Category: Family

Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Month
Celebrate Life · Family · Health and Wellbeing · Medical · Men & Womens Health · Mental Health · Moving Forward · Trauma

Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Month

Looking for the Light12 Comments

Losing a baby is a very personal matter and one that we don’t often hear or talk about unless you’re close to someone who has experienced that loss. At 19 I had a miscarriage at 4-5 months along and my then-husband didn’t even acknowledge the child or the death, we never talked about the entire night it happened. Instead, he went out of town with the guys the next morning and there was no conversation when he returned. I was devastated, had no ride home, and didn’t have anyone to help me with the pain. I was in shock seeing the baby in the toilet at the hospital but I never grieved.

I can’t imagine the grief of carrying a baby close to term or full term and then watching them die, it has to be gutwrenching. There are many children born with diseases or a defect and they fight for their lives, but it was not to be. The overwhelming pain can only be felt by the parents who lost their baby. Think about the pain felt when the parents get home to see the baby’s nursery they planned so carefully without their baby.

These are my thoughts on what Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Month is, let’s see the official meaning of the day.

 

Pregnancy, Infant, and Child Loss Awareness Month - We want you to know our babies

When Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month was proclaimed.

In 1988, President Ronald Regan proclaimed October Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day is observed on October 15th each year and includes the International Wave of Light.

In the United States, 1 out of every 4 pregnancies ends in miscarriage and 1 and every 160 pregnancies end in stillbirth. These numbers do not include infant death from preterm labor, diagnosis of life-limiting conditions, or SIDS.

What is Pregnancy Loss and Infant Loss Awareness Month?

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, observed every October, is dedicated to raising awareness about the grief and challenges faced by families who have experienced miscarriage, stillbirth, or the death of an infant. The month provides a platform for breaking the silence surrounding these often stigmatized and unspoken losses. Through various events, campaigns, and remembrance activities, it seeks to honor the lives lost, offer support to grieving parents, and educate the public on the impact of pregnancy and infant loss. It also encourages open conversations and fosters a sense of community among those affected.

When is National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day?

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day is observed on October 15th each year. It is a day dedicated to honoring and remembering babies who have passed away due to miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant death. Many people participate in the global “Wave of Light” by lighting candles at 7 PM in their local time zone to create a continuous wave of light across the world.

If you’ve lost a baby or know someone who has and wants to share their memory, consider setting up a memorial website on Ever Loved. Memorial websites are free, simple to use, and a beautiful place to share your baby’s obituary, event information, collect memories, and more.

What a beautiful way to memorialize your baby.

Melinda

References:

https://everloved.com/articles/living-with-grief/how-to-recognize-pregnancy-and-infant-loss-awareness-month/

Pregnancy, Infant, and Child Loss Awareness Month – Because of You, My Child

Blogger Highlight-A Day in the Life of a Latvian Mom
Celebrate Life · DIY · Family · Family Cookbook · Fun · Health and Wellbeing · Men & Womens Health · Mental Health

Blogger Highlight-A Day in the Life of a Latvian Mom

Looking for the Light4 Comments

Pardon the mess WordPress made out of the alignment. It looks fine in Editor but when reviewed it’s a complete mess. No surprise. Let’s put the frustration aside and enjoy reading about Ilze’s blog. 

 

Thank you for all the great feedback on the Blogger Highlight series, I’ve enjoyed meeting each blogger and sharing their site with you. This week we highlight the blog A Day in the Life of a Latvian Mom. Ilze and I haven’t followed each other long but you would never know it. We became fast friends and now we talk almost every day. She is inspirational, logical with a touch of whimsy, and I can’t forget to say what a great photographer she is.  

A Day in the Life of a Latvian Mom

by Ilze

Hello! I’m Ilze, a mom of three wonderful kids who arrived in quick succession. This beautiful chaos led me to step away from my IT career to embrace motherhood fully.

Before becoming a mom, I built a career in IT, earning degrees in Programming and Computer Science. Almost two years ago, I accepted a position at a dream company after months of consideration, and I haven’t looked back since!

My blogging journey began with greeting card making, which eventually led to opening a photo studio to spend more time with my family. However, I soon realized I needed a change and discovered my love for making beeswax candles, experimenting with sweet aromas like green tea and lemon.

A couple of recent posts I particularly enjoyed:

Sunday: Finding the Light in One of Many Tunnels

One thing I admire about Ilze is she can multitask until bone tired and still find humor in the day. What a blessing. The greatest lesson I took away from the posts is there is Physics to everything and life is how we look at it. This is a photo of her husband on a Zoom call with colleagues in Canada while he’s holding the water over the outdoor shower so Ilze can take her shower. Life can’t get much funnier! 

 

Ilze is a devoted cook and has an archive full of delicious recipes to try your hand at. I saw this post and had to stop, drool, and think of how good it tasted. As my backing skills improve I will definitely try this cake. She has the ingredients and instructions laid out nicely so it is easy to follow. 

IMG_20170919_130531_845

 

I asked Ilze two questions:

What type of music she likes, why, and how has it changed her life? Her reply.

A song that’s close to me is “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” by Aretha Franklin. There’s something so powerful and soulful about the way she sings it. The song reminds me of the importance of authenticity and emotional connection, both in my personal life and in my work. It’s uplifting and grounding at the same time, and it always inspires me to embrace who I am and what I do. What a great song of liberty! 

 

Aretha Franklin – (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman

 

The second question:

Tell me about your favorite job and what she learned from it, here’s her reply. 

My favorite job is the one I’m currently in, which I started almost two years ago in client support. I enjoy it because it challenges me to think creatively and come up with solutions that aren’t always straightforward. I work with managers and stakeholders, helping them use the report-managing app eazyBI, which is a rewarding experience. What I’ve learned most from this job is how to assist with different management questions and how to build reports that are valuable for decision-making. Even when the work becomes overwhelming, I’m fortunate to have a great mentor and a supportive team, which has taught me the importance of collaboration and asking for guidance when needed.

Ilze is a multitasker to the nth degree, and she does it effortlessly, always with a good sense of humor, grounded in nature, and good manners, and being kind to all is not act! In her career, she’s been a professional photographer, had her own studio, and loves working in IT. 

You are short-changing yourself if you don’t stop by and say hello, you’ll make a fast friend and her archives are a walk through nature, life, cooking, foraging, and remodeling an 1880 derelict house by hand. 

Melinda

Looking for the Light

Sending My Love & Support To Ukraine
Celebrate Life · Family · Health and Wellbeing · Men & Womens Health · Mental Health · Moving Forward · Survivor · Trauma

Sending My Love & Support To Ukraine

Looking for the Light16 Comments

I had only heard of Ukraine a couple of times before Putin attacked Ukraine and knew nothing about Russia stealing Crimea away years prior. Since the war began, I think of Ukraine multiple times a day. The Ukrainian people are an example of community, love your neighbor, help one, help all, and they are strong to the core.

I’ve heard Ukrainians talk to reporters and talk about what happened to their house or how a family member was killed but one thing I DON”T hear is complaining. I believe in my heart that someone would share their last meal, true humanity.

I admire President Zelenski, he’s on the ground with the soldiers, and he talks about reality, he appears to be a humble man but with the strength of a million bulls. His determination and commitment to his country is why so many soldiers from other countries, including America came to fight in the war. He doesn’t put on airs, blow smoke, or play games. I love how he dresses the same regardless of who he meets, that tells me so much about him. He’s focused on the war, winning, and building a better life for all Ukrainians.

I have seen many interviews since the war started and I’m always struck by the resilience of the Ukrainian people. I see the sadness in their eyes yet I see hope. They have faith in a brighter day and make the best of every moment, and no doubt it’s much worse than what I see on television. To see neighbors taking care of a child who lost his mother while his father is on the front line is overwhelming heartbreaking and joyful, the child is not left aside, it’s loved and cared for. It’s a miracle.

I’ve gone out of my way to purchase items from Ukraine to help the few who can work continue to make a living. Etsy.com has a large community of Ukrainian sellers and they truly appreciate your business. The homemade wool items I’ve purchased from Woven Wool Art are high-quality and the seller will take custom orders. The extra cost of postage is nothing compared to helping someone who needs to work. Check Etsy out, if you order fast enough your items will get here by the holidays.

I’m sending hugs to all the Ukrainian people. :)

America would be a great place to live if we had leadership like President Zelenski.

Melinda

Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Family · Health and Wellbeing · Men & Womens Health · Mental Health · Moving Forward · Survivor · Trauma · Travel

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Looking for the Light12 Comments

Domestic violence not only traumatizes the woman but also their children. My mother married my stepfather when I was seven years old and I watched him beat her to a pulp almost daily until I moved out at 12 years old. She screamed out in pain, begged for her life, and cared for her wounds privately to not set him off again. He was an alcoholic but that is not what made him an abuser, that came from within for reasons no one will know.

I watched him drag her down the hall, beating her head from side to side so she would hit both walls, all the while she was begging and crying for him to stop. What’s crazy is that I hated my mother, she was my abuser but down deep she was my mother and it pained me to watch her be treated that way. She stayed married to him until he was beating her and my brother took out a shotgun and made him leave.

You might ask “Why didn’t she just leave?” There are so many reasons women don’t leave, one is their children. How do you prepare to leave when you are watched like a hawk? How do you squirrel away enough money to live, relocate, move your kids out of school, and pay rent? It’s nearly impossible. One attitude the abuser takes is that they own the woman and they will go to any lengths to keep her. To get her to come back, the most common is the sweet personality change and wooing her back only to beat her more.

At the same time, they are beating a woman, they are also degrading her and some women think they deserve it over time which causes them to stay. Some women stay out of fear and others know they will be hunted down, some will have a child kidnapped or the abuser will call the police claiming she left with the kids and make up a wild story that the police have to check out.

I’ve met many women while blogging who were in violent relationships and saw what they went through to leave, the heartbreak after, and all the horrific acts towards them and each one was so traumatic you ask yourself, “How did they make it?” Each one is a survivor!

It’s important to know that men also have violent relationships. There can be shame involved and that is why many men don’t come forward but they are not forgotten. They are survivors as well and often carry a big burden by not seeking help or telling anyone.

How to Offer Support

  1. Get Resources – don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help.
  2. Supporting Survivors – what to say and how to help
  3. Bystander Intervention – real-life examples to help prepare you to take action
⛳
Of course, if you see, hear, or suspect that someone is in immediate danger, call 911 immediately.
———
This article by No More gives you examples of how to support someone who is in a domestic violence relationship.

Melinda

Reference:

https://www.nomore.org/know-the-facts/

 

NAMI September Newsletter-Suicide Prevention
Celebrate Life · Chronic Illness · Family · Health and Wellbeing · Medical · Men & Womens Health · Mental Health

NAMI September Newsletter-Suicide Prevention

Looking for the Light1 Comment

Note from NAMI National:

“September is Suicide Prevention Month, when we work to raise awareness about this urgent crisis. Like mental health conditions, suicidal thoughts can affect anyone regardless of age, gender, or background. But suicidal thoughts should not be considered normal and often indicate more serious issues.”

Fast Facts:

Individual Impact

  • 79% of all people who die by suicide are male.
  • Although more women than men attempt suicide, men are 4x more likely to die by suicide.
  • In the U.S., suicide is the second leading cause of death among people aged 10-14, the 3rd leading cause of death among those aged 15-24, and the 12th leading cause of death overall.
  • 46% of people who die by suicide had a diagnosed mental health condition — but research suggests that 90% may have experienced symptoms of a mental health condition.

Community Impact:

Annual prevalence of serious thoughts of suicide, by U.S. demographic group:

  • 8% of all adults
  • 4% Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander
  • 2% Mixed/Multiracial
  • 5% American Indian/Alaska Native
  • 13% of young adults aged 18-25
  • 22% of high school students
  • 41% of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer youth
  • The highest rates of suicide in the U.S. are among American Indian/Alaskan Natives, followed by non-Hispanic white people.
  • Lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth are 4x more likely to attempt suicide than straight youth.
  • Transgender adults are nearly 9x more likely to attempt suicide at some point in their life compared to their peers.
  • Suicide is the leading cause of death for people held in local jails.

This Suicide Prevention Month, check in on your loved ones. Knowing the risk factors and warning signs can assist you in finding help for yourself, a loved one, or a friend. You can learn more about this here.

With gratitude,

The NAMI Texas Public Policy Team

Melinda

 

October Awareness Months
Celebrate Life · Chronic Illness · Family · Health and Wellbeing · Medical · Men & Womens Health · Mental Health · Moving Forward · Survivor

October Awareness Months

Looking for the Light7 Comments

For the complete list of Awareness Months click on the link under references. Below are the issues that are most important to me or ones I have a personal connection to for which there are several.

ADHD Awareness Month
AIDS Awareness Month

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

National Depression Education and Awareness Month
National Depression and Mental Health Screening Month
Sober October
Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Month
National Bullying Prevention Month
Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Dyslexia Awareness Month
LGBTQ+ History Month

Melinda

Reference:

https://www.goodgoodgood.co/articles/october-awareness-days-months

Blogger Highlight-Mum Cee
Celebrate Life · Family · Health and Wellbeing · Men & Womens Health · Travel

Blogger Highlight-Mum Cee

Looking for the Light7 Comments

Thank you for all the great feedback on the Blogger Highlight series, I’ve enjoyed meeting each blogger and sharing their site with you. This week we highlight Mum Cee. I have followed Cecilia for years, her writing is raw, powerful, from the heart, and often relevant to her country, Ghana. She is a strong voice for women, and I love that about her, she is wise beyond her years. 

Mum Cee  

Amoafowaa Sefa Cecilia: Writer, Teacher & Speaker

Just a simple Ghanaian trying to find the best in our society. I may be fun, I may be interesting, I may be funny, I may even be foolish or intelligent, but it is all based on the mood in which you find yourself. I believe our minds make us who we are. Know that, pain, no matter its ‘unbearability’, is transient. Unburden or delight yourself for a while in my writings please. And all corrections, advice and opinions are welcome. Know that you are the king, queen or royal on this blog.

Her published books:

Excursion on an African Mind

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cecilia Amoafowaa Sefa

If you are looking for a good book to read, get ready to be rather read by Cecilia’s art through her heart. Wilson Ayinbangya Amooro Author of ‘Love Letters’ book series Amoafowaa Sefa Cecilia is a poet, novelist and an occasional dabbler in article writing. A passionate writer all her life, Amoafowaa holds a BA in English Language from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana. She is a feminist who seeks equity for women, justice for the abused and hopes for happiness and safety for all children through her writings. Amoafowaa is eclectic in her writings – from the beauty of the sun to the deception of politics; nothing escapes her literary brush, only feeling complete when her works touch hearts. She has worked at Bishara Radio in news casting, lunch time programs which are more song-driven, and hosted some literary programmes. Amoafowaa Sefa Cecilia is currently an English Teacher at Tamale Secondary High School.

 

Ashawo Diaries: Tales of Adwoa Attaa

 
A few reviews:
 
Ashawo Diaries raises queries on why young girls should experience sexual suppression in a cultural context like Ghana where children are valued, moral standards are held high and sexual discussions silenced. – Dr. Georgina Yaa Oduro, Director, Centre for Gender Research, Advocacy and Documentation (CEGRAD), University of Cape Coast
 
The titillating intrigues of a good bad girl…delightful reading: sometimes light, sometimes dark; always with ponderous insights! – Koku Dotse
Ashawo Diaries is a text that challenges sanitized perspectives of Ghana. – Kwabena Opoku-Agyemang, Lecturer, Department of English, University of Ghana, Legon

Ashawo Diaries will surely leave readers scratching their heads with excitement. – Dr (Mrs.) Nana Ama Pokuaa Arthur, Lecturer, KNUST

A thrilling page-turner. Amoafowaa is fluid in narration, and succinct in description. – Rebecca Obuobisa-Darko, Personnel Officer, Ga East Municipal Education Directorate

Cecila’s Ashawo Diaries is storytelling meddled in art, obviously, science and a game of the protagonist. Daring diary entries with erotic sprinkles, gripping and sustaining…Poetically written and with a feminist undertone. – Grace Ihejiamaizu, Lecturer, University of Calabar, Founder of IKapture and Opportunity Desk, Nigeria

Looking for the Light

 

#Weekend Music Share-Eddie Van Halen & Sammy “Love Walks In” (Bridge School Benefit 1993)
Celebrate Life · Chronic Illness · Family · Fun · Health and Wellbeing · Medical · Men & Womens Health · Music

#Weekend Music Share-Eddie Van Halen & Sammy “Love Walks In” (Bridge School Benefit 1993)

Looking for the Light8 Comments

My husband sent me this video and the first thing I said was, “Who knew Eddie could play the piano?” I don’t buy into aliens but I like the song played this way, I didn’t listen to the original version because I wanted to remember this special occasion. You can tell they were having fun and really enjoyed each other’s company. I still love Sammy’s voice, his club in Cabo, not so much.

A tidbit about the Bridge School Benefit.

The Bridge School Benefit was an annual charity concert usually held in Mountain View, California, every October at the Shoreline Amphitheatre from 1986 until 2016 with the exception of 1987. The concerts lasted the entire weekend and were organized by musicians Neil Young and Pegi Young. An annual Bay Area highlight, the concerts were billed online as the primary means of funding for  The Bridge School; over both days, the reserved seats alone brought in well over a million dollars every year.

Organized by musicians Neil Young and Pegi Young, the Bridge School Benefit Concert is an annual, all acoustic, non-profit charity event held every October at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California. All proceeds directly benefit the operations of The Bridge School.

Our Mission

The Bridge School is a non-profit organization whose mission is to ensure that individuals with severe speech and physical impairments achieve full participation in their communities through the use of augmentative & alternative means of communication (AAC) and assistive technology (AT) applications and through the development, implementation and dissemination of innovative life-long educational strategies. The Bridge School is an internationally recognized leader in the education of children who use augmentative and alternative communication and has developed unique programs and trained highly skilled professionals in the use of state of the art assistive technology.

References at the bottom of the post.

It’s the weekend!!!!!!

https://youtu.be/QWviFuyE08A?si=wr_LXoPIVBKJoe_E

 I’m glad you joined me this week for another edition of Weekend Music Share.

Have a great weekend!

Melinda

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 use the hashtag #WeekendMusicShare on social media so other participants can find your post.

Reference:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridge_School_Benefit

https://www.bridgeschool.org

Things I’ve Learned In 61 Years Part Six
Celebrate Life · Family · Health and Wellbeing · Men & Womens Health · Mental Health · Moving Forward

Things I’ve Learned In 61 Years Part Six

Looking for the Light35 Comments

People who walk away while you’re talking to them are not interested in what you have to say. No need to get angry, they are self-centered and will not change.

People who ignore your no-soliciting sign are morons and wasting their money because who would buy from them.

If your lawn crew speaks Spanish and sprays poison on your beloved rose bush, have custom signs made that say “Do Not Spray Poison In The Flower Beds” in Spanish.

If your partner thinks that certain tasks are your responsibility, you have a choice, stop doing the other task or have a serious talk about their logic.

If there is something you’re good at whether it be a hobby or otherwise, don’t stop because you have other responsibilities. You have to make time for yourself every day for your mental health to enjoy the time you have available and celebrate your skill and the joy it brings you.

If you don’t think you’re important, people will not treat you that way. Grow your confidence and project it. Never let anyone put you down.

If a loved one puts you down or expresses shame about you, stop it right away. Set boundaries. Have a serious talk with them about how they talk to and about you. If they don’t understand or refuse to change, don’t go around them. If your partner or spouse doesn’t stand on your side they are confirming what others are saying, and the abuse will continue. After a talk with them, and they don’t get it, it’s time to move on. You deserve better and will thank yourself later.

If someone asks you to dress a certain way that is not your style, tell them you’re an individual and will dress the way you feel comfortable. If they insist, turn the tables and start telling them how to dress. The message will hit home or not. If not, they will want to control other parts of your life and you don’t need that from anyone. You are your own person. They are asking you to do something that makes them feel better about themselves because they have low confidence.

Beware of anyone who tries to pressure or guilt you into buying something. They are selling to make money only, not focused on what your needs are.

Melinda

Nicole Kidman & Keith Urban-Quotes To Live By
Celebrate Life · Communicating · Family · Health and Wellbeing · Men & Womens Health

Nicole Kidman & Keith Urban-Quotes To Live By

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So many celebrities and wanna-be are plastic it’s refreshing to hear the raw truth, “Nothing Is Perfect”. I read one UK celebrity magazine/trash mag and sometimes it inspires me. Today, it was a story about Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban

Here are a few of their quotes:

Nicole

“There’s no perfect anything,”

“Anything that’s presented as perfect… forget it,”

“We don’t want to be a pin-up couple,”

“We just want to be a couple that has a great life together.” 

“Everyone has the right to their own relationship. We are just very protective of our little bubble. What works for us is what works for us.”

Keith

“I have no advice for anybody,” 

“You guys figure out whatever works for you…We’re figuring it out. You figure it out. Everybody’s different. There’s no one size fits all.”

I live for this type of honesty which is reality! Not all the other plastic lives. 

Melinda

9/11/2001 Changed America But It Does Not Define Us
Celebrate Life · Family · Health and Wellbeing · Men & Womens Health · Moving Forward · Trauma

9/11/2001 Changed America But It Does Not Define Us

Looking for the Light5 Comments

On 9/11/01 America was rocked by Islamic terrorists and we continue to feel the pain every day. One point I want to be clear on is the attack was from Islamic terrorists, not Muslims or Middle Easterners. The terrorists were very calculated and spent years learning to fly and where to make the most impact. No doubt they had the backing of a country who we are not friendly with. It is heartbreaking that so many had to die for us to learn a few lessons.

The pain I felt that morning was overwhelming. I was on the way to the airport to fly to St. Petersburg, Russia when the attack became clear to me, someone on the shuttle asked who would do this and I said Osama Bin Ladin. There was no question in my mind. If I knew so clearly in my gut, why didn’t we see this coming?

There have been many questions asked no doubt but one thing you can count on is America will rally, heal from the pain, and walk forward standing tall.

I’m sending love to everyone who was affected by the attacks and I pray for those who lost a loved one.

America Strong

Melinda

Reference:

https://www.history.com/topics/21st-century/9-11-timeline

Blogger Highlight-Everyday Lillie
Celebrate Life · Family · Family Cookbook · Health and Wellbeing · Men & Womens Health · Photography · Travel

Blogger Highlight-Everyday Lillie

Looking for the Light1 Comment

Thank you for all the great feedback on the Blogger Highlight series, I’ve enjoyed meeting each blogger and sharing their site with you. This week we highlight Everyday Lillie. We have followed each other for some time now and her posts never disappoint. Her posts with recipes are carefully explained and photos are taken along the process of making. Her travel posts are a deep dive accompanied by great photos and they make me want to visit. Lillie enjoys living life to the fullest and it shows through in her blog. 

Everyday Lillie

Everyday Lillie is my platform to share my passion for family, cooking, travel, and DIY projects, and to inspire others to embrace these aspects of life. As a wife and mom of many young adults and a Canadian, I’m passionate about exploring the unique experiences and issues that come with family life, retirement and living in Canada.

My content is always authentic, relatable, and honest. I believe in sharing my struggles and successes to help others on their own journey. From easy-to-follow recipes to easy DIY projects, my goal is to provide you with inspiration and ideas that you can use in your everyday life.

My family shares a passion for preparing and enjoying food together. Our recipes range from my husband’s authentic and classic meals, our chef daughter’s beautifully plated vegan preparations, to preserves, and home made pasta – all fit to please a large family.

We are also avid travelers. My husband and I just like to get in the car and go! I believe that travel is an essential aspect of life, and I’m dedicated to sharing my experiences and tips to help you plan your own adventures.

Clearing Brush and Eating an Elephant is a recent favorite post, sounds like way too much work yet the payoff is tenfold. 

I asked Lillie for two of her favorite posts. 

My favourite post is about our Cottage Memories: https://everydaylillie.com/2024/05/16/cottage-memories/ because it’s about memories of going to summer cottages growing up – it brings out warm emotions in me!

My favourite travel picture is from our trip across Canada – https://everydaylillie.com/2020/07/25/canadian-road-trip-day-3-regina-to-calgary/ – I loved the scenery of Dinosaur Provincial Park – but there is one photo of my children in the distance misbehaving at the Dinosaur Park.

Please stop by and tell Lillie hello, pull up a chair, and enjoy reading through her archives, you’ll be glad you did. 

Melinda

Looking for the Light

 

Nourish Your Mind and Heart: A Guide to Mental and Emotional Well-being by Guest Blogger My Mind Strength
Celebrate Life · Communicating · Family · Health and Wellbeing · Men & Womens Health · Mental Health

Nourish Your Mind and Heart: A Guide to Mental and Emotional Well-being by Guest Blogger My Mind Strength

Looking for the Light6 Comments

Mukta has been a regular Guest Blogger on Looking for the Light because she writes about complex topics in a style all can understand and her writing is smooth. I have followed her for a long time and always find her posts enlightening. Be sure to stop by and say hello, pull up a chair, and read through her archives, no doubt there are many posts you will relate to. 

Learn how mindful inputs can transform your mental and emotional health. “When you are mentally and emotionally strong, you are able to handle your thoughts skillfully and regulate your emotions in healthy and helpful ways.” This seemingly simple sentence holds a profound truth about the essence of our mental and emotional well-being. Our thoughts, which … Continue reading

Melinda
Wordless Wednesday-Retro
Celebrate Life · Family · Fun · Health and Wellbeing · Travel

Wordless Wednesday-Retro

Looking for the Light7 Comments

I’m glad you joined me on Wordless Wednesday and I hope to see you soon.

Beanie Babies! I had no idea they were still on the shelves until I went to CVS last week. It reminded me of my Granny’s love for them, I bought her a huge collection of the little plush babies. I wasn’t into them but Granny was so crazy for them, she got so much joy out of getting a new one for her collection. Feeling nostalgic, I had to bring this little turtle home. I won’t be buying others but this one with its big eyes is so cute to look at.

The arrangement is from leftover flowers from the mini arrangement in my office.

Melinda

What Is Your Family’s Experience With School-Based Mental Health Services?
Celebrate Life · Communicating · Family · Health and Wellbeing · Men & Womens Health · Mental Health · Moving Forward

What Is Your Family’s Experience With School-Based Mental Health Services?

Looking for the Light3 Comments

 

Hello Advocates!   NAMI Texas is continuing our efforts to elevate your stories and lived experience! As we prepare for the 89th Legislative Session starting January 2025, we are focusing on gathering specific stories. This is the third month in our Storytelling Series, for the month of August , we are featuring school-based mental health services. Your stories related to this issue are vital, and rest assured, confidentiality is imperative to us. With your permission, we may reach out for further insights. Additionally, if you are interested, you could participate as a storyteller at one of our events or at the Texas Capitol. Your story has the power to strengthen written and/or oral testimony, presentations, policy briefs, and media coverage.   School-based mental health services are vital in promoting students’ well-being and academic success. These services may include counseling, psychological assessments, and the development of individualized education programs (IEPs) for students with mental health needs. For instance, a student struggling with anxiety might receive regular counseling sessions with a mental health provider such as a psychologist or social worker to develop coping strategies. Another student with ADHD might have an IEP that includes accommodations like extended test-taking time or a quiet space for exams. These comprehensive support systems not only address immediate mental health issues but also equip students with the tools they need for long-term success. We invite you to share your experiences with school-based mental health services. Your stories and insights can help us better understand the impact of these services and advocate for their continued support and improvement.  Additionally, if your child or children are enrolled in Medicaid and are facing significant issues with hard limits on treatment services (whether in policy or practice), behavioral health services, or services for medically complex conditions, we would greatly appreciate it if you could share your story with us.  Head over to our Advocacy Campaign  to share your lived experience! Your story can provide valuable insights into the landscape of school-based mental health services. By sharing your experiences, you can help us advocate for the strengthening of these services, ensuring they better meet the needs of all students.  Please feel free to share with your networks! As always, feel free to reach out to our Public Policy Director, Lyssette Galvan, publicpolicy.director@namitexas.org, or Peer Policy Fellow, Christine Busse, peerpolicy.fellow@namitexas.org.       

With gratitude,   The NAMI Texas Public Policy Team   

 

Melinda

 

 
Update On Party Of The Summer On September 4, 2024
Celebrate Life · Family · Fun · Health and Wellbeing · Men & Womens Health · Music · Self-Care

Update On Party Of The Summer On September 4, 2024

Looking for the Light14 Comments

The ultimate end-of-summer party is fast approaching, and I want to give an update on the events. Start preparing for yourself and the family to have the time of your life.

There are a host of additional tents and activities you will find upon arrival and here are a few.

A creative arts tent with watercolors and rocks to paint. 

A calm, relaxing, and quiet tent away from the action to take a break.

A movie tent showing old and new movies and a complete list to choose from. 

All tents are soundproof for your enjoyment.

 

 

The open areas have every type of activity you and your family can imagine. Bring your friends along as well, the more the merrier.

Clean vegan and allergy-free food is on the menu and the wait staff can provide the entire ingredient list.

Dancing is a given and all types of music will rotate throughout the day and night. 

I realize it is not the end of Summer in most countries but just imagine the fun you could have thinking about the perfect summer. It’s not too hot, there’s a slight breeze, and the humidity is low. Great weather to get outside and make memories.

Unlike the photo I created, the race track will not be close to the tents and outdoor activities and all tents are closed, not open as depicted. AI can only do so much when creating images, or I gave up before the correct image came up.

I can’t wait to see you there and will keep you updated on the festivities on the day of the party.

Melinda

Things I’ve Learned In 61 Years Part Four
Celebrate Life · Family · Fun · Health and Wellbeing · Men & Womens Health · Mental Health

Things I’ve Learned In 61 Years Part Four

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If you think the weekend is the only two days you’re happy, you’re right. You will manifest the other days as bad ones.

If your parents accomplished something, it doesn’t mean you will.

If your parents didn’t accomplish something, it doesn’t mean you won’t.

If your parents are rich it doesn’t mean you will be rich.

Work for what you get, it makes you a better person. If not, you will live expecting things and life isn’t that way.

You must know the difference between needs and wants. Wants will lead to debt maybe poverty and if nothing else you’ll pay 20-30% interest each month on your credit card. Cash is king.

If you don’t know every ugly wart and behavior of your partner, you don’t know them and marriage is the last step to take.

If a person can not look you in the eyes, there’s a reason. Get under it or you will pay later.

A person who says their fine is rarely fine. Dig deeper.

If you are treated poorly where you shop, at the doctor’s office, or anywhere else, find another place to do business. Life is too short for bad behavior and getting mad and complaining will not solve the problem.

Just because your parents went to a certain college doesn’t mean you have to. Have a backbone.

Just because your parents or siblings are in a certain line of business doesn’t mean you have to. Have your own identity and do what you love.

Buying vintage or antique furniture that requires refurbishing or not will reward you for many years. If you find a piece that has great bones and is reasonably priced, it’s worth the restoration. Today furniture is not made with the same high-quality wood and you will have a hard time finding handmade furniture with hand-turned designs or inlays unless you go the top of the line or have a piece custom-made. The same is true for frames, the intricate designs that are hand-made will reward you for years.

Self-confidence does not come from others, only you.

It’s not someone else’s fault, it’s yours for accepting. People with bad behavior rarely change.

To learn in life you have to make mistakes and learn from them.

If you do not keep your skills current you fall by the wayside.

If you don’t know how to communicate with people and can’t make compromises you are in bad shape and won’t keep a job and possibly a relationship.

If you think everything is wrong and people are all being unfair to you, look in the mirror.

You manifest what you think about and are unhappy about life, change your thinking to change your life. 

If you judge others, you’ll find what you’re looking for.

The country that starts a war, provoked or not, it’s that country’s war, they own it, they set the strategy, and will end the war on their time, NO ONE else’s.

You can not negotiate with terrorists, and if they are holding prisoners don’t expect to see them come home. 

People who fled their country or the home of their ancestors are no longer citizens of the country for a reason.

The country you live in now will not stop the war back home, they will work to negotiate but your anger, and violence fall on deaf ears.

If you don’t protest peacefully then you’re violent and need to go to jail. There are more productive ways to send a message. 

Businesses look at their bottom line first and how they invest their money is of no concern to you. You’re foolish to think you can get them to divest.

Protesting just to protest and voice your anger is a waste of energy and nobody wants to hear it. Do something productive.

America is responsible for the American people, there are many failures in the systems but are superior to many countries. 

If you don’t like America, go somewhere else. We don’t need your negative energy. 

If you are living paycheck to paycheck you can’t afford eating out, expensive cars, cigarettes, booze, or partying. You’re responsible for the bed you make. Being poor sucks, change your situation.

If you are living on government subsidies, you can’t afford to smoke, drive a new car, drink, have multiple streaming services, go out to eat, party, and buy electronic play toys. Being poor sucks, but it can be temporary if you work hard to better your life. There are too many examples in every town that have improved their life by working hard. You won’t see them living on subsidies.

There are millions of people in many countries who live in poverty through no fault of their own and can not change their situation. I wish you all the best and pray for your health and happiness. 

Always invest in the future no matter how small the amount, it adds up.

Always invest in your children’s education no matter how small the amount, it adds up. 

Would you rather pay cash or pay 20-30% interest each month?

Always set realistic goals, work towards them every day, and keep them in the forefront of your mind and you will manifest it so. Then set new goals, that what is takes to succeed. 

Melinda

Update On Storytelling Series
Celebrate Life · Communicating · Family · Health and Wellbeing · Men & Womens Health · Mental Health · Moving Forward

Update On Storytelling Series

Looking for the Light4 Comments

Hello Advocates!  

NAMI Texas is continuing our efforts to elevate your stories and lived experience! As we prepare for the 89th Legislative Session starting January 2025, we are focusing on gathering specific stories. This is the third month in our Storytelling Series, for the month of August, we are featuring school-based mental health services. Your stories related to this issue are vital, and rest assured, confidentiality is imperative to us. With your permission, we may reach out for further insights. Additionally, if you are interested, you could participate as a storyteller at one of our events or at the Texas Capitol. Your story has the power to strengthen written and/or oral testimony, presentations, policy briefs, and media coverage.  

School-based mental health services are vital in promoting students’ well-being and academic success. These services may include counseling, psychological assessments, and the development of individualized education programs (IEPs) for students with mental health needs. For instance, a student struggling with anxiety might receive regular counseling sessions with a mental health provider such as a psychologist or social worker to develop coping strategies. Another student with ADHD might have an IEP that includes accommodations like extended test-taking time or a quiet space for exams. These comprehensive support systems not only address immediate mental health issues but also equip students with the tools they need for long-term success. We invite you to share your experiences with school-based mental health services. Your stories and insights can help us better understand the impact of these services and advocate for their continued support and improvement. 

Additionally, if your child or children are enrolled in Medicaid and are facing significant issues with hard limits on treatment services (whether in policy or practice), behavioral health services, or services for medically complex conditions, we would greatly appreciate it if you could share your story with us. 

Head over to our Advocacy Campaign  to share your lived experience! Your story can provide valuable insights into the landscape of school-based mental health services. By sharing your experiences, you can help us advocate for the strengthening of these services, ensuring they better meet the needs of all students. 

Please feel free to share with your networks! As always, feel free to reach out to our Public Policy Director, Lyssette Galvan, publicpolicy.director@namitexas.org, or Peer Policy Fellow, Christine Busse, peerpolicy.fellow@namitexas.org.     

With gratitude,  

The NAMI Texas Public Policy Team  

Melinda

 

Making Your Home Sale Process Less Of A Challenge
Communicating · Family · Health and Wellbeing · Men & Womens Health · Moving Forward

Making Your Home Sale Process Less Of A Challenge

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If you want your home to make money for you, it’s crucial to understand that selling your home isn’t a challenge you should tackle alone. The involvement of various professionals is not just beneficial but necessary to streamline the process, increase your profit, and ensure all legal aspects are covered correctly. 

Here, you will find a comprehensive guide that covers everything you need to know about selling your home, making the process less of a challenge and more of a well-informed decision.

Photo by Jakub Zerdzicki: https://www.pexels.com/photo/hand-holding-keys-to-a-new-house-real-estate-residential-27522902/

Understanding deeds

Understanding deeds is a crucial part of the selling process and is not always straightforward. If you’re not familiar with real estate terminology, you might find it challenging to grasp what a deed is. A deed is a legal document that transfers property ownership. Platforms like Deeds.com provide expert information to help you navigate this process. 

With research and understanding, you can be sure that everything is legally correct before you proceed with the sale. With the help of a legal expert gaining personal knowledge online can reassure you that the legal side of things is performed correctly during the sale process.

Ask as many questions as you like

When working with a real estate agent to sell your home, you are entitled to ask as many questions as you like. You don’t need to hold anything back. You should ask everything so that you can be sure what is going on.

When you have something on your mind, it is better to ask it. You need to be involved in the sales process as much as the real estate agent, so don’t be afraid to ask. The real estate agent will address your concerns and offer you peace of mind. Relying on a real estate agent can allow you to get on with your life and enjoy things you love while guaranteeing it will be sold at the right price, to the right people.

Be clear about your final goals

From the beginning of your home sales process, you must be clear about your final goals. Whether you need to sell the home within six months or desire a certain profit, the real estate agent needs to know these goals so they can do their best to fulfill your requests.

You can reduce your home sales stress by finalizing goals before you sell the home. Then, make the agent aware so that you can work collaboratively to fulfill them.

Don’t shut down advice

Real estate professionals will offer advice throughout the sales process. While you might have certain unachievable goals that can leave you upset, you need to listen to them. They are experienced and know what the outcome could be. For example, they might advise you to turn your unused room into a playroom to add more value and appeal to your home. 

Taking professional advice will help you make the right decisions, stay on good terms with people who want to help, fulfill the profit expectations as closely as possible, and stay calm throughout the tough times. 

Become a good negotiator

It’s crucial to bargain wisely when you receive offers to get the greatest deal. Be willing to haggle over things such as price and closing charges to reach a mutually agreeable agreement. 

Develop a bargaining strategy by working together with your real estate agent to identify the advantages and disadvantages of each offer. Recall that the objective is to sell your house, so be prepared to make concessions as needed to reach an agreement.

Offer flexible viewing times

During the home selling process, it can be very beneficial to be accommodating with showings. Given their hectic schedules, buyers’ availability can be accommodated, boosting the likelihood of obtaining offers. 

Always keep your house tidy and ready for visitors, and be ready to leave the property quickly. Your chances of receiving an offer to purchase your house quickly increase with its accessibility to prospective buyers. Open house days are good as they can entice more viewings and help people look around at their own leisure.

Get yourself ready for the closing process

There are a number of crucial processes in the closing process, which can be complicated. Work with your real estate agent and attorney to make sure you are aware of all the regulations and documents needed for a seamless closing. 

Arrange for a last inspection of the property to ensure everything is as agreed upon. Be ready to sign many papers and pay any necessary fees. By maintaining organization and knowledge, you can confidently manage the closing process. Staying in touch with the real estate agent will make the closing process smooth and simple. 

This is a collaborative post.

Melinda

Celebrate Life · Communicating · Family · Health and Wellbeing · Infectious Diease · Medical · Men & Womens Health

Things I’ve Learned In 61 Years Part Three

Looking for the Light4 Comments

President Trump knew about COVID-19 in January 2020 but did not tell the public until March of that year. I heard the words myself during a phone interview with highly respected journalist Bob Woodward. Bob asked President Trump about the virus and he admitted it was deadly yet in public he said it was no worse the the seasonal flu and would go away quickly.

The most complete overview of the conversation with Bob Woodward and President Trump.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/audio-recordings-prove-trump-lied-about-coronavirus-danger

Here are a few articles on the subject by respected organizations

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-54094559

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/trump-white-house-made-deliberate-efforts-undermine-covid-response-report-n1286211

During the months that President Trump refused to listen to his top national advisors, the government was not ramping up its national supplies which is why hospitals found themselves without masks, proper protective gear, enough ventilators, and enough staff. I remember seeing hospitals overrun with patients and having to make the hard choice of who would get treatment or continue to get life support. This is not a weight that any individual employee needs to make, several committed suicide and washed out of their field and many caught COVID-19 themselves.

For conspiracy theorists and anti-vaxxers, you are misinformed and misguided, and no doubt you live lost in the same state of mind in the other areas of your life. People need to look at factual information and make up their own minds, conspiracy therorist are being controlled by others. That makes you a follower.

The total number of deaths from COVID-19 in the United States to date

We at USAFacts have endeavored to provide comprehensive, real-time pandemic data from all 50 states. However, the growing prevalence of at-home testing and the potential for individuals to contract the virus multiple times have skewed the government data we receive. These developments, plus the end of the public health emergency — and the required data reporting that came with it — have made it difficult for us to present a clear and reliable picture of COVID-19 in America.

We are committed to presenting thorough, accurate data, but the fact is that collecting that data on COVID-19 data is a significantly more challenging that it used to be, if the data is even out there at all. Therefore, we will no longer update the data on this dashboard. We appreciate your understanding and encourage you to remain vigilant in observing health protocols and guidelines. For more information about broader health outcomes, visit US Health Statistic and Data trends

  Total Reported  
Cases 99,596,741  
Deaths 1,104,000  

STATE-BY-STATE DATA (TOTALS)

State 7-day avg. cases 7-day avg. deaths Cases Deaths 7-day avg. hospitalizations 7-day avg. hospitalizations per 100k
Alabama 0 0 1,659,936 21,138 30 0.6
Alaska 0 0 287,319 1,457 4 0.6
Arizona 0 0 2,486,671 29,852 152 2
Arkansas 0 0 977,662 13,062 30 1
California 128 0 11,300,486 102,356 377 1
Colorado 0 0 1,769,981 14,522 92 1
Connecticut 0 0 982,973 11,034 20 0.6
Delaware 13 0 334,466 3,440 83 8
District of Columbia 0 0 169,149 1,392 5 0.7
Florida 0 0 7,627,999 89,075 246 1
Georgia 0 0 2,343,807 42,351 129 1
Hawaii 96 0 393,757 1,955 27 2
Idaho 0 2 526,118 5,513 17 0.9
Illinois 0 0 3,706,263 39,381 189 1
Indiana 0 0 2,033,879 25,959 34 0.5
Iowa 0 0 892,628 10,538 24 0.8
Kansas 0 0 946,564 10,229 35 1
Kentucky 0 0 1,713,220 18,094 45 1
Louisiana 0 0 1,459,308 18,136 43 0.9
Maine 18 1 324,378 3,085 25 1
Maryland 0 0 1,270,844 15,578 110 1
Massachusetts 268 0 2,048,722 21,035 52 0.8
Michigan 157 3 3,119,532 43,191 67 0.7
Minnesota 0 0 1,552,840 12,806 45 0.8
Mississippi 0 0 1,000,415 13,474 14 0.5
Missouri 0 0 1,592,300 20,776 189 3
Montana 0 0 333,758 3,712 17 1
Nebraska 0 0 563,028 4,827 20 1
Nevada 74 0 892,252 12,084 26 0.8
New Hampshire 0 0 375,618 2,972 19 1
New Jersey 0 0 2,995,906 35,774 115 1
New Mexico 0 0 681,525 9,236 19 0.9
New York 429 -37 6,706,390 77,423 177 0.9
North Carolina 0 0 3,501,415 29,059 258 2
North Dakota 13 0 292,065 2,232 5 0.7
Ohio 0 0 3,449,990 42,299 108 0.9
Oklahoma 0 0 1,305,761 16,157 73 1
Oregon 0 0 910,700 8,726 46 1
Pennsylvania 0 2 3,565,278 51,344 264 2
Rhode Island 0 0 442,671 4,148 3 0.3
South Carolina 0 0 1,481,646 17,869 78 1
South Dakota 0 0 283,342 3,245 11 1
Tennessee 0 0 2,364,399 28,113 41 0.6
Texas 0 0 8,508,204 92,378 194 0.7
Utah 0 0 1,099,978 5,397 21 0.6
Vermont 0 0 151,477 910 9 1
Virginia 210 0 2,323,255 23,769 204 2
Washington 184 2 1,969,833 15,972 34 0.4
West Virginia 15 0 652,772 8,163 34 1
Wisconsin 50 0 2,036,872 16,723 79 1
Wyoming 0 0 187,389 2,039 13 2

For more on how USAFacts collects coronavirus data, read this detailed methodology and sources page.

Not all the statistics add up over the last seven days but you get the overall message. Close to 100,ooo people died in Texas alone. 

I would like to see how conspiracy theorist explain the number of documented cases and deaths. Maybe the same way President Trump explains his very existence.

COVID-19 is on the rise in many countries, The United States has not been hit hard but the is no excuse for not taking precautions. Look at President Biden who recently contracted COVID-19, it can happen, and if we are not careful COVID-19 may return the the awful days of the pandemic. I pray not, it affected everyone, every business, and how we went about our daily life, people lost their jobs and businesses closed and life sucked all around.

I’m asking you to think about yourself, your family, and the community around you. Don’t read news about COVID-19 on social media, read news from respected news outlets, read briefings from the CDC and National Security within our government, and make an informed decision.

Our life and future depends on accurate information and making the right decisions which are not easy but ones you’ll be glad you made.

Melinda

References:

https://usafacts.org/visualizations/coronavirus-covid-19-spread-map/

 

Blogger Highlight-Invisibly Me
Celebrate Life · Chronic Illness · Family · Health and Wellbeing · Medical · Men & Womens Health · Mental Health

Blogger Highlight-Invisibly Me

Looking for the Light11 Comments

Thank you for all the great feedback on the Blogger Highlight series, I’ve enjoyed meeting each blogger and sharing their site with you. This week we highlight Invisibly Me. Caz and I have known each other for years and I’m honored to call her a friend. She is a warrior in every sense of the word, she works tirelessly to balance her chronic illness, help her elderly parents, advocate for better access to healthcare, and also encourage others to take better care of themselves. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how much she loves cats. 

Invisibly Me

Live a Visible Life Whatever Your Health   

Caz is a 30-something chronically ill blogger from the UK with a penchant for American crime thriller books, Dr Martens, chocolate and Hello kitty. She writes about life with chronic illness and pain, product reviews, tips, and general health information to raise awareness.

She writes on many topics but stays true to health, writing reviews about health products and other items that simplify life. Simple is far from the life that Caz leads, she’s a superwoman with what she accomplishes and you would be surprised by the number of disabling health issues she deals with each day. She’s snarky, has the greatest attitude, and has limits with the NHS healthcare system in England. But who doesn’t? 

She’s a proud member of the following organizations:

A photo of me standing up with hands on hips with a black top, jeans and long red hair. The top is pulled up slightly to show a red and white Hello Kitty themed stoma bag cover. Below is the blog post title: 14 ways having a stoma bag has changed my life.

You must stop by her blog to say hello, read through her archives, and get to know a remarkable woman. Caz is encouraging, raw, funny and always leaves me feeling better and loved. 

Melinda

Looking for the Light

 

From Family Cookbook-Jeff Davis Pie
Celebrate Life · Family · Family Cookbook · Fun · Health and Wellbeing · Men & Womens Health

From Family Cookbook-Jeff Davis Pie

Looking for the Light10 Comments

The family cookbook contains recipes, my Granny’s & Gramps used often and is the type of food I grew up on. Many with veggies and tomatoes from their garden. Good ole Southern food like my Gramps dumplings, to Grannies pecan pie.

I don’t know who Jeff David was but know that he was related to Granny’s mother, Carrie Bell whose maiden name was Davis. The pie sounds yummy with its 3 cups of sugar! 

 

 

What you need

3 cups Imperial sugar

1 cup butter

2 TBS flour

1/4 TSP salt

1 TSP vanilla

4 eggs beaten lightly

1 cup milk

How to make

Cream sugar and butter

Blend flour, salt, and vanilla into the mixture and beat well

Add eggs then stir in milk into the mixture

Line 2 9-inch pie pans with pie crust

Pour the filling and bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes

Then reduce heat to 350 degrees for another 30 minutes or until pie filling is firm

I bet it tastes even better with some homemade vanilla ice cream on top. 

Melinda

Wordless Wednesday-Red Roses In Antique Ball Canning Jar
Celebrate Life · Family · Family Cookbook · Fun · Health and Wellbeing · Men & Womens Health · Mental Health

Wordless Wednesday-Red Roses In Antique Ball Canning Jar

Looking for the Light7 Comments

I’m glad you joined me on Wordless Wednesday and I hope to see you soon.

This was one of my Grandparent’s canning jars and it’s the perfect size for flowers. I have all of their canning jars even though we have done very little canning. There’s something special about them, they hold memories of my canning green beans with my Gramps and of course, eating out of the jars year round. They also canned lots of tomatoes, okra with tomatoes and jelly. There is no comparison to the taste of food out of a canning jar, a can food will never measure up.

Melinda

 

 

From Family Cookbook-Saucy Beef Over Rice
Celebrate Life · Family · Family Cookbook · Fun · Health and Wellbeing · Men & Womens Health

From Family Cookbook-Saucy Beef Over Rice

Looking for the Light5 Comments

The family cookbook contains recipes, my Granny’s & Gramps used often and is the type of food I grew up on. Many with veggies and tomatoes from the garden. Good ole Southern food like my Gramps dumplings, to Grannies pecan pie.

This recipe was a staple on the days Granny worked. She cleaned new houses with her Sister-in-law for construction companies. Granny did it to buy me clothes that were more in line with what my classmates were wearing until I could work myself to pay for my clothes. She would leave early in the morning and arrive back home in time to make the dish for supper.

What you need

Reynold’s Wrap Oven Bag Large size 14X20

2 TBS flour

1 can 14 1/2 oz stewed tomatoes

1 envelop of onion soup

1/2 cup water

1/4 TSP pepper

1 pound beef sirloin steak, cut into thin strips

2 cups hot cooked rice

Set oven to 350 degrees

How to make

Shake flour in a bag and place it in a 13x9x2 inch baking pan

Add undrained tomatoes, soup mix, water, and pepper.

Squiggle bag to stir all ingredients

Add beef strips to bags

Arrange the beef strips and ingredients evenly on the pan

Close the bag with a nylon tie

Cut 6 slits in the top of the bag

Bake for 40-45 minutes until tender and serve over rice

Yummy!

 Melinda

Blogger Highlight-Nutsrok
Celebrate Life · Family · Fun · Health and Wellbeing · Men & Womens Health · Mental Health

Blogger Highlight-Nutsrok

Looking for the Light9 Comments

Thank you for all the great feedback on the Blogger Highlight series, I’ve enjoyed meeting each blogger and sharing their blog with you. This week we highlight Nutsrok.    

Nutsrok

The humor and humanity of storytelling

Now that I’m done with the bothersome business of the workday world, I am free to pursue my passion, capturing the stories I’ve loved all my life. The ones you’ll read on my blog are good old Southern stories, a real pleasure to relay. Here in the South, we are proud of our wacky folks. I’ve preyed shamelessly on my family, living and dead, friends, neighbors, and acquaintances, often changing names to protect the innocent and not-so-innocent. My mother illustrates my blog. I come from a rollicking family of nuts, hence the name of the blog Nutsrok Enjoy.

We’ve been following each other for a short time but we became fast friends. We have so many things in common and our families were poor and raised in tough conditions. Linda is hilarious, she makes me laugh daily and she is attentive by replying to her comments. She is part of the community, and her writing and professional life are impressive. She wrote her first book in 2016 and her mother illustrated it, she was 96 years old. What a treasured memory. Be sure to check out both of her books.

Everything Smells Just Like Poke Salad

by Linda Swain Bethea (Author), Kathleen Holdaway Swain (Illustrator)

Born to a struggling farm family in the deepest of The Great Depression, Kathleen enjoys a colorful childhood, enhanced by her imagination, love of life, and the encouragement of her family.

She’s determined to build a better life for herself, getting herself into hilarious situations all along the way. Distinguishing herself in school and the community, she never takes her eyes off her goal.

Just as she’s about to get started, she meets Bill, the man who is going to help her on her way. Everything changes. And then changes again. The true story of a remarkable woman who will inspire you, make you laugh, and see life from a new perspective.

 

Just Women Getting By Leaving a Legacy of Strength

by Linda Swain Bethea (Author)
 
WOMEN OF STRENGTH, FORTITUDE, AND BRAVERY In this collection of six serials, Linda Swain Bethea weaves narratives of women through several centuries. The stories span from 1643 to 1957. Beginning in England in 1643, a young couple travels to Jamestown, Virginia, to begin a new life on the American frontier. The rest of the stories travel from West Texas to North Louisiana to the Texas Panhandle to East Texas. Disease, death, starvation, and prison are faced with stoicism and common sense, and always, with a sense of humor. The women in each tale stand tall and possess the wisdom and tenacity to hold families together under the worst conditions. Through it all, they persevere, and Linda Swain Bethea’s storytelling is a testament to the legacy they left. Conversational and homey, you’ll fall in love with the women of Just Women Getting By – Leaving a Legacy of Strength, which celebrates the courage of those women who had no choice but to survive. BUY THIS BOOK TO BE CAPITIVATED BACK TO A TIME WHEN GIVING UP WAS NOT AN OPTION.

About the Author

Linda Swain Bethea grew up in a family with a strong story-telling tradition, and she always knew she had stories that needed to be told. Writing called to her, even while working for thirty years as a Registered Nurse.

I ask Linda to share her favorite post and you will like this one.

Awful Christmas

Melinda

Looking for the Light

 

NAMI Texas Advocacy Newsletter July 25, 2024  
Celebrate Life · Communicating · Family · Health and Wellbeing · Men & Womens Health · Mental Health · Mental Illness · Self-Care

NAMI Texas Advocacy Newsletter July 25, 2024  

Looking for the Light8 Comments
 
Hello Advocates,  Happy Minority Mental Health Awareness Month!  In 2008, the U.S. House of Representatives officially declared July as Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. Bebe Moore Campbell was a mental health champion who used her experience to highlight the profound impact that culture, community and connections have on mental health.  Minority Mental Health Awareness Month is crucial for many reasons: Health Disparities: Minority communities often face significant disparities in mental health care, including limited access to services, lower quality of care, and higher levels of stigma associated with mental health conditions. Raising awareness helps address and reduce these disparities. Stigma Reduction: Many minority communities experience higher levels of stigma surrounding mental health conditions. Awareness initiatives can help break down these barriers, encouraging individuals to seek help and support without fear of judgment or discrimination. Cultural Awareness: Mental health awareness in minority communities promotes the need for culturally sensitive care. It emphasizes the importance of understanding cultural differences and tailoring mental health services to meet the unique needs of diverse populations. Advocacy and Policy Change: Highlighting the specific mental health needs of minority communities can drive advocacy efforts and inform policy changes aimed at improving mental health care equity. For example, this may include funding, more inclusive programs, and systemic changes that strengthen support for BIPOC individuals. Fast Facts:Asian American and Pacific Islanders: Non-Hispanic Asian American adults are the least likely population to receive mental health treatment for their mental illnessIn 2022, only 36.1% of Asian adults with mental illness received treatment9% of Asian Americans are not fluent in English and limited availability of culturally appropriate mental health care creates a significant barrier when trying to access careBlack/African Ancestry Communities:In 2022, only 37.9% of non-Hispanic Black or African American adults with mental illness received treatmentProvider bias, whether implicit or explicit, and lack of cultural sensitivity often results in misdiagnosis and inadequate treatmentWhen expressing symptoms related to mood disorders, Black people are more likely to receive a misdiagnosis of schizophreniaHispanic/Latin Americans: Nearly half of Hispanic and Latino young adults ages 18-25 with a serious mental illness do not receive treatmentAccording to the Kiser Family Foundation, in 2022, 18% of nonelderly Hispanic people had no form of health insuranceCompared to the U.S. average of 50.6%, approximately 39.6% of Hispanic or Latino adults with a mental illness receive treatment each yearBebe Moore Campbell used her voice to pave the way; what an honor it is that advocates like you and I have the opportunity to keep her legacy alive by continuing to advocate for a more inclusive, equitable, and effective mental health care system that serves all individuals, regardless of their background or identity. With gratitude,The NAMI Texas Public Policy Team Source material and further information can be found on NAMI National’s 2024 Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month Toolkit.————————————————————————————————————————————–P.S. As I transition out of my fellowship with NAMI Texas, I want to take a moment to express my gratitude to each and every one of you. It has been the honor of a lifetime being a part of the NAMI Texas Team and the community of incredible advocates that it encompasses. Having the opportunity to be in conversation and spaces with such passionate, driven and welcoming advocates like you is truly an indescribable feeling. While I will no longer be on staff, I have every intention of staying engaged with NAMI Texas and all of you.  Thank you for your kindness, support and willingness to share your stories with me over the last two years. You have made an everlasting impact on me, and I am so thankful for that.  With love and gratitude,Hannah 
 Staff Spotlight: Meet NAMI Texas’ New Peer Policy Fellow! Join us in welcoming our newest team member, Christine Busse! Christine joined NAMI Texas as a Peer Policy Fellow in July 2024. She holds a master’s in social work from the University of Texas at San Antonio and a Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Neuroscience from St. Edward’s University. Her professional journey includes nearly four years as a Registered Behavior Technician, providing Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) therapeutic services to youth with special needs.  During her graduate studies, she honed her research and data analysis skills as a Graduate Research Assistant on the Bexar County Fostering Educational Success project, evaluating programs supporting foster care alumni. She gained valuable policy experience through internships at the National Association of Social Workers – Texas and the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health, actively participating in the 88th Texas legislative session. Most recently, Christine served as the Planning and Policy Coordinator at the Texas Homeless Network. These diverse roles provided Christine with strong experience in mental health and substance use policy, education, and behavioral health workforce challenges. She developed expertise in policy research, strategic advocacy, and legislative processes. As a lifelong Texan and Lebanese American with lived experience of mental illness, Christine is passionate about bridging the gap between research, policy, and lived experience to enhance effective mental health policies and support systems. She is committed to fostering community resilience and well-being to build a stronger, healthier Texas for all. NAMI National’s #Vote4MentalHealth Pledge Mental health impacts nearly all aspects of our lives. And at NAMI, we advocate on a wide range of policy priorities, from health care to criminal justice to housing and beyond. No matter the topic, we know that mental health matters. Your vote in the upcoming elections matters, too. Every elected official – from the president and Congress to county commissioners and city councilmembers – has influence on issues impacting people affected by mental health conditions. That’s why it’s so important to understand how voting impacts mental health. Take the first step: click the following link to pledge to #Vote4MentalHealth this November.  NAMI won’t tell you who to vote for. We encourage you to research candidates on your ballot, decide what issues are most important to you, and cast your vote this election season. July 2024 Health and Human Services Report: Behavioral Health Advisory Committee FY 2023 Annual Report Senate 2024 Interim Legislative Charges: Notice of Public Hearing Thursday, September 5, 2024, at 9:00am Senate Finance Committee (E1.036) Mental Health Services and Inpatient Facilities: Monitor the implementation of Senate Bill 30, 88th Legislature, Regular Session, with regard to appropriations made for expanding mental health services and inpatient facilities across the state. Report on the progress of inpatient facility construction projects. Assess and report on the effectiveness of spending on mental health services. You can view the full hearing agenda, here. Wednesday, September 18, 2024 Senate Health & Human Services Committee (E1.012) Children’s Mental Health: Review care and services currently available to the growing population of Texas children with high acuity mental and behavioral health needs. Make recommendations to improve access to care and services for these children that will support family preservation and prevent them from entering the child welfare system. Access to Health Care: Evaluate current access to primary and mental health care. Examine whether regulatory and licensing flexibilities could improve access to care, particularly in medically underserved areas of Texas. Make recommendations, if any, to improve access to care while maintaining patient safety. You can view the full hearing agenda, here. You can review the list of Interim Charges in its entirety, here.  House 2024 Interim Legislative Charges: Notice of Public Hearing Wednesday, July 31, 2024, at 10:00am Youth Health & Safety, Select (E2.014) Update: the originally scheduled July 7th, 2024, hearing was cancelled due to Hurricane Beryl.  The committee will meet to hear invited testimony only on the following interim charge: Behavioral Health Services for At-Risk Youth: Evaluate programs and services currently available to children and families that are either involved with, or at high risk for becoming involved with, the foster care and juvenile justice systems. Study the current barriers for accessing community-based behavioral health services for children with intense behavioral health needs, with an emphasis on ensuring that parents do not have to give up custody of children to gain access to services. If you would like to submit written comments related to the above charge you may do so until the hearing is adjourned by visiting this link.  You can view the full agenda for the July 31st hearing here.  You can review the list of Interim Charges in its entirety, here.  Public Policy Platform Development Input Our 2025-2026 Public Policy Platform surveys have concluded. Thank you much for your time and input on these important matters! We could not do this work without all of you. Stay tuned for our Public Policy Platform which will be published in the fall.  NAMI Texas Conference: Celebrating 40 Years of Hope and HealingEvery year, NAMI Texas hosts an Annual Conference and Awards Celebration. These events bring together individuals living with mental illness, family members, professionals, and the general public to highlight the latest updates in the mental health field, exchange information, and celebrate the year’s successes. With exciting keynotes, informative workshops, a lively exhibit hall, Continuing Education Credit, networking opportunities, and special surprises, the Conference has something for everyone. This year, we are celebrating 40 Years of Hope and Healing. We could not be more excited to be bringing the Conference to West Texas. All Conference events will be held in the heart of bustling downtown El Paso, primarily in the beautiful El Paso Convention Center. There are many nonstop flights to El Paso from major Texas airports. The local Affiliate in the area, NAMI El Paso, is eager to welcome Texans from across the state. We hope you will join us in November for this extra special celebration!  Early Bird Ticket Sale Alert! Purchase your ticket today in order to take advantage of the early bird ticket special! These discounted tickets will be available through September 1st, 2024. Click this link to purchase.  2024 NAMI Texas Annual Conference Call-for-Presentations! All topics related to mental health are welcome, but the Conference Planning Committee has identified the following 4 thematic categories of particular interest: 1.) Children, Youth, & Families, 2.) Underserved Populations, 3.) Criminal Legal System, and 4.) Innovation and Creativity. For further details and to access the form, check out the call-for-presentations webpage. The deadline to submit a workshop proposal is August 2nd, 2024.  NAMI SMARTS Classes Grassroots advocacy is about using your voice to influence policymakers and make a difference. Turn your passion and your lived experience into advocacy for mental health with the NAMI Smarts for Advocacy training. NAMI Smarts for Advocacy will enhance your advocacy skills and help you shape a powerful and personal story that will move policymakers. NAMI Smarts for Advocacy gives you step-by-step tools and the hands-on practice you need to feel confident and ready to make a difference. The NAMI Texas Public Policy Team does not currently have any classes scheduled. Be sure to keep an eye on our calendar for forthcoming classes.  
If you have anything you would like to share with NAMI Texas advocates in these emails, please send the information to policy.fellow@namitexas.org

–       Hannah Gill and the NAMI Texas Public Policy Team
 
Mental Health in the Media A look at the Texas mental health workforce shortage“Today, 246 of Texas’ 254 counties are wholly or partly designated by the federal government as “mental health professional shortage areas,” and that’s in a state where roughly 5 million people do not have health insurance. This has had a particularly dire effect in rural, border, and frontier counties in Texas, as some regions might have only one mental health professional or none. If you look at the raw numbers, we don’t have enough providers, even if they were evenly distributed,” said Alison Mohr Boleware, the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health policy director.” Sherman PD teams up with Texoma Community Center on mental health co-response team“The Sherman Police Department and Texas Community Center have teamed up to make a mental health co-response program. TCC Assistant Director of Care Coordination, Tori Dyess, said the program was made possible through a grant. “We reached out to Sherman Police Department, and decided to collaborate to create a team that was embedded with them,” Dyess said. The TCC has qualified mental health professionals stationed at the police department seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The program’s goal is to get effective mental health care to those in crisis faster.”  Employment may be key to veterans’ mental health, UTEP study finds“EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — A new study authored by two University of Texas El Paso researchers is showing employment may be key to emotional wellbeing for veterans. The study was published in the June issue of scientific journal ‘Stress and Health’. The researchers looked at 517 veterans experiencing mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. According to the study, employment correlated with positive emotional wellbeing in veterans struggling with their mental health. The study also said unemployed veterans were twice as likely to experience depression.” Gov. Abbott Announces 7 New State Hospital Projects, Including $1B+ for Two in North Texas“Seven new state hospital projects—including new ones in Wichita Falls and Terrell—have been announced to better serve people in need of inpatient psychiatric services. Gov. Greg Abbott said the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) projects are funded by $1.5 billion approved by the Texas Legislature in 2023 to expand, renovate, and build new facilities across the state.” How many people are receiving mental health treatment in Texas
“More than 5 million American adults were receiving mental health treatment at a state-monitored mental health facility in 2022, according to a report from the Department of Health and Human Services released in April, an increase from last year. However, access to treatment can largely depend on where someone lives or what kind of insurance they have. More than half of adults receiving treatment lived in just 10 states, as many Americans lack access to mental health care.”
NAMI Texas is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life of all individuals living with mental illness and their families. Please visit our website at NAMITexas.org for more information. Help support our advocacy efforts by donating to NAMI Texas at https://namitexas.networkforgood.com/

Melinda
Daily Writing Prompt
Celebrate Life · Family · Fun · Men & Womens Health · Mental Health

Daily Writing Prompt

Looking for the Light11 Comments

What’s the story behind your nickname?

This is a fun prompt. I have only had a few nicknames, but I enjoyed them; one is precious to me. My Gramps called me Pud all my life, it was an endearing one, not sure if it came from pudding or was an old-time term but I miss his voice calling my nickname. No one else called me that, it was special between us.

My younger step-brother had a horrific life, their mother was a drug addict and would leave them at home alone for weeks at a time. No food, no water, and P lived in the same diaper. It’s disgusting to think any mother could treat her children that way. Both of my step-brothers had regressed in age and P had gone back to being a baby from the trauma. My step-father gained custody of them and they came to live with us, the discovery of two children was a shock to my mother’s system. P had to learn to talk again, which was very difficult for him. My mother always called be my my middle name, Melody and P had problems saying so he called me Mody. He was a precious soul and his life ended tragically just as it had started.

I may have had other short-term nicknames but I don’t recall them. Of course, I’ve been called many things, and not all of them nice but when you speak your mind that is going to happen.

Any nicknames from the past you a particularly fond of?

Melinda

The strong voice of a teenager with Lyme disease
Chronic Illness · Family · Health and Wellbeing · Infectious Diease · Medical · Men & Womens Health · Tick Borne Illnesses

The strong voice of a teenager with Lyme disease

Looking for the Light10 Comments

When my daughter Rachel was 13, she suffered a seemingly simple injury that led to an outbreak of inexplicable, debilitating, body-wide pain. This left her bedridden and needing a wheelchair.

Refusing to believe doctors who claimed either that she was “faking it” or that nothing could be done, our family searched for answers until we at last found the underlying cause—unrecognized chronic Lyme disease and co-infections.

We were lucky enough to find a knowledgeable Lyme doctor within two hours of our home and we started on the long hard slog to getting her better. But we soon found that medical treatment was only part of what our family needed.

There were so many other needs: how to keep Rachel from spiraling into depression, how to continue her education when she was too sick to attend school, finding out what foods supported the healing process best—and which of those she was willing to eat.

As it turns out, one of the most helpful therapies Rachel undertook was something she figured out on her own. Throughout those dark days, she recorded her daily experiences in a journal. It chronicled the bad—her anger at the doctors who didn’t believe her, her despair at ever getting past the pain. It also recorded good times with friends—lip-synching to Hannah Montana songs, visiting the beach to try out a beach wheelchair (yes, those are a thing.) That journal became a lifeline for her, and in my view, was as important as the many different treatments she went through.

In time, Rachel’s health improved—she left the wheelchair behind, graduated from high school and college, and embarked on a career and marriage. For many years, she avoided even looking at the journal, not wanting to revisit those traumatic times.

But then, she decided to share the story with others, and the two of us collaborated on Finding Resilience: A Teen’s Journey Through Lyme Disease. The main narration is based on the journal, interspersed with additional passages by me, giving the mother’s perspective of what was going on.

Capturing the right voice

In the months since publication, we’ve garnered a lot of positive feedback. Here’s one of my favorite reviews, by a judge from the Benjamin Franklin Award competition:

Finding Resilience is a wonderfully written book (by both mother and daughter) that chronicles a teenager’s struggle with both Lyme disease and the medical establishment too unwilling to consider the—at the time—difficult diagnosis. What makes this book so strong is the voice. It’s often difficult for an adult to capture the right voice when writing about earlier experiences, but Rachel Leland does it expertly. At no time did I waver in believing that a teenager was talking to me in real time, as a teenager. This is hard—exceptionally hard—to do well…The mother’s voice, too, is appropriate throughout. All of this worked so effectively that I found myself as a reader on the same emotional rollercoaster they were on.

That’s exactly what we were going for—the shared perspective of a teenager and her mom on this hideous disease and what it takes to get through it. We hope you’ll find it informative and inspiring. Click here for more info about the book.

TOUCHED BY LYME is written by Dorothy Kupcha Leland, President of LymeDisease.org. She is co-author of Finding Resilience: A Teen’s Journey Through Lyme Disease and of When Your Child Has Lyme Disease: A Parent’s Survival Guide. Contact her at dleland@lymedisease.org.

A story that pulls all the heartstrings, such anguish, and a parent’s worst nightmare for their child.

Melinda

Things I’ve Learned In 61 Years Part One
Celebrate Life · Family · Fun · Health and Wellbeing · Men & Womens Health · Mental Health

Things I’ve Learned In 61 Years Part One

Looking for the Light11 Comments

Your family is yours for life, you don’t have to like them.

The previous generation’s mistakes don’t have to continue, you have a choice.

Times have changed, women don’t have to be housewives and serve their husbands hand and foot.

Having a life away from your family is the healthiest thing you can do for yourself.

There is no perfect and why knock yourself out trying. Do the best you can.

Toxic is toxic, cut all toxic relationships and habits from your life.

Don’t overfocus on your health issues, accept them and stay on top of but don’t wallow.

If you are to move forward in life you have to quit looking back. Deal with your issues and move on. Don’t wallow.

There is no bad or good day of the week, each day is a fresh start. If you expect a bad day that’s what you’re going to get.

When life seems to be going wrong, redirect your thoughts to what is going right.

Life is short, we were never promised it would be easy and quit feeling entitled, you’re not.

Find something no matter how small that makes you happy, it’s often the small free things that bring joy.

To be accomplished in life you have to focus on others, not your own needs. That makes you self-centered.

Learning about others is a joy in itself. You never know what you have in common.

Always thank someone for a kind gesture, it also makes you feel better.

The less you judge others, the less you judge yourself.

Melinda

“Don’t eat me” protein–how Lyme survives the immune system
Family · Health and Wellbeing · Infectious Diease · Men & Womens Health · Tick Borne Illnesses

“Don’t eat me” protein–how Lyme survives the immune system

Looking for the Light3 Comments

Important Read.

Bay Area Lyme Foundation, a leading sponsor of Lyme disease research in the U.S., has announced a study finding a new mechanism of immune evasion used by Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb), the bacterium that causes Lyme disease.

This study is the first to identify the specific Borrelia protein that acts as a “don’t eat me” signal to the body’s immune system in people with Lyme disease.

This offers insight into how the bacteria may persist in Lyme patients and introduces an entirely new research direction toward potential future treatments.

The research was conducted at Stanford University and University of California San Francisco and funded in part by Bay Area Lyme Foundation. This groundbreaking data posted on bioRxiv on April 30, 2024, is expected to be published in a peer-review journal in the future.

Evading the immune system

“One of the big mysteries of Lyme disease has been how Borrelia is able to evade and survive the immune system – and this study helps answer that question. We’ve unlocked a critical door to understanding how this bacteria, and possibly other pathogens, manage to trick the immune system to evade clearance,” said lead author Michal Tal, PhD, principal scientist, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Tal is a Bay Area Lyme Foundation 2018 Emerging Leader Award winner who has received additional funding from the organization for this project.

In this study, researchers found that P66, a known Borrelia surface protein and one of the IgG Western Blot testing “bands” used for diagnosis, can inhibit an important portion of the immune response.

“Patients need both a robust immune response and antibiotics to eradicate an infection – antibiotics alone are not usually sufficient. Addressing the mechanisms of immune evasion could help patients more efficiently eradicate the infection,” said Wendy Adams, research grant director, Bay Area Lyme Foundation, who also notes that persistent Lyme disease impacts more than two million Americans today.

A large tick in a grassy area. Image 1 of 4

The “don’t eat me” signal

Harmful bacteria entering the body are usually targeted by macrophages—immune cells which look for invaders to engulf and eliminate. However, this study shows that P66 is a bacterial “don’t eat me” signal encouraging the macrophage to ignore the bacteria by binding to a receptor on the macrophages’ surface called SIRP-alpha.

This type of “don’t eat me” signal is a known mechanism in cancer and more recently, atherosclerosis. Specifically, the human “don’t eat me” signal protein CD47 binds the SIRP-alpha receptor on macrophages to signal that the cell shouldn’t be destroyed. Drugs that prevent CD47 from binding SIRP-alpha have been tested in clinical trials for the treatment of some cancers.

One of the study’s senior authors Irving Weissman, MD, professor and director of the Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine at Stanford University and a Bay Area Lyme Foundation scientific advisory board member, explains that this study is a discovery of how an established protein can protect the bacteria with which it has co-evolved. These exciting and field-generating observations will have broad-reaching implications.

Dr. Weissman is renowned for his pioneering work in identifying “don’t eat me” proteins and his lab discovered all four known mammalian “don’t eat me proteins”: CD47, CD24, PDL1 and B2M. He is also the founder of companies which have developed or are developing therapeutics that target these mechanisms in cancer and atherosclerosis.

Unleashing the immune system

Researchers hope that blocking P66 activity, like blocking CD47’s activity in cancer, could help unleash the immune system in recognizing and fighting Borrelia bacteria.

“This work could extend beyond the Borrelia genus. Further investigation into whether other bacteria have “don’t eat me” signal protein mimics is crucial for understanding bacterial interactions with the immune system,” said second author Paige Hansen, Tal Research Group Researcher, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Click here for the full text of the study.

For more information about the mechanism of persistent infection, please see this review article in mBio.

SOURCE: Bay Area Lyme Foundation

Melinda