My Life and More

My Last Post

2008-09-03T15:58:00.003-05:00

I am no longer going to be posting to this blog. I have started a new blog, Health Revelation, and I will be putting some of the more important posts from this blog into my new one, along with new posts that will be health-related. This was my very first blog and I feel that I've grown a little since I started it and I just feel that it's time to move on. I'm not going to delete it just yet,

The Dangers of the West Nile Virus

2008-08-21T11:48:00.001-05:00

The summer months are here and while it's time for fun in the sun, there are also dangers lurking outside. Mosquitoes are not only annoying, but they can also be deadly. The West Nile virus was first introduced to the United States in 1999, when there were several outbreaks in New York. Previously it was documented in Uganda in 1937. Mosquitoes carry the highest amounts of the virus between

The Symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

2008-07-28T09:40:00.002-05:00

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a type of anxiety disorder that can develop after a traumatic or terrifying event that caused someone harm and/or put their life in grave danger. Not everyone who experiences a traumatic event will develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The causes of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder are biology and genetics, life experiences, temperament and changes in the

Living with Chronic Pain

2008-07-22T18:26:00.000-05:00

Pain is the body’s natural response to an injury. Everyone knows that if you smash your finger in a car door that you are going to experience intense pain. Fortunately the pain will eventually stop and the wound will heal. Those who suffer from chronic pain are unable to gain permanent relief from their pain. So imagine smashing your finger in the car door every day and you can get a glimpse

The Symptoms of Acute and Chronic Pancreatitis

2008-06-24T11:26:00.000-05:00

Pancreatitis is the inflammation of the pancreas and can be acute or chronic. The pancreas is a large gland that is behind the stomach and close to the duodenum or the upper part of the small intestine. Pancreatitis can occur in people of all ages, but it is rare in children. There are almost 100,000 cases of Pancreatitis a year in the United States.Acute Pancreatitis is the sudden inflammation

Two Forms of Gonococcal Arthritis

2008-06-24T11:24:00.000-05:00

There are many types of arthritis and while some are well known there are others that most have never heard of. One such type of arthritis is Gonococcal Arthritis. Gonococcal arthritis is the most common type of acute septic arthritis and can be best described as a bacterial infection of a joint. It is caused by the gram-negative deplococcus Neisseria gonorrhea. It is also known as Disseminated

The Symptoms of Trichotillomania

2008-06-24T11:23:00.000-05:00

Do you know someone who is constantly pulling out their hair? Some people may bite their nails or pick at scabs, but some people pull out handfuls of their own hair. These people suffer from a mental condition known as Trichotillomania. This condition leads to patchy bald spots on the head.Trichotillomania is a psychological condition that causes the urge to pull out hair. The hair is pulled out

Gaslighting: Emotional Abuse and Manipulation

2008-04-27T22:34:00.000-05:00

Every year millions of people are abused by a spouse, friend or family member. Whether the abuse is physical or emotional it is devastating and it changes their lives forever. One type of abuse that is seldom heard of is called Gaslighting. Gaslighting is a form of emotional abuse and manipulation. This form of abuse is difficult to recognize and even harder to get away from. It has even been

The Symptoms of Emphysema

2008-04-27T22:19:00.001-05:00

Millions of Americans are feeling the effects of Emphysema. They will have to be on medication for the rest of their lives and some will have to rely on an oxygen tank for the rest of their lives. Unfortunately the rest of their lives won’t be as long as it should be.Emphysema is a serious lung disease that involves damage to the lungs air sacs and effects breathing. About 85% of the deaths

The Stages of Alzheimer's Disease

2008-04-22T23:14:00.000-05:00

Recently I heard of a man who was confused and didn’t know where he was. He was in his car, parked on the side of the road. He just sat there until the local police came to his rescue. It turned out that he was a missing person from the next town over and that he had Alzheimer’s disease.Alois Alzheimer, a German neurologist, first described Alzheimer's disease or A.D. in 1906. A.D. is the most

Inner Happiness

2008-04-05T11:38:00.000-05:00

That long enduring relationship is over. The one you spent so much time and love on. Now you’re left wondering if your life will ever be the same. Tears and pain are all you know and you ask yourself the same question every day, “Will I ever find true happiness?” True happiness comes from

When Did Writing Stop Being Fun?

2008-04-02T13:00:00.000-05:00

When did writing stop being fun? I’ve wanted to be a writer for as long as I can remember, but lately the passion I use to have as diminished into almost nothing. I remember how much I loved the writing assignments in school, especially the poetry. After school, I would write just for fun. I would write poetry, stories and I even wrote what I call my “book”. It was approximately 48 pages

The Deadly Puffer Fish

2008-03-15T14:01:00.001-05:00

The puffer fish is a delicacy in Japan and a single serving can cost more than a $100. It tastes great, but could it kill you? There are 120 different species of the Puffer fish, which is also known as globe fish, swellfish and blowfish. The general name for the fish in Japan is fugu. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration states that the puffer fish can “produce rapid and violent death”.Chefs

Signs and Symptoms of Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome

2008-03-15T13:43:00.001-05:00

Hemolytic uremic syndrome is a condition that affects children under the age of 10. It is most common in children ages 6 months to 4 years. It is characterized by acute kidney failure, hemolytic anemia and thrombocytopenia. It is the most common cause of acute kidney failure in children. Hemolytic uremic syndrome was first described in 1955 by Gasser and coworkers.Hemolytic uremic syndrome is

Vonage Lawsuits

2008-02-18T18:31:00.001-06:00

Vonage provides excellent broadband phone service and has approximately 2.5 million subscribers. Vonage’s phone service includes many features such as call waiting, call forwarding and voice mail at a low cost, but they have been finding themselves in a lot of trouble over the past couple of years.In 2005, Sprint Nextel Corp. filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Vonage and Voiceglo

Day 10...No End in Sight

2008-02-10T23:21:00.000-06:00

The last of couple of days have been exhausting so I’m going to keep this short. It’s the end of day ten of my mom’s lengthy stay in the hospital. The doctors haven’t even mentioned her going home yet and there’s a reason. Early Saturday morning she had a mild heart attack. The Cardiologist said that it was common for someone with pneumonia and high blood pressure to have a heart attack. It’

Is there Anything Left to Gain?

2008-02-10T22:30:00.001-06:00

Tired, confused and lonelyThe future is hard to seeWar, poverty and diseaseSends so many to their kneesPolitics, religion and shameEveryone always passes the blameLies, deceit and painIs there anything left to gain

The Beginning of Day 9

2008-02-09T00:23:00.000-06:00

A couple of hours ago (nearing the end of day number eight), my husband and I had a huge scare. We had left the hospital for a while to run an errand. We came back and had just entered the lobby area of the hospital and they were announcing a code blue on my mom’s floor. My heart dropped and we practically ran to the elevator. As the elevator door opened we saw that everyone was racing past

Day 8 of Hospital Insanity

2008-02-08T14:03:00.000-06:00

Today is day number eight in the hospital for my mom. I guess you could say for me too, except I don’t have to undergo the horrendous tests that they are making her do. She was convinced yesterday that they were trying to kill her. She came back from the test crying. It was awful and I almost lost it. I just wanted to cry with her, but I knew if I cried that it would just make her feel worse

Dealing with People

2008-02-06T14:35:00.000-06:00

My mom has been in the hospital for almost a week now and I’ve been staying here with her so I haven’t been in much of a mood to write. Almost everyone in this place is starting to get on my nerves. I found a few quotes that are about dealing with people so I thought I would share. I hope you enjoy them and hopefully I will be back to a normal posting schedule soon. A man's own good breeding

February: Special Days and Observances

2008-01-29T23:26:00.000-06:00

The month of February is quickly approaching and it is full of month long observances and special days. There are so many that I never knew existed. Month long observances for February are: American Heart MonthAmerican History MonthBlack History MonthChildren’s Dental Health MonthInternational Friendship MonthCherry MonthEmbroidery MonthGrapefruit

Symptoms of Fibromyalgia

2008-01-25T18:58:00.001-06:00

As many as 12 million Americans suffer from a pain no one else can see. They are called lazy and sometimes crazy because no one understands what they are going through. It’s overwhelming and very lonely. It’s Fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is a chronic arthritis-related syndrome and while it affects a lot more, only 3.7 million Americans have been diagnosed with the condition. Unlike arthritis,

Symptoms of Chiari 1 Malformation

2008-01-23T23:32:00.000-06:00

Chiari 1 Malformation is the most common form of the Chiari Malformations. German pathologist, Professor Hans Chiari first described abnormalities of the brain at the junction of the skull with the spine in the 1980’s. Chiari 1 Malformation is a common, but misunderstood disorder of the craniovertebral junction. Chiari 1 Malformation usually occurs during the early stages of fetal

Symptoms of Roseola

2008-01-23T23:30:00.000-06:00

Roseola is a viral illness that affects children between the ages of six months and two years. It is also known as sixth disease, exantheum, subitum and roseola infantum. Roseola is a very common childhood disease, but it can also occur in adults. The Human Herpes Virus (HHV) type 6 and possibly 7 are closely related to Roseola and may actually be the cause of it. The symptoms of Roseola

Chronic Pain

2008-01-21T23:54:00.000-06:00

I have always felt that emotional pain hurts more than physical pain, but what about when the physical pain causes emotional pain. That's the situation I'm faced with. I've suffered from chronic pain for about 4 years now. In the beginning I was able to deal with it, but as the years passed by it became harder and harder. The part that depressed me the most was having to deal with all these