Amarylis and dancing

I'm so happy, my amarylis has come into flower again this year. It's on a very tall stem, so I've only taken a picture of one flower. It's always a thrill when something you've tried to keep going flowers again!



A bit before Christmas I read about Tilly and the Wall. I fell in love with their music, and actually ordered their new CD and 7" vinyl. Rainbows in the Dark always makes me feel happy! So much so that I danced around the living room with John to it last night. Today I can barely walk, but the lightening of spirit that dancing brought is still with me. Must be over 15 years since I last danced!

Bad Education is one of the tracks on the vinyl (as well as on the CD). Fantastic track, flamenco stamping, the video is very in the spirit of Lola, (Kinks, Ray Davies) though very different musically.

I love anything that takes me back to The Kinks in the 60s. I remember staying with my Grandmother in Harrow around 1965. Went to visit my Great Auntie Gertie who lived in Muswell Hill, and I was thrilled to spot (from the top of a double decker bus) Ray Davies standing on a street corner. Auntie Gertie was very amused that I was so pleased to have spotted a "famous pop star", but insisted on calling The Kinks "The Creepers" for the rest of her life.

Got sidetracked there by YouTube - so many 60s bands, a delight for me of course! But one of my all time faves is Itchycoo Park by the Small Faces. Great to see it available online!

I should be asleep, but I'm not.

Was reading the Ferengi Rules of Acquisition, and was particularly struck by this one:

#80 If it works, sell it. If it works well, sell it for more. If it doesn't work, quadruple the price and sell it as an antique.

Never give up! Never surrender!

Thank the lord for BBC 3 - they're showing Galaxy Quest right now. Nice film to have a laugh and wind down to.

How to part patients from their money

After a heavy week watching my items not selling on eBay (well, three did in the end, two didn't), this morning I decided to while away a few hours reading the links posted by Dr Crippen in the first BritMeds of the year. As expected, an interesting mix. However, one item did lead me further:

"Advice from Lady Sonja, from the department of loony-tunes, that you should lobby your GP to get reflexology on the NHS "

Usually I scan down to see what else people have been blogging about, and here's what I found in a recent entry on Lady Sonja's blog - A Successful Cure For Chronic Fatigue And Fibromyalgia.

Now this plain makes me cross. Here's what Lady Sonja has to say in her final paragraph:

"In Mickel Therapy the therapist supports sufferers of CFS and fibromyalgia to take the steps necessary to stop their body sending them symptoms. By taking actions based on what their body is telling them, people can cure themselves of the debilitating symptoms and return to normal living."

Mickel Therapy is one of several similar "therapies" for ME/CFS, others are Reverse Therapy and the Lightning Process. The Mickel Therapy claims to have successfully treated over 400 clients, at a success rate of 92%.

Greg Crowhurst has written much better than I can about these "therapies" for the 25% Group, the national charity for those severely affected by ME, and their carers.

Initially Dr David Mickel (an ex-GP) trained with Dr John Eaton (Psychology PhD) as a therapist delivering Reverse Therapy. There is a very enlightening blog written by Adam Del-Monte giving some details of the Reverse Therapy treatment he received from Dr Mickel. After training in Reverse Therapy with Dr Eaton, Dr Mickel fell out with him, and left to found his own Mickel Therapy. Shades of the Freud and Jung schism?

I am shocked by the cost of these therapies.

What is the cost of Mickel Therapy treatment?

"This will depend on the area you are seeking treatment in but generally the fee is between £80 and £100 per session. This is paid at the end of each session." And according to Action for ME, treatment continues for 8 sessions for 75% of patients, longer for the rest.

I am shocked by the training undergone to be able to provide these therapies:

Mickel Therapy:

What kinds of qualifications does your staff hold?

Mickel Therapists only require one qualification and that is to have successfully completed the modular training and be in full supervision under Dr Mickel.
Because Mickel Therapy is innovative and unlike any treatment in existence that we aware of, previous experience of other treatments is unnecessary and can be a hindrance.

Not to mention the cost...

If you look at this document, you will find "Course Fee: Total of £1600 plus VAT" for an intensive 6 day course.

So for £1600 (plus VAT) you can be set loose on ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia patients and charge them up to £100 a session for a minimum of 8 weeks... Sounds considerably cheaper (for NHS) than using the NHS. I'm amazed Patricia Hewitt hasn't thought of it yet - gotta be less hassle than funding the current clinics.

How to train as a Mickel Therapist...

I am also struck by the Ferengi like thoughts here:

"Training should be viewed as an opportunity to provide valuable reduction in the suffering caused by the conditions that Mickel Therapy currently treats. It should also be viewed as an opportunity to expand into the self employed world of health provision. The terms and agreement details the fees involved in this. All potential therapists should have read this and accepted its terms before embarking on training in Mickel Therapy." (my emphasis)

Yes! Guess the Ferengi reference gives me away - I am outed as a Trekker. One of these days I will give you my thoughts on how the team on Startrek NG comply with (my inner Borg coming out there I think!) Belbin's ideas on Team Roles. Remember, Resistance is futile!


Update Tuesday 9 Jan 2007
The Daily Mail has run a story about the Lightning Process today.

2007 - Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!



There's a nice comfy chair to the right of the photo - come and toast your toes at our open fire!

Wishing you all the best for 2007.