Written by Ann Pietrangelo on January 26th, 2012 in Health Care Policy, In The News, Linked Articles.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced it is committing $750 million to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria.
Read it: Gates Foundation Pledges $750 Million to Global Fund (infographic)
Written by Ann Pietrangelo on January 25th, 2012 in Emotional Issues, Inside the Maze, No More Secs!.
Writing a memoir invites the question, “Why did you write it?” It’s a fair question.
A comment left on the “No More Secs” Facebook page captured the spirit of the book perfectly.
“What a nice book. I laughed, I cried, I connected to you in a way I’ve connected with no one else. It was so nice to know I’m not alone.”
“It was so nice to know I’m not alone.” That’s why I wrote it and I’m forever grateful to the readers who’ve taken the time to let me know that it was worth the effort.
Written by Ann Pietrangelo on January 24th, 2012 in Caregiver's Corner, Family, In The News, Linked Articles, Natural Choice Articles.
The number of people living with diabetes may rise from 366 million in 2011 to 552 million by 2030. The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) says that’s about ten million new cases per year around the world. The IDF also estimates that as many as 183 million people don’t even know they have diabetes. Other shocking figures reveal:
* The US has the highest number of people with diabetes, followed by Mexico, Canada, and Haiti.
* The US has one of the highest number of deaths due to diabetes of any country in the world.
Read it: 5 New Year’s Resolutions to Help Prevent Diabetes
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Written by Ann Pietrangelo on January 23rd, 2012 in Linked Articles, Off Topic.
Then: I opened a new bank account, small though it was. They smiled and thanked me as though I just deposited a million dollars, then handed me a colorful set of coffee mugs to thank me for my business. I looked forward to coming in each week, speaking with the friendly tellers, and watching the interest grow.
Now: I bank without ever seeing a human. Interest? It’s almost a joke. Instead, there are all kinds of fees to worry about. “Convenience” fees they call them. It’s a relatively new phenomenon in which customers fork over money for the convenience of forking over money. It’s not just the banks, but a wide variety of services that are employing these tactics.
Read it: Customers Sure Are Inconvenient
Written by Ann Pietrangelo on January 20th, 2012 in Family, Linked Articles.
Injuries to pedestrians wearing headphones have more than tripled in six years, say researchers from the University of Maryland. Headphone-wearing pedestrians often cannot hear train whistles or car horns, leading to fatalities in almost three-quarters of such cases.
Written by Ann Pietrangelo on January 17th, 2012 in Inside the Maze, Linked Articles.
I don’t know about you, but I can’t eat a muffin the size of my head.
Recently I happened upon a display case filled with beautiful muffins, bagels, and cookies of mammoth proportions. It made such an impression that it sparked a dream that night. It was one of those crazy nightmares where nothing fits quite right, and the more muffin I ate, the bigger the muffin got, until I could no longer distinguish my own head from the muffin. That’s not exactly what the term “muffin top” means, but it was disturbing nonetheless.
Read it: Muffin Top Madness
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Written by Ann Pietrangelo on January 16th, 2012 in Emotional Issues, Extras, Inside the Maze, Managing MS Tips, No More Secs!, Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.
What a wonderful time I had chatting with the gracious Dr. Cecile Forte and the inspiring Chamein Canton on their show, “Who You Calling Old?” If you missed it, you can catch the on-demand podcast at your leisure. Thank you, ladies.
Written by Ann Pietrangelo on January 14th, 2012 in In The News, Linked Articles.
Hold the bacon, hold the sausage. Researchers in Sweden suggest that eating an extra 50g of processed meat each day — that’s a couple of slices of bacon or a link of sausage — could increase your risk of pancreatic cancer by 19 percent.
Written by Ann Pietrangelo on January 12th, 2012 in Caregiver's Corner, Linked Articles, Managing MS Tips.
Walking with the wrong size cane can be uncomfortable and may actually create additional problems.
There are two reliable methods to size a walking cane. This checklist makes it easy to measure so you end up with a perfect fit — and a cane that does the job correctly and comfortably.
Read it: How to Measure for a Walking Cane
Written by Ann Pietrangelo on January 12th, 2012 in Family, In The News, Linked Articles.
Barbie is known for her long, flowing hair that can be styled again and again. But what if Barbie was bald? And what if she was bald due to cancer treatment?
There’s an online movement to encourage Mattel to create a “Cancer Barbie,” and it’s gaining supporters who see it as a good way to help children cope with cancer.
Read it: What if Barbie had Cancer?
Written by Ann Pietrangelo on January 10th, 2012 in In The News, Linked Articles.
For many social media lovers this is going to fall under the category of “too much information.”
Are you ready to step on your bathroom scales and have your weight automatically uploaded to the internet? If you’re so inclined, the wireless scale will make it easy to Facebook, tweet, and shout your progress, or lack thereof, to the world. The scale monitors weight and body fat information each time you step on the scale and can keep track of multiple users.
Fitbit introduced the Aria Wi-Fi Smart Scale to the world at the Consumer Electronics Show 2012, and it’s all about motivation. For some people, that kind of motivation might be just what they need. If it takes a village to achieve your weight goals, this is one way to go.
Written by Ann Pietrangelo on January 9th, 2012 in Health Care Policy, In The News, Linked Articles.
Did you know there’s such a thing as blood shortage season? The beginning of a new year means that donations are low and blood centers need your help.
January was declared National Blood Donor Month back in 1970 for a perfect storm of reasons. People have full schedules through the holidays, the weather takes a turn for the worse in January, and cold and flu season make many potential donors ineligible, if only for a short time. But even though donations are down, the need for blood is not.
Read it and see the video: It’s Blood Shortage Season
Written by Ann Pietrangelo on January 2nd, 2012 in Emotional Issues, Linked Articles.
I’m not a big fan of New Year’s Resolutions. They’re easy to make, but not so easy to keep. Last year was a real eye-opener for me, clarifying what I always suspected. Happiness can be found in simplicity.
“What is the good life? In my view, you can find it by following a startlingly simple path. The ‘pleasant life’ might be had by drinking champagne and driving a Porsche, but not the good life. Rather, the good life is using your signature strengths every day to produce authentic happiness and abundant gratification. This is something you can learn to do in each of the main realms of your life: work, love, and raising children.”
– from the 2002 book, Authentic Happiness by Martin E.P. Seligman, PhD
Read it: New Year’s Resolution: Seek Happiness in Simplicity
Written by Ann Pietrangelo on December 29th, 2011 in Emotional Issues, Inside the Maze, No More Secs!, Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.
As we close out 2011 and welcome in 2012, it’s a good time to take stock of life. I’m not a new year’s resolution maker, but I do like to think about the previous year and where I hope the next year will take me. 2011 was a bittersweet year, one of tremendous highs and lows.
When we welcomed 2011, I wondered if I’d be around to see 2012. As it turns out, I look and feel healthier than most people I know. Aside from my still faint eyebrows and eyelashes, and my boyish haircut, there is no clue that I survived triple-negative breast cancer and ten months of very aggressive treatment, or that I have multiple sclerosis. Life is funny that way. Despite the difficulties of the year, I am truly grateful to have lived it — life is a roller coaster and I’m happy to take another turn on the ride in 2012.
Wishing you and yours all the best in the new year.
The Buzz about Secs!
No More Secs! was previously available in Nook format on Barnes & Noble, who recently added the paperback version. They listed it at a price quite a bit lower than Amazon’s list price and — not to be underpriced by anyone — Amazon has matched it. No More Secs! in paperback is now available for $10.76 at both chains. Both still carry the eBook version at $6.99.
Did you catch my first-ever podcast appearance earlier this month? I had a lovely time speaking with Trudy Thomas about living life to the fullest despite serious health issues.
Living with HOPE (Host: Trudy Thomas) 12/9/11
I’ll be visiting with Dr. Cecile Forte on January 16 on her show called, “Who You Calling Old?” Certainly no one would call me old…
Who You Calling Old (Host: Dr. Cecile Forte) Scheduled: 1/16/12
For a woman who considers herself to be an introvert, I’m certainly getting out there these days!
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Written by Ann Pietrangelo on December 27th, 2011 in Emotional Issues, Family, Linked Articles.
When that last drop of New Year’s Eve champagne is gone and the Christmas ornaments are packed away, many people enter a state of post-holiday blues. The anticipation and planning that begins with Halloween ends when you open your eyes on the second day of January. It’s winter; the parties are over and it’s back to the daily grind. But you can beat the post-holiday blues.
Synaptic Ruminations Grab the Feed
