Happy Memorial Day

Happy Memorial Day!

This is my lily that is "finally" blooming!
Jackie & I spent the day poolside today!

Steroids & Acid

Today, Doug and I both had appts at the podiatrist.

I got a cortisone shot in my foot and Doug had salicylic acid put on his feet.

I was seen for my continuing right foot pain. I had xrays and ultrasound of my foot and it was determined I have

What is the Accessory Navicular? The accessory navicular (os navicularum or os tibiale externum) is an extra bone or piece of cartilage located on the inner side of the foot just above the arch. It is incorporated within the posterior tibial tendon, which attaches in this area.
An accessory navicular is congenital (present at birth). It is not part of normal bone structure and therefore is not present in most people.

What is Accessory Navicular Syndrome?People who have an accessory navicular often are unaware of the condition if it causes no problems. However, some people with this extra bone develop a painful condition known as accessory navicular syndrome when the bone and/or posterior tibial tendon are aggravated.

This can result from any of the following:
Trauma, as in a foot or ankle sprain
Chronic irritation from shoes or other footwear rubbing against the extra bone
Excessive activity or overuse

Many people with accessory navicular syndrome also have flat feet (fallen arches). Having a flat foot puts more strain on the posterior tibial tendon, which can produce inflammation or irritation of the accessory navicular.

Signs and Symptoms of Accessory Navicular Syndrome

The signs and symptoms of accessory navicular syndrome include:
A visible bony prominence on the midfoot (the inner side of the foot, just above the arch)
Redness and swelling of the bony prominence
Vague pain or throbbing in the midfoot and arch, usually occurring during or after periods of activity

Diagnosis

To diagnose accessory navicular syndrome, the foot and ankle surgeon will ask about symptoms and examine the foot, looking for skin irritation or swelling. The doctor may press on the bony prominence to assess the area for discomfort. Foot structure, muscle strength, joint motion, and the way the patient walks may also be evaluated.

X-rays are usually ordered to confirm the diagnosis. If there is ongoing pain or inflammation, an MRI or other advanced imaging tests may be used to further evaluate the condition.

Treatment: Non-Surgical Approaches The goal of non-surgical treatment for accessory navicular syndrome is to relieve the symptoms. The following may be used:
Immobilization. Placing the foot in a cast or removable walking boot allows the affected area to rest and decreases the inflammation.
Ice. To reduce swelling, a bag of ice covered with a thin towel is applied to the affected area. Do not put ice directly on the skin.
Medications. Oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, may be prescribed. In some cases, oral or injected steroid medications may be used in combination with immobilization to reduce pain and inflammation.
Physical therapy. Physical therapy may be prescribed, including exercises and treatments to strengthen the muscles and decrease inflammation. The exercises may also help prevent recurrence of the symptoms.
Orthotic devices. Custom orthotic devices that fit into the shoe provide support for the arch, and may play a role in preventing future symptoms.
Even after successful treatment, the symptoms of accessory navicular syndrome sometimes reappear. When this happens, non-surgical approaches are usually repeated.

When Is Surgery Needed? If non-surgical treatment fails to relieve the symptoms of accessory navicular syndrome, surgery may be appropriate. Surgery may involve removing the accessory bone, reshaping the area, and repairing the posterior tibial tendon to improve its function. This extra bone is not needed for normal foot function.

DOUG was seen for the plantar warts he's been fighting since the first of the year. They were finally getting too painful for him to walk on.

Common treatments for simple plantar warts:
Salicylic acid. Wart medications and patches are available at drugstores but the podiatrist has a stronger version that what is sold over the counter.

Duct tape. In a well-publicized 2002 study, duct tape wiped out more warts than freezing (cryotherapy) did. Study participants who used "duct tape therapy" covered their warts in duct tape for six days, then soaked their warts in water, and gently rubbed warts with an emery board or pumice stone. They repeated this process for up to two months or until their warts went away. Researchers hypothesize that this unconventional therapy may work by irritating warts and the surrounding skin, prompting the body's immune system to attack. Today, duct tape is commonly used to treat warts, especially for children who may find freezing painful or scary. It's often combined with salicylic acid.
Freezing (cryotherapy). Freezing is one of the most common treatments for plantar warts and is usually effective, but may require multiple trips to your doctor every two to four weeks. Your doctor can apply liquid nitrogen with a spray canister or cotton-tipped applicator. The chemical causes a blister to form around your wart, and the dead tissue sloughs off within a week or so. Freezing isn't commonly used in young children because it can be painful.
Cantharidin. Doctors and healers have used cantharidin — a substance extracted from the blister beetle — to treat warts for centuries. Today, this therapy is sometimes paired with salicylic acid. Your doctor paints this beetle juice onto your wart and covers it with clear tape. The application is painless, but it causes the skin under the wart to blister, lifting the wart off the skin. Your doctor can then clip away the dead part of the wart in about a week. However, some doctors are hesitant to use cantharidin because it's not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of warts.

Visit to MN

Jill and I drove to MN last week. Jill is spending the summer being an H.R. intern at the Mall of America in Bloomington,MN. She is very excited to actually do the work she has been studying for the past 4 years.

We left at 5:40am and arrived at 8:40pm (15 hours later) at Jenny's house. Makayla was very excited to see her new house guests.

I spent the week playing with my niece Makayla. We went to the MN Zoo, played at the park umpteen times; played t-ball in the backyard; bubbles & sidewalk chalk in the front driveway; played with her play food & kitchen set; played quite a few games of Kerplunk and cleaned up a city park. I also got to visit Makayla's school and meet her teacher. It was her last day for the school year at her Friday day out program at their church.

Makayla is also in the midst of potty training, so we spent lots of time talking about and using the potty.

One evening, we went to David's Briday in Richfield and Jill tried on wedding dresses and Makayla tried on flower girls dresses.

They are pictured here, prior to the trying on of all those dresses!


Makayla is VERY excited to be a flower girl.

Once she read her flower girl book, that is all she talked about. We went to the park and everytime she
saw someone new, she would tell them "I'm gonna be a flower girl"



Jenny said we didn't have to worry about "BRIDEZILLA" but might have to contend with "FLOWERGIRL-ZILLA" .....see next photo :-)



All in all it was a good week..except the part where I shared a bed with Jill.


I will fly back to MN in August and drive back with Jill just in time for her to start her last semester at SHSU.

WOW...we will finally have a college graduate in December 2008. Karl will follow shortly behind and will graduate with his Master's degree in May 2009...then the wedding in December 2009.






Whew it's gonna be a busy year and a half!

Got Another One!

Look

what

I

found

this

morning!!

UPDATE: 1:30 pm Animal Control was just here and removed the snake from my premises!

I also wrote to a Texas website http://www.bugsinthenews.com/ to get a description to what type of snake this is...this is his response:

Dee---Your snake is a non-venomous rat snake, from all indications one of several subspecies of Elaphe guttata. Due to the number of splotches on its spine it is likely either a corn snake (Elaphe guttata guttata) or a southwestern rat snake (Elaphe guttata meahlmorum). It feeds on mice, rats, small insects, bird eggs, etc. If you have not disposed of it yet, you will probably be able to save its life merely by pouring clean, cool, cooking oil on the glue board and letting the snake wriggle itself free on its own. Lard works too, and may even be healthier for the snake. Don't get too much of the oil too close to the snake's mouth, or it will suck some into its windpipe, which will lead to respiratory problems later on---Jerry Cates

Yeah right...like I was going to get that close to the snake!