Health Expert Pattye Snyder shares health management news and commentary at HealthCentral.com. 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/profiles/c/89/index http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/89/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/89/index http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89/149229/alternative Fri, 13 Jan 2012 10:33:00 -0500 Pattye Snyder For the last 15 years, since my official diagnosis with OA, I've been "blessed" with several surgeries and nine artificial joints. This hasn't been fun, but it also hasn't limited my activities long-term. I've still been able to continue my life as a photo-journalist and also volunteer in many countries and continents. In fact, I was even able to climb half of Mt. Kilimanjaro for the second time last January. (Gee, since I last looked, ½... http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89/149229/alternative http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89/147535/painkillers Tue, 06 Dec 2011 11:11:00 -0500 Pattye Snyder I'm a well-educated and fairly intelligent person who has been undergoing the challenges of a variety of things caused by my osteoarthritis for over 14 years. Many people don't understand my refusal to take pain meds in spite of, at times, debilitating pain. The side effects for me, haven't been worth taking any of the HUGE variety of prescription drugs on the market. A few months ago, my orthopedic surgeon as well as my neurologist, diagnosed... http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89/147535/painkillers http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89/146883/arthritis Tue, 15 Nov 2011 10:08:00 -0500 Pattye Snyder Many of our readers are aware that I have been working, living, and volunteering for many months at a time in East Africa for a few years. It's been very hard work, but a labor of love, and a dream come true for me in spite of all of my OA challenges.   I was devastated a couple of months ago when my OA disease decided to again rear its ugly head with a vengeance! I guess that, for some inane reason, I had felt "protected" from having any... http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89/146883/arthritis http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89/145828/arthritis Mon, 24 Oct 2011 14:20:00 -0400 Pattye Snyder In the 14 years since I was "officially diagnosed" with osteoarthritis, I guess I've been quite lucky. Yes, I have nine artificial joints from the waist down, and I'm certainly NOT going to say the surgeries were my idea of fun - neither were all of the follow-up hours of physical-therapy - but yes, I've been lucky.  I have only had minimal bouts of horrible pain pre-op and the fun of struggling to get a new joint working correctly, but the... http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89/145828/arthritis http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89/144399/persistent Thu, 22 Sep 2011 11:18:00 -0400 Pattye Snyder I have had osteoarthritis for many years, and, in spite of a wide variety of pills, medications, shots, physical therapy (in and out of warm water), creams, ointments, ad infinitum - including nine surgeries and joint transplants - I've been a survivor.  All of the above, including a myriad of braces, crutches, canes and supports have been my idea of a good time, but I knew that, with hard work in therapy, and a little time, I would be... http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89/144399/persistent http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89/142279/limitations Mon, 01 Aug 2011 09:45:00 -0400 Pattye Snyder I just completed writing and photographing a cookbook of some of my favorite recipes for special friends.  If you love to cook, as I do, measurements are not really used all of the time, so I remade many of these so that I could write down measurements - much to the delight of my friends who were asked to eat the results!   I learned quite a bit about me during this process.  I tend to be a perfectionist with things I do (but... http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89/142279/limitations http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89/141069/creating-diet Tue, 12 Jul 2011 10:55:00 -0400 Pattye Snyder I feel almost like I'm in a time-warp or something each time I return from my "home" and my work in Africa.  I leave Africa, usually relaxed and have adapted to the slow leisurely pace, then I return to America where everyone and everything is always in such an incredible hurry!  In order to survive in both places, I just have to adapt!   I recently turned 68, and, in spite of my nine artificial joints (thanks, osteoarthritis),... http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89/141069/creating-diet http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89/139493/inflammation Sun, 05 Jun 2011 20:11:00 -0400 Pattye Snyder It seems recently, more than ever, I've been representing the phrase I once heard - "I'm so far behind, I think I'm FIRST!" In trying to figure this out, it's occurred to me that I'm a big part of my own problem. For a great deal of time in the last three years, I've been living and volunteer working in Tanzania, and then trying to return to the U.S. and catch up on my life here. Of course, I guess I forgot to mention that I've also had three... http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89/139493/inflammation http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89/137486/complications Mon, 02 May 2011 14:39:00 -0400 Pattye Snyder I was awakened this morning with beautiful, sparkly sunshine hitting me in the face. After seemingly endless rainfall and dreary days, this was a glorious surprise! Manyprayers are still going out to the farmers and other people that are actually suffering financially and otherwise from this destructive season. I found it ironic that I usually return to the US from my volunteer work in Africa this time of year, in part, to escape the heavy rains... http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89/137486/complications http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89/135870/complications Tue, 05 Apr 2011 15:30:00 -0400 Pattye Snyder I feel somewhat, that life has been roaring at me lately - nothing really big or catastrophic - just lots of different doctor appointments and other stressors. I had a complete physical as I usually do when I return from my work in Africa each year. All of the tests came back with good scores, but I haven't been feeling well, so was nervous.   Of course, it was time for my annual mammogram (which has always been fine), but this time, I... http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/89/135870/complications