I’ve espoused the benefits of copper before. I completely cured the pain in my left elbow by wearing a copper bracelet. I don’t even wear it anymore, nor do it need it. The pain is gone.

When my left hip and lower back acted up, and I was diagnosed with degenerative hip disease and two bulging disks, I thought, “What the heck? If copper can work on my elbow, I wonder if it can work on my hip and back.” However, where to find a copper waist belt? I wondered if I could fashion something out of copper. I’m an Iowa farm boy and ex-drunk. If we need it and can’t find it or afford it, we make it.

With Ginnie in tow, I went to a hardware store and bought a coil of heavy copper wire. When Ginnie asked what it was for and I told her I was going to fashion a copper wire belt, not only did I get the eye roll, but also a head shake and slumped-shouldered sigh/huff. I think she gets wore out with my eccentricities.

I fashioned a crude copper-wire belt and wore it under my pants. I’m not kidding. It worked! The pain in my hip and lower back began to subside. Then I discovered there are copper infused support items for sale at department stores. I won’t mention the name brand because I get in trouble with newspaper editors. They call it “advertising.” But I purchased a copper infused back support belt. Pain gone, 100 percent. I don’t even wear the support belt or copper wire anymore. Gone, adios, sayonara.

When my ankles started hurting from jogging on the treadmill, I remembered seeing the copper infused ankle supports. Presto-changeo, pain gone. I’m wearing the ankle supports right now and my ankles are 100 percent pain free. They also have copper-infused wraps for knees and elbows.

Now for my right shoulder. My orthopedic surgeon tells me I have a torn rotator cuff. But he also tells me that 75 percent of men my age (I’m 72) have torn rotator cuffs. He’s very discouraging about surgery, telling me my shoulder will be in a sling for six weeks and I won’t be able to raise my arm above my head, even after it heals. Considering my level of activity–I like to make metal sculptures out of heavy farm junk–six weeks in a sling is a no-go. To date he’s given me three cortisone shots and they last for about six weeks.

My shoulder has been bothering me a lot lately. It hurts so bad in bed at night that it throbs and radiates down into my hand. I’ve tried physical therapy and I don’t want another cortisone shot because too many of those, I’m told, are not good for you. And I don’t want surgery or pain pills. I’ve looked for copper-infused supports for the shoulder but there isn’t much. The shoulder is sort of tricky to wrap. I wondered if I could fashion something out of copper wire.

Voila! It’s a down right miracle. I fashioned a crude U-shaped copper band to go over my shoulder. To hold it in place I used the “handy-man’s secret weapon”–duct tape. Yep. It worked, and fast–like overnight. I’m serious. Pain gone! I can reach the middle of my back with a wash cloth now, something I hadn’t been able to do for eons. It’s a little awkward wearing the copper wire under my shirt, but not that bad. I’m looking forward to the date when the pain will be gone 100 percent and I won’t even have to wear the copper wire.

I’ve found a copper infused support t-shirt for the shoulder on-line and I have it on right now. The shoulder pain seems to be subsiding. I am so pleased. Ginnie is wearing copper infused, fingerless gloves (makes her look like a cage fighter) for arthritis in her fingers. She’s not as enthusiastic about copper as I am, but she’s also from Missouri–the Show Me State.

Before you ask, yes, there are full, copper-infused body suits. For the consummate connoisseur.

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Call or text Curt Swarm in Mt. Pleasant at 319-217-0526.