Thursday, February 18, 2010

Bowen Treatment

One week ago I tried my first Bowen treatment with therapist Raymond Augustyniak in El Dorado Hills...it helps move energy, balances and regulates the body etc... you may have heard of it. Therapy is given, with a 5 to 7 days in between to let the treatments take effect. One thing it has been one heck of a week--my nerve pain has magnified and I spent most my time in bed...it's been awful. I'll have to let you know how it goes during my next four visits.

I have been working hard trying to bend my left knee, the one with the TKR, it has been giving me trouble. With the calf muscle shortened, left foot dropping; turning in; a pressure sore (a good sized blister) that I need to heal before I can attempt to stand at all. I am so desperate to stand, it makes me sick. I can't help but think about how my body continues to atrophy and my bones keep getting more brittle. I have a huge battle a head...I am just waiting to get GOing!
Good night you all, love kelley
P.S. I'm looking for Darrell H. phone number and address. (he won bid on outrigger canoe painting)

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Tying a Knot and Hanging On...

A special friend of mine, Ro, who lives in Montana with her husband Steve, are neighbors & good friends to my Mom and Dad. Ro has been such a great advocate for me...Doing so much, from spending hours doing heavy research on her computer finding cures for nerve pain and bone building remedies, to genuine support towards my healing, by sending uplifting and inspirational quotes every Friday, for 6 months! THANKS RO!

Here is a letter she wrote after she read my last blog...
I wanted to share it with you.

Hi Kelley,
I read your post the other day and am so sorry you are still having so much pain. I can't imagine how it must be to live with that every day. I wish I could find a quote that would make it all bearable. I am very glad though, that your bones have healed so well and you will be able to start back in the pool again. Hopefully that kind of movement will be energizing as well as soothing to your body. Maybe one of the old quotes might be worth repeating:
"When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on." ~F D. Roosevelt
Try to think of all the good things (your bone growth, your favorable response to the fosamax, no more braces, and your go ahead on the exercise), think of all these things as the knot in the rope, and hang onto them.I wish I could do so much more for you. My thoughts and prayers are with you and I do believe that this pain is not permanent. Hope you have a restful evening! Love Ro

Stem Cell News Update! by Enoch ;o) Thanks again for sending the info on the first human stem cell clinical trial... I thought others might like to hear about it as well:
NZ scientists are doing the first! stem cell human clinical trial on spinal cord injured ...a 2 year trial... by using olfactory cells (nerve cells in the olfactory tissue are constantly replaced) from inside the nose and transplanting it inside the injured spinal cord. Scientist say it will help the nervous system heal itself by helping repair nerve cells; cells to regrow; restore function. I wanted to be one of there chosen participants but they were needing 35 or younger because the olfactory cell are less reliable the older you are....hummm. I'll still be interested in following there progress. Here's the website Enoch sent. http://www.thescizone.com/videos/9370/new-zealand-stemcell-trials

lately my nerve pain has been doing better and my muscles are slowly starting to get back into shape. I've been able to make trips to the pool. Also yesterday, for the first time!! since my leg braces came off from the breaks and I have been able to bend my left knee enough to get into the standing-frame, I was able to stand up (for 30 minutes); now it will be my daily ritual. I have been having some trouble with pressure sores on my left foot. Because I haven't been able to walk or put pressure on my feet for the past 6 months, it has been quite the battle trying to keep my feet from turning in (pigeon toed) and getting what is call "footdrop". During that time I wore special boots day (and night) for the past 6 months and it has take a toll, especially on my left foot. There is a fair amount a pressure pin pointed constantly on the same areas, making it very difficult to keep from having pressure sores. My job is to keep moving my feet and legs; Bending them, massaging, moving the joints and muscles. It's funny, in the mornings just transferring out of bed and onto the toilet is a workout, I feel I need to go back to bed and take a nap. It really has been non-stop-on-going care and rehab. I feel guilty writing this note now when I know I should be doing something else that will bring me closer to walking....I think I'll go take a nap and let the nerves grows ;o).

I'm tying my knot in my rope and hanging onto all the good things.
Take care and thank you for checking in, love, kelley

P.S. Darrell Hoover, I want to thank you for your generous support at the silent auction during our last fundraiser at the Sierra Nevada House. He was one of the purchasers of the outrigger canoe painting. Darrell, I would hope to get your address and phone. Thanks kk