*cross-posted at BlogHer Health & Wellness

Last week I was reading a lot about the latest research linking Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) to the XMRV Retrovirus.  Some of the articles even implied that people suffering with CFS (like myself) should be excited at the possibility that this news could lead to better diagnosis and treatment of CFS.  But, it’s not exactly good news for CFS patients, especially for patients hoping for a cure.  Here’s why…

While finding a virus linked to CFS may sound promising – Just cure the virus and you cure the disease.  It’s much more complicated than that.  The virus being linked to CFS is a retrovirus, it’s not the sort of virus we can just throw some anti-viral medicine at to get rid of it.   It’s a complicated process, but it goes something like this – Ordinary viruses attack a cell and eventually kill it during it’s process of spreading to other cells.  Retroviruses don’t just spread they also mutate the cell (without killing it), so mutated cells go on to replicate and spread the virus as well as the cell mutations.  So the cell mutation part is what makes this type of virus more difficult, and why we are hearing it compared to the HIV virus (another retrovirus).  But this is only one study, there will need to be many, many more studies before we have any definitive answers.

While I appreciate the fact that CFS is finally getting the attention it deserves, there is still a lot of research to be done.  This retrovirus finding is a very important “key” to unlocking the truth about this debilitating disease.  However, I don’t necessarily see it as the smoking gun.   Granted, I’m not a scientist, but I do have my personal experience with this disease (and the medical background of a nurse), and this is my first impression about these latest findings…

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a disease that (among other things) weakens a person’s immune system.  So this finding of a specific retrovirus being found in a large number of CFS patients is a classic “what came first the chicken or the egg” scenario.  Did the weakened immune system create the perfect petri-dish for this virus to exist?  Or did this virus contribute to the weakened immune system?   The bottom line is – There is much more research that needs to be done before we can get the answers we are looking for.  I do hope that these new findings can at least put to rest any idea that CFS is “all in the head” of the patient.

I actually had a neurologist tell me a few years ago (to my face) that he did not believe in my diagnosis.  If that’s not bad enough, when I called him on it, and asked if he thought my symptoms were all in my head…He told me that I probably had MS (multiple sclerosis) and it just hadn’t been able to be diagnosed yet.  What?  This “so called” medical specialist was so against acknowledging that chronic fatigue syndrome could exist, that he actually had the nerve to “pre” diagnose me with a condition that I had already been tested for and told I did not have.  Explaining that “if” my symptoms were real, then I would have to eventually be diagnosed with a “real” disease.   I’m not a violent person, but I REALLY wanted to punch this man freak in the face…I think he graduated from the Doctors for Dummies School of Medicine (and that’s all I’ll say about that).

OK…Sorry for the rant, I’ll get back to my feelings on this latest research now.

Don’t get me wrong, I am ecstatic that there is finally some actual scientific research being done on chronic fatigue syndrome.  I was beginning to wonder just how long doctors would be allowed to get away with making personal judgments on whether or not to “believe” in a CFS diagnosis (a diagnosis that is already accepted by the AMA and CDC).

I hope these latest finding will (at the very least) help educate both the public and the medical community, that this is a real disease with real symptoms that need to be treated–not ignored.  This is from a statement I wrote for the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Advisory Committee that met in Washington D.C.  (in May of 2007), and I believe it is still relevant today…

Being a single mother is not easy under any circumstances, but being a single mother with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome has been particularly difficult. I have been suffering with this insidious cluster of debilitating symptoms (referred to as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), for over ten years. But it has only been more recently that I have come to accept that this condition isn’t going away. The funny thing is, even though I am caught in the middle of mourning for the person I might have been, and accepting the person I am, I’ve begun to feel hopeful. Hopeful because, by letting go of the burden of needing to be cured, I am also letting go of the idea that if I just got more sleep, or got more exercise, or took the right combination of medications, or found the right doctor, that somehow I would be better. This thought process is exactly what keeps someone with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome down. It puts a judgment on them, that they are somehow responsible and this is not true. So, letting go of this type of destructive thinking is half the battle with this disease. And I think that is why this type of awareness (that is being done here today) is so important.

I believe we can all agree on the importance of research so that a diagnostic tool can be found, and a treatment developed. However, what is equally important, but continues to be overlooked, is the acceptance by doctors that this is a “real” medical condition and not an “emotional” problem.

Are many people with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome depressed? Of course they are. Anyone suffering from a chronic debilitating medical condition, is most likely going to have some degree of sadness, anxiety, or depression associated with it. A physician wouldn’t dream of telling a patient with Lupus that depression is the cause of their disease, but surely there are many patients with Lupus who are also depressed. And by all means, depression, whether associated with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, or any other medical condition, needs to be addressed and treated. Depression is a symptom associated with this disease, not the cause of this disease. By “blaming” this disease on depression, or any other “emotional” disorder…Well, that is simply “blaming” the patient for their disease, and that couldn’t be farther from the truth.

The truth is, doctors become doctors for the same reason I became a nurse, so they can help people. And, I think doctors feel helpless when they have a patient that they can’t “fix.”  Herein lies the problem. Patients can not, and should not have to WAIT to receive compassion and treatment from their doctors, until scientific research has found a way to cure them. Just as I have come to accept my condition, doctors must come to accept this condition and treat the patients and their symptoms accordingly.

There is so much a doctor can do to help a patient with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. The most important is to accept them and their diagnosis. Don’t tell them you don’t believe in the diagnosis. What purpose does that serve, other than to degrade them? Second, do not pass judgment on the patient for their condition. Treat patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome the same way you would treat anyone else with a chronic medical condition, with respect and dignity. We are not just patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, we are human beings. Third, work together with the patient to address the specific symptoms of their disease. It doesn’t matter what you call this disease, a physician CAN treat the patient and their symptoms regardless of what the name of the disease is. A physician CAN treat the patient and their symptoms regardless of whether research has found a cause or cure for the disease.

These are simple things, that could be implemented right now. Today is what matters to us. Today is all any of us have. Help us get through today, then tomorrow, and then help us take one day at a time towards being as well as we can be, given our disease. If you can do that, you will be making a huge difference in our lives… Anything less, is tantamount to “doing harm”. So please – Do No Harm – that is all I ask.

So…That’s what I think about it, and I’ll step off of my soap-box now.  I would love to know what you think in comments.

Here is a video from the 2006 Awareness Campaign by the CDC designed to inform physicians on the treatment of patients with CFS (obviously my neurologist wasn’t in attendance)…

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
at Catherine-Morgan.com and Women4Hope

I don’t normally recommend products on my blogs, but as a person suffering with chronic illness I know how important it is to share information that could benefit others.  I started using these products about a year ago, in the hope of boosting my immune system, and increasing my energy.  I believe it has done both of these things and more, I just feel so much better on the days that I use this product than on the days I don’t.

This product has the potential of benefiting your health in so many ways…And for anyone looking to generate an income, the company also offers a very simple way to do that too.

These products have really increased my quality of life.

It’s by a company called Isagenix.  They have many products but I’ve been using three.

The first one is a nutritional shake. They come in Vanilla and Chocolate (and they actually taste good). Even though it is “technically” a meal replacement, I often use it as a supplement between healthy meals.

The shake contains 23 grams of the highest quality New Zealand whey and casein protein from grass-fed cows with no added hormones or antibiotics, as well as filling fiber, calcium and vitamins to support the body’s vital functions.

This perfectly balanced shake also contains Ionic Alfalfa™, our proprietary blend of 70 super-charged minerals, trace minerals and alfalfa juice. Active enzymes in each serving helps maximize the absorption of key nutrients.

Here is the nutrition information for the IsaLean Shakes…

The second product I use is called Isafruits.  You can use it separately, but what I usually do is add it to my shakes (the vanilla ones).

I like the IsaFruits because I know I am not getting nearly the amount of fruits in my diet as I should, and this makes it so easy.  If you are someone who doesn’t get enough vegetables in your diet (I personally don’t have a problem with that), they also have a product called IsaGreens you could try.

IsaFruits makes it easy for you to get your 2–4 servings of fruits every day. It tastes great and has only 1 gram of sugar and 15 calories per scoop. Benefits from drinking IsaFruits regularly can range from improved mental clarity and skin to supporting your immune system. You may also experience:

• Greater energy
• Fewer signs of premature aging
• Protection against illness*
• Greater overall health

Here is the nutritional information for the IsaFruits…

And the third product I’ve been using is called Ionix Supreme.

This is what I take a shot of first thing in the morning, it’s like a little kick-start for my day…And it’s good for you too.

Ionix® Supreme will provide the nutritional fuel you need to help you be at your best all day, every day.

Our scientifically balanced formula is filled with adaptogens that help neutralize the effects of stress and power performance.

The antioxidants in Ionix® Supreme fight damaging free radicals and help preserve health.

In addition, the whole food concentrates and our proprietary blend of trace minerals provide the foundation for outstanding health.

Here is the nutritional information for the Ionix Supreme…

So…These are the three products I try to use every day, and when I don’t I definitely notice a difference.  I’m not trying to push them on anyone, but after a year of using them I really believe in them.

When it comes to the price…It’s hard to compare because there really isn’t anything on the market that compares (I’ve even recently gone into a retail store that sells all kids of supplements…and they say they have nothing that compares to Isagenix).  But I did notice that all of their shake products were more expensive than Isagenix…And my son has actually tried some of the retail shakes for body building and he says they taste awful.

This is the cost…

The Isagenix shakes are $49.00 if you buy off the website, but $37.00 if you become a distributor (my mother became a distributor so I could get the products for less money).  The canisters are equal to 14 meal replacements, but like I said…I use them as supplements and one canister lasts me about a month.

The IsaFruits are $43.00 if you buy off the website, but $32.00 if you are a distributor.  This is about a three month supply for me.

The Ionix Supreme is also $43.00 off the website, and $32.00 if you are a distributor.  This is about a two month supply for me.

So I’m spending about $64.00 a month.

At first this seemed like a lot of money to pay, but when I started using it I realized it was worth every penny to feel as good as I feel when I’m using them.

And even though my mother only became a “distributor” so I could get the products at the lower cost…I’m seeing how this could also be a good business opportunity for someone who is unable to work outside the home or just wants to make some extra money.

It’s so simple…When you sign up they actually give you a working website for your customers to go to, with all the product information, videos, and an online shopping tools (so you never have to worry about collecting money, shipping, or anything).  For example – This is my mother’s Isagenix website…

http://francesellen.isagenix.com/us/en/products.dhtml

Anyway, Isagenix has many other products too…

A Weight Loss Plan

An Athletes Sport Health Plan

A Healthy Lifestyle Plan

I’m just telling you about the ones I use on a regular basis (and that I love).  If you would like to order any of the Isagenix products, you can just click on my mother’s link (above).  If you’re interested in getting more detailed information on the products or how you can become a distributor…I can get you into contact with the woman who has all of that information.  She is a cancer survivor who swears by this product.  Just let me know in comments and I’ll get you hooked up with her…once I get your comment I’ll delete it.

Let me know if you have any additional questions.

This is from CFIDS Association of America…

Collected here are the top 10 most frequently provided answers to question number 22, “What is the one thing you’d like your family/friends to really understand about CFS?” Responses were limited to 100 characters, and some were stated using different words, but I’ve tried to capture the “essence” of the most consistent responses with a few direct quotes as well.

1. CFS is real.
   “I’m not making this up.”
   “My symptoms are very real even though you can’t see them.”
   “I am sick with a real disease and I’m doing the best I can.”
2. It is very debilitating and disabling.
   “CFS is as disabling as HIV, cancer and MS.”
   “Staying at home is not a ‘fun vacation from reality.’”
   “CFS is absolutely life-altering.”
3. The fatigue is very intense.
   “It’s more than being tired.”
   “My energy is very limited.”
   “I understand you’re tired, but it’s not the same as CFS.”
4. Looks can be deceiving.
   “I don’t look as bad as I feel inside.”
   “Even when I look good, I feel awful.”
   “Just because I look okay now, know that I’ll pay for it later.”
5. CFS is unpredictable.
   “I don’t know from one day to the next how I’ll feel.”
   “I have no control over how I feel.”
   “I need to be flexible in planning things.”
6. It has nothing to do with being lazy.
   “I wish I could accomplish more each day than I can.”
   “Even simple things are often beyond my ability.”
   “I’m not trying to get out of doing something when I say I can’t.”
7. Words don’t do CFS justice.
   “There’s no way to accurately describe how bad I feel.”
   “I still hurt as badly 20 years later as I did the first day I got sick.”
   “Even when I don’t talk about it, I still feel sick.”
8. CFS is very isolating.
   “I am often lonely and alone.”
   “Life moves on without me.”
   “Nobody understands what I’m going through.”
9. Your understanding is important.
   “I am so grateful for my family’s support.”
   “I am very lucky to have their understanding. It makes life bearable.”
   “I still need quality life experiences and to be involved.”
10. CFS is not a choice.
    “I don’t want to be this sick.”
    “I miss the person I used to be.”
    “It’s so sad to miss out on so many things in life.”

Consider sharing this list with the people in your life whose support is important to your well-being. Maybe it will start a dialogue that helps deepen their understanding of what it’s like to have CFS.

You can read the full article here.

Should there be a ban on Vicodin and Percocet? Darvocet or other narcotics containing acetaminophen? What about over-the-counter medications with acetaminophen?

This is what I think…

We can’t just ban every medication that has serious problems associated with overuse. It seems to me that educating people who are taking these medications would be more helpful, than making them totally unavailable.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not denying the seriousness of Acetaminophen overdose…

A Food and Drug Administration advisory committee met late last month to review the actions the agency could take to reduce accidental acetaminophen poisoning. The drug, also found in over-the-counter cold formulas and pain-relieving prescription favorites Vicodin and Percocet, is the most common cause of acute liver failure in the U.S.

In acute liver failure, the organ fails quickly, sometimes in 48 hours, as opposed to the more usual forms of liver failure, caused by disease or alcoholism, which can take years to develop.

I just don’t think banning medications with acetaminophen in them is the answer. And I think this whole controversy is just exacerbating the stigma associated with chronic pain and the use of therapeutic doses of narcotics.

Read full post at catherine-morgan.com

Chronic Illness: Claims Of Cures Are Often Scams.

Do you suffer from a chronic illness with no known cure? Like Multiple Sclerosis, Lupus, or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome? If so, you probably wish every day that you could find a cure and finally be healthy and well.

Why is it that just about every illness without a medically proven cure, has loads of people “claiming” to know the cure? Not only is it disingenuous to promote cures to desperate people suffering with chronic illness, but it also minimizes the seriousness of these conditions.

For instance, I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), and many people believe the cure for this condition is as simple as getting more sleep (and oddly enough, more exercise). Guess what? CFS has nothing to do with how much sleep someone gets, and exercise often exacerbates Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. There is no cure for what I have, but the Internet is full of sites that claim to have “sell” the cure. Don’t get me wrong, I believe that there are many alternative modalities of healing that can benefit the symptoms of this disease, but they should not be mistaken for (or touted as) cures.

Read the rest of this post at catherine-morgan.com

Dating and Chronic Illness: Is it possible to be in a relationship when you are chronically ill? (cross-posted at BlogHer Health & Wellness)

As a person living with chronic illness, I was intrigued to read a post on dating with fibromyalgia. I can totally understand how complicated relationships can be – especially when you are living with an illness that isn’t easily recognizable to the average person (an invisible chronic illness). It seems to me that “dating” isn’t the problem, it’s trying to have a “relationship” that can become complicated.

I can totally relate to this post and how in the beginning of a relationship people may see us differently than who we really are. And let’s face it, we want to be that person they think they see. In many ways we truly are that person, but chronic illness steals are ability to stay that person.

Here is an excerpt from Dating with Fibromyalgia…

Eventually, they are going to notice that there is something different. In my case, they really did think I was lazy. Remember fibromyalgia has a great way of making people look perfectly healthy when they are in a great amount of pain. And I did, I looked perfectly healthy besides the fact that I always took naps and I didn’t get out that much.

In the beginning, I would come off as the high spirited, energetic being…. that loved to laugh and socialize. I was only able to do this with several naps and rest. I could only get away with it for so long.

. . .

There are fears that come with Fibro and dating. I have always been concerned that there will never be anyone that is strong enough for it. Sometimes I have had pity parties because I feel damaged to a degree, I can’t help this feeling. Woe is me. I sometimes feel that I am bringing nothing to the table but brokenness but I know this much, my spirit isn’t broken and neither is my heart, Fibro has never stopped me from loving unconditionally. It has never stopped me from having the ability to care. It hasn’t kept me from being an affectionate person. It hasn’t weakened but only strengthened my personality and who I am.

Here are a few more post on dating with chronic illness.

From Pens and Needles – On Dating…

Of course I wondered what the surgery would be like, how the ICD would look, what it might feel like to be defibrillated. But foremost in my mind was a fear that the ICD would make me hideously unattractive to men. “Come on,” I thought. “I haven’t even figured out how to tell guys I have arthritis!”

A year later, I have yet to really put that fear to the test. I took a break from dating for some months after the surgery, and although I’m gradually getting back in the game, I haven’t been on a second date in quite a long time. On one hand, I’ve become a lot pickier over the years, but the truth is I’m also quite terrified of having to explain my health issues to someone I might really like.

From Duana at Love Science – Absence and Illness…

Although there’s not much research that directly addresses illness and finding a lifemate, I want to prepare you for some good news for a change. Because research on other External Barriers to relationships—obstacles that make it difficult to be together, or that threaten to take away the option—does exist. And barriers tend to create a strong desire (in men, especially, some research shows) to get what they can’t easily have. Think of barriers as an externally imposed Hard To Get, and you’ve got the idea.

From Life With Pouch – Repairing the Soul After Chronic Illness…

I have a fear of commitment, but I didn’t used to, not before Crohn’s disease began to chip away at the collection of traits I call Me. It’s difficult when you realize that your disease has changed you, and for the worse. It was only after having ileostomy surgery and beginning to recover from a life of Crohn’s disease that I became aware that I’d developed this fear of commitment. Before Crohn’s, commitment was not one of my issues. Case in point: I got engaged after dating my then-boyfriend for two and a half months, at the age of twenty, and we’re still married twelve years later. But when you have a chronic illness, you learn that you can’t count on tomorrow. Every time you make plans and your body betrays you so that you can’t follow through, you feel disappointed. When those plans involve others, you feel like a flake. I hated that feeling. I stopped making plans with people, or when I did they were fraught with caveats and contingencies. I stopped making plans for myself; it was easier to be pleased if I had a good day and could do things than to be upset that I was having a bad day and couldn’t do things.

You would probably be surprised to know how many people are suffering in silence with chronic illness. It might even be someone you know. Here are a few of them that are blogging about their struggles.

This is from the first post on Sarah Granger’s new site Pain In The Mom. Sarah is Living with Chronic Pain…

Now I’m battling falling back into a depressed state, I want more than anything to be enjoying the summer moments with my daughter, who at 3 1/2 is growing up so fast. I can’t believe I’m here again with this pain. (And this is the abridged version of the story.) Sitting has again become intolerable, the pain itself has shifted since the tests so I’m not accustomed to how to manage it, standing for very long has become a problem, and I have professional commitments that I don’t know how to meet, in terms of physical meetings and conferences. I’m back to taking my life one day at a time, and all I wanted to do was have a consultation.

Homeschooling with Chronic Illness…

I’ve been out of work for two years now because of my chronic headaches and frequent migraines. During that time, I’ve taken over the homeschooling responsibilities for our children. I’ve learned quite a bit during the last couple of years, so I thought I’d share it with some other homeschooling parents. I have realized that these tips are really appropriate for life, parenting, and homeschooling.

Kelli is living with chronic kidney failure and she blogs at Living with Grace – this is from a guest post she did for Shannon at Rocks In My Dryer…

Some background …. I was raised with chronic kidney disease. Undiagnosed with renal reflux in the 7th grade, surgery proved too late to save my left kidney. Years later, after a marriage and 5 miscarriages, I had it removed. Two healthy pregnancies followed, and for the next 15 years I was kidney problem free.

In 2006, I visited the doctor for a routine checkup. And found out my right kidney was failing. After consultation with a specialist, I was put on home peritoneal dialysis in May 2006.

Living with chronic illness is hard. There is not one aspect of your life that remains untouched in some way. There is no more “routine”, “normal”. Everything has a thought, a reason, a purpose.

Ann from MS Maze wrote a post for Care2 Healthy & Green about living with MS – 5 Steps Toward Empowerment…

I’m not one of those people who will tell you that you can cure your multiple sclerosis (MS) with a positive attitude. But I will tell you that your attitude — that is, how you choose to deal with MS in your life — is crucial, not only emotionally, but physically.

It may seem so at first, but a life with MS is not necessarily a life out-of-control. As unpredictable and as debilitating as MS can be, there are some very basic things you can do to take control over this unwelcome intruder in your life.

Bamagal from from Back Across The Line wrote this about chronic illness…

When you first meet someone with fibromyalgia (FMS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS or ME/CFS) you likely have no idea that person is sick. Same goes for people with arthritis, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, eating disorders, depression, endometriosis, diverticulitis … the list goes on and on.

When someone has the flu, or a cold, or an injury, it’s generally pretty obvious by looking at them. We can also see when someone is in a wheelchair or uses a cane, or if they’re hauling around an oxygen tank. Those are the images that come to most people’s minds when they think of “chronic illness” or “disability.” Here are some staggering facts:

• According to the U.S Census Bureau, 96% of chronic illness is invisible.
• Nearly half of Americans are living with some sort of chronic illness.
• 70% of people who commit suicide have uncontrolled pain.

Pain, along with fatigue and brain fog, are invisible symptoms of our invisible illnesses, but that doesn’t make them any less debilitating than visible symptoms.

It’s not easy living with a chronic illness, and it’s even harder to be in a relationship when you’re living with a chronic illness. Do you have a dating with chronic illness story? If so, please share it with us in comments.

Also See:

Invisible Chronic Illness Week

Living and Blogging With Chronic Illness

Chronic Illness: Claims of Cures are often Scams

My personal story One Lesson From A Decade of Fighting Chronic Illness

Somebody Heal Me…the musing of a chronic migraineur

Getting Closer To Myself

Oh My Aches and Pains – My Life With Chronic Illness

KEEPING A PERSONAL MEDICAL JOURNAL — by Catherine Morgan – (cross posted at Catherine-Morgan.com)

Whether you are suffering from a chronic illness, pregnant, or just getting older. Keeping a personal medical journal, is important, and can really come in handy. Some may want to do this on a weekly or monthly basis, others on a daily basis, this will depend on the severity of your health issues.

STEP ONE: Just go out and get a notebook that you can use for this purpose alone. This journal will be helpful to you, as well as the medical practitioners you are working with. Especially, if you move, need to change doctors, or are hospitalized. Which reminds me, if you go on vacation, or extended holiday, bring your medical information with you, it will make it much easier if you need to see an unfamiliar physician, or be hospitalized.

STEP TWO: Begin with a page that states your medical history, as well as your current diagnosis or health issues. Take some time with this part. Make sure you include dates of hospitalizations, and prior surgeries, these are questions you will be asked if you see a new doctor or are hospitalized

STEP THREE: List your medications, if you take the same pills on a daily basis, list them on the front of your journal, if you have some that you take, as needed, list them with your daily entries. Make sure when you list your medications, you specify the dosage (ie: Placebo 1mg, 2 tablets, three times a day), also include why you are taking this medication (ie: blood pressure, depression, etc).

IMPORTANT: If you are taking any medications that you don’t normally take (ie: medications for pain, cold, fever), and you are taking them several times a day (ie: every four hours, every six hours), make sure you keep a close record of the times your are taking these medications. It is very easy to get confused, and take more than you are suppose to, and in many cases this could cause serious health issues.

STEP FOUR: Entries. Depending on your condition, you may want to use a page for each entry, or maybe just a few lines, what ever works for you. Of course, start with the date and time. Then, anything relevant to your medical condition (ie: blood pressure, fatigue, pain, blood sugar, etc), as well as your “emotional” condition (ie: happy, sad, depressed, anxious, etc).

The “emotional” thing may not seem very important, but if you have a chronic illness, you may feel very sad or down at times. It’s helpful to see your emotional history for yourself, not only so you can notify your doctor when needed, but also so you can see how many “good days” you are having. It’s easy to forget the good days, when you are feeling down, sometimes it’s just helpful to be able to look back and see for yourself. Little smiley faces (or sad faces) work good for this purpose.

STEP FIVE: Include any specific recommendations from your doctor (ie: amount of exercise, special diet requirements, etc). Don’t forget to include the dates and times of your upcoming doctor appointments. Many times people with chronic medical conditions will need to see several different doctors, and it can all get very confusing.

With that said, you can also find a spot in your journal to write down any questions you may want to ask the doctor during your appointment. Sometimes, you can feel rushed or just forget to ask the doctor something that was important to you. So, make a list, it’s a big help.

So, you have the idea. It seems like a lot of work, but once you get it started, it’s just a matter of maintaining it. Then the next time you have to go to the doctors, you will be able to give the doctor a better and more complete idea of how you have been since your last visit. You may even want to ask the doctor or nurse to jot down your vital signs, test results, or any other important information, right into your journal.

With all the confusion of chronic illness, prescriptions, doctors appointments, and so on. Keeping a personal medical journal for yourself, can go a long way to the betterment of your overall health and wellness. I think you will find it to be very helpful, to both you and your doctors. Good luck, and be well.

Is stress wearing you down? Are you worried about the bad economy? Your job? The mortgage? Your health? Your family? If so, you are not alone.

Life is always changing, and that can feel very stressful. But often, seemingly bad things will happen in our lives, that will actually turn out to be the catalysts to something positive. It’s very true that when one door closes another will open. Although it never feels so great when that one door closes. Recently I’ve had several doors close on me. But as hard as it’s been, I can already see that these things needed to happen to bring me closer to where I am meant to be.

There are three things we can do to help relieve the stress in our lives…

Number one is acceptance. We need to accept that life does not always go the way we perceive to be best.

From This Journey – Stress or Sadness…

Here are some great ways of dealing with the burdens of life:

1. Accept that some days you’re the pigeon, and some days you’re the statue.
2. Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.
3. Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.
4. Drive carefully. It’s not only cars that can be recalled by their maker.
5. If you can’t be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.
6. If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.
7. It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply be kind to others.
8. Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won’t have a leg to stand on.
9. Nobody cares if you can’t dance well. Just get up and dance.
10. Since it’s the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late.
11. The second mouse gets the cheese.
12. Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.
13. You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person.
14. Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once.
15. We could learn a lot from crayons… Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull. Some have weird names, and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box.
16. A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.

Number two is gratitude. Take time to recognize all that you have to be grateful for.

From Britt Bravo – Keeping a Gratitude Journal…

One tool to help keep life in perspective is a gratitude journal where you write down a few things each day that you are thankful for. They can be big things, like I’m thankful that I have a warm, dry place to live in the midst of this crazy California rainstorm, or small things, like I had a really yummy hot chocolate the other day.

Number three is your inner game and positive affirmations.

What is your inner voice saying to you? Have you developed the habit of saying negative things to yourself? If so, this is a habit that needs to be broken.

From Family Matters…

Whether we speak out loud or we are in silence, our brain is in continuous chatter. We have thoughts about things to do, feelings, expectations, ideas, reminders, theories and conversations.

. . .

Much of our mind chatter is thoughts we have been given by others, thoughts based on past experiences we have had (as kids), things we have seen in the media and interpretations of what has happened around us. The real challenge is to switch from negative thoughts to positive ones.

From Creating Effective Affirmations…

Taking a wealth/prosperity affirmation as our example, it’s unlikely that a wealthy person would tell someone “I’m a very wealthy person” or “I’m a multi-millionaire,” but they might tell someone “I’m never in need of money” or “My finances are better than they’ve ever been before.” Think of a way in which you’d tell your friends and family about your wealth, and use that as your money mantra. If you use a lot of slang or colloquial phrases, fashion your affirmation that way. A person who refers to money as “dough,” for instance, would probably be better off writing her mantra as “I’m rollin’ in dough!” than as “I have a lot of money!” Keep your own speech pattern in mind when you write out your affirmations, and they’ll be much more powerful for you.

From Angela Booth’s Writing Blog – Affirmations For Writers…

Here’s how to create your own empowering affirmations: create them from your mind tapes. Just switch the old tapes from negative statements to positive ones.

For example:

* Writing is hard, I’ve never been good at writing BECOMES: “Writing is easy and fun for me, I’ve always been great at writing”;

* I can’t write BECOMES: “I write easily and effortlessly, I’m an excellent writer.”

Try it. Affirmations enhance your creativity and your income. Why walk around with old, damaging self-talk? Start changing your self-talk today, with the power of affirmations.

Here are some videos on the topic of positive affirmations that your might find helpful…

Your thoughts create your future…

From affirmation cards by Louise Hay…

An affirmation video…

A healing affirmation video…