Bipolar Disorder Symptoms

I get questions all the time about what the difference between depression and bipolar disorder are so click on the title to go to the site to get symptoms of bipolar disorder.

For a quick glance:

Depression may cause a person to:

Feel sad or anxious for a significant time.
Feel hopeless or pessimistic.
Have slowed thoughts and speech because of low energy.
Have difficulty concentrating, remembering, and making decisions.
Have changes in eating and sleeping habits leading to too much or too little eating or sleeping.
Have decreased interest in usual activities, including sex.
Have suicidal thoughts.
Not enjoy things he or she normally would

Mania may cause a person to:

Feel extremely happy or very irritable.
Have a very high opinion of himself or herself (inflated self-esteem).
Not need as much sleep as usual (feel rested after 3 hours of sleep).
Talk more than usual.
Be more active than usual.
Have difficulty concentrating because of having too many thoughts at once (racing thoughts).
Be easily distracted by sights and sounds.
Act impulsively or do reckless things, such as go on shopping sprees, drive recklessly, get into foolish business ventures, or have frequent, indiscriminate, or unsafe sex.

Types of bipolar disorder
Bipolar I. Considered the classic form of the illness, bipolar I causes recurrent episodes of mania and depression. The depression may last for a short time or for months. You may then go back to feeling normal for a time, or you may go right into a manic episode.
Bipolar II. If you have bipolar II, you will experience depression just as in bipolar I. But the episodes of mania are less severe (hypomania). People with bipolar II have more depressive episodes than hypomanic episodes.
Rapid-cycling bipolar disorder. If you have rapid-cycling bipolar disorder, you will experience at least four episodes of depression, mania, or both within a 12-month period. You may go directly from an episode of depression to an episode of mania, or you may have a short time lapse between the two extreme moods. The mood swings are the same as with other types of bipolar, but the frequency of mood swings distinguishes rapid-cycling bipolar disorder from the other subtypes.

I hope this helps in your understanding a little.

Type 2 Diabetes on the Rise

No Duh! It is all the high fructose that we use in everything and the fact that many schools have almost taken out physical education altogether if the kid does not or cannot play the extra-curricular sports that are offered. My son for instance along with several of his classmates sits on the sidelines and does nothing or simple walks around the field or gym during that hour they are supposed to be getting exercise. Thankfully for my son he has decided to do some exercises at home (on his own) and gets exercise when he plays with his friends after school. His reasoning is not because of a diabetes scare but because he does not want to look like his dad when he is forty-two. Whatever the reason I don't care I am just glad he does not sit on his ass every day and do nothing.

My husband and I have almost cleared our house of the fake fructose type sugars because of the fact that they have been found to contribute to diabetes (especially type 2). We will do anything to help relieve our kids from ever having to worry about diabetes at least while they live in our house.

A Picture of my Animals

For your happiness and joy here is a picture of Sara being trapped behind the couch by Sandy and Mohawk (on the couch)...

Remember to laugh several times a day to relieve depression, stress and anxiety --laughter does work trust me! There are many things you can do to find laughter. Kids are a great source because many things they do and say are hilarious. If there are no children around you then laugh at the pets or find a sitcom on tv or the internet to laugh with because all thewse things do work. http://fancast.com is a great resource to find almost any show you are looking for especially those still found on tv. Of course there are shows that are only available through DVD but if they are your favorite then go buy them because it will be a good investment in the long run.

My Mornings

Has much in Common with Dani from my novel Sunrises and Crossword Puzzles.

Although Dani is not disabled and at the time I wrote this book my third child was not yet born, Dani is me with a little of my sister's cleanliness added in (I wonder if she saw parts of her in Dani).

At the time I was writing this book I was going to bed early so that I could wake up as the sun was rising and make my coffee(at the time it was the General Foods International instant coffee) and sit on the couch or at m computer and look outside watching it get brighter and brighter as the sun rose. I know longer am able to do this because as my kids get older they have learned my tricks and now my son will wake up before me (on the weekends) because he knows that is the only way to get the computer. On the weekends he usually gets up before me to get his shower in and thus time before the kids wake up is no longer possible. I still do enjoy my two cups of coffee in the morning but now it doesn't happen until after a shower and getting my two older children off to school. I know drink my coffee while I surf the web for news about health care and disability issues as well as catching up with my few writer's blogs I try and catch as often as I can: Brain Cells and Bubble Wrap and Do I Have to Spell it Out?.

I am a stay at home mom like Dani and feel that my kids come before anything else in life. I would also be at a loss if my husband was unable to work due to a serious injury. I am hoping that reality that happened in Dani's life never happens to me in real life. I wrote the book with Columbia, MO in mind so the husband, Jeff, had a better chance because of the University medical hospital. If Jeff's reality came true here I would be screwed because my husband would be sent to a bigger city and I would be stuck here raising our three kids because of school.

Now back to my day: After coffee I try and write here about issues related to medical or disability issues. I may also write an article although recently I have had been dealing with writer's block so I may wait until after the NaNoWriMo event starting on Saturday. During all this time I have the TV on watching the morning shows on ABC and then change the TV to CBS to watch the Young and the Restless. I take breaks from the computer around eleven-thirty to get lunch ready for myself and my three year old daughter. We eat and my morning is over.

Once or twice a week I do take a break from the computer in the morning to vacuum and clean the house and kitchen because that needs to be done, unfortunately. I usually clean the bathroom before going to bed for my half bathroom and before shower on Saturday in the big bathroom. Speaking of showers I like Dani also do like it when the steam is all around as it is very soothing to the whole sinuses.

I hope that gives you more insight on how Dani and I are a lot alike. Tomorrow I will give you a tour of how Dani is a lot like me in our afternoon routine.

Don't be Shy Around the Disabled

And don't be afraid to ask questions

This is the one rule of thumb I tell my children from a very young age. It is important that children know that they can ask questions of people who seem different by societies norm. Yes, I know we tell our kids not to stare and make a seen but it is okay to tell them it is okay to approach a disabled person and ask 'what is wrong' or 'why are you different?' Many disabled are ready and willing to make it known what their disability is and/or what makes them different form most other people. For me, and many other disabled we have learned over the years how to discuss our disabilities in an age-appropriate manner. As for me with a six year old daughter I am usually apt to be asked why it looks like I have a broken right arm because it is always bent at the elbow with the wrist hanging down.

My usual spiel is: I have cerebral palsy which causes parts of my brain not to tell my body how to work properly and thus my right arm and right leg do not work like yours (or everyone else's). Then I do my best by showing and telling them that I am able to do most everything they do just in a different way. I have found showing a great way to educate the young because if a child (or person) can see that I or any disabled person can get things done the child will be more comfortable around me and others like me.

Thus my advice is: Let your child (or allow yourself) approach a disabled person to ask questions. I will say that there are some that may not want to answer questions but for the most part the disabled are ready for questions because they are sick of being gawked at as if they are some circus freak. We are definitely not the sideshow attraction at the big top, anymore.

Keeping Your Mind Sharp

My advice here is to find something to challenge your mind to new and or puzzling things. Many people do crossword puzzles and or other word related games. I like to play Bookworm Deluxe on the computer.

I also found another challenge that I am sure everyone has one or two of, an old fashioned Rubiks Cube the original that actually moves. My advice is get help either online or buy a book that gives you the algorithms you need to solve the cube in the first place. Once you have everything in front of you start solving the cube. Once you have done it once you will know, for yourself, that it is indeed possible. The next step is in timing yourself and see if each time you go about solving the cube you can do it faster and faster.

The thing with your mind is that you need to continue to challenge it and especially if you are anything like me I am done with my schooling endeavors and I am not into formally teaching anyone or group in a school type setting thus textbooks are hardly if ever read by me because I have no need to read them in my daily life. I do read quite a bit of literature of all sorts. I am reading Les Meserables at the moment. I also read Stephen King and J.K. Rowlings,as well as the late V.C. Andrews. Reading is the one activity that many people feel they have no time for which is simply not true. I read almost every night before falling asleep for at least five minutes so you can't say the this or that keeps me to busy -- I have three kids and seven animals therefore I am busy until I lock myself up in my room at night.

Doctor Patient Relationship

Is not how a doctor treats a patient the most important aspect of treatment in the first place?

This is exactly what patients are looking for and the doctors are not giving because the insurance companies expect too much from them: A positive relationship with their doctor. A positive relationship between doctor and patient can be defined (by me) as one in which the patient feels as if the doctor is really listening to them and taking their concerns and questions seriously. The time the doctor spends actually listening to a patient can contribute in having a positive relationship but many doctors feel overworked and are often rushing around to see their next patient and thus walk out of the patients room before the patient has a chance to process what the doctor has just said and/or recommended for treatment.

All of the above may lead to lack of understanding on the patients part and they may not even take their medications as prescribed and thus they see no relief and get frustrated with the doctor and his/her staff because the issue they went into the office with is still causing them problems. Then the patient blames the doctor and the doctor in turn blames the patient for not taking the medications as prescribed --this is due to a lack of a positive doctor-patient relationship.

Again the relationship aspect is what the insurance companies could careless about because a relationship does not save them any money. What are they afraid of? My guess is that they will actually find the real source of an illness and thus the patient won't be back to get more money sucked out of them for the recurring visits that are occurring. The thing is if you do not fix the issue the patient will miss work and if work is missed enough they may no longer have a job and then no one gets the money because the patient can no longer afford the treatment r afford the insurance they would have to buy because they are no longer employed.

The idea then is to treat the patient once, treat them well and with empathy, then get them on their way to becoming happy and healthy.

Did You Know...

The Immediate Cause of Death

Cannot be identified as old age...Even if the person is eighty years old and the person's body is simply worn out from wear and tear. According to the article: The Immediate Cause of Death the death cetificate cannot list the cause of death as old age:

Instead, every death must be attributed to a single disease, which is the immediate cause of death. A second disease may be cited as the intermediate cause, and a third as the underlying condition. Even in situations “when a number of conditions or multiple organ/system failure resulted in death,” the C.D.C. instructs that “the physician, medical examiner or coroner should choose…a clear and distinct etiological sequence,” a “chain of morbid events.”

Geesh so that means my own grandmother who is eighty-six cannot just die of natural old-age. She has led a wonderful life and cannot even die in peace with the cause being listed as old age. Really stupid if you ask me.

On the other hand my father died of cancer at the age of sixty-five so yes, he should have a cause of death listed on his death certificate because he was too young and had a full life to lead that was cut short.

Depression and Pregnancy

Before I go on...No I am Not Pregnant!

Coping With Depression During Pregnancy

I am just bring this to your attention because I think it is important for woman to know that depression can be a normal thing that happens for many pregnant woman. I personally suffer from depression and went through all three of my pregnancies. The fist pregnancy I was not on any anti-depressants and found that that pregnancy was the worst when it comes to dealing with the everyday stresses that come along with being pregnant. Don't be afraid to take something for the depression although be forewarned that some medications can have adverse effects on the fetus. I personally used Effexor XR during the second two pregnancies: I did decrease my dosage a tad because of the risks to the fetus that were involved in any medications you take while pregnant. I found that the medication id do its job and help me get through my times of transition. Don't forget having a baby is a major life stressor and can be just as hard as losing a loved one on your emotions.

A last note about medications and pregnancy:

Do not go off any medications cold turkey without the help or okay from your doctor that perscribed the meds in the first place or if you think they don't know what they are talking about get a second opnion. I can remember one doctor telling me that I needed to get off my anti-sezuire medication, Tegretol, which would have been dangerous if I had not questioned his reasoning. My seizure disorder although fully controlled by medication would have caused damage to the fetus if I would have gone off and had a seizure as a result. My seizures are related to the fact that I have cerebral palsy and thus my brain mis-fires due the fact that it was damaged due to the lack of oxygen to the brain before birth. Thus be very cautious when a doctor or nurse says you should immediately go off your medication(s) just because you are pregnant. I do have to say though that if you are in the planning stage of getting pregnant and you do have a seizure disorder Tegretol and/or Trileptal(Oxycarbazepine) is probably the safest of all the medications currently on the market.

Cashew Nuts are Evil

I bought some nuts from my little Brownie and I guess I ate too many and well I'll save you the details but they did not stay in the body. Of course I am not sure if it was the nuts or the fact that I only snacked on them in the afternoon and then while dinner was being prepared I could not handle the smells anymore and had to escape to the bedroom and bathroom to lay down and well pay homage to the porclain goddess as many like to call the toilet.

The thing about the whole stomache issue is when it comes up and not down I get nervous because of my TMJ (lock-jaw) disorder thus I get scared that I will not only have one issue but two. I have to say that it is never fun when your jaw locks open and no one can understand you.

My advice is don't eat any nut on an empty stomache: Eat a chip instead!

HMMM

Nothing new is happening here and I am just hunkering down for The National Novel Writing in a Month that happens in November. I look foreward every year to the challenge and am happy to say that I have just published one of the novels I did while competing in the event several years back. Please go buy Sunrises and Crossword Puzzles at the link.

Support me by all means even if it means you must read!

I Had a Physically Disabled Friend

Who Received Her Job Via the Phone

The reason she got the job was because she did not disclose her disability while being interviewed for her last job over the phone. She unfortunately is no longer with us but she has Osteogenesis Imperfecta or better known as brittle bone disease and had a barrel chest and used a wheelchair. She, Lisa Thies, died from a freak accident while getting out of her van. The thing was you would have thought Lisa was treated without judgment because she worked at a Disabled Student Services Office but that was not the case. She often said that the first time she stepped foot into the office she was judged by her looks.

I certainly can relate because I was judged by the same office when I asked whether I could do the job as Student Assistant with my own disability. I thankfully had an easier time because I was being interviewed by Lisa, who was not really a friend at the time but my advisor for the internship I was doing at the same office. She was worried at first because I might get the same judgment she received from others in the office. I thankfully did not need any assisting devices and could perform all activities like any other student assistant (and I probably did it better at times, hehe -- I know I was better than some of those that were hired while I was employed). I believe that Lisa wanted to make sure I could stand my own if the same people gave me a second glance when I got the job and I guess I passed because I was there for about two years -- only leaving because I graduated with my bachelor's.

I think the advice I would like to give others, especially interviewers is: Don't let first visual impressions be your only first impressions and don't assume that juat because a person has a physical disability that they are going to need assistance. The fact is that even the average person may need assistance over the disabled person. I also know that disabled people are more willing to work harder to get a job done than the average 'normal' person.

Close your eyes!!!

Why is it Some People get Breaks

and others do not...

Whatever the reason is it is frustrating for those that do not seem to get any breaks whatsoever. I have seen more than once that if I try to do something I can get help or sweet talk my way into getting a few breaks. If my husband tries the same tactic he is told right off that it is not possible and they always have a reason why it is not possible for them to get away with allowing for what he asks. I am not sure if it is gender related or just by how the person looks. I know that there are certain people that are simply not going to fit into the society from which they live in, I believe my husband is one of those people that no matter how he looks he will never fit into the backwards society we live in. There will always be discrimination from which he will have to deal with because he thinks for himselves and dresses the way he most feels comfortable. The thing that many people don't understand is he is more of a family man than many of those conforming individuals ever will be and I would not trade him for anything.

I know that I chose a great man . Any woman would be stupid not to want a man like him because he actually does more for our family than any man around here ever has in their own family. I guess all I can say it is the societies fault for not treating my man better because he is a great man.

A Revamp is Needed

Or maybe a demolish of anything related to the way insurance companies currently operate so that we can start from scratch. What is currently in practice ends up people do not get the care and medical treatment that the need and deserve. There are some people who may even die because an insurance company has deemed a procedure or a preventive treatment unnecessary and thus they will not approve a measure and of course the patient usually leaves the office with no answers to why they are being ailed because they cannot afford the measure without help from the insurance company -- it is as if the companies have forgotten that there is a human life involved.

As I have said before we treat our pets more humanely than the health insurance companies treat the humans they are supposed to represent and help. Do they not take into account that they get paid because companies and individuals pay them high premiums to help keep their employess and themselves healthy.

Economic Hell and the Phone

I no longer answer the phone anymore and the reason is in part economy. I have no money and the creditors are on our backs which really sucks. I know that they are having problems I hear about it more than twenty times a day but why is it they think that we have any free money to give them. They at least got a bailout from the government while we got nothing to pay our bills and they are not willing to pay our most basic bills that are going up such as gas, electricity, health insurance, and more.

Obama -- McCain -- We need money too!!! Don't forget about the little people that must delay gratification while we watch our higher bank employees go on exclusive vacations as incentives to work harder and better. Why should they get vacations while we see them on trips that they do not need or deserve. I personally would love a vacation from reality but I'm not going to get that and may have to forego other vacations for the same reason if things don't turn around. Any money my family gets back from the government in April will be spent paying off creditors that we have had to say no to now. Of course there are those that are going to get no money back and will thus continue to struggle.

The sad irony is my family lives in the lower middle class economic bracket and my husband is a professor educating the future Americans and he is treated like shit. Damn he has the Ph.D and you U.S. government congressmen/women more than likely do not and I know the President and his staff does not. I understand my husband is not running a country but he should not be treated like he is just because he chose educating others over running a country. We need all types of people to run a country and that means we need people doing all sorts of jobs so why should he be treated as a lesser person.

So Government --- Help us little guys out!!!

Doggy in the Mirror Clip

Comedy Break because of the Weekend

Puppy vs. Mirror @ Yahoo! Video

McCain -- Sorry to Say Autism does not equal Disabilities and....

To go back to something my husband reminded me of last night, Palin's youngest son does not have Autism, he has Downs Syndrome. McCain mentioned several times that Palin would be a good President because she understands Autism and thus people (and children) with disabilities. If her son has Downs Syndrome who says that she knows anything about Autism and just because she may know about those disabilities does not mean that she would understand the struggles I go through on a daily basis.

Disability according to Dictionary.com states:

1. lack of adequate power, strength, or physical or mental ability; incapacity.

Thus a disability encompasses many different conditions and just because someone has a certain disability or knows someone who is dealing with a disability does not mean they are an expert (or even understands) on all those with disabilities. I certainly can't claim that I know anything in regards to those with mental disabilities because I do not have that nor have I been around enough people who are afflicted with Autism, downs syndrome or any other kind of mental disability. All I can really claim is that I do have cerebral palsy and can understand much of what the physically disabled have gone through because I had worked at CSU, Fullerton's Office of Disabled Student Services in the early to mid- nineties. I did also do some volunteer work when I was a rider at The American Riding Club for the Handicapped (ARCH) and yes they had some horseback riders with mental disabilities but I was so young at the time that I cannot truly claim that I understood the needs of even those kids and adults.

I just think that people need to watch what they say when they claim that they know something about such an umbrella term as disability just because they know a few people with disabilities and especially if you only have a knowledge in only one (or a group) disability.

What needs to happen (The Insurance Companies)?

The insurance companies need to back off and stop denying people medical procedures just because they see them as deemed unnecessary because many use some of them as a cosmetic enhancement. For example there are many companies who will deny someone who just lost weight and want a tummy tuck because their body has changed to the point that they have sagging skin that simply needs to be removed.

The fact is that we tell all the overweight people in our society to lose the extra pounds but then tell them to live with the results no matter what happened to their body after the weight is lost. We told them to lose weight for their health not caring if their mental health is compromised.

I am lucky because at the rate I am going I will never need such procedures as most of my family is rather skinny and mostly fit but if I had the chose of whether to lose weight and then have to deal with the looks of the extra skin I would probably decide to keep the weight at least I would look like I fit into my own body.

Weight is only one issue that I know many people deal with because of all the number of ads I see on an hourly basis while watching TV. There are many other issues and procedures that are denied doctors (and patients) because of the numbers game they play on a daily basis. In this the insurance company forgets that everyone is different and thus a procedure may be necessary for one's health while another person may just want it because they think they will feel better about themselves which may or may not be the case.

So insurance companies remember that each person is different and the cases should be taken on an individual basis no matter the procedure being considered.

Really not in the Mood

I am not really writing anything today. I am anxious to hear what the Presidential candidates have to say during this evenings debate. I am not expecting anything new and I can say that when it comes to healthcare Barack has the better plan. I will try and comment here after the debate and if I do not I am sure that I will write a little bit tomorrow.

In Memory of Prissy Spot

In Loving Memory of Prissy Spot who died not too long ago suddenly. We are not even sure how she died I found her abouy 45minutes ago dead on James's side of the bed with her feet sticking out from under our bed. I was instantly alarmed as I was gathering up the dirty clothes and she was not moving and thus I got alarmed and knelt down to pet her and she still was not moving. She was gone!

pot was the cat who slept near my belly during my pregnancy with Bethany. Ever since that pregnancy she was our room cat whom I had often called my cat-dog because I believe if she could have barked she would have done so. She was also a guard cat as she would guard or room and not let the other cats into our room without us knowing about it. She was a great cat for a dog lover like me. I will definitely miss her the most, in terms of the cats we have lost due to death.

Caught Up in Labels

Why???

I found a headline that read: If Obama were black...

I hate to say it Obama is as white as I am in many ways as he was raised by a white mother and grandparents being his main influences in life. Yes, his skin color is of the black form but that does not mean anything. He is as white as John McCain in many ways.

***Political Message Over***

OK, politics aside I would like to talk about labels that I am called now and in the past. Let me begin by saying I am a mother, wife, writer, poet, pet owner, and US citizen. Thus I am no different than many other woman between the ages of thirty and fifty (and maybe older).

The thing that sets me aside are that I am also called a person with cerebral palsy or a disabled person. These two labels I have come to accept for the most part because yes it labels me as not like everyone else. What I am not okay with is people thinking that I am not as good as they are because I am different than they are. I still am who I am and have a lot in common with the every day woman in our American society, I raise my kids, send them to school, take them to scouts, gymnastics, and other fun activities, I even clean my house, and I am sure that the list can go on forever in what I do that every woman in our society does on a daily basis. I even like to knit, crochet, embroider, and cross stitch like many woman -- just because I have a disability does not mean that I cannot enjoy the finer things in life.

The labels I do not accept and often cringe at are being called handicapped or crippled. I am neither of those things because I am not hampered at doing many things in life and I try everything no matter if I have to succumb to help in the end -- my husband will tell you that I do have a hard time asking for help because I am an independent person who does not give up easily. If you have to use Handicapped I feel it is OK if (and only if) you are using it to describe things like handicapped parking or the like where you are not calling a person handicapped because that hurts, in my opinion. Crippled on the other hand should never, ever, be used in describing a person to anyone. The word is just as bad as using gimp and the like.

A final note: I am not physically challenged or differently-abled either. They are not bad but I just simply don't see myself in those two ways. I have chosen to do things a different way because those ways are easier for me. I am proud that I am different than you and that there is something that sets me aside from being a clone of you and everyone else in this world

A Comic Relief

Before getting back to Health and Disability Issues

My Son Asked Me Last Night

If I was given the opportunity to have a life changing operation to get a bionic arm to replace my right arm that is almost useless due to the fact that I have cerebral palsy(CP)? I told him 'No, not now!' He wondered why so I told him because I would have to learn how to do everything all over again. I gave him the simple example of just getting dressed would be a great learning process that I do not want to take the time to learn again. It was hard enough for me the first time around. Heck, even typing out this small blog post would take me hours and hours to relearn how to position my two hands on this somewhat small keyboard: At the moment, I place my left hand in the center of the keyboard and stretch my fingers slightly to reach from end to end to make it simple for me.

Now, I can remember when I was very young my parents had the opportunity to try a new treatment (that in the end I was not a candidate because I had a different type of CP than the study required) that would have hopefully reversed my CP paralysis in many ways especially my right hand, my parents and I jumped at the chance and went through all the MRI's and EEG's and whatever other brain tests that were available in the '70s to see if I was a candidate or not -- unfortunately I was not and life went on. The difference is that I was young and learning new things would not change my life too drastically. It would have meant a brain surgery (although risky, was worth it to my family and me) and a whole heck of a lot of physical and occupational therapy I knew it was worth it at the time, the difference from now and then was that I had time to spare because I was a kid and not raising a family.

I feel like a very lucky woman as it is because I am happy, healthy, married and am raising three kids that are also happy and healthy as well. I also am able to do almost everything any able- bodied person can do. Remember that people have different abilities as well as inabilities (disabilities) thus how am I truly different than anyone else just over the fact that I walk differently and my right arm looks a tad different.

I certainly don't want to be change in any way shape or form physically to give me any abilities I have not had in the first place. Life is good as it is right now. Now, if I were to lose something I have now in abilities that I have now then yes I would do anything to get that back to baseline because baseline is what I have now not what others have and what maybe considered normal.

As A Woman with Daughters

***Spoiler: Talk about Sex Education and Abortion***
*** Proceed at Your Own Risk***

I am really scared of the fact that a Republican Vice Presidential candidate is strongly against sex education and abortion even if the woman is raped. Having said that I am really glad that she is accepting her daughter, Bristol's pregnancy. The thing that I am not happy is that it sounds as if the parents are planning a shotgun wedding for Bristol and her boyfriend (whom in the past has stated that he never wants kids).

Ok, so let me get this straight we are only supposed to teach our children about abstaining from sex but not telling them about what sex is in the first place. Yeah, let us shield them from getting older. What do 'Ostrich Parents' think that first they are going to wait until after marriage and second that even if they wait that they will know everything about sex just because they went through a marriage ceremony.

What about rape then? How is a woman (girl) or man (boy) supposed to know how to stay away from getting raped if they not know what sex is in the first place. The other thing is to stay safe and away from pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) it is best to know how to keep yourself as safe as possible. Without education how is a a woman (or man) supposed to know whether they are being raped or not. Yeah, we tell our kids not to let anyone touch their private parts or bikini covered parts of their body but that is not enough when they reach their teens and beyond.

All I know is that my children will know everything about sex, the good, the bad, and the ugly...from there I know that I will have given them all that I can in order that they will make the best decision for themselves and their partner. The hope is that all three of my children will make the best decisions for themselves and their partners. They already know (and will always know) that we do not agree with having sex just because and that you should wait until you are truly committed to your partner. The other thing they will always know is that academics/education is more important than relationships at least until you get your bachelor's degree. The most important thing that our three kids know is that we love them and trust that they will make the right decisions for them and their future.

I am not saying that my kids will not come to me and say 'Mom, Dad, I'm (She's) pregnant.' Because that can happen to any parent. Heck it happened to my own with me but the difference is I was twenty-four and had just received my bachelor's degree and was engaged to the baby's dad (whom I have been married to for twelve plus years now). We have also had two other kids since getting married a few weeks after our son was born. My hope is that my son and daughters will at least wait as long as their parents to engage in sex and only that can happen, in my opinion, is if pre-teens and teenagers are fully educated about everything related to sex. The less we keep from them the less likely they will want to experiment. Did we not learn that from drug education?

I want to end again by saying I would never advocate abortion but that does not mean I am like pro-lifers and saying that it should be illegal. Heck, I feel pro-lifers are more violant than those people that actually have (or perform) abortions in the first place. Don't they understand that when demonstrators bomb or injure those going into the clinics that they maybe hurting the innocent who are going in the clinic for condoms, birth control pills, or simply for counseling to stay away from sex in the first place. Is it right to kill all the innocent that walk into the clinic? Also remember that many of the woman also go in there for an abortion but end up not getting one because of the extensive counseling they must have before an abortion can be performed. There are many woman who do decide, in the end to keep the baby or give it up for adoption.

Problems with Healthcare

I found this opinion written in the New York Times Opinion pages in regards to an article Paul Krugman article titled: Health Care Destruction. I believe that Relman was correct in saying: "This problem results from the inappropriate organization and perverse economic incentives of a health care delivery system that motivates physicians and medical institutions to maximize their income rather than focus on optimal patient care." I agree fully because I do believe that the doctors (and nurses) have had to forget that there is a human in their office wanting quality treatment for a medical condition they came into the office to have resolved."

Reforming Health Care

Paul Krugman ("Health Care Destruction," column, Oct. 6) is quite right in his criticisms of the McCain health plan, and in his preference for Barack Obama's proposals for insurance reform. But he does not mention that neither candidate offers practical suggestions for effective control of the rising costs that make universal coverage unachievable.

This problem results from the inappropriate organization and perverse economic incentives of a health care delivery system that motivates physicians and medical institutions to maximize their income rather than focus on optimal patient care.

The solution will require more than regulation of medical insurance. It will need major reform in the way we structure and finance the delivery of medical care — a difficult, incremental task that we will nevertheless soon be forced to undertake.

Arnold S. Relman
Boston, Oct. 6, 2008

The writer, professor emeritus of medicine and social medicine at Harvard Medical School, is a former editor in chief of The New England Journal of Medicine.

My belief is that government can do a whole lot better if we give more control to the doctors who have the patient in the office than the executives in their cubicles playing their computer and numbers games to give a patient as little treatment and healthcare the company can get away with without looking too inhumane. The fact is we can give better treatment to our furry and feathered friends than we can our own selves. Are we trying to kill off humanity so again the animals win the revolutionary race of which species is better than the other? I have to say that my dogs and cats have a better life than even my kids, husband, and I do. We suffer a whole heck of a lot more before we even go into the doctor because we will not be able to pay the cost the insurance has decided not to pay.

In the article Health Care Destruction by Krugman he finishes by saying: “I agree: the McCain plan would do for health care what deregulation has done for banking. And I’m terrified.” Yeah, after the crisis that is going on Wall Street and in the banking industry I am certainly glad that the same is not happening in healthcare.

Just remember if you are thinking of voting for McCain you may lose your insurance altogether because of a “pre-existing condition” that almost everybody is afraid to cover. Those with mental health issues may be able to hide it from insurance but those with physical disabilities and other long-term health issues are harder to hide from anyone, even the insurance companies.

If there is any good news in all this we thankfully have the House of Representatives and the Senate that will hopefully keep those with pre-existing conditions from totally losing healthcare.

Traveling for Healthcare

This is one thing that one must look into doing if you live in a rural town or community with little to no medical care available around you. There are many advantages to living rural, I agree as I live in a rural town, but if you are needing of any specialized medical care you must be willing to travel to get the care you need and deserve if you have a medical problem that is not resolved in your local doctor's office. I say don't be afraid of the cost it takes to travel three or more hundred miles away for quality care. For me, I go three hundred miles to get psychiatric care for my depression because there is no way that I trust any doctor in the nearby area with my mental health and there are no specialist that deal with depression or the like in the area.

When I broke my patella/kneecap in 2002 I went about an hour away to an orthopedic specialist for the same reason as above. I knew that I would get better care from, someone who again specializes in the area from which I needed repair. Think of us like cars – you would not trust your foreign made car to a mechanic who only works on domestic cars, would you? Well, you are just as important if not more important than your car.

Don't be afraid to shop around. Going to a general physician is okay if you have a cold, need a flu shot, are trying to manage diabetes, or something else that a doctor commonly sees on an average day but don't be afraid to get that second opinion if you don't agree with the initial diagnosis of your doctor. If need be fight with the insurance but if you feel something is wrong and your primary physician finds nothing then do all you can to get other physicians opinions. Your life is a precious commodity to you and your family.

The one thing I will tell you up front to do is to do your homework on the insurance end though. MAKE SURE WHERE YOU GO AND WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO GET COVERED WILL BE PAYED BY YOUR INSURANCE P0LICY! If you fail to do your homework you might end up paying for all your medical care. Also make sure that if your policy changes in any way that the care you are getting is still covered. I would also say, try to stay within your own state for almost all your care, because again by my own experience even though it can be closer to get care in another state it may not be covered by your insurance because you went outside state lines (some insurances, yes, will cover things across state lines but call your insurance first and make triple sure they will pay!). If you are trying to figure out when that happened to me it was when I broke my kneecap but that is another story altogether.

My last advice is to treat yourself better than your car or even your dog or cat. Remember, if you have children that is the main reason why you should treat your health just as important as you would treat them. You need to be healthy in order to raise your own children.

Proud Parent

I am so happy with my son as he handled something rather well in terms of him wanting to do something after school today with a group of his friends. You see his dad and I were not happy with how he handled something on Wednesday so he did not want to bring up wanting to go to the movies today after school so he waited until we were in a better mood and then asked us. The thing was he did not ask me right after school today if he could go to the movies -- no he mentioned it this morning and I was happy to say yes because I would not have make an immediate decision right then and there.

I am just so happy that he is learning from past mistakes that he does not ask to do something he normally doesn't do on the fly and expect an immediate favorable response. The answer at that point is usually 'NO' and he is learning I will hardly if ever say 'YES' if caught off guard.

On my Mind

My mind is actually blank at this time so I guess I will again promote my book: Sunrises and Crossword Puzzles -- a novel about Dani and her family going through changes after her husband was in a car accident that has left him paralyzed and in the hospital. Dani's life may have turned upside down but she still has three kids to raise and a life to lead.

The thing I want to remind everyone is this could happen to anyone and thus it is a relevant story for our times. The fact that people are not only driving in their cars but conducting much of their business on the streets means that driver's minds are not always on the road it should be on.

See how Dani deals with the permanent changes in her life while you think about what you would do if you or a family member of yours was in a car accident that changes the way you or they live life.

So again go to: Sunrises and Crossword Puzzles AND BUY THE BOOK!!!

Cynically I Say (about McCain)

What if McCain is trying to lose so maybe in a few decades he looks like the good guy. Who really wants to lose against what so many people are calling a historical election because of the fact that Obama is part African American...Remember the people that raised him (his mother and grandparents) are white and that is where his influences come from, for the most part.

McCain's choice for Vice President being Sarah Palin has very little experience and her claim in experience is being a mayor of a small town and mayor of a state that is somewhat out of touch with the mainstream American state. McCain chose to announce her as his VP canidate after Obama chose Biden only because he wanted to make sure that Obama did not pick Hilary. In other words, he is playing the woman card! Unfortunately, Palin is a ditzy woman who needs to go back to the hockey arena.

So, with the electoral votes adding to Obama 349 to McCain 174 with 15 tie reported today on Electoral Vote.com Who do you think will win or even who wants to win?

Not Sure What is on Tap Today

I am at a loss of what to do today. I am sure I will find something to write. I am not really wanting to start a new novel because I have NaNoWriMo coming in November and since that is an intense 50,000 word novel in a month so I hate to start something now and have to put it aside for the event.

I am sure I will find something to do with the time between now and when I have to pick up my middle girl.


Off I go to find something to write (or do).

Sunrises and Crossword Puzzles was Approved

I approved the book today and should be available at Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com within six to eight weeks. I am going to say that the formatting was all done by me which may or may not be a good thing but I needed to get my name on a book and I hope to use an actual publisher for my next books. After this experience I know that I never want to be a publisher or any of that because I am clueless on what I am doing in terms of formatting and such.

I know I will stick to writing from now on.

Finally got PollDaddy Working

I am now back to revamping Henry which I am almost done with for the second time. I am much happier with this version so maybe I will get it out in a few weeks.

I am hoping to get my own book from Lulu.com soon. Once I can approve it I can get it distributed to Amazon and Barnes and Noble . I am hoping to get the book tomorrow or Wednesday.

Sports News: OPSU won their football game againts Texas College 33-27. This gives them a 3-3 record for the season thus far.

Frustration Continues with PollDaddy and MySpace

I have been able to create a poll for this blog but it doesnt seem to like my myspace page or I am just not understanding the whole thing. I am really gettiong frustrated with the whole thing but if you want in the poll go down the right column and find it and vote, please.

I am still working on Henry at this time.

Working

I am working on Henry the Toad today and still hope to get it out by the end of the year. I have the idea,the concept, and a rough draft of a story already written -- now, I just need to show and not tell everything.

I am also revamping my myspace.com page.

Other than that I am catching a little college football on ESPN and will definitely catch the Missouri/Nebraska game this evening. If you know me well enough you know that I am rooting for Missouri as it is my alma mater. Our own football team here is away this week thus we have no game to actually go to this week.

On My Plate

I am going to work on several things today. I am going to continue networking throughout the web. I have gotten a myspace page and can be found by clicking here. I am also on twitter.com so you can find out what I am doing at the moment by clicking here and of course I am still at Melia's Inkspot/writing.com profile. I have several other links on the right column if you wish to visit more places around the web.

Don't forget my book at: Sunrises and Crossword Puzzles. My articles can be found at: Melia Benjamin Helium Articles and at Triond.Com click here.

Have a great day!

What Amuses Me

It maters not what I write about cerebral palsy I usually get advertisements on lawyers wanting to sue the medical profession. I have to say that if I did not have cerebral palsy I would not be the person today. It just blows me away that people think that just because a person has a disability it is a bad thing. For me my disability has made me the strong person I am today because I find a different way of getting things done or quickly get over the judgments of others.

Take a look at my article: Cerebral Palsy is not a Death Sentence

I actually despise lawyers who have commercials on tv and elsewhere that claim that it must be the medical communities fault.

Article Finally Published

My articles I wrote a couple days ago finally published: What About the General Public?. I am glad it finally got published even if it is two days later.

Working on etting my children's book out

I will be getting my second book out by this Friday to a publisher in Oklahoma. It is a story I wrote eight years ago based on a real toad that my son (who was four at the time) named Henry who was disabled. It is a story I hope teachers and parents use as a way to introduce disabilities to young children. We shall see what happens.

Wish me luck!

To Writing I Go

I was out this morning at the store buying all of Walmart, I think. As bare as the shelves were I would not be surprised if I actually did. I was able to finally by my own book today which means, I hope that in a few weeks it will be in Amazon and Barnes and Noble as well as at Lulu.com, where it is now.

Anyway, not sure what is on tap today yet because I am rather tired from all the running around this morning that I had done because we could not accomplish it last night.