Help! Q/A

Can I Be a “Healthy” Ill Person?

March 8, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

I was just recently diagnosed with a chronic illness & am in my thirties. It’s a path I didn’t think I’d be on for a long time if ever! I don’t want my illness to consume me, but where do I start it making wise choices? Can I be a “healthy” sick person? -Amy Choosing to live well with a chronic illness isn’t easy. But after living with systemic lupus for more than 9 years, I now know that taking this step is paramount to improving life with a chronic illness. It takes keen self- awareness, patience, & forethought to actually choose “well”, but it can be done, & the results are worth every bit of effort you put forth. What does choosing “well” mean? It means acknowledging that you have an illness that is chronic, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Coping Skills, Help! Q/A, Person w/ Illness, What's New? Tagged With: Bald Eagle, Bird nest, Chronic, Chronic Illness, chronically ill, Conditions and Diseases, Decorah Iowa, Disease, Health, ici, Indiana, invisible illness, live web cam eagle, ministry leadership, Pain, ustream eagle, Watch, Webcam

What’s a Man With an Illness do as a New Empty Nester?

March 1, 2010 By admin 1 Comment

I am the father of a 22-year-old son who recently moved out of the house. My wife works at a local craft store full time, but I have been unable to work the last few years due to a degenerative chronic illness. Usually it seems the women grieve an "empty nest" more than the men, but since I was the one around the house with my son, I feel like it is impacting me more than ever. I'm quickly getting depressed about how quiet is & how, well, dull my life actually is without the energy of my son here. Where do I go from here? -Jonathan Jonathan, it's interesting that you should bring this up. My best friend (Kathleen Y'Barbo) & I just wrote a book for Empty Nest moms titled, "The House is Quiet. . .Now What?" In it, we deal with nine … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Help! Q/A, Marriage, Parenting, Person w/ Illness, Reflection Tagged With: Christian encouragement, christian faith, Chronic, Chronic Illness, Chronic pain, daily devotionals, Health, hopekeepers, House, illness ministry, invisible illness, Jesus, Lord, meditation, Migraine, moms on a mission, moms with missions, mothers of preschoolers, Rest Ministries, Trust (social sciences), West Michigan

Do We Really Need All The Drugs?

February 24, 2010 By admin 3 Comments

What do you think about the multiple drugs we have to take? When one lives as I do with fibromyalgia & chronic pain as well as other symptoms, do you think some of it is a crutch? Lack of faith? Or what? —Margaret deVries, Ladson, SC No one would tell a child with diabetes that her insulin was a “crutch.” Nobody would think that a man with a heart condition lacked faith because of his dependence on nitroglycerin. We all underst& that medications help hurting bodies to function more normally. So, I suspect that your question goes deeper than that. Perhaps others have questioned the validity of your illness, fibromyalgia. Chronic pain syndromes are no different from diseases such as diabetes or heart disease. Seeking relief … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Coping Skills, Help! Q/A, Person w/ Illness Tagged With: amy chai, Chronic pain, Conditions and Diseases, Doctor, Fibromyalgia, Health, Heart disease, MD, Medicine, Pharmaceutical drug, Physician

Do Pro-biotic Foods Work?

February 16, 2010 By admin 1 Comment

With the many medications I am on I continually fighting c&ida. Does the yogurt that is advertised as having probiotics like Activa or Yo-Plus really make a difference & how much of it do I have to eat? Would the benefits be worth the additional calories & sugar? -Diane Great question, Diane! I have found a bag of mixed information on Activia-everything from it containing an abundance of sugar (34 grams in an 8 ounce serving), to chemically engineered ingredients like modified corn starch. Sugar feeds c&ida, so you'll need to monitor your intake closely & I suggest you a start a daily food journal. Clear your diet of all yeast containing foods & white flour/white sugar based products & switch to whole grains & breads made without … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Help! Q/A, Person w/ Illness Tagged With: Health, Inflammatory bowel disease, Joni, Lisa Saunders, Psoriasis, Psoriatic arthritis, Reference work, Rosary, Sugar

My Family Doesn’t See The Benefit of Me Doing Online Ministry When Bed-Bound

February 7, 2010 By admin 7 Comments

I spend a great deal of time in bed due to my illness & have made some amazing friendships & really feel like God has given me a ministry on the Internet reaching out to other people who are hurting & encouraging them. I am on Facebook, twitter, & other social networks. But my family sees this as an aimless waste of time & tells me that I don't have real relationships with these people so I can't truly make a difference. Do you think they are right? And if not, how can I convince them that people online need the Lord too & I may be someone they reach out to? -Renee (real name withheld) Renee, I disagree with your family. God has given us a wonderful tool to use to glorify Him. I have been a support group leader for people who suffer … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Explaining Illness, Help! Q/A, Person w/ Illness Tagged With: Author, Bears, Christian encouragement, Christianity, Ecclesiastes, encouragement, Epistle to the Colossians, Facebook, free daily bread devotionals, God, Hospital, Human, Illness, Jehovah Jireh, Jesus, Lisa Saunders, My Times, Newspaper, Religion and Spirituality, Social network, suffering, Support group

What Exercise Can I Do While Stuck in Bed?

January 24, 2010 By admin 1 Comment

Got any good ideas for workouts for when you are bed-bound once in a while? Cynthia Jean The most effective exercises to do while bedfast, are called isometrics. These exercises do not involve movement, yet they challenge the muscle tissues. Isometric exercises can be used on every muscle in the body. An example of an isometric exercise is to tighten your stomach. Do this by pulling the belly button towards the spine. It’s the same feeling as if you were trying to squeeze into a tight pair of pants. Hold this contraction for a count of two, then release & tighten again. Repeat for eight to ten repetitions. To strengthen the glutes, while lying on your back, tighten the muscles in your behind as if you were trying to lift your … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Exercise, Help! Q/A, Person w/ Illness Tagged With: Ecclesiastes, finding bible scriptures, Fitness, free daily bread devotionals, Health, inspirational bible scriptures, inspirational poems and scriptures, Martial arts, more daily devotionals via email, our daily bread devotion book, Physical exercise, short inspirational devotionals

Why Won’t My Doctor Treat Me?

December 15, 2009 By admin 3 Comments

What do you suggest to a patient who likely has a chronic illness but whose doctor refuses to treat her or refer her to a specialist? I have a friend whose doctor insists on treating her with antibiotics to treat the symptoms, but not the illness. It has been going on for over a year. She is suffering & getting depressed. —name withheld Does your friend have an HMO that requires her primary physician to be a “gate keeper?” In this model, doctors must cut costs by limiting referrals. It may be necessary to contact the HMO administration to dem& a second opinion. Read the fine print in the insurance packet before calling. Alternatively, she may request a new primary physician. These two processes will take … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Advocacy, Anger, Doctor, Help! Q/A, Person w/ Illness Tagged With: Acute pharyngitis, Chronic, Conditions and Diseases, Health, Internal Medicine, Medicine, Pain, Physician

I’m unemployed & wondering if you have any suggestions?

November 12, 2009 By admin 2 Comments

I'm unemployed & wondering if you have any suggestions for a mom with an illness who is interested in legitimate work at home ideas? We've all seen the figures. Right now in our country we're facing a 10.2% unemployment rate. That number speaks volumes. What happens when income that you had coming in every week suddenly stops? Sure, we all know we should have saved for such an event, but many Americans are barely making by. And experts say that the 10.2% is really just the icing on the cake. Many more have faced having their hours cut, having to take more days off, etc. So, what are your options? Can working from home somehow help? First, consider if this is the time to start a home-based business. Perhaps you have been thinking … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Help! Q/A, Parenting, Person w/ Illness, Save $ Tagged With: Business, christia, Florida, jill hart, mom, Online shopping, Small business, Social network service, Unemployment, United States, web design, work at home

My Aging Dad Needs Me as His Caregiver

October 20, 2009 By admin 1 Comment

I am feeling overwhelmed. I have multiple sclerosis & thankfully am still mobile, but I never know when a bad flare may occur & I suffer from fatigue all of the time. My Dad lives about 30 minutes away & is needing more full-time caregiving. (Mom died when I was young.) I am not sure what to do. Just the drive alone is getting to be too much, & am I selfish to not want to give up all my weekends? He has no money except the house he is living in & he wants to live on his own as long as possible. The Bible says to honor my father & I want to. I just don't know what is best for my own health too. What are my options? -Jill Dearest Jill, Overwhelmed is a feeling you’re more than justified in experiencing. My guess, from your … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Caregiver, Caregiving, Church Leader, Help! Q/A, Overwhelmed, Person w/ Illness Tagged With: active lifestyle, Associations, Bible, care-giver, Caregiver, chronically ill person becomes the caregiver, Conditions and Diseases, Demyelinating Diseases, fatigue, Health, Home Care, Home Health, how to be a caregiver for your parent, illness and pain, Medicaid, Moody Publishers, Multiple sclerosis, MultipleSclerosis, national caregiver association, Neurological Disorders, Service Providers

My Parents Don’t Believe I am Really Ill

October 12, 2009 By admin 6 Comments

I am 36 & was diagnosed with fibromyalgia last year, but I've had the severe symptoms for about 3 years. My husb& has been supportive, but my parents don't believe I really have this illness & if I do I should just take the medicine they see on the commercials & get on with life. I love them & want to still have some kind of relationship with them, but it is causing stress on my marriage too, because my husb& can't bear to see me hurt by them any more. -Sherry Dear Sherry, I’m sorry you’re hurting. Sometimes it can be very difficult for others to underst& or to accept the reality of a chronic illness. Often times, they don’t realize that the debilitating affects of an illness like Fibromyalgia vary from patient to patient … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Church Leader, Depression, Help! Q/A, Hurt Feelings, Need to Know, Parent of Ill or Disabled Child, Person w/ Illness, Person w/ lll Spouse, Support Group Leader Tagged With: Chronic, Chronic fatigue syndrome, Chronic Illness, Coaching, Conditions and Diseases, Connective Tissue, educate about illness, family doesn't believe I am ill, family doesn't believe illness, family doesn't get it, family doesn't understand illness, fatigue, fibro, Fibromyalgia, fm, fms, Health, invisible illness, Marriage, Medicine, Musculoskeletal Disorders, relationship struggles, Relationships, Support Groups

How Has The New Age Movement Affected The Medical Field?

October 12, 2009 By admin 7 Comments

The New Age Movement has a lot to say about spirituality, but it rejects Christ’s claim of absolute truth. The idea that truth is a matter of personal preference has influenced our culture, our political system, & even our churches. It comes as no surprise that New Age philosophy has affected the field of medicine. Modern “conventional” medicine sprang from the uniquely Christian idea that truth never changes. Shamanism & alchemy were utterly debunked in the intellectual wildfire sparked by the reformation of the Christian Church. Science as we know it was born. Now “alternative” medicine is gaining ground, offering a more spiritual approach to physical healing. Unfortunately, the religious philosophy it is based … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Alternative Treatments, Doctor, Faith Illness Research, Help! Q/A, Medical Professional, Person w/ Illness Tagged With: Alternative medicine, Amy Fogelstrom Chai, Christian Church, Christianity, Health, Internal Medicine, MD, Medicine, MS, New Age, Opposing Views, Religion and Spirituality

I’m a Chronically Ill Mom w/ Son w/ Autism

October 5, 2009 By admin 7 Comments

I am a mom of a 2-year-old who was just diagnosed with autism. I also have had fibromyalgia for 5 years. I don't know how I am going to get through this. I had assumed that, with husb&'s help, I could be a pretty good mom despite my illness. But now with all of the extra attention he is going to need, as well as therapy, doctor's appointments, & even the possibility of needing a caregiver the rest of his life, I feel completely overwhelmed & even a bit betrayed by the Lord. Where do I start to work my way through these emotions? -Name Withheld Wow, your family has a lot to h&le right now. First, you should know that the feeling of being overwhelmed is normal. The fact that you recognize & want to address those emotions shows that you … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Caregiver, Coping Skills, Help! Q/A, Overwhelmed, Parent of Ill or Disabled Child, Parenting, Person w/ Illness Tagged With: Autism, Autism Society of America, Autism spectrum, chronically ill mom, Disorders, fibromyaliga association, Health, ill mom with autistic child, Mental Health, mom with illness, Neurodevelopmental, Support group

Can I Be a “Healthy” Ill Person?

Do We Really Need All The Drugs?

Do Pro-biotic Foods Work?

What Exercise Can I Do While Stuck in Bed?

Why Won’t My Doctor Treat Me?

My Aging Dad Needs Me as His Caregiver

My Parents Don’t Believe I am Really Ill

How Has The New Age Movement Affected The Medical Field?

I’m a Chronically Ill Mom w/ Son w/ Autism

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