I have noticed that I haven't been to the site a lot in the recent past, for that I appologize to all my old, new and not yet friends on here.  I will try to make it to the site more often now. 

I guess you could say that once I came to the realization or epiphany about the acceptence of my being an amputee and that my prosthetic was as much a part of me as my own real full leg is or ever was, that I decided to even more to enjoy the life I was given and to live it to the fullest or until my wife has me commited to an institution.  I can't say I am out there climbing mountains, skydiving or learning to surf like the lovely Jo.  Somethings are just not me.  But I have started going back to a lot of the things I love to do: going to museums, my art and enjoying my wife and family.

I hope by now most have maybe read my previous blog on my battle with phantom pain and possible winning battle against it.  I seriously believe in accupuncture now as a battle against those phantom pains.  I have been relatively pain free for months now and enjoying it.  My accupuncturist even helped with some back pain I was suffering in the recent past.  So please if you are suffering pain from phantoms or other physical reason, give accupunture a try you may be pleasantly surprised.

I guess the next thing I wanted to talk or write about was the rather large rise in new members to the site.  WELCOME!!!!!!!  I am personally glad you are here now, you are among friends now.  We are all here to assist each other and help when we need it.  You are all among others that know what you are going through, there is not a thing that you have or are going through that someone on here hasn't experienced.  If you have something that we haven't gone through, then share with us so it will help all those here now and those that come in the future. 

You should all always remember that we can't help if we don't know what is happening in your life.  Please share with us, write your blogs, talk with others here.  Like I said in the past we are all friends here.  Yes we are going to get those on the site that are devotees and such, if they bother you report them so they can get dumped.

As a final thought I want to ask again, how are you doing?  What is going on in your life?  Talk to me, I really want to know.

Big Bear Hugs and loads of luv to all!!

Phantom Pain!!!!  Most all of us have experienced it to one degree or another.  For me there were times it would completely immobilize me by making it so painful that I couldn't sleep and really didn't want to move.  It is also rather hard to explain the pain to most non-amputees as they have no true reference point to understand it.  Friends would ask me, "How can something that isn't there hurt?"  Or they would tell me to just rub it.  There mouths would just drop open when I would reply to them to find out what dump the hospital used for my foots ashes and I would.

Well another friend of mine who suffers from knee pain and muscle pain in his hip told me of an accupuncture doctor that has really helped him be able to be mobil again.  So I decided to give it a try.

I have gone for just three treatments (one a week) and I have now been pain free for over a month!!!  The doctor told me that after the third treatment that the only time I need to come back is if the pain returns, like I said it hasn't after nearly 5 weeks. 

Will this work for everyone?  No idea.  Accupuncture has been around for more centuries than modern style medicine.  What I do know is that it has helped me and I dearly hope it can help any of you that need it.

Big Bear Hugs!!!!

James