BlogHer - From Broken To BlogHer -- One Woman's Journey Toward Hope - Comments

Thanks Margalite...

Catherine Morgan — Sat, 05 May 2007 20:32:31 -0500

Thanks for the kind words Margalite. I do try to grind fresh flax seed and put it in oatmeal in the mornings.

Catherine Morgan
Women 4 Hope and Be The Change You Want To See In Yourself

Dear Catherine,I am so

margalite — Sat, 05 May 2007 00:27:01 -0500

Dear Catherine,

I am so happy for you --- that you found your solution to an incredibly serious health problem (and one that would not be on the radar for most clinicians) AND that you are installed happily on the staff at BlogHer.

I certainly wish you well on both counts.

I also want to mention that my child and I are 17 year veterans of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia --- January 1990 changed our lives.

Back then and for many years later, we were the ones tilting at windmills and getting told, "well if we find out what it is, we don't know what to do about it, so why try?"

Why! Maybe we'd like to have a chance at not sitting in the same place all day, barely being able to get up to go to the bathroom, and that was the first 6 months, for both of us. My husband would come home and take care of everything for us and set-up everything for the next day --- and he'd had open-heart surgery only months before.

I did read later that such traumatic events as his surgery can devastate the immunity of others in the family, from stress, to be at-risk for as much as 5 years later, just in those with normal health. All of us need to take-care during turmoil. We were struck down right away, when the stress was worst, and then my father died in the next December, so yet another trauma.

My child is now 28 and still does not have normal energy or resilience. Hard to be struck-down from an optimally healthy life at 10. I was obviously older and recovered even less well, but still amazingly, from where we started.

I haven't followed CFS and Fibromyalgia much over the years, mostly because I think if one can have optimal health (on a personal "best", as you say), then that's all you can do.

We both work at being the best we can be, and we respect our bodies and mind and nourish our spirit, as much as possible in a crazy world and life. We try to stop well before we collapse. It's hard to have to stop when everyone can do more.

I still have memory problems, too, and did not know if I had the double-whammy of menopause on top of it all, when most women get brain-fog. Now, at almost 61, I am well past menopause and still working hard with my mind every day to "use it or lose it", but it is no longer the absolutely phenomenal mind it was. I mourn it, but keep striving.

After 2 1/2 years, I will finally have health coverage again, so I will ask whoever my new doctor will be (I can't return to the same health plan), to do a B12 just in case, but we were very knowledgeable vegetarians, so I do not think that was contributing back then. Now we are piscatarians, so it should not be a factor, either.

I really appreciate you bringing up all of this, and I hope that you are aware of the important value of essential fatty acids (from hempseed, flax, avocado, virgin organic coconut oils) to help with both CFS and Fibromyalgia.

I wish you the best on your Journey, and I am hopeful that those with CFS and Fibromyalgia can make great progress with nutritional therapies.

Best to all ---
Margalite

P.S. Please visit me at: http://diabetesdietdialogue.wordpress.com
"Everyone knows someone who needs this information!" (TM)

Great First Post

credibilitybranding2 — Tue, 01 May 2007 00:08:56 -0500

Jennifer McLean
Nascent Group / Credibility Branding
http://www.credibilitybrandingblog.com
Http://www.bigbookofyoublog.com

Hi Catherine,

What a great inspirational first post. I also left you a note of congratulations over at MyBlogLog and ran into you here rather coincidentally. Great gig... you deserve it! (My moniker there is ZennJenn for my new healing focused blog.)

I will be a regular reader of yours.

Best,
Jennifer

You are so right....

Catherine Morgan — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 00:17:36 -0500

Hi Cynthia - Thank you so much for this comment. You bring up so many important aspects of the problems facing patients with chronic illness...Let me take a moment to weigh-in.

Please understand that I am quite convinced that there is a powerful mind/body connection that affects our overall health, but I don't think we have a clue about what the direct causal relationships are. I am amazed at how often and how quickly certain illnesses are attributed by others some sort of psychological or spiritual issue.

This is so true. There is no doubt that a "real" mind/body connection exists. There is even some validity to the "law of attraction" idea that is seeing renewed attention because of the book, "The Secret". To some degree, if you believe good things are possible for yourself...you may appear to be "attracting" these good things. And, if you believe nothing good will ever come to you...then quite possibly, opportunities may pass you by. I would also put forth the idea that if you believe you can attract good things, you are more likely to "recognize" a good opportunity when it comes your way, than if you believe nothing good will ever happen to you. This idea could be less about "attraction" and more about "awareness". Either way, it is obviously a better idea to be an optimistic person than a pessimistic person. But, to attempt to apply this type of mindset to medical conditions or chronic illness, is really absurd...to say the least.

I have seen needless suffering on the part of patients who believe that they are responsible for their illnesses or for their failure to recover because they're just "not thinking right" or "don't want to get better" or "can't admit the 'real' reason" they have their problem.

No one is purposefully attracting pain or illness to themselves, but this law of attraction "mindset" does lead people to believe they should be able to somehow control their own health. This mindset promotes the idea that patients are responsible for their illnesses, and this is just not true. Although, I have to admit...I fell into this trap a bit myself.

The medical truth is; that two people could have the exact history of twenty years of smoking two packs of cigarettes a day...but only one of them develops and dies of lung cancer. This is because, one was born with the cells that predisposed them to developing cancer, and the other was not. A person's belief system has nothing to do with whether or not they will be predisposed to certain medical conditions. Therefor, not only didn't they "cause" their illness, but they can not "cure" their illness with a simple change in belief.

I do believe positive thinking, affirmations, and other motivational techniques are helpful in optimizing your ability to be as healthy as "you" can be. But, this is only to the degree that you are already healthy. What I mean is; my "optimal" health (as a person with chronic illness), will be different from the "optimal" health of someone else (who does not suffer from chronic illness). It is all relative.

I think it's crucial to encourage people suffering from what I call "the invisible illnesses" (no cast on the leg, no cuts and bruises, etc.) to be prepared for comments that may make them feel that they are at fault. They are not.

Again, this is so true. And I have addressed this in a post on my Living With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome blog. Specifically you may be interested to read... Chronic Illness and Depression, What Came First?

Thanks again Cynthia for your comment. These are exactly the reasons we need to facilitate awareness of these important medical issues.

Catherine Morgan
Women 4 Hope and Be The Change You Want To See In Yourself

How to Help Friends

Thoughtful — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 20:12:02 -0500

First of all, congratulations on your wonderful recovery! Your story is so important to share so that others realize that not giving up on the search for the right doctor and the right medication can pay off. Your effort to inform people about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia is also very important because these diseases are so often misunderstood.

However my comment is prompted by the following thoughtful question from BlogHer co-founder Lisa Stone who asked:

...do you have any advice on things I really should or should not do if a friend is dealing with the ups and downs of such a condition?

I would like to offer an example of what not to do. Recently, circumstances prompted me in an e-mail exchange to mention to a woman who I know only slightly the fact that I have arthritis. What I do know of her leads me to believe that she is a compassionate, caring person who has the best intentions when she is interacting with others. However, her response to me was:

Arthritis often comes from not doing something that your Higher Self wants to be doing. If that resonates with you, you may want to ask yourself what that might be...

My (very condensed) response to her was:

No resonating here. Higher Self undoubtedly has un-plumbed psychological issues (who doesn't?), but I don't correlate those issues with arthritis. That is from disintegrating cartilage in my knees, as confirmed by x-rays taken yesterday. . . Even I could see the bone-on-bone contact, [which has a specific physiological cause].

Please understand that I am quite convinced that there is a powerful mind/body connection that affects our overall health, but I don't think we have a clue about what the direct causal relationships are. I am amazed at how often and how quickly certain illnesses are attributed by others some sort of psychological or spiritual issue.

Also, I have seen needless suffering on the part of patients who believe that they are responsible for their illnesses or for their failure to recover because they're just "not thinking right" or "don't want to get better" or "can't admit the 'real' reason" they have their problem. I know personally of a woman who was told that her Alzheimer's disease was a "punishment by God" for not leaving her emotionally abusive husband. Another woman who suffered from Lyme Disease was dismissed by a friend as someone who just "always has 'those' kinds of problems." I have a friend who recently had hip replacement surgery. Was her Higher Self trying to get her attention or had fifty years of dancing and skiing simply taken their toll? For how many years were people with ulcers told to "calm down," until the medical profession discovered an antibiotic that literally cured the vast majority of cases? Of course people with ulcers were agitated and tense; they hurt!

It's probably clear that I could rant on for quite some time about this topic, but my point is that unless you're a trained medical professional who sees in one of your patients that there could be a correlation between a psychological issue and a health problem (other than the now well-documented connection that stress makes just about everything worse), the last thing that suffering person wants to hear is that his or her "Higher Self" is just seeking attention.

You may have addressed this issue on your blogs, but if not, I think it's crucial to encourage people suffering from what I call "the invisible illnesses" (no cast on the leg, no cuts and bruises, etc.) to be prepared for comments that may make them feel that they are at fault. They are not.

And now I think I'll go drink some tea to calm down.

Best wishes for good health to all!

Cynthia Friedlob
Link TextThe Thoughtful Consumer

I'm happy you found it helpful.

Catherine Morgan — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 11:41:44 -0500

Thanks Lisa...I'm happy you found the post helpful.

Catherine Morgan
Women 4 Hope and Be The Change You Want To See In Yourself

Thanks Catherine - empathy v. sympathy

Lisa Stone — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 08:54:47 -0500

Great post! Exactly what I needed. Thanks.

Lisa Stone
BlogHer Co-founder
Surfette

"Really listen to the answer"

Lisa Stone — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 08:52:20 -0500

Amen to that. I've become very conscious through knowing this person that I need to make sure I do that with everyone -- "hey how are you" should always be a real question, not a so-called polite habit. Thanks Laurie.

Lisa Stone
BlogHer Co-founder
Surfette

Thanks Laurie....

Catherine Morgan — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 21:37:44 -0500

All great advice....Thanks.

Catherine Morgan
Women 4 Hope and Be The Change You Want To See In Yourself

remarkable

laurie — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 19:04:00 -0500

The need to take and keep charge of our health and the care we receive is a lesson I have learned (like when my 'urgent' mammogram films were mistakenly sent to the hospital's archives) over the last year, as well.

Thank you for sharing your story. Your strength and positive attitude are both remarkable.

And to Lisa - Ask how your friend is doing (and really listen to the answer); provide entertaining (and amusing) diversions, offer help with concrete tasks (food, errands, doctor's appointments, cleaning) if you can; and most of all, continue to be her friend.

laurie
www.notjustaboutcancer.blogspot.com

Thanks so much...

Catherine Morgan — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 18:16:21 -0500

I'm so excited about being able to promote other women bloggers, especially ones that are creating awareness on important issues....like you. Keep up the great work!

Catherine Morgan
Women 4 Hope and Be The Change You Want To See In Yourself

WOW!

lbzowy — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 17:57:59 -0500

Catherine,

Congratulations on the blogher gig - thats so fabulous!
Your journey has been an incredible one. I am awestruck just thinking about it.

I am already a fan of your Living With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Blog....guess I will have to keep up with your posting here as well.

Oh and thanks for the endorsement. It's always good to know that someone out there thinks that I am great. And well, the feeling is mutual.

I agree...

Catherine Morgan — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 16:47:25 -0500

I know exactly what you mean...mine is really not an isolated incident...this kind of thing is happening all the time.

Catherine Morgan
Women 4 Hope and Be The Change You Want To See In Yourself

Thanks Birdie.....

Catherine Morgan — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 16:42:10 -0500

Thanks so much...it's great to be here.

Catherine Morgan
Women 4 Hope and Be The Change You Want To See In Yourself

Great Story

teacherinheels — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 16:26:00 -0500

I was once at a dinner party and I said, "I really think we each need to take charge of our own health--we can't count on our doctors to know exactly what we're experiencing." Many people at the table agreed, relaying stories similar to yours. Thanks for sharing.

From Broken To BlogHer -- One Woman's Journey Toward Hope

Catherine Morgan — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 23:21:58 -0500

Hi everyone, my name is Catherine, and I am going to be one of your contributing editors for Health and Wellness here at BlogHer. This is my first post as a contributing editor, so I thought I would take this time to tell you a bit about myself, and how I got here.

Less than a year ago, I didnâ€™t have the ability to write or even read. Not because of a lack of education or ability, but because I was in the midst of a devastating medical problem that was steeling my memory from me. Picture someone in their late thirties, developing almost Alzheimer's like symptoms....and doctors saying it was just â€œnormalâ€ forgetfulness.

The most obvious aspects of my memory problems were in not remembering people, conversations, or appointments. But, the worst part for me was not being able to remember anything I would read....because I love to read. And I'm not talking about forgetting by the next day...I mean within a moment of reading a sentence, I couldn't remember what I had just read. Even reading the same few sentences over and over wouldn't help...I can't begin to describe to you my frustration.

In my everyday conversations both in person and on the phone, I couldn't remember what I was talking about, even as I was saying it. I eventually found ways to compensate for my cognitive limitations....mostly by â€œpretendingâ€ I remembered what people were talking to me about, and avoiding situations that would make me feel stupid. At this point, I was already feeling bad about myself due to several chronic medical conditions (chronic fatigue syndrome, Fibromialgia, Asthma, heart and blood pressure problems), that prevented me from continuing my career as a nurse.

I kept telling myself that maybe once I started feeling a little better I could try my hand at writing. I always loved to write, so it seemed like it might be a good way to support myself without aggravating my medical problems. But, instead of getting better I just kept getting worse and worse, and writing is basically impossible if you can't remember what you just wrote.

So, how did I get from "broken" to BlogHer? Well, that would be about a dozen trips to about a half dozen different doctors.....and then the results of one blood test. Yup, one blood test showed my B12 level was almost non-existent, I had something called Pernicious Anemia....just another notch on my chronic illness belt. Believe it or not....I was actually happy to have the diagnosis, because there was a chance that with treatment I could get my memory back....and I did.

I then started blogging in an attempt to cultivate my writing skills and possibly find a way to make a career in writing. Most people told me I couldn't do it. But....Aren't those people just the best motivators in the world? And now I am doing something I never thought I would be able to do; remake myself, find my purpose, help others, and best of all.....write. Thank you BlogHer.

As a contributing editor here at BlogHer, I now have the pleasure of surfing the BlogHer Blogroll and showcasing other wonderful women bloggers. And I thought it was only appropriate that I call attention to a few women bloggers that are also suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and/or Fibromyagia.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is known as an "invisible disease", a diagnosis of elimination, and known even more for being a disease that doesn't exist. This is even though the CDC has recognized CFS as a "real" condition, that can be as devastating as Multiple Sclerosis, and Lupus. Many people with this disease are still treated with little respect and even less compassion. So, let me take this opportunity to tell you about two great women bloggers that are helping to bring awareness to this disease.

This first blogger is Laura Bzowy, she has a blog called, CFS Squared . One of her recent posts is; Support Systems....Take Them or Leave Them.

The second blog is, The Fibromyalgia Experiment. What I like best about this blogger is her desire to help others with Fibromyalgia realize their dreams and to find work that they can do without sacrificing their health.

I also have a blog that is dedicated to bringing awareness to this devastating and invisible disease, you can check it out at: Living With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

And, since BlogHer is about all of us....I would love for you to contact me and let me know if you have a topic that you would like me to address here in Health and Wellness. I'm really looking forward to hearing from all of you.

So, there you have it.....my very first post for BlogHer. Hi Everyone! I am so happy to be here.