New Year's Eve

It's started...the countdown to another new year. I can't believe this year has flown by so fast! So much has happened, so many accomplishments & events this year...phew! We will be celebrating & ringing in the New Year in style with family tonight.

Here's to all of you out there making resolutions, partying it up 'til the clock strikes midnight, getting toasty on champagne, or just chillin' at home reviewing the past year!

Peace & Love, Health & Happiness!

Relaxation

Ahhhh....now this is relaxed! I've got my lil tootsies in the toasty warm foot bath I got for Christmas, and I'm getting a full Shiatsu massage from my new massage pad (thanks to my honey for some great presents!)! What else could I ask for? Well.....maybe a warm beach, sunshine, a hammock & a cabana boy bringing me little drinks w/umbrellas in them. :) But since that's not happening this week...I'll settle for some warm feet & relaxed muscles!

The new job is awesome! And though it keeps me up on my feet more, it does keep me moving! When you're running, you usually don't have time to pay attention to the clock. One minute it's start of shift, the next it's time to go home! I love the pace so far!

Anyway, I'm going to get back to chillaxin' in my pseudo-spa!

Wishing a happy day to everyone!

Wonderful Weekend!

What an AWESOME Holiday weekend! We had so much fun spending time with family and friends! The parents & in-laws finally got to meet...which was so much fun, as expected. We had a blast going to a local hockey game, chillin' in the amazing suite that Britt hooked us up with, and watching our favorite celebrity figure skater tearing up the ice for an audience of 5,000+!

We spent a TON of time over at the in-laws', playing games, chatting, and just having an overall good time. I'm so glad the older girls could make it out for a bit, even with such scary driving conditions. We were constantly entertained by the boys & their puppy...she is sooooo sweet! I can't even remember all the tasty snacks we ate! And the crowning event of the entire weekend... we got my father-in-law to eat sushi! (Ok, it was "Gringo" sushi - with BBQ pork, chicken, etc from Guy Fieri...but it was still sushi-like). Baby steps...one of these days we will get him to eat the "real thing."

So here's to a wonderful Holiday spent with friends and family. Lots of warmth & love all around! Wishing peace, love, health & happiness for all in the upcoming year!

Psych Series: #2

#2: Histrionic Personality Disorder

Histrionic Personality Disorder is characterized by colorful, dramatic, and extroverted behavior in excitable, emotional people (Kaplan & Sadock, 1998). People with these disorders have intense, unstable emotions and distorted self-images. People with this disorder often base their self-esteem on the approval of others and does not arise from a true feeling of self-worth. This disorder is more common in women than in men and is usually evident by early adulthood.

Signs & Symptoms

• Usually have good social skills, but tend to use these skills to manipulate others so that they can be the center of attention.
• Be uncomfortable unless he or she is the center of attention.
• Dress provocatively and/or exhibit inappropriately seductive or flirtatious behavior.
• Shift emotions rapidly.
• Act very dramatically as though performing before an audience with exaggerated emotions and expressions, yet appears to lack sincerity.
• Be overly concerned with physical appearance.
• Constantly seek reassurance or approval.
• Be gullible and easily influenced by others.
• Be excessively sensitive to criticism or disapproval.
• Have low tolerance for frustration and be easily bored by routine.
• Not think before acting, make rash decisions.
• Be self-centered and rarely show concern for others.
  
• Have difficulty maintaining relationships, often seeming fake or shallow in their dealings with others.
• Threaten or attempt suicide to get attention.

Treatment

Generally people with histrionic personality disorder do not believe that they need therapy or treatment. Treatment plans are difficult for these people as they tend to exaggerate their feelings and dislike routine. People with this disorder may seek treatment for a symptom, such as depression, if the symptom causes them distress.

• Psychotherapy - generally the treatment of choice. This counseling-type therapy helps the individual uncover motivations and fears related to his or her thoughts and behaviors. It also helps the person learn how to relate to others in a more positive way.
  
• Medication - may be used to treat individual symptoms, such as depression or anxiety.

Outcome

Many people with histrionic personality disorder are able to function socially and at work. Those with severe cases may experience significant problems in their daily lives. Those who deal with this disorder daily may benefit from treatment, allowing them to learn more productive & positive ways of dealing with life's situations.

If you or a loved one are dealing with histrionic personality disorder, you can find more information through NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health), the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, or your local psychiatric health care provider.

Wishing you good health and good luck!

Go Broncos!

Cheerin' for the Broncos in tonight's Poinsettia Bowl! Go Big Blue!

Psych Series: #1

In this series you will find symptoms, treatments, and general information about a variety of mental health illness & disorders.

#1: Borderline Personality Disorder

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a controversial diagnosis these days in psychology. According to DSM-IV criteria, a diagnosis of BPD requires a person to present with at least five (5) of the following nine (9) criteria:

1. Shifts in mood lasting only a few hours.
2. Anger that is inappropriate, intense or uncontrollable.
3. Self-destructive acts, such as self-mutilation or suicidal threats and gestures that happen more than once.
4. Two potentially self-damaging impulsive behaviors. (These could include alcohol and other drug abuse, compulsive spending, gambling, eating disorders, shoplifting, reckless driving, compulsive sexual behavior.)
5. Marked, persistent identity disturbance shown by uncertainty in at least two (2) areas. These areas can include self-image, sexual orientation, career choice or other long term goals, friendships, values. (People with BPD may not feel like they know who they are, or what they think, or what their opinions are, or what religion they should be. Instead, they may try to be what they think other people want them to be.)
6. Chronic feelings of emptiness or boredom.
7. Unstable, chaotic intense relationships characterized by "splitting."
8. Frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment:

• Splitting: the self and others are viewed as "all good" or "all bad."
  
• Alternating clinging and distancing behaviors (I Hate You, Don't Leave Me).
• Great difficulty trusting people and themselves. Early trust may have been shattered by people who were close to them.
• Sensitivity to criticism or rejection.
• Feeling of "needing" someone else to survive.
• Heavy need for affection and reassurance.
• Some people with BPD may have an unusally high degree of interpersonal sensitivity, insight, and empathy.

9. Transient, stress-related paranoid ideation or severe dissociative symptoms. (This means
feeling "out of it," or not being able to remember what you said or did.)

Other symptoms & attributes of people with BPD:

1. Affect - chronic/major depression, helplessness, hopelessness, guilt, anger (including frequent expressions of anger), anxiety, loneliness, and emptiness.
2. Cognition - odd thinking, unusual perceptions, non-delusional paranoia
3. Impulse action patterns - substance abuse/dependence, sexual deviance, manipulative suicidal gestures
4. Interpersonal relationships - intolerance of aloneness; abandonment, engulfment, annihilation fears, counterdependency, stormy relationships, manipulativeness, demanding, entitlement
5. People with BPD are often bright, witty, funny, life of the party.
6. They may have problems with object constancy. Often, they want to keep something belonging to a loved one around during separations.
7. They frequently have difficulty tolerating aloneness, even for short periods of time.
8. Their lives may be a chaotic landscape of job losses, interrupted educational pursuits, broken engagements, hospitalizations.
9. Many have a background of childhood physical, sexual, or emotional abuse or physical/emotional neglect.

Treatment Options:

• Psychotherapy - used to help people learn new coping skills and emotional regulation.
• Hospitalization - intensive medication therapy in conjunction with psychotherapy sessions. (this method is rarely appropriate for long-term care of BPD patients.)
  
• Medications - antipsychotic drug therapy may be useful for brief reactive psychoses , neuroleptics may be helpful for disorganized thinking and some psychotic symptoms, anti-depressants & anti-anxiety agents may be appropriate at certain times
• Self-Help - encouraging people with BPD to gain additional social support is an important aspect of treatment.

If you feel that you, or a loved one, meet the criteria for this disorder, I encourage you to contact your local healthcare provider or psychiatric professional for more assistance with this diagnosis.

More information about this disorder may be found at:

NIMH - http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/borderline-personality-disorder.shtml

&
http://www.palace.net/~llama/psych/bpd.html

Wishing you good health & good luck!

"Knights" in Shining Armor

Thank you to all those "Knights" in shining armor out there! You do wonderful work and have a very special place in this community!

If you haven't heard about them...here's the info. It's a group called Knights of Columbus. Members of this awesome group assist disabled and needy families in acquiring medical equipment and supplies. And all at no cost to the families! This truly is the "pay it forward" idea at work. Much of the equipment is donated to the Knights and then is loaned out to families as needed...for as long as needed. All they ask in return for the supplies and equipment is for the family to return the equipment when they are finished using it, so that it might be re-donated to someone else in need.

So, if you have any medical equipment needs, contact your local Knights of Columbus chapter. Or if you have medical equipment or supplies that you or your loved one no longer need or use, then feel free to go ahead and donate it to the Knights and keep the good karma going!

Christmas Countdown

I can't believe there is less than a week until Christmas!!! There is still so much to get done...treats to bake, gifts to buy, wrap & deliver! I just hope the weather cooperates for just a few more days so I can get everything done.

Here's to finishing up last minute tasks!

Good News

This is the second day in a row that I have gotten good news. Since things typically happen in multiples of three...I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings! Yay for Happy Holidays!

Lyrical

Music is a way of life for many of us. We use it as a soundtrack for our lives, background noise for studying, meditation, relaxation, dancing, during celebrations and ceremonies, and just for fun. With so many different varieties of music out there...how can one choose just one category or type to enjoy?!

Given the fact that it's Christmas time...the usual Holiday music has been playing around the house. I love the classics...Carol of The Bells, Silent Night, Joy To The World, We Three Kings, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. Then there are the obligatory Christmas movie soundtrack songs...Rudolph, Frosty The Snowman, Holly Jolly Christmas. Anyway, this list could go on FOREVER! Most of these songs bring back some great Holiday memories!

Have you ever taken the time to really listen to the lyrics of a favorite song? Many times lyrics speak to us on several different levels. It is not often that one gets to sit down and ask their favorite musician what exactly they were writing about when they jotted down that favorite tune about love, hate, anger, or laughter. So, we often create a meaning for ourselves. A song's lyrics may speak to you about your current life situation, your past, your feelings, your future, hopes, dreams, or fears. Whatever meaning a song & it's lyrics have for you, keep singing along & enjoy the music.

Here are some random lyrics that caught my attention:

• "I'm doing the best I ever did, I'm doing the best that I can, I'm doing the best I ever did, Now go away!" ~ Godsmack "Whatever"
  
  
• "Who are you-and what do you do, that makes you think you are above me, but have you walked in my shoes, the pedestal, you put yourself on, well since I'm breaking it down now, it's gonna collapse and be gone" ~ Fergie "Pedestal"
  
  
• "You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away and know when to run." ~ Kenny Rogers "The Gambler"

• "Who are you to wave your finger? Ya' must have been out your head..." "Soapbox, house of cards, and glass, so don't go tossin' your stones around." ~ Tool "The Pot"

• "Seems like nowadays, ain't nothin' meant to last. One day you've got it all, and then it disappears so fast." ~ Jonny Lang "A Quitter Never Wins"

• "We're kissing without kissing...got it down to a fine art. Love's supposed to keep you young and frisky...we grew up and wide apart." ~ Imogen Heap "Loose Ends"

• "Can't talk to a psycho like a normal human being." ~ Poe "Trigger Happy Jack"

Well, those are some lyrics I like. Feel free to share your favorites!

Have a musical day!

Santa Rampage!

My sister convinced me to join her at the Santa Rampage this year. What?! You don't know what Santa Rampage is?! Bores out there might look at it as just another Holiday pub crawl...but it's oh so much more! Just imagine...Holiday cheer, smiles, laughter, and everywhere you look...SANTA! (or a Bumble, elf, snowflake, or oddly enough...a menorah!)

Among all the costumes, a few caught my eye...or just made me laugh hysterically! Like my favorite DJ Bumble...
The star was classic! And thanks for letting me check out the DJ equipment...even though it was only your second time on stage and you didn't have VINYL. You did great...and kept the place ROCKIN'!

Another noted fan favorite was the Granny in Guess jeans...your dance moves were amazing! Hahahahahaha!
I'm sure there will be more pictures arriving soon, but for now enjoy these. I'm sure this will be a new family tradition...at least for my sis and me! We had a blast...even though she lost the batteries out of her camera when it decided to rock out on the dance floor.
Merry Christmas Everyone!!!!

Christmas Baking Day

We had a Christmas Baking Day this weekend...wow....that's all I can say. Cramming 3 bossy women into a tiny kitchen with boiling liquids, sticky mixes, and gooey messes...not the greatest idea ever. But we sure had fun! Although we didn't make everything on all of our lists, we did get plenty of treats made.

I suppose it didn't help that we were doubling or tripling each recipe so that we had enough for each of us to take home. I ended up with 3 pans of caramel that still needs to be cut & wrapped! Some of the bon bons still need to be dipped since they weren't quite set up & we ran out of dipping chocolate.

Completed Projects: dipped pretzels, bon-bons, caramels, divinity, and peanut blossom cookies. Yum!

Casualties: 1 small burn to my right arm, 1 plastic measuring spoon eaten by the garbage disposal, a few cookies consumed by the hungry chefs, and some bon bon filling sneakily eaten by 1 particular chef (you know who you are!)

Thank you to the eager dogs who gave us so much entertainment & distraction during the long, intense baking. And thanks to the rat who so generously donated to our comedic interludes! All in all it turned out to be a pretty productive day!

Depression

With the gloomy days of winter approaching, I thought I would share some serious information today. Many people suffer from depression, chronic or situational...some experience SAD (seasonal affective disorder). So for those of you out there who experience depression or have a loved one dealing with depression...this information is dedicated to you.

Signs & Symptoms:

• constant feelings of sadness, irritability or tension
• decreased interest or pleasure in usual activities or hobbies
• loss of energy, feeling tired despite lack of activity
• a change in appetite, with significant weight loss or gain
• a change in sleeping patterns, such as difficulty sleeping, early morning awakening, or sleeping too much
• restlessness or feeling slowed down
• decreased ability to make decisions or concentrate
• feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness or guilt
• thought of suicide or death
  

If you, or a loved one are experiencing any/ or several of these symptoms it would be wise to contact a healthcare professional.

If you, or a loved one are in an immediate serious crisis: please contact your healthcare professional or go to your local hospital/emergency room - or ask a friend or family member to help you do these things.

You can also call the toll-free National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) to talk to a trained counselor 24/7.

Please remember mental health illnesses can be just as debilitating as any other medical condition and may require medication, treatment, rehabilitation services and ongoing supportive therapy.

Hopefully this information was helpful. If nothing else, it gave you something to read for a few minutes during your day.

Stay safe & ask for help when needed!