Character

"The best index to a person's character is how he treats people that can't do him any good, and how he treats people that can't fight back." Abigail Van Buren.

Pay attention! People do indeed tell you who they are. Don't think they are joking with you, don't tell yourself they are exaggerating. Listen and take heed. Save yourself future heartache.

More posts to follow on the subject.

Absentee Blogger

I have not been able to get to this blog with any sense of regularity. I'm working on other things, and have had little time to come here to sit and write.

I'm excited about a venture I am pursuing. I never thought I'd find myself putting the words inventor and entrepreneur in the same sentence with anything relating to myself, but that may be about to change. I'm holding my breath through the steps and stages, and will see if this is anything that will pan out or be a complete failure. You don't know unless you go for it. Anything worth coming to fruition, takes planning, time, work, and backing. Anything worth anything doesn't happen over night.

I've been hesitant also to do the next post I've thought of doing. I'm not sure about getting that out there. I no longer use a site meter, so I really have no way of knowing who comes by, and who stops in at all, unless they comment. I'm writing...but to who and for what?

I usually like to be a ray of hope in some small way, yet I have hit my wall these past couple of years. It has not been easy for me to feel so hopeful. I had to take time, and reassess what I wanted for my life and what direction I wanted it to go in. Some things we can change; we just need the courage to change it. Nothing can hold us back, but our own feelings or thoughts of our perceived limitations. I've learned, if you can't do something one way...there must be another way to do it. Find it.

I wonder how many people wish they could change something in their life, and then never make the move. How many just settle day in and day out? How many choose to jump in and take control of their own paths? They see the things that need fixing and decide to do something about it. How many stand up and decide to make a better difference in the world? Is it really easier to do nothing? Sometimes, I think doing nothing to change what you don't like, is worse. I feel like it slowly sucks the life out of you. If you find yourself going through the motions, and not feeling this is the choice you choose..why not attempt a change?

My life is completely different than what I had expected. I imagine it is for most of us. Somethings happened that were not of my doing, and I have had to learn to adapt and overcome. I've had to find my own way, and pull myself up, but I have also had wonderful guidance and support. We all need support here.

I'm choosing to move forward and not let certain limitations keep me from being successful. Like I said, if you can't do one thing...you can do another. If you have physical limitations, you can use your mind, your personality, your other abilities. If you feel you don't have certain mental capabilities, you can work on strengthening those and learning more. You can utilize your strengths, your hands,your physical attributes, what ever gift God has given you.

I know time is ticking..I want good people around me and positive change in my life.
I hope more people find a way to live their best life, and find a way to have both success in it, and love.

Copyright © 2013 Chrysalis Angel
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Who Do You Trust? (Part II)

I was mortified to find the medical articles describing the removal of the joint, and the altered appearance of the foot. But the worst of it….it described some floppy toe that would just sort of sit there wobbling back and forth, loose like. I pictured it just sort of hanging there with only the skin holding it, while underneath there was no joint structure left. One after the other they all described the horrible post surgical ramifications of going with anything other than fusion. My heart sank.

Neither procedure would ever again allow me to dress professionally or personally, like a lady likes to dress. Athletic shoes just don’t cut it in the board room; nor do they go with a red silk dress you planned on wearing for Valentine’s Day. It may seem like a small thing to a man, but to women…it totally changes our appearance as we step out into the world. If all we wore were running suits, we’d be fine.

I bought some flats, trying to prepare for the inevitable. Once I put them on, I stepped into the kitchen with my new shoes and pin striped suit, ready for work. My husband looked up at me and addressed me as Sister Mary Katherine. Great.

I went back to my surgeon, and he wanted to do a procedure similar to the Keller, a modified version. We talked in some length about it. I was familiar with the Keller and most agreed this was not an ideal choice. In all of my research, I only found one surgeon that would go with this type of surgery for my type of case. Most surgeons from all over would recommend fusion. My surgeon was out voted on everything I read.

I went over and over in my head the words he’d said to me. The x-rays we looked at, the description of using my own tissue for a joint of sorts. Really, mainly to protect and prevent the bone on bone situation I was now in. No worries of rejection using my own tissue. I knew, either way, that foot was done. I could, now, barely handle walking on it at all.

I thought of my last surgery with this surgeon. I thought of all of his credentials. And then I thought…did I trust him or all the articles I had been reading, not to mention the other professionals with their opinions? I went through dozens of professional articles, and tons of online information. My head was swimming. I decided I did trust him. I felt strongly that he knew what he was talking about, and he knew what he was doing. His choice to go for this procedure was based on my life and my answers, along with his professional experience of what would be best for his patient, me. If worse came to worse, we’d go back in and fuse it. I had a small shot of getting something better out of this choice, even though…it was not popular and I had not heard the success stories I had hoped to hear, somewhere…anywhere.

I made the right decision. Recovery was fairly fast for me. I think I went back to a desk job in two weeks. A year later and he has me almost completely pain free, after all…I still have arthritis in the foot. I do wear orthotics in my sneakers and flats, but I can and do wear high heels. I use super soft, plush padding in those. It alters the angle my foot really is at inside the shoes.I can get into them, but I am very careful and have lowered the inches of how high the heels go. I can do it, but I know it is not good for us to where them. I limit the time I wear them. I use them for work, as they look more professional, but I use my sneakers to get into and out of the bldg. I change into those once home again.

I am thrilled with the results. As for the floppy toe thing…I don’t have it! It is stable and I can wiggle it back and forth. It doesn’t have the same range of motion, but I can move it using the muscles in my foot. The appearance of the toe is slightly lower than it was before, but I can still wear a sandal, and no one would notice unless they choose to exam both of my feet together. I can now chase my dogs around the yard, and go for evening walks. Had I paid more attention to all the articles on the net and even other professionals commenting on these articles, I would have had a very different outcome. It’s great to do your research, to be informed, but ultimately we need to find the right doctor to trust, and then trust in the knowledge and experience that he or she has. If you don’t feel confident in them, keep looking for the right professional. We may have Google now and other search engines, but nothing can replace the knowledge and training of a good physician.

Who Do You Trust? (Part I)

Special thanks and photo credit go to Jeff McNeill

The first thing I’d like to say is that I believe in a well informed patient. I believe a well informed patient can be an asset. I think they would be more compliant if they understood more from a medical standpoint.

It used to be when medical information started pouring out from all corners of the net, patients would soak up the information. They now had information that was not available to them years ago; some of it, not available unless you were medical personnel. While some physicians may have been uncomfortable with it, other physicians seemed to embrace some of that, and they could guide the patient more effectively.

Not all information out there is accurate; however, so I urge people to always check with their own physicians. If you don’t have a family physician that you know and trust – find one. Keep looking until you find the provider you are comfortable with. While there is a lot of information on the net, it can not replace the years of medical training, knowledge and hands on experiences of each physician you encounter.

I’m going to give you an actual case where the internet’s information and the comments of physicians regarding a case like this – was completely against my surgeon’s professional opinion. I can give you this case, because it is mine to give. I am the patient, and I choose to share this experience to show you a perfect example of why you need to trust the physician or surgeon you choose vs anything you find on the net. I still say it’s fine to do your research, I’m one that wants to know the good, the bad, and the ugly up front and uncensored, but ultimately you must trust the person you pick to treat you. If you don’t – stop right there and find another.

I had some pretty bad arthritis in my foot. It lead me down the path of surgery years prior, and once I healed from that, I had many years of practically pain free use. I was thrilled with the recovery. I healed ahead of schedule and all was behind me.

Many years later I began to have severe pain in the greater joint of the big toe. Many would recognize right away that it is a runner’s risk. Turf toe is often seen in runners. Mine was purely from arthritis damage. I soon could not walk without agony in each step. I went back to my surgeon from years ago, and x-rays were taken. I was examined, and was given the diagnosis of hallux rigidus. I could not roll off of my big toe when walking. I could not bend this thing without pain. We had tried what they call a chielectomy, and it was unsuccessful, the joint was done. I was just bone on bone. Not a great prognosis for function from here on out. Not really.

I read everything I could find on hallux rigidus. Most physicians recommended fusion. Most agreed that the implants were not good enough yet, and would only require further surgery down the road. Another was a joint destructive procedure described as a Keller procedure.

Part II will follow shortly.

Sing it Gregg

I'm No Angel

I'm still working on that other posting, I'll put that one up next.

I was just thinking about the newer template, and the fact that I've dropped the last name I used on my blog site. Any of the experienced bloggers I used to converse with will recognize that it is gone.

I used to joke with people about it, and I would have hoped that they knew I was "joking," but I think some thought I actually believed it. No, I'm no angel. If I was perfect, I wouldn't be here. Seriously people, I was joking...just trying to stay true to form from the blog. Sigh...So much gets lost in text.

So, I thought this song was perfect to open the renewed blog. Granted this video is ancient now, but still good, so thinks me. Enjoy the link.