CDC Symptom Diary Card

Thursday, October 17, 2013

TED Talks Brave Neuro World

I found this series on "TED Talks" this evening.  I was looking for something interesting, not related to politics or our healthcare system.  Our government is now back in business and the Affordable Care Act remains law.  Finally can rest.

After watching this episode of "TED Talks", I realized that she is right, we need to spend much more time engaged using our right hemispheres.  

Please watch to learn why and also learn some fascinating things about the experience of a stroke.

Peace and Love,

Denise


Why you should listen to her:One morning, a blood vessel in Jill Bolte Taylor's brain exploded. As a brain scientist, she realized she had a ringside seat to her own stroke. She watched as her brain functions shut down one by one: motion, speech, memory, self-awareness ...







Amazed to find herself alive, Taylor spent eight years recovering her ability to think, walk and talk. She has become a spokesperson for stroke recovery and for the possibility of coming back from brain injury stronger than before. In her case, although the stroke damaged the left side of her brain, her recovery unleashed a torrent of creative energy from her right. From her home base in Indiana, she now travels the country on behalf of the Harvard Brain Bank as the "Singin' Scientist."




Saturday, October 12, 2013

Affordable Care Act Resources VIDEO

http://www.whitehouse.gov/share/what-obamacare-means-you 

The link above takes you to a really easy to watch and basic video that helps us to understand how this works.  Worth your time.

The Affordable Care Act - also known as Obamacare - means better coverage for those who already have health insurance, and more options for those who don’t, including a new way to shop for affordable, high-quality coverage.



https://www.healthcare.gov/     (I know it has been jammed, but don't give  up)

................

Here is a copy of resources from The White House





Myths and Facts  Link for you

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State-by-State Monthly Marketplace Premiums


A new report shows that the Affordable Care Act will deliver on its promise to make health insurance more affordable and accessible for Americans who need it. Download the full report
The report, released by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) finds that in state after state, affordable options will be available through the Health Insurance Marketplace in 2014. Nearly all eligible uninsured Americans (about 95%) live in states with average premiums below earlier projections. And nearly all consumers (about 95%) will have a choice of health insurance companies,each of which offers a number of different plans.

The Marketplace will be run in partnership with States or fully by the HHS in 36 states. In these states, on average, consumers will have a choice of 53 health plans (bronze, silver, gold, and platinum plans), and young adults will have the additional option of low-cost catastrophic or youth plans.
Use the map below to explore a summary of the choices and premiums expected in those 36 states. Final, complete information about all the plans in each state Marketplace will be available via HealthCare.gov on October 1.


Get Started in the Marketplace

Wednesday, October 09, 2013

Time For A Positive Post

I had a very good day at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance.  I almost didn't get there because I slept until noon.   I fell right back asleep when I got back home from treatment around 6 pm and slept until 11pm.  I am hydrating and eating, feeling sleepy again.

I don't know, maybe when you get cancer you feel more of everything after a while.  I care deeply about the happiness of others.

I was filled with so much gratitude to have access to medical care today.  

I am praying for the government to be running now and for the Affordable Care Act to move forward.  We can always work to adjust problems, but lets get started.

Thank you God for my health team.

Love,
Denise




Tuesday, October 08, 2013

What the Tea Party Can Do With......


WARNING....foul language.  I NEVER write like this, but the madness must stop!  End the government shutdown now!  Official rant!

I am so exhausted and I cannot fall asleep.  I cannot understand why the stinking tea party thinks they rule the wold. We are maxed out guys....time to stop messing with our lives here.

Try at age 15 getting debilitating rheumatoid arthritis.  Garner all the go getem spirit you can, then lose your career anyway to arthritis.  Go without health insurance for 10 years, learn sales, try to start a company, fail...all the republican go get um things they say to do.....work hard play hard.....burn the midnight oil......and still not make it.    Then be ridiculed for not making it....wow that's the best ever.

Finally get a stable job with a great company, maintain it and have health insurance because of the job, and get deadly ovarian cancer. which by the way haunts me all the time.

I have paid into the system.  I am not a drag on society....And I don't earn my keep on the backs of others either.

I spend my life working......sleeping..........working.........sleeping.........as much time with family as I can since all I care about is family, my kitty, and the world......no vacation in Hawaaii....no savings or 401K to cash in.   hmmmmm,...anyway.....all while still on chemo.  You tea party people are cowards.  Battle the Affordable Care Act on it's own terms, stop holding innocent people hostage. You are like the guy who puts his kids in front of him when his malice is being called out.  

Republicans say I made my bed, so I must lay in it...no matter how hard I worked....close only counts in horse shoes.   At the end of the day...at least we should be able to agree that human beings deserve good affordable health care in the United States Of America!  

We have running water, electricity and the best pool of potential healthcare professionals in the world.

John Boehner can jam a cancer stick up his ass and light it for all I care.....not really,  any stick will do!

If I would of at least had healthcare those 10 years, maybe my arthritis would have faired better and I could have gotten regular checkups.  That would have gone a long way to maintaining better work as opposed to sales work.  Sales is not for me.    A sales rat tried to take advantage of my mom not too long ago.....

Why does the tea party want to hurt people with illness or who have disabilities?  

The Tea party is over, the flavor is gone.....lights out.  Time to end your drunken madness and sleep on it.  Maybe you will regain some compassion in the morning.

You guys are actually hurting people, stop it!  Government workers are putting their lives on the line and not getting paid like you are....they have to wait.  Enjoy your steak while they suffer. Enjoy your wine while moms in the WIC program cry at night because their babies have no formula.  


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/08/north-carolina-wic-government-shutdown_n_4066047.html?utm_hp_ref=politics

Monday, October 07, 2013

"Parenthood" Season 4 : Kristina's Cancer And Other Important Stuff

Just on a side note, I love the Braverman family.  We all need our escape from reality and watching the show "Parenthood" is one of my favorite distractions.

I have been extremely tired, it just gets worse and worse.  When I am not working or with mom I turn on my Roku and catch up on old seasons of my favorite shows.  I need the distraction and who can resist the show "Parenthood".

Season 4 has Kristina Braverman battling breast cancer. For television, I think that they did a fair take on cancer.  It is not a real life documentary.  It did a good job, touched enough on important events and issues related to treatment, fears, complications of treatment and also how family adapts to these challenges.

I was glued to the tv.

Granted, this tv family is whole.  Kristina is not single and wants for nothing.  Those of us with cancer or any serious illness have a harder road if we are single.   

That being said, if you haven't watched season 4, please do so.   I really took advantage of the ability to remotely share with the character, and cry a little.  If you are a caregiver or friend of someone with cancer or any life changing, chronic illness, it can improve your empathy.

I never promote tv shows.  Not my style.  It was nice to have the marathon escape.  Chemo again on Tuesday......thank you God for the medical care.



The little joys in life.....

Love,
Denise