VenaSeal by Medtronics Had Me at “No Anethesia” For Closing Patients Diseased Veins

13 05 2016

 Happy Goddess GirlAll I can say, is, WOW! I’m going to post my photo’s and I’m going to highlight my first hours, days and weeks for those who are considering a venous “ablation”, (a process which damages, shrinks, collapses or nearly destroys dysfunctional veins not needed by the body). There’s a great method used called Radio Frequency Ablation with a probe that heats the damaged vein to the precise temperature to collapse and damage the vein. A fantastic procedure, but it comes with having to numb the “access” sites with a lot of fluid called Tumescent. It’s designed to make the treatment as pain-free as possible. But once the procedure is complete, the patient leaves the office with loads of tumescent mixed with trapped blood and it takes days to eliminate and “ooze” out the anesthesia. VenaSeal doesn’t need or use an anesthesia. I popped up on the “procedure table” at Smalling Vascular Institute, in Overland Park, KS on Wednesday, May 11, 2016. I merely lifted my dress I had worn to work. Removed my dee’s. Was covered and prepped for a sterile field. The music was playing over the surgical room speakers. And the process began. I can discuss in greater detail as we go. But, let me tell you how great I felt after the medical team finished. I was cleaned of ultrasound gel and all of the marker spots mapping my veins that had extra pesky veins, called perforators and tributaries. Once complete, I was told I could put my shoes on and walk out. Looking down at my legs, there was one plastic bandage on each ankle. And I went back to work. The photo’s will show you, if you’re skeptical! So I’ll leave you tonight with my photo’s of my procedure on Wednesday. And I’ll add to my experience over the next days to let you know how it goes. What an incredible ground-breaking new procedure. I can’t say enough great things about this modern, safe and quick varicose veins or refluxing venous insufficiency condition many of us have, yet we cannot “see” the disease or feel burdened by the problems with our legs. So stay tuned. Here are some websites to help find information and to checkout other folks opinions. Hope it helps….

Kansas’ FIRST and ONLY Specialist Who is The Only Current Physician Treating Veins with VenaSeal Glue

Medtronic’s VenaSeal Closure Fast treatment system a few doctors are approved to purchase and use

 

Here you go with the tease……





Basic On-Hand Items and A Bit o’ Fish, or Chicken Breast

9 06 2011

Logo website A couple reader’s who know my kitchen shenanigan’s, asked me to post some quick recipe’s for one. Since I have a high school daughter who is very busy with her school and friends, I’ve become fairly proficient on creating the quickest, tastiest dishes that I was asked to share. Here goes with tonight’s recipe.

Downtown Herb Crusted Salmon atop Black Lentils with Steamed Asparagus

PHOTO TO THE RIGHT

Prep and cook time: 30 minutes total. Easy

Items On-Hand:Dried Black Lentils, your container garden herbs, chicken broth, lemon, olive oil, salt,  and pepper,

Dropped by the local Whole Foods: In and out in 7 minutes (Bonus: A nice Pinot Noir & a baguette.) Bought a small filet of Wild Salmon (if fish isn’t your preference, you can sub a small portion of chicken breast. If breast is thick, slice butterfly style for quicker cooking.) A carrot. An onion. One Bunch of Petite Asparagus.

Cooking Tools: A silicon steamer (or parchment paper- come on make some effort here), an Asparagus Steamer (or any steamer device), a small sauce pot, a sharp knife, paper towels, a cutting board, measuring cups, a pair of tongs, cook-top spoon, a small square of foil, a fish spatula.  (If you don’t have a indoor grill, a grill pan)

Pre-heat the grill. 1/4c. of dried black lentils with 1-1/4c of water in a sauce pot, bring to a boil for 3 minutes while you gather herbs.

Best herbs: Parsley, rosemary, thyme, chives. Cut with scissors and a quick chop with a knife. Take the onion and carrot. Peel the carrot and dice into the smallest bits, approximately a few tablespoons of both. Place the diced carrot and onion in a silicon steamer with chicken broth and put in microwave on high for 2 minutes. The lentils have boiled for 3 minutes, now they simmer for 25 minutes. After the microwave dings, put the carrot/onion mixture into the lentils, along with salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Pat the salmon filet dry, push the herbs on the salmon filet with some salt, pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Put one-inch of water in an asparagus steamer, squeeze a half lemon in the water and drop the portion size you like of trimmed asparagus into the steamer basket. Cover lid and steam for four minutes. While the asparagus are steaming, the salmon goes onto the indoor grill (or grill pan) for 5 minutes, skin-side down. If you have a curved metal lid, cover the fish and vent to assist in cooking the interior of the filet. Everything is nearly ready- the lentils have almost absorbed the stock, the asparagus are waiting in the steamer basket and one last hatch mark on your salmon for 1 minutes (depending on the thickness of your filet), remove, tent with foil while you plate the lentils and asparagus. Then pull the foil off and top with the salmon. Hope the music is ready, your favorite Rhapsody playlist.  A thyme sprig for the plate and sit with a glass of Pinot Noir. You’re almost glad there’s no one around trying to snag a bite off your plate. Enjoy!





Looking For Richard (It a movie title pun)

5 06 2011

Logo websiteAlmost immediately after my divorce was final, I could feel the giddiness in the pit of my stomach when thinking of the new reawakened world of dating again. I love getting out. I think dating is so much fun. Or at least that’s what I recalled from my youth. I can talk someone’s leg off, hence why I write.

This dating thing, however, is a whole different world today than what I recall from my younger days. I was THAT only girl in my circle of friends who would constantly say, “I love dating!” Even a flop of a date, I thoroughly enjoyed. Enjoyed because I truly liked getting to know others, what makes them tick and the art of listening and laughing was fun. Well, I can officially say that the idea of all that was for the younger girl I once knew. So on the way to find the girl who was lost long ago in a controlling marriage, and a few tough snags since my divorce, the dating game is one activity that will not be a big part of my repertoire. I thought for the last year I wanted to actively find that best friend, but now I just want to sit back and focus on my career path and allow the path of love and or life to unfold before me according to the plan: God’s plan, my belief, or the Universe’s course, whatever you relate to, but the way I am to live this life.

Why the change in the past two decades? I sat down to think in detail and this is what has changed from the Happy girl who was once in her twenties and who has now been bottled and set in the dark atop a shelf for aging and depth development. I suspect my optimal drinking years begin somewhere between 2011-2020, after that I think if I’m still dusty on the shelf, I’ll be past my best friend prime and I’ll focus on philanthropic matters of the heart. Nice wine analogy. But, I adore my red wine. And a wine a little past its prime, still has use, just not to sip for pleasure.

Here’s what I know about the older vintage chick versus the fresh table wine of yesteryear:

* I love being a mate. Best friend. The only other people who would mean as much would be my kids and mother. Post-divorce, many candidates are often jaded, never getting married again and walls are already up before the band ever plays the first song, or potential mates are still living their unsatisfying lives and not able to move on for whatever reason, even though often the reasons are significant and involve children, finances and history. This is not gender specific, plenty of women have the same issues.

*I’m over my divorce. I don’t often want to discuss my ex or spend time on bad blood between us. It’s behind me and I wish him…… peace. Yea, that’s it.

* No longer, do I enjoy the party scene, never was into weed and still don’t want it around me, tired of the scene of indulgence and over-imbibing or talking smack as an entertaining topic on ex’s or ex’s past infractions. I’ve resolved my issues, only a few still exist and I married him. It was good and it was bad. But, I don’t want to spend one-second discussing it publicly when the theme is laughter. There are plenty of real topics to discuss and laughter is my goal. I’ll wait to attend those fun uplifting party’s.

* Because I am an easy person with whom others feel they can talk….I often seem to attract people who are conflicted inside their current relationships. Find me when you’re really ready to reach out. I want to be a comforting, loving best friend. I want be a shoulder on which to lean occasionally, but friends, fix your relationships. Accept them in their current definitions and move forward to begin living with support, happiness and building a new history, sharing passions each day and bringing laughter back into your life. Life is so serious, so why not let go and try to love more by moving on when things can’t be repaired?

A recent study indicates that men struggle at ending a relationship which is unfulfilled. Seriously? Life has too much to offer to suffer terribly for years and years when a partner or both mates will not fix the relationship and provide joy to the other. Love is sacrifice and sometimes painful, but to lose yourself and to be void of essential affection, is death on earth. Value yourself more than to settle and show your children that everyone deserves and needs love, touch and contentment. Besides, there is someone out there wishing you would be theirs. And the love you could gain may change your entire life beyond anything you ever imagined.

But it is so daunting to get to the other side of joy. It’s a one-step at a time struggle. I should be more kind in my delivery.

However, because it’s a jungle out there, I’m staying home. There are other options connecting with available men out in the world. I’ll investigate those options. My list of dreams are simple: I’m seeking huge amounts of joy and great passion with a man who adores me if he exists and I desire to share our hobbies, sports and passions. I’m patient which I guess is a good thing.

Those of you who have navigated these waters, give us newbies some insight. Consider at least, sharing some funny stories or unique prospective thoughts regarding this chapter in life.

So, a stored wine I am to be, between all the prized collectible bottles and vintages perched on the top shelf up high. Until the right aficionado comes along and sees this rare bottle waiting to tickle the palate of those that appreciate the complexities and depth of the Happy girl who once was a delicate, fruity wine out of the barrel, but now has developed a myriad of character, a smooth finish and emits a bright summer, lasting note on the palate.

Dammit, how long on this shelf? Bug-gar! Oh well, I guess I’m still too tannic, quite possibly. It’s not my time.

The affects on children, now let’s really talk.





One Is The Loneliest Number

3 06 2011

Logo websiteBut do you recall the second line of lyrics in the composition? “Two can be as bad as one” which got me to thinking about the descending phase of a relationship. Inside my marriage, the last years were so isolating and filled with such private sadness and void. Ironically, I was so often in the environment of clinking crystal stems of wine, among dozens of friends smiling and sharing stories of family achievements and current events. Moments in a room, trying to escape the truth of the widening distance between me and my mate which weighed heavily on my mind as time passed. I began hating myself for not remaining true to myself by smiling and cajoling others with similar stories. But mostly, I enjoyed the imbibing of a sultry Cabernet while listening to others. Of course, I never would have subscribed to the “let it all hang out” and moan about my predicament nor did I ever want to join a conversation that so many spouse’s led about their less-than perfect significant other. I just wanted to laugh, to forget pain, anger and isolation. Today, there is a common thread. I just want to laugh in this life. The marriage I shared was really pretty good for fifteen years, in between the few crisis’ we encountered. And laughter was definitely something we enjoyed almost until the very end. There’s enough crying we face in life and enough losses to experience. I choose laughter in life. It was one of the greatest attributes I found in my husband and why I wanted to marry him 23 years ago.

I found with each passing year, the challenge to relax and enjoy an evening with friends, much less an evening with my husband, more daunting and exhausting. Finally, in order to live with myself and my truth’s, I knew I had to force a decision to settle with the way things were to be or to commit to finding laughter again to accompany my life. We needed to fix and repair our marriage or I needed out. Needless to say, it’s a bit more than apparent that the latter is what became my married reality. And although being single is sometimes so difficult to face after being in a marriage for over two decades, being a part of a couple for as many years as I was a single girl. The aftermath is a double-edged sword; I am as excited as I am scared.

Walking down Fifth Avenue in NYC last week, in the gleaming bright sun where my cheek would catch a warm caress with each building outline break. I found myself in a smiling stupor. You may know that feeling when alone, absorbing the warmth, the melodic sounds all around, and witnessing the movement all about the streets and brushing by our body. The acknowledgment that we are among so many lives and dreams and we too, are alive and among the living, equipped with our own dreams and realizations. These are the lonely times.

I see art and want to share my thoughts with someone. The job-challenged dude close by is already too far gone for the day to really mutter any sort of comprehensible utterance. I want to share me, my thoughts and my life with my best friend. Where is he? Will he ever find his way to me? I know, so many will say, “Why not a best girl-friend?” I’ve always been my best when with my favorite guy. Whatever that may mean. I’m not desperate, I wouldn’t dare spend my time with another just to fill the void. But the agony now is in the waiting and imagery I invent while waiting for a potential friendship. I guess this is the part of singledom work I am supposed to be doing, so if and when “he” may come along, I am ready to be me, alongside us. My main focus now and actually the focus we should all aspire to attain, is living in the present. Live our lives, love our experiences, find the joy and discover new challenges. My current task is to enjoy my life as I have designed. And most days, I am full of joy and the thought of loneliness is in the distance.

Do I have regret seeking my divorce? Absolutely not, not even for one-second. I work on filling my life with all the ideas and wishes, I had secretly rolling around my head, while inside my marriage, that I repressed for years. Finding fun sports to try, volunteering and exploring my host city that I really haven’t truly explored. Possibly it’s time to find a few other new discoveries or instruction in something new. As I gain more and more ease being by myself alone, I find I’d rather read or write and contemplate my future over wishing I had a date or an evening plan.

It is my choice to fill my life with joy and all things that derive satisfaction, so as I make my last stroll back up Fifth Avenue to check out of my hotel after a grueling week with extreme highs and devastating lows, I feel the wind kissing my cheek sweetly. I am that crazy-looking girl, smiling with the giddy bouncing stride, skirt swinging to and fro with each step, happy to be living a life less lonely and with no regret that my life is now my own. Near the corner of Bergdorf’s, I realize, I may not have the physical body of a man I adore to stroll with arm-in-arm today, but I am sharing this joy, with my soul and I am nourished. Next week, I will begin my fly fishing lessons again, in spite of my ex ignoring my request to fish in a rambling brook. I currently live in some of the most highly sought after fly fishing environments. And fishing is designed for one to enjoy. Ah, again, the joys of not needing my mate to condone or nix my wish to fish.

Enjoy your weekend. I hope the wind kisses you, ever so delicately, skimming your forehead sweetly, reminding you that you have all the ability to control your joy, on your terms. Alone, with a partner, with a friend, whatever works for you on a given day. Enjoy!