5 Steps to Acceptance

Injuries can change your life dramatically — sometimes temporarily and sometimes permanently. Accepting a part of your life has changed can be a challenge, just like any other traumatic experience. Some people in beginning recovery will go through five stages of acceptance similar to the steps of acceptance for a death.

1. Denial about the injury’s severity or that the injury even happened is first. This could be from shock or fear.
2. Giving up some control over life during recovery can be frustrating and leads to anger. Anger maybe directed at yourself or at friends and family.
3. When the anger subsides you may begin to bargain with yourself. You promise you won’t train as hard or you will train harder than before.
4. Feelings of depression about the future are next. Will your body be the same? What will you have to give up? How much will my life be different?
5. Acceptance is the final step. This last step is also the only proactive step where real recovery can begin.

Once reality sets in you can begin talking with your physician or physical therapist about the recovery process. You should do the following together:

• Talk about developing a support network. This can be friends, family and others going through similar recovery. It’s important to keep in mind that injury and recovery affect everyone differently so never compare your progress. Also, your network should be ready to listen, offer support and never push you.
• Determine, with your medical professional, a list of milestones. Be realistic and honest with yourself. Make sure to listen when your physical therapist offers his opinion or gives orders. A good PT will be honest even when it hurts.
• Find the things in life that motivate you. Motivation makes the recovery process easier.
• Explore other hobbies or interests. Ask your PT what activities are acceptable during recovery, and then listen. Hobbies and interests keep your mind sharp and keep your thoughts away from your injury.
• Think happy thoughts.

Your physician or PT may have other suggestions, but if he or she doesn’t bring up your emotions then you should. Communicate and be open. Depression makes recovery difficult and it could lead to a re-injury if you’re not honest with yourself.

Share your recovery stories in the comments. Did you feel depression or other emotions during recovery?

1. Mom knows better. You can start by asking your family if they know a good orthopedist. Ask how long they have been seeing their doctor, if the doctor has taken the time to learn about their individual needs or if they treat them like a case number.
2. Interview them for the job. Interview more than one doctor for the job of being your orthopedist. Because he might be busy, ask for a few minutes on the phone. If you’re already getting a check-up, ask them questions while you’re in the office. Some may charge for an initial consultation, but that’s not a rule. Check credentials!
3. Location is everything. Look for an office that is close to your home or office. You may even consider looking for a practice that has more than one location.
4. One time only. Some practices rotate staff. Check if you will be seeing the same doctor every time you visit.
5. Emergency! Sometimes you might have an emergency. Make sure there is an emergency services.

No matter the cause, sometimes the only answer to reclaiming an old lifestyle is surgery. When the knee reaches the point-of-no-return the only option might be total-knee replacement. This procedure is for only severe cases where everyday activities are becoming difficult to perform due to pain or risk of extensive damage to the joint.

What is Total Knee Replacement?

Total-knee replacement is the surgical procedure where damaged knee joints are replaced by an implant made of plastic and metal pieces developed to function like a natural knee. Variations in the implant have different benefits and risks. All benefits and risks should be discussed with your physician!

Risks include blood clots, some instability, blood vessel injury, stiffness and infection (which could require re-operation).

Who should consider this operation?

Only patients suffering from progressive pain and stiffness in the knee should consider Total-Knee Replacement surgery. Making the decision to have this kind of operation isn’t easy. Patients should ask their doctor about other options.

Average ages for the 600,000 annual patients is 65-70, but younger people have received an implant.

What is post-op life like?

The average life-span of an implant can be 15-20 years, but a patient’s lifestyle and activity is a factor. Post-op care involves physical therapy at the hospital and at home. Your doctor may limit some physical activities like high-impact running and high-demand sports in favor of slower-paced exercises and leisure sports. Swimming is an ideal activity for patients.

Here’s a list of important issues (but not all the issues) to discuss with your doctor:

• How will this surgery affect my daily activity?
• Will I have to give up sports?
• Can I damage the implant by running?
• How do I spot a problem with the implant?
• Can I begin a new sport?

There are stories of pets saving their owner’s life; predicting heart-attacks, seizures, cancer and other health threats before symptoms appear.

October is Pet Wellness Month and a good time to think about all the benefits of having a pet around during recovery.  Research shows there are many benefits to owning a pet (the below list comes from Pets911.com and you can find more benefits on their website).

• Pets lower the recovery time for surgery.
• Senior citizens who own pets actually need less medical attention than those that do not.
• Pet owners typically have lower blood pressure than non-pet owners, and one study actually proved that with as little as 10 minutes with a pet can lower blood pressure significantly.
• 70 percent of families surveyed reported an increase in family happiness and fun after acquiring a pet.
• Children exposed to pets during their first year of life have a lower frequency of some allergies and asthma.
• Children who suffer from autism have more pro social behaviors if they own a pet.
• Owning a pet – especially a dog – helps children in families better adjust to the serious illness or death of a parent.
• Having a pet may decrease heart attack mortality rates by 3 percent, which translates into 30,000 lives saved annually.
• Positive self-esteem in children is enhanced if the child owns a pet.
• Many groups take therapy pets to visit residents of nursing homes, and the experience has shown to be a very positive one for both the pet and the individual.
• The reverse is also true – the life of a pet is usually enhanced if its owner cares for it properly.

IF you’re missing a furry, cuddly one in your life, you can get your fix online. UStream.com streams live feeds of baby puppies, kittens, owls and other adorable creatures.

Check it out.

Free TV : Ustream

Here are seven coffee rumors dispelled.

Coffee Rumor Number 1. Coffee reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Fact. The caffeine in coffee reduces inflammation and protein build-up in the brain.

Coffee Rumor Number 2. Drinking three to five cups of coffee on a regular basis reduces the risk of developing dementia. Fact. Again it’s the caffeine because it can stimulate certain brain activity.

Coffee Rumor Number 3. Drinking coffee leads to dehydration. Fiction. The truth is that drinking a moderate amount of coffee each day can actually hydrate you. It’s half water.

Coffee Rumor Number 4. The smell of coffee grounds can stimulate alertness (you don’t even have to drink it). Fact. It has similar effects to other scents used in aromatherapy like ginseng.

Coffee Rumor Number 5. Acid in coffee leads to ulcers in the stomach. Fiction. The acid in coffee does not cause ulcers. Because it can irritate existing ulcers you should consult your doctor before partaking of the dark drink.

Coffee Rumor Number 6. Coffee has anti-oxidants that prevent free radicals from causing cell damage. That can result in better skin!! Fact. Coffee is full of anti-oxidants. A-O’s repel the free radicals that cause skin cells to breakdown. Brands like Avon, L’Oreal and Neutrogena include caffeine in their skincare products.

Coffee Rumor Number 7. If you exercise regularly, drinking coffee can improve the results from a workout. If you don’t regularly workout, bad news: coffee won’t have any impact. Fact. Not exactly sure why this happens, but it’s still cool.

Research into the benefits of coffee is ongoing, but a study currently underway suggests that drinking coffee could reduce the risk of developing Type II diabetes. That’s pretty impressive if you ask me.

So now I’ve got to ask, “How do you take your’s?” Vanilla creme and sugar, please.