I guess as we all age we look at our life and can compare how our life is like or different than our parents. For me, I was raised for the most part by my grandparents and my granny was my mother.
This post is more about my life becoming more like my granny’s everyday.
Granny was legally blind and was not able to drive, she spent her entire life asking others to help get her to where she needed or my gramps took her once they were married.
You would look at my life and not see the similarities on the surface but they are growing into one. I have early onset Dementia caused by Lyme Disease and it continues to progress. Over the past few year the parameter I can drive gets smaller and smaller. That’s if my husband let’s me drive.
The other similarity in our lives is my granny had Dementia too, brought on by two strokes. She didn’t know much after the second stroke and was very withdraw and self-harming.
I look back at growing up and my gramps did all the grocery shopping and errands, sometimes granny would sit in the car but most of the time she stayed home. Before her strokes she worked cleaning houses but her life was still small in the number of people she knew and experiences she had.
She cleaned house, did most of the cooking and kept up with the family via phone.
I look at my life today and my husband does all the grocery shopping and errands, sometimes I wait in the car. My life is very small, since we have no family here my interactions are with doctors and the people at Starbucks.
I never asked my granny if she would have changed her life, if she wished she could drive, did she want more for herself?
When I ask myself those questions the answers are yes, absolutely.
Where Do We Go From Here tells the true story of what life is like in a psychiatric hospital? From the good to the bad and the ugly, every bit of life in the hospital is exposed. The book acknowledges how easy it can be to go down the rabbit hotel of depression, whilst also providing the reader with hope and the knowledge that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. In this deeply absorbing memoir, Bethany Hacker shares a slightly humorous look into the brain of a normal girl with a lot of trouble going on inside of it.
About The Author
Bethany was born in Italy to American parents who worked as teachers on a US military base. She spent her developmental years there and ended up moving to the US for University where she studied Political Science. After deciding that Europe felt more like home, she moved back to Italy and onward to the UK where she was treated for various mental health issues. She currently works at a charity helping families with children in hospitals while trying to gain skills to eventually become a therapist to help others cope with any kind of mental illness.
My Thoughts
“Where do you go when you’ve lost hope? When there’s no end in sight? How do you pick yourself up when you can’t get out of bed in the morning?
Where Do We Go From Here? is the perfect book to help family members understand where you go and what’s it’s like when you’re in the hospital. It will help others better understand what it takes to get on level ground and there are no quick fixes. I think it will help open lines of communication and bring more understanding.
Cherish Editions
Cherish Editions is the self-publishing division of Trigger Publishing, the UK’s leading independent mental health and wellbeing publisher.
We are experienced in creating and selling positive, responsible, important and inspirational books, which work to de-stigmatise the issues around mental health, as well as helping people who read them to maintain and improve their mental health and wellbeing. By choosing to publish through Cherish Editions, you will get the expertise of the dedicated Trigger Team at every step of the process.
We are proud of what we do, and passionate about the books that we publish. We want to do the very best for you and your book, holding your hand every step of the way.
Where Do We Go From Here? is a must-read and a great book to help friends and family understand what daily life is like when you’re in a Psychiatric Hospital. I think it will open communication and bring a new understanding.
Once you’ve read, be sure to tell me what you think.
I hope many of you are flying your flags high and proudly this Memorial weekend. Celebrating with friends, family, or visiting the grave of a loved one who’s given their life for our country.
I bought this little book years are for my husband. Frankly, I didn’t know flying a flag had rules. I’m only going to share a glimpse of the book.
Another reblog for Mental health Awareness Month. It talks in more detail about my withdrawal from Xanax and the delusions I had. I walked in a circle around the house for days, it’s sad to think about today and I do feel for my husband who has had to witness so much pain from my illnesses.
5/30/21
Melinda
This post is from 2016 and on a topic I feel is important to discuss. When you take addictive medication, it’s essential to take the prescribed dosage. I was also suffering terribly from Lyme Disease at the time. You can see how out of control my life became by self-medicating and not taking the prescribed dosage.
Xanax is an anchor drug in my medication combo for treating Anxiety/Bipolar Disorder. I’ve taken Xanax for 15 years, it works miracles in keeping me grounded. Working quickly is an advantage with little to no side effects, EXCEPT ADDICTION. The downside side is addiction happens quickly after starting. For me withdrawal starts on the second day, my fourth day I look like a street addict who would sell my soul for a pill.
The emotional and physical breakdown took me to hell. My deep secrets/scars laughed and taunted me.
Here are some of the delusions I experienced.
Learned a new language
Surviving in the desert-like Jesus
Discovered potential link for Postpartum Depression
In touch with my families Indian blood
Could feel natural body rhythm
Felt small earthquake
Saw Bobcat tracks on the front tree
Started writing Country songs
Tweeting Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton, and Pharrell, talked to Gwen and Blake several times, Pharrell retweeted twice. I was flooded with people wanting to follow me after seeing tweets from Gwen. I was overwhelmed.
Locked all computers down, trying to keep me from writing.
The physical pain is unbearable
Anger, pain, begging God to stop kicking me in the stomach, wailing, screaming, throwing up, four days without food.
Having to transition back one medication a day at a time
Delayed Lyme protocol by a week, reschedule the trip to DC by a month
More damage to areas already injured
Strain on marriage
Xanax is a standard drug and withdrawal doesn’t cross my mind. I kept some pills in my purse, pills in my office, and the remaining pills went into master pill caddy. The trouble is not keeping up with how many total pills you’ve taken. I take several addictive medications for my mental illness and 4-5 addictive medications for Lyme treatment.
I am in pain 24/7 and resist taking pain medication by trying to cover the pain with Xanax. I take two Xanax and I’m asleep a good 4-6 hours without pain. The Lyme Protocol calls for 4-5 addictive medications but they rarely put me to sleep. It worked the opposite and I would stay awake 2-3 days at a time which made my pain even worse.
Now all medications stay in the bottle or main pill cases.
I wrote most of this during or right after my withdrawal, you can see how my mind was not in control. Not only was my mental illness not under control but my physical health was badly damaged. Please keep all of your medication is one place and make sure you’re taking the prescribed dosage.
I am reblogging this post because I’m having to go thru withdrawal from Percocet & Belbuca since my Pain Management doctor fired me. I was scared to go to the office because of Covid and he didn’t offer Telehealth. The front desk kept insisting I had to come in, that he would not make any exceptions. So he fired me. He only wrote two weeks’ worth of medication and offered no referral. I can’t find and get into seeing another Pain Management doctor within two weeks. I asked for a month and was told NO. Belbuca is so expensive my pharmacy would not fill for just two weeks, they couldn’t have two weeks’ worth of an expensive drug setting on their shelves. I’ve since found out that Texas State Law required doctors who managed patients with chronic health conditions to offer Telehealth appointments thru September 1, 2020. I have filed several complaints with the Texas Medical Review Board.
Please remember to have a backup doctor should this happen to you. I did get a referral from my knee surgeon but I’m in no hurry to go in with Covid still on the rise in my area. I’ll deal with the withdrawal, just suck it up and wait. Covid is much worse!
This is a previous post I feel is important to shine a light on for Mental Health Awareness Month.
Some states like Colorado have what’s called a Red Gun Law. It basically allows someone who is concerned that a person may harm themselves or others to go before a judge and if warranted, have their weapons taken away for 30 days. This type of law could save many lives, in that 30 days, you might be able to get your loved one or friend the help they so desperately need.
My father committed suicide in 1992 after a long struggle with mental illness, he was 52 years old. This post isn’t about how to prevent suicide, or that it’s preventable, this post is about what is left behind after a person commits suicide.
September is Suicide Prevention Month and I’ve struggled with what to write. I do believe strongly that as a society we have to talk about suicide. As much as I advocate for everything I believe in suicide is something so personal to me that it’s different. It’s not the stigma, I don’t care what anyone thinks about my father’s death. It’s that in order to prevent suicide you have to start so far in advance of the person wanting to commit suicide.
My father abused me and we were estranged from the time I was a teenager. When I lived with my father I knew he was emotionally unstable but I was a kid and had my own problems. After 14 years my father calls me and starts talking about suicide. About how he can’t work, how he doesn’t have any money, and on and on.
The daughter and human in me responded, I was heartbroken, in shock, felt responsible and started paying his bills, sending him money and we talked all the time. He constantly talked about people bugging his phone, and people following him. I didn’t realize at the time my father was delusional.
I continued to beg him every time we talked to not kill himself, to think about my granny, his mother who would be devastated. I talked and pleaded for months. Begged him to go to the doctor. I did what I could.
I got a call late one Sunday saying “your father did away with himself” from my gramps. I was in such shock I called right back and asked was he dead or on the way to the hospital. No, he’s dead.
Here are a few things I learned after my father died.
He had been in a downward spiral for years by looking at his living conditions. He had boxes and boxes of cassette tapes by his bed, recordings he had made. I remember him talking about someone bugging his phone so I listened to every one of those tapes several times. There was nothing on most of them, some were recordings of my father talking on the phone. Some were just noise or his breathing. My father was delusional.
I could go on and on but there are a few takeaways.
One of the most difficult things you have to deal with in a suicide death is a closed casket funeral. You can’t see their face and say goodbye so there is an unmet emotional void that never goes away.
I did everything within my power, my dad was a grown man. A man with his own free will. I could not make him go to the doctor for help. There wasn’t a Gun Law in Texas where you could call the police and they would come out to take away a gun. There may not be one now.
I felt unbearable guilt, the pressure of the weight of thinking I could have prevented my granny’s pain was so much I drank myself crazy.
What I did learn from his death as we had the same mental illness, Bipolar Disorder, and was 75% more likely to commit suicide because my father had. I took that information and I found the best Psychiatrist I could. He is still my doctor today and has saved my life many times.
You can’t stop someone from killing themselves if they are determined. They will find a way now or later.
What we can do is look for signs early in life and during a crisis to see if a person needs help and guide them in that direction. If you’re a parent you have much more control when your child is younger.
The key to preventing suicide is to bring all the emotional damage to the surface to be dealt with and treat mental illnesses in a responsible manner the best we can. I will also add that if you’re inclined you can push for laws that allow the police to be called and for them to take the gun away for some period of time. Each state is different. You can also push for stronger gun laws if that is your wish.
This post was from last years Mental Health Awareness Month. By reading it I’m happy to say I’ve been stable for 1.5 years now. This is one of my most raw post and I share so that someone else will reach out for help, call a friend, call the police, call the school counselor, call somebody.
Melinda
5/29/21
Second Birthday
May is Mental Health Awareness Month and mental health has been on my mind more than normal. I come from generations of family members with mental illness including my father who had Bipolar Disorder.
I have treatment-resistant Bipolar Disorder which means medicines don’t always work on me. I live on a cocktail of nine medications and have been stable on this mix for six months.
I expect this to be an unpopular post, that’s okay I want to hear all your comments.
All people have to be held accountable for their actions. The thought that came to mind this morning was a murder case that disturbs me to this day. A woman in Texas drowned all five of her children in the bathtub. She pleaded temporary insanity. I would have to agree she was insane, how could someone kill their five children? She only spent five years in a mental health ward in the prison. Is five years of medical oversite enough punishment? Is she no longer insane? I think not. I’m responsible for all of my actions regardless of my mental state.
My father sexually abused me, was it ok because he was mentally ill? It wasn’t his fault? I don’t buy into that theory. My father never sought help for his mental illness and committed suicide at 52 years old. He made the decision to not seek treatment, at the end of his life he was too sick to see how far down he was. He’ll be held accountable by a higher power than me.
I was nine years old the first time I attempted suicide, it was the first of many attempts throughout my life. As an adult educated on my illness, I have a support system in place. I have to be disciplined in taking my medication, going to therapy, seeing my Psychiatrist, and communicate with my husband or pay the price of becoming unstable.
I have Dementia brought on by Lyme Diseases and my mind slips a little each day. I watched my granny slip away and have chosen not to live that way. I plan to commit suicide before my memory is completely gone. I don’t want my husband to have to go thru all the pain of caring for me. It’s gut-wrenching to watch someone disappear behind their eyes.
We don’t talk about it often but he accepts that he can’t change my mind. My Therapist and Psychiatrist know, they wish I felt different but know the truth, you can’t change someone’s mind. Last night I told my husband that it was selfless of me, it’s the only word I could come up with. He said it’s love, that’s exactly how I felt in my heart. I want to protect him from the pain I witnessed my gramps go thru as my granny slowly died.
I’ll be held accountable for my actions by a higher power.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, I have a couple more days to share with you the struggles I’ve been thru with my Bipolar Disorder.
I wrote this post in 2016 during a very low time and was going thru withdrawal because I took too many pills and ran out a week before I could get a refill. My doctor would normally have been able to call in the needed medication but he was out of touch on vacation. I was flying solo, with my husband having to watch his wife fall to pieces in front of him and he could do nothing.
There will be many times when what I’m saying makes no sense. It’s quite painful to read this post today.
Please keep your medication in check and if that means you have to count them or have someone count them for you, that’s what you need to do.
5/29/21
Melinda
I HAVE BIPOLAR DISORDER
MY MENTAL HEALTH IS TIED TOGETHER WITH MULTIPLE MEDICATIONS, THREE OF WHICH I’M ADDICTED TO. MY STRUGGLE WITH BIPOLAR DISORDER IS BALANCED OUT ON A FOUNDATION BUILT ON XANAX. I AM ADDICTED TO THREE OF THE DRUGS WITH XANAX BEING THE NASTIEST TO WITHDRAW FROM. LYME DIEASE HAS TAKEN MY MEMORY AND I TOOK TO MANY XANAX BEFORE THE NEXT REFILL. IT’S A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE IN TEXAS WHICH MEANS ONLY YOUR DOCTOR CAN APPROVE EVEN ONE PILL BEFORE REFILL. MY DOCTOR WAS ON VACATION AND I WAS BATTLING THE BEAST WITHIN.
I’m on the mend, just not well enough to write a post about my journey. Thanks to everyone who has reached out to me. I was able to battle things out at home, there was a point when the questions came up, was it time to go to hospital.
Below are a few comments I’ve made while piecing myself back together. They are not entertaining, quite disgusting actually but IT’S REAL. I have Treatment Resistant Bipolar Disorder with Xanax as the anchor drug.
I’ve lived thru what doctors or instructions may mention about withdrawal. IF you were not aware of what Xanax withdraw looks like, FIRST look in the mirror. It’s the patients responsibility to participate with treatment. One critical way is being aware of every angle, good, bad, nasty, uncomfortable, make you beat yourself against the wall, wailing in pain……..I feel like my worst sins have beaten me with a bat bat 24/7 for a week.
I hope one person can read the babbling and come out with something to help themselves, their children, their husband, their wife, a family member, the homeless person on your corner.
I would not spread my guts out if I didn’t believe one person could use my experience. One commitment I made when starting my blog, when it’s ugly I will fly the flag high for anyone who wants to read. If you can’t handle the language, don’t enter the post.
I’m lost without the community. My body will heal up in a few days/a week.
Xx M
ME:I just read your post about the increase in meds, yes it is scary as hell every time and that’s a gauge you don’t want to lose, it just doesn’t mean an auto NO. You are getting better at trusting, which essential to living with mental illness. Remember, it’s an illness not who you are. Think hard about the increase, what you told the doc, why he believes you need and increase based on what you’ve told him and then you can settle into, ok I’m not taking BECAUSE/I’m taking AND Committing to HOW MANY DAYS/WEEKS TO SEE A CHANGE. IF you are not 100% committed/UNLESS severe side effects/ If committed you have to be willing to go thru the adjustment your body WILL go thru. DOD you know what to look for? How long? When to go to hospital? CRITICAL questions if YOU ARE Taking.
ME: IF NOT TAKING, you can’t sit and wait until next appointment. You have to be able to articulate to doctor WHY you are not going to take. Give the doctor a chance to clear up any questions or misunderstandings. Then If you still are not going to take, no prob. ARE YOU ready to jump off that drug completely, possible some withdraw depending how long taking.OR ARE you willing to keep taking the amount of that drug and take what he suggest next which should address WHY your NOT taking the increased dose.
ME: It SUCKS, it’s a bitch, asshole any name you can think of BUT you have a mental illness, YOU said YOU were going to participate in getting your life on the rails as much as possible no matter how long it takes. Sorry honey, the facts.
ME: Below is the HELL I’ve been in. You will recognize some of the symptoms because you have not had them in control, even though in HELL you can see WHAT the next level of hell is. This is why you can’t fuck with your meds. This is what happens in various degrees.
ME: I’m exhausted and back to bed for my whole body to rest. Please print out this whole comments, when you are starting to get anxious look at. Xanax is an excellent anti-anxiety med, highly additive and will beat the shit out of you if you fuck with it. That may help you get more in tune with body so you pick up the signals sooner. :)
ME: you are an awesome Christian Sister. The passage brought a tear. At a time when physically I’m all alone, now more than anytime I know there are friends in Christ who are there. Praying for me is a bonus. God brings people down a path, we have no idea what his perfect hands are doing, we’re going about our business. You/I/everyone crosses paths, sometimes they are the path God laid out, that intersection will bring two people together if/when God see’s a need. That is why we crossed paths, and for many others reasons we learn from each other. The last thing on my mind is a blog/my blog/your blog/survivors blog. I’m still putting the pieces of my brain back together. The rest we know is not essential and down on the want pole. Thank you for thinking of survivors, quite possibly a decision I make/or not will have a huge impact. I have to figure out if I’m ready and everyone else is aware and who’s on the boat. Keep you posted as I take another step. Day One 3:30 pm CST
ME: an older message said moving at nano speed, NOT unless nano backward is such at thing. Very small steps, my body is better to a pulp from me throwing myself around the bathroom during the three worst days with the beast inside. When you have a mental illness you need medication to function, if the balance is off tiny amount no prob. If you see saw is up in air and down on ground there’s a huge problem. That’s where I’ve been. Lyme has taken my memory, without knowing I took to many Xanax which I require but when you take to many before a refill, it’s hell. When a drug is classified a Controlled Substance, created to slow down addiction in America, only your doctor can approve even one pill. My Doc is half- retired and this past Friday was the absolute earliest it could be filled without my Doc phoning the pharmacy. Withdraw on Xanax which I’ve taken for 15 years is starts to get nasty after 2-3 days. From there it’s straight to hell in a blink of an eye! I learned one thing thru this, exactly what Controlled Substance means. I’m sure you will file in your huge memory bank should you ever need. I’m off to take photos of what it looks like on paper when I come unwound.
ME: I’ve have seen bad and I’ve seen heaven. UTSW Psychiatric Hospital is where I go to have ECT Treatments to dig me out from under the boulder. It’s a truly welcome sight. I’ve learned all of the above and once I saw how a good/great caring facility takes care to get you on your feet so you and your support team can help while you and doctor work on getting me stable. I almost went there Wednesday night, a medical hospital can’t give me what I needed fast enough. I was near the bottom of the meanest beast, myself, going thru an unintentional need to withdraw. When my husband heard me wailing out of control, banging myself around the bathroom, battered and helpless except to let the beast keep kicking me. He said were going, we didn’t but he thought medical hospital and I knew it was to see my caregivers at UTSW Dallas. Today is Day One, I’m home by myself and although slow I’ve made it thru half a day. I would never hesitate to get in car to go straight there, I’ve been there 20 times.:)
Please join me in celebrating our Military men and women past and present who keep our country free and a great place to live. It’s because of these men and women who have fought here and abroad that we can enjoy our morning lattes and not worry about buildings being bombed around us. I know that may sound dramatic but look around the world, look at the terror that reigns in so many countries.
You don’t have to agree with the reasons for war or for fighting but please respect and thank the men and women who give their lives for our country.
Korean War Memorial Washington D.C.WWII Memorial
Vietnam Memorial
I haven’t been to Washington D.C. since 2015 but I’ve heard there is now a Desert Storm Memorial. I think after 20-plus years of fighting in the Middle East we need a Middle East Memorial.
I’m reposting this because May is Mental health Awareness Month and I think it’s very important to acknowledge those who have committed suicide or try to understand those who might. As I’ve said many times, you will not change a person’s mind if they are determined to kill themselves but you can hopefully interview early enough to get them the help they need. I was not able to that with my father.
Don’t ever give up, no matter how hard you have been pushed away, don’t push back. try another route. Just keep trying.
Melinda 5/29/21
This post was written in 2014
My father suffered from Mental Illness his entire life. When he was a teen, Doctor’s told my grandmother he was hyperactive and gave her tranquilizers. I doubt he took one pill. Estranged since I was thirteen years old, I could not look my abuser in the eye. Daddy started calling when I was 28 years old. He was delusional, talking in sentences that made no sense. I picked up he needed money, I started paying his bills. He said he was going to kill himself and kept rambling. I could not get through to him. I did not tell anyone in my family either. He was so far gone, he could not process what I was saying.
On February 22, 1992, my father took his life. I felt overwhelming guilt. Unsure how my grandmother would react to me not telling her. It’s a guilt I’ll carry to my grave. At 28 years old it was hard to feel pain and remember the past. In the note, he asked me to handle arrangements. I did what I’d done for years, stuff my emotions down, act strong and get it done. There are many who inherit Mental Illness, have a relative who suffers or experienced suicide in the family who suffer in silence. Healing from child abuse is difficult, it can feel impossible when the abuser is a parent. I never told my grandparents about my father sexually abusing me.
Every day is one step in forwarding motion. I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder at 19 years old. I’ve mostly healed since my father’s death. I forgave him long ago. I hope you can take the first step and reach for support. There is light at the end of the tunnel.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month and I wanted to shine a light on my own mental health struggles. I believe trauma in our early years greatly impacts our mental health. I got the short in the the stick as they say and I’m so glad to have had the right people in my life and the will to fight to get where I am today.
I have Bipolar Disorder on top of trauma related PTSD but today I’m stable. take my meds 99% of the time, keep a schedule, work hard to reduce stress in my life since that is one of the big triggers with my Bipolar Disorder.
I want to say to anyone out there who is struggling, do something. Anything, a step forward is a step forward. If you are at the bottom barely hanging on, check yourself in to a Psychiatric Hospital and ge the help you need. There is no shame, NO SHAME! I’ve been hospitalized several times and I’m alive today.
If you want to live and don’t know who, reach out to someone. Call 911 if you have to, go to the hospital, do something. Your life is important!
The song “Running to Stand Still” by U2 pierced my soul. I can’t explain the feeling. It describes my life in four simple words. I have fought most of my life to stay alive, many of my own bad choices. In the early sixties, my parents met at a party. I don’t know if they dated or a one-night stand. At 17 years old she was pregnant and engaged to another man. Women didn’t have the voice we do today so it was a shot-gun wedding. I don’t know what baggage she brought to the relationship. I know both of her parents were alcoholics. I believe one issue was the two kids with picket fence fantasy and displaced anger. I was physically and mentally abused by my mother from birth. We lived in a two-story duplex. One afternoon my grandparents came over. My grandmother learned my mother had left me upstairs in the bathtub at six months old. On another visit in the middle of winter, they found me in a diaper, my high chair pushed up to an open window. I was running a fever and was crying. She opened the window because I was hot. I was not physically able to run but believe my mind started running early. Running from the pain, feeling unloved, lack of trust, and believed the terrible things said to me were true. It’s been a long journey to learn who I am. Most days I think positive, keep the pain locked away and maneuver my Bipolar Disorder. I buried the past for survival and to move forward. I’ve learned from years of therapy, pain finds you or affects your health. Both have found me, we work on my inner child each session.
“I have taken a vow to love myself, in good times and bad.” Stacie Martin This is one of the most important vows you will ever make in life. Don’t lose sight of it when things are tough. Or when the old tapes start playing in your head. Remember to always love and cherish yourself. […] […]
So glad you are here today and I enjoy all your comments.
I can’t agree with this quote more. For me true beauty is on the inside. There are plenty of attractive people who are very ugly on the inside. I was more concerned about my looks when I was younger, I wasn’t pretty enough, thin enough, tall enough, whatever enough. Somewhere around 40 years old, I got a grip and the light went off. What matters is what is on the inside and any one who I want to spend time with is beautiful on the inside and the outside is just a bonus.
I hope you have a great weekend with friends and family making memories that will last a lifetime.
CBD has revolutionized modern medicine by transforming the way human illnesses have additional treatment options. However, a common question persists on everyone’s mind, whether the same applies to animals or not. To the question posed above, the answer is yes. Let us explore how CBD has been able to enunciate its potential benefit on animals.
Apart from both being mammals, many physical similarities are prevalent between a human being and an animal.
Seizures
Anxiety
Stress
Nausea
Cancer
Inflammation
Several studies have supported the strong impact of CBD on several pets, including cars, dogs, birds, and horses. The effects have resulted in benefiting animals in a similar manner in which it has helped us, humans. Moreover, it is entirely safe for pets as most of the animals have an Endocannabinoid system which facilitates a safer CBD consumption. In addition to being safe, it also benefits the regulatory system in the body.
Do cats feel apprehensive?
Contrary to what our normal perceptions might seem like, reports say that cats do experience anxiety. One of the common reasons for anxiety accounted for them being separated from their owner when they go through separation anxiety. CBD is a potential healthy alternative to several conventional methods that aid in controlling this stress. It helps to be far more effective as compared to other drugs that can further lead to causing side effects.
Do dogs experience anxiety?
Dogs, one of the most common pets across households, have also been reported to experience anxiety. The last century has witnessed countless studies completed to evaluate the impact of stress on dogs. Results confirm that dogs, too, feel stressed, similar to that of human beings because of the presence of cortisol, the same component causing stress in humans.
Cortisol further imposed an increasingly harmful effect with ‘Cushing’s Disease,’ a disease that became prevalent among K-9s at a high level. The growing passage of time has been able to introduce CBD towards regulating bodily functions that have reduced cortisol levels among dogs. CBD assists by relaxing the brain out while incorporating a balanced diet.
Nauseous horses
Similar to cats and dogs, horses too can experience nausea, which can weaken their daily functioning ability. Nausea is primarily caused due to several gastrointestinal problems that lead to several physical concerns, such as the following:
Heartburn
Bloating
Lack of appetite
Indigestion
One of the best ways to treat the concern is through initiating CBD that aims to relax the gut microbiome while regulating the gastrointestinal tract.
Treating inflammation
Each animal tends to experience a certain degree of inflammation. Massive animals, such as horses and cows, can experience painful joints. With inflammation being the primary cause of arthritis, it links to several single diseases. CBD has the potential to combat the inflammation caused and has also managed to reduce it with repeated dosage further. Arthritis can be treated efficiently with the help of CBD, as compared to severe pain medications that had caused dampening long term side effects.
Cancer: The Key Murderer
Cancer is another common disease among individuals that have also worked its way to affecting animals. It works by multiplying the cells of the body, which gathers in a specific location that spreads eventually throughout the body.
As a result, the functioning of the motor skills tends to slow down with the insides beginning to deteriorate with time and exacerbating the issue, especially if not diagnosed and treated early. There have been a million researches conducted on cancer with the help of science, and CBD has proved to be one of the essential components showing a direct impact on removing cancer cells efficiently. It gets attached to the cells receptors while altering the mitochondria that results in the cell breakdown.
Pets affected with cancer treatment
While the strategy might not be a 100% proven one, however CBD mixed with other treatments has the potential to eradicate the cancer cells. Moreover, pets have also shown fewer side effects because of the component’s potential ability to regulate the functions in the body.
Does it sound way too dreamy?
Everything that is trending might not be accurate. However, occasionally a fundamental discovery might come in the way that has the potential to redefine the present. The statement made is what CBD stands for, which brings along the potential to treat humans, animals, and pets with a varied array of ailments with little or no side effects. Bid farewell to see your pets suffering from illnesses such as anxiety, stomach pain, stress, and others.
Dawn of a new beginning
CBD, with its tremendous physical benefits, have been able to alter the landscape of medicine within a shorter time. Although the previous studies limited due to backward regulations, there is still an abundance of knowledge waiting for us to explore. With the help of legalization incorporation across the US, scientists have been able to test CBD along with individuals treating themselves and their furry members suffering from several health diseases.
A Celebration for animal kind
Animals cases reported showing extreme signs of depression that has further made them lazy and de-motivated to be the cheerful self they are. Extreme examples of elephants hurling themselves on the floor while feeling low, pigs, seen crying due to the death of their siblings or friends.
CBD, in addition to revolutionizing physical health, also has been able to combat depression, not just limited to humans but also animals. With medicines proliferating the depression, even more, CBD has managed to offer a sigh of relief to animals without posing dampening side effects.
If your furry friend is struggling with digestive problems, bad breath, dry skin, and more, your first port of call is to reach out to your vet to get him checked out, right?
We all want what’s best for our animals to keep them happy and healthy, but some pet parents are concerned with resorting to ‘Western medicine’ when it comes to their care. One of the reasons pet owners express concern in this area is the overuse of medicines to deal with some issues. Are some of the most common side effects worth it in the long run.
Some pet owners have since looked into the use of alternative medicine for the treatment of some common animal complaints. Before considering the use of alternative treatments for your pets, it is important to speak to a registered veterinarian who will advise you on the best treatments for your pet.
Here are some of the alternative treatments you can use to treat your animals, and some of the things you need to know about them.
Acupuncture
The treatment that involves inserting small needles in certain parts of the body to balance the energy flow, thus treating pain and chronic ailments, acupuncture is a popular choice for pet owners to use on their animals, too. It is pain relief without the excessive use of chemicals from western medicine.
Food
Every animal has to eat, and a good way of sneaking medication into a pet is through their food as their favorite wet food will disguise the taste of nasty medicines. However, some companies such as petness.com provide animals with tasty hemp-based products for dogs that not only have a huge range of health benefits such as easing pet anxiety and sleeping issues, but they’re tasty, too!
Supplements
Where there are perhaps some nutritional shortfalls in the diet, nutritional supplements can benefit pets by supplying additional vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and vital fatty acids to encourage optimal health
Massage
Another popular treatment for humans. Pets can also enjoy the benefits of massage from lowering the stress hormones in the body, pain relief, increased circulation, and a boosted immune system. Once pet owners have the correct training, this could also be done at home saving a lot of time and money!
What Do Vets Think About the Use of Alternative Therapy?
While alternative therapy is increasing in popularity among pet owners, many vets do not like to encourage the use of alternative therapies. This is mainly due to the fact that, unlike western veterinary treatment and medicine, many of these therapies have not been scientifically proven to work for the treatment of various illnesses or complaints.
This doesn’t mean that these treatments are always ineffective, however- it just means that highly funded case studies have yet to be completed meaning that these alternative treatments haven’t been put to the test.
Some vets are incredibly open to the idea of the use of alternative medicine, with some schools even offering training in the area to go alongside western treatments.
What are the implications of maternal mental health not only for mothers, but also for children, families, and society as a whole?
May is Maternal Mental Health Month, and moms around the world could probably use a break. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they have done even more of the childcare and housework, while also, in many cases, keeping up with their careers. How has the pandemic affected their mental health—either by creating new problems or by exacerbating perennial concerns?
In this edition of PsychPearls, Anita H. Clayton, MD, explores the wide and varied field of maternal mental health. Along with the effects of the pandemic, Clayton discusses prenatal mental health care, new and emerging treatments for postpartum depression and psychosis, and how what she saw in a courtroom set her on a path to becoming a renowned expert on maternal wellness.
Dr Clayton is the David C. Wilson Professor and chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences at the University of Virginia, with a secondary appointment as professor of clinical obstetrics and gynecology. She is the author of Satisfaction: Women, Sex, and the Quest for Intimacy, published by Ballantine Books in 2007, and an editor of the 2005 Women’s Mental Health: A Comprehensive Textbook. She is also a program co-chair of the Annual Psychiatric TimesTM World CME Conference.
No matter your age buying your first car is a big deal and can be a process that is filled with uncertainty as it is something new that you have not done before. You may have a car and have been given a car but if it is your first time buying your own then it will be a nerve-racking time for you especially if you do not think it through and plan it out properly.
If you are looking to buy your first car it is definitely something you want to get right, it is an investment for you and you may be unsure what you can do to make sure it is a smooth process for you. If you are unsure where to start then hopefully, these few tips will help you get started and make sure your first-time car buying experience goes well.
Make sure you know your budget and what you can afford
You need to make sure you know exactly what you can afford per month, so what you have left after paying off all your bills and other things you pay out for. Knowing this is crucial for two reasons, firstly if you are paying in full for the car then you need to know if you have the spare money to save or pay for it, secondly, if you are looking to finance this car then you need to make sure you have money for a deposit and monthly payments. Your budget will really help you understand if buying a car is even doable. If you want to pay outright and not finance then you may want to look into things like New Roads auto loans as then you can get a loan for the car and choose the car you want then pay back the loan monthly if affordable.
Now you want to look into what car you want if you know what you can afford. Choosing the right car is important, you need to make sure the car is suitable for your lifestyle and what you will be using it for, and make sure that you find an honest and likable dealership to buy one from. If you do not research this and just rely on a dealership or salesman you may get ripped off. It is important to know what you are looking for so you do not get taken for a fool when buying it.
Research the dealer and look at reviews and feedback so you know if they are going to be good to buy from and not try to rip you off. You need to also do the same if you are buying off the internet. You need to be very careful doing this as you are not going to be able to see the car or test it if you buy online, so make sure you research the seller and be certain it is going to be legit.
If you are looking to buy your first car and you are unsure where to start or what you can do to make sure it goes to plan then hopefully, these tips will help you get started and understand where to start when it comes to your first time buying a car.
I’m so glad you stopped by today, I love seeing your smiling faces and hearing your comments.
I love Marigolds almost as much as a butterfly does. I have three pots full this year and they are just starting to spread out. We’ve had a great deal of rain and Marigolds like hot sunny days. I have a lot to look forward to this summer.
A business website is an essential marketing tool that offers an alternative platform to get the word out about your goods and services. With the growing use of the internet, many individuals now go online searching for businesses that can provide what they’re looking for before getting into contact or visiting the store. However, to achieve the maximum results from a website, it needs to be user-friendly and appealing. Unfortunately, not many people know how to build the right web design, but the following tips can help you make a great first impression.
Over the past decade, the number of mobile users has increased due to internet connectivity and smartphones’ affordability. In addition, studies reveal that most internet users often use their mobile devices to surf the internet. For this reason, it is vital to make your website mobile-friendly through its design to enhance responsiveness.
An example of a feature you should consider in your design is the screen size to allow tablet and smartphone users to navigate the website with ease. Failure to add responsive features significantly increases traffic loss, thereby affecting your rankings on search engines like Google.
Reduce loading time
When your website loads slowly, it puts off customers, and instead of waiting, they move on to your competitor’s pages. The average internet user expects your page to load within a short period, say like two seconds. When a page takes longer than that, it becomes frustrating, and you’re likely to lose a potential customer. Reduce your page loading time in the following ways:
Scale and reduce file sizes before uploading them.
Performing regular tests is among the essential tips to enhance user interaction and website usability. Perform tests during your website’s design phase and after its completion to keep making improvements as your business grows. Ensuring your website’s design is appealing and easy to navigate can increase your conversion rates, ultimately boosting your return on investments.
Use the best click testing tool to determine where website users are focusing for you to make informed decisions when developing new products or pages. When you include your visitors’ perspective during the design, you can make it more functional and stylish.
Enhance readability
Difficulty with readability is one of the signs that your website’s usability is problematic. If customers face readability challenges, they’re likely to become irritated and abandon the site altogether. Enhance your readability by doing the following:
Increase the amount of white space
Format paragraphs properly
Use clear headings and subheadings
Use bullet points for lists
Place design elements like banners, text boxes, and sidebars without distracting the user
While using informative content about your business products/services and their benefits, avoid overloading the website user with too much text. Instead, use images to break up texts to retain the customers’ interest. Remember, the prospective customer forms an opinion about your business within a short period; make sure they get impressed. Instead of using many words to describe points within paragraphs, use appealing images. Optimized images boost your site’s usability and attract more consumers. However, avoid overstuffing pictures as it can take away from the point of having them.
Use a recognizable and straightforward web layout
Your website layout plays a great role in determining how well your users can navigate it and for how long. The longer a user sticks to your website, the higher the chances of converting into a customer. Many websites use a recognizable layout design that is familiar to users, making it simple to navigate. While being different can make your website unique, it can also create confusion among users who may, in turn, choose to abandon it. Stick to a familiar web layout with concise terms, a simple top navigation bar, and page links.
Maintain consistency
After going through your home page, users should predict the locations of other web elements. If a user clicks on an internal link and wonders if they’ve left your site, they’re likely to get confused due to the different website design. Ensure you maintain consistency throughout your website to enhance usability. Use the same colors, fonts, and locations for easy navigation.
Bottom line
For you to make a good first impression, you need a great website for your business. Keep the users in mind to make their navigation easy with a consistent design for enhanced usability. Your website’s functionality is just as essential as its design. Reduce the loading period, enhance readability, use images and maintain a recognizable layout to combine style with function and continue attracting customers.
It’s 3.15am Monday morning. While the rest of the world sleeps soundly, you’re twitching to turn on the bedside lamp. You’re edging towards your phone. It’s been buzzing on and off, sounding in the dark, which can mean only one thing.
Emails are waiting.
You think, I’ll just take a quick peek – a quick look then back to sleep. There’s no harm in that, right? After all, maybe it’s urgent. Maybe it’s my manager. Maybe it’s my CEO. Maybe the company’s been liquidated and everyone’s been fired and it’s all my fault!
Sound familiar? You, my friend, have email anxiety. And you’re not alone.
Email anxiety is a deep-rooted fear of looking through your inbox – coupled with an innate inability not to. Striking any time day or night, sufferers feel intense anxiety around their inbox – worried about both receiving emails and having to read them. The average employee spends around four hours each day reading and responding to messages – with most workers receiving up to 120 emails every day. For employees suffering with anxiety, each day is a battle between wanting to be productive and being paralysed by nerves.
Why do emails cause anxiety?
While email anxiety is nothing new, it has become more prevalent since COVID-19. Now, with employees working from their homes, work-life balance is even more difficult to attain. The added pressure of the current pandemic, coupled with increased working hours and C-suite expectations, is leading to a mental health crisis. And, if HR doesn’t act quickly, we’re going to see psychological wellbeing take a massive hit.
The link between technology and stress was debated by Dr Gini Harrison, Dr Mathijs Lucassen in their recent study Stress and anxietyin the digital age. In this research, they theorized that we’re becoming overly dependant on our phones, leading to perpetual distraction and poor sleep habits.
When you consider that a lot of employees have their work emails on their smart devices – it’s clear that this need to be constantly connected is wrecking our mental, physical, and emotional health.
How do you manage excessive emails?
So, what’s to be done? Well, the easiest option would be to take your emails off of your mobile phone. And while we do recommend that, it doesn’t stop the stress and anxiety surrounding in-office, desktop, messages. If the issue is simply being overloaded with too many emails, speak to your manager and raise the issue with them. We’re all guilty of CC’ing people into emails when they don’t really need to be there – so, before you send any messages, be cognizant of this. Look through the recipients. Do they all have to be there? Can you remove any? If this is implemented as best practice across the whole company, believe me, you’ll see a dramatic drop in email volume.
Another option is to add an Out Of Office folder to your inbox. Any messages that come through when you’re technically ‘off the clock’ will go into a sperate file for you to check during working hours. With certain email accounts, you can add a reminder that will pop up if you try to email someone outside of their allotted schedule. This acts as a first line of defence should employees get too trigger happy with late night messages.
Angela Champ, SVP of HR at Alpine Building Maintenance, recommends a complete inbox cleanse – removing all unwanted toxins from your account.
“Unsubscribe from any newsletters or emails that no longer add value or help you do your job,” she told HRD. “From there, set aside certain blocks within your day to read and respond to emails, rather than reading them continuously, and turn off the notifications so you’re not tempted to check. Finally, I’d say that if a message thread is longer than three emails deep, pick up the phone. So much more can be resolved with a five-minute call than a super long email chain.”
How do you overcome email anxiety?
When it comes to addressing the issue of unmanageable anxiety, take a step back and breathe. The pandemic has us all in a spin, working constantly, developing unhealthy habits, and feeling burned out. When the panic sets in, walk away from your desk and step outside for a few moments. Go for a walk, practice some mindfulness, and realise that whatever this email says, it’s not the end of the world. As with most anxiety, it’s not the end result we fear, it’s the fear of fear that’s debilitating.
For employers, if you want to help your workers through email stress, you too have to become more self-aware and take some accountability.
“Knowing your recipient is key,” Dr Melanie Peacock, associate professor of HR, told HRD. “This is why, especially in a virtual world, we need to take the time to build opportunities for people to develop interpersonal relationships with one another. Trust doesn’t just appear; it’s created and nurtured. When one trusts the recipient email anxiety is lessened.”
Call it green energy — by giving every employee a plant, engineer Mike Robinson created an environment where both humans and their leafy friends thrive. Plus, 9 recommendations for hardy, hard-to-kill plants to call your own.
This post is part of TED’s “How to Be a Better Human” series, each of which contains a piece of helpful advice from someone in the TED community; browse through all the posts here.Besides a paycheck and reasonable hours, what else does a person need to thrive at work? Decent space, adequate supplies and tools? Yes. Lunch breaks, sick days, time off to recharge? Sure. A plant? Well …
Such an idea had never occurred to engineer Mike Robinson. He owns a small company based in British Columbia, Canada, that designs and builds windbreaks and other control structures. One day, his wife, Suzanne, who runs the company with him, said: “I think we should give every person in the office a plant for their desk.”
Robinson was skeptical. He thought that plants would be distracting and a drain on people’s time. “The average staff member would probably spend about five minutes a day either looking after the plant or admiring it,” as he puts it in a TEDxWhiteRock talk. Upon his wife’s insistence, however, he agreed to give it a try.
He and Suzanne bought 20 plants for their 20 employees. Then, they did something a bit different. Instead of handing them out, they asked each employee to approach the tableful of plants and choose their own — but from the perspective of the plant.
Think of it like a human-plant speed-date. Robinson explains, “So you have to put yourself in the spot of the plant, as it were, and say, ‘Which person do I want to be my new friend?’” Employees then received a small sign on which they wrote ‘My friend is …’ and their own name, stuck it in the soil, and brought it into their personal workspace.
Over time, Robinson realized that the plants were having a positive impact. He says, “I did my own mathematics, and I reckoned that we might be doing about 30 percent more business per staff [member].” Of course, this is far from a scientific study. There’s no control group or double-blind — just a company filled with happy plant lovers excelling at their jobs. And maybe that’s enough.
Another sign that something is going right: After 5 years, not a single plant has died. Robinson guesses that since each was hand-selected and bears the employee’s name on the label, they’re well-tended because “this is your friend and you care about your friend.” As he explains, “Our office is a more contented place, a relaxed place, and a place that I’m proud to be to be a part of, and a big part of that is the personal plant.”
But what plant is right for your desk? Perhaps you’ve gotten one and felt the warm glow of human-plant friendship — only to see it wither before your eyes. We asked Rebecca Bullene, New York City horticulturist, cofounder of Greenery Unlimited and the person who designed and tends the greenery at the TED NYC offices, to recommend hardy plants for different light conditions. Note: Almost all of these plants are available in desktop sizes, but if you want them to stay that way, you will need to prune them.
Plants for low light
Sansevieria plant, or snake plant: “They’re an architectural plant; I usually use them in spaces that have a more modern aesthetic,” says Bullene.
ZZ plant, or emerald palm: “This plant has very deep glossy leaves and a kind of two-tone coloring. It’s a softer plant.”
Aglaonema, or Chinese evergreen: “It has very beautiful patterning on the leaves, and it’s a larger-leafed plant. It is a welcoming plant.”
Plants for medium light
Monstera deliciosa, or Swiss cheese plant: “It’s a fabulous name for a fabulous plant. The leaves have a really interesting texture, and this plant is a fast grower.”
Schefflera arboricola: “it’s very cute. It’s one of my favorites, and it’s easy to take care of.”
Anthurium, or laceleaf plant: “This is one of my favorite flowering plants. I prefer them to orchids because orchids can be difficult to care for and their blooms only last for about six weeks, whereas the anthurium puts up new flowers year-round.”
Plants for high light
Ficus audrey, or banyan fig: “While the fiddle-leaf fig is the most popular ficus, the ficus audrey is gaining. I think it’s just as beautiful, if not more so. It has very velvety leaves, and its growth habit is more restrained.”
Philodendron selloum, or philodendron hope selloum: “This was popular in the 1970s and the 1980s and fell out of favor, but it’s having a resurgence now. These plants have large tropical leaves with really deep cuts in them and a lovely, ruffle-like texture. This is not one that you’d have on your desk — it’s large — but next to it.”
Succulent plants, such as aloe vera, pincushion or zebra plant: “These are very popular right now. They’re best on a sunny windowsill rather than away from natural light. Most need water every 7 to 10 days, but touch the soil first — if it’s damp, don’t water it. They really like to dry out between waterings.”
Echeveria: “This is a flowering succulent that’s good in high light. They put out these long stems with bell-shaped flowers.”
But what if you’re in a space that has no windows or a window facing a stairwell? “The sansevieria and aglaonema can survive in a room with no windows, although they won’t flourish. But people without natural light should known that grow lights have come far in the past three years,” says Bullene. “They screw into any fixture and they provide the same kind of light to work by, but they’re actually introducing a full spectrum of light for plants. I’ve seen plants respond really well to them.” One brand that she’s had good results with is Sansi.
What about air plants? “These generally require more care and attention than people are willing to give. When I’ve gone into a store and the sales people are like, ‘Oh, you don’t need to do anything with them,’ it breaks my heart,” says Bullene. “One of the fundamentals of plant care is to think about a plant’s native habitat and how to recreate it so the plant will be happy. Air plants grow in extremely high humidity environments that are full of life; they get their nutrients from the air.” She recommends either putting them near a humidifier (and misting them regularly) or soaking them for 20 minutes at a time in a bowl of water. Air plants like bright, indirect light.
Last but not least: Don’t overwater. “There’s a direct proportional relationship between light and water. The less light a plant gets, the less water it should receive; the more light, the more water,” explains Bullene. “Often, people think they should water every day, and that’s the kiss of death. In a low light environment, you should water plants every 10 days or so.“
What’s confusing is the signs of overwatering and underwatering are largely the same — yellow leaves, wilting — and most of us respond by adding water. Says Bullene, “I’d say 80 percent of the time plants are receiving too much water, and the correct response would be to withhold it for a little bit longer.”
Watch Mike Robinson’s TEDxWhiteRock talk now:
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Mary Halton is Assistant Ideas Editor at TED, and a science journalist based in the Pacific Northwest.
Daryl Chen is the Ideas Editor at TED.
Have your parents recently been injured? If your parents are in their later years, this can be one of the first signs that they are starting to lose their independence. With that in mind, here are some of the key steps that you should take.
The first step is always to think about the cause of the injury and why it happened. Usually, an injury is going to be an accident but this is not always the case. You have to consider the reality that someone could be responsible for the injury and it might not have been your parent’s fault. If that’s the case then you should consider pursuing action to ensure that they can get the right compensation. Particularly if the injury is going to cause changes to their life.
Think About If It Happened At Home
Usually, this will be the case. Most of the time elderly individuals are going to sustain an injury in their own home. The reason for this is that this is where they are usually alone and have the most independence. If they are injured at home, then you need to consider whether you can make changes to the property to make it safer. For instance, a key problem area could be the stairs. You might want to think about setting up a stairlift to avoid the risk of any trips or falls. You can also think about adding grab rails to the bathroom.
Consider Whether They Can Still Live At Home
Next, you should consider whether your elderly parent can live comfortably in their own home. This might not be possible anymore, particularly if this isn’t the first time that they have been injured. It could even be better for them to move into a care home. An elderly parent can be reluctant to do this but it can be the right decision, particularly if they are living by themselves. Alternatively, you might want to think about exploring 24/7 care.
See Your Parents More Often
Finally, even if they are not moving into long-term care, you still need to make some changes to ensure that an injury is less likely. Do be aware that an injury can occur due to cognitive decline which becomes far more likely as your parents get older. One of the ways that you can reduce issues here is by ensuring that you do see your parents as often as possible and that you are encouraging them to socialize with you as well as with other people.
We hope this helps you understand some of the key steps that you should take if your elderly parent is injured. It’s always difficult to take this role in your parent’s life, but it is going to be the right decision. You need to make sure that you are protecting their quality of life. Once your parents start to sustain random injuries, things can decline quite quickly so it’s important that you do take the right action.
When it comes to capturing events, a photographer is your best shot. They can capture all the moments that you are too busy to notice, and ensure that you get to see everything that happened on the special occasion. But, what events are you going to want a photographer for? That’s what we’re going to be looking at in this article, so if you would like to find out more about this, keep reading down below.
The first occasion that you should think about is your wedding day. Of course, you are going to want to remember your wedding day for the rest of your life, but there is going to be so much that you miss out on. You’re not going to get to see all of your friends socializing as you will be taking photos. You’re not going to be able to see some of the wonderful looks of love that your partner is giving you because you will be too lost in all the commotion of the day. Hiring a photographer helps ensure that you don’t only remember the things that you do see, but also those that you don’t.
Children
If you are pregnant or have recently had a baby, first we would like to say congratulations. This is another momentous occasion that we are sure you would like documented. You can hire Michael Kormos photography or someone similar to help get the perfect shot of your pregnancy journey or your newborn baby. It’s a joyous occasion, but one that is always filled with a lot of panic or fright, but when you look at these photos, all you are going to feel is the love that is shared.
This is also a pleasant way to remember the years when your children are young. When you are old and grey, you can look back on these photos of your now grown-up children and remember the lovely life that you have had together.
Graduation
The final occasion that we are going to recommend is graduation. As a parent, seeing your kid graduate from high school or college is a momentous occasion. While you might want to take your own photos of the ceremony seeing as there is limited space, you can host an afterparty with a photographer. You can hire someone specifically for the ceremony, but they are going to have to make sure that they aren’t in the way. You can hang this proudly on your wall in your home, or you can give your child a copy for them to take with them wherever they go next. Don’t forget to get plenty of your child and their friends so that they have happy memories in print forever.
We hope that you have found this article helpful, and now see some of the occasions that you would need a photographer for. It’s important to capture all of these special days, and even though you can’t be there to witness everything that’s happening at any given time, you don’t have to miss a single second.
Emotions dominate our lives. We either spew feelings excessively or sequester them inside us.
Relationships between people with disparate and even opposite displays of emotion involve an emotional tango that ill serves both parties.
Emotions can be used to inform and enhance thinking, behaviors, and interpersonal relationships. Asking yourself these questions will help.
Source: Hier und jetzt endet leider meine Reise auf Pixabay aber/Pixabay
Emotional displays flood our lives. Television, radio, social media, conversations, and written media provide a continual barrage of anger, tears, venom, upset, and grief. The political arena is an ongoing slugfest of emotional outrage, gesture, name-calling, and put-downs.
An excessive outpouring of feelings dominates our interpersonal landscape as well. How did we arrive here? Does everyone use an emotional megaphone or only some of us? Some of us are emotionally reserved. How do we coexist with each other?
As a child and adult psychiatrist for 40 years, I have some observations on both the over- and under-expression of feelings and the implications for both emotional health and illness. I discuss these observations in the book I co-authored with psychiatrist Homer B. Martin, M.D., called Living on Automatic: How Emotional Conditioning Shapes Our Lives and Relationships.
Neurophysiologists and neuropsychologists point out that feelings are subjective experiences of emotions. Emotions arise from patterns of neuralactivity in the limbic system. Then feelings interpret the neural-based emotions. For the purposes of this article—psychiatric, not neurophysiologic—I use feelings and emotions interchangeably.
Emotions and roles in relationships
We all have emotions. Most of us assume our feelings and emotional expressions are hardwired in us, but they are not. In childhood, we grasp how, how much, and when to display feelings. This takes place through unaware teaching within our families, and the roles parents shape in us for managing relationships. We grasp these roles by age 3.
Source: Piyapong Saydaung/Pixabay
The emotionally subdued
Some of us master the role of hiding our feelings and keep them under wraps. In this role, we rarely acknowledge, much less show, our feelings. We may be unable to identify when we are sad, happy, angry, or anxious.
During psychotherapy, when I ask such people what they feel in a given situation, they say, “I don’t know what I feel,” or “I’m unsure.” Often, they tell me what they thinkinstead of what they feel. We refer to such people as reserved or unemotional.
Reserved people can make poor judgments when other people are involved because they do not use their own feelings to assess what they need to think, do, or say. They suppress feelings and, in so doing, come to believe their bottled-up emotions are powerful. They fear that their suppressed emotions will erupt with volcanic force, either imploding them or wreaking damage on others.
The emotional proclaimers
Other people are shaped during childhood into roles in which they exude emotions and display them often and excessively. They like the effects their emotions have on others. They want others to cater to their emotional displays. They send messages of:
Be upset with my eruptions.
Calm me down.
Indulge me.
Walk on eggshells around me.
Fix my feelings.
Cater to my changeable moods, and indulge my next outpouring of feelings.
Source: Engin Akyurt/Pixabay
These people have such a focus on their emotions that when I ask them what they think, they tell me what they feel.
Emotionally overflowing people also make poor decisions involving others. They make decisions based on whimsical and ever-changing emotions. They forego reason. Since they are consumed by their emotional demonstrations, they are good at distracting other people and at having attention focused on themselves. Later on in relationships, they exhaust those with whom they associate.
The tango of emotions in relationships
How do people with disparate and even opposite displays of emotion exist with one another? This coexistence weaves itself similarly to a tango dance. The dance unfolds in perpetually enduring relationship patterns.
Overly emotional people expect the emotionally reserved to cater to their feelings. It is a way to get attention from others. It is a way to be loud but behaviorally inert. The emotionally reserved at first admire the emotional outpourings of others. Only later, after many attempts to calm them or satisfy them, are they worn down and exhausted.
Why do they admire the emotionally bombastic when they are emotionally reticent and reserved themselves? Their admiration is based on wishing they could demonstrate such lavish displays of their own feelings. “I wish I could be like that,” they say. They also enjoy the thrill and challenge of trying to tame the unmanageably emotionally extravagant.
Source: Gino Crescoli/Pixabay
As these patterns endure in relationships, the demonstrative person is increasingly emotional with louder displays. The mesmerized, reserved person loves indulging them until they reach exhaustion. They continue to keep a tight lid on their own emotions. Both people are made worse by their interpersonal tango, which ill serves each of them.
Patterns in society
The same interpersonal emotional patterns happen in the larger society. We admire the plethora of emotions in the public arena. We glue ourselves to the television and social media to ooh and aah, admire or denigrate.
We seek out emotional people for entertainment. Holding these people in the limelight fuels those who enjoy exuding their feelings. They escalate. They grow their audience. The squeaky wheel gets the oil and the ratings.
Source: Jose R. Cabello/Pixabay
Emotionally reserved people shun being on center stage. They gladly throw attention to those who want it. One group does not exist without the other.
Both the emotionally quiescent and the effusive may use quick-fix methods to open up and dampen down their feelings. They improperly use prescription medications, alcohol, or illicit drugs. Such use is prevalent and creates both physical and emotional health problems for users, their families, and work colleagues.
How to escape the emotional stranglehold
Over-emoting people are oppressive to be around. Under-emoting people are oppressed within themselves. We should become aware of the dance and look at ourselves deeply enough to cease the imperiousness brought on by feelings. It can be done.
When we are in the throes of strong feelings, we can ask ourselves questions that will help us decipher the emotion, decide how reasonable it is for the circumstance, and what course of action to take. Here are questions to ask yourself.
1. What emotion do you have?
You may be crying, but what is your true emotion? Are you sad, mad, jealous, frustrated?
2. What is going on that evokes your emotion?
Is someone putting you down, praising you, angering you, or ignoring you? Who are you with, and what is the interaction about?
3. What other occasions create this same feeling/emotion?
Do you get angry when also ignored by others? Are you jealous in similar situations with others?
Do you get mad when others praise you?
4. How reasonable for your circumstance is the emotion you feel?
If you are angry because you are left out of a decision made by your spouse, ask yourself if this is a big concern worth being angry about. Was the decision major—what kind of car to buy? Was it minor—what size eggs to buy?
5. Are you conditioned to the emotion because of childhood experiences?
If so, you could be reacting emotionally in a knee-jerk way when the situation does not reasonably call for it.
If you were expected to hide emotions as a child, you might be more reasonable with yourself and reveal your emotions to another person rather than concealing them. Or, if you were expected as a child to have boisterous emotional displays, you may need to tone down displays of your feelings.
6. Once you evaluate the facets of your emotion, what is the most reasonable action to take under the circumstances?
Maybe you are unreasonable to be so angry at your spouse for buying a size of eggs you didn’t want. You may decide to tone down or break off your anger, finding it too excessive. Or, you may decide it’s more reasonable to express your frustration to your spouse instead of holding in that emotion.
Overly emotional people can grasp how to think about their feelings instead of displaying feelings all the time. They can access rational thoughts instead of deciding and manipulating others with emotions.
The reluctantly emotional can learn to identify and elaborate their emotions to inform them of what goes on inside them and in their relationships. They may discover there is a time and place for them to kick up a fuss, shout for joy, or be the center of attention.
We do better in life when emotions inform our thoughts, behaviors, and interactions with others, not when they dominate us.
Christine B. L. Adams, MD is a child psychiatrist in private practice in Louisville, KY. She is co-author of the book Living on Automatic: How Emotional Conditioning Shapes Our Lives and Relationships.
Fact: Beethoven never knew how to multiply or divide
Ludwig van Beethoven is arguably one of the greatest composers in musical history. The renowned pianist went to a Latin school called Tirocinium. There he learned some math, but never multiplication or division, only addition. Once when he needed to multiply 62 by 50, he wrote 62 down a line 50 times and added it all up. Here are 12 easy math tricks you and Beethoven will wish you knew sooner.
Fact: Japan released sushi-inspired KitKats
For a limited time in 2017, Tokyo’s KitKat Chocolatory shop made three types of the chocolate bar that was sushi-inspired but didn’t actually taste like raw fish. The tuna sushi was actually raspberry, the seaweed wrapped one was pumpkin pudding flavored, and the sea urchin sushi was actually Hokkaido melon with mascarpone cheese flavored. All were made with puffed rice, white chocolate, and a bit of wasabi.
Fact: The word aquarium means “watering place for cattle” in Latin
In the classic Latin language, aquarium means a “watering place for cattle.” However, aquariums these days aren’t for cows—instead, they are a place for the public to see sea creatures. The first aquarium that looks like what you’d imagine now was created in 1921 and opened in 1924 in England. If you love what’s in the deep blue sea, take an intimate look at these large and tiny sea creatures.
Fact: An espresso maker was sent into space in 2015
Samantha Cristoforetti is the first female Italian astronaut to get a warm and cozy piece of home sent to her while in orbit. The Italian Space Agency worked with Italian coffee manufacturer, Lavazza, to get the coffee capsules flown up and out into space.
Fact: An employee at Pixar accidentally deleted a sequence of Toy Story 2 during production
Ed Catmull, the co-founder of Pixar, wrote in his book Creativity Inc. that the year before the movie came out, someone entered the command, ‘/bin/rm -r -f *’ on the drive where the files were saved and scenes started to be deleted. It would have taken a year to recreate what was deleted, but luckily another employee had a backup of the entire film on her laptop at home.
Fact: Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ron Wayne started Apple Inc. on April Fools’ Day
The three technology innovators signed the documents to form the Apple Computer Company on April 1, 1976. However, the company was not fully incorporated until January 3, 1977. Thirty years later, the company was renamed Apple Inc. and is no joke. In 2018, Apple Inc. became the country’s first trillion-dollar company
Fact: The inventor of the tricycle personally delivered two to Queen Victoria
In 1881, Queen Victoria was on a tour on the Isle of Wight when her horse and carriage could not keep up with a woman riding a tricycle. The Queen made her servants identify the woman so she could demonstrate the tricycle to the Queen. Intrigued by the bike, the Queen proceeded to order two. She also asked that the inventor, James Starley, arrive with the delivery. Though you might associate tricycles with toddlers, Queen Victoria made them cool among the elite. Special deliveries are definitely a royal bonus. Want more random facts? Here are 15 more of the most bizarre perks of the British royal family.
Fact: Your brain synapses shrink while you sleep
A 2003 study from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Sleep and Consciousness was done on mice to observe what happens to our brains while we sleep. Dr. Chiara Cirelli and Dr. Giulio Tononi found an 18 percent decrease in the size of synapses after a few hours of sleep. Don’t worry, though, your brain shrinking at night actually helps your cognitive abilities.
Fact: A waffle iron inspired one of the first pairs of Nikes
Bill Bowerman was a track and field coach in the 1950s who didn’t like how running shoes were made. He first created the Cortez shoe, but still wanted to make a shoe even lighter that could be worn on various surfaces. During a waffle breakfast with his wife in 1970, the idea came to him of using the waffle texture on the sole of running shoes. The waffle sole shoe made their appearance in the 1972 U.S. Olympic track and field trials in Eugene.
Fact: Boars wash their food
National Geographicreported that at Basel Zoo in Switzerland, zookeepers watched adult and juvenile wild boars pick up sandy apples and bring them to a nearby creek in their environment to wash before eating. Though some items like sugar beets were eaten without the human-like behavior, the boars brought a whole dead chicken to the creek to wash before chowing down. One ecologist called this a “luxury behavior.” You’d never believe the 12 animals that are probably smarter than you.
So glad you are enjoying these post, I love hearing your hilarious comments.
If you think you have to be a smoker, a drinker, overweight, or have high blood pressure to have a stroke, think again. My Granny was in her early 80’s when she had two strokes within a year’s time, the second one was a massive stroke. That left her with Dementia from the damage done to her brain and she became a violent shell of herself over time. She died a couple of years later.
She ate a clean diet, had quit smoking 40 years earlier, never drank, didn’t have high blood pressure, and weighed all of 110 pounds soaking wet.
Strokes can happen to anyone.
Doctors were never able to give us an explanation and this is why I write this post. May is Stroke Awareness Month and you need to know what can happen if you or a loved one develops Dementia from a stroke.
Dementia is like Alzheimer’s in that it robs your memory. The first stroke the damage wasn’t as bad so she knew something was wrong with her and was very unhappy but not violent. The second stroke hit a large part of her brain and affected her memory in the worst way.
Imagine knowing you are sick, you don’t understand what is going on, and you confused all the time. My Granny became violent by hitting herself in the head or banging her head on the wall saying she didn’t want to live like that.
You have two choices medically, do nothing or find a Psychiatrist who can prescribe the right types of drugs to calm them down. The latter is often found as a warning on medication labels, Not for use for elderly Dementia patients.
My gramps and I had to decide what was best for my granny, not society. We found a good doctor who put her medication to try to slow the Dementia down, and a combination of other drugs to keep her a bit zoned out but not over-drugged.
This worked fine for a time, then she became solely dependent on my gramps being with her. He couldn’t leave the house any longer. The doctor had given us four emergency pills for if or when she became too violent. To date, we had not used any. My gramps went to get groceries and I was there with her. After five minutes she kept saying he had been gone an hour and why wasn’t he back yet. I tried to distract her with a little photo album I made of her and gramps and her favorite dog. That worked a few times. She would come back to why is he taking so long. why is he taking so long?
I got up and showed her on the clock exactly when he left and what time it was, it had only been 15 minutes. The logic didn’t compute. She continued to escalate to the point of saying why did gramps leave her here. I asked her where she was and she didn’t know but didn’t recognize she was in her own home. I took photos off the wall to show her my dad, brother, gramps, and myself. Nothing worked, she was convinced he had left her somewhere.
She became very violent, hitting herself in the head, banging her head against the wall screaming for my gramps. I had to think quick. It was time for the emergency medication. I was able to convince her we forgot to take one of her medications and she took the pill. It knocked out and I thanked God!
My gramps was not able to leave home again until after she died.
This is just one example, there are many and each an extremely painful to watch. It breaks your heart not to be able to help your loved one.
I will STRONGLY say, do whatever you have to do to make your loved ones’ life more comfortable if they become violent. Don’t settle for less or you will be making hospital visits.
Snoop Dogg’s daughter, Cori Broadus, took to Instagram over the weekend, where she opened up about her mental health struggles over the last few weeks, revealing that she tried to take her own life.
“The last few weeks my mental has not been so great at one point I tried to end my life but you & my family really give me a purpose to live & helped me realize Iife is much more than materialistic things & you gotta just keep pushing through the bullshit,” she wrote.
It appears the “you” who has helped Cori in her time of need is her boyfriend, Wayne Deuce, who is seen in several pictures in the above post. Wayne also shared the same series of photos in his own post on Instagram, along with a note on a chalkboard easel in which he wrote, “I love you Princess. This time is about us getting our minds right for a better and healthier lifestyle. We riding til the end.”
Both of their posts conclude with the Mental Health Awareness hashtag. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, which aims to help people understand and normalize the existence of mental illnesses among millions of people living in the United States. According to Mental Health America, the organization that started this monthly observation in 1949, one in every five American adults will have a diagnosable mental health condition in any given year.
Mental health issues have come to the forefront in wake of COVID-19. MHA Screenings taken from January 2020 to September found that over eight in 10 people who took the anxiety screen scored with moderate to severe symptoms, while more than eight in 10 people scored with moderate to severe symptoms of depression consistently since the start of the pandemic.
The theme for this year’s Mental Health Awareness Month is “You Are Not Alone,” a statement that reinforces the reality that mental illnesses are more common than some people might think, and something that people shouldn’t feel stigmatized by, especially as we collectively deal with the aftermath of the pandemic, and what that means for our personal and professional lives.
Welcome back to Weekend Music Share; the place where everyone can share their favorite music.
Feel free to use the ‘Weekend Music Share‘ banner in your post, and don’t forget to use the hashtag #WeekendMusicShare on social media so other participants can find your post.
Maddie Dunne-Kirby from Wellbeck Publishing Group gifted me a copy of Finding My Right Mind, One Woman’s Experiment To Put Meditation To The Test by Vanessa Potter for an honest review. Wellbeck is gifting one person a copy of Vanessa’s book. Find out more at end of the post.
Gobsmacked is the only word I can say about Finding My Right Mind. I believe that’s a British saying, please correct me if I’m mistaken. Vanessa’s story is like a brick to the head in the very best way. She’s smart, funny, and realistic about the cards she’s dealt.
The true story of an ordinary woman who went to extraordinary lengths to discover whether meditating could change her life. Insightful, funny, and informative, Vanessa road-tests 10 techniques from mindfulness to psychedelics, and still manages to pick the kids up!
My Thoughts
What would you do if you woke up on day blind and paralyzed? This is where Vanessa finds herself, she’s married with children and at the height of her career. What Vanessa does next is nothing short of a miracle. Using her knowledge of meditation she teaches her body to remember feelings, such as the feel of sand in your toes. With sheer grit, she uses 10 techniques to build the life she wants to live. Finding My Right Mind is a must-read for everyone, she an inspiration and will have you examine your life as you live it today. You will find Vanessa’s book inspirational, fascinating, and looking forward to turning the page. She shows us what the mind can truly do.
Wellbeck Publishing Group
Welbeck Publishing Group is an exciting, fast-growing independent publisher based in London, dedicated to publishing only the very best and most commercial books spanning a number of genres and categories, from leading authors and well-known brands to debut talent. We live for books that entertain, excite and enhance the lives of readers around the world
From building our boutique fiction and narrative non-fiction lists to shaping our world-renowned illustrated reference, gift and children’s titles, our aim is to be a market-leader in every category in which we publish. Our books and products come to life for adults, children, and families in 30 languages in more than 60 countries around the world, selling through a variety of traditional and non-traditional channels. We are constantly looking for new ways to deliver our exceptional content and new ideas to inspire readers and listeners everywhere.
One lucky UK reader will win a copy of Finding My Right Mind by Vanessa Potter just by sending me your thoughts on the review and I will draw numbers. The book will mail from the UK publisher.
This is a must-read story. I’m glad you are enjoying the book reviews, keep your comments coming. I have six books lined up to read so stay tuned.
This is a popular post from years gone by that ties in perfectly with Lyme Awareness Month. The post has been added to over time and will no doubt repeat some things. Try to look at it as segments. Just like the span or segment between the last entry and this one.
An update on my Hypogammaglobilnemia, which is an Immune Deficiency Disorder, it has progressed and I now require Plasma Infusion treatments. As usual, insurance is giving me a hard time because they are very expensive, and have already denied the request from my doctor twice. I’m building my case to write my letter of appeal.
I diagnosed my Lyme after a year with a Neurologist and no answers. I kept taking keywords from her test and adding them together and came up with Lyme. It was good luck on my part! Some people take years to find out they have Lyme Disease.
I can not emphasize enough the financial burden of Lyme Disease. We spent close to $150,000 dollars over an 18 month period. My Infusion treatments were $6,000-$10,000 per month not including prescriptions. Insurance did cover prescriptions but none of the treatments or the mass of supplements I had to take. We had to take out a home loan to pay for all the treatments, that’s how serious this Lyme Disease is.
We also traveled to Washington, D.C. once a month to see my doctor which costs airfare, hotel, meals, and pet sitting. Not to mention all the time my husband missed work.
It’s important to understand all the years later the CDC still does not recognize long-term Lyme which means insurance will only cover 4-6 weeks of antibiotic treatment. Then you are on your own.
May 20, 2021
WWII Memorial Washington D.C.
XXX
August 2020
For many people around the world, it’s still hot outside and you’re enjoying outdoor activities. I am reposting this as a reminder of how serious Lyme Disease is, it will change your life forever if not diagnosed in the first 2-4 weeks. Around 30% of people do not get the bullseye rash and you have no way to know you have been bitten by a tick. We are talking about ticks smaller than a grain of rice! Think about how hard they are to find in your hair. I’ve been ill since 2012 and was diagnosed shortly after as having Lyme disease, it’s been a long hard road.
I’ve recently been diagnosed with Hypogammaglobulinemia which is an autoimmune disorder of the blood. If severe enough Plasma Infusion Therapy is required.
Here’s what Wiki had to say:
Hypogammaglobulinemia is a problem with the immune system in which not enough gamma globulins are produced in the blood (thus hypo- + gamma + globulin + -emia). This results in a lower antibody count, which impairs the immune system, increasing the risk of infection.
I’ve never wanted a blood transfusion in the past and a lucky one was never required. I don’t know how I feel about plasma, there isn’t really an option. Your body must have white blood cells to fight off every type of infection including the common cold.
I saw a Hematologist who thankfully told me I don’t have bone marrow cancer and referred me to an Immunologist. I had a Telehealth appointment with the Immunologist only to find out he no longer does Infusion Therapy and has to refer me to another Immunologist. Be sure you ask if the Immunologist you’re referred to does the Infusion Therapy before your appointment in case it’s needed.
He went ahead and ordered blood work for which I had to go to the lab during this crazy time. A lab with sick people is the last place I wanted to be. They were working by appointment and only allowing four people in the waiting room which made me feel better.
The feeling of comfort went away when the person in front of me didn’t have on a mask and was not offered one, worst the lady behind the desk was wearing her mask on her chin and coughed. What the Hell! Now two weeks later I find out my lab work is lost.
Next week I start over. It’s calling the doctor’s office, asking for the referral, and letting them know there isn’t a need for blood work since he doesn’t provide the needed therapy.
Can I say for sure this new autoimmune disorder is tied to Lyme? No, but I can’t forget the words of my doctor when I was first diagnosed, Lyme will cause other autoimmune disorders and illnesses. My change is health is proof of what he said is true.
PLEASE take Lyme Diseases serious. I can’t stress enough how important prevention is, use 20% DEET in your spray or sunscreen, and checking for ticks is a critical part of prevention.
Melinda
Update February 27, 2020
Warm weather is right around the corner, I know some of us are experiencing freezing weather but Spring is around the corner. The south will start to feel great outdoor weather in a matter of weeks. Lyme has left made my life hell, I don’t want you or anyone you love to go thru the same painful illness.
Please remember!!!!! There is no cure for Lyme and the diseases you get from your immune system being compromised can be life-threatening. As you go for the first hike, long walk with the dog, picnic with the kids, make sure you prepare for ticks. You don’t have to see cows or be anywhere near cows. A silly notion. The only sure way to prevent the ticks don’t stick to you is 20% DEET.
I didn’t want to use DEET in the past, and that was just to ward off flying bugs. DEET is the only recommenced prevention for tick-borne illnesses. Please educate yourself before blowing off the idea. The option is not worth the small risk of using DEET.
I will continue to send out a reminder as we move into warmer weather. I also plan to post an update on my health progress from living with Lyme.
As the temperatures warm the chances of encountering ticks increase. I had a PA recently say we don’t have Lyme in Texas, what? Yes, Lyme or tick-boring illnesses are in every state. Some states have a higher percentage of cases but don’t fool yourself, tick-borne illnesses are in every state in the United States. There are now 30 strains of tick-borne illnesses and more are discovered each year. This year a more deadly tick-borne illness, Powassan Disease was discovered and it’s the most deadly. Please take notice and protect yourself and your children.
This post is a combination of photos, snippets from the previous posts, and new information. If you have questions visit ILADS website for the most accurate information on tick-borne illnesses. This association is for doctors who treat Lyme, educators of Lyme, and the medical community who are there to increase knowledge.
I am walking after four years spent in bed, how could anything be worse than Lyme Disease? The illnesses Lyme leaves behind are debilitating and worst. I’ve lost four years of my life, screaming in pain, narcotics, nine months of twice a day IV Antibiotic Infusion Treatments. I can not stress enough how dangerous Tick-Borne illnesses are, they can kill you and your children. If you already have a compromised immune system, your starting behind the curve. I’ve talked to many at WordPress with Chronic Lyme, many of them spent 10-15 years before diagnosis. Think of the pain and isolation our fellow Bloggers went thru.
People have said we don’t have ticks, for one Lyme and Powassan Disease is transmitted by many sources other than ticks, mosquitos, sand flies, which are just a few culprits. In the wild animals of all types of animals die, many pests visit the buffet. The critter who is carrying Lyme disease bites you and there is a short window for medical attention.
The flying pest target is blood, they have to eat. They don’t discriminate on where they go for lunch. The ticks who carry Tick-Borne illnesses are smaller than a grain of rice, try to find that while doing a tick check, you will not see them.
Before you get dressed, spray sunscreen with insect repellant with 20% DEET. Reply every hour if sweating or in heavily wooded areas. Wear white socks with your pant leg tucked in light-colored pants. Wear a white or light-colored shirt, a hat that is longer in the back to cover your neck. Be vigilant with your kids, if playing outside, spray. Better safe than sorry.
Most important, do tick checks on you and the kids throughout the day. Take some tape and if you see a tick don’t touch it, pull it off with tape. While out hiking wear light colors, tuck pants in socks, wear a hat that covers the back of the neck. Lyme Dieses is not sexy.
Watch these extremely important videos and educate yourself. Know the early signs and a short antibiotic treatment may provide a cure. The bulls-eye rash talked about by doctors only happens 30% of the time.
The Lyme test doctors use only covers a few of the 30 strains of Lyme. I’ve had multiple tests over the past four years and not once did I show positive for Lyme.
Chronic Lyme disease causes other chronic illnesses in its wake and new illnesses can pop up at any time. I now suffer from Fibromyalgia, Dementia, Neuropathy, loss of balance, and other cognitive issues. My life is not back to normal and never will.
State of Living Seven days of IV’s IV Antibiotic Infusion Therapy Sterile Living Medical Waste Port Inserted Container for sharps
B12 Shots
Meds first three months Port Removed
Tracking computer My brain waves.
Lyme Disease is a serious illness and one that will last a lifetime. The best way to avoid getting Lyme is to take a few simple precautions and don’t forget to check your pets.
I’m left with a degrading memory since I have early onset Dementia caused by the Lyme spirochetes going to my brain. It’s not reversible nor is there a cure for Dementia. I can’t think of a worse way to pass each year, with less memory and fewer memories.
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