by Medical Health Article | Mar 25, 2017 | Conditions
The Greatest Love, a Philippine melodrama tv series about a person suffering from Alzheimer was just a tv series I watched but now a reality for us. That’s why be careful of what you watched and surround yourself with as this might become a reality :). Kidding aside, this is what life offers us and there is no way to deal things but to accept, be strong and hold on to that faith that GOD is in CONTROL.
My 69 mother-in-law just had a stroke causing her to experience DEMENTIA. According to my research, “Dementia is an overall term used to describe symptoms that impact memory, the performance of daily activities, and communication abilities.”
Prior to this diagnosis, we observed these things:
Day 1: She was listless and very silent which is not her personality.
Day 2: She forgot some things, like her birthday, her age and there was a delay when speaking. She can’t identify some things, she thought of the spoon as a toothbrush. Took a medicine but swallow it directly without opening the foil but glad I was able to notice and grab it immediately from her.She can’t grab the spoon and even asked what she will do with the spoon. She cries a lot.
With these symptoms, the diagnosis was Stroke causing her to experience Dementia. CT Scan Result shows Chronic Infarct, right basal ganglia with focal encephalomalacia.
We have a long battle to go through with this condition and finding what it is all about will definitely help us along the way. There are 3 things that we should look at : (1) Understanding The Condition (2) The Stages of Dementia (3) Managing Stress
So, here is some research about this condition:
Understanding the Condition
Chronic Infarct – “A cerebral infarction is an area of necrotic tissue in the brain resulting from a blockage or narrowing of the arteries supplying blood and oxygen to the brain.” More Details HERE
Basal Ganglia – “A region of the base of the brain that consists of three clusters of neurons (caudate nucleus, putamen, and globus pallidus) that are responsible for involuntary movements”. More details HERE
Encephalomalacia – “Abnormal softness of the cerebral parenchyma often due to ischemia or infarction.” More details HERE
As I’ve mentioned, because of this stroke, it leads to DEMENTIA.
“Dementia refers to a category of diseases that cause loss of memory and deterioration in other mental functions. Dementia occurs due to physical changes in the brain and is a progressive disease, meaning it gets worse over time.” “It is an umbrella term that covers many types of diseases that all result in a decrease in memory, the ability to think and reason and the ability for a person to care for herself.”
According to Healthline, there are 7 types of dementia:
- Alzheimer
- Dementia with Lewy Bodies
- Vascular Dementia
- Parkinson’s disease
- Frontotemporal Dementia
- Mixed Dementia
Among the type, she falls into Vascular Dementia. Vascular dementia is also known as post-stroke or multi-infarct dementia.
The Three Stages of Dementia
According to understanding-dementia.com , there are 3 stages of Dementia
Dementia Stage 1:
“The person becomes aware that she is not thinking and remembering as she did in the past. At this stage, she is pretty good at covering up gaps and lapses in memory.”
Dementia Stage 2:
“At this stage memory lapses and confusion become more obvious and the person can no longer hide her memory gaps from family and friends. Her short term memory is very impaired and she may ask a lot of repetitive questions and be anxious about when events are happening.”
Dementia Stage 3:
“At this stage, your family member is highly impaired by her dementia. It is obvious to anyone speaking to her for more than a few minutes that something is wrong with her ability to think. Her dementia may also limit her ability to communicate”
Managing Stress
I can’t hide the fact that as early as now, we are going through some issues. It created a significant challenge for us as a couple. The financial, physical and emotional demands of caring for someone with dementia can be high. These needs will increase as time goes by and that it is important to look after ourselves or it may wear us down.
As always, LIFE is a choice. It’s either we COMPLAIN or ACCEPT. And we choose to ACCEPT and BE STRONG for this new SEASON of our lives. We may face more struggles and troubles but I am holding and claiming God’s promises:
God will never leave us nor forsake us and God is in control.
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10
Keep on moving, Jane!
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11
by Medical Health Article | Feb 28, 2017 | Conditions
On December 16, 2012, I was shocked and afraid when the doctor told me that I have an ameloblastoma (jaw tumor) and that I need to undergo a surgery. The doctor told me, you don’t have to worry. Everything will be alright and it’s not life threatening. I cried. I was so sad. The few thoughts, what will happen to my children, am I going to die, where will I get money for the operation? Life is really full of surprises you will never know what it may bring to you. Along the way, no matter how difficult it is, I need to learn to accept things the way it is. Yes, it is difficult, it’s a roller coaster of emotion.
Here’s an x-ray of my ameloblastoma! But what is Ameloblastoma? According to Mayo Clinic, Ameloblastoma is is a rare, noncancerous (benign) tumor that develops most often in the jaw near the molars. It is a rare disorder of the jaw involving abnormal tissue growth. The tumor is usually not malignant (benign) but the tissue growth may become aggressive and it may cause severe abnormalities in the face and jaw just like this photo HERE.
Ameloblastoma Treatment
There is no medicine to treat the condition and you are left with jaw removal, chemotherapy, radio therapy, enucleation and resection surgery. I opted for Resection and Enucleation Surgery. Resection and Enucleation Surgery is a process of removing the tumor and the normal tissue around it.
For more than 4 years, I cannot eat on my right side. How does it look like to be in this condition? Imagine this watermelon
All of those red parts are removed (teeth and gums) and I am left only with that very small space. Just imagine 🙂
The Surgery
I was too worried during that time, after 5 days of diagnosis, I decided to go through with the surgery. I have no money to go for it. But God is so great, everything was provided. I told the doctor, I don’t have the money to go through with surgery but wow he said, let’s do it Jane. Just pay it forward. Don’t worry about me and just think about the hospital expenses. See how great God is!
The Journey
It is not easy. Those sleepless nights. You worry. That’s normal. You are not alone. Your mind is wandering around.
I came to the point of asking God. Why me? I am not a bad person but why do I have to go through with this.
But you know what as I went through with that, great things happened to me. Things may have been different now, it may be an abnormal condition, something may be empty. But God helped me go through this condition.
God allowed me to experience HIS GREATNESS…
When I have no one who can feel my pain
Cling on when I was in such in great pain
My loved ones are there with me but they cannot do anything but to see me cry in pain.
But Thank God. He Sees Me Through that Moment
Rising Up
Going through that battle, there were two choices. Should I remain sad or be happy? Should I worry or should I lift everything to God? Should I despair or should I hope again? And yes LIFE IS A CHOICE ! I choose to be happy and lift up everything to God. I choose to RISE UP and become a better version of myself.
I told you I asked God why me. And now I know everything happens for a reason. I cannot share His Greatness if I did not experience the storm. And today, who would have thought that I will become a speaker. Oh my, I am using my hollow mouth in creating awareness on how people can work from home. My mouth says it all 🙂
Cheer Up, My Friend! Take the day as if it is your last. Treasure each moment with your loved ones! Rise Up, Be an Overcomer. Because You are A Winner!
by Medical Health Article | Nov 15, 2015 | Fitness
The aspect of fitness that most people miss is the easy part. First, we have to understand what fitness is. Fitness is the care of the human body so that it works with a minimum of disease, difficulty, and breakdown. That is the same with describing a machine, but that is what our body is a miracle machine.
As with all machines, the type of fuel we use in the machine is vital because if low-grade fuel goes into the machine, the result is low grade as well. We live in a society where sugar is the king of the diet scenario. If a baby progresses a taste for sugar when it is very young, the parents are in for a difficult time in attempting to get the child to eat anything that is nutritional because of the addicting taste that sugar has.
The next time you visit the supermarket, take a look at the ingredients of many of the foods in the aisle. You may want to consider the best super foods that will help you remain healthy. Notice particularly the children’s snack, cereals, and even some of the main courses. Look for fructose and sucrose because those are sugars. Most of the drinks that are geared for kids are full of sugar, not to mention soft drinks.
Adults have the same problem, in that much of the foods that we think are nutritious are also sugar laden. We need to focus on lots and lots of vegetables, and some fruits and lean meats such as poultry and fish. Our diets are the first leg of gaining, and maintaining fitness for our bodies. And that is the easy part we mentioned earlier.
Next comes the harder part, but not so much if we get organized a little bit. Exercise is necessary because our bodies are built for it. Our muscles need to be stimulated, our blood vessels need to be cleaned out a little, and our hearts thrive on exercise. All that has to be done is walk a little while each day. None of the marathon running stuff, just take your time and walk for a half & hour per day. There are different options to consider which are simple fitness, simple eating, and faster results such as 21 Day Fix, a simple 30-minute work out program.
A half hour of walking equals about ¾ to one mile. Take your time and enjoy the scenery, but that one little thing means a lot to your body.
Get plenty of sleep and drink plenty of water. Without enough rest, the body cannot recharge. Almost all healing is accomplished while we sleep. Need we say more? Water flushes our system and is necessary to keep things moving. Our body consists of 50 to 60% water so it is important to keep hydrated.
To pamper yourself, include a monthly full body massage on your activity. Monthly massage comes with many benefits, such as preventing loss of mobility and injuries, maintaining your body in healthier condition, and most importantly restoring mobility to all injured muscles or soft tissues. It works through physiological, psychological, and physical processes.
The difficult part with regards to all of this is that we need to decide to do something. Good health and fitness don’t happen automatically. It takes years to get into some of the health difficulties of some people, caused by little or no exercise and eating all of the wrong foods over a period of time. It makes sense that it will take a while to undo all of the harm that has been done.
by Medical Health Article | Nov 8, 2015 | Treatments
An athlete can perform at a high skill level when everything on their body is working well. However, it is a fact that one may experience various pains such as back pain, leg pain, knee pain, hip pain and even calf cramps.
Calf Cramps
Calf cramps are very common and they feel like a sharp and very intense pain in the calf that starts after heavy physical activities.
Hip Pain
Hip pain is one of the most stressful types of pain, not just because it can be very difficult but also because it can affect your movement. When people experience hip pain, they may also have signs such as stiffness that would prevent them leading a normal everyday life.
Leg Pain
Leg pain normally occurs because of an injury one may encounter as an athlete. The person may experience numbness or a tingling sensation that comes with the leg pain.
Back Pain
People with back pain may experience a stabbing, burning, aching and a sharp sensation.
For all sort of pain, there are various medications and likewise alternative ways to manage pain such as a massage therapy. Therapeutic massage may include remedial massage, sports massage, deep tissue massage, Swedish massage and even reflexology.
Regular massage activity can be a great way to manage your body, release from stress, and prevent any pain caused by any form without having to take pain medication.An athlete can perform at a high skill level when everything on their body is working well. However, it is a fact that one may experience various pains such as back pain, leg pain, knee pain, hip pain and even calf cramps.
Calf Cramps
Calf cramps are very common and they feel like a sharp and very intense pain in the calf that starts after heavy physical activities.
by Medical Health Article | Sep 27, 2014 | Treatments
From an early age we learned that a touch of the hand can ease pain. When a child bangs his knees while running he will instinctively rub on the affected area. While an adult having a stiff neck will attempt to massage it. For a dancer who has probably tried to get rid of pain in her back will schedule an appointment with a message therapist.
The power of healing of a well placed hand is so evident since every culture in history has used massage to relieve pain. The invention of medicine in the modern times has lead to the slowly fading away of massage but majority of people are returning to therapeutic massage for pain relief.
If someone suffers from a chronic or mild pain will opt to attempt massage. The effect of massage has different ways of easing the pain. One of the effects , is that it will tend to increase the blood flow to the sores areas or the stiff joints which are warmed by the additional circulation. A study showed that massage speeds up the flow of oxytocin a hormone that relaxes muscles and also promote the effect of calmness and satisfaction. The same hormone is said to be the one present before women get to labour. It is said to relax the uterus and also helps build strong bonds between the mother and the infant.
Therapeutic message may also alter the way the brain perceives pain. The great feeling of a good massage can make the brain overlook on other aches. There is no reason of doubt about a good rub easing pain and tightness in strained and overworked muscles. There are now studies showing that it can also relieve chronic pain. A study in the internal medicine found massage to be more superior to acupuncture in terms of relieving pain. The patients who underwent massage were found to be four times less likely to be bedridden with pain. This led to the conclusion that massages might be the ultimate alternative to the conventional medicine for unrelenting back pain.
There are different level of pain and likewise with therapeutic massage it has also it’s own kind that maybe applicable to pain. It can either be through remedial massage, swedish massage, deep tissue massage or can be a sports massage. For individuals looking for a natural way to cope with chronic pain, massage therapy can really boost the value of life by impacting great mood and also relief pain
