Bright and early Saturday morning (well, 10 AM IS early to me these days), I suited up in my green scrub suit, donned my long white coat, just like the good old days, and drove up to the Fitness Center of the Alaqua Golf & Country Club, in the community in Central Florida, where I live. 
 
The plan was to shoot the necessary footage for the new DVD edition of my PAIN-FREE PROGRAM exercises (which you can check out and purchase, if you wish, by clicking on this link:   http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html )
 
I had lined up a suitable model, Jennifer Kunzig, a personal trainer, to demonstrate the exercises, with the special modifications I’ve developed to prevent or eliminate knee pain. Let’s face it. No one wants to see some middle aged guy doing these exercises, when he can look at a pretty young woman, right? She had been dieting and restricting her water intake over the last week, so her definition would look good on tape.
 
I had also retained a videographer, to produce the DVD, a great guy named Jonah Travik (Jonah–now there’s a name you just don’t hear every day). I had worked with him before, shooting the DVD version of my LITTLE GREEN BOOK FOR ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN
 http://drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html  (That has yet to be edited, but I expect it to be ready early in the New Year) and he’s great to work with.
 
Finally, I had secured permission to use the Golf Club’s Fitness facilities from the owner and developer of the community, a really nice guy named John Ritenour. His kindness gave us a super venue for the shoot, not to mention very convenient for me, as I live about two minutes  down the street.
 
So all was in readiness, the cast of characters was assembled and the sun was shining brightly. We were ready to roll. I got there on time (not too hard–I WAS only two minutes away) and met Jonah. We set up the lights and planned the camera angles, while we waited for Jennifer to show up, which she did about a half hour later. This was planned–no point in having her sit around while we were setting up.
 
Finally, I placed a neat little sign on the door of the Fitness Center: QUIET PLEASE. PRIVATE VIDEO SHOOT  WITHIN. THANK YOU. This was to discourage the curious and the club members, who might otherwise enter while we were shooting.
 
But with the sign and the obvious evidence that a professional crew was engaged in a project, you would think that once we started with the “lights, camera, etcetera, etcetera…” that anyone with good sense would respect our privacy and return later, after we were done, if they felt the burning desire to work out. Just common courtesy, right?
 
I mean, if the situations were reversed and I came across a film crew working when I showed up for my exercise session, it would never even occur to me to barge into the middle of things.
 
So, you know where I’m going with this, right?
 
First, a nice middle aged woman came in and wanted to get her workout in while we were still setting up. So, she got on the treadmill, then did a few dumbbell exercises, and so on. But she never held us up, as we worked around her. And she was properly deferential and only too happy to get out when we were ready.
 
We started shooting after she left and we had hit a nice, productive rhythm. We were moving right along, with me doing the talking and voice overs and Jenn doing the exercises. And just as we were hitting our stride, the door opens and in walks an elderly guy, presumably right off the golf course, walks over and turns on the T.V., and then gets on a treadmill and proceeds to begin walking on it, filling the room with the mechanical noise of its motor and the thud of his footsteps on the track. 
 
I couldn’t believe the stones on this guy. I guess he either didn’t see the sign, was oblivious to it, saw it but didn’t give a crap, or he thought that “quiet please” just meant, “don’t speak” (which he didn’t). And he DID keep the volume on the T.V. real low. 
 
Well, of course, everything we shot during this time had the rumble of the treadmill running through it. And I couldn’t throw the guy out. After all, I was a guest here, myself. But, still….
 
I was frosted at the impeturbability of this guy and his utter disdain and disregard for what we were trying to do. Maybe it’s just me, but I think he was a rude, thoughtless S.O.B., at a minimum. 
 
I let him live. But it required some considerable restraint. And the other members of the crew felt the same–we were all grinding our teeth at the nerve of this guy.
 
Finally, he finished and left. Unbelievable. One good thing about older guys–you know their workout won’t last too long. But of course, he had broken our rhythm and we had to reshoot all the footage that his treadmill sounds had screwed up. His little workout cost us at least an extra hour.  Thanks, pal.
 
Anyway, we finally got it done–a little later than I had planned, but finished. And I have to tell you, I think what we shot was great! I was really pleased. And I hope you will be too, when I unleash the final product as a set of DVD’s, sometime, early in 2009.
 
And in addition to the video, I reshot all the still photos, with professional lighting, and added a bunch of new stuff: more stretches, more exercises, the proper ways to use the stationary bike, canes, braces, taping, ACE wrapping, a real expansion of the program. It was a lot of work, but it should be great!
 
This is going to replace the current PAIN-FREE PROGRAM, so this current version is going to become a collector’s item. If you haven’t gotten yours yet, NOW’s the time, while you still can. Go to http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html  and order your copy TODAY.
 
Til next time, my friend, be well.
 
Yours for a pain-free tomorrow,
 
Dr. Bill
 
P.S. For DR. BILL’S LITTLE GREEN BOOK ON ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN, a concise, but complete handbook on the root causes and the various options for treating knee pain, go to http://drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html
 
P.P.S. For DR. BILL’S PAIN-FREE PROGRAM: EXERCISES TO PREVENT OR ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN, please go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html
 
P.P.P.S. For the giant, comprehensive ADVANCED MASTERS’ COURSE: HOW TO ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN–ONCE & FOR ALL!, everything you need to know on causes and solutions for knee pain and the complete exercise program, too, go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/advanced_masters.html
 
FREE BONUS CD with any order: THE HEALING POWER OF POSITIVE PAIN PERCEPTION
 
Copyright, 2008 by William Thomas Stillwell, MD
All rights reserved

I was channel surfing last night and I came across one of those Ultimate Fighting channels. You know, the ones where the participants try to beat the living crap out of each other, using virtually every limb and joint available to them and utilizing fighting techniques from every style of martial art extant. There’s a reason they call it Mixed Martial Arts, or MMA.
 
I especially love it when one guy gets the other down on the ground, sits on top of him and  just whales the hell out of his head, over and over again:  BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! Almost like an Emeril cookfest.  I can only imagine the damage the hittee is sustaining to his brain, assuming that he had one in that skull, when he started.
 
Why anyone would do this is beyond me. No art, no complexity, no philosphy. Just mauling. Makes boxing especially, but also karate, kung fu, savate, and pretty much anything with rules, look pretty tame by comparison. I find no attraction in this variation of the fighting arts. Yet some people love this.  Go figure.
 
It’s true I was in the martial arts for years, and still maintain an interest to this day. But my days of actual combat are now long behind me. Let’s face it. A guy my age, even if he practiced every day, isn’t going to be a match for a 19 year old, in peak condition. (That’s why these days, I’m licensed to carry heat. Heh. Like the saying goes, never try to fight an older man–he won’t fool with you; he’ll just kill you!)
 
Anyway, this reminded me of my trip to Bangkok, in Thailand, during a sailing cruise on a giant sailship, the Windstar, through Southeast Asia a number of years ago. On the night before we were scheduled to depart, my brother-in-law and I decided to see the night sights in the PatPong –the dark underbelly of the city. My wife wisely opted out of this excursion to the dark side and turned us loose, with a limo driver who knew all the in-spots and promised her that he’d keep us out of trouble. So, off we went….
 
If you’ve never seen this, it’s really something outside the experience of most Americans. It’s kind of like a combination open air market, bordello, red light district, bar, block party and sporting arena, all in one. I’ve never seen anything quite like this, before or since. It’s set back in a separate area, under neon lit “gates” that spell out “PatPong” and define its entrance. The area encompasses what seemed to be multiple city blocks, with people spilling out onto the streets from stores and bars on either side of the street. Cars were forbidden, so everyone wandered in the street, where all the action was. And vendors of everything imaginable, from clothes, to produce, to dried fish and chickens, you name it, lining the streets in rows upon rows. 
 
There were many bars on either side of the street, with a variety of entertainments including singing, snake charming, live s.ecks shows (the real thing–not faked), rooster fights and kick boxing contests that, between regular matches, invited the bar’s patrons to get in the ring with the fighters, for prize money, if they won. 
 
Now this last was what I was reminded of by the MMA. The young guys in these fighting rings were well trained Muay Tai (Thai Kickboxing) fighters. And these guys were good. And in superb condition. Little guys, but MAN! They were lightning fast and they packed a helluva wallop! Let me tell you, the fight promoter who put up the purse for any bout with a spectator was NOT putting his money at risk.
 
These fighters not only can punch you, with these oversized boxing gloves, but they can easily kick you right in the head, or drive a knee into your chest, with such speed and power that it can burst your heart. Literally. You would have to be very drunk, or very crazy to climb in the ring with these guys, unless you harbored a death wish.  (Hey if you wanted to die, you could always go off with one of the AIDS infested girls from those live shows.) 
 
It was really something to see. I wouldn’t be entertained by a steady diet of it, but once was pretty interesting, in a voyeuristic way. I remember thinking about the effects of the repetitive impacts on the fighters’ knees. No sore knees there.  But why?
 
Well, they hyperflex their knees, so their kneecaps are pulled BELOW the groove in the lower thigh bone (the trochlea groove) and they actually strike with the condyles of the femur. So the joint itself doesn’t suffer from the impacts. Only the target does.
 
And of course, these guys train morning noon and night. Just great muscle development. So their muscles help to absorb shock, as well as driving their kicks.  The exercises they do are naturally extremely intense. But the principles they follow are the same as those I teach you in my PAIN-FREE PROGRAM. See it here at   http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html
 
So if you’re ever in Bangkok, and want to absorb some real “local color,” try a walk on the wild side in the PatPong district. But be sure you go with a guide, for your own protection. Plenty of pick-pockets there, to go with everything else. Better to be safe. But it IS something to see–at least once.
 
Til next time, my friend, keep up your exercises, to prevent or eliminate knee pain, and restore function:  http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html   And be well. Talk to you again soon.
 
Yours for a pain-free tomorrow,
 
Dr. Bill
 
P.S. For DR. BILL’S LITTLE GREEN BOOK ON ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN, a concise, but complete handbook on the root causes and the various options for treating knee pain, go to http://drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html
 
P.P.S. For DR. BILL’S PAIN-FREE PROGRAM: EXERCISES TO PREVENT OR ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN, please go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html
 
P.P.P.S. For the giant, comprehensive ADVANCED MASTERS’ COURSE: HOW TO ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN–ONCE & FOR ALL!, everything you need to know on causes and solutions for knee pain and the complete exercise program, too, go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/advanced_masters.html
 
FREE BONUS CD with any order: THE HEALING POWER OF POSITIVE PAIN PERCEPTION
 
Copyright, 2008 by William Thomas Stillwell, MD
All rights reserved

 I’m back in Southampton, having flown in yesterday. So this past morning, we drove to the airport to pick up my father-in-law and his wife. We thought it might be nice to gather at the new house for Thanksgiving and to see in the new Christmas Season. 
 
And to be honest, there’s something bizarre about having Thanksgiving and the Christmas Holidays in 70-80 degree temperatures in Florida, when you’ve grown up associating them with the cooler weather of Fall in the Temperate Zone. You know, the whole “chestnuts roasting on an open fire” thing rings truer when “Jack Frost is nipping at your nose.” When it’s perrenial summer, not so much.

So, to prepare for the Season, my wife got us tickets to Winter Wonderland in New York for later this afternoon. True, the Rockerfeller Center Christmas Tree won’t be lit yet; the official Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony won’t be for a couple of weeks– I think it’s December 4th. But all the other Lights and Christmas Decorations will be up and well worth seeing. 
 
So, I was prepared for cooler weather and looking forward to it. But last night, my wife and I went out shopping, and man, it was COLD! Late last night, it was down into the twenties. I guess I’ve been in Florida too long. I was looking forward to the cooler weather but here I am, freezing in Southampton!
 
Well, hopefully, it will warm up a little later. Brrrrrrrrrrr! This part of New York I didn’t miss.
 
Funny thing about cold weather is that, like damp weather, it can make your joints ache when you have any degenerative joint disease. Among the things that can make you feel better and provide a little relief are supplements and joint wraps.
 
I’ve mentioned before that if you improve the balance of Omega 3 Fatty Acids in your diet, by avoiding red meat, saturated fats and other sources of Omega 6 Fatty Acids and then taking fish oil and other sources of Omega 3′s, you can reduce inflammation and therefore, relieve joint pain.
 
You can also keep your joints warm, too. Ways to do this range from simple elastic or neoprene knee sleeves, to far infrared capturing KENKO wraps and magnetic knee wraps that generate  internal heat within the joint tissues (both are available from your nearest NIKKEN distributor). 

These and a number of other methods for relieving knee pain are described in greater detail in my newest healing program, HOW TO AVOID KNEE SURGERY. See it at http://drbillsclinic.com/avoid_knee_surgery.html 
 
In addition, I list a number of other methods, from across the entire health care spectrum, to relieve knee pain and restore knee function–conventional, alternative and complimentary. And I include a Baker’s dozen of the most effective exercises to prevent and eliminate knee pain, for long term relief. See them at   http://drbillsclinic.com/avoid_knee_surgery.html
 
Gotta go! Til next time, my friend, be well. And stay warm….
 
Yours for a pain-free tomorrow,
 
Dr. Bill
 
P.S. For DR. BILL’S LITTLE GREEN BOOK ON ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN, a concise, but complete handbook on the root causes and the various options for treating knee pain, go to http://drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html
 
P.P.S. For DR. BILL’S PAIN-FREE PROGRAM: EXERCISES TO PREVENT OR ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN, please go to   http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html
 
P.P.P.S. For the giant, comprehensive ADVANCED MASTERS’ COURSE: HOW TO ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN–ONCE & FOR ALL!, everything you need to know on causes and solutions for knee pain and the complete exercise program, too, go to http://drbillsclinic.com/advanced_masters.html
 
FREE BONUS CD with any order: THE HEALING POWER OF POSITIVE PAIN PERCEPTION
 
Copyright, 2008 by William Thomas Stillwell, MD
All rights reserved

Here’s something I’ll bet you don’t know about me: I’ve been a SCUBA diver, on and off since 1986. I wouldn’t dare go diving right now, because I’m out of training and it’s been a few years. But I’m still certified and still carry my C-card, which allows you to get your air tanks filled.
 
I got into this sport sort of through the back door. My brother-in-law John had gotten into it, and he was really pretty good, too. He was at Instructor or Master Diver level (same level of experience, but each has a different path of advanced training–the former, an emphasis on teaching; the latter, personal skill enhancement). And, as he worked for me as a kind of “Man Friday” or personal assistant, I guess he figured that getting me involved would be a good way to get some great diving vacations. He was right about that, as it turned out.
 
And, truth to tell, I needed some avocation for stress relief, after the daily grind of surgery and private practice, as well as my administrative duties as Chief of Orthopaedics, and occasional teaching duties. So, I went back to dive school. You have to complete a course of study, including practical courses that involve actual supervised dives, safety measures, the biology and physics of compressed air (partial pressures of gases, nitrogen narcosis, and other topics), and training for emergencies.
 
This last is pretty important. If something should happen to you 100 feet under water, and you’ve practiced dealing with it, you know what to do. You don’t panic or thrash around–that’s the easiest way to get killed, and it happens more often than you would think. No. You calmly assess your situation and then take the steps you’ve been taught. No problem. 
 
And, my favorite, you have to swim a mile in the pool–any stroke or style you want, take as long as you want, but you do this, or you don’t pass. It still amazes me, and it seemed to take forever, but I did it. In fact, I was the oldest guy in my class to successfully graduate.
 
There was one other guy a few years older than me, but he couldn’t trust the regulator–the mechanical valve that allows you to breathe under water. You have to trust the device and be able to inhale under water. He couldn’t do it–psychological block. I could. No problem. Anyway, I got my card and was officially a diver.
 
During the practice dives, I began to notice a dull ache on the inner joint line of my knees, when I kicked my legs with my fins on. The extra force on my knees from the resistance of the fins on the water apparently put a mild twist on the jonts, and I could feel it. 
 
I, of course, like most highly educated and clinically experienced physicians do, ignored this sign. After all, nothing ever happens to US, only to our patients. Right. Only, it continued to get worse and began to bother me when I wasn’t in the water.
 
Finally, I couldn’t ignore it any more. I suspected I had a low grade synovitis, or maybe even a small tear in my menisci. Got an MRI, but the menisci seemed to be intact. OK, synovitis, it is, then.
 
So, I took to the gym to work on my quads, with emphasis on my VMO muscles, with the resistance exercises I now teach in my PAIN-FREE PROGRAM, at   http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html
 
And, you know what? It worked. As my strength increased, the ache decreased. No question about it. Without these exercises to alter the dynamics of my knees, no way could I have graduated. But I did the work and I did graduate. And that made a lot of adventures in diving around the world available to me.
 
So, if you have aching in your own knees, you can’t go wrong doing these specially modified exercises, yourself. They help to prevent or eliminate knee pain, FAST, regardless of the underlying cause. Go to  http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html 
and see for yourself.
 
Til, next time, my friend, be well.
 
Yours for a pain-free tomorrow,
 
Dr. Bill
 
P.S. For DR. BILL’S LITTLE GREEN BOOK ON ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN, a concise, but complete handbook on the root causes and the various options for treating knee pain, go to http://drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html
 
P.P.S. For DR. BILL’S PAIN-FREE PROGRAM: EXERCISES TO PREVENT OR ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN, please go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html
 
P.P.P.S. For the giant, comprehensive ADVANCED MASTERS’ COURSE: HOW TO ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN–ONCE & FOR ALL!, everything you need to know on causes and solutions for knee pain and the complete exercise program, too, go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/advanced_masters.html
 
FREE BONUS CD with any order: THE HEALING POWER OF POSITIVE PAIN PERCEPTION
 
Copyright, 2008 by William Thomas Stillwell, MD
All rights reserved

It’s just after noon on the day of All Hallows Eve and I’m just getting ready to put the finishing touches on the Halloween decorations at the front door. Though we have no kids of our own (unless you count our “hairy children”), we love giving stuff to the kids who come around to play Trick or Treat. We get a big kick out of it and it’s become one of our favorite holidays.
 
This has always been a special night for us, especially here in this gated community. It’s a riot to see tiny little children, all decked out in teensy little Batman or Superman outfits, or draped in a ghostly sheet with strategically placed eye holes, come up to the front door with their candy bags, full of treats. 
 
The really little ones are often driven up to the front door by their parents, in golf carts decked out in spider webs and orange and black. Gangs of the older ones come by later, some in minimalist costumes, others really elaborate regalia.
 
A couple of years ago, a beautiful girl who had to be seventeen or eighteen came up dressed as Queen Nefertiti, floor length golden lame pleated dress, gold pectoral, golden sceptre and flail, and a tall, cylindrical, flat topped white crown of northern Egypt–just stunning. My wife had to remind me that she was young enough to be my GRAND daughter.  Killjoy! 
 
For our part, we have the walkway to the front door lined on either side with electric holographic pumpkins, that bathe the walk in eerie orange light. On the right is a near life-size whimsical witch, riding a broom, with a peaked black broad brimmed hat, right out of The Wizard of Oz, carrying a bag with a black cat and a little pumpkin in it. On the left, a five foot tall dancing skeleton, in a black pin striped zoot suit and hat, that sings a repetoire of rock tunes. In the center, a skull shaped bowl full of goodies on a pedestal, with a skeletal hand that jumps out, if someone takes a treat. Should be good for thrills and plenty of laughs.

This year, we got a ton of candy and other truly horrible non-nutritious treats for the little demons (hey, c’mon– your only a kid once, right?).  Nothing worse than running out and then some little waif comes up and you have to scramble to find something to give ‘em.
 
Now I have to go get a replacement spotlight at Home Depot to highlight the skeleton. The other spot, on the witch, is still working, though. So, we’re almost ready for the onslaught. Most of them will show up after the Annual Halloween Party at the golf clubhouse. Then, we’ll start to see the pale ghostly lights of the silent golf carts making their rounds.
 
It all reminds me of Halloweens of years past… 
 
I remember trick or treating in my old neighborhood, as a kid back in Brooklyn, on 88th Street. Hoboes were in fashion then, as costumes, together with mummies, vampires, ghosts and Frankenstein’s monster. Costumes then were all hand made. The neighborhood was all rows upon rows of attached homes, on both sides of the street, so we could walk between 3rd Avenue and 4th Avenue, going from door to door, on our own street and collect quite a haul. Usually made ourselves sick, eating all that crap, but hey, you’re only young once and it was great fun.
 
During my years in practice, every Halloween, Mike, one of the Anesthesiologists, would always dress up, in full costume, no less, to put patients to sleep. It became a tradition at the hospital and the patients, especially the kids and their parents, loved it. He made everyone smile and took a little of the tension out of the sterile OR setting. Then, he’d go on rounds in the Pediatric Ward– the kids were always thrilled. It spread a little happiness to children trapped in the hospital on this “kids’ holiday.”
 
One year, he came in dressed in drag. He even shaved his moustache for the occasion. That was a scream. We all got a great kick out of Mike. It was such a great get-up that he had to go around to all the nursing floors, the ICU and CCU, and even the Physical Therapy Department (where a number of my patients were being treated with the forerunners of the exercises I teach today in my PAIN-FREE PROGRAM at http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html ).  Funny thing was, he made a damn good looking woman(well, except for the hairy chest…)!
 
So, now the sun is getting high in the sky. In just a few more hours, it will finally set and our streets will soon be overrun with the goblins, ghosties, ghoulies and things that go bump in the night. They’ll be free to plunder our little “village,” once again…. So Happy Halloween, my friend, to you and yours!
 
Just think, in a little over three weeks, it’ll be Thanksgiving! It goes so fast, now…cherish each day while it’s here. Til next time…
 
Yours for a pain-free tomorrow,
 
Dr. Bill
 
P.S. For DR. BILL’S LITTLE GREEN BOOK ON ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN, a concise, but complete handbook on the root causes and the various options for treating knee pain, go to http://drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html
 
P.P.S. For DR. BILL’S PAIN-FREE PROGRAM: EXERCISES TO PREVENT OR ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN, please go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html
 
P.P.P.S. For the giant, comprehensive ADVANCED MASTERS’ COURSE: HOW TO ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN–ONCE & FOR ALL!, everything you need to know on causes and solutions for knee pain and the complete exercise program, too, go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/advanced_masters.html
 
FREE BONUS CD with any order: THE HEALING POWER OF POSITIVE PAIN PERCEPTION
 
Copyright, 2008 by William Thomas Stillwell, MD
All rights reserved

Like lots of people all across this country, I spent a while last night listening to Senators McCain and Obama go at each other in the last Presidential Debate.  While McCain turned in what I believe was his best performance to date and FINALLY began to attack his opponent’s policies, associations and plans for this country, Obama was as smooth and unflappable as ever, if somewhat disingenuous.
 
The biggest star of the night was in fact, “Joe the Plumber,” an Ohio voter who Obama had met on the campaign trail. Joe had quite correctly put his finger right on the central problem facing voters in this election.
 
He wanted to know if Obama’s tax plans were going to hurt him. It seems that Joe, who had been working for 15 years as a plumber, was preparing to buy the business he had worked for, which was earning over the $250,000 Obama threshhold for a targeted higher tax bracket. 
 
Obama glibly said “It’s not that I want to punish your success, I just want to make sure that everybody who is behind you, that they’ve got a chance at success too.” After all, “I think when you spread the wealth around, it’s good for everybody.”
 
Translation: “Yes, I am going to take MORE of the money YOU EARNED and give it to whoever I want.”
 
It used to be phrased, “From each according to his ability. To each according to his need.”
 
Joe was not convinced. Neither am I. Though it sounds great on the stump, what does that really mean? It means that Obama has no evil intent against Joe, but he’s gonna take more of his money anyway and GIVE it to someone who DIDN’T EARN IT! With Obama’s plan, even the 40% of people WHO DON’T PAY ANY INCOME TAXES NOW would get a check from the government, ie., some of the money that Joe earned.  They used to call this welfare.
 
You know, a good friend and mentor of mine, Matt Furey, has taught that it’s good to “circulate money–” that when you give away money or spend it, it has a way of coming back to you, multiplied. It’s kind of a karmic way of looking at it, and implies a faith in the Universe that rewards philanthropy. That’s entirely different, because that’s voluntary.  What Obama proposes is government coercion.

“Where there is no choice, there is no virtue.” I don’t remember who said that, but it’s true, nonetheless.
 
So, apart from the utter ineptitude, lack of any meaningful executive, legislative, or foreign policy experience (BTW, notice how those who are the most critical of Sarah Palin’s “lack of experience,” even though she has more executive experience than all three men in the race, give Obama a complete pass on HIS lack of experience in the name of CHANGE?) and tendency to vacillate between positions, Obama is a choice for COLLECTIVISM, by whatever name you choose to call it.
 
And McCain, though far from perfect, is a choice for individualism and the values that founded and made this country great. And a brake on what is sure to be a Democratic Congress, with all that implies. 
 
America hasn’t had such a stark choice between competing philosophies in a generation. Even the Clinton Administration was more centrist than leftist.
 
So Americans have a choice to make: are we going to adhere to the values that created the greatest country in the world, or, despite all the available evidence of what happens when that philosophy is put into action, are we going to follow the path of Europe’s socialist democracies? I guess we’ll soon know. 
 
Yogi Berra, New York Yankee baseball great, member of the Hall of Fame, and part-time philosopher, once said, “When you come to a fork in the road, take it!”  And so we shall, in about two and a half weeks.
 
And you have a choice, too, when it comes to living with knee pain. You can continue to suffer with it, or you can do something about it. If you want the best collection of knee pain treatments available, from across the entire medical spectrum, you need my LITTLE GREEN BOOK FOR ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN   http://drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html
 
And for best results, you’ll want to combine these methods with my specially modified exercises designed to prevent or eliminate knee pain, my PAIN-FREE PROGRAM, which you can get for yourself at http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html
 
Whoever wins the election, health care is still going to be a problem. You might as well begin taking care of yourself now. A small investment now in your own health may save you big bucks in the future in doctors’ fees and hospital costs. If you have knee pain, or know someone who does, go here NOW:  http://drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html  and  http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html
 
Til next time, my friend, be well.
 
Yours for a pain-free tomorrow,
 
Dr. Bill
 
P.S. For DR. BILL’S LITTLE GREEN BOOK ON ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN, a concise, but complete handbook on the root causes and the various options for treating knee pain, go to http://drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html
 
P.P.S. For DR. BILL’S PAIN-FREE PROGRAM: EXERCISES TO PREVENT OR ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN, please go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html
 
P.P.P.S. For the giant, comprehensive ADVANCED MASTERS’ COURSE: HOW TO ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN–ONCE & FOR ALL!, everything you need to know on causes and solutions for knee pain and the complete exercise program, too, go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/advanced_masters.html
 
FREE BONUS CD with any order: THE HEALING POWER OF POSITIVE PAIN PERCEPTION
 
Copyright, 2008 by William Thomas Stillwell, MD
All rights reserved

May 21, 2008

Now that my career as a surgeon is effectively over, I sometimes remember with fondness those who helped me achieve what I did in the beginning. When I was in Medical School, my first clinical rotation, ie., real patient contact on the wards, was in Medicine at Metropolitan Hospital in New York City. I was assigned to a resident and several interns under him as an extern (a medical student on clinical rotation).
 
The resident, who was a really good guy, as well as a really good doctor, had a great sense of how to forge disparate individuals into a functioning unit. Each of us had a nickname, and together we were The Team. They called me “Little Joe,” because, according to the rest of the Team, and especially the resident in charge, I resembled the character, Little Joe (Michael Landon) from Bonanza. I never
saw the resmblance myself (I should be so lucky!), but they apparently did, so “Little Joe,” I was.
 
One day near the start of my rotation, the resident assigned me to draw blood, for the very first time, from this unsuspecting patient, who became my very first “victim.” He was a fairly young to middle aged black man, with a fairly dark complexion, who was tall and thin, with “thin skin” that showed every vein he had in his arms, like an anatomy chart.  Turns out he was also a very nice and extremely patient man, luckily for me. I forget his name and what he was in the hospital for, but he needed his blood drawn and I was assigned to do it.
 
Now, drawing blood, or venipuncture, as it’s technically termed, is an art that is only developed by practice.  In Medical School, we first learned to use needles by puncturing oranges. Then, we worked on each other, taking turns in drawing our own blood, in special classes
where we’d pair up for this purpose. But it’s a whole different thing when you do it for real, in a real clinical setting for the first time. For one thing, you’re trying to be professional and look like you know what you’re doing–which, of course, you DON’T.  For another, the eyes of the patient are on you, watching every move you make, which adds a little pressure, as you might imagine. And of course, you also want to look good in front of your resident.
 
So, with all this in mind, I collected the vacuum tubes I would need (they’re color coded, depending on what test is required), the syringes and the needles, as well as the hollow rubber tubing we used as a tourniquet. I introduced myself to the patient, explained that I was there to draw his blood for tests that were needed, and set up my stuff. I saw that he had great veins, even before I put on the tourniquet and tightened it. After it was tightened, they practically jumped out at me.  “Great,” I thought. “They’re right here. I don’t have to hunt for them. This should be easy.”
 
So, I aligned the needle, just like I’d been taught, popped it through the skin, right over the big, juicy vein…and it ROLLED sideways, away from the needle!  So, I tried again…same thing.  And again…and again.  By now, sweat was dripping from my mid-back to my butt,
from near panic, as I continued to try. That poor man sat still for thirteen sticks. Finally, though, he was exasperated.  He collared the resident, who was passing by: “Hey, how ’bout gettin’ me somebody that knows what they’re doin’,” he said. I could have died from
mortification, but the guy was right. The resident apologized, explained that I was new, reapplied the tourniquet and drew blood with the very first stick.
 
I profusely apologized to the patient, who was very relieved that his ordeal was finally over. The man was a saint. He understood that I was just starting out, and he was OK with that…but he pointed out that I should have asked for help sooner. Feeling completely humbled and shamed (not comfortable or familiar emotions for me), I was forced to agree. It was my stupid pride that caused him to suffer more
than he needed to. I SHOULD have asked for help sooner.  It would have spared my patient quite a few of my bumbling attempts. 

I learned an important lesson that day–not just how to deal with rolling veins (today, I could have hit that guy’s vein from across the room), but never to let a patient suffer, if my skills weren’t up to the task at hand. Right then and there, I resolved to make my skills the very best; but to always ask for help, or refer a case, if someone else’s skills were better for a particular job.
 
In the same way, many people today suffer needlessly with knee pain, just because they won’t ask for help.  It was with those people in mind that I wrote my book,  DR. BILL’S PAIN-FREE PROGRAM: EXERCISES TO PREVENT OR ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN, which you can get right now at    http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html   By choosing from the exercises I teach, those that
work best for you, you can help yourself to prevent or eliminate your knee pain, just like the title says.  But you still have to ASK for the help that’s available.  Click on the link and order your copy today. You’ll be glad you did and your knees will thank you.
 
Well, that’s the trip down memory lane for today. Til next time, my friend, be well.
 
Yours for a pain-free tomorrow,
 
Dr. Bill
 
P.S. For DR. BILL’S LITTLE GREEN BOOK ON ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN, a concise, but complete handbook on the root causes and the various options for treating knee pain, go to   http://drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html
 
P.P.S. For DR. BILL’S PAIN-FREE PROGRAM: EXERCISES TO PREVENT OR ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN, please go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html
 
P.P.P.S. For the giant, comprehensive ADVANCED MASTERS’ COURSE: HOW TO ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN–ONCE & FOR ALL!, everything you need to know on causes and solutions for knee pain and the complete exercise program, too, go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/advanced_masters.html
 
FREE BONUS CD with any order: THE HEALING POWER OF POSITIVE PAIN PERCEPTION
 
Copyright, 2008 by William Thomas Stillwell, MD
All rights reserved

May 5, 2008

Today is Cinco de Mayo! And people from all over the world are “Mexican” for a day–drinking Mexican beer,  margaritas, eating tamales, enchiladas and dancing.  Hey, any excuse for a good party, right? In the USA, it’s actually a bigger deal than it is in Mexico, much the way St. Patrick’s Day is bigger in New York than in Dublin. Historically, though, people here mistakenly think it’s the date of Mexico’s Independence Day (which is really September 16th). 

Instead, the occasion recalls the victory of Mexican General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguin over occupying French forces on May 5, 1862 in the Battle of Puebla. So it’s become a joyous celebration of the turning of the tide in the war between Mexico and France, which culminated in the expulsion of France, the execution of the French puppet Emperor of Mexico, Maximilian I, and Mexican victory in 1867, five years after the Battle of Puebla.
 
So today’s a good day to knock back a couple of Dos Equiis or Coronas, or try that aged tequila margarita (I recommend Baccardi Agave Silver) or an ice cold pitcher of sangria (I always eat the fruit that they float in it and convince myself of its nutritional value). Also, a good time for hot tamales, guacamole or salsa and chips, sizzling fajitas, and my personal favorite, cheese enchiladas. Yum. And if you’ve never tried it, Mexican garlic soup is dynamite! 

Now, this is hardly healthy fare, loaded as it all is with enough saturated fat to smother your arteries, but–what the Hell–it’s only once a year! And if you yield to these indulgences, there’s no better way to demonstrate penance and get dietary absolution than to burn out those chorizo calories with some intense physical exercise. My good friend Matt Furey, who coincidentally has a birthday today, on Cinco de Mayo, has the best all around bodyweight exercise program on the planet, Combat Conditioning. Get it right now at
http://drbillsclinic.com/combat_conditioning.html 

Then you can enjoy your celebration AND your dietary indiscretions, without the guilt! What’s that you say? You have knee pain and can’t do full Hindu Squats?  No problem, my friend. You can get my PAIN-FREE PROGRAM for specially modified exercises to prevent or completely eliminate your knee pain right here, at  http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html
 
Either way, get those muscles moving and enjoy the day!  Til next time my friend, be well.
 
Yours for a pain-free tomorrow,

Dr. Bill
P.S. For DR. BILL’S LITTLE GREEN BOOK ON ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN, a concise, but complete handbook on the root causes and the various options for treating knee pain, go to http://drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html
 
P.P.S. For DR. BILL’S PAIN-FREE PROGRAM: EXERCISES TO PREVENT OR ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN, please go to  http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html
 
P.P.P.S. For the giant, comprehensive ADVANCED MASTERS’ COURSE: HOW TO ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN–ONCE & FOR ALL!, everything you need to know on causes and solutions for knee pain and the complete exercise program, too, go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/advanced_masters.html
 
FREE BONUS CD with any order: THE HEALING POWER OF POSITIVE PAIN PERCEPTION
 
Copyright, 2008 by William Thomas Stillwell, MD
All rights reserved