dahlia in my garden: Rio Fuego in Coleus leaves

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Just One New Thing


After being too busy for the last month, today I finally allowed myself the pleasure of repotting the succulents I bought on our trip to Mendocino. By the calendar, summer is over and autumn has begun. I can certainly feel the difference in our weather as this morning was very cool and crisp and the evening was down right chilly. I was happy to get those darling little succulents settled before the rains come. I so enjoy working with my plants. I gently removed them from their pots, teased their roots free of the excess soil, and resettled them into an amazing piece of driftwood with hollowed out holes.

Fall is not only a time of seasonal change, a shift in temperature and weather. It’s a time we shift the focus and pattern in our daily lives. We may not gather nuts like busy squirrels or add extra feathers to our nests for warmth, but I always find within myself a subtle shift inward. Summer is a time of outwardness and freedom, but autumn pulls us in and makes us more self-contained.

I’d like to challenge us all to do “just one thing”. As I gently unearthed my succulents eased them into a new environment, I think it’s an excellent time for us to stretch ourselves outside our comfort zones and find a new outlook - something to improve our lives. It doesn’t have to be huge, just something outside your ordinary routine. 

Here are a few suggestions:

~ Get yourself to bed half an hour earlier to help battle ongoing fatigue (this is one I need to do, I never get to bed on time and I’m always tired)

~ Conversely, maybe you should try getting up half and hour early to meditate, do some yoga, or just commit to doing the physical therapy exercises that you sometimes ignore (Oops! I’m guilty here, too.)

~ Resolve to eat better: drink one less soda or coffee, eat an extra serving of  veggies a day, choose healthier snacks, try a healthy thing you’ve never had and see if you like it (such as quinoa, greek yogurt, or kefir)

~ Laugh! It’s been proven that laughter not only feels good but has scientifically proven benefits - including pain relief. If you missed my blog post on how laughter is healing and how to add more to your life, click HERE. It’s not hard to convince yourself to have a little humor each day, and now you have actual evidence it is like medicine to both soul and body!


Here are my succulents planted in the piece
of driftwood I bought in Mendocino.

~ Add a little extra exercise: if you have severe pain, just make a goal to walk for 5 minutes a day. If you’re able to do more add an extra 15 minutes to your swim, walk your dog an extra quarter mile, or even add one more workout session a week. You could make it something fun: join a dance class, sign up for charity walk-a-thon, try a martial arts class like Tai Chi or even Karate. Pick something that matches your level of ability.

~ Try a new pain management technique. Consider how you are feeling and functioning, perhaps you don’t need all the meds you are currently taking. Give a try to acupuncture, yoga, pilates, massage, meditation, watsu, or whatever treatment you think might help  - but always make sure your doctor agrees it’s okay for you.

~ Before bedtime, take time to reflect on your day. Think about what you could have done differently, what things you are grateful for, how you will approach tomorrow. If you want to take it further, start a journal. Write about whatever comes to your mind and just let it flow. You may find it very freeing.

~ Read a random article from Wikipedia to expose yourself to new things. Maybe you’ve always wanted to visit a certain country, see a famous painting, or meet a hero. If you get inspired by what you learn online, consider visiting the library to do your own personal study of what interests you.

~ Do something for the first time. Either find something new you have never done before, or find a new way to do something.

~ Even if you aren’t artistic, do something creative. Sit down with crayons or paints and just express the mood you are in, bad or good (no one has to see it). Or if you want to take it further, do a craft project for a holiday gift. Glue buttons to a picture frame, paint an ornament, decoupage a flowerpot, make a stepping stone from a kit, learn how to knit or crosstitch*. Allow yourself to make mistakes and just let it turn out as it will.

*Mosaic is also a great craft: you get to take out your frustration when you break plates (use precautions to protect your eyes) and then use the broken pieces to create something beautiful.


So take a risk as autumn starts and the changing leaves start drifting lazily to the ground. Stretch yourself, "tease" your roots from their set environment like my succulents have been shifted into a new perspective. Try just one new thing. Or be brave and try a couple from my list above or any others you can think of. Who knows? You may find your daily routine will have a new permanent item which challenges you, keeps you healthier, and brightens the upcoming winter months.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Tuesday-Newsday #83


It’s time for Tuesday-Newsday! The featured blog post this week is presented by ChronicBabe.com’s Jenni Prokopy: An expert interview with a medical billing advocate discussing how to manage your health care bills and cut costs. Learn how to protect yourself from medical billing errors and fraud!

Let Me Know: If you’d like me to watch for articles on your pain condition, just drop me a note in the comments section below. 

WARNING:  My goal is to provide the most up-to-date news I can, which you can then take to your personal doctor and debate the merits of before you try it. I do not endorse any of the docs, treatments, info, and meds in anything I post nor can I guarantee they are all effective, especially not for everyone. As is the case with any health info, ALWAYS get your doctor's opinion first!
====++++====++++====++++====++++====++++===


*MEDICATION NEWS











*CHRONIC PAIN NEWS








*CANCER 












*MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS








*FEATURED BLOG POST

Medical billing errors account for $17 billion a year, and crooks commit more than $80 billion a year in medical billing fraud. And you pay the price! Editrix Jenni interviewed Jean Poole, a medical billing advocate with a background in nursing and an MBA. Jean explains a tons of ins and outs of medical bills, shining a light on things everyone should know when it comes to reading bills—and not getting overcharged. 
by Jenni from ChronicBabe.com 


Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Tuesday-Newsday #82


NOTE: I will be out of town the rest of the week and will not be able to post a blog on Saturday. I will try to get back online by next Tuesday. 

It’s time for Tuesday-Newsday! The featured blog post for this week is “4 Ways to Train Your Mind To Promote Healing” by Larry Berkelhammer.

Let Me Know: If you’d like me to watch for articles on your pain condition, just drop me a note in the comments section below. 

WARNING:  My goal is to provide the most up-to-date news I can, which you can then take to your personal doctor and debate the merits of before you try it. I do not endorse any of the docs, treatments, info, and meds in anything I post nor can I guarantee they are all effective, especially not for everyone. As is the case with any health info, ALWAYS get your doctor's opinion first!
====++++====++++====++++====++++====++++===



*PAIN Rx








*CHRONIC PAIN






*PATIENT NEWS



When prescription drugs become available over-the-counter, advertisements for the medications are far less likely to tell consumers about the potential harms and side effects, new research finds.




*MIGRAINE / HEADACHE












*FEATURED BLOG POST

by Larry Berkelhammer

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Dispose of your unwanted medications responsibly & safely


~* National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day *~
September 29, 2012
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

The Federal Drug Enforcement Administration is holding a National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day at the end of this month. The purpose of this event is to provide a place to anonymously dispose of unwanted, unused, or expired prescription drugs safely and responsibly, and at no cost. 

All medications that your family and pets use should be properly disposed of for three reasons:

          ~ to prevent prescription drugs from being abused

          ~ to protect the environment 

          ~ to reduce the potential for accidental poisonings

To find a location in your area where you can bring your medications on September 29, click HERE.

===========================================



~* REMINDER TO CALIFORNIANS *~

If you have not yet written a letter of support for AB 369, the important Pain Medication Bill on the Governor’s desk, please click HERE to get the details on what to do. Please do not hesitate! We need to join together and act as quickly as possible - he could sign or veto the bill at any time before September 30.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Tuesday-Newsday #81


It’s time for Tuesday-Newsday! The featured blog post this week is both fun and practical: Fashion advice from ‘What Not to Wear’ co-host Clinton Kelly for women who live with chronic illnesses like RA. There’s no reason we have to wear sweats all the time, and Clinton gives us some fantastic tips you shouldn’t miss!

Let Me Know: If you’d like me to watch for articles on your pain condition, just drop me a note in the comments section below. 

WARNING:  My goal is to provide the most up-to-date news I can, which you can then take to your personal doctor and debate the merits of before you try it. I do not endorse any of the docs, treatments, info, and meds in anything I post nor can I guarantee they are all effective, especially not for everyone. As is the case with any health info, ALWAYS get your doctor's opinion first!
====++++====++++====++++====++++====++++===


~* ATTENTION ALL CALIFORNIANS *~
If you have not yet written a letter of support for AB 369, the important Pain Medication Bill on the Governor’s desk, please click HERE to get the details on what to do. Please do not hesitate! We need to join together and act as quickly as possible - he could sign or veto the bill at any time before September 30.



*CHRONIC PAIN




No matter what we do, fear and pain are part of life. But the Grinberg Method - which is taking off in Berlin - says we should focus on fear and pain rather than avoid them.

A Good Day and a Good Cause for a Massage: 
Massage Envy Holds ‘Healing Hands for Arthritis’
Any day is a good day for a massage. Some days, and some reasons, are even better than others. On September 19, as part of "Healing Hands for Arthritis", Massage Envy clinics throughout the nation are donating $10 from every massage and facial to the Arthritis Foundation. Massage therapy can help you or a loved one relieve the pain and swelling caused by arthritis. It can also help improve flexibility and circulation and reduce stress and anxiety. To schedule an appointment, contact your local Massage Envy clinic.



*PAIN Rx



You can visit the website to get important information on NSAID use and more by clicking HERE




New research reveals that, in some patients, continued opioid analgesic use after surgery has relatively little to do with the actual pain. Psychological distress and potential for substance abuse may be important risk factors. However, the actual message of this study may not be what the researchers intended.



*LUPUS








*FEATURED BLOG POST

‘What Not to Wear’ co-host Clinton Kelly shares his fashion tips for women who live with chronic illness - the article is particularly focused on rheumatoid arthritis, but it’s helpful for those of us with other chronic conditions, too. 

Saturday, September 8, 2012

‘Fail First’ Victory so close in California: Your Letter could make the difference!

I have great news! AB 369, the anti-Fail First bill, made it through the Legislature last Friday and is now sitting on the Governor’s desk. He has until September 30 to sign it or veto it - and you know what that means. This is it! Our very last chance to write letters and show how much we want AB 369 signed into law. 

Now more than ever, we need all Californians to join together. The health insurance lobby is working overtime to try to kill the bill. FailFirstHurts.org is reporting that “Governor Brown has indicated he will be vetoing most healthcare related bills so advocates are really needed to bombard his office. We need your help in CA, we need more stories out to the media ASAP, and we need you to make the Governor know how important this is to pain patients.” 

For details on where to send your letters, skip to asterisk * below.
But if you are unfamiliar with what I’m talking about, here’s an overview of what Fail First is:

Across the country, some states are introducing anti-‘Fail First’ legislation. Fail First (also known as Step Therapy) is when an insurer requires that other medications must be tried and must fail before a patient can obtain the medicine originally prescribed by their doctor. 

This protocol is used as a cost-saving measure, but in the long run it can actually increase costs because creating a delay in care can increase resistance to treatment or cause other health complications. Delaying or denying access to treatment steals time and quality of life from patients, could permanently worsen their conditions, could create serious new health crises, and potentially result in premature deaths. This is not acceptable! Insurers should not be making medical decisions; it should be between you and your physician. 

To read more details about Fail First, see a previous post HERE

The states of New York and New Jersey are also moving ahead with anti-Fail First legislation. You can read more about what’s going on in those states by reading this ARTICLE.  

If you want to know whether your state has any bills pending on this issue, check this specialized MAP and click on your state.

To keep on top of all legislation on Rx issues across the country, to hear how patients are being affected, and to connect with patients like yourself, visit the website FAILFIRSTHURTS.org or join them on Facebook.


~* CALLING ALL CALIFORNIANS *~

*Here is the information on how to show your support for AB 369. Please write a letter that is more than just a few sentences. Give an inside look at your battle with pain, if you’ve struggled against your insurance company for medication then highlight your struggle, tell the Governor in your own words what this bill means to you. This may sound trite, but try to emphasize how managing your pain effectively helps you to live a better life and be a better person, spouse, parent, worker, etc. and that AB 369 will protect your ability to continue being so. No matter what you decide to share in your letter, remember it is vitally important to add your voice to thousands of others. After you finish your letter, ask your family and friends to send their own letters as well and share their stories from the point of view of having a loved one (you!) who struggles with chronic pain.

Mail your letters to:
     Governor Jerry Brown
     State of California
     State Capitol
     Sacramento, CA 95814
     Attn:  Lark Park

Please do not hesitate! We do not know when he may act on the bill so we can’t afford to wait. Please get your letter in the mail as soon as possible. 

Thank you!

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Tuesday-Newsday #80


[Sorry for the late posting - the Labor Day Holiday pushed back my schedule.]


It’s time for Tuesday-Newsday! The featured blog post this week is “Small Pleasures Count as Big Ones in a Life of Chronic Pain” by Sue Falkner-Wood.

Don’t forget: Next Monday, Invisible Illness Week kicks off with lots of articles, inspiration, and the Free Virtual Conference featuring seminars that pertain to different aspects of living with invisible illness. You definitely shouldn't miss it! Click those links to find out more.

Let Me Know: If you’d like me to watch for articles on your pain condition, just drop me a note in the comments section below. 

WARNING:  My goal is to provide the most up-to-date news I can, which you can then take to your personal doctor and debate the merits of before you try it. I do not endorse any of the docs, treatments, info, and meds in anything I post nor can I guarantee they are all effective, especially not for everyone. As is the case with any health info, ALWAYS get your doctor's opinion first!
====++++====++++====++++====++++====++++===


*CHRONIC PAIN






*PAIN Rx









*PATIENT NEWS

Expectations can do harm. When a patient anticipates a pill’s possible side effects, he can suffer them even if the pill is fake

If brand-name prescription medicines cost you as little as generic pills, which would you choose?




*DIABETIC NEUROPATHY






*AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES


The finding might one day lead to new drugs for organ-transplant patients and people with autoimmune diseases such as lupus and Crohn's disease





*OSTEOPOROSIS






The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) has published practical guidelines to assist clinicians in assessing treatment efficacy in patients who experience a fracture while on medication for osteoporosis.








*FEATURED BLOG POST

by Sue Falkner-Wood

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Looking ahead to Invisible Illness Week's Virtual Conference

National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week is coming up from September 10 - 16th and it features a free online virtual conference. I want to give everyone a heads up, so you can explore which seminars might interest you and make plans to take part. 

Here are just a few of the seminar titles:

~Avoiding Destructive Relationships When Chronically Ill 
led by Leslie Vernick

~Pregnancy, Parenting, and Chronic Illness
led by Laurie Edwards

~Transitioning to College and Career with a Chronic Illness
led by Naomi Kingery

~Communicating With Your Spouse When Chronically Ill
led by Pam Farrel

~Finding That Self Through All The Muck of Illness
led by Renee Johnson Fisher

~ How to Live Successfully When No One Understands Your Invisible Illness
led by Mary Siegel

~7 Big Ideas for Regaining Power in the Workplace When You Live with a Chronic Health Condition
led by Rosalind Joffe

~How to Work From Home When Dealing with an Invisible Illness
led by Jill Hart

To find out more details about all the conference seminars, when they will take place, and how to join them... please click HERE.

The Invisible Illness Week website has lots more information, articles, and resources to offer. Be sure to explore the site to find inspiration and help in your own journey with chronic invisible illness.