The second in our series of knee fitness videos. These gentle exercises can easily be done anywhere. They’re perfect for regaining movement in an injured knee or strengthening your knees to avoid injury.
San Diego Surgical Team Changes Face of Patient Care Overseas
“Angels from heaven” is how patients described Anna Kulidjian, MD, professor with UC San Diego School of Medicine, and her team after they successfully performed 24 hip replacement surgeries during a trip to the mountainous region of Armenia, a place in desperate need of surgical care.
The week long medical journey was part of a rare humanitarian effort among health care organizations, orthopedic surgeons and donors in San Diego and Armenia.
“It was a year-long effort to select eligible patients who needed surgery but didn’t have the financial means or access to specialized surgeons. Most patients were wheel-chair bound and living in villages with no communication to the outside world,” said Kulidjian, orthopedic surgeon at UC San Diego Health System.
Armenia has a 20 percent infection rate and 30 percent dislocation rate with joint replacement surgeries. Kulidjian and her team worked around the clock to teach the Armenian surgeons techniques in a variety of areas, including device placement, physical therapy, anesthesia and operating room safety for sterilization.
“My team was stunned at the need for education and lack of surgical equipment in Armenia,” said Kulidjian. “I was born in Armenia, so this experience touched me both professionally and personally. It was challenging emotionally and physically, and I realized what a privilege it was to have been educated in the United States. I kissed the ground when I landed on American soil.”
Patients who thought they would never walk again are now standing and functioning in a way they never dreamed possible.
“One of the patients kept kissing the hand of a San Diego surgeon. It was incredibly rewarding to see how gracious these men and women were after the years of suffering they endured,” said Kulidjian.
This was also a monumental project for the San Diego surgeons who worked as a strong team and learned from each other during difficult circumstances.
“This experience changed the lives of all involved. We went back to our organizations with new perspectives, a higher confidence level in dealing with complications and a better appreciation for orthopedic surgery practiced around the world.”
The trip also included a hike with the entire team to the top of Armenia’s Mount Aragrats - the highest peak in the country at 13, 419 feet. The hike was part of a fundraising effort to raise money for items such as pain medication, tools and devices used during joint replacement surgeries.
“Efforts like this can truly change the course of health care. It was a successful mission that has given both the Armenian surgeons and patients more power and opportunity for a better future,” said Kulidjian. “We look forward to returning again.”
I’m sorry if you’re sick right now, will be sick this year, or have been sick in the past. It blows. (if you’ve never been sick, you’re an alien. I’m sorry you had to find out this way).
This time of year, my inbox is filled with people asking me if they CAN workout while sick and what they should do. Many are incredibly concerned they’ll “blow” all their progress by taking days off training. They feel guilty. While many people are content with a day off on the couch with Kleenex & (insert name of hunky movie star here), some people just can’t escape the guilt of missing their workout. Stressing over it, even.
I totally get it. I hate missing my workouts because my body’s not working the way it should. My mood is regulated by exercise, and I love, love, LOVE to move. It was and IS difficult for me to find a mind balance for those times when I couldn’t/shouldn’t workout. But there are a few things that help me do what I need to do to get better and start kicking ass again asap.
Most Common “I’m Sick” Fitness Worries…
1. “I’m so stressed out about missing my workouts. Should I just power through? It’s KILLING me!”
Breathe. Relax. Be sick. Don’t stress. Stress doesn’t help. Along with missing sleep, being stressed out can exacerbate illness, not make it better. Give yourself permission to take a few days off because it’s better for your body. Stay restfully busy. Distract yourself.
This has been a HUGELY repeated concern voiced on DiabetiConfessions. I’ve gotten all kinds of submissions by people who are terrified because they’ve heard awful things about their life expectancy, and I’ve gotten messages from people who say that’s ridiculous. The notions that diabetics do not live long WAS pushed (by doctors, the ADA, and media) for a long time. It was accurate for a very long time and in some aspects, it’s still pushed - but without taking into account scientific/medical/societal changes. So I’m going to go ahead here and try to clear it up, and I’ll site all my sources so y’all can go check it out further. I hope this gives people some hope. =)
The 50 year life-span statistic is sorely outdated:
“Advances in diabetes care have nearly eliminated the difference in life expectancy between people with type 1 diabetes and the general population, according to new research…Life expectancy at birth for someone diagnosed with type 1 diabetes between 1965 and 1980 was estimated to be 68.8 years compared to 72.4 years for the general population. But, for someone diagnosed with type 1 diabetes between 1950 and 1964 the estimated life expectancy at birth was just 53.4 years.” Source (2011)
“However, there is good news - people with type 1 diabetes have been known to live for as long as over 85 years with the condition.” Source
American Lives With Diabetes for 85 Years (2011) [I’d like to point out with this one, that he was diagnosed in 1926, not long after insulin was first available commercially - And about 35 years before there was even a glucose meter. The life expectancy then for diabetics was severely low. His brother passed away from it before he was even able to get insulin. Look how far we’ve come.]
“Those with type 1 diabetes historically faced a shortened life expectancy. But a University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health study concludes that those diagnosed since 1965 can expect a near normal lifespan…a 15-year increase in life-expectancy.” Source (2012)
So there’s 5 incredibly hopeful reports. The treatment of this disease is changing so fast, it is truly incredible. They haven’t yet done studies on the life-span of people diagnosed in 1980-present, so who knows where we’re at now. Technology is improving rapidly. There’s a lot of media push to say diabetes shortens your life span - they mainly push that for type 2’s, because they’re trying to SCARE people into preventing type 2. That’s a media push. Look at the actual studies, look at the information here. Don’t lose hope.
The first glucose meters were being created in the early 1960’s. That’s 50 years ago. There weren’t even home glucose meters available for the market until around 1981. And in the last 30 years, we’ve gone from that to CGM’s. Small strips that test your bg every 5 minutes, 24 hours a day.
Insulin was first being picked up and released by Eli Lilly and Company in 1921. We now have how many different types of insulin? We have Humalog, Novalog, Lantus, just to name a mere few - short acting/long acting, etc.
We have simple injections, insulin pens, pumps, sensors, glucose meters of all kinds. You can pick up a meter for as little as $19.99 in a grocery store.
To sum it all up, we have come so far. And we’re still breaking ground daily.
The difference between the life expectancy of a normal human being and a diabetic human being is very small now, almost nonexistent - for type 1 or type 2.
Ottawa Public Health is pleased to present some of the ups and downs of breastfeeding as experienced by local mothers on our blog this week.
“Would you like to know the sex of your baby”? It was a question that my husband and I pondered for the first 19 weeks of my second pregnancy.So, we decided to have that question answered, and got the response at a routine ultrasound.So there we were, holding our breath, waiting for three little words.“It’s a….BOY”!!! We were overjoyed to learn that we were going to be blessed with a boy.It was an emotional high that I will never forget, and I can still live in that moment.But as quickly as it came, that moment began to pass. I could tell that the tech was not sharing something with us.The next series of questions, only confirmed my suspicions, and we had answers within the hour.
I’m thrilled to share the first in a series of knee health videos that we’re making (I’m the one in the blue top). The focus is on exercises that you can use to strengthen an injured knee, but these exercises can also help you to avoid injuries. More to come soon!
“It works by focally destroying a specific area of scar tissue, allowing the normal skin around the laser-treated area to heal,” said Hivnor, who is the program director of the dermatology residency at Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center on Joint Base San Antonio – Lackland, Texas. “The softness of the scar is the most dramatic change.”
Ottawa Public Health (OPH), in collaboration with select retailers across Ottawa, are encouraging residents to “adopt” a helmet between September 24 and 30, 2012 to be eligible for discounts of 20 per cent or more on helmets of all kinds. The promotion is timed for the beginning of hockey season, but also appeals to cyclists, skateboarders, and inline skaters looking to enjoy the autumn weather.
Wearing a properly fitted helmet can reduce the chance of brain injury by 85 per cent. OPH will be profiling different styles and technologies of helmets as “adoption ads” on the campaign’s blog (adoptahelmet.com). The purpose of the campaign is to show the variety of helmets available for different sports and activities, to increase helmet awareness, and to improve helmet accessibility in Ottawa.
Ottawa Public Health appreciates the contributions of all of its partners to the success of this life-saving initiative. By helping make helmets more accessible, they are not only removing barriers to safety, but taking an active role in the health and safety of Ottawa children and youth.
The initiative builds on the Adopt a Helmet social media campaign, which has featured:
June discount day where local retailers saw sales of helmets more than double
A helmet adoption blog (adoptahelmet.com), including adoption ads for helmets like Smiley, Rex, Posh, and Danny
A contest geared toward youth aged 13 to 24
A list of retailers offering discounts can be found on the campaign’s blog at: adoptahelmet.com
For more information about using and choosing a proper helmet, please visit ottawa.ca/health or call 613-580-6744 (TTY: 613-580-9656). You can also connect with OPH on Facebook and Twitter (@ottawahealth).
