Osteoarthritis Expert Pattye Snyder shares Osteoarthritis management news and commentary at MyOsteoarthritisCentral.com. The HealthCentral Network, Inc. (www.HealthCentral.com) is one of the top health destinations on the Web, with more than 35 condition-specific, wellness and general health Web properties. http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89 http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89 http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89/102077/crocodiles Wed, 27 Jan 2010 11:03:00 -0500 Pattye Snyder Many of our readers are aware that, in spite of my OA challenges, I'm continuing to live and work in Tanzania, E. Africa for a few more months.  When I return to the U.S. this Spring, 2010, I will probably need to be having total replacements of both knees - continuing my quest to become totally robotic.  Although in the U.S. I seldom wear any shoes other than good quality athletic shoes or hiking boots, neither of these are practical... http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89/102077/crocodiles http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89/99896/gifts-wishes Mon, 04 Jan 2010 16:11:00 -0500 Pattye Snyder I was making scrambled eggs with fresh tomato for my breakfast yesterday, and one of our guards was studiously watching everything I was doing. I didn't think this endeavor was that unique or even that interesting, but offered to make the same for the four guys that work there. Zack seemed unsure about it, until I asked if he wanted to taste a little first. He held out his hand and I put a small amount on it (this is the way things are tasted... http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89/99896/gifts-wishes http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89/98892/shoestrings Mon, 28 Dec 2009 10:00:00 -0500 Pattye Snyder The "rumor" is that Christmas is coming this week. It's rather hard to believe it since our temperatures are running in the 100s during the day, and it chills down to the upper 90s at night-- even my African friends are complaining!!! Last week I was in a local market and suddenly realized that I was hearing a recording of "Sleighbells Ring" and even saw 1 of the street vendors carrying a rather ratty version of an artificial Christmas... http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89/98892/shoestrings http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89/96197/herd-goats-tag Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:52:00 -0500 Pattye Snyder I retired from teaching a variety of levels of Special Education classes about 11 years ago.  I've now been teaching for a few weeks in a class of physically and mentally disabled teenagers in East Africa.  I've found that kids are pretty much the same all over the world regardless of the language they speak, or the challenges they face!   In spite of incredible poverty, ragged school uniforms, little food, and having to take... http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89/96197/herd-goats-tag http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89/94745/mornings Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:29:00 -0500 Pattye Snyder I awakened early this morning to my African alarm clock (our rooster).  After several days of intermittent heavy rain, and little electricity, it's a glorious, sunny, cloud-free day. I went to our front porch to see if Mt. Kilimanjaro was visible and Her Majesty, as we call her, was "open" (showing) in all her snow-peaked glory!   In America, I always seem to get caught up in the daily rush, rush, rush.  In Africa, however, no... http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89/94745/mornings http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89/90727/replacement Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:19:00 -0400 Pattye Snyder I awakened this morning to yet another cold and dreary, rainy Fall day and, of course, the "bonus" of my extra pain from arthritis.  Early tomorrow I will catch my plane to begin the long flight back to my African home and the volunteer work I will do there for a few months. I will have limited access to a computer, the Internet and even electricity! I hope to blog as much as I can. I am also very much aware that I won't be pain-free,... http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89/90727/replacement http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89/89522/adventures Mon, 05 Oct 2009 17:27:00 -0400 Pattye Snyder In about three short weeks, I'll be returning to East Africa to live and work for a few months.   I've been there before, of course, and feel like I'm returning to my other home and family in Africa.  It's interesting, and incredibly frustrating, that my arthritis seems to always become more active at the most inopportune times -- of course, I guess, there really isn't a "good" time.   Since BOTH of my knees are now "gone," I... http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89/89522/adventures http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89/83429/wildebeests-ve Wed, 19 Aug 2009 10:48:00 -0400 Pattye Snyder I'm a well-educated and fairly intelligent person, but once in awhile, an awareness or a thought suddenly hits me that makes me feel very dense (maybe I've spent too much time in the African Bush?). Yesterday, I was running those endless errands, working on my pre-African departure checklist, when suddenly I decided I'd better grab a quick lunch.  I stopped at a local fast food place, something I seldom do, and placed my order at the... http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89/83429/wildebeests-ve http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89/81128/osteoarthritis Mon, 03 Aug 2009 13:19:00 -0400 Pattye Snyder After having spent a few months last summer teaching street kids to grow their own food in a Juvenile Detention center in East Africa, I decided to add a variety of vegetables to my backyard flower gardens.  I hadn't grown my own for many years due to the same (somewhat lame) excuses that most people use.  I don't have the time. It's a lot of work. I live alone and don't need tons of veggies and, of course, I HAVE ARTHRITIS and simply... http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89/81128/osteoarthritis http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89/75424/challenges Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:39:00 -0400 Pattye Snyder Although many of our readers don't happen to live within the Continental U.S., I'm sure they are discovering many of the same "problems" that we are.  Packaging of a wide variety of things (everything from sliced cheeses and meats to medications to paintbrushes) has changed radically in the last few years.  Although I'm grateful for the concern toward good health, consumer safety and sanitation, I am just as frustrated by these... http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89/75424/challenges