Tag: Wego Health

#HAWMC Day 8 – I Know I Can!

On By WendyIn #HAWCM, Chronic Illness10 Comments

Today is Day 8 of #HAWMC (WEGO’s Health Activist Writers Monthly Challenge).  The prompt today is:

Little Engine Post. Write a list post with 10-15 lines that start each with “I think I can…” Write 5 lines at the end that start with “I know I can.” They can be big goals or something that’s been on your to-do list for the last few weeks- it’s all up to you.

i-know-i-can
image found here

I started writing this post and listed all these things under “I think I can” and realized that they all should be under “I KNOW I CAN”!  This post will list a lot of things that are a challenge, but I KNOW I can do it!!  It’s a pretty random list, things that came to mind as I was writing,and it’s in no particular order.

  • I KNOW I can finish this blogging challenge.  (having a chronic illness can make every commitment a challenge, but I know I can do it!)
  • I KNOW I can visit two friends in one day this weekend.  (this could prove to be a challenge.  I will be visiting them after riding in a car for 3  hours.  I hope all will go well.  I really want to see my friends, I don’t have many and I don’t get to see them often. I know I can do it!)
  • I KNOW I can help cook sometimes. (I actually helped hubby cook on Sunday!  Something I love to do, but has become too dangerous because of my disequilibrium and vertigo.  However, on good days, I can still help!)
  • I KNOW I can keep up my blog.  (there are times that I doubt I can keep this blog going.  When my health interferes it takes so much to keep writing, but I know it is then that I need to write the most.  I need to let others see me vulnerable.  There may be times that posts don’t come as often as I’d like, but I know I can keep it up!)
  • I KNOW I can be the best advocate for me. (there is no one who knows me as well as I do, therefore there is no one who can advocate for me as well as I can.  My healthcare team beware! 🙂
  • I KNOW I can have the courage to try new treatments.  (sometimes I feel I’m done, I just don’t want to try any more.  I know there is not cure.  I’m tired of trying.  But, I know I have the courage to keep trying.  I need to try.)
  • I KNOW I can go on vacation with my husband.  (We’ve been talking about going to visit family that lives close to 3000 miles away, I know I can fly and go on the trip.  Crossing all fingers and toes!)
  • I KNOW I can go shopping. (With my hubby or a good friend I know I can go shopping.  I just need my trusty walker and I should be good to go.  On a good day that is.)
  • I KNOW I can take a bath by myself.  (this really is an I THINK I can.  I may not be able to.  I have a lot of anxiety taking a bath or shower because of vertigo and overall disequilibrium.  I am better with a bath than a shower.  However, sometimes I still have vertigo start when I am in the bath and I need help, FAST.  So I think I can take a bath by myself.  That doesn’t mean I really can, so normally hubby helps me get in the tub and leaves me and I just yell if I need him.)
  • I KNOW I can have fun with my husband.  (we laugh together almost every day, not matter how sick I am.)
  • I KNOW I can be a good friend. (I think I’m a better friend now than I was before I got sick.)
  • I KNOW I can live with this pain. (sometimes I doubt this, but I know I can do it!  The  pain from the migraines and the degenerative disc can be overwhelming at times.)
  • I KNOW I can be an advocate for others living with chronic illnesses, especially those with Meniere’s Disease. (I’m just a little voice in a large pond, but I’ll use my little voice as much as I can.)
  • I KNOW I CAN……

If you’d like to read more posts from today please search for #HAWMC and check out WEGO’s Facebook page.  Don’t forget to Like Picnic With Ant’s Facebook Page too.  🙂

If you would like to share your story on Picnic with Ants, contact me through the contact form on my About Me – Contact Me Page.

#HAWMC Day 7 – Starting Advocacy

On By WendyIn #HAWCM, Chronic Illness3 Comments

Today is Day 7 of #HAWMC (WEGO’s Health Activist Writers Monthly Challenge).  The prompt today is:

Was starting your advocacy journey a hard decision? Were you anxious and hesitant or were you excited and ready to share your story? Tell us how you chose to start advocating for your condition.

caring-hands

The start of my advocacy journey for Meniere’s Disease and other chronic illnesses is kind of a long story.  First I found out I am allergic to wheat and suspected to have celiac disease.  Here, let me ‘splain….I had been generally sick for a long time when I found out I’m allergic to wheat, so I stopped eating wheat.  I started to feel a whole lot better, but I was still getting sick sporadically, so I decided to stop eating gluten.  My doctor then suspected that I may have celiac disease.  I was given the blood test but tested negative, I was given it again and tested positive.  This provided no definitive results, so I would need a biopsy from my small intestines.  However, the only way for this test to work was for me to start eating gluten again for a month or two.  I asked what the treatment was if I was found to have celiac disease and it was a gluten free diet.  Well I was already eating that way, so I decided to just keep on a gluten free diet instead of having the test.  Maybe I’ll have it one day, but probably not.  The doctors are pretty sure I have it due to the last blood test, I don’t really care, I know I can’t eat gluten.

This was before there was a lot of knowledge about a gluten free life style and celiac disease, so I became an advocate.  I started a blog and worked hard to bring awareness.  I worked with local groups.  I was a taste tester for Whole Foods Gluten Free Bake House.  It was an exciting time for me, I felt like I was making a difference.  Then my Meniere’s Disease got so much worse.

When the Meniere’s Disease went bilateral, meaning I suddenly had it in both ears instead of one, I had to rethink my life.  (if you don’t know about Meniere’s Disease, and you’d like to, please see Meniere’s Disease-My Story at the top of the page.)  Once I saw my new doctor at Duke Medical Center I had renewed hope (more than I should have really).  I was going to focus on getting healthier.  I wanted to increase my exercise and start eating even healthier.  I decided to stop writing my gluten free blog and start a blog all about me getting as healthy as possible with Meniere’s Disease and (suspected) celiac disease.  This blog was called 365 Days to a Healthier Me.

I soon discovered I was not going to be able to focus as much on getting healthier as I was on simply getting through the day.  The vertigo was happening almost daily and I was losing my hearing rapidly.  I decided to start writing about my experiences with Meniere’s Disease (I stopped writing about a gluten free lifestyle by then) and this naturally morphed into advocacy.  I found others were out there who were struggling as I was and needed some support.  Soon I started talking about other illnesses I struggle with on a daily basis, such as chronic migraines and bipolar disorder.  I have found that people with chronic illnesses need a voice.   I hope I can add a little voice to a lot of other voices.

After the loss of my hearing and with continued struggles with vertigo I haven’t been able to advocate in person, but I continue to try to keep up the good fight via the internet.  Sometimes I’m not able to do as much as I’d like due to my illnesses, but I’ll keep trying.  That’s all we can do.  Keep trying.

If you’d like to read more posts from today please search for #HAWMC and check out WEGO’s Facebook page.  and don’t forget to check out Picnic With Ant’s Facebook Page too.  🙂

If you would like to share your story on Picnic with Ants, contact me through the contact form on my About Me – Contact Me Page.

*All images on this site and the creation of Wendy Holcombe unless otherwise noted.

#HAWMC Day 6 – Superpower Sunday!

On By WendyIn #HAWCM, Chronic Illness4 Comments

Today is Day 6 of #HAWMC (WEGO’s Health Activist Writers Monthly Challenge).  The prompt today is:

Superpower Sunday! If you had a superpower – what would it be? How would you use it?

superpower04c-ds
image found here

I thought long and hard about this question and the first answer I came up with was the only logical one I could think of.  My super power would be the ability to control the biological structure of any organic matter.  In other words, I could heal.  (I’d be able to do harm if I chose, but I’m a good person, so I’d only use my ability to heal.  Of course, there are a few doctors that I wouldn’t mind feeling the way I have for a few moments. – NO! Really, I would only use my powers for good!!)

How would I use my powers?  Hand on head…”I heal you, and  you, and you….”  You think that would be simple.  I’d heal people.  But really things would get complicated very quickly.

I know I’d have to keep my ability a secret.  I’d have to be the typical super hero and have a secret identity.  I know I wouldn’t be able to help everyone and that would break my heart.  How would I chose?  Would I only be able to help those who happen to be close to me?  Would it simply appear to be a miracle?

faith-healing
image found here

As much as I’d like to heal everyone I know I couldn’t, and I couldn’t sit around 24 hours a day just healing people.  Would I go around the country with a traveling show healing those who came to my tent?  “I Heal You Brother!” No, I don’t think that would work.  I know I’d like to heal those who I’ve met who have suffered so much, but there are so many more whom I have never met.

I know I’m going around in circles and repeating myself, but this is the problem with thinking up a superpower.  We don’t think about the reality of them.  I want to heal people, but I don’t know how to chose who to heal.  The reality is I won’t be able to heal everyone.  I’d have to live my life in secret.  I would only be able to heal those whom I came in contact with.  That wouldn’t be enough for me.

I think it’s best to not have a superpower.   We have to find our way in the world.  Perhaps we can change the world as we are.

If you’d like to read more posts from today please search for #HAWMC or check out WEGO’s Facebook page.  and don’t forget to check out Picnic With Ant’s Facebook Page too.  🙂

#HAWMC Day 5 – What’s your favorite platform to get your voice heard?

On By WendyIn #HAWCM, Chronic Illness2 Comments

Today is Day 5 of #HAWMC (WEGO’s Health Activist Writers Monthly Challenge).  The prompt today is:

Are you all about 180 characters or less? Do you enjoy shooting the perfect photo? Or perhaps love sharing posts on Facebook.What’s your favorite platform to get your voice heard and why?

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social media (click here for photo origin)

Okay, I’m going to admit this is going to be a very short post for me.  My favorite platform to get my voice heard is my blog.  Here I can write it in 180 characters, but I don’t have to.  I can use as many characters as I like.  I can add a photo if I want, but I don’t have to.  I’m free to share my opinions along with facts.  Of course, I always tell if it is my opinion and not a fact.  (that doesn’t mean my opinions aren’t fact, often they are…so there.)  My blog is my preferred method to reach people.

I do have a Facebook Page that is relatively new.  I post a few more things on my Facebook Page than I do on my blog, but they aren’t detailed.  I’m starting to learn more about Twitter, but I admit I get a little lost on there.  I do attend some patient advocate chats on Twitter, they are very informative and supportive.  So you may see me on Twitter more often.  🙂

I don’t think I’ll ever be on Instagram or any place where I’m supposed to post photos, I’m simply not comfortable snapping photos all the time, especially of me.  And I must admit…. hubby would make fun of me.

It’s not all about what I post on my blog or Facebook Page and Twitter accounts, it’s also about the places I visit.  The blogs I support,  the Facebook Pages I Like, the Facebook Groups I Follow, the Twitter accounts I follow…these are the places I show my support.  These are some of the places that hear my voice.  Look in your comment section, you just might see me there.

If you’d like to read more posts from today please check out WEGO’s Facebook page.  and don’t forget to check out Picnic With Ant’s Facebook Page too.  🙂  and you can find me on Twitter too.

*I accidentally hit publish on this post on November 4th, however, I should only have hit Save.  I hope everyone saw the completed post.

 

#HAWMC Day 2 – Blogging Process

On By WendyIn Chronic Illness6 Comments

Today is day 2 in the #HAWMC.  (Health Activist Writers Month Challenge)  If you’d like to read more blog posts about this please check out WEGO’s Facebook Page.  And don’t forget to Like my Facebook Page – Picnic With Ants.

wego-day-2

My blogging process is a bit different as I change it up a bit.  For some posts I just shoot from the hip; I write what comes to mind and hit Publish before I change my mind.  🙂  Other posts I do a lot of research so it takes time to develop those post, they can take days to write.  Still others I write in advance.  I know I am going to post them so I get them ready ahead of time and schedule them to come out.

I do try to edit my posts, unless I do a stream of conscious post, even though it may not seem like it sometimes.  Isn’t it funny how you can read the same thing over and over and it looks just right until after you hit Publish then you notice it has a lot of errors?  Really, I did read it over for errors, really I did!

Trying to decide what to blog about is the hardest thing for me.  I will sometimes come up with some great ideas and I get very excited to write.  Other times I’m stuck.  I have no idea what to write about.  I don’t want to always write about me and the newest things that may be going on with me and my illnesses, especially if nothing has changed in a while.  Having a chronic illness can mean that things just stay, well, chronic.  They may not progress at all.  Things are just the same.  It can be a challenge to come up with new topics to write about when you feel things are just the same.

I read a lot of blogs and I feel a lot are either all down in the dumps, or they are all sunshine and rainbows.  I want my blog to be somewhere in the middle.  I want people to come here and know that having an illness doesn’t mean you have to be sad about it all the time, but you also don’t have to be positive all the time.  Here is someplace in the middle.

Don’t get me wrong, here you will find the down and dirtiness of being ill, and you will also find good days and thoughts that may help you along the way.

Oh, I’m moving away from my process.  Well sometimes my process is to just sit back and talk to my readers, like I am right now.  You are, after all, who I write this blog for.  Well you and me.  🙂

It seems my blogging process is rather eclectic.

#HAWMC- Day 1 What Drives You?

On By WendyIn #HAWCM, Chronic Illness10 Comments

hawmc_background_coverToday marks the beginning of WEGO’s Health Activist Writers Month Challenge.  I will attempt to follow each prompt every day to bring awareness to chronic illnesses.  Be sure to check out WEGO’s Facebook Page for more blog posts during this month.  Don’t forget you can always follow my posts on my Facebook Page too!

Today’s #HAWMC prompt is:  First, let’s get to know each other! What drives you to write about your health? What do you want other Health Activists to know about your condition and your activism? Reflect on this for 15-20 minutes without stopping…GO!

What drives me to write about my health?  Since the prompt says to write for 15 – 20 minutes I’m going to write stream of conscious, if I repeat myself or have grammatical errors please forgive me.

I started writing about my health for the same reason I still write about it, to help others who feel alone when faced with the same conditions I have been faced with.  I’ve found support through my blog and I hope I give the same.

I try to bring awareness about Meniere’s Disease, Chronic Migraine, and Bipolar Disorder and let other’s who have these diseases know they are not alone.

I also have other illnesses that I mention along the way.  Like Degenerative Disc, Hypothyroidism and others.  I’ve also recovered from Avascular Necrosis in my hip and like to give others with this condition hope.

What drives me is my illnesses and my love for others.  My compassion for others and myself.  I write because it helps me and in turn I hope it helps others.

What do I want others to know about my conditions and activism?

Well there’s an awful lot to know about my conditions, as there is more than one condition to cover.  I’ll pick just talk and see what comes out.

Meniere’s Disease – Meniere’s is diagnosed by the symptoms, there is not definitive test for it.  The symptoms are: Random attacks of Vertigo, Fluctuating hearing loss, the feeling of fullness in your ears, and tinnitus.  If you have all of these symptoms and they have ruled out other illnesses then by process of elimination they diagnose you with Meniere’s Disease.  The progression of the disease can be different for different people.  It is normally only in one ear, it can attack both ears. I have it in both ears.   It used to be thought that the disease would “burn” itself out.  As the patient lost more hearing the vertigo got better, until there was a leveling out period where the patient no longer has vertigo.  As can be seen with me that is not necessarily the case.  I am deaf now and still have vertigo often.  There is not sign of a “burn out” for me.   I do want everyone to know that this disease does not progress the same for everyone.  just because I lost my hearing does not mean other people will, I still have vertigo, but that doesn’t mean other people will.  I’m in a very small minority.

Bipolar Disorder – I want people to know that people aren’t crazy when they have this.  Being Bipolar doesn’t stop me from living a normal life.  I want people to know that not everyone is the same with this too.  I am lucky.  With medication and therapy I am doing very well, and have been for years.   Others are not so lucky.  Medication does not work for everyone. Everyone with this disorder has to work hard.

Chronic Migraines – I want people to know that migraines are not just a headache.  They are so much more than that.  They make you sick all over.  Having a migraine for more days during the month than not can put a huge damper on life.

It takes a lot to face the world with a smile on your face when you are faced with these illnesses and more, but with the help of mindfulness and a support from those who care about me I get by better than I could ever imagine.

This is some of what I want you to know about me and my illnesses and why I write.  I hope you will join me on this month long journey.  Wish me luck that I can accomplish this goal of posting every day this month!

5 Random Things About Me

On By WendyIn Chronic Illness8 Comments

The prompts on BlogHer this month are all about ME.  Well, not just me, anyone who actually uses the prompt.  I thought I would use a few of their prompts to get me posting more regularly, trying to get in the hang of it before  WEGO‘s  Health Advocates Writers Month Challenge starts in April.   (WEGO’s HAWMC sign up has not started yet.)

Five Random Things About ME!

  1. My hair wasn’t cut, except for tiny trims, for the first 10 years of my life.  I could sit on the floor and completely cover myself with my hair.  I pretended to be Cousin “It” from the Addams Family.

    Cousin It. image from www.fanpop.com
    Cousin It. image from http://www.fanpop.com
  2. When asked what I wanted to be when I grew up I answered, “a Vampire”.  I was very young, but loved Dark Shadows, and believed if I was a Vampire no one could hurt me.  My mother’s friends were not amused.dark_shadows-show
  3. George.  When I was growing up I had a variety of pets that I found…..a turtle, a few snakes….ect.  I always named them George.  (now my computer’s name is George!)

    abominable
    I will hug him and pet him and squeeze him. And name him George.
  4. My husband says that he has only seen me cry from joy twice.  The day we got married, and the day I met Mickey Mouse.  About the Mickey encounter I said, “I know it’s just some teenager in a suit, but I can’t stop crying!”   On both occasions the joy just exploded from me in the form of tears. me and mickey
  5. At one point in college I had 7 part time jobs.   (yes, I still kept my GPA above a 3.5)Several-Part-Time-Job-Stamps-and-Graphics-300x300

This was kind of hard to do.  My blog is all about me and my journey with chronic illnesses, I talk about me often, so coming up with 5 things I felt my readers wouldn’t know was tough.

Writer’s Choice – #HACMC – Day 7 I Heard a Bee Buzz.

On By WendyIn Chronic Illness8 Comments

With Meniere’s I have fluctuation hearing loss, with eventual permanent hearing loss.

If you are a regular reader you know my situation, if not I’ll fill you in.

Right now, my left ear has 0% word recognition and cannot be helped with a hearing aid, my right aid has about 80% word recognition with the help of a hearing aid.  However, the hearing fluctuates.  My hearing fluctuates more with weather changes, and  when I have a Meniere’s attack.  (to learn more about Meniere’s please see the page above).

One day a few weeks ago I woke up and could barely hear.  Every sound sounded like it was coming through a busted speaker.  The same went on for 3 days.  I admit this had me concerned.  When I lost the hearing in my left ear, the majority was lost in just 3 short months.  The loss started in this fashion.  Sounding like a busted speaker, having a tinny sound.  Normally, in my right ear when the hearing fluctuated, it simply dropped, then would return, sometimes not quite all the way, but when it dropped, it was just a bit softer, not this tinny sound.  So I was nervous.  And I realize, this could still be a sign of potential nerve damage.

However, in about 3 or 4 days, I had a vertigo attack.  Classic sign of a Meniere’s attack.  Fluctuating hearing, then a vertigo attack, ending in complete exhaustion.  When I woke the next day.  I could hear again!  I was so thrilled.  I had a horrible headache, but I could hear.  Who knows how long this hearing may last.  I decided to do something I rarely do, I took much medication to get my headache under control, and went outside hoping to hear some birds.  Sadly I didn’t hear any birds.  I was not the right time of the day.  But being outside was so nice.  I decided to sit on the back porch and enjoy the beautiful spring late afternoon. Soon I was joined by a friend.

Photo courtesy of mr.brown thumb
click photo to be taken to his blog.

A huge bumble bee decided I would make a good friend.  I was out on the back porch for at leash half an hour possibly more, this lovely bumble bee kept me company the entire time.  He would come closer, then go a little bit away.  He faced me, then raced away and buzzed right back.  I talked to him and told him how beautiful he was and how I was out there hoping to hear things I may not hear much longer.  As if he could hear me, he came up right beside my head, I could not only HEAR this beautiful Bumble Bee BUZZ, I felt it!!  He then came around in front of me and looked at me.  I know, this was just by chance, and perhaps because I had on a bright orange shirt.  However, no matter how long I live, and no matter if I lose all of my hearing, I will never forget the day I heard a bee buzz.

I write about my health because – #HAWMC Day 4

On By WendyIn Chronic Illness7 Comments

I started writing about my health because I wanted to log how my health was improving.  It was after a couple of surgeries, and I was ready to start exercising, eating better, and making some grand changes in my life, but I still wanted to keep up with my symptoms and start talking to others who had some of the conditions I did to find out how they dealt with them.  I knew not all of my conditions were going away, I just didn’t understand how much they could take over your life.  (for a list of my conditions, please see the page above, titled “My Ants”)

Soon my health started getting worse, and my writing became more important to me.  Reaching out to others became more important.  Finding out all I could about my illnesses was very important, I had to know what was going on, and I needed to share what I found with others.  I felt alone, and I needed to make sure others didn’t have to feel the same.  If they could find me, then they didn’t have to feel alone any more….a grand idea I know, not everyone will click with me, but they may read something here and think…”Yes, I feel that too.”  I soon found out way too many people did feel the same.  One of the ways we no longer feel alone is through our blogs, and our online communities.

Now there are many reasons I write about my health –

  • to get to know others who are in the same or similar situation I’m in.
  • to get more information out there about my illnesses
  • to let people know they aren’t alone, and so I won’t feel so alone
  • to promote more knowledge about my conditions, especially Meniere’s and Intracranial Hypertension (most people don’t know much about those.)
  • to put a face on invisible illnesses
  • to make it easier for people to talk about having a chronic illness
  • to learn ways manage my illnesses easier.  (for instance, using aids for assistance, like my walker or hearing aids….)
  • because I love myself, and writing makes it easier for me to accept my illness, and to constantly adapt to new expectations.
  • and one huge reason I write about my illness – so I won’t drive my husband crazy constantly telling him every little detail over and over and over!

Super Power Day – HAWMC Day 3

On By WendyIn Chronic Illness6 Comments

If you had a super power what would it be?

Hummm, that’s kind of a no brainer.  I’m chronically ill, I know a lot of people who are chronically ill….I think I’d have to say a healer.

So I decided to take this a bit further.  I’m a bit of a cartoon buff.  Of course, when I started thinking about super powers I started thinking about cartoon characters.  My husband and I started talking about it, and I told him I thought I’d like to be Katara, from The Last Air Bender (please note, I am only referencing the animated series, I have not seen the movie.).  I’m also an environmentalist, and believe the earth has to be in harmony.

This animated series brings all of this together.  The world is divided into 4 nations representing the 4 elements, Earth, Air, Water, and Fire.  I’m not going to go into the plot of the show, just explain the power I’d like to have.  There are some people from each nation with “bending” skills.  It combines martial art skills with controlling specific elements.  Each nation’s bending ability would have it’s own martial arts style, and ability.

Katara is from a Water tribe.  She can bend water.  It is a beautiful thing to see.  The flow of her body as the water follows her movements, she can make it whip, and encase someone, and freeze you in place, and she can use it to heal.

Katara is strong and has a pure heart she fights for what she believes is right no matter what the cost.  She gets so angry sometimes, but it’s because she feels so deeply.  When the show first started she had a lot of growing to do, but by the end, she had grown into a fine young woman, and an exceptional water bender.  She can take the water and mix it with the water in your body and heal you, it may take some time, but it can often be done.   I would be proud to be like Katara.  (but I wouldn’t want to live at the South Pole, good thing she travels a lot.)

The video below is a tribute to Katara, it’s set to music so if you don’t have sound, don’t worry you aren’t missing dialogue.  You will see how passionate she is, the amazing fighting skills, and notice when she takes the drops of water out of the vial around her neck and places it on the boy’s back, she is healing him after he was nearly killed in a battle.  Amazing powers….actually, I think they are only slightly a gift, then they are a skill.  If you do not have a good teacher, and practice, this gift will not turn out to be the power Katara has made of hers.  Another reason I would like this type of power.  I have learned that an ability you have fought to achieve is much more appreciated.