It’s been six months since I’ve had a bad flare, the freedom from severe pain has allowed me to do more chores around the house. I bought a Bona Microfiber mop and go around singing “me and my mop”! Crazy I know but it’s been years since I’ve done regular cleaning let alone enjoyed it.

I’ve learned to not let Fibromyalgia define me, I’m a whole person. One with a life that includes Fibromyalgia, Mental Illness, other chronic illnesses, a four-legged child, a husband, and a personal life.

I’m learning about the importance of taking care of my immune system, taking supplements for the first time. Eating a bit healthier and losing a few pounds.

Self-care is in the front of my mind every day when I have a flair it takes a back seat but now I make sure there is a least one thing I do for myself to make me feel better. Maybe it’s a foot soak, I’ve bought new make-up even though I haven’t had a chance to wear. I’ve upgraded my skincare regimen and I’m worth it.

Another big change in self-care is we have premade food delivered three days a week and every other week I have premade smoothies delivered. I have found it doesn’t cost us much more, we’re eating healthier and saving a lot of time. We’ve also spent more time in the kitchen together. Since all you have to do is cook in the pan we can take turns fixing dinner. Something I haven’t done in years.

I know a flare can come at any time, I’ve been diagnosed with a new immune disorder and my mental health thankfully is stable. I can’t let my illnesses consume my thinking, my life, and my writing.

I have varied interests, my flowers, tomato plants, photography, my bird garden, and expanding my mind. All of which I get to enjoy now and don’t take for granted.

Melinda

If you are feeling suicidal please reach out to a medical professional or go to the nearest hospital. If you think you will hurt yourself or others go to the hospital right away. Hospitals are prepared to help during this time as always.

Melinda

This is a repost from 2015 I thought might help someone today. If you’ve reached the bottom and not sure where to turn, please talk to your doctor about all of your options. ECT has allowed me to celebrate my 56th birthday this year. 

I’ve had 20+ ECT treatments. The treatments are necessary when I hit bottom becoming delusional and suicidal. I hope to shine a light on ECT and dispel the myths. Please keep an open mind,the procedure may save your life. In my experience a Psychiatric facility associated with a respected hospital is far superior to chain facility’s. This post is based on top facility in area. I will share the experience with the worst in another post.

I’ve had treatment in-house and outpatient. For me a crisis with suicidal thoughts are best handled in-house with 24 hour care.  I’ll share step by step how ECT is handled at UTSW in Dallas.

You arrive and change to a gown, the RN calls you to patient area to make sure your meds have not changed. UTSW has strict processes to prevent mistakes. You will be asked you name many times. The RN prepares an IV in your arm which is used for a short acting  anesthesia and muscle relaxer.

When it’s your turn, you walk into a small operating room. There you will see your doctor, several RN’s and anesthesiologist You meet everyone, again double checking you ID bracelet. They ask if you have questions. Usually they are answered by doctor prior to treatment. The anesthesiologist will ask a couple of questions about allergy’s.

You lay down in hospital bed, your heart is monitored throughout. The doctor is logging type of ECT. Usually the ECT machine is right by your head. The RN will take your socks off so your feet can be seen. The movement of the foot tells the doctors you had seizure.

A tech is next to you with an oxygen mask, being claustrophobic I ask if he’ll wait till last-minute to put it on. The muscle relaxer is inserted in IV to allow time to work. The doctor will place ECT “head-gear” on. You will also be given a mouth guard. A RN or tech will take doctors instructions on where to place the electrodes.

You will have your arm band checked several times. I love the quality process UTSW University has in place. The head RN will ask if everyone is ready to time out. They will run through who the patient is, what type of ECT having and is everyone ready.

The Anesthesiologist injects, you falls right to sleep. The procedure only takes minutes. When you wake up you have a RN assigned to your recovery They usually juggle a couple of people. You may get some juice for your dry throat. Once all the effects have worn off and IV removed, you can usually get dresses and walk around so RN can see you’re ok. You’ll receive follow-up instructions. Sign the release paperwork and the RN talks to who will drive you home. No driving yourself after ECT.

Typical side effects, jaw hurts from the seizure, may have headache and lethargic from meds in IV. It takes significantly longer to get you ready than perform the treatment.

A couple of notes: there are several positions doctors can use for ECT treatment. I think most common are Unilateral and Bilateral. I’ve had both and prefer Unilateral. You may have to do more treatments to feel improvement however you don’t lose as much short-term memory.

Bilateral treatment has its benefits, it works faster. You may lose some short-term memory. When I say short-term memory, memories right before treatment and right after.

In the DFW area UTSW/Zale is where you want to go if having ECT or staying in-house.

If you have questions please leave in comments.

XO  M

By Madeline Farber | Fox News

What is Lyme disease?

New reports estimate that every state in the U.S. has seen cases of Lyme disease. What exactly is the tick-riddled disease and how can you be sure you have it?

Though anyone can develop a COVID-19 infection if they are exposed to the novel coronavirus, health officials have continued to stress that some groups of people — namely those who are older or have underlying health issues — are particularly at risk for severe infection should they fall ill.

Included in that group are Lyme disease patients, Dr. Raphael Kellman, founder of Kellman Wellness Center, told Fox News.

CLICK HERE FOR FULL CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE

“Patients who have Lyme disease have a severely impacted immune system. A big component of Lyme disease is a hyperactive immune system that is always in a state of inflammation,” he explained, noting this factor, in particular, could make these patients more at risk for severe illness.

With some 300,000 Americans diagnosed with this tick-borne disease every year, and with summer right around the corner, read on for a look at how Lyme disease patients could be adversely impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic in the U.S.

The following has been edited for length and clarity. 

Fox News: Why are Lyme disease patients considered to be at higher risk?https://tpc.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-37/html/container.html

Kellman: Patients who have Lyme disease have a severely impacted immune system. A big component of Lyme disease is a hyperactive immune system that is always in a state of inflammation.

The coronavirus turns our own immune system against us. It activates our immune system and it overly produces different cytokines, which is further activating the immune system. Coronavirus causes a cytokine storm and overproduction of cytokine, causing much of the damage we see in coronavirus patients, such as pulmonary lung damage and pneumonia that ensues. The inflammation could be a component of the cardiovascular and neurological dysfunction, such as headaches and other neurological manifestations that we see in coronavirus patients as well.

Lyme disease patients are faced with similar neurological symptoms, like coronavirus patients, such as pain, headaches, brain fog, etc. People who have Lyme disease are more susceptible because of their inability to fight off disease. Their immunity isn’t as strong in killing viruses and microbes. People with Lyme disease are at a greater risk of incidence and severity of coronavirus.https://feeds-elections.foxnews.com/covid/public/index.html?uid=fox-covid19-heatmap-counties-1

Fox News: What concerns do you have as tick season ramps up, coinciding with the ongoing coronavirus epidemic?

Kellman: We have to be very vigilant this tick season, more so than any other year, so that we prevent Lyme disease from developing. We also have to take a more proactive stance in our treatment and prevention of coronavirus, in addition to wearing masks and tracking the virus, there is a whole realm of medicine that is not being seen. It is not only drugs and vaccines that will help us combat this pandemic. There are a plethora of natural compounds that have been shown to help other coronaviruses.

Fox News: What can be done to support those with Lyme disease as the epidemic continues?

Kellman: You want a good assessment of overall health. With Lyme disease, you’re not just dealing with an imbalanced and overactive immune system, but there are also other unhealthy systems in the body.https://tpc.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-37/html/container.html

One way to support good health is to improve the gut microbiome, which plays a profound role in keeping the gut and immune system healthy.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

We [should also] run a baseline test of vitamin levels and identify deficiencies. Many people have deficiencies and don’t realize it. It’s important to get vitamin D levels checked to make sure you’re in a good range and taking the supplement if you’re suffering from a deficiency. Strong vitamin D levels show you have a lower risk of developing the diseaseand you’re more likely to survive the virus.

Blood tests are also important to measure the baseline levels of cytokines to see who is at risk.

Zinc and quercetin is a good combination because it is anti-inflammatory and zinc has an antiviral effect. Research in China and the U.S. have found that vitamin C has a positive effect on the coronavirus infection when used both orally and intravenously.

Madeline Farber is a Reporter for Fox News. You can follow her on Twitter @MaddieFarberUDK.  

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and mental health has been on my mind more than normal. I come from generations of family members with mental illness including my father who had Bipolar Disorder.

I have treatment-resistant Bipolar Disorder which means medicines don’t always work on me. I live on a cocktail of nine medications and have been stable on this mix for six months.

I expect this to be an unpopular post, that’s okay I want to hear all your comments.

All people have to be held accountable for their actions. The thought that came to mind this morning was a murder case that disturbs me to this day. A woman in Texas drowned all five of her children in the bathtub. She pleaded temporary insanity. I would have to agree she was insane, how could someone kill their five children? She only spent five years in a mental health ward in the prison. Is five years of medical oversite enough punishment? Is she no longer insane? I think not. I’m responsible for all of my actions regardless of my mental state.

My father sexually abused me, was it ok because he was mentally ill? It wasn’t his fault? I don’t buy into that theory. My father never sought help for his mental illness and committed suicide at 52 years old. He made the decision to not seek treatment, at the end of his life he was too sick to see how far down he was. He’ll be held accountable by a higher power than me.

I was nine years old the first time I attempted suicide, it was the first of many attempts throughout my life. As an adult educated on my illness, I have a support system in place. I have to be disciplined in taking my medication, going to therapy, seeing my Psychiatrist, and communicate with my husband or pay the price of becoming unstable.

I have Dementia brought on by Lyme Diseases and my mind slips a little each day. I watched my granny slip away and have chosen not to live that way. I plan to commit suicide before my memory is completely gone. I don’t want my husband to have to go thru all the pain of caring for me. It’s gut-wrenching to watch someone disappear behind their eyes.

We don’t talk about it often but he accepts that he can’t change my mind. My Therapist and Psychiatrist know, they wish I felt different but know the truth, you can’t change someone’s mind. Last night I told my husband that it was selfless of me, it’s the only word I could come up with. He said it’s love, that’s exactly how I felt in my heart. I want to protect him from the pain I witnessed my gramps go thru as my granny slowly died.

I’ll be held accountable for my actions by a higher power.

Melinda

Posted By Mary Kuhlman, Ohio News Connection on Mon, Apr 20, 2020 at 9:38 am

COLUMBUS, Ohio — With the COVID-19 pandemic forcing folks to cope with loneliness, job loss and grief, the National Alliance on Mental Illness is teaming up with Instagram to connect young people to mental health support resources during this challenging time. 

On its Instagram page, NAMI is posting tips and recommendations to help folks feel less vulnerable and more connected. The organization’s chief medical officer Ken Duckworth said the project is targeting young people because three-quarters of all mental-health vulnerabilities begin before age 25, and social distancing could intensify those feelings. 

“Our goal is to get resources, get things that are easy for them to digest and to make it appealing for young people to have a conversation about what all of us are experiencing, which is a challenge to our sense of routine and, in some cases, the development of anxiety problems,” Duckworth said. 

For tips, go to NAMI’s Instagram account at @NAMICommunicate or call their hotline at 1-800-950-NAMI. 

If you’re feeling anxious while stuck inside alone during the pandemic, Duckworth recommended limiting news intake and avoiding social media before bed. He said social distancing doesn’t have to mean social isolation and recommended reaching out and strengthening relationships. 

“If you have an elderly neighbor you can shop for or you want to reach out to a nephew you haven’t talked to in a while – if you can find meaning in adversity, that seems to predict long-term well-being from adverse situations,” he said. 

According to federal data, about 10 percent of Ohio youth between 12 and 17 years of age reported suffering from at least one major depressive episode over the past year. The NAMI Ohio chapter has more resources online at namiohio.org.

Tags: Mental Health, Instagram, Social Media, Image

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