dahlia in my garden: Rio Fuego in Coleus leaves

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Tuesday-Newsday #92


It’s time for Tuesday-Newsday! The featured blog post this week is “Lessons Surviving Sandy - surviving a disaster with a chronic illness", by Daniel Malito of CreakyJoints.org.

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!
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*MENINGITIS OUTBREAK NEWS

Current Count from the CDC: 510 Cases, 36 Deaths, 14 Joint Infections

If you are one of the patients who was notified of being exposed during the meningitis outbreak, please read this story for details that you need to know.






*MEDICATION NEWS







*PATIENT NEWS








*MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS









*FIBROMYALGIA 







The Nov/Dec 2012 issue includes the following feature stories: 
     * COVER STORY:  New Considerations for Lab Tests in FM 
     *  But You Don't Look Sick! 
     *  FibroTrack--Reducing Symptoms   
     * Tips for Parents of Children with Chronic Pain or FM
     * TMJ and FM
     * Research Update: Cervical Spinal Abnormalities & FM  
     * and more



*FEATURED BLOG POST

by Daniel Malito of CreakyJoints.org

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to all! I'm going to be in-and-out of town, so I won't be able to write anything new this weekend. Instead I'm going to share a couple of links to brighten your holiday.

I really had fun writing my Thanksgiving post last year; if you weren't following my blog then, I wanted to share the humor again. It still makes me chuckle! Just click on the title to connect to the post:

~ Thanksgiving: Using Life’s Ingredients To Make Our Feast ~ 

And just for a little additional fun, I have a couple more amusements to share. If you are planning to cook today, let me warn you not to make this dish!: Fried Gnocchi. When you click the link and watch the video, all the fun starts at about one minute in - and be prepared for the funniest laugh you've ever heard from a chef!

And in the spirit of the holiday, here's a cute & funny history lesson from Cats giving thanks for Thanksgiving.

On this special day, I give thanks to all of you who read my blog and give me a purpose and place to education & inspire those with chronic pain. I truly hope that I have helped each of you in some small way.

Many blessings to you as we start out the holiday season!

© Mkolodziejski | Stock Free Images &Dreamstime Stock Photos



Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Tuesday-Newsday #91


It’s time for Tuesday-Newsday! For this special holiday week, I’ve chosen two Featured Blog Posts to share: 1.) Head-Off Holiday Stress by Educating Loved-Ones About Your Health Limitations by Toni Bernhard, and 2.) Thanksgiving: Are You Really Truly Grateful? Prove It! by Jinny Ditzler

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!
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*UPDATE ON MENINGITIS OUTBREAK*

Current Count from the CDC: 490 Cases, 34 Deaths, 12 Joint Infections







*MEDICATION NEWS







*CHRONIC PAIN NEWS





By understanding what has gone wrong in them scientists are starting to unravel the complexities of the relationship between the hard-wiring of our pain circuits and the influence of our brains in experiencing and processing pain.




*PATIENT NEWS

An impostor who steals your medical information and uses your identity to get healthcare could pose more than one type of problem. Read this article to find precautions and strategies to protect yourself.





*MILITARY VETERANS and PAIN








*LYME DISEASE





*FEATURED BLOG POSTS

by Toni Bernhard 

by Jinny Ditzler

Saturday, November 17, 2012

The Holidays are Coming ... Pull up your Socks!


If you’ve been reading my blog posts recently, you can tell that I’ve been struggling with a lot in my life lately. Medical stuff, family stuff, pain of course - it feels overwhelming and it’s been difficult to follow my own advice to live in Brave Hopefulness. I can hardly believe that Thanksgiving will be here next week! The holidays are coming up like a freight train and I’m just not feeling festive.

I realize, however, that it’s not up to the holidays to make me feel good. I can’t depend on the decorations, the treats, the cards, the parties, the food, or the gifts to change the way I’m feeling. I’ve got to release the negativity, get off the “pity pot”, and as a dear friend from New Zealand used to say if someone was whiny and resistant to doing something: “Just pull up your socks & get it in gear!”


We should give meaning to life, not wait for life to give us meaning.”
~unknown

With all the natural disasters, like Hurricane Sandy, and all the crises in the world, my problems are so tiny by comparison. It’s sounds trite and simplistic to say these things, but they really are so true. Why is it always easier to see the bad things, to fixate on them and let them take over our minds? When I start getting depressed and negative, I need to stop myself and counter those thoughts with positive ones. If I can dig deep and find just an ounce of positivity, then the holiday cheer can find a way in... but I have to be willing to receive it.

It sounds like a lot of work. Why does it have to be so hard to embrace our blessings and see the good things in life? It’s all up to us. We have to push aside the negative and let the positive flow into and out from ourselves. This Thanksgiving, if you’ve been feeling the same way I have, try to reach just a little deeper within yourself and “pull up your socks!” 

Holiday Note: 
Time again for white elephants ... Last year, I wrote a post about our church Holiday Bazaar, which I thought I would share it again since it returns today. 
Just click here:  Seeking the Perfect Gift among the White Elephants

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Tuesday-Newsday #90


It’s time for Tuesday-Newsday! The Featured Blog Post this week is "Take the Pressure Off" by Jan Sadler, from the PainSupportUK Newsletter.

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!
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*FDA and CDC ALERT: UPDATE ON MENINGITIS OUTBREAK










*MEDICATION NEWS





Should the reins be tightened on the use of long-term opioid therapy for patients with chronic noncancer pain (CNCP)? Two physicians’ organizations debate the controversy

































*FEATURED BLOG POST

by Jan Sadler, from the PainSupportUK Newsletter

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Autumn Brings Change


The weather in our area has taken that big dip from summer hot to autumn chilly. That seasonal change was very noticeable today as I dealt with a broken furnance; though it’s certainly not freezing where I live, I’m just so sensitive to cold and it aggravates my pain. It’s certainly undeniable that autumn is here in full force with all the changes it brings. So here I am, bundled up in my wooly bathrobe with a warm cat on my lap and a hot cup of tea in hand, browsing through some of my books and waiting for the furnace repair person. 

There has certainly been a lot of change in my life recently and not all of it is good. However, addressing my recent health setbacks instead of ignoring them is helping me to put in place plan which will hopefully lead to less pain. 

I now realize even bad changes can ultimately lead us to something positive. As I was thumbing through a book of poems, I found one which spoke to me on this subject. I hope you’ll also feel that connection as you watch the autumn leaves falling outside your own window today.

From Every Change in Life
You Can Learn Something Important

In every change 
that you experience in life,
there will be times when
you’ll wonder if you can endure.
But you’ll learn that facing 
each difficulty one by one
isn’t so hard.
It’s when you don’t deal 
with a situation 
that it sometimes comes back
to confront you again.

Changes are sometimes very painful,
but they teach us
that we can endure
and that we can become stronger.
Everything that comes into your life 
has a purpose,
but the outcome is in your hands
by the action you take.
Be wise with your life,
be willing to endure,
and always be willing
to face life’s challenges.

~by Sherrie L. Householder
from the collection of poems entitled, “Life Can Be Hard Sometimes... but It’s Going to Be Okay” edited by Susan Polis Schutz

Harvest Time: These pumpkins were grown
in the garden of a family friend.
The large orange one weighs 862 pounds!

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Tuesday-Newsday #89


It’s time for Tuesday-Newsday! The Featured Blog Post this week is “I Spy With My Little Eye a Life of Chronic Pain,” by Sue Falkner-Wood.

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!
====++++====++++====++++====++++====++++===



*FDA and CDC ALERT: UPDATE ON MENINGITIS OUTBREAK









*MEDICATION NEWS



 The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have decided to allow Medicare funds to be used to pay certified registered nurse anesthetists to diagnose and treat chronic pain patients. The American Society of Anesthesiologists is outraged and warns this will jeopardize patient safety and increase the risk of fraud. Nurse Anesthetists applaud the ruling.

The Prescription Drug Shortage Dilemma
In 2012 we're in the midst of a different kind of drug war, fighting to get the ones many people need. 
     ~ To find out if a drug you take is in short supply or if it has become available again you can visit this website and also a second website here



*MIGRAINES and HEADACHES














*FEMALE PAIN CONDITIONS














*FEATURED BLOG POST

by Sue Falkner-Wood

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Turn Your Attitude Around with Brave Hopefullness


Lately my life has been more hectic than usual and it doesn’t look to be settling down anytime soon. Higher stress levels always lead to higher pain levels, and I  admit I’ve been feeling a bit sorry for myself. However, something happened this week to turn my attitude around. Two good friends got some very bad news: one of them was diagnosed with breast cancer and the other, who has battled cancer through five recurrences, has developed a severe infection and is back in the hospital. I’m so amazed at how they are each handling their devastating news. Both are positive, upbeat, and facing their respective situations with a peacefulness drawn from their faith. 

It’s very humbling to listen to them, and I can truly see they are not just putting on a front but honestly feeling the way they say they do. I don’t know if I could be so optimistic in their place. It makes me realize that despite my many health issues and normal everyday problems, my life is filled with myriad blessings and I need to focus on how fortunate I am.

Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness, 
and the word ‘happy’ would lose its meaning 
if it were not balanced by sadness. 
It is far better to take things as they come along 
with patience and equanimity.”
~Carl Jung

In your life, it may feel like you are buried in total chaos and overwhelming difficulties. However, there are always things to be thankful for, and it can be helpful to stop and really reflect on all the positives around you. You still have to deal with all the difficulties, but they can be faced with a greater sense of acceptance when you realize a myopic view of your life as being “bad” is what’s keeping your glass half empty instead of perceiving it as half full.

Life can be tough but sometimes we are our own worst enemies by allowing fear, stress, worry, anger, negativity, etc. to shut us down. It’s harder to stand up, hold tight to what is important to us, and forge ahead using hope as a shield and wearing our heart on our sleeve. It’s not that we have any more to lose, but revealing our brave hopefulness to everyone - and especially to ourselves - just seems so much scarier.

I greatly admire how my two friends are facing their adversity, and I hope I can learn from their example that reaching toward optimism will help me get through anything. I send my love & prayers to both of them for healing and a quick recovery.