MONDAY, JULY 25, 2011
Mood - I got up late 11 am. Once I got up I took the meds. and improved. My eyes felt puffy and droopy. I felt dopey. I woke up a bit after the meds. and since it is not as hot today as it was Saturday i am not seriously sweaty and dragging.
Physical - I woke up at 11:00 am. My knee is sore but not so bad. The front of my knee is weak. I'm still limping when I go to the bathroom in the morning. My period is pretty much gone. I've had it for about 16 days. I feel overly warm and slow. My left top eyelid didn't twitch today. I did more activity today than yesterday and got out of the house just not as much as yesterday.
Woke up - I woke up at 11:00 am. I took the excedrin and allergy meds but not the Aleve. I took the gummo vitamins after noon time.
Activities -I went to bed around 4:00 am. I didn't close the curtains but fell asleep. I got up at 11 am. Mom planned on going to see the ospreys in Jerusalem this afternoon and dropping E's picture off at J's house for her to scan it. I ate some tuna fish salad on a bagel and drank some diet pepsi to take my meds.
Mom and I headed to J's first. T was there which was kind of weird but whatever. We dropped off the picture and Mom went to the Irving close by to get some gas. We both agreed that that places is uncomfortable and not pleasant to go to. We stopped by the pond next to Hamilton Harbor Condos to look at and photograph the Lotus blossoms in the pond there. We drove over to Jerusalem and watched the osprey family for a while. The Mother bird flew around crying her little cries as the baby bird was still in the nest eating something big. It's as big as it's parents but it's coloring is still more mottled than theirs. The Father bird was sitting out on the salt flats on top of an old pier.
We stopped by an ice cream place called Sticki Fins next to Cap't Jacks and on the Lockwood's Marina dock. Mom had a small bowl of blueberry cheesecake frozen yogurt which didn't have much blueberry flavoring. I ate a banana chocolate chip on a sugar cone. I took some pictures for Yelp and plan on reviewing it.
We drove home and I went online. Kevin left many tools and auto parts outside. I worked on this blog until Mom came up and asked if I wanted to go swimming . I was busy and I became irritated at her. I stifled the irritation and reminded myself that a swim would be good exercise. We went out to Lil' Comfort cove even though it was lightly sprinkling out. The water wasn't overly warm but there were no very cold spots. It was nice and refreshing.
When we got back I went to my room while Mom used the bathroom. I put on my terry robe and worked online again. I became rather involved with some of the links I was getting so I didn't took a shower. After a while I went downstairs to help Mom out with the meal. I cut a mango into cubes because Mom asked me to. I helped out in other ways too. We ate hamburgers, Jell-o salad with mango cubes, pasta salad, and a squash and green pepper casserole.
Mom went to see Cap't America with Dad. I went upstairs to go online again until I remembered I wanted to print out some WRAP Workbook pages. I put them on the flash drive and printed them out downstairs. I kept accumulating interesting WRAP links most of the night and particularly Passive-Aggressive articles in the Passive Aggressive Diaries which I copied into a text document and saved in the BLOG folder.
I plan on going to bed soon: 3:00 am.
WRAP - I wrote today's blog. I found many links for the WRAP blog.
Plans for Tomorrow I plan on getting up. I plan on writing Monday's Daily Page. I plan on doing an activity for WRAP. I have to finish decorating the piñata. I plan on filling out the Genetic Alliance Online Questionnaire. I need to ask C when R is leaving for his vacation to see if it coincides with Mom's cataract operation and recovery.
{I want to change a bad habit so that I 1) Stop doing something bad 2) exchange the bad action with a positive action 3) and get a result that will help me in my life.}
A reminder: I need to plan a weekend worth of menus for Dad while Mom, E and J are away in August. J is coming on the 28th of July for a few weeks. E asked Mom to pick him up that day and Mom asked B if he'd come to Boston with her. We are also planning a family party to coincide with J's stay in RI Mom wants it to be this next Sunday. Mom will be going to NY the weekend of C's birthday, the 15th and the 14th August. E and J are planning on going with her so I need to plan for at least 2 days worth of menus. August 17th Mom is having the cataract surgery. I need to make sure I schedule nothing for 3 days. Mom as well as Dad will need my help then. I need to glue tissue paper on the piñata and decorate it the July birthday party cookout. I can't find the little gifts from the last piñata. I also need to wrap E's and Lil's gifts. I also need to buy Lia a gift since we are planning to combine the August and July birthdays in one celebration while Jerome is here. ALSO CALL JONNYCAKE CENTER FOR FOOD BASKETS OR EXTRA FOOD. AND MAIL THE ENVELOPE TO HUMAN SERVICES. Sept. 19 through October 1st I will be in Philadelphia. I need to plan a menu for the Piepszacs before I leave for that weekend.
Things that gave me joy today and things that made me feel better about myself:
Joy: I went swimming.
Made me feel better about myself: I found a cool blog about passive-aggressive behavior.
Other Stuff I Discovered While Online:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/23/your-money/student-loans/a-tuition-refund-policy-that-pays-less-for-mental-illness.html?_r=1
YOUR MONEY
Tuition Refunds, but Not Quite on Equal Terms
By RON LIEBER
Published: July 22, 2011
Sallie Mae wants to be a cradle-to-grave resource, helping parents save for their children’s college educations until they’re 18, then lending students money for tuition, helping them save for their own children’s bills and so on until they’re great-grandparents.
By RON LIEBER
How did you decide whether to purchase a policy when your tuition bill arrived?
Ron Lieber writes the Your Money column, which appears in The Times on Jerry Swope for The New York Times
Vermont now requires equal coverage, whether students withdraw for physical illness or mental illness.
In the last couple of years, Sallie Mae has been trying to deepen its financial ties with customers, adding an online bank and a credit card.
And earlier this month, it added a curious product known as tuition refund insurance, which can make you whole if an ill child must withdraw from college sometime during the term.
The insurance, which Sallie offers in partnership with Next Generation Insurance Group, a company it recently bought a stake in, doesn’t treat all sickness equally, though. If a student withdraws because of a physical illness or injury, a family gets 100 percent of its money back. People who leave because of mental health problems, however, get only 75 percent back.
This would probably be illegal if tuition refund policies were deemed health insurance, instead of insurance that just happens to be based solely on your health. Federal law now mandates equal coverage for mental and physical illness in many instances when employers offer any health insurance for mental illness.
Even if disparate tuition insurance coverage is legal, however, it’s still offensive to people who spent their careers fighting for so-called mental health parity. “There should be a buyer beware sign blinking on and off,” said Ken Libertoff, who ran the Vermont Association for Mental Health for 30 years. “Parents need to know that there is a fatal flaw in these plans’ constructions.”
Indeed, that construction suggests a question: Is it even worth taking an insurance offer seriously when it forces you to accept less coverage for the debilitating illness that is most likely to befall you?
OP-ED COLUMNIST
Messing With Medicare
By PAUL KRUGMAN
Published: July 24, 2011
At the time of writing, President Obama’s hoped-for “Grand Bargain” with Republicans is apparently dead. And I say good riddance. I’m no more eager than other rational people (a category that fails to include many Congressional Republicans) to see what happens if the debt limit isn’t raised. But what the president was offering to the G.O.P., especially on Medicare, was a very bad deal for America.
Paul Krugman
Related
- Times Topic: Federal Debt Limit (Debt Ceiling) & Deficit Talks
Related in Opinion
- Paul Krugman: The Lesser Depression (July 22, 2011)
- David Brooks: The Grand Bargain Lives! (July 22, 2011)
- Room For Debate: Presidents and Their Debts, F.D.R. to Bush
Readers’ Comments
Readers shared their thoughts on this article.
Specifically, according to many reports, the president offered both means-testing of Medicare benefits and a rise in the age of Medicare eligibility. The first would be bad policy; the second would be terrible policy. And it would almost surely be terrible politics, too.
The crucial thing to remember, when we talk about Medicare, is that our goal isn’t, or at least shouldn’t be, defined in terms of some arbitrary number. Our goal should be, instead, to give Americans the health care they need at a price the country can afford. And throwing Americans in their mid-60s off Medicare moves us away from that goal, not toward it.
For Medicare, with all its flaws, works better than private insurance. It has less bureaucracy and, hence, lower administrative costs than private insurers. It has been more successful in controlling costs. While Medicare expenses per beneficiary have soared over the past 40 years, they’ve risen significantly less than private insurance premiums. And since Medicare-type systems in other advanced countries have much lower costs than the uniquely privatized U.S. system, there’s good reason to believe that Medicare reform can do a lot to control costs in the future.
http://www.medpagetoday.com/Psychiatry/Depression/27701
Study Shows Difficulty in Obtaining Mental Health Care
A study by Harvard Medical School researchers finds that even people with excellent private health insurance have trouble getting psychiatric care in Greater Boston. The authors of the study, published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine, posed as patients with Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance and called mental health providers in the plan, saying they had been seen in an emergency room and needed a psychiatric appointment within two weeks. In 64 tries, just four facilities could take a new patient within two weeks. In 15 cases, researchers left a phone message, but never heard back. (Medpage Today, 7/23/11)
http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Features/Insuring-Your-Health/Michelle-Andrews-on-In-School-Clinics.aspx
By Michelle Andrews
JUL 18, 2011
Treating skinned knees and stomachaches is part of the drill at any school nurse's office or school-based health center. But for many kids, health-care providers at these sites do much more than treat everyday aches and pains: They give checkups and vaccinations, make sure kids take their insulin shots and antidepressants on time, and teach them how to manage chronic conditions such as asthma.
http://www.internationalbipolarfoundation.org/
About Us
International Bipolar Foundation is a not for profit organization based in San Diego whose mission is to eliminate Bipolar Disorder through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support services for all affected; and to erase associated stigma through public education.
We are made up of a founding Executive Board, a Scientific Advisory Board, Honorary Board and Consumer Advisory Board. Reporting to the Executive Board are 4 committees who address the pieces of our mission.
What We Do:
Education Committee:
- Annual Mental Health Fair held in May
- Celebration of Bipolar Awareness Day, held in October
- Introduction of Breaking the Silence curriculum into the public school system
- My Support, an electronic newsletter
- Television, radio and print public relations
- Buddy Program
- Mental Health Lecture Series
Care & Support Committee:
- Twice monthly day time support group meetings
- Monthly evening support group meetings
- Annual Family summer picnic
- Sibling support group
- Addressing the issue of mental health courts and training police officers
Development Committee:
- Annual fund raising gala held in February
- Change 4 Change program to promote Bipolar Awareness Day
- Annual speaking luncheon, held in the fall
Consumer Advisory Board:
- Advising the Board of Directors on how best to meet consumer needs
- Reviewing organizational publications
- Organizing special activities to promote consumers
How Can You Get Involved?
- Come to the support groups
- Volunteer to help at the Mental Health Fair, gala, or luncheon
- Join a committee
- Educate someone about the disorder
ORGANIZATIONS
http://www.facebook.com/MindGym
Frankie Perez's MindGym
Frankie Pérez, LMFT, is a relationship specialist, soul-centered psychotherapist, and Franklin Covey Certified Personal Life Coach. His approach is ecclectic, blending cinematherapy, psycho-spiritual, cognitive, Imago, and Emotionally Focused approaches.
He is the founder of MindGym, LLC, a psycho-educational service offering counseling and/or coaching to individuals, couples, and groups.
He also presents workshops on Couples Communication, Dating, Mindfulness Meditation & Soul-Centered Psychotherapy, Sports Related Communication Excellence, and Peak Performance using Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) and Time Line Therapy.
He may be reached by phone at (214) 289-7995
or by email at frankie@mymindgym.com
ORGANIZATIONS
http://www.bphope.com/
bp Hope Community
bp Magazine's primary purpose is to create community among and empower people living with bipolar disorder. The only way this can truly be accomplished is through your active involvement and input. Whether you are living with bipolar symptoms and/or a family member or caregiver—we want to hear from you!
It is our readers who have given us the inspiration and many of their personal stories for popular articles about having a successful marriage when one partner has bipolar; the decision whether or not to have children when there is a history of bipolar disorder or bipolar symptoms; or how to seek support from loved ones when you're living with bipolar. As a part of this community, we encourage you to share your thoughts, stories and suggestions.
ISSUES
http://www.bphope.com/Item.aspx/846/stigma-in-your-own-backyard
Stigma in your own backyard
People with bipolar often meet with denial, anger, blame and other damaging reactions from relatives and friends—the very people it’s natural to count on the most.
By Janice Arenofsky
[excerpt from Stigma in your own backyard]
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/passive-aggressive-diaries/201107/4-strategies-effectively-confront-passive-aggressive-behavior
Understanding passive aggressive behavior in families, schools, and workplaces.
by Signe Whitson
4 Strategies to Effectively Confront Passive Aggressive Behavior in a Relationship
http://www.lsci.org/
What is LSCI?
Life Space Crisis Intervention (LSCI) is a nationally recognized, professional training and certification program sponsored by the Life Space Crisis Intervention Institute of Hagerstown, Maryland.
LSCI is an advanced, interactive therapeutic strategy for turning crisis situations into learning opportunities for children and youth with chronic patterns of self-defeating behaviors. LSCI views problems or stressful incidents as opportunities for learning, growth, insight, and change. This non-physical intervention program uses a multi-theoretical approach to behavior management and problem solving. LSCI provides staff a roadmap through conflict to desired outcomes using crisis as an opportunity to teach and create positive relationships with youth.
Learn what to do when a youth:
- Acts out in stress toward unsuspecting helpers, sparking explosive and endless power struggles
- Makes poor decisions based on distorted thought patterns and perceptual errors
- Has the right intentions and motivation but lacks the social skills to be successful
- Is purposefully aggressive and exploitive with little conscience
- Acts in self-damaging ways due to being burdened with shame and inadequacy
- Becomes entangled in destructive peer relationships and is vulnerable to manipulation
http://signewhitson.com/life-space-crisis-intervention-training/
Life Space Crisis Intervention is an advanced, therapeutic verbal strategy for turning crisis situations into learning opportunities for children and youth with chronic patterns of self-defeating behaviors. A nationally recognized, professional training and certification program, LSCI views problems or stressful incidents as opportunities for learning, growth, insight, and change. This non-physical intervention program uses a multi-theoretical approach to behavior management and problem solving.
LSCI provides educators, counselors, social workers, and youth care professionals with a roadmap through conflict to desired outcomes using crisis as an opportunity to teach and create positive relationships with youth.
LSCI training provides specific skills for helping children and youth who:
- Act out in stress toward unsuspecting helpers, sparking explosive and endless power struggles
- Make poor decisions based on distorted thought patterns and perceptual errors
- Have the right intentions and motivation but lack the social skills to be successful
- Are purposefully aggressive and exploitive with little conscience
- Act in self-damaging ways due to being burdened with shame and inadequacy
- Become entangled in destructive peer relationships and are vulnerable to manipulation
LSCI Training offers up to 30 CEU’s for eligible professionals and up to 3 graduate credits in Psychology or Special Education.
ALL NEW! LSCI is now ONLINE:
On August 1, 2011, the LSCI Institute will begin to offer Part 1 of its Certification course online. Participants will have the option of completing the Introduction to LSCI on their own schedule, then continuing on to complete the full certification through 3 days of live training. The online course provides instruction in the foundation skills of LSCI, including up-to-date brain research and principles of trauma-informed care. The live course provides full instruction in the advanced skills of LSCI, including the six interviews that can help children make long term gains in overcoming patterns of self-defeating behavior.
I am a single parent of two children both special needs that seldom got the help they needed because I was a neglected special needs child myself. I became a single parent because of the neglect of the people before me and the "partners" that were suppose to love our children with me. I stand strong for my children no matter what. I am not the best but I do what I can to help my children face this world and to teach them to live with love and humor. Life is hard; take whatever beauty you can glean from it.
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