How I Differ From You - Awareness

How I Differ From You - Awareness

For anyone who suffers, or know someone who suffers, from Fibromyalgia:

1. My pain - My pain is not your pain. It is not caused by inflammation. Taking your arthritis medication will not help me. I can not work my pain out or shake it off. It is not even a pain that stays put. Today it is in my shoulder, but tomorrow it may be in my foot or gone. My pain is believed to be caused by improper signals sent to the brain , possibly due to sleep disorders. It is not well understood , but it is real.

2. My fatigue - I am not merely tired . I am often in a severe state of exhaustion . I may want to participate in physical activities , but I can' t. Please do not take this personally . If you saw me shopping in the mall yesterday, but I can' t help you with yard work today , it isn' t because I don' t want to. I am, most likely, paying the price for stressing my muscles beyond their capability .

3. My forgetfulness - Those of us who suffer from it call it fibro fog. I may not remember your name, but I do remember you. I may not remember what I promised to do for you, even though you told me just seconds ago. My problem has nothing to do with my age but may be related to sleep deprivation. I do not have a selective memory. On some days, I just don' t have any short - term memory at all.

4. My clumsiness - If I step on your toes or run into you five times in a crowd , I am not purposely targeting you. I do not have the muscle control for that. If you are behind me on the stairs, please be patient. These days, I take life and stair wells one step at a time.

5. My sensitivities - I just can' t stand it! "It" could be any number of things: bright sunlight, loud or high-pitched noises, odors . FMS has been called the "aggravating everything disorder."  So don' t make me open the drapes or listen to your child scream. I really can' t stand it.

6. My intolerance - I can' t stand heat, either. Or humidity. If I am a man, I sweat . . . profusely. If I am a lady, I perspire. Both are equally embarrassing, so please don' t feel compelled to point this short coming out to me. I know. And don' t be surprised if I shake uncontrollably when it's cold. I don' t tolerate cold, either. My internal thermostat is broken, and nobody knows how to fix it.

7. My depression - Yes, there are days when I would rather stay in bed or in the house or die. I have lost count of how many of Dr. Kevorkian' s patients suffered from FMS as well as other related illnesses. Severe, unrelenting pain can cause depression . Your sincere concern and understanding can pull me back from the brink . Your snide remarks can tip me over the edge.

8. My stress - My body does not handle stress well. If I have to give up my job, work part time, or handle my responsibilities from home, I'm not lazy. Every day stresses make my symptoms worse and can incapacitate me completely .

9. My weight - I may be fat or I may be skinny. Either way, it is not by choice. My body is not your body. My appetite is broken, and nobody can tell me how to fix it.

10. My need for therapy - If I get a massage every week, don' t envy me. My massage is not your massage. Consider how a massage would feel if that charley horse you had in your leg last week was all over your body. Massaging it out was very painful, but it had to be done. My body is knot-filled. If I can stand the pain, regular massage can help, at least temporarily.

11. My good days - If you see me smiling and functioning normally, don' t assume I am well or that I have been cured . I suffer from a chronic pain and fatigue illness with no cure. I can have my good days or weeks or even months. In fact, the good days are what keep me going .

12. My uniqueness - Even those who suffer from FMS are not alike . That means I may not have all of the problems mentioned above . I do have pain above and below the waist and on both sides of my body which has lasted for a very long time. I may have migraines or hip pain or shoulder pain or knee pain, but I do not have exactly the same pain as anyone else.


I hope that this helps you understand me, but if you still doubt my pain, your local bookstore, library and the internet have many good books and articles on fibromyalgia.


Author's note: This letter is based on communications with people throughout the world, males and females, who suffer from fibromyalgia. It does not represent any one of the over 10, 000, 000 people with FMS, but it can help the healthy person understand how devastating this illness can be. 

Please do not take these people and their pain lightly.  

You wouldn't want to spend even a day in their shoes . ..or their bodies!

 Do You??

~Author unknown

God Has A Purpose!

Do you ever wonder why you are facing all the heart aches, challenges and difficulties in your life? 

Watch this Butterfly movie! It has a SIGNIFICANT message for you. 

Nothing in life is a coincidence. God has a purpose.

8 Embarrassing Sleep Secrets

By Jennifer Soong
WebMD Feature
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

If you're confiding in a friend about sleep problems, the conversation might turn to topics like not getting enough rest or tossing and turning at night. But what about things your body does during sleep - like drooling, snoring, bed-wetting, or passing gas - that you might be embarrassed to talk about by the light of day?

For example, take Kindra Hall, vice president of sales at a network marketing firm in Phoenix. She admits that drooling excessively while sleeping is a major source of embarrassment, especially when she's been caught in the act. Soaked bed pillows and stained throw pillows are constant reminders of her humiliating habit.

"I'm very conscious about saliva control," Hall tells WebMD via email, "but as soon as my eyes are closed and I enter dreamland, all bets are off."

You might not even be aware of your sleeping habits -- until your bed partner clues you in. Sometimes, these behaviors are a part of the natural sleep process. Other times, what you might consider a nuisance -- like snoring -- could be a sign of an underlying sleep problem.

"It's important for people to realize what is a normal phenomenon versus something that needs further evaluation," says William Kohler, MD, medical director of Florida Sleep Institute in Spring Hill, Fla.

Here is the lowdown on your nighttime habits - why they happen and when they could be a sign of something more serious.

Habit #1: Snoring

An estimated 37 million American adults snore on a regular basis, according to the National Sleep Foundation.

Snoring is caused by airway narrowing and tissue vibrations in the nasal passages and throat. Snoring can be associated with colds and allergies, but can also be a sign of a more serious problem, like obstructive sleep apnea.

"It's not really the loudness that's concerning, it's whether the obstruction that's causing snoring is also causing respiratory impairment at night," Kohler says.
 
The verdict: Snoring is a common problem, but if you suspect that it's disrupting your sleep, you should get a medical evaluation.

Habit #2: Drooling

Drooling in your sleep can be a normal phenomenon or it can occur in medical conditions that increase salivation, Kohler says. If you drool regularly, you may want to find out if you are at risk for a blocked airway at night or sleep apnea.  

The verdict: Drooling can be normal, but it can also be associated with other medical conditions.

Habit #3: Sleepwalking

"The odd things that happen in the night that get people's attention tend to be things that are scary or potentially dangerous, like complicated episodes of sleepwalking," says Helene Emsellem, MD, medical director of the Center for Sleep & Wake Disorders in Chevy Chase, Md.

"We should be paralyzed while we're in the dream phase of sleep. If there's a failure of the normal paralysis that protects us from acting out our dreams, then we can potentially be dangerous and inadvertently hurt ourselves or a bed partner," Emsellem says.

In extreme cases, someone might go into the kitchen, turn on the stove, and forget to turn it off without any memory of the incident.

The verdict: If you're acting out complex behaviors during sleep, it's time to see a doctor to figure out what's going on.

Habit #4: Talking in Your Sleep

Talking in your sleep, whether it sounds like a conversation or just mumbling, is usually harmless by itself. But screaming and yelling with intense fear are associated with night terrors, which are more common in children than adults. They occur during REM sleep, so you will not remember it in the morning. 

The verdict: Don't lose sleep over talking in your sleep.

Habit #5: Bed-wetting

"Bed-wetting is embarrassing and distressing, but a once-in-a-blue-moon episode is not particularly concerning, especially if you're dreaming about going to the bathroom", Emsellem says.

"However, repeated bedwetting could indicate a problem, such as nocturnal seizures. Bowel movements during sleep are unusual", Emsellem says, "so one instance should merit a visit to the doctor.

The verdict: You can write off one bedwetting episode, but you should see a doctor if you have repeat performances.

Habit #6: Nocturnal Orgasms

"Nocturnal orgasms, sometimes referred to as wet dreams, can occur on a regular basis for men and women, typically during REM sleep. That's a normal phenomenon that occurs throughout our life." Kohler says. 

The Verdict: Completely natural.

Habit #7: Flatulence
 
Passing gas can occur during sleep, but most people aren't aware of it. "It depends a lot on the GI tract and what you're eating," Kohler says. "There's nothing pathologic, but it can be embarrassing if your partner tells you about it." The verdict: Examine your diet if you're gassing up the entire room.

Habit #8: Twitching

"When you're nodding off, you may experience a release phenomenon known as a hypnic jerk. Your body may twitch, or you may experience a visual or audio component like seeing flashing lights or hearing a popping sound." 

The verdict: Hypnic jerks are generally benign.

Time to Seek Help?

"For so many years, we've ignored sleep as being an important part of health," Kohler says. "We talk about nutrition, weight gain, weight loss, and exercise. Sleep is extremely important to our functioning. We need to be aware that both quality and quantity is important."
 
"People also need to be aware of what they're doing while they're sleeping. So stick to this basic rule of thumb: If you're having a persistent problem that is disturbing to you or your bed partner, get it checked out."

Source

Quick! Somebody Needs Help

As a wife, mother, daughter, cook, chauffeur, and dynamic all-around woman, you are everyone’s go-to gal. Whenever the fridge is empty, the laundry room is full, or someone (including the dog) gets sick, it’s you who’s expected to step up, take charge, and fix it. Sure, you can handle the day-to-day. But for those times when things go dangerously awry, here’s how to really be clutch.

Splint a broken arm. The next time a little one (or Dad) falls off the play set, and you suspect he’s broken his arm, make an impromptu cast from a newspaper or magazine. Thick issues work best. (The September edition of Vogue, for instance, could splint a rhino leg.) Gently place his wrist palm down on top of it. Next, roll the magazine into a U-shaped cradle and secure with tape, bandage, or strips of cloth. Then get to the hospital.

Save a severed finger. If someone lops off the tip of their finger or toe with a kitchen knife or lawn mower, find the detached digit but don’t—repeat don’t—put it directly on ice. That could freeze and damage the tissue. Instead, wrap it in a clean, wet cloth, secure it in a plastic bag, and keep it in an ice-filled cooler until you reach the emergency room.

Restart a stalled heart. If you suspect someone is having a heart attack, call 911 immediately. Then while you’re waiting, try this: 1) Have them chew an 81mg aspirin; it’s a blood thinner; 2) Consider rubbing a pain cream like Bengay on their torso; preliminary research suggests its active ingredient (capsaicin) can stimulate nerves into quelling the attack. Of course, if the person is unresponsive, start CPR right away and continue until help arrives.

Give yourself (or Scruffy) the Heimlich. You probably know how to save another person from choking, but do you know how to save yourself—or a pet? If a piece of prime rib is caught in your esophagus, stand up, make a fist with one hand, and place the thumb side just above your navel. Using your other hand for extra force, press inward and upward with a quick, sharp thrust. If that doesn’t work, throw your weight forward over the back of a chair so the edge of the chair is driven into your abdomen. To save Scruffy from the same fate, use the same hand position as for yourself (below his rib cage). Apply firm, quick pressure on the abdomen until the Barbie head or whatever the heck he swallowed pops out. Accept his thankful licks.

Escape from quicksand. Should your trip into the bush to retrieve the team’s soccer ball drop you into a roiling bog, do this: Stretch out on your back, spread your arms wide, and move your legs in a circular motion until they come free. Then slowly do the backstroke out. Hey, don’t laugh, you never know where your Wonder Woman duties will take you!

Nurse anesthetists dispute Senate bill

March 3, 2010

Don Mordecai and Victor Long

EDMOND — A bill that will dramatically decrease rural Oklahomans’ access to quality health care is moving forward in the state Legislature. Senate Bill 1133, by Rep. John Trebilcock, R-Broken Arrow, and Sen. Clark Jolley, R-Edmond, would remove certified registered nurse anesthetists’ ability to help Oklahomans manage chronic pain, something these graduate degree-trained providers have been doing for decades.


The state’s 500-plus nurse anesthetists are as well-trained in pain management as general-practice physicians and are equally able to offer Oklahomans with arthritis and debilitating injury a measure of relief. Yet any physician, regardless of training, will be able to provide pain management, while nurse anesthetists will not.


If SB 1133 passes, Oklahoma will become the first state to prohibit nurse anesthetists from practicing chronic pain management.


The bill’s supporters have yet to make a public-health case for its passage. Complaints against nurse anesthetists for providing pain management are nonexistent, and even rural doctors acknowledge that they often would be unable to offer pain management without nurse anesthetists.


Many of the state’s counties have no anesthesiologist. Nurse anesthetists practice in every one of the state’s 77 counties. Forty-one counties have nurse anesthetists only. Seventeen have nurse anesthetists and anesthesiologists. Overall, nurse anesthetists perform roughly 70 percent of anesthesia in the state. In rural areas it’s more like 85 percent.


If SB 1133 becomes law, Oklahomans with debilitating pain will have to drive hundreds of miles in some cases to reach the state’s population centers for treatment. For someone who can barely walk, this is quite a hardship. After receiving referrals, these Oklahomans will have to build relationships with new health care providers.


Contrary to some of the misinformation surrounding the bill, nurse anesthetists do not solicit patients. Every patient who receives their services has received a physician’s referral. Proper oversight is already there: If doctors didn’t trust the services nurse anesthetists provide, they wouldn’t refer patients to them.


The bill’s supporters claim that the law is needed to prevent the unauthorized practice of medicine, but the unauthorized practice of medicine already is prohibited by law. An attorney general opinion in 2008 rightly found that pain management is not considered the unauthorized practice of medicine. SB 1133 is an attempt to get around that opinion.


The state Board of Nursing has no complaints against nurse anesthetists for practicing pain management. If they aren’t providing sub-standard health care, it’s clear that this bill is little more than a money grab in the growing field of pain management.SB 1133 pass. The ultimate cost will be to Oklahomans: Nurse anesthetists are able to provide care for far cheaper than physicians and are able to offer it closer to where patients live. Driving to Tulsa and Oklahoma City isn’t an option for someone with chronic pain, yet that is what many will face should


The nurses are paid at 80 percent of the Medicare rate, while anesthesiologists are paid at 120 percent. Because many pain-management cases involve work-related injuries and are paid by Medicaid, the state will bear the increased cost at a time when it can ill-afford to do so.


It’s easy, yet misleading, to dismiss SB 1133 as one of the many scope-of-practice issues that appear in the Legislature. Oklahoma’s nurse anesthetists aren’t asking for an expansion of their responsibilities as has been the case with other health care providers in the past. Nurse anesthetists simply seek to provide the care they are trained and qualified to provide and have been providing for decades to the public’s benefit. Oklahoma legislators, especially those who represent rural areas, should do the right thing and preserve their constituents’ access to quality pain management.



DON MORDECAI is president of the Oklahoma Association of Nurse Anesthetists and VICTOR LONG is past president, government relations chairman of the Oklahoma Association of Nurse Anesthetists. 

Source  

Change the World

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