Sunday, January 23, 2011

PART 2 - KNEE PAIN AND HOW I AVOIDED SURGERY

While waiting for another opinion to have knee surgery, I read about Lime Disease being ramped not only where we lived in New City, New York, but all over the world. The paper mentioned symptoms most of which I had. It also listed Lime support groups in every neighborhood.

My husband and I went to one which devastated us. The room was filled with about thirty people. Some consisted of very young teenagers and adults. They all claimed they had knee pain at the beginning of their disease. Most of them had unsuccessful arthroscopic knee surgeries.

Everyone in the room were in poor health. Most needed intravenous every day because the oral antibiotics were not effective. Unfortunately they waited too long for proper treatment. Each person spoke one at a time in orderly manner telling their story. Most said they could not get out of bed each day. They all had mood swings, poor concentration and felt ill. It appeared a spirochete from a tick or a bite from a mosquito  invaded their nervous system. The teenagers could not attend school and the adults could not go to work or function normally.

My husband and I looked at each other with complete fear that this was going to happen to me. It was too unbelievable as I was always very healthy up to that point. When it was my turn I spoke about my symptoms which were similar to theirs but definitely not as serious. I said, "Tiredness came often with spells which I could not describe. I found it difficult to concentrate on my business, but still tried pushing myself. I  just assumed the symptoms would go away."

When I told them about my planned operation they all gasped at the same time. "DON'T YOU DARE" they said with anger. "The operation will do nothing. You need to be on Doxycycline at once before it is too late. It is an anti-inflammatory as well as an antibiotic. It will never kill the spirochete, but It will put it to sleep for decades stopping them from further damage in the body.. If it should ever wake up and you are feeling pain with similar symptoms, retake Doxycycline."  They all tried other antibiotics of which none worked as well as Doxycyline. "But you must take Acidophilus with the antibiotic to avoid yeast infection", they said

They laid out a map of what I had to do. They all recommended the same doctor who will treat my symptoms rather than a blood test. There were only a couple of those doctors in the country and the one they suggested was not too far away from home.  They told me most doctors would not treat me unless my blood test shows positive. But their doctors said if my blood was positive I would be helpless and too late to cure me.

The spirochete could have been in my body for years. Perhaps as young as an infant, a mosquito bite could have bit me not knowing how severe it would be later on.  Some times we get aches and pains, never attributing it to a spirochete invading our bodies. We think it might be arthritis  How many times have we been bitten by a mosquito which developed into a rash? Who ever knew about ticks until it was broad casted everywhere in the 80’s?

This toxin, bug eats into your tissues. It can attack your knee, joints, lungs, heart, nervous system, kidneys, and heart, whatever it can find. It starts attacking usually when there is stress to the body. Usually the first place it hits is in the knees.

After the meeting I took a blood test which thank God was negative. My doctor refused to prescribe the antibiotic because by blood was fine. Therefore I went to the support group's doctor who treats the symptoms rather than the blood test. After completing a long questioner and an examination, he prescribed 100 milligrams of Doxycycline for 30 days.

When the 30 days were up, I was not feeling better. So the doctor prescribed another 30 days of the drug. After I got the new prescription, I hesitated taking the pills. I waited almost a  week  as I was dubious about taking too much medication.

When the week was up, I was pain free. The full bottle of antibiotics were not used. My original orthopedic doctor told me I was foolish not to have the operation. He said it was like having a marble in my knee whereby the pain would come and go. Eventually if I did not have the operation, my knee would get worse and I would be a cripple in less than 10 years. Luckily I was happy with my decision. I heard so many stories of people who did not have Lyme disease having the surgery.  Unfortunately they still suffered with their knees and eventually had to go for knee replacement. There are cases as well that arthroscopic knee surgery was successful in some patients.

For about fifteen years I was pain free.  I will never know if I ever did have Lyme Disease.  However, the treatment for it helped me. I was well again, playing  tennis and walking three miles every day.  For a few years I stopped playing tennis when I moved to Florida.  But when I started playing again, guess what happened?

Read what my doctor discovered and how my knee pain left me for good.
Next week

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KNEE PAIN - HOW I AVOIDED SURGERY

Over twenty two years ago, I took my 16 year old daughter to look at a college in Boston. Prior to the trip, I had been lethargic for several months with unexplained spells. Not wanting to disappoint her, we packed an over night bag and started our trip. While driving, my knee started to bother me. The further I drove the more painful it became. I couldn't believe the high level of pain I endured. It felt as though my knee was being sawed off.

Screaming was not what I wanted to do, but found myself actually crying. I never had knee pain prior, nor anything so intense that I could remember. I did not understand how or where this pain came from or what caused it. I wanted to turn back to go home, but we were halfway there. I reasoned with myself that pain eventually goes away.  Getting off the exit, I road into town where I purchased a bottle of pain relievers.

Making the best of it, for my daughter's sake, we continued with her plans to be interviewed at Boston University. Afterwards we drove to the popular Quincy Market which is a tourist area and a college hangout. On the weekends entertainers, jugglers, etc., would come out. We enjoyed a lovely lunch and ventured to the mall. Walking was very difficult so I stayed in the car and told her to go alone. That weekend was a nightmare.

Arriving home, I immediately saw my doctor who referred me to an orthopedist. My exray showed a torn cartilage which had to be repaired immediately by arthroscopic knee surgery.

Before undergoing the operation, I was about to go for a second opinion when I read in the paper about an alternative to knee surgery.

How I got rid of the pain for good. ….. continued next week

Saturday, January 15, 2011

WHAT ABOUT THE ELDERLY IN THIS JOB MARKET

Recently I read a blog on AOL about a young woman who was unemployed for two years. Her story won publication with AOL. The title was called The "Forgotten Woman" because she was once a CEO of a successful construction company. Now unemployed like most of us who had great businesses, jobs, and financial income. From that piece she was offered many job offers and hopefully her story will continue to have a happy ending.

There were all sorts of blogs and comments from other unemployed Americans. Some were in their twenties while others were aged in the high fifties. Although heartwarming, no one speaks about the elderly over age sixty. Those who were used to the finer lifestyle and now live in fear as to what will become of them. Some are maxed out on credit cards. Their savings have dwindled down to the minimum and God for bid they wont dare ask their kids for help, as most have their own problems

The job market is almost like a depression these days. How can a healthy elderly person find a good job? Who will hire them? Young employers do not realize the mass amount of successful experiences and knowledge an elderly person can share with his employer. The rewards are definately beneficial.

Sunday, January 9, 2011

PUSH THE WHEEL OR GET OFF

It's January 2011, a time for people to get excited about the new year, a new start, and new opportunities. So what's in store for you?

We take stock in our lives as to where we have been and where we are going. Were we happy, did we accomplish what we wanted, did we make others happy?  Were we productive? Did we make enough income to support our families?

Some of us PUSH THE WHEEL. We work very hard at our jobs, sometimes long hours feeling unfulfilled.  Are we making enough money for the time and work we put in? Does our employer appreciate our efforts? is this what I want to do the rest of my life?  Do we want to continue working long hours and have less time to enjoy family?

Are we so busy fulfilling the needs of our adult children and grandchildren that we realize we have little time to enjoy our lives?

And students; are they working  hard at their studies?  Do they see little success in their grades?

All of us are PUSHING THE WHEEL doing whatever we have to every day of every week.  We have to ask ourselves, is it time to get off the wheel?  There are many fortunate people who have pushed the wheel and have seen success and are truly happy.  In that case, stay on the wheel and keep pushing.

Hopefully the job market will open up in 2011 to make it easier for those to get off the wheel and try something else.  Another wheel may roll down the path to a better life.  Perhaps invent another path to push the wheel and help the economy in doing so.  This is the time to start doing something you dreamed about before it is too late.

The college student who works hard without success, should evaluate his situation and realize it is not because of him/her, it is because they are on the wrong wheel.  Get off that wheel and change your major.  I have a cousin who was on probation in college and was given another semester or he would be out.  He changed his major and became a world renowned success.

If you are unhappy with your lifestyle, routine, work, whatever, this is the time to try another direction. The wheel is what you are pushing.  Get off!

Lets hope for a better economy and more jobs.

Good luck!

Would love to hear about your work or school experience.  If you wish to comment below, please do so




Friday, December 31, 2010

WHAT TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT IN 2011

It's January 2011, a time for people to get excited about the new year, a new start, and new opportunities. So what's in store for you? ...

We start over with a clean slate making sure we do not repeat the same mistakes. We look forward to a brighter future and a better economy.

First lets look back on what we accomplished in the year of 2010

The precious metals have impressively gained in spite of the bounce in the dollar. Gold topped
over $1400 up 28% this year.  Silver reached $30 up 77% and Copper up 29%

APPLE, the stock, helped the tech sector which has increased 50% this year after more than doubling in 2009.

Exxon reached new highs along with many other stocks. The Market has been a bull since March of the year 2009..

Consumer confidence dips, home prices still dipping. The jobless report show more jobs being created.

What are we to expect with this new Health Plan?  I cannot believe  that  Speaker  of the house, Nancy Pelosi said "we have to pass it to find out the rest of what is in it".

We are waiting for the HS10 food bill to be approved and no one is talking about labeling Genetic Modified foods.  How do we know what we are buying? We have the right to know which foods are genetically modified.

Apartment rentals have increased as many homeowners had to vacate their homes.  Yet I have seen luxury apartment developments rising

Hybrid and Electric cars and scooters are coming into the country and we will be seeing more and more of them on the road during 2011 and increasing by 2012

What to be careful about in 2011


New social engineering scams. Criminals used various schemes to exploit consumer fear (your account has been compromised!); relationships (my passport and wallet were stolen, send money please!) and greed (you’ve won the lottery!) over the past year. The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) reports a recent sweepstakes scam that sends consumers emails and letters with fraudulent checks bearing the logos of financial services companies. Expect to see variations of these schemes in the coming year using every channel of communication, including text messages and phone calls.

We were also a victim of a scheme whereby we received a check from a Texas bank with its identical logo along with a letter telling me to cash it and mail a small balance to one of their companies.  We were allowed to keep a percentage.

The check had an 800 number.  When I called, they confirmed the check was good.  Dubiously I looked the bank up on Google, and saw the exact logo, however it did not have an 800 phone number, only a local one. I called the local phone number to confirm the check authenticity.  I was told I was the 20th person that called and to destroy the check.  It was not theirs.

Another friend told me a similar story of a relative who received a $100,000 check with similar instructions.  They called the bank and was told the check was bogus.  However the relative decided to take a chance and deposited it.  Within a short time, the FBI came to his house and arrested him.  He had to pay thousands of dollars to lawyers to get him out of jail.  So please be careful.

Someone looking for employment answered an ad on Craig's list who got hurt financially. It was recently reported on the news.   I have seen that ad myself as I was looking for a job as well. It listed normal qualifications and asked to submit a resume.  Since the ad looked legitimate I submitted mine

Within 24 hours after sending it, I received a reply via email saying "based on my resume I would be perfect for the position"  Since the employer is in another country, I would be receiving checks among my other duties, and deposit them in my own account. After a few days, I should send  checks to the employer's charities  and keep 10% as my commission or wages.

When I read the employer was from another country, I knew right away the ad was bogus.  I heard on the radio, complaints from other people who lost their money believing the ad was legitimate. So watch out for this.  Some times you can tell if its bogus by the poor grammar and misspelled words on the ads.

Another scam that will happen more frequently:  Ladies, never go into crowds with a shoulder bag or purse unless it is securely under your armpit.  I am sure you have heard of many people being pick pocketed. 

On a brighter note, we look forward to a more prosperous year.  The stock market is in rally mode, The dollar is bouncing back, more jobs are being created, and scientists are working diligently looking for ways to cure cancer and other diseases.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all my friends, family and loyal readers a very HEALTHY, HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR






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Friday, December 24, 2010

REVERSING DEMENTIA

Loosing a dear friend from Alzheimer's, watching other friends suffer from slight dementia has captured my interest to understand the disease.

Dementia is a big problem and growing every day. Ten percent of 65-year olds, 25 percent of 75-year olds, and 50 percent of 85-year olds will get Alzheimer's disease  at a cost of $60 billion a year to society. Worse, the number of people with Alzheimer's is predicted to triple in the next few decades. It is now the seventh leading cause of death.

From what I understood, genics, drugs and stress had an important role in memory loss and confusion.  Drugs play an important role in how we think, feel, react, and deal with emotions.

When we visit our physicians, the first thing they ask is "How do you feel?" If you answered you had a headache,  he would say "take this pill", if you cannot sleep, "take this pill", If you are tired, "take a pill." If you have anxieties, "take this pill"  and so on. The pharmaceutical companies are thriving.

Do we ever wonder why there are so many car accidents on the road?  How many times do you see direction signals of cars that were not supposed to be on.  Lights on cars during early evenings that were off.  People driving the wrong way and so on.  Approximately 80% of all of them are on medication for one reason or another.  Either too much or too little is the culprit.

Seniors all fear the aging process. Most believe it is genetic. But there is another way to think about brain aging. The brain responds to all the same insults as the rest of the body. Those are; stress, poor diet, toxins ingested or environmental,  lack of exercise or sleep, nutritional deficiencies, underactive thyroid, inflammation,  deficiencies of hormones, vitamins, and omega-3 fats.

From my research I have learned that all we have to do is give the brain a tune-up and we can see miracles says Dr. Mark Hyman, respected medical consultant, New York Times -bestselling author, lecturer, and practicing physician

This is the time when personalized medicine will replace medicine based on diagnosis and disease.

So if you know someone with memory loss, have a good qualified doctor look at all the imbalances that are present and how to fix them. Remember, there will be no one treatment that works for everyone, because everyone is different. But here are some things to think about if you or a loved one are experiencing memory loss or dementia. If all of the above fail, then x-ray, cat scans and other testing should be addressed. If your doctor talks you out of the above, go find another, or call Dr. Hyman. ( I have never met or spoken with him, just researched on Google)

• Pre-diabetes or metabolic syndrome
Low thyroid function
• Depression
• Deficiencies in B vitamins, especially vitamin B12
• Omega-3 fat deficiencies
• Mercury or other heavy metal toxicity
• Vitamin D deficiency
• High cholesterol
• Unique genes that predispose you to nutritional
   or detoxification problems

Sometimes a subtle change in a persons health could explain reverse dementia. Once you identify the underlying causes of the imbalance, here are a few things that can help your mind get a tune-up:

1. Balance your blood sugar with a whole foods,
    low glycemic diet
2. Exercise daily -- even a 30-minute walk can help
3. Do yoga, deep breathing  exercises        
4. Take a multivitamin and mineral supplement
5. Take an omega-3 fat supplement
6. Take extra vitamin B6, B12, and folate
7. Take vitamin D

As we approach the New Year, we have a lot to look forward to. This is just a start, but it can go a long way to giving your brain the chance to heal and recover if you have memory problems. Even if you aren't suffering from cognitive decline, you should take these steps because they can help you prevent the aging of your brain and obtain lifelong health.

I want to wish our friends and families who celebrate Christmas, A Very Healthy and Joyful Holiday


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Saturday, December 18, 2010

DEMENTIA A TRUE FUNNY STORY continued part 2

At the memory center where my friends were having their memory evaluation, they were wiping the tears from their eyes. They were hysterical laughing at their interviewer because the doctor was having a senior moment. "He was about to tell me a story whereby I had to remember it at the end of the session" my friend said. However, pathetically, he forgot the story he was to tell. It was the same one he tells to all his potential patients he screens every day, all day long. "Don't worry", my friend said, "tell me a different one". But the doctor insisted he had to tell that particular story.

"He really took us by surprise", my friend said."Why, I wondered would management allow a doctor with this problem interview and screen potential patients. How could he help a memory deficient patient if he is as well?"

The doctor apologized again and told them he was diagnosed with a certain kind of dementia from sleep apnea. His wife discovered something was wrong when he was driving on the wrong side of the road with traffic coming from the opposite direction. She immediately sent him for tests.

"After explaining his problem we composed ourselves", she said. The doctor told the story he eventually remembered, followed by more questions and answers. The doctor went back to the story he told asking my friend some questions about it.She answered the best she could and thought she did a satisfactory report. However, he said she left out one thing. Therefore, the doctor recommended she go for further testing. "What about my husband?" she asked. "He was the one who came here in the first place? The doc said my husband tested fine. Perhaps in a year or two he can come back for another screening. But right now we are concentrating on you."

The head investigator came into the office introducing himself, to further explain to my friends her probable condition. He sat down at the doctors desk and explained the program. There is a good program sponsored by the drug companies to research and treat patients who are at the beginning stages of dementia. The drug companies pay for all the ex rays, cat scans, meds, everything. But my friend would have to make the commitment to follow through. He said it is not certain that she does have the beginning stages until all the tests are completed. However my friend might be a  good candidate to be accepted for the ex rays and more testing. If they found for sure, she does have dementia, then she would be admitted into a free drug trial program. She was assured that the drug given would not make her memory worse.However it most likely it will not reverse. The drug will stop further damage

"What can I say. I was devastated" my friend cried. The drive home was very quiet. She was thinking about all the times she failed to identify people's names, places, movies, etc. She always joked with friends about how she was such a quick thinker when she smoked years ago. When she quit decisions were difficult. Although people, friends, peers told her they thought she was bright, deep down she said she did not think so of herself. Just like the doctor pleading with us and reassuring us he was smart, he was a doctor, he went to school, he had books on his shelves. It is not about being stupid or smart and the doctor should have known that.

When she arrived home, I helped her research the clinic to the best of my knowledge, the drug company and the doctor. He is board certified and has written many papers.

Fear crept up on my friend that day. Fear of what will become of her and our friends who have memory problems as well. The good thing is that we have thus far seen good results with the drugs people are taking with the exception of our dear friend who passed away this year.

"I was sorry I laughed at the doctor," my friend said. "I should have shown more compassion. It was a learning lesson for me that day. People should never laugh at such a person, nor a person who stutters, a lame person who falls, anyone else who is having a difficult time. We reflect back to comedians on the stage imitating those people and making the audience laugh."I hope I wont be laughed at if........."


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