Our Best Tips

10 Tips to Avoid Your Illness Support Group Becoming Depressing

February 3, 2012 By admin 1 Comment

If you live with a chronic illness or chronic pain, the odds are that you have at least tried a support group once since your diagnosis. Did the situation go something like this? You felt awful the entire day but you decided to get in the car and go to the support group anyway. You thought it would be good for you. It took forever to find the building at the hospital and then you ended up parking what seemed like a mile from the suite number. You found a chair that smelled like old sweat and smoke and hoped somehow you would find some encouragement. But an hour later you're ready to make dash for the door. Everyone seems to be so depressed! And too many people want to either sell you a juicer that is sure to cure your problems, or … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Church Leader, Need to Know, Our Best Tips, Support Group Leader Tagged With: Anita Renfroe, avoid support group getting depressings, Chronic, Chronic Illness, Conditions and Diseases, David Spiegel, handbook for support groups, Health, how to start a support group, keep your support group upbeat, Rhode Island, Support group, support group outline, support group tips, Website

Resources and Gadgets to Improve Your Health When You are Chronically Ill

January 17, 2012 By admin Leave a Comment

By Lisa Copen It is the time of year when many people are setting fresh goals regarding their health. For one who is chronically ill, however, it can be discouraging and you can feel a bit helpless at the lack of options you have available. Well, due to technology, there may just be some new possibilities for you! Here are a few we have found below. Many people do not want or cannot afford an ipad or an iphone to be able to use the apps in many new technological health advances. If these are something you are interested in, you may want to invest in an iTouch for less than $200. It has the ability to do everything an iphone does but make calls, and there is no monthly fee. You can only connect to wi-fi in a "hot spot" (like your home, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Exercise, Links, Our Best Tips, Person w/ Illness, What's New? Tagged With: CureTogether, iphone, iPod, Mehmet Oz, Sphygmomanometer, Wii, Wii Balance Board, Wii Fit

AMC Theaters Offers Movie Times for Those with Sensory Sensitivities

January 12, 2012 By admin 2 Comments

I love movies. If I am watching a movie at home I feel like I need to be folding laundry or working or something. But sitting in a theater, I feel as though I am allowed (required even!) to sit in the dark and give it my full attention. Not everyone gets to enjoy this temporary getaway, however, when it is all a bit too much for your child's sense--or even your own. So I was thrilled to see that AMC Theaters and the Autism Society have teamed up to allow families who are affected by autism (or other disabilities--anyone qualifies) a chance to see movies in a environment that won't overload their senses. The idea for this program all started when one parent who had a child with autism asked for a special screening at AMC Columbia Mall … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Events, Our Best Tips, Parent of Ill or Disabled Child, What's New? Tagged With: add, adhd, asperger's, Autism, Child, disabilities, Disabled, entetainment, movies, sensory integration disorders, sensory processing disorder, sid, spd, theater

Crutches Don’t Have To Be Depressing! An Amazing Story

May 26, 2011 By admin 1 Comment

Debbie Farmer "LemonAid Crutches"(TM) is the first company to create lovely designer crutches in rich, vivid colors and gorgeous, expressive fabrics. Being on crutches can be a sad, depressing experience, but this store makes it a bit more enjoyable and a whole lot more cheerful. On the LemonAid Crutches (TM) web site it shares, "No one wants to be on crutches. They hurt your hands, they hurt your arms and they certainly hurt your sense of style. Many have tried to tackle the challenge of adding comfort to an uncomfortable item, but duct tape and washcloths look…well…tacky. That's why we created designer crutch-wear that's not only comfortable, but fun and fabulous looking." Founder Laurie Johnson's personal testimony to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Hobbies-Crafts, Joy, Links, Our Best Tips, Person w/ Illness, Tools, What's New? Tagged With: accessories for crutches, businesses out of tragedy, crafts for canes, Crutch, crutches decorated, gift for ill friend, gifts for the chronically ill, Health, inspirational article, Laurie Johnson, lemonaid crutches

How to Swallow Large Pills Without Gagging

February 19, 2011 By admin 5 Comments

Ever have some of those pills that look so big you think they belong to a large animal, not a human being? One of the biggest deterrents to my taking vitamins regularly is that some days I just can't swallow those pills without the gagging reflex kicking in. I recently read this tip in a magazine and it really does seem to help. Tilt your chin DOWN when swallowing instead of up, as what comes naturally since we are trying to swallow. Evidently, this position of your throat then opens up the esophagus and closes the windpipe and the pill can slide down more easily! -ljc Related articles When a Pill Gets Stuck (everydayhealth.com) How do I give an autistic child vitamins? (cnn.com) Pill-Crumbling Machines - The Automatic … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Our Best Tips Tagged With: Esophagitis, Esophagus, Health, Pharmaceutical drug, Pharmacy, Recreation, Shopping, Swallow

Illness Can Help Us Get Creative in Problem Solving

November 2, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

By Rhonda Sawtelle I’ve been busy unpacking in my “new” place. I’m enjoying the remodel results. The unpacking has been moving slowly for several reasons: (1) my pain level can’t take too much at one time: (2) I’m rearranging things. I decided while packing up my apartment, that this would be the time to reevaluate what I have where and why. Throughout the years, I’ve worked on getting things which help keep my pain level lower: sleep number bed in the bedroom, a high table in the kitchen, a shelving unit putting things within my reach (my pantry), and most recently the daybed and new mattress in the living room. Yet, I didn’t think through where things were put and how they affected my pain. Until now. One … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Organizing, Our Best Tips, What's New? Tagged With: Chronic pain, Clinics and Practices, Health, Medical Specialties, Medicine, Pain, Pain Mgmt & Illnesses, Pantry

Cecil Murphy and Twila Belk Beginning Live Call-In Show Tonight

October 1, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Many of you are familiar with Cecil Murphy, if not from one of his 100+ books, then from the lovely book, “90 Minutes in Heaven” (which we carry at Rest Ministries bookstore!) Twila says, “We’ll have a bit of fun and give you the opportunity to learn the inside scoop on Cec. And we’ll dialogue about a different topic each weeksometimes tough topics.” In light of so much recent news in the media about lawsuits surrounding the issue of sexual abuse, and because Cec is a survivor and has written When a Man You Love Was Abused: A Woman’s Guide to Helping Him Overcome Childhood Sexual Molestation , we’ll discuss that topic during our first show. If you listen to the live streaming, call in with questions and comments at … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Announcements, Church Leader, Depression, Links, Our Best Tips, Person w/ Illness, Podcasts, Support Group Leader Tagged With: Caregiver, cecil murphey, Child sexual abuse, Men, National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Pope Benedict XVI, Sexual abuse, Support Groups, Survivors, twila belk

Battery Operated Flameless Candles Great Gift Idea For Chronically Ill By Beyond Casseroles Author Lisa Copen

October 1, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

As Autumn is upon us we are tempted to go buy those sweet smelling candles that have scents of pumpkin, spice cake, apples and more. I do love them and it creates a cozy mood, especially when the time changes and it gets dark earlier. But I’ve not hand a candle with a wick and a flame for years due to my own concern about remembering to put it out or bump it. Join me in the video below for a few minutes as I share my first tip from Beyond Casseroles: 505 Ways to Encourage a Chronically Ill Friend . And remember, these videos can all be embedded directly into YOUR web site or blog too if you have one. When the video is done playing, just click on the “share” button for the piece of code. (And… if you can click “like” … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Beyond Casseroles, Caregiver, Church Leader, Founder's Blog, Friend Has Illness, Our Best Tips, Videos Tagged With: beyond casseroles, Candle, Chronic (medicine), church helps, church illness ministry, Church Resources, church videos, God, Home & Garden, lisa copen, Lord, Rest Ministries, Rheumatoid arthritis, Shopping, Video

Writing Brings Healing to the Soul

July 26, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

By Lisa Saunders, Special Guest Writer The moment I gave birth to my daughter Elizabeth in December of 1989, I felt a stab of fear—her head was so small, so deformed. Within 12 hours, I was told she had been profoundly disabled by congenital CMV (cytomegalovirus). The neonatologist said, “If she lives, she will never roll over, sit up, or feed herself.” He was right. Writing (& Scripture) was how I dealt with my initial shock & grief--organizing my thoughts of despair by getting them down on paper stopped them from endlessly swirling around & overwhelming me. Getting my revelations & stories inspired by Elizabeth published made me feel less alone as I connected with others. Sharing my story with others not … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Caregiver, Our Best Tips, Parent of Ill or Disabled Child, Parenting, Parents of Adult Children Tagged With: Arts, Cytomegalovirus, E-book, Lisa Saunders, Non-fiction, Online Writing, Publishing, Writer, Writers Resources, Writing

Coupons & More Coupons

June 10, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

I love the little thrill of clipping out the coupon for an item I would have purchased even without the coupon. But it can actually be even a little more exciting to find printable coupons online that you wouldn't have had otherwise. We found another site to add to you money-saving bookmarks: smartsource.com & then enter your zipcode. Another tips is look up your favorite local stores on Facebook or Twitter or ask them if they have a site that offers coupons. Lately I've noticed nearly every little store I go into from Smoothie King to the movies has a Facebook account for that LOCAL shop with coupons just for local customers! And while you are clipping coupons, if you see a big ticket item with a great coupon, clip it & as you are … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Links, Our Best Tips, Save $, What's New? Tagged With: Bookselling, burlap coastal wreath, burlap seaside wreath, clip coupons, Coupon, Facebook, Hessian (cloth), Home, Hot-melt adhesive, how to make a burlap wreath, Pablo Picasso, save money, Social network, Twitter, Wire

Make Your Own Artwork for Pennies

June 5, 2010 By admin 1 Comment

When you live with a chronic illness your house can get so dreary. We are often there--at home--looking at the same old knick knacks day after day, watching those dust bunnies grow into adulthood (oh, I'm sorry, maybe that is just at my house!) Well, either way, summer is just around the corner & maybe you are looking around wondering how you could cheer the place up. Or maybe you have kids that are out of school & they are bored & need a project. Here is a cool little tool we found! You can create a poster with the printer you have, even though your printer will only take regular sized 8 1/2 x 11 pieces of paper. Posterazor has a great video that shows how to download this free software & then how to upload your print. I can see … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Hobbies-Crafts, Links, Our Best Tips, Parenting, Person w/ Illness, Save $, Silly Stuff, What's New? Tagged With: Arts, blindness, cronically ill, Free, light of world, Lymph node, Mark 1, Matthew, Printer, Salt and Light, searching for healing touch of jesus, seeing in the dark, what can we see in the dark, working with blind children

If You Are On Facebook & Grandma is Not

May 30, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

If you and many family members have started to share information about your daily happenings as well as photos, you may see how fun it is to connect with loved ones and hear from them more than just one time a year at Christmas. One of the reasons I personally like Facebook is that I receive "real life" updates - about the dog that had to go to the vet after eating a rubber ball, the kid's school play, and even the whole family being sick. I know what to pray for for people today! And the information they share is not all sugar-coated like in the annual Christmas newsletter. But what about Grandma? Or is there someone in your family who refuses to jump on the FB bandwagon even though you have told them all about the fun photos and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Caregiver, Church Leader, Explaining Illness, Grandparents, Links, Organizing, Our Best Tips, Support Group Leader, Technology, What's New? Tagged With: Canada, Christmas, Facebook, Family, Online Communities, People, Social network