Archives for July 2006

Phantom pain is something that many amputees experience, and I’m no exception to the rule. For me there is a constant ache or throbbing in my arm that varies in intensity through the day. At it’s worst it feels like there is pressure squeezing my arm and I feel as if my hand is clenched tightly in a fist and I can’t open it. Every now and then I’ll feel a sharp, stabbing pain that lasts from less than a second to maybe three or four.

I’ve been taking 40mg of Nortryptline for the last couple of months, it was prescribed to help reduce the nerve pain and does a reasonable job, although I’m now trying to reduce the dosage since I’d rather not be taking any medication if I can help it.

It’s interesting that my arm feels most uncomfortable when I’m in a car, as a passenger or driving, and likewise at night when I go to bed. My best guess is that in both cases the rest of the body is pretty much resting and the pain in my arm then comes to forefront.

From reading around it seems people aren’t quite sure what the cause of phantom pain is or even how best to treat it. There are plenty of suggestions, but it seems it’s really down to finding something that works for the individual. I’m fortunate enough that the pain isn’t debilitating and I can get on with every day life and just put up with the annoyance coming from my arm, a bit like living with tooth ache. If it was my leg I can imagine it making it hard to use a prosthetic.

So my hunt is on for something that will help eliminate the phantom pain, I’ve been recommended self hypnosis…apparently it worked very well for one amputee. I’ll keep you posted as I try things out.

Last week I visited Hanger  Hanger Orthopedic again, it took a while to sort out the insurance paper work with Kaiser but it’s all systems go again.

My first visit on Wednesday was to take a molding of my arm from which they’d be able to make a test socket. A socket is the part of the prosthetic that fits onto my arm to which the hand, or other such device, is attached.

The first step was to get a gel sleeve onto my arm. This is a bit like a neoprene sleeve (except it’s silicone) that you roll onto your arm; you should be able to see it in the picture. Richard, the guy from Hanger, then used a laser to scan my arm and create a 3D image on his computer. It was pretty cool to see the image building up as he moved the laser over my arm, but, unfortunately due to software issues he couldn’t save the scan…we’ll have to play with that again another day.

The scan would have been a useful record of my arm and whilst it’s possible to make a socket from it, Richard prefers to still take a molding himself using fiberglass bandages. He first covered my arm in cellophane and then a cloth sock, he wetted the bandages and wrapped my arm, molding it carefully to fit its shape. After a couple of minutes it was dry and the cloth sock was pulled off along with the mold. From this Richard would be able to make a clear plastic, test socket.

I was back at Hanger on the Friday (they work quick) to see how the test socket fitted. Unfortunately despite several adjustments the socket was just a little bit too small. It was interesting however to see how the socket worked, using a vacuum to stay on my arm.

So it was back to square one, Richard took another molding of my arm (he had to break the previous one when he made the casting). My arm is a little bulbous in the middle, which makes it tricky to make a socket that can go on, but still be tight and fully make contact with the arm. We’ll see if he has better luck next time.

Well I can report that both Kerry and I survived our 10 day cleanse of no meat, dairy products and alcohol – sorry Rene, looks like you lost the bet! Not only that but I can also report that I have continued and plan to continue on with the vegetarian diet.

To be honest the hardest part of the program was cutting out dairy products. We used soy milk, which I quite like, and isn’t too bad in tea, and we got a soy substitute for margarine…but there are just so many things that contain milk, cream or cheese that it makes it quite tricky when eating out. We weren’t sure about eggs, since they aren’t dairy products, but guessed we should eliminate them as well. I take my hat of to vegans, it’s a committed lifestyle choice. It was interesting when we went out for lunch or dinner to find how limited the choices are in most restaurants, although living in the Bay Area we are fortunate enough to have specialized restaurants that cater to all diets.

So, moving forward I’m committed to staying vegetarian, I’ll probably eat fish occasionally and reduce my intake of dairy products, keeping with the soy milk, and reduce my intake of vinegar, processed sugar and such like. The funny thing is Kerry is quite happy to continue eating meat, chicken at least, how’s that for a 180 degree about turn. Oh, and there’s one thing we won’t be eliminating and that’s alcohol, we just like our wine way too much for that.

I certainly haven’t felt any ill effects and generally feel in excellent health. I lost 7lbs and an inch or so from my waist. Now Kerry and I will start our new ex cerise regime so we can both continue on getting back into shape.

Kerry recently mentioned she’d joined a local “Intenders Circle”…uh? I hear you ask. I must admit I wasn’t really sure what it was either when she first told me. She explained that it’s a group of people who get together to speak aloud their intentions for themselves, loved ones, friends or the universe, believing in the power of intent to manifest reality. After having seen Tony Robbins recently I’m certainly a believer in the power each of us possesses to change our lives and the world around us, this just seems to take it in perhaps a more spiritual direction. Anyhow, it just so happened that Tony Burroughs, one of the four that founded the “Intenders of The Highest Good” was giving a workshop locally. Kerry was going and so I figured I’d join her, since I’ve developed an interest in experiencing everything I can with an open mind.

The workshop was last Thursday and Friday, from 7:00pm to 11:00ish. There were about a dozen people on the Thursday and 20 or so on the Friday. On Thu I was the only male, but on Friday I was joined by a couple of others.

Tony is an interesting guy to spend a couple of evenings with, very genuine and with some fun stories to share to boot. He has absolute faith in the power of intentions backed by his personal experiences since starting the first intenders circle with 3 friends back in 1994.

Tony’s a spiritual person with first hand experiences of channelling that are weaved into his stories. Whether you believe in such things or not doesn’t make his messages any less relevant, personally I see similarities between what Tony teaches and the teachings of Tony Robbins. One comes at it from a spiritual perspective, the other from a more scientific one, I find both quite intriguing

The intention process is very simple, as copied from Tony’s website (hope you don’t mind Tony):

1. Say your intentions out loud daily.
2. Go to an Intenders Circle once a week.
3. State that, in order for your intentions to manifest, they must serve the Highest and Best Good of the Universe, yourself, and everyone concerned.

And let the laws of manifestation go to work…so be it and so it is! (those in the know will get that one)