How To Manage When A Health Crisis Hits!

A brain tumor! Really?

This was my thought last April 2012 when I was diagnosed with a 3 centimeter tumor in the left occipital region of my brain. What happened to simple illnesses like a cold, or if that wasn't getting my attention how about a less life threatening illness? Of course those questions can't be answered, so I made a decision. I would do the best I could and use all the tools available to me (medical and other wise) to manage this crisis, learn from it, grow with the experience and free myself from it! This is the first of several articles that will outline the process of healing and understanding how to make the best out of a health crisis.

My Story: It is traditional at Passover Dinner for all participants to read. When it came to my turn, I tried to read and couldn't! Of course I went into immediate denial. "I'm tired from all the cooking" and "I just got a new puppy". Well that didn't make a difference. What did was my good friend Judy who yelled at me to "Call the doctor." "But I was in the middle of a TV show", I complained. She and my husband wouldn't leave me alone so I called. Two days later I had an MRI and 4 hours later I was up at Cedars Sinai Hospital with the best neurosurgeon in California. Three days later I was operated on to remove the tumor.

The good news... they got it all... the bad news... it was aggressive and I had to do radiation for 6 weeks and take chemotherapy pills for 6 weeks. The protocol for treatment is taking 5 days of chemotherapy pills every month for a year. I have also entered a clinical trial at Cedars Sinai for a vaccine that will disable these cells. The end result of the surgery is that I am healthy but still am unable to read or drive... darn... more to deal with! I believe that we have lessons to learn from the crisis in our lives. I will address that important issue in a later article.

Ayurveda - The Dynamics of the Life-Force

Ayurveda, the science of life, is the natural healing system of India, its traditional medicine going back to ancient times. The same great Vedic seers and sages that produced India's original systems of yoga and meditation established Ayurveda as well.

Ayurveda originated as part of Vedic Science, an integral spiritual science that provides a comprehensive understanding of the entire universe of matter, mind and consciousness. Vedic Science includes yoga, meditation, mantra and astrology, and sets forth Ayurveda as its special branch for healing both body and mind. On this broad and profound background, Ayurveda includes herbal medicine, dietetics, bodywork, surgery, psychology and spirituality.

Ayurveda is the healing gift to us from the ancient enlightened Vedic culture. According to astronomical records in ancient Vedic texts, the Vedic system, including Ayurveda, was in practice before 4000 BC, when the vernal equinox occurred in the stars of Gemini and the now dry Sarasvati river was the greatest river in India. Ayurveda reflects healing wisdom of this ancient Sarasvati culture that was one of the great cradles of world civilization.

Ayurveda has gone through several stages of development in its long history. It spread east along with Indian culture into Indonesia and Indochina, and to the west to the Greeks, who developed a similar form of natural medicine. Buddhists added many new insights to Ayurveda and took it along with their religion to many different lands. Ayurveda became the basis of the healing traditions of Tibet, Sri Lanka, and Burma and also influenced Chinese medicine, Many great Buddhist sages, like Nagarjuna, perhaps the most important figure in the Buddhist tradition after the Buddha, were Ayurvedic doctors and authors. Ayurveda therefore is a rich tradition, adaptable to many different times, cultures and climates.

What Treatments Are Available for Varicose Veins?

There isn't yet a perfect treatment for varicose veins. A perfect treatment would remove all the varicose veins completely to give you the blemish free legs you had when you were younger, the varicose vein would never return and there would be no side effects or complications from treatment. If the assessment is based on a comprehensive ultrasound scan and the treatment is performed under ultrasound guidance, the majority of people get an excellent result and are very pleased.

The four main treatment options are:

· VNUS Closure Fast and Endo-venous laser (EVL) - these involve the use of fine catheters placed inside the vein to heat it and seal the varicose veins

· Injections of solutions called sclerosants into the vein which start a healing process in which the vein shrinks and disappears

· a non-thermal medical adhesive called Sapheon Venaseal™. A fine catheter is inserted into the refluxing vein and medical "superglue" is administered inside the vein causing it to permanently close

· microsurgical removal of veins called Microphlebectomy

VNUS ClosureFast

VNUS ClosureFast is the latest "State of the art" treatment for varicose veins. It produces rapid results and an excellent cosmetic outcome. The treatment is usually carried out under local anaesthetic as a day case or "walk in, walk out" procedure. This means that charges are reduced, time off work is minimal and therefore the treatment is highly cost effective. Your suitability for VNUS ClosureFast is assessed by a comprehensive ultrasound scan.

After numbing the skin with local anaesthetic (similar to a dentist's injection) and cleaning the skin with antiseptic, a fine needle is inserted into the refluxing veins under ultra-sound guidance and then a fine catheter is passed up the vein. At all times, the exact position of the catheter is monitored by ultrasound. The precision radio frequency energy (a little like microwaves) seals the vein instantly and the catheter is gently withdrawn along the length of the unhealthy vein. The whole process is checked at every stage by ultra-sound to ensure excellent results.

After the procedure, a high quality medical graduated stocking is worn for 7 days continuously and thereafter during the day for two more weeks. Walking and normal activities are encouraged. Most people can get back to normal activities such as work and driving in a day or two. Simple painkillers such as paracetamol and ibuprofen are only rarely required.