Ride on! Rough-Shod if need be, Smooth-Shod if that will do,but ride on.  -Charles Dickens-

My friend Randstien from Hyperion Strum https://hyperionsturm.wordpress.com Honored me with The No Strings Attached Award. Two in one week is awesome. I now get the pleasure of passing the award to other great blogs..

 The No Strings Attached Award designed on Alfreds Almanac using input from his readers. You can check out his original post by clicking  https://thenostringsattachedaward.wordpress.com .

It is with great pleasure to introduce  you to:

 http://myweb-municipality.com

https://beautifuliceland.wordpress.com

I enjoy both sites and look forward to their new post. Please visit both their sites, you’ll find two great site.

XO  Warrior

BRING CHANGE 2 MIND-END THE STIGMA

Dear Friend,

Every story shared brings change and helps to end stigma. Here’s mine:

I never aspired to be a mental health advocate. I’m an entrepreneur, a business guy, a creative type with an appreciation for the bottom line. If things don’t work, you fix them.

When one of my three beautiful children became sick with a mental illness, our family faced tremendous pain and confusion. Stigma kept our struggle private, fear kept us on heightened alert, and treatment options were hard to navigate. We were now on the front lines of mental illness, and experiencing stigma first hand.

My daughter, Emily, lost her courageous battle with a borderline personality disorder and depression on March 17, 2013. She is forever in our hearts.

In her honor, our family has vowed to end the terrible stigma that surrounds mental health challenges and to promote wellness. Our hope is that other families never confront such pain and loss.

As the Chairman of the Board of BC2M, I am humbled to see the number of people that we have touched through our website, PSAs, social media sites, and programs. We are creating change, and starting conversations where there once was silence.

To keep the conversation going, I am compelled to help raise funds to support BC2M. This month, my company, mybody Advanced Probiotic Skincare, will partner to support Bring Change 2 Mind by donating 20% of the proceeds from the sales of our best selling products. I hope you will consider purchasing a product or donating to support this mission. mybody skincare products use innovative probiotic technology to bring positive change to skin for better health and wellness, inside and out.

That’s my story, and one example of how I am going to fight stigma. What’s yours?

Join us. Help us. #StartTheConversation

Sincerely,
David Watson
Chair, Board of Directors

Bring Change 2 Mind
1265 Battery Street, Fifth Floor, San Francisco, CA 94111
415.814.8846

http://information@bringchange2mind.org 

 

 

Warhol Wall in my office

I have two rooms covered floor to ceiling in art. Next I’ll have to move to stairs. Art makes my life brighter and learning about artist is interesting. Very few pieces are expensive originals, no need with so many emerging artist. 

XO  Warrior

Change.org Update on Prison Reform Bill and Darren Rainey’s death.

Steven Wetstein
Miami, FL
Apr 22, 2015 — Friends,
I’m passing on a message from a George Mallinkcrodt, a member of Stop Prison Abuse Now who has advocated constantly for prison reform by speaking to Department of Corrections Secretary Julie Jones, to each legislator, and by testifying at legislative hearings, all in the search for justice for Darren Rainey.
We’ll be contacting you in the coming days as legislation on prison reform faces further votes. Many thanks to you all.

Thanks, Steve Wetstein

A Message From George Mallinckrodt:

For those who don’t know, I worked as a psychotherapist in the psychiatric ward where Darren Rainey was killed by guards. Since I came forward in a Miami Herald story in May 2014, I’ve been active as a full-time human rights activist and an advocate for the humane treatment of inmates in the Florida Department of Corrections.

I’d like to personally thank all who have signed Darren Rainey’s petition. June 23rd will be the three year anniversary of his death – still no arrests or coroners’ report. Be assured, we’re not giving up.

Of immediate concern is the passage of a meaningful prison reform bill by Florida lawmakers. Another thanks goes out to people who’ve called or emailed legislators. I’ve sent key Senators and Representatives suggestions that I posted on my blog. Please keep contacting them.

http://www.georgemallinckrodt.com/blog.htm

No matter what happens in the legislative session that ends May 1st, I am committed to taking Rainey’s story and Florida prison issues to the national level. I’m reaching out to anybody who can put me in touch with national TV, radio, and print outlets. Please contact me via my website contact page if you can help.

Thanks again to the over 205,397 who signed Rainey’s petition – I feel honored to be part of the team.

George Mallinckrodt

The world is in greater peril from those who tolerate or encourage evil than from those who actually commit it.

Albert Einstein

 

INFORMATION FROM CENTER OF DISEASE CONTROL ON POWASSAN VIRUS 

Symptoms
Many people who become infected with Powassan (POW) virus do not develop any symptoms.
The incubation period (time from tick bite to onset of illness) ranges from about 1 week to 1 month.
POW virus can infect the central nervous system and cause encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and meningitis (inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord).
Symptoms can include fever, headache, vomiting, weakness, confusion, loss of coördination, speech difficulties, and seizures Approximately half of survivors have permanent neurological symptoms, such as recurrent headaches, muscle wasting and memory problems. Approximately 10% of POW Virus encephalitis cases are fatal.

Treatment
There are no vaccines or medications to treat or prevent Powassan Virus infection.
If you think you or a family member may have POW Virus disease, see your health care provider for evaluation and diagnosis.
Persons with severe POW illnesses often need to be hospitalized. Treatment may include respiratory support, intravenous fluids, and medications to reduce swelling in the brain.

What is the treatment for Powassan Virus disease?

There is no specific medicine to cure or treat POW virus disease. Treatment for severe illnesses may include hospitalization, respiratory support, and intravenous fluids.

How can I reduce chance of getting infected with Powassan Virus?
The best way to prevent POW virus disease is by protecting yourself from tick bites. There is no vaccine against POW virus.

Avoid contact with ticks by avoiding wooded and bushy areas with high grass.
Apply insect repellents to bare skin, according to label instructions.
Repellents containing DEET can be applied to exposed skin, but only last a few hours.
Clothing and gear can be treated with permethrin, which remains protective through several washings.
Find and remove ticks immediately before they have a chance to bite and attach.
Bathe or shower (preferably within 2 hours after being outdoors) to wash off and find ticks on your body.
Conduct a full-body tick check. Parents should thoroughly check children, especially in their hair.
Also check clothing, gear and pets.

ADVOCACY REPORT UPDATE

NAMI Report Finds There’s A Long Road To Go On Mental Health Parity

So, you have health insurance. What mental health and substance use care can you get? From which providers? At what cost? Do your benefits compare to coverage for other types of medical conditions? To answer these questions NAMI surveyed over 2,700 people nationwide given new protections under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act and the Affordable Care Act.

Read all about it in NAMI’s new report: A Long Road Ahead: Achieving True Parity in Mental Health and Substance Use Care. Our survey found that people with mental illness and substance use disorders have trouble getting mental health care even when they have health insurance coverage. Specific problems found include:

Significant difficulties in finding mental health providers in health plan networks;
Denials for mental health care at rates far higher than for other types of medical care;
Inadequate coverage of psychiatric medications in health insurance plans;
High out of pocket costs in health insurance plans that sometimes cause people with mental illness or substance use disorders to forego needed care;
Lack of transparency and information about health insurance plans that make it very difficult for consumers and families to make informed decisions about the plans that are best for them.
Read more.  http://www.nami.org/parityreport

NY Attorney General Scores Fifth Mental Health Parity Victory

In a mental health parity victory in New York, Attorney General Eric Schneiderman reached a settlement agreement with Excellus Health Plans in March. The investigation found that Excellus denied mental health claims at almost twice the rate of other medical-surgical claims. This settlement is the fifth settlement by the Attorney General’s office since last year. Other settlement agreements have involved: Cigna Corp., MVP Health Care, Emblem Health and Beacon Health Options, formerly known as Value Options. Read more:  http://www.ag.ny.gov/press-release/ag-schneiderman-announces-settlement-excellus-health-plan-end-wrongful-denial-mental

Learn More About Mental Health Parity!

After years of NAMI advocacy letters, making phone calls and visits to members of Congress mental health parity is finally the law of the land. Now it’s time to make sure that the law works to give people the treatment and supports they are entitled to. To help you understand and advocate, NAMI developed an infographic showing the basics of what mental health parity, how to tell wehther a given health plan has to follow this law, how plans are required to comply and what to do if the plan is not performing as required.

Bright Spot: NAMI Florida

After years of neglecting mental health services, over 100 mental health bills were filed this session in the Florida legislature. Many of those bills have been combined into omnibus legislation in the House (HB 7119) and Senate (SB 7070). NAMI Florida was there to advocate to strengthen these important bills.

Follow some of NAMI’s Policy Team on Twitter to stay up-to-date on what is going on in #MentalHealth Policy @NAMIPolicyWonk and @DarcyGrutt.

Thank you for your advocacy!

 

BRING CHANGE 2 MIND

Dear Friend,

I talk about mental health because stigma prevents too many people from seeking the help or support that they may need. At BC2M, we talk about this 365 days a year. And, each May, we talk about it with a wider audience reached through the increased media attention generated by Mental Health Awareness Month.

Are you talking about mental health? What are you saying? We want to know!

On May 1st, we are launching a new campaign, #ITalk, as a way to start and continue these conversations around the world. Throughout the month, we will be sharing stories, images, and reasons why members of the BC2M community are talking about mental health, and we hope that you will choose to join us. To share your #ITalk motivation, please send or post your photo with 5 to 7 words on why you talk about mental health.

Additionally, please continue to send us photos and messages when you see our latest PSA, #StrongerThanStigma. We love hearing from you about where this powerful piece is raising awareness around the unique challenges that men face when discussing mental health. During May, it will be in heavy rotation on television, in theaters, print, and outdoor placements, including on the big digital screens in New York City’s Times Square.

This month, and every month, we thank you for your incredible support, and for your continued efforts to help BC2M start the conversation and end the stigma. Let’s talk about mental health.

Sincerely,
Pamela Harrington
Executive Director

Bring Change 2 Mind
1265 Battery Street, Fifth Floor, San Francisco, CA 94111
415.814.8846 | information@bringchange2mind.org

Last week Randstein at http://hyperionsturm.wordpress.com. nominated me for the esteemed Blog Tour Award. Randstein is the most creative writer, he draws a picture in my mind with his words. I consider him a friend and mentor. No one can pull me into the story like he does. Even more if story line is wrapped with sex. He writes often about Mythology which I can not comprehend in a good way. He writes about life, love, loss, history and his life experiences. When he goes into Mythology or the universe, I have to ask what he means. I thank him for always taking the time to explain.You have to check out http://hyperionsturm.wordpress.com. Hyperion Strum is your new addiction. I hate to cheat on rules but Lyme Disease is holding me to the ground. My post is a reblog, it’s a story that’s funny after the fact.

The Rules:
Compose a one-time post on a specific Monday (date given from your nomination — Looking for the Light scheduled for release before April 27, 2015.
Give your nominees the rules and a specific Monday to post by – dear nominees, please post your story on Monday May 11, 2015 if you can or let your readers know when you can post so they will look for it.
Pass the blog tour to four other bloggers.
Answer four questions about your creative process which lets other bloggers and visitors know what inspires you to do what you do.

The Questions:

What are you working on at the moment?

How does your work differ from others in your genre?

Why do you write or create what you do?

How does your writing/creative process work?

The Nominees:

Better Not Broken   http://betternotbroken.com

Alygeorges       http://alygeorges.wordpress.com

DD Dangerous       http://dddangerous.com

From the Darkness into the Sunshine     http://fromthedarkintothesunshine42.wordpress.com

The Asp Wrangler For A Day

Summer and searing heat are just ahead, it’s time to introduce you to the Texas Asp.

One morning while pruning roses I noticed these furry cream-colored caterpillars. I grabbed my camera and started clicking. Something about them was familiar, I just could not put my finger on it. I had taken photos of critters all week so my husband was not surprised I discovered something new. Curiosity got the best of me, I had to see what kind of caterpillar they were. I had thoughts of beautiful butterflies flying around my yard. To my surprise and horror they were Asp! If you are not from the south you can not fully appreciate the terror that was growing within. It is close to impossible to kill them. When you get stung by an Asp it’s like having acid poured on you. Their hairs can get imbedded in the skin and every time you touch the area it’s like a new dose of acid. When I was a kid one fell from the porch ceiling at my grandparents house. It fell down the back of my shirt. I was screaming and crying so hard it was difficult to stop to tell granny something was on my back. They leave a mark that looks like a branding iron. My back looked like red tire tracks. With this memory I had to go out the next morning a find them not only for me but our pets. Like a scene from Mission Impossible, I found three. I had read how hard they are to kill so I carefully put them in a sealed plastic bag and let them bake in the Texas heat. This method worked beautifully. I knew there were at least two others and did find one the next day. I look everyday and can’t prune my favorite rose without thinking one is still on the loose. I was The Asp Wrangler.

If stung, take clear tape and carefully put over area.

Pull slowly the opposite direction of hair.

It will pull the hairs out. Make sure all are gone or you’ll get a reminder every time touched.

XO  Warrior

FUN REBLOG FROM 2009 

I want to give a big thanks to Blogger One Among Many for nominating me for The Versatile Blogger Award. I appreciate how you stop by often and leave comments. What makes your Blog interesting is your free form style and open conversation about just about everything. I urge everyone to visit https://oneamongmany.wordpress.com.

7 Things About Me

In my high school street racing days, I stood between cars to start race.

I raced our 76′ Camaro SS at Green Valley Raceway. My husband normally drove 13’s in quarter-mile. I drove 14’s even with mistake of throwing into neutral. Racing gets me high, high, high!  This is correct model yet not a racing car. Our car had no back or passenger seat. Super Hulk under the hood.

Driving in a NASCAR race is the pinnacle for me. I would wear my depends, you never know.

I love books, sometimes it’s nice to touch pages instead of a keyboard.

Once I am well, I plan to minister to sick/dying children, elderly and the homeless. I now know why I survived.

I love birds of prey. A Red Tail Hawk family stops by daily for a drink and bath. Highlight of my day.

I’m excited about starting The Pud’n Cup Charity. My gramps called me “Pud” all my life

Awards are time-consuming yet your Blogs are special and I want to let you know. I want the WP family to meet you and enjoy your site as much as I do. The nominations for The Very Inspiring Blogger Award. It will not hurt my feelings on how you choose to bend the rules.

Putting My Feet In The Dirt   http://puttingmyfeetinthe.com

Better Not Broken   http://betternotbroken.com

Van By The River   http://vanbytheruver.wordpress.com

Bipolar for Life   http://bipolarforlife.me

Noir      http://sedge808.com

DDDangerous.com      http://dddangerous.com

Adoption   http://caseyalexanderblog.wordpress.co

**Guidelines**    

Thank the person who nominated you.

Display Badge on site.

Tell us 7 things about yourself.

Nominate 7-10 Blogs

SMILE REAL BIG! Each of you have inspired, educated and entertained me, Thank you. Have fun passing the award along to your inspiration.

XO Warrior

Published on Apr 16, 2015
Psychiatrist John Kane, M.D., discusses treating first episode psychosis using coördinated specialty care. Dr. Kane, of The Zucker Hillside Hospital and Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine, is one of two lead investigators on the Recovery After Initial Schizophrenia Episode (RAISE) research project. Designed to reduce the likelihood of long-term disability that people with schizophrenia often experience, RAISE is funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).        XO  Warrior

For more information about RAISE see:
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/raise

 

 

I was excited to find a doctor talk about the treatment medications for mental illness and side effects including weight gain. His approach is working with the lowest amount medication and stay very aware of the metabolic issues. I’m a firm believer mental illness effects everyone in family and their peers. He shares ideas on how to work with/off set the weight gain. After thirty plus years with Bipolar Disorder, taking over 40 medications, weight gain is a given with certain types of drugs.

If you have a child,spouse or family member with mental illness please watch the video together to open dialog. Young girls have many pressures with weight already. Open dialogue may help down the road. He provides a short overview of types of drugs with high risk of weight gain or metabolic problem.