Bang your drum… it could make you smarter and healthier!

Bang your drum… it could make you smarter and healthier!

Bang your drum… it could make you smarter and healthier!

 

I don’t want to work
I want to bang on the drum all day
I don’t want to play
I just want to bang on the drum all day
Todd Rundgren

 

Twice in the last several months, the topic of drumming came up in our  AnCan Men Speaking Freely group and it generated some excitement both times. So this month’s invite will be on that topic.In my former practice whenever I have given a non-verbal treatment there is a big relief that no talking is involved. In bypassing the verbal and left-brain systems we gain access to a typically unused part of ourselves. I wonder if we can use this approach to cope with our serious illnesses and have a better life?

Our brains have a characteristic called plasticity, the ability to change. You may have heard of this regarding the little finger brain circuit of violinists; it grows as they become proficient. Drummers also have different brains than the rest of us. They have fewer, thicker nerve fibers between the two halves of the brain. They have more efficiently organized motor cortices. (Schlaffke, 2019). Because of this, drummers can do things that we can’t. They can coordinate the two sides of the brain better, and perform motor tasks with greater efficiency. They can play different rhythms with each hand and foot at the same time.

Schlaffke’s subjects had drummed many hours per week for decades. But Bruchhage’s (2020) subjects trained for only 8 weeks and showed several changes in the cerebellum plus changes in the cortex, showing not only cerebellar plasticity but also communication and coordination between the cerebellum and brain sensorimotor areas as well as areas for cognitive control.

Drumming is very complicated, which is why it’s unfair that the lead guitar and vocal guy gets all the girls (Greenfield, J. 2022).

For some reason, there is a close association between beat synchronization (integrating auditory perception with motor activity) and reading ability in children (Bonacina, 2021). Higher synchronization ability predicts better literacy skills. Maybe early intervention involving drumming can improve literacy in kids?

Cahart et.al (2022) showed that drumming can improve behavioral outcomes for autistic adolescents and elucidated some of the neurology involved. Does this mean it could help us?

Drums have been used for millennia for healing, inducing trance, and even psyching up soldiers.

We have learned that drumming is not just about waking up the right brain, but also about connecting the sides of the brain, and the cerebellum with the cortex. It can induce alpha brain waves. It can release endorphins. Even T-cells respond to drumming (Bittman). It induces present-moment experience, which we often work toward to deal with death anxiety. Interpersonal connections are made when people drum together. Despite the effort involved, it induces relaxation. I have come across papers describing drumming and music therapy for a wide variety of emotional problems and currently, there are 8000 music therapists in the US.

How about for us?  We see above the possibility of reductions in anxiety, tension, pain, isolation, depression, and over-thinking the past and future. There are many studies of music therapy in ICUs, with patients on ventilators, easing hemodialysis pain, with positive results. Also, helpful with narcotic use, social integration, and depression. MSKCC uses music therapy.

With terminal cancer, there is data showing that music helps breathing, QOL, psychospiritual integration, reducing pain in chemotherapy, radiation, and helps pediatric breast and lung Ca patients (Ramirez 2018, Hilliard 2003, Burns 2015 Tuinmann 2017, Barrera 2002, Li 2011, Lin 2011). Atkinson (2020) found improvement with fatigue. I couldn’t find any studies focused only on Prostate Cancer.

Well, all this scholarly stuff is really unnecessary to anyone who ever banged a pot with a wooden spoon. Kids love it. Adults love situations where it’s OK to be wild and make noise, such as drumming circles and Pound classes. It’s just fun and feels good.

Dr. John Antonucci
Editor: Dr. John wrote this for our Men Speaking Freely Reminder on Dec 7, 2023. It’s such a perceptive, helpful and instructive piece, AnCan wanted to share it widely.
Your Dental Health

Your Dental Health

Your Dental Health

 

AnCan takes a holistic approach to your physical and mental health. AnCan also recognizes that a healthy mouth contributes to a stress free life… and all too often your condition, or the meds you take for it, can disrupt dental health. Some of our groups speak frequently about dry mouth (xerostomia), loss of taste (ageusia) and ONJ … osteonecrosis of the jaw.

When, Dr. Bob Gurmankin DMD, a recently retired dentist living with advanced prostate cancer, noticed the frequency with which these dental topics came up in his group, he suggested a two-step support program – 1) a handout on our website, and 2) a dental health webinar in 2024…  watch out for this int he New Year.

One handout alone was not going serve all needs so Dr. Bob graciously prepared THREE to kick start our effort to help you maintain a healthy mouth.

Please download whatever is appropriate and spread the word to others who you think may benefit. Dr. Bob Gurmankin can be reached at dr.bob@ancan.org ; if you have questions he has kindly agreed to assist…  THANK YOU DR. BOB!!!

Please participate in our Groups where you’ll find more support… onward & upwards.

Other Resources

 

Veterans with Multiple Sclerosis: A Beginner’s Guide

So, you have MS. You may also be a Veteran of the United States military. What kinds of benefits and resources are available to those who have served and are now living with this debilitating disease? Here we hope you’ll find our beginner’s guide helpful in your search for benefits and resources.

Having MS and navigating the world of healthcare is dangerously daunting all on its own. Throw in some confusion about VA benefits, and you have a confusion cocktail to contend with (see what I did there?).

 

Before we dive in, just be warned: there is a plethora of information. Take your time researching, because there are a lot of links in this blog post. Because there’s so much info to take into consideration, we will do our best to update this blog as necessary. Check back regularly for more information as we come across it.

 

We have to thank Captain James “Jim” Marshall, who is a retired US Air Force Veteran, for bringing up this topic in the first place. Jim regularly moderates our Veteran Support Group, and also attends the High -Risk Prostate Cancer group & Blood Cancer group.

 

Over this past weekend, Jim struck up a conversation with an Air Force Veteran who has MS. He was surprised to learn that MS is, in fact, not covered under the Agent Orange Act or the PACT Act. MS has not been identified as an illness associated with the substances that these Acts target.

 

In his conversation, and subsequent research later on, he found that many people (perhaps as high as 60% of people) were denied upgrades to their disability rating. The VA, depending on evidence, will often award up to 30%. However, sometimes specific symptoms will allow for a higher percentage; one of those being chronic fatigue, which gets a 60% rating all on its own.

Jim also states that Veterans who are prevented from working as a result of their MS may be able to receive a benefit called “Total Disability on Individual Unemployment Ability”, or TDIU. This benefit compensates Veterans at the 100 percent rating, even if their overall disability rating may be less than that. Veteran’s symptoms must be Service-Connected (SC), and already have a 60% disability rating OR have “2 or more service-connected disabilities—with at least 1 rated at 40% or more disabling and a combined rating of 70% or more”. You also must not be able to hold down a steady job that would have supported you financially. Definitely click on he link above to read more about it and see if you qualify.
The official Veterans Affairs benefits website has a page specifically for those who have MS and are seeking resources.
The website states: “The VA provides health care services to Veterans with MS from the time of diagnosis throughout their life, whether or not they have a service-connected or non-service connected status. If an individual had symptoms of MS in the military, or within seven years after honorable discharge, he/she may be eligible for service-connected disability.”

For those who are new to the benefits game:

The website suggests filling out the VA Compensation and/or the VA Pension form available online or at his/her local medical center for starters.
In fact, there’s an entire webpage that’s full of links and Fact Sheets about your VA benefits.

But oh my goodness, that’s a lot to sift through. Here are a few things on that web page that stand out to us:

Info on Filing and Intent to File – Sounds a little silly, but you may be able to receive retroactive payments for the time between when you submitted your intent to file and when they approve your claim.

Pension Benefit details – At least one of these must be true:

  • You’re at least 65 years old, or
  • You have a permanent and total disability, or
  • You’re a patient in a nursing home for long-term care because of a disability, or
  • You’re getting Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income

There’s more to this list, so click that link for info on Pension Benefits

Disability Housing Grants Information

  • Specially Adapted Housing Grant (SAH) for those who own their home, or will own their home, this is a grant that allows adaptive modifications to your home. Can receive up to $109,986 as of 2023
  • Special Home Adaptation Grant (SHA) is the same as the above, but with different qualifications. Can receive up to $22,036 as of 2023
  • Temporary Residence Adaptation for those who are living in a temporary family member’s home that needs changes in order to meet your adaptive needs. You must meet all the qualifying criteria for one of the two grants above. The amount changes depending on which one you qualify for.
Many people with a chronic or debilitating illnesses will tell you that advocating for yourself and your needs is of utmost importance. When dealing with and anything VA-related, persistence is key.
It’s tricky, and it’s a lot to deal with on top of managing symptoms.

That being said, you may benefit from the help of a VA social worker

Keep in touch with your primary care provider and your MS social worker. They’ll be able to help you refine your case for increasing your disability rating. They’re an invaluable source of information and help in signing up for various benefits. The provide supportive counseling to assist Veterans on the physical and emotional impact that MS can have on you and you family. They’re there to be your advocate, your negotiator, your case manager, and more.
If you don’t have a social worker on your team, look for the Social Work department at your local VA, or talk to your primary care provider or MS Specialist.
Here’s a summarized list of just some benefits offered at the VA. These programs require the help of a social worker:
Veteran Directed Care – offers monetary help with personal care services and daily living. Veterans are given a budget, and can even hire their own workers.
Medical Foster Home – This is a residency that’s similar to a nursing home, except Veterans are housed in a private home. Caregiving staff is on call 24/7. The VA ensures that these staff are well trained.
There’s so much more offered, and for so many specific circumstances. We would highly suggest you to look at this website for the VA Multiple Sclerosis Centers of Excellence.
Captain James “Jim” Marshall wants you all to know that if you have any questions pertaining to benefits and navigating the system, feel free to send him an email:

Marshall-James@comcast.net

 

As we mentioned above, this article is just a small portion of info about benefits in the VA system. We will continue to update or even create new blogs as we see fit.

Above all we sincerely thank each of our Veterans for their service. We love and appreciate you!

 

Don’t forget to check out our MS Peer Support Group, which meets every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month

And of course our Veterans Peer Support Group, which meets every 4th Thursday of every month

 

 

UPDATE #1 – Jim let me know that Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) “is a presumptive condition for veterans with 90 days or more of continuously active service in the military. Any veteran with ALS should apply for Disability Compensation.”.

He goes on the state “Looking into justifying MS [and ALS] as Service-Connected, it is not as difficult as it seems.  If the Vet was exposed to Hazardous Materials, most of us come across such things even in the states, then present VA thinking has MS service-connected because ‘IT IS AS LIKELY AS NOT’ caused by the exposure.”

 

ICE  Checklist … in case you go cold!

ICE Checklist … in case you go cold!

ICE Checklist … in case you go cold!

Last month’s Under 60 Stage 3 & 4 Prostate Cancer meeting was small, intimate and produced a true gem from Down Under to benefit all AnCan’rs …

For the life of me, I forget what raised the topic … maybe a Death with Dignity discussion – but Aussie AnCan’r, Steve Cavill told us about the ICE “In Case of Emergency” Checklist Document that he and his wife Leonie, who occasionally attends our Care Partners Group, have both completed. Steve and Leonie reside in the suburbs of Melbourne and are currently heading towards mid-Winter.

This ICE Checklist takes much, if not all, the difficulty out of placing your key information in one place. Like your vital passwords to your laptop, phone or bank accounts; names of key individuals in your life and more. You know .. all that information making it possible for someone to piece your life together if you’re suddenly no longer with us.

Frankly it’s information we should all compile no matter how old. With this checklist guide at hand to march us through it, there can be few excuses. Just remember, this version of the ICE checklist was created in Oz, so it may not be fully applicable Stateside.  If one of our US volunteers has time to ‘Americanize’ it, I feel sure it will be greatly appreciated – we have very few solicitors in the US and a few too many attorneys!

Here’s the checklist document in Word format ICE Document Template  Now do your part …. and a BIG THANK YOU, Steve Cavill!!

Solo Arts Heal with Tara Lazar

Solo Arts Heal with Tara Lazar

AnCan and The Marsh (well renown, long-established theater company with a large following in the Bay Area and venues in San Francisco and Oakland) collaborate every 4th Wednesday of the month for Solo Arts Heal!

You’ll love April’s guest, Tara Lazar!

Street magic performer. Hog-calling champion. Award-winning ice sculptor. These are all things Tara Lazar has never been.

Instead, she writes quirky, humorous picture books where anything is possible. Tara has been, however, a champion adult figure skater, but because of primary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), she now walks with a walker and drives with hand controls.

She can still figuratively skate, as seen in her book, Little Red Gliding Hood; put on a pair of detective gumshoes, as she did in 7 Ate 9: The Untold Story; and trek into the world of “fun and entertaining vocabulary building” for older kids in her most recent book, Absurd Words, which won a Golden Kite award from the Society of Children’s Books and Illustrators.

She is known by other kid lit writers for her blog, Writing for Kids (While Raising Them), and for hosting her annual Storystorm challenge that attracts more than 2,000 writers to come up with thirty picture book ideas in thirty days.

Tara read from her award-winning kid literature, but let’s be honest, can be enjoyed by kids of all ages!

Watch here:

 

FDA Approves Briumvi (Ublituximab) for Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis

FDA Approves Briumvi (Ublituximab) for Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis

FDA Approves Briumvi (Ublituximab) for Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis

briumvi, msIn case you haven’t heard the news by now, the FDA recently approved Briumvi (Ublituximab), by TG Therapeutics, for the treatment of relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis.

The drug is now the 3rd CD20 anti-b-cell therapy on the market for Multiple Sclerosis. Up until now, Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) and Kesimpta (ofatumumab) were the only B-cell targeting drugs available on the market.

This is great news, because B-cell therapies, such as the drugs named above, have all been proven highly effective as disease-modifying therapies for MS.

Given as a twice-yearly infusion, Briumvi is currently available for Relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), Clinically-Isolated Syndrome (CIS), and Secondary-progressive MS (SPMS).

According to the MS News Today article below, “Briumvi was engineered to be more potent than other anti-CD20 therapies, allowing for lower doses and shorter infusion times.”

Read more about it here, on Multiple Sclerosis News Today

MS is a disease of the central nervous system that specifically targets the myelin sheath in the brain and spinal cord. Any time those with MS can get a new medication available to them on the market, it’s a huge victory in the fight against a disease that can take away almost every function in the human body.

If you’re one of us in the MS “club”, join us every 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month for our MS group meeting here