Rick Morel wrote:
I hope it's okay to post this.

We don't want to, but we have to sell our floating home. Cathy
suffered a back injury and unsucessful surgery in the 90's. We were
told a day would come when she couldn't handle the movement and such.
We were hoping that day was years away, but it looks like it's now.
So, after almost 3 years of living aboard and not as much cruising as
we'd like, it's time before she gets worse.

A couple of ideas for you from a spinal care professional (me). First of
all, I don't know the details of her spinal condition, but I can make a
few guesses that might help. Here's one. If you haven't tried a spinal
manipulation regimen from a top of the line chiropractor, you should. Or
at least get an opinion from one. How to find one? It would take a small
book to answer that question. I suspect you think she has a problem that
can't be helped with chiropractic, but I doubt you are correct.

Part of that same regimen should be core strengthening exercises. In the
last decade there has been an explosion of research and knowledge about
the importance of certain exercises to restore lost function of the
muscles that protect the spine. Here's the interesting part. Core
strengthening exercises work best when done on an "unstable platform."
This is the reason for "stability balls," half domes, and a wide variety
air-filled or foam platforms that you see in gyms nowadays. You live on
an unstable platform of sorts. There is a fairly good chance that your
life aboard has actually been helping her. She should be doing much
more, but moving to an RV is likely to be worse for her. Sitting for
long periods is particularly bad for spinal conditions. Sitting in
trucks and cars, even worse.

Anyway, I doubt the direction you are going, by itself, is going to be
of any help to her, and it is likely to actually make things worse.

Stephen

On Mon, 29 Mar 2010 07:11:37 -0700, Stephen Trapani
wrote:

moving to an RV is likely to be worse for her. Sitting for
long periods is particularly bad for spinal conditions. Sitting in
trucks and cars, even worse.

Interesting points. My wife has issues with herniated discs and has
few problems on our trawler with the exception of dinghy rides in
rough conditions. Long road trips bother her a great deal however as
did our old sailboat, probably from being heeled over as much as
anything.

Rick, maybe you could charter a catamaran sometime and see if that is
better for her? There are thousands of them down here in the
Caribbean, probably more than half the charter boats.

On Mon, 29 Mar 2010 16:42:31 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Mon, 29 Mar 2010 07:11:37 -0700, Stephen Trapani
wrote:

moving to an RV is likely to be worse for her. Sitting for
long periods is particularly bad for spinal conditions. Sitting in
trucks and cars, even worse.

Interesting points. My wife has issues with herniated discs and has
few problems on our trawler with the exception of dinghy rides in
rough conditions. Long road trips bother her a great deal however as
did our old sailboat, probably from being heeled over as much as
anything.

Rick, maybe you could charter a catamaran sometime and see if that is
better for her? There are thousands of them down here in the
Caribbean, probably more than half the charter boats.


Thanks Stephen and Wayne.

Stephen, you're on target. Yes, living aboard is more of a help, but
not in 5 to 8 foot seas. Therin lies the problem. Wayne, she has the
same problem with the dinghy. Our draft, both water and air, limits
our "protected waters" area. We don't consider my single-handing for
offshore passages (which is not a problem at all) and her meeting up
as a viable option.

A near and dear friend is a chiropractor who also is very good with
acupressure (SP?). He's taught me a lot about the latter and luckily I
seem to have a natural talent for it.

We did consider a trawler or even houseboat, which would open up a lot
of places, with the occasional "meet the boat" passage for the former.

Yes, long drives require stopping about every two hours. Maybe not in
a class A motorhome where she can get up and move around, sit, lie
down, etc. while underway. But we'll stop if necessary, which is
impossible in a sailboat miles offshore :-)

It'll all work out!

Rick

An update. Looks like we have a sale! The offer was made and accepted.
The buyer has arranged a survey and sale is pending on "no major
problems found", of which there are none.

We've looked at several motor homes and will hopefully be on the road
soon.

Rick

"Rick Morel" wrote in message
...
An update. Looks like we have a sale! The offer was made and accepted.
The buyer has arranged a survey and sale is pending on "no major
problems found", of which there are none.

We've looked at several motor homes and will hopefully be on the road
soon.

Rick


Rick
Is it still possible to contact you via the link you had up before?
If so, would you be kind enough to repost it - I may have some info which
might be of use or interest to you.
Hoges in WA

On Sat, 03 Apr 2010 14:15:19 GMT, "Hoges in WA"
wrote:

Rick
Is it still possible to contact you via the link you had up before?
If so, would you be kind enough to repost it - I may have some info which
might be of use or interest to you.
Hoges in WA


http://www.morelr.com/valkyrie

Look at the bottom of the page.

Rick

"Rick Morel" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 03 Apr 2010 14:15:19 GMT, "Hoges in WA"
wrote:

Rick
Is it still possible to contact you via the link you had up before?
If so, would you be kind enough to repost it - I may have some info which
might be of use or interest to you.
Hoges in WA


http://www.morelr.com/valkyrie

Look at the bottom of the page.

Rick

Thanks for that - email on the way.
regards
Hoges in WA