Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is a painful inflammatory and debilitating disease of the muscles and tissues surrounding the large joints. Some people believe that this inflammation exists inside of the blood vessels (vasculitis) that feed these muscles and tissues. The cause is unknown, however, a previous infectious process prior to the development of the disease is hypothesized.
I saw a 49 year old man with a sudden onset of violent pain and stiffness in his shoulders, hips, hands, elbows and knees. Previous to this, he was completely healthy and was regularly active in many sports including hiking, backpacking, snowboarding and basketball.
His condition deteriorated to the point that he could no longer get out of bed or out of a bathtub on his own without someone lifting him up. He could not sleep at night due to the intensity of his pain. This man was rapidly progressing to the state where he would soon require a wheelchair. Read more…
I love playing basketball. I don’t care much for watching the sport on T.V., except for maybe the last few games of the NBA championship playoffs each year. The past 2 weeks however, have been much different. Linsanity fever has taken over, and I have planned my life around watching each televised New York Knicks’ basketball game. I am not a Knicks’ fan by any stretch of the imagination. I am a Jeremy Lin fan.
Jeremy Lin is the basketball wonder who has gone unnoticed by the powers that be in the NBA, and has seemingly come out of nowhere to become a guy who previously warmed the bench and contemplated leaving the sport, to now being the highest scoring player in the league in the past 2 weeks since February 4th, 2012.
This story is fascinating on many levels. Peter Savich of Duck and Gather eludes to a socio-politcal aspect of the story as seen here and here. In these articles, he draws similarities between the rise of Lin and the rise of the Occupy Wall Street movement. Read more…
As I have mentioned in the ‘About’ section, my blog is divided into 4 categories. The ‘Dad’ section is basically for my family and for posterity, so that a written record will be available for my children and potential grandchildren and great grandchildren in the event that they are interested in knowing about their ancestors. The ‘Medicine’ section is for anyone who may find this information of value. ’Food’ is also for anyone.
The ‘Ramblings’ section is a category I created mostly for myself. It contains thoughts rolling around in my head that I wanted to express in written form. It also contains rants for my own therapeutic benefit. Today’s blog is a therapeutic rant for myself.
I play morning co-ed basketball with players ranging from ages 15-58. I am the oldest female on the court by about 10 years. I am the least athletic. The slowest. The shortest. If we were picking teams in the back of a schoolyard, I’d be picked last. I am the underdog. I don’t mind though, because I have lots of fun and I maintain my level of fitness on a regular basis as I age into my middle years. Read more…
Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is a painful inflammatory and debilitating disease of the muscles and tissues surrounding the large joints. Some people believe that this inflammation exists inside of the blood vessels (vasculitis) that feed these muscles and tissues. The cause is unknown, however, a previous infectious process prior to the development of the disease is hypothesized.
