My Project: 365 Creative Writing Prompts

Day 58: Pain management – Fasciitis

 

This morning I learned that someone I know is suffering from fasciitis. Ever the concerned, helpful and resourceful friend that I am, I immediately sprang into action and researched what fasciitis is and how to treat it.

 

What is Fasciitis

 

Fasciitis is a rather common cause of heel pain. Not just the heel though, but the ligaments that connect the heel to the toe bones. In other words, the whole flat or arched side of the foot. As we walk and run, these ligaments absorb the pressure we put on our feet, but too much pressure or unsuitable footwear can cause these ligaments to get damaged or even tear.

 

What causes Fasciitis

According to the experts, fasciitis can be caused by being overweight. The weight of the body put extra pressure on the feet resulting in the ligaments getting inflamed.

 

Other people who are at risk to develop this condition are runners and joggers, which makes sense as their feet take a lot of punishment.

 

Professionals who spent a lot of time on their feet may also develop fasciitis. Folks such as hair stylists, waiting staff, nurses, and blue-collar workers.

 

Finally, people who have very high arches or flat feet are at risk.

 

Since my friend is not overweight, is not a jogger (to the best of my knowledge), does not work in a salon, hospital or factory, I have to assume that her high arches or flat feet are to blame.

 

How to treat Fasciitis

 

The first thing a doctor will give a patient suffering from fasciitis is anti-inflammatory tablets along with the advice to rest the affected foot. Walk as little as possible and certainly don’t run.

 

In severe cases, a doctor may suggest an injection of corticosteroid, directly into the ligament.

 

Physical therapy is an important part of treating fasciitis. A therapist will show the patient how correctly stretch the Achilles tendons along with the plantar fascia.

 

Pain Management

 

Along with pain tablets and anti-inflammatory pills, a patient can wear something called a fasciitis brace. Not only will such a brace speed up the recovery time but it will ease the pain when walking.

 

To avoid further fasciitis episodes ... give the stilettos or ballerina slippers a miss and wear proper shoes with sufficient heel and arch support.

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ISIS - Behind the mask - this might make your blood boil

Special Report Senior International Correspondent: Clarissa Ward

http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2017/03/europe/isis-behind-the-mask/index.html

This story irks me on so many levels. If the Belgian government knows this guy is an ISIS terrorist, why don’t they pick him up and throw his ass in prison, or better yet, kill him. What are they waiting for? For him to kill a few innocent people?

Whenever something happens, the government expresses sympathy for the families of those killed in an attack. Sometimes they even acknowledge that the attacker was known to the authorities. So why let this guy walk around freely. Why not do something before he acts?

It also bothers me that he collects welfare checks. He is a 29-year-old healthy male for heaven sake. Does Islam forbid him to work? Of course not, there are plenty of Muslim people who have jobs. But why would he work if he gets money to do nothing.

His wife, no doubt, doesn’t work either, so she collects welfare too.

And they have a son, which he named after a terrorist and mass murderer. How could the government allow that? I give you one guess with what kind of mentality that kid will grow up. It is a terrorist in the making.

If they have one kid, others will no doubt follow, which means more child support cheques.

If this guy loves Syria so much, why doesn’t the government of Belgium ship him back there? Is he perhaps too chicken to live among his own kind? Oh wait, there he will have to work for a living, do without the handy welfare checks and forego child support.

The article concludes that he is currently serving 18 months for domestic abuse. So he’s a wife beater. Why prison? Get rid of him and do his wife and the country at large a favor.

Instead of holding a microphone in front of him and making him feel important, they should have held a gun to his head and pulled the trigger. Problem solved.

Would you pity her?

Soon my blog will celebrate its sixth anniversary and over the years many readers have asked me where I find inspiration for my posts. One word … Facebook. Whenever I’m short on inspiration, all have to do is scroll through the Facebook posts and something is sure to jump out at me.

Take today for instance. Someone posted a video of a 22-year old African American woman that was aimed to gear up sympathy for the woman’s "dire" situation.

She works at McDonalds at minimum wage, she had a young kid, and has to make do with what she earns, plus what she gets from child support, plus government assistance.

After seeing the video, I got to thinking and watched it again and again and I found quite a few interesting details.

She complained that she only earns minimum wage at McDonalds. Well, at least she has a job. Millions of people don’t and for one reason or another are refused unemployment benefits.

My neighbor also used to work for McDonalds, but he didn’t stay there. He went to night school, put himself through college and obtained a government job.

The woman lives in a two story house with a beautiful big kitchen. Now it so happens that I have friends and acquaintances who are not exactly well off and I can tell you, none of them live in a two story house. One lives in a cheap apartment, the second shares an apartment with a roommate, the third lives in a trailer and the forth rents one room in a house.

None of these people have children (they can't afford them) so they don’t have the benefit of child support and when they applied for government assistance, they were turned down. Subsequently they turned to The Salvation Army, United Way, and other charities and were sent packing.

The woman in the video states that she only buys frozen foods (as fresh food might spoil and be wasted). Not very smart in my opinion. Frozen food is the most expensive. Take carrots for instance. A tin of carrots costs 65 cents, a bushel of fresh carrots costs 99 cents, while a packet of frozen carrots costs $2.45. If she’s worried about wasting food, she can go to the market on a daily basis for what she needs.

She complains that she had to have a tooth pulled because she couldn’t afford root canal. 

I have news for her, I know quite a few people, working people with medical insurance, who can’t afford root canal either. As for me … I wouldn’t want root canal if you offered it to me for free. 

As for the woman herself … she is African American, yet she has long glossy hair. This indicates a) her hair is straightened, b) has extensions, or c) is a wig. Either way, an expensive look.

As for her clothing … she is seen wearing a GAP T-shirt. Anyone who has ever shopped for clothing knows that GAP is an expensive store. Her jacket I recognized as Tommy Hilfiger (designer gear). Some might say that her T-shirt and jacket are knock-offs, but knock off items are still more expensive than no-name clothing.

All in all, my less than rich friends would trade places with this woman any day. She has a job, she lives in a furnished two story house, she receives child support and government assistance … what exactly is she complaining about?