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January 14th, 2007 NEW YEAR’S LUNCHEON – Dr. Richard Tessler
of the Volusia Hand Clinic will talk on carpal tunnel syndrome.
March 18th, 2007
May 20th, 2007
September 16th, 2007
November 18th, 2007
January 20th, 2008
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CONTENTS
My Adventures
The Story of My Life
Stand Up Straight
“I Got Polio When I Was ….”
Stay Young
Eat Smart
Gird for GERD
People Come Into Your Life….
Keeping up with Chemotherapy
Yes, I’m a Senior Citizen
Work Smart Not Harder
May You Always Feel Loved
Doctor’s Advice
Questions & Answers & Tips
Upcoming Conference
Old Age, I decided
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FROM BARBARA
I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and a fun-filled New Year’s.
My carpal tunnel is still working itself out but feels much better and, hopefully, by the time of our January meeting I’ll be able to tell Dr. Tessler (our speaker) that “all is well.”
Guess what – I’ve been on another cruise…. Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas to the Eastern Caribbean…. This ship, unlike the Caravan’s Celebration, is 98% accessible. The 2% difference is that there is no way to get into their pools. There were more canes, walkers, manual chairs, power chairs, and scooters on this cruise than I’ve ever seen before (except at a post-polio conference).
Their handicap room is large with a fully accessible bathroom – grab bars on both sides of the commode, grab bars and seat in the walk-in/roll-in shower, telephone in the bathroom along with emergency button if needed. There is also an emergency button right near the bed.
Their elevators are huge – my scooter fits in along with about 8 able-bodied, the only problem with the elevators was that with over 3,000 passengers on board there were times when we had to take an elevator up in order to really go down, or visa-versa. The dining room waiters, once again, fought over who was going to “park” the scooter for me. The areas where the nightly entertainment was had spaces in the last row, although the last night the cruise director asked if we (my friends and me) would be in the front row and when I said I couldn’t get down there she told us how to get to an elevator in the front of the “theatre” that would take us down – it was one of those push button lifts – but did the job. Now I know if we go on the Mariner again how to get to the front row if we want to. Couldn’t do it where they had the ice skating show, but could still see everything without any difficulty.
One of the islands that we went to was St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. Since it is a US territory, I inquired if they had some kind of accessible bus that I could take to go on a tour. My travel agent asked and was told there was sooooo, after filling out some forms (like is done for using the para-transit system right here in Volusia County), a ride was scheduled. When the bus came to the pier, they put me on through a ramp opening in the rear of the van and tied down the scooter. There was a United Way sign in the bus and when I asked, was told that they got funding through United Way. I asked how many accessible buses they had and was told four and that they could be used to go to doctors, shopping, work, recreational places used as our Votran Gold is used. They dropped me off at Coral World and asked when they should return. I gave them the time and they left. I went through Coral World which I was disappointed with as to really see the coral you had to go down steps and, of course, I couldn’t do that – I did know about the steps before going there, but thought they would have some coral exhibits where I could see them. They didn’t. The bus returned right on time. I asked the driver if a vehicle was parked illegally in a handicapped space what happened. She said they were given a ticket and fined $1,000. I said I was amazed at the fine, and that our fine was “only” $250. Still don’t know whether she was just giving me a figure or if that’s really what the fine is.
Oh, one little side line…. We hit into the end of a tropical storm and had swells of 19’ so the ship did some rocking and rolling. Thankfully, neither me nor my friends got seasick but they did have a little bit of trouble with the walking as did most of the able-bodied. I’ll tell you the truth, looking out at the waves was truly beautiful – seeing those white caps – it was awesome.
That’s it for this “Adventure” but I’m going on another one in January which is why our meeting is one week earlier than usual. My friends and I are going on a new Norwegian ship, the Pearl, out of Miami and we’ll be doing the Southern Caribbean. Will give a report in the next newsletter.
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The Story of my Life with Polio
by Doreen Westerduin
This life story was sent to us by one of our Australian members. Thanks for sharing your life with us. Doreen now lives in an assisted living unit in West Australia. We’ve basically left it just as Doreen sent it to us.
Dear Barbara,
Just recently our government has decided to pay any person suffering the Late Effects of Polio along with those suffering such conditions as Paraplegia, Quadriplegia, Multiple Sclerosis, Post-Polio Syndrome, motor neuron disease, severe stroke and multiple amputation, these folk if on a pension will receive an annual payment of $335 to cover the costs of cooling or heating of a normal sized room for 6 hrs. a day for a year. (Big hearted, eh?) The good thing about this is that at least our Government does see the need for pp’s to also have heating and cooling for a complaint as so many medical folk still won’t believe there’s such a problem.
I read where you now have C.T. problems. I also had my right hand done 3 years ago; it did relieve the C.T. BUT the doctor for the anesthetic put the needle in the nerve, pain went directly to the 2 middle fingers, thus permanent nerve damage to those fingers, not pleasant but I cope and try to forget they’re sore. I have just spent 3 days in the hospital and now have to go see a specialist re day surgery for a Colonoscopy. I have I.B.S. quite severely.
Dr. Perry wrote “If you had a lot of pain, you had a lot of damage.” I have a clear memory of the unbearable pain. I guess trauma played a big part in my recovery as my stay in the hospital was cut short to enable me to get passports and papers ready to sail for Holland (not by choice). At the end of World War II Indonesia was to fight for its freedom from Holland and the Australian Government came up for Indonesia (Dutch East Indies) and all un-naturalized Dutch had to leave the country. I was Australian born as were our babies but not my husband – he was Dutch. I could have remained had I been able to support myself and the 2 children – I couldn’t. I was in the hospital with polio as were both my children, Len, 22 months, had polio in both legs from the waist down. Margaret, 8 months, had her lungs affected. A nightmare voyage on a hospital ship followed. The ship left Western Australia for Victoria, then New South Wales, then Queensland to pick up ill Dutch citizens who had been brought here to recover from prisoner of war camps – also mothers and small children. Eight weeks on board with two babies and me in caliper for left leg, spinal brace and neck brace, to arrive in Holland on the coldest day on record. On would have to say only Polio folk could stand up to it and survive – and survive we did!
Just over two years in war-torn Holland with unbelievable food and clothing shortages and up went huge signs “AUSTRALIA WANTS DUTCH MIGRANTS.” We were on the first ship to leave for our homeland. Len had years of treatment to his legs, wearing calipers from 4 years of age to 10 or 11 years (not sure now how old he was when he could walk unaided). My husband had no trouble finding work but finding a home was a problem so I was back in the work force. My husband worked in a dairy and I cared for 10 homeless English boys at Fairbridge Farm School. So now I had 12 children and a husband to care for and I loved every minute of it and truly loved those boys. We worked there for a couple of years but it told on my health and also young Len needed treatment in Perth, 50 odd miles away, so we eventually moved to Perth. I took in washing and ironing for some time, had to give up because of my spine, so I registered my own driving school , for by then I had almost full use of the left leg. Over 20 years in Perth teaching driving until 1974 after returning from a holiday in Holland, Germany, Switzerland and Paris…. All the walking – I had to keep sitting down to rest my leg and back – then home again to find that I could no longer depress the clutch soooooo end of driving school.
We later built our lovely home down here for retirement, ¼ acre block of land, and I planted all the beautiful lawn and remember feeling the pain each day but thought it was best not to give in to pain, so some days, tearfully, I pushed on. My husband was still working in Perth and only home weekends so we spent all that time together. Then, as soon as he was gone – back into the garden and because the block of land was on a slope, we had the builders level our land – but, came the rain and the soil next door ran down our drive, so I’d get in the car (automatic) and go miles away to collect stones and built a retaining wall, then planted “ground cover” creepers as I couldn‘t cement the rocks and took the next best way to keep up the wall.
It is no wonder today that my outings are only in my wheelchair (electric) by wheelchair taxi. I have wonderful neighbours. We bought our units as they were built 22 ½ years ago. Though those units have gone to make way for a larger win g of Wattle Hill Lodge where a nurse is always on duty. We neighbours are again neighbours though a distance from our first units. I take the wheelchair taxi bus and 3 or 4 others can go with me for no extra fee. Our good Government gives us Books of Taxi Vouchers where we only pay one-third of the fare, the government pays the rest. Until my last bout in the hospital we had been going out to dinner together sometimes to outlying places with lovely dining places or in the City to a nice restaurant or one of the nice hotels that have dining rooms and good food. We make this a lovely day together, also we get together for a party lunch on our birthdays. We each have different hobbies we do in our own units. Also Wattle Hill Lodge often has entertainment. I have home help to keep my unit spotless – a lady comes for one hour each week for that, then every second week a young lady comes and makes morning coffee for her and me and we then play scrabble or skipbo, etc., she stays for 2 hours. It’s so that I have company seeing as my family doesn’t live in Bunbury. Len and wife live near Perth, Margaret lives in Mandurah (60 miles from here). My grandchildren are also either in Perth or Mandurah – they all come down to visit whenever possible. I am truly blessed as I have some very caring friends from our fellowship group who are only too willing to help with shopping or in anyway they can.
Dear Barbara, this has been as if each day I’ve sat with pad and pen and had a chat with you on paper – hope it doesn’t take you as long to read as it took to write it. Must just add, my eldest brother’s widow had polio in 1948 and now lives on a wheat and sheep farm with a son and his Canadian wife. Polio didn’t stop Emily from growing old – she turned 101 last month. Will not tire you more. Sincere good wishes, Doreen
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Reprinted from USA Weekend, Nov. 3-5, 2006
HealthSmart
Stand Up Straight
Good posture deters back pain.
Nearly all of us experience some back pain from time to time. For most, episodes of back discomfort are infrequent and mild. For others, the problem can become chronic, affecting their routine activities.
To keep your back healthy, just remember POSTURE:
· Pull your shoulders back. A human head weighs 8 to 12 pounds, so allowing it to stoop forward strains the upper back muscles. Pulling back your shoulders helps to keep your head and shoulders aligned.
· Out with obesity. The spine is responsible for bearing your body’s weight. Overloading it with excess pounds strains the system.
· Sit up! Be kind to your spine: Sit with your pelvis lined up below your shoulders, and look for chairs that offer lumbar back support.
· Take a tall stance. This helps lengthen the spine. If someone looks at you from the side, your ears, shoulders, hips, knees and ankles should form a straight, vertical line.
· Understand the importance of proper footwear. Shoes that provide good support for the arches and heels are important for a healthy spine. High heels are counterproductive to maintaining a healthy back.
· Refrain from strain. Most back strains occur when people are focused on something other than their backs (such as when reaching into the trunk of a car to retrieve a briefcase). When lifting objects, keep your spine erect to stabilize your back before lifting.
· Exercise your back. Focus on the core muscles that support the spine. A balanced routine for strengthening your back should involve all of the large muscles, from the chest to the pelvis.
Tedd Mitchell, M.D. is president and medical director of the Wellness Program at Dallas’ Cooper Clinic.
FECPPSG Editor’s Note:- As a polio, we all know how important it is to have a good back. I thank my mother for making me stand straight everytime I started to slouch – thankfully, although I know I have curvature of the spine, I have no back pain or problems.
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Reprinted
from The Post-Polio Experience with the express permission of
the author, Margaret E.
Backman, Ph.D. Published by
iUniverse, Inc., website (www.iUniverse.com).
No further reprints allowed without obtaining the permission of Dr.
Backman (mebackman@aol.com).
In the November/December 2006 newsletter we took this chapter from Infancy through to the beginning of school age – 6 years. Here’s the rest of the chapter on:
DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES:
“I GOT POLIO WHEN
I WAS…”
School-Age: 7 – 12 Years Old
For early school-age children, understanding is at a fairly concrete level. They tend to latch onto simple and often erroneous explanations for illness, such as attributing it on something they ate or having fallen into a mud puddle. Often their emotional responses fluctuate between being angry at significant others, such as their parents or the doctors and nurses, to self-blame.
With moral development comes the development of a conscience, and at this concrete stage of understanding children may blame themselves for their illness or, as with the younger children, interpret illness as a punishment for being bad. As a way of coping, some polio patients learned to be the “good patient,” that is compliant and not making waves.
As children get older, their understanding of reality develops more fully, and they deal with anxiety through intellectualization, i.e. mental reasoning rather than emotions. During this period of development, the child has a need for information that is clear, relevant, and realistic. Concrete explanations begin to give way to more valid understandings of the cause of illness. More realistic understanding of what has happened and what is going on appears at this stage.
During these early school years, children may tolerate the effects of illness better than when younger or older. Although they still need adequate support and preparation, they can tolerate separation from parents better than younger children, and are less involved in the turmoil of adolescence. They can make use of intellectualization and rationalization, and their anxieties can be lessened by clear explanations of what is about to happen. Unfortunately, during the period when many had polio, children were often not informed or were misinformed adding to their confusion and anxiety.
Understanding death. Typically, children do not comprehend the realities of death until they are about eight to ten years of age. However, children who have been seriously ill and hospitalized can come to face death at an earlier age. One does not always think about young patients thinking about death. But having seen other patients suffering and “disappearing”, these secret fears are deep inside. They wonder what is going to happen to them.
Those who have had to depend upon machines to breathe, may realize much earlier the possibility of their own death – even before they are psychologically ready to handle this. Thus, the fear of death becomes a reality that can get repressed with other frightening memories.
Puberty and adolescence
By the beginning of puberty a child’s emotional reactions become even more complex. The question “Why me?” begins to be heard. At this stage children may feel sorry for themselves and brood for days. Philosophical and religious explanations may be used to help them deal with illness.
The struggle for identity marks adolescence and group acceptance and recognition becomes important. When adolescents become ill, feelings of inadequacy and of not being a complete person can dominate their thoughts. Self-esteem which is shaped by peer reinforcement, suffers. Some teens carry denial to an extreme and act in ways that are actually detrimental to their health, i.e., drinking alcohol when contraindicated by medication, or engaging in strenuous sports when told not too. This pattern can continue throughout life.
Although the cosmetic implications of an illness are important at all ages, they are of considerable significance in adolescence, when appearance, identity, and acceptance become of prime concern. Disfigurement and disability may affect self-image. How these problems are handled depends in part upon the reaction of others.
For the adolescent, lack of control and dependency can be particularly devastating. This is a stage when young people learn to separate from their parents and take control of their lives and bodies.
When afflicted with polio in the adolescent years, the young person may have become more dependent on, and demanding of, peers, friends and family; or they may have withdrawn and been moody for months.
Some young patients reacted to their lack of freedom, as it felt to them, by acting out, or “being bad.” Behind this was a way to draw attention to themselves. But acting out is often not what it appears to be on the surface.
A Case of Sexual Abuse
In one case, a polio survivor told me that she had been repeatedly sexually abused by a physical therapist during what was to be her PT treatment. She was afraid to tell anyone, as the therapist had threatened her. But her protestations about not wanting to go to therapy were only met by the insistence of the staff. Finally she started hiding on the grounds of the convalescent home, only to be found and punished. She was not being a “good patient.”
Later, as an adult, she would find out that her chart had labeled her a difficult patient, something which today makes her feel very angry and further reinforced her distrust of authority.
Also her sexual trauma had never been dealt with. In fact it took quite some time for her as an adult in psychotherapy to even breach the subject. It was a secret she kept all her life, telling no one including her husband.
To this day, little is known about the part that abuse played in the polio experience. Physical and sexual abuse was not talked about as openly as today, and children often feared not being believed, and they were probably right in most cases.
GOING HOME
Hospitalization was difficult, but on the positive side the young polio patients were in a community of youngsters their own age who had similar problems. Many of these polio patients made life-long friendships that lasted throughout their lives.
Going home, however, did not come without anxieties. How would they fit in? Would people think they were contagious? How would they manage being on a respirator? What if they had problems walking?
Children in hospitals and convalescent homes often did not have regular schooling and fell behind academically and socially. In some cases young people were taken out of school and taught at home, thus missing out on important lessons in social interaction.
Those who returned to school found it difficult and embarrassing; they no longer fit in. Issues surfaced with schoolwork and personal habits. Having spent so much time with adults in the hospitals and respiratory centers, these children revealed a maturity that others their age did not have and could not understand. Yet many were socially awkward, alternating between mature and immature behavior.
For adolescents who had polio it was particularly difficult. Many were teased or ostracized and discriminated against in obvious and subtle ways. Some faced restrictions on their physical activity and athletic participation, limiting their chances to find an outlet for their energies or to find an identity in school. What the school administrators and teachers saw was rebellious acting-out, or the contrary, shyness, over-dependency, or unexplained anger.
Unfortunately for many, treatment did not end upon returning home. Periodic hospitalizations for surgery or other interventions took the young person out of school for varying periods of time – further compromising academic performance and socialization.
Some whose schooling was interrupted by polio did not complete high school or college. Later in life they would feel a shame for their lack of credentials and degrees, something they would try to hide.
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This was sent to me by e-mail sometime during 2005.
stay young
HOW TO STAY YOUNG
1. Try everything twice. On Madams tombstone (of Whelan's and Madam) she said
she wanted this epitaph: Tried everything twice... loved it both times!
2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down. (keep
this in mind if you are one of those grouches;)
3. Keep learning: Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever.
Never let the brain get idle. "An idle mind is the devil's workshop." And the
devil's name is Alzheimer's!
4. Enjoy the simple things.
5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath. And if you
have a friend who makes you laugh, spend lots and lots of time with HIM/HER.
6. The tears happen: Endure, grieve, and move on. The only
person who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. LIVE while you
are alive.
7. Surround yourself with what you love: Whether it's family, pets,
keepsakes, -music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.
8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it.
If it
is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.
9. Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county,
to a foreign country, but NOT to where the guilt is.
10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.
11. Forgive now those who made you cry. You might not get a second time.
FECPPSG Editor's Note:- How about sharing
this with someone - After all lost time can never be found....
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Reprinted from USA Weekend, Nov. 3-5, 2006
EatSmart
By Jean Carper
5 brain food tips for baby boomers
Recent research shows diet makes a big difference in how your brain performs, especially as you age.
EAT FISH: Nothing preserves brain power like the omega-3 fat in fish. Eating fish just once a week cuts odds of Alzheimer’s an amazing 60%, according to research at Chicago’s Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center. Fish oil also may help fight toxic plaque and stimulate communication between brain cells.
GET FRUITS AND VEGETABLES:
Drinking any fruit or vegetable juice at least three times a week may cut your odds of Alzheimer’s 76%, compared with drinking it less than once a week, says Vanderbilt University research. In Tufts University research, a daily serving of strawberries, blueberries or spinach helped to prevent, even reverse, brain aging in animals.
DRINK GREEN TEA: In one large study, drinking at least 2 cups of green tea a day cut the risk of cognitive impairment in older people by 54%. Drinking back or oolong tea or coffee had little impact. Researchers credit, EGCG, a potent antioxidant.
EAT CURRY: A new Singapore study says even a very small dose is a brain booster. The secret: curcumin, an antioxidant shown to improve memory in animals and reduce a brain toxin that’s linked to Alzheimer’s.
TRIM ANIMAL FAT AND CALORIES: People who ate more saturated animal fat in midlife doubled their Alzheimer’s risk, especially those genetically vulnerable, says a new Swedish study. Many studies suggest that restricting calories and avoiding obesity cuts risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s.
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Here’s another article reprinted from Daytona Beach News Journal’s USA Weekend’s HealthSmart column by Dr. Tedd Mitchell, Oct. 13 -15, 2006
Gird for GERD
Change habits to beat the burn.
I grew up in a household where you could find Rolaids in every room. My brothers and I referred to it as Dad’s “candy.” I didn’t realize he suffered from gastroesophageal reflux disease, a condition in which the acid contents of the stomach slosh up into the food pipe. Those who are afflicted develop a burning in the chest, and some experience the stomach acid regurgitating into their mouths. For those who have symptoms a few times a month, it’s generally a nuisance. But for many, the symptoms occur daily, disrupting their lives.
To control GERD, keep in mind the three “T’s”:
■ Meal timing. Gastroesophageal reflux tends to be worse when you lie down, so eat your evening meal as early as possible. Giving your stomach three to four hours to work on it and pass it downstream into the small intestine makes reflux less likely.
■ Type of food. Although foods don’t cause GERD, they can aggravate the symptoms. Some common triggers are caffeine, alcohol, fatty or spicy foods and citrus fruits. After episodes of reflux, think back on what you ate to see if there is a pattern.
■ “Tonnage.” Large meals make the upper intestinal tract work overtime to handle the load, so you’re more likely to have acid reflux. Eating less reduces this tendency.
Whether your reflux is a nuisance or a nightmare, changing a few habits can improve your situation. Get started today and you’ll feel better before you know it.
Tedd Mitchell, M.D. is president and medical director of the Wellness Program at Dallas’ Cooper Clinic.
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This has been sent to me a number of times over the past several years and being this is the beginning of a new year, thought it appropriate.
PEOPLE COME INTO YOUR LIFE
FOR A REASON
People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. When you know
which one it is, you will know what to do for that person. When someone is in
your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They
have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and
support, to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually. They may seem like
a godsend and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be.
Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this
person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes
they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up and force you to
take a stand . What we must realize is that our
need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer you
sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.
Some people come into your life for a SEASON, because your turn has come to share, grow or learn. They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it, it is real. But only for a season.!
LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons, things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.
Thank you for being a part of my life, whether you were a reason, a season or a lifetime.
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It seems to be a Dr. Tedd Mitchell newsletter this issue – here’s a third article by him, reprinted from Daytona Beach News Journal’s USA Weekend’s HealthSmart column by Dr. Tedd Mitchell, Oct. 20 – 22, 2006, and since October was Breast Cancer Awareness Month, thought I would put it in here – as it’s important no matter what month….
KEEPING UP WITH
CHEMOTHERAPY
It isn’t easy to undergo, but this cancer treatment is increasingly effective.
October is breast cancer awareness month, and an important part of the treatment program for many who suffer from the disease is chemotherapy. Generally speaking, chemotherapy simply means medications used to treat illness. But the term typically is applied to cancer treatment.
Chemotherapy has changed substantially over the last several decades. We know which tumors respond best to this therapy. In fact, chemotherapy is sometimes the primary treatment for cancer.
For some forms (like breast cancer), chemotherapy may be used in addition to the initial surgery. Many people ask, “If I had surgery, then why do I need chemotherapy?” Well, we know that tumors spread when some cancer cells leave the initial site and travel through the body to remote areas. Surgery cannot remove these cells. But chemotherapy can. It has an advantage over surgery or radiation; it travels through the entire body, so it goes to the rogue cancer cells. This is the reason why, for certain cancers, the doctor will recommend chemotherapy along with the primary surgery or radiation treatment.
Chemotherapy isn’t easy to undergo. It requires ongoing treatments and often is given intravenously. These medications are strong and usually are not given through the smaller, superficial veins of the body because they can irritate and damage them. Instead, those drugs frequently are given through devices implanted in the body that deliver the chemotherapy to the larger, deeper veins, where they aren’t as irritating. These are called vascular access devices (VADs) and can be kept in place throughout a person’s course of treatment. In addition to the side effects of hair loss, mouth sores and bone marrow problems, chemo-therapy can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue and change in tastes. It also can damage other organs, such as the heart, lungs, liver and kidneys. This is why people who are getting chemotherapy treatment are monitored so closely.
I know this all sounds really terrible, but understand that chemotherapy is an extremely important part of treatment for many people with tumors. It’s use has enabled more cancer patients to survive.
Certainly, I hope that none of you would ever need chemotherapy, but odds are that some of you will. Understanding the basics of how it works and why it’s important can make the decision to undergo treatment easier.
FECPPSG Editor’s Note:- I, myself, went through 4 chemotherapy treatments in 2002, after a lumpectomy. I also, before taking the chemotherapy, had radiation. I’m glad to say that my last mammogram (taken Nov. 1, 2006) was clean and I am free of any cancer cells. Ordinarily our newsletter is on the upbeat side, however I felt this was very important as breast cancer is becoming more and more common in women at every age.
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Here’s another item that was e-mailed to me way back in April of 2006, it was sent by one of our members, Mary Pat Hart….. Thanks, Mary..
Sometimes I have to admit.....
YES, I'M A SENIOR CITIZEN!
I'm the life of the party...... even if it lasts until 8 p.m.
I'm very good at opening childproof caps... with a hammer.
I'm usually interested in going home before I get to where I am going.
I'm awake many hours before my body allows me to get up.
I'm smiling all the time because I can't hear a thing you're saying.
I'm very good at telling stories; over and over and over and over...
I'm aware that other people's grand-children are not nearly as cute as mine.
I'm so cared for --- long term care, eye care, private care, dental care.
I'm not really grouchy, I just don't like traffic, waiting, crowds, lawyers, loud music, unruly kids, Jenny Craig and Toyota commercials, barking dogs, politicians and a few other things I can't seem to remember right now.
I'm sure everything I can't find is in a safe secure place, somewhere.
I'm wrinkled, saggy, lumpy, and that's just my left leg.
I'm having trouble remembering simple words like.......
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
I'm sure they are making adults much younger these days, and when did they let kids become policemen?
I'm wondering, if you're only as old as you feel, how could I be alive at 150? And, how can my kids be older than I feel sometimes?
I'm a walking storeroom of facts..... I've just lost the key to the storeroom door.
Yes, I'm a SENIOR CITIZEN and I think I am having the time of my life!
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Reprinted from PPSG Chronicles, Bethlehem, PA, Volume 12, Number 2, Summer 2006
WORK SMART,
NOT HARDER
By Grace Young, MA, OTR
It is hard to overstate the importance of good body mechanics. Good body mechanics is your own ability to use your body with maximum efficiency – to work smarter, not harder in doing the things you do.
Using your body efficiently reduces muscle weakness and pain, fatigue, backaches, neck pain and even a predisposition to developing nerve compression problems such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Since each person has an individual pattern of muscle weakness, standard rules may not apply to everyone. But there are some common principles that apply to most of us.
Be willing to sit down. Prolonged standing is stressful: some polio survivors say it is harder for them to stand in one place than it is to walk. Sitting lessens the demand on the cardiovascular system and relieves the weight bearing joints of the legs and the back. It takes 25% more energy to perform an activity standing than sitting. You can sit while working on hobbies, while dressing, shaving or styling your hair. No polio survivors should stand in the shower. It is energy wasteful and dangerous.
Almost any activity can be performed while sitting if you analyze and plan ahead. However, sometimes sitting down causes your work surface to be too high, which can fatigue your arms. It is not a good trade-off. One solution I use for working at the kitchen counter is a drafting chair that has a pneumatic height adjustment, a footrest (very important that your legs don’t dangle) and an adjustable backrest. A high bar stool would also work, provided you can get on and off easily.
I also use a kitchen cart on wheels that has a lower surface. The bottom shelf folds up so I can put a cutting board on the top shelf and sit with my legs under it while I prepare food. Then I just roll the cart over to the counter and transfer the food.
Use assistive products to help you get up. Getting up from chairs is often a struggle. To give myself a little “lift,” I had a high density foam cushion, four inches thick, fabricated at an upholstery shop. For a small fee they covered the cushion with fabric and added a carrying handle. There is also the “catapult seat,” a device with a pneumatic piston that compresses when you sit and expands when you want to stand, thus helping to lift your weight out of the chair. You can also buy chair leg extenders to elevate the whole chair (Editor’s Note. I have found extenders in 3”, 4”, 5”, and 6” heights. I have 3” extenders on my “family room chair” and it’s made a big difference on my shoulders when I get up.)
No power lifting. Lifting and setting down a load can be hazardous to your health, as improper movements can squander energy and cause back injuries. Take a moment and assess a situation before you start the lift. How much does the object weigh? Must it be carried and how far? If your legs are strong enough, it is best to squat and lift with your legs, not your back. Always test the weight of the load first by pushing it with your foot. Injuries occur because a load is heavier or lighter than expected. If the load does not push easily it is certainly too heavy for you to lift easily, so ask for assistance. (Of course, a good rule of thumb for polio survivors is to ask someone else to lift.) Remember not to hold your breath during strenuous activities, especially lifting. Inhale at the beginning of an activity or when you reach out or upward. Exhale when you are exerting yourself during an activity, such as lifting, pushing, pulling or bending. If leg weakness prevents you from lifting with your legs, you need to take extra precautions to avoid muscle overuse and back injury. Do not stand up while holding a load.
Use aids for carrying. Lifting and carrying aren’t good for polio survivors. They pull your center of gravity forward, which can strain your back and overuse the shoulder, arm and leg muscles. This is one where a few changes can save a lot of energy. (Remember it is dangerous and not energy efficient to carry anything up and down stairs.) There are four inexpensive carrying aids essential for conserving energy.
1. The kitchen utility cart on casters enables you to transport dishes, glasses and food with just one trip from the counter to the table and back again. Use the cart to carry items in the house.
2. Rolling backpacks – initially marketed for students – are good for books, files, even clothing.
3. A lightweight luggage cart is useful for more than traveling. Take it to the mall to carry your purchases and use it for transporting loads between the car, the house or office and from room to room. Keep the luggage cart in a handy place. Open and ready for use.
4. A collapsible grocery cart carries bulkier loads like laundry, grocery bags and garden plants. Remember that you can push twice as much weight as you can pull and you’ll have less risk of back strain. Pushing forward builds up momentum and gives you something to lean on for support.
Take it easy in bed. One load you need to be careful about moving is you. To save energy when you get into bed, sit on the edge and lower yourself onto one side while supporting yourself on your arms. Bend your knees and bring legs and feet up onto the bed, then roll over on your back. Reverse these movements to sit up or get out of bed. Remember these movements to sit up or get out of bed. Remember to put your feet over the edge before you sit up. It also helps to have a nightstand near to hold onto when you sit up.
Editor’s note: For those of us with limited use of our legs, these movements may not be possible. From personal experience, I have found that getting out of a bed that’s too low is a “killer.” If you are buying a new bed or mattress keep in mind a height that will make getting up from bed easy. For an existing bed, consider the height extenders we mentioned for chairs. It can make a great deal of difference. Also remember, you don’t want a bed that is TOO high, so it can endanger you for falling while getting out of bed. On another note, for those of us who cannot lift our legs except by using our hands and arms, I find that getting dressed, changing shoes, getting in and out of a car, etc. can be very exhausting during the course of the day. Having to pick up each leg to get it where I want it wreaks havoc on my upper arms and shoulders. I try to plan ahead when laying out clothes, when arranging my bath items, when gathering materials for hobbies or work, etc. Any advanced thought that will save me from having to make unnecessary movements is well worth taking the extra time. CTR
Originally printed in “The Seagull” of the Triad Post Polio Support Group of Greensboro, NC, May 2005, taken from the “Newsline” of the Raritan Valley Post-Polio Support Group.
FECPPSG Editor’s Note:- Many of the tips in this article are excellent and should be seriously considered. I, myself, utilize my old scooter (from 1992) to take things in and out of the house. I take the garbage out, my laundry to the washing machine – then back again after its been hung and dried, my grocery shopping, even going to the mailbox as I can no longer go up or down an incline without assistance.
Although, thankfully, I’m still able to so some walking in the house, I also use chairs with wheels in the house, shuffling along with my stronger left leg so that I don’t exhaust myself. I find that standing for more than a minute (or two at the most) is getting more and more impossible.
I’m back in a brace (since 1995) and experience the same problems as your editor when it comes to getting in and out of bed. Fortunately my bed is at a height that is perfect for me. When I sit down at the edge of the bed at night, I raise my right leg up with both hands, putting my left leg on the bed first, and place it on the bed. I then take off the brace and relax for the first time since I put the brace on in the morning. Another way of getting my weak leg up onto the bed is by placing my good leg underneath the weak one and lifting it.
Please note, I’m really not complaining – I realize that there are a lot of polio survivors (and non-polios) in worse shape than I am and am thankful for what I have. I still live on my own and am able to do day-to-day activities. I do make things easier for myself by having a cleaning service in every week that, literally, does everything – from changing my bed, to doing all the washing and ironing, as well as the normal housecleaning. This, to me, is not a luxury – it’s a necessity in order for me to be able to enjoy life.
We are all different and what works for one may not work for another. Find what works for you and do it.
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This beautiful poem is thanks to an e-mail friend and was originally printed in our November 2002 newsletter. Being this is a brand new year (2007), and we’re all starting out with New Year Resolutions, this is our Resolution to all our members…
MAY YOU ALWAYS
FEEL LOVED…
May you find serenity and tranquility in a world you may not always understand.
May the pain you have known and the conflict you have experienced give you the
strength to walk through life facing each new situation with optimism and
courage.
Always know that there are those whose love and understanding will always be
there even when you feel most alone.
May you discover enough goodness in others to believe in a world of
peace.
May a kind word, a reassuring touch, a warm smile, be yours every day of your
life, and may you give these gifts as well as receive them.
Remember the sunshine when the storm seems unending. Teach love to those who
know hate, and let that love embrace you as you go into the world.
May the teaching of those you admire become part of you, so that you may call upon them.
Remember, those whose lives you have touched and who have touched yours are
always a part of you, even if the encounters were less than you would have
wished.
May you not become too concerned with material matters, but instead place
immeasurable value on the goodness in your heart.
Find time in each day to see the beauty and love in the world around you.
Realize that each person has limitless abilities, but each of us is different
in our own way.
What you may feel you lack in one regard may be more than compensated for in
another.
What you feel you lack in the present may become one of your strengths in the
future.
May you see your future as one filled with promise and possibility.
Learn to view everything as a worthwhile experience.
May you find enough inner strength to determine your own worth by yourself,
and not be dependent on another's judgments of your
accomplishments.
May you always feel loved.
~by Sandra Sturtz
Hauss~
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The following has been e-mailed to me several times – don’t remember the last one that sent it to me, but it’s being reprinted from the from PPSG Chronicles, Bethlehem, PA, Volume 12, Number 2, Summer 2006, who reprinted it from the Spring 2006 newsletter of the California North Coast Post Polio Group.
Doctor’s Advice
Question and Answer Section
Q: I’ve heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life; is this true?
A: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that’s it. Don’t waste them on exercise. Everything wears out eventually. Speeding up your heart will not make you live longer; that’s like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving it faster. Want to live longer? Take a nap.
Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?
A: You must grasp logistical efficiencies . What does a cow eat? Hay and corn. And what are these? Vegetables. So a steak is having nothing more than an efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system. Need grain? Eat chicken. Beef is also a good source of field grass (green leafy vegetable). And a pork chop can give you 100% of your recommended daily allowance of vegetables.
Q: Should I reduce my alcohol intake?
A: No, not at all. Wine is made from fruit. Brandy is distilled wine, that means they take the water out of the fruity bit so you get even more of the goodness that way. Beer is also made out of grain. Bottoms up.
Q: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?
A: Well, if you have a body and you have fat, your ratio is one to one. If you have two bodies, your ratio is two to one, etc.
Q: What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program?
A: Can’t think of a single one, sorry. My philosophy is: No Pain…. Good!
Q: Aren’t fried foods bad for you?
A: YOU”RE NOT LISTENING!!! Foods are fried these days in vegetable oil. In fact, they’re permeated in it. How could getting more vegetables be bad for you?
Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle?
A: Definitely not! When you exercise a muscle, it gets bigger. You should only be doing sit-ups if you want a bigger stomach.
Q: Is chocolate bad for me?
A: Are you crazy? HELLO. Cocoa beans!
Another vegetable! It’s the best feel-good food around!
Q: Is getting in shape important for my lifestyle?
A: Hey! “Round” is a shape! Well, I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had about food and diets.
And remember:
“Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways – Chardonnay in one hand – chocolate in the other – body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming “Whoa – what a ride.”
FECPPSG Editor’s Note:- Don’t know when this was first being sent around, but recently it was determined that chocolate (especially dark chocolate) REALLY IS HEALTHY – as long as it’s not overdone.
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Reprinted from Triad Post-Polio Group, The Seagull, October 2006
Questions & Answers
& Tips about PPS
by Dr. Jacqueline Perry