Quick tip

I wanted to share this link about using canning seals as an anti-slip solution for small carpets. It was something that my Nana did and can still be useful even in this day and age.

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/prevent-rugs-from-slipping-wit-160357

Neti Pot Safety - Part One

Sinus infections suck major big time. I am currently surviving asthma, pneumonia and a sinus infection. This is always interesting. Thank goodness for antibiotics.

http://www.netipot.com/usa/index.php

One thing that keeps going through my mind is "I need to use my neti pot" just so I don't use as much tissue paper as I am. Thing is, I remember one time I went to the hospital emergency room with a sinus infection and the doctor said to me to use either previously boiled or distilled water and I could not figure out why. I figured that my municipal water was safe, so what was with this advice?  Now that I think of it, all municipal water is only chemically treated, usually with chlorine and fluoride and  who knows what else, and that's about it.
Chlorine is a great chemical but it doesn't always kill microorganisms such as amoebas.  And here you are, putting tap water up your nose. This is can be a  bad thing because the membrane between your nose and your brain is the thinnest and who wants an amoeba in the brain?
I'm not trying to scare anyone from trying a neti pot, what I want to do is make sure that everyone has a great use of something ( that I call a watering pot for the nose) and can use it safely and to great effect.
All I'm saying is that I follow (now) the doctors advice to use previously boiled water and I find that (A) the salt is easier to dissolve in  the water and (B) the water is not so harsh on my nose. These are the only reasons I use boiled water now and that's all that matters to me. There are readymade packets of neti pot solution, but I've not tried them yet.
Next Time... I'm going to post how to clean your neti pot.

An Update

Hi All,
I've not been writing because I have been taking care of myself which I have not done since who-knows-when.  I'm thinking of writing a memoir and that may take up a lot of my time in the near future. I also have other stuff on my plate and, unfortunately, my blog suffers. I hope you will put up with me while I figure out what to do. Keep your eyes peeled because you never know when I may post something.

Blessed Be,

Jerith

Eating essential oils...NOT

I Know I've not been writing for a long time . I like Pinterest and Facebook and a lot of other platforms but one thing I REALLY hate is irresponsible  advice on the ingestion of essential oils.  I dislike DoTerra and Young Living recommending that you INGEST an aromatherapy blend!

YOU DO NOT NEED TO EAT ESSENTIAL OILS !

I'm sorry for shouting but there is  only a little bit of evidence that essential oils work internally..

I try to be, as they call, "EVIDENCE BASED" but even the Doctor Oz show has only a roughly 25% Accuracy rate.

Personally, the thought of eating roughly 2 handfuls of herb that are in one drop of essential oil  is something  I do not want to take it in my water.(Think about it )
The other reason I do not like the popular essential oils sites ( DoTerra etc.) is that the companies do not take into account other medical  conditions or where the oils are from. There is no guarantee that all essential oils ingested are food grade or even therapeutic grade.

If you have certain illnesses, aromatherapy may not be the best for you, but if you do go to someone who understands and has been truly educated, (ie. epilepsy, high blood pressure) and knows drug interactions and more, you can have a safe and enjoyable time.

Quick Tip for Colds

A tiny amount of Vapor Rub (sore bought or homemade)  under the nose can help with the problems of a runny nose and the soreness that comes from blowing your nose all the time when you have a bad cold. The eucalyptus and menthol (or peppermint if homemade) in the rub help with the congestion, can ease a runny nose and are anti-inflammatory, antiviral and healing to skin.  The base of the rub, whether from the store or homemade, helps with the skin irritation from tissues from blowing your nose so frequently by moisturising and protecting the skin.

I've done this for myself a great many times and it does seem to help. I will say that Vapor Rub does sting when you first apply it but it fades after a bit especially the next time you blow your nose. Also try not to apply too much as the aromas can make the eyes water and sting if you apply too much.

New Leaves of Absence for Working Caregivers

Here in Ontario, the Ministry of Labour announced that effective on October 29th, 2014, there are 3 new unpaid leaves of absence available for working caregivers to help protect jobs. They are the Family Caregiver Leave, Critically Ill Child Care Leave and Crime-Related Child Death or Disappearance Leave. You can find out more information here.

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A New Twist on an Internet Scam - VERY IMPORTANT

I have a friend,  who is a senior living in his own apartment, and was scammed by at least 2 people OVER THE PHONE with the beneficiary scam. I don't know if you've seen this scam in your spam but it is basically the scam where a mysterious overseas beneficiary has named you to receive their money and you can get millions of dollars out of the airport for a "small" amount of money.  Unfortunately, he fell for this once and I've been trying to persuade him that it's too good to be true - even if  one guy claims to know that the other person, that my friend also spoke to ,  (whom the one scam artist KNOWS by name) is a scam artist, that he (the second guy) is really legit, will bring lawyers and police to the drop off and that it will only cost X number of dollars more.

This is something that makes me furious!  I have been trying to get in touch with the police and anyone else who is supposed to protect our seniors from financial abuse and identity theft (not that I know his identity has been stolen).  So far I have had no luck letting the proper authorities know.  I'll let you know when I do.

 I just wanted everyone to know that even if you don't have the internet (like my friend) that this can happen to you or a loved one. 

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Dry Shampoo: Tips and a Review

Use a dry shampoo to keep your loved one's hair looking clean between washes if they have difficulty getting in and out of the shower or are bedridden. They are easy to use and usually come as a spray or a powder and nowadays you can find them easily in the drugstore. Just spray the product in the hair, wait about 2 minutes for the product to absorb the oils from the scalp and brush out. If you are in a pinch, you can use baby powder or cornstarch as a dry shampoo. To use either of these I recommend using an old (but clean) blush or shaving brush to apply either the cornstarch or baby powder to the roots of the hair so you don't end up with a big chalky mess in the hair. Wait the 2 minutes then brush out.

I've personally tried the cornstarch, baby powder and Klorane oil absorbing  and gentle oat dry shampoo for myself ever since I got hair extensions put in, hurt my shoulder and wasn't able to wash my hair regularly. Out of the three methods, I have to recommend the dry shampoo first, cornstarch second and baby powder last.

With the Klorane dry shampoos (both aerosols and that I bought myself), I found that the oil absorbing one worked best for me as I have very baby-fine and oily hair. It was dead easy to use, smelled nice, absorbed oils really well and added texture and thickness to my hair. With the gentle oat dry shampoo, it was also easy to use, smelled nice and absorbed oils but left my hair a bit limp. I believe that the gentle shampoo would work best for people with normal to dry hair. Neither of these dry shampoos left much of a white residue in my hair.

Using the cornstarch, I put some on a small plate, applied it with a blush brush to my roots, waited and brushed it out.  It worked pretty well in absorbing the oils from my hair but I found that it left a bit of a white residue in my hair that was a little tricky to brush out.  I used the same technique with the baby powder but I found that it left more stuff behind in my hair but it did smell OK. 

Using both the baby powder and cornstarch was also the messiest method I used as it left powder all over my clothes (not nice on black clothes) and floor whereas the spray dry shampoo was the neatest.

In terms of cost, I'll admit that the Klorane was a bit pricy ($14 CAD not including taxes) and the cornstarch and baby powder the least expensive (about $2 for the cornstarch and $1 ( from the dollar store) for the baby powder) but for its ease of use I think the Klorane was worth it. 

I wish I had remembered about dry shampoos while I was caring for my mom and husband. It would have made their lives a little easier as well as my own.

Quick Tip - Using your Smartphone Camera for Labels

Original Images: www.freedigitalphotos.net

Take a picture of your medicine bottle labels with your smartphone's camera. This way you can use the zoom function to easily read the instructions on the label. This is also useful for reading ingredient labels and menus.

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A way to cook pasta in the summer

I know I've not been posting for a loooooong while but it's been a hectic time here. I've sold my home, moved and have been working to get my life on an even keel since the death of my husband almost a year ago.

Now that I've moved to a rental apartment with no air conditioning, I figured that I'd share my method for cooking pasta in the height of summer.

Basically, you start cooking your pasta the regular way as described on the side of the package, but here is the trick.... after about 2-5 minutes of bringing the water back to a boil, turn the water OFF and let the pasta sit just a little longer than it says in the directions or until you reach the doneness that you like. That's it, you then treat the pasta the way you'd usually do.

I like this method just for the reason that you don't have the stove element on longer than needed, thereby keeping your home cooler and you can save electricity or gas. (I know this because I've done this trick on both types of stoves)

It's also a great method for cooking pasta for summer salads as it takes a little less time for the pasta to cool in the fridge.

May is Mental Health Month

Explore more visuals like this one on the web's largest information design community - Visually.

Quick Tip: Gift Cards

This idea was given to me by my friend Carol who happens to spend a fair bit of time in hospitals: Get gift cards for the coffee or sandwich shop that is usually in the lobby of hospitals ( Tim Horton's, Second Cup, Timothy's, Subway) for the caregiver or for the patient if they're mobile. This will allow the caregiver or patient not have to worry about money for getting coffees (or tea) while they hanging around the hospital and can also provide a change in food instead of that boring hospital food.

An Informal Survey

I just recently read a study abstract that was about colicy babies and their gut bacteria. Apparently colicy babies gut bacteria are off and this is what causes all the problems. This got me thinking about the fact that I was a colicy baby and I still end up with gut problems as an adult. So my question is this: were you a colicy baby and do you have gut problems as an adult? To respond to this informal survey, please click on the title of this post and leave your responses in the comments. Thanks.

Caregiver Consultation Event in Canada !!!!

The Canadian Home Care Association and The Way Forward are organizing consultations in the Toronto GTA (including Burlington and Hamilton) with caregivers with experience looking after a loved one with a life-limiting illness.  The caregiver consultation may be by phone, Skype, or if possible – in groups. If there are any caregivers who might be interested in participating, kindly forward their names to Nujat Nawrin.

Attached is the letter to the caregiver and a poster.

Please contact Nujat Nawrin for more information. 

Nujat Nawrin 

Project Lead
Canadian Home Care Association 

Phone: (289)290-4376
nnawrin@cdnhomecare.ca 
www.cdnhomecare.ca 

Cinnamon Toast Lip Scrub

I don't know about you, but this winter has been playing havoc with my lips - they have been so dry that I have a white line where my lips are so dry that it even shows through lipstick. I came up with my version of a lip scrub so that I could deal with this. Currently I have limited resources so, as per usual, I make do with what I have. This lip scrub uses stuff that you probably have in your kitchen right now. If you don't have coconut oil I'd suggest using olive oil.

Cinnamon Toast Lip Scrub

1 Tbsp coconut oil 

3 Tbsp sugar

Approx. 1/8 tsp cinnamon

Mix all the ingredients in a small container or bowl until evenly distributed and has the consistency of a thick paste. 

To use, take a small amount on your finger and scrub your lips. Rinse with water when you feel you're done.

Now I'll admit that these amounts are approximate. What you want is to have the scrub to have the consistency of wet sand or a thick paste. I also like the fact that this lip scrub is edible, moisturizing and works! Part of my reason for adding cinnamon is it's irritating action - who needs expensive lip venom to plump your lips when you can make it your self?

Hope you enjoy!

10 Steps to Self Care

I saw this on Facebook and just had to share it.

Original Image: Shut Up I'm Still Talking

Looking After Yourself and Looking Good : Part 1

Spoiling yourself may seem like something selfish but at times it can be your best retreat from the stresses in your life. 

Some of the things that I have done for myself to deal with stress have included taking aromatherapy baths and showers, meditating, yoga, making my own face scrubs and trying out new nail polish designs. I will admit that sometimes doing things like my nails has not worked out (adjusting someone in bed with slightly wet nails sucks) but sometimes these little things have made me feel better.

There is a saying "dress for the job you want, not the job you have" and I feel this phrase works well for caregivers. The reason for this is that although you may be overwhelmed with the changes in your life, how you look can change your opinion of yourself. You can be stressed out but, if you look half decent, I have found that you look at life from a brighter side and can do a better job no matter what you do.

When I'm stressed out I have found that my face breaks out with zits way more. I have tried prescription  Retinol creams, things like Clearasil and pine tar soaps. Of course the zits affect the way I feel about myself - the more zits the worse I feel. One thing I have found to work for me is called oil cleansing. What you do is moisten your face with warm water, apply a little coconut oil and wipe off with a damp washcloth - it's kinda like using Pond's Cold Cream. I also make  a face scrub using coconut oil and baking soda with some essential oils to help my skin. Since I have been doing this, my breakouts are smaller and easier to hide with a tiny bit of makeup. ( I believe I have seborrhetic dermatitis although this has not been proven )  I will admit that this has worked for me and even other people have noticed how much my face has improved.

In doing my nails, I found that taking a couple of days to do them can help with the problem of a botched manicure. Personally, I'd rather wait and get my nail design right rather than do it all at once. I'd rather take a day or so to do a couple of layers of polish rather than have my Mani ruined. Doing a layer at at a time can be a problem ( I hate it when nail polish chips) but you're less likely to have a problem in the long run especially if you have to adjust your care partner.

Makeup may seem like something to be avoided but, I have found that if you at least do your eye make up, you feel better about yourself and don't feel so tired. That and a bit of lip-gloss and you're ready to go.

Dressing "up" may seem silly, but I've found that if you dress in your grungy clothes, you feel grungy. Now if this is a look that you're going for, by all means have at it. Dressing nice means that you feel nice. This is not to say that you can't wear sweats, just make them look amazing (think Lulu Lemon or Nike ads).


More Later.....

Saying "No"

As caregivers, we have great caring hearts and, at least for me, difficulty saying no to people who ask us for something. This can be from our family, friends or at work. Saying "no" is sometimes the best thing that you can do for yourself and for the other person. 

When I was caring for Mom, I got a phone call from my disabled friend for whom I have Power of Attorney and he wanted me to help save him from eviction. I was also having to care for my husband who was at our home. There was just no way that I could help him and although it broke my heart I had to say No. He ended up going into a shelter and from there into long term care which turned out to be the best for him. So never feel guilty for saying no - it can be good for you by lessening your stress and for the other person by having them solve the problem themselves or ending up in a better situation. 

Here are some helpful phrases for saying "No" that can help you feel less guilty and not leave the other person feeling disrespected.

Original Image: Julie Hanks

My Adventure with Smoothies

Late in my mom's illness, there came a time when she wasn't very hungry so I started making smoothies for her. At the time there wasn't as much information out there on making them so I was making them by-guess-and-by-golly.

Most of the recipes I found online at the time wanted you to use a juicer and mom didn't have one, all we had was a blender. The strangest recipe I read was for Carnation Instant Breakfast (strawberry) and beer (ew!). I was having to make do with what we had so most of the smoothies I was making had to use vanilla flavoured Ensure or the occasional Carnation Instant Breakfast as a base. This tended to make the smoothies too sweet for mom and she got bored with them. I was running out of ideas on what to put in them so they wouldn't be as sweet. Mind you, I had come up with a smoothie that mom did like that she claimed tasted like a creamsicle. The strange thing was that there was no orange in it! I had made it with mangos and vanilla Ensure but I was unable to reproduce it because I wasn't writing down what was in it.

I had remembered that one of mom's nurses had mentioned making what she called "steak shakes" by basically blending what was for dinner with broth but here it was again, mom's taste buds were off, and she didn't like the smell or taste of meat also she didn't want to eat "baby food". That made this idea a no go.

Nowadays, there are more options out there and I would be making smoothies differently. First off, I would not be stuck with having to use just Ensure or Instant Breakfast as a liquid base. I'd go and get some unflavoured protein powder, hemp hearts or chia seeds for the protein part of the smoothie (I was already adding yoghurt and silken tofu to them). I'd also be adding greens to the smoothie. Admittedly this would involve some extra prep (who wants celery strings in their drink?) but at least the smoothie wouldn't be too sweet. I'd also try freezing broth (like the mineral broth recipe) into ice cubes so that the smoothie could be more savory. (I have no idea how this would taste but I just might try it as an experiment on myself). 

Some of the other things I'd be doing differently is writing down what I was putting in the smoothies, freezing any leftover smoothies in freezer bags and labeling them as to what was in them. The reason for this is that I think that the smoothies would be easier to get out of the bags rather than from tupperware which was a problem I discovered for myself. Also with the bags being labeled you would know how to make it again if the concoction you come up with proves to be a favorite. 

This infographic is a good beginning on how to make smoothies. Have fun and experiment.

Enjoy!

From: simplysmoothierecipes.com

Inspiration for a Bad Day

 I originally found this video while browsing though Huffpost on my phone. It seemed so appropriate for the day after Bell's "Let's Talk" promotion and I wish I had known about it years before when I was going through tough times. The words are by Canadian spoken word poet Shane Koyczan from his poem "Instructions for a Bad Day". I believe that the words are appropriate for anyone who is going through tough times due to loss, bullying, mental illness, illness or just a plain bad day. I hope this inspires you as it did me. Enjoy.

Humor

From: THEMETAPICTURE.COM

Humour

How I feel on Sundays

funsmix.com

Quote

Original photo by: Simon Howden/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Staying Inspired

Image: meow - Imgur

How I Used Pinterest as a Caregiver

Pinterest is one of those sites that I find to be addictive to me. I can spend hours and hours looking at the site and pinning and repinning stuff.  Pinterest is a free site to join and it is basically a place where you can put links to stuff that you're interested in instead of creating tonnes of bookmarks, printing out stuff or clipping out magazine articles. It's kind of like a electronic corkboard for your ideas. 

Picture: posterize/freedigitalphotos.net

There are pages/categories (boards) there for caregiving (for caregiving and other specific things you have to enter it into the search bar) women's fashion, food and drink, fitness, home decor, quotes and much much more. I've been keeping all of my pins on one board but you can set up different categories for whatever interests you  for example, "my style" or "dinner ideas" or however you want to title your boards. 

As a caregiver I was using (and still use) Pinterest to find slow cooker, snack and freezer recipes, fangirl stuff (I love Doctor Who!), inspirational quotes, organizational tips, homemade cleaning and beauty products and ideas on fashion as I couldn't get out to buy new clothes. I was doing this because I was running out of ideas on what to cook for my husband and I and I was also beginning to suffer from caregiver burnout (although I didn't know it).

I was getting so fatigued that I started on Pinterest by looking to make mealtimes easier for me. I liked the fact that in the food and drink category you can find foods that are vegetarian, gluten free, paleo diet, "skinny" foods, slow cooker recipes, snack ideas, freezer meals and more. I'm all for making my life easier, especially when I'm tired and don't want to think about cooking, which is why I like all the slow cooker recipes and  freezer meal ideas such as the recipe I tweaked for slow cooker "roast" chicken. In fact, I still look in this category for meal ideas when I have no idea what to eat.

I continued to browse and found ideas on how to organize the fridge so that my husband could easily find something to eat when I wasn't there or I was asleep. I also found ideas that helped me tidy and decorate so that the husband was comfortable and our home looked nice (well, most of the time). The Women's fashion category helped me figure out what I had in my closet and how to organize it so I could find nice outfits to wear. Looking at the quotes kept me inspired so I could keep on going.

All in all I've found Pinterest to be a great inspirational site and very useful but I must say very addictive to me.

How do you use Pinterest as a caregiver?

Humor

Have a Great Weekend!

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Image: Pinterest

Quick Tip

Image: Praisaeng/freedigitalphotos.net

Use lavender essential oil to remove adhesive residue on skin from bandages, I.V. lines or cardiac monitor stickers. Just put a few drops (you should need no more than 5 drops) of the essential oil on a cotton ball or pad and gently wipe over the residue and the residue should come off easily. Wash the area gently afterwards with a mild soap and a soft washcloth to remove any remaining adhesive. 

The advantage of using lavender is that it promotes healing of the skin and closed wounds, is antibacterial and promotes relaxation.

 Obviously you should not use lavender essential oil if you are allergic to it or on open wounds. 

Quick Tip

Image: Google Search

When making tuna, salmon or chicken salad for sandwiches, make it in a smallish food container  ( like Tupperware). That way if you don't use all the salad it is easier to put in the fridge for later and doesn't dirty an extra dish.

Quick Tip: New Year's Resolutions

The New Year has begun and you've made your resolutions but how do you keep them? The easiest way is to remember that any habit takes 28 days to become ingrained. It is also important to break down any goal into smaller steps. 

Image from Pinterest

If, for example, your New Year's resolution is to get into a sexy bathing suit by the summer, you could start with improving your diet first for the first month, then work on exercise for the second month and relaxation for the third month. You can also further break down each

month into goals such as working on menu planning or increasing fiber in your diet for the first month, start exercising 10 minutes a day and increasing that time by 5 minutes each week for the second month and start meditating for 5 minutes a day, increasing that time by 5 minutes a week for the third month and so on. However you want to achieve your goal and break it up is up to you but just begin with one small change for 28 days.

No matter your resolution, just take it one day at a time and you will reach your goals!

Happy New Year 2014!!!!

Wishing you all a happy, peaceful, healthy and prosperous New Year!!!!

Original Image: Satit Sirhin/freedigitalphotos.net

Merry Christmas

Wishing you and yours a very merry and peaceful Christmas!

No Rest for the Weary but Looking on the Bright Side

Well my fun and games just keeps going on and on. Since my husband passed away I have managed to get on social assistance but they are only going to let me have it for three months. I am also starting a job soon that's commission based and I may have to sell my home soon because social assistance can't cover my expenses. Sometimes it feels that there's no rest for the weary.

I'm not sure how I'm going to be doing all of this but I have to remind myself to look on the bright side of things. At least I have found myself a job, moving is a great way to declutter and, if I have to sell, at least I'll have some available cash.

I mention looking on the bright side because there have been studies that imply that people who are optimistic live longer, less likely to have negative health effects, are more successful and are happier in their lives. I don't know about you but I want to live like that. Now, I'm not saying to be unrealistic (I'm not expecting to win the lottery tonight, but that would be nice.) It's just that there is good in any situation even if you can't see it right at the moment. As Lao Tzu said :

 “Be careful what you water your dreams with. Water them with worry and fear and you will produce weeds that choke the life from your dream. Water them with optimism and solutions and you will cultivate success. Always be on the lookout for ways to turn a problem into an opportunity for success. Always be on the lookout for ways to nurture your dream.”

Optimism also seems to be a recurring idea in the thoughts of great men (and women) such as Anne Frank, Winston Churchill, Gandhi,  Nelson Mandela, Hellen Keller, Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein  and many more. So follow their example and as Monty Python said in The Life of Brian "Always look on the bright side of life".

After the Caregiving is Over (It Ain't Over Yet)

Since my husband passed away, I've been going through some trials and tribulations. I've been having to look for work and in this economy this is really tough. Finding work in my field is tricky enough as is. I've also been having fun with the bank, worried about losing my home, having appliances break down around me, working as executrix for the husband  and trying to get onto welfare so I can survive until I get that elusive job.(This is why I've not been posting). Of course there is more going on but I'm doing all of this while I am still grieving. I will admit that I am starting to feel a bit better. Finally, I am able to keep a thought in my head longer that 5 minutes (not that I was any better before but it feels like it). My home is still a disaster area but now I have an idea of what a pile of papers has and what in it.

I just want to give you some of my opinions, in no particular order, as to how to help yourself after your loved one passes away (hopefully not for a long time).

1. If needed, you can always ask your pharmacy and your cable/phone/cell/satellite provider for copies of your past bills etc. on paper by snail mail. It may cost you some money on your next bill but then you have them, usually in order, and everything. Also always good for tax season.
2. Always ask for an expert opinion on anything you think is valuable. Also ask for more than one opinion. Shop around. The first price you're given may not be the best price you'd get. For example, I have an Inuit sculpture that weighs about 40 lb that my husband won as the first Canadian to win in the British TV game show Mastermind. I went to an auction house and they informed me that it could reach $700 CA at auction.(This is my first price) Now I'm not gonna sell, but just that one price tells me what it could be worth. If I ever decide to sell, I'm going to try to find a dealer who knows what it is truly worth and give me a decent price (I'm not going to sell).
3. Take time for your self. In my opinion this is the most important one. You have been caregiving for a while and after the caregiving is over you have to figure out who you are! You have been wrapped up in medications, nursing, etc., etc., etc..I talked to a lady who was the receptionist at my local welfare office and even one year later after her husband's death (which was sudden) she still has problems with "widow's brain"! You have been taking care of others and you're gonna feel lost (I know). Take the time you need, get help you need, be as tough as you are and pamper yourself! (a friend is taking me to the movies....I haven't been to the movies for almost 18 years!) Enjoy yourself and possibly find a group that understands and goes for coffee or whatever ( I'll admit that I haven't gone yet)  but an excellent site is meetup.com they have all sorts of meetings all around the world.
4. Help is out there. Whether it be family, friends, an accountant, lawyer, minister, chat group, website, family doctor or psychiatrist there is always someone to help. 
5. Try not to use alcohol too much. This may sound like a no-brainer but sometimes it feels good to get drunk after a death (I'm of Irish descent and like a good wake and also for me it's too easy). The problem is not so much that you are drinking, it's how it affects what and how you are doing. If you're drinking and can't get up in the morning, take a look at yourself and ask yourself why you drank that much the night before...I'd bet it's about the pain in your heart and that you wanted to forget and sleep because otherwise you couldn't.(been there, done that, doesn't work).
6. Ask, ask, ask. This is my second most important point.(mind you, it could be the most important also see number one) If you never ask you never know. Today I've been worried about my mortgage and condo fees. I called my mortgage broker and talked to the condo office and they were very accommodating. Once I get the money to pay them I have to let them know but, if I had not, then I could have been facing lot of trouble and extra fees of up to $300 CA. The trick is if you know a bill/automatic withdrawal/prepaid is coming up, give them a call and at least 1 business week beforehand (5 days, no weekends) to help you.

Hoped this helped,

Jerith

Never too Old to be Cool

Image Via Pinterest

A newish website for Canadian caregivers

I was reading the Toronto Star the other day and they had an article for caregivers. The one thing I noticed was that someone beat me to being an acknowledged source for caregivers. I'm not bitter, rather I'm glad that someone helped get this knowledge out there and that they were lucky enough to have resources that I don't. Anyway, the site is called Canada Cares. They have a toll-free number so you can get information from practical nurses as well as web tools to help you find the resources that you need. One thing that I wish is that this was in existence when I was a caregiver for my husband.  I hope that this website will help you in your caregiving journey.

Daylight Saving Time Reminder 2013

I know I'm early with this but this Sunday November 3 at 2 am  is the beginning of daylight savings time. So remember to Fall Back one hour. Also check your smoke detector batteries particularly before the Christmas season, we don't want any tree fires to hurt anyone.

Happy Halloween!

Quick Tip - Lamp Timers

If you or your loved one likes to read in bed before sleeping, get yourself a timer for the lamp nearest to them (or you) and set it to go off one hour after you want the sleep time to be. Also, have the timer be a minimum of 6 hours before you have to wake (more is way better). 

Image from Google Search Images

The advantage I've found with this is that, if you fall asleep before your light goes off, you are still getting the benefits of a darkened room (proven to improve mood, stress levels and fairly recently to help prevent Alzheimer's and behavioural problems in children) because your light isn't on all night and as an added benefit you also you don't waste electricity. 

Other advantages are that these timers usually have a "turn on" time and when they do you can also set it for the time you want to get up. I found that if I set mine for about one a.m. and 7 a.m. I could still do my studying, watch TV, have a bit of down time and generally read a bit in bed before I had to start again (I try to get to bed between 11 p.m. and midnight). 

One strange thing I found is that now that I personally use a lamp timer, I sleep better and I also have such a regular sleep pattern that I usually wake before my alarm clock, which can sometimes suck especially on weekends.

By the way these timers are sometimes sold on sale during holiday time for things like Christmas/Hanukkah lights and also plant lights for things like African violets. They are usually available in your local hardware store year round.

Quick Tip

Sore Muscles? Don't have Tiger Balm? Use Vick's Vapor Rub... Eucalyptus and Menthol ( mint) are both great for sore muscles. ( It's even on the label)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Image from Pinterest

And a Happy Columbus Day to our American cousins!

Article Recommendation

The article is for anyone, but if you are a cancer survivor and live in the Calgary area it may really interest you.

The article is from the CBC Calgary site regarding how light therapy may energize cancer survivors and also about looking for cancer survivors who may be interested in participating in the study at the University of Calgary and Alberta Health Services. Check out the link above.

Quick Tip

I don't know about you, but there are times (way, way too many) where I wake up in the morning and feel as if I have an hangover when I haven't even been drinking. You probably know what I mean, the headache, blurred vision, fatigue, groggy, fuzzy tongue and sometimes nausea. Well I decided to try and figure out why this kept happening to me. What I discovered was that I was probably waking up dehydrated! 

So this is my quick tip: The very first thing upon waking up, without even getting out of bed or very soon thereafter, have a glass or bottle of water. For an added benefit, add some lemon to the water. The lemon will help kickstart your digestion and apparently has an alkalizing effect on the body's Ph balance. Lemon also makes the water taste better. Because you are drinking water the very first thing in the morning, you are also rehydrating yourself before you have your morning caffeine jolt (caffeine is a diuretic) and you are also filling your stomach with something so you'll be less likely to eat too much for breakfast!

I've been doing this for about a week now (though I don't use the lemon myself) and I've found that I wake up faster (it used to take me over an hour feel like I was awake) and those hangover-like symptoms went away really quickly.

A Fall Recipe

This is my father's recipe that got me to eat spaghetti squash as a kid and now it is one of my comfort foods. I'll say this about it...it is not low fat, low sodium or gluten free but I'm sure that it can be adapted. It is basically a stuffed squash recipe and it's the flavours that are more important rather than the ingredients. I'm going to give you the original recipe and let you figure out the variants. This recipe feeds four people easily.

Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

1 Medium-large Spaghetti Squash about 3 pounds
1 Box Stuffing mix
1 Package Breakfast Sausage (it has to be breakfast sausage)

Preheat oven to 350 F
Cut squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds.
Make Stuffing mix according to directions on the box.
Place squash halves into a baking dish (about 1"x9"x13") and add about 1 cup of water to the dish.
Put roughly equal amounts of stuffing into both halves of the squash into the hollow left from the seeds.
Cover each squash with roughly half of the sausage.
Once it is altogether, place the dish into the oven and bake until the squash is soft, about 1 hour. If the squash is not soft after 1 hour, take some tinfoil and place over the top of the sausages and continue to cook in the oven until the squash is easily pierced by a fork, usually this takes 15 to 30 minutes. (it's all about the squash). Add a bit of water into the baking dish if necessary.
Once the squash is easily pierced by a fork the meal is ready.
Cut the Squash into quarters and serve.

Enjoy!

Why I Like Yoga

When I was studying Holistic Health at College, I HAD  to do a practicum at a place that was willing to let us practice what we had learned. The place I chose to volunteer at was a local yoga studio as I knew that this would  be a place that I may be able to work at in the future.One of the advantages of volunteering at this yoga studio was that I could take free yoga classes.I should let you know that this was hot yoga and I have a heart condition where heat and I don't really mix.

Any way, I started practicing hot yoga and I noticed that I felt better and was more able to care for the DH. My back pain was better, as were my mood and energy. I enjoyed the community and that the community allowed you to be separate because each yoga practice is individual. One of the things that I also liked was that the classes were geared to everyone. It didn't matter that you were a novice or if you had been practicing yoga for X number of years.( I had last done yoga I was 9 and the started it again when I was hitting middle age)

There have been many studies on yoga and heart health, mental health, balance and mood.

I'll say this, since my DH passed away, I want to get back into my yoga practice, and I wish I had the energy. I'd recommend yoga to anyone who is caring for another and, if possible, have your loved one come with you.

Personal Thoughts on Grieving

When my husband was a young man he went to England as a tourist to the church where the Pilgrim Fathers and/or Sir Francis Bacon left to explore the New World and colonize North America (at least I think they were the same church in Plymouth ???). Anyway, one of these groups of people held a church service and the verses that were used were Ecclesiastes 3:1-22 "For every thing has a season" and my DH (being the nerd that he was) went up into the pulpit and started reading from the Bible out loud.
As he was reading, other people began to wander in and sit down. DH realized that these other tourists thought that he may be the Reverend and so, after finishing reading the verses, he began an impromptu sermon. He never remembered exactly what he spoke about (the fright of having to say something or running for it) but he told me about standing at the church doors , shaking hands with people as they left and (being an honest Canadian,) having people leave money in the Poor Box. ( I read these verses of Ecclesiastes for DH's funeral as they were his fave.)

Now I can hear you asking what does this have to do with grieving? Well, this is my version of Ecclesiastes of the grieving. (I have The Byrds singing Pete Seeger's "Turn, Turn, Turn" in my head as I write) I'll admit that my list is not very poetic or in any order but it's how I feel.


Grieving is a very personal experience. For some, it may take some time and for others it may hit in the beginning like a tonne of bricks. 

Grieving is always a tonne of bricks.

There will be times that you cry for no reason or you thought you saw your loved one walking down the street. 

You will feel like crap and times you feel good.

There will be times when you want to cook and time when take-out is easy.

Times when you want to clean and times when you say "screw it all".

A Lot of times you want to say "screw it all".

Sometimes you want your friends around and others you don't.

You want to hide from the World but you can't.

You hate to hear "well, it will take time".

Sometimes you'll want to talk and other times not. 

Times you'll yell at the World and other times it tells you to be silent.

Sometimes you can't reach anyone.

Didn't you love me or I love you enough?

Feeling like shopping or shopping too much.

Wanting to drink or drinking too much.

Not knowing how to feel and confused about how you feel.

Forgetting things when you really can't.

Wanting to get stuff out of the house and wanting to hold on to it.

Hating a favorite movie/song and wanting to watch/hear it again.

Hating feeling confused.

And waiting for things to get back to normal.

An Important Question to My Readers

With the death of my husband, I know that I've not been blogging recently but that doesn't mean that I've not been thinking about what I want to write about. I'd like this site to be somewhere that people can come, share and feel free to talk to either each other or have a place to ask questions and have others share their experiences with being a caregiver from an holistic perspective.

So here is my question: would you like to see a chat room or have a forum available on my blog?

If you want both, that would be fine by me but, you must know, that this will take me awhile to figure out to how to implement either one. Personally, I think that a chat room is the first place to start that way we be able to begin to support each other in a meaningful way from the very beginning. I have been reading the news about chat rooms set up by different Associations, Cancer and Alzheimer's, about the benefits of using chat rooms for caregivers who are dealing with those specific diseases. I must let you know that any chat room or forum that I set up will be of the FREE kind and therefore very limited. The best place I've found (so far) for a free chat room will only allow 10 people be there at a time. I do know that I've not set up my site to do a quiz but please go to the full article and let me know by sending me a comment and putting in the beginning which  form of communication with each other you'ld like and why.

Jerith

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Original Image: http://glamourization.biz/beautiful-words/

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Original Image: http://exhaleonlylove.tumblr.com

With Great Sadness

Hi all,
I've not been posting for a while because my husband was in palliative care and passed away on June 10th. I'm planning on keeping up with my blog but it will be awhile before I post frequently. Thank You  for your understanding and I'll be posting as soon as I can.

Jerith

Humour

Wait for it....

Source: thepoke.co.uk via Carina on Pinterest

Top 10 Things NOT to Say to Someone with a Chronic Illness

Original Text: HopeKeepers
Original Image Courtesy of: Stewart Miles/freedigitalphotos.net

Why I've Removed a (Seemingly) Popular Post

I've removed the post about The Top 10 Things NOT to Say to Someone with a Chronic Illness. The reason is that somehow I'm getting page views from sex sites and other dubious sites. I'll be reposting it with my own images and with the original wording (and credits). I apologize if  your comments got deleted but I don't want anything to do with these creepy sites.

About Blogging

I started blogging for a couple of reasons: 1) to share my experiences, research and knowledge to help other caregivers, 2) to show that alternative/complementary therapies are useful adjuncts to treatments for various diseases and that they improve the quality of life for both the caregiver and the one receiving care and 3) as a journal for myself because journaling in itself is therapeutic for any caregiver (scientifically proven).

I am by no means a blogging expert, I'm still doing this by-guess-and-by-golly.  I did research, by reading reviews, viewing  different platforms, different blogs and website builders, and chose those that were free, easiest to use (WYSIWYG), had the nicest templates and were compatible for mobile users. I also chose my blogging platform because it was compatible with my website (http://starfireholisticheal.wix.com/html_home) and word processor (OpenOffice).

I have no clue on how to program and any programming that I remember is stuff I learned in grade 10 (a million years ago) and that was BASIC (LOL). I will admit that I have been thinking of learning  HTML or JAVA but that is only so I can customize my blog and website the way I want on my own but it's not that important to me - that's what designers are for and when I can afford it or trade for their services I will. The only time I use the HTML editor is when I want to embed something in my blog and then it's just cut-and-paste. The only other reason I want to learn programming is to figure out how to block redirects from other websites that I have no affiliation or interest in because they are just plain annoying (and possibly carry viruses) and I believe that they skew the results of the true interest in my blog.

Blogging in itself has been a learning experience for me as I learn how to use Blogger more efficiently, trying to figure out what to write about (there's just soooo much!), and in trying to get my thoughts, research, blog and self organized. I should probably sit down and write a business plan for my blog so that I have a clear idea on what the bloody-hell I'm doing and where I want my blog to go. 

As a journal, I will admit that my blog is a little lacking. Mind you, I've never been much of a journaler either, not since my journal was stolen from me by bullies in the schoolyard as a kid and I also tend to forget to keep it up. I'm also trying to balance what I want to say with some privacy - I don't want to embarrass anyone and I don't believe anyone would care to see lists of what I didn't manage to get done today. I'm also avoiding writing about some personally painful subjects at the moment, they are still a little raw and I'm not wanting to cry into my keyboard when I write about them. However, some more personal stories will be forthcoming as soon as I get my thoughts and words into some sense of order. (My thought processes are a little odd, I tend to jump from one idea to another and not in a nice, neat, linear way.) Writing tends to be linear and this can be tricky for me.

Some last thoughts about blogging. Apparently you can keep your blog private so that only you can read it. I chose to share mine with the hopes that it would help other caregivers, especially those of us in Canada, particularly Ontario, as there doesn't seem to be much like what I'm doing here. Keeping your blog private or sharing it is up to you but writing one can be therapeutic - journaling can help clarify your thoughts and feelings, reduce stress, help with communication with others, aid in problem solving, help you know yourself better, and improve immune function. (I'll be writing more about the benefits of journaling at another time). Apparently, you get the benefits of journaling if you do it daily, which is why I try to post everyday but how often you write will be up to you and how much time you have.

How you arrange your blog is, again, up to you. You can have different pages for various subjects or just keep it simple. I tend to be a tweaker, so my blog is evolving over time and, right now, I have no idea where it's going but I know I'll be changing it soon so that  it's easier to navigate and have important resources and articles easier to find. 

And finally, try not to run afoul of copyright infringements, plagiarism, and other bad manners - it's a sure way to get to get in trouble with the law and no one wants that. If you are going to use something from elsewhere on the internet, make sure that you give credit where credit is due. Keeping your blog original is the easiest and safest way to keep everyone happy and edit, edit, edit.

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Image courtesy of: Rob Wiltshire/freedigitalphotos.net

Long Weekend

Image courtesy of: pakorn/freedigitalphotos.net

Medify: A Cool Website for Research

As caregivers, researching about our loved ones conditions can be time consuming and confusing and I'm all for trying to make life simpler. 

I was thinking about writing about the benefits of aromatherapy and dementia when I discovered the website Medify. Medify basically looks at millions of research articles and arranges them in an easy to understand overview that can help you to put it to work. As they say:

"Our goal is simple: to help you and your family more easily navigate, stay current, and manage the often complex process of finding answers, while empowering you to get help from those you trust most."

 As I just discovered the website, I'm still learning about it but so far it's easy to use and you don't have to join to do the research. Joining the site ( for free) will allow you to save your research and create a private online support community that you can invite friends to, share your links, updates and other info and request help from others in your community. I also like the fact that that the information is "100% vetted by medical researchers" and that they comply with the HONcode  standard for trustworthy health information.

The site is in Beta so some diseases are harder to find and there are some errors in their terms (I looked at a study for spina bifida on speech training with computers and the acronym in the study was LSD (letter-sound) but Medify had it under LSD as in the drug) but there is still information there on related conditions that can be a good starting place for further research.

All in all this is a good site and I'd recommend it for those who are new to research as a starting point.

Mediterranean Diet Infographic

The Mediterranean Diet Meal Plan infographic

An Unusual Salad Recipe

This is a quick and easy salad that I created with stuff I had on hand. I was wanting to make a pear and blue cheese salad but didn't have all of the ingredients. I've made it for my mom and husband who don't like pears and they liked it (although it wouldn't be their first choice.) This is a good side salad with chicken or pork and is good for picnics and potlucks. 

I will let you know that all amounts are approximate as I usually eyeball and taste to get it right. 

Pear and Tomato Salad

1-2 Anjou or other firm pears (You can use Asian pears but not Bartlett's)
2-3 Tomatoes
1 Small Red Onion
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) or other mild tasting vinegar such as rice vinegar
1-2 Cloves finely chopped garlic
1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
Pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon ground Black Pepper 
1/4 Cup Crumbled Feta Cheese

In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix olive oil, ACV, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper to make a simple vinaigrette dressing. Let sit to allow flavours to develop.

Chop pears, onions and tomatoes into a rough dice and place into a bowl. The proportions of the onions, tomatoes and pears should be roughly equal but I usually use a little less pear because of the hubby.

Crumble feta and vinaigrette over top and mix gently. 

Serve chilled.

Options: Replace pear with watermelon. Can be garnished with walnuts for crunch.