#i should seek therapy. i feel like when i requested therapy back in october and then cancelled it i cursed myself lol | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

oaimniynaug · 5 years

Text

Dear Dr. Janelle Greene

December 1, 2019 I know you have a busy schedule, but it was important for me to articulate - and to communicate to you - my dental ordeal and how I've been feeling throughout the past six weeks. The intent is not to find fault or to pin blame, but to make sure that no one else will have to go through an experience as expensive, as frustrating, and as draining. I am also copying Lillian in this email, as part of the request for my payment to be refunded so that I can seek my crown treatment in Singapore instead. While the core buildup including pins (D2950) would not be refundable, I am requesting for a 90-100% refund of the incomplete crown treatment payment (D2750: 685.00 x 2 = 1,370.00) so that I can afford to pay for my crown treatment in Singapore. In addition, my patient ledger should not include charges for D3330, since I did not receive any endodontic therapy and was referred to Brentwood Endodontics, where my root canal surgery was done. (A) The Initial Consultation (October 21, 2019) - I had an appointment for 2.30pm and was seen an hour later. That was no problem because I had made a last-minute appointment in the morning - after discovering a crack on my molar - and was grateful to be accommodated. Moreover, the clinic was newly opened and various technical and administrative kinks had to be worked out. - With the X-rays, it was determined that I needed root canal surgery, and that it could not be done in the clinic. I was referred to Brentwood Endodontics. At the same time, I was given the contact details to UCLA Dentistry. Given the long waiting time needed for the latter, I made an appointment with your first referral for the next day. - There are two things I wished Campus Smiles would have done differently, and there is one thing I wished I would have done differently. With Campus Smiles, I wished: (a) There was a more thorough explanation - right after my consultation with you - of my insurance claims and benefits (there was none; I had to head home to read it up on my own); and (b) That referrals were made to less expensive clinics (this is a point I'll emphasise later with the crown lengthening). Personally, I wished I had sought a second opinion before rushing into making a decision on the overall treatment plan. (B) Root Canal + Follow-Up (October 22, 2019) I did my two root canals the following day at Brentwood Endodontics. Right after that, I went back to Campus Smiles to make an appointment for the crowns, which was scheduled for November 4, 2019. I have no complaints with this stage. (C) "Crowns" (November 4, 2019) - Before this particular appointment, I had come to terms with the dental procedures and the money I had to spend ($2,208 for the root canal and $1,588 for the crowns). I told my partner that I would be able to get this over and done with. I wanted to complete it and to move on. - This is the appointment when it all fell apart for me. - First, right after the "procedure", I was told that it was not complete and that I needed crown lengthening. Before I could understand what was going on, I was given two referrals: One to an external periodontist and another to UCLA Dentistry (to a different department). I was then given temporary crowns and asked to come back as soon as possible, especially given that I was flying back to Singapore on December 6, 2019. You then moved on to your next patient. - I was upset and confused. What is crown lengthening? Why did I need it? Do I really need it? I called my partner while walking back to the office, I cried in the washroom, and I tried to make sense of what was going on. - Second, I decided to walk back to Campus Smiles (because Googling "crown lengthening" wasn't helping at all), to ascertain if really needed the crown lengthening and to comprehend what it all entailed. To be fair, you took time to sit down at Lillian's office to explain the necessity of the procedure, even if - in my opinion - it should have followed right after the earlier "procedure", instead of just handing me the referrals. - Third, I felt it was important for you - even at that point - to hear me out. It was repeated to me that I should've come in earlier, but having lost a tooth before in 2011 I've been faithful to my dental appointments, done twice a year in Singapore. I wanted to let you know that I too was confused as to my condition because nothing was flagged during my dental appointment in July, and it didn't feel good to be told repeatedly that I should've come in earlier (I am meeting with the dentist on December 13, 2019 to better understand my condition then). - Fourth, resigned that I had to go through another round of treatment, I made the calls. Given that there were no available consultation appointments with UCLA Dentistry until December 2019, I called your referral, who quoted me the fee of $2,580 ($1,290 per tooth). $2,580. Out-of-pocket. I felt so, so defeated. And as a graduate student, I was going to spend money I did not have. - I spent the rest of the day searching for alternatives, and eventually found a periodontist who would do it for $1,250. At that point - and until today too - I keep thinking if I could've done my root canals surgery at a much cheaper price had I calmed down and searched for different options, bearing in mind that the $2,208 I had paid out-of-pocket was after my $1,000 insurance benefits had been applied. - Campus Smiles is housed within UCLA, and while you also serve faculty and staff members most of your patients are likely to be students. I will not be the first student who will need root canal surgery / crown lengthening, and I think it would be much more helpful to have referrals to much more affordable locations. This is especially the case, since we know that UCLA Dentistry is more often than not swarmed with patients already. (D) Crown Lengthening (November 11, 12, and 25, 2019) I made a total of three trips to the periodontist: The first for the consultation, the second for the surgery, and the third to remove the sutures. I was told after the second trip - on November 12 - that the wounds would heal in four to six weeks, and that I should consult with my primary dentist on my treatment plan. I communicated this to you in an email right after, and also told you my travel plans. You gave me advice but mentioned that there is no guarantee that the temporary crowns will last for 12 weeks. (E) Final Follow-Ups (November 26 and 27, 2019) - Following the "crown" procedure and our exchange in Lillian's office on November 4, I appreciated your promptness in reaching out. You called to make sure I had my crown lengthening procedure scheduled. You responded quickly to my update on the crown lengthening (as aforementioned). And you also wrote me a quick dental memo on November 15. - In addition, when it was determined that I did not need a dental recement on November 26 - knowing that I will be in Singapore - you also passed me the temporary crown moulds. - One thing which would've been helpful would be for me to understand the process and the timeline involved for the crowns. I had assumed that it would be completed in one or appointments - and this was before the crown lengthening - but on November 26 it was shared that it will take two more (or even three, if the crowns don't fit properly) appointments. - What happened on November 27 after my temporary crowns broke was just a series of unfortunate events, for which nobody is to blame. While it is true that my partner and I, while waiting for an hour at the waiting area, could have picked up the mould (since our accommodation was in Westwood), it is also the case that the dental clinic was very busy before the Thanksgiving weekend, and I was slotted in at the very last minute. That it did not work out was a shame, but not a problem. As such, given the risk of the temporary crowns falling out - and therefore risking further damage to my teeth - the best decision would be for me to get the crown treatment in Singapore. It would also give me a much-needed peace of mind. As mentioned, while the core buildup including pins (D2950) would not be refundable, I am requesting for a 90-100% refund of the incomplete crown treatment payment (D2750: 685.00 x 2 = 1,370.00) so that I can afford to pay for my crown treatment in Singapore. I will have greater clarity about my own and overall dental condition after I head back to Singapore, yet it was critical to cathartically articulate the ennui I've been experiencing and to humbly suggest some ways in which Campus Smiles might operate differently. Mine is an untrained eye, yet I hope my first-hand perspectives count for something. Your job is a difficult and an important one, and my experience is unlikely to be representative of the majority of your patients. All I wish for now is for me to conclude this unfortunate ordeal, so that I can move on financially and psychologically. Thank you for reading, and have a good week ahead. Yours, Jin Yao, Kwan

#PhD

1 note · View note

leoninapelliolovesconchitawurst · 5 years

Text

ENGLISH TRANSLATION (by me)

WATSON.DE 22/10/19

https://www.watson.de/unterhaltung/interview/421417472-conchita-wurst-tom-neuwirth-rechnet-mit-esc-conchita-ab-hatte-keinen-spass?utm_source=main

Conchita Wurst gets rid of ESC-art figure: "I was unhappy"

Five years ago, Austrian Tom Neuwirth won the Eurovision Song Contest as Conchita Wurst. But the role of the eccentric diva with beard and wig did not fill him in the long run. Now he returns as a new art figure "Wurst" - with electric and brand new, male appearance. With ‘Watson’ he spoke about rebellion, crisis of meaning, thinking in drawers and finding and seeking personal freedom.

Watson: Tom, we know you as a conchita with a wavy wig and a floor-length dress. Why did you choose to show the public a "Wurst" page that we did not know before?

Conchita Wurst: I felt the need to evolve. Before that I moved too long in the same world for my circumstances. And by that I mean that I locked myself into a set of rules that reduced me to a color of my being. And I call this color the "President's wife".

President's wife?

A president's wife has a certain protocol and can not do many things. And through this years-long reduction of myself, I became unhappy. I understood that I need a challenge, something new. For years I was in the songwriting camp and I thank my record company that I was able to find out to be completely talent free in songwriting (laughs). And then I thought: why don’t I just do the music that I hear privately? And I love electronic music, I love Robyn and Björk. I have found a great team for the new album that understands me, my story and my vision. And although I did not write or compose the songs myself, it has become so much more authentic than much of what I've done before. Or closer to my life.

Did you have any concerns about taking a new path or did you care less about the opinions of others?

When it suddenly became clear what the details should look like, how each mosaic fits into the other, I no longer had the feeling that I had to think about it. I was really very egocentric (laughs). Of course, I'm happy about everyone who likes my music. But I understand that I just have to do more things for myself. Because it's my life - and that's so beautiful. And my manager always says: Only then is it better than perfect. So I'll just do it and throw one dart at a time. We will see which one gets stuck.

Is there a song that has a lot of heart and soul?

I can not commit myself to one. Many songs deal with a specific time in my life. I deliberately refrained from explaining the meaning of each in detail. For the people who hear the music, I do not want to force a picture on them. It's like having read a book and then watching the movie. Then your own world is suddenly gone. That's why I hold myself back and do not say that's what it's about and the other's about that. Because once the child is born, it's not just me anymore and I accept that. But let's put it this way: Every song is intense.

What is the basic message of your songs, like the very striking "hit me"? Do not let anyone restrict you?

Absolutely. Nobody has the right to decide about your life. And that's the point. And yes, many messages are similar to those that were important to me five years ago. By now it may have become a bit more concrete and I am spreading it with more self-confidence.

Were you uncertain in places?

Everyone doubts. But I've stopped apologizing, in public and with my friends. With one caveat: I would apologize if I make mistakes, absolutely. And I do that too. But this album and this whole process has brought me so much closer to myself.

"I was in a situation where I realized I'm not feeling well anymore, I'm not enjoying what I'm doing."

And there is only one way out.

Which one did you choose?

I've worked hard with myself, started therapy, talked to my family and friends, and worked things that were years back and were never properly pronounced. And of course you do not just hear nice things.

And then to take that, to apologize, try to do better, but also to accept that you can not do everything well - that was very liberating.

In what way?

I always try my best - but in some ways I'm just a bit too brisk. And sometimes I'm just a bit too nice. And to realize that as a whole, has given me a whole new sense of security. Because I suddenly knew better where my range of motion lies - what am I sure of and what is not. And knowing that means incredible freedom and that helped me to be more confident. Not only in terms of the music, but also my appearance.

"I stopped wearing wigs, some said it was just marketing, so I just say, F ... you all, I'm still me."

And even if the name changes - at the end of the day it's always wurst (not important). Whether I am more feminine or masculine now, always this kind of thinking - I've stopped thinking about it.

An easy process?

Not at all. Because when I finished the album and it went to the videos, I have even operated drawer thinking. I was so anxious to be masculine. Now I think: There are no rules anymore.

What has changed since your first album five years ago - and what has remained the same?

Of course, the sound has changed and also that I am now much more personal stories in my songs. The fire remained the same. Or let's put it this way: the fire has come back.

Was the flame extinguished?

I knew as a child: I'm a star. I did not care if anyone wants to hear that. And then I lost this self-evidence, I was uncertain for a long time. Now I know again: I am a star. But that's the only thing I can do (laughs). So I focus on it. And to have such a clear positioning and to say: I love myself incredibly, I think I'm gorgeous, I'm funny, I'm talented - to be able to say, but at the same time to say - you are incredibly beautiful and it is so inspiring to listen to you. There is room for everything and everyone. I had to learn that first. This has nothing to do with arrogance, if you think yourself great. I find myself incredibly great - but I also find others incredibly great!

Did you arrive at the end of your journey to self-fulfillment?

No, that's not over yet. There are enough situations in which I manipulate myself and discover: I'm not myself, I'm not relaxed. But jealous, angry, impatient.

Are you pondering a lot?

No, but hello! I think I've improved, just living for the moment. Just after the song contest things came one after the other. And now just sitting here to tell you about me, I can enjoy that. I do not do anything better than talk about myself (laughs). But now I'm anchored here right now and have no stress at all. I could not have done that a few years ago.

What about your plans to film your autobiography?

Of course they are still standing. I also really want to do a musical. I mean, my story: The little boy from the mountains goes to the song contest with a wig - that's a story (laughs)! But the near future also brings a lot of great things. For example, I'm really looking forward to my performance on 2 November at "WUK" in Vienna. Only the cool kids are playing and I'm so happy to be allowed to perform with my band. I'm very curious what people say about "Wurst". And of course I am happy to go on tour again, also in Germany. And if all goes well, I'm still traveling a bit in Europe, that could be very exciting. And then comes a small TV show. So I have a lot to do.

Speaking of which, "Queen of Drag" will start on ProSieben on November 14th. Why did you want to be there?

These kind of requests came very early in my career. But the parameters never were for me. But in that case I could not refuse. I mean, Germany's biggest private station, Prime-Time, 8:15 pm. And the format will both entertain and touch. And I have never seen this range of entertainment, talent, humanity. We laughed and cried while filming. We had such a great time. And of course, I hope that's what the audience sees. And even if not - that was such a beautiful experience for me, nobody can take that from me.

What wishes do you have for you this year as Conchita, Wurst and Tom?

I wish I had at least as much fun as last year. I wish that I spend enough time with my family and friends and also have enough time with me. I want to be challenged and creative and just keep going like before. That would be great. No such bold wishes, or (laughs)?

Conchita or Tom? Wurst!

New album "Truth over Magnitude"

Tom Neuwirth released his debut album "Conchita" in 2015, which took first place in the Austrian album charts and was awarded Platinum. Also his second studio album "From Vienna With Love" achieved gold status in the release week. On October 25, the 30-year-old will be releasing an electric album for the first time with "Truth over Magnitude". From the 14th of November he will be looking for the "Queen of Drags" again as Conchita Wurst, alongside Heidi Klum and Bill Kaulitz on ProSieben.

#conchitawurst #wurst #tomneuwirth #singer #artist #esc2014 #escwinner #music #performer #celebrity #lgbt #translation

1 note · View note

lovehaswonangelnumbers · 5 years

Photo

New Post has been published on https://lovehaswonangelnumbers.org/we-attract-our-truth/

We Attract Our Truth

By A Gift From Gaia

Sleep may have been a little sporadic or perhaps incredibly visual in dream state as the solar winds increased through the night and eventually hit storm levels.

We are now in a G1 solar storm which will be adding a touch of sparkle to our fields.

We attract our truth, not the truth as in what we think we are but the actual truth of the frequency held, easier to spot from an expanded awareness and the ability to observe self fully, but until then we learn through meeting ourselves in Mirrors, first we blame when active from unconscious states and eventually we rise to see nothing but symbolic messages in which we use to direct us into more expanded spaces, when this is achieved the ability to love, truly, unconditionally becomes so simple, nothing is ever personal, everything is an experience to continue the pattern of MORE wisdom, more open heartedness, more unity.

Mars has been influencing the week and today you may notice some swift changes as we move into a more nurturing energy, Jupiter conjunct Ceres takes us within to realise areas that require more love. This may present as the physical body or mind becoming loud, it’s only trying to get your attention so you learn to listen, research and give more to the voids within, changing patterns of behaviour to be more healthfilled, more attentive, to listen to your needs and place them before all else, it’s not about being selfish, it’s more about being self’ish, and we aren’t talking about the needs and attachments, the wants and the desires within your reality, no, that’s a focus we had when we were sound asleep, no, we mean the needs from the voice within, to act when it speaks, to rest when it asks, to eat the foods that the soul desires, to play, to dance, to dream and to share the gems we collect, because ultimately that is the only way to give, when you realise the light within, you become the gift of giving within your space as the amazingness held overspills for ALL to share, without exception.

So perhaps today, when you enter into a busy space, head for the middle, stand still, centre yourself, place your hand on your heart and feel your field expand beyond any limits you may once have had, expand further than you ever realised possible and know that every single person, no matter how blind or sleepy, are receiving your beacon of light, adding to the already powerful solar energies entering and assisting all the darkened areas to be seen, sharing opportunities of growth and expansion, because whilst we know in the beginning, when we were sleepy and blind these experiences seem painfilled but allow us to realise the suffering programs, the gift is the spectrum as the awakening takes us on a journey never to experience the old again and we surely rise away from those old magnetic attractors.

Empaths who are journeying through the mind find these spaces so hard to deal with, the reason is their field becomes like shrink wrap, they seek protection because they haven’t yet learned how to use their angel wings, they hide their angel wings and try and tuck them in pockets and folds, no, open those wings as far and as wide, spread that energy field as open as it can go, send love, pure love, connect with the collective field, it’s only the separation that hurts.

We are the light houses, and when our Sol sends light, we fill, we become reactors and we magnify the light within the physical world.

And as I said, today, with Jupiter and Ceres it becomes a joint effort as those aware begin to see the symbols play out in the reality and we naturally emanate the coded requests from within, but now you know, now I have brought this into your awareness you can now become MORE conscious, MORE aware and emanate MORE purposefully, but remember, the secret to the harmony, to avoid burnout and overwhelm is to listen first to the whispers within.

Jupiter is also square moon so this will highlight the subconscious drivers, the truth as to why you act, want, do, be etc

Moon is opposing Lilith, emotional distortions and guidance to highlight where the internal voice is ignored.

Collective unconscious will find this energy highlighting lack, attachments etc, as I said we are dominated by Mars and come the end of the week he hits the square with Saturn, so those requiring to see distortions will no doubt be getting “defragged” towards the end of the week as the efforts today may not be reciprocal, relationships and mirrors that are to be “spent” begin closure now for the new moon that follows.

Take this time to soften everything down, random acts of kindness, try doing it with self, not the retail therapy stuff, actual heart moments, take yourself on a walk and dream the most awe-inspiring dreams, fill them with commUNITY, of places and spaces where everyone cares and shares, where everyone is responsible. Perhaps feed your soul, with all feeds perfect for the God/dess within.

And watch how the dynamics of your reality shift, see distortions that “upset” the balance then require your response to quieten or remove.

It’s time to tend to our sacred fields and ensure the nourishment to the ground we sit on is PH perfect.

Please place a 💙 in the comments to keep the heartbeat of A Gift from Gaia alive in the body of Facebook.

All donations are going towards some private therapy for my son, Reese became disabled in October 2018, he was left undiagnosed and untreated for something that should have easily been treated and whilst we now have the diagnosis of Ankylosing Spondylitis we are now facing the irreversible damage this may of caused. His consultant has said he requires a lot of hydrotherapy now, but the waiting list will take us into the new year and that is simply just too far away.

So we have to go private.

Reese is such a super young man, he turned 18 6 months after he got stuck, when I say stuck he can barely move from the waist down, which means I have to care for all of his needs and some of them in ways a young man doesn’t ideally want his Mum to do.

So if my posts resonate please may I ask for a small donation to assist get My Son Back Walking fund, asking for support has been my recent learning as I too was the forever giver out there.

Thank you 💙

*****

LoveHasWon.org is a Non-Profit Charity, Heartfully Associated with the “World Blessing Church Trust” for the Benefit of Mother Earth

Share Our Messages with Love and Gratitude

LOVE US @ MeWe mewe.com/join/lovehaswon

Visit Our Online Store for Higher Consciousness Products and Tools: LoveHasWon Essentials

http://lovehaswonessentials.org/

Visit Our NEW Sister Site: LoveHasWon Angel Numbers

https://lovehaswonangelnumbers.org/

Commentary from The First Contact Ground Crew 5dSpiritual Healing Team:

Feel Blocked, Drained, Fatigued, Restless, Nausea, Achy, Ready to Give Up? We Can Help! We are preparing everyone for a Full Planetary Ascension, and provide you with the tools and techniques to assist you Home Into The Light. The First Contact Ground Crew Team, Will Help to Get You Ready For Ascension which is Underway. New Spiritual Sessions have now been created for an Entire Family, including the Crystal Children; Group Family Healing & Therapy. We have just began these and they are incredible. Highly recommend for any families struggling together in these times of intense changes. Email: [email protected] for more information or to schedule an emergency spiritual session. We can Assist You into Awakening into 5d Reality, where your experience is one of Constant Joy, Wholeness of Being, Whole Health, Balanced, Happy and Abundant. Lets DO THIS! Schedule Your Session Below by following the Link! Visit: http://www.lovehaswon.org/awaken-to-5d/

Introducing our New LoveHasWon Twin Flame Spiritual Intuitive Ascension Session. Visit the link below:

https://lovehaswon.org/lovehaswon-twin-flame-spiritual-intuitive-ascension-session/

Request an Astonishing Personal Ascension Assessment Report or Astrology Reading, visit the link below for more information:

https://lovehaswon.org/lovehaswon-ascension-assessment-report

https://lovehaswon.org/lovehaswon-astrology/

Experiencing DeAscension Symptoms, Energy Blockages, Disease and more? Book a Holistic Healing Session

https://lovehaswon.org/lovehaswon-holistic-healing-session/

To read our Testimonials you can follow this link: http://www.lovehaswon.org/testimonials

Connect with MotherGod~Mother of All Creation on Skype @ mothergoddess8

Request a copy of our Book: The Tree of Life ~ Light of The Immortals Book

Order a copy of Our LoveHasWon Ascension Guide: https://lovehaswon.org/lovehaswon-ascension-guide/

**If you do not have a Paypal account, click on the button below:

If you wish to donate and receive a Tax Receipt, click the button below:

Donate with Paypal

Use Cash App with Our code and we’ll each get $5! FKMPGLH

Cash App Tag: $lovehaswon1111

Cash App

Donate with Venmo

VENMO

Support Our cause in the creation of the Crystal Schools for Children. Visit our fundraising link below:

LoveHasWon Charity for Crystal Schools

Support Our Charity in Co~Creating the New Earth Together by Helping Mother of All Creation. Visit our fundraising link below:

Support Mother Earth!

Support Us on PATREON

PATREON

Support Us Through Our LoveHasWon Wish List

LoveHasWon Wish List

We also accept Western Union and Moneygram. You may send an email to [email protected] for more information.

***If you wish to send Donations by mail or other methods, email us at [email protected] or [email protected]***

**** We Do Not Refund Donations****

MeWe ~ Youtube ~ Facebook ~ Apple News ~ Linkedin ~ Twitter ~ Tumblr ~ GAB ~ Minds ~ Google+ ~ Medium ~ StumbleUpon ~ Reddit ~ Informed Planet ~ Steemit ~ SocialClub ~ BlogLovin ~ Flipboard ~ Pinterest ~ Instagram ~ Snapchat

#5D Astrology #Astrology Updates

0 notes

fitnesshealthyoga-blog · 6 years

Photo

New Post has been published on https://fitnesshealthyoga.com/should-crowdfunding-companies-restrict-campaigns-for-dubious-medical-treatments-shots/

Should Crowdfunding Companies Restrict Campaigns For Dubious Medical Treatments? : Shots

For deep-water divers who decompress too quickly, doctors may advise that they lie inside a pressurized glass tube and inhale pure oxygen to treat painful symptoms known as “the bends.” The oxygen boost is thought to reduce swelling and prevent infection.

The treatment, known as hyperbaric oxygen therapy or HBOT, is approved for a few other conditions, like carbon monoxide poisoning and a form of gangrene. But some clinics around the country offer it for numerous other health problems, including migraine headaches, depression, strokes and even brain injuries. And HBOT hasn’t been proved to work for most of these, according to the FDA.

That hasn’t stopped many people from fundraising for the treatment — and many other unproven or alternative treatments — on crowdfunding platforms like GoFundMe and YouCaring (GoFundMe bought YouCaring in April 2018).

In two studies published recently, researchers ran systematic searches through crowdfunding sites to see just how pervasive this issue is. They identified thousands of campaigns raising millions of dollars for medical treatments that are not backed by science.

“It’s wasteful both for the patient and the donor, and potentially dangerous,” says Dr. Ford Vox, a brain injury specialist in Atlanta and the author of one of the studies.

Crowdfunding for medical bills, treatments and related expenses has become common, often filling in the gaps when people don’t have insurance or their insurance doesn’t cover all their expenses. In 2017, one-third of the money raised on GoFundMe globally was directed toward self-categorized medical campaigns, according to the company. The platform hosts about a quarter million medical campaigns each year that raise more than $650 million.

But some portion of those funds are for treatments of questionable value. Vox’s study, published in JAMA in October 2018, looked at five alternative treatments to serious medical issues: Homeopathic treatments for cancer, hyperbaric oxygen treatments for brain injuries, stem cell treatments for brain and spinal cord injuries, and long-term antibiotic treatments for chronic Lyme disease. And Vox says they could potentially lead to harm, either from side effects of the treatment or from the lost opportunity to receive treatments known to be effective.

Vox and a team of researchers identified more than a thousand active campaigns for the five treatments posted from 2015 to 2017. The campaigns asked for more than $27 million and had raised nearly $7 million. Because it looked at only the five treatments during a narrow time frame, Vox says this research is merely a snapshot of what could be a much larger issue.

“The biggest issue I’m concerned about is potentially feeding this whole dubious area of medicine, quote unquote, that has always existed,” Vox says. He says that as the crowdfunding market expands, and the sheer dollar amount raised by campaigns increases, “so does the money going to this alternative medicine marketplace.”

Another study published in JAMA in May 2018 focused specifically on stem cell treatments. The authors searched crowdfunding platforms for people seeking treatment at more than 300 direct-to-consumer stem cell clinics and found 100 campaigns seeking $7 million total.

“It doesn’t take much time rummaging around crowdfunding sites to realize that there are a lot of campaigns for people seeking stem cell therapies,” says Leigh Turner, a bioethicist at the University of Minnesota’s Center for Bioethics, and one of the study’s authors.

Stem cell therapies use stem cells in injections or tissue transplants to try to treat or prevent diseases. The FDA has approved stem cell treatments that use cells from cord blood to treat a limited group of disorders affecting the body system that produces blood. It warns most other types of stem cell therapy are unproven, and can be unsafe.

“A shining moment”

Michelle and John Witkowski had reached a point of desperation when their niece started a GoFundMe fundraiser so Michelle could get a stem cell treatment for her multiple sclerosis.

“It was a shining moment,” John says, when they learned about StemGenex, one of the direct-to-consumer stem cell treatment facilities Turner identified in his paper. A friend’s wife who had the same particularly aggressive form of MS had gotten stem cell treatment there and said she regained feeling in her left arm, which she hadn’t been able to use for a while. The Witkowskis just had to figure out how they were going to pay for the nearly $15,000 treatment.

John says they were not the asking type of people. That is, even after liquidating their 401(k) plans and spending roughly half a million dollars on treatments throughout Michelle’s 10-year battle with MS, they were hesitant to ask people for money.

Yet they felt they had to try. “The idea of something that may be able to help gives me hope, something I haven’t had in a long time,” Michelle explained on her GoFundMe campaign page.

That hope may have been misplaced. Dr. Rhonda Voskuhl, the director of UCLA’s Multiple Sclerosis Program, says that while there is legitimate research on stem cell therapies for MS and other illnesses, there are no definitive results yet.

“There are people at well-vetted institutions doing this work, and when it is safe, it will be approved,” she says. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to do things that are not FDA-approved.”

Turner understands why people fundraise for alternative treatments when they’re in desperate situations. But he thinks both the clinics that offer these treatments and the crowdfunding sites bear responsibility for promoting unproven treatments — and false hopes.

Right now, Turner says, clinics can basically advertise how they please, which allows them to market to vulnerable individuals.

“Should you be allowed to just kind of put up a website and claim that you have a stem cell treatment, you know, and then start charging people thousands or tens of thousands of dollars?” he asks.

In their GoFundMe campaign, the Witkowskis asked for $20,000 for Michelle’s treatment and the accompanying expenses. While their fundraiser shows they made $2,500, John says they raised much more than that. Friends and family members donated directly to them or wrote checks to the treatment center, StemGenex. And when a hat was passed around at John’s office, he remembers he collected a couple of thousand dollars.

But after the stem cell therapy, Michelle didn’t seem to get any better.

“Nothing helped. There were no victories. It’s such a bummer,” John says. Michelle died just a few months later.

In late October the FDA issued a warning letter against StemGenex, the clinic where Michelle Witkowski got her procedure. The letter says that the agency considers StemGenex’s product to be a drug, and that the company’s manufacturing and quality control procedures are not in compliance with federal regulations regarding drug manufacturing. It also warns that their marketing violates federal law.

In addition, a pending lawsuit alleges the company’s marketing practices are deceptive. StemGenex denies the allegations.

StemGenex did not reply to numerous requests for comment on this story.

Turner and Vox both say that because crowdfunding sites are involved in a transaction that directs funds to unscientific treatments, they should be involved in mitigating the issue, by educating people about the risk of unproven treatments or by putting systems in place to identify problematic campaigns.

“As an organization, GoFundMe needs to think much more carefully and critically about the extent to which they’re creating a website that can lead to the spread of misinformation, and what they can do to promote health literacy,” Turner says.

GoFundMe uses algorithms to detect campaigns that violate its terms of service, including ones that raise funds for “illegal drugs, narcotics, steroids, controlled substances, pharmaceuticals or other products that make health claims that have not been approved or verified by the applicable local and/or national regulatory body.”

But Turner says he thinks they aren’t applying these standards rigorously enough. He wonders if GoFundMe will alert crowdfunders trying to raise money for treatments at StemGenex about the FDA’s warning letter.

GoFundMe addressed Turner’s comment in an emailed statement to NPR: “With these new concerns being raised surrounding certain stem cell clinics, we are taking a thoughtful approach to addressing stem cell campaigns while continuing to provide a safe and secure place for people to fundraise for their needs and causes.”

“This is my body”

Zubin Master, an associate consultant at Mayo Clinic’s Biomedical Ethics Research Program, questions the extent to which crowdfunding sites bear responsibility to monitor medical campaigns like Witkowski’s. “They’re not in the business of scientific oversight,” he says.

And according to Master, FDA approval alone may not be enough to go on when determining whether people should be allowed to fundraise for a particular treatment on the platform.

Master says there is a gray area in what is considered a legitimate treatment. Physicians are allowed to innovate, to try off-label uses of medications for instance, and the FDA does not scrutinize each step of the care they provide, he says. In fact, if certain regulatory requirements are met, the FDA permits patients with life-threatening conditions to access non-FDA-approved treatments with physician oversight under the Expanded Access program. Master says direct-to-consumer stem cell clinics do not typically meet the requirements for this program.

Overall, Master says, some unproven treatments may be more legitimate than others (for instance, they may be the subject of rigorous research). So, for crowdfunding companies, trying to judge among a spectrum of treatments is “like drawing a line in the sand.”

Master wonders how GoFundMe, with 50 million users, would logistically weed out campaigns for nonscientific treatments on a case-by-case basis. “I’m not sure where you would draw the line,” Master says.

The emailed statement from GoFundMe said it has policies, tools, and experts to “ensure the safety and protection of our community.”

The statement went on to say: “Our role is to provide people with social fundraising tools to raise money for their cause or need. While we hope to be a helpful resource for personal fundraising, we believe it is not our place to tell them what decision to make.”

Pete Canfield ran a GoFundMe campaign seeking stem cell treatment for his chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in 2016. Doctors had told him the disease, which had reduced his breathing capacity, was terminal. He says he made the decision to try the stem cell treatment with his “eyes open, understanding that it was not a verified procedure.”

He says he feels it was his right to try an experimental treatment. “This is my body and I get to make the choices about what I’m going to do with this body, for the most part,” says Canfield.

Canfield sought $10,000 to pay for a $6,000 stem cell therapy at another one of the direct-to-consumer clinics Turner identified in his paper. Additional funds were for his travel to the clinic.

He didn’t have much luck, just raising over $1,000, but he paid for the rest out of pocket. In the end, the stem cell therapy did not work for Canfield. Still, he says he doesn’t regret trying.

“Going to experimental procedures is quite often an act of desperation,” he explains. “It’s what we see as the only option: ‘I have to do this because if I don’t do this, there’s a good chance I’m going to die.’ “

Rachel D. Cohen is a freelance journalist and a former intern on NPR’s Science desk.

Source link

#current health news usa #health news united states #health news usa today #Health News

0 notes

kidkei · 5 years

Text

Canine Cancer Resources and Hope

This photograph is the creator’s dog, Duncan, totally anesthetized, intubated, and prepped for a dosage of palliative radiation remedy meant to cut back the scale of his nasal carcinoma. It seems to be brutal, and but, hours later, he’d be totally recovered and asking to play a sport of catch along with his favourite ball.

For every of the previous six months, I’ve written an article for WDJ concerning the cancers that mostly afflict canines. It’s my honest hope the articles will assist any dog house owners who discover themselves in a combat for their very own canines’ lives perceive what they’re up towards, study therapy protocols and median survival occasions, and the place to search out scientific trials for and cutting-edge analysis on the varied cancers.

Gathering the data for the sequence took an enormous period of time and work, however it’s been a labor of affection – a method of paying again the numerous devoted, educated veterinary professionals who helped me get by way of the diseases of my two earlier canines.

Unfortunately, each of my beloved canines finally succumbed to their illnesses. But we loved many great days collectively whereas we lived with most cancers.

IT’S A PERSONAL FIGHT

My Border Collie, Daisy, was identified in 2010 with transitional cell carcinoma, a uncommon type of most cancers, accounting for about 2% of cancers that happen in canines. I threw myself into researching the illness and remedies and was lucky to have a gaggle of wonderful veterinary specialists on her staff.

I used to be petrified previous to Daisy’s first therapy, however her main veterinarian, Dr. Jeffrey Bryan, assured me that extreme reactions have been uncommon and this therapy would supply the perfect alternative for an prolonged life span with good high quality. My belief in her good docs was not misplaced; Daisy lived with nice high quality of life for 2½ years after analysis, present process chemotherapy throughout most of that point (see “Chemotherapy Can Be Kind,” WDJ October 2011), even enjoying with a flying disc after each therapy.

Then, in 2015, my different Border Collie, Duncan, was identified with nasal carcinoma – one other uncommon type of most cancers in canines, accounting for about 1% of all canine neoplasia. It was inoperable, however radiation remedy offered the perfect likelihood at decreasing the tumor measurement and offering an extending survival time.

Even after the expertise with Daisy, radiation remedy frightened me: my 14-year-old dog needed to be totally anesthetized day by day for 5 days in a row to obtain a therapeutic dose of radiation to his head. Duncan was a really delicate soul; I nervous about how these all-day experiences would have an effect on him, to not point out the dangers of all that anesthesia.

To my shock and delight, Duncan enthusiastically embraced the day by day street journeys of two hours every method and adored his veterinary technician. He fortunately left me within the ready room to go along with her for therapy. I’d look ahead to hours in a bookstore, shopping for method too many books and ingesting method an excessive amount of tea.

At the tip of the day I’d decide him up and we might journey house. By the time we arrived house, he had fully recovered and was able to play ball for hours (in his heaven, balls rain from the sky). He felt higher after these radiation remedies than he had within the weeks prior. There is one thing to be mentioned for the pain-relieving properties of radiation remedy.

We had hoped for a superb 12 months. We acquired an excellent month. Yes, I’d do it once more in a heartbeat.

NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART

I’ve to confess that the analysis for this sequence left me discouraged; 50 years of scientific investigation into most cancers has resulted in solely reasonably improved remedies – choices that, typically, prolong sufferers’ lives for just some months at typically unimaginable value (bodily, emotional, monetary).

For perspective, I turned to somebody who has been finding out, researching, and treating canine most cancers for greater than 15 years, Jeffrey Bryan, DVM, PhD, DACVIM Oncology – sure, the identical individual I used to be fortunate to have as my canines’ first vet. Dr. Bryan is now not in personal apply, having lengthy since decamped for analysis and academia. He is now a professor of oncology on the University of Missouri’s College of Veterinary Medicine, and director for the college’s Comparative Oncology and Epigenetics Laboratory. When I first met Dr. Bryan, he was working in a veterinary apply in San Francisco. He impressed me along with his heat and information method again when, and he’s solely gotten hotter and extra educated with time on this difficult discipline.

I requested Dr. Bryan whether or not he nonetheless feels hopeful about treating canine most cancers, and he mentioned he completely does. “What gives me hope is the fact that we make progress every year,” he instructed me. “I watch brilliant young clinicians and researchers become attracted to oncology every year, making me optimistic for creative new solutions. Companies come along with new approaches to treating cancer all the time. Some of these work very well.”

Dr. Jeffrey Bryan in 2000, when he was nonetheless in a common apply veterinarian in San Francisco. Coincidently, he’s analyzing a affected person he had been treating for mammary most cancers

Dr. Bryan jogged my memory, nevertheless, that it’s fruitless to hope for the “end” of most cancers. “Cancer will always be with us, I’m afraid,” he says. “It’s an evolutionary disease. We need to continue to get better at recognizing it early, addressing it comfortably, and fitting the most effective treatment to each patient.”

Dr. Bryan’s observations replicate a number of the latest approaches to most cancers therapy, whether or not it’s for people or canines. Some researchers are transferring towards reframing most cancers as a power sickness, one the place sufferers can coexist with most cancers cells (so long as the most cancers is prevented from rising unchecked). It is hoped that new diagnostics may be developed to offer the earliest identification potential and then eradicate cancerous cells at inception, thereby stopping them from growing into an untreatable malignancy.

As depressed as I’m concerning the prevalence of canine most cancers, I do discover hope within the work of Dr. Bryan and all of his colleagues working within the specialty of veterinary oncology. Remarkable advances have been made in treating our canine companions, supported by the developments in affiliated fields equivalent to imaging, rehabilitation, ache administration, and pharmacology. Advances within the fields of palliative care and immunotherapy have grown exponentially; the latter is particularly promising.

A FEW MORE CANINE RESOURCES

In my 5 earlier articles, I described the newest diagnostic instruments and remedies for the commonest canine cancers: mast cell tumors (July 2019), osteosarcoma (August), lymphoma (September), melanoma (October), and hemangiosarcoma (November).

There are myriad sources accessible to be taught extra about canine most cancers – the above-mentioned sorts and others that we’ve not written about – and this info, just like the illness itself, is continually altering.

If your dog (like my two Border Collies) is identified with an unusual sort, an web search will carry up a large number of outcomes; do analysis however be discerning in your method. Look for respected sources and scientific help for any claims. Many veterinary schools and specialty clinics have web sites with sections for pet house owners to be taught extra about numerous illnesses and remedies; these are credible sources for info. Below, you’ll discover some extra beginning factors for dependable info.

Veterinary oncology specialists. While an skilled common veterinary practitioner who has a particular curiosity in canine most cancers will probably be an enormous asset to you, I can’t advocate it strongly sufficient that you just search out assist from a board-certified veterinary oncologist.

These specialists have obtained in depth oncology coaching after veterinary college, handed examinations, and accomplished publication necessities to obtain certification by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM). When they grow to be licensed in oncology by the ACVIM, they are going to add the letters DACVIM after their names (the “D” is for Diplomate).

You can use a function on the ACVIM web site to seek for board-certified veterinary specialists (find.vetspecialists.com). If there aren’t any oncology specialists in your space, your veterinarian ought to have the ability to seek the advice of with specialists situated farther afield to develop an acceptable therapy plan in your dog.

Clinical Trials. In order to enhance detection and therapy of illness, essentially the most promising experimental or investigational therapies should be examined in scientific trials. The security and efficacy of those therapies and procedures have usually been evaluated first in laboratory animals and the remedy is taken into account to be of potential profit to the affected person. Your dog could or could not profit from participation in a scientific trial, however these research advance veterinary science and have the potential to enhance the outcomes of future generations of canines.

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) maintains the AVMA Animal Health Studies Database, which supplies info on veterinary scientific trials reported by researchers. Searches for related research may be achieved utilizing the parameters of analysis, location, species, and discipline of veterinary medication (equivalent to oncology). See ebusiness.avma.org/aahsd/study_search.aspx.

The American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation funds scientific analysis with the aim of bettering the well being of canines. For a hyperlink to the trials they fund, see akcchf.org/research/participate-in-research/clinical-trials.html.

In addition, the Veterinary Cancer Society web site maintains a web page with hyperlinks to lots of the organizations that provide veterinary scientific trials. See vetcancersociety.org/pet-owners/clinical-trials/.

Books. There are a variety of books which might be very useful for advancing your understanding of canine most cancers. My favorites are:

The Dog Cancer Survival Guide, by Demian Dressler, DVM, with Susan Ettinger, DVM, DACVIM Oncology (Maui Media, 2011). A complete information for sensible, evidence-based approaches to canine cancers, together with standard, integrative, and various therapy choices, supportive care, monetary issues, and sources to assist house owners optimize lifespan and high quality of life.

Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life, by Nancy Kay, DVM (Trafalgar Square Books, 2008). An invaluable useful resource for pet house owners to assist navigate veterinary care and choices.

The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer, by Siddhartha Mukherjee (Scribner, 2010). The quintessential guide about most cancers – its historical past, discoveries, setbacks, remedies, and hopes for the long run.

The First Cell and the Human Costs of Pursuing Cancer to the Last, by Azra Raza (Hatchette Book Group, 2019). An exploration of the most cancers “industry” and a name for change in analysis and therapy.

Websites. There isn’t any scarcity of websites with details about canine most cancers. The record of websites with up-to-date, credible, comprehensible info is shorter. These are just a few of my advisable sources of data for pet house owners.

drsuecancervet.com and facebook.com/DrSueCancerVet. Dr. Sue Ettinger is a practising veterinarian and board-certified most cancers specialist, worldwide speaker, guide creator, and vlogger (video blogger). Her info is up-to-date and extraordinarily accessible.

dogcancerblog.com. An amazing useful resource masking all the pieces from the newest in most cancers information to sources to complete articles, that includes Dr. Demian Dressler and Dr. Susan Ettinger, authors of The Dog Cancer Survival Guide.

morrisanimalfoundation.org. The Morris Animal Foundation bridges science and sources to advance the well being of animals. The basis is on the forefront of funding most cancers research in canines, together with the Golden Retriever Lifetime Study, one of many largest, most complete potential canine well being research within the United States. The research’s goal is to establish the dietary, environmental, way of life, and genetic danger components for most cancers and different illnesses in canines.

ccr.cancer.gov/Comparative-Oncology-Program. The Center for Cancer Research is a division of the National Cancer Institute underneath the National Institutes of Health. In 2003, the Comparative Oncology Program was launched to assist analysis in furthering the understanding of most cancers and bettering the evaluation of remedies for people by treating companion animals. Comparative oncology is the research of naturally growing cancers in animals as fashions for human illness. Through these trials, pets achieve entry to leading edge analysis and therapeutics; the outcomes then help the additional improvement of human scientific trials. The website additionally supplies illness info, hyperlinks to scientific trials, information, and publications.

wearethecure.org/tag/pet-cancer/. This website has a “Canine Cancer Library” that gives detailed info on an ever-expanding record of sorts of cancers. The Foundation’s weblog presents newest canine most cancers information and associated tales.

merckvetmanual.com/special-pet-topics/cancer-and-tumors. General veterinary details about most cancers in pets.

scholar.google.com. An easy-to-use free search engine that accesses the total textual content or metadata of scholarly literature throughout an array of publishing codecs and disciplines; an excellent useful resource to search for revealed analysis on canine cancers.

HOLISTIC (INTEGRATIVE) VETERINARY CARE

In all of the articles about canine most cancers revealed right here, I by no means had a chance to debate holistic take care of canines present process therapy for most cancers. It’s an enormous matter, and one I hope to jot down about in a future challenge.

The creator’s Border Collie, Daisy, asking to play Frisbee instantly after certainly one of her chemotherapy therapy.

Holistic veterinarians embrace a broad method to care, not solely analyzing the affected person, but in addition the affected person’s setting, conduct, relationships, and illness patterns. Veterinarians who self-identify as holistic, integrative, or complementary could have quite a lot of academic experiences and coaching; they could increase their standard veterinary medication with chiropractic, acupuncture, herbs, and/or different modalities. Their therapy protocols, then, will rely on their schooling, coaching, and expertise.

Note: Veterinarians who establish as providing “alternative” medication won’t use standard veterinary medication or collaborate with standard veterinary practitioners. Make positive you might be clear about what they do and don’t provide.

My main veterinarian is a holistic practitioner and was a worthwhile member of Daisy’s staff. Throughout Daisy’s sickness, he supported her with acupuncture, low stage mild remedy, vitamin, and medicinal herbs. He labored carefully along with her oncologist to make sure protected and helpful integrative care. Complementary therapies may be of nice profit to pets with most cancers, and holistic veterinarians can assist create these personalised help plans.

To find a holistic veterinarian close to you, go to the web site of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, a gaggle of member veterinarians and allies who’re elevating the veterinary career by way of innovation, schooling, and advocacy of integrative medication. Go to ahvma.org/find-a-holistic-veterinarian.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

One final useful resource – an vital one. Most most cancers remedies for canines are costly, as are the diagnostics and supportive care. I used to be lucky; on the time when my canines have been stricken, I had the funds to deal with each of my canines. I don’t have these monetary sources now, however I do have pet insurance coverage for my present canines.

If you have got neither the funds nor pet insurance coverage, there are a selection of economic sources accessible for canines with most cancers; the Humane Society of the United States retains a present record of nationwide and state-specific pet monetary support organizations on the following web page: humanesociety.org/sources/are-you-having-trouble-affording-your-pet.

AGAIN: IT’S PERSONAL

The determination to deal with (or not deal with) a pet for most cancers is a private determination; there isn’t a proper or mistaken method. Cancers are a gaggle of very difficult and various illnesses with every oncology case being medically distinctive. I opted to deal with each of my canines and I used to be lucky to have gained extra time with them. More time to eat ice cream collectively. To play ball and Frisbee. To cuddle on the couch. To share synchronized respiratory whereas falling asleep collectively. To dream collectively. Every second is a present.

!function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)}; if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, document,'script', 'https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js'); fbq('init', '100131297051026'); fbq('track', 'PageView');

Source link

source https://pawnews24.com/canine-cancer-resources-and-hope/

0 notes

flashfloodfeng-blog · 7 years

Text

Good vs. Bad Counseling, and the Power of Words

I’m going to start by sharing a little story, which takes place around October of 2013.

Here’s the situation: I’m a 2nd year DPT student who just finished midterms. At this point, I’ve had a bad track record of getting poor exam grades. How I made it this far is a mystery, and the fact that I’m still not doing great discourages me. However, I hold onto my memory of the summer, where I had gone through a successful first clinical internship and felt inspired to give it my all, and to not give up.

And now for the scenario: I had just met with a professor to go over grades and seek help on how to do better. My advisor’s office is right next door, and I find that it is a rare moment where he is actually in his office. So I decide to drop in and talk. I update him on everything. I tell him how I am still having trouble with tests, but I’m not letting myself get demoralized. I tell him how my success with my first clinical is pushing me to keep on trying, I tell him how I’ve given student services, a department in the school that offers to help students do better, a second chance, because my first meeting with them a year ago did not impress me. I tell him about the progress that I am making, and I confidently tell him with much enthusiasm that I know I’m on the right track and that I’m going to get there.

The response is savage (note, it’s been almost 4 years, so what happens next may not have gone EXACTLY like this:)

“Brian, I have to say, I am very disappointed in you. I’ve told you before, that the moment you see yourself struggling, you need to come see me right away! We’re now halfway through the semester and you have all these poor grades, and this is really bad. If you had come sooner, I may have been able to help you, but now we don’t know what’s going to happen. You can’t keep on going through these semesters just barely holding on. It reflects poorly on you, and it reflects poorly on us. You need to really know this material, especially when you go out there in the real world. As I told you before, if you go out there on your affiliations, and you don’t do well, your CI will reach out to us, and then we’ll have to pull your past grades up, and that’s really not going to help your cause. Sure, you did well on your first one, but that’s the easiest one so it really doesn’t mean anything.”

Before I continue, I’d like to add that before I started that first clinical internship, he was telling me about how if I’m not doing well in classes, I’m going to struggle with my first internship and probably not pass it. Ok, back to his verbal assault:

“It is very unprofessional of you to behave this way. Instead of e-mailing me and setting up a meeting in advance, you just casually spring on in just because you ‘happened to see me’. Look at you, you’re not even looking at me; you’re all slouched with poor posture and looking down on the floor.”

He then pulls out his yellow slip to summarize our meeting, officially documenting me as an unprofessional, misbehaving child. Me, the guy who finished elementary school with straight A’s, made the top 20% in high school, and made it into the psychology honors society, several Dean’s lists, and was once told by a professor who never even taught me that he could tell I do things in a very respectful and professional manner, and that I am certain to be successful in my future if I continue such a path. I must also point out that this advisor is the same one who didn’t show up to a school-mandated ADVANCE SCHEDULED meeting in the previous semester. Sounds kind of hypocritical to me.

To summarize, I walked into the office like this:

and left the office like this:

Now, because it’s been so long since I posted anything, I don’t remember if I talked about this encounter before. What I do know is that I’ve never gone this far in depth talking about it.

So why bring up this story that is almost 4 years old? Well, that brings me to today.

New scenario: June 15, 2017. I am now a Stony Brook student, a 3rd year, on my first week of clinicals. My CI has given me off on this day because he has a shortened schedule due to other things and it just isn’t worth my time coming in for a few hours. So I decide to meet with my CURRENT advisor.

I’m not going to give an exact script of the encounter, instead, I’ll provide a hopefully shortened synopsis: We talk about how my first week has gone, what I’ve done so far with my time there, my mild concerns. She expresses joy and enthusiasm with my current efforts, shows genuine excitement over me using techniques learned from a class that she taught, and provides great feedback on what I can do next week while I’m there to get even more out of my experience.

We then talk about my reason for wanting to meet with her originally, about a month ago. I talk about my struggle with a certain class, about how distraught I was after convincing myself that I did way worse than I actually did, and how I basically lost myself. She shows empathy and understanding, and again with the utmost sincerity, explains to me how the staff tries to make adjustments to make our difficult grad school lives easier. She suggests that I bring up my frustrations over this course later down the road when it comes time for exit interviews, since I neglected to do so with course evals, despite the fact that this won’t necessarily benefit me; rather, it would be for future students. So it’s more like a request, if anything. And I fully intend to honor this request, because unlike my previous school, Stony Brook has treated me with great care and respect, and I would happily return the favor a thousand times over. More on this in a bit.

Finally, we have the last topic that I bring up: A writing project that I started a year ago, with barely any progress; a story based on the 2 years of my life starting from when I was kicked out of school to the days before Stony Brook. She remembers me telling her how I was in another DPT program before coming here, and immediately, before I go into detail on this project, she shows tremendous support for this idea. She talks about only being able to imagine what I went through, declares that if published and shared, this could really help others, and should I choose not to publish, it would still be good, something I could look at to remind myself about how much I’ve overcome. She talks about how everyone grows and changes from this PT school experience, tells me how she’s seen my growth, and tells me how proud she is. In the end, I leave her office feeling motivated; every time I think about this writing project, I ask myself if i’ll be able to make it good enough, if I’ll be able to describe things with the accuracy and clarity to convey my thoughts and feelings. I ask myself if it’s worth reliving the trauma. and I ask myself if I’ll be able to make it interesting enough for others to read. But now I’m inspired and motivated. As I’ve been told, I could choose to publish this or keep it to myself, but these memories, as painful as they may be, are also a reminder of what kind of person I am, and what I’m able to overcome. It’s true that I suffer every time I think back to those days, but then it reminds me that I went through my greatest fear in life, failure, and I was able to climb out of that hole that I got buried in. And my story is one that, if done right, could really help others. And that would be awesome. How long this feeling will last? I do not know, but at the moment my desire to pursue this goal is higher than it’s ever been, and hopefully I’m able to make some good progress while this feeling lasts.

And THIS is how a faculty advisor should be: supportive, honest, and motivating. A long time ago, there was a time when I was often told that it didn’t really matter which grad school you went to. Once you pass, you still get the same degree. Sure, that makes sense, but this story is a perfect example of why it DOES matter. One of the great things about the Physical Therapy field is how the concepts we learn apply to general things in life. Like contributing factors. So many factors can contribute to the final outcome for a patient, and it’s the same for a student as well. The way the external environment is designed can really make a difference between success and failure. Stony Brook isn’t perfect, nothing ever truly is. But if you enter this DPT program, you’ll find yourself something that’s more than just a group of faculty members spewing out lectures and expecting you to immediately absorb everything. They try to present you with multiple opportunities to learn outside the classroom, they’re genuinely concerned and supportive if you feel like you need help, and they show actual faith in you even when you may not have it in yourself.

If there’s anything I want someone to take with them after reading this, it’s that the way we communicate can make a profound impact on someone. In both of these stories I shared, I left the room with a fluttery feeling: In the first case, I left thinking that all my efforts were a waste of time and that I should probably just stop trying, but in the second one, I left feeling amazed with everything that I’ve gone through and wanting to give it my all to pursue my goals. One crushed my spirit, the other gave me hope.

I usually avoid putting in actual names of people here, and I’m sure very few people read this stuff so it doesn’t really matter, but...thank you, Dr. Joanne Cesiro, for being the best student advisor I’ve ever had. All who seek to inspire and encourage should follow your example. And thank you to the Stony Brook DPT faculty. You all put in so much work, and I think it’s safe and accurate to speak on behalf of my classmates and say that we truly appreciate all that you do for us.

#PT #stony brook dpt #grad school

0 notes

leoninapelliolovesconchitawurst · 5 years

Text

ENGLISH TRANSLATION (by me)

WATSON.DE 22/10/19

https://www.watson.de/unterhaltung/interview/421417472-conchita-wurst-tom-neuwirth-rechnet-mit-esc-conchita-ab-hatte-keinen-spass?utm_source=main

Conchita Wurst gets rid of ESC-art figure: "I was unhappy"

Watson: Tom, we know you as a conchita with a wavy wig and a floor-length dress. Why did you choose to show the public a "Wurst" page that we did not know before?

President's wife?

Did you have any concerns about taking a new path or did you care less about the opinions of others?

Is there a song that has a lot of heart and soul?

What is the basic message of your songs, like the very striking "hit me"? Do not let anyone restrict you?

Were you uncertain in places?

"I was in a situation where I realized I'm not feeling well anymore, I'm not enjoying what I'm doing."

And there is only one way out.

Which one did you choose?

And then to take that, to apologize, try to do better, but also to accept that you can not do everything well - that was very liberating.

In what way?

"I stopped wearing wigs, some said it was just marketing, so I just say, F ... you all, I'm still me."

And even if the name changes - at the end of the day it's always wurst (not important). Whether I am more feminine or masculine now, always this kind of thinking - I've stopped thinking about it.

An easy process?

Not at all. Because when I finished the album and it went to the videos, I have even operated drawer thinking. I was so anxious to be masculine. Now I think: There are no rules anymore.What has changed since your first album five years ago - and what has remained the same?

Of course, the sound has changed and also that I am now much more personal stories in my songs. The fire remained the same. Or let's put it this way: the fire has come back.

Was the flame extinguished?

Did you arrive at the end of your journey to self-fulfillment?

No, that's not over yet. There are enough situations in which I manipulate myself and discover: I'm not myself, I'm not relaxed. But jealous, angry, impatient.

Are you pondering a lot?

What about your plans to film your autobiography?

Speaking of which, "Queen of Drag" will start on ProSieben on November 14th. Why did you want to be there?

What wishes do you have for you this year as Conchita, Wurst and Tom?

Conchita or Tom? Wurst!

New album "Truth over Magnitude"

0 notes