Tuesday, April 3, 2012

BACK TO COLLEGE AS A SENIOR CITIZEN????


I have always wanted to go to college. I’m sure many of you know how that story goes...first, you don’t think you can afford it. Then you get a job and think you don’t have the time. Then you get married and, again, you don’t think you have the time. And then you have children and now you don’t have the time AND you don’t think you can afford it...so the list goes on and on. Or should I say the excuses go on and on?


A few years back I received a mailer from Wayne County Community College, or as it is referred to now WC3, which said “Seniors” can go to college for free. I immediately contacted them to find out their definition of senior because no matter where you go the definition of “senior” is different. Some places consider a senior to be 60, some 62, and others 65. Now, just so I don’t lead some of you astray, it is not completely free, you have to pay for your books and if you use a lab you pay for that too. But you get to sit in on classes for free.
Now, I find myself in the position of $hit or get off the pot. So I’m going to make the leap. I’m going to call and set up an appointment and find out what it is all about. This is all very intimidating since I haven’t gone to “school” in 44 years.

However, in my defense, I haven’t been stagnant in those 44 years. I’ve taken and passed the following classes:  Certified Medical Transcriptionist, State of Michigan Realtor, H&R Block Income Tax Preparation, Powerful Communication Skills for Women, Dale Carnegie - Effective Speaking & Human Relations, and Fundamentals of Finance for Executive Secretaries.

So wish me luck and say a prayer, I think I’m about to become a student again.

And so the journey begins...

Sunday, March 4, 2012

REDECORATING - Trials and Tribulations...

I’m getting ready to redecorate my bedroom and the choices, which used to seem to come so easily to me when I was younger, now have taken on more importance than they should. When I was younger, I saw it, I liked it, I bought it, and that was that. Now I look at, go look at something else, go look at something else, return to the first one, go look at something else and I just can’t seem to commit.

Somewhere around 10-12 years ago I saw a bedspread ensemble in a catalog and fell in love with it. I ordered it, my husband painted the bedroom and voila! I loved it, everyone who saw the bedroom loved it and I was pleased. (We are presently getting the bedroom ready to be painted, so now there is nothing on the walls - I thought I better take a picture of it before it is gone forever!)


Now, I am mulling over so many choices that I am on overload and don’t even seem close to making a decision. I think I know what the problem is though, I picked out the color palette that I wanted the entire bedroom to be BEFORE I found a comforter/bedspread ensemble that I fell in love with.










As I mentioned in an earlier Blog, I don’t have any qualms about returning items that I have purchased, however buying and returning several bedroom ensembles can get pretty expensive when you factor in the cost of return shipping. I don’t know if it just me but it seems the local stores just don’t have a great selection to choose from (and maybe that's a good thing - then I wouldn’t be on information overload).


Then, too, I have always been a person who loved florals and my husband is concerned that I may not be happy with the direction that I am headed for the new bedroom look, so I have his concerns rambling around in my head.
I love the chocolate brown walls!!!!


Do you think a former flower girl can change and like the formal look? Time will tell, time will tell. And so the journey begins...

FACEBOOK

As many of you know from a previous blog, I have a Facebook account. I still log on several times a day. I still check to see what is going on in the very busy lives of my children and grandchildren, my one granddaughter joking calls it “stalking” - at least I think she is joking???


But now mostly Facebook has turned into an opportunity to play games with friends and, if you are so inclined, you can play with strangers (and you never even have to find out who the stranger is).


A while back someone in the family started playing a game entitled Crazy Cow, where you hear a clip of a song and try to pick from a choice of four before the timer ends to earn points, and we would compete with one another. Then they got bored with that and went on to another game and so on and so on. I seem to be following them from game to game, OMG, maybe I am a stalker! LOL. Don't you just love the catchy jargon that I've learned? Now if I could just remember how to do those funny sideways faces they make, you know :) or ;) or <3 (this one turns into a "heart" when you post it - I love it the best).
Well, the latest game sweeping the nation is Word (you know the one that Alex Baldwin was playing and wouldn’t shut his phone off so he was kicked off the plane). As of yesterday I had nine Word games going. All the games are very fun and that is how I have always tried to look at them, as a way to have fun. Well, when you have a lot of games going and people depending on you to take your turn or make your move, you begin to feel a sense of urgency/obligation to get onto Facebook and make your move so the other person isn’t sitting at their end wondering “when is that person going to play?” So the Word game has turned into a little bit of a “have to do” instead of a “want to do” but I still enjoy it tremendously.



So if you are looking for a way to while away some time and you enjoy playing games, check some out on Facebook and have a little fun, it kind of gives you a sense of connection. I did it and I really am enjoying it, maybe you will too. And so the journey begins...

Monday, February 13, 2012

LAW ALLOWING DRUNKEN MINORS TO CALL 911?



I saw the following editorial in The News Herald on Sunday, January 29, 2012 and cut it out of the paper. Two of my granddaughters had called earlier and asked if they could spend the day with us and I thought “what a great opportunity to pose this question to them.”

When they were here I asked them “if you and your friends were out drinking, and you know that you are all underage and not supposed to be drinking, but one of your friends drinks way too much and becomes ill and then passes out, would you call 911 or would you be afraid of getting into trouble for underage drinking?

They both responded, without hesitation, that they would call 911 to get help for their friend. I was so proud of them and told them how proud I was of them and that they had made a very “adult” decision.

I then told them about this bill introduced in the Michigan Legislature that could make the decision to call for help much easier.

(I have paraphrased or shortened the editorial somewhat).
EDITORIAL: Bill allowing drunken minors to call for help makes sense
Published: Sunday, January 29, 2012 in The News Herald
Picture this: A couple of teens are drinking. One drinks way too much and passes out. The other, recognizing the risk to health and life, is ready to call 911.



But wait…it’s a crime to be in possession of or drinking alcohol if you’re under 21.
Does the teen really want to make that call on behalf of a friend? The adult response, the answer from most adults, would be “Of course!”


Teens don’t always think that through. Nor for that matter do all adults. A bill pending in the Michigan House of Representatives would remove the hesitation.
Introduced by Rep. Anthony Forlini (R-Harrison Twp.), it would waive prosecution and grant amnesty to minors who have been drinking but who contact authorities seeking help for themselves or another person.

Waiving prosecution for a greater good seems uncommonly smart. “Underage drinking,” Forlini said, “is prevalent on our college campuses and through the communities. “Dangerous situations can occur when a minor drinks too much. Students put their classmates in danger because nobody wants to call for help because they fear being charged with “a minor in possession.” The bill makes it quite clear that they wouldn’t get in trouble by making that call.
Forlini said he doesn’t “want to see any parent lose a child because a teen was afraid to call for help.”

And he doesn’t want to see a minor punished for doing the right thing, regardless of who is being helped. It appears to us a legal chink in the false protection of zero tolerance, and that’s all to the good. We’re not sure what the limits of Forlini’s bill will turn out to be. Will a drunken teenager be in trouble if he seeks help for an entirely sober stranger? Will kids somehow learn to game the new law? Will the law operate differently if someone in a group of drinking teens calls 911? Surely not all would merit amnesty. The bill has advanced to the House floor. However it deals with the questions above, it deserves to become law.

What are your thoughts, how do you feel?  And so the journey begins...

Saturday, February 11, 2012

SAD

Well, here I go again. I suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Which is defined as: “Episodes of depression that occur at a certain time of the year, usually during winter.”
I have had this most of my adult life, however, it didn’t seem to bother me as much when I was working. I guess having something to get up and out of bed for is beneficial in this respect.


Isn't that sunshine pretty?
The definition goes on to say:  “Like other forms of depression, it occurs more often in women than in men.” Yay, for me...
The definition also states that:  “People who live in places with long winter nights are at greater risk for SAD.”  NOW knowing this, I have repeatedly asked my husband if we could become Snowbirds...Hello, we’re still in Michigan!
I love blue skies and fluffy clouds.
The definition further says:  Other factors that may make SAD more likely include: Amount of light, Body temperature, Genes, and Hormones. Symptoms usually build up slowly in the late autumn and winter months and are usually the same as with depression:
  • Increased appetite with weight gain Again, yay for me....
  • Increased sleep and daytime sleepiness
  • Less energy and ability to concentrate in the afternoon
  • Loss of interest in work or other activities
  • Slow, sluggish, lethargic movement
  • Social withdrawal Big one for me...
  • Unhappiness and irritability And another biggee for me...Woo Hoo
My poor husband doesn’t know what to do or how to help, but God love him, he tries. 
So, to those friends and family who are wondering what is going on??? All I can say is: “It’s not my time of the month...It’s my time of the year.”
As the saying goes, "Hang on because it is going to be a bumpy ride."
See you in the spring!  And so the journey begins...

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

THE SKY IS FALLING, THE SKY IS FALLING

I love e-mail, it is such a wonderful way to stay in touch with people. Unfortunately, we have to face facts, in our society we no longer write letters (what a shame). What I don’t like are WARNING e-mails. I should clarify, “unsubstantiated” WARNING e-mails.
I do not like to forward garbage on to my family and friends, so when I get one of these WARNING e-mails I will type into Google the WARNING and see what pops up on my screen and proceed to investigate.  Many of them are Urban Legends, some of them are scams by hackers, and some are just gathering names and cities for what purpose I don’t know. I recently received an email warning me about onions and mayo causing illness (I checked it out...it was false). The most recent warned me about purchasing cards made by Hallmark, stating they were all made in China (I checked this out at my local store and found it not to be the case).
So, if I may, before you send our your next WARNING e-mail, check it out for validity before you send the proverbial THE SKY IS FALLING, THE SKY IS FALLING that was unleashed by Chicken Little.  And so the journey begins...

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

ATRIAL FIBRILLATION (A-FIB)

To my children, who are very worried and concerned about their father, and who have asked me many questions about A-Fib. I am sorry that I am unable to answer all your questions, so I began a search on the computer to find as much information as I could to pass on to you. I have tried to condense the information so it isn’t overwhelming but I also didn’t want to change the context of the information. That being said, please read all of the following, I know it is a lot but it is informative. I have placed two asterisks (**) on a part about hypoglycemia (which my two dear sons both suffer from) and three asterisks (***) regarding Mike and his job, and four asterisks (****) regarding Debi and her exhaustive timetable, so please pay close attention and all of you know the areas that you need to address in your own lives (smoking, etc.). This is a Familial disease (so it runs in the family).  Also, please keep in mind that when dad has the Cardioversion he is no longer in A-Fib, so some of these problems are when he is in A-Fib. But when he falls back into A-Fib, we go back to the ultimate risks.  Love you all, Mom.
In Atrial Fibrillation (A-Fib) the upper part of your heart beats faster than the rest of your heart. If you could look inside your chest, the top part of your heart would be shaking like Jell-O or beating more rapidly than the lower section of your heart. You feel an uncomfortable flutter in your chest or like your heart is going to jump out of your ribs or that your heart is "flip-flopping around." Your pulse is irregular and/or more rapid than normal. You may feel lightheaded (fainting), very tired, have shortness of breath, sweating and chest pain, swelling in your legs, and sometimes a distressing need for frequent urination.

Somewhere in your heart extra electrical signals are being generated which cause the top part of your heart (the atria) to contract and quiver rapidly and irregularly (fibrillate) like a bag of worms. The atria
can contract as many as 300-600 times a minute. Your whole heart, however, does not beat 300-600 times per minute.
Your heart is a muscular pump divided into four chambers---two atria located on the top and two ventricles on the bottom. Normally each heart beat starts in the right atrium where a group of cells called the Sinus Node generates an electrical signal that travels down an electrical road (the AV Node) that connects the atria to the ventricles. This electrical signal causes the heart to beat. First, the atria contract, pumping blood into the ventricles. Then, a fraction of a second later the ventricles contract sending blood throughout the body. Normally the heart beats at 60-80 times per minute. 

In A-Fib, electrical signals from other parts of the heart disrupt your heart's normal rhythm and cause the atria to beat or quiver rapidly on their own. However, only a small number of these atrial beats make it through the AV Node (which acts like a gate) to the ventricles. This is fortunate, because you couldn't live with a heart beat that rapid. But some A-Fib beats do make it through the AV Node and make your whole heart beat irregularly and/or faster than normal.
HOW SERIOUS AN ILLNESS IS A-FIB?

VERY RAPID, IRREGULAR HEART RATE
An A-Fib patient may develop an extremely rapid, irregular heart rate which can be life threatening. A very rapid, irregular heart rate can strain your heart, reduce your circulation to dangerous levels, and make you feel like you're going to faint from lack of oxygen.
STROKE RISK
The biggest danger from A-Fib is stroke. Because your heart isn't pumping out properly, blood can pool in your atria. Blood clots can form and travel to the brain causing stroke. An A-Fib stroke is worse than other causes of stroke. Half of all strokes associated with atrial fibrillation are major and disabling. Strokes in women are more disabling than in men.

There is also a danger of "silent" A-Fib strokes where stroke effects aren't evident but may appear like attention deficit, forgetfulness, and senile dementia. Silent A-Fib is very common.
BLOOD THINNERS
Warfarin reduces the risk of stroke by 60% to 70% in A-Fib patients but is not an absolute guarantee one will never have an A-Fib stroke. Be aware that warfarin has a risk of life-threatening bleeding. Warfarin may prevent an A-Fib (ischemic) stroke while somewhat increasing one's chances of a bleeding (hemorrhagic) stroke, particularly among the elderly.

A-FIB DAMAGES YOUR HEART, BRAIN & OTHER ORGANS
The upper parts of your heart (the atria) aren't pumping enough blood into the lower chambers of your heart (the ventricles). It's estimated that this reduces the amount of blood flowing to the rest of your body by about 15%-30%. You may not be getting enough blood to your brain and other organs which may cause weakness, fatigue, dizziness, fainting spells, swelling of the legs, and shortness of breath.
Recent studies indicate that A-Fib reduces mental abilities and may lead to dementia. Patients with A-Fib are 44% more likely to develop dementia.
A-Fib untreated can also lead to more serious heart rhythm problems, to symptoms of congestive heart failure, and to heart failure.  20-50% of patients suffering from A-Fib develop heart failure.
Very fast heart rates over time can strain the heart and cause a heart attack. Prolonged A-Fib episodes may stretch and weaken the heart muscle. A-Fib with a persistent rapid rate can cause a form of heart failure called tachycardia induced Cardiomyopathy, which can significantly increase mortality and morbidity. If you have A-Fib, you're more likely to die than someone in normal heart rhythm. A-Fib nearly doubles your chances of death.

A-FIB REMODELS YOUR HEART & IS A PROGRESSIVE DISEASE
In a process called "remodeling," your heart actually changes if you have A-Fib long enough. The fast, abnormal rhythm in your atria causes electrical changes and enlarges your atria. Your heart develops fibrosis, the formation of fibrous tissue in the heart. Your A-Fib episodes become more frequent and longer, often leading to continuous or Chronic A-Fib.
HOW DO YOU GET A-FIB (CAUSES)?

HEART PROBLEMS
If you've had other heart problems, this could lead to diseased heart tissue which generates the extra A-Fib pulses. Hypertension (high blood pressure), Mitral Valve disease, and Congestive Heart Failure seem to be related to A-Fib, possibly because they stretch and put pressure on the pulmonary veins where most A-Fib originates. 
HEAVY DRINKING
Heavy drinking may trigger A-Fib, what hospitals call "holiday heart"---the majority of A-Fib admissions occur over weekends or holidays when more alcohol is consumed. No association was found between moderate alcohol use and A-Fib. Healthy middle-aged women who consumed more than 2 drinks daily were 60% more likely to develop A-Fib.

SEVERE BODY & MIND STRESS
Extreme fatigue****, emotional stress, severe infections, severe pain, traumatic injury, and illegal drug use can trigger A-Fib. Low or high blood and tissue concentrations of minerals (electrolytes) such as potassium, magnesium and calcium can trigger A-Fib. Thyroid problems (hyperthyroidism), lung disease, reactive hypoglycemia**, viral infections, diabetes, and smoking can trigger A-Fib. Smoking cigarettes raises the risk of developing A-Fib even if one stops smoking, possibly because past smoking leaves behind permanent fibrotic damage to the atrium which makes later A-Fib more likely.
   
BEING OVERWEIGHT
As we put on pounds, our risk of developing A-Fib increases. Health problems linked to obesity, like high blood pressure and diabetes, can contribute to A-Fib. And obesity may put extra pressure on the pulmonary veins and induce A-Fib.
GENETICS
Some research has identified a Familial A-Fib where A-Fib is passed on genetically. A-Fib can run in families. The presence of a first-degree relative with A-Fib results in a doubling of the likelihood that other members of the family will develop A-Fib.

A-FIB TRIGGERS
Some cases have been reported where antihistamines, bronchial inhalants, local anesthetics, medications such as sumatriptan (a headache drug), tobacco use, MSG, cold beverages, high altitude, and even sleeping on one's left side or stomach are said to have triggered A-Fib.
Chocolate in large amounts may trigger attacks. Chocolate contains a little caffeine, but also contains a milder cardiac stimulant. GERD (heartburn) and other stomach problems may be related to or trigger A-Fib. If so, antacids may help your A-Fib. Coffee may be antiarrhythmic and may reduce propensity and inducibility of A-Fib both in normal hearts and in those with focal forms of A-Fib.
SLEEP APNEA
Recent research indicates sleep apnea (where your breathing stops while you are sleeping) may contribute to A-Fib, probably by causing stress to the Pulmonary Vein openings. Many people have sleep apnea and don't know it. Your significant other can tell you if you snore a lot, which is often a sign of sleep apnea. If you have A-Fib, it might be wise to have yourself checked for sleep apnea.

MECHANICALLY INDUCED
Be careful if you work around equipment that vibrates. Certain frequencies and/or vibrations may possibly trigger or induce A-Fib.

VAGAL
If your A-Fib episodes occur usually at night, after a meal, when resting after exercising, or when you have digestive problems (because of the connection between the vagus nerve and the stomach, vagal afib can often follow stomach symptoms such as gas or stomach pains) you may have Vagal A-Fib.

ADRENERGIC
If your A-Fib is normally triggered by exercise, stress, stimulants, exertion***, etc., then you may have Adrenergically-Mediated A-Fib.
PHYSICAL AND GENDER CHARACTERISTICS
Endurance athletes have "enhanced Vagal tone" and are more prone to develop Vagal A-Fib.
A-Fib is often found in tall people, particularly basketball players. Being big and tall as a youth puts men at higher risk of developing A-Fib in older age. The risk of A-Fib was double for men in the highest quartile of body surface area at age 20. Men get A-Fib more than women.

AGING
A-Fib is associated with aging of the heart. As patients get older, the prevalence of A-Fib increases, roughly doubling with each decade. It's estimated that 70% of all A-Fib patients are between the ages of 65 and 85.This suggests that A-Fib may be related to degenerative, age-related changes in the heart. Inflammation may contribute to the structural remodeling associated with A-Fib.
TREATING A-FIB
The key to stopping A-Fib is to eliminate the extra electrical pulses A-Fib generates. Medications in general aren't very effective or have serious side effects.  Sometimes an electrical shock (Cardioversion) can return your heart beat to normal. 
Atrial Fibrillation is curable. An effective treatment to eliminate these extra electrical pulses is Pulmonary Vein Ablation. Under conscious sedation anesthetic (you aren't knocked out) or general anesthesia a soft, flexible tube (a catheter) with an electrode at the tip is inserted into a vein in your groin and moved into your heart. This catheter is directed to the precise location(s) in your heart that produce these extra signals. Using radiofrequency, laser, cryo or ultrasound energy these area(s) are burned off or isolated from your heart. All you feel is a little warmth or tingling. After the procedure you may feel a little tenderness or have some bruising in your groin where the catheter was inserted.  Otherwise the procedure is usually painless, because there are no nerve endings inside the heart or blood vessels.
Catheter ablation for A-Fib is one of the great medical breakthroughs of our time. Unfortunately with the current number of A-Fib doctors (and surgeons), they can take care of only a fraction of those developing A-Fib each year. Catheter and Surgical PVI ablations combined take care of less than 1% of the A-Fib population annually.

Please weigh the above statements carefully (the author is concerned that they may create unwarranted fear). How do you feel? If you don't feel any symptoms and your doctor says your heart isn't enlarging and/or developing poor ejection fraction, etc., then there's no need to rush out to get a Pulmonary Vein Ablation which does involve comparatively low but nevertheless real risk. Many people decide to simply live with A-Fib rather than undergo treatments to make them A-Fib free.
(The information above was taken (in part) from: Atrial-Fibrillation, Resources for Patients, written and published by Steve S. Ryan, Ph.D.) (http://www.a-fib.com/)

Saturday, January 7, 2012

FIGHTING FOR WHAT IS RIGHT - II

Ok, here I go again...just received my latest bill from DTE. I am ticked off again!!!!

Do you know what a UETM surcharge is? It’s on the back of your utility bill...
On their website, this is how DTE defines it:  A surcharge that allows MichCon to recover costs from uncollectible debt expense. This surcharge is based on the amount of gas you use during the billing period.

Do you know what this means? That for all those “illegal” hookups and for all those who walk away and never pay their bills - we are paying!!!

These Public Utilities ANNUALLY go before the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) requesting these UETM charges.
Well, we (the public) are allowed input:  A member of the public who wishes to make a statement of position without becoming a party to the case may participate by filing an appearance. To file the appearance, you must attend the hearing and advise the presiding Administrative Law Judge of your wish to make a statement of position.
LOCATION: Michigan Public Service Commission
6545 Mercantile Way, Suite 7
Lansing, Michigan 48909
PARTICIPATION: Any interested person may attend and participate.
The Michigan Public Service Commission will hold public hearings to consider requests to amend natural gas distribution rates to increase its gas distribution revenues.
In my opinion, if a “Public Utility” is asking me to pay for someone else’s bill then that “Public Utility” should NOT have executives taking home HUGE paychecks.
When my husband was reviewing the back of our bill the “Usage History - Average per Day” section showed KWH under the Gas column and CCF Usage under the Electric column??? (My guess is that the utility company pink-slipped regular employees and hired temporary employees to type up the back of their bills, thus the inaccuracy - not like regular employees haven’t been cut before to save costs...)
One thing I intend to check out on Monday is why this month’s bill has two, count em two, UETM charges, one for 2009 and one for 2010??? What’s on your bill???? 
Oh Lordy, here I go again. And so the journey begins...

FRANKING PRIVILEGES OF OUR LEGISLATORS

How many of you know what “Franking Privileges” are? This is a real “thorn in her side” for my sister. We all are convinced that our Congressional representatives abuse their position with privileges and this is one area that really bothers my sister (rightfully so).
Definition:
The congressional franking privilege allows Members of Congress to transmit mail matter under their signature without postage.
What I did not know: (This info may be a little boring but I found it informative).
Congress, through legislative appropriations, reimburses the U.S. Postal Service for the franked mail it handles. Use of the frank is regulated by federal law, House and Senate rules, and committee regulations.
Reform efforts during the past 20 years have reduced overall franking expenditures by almost 70%, to $34.3 million in 2006 from $113.4 million in 1988.
Although Members are prohibited from sending mass mailings for specific periods prior to elections, they do send higher volumes of mail in the months immediately preceding the prohibited period
In the Senate, each Senator’s franked mail postage allowance is determined by a formula that gives a maximum allowance equal to the cost of one first-class mailing to every address in the Senator’s state. Senators are, however, limited to $50,000 for mass mailings (defined as 500 or more identical pieces of unsolicited mail) in any fiscal year.
In the House, the franked mail postage allowance is based on the number of addresses in each Member’s district. Each Representative’s mail allowance is combined with allowances for office staff and official office expenses to form a Member’s Representational Allowance (MRA). Members may spend any portion of their MRA on franked mail, subject to law and House regulations. Within the limits of their MRA, House Members are not restricted as to the total amount they may spend on mass mailings.
I used to think that Franking by our Congressional Representatives was completely free and that they were, in essence, adding to the deficit that our U.S. Postal System was experiencing. I now know that is not completely true. I do, still, believe that there are abuses to the privilege. 
Ok, you have just had your Civics/Government class for today. Hope you got an “A”. 
My goal is to learn something new every day. Hopefully, I have enlightened a few of you, as I have been enlightened. And so the journey begins...