MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'bike'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:02:40 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5051085&cid=t_122123_135_f&fid=35247&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyjourneywithaids.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F07%2F20%2Fover-400-friends-for-life-to-thank-as-they-cycle-along-the-shores-of-my-gene-pond-river-and-canals%2F There is some hope that this near-historic hot weather will return to “normal hot” by Sunday.  I have no doubt that this will be a great relief to all involved in the annual Friends for Life Bike Rally which leaves Toronto that morning on a six-day, six hundred kilometre ride to Montréal. It was ten [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS) My journey with AIDS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5051085 Thu, 21 Jul 2011 01:46:01 +0100 5051085 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4794898&cid=t_122123_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F05%2F06%2Fbest-of-our-blogs-may-6-2011%2F I took a few days off last week basking in the glow of a rare and beautiful sunny sky in Portland, Oregon. It felt like heaven. I almost forgot what it felt like to really live, to have the kind of day I think Leonardo da Vinci is talking about when he said, “As a well-spent day brings happy sleep, so life well used brings happy death.” And it didn’t take much to make me feel that way. Just a bike ride near the water, dinner with friends, a trip to the zoo with my nephew. But in comparison to the daily grind, the to-do lists that never get finished, the endless amount of tasks that pile one atop the other, the feeling of just being for the sake of being was pure bliss. I realized that what was so sublime about the experience was that I was completely living in the moment.... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4794898 Fri, 06 May 2011 10:45:55 +0100 4794898 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4600581&cid=t_122123_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F03%2F16%2F3-ways-to-boost-your-mood-naturally%2F Imagine yourself outside. The sky is bright blue, the sun is sparkling and the air feels crisp and cool. Maybe you’re walking along the beach, feeling the warm sand on your bare feet. Perhaps you’re riding your bike in a park, surrounded by hundred-year-old trees and singing birds. Or maybe you’re pinching the dirt as you dig through the backyard to plant a few flowers. Being outdoors at a park, the beach or even just a few feet from our doorsteps can feel both relaxing and invigorating. In fact, research has shown that participating in physical activity in the great outdoors can do a world of good for your psyche. When analyzing ten studies with 1,252 participants, UK researchers found that outdoor activities like walking, gardening and bike riding helped boost the mood and self-es... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4600581 Wed, 16 Mar 2011 12:18:11 +0100 4600581 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3938378&cid=t_122123_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F09%2F06%2Fhappy-labor-day-2010%2F Ahh… We work all year and get a whole day off to celebrate our working achievements. Yay! I don’t think Labor Day means all that much to most Americans, other than the official mark of the “end” of summertime and the beginning of 8 months of uninterrupted work (well, unless you count all the Thanksgiving and Christmas and New Year’s and etc. holidays!). For me, it means a chance to take the day off (I usually end up working most weekends, one of the drawbacks of owning your own business). So we’re going over to Plum Island for a nice bike ride on this gorgeous, perfect summer’s day. Enjoy your Labor Day! And if you need a smile today, I leave you with these two cartoons from our own Chato B. Stewart… 4 UR Mental Health: LaborDay 5 Labor ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3938378 Mon, 06 Sep 2010 15:11:48 +0100 3938378 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3911669&cid=t_122123_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fgive-your-bike-commute-a-jolt-the-morning-rush-coffee-holder-kit%2F Navigating bike lanes and traffic during your morning commute can be tough without a caffeine boost, but as always, there’s a product for everything: “The Morning Rush Coffee Holder Kit,” a reusable coffee mug and holder that attaches to your bike, lets you stick your caffeine front and center. And at $39.99, it’s pretty affordable. But we’re more worried about potential facial burn after trying to sip hot java from our two-wheel rides. via Social Workout Post from: BlissTree Give Your Bike Commute a Jolt: The Morning Rush Coffee Holder Kit (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3911669 Fri, 27 Aug 2010 19:05:16 +0100 3911669 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3876618&cid=t_122123_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fclif-2-mile-challenge-can-you-switch-from-car-to-bike-for-2-miles-or-less%2F Blisstree is big on biking – for both exercise and as an eco-friendly transportation alternative – so we’re pretty stoked about the Clif 2 Mile Challenge. Here’s how it works: At least 40% of travel in the U.S. consists of trips that are 2 miles or less, and over 90% of those trips are made by car. So Clif Bar is encouraging commuters to ditch their cars and ride their bikes for all commutes that are 2 miles or less – and they’ll give away $100,000 to three non-profit organizations that support bike advocacy and fighting climate change. Check out this video to learn more about how much biking can help the environment, and visit Clif 2 Mile Challenge’s website to register for the challenge. Which charity would you support? Do you think you could meet the ch... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3876618 Tue, 17 Aug 2010 18:17:39 +0100 3876618 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3827046&cid=t_122123_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2F193072%2F Sick of Spending Money on Gas? Check out 9 ways to creatively avoid using your car. (via Huffington Post) Post from: BlissTree (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3827046 Thu, 05 Aug 2010 16:45:59 +0100 3827046 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3802351&cid=t_122123_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fbike-to-work-without-looking-like-a-mess%2F If you’re reading Blisstree, you probably agree with us that a bike is about the most noble way you can get yourself to work. But if it’s not bad bike lanes that stop you from commuting on two wheels, it’s probably the fact that arriving to the office in spandex and sweat is hardly acceptable for your 9 a.m. meeting with clients (or the office at all). No one likes to show up at work looking and feeling gross, so we stole some tips for biking to work without looking like you did from Planet Green. Enjoy, and stop making excuses: 1. Bring a change of clothes. Duh. This one’s a no-brainer, but there’s a smart way to pack the right stuff for work: Get a good saddlebag or basket to hold your stuff so you don’t hurt your shoulders and bag hauling a second war... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3802351 Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:26:33 +0100 3802351 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3784229&cid=t_122123_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fand-you-thought-you-were-good-at-parallel-parking-videos-that-crack-us-up%2F We’re pretty impressed with this young lady’s ability to parallel-park her training-wheeled bike so perfectly and quickly. We doubt we could do it, and we’re at least two decades older than she is. It took us shamefully long to learn how to parallel park our Plymouth Horizon at age 16, but this little speed racer has a giant head start on her driver’s test. via The Frisky Post from: BlissTree And You Thought You Were Good at Parallel Parking: Videos That Crack Us Up (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3784229 Fri, 23 Jul 2010 16:39:37 +0100 3784229 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3767298&cid=t_122123_140_f&fid=35433&url=http%3A%2F%2F4thavenueblues.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fcar-culture.html Riding my bike to work is just not going to work.  It was a hectic and scary ride down busy highway 29 as cars honked at me and people hollered out their windows for me to get off the “f.ing” road.  I realized we live in a car culture with little respect given to bicycle riders.  I felt like the biggest schmuck in the whole world causing traffic problems as I peddled furiously to work this morning.  I also was a sweaty mess by the time I arrived at work and my exertions had overridden my deodorant.  I smelt strongly of underarm odor all morning and was extremely self conscious.  It didn’t help my anxiety any.  It is back to the car culture for me as well tomorrow morning.  I will just have to ride for exercise late in the afternoons when it is ... The 4th Avenue Blues blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3767298 Mon, 19 Jul 2010 18:31:00 +0100 3767298 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3763045&cid=t_122123_140_f&fid=35433&url=http%3A%2F%2F4thavenueblues.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fmidnight-in-chattahoochee-valley.html I couldn’t sleep last night after sleeping for about four hours.  I was wide awake at midnight.  I had two Klonopin to take which usually make me sleepy as they are very sedating, but I knew to save them for the next afternoon – ever mindful of that anxiety that always hits the most late in the day.  I got online and applied for countless fast food jobs just for the hell of it – interested in if I would get some calls.  I also applied for a job opening as a grocery clerk at Kroger -- putting feelers out there.  The assessment tests on these online applications were interesting in what they would ask – only a moron would answer incorrectly the questions were so obvious in their solutions.  I wandered down to the convenience store well after midnight.&nb... The 4th Avenue Blues blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3763045 Sat, 17 Jul 2010 17:56:00 +0100 3763045 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3761397&cid=t_122123_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2F10-things-we-want-to-do-this-weekend-8%2F The sweet, sweet weekend is almost here. What are your plans? We’ve got several things in mind for our two days off: Drink a glass of wine. Our favorite dietician says that we should drink a glass of wine over a can of Coke. We promise we’ll stick to one glass. Really. Make our muscles sore — and like it. We’re going to get in at least one good workout this weekend, and you can bet we’ll savor the burn. Watch some Oprah. Sometimes we just want to sit back and see what Her Majesty has to say. Even though she isn’t always right. Buy a really big energy-efficient TV. Okay, so maybe we won’t actually buy it. But we can definitely walk around the air-conditioned electronics store and stare at Energy Star-certified 50-inchers. Go dancing. It’s a... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3761397 Fri, 16 Jul 2010 21:35:08 +0100 3761397 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3761610&cid=t_122123_140_f&fid=35433&url=http%3A%2F%2F4thavenueblues.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F07%2Ffringe-dwellers.html There was a very slight and shifty looking fellow frantically panhandling in the parking lot this morning.  I watched with interest as many customers turned him away.  “There has got to be an easier, softer way to make money,” was what I thought. “Less demeaning”  I was gathering some carts when he stopped to talk to me. “Are they going to run me off?” he asked, worried, seeing my Wal-Mart smock realizing I was an employee. “The security guy will eventually,” I replied, warning him. “Have you got five bucks I could have?” he pleaded. “I am trying to get up the money for a new battery for my car.  I am stuck in the McDonald’s parking lot up the road.” I pulled out my wallet and gave the man five bucks even though I knew the line about the batter... The 4th Avenue Blues blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3761610 Fri, 16 Jul 2010 16:36:00 +0100 3761610 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3691048&cid=t_122123_134_f&fid=35193&url=http%3A%2F%2Fannetics.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F06%2Fvelodrome-crash-long-story.html I had been interested in racing the track for a while, but didn't have the confidence to try it out.  After a clinic last December, another 2-day clinic about a month ago, and then a great workout session the night before, I felt comfortable racing at the Hellyer Velodrome's “Get Ready for Summer” races on Saturday, May 29, 2010.  We would have our own women's category 4 field, rather than race with the guys.  The first race was a tempo race, with points given each lap for the 12 laps.  I think I came in first or maybe second for a couple laps, and I ended up placing third overall.  Our next race was a 12-lap scratch race, which is like a criterium in that the winner is determined by who finishes the whole thing first.I'm #519 in red. photo by Steve WooThrougho... Annetics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3691048 Thu, 24 Jun 2010 04:55:00 +0100 3691048 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3678529&cid=t_122123_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fsports-on-doctor-time%2F2010.06.19 We all know about “doctor time.” No matter how hard I try, the clock seems to out sprint me. Morning rounds in the hospital go longer than expected, a colleague stops you with a question, a son forgot his lunch, or something else. The list is long. In fact, as a very well-educated patient, it seems that the doctors I choose for myself and family are even later than I. It seems that most good doctors have long waits. A coincidence? However accepted ”doctor time” is in the office or hospital, it doesn’t work the same in the bike racing world. In the land of genetically endowed androids, the clock waits for no one in particular. It turns out that our pizza-sponsored team has a few doctors who run on “doctor time” in real life. (more…) ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3678529 Sat, 19 Jun 2010 14:00:00 +0100 3678529 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3659117&cid=t_122123_134_f&fid=35193&url=http%3A%2F%2Fannetics.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F06%2Frace-report-2010-kern-county-stage-race.html I had meant to post this earlier.  Here it is, although it seems long ago now.  I originally wrote this up for my team back in May and have left it pretty much the same.Race: Kern County Stage Race (Bakersfield area, CA)Date: May 14-16, 2010Category raced: 4Weather: sunny, some wind, warm to hotNumber of starters: 22Early Birds present: racing: Deanna, Michal, Anne; supporting: team director Laurel GreenOther teams present: Dolce Vita, Tibco II, Los Ranchos, Metromint, Velo Allegro, Los Gatos, MetalMtn, Lenovo, DudeGirlYour goal for the race: Do my best to place high in the GC (general classification or overall finishing placement).Short story:We raced 4 races in 3 days and took 2 ice baths.  The races went: good, good, bad, great! Long story:Stage 1: Bena Individual Time Tr... Annetics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3659117 Mon, 14 Jun 2010 05:02:00 +0100 3659117 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3658955&cid=t_122123_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fbike-helmet-makes-a-stink%2F2010.06.13 Research scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials IWM in Freiburg, Germany, have developed a helmet that will make you think twice about continuing to cycle with a damaged helmet. For maximum protection, safety helmets need to be damage-free, but it’s often impossible to know if a helmet is actually flawed after it’s been dropped or hit by something. The researchers have used polymers that start to smell if there are any small cracks, and will really stink in the case of any large cracks. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Medgadget* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3658955 Sun, 13 Jun 2010 18:00:02 +0100 3658955 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3635979&cid=t_122123_134_f&fid=35193&url=http%3A%2F%2Fannetics.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F06%2Fshort-story.html Memorial Day weekend, I was caught up in a crash that occurred directly in front of me while racing at the Hellyer Velodrome.  The most significant injury was an open fracture of my clavicle, which was surgically repaired the next day.  The following day, Monday, I was discharged and returned to San Francisco.  Early Tuesday morning, I felt severe pain in my right side, lower rib cage area.  I thought it was an undiagnosed rib fracture perhaps, but wasn't sure. The pain would subside and then return.  It made breathing difficult although I was not short of breath. I was worried I had experienced some head trauma and that I might not be getting enough O2 to my brain.  Late afternoon, I checked into the ER, where they determined I had 3 small blood clots in my l... Annetics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3635979 Sun, 06 Jun 2010 16:13:00 +0100 3635979 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3549515&cid=t_122123_134_f&fid=35193&url=http%3A%2F%2Fannetics.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F05%2Frace-report-wente-vineyard-road-race.html Race: Wente Vineyards Road RaceLocation: Livermore, CADate: April 24, 2010, 12:15 PMWeather: Sunny, moderate winds, hot--sunburn weather!Field Size: 50Category Raced: 4Personal goal: Start at the front and stay there, be ahead at the start of the hill, test my climbing, work it on the descents/flats, test my pack comfort level! Race!I was looking forward to this race as a test of both my fitness and my pack riding comfort level.  The group rides I've been going on have been ridiculously hard at times and I figured I could at least put asimilar effort into this race.  They have also really helped my comfort level riding fast in a group.  I tried to view this race as more or less like another group ride.  I felt relaxed and at ease before the race.  We arrived with p... Annetics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3549515 Mon, 10 May 2010 04:05:00 +0100 3549515 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3302302&cid=t_122123_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FVaC4Z9KX-wk%2F By Tad DeHavenThe District of Columbia is providing tax incentives for a parking garage at a new Harris Teeter grocery store.  This follows a District subsidized parking garage boondoggle that opened at a Columbia Heights mall in 2008.  Whether it’s a parking garage, bike rack, or any other commercial transportation activity, government should remain neutral. If Harris Teeter believes a 150-car parking garage is in the best interests of the company’s bottom line, it should pay for it itself. Taxpayers shouldn’t be on the hook.  If the District or any other city wants to encourage economic development, it should seek lower taxes across the board, and remove costly regulatory barriers. H/T Chris Moody (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3302302 Tue, 23 Feb 2010 18:32:22 +0100 3302302 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3266985&cid=t_122123_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F02%2F12%2Fsnow-blizzard-2010-and-mental-health%2F I’M GOING CRAZY. Ahem. Okay, here’s the deal. Annapolis was hit with 30 inches of snow last Friday and Saturday. Annapolis owns three snowplows. Most roads have at least six inches of ice. Ours do. And if you’ve ever witnessed the way I drive, you would agree that I shouldn’t be on the road. Moreover, our cars won’t be moving from our icy driveway anytime soon because… we’re supposed to get another 10 to 20 inches tonight. Schools have been canceled all week, of course, and schools are canceled next week (Monday through Wednesday) for some other lame reason. So, I’m grumpy. Bite-everyone’s-heads-off grumpy. Because I can’t use most of the tools in my sanity box this week. The discipline to eat well is buried under three feet of ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3266985 Fri, 12 Feb 2010 16:01:24 +0100 3266985 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3227958&cid=t_122123_134_f&fid=35193&url=http%3A%2F%2Fannetics.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F01%2Fearly-bird-crit-revisited.html Last year after my horrible crash, when I was still unable to get out of bed without crying tears of pain, I was faced with the decision of whether I would get a kit (jersey + bike shorts) for the bike race team I had joined.  "Why in the world would I even consider this?"  The final diagnosis had been fractures in my left clavicle, 9 posterior ribs (if I add up all the fractures reported on the Xrays) and L2 transverse process, pleural effusion, severe bruising and road rash.  I have never gone through anything else even remotely as painful, physically, as that experience.  But, I decided that it was not a good time to make the decision to quit.  I would order the kit.As the months passed, I thought a lot about what I would do with bike racing.  I debated, "D... Annetics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3227958 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 07:10:00 +0100 3227958 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2842722&cid=t_122123_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FXjC1eqND850%2F The Ann Arbor, Mich., P.L.A.Y. Project, an early intervention program that uses play therapy for autistic children, has been awarded a grant of $1.85 million from the National Institute of Mental Health to fund research on play-based intervention. Medical director Richard Solomon is conducting a study slated to run for three years on the program’s model, which addresses the shortage of qualified personnel for home visits by training parents. Photo courtesy of Andreanna (flickr.com) P.L.A.Y. Project is a direct outgrowth of Stanley Greenspan’s DIR/Floortime philosophy that emphasizes a framework that is Developmental, Individualized and Relationship-based.  By training parents to participate in their children’s therapy, yearly costs are less than $4,000 a year, compared w... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2842722 Mon, 28 Sep 2009 22:03:57 +0100 2842722 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2800562&cid=t_122123_129_f&fid=36038&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Ftrevis-life-with-multiple-sclerosis-ms%2Fms-events-theyre-good-for-what-ails-you%2F This past weekend was my local chapter of the National MS Society’s Bike MS event.  Nearly 2000 cyclists, aged from single digits to octogenarians, got on their bicycles and road a beautiful course, ranging from 25 to 100 miles, for two days. It was a beautiful late summer weekend.  The riders had wicked fun.  A large amount of money (looks like we’ll hit the $1.6millon goal) was raised for multiple sclerosis.  But there was more… Every time I attend one of these “MS Events,” be it a walk, a luncheon, gala dinner, an educational program, or what have you, I feel better! Not that my MS symptoms feel better, in fact sometimes the symptoms get worse for a short time owing to the extra “stuff” I do. I walk more than I normally do, I stand to chat for longer periods, I’m emo... Life with MS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2800562 Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:07:52 +0100 2800562 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2598285&cid=t_122123_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F07%2F14%2Fgroup-exercise-helps-addicts%2F Even before I read Kate Dailey’s Newsweek post, “From Excess to Exercise: Group Helps Men and Women Live Sober Through Sweat,” I was a firm believer in group exercise as a way to treat addiction. For a variety of different reasons: The bond and community element is much like those that form in 12-step groups, The exercise itself has an antidepressant effect: the dopamine release can help to minimize the craving for alcohol and drugs, A kind of discipline is learned that will benefit the recovery from addiction, A sense of empowerment is achieved. I relied on group exercise just as much as my meetings when I was newly sober. A few of us would take long bike rides on the weekends that helped me grieve the loss of my best friend (liquor). I look back with fondness on thos... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2598285 Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:55:23 +0100 2598285 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2354015&cid=t_122123_134_f&fid=35193&url=http%3A%2F%2Fannetics.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fat-last.html first ride"Hallelujah!" was the thought running through my mind as I rode my bike last Tuesday for the first time in 10 weeks. And, actually, this was my first ride on my new bike, which was an incredibly generous & timely gift from an "anonymous benefactor." The new yet-to-be named bike had rested quietly in my bedroom, reminding me that being patient through my recovery would be worth it. I had my bike fitting early in the morning in Mill Valley, and then took off, a little hesitantly at first, to try out one of the classic area rides--the Paradise Loop. This route loops around the Tiburon Peninsula, and is mostly rolling hills and flat, with one longer climb at the beginning, depending on how you start. I was wondering, "Would I make it up El Camino okay?" "Could I last the whole d... Annetics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2354015 Fri, 17 Apr 2009 02:17:00 +0100 2354015 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2325102&cid=t_122123_134_f&fid=35193&url=http%3A%2F%2Fannetics.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F04%2F10-weeks-post-almost.html Today I had some good news from my visit with the orthopedic physician assistant (PA) who has been following my progress over the past two months. The X-ray tech showed me the images of my clavicle and ribs immediately after the exam and my first reaction was, "Oh no! I haven't healed at all!" I walked back over to visit with the PA and wondered what he would say. He pulled up the X-rays and pointed out the areas where bone callus has formed, which is a critical stage in healing. I don't know why, but thinking about all of those bone cells finding each other just makes me laugh. I have this image of cells on one bone calling out, "We're here! We're here!" and cells on the other fragment saying "Catch this rope!" Anyway, I am happy to think of my bone doing its thing to repair the damage I ... Annetics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2325102 Fri, 10 Apr 2009 03:11:00 +0100 2325102 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2313537&cid=t_122123_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F04%2F08%2Fto-build-self-esteem-allow-yourself-to-be-proud%2F Growing up how many times did you hear stuff like, “Who do you think you are?” or “Pride is a sin. Be humble.” It could have been well intentioned people, like our parents, who thought they were giving us good advice or maybe it came from people who, for whatever reason, wanted us to keep our light under a rock. There’s such a thing as the kind of pride that goes before a fall. I get that. Another word for that kind of pride is hubris; the excessive, empty pride that some people on Wall Street had way back in 2008. Pride can also be a good thing. It can nurture our self worth. Too often we don’t allow ourselves to bask in that warm glow of prideful accomplishment when we’ve done something well. Those old voices keep us from being completely OK with... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2313537 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 05:00:08 +0100 2313537 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2313539&cid=t_122123_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F04%2F07%2F8-ways-to-keep-going%2F A woman who lives with chronic pain said to my mom the other day, “You can’t sit around and wait for the storm to be over. You’ve got to learn how to dance in the rain.” That’s a perfect description of living with depression, or any chronic illness. But what do you do on the days you don’t think you can take the pain anymore? When you want so badly to be done with your life … or at least be done with the suffering? What do you do when anxiety and depression have spun a web around you so thick that you’re convinced you’ll be trapped forever in those feelings? I’ve compiled a few tools for moving past that harrowing darkness, suggestions on how to emerge from a place of panic, and techniques on how to dance in the rain. 1. Escape ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2313539 Tue, 07 Apr 2009 18:08:20 +0100 2313539 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2260296&cid=t_122123_134_f&fid=35193&url=http%3A%2F%2Fannetics.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fin-memory-of-bike.html This weekend, I'll be getting back my bike that I was riding in the crash. I haven't seen it yet but have been told that it is pretty much toast. At least, the handlebars, wheels, and fork are demolished. I don't know about the frame--I'm hoping I can salvage the saddle and am really hoping that the bike computer survived. If saying good-bye to my trusty Geo Prizm (after I was hit in a hit-and-run in San Francisco in 2006) is any example, it will be sad to say good-bye to my faithful red Cannondale. The bike has seen me through thousands of miles of training and racing, including 2 of the Ironman races and numerous other triathlons. I've taken the bike into the shop far more often than my car, and have been careful to keep it running well. Most of the parts have been replaced, and often up... Annetics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2260296 Fri, 13 Mar 2009 03:24:00 +0100 2260296 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2182696&cid=t_122123_134_f&fid=35193&url=http%3A%2F%2Fannetics.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F02%2Fearly-bird-criti-should-have-slept-late.html My goal for the first 6 or 7 months of 2009 was to spend a lot of time on the bike. Things were going along as planned until February 1, the day of the Early Bird Criterium Bike Race in Fremont, CA. There was a lot of aggressive riding and the field was large at 62, so I was relieved to finally hear the bell signaling the final lap. I took the 3rd of 4 corners wide and had a clear path ahead of me--I had decided to stay away from the pack for the final corner and sprint to the finish. Out of nowhere someone was down in front of me and with horror, I ran into the woman and flipped over the handlebars, landing flat on my back according to a witness. From what I have been told, the other rider had some mishap in the pack and darted out to the left and crashed right in front of me. Laying curl... Annetics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2182696 Thu, 12 Feb 2009 23:22:00 +0100 2182696 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2074311&cid=t_122123_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FlCxl1pmVf30%2F Discussion was dominated by two stories, that of 13-year-old Adam Race, against whose parents a priest filed a restraining order, and of 5-year-old Alex Barton, who was voted out of his kindergarden class by his classmates, at the suggestion of his teacher, Wendy Portillo. These two incidents sparked some very heated and often acrimonious exchanges and remind me of why there’s a need to think about autistic persons and the community, in faith communities and all others. Also: It was reported that there had been 72 cases of measles so far in the US, the highest number since 2001—-and the number would only go up, while misinformation about vaccines continued. Sometimes it seems that everything, if not anything, could be said to cause autism (and that everything, and anything, has... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2074311 Wed, 31 Dec 2008 02:47:21 +0100 2074311 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1999140&cid=t_122123_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FXiM59l6LYbM%2F Actually, that title should read, “It’s just like I thought it would be,” as said by Jim. It was Saturday night and we were having dinner at a restaurant on Mott Street, in Chinatown in New York. We’d avoided the whole Black Friday business/madness and decided also to avoid the crowds going to see the Christmas tree on Rockefeller Plaza near Radio City Music Hall. We’d spent the day around home, with a late breakfast and midday nap for Charlie, and then a bike ride. And then, we drove to Jersey City and took the PATH train into the World Trade Center site—there’s construction going on all the time and you can see some of it—-and then walked past City Hall and into Chinatown. Charlie had said no to any snacks, even after an hour-long bike ride... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1999140 Sun, 30 Nov 2008 06:38:57 +0100 1999140 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1964128&cid=t_122123_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F5prJjYDapKg%2F 4 hours 49 minutes 20 seconds. That was Jonathan Brunot’s time in this year’s New York City Marathon. Today’s New York Times details how his race went: Jonathan aced [the NY Marathon] Nov. 2 on his first attempt in 4 hours 49 minutes 20 seconds, including timeouts for a slight tantrum at Mile 22 (he refused to drink his PowerGel beverage), a slight leg cramp at Mile 23 (payback for not hydrating) and a slight fumble near the finish line (he paused to wave and scream and applaud himself when he caught sight of his tearful mother, Olga, in the bleachers). Jonathan doesn’t know he didn’t quite nail Mr. Del-Cid’s goal of 4:30. He also doesn’t know Mr. Del-Cid’s goal for 2009 is for Jonathan to run the marathon in under four hours. Time and goals are irrelevant conce... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1964128 Mon, 17 Nov 2008 01:30:17 +0100 1964128 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1951988&cid=t_122123_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FAc8nDVcuK0I%2F On May 13th, two men from Worcester (Massachusetts) started walking across the US in memory of Elias Tembenis, who was autistic and passed away last year at the age of 7, and on behalf of the National Autism Association (NAA). The two men completed the walk last week on Election Day. Reading about this, I get this image in my mind of Jim and Charlie someday undertaking a similar walk, or maybe going for their longest bike ride ever……….. Tags: asd, asperger, autism, autism blog, dad, Diagnosis, disabilities blog, disability, Education, election day, son, walk across america, walkingShare This (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1951988 Tue, 11 Nov 2008 21:19:03 +0100 1951988 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1918056&cid=t_122123_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F9rAl2BkbBJE%2F The Today Show website has posted an excerpt from the beginning of Dr. Paul Offit’s Autism False Prophets: Bad Science, Risky Medicine, and the Search for a Cure. At the Parengs Bloggers Network, some parents describe a “feeling of betrayal” in regard to the “overwhelming fears and sadness surrounding autism and the still hotly-debated autism-vaccine link” discussed in Dr. Offit’s book. Excerpts from some parents’ reviews of the book are here And if you’re watching the Today Show in the 8:00 half-hour tomorrow (Thursday, October 30th) morning, there’s a segment on vaccines and autism. I was interviewed for it, and I think there should be some footage of a certain boy riding his bike. Tags: asd, asperger, autism, autism blog, bikes, Book... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1918056 Wed, 29 Oct 2008 22:19:21 +0100 1918056 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1908842&cid=t_122123_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FE5VlvU6v1es%2F Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds—–that’s the unofficial creed of the US Postal Service, courtesy of the ancient Greek historian Herodotus. I was thinking of it today while Charlie, with the wind picking up and a few drops of moisture fluttering around in the air, ran to get his bike. He’d woken at 7.30, and ran around while Jim and I called out that we’d be “up soon.” Charlie waited on the couch, peering out the window, while Jim got him his favorite weekend breakfast at the (very excellent) local bagel store. After that, with the sky getting not only gray but dark, I mentioned a bike ride and Charlie first got his bike, then his helmet, and then came back ins... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1908842 Sun, 26 Oct 2008 08:42:33 +0100 1908842 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1889037&cid=t_122123_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FnUQV6kW2q0Y%2F After a bit of an unordinary Saturday, we had a nothing-special Sunday. It’s a balance of new things and familiarity that we’ve found amenable for Charlie. While bike-riding and piano and cello playing were all nothing unusual for Charlie to do, doing these things for a camera and with a lot unfamiliar people around—-that calls for some unwinding. Sunday Charlie woke up early and then went back to sleep (actually, we all slept in). He had breakfast and wanted to eat more and when I suggested he ride his bike to the bagel store with Jim, Charlie called for his helmet and put on his socks and shoes and sweatshirt. He looked in the usual place for the helmets and only found a very old one of Jim’s (that makes the wearer look like he has a turtle on his head). Charlie t... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1889037 Mon, 20 Oct 2008 07:10:22 +0100 1889037 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1889040&cid=t_122123_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FNLWs0mRldEo%2F Around 11.30 am on Saturday a black van pulled up in front of where we live. Charlie was sitting on the couch and looking out the window for Jim to return with breakfast and his eyes lit up at the sight of that van. Back in June, Jim and I were interviewed by Todd Drezner, who’s making an autism documentary called Loving Lampposts. Yesterday Todd and his crew came to shoot some footage of Charlie and us. After a couple of really fast “no’s,” Charlie sat down at the piano and then strapped on his helmet to ride his bike. Charlie made sure Jim had his and hopped on to follow Jim’s black bike. It took Charlie a moment to swing his right leg over his red bike and for a moment he balanced an almost-still bike before his left foot found the pedal, and then he was of... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1889040 Sun, 19 Oct 2008 16:35:33 +0100 1889040 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1876126&cid=t_122123_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F6h2M_dMcVhY%2F So for all the heightened awareness about autism, and despite the fact that most people I meet say “I know someone who has an autistic child/brother/child of co-worker/etc.,” numerous myths about autism persist. And, ok, I’ll admit it: One can feel a certain amount of satisfaction in debunking one of those, such as the claim that autistic persons lack empathy. Last Sunday, Jim and Charlie went on one of their long, long, long bike rides. They go here and there and onto certain favorite streets. Charlie often rides ahead. He’s started going really really fast and Jim zooms after to keep up. Charlie’s learned about going left and right, about stopping at stop signs, about watching out for cars, all while riding his bike. (He does have to be careful around the re... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1876126 Wed, 15 Oct 2008 07:05:55 +0100 1876126 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1853660&cid=t_122123_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FxYeZdo4D8RU%2F Yesterday I asked on the ScienceBlogs Book Club about how we can frame vaccines to combat what seems to be widespread public ignorance, or at least uncertainty, about what causes autism and what autism is. So how about this for a message for what autism is? Yes, that’s my son Charlie off on a bike ride. Jim was standing behind me as I took the photo: Jim’s quite able to pedal really fast and catch up to Charlie (who’s able to pedal really really fast himself). We’re not trying to push our luck with Charlie riding his bike in the street but one thing has becoming more and more apparent: Riding the bike has taught Charlie about stop signs and stopping at them, about cars and stopping for them, about looking both ways before you dive into an intersection, about traffi... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1853660 Mon, 06 Oct 2008 06:30:16 +0100 1853660 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1809832&cid=t_122123_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FS3iHJBzYpJE%2F I’ve noted frequently that Charlie is taller than me. But several months (maybe even a year) before I started to find myself looking up to him, I realized that Charlie’s were longer than mind. He’s always had long, tapering fingers since he was born; he  never has a problem reaching an octave on the piano. According to a recent study noted in Science Daily, those long fingers are also a marker for voluntary exercise: According to a joint University of Alberta/ University of California- Riverside research study, there is a direct correlation between digit length and voluntary exercise. The study also casts some doubt on a previously released study which linked digit length and male aggression. While both situations were first thought to have been caused by exposure to ele... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1809832 Sat, 20 Sep 2008 01:14:57 +0100 1809832 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1770621&cid=t_122123_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FAwCc7CtzSKw%2F Police officers in Freehold, New Jersey, rescued 6-year-old Jahmir Mayfield from biking into traffic. Jahmar has autism and ADHD and had just learned to ride a bike; today’s Asbury Park Press noted that he has a tendency to wander for home and wears a “global positioning tracking device around his wrist.” I have to keep knock on wood, but so far Charlie not been once inclined to take his bike out and strap on his helmet (yes, he always insists on wearing it) and head for the streets on his own. He seems to equate bike-riding with Jim going with him too and I think for now, best he keep thinking that. It’s the downside of freedom of movement. Share This (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1770621 Sat, 06 Sep 2008 21:00:35 +0100 1770621 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1682953&cid=t_122123_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthbolt.net%2F2008%2F08%2F05%2Ftour-de-france-donut%2F You’ve heard of the Tour de France but I bet you haven’t heard of the Tour de Donut. Yes, really. It’s a bike race that combines cycling with donut eating and it’s been held for the last 20 years in Stanton, Illinois. This year a thousand cyclists participated, cycling from donut stop to donut stop, until they either reached the finish line or became too weighed down by donuts to continue. Personally, I’d rather have my donut with coffee… (source) Tags: bike races, Diet, Exercise, Fitness, tour de donut, tour de franceShare This (Source: Healthbolt) Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1682953 Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:05:57 +0100 1682953 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1622228&cid=t_122123_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F334788915%2F Sunday brought another report of an individual on the autism spectrum—13-year-old Anthony Kiraly, who has Asperger Syndrome, of Empire, Wisconsin—-who wandered away from his home and was found 20 miles away after the Sheriff’s Department had been contacted and conducted a full-scale search by ground and helicopter. Elopement—wandering—has been a not-uncommon story in the news both this summer and in general. A number of states (and, in my own state of New Jersey, a number of counties) have instituted Project Lifesaver. A child is issued a special tracking device that can be worn around an ankle or wrist. The device looks more or less like a watch; a friend’s child has one, and it’s quite a big plastic piece on his little wrist. At the moment, Charl... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1622228 Mon, 14 Jul 2008 13:30:38 +0100 1622228 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1543372&cid=t_122123_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F318731970%2F Never in my life have I entertained thoughts of being a lawyer: A doctor, yes, at one time, and some other much-less-lucrative pursuits. The closest I got to law school was a summer job when I was in grad school; the law schools career development director hired me to read stacks of surveys from alumni/ae and write up a summary report. “Litigation” was the specialty most frequently checked: Double no thanks, I thought, as I entered data into the computer. Time passes, one stops working odd and temp jobs, one gets married, has a baby, gets a full-time job, the child is diagnosed with autism…….. Many therapies, therapists, classrooms, doctors’ offices and more later, one finds oneself at IEP meeting after IEP meeting, and then sometimes (too often?) one finds on... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1543372 Tue, 24 Jun 2008 08:37:44 +0100 1543372 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1536713&cid=t_122123_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F317263971%2F A study underway at the University of Michigan seeks to get 60% of kids with disabilities (Down syndrome, autism) riding a bike in five days. Afterwards, the children are  tracked for a year to chart the effects on their emotions and intelligence. Kinesiology division professor Dale Ulrich is overseeing the study; he started to work with a program called Lose the Training Wheels under retired engineer and professor Richard Klein several years ago. The June 20th Detroit Free Press quotes Laura Bailey of the University of Michigan News Service as saying that “just 10% of kids with Down Syndrome can ride a bike, and autistic children have similar issues.” Just 10%—-I don’t know the source for this figure, and I don’t know the percentage of autistic children who ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1536713 Sun, 22 Jun 2008 16:30:46 +0100 1536713 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1499994&cid=t_122123_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F306668815%2F Charlie’s been doing really well this past year to the point that sometimes Jim and I try to change things up a little too fast or much for him. I guess you could say, we get used to Charlie being able to do “whatever” and then we just go ahead (blunder on) and make some small change that seems just sensible to us and then realize……..too fast. The latest example is “4 is not 7″—-the numbers aren’t a reference to anything that might be injected into a child “too many, too soon.” The numbers are the numbers on the dial of the gear shift on Charlie’s red bike—it was his Christmas present and it’s a real bike, a mountain bike with a tough yet lightweight frame. It’s a bit too big for me to get on, persona... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1499994 Sat, 07 Jun 2008 08:28:54 +0100 1499994 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1488323&cid=t_122123_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F302743819%2F Yes, our family (as in all three of us) attended two parties this weekend. On Saturday afternoon we drove into Queens via the Goethals Bridge, the Verranzano Bridge (Charlie sat up to get the full view of being close to the ocean), and Brooklyn (after going through Sunset Park and seeing too many interesting looking Chinese and Asian restaurants, and then East New York). One of Jim’s friends’ two sisters (count the s’s and the apostrophes in that) were both celebrating their birthday somewhere off of Fresh Pond Road. Charlie put his hands over his ears at the music and the party noise; a woman who works with autistic children at a school out on Long Island came and sat with him and talked; Charlie looked relaxed. He sat and ate while Jim and I socialized. Driving back to... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1488323 Mon, 02 Jun 2008 05:28:25 +0100 1488323 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1450266&cid=t_122123_85_f&fid=34924&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.baggas.com%2Fposts%2F2008%2F05%2F18%2Flocal-shots-13%2F IMAG0066 Originally uploaded by baggas About a month ago, with the aim of working on my health and fitness, I visited our local bike shop and got myself a reasonably good bike. The last one I had was a cheap one that rusted from disuse a few years ago. Well I haven’t been doing so great thus far, being so busy that I’ve only ridden it 3 or 4 times, and only short trips. Well tonight I went out for a ride along the cycle path near our house, and was well rewarded with some great views of a gentle sunset over the ocean. All too often we don’t appreciate what a beautiful place we live in. I need to work at getting out on my bike more often, and scenes like this are a great incentive to do so. (Source: Baggas' Blog) Baggas' Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1450266 Sun, 18 May 2008 11:20:19 +0100 1450266 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1450324&cid=t_122123_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F292734361%2F I never got around to making a list of last week’s top posts last week so here’s two weeks of “top posts” about autism. Rather than arrange them in chronological order, I’ve arranged them by topic: My son Charlie turned 11 last Thursday, on May 15th. Life on the road with Charlie is my constant theme here and these posts are about his sensory sensitivities, his beloved bike rides with his beloved dad, and other things I’ve been learning on our journey. (In the photo, he’s enjoying a birthday dinner of sushi and cake on Jim’s desk.) Too High-Pitched to Hear It was a couple of months ago that my son Charlie started—for the first time in his life—to show sensitivity to sound by putting both hands over his ears. The Final (Bike Riding) Fro... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1450324 Sun, 18 May 2008 08:41:45 +0100 1450324 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1449664&cid=t_122123_129_f&fid=36038&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fmultiple-sclerosis%2Flife-with-ms%2Fwhat-would-the-aftermath-of-an-ms-cure-look-like%2F What if they cured multiple sclerosis today? You wouldn’t have to fear your next relapse, you wouldn’t have to see and feel your control over your own body slip away. You wouldn’t have to check in with yourself or with others about your disease: you’ve been cured. No more shots, infusions nor MRIs. No more biannual slogs to the neuro or the MS clinic. No more MS Walks, Bikes or Luncheons. No more asking people for money to help fight MS. No more looking at the next assistive device and wondering how long before that piece of furniture becomes your daily companion. No new lesions, no new disease activity, no more immune wars taking place inside your brain. You’ve been cured…now what? From reading through your comments it seems that many of you are living life to the fullest of ... Life with MS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1449664 Fri, 16 May 2008 18:26:48 +0100 1449664 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1426205&cid=t_122123_140_f&fid=35433&url=http%3A%2F%2F4thavenueblues.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F05%2Fgood-day-dawns.html Another enjoyable morning was spent down at the railyard.  I walked far down the tracks to the bridge spanning the Chattahoochee river.  The smell of the river water was acrid as they were generating electricity up at the dam.  This bridge was built in the 1920s and it's starting to look decrepit.  I tried to imagine all the countless tons of train that have gone before me over this bridge. I left the tracks and walked over to Rodger's Barbeque.  Some of you may remember I used to have a tab at this restaurant.  I still had $14 dollars left on my tab.  I got a pound of barbeque and a pint of Brunswick stew.  I walked back over to the bank to sit and eat.  The day was just gorgeous.  Warm breezes and bright blue skies. I had left my bike cha... The 4th Avenue Blues blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1426205 Wed, 07 May 2008 17:38:00 +0100 1426205 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1419676&cid=t_122123_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F283679243%2F Having taught Charlie to pedal, “squeeze brakes!”, recognize a stop sign, bike up hill, walk the bike, and go “left” and also “right,” Jim leaned over and turned Charlie’s gear shift to 4. When Charlie started to ride his new bike, he was (Jim realized) sometimes playing with the gears, moving the little handle around the dial: No wonder Charlie was not so sure at first about riding the new bike. Learning to use the gears is—as Jim proclaimed when he and Charlie came home after bike ride #2—the “final frontier.” Who knows what hills and mountains await? Tags: asd, asperger, autism, autism blog, Bike, bike blog, biking, father, Parenting, pdd-nos, son, SportsShare This (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1419676 Mon, 05 May 2008 04:14:40 +0100 1419676 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1417882&cid=t_122123_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F282377329%2F That’s the question I keep seeming to run into among parents: Where to live to get the best possible services for an autistic child? Over at About.com, Lisa Jo Rudy asks where should families move for better autism resources and notes that “in the United States, autism resources vary radically from state to state, county to county, and even town to town.” (She notes that she has heard “good things” about New Jersey (where we live now; my husband is a native); Minnesota (where Charlie was diagnosed); and North Carolina (where Charlie has yet to visit….). Today’s Atlanta Journal-Constitution also asks “where are the best schools for autism around Atlanta.” And needless to say the search for a school to educate autistic children is hardly ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1417882 Fri, 02 May 2008 21:58:16 +0100 1417882 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1416165&cid=t_122123_140_f&fid=35433&url=http%3A%2F%2F4thavenueblues.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F05%2Fmy-chariot-i-ride.html Rode my sparkly, new Scwhinn mountain bike into downtown.  Spent some time browsing in the shops.  I thought it was neat I rode from Alabama into Georgia on a bike.  Shopping seems so foreign to me now, though.  I stood as I looked at prices and they all seemed like hundreds and hundreds of dollars.  I only had a few measly bucks to my name leftover from my trip to Chuck's Barbeque.  My journey ended at Fred's dollar store in the shopping center.  I bought a pack of $1 dollar Benadryl to tide me over until Dad comes tonight.  At least I have my Soma.  I left downtown and stopped in the railyard one more time.  A huge CSX crane was unloading an old Seaboard Coastline boxcar at the railroad museum.  I gawked as that spindly crane careful... The 4th Avenue Blues blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1416165 Fri, 02 May 2008 16:40:00 +0100 1416165 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1402144&cid=t_122123_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F278534373%2F After a lot of hesitation about riding his new bike, Charlie hoisted himself up, put his left foot on the left pedal, put his right foot on, and zoomed off with Jim easily catching up—that’s the image in my mind after a full week here. Parents Going Back to School Some parents of autistic children are returning to the classroom to study with a view towards helping their kids as they grow up. We Go to the Met Charlie and I spend a Saturday in Manhattan. So Much For Autism Awareness Robert Goldberg, the vice president of The Center for Medicine in the Public Interest in New York City writes about why Autism Awareness Month has become “not a noble search for a cure, but an annual war on the bookshelves, as scientists and activists - often with no medical proof - battle ov... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1402144 Sun, 27 Apr 2008 00:20:41 +0100 1402144 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1382405&cid=t_122123_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F272740207%2F Marla who blogs about life with her daughter Maizie wrote recently about Maizie’s uncertainties about change and preference for things to stay the same. This is a topic I have thought about a lot: My son Charlie, like many (most?) autistic children, is hesitant about change and doing things differently. He’d like me to always wear a certain brown and pink shirt, and Jim to wear a certain pair of black shoes with black socks; going to the grocery store means he has to get sushi, whether or not he might want to eat it. Transitions can be hard precisely they involve a change, a shifting from one activity to another. Things have been different around here today and will be until Saturday night late. Jim left this morning for a conference at a large Midwestern university whose initi... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1382405 Fri, 18 Apr 2008 08:27:48 +0100 1382405 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1375102&cid=t_122123_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F271272165%2F Who doesn’t wish that progress would be a one-way street? That, once one’s child “gets” something—starts talking, asks for a break, reads a word—this is it, learning of just about everything else will follow, and there will never be another need to reteach, and new skill and new skill will follow new skill? Charlie’s learning of anything has generally followed such a simple pattern. Often he gets some new skill—saying a new word, tapping the ball off the tee in the days when he did the Challenger league—and it then seems as if, try as he might (and he does), he can never say that word, do that thing, again. And so begins a long and often achingly slow process of teaching, and teaching Charlie to remember what to do; of falling down, dus... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1375102 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 08:17:52 +0100 1375102 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1369709&cid=t_122123_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F269865248%2F “Let’s just drive,” said Jim after he and Charlie had each had their turn in the barber’s chair on Saturday. We had been planning to take the train into New York as Jim needed to go to his office. He can only get into the building until 4pm on Saturday and during the week the train is the most efficient way to go, but weekends can be different. “Sure why not? We haven’t driven in in a while,” I said, glancing back at Charlie in the backseat. He’d gotten a smooth buzz cut from Vince the barber and was rubbing the crown of his head. The transportation gods must have decided to shine on us because we were up the Turnpike across from the Hudson River and then through the Lincoln Tunnel with ease. We left the black car in a garage on 57th street a... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1369709 Mon, 14 Apr 2008 08:00:46 +0100 1369709 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1367951&cid=t_122123_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F268805581%2F Charlie has always had a big head—-this was apparent from the first time I saw his ultrasound image. It’s only been from looking over his baby and toddler photos that we’ve noted that, until he was around 5 or so, the top part of his head was really big. We always had to buy him bike helmets and hats that were big enough for Jim and me, it seemed. Researchers at the University of Washington’s Autism Center are studying if accelerated head growth might be a biomarker for autism. Today’s Technology Review (MIT) reports on a new project under neuroscientist Eric Courchesne to study the the organization of the brain cells of autistic persons in much more detail. Previous studies have revealed “unusual growth patterns in very young children [in the first two ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1367951 Sat, 12 Apr 2008 06:05:50 +0100 1367951 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1338054&cid=t_122123_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F261176092%2F Charlie rearranged the three folded-up fleece blankets at the foot of his bed and called for Jim: “Da-ad! Da-ad!” “‘Hey pal, I’ll be in to talk to you,” said Jim who was promptly told by Charlie “lie down!”—whereupon, Jim and I had to agree, it might not be a bad idea to get Charlie a full-size double bed for his 11th birthday. He’s slept in a single bed ever since we transitioned Charlie out of his crib (when he was just turning 2 years old) and, needless to say, he’s inches, he’s a few feet taller than he used to be. When Charlie was 2…….that was when we were living on Ashland Avenue in St. Paul, not far from Ruminator Books (now, sadly, closed). Sometimes Jim and I just look at each other and shrug &#822... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1338054 Mon, 31 Mar 2008 09:46:02 +0100 1338054 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1309080&cid=t_122123_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F253444624%2F The countdown has begun: My son Charlie is in his last two months of being ten years old. A tall boy with big feet and able to reach an octave on the piano merely by opening his hand wide, and not really able to read. When he was three, we started to teach Charlie the alphabet. He had quickly learned the numbers from 1-10 and we thought that he would pick up the letters with equal ease and speed—but after a few letters, confusion set in. Too many of the letters had an “e” sound (b, c, d, e, g, p, v) or looked alike (b, d, p, q; i, l, t). We kept at it; we had alphabet cards, blocks, puzzles of various textures, the computer. We tried to teach Charlie to memorize some sight words in the thought that he might be better able to identify the letters when he saw a few together... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1309080 Tue, 18 Mar 2008 05:39:12 +0100 1309080 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1306065&cid=t_122123_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F252357958%2F Jim pulled out Charlie’s big new red bike and went back for his own—-and Charlie went back and appeared with his old yellow bike. He said “helmet” and went and found it atop a box and started to strap it on backwards: “Other way,” we told him, and Jim helped him straighten the helmet with the visor-like edge pointed forward. Charlie ran back for Jim’s helmet and placed it on the ground beside the yellow bike and Jim concluded that, for the first ride of March, it would be just as well for Charlie to ride his old bike. “The new one is big,” he noted, adjusting the seat on the yellow bike, and off they went,. Ten minutes later Jim called me: He needed the wrench to adjust the seat even more. “He can’t really pedal,” said... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1306065 Sun, 16 Mar 2008 09:04:44 +0100 1306065 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1243409&cid=t_122123_140_f&fid=35433&url=http%3A%2F%2F4thavenueblues.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F02%2Frailroading-man.html Spent the past few days obsessed with my Model Railroaders. Sunup finds me in my Lazy Boy reading, and sundown finds the same. Little empires are built in my mind as I daydream and enjoy the artistry of others. Rosa is wondering when I am going to tire of this phase I am going through. I've been so obsessed that my usual pastimes of blogging and writing have fallen to the wayside. This afternoon I broke away from my magazines long enough to get my mountain bike roadworthy again. The tires were flat and the chain and gears needed oiling. I felt like a little kid again riding through my neighborhood in the cool evening air tonight. I was standing out in the back yard putting my bike under the basement when Rosa called outside tonight. She said she had supper ready. She had fixed an easy su... The 4th Avenue Blues blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1243409 Wed, 20 Feb 2008 00:07:00 +0100 1243409 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1199997&cid=t_122123_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F228792834%2F Jim took advantage of it being Superbowl Sunday—-with, it seems, some large percentage of New Jersey residents at home in front of the TV set—-and took Charlie on an eight-mile bike ride. There was almost no traffic on the road they took and, at 56 degrees, it was a positively balmy third day of February. Charlie had at first said “no bike, no bike, no” at mention of going on a bike ride and then waited in the driveway as Jim got out the bikes. Charlie has only ridden his new bike once: It’s a mountain bike, with bigger wheels and a bigger frame than his old yellow one, and, for the first block, Charlie tip-toed down the street. He kept trying to pull up one leg and then the other onto the pedals and then kept ending up back on his toes, hands tight around the... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1199997 Mon, 04 Feb 2008 09:20:05 +0100 1199997 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1149870&cid=t_122123_129_f&fid=36038&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fmultiple-sclerosis%2Flife-with-ms%2Fthe-importance-of-being-proactive-for-ms%2F When I was first diagnosed with MS, I was a pretty active guy. I won’t say I was in the best shape of my life; the kind of work/travel schedule I was on didn’t lend itself to that very well. Still, all and all, the forced reduction in activity due to a MS diagnosis was marked. In those first months, it seemed I was being told by just about everyone the things not to do. My neurologist told me not to go to a support group meeting for fear I’d be shocked. My yoga and pilates instructors said the in-your-face realization of how much I could no longer do would be devastating. When I was first getting to know my MS, I was advised not to do some of the very things I now find most helpful. Yesterday, I was at a fund raising dinner which was great fun. For those foodies among us, it was a di... Life with MS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1149870 Mon, 14 Jan 2008 19:52:53 +0100 1149870 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1148203&cid=t_122123_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F216196013%2F Lose the Training Wheels is a Virginia-based program that teaches special need children to ride a bike. Children start using a specially adapted bike and can move on to using a conventional bike. You can read about their program here (with photos showing the adapted bikes) and see a schedule of camps that teach children to ride here. The January 9th Novato Advance describes the 4-day Learn to Ride Marin Bike Camp sponsored by Easter Seals Northern California. Here’s a description of the adapted bikes: Instead of having a back wheel like most two-wheel bicycles, the bikes have a roller with weights and the occupational therapists shift the weight once the child demonstrates competence when riding. When the child feels confident with one weight position the weights are shifted so t... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1148203 Mon, 14 Jan 2008 02:39:42 +0100 1148203 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1132723&cid=t_122123_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F212351805%2F We picked up Charlie’s Christmas present—-a new bike—this afternoon. Charlie made sure to put his helmet in the car and took it out with him, warbling and laughing as he ran into the store and beheld a shiney red and white mens-size Trek mountain bike. I held his old helmet while Jim helped him try on a new one. A man looking over a shelf of protein powders kind of looked our way and Jim and I sort of smiled and tried to remember who he was. Charlie got onto his new bike—it’s much taller than his old yellow one—and started pedaling out the back door, Jim following fast. I went to the counter to pay for the new helmet and found myself next to the kind of familiar man who, I realized, was Charlie’s dentist. “Is that his first new bike?”... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1132723 Mon, 07 Jan 2008 04:22:09 +0100 1132723 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1127376&cid=t_122123_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F210406405%2F It never rains but it pours: At 1 pm I’m talking about the need for more afterschool programs for autistic kids; by 5pm, Charlie’s been invited to two basketball programs, one soccer program, and bowling, and I’ve found about a new special needs Tae Kwon Do class near to where we live. Charlie has bowled at least two times and really enjoyed it: I guess you could call “bowling together” a (rather literal) variation on “parallel play”. He is strong enough to pick up his own ball and, I suspect, liked sticking his fingers into the holes (and he was not perturbed by wearing banged up bowling shoes). Any other “ball” sport has been a bit of an exercise in rather vain running back and forth across a field, court, etc., full of a chaotic tu... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1127376 Thu, 03 Jan 2008 09:41:43 +0100 1127376 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1005225&cid=t_122123_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F180107271%2F When we got back from Charlie’s piano lesson, I found Jim sitting in front of his computer and clicking here and there on Google Maps. “Are you planning a running route?” I asked. “No—Charlie and I are going to go on a long bike ride,” Jim answered. “Long,” as it turned out, meant 14 miles, give or take, across four towns (well, one is very small). Jim and Charlie took their usual route but, at the turnaround point, kept on going, thoroughly to Charlie’s consternation and sense of order. Jim noted that Charlie made it quite clear he would not go farther and called out for me (something he is much less likely to do when I am around…….). But Jim, as he has since the long-ago days when he pulled on the tricycle handlebars and I... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1005225 Mon, 05 Nov 2007 16:22:56 +0100 1005225 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=991875&cid=t_122123_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F177411145%2F Charlie’s backpack has been bulging these past few days: It turns out that someone left a bike, just his size, in his classroom and he has been asking to ride it. Understandably, his teachers did not want to have him do so beyond a few turns in the room until he had a helmet, and we have been packing his helmet in his pack, beneath his lunchbox. Charlie loves being on his bike, self-motoring, getting himself somewhere through his own strength. You can illuminate your bike wheels with this device and project a worthy message: The sight of Charlie’s face when he’s pumping the pedals says something more than words. Share This (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=991875 Tue, 30 Oct 2007 23:02:44 +0100 991875 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=939822&cid=t_122123_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F167853973%2F After a trip to Target for some extremely mundane purchases (binders and sheet protectors for a new activity schedule for Charlie, and some on-sale bleach), we went to the pool and I fell to watching a father and his 2 or 3 year old son in the wading pool. The father stayed closely in step with his little son, who had wet blonde curls like his older brother—a preschooler—and splashed his way through the water. There are three brightly-colored levers in the pool that, when pulled cause one of three Nemo-ish fishes up on posts to squirt out water, and Big Brother laughed and tried to show his father. I have noted both how Charlie and I feel at home at the pool, simply because water seems to be my boy’s natural element, and also how, of late, we have been feeling some limita... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=939822 Wed, 10 Oct 2007 09:46:58 +0100 939822 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=856818&cid=t_122123_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F154541223%2F Jim took Charlie on a long bike ride late on Saturday afternoon. It was a muggy hot day but Charlie rode off with his usual brio and a sideways glance at Jim. The sun set and they were still not back, and then it was getting dark and I started listening more carefully to the sounds in the street, and then I heard a familiar, pleasing warble. “We ran into a block party,” Jim said as Charlie pulled up his chin and told me “Helmet off.” The party was in the neighborhood of a playground, and Charlie stopped cycling and went up the play structure and down the tube slide—except he could not go all the way down, as some boys had plugged the bottom with a large plastic ball (the kind that looks like a jawbreaker). Charlie (Jim reported) went back up the slide, down th... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=856818 Mon, 10 Sep 2007 11:00:21 +0100 856818 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=830938&cid=t_122123_87_f&fid=34867&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thediabetesblog.com%2F2007%2F08%2F30%2Fbicycling-to-bring-a-cure-closer%2F Filed under: Type 1, Childhood, Research, Fundraisers, Opinion, Blogs, Allie Beatty, Support, PersonalitiesIn two weeks, Bernard Farrell will be riding in the Bike the Miles annual fundraiser to support Dr. Faustman's research to cure Type 1 diabetes. His participation is especially intrinsic because it is one day away from his 35th anniversary of becoming a Type 1 diabetic. Bernard plans to raise $10,000 for Dr. Faustman's research. Last year he raised $7,500. The entire event raised a whopping $301,000! All of this funding is going toward the human trials to cure Type 1 diabetes. After discovering that the insulin-producing islet cells of the pancreas are capable of regeneration, Dr. Faustman now needs to test her treatment, already known to be safe in humans, to see if the effects are a... The Diabetes Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=830938 Thu, 30 Aug 2007 04:00:00 +0100 830938 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=821939&cid=t_122123_140_f&fid=35433&url=http%3A%2F%2F4thavenueblues.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F08%2Fwail-in-distance.html The tracks stretched out before me this morning like an endless trail -- a trail of wanderlust, journey, adventure. I intently watched the signal down the tracks for change. Soon, it changed from green to yellow signifying a train was on the way. The distant wail of an air horn could be heard far down the tracks beyond the bend. I placed my ear upon the rails like I always did as a child in this very same fashion to listen for the characteristic clickety clack of steel wheels upon steel rails over expansion joints. I grew excited and walked over to sit upon the bench behind the bank to enjoy the passing of a freight. Ferret told me the other day that he hates these trains. "They keep me up all damn night," he said. Ferret's campsite is only a few hundred yards from the rails. I, on the oth... The 4th Avenue Blues blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=821939 Sat, 25 Aug 2007 10:26:00 +0100 821939 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=815077&cid=t_122123_140_f&fid=35433&url=http%3A%2F%2F4thavenueblues.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F08%2Fdestination-unknown.html It was well after midnight when I awoke, without sleep, and headed out for a night bike ride. Life's soundtrack was Joni Mitchell's Night Ride Home as I peddled the streets of this late night deserted town.  These early mornings are when I feel most at peace -- the town's denizens fast asleep. I can put the previous day behind me and revel in the day ahead.  Yesterday was a busy day. I was thinking this night as I peddled through town how I like for my days to be filled with activity. The days my social anxiety overwhelms me and I stay sequestered in my home can make for some long days indeed. I try so hard not to be the hermit that is my natural inclination.    Yesterday evening ended with my mother staying over for about an hour just to spend time with me. It is so he... The 4th Avenue Blues blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=815077 Wed, 22 Aug 2007 07:36:00 +0100 815077 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=785819&cid=t_122123_140_f&fid=35433&url=http%3A%2F%2F4thavenueblues.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F08%2Frubber-upon-asphalt.html Black rubber upon hot, gray asphalt was my view in front as I rode my bike down to the rail yard this afternoon. Thunder rumbled all around me like great gods bowling in the sky, but it never did rain. I was feeling far too hot and lazy by the time I reached the rails to peddle any further. I hid my bike in the brush beside the tracks and just walked. Down past that old cotton mill I traversed as the sound of a far off train horn wailed. It would soon arrive to find me well off the tracks to watch as the engineer waved. I waved back like some 8-year-old overjoyed at the attention. Off to Atlanta, the train was headed, laden with a 50 car load of coal. No doubt to power the hundreds of thousands of homes surrounding that huge city. I love days like today when I don't have a care in the wor... The 4th Avenue Blues blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=785819 Tue, 07 Aug 2007 22:21:00 +0100 785819 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=747149&cid=t_122123_87_f&fid=34867&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thediabetesblog.com%2F2007%2F07%2F20%2Fhistory-underway-in-type-1-diabetes-cure%2F Filed under: Type 1, Childhood, Research, Events, SupportDr. Faustman's lab is currently collecting blood samples from individuals with established Type 1 diabetes. These samples are being used to quantify the number of autoreactive T-cells and develop the adequate dosage for Phase 1 of human trials to cure Type 1 diabetes. The research has been presented and the NIH confirmed it. By reeducating the confused T-cells and instructing them not to attack healthy islets, an apparent cure of established type 1 diabetes in non-obese diabetic mice is possible. Now, Dr. Faustman is collecting human samples to bestow the same cure for diabetes in humans. If you wish to be a part of this revolutionary event for curing Type 1 diabetes, please contact the Clinical Coordinator or call Dr. Faustman's la... The Diabetes Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=747149 Fri, 20 Jul 2007 04:00:00 +0100 747149 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=645214&cid=t_122123_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F120408496%2F This was what Jim likes to call a “triathlon” weekend for Charlie: On Saturday, he went swimming in a lake at a state park with some friends; on Sunday and Monday he went for long bike rides; on Monday, the three of us walked on the Brooklyn Promenade and then over the Brooklyn Bridge. Charlie had woken up distraught at the prospect of yet another day without school—-it was Monday, was it not? should he not be waiting under the pine trees for the schoolbus to pull up, according to his internal clock? After Jim and I had repeatedly said “School tomorrow! School’s tomorrow!” to Charlie’s queries, he sighed and went to sit in the back seat of the white car with a take-out container of rice that he had put into his lunchbox and accompanied Jim on some ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=645214 Tue, 29 May 2007 04:16:14 +0100 645214