SORRY. I've had the Fiskars, and have had several that are similar to the Barnels that show in the link you provided. Felco #2's beat everything, hands down. If there was one tool, accessory, whatever - I would recommend to a rose grower - it would be the Felco's, hands down. There's just no comparison to anything else. I wish the US made something like them, but I'm willing to face facts: Felco's are the Mercedes (Ferrari's?) of rose pruners.

I'm finding it hard to believe about the diabetes. I've heard the much older beta blockers might affect CHF.......but the only thing about the newer ones that have anything to do with blood sugar, are that they can mask the symptoms of hypoglycemia........which was a wonderful side-effect for me. Now that I'm coming down on it, I'm back to feeling hypoglycemic. It's hard to believe that coming down just a few milligrams is affecting me so much. I feel like crap......shakey, nervous, my IBS is worse, etc., etc. My husband says "just go back on it." But I've tried to explain its like "withdrawal" from something like heroine. Just because a person has symptoms when coming off a drug, it doesn't mean they should go back on it. Sometimes our bodies have become so used to something, even if it's full of bad side-effects, it takes awhile for it to adjust to life without it. I have always been supersensitive to medications. I have fibromyalgia, and I think alot of us have that problem. That's why I am always very hesitant to start any new med.......because I know that it will be hell coming off of it. And on top of feeling like crap coming down on this med, I feel "abnormal" in some way, because it's affecting me so much. In my next life, I hope to be normal! My husband thinks that what I'm feeling now means that I really need the medicine. But I truly believe that the medicine has made me need it.....and I need to bite the bullet for awhile. Of course, if my symptoms never subside, and my BP creeps back up, I would consider going back on it. Most importantly, I need to lose some weight. But I think this beta blocker has made me gain weight. I'm sort of stuck between a rock and another rock.

Acupuncture cured Ma's frozen shoulder and my aunt's sciatica. Papa's an MD in Acupuncture, and I preferred the needles to painkillers when my headaches got too bad LOL No change in diet, no herbs. Dad says it takes multiple sittings to be able to notice a difference, but some of his clients reported improvement after the first sitting itself. He stressed the importance of continuing the treatment even if you feel good after the first sitting or a few sittings. Ma's shoulder felt better after the first 3 sittings so she stopped ... and a couple of weeks later took fifteen more sittings. At an acupuncture clinic, I saw low-frequency current being applied to the needles for gentle stimulation (but nobody was screaming in pain LOL). But that I'd never be able to take, LOL. I've heard of acupuncture being used during childbirth for pain-free delivery - no idea if it works.

As an herb, there are medicinal attributes. Here's what it says in Louise Tenney's book, "Today's Herbal Health". Catnip has been called nature's "Alka-Seltzer." The Indians used it for infant colic, but it also has a sedative effect on the nervous system. It is useful for many ailments" for all cases of fevers for its action in inducing sleep and in producing perspiration without increasing heat in the body. In children it is said to speedily overcome convulsions. It is also good for restlessness and colic and as a pain killer, especially for small children and infants. It has been known to help prevent a cold when drinking a warm infusion when you notice the first symptom. It helps in fatigue and improves circulation. It is said to help to prevent miscarriages and premature births. It helps in aches and pain due to flu and upset stomach and diarrhea associated with flu. Catnip is high in vitamins A and C, and the B-complex vitamins. It contains magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, sodium, and a trace of sulphur. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -I would caution using it on a regular basis since many herbals can cause liver toxins and even liver damage. I have an acquaintance who did herbal studies as a medical scientist this with a number of herbs and herbal blends on liver damage. -Dry it in the oven with the light on, between two layers of paper towels, rather than in the microwave if you don't have a dehydrator. Dry at a low temperature - 90-100°F. High-temp. drying will destroy many of the vitamins. -It is also suggested catnip be administered in the morning and evening. -If you take any Rx drugs or OTC medicines, check with a pharmacists for any possible drug interactions. -The tea is made from the dried leaves and flowering heads and is generally recognized as safe to use, plus it has a pleasant taste. There is one caution using it from a contemporary herbalist, Michael Moore. In general, "[catnip] may act to increase menstrual flow to varying degrees," so pregnant women should NOT use it. It can also cause spotting. -Harvesting: Gather the leaves and tops in late summer when the plant is in full bloom, and dry them carefully. Remove the tough stalks. Store in a dry place, away from light and heat. -If smoked, physicians have reported that catnip "was indeed mildly pshchoactive". -Culinary uses: as a salad ingredient -Catnip Tea: A standard beverage in England, where it is grown commercially, before the introduction of tea from China. To make catnip tea: Pour boiling water over the dried leaves/flowers and let it steep. Euell Gibbons [of the Grapenuts commercials fame decades ago] advised using a little more catnip per cup than you would ordinary tea. He also cautioned that catnip's flavor and aroma are very volatile, so he sat a saucer over his cup to "protect" his tea while it steeped. Euell Gibbons made candied catnip leaves to serve at the end of a meal, as a digestive aid or an after-dinner mint. His recipe calls for dipping catnip leaves into a mixture of beaten egg white and lemon juice. Then he sprinkled each side with sugar and let them dry for a day or so. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. [Grainlady note: use reconstituted powdered egg whites, or pasteurized egg whites in a carton, for food safety since the egg white isn't cooked.] -Grainlady