MS Maze

Multiple Sclerosis (MS)… some call it the MonSter, or the Beast. It is a demyelinating disease, an invisible illness, a mysterious ailment subject to many misconceptions. Who, what, where, when, why, how… all good questions.

That’s why the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation recognizes March as National MS Education & Awareness Month, and the National MS Society designated March 8-14 as MS Awareness Week.

WHO gets MS? About 2.5 million people worldwide…

WHAT is MS? MS is a neurological disease in which…

WHERE is MS most prevalent? Northern latitudes farther…

WHEN do people get MS? It is difficult to pinpoint when MS begins, but diagnosis usually…

WHY do people get MS? That’s the big question! The cause…

HOW is MS treated? There are several…

Throughout the month of March, I will offer glimpses into my own life with MS in Care2 Healthy & Green Living. While there is no such thing as a typical case, those who are familiar with MS will nod in recognition. If you are not familiar with MS, please allow us a few moments of your time during MS Education and Awareness Month, and check back here in Care2 Causes in the weeks to come.

Read this post in its entirety:

Who Gets MS and Why

Photo: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Business owners take note. Discretionary spending to the tune of $175 billion is at stake.

People with disabilities enjoy going out and socializing with their friends and family… and they spend money. If they cannot enter your establishment without a great deal of difficulty, they will patronize your competitor.

If you are under the impression that there are no people with disabilities in your neighborhood, it is more likely that they simply are not visiting your place of business and are spending their discretionary dollars elsewhere.

What does it take to be “accessible?”

Read this post in its entirety:

Accessible Design Makes Good Business Sense

Photo: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/758000

Sorry, but it’s not me… it’s you. Despite evidence to the contrary, most Americans believe they are managing their own health well, while those around them clearly are not. Only 17 percent of us recognize that our own health is going in the wrong direction and we’re pointing fingers.

It is human nature to give ourselves the benefit of the doubt, easier to make excuses for our own shortcomings, even while casting a critical eye on everyone else. We sneak in that extra sugary snack and conveniently dismiss it as just a little treat. Ten minutes of exercise seems like 30 when you’re the one doing the exercising. You smoke, but you’re tapering off.

Read this post in its entirety:

It’s Not Me… It’s You

Health Care Self-Advocacy: Be the Squeaky Wheel

Photo: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/905626

Congress dropped the health care reform ball… will the President pick it up and run with it?

Time.com’s Karen Tumulty reports that White House press secretary Robert Gibbs, when asked if the White House is preparing it’s own health care plan for next week’s summit, replied “Stay tuned.”

Ms. Tumulty went on to say: “One official told me that a White House measure is likely to look very much like the Senate bill, with a few changes: It would be stripped of some of the controversial special deals, such as the now-infamous “Cornhusker Kickback,” and there would be instead a more equitable provision to help states deal with their increased Medicaid costs. There would also likely be some kind of revision (and probable retrenchment) on the deal that was struck with the unions on the ‘Cadillac Tax.’”

Read this post in its entirety:

White House: “Stay Tuned” for Health Care Proposal

Related Reading:

Public Option No Longer Optional

Health Insurer Defends 39 Percent Increase

Marrying for Health Insurance: Size Does Matter

Photo: whitehouse.gov

Do you walk on eggshells around people with chronic illness or disabilities? If so, you are not alone.

Maybe you’re a little uncomfortable — you don’t know quite what to say and don’t want to stick your foot in your mouth. You want to ask questions but don’t want to pry. In our “politically correct” world, eggshells are all over the place.

Most literature about chronic illness informs us that stress can aggravate symptoms and cause relapses, and a lot of us can attest to that fact. Avoiding undue stress is a positive thing. However, we cannot divorce ourselves from planet earth and the reality of every day life. Taking the concept of avoiding stress too far, especially within the family, can result in pent-up resentment by all concerned.

Most people who have a chronic illness or disability are functioning members of society and integral members of family life. Rather than avoiding that person or avoiding the problem altogether, why not approach them as you would anybody else?

Adults with chronic illness or disabilities want… and need… to be included in important issues, even potentially negative ones.

Read this post in its entirety:

Hiding From Our Disabled

Photo:http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1152277

February 14 is Valentine’s Day, a day set aside to celebrate love and romance. It is not usually a day when we want to ponder our own mortality, but it also happens to be National Organ Donor Day.

There is something we can do right now to help others after we’ve gone. We can offer the precious gift of life through organ donation.

The need is great: As of February 1, 2010, there were 105,525 people waiting for an organ for transplant, and approximately 35,000 children and adults in our country have life-threatening blood diseases that could be treated by a marrow/blood stem cell or cord blood transplant.

Please… read this post in its entirety and follow the links to give the gift of life.

Valentine’s Day Gift of Life

Photo: OrganDonor.gov

Obesity is estimated to affect an estimated five million young people in the United States alone. Studies are currently underway to evaluate laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding as a possible treatment option for adolescents.

A randomized trial reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association compared the outcomes of gastric banding with an optimal lifestyle program and concluded that “among obese adolescent participants, use of gastric banding compared with lifestyle intervention resulted in a greater percentage achieving a loss of 50 percent of excess weight, corrected for age. There were associated benefits to health and quality of life.”

Is gastric banding for obese teens a reasonable solution to a serious problem… or part of a larger problem?

Read this post in its entirety:

Gastric Banding Proposed for Obese Teens

Photo: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/845205

In the midst of a 30-inch snowstorm, I felt a mixture of unearned guilt and helplessness. From the kitchen window I peeked out at my husband every so often as he labored in the wintery whiteness.

Glancing around, I observed an elderly neighbor to one side and young children on the other, all tackling the mountains white stuff with a vengeance. Meanwhile, I was warm and dry, but not completely unproductive. I tackled a few chores that needed attention around the house, reminding myself that I, too, was making a contribution. But the question remained… why did he lie to me?

Read this post in its entirety:

Lie For Me

photo copyright: WebCamp One LLC

“Medical experts have warned that our children are on track to be less healthy than we are.” – First Lady Michelle Obama

We should be ashamed of that fact.

Michelle Obama is leading the charge against childhood obesity. We’ve already seen her tending the White House vegetable garden and encouraging children to participate in the growing process. Now she’s taking that enthusiasm to a whole new level, with a national campaign.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that 12.4 percent of 2-5 year olds are obese; for 6-11 year-olds it’s 17.0 percent; and for the 12-19 year-old crowd, it’s 17.6 percent.

Read this post in its entirety:

Michelle Obama Taking On Childhood Obesity Crisis

Photo: WhiteHouse.gov

They are the most vulnerable among us, completely dependent on us for care, safety, and food. They are our infants and young children and we owe them at least that much. If there is valid concern over the safety of their food supply, it is incumbent upon us to act in their best interests.

Consumer advocates have been sounding alarm bells for years about the possible health risks of Bisphenol A, otherwise known as BPA, commonly found in plastic food containers, baby bottles, and in the lining of metal food and beverage cans, including those containing baby formula.

Read this post in its entirety:

Protect our Young: Get BPA Out of the Food Supply

Photo: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

One of the most frustrating aspects of life with chronic illness is the constant state of flux. It is true of all types of multiple sclerosis, and relapsing/remitting MS certainly lives up to the name.

The fact that many of these on-again off-again symptoms are invisible to observers makes it a particularly difficult series of emotional adjustments, especially if you are prone to worry about what other people think.

It’s hard to be taken seriously when people see you looking the very picture of health one day and claiming to be the opposite the next. It probably doesn’t help their perceptions when we go to great lengths to hide the truth.

We hear a lot about…

Read this post in its entirety:

Sharing a Life Altered by Multiple Sclerosis

Photo: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/733600

Elder abuse is a growing concern these days, as awareness about the physical, emotional and financial abuse of elders has steadily increased since the 1970’s. Many cases of elder abuse go unreported every year, as some aged individuals are either embarrassed by or in denial of the abuse they are experiencing. For this reason, it is imperative that society as a whole begins to look out for our elders and watch for signs that abuse is taking place behind closed doors. The best way to effectively keep a watchful eye on our elder population is to educate ourselves on the signs and symptoms of elder abuse, as it relates to both the perpetrators and the victims of the crime.

Perpetrators

Research shows that the highest statistically proven perpetrator population in almost all elder abuse cases is found in Caucasian males, ages 41 through 59. The one exception to this rule is in cases of neglect, where Caucasian females were slightly more represented than males (according to the National Elder Abuse Incidence Study). While there are many good caregivers that fit this target perpetrator profile and many abusive caregivers that fall outside of this profile, you would be wise to keep an extra eye on caregivers that fit this description.

In addition, you would be wise to watch out for signs that caregivers (whether they be family members of the aged or hired staff at treatment facilities) are struggling with any obvious addictions, which would make them more likely to take advantage of elders in order to feed their habit.

Victims

When the aged are experiencing abuse behind closed doors, many will exhibit the classic symptoms of withdrawal, moodiness or self harm. It should be noted that the presence of these symptoms does not necessarily mean that elders are experiencing abuse, as people sometimes exhibit these behaviours due to fears associated with growing old. However, these symptoms should serve as red flags for concerned friends of the elderly and should prompt a deeper examination of the quality of care they are receiving. Check their medical alert bracelets for pre-existing conditions.

In addition, if you have an aged family member that has recently entered into a new romantic relationship, you should take a closer look to ensure that they are not falling prey to a “sweetheart scam”. Predators sometimes target lonely, aging populations in order to earn their trust and then steal large amounts of money and possessions from them. While genuine romantic relationships can certainly begin for elders late in life, be sure to look out for your elders by getting to know their love interests on a deeper level in order to ensure that their motives for romance are pure.

This is a “sponsored post.” The company who wrote and sponsored it compensated me via a cash payment, gift, or something else of value to post it. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

You have been diagnosed with a chronic illness. Perhaps the diagnosis was months, or even years in the making. Tremendous relief at finding the answer is followed by a myriad of questions. One of the first is who should be told… and when… and how much?

This is an intensely personal decision, and one which should not be rushed.

Immediate family members who share a home with you… spouse, children, parents… should probably be told. They will be involved in the day-to-day issues as they arise and may be called upon to assist, or at least to provide emotional support.

Reactions to your diagnosis will be varied and unpredictable…

Read this post in its entirety:

Life with Chronic Illness: Who to Tell, When, and How Much

Photo: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1178168

It’s your body, and no one has more incentive to take care of it than you do. You can’t depend on anyone else to take the reins when it comes to your health. The responsibility lies with you. Don’t be a passive patient; be a squeaky wheel.

Read this post in its entirety and find how you can:

• Be pro-active about your health.
• Foster a strong doctor-patient relationship.
• Advocate for yourself and your family.
• Research and learn — seek out multiple trusted sources for medical information.

Health Care Self-Advocacy: Be the Squeaky Wheel

Photo: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/961618

’Tis the season for celebration… and angst; for hustle and bustle… and unrealistic expectations.

Whatever you do, don’t let Norman Rockwell’s homey visions and Martha Stewart’s superior homemaking be the catalyst for your own anxiety. Your Christmas holiday may not rival that of a sentimental old black and white movie, but that wasn’t real life anyway.

One is hard-pressed to find the silver lining in the economic decline over the past several years, but there is more emphasis on home and hearth this Christmas and less emphasis on commercial goods as the fulfillment of holiday wishes. That’s a very good thing.

If you live life with a chronic illness, tackling the holiday “to do” list can be overwhelming. The first item on your “to do” list should be to cull the “to do” list. Ask yourself which items are truly necessary and which can be eliminated.

Read this post in its entirety:

Healthy Holiday Expectations: A How To Guide

Photo: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1078098