Out of a Health Care Crack, Billie Green is Now 'In the Groove' -- The Grate Groove of the Grand Valley

One of the challenges for me operating through written words that people read is to convey things in a way the reader gets the meaning intended. Obviously, we're trying to cover a 'story' here, and Billie is testifying on behalf of the providers, so far that has been the two of us she's gotten started with.  

Today (the 6th of February) she messaged me and said things in a little different way than she wrote for me to add, above, which I didn't edit one little bit, by the way, she really has lovely and good writing skills. In conversation to me, though, it went more like "I am able to do this and that ...  he is just wonderful on my body .  I just wanted to share that since both versions are nice, and I wanted people to know this is a SINCERE appreciation she has for what is happening for her. 

The UPDATE, Dr Jeff can talk more about muscle testing in what's called AK or applied kinesoliogy, and what supplement he found that tested well for her.  It's one they have on hand to test with but do not have to sell currently at their clinic, so he called another chiropractor/ colleague in town who agreed to provide the supplement at cost for Billie. We have a very small fund of money which has been earmarked for things the Grate Groove of the Grand Valley does together such as marketing to the public.  

In talking with members of the group in the last weeks, the consensus has been that we're ALL inspired by this effort and Billie's success and persistence, and want to shift what we're doing at an upcoming marketing event at a health expo and use the $ we have in our 'piggy bank' to pay for the supplements, and then we'll all pay our shares for the cost of being at the Expo together.  (The Sweet Heart Expo and 5k/10k in Fruita on February 9th at the recreation/community center -- come see us, 9 to 1.)

Billie is even considering entering, but I'm also doing my part as the fibromyalgia expert educator about monitoring how you're doing, not setting yourself up for a goal that the day of you 'go and do' for any other reason than you feel up to it, and then CERTAINLY monitoring along the way and stopping if you need, turning back when you're 'halfway tired', etc. 

Others in the Grate Groove who I have, with Dr Jeff's input, so far identified as potentially being of benefit to her in the near future, who have agreed (all asked have, by the way), are Gwen Pettit, PT and life coach, Analii Cunningham, movement therapist, Kohava Howard, YogaDance and YogaDance for special populations provider, and Dr Paula King, Psychologist and certified Heart Math provider, who works at Healing Horizons Integrative Wellness Center. Crossroads Fine Foods' Eleni Seca has agreed to scrutinize her resume and do a practice interview to build skills and confidence related to interviewing, when the time comes. We'll be looking for an evaluator for an FCE as well, as 'return to work and income' and being a contributor to society financially is one of Billie's goals. She also has an interest in being an entrepreneur related to making and selling candles using aromatherapy. 

It's looking like things for Billie are 'greening up' as much as the ends of the trees outside -- there are the tell-tale signs of spring being here! 

 Update: 2/6/13 from Billie:

 

For the first time since my accident in 2009 I am able to jog a bit and do a few jumping jacks since Dr. Jeff McClosky has been doing chiropractor care on me. My body is improving so much. It is so wonderful.

Two things strike me when reading over this thread. First, I am grateful that I have the opportunity and skills to help Billie and others suffering from similar conditions, as well as help people maintain their ultimate level of wellness/lack of illness. The "Billie Green Collaborate Care Project" by the Grate Groove of the Grand Valley, it appears, is goign to be able to effectively provide a 'virtual' integrative plan of care for Billie, combained with the services she was already receiving. Second, the sad state of our nation and medical apparatus when someone like Billie, who wants to get back to being well enough to be hired and work can not, due more to the bureaucratic, monopolistic regulatory runaround.

It is gratifying and fun to watch Billie and others respond well to care. I am very pleased with her progress as a result of my care, but, at the risk of seeming conceited and obnoxious, I am not surprised. 

 

(No, we didn't call each other to discuss what we were wearing, we both just wore purple on the day Mardy came to photograph us. Mardy wore purple too - which is just a "Lumigrate thing" for her. The same thing happened at my first meeting with Mardy and Gwen Pettit last year, when I was learning about The Groove.)  

Part of the patient education we provide is related to drinking safe water; here's Billie with a water bottle we gave her as our part of our support for her aftercare and treatments we're contributing to the Billie Green Collaborative Care Project. Fill up at our fountain, Billie! We provide safe drinking water in our offices on Patterson and 25 Road (just west of the Post Office Annex). 

                                                                       

Note: 46 Reasons to Drink More Water is a topic in the Forum "Supplementing What You Eat and Drink" at www.lumigrate.com/forums/preventive-medicine-concepts/nutrition/supplementing-what-you-eat-and-drink. You will also find all of Lumigrate's information about fluoride related to safe drinking water and the SWIG group, which Dr McCloskey helped found in 2012 with Dr Jim Kennedy and Kevin King. SWIG stands for Safe Water is Great. Billie'd already had her opinion formed about fluoride in water, so learning about how to drink safe water in Grand Junction where she lives has been part of our education services, facilitated by bottles for transporting it from the store's inexpensive R/O machines in manageable quantities (up to 3 gallons/container) as well as bottles to keep with you for drinking water and maintaining hydration. 

Dr Jeff McCloskey's topic at Lumigrate related to inflammation coincidentally had 10,000 reads (in under a year) just as he started working with Billie, and naturally Billie can become one of the next 10,000. The link is: www.lumigrate.com/forum/10-ways-stop-chronic-inflammation-now

Using chiropractic (and more specifically applied kinesiology also), in just a short time we have helped reset numerous muscles, joints, clogged lymphatics, and other neurological reflexes in her body. These techniques are very powerful and take training to learn, but I am not a genius. Which brings me to my second point.

The reason why so few doctors and clinics offer this care (and thereby so few patients have access to it) is not because I am a rare genius, but because of the unholy alliance between regulators, legislators, bureaucrats, insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, lobbyists; agencies that are forsaking profits to painstakingly guard our health like the FDA (sarcasm).

As a holistic doctor, it is so sad to see people day after day who I could help, as I am Billie, miss out on the opportunity to receive our care because they can not spend their own money on the care of their choice. Instead, bureaucrats decide how and with whom you can spend your own money (mostly drugs and surgery).

Holistic/alternative care practitioners get thrown a little scrap from the central planners who dictate what works, what is dangerous, and what deserves funding.

Luckily (sarcasm alert, again) we have the FDA to assure that insurance will pay for only the best drugs, like the multiple ones Billie took as prescribed, to protect our/her health. Imagine if the disease-care drug and surgery industry had to REALLY compete with chiropractors, acupuncturists, herbalists, naturopaths, and who-knows-what other amazing healing modalities are waiting for us to discover!

I should clarify that drugs and surgery have their time and place and proper niche. Without the mandated preferential payouts owed to their regulatory monopoly of the "healthcare" industry, there would undoubtedly be a drastic decrease in their market share; despite the tough economic times, the number of people who are seeking out holistic medicine and more whole-istic foods has dramatically increased, as have the dollars they are spending on such goods and services. I applaud those consumers in America who are making these decisions for their long-term well-being. 

As you can see, influence of the allopathic healthcare industry in America, the monopolization by disease-care business, the inability the system sets up for people like Billie to comprehensive health care which corrects the underlying causes of the symptoms, weighs heavy on my heart. I can help those in my sphere of influence to embrace health, to be pro-active in their own healthcare (through lifestyle and diet and educating themselves on what is and what is not healthy). Together, with their efforts and initiative and my abilities to guide them, they can avoid or greatly reduce their time in what unfortunately is the revolving door of the disease-care paradigm our nation's health care system has, unfortunately, become.

I also think it's vital that we get involved with letting our lawmakers and insurance providers know that we want real decision making power and the ability to vote with our health care dollars, not only those that come from our pockets directly, as we have the ability to do today, but also our tax-based health care and our insurance-based health care.

Freedom of choice, the power to decide what we put into our own bodies, self-ownership, and working together and collaborating with others are some of the things that made America great.

I pray that everyone reading this take active steps to reclaim their health, and let the decision-makers know that the solution to our healthcare crisis not only in the United States but other countries 'beyond', begins with restoring power of choice for all (and real competition) back to the patients in the United States. What we do in this country will have an impact on those beyond our borders. Patients who have similar issues as Billie's have much the same frustrations in other developed countries such as Canada, England and Australia.

Again, working together with our neighbors and finding solutions which will come from functional medicine and integrating the most valid and effective holistic/alternative strategies with the most valid and effective from the current allopathic model is what I hope we see in the future. For now, my part in The Grate Groove of the Grand Valley's "The Billie Green Collaborative Care Project", I hope, is something I can do to help demonstrate the possibilities of this type of health care model.

Long before the runners took to the race at 10 am, I looked up from the Grate Groove of the Grand Valley's booth and saw a gal with glasses looking at me like 'hey there, surprise, it's me!' and I realized it was Billie, and her friend who drove her to Fruita for the Expo at the Recreation/Community Center. It was just such a pleasure to meet her in person and get a better sense for what her life 'is about'.  

Fortunately, her friend was willing to take photos of us so there are some photos of me, even! Always the photographer, unless I am lucky enough to have someone else doing that for a change, there ends up being a lot more on Lumigrate in photos about others, which is fine.

I was reminded by Katrina Zerbe who was respresenting Crossroads Fine Foods, demonstrating their wheat bread and olive oils and spices for dipping, at how photo-averse some people can be. I had a family member like that and so grew up with that as a 'role model' for me, and I was also a pretty shy kid. But Billie helped put her and us all at ease, she is just SO friendly, outgoing and excited about all the newfound support she has! And she helped tickle Katrina and keep us all laughing. It was a LOT of FUN, and I want to thank ALL involved!

We had GREAT neighbors too, the optometrists on the left, I learned, are up on their stuff about learning disabilities and brain-related disorders that affect vision and are doing a bit with vision therapy and correction, which is the only resource I am aware of in the Valley, so I was happy to meet them! And Rocky Mountain Health Plans on our other side, always good neighbors.  As their slogan says "We understand Colorado, we understand you!" Well, I keep working on "Rocky" REALLY understanding me, and YOU, so I am always happy to be nearby them and their wondful people, I really enjoy the gal who represented them at the Expo. 

The week after the Expo, we arranged for me to come to Billie's appointment with Dr Jeff and then go to breakfast and go over her history, just as I would do with any client. I use the You model and we figured out who her medical team is and what it might look like based on the needs she has, combined with what she WANTS.  We basically created a 'dream team' and then prioritized what was most important for her ongoing health maintenance and recovery from illness and injury (which are, understandably, linked, as her injury at work and subsequent treatments basically exacerbated and did not remediate the underlying CAUSES.

"Who would you add", seen to the left of MD on the You model, in addition to the example providers in this model intended to get people 'going' on their own related to their own Team You, is what we brainstormed, and I filled her in on the providers in the Groove that I could forsee being of benefit to her. In addition to the physician provided through Marillac Clinic, which is the only provider she identifies as having at this time there her team is now:

Me, Mardy Ross, as the YOU facilitator and concierge for Billie to get to the different providers, via Lumigrate. 

Gwen Pettit, PT and Certified Life Coach - Spiral Coaching. (She and Billie will get started early in March).

Dr Jeff McCloskey, Doctor or Chiropractic, Neurologic Relief Center of Western Colorado and New Life Chiropractic. (They got started together in early/mid January)

Dr Paula King, Psychologist, certified health coach, and certified Heart Math provider, at Healing Horizons Integrative Wellness Center. Dr King was 'up next' to present to The Grate Groove providers about Heart Math, and is arranging to have us come learn and include Billie as the subject, which Billie was happy to! So, looking forward to that. Presumably this will occur in March.

Analii Cunningham, movement therapist, "Functional Wisdom", as well as yoga. (They are scheduled to start together early in March). 

Kohava Howard , movement therapist for letting your butterfies dance with "YogaDance". Kohava is also an LPN and Reiki master, reflexologist and has a background that includes aromatherapy and essential oils, which is of particular interest to Billie. "A GRATE connection" for both! No further plans for anything in particular but a new resource for Billie. (And vice versa.)

Jim Kennedy, DDS, specializing in the cranial field and a holistic approach to wellness, in line with Billie's beliefs. Due to the brain/cranium having much to do with the APH system (adrenal pituitary hypothalamus), he is a deep resource related to the endocrine system as well, which naturally is a major factor with fibromyalgia and, as Billie has disclosed, hypothyroidism is something she is treated for via allopathic, prescription medication and she has an interest in learning more about what caused her thyroid disorder and what functional medicine can do to address it, from an 'integrative' approach.

Massage Therapy - TBDetermined. 

Here are a couple more photos from Billie's session with Dr Jeff that day:

Billie was going to be off to YogaDance that evening, and so I took her home and gave her the Valentine's Basket we had on the table at the Expo, where each of us providing a service to her added something that day, so the public coming through would be made aware of what The Groove members involved are providing to Billie.  This is what was included, and I'm going in order of who hopped in chronologically, not in order of 'value':

• Me/Lumigrate:  A copy of The Take-Charge Patient by Martine Ehrenclou and The Lumigrate You Model worksheet (which we went over at breakfast) with a year of complimentary/free You empowerment services.
• Jeff McCloskey, DC: A BPA-free water bottle (see photo, above with Billie with the bottle, outside his clinic) and complementary chiropractic visits, as needed and appropriate, for the first quarter of 2013, and assistance with connecting for supplements as needed and appropriate. 
• Gwen Pettit, PT and Certified Life Coach: ANOTHER water bottle, with complimentary coaching and journaling services, to be determined based upon Billie's needs once they connect. 
• Crossroads Fine Food: A gift certificate for the store, and a healthFULL, quality, chocolate bar they sell which supports women in the country the cocao beans are harvested and purchased from, as well as advise about resume and interviewing, when and as appropriate and needed, in the future when able to return to work searching with updated restrictions specified. 
• Analii Cunningham: Complimentary table session (1:1 with Analii/Billie) and a limited number of classes, to be determined how many and which, based upon 1:1 session.
• Kohava Howard: Reusable, canvas bag with Dancing Butterflies on it. GORGEOUS bag, and will come in handy for carrying her TWO water bottles around to all these appointments! AND a complimentary YogaDance session, for Billie and her friend who was providing transportion. I  have a hunch they're going to have FUN! 

What Billie had to say about YogaDance: 

At first I was a bit nervous going to the Yoga Dance because I really did not know what to expect.

I thought , "Okay, here are all these people and I'll have to learn these new dance steps that these people already know, so I am going to feel like an idiot. But Yoga Dance was nothing like that at all! Kohava made every one of us feel very welcome and comfortable.

I am very thankful to have met Kohava beforehand, at the Sweet Heart Expo on Saturday, and to have spoken with her on the phone arranging when I'd come to Yoga Dance. I think it helps out a great deal when you meet the person first. Because then you kinda get a feel for them. Their personality their composure come across and you'll know if the two of you are going to get along or not.

Lex told me that I need to wear clothes that I can move around in, so I took his advice. I am glad I did! It would be best if you do let others know that they need to wear something they can move around in. I myself kinda figured I had to wear that kind of thing but maybe others would not, because the first time I did yoga with Lex, I was wearing jeans and you may run into someone who just does not know to wear clothes they can comfortably move around in.

I thought Yoga Dance was a blast. I loved it.  If I could afford it, I would go as a regular, because it helped to loosen up my body. But to be honest with you, if I had done the Yoga Dance before I saw the chiropractor (Jeff McCloskey) then the yoga dance would not have helped me as much because my body was way too stiff, and I would not be able to move around like I did last night. But that is because of my back and neck problems.  I was so stiff when Jeff first saw me, and the test he done on me showed how bad of shape my body was in.

People with FM would definitely benefit from Yoga Dance because it helps you to move around and be a bit more flexible, and you do not think of your pain because you are concentrating on doing your swaying moves. And it's really fun!

I went into this with the thought "oh, good, I finally have someone who cares about me and my health. I have someone who is going to help me achieve my goal of getting better and not just throwing pills in my face and say "here, this is all we can really do for you... You're not a candidate for surgery, and now you are on your own to figure things out. You are now a hopeless cause and you will never get better." I'm grateful for having the access to doctors I have had at the Marillac clinic but it was not the kind of medicine I prefer to be my primary health care. It could be like honey on top of toast, I want the toast to be more natural things. (And I found out from going to a meal with Mardy, about wheat maybe having contributed to my illness so we're going to learn more about that!)

That is how I felt when I was seeing the doctors in Indiana also.  I come out here and it is like "okay, well, we can keep you on these pills because we will just keep doing what you had there everything except the pain pills, those we won't prescribe." That is why I started walking, because I was in much pain, and I was told that walking helps with pain. And it did help, as I've written in my story, above. Which is a good thing, and YogaDance is a GRATE thing! Thanks to all, again, especially Kohava, for showing those who were at the class how to let our "Butterflies Dance". 

What Kohava had to say: "It was a pleasure to have Billie come and dance, thank you!"

 

Dr Jeff McCloskey suggested that Billie could benefit from working with Analii Cunningham, which was no suprise to me based on what I know of Analii's work and Billie's needs. Jeff and Analii met through the Grate Groove last summer at our dinner meeting about fluoride in water and it's impacts on wellness. (Photo below if of the SWIG group, who put on the dinner discussion, Jeff McCloskey's on the right.)

Both providers have safe water provided in their offices, and Billie had an interest in drinking safe water, so I donated two 3-gallon bottles in order to transport inexpensive safe water from the market; reverse osmosis water will cost about $1/bottle to fill, which was the most cost-effective option. It's good for providers to continue to remind patients and clients about drinking water, as this is often a new habit people are getting into, and people so often do not drink enough for proper hydration. 

 SWIG: Safe Water is Great Official photo and logo. ©2012

He also suggested a provider for body work, with the goal of getting the muscles to become less 'tight'/more relaxed. Learning techniques which would benefit Billie in that regard long-term, to be independent with, is the ultimate goal. Dr Paula King, who is certified in Heart Math™, agreed to have Billie be the subject for demonstrating the technique, at a future education gathering of the Grate Groove, and Billie was up for doing that. Heart Math works to get 'congruence' between the mind and body, essentially. I will report upon that when it happens, and I'm looking forward to that step. Dr King created a new topic on Lumigrate in the "Mind" forum, related to congruence, for providers in the Groove and others, and Billie and other consumers, to learn from.  

That topic is within the following forum link, provided for you to refer to and see what the options are that Billie's being encouraged to use, is: www.lumigrate.com/forums/integrative-medicine-parts-make-whole/therapy-behavioralmental-health/headbrain-bodymind-psyc 

I provided Billie with this link as well, providing education about the mind/body connection and suggested the fun, short meditataion videos there for starters and then to go from there in that forum area. In my experience working with patients with any kind of chronic condition, particularly when pain or anxiety are factors, it is critical to have people start working on the mind/body connection as soon as possible because it becomes so therapeutic for the body's symptoms when a person has achieved a little skills with the daily practice. Naturally, with fibromyalgia being one of the conditions, recovering the adrenals is critical, and twice a day 'unplugging' and prayer, meditation, TaiChi, is always recommended. 

It's excellent timing that Deepak Chopra and Oprah Winfrey have teamed up with a FREE meditation series that starts in March, and that information was also provided to Billie.

The process of the Lumigrate YOU! Collaborative Care Model is to provide to the key person, the patient, information they can do on their own as time and energy allow. There is more expected of patients who are empowered and 'taking charge' to be making a concerted effort with their time and making learning and doing differently for their wellness related to what they learn and opt to do.  This allows the time with the providers to be most efficient, the costs are therefore less and patients have higher outcomes because they have become proactive and involved, taking increased responsibility as they learn and are supported about this model of health care.                                                                

This includes information about inflammation and diet, lifestyle, etc., all of which is available at Lumigrate.com and is easy to set up for Billie or any person to follow through on. And everything is $0 on Lumigrate and all websites I link to are no charge for at least the core resources. We're utilizing nationally recognized providers' books and websites, with the local providers working with Billie all made aware of the resources as well. The lifestyle forum, which has a topic about "inflammation vacation" and leads to videos and blogs by Dr Mark Hyman as well as more indepth information about healing the gut and therefore the mind, is www.lumigrate.com/forums/integrative-medicine-parts-make-whole/wellness-mind/body/spirit-energy-lifestyle-big-picture

Therefore, the providers are not only be reminded of information that is ideal to be providing our clients and patients, they can reinforce it with Billie, and naturally other patients and clients as well. Therefore, this becomes of benefit to the continuing education about functional medicine for the providers, all because of Billie, in this case! This information is new to some providers, we're all learning from each other. 

Using inflammation, for example, patient education coming from the chiropractor and then reinforced by the movement therapist, in addition to the 'hub' person (me in this case), the dentist and life coach or behavioral therapist, if one is involved.  Or water, meditation, that is information that typically all patients can benefit from being reminded of and supported about. 

So I attended the session when Analii and Billie met and worked together for the first time. Please see, below, in detail. I'm going to post the photos and then invite Analii to write about what she wishes from the session and The Collaborative Care Project with Billie Green.  

Dr Jeff said something funny when he referred to it as the "SS Billie Jo". His perspective was that I was the captain of the ship, but I actually am the trainer of the captain in this analogy; Billie is the captain of what she does with her body and in control of much more about her wellness than she was previously aware, it turns out.  There is much about foods and inflammation that she was unaware of, and combining that with what she 'is into' related to essential oils and other natural solutions, she could be on the path which will allow her to reach her goals related to her wellness. 

After the 'release' work that Analii specializes in, education about hydration and flushing the toxins out is helpful. We'd already provided Gwen with education about water (and provided water and bottles), so then it's a matter of the providers setting an example and 'reminding' and not having to be doing all the education when they're at the sessions together.  Again, this reduces the time involved for quality care. 

Billie and I talked afterwards about how it is a foreign land she is rapidly learning her way around. I used the analogy of rarely being in the ocean, let along on a reef with fish until I was on vacation when I was 30 years old. While they were all beautiful, I realized I didn't know if any of them would bite you, some looked like small baracudas.

Billie's done well despite the providers having to figure out the common education, as discussed above, and the process for information collaboration. Again, collaborating on the education is key and so we are also having to learn a lot as we work together with Billie. But the 'teamwork' that we planted and nurtured in the past years getting to know each other in education groups shows now that we're doing this collaboration and I believe Billie feels like she is surrounded by a true team.

Then I went on my way to Dr Kennedy's office and talked with him about the dental needs which have not yet been addressed for Billie, and her"story". He agreed to do a complimentary evaluation with her as well. I didn't have all the history from her just yet but got a good overview when spent the time together the day before.

It turns out that vocational rehabilitation sends patients to him when they have similar needs to Billie's and it turned out Billie was unaware of vocational rehabilitation's services being available to her, so she has gotten that process started, which will be very helpful for her related to developing her abilities and skills within areas of interest to her for returning to work/vocation.

More about Billie and Dr Kennedy in the future, as well as Gwen Pettit, life coach! 

I received this lovely communication today and asked if I could add it with a few modifications, such as removing exact medications referred to and the woman's name -- FUN coming up with the pseudonym... 

WOW, so much helpful information.... Thank you for this. 

I felt an affinity with Billie's story, it made me realise how far I have really come, as I too, weaned myself off medication (anti-depressants, and painkillers) when I realised that they were making me worse. It was a tough lesson, as I experienced psychiatric side-effects from being prescribed (a non narcotic pain medication), a very dangerous drug, for me, indeed; I had to be hospitalised.

 

I see the experience as a "blessing in disguise now", and reading Billie's story reminds me of my progress. She has inspired me to inquire whether I could be elligible for chiropractic therapy on the NHS (no ask, no gain), for the lower back pain I have. I am proud, and relieved, to have been off prescribed drugs for two and a half years now, aside from (one hormone).

 

Thank you for sharing Billie's story, I will try not to let lack of funds get in my way. I don't discourage easily but I admit I was deflated lately and your information at Lumigrate has me ..... "Enthused in England".  

 

I got another upate from "Enthused in England" today (Wednesday, February 20th):

"I am pleased to report that I persued the avenue of possible Chiro help on the NHS, all thanks to the motivation I got from you and what you are all doing at Lumigrate, in particular for stiff, painful neck and shoulder area. Unfortunately, that isn't available on the NHS, but my GP offered to refer me for Physiotherapy.

 

It is only since connecting with you that I realise how defeated I had become in seeking help, and I can't thank you enough for the ideas and little "nudges" you have given me...... they are leading somewhere. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU."

 

Enthused in England, it is my pleasure, and I very much appreciate the feedback and your allowing me to use it at Lumigrate.com for others to read, hopefully, and have your infectious enthusiasm 'inspire' them, as well!

 

This is what Billie wanted to share here, in return: "

To: Enthused in England, I am very glad that I inspired you. I had told Mardy in the beginning of this...If I can help one person then that will make me very happy. Thank you for letting us know that you were inspired by me. That truly touches my heart way down deep. I hope you are getting the treatment and education you deserve just as I am. Thank you Enthused.

 

I just met with a relatively new massage therapist who sought out continuing education in OrthoBionomy -- "I need to study up on what that is", I said. There's no shame in saying 'I don't know', but it is not good if you don't know something and act as though you do! (And worst of all in my career was when I told managers "I am not qualified to do what you are asking me to do that was beyond what I was hired to do. I am not going to do it" and was fired for it! "Resigned in exchange for being able to not be gagged" after hiring an employment attorney for the second of three total times in 3 years. (If you want an ethical therapist, I'm your gal! )

 

The link to the forum (with all types of information about "chronic pain"), where you will see a topic about BODYWORKERS .. PT, MT is: www.lumigrate.com/forums/health-issuesdis-eases/fibromyalgia-chronic-pain-and-chronic-fatigueexhaustion/pain-causes-so

 

 Analii and Billie going over her initial paperwork and opening the discussion. 

     Billie and Analii clearly enjoying the process

Analii educating while Billie lies on a strip along her spine which gets folded to support the head and neck                                                                                                       

I met with Analii for my movement therapy two days ago. Analii asked me what was bothering me the most, and I answered her by telling her my right elbow had been hurting me real bad for a couple of weeks now . Well, Anali said we could work on that, so she did -- and tell you what -- it was wonderful. It felt like she was untwisting my muscles in my arm and she relieved the tightness and the pain by about 70%, and it still does not hurt as bad as it had. I cannot wait to see her next week. I am so looking forward to it. Thank you so much Analii... Billie

Fibro "MY" algia

I view my role as the person teaching a consumer/client, such as Billie in this case, to require a lot of experience and skill at knowing the therapeutic process; this is where my many years working in insurance-based, allopathic medicine as an occupational therapist comes in handy, as well as my lifetime of personal experience, much of which has involved my own health challenges, or those of close family members and friends. Who to suggest first for Billie was 'easy', clearly Dr Jeff as D.C., but after that, I start really relying upon him and then all other providers to give input. Hence 'collaborative care'.

I contacted Gwen Pettit as soon as Dr Jeff got started as well, but she transitions in the winter to working back East and assisting for part of the year with her family's care of the parents and the family business. Then Analii was busier than ever in February, and so we're relaying the story a little out of order: Billie and Gwen met prior to Billie and Analii but due to schedules and emails going awry, this is actually the order that things are really 'taking effect' in Billie's life. (See the next segment, below, about Dr Jim Kennedy too). In other words, the story is being presented here not based on who actually saw Billie in what order nor who I suggested for contact / services next, but in the order that things are 'progressing' overall, in reality.

I had a good idea of what Gwen does because she has written many topics on Lumigrate (all of which Billie has been set up to read, by me, prior to meeting with Gwen if she wanted to do homework beforehand), as well as her attendance regularly at functions the Grate Groove has had, when she is able. But I learned from seeing her and Billie converse and 'get started', which is a 'bonus benefit' when you are actually able to meet in person rather than through technologies to get started. But then from here out, she is going to work with Billie through technologies just as she would someone in another state or country (I have not asked, Gwen, do you work with people outside the US?) 

I was actually inspired to think that perhaps the providers that are working with Billie could benefit from using the software platform that Gwen uses to communicate, at least for a while, in order to not only get to know better what Gwen's 'setup is' and how it works, as we'd be more knowledgeable and therefore better at referring people to her that could benefit, but to essentially hold the collaborative care meetings 'virtually', which is part of any collaborative care process is the providers communicating about the patient. And then the patient's primary contact person (in this case, me) keeps them informed of what the team's coming up with.

Since this was our first patient/consumer/client, we've hopefully shown Billie why it is truly to OUR benefit that SHE is giving her time to this project as well, as it is so helpful to us to make another step forward as an effective group of providers who can refer and guide consumers, in the future, effectively.

So thanks, again, to Billie, and I am reminded to say that here because I so appreciated that Gwen 'got that' and said it to Billie in their session, which I was observing and hopefully documenting somewhat effectively through photos, one of which I've shared here, with comment to follow from Gwen, and, as always, Billie!

Billie's input: 

I met with Gwen and she is such an awesome lady. She is my life coach to help me with my day by day living . She will help me with staying focused on what I need to do for my health and wellness to get my body back in shape so I can work a full time job once again.  We will do most of our communicating through a journal that Gwen has set up for us to touch basis on a weekly schedule.

    So what does life coaching do for someone looking to improve their health?

Billie and I have arranged to meet weekly to discuss and problem solve any and everything that stands in her way of her overall big goals, which she has said here at Lumigrate and in our session, above, are getting back to good health and being able to return to working. 

We started with writing down goals. Getting your goals out of your head on to a paper does amazing things to your brain. When you can see the goals it means you have committed to them. I ask people to read them out loud every day. Sounds silly, yet it works. 

Your brain will then help you move toward opportunities that support your goals at every turn.  As Billie  makes changes, it becomes important who are the supportive people in her life and who are upset by change. Practicing good communication and managing your key relationships are key areas that support changing patterns.

Learning how to speak up for yourself in a positive manner is an area where coaching can improve how you find your voice when making positive changes. 

Life coaching will consist of 6 weeks of 30 minute phone calls on any topic that needs solutions as Billie  makes progress towards her healthy goals in life. I appreciate Billie's willingness to participate in receiving the services the group's providers are suggesting for her as she goes along the path with us and sharing her perspective as the 'patient', and I look forward to seeing where things go for her from here. 

To me, this 'segment' of the story is my favorite. Because it brings us to a very important part of a successful health care experience, the front office / 'admin' staff's involvement. When I called up Dr Jim Kennedy's office to talk about this collaborative care project surrounding Billie, and asking if Dr Kennedy would waive his usual $95 fee in order to help us all learn about how people, like Billie, who have fibromyalgia can benefit from the services and products he provides, I learned from his front office administrator, Suzie, that they've had patients similar to Billie coming from Vocational Rehabilitation.

So here, I have just learned something new and will be a better advisor in the future, and it was of immense importance to Billie, who has said that "if I didn't find out it from you, I never would have known about it".

This underscores and 'justifies' how cost-effective it is to hire someone who functions in the capacity of 'guide' to the consumer. Naturally, it will be up to Billie and Voc Rehab to work as a team and come up with whatever her future plans will unfold to become in reality, but obviously this could be something that yields many benefits, not only for Billie's future income, and how that benefits her life and overall wellness, but it is essentially the proverbial "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure": a healthier person who is ideally employed (as opposed to 'underemployed' and 'underinsured', etc.) is something that benefits their family and friend groups, their church if they have one, their overall community, state, country and beyond. 

I'm going to post some photos of Dr Kennedy meeting with Billie and then ask Dr Kennedy and Billie to comment on the overall process of including a dentist like Dr Kennedy in the process. (And any of the others from the team, please also comment on any of this, that's what this topic is here for, to show how much we benefit and learn and grow as providers).

  Below, Dr Kennedy checking cranial vault, which is standard operating procedure in his specialty field of dentistry, and Billie's report of being 'knocked out' after her fall and injury at work in 2009 was, naturally, cause for concern and investigation.    

Come back in about a month, as Billie has gotten to Voc Rehab and applied for services and met with their preliminary personnel and was provided an appointment and counselor, about a month out from the time of application. I know that seems like a long time when you've been applying for jobs and not getting interviewed because of restrictions, but a month for a government program which sees so many people was actually a reasonable time out, there are several local progressive providers of services who are booked out about the same amount of time.

This simplified my role a great deal as with one contact given to Billie, she will potentially have three services I was going to 'beat the bushes' to stir up, including a new FCE, or functional capacity evaluation. Billie was even able to answer Dr Kennedy's question as to what FCE stands for! In the mean time, I'll turn it over to Dr Kennedy and comment from Billie I will add in when she has a chance to read up on this and send me something to include.    

     More of the office amenities     

From Billie: 

I met with Dr. Kennedy and he has a heart of gold. I am glad he will be working on my mouth to get my teeth straighten out. He works with people through the program I'm waiting to get started in, so it was really helpful to find out from him about the program to help people who have had things happen that affects their employment. If all goes well with funding, he said he could get a bridge made up for me, which will make me very happy. The last bridge had metal in it and I am allergic to metal. I had to have the last dentist in Indiana pull the metal out but the it would not fit right, so I have had to do without a bridge for quite some time now. So having Dr. Kennedy fix that problem for me .......?  Yes....I am very happy about that possibility, as well as the vocational rehabilitation program they suggested. If it weren't for Mardy and Dr Kennedy's office, I wouldn't have known about it. 

It was a pleasure to meet Biliie and be able to help her on her journey here in Grand Junction toward health and employment.

Dentistry is integral in the total health paradigm. The bite of the teeth and the articulation of the lower jaw to the craniaum at the TMJs  is important in whole body structural balance.

Materials used in the mouth to restore teeth, make crowns and bridges, removable bridges, and dentures can cause sensitivities and allergic reactions that can have a chemical effect on the whole body. 

The appearance of your teeth and how the teeth support the lips and face are important for a person's inter-relationships with others and affects self esteem and confidence. This is where I can help Billie. Making a new lower removable bridge to replace the missing teeth will improve her image to self and others related to vocation/work. In her case, as in others, making this bridge without any metals will benefit her overall heath. I look forward to our next step. 

After six weeks of weekly life coaching, Billie has achieved 55% of her better health goal. She has significant remediation of pain, which was a 7-8/10 when we began, and now is a 3-4/10 at it's worst, per her self report. She also reports improvement in sleep.

At the start of our sessions in the spring, she had worked up to hiking 3 hours, crediting the improvements she had when Dr Jeff started providing chiropractic treatment in early January. This built upon her initiative, as she's said, related to walking in the past year or so, prior to getting the desired/preferred chiropractic care. Currently she is hiking as long as 5-6 hours. 

Well, now there are two disciplines/providers from the Grate Groove who have completed their provisions, Gwen. It turns out that by the time Billie was underway enough with Dr Jeff to where she was ready for YogaDance, Kohava Howard was in the midst of making some decisions about her life but didn't yet announce she would be moving to Buffalo, New York. So that's why that aspect of the story, above, was a little thin.

There are so many lessons in this about how patients/clients are affected by the realities of the providers, and underscores how you truly are a team with anyone you have on your YOU model. For example, the beginning of the story, which had to do with the vaccination policy/rights issues affecting the chiropractors' volunteering during influenza season at the clinic where Billie gets her primary health care. And I agree with you, we've all been able as providers to learn so much more than we knew previously about each other's treatment approach with clients/patients/consumers, thanks to Billie's willingness to participate in this. 

I have continued to assist Billie/teach/support in becoming more effective in the YOU!/center of the care team. Again, at the beginning of the story back in 2012, she was in a crack because of things that she hopefully has now learned about were the 'tripping points' and she'll work differently in the present to practice more while I'm still helping her, and then be more effective in the future after I've hopped off at the completion of things. 

The major 'news' to update is that in addition to continuing to pursue things she'd already been aware of related to getting Medicaid insurance and other services she's entitled to being in the situation she has gotten into, Billie went to the Vocational Rehabilitation program offered by the State of Colorado. That entailed filling out a short application and getting an appointment to meet with a counselor, which was only about a three week wait. I had called and spoken with, it turns out, the counselor she was appointed with, to get the scoop on what the process would be. Nowhere did he say to me that if she were to meet their criteria, there was currently a situation called 'order of selection' where they're getting people approved and then they sit on a list for a year, 18 months, two years, he said. Billie's said recently when we communicated that she'd been told maybe even three years. 

Which means that in order to have better response to employment applications and interviews, the FCE and denture components are things that the State/Voc Rehab won't be able to help her with in the near or middle future. A year ... two .. three. I'm sorry Billie and anyone who has a disability and difficulty that retraining and rehabilitation could help has this kind of roadblock. 

So I have communicated with Dr Jeff about the FCE as there are a couple of options we can go with that, and I will be following up on that this week. Last week I also communicated with Dr Kennedy as well as the Voc Rehab office to see what other suggestions they would have, as Dr Kennedy is generously offering to donate his time to fit the appliance and treat Billie, but the product is something that is made in a dental lab and they're quite costly, as Billie has said, that's where she'd gotten no further at the dental clinic she has access to at Marillac. I also placed a call to their social worker just to get ideas of other services they might offer and also to educate myself as I'm not familiar with their various programs and what type of insurance or costs are attached to them.

In order to be sure Billie's on her way as we're wrapping up our services for her, as my component is one where you start to let the patient do more on their own prior to completion so that they have the opportunity to fail and have someone to turn to still, I want to know that she won't be tripping anymore over misunderstandings or will know from what is provided to her what services are available at the clinics and programs she has the benefit of using.

(I did things similarly when appropriate when I was an OT in insurance-based outpatient therapy, going from 2x/week to 1x/week to less frequently for about a month or two before 'discharge'. Now that Billie's on a waiting list but approved for Medicaid without being able to use it until off the list, that is a change coming her way and something to be just getting all squared away on. As she said she's 'patiently waiting'. (I don't think she was being punny on that but it is a pun!)

I understand from Voc Rehab that when they send out the information about the client being in the 'order of selection' process, meaning the long list/wait for services, there is a sheet that contains the programs they suggest might be able to help people if they were to approach them. I understand that the Center for Independence works with people to get funding applications put together for two charitable organizations, Friends of Man and the A.V. Hunter Trust. I'm only joining in on Billie's process in the last year, so I am now seeing how many applications and offices and programs and people a person has to approach and how many of them don't net you anything without long waiting lists and in the mean time, you're without a lot of things that are necessary and desirable. But, that's the next step, possibly, and I've communicated with Billie about that as well, naturally. 

Look for updates coming possibly from Analii, Dr Jeff, and naturally, Billie.

I will share here that I've gotten a progress report from "Enthused in England", the woman who read this story this winter and got very motivated about becoming more proactive. She realizes how beaten down she'd gotten from the symptoms of fibromyalgia not being adequately addressed by her health care providers, which in her case is their National Health Service. But instead of turning over all the stones of what was available to her, she had just wandered away to be in a great deal of pain and with decreased function.

She was sent to 'physiotherapy', which was an OT who worked on neck exercises and she had great results and was very pleased. She was very appreciative of the inspiration she found at Lumigrate with this story about the Grate Groove providing complimentary services to Billie and her proactivity. They have long winters there, and spring came and she was out doing more things than I recall ever seeing her doing (via my Facebook feed). Just last week she posted about delightful organic foods she had purchased at the farmer's market and she seems revitallized related to nutritional approaches to reversing symptoms of inflammation and chronic illness.

This is a challenge to her as she subsides on the efficient amount provided by the government for a person who is disabled. She utilizes the information in Lumigrate's forums as well as other Internet resources, and was 'invested' enough in wanting to learn more about functional medicine she purchased a used copy of the book I recommend to ALL people, that took the slow and inexpensive ship 'across the pond' via Amazon.com.  

So I look forward to continuing to learn of people near or far benefitting from what the Grate Groove and Lumigrate have set up for motivated consumers/patients to run with. But ultimately it is YOU, Billie or Enthused -- the consumer -- who makes things happen or not, and we see that in the many details afforded us by the providers and Billie, so than you all, again! And I was so pleased to read the progress Gwen outlined, way to go Billie (and all who helped make it happen)! Decreased pain, increased sleep are VERY GRATE improvements, and doing 5-6 mile hikes -- marvelous!

Gratefully - Mardy

Here's what Enthused In England just sent me about her progress to report. How cool is this!

HI MARDY, 

 

I worked this winter and spring with a physiotherapist. The excercise has improved my well-being so much, and I am now able to walk further and further.  

 

I had my last Physio session for neck and shoulders last week, what a difference the exercises have made!  I am able to turn my head without pain now. Hearing here about 'the system' Billie is having to navigate through reminds me of how tough it was when I had to stop working due to ill-heath, and had to survive on £60 per week... 

 

Do you remember, Mardy, the video link I shared with you, stating that there is a connection between neck problems and fibromyalgia? Well, my Physio watched it, as I gave her the link... and she totally agreed with it. So, similar to what Gwen says in her last update, this has been something my provider here in England has reaped the rewards of, secondarily, thanks to my seeing, and being inspired and enthused by this, as you said, on Lumigrate.com.

 

• I was very excited to stumble across this video, and wanted to share it with you and you all, as I did my physiotherapist.

   

  Part 3 - Fibromyalgia: New Insights, New Hopes

  www.youtube.com

  Fibromyalgia: New Insights, New Hopes - Patrick W. Wood MD, Pacific Rheumatology Associates, Chief Medical Officer Angler Biomedical Technologies Filmed at t...

   

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iFpdoY9e5Q is the link directly/not embedded) 

Uploaded on Jan 24, 2011

Fibromyalgia: New Insights, New Hopes - Patrick W. Wood MD, Pacific Rheumatology Associates, Chief Medical Officer Angler Biomedical Technologies

Filmed at the OFFER 2010 Patient Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah

Part 3 of 3

OFFER, or the Organization for Fatigue & Fibromyalgia Education & Research, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and is dedicated to provide the ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia community with current information regarding these illnesses.

For more information or do donate, please visit www.OFFERutah.org All donations are tax-deductible. We thank you for your continuing support.

 

~~ Enthused in England  

 

Also, here's a photo I'd like to share from a recent hike! Do you see the "Meow" and cat face -- a little artistic graffiti artist finding a 'canvas'." (I'm very much a cat lover, so thought I'd share this one here.)

 

 

 

This is my first post on Lumigrate, having connected through Analii to meet Mardy, though we had met briefly professionally at a clinic when I had not been back to Grand Junction for long. This is so interesting because I'm now seeing patients in the center, above in photos with Analii and Billie, which is where I reconnected with Mardy, but I'm learning more about Analii too, and the other Grate Groove of the Grand Valley providers working on this collaborative project. 

I'll have to check out that video that Enthused in England has been turning people onto, and what an interesting connection via Lumigrate. And I have connections maybe 2 degrees from who provided the video, possibly. "It's a small world" comes to mind. What a resource, and I look forward to adding some content to contribute here in the forums. Look back in the near future!

Amy

Okay....I have an update on my over all health since I started working with this team....I guess we can call this my 8 month update....

                                                                      

In the last month, I have climbed two 14-ers! That is a very big accomplishment for someone who could hardly move around much without being in pain, and being so stiff I walked like a cardboard cutout in the past. Now I am much more limber and almost completely pain free.... With all these wonderful people helping me for the last 8 months it has made a huge difference in my life...

Going through this whole process I have found out there is help out there, but you have to search it out and find it... Once you can figure that out and where to start and go next, then the help is here.... In January Mardy told me about the Grate Goove of the Grand Valley and got me started working with Dr Jeff (chiropractor), and here it is 8 months later and I feel better than I have in a very, very long time...

Now, I must say it is not just Dr Jeff that has helped but Analii and her class has also helped me, and Gwen the life coach as I wrote about last time.... Jeff is my chiropractor and he has done wonders on my back neck and shoulder... Anali has taught me how to stand , sit, lay down and walk by balancing my body weight... It is amazing how much I have learned from her, and my body thanks her for it... I still use her techniques every day...... Gwen helped me to learn what to focus on in my life to make my body better...

Because I was able to relieve some stress in my life after I was able to determine which aspects in my life were more important to me at the present moment and time.... I also have to add another very important person in my life that helped me through all of this... I will call him "L", and he is my best friend.... The reason I must add him is because he pushed me to my limits and beyond. He took me hiking through all of this even though I was in pain sometimes and felt I could not go on now and then. He was there saying "come on, I know you can do this ... Now come on ..... "

Now I am about ready for Dr. Kennedy to start working on my teeth... The paperwork is about finished, but it's been a task that took most of the summer to pull together. I will get together with Mardy again to look at everything and then I'll turn it in! She has the estimated expense letter from Dr. Kennedy. Dr. Kennedy has agreed to help me get my teeth worked on so I can have better luck at getting a job and having better self esteem talking to people because I have some bottom front teeth missing and some people likes to stare...

But in order for him to do this for me I need to have some funds to do so.... He agreed to waive his fee but the laboratory expense is something he provided an estimate for. In order for him to do this for me I need to have some funds to do so.... I found out the name of the person at DHS/Department of Human Services for the county and I went in and talked with the contact person. She sent me a packet of paperwork with the application to fill out and information on getting other important paperwork that goes along with the application... I had to get a letter from my doctor stating I was medically fit for having the requested service/dental work, and a letter from Dr. Kennedy estimating the cost of the work.

I also had to go to the social security office to get a printout of my past work history and earnings. So this is a bit of a process, but if you stick with it you can get it done. Now that everyone's done all their parts, we can put it together and submit it and I should be able to get my teeth done real soon.... I am striving to go back to work so I do not have to be declared "disabled", and I do believe 100% that it will happen....I want my life back and I am getting it back....

These 8 months with my previous health care continuing in addition to what the Grate Groove has done for me has done wonders for me...I am living proof that alternative medicine and techniques work wonders when combined with the necessary things from my regular clinic. 

                                          

It was up to each of the Grate Groove of the Grand Valley's providers to be part of this collaborative project for 2013 or not, and what they wanted to contribute/provide and for how long. Since my part is the primay one, as the concierge or navigator or YOU! coach, whatever you wish to call it, and chiropractics was what Billie was primarily/ initially desiring, I was really pleased to see Dr Jeff go from where he was with his input at the start to saying 'I'm going to follow through for the whole year'. 

Since we didn't know at the start about the dental component, and then there were limitations at the Marillac Clinic in terms of what they could or would be able to do, funding, etc., I'm not sure we'll have Billie's dental needs finished up by the end of 2013 at the close of our time together, but the beauty of the YOU! Model is the patient is the central driving force of their health care team and so they basically set the 'pace' of their health care progress.

As Billie relates so well, above, her priorities and attention this summer went more to doing a lot of hiking experiences, and obviously there is recovery time after being pushed beyond your limits, as she relates here. Dr Kennedy's letter was ready to go and mailed, ironically, on the first day of summer. 

I'm going to be spinning in the overall/basic progress update highlights from Analii and Jeff here as well to hopefully make it more cohesive and succinct, then they can add on if they wish. Patients, in my experience, have an overall predictive pattern with recovery and part of it has to do with having been 'sick and tired of being sick and tired', and then also being 'sick of putting so much 'work' into my wellness.' Without exception, the patients with brain injuries that I have worked with have gone out at some point when they're really doing well in their recovery and messed themselves up, setting themselves backwards temporarily at least, and sometimes it permanently alters the course of their recovery. 

Analii's overall experience with her students in the classes like Billie has attended due to Analii's generous support of this project to help Billie with her overall goal for wellness recovery is that people's progress mirrors how consistently they come to class, and I think it's a 3x a week class. Billie was decreasing the number of classes she was attending as she was busier with hiking and other functional activities but as you see, she has reported that she took the information with her and applied it every day. Analii had said when I did a check-in as the overall YOU 'helper'/supervisor/teacher that she thought Billie benefitted from seeing that everyone coming to the class had a health goal and many had significant pain and dysfunction with their bodies as well. That's the beauty of classes and groups, generally, so I was not surprised but was pleased to hear that Billie was apparently no exception. 

Dr Jeff has decreased the frequency of treatment to one appointment every week and then once every other week. I'm hopeful that the providers working with Billie are reminded of the 'synergism' that I think was very clear with it not being just chiropractic appointments or just movement therapy classes. I know that Billie did let me know on one occasion that she had a lot of pain and was really struggling and I had suggested she be sure to let Dr Jeff know, and Analii, and then learn as much as possible about what thing or things might have contributed to the 'backslide' or 'flareup', depending upon what it exactly was. Again, it's very common and I think it's beneficial for some people to keep wellness journals where they record their overall activities and diet consumer, and for some weather basics (as some people are senstive to weather and others are not). 

So now our next step is to have any additional comments from Billie or her team (Dr Jeff, Analii, Gwen, Dr Kennedy) here and then she and I will get together so I can add Dr Kennedy's statement of costs to what Billie has and look it over so I learn more about what the whole process looks like when ready to get submitted, and have her turn it in! And I have spoken with the same gal at DHS she has, and because of her dedication prior to the Groove wanting to work with her this year, and this eight months of 2013, this 'story/topic' will basically serve as basically an 'added bonus' to the application which will possibly serve to offset the copayment that is always expected people contribute to the item funded by the philanthropic organization so they're sure to be spending their hard-earned funds on people who will be 'good investments'. In other words, we found Billie to be a likely good investment of our time, energy, money as Groove providers and she is still here, eight months later, plugging away still! 

Part of what I will cover in our meeting is clarifying with Billie what she can and cannot do at this time in terms of physical tasks because she likely wasn't at the level the government will say 'disability' on an application at the start of 2013, and she clearly is in better physical shape than most women her age right now who are working full time jobs. So then getting her aligned after she has her dental needs taken care of to get a job when vocational rehabilitation has her on a waiting list that is going to be another 1-2-1/2 years wait, is my top concern. They have provided her and me with a copy of a list of resources they redirect people to when they're not actively helping them.

I'm certainly learning about the 'gaps in the system' in our county, state, country, and the flaws in the system related to how difficult it is once you work so hard, as Billie has, to get onto these amazing services there for people with valid needs who persist (with some help sometimes with 'navigation'), to get out of it. You're basically doing a trust walk or a leap like a trapeeze artist from one to the other. I hope these are permanent improvements in functional status for Bilie and look forward to where it goes from here. Good work, everyone! And that includes you YOU-ser of Lumigrate.com reading this or otherwise, for your interest in this story we hope provides education and benefit to the MANY of YOU who have read about it, 1,444 reads so far at our eight month mark. (Naturally, thanks to Billie for allowing the Groove to do this project with you!) ~~ Mardy

It is so great to see a change in health over time. I believe that for Billie, it all started with attitude. When you want to be healthy and believe that you can take actions to make it happen, amazing things will follow.

Everyone  does need a support team of  people, friends or just caring professionals like the Great Groove Gang. New healthy habits are like small seeds that need care, water and food to grow and flourish. I was happy to provide the life coaching to support and nourish the seeds of change.

Positive actions have to begin with big ideas and the confidence that your actions will bring results. I believe that good health is a requirement for personal development and professional success.
 

Well, we finished up 2013 and I had the pleasure of catching Billie on the afternoon of New Years Eve to see how things were going. She reported that she had, just in the last weeks, gotten a response about the application she made for funding of her oral care needs by the philanthropic organization; they had agreed to pay for the relining of the upper denture. I thought that was great, and perhaps that could be diverted from Dr Kennedy to the clinic she goes to and then they're get the revenue from that, which would be a patient bringing something through the doors with them that the clinic hadn't had a hand in -- that might be a good will gesture of the patient to the clinic that would reflect positively on the patient. However, it seemed the ball was already in motion and the check was being sent to Dr Kennedy.

Billie was pleased about that as she had a great deal of confidence in him from the meeting/assessment in May, and naturally she is in great hands there. So I connected with his office and then with him directly so that everyone knew where things stood and that the project was coming to an official end at 2013; any participation by providers beyond that point is independent and I think it's great that Dr Kennedy was understanding of how it was that things didn't get completed this year by year's end. 

I also communicated with the only other provider still involved, who was the first one after me to hop in, and that is Dr Jeff McCloskey. I wanted to get a ballpark about the costs of services provided by the providers you see, above, and in light that Billie is hiking 14-ers by summer (hence the delay in getting to the paperwork for the oral care), this was clearly a person who is ready to return to work. Now it's a matter of the State of Colorado's Vocational Rehabilitation getting the list of people above Billie helped. It is a shame that she somehow didn't know about that service before, but at least it was flushed out in our year and interestingly enough when we delved into the dental needs aspect. That wasn't even something I was aware of when I suggested this to the group, yet that ended up being a 'gem' that came out of the process in terms of services for return to work for Billie.

This is the ballpark tally of what it 'cost' the providers in this 'outside the box' loose 'groovey' group, to contribute to the 'benefits' of increased functional ability for Billie in one calendar year:

Patient navigator via me/Mardy Ross, using the YOU model of collaborative care and teaching that to Billie and the team throughout the year: HARD to estimate, because we were 'creating a groove' out of no previous experience so it was like a prototype, but had I met with Billie once a month on average for 12 months at $100/hour it would have been $1,200. Once every other week or half an hour / week -- $2,400. 

Chiropractic care, via Dr Jeff McCloskey, which included assessment and reassessments, 3x/week visits initially and gradually dropping to every other week by year's end: Just under $4,000

Movement Therapy with Analii Cunningham, which allowed for the increased progress, per Billie, and with total agreement by both Dr Jeff and Analii: 2 individual sessions and classes for the spring (basically, as Billie didn't continue/need to continue going once summer got there), plus Analii provided equipment for Billie to have at home indefinitely: Under $500 (Analii being in Grand Junction charges per the area which is less than most other areas, hence my using that figure for this 'mental exercise'. 

YogaDance with Kohava Howard, one complimentary class  for Billie and her partner/friend - $15x2 ($30)

Coaching with Gwen Pettit, CLC and PT. As you can read from the story, above, Gwen adapted her original offer to have the coaching be online writing by Billie with Gwen checking in as coach to being weekly 1:1 phone session for six weeks. This translates into a cost of $600 for this aspect of wellness assistance.  It is important to note here, that if this were a bigger system of people, Gwen does groups that bring the cost per person down, and I have spoken with her recently about offering groups where she and I collaborate with patients with a certain condition that is being targeted online and victimized by disengenuous types. 

THANKS TO FRIENDS OF MAN and Dept of Human Services for brokering the paperwork and connections, the lining of the existing denture will be $350 and they weren't able to also, with 2013's funds, pay for the other denture which was itemized on the estimate/bid by Dr Kennedy. So since this gets into another organization funding and etc., I'm including it here, but not itemizing it in the total, and very much thank Dr Kennedy for his contribution to the project and for getting this completed in the early part of 2014. Also, thanks to the DHS and FOM personell and all who conribute to Friends of Man with their donations to fund these efforts.  (HOWEVER, had they funded it, the total was $1,200 ....)

In order to inspire new ideas in eating, Crossroads Fine Foods had provided a gift certificate and quality dark chocolate bar in the Valentine's Day gift basket as well. I'd held off on getting to that part of the story as there were so many other things Billie was putting her time into and the funding of the oral aspect was, in my opinion, so critical that until we got that done I wasn't going to dilute her time/energy/focus and so -- she'll get to go in and use that on her own. Always fun (and healthy, they increasingly have safer food products for consumers.) They ironically hosted a Foodies 101 with the chiropractic association on a week Dr Jeff was out of town, which was unfortunate timing. I hope they do it again when he can attend, I went to one in the summer and it was wonderful. 

So, essentially, for well under $10,000 all this was done, in additon to the regular services provided by 'the system that is in place' with the medical, mental, dental 'conventional' clinic that Billie has been receiving services from in the past and present, and we can hope into the future. There's one more capable person who was previously seeking disability benefit, if the work force can accommodate it.  In calling to the clinic to check on how things are going there, they said that the current funding issues are making them look at if they will be viable and in operation by the middle of this decade.

I hope that we all can look at how to solve these issues, and in my mind ... to quote a famous actor turned politician "bring down these walls". Remember that this project was inspired by the difficulty Billie expressed on a Facebook comment to wanting to have chiropractic services. That when she resolved the issue of a copay being cost-prohibitive, they put her on the list to be seen by the volunteering chiropractors, who then quit volunteering when they were going to be required to have flu vaccine or wear a mask at all times, something they were understandably opposed to if you know anything at all about the wellness versus illness models of medicine. 

This is a time we all can benefit from learning as much as we can about these subject and getting involved in as much or little ways as possible. I feel that Lumigrate's providers in the Grand Valley had done a great deal to that end in 2013 and I hope that Billie feels that this was also a great step forward in learning that will help take her through 2014 and beyond. Most of all, for me, I saw how at the DHS or FOMan, the clinic staff, and all our Groove providers , and Vocational Rehabilitation -- EVERYONE was wanting to do the right thing for the patient/consumer, in this case, Billie.

With a committed person like Billie who has her roadmap in mind of where she wants to go and what that will take to get there, having a good team around you leads to success. She ultimately had done a great deal within her personal support system without the conventional community initially and with the Groove providers in 2013, and so I wish all involved well, and give thanks to all. Reaching across the old lines and learning new things -- that is what it is all about in this NEW year of 2014. 

The Grate Groove group was something that I felt was the right thing to start in 2009/August and this was a great way to 'conclude', for a while at least formally. Take a pause and wait for things to either move forward or not. If they move forward, the groove has a good foundation under us now, and really understands much more about what types of services we have that can inter-connect with one patient and help them more than operating in a bubble.

I'd started to think about this project at the end of 2012 and I had not forseen the shift that was going go happen and how it was going to affect the Groove providers. I'd know of a potential 'shift' that was theorized and suspected there was, indeed, a lot on the horizon, but I had not accounted for some of the things I wasn't aware of, namely geoengineering. And so in 2013 I was as distracted/taken in new directions by that as anyone, but really the overall 'connectivity' that was coming together in 2011 and refined in 2012, really 'blew apart' overall, with the exception with this collaboration.

So I will always appreciate Billie's coming along and being receptive to participating, as well as each one of the providers who .. literally 'provided'. And if you've followed this story, thank YOU as well. To me, one of the neatest aspects is the woman in Great Britain who was 'Enthused in England' and got inspiration and "wind in her sails" from this story when she read about it on the Internet. AND shared with use here as well, which you see Amy Hill Fife commenting on, above. Yes, we're all connected more than we know sometimes. 

Gratefully ~~ Mardy

"The Groove" in Grand Junction, Colorado, which I started slowing developing in 2009 and growing now and then, changing as we go and grow is perhaps the prototype for other communities to have Grate Grooves someday, as I have opportunities come up to work outside of the Grand Valley, my home since 2003, and where the seeds were initially planted for Lumigrate to be created in 2008/9, and all that's sprung from it. That includes our cornerstone YOU! Model: 

After pausing on the Groove for most of 2014, there was another big step forward in November of 2014, with Amy Hill Fife having the need to expand at the same time as space next door to Analii's center became available. Sharing photos of the construction on Facebook and my having seen it in my feed lead me to contact her and offer to sell the old Lumigrate office stuff that's been in my house since we closed our offices in 2009 -- so for over five years I thought 'maybe I'll get funding together to be able to rent space again'. Analii then needed to create an office where Amy was moving out of and it was a Win - Win - Win.  Ironically, I'd been delayed in selling the items because I'd taken photos on a smartphone that died and had many other things detaining me. As if it was just not meant to happen until Amy and Analii had their expansion of spaces. As Amy referred to, above when commenting, it's a small world sometimes and the way things are connected sometimes is really interesting. 

That got us back in touch with each other -- 'out of sight, out of mind' is a problem that I try to combat by posting daily on Facebook....  So I went to take something to Amy that she'd realized fit perfectly in the space she had for a mirror in the bathroom and she said 'I referred a patient to Lumigrate today'.  I've had so much experience now having people find Lumigrate and what their reactions are to it -- it has portions on it that are about the local providers, but it also has experts from around the US and beyond in one case. So it's very multi-purpose and there are sometimes glitches in websites and getting emails, AND some people don't feel comfortable doing a contact us, they'd rather call. I have to find someone to help me change the phone number that's currently there, I switched away from the broadband cable for business phone to one that goes with wherever I go.  I'll spare you all the details of the technical issues that come up and just suffice it to say with multiple ways of contacting me, hopefully all three work but if not, try another route! here are the routes:  

1) Find Lumigrate on the Internet and look around, use the Contact US and hopefully it's all updated. 

2) My preferance is for people to call me, and this is the correct and current number is: 970/773-0997. (I switched to a mobile 'home number' so my less EMF phone can go with me wherever I go (as well as my cellular which I use less due to more EMFs). New knowlege leads to new strategies and changes for me, just as with everyone learning how to adapt and navigate our complex, modern world and have our best health level possible. 

The website is a necessary tool to do my work and "reach and teach" people en mass, but when someone wants you to call me because they know my work and that I might be able to further help you, I think it's ideal to go back to the basics --- the phone. (I grew up with an 8 party line and a phone with a dial and a cord to the wall, folks. And fun fact, the show "South Park" is about where I grew up, one of the co-creators is 10 years my junior and alum of the schools I attended.)

3) You can also connect with me on Facebook if you are comfortable with the PMing there (many are not, many don't care about the security/ data mining issues). I have a unique name so it's easy to find me -- "Mardy Ross" is what you look for and I have my settings so you don't have to friend request me to private message me. Or if you're a FB friend of Amy's or Analii's or any of the other Grate Groove providers, you can find us their FB friends list to find others but with my unique name it's not necessary.

(Note: Maybe find and look around at and "Like" The Grate Groove of the Grand Valley's Facebook Page, as well, which we titled "LumiGrate Groove of the Grand Valley". This was done in case someone typed "Lumigrate..., they'd not find 'Grate'.

If I don't get back to you in WHATEVER way you initiate, try again or another route, particularly calling --   I do return all messages and calls I am aware of and don't have any more troubles than other people with my brain being full and forgetting things, but we all know things do sometimes go awry. I noticed that as people had more emails, social media, phones that go with them and you talk to someone when not with a note pad at a desk, the incidence of mistakes increased (sometimes I've had three phones and three emails or Facebook -- six places to keep up with). 

My background includes being an occupational therapist, I look at function, that's just 'part of what I do'. So I apologize in advance for any difficulties reaching me IF you have any difficulties. Hence --- the many ways to reach me! Don't worry about the time that you call, I'm very flexible, there's voicemail and I turn the ringers off when I need to. Let your tools be tools and help you lead a healthy, balanced life. (All things I can work with people on as part of the occupations of life when outside of the 'box' of insurance-based medicine...).  

Thanks to Amy for inspiring this new comment that I thought for now I'd add here on the thread about the Grate Groove's project in 2013 since she was the last expert to register with Lumigrate from Grand Valley (and there were only two others from the East Coast in 2013, as I shifted away from the time-consuing work of finding and vetting our invited experts to be seen on Lumigrate and write, etc. -- I was able to use the time to create a LOT more information for YOUsers by providing it all myself).  

This will serve as a handout until we get a new, separate topic that is just about referrals and etc. We ARE a work IN PROGRESS and it's wonderful to share it with YOU! Please connect!  

About me: You can go to Lumigrate and see my about on any topic I've written in the Forums, and there is ALSO a forum "About Our Lumigrate Experts" that a few of our experts have put information on, and I'm one of them. There is also the About information you see easily when at Lumigrate dot com's landing page.  

"Fun facts about that": the photograph was taken by a friend with a good camera using the lights from the Lumigrate studio before I sold them to someone who could use them for his new endeavors -- someone from the Grate Groove in 2012/13, and then an old friend from "South Park" went on to be a graphics artist and photoshop-er so he made the photo look it should for the Internet purposes. He also designed the landing page currently in use that has me in what looks like Oz in a way, as well as the YOU! Model and the Full Barrel Syndrome model we launched with and which I still use today.  It takes a village! I'm looking forward to meeting you in person.  ~ Mardy

 (11/2009 -- A Facebook friend who invited me to dinner in Lakewood as she wanted to meet me and knew I was from that area. We connected when she was having difficulties with one of the specialties I have (fibromyalgia) in 2008. We worked together remotely and she got into a better groove and was on her way onward and upward). I had to be back to Grand Junction the next afternoon to help a PT with a difficult splint-making project their clinic borrowed my old hand therapy equipment to see if they could broaden their services to meet the needs of the Valley's patients, so was on my way back over the mountains after this on Veteran's Day -- just me and the semis most of the way. Easiest trip I've ever made except I got tired about 1 am.  But I was so glad to have gotten to spend time with her and her family and see her 'real life'. And we thankfully got a 'grate' photo! 

So that those receiving this page from Amy's clinic can see what the About Amy says in the signature when she wrote on this comment thead above this on Lumigrate:  

Amy Hill Fife, MPT, WCS, BCB-PMD has over 20 years of combined experience in orthopedics, women's health, pelvic health, and exercise and sports medicine, as well as educating, lecturing, and consulting with medical providers and consumers. The initals after her name are unfamiliar to some: Master's of Physical Therapy (Medical College of Georgia), Board Certified Women's Certified Specialist, Board Certified Biofeedback-Pelvic Muscle Dysfunction. Women's Health is the most recent specialty certification from the American Physical Therapy Association. There are only 155 Board Certified Women's Health providers in the U.S. Amy is the first and only board certified specialist in Women's Health and Biofeedback for Pelvic Muscle Dysfunction currently serving the region between Denver and Salt Lake City. She serves the same region uniquely qualified in the specialty of pelvic muscle dysfunction in children and adolescents.

Restore your health. Regain your confidence. Resume your life. Visit her website: www.amyhillfife.com where you can connect with her on social media.