MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'grief,'. Wed, 21 Jul 2010 10:54:05 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3743555&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F07%2F11%2Fwhy-suicide-an-interview-with-eric-marcus%2F Today I have the pleasure of interviewing New York Times bestselling author Eric Marcus on the important topic of suicide. Eric is the author of several books, including “Is It A Choice?, Making Gay History,” and “Together Forever.” He is also co-author of “Breaking the Surface,” the #1 New York Times bestselling autobiography of Olympic diving champion Greg Louganis. For more information, please visit: www.ericmarcus.com and www.whysuicidebook.com. Question: Why did you write “Why Suicide?” Eric: When I started work on the original edition of “Why Suicide?” in 1987, I knew that I wanted to write the kind of book that I wish had been available to my mother when my father killed himself in 1970 so she would have known what to say a... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3743555 Sun, 11 Jul 2010 12:29:28 +0100 3743555 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3699547&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F06%2F25%2Fbest-of-our-blogs-june-25-2010%2F Well it’s here! We’re officially in the midst of summer. In fact, we’re almost at the end of June. July here we come! Yet, for some of us summer doesn’t automatically mean fun. There’s the oil spill, for example, the economy and everything else on the news. Added to that are our plain old daily concerns on everything from our weight to our empty wallets. Yes, we definitely need an extra boost to have fun as adults. It’s not just about ice-cream cones or playing in the sand anymore, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. If we have to work harder to have fun than so be it. We deserve to play as much as any kid out there! Even if you can’t get away this summer because the cost of a vacation is just too much for you this year, there’... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3699547 Fri, 25 Jun 2010 11:41:48 +0100 3699547 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3691064&cid=t_373826_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F06%2Fdark-path.html But that was a long time and no matter how I tryThe years just flow by like a broken down dam.There's flies in the kitchen I can hear 'em there buzzingAnd I ain't done nothing since I woke up today.How can a person go to work in the morningAnd come home in the evening and have nothing to say.Just give me one thing that I can hold on toTo believe in this living is just a hard way to go~John Prine~Searching.  I am sure I have questions answered, so positive I practically skip instead of walking.  And then, in the darkness of a new time of testing, I turn my ankle in the same holes.  One minute, I have the clearest sight and surest perspective, as a worshiping woman confident in her faith.  The next, I am blinded by my ignorance and my tears as I struggle with the weight o... Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3691064 Wed, 23 Jun 2010 19:49:00 +0100 3691064 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3676855&cid=t_373826_136_f&fid=35316&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnotjustaboutcancer.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F06%2Fjasper-friendly-bear-kingston-wayne-aka.html If you are reading this post on a site other than Not Just About Cancer (besides Facebook or a feed reader), you are reading stolen content. (Source: Not just about cancer) Not just about cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3676855 Fri, 18 Jun 2010 17:29:00 +0100 3676855 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3671968&cid=t_373826_136_f&fid=35316&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnotjustaboutcancer.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F06%2Fok.html I want to let you all know (those of you who have been asking, wondering or worrying) that the reason I've not blogged since Friday is that I've been incredibly busy and that I haven't fallen completely apart.I'm still feeling incredibly sad but there have also been some unbelievably beautiful moments in the last few days and those have kept me going.I'll try and find some time to blog tomorrow afternoon but I wanted to take a moment tonight to say thanks to each one of you who have offered your love, support and understanding.We're keeping J-Dog as comfortable as we can for as long as we can and I am spoiling him rotten (lots of treats, feeding him from the table, wet food and lots of cuddles).Goodnight blogosphere. Thank you for reminding me why I love you so much.If you are reading this... Not just about cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3671968 Thu, 17 Jun 2010 03:19:00 +0100 3671968 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3666020&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F06%2F16%2Fif-you-build-it-he-will-come-on-pursuing-our-dreams%2F “If you build it, he will come” is the famous line in the classic 1989 flick, “Field of Dreams.” When Iowa corn farmer Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner) starts hearing voices to build a baseball diamond in his fields — sacrificing all the income from his crop — everyone thinks he’s gone mad. He has. Sort of. But then he sees Shoeless Joe Jackson (Ray Liotta) on the field, and the details begin to fall into place. It’s funny how you pick up different things in a movie depending on where you are in life. The movie came out just as I was graduating from high school and figuring out how to live my life sober. My vision was very black and white then. It has to be in the early days of sobriety, or else you’ll end up drunk. So I remember the &#8220... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3666020 Wed, 16 Jun 2010 11:29:10 +0100 3666020 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3655757&cid=t_373826_136_f&fid=35316&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnotjustaboutcancer.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F06%2F10-in-june-part-two-writing-through.html June is a very busy month. The end of the academic year means that there are meetings, plays and endless school-related events (most are fun but they do keep me busy). Also, I've been very distracted because J-Dog (known to us as Jasper Friendly Bear) is very sick.We are waiting on the biopsy results of tissue taken from several large tumours in his mouth. Honestly, it doesn't look good. Even if the tumours are benign, which is highly unlikely, the surgery to remove the growths would be dangerous and painful (not the mention the fact that having half his upper jaw removed would leave him with a dubious quality of life). Leaving them where they are is out of the question because they are making him very uncomfortable and affecting both his breathing and his ability to swallow.We love this d... Not just about cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3655757 Sat, 12 Jun 2010 00:14:00 +0100 3655757 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3648599&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F06%2F10%2Fhow-do-you-heal-loneliness%2F If I had to name the most common complaint I hear among people with depression, it is that they are lonely. Just a little while back, I replied on a thread within Group Beyond Blue to a woman who started a thread called “Who Do I Turn To?” She wants so badly to connect with another woman — as the anchors in her life, her mother and friends, have either passed on or moved. So many of us are lonely. It is at the core of so many disorders and illnesses. Not just the imaginary ones made up in our psyches (or so many think), but heart disease and immunity functions and nervous system disorders. Many of our health issues in this country stem from loneliness. In his PsychCentral blog entry, “Loneliness Is Not a DSM-5 Disorder, But It Still Hurts,” Psychiatrist Ron Pi... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3648599 Thu, 10 Jun 2010 10:05:27 +0100 3648599 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3635994&cid=t_373826_137_f&fid=39091&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimmers.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F06%2Fhelplessness-of-alzheimers.html The process of living through Alzheimer's disease in a loved one is essentially an emotional prison. You are stuck behind the walls of helplessness. You can't stop the disease from progressing, you can't reverse it, you can't cure it. you have no control of the situation. You are involved  very passively and helplessly in a process. Sort of like being caught in a tornado, and waiting for the storm to end, wondering how much destruction will be there, and if you will even make it, and of course in the middle of the storm you are not sure it will ever end.Prison, you freedom, your control is taken away. It leads to anger and frustration, we often end up lashing out at those whom are closest to us, the guilt leads to more anger. You remember the loved one in better times and you wan... Caregiver Survival: I Hate Alzheimers blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3635994 Sun, 06 Jun 2010 21:17:00 +0100 3635994 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3632401&cid=t_373826_136_f&fid=35316&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnotjustaboutcancer.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F06%2Fwell-hello-there.html Yikes!It's been a while, hasn't it?I seem to have lost my blogging mojo. I remember a while back when Average Jane wrote that her blogging had been derailed (my word, not hers) by Twitter and Facebook. I get that now. Whenever I have a quick observation or a link to share, I can gratify myself instantly with Twitter (I'm lauriek, by the way). And while each tweet does go to Facebook and the sidebar of Not Just About Cancer (on the right - see it there?), it hasn't done much for my blogging.I don't want to give up the blog though, so I'll try and re-commit to posting regularly (how's that for hedging my bets?).On the cancer front, there is a little news. I loved having a break in April. That month also brought another clean CT scan. My oncologist continues to be happy with how things are go... Not just about cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3632401 Fri, 04 Jun 2010 17:09:00 +0100 3632401 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3614692&cid=t_373826_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FRecoveryIsSexycom%2F%7E3%2FEufvLioMtWU%2F Grief may be expressed–without the aid of alcohol, drugs When Joanne and Bob (not their real names) came to the Center for Grief in St. Paul, Minn., after their daughter’s death, they were paralyzed by loss. They couldn’t sleep or work, and their relationship was eroding. "We also quickly discovered they were attempting to anesthetize their pain by drinking it away," said Tom Ellis, the nonprofit center’s executive director and the author of an upcoming book, "The Heart of Grief: New Understandings of Loss." "They had adopted the ritual of consuming several bottles of wine with dinner and would come to therapy exhausted, overwhelmed, and ‘stuck’ in the grieving process. Before we could deal with issues of loss, they needed to deal ... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3614692 Mon, 31 May 2010 15:02:21 +0100 3614692 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3607556&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F05%2F28%2Fnow-what-depression-at-graduation-or-any-transition%2F I read somewhere that a large number of Nobel Prize winners become depressed after receiving their honor because their sense of purpose has been taken away. They have to grieve their pre-Nobel Prize life and find a new way of being, something to get excited about that will get you out of bed in the morning. The same is true, to some extent, when you graduate. With Commencement often comes an emptiness, a sense of loss. Much joy and relief, yes. But also a “what the hell do I do now?” response. For highly sensitive persons like myself, every kind of life transition — be it graduation, a new job, a baby — comes with a few challenges and their offspring. How to gracefully maneuver between point A and point B? Like you would with any other mourning process. Because yo... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3607556 Fri, 28 May 2010 15:45:17 +0100 3607556 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3607677&cid=t_373826_129_f&fid=36035&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-chronic-pain%2Fhow-important-is-stuff-in-a-life-of-chronic-pain%2F Do you ever wonder what you’ll leave behind? With Memorial Day approaching and the recent loss of my sweet mother-in-law, I’ve had a lot of time this week to think about the debris we leave behind. We all know we leave a trail of possessions and financial resources when we die but we lay that trail while we are alive, don’t we?   We humans leave bits of our skin as we shed it every day, according to the vacuum cleaner salesmen. Most of us find our hair falling out; some more than others. We have tons of garbage rotting in dumps all over the country, some even out on barges in the ocean. We see discarded disposable diapers lying in parking lots and wonder at the term, disposable. It’s strange to realize many of these bits of debris and garbage will be around long after we are not.... Life with Chronic Pain blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3607677 Thu, 27 May 2010 19:28:49 +0100 3607677 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3599491&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F05%2F26%2Fon-losing-a-child%2F Cindy Haines, Chief Medical Officer of HealthDay and Managing Editor of Physician’s Briefing recently remarked that “Grief is an inevitable component of life lived fully. It is a rare soul, indeed, who passes through unscathed. But losing a child ranks at the top of the hardest to bear.” I have thought about this so often: What I would do if one of my kids died before me? I can’t begin to appreciate the pain, the heartache, a bereaved mother or father must feel, and the reserve of strength and determination that is needed to forge ahead. I know that many of my readers have mourned the loss of their children. Several have asked me to write on this topic. However, as I am a mental-health blogger with two healthy children, I thought it best to get some help from a woma... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3599491 Wed, 26 May 2010 10:01:18 +0100 3599491 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3570066&cid=t_373826_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FRecoveryIsSexycom%2F%7E3%2FEMjAVyzMfXQ%2F Grief and recovery from alcoholism, addiction and co-dependency go hand-in-hand. This is an important recovery book. Quoting Groucho Marx, film director Woody Allen once said facetiously, "I’d never join a club that would allow a person like me to become a member." But there is a club so universal that adults join and rejoin it many times. The only requirement for membership is living in a world replete with change. Author Melody Beattie calls this unofficial club "The Grief Club" in her book of the same name. She says the club has many subgroups. She unwillingly joined the "My Child Died and My Heart is Broken and Nobody Gets It" subgroup in 1991, when her young son Shane died in a skiing accident. Years later, she became the member of other clubs too, suc... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3570066 Sun, 16 May 2010 18:33:00 +0100 3570066 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3549521&cid=t_373826_135_f&fid=35247&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyjourneywithaids.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F05%2F09%2Fwhen-mothers-day-isnt-happy%2F Mom insisted that I send no Mother’s Day flowers this year.  I can’t blame her if she can’t look at the designated special day the same, not yet anyway.  The cruelty this year, in particular, stems from the fact that this second Sunday in May, May 9,  was the day in 2007 when Mom’s first-born, Craig, died of his [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS) My journey with AIDS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3549521 Mon, 10 May 2010 01:00:32 +0100 3549521 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3549383&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34859&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dare-to-dream.us%2Farchives%2F2010%2F05%2Fthe_two_darts_of_suffering_pain_is_inevitable_suff.php This is the sixth in a series of articles about emotional intelligence for personal growth. In keeping with the idea that emotional intelligence is one of the foundational concepts of mental health, I dedicate this installment to May, Mental Health Month. It is often said that life is suffering. Some of that suffering is unavoidable. Life has a way of throwing us adversity. The pain of physical distress and illness as well as the psychological pain of loss is unavoidable. This is the first "Dart" and might be called pain. Pain serves an adaptive function in human life and allows us to appraise our experience and prepare to act in ways to maintain favorable conditions or to change unfavorable conditions (Egloff et al., 2006). Positive emotions encourage us to maintain that which evoked our... Ψ Dare To Dream... blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3549383 Mon, 10 May 2010 00:36:05 +0100 3549383 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3546894&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F05%2F09%2Flife-lessons-from-a-mentally-ill-mom%2F This is my 22nd Mother’s Day. Or my first, depending on how you look at it. You can read my experiences with being a birthmom here and here. Part 3 is rather happier: This is the first Mother’s Day following my ridiculously blissful reunion with my wonderful son and his equally wonderful parents. It’s hard to say much, mostly because the memories of those few days in December are so intensely personal and the emotions still so raw. I’m not quite ready to let the world in on them. What I will say is that, as magical as it all was, and as healing as it all was, it wasn’t a cure-all. Right now, I’m on my third antidepressant combo in two months, trying to get out of the most recent episode, just so you know that even really joyous events don’t instantly cure longstanding... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3546894 Sun, 09 May 2010 09:55:17 +0100 3546894 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3546985&cid=t_373826_135_f&fid=35247&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyjourneywithaids.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F05%2F08%2Fwhen-mothers-day-isnt-happy%2F Mom insisted that there be no Mother’s Day flowers this year.  She can’t look at the designated special day the same, perhaps never again.  The cruelty this year, in particular, stems from the fact that the second Sunday in May is May 9 – the day, in 2007, when Mom’s first-born, Craig, died of his injuries [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS) My journey with AIDS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3546985 Sat, 08 May 2010 19:00:32 +0100 3546985 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3545440&cid=t_373826_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhen-grief-turns-into-rage%2F2010.05.08 Twice in the last few months I have encountered grief as rage. Both were in the setting of the cardiac arrest of individuals who were already very ill. One was aged, with severe, end-stage heart disease. One was of middle age, but with metastatic cancer and on hospice. In one instance, family members became angry because we did not leave the body in the ER for eight hours so that everyone could come and pay their respects. (Which I always thought was the purpose of a funeral home.)  In another, a family was angry because we did not allow everyone back into the room during the resuscitation of their cancer-stricken loved one — a resuscitation the family insisted upon, and which required rescinding hospice status. From observing their demeanor, their presence would have caused to... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3545440 Sat, 08 May 2010 14:00:15 +0100 3545440 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3519503&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F04%2F30%2F7-ways-to-beat-depression-if-youre-unemployed%2F The unemployment rate today has skyrocketed to approximately 10 percent and is forecast to stay above 9.5 percent for the rest of 2010. For the first time in American history, more women are working than men because close to 80 percent of the people laid off in the recent recession were men. According to a recent study published in the “International Journal of Epidemiology,” unemployment is a major risk factor for depression, even in people without previous vulnerability. Because my husband is an architect — the housing market is dead, remember — whose work has slowed down substantially, I have an invested interest in this topic and wanted to know what I could do to help him stay physically and emotionally healthy, since, theoretically, one of us should be. Here, ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3519503 Fri, 30 Apr 2010 16:30:00 +0100 3519503 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3511713&cid=t_373826_135_f&fid=35247&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyjourneywithaids.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F04%2F28%2Fmy-last-visit-with-craig-three-years-ago-today%2F From Mourning diary: Craig’s last days – and a few more April 28, 2007 – Update on Craig My sister Janice and I came to Montreal today for a visit with Claude, our sister Lynn and Craig. Little could have prepared us for how we found Craig. He is in very bad shape, from our [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS) My journey with AIDS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3511713 Wed, 28 Apr 2010 14:53:34 +0100 3511713 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3502952&cid=t_373826_135_f&fid=35247&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyjourneywithaids.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F04%2F24%2Fthe-happy-and-the-dreadfully-sad-of-april-24%2F Does anyone in Toronto know where I could get French-language greeting cards? Well, one more time, I had to mail an English birthday card to Craig’s partner, Claude.  Now he’s always up for anything that will improve his second-language skills but, as a gesture, I just think French-language cards for him would be nice. April [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS) My journey with AIDS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3502952 Sat, 24 Apr 2010 18:07:38 +0100 3502952 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3479871&cid=t_373826_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F04%2Fsubdued.html Aaron is drinking clear liquids and tolerating them fairly well this evening. Caleb has had some ice chips and we are waiting to see if that increases his diarrhea again or not. I miss my girls, my home. And my husband, oddly enough - being across the hall and seeing him for 20 minutes a day just isn't enough.Tomorrow is my grandpa's funeral. I have been trying all day to write the eulogy. Now I will be trying for a while tonight as well...Caleb apparently slept so much today that he is not particularly interested in going to bed yet. (Source: Turquoise Gates) Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3479871 Sat, 17 Apr 2010 01:44:00 +0100 3479871 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3463813&cid=t_373826_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F04%2Fplaces-of-pain.html Aaron is stable in the hospital with lots of diagnostic tests still pending. So far we know that his urine is very concentrated, bloody, and has lots of things present that indicate kidney issues or very severe dehydration. His liver function tests are somewhat abnormal. A CT scan this morning showed swelling in his intestines, and an x-ray this afternoon showed a paralytic ileus (intestinal blockage that can cause bowel perforation and death from widespread abdominal infection). The doctors are most concerned about E. coli, and a hemorrhagic colitis (intestinal inflammation and bleeding) it can cause. I am hopeful he will start to turn around tomorrow after 24 hours of fluids, morphine, and antibiotics. In this season of loss and grief, it is hard to be apart and even harder to keep my br... Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3463813 Tue, 13 Apr 2010 02:03:00 +0100 3463813 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3472054&cid=t_373826_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FRecoveryIsSexycom%2F%7E3%2FEfD_ige1zWQ%2F I’ve noticed that most of the discussion is from the female perspective. Probably because most of the people who participate are women, so that’s understandable. But I hope to shed some light on the male side of things the best I can. Usually when a woman is in emotional pain she needs to vent, and it really helps if that place to vent is as anonymous as possible. Women are made differently than men. A man will usually retreat to some place of quiet – some place where there is nothing going on at all – where he can regroup – somewhere where he can think and sort everything out. Like when Teddy Roosevelt lost his wife and mother in the same day – he went to the Badlands alone and spent time in the wilderness thinking things through. He was there for several mont... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3472054 Tue, 13 Apr 2010 01:13:09 +0100 3472054 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3443859&cid=t_373826_129_f&fid=36035&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-chronic-pain%2Fadapting-to-a-life-of-chronic-pain%2F I may look the same as everyone else, but inside, I feel differently because I always have pain. It doesn’t come and go, like an errant neighbor; no, it stays, more like an inconsiderate relative who moved in without waiting for an invitation. When a cataclysmic event occurs in your life, like the advent of chronic pain, it changes you. Not only do you have the physical part of it to deal with, but because you still walk, hopefully, talk and breathe, you have to find a new and often inventive way to do everything. Life’s personal responsibilities remain, our family duties continue and the mere simple tasks of daily life call out to us; therefore you find new ways to do old, everyday jobs. Over the years on this blog I have discussed with all of you the many ways to ease life while at t... Life with Chronic Pain blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3443859 Wed, 07 Apr 2010 00:33:52 +0100 3443859 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3435143&cid=t_373826_129_f&fid=35709&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FUniqueButNotAlone%2F%7E3%2FJEn7fHUkAjA%2Ftheyre-here.html It usually begins this time of year. They come. They come without me inviting them to my life. They come like perfectly timed bombs. They come to remind me. They come to be remembered. They... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] (Source: Unique But Not Alone) Unique But Not Alone blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3435143 Sat, 03 Apr 2010 03:01:00 +0100 3435143 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3399131&cid=t_373826_136_f&fid=35316&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnotjustaboutcancer.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F03%2Fperspective-in-grey.html On June 30th it will be three years since my first clean scan, after the cancer had spread to my liver.For almost three years, I have had no evidence of disease (been NED, in cancer lingo).And yet I remain in treatment.I am asked frequently why I continue to receive chemotherapy and Herceptin, if there is no sign of cancer in my body. And the truth is that I often ask myself the same question. Certainly, I don't feel like I have cancer. And I do feel that the cumulative effects - both physical and emotional of ongoing treatment are wearing me down.I am stuck in cancer's grey area.My oncologist said to me last summer, "For all we know, you could be cured."We just don't know enough.Another oncologist I spoke to, hinted that some would take me out of treatment at this point. A third suggested... Not just about cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3399131 Tue, 23 Mar 2010 19:20:00 +0100 3399131 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3370473&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F03%2F16%2F7-ways-to-beat-depression-for-seniors%2F Roughly a quarter of people age 65 or older suffer from depression. More than half of doctor’s visits by the elderly involve complaints of emotional distress. Twenty percent of suicides in this country are committed by seniors, with the highest success rate belonging to older, white men. According to a recent report in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, depression is one of the major causes of decline in the health-related quality of life for senior citizens. Why all the depression? Rafi Kevorkian, M.D. calls them the five D’s: disability, decline, diminished quality of life, demand on caregivers, and dementia. To combat senior depression, then, requires coming up with creative methods to counter the five D’s. Here are 7 strategies to do just that, to help pe... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3370473 Tue, 16 Mar 2010 10:09:10 +0100 3370473 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3363790&cid=t_373826_135_f&fid=35247&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyjourneywithaids.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F03%2F14%2Fblogging-about-being-blogged-about%2F I was quick to post this link to Facebook yesterday from a website in Princeton which featured an interview-by-email with me on the subject of blogging about HIV/AIDS. Shruti Kalra, the writer of the piece, first contacted me early in the year, wondering a few things about me and this blog, and I wasn’t long agreeing to [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS) My journey with AIDS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3363790 Sun, 14 Mar 2010 10:29:48 +0100 3363790 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3331350&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F03%2F04%2Fwhy-are-so-many-teens-depressed%2F Entertainment Tonight recently reported that TV and music star Marie Osmond’s 18-year-old son, Michael Blosil, committed suicide last Friday in Los Angeles. In his suicide note, he described a life-long battle with depression, the reason for his suicide. Osmond said Michael became depressed after she and her ex-husband, Brian Blosil, separated, and that he entered rehab in November 2007. According to suicide.org, a teen takes his or her own life every 100 minutes. Suicide is the third-leading cause of death for young people ages 15 to 24. Approximately 20 percent of teens experience depression before they reach adulthood, and between 10 to 15 percent suffer from symptoms at any one time. Only 30 percent of depressed teens are being treated for it.Some teens are more at risk for teen ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3331350 Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:24:54 +0100 3331350 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3322412&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F03%2F01%2Fsuicide-celebrity-and-young-adulthood%2F With the recent spate of celebrity-related suicides — Alexander McQueen (a fashion designer), Andrew Koenig (from the TV series, Growing Pains), and now Michael Blosil, Marie Osmond’s 18-year-old son — it seems like a sad but appropriate time to weigh in on this tragic outcome of untreated (or under-treated) depression, which is the leading cause of suicide. Alicia Sparks, blogging over at Celebrity Psychings, notes recommendations for the media when reporting on suicide, because suicide contagion is a real phenomenon. That is, there is a small but statistically significant increase in suicide deaths after a reported suicide makes the media rounds. Especially when the person who died by suicide is a celebrity. While suicide feels like a very personal and intense situation tha... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3322412 Mon, 01 Mar 2010 22:05:32 +0100 3322412 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3314772&cid=t_373826_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F02%2Fvery-very-married.html This post was written by my friend Carrie, whose husband died recently of cancer. Our marriage was over long before it ended. Or did it end long before it was over?The road we traveled together should have been much longer - decades longer, winding over sunny hillocks and through dark forests, with long vistas, snow squalls, soft purple sunsets. Our marriage was cut short by Jeff's death from cancer seven months ago.Yet it seems I am still very, very married. I've been doing some public writing, "processing" how hard this all is: this grief thing, that cancer thing, the difficulties as well as some bits of grace and wonder we experienced the last couple of years. I have heard from not a few friends, both men and women, about their complicated relat... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3314772 Sat, 27 Feb 2010 17:06:44 +0100 3314772 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3271071&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F02%2F14%2F12-ways-to-mend-a-broken-heart%2F Bess Myerson once wrote that “to fall in love is awfully simple, but to fall out of love is simply awful,” especially if you are the one who wanted the relationship to last. But to stop loving isn’t an option. Author Henri Nouwen writes, “When those you love deeply reject you, leave you, or die, your heart will be broken. But that should not hold you back from loving deeply. The pain that comes from deep love makes your love ever more fruitful.” But how do we get beyond the pain? Here are 12 techniques I’ve gathered from experts and from conversations with friends on how they patched up their hearts and tried, ever so gradually, to move on. 1. Go through it, not around it. I realize the most difficult task for a person with a broken heart is to stand sti... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3271071 Sun, 14 Feb 2010 13:00:09 +0100 3271071 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3269716&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F02%2F13%2Fwhat-to-do-when-life-falls-apart-the-essential-6-step-program%2F What constitutes life falling apart? The death of a beloved spouse or family member? A marriage or relationship that has withered away or perhaps ended abruptly? A job loss potentially leading to financial ruin (or so you might think right now)? Whichever situation is closest to yours, there are some steps that you must go through to come out the other side with your heart — and new life — intact.   The 6 Steps Wallow in it. This step is essential. Repeat everything you went and are still going through many times to anyone who will listen. Good friends and family will be very patient with this part of the process. If your big life change included a cheating spouse, self-righteous indignation is appropriate at this point. Part of this step includes getting out of bed and... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3269716 Sat, 13 Feb 2010 13:22:56 +0100 3269716 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3262647&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F02%2F10%2Fwhat-two-poles%2F He looks as if he got confused when dressing this morning in his Eddie Bauer hiking boots and his Armani suit. Then I remember the snow and slush I schlepped through on the way to his office. Always ill prepared for wintry weather, or just too stubborn to buy hideous boots, I sit on his leather couch, nervously shaking my wet, tennis shoed foot, legs crossed, pillow clutched protectively in front of me and my demons. For $135, we are reviewing my meds today. On more than one occasion, it’s been pointed out that I “present” well. This psychological jargon translates into: me, looking just fine. By some unconscious effort, perhaps I do act in that manner. Still, no Oscar, or the riches that accompany it, arrives in my mail box. Go figure. Indeed, I am in grand shape. This is the only s... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3262647 Wed, 10 Feb 2010 22:15:45 +0100 3262647 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3247039&cid=t_373826_135_f&fid=35247&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyjourneywithaids.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F02%2F06%2F3026%2F What a shock to learn last evening of the death in a snowy afternoon traffic accident in Indiana of 21-year old Brendan Burke and his 18-year old companion Mark Reedy. The son of Leafs GM Brian Burke was a hockey player and coach himself on his way to law school. As you’ll see in this interview with [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS) My journey with AIDS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3247039 Sat, 06 Feb 2010 12:27:12 +0100 3247039 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3227963&cid=t_373826_136_f&fid=35316&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnotjustaboutcancer.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F02%2Fsoup-and-missing-muse.html I made three soups in January.Red lentil and carrot from Cooking With Foods That Fight Cancer.Broccoli cheddar from Looneyspoons.Jambalaya from Weight Watchers (heavily modified: I substituted white fish for shrimp, used more liquid and had sausage on the side, so folks could choose their level of spiciness. And I didn't use chicken. And I used different spices. This for me, was a wildly adventurous departure).If I don't run out of time today, I plan on making a pre-chemo Sweet potato and roasted garlic soup from the Eat Clean Diet. A friend gave this one to me. I recall it being time consuming but delicious..I have had a post on the tip of my fingers about my current highly ambivalent feelings about my life, identity and treatment but I can't seem to bring myself to write it.In fact, I ca... Not just about cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3227963 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:15:00 +0100 3227963 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3212378&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F01%2F26%2F10-ways-to-find-a-good-therapist%2F When we want to improve our bodies we pretty much know where to find help. This time of year the gyms are full and the meeting rooms at Weight Watchers are packed. But what do we do when we want to improve our inner selves, our relationships, or want to find help with depression or anxiety? Making the decision to find help is hard enough. Why should you have to get even more stressed out hunting for the right therapist? It’s like searching for a needle in a haystack unless you have some guidance. So here are a few tips: 1. Forget the yellow pages. A yellow pages listing is expensive so a lot of good people aren’t there. I’m not. Plus there is no oversight or regulation of who can list. 2. Ask a professional you already work with and trust. Your accountant, lawyer, dentist... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3212378 Wed, 27 Jan 2010 03:30:39 +0100 3212378 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3197844&cid=t_373826_136_f&fid=35316&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnotjustaboutcancer.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F01%2Fin-other-news.html I was felled by a yucky stomach bug this week and really didn't feel much like blogging. It's the price I pay for a weakened immune system. My older son is home sick today, too. Not sure what his excuse is.Also, my spouse is in Florida. As far as I know, he's not sick.To compensate for my bitterness at having been struck down during a week of single parenting (I know, some of you have to deal with this kind of thing all the time), I thought I would show off a little.Here is my latest clapotis. I made it for my mom.She thinks she's not very photogenic but I think she's lovely.I made this thing on tiny (2.75mm, if you care about these things) needles and a laceweight (read very fine) yarn. It nearly killed me. I was working on it during chemo one day and one of the pharmacists, herself a kni... Not just about cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3197844 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 19:22:00 +0100 3197844 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3153661&cid=t_373826_158_f&fid=36018&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcaregiversbeacon.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F01%2Fbereavement-and-inspiration-guest-post.html This is Sheila's Story of her love for her husband, Gary, pictured here, and of the bereavement and the inspirations that helped her to cope with the loss. Many thanks to you Sheila for emailing your story to me. Excerpts from Sheila's StoryWe had first met at Christian Teen Camp at Nanoose Bay, here on Vancouver Island, in mid July 1972. I was there, with 5 girlfriends as dishwashers, as none of our parents could afford the cost. He was standing quietly in front of the Lodge, with his bike, looking so very shy!I found myself wandering over, just to get a close look, as he was so very handsome. I asked if he was staying, & he replied 'no'. He had just ridden down from Powell River to see this place he'd heard so much about. And as he was working at the Mill there, for his Dad, he'd have to... The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3153661 Fri, 08 Jan 2010 07:53:00 +0100 3153661 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3142625&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F01%2F05%2Fthis-emotional-life-losing-a-brother-to-suicide%2F Harvard psychologist and bestselling author Daniel Gilbert has teamed up with Vulcan Productions and the NOVA/WGBH Science Unit to create a multimedia project called This Emotional Life. The second part of this 3-part documentary airs tonight on PBS, but you should also check out their website which features expert bloggers and clips from the series. Featured in the second episode is Robert Antonioni, a state senator in Massachusetts who faced up to his own depression after the suicide of his brother. His personal experience has strengthened his own position as a key policymaker in Massachusetts. I had the opportunity to interview him. Question: How did the suicide of your brother strengthen your position as a key policymaker in Massachusetts? Robert Antonioni: I gradually came to realize,... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3142625 Tue, 05 Jan 2010 12:07:47 +0100 3142625 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3136735&cid=t_373826_158_f&fid=36018&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcaregiversbeacon.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F01%2Fholidays-and-bereavement-joy-memories.html Laughter can change to tears in a moment for those who are coming out of grief after losing a loved one. The holidays are a time of gratitude, hope, and new beginnings. But those who are bereaved, even many years ago, can be surprised when unexpectedly something triggers the twinges of the old grief. Those who are widows and widowers know the feeling.In the midst of the celebrations something touches off a memory and suddenly there is the sharp pain of missing the loved one. One's chest squeezes, one's throat chokes, and a few tears, or a waterfall of tears, seems to come out of nowhere. It could be in the grocery store, at a party, or driving by a familiar scene. Other people, who have not experienced deep bereavement and these waves of grief that well up unexpectedly, might wonder what t... The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3136735 Sat, 02 Jan 2010 03:00:00 +0100 3136735 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3089503&cid=t_373826_136_f&fid=35316&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnotjustaboutcancer.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F12%2Fthese-are-questions-from-proust-quiz-in.html These are questions from the Proust quiz in a recent issue of Vanity Fair magazine. I stole the idea from a friend (she did it on Facebook, so I won't identify her here) and I've been thinking of it ever since.It was interesting to do. My answers reflect the fact that I have been in a somewhat melancholy mood of late. I tried to answer without censoring myself.Feel free to answer the questions in the comments or to link to your on blog if you do it there.What is your idea of perfect happiness?Being somewhere beautiful, being with someone I love. Happiness can come out of nowhere. I am better trained to notice it now.What is your greatest fear?That I will die and my kids will forget me.What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?Lack of discipline and the fear that causes it.What is the ... Not just about cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3089503 Mon, 14 Dec 2009 05:09:00 +0100 3089503 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3075571&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F12%2F10%2Fthe-7-kinds-of-hope%2F Awhile back Anthony Scioli, coauthor of “Hope in the Age of Anxiety” discussed nine forms of hopelessness and how you can overcome them. This week, I’ve invited Julie Neraas, author of “Apprenticed to Hope: A Sourcebook for Difficult Times,” to tell us about the different kinds of hope. Julie is an ordained minister, spiritual director and associate professor at Hamline University, and speaks regularly about hope, where it can guide you, how it can sustain you, and what meaning it can bring to your life. For more information visit www.julieneraas.com. Here’s Julie … Not all hopes are alike. There are many different kinds like daily hopes — that rain won’t spoil the picnic, that the dentist will not find cavities. Or still larger hopes,... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3075571 Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:24:34 +0100 3075571 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3059864&cid=t_373826_135_f&fid=35247&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyjourneywithaids.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F12%2F04%2Fdecember-6%2F “A government which lays white roses with one hand and distributes firearms with the other” -Laval MP Nicole Demers (Bloc Québecois) There was no mistaking the partisan nut-roasting but, as far as I’m concerned, point taken Mme. Demers!  The gun registry was Parliament’s tangible response to the massacre of December 6, 1989 and there is significant [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS) My journey with AIDS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3059864 Fri, 04 Dec 2009 18:32:00 +0100 3059864 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3019064&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F11%2F22%2Fsigns-of-suicide-from-kathryn-goetzke%2F Kathryn Goetzke is a depression survivor that began a non-profit organization for depression called iFred (the International Foundation for Research and Education on Depression) dedicated to encouraging research on depression and reducing the stigma associated with the disease. Kathryn lost both her father and her aunt to untreated depression — both tragically ending their lives in suicide. Kathryn herself experienced multiple depressive episodes before getting treatment. She began the organization in 2005, and it has attempted to bring more attention the impact that depression — and its untreated effects, such as suicide — has on families and society. Recently, the Chicago CBS affiliate interviewed her briefly for a story about the signs of suicide, after the suicide of ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3019064 Sun, 22 Nov 2009 21:01:01 +0100 3019064 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3015323&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F11%2F21%2Fsurviving-the-suicide-of-someone-you-love%2F My brother’s childhood best friend committed suicide. I was 16 years old at the time, Mark (not his real name) was 21. Mark’s parents were close friends of my parents; we played together as little kids, he was my first crush. We drifted apart as we grew up. Mark was a Kennedy-esque figure to me, handsome and smart. Everyone expected great things when he went off to an Ivy League law school. Then he was dead. I have a vivid memory of walking around the neighborhood with Mark’s brother at night. The adults were sitting shiva and he had to get away. Suddenly he grabbed a fallen branch and wailed it on the trunk of a tree. Raw anger. This family did heal. Before support groups or national days of recognition they talked about the conflicting emotions pain, anger, guilt. The ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3015323 Sat, 21 Nov 2009 14:19:11 +0100 3015323 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3003821&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F11%2F18%2Fholiday-blues-with-some-shades-of-grey%2F Meagan really wanted this Christmas to be “extra special” — not like last year, when the family dinner turned nasty and Uncle Fred left in a huff. But as Christmas approached, the shopping chores multiplied, and the savings account dwindled, Meagan became increasingly anxious and dejected. Paul, her husband, wasn’t of much help — he was preoccupied with his job search, after having been laid off two months ago. Meagan was left to deal with three school-age kids and a part-time “temp” job as a secretary. And all this, at a time Meagan strongly associated with her late mother, who always used to help with the holiday cooking — and who had passed away at about this time last year. In the past few days, Meagan had found it increasingly hard to fall asleep, ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3003821 Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:24:58 +0100 3003821 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3008174&cid=t_373826_111_f&fid=34712&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdigitaldoorway.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F11%2Frecovering-from-shock-of-suicide.html Losing a close friend to suicide is like having the fabric of one's life torn open without warning. It is a shocking loss, a bitter and horrific loss. What could be more disruptive to the normal trajectory of life?Having lost a friend to homicide (by police) in 2001 and now a friend to suicide in 2009, there is a continuum of grief and mourning along which I continue to travel. Ironically, it is only quite recently that I feel I've made significant progress in accepting and coming to terms with my friend's 2001 murder, so perhaps I have been handed this newest challenge in order to further sharpen my skills of recovery.Suicide, that most self-centered of acts, removes a person's physical presence in a sudden, unexpected and brutal way. This self-inflicted disappearance sends ripples---or p... Digital Doorway blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3008174 Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:47:00 +0100 3008174 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2993819&cid=t_373826_111_f&fid=34712&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdigitaldoorway.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F11%2Fdance-of-sudden-loss-and-grief.html Today I am reeling from devastating news of the sudden and tragic death of a very dear friend. Death frequently seems to visit when least expected, and this lack of ability to prepare for loss is one of the factors that can make it so difficult to cope when death pays a call.Eight years ago, another dear friend died unjustly at the hands of the police, followed by the death of my great-aunt, my beloved dog, and my step-father. Digesting this recent history, one of my personal themes for the majority of the last decade has been recovery from grief and traumatic loss.Now with another friend suddenly gone, the list of losses suffered over this last decade has lengthened, and my personal resiliency vis-a-vis grief and loss is challenged once again. In one respect, I am at a loss for words, but... Digital Doorway blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2993819 Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:49:00 +0100 2993819 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2984983&cid=t_373826_136_f&fid=35316&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnotjustaboutcancer.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F11%2Fmy-husbands-chest.html You don't need to tell me how lucky I am.I have a roof over my head, great medical care and I'm surrounded by people who love me.And don't think I forget how very lucky I am to be alive at all. Why did I get to go into remission? Why me? I am indeed very fortunate.But there are times when I do feel sad that I will never put this cancer behind me. I feel the toll ongoing treatment takes on my body and my emotional well being.So last night I stood in my kitchen, with my head on my husband's chest (we say we were built for each other. My head lands flat on his chest and tucks under his chin). He put his arms around me and we just stood there, breathing together.He didn't need to say anything. He understood my frustration. Only a few hours before I was finallly feeling sharp and healthy and en... Not just about cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2984983 Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:33:00 +0100 2984983 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2981138&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F11%2F11%2Fin-honor-of-veterans-2009%2F This Veterans Day, as we honor the sacrifices made by soldiers who’ve served and those who continue to do so, we mark the 91st anniversary of the end of World War I. It seems so long ago to most of us — ancient history. Yet history is a teacher and if we don’t listen, we’re bound to repeat the same mistakes. The mistake we’re repeating today is not doing enough to recognize and take care of veterans’ mental health needs. This isn’t some feel good mantra. This is a very real need that the military continues to have problems meeting. A professional, nonprofit that represents 1,600 behavioral healthcare organizations released a press release yesterday detailing some of the continuing issues. “For instance, while the Veterans Mental Health Act wa... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2981138 Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:46:09 +0100 2981138 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2981139&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F11%2F10%2F11-kinds-of-therapy-to-help-you-grieve-a-loss%2F Many readers are grieving loved ones, and the grief certainly contributes to their depression. A fantastic book I just came across is Solace: Finding Your Way Through Grief and Learning to Live Again by Roberta Temes, Ph.D., a noted psychotherapist and the author of “Living with an Empty Chair” and “The Tapping Cure.” I have reprinted with permission of her publisher 11 ways kinds of therapies, or activities, to help you grieve a loss. What can you do to feel better? Sometimes you need to take action. When you do something to relieve your feelings and to give yourself a sense of achievement, you are accomplishing your journey through bereavement. Here are some activities–and some behaviors you can do–that are therapeutic for you during your bereavement. ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2981139 Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:27:10 +0100 2981139 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2977337&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F11%2F09%2Fthe-psychology-of-hasan-the-ft-hood-shooter%2F I’ve held off in writing anything about the tragic Ft. Hood shooting, allowing some time for details to emerge and for emotions to settle. Random acts of violence always leave us all scratching our heads, but sometimes the violence seems so extreme, the act so irrational, one can’t help but turn and ask, “Why did he do it?” Major Nidal Malik Hasan is now apparently conscious and talking in his hospital bed, after being shot multiple times by Sgt. Kim Munley, a civilian police officer, who selflessly and heroically put herself in harm’s way in order to save countless of others’ lives. Munley is in stable but good condition and is very upbeat, according to news reports. Virginia Tech helped guide Munley’s aggressive response to Hasan’s shooting... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2977337 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:52:07 +0100 2977337 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2970349&cid=t_373826_129_f&fid=39065&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fgluten-freesimplicity%2FGNKb%2F%7E3%2FA2UnRdEpngM%2F All I am suggesting is that people who have been diagnosed with Gluten-Related health problems can possibly help themselves (and those around them) if they grieve their losses in a healthy way. (Source: Gluten-Free Simplicity) Gluten-Free Simplicity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2970349 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:35:25 +0100 2970349 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2967341&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F11%2F06%2Fhow-do-you-treat-empty-nest-depression%2F Several mom friends of mine have lately come down with a bad case of “empty-nest depression” — moms who just dropped off their youngest offspring to college, or moms having difficulty keeping busy now that the youngest is in kindergarten all day. I googled the term “empty-nest depression” to see what I could find on this topic. I was surprised to see the Beyond Blue post I wrote in 2007 at the top of the search results. But, after reading it, I can see why it was so popular. I merely asked a question, and all of you answered it. On the comment box of that post are written different kinds of compassionate and insightful responses to my question: How do you treat empty-nest depression? Beyond Blue reader Barbara initiated the discussion with this practical piec... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2967341 Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:27:41 +0100 2967341 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2902814&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F10%2F18%2F7-myths-of-depression%2F Depression is often viewed as the “common cold” of mental disorders, because it is so prevalent in our lives. The lifetime prevalence of depression suggests that more than 1 in 9 people could be diagnosed with the disorder at one point in their lives. And unlike some other mental disorders, depression affects virtually every aspect of what you do and how you interact with others. Every year, it wreaks havoc in millions of Americans’ lives, especially amongst those who believe it is something you should just “get over” on your own. Here are seven common myths about depression, and the facts that answer them. 1. Depression means I’m really “crazy” or just weak. While depression is indeed a serious mental disorder, it is no more serious than mos... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2902814 Sun, 18 Oct 2009 11:05:35 +0100 2902814 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2876326&cid=t_373826_136_f&fid=39025&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Feverythingchangesbook%2F%7E3%2FbIC8OY6mMp4%2Fend-of-life-cancer “Are you going to write in your book about the people who died?  It is so depressing,” a person in the publishing world asked while I was writing Everything Changes.  My answer: a polite version of “You better f***ing believe I am.” How could I write a book about cancer and exclude the people who died and their families?  Yep, it has its sad moments, but that’s why cancer sucks.  That’s why we raise money for research.  That’s why I write a blog and wrote a book, and promote young adult cancer organizations: all so we can support each other around the pissy hard times. Charissa is an recent widow who I’ve become friends with.  She is an incredible woman who I adore.  (See her recent post Mourning As A Young Adult?)  And I love my regular communication wi... Everything Changes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2876326 Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:44:32 +0100 2876326 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2865878&cid=t_373826_135_f&fid=35247&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyjourneywithaids.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F10%2F05%2Fon-david-dewees-and-trial-by-sensationalist-media%2F Anyone who knows me, and my story, knows that I have no tolerance for child abuse. Nothing so horrible was alleged in the case of the late David Dewees. While no doubt serious the charges, which led to him taking his own life long before they would go to court, seemed to have [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS) My journey with AIDS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2865878 Mon, 05 Oct 2009 23:22:55 +0100 2865878 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2809717&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F09%2F19%2F8-survival-tips-for-the-spouse-of-a-terminally-ill-person-an-interview-with-owen-surman-md%2F Recently I had the honor of interviewing Owen Stanley Surman, M.D., a practicing hospital psychiatrist known internationally for his work on psychiatric and ethical aspects of solid organ transplantation. Following the death of his wife, Dr. Surman devoted six years to writer a memoir, “The Wrong Side of an Illness: A Doctor’s Love Story,” which includes a deeply personal and unique view of events both tragic and transcendent. He now lives in Boston with his new wife.   Question: What words of wisdom would you give the spouse of a person struggling with chronic illness or terminally ill? Dr. Surman: Chronic illness and terminal illness have a pervasive impact on how we live our lives and in our sense of identity. Loss of a loved one affects the part of ourselves that... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2809717 Sat, 19 Sep 2009 13:55:18 +0100 2809717 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2807659&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F09%2F18%2Fsuicide-rates-unchanged-but-lots-more-think-about-it%2F Thanks to Philip over at Furious Seasons, we find that suicide rates for 2006 (the last year the government has data for) remain virtually unchanged from 2005 and 2004. Despite the dire warnings we heard about the decline of antidepressant medications (due to an FDA-mandated “black box” warning) leading to a huge spike in suicide rates, it appears not to be the case. The real story here is that the pundits and experts warning of such spikes were all wrong, and that the suicide rates have basically remained stable for the past few years. Antidepressant medications are a valuable treatment option for the millions of Americans who take them. But they are not the only treatment option, and most people realize that (if not at first, then eventually when they get frustrated by the l... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2807659 Fri, 18 Sep 2009 13:06:40 +0100 2807659 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2785976&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F09%2F10%2F7-ways-to-manage-anxiety-on-an-anniversary%2F Most of us circle a few days of the calendar year that we know will be difficult to get through: the anniversary of a death, traumatic event, or even happy occasion. These dates are charged with emotion. September 11 falls under that category for most of us, and especially those living in New York or surrounding areas and families and loved ones of those killed in the terrorist attacks. The one benefit from anniversary anxiety is that we can predict it and therefore prepare for it. Here are 8 ways to do just that. 1. Forecast your emotions. You’ve circled the day. You know it’s coming. Now get honest with yourself about how you might feel on that day. If it’s the anniversary of a death of a loved one, get ready to celebrate that person’s life with joy and sadness. ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2785976 Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:40:44 +0100 2785976 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2772560&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F09%2F07%2Fthe-irony-of-labor-day-in-todays-economy%2F For millions of people getting the day off on Labor Day isn’t a problem. The unemployment numbers are in the double digits in many states, 9.7 at latest count for the United States. Sadly, as pointed out in the New York Times article Out of Work and Too Down to Search On, these statistics don’t capture the people who have given up. In the most direct measure of job market hopelessness, the [Bureau of Labor Statistics] has a narrow definition of a group it classifies as “discouraged workers.” These are people who have looked for work at some point in the past year but have not looked in the last four weeks because they believe that no jobs are available or that they would not qualify, among other reasons. In August, there were roughly 758,000 discouraged workers nationally, compare... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2772560 Mon, 07 Sep 2009 14:29:44 +0100 2772560 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2768813&cid=t_373826_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F09%2Fpenelope-has-died.html Penelope, a much-loved member of our circle of cancer bloggers, has died. I heard the news from Teri, who received an e-mail from Penelope's husband. Penelope had melanoma, which had spread to her lungs and brain. Penelope lived an idyllic-sounding life on a farm in Oregon with her family and some livestock, including goats. She and I never met, except through e-mail and our blogs, but we communicated about the topics closest to us--our children, other members of our families, how to live the best life possible with this sword hanging over our heads. ... I know that Penelope worried about her daughter, who is 8, I believe, and she was very upset when Debutaunt died, leaving 9-year-old Zoe without a mother. We e-mailed back and forth about that. Here are just a f... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2768813 Fri, 04 Sep 2009 23:36:15 +0100 2768813 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2752116&cid=t_373826_136_f&fid=35316&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnotjustaboutcancer.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F08%2Fall-good-things.html Today is a pretty emotional day for my little family.Tomorrow, my youngest, will start Grade One at a new school. While that's a pretty big deal in and of itself (at least it's the same school his big brother attends), this also marks his last day at the day care housed in his old school.My family has been involved (except for a few years between kids and when D. was in home care), with the Glebe Parents' Day Care since 1999, when S. was a toddler. It's a great day care but the staff at their First Avenue program are truly exceptional.When S. was "emergency airlifted" out of First Avenue in Grade One, they re-opened the day care an hour early so that staff could meet him at the bus (his temporary school was further away and the school day ended earlier) for the rest of the term (from Febru... Not just about cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2752116 Mon, 31 Aug 2009 17:05:00 +0100 2752116 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2747985&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F08%2F30%2Fthe-miracle-worker-edward-m-kennedy%2F Senator Edward Kennedy pushed for equality among the underprivileged and desired reform for America’s mental health system. He was a gift from God — it was as if God had reached down from heaven through Sen. Kennedy to influence the very pinnacle of change. Following the funeral held August 29, 2009 that immersed America in sorrow — yet also in gratitude — the torch shall remain lit and glow brighter as people work in his name to finish the efforts he began in 1962. As President Obama said at his funeral, Senator Kennedy was “a champion for those who had none [...] a kind and tender hero.” If it were not for the service of the Kennedys and for their endless dedication to equality for mental and physical disabilities, Congress would not have passed the Mental... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2747985 Sun, 30 Aug 2009 14:03:56 +0100 2747985 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2734219&cid=t_373826_135_f&fid=35247&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyjourneywithaids.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F08%2F26%2Ffacebook-has-distracted-me-away-from-blogging%2F Ted Kennedy Tribute: 2008 DNC Convention in Denver Over the din of commentators, warming their robotic hands against the barely dead Ted Kennedy, and please read this report on his pioneering political fights against AIDS, I have been trying to remember the 1980s with a little more precision than is usually called for. See thanks to [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS) My journey with AIDS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2734219 Wed, 26 Aug 2009 10:10:08 +0100 2734219 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2678823&cid=t_373826_135_f&fid=35247&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyjourneywithaids.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F08%2F06%2F2457%2F This was a therapy day so, as the subject of self-love came up, I did a search for Jai Michael Josephs’ song “I Love Myself the Way I Am”, which was included on an early Louise Hay tape I bought in the late 1980s. I’ll paste the lyrics below the YouTube recording by Steve [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS) My journey with AIDS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2678823 Thu, 06 Aug 2009 23:55:59 +0100 2678823 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2670881&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fimproved_prolonged_grief_disorder_criteria_to_help_bereave.htm Andrew Hyde PLoS Medicine Identification of criteria for the detection of prolonged grief disorder (PGD) appear able to identify bereaved persons at heightened risk for enduring distress and dysfunction, says a new study in this week's open access journal PLoS Medicine. The results support the psychometric validity of the criteria for prolonged grief disorder and should be included in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-V) and the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-11), say the authors. Dr Holly Prigerson from the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts and her colleagues conducted a field trial to develop and evaluate algorithms for diagnosing prolonged grief disorder based on a set of sym... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2670881 Wed, 05 Aug 2009 08:47:00 +0100 2670881 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2660927&cid=t_373826_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F07%2Fa-death-in-the-family.html During the years I've lived with cancer, my friends have become my family, and the friends I know only through my blog have a special place in my heart. So when someone in this circle dies, I feel like it is a death in the family. I just received an e-mail today from a woman who has been writing to me for awhile, a woman whose husband had colon cancer ... and she told me that her husband died yesterday morning. Even though I didn't know him, I mourn his passing, and my heart is heavy. I don't feel the need to put out a call for action ... or to raise money ... or to rally round a ribbon of any color ... or to cry out at the unfairness of this disease ... I just want to feel what I feel, which is grief, for the loss of my friend's husband, and f... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2660927 Sat, 01 Aug 2009 02:30:00 +0100 2660927 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2649034&cid=t_373826_106_f&fid=36682&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSutureForALiving%2F%7E3%2Fm9cVeQPd3q8%2Fno-call-or-card.html Today is my birthday.   Birthday’s have always been quietly celebrated in my family.  There were too many of us to get large or numerous gifts, so the day was made special in other ways.  Mom made the cake or pie of your choice.  As we grew up and left home, we sent cards and made phone calls to each other.   I won’t get my phone call or card from my mom this year.  This makes me sadder than I’d like to admit.  I do have a coupon for a free serving of ice cream from Cold Stone Creamery.  I plan on stopping by on my way home today as I try to celebrate today rather than grieve. (Source: Suture for a Living) Suture for a Living blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2649034 Wed, 29 Jul 2009 11:01:00 +0100 2649034 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2626228&cid=t_373826_135_f&fid=35247&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyjourneywithaids.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F07%2F21%2Fraging-like-our-lives-depend-on-it-because-they-do%2F The vote, 52-1, was not even close but Manhattan New York State Senator Tom Duane took no chances after rival Republicans killed two of his bills earlier in the day. He unleashed this impassioned speech, with long pauses and end-of-phrase shouts – in the state legislature in Albany, speaking in favour of capping subsidized [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS) My journey with AIDS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2626228 Tue, 21 Jul 2009 21:58:41 +0100 2626228 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2613899&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F07%2F18%2Fhow-does-a-person-live-and-cope-with-a-dysfunctional-family-an-interview-with-nancy-bachrach%2F Today’s interview is somewhat untraditional, but I think you’ll enjoy it. After I read the hilarious anecdotes in Nancy Bachrach’s newly released memoir, “The Center of the Universe,” I knew I had to dig a little more on how, exactly, she copes with a dysfunctional family. Nancy formerly worked in advertising in New York and Paris, where she got to “spin hot air like cotton candy, glorifying her clients’ beloved denture adhesives and powdered orange-juice substitutes.” Before that? She was a “clumsy waitress at Howard Johnson’s, an overzealous customer-service rep fired for making genuine apologies, a stenographer for an insomniac poet, and a teaching assistant in the philosophy department at Brandeis University, where she was one... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2613899 Sat, 18 Jul 2009 10:19:47 +0100 2613899 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2602207&cid=t_373826_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F07%2Ftuesday-ramble.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2602207 Wed, 15 Jul 2009 01:17:00 +0100 2602207 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2591675&cid=t_373826_136_f&fid=35316&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnotjustaboutcancer.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F07%2Frip-emily.html She was known as Sepha and her blog was Undone.I have been meaning to email her, send her a package, comment on her blog. I have been thinking of her lots.Now we have lost another one. Another smart, funny, creative woman has succumbed far too young to cancer.Life, sometimes is so unfair. And damn, I wish I had sent that package.My heart goes out to her family and her Dear Other.I hate cancer. (Source: Not just about cancer) Not just about cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2591675 Fri, 10 Jul 2009 19:25:00 +0100 2591675 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2584216&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F07%2F08%2Fmichael-jacksons-brain-and-the-false-narrative%2F Since the news media seems to be unable to tear itself away from the Michael Jackson story, we learn about every fascinating detail about his life, and his death. Including the details of standard autopsy procedures, as though they were new or bizarre. The latest, of course, is that Michael Jackson’s body is being buried without his brain. But this is not unusual in an autopsy where the cause of death isn’t certain and the brain is suspected to carry some clues. The brain needs to harden, in order to perform the later slicing needed in the autopsy procedure: It involves removing the brain from the skull and leaving it to soak in a diluted mixture of formaldehyde and water called formalin. This soaking process usually takes four weeks and the brain genuinely does harden. Vaug... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2584216 Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:24:00 +0100 2584216 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2576651&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F07%2F06%2Fguilt-shame-and-public-life%2F Several public figures passed away last week, including Ed McMahon, Billy Mays, Farrah Fawcett and of course, Michael Jackson. Each of them made a difference for people and we don’t have to go into how they were important. The point is, they were and will remain important for years to come. When I consider the tragic life that Michael Jackson led, and how he told his former wife, Lisa Marie Presley, that he was afraid he would die the way her father Elvis did, one wonders how many other people have had the internal struggles that Jackson did. People get addicted to innumerable things. Alcohol, drugs, gambling, food, sex, shopping, video games—each is problematic and each can lead to destruction. But in Jackson’s case it was a combination of problems. He struggled with self-este... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2576651 Mon, 06 Jul 2009 12:38:00 +0100 2576651 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2573067&cid=t_373826_135_f&fid=35247&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyjourneywithaids.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F07%2F05%2Ffor-kims-son%2F I met her at a meeting probably eleven or twelve years ago. We instantly connected because of our shared status as HIV-positive people in recovery. I adopted the runt of a litter of kittens. Emma is with me to this day. During a subsequent relapse Kim became pregnant but quickly came back to [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS) My journey with AIDS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2573067 Mon, 06 Jul 2009 01:00:15 +0100 2573067 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2527857&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F06%2F26%2Fthe-loss-of-3-entertainment-icons-jackson-fawcett-mcmahon%2F It’s been a rough week in the entertainment world, with the loss of three stars in music, Hollywood and television. With the passing of Michael Jackson (music, mostly in the 1980s), Farrah Fawcett (movies), and Ed McMahon (The Tonight Show and Star Search), the world has lost some significant talent. Each, in their own way, contributed something special and unique to their field. You couldn’t have grown up in the 1980s and not been affected by Michael Jackson’s music (regardless of whether you liked him or not, doubtless one of your friends or girlfriend/boyfriend did). The later recriminations against Michael Jackson and his alleged interest in young boys no doubt will tarnish his otherwise popular rock career. Farrah Fawcett was, for better or worse, an icon of female ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2527857 Fri, 26 Jun 2009 22:01:10 +0100 2527857 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2517380&cid=t_373826_135_f&fid=35247&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyjourneywithaids.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F25%2Fthe-richness-of-life-with-friends%2F It was, as I said on my facebook page, an amazing night of remembering, crying and healing at the 25th Annual Candlelight AIDS Vigil. A true sign of the richness of my life is that I didn’t get the chance to hug everybody that I knew there. Maybe it was the fact that it was the [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS) My journey with AIDS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2517380 Fri, 26 Jun 2009 03:17:23 +0100 2517380 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2511155&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F06%2F24%2Ftips-to-find-a-good-enough-doctor%2F When you have a chronic illness your relationship with your doctor is second only to your spouse or your parents. Being honest (and you must be honest!) with that person means being able to trust them to hear you. In my CI career I fired three highly recommended specialists because they were rude poopy heads. Thankfully I’ve also had wonderful physicians who literally saved my life and my mind. Not uncommonly for people with chronic illness, the path to find a good-enough doctor is an odyssey. Laura Hillenbrand, author of the fabulous book Seabiscuit: An American Legend, was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome but not before she was put through all kinds of humiliation by physicians who out of ignorance did not listen to her. “The doctor I found waved me into a chair and began ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2511155 Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:11:33 +0100 2511155 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2474057&cid=t_373826_135_f&fid=35247&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyjourneywithaids.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F12%2Faids-vigil-to-mark-its-25th-year%2F The AIDS Memorial Cawthra Square Park, Toronto Thursday, June 25, 2009 | 9:00PM Hosted by Quinn Johnston, Billy Newton-Davis, Shari Margolese For More Information | 416.392.6878 Ext 4012 | www.the519.org The public is invited to attend the 25th Anniversary of the annual AIDS Candlelight Vigil, on Thursday evening, June 25, 2009, at 9:00 p.m.at the AIDS Memorial in Cawthra Park. [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS) My journey with AIDS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2474057 Fri, 12 Jun 2009 19:20:51 +0100 2474057 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2788898&cid=t_373826_101_f&fid=38978&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveringgradyaddict.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F06%2Fmental.html Many of you know that I have recently relocated to a new city. One of the facility contracts we have is a hospital, on the local Army base. Yesterday I was dispatched out to transfer a patient to the other VA Hospital, which from my understanding, is primarily a inpatient psychiatric facility with a few primary care offices.I arrived on the floor to get report from the nurse to find out that our patient was a 24 year old male, who was hospitalized for a suicide attempt. He returned from the Middle East with both his legs amputated, one just above the knee the other nearly to his hip. He "survived" an explosion, I assumed a buried bomb, landmine, or direct heavy fire. I didn't want to ask. The blast not only took his legs, but shattered his pelvis, which took months of surgeries and physica... RECOVERING GRADY ADDICT blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2788898 Sun, 07 Jun 2009 17:05:00 +0100 2788898 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2453096&cid=t_373826_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fcelebrating-the-birthday-of-a-life-lost-to-cancer%2F Last week my husband and I had the opportunity to meet a fabulous woman. Sheila is the kind of woman who greets you with a beautiful smile and then treats you like her best friend. We started talking and we told her how Bob was diagnosed with prostate cancer last fall and I had been diagnosed with breast cancer only a few years earlier. We asked her what could be worse than that for a family? She excitedly applauded that I was a breast cancer survivor but then gently said, “I can tell you what’s worse than that.”  She told us that even worse than that was losing your baby to breast cancer. We sat shocked as she told us the story of her 31-year-old daughter who had been diagnosed with breast cancer. The cancer went into remission for a while but then came back to claim her daughter&#... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2453096 Wed, 03 Jun 2009 15:59:43 +0100 2453096 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2442594&cid=t_373826_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F05%2Fdebs-last-post.html During the final days and weeks of her life, my dear friend Debutaunt was thinking of us, and what she wanted to say to us, the friends she left behind. Her older sister, known as Sis #1 on the Debutaunt blog, posted Deb's last message. Here it is:Not Even Death Can Stop Deb From Having Her Say If you would like to do something for Deb, or in her memory, may I suggest making a donation to her daughter Zoe's college fund? There's a link to do that in the right hand column on her blog. I don't know how long Deb's family is planning to leave her blog on the Web, but I hope it will be for a good long time. And for those of us who are also living with cancer, and blogging, here are some things to think about: For Cancer Bloggers ... @ Jeanne Sat... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2442594 Fri, 29 May 2009 15:51:52 +0100 2442594 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2442675&cid=t_373826_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F05%2F5am-blue-skies.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2442675 Fri, 29 May 2009 01:23:00 +0100 2442675 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2441512&cid=t_373826_106_f&fid=36682&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSutureForALiving%2F%7E3%2FZr1XGhn5pYw%2Fgrieving.html We buried my mother last Friday, May 22, 2009.  I find myself moving through each day trying to get things back to normal, but unsure I will ever accomplish that goal.  I was never very good at picking up the phone to call my mom though I did on her birthday and on holidays.  I was good at writing her notes.  Over the past several years I have written her at least one note/letter each month and an e-mail now and then.  My father died when I was only eight, so I have some experience with grief.  Still this is different, magnified.  I am now an orphan. I do not believe I am as good a writer as Meghan O'Rourke.   She has written a series of articles dealing with the loss of her mother which I found thanks to Christian Sinclair, MD (PalliMed). ... Suture for a Living blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2441512 Mon, 25 May 2009 11:01:00 +0100 2441512 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2442531&cid=t_373826_135_f&fid=35247&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyjourneywithaids.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F24%2Fits-been-twenty-years%2F Because I do not know the exact date in May this seems as good a time as any to mark the twentieth anniversary of my HIV-positive diagnosis. It was March of 1990 when I received definitive word at which time suspicious blood samples from the previous May were tested for HIV specifically and they were also [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS) My journey with AIDS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2442531 Mon, 25 May 2009 02:49:06 +0100 2442531 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2424380&cid=t_373826_133_f&fid=35124&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Faspergerwoman%2F%7E3%2FlX3azJ4EhMY%2Fautism-grief.html Tell me if I am wrong, but in my humble opinion many NT people might judgde the emotions of people with autism (secretly) as "being second hand". It is like a bit of " ahhh, poor auti, he of she has emotions too, we should take their emotions serious too..." Some NT people do play this game with people with autism. They do not want to disembarras themselves and do not want to be rude but their attitude is often a play which is easy to see through. Know what I mean? In my opinion many (high funtioning) people with autism do have the skills to express their emotions like sadness, joy, anger, shame, love and many more. We can feel those emotions, but the way we show them could be different. What do you think of the way people with autism handle grief? These days once more the emotion of grief... The Art of Being Asperger Woman blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2424380 Tue, 19 May 2009 16:49:00 +0100 2424380 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2424428&cid=t_373826_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F05%2Fdebutaunt-celebrates.html If there was one thing my dear friend Debutaunt--who died yesterday--knew how to do, it was celebrate. So if you were a friend of Deb's and are, like me, mourning her loss, please go to this link to see a photo of Deb in happier times. Jenna posted this photo to her Flickr site, and it is of Jenna and Deb at one of the THREE parties Deb had to celebrate her 40th birthday. Like I say, the girl knew how to celebrate. And we loved her for it. Deb and Jenna @ Jeanne Sather 2009. (Source: The Assertive Cancer Patient) The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2424428 Tue, 19 May 2009 16:25:48 +0100 2424428 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2415735&cid=t_373826_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F05%2Fdebutaunt-died-this-morning.html Deb died this morning, and I am sad, sad, sad. I wish I could rant at how unfair this is, but cancer is unfair. Fairness just doesn't come into it. Deb was so young, and leaves behind a daughter who is only 8. I'm crying for Zoe. And Deb fought so hard, for so long, and managed to keep her sense of humor through it all--not that she wasn't up for a good rant once in awhile, but even her rants were usually funny. I'm crying for Deb. I look around the circle of bloggers who I consider my inner circle, and three are gone now, in just a few months. John. Sara. And now Deb. I'm crying for all of us, who loved them and will miss them.How am I supposed to carry on with my anti-pink-ribbon rants without Debutaunt to find the tackiest, most offensive pink... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2415735 Mon, 18 May 2009 23:24:04 +0100 2415735 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2415736&cid=t_373826_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F05%2Fmy-dear-debutaunt.html I've had e-mails and phone calls from two of Deb's sisters in the past few days, and the end of Deb's life is near. Jenna wrote on her Flickr site that it is hard to answer questions about how Deb is doing right now, so keep that in mind if you want to get in touch with the family. If you want to read what Jenna has written about Deb recently, go to her Flickr site Debutaunt's words are all over my blog, going back to 2006 when my blog was new. Deb was one of the first to welcome me to the world of cancer blogging. The easiest way to find her comments and the posts I've written about her is to go to the search box in the right column and search for "Debutaunt."I find it almost impossible to believe that Deb is dying, even though I saw her recently ... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2415736 Sun, 17 May 2009 23:57:53 +0100 2415736 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2406032&cid=t_373826_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F05%2Fdeath-of-a-kitten.html There is no easy way to say this, except to jump right in: Little Charlie, the smaller of the two kittens I was fostering, died last night.I am so sad, and it's hard not to feel like it was my fault.I knew he was sick yesterday, and I called Missy at Animal Talk Rescue to ask her what to do. (He had diarrhea.) She told me the dose on the antibiotic, so I gave him that, and then I was supposed to take him in today to be wormed, because she thought that was the most likely cause. But when I got up at midnight to check on him, he was gone. The remaining kitten, poor Wilber, is confused. He keeps looking for his brother. I took Wilber in to the rescue this afternoon to be wormed, and had to leave him there, and I also took in poor Charlie's body. They had proble... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2406032 Thu, 14 May 2009 23:05:11 +0100 2406032 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2406116&cid=t_373826_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F05%2Fhealing-power-of-grief-and-memories.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2406116 Tue, 12 May 2009 03:13:00 +0100 2406116 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2376787&cid=t_373826_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fmedicating-your-grief-wont-help-you.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2376787 Tue, 28 Apr 2009 06:29:00 +0100 2376787 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2368725&cid=t_373826_158_f&fid=36018&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcaregiversbeacon.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fbereavement-series-finale-in-loving.html Love Is Eternal.In Loving Memory and Dedicated to William L. Hough, Sr., who loved wildlife and the wilderness. Thank you Bill for so many incredible times enjoying nature's beauty and for encouraging me to get started in multimedia on computers. The Beauty of the Oregon Coast Wilderness will always remind me of you. Kristi (Source: The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News) The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2368725 Mon, 27 Apr 2009 01:00:00 +0100 2368725 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2365500&cid=t_373826_177_f&fid=38134&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbabybound.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F24%2Fin-other-news%2F So I realize that I sound like an emo teenager lately but I assure you, I haven’t started overdoing the black mascara and adding safty pins to my clothes.  Its simply not a good look for me and frankly I’m way too blond and preppy to pull it off.  While I am sad as hell and cry a lot, I’m not suicidal.  I mean please, that just sounds messy and if I’m dead who will clean it up?  I can’t live out eternity knowing I left a mess. I’d love to be able to write a whole post right now about puppies and kittens and rainbows, but I can’t.   If happy is what you’re looking for, I suggest you just skip this one. Remember back a million years ago in March when my Grandfather had a stroke?  Yeah I know, I totally stopped talkin about that didn&#821... B a b y B o u n d blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2365500 Fri, 24 Apr 2009 21:13:04 +0100 2365500 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2348494&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34859&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dare-to-dream.us%2Farchives%2F2009%2F04%2Fforgiveness_therapy_endorsed_by_a_skeptic.php Since I heard of all the excitement in the therapy literature about forgiveness therapy, I've been a skeptic. I've worked with a lot of people who have experienced unforgivable abuse. Often they are tortured by their feelings of anger, resentment, helplessness, violation, and shame for allowing themselves to be a victim. They also feel guilt about their anger with the perpetrator so much so they feel morally obligated to forgive the perpetrator. When they do, they seem to feel no personal relief from forgiveness except for less anger and guilt and a better relationship with the perpetrator. But they seem no closer to recovery than before. I work with persons with depression and anxiety, as well as long standing serious problems with relationships (personality disorder) due to growing up ... Ψ Dare To Dream... blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2348494 Mon, 20 Apr 2009 00:01:41 +0100 2348494 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2349630&cid=t_373826_137_f&fid=35352&url=http%3A%2F%2Fyellowwallpaper.net%2Fblog1%2F2009%2F04%2F15%2Fone-year-later%2F Today bears the same date as the day my mother died, but that day will always be a Tuesday to me.  It felt like a Tuesday.  Or maybe Tuesdays will always feel like that day, which was sunny in that extra bright early spring way.  No leaves on the trees yet, exposing the squirrels and birds as they reorganized.  Daffodils all over the place but not yet the lush green of deep spring. I’m still surprised at times to realize that she’s gone.  Seeing her name on the grave marker was probably as close as I’ve come to fully realizing her death. I think I’ve used the phrase “suspension of disbelief” before–Coleridge coined the phrase to refer to a reader’s response to the fantastic in an otherwise credible story.  If a story resonates with the ... The Yellow Wallpaper blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2349630 Wed, 15 Apr 2009 22:01:02 +0100 2349630 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2342013&cid=t_373826_158_f&fid=36018&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcaregiversbeacon.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fbereavement-series-learning-something.html Nothing and no one can replace the special uniqueness of the loved one you have lost.Personal growth, learning something new, doing something you've never done before, is a way to jumpstart life again.After losing my husband in 1996 to cancer, and now after losing my beloved friend Bill this year to heart surgery, I know I've got to pull myself up and get going. They would each want me to enjoy life, have adventures, and use my abilities to give something beautiful to the world and to others.I'm learning new computer programs, starting a new video project for the internet, and exploring the wilderness in Oregon. All the time I feel that the spirits of the ones I've lost are gently encouraging me forward and providing inspiration. (Source: The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, N... The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2342013 Tue, 14 Apr 2009 18:58:00 +0100 2342013 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2325107&cid=t_373826_134_f&fid=35187&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDiabetesDaily%2F%7E3%2FXhOAWlYPWWs%2Fhow-to-grieve-with-diabetes.php My appointment with my endocrinologist went well, and I felt satisfied with the amount of time she spent with me (about ten minutes). She answered all of my questions and was positive despite a less than ideal status report. Frustrated, I listened as she reported that my A1C was 8.0. I was more than surprised. I was shocked. I thought for sure my A1C would be in the 6's, having... (Source: Diabetes Daily) Diabetes Daily blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2325107 Thu, 09 Apr 2009 21:06:59 +0100 2325107 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2326688&cid=t_373826_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fcomparing-our-grief-credentials.html This is a personal story, one that has been a painful memory for me for a long time. My father died of cancer, as I've said before, and my cousin, who was exactly two weeks older than me, died in a car crash when she was 20 or 21. So my mother lost her husband, and my aunt lost her daughter. They are sisters, and have never really gotten along. But this is the painful memory part: At one point, my mother and aunt actually had an argument about which was more painful: To lose your husband or to lose your child. I find this appalling, and my point is this: What is the point of comparing griefs and saying, "My grief is greater than your grief"? What does that prove?I bring this up now because some of the comments added to my post about the Hallmark ... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2326688 Thu, 09 Apr 2009 17:04:10 +0100 2326688 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2302502&cid=t_373826_158_f&fid=36018&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcaregiversbeacon.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fbereavement-series-opening-to-new.html The empty places in life that were filled by a dear loved one mean that recreating the same life without that person won't work. Life looks like a piece of swiss cheese full of holes.Opening to new experiences, a willingness to try things you've never done before helps bring good things out of the pain of loss. Thinking of the inter-connectedness of all things, and of joining up again with the community of living things, is part of recovery from bereavement.Bereavement seems to be a solo journey of a seeker. No one can replace the unique essence of the person who is gone, and what the person meant to you.I could see I would need to be braver and venture out where I hadn't been before after I lost my husband. Now, after losing a dear companion, Bill, again I can see I need to go out into th... The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2302502 Sun, 05 Apr 2009 22:44:00 +0100 2302502 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2313546&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F04%2F03%2Ftwitter-saves-a-life-but-suicide-remains-serious-online-problem%2F I’m sorry, but I’m a bit aghast at this story of someone randomly twittering their suicidal thought to Demi Moore, and then a bunch of people who saw it retweeted by Demi called the police. The police found the person who said they were going to kill themselves, and that person is now under psychiatric evaluation. I guess this is “news” because someone sent it to Demi Moore. Demi Moore is a celebrity, so anything that touches her is defacto “news.” Does this mean the only way we can get attention/help for mental health issues in the U.S. is by tweeting a celebrity? Really, has it come to that? Meanwhile, the web has been saving (and in some cases, not saving) lives for 15+ years. The Samaritans, a nonprofit charity dedicated to helping suicidal people m... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2313546 Fri, 03 Apr 2009 23:25:44 +0100 2313546 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2302503&cid=t_373826_158_f&fid=36018&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcaregiversbeacon.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fbereavement-series-pet-therapy-for.html When words cannot describe grief, the comfort of pets can be a blessing. Pets sense things that people may miss as we've seen on TV shows like Animal Planet. Changes in people's moods and health may be picked up by their pets.My own rescued dogs are now rescuing me during the time following my beloved friend Bill's death. Teddybear, my lab mix, looks at me and then brings his toy and uses body language to tell me to throw it in the air for him to catch. Heidi, my little 6 lb. "mystery mix" gazes into my eyes, and licks my hands and face, and frisks about clearly asking me to play.Sometimes animals can reach someone mentally and emotionally when people and words don't seem to work. The pets sense feelings and react with nurturing.They sense when people are not their usual selves. There are ... The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2302503 Thu, 02 Apr 2009 19:21:00 +0100 2302503 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2300280&cid=t_373826_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fits-grief-session-with-my-psychiatrist.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2300280 Tue, 31 Mar 2009 20:47:00 +0100 2300280 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2299197&cid=t_373826_136_f&fid=35316&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnotjustaboutcancer.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fbright-light-lost.html Smart, funny, creative, talented Sara has passed away. I only knew her as an online presence (although we did once spend more than an hour on the phone together) but I am grieving tonight and for all the people that love her.I am told that Sara loved red wine and good tequila so if you partake of either of these tonight (and even if you don't) please raise a glass in her honour.I am going to put on the lava earrings I bought from her (they are my favourites).Damn. Cancer really sucks. (Source: Not just about cancer) Not just about cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2299197 Mon, 30 Mar 2009 22:54:00 +0100 2299197 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2302504&cid=t_373826_158_f&fid=36018&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcaregiversbeacon.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fbereavement-series-river-of-life-flows.html There's a saying that life is like floating down a river and you never pass the same riverbanks twice. Sometimes I think there's a branch in the river of life and we part from others as we flow down a different fork.Now it's been 4 weeks since I last saw, spoke with, and touched my much loved gentleman friend who passed away following heart surgery. It's hard to believe it's been this long since I last talked to him in person. In my thoughts I still habitually start to anticipate telling him about something but then realize that he's not here. I know he's left this life to live another one that is beyond my limited human understanding.Like the river flowing downstream my life has kept moving to a different place, a different life. I like to think of him as flowing down a different river o... The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2302504 Mon, 30 Mar 2009 05:53:00 +0100 2302504 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2302505&cid=t_373826_158_f&fid=36018&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcaregiversbeacon.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fbereavement-series-ministry-of-presence.html Just your very presence nearby is a way to minister to those who are suffering. It says "I'm here and I care. You're not alone." A hug, squeeze of the hand, and soft eye contact communicates caring and can be soothing.If you know someone who is bereaved, the Ministry of Presence, just being there, is a way to provide comfort and say "I'm here and I care."During the end stage of a loved one's life, if you don't know what to do or say, you can keep a vigil by someone's side.A caring touch, a stroke of the hair, a foot massage or a hand massage can reach through the solitude that can come with illness. It says "You're not alone, I'm here and I care deeply."Soft eye contact also communicates when words cannot work. Often when someone is in the end stage, visitors unconsciously avoid eye contac... The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2302505 Mon, 23 Mar 2009 20:18:00 +0100 2302505 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2287235&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2F22%2Fmad-as-hell-anger-amp-the-economy-part-three%2F Coping with Anger For the Long Haul Maybe you’ve seen these headlines recently: “As the Public Simmers…” “…Anger Boils Over” “The Outrage Factor” “Rage Could End Up Hurting Us” And my personal favorite, “Anger Mismanagement” which appeared last Saturday on the New York Times Op-Ed page. Charles M. Blow wrote: “All the tumult is couched in a jumble of jargon that is confusing and infuriating. In laymen’s terms, the financial industry gambled and lost. This damaged the economy. And if we don’t save Wall Street, the world will implode. Meanwhile, the worlds of many Americans are already imploding… It’s a mess. Then came…the A.I.G. bonus imbroglio. Employees [at A.I.G. who] caused much of the problem were paid $165 million in bonuses. This... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2287235 Sun, 22 Mar 2009 17:41:43 +0100 2287235 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2281499&cid=t_373826_158_f&fid=36018&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcaregiversbeacon.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fbereavement-series-recovery-and-new.html Just as plants send out new shoots and buds, those of us with bereavement will have new growth as we recover. Learning new skills, meeting new people, seeing new places will occur and these do not mean we've left the memory of our loved one behind.The treasured memories of love and caring, of shared times, are eternal. The metaphor of Winter turning into Spring has been used often but it is true. From the dry twigs of Winter new buds and blossoms will appear again. After grief new life will appear. Yesterday I noticed small white flowers appearing on a fruit tree my loved one and I planted last Fall. Buds are coming out on some white birches that we planted too. It's mid-March and the grass is coming up green. The feelings of bereavement have gentled to the point I am feeling the beauty of... The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2281499 Fri, 20 Mar 2009 13:13:00 +0100 2281499 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2281500&cid=t_373826_158_f&fid=36018&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcaregiversbeacon.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fbereavement-series-complicated-grieving.html Some of the complications in grieving happened to me when I woke repeatedly after nightmarish dreams, with the circumstances of the death flashing by, feeling as if I were reliving it.This happened after my husband died from cancer in 1996. It has occured again now (2009), after my gentleman companion of the past 3 years has died following heart surgery.At 56 years old, with no siblings or children, I am alone. No relatives. It's all up to me to get through this bereavement and I will.Following my husband's death returning to work immediately was a necessity. I worked long hours frantically, making achievements, winning awards at work. But eventually it all caught up with me and I had to get medical and mental health attention, and find time to attend a Hospice Grief Group.Poor sleep, nigh... The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2281500 Fri, 20 Mar 2009 01:16:00 +0100 2281500 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2281502&cid=t_373826_158_f&fid=36018&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcaregiversbeacon.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fbereavement-series-grief-stages-and.html Elizabeth Kubler Ross never meant for her list of typical stages to be a model of rigid steps. A mixed emotional reaction often is felt. Also, the reactions can start while someone is still alive but ill.The reactions she listed were as follows.1. Denial Shock. Example: I can't believe that this is happening.2. Anger Frustration. Example: Why is this happening? It's unfair! She/he didn't deserve this!3. Bargaining Making promises to a higher power in exchange for this not to happen.4. Depression Feeling like you don't care anymore.5. Acceptance Preparing to go on with life, moving ahead to new interests, accepting what cannot be changed.Those of us who have lost someone very dear know it's possible to feel shock, anger, pain, bargaining or any combination of the above all at once.Dr. Rober... The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2281502 Wed, 18 Mar 2009 22:12:00 +0100 2281502 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2281504&cid=t_373826_158_f&fid=36018&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcaregiversbeacon.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fbereavement-series-celebrating-your.html Looking back at your loved one's unique personality, affection, and the good times you shared together is a way of celebrating a life well lived. As humans we all have weaknesses and strengths. Remembering the strengths that made that person so special is a comfort.After my husband died, and more recently after losing a dear gentleman friend, I thought back and wished we had not disagreed at times, and said things we were sorry for later. If only I could go back and do it over it would be different this time.But it would be a dull world if everyone agreed all of the time, and of course that would not be realistic. So I decided not to berate myself for things I did or said that I wish I could undo.I know my loved ones understood deep inside that through it all my love was strong. I'm thankf... The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2281504 Tue, 17 Mar 2009 18:53:00 +0100 2281504 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2269347&cid=t_373826_158_f&fid=36018&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcaregiversbeacon.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fbereavement-series-whats-next.html In the aftermath of loss one of the questions is "what's next" in life. I am 56 years old. In 1996 I lost my husband, whom I had known for 25 years, to cancer. Recently I lost my dearly loved gentleman friend, who did not survive heart surgery. We had been together for 3 years, the best years since my husband's death in 1996. Sharing so many of life's moments with a dearly loved one and then losing that special person leaves a huge void.The love, hugs, affection and emotional sharing is gone. The companionship, conversation, shared goals, special meanings of life are gone. No one can fill that person's place and the future will be different.A widowed friend of mine said one of her favorite tips was to make something good come out of the loss and pain. A grief counselor once told me that in... The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2269347 Sat, 14 Mar 2009 20:33:00 +0100 2269347 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2261769&cid=t_373826_158_f&fid=36018&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcaregiversbeacon.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fbereavement-series-staying-positive-and.html I learned an important lesson from the dear one who passed away recently. As health declined and heart surgery became a risky but necessary choice my loved one left me with another piece of his wisdom.Knowing he might not survive the surgery he decided to stay as positive and normal as possible. During the last week or so instead of psychological suffering he chose to live fully and enjoy each moment. He visited with friends and family, went out with me for drives, talked and joked almost as usual. We all followed his lead and fell into a pattern that felt somewhat natural despite the circumstances. My last memories of him are of his love and caring, his enjoyment of life and people, and his sense of peace in the midst of what could have been a stormy time of upset. It has helped me to hol... The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2261769 Fri, 13 Mar 2009 18:44:00 +0100 2261769 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2258146&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34859&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dare-to-dream.us%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2Fpsycportcom_virginias_suicide_hot_lines_see_spike.php Image via WikipediaAccording to The Virginian-Pilot in Norfolk, Va, calls to crisis lines in Virginia have jumped 20 percent in the past two months. People say the economy is pushing them to the edge -- and some are contemplating going over. Widespread financial stress has long been linked to an increase in suicides. Job loss is at the heart of it, kick-starting a "chain of adversity" that feels too heavy for some to bear. [..] Most people, he said, won't crumble in times like these. "This may well get them down, but they'll weather it." For the chronically depressed, however, or those prone to suicidal thoughts: "This could be the tipping point." Christy Letsom runs a crisis hot line in downtown Norfolk that collects calls from across the region. Volume there holds steady at around 55 ... Ψ Dare To Dream... blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2258146 Thu, 12 Mar 2009 18:05:45 +0100 2258146 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2261770&cid=t_373826_158_f&fid=36018&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcaregiversbeacon.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fbereavement-series-loss-is-multifaceted.html I recently lost someone very dear to me. The grief is multifaceted. Sharp pains of loss. Relief that my loved one did not suffer a long agonizing illness. Shock that one day I was speaking and touching my loved one and the next I was praying by his body. A sense of disorientation. Did this really happen? It has a dreamlike quality. Spiritual beliefs and philosophies are a source of comfort but of questions too. It is said that in every tragedy is a seed of opportunity. After a loss one can memorialize the loved one by making the world a better place through compassionate, charitable and humanitarian efforts. Through our lives the grief and losses change us and change the courses of our lives. Careers, activities and beliefs often change when we lose a close loved one. Love is eternal. Our ... The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2261770 Wed, 11 Mar 2009 20:43:00 +0100 2261770 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2249931&cid=t_373826_177_f&fid=38137&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmissionimpossibleinfertile.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F08%2Fon-this-day%2F This post is password protected. To view it please enter your password below: Password: (Source: Mission: Impossible (or adventures in infertility, pregnancy....parenting?)) Mission: Impossible (or adventures in infertility, pregnancy....parenting?) blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2249931 Sat, 07 Mar 2009 21:42:29 +0100 2249931 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2241118&cid=t_373826_136_f&fid=35316&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnotjustaboutcancer.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fliving-with-it.html I have just come back from an echo-cardiogram appointment (I have regular echos to make sure that Herceptin isn't damaging my heart) or rather what I thought was an echo appointment. It had previouslybeen scheduled for Thursday, February 26 (when I was travelling to Dallas for the Conference for Young Women Affected By Breast Cancer) and I'd had to reschedule. I had entered the appointment (I use Google Calendar) for Friday, March 6 at 3pm. It turns out the appointment is for Tuesday, March 10th, at 3pm.Since I was told about the appointment over the phone, I have no idea where along the channel of communication the mistake was made - as it came out of the caller's mouth, or as it went through my (increasingly sieve-like) brain. I guess it doesn't really matter, though (and next time, I wi... Not just about cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2241118 Fri, 06 Mar 2009 22:09:00 +0100 2241118 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2233236&cid=t_373826_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Freflecting.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2233236 Wed, 04 Mar 2009 17:46:00 +0100 2233236 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2232545&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2F02%2Fwashington-state-allows-assisted-suicide%2F Those who are terminally ill with less than 6 months to live no longer have to travel to a foreign country or hope they can find a medical practitioner in Oregon who will look the other way and let them die with dignity. Washington state has become only the second U.S. state to allow assisted suicide, otherwise known as a death with dignity law. It’s meant to stop the prolonging of a life simply because we can — medical technology and advances making it possible. But we still have a ways to go, as the law doesn’t mandate such prescriptions when requested by a patient. Doctors can opt-out of the law’s requirements, meaning one has to doctor-shop to find a physician willing to write the deadly prescription. In fact, entire hospitals will be banning the practice: Und... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2232545 Mon, 02 Mar 2009 20:00:44 +0100 2232545 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2227166&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2F02%2Fmad-as-hell-anger-and-the-economy-part-two%2F “The hardest part of all this is my loss of security and my lack of control over my own finances and future. I feel vulnerable and completely powerless to change any of this. It angers me that other people are determining my fate. Especially since they are doing such a pathetic job of it.” ~Dawn Carter’s comment on Mad As Hell Part 1 In last week’s post I said we have a right to our anger if it’s there. Here’s the rub: How do we keep it from going nuclear, or imploding into depression? Anger Management is about doing the following three things effectively: 1) The healthiest way to express anger is in an assertive, direct and not aggressive manner. How? ➢ Clearly define what you are angry about and tell, directly, those who need to know. “I am really angry because now ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2227166 Mon, 02 Mar 2009 10:00:14 +0100 2227166 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2227502&cid=t_373826_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F02%2Fmarch-on-this-blog-is-2-years-old.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2227502 Sun, 01 Mar 2009 06:50:00 +0100 2227502 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2222493&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2F28%2Fhow-indifference-can-kill-a-relationship%2F Sometimes the killer of relationships isn’t a lack of trust, a lack of communication or arguing with your significant other. It’s simple indifference. A relationship can survive most things if both people involved in it are committed to the other person and act with respect toward the other. It can survive the death of our parents or the birth of a child. It can sometimes even survive an indiscretion (although such a behavior shows a shocking lack of respect for one’s partner). It can survive layoffs and career changes, of going back to school, or buying your first home together. It usually can even survive the wedding, one of the most stressful things adults go through in their lives. A relationship can survive angry tirades and arguments that span endless lonely days an... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2222493 Sat, 28 Feb 2009 14:32:51 +0100 2222493 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2223201&cid=t_373826_158_f&fid=36018&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcaregiversbeacon.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F02%2Fcomfort-for-those-grieving-loss-of-dear.html (Source: The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News) The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2223201 Fri, 27 Feb 2009 20:31:00 +0100 2223201 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2222657&cid=t_373826_136_f&fid=35316&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnotjustaboutcancer.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F02%2Fclsssified.html I'm green and orange. As with previous events of this nature, I like to identify others who know what it's like to live with mets. I am also acutely conscious that wearing the orange may be every participant's worse nightmare. (Source: Not just about cancer) Not just about cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2222657 Fri, 27 Feb 2009 18:44:00 +0100 2222657 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2222377&cid=t_373826_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F02%2Fmore-about-john.html Another cancer blogger, Brian, who also had oral cancer, e-mailed me about John this morning. Here's his message:John hit my web site and we instantly bonded because he had the same tongue cancer one year after I did. Same diagnoses and same therapies and chemo. We were in close contact until December. I knew he was getting worse, but I didn't want to believe it, I guess because it hit so close to home. While on hold waiting to talk to a person in billing at Apria, I patiently reviewed my daily blogs. When I opened yours I just began to cry. I never met John, nor talked with him on the phone, yet he felt a brother. He was just a blog buddy. I'm not sure if it's sympathy or survivors guilt. He was a brave man and I applaud him for staying positive til... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2222377 Thu, 26 Feb 2009 18:06:44 +0100 2222377 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2216740&cid=t_373826_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F02%2Flove.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2216740 Wed, 25 Feb 2009 18:32:00 +0100 2216740 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2216454&cid=t_373826_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F02%2Fa-powerful-rant-from-amorette.html Over the two-plus years that I've been writing this blog I've come to know a number of other people, mostly women, who are living with cancer. Among all the things they give me, and do for me, is this one special thing: They have a way of expressing what I feel, sometimes even before I knew that I felt it. Certainly before I had the words to say it. Among these friends is Amorette--writer, bento artist, bitter ex-medical student, grieving mama, medical text centerfold, and lifelong cancer patient. Amorette just sent me the link to a rant she wrote about Ash Wednesday, cancer, and more. She didn't know that I needed to read this rant today, but her timing was perfect. I found out this afternoon that John, another cancer blogger and friend, had died this morning.&#016... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2216454 Wed, 25 Feb 2009 03:43:59 +0100 2216454 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2210434&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2F24%2Fsuicide-when-it-hurts-too-much-to-live%2F What happens when it hurts too much to live? Can it really be too painful to live one more moment with emptiness, depression, and despair? Yes, for some people suicide seems like the only way out. Not every person who contemplates killing themselves is truly interested in ending their time on earth. For many, suicidal thoughts are about escape — musing about the idea of leaving the bonds that bind them to other people, responsibilities to burdens, and the despair of what they can’t change. If they could just escape it, maybe they still could go on somehow. Not right now, but after a while. They just need to get away from it. Suicidal thoughts and actions are also sometimes paired with strong impulses and low inhibitions. This can happen with drugs and alcohol, bipolar disorder... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2210434 Tue, 24 Feb 2009 18:49:45 +0100 2210434 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2206808&cid=t_373826_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F02%2Fimages.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2206808 Mon, 23 Feb 2009 01:33:00 +0100 2206808 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2228353&cid=t_373826_167_f&fid=37833&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnutrition.edublogs.org%2F2009%2F02%2F19%2Fliving-with-loss-ebook-improving-wellness%2F While not normally a Nutrition topic, the eBook Living with Loss is a wellness topic. This eBook is a good resource for improving or maintaining wellness in the face of a loss, a death or a significant life changing event. The Living with Loss By Understanding Grief eBook is a complementary resource that I helped write, design, create and get published as part of the Tuolumne County Working Group for Loss & Grief Education and Support. The booklet was written by Dr. Dyer in 2008 with input from Working Group Members which included a cross section of those interested in Grief and Loss within Tuolumne County. Download a copy of the eBook by clicking on the eBook image at the left or on the image in the right side bar. You can find out more about the Living with Loss eBook and even view a... Nutrition and Wellness Biology 50 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2228353 Thu, 19 Feb 2009 19:46:20 +0100 2228353 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2190552&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2F17%2F9-ways-that-humor-heals%2F Of all my tools to combat depression and negativity, humor is by far the most fun. And just like mastering the craft of writing, I’m finding that the longer I practice laughing at life—and especially its frustrations–the better I become at it, and the more situations and conversations and complications I can place into that category named “silly.” G. K. Chesterton once wrote: “Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly.” And Proverbs 17:22 says that “a happy heart is good medicine.” I’d add that human beings can heal (at least partially!) from a host of different illnesses if they learn how to laugh. Here are just a few ways our bodies, minds, and spirits begin to mend with a dose of humor. 1.Humor combats fear. I know this f... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2190552 Tue, 17 Feb 2009 13:32:35 +0100 2190552 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2190553&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2F16%2Fhaving-problems-means-being-alive%2F You bet I was upset, and I let the store manager know it: the priceless reels of our old home movies, dating back more than fifty years, had been lost. Uncle Jack, Aunt Minna, Grandpa, and the cousins, gathered round the sizzling grille of my childhood summers — all lost. My wife and I had taken the film to a local pharmacy, which was supposed to have sent it to some photo lab for conversion to DVDs. Nobody could tell us where all that brittle celluloid had ended up. We found out about the lost movies a day after Continental flight 3407 went down, just a few miles from the small town in western New York where I grew up. And as the magnitude of the disaster became clear—as the stories of so many bright lives snuffed out unfolded — I began to feel slightly ashamed and foolish.... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2190553 Mon, 16 Feb 2009 20:00:17 +0100 2190553 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2187712&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2F13%2Fanxiety-and-the-plane-crash-in-clarence-ny%2F We woke up to the news that fifty people died in a horrible plane crash last night. Grief grips my community here in Western New York. Nothing can come close to describing what anyone who lost a loved one so suddenly feels. My deepest sympathies go to the families and friends of those who perished. Most of us are not directly hurt by this tragedy but feel the effects of it nonetheless. For those of us who live in or close to Clarence, have friends and family who live here, anxiety can prey on us. Add to that the recent events on the Hudson, fear of flying issues, PTSD or sensitivity to panic attacks. Before you know it we’ve got the formula for full-blown anxiety. Let’s take care of ourselves so that we can function not only for ourselves but also for our loved ones, especially... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2187712 Fri, 13 Feb 2009 23:03:42 +0100 2187712 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2182517&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2F13%2Fin-a-recession-are-suicides-far-behind%2F This study suggests that, unsurprisingly, anything that can affect our mood — such as losing our job — can increase depressive feelings. And suicide is a not-uncommon symptom of depression. These findings are replicated on a U.S. population as well (though not during an economic downturn) (Kalist et al,, 2007). An study by the same primary author (Ostamo & Lönnqvist, 2001), using estimated data instead of actual patient reports from suicide attempters, found no correlation between the same economic downturn in Finland and suicide attempts. It may be that the current methods of collecting population data on suicide attempters is generally not sensitive enough to catch smaller spikes in suicide attempts during an economic downturn (or that there was no increase in suicide ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2182517 Fri, 13 Feb 2009 14:50:05 +0100 2182517 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2182519&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2F11%2Fsuicide-hashtag-livetweeting%2F Only know one of the words in that title? A Twitter glossary is essential to this story on #unsuicide, so that’s where I’ll start. Twitter is the hottest social medium du jour. 140 character posts about anything (pithy observations, links to text, photos, videos, or podcasts, spreading others’ Tweets in a retweet - RT - etc.) are posted to your Twitter feed, like a public blog feed that can be followed by anyone, while you follow others too. Tweets are that short so they can be sent and received by text messages from mobile devices. That’s what makes Twitter more useful and popular than most other social media; it combines texting with blogging. Livetweeting is writing about something as it happens, usually on scene. A hashtag is the combination of # with a word, w... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2182519 Wed, 11 Feb 2009 18:49:10 +0100 2182519 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2177581&cid=t_373826_136_f&fid=35316&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnotjustaboutcancer.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F02%2Fgirls-and-women.html A brilliant and beautiful girl that I know (the daughter of an equally brilliant and beautiful friend) is turning 13 this week. Her mother, who wonders at how quickly this happened, sent this link about girls to a a group of her friends.My spouse's great aunt, a talented and formidable woman, passed away late last week at the age of 97. Tutzi was extremely proud of her granddaughters and her great-granddaughters and loved them very much. She was also an artist and a teacher of art. My spouse and I have been wanting to do something as a tribute to Tutzi. The family has asked for donations to the Baycrest Foundation (the wonderful facility where Tutzi passed her last years) but I think that she would be equally pleased if we made a donation in her honour that would have a lasting impact on t... Not just about cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2177581 Wed, 11 Feb 2009 16:50:00 +0100 2177581 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2167561&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2F06%2Fvideo-on-death-and-dying%2F I can’t adequately introduce the contents of this video. As I said a few moments ago when I taped it, I can’t write today. Click through to view the video… (Source: World of Psychology) World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2167561 Sat, 07 Feb 2009 01:29:50 +0100 2167561 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2147546&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F01%2F30%2Farmy-suicides-increase%2F A harbinger of things to come? Likely. The U.S. Army reported yesterday that the suicide rate rose to 20.2 per 100,000 people in 2008, up from 16.8 per 100,000 from 2007. This is the first time the Army’s rate has topped the national suicide rate for the same age group. The Army says they can’t tell you why the numbers are increasing. But the articles quotes others who offer their opinions: Dr. Judith Broder, founder of the Soldiers Project, a counseling service for troops and families in Southern California, said the repeated deployments caused some service personnel to lose faith in religion or themselves. Some become suicidal after abusing drugs or alcohol. “They become extremely depressed and really hopeless, like, ‘This is never going to end, I’m neve... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2147546 Fri, 30 Jan 2009 14:17:55 +0100 2147546 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2142578&cid=t_373826_136_f&fid=37852&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdonnatrussell.com%2F2009%2F01%2F28%2Ftwelve-tips-for-the-cancer-patient%2F 1) You are sick. You have an incurable disease. You are in the fight of your life. All the happy images of cancer you’ve seen on TV? Forget them. 2) You will be tired. You will be sad. You will be irritable. You will feel guilty for being a lousy parent/friend/coworker. 3) You will feel lazy and unfocused. You will find that your old interests now seem like chores. 4) You will hear lots and lots of advice on how to beat cancer. Unless that advice is coming from an oncologist, ignore it. 5) You will make people nervous. You will lose some friends. You will miss them. 6) You will miss yourself. You will miss the life you had before cancer. 7) You will make new friends. You may not love them the way you loved your old friends. You may not even like them very much. But you will find comf... Donna Trussell blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2142578 Thu, 29 Jan 2009 20:12:08 +0100 2142578 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2144684&cid=t_373826_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F01%2Fmothers-caregivers-women-with-kids-in.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2144684 Thu, 29 Jan 2009 18:57:00 +0100 2144684 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2138987&cid=t_373826_136_f&fid=37852&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdonnatrussell.com%2F2009%2F01%2F28%2Ftwelve-tips-for-the-cancer-patient%2F 1) You are sick. You have an incurable disease. You are in the fight of your life. All the happy images of cancer you’ve seen on TV? Forget them. 2) You will be tired. You will be sad. You will be irritable. You will feel guilty for being a lousy parent/friend/coworker. 3) You will be lazy and unfocused. You will find that your old interests now seem like chores. 4) You will hear lots and lots of advice on how to beat cancer. Unless that advice is coming from an oncologist, ignore it. 5) You will make people nervous. You will lose some friends. You will miss them. 6) You will miss yourself. You will miss the life you had before cancer. 7) You will gain new friends. You may not love them the way you loved your old friends. You may not even like them very much. But you will find comfor... Donna Trussell blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2138987 Wed, 28 Jan 2009 15:29:37 +0100 2138987 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2141336&cid=t_373826_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F01%2F28%2F7-ways-to-cope-with-a-layoff%2F When the economy — or a company’s business — goes south, the quickest way a company can chop its costs is by laying off its employees. It’s never popular and often companies will try other cost-cutting measures long before they have to cut workers, but if you’re among those who get the pink slip, you don’t really care. You just lost your job. For many, being laid off is something that will be unexpected and shocking. Unless you work in a seasonal industry where layoffs occur with annual regularity, a layoff is akin to having the wind knocked out of you. You become a powerless pawn in a company’s efforts to cut costs. And while it’s never about a single employee, it doesn’t make it feel any less personal. A layoff is out of your contro... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2141336 Wed, 28 Jan 2009 10:00:14 +0100 2141336 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2125402&cid=t_373826_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F01%2Framble.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2125402 Fri, 23 Jan 2009 04:54:00 +0100 2125402 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2090242&cid=t_373826_129_f&fid=36035&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fchronic-pain%2Flife-with-chronic-pain%2Fthe-aching-loneliness-of-a-life-with-chronic-pain%2F I’m describing an old Wagnerian opera. In this scenario, I’m the aging, not too fat lady with the round prednisone face and the guy in the lederhosen and the suspenders with the somewhat Nazi attitude; he would be my doctor. In the stories and plays, loneliness is always described in such grandiose scale. They talk about being a bird in a gilded cage. There’s nothing gilded about my life. They talk about ivory towers; hardly the case. Those of us who have had our bodies and our lives altered by daily pain and illness, we know. If you’re reading this and you don’t live with those things, then it may sound like whining to you. If you think I should just shut up and find a corner to sit in, well, it’s time to put down your mouse and find another site. If yo... Life with Chronic Pain blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2090242 Wed, 07 Jan 2009 21:35:05 +0100 2090242 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2081064&cid=t_373826_111_f&fid=34712&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdigitaldoorway.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F01%2Floss-and-bereavement.html Loss and bereavement can remind you sharply of what can happen when in life you do not show your love and appreciation, or ask for forgiveness, and so make you far more sensitive to your loved ones. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross said: ‘What I try to teach people is to live in such a way that you say those things while the other person can still hear it.” And Raymond Moody, after his life’s work in near-death research, wrote: “I have begun to realize how near to death we all are in our daily lives. More than ever now I am very careful to let each person I love know how I feel.”---Sogyal Rinpoche (Source: Digital Doorway) Digital Doorway blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2081064 Mon, 05 Jan 2009 12:32:00 +0100 2081064