Hi, wisewoman --

I can't help you with some of what you mention, but I can talk about your health issues.

I, too, have a bone spur (on my heel) and bursitis (a rotator cuff injury) in my shoulder. If you've never tried acupuncture, it helped me SOOOO much, SOOOO quickly. Literally -- I'm not exaggerating, now -- the first appointment with an acupuncturist for my bursitis, and it was 60% better the next day. I'm not kidding. That was a couple of years ago. But now, it's 99.9% better. As for the bone spur, I went to my chiropractor. A few sessions and it's MUCH better. Not totally healed, but I went to the acupuncturist, too, about that. Between the two of them, and a little device I saw in a catalog (that you put on your foot at night and it holds your big toe back, allowing the muscle on the bottom of the foot to heal), I feel like it'll be fine, eventually.

As for arthritis, I had real stiffness in both hands, years ago. I had read a book about becoming a vegan (giving up meat, dairy & eggs, basically). It seemed like a lot to give up, but pain is a powerful motivator. I became a vegan and my pain disappeared within a week. Really! Doctors will tell you there's no cure. But MUCH can be done, nutritionally, to help. Go up on www.garynull.com. He's probably the top nutritionist in the country. He can help with pretty much anything.

I know what it's like to feel helpless. I feel that way altogether too much of the time. But, if you can get your health a little more under control, it makes you feel less helpless.

Good luck