More Xtra Tuff

While looking through old photos I found one more of me in Xtra Tuffs that I just had to add to my Xtra Tuff post. It is a picture of the crew - Gregg, Me, Nancy and Franz - on the outskirts of the town of False Pass at the start of our hike to Shishaldin Volcano. Our packs are massive with enough food and fuel in them to last us 2 weeks, and we had to walk many miles up a river bed to get to the snow. We had to cross the river numerous times and the rest of the crew had to take their boots off and wade barefooted at each crossing - But not me! I'd much rather wear Xtra Tuffs than hiking boots - I can't think of a situation (except maybe glare ice where crampons are required) that Xtra Tuffs are at a disadvantage. Patrick

A Chronic Pain Specialty

One thing I've noticed since opening my small PT clinic (A Balanced Approach) 3 years ago, is that many of my clients are people "at the end of the road" or at wits end with their pain or disability. This is the facet of people who are in chronic pain; pain that lasts 6 months or beyond--or really any pain that is just not healing. Thats when some doctors refer folks to me-when exercise based approach treatments at other places have not worked, or made things worse. Or when surgery has failed.

I do a manual therapy treatment (Strain Counterstrain) which is very gentle, and yet highly effective at reducing muscle spasms and promoting healing. Treating clients who have more complex cases going on really has become, in many ways, the meat and potatoes of my practice. The End of the Road Physical Therapist. Every physical therapist has their forte or strength; for some it may be post-surgical conditions, or treating shoulders. For me, its treating people who have been in pain for many, many months.

Working with people who have been in chronic pain can be more of a challenge, but one that I really enjoy. The reason it is more of a challenge is because the body has inflammatory pain chemicals that have set into a joint or an area, and it takes a little longer to get that inflmmation down. Also, from what we know about brain chemistry, someone in chronic pain actually has physiologic changes in their brain due to the pain. It is a very complex process of the body processing and accomodating to the pain. Also, we have to establish a treatment relationship so I understand who they are, what they've been through and they understand the approach I take in treatment. It takes a little more time to get that relationship established, and I think its a big part of why people succeed; because they have trust built. They're not seeing various therapists every session. They don't have to tell their same story over and over and over again. This is a big relief to people.

When I got out of physical therapy school, if a client told me that their neck, low back and hip all hurt, I was completely overwhelmed and thought, "Oh I can't treat all those joints at once!". I think back to that and cringe in disbelief at how "inflexible" I was at treating the whole body.

Now, as I sit during that initial interview with a client, and they have multiple body parts circled on the pain chart, I"m all over it. My favorite pain to treat is neck pain--I could work on peoples necks and headaches all day. Seriously. The manual therapy technique that I do works fabulous for neck pain and people see movement differences within 1 session (typically, not always). The client reports back "When I left the clinic and backed the car out, I was able to turn my head around." Thats the reason I enjoy this line of work; when I make even a little bit of a difference, clients are thrilled, because they had been stuck at the same place for so many months (or sometimes years).

Often my clients are ones who are DONE with the health care shuffle. Going to different doctors, different specialists, different physical therapists...
I love the more complex cases such as "abdominal pain of unknown origin; CT scan negative", "Low back pain and chronic leg pain...", "Chronic headaches/migraines". Its these cases, an exercise based approach has failed at a prior facility and people are willing to try just "one more therapy" and they end up in my treatment room.

On so many levels, I'm so thankful to these clients for giving one more thing a try. I've never experienced pain like that myself (knock on wood) and so I can't imagine how disappointing, debilitating, discouraging it would be. I appreciate them letting one more person ask all the same questions that they've been asked and to trust me and my treatment hands to try to get to the source of the pain. I am glad they are willing to see if a "different approach" it will help. I"m big into finding out what is causing the pain; why isn't it healing, and setting the body up with manual therapy, body mechanics, education, so it can heal. There is nothing like the sense of accomplishment when a client leaves the room with a smile on their face and says, "This is the best I've felt in a while. Even to have the pain down a little feels so great. Thank you." At times as they walk off, I have small tears of joy in my eyes and I am reminded why I love my line of work.

I also LOVE it when people are referred to me after 1-2 months of non-healing discomfort, pain. Sometimes people say, "Oh maybe I came in too soon" and I tell them, "no, no, no...you came at the perfect time. We don't want chronic inflammatory chemicals setting into the area. This is the perfect time to treat this problem." People are encouraged by that. I love those cases, because I feel like my involvement perhaps helped reduce the chance of them having chronic pain.

Zoya

Pictures:
Top is of me in my treatment room about 2 years ago
Second one is a picture shortly after graduating from PT school when I worked at Providence PT (where I worked for 8 years).
Group dinner picture with my providence PT team. On the far right is Skip, the therapist I volunteered with in high shool and later worked with upon graduating from school. He was my manual therapy guru!

Power Flex Class

Powerflex classes have officially been going on for 2 months at A Balanced Approach and I've been so thrilled with the turnout to classes this fall.

Last spring, when I decided to take the plunge and get the weights and training to teach trainers in powerflex classes at A Balanced Approach, I never before had taken a power flex class. Part of me wondered, was there a desire or need in Kodiak? Would it be fun? Would people come? Would I pay off the money I put forth into the equipment?

Two months into classes, I have been so amazed by the turnout and support. The 5:30AM class (taught by my BFF Mary Jane) is very packed, anywhere from 6-9 (max cap) people in it. My 4:15 PM class typically has 6 people in it and they are a very consistent regular group.

One thing I noticed was 2 weeks into the classes (after 4 sessions) I started to notice muscles where I hadn't noticed them before (especially upper body right away). This took me by surprise, as I expected it would take at least 4 weeks to start seeing results. Sounding like an infomercial here, but its true. Then I heard the members talking amongst themselves, saying they were seeing results in 2 weeks as well. Its amazing how once you start resistance training with muscles, it really starts changing body composition~~bye bye fat, hello muscle.

The thing I'm happiest with is that the classes have brought in a whole segment of population who wanted to do weight training but didn't want to go to our gym. The classes are less intimidating then walking into a weight training gym and doing a program on your own. Its nice to bring weights back into peoples lives (including mine!).

Zoya

Bye Bye Facebook....

Last weekend I de-activated my Facebook account. I thought about all the little minutes here and there that were spent on facebook that could be better spent on other things like letter writing (which I have always loved and haven't made as much time for it lately), quilting, e-mailing, cooking, and blogging. My involvement in our blog has been less so over the past year and I want to get into posting more again, as I really enjoy it.

For the communication factor with people, I've decided that if someone really wants to get ahold of me, its not that hard to pick up a phone and call, or send an e-mail. yes, facebook is convenient for communication purposes, but I need the technology break from it for a while. It just seemed to be amounting to wasted time.

After signing off, I sent an e-mail to some friends letting them know I signed off. One of them replied back the next day "i did it too!".

Zoya

Xtra Tuffs - Boot of Choice

After a brief hiatus, Xtra Tuffs are once again my hiking boot of choice. I have been hiking in and using Xtra Tuffs for practically every outdoor activity ever since the early 1990s. They are comfortable, durable, and best of all, waterproof. But for a few years there they were not so durable. I had one pair last just one month and with the next pair both boots wore out after only a one week hunt. So I decided to try a new brand and was extremely disappointed. I continued to use a really old pair from 2007 that just never did completely wear out.

Then during a visit to Kodiak Marine Supply, the sales lady told me that Xtra Tuffs are now made in China and that they are good again. She explained that American environmental laws precluded the use of a certain glue. But not so with China. .. . So now with the old glue in the works they are good again.

I am not sure if this is all true or not, but with the backhand compliment in mind I decided to give Xtra Tuffs another try. And after a couple of months use and 2 extended hunts they have held up great. I'm back in the saddle again! I guess the Chinese can manufacture a pretty darn good boot, afterall.

Over the years I've climbed a lot of mountains and done all my hunting in Xtra Tuffs. In fact I do not own a pair of hiking boots. And I have had people gasp when they hear I do use Xtra Tuffs. There is a perception that Xtra Tuffs are somehow inadequate for serious hiking. I say they work great. But you do have to hike a bit differently.

I use ski poles and when I hike on slopes I do not try to edge in but keep the soles of the boots flat to the slope. This requires strong ankles. Extra tuffs are actually better at gripping on rocks. They are less good on wet slippery slopes. You can NOT edge in with Xtra Tuffs and do not even try! But they do grip GREAT.

One key point is that you need to get your Xtra Tuffs to fit right. I get them a size too small so that my feet do not slip around inside (especially important when going down a steep slope - the whole toe jam thing). Then I put a felt liner in them and on top of that a superfeet insole. They feel a little tight at first, but after a few hikes I feel like I got a pair of 'hoofs' on.

Photos - Xtra Tuffs in Action! Top - taking a break in my Xtra Tuffs while negotiating a steep brush covered slope during our recent elk hunt. Second and third photos - my brand new Chinese Xtra Tuffs on their first real test, a hike in Sheep hunt in the Brooks Range. I hiked over 60 miles got a sheep and the boots held up great! And much lighter than true plastic mountaineering boots. Fourth photo - Shishaldin Mountain a 9500 foot Aleutian Strato Volcano in 2005 and my Xtra Tuffs are clearly there on the outside of my pack. Bottom - Koniag Peak 2004 - the highest mountain in the Kodiak Archipelago and my Xtra Tuffs made it to within 20 feet of the summit (not being a peak bagger the last 20 feet just did not seem worth it - REALLY hairy).

Patrick

Family Dinner

Tonight we had an unexpected family dinner with our relatives who now live in town. We're not allowed to name their names on our blog (their request), but they are our siblings.

Patrick, the kids and I myself decided to go to dinner at the Powerhouse and when we pulled up, saw my twin and Patrick's brothers van van. A surprise! The server who had just seated my sister and her husband, looked at me and said, "Wait I thought I already sat you". She was quite confused. Pretty funny. There has been a lot of small town confusion lately with people getting my twin and I confused!

Then, when it came time to order, I wrote out my sushi request on the paper with 1 roll on it: The No Name Roll. My sister had in mind already to order the exact same roll. What are the chances? I think the server thought we were on crazy similar wavelengths to order the same thing-what a coincidence.

Zoya

Day at Firehouse with Amy

This past week our friend Amy M. has been in town doing archaeology research at the museum; she is a professor at Oberlin College and comes here frequently to work on research projects. Today Amy and I had fun taking the kids out and about.
(and as a sidenote, Patrick and I think it would be fun if someday Nora and Stuey went to Oberlin and Amy could teach them!)

Fire Prevention Month activity-unbeknowngst to me-occurs annually. The Coast Guard Firehouse puts the event on with lots of fun activities surrounding it. This was the first time I'd ever heard of it. Boy was it fun! The firetrucks were all out on the premise so the kids could climb into them. Inside the firehouse was bouncin' bear inflatable jumping structures. And free popcorn, chili, hotdogs, put-put golf....the whole 9 yards. And it was all free and so well organized. It was like a firehouse dreamland!

The big exciting demo was watching firefighters go through the process of extracting a fake person from a car using the various "Jaws of Life". That was pretty cool--how strong the jaws are. They work very slowly with hydraulics. Most recently there was an airplane near Heitman Lake where they had to use them to help get people out of the plane. Really makes me admire how firemen have to work in all sorts of tough conditions--cars on fire, airplanes on mountainsides, etc...they have work methodically, safely, quickly. Many thanks to all the firemen out there who save lives and work in extreme conditions every day.

One of the more "random" booths was a booth where you shoot a basketball into a basket, and a guy in an enclosed box gets showered in water (temperature unknown...gosh i hope it was warm-he wasn't looking too warm, however...). You didn't have to pay anything and anyone could shoot hoops. Stuey gave it two honest good attempts. That was pretty wild.

Zoya

My Yoga Sis

My twin sister E. had an open house today at the yoga studio (100th Monkey Yoga) she starts teaching at on Monday.

The venue is gorgeous; overlooks Mission Bay, heated bamboo floors. She is in Yoga heaven to have such a beautiful setting in which to practice. She is an Iyengar Yoga instructor and has been teaching in Kodiak at A Balance Approach since she moved here last summer.
I look forward to taking her classes! She demo-ed a cool move which involves the wall and harness. Its called Spiderman, or something along those lines. The most fascinating part was how she got in and out of it so quickly-it was like she was a spider. I would've torn some serious muscles getting in and out of that!! Don't try that one at home!!

Looking forward to trying an Iyengar Yoga class this fall!

Zoya

Quilting Again

After 2 months of not quilting due to an incredibly busy August/September, I've pulled the sewing machine out and am working on several current projects.Now that its dark in the evenings, quilting is the perfect fall evening activity!

Pictured are the last quilts I finished over the summer. I gave the top one to a family member for a Happy Wedding gift,
the bottom one was a special Happy Birthday quilt for family member.
Gosh it feels great to be working with fabrics once again!

Zoya

Changing Seasons-odds & ends

Fall is my favorite time of the year. The crisp cooler air, the leaves falling off trees, winter on its way. Fall meals of garden veggies, freshly harvested meats, and this year mushrooms!

After I realized this year was the 10th year of the elk hunt, I better appreciate what a great fall ritual it is for our family. The guys gone for a week, returning with meat to process and package. And then enjoying elk meat all winter long. Several of the guys on the hunt have been coming for 8-10 years with Patrick and they've had such an incredible variety of experiences hunting for Elk on Afognak from year to year. Such great stories, pictures and videos they have from their adventures. This year we watched most of the videos from the prior hunts and man--some of the trips were doozies. Horribly cold weather, brutal hiking conditions, lots of elk with only a few guys....It was fun to see all the different groups of people that have hunted over the years for Elk.

This fall has been especially lovely with the kids both enjoying school; Nora is having a good time at kindergarten as well as Stuey as preschool. Our family is into the school rhythm and there aren't any struggles getting kids to school because they are excited to go. This is a big change from years past when there was more crying and resistance to being dropped off at preschool.

STUEY-ISM
The past couple of months, Stuey says, "Mom-you is the best mom in the whole wide world. You are the best mom in the whole Uney-a-verse". Its very endearing. Somedays he'll say it 8-10 times a day. This evening as I headed out the driveway for a walk with the dogs, Stuey screamed from the lawn, "Mom, you is the best mom in the world." I"m glad to document this event here so I can really truly be sure it happened when he is a teenager someday and won't want anything to do to me.

The kids are waiting eagerly for the snow flakes and Nora insisted that we hang up halloween decorations last weekend, so that was fun. I appreciate their excitement for the holidays!

Zoya

Picture was of Nora and I on the morning of everyone leaving on the elk hunt!

Exciting Friday for Nora

Last Friday was an exciting one for Nora. I found out earlier in the week that she was going to win a spelling award at the school assembly, so I was sure to make it to the end of their church ceremony/awards assembly. I didn't let her know before hand that she was winning an award or that I would see her at the assembly that morning. She was thrilled to see me in the audience and I was ecstatic to see her win the award. Admittedly, I had to choke back some small tears of happiness for her. She has been working so hard this fall!

Also that day, Nora's teacher informed me that Nora won the coloring contest in the kids section of the local newspaper. Sure enough, when I left the school I picked up a copy of her drawing, "What my Teacher looks like." I did some serious laughing outloud at the eyelashes!! too funny.

That night Patrick was returning home from the Elk hunt and she wanted me to show him only one of the items-the coloring contest award OR the spelling award. She was quite shy about the whole thing.

Zoya

Filling up the freezer

The elk hunt is all about filling up the freezer, and that includes more than with just elk meat. One year each participant got as much halibut as elk. That year sort of set the gold standard, and we have been trying to catch halibut ever since with a dismal rate of success. We have not caught a halibut in 2 years now. But we have caught plenty of Pacific Cod, and we keep on trying. Remember 'Attitude makes the difference'.

However, even if we did not get halibut while on the boat, hunt participants can still trade portions of their share of elk for fish. I had a bunch of salmon fillets already in the freezer that I traded for few extra elk roasts. Not all the participants are from Kodiak and some of these 'interior' folk appreciate seafood way more than we do. I do know that every year I seem to end up with more seafood than I need. So why not trade some for elk. I know for a fact that elk meat requires far more 'sweat equity' to acquire than fish. Patrick

Attitude Makes the Difference

On Jim's boat just above the door where you entered the cabin was a small sticker that read, 'Attitude Makes the Difference'. It became the hunt mantra. When the going got tough, or when you had not seen an elk for days and it was raining - we'd think, 'Attitude makes the difference'.

And when the other team DID get an elk, they had to carry it a LONG way up a hill, through alders and salmonberries to the beach. When you are carrying that much weight a mantra DOES make a difference. An elk back quarter weighs over 100 pounds so your attitude does indeed carry the day. But I will add that Mike S liked to add that in Fairbanks the saying is, 'It's Attitude not Latitude'.

What's funny about this year's hunt is that it is the first successful elk hunt where I did not have to carry meat. I did hike a lot, but it still just does not seem real unless you have tortured yourself with a really heavy pack. It never really sunk in that we'd been successful until I saw the horns on the deck. Thanks guys. Patrick

Accommodations on the Hunt

Over the years our hunting accommodations have gotten better and better. On the boat everybody has learned to put stuff away and take up as little space as possible - a 50 foot seiner may seem big, but 7 people take up a lot of space. While on shore we now use lightweight sil- nylon teepees with woodstoves. In the old days we used to mostly day hunt from the boat. The advantage to spending the night on shore is that we've found the elk tend to bed down in the trees around 10 AM, and if you are not up high looking for them by then you will miss your chance to catch them out grazing in the open.

This year on the hunt we got to camp on the first night and it was pouring rain. We could not wait to set up the teepee and woodstove and retreat inside to dry out. Then I noticed that I'd somehow lost the door to the stove. Luckily we had carried along a can of SPAM and I was able to fashion a new door out of the can (third and fifth photo down). It worked great.

On the boat we generally bring along frozen meals that can be re heated in the stove. Frozen lasagnas are an old standby. This year Ray brought along a HUGE pot of chili (top photo).

This year Jim also got a new boat. Gone are the days of the old Alpha Centuri. This year we hunted from the larger boat Columbia. We could all fit up in the wheel house (second down) and down below we also all fit around the table (fourth down). It seemed much bigger, but 7 guys still do take up a lot of space and there was always the dance to stay out of each other's way.

All and All GREAT accommodations. Patrick

Elk Hunt 2011

The 10th annual Afognak Elk hunt is in the books. We got back Friday evening with an elk and spent all day Saturday cutting him up. While on Afognak we hunted in 2 teams and it was the other team that got the elk. Our team did not have to carry the elk out (this was a huge break and even made me feel a bit guilty), but we did hike 32 miles and not see a single elk. Our party figured out where the elk weren't.

As always, the hiking was amazing. Here are some scenics. More pictures to follow.

As Cute as a Bug....and a mouse

A few weeks ago I received the group dance pictures from last springs performance of Cinderella. It was a fun treat to receive them so long after the fact! Stuey and Nora are both doing dance again this year. Stuey's attention this year at rehearsals has been much better than last year (phew!!). Amazing what just a few months can do for maturity....

Zoya