Laser Treatment Part 3

This has been the most difficult post for me to write. There has been a long pause in posts because of it. I know that once it's "out there" I can't take it back.
The hardest part of laser treatments wasn't the lifestyle changes, it was the friendship changes.
Once I stopped all alcohol, cigarettes and going out, I discovered all this time and energy!! Wow, what the heck had I been doing with my life??
I realized that much of my time had been spent "hanging out",discussing hang outs and planning future ones. With people who didn't remember the plans. I really noticed that if there is a group of people drinking, they can discuss and dissect the same event or thought for a ridiculously long time.
I found myself frustrated at the repetition, the smell and the unhealthy aspects. I began to avoid those places and people until I decided what to do. The emails and phone calls started. People were concerned about me. They wanted what was "best" for me and not meeting for drinks was unhealthy and antisocial. I wasn't "fun" anymore. When I explained that I would meet at the gym or go swimming, that was met with dismay.
One friend actually did meet me at the pool while I did some pool therapy. I was there about 2 hours. They had 2 beers, lit up a cigarette as soon as I left and then went out with the "fun" friends immediately after. The next day they were "hung over" at a another friends birthday party.

I have no problem with my friends who drink. I was there with them for a long time. In fact, I have brought very moderated alcohol back into my life. I simply want to make healthier choices. What is fun for me at this point is reading a great book, researching medical breakthroughs for the disabled, getting to church more often, volunteering, spending time with my children, and taking classes.
When I did a whole food cleanse, the facilitator said,"As your food changes, so do your friends." As we grow and move forward, we meet new people on our path. Not all the old friends will come with us. They're not meant to. They have their own paths. I can't drag them with me or feel horrible that I'm "leaving them behind". This is my life. I am the only one who can live it or make choices about it. As much as I love my friends, they are responsible for their own choices and outcomes.

While I enjoy the Erma Bombeck style of my typical blog, I know this entry is extra casual and disjointed. I'm aware that if I edit, this post may never get out. Thank you for ignoring the lack of structure in favor of the content.

MDA Telethon

The Ameristar hosted the Kansas City MDA telethon again this year. In the past, I have worked on the phone bank team. When someone calls in to make their donation locally, one of the volunteers will answer the phone and take their pledge. It was wonderful to answer the phone and hear the voice of someone moved to donate to the cause. A dose of love and hope with each ring of the phone.
This year, I was assigned to the volunteer sign-in table. There were corporate volunteers, individual volunteers, a fun group from the American Legion and Muscular Dystrophy patients and/or their families. In addition to volunteer check-in, the front table is where the checks and check presenters (for the donations to be presented on air) were signed in. Firefighters from all over the area came in to present their "boot-y" donations. There was one from Cass County who arrived and wasn't on our list. I soon found out, it may be because Cass County hadn't been involved before. This young man took it upon himself to get the station involved this year. Kudos to Cass County for supporting this young man and his desire to support MDA in finding a cure, providing flu shots and sending disabled kids to camp!!!!
In addition the the firefighters, private citizens were coming by to bring in their donations to be counted. A pre-teen named McKenzie was there in her wheelchair to present the $1,000 she raised the day before at her garage sale. Youngsters with their piggy bank money, casino patrons, and fellow volunteers were dropping funds in the fish tank located just inside the auditorium. Raffle tickets for an awesome motorcycle were flying out the door at a mere $5 each.
What a great day!!!
Many motivational speakers encourage people to volunteer to give back and support those in need. Volunteerism is a known to provide health benefits and mood enhancement. I agree with the experts. However, I encourage everyone to also notice the determination, joy and gratitude of your fellow volunteers. Wow, what a rush!!!

Laser Treatment Part 2

After closely following the pretreatment protocol for one week prior to beginning the laser treatments, I was ready for my first treatment.
I was taken back to a treatment room where I was weighed and measured. Skin calipers were used to measure the areas behind my arms (Ethel Mermans), around my waist and between my shoulder blades. A tape measure was used around my legs and arms to see if I could increase my muscle mass while working out pain free.
I stripped down to my white underthings as the laser does not penetrate dark clothing. It was important that the laser be able to access my right hip for full pain relief there.
The lights were turned out and a spider-like machine was pulled over me. Red lasers were dancing on the wall. After measuring and arranging the lasers directly over my midsection at a predetermined height, I was left alone for 20 minutes. I would flip over onto my stomach for 20 more minutes directed at my lower back.
I felt a warming sensation but no pain.
After putting my clothes back on, I was directed to a Whole Body Vibration (WBV) machine for 10 minutes. YEA!!! There was one briefly available in physical therapy but, they are hard to find.
WBV was developed by NASA to battle bone loss for astronauts. Since the bones in my legs are now see through, rebuilding bone is a major priority. A small fall can send me to the ER with multiple fractures.
I think the vibration level was set at "stun", my eyes were watering and I couldn't see straight. I just held on tight and stood still for the ten minutes while the machine cycled through different intensity levels. When I got off, I felt very groovy. Who needs 2 glasses of wine when you can work on bone density and feel groovy at the same time???

Laser Treatments Part 1

In an attempt to avoid another cortisone shot, I took to the internet. I spent hours pouring over "knee pain" and "hip pain" results. Zerona popped up in my knee pain search results. What the heck, I decided to give it a try. A Cortisone shot costs almost $700 every 4 months and was costing me plenty in long term bone loss and other side effects.And, while Zerona was developed for knee pain and post op breast surgery pain, a side effect discovered was fat loss. I knew some of my pain was due to the 40 lbs I'd put on over the 4 years since I lost full mobility. Having help getting it off (since traditional workouts were out of the question and weight piles on quickly for the slow moving set) would be a great side effect if it worked.
I made an appointment at a medi-spa near me, plopped down the $1,000 for 6 treatments and received the pre-treatment protocol instructions and supplements. No caffeine, no alcohol, no smoking, tons of water and niacin supplements that made me feel as if I was going through early menopause. (Can we talk about hot flashes and weird rashes all over my face and upper torso?) Patients are also instructed to burn at least 500 calories through vigorous exercise each week. Time to break out the gel seat on the exercise bike and get to peddling to nowhere!
Come back next Monday as I delve into the magic disco lights and brain scrambling bone building aspects of treatment.

Antwerp

Antwerp or, Antwerpen to the Belgians, is a beautiful and busy port city. I loved the market square area located by the waterfront. The gorgeous city hall building was a wonderful mix of architecture and color. The distinguished building was clothed in a riot of color as flags from around the globe were donned like a crown around it's head. (There were many smaller versions waving throughout the square as well. Expats from all over were displaying theirs during the FIFA world cup.)
The square is marked by a large bronze statue depicting local lore; it's of a warrior throwing a large hand. The dismembered hand belonged to a terrible giant who had asked a high price of those who wanted to cross the river. If you couldn't pay, the giant would take the poor travelers hand. The statue shows the brave Roman soldier who fought the giant and won, cutting of his hand in retaliation for the river travelers loss. The hand is now a symbol of Antwerp and may be seen throughout the city.
The cobblestones here are quite rough. The spaces in between are quite large and deep. Move slowly!! There are plenty of restaurants here to find one with a bathroom on the ground floor. Many people here speak English so, just ask about the toilet location. Remember, the English in Europe is English, not American, so ask your questions with that in mind.

Brief pause on global excusions

The excursion commentary has been put on hold as I dive into a search engine optimization class. I find that my brain and body are worn out at the end of each day. Next week we will continue on to Antwerp and hear about lending someone a hand in the most painful way.

Bruges, Belgium

As with Sevilla in Spain, when in Belgium there is a different spelling. It's Brugge. Pronounced something like Brug-gah. I had the hardest time wrapping my tongue around the Flemish (Dutch) language. My lingual chameleon skills let me down when it came to this Germanic language.
Brugge is known as the Venice of the North. Beautiful.
I highly recommend taking the boat through the canals. There are steps but, they are wide runs with small rises and a hand rail on one side. I chose to plop my rear down and then swing my legs into the boat. Not the most dignified but, safe.
You will pass by a brewery with the yummiest beer in Belgium (if you don't like the sweet stuff), a 17th century hospital, homes of ambassadors, and one of the most painted bridges in Europe.
I had a lovely salad (so I had room for beer, chocolate and waffles) in Simon Stevin Square. The restaurant was housed in a building from the 15th century.
Use the restrooms located by Belfort tower(c1240). It does cost to use them but, the handicapped is large, clean and right by the entrance. If you don't choose to use the facilities here, you may be in for a spiral staircase climb in a restaurant or shop. Not fun. If beer is involved, do not get false courage and think you can do it. Trust me.

Got global followers?

Yep! With the addition of a couple of Aussies, gimpy guide is now followed globally. Thank you to those who have jumped through the hoops to fill out the google follow crud. Still catching up on blog posts from Spain and then on to Belgium. Not having internet on the road does make for much catching up on the return. Stay tuned. I may even figure out how to post some pics. Future adventures to include concerts, Canada and some new, alternative medical procedures. Ooooo-Ah...

Beautiful Barcelona

Love Barcelona. If Madrid is the stuck-up mean girl from highschool, and Sevilla is the passionate and deep maybe not quite straight best guy friend who always looked fabulous, then Barcelona is the party girl who was nice and got along with everyone. While Barcelona doesn't have as much depth or passion as Sevilla ,it is a beautiful, busy port of call for Mediterranean cruise ships and almost anything goes.
It's smoother streets are easy to navigate. There are people from almost every country strolling the Rambla. There is an Irish Pub. Life is good.

Bar Jano and overview of Sevilla

Claudia is the delightful Brazilian who runs my favorite eatery in Spain. Wearing a t shirt with a make a wish dandelion, she buzzes around her establishment making the best sangria complete with cinnamon stick stirrers, delightfully crispy croquettes, an amazing pan con quesso and generous portions of olives with each beverage.
In general, the people of both Madrid and Sevilla dress up. You may feel more comfortable if you leave your tank tops and denim for Barcelona.
If you are non weight bearing, please consider renting a wheelchair. Enrique speaks English at the following location in Madrid. They rent for longer terms and you can pop on the train with the rented wheelchair no problem.
www.ortopediaplaza.com/esp/-ortopedia-plaza.php
Part of the charm of Sevilla is it's age and cobblestone streets. However, very difficult to navigate for the non weight bearing. I wish I had taken the walker (I have dubbed it the 4 wheel drive) to use and have a few more legs on the ground.
NOTE- the link may not work in all browsers. You may have to copy and paste. I am looking into this. Any helpful tips are welcome.

Flamenco-the real stuff

The guide books tease and movies portray passionate groups of Spaniards singing and flamenco dancing at parties and neighborhood bars. It's true. It's awesome. It kicks karaoke's butt.
After the stage flamenco show, I discovered the intimate Mino Tauro down the street. Deciding that I needed more tapas, and perhaps a sangria or 3, I went in. Right at the front door there was a man playing a guitar, a woman singing and a couple of people dancing. Not realizing what I had discovered, I waited for them to finish and went in. What I thought was merely a musical hiccup was real flamenco right before me. The stuff with street cred. WOW!!! Passersby will hear a song and stop in the doorway to watch or join in the dancing that takes place in the middle of the aisle in front of the bar. People join in singing, old men lift their suit coats to be matadors for the song and stomp and clap along with the 30 somethings. Incredible! The woman next to me let me know I was seeing a very special musical guest. The guitarist/singer that had joined the original duo was a famous performer who had fallen into drugs and was working his way back after rehab. I stayed until around 1. It was a Thursday. I left WAY before anyone else.
Gimpy advice: sit in the back-ish so you don't have to worry about navigating the crowds to get to the aseo(toilet-not called bathroom in Spain). The lovely people of Sevilla are accommodating and friendly. Just DON'T interrupt the flamenco, and you'll be taken care of like family.

Ole' Sevilla!

El Patio Sevillano is the Flamenco establishment the Hotel recommended. I decided to go to the late show and, as I had over tapa-ed (again) I didn't opt for the dinner plan. No steps to get in, wide aisles and not too crowded.
Now THIS was the side of Spain I had been anxious to see. Live music and singing combined with 8 or 9 dance vignettes. There is foot stomping that reminds me of Irish dancing combined with beautiful hand and arm movements similar to Hawaiian dancing. Also, the dancers contribute to the rhythm not only with their feet but by clicking their castinettes in a similar fashion to the finger cymbals Greek belly dancers use.
There were several traditional dances and Carmen. With my limited Spanish, I couldn't make out all the words. I do know that I heard "corazon", "mi amore", and "consuelo" quite often. Heart, my love, and inconsolable were common themes. Was I in Spain or back home watching a country music video?? Spain. These women had no cleavage or booty showing.

Seville, Sevilla

The Yankees call it Seville. However, it is spelled Sevilla in Spain and pronounced "say-vee-ya". Here I stayed at the Hotel Abril. 2 large steps getting in. However, help is always available here. I stayed in a first floor room right by the cafe.
I must let you know that Spain has the best coffee!! It doesn't matter if you're at the train station or a 5 star hotel in Madrid. If you have ever watched someone make your espresso then you know the machine. A different blend and grind of coffee is used and not tamped down like espresso but, each cup is made just for you when you order it. Yummmmm!! Good thing I loved the coffee so much because Sevilla is the party with passion place to be!!

High Speed Train

With a mix of excitement and fear, I boarded the high speed train to Seville. "Mind the gap", is an understatement when boarding. The step that folds out from the train at the platform falls about 10 inches short of reaching out to the platform and is a large step up. Have someone take your luggage in and then see if they will stand at the top and help you navigate the large up and forward entry. That way, worse case scenario, you fall into the train.
Once you're on the way, sit in the wide and comfy seats with tons of leg room, large-ish bathroom and a cafeteria car to walk to if cramping or numbness necessitate a short jaunt. I took a little nap but, there was a movie playing in English with Spanish subtitles. At 300 plus KPH, reaching Seville only took about 2 1/2 hours. There were no random beasts on the tracks, no derailments at high speed and the ride was super smooth. Put this on your to do list!!

Bravo for the Prado

(Yea, I know I'm mixing Italian in with the Spanish. I just liked the sound of it.)
The Prado Museum of Art has wheelchairs they let you use for free!!!!
Lots of security, can't take a backpack or anything large and everything goes through an airport like screening process. Small price to pay for being able to whiz through the rooms looking at art and not getting tired.
However, the food court and restrooms are difficult to manage. The handicapped restroom is up a steep ramp behind a door that opens toward you. Ask for help. There are enough tourists here that someone will help if asked nicely (Ayudame por favor). The food court is a little cramped to wheel yourself through and not risk loosing a knuckle. I found it helpful to lift the leg support on the "good leg side" and pull myself through. Slowly. Too hard and it's like a row boat going in circles.

Royal Pain

Went on the double-decker bus to the Palacio Real de Madrid today. Horrible!! The palace is not friendly to gimpy folks. Paid 20 euros to go on a guided tour. We were told to go to the wrong area. After 5 minutes or so, I went to one of the security people to ask where the English tour started from. Across the cobble stone courtyard and had already left. Upon arriving at the designated spot, we were informed that, indeed, the group had already left. The tour was only of the second floor. While there was an elevator up to that level, it was to a restricted area that was WAY far away from the tour area. The handrails do NOT extend the whole way up the stairs. Through another combination of prayer, crawling and hoisting myself up on the shoulders of others, I made it. After rushing to meet the group, I inadvertently joined an even more special private tour group and was promptly asked to leave. Since I was left to my own devices, I switched into full blown mosey mode to see the remaining rooms. I went back down the palace stairs with the combo of fear, anger and humiliation. AMAZINGLY, I found another elevator that would take me to the cafe and gift shop (the almighty dollar speaks again). Met another American with an artificial leg that was gimping his way through the palace as well. His experience was no better than mine. However, he has learned from experience. He chose to only pay the 3.50 admittance fee and go it on his own. Groups leave you behind in some countries and your money is wasted. Lesson learned. I had read bad reviews on Spain and now, I am beginning to understand why. Haven't even begun to talk about attitude problems here. More on that with the Prado art museum post.

tapas, tapas everywhere!!

La Carbonaria (close to the Plaza De Sol just off Calle Mayor) is fabulous!! Manchego and Jamon and olives- oh my! Little tiny tables and chairs outside. They will move anything to make room for a wheelchair or someone on crutches or walker. The character who talked us into tapas did so with a smile and gestures. WARNING: I saw steps going inside. Perhaps not the best place to use the restroom but, a great place to have fun.

Hola from Madrid!!

Wow!! Madrid airport is NOT for disabled folks. I was able to get up and down all the steps by having someone else carry everything and muttering prayers under my breath. (I heard a rumor there are elevators but only found 1 in working order for the last set of stairs.) I am staying in the Melia here. Doormen (people?) were on top of everything. Elevators are a bit small but, close and run smoothly. The rooms are for the smarty pants set. The side tables are up-lit, the toilet is a square that is cantilevered from the beautiful tiled walls. If you are on crutches, this hotel is no problem. A wheelchair is a big no. A walker may be able to squeeze through. I think I can, I think I can..... Adios!

too much

You can't bank exercise. I worked extra hard at PT yesterday in preparation for the trip to Spain. Today I can hardly move and was up all night with leg spasms. Why oh why do I do this to myself? Is it optimism or stupidity? Hmmm, perhaps a blend of both. I hope my legs will stay still on the plane tomorrow. Spasms in tight quarters are horrible.

web development

Sit through web development classes....check. Become confused and want to put < or { marks around everything.....check. Ponder that I should have hired someone to create the site instead of doing it myself.....ongoing.

Let the adventures begin!!

Begin the countdown....4 days until the departure to Europe. Blog.......check. Passport.......check. Thing that goes around your neck to hold your passport and money (I am a bit worried about pic-pockets in Barcelona).....get tomorrow.