The Power of Prayer

My move to Texas has brought me into contact with many people who are very strong in their Christian faith. I believe in the power of prayer, but I also believe you need to know when your prayer is being answered. I am writing this blog because I have spoken to others who feel the same way. It is hard when you try to help someone, only to hear that their method for pain relief or medical treatment is prayer. A few weeks later, you run into that person again, but their issue is still there, even though they have been praying for relief.

If you are one of these people, did you ever think that maybe your prayer was answered by brining someone into your life that could offer their knowledge and experience to help you? I believe we all have God-given talents that can be used to help others, whether it is relieving pain through stretching/strengthening, prescribing herbs, or even enteraining to relieve stress.

It reminds me of a sermon that I once heard about a drowning man who refused certain things like a tree log and an overhanging branch, all the while praying to be saved. When he drowns and sees Jesus in Heaven he asks why Jesus didn't save him. Jesus replies, "I sent you the floating log to take you to shore and I drifted you within reach of that hanging branch. Why didn't you save yourself?"

Yes, I definitley believe in the powe of prayer. I would love to hear your thoughts on the subject.

My Sister's Ghost

I realize I am posting this a bit late. I admit, between working days at the State's Attorney's Office, teaching yoga in the evenings, three kids in sports, and loving my beauty rest, I have seriously slacked on the blogging. I do have some ghost updates for you. My sister has named her ghost Eli. On Christmas, she invited my little sister over to see her newly built home. She knew Eli was there, but wanted to see if my little sister felt his presence. She did. She couldn't see him, but said the house felt spooky. Well, Eli hopped in the car with my little sister and had some fun playing with her radio until she reached the end of the driveway, then everything went back to normal. Eli has also been seen taking my sister's St. Bernard for a walk up the driveway, she was healing like the well trained dog that she is. Most recently, he played with the stereo during a reiki session on my oldest daughter. He does love attention.

My sister also has a Native American with his face painted black that never enters the house, just peers through the window. There is a rather crazy ghost that lives down in the canyon below their new home. She has felt that presence for years. A medium visited her home and said that the canyon behind them (just above a Chief Joseph battle) is one of the most haunted canyons in Montana.

Shoulder Rehab - Weeks 17 & 20 -Miraculous Recovery

The achy, chronic pain continued on until the end of my 17th week. Suddenly, I could use my arm and not feel as though I were tearing apart everything the good doctor had sewn together. Yes, I continued to be stiff, but it was different. By the end of week 20, my range of motion suddenly started to come back. I could lift my arm up to shoulder height. At my four month check-up, I was told I am exactly where I am supposed to be and to continue on with the stretching. At six months, if I have my full range of motion back, the doctor will then release me to start strengthening my shoulder - SLOWLY. I was also told that the way it happened with me is the way it happens to most people. They reach a day where all of the sudden, the shoulder capsule feels healed. It sure feels good to be considered "normal" for something!

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative joint disease, rarely develops before the age of 40 years, but affects a large percentage of the population over the age of 60 and almost everyone over the age of 80. Repeated stresses and strains on the joint, fractures, infections, physical inactivity, excess body weight, and genetics all play a roll in increasing the risk of developing osteoarthritis.

Arthritis has been around for as long as mammals have existed. It has been found in the joints of Neanderthals and other prehistoric mammals. Joints affected by osteoarthritis make popping, clicking, and banging noises, while rheumatoid arthritic joints tend to sound like crinkling cellophane.

Osteoarthritis is the deterioration of the cartilage protecting the ends of the bones. Joints are where two or more bones join together. Ligaments tie bone to bone, while tendons attach muscle to bone. The bones have a nice coating over the tips that allows for easy gliding, much like ball bearings. Movement of that joint keeps the ball bearings smooth (the joints gliding smoothly like a an ice skate over the ice of the rink) because it causes synovial fluid, a smoothing liquid, to be released into the joint (oiling the bearings).

Too much heavy activity on the joint can cause the tips to become rough, causing friction, which leads to degeneration and inflammation. Too little activity around the joint, and it becomes dry, just like forgetting to grease the bearings. This again causes friction and the cycle begins. Some infections can also cause this inflammation of the joint. Research shows that there is a genetic component that may lead to early degeneration of the joint.

Lack of physical activity also allows the muscles around the joint to become weak and they can no longer hold the bones of the joint in their proper place, allowing for excess and irregular movement of the joints (suddenly the gears don't quite match up). Have you ever seen what happens to the bottom of a blender if the gears that turn the blades don't match up? That is pretty much exactly what happens to the joint that causes the osteoarthritis.

According to Phyllis A. Balch, author of the Prescription for Nutritional Healing (one of my favorite resource books), arthritis can be reversible, and in some cases, may even be cured with proper diet and lifestyle changes.

Although movement may trigger pain, it is imperative that you exercise your muscles around the joint for stability and lubrication. Use ice or heat packs post-exercise to reduce the pain. I suggest to keep the exercise moderate - three (3) sets of 15-20 reps. Too light, and you won't strengthen the soft tissue, too heavy, and you could cause more damage to the degenerating cartilage. Be sure the exercise is also low impact, such as swimming or biking.

As for the proper diet, it is pretty much the same thing you have heard all along, lots of fruits, veggies, fiber, and whole grains. However, arthritis suffers should avoid nightshade vegetables such as peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, and white potatoes, as they contain a substance called solanine, which may cause pain and discomfort to those sensitive to the compound.

Following is a list of supplements that are essential for arthritis suffers, according to the Prescription for Nutritional Healing, 4th Edition, by Phyllis A. Balch. Please refer to the book, which is found at most box stores and wholesale warehouses, for a list of the, "Very Important," and, "Helpful," supplements. It is suggested that an overabundance of iron in the bloodstream may cause pain, swelling, and joint destruction.

Many of these substances are found in Heal N Soothe , Super Joint Support, and the Super Bendy Formula that I am currently taking for my shoulder.

Essential Nutrients

Chondroitin Sulfate - strengthens soft tissue like ligaments and tendons - DO NOT TAKE WITH PRESCRIPTION BLOOD THINNERS (I was told by a bodybuilding friend of mine that his grandfather started taking a glucosamine & chondroitin supplement for his joints because it was what all his friends were doing. When he started bleeding from the eyes, his doctor told him it was from the chondroitin sulfate in the supplement combined with his prescription blood thinner. He said the glucosamine was fine, though.)
Glucosamine Sulfate - important for the formation of bones, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and synovial (joint) fluid
Methylsulfonyl-methane (MSM) - sulfur compound needed for reducing inflammation and for joint and tissue repair
SAMe - a deficiency results in the inability to maintain cartilage properly and aids in reducing pain and inflammation - DO NOT USE if you have manic-depressive disorder or take prescription antidepressants
Sea Cucumber - rich source of specific lubricating compounds found abundantly in all connective tissue
Silica - supplies silicon, which is important for the formation of a compound that is the primary constituent in bone
Super Oxide Dismutase - antioxidant that protects the fluid in joints from destruction by free radicals
Trimethylglycine (TMG) - reduces homocysteine levels
Vitamin E - powerful antioxidant

I also strongly suggest the book, "Living Well with Pain and Illness, the mindful way to free yourself from suffering," by Vidyamala Burch. It is like having one of my yoga classes in a book.

RESOURCES:
Prescription for Nutritional Healing, 4th Edition by Phyllis A. Balch, CNC
http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/
http://www.webmd.com/
http://www.ehealthmd.com/
http://www.ericcressey.com/

Shoulder Rehab - Week 12

I woke Sunday morning completely pain free for the first time since the surgery. Monday was pretty much the same. I went to the gym Monday night and did my light stretching and the exercise (Reverse Flys) the Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer told me to do. When leaving the gym, and on through the rest of the week, my shoulder felt as though it were being stabbed by multiple knives, or maybe just like there were razorblades inside it that stabbed and sliced with every movement.

My trip to the doctor proved to be very educational. Turns out I should not be doing ANY exercises for the next 4-6 weeks because it will be at least that long before my shoulder capsule is healed. As a matter of fact, he had been talking to the intern before they came in about how my condition was as extreme as it gets when it comes to the shoulder. Yikes!

AND stretching should NOT be painful. I should just be doing very light movements to get my range of motion back. He also said if I had any more mobility, he would be very concerned that the surgery didn't work. Oh, so the lecture I received from the Athletic Trainer about being too tight and possibly missing my small window of opportunity to get my range of motion back was bunk? I had also asked if I could just place my arm on the wall for the stretch and I was told, "No, I have another one for you to do." What did the AWESOME doctor tell me to do? The wall stretch that I had wanted to do.

I can honestly say that around 60% of my clients came from physical therapists who either hurt them or did not help them but gladly took thousands of their dollars, so my trust level was not that high going in there. Maybe my negative thoughts are what got me, but either way, I am more skeptical of physical therapists than ever. I may just add athletic trainers that work in medical settings as well. Seriously, these people should be constantly learning new and improved methods for stretching and healing the human body for the people who put their faith in them.

Shoulder Rehab - Week 11

I have come to realize that the one thing I don't want to do is tense my shoulder. I can stretch it, but if I tense it up and keep it that way for any length of time (like when I was cold) I will be in severe pain for days. I visited the Athletic Trainer/Physical Therapist at the beginning of the week. As he is pushing me through an assisted stretch, which felt like a knife being stabbed repeatedly into my shoulder, he was telling me how he will never do anything that will cause pain. Uh, come again?

He could not find a stretch that would stretch the back part of arm and back without pinching the tendon in the front of my shoulder, which is constantly sore and has been since the surgery. He finally has me hang on to a doorknob and lean way back, putting my weight on my shoulders. If I bent my arms slightly, my biceps would have taken the brunt of the weight, but he insisted I lock out my elbows, which pinched in the front of my shoulder even more.

After leaving the office, and glowing in the painful aftermath of the session, I realized I don't think I should have done that stretch. So, that night, I did the baby pose instead. It stretched the same area, but my hand was relaxed down and my shoulder was relaxed instead of tense. I held it for 5 minutes. I am not going to lie. I had tears in my eyes and had to curl into a whimpering ball when I finished stretching, but that is to be expected. I also stretched the front of my shoulder by doing the 90 degree thing against the wall (another stretch that has helped numerous of my clients that their physical therapists failed to tell them about). The next day I could reach across my body and put my deodorant on with my bad arm for the first time since the surgery.

That night, I decided to give the trainer some credit and try the stretch he showed me. BAD IDEA!! When I stopped, it hurt bad. That pain just gradually got worse throughout the night, no matter how many pain pills I had in me, which was the max allowed dose. I didn't get any sleep and called in sick to work the next morning. I made it in for the afternoon, but felt like I had been run over by a train.

I have since been doing my stretches and my shoulder feels wonderful. Yes, it hurts, but not it is a bearable ache. I have also been doing the reverse flys that the trainer told me to do - hold each rep for 6 seconds. I have been doing 3 sets of 10.

While sitting at my desk yesterday afternoon, I twisted to read a document, causing a wonderful stretch through the back of my arm and down my back - the goal target area! I realized it was a very similar position as one of the twisting yoga poses that always feels oh so good. Last night, I added that in to the end of my workout and suffered minimal pain at the end of my workout.

I have cancelled my next appointment with the trainer and decided to do this on my own. After all, I know the full range of motion, I know all the exercises and safe stretches. I just don't know the timeline, which I plan on asking the doctor next week.

If you recently had shoulder surgery and want to visit about what works and what doesn't - please email me!

Shoulder Rehab: Week 10

I had to get my narcotic painkillers filled again. I continue to do my assisted exercises daily. I was feeling so good I thought I would try the hack squat machine at the gym to really give my legs a workout. BAD CHOICE! I pinched a nerve in my neck that went through my shoulder. I was in pain for three days.

I attempted to sleep in my bed again, only to wake up at midnight in pain. I tried to fight it until 1:00 a.m., then finally got up and took pain medication. I am sure it was a combination of the forearm curls I did the other night, riding in the car, and sleeping on a hard mattress.

Things that aggravate my shoulder: the mouse on my computer, leaning over to file or do my stir the pot exercise, walking and/or running long distances, movie theatre seats, the seat belt while riding in a car (it runs right across my still sore incision), and sleeping without my fluffy pillow. Oh, and using it for ANYTHING!

I can honestly say I have more good days than bad days, as long as I don't overdo it at the gym or try using it for household chores at home. I realize I could live with the pain and be miserable, however, I would rather take a low dose narcotic than mega high doses of over the counter meds that just give me a rebound headache the next day.

At the end of my 10th week, I will be seeing the Athletic Trainer for the first time since my surgery. I can't wait to see what they say!