Main » January 2005
January 30, 2005
Thinning Bones due to Alzheimers risk
Thinning Bones Linked to Alzheimer's Risk
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People with low bone mineral density (BMD) are at increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (news - web sites), researchers report. Low BMD is also associated with all-cause dementia in women, but not men.
"Some, but not all studies have suggested that estrogen replacement therapy has a beneficial effect on cognition in postmenopausal women," Dr. Zaldy Sy Tan, of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, and colleagues write in the Archives of Neurology. "BMD is a potential surrogate marker for cumulative estrogen exposure."
In a community-based study, the researchers examined whether low BMD in almost 1000 mentally intact elderly patients increased their risk of Alzheimer's. The subjects had bone density measured at several places in their body between 1988 and 1989.
During 8 years of follow-up, 95 participants developed dementia. Of these, 75 were classified as having Alzheimer's disease.
Overall, 35 of the 243 patients in the lowest category of hipbone density developed dementia, classified as Alzheimer's in 27.
After adjusting for age, smoking, estrogen use, sex, stroke, education and other factors, women with the lowest BMD had twice the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and dementia, the researchers found.
These findings, Tan's group concludes, suggest that women with low BMD "may benefit from estrogen replacement therapy" -- despite the well-known increased risk of other complications.
Posted by Star at 05:09 PM | Comments (1)
January 29, 2005
1yr Post Op FVFG @Duke with Dr Urbaniak
To all,
First I REALLY would like to thank everyone here on your kind wishes
and good thoughts for me and my trip to Dr Urbaniak. I could NOT have
done this without the AVN group and am VERY thankful you are all here for me
and each other. I could FEEL the energy while I was there...I may
have been alone on the trip physically...but I was not alone for a
moment! ;)
I also would like to thank those that have been inquiring about my
results...to tell you the truth...this trip set me back a bit on
emails and such so I apologize for not posting sooner.
My trip was extremely excellent! Dr U and Eunice were plenty pleased
with my progress. They took xrays of my hip only (never again will
and should I have an MRI on my hips...with the pin in there still-
per one of my questions). They were excited and yes, excited is the
word...to see how well my range of motion is. No limp, no pain, no
pain meds...just doing very well.
My appointment was Monday Jan 24th and my bday was Friday Jan 21st.
After I had taken my xrays and when they came into the room, they
said...looks like you will be getting a good birthday present, you
are doing great! (How did they know that is what I wanted for my
birthday?) :)
They told me (and answered some of my concerns) about what I should
not do ever again- anything with impact. I already covered this with
them before the surgery so it was not a surprise for me. No running,
no basketball, no volleyball, no parachuting, no aerobics, etc. I was
to keep up the walking, swimming and bike riding...those were fine.
Oh yes, I had to "retire the rollerblades"...a small price to pay for
no pain and being able to walk. That may have been the one thing I
actually did do that I cannot any longer... but I am TOTALLY ok with
the trade. I asked if I was done healing now and they said I probably
have a few more months to heal inside.
They said there is no sign of collapse at all and the circulation
seems to cover the whole area...therefore there is extreme rounding
of the femoral head. (There was not collapse before but it was
showing signs of collapsing at any time).
They asked what am I not doing now that I would like to do...I told
them that I am doing everything I like to do so the answer
was...nothing.
They were aware of my support on this group and were extremely happy
about that. We chatted about a variety of things...one of course was
how this group helps out in so many ways. I actually made Eunice and
Dr Urbaniak two AVN ribbons (I will post the pics of the ribbons
shortly). I wrote down and told them what the colors meant and they
were, again, extremely happy about that.
All in all, I am happy with my choice and like the idea that it has
been working for me. Obviously it does not work with everyone, since
we are all so different, but I will stand behind my choice for my
situation.I still tuck in the back of my mind that this may not be
permanent and that I may need a THR (my next step if this fails) in
the future. I will keep focusing on the day by day scenerio...seems
to be working for me.
I had alot of time to reflect while I was there and actually
constructed a LONG poem during each of the moments I was going
through while I was in North Carolina...some had asked for stories
about themself and the group and how its effected us and etc...that
is what my poem is about. Like I said...it is LONG...I had alot of
time to reflect. ( I will post it and soon as I get a bit
more settled back home-and type it in).
Again, thank you for the kind words and wishes and I am thankful for being a part of the AVN group and everyone for making it what it
is. It is heaven for some.
I did get what I wanted for my birthday... A great report from Dr
Urbaniak and I am thankful for that.
Hugs and tears,
Star
Posted by Star at 04:37 PM | Comments (747)
January 23, 2005
Trip to Duke 1 Yr Post Op
Good morning, it is 4 am and I am on my way out to the day long trip of flying in airplanes and buses and etc to get to Duke for my appt Monday. I can't tell you how excited I am except I can tell you I slept for 4 hours and woke up every hour...excited???? HA!
I have ALOT of good wishes and prayers for me out there...from work and from my support group on the net. I appreciate them each sincerely and will take all that positive energy with me to the iced states I am facing! Talk about having all odds! But that just wouldn't be me, as you know! The exception to every rule...let's make this one a good one...exception or not. I will be holding out to make my post when I return...until then...thank you to everyone reading this post.
Star
Posted by Star at 04:20 AM | Comments (2)
January 21, 2005
Today is my Birthday! Happy bday to me!
Today is my birthday and I can't be more excited and haven't even left the house yet. I woke up and I was crying but it was a good cry I will tell you. I was crying because I KNOW and I can FEEL how much support I have out there, across the seas of the whole world! I can FEEL the wishes for my bday wish to come true...to have a good report from Dr U. I really mean that! Marie and her AVN group are so wonderful and supportive, I keep hoping that someday I will return the favor! And I WILL! Just give me more time and schooling and I WILL!
I wanted to copy and paste some of the most awesome wishes in here to see how much this group is really a help and if you have anything to do with AVN, you need to post and join!
From BM:My dear sweet Star,
Happy Birthday! I hope this year you get all the wishes and pain free days that you ask for. I will be thinking about you as you go on your trip to get your GREAT news! I have total faith that it will be the wonderful news you've been hoping for. Happy Birthday Mrs. Wonder Woman...All my love!
Mare
And most of all from the founder and director, Marie: I am praying like crazy for you that your graft took and all is healing 100% well. Good luck...I'm with you in spirit,
Hugs,
Marie
Now I have cut and pasted, excluding business of ours and know I NEVER post anything on here from someone from the group...that wouldn't be fare...so you will have to go in the group and see for yourself! ;)
These two posts this morning made me cry even more because I KNOW these are sincere people, whom I have never even met! They are so dear to my heart and accept thier good wishes toward me. {{{{hugs}}}} today for all!
Today will be a good day, just like all the other days that I can walk...except, these days I can feel your energy and I sincerely Thank you,
Star
Posted by Star at 07:39 AM | Comments (1)
January 08, 2005
One Year Anniversary FVFG
Today is my One year anniversary of my operation. WOW! I have come a LONG way! I look back and think of all the phases I went through, all the help I needed, all the people I met, all the experiences I learned, all the people I have helped, all the people who have helped me, all the groups I been to, all the progress I have made...unreal of it all. One year today. I am so happy I could cry! Really!
I can remember the doctors saying to me a year ago and there on..."You will heal up to a year"...today is that day...I am all healed now! ;) I feel wonderful and no pain AT ALL! I KNOW this was the right operation for me. I knock on wood, since I know nothing is 100% and anything could happen in the future...but one year out and I am doing AWESOME!
If I were to give a small bit of advice, looking back a year: listen to the instructions, do the exercises and KNOW you are healing for a year...especially when you are feeling just fine...you are healing inside still...don't do things that are debatable! Get someone to chat with you who has gone through the same thing and do research and your homework on the whole scenario!
Hugs to all today! I feel like a million bucks!
Star
Posted by Star at 12:20 PM | Comments (0)
