Maestro's First Canine Acupuncture Treatment

It has been approximately four months since Maestro was diagnosed with osteoarthritis and Inter-vertebral Disc Disease. His arthritis medication has been helping with the inflammation and pain management. The laser and infrared therapy have prevented things from getting worse. However, Maestro still has a pronounced limp due to his back issues and frankly, I don't like the idea of him taking barbiturates. I couldn't help but feel that we could do better. Dr. Maya at the Bridlewood Veterinary Clinic had mentioned a while back that Maestro would be a good candidate for veterinary acupuncture. Our first appointment was last week with Dr. Mark, Maestro's first vet (lucky guy, he has three).

The first thing Dr. Mark said is that Maestro needs to come off the medications. No argument from me! The pain inhibitors in Western medicine contravene the effects of the acupuncture, he explained. Since he recently had a dose of medication, the effects would be minimal this time round.

Well, Maestro was prancing around my students and I for two days afterward and moving like a puppy. He was more alert than he has been since being on the medication. If that's "minimal", I look forward to seeing how he does once I've weaned him completely off the Western medication.

The limp is more pronounced again, so I can see what the vet meant about the Western medication clashing with this ancient Eastern treatment. Maestro is alert enough to refuse his usual dose of Gabapentin. It's as if he's telling me to speed up the weaning process.

A Look at a Canine Acupuncture Treatment

Dr. Mark first examined Maestro from head to tail. He asked me some questions about what happens when the medication wears off. There were probably a few more questions, but that was the main one.

Next, he brought out the acupuncture needles. They were inside little straws. With a quick little movement, they were inserted at specific points, starting with one on his neck and one along his lower spine:

In the above photo, you can tell that there's some tension in his back with the way he's curved. Through it all, Maestro didn't flinch. Oh, he was frightened when we first arrived, but he didn't whimper, shudder, flinch or stink (dogs really do smell when they are frightened).

Now, I am in the process of weaning him off the medication so that he can fully reap the benefits of future acupuncture treatments. He will continue to take his Robaxin, but the anti-inflammatory and pain medications will be replaced by acupuncture and natural supplements and herbs.

First, he will have weekly appointments. These will gradually decrease in frequency to tune-ups on an ad-hoc basis. Dr Mark informed me that the end result is that Maestro will be pain free, alert, feeling better and "more puppy like". Healthier than he's been in years, I'm sure.

About Canine Acupunture

It may seem like a new concept, but it really isn't. In their article, "Acupuncture for Dogs Gaining Acceptance", Dr. Susan Thorpe-Vargas and John. C. Gargill report that the first animal to be treated using acupuncture was an elephant in India approximately 3,000 years ago.

Veterinary acupuncture was used more extensively up until the 1940s, when people turned to prescription medication to treat their ailments and those of their pets. This jives with my question to Dr. Mark about whether he treats many pets using acupuncture. He told me that more pet owners get prescription medication for their pets' ailments because it's easier.

There is a lot of information available on acupuncture and how it works. To paraphrase, I'd say that it's a complementary therapy that involves inserting small needles at specific acupuncture points to stimulate the central nervous system. The result is that the treatment kick-starts the body's ability to heal and restores the ying and yang of the patient.

Here's a neat news clip that I found, in which a vet goes into more detail about how canine veterinary acupuncture works and the various conditions it can treat:

You can also check out these sites and articles: Animal Acupuncture, Acupuncture Overview and The International Veterinary Acupuncture Society.

If Maestro's first experience is any indication, that one acupuncture treatment did more to treat his limp caused by his back issues than everything we've done up to this point. The laser therapy prevented things from degenerating, but I feel that now, we will see an improvement in his condition.

I firmly believe that it's the arthritis medication that's keeping him in stasis. My students and I want to see him improve. Never mind that, I'm sure Maestro wants to continue going on many more adventures - without the aid of medication or a doggie stroller.

Attempting to Improve My Memory

Have you ever been to a party or business function where you met a bunch of people, and forgot the name of the first person by the time you were introduced to the fourth? You're not alone, if my Google searches on the topic indicate.

I came across a neat article a few weeks ago on Buffer App's blog, entitled, "How to Never Forget the Name of Someone You Just Met: The Science of Memory". Like my students, I rely on writing something down "so I don't forget" or putting a reminder in my smartphone.

However, as the author Kevan Lee indicates, that's not really remembering. All we're doing is delegating the task of remembering to the object we inputted the information into.

Intrigued by some of the exercises to improve memory, I decided to try the memory mapping technique. On September 14, I chose my studio as the room to put everything/everyone in. On the first day, I used the technique to remember my errands of things to pick up : the cymbal was doing Jumping Jacks on the couch, the fridge was trying my new outfit and then put it inside itself, Maestro's vitamin powder was strewn all over my keyboard's keys, the Virgin Mary was praying the Rosary atop my wall screen (Miraculous Medal), the retro player ate my fruit salad, my frequent shopper cards were doing the conga at my computer station, the piano keys were replaced by tampons, the bookcase was playing with my cheques before taking them to the bank and my CD stand was trying on my jewelry. It's been over two weeks and I still remember that list of nine items because the images are simply ridiculous.

I'll keep using this technique as it appears that I did improve my short-term memory (to the point that it converted into a long-term memory!). I do hope to try some of the other exercises the next time I remember to read the article.

If you would like to improve your memory, check out these articles: Exercise Your Brain, Mental Exercises to Help Improve Your Memory and the Top 10 Ways to Improve Memory

Myristol Joint Health Supplement for Dogs Product Review

A couple of weeks ago, Maestro's vet from the Canine Aquafitness and Veterinary Rehab Centre recommended that he try Myristol. It's a joint care supplement for dogs. We picked up the "small" tub for $78 CAD. Thankfully, it contains 240 soy-based gluten free, chewable tablets, so it will last Maestro over half a year.

About Myristol Joint Health Supplement for Dogs

Myristol contains the following ingredients: Cetyl Myristoleate Fatty Acid Complex, Glucosamine HCl, MethylSulfonylMethane (MSM), Hydrolyzed Collagen, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Zinc (Zn), Manganese (Mn) and Copper (Cu).

The tablets are approximately .75 inches in diameter.  Not too stinky.

Dr. Catherine recommended that Maestro start with 1/2 tablet a day on an empty stomach. Let me tell you, she meant it. Feeding Maestro 1 tablet with supper meant that  he lost his supper and I had to feed him again. #lessonlearned

The History of Myristol Products for Dogs, Cats, Horses and Humans

Myristol was developed by Dr. Trotter who graduated from the University of Saskatchewan. In addition to Myristol for canines, Dr. Trotter has developed similar products for cats, horses and humans.

Myristol is available through your local veterinarian. Online, you may purchase it through Myristol's store .

Other joint supplements worth checking out include: Nutri-Pet Research Nupro Joint Supplement for Dogs, Joint MAX TRIPLE Strength SOFT CHEWS and Cosequin Maximum Strength Hip & Joint Supplements. Please note that these are a bit more potent than the $8.99 versions you see at your local pet store.

Myristol: Final Verdict

Maestro has only been on Myristol for a few weeks now. I have noticed some improvement in his mobility. Normally, I would noticed increased stiffness 10 days after a laser therapy session. With Myristol, he's a bit more agile beyond that point.

We'll give an update after he has been on Myristol joint supplement for a longer period of time. For now, our experience has been fairly positive.

The Power in a Name

Last week, I attended a beautiful Celebration of Life service for a fellow musician. It was a lovely service and celebration afterwards, with stories, Irish dancing, singing, tears and laughter. One resonating theme throughout the celebration was how Jean remembered nearly everyone she ever met. It was the first thing many people brought up. Not only that, whenever she saw you, she'd say your name with such joy that you couldn't help but feel good .

It kind of reminds me of something I read about the care that the Japanese take when exchanging business cards. A Japanese person will present their business card to you with a bow. You are to accept it in both hands with a bow and take the time to read both sides of the card. The little ceremony makes the whole exchanging of business information rather intimate.

Jean's knack for remembering names also reminds me of one of my favourite anime, Natsume Yuujinchou (Natsume's Book of Friends). Natsume is a high-school student who can see spirits. He inherited the Book of Friends from the grandmother (Reiko) he never knew. She "befriended" many spirits in her day and made them sign her Book of Friends.

Unlike signing a guest book, these spirits essentially formed a contract with Natsume's grandmother. They were bound to Reiko's beck and call until she released them. The thing is, she died young so now the spirits are hounding Natsume as her descendant, to free them by returning their names to them.

What's the real power in a name? Well, once we sign on the dotted line on a contract, we are bound, just like the spirits in the Book of Friends.

There is power in a name. People have performed great works in the name of God. Unfortunately, people have also performed despicable acts in the name of God. In both cases, the consequences can be small to life-changing.

At our base, our name is a part of our identity. At the mention of Jean's name, I see her twinkling eyes and hear the joy in her voice whenever she greeted me (usually accompanied by a big hug). It's the same with anyone who touches your life, for better or for worse.

I will miss the way Jean would light up whenever she said someone's name. In her name, I will try to work on my short-term memory more so that I too, can remember people's names and share the same joy and love that Jean exuded whenever she said my name.

Trying to Tame the Paper Monster

Summer is speeding to a close. I am quite happy to say that my summer decluttering project is nearly finished as well. I've decided to try using baskets to manage my papers for the week:

I've tried Bring Forward Files however, "out of sight, out of mind" happens all too easily. I've also tried weekly hanging folders. I broke a set of hanging folders because I stuffed it too much.

That brings us to the baskets. They're not that big, so I need to be vigilant to prevent spillage. They do hold more than a file folder, so that's good.

Let me translate and explain the labeling (they're in Japanese):

1. きょう ("Kyou"): Today

2. あした ("Ashita"): Tomorrow

3. こんしゅう ("Konshuu"): This Week

4. しはらって ("Shiharatte"): Pay

5. よんで ("Yonde"): Read

I've tried enough systems to know that my active trays need to be as lean as possible. Keeping it simple is really the only thing I remember out of my copy of Donna Smallin's book,  The One Minute Organizer.

Three is a  good number The remaining two trays contain items that need to be dealt with within the month.

Fingers crossed that this paper management system works!