Sometimes We Need a ‘Jump Start’

A few months ago, I wrote a blog post about my new carnivorous plant: Fang, the Venus Flytrap. You can read the original piece about him here, at “Don’t Isolate Yourself.”

I was able to get Fang through the poor weather in May and early June, and with the warmer weather I was at last able to move him outside next to my other carnivorous plants. He did well for awhile, but then I realized that each week I was having to cut away too many dead leaves and blackened traps. For an unknown reason, Fang was not happy. I had not moved him from the original pot and planting material he came in; I theorized that perhaps he needed to be completely repotted. Could a change of soil and environment give Fang a jump start toward health? I decided it was worth a try.

Today I gathered together what I knew are ideal items for a Venus Flytrap to grow in. I mixed them all together with water, making a consistency rather like clumpy, watery cake batter. After I placed Fang in his new pot and soil, I soaked spagnum moss in water and placed it around the top so it would hold in moisture no matter the weather or temperature. Having done all this, I returned Fang to his place on my balcony. Now I can only wait and see if I have done enough to help improve Fang’s life.

Just like Fang, sometimes we also need a jump start toward health. It’s easy to get stuck in a rut, doing the same things over and over but not getting any real benefits. Have you been using the same medication regimen, been taking the same treatments, doing the same exercises, trying the same therapies, sticking with the same routine - but not feeling any better or perhaps even feeling worse? Maybe it’s time for a little jump start toward health.

Fang, the Venus Flytrap, sits in his new pot.
Behind him are my other carnivorous plants, including Sundews,
Pitcher Plants, and a Butterwort (with the purple flower)

Talk to your doctor and see if there’s something new you should try. Maybe you need only make some small changes like altering a medication you already take or adding more hours of sleep into your schedule. It could be that just a small modification will yield a positive result in your overall health and mood.

Or possibly, like Fang, you might want to get both feet wet and make a total change. It might be time for a complete medication overall if your pills don’t seem to be achieving the level of relief they should be providing you. If there’s some special therapy or treatment you’ve always wanted to try (I’ve always wanted to try Watsu and never have) it could be this is the time to try it. See if you can pull together your entire treatment team: doctor, physical therapist, psychologist, nutritionist, pain specialist, etc. and ask them their thoughts on how to help you. It’s even better if you can get them all in the same room or on a conference call and discuss your issues at the same time. Lots of new ideas and theories can come up during such a session. 

If you find yourself slogging along in the same routine but you feel you’re struggling to get by, think of Fang. Whether it’s a big one or a small one, it may be time for a jump start!

Tuesday-Newsday #25

[Apologies for the late post! I was a bit of a zombie this morning, it's been a tough two weeks for me physically. But fear not! Here is Tuesday-Newsday just a few hours late]


This week we have news from these categories: Chronic Pain, Military Veterans in Pain, Fibromyalgia, Tendonitis, and Bursitis. Finally, I’ve chosen the subject of What Pain Can Teach with a link to the post “For All We Know” by Leslie of the blog site Getting Closer To Myself. This is an introspective piece which discusses the bad - and good - aspects of living with a chronic illness or painful condition.

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 doctor and debate the merits of before you try it. I do not endorse any of the docs, treatments, info, meds, etc., in anything I post nor can I guarantee that they are all effective, especially not for everyone. I always include the citation, source, or website so you know where it came from. As is the case with any health info, ALWAYS get your doctor's opinion first!

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*CHRONIC PAIN 

Painkiller patches pose overlooked risk to kids

Posture Can Affect Sensitivity to Pain

Medical Tattoo Tracks Body Functions: Could one day be used instead of wires, electrodes for testing, inventor says

see what the tattoo looks like HERE

*MILITARY VETERANS in PAIN

Army on brink of new ways to fight pain

RAMBPOS Pain Study seeks veterans injured on the battlefield to take part

Non-profit matches disabled vets, service dogs

*FIBROMYALGIA

Suicide attempts and risk of suicide in patients with fibromyalgia

Vibration Therapy for Fibromyalgia

National Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain Association applauds new study between fibro fog and balance

Dressing With Fibromyalgia: Do Your Clothes Cause You Pain?

*TENDINITIS  and  BURSITIS

Bursitis a Common Cause of Painful Hips, Knees, Heels and Elbows: Most Can Be Managed With Simple, Nonsurgical Techniques

Curry Spice Offers Hope for Tendinitis Pain

*WHAT PAIN CAN TEACH

For All We Know 

by Leslie at Getting Closer to Myself

Life Lessons from the Garden

Back in March when I was preparing to plant my spring seeds, I wrote a post about how those little seeds teach us life lessons. (You can read that post here: Seeds have needs... just like we do). Those seeds are plants now, and they are still dishing out advice.

Unlike most of the country, we’ve had an unseasonably cool summer. Although it’s more comfortable for me living in an apartment with no air conditioning, it certainly hasn’t been helpful for my garden! I have tall, bushy tomato plants all loaded up with green fruit... which just sits and refuses to ripen. We dug up my dahlias last fall so they were planted as tubers in late spring. I knew they’d be late but they shouldn’t be this late! We are nearly at mid-August and with thirty dahlia plants I should be drowning in blooms. They are coming in sooooo slowly. Just yesterday I got my first four dinner plate dahlia blooms, but I’m impatient for more. I’ve been cursing the weather and praying for the nights to warm up enough to encourage my garden to really hit its stride.

So, what lessons are my plants teaching me?

This is my first real arrangement of dahlias this season - at last! 

~* PATIENCE *~

I can complain about the weather all I like and wish for a greenhouse (ah, that would be so awesome!) but I cannot make Mother Nature change her mind about the temperature. Worrying about it and being discouraged by the wait brings me nothing but stress, which isn’t good for my health particularly with my current flare-up. I must learn patience. I know that I will get blooms from most of my dahlia plants this season, but even if I don’t, they will come back next year. The tomatoes... well, this could the second year in a row which will leave me without any crop. But fretting and swearing about it is not useful. At least we have a good farmer’s market nearby! I’ve got to learn to let it go and be patient.

~* DETERMINATION *~

Those plants sure are showing me determination! Despite the brisk nights with heavy fog which settle over the area until late morning every day, the plants have continued to push themselves toward their goal of fruition. How many times have we grappled with our chronic pain in a situation with imperfect conditions? It can be hard to drive ourselves forward when we are physically hurting and things just don’t seem to be going our way. We need some of that determination, an unwillingness to swerve from our purpose. A plant’s life can be very fragile, so dependent on having its needs met in ways it can’t affect on its own. We have far more choice and ability to meet our own needs; if something so delicate can face down and survive rough conditions, so can we with determination and a little help.

~* APPRECIATION *~

In years past, I get overloaded with dahlias by the end of the season. I start giving them away to friends, making arrangements for church and my YMCA, and even dump them on my manicurist. This year with the low number of dahlias, I have given away very few. They are far more precious to me. Waiting with great anticipation for each flower to fully open, I find myself paying more attention to the process. I try to guess how long it will take each popped bud to make it to full bloom, and I check each day to see how they are progressing. 

Sunlight shining through "Junkyard Dog" - truly a sight to stop & enjoy

What’s the lesson here?: Appreciate the things we take for granted. We race through life and barely notice the little things. Think of the adage, “Take time to stop and smell the roses.” Well, in this case it’s dahlias but I know you get what I’m saying. Appreciate the loved ones in your life, make sure you let them know how you feel. No matter what your illness or chronic pain level, remind yourself to be grateful for what you are able to do. Honor your body for being the vessel which takes you on your life’s journey toward your own 'soul blossoming'. It may not be perfect but it’s the body you have and it does work hard. Give it a little extra love and care. 

Be mindful of the moment you are in; just like a dahlia flower is beautiful and unique, it does not last forever. It will wilt and be gone before long. Embrace the love around you and take the time to really ‘see’ and experience all the things that make life special. 

Tuesday-Newsday #24

Time for news on Chronic Pain, Back Pain, Migraines and Endometriosis. The final category I’ve included this week is Living Your Life Despite Chronic Pain/Illness. For that, I have linked to a blog carnival at ChronicBabe.com which features posts by other bloggers who write their thoughts on “Dating when you have Chronic illness”.

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, meds, etc., in anything I post nor can I guarantee that they are all effective, especially not for everyone. I always include the citation, source, or website so you know where it came from. As is the case with any health info, ALWAYS get your doctor's opinion first!

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*CHRONIC PAIN

New Photo Contest Gives People with Chronic Pain a Chance to Share Their Experience

For Contest Rules and Entry information go HERE

*BACK PAIN

Brain Scans May Help Verify the Hurt of Chronic Lower Back Pain

Massage Beats Meds for Lower Back Pain, Study Says

Bioengineered Spinal Disc Could Relieve Back Pain

*MIGRAINE

Those with migraines may get fresh aid at Stanford

Behavioral Techniques a Better Value for Chronic Migraine Than Meds: Study

Migraine Makeover: Botox & Brow lift for pain relief     

-Research Summary    -Doctor Interview

*ENDOMETRIOSIS

Norethindrone Acetate Eases Pain & Bleeding in Teen Endometriosis

First worldwide study finds women’s productivity at work significantly impacted by endometriosis

Informational site for Endometriosis patients features news, clinical trials and support

'You can be pain-free, and you can get pregnant': Woman's medical journey leads to endometriosis advocacy

*LIVING YOUR LIFE DESPITE CHRONIC PAIN/ILLNESS

Dating With Chronic Illness (blog carnival)

Follow the ‘ Winks’ along your Life’s Path

Lately, I have been thinking about a book which I always keep on my bookshelf and very often give a copy of to friends as a gift. This terrific little book is, “When God Winks: How the Power of Coincidence Guides Your Life,” by SQuire Rushnell. Once you read this book you will find yourself constantly looking at the daily events in your life for the ‘winks’ you would normally ignore.

What are ‘God Winks'? They are little messages to you in your life, appearing in the form of coincidences - which seem almost too perfect! Rushnell describes it this way: “I believe every time a coincidence happens, or a prayer is answered, or something makes you want to shout, ‘Wow! What are the coincidences of that happening’? you’ve received a God Wink. It’s a signpost along your path to your destiny – a reassuring message, no matter what your belief in a higher power, that you are never alone."

The book guides you in examining the past events in your life, helping you to identify the links between coincidences and how they changed your future, sometimes with a very sharp turn which turned out to be exactly the way you were supposed to go when you look back and see the bigger picture. It shares stories of God Winks which have happened to people including Barbra Streisand, Charles Schulz, Oprah Winfrey, Kevin Costner, Mark Twain, and Presidents John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. I especially loved reading the personal accounts of winks. 

However, it isn’t hard, if you stop and think about it, to find a few God Winks in your own life. I’ll share two with you, one which happened to me and one to my sister-in-law, who I wrote about in my blog post “Embrace the Good Days... and the bad ones, too”

MY GARDEN ‘God Wink’

My garden is very special to me. Nurturing plants gives me a feeling of satisfaction and seeing them bloom and thrive feeds my soul in a way I cannot even explain. Last summer, I began to get more interested in small cactus and succulents, but as I collected them they became haphazardly scattered about my garden in pots. I came up with the idea of using sand to cover up an unused area which was unattractively covered with tree stumps and crabgrass. I thought spreading decorative sand to cover the bed area entirely would create a unified theme, and be much more pleasing to the eye.

I’d already used up my carefully budgeted garden allotment and we had no extra money to spend even for sand. Since we live in an apartment, it made no sense to sink more money into a landscape that did not belong to us. After discussing it with my husband and mother, we decided to wait and make it a project for the following year. My mother left. Not three minutes later she called me on the phone, and in an excited voice told me what she had just seen. The day care center at the end of our block had just finished creating a new playground and in the middle of the street was a pile of their leftover sand with a sign on top saying, “Free Sand, You Haul.”

My husband dashed down the street with a wheelbarrow, and in about five short trips retrieved enough sand to create the cactus garden that I’d decided I wanted only fifteen minutes earlier. How perfect was that? And it certainly couldn’t have happened faster! I had so much pleasure collecting plants and designing the layout. That God Wink really added to my enjoyment and fulfillment that summer, and it continues to brighten my life this year as well.

One part of my cactus & succulent garden last year, when I first set it up.

THE DOCTOR ‘God Wink’

My sister-in-law, Barbara, has Lupus, Raynaud’s Syndrome, and Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome. Last Fall her kidneys began to fail and she was having trouble finding a specialist in the Denver area who had treated patients with her combination of problems. She had seen several nephrologists; each would try a medication and when that didn’t work they would refer her to another doctor. The final name she was given was a Dr. Joshua Thurman, but she hadn’t made an appointment with him yet afraid it would be the same fruitless search for treatment.  

In desperation to hopefully save what kidney function she had left, we flew her out here to see a renowned kidney specialist at Stanford, Dr. Glenn Chertow. At the end of her appointment, the doctor asked for the name of the nephrologist he would be coordinating her care with when she was back in Colorado. When she told him she had a recommendation for a Dr. Thurman but had not yet seen him, Dr. Chertow laughed. He said Dr. Thurman was an excellent doctor and also a close personal friend - he was even on his cell phone speed dial! He proved it by picking up his cell and calling the other doctor right then. What a God Wink, to know that your two specialists will definitely work well together because they already know each other and are good friends!

 WAS THAT A ‘God Wink’ ?

I think you’ll find this book a great read and that you will also want to read the other books Rushnell wrote on this theme, including ‘When God Winks on Love’ (so many touching stories!), ‘When God Winks on New Beginnings: Signposts of Encouragement for Fresh Starts and Second Chances,’ and ‘When God Winks at You.’

I’ve enjoyed his works and shared them with so many people. I’ll never look at life the same way again, because in the words of Rushnell:

“From now on, whever a coincidence pops up at a particularly auspicious moment in your life, I hope you will come to say, ‘I-e-e-e wonder. Was that a God Wink?’ Chances are good that is was.”

Tuesday-Newsday #23

Time for Tuesday-Newsday! The main subjects today are Patient News, Chronic Pain, Pain Rx, and Arthritis. The last link is on Pain Management. Jan Sadler of Pain Support writes her latest newsletter with a focus on Visualization.

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, meds, etc., in anything I post nor can I guarantee that they are all effective, especially not for everyone. I always include the citation, source, or website so you know where it came from. As is the case with any health info, ALWAYS get your doctor's opinion first!

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PATIENT NEWS

Report Urges New Review System for Medical Devices, saying current program doesn't guarantee safety of products such as hip implants and pacemakers

Medical Device Industry attacked report before it was released

CHRONIC PAIN

Study Shows Talk Therapy and Self-Help Workbook Help Patients With Unexplained Pain Symptoms

Global State of Pain: Tens of Millions in Agony Because Pain Care is Neglected Worldwide

PAIN Rx

New drug regulator says Rx companies should take more responsibility for safety of ingredients from overseas, asks Congress for more power

Extra Strength Tylenol Lowers Maximum Dose

Rosiglitazone Investigated for Neuropathic Pain

ARTHRITIS

Study points to poorer physical and mental health among people with arthritis

Arthritis warning to women who wear high heels

Painful Knees Often Tied to Pain in Other Joints

Moving Backward Helps Injured Knees Move Ahead

Joint Replacement Risks Rise at Less Experienced Hospitals

PAIN MANAGEMENT

Just imagine: Use Visualization 

by Jan Sadler of PainSupport