Dr. McDougall's Online Discussion Board

Great news !

I ordered the book Tiny Habits today so I can have a hard copy. I like to underline !

-Marilyn

Ruff wrote:Bonnie is out of the pen! The surgeon was very happy with her progress. We can start building up longer on leash walks now. It will be another 6 weeks before she can go off leash, even in the garden.

All very happy here.

Just YAY!! Glad for you!!!

squealcat wrote:Great news !

I ordered the book Tiny Habits today so I can have a hard copy. I like to underline !

-Marilyn

Oh so do I! I always read non fiction with a pen in my hand. Actually I had an idea yesterday, Use an index card as a book mark and use it to make notes (use 2 if necessary) then you can file the cards. So then can make notes with library books too. Can do this with fiction too...date read etc, or re read as many of mine are...Jane Austen is read at least bi-anually....

I like the index card idea ! Someone in our book club does that and she always remembers the names of the characters.....that the rest of us forget.

-Marilyn

Got my Tiny Habits book today !! Looking forward to reading it and working on some much-needed new habits !

-Marilyn

Hi Katie! I'm so glad to hear that Bonnie is out of the pen!! Hope she is doing well and that you are too!

I love that index card idea! I might have to give that a try...

Morning people, things have been up and down here. I have had joint pain since I got the virus, and it seems to be setting into my left shoulder, and giving me a frozen shoulder. I cant get to my doctor (booked up) until Tuesday 27th, but I am seeing a physio shoulder specialist on Monday. I had no idea a frozen shoulder could be so painful.

Anyway, I am attacking it form as many directions as I can.
1. Its the food. The proper name for frozen shoulder is adhesive capsulitis. Its an 'itis' therefore it is inflammation. So, I am going onto a potato marys mini, but I will keep my soy milk in my tea as it is good for post menopausal symptoms.
2. Walking cures everything. Therefore I will walk as much as I can
3. Hot pools. I happen to live near the pier, and at the pier there are hot pools. I have brought a months pass so I can soak my shoulders in the evenings before bed.
4. Get specialist help. Well I live on the South Island of New Zealand so I dont have access to as many specialists as other, bigger places do, but I will do my best here. Possibly a multi- disciplinary approach.
5. Exercises. I have downloaded the Harvard health exercises for frozen shoulder. I am also seeing a chiropractor today and a physio on Monday. Hopefully they will identify the best exercises for me.

Hopefully we can knock it out of the park before it settles in for the long haul. Frozen shoulder can be 3 years...and this is NOT how I planned my retirement. If it happens, it happens, but I will give it my best shot first. Go early, go strong.

Bonnie however is doing exceptionally well. She is up to 2x 20 minutes walks/ day, and she says she is totally better. In a months time she can go off the lead for 5 minutes, which is an exciting prospect.

Katie: hope the frozen shoulder thing is shorter term than 3 years ! Sounds like you are attacking it from all sides ! Prayers for healing ! That was some virus you caught !!

My grandma's dog was named Bonnie ! So glad YOUR Bonnie is doing well ! My grandma's dog was a Pekinese little dog that was missing one eye. I remember being a little afraid of her. Wish I had asked more about that dog. My grandma was a nurse so maybe she rescued that dog. I know she cared for a lot of people who needed her so maybe dogs too !

Anyway, hope you heal up ! Keep walking ! I do believe , as you do, that walking helps with everything !

-Marilyn

Hi Katie,

So sorry about the frozen shoulder. Sounds like you have a great plan. Wishing you the best as you work through this.

Glad that Bonnie is thriving!!!

Take care,
Stephanie

Morning people, things have been up and down here. I have had joint pain since I got the virus, and it seems to be setting into my left shoulder, and giving me a frozen shoulder. I cant get to my doctor (booked up) until Tuesday 27th, but I am seeing a physio shoulder specialist on Monday. I had no idea a frozen shoulder could be so painful.

Dang, so sorry about this! My mom had something similar, with decreased ROM and pain in her shoulder (she had an unruly dog that pulled on her leash non-stop and HARD for every walk, and pulled my mom's arm badly..."right out of the socket" as they say)
Anyway, to avoid surgery, she asked a chiropractor for help. I don't know if your shoulder is the same as hers, but she was able to get hers back after lots of visits to the chiro.

Hopefully you get everything worked out.

Yay for Bonnie pulling through so well!

Hi Ruff! I'm so sorry to read about your shoulder issue! That sounds reall painful and frustrating. I admire the way you just tackle problems head on. I wish you the very best as you pursue treatment - I hope you are able to nip this one in the bud!

Very glad too to read of Bonnie's excellent progress!

Hi Ruff. Just wondered how your shoulder is coming along? I also ended up with a frozen shoulder type issue this past February. I’m not sure what defines it as frozen, but I couldn’t lift my arm above shoulder height. I got freaked out when I read the 3 year timeframe. I don’t think it will last that long. For myself I looked up information on YouTube and such and just started stretching as best I could. Holding onto a counter and stretching down and back seemed to help the most. I also did a sort of hanging. At first I could barely stand the pain of just getting my arm up overhead, but with time it just kept improving. I eventually got a cortisone shot which helped immensely. I no longer have pain and can reach as well as I used to.

I can’t recommend a cortisone shot highly enough. I say this because several years ago I also had an issue with my other shoulder. I was walking a large dog and he lunged on the leash. Something definitely torn. I remember going to all kinds of physio appointments and doing lots of exercises. After about a year I was still having some movement issues and pain sleeping even. I happened to be chatting with my next door neighbour and he was a hockey goalie who also had a shoulder issue. He was in the same boat, ongoing pain and such, he said he went for a cortisone shot and he was good as new. So I figured I might as well try it. Sure enough one shot and my shoulder felt totally normal. And it stayed that way.

Anyway I hope you are already seeing some improvement.

Erin