[MelodyL]

Hi everyone.

I've been so busy taking care of Alan because of his re-curring foot ulcer and we just moved that everything is on my shoulders. But I do have good news. Actually more than good news. I made an instructional video to see what we did this morning.

Some time ago Alan had begun doing the cold/hot water therapy (you start with the cold water and go to the hot water and then end in the cold water). For whatever reason, this is the sequence.

Because Alan's foot ulcer came back, his podiatrist had said 'no water, no showers, nothing until it heals, and then you can go back to the therapy".

Alan was feeling SO good after doing the cold/hot water thing and only after one week, his feet were nice and pink, he was wiggling his toes, he had NO pain. It was too soon to know if he was getting any feeling back but it was a start. Alas, we had to stop.That was about 2 months ago.

Well, we went to the podiatrist yesterday. I had kept that man OFF that foot and he wore this special off loading shoe that makes one walk on their heels but Alan is no good at that so for the time it took to heal, I just did everything and he sat down or laid down. I also got this special compound cream last week from this woman who makes this stuff for people with foot ulcers. My friend gave it to me. I began putting it on Alan's foot ulcer a few days ago. WELL!!!! thank god I did that.

Yesterday the doctor announced. "His ulcer is all closed", keep wearing that shoe for one week and next week he can go back to his custom shoes with the custom orthotics and oh yes, YOU CAN GO BACK TO THE WATER THERAPY".

Well, we started last night and again this morning. Alan's reaction after doing this is amazing. Last night he said "OMG, I never felt so good"

This morning after doing it he said "I don't care what anyone says, this cold/hot thing works" And he has not complained of his burning and zipping and zapping.

Oh, one doesn't just go and put in ice cubes and go from ICE COLD and to HOT water. Not like that.

One eases into it. First time it's cool water into warm water. Every day a bit more. Then after a few days you add ice cubes to the cold water and you do the water as hot as you can stand. Because Alan has no feeling in his feet, I'm the one who tests the waters.

Here's the video I made this morning. If anyone doesn't know the purpose of this therapy, it's to jump start his immune system to go back into balance. And we're hoping it takes care of his psoriasis too. The only thing that worked on his psoriasis was the laser treatment. That eliminated it completely but alas, once the winter set in and we had to stop, it all came back. So let's see what happens after a few weeks of doing this cold/hot water therapy.

Here's the video I made this morning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IK3269Nsxko

Melody