Moist Heat Works

No doubt you’ve sprained your ankle once or twice. Or, if you are of a certain age, you have probably felt an ache or two that can be chalked up to a pulled muscle, or the beginnings of arthritis. You might be among the millions who suffer from one of the many forms of arthritis. We’ve written here about arthritis on several occasions. See our previous blogs here.

We all seem to have that instinct when pain arrives whether from a sprain or the first twinges of arthritis to get some ice to the site. And, for the most part that instinct is right. Applying cold therapies to acute situations is an important first measure. We’ll right more about cold therapies a bit later on. For now, let’s discuss heat therapy, especially moist heat treatments.

Applying heat is preferred once an acute situation has become chronic, or once the initial swelling from the acute situation has subsided. Moist heat works extremely well for pain, stiffness and secondary muscle spasms in cases of chronic arthritis. Pain in the lower back, neck and jaw (TMJ) respond well to frequent moist heat treatments. Use also in cases of degenerative joint diseases, soft tissue traumatic arthritis and inflammation of joints causing bursitis and other conditions. (There are, of course, situations where heat is never the preferred approach. Always discuss treatments, even home treatments, with your physician.)

Moist heat is often preferred over dry heat because it provides deeper penetration of the tissue and muscles at the same temperature. It also has the ability to change the temperature of the tissues in questions, thereby obtaining more effective response from the nerve endings.

Using moist therapies that retain warmth to the touch for 30 minutes or more is essential to get the full value of moist heat. Baths, moist heated towels, saunas, and hot water bottles are some of the common sources of moist heat therapy. There are also numerous products on the market that help you achieve relief from moist heat. Many contain beads that when heated release enough moisture to create the soothing and healing effects of moist heat. Others contain gel-like substances that retain heat for long periods of time, while delivering an almost “icy hot” sensation to the affected area.

We are ever on the search for products that help with arthritis. It is one of the most popular reasons people come to Capabilities. We were happy to find a brand new line of arthritis relief products, Therall. Available from one of our trusted suppliers of braces and orthopedic wear, FLA, we already love the simplicity and effectiveness of this line. There are essentially three categories of therapeutic products available through Therall. One features the characteristic beads mentioned above. Therall Foot Warmers, sporting a comfy fleece exterior, become a pleasing temperature when warmed in a microwave. Intended only for use while seating or lying down, these foot warmers provide instant relief to tired, aching feet. Used on a regular basis the foot warmers help improve circulation when combined with exercise and regular foot care.

Because we see so many customers every day with aching backs, we were happy to learn as we investigated this line of arthritis relief that back care features prominently. The Therall Moist Heat Pad offers a large enough surface to use on the back, thigh, or other large muscle areas. It is flexible enough, however, to work well on necks, shoulders and smaller areas. Once heated the oval-shaped pack releases heat slowly and evenly to the affected area.

This product also comes in the form of wraps for joint areas, ankles, knees, wrists.
The Therall Joint Warming Knee Support, for example, is constructed with four-way stretch material for light compression to counteract swelling. The material has ceramic fibers that insulate the joint by retaining heat and slowly reflecting it back into the joint and surrounding tissues. The result is therapeutic heat penetrated deep into the aching joint, muscles and surrounding tissues to provide long-lasting, soothing relief. Circulation around the tender joint is enhanced, thereby improving joint mobility to allow for faster return to daily activities. This support can be used with the Therall Body Warmer Patch (sold separately) for over 12 hours of soothing heat therapy.

Finally, we liked their ointment choices. They offer two, one mentholated for simpler aches and pains, The other, Capsaicin HP, is a powerful ointment that contains purified capsaicin, a natural pain reliever that occurs (famously now after much has been written about it) in hot peppers. This triple strength formula goes up against some of the best known names for topical arthritis pain relief.

The pain and discomfort of arthritis stops many in their tracks, affecting their ability to enjoy everyday activities. For some, work becomes impossible as the pain grows. Getting a handle on arthritis in its early stages can help you manage this condition over long periods of time. Moist heat therapies in conjunction with exercise, the right diet and proper sleep, will help ease the inflammation that is at the heart of arthritis.

Tell us your story. We are always interested to get information on how you cope, what works for you, what does not.

Arthritis: Taking Care of Your Joints

This week we pick up on a topic that nearly 46 million Americans know about, arthritis. Arthritis is the overarching term for over 100 conditions affecting the joints and the areas around the joints. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis and affects nearly 21 million. It is a degenerative disease in which the cartilage around the joints deteriorates, causing the bone to rub against bone. (We’ll talk about some of the others in future blogs.) There was a time when this condition was considered a consequence of aging. No more. The Arthritis Foundation reports that researchers have recognized and are studying the impact of genetic defects, musculoskeletal conditions, overuse and injury. People of all ages and abilities suffer the pain of arthritis. If you have it, you know how limiting its effects can be. Only heart disease ranks above arthritis as a cause for work interruptions and disabilities. More women than men are affected. Over half of those affected with arthritis do not believe anything can be done to help them. We will discuss treatments in subsequent blogs as well.

First and foremost, though, let’s talk about how to protect your joints. It may seem obvious how to take care of ourselves, but it’s not always easy to do the simple stuff the way our busy lives take us. And with health care costs soaring, it is clear we all do not do what’s good for us! For example, maintaining a sensible body weight. The pressure and strain of too much weight on our joints can do a body in too soon. Exercising helps with the weight and it is a must to keep joints healthy. Strengthening the muscles around the joints ensures protection around those joints and prevents the cartilage from thinning and weakening. Listen to your body. If something hurts while you’re doing it, stop! Ease into activities you have not done before. Be especially wary of the “weekend warrior” phenomenon. You know who you are. You strap on the in-line skates to glide around the park on a fine Indian summer weekend. Only trouble is, you have not skated all summer. Ouch! Be careful. When you do take up something that requires moving at speeds through the power of your own body, wear a helmet or knee and elbow pads. When you fall (and you most likely will at some point), the potential damage to those joint areas will be minimized if you have protected them. So far, all sensible stuff, right? And you know all this, right? Me, too. And yet, we pummel our joints all the time.

In my reading on this topic I found a suggestion I had not heard before. “Use the big joints.” When lifting, pulling or pushing, focus on using the biggest and strongest joints and muscles, knees, hips, shoulders, rather than hands, wrists, feet and ankles. Maybe we do this intuitively, but when I read it, I stopped to think more about how I had recently moved some displays in the store, or carried the grandkids. That may explain why my wrists and thumbs are a bit sore this week. I used the wrong parts.

The other thing is to change position frequently. You know this, especially after you’ve stayed at your desk too long, or in that economy seat on your last trip, the window seat no less. Staying in one position too long stiffens most of us. It makes us more vulnerable to repetitive motion problems, too, which affect joints and the tendons around them. I’m reminded of the Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz. It’s one of our jobs to stay limber and resilient, I think. Consciously engaging in activities that provide a range of motion will, the experts say, keep those joints strong and healthy. For example, Pam is now working with a specialist in neuron-kinetics to learn new ways of moving as she looks for alternative treatments for her osteoporosis. She will write more about these treatments in a future blog and we will also hear from her practitioner as well. What are some of the things you do to stay flexible? Post your comments here.

It’s always a good idea to talk to others and to ask for help, too. In fact, if you have some thoughts on the topic of arthritis, take a minute now and post them here. Let us know how you handle your arthritis. Next time we will share your ideas along with the latest suggestions we have uncovered in our research.

Living and Thriving with Arthritis

A couple of weeks ago we started a blog series on arthritis. Since then we have chatted with many on this topic, especially those who come through the store. We focus this time on a discussing how people cope with arthritis. We got many ideas from those we have spoken with and from the purchases people make.

For some people the focus is on staying limber, moving, exercising through the pain and discomfort with the hope of reducing the inflammation and keeping it under control. Many pain specialists advocate this approach. If you are able to move, they say, do it. Walk, bicycle, swim, dance, stretch. Lift weights carefully and under some supervision. We have seen a increase in the purchase of the Pro-Flex Foot Flexor, for example. This is an easy-to-use tool that gives you seven different stretching activities for your feet and legs that you can do even while sitting! It travels well, too, and might be a life-saving activity to do on the plane, for that matter, to avoid deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or the conditions that can lead to the development of this condition. (DVT is a condition where a blood clot forms in a deep vein, usually in the leg. DVT can cause pain and may lead to complications such as pulmonary embolism.)

Resistance bands are another easy tool to add to your stretching regimen. We sell them in precut lengths and strengths to make it even easier. Try out a number of strengths to figure out which level you are currently at. Work with that one for a while, alternating with a band of the next strength lower and higher. This practice ensures that you will give your muscles a full range of flexing, resting your muscle and challenging it with the easier and harder strengths.

There are many others we spoke with over these past couple of weeks who are simply in too much pain right now and are working on getting some relief. Pain creams, such as BioFreeze, are popular. We found a Colorado product we simply adore that we think out performs BioFreeze. Pain Wizard is the creation of Bill and Mikel Kleess, a Johnstown, Colorado couple. They have mixed together natural healing herbs to create a powerful effect on the muscles and joints. We usually suggest rubbing some on your sore spot while you walk around the store. Inevitably, by the time you have browsed around a bit you find your ache has subsided. I’ve used it after an especially hard workout, or after hours working in the yard. I have a bit of arthritis in one of my toes. I generally rub Pain Wizard on before I go to sleep. It does the trick. Based on our own experience, we think Pain Wizard should be in your tool bag for combating arthritis pain.

Another significant weapon in the fight against arthritis is the Swede-O Thermoskin gloves.
This glove is anatomically designed to provide warmth and compression to offer relief of pain and discomfort in the fingers and hands for arthritis and repetitive pain sufferers. The outer fabric is made of a non-slip material that provides added grip. The glove is secured with a velcro fastening.

Thermoskin increases elasticity of muscles, tendons and ligaments to reduce the risk of injury when under stress and strain. It is clinically proven to increase surface skin and subcutaneous temperature between 2-3 ° F, the optimal level to make tendons and muscles more pliable and elastic to provide optimal muscle function. Just recently a young woman with lupus came in looking for something to help the aching and chill in her hands. The Thermoskin glove seemed to be the perfect solution.

Other types of relief popular with our customers include soaking in soothing baths with Nuwati Herbal Wash My Pain Away Bath Salts. These bath salts contain sea salt, epsom salt, baking soda, seven herbs and three essential oils. Early Native people bathed daily, year around, in streams, lakes, or at home. Even in winter, people would bathe in the water of a local river. "Going to the water" is a sacred ceremony of the Tsalagi (Cherokee) people. Sipping tea is a balm for many who suffer chronic pain. See our previous blog on teas and check our Events section for upcoming seminars and workshops on tea, pain control and other topics.

Let us know what you do to live and thrive with arthritis. Post your comments, send us an email, or stop by if you are in the Denver area and tell us your story.

Float Your Pain Away

A few days away can be predictably wonderful; and, sometimes they bring surprise. I took a few days last week to get into these incredible Colorado mountains with the family; I remember just how great vacation can be. One surprise for me was rediscovering the swimming pool. Growing up on the east coast, I never really learned to swim. In the ocean, you learn to jump a lot and to “ride” waves. Over the years I have pieced together enough of an ability to get into a pool and feel okay. I just am never drawn to swimming pools. Once you know the buoyancy (and wildness) of the ocean, it is hard to be in a pool. You can always tell us “ocean types” in a pool; we just stand around for the most part.

This time, though, I jumped in to play with the grandkids. It felt good, then great. The last time I was in a pool, I was much younger and without the various aches and pains that somehow take up residence in our bodies as the years pass by. After a while, you just get used to them, I suppose. But when I was in the pool for a few minutes, I realized that part of what felt so good was the absence of some of the annoying tugs of gravity.

In my own small way, I have a newfound appreciation for water therapy for the treatment of many conditions, from arthritis to an essential element in stroke recovery. You can achieve a greater range of motion and flexibility, and yet there is enough force to push against to strengthen muscles. Swimming provides one of the best aerobic exercises, too.

If you are in the Denver metro area and have arthritis, or are looking for a safe and encouraging place to get exercise, you are in for a treat if you have not yet discovered the warm water therapy pool at the Easter Seals Colorado headquarters in Lakewood. You will find classes as well as open time to fit your needs and schedule. You can find out more by visiting their website eastersealscolorado.org or call (303) 233-1666 for hours of operation.

If you have a diagnosis of arthritis, you know there is no known cure for it per se. There are plenty of treatments that range from natural and everyday techniques to medications. Here are a few tips on handling the pain and discomfort associated with arthritis:
Keep moving. Exercise is considered one of the most powerful tools in preventing and combating some of the effects of arthritis. Try swimming! It creates the least impact on your joints, which is where this disease attacks.
Identify repetitive motions that aggravate your joints and painful areas. Change those behaviors as the ultimate solution. Think ergonomically to adjust your reach, grip, bend or grip.
Use wraps and creams to test their effectiveness. Be sure to see our Ther-All collection of braces and supports. And be sure to try Pain Wizard, an incredibly soothing balm created right here in Colorado.
Cold temperatures also exacerbate symptoms of arthritis. Keep the affected areas warm to ensure optimal circulation.

Please always consult your health care professional before you make any changes to your health care routine.

Post a note here if you have arthritis or know someone who does. What do you do to relieve the pain and discomfort? Do you swim regularly? If so, where? Do you know other warm water pools that are available? If so, where are they? Please share what you know here.

Fibromyalgia: You’re Not Alone

It is estimated that two percent of the population suffers with the myriad of symptoms that is fibromyalgia. In fact, more recent studies suggest it could be closer to four or five percent. Those with this disease will describe the frustration they feel often with having a disease that is difficult to diagnose, that often is not recognized by family and some medical professionals, that causes widespread pain difficult to treat.

The symptoms of fibromyalgia are better known than the causes. Fatigue is the hallmark, deep, muscle-aching fatigue. Some have compared it to a bad case of the flu…that just does not end. Sleeplessness, another symptom, might also be one of the potential causes of the disease. Headaches, hyper-sensitivity to light, temperature and touch. Numbing and tingling sensations, anxiety, and sometimes digestive problems may also be indicative of the fibromyalgia.

There is no single test to determine whether you have this disease or not. Instead there are a series of tests designed to eliminate other diseases like lupus, multiple sclerosis or rheumatoid arthritis. The American College of Rheumatology recently established a set of general guidelines that even many physicians do not agree with. Because the range and variety of symptoms with fibromyalgia are so broad, progress with diagnostic techniques will continue to develop over time.

As for causes, the theories are as diverse as the symptoms. Current theory suggests that there is a lower pain threshold in those with the symptoms of fibromyalgia. Researchers believe that there is greater nerve sensitivity in the pain centers of the brain, caused perhaps by abnormalities in the sympathetic nervous system (the part of the nervous system that controls processes we don’t consciously control (e.g., sweating, heart rate) a trauma of some kind, viral infection, hormonal changes, and perhaps even sleep disturbance itself. While considered a symptom, some researchers suggest that it is the disruption of sleep that causes over-stimulation of the brain’s nerve endings.

Fibromyalgia occurs more frequently in women in early or middle age. Occurrence of the disease is more prevalent when someone else in the family has been diagnosed. People with a rheumatic condition such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus are more likely to suffer from fibromyalgia. The disease is not progressive, however, nor is it life-threatening.

It does impact the quality of life for many, however. Therefore, self-care is critical. Follow our series on fibromyalgia next time when we will talk more specifically about treatments and self-care.

Do you know someone with fibromyalgia? Please post your thoughts and ideas about this confounding disease that wreaks havoc for so many.

Sore Aching Muscles

We love finding out about solutions to life’s annoying and sometimes debilitating wiles. We also love it when the solution comes from another Coloradan. Mikel Klees from Johnstown, Colorado, got tired of trying one thing after the other for muscle pain and the more persistent pains of arthritis that seem to creep up somewhere around 50 or so. She also got tired of all the chemicals in the stuff we buy over the counter. Her Pain Wizard is a mix of natural remedies, such as boswellia from the resins of the Boswellian tree, eucalyptus, willow’s bark and witch hazel. We have a little experiment we do when people come into our store. If they have an ache or pain, we encourage them to try out a bit of Pain Wizard on that spot while they are walking around. Inevitably, by the time they have done a lap around the store, they have noticed a significant improvement. It’s hard to deny when something works. Tell us your story and how you deal with either the every day annoying kind of aches and pains that come from living or the more serious types. We’ll share some of your ideas in later blogs.

Five Reasons for Health Insurance Reform

Somewhere during the summer, health “care” reform switched to health “insurance” reform, and the debate came alive in new ways. While our system of health care itself is worth questioning, in fact vigorously by some, including Michael Moore in his award-winning film, Sicko, what makes a lot of sense now is challenging the way we package health care, pay for health care, withhold health care, dole it out. And, when looked at in that light, “insurance” is definitely the aspect of our health system that needs reforming.

As we make changes to Capabilities, separating ourselves from selling products, while highlighting still the importance of access to products and services that promote independence, the voice I use in this blog will change sometimes. Ever interested in putting a whole picture on the table, I have particular experiences that do shape my perspectives and beliefs. I am not always neutral on these matters of great importance.

To insist that our health care insurance options today should be the choices of tomorrow ignores some realities that are out there, maybe not for all of us, but for enough of us Americans to take notice. I have five situations (at least) that make me believe that the time is now to change some fundamentals about health care and health insurance. I have changed the names to protect privacy. The situations are real, though, and some version of these situations presented themselves on a nearly daily basis.

1. Mike, a 40-something, has a debilitating disease made all the more complex by premature arthritis that causes severe spinal and hip pain. He lives on SSI disability income and Medicaid. In this case, he has options that some others do not. Medicaid has paid for a wheelchair, a patient bed and equipment for the bathroom. He cannot sit or stand for any period of time, however, and he needs a chair, a reclining lift chair. Medicaid will pay for one of those, too. The approved one. Mike has tried that chair under several conditions and it causes him excruciating pain. He has found the one that works for him. Medicaid will not approve this chair; they approve the other chair and deliver one to him. He does not use it. They will not take it back. He called to tell him he just cannot sit in it.
2. At 84, Margaret could no longer manage her day-to-day activities in her home. After discussion, her family and she decide that if she had a power wheelchair to get around the house, she could stay at home longer. Margaret and her family worked with one of those dealers advertised on TV, who made it easy for her to get approved, advising her how to work with her own doctor or providing one in their networks. They sent her a chair. It was too big for her home and for Margaret. Her family tried to work things out with the dealer, but to no easy avail. Margaret passed away a few months later. The family now has a big power wheelchair. They are trying to sell it. “It’s a $6000 chair,” they say in the ad. Everyone knows they did not pay a penny. Medicare footed the bill for something that proved useless for Margaret.
3. Gloria is barely 50. She lost her job with the downturn. She has fibromyalgia, a syndrome that causes myriad physical problems, including mobility issues. She also lost her insurance coverage because the COBRA payments were too high for her to continue the coverage as properly offered by the company. Within a few months, with still no job prospects, Gloria’s condition worsens. She needs a walker to get around the house and something more powerful when she goes out to look for work. She cannot afford even the basic one. She spends her time looking for a donation and applying for grants at local churches. Her job search falls by the wayside.
4. Jose became an American citizen years ago and worked diligently to provide for his family. He paid his insurance premiums faithfully. At age 60 and a widower, he struggles with COPD, diabetes and congestive heart failure. He cannot work anymore and after the COBRA coverage ran out, he tried to buy individual coverage. Because he has pre-existing conditions, he is not insurable. Luckily, he had savings. They are used up now, so he sold his home to be sure he can buy oxygen, a must-have to get through his days.
   Jim and Alice are about to bring Alice’s mother in to live with them. She has advanced macular degeneration leaving her nearly blind. Her children want very much to find her some tools to help keep her active. A CCTV costing about $1700 would give her enough independence during the day while Jim and Alice work to read, do her needlework and write checks to pay her bills. Surely, insurance will help cover this needed tool that will give Alice’s mother some quality of life? Jim and Alice get very angry when they learn that neither Medicare, nor the high priced supplemental insurance she has, will pay anything towards vision tools, other than corrective lenses, exams and surgeries.
   
   I have seen hundreds of people disappointed, angry, frustrated and despairing when they find that “after all these years of paying into insurance” they are left to handle the situation themselves. Of course, health insurance does pay for certain procedures and pieces of equipment. And for those who have great coverage, the complaints are few. But, there are things so necessary, so vital to quality of life, to mobility, to independence, to comfort, to managing pain that individuals pass up every day, or sacrifice even more to get. In more certain times, adult children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews have taken up the slack, filling in the gaps to ensure the right thing happens. In these difficult economic times, everyone thinks twice before opening a wallet, including loving and caring family members.
   
   Reason tells us that we cannot as a country satisfy every need and comfort. After these years of working with honest, hard-working families who face physical challenges that may lie just around the corner for every one of us, I am more persuaded that there is a place for oversight and regulation of health insurance at the very least, and perhaps even a greater role for government to ensure that the list of health care basics for every American gets redefined.
   
   One interesting idea is to shape the health insurance industry after the public utility model. While privately held companies can compete to deliver electricity, for example, there are guidelines and regulations that ensure a modicum of fairness in access to the utility, pricing and safety.
   
   What do you think? What gets under your skin about health care and health insurance? What do you like about the way things are? Please post your comments here or email.

Dining in the Dark

Pam and I had a most amazing experience on Thursday night last week. We were invited to join the American Council for the Blind in their annual fundraising event, Dining in the Dark. It was held at a local Denver restaurant, Dazzle, in two sittings. We arrived shortly before 7 p.m. for our sitting and were led behind heavy curtains, designed to keep light from pouring into the main dining room. With only the glare of the Exit signs and the intermittent shaft of light from wait staff going in and out the swinging kitchen doors, we sat and experienced dining in the dark.

We joined Richard Faubion, Director of Development for the Foundation Fighting Blindness, and his wife at a table for four. Richard, who has retinitis pigmentosa, and generally has a very small field of vision, exclaimed that he had none in this darkness. He did give us tips, though, on how to locate the usual things on a dining table, using analog clock directions, such as “bread is at 12 o’clock,” “butter at 2.” Despite our attempts to carry on a regular conversation, we kept coming back to how disorienting was this experience for us. In his typical “glass half full” way, Richard simply said, “You figure it out,” and he proceeded to give us more tips. “Use bread to help gather the food on your fork.” Oh, and don’t be afraid to use your fingers! I thought of a new use for the food guard. It’s a simple half-ring of plastic that clips onto the plate to form a barrier so food will not spill out as someone pushes utensils across the plate. It is useful for those with limited mobility due to arthritis, paralysis, aging hands, or who have the use of only one hand. We sell a lot to parents for use with kids, especially those with some developmental and physical challenges. And now, for dining in the dark!!

I did find eating in darkness to be quite different. I had some trouble distinguishing tastes. We all spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out what kind of sauce was on the salmon. Richard guessed cherry. It turned out to be close, lindenberry. It was texture I relied on more, I found. Potatoes did not have a distinctive flavor, but they were softer than the mélange of vegetables on the plate. Broccoli stood out in flavor. The sauce helped me find the salmon, but overall I found the meal a lot less satisfying. I recently read that as sighted people age and as their sight diminishes, they almost always eat less. Or gravitate towards foods that have higher levels of sugar or salt as a means to actually taste something. I know this was so as my mother aged. Once a hearty eater, she barely nibbled in her 90s.

We asked our waiter if he had ever had this experience of serving in the dark. He shook his head. We said we needed an answer since we could not see him. We all laughed at how much we take for granted. He and his colleagues did very well making their way around the dining room, orienting everyone to the positioning of their plates and the food on those plates.

Henry Butler entertained the crowd with his virtuoso piano performance. Henry is blind from infancy. (More on him below.) This guy was hot! For most of the performance spotlights shone on him. I closed my eyes, though, to listen without seeing his hands slide along the keyboard. I felt the vibrations of the music on the floor and in the room more powerfully than when I opened my eyes. I definitely heard the music differently. Towards the end of his nearly two hour performance, management turned off all the spotlights and we all sat in total darkness listening to Henry. I found myself curiously attentive to what was happening inside of me, realizing how much I depend on vision to take in a whole experience, to synthesize it, to be fully a part of it. Henry is truly a genius. The room was electric.

What an evening! I felt so grateful when the lights came on. The American Council for the Blind (and many other organizations for the blind that have organized similar experiences) is genius, too. It is so important that we find ways to stretch beyond our own experiences of the day-to-day. While those few hours cannot be compared to a lifetime of blindness or to the demands of adjusting to diminished vision because of disease or injury, they certainly gave me the opportunity to “see” beyond my own frame of reference, to witness my own limits, to learn for a night how to dine in the dark.

If you have not previously supported organizations for the blind, please consider participating in the Foundation Fighting Blindness Vision Walk on September 29, 2007 here in Denver. If you are not from the Metro Denver area, you can check here for vision walks in your location. FFB focuses on research for fighting blindness that changes people’s lives everyday.

Please be sure to visit Capabilities, too, for a wide selection of low vision products. We are still building our low vision selection on our website, so please call us if you outside the Denver region or are unable to visit our location. We can work with you on the phone and help you find the products you need wherever you are.

Henry Butler was born in New Orleans and has been blind since infancy. At age seven he joined the glee club at the Louisiana School for the Blind, where he was already studying piano. He was performing professionally by the time he was 14, and studied voice in high school. His career continued, leading him through college and Michigan State University where he received a master’s degree. By 1980, he had earned a national reputation as one of the jazz’s most gifted and versatile soloists. He continues to impress critics, fans and fellow musicians with his prodigious talents. He has been saluted as, "the pride of New Orleans and visionistical down-home cat and hellified piano plunker to boot." Butler's house and everything in it was destroyed in Hurricane Katrina in 2005. He has just bought a home in Denver.

Osteoporosis and Me

We mentioned a while ago that Pam is living with osteoporosis in her back. She tells us this week more about what it has been like, having chronic pain, trying various treatments, and finding recently some alternative techniques that might help her cope at least, and, at best, find relief in more lasting way.

As we mentioned in a prior article, I have been recently diagnosed with osteoporosis. I have lived with chronic back pain for 3 years with no real diagnosis other than “You have a little arthritis.” I was actually thrilled when the MRI revealed osteoporosis, not because I love having that, but because finally, I could deal with a real condition! My first step with my physician, Dr.Nancy Hooyman at Paradigm, was to start taking Boniva, the medication that my favorite actress, Sally Fields, is always touting. Unfortunately, Sally and I differ on the effects.

Boniva is taken only once a month, first thing in the morning. This is supposed to be one of its advantages over other therapies. You are directed to stay upright for 60 minutes with nothing to drink or eat. That means no coffee!! I already had misgivings. The first time I took the medication, I felt fine until about 7 pm Then, quite suddenly, I realized that I felt exactly like I had a major case of the flu! I ached. I had a fever and chills all night. The second night after the medication I again had a mild case of flu like symptoms. I hung in for 3 months with the same symptoms before deciding to try another medication to rebuild my bones.

Next, I will probably try Actonel or another weekly medication. It will take one or two years before I will see any increase in my bone density, so I know I need to do other modalities to strengthen my bones and my body to avoid further damage. The hardest part for me is that I should not lift things over five pounds. But, with five grandchildren who all weigh at least 20 pounds, telling me not to pick up and hug my babies is impossible. Right now, I try to be judicious. I don’t carry them around, but I still pick them up and pay the pain price later.

I’ve still been looking for other resources for me and my pain, now a close “friend.” This week Capabilities took part in the Beyond Pain Symposium hosted by Progressive Healthcare Center, non-profit providing alternative medicine, such as acupuncture, hypnotherapy, massage, neurokenetics and other modalities. Capabilities sponsored and exhibited at the event held at the Denver Athletic Club on Saturday, August 25. I was able to attend several of the sessions on alternative medicine and pain control. The first session on neck and shoulder pain provided a number of excellent exercises, many of which have their roots in yoga. I felt some relief in my neck and shoulder pain. Masami Griesy, a registered yoga teacher, started with breathing and opening the rib cage rather than just jumping into neck exercises. Her examples of how we walk, sit, drive were graphic and illustrative of the stress we all experience daily. I now have a clear idea of how to sit, stand, and breathe to at least begin the healing process. My goal is to try to just do the simple techniques I learned to help ease some of the tension I carry in my neck.

The second session I attended was inspirational! Bob Gaas, author of NeuroKenetics NeuroKenetics for Low Back and Knees, spoke at length about the problems with traditional exercise, stretching, and healing. He then showed us organically what neurokenetics is all about. It is essentially about healing the scarring that we have in our muscles because of the stress and strain we experience. Bob had us lie on the floor on rolled blankets and simply move our hips from one side, dropping them to the floor, while keeping our knees pointed to the ceiling. I say simply, but when one of his assistants held my knees still, I couldn’t move. The theory is that our bodies keep our muscles taut to protect the injured area and what we need to do is be able to totally relax the muscles in order to allow them to heal. After the exercise of trying to allow one hip to drop to the floor, we were told to lie on the floor. Bob then led us through a series of movements, very slightly from one point to another, over and over again, first one then to another point. The whole idea was to trick the body and the muscles in order to relax. We then went onto the blanket rolls again and lo and behold, it was easier to actually drop the hip! I left the hour long session feeling no pain. I actually had about 4 hours of relief before my back began to feel tight and pained again. My goal now is to work with Bob and see how much I can heal myself, concentrating on my back, neck and shoulders, before I look at more invasive procedures for my osteoporosis. I continue to work as hard as ever but living with chronic pain is truly different. I’m hoping that by concentrating more on body work, I’ll at least be able to ease some of the restrictions I now put on myself. The entire day of events aimed at pain control was eye opening for me.

I learned new techniques and new avenues of help for problems I thought were unfixable! I even went to Red Rocks for the Beatles (ok, they are the imitators!) concert and enjoyed, rather than suffered, as I sat in the amphitheater!

Inside Our Minds: Buying New Products

We have written in these blogs before of the amazing experience we have owning and operating Capabilities. As a relatively new business (almost half-way through our third year of operation), my partner, Pam, and I, are still the chief cooks and bottle washers. We do have a great staff that continues to gain your respect as they work with customers to help solve problems and match solutions to needs. In addition to working with customers, too, Pam and I also do most of the behind-the-scenes jobs of running a business. To be sure there are things we love and things we don’t like so much in that long list, but one of the things that’s high on our list of favorites is buying product.

Not only is it fun to look for unique AND practical tools to respond to the many needs we hear about on a daily basis, but it’s also a process that requires plenty of balance and clarity, as you can imagine. We are approached every month by someone with a new product, whether it’s the inventor him or herself, or a company representing a product that we have not yet discovered. We also do lots of research based on the requests we get from customers, adding things all year long as these customers’ needs direct us.

Just this year alone, for example, we have nearly doubled our wound care selection based on responsiveness to customers’ requests. We also have won the confidence of several Metro Denver hospitals and burn units by listening to their experts’ recommendations for bandages and dressings that are most appropriate for those recovering from serious burn injuries. We also train our staff, generally with experts in these fields, whenever we add new product, increasing your confidence in us as a resource that is “more than a store.”

We also added more choice for gift ideas, including teas from Boulder-based, The Teaspot; chocolate from Metro Denver local, Julie Pech, The Chocolate Therapist; a new lift chair, Risedale, that features traditional design and a seat that elevates, for those who prefer not to have a reclining lift chair, or whose home is too small to accommodate those larger chairs. We also feature products in our newsletters to keep you on top of this broad selection of products we are committed to at Capabilities.

Before the rush of winter holidays and again as the days lengthen towards spring, we focus on new collections we will add to Capabilities. The twice annual focus is meant to pull our attentions towards gaps that might exist, or replacement products for a line or brand that might be discontinuing, or that has not attracted people as we thought it might. Sometimes we shop for the unique, those products that one might not associate with some of our traditional health care products. Among other things, it’s sometimes those products that give Capabilities its unique appeal to such a broad range of people. As a case in point, we launched our Capabilities private label two weeks ago with our Mobile Art collection of Crutch Covers & Grips and Canes, handpainted by local artist, Amy Vicioso, exlusively for Capabilities. We have also purchased a new line of arthritis products just release from one of our trusted vendors. We’ll feature those online when they arrive later this month.

Last Fall we launched our first New Product Showcase, an evening where we highlighted a half dozen of new products and their representatives before an audience comprised of Capabilities’ customers, some brand new and others who have shopped with us quite a bit. It was a terrific evening. Be sure to read our blog with the highlights of that event. We added some of the products to our mix as a result of the feedback given to us by customers, people in the real life world of caring for themselves or others while facing some of big challenges that come with illness, injury or the aging process.

Our first New Product Showcase was so successful we plan to do another one this spring. We have our eye on April and will release details soon. If you are an inventor or know of a product you think we should consider carrying at Capabilities, please email with your ideas. If you participated last time and want to do so again, we welcome you with open arms. Email your interest and contact information so we can keep you posted as details emerge. Please also consider a post here with your reflections on that event to inspire others who might be feeling a bit too shy just yet to commit. If you would like to see what’s it like viewing a product presentation and getting in on the inside track of helping us make a decision about buying it, please contact us. We are delighted to share details of the first event and refer you to others who were our “judges.”

We’ll keep you posted on our “shopping” results. Please also feel free to send your ideas for products and other services. As you know, we are here for you!

Mary's Cruise

We heard from one of our fans about her incredible cruise. She had worried about it initially, her arthritis having flared and her knees growing weaker by the day. She came in a number of weeks before her trip (Good Planning, Mary!) to see what options she had to make her vacation easier. We showed her lots of travel scooters. She test drove most of them and decided on a beauty. In Mary’s own words, “First of all, it was red! Not really! ? The real selling point for me was how easily it came apart and went back together. I had a ball. Thank goodness I did not give up my vacation!”

Osteoporosis: Tackle It Before It Tackles You

Osteoporosis is accelerated bone loss. Most of us Boomers know by now that the natural aging process causes many changes, among them some bone mass loss. More prevalent in women after menopause, the process of aging in general diminshes the efficiency of how bones "remodel" in the body. The typical process for remodeling bone, including mineralization, takes about eight months. As our bones become less effective at maintaining themselves, we experience greater risk of osteoporosis.

Because it is a "silent" disease without symptoms for a long period of time, many do not even realize they are losing bone density. There are easy tests available today to measure bone density through physicians and other health care professionals. Diet and exercise play significant roles in the prevention of osteoporosis, as does the restriction of certain prescription and over-the-counter medications, especially those for arthritis symptoms. As the body produces fewer hormones (e.g., estrogen in women and androgen in men), the body's ability to create new bone and to absorb properly "old" bone during the process of remodeling has a profound impact on susceptibility to osteoporosis. Scientists have not conclusively eliminated hereditary factors from playing a role with this disease.

With sustained bone loss over time, the risk of falling increases. And with falling, comes the serious potential outcome of broken bones. Fifty-five percent of elders who fall do so at home. We have written in this blog previously about fall prevention and treatment. Enhancing balance and strengthening core muscles are important for overall health and essential for strengthening bones. Use an exercise ball, sitting disc or balance board as a regular part of your fitness routine.

Losing some bone as we age might be a normal part of the process, however if you focus on these few simple ideas and have a routine check of bone density, you are likely to tackle this disease before it tackles you and brings you down.

Do you have osteoporosis? If so, what are you doing to stay on top of it? If not, have you have a bone density test? Tell us about it. Post a comment to this blog now.

Three Wishes...At Least

I have been eavesdropping on conversations lately, especially the ones that give hints of what might be on holiday wish lists. I linger near the mobility section and bath safety areas watching families discover products they believe will work for Mom or other loved ones they worry about. There are hosts of surprisingly practical, yet unique gifts out there. So, if you are in that familiar state that revisits you this time of year, the one where you spend hours wondering what on earth to buy for Aunt Peg, Grandpa, Uncle Joe or your bingo pal, I have some ideas for you.
For gifts under $25, for example, here are three that have caught the eye of a few shoppers last week:
Tray Mate: this simple and inexpensive tray attaches safely to an arm chair or sofa. Carol told me that her aunt loves having tea in her reclining lift chair, but can't find the right tray to make it work. She spilled tea earlier this year, just avoiding a serious burn. If you want to spend a bit more for your favorite aunt, add some Laughing Coyote Herbal Tea and a Steepware Mug to go with it, and you have just solved another gift giving conundrum.

FlexNeck Reading Light: David spent an hour the other day racking his brain for a small gift for his brother, Mike, who has a developmental disability. Mike lives with others in a small home in town, so much of what David purchases for him, also often gets shared with the others. David always likes to find at least one thing that Mike can keep in his room or in his pocket to have just for himself. I asked David some questions about what Mike liked to do, and when he said that David likes to look at books of maps, we mosied over to the book section and found this great reading light. With its wider clip, Mike can use it on many sized maps and books. It is also small enough to fit in his pocket. David then added a Book Peeramid to his purchase. He knows Mike will most likely share that since it is big enough to move around for others. But he knows that little flexneck light will stay with Mike.

MocSocks: Slippers can be so predictable sometimes as a gift for an older adult in your life. MocSocks, on the other hand, bring comfort and class to what can seem ordinary. Made of comfy PolarTec fabric, these products by the Colorado-based company, Janska, are both stylish and practical. A combination of moccasins and socks, this product features slip-proof gripping material on the soles and outside seams, ensuring that they will lay soft against the skin and not cause irritation. Ann loved this colorful and comfortable option for her friend whose feet are always chilly in the winter. You can add a lapwrap shawl to this purchase to complete your shopping for someone very special on your list.

I also overheard a touching conversation between a son and his mom. The son was clearly visiting for the Thanksgiving holidays, trying to work on some projects and share some quality time with his mother before returning to his home out of town. They happened upon Capabilities. Because her safety was very much on his mind, they ended up spending a lot of time walking around the store. After many suggestions by him and refusals to consider things by her, she suddenly was taken with the tub lift. "Oh, to take a bath again, instead of a shower," she mused out loud, catching herself when he perked up. They argued a bit, she denying that she really wanted something like this. They left. The son called us later, asking us to put one aside for him. He came back, purchased the tub lift and plans on wrapping it with a big bow and hiding it in his mother's house. He will call her on Christmas Eve and give her directions for finding this treasure. Some Boomer children are determined to overcome their parents' reluctance to consider spending some money to make their homes safe.

If you are on the hunt for something practical for the two of you, as you both face some of your challenges with arthritis, COPD or a heart condition, do what the Smiths did a few weeks ago. They came in wondering how they might get out and about again. They had seen others in electric scooters, but had never tried them. "We are just researching," they said. Two hours later after riding around the store and up and down the sidewalks of the shopping center, they bought scooters, one in blue for him, and red for her! "Merry Christmas," they said to each other, as they drove out the door. They are asking their kids to chip in to buy the auto lift that will make it all the easier to put the scooters in their minivan!

So, try not to get discouraged as you think about those "hard to buy for" loved ones in your life. And, certainly do not be curtailed by the older adult who says, "I don't need a thing. Save your money." Resist the urge to buy another sweater or candy dish. We also have a gift registry, so encourage your folks to mention what catches their fancy when they are browsing in our store. That way you can get the inside scoop by accessing their list!

Visit Capabilities in person or online for terrific ideas! Tell us some of your ideas for that special someone in your life who may have stumped you for a while.