Gayle Crabtree.com

My omicron variant symptoms

2022-02-08T22:47:00.007-05:00

My omicron variant symptoms were different than anyone around me. I was diagnosed with covid in early December 2021. This was before the omicron symptoms were widely recognized. Confusing the issue were my three negative covid tests. My husband's omicron symptoms were more expected. He lost taste and smell, had fatigue and the weird eyes that I talk about in my video. Unlike him I didn't lose taste or smell. Based on syptoms I thought that a cold that triggered my asthma. (That always happens when I catch a cold).

But no, a week after my husband was diagnosed and exposed to covid, I tested positive as well. The coronavirus was sneaky though. When the doctor diagnosed me on a Thursday my sypmtoms were just a cough, scratchy throat, sneezing and some slight wheezing - all consistent with asthma. My condition deteriorated despite receiving monoclonal antibodies. That Sunday evening, I had to be put on oxygen and was under the care of the virtual hospital.

This video about my omicron symptoms was done by request. It's just my experience and we are all different. But, maybe it will help someone recognize thier covid symptoms. My bottom line suggestion is that if you're sick and there's the slightest possibility that you may be positive, get tested. It really is the only way to know for sure.

Service dog fundraising update

2021-05-18T10:32:00.005-04:00

Hi everyone! Here is my fundraising update. I thought I would post it here in addition to Instagram. We are at $2,720! This puts me just over halfway to the cost of a dog from Cares in Kansas. The total that I need to raise is around $8,000.

This is for the dog at $5,000, miscellaneous dog related expenses around $500. We have to go from Virginia to Kansas for a week for what is essentially for a doggie boot camp. This is where I learn how to work together with my new service dog. Traveling there means 3 nights out getting there and possibly four nights coming back. We have no way of knowing how well the dog will travel until we receive the fluffy bundle of joy.

We plan to take the travel trailer. That should eliminate lodging expenses on the way to and from (unless we come across a bad storm or something very unusual). I had thought that would mean we could fix meals instead of eating out. Unfortunately, eating out daily with the dog is required as part of the training. So, that's a few more expenses.

I want to thank you all for your help so far. I am working on some other fundraisers. Plus, I have the Amazon affiliate link. It earns a tiny commission whenever someone makes a purchase through my specific link. This doesn't add anything to the cost of whatever you're buying. It can be a good way to support me for free if you buy on Amazon anyway.

Donations can also be sent directly to the organization in Kansas. Make sure you put my name in the subject line. It has to be designated or you are donation will likely go into a general fund.

Thank you again so much for your help. I really appreciate everything that you're doing! Your support has been invaluable financially and emotionally. It's impossible to thank you enough.

This is a picture of me with my service dog who passed away. It gives you an idea of one of the things that he did for me. He was alive changing sweetheart. I'm sure the teacher service dog will be too.

Dealing with service dog loss

2021-03-21T08:06:00.003-04:00

This post is about dealing with service dog loss on the emotional level. Its isn't about fundraising for another service dog as that's a whole different kettle of fish. I'm writing this to hopefully help other service dog handlers with frief and to reassure. It's okay to be sad and it's okay to allow yourself time to grieve.

It's been a little over a year since my service dog passed away and I still miss him. Even though Cares, Inc. in Kansas approved my application for another service dog, there's really no replacing Tomlin in my heart.

Losing a service dog isn't like losing a pet. The bond is deeper and the loss more acute. For me, it's really been like losing a best friend and family member all in one. For over a dozen years Tomlin was there to help whenever I needed him. He would come dashing in whenever I dropped my medicine without being called. He knew I'd need help and he knew he'd get a treat or playtime out of the deal. I chuckle now when I think of him waiting expectantly for his reward.

It's been awhile getting to this point though. But that's okay. Grief is normal and natural. There's no magic end point. It's a process and like any process healing takes time.

If you are grieving the loss of a service dog, I hope you can give yourself time to go through the process.

Some things that can make the process easier are

Talk with someone. This may be a professional, a friend or a pastor.

Give yourself space and permission to grieve.

Donate to a shelter. Knowing you're helping others can help you feel better. I came out from the shelter feeling much better than I went in. Others have said this to me also.

If want to have a memorial service, have a memorial service. A pastor can help with this. No, they won't think it's odd at all. Chances are pretty good that they've helped with this before. If not, they've likely lost a pet and can relate.

There are probably other ideas. Please share below about what you did that helped you through the grief process. By doing so, we can learn from each other and walk this path together - just as our furry beloved would want us to.

Losing Tomlin

2020-03-24T11:23:00.009-04:00

The unexpected happened. We lost my beloved Tomlin. I don't know how I'm going to make it when my husband's not home or when I have to travel. Driving to Alaska for the mission trip this past summer would not have been possible without my service dog. Solo travel is out for even if the world doesn't close because of the virus. But, my heart has broken and I don't even want to think about that right now. It's going to take me sometime to readjust. It hit out of the blue. I didn't see this coming.

There probably won't be many blog post for a while. Thank you all for understanding.

My Social Media for Churches workshop Hiwassee District Training

2019-01-31T00:43:00.004-05:00

I am proud to co-lead on the Social Media for Churches workshop with Rev. Will Conner at the Hiwassee District Training Event for the United Methodist Church. The presentation on social media for churches is on February 10, 2019 in Cleveland, Tennessee. The workshop is geared to anyone who is on the church social media team, pastors and lay members who are curious to learn more.

What will churches gain?

A theological understanding of outreach via social media

Why and how nothing posted online disappears

Social media preferences of Generation X through Generation Alpha. (It's not just about reaching the millennials anymore.)
Why Facebook is used by Millennials and why Generation Z doesn't.

Best practices for using social media at your church.

Did I mention that all this is free?

Although registration is not required we are taking a head count for seating purposes. Contact me by email at gayle@gaylecrabtree.com or leave a comment below if you would like to attend.

New #BeBodacious merch in my Zazzle store

2019-01-06T20:08:00.007-05:00

BeBodacious merch now in our Zazzle store! #BeBodacious is all about living out loud. It's the idea that nothing will hold you back from achieving your goals - whatever they may be. Whether it's climbing a mountain or driving one, being bodacious is the mindset that keeps you going.

Zazzle offers top quality products. Our profit margin is 10% and their products aren't always inexpensive. One of the reasons that I'm partnering with them to offer the merch is because of their frequent promotions.

All the items that I have ordered in the past have been high grade, professional items. Take this mug for example. There are totes, more mugs, t-shirts and many more great items where this came from.

Encouraging and Empowering

2019-01-04T20:30:00.000-05:00

I consider encouraging and empowering others to be one of my true joys. Life tries its best to beat us down. All too often our lives are full of baggage that won't fit in a suitcase. The weight of carrying it drains our energy and keeps our eyes off of the good things that life has to offer. But (and this is a big but) it doesn't have to be that way. Most often our baggage comes from lies people have told us that keep us from achieving. Sometimes we believe those lies instead of believing in who we are.

Occasionally, we'll even tell ourselves that we deserve less than we really do. Why? Because we've come to believe the negative instead of the positive. It's time to turn that around. The new year is here and it's a time for new beginnings - and new positive thoughts.

Replacing negative comments with positive thoughts takes practice. They also say that "practice makes perfect". This means that your outlook can improve with practice. And that puts the power of positive energy in your hands.

Hotlines that may help in a post - Kavanaugh confirmation world

2018-10-08T23:35:00.002-04:00

Like many others in the U.S., I have been moved by events surrounded the Kavanah confirmation debate. Br. Christine Blasey Ford testified as to having been sexually assaulted by Brett Kavanah. Unless you live under a rock on Mars, then you know what happened next.

Three victims of domestic violence called my phone this weekend needing shelter. Emails from sexual assault survivors poured in and my Facebook page blew up. Survivors are looking for help and a listening ear. It's only natural to go online these days. As a survivor who opened the first online rape recovery groups and forums back in 1995/1996, I know firsthand that the internet can bring healing.

These are links to some of the resources that I have found. These lines are often staffed by people who have "been there, done that" and want to help. Together, we can help each other through this. Remember, if you need emergency help, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.

Hotlines

Sexual Assault

* RAINN (Rape, Abuse, Incest, National Network)

Online hotline

Telephone hotline: 1-800-656-HELP

Visit their website link to call through your smartphone app - www.rainn.org

* National Domestic Violence Hotline

Website and online chat www.thehotline.org

Telephone 1−800−799−7233

Information and other resources National Sexual Violence Resource Center

Has a national list of statewide coalitions www.nsvrc.org

* National Human Trafficking Hotline
24/7 Hotline 1-888-373-7888 (An easier to remember pattern for the number is 1.888.3737.888)
Text 233733
Online chat https://humantraffickinghotline.org/chat

* National Suicide Hotline
Phone 1-800-273-8255
Online chat https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat/
Spanish 1-888-628-9454
Deaf and hard of hearing 1-800-799-4889

* National Alliance on Mental Illness
This organization can help you find resources to help with depression, anxiety and other mental health challenges. Their non-emergency number is 1-800-950-NAMI (6264).

Non-emergency resources

* National Center for Victims of Crime

Telephone hotline for crime victims 1-855-484-2846

Non-emergency assistance by chat or text victimsofcrime.org

* National Coalition Against Domestic Violence ww.ncadv.org/

* National Network to End Domestic Violence www.nnedv.org

Please note: I'm not a professional. I'm only offering these websites and as a source of information and encouragement. People do care. My hope is that you will always keep in mind three things:
You can heal.
You deserve to heal.
You are worthy of whatever support you need to heal.

Speaking up by speaking out to groups and agencies

2018-08-05T19:38:00.001-04:00

Do you need a speaker for your next group? Look no farther. Gayle is an expert in turning "No you can't." into "Yes, I can!" She is a nationally recognized speaker and author. As survivor of sexual assault, Gayle founded a nonprofit and maintains an active speaking schedule to encourage others and help them find healing.

Gayle has spoken or taught in:
Jails
Women's Groups
Victim's Panels
Church Pulpits
Domestic violence training events
Ladies conferences
Sexual assault training events
Transition homes
Soup kitchens
College campuses
YouTube appearances
And from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.

She has also consulted with several organizations to set up food pantries, clothing closets and other outreach programs.

Contact her today at gayle@gaylecrabtree.com to schedule her for your next group event.

See also:
How can churches be more active in fighting domestic violence

Homeless man kicked out of McDonald's in South Carolina

2018-03-02T23:23:00.002-05:00

This video of homeless man kicked out of McDonald's in South Carolina should make anyone's blood boil. Yossi Gallo was doing the right thing. He saw a homeless man by the McDonald's and decided to buy him lunch. What he got was no Happy Meal. The police arrived before the men even got their food - food bought and paid for by Yossi Gallo. Management decided the homeless man was trespassing and wanted him kicked out of the restaurant.

A meal given to a homeless person.
Copyright: Gayle Crabtree

In the video, you can see an officer politely explaining to the hungry customer that management felt like he was trespassing. You can also see that the homeless man was being kicked out of the McDonald's before he had hardly even unwrapped his food.

Yossi Gallo becomes understandably upset when he sees his act of kindness essentially stolen from the homeless man. Then unbelievably, the manager decides that Yossi Gallo needs to go and refuses to give him a refund.

The homeless man is in tears by the end of the video. All he hoped for was something to eat. Can you imagine his anguish? Or that of Yossi Gallo who thought he was doing something nice for a guy who is down on his luck?

This makes me angry.

YouTube personality Rebel State Soverign was able to sit down for a few minutes to interview Mr. Gallo. You can hear his thoughts of what went down we he too, was kicked out of the McDonald's in South Carolina.

Before you watch the video consider this:

1:7 American's rely on food pantries for basic foods. (USA Today)
500,000 people in the U.S. were homeless in 2015 (Reuters)
23% of the homeless are veterans (U.S. Department of Veteran's Affairs)
89% of homeless veterans received an honorable discharge (National Coalition for the Homeless)
63% of homeless women have experienced domestic violence (National Coalition for the Homeless)

Could you be arrested or fined for feeding the homeless?

25 States have at least one city where you can go to jail for giving food to a homeless person. (NPR)

rel="nofollow"

Suggested reading:

What poor people really need in a food pantry box
My encounter with a homeless person at Chick-fil-A
Homeless man returns diamond ring : Lesson for us all

How to monetize a blog or YouTube channel to make money online

2018-02-23T17:23:00.000-05:00

You have heard about the YouTube demonetization if you are on any kind of social media platform. The earning threshold has been jacked up to a whopping 4,000 hours of watchtime and 1,000 subscribers! In my opinion, that's a lot to ask. But, stay positive. There are lots of way to monetize that don't have anything to do with a YouTube channel.

The implosions of Associated Content, Yahoo! Contributor Network, Geocities and others taught me to diversify income streams a long time ago. You can do it too. I'll share some of my ideas of how to make money online. Please share yours in the comments below. The list is in alphabetical order.

Here are some of the ways that I make money online. How do you do it? Leave your thoughts and suggestions in the comments section below.

A
Adsense - I know what you're thinking, but relax. I helps on my blog, if not my channel.

Affiliate marketing - Amazon, CJ Junction and others

Amazon - Purchases that you make from my site help me out. My shop is www.amazon.com/shop/gaylecrabtree

Books - In addition to Does God Still Love Me, I've had three books out in the past and retired a couple of them. Another is due out late this spring.

Commission Junction - Affiliate marketing. They are a clearinghouse of sorts for lots of companies.

Etsy - Many of the sales in my Etsy shop come from you guys.

Ebooks - I've self-published through Lulu in the past and plan to again. You can also publish Ebooks through Amazon Kindle.

Groupon Partner - I love this site. Not only do I earn when people purchase, but the deals here help people save money.

Lulu - self publishing platform for books and ebooks. They are very straightforward on pricing and terms. I've used them a few times in the past and plan to again.

Motivational Speaking - Did you know that I've given motivation talks in jails, shelters, at ladies conferences and even at the Lincoln Memorial? Get the scoop at Imagine Publicity.

P

PayPal paypal.me/GayleCrabtree

Patreon (Coming soon!)

Sponsorships - blog posts, product reviews on vlogs and sponsored tweets. Email me at gayle@gaylecrabtree.com for more information.

Speaking - Local speaking opportunities, podcasts, Skype calls and everything in between.

Tweets - Sponsored tweets

Textbroker (Although not blog monetization, it is a company that I enjoy writing for occasionally. They have always paid on time, which is also nice.)

YouTube - Eventually. For newbies who may be reading this, YouTube will not monetize videos until you have over 1000 subscribers and over 4,000 hours in watch time. youtube.com/gaylecrabtree

Zazzle - I sell photos and other products through my Zazzle store and you can too Crabtree Photography

These are the ways that I make money on my blogs and vlogs. How do you do it? Leave me a comment below.

They are benign!

2018-02-10T01:57:00.001-05:00

Good news! Those pesky breast lumps turned out to be benign cysts! I expected/hoped/prayed this would be the case but it's still a relief to have the pathology report. Further good news is that the surgeon was able to remove all of the invaders. (Take that you little monsters!) They won't be bothering me again.

We thought that they would be cysts, but nothing is ever for sure until the biopsy results are back. The real problem is that my family history isn't so benign. My mom had breast cancer and so did a series of aunts and cousins. Many of my relatives have had various types of cancer. So, it didn't really come as a surprise that I would eventually find lumps. However, just because it wasn't a surprise doesn't mean that I wasn't delighted to have the results in hand! I am happy indeed.

So what does this mean? Ladies, it means getting the ta-ta's checked on a regular basis. I will make sure to get the mammograms done on a regular schedule and follow the doctor's advice. It also means celebrating the diagnosis.

So what am I going to do to celebrate?

How about by buying some stuffed animals to help abused or neglected kids? The MLK club at college is collecting them. I think picking up a could of animals for them is a great way to acerbate. How about you?

e47ad3b0f9e5472900f949ec85b03e420eee986a3a0c8d2ec6

Uh oh. I'm lumpy.

2018-02-01T23:37:00.001-05:00

Here's another one to add to the list. On Tuesday, I had a couple of lumps removed. They are probably cysts. The doctor sent me to day surgery instead of just removing them in the office. The whole thing with pre-anesthesia testing, an EKG and lab work seemed like overkill to me. It looks like a little numbing medicine, a scalpel and 20 minutes in the office and my problems would have been solved.

Nope.

One lump was more difficult than anticipated. Had either lump deigned to show up on the mammogram or ultrasound well, then it would have been easier to gauge the size. Your body may cooperate that way. Mine doesn't. So it should be no surprise that I am pretty sore and fussing about it. We should get the pathology report on Tuesday. My doctor and both I expect that the report to show a couple of benign cysts tried to take up temporary residence. Nothing complicated.

However, the diagnosis is particularly disconcerting given my family history.

My mother went to be with the Lord in October 1995. Mom's breast cancer was officially found in 1990. (I know this because she went in for surgery as my daughter was coming home from the hospital after meningitis.) However, she found the lump and was afraid that it might be a little monster. Instead of having it checked out immediately she ran from it. The insidious beast grew.

Several weeks later she decided to go to the doctor. He checked it, sent her for a mammogram and declared it to be a cyst. No big deal. Run of the mill. Nothing to worry about. Satisfied, she left. It kept growing and she and the doctor went back and forth a few more weeks about removing it. The doctor finally relented and sent her to a surgeon. That doctor told her it was just a cyst, not to worry.

That was before the pathology report came back. Adenocarcinoma. Treatment began soon after. Technically, she survived the breast cancer but not the treatment. I remember her saying that a medicine she took for breast cancer could cause uterine cancer in very rare cases. That would have been her. It metastasized from there and that's the end of the story.

Why do I type this?

It's not to whine, moan or fuss. It's not a play for sympathy or empathy. It's to remind everyone that our time here is short. Life is fleeting. It's also to remind you to take advantage of what life offers and run with it. Sometimes I close my videos with the reminder to "live bodaciously". We only get one shot at life. It's not a dress rehearsal. Go and live it!

Look at it this way. Bad things are going to happen. Good things are going to happen. Change is going to happen. Why not embrace it?

For the past couple of years I have tried to do just that. I have...
Been on a climbing wall
Driven the Alaska Highway
Sand-surfed down the dunes in White Sands National Monument
Gone to movies with the husband
Watch the sun set over Mount Redoubt
Heated tea in a solar cooker
Made new friends
Made a 4.0 in a college semester for the first time in my life
Crafted a heater out of some terra cotta pots and tea light candles
Cussed at my leg brace
Watched salmon spawn on Homer Spit
Held my husband's hand
Gotten kisses from the dog
Heard cicadas chirp in the Smokies
Helped fire victims
Flown a drone
Was late to a church meeting (or two)
Sat with my daughter when she was in the hospital
Watched a chick hatch at my other daughter's farm
Seen the stars come out in the Smoky Mountains

In short, I've lived bodaciously and plan to continue. Some of my escapades are on my YouTube channel, some aren't. Chronicled or not, pathology results or not, I plan to continue to live bodaciously. No matter your life or where you are in it, I encourage you to live bodaciously also. Do whatever it is that you've always wanted to do but haven't yet. Don't wait. Life is too short not to live it as best you can, in all ways that you can.

Taking my jewelry to the church ladies conference

2018-01-12T23:31:00.005-05:00

The day is finally here. I will be taking my jewelry to the church ladies conference at Jones Chapel. Making jewelry helps me pass time in the campervan and is one of my favorite hobbies. Seeing the pieces come together is a little like opening a Christmas present. You sit down to a blank slate of beads, wires and findings. A little while later you have something pretty.

My jewelry won't be sold at a profit at the conference tomorrow. Instead, half of the proceeds will go to support the conference. It's my way of giving back to my home church. I figure it's the least that I can do for the love that we are shown. The ladies pulled my tail out of the fire when my daughter married. I owe them for that big time! But, that's not the only reason for donating to the church.

This church does a lot of work for the community. It has to be one of the most (if not, the most) helpful churches to the community that I have ever been involved with. They feed the hungry, have an annual dinner to benefit Relay for Life, support mission teams - you name it. They just love people and will do whatever for someone. This may sound trite, but it's reality here.

Here are a few pictures of the jewelry up for grabs tomorrow. Some of the pieces are in my Etsy store, but most are only available at the conference tomorrow. Let me know if you see something that you like.

My advocacy is showing again

2017-11-18T22:52:00.001-05:00

This post needs to be started off with a trigger warning - tw for short. That's how we used to abbreviate the term when it started in my chat rooms years ago. I still use it. This post is a rant about something that came up in a Facebook group lately. My opinion to a question about teen sexual assault survivors is strong and partially unrestrained. Those who may not be in a safe place may wish to leave, and I understand that. To those who chose to remain, don't say that I didn't warn you.

TW - Scroll down for the rest of the post.

The question about teen sexual assault survivors who were virgins at the time of the assault is this... "When I was 15 years old I was raped. Am I still considered to be a virgin in the sight of God?"

Don't ask that in a group I'm in if you don't want my response. Respond I did. Many of us stated our belief that God views virgins as having an unchanged status. Deuteronomy tells us that victims of sexual assault have done nothing wrong. Nothing.

It was heartening to see that many people in the group were supportive of victims. Of those who responded only one held out. He said that he could see where I was coming from, but that he believes that victims do not remain virgins. My blood pressure raised as we exchanged more messages. He attempted to settle down the conversation by tossing out a suggestion. Maybe we should agree to disagree? I told him no.

Why no? The answer that is below is the cause of the trigger warning. Polite conversation about teen victims of sexual assault was over. I was pissed and here is the result.

TW------------------------------------------

Facebook membername: This is why I choose not to agree to disagree about victims of sexual assault and why I never will.

I have been in the trenches where evil lives and wiped the tears away of a teenager while her father and brothers stood outside the exam room waiting for word on their baby girl/ little sister. I have looked into the grief stricken face of a mother faced with reconciling her own victimization from years ago, while watching her own daughter endure a similar exam in a cold hospital room. I have seen a grown man cry as he opened up about how being victimized derailed his entire life.

No, I will not agree to disagree because it means being okay with a world that allows soldiers access to a teenage girl during a war that she had no say in - while her powerless mother crumpled to the floor.

I will not agree to disagree because it means giving in to a world where pain is real and the boogeyman lives in the closet, but down the hall or next door. Most of all, I will not agree do disagree because it goes against what I feel and believe as a woman and as a Christian.

I refuse to equate violence with horrific aggression. A woman doesn't lose her virginity by being forced to endure a horrific act. She loses her virginity when she freely gives herself to someone she knows and cares about, to someone who makes her happy, who loves her in return and treats her like the princess that she is - the princess that God created her to be. A male victim loses his virginity when he is with someone he loves the first time time too. Not when he is raped.

The question put to us had neither a female or male gender to it. To view this question in terms of penis/vagina contact fails to allow for the many men who are raped. It also doesn't count women who are forced by other women or men who are forced by women or the many ways a person can be raped with something other than a penis.

The question seems simple. Getting to the answer is complex. But, the answer itself is no, a victim does not lose virginity until she or he freely gives without coercion, violence or in anything other than love (or at least out of personal desire).

Do I believe that a person loses virginity through violence? No! In the Old Testament, He tells us that if a man rapes a woman that he is to be put to death, not her. That nothing is to happen to her for she has done nothing wrong. God knows and judges the heart of each person more than we do.and I believe that he views victims of sexual assault as being innocent. The passage in Deuteronomy instructs us, even as his voice whispers to us.

Please believe me when I say that I respect you and wish that I could agree to disagree. Life would be simpler that way. But I can't, and I hope you can understand. If not, I'm sorry. Many other people do.

Owning A Service Dog: What They Don't Tell You YouTube video

2017-10-29T00:40:00.003-04:00

Friday is known as "Service Dog Friday" on my YouTube channel. Our topic for this is what they don't tell you about service dog ownership. We hear about the success stories and about times when teams, especially veterans who have service dogs are kicked out or denied services. We seldom hear about the problems with access that fall in between or other issues about owning a service dog.

It's not a bed of roses. My experience at the Safra Family Lodge at the NIH is well documented with footage. I haven't talked about times on vacation when a hotel tried charging me a pet fee or about when another hotel refused me citing a "no pets" policy. The instances are too numerous. Those are the routine things that service dog handlers don't focus on but need to be talked about.

Topics come from comments guests leave. They also come from tweets or posts on my Facebook page. So please, leave your comment below or on my page. I'm also open for possible collabs with other service dog owners on YouTube or off. Be sure to mention that in the comments or email me at gayle@gaylecrabtre.com.

This is the What they Don't Tell You video. It's part of my larger Servce Dog Video Playlist. The link will come up at the end of this one. To make it easier to find, I'll link it here as well.

How volunteering with Remote Area Medical (RAM) impacted me

2017-07-10T07:43:00.000-04:00

Some women might have spent their 50th birthday celebrating with friends or backpacking the Himalayas. Not me. When I heard that Remote Area Medical (RAM) in Athens, Tennessee was operating over my birthday weekend, I signed up to be a volunteer. The event would provide free medical care for the medically needy in the Athens vicinity. My area was "General Support". Organizers placed me in the vision area of the event.

RAM first came to my attention through a United Methodist Church member. She gave me a general idea of the medical care and services provided through Remote Area Medical. A few years ago, I had the opportunity to cover the red carpet premier in Knoxville of the documentary of Remote Area Medical. Stan Brock, founder of RAM spoke. He told his story of being injured while living in Guyana. Medical care was a 26 mile journey. The impact of that experience led him to found an organization that would provide free medical care to those who need it most.

Although Stan Brock had Guyana in mind originally, the work of the organization spread globally. The plight of the medically needy in East Tennessee was brought up. RAM set up an operation and the response was overwhelming. The Remote Area Medical in Athens expedition was hosted by the Lion's Club and staffed by a small army of volunteers. I am proud to have been one of the people who helped. Working the event impacted me in ways that are still being realized.

First, some background on the day.

According to this live Facebook video stream, Remote Area Medical in Athens handed out tickets at 3:00 am each day. People could camp out in the parking lot beginning on Friday for Saturday tickets and on Saturday afternoon to try for a ticket on Sunday. The screenshot to the left details the number of people seen and the value in services. What it doesn't tell you is the story of how volunteering at a Remote Area Medical event impacted me or the people at the event.

Each person that came through the door has his or her own story. The people that I saw were as varied as you can imagine. Patients included people who do and do not have job. There were children, teens, college students and adults, elderly, able-bodied and those who required assistance. The crowd was white, black, Hispanic and more For the most part, kids were not whiny. They each (of the ones that I saw) seemed to understand that this was something special and seemed well behaved.

Anxiety that you sometimes find in a doctor's waiting room was missing. Each person seemed relieved to receive and eye exam and glasses when needed. The atmosphere was attentive, jovial even.

But this wasn't your average waiting room. Student chairs took the place of more comfortable seats. There were no neatly stacked piles of magazines or soft music playing in the background. That was all replaced with quiet conversations. People connected with each other and made small talk.

RAM organizers had compassion on the crowd in other ways. At least twice I saw a volunteer come around to ask if the patients needed a snack or bottle of water. Other bottles of water were available on a nearby table for anyone who might need or want one.

Volunteering impacted me in a couple of different ways. Seeing people that I know who are patients or volunteers is both reassuring and unsettling. It's always a warm moment to see a familiar face and bright smile. Yet, the moment is bittersweet when I see a friend who may be hurting and unable to see a doctor regularly because of (insert reason here).

The irony struck me (not for the first time) that access to a doctor depends on a myriad of factors. Growing up without health insurance meant going to the doctor as infrequently as possible, so I understand what my friends are going through. I also see that access to medical care is having an employer who offers insurance, not falling through the cracks of TennCare, having gas in the car and being able to take off from work. Remove any one of these factors and access to a doctor becomes perilous.

Another way that volunteering with Remote Area Medical impacted me is that it opened my eyes to how generous people really are. We hear so much negativity that it's easy to overlook the good. There were two hundred people volunteering at Remote Area Medical in Athens. Some came from Memphis, Illinois and as far away as New Jersey. Many of these folks probably couldn't have found Athens on the map before arriving here. Some drove to Tennessee and others flew all gave time and some came at great personal expense. It encourages me to know people care about our small town.

Their actions remind me of how problems can be solved and lives made better when we all pull together. I think perhaps that was my biggest takeaway of all.

This video clip is commentary of my experience at Remote Area Medical in Athens is below. It will be live on Monday, July 10 at noon Eastern. Please check back or visit my YouTube Channel here to watch it.

Update on the livestream benefit for my mission trip to Alaska

2017-06-23T20:39:00.000-04:00

Several of you have asked for an update on my mission trip to Alaska. We are leaving in mid-July 2017 to head to the mission site in Alaska from Tennessee. A friend and I are ditching our best guys to make the drive. We have done other fundraising with yard sales, cookbooks, an auction and such. But, a trip like this needs money to happen (even though it's for a fabulous cause).

We decided to turn to YouTube to reach the widest audience possible. My channel (Gayle Crabtree) meets the requirements set by YouTube to enable Superchat. This is where people can put their comment at the top of the chat window during a livestream. Google keeps 30% and we get 70%. That's a much higher profit margin than many other fundraising opportunities.

The vast majority of people don't donate. That's okay. The video still generates ad revenue and it will continue to do so indefinitely. So, with all this in mind, we decided to go for it.

My first ever Superchat-enabled livestream took place on June 18, 2017. The result is that we have roughly 100 views (so far) and 348 chat messages were exchanged. Of those, we had a couple of people donate monetarily through Superchat or via PayPal. I can't tell you about ad revenue yet because it's too early to get a total. I can say that a few people have offered meals or coffee shop visits along the way. These gifts are appreciated and important because money that we would spend on food can be shifted to cover gas costs.

I'll have another update soon. In the meantime, here's the livestream replay in case you missed it. Don't forget. If you like the livestream, be sure to click the subscribe button on the video. That way, you'll get all of our video updates from the road. Now, here's that livestream.

The original post about the livestream is here.
Articles about my previous trips to Alaska are on my other blog You've Been Reviewed.net.
Follow my vlog to get video updates here.

Thank you! Now over 10,000 Social Media friends (aggregated)

2017-06-12T01:43:00.000-04:00

Bloggers and vloggers don't always take time to recognize our followers/subscribers/friends that follow us on various social media. It's time for me to change that. I want to take just a minute to extend my appreciation for each of you - all 10,000 of you.

Some of you have been with me since my first article on Associated Content. Those 1,000,000+ views would not have been possible without you, my readers. You can't be thanked enough for supporting my blogs and vlogs! It is humbling and inspiring to know that so many people enjoy my scribbles and videos.

I never dreamed that one person would follow me on Twitter, let alone over 6,000! Then there are those of you who follow me on Facebook, Google Plus and the other platforms. Each of you are awesome!

No one knows what the future holds. However, I'm glad that I get to share it with you. Thank you for joining me on my online adventures and offline follies. I'm enjoying sharing my escapades on YouTube and hope you enjoy my channel. May your lives be successful and your love everlasting. Stay blessed!

Livestream benefit for my mission trip to Alaska on June 18.

2017-06-11T10:52:00.000-04:00

My mission trip to Alaska begins in less than a month! Yikes! It's coming up in a hurry. We'll be hosting a VBS in Seward in early August 2017. A friend and I will be driving team supplies from Tennessee to Alaska. This will be my third round trip on the Alaska Highway. I'm super excited but also a little nervous. Because no one knows what a journey will hold, I'm hosting a free fundraising livestream on my YouTube channel and hoping you will join me.

The channel livestream is June 18 from 8pm 10ish at this link. Helping us raise funds is as simple as streaming my channel on your phone or computer that night. You don't have to donate anything to help us raise money. However, if you insist on making a donation that night we'll gratefully accept your gift.

Superchat will be running during the livestream. The funds will go for transportation expenses (gas) unless you donate otherwise. The Superchat donations are subject to the regular Google cut, but will otherwise go toward the trip.

Drop in on June 18 from 8:00 pm - 10ish. Stay for a few minutes or an hour. My channel url is www.youtube.com/gaylecrabtree Please email me at gayle@gaylecrabtree.com if you have any questions or comment below. It should be lots of fun! Be sure to mark your calendars and subscribe to the channel.

We looking forward to seeing you on June 18. :-D

Can you help me find a #lostdog in #Polvadera #NM

2017-06-07T00:40:00.000-04:00

This was originally posted in June 2017. After all this time, we presume Chester to be permanently lost. My daughter and her husband remain heartbroken over their #lostdog. The best guess is that someone decided that the guy was friendly enough to pick up after he got loose. I want to thank everyone who shared the information, prayed and helped us try to find him. Each of you are precious. Thank you again.

Previous...
Pet owners and dog lovers... Can you help me find my daughter's dog? He and his canine sibling got out from his #Polvadera home yesterday. His canine sibling returned without him. The dog is six and has never failed to return. Usually he stays very close to my daughter. She and her husband are disconsolate. Please email me at youvebeenreviewed@gmail.com if you see him. Any help you can give is appreciated.

Returning to college as a nontraditional student is not for sissies

2017-06-05T02:27:00.001-04:00

Another semester of college is under my belt and I could not be happier. Returning to college as a nontraditional student is not for sissies. My challenge had nothing to do with the classroom and everything to do with acceptance as an adult college student.

This took me by surprise. Everyone has been very accepting until this semester. Don't get me wrong. The students that I came into contact with were all nice. However, being nice and accepting an older student on a college campus are two different things.

It showed up in little ways. Things like a person walking up to tell me how much she supported older students "my age" in our pursuit of higher education. My mobility challenge was mentioned more times that I can count (often in reference to age). It was as though some people had to "prove" how accepting they are of older college students by referencing my age or mobility several times in a single (usually short) conversation. Unfortunately, the "proof" came across as being a backwards sort of fake acceptance.

People who accept you for who you are don't constantly reference those things. "Proving" in this way comes across as short-sighted and shallow. It's like an insecure person who becomes the center of attention because it helps them feel more confident. The person is nervous on the inside, but putting on a mask on the outside.

I think people who struggle in their acceptance of older or non-traditional college students go through something similar. They are insecure or nervous about older students and overcompensate.

Every student isn't like that. Some, like the study groups in my English course, were genuinely accepting. I was just another student to them and it was super nice. That is true acceptance. I talk about it in my video below. If you're a student who followed me here from my YouTube shirt, then I'd encourage you to take a few minutes to watch the video.

To the adults who are considering going back to school, my suggestion is to go. Follow your passion. Live bodaciously and enjoy it. Every time we accept ourselves enough to live our dreams, we're teaching the world to accept us to. Returning to college, being a nontraditional student, homework, classroom time... it's not for sissies. It's for trailblazers.

An emotional assistance animal in the grocery store| No way

2017-04-18T18:57:00.000-04:00

I am dictating this post by voice text about a lady in the grocery store who had a dog on her shoulder. The woman was in the produce aisle, the frozen food, and toured the meat department with her emotional assistance animal.

The problem is that emotional assistance animals are not service dogs. They are not allowed to go where service dogs can go in retail establishments. Housing is a different matter. Housing does allow emotional assistance animals.She had the dog in a cute little vest. And I have to admit that the dog is absolutely adorable ( which matters not).

So what is the difference between emotional assistance animal and service dog? I thought you would never ask.

Service dogs are trained to perform one or more tasks for their Handler. In my case, my service dog is trained to retrieve, to get people in the house if I fall and need someone comma stand steady if I am about to fall. And the number is other things.

When a person who has an emotional assistance animal takes their dog into a place of business it first those of us who have legitimate service dogs emotional assistance animals are not necessarily trained the same standard that a service dog is trained for. This makes a difference in how they interact with the public. Service dogs are not supposed to beg for attention, beg for food scraps, or misbehave in public or really anywhere else for that matter. Emotional assistance animals don't have that kind of Behavioral training usually.

If they aren't trained to perform a specific comma then they are not animals. The law only allows for two types of animals to be assistance animals the dog or the miniature horse. Lately, another thing that has happened is that some people have attempted to pass their cats off as service animals. No way! That is actually also against the law.

Some people legitimately believe that they are doing the right thing within the parameters of the law when they take these animals into retail establishments. Then there are some who are simply taking advantage of other people lack of knowledge on this if anyone is not sure about what the law says it is very easy to go to the Department of Justice at online and look up the law. It is ada.gov. they even have a hotline that you can call for help if you need it.

Back up plans in case of storms or college snow day

2017-02-12T07:00:00.000-05:00

The weather forecasters are calling for a possible snow accumulation of 1-3 inches, with more expected in the higher elevations. Living 1.5 hours from school makes this a tough situation. Pellissippi State is a non-resident campus. This means that everyone drives in to college. It's not bad 99% of the time, but snow and stormy weather can make getting to the college campus difficult. Fortunately, Hubby and I made back - up plans for the "what if" scenario.

1. Lodging
I got rates from a couple of area motels. We took the higher price and placed that amount in a savings account. It's easy to move the funds by phone call or transferring the funds into my checking account online. This gives me access to a one night stay at least.

2. Food
Like with lodging, I put $25 into the checking account for food. This makes it possible to order pizza and save it for later or to pick up a few things on the way to the hotel. Knowing that the money is put aside gives me the freedom to work on my college grades instead of panicking.

Snowfall at the National Institutes of Health,

Bethesda, MD By Gayle Crabtree

3. Gas
I always make sure to fill the gas at the first possibility of bad weather. When we lived in North Carolina some power outages shut down the area for up to two weeks a couple of times. Gas pumps and ATMs don't work if the electricity is out. Plus, if I do run out of gas, I can call AAA and they'll deliver $5.00 under my AAA Premier membership plan. (Note: AAA makes a great gift for a college student.

4. All of the above
The van. Most all of you know about the Chevy Express that we are converting into a camper van. I'll drive it to the school campus anytime snow is predicted. If it looks like I can ride things out, I'll stay snuggled up in my sleeping bag inside the van. We have a small propane burner, heating element and indoor gas heater (and a fire and carbon monoxide alarm) as well as a battery pack. I also keep a tote with an extra change of clothes and personal care items. There is also a $20 bill tucked in the tote for a truck stop shower.

Those are my back-up plans in case campus closes early due to weather. Do you plan ahead for rough weather? How? Share your ideas by leaving me a comment below.

Together we Stand

2017-01-20T10:51:00.001-05:00

I realize that's some friends of mine are jubilant today and other friends of mine are in mourning. Let me challenge you to remember that no president is all good or all bad.

All presidents have made decisions that have been good for the country and all presidents have made decisions that have been bad for the country. The thing is that by and large the people of the United States have survived and weathered all storms.

We are a resilient and strong people in any era. For the most part we are kind, giving, and compassionate toward one another. The leadership going in needs our compassion and support whether we like the leader or not. The United States is all of us not just one of us. Together we stand.