#she’s blind in one eye with hearing loss and kidney disease

[orcinus-veterinarius]

You know my feelings on California’s orca law, but if it keeps Corky safe, then it might be worth it.

[danielcoetzee-wtf]

The Power of Positive Blah Blah Blah

JOKE: One day, while waiting for Tanja in the car in a disabled parking, an elderly man walked up to me and pointed out that the parking was for disabled people. My response was …. I .. I .. I .. I .. know, I .. I .. I .. stutter 😊

Have you ever attended or listened to a motivational speaker or read their books? Of course, so have I.

So, tell me, how long did the hype of the moment last? A few days? A week? A month? How long before you found yourself back where you were before, if not worse than before, because of your high expectations in yourself and the words of someone else?

Well, I don’t see myself as a motivational speaker. I am an ENERGIZER promoter!!

I’m here to help you and show you how reload your battery.

When I was 10 years old, I was sentenced to a life of ailments and a very predictable future regarding my health. Professor van Rooyen was the medical doctor at HF Verwoerd Hospital in Pretoria when I was diagnosed. He said the following to me: (remember I am 10 years old)

You have type 1 diabetes and will need to inject yourself a few times every day for the rest of your life (75 000 injections so far)

You will not grow old or die naturally

You will probably end up with either heart failure or kidney failure or both.

You will most likely lose a limb or two.

One morning you might wake up and be blind.

Wow, that’s a lot for a 10-year-old to digest.

Well, it’s been 48 years since then and here’s my list so far:

Quadruple heart bypass surgery, including a metallic heart valve fitment (side effect – insomnia and a handful of pills)

7 amputations – starting with toes and ending in legs.

Celiac’s Disease

Loss of sight in my left eye

Diabetic neuropathy and muscle loss in my hands

And last but not least, my recent catastrophe: Major femur break and pelvic fracture

Not a very encouraging picture ☹

BUT ... I have an ENERGIZER!!! And I can’t keep this to myself.

(Before I explain what I mean by an Energizer, let me point out that I have suffered with chronic depression all my life. I wanted to commit suicide a few times, but thankfully didn’t succeed. I often hear people say that it’s a coward that takes his life, but it’s not and I’m angered by this stupid statement. It takes a lot of guts to commit to this decision)

Getting back to the Energizer:

So, what is an Energizer?

Dictionary: Someone who imparts energy and vitality and spirit to other people

Let me explain: We are living beings, running on energy like batteries. Our batteries run flat from time to time. Some people have the ability to bounce back without too much fuss. Some people struggle to re-energize themselves; some never recover. I have seen this especially with fellow amputees.

The solution to a flat, rundown battery is to find a recharging point and this is what I have come to share with you today.

You do not possess a recharging point within yourself; you need to find it.

In the 17th century John Donne said: No man is an island, and it’s exactly that. We cannot thrive or grow alone. We recharge each other on a daily basis. Whether it’s your spouse, your friend, your pet or a LIFE coach. Find the person that helps you to recharge, that helps you find your strength, that helps you re-energize.

You might say: “I find my strength in a higher power.” Great for you, but here’s where I need MORE than faith. I need my 5 physical senses. If religion is important to you, do it. I’m not here to discredit what you believe in.

What I am trying to say is that you need to connect with someone physically. Someone you can touch, hear and converse with. I found that connection in my wife. She is my Energizer. She’s the one who never gives up on me, encourages me, feels my anguish, ignores my cursing. She allows me to express myself, reminding me constantly that I’m not alone.

My Energizer is a beautiful, real, loving, caring human being.

---

In 2018 my health took a serious turn for the worst. Things I had previously paid little attention to suddenly became a massive problem. During this time, I was still the owner of a mechanical workshop and the leading mechanic. Tanja was the administrator and organizer in the business and even did the diagnostics on the vehicles. I became listless and weak, lost my appetite and felt an overall unwellness. My GP referred me to a heart specialist who ran a series of tests and discovered that my aortic valve had packed up. I knew a lot about valves but this was a different ball game.

I was hospitalized and underwent a quadruple bypass as well as an aortic valve replacement – a metallic valve, to be specific. One which keeps me up at night unless I take serious sleeping tablets.

Following this, the amputations started. Toes, one by one; half a foot (which was the biggest and most painful mistake ever) and then the legs. Little by little, one at a time. Thankfully it wasn’t all at once, which allowed us to adjust slowly to the loss of limbs. It still wasn’t easy. Remember, I’m a driven, hard-working diesel mechanic, setting the pace in the workshop every day.

Before I had even lost my second leg, we decided to sell the workshop. The stress and anxiety were overwhelming. Not only could I not do what I had done before but the frustration of battling to do a job drove me bat-shit crazy.

We decided to start a niche, upmarket wine and gin bar. A classy but easy-going place. We put all our funds into the shop-fitting and stocking of our new enterprise. The idea was to get it up and running, build it up and sell it, then follow our children to Portugal.

Covid! Covid! Covid! What more can I say? Before even opening our doors, Covid hit us. To make a long, sad and desperate story short, we lost everything. We walked out of that place with the clothes on our backs and what was left after selling all our furniture. The bank repossessed our car and still hound us for money to this day.

Loss of material possessions. Loss of income. Loss of health. Loss of legs. Loss of our precious children, who had already left the country. We felt distraught, alone and afraid, to say the least.

You might think to yourself now: Wow! I’m sure things could not have gotten worse for these people? But wait, there’s more! My father-in-law used to have a saying: cheer up, things could get worse. So, I cheered up, and sure enough, things got worse.

On the 29th of April 2023 I slipped on the garage floor after washing the car. I shattered my femur and fractured my pelvis. I wished to die. I wanted to end my life.

Tanja came to me with the following ENERGIZING words: It is not death that you crave. What you crave is more LIFE.

I had to learn to walk …  AGAIN!

It’s been 8 months since that disastrous day and here I am, walking again and not just that, I’m covering about 6 km per day!!!

Here are some valuable lessons I’ve learned while learning to walk with prosthetic legs:

•          Don’t look back, you’ll lose your balance

•          Keep your eyes on the road ahead of you to avoid the potholes

•          There are some things you can’t change, make peace with that.

****

The weight of financial responsibilities can be crushing, but it's crucial to remember that you are not alone in this struggle. Come. Come, let me share with you the lessons we've learned.

There were times when bills piled up, the banks phoned 10 times a day and the future seemed dismally uncertain. But with determination and creativity, we found various ways to try to make ends meet. With both of us being self-employed for the last 25 years, we found ourselves unemployable, so we had to embrace multiple income streams and turn various ideas into opportunities.

I am a diesel mechanic by trade and that is all I have ever known. Finding new ways to generate an income was as challenging as learning to walk again.

Remember, your potential is vast, and there are often undiscovered talents within you waiting to be uncovered.

Living with chronic health conditions is undoubtedly tough, but it's essential to focus on what you can control. Together, we adapt and find new ways to survive despite our limitations. I say OUR because my limitations become my wife’s limitations. We deal with issues together.

When we run out of options, which has happened a few times, we speak up and ask for support, while finding a way around the problem at hand. Not everyone knows how to speak up. They’re either too proud OR afraid of rejection OR they simply don’t feel worthy.

Well,

There have been times when we had no food – we spoke up!

No vehicle with which to do our job – we spoke up!

In need of prosthetic legs – we spoke up!

Medical assistance – we spoke up!

A place to live – we spoke up!

AND WE WERE HEARD!!

People helped us because they saw our determination, effort and the will to keep going. We were down, but we still tried our best.

Seek support, when necessary, stay proactive in managing your health, and remember that every small victory is a step forward.

In times of financial hardship, health crises, or relationship woes, it's easy to feel isolated. DON’T isolate yourself. Don’t try to climb out of the pit by yourself. Find your Energizer. Connect. Move.

****

I want to leave you with a TO DO LIST: (an Energizing TO DO LIST)

Eat healthier

Drink water

Breathe deeply (even if it’s a deep sigh). It helps to release negative energy.

Spend time in nature or taking in the wonder of every sunset

Smile (even if you don’t feel like it). A smile is contagious and is AS good for your battery as for the receiver

Walk every day (or whatever exercise works for you)

Greet people (as you walk). We pass people and never think to say Hi. We’ve made so many connections with so many amazing people on our daily walks because we greet every single person we pass.

Spend time with positive people. It rubs off.

SHARE your energy. It’s not yours to keep. When you get it, share it. It’s that constant exchange that causes the Energizer experience to grow.

****

Now, Get ENERGIZED! You cannot jump-start someone when your battery is flat.

Find your Energizer!!

Then be an Energizer. Help to jump-start someone else’s battery by sharing.

[drskgambhir]

What is women check up, health screening all women should have

Remember that old saying ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.’ Getting checked early can stop diseases like cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis in the very beginning when they are easier to treat. Screening tests can spot illnesses even before you have symptoms. Which tests you need depends on your age, family history, your own health and other factors. For Women Checkup and health screening BEST MATERNITY CARE IN CHANDIGARH. The screening tests change as you age. Women should have regular screening and important screening tests are listed below:

1)                Screening for breast cancer- Chances of cure are better if breast cancer is detected early during screening. Breast cancers are less likely to spread to lymph nodes and vital organs like lungs and brain.

Mammogram: These are low dose x-rays that can often find a lump, before you even feel it. Some experts recommend that while you are in your 40s, you should have a mammogram every year. Then from 50 year onwards, you can do every other year. Your doctor can tell u how often to have mammogram if age is younger than 50. For women above 75, there is no recommendation, because not enough research has been done in this age group.

Breast examination: Starting in your 40s, your doctor will perform yearly breast examination. He or she will visually or manually check your breasts for differences in size and shape, rashes and clumping and lumps. You can check fluid from the nipple. You should see your breast yourself and tell your physician.

2)                Physical examination- You should have two physical examinations during your 20s. At each examination your doctor should do careful assessment of height, weight, BMI. He may ask you some questions about depression, alcohol and drug use, smoking, diet and exercise, vaccination history.

3)                Diabetes screening- If you are at high risk for diabetes, you may need to be screened for pre-diabetes every three years starting in your 40s. If your blood pressure is over 135/80 or you have high cholesterol level, your doctor may screen you for type 2 diabetes.

Risk factors are-

§  Physical inactivity

§  Severe obesity

§  Having a first degree relative with diabetes mellitus

§  Being African American, Mexican American, American Indian, Pacific Islander and Asian American.

Starting from the age of 40, you should go for diabetes screening every three years. But if you have family history of DM, obesity or other risk factors, then it is to be done yearly or more often. Diabetes can cause heart disease, kidney disease, stroke, blindness, and other serious problems. You can control diabetes with diet, exercise and weight loss and medication.

4)                Cervical cancer screening- For this screening you have to first of all do pelvic examination. This is important as one can find out any cervicitis and erosion and can tell the patient for regular check-ups and screening with regular PAP’s smear. Cervical cancer is easy to prevent. The cervix is a narrow passage between the uterus and the vagina. PAPs smear fluid can detect abnormal cells on the cervix which can be removed before they even turn into cancer. The main cause of cervical cancer is Human Papilloma Virus, a type of STD. In PAP’s smear, your doctor scraps some of the cells from the cervix and sends them to the lab. Your doctor will tell you whether you need a PAP’s test alone or with HPV testing. Your doctor will tell you how often it should be tested. If you are sexually active, you would need Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea testing also every year.

HPV vaccine can protect women under 26 from sexual strains of HPV. The vaccine don’t doesn’t protect against all the cancer causing strains of HPV, so routine cervical screening is important.

5)                Osteoporosis- It is a state when person’s bones are weak and fragile. After menopause, women start to lose more bone mass, but men get osteoporosis too. First symptom is often a painful break even after a minor fall, blow or twist. But one can prevent and treat osteoporosis.

6)                Screening: A special type of X-ray can measure bone strength and detect osteoporosis before fracture happens. This is called as Dexa scan. In this low dose x-ray machine captures the images of bones. This is started at the age of 65, but those with risk factors should be screened earlier. Frequency of the screening depends upon bone density and other risk factors.

Colorectal cancer screening

Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer deaths after lung cancer. Most colon cancers come from polyps. These are abnormal masses that grow on the lining of the large intestines. Polyps may not be cancerous, but if they are they can spread to other parts of the body. Removing polyps early can prevent the disease.

Screening: It should be done at the age of 50, tests are-

§  Yearly stool tests

§  Flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years

§  Colonoscopy every 5 years

§  Barium enema with contrast 

§  Computed tomographic colonoscopy

You may need screening frequently. If you are at high risk of colon cancer, you should be screened till 75years of age.

Screening for high B 

As you get older, your blood pressure increases especially if you are overweight or have certain bad health habits. High blood pressure can cause life threatening heart attacks and strokes without any warning. So working with your doctor to control it can save your life. Lowering your BP can prevent heart disease and kidney failure.

Cholesterol screening

High cholesterol level can cause plaque to clog your arteries. Plaque can build up for many years without symptoms and suddenly can cause heart attack or stroke. High BP, diabetes, smoking can cause plaque to build up too. It is called atherosclerosis. Life style changes and medications can lower the risk. To check your cholesterol, you may need to fast 9 to 12 hours. Then you go for a blood test that measures LDL (bad cholesterol), HDL (good cholesterol) and triglycerides.

Skin cancer

There are several types of skin cancer. Early treatment is effective in treatment but the most dangerous is melanoma. The risk of skin cancer increases with over exposure to sun. Basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas are non-melanoma cancers. Watch for any changes in your skin markings, including moles and freckles. Pay attention to changes in their shape, colour and size. If gross changes are there, then consult your doctor. Besides this screening for STD and hearing test and eye exam are also required.

Immunization

1.        You should get a flu vaccine every year, especially if you are over the age of 65 or have risk factor.

2.        You should get one tetanus diphtheria booster every 10 years starting after age 19.

3.        You should get HPV vaccine. It is recommended from the age of 9-45 years.

4.        If you have never had chicken pox, you should get the varicella vaccine.

Keep your brain to be sure in light of the fact that what you think and feel plays a significant impact on the little life you're bearing inside you. For best maternity care in Chandigarh, you can contact to DR. S.K. GAMBHIR. She is a well reputed gynecologist in Chandigarh.