Dear 18 Year Old Connie,

You live such an amazing life, even though you think time doesn’t move quickly enough. You want to be older so you can do more things – live on your own, travel, get married, and earn more money. You hate the way you look because you’re so thin. You feel lonely because you don’t have a relationship. But these thoughts and feelings are kept inside, told to no one. So you put on a happy face, go out until all hours of the night, drink too much, do drugs and try to hide your feelings. You’re known as the party girl – the one who takes hours to get dressed and put makeup on, goes out at 11 PM and doesn’t come home until 6 AM. You live for the weekends, school vacations and the summer.

You’ve been lucky that you’re alive with some of the choices you’ve made. Thinking that nothing can harm you is a childish way to think. It’s a shame that you won’t learn that for a long time. Did you ever consider alcohol poisoning, AIDS, rape, or death could be a consequence of your actions? You’ll be grateful that you don’t have an addictive personality, or your life would be changed forever.

People can’t believe the amount of food that you eat and you still don’t gain a pound. And this is so easy to get used to. Who needs to exercise when you’re so skinny? And that’s a habit to fall into also. It’s understandable that you wanted to gain weight, but eating healthy foods instead of junk food would create better eating habits later in life. Just because you didn’t need to exercise, didn’t mean you should become lazy. You loved to run, roller skate, ride your bike because you felt energized. It gave you a high, but I guess the drinking and drugs took the place of that high. In just a few years, you’d wish you had energy for any of that activity.

The good thing is that you loved people and hated to see others hurt. Soon, you’re going to learn that you deserve love and don’t deserve to be treated badly by anyone. It may take the love of your child to recognize that, but that’s what life will put before you. Then you’ll learn to open up about how truly unhappy and afraid you are. Again, it will be for your child’s sake, but soon it will be for your own too. Your friendships and the love of your family will help you get through some difficult times, both emotionally and physically. And you’ll be surprised. The light will dawn on you though, through soul-searching work, tears, anger and fear.

That strength will help you through health problems that may have caused others to give up. Instead, you’ll grieve and move on. Reaching for the love of those around you. Leaning when it’s necessary. Being bold and courageous when it’s possible. Then, helping others for the right reasons.

This post was written as part of NHBPM – 30 health posts in 30 days: http://bit.ly/vU0g9J

If I were to write a book, it would be based on being a healthcare advocate. I’ve become one for myself, have tried to help others through this blog and now am an advocate for my daughter, who has been diagnosed with cardiac conditions and a sleeping disorder. The Title would be – Healthcare Advocacy Changes Lives (not very creative, but inspiring). Why am I writing about this?

As part of the Health Activist Writer’s Month Challenge, I’ll be writing here every day. My first prompt is – “Titles of my future book. Say you’re writing a book about your life, community, condition, or Health Activism. Come up with 5 working titles and a quick book jacket synopsis.”

For the quick synopsis of Healthcare Advocacy Changes Lives, it would read something like this – Multiple medical conditions changed her life, but she decided to take control of her healthcare and teach others to do the same. Connie Roberts teaches you that being an advocate can give you confidence and even save your life.

Some other book titles:

• Who Says You Aren’t Sick? (for those of us who have difficulty getting a definitive diagnosis)
• Your Doctor isn’t God
• Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Medical Questions
• Being Tired All the Time Isn’t Normal

What type of book would you write and what would the title be?

This post was written as part of NHBPM – 30 health posts in 30 days: http://bit.ly/vU0g9J

The MDA is presenting a free webinar for members on the subject of Educational Advocacy scheduled for  Wednesday, November 2 2 p.m. Eastern; 11 a.m. Pacific online.  Registration is required before the start of the program. Leading the program will be Marie Ritzo and Jill Castle  who will discuss information for families with school-age children affected by neuromuscular disease.

Marie J. Ritzo is a clinical social worker at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Ritzo provides social work services for the MDA clinic and the Surgical Care, Trauma and Burn Unit at Children’s.

Ritzo received her master’s degree in social work from the University of Maryland School of Social Work and Community Planning, with a concentration in clinical work with children and families. She has been a member of the Institutional Review Board and has received awards for her professional contributions, including the Dorothy Scallan Award for Excellence in Social Work (1998) and the award for Best Practice in Negotiating Systems from the Society for Social Work Leadership in Healthcare (2003).

Jill Anne Castle is a parent specialist for the Arizona Department of Education, where she helps parents navigate the special education process. Castle is currently finishing her master’s degree in educational psychology and is a candidate for BCBA (board-certified behavioral analyst).

Castle has a son who is affected by Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). She has dedicated her career to helping children with special needs receive the support they deserve.

Program Topics will include:

• The difference between IEP and Section 504 laws
• How to support your child in the school system
• The importance of forming a partnership with your child’s school
• Resources

Information for this post provided by the MDA.

Sharing information about health related sites is one of the purposes of this blog. When I learned about a website devoted to menopause, its symptoms and treatments, I wanted to bring attention to it. GotMenopause.com was created for women going through menopause, perimenopause and post menopause. Besides informational articles, the website has a forum and groups, where you can get to know others going through similar situations.

Symptoms of Menopause

There are many different symptoms (35) of menopause and they can vary from woman to woman. It’s important to know about these symptoms so that you’ll know if you are indeed beginning menopause. Hot flashes, night sweats, loss of libido, weight gain and anxiety are some menopause symptoms. When women are in the stage approaching menopause – perimenopause – these symptoms can be very intense. During perimenopause, irregular periods can begin. That is usually when a woman knows that something is different is happening with her body. Whenever your periods change, it is important to see your doctor to rule out other causes.

Treatments of Menopause Symptoms

If the symptoms of menopause become disruptive to your life, i.e. you miss work days or night sweats keep you awake frequently, you may wish to seek treatment. You also may want to treat one specific symptom that is bothersome, such as vaginal dryness. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was long used as a treatment for menopause. Because of the health risks associated with it, though it very rarely prescribed by doctors. Herbal treatments have gained popularity. These include, black cohash and soy. Prescriptions, such as antidepressants may help women cope with symptoms as well.

Lifestyle Changes

Because your body is going through the hormonal imbalance of menopause, making lifestyle changes can help alleviate symptoms and health risks that can occur during or after menopause. Stop smoking, eat a healthy diet, exercise, and build up a support system are some of the top recommendations. Visiting and joining the community of Got Menopause provides the information you need and the support you need during this time in your life.

This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

The MDA has partnered with Walgreens for their Flu Shot Program. Since getting the flu can cause serious complications to those of us who have a Muscular Dystrophy diseases, the MDA offers free flu shots through a voucher program for members who do not have health insurance to cover the vaccination.  The flu shot is the best form of prevention.

Getting vaccinated against the flu is crucial to the health of people with a neuromuscular disease. It’s also necessary for family members and other close contacts to get the flu shot. The MDA (Muscular Dystrophy Association) also offers discount coupons for family members and caregivers of members. The cost with the coupon is $26. This is a new addition to the MDA’s Flu Shot Program this year.

Please check with your doctor before getting the shot, especially if you have Myasthenia Gravis, polymyositis, dermatomyositis, or take immune-suppressing medications. Also, the intranasal form of the vaccine is not recommended for people who have a neuromuscular disease.

You can redeem your voucher or coupon at any Walgreens and Duane Reade pharmacies, including Take Care Clinics. Thank you to the MDA and to Walgreens for providing a much needed service.

Venus Williams withdrew from the US Open because of her diagnosis of Sjogren’s Syndrome. Her decision to drop out of the US Open came at the last minute, when she was having trouble lifting her arms. Ms. Williams stated in an interview on Good Morning America that she hasn’t been feeling well for a while. She complained of not having stamina, but there was no diagnosis from that. Then she began having difficulty breathing and was diagnosed with Asthma, but medications to treat Asthma didn’t work.

Image via Wikipedia

Over the summer, her joints began to hurt and change shape. She lost the feeling in her hands, which began to swell and feel numb. The overwhelming fatigue began to interfere with playing tennis as well. Then the dry eyes and mouth became noticeable. With these symptoms, she was able to get a diagnosis. Venus William has begun treatment for Sjogren’s Syndrome and hopes to go back to tennis again, but admits that she doesn’t know what her future holds. She is like me learning to live with Sjogren’s Syndrome.

Ms. Williams is knowledgeable about the symptoms of Sjogren’s Syndrome. She stated, “If you have joint pain, dry eyes, dry mouth and feel like you wake up with a cold every morning, but you don’t have one, then you know something is wrong.” She understands that this is a chronic illness without a cure, but that treatment is available. It’s good to know that Venus Williams has come forward with her diagnosis and is helping to share information with the public. I wish her the very best.