.

[Guest guest]

I came by this " seated martial arts " quite accidentally. My husband has been

training at this karate school since I was pregnant with my 15-year-old son,

who joined in when he got old enough. I always enjoyed being around the

group, cheering from the sidelines. Five years ago, when I was in school, I

applied to get some experience working in a locked psychiatric unit, and got

turned

down for being unable to move well, etc. Well, I was annoyed and came home

and beefed about it. My darling husband, who had been waiting for years for

this opportunity, said " why don't you go down to the dojo and let them teach you

a few moves? " I still don't think I would have showed up, except they had

recently devised a modified program for a guy in a wheelchair.

Anyway, I signed for a trial month, very fearful. I can't count how many

fitness programs I have washed out of over the years, including tai chi because

I

couldn't do the weight shifting. Generally because I overdid and got hurt,

but also because exercise was my idea of a big bore. I had NO idea I would be

captivated....

Martial arts is really mind-body-spirit training and in a good program you

not only learn techniques but philosophy. If you are so inclined, there is a

lot of reading to do as well. I found a number of people who had serious

accidents, fractures, etc, and who went as far as they could with conventional

PT

and rehab. By working slowly and carefully at martial arts, they were able to

improve their situation. This impressed me.

I was VERY careful (still am), and my teachers are very respectful of my

situation and encourage me to keep my limitations in mind. I have very

carefully

and gently pushed them a little, not much. The combination of the mental

absorption, the lift to the spirit, the physical activity, and the welcoming

community provides a welcome tonic.

I have picked up a piece of philosophy that has helped me conceptualize pain

management. We learn direct action (punches, kicks) and indirect actions

(blocks, evasive technique). Sometimes a small action can get a very large

strong

person off balance and his own weight will bring him to the mat. Chronic

pain and limitations, especially in context of failed major surgery, etc., are a

formidable adversity. But small adjustments and baby step changes can do a

lot to bring down suffering and increase quality.

I had the privilege of training in two guest sessions with an aikido teacher

who had polio as a child. He stands in leg braces, supported on a crutch, and

is not a large guy. A huge guy grabbed his lapel, and with only gentle

pressure on the right spot, was brought to his knees. Talk about working smart!

I

sat in my chair in a room full of able-bodied people, feeling self-conscious.

This teacher kept coming by and encouraging me, saying " here's where you

have an advantage " , and indeed I discovered gravity is a tremendous advantage.

Of course, this really messed with my self-image.....

I was fortunate to find this program. I would never recommend anything

specific any more than I would recommend exercises, but I would encourage a

little

careful exploration if anyone feels ready. I wouldn't even attempt it at any

point in a recent postop recovery from revision surgery, say, but if healing

occurs and recovery plateaus, then maybe it could be right. Just food for

thought.....

>

>I am so intrigued to hear there is such a thing as seated martial arts!

> When you get the chance and the spirit moves you, please write more about

>this.

>

>

>

>Also, what kind of pain rehab worked for you?

>

>

>

>Let's keep in touch . . . .

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I have had two experiences on the receiving end of pain rehab. After my last

surgery in 1978, I had so much residual pain and limitation I couldn't

function and ended up pretty impaired on the various meds. At the time, a major

goal was to take people off opioids, and the program I went to did just that.

Five weeks in a boot camp environment, very structured days, lots of therapy of

all kinds, mental and physical. Kind of overwhelming and I was resistant to

some of it (as many of the other patients were). Nothing miraculous happened

at the time, but somehow I got the message that it might be possible to take

some control back over my life. Over time, I baby stepped my way back to work

after three years out, and after a number of bad experiences getting " dumped " ,

got to meet my wonderful mensch of a husband....

Pain level went way down somehow for maybe twelve years. About ten years

ago, it increased again. This time I went through an outpatient program, led by

Dr. Margaret Caudill, a pain management specialist and author of Managing Pain

Before It Manages You. This was a much gentler approach. Classic relaxation

training, gentle movement, mind-body work. Lots cognitive behavioral stuff,

communication techniques, etc. We were assigned to have a pleasurable

experience each week and report on it. I realized my lenses on life were

turning

brown from the steady pain and started going to the optical shop

For me, it is an ongoing process. I've gotten into the existential wrestle

aspect, questioning my priorities, trying to be flexible, learning new

work-arounds. I keep an image of " I may not be able to do it, but I can make it

happen. " I have honestly had moderate success with managing the actual pain but

much greater success in reducing the associated suffering.

In a message dated 5/30/03 11:35:08 PM, poetryperson@... writes:

>Also, what kind of pain rehab worked for you?

[Guest guest]

" Crushes " on the residents, oh, yes!! All kinds of funny memories are coming

back. Do you all know what a beautiful, resilient bunch of troupers you are?

It is a privilege to read and post to this group.

In a message dated 5/31/03 10:48:40 AM, mstrsodrknes@... writes:

>Ahhh yes, the beds were still the same, four beds to a

>cubicle and on one side of the ward a line of beds (at

>one point all of teem girls were lined up) hmmm, a

>thought just came to mind...lined up like a fireing

>squad.*giggle giggle* Although the doctor we had at

>that point in time really acted like he disliked young

>girls. Could that be because we went to head of

>orthopedics to report the way he treated us.

>The surgeon that did my surgery was Dr. Mcalwain. Oh

>he was so cute. Hey, I was 14 yrs old, ok..LOL

>He drove a corvet, a red one. Boy, Brook Army Medical

>Center had some cute docs back then. Dr. Markey, he

>ended up breaking his neck is what I was told. He

>found out first hand what we went through with the

>cast. I did have a great cast tech group though. The

>older man got aggreivated and said he thought that the

>docs should have to wear a risser cast for about a

>month to see what us girls had to go through.

>Hey...maybe that is why they stopped using cast..ust

>kidding. The younger cast tech was so cute and his

>wife just had a baby and went back home to show the

>baby off to her family and he came after work and sat

>with me at night during my first cast experience. He

>was actually a big comfort because the first cast had

>to be redone because it was too tight and he talked so

>calmly to me that night and played cards. Wow, I guess

>I should shut up. I am sorry for babbling. Its just so

>good to get all this out after all these years. I

>too seem to stay up late at night..lol

>Jan in Texas

[Guest guest]

Joyce, ohh the memories!

I remember my two best friends (still are by the way) came to see me at the hospital a couple of days after surgery. They had been swimming all day and were kinda sunburnt they came in my room and next thing I know the Nurse had them sitting down with smelling salts-they passed out from seeing me. I felt great at that time-with the help of a few pain killers--we still have a good laugh about it. I told them they could stay at the hospital & I'd go home since I felt okay and they didn't. Neither one took me up on that one! LOL!

Dee

[Guest guest]

I guess I was lucky that I was totally home bound during my 9 months in the body cast. A teacher came 3 times a week and I passed all my classmates in 9th grade.

Like most of us my friends came once or twice but not after that. One girl who is still a good friend and was my closest friend at the time, said years later that coming to see me "scared" her. In 1969 we were watching war (Vietnam) on tv and for most of us we'd never thought of death before. She said I was so white & my hair was so dark, almost black that she thought I was going to die & she would go home & cry.

People were real surprised when I appeared for the last month of school but just for 1/2 days. Most were curious (they expected after 9 months away, I must have had a baby).

I only went out in my cast a couple of times. My doctor used to even come by the house to see me so that I wouldn't have to be taken by ambulance to his office! Times are very different. I gross my kids out by telling them that the few times I had to go to the hospital while in the cast I got to ride in the ambulance but it was also the hearse! Actually the guys & I got to be buddies & had some great laughs!

Oh, what memories!

Joyce (Atlanta)

[Guest guest]

Jan,

You made me remember another thing.

While I was on the great tilt table I passed out & when I awoke my mom wasn't there. She was my strength! I panicked & they told me they had taken her to get a coke as she had almost fainted when I did.

I hated PT - having to learn to walk & being pushed to just do one more step while holding on to the parallel bars.

At home I would have never gotten up if my brother hadn't just picked me up & stood me on my feet. (Another funny memory!)

Joyce (Atlanta)

[Guest guest]

Todah. Thanks, Eliana.

Yes, " mensch " is a pretty good description of my Amit. His name means

" friend " , so I love his mom's old nickname for him, " Amiti " , " my friend " .

Worth kissing a few frogs for.

Actually the girl I described as cool was not at all the majorette,

cheerleader, or jock type. More the smoking party type who seemed to be

laughing at everyone and once cut her boyfriend's name into her forearm.

Not someone who seems at all cool to me today, more someone to be pitied.

It did take me a couple of days to recover from writing that, not to

mention I needed a break from the computer to get some work done (so much

yard work, so little time!) But I greatly value the freedom to be real

here with you and all our feisty friends.

Sharon

At 07:58 AM 5/31/03 -0500, you wrote:

Please do not spend one second being embarrassed. This is a wonderful,

poignant story. I hope the shmuck is having deep second thoughts about

the folly of his fateful decision to " dump " you. I like the shrewd little

side-comment on the " cool " girl who might actually have made her remark to

you in a calculated way after witnessing the end of your relationship. Ah,

yes, I hope all the cool girls from high school are . . . well, happy in

spite of it all. I never did figure out how being a majorette--now a

vanished occupation, apparently!--with a deft touch when putting on subtle

eyeliner made life a sure bet. I wondered what happened when the strains

of " Pomp and Circumstance " died away and the yearbook took its place on the

shelf.

I love the happy ending, your marriage to a mensch. L'chaim.

[Guest guest]

Gee, that kind of grosses me out too! I didn't get an ambulance ride. For

the 5 hours home my dad had rigged an ersatz stretcher lengthwise in the

car, from the dashboard, over the seat back, to the rear window. He drove

at night, and I pretty much slept the whole way. Gosh, talk about

vehicular safety. I don't believe that would be legal in Massachusetts now

(or most other states, either). But of course the hospital staff knew what

we were doing. It amazes me now.

At 02:25 PM 5/31/03 -0400, you wrote:

> My doctor used to even come by the house to see me so that I wouldn't

have to be taken by ambulance to his office! Times are very different. I

gross my kids out by telling them that the few times I had to go to the

hospital while in the cast I got to ride in the ambulance but it was also

the hearse! Actually the guys & I got to be buddies & had some great laughs!

Oh, what memories!

Joyce (Atlanta)