Time with family

As I'm sitting here typing this, I'm actually staying the night here with my brother, Billy. It's not very often that I get to spend a lot of time with him because of Chris's work schedule. But since Chris has the weekend off from work for the holidays, I jumped at the chance to come over and stay the night. Plus I needed a break from being around Chris. We've been having some problems as of late and I honestly think that it's because we have spent so much time together that we need some time apart to reconnect with ourselves. I'm really enjoying some time to just let loose and be free without having to hear Chris sound his disapproval at whatever I'm doing. My mother cooked a really nice ham dinner complete with macaroni and cheese, green beans and rolls. As we were getting ready to eat my other younger brother, Andy, showed up with his girlfriend, Tami. So it really turned into a Thanksgiving dinner of sorts. We all sat around and talkled while eating. Then we played with the dog a bit. Unfortunately since it's also Friday night I had to get my shot out as well. Poor Tami couldn't be in the same room as me when I was ready to take my shot. She doesn't like needles much. It was really good to see Andy and Tami even with some of the problems we've had in the past with each other. I know that people can change as they grow older, so I'm willing to give him half a chance. I'm not willing to talk to my aunt right now. Each day that passes brings a new tale of her deceit and pain caused to my grandmother. I'm really hoping that things come out into the light soon for my cousin, her daughter. It's not easy to believe bad about someone you love, but they are human just like everyone else and can make bad choices.

The weather here was a little weird and it's going to continue to be that way throughout the entire weekend. I know my dear friend in the United Kingdom is set to get a lot of snow. I do hope that she and her family staying with her are warm and have enough to last them should they be snowed in for a while. Here the day started off very cold. The temperature last night dropped down to 12 F and was very slow in warming up this morning. In fact, it didn't get any warmer until almost sunset. But the local weatherman is saying that we are to get as warm as 55 F by Saturday evening with a chance of thunderstorms. Needless to say that it's not good on the Arthritis front. I'm glad tonight was shot night. Maybe the change won't be so bad.

I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving. I received a kick in the butt to stop doubting myself when it comes to completing my Nanowrimo novel. So, Stacy, you won't have to hunt me down. Lol, I have been working on it steadily and have gotten just over 30k words at the present. The unfortunate thing is that I had planned on bringing my disk over here to my brother's with me and use his laptop in the bedroom but I forgot it. Oh well, I can make up for it tomorrow night if I can get Chris off the computer for a couple hours. I will not stop until I absolutely have to have it turned in. So yes, that means I'm not going to give up. Not much happening in the likes of excitement. I did get an email from a good friend of mine stationed over in Iraq. He gets to come home within a week. Yay! I'm really excited to see him. He's all grownup compared to the last time I was able to spend time with him. I hope this time around with him being home I can see him.

With that I must be off. I need to do a few more things before going to bed tonight even though I"m here at my mom's house. Take care everyone.

Until next time,
Kim

Daily Inspiration

The Stonecutter
By Benjamin Hoff

There was once a stonecutter who was dissatisfied with himself and with his position in life.

One day, he passed a wealthy merchant's house and through the open gateway saw many fine possessions and important visitors. "How powerful that merchant must be!" thought the stonecutter. He became very envious, and wished that he could be like the merchant. Then he would no longer have to live the life of a mere stonecutter.

To his great surprise, he suddenly became the merchant, enjoying more luxuries and power than he had ever dreamed of, envied and detested by those less wealthy than himself. But soon a high official passed by, carried in a sedan chair, accompanied by attendants, and escorted by soldiers beating gongs. Everyone, no matter how wealthy, had to bow low before the procession. "How powerful that official is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be a high official"

Then he became the high official, carried everywhere in his embroidered sedan chair, feared and hated by the people all around, who had to bow down before him as he passed. It was a hot summer day, and the official felt very uncomfortable in the sticky sedan chair. He looked up at the sun. It shone proudly in the sky, unaffected by his presence. 'How powerful the sun is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be the sun!'

Then he became the sun, shining fiercely down on everyone, scorching the fields, cursed by the farmers and laborers. But a huge black cloud moved between him and the earth, so that his light could no long shine on everything below. "How powerful that storm cloud is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be a cloud!"

Then he became the cloud, flooding the fields and villages, shouted at by everyone. But soon he found that he was being pushed away by some great force, and realized that it was the wind. "How powerful it is!' he thought.

"I wish that I could be the wind!"

Then he became the wind, blowing tiles off the roofs of houses, uprooting trees, hated and feared by all below him. But after a while, he ran up against something that would not move, no matter how forcefully he blew against it – a huge, towering stone. "How powerful that stone is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be a stone!'

Then he became the stone, more powerful than anything else on earth. But as he stood there, he heard the sound of a hammer pounding a chisel into the solid rock and felt himself being changed. What could be more powerful than l, the stone?" he thought. He looked down and saw far below him the figure of a stonecutter.


Source

Health Headlines 11/25/05

Were Drugs or Disease the Muse Behind These Famous Artists? ~> Click here.

Patients Regain Cognitive Function After Radiation for Brain Tumors ~> Click here.

Removal of Precancerous Cells not a Cure ~> Click here.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Just wanted to say thank you to all the men and women around the world who make it possible for me to sit here and keep this online journal about things. Without you all, we would not be able to enjoy the freedoms that we have been blessed with. You are the shining lights at the end of a long tunnel, keeping the way safe for each of us here at home. Stay safe and come home soon! Thanks to all the Troops!

Also, I want to say thanks to all my friends out there who keep encouraging me no matter what. This year has been a hard one in many of my friends' lives for more reasons than should be allowed. We've all hung in there together and we will make it out on top.

I'm so thankful that I have my family and friends. There are situations right now that make it difficult to say that, but in all honesty, they are family. I can't just sweep them under a rug and forget about them. My faith tells me to stay strong and it will all work out, so that's what I'm doing the best I can. I'm so glad that I still have my brothers here with me, as well as my parents and my grandmother. In many ways I know I'm blessed. I'm so thankful for them all.

To everyone out there, thanks for hanging in there with me. I know I haven't really been updating in here much of what has been going on in my ordinary and boring life. I've been working steadily on the Nanowrimo novel as well as fighting personal battles. Stay here with me and I promise I'll make it worth your while.

Thanks again to you all!
Kim

Daily Inspiration

When We Give Thanks
by: Sidney B. Simon

We always celebrated Dad's November birthday on Thanksgiving Day, even after he entered a nursing home. As years went on, these events took on a double meaning for me - a traditional birthday party for Dad, and a personal thanking for all he had been to me in my life.

When we knew that it might be his last birthday, the whole family decided to rearrange Thanksgiving plans and come together for a huge Grandpa Simon birthday celebration at the nursing home. It was a crowded party with lots of noise and abundant food. Dad was having the time of his life. He was a marvelous storyteller, and here was the biggest captive audience he'd ever had. The party crackled around him.

During a quiet moment, I announced that it was now Dad's turn to listen to some stories for a change. I wanted everyone to tell Grandpa Simon what we loved about him. The room became still, and even Dad was quiet as his family crowded around him, like subjects around the throne.

One after another, people told stories from their hearts, while Dad listened with wet, flashing blue eyes. People recalled all kinds of lost memories - stories about when they were little, stories about when Dad was young, stories that are shared family treasures. Then someone told the story of Mother and the vase...

My mother was a short stocky woman, who always bent over the table to read the newspaper. Leaning her elbows on the table to support her chin, her body made a perfect right angle. One night, Dad placed her precious gold-plated vase, a family heirloom, right on her fanny at her body's angle. She couldn't move, couldn't stop from laughing, and screamed for help through her tears, while the vase teetered precariously. We all rolled on the floor laughing until Dad finally rescued the vase.

The stories flowed. Each one seemed to trigger the memory of two more. Even the littlest grandchildren couldn't wait to tell Dad why they loved him. For a man who had been kind to so many hundreds of people in his life, here was our chance to celebrate him.

A few months later, at Dad's memorial service, we more fully realized what we had given Dad that night. Those were the stories people normally tell at a funeral, after a loved one is no longer around to hear the words. They are told, then, full of tears, with the hope that the departed will somehow hear the outpouring of love. But we had given those loving memories to Dad in life, told through laughter, accompanied by hugs and joy. He had them to hold and roll over in his mind during his last months and days.

Words do matter, and they are enough. We just need to say them, to speak them publicly to the ones we love, for everyone else to hear. That's the way to give back love, and our chance to celebrate a person in life.


Copyright © 2005 Sidney B. Simon
All Rights Reserved
Source

Health Headlines 11/24/05

Homeopathy helps 70% of patients with chronic diseases, 6 year study ~> Click here.

Role of melatonin in cancer treatment is looking compelling ~> Click here.

Sea squirt study provides clue to human immune system, Stanford University School of Medicine ~> Click here.

Music Training May Change the Brain ~> Click here.

Radiation Dangers Among Older Women ~> Click here.

First Snowfall & Happy Thanksgiving Early

Yep, that's right. Today was the official first snowfall of the year. At least as far as I'm concerned. There wasn't much on the ground that was sticking around as the day wore on. It was just enough to make it look so pretty. I was up early because my sleep schedule is still off. Dudley, my dog, wanted to go out and do his business anyway. It was definitely a pleasant surprise to see the snow falling so gently upon everything. And it was a gentle snowfall too. All together I believe we may have gotten a quarter of an inch of snow, but when the temperatures warmed up in the afternoon, all of it has melted for the most part. Which reminds me that I need to add salt for the steps and pathways to the shopping list. We've already purchased most of the things to be well prepared for a larger snowfall. After about noon, the snow had stopped and already began to melt because the temperature warmed up. I'm just glad to have seen the wonderful stuff and not be buried under a foot of snow.

I'm very tired today. Emotionally and physically I'm drained. Part of the reason why I feel this way is that I'm not getting enough sleep. I'm trying very hard to stay awake until Chris comes home from work so that I can get back onto my regular sleeping schedule. We have some traveling to do tomorrow to celebrate Thanksgiving with his family. My family isn't have a big celebration this year. My immediate family is saving that for the Christmas holiday and the rest of the family is divided over the care of my grandmother. That's one of the other two things that has gotten me tired beyond belief. I finally talked to my grandmother today after not being able to for nearly eight months since she was kept in a nursing facility up north of me. I was very sad because our conversation wasn't a very good one. She knew who I was but I believe that the stress of what alledgedly happened at the other facility combined with the stress of moving so often and the anniversary of my grandfather's death. While we were on the phone, she cried over him being gone as well as a few other sad things. Then when it came time to let her go because her medicines were making her tired, she didn't hang up the phone all the way. I was able to still hear her on the other end. She thought she was at home getting ready to go to the store. Being in the condition she presently is in, that's not a possiblity right now for her. I just gave her my love and attention and will keep holding on to my faith that everything else will work itself out. The other thing making me sad is before I got online to do this post, I got a phone call from my mother saying my great uncle (my grandmother's brother) has had a brain anureism (yes, I can't spell right now) and is currently in the emergency room with a "it doesn't look good" prognosis. So yea, this sucks right now.

Right now, I'm going through a few emails trying to keep myself awake for another couple of hours. I'm working on my novel still. I did get over 25k words but I don't feel like I'm going to reach the 50k goal. My hands and back aren't going to let me sit here for hours on end to catch up. But now I have proved to myself that I can write a lot in the month timespan. No more excuses for me not to write out those story ideas, just have the basic story of who done it out and then work on the editing and research so the story will be accurate. I have to start my Christmas shopping soon. Not a lot of money to spend this year, but at least I can get the niece and nephews something. My brothers and all the immediate family will get something. I'm going to be addressing cards soon. Unfortunately it may be all that some people get from me. But for now, I'm going to finish my few emails and then climb in the bed with my book. Have a great day tomorrow.

Until next time,
Kim

Daily Inspiration

Sand and Stone
~Author Unknown~

A story tells that two friends were walking through the desert. During some point of the journey they had an argument, and one friend slapped the other one in the face. The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the sand: "TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE."

They kept on walking until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. The one, who had been slapped, got stuck in the mire and started drowning, but the friend saved him. After the friend recovered from the near drowning, he wrote on a stone: "TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE."

The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked him, "After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now, you write on a stone, why?"

The other friend replied: "When someone hurts us, we should write it down in sand where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But, when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it."

LEARN TO WRITE YOUR HURTS IN THE SAND, AND TO CARVE YOUR BENEFITS IN STONE.


Source

Health Headlines 11/23/05

Young Breast Cancer Patients Often Face Infertility During, After Treatment, USA Today Reports ~> Click here.

New clues to the dark side of a key anti-tumor guardian ~> Click here.

Drug may stem weight loss during radiation treatments ~> Click here.

Pain - Who responds to placebos? ~> Click here.

Plant Gene Related to Cancer Treatment May Foster New Oncology Drugs ~> Click here.

Massive meta analysis clarifies cardiovascular safety of celecoxib (Celebrex) ~> Click here.

It's cold outside!

Lol, duh! It's November.

That's what I said to my brother when I talked to him on the phone last. I'm thinking he should have gotten the hint by the steamy windows of the storm door when he opened the big wooden front door. Geez, comedy anyone. I'm in a fairly good mood today even though I'm not feeling well at all. I've got some sort of sinus drainage and aches to go along with it. It's quite possible that some kind of cold bug has weasled its way into the house. I'm not running a fever so I'm doing the orange juice, rest, and annoy others kinda of treatment. I did manage to get my mother from work and spend an hour or so with my brother. I so miss hanging out with him. Yeah, we talk on the phone or in IM but for me, it's not the same as being in the same room with him. I wish that I could spend the same time with my other younger brother but I know how real life gets in the way. My hope is that I can spend more time with them both in the new year. We've come along way, but even with all the road bumps, I would still journey with them. I know that there have been some tense moments but all three of us were best friends as kids. Even we can't be best friends again, I'd still like the notion to be out there that the door is open to at least sharing events and lives with one another. I know that life is too short to spend it holding grudges and being angry with someone. I am guilty as charged on that one. There's a family member who I am angry at because of the lack of involvement in the care of someone I love and cherish very much. It still angers me because though I try to come to terms with it and move on, this person comes out with new lies or supposed things that have happened that no one else has witnessed or experienced. I'm trying to hold on to the part of my faith that tells me that what goes around, comes around. This person will be held accountable for the actions or inactions taken. From a small child, I was taught that actions speak louder than words. I still believe that to this day. So I will wait and let Fate take care of the problem. Doesn't mean I won't complain though. Haha, thought you'd escape that, didn't you?

The weather here is finally cold and staying cold. The warmest it has reached has been 38 F and that was a day or two ago. When I left to get my mom from work, the skies were filled with dark clouds and it was definitely raining ice. The sun peeked through a few times until I left her house to come home. Now the sky is gray and cloudy again. The winds have picked up as well. I can hear the branches of the bushes outside as they scrape against the windows. I'm thinking we'll have some of the lovely white stuff on the ground by tomorrow morning. In the northern part of the state, they have already received some snow. But in the southern part where I live, we haven't even had a lot of flurries. I just kinda hope that it isn't much as Chris and I have some traveling to do on Thursday to celebrate Thanksgiving at his aunt's house. It would provide pretty scenery to look at while in the car, but it won't be nice to drive on.

I am still chugging away at my NaNoWriMo novel. I don't believe that I'm going to achieve the goal of 50,000 but whatever number I end up with, I'm going to be proud of myself. To me, it's more of a sign that I can do this as I want to. I can write good stuff in a short amount of time. Now, re-writes and editing along with research and all that stuff will come later. I just need to get the basic story out and go play around with it later. I also have some letters to write today. It's been too long since I have actually sat down and wrote a few people who I care greatly about. There's something awesome about getting an old fashioned letter in the mail. At least that's what I think when I get them. I need to plan an outing to get some Christmas cards so I can be working on those. I would really like to send some to the troops overseas and the deadline for them to receive them is coming up soon. That reminds me, would all you who read this blog please say a prayer for those men and women who are serving our country? There's a very close friend of mine who is stationed in Iraq. I just got an urgent email telling me that the city he's stationed in was hit by insurgents. No word has come from him but I know he's busy. Should I not hear from him soon, I'll be pestering him until I do or until someone tells me why I can't talk to him. Thanks to all those who are putting their lives on the line for our freedoms.

I am off to go through emails and finish up a few more things before trying to get a few more words written. Tis going to be a long day when the weather is gray and cloudy. It makes you want to just curl up in a warm blanket with a good book and a cup of hot chocolate. With marshmellows, of course!

Until next time,
Kim

Daily Inspiration

Your Heart's Desire
~Author Unknown~

One night, a young woman dreamed she was walking in the mall and noticed a shop on the second floor she hadn't seen before. The name over the door said, "Your Heart's Desire".

She crossed the store's threshold and was enveloped in a charming fragrance. The store had a homey feeling, with shelves full of fascinating items. A short, smiling dumpling of a lady was behind the counter.

"What is it your shop sells?" asked the young lady.

"Just as the name implies, everything your heart desires!" came the purring answer.

"Oh! I know what I want!" exclaimed the girl, "Peace, happiness, love for everyone, and..."

"Wait a minute," giggled the cashier. "You don't quite understand. We sell whatever your heart desires. But we don't sell the finished product, we sell the seeds -- and you have to choose the ones you want to plant."


Source

Health Headlines 11/22/05

Doctors sometimes ignore warning labels on high risk drugs ~> Click here.

Magnetic probe successfully tracks implanted cells in cancer patients ~> Click here.

UIC chemists characterize Alzheimer's plaque precursor ~> Click here.

Gene Therapy for Solid Tumors ~> Click here.

New Drug Fights Two Cancers ~> Click here.

Slept in late

Sorry for the extremely late posts tonight. I didn't get much sleep the past few days and then when I was able to sleep, I got off of my regular sleep schedule. I know that this isn't much of an update either, but I've been working on the novel and not much else. Hope all is well. I'll get back to the regularly scheduled annoyance tomorrow.

Until next time,
Kim

Daily Inspiration

A Parable of Two Frogs
~Author Unknown~

A group of frogs were hopping contentedly through the woods, going about their froggy business, when two of them fell into a deep pit. All of the other frogs gathered around the pit to see what could be done to help their companions. When they saw how deep the pit was, they agreed that it was hopeless and told the two frogs in the pit that they should prepare themselves for their fate, because they were as good as dead.

Unwilling to accept this terrible fate, the two frogs began to jump with all of their might. Some of the frogs shouted into the pit that it was hopeless, and that the two frogs wouldn't be in that situation if they had been more careful, more obedient to the froggy rules, and more responsible. The other frogs continued sorrowfully shouting that they should save their energy and give up, since they were already as good as dead.

The two frogs continued jumping with all their might, and after several hours of this, were quite weary. Finally, one of the frogs took heed to the calls of his fellow frogs. Exhausted, he quietly resolved himself to his fate, lay down at the bottom of the pit, and died.

The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could, although his body was wracked with pain and he was quite exhausted. Once again, his companions began yelling for him to accept his fate, stop the pain and just die.

The weary frog jumped harder and harder and, wonder of wonders, finally leaped so high that he sprang from the pit. Amazed, the other frogs celebrated his freedom and then gathering around him asked, "Why did you continue jumping when we told you it was impossible?"

The astonished frog explained to them that he was deaf, and as he saw their gestures and shouting, he thought they were cheering him on. What he had perceived as encouragement inspired him to try harder and to succeed against all odds.


Source

Health Headlines 11/21/05

Sperm stem cells closer to being like embryonic stem cells ~> Click here.

Stiff arteries relax like younger blood vessels after taking alagebrium ~> Click here.

Treatment of Brain Tumors, Discovery and Development of Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB) Penetrating Anthracyclines ~> Click here.

Lupus, common anti-seizure drug may help patients ~> Click here.

How chemotherapy-induced leukemia develops, UC Davis Cancer Center ~> Click here.

Protein linked to severe liver damage ~> Click here.

Scientists observe how a close bond activates the immune system ~> Click here.

Rehaumatoid arthritis - MabThera provides lasting benefits ~> Click here.

Combining tiny nanotubes and antibodies to detect cancer, Jefferson and Delaware ~> Click here.

Women Who Have Precancerous Cells Removed Still at Higher Risk of Developing Cervical Cancer, Study Says ~> Click here.

Sitting here thinking...

Things have been a little on the rough side here as of late in the emotion department. I truly have tried to look at every situation from all angles and not let my emotions take over which is my normal par for the course. I honestly think that I have done a decent job of stepping back and seeing what the other side looks like. But it all boiled down to people not understanding what it's like to live with what is called an invisible disease. If I did not have the limp in my walk nor the crooked fingers, there's nothing that would give another person a clue as to the fact that I'm unable to do all the things another person could. Thanks to the Enbrel, I am slowly gaining some of the things I had lost in the past ten years. I never really stopped and let it all seep in just how much I have lost because that would only make it difficult for me to rise above this and keep going. I'm so grateful that I have a husband who stuck with me for years before our marriage as well as the rocky road we've had to walk since that wonderful day. He's been one of the few things that has kept me chugging along. I am blessed to have a network of wonderful friends, both close and not so close. I love each and every single one of them for the joys and gifts they give me. There is also a great group of people that I have been so glad that I found. I belong to a support group for people with Psoriatic Arthritis and those who help take care of them. If you'd like to visit, please click here to check it out. I truly recommend going there if you feel like you've been all alone with this disease.

The weather is starting to settle down some now that the temperatures have finally dropped into the usual region of being freezing! Lol, it's what I would expect for Indiana in November. Up to the north of my little town, there are cities that are dealing with snowfalls. We've only had flurries for now. The funny thing is that the weatherman has forcasted rain during the week! It's said that if you don't like the weather here in Indiana, just wait five minutes and it'll change. Either way, I'm just happy that it's not going up and down all the time. Not much has happened around here. Chris bought some insulation for the attic yesterday and put up plastic on a few more windows to help keep the heating bills down this winter. With the way the prices are supposed to be, each little thing helps. I managed to do a couple loads of laundry as well as load up the dishwasher. I have been feeling icky the past couple of days and sincerely hope that I'm not going to get sick with the way the weather's changed or the fact I was down in the basement during that storm the other day. I will have to just keep track of everything and call the rheumy if I think it's getting a bit worse. Other than that, not much in the excitement department.

My mother went to see my grandmother in the new nursing home today. For the first time in about a year and a half and from what my mom tells me, my grandmother is getting back to her usual self. According to my aunt, my grandmother has been "talking out of her head" and doesn't really know what's going on around her. Yet while my mom was there today, my grandmother recognized an actor in a movie that normally is on a soap opera she hasn't watched in years. I don't really know the whole story about why my grandmother was moved around or left to basically rot in the other nursing home but I do know that things have been done to her that no one should go through. At this point all we have is her word and some documentation but I haven't seen any of it. This time of year is hard enough because we are facing the holidays after losing a very cherished family member. Now it is coming to light that those who I had loved and cherished aren't who they have made themselves out to be. My faith keeps me from lashing out and doing something that I would later regret, but it doesn't mean that a few not so nice thoughts haven't crossed my mind. I know that it will all work itself out. I just don't like the waiting.

So I'm off to work on the NaNoWriMo novel some more. I reached my goal of 20k words the other day and now have set the goal mark at 25k for tonight. I know I can do it if I pace myself and stop whenever I need to let my wrists rest a bit more. I will keep writing until I have to send in my draft. So whatever number I reach, I am going to be proud of myself. Coming this far is proof that I have what it takes to write a story and it not take seven years to complete. I know that there will be rewriting and edits, but just finishing the story is a step! Hang in there everyone and know that I am always keeping you in my thoughts.

Until next time,
Kim

Daily Inspiration

Life's Struggles
~Author Unknown~

A man found a cocoon of an emperor moth. He took it home so that he could watch the moth come out of the cocoon. On the day a small opening appeared, he sat and watched the moth for several hours as the moth struggled to force the body through that little hole.

Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no farther. It just seemed to be stuck. Then the man, in his kindness, decided to help the moth, so he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The moth then emerged easily.

But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the moth because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time. Neither happened! In fact, the little moth spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.

What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the moth to get through the tiny opening was the way of forcing fluid from the body of the moth into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon. Freedom and flight would only come after the struggle. By depriving the moth of a struggle, he deprived the moth of health.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If we were to go through our life without any obstacles, we would be crippled.

We would not be as strong as what we could have been. Give every opportunity a chance, leave no room for regrets.


Source

Health Headlines 11/20/05

Actemra monotherapy significantly slows down damage to joints in patients with early aggressive rheumatoid arthritis ~> Click here.

New generation of insulin pump - Starbridge secures global diabetes contract ~> Click here.

Sweet snacks could be best medicine for stress ~> Click here.

Drug may fight lupus and atherosclerosis at the same time ~> Click here.

Cancer's Passive and Aggressive Nature Protects it From The Immune System ~> Click here.

Which cells are important in mounting an antibody response to invading microbes, Yale School of Medicine ~> Click here.

Daily Inspiration

Friendly Obstacles
~Author Unknown~

For every hill I’ve tried to climb,
For every stone that bruised my feet,
For all the blood and sweat and grime,
For blinding storms and burning heat,
My heart sings but a grateful song
These are the things that made me strong!

For all the heartache and the tears,
For all the anguish and the pain,
For gloomy days and fruitless years,
And for the hopes that lived in vain,
I do give thanks, for now I know
These were the things that helped me grow!

‘Tis not the softer things in life
Which stimulate man’s will to strive;
But bleak adversity and strife
Do most to keep man’s will alive.
O’er rose-strewn paths the weaklings creep,
But brave hearts dare to climb the steep.



Source

Health Headlines 11/19/05

Plant Compound May Block Tobacco-Induced Lung Cancer ~> Click here.

Brain scan, cerebrospinal fluid analysis may help predict Alzheimer's disease ~> Click here.

Alzheimer's disease, cholesterol treatment, including statins may slow progression ~> Click here.

Centocor & Schering-Plough next generation biologic promising in Phase 2 rheumatoid arthritis trial ~> Click here.

Active psoriatic arthritis patients on REMICADE® achieve major clinical response in arthritis ~> Click here.

Goodbye Eddie Guerrero

It may seem a little silly to use that title but for me and those who have grown up watching the World Wrestling Federation (now called WWE), Eddie Guerrero was one of my favorite wrestleers. He was found in his hotel room days ago, dead from heart failure according to the preliminary autopsy. Many critics have had a field day blasting people for mourning the loss of someone who made mistakes in his life. But you know what, he overcame those mistakes. He was honest and open about all of it. Not many people overcome addictions that have taken such deep roots within them. He was only 38 years old, much too young to leave this world and his family. Goodbye Eddie Guerrero, rest in peace.

I honestly think the reason his death has gotten to me whenever I take time to stop and think about it is due to the fact that my uncle has finally overcome his addictions and is trying so hard to walk upon that narrow path of doing the right thing. There has always been the underlying knowledge passed around the family that my uncle was the black sheep of the family. He was the one that did drugs, sold drugs and couldn't do anything because he was too high. Yeah, I can remember some family gatherings where that really could have been the reason for some of his actions. But being so young, I never understood that there were other reasons as well. As I have been out on my own and struggling with all that has been placed within my own path, I have been fortunate to look at things from another angle. Being one of the "kids", I was almost always left out of the loop, or whatever was going on within the family. Either that or I was told things selectively. When that happens, it makes things harder to know both sides of the story. With some of the recent events concerning the care of my grandmother, I honestly believe that I was lied to and things that were important were kept in the dark so that one half would be in the spotlight. Nevertheless, my uncle went to prison for things he had done to pay his debt but not because of drugs. While there, he straightened his life out. He's been out for almost six months and is doing wonderful. But there's some people in my family that doesn't want to see him succeed, as sad as it is. I wish my uncle all the luck in the world. Hang in there because you're doing great. I love you!

Today's not really been a good day for me. Last night I did succeed to reach my goal of 20k words in my NaNoWriMo novel. I know that I'm very, very behind but what can I say? I am doing the best I can and to me, that's all that matters. I tried to go to bed but I couldn't lay down for very long. My back, neck and legs felt like they were all being turned and twisted into knots. I know that it's a fibro flare but I'm not able to do much about it until I see my rheumy. It's one of those situations where you have to be seen every so often by the doctor before he will give you a script for medications. Completely understandable to me because I can understand the reasons behind it. Yet, it makes it difficult for me at times. Oh well, we all have our troubles. This is mine. Lol, today when I woke up, I felt so tired and so swollen. My feet are tender and I even have a bit of a headache. Nothing out of the ordinary when the weather has shifted like it is doing right now. Once the temperatures get cold and stay that way, I'll be okay. The downside is the fact that I have another sinus infection starting to make itself known. I can feel the pressure and taste the nasty drainage when I wake up. Ewww, I know. Sorry. Today I'm playing lazy Kimmy so that I can give my body a chance to rest some. It's also my shot night so I know I will feel a bit better tomorrow when I wake up. Hopefully.

So much going through my mind right now. I feel sad at what's going on with my grandmother and those involved with her being in the condition she's in. I don't want to say much here because I don't know if they know about this blog and though I want this to be a place where I can speak freely, I want to respect their privacy. I may get to finally see my grandma on Sunday if I feel up to it. My mom has tried to prepare me on what to expect when I see her and talk with her but I know in my heart, it's going to be rough. Please, those of you who read this, say a little extra prayer for my grandma. She's dealing with some after effects of abuse she's suffered while at another nursing facility that she was sent to by her health care rep. There's a lot of questions coming up from her current nursing/care facility that the answers are exposing the health care rep for the fraud that she is. Once things settle a bit more, I'll give ya the long story. For now, please just pray that the things she has endured will fade away. With that being said, I'm going to go through my email and write a bit more on the novel before I call it a night, short as it is. Please, don't forget to tell those you cherish just how much you love them.

Until next time,
Kim

Daily Inspiration

I Love You
~Author Unknown~

I love you, not only for what you are but for what I am when I am with you.
I love you, not only for what you have made of yourself, but for what you are making of me.
I love you for the part of me that you bring out;
I love you for putting your hand into my heaped-up heart and passing over all the foolish, weak things that you can't help dimly seeing there, and for drawing out into the light all the beautiful belongings that no one else had looked quite far enough to find.
I love you because you are helping me to make of the lumber of my life not a tavern, but a temple;
Out of the works of my every day not a reproach, but a song.
I love you because you have done more than any creed could have done to make me good, and more than any fate could have done to make me happy.
You have done it without a touch, without a word, without a sign.
You have done it by being yourself.

Health Headlines 11/18/05

Lung cancer, newly identified protein may one day help improve treatment ~> Click here.

Doctors should know what alternative therapies their patients are on ~> Click here.

Early results using therapeutic pancreatic cancer vaccine show promise ~> Click here.

How does the immune system respond to cancer? ~> Click here.

Model identifies genes that induce normal skin cells to become abnormal ~> Click here.

Gynecologist who raped patients faces stiff prison sentence ~> Click here.

Tamiflu, reports of deaths and abnormal behaviour among children ~> Click here.

The Saga Continues...

As many out there probably know by now, a couple days ago there was a batch of strong storms came through the state of Indiana. They actually moved across most of the Midwest causing several tornadoes and much damage to homes and businesses. Here in my little town, we did have a tornado pass by the edge of the town's boundaries. I'm very thankful that it was nowhere near my house even though we did get some very strong winds. Chris was already off to work when the first hint of bad weather began to creep into the state. You know it's going to be a bad, bad storm when the weather interrupts the daily soap operas. Lol, not that I watch them all but I know a lot of people who are so wrapped up in the storylines that one minute is never missed. The only soap I've gotten into in the past couple of years would be Passions. Some of the women in my family have been following the soaps on CBS for as long as I can remember. Needless to say they weren't happy that the weather butted into their soap time. *giggles* I didn't really feel afraid until there was a tornado warning issued for my county. About ten minutes later, the warning sirens sounded. Around here the sirens tend to go off for really strong winds and not just warning for the possibility of tornadoes. So I didn't go down into the basement right away. When my dog, Dudley, started to act funny by running towards the front door and then hiding under the seat of my piano, I decided it was time to go downstairs. I had already placed my "bad weather" kit near the basement access. The hardest thing was trying to get Dudley down the stairs. But once we were down there, it was a good thing.

The sky grew really really dark about five minutes or so after we were down there. I noticed that the wind picked up as well. One of the eeriest sounds I have ever heard was the sound of the strong winds blowing across the top of the chimney. The howling and whistling was enough to make me wish that we didn't have a chimney at all! After about ten or fifteen minutes the winds stopped. Actually, everything stopped. It was as if someone had flipped a switch and everything went off. Almost as soon as that happened, the winds picked back up again. I think I was staying down there for an hour. I called my brother to see what the radar looked like because at my mom's house, there isn't a safe space. They were just sitting around listening to the reports and all. Lol, I know that if I didn't go down to the basement, my luck would be crappy. I waited just a few more minutes and then I went upstairs. There was a second line of storms behind the one that had just passed. Yet, they weren't not as bad as the first line. Now all I have to contend with is the cold November temperatures. The high two days ago was 65 F here and today it is 28 F. So I was pretty much laid up in the bed yesterday from the severe weather change. I at least managed to get the headlines and inspiration done yesterday so that those of my family and friends who read this will know that I'm doing okay. I know it's not much but at least it will show that I'm online. So don't worry unless there's nothing posted at all during the day!

Other than that little bit of excitement, I have been steadily working on my NaNoWriMo novel. I missed a few days due the fact that Chris wanted to use the computer and I wasn't able to type for long. I also got distracted a few times by all the emails I have had put aside to concentrate on the story itself. I have managed to get near the 20k word mark and will work on it as much as I can throughout the next couple of days since the Thanksgiving holiday is nearing. I also found an awesome old time looking leather bound journal at Amazon.com that I bought for myself. I loved it! I normally just use composition books for my offlines journals but I so wanted this one. For the first time I did something for me. It felt really nice to be able to get it, small a thing as it is. Go me!

Well, I know this is a huge entry compared to the other ones. I have a lot to do before Chris gets home from work. He wants to play his computer game when he gets home. So take care and don't forget to tell someone you love them.

Until next time,
Kim

Daily Inspiration

THE ROSE
~Author Unknown~

A certain man planted a rose and watered it faithfully, and before it blossomed, he examined it. He saw the bud that would soon blossom and also the thorns. And he thought, "How can any beautiful flower come from a plant burdened with so many sharp thorns?" Saddened by this thought, he neglected to water the rose, and before it was ready to bloom, it died.

So it is with many people. Within every soul there is a rose. The God-like qualities planted in us at birth grow amid the thorns of our faults. Many of us look at ourselves and see only the thorns, the defects. We despair, thinking that nothing good can possibly come from us. We neglect to water the good within us, and eventually it dies. We never realize our potential.
Some people do not see the rose within themselves; someone else must show it to them. One of the greatest gifts a person can possess is to be able to reach past the thorns and find the rose within others. This is the characteristic of love, to look at a person, and knowing his faults, recognize the nobility in his soul, and help him realize that he can overcome his faults. If we show him the rose, he will conquer the thorns. Then will he blossom, blooming forth thirty, sixty, a hundred-fold as it is given to him.

Our duty in this world is to help others by showing them their roses and not their thorns. Only then can we achieve the love we should feel for each other; only then can we bloom in our own garden.


Source

Health Headlines 11/17/05

The tumor suppressor protein phosphatase 2A offsets the BCR/ABL oncogenic kinase ~> Click here.

Timing possible treatments against Alzheimer's disease ~> Click here.

New gene marker may identify need for intense acute myeloid leukemia therapy ~> Click here.

Combination treatment for brain cancer not detrimental to patients' quality of life ~ Click here.

McMaster virologist develops Avian flu test ~ Click here.

PET imaging reveals the immune system at work ~> Click here.

Daily Inspiration

I Wish You Enough
~Author Unknown~

I Wish You Enough Recently, I overheard a father and daughter in their last moments together at a regional airport. They had annouced her departure and standing near the security gate, they hugged and he said, "I love you. I wish you enough."

She in turn said, "Daddy, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Daddy."

They kissed and she left. He walked over toward the window where I was seated. Standing there, I could see he wanted and needed to cry. I tried not to intrude on his privacy, but he welcomed me in by asking, "Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?"

"Yes, I have," I replied.

Saying that brought back memories I had of expressing my love and appreciation for all my Dad had done for me. Recognizing that his days were limited, I took the time to tell him face to face how much he meant to me. So I know what this man was experiencing.

"Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever good-bye?" I asked.

"I am old and she lives much too far away. I have challenges ahead and the reality is, the next trip back will be for my funeral," he said.

"When you were saying good-bye I heard you say, 'I wish you enough.' May I ask what that means?"

He began to smile. "That's a wish that has been handed down from other gernerations. My parents used to say it to everyone."

He paused for a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it in detail, he smiled even more. "When we said 'I wish you enough,' we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them," he continued.

Then, turning to me, he shared the following as if he were reciting it from memory. "I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright. I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more. I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive. I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger. I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting. I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess. I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye."

He then walked away.

My friend, I wish you enough!

Health Headlines 11/16/05

Gene therapy potential for treatment of pancreatic cancer ~> Click here.

New form of cancer gene regulation discovered ~> Click here.

From one cell, many possible cures ~> Click here.

New target in autoimmune skin blistering disease pops up ~> Click here.

Backyard treatment may yield leukemia treatment ~> Click here.

Controlling pain in children, fentanyl patch safe and effective alternative to oral opioids ~> Click here.

Daily Inspiration

Don't Look Back
~ Author Unknown ~

As you travel through life there are always those times
When decisions just have to be made,
When the choices are hard, and solutions seems scarce,
And the rain seems to soak your parage.
There are some situations where all you can do
Is simply let go and move on.
Gather your courage and choose a direction
That carries you toward a new dawn.
So pack up your troubles and take a step forward -
The process of change can be tough,
But think about all the excitement ahead
If you can be stalwart enough!
There might be adventures you never imagined
Just waiting around the next bend.
And wishes and dreams just about to come true
In ways you can't yet comprehend!
Perhaps you'll find friendships that spring from new things
As you challenge your status quo,
And learn there are so many options in life,
And so many ways you can grow!
Perhaps you'll go places you never expected
And see things that you've never seen,
Or travel to fabulous, faraway worlds
And wonderful spots in between.
Perhaps you'll find warmth and affection and caring
And somebody special who's there
To help you stay centered and listen with interest
To stories and feelings you share.
Perhaps you'll find comfort in knowing your friends
Are supportive of all that you do,
And believe that whatever decisions you make,
They'll be the right choices for you.
So keep putting one foot in front of the other,
And taking your life day by day.
There's a brighter tomorrow that's just down the road -
Don't look back! You're not going that way!


Source Unknown

Health Headlines 11/15/05

Researchers Develop Simple and Effective Method That Could Revolutionize DNA Testing ~> Click here.

Results of the largest clinical trial in type 2 diabetes patients demonstrating positive effects of fenofibrate therapy on cardiovascular events ~> Click here.

Ink4c and Ptch1 genes collaborate to suppress medulloblastoma ~> Click here.

Knee Osteoarthritis Help ~> Click here.

More Options for Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients ~> Click here.

As The Weather Turns...

Here we go again, Indiana. The weather has changed again. Lol, now it is beginning to feel more and more like November around here. It has turned much colder here within the last few hours. The darkness of sunset comes earlier and earlier. I know that at times I'll look at the clock and think, "It feels more like 2am than 10:30pm." I guess winter really has come to Indiana. Heck, we're getting rain right now, but I lay money that it'll be more like ice come morning time. I know that I will be feeling a little more on the tired and hurty side of things. I'm hoping that the Enbrel will help me to have a little more energy and not as much pain.

Things here are a little bit more on the good side. My family troubles have started to slow down as I have become more comfortable with the fact that I don't have to put myself through the wringer all the time just so that someone else can breathe easier. I need some of that breathing space for myself, as selfish as it is. My mom and dad are going over every other day and sometimes every day to see my grandmother. She now feels a little bit better at being back here. There's still an underlying fear that if she does something wrong, she'll be sent back up to the nursing home in Greenwood. I don't think that my mother or myself will ever let that happen again. Truth be told, my mother and even myself have received some grief over the fact that we haven't spent as much time taking care of my grandmother as some other family members. What those people who complain about it fail to realize is t hat we were dealing with caring for my brother who was in and out of the hospital over 20 times in the past ten years. 15 of those visits were with him on a ventilator fighting for his life. I spent two years of my life over at my mom's caring for him after he was out of the hospital because he was so weak, then I found out that my liver was messed up due to my medicine. Once I get myself squared away and almost taking care of this blasted disease to the point where I can lead a semi-regular life, Chris is diagnosed with cancer. And in between all this, we've lost some people who were special to us. But no. That doesn't matter as much as those who have taken care of my grandmother. Geez, whatever. I'd gladly trade places with those who only had to help her out and take care of her. I'd love to see how they would have handled all that I've gone through. It makes me sad to see that they want the glory and sympathy of caring for someone. Other than that we're doing okay. Chris and I have made a compromise. He's going to try working on talking to me about the things he's feeling or thinking of instead of keeping them locked up inside and then shoving me away. I'm going to try and stop letting myself go. That doesn't mean I have to become some sort of girlie girl or anything. Just not letting myself lay around when I know I am able of doing things.

For now, I'm off of the computer. It's actually storming here right now. Take care!
Until next time,
Kim

Daily Inspiration

Finding Copper Pennies
~Author Unknown~

There was a small boy who when walking down the street one day found a bright copper penny. He was so excited that he found money and it didn't cost him anything. This experience led him to spend the rest of his days walking with his head down, eyes wide open, looking for treasure.
During his lifetime he found 296 pennies, 48 nickels, 19 dimes, 16 quarters, 2 half dollars and one crinkled dollar bill. For a total of $13.96.

He got money for nothing. Except that he missed the breathless beauty of 31,369 sunsets, the colorful splendor of 157 rainbows, the fiery beauty of hundreds of maples nipped by autumn's frost. He never saw white clouds drifting across blue skies, shifting into various wondrous formations. Birds flying, sun shining, and the smiles of a thousand passing people are not a part of his memory.

Who do you know that is living like this?: Head is bent down burdened with trivial things afraid of pain and criticism and fear of things that never happen hoping to find that copper penny...for nothing.


Source

Health Headlines 11/14/05

Mix stress, deprivation and tempting foods and you get overeating ~> Click here.

Fc gamma receptor gene variants associated with rheumatoid arthritis ~> Click here.

High Dietary Calcium Intake May Increase Prostate Cancer Risk ~> Click here.

Most NSAIDs Raise Death Risk After Heart Attack ~> Click here.

Women Short Changed on Heart Care ~> Click here.

Sorry for the absence

It has been a few days since I've actually posted an entry and for that I apologize. A number of different things has kept me from sitting down and typing out a long entry. Above all of them is the fact that the weather here has been crazy! In November, we've had 60-70 F temperatures and thunderstorms. Heck, a tornado has gone through here already. Today was so beautiful outside with just the right amount of sun and blue sky. The breeze wasn't too cold or too warm either. Today seemed like someone had plucked it right out of the beginning of summer and sat it down in the winter for us. Sad part? It's supposed to snow here on Tuesday night/Wednesday morning. Yep, the weather's going to shift that fast and that drastically. I think it's a major part on the gloominess that I've been feeling here lately. The rising/falling in the barometric pressure makes my muscles tense up and go into cramps. Sometimes the muscles will even start to go into a cramp but then stop, only to constantly feel like it's going to cramp any second. I slept late Friday so I was unable to call my rheumy's office to see what he wanted to me to do about the tenseness I was feeling so I called the Enbrel hotline. I hate to say that they weren't much help, but they can't reccommend anything because they're not doctors. So I have to get into touch with my rheumy tomorrow morning and let him know that I called the hotline as also that I've been having some bad days. No sinus infection as I'm writing this but I've had the pressure headaches. Ick, this weather's a mess.

Anywho, I have made the decision not to attend my high school reunion this year. I had been looking forward to it but right now, I know that it would cause me more harm emotionally than I need to endure. Yes, the death of my friend in October played a part in that decision. Also the fact that I have lost two other friends in the past ten years and would have given anything to see them at the reunion. It's just too much. I lost a good friend only one year out of high school. He went out to his truck to eat during his lunch break at work and never came back inside. One of his co-workers found him dead in the cab of his truck. Two years ago, my friend, Joy, passed away on my wedding anniversary due to complications from Lupus. She had been misdiagnosed for a few years and her health was on a steady decline. We had just started to write back and forth when she passed. Now with Abby gone, I just don't want to go. I'm not going to make myself face harmful emotions when I can avoid them. I have already gathered the email addresses as well as personal information from those I would want to get in touch with so I am contacting them and reliving some of the "glory days" of our high school experience. Therefore it's not a total loss not going.

Things have also been a little rough between Chris and I the past few weeks. For those of you that don't know, he was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma stage 4 in late January and had chemotherapy for five and a half months. He was announced cancer free on August 16th of this year. It was definitely a trying time for both of us. I think I took it much harder than he did. Ever since the beginning of October, he's been distant from me and not as affectionate when it comes to kissing or holding hands. He still gives me compliments and flirts with me. Yet it goes no further than that at times. In my head, I know that the chemo has diminished the sex drive some but my heart is taking it personally. We did sit down and talk about it this weekend. I didn't want to keep it all inside and make myself go deeper into a depression when it's nothing that is my fault or that I have control over. When he goes for his next appointment with his oncologist for his check-up, he's going to ask about the situation. I need to stop blaming myself for so much. I know that he loves me and he desires me even though I'm nowhere near supermodel status. I'm a big girl, I admit it. He loves me the way I am and though he would like for me to be healthy, he doesn't push the issue. He merely encourages me to keep doing my best. For the first time in nine years, I've actually talked to him about things that I thought were caused by something I did instead of him having to drag it out of me. In a way, I guess I'm gonig on a self-discovery journey even though there's a huge cloud of sadness around me. I know it will lift. I just needed a kick in the pants as a friend of mine from Oregon gave me. (Thanks, Stacy!)

I'm still working on my novel for the NaNoWriMo contest. It's nearing the halfway mark of the month and I'm only at just over 11k words. I'm not giving up yet. I have plenty of time during the week while Chris is at work to type away if my wrists don't give out on me first. I love the way the story is playing out. I'm kinda excited to see where it leads me. Believe me, I'm going to stay with it as long as I can. The whole situation with my grandmother is improving slightly. I know that I need to post an entry about how it came about and what's being done now. It's just a little hard to think of her the way she is now. I'm happy to say that she's slowly coming out of her depression and not breaking down into sobs as often as she did the first few days that she was back in our hometown. I will never let her get to this point again. My mother is going to pay to have a phone hooked up in her room so we are able to call her and talk to her. I don't think this holiday season is going to be a very merry one for the person responsible for some of the problems. Not all the problems were this person's fault. But when you choose to not follow up on something your mother tells you has happened to her, you accept part of the blame. At least that's how I feel. And for those who blindly believe everything the person says without question, you need to wake up a bit and realize that even though the person is realted to you by blood, the person is still able to do things that hurt or seem to be neglectful.

Okay, okay. Not going to keep going on that tangent for tonight. I'm off to bed for a while but I will be back as I was before. Thanks for hanging in there with me. Take care and know that I value each and every one of you.

Until next time,
Kim

Daily Inspiration

The Wooden Bowl
~Author Unknown~

A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and a four-year old grandson. The old man's hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered. The family ate together nightly at the dinner table. But the elderly grandfather's shaky hands and failing sight made eating rather difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped the glass often milk spilled on the tablecloth. The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess. "We must do something about grandfather," said the son. "I've had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor."

So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner. There, grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner at the dinner table. Since grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl. Sometimes when the family glanced in grandfather's direction, he had a tear in his eye as he ate alone. Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food. The four-year-old watched it all in silence.

One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor. He asked the child sweetly, "What are you making?" Just as sweetly, the boy responded, "Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and mama to eat your food from when I grow up." The four-year-old smiled and went back to work. The words so struck the parents that they were speechless. Then tears started to stream down their cheeks. Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be done. That evening the husband took grandfather's hand and gently led him back to the family table.

For the remainder of his days he ate every meal with the family. And for some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled. Children are remarkably perceptive. Their eyes ever observe, their ears ever listen, and their minds ever process the messages they absorb. If they see us patiently provide a happy home atmosphere for family members, they will imitate that attitude for the rest of their lives. The wise parent realizes that every day that building blocks are being laid for the child's future.

Let us all be wise builders and role models. Take care of yourself, ... and those you love, ... today, and everyday!


Source

Health Headlines 11/13/05

FDA Issues Warning Against J&J's Ortha Evra Birth Control Patch ~> Click here.

Gene expression profile helps predict chemotherapy response in ovarian cancer patients ~> Click here.

Sweetener of the future? ~> Click here.

Man is cured of AIDS ~> Click here.

FDA Returns Decision on Lycopene/Cancer Health Claims after Six Delays ~> Click here.

Daily Inspiration

She's My Sister
by: Mary Rarden

I have the privilege of being the pastor of a wonderful family. It's a small family, with a mom and two teenage children, a high school daughter and a junior high son. Sometimes I think the mom qualifies for sainthood! "Intense" might be a good description for these three beautiful people's relationship! Parents of teenagers tell this single, childless pastor that "warm fuzzies" about love of family don't happen very often. Knowing this family, I could well believe it.

As often as not, the two children squabble (occasionally loud and long). Their house is not large; it's easy to get under each other's feet and skin. Both would readily admit that their fondest wish is that the other would take a long break from being a part of the family. But let me tell you what happened on the eve of the state Cross-Country championship:

Our little town has a remarkably successful girls' cross-country team. Mind you, this is the kind of town where no one has the luxury of playing just one sport or being in one activity. Most of the girls on the team also cheer during football season and have already begun the basketball season. In fact, tomorrow night when they return from the championship, they have a basketball scrimmage to play! The older sister of this family is a vital member of this team.

Her younger brother is the artist and musician of the family. He does his best athletically, but his talents lie elsewhere. This is occasionally at the heart of some of the normal bickering that goes on in their home. But when the boy was asked by his mother if he'd prefer to stay home from the 12-hour trip to the championship, he was taken aback.

"But Mom!" he exclaimed, "I want to go! It might not be much fun, but I've thought about it. I wouldn't like it much if she didn't come to my football games... and this is the State Championship! How could I miss it? She's my sister, isn't she?"

It had been a rough week for their mother... some things didn't go just real well and she came home late and discouraged, expecting very little in the way of a lift. This exchange gave her just the encouragement she needed to remind her that the sometimes herculean effort to keep her family together is worth it.

This young man and his mom and sister taught me an important lesson. I hope I remember this story as other members of the human family and I squabble and irritate one another.
When it all comes down to the end, they're my brothers and sisters, aren't they?

Source

Health Headlines 11/12/05

UCLA discovery will aid in treatment of patients with a deadly brain cancer ~> Click here.

Genetic analysis of glioblastoma brain tumors can aid in treatment decisions, study shows ~> Click here.

Common viruses may cause cancer ~> Click here.

Preventing another Vioxx ~> Click here.

Daily Inspiration

Become What You Want to Be
By Brian Cavanaugh

Let me tell you about a little girl who was born into a very poor family in a shack in the Backwoods of Tennessee. She was the 20th of 22 children, prematurely born and frail. Her survival was doubtful. When she was four years old she had double pneumonia and scarlet fever - a deadly combination that left her with a paralyzed and useless left leg. She had to wear an iron leg brace. Yet she was fortunate in having a mother who encouraged her.

Well, this mother told her little girl, who was very bright, that despite the brace and leg, she could do whatever she wanted to do with her life. She told her that all she needed to do was to have faith, persistence, courage and and indomitable spirit.

So at nine years of age, the little girl removed the leg brace, and she took the step the doctors told her she would never take normally. In four years, she developed a rhytmic stride, which was a medical wonder. Then this girl got the notion, the incredible notion, that she would like to be the world's greatest woman runner. Now, what could she mean - be a runner with a leg like that?

At age 13, she entered a race. She came in last - way, way last. She entered every race in high school, and in every race she came in last. Everyone begged her quit! However, one day, she came in next to last. And then there came a day when she won a rece. From then on, Wilma Rudolph won every race that she entered.

Wilma went to Tennessee State University, where she met a coach named Ed Temple. Coach Temple saw the indomitable spirit of the girl, that she was a believer and that she had great natural talent. He trained her so well that she went to the Olympic Games.

There she was pitted against the greatest woman runner of the day, a German girl named Jutta Heine. Nobody had ever beaten Jutta. But in the 100-meter dash, Wilma Rudolph won. She beat Jutta again in the 200-meters. Now Wilma had two Olimpic gold medals.

Finally came the 400-meter relay. It would be Wilma against Jutta once again. The first two runners on Wilma's team made perfect handoffs with the baton. But when the third runner handed the baton to Wilma, she was so excited she dropped it, and Wilma saw Jutta taking off down the track. It was impossible that anybody could catch this fleet and nimble girl. But Wilma did just that! Wilma Rudolph had earned three Olympic gold medals.

Source

Health Headlines 11/11/05

NSAIDs may cut risk of esophageal cancer in people with Barrett's esophagus ~> Click here.

Gel to ease side-effects of radiotherapy developed by three young scientists at York University, UK ~> Click here.

Blood vessels appear healthier after people consume olive oil high in phenolic compounds ~> Click here.

The nude mouse tale: Omega-3 fats save the life of a terminal cancer patient ~> Click here.

Daily Inspiration

One
~Author Unknown~

One song can spark a moment.
One flower can wake the dream.
One tree can start a forest,
One bird can herald spring.

One smile begins a friendship,
One handclasp lifts a soul.
One star can guide a ship at sea.
One word can frame the goal.

One vote can change a nation,
One sunbeam lights a room.
One candle wipes out darkness,
One laugh will conquer gloom.

One step must start each journey,
One word must start each prayer.
One hope will raise your spirits,
One touch can show you care.

One voice can speak with wisdom,
One heart can know what's true.
One life can make the difference.
You see, it's up to you.

Don't ever forget how very important YOU are.

Health Headlines 11/10/05

Cancer Survivors Often Do Not Receive Necessary Customized Follow-Up Care, Report Says, USA ~> Click here.

New class of cancer drugs work best in patients with mutations in the BRAF gene ~> Click here.

Brainstem blocks pain to facilitate eating, drinking and urinating ~> Click here.

Pre-existing anxiety disorder raises risk of a subsequent onset of suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts ~> Click here.

SAD patients who take antidepressants in autumn can prevent winter depression ~> Click here.

Resetting epigenetic code could aid lupus patients ~> Click here.

Daily Inspiration

Puppies for Sale
~Author Unknown~

A farmer had some puppies he needed to sell. He painted a sign advertising the pups and set about nailing it to a post on the edge of his yard. As he was driving the last nail into the post, he felt a tug on his overalls. He looked down into the eyes of a little boy.

"Mister," he said, "I want to buy one of your puppies."

"Well," said the farmer, as he rubbed the sweat off the back of his neck, "these puppies come from fine parents and cost a good deal of money."

The boy dropped his head for a moment. Then reaching deep into his pocket, he pulled out a handful of change and held it up to the farmer. "I've got thirty-nine cents. Is that enough to take a look?"

"Sure," said the farmer. And with that he let out a whistle,"Here,Dolly!" he called. Out from the doghouse and down the ramp ran Dolly followed by four little balls of fur. The little boy pressed his face against the chain link fence. His eyes danced with delight.

As the dogs made their way to the fence, the little boy noticed something else stirring inside the doghouse. Slowly another little ball appeared; this one noticeably smaller. Down the ramp it slid. Then in a somewhat awkward manner the little pup began hobbling toward the others, doing its best to catch up...."I want that one," the little boy said, pointing to the runt.

The farmer knelt down at the boy's side and said, "Son, you don't want that puppy. He will never be able to run and play with you like these other dogs would."

With that the little boy stepped back from the fence, reached down, and began rolling up one leg of his trousers. In doing so he revealed a steel brace running down both sides of his leg attaching itself To a specially made shoe. Looking back up at the farmer, he said, "You see sir, I don't run too well myself, and he will need someone who understands."

The world is full of people who need someone who understands.


Source

Health Headlines 11/09/05

Causes of scleroderma, new clues ~> Click here.

Compound in wine reduces levels of Alzheimer's disease-causing peptides ~> Click here.

The Gerontologist Special Issue Focuses on Quality-of-Life for those with Dementia in Long-Term Care ~> Click here.

Marijuana-based Medicine Helps Arthritis ~> Click here.

Antidepressant Ads Misleading ~> Click here.

Sighs fill the silence sometimes

I feel like such an idiot today. I truly and honestly thought that I had a doctor's appointment today with my family doctor for my yearly female physical. I got up early to make sure I could move around, got a shower and had the thought to double check the time I was supposed to be there. Good thing I did too! My appointment was YESTERDAY. I can't believe I wrote down the wrong day for that. I'm usually really good at the appointments and all but I messed up. *sighs* I really hate it when I do things like this. I know that it happens, even to the best of people. I still don't like it when I do it! Okay, now that I have that off my chest. The rest of the day went okay. I stayed over at my mom's for an hour, hanging out with my brother, Billy before I had to come home and make sure that Chris was up and ready for work. We had a pretty good time just laughing at his dog. Billy has a Lhaso Apso just like my Dudley. His is named Dale because the dog curled up and went to sleep in his Dale Earnhardt slippers right after my mom and dad brought him home to Billy. The silly thing has this new toy that makes a lot of noises and has songs to it that drives the dog nuts. He runs around with it in his mouth just to make it go off so he can shake it. After that I came home and did the headlines and inspiration so that I wouldn't forget. I have been stressed out here lately over my grandmother and how much she's been through so my body has been letting me know that it's not happy at the situation. I have had to visit the bathroom quite a few times and chug Pepto like it was water. Right now, I just feel exhausted from the emotional roller coaster and a little warm as the temperatures were in the mid 60s F today.

The weather has been a little on the odd side of things here lately. Usually I am having to pull out my long-sleeved shirts and warm jackets by this time of year. Yesterday I had shorts on in the house! It really worries me because we did have severe weather not that long ago and there's a threat of the same weather tonight into tomorrow morning. I almost would rather have some of the cooler temps and less worry over tornadoes in November! I'll admit that I kinda like the warmer, milder temperatures. Yet, I don't like the thunderstorms and tornado threats this time of year. It's just odd to have decorations up and the season doesn't match. Maybe if I didn't live in an area that always has the white stuff, I'd be used to the decor with no snow. For me, it's not the season unless there's a dusting all around.

I don't know what to do about the aunt/grandmother situation. My grandmother was once a strong woman who was very independent and yet loving at the same time. She taught me so many, many things about being a woman and what it would take to make it on your own (my grandfather died before I was born). When I see her now, it makes me so sad. It literally breaks my heart. I want so bad to go around and find out who has hurt her so bad that she talks like a child, is afraid of the slightest noise and has to be reassured constantly that it's okay. My grandmother should never have felt threatened when she depended on others to care for her. As far as I'm concerned the person who had the most "power" to do something did nothing and is just as responsible as those people who actually hurt my grandmother. *sighs* I will get to the bottom of things soon. I hold firm to the belief that what goes around, comes around.

Moving on to something that won't make me cry, I have finally gotten over 10,000 words on my novel! I'm 1/5th of the way completed and only have two and a half weeks left to go! There's been a few surprises that I really didn't know where coming. It's funny when I sit down to type. Since I have to type in spurts, there are times when I just read the last thing I had typed and begin to go off on a tangent that I didn't even think of before opening the program. I caught Chris reading it last night (before I got to the 10k mark). He's mad cause I haven't finished it already and I keep him guessing most of the time. That's a good thing! This novel is so completely different than my others because I'm using the computer to write it and I haven't really given much thought as to the plot. I'm just letting it come out as it wants to. So, now with that being said, it's time for me to finish up some emails and get busy for a half hour on the novel. I need to type 2k words tonight to get back on track.

Until next time,
Kim

Daily Inspiration

All Is Going Well?
by Catherine Pulsifer

The true test in life does not occur when all is going well. The true test takes place when we are faced with challenges. Some people have a positive attitude towards life only when all is well. However, when the going gets tough, their attitude changes instantly, and they become very negative or are consumed with self pity.

"I don't measure a man's success by how high he climbs but how high he bounces when he hits bottom." George S. Patton

Christopher Reeve is an example of someone who had faced challenges. Here was a person who was very successful and active, however, he had a riding accident that left him paralyzed. He could have felt sorry for himself. Instead, after his accident he raised money for research on paralysis, directed a film, and wrote his autobiography, Still Me.

I recently talked with someone who was having difficulties; part of the problem was they were sitting around just feeling sorry for themselves. My advice to them was "do something productive" rather than sit and think!

Be conscious of your attitude. Work extra hard at keeping your attitude positive in all kinds of weather, through all the challenges of life.

A good quote to reflect on when you are facing challenging times:
"Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude towards it, for that determines our success or our failure." Norman Vincent Peale


About The Author:
Catherine Pulsifer is one of the editors of Words of Wisdom 4 U, http://www.wow4u.com. You will find a collection of motivational and inspirational thoughts, stories, quotes, poems, smiles, proverbs, and more at Words of Wisdom 4 U!

Health Headlines 11/08/05

Prostate Cancer - Casodex® 150mg plus Radiotherapy Extends Life Much More than Radiotherapy Alone ~> Click here.

Penn Researchers Study the Use of Ultrasound for Treatment of Cancer ~> Click here.

Sensors, a smart dose of medicine for cancer treatment ~> Click here.

ECCO 13 offers new insights into patients' perceptions of cancer ~> Click here.

Improving breast-cancer diagnostic tools ~> Click here.

What a last couple of days...

First off, let me apologize for not doing a post last night other than the headlines and inspirational reading. I was having an extremely bad day that started off wrong and went downhill with each minute that passed. I ended up going to bed fairly early with a severe tension headache that still hasn't completely gone away. So I have played catch up as much as I could today. Saturday night and part of Sunday morning brought some severe weather into Indiana. Chris and I were lucky enough to just have some wind damage and our power went out for a little bit. Nothing to be too worried over except that it made it difficult to sleep through the night. Therefore I was late with the headlines and all. I managed to get most of what is fast becoming my routine done when I started to get a really bad headache. I mean it was a bad one. I eventually had to crawl into the bed and put a pillow over my eyes to keep out the light and put on light instrumental music. Unfortunately it also meant that I didn't get to do all I had planned yesterday either. Truth be told, I'm a little glad that I got the headache as I needed to stop and think about what all was going on around me. There's a lot of family issues regarding my grandmother who is dependent on the care others give her right now. There has been a lot of anger and frustration at what she has had to endure because the person who is in charge of her finances and health care seems to want to just put my grandmother somewhere and forget about her. I will get a chance to see my grandmother for myself tomorrow morning after I pick my mother up from work. Everyone's been telling me not to go and see her like she is because it's a shock. Well, nothing's going to make me stop loving my grandmother, no matter if she's the same person now as she was then or not. Most times I want to just scream or hit something when I hear that she's been left to rot away when I can do nothing about it. Now that my grandmother is back in my hometown, I have the access to her that I didn't have before. I will make sure that no one does the same thing to her again.

That aside, I had hoped to spend the day with Chris because I wasn't sure how many weekends he would be able to have off now that we are approaching holiday season. My nephew had stayed with us on Saturday night to help Chris with yardwork during Sunday's sunshine after the storm came through. I didn't get to spend as much time as I had wanted, but it was nice that we did have some time to sit and talk about things that meant a lot to each of us. By the end of the day, my headache had gotten worse so he opted to play his computer game while I slept. Today I awoke to the remnants of that headache. I'm sure the stress level is still quite high. The only other thing I can attribute that headache to would also be the change in barometric pressure. Whenever it goes up and down in severe increments, I feel it in my joints. In fact, they were quite swollen last night and this morning when I woke up. I have managed to go through and pick up the bedroom and living room areas with no problem. Also was able to get a couple loads of laundry done. It's usually always this way after I take my Enbrel shot on Friday. Saturday I feel like I have a cold for a little while and by the time Monday rolls around, I feel much better. It starts to wear off around Wednesday or Thursday night. This also the time of year when I have the most trouble wanting to do things because of the weather changes. It sucks but it's become a fact of life over the past ten years. So funny how years ago, I was able to walk down two city blocks and back with no trouble. Now, I'm lucky to get around one block without having to stop.

I was asked once how I can get through the day with all that has been on my plate. In truth, I'm not sure myself sometimes. I have a faith that has kept me waking up in the morning and sleeping at night. I don't think that whenever I have asked and truly needed something that my faith hasn't helped me to get what I need or where I need to go. I have had time to sit back and look at the world through different eyes. I'm so glad about that because I know people that I've grown up with who haven't learned the simplest of lessons yet and are miserable, struggling in this world to make sense of things. That doesn't mean that I don't have days when I want to curl up in my bed and never leave because I know what lies ahead for me. I still have those moments where I resent being put in this position. I have had parts of my life stolen from me by this disease. Yet at the same time, I've had experiences given to me that I would never have gotten to take part in had I not had PA. I accept my limitations and I don't let them define who I am. At the same time I do have days where I mourn the simple tasks that I can no longer do myself. Before I was on the Enbrel shots, I would have had to have help when taking a shower, washing my hair and even brushing my hair. I could not tie my own shoes or put on socks some days. Now, I'm able to sit here at this computer for up to two hours sometimes before I have to stop what I'm doing and rest. I'm able to do laundry and dust the furniture some days. It's been a long hard road, one that hasn't ended just yet. I'm going to ride it out as long as I can. I hope that I can make it enjoyable for all those out there who are riding alongside me.

Until next time,
Kim

Daily Inspiration

Three Bricklayers
by Catherine Pulsifer

"Once there were 3 bricklayers. Each one of them was asked what they were doing.

The first man answered gruffly, 'I'm laying bricks.'

The second man replied, 'I'm putting up a wall.'

But the third man said enthusiastically and with pride, 'I'm building a cathedral.'"

Author Unknown

This story clearly reveals two secrets of success:

1. Attitude
Your attitude towards whatever you are doing determines your ultimate level of success.

2. Ability to See the Bigger Picture
Being able to see the end result, rather than just the task, eliminates obstacles, focuses your energy, and provides motivation to excel.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Catherine Pulsifer is one of the editors of Words of Wisdom 4 U, http://www.wow4u.com. You will find a collection of motivational thoughts, stories, quotes, poems, smiles, proverbs, and more at Words of Wisdom 4 U!

Health Headlines 11/07/05

New Jersey Jury Finds Merck Not Liable for Nonfatal Heart Attack of Former Vioxx User ~> Click here.

Panitumumab Significantly Improves Progression-Free Survival in Phase 3 Randomized Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Study ~> Click here.

Research Advances New Cancer Preventive Strategies from Myriad Sources ~> Click here.

Genetics, Molecular Biomarkers Form Molecular Basis for Cancer Prevention ~> Click here.

Contradictory Immune Responses Explain Different Therapeutic Effects In Rheumatoid Arthritis ~> Click here.