Osteoarthritis post #3

Who gets it?

Osteoarthritis (OA) affects all people from all races.  Men deal with it at a younger age which makes researchers believe that the female hormone estrogen protects women from osteoarthritis.   At age 55 and older, more women deal with OA than men.

Osteoarthritis post #2

Are you among the 27 million Americans who deal with osteoarthritis (OA)?  May is Arthritis month.  I’m beginning this series early because there is lots to say about osteoarthritis.  I will answer questions such as

what is osteoarthritis?  Who gets it?  Can a person prevent osteoarthritis? 

What risk factors increase a person’s risk of developing osteoarthritis?  What recommended treatments are available?  Medications, alternative treatments, surgical treatments.  Check back daily for information about osteoarthritis.

Articular cartilage damage or Osteoarthritis #1

Osteoarthritis (doctors may call it degenerative joint disease) affects the articular cartilage.  Articular cartilage is the white, smooth cap on the end of bones where they meet inside a joint.  This articular cartilage (cap) prevents bones from causing pain when the bones move against each other.  The body has a mechanism whereby it makes new cartilage (chondrocytes make new cartilage cells) and old damaged cartilage is degraded and disposed of.  However when osteoarthritis happens, Chondrocytes can't make new cartilage fast enough and the articular cartilage becomes sick and starts to wear thin in places of high usage.  Bones begin to rub together instead of gliding painlessly.  The person experiences pain and stiffness. 

Educational purposes of this blog

The information presented in this blog is for educational purposes and should not be taken as medical advice.  Please seek competent medical care, learn about the resources available and work with your doctors to improve your health status.

Fried chicken leg #2

After David ate the meat off the chicken leg, I can show you the articular cartilage.  Mom used to call it the 'gristle' on the end of the chicken leg.  This chicken version of articular cartilage shares some similarities to human articular cartilage.  It's white, shiny, and very smooth.  Articular cartilage becomes sick when osteoarthritis happens.  May is arthritis month and I'm beginning a series explaining osteoarthritis.  Stay tuned for more information.

Fried chicken leg

I asked David to stop by the deli and buy fried chicken legs.  (He didn't complain because we seldom eat fried chicken these days and it's his favorite.)  Why am I posting a picture of a chicken leg on this blog?  Stop by tomorrow for the answer to this question.

Arizona Hummingbird

Our spring break vacation was during the second week of March.  Missouri was still cold and dreary.  We enjoyed beautiful weather---and sitting on Dorothy’s patio chatting.  This hummingbird stopped at the feeder hanging right over my head.  How cool. 

Rock Climbers on Mt Lemon, AZ

We watched rock climbers on Mt Lemon, Arizona.  Our time in Tucson was relaxing, fun and rejuvenating to heart, mind and spirit. 

View from Mt Lemon, Arizona

During our family time in Tucson, we went sightseeing up Mt Lemons, AZ.  This 9100+ feet mountain on the north edge of Tucson has a windy, curvy two lane road up to some spectacular views. 

Family

No one gets to choose his family.  We are born into our families, for better or worse.  And yet, family can contribute much to a person’s mental and emotional health.   I was blessed when I was born to Earl & Edna’s family.  My parents gave me a huge gift when they raised us (all three of us) to be honest, loving, and hardworking women.  My two big sisters are the best and time spent together is great fun.  Dorothy was born first, Peggy the middle child and I’m the youngest, the spoiled baby girl.

Recently Peggy and I traveled to Tucson, AZ to visit Dorothy and her husband.  Dorothy’s daughter, Kim & her husband also met us in Tucson.  This trip was special to us because it was Peggy’s first trip to Tucson.  Our prior plans to visit Tucson had been cancelled due to the poor health of Peggy’s husband.  Peggy’s first trip to Tucson (also her first airplane rides) went very well.  Our Friday travel day to Tucson started out stressful at the St Louis airport.  A ‘spring break’ crowd joined us standing in line through security for 6am flights. However, after that, our travel was smooth and easy. 

Will it be our last trip to Tucson?  Not likely; the bonds of love require regular doses of hugs and non-stop talking to catch up.  My family contributes many positive benefits to my mental and emotional health.   Did I mention I got lucky being born into my family?   

We follow Stork Tale blog

Among the people I respect and admire, I include our friends Dr Scot Pringle and his wife Tyronza.

Dr Scot retired from his OB-Gyn practice and they traveled to Papua New Guinea to do medical missions at the Nazarene hospital.  Can you imagine leaving your home and the conveniences of American life to live in a small Pacific Island for months at a time?  My hat is off to Dr Scot & Tyronza for their good deeds to the people of Papua New Guinea.  If you want to follow their experiences at medical missions, go to Stork Tales at http://www.storktale.blogspot.com/.

Bluebirds

Our bluebird family builds a nest every year as the family-raising time begins.  Last year was a very hard year for them--she laid 18 eggs, 15 of which hatched but only one bird survived to adulthood.   We hope this year brings great success for our bluebird family.  We find it relaxing and choose to watch them.

Springtime Gardeners Enjoy Nature

Now we know how to protect our physical health while gardening.
David & I worked in the yard and flower beds several evenings this past week.  We built a new flower bed last fall.  Now we're choosing plants (some perennials, some annuals and we're including a few tomato, pepper and herb plants in our flower beds).  I hope you enjoy your time with nature as I do.

Benefits of gardening

You exercise your body when you garden.  You burn calories as you stretch and bend, hoe and  dig.  You lift weights when you carry a pail to water flowers.  Lifting weights helps prevent osteoporosis. 

You feel satisfaction when picking tomatoes and peppers; homemade salsa makes a great gift for friends and family.   Foods you’ve grown just seem to taste better.  Herbs you’ve grown in your garden add flavor to many meals.  Add a few herbs such as basil, and oregano to tomato sauce to make a great marinara. 

Start working in your flower beds and see the neighbors stop to talk and visit after a cold winter hibernation.  It is social time. 

A University of Illinois Champaign article says it well, “Gardening connects you with nature and the rhythm of life.  Gardening requires you to live in garden time.  We all could use a lesson in slowing down.  Studies have revealed just viewing a garden or nature has healthy psychological benefits.”  http://web.extension.illinois.edu/champaign/homeowners/050103.html

         Now you know how to protect your health and reap the benefits.
         Enjoy your springtime gardening. 

Springtime Gardeners Beware! #7

Is your tetanus vaccine current?  The tetanus germ lives in dirt and can enter a person’s body if he has open wounds or becomes injured.  The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends every adult keep his tetanus vaccine up-to-date by getting a tetanus/diphtheria (Td) shot every 10 years.  Thanks to the folks at CDC for these Health and Gardening Safety tips which can be accessed at Http://www.cdc.gov/family/gardening

Springtime Gardeners Beware! #6

If you’ve been sitting on the couch watching sports all winter, begin slowly.  Stretch your muscles and begin gardening in small segments of time.  We all hear people talk about working in their garden all weekend and “I found muscles I didn’t know I had.  I’m sore.”  For many of us, we can make a better plan:  divide up the gardening work over several weekends or a couple evenings per week for several weeks.   

Pace yourself.  Pay attention to your fatigue level and don’t overdo.  The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends a person avoid dangerous situations:  a person taking medications which makes him sleepy or impairs his judgment or reaction time should avoid situations where he might be harmed such as climbing ladders, or operating machinery.  Call 911 for emergency help for anyone who gets injured, suffers a heat-related illness, or suffers symptoms such as chest and arm pain, lightheadedness, and dizziness.   

Springtime Gardeners Beware! #5

Watch out for dehydration and overheating

               The warm sunny days can lull us into ignoring our body’s messages.  Don’t wait until you are thirsty to drink.  When a person realizes he is thirsty, he is already getting dry.  Begin drinking water early in the day and continue to drink.  (If your doctor has told you to limit fluid intake, follow his instructions.)  Drink water as the majority of your fluids; it is the best hydration fluid.  If you want caffeine, alcohol or sugared drinks, stop and enjoy them.  However, recognize that these drinks can cause your body to lose more fluids.  In addition to proper hydration, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) also recommends you fuel your body by eating healthy foods while working outside.

Be aware that working during a warm, sunny day can cause a person to overheat.    Stop and take breaks often to cool off in the shade or go into the air conditioning.  Be aware of symptoms of overheating (heat exhaustion) such as excessive thirst, weakness, headache, dizziness, high body temperature, nausea, confusion and loss of consciousness, frequent muscle cramps, rapid pulse, fainting, fatigue, profuse sweating. 

Heat Exhaustion is a potential life-threatening situation because it can progress to heat stroke (when the body exhausts its ability to sweat and cool itself and begins to overheat).  According to WebMD, anyone suffering from heat exhaustion should get out of the sun and into a cool environment to rest.  The person should do these things for 30 minutes:  drink plenty of non-caffeinated, non-alcohol beverages, remove tight clothing, take a cool shower, rest in front of a fan or apply cold iced towels to cool off.  If the person isn’t recovering within 30 minutes, medical assistance must be obtained.  More information about heat exhaustion can be found at http://firstaid.webmd.com/heat-exhaustion

Springtime Gardeners Beware! #4

Protect yourself from tools and chemicals

 Read the labels of lawn and garden chemicals and use them safely.  Protect children and pets from chemicals by keeping chemicals stored out of reach and/or in a locked cabinet to prevent accidental exposure or overdose.

 Make sure your tools are sharp but be careful while sharpening to prevent injuries to yourself.

Lawn mowers and lawn equipment are powerful tools and can cause injury.  Here are some statistics about lawnmower safety from the American Academy of Orthpaedic Surgeons:

More than 117,000 people made their way to emergency rooms in 2007 after lawn mower injuries.  Of those injuries, the largest group of injured people was adults ages 25 to 64, and the second largest group of injured people was children under the age of 5. 

Lawnmower Safety Tips from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons can be accessed at http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=B00002

Springtime Gardeners Beware! #3

 Wear eye protection (safety goggles) when around lawns mowers, grass trimmers and other lawn equipment.  Have you ever seen a lawnmower catch a small wire (or rock) and sling it across the yard?  If you are in its path, you can be injured. 

Protect your hearing from the loud noises of lawn equipment by wearing a sound-deadening ear plugs or ear muffs approved for that purpose.   The CDC says if you have to raise your voice to talk to a person an arm’s length away, ear protection is needed as the noise can harm your hearing. 

Springtime Gardeners Beware! #2

Dress appropriately and protect yourself. 

Dress comfortably but cover yourself with long sleeves, long pants, a wide-brimmed hat and a sunscreen SPF 15 or higher.  This attire helps protect your skin from sunburn and skin cancer.  The long pants and sleeves can also protect you from hungry mosquitos and ticks.  The CDC recommends using an insect repellent with DEET to prevent tick and mosquito bites and the diseases they may bring.  Another option would be clothing treated with permethrin, another insecticide.  Tucking pants into socks and wearing high rubber boots can help protect a person from ticks.  When our outside work is finished, we have ‘tick checks’ where David & I inspect each other in an effort to find any ticks before they bite.

Wear gloves.  A friend of mine developed a bad infection around/under her fingernail which required a trip to her doctor and antibiotics.  Consider what kind of germs live in dirt.  Does the neighbor’s cat like to use your flower bed as a potty?  Gloves also protect your hands from cuts/blisters.  Protect your hands by wearing gloves.   
Shoes worn while gardening should be sturdy and protective.  Please leave sandals in the house and protect your feet while gardening and working in the yard. 

Springtime Gardeners Beware!

        The warm temperatures beckon us to come outside and play.  For many adults, ‘play’ means working in their gardens, whether vegetables or flowers.  We’ve been dreaming of ripe tomatoes for salsa and beautiful rose blooms.  It’s finally time.  But wait-- there are some things you should do to protect your physical health.  The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has recommendations a gardener should know.  I’ll discuss these suggestions in the next few postings.

Writing conference

I attended the Missouri Writers Conference this weekend in St Louis.  I found the speakers stimulated my brain with new ideas.  One topic involved e-books.  Last July Amazon sold more e-books than physical books.  I really like my Kindle.  It's easy to read (set the font size to please yourself--no reading glasses needed).  It doesn't glare in the sunlight. 
I like the accessibility.  I can buy any book in the kindle store while sitting on the couch at home in my pajamas.  I also like that we downloaded the kindle app on our iPhones and we can download and read any of our archived books on our iPhones.  When I traveled to St Louis this weekend I could read one of our books on my kindle or my phone.  David (who was at home) could also read it on his iPhone.  No fighting over the kindle. 

Springtime in Missouri

It's April and spring has arrived in Missouri (finally).  Bradford Pears and flowering fruit trees are blooming all over town. 

The sun beams forth and springtime winds blow my hair.  While temperatures still bounce from freezing to the 70s, the threat of snowfall fades away as grassy lawns turn green.  Ahh!  I'm glad it's spring.

Don't worry about failure."

“Don’t worry about failure.  Worry about the chances you miss when you don’t even try.”  (Author unknown.  From the New York Times)

This saying is taped to my computer monitor—it’s been there since I began writing in 2002.  It’s encouraged me and challenged me to press on:   writing, correcting, editing, and printing out a 80,000 word document which will become a book. 

A giant weight lifted off my shoulders Friday when David mailed my second book manuscript to McFarland & Co., Inc, my publisher for both books.  A book project which took me almost two years is finished and being delivered to Jefferson, North Carolina.   

This book is for caregivers.  We’ve been there as my family (both my side and David’s side) cared for both my parents and David’s mother during their last years of life.  Caregiving is a challenging time.  It’s my belief that information I’ve put into the book will help other caregivers as they give care to their loved ones.   It will be several months before this book is available to purchase.  But for now, my work on the manuscript is finished. 

When I began to write, I made a choice and risked failure.  I was certain that I wasn’t the smartest or most talented writer on the planet.  However, I knew I could persevere and at least give it my best shot—to  learn how to write.  It’s been a lot of fun along the way and some positive events have happened in my life because I risked failure.

We are bird watchers

Sometimes you need to sit down and relax awhile.  It contributes to your health when you relax and let the stress fade away.  One thing we enjoy is watching the birds on our birdfeeders. 

Living Your Dream

Are you ‘living your dream’?  One young man would say his dream is to be a professional golfer, walking the fairway and competing with a pro like Phil Mickelson.  Another person might say his dream is to write a best selling novel.  A third person might say her dream is retiring and having time to crochet an afghan for her great grandsons.  Most of us have dreams.  Have you considered your dreams lately? 

I recently interviewed a golfer (my husband David) who shared this:  “we need to recognize the importance of a dream is not always about attaining the goal but the ‘journey’ along the way.”  He told of a match play golf game where he was down 3 shots and was able to ‘come back' and score well to end the 18^th hole tied.  During the 2^nd playoff hole, he said he was so nervous that he could barely breathe.  He found the competition great fun and was elated that he scored well and won in spite of his nervousness.  While the end result (the win) was gratifying, his play along the way (the journey) was significant. 

Do you have a dream?  Are you enjoying the journey along the way?  Or are you sitting in your chair wishing your life was different?  It’s your choice. 

Our newest author, Brad Thor

David recently went browsing the book store for books and the recommendation was 'try Brad Thor.'  Good choice. 

If you like spy/espionage/bad guys vs. good guys on a national level, try this author.  He's got a great main character in Scot Harvath, former SEAL, now Secret Service agent.  The Lions of Lucerne is the lst of the Scot Harvath series.  I downloaded it into my Kindle.  I found the book grabbed me and wouldn't let go of me until I knew the good guys saved us.  

I find a good read to be a relaxing escape from the stresses of life and choose to read.  Brad Thor is definitely on my favorites list.