I just got my six month checkup by my cardiologist and it was good news. When you have a heart attack it means you have a lack of blood to your heart muscles and that part of the muscle dies. Hart muscle does not regrow. Since I have resarting my Christian healing the dead area of my heart has significantly shrunk. Praise the Lord.
Healing works!
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Christian Quantum Intergated Healing-1
The prejudice against Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM) by the Adventists Healthcare System (AHS). As they are a Christian organization they have, rightly so, serious reservations about CAM. The problem stems from the fact that Christianity turned its back on the “healing process” as we know it when the age of Enlightenment came into Western civilization of the 17th and 18th centuries A.D. Christian Quantum Integrated Healing has to overcome the huge bias against Christian Healing formed by their own Christian community.
In the 19th century, a Church of England priest from Dublin called John Nelson Darby founded the Plymouth Brethren and one of the founding principles of the organization was Dispensensationalsim. He believed that there were seven separate periods throughout the Bible. For example, he believed that there was a dispensation at the time of the original apostles and one of the signs of the apostles was the performance of miracles. Darby theorized that after the last of the apostle died, for the most part, there were no more miracles to perform. In other words, healing may occur but is not really for our time. What helped the theory along was the fact that the Bible scholar C.I. Scofield came out with a reference Bible that was thoroughly imbued by the dispensation theory of theology. Lewis Sperry Chafer the founder of the Dallas Theological Seminary (Baptist) also was a believer of Darby’s theology.There is no clear evidence in the Scripture that Jesus meant to heal only in the Apostle’s time. We come through to the 20th century and that one of the largest movements for Jesus was the Southern Baptist that, in general, followed Darby’s theology. The other large group of Christians was the Roman Catholics who believed in miracles, but that “God may heal you, but he does not have to.” This idea has invaded the Christian world to its detriment.
Since its In Noah’s time
We know that before Abraham there was Noah. We know that there were righteous people such as Enoch and Noah. We know the story of Noah; how did God communicate with him? The Bible does not address how God communicate with Noah only that He did. Jewish history indicates that he communicated mostly through Prophets and Sages.
The more interesting question is why did God bother to communicate at all? It is because God does not wish anyone to perish or have problems in their life.
When God (The Father-Creator) created the universe, it says the Word (Jesus) went out over the void by the power of the Holy Ghost or Spirit. Since God created the world or universe, He was obligated to keep his word, which maintains the existence of the universe. We do not know, or cannot really understand how God does this, but he does. Since He has given His Word on creating and keeping in existence the universe, He is obligated to maintain the universe no matter what we do. Because He is The I Am That I Am He keeps His word.
The Dimensional World
We deal with on a daily basis four dimensions, width, length, height, and time. Jewish Kabbalists (Jewish Mystics) have recorded over 5000 years ago that there are 10 dimensions to the universe. Recently, scientists believed that there were over 300 dimensions in the universe and untold number of alternate universes. Now the common opinion among scientists is that there are 10 dimensions to the universe. The Kabbalists calls them the Attributes of God or the Sephirot (Dimensions).
All cultures going back to very ancient times have their version of the dimensions. In Sanskrit/Hindu, they have eight dimensions with seven chakras. The Jewish version is more accurate in that there are 10 dimensions. Interestingly, both have the same number of dimensions of through the eighth dimension where the Spirit of the universe is. In Buddhist terms, it is where the “universal life force” resides. The mistake that most people make is that they are confused where the limits of the universe end.
God’s Word created the universe. His Spirit fills the universe and It cannot be separated from the universe. Thus, when the Buddhist and others talk about a “universal love or force in the universe” they are talking about the eighth dimension. However, there are nine dimensions in the created dimensions. The 10th dimension surrounds us because it surrounds us by the Infinity of God. We as humans we have access to the eighth dimension. We as “Righteous Hebrews and Christians” have access to the ninth dimension. This means that we are in direct communication and interaction with Ruach HaKodesh, the Holy Spirit. The 10th dimension is where all three persons of the Trinity are. We cannot understand how this works because we have no real reference point. We just have to accept it as it is.
Over the course of centuries, the world has learned about getting in touch with the eighth dimension and the Judeo-Christian world has abandoned it essentially. Now there is rejuvenation on learning about Quantum Healing. Jesus manipulated Quantum Energy; the result was what we call a miracle but he said that we would do more than he did! Jesus was known for having raising the dead!
Now go and do likewise! Yes?
End of part-1
In the 19th century, a Church of England priest from Dublin called John Nelson Darby founded the Plymouth Brethren and one of the founding principles of the organization was Dispensensationalsim. He believed that there were seven separate periods throughout the Bible. For example, he believed that there was a dispensation at the time of the original apostles and one of the signs of the apostles was the performance of miracles. Darby theorized that after the last of the apostle died, for the most part, there were no more miracles to perform. In other words, healing may occur but is not really for our time. What helped the theory along was the fact that the Bible scholar C.I. Scofield came out with a reference Bible that was thoroughly imbued by the dispensation theory of theology. Lewis Sperry Chafer the founder of the Dallas Theological Seminary (Baptist) also was a believer of Darby’s theology.There is no clear evidence in the Scripture that Jesus meant to heal only in the Apostle’s time. We come through to the 20th century and that one of the largest movements for Jesus was the Southern Baptist that, in general, followed Darby’s theology. The other large group of Christians was the Roman Catholics who believed in miracles, but that “God may heal you, but he does not have to.” This idea has invaded the Christian world to its detriment.
Since its In Noah’s time
We know that before Abraham there was Noah. We know that there were righteous people such as Enoch and Noah. We know the story of Noah; how did God communicate with him? The Bible does not address how God communicate with Noah only that He did. Jewish history indicates that he communicated mostly through Prophets and Sages.
The more interesting question is why did God bother to communicate at all? It is because God does not wish anyone to perish or have problems in their life.
When God (The Father-Creator) created the universe, it says the Word (Jesus) went out over the void by the power of the Holy Ghost or Spirit. Since God created the world or universe, He was obligated to keep his word, which maintains the existence of the universe. We do not know, or cannot really understand how God does this, but he does. Since He has given His Word on creating and keeping in existence the universe, He is obligated to maintain the universe no matter what we do. Because He is The I Am That I Am He keeps His word.
The Dimensional World
We deal with on a daily basis four dimensions, width, length, height, and time. Jewish Kabbalists (Jewish Mystics) have recorded over 5000 years ago that there are 10 dimensions to the universe. Recently, scientists believed that there were over 300 dimensions in the universe and untold number of alternate universes. Now the common opinion among scientists is that there are 10 dimensions to the universe. The Kabbalists calls them the Attributes of God or the Sephirot (Dimensions).
All cultures going back to very ancient times have their version of the dimensions. In Sanskrit/Hindu, they have eight dimensions with seven chakras. The Jewish version is more accurate in that there are 10 dimensions. Interestingly, both have the same number of dimensions of through the eighth dimension where the Spirit of the universe is. In Buddhist terms, it is where the “universal life force” resides. The mistake that most people make is that they are confused where the limits of the universe end.
God’s Word created the universe. His Spirit fills the universe and It cannot be separated from the universe. Thus, when the Buddhist and others talk about a “universal love or force in the universe” they are talking about the eighth dimension. However, there are nine dimensions in the created dimensions. The 10th dimension surrounds us because it surrounds us by the Infinity of God. We as humans we have access to the eighth dimension. We as “Righteous Hebrews and Christians” have access to the ninth dimension. This means that we are in direct communication and interaction with Ruach HaKodesh, the Holy Spirit. The 10th dimension is where all three persons of the Trinity are. We cannot understand how this works because we have no real reference point. We just have to accept it as it is.
Over the course of centuries, the world has learned about getting in touch with the eighth dimension and the Judeo-Christian world has abandoned it essentially. Now there is rejuvenation on learning about Quantum Healing. Jesus manipulated Quantum Energy; the result was what we call a miracle but he said that we would do more than he did! Jesus was known for having raising the dead!
Now go and do likewise! Yes?
End of part-1
Christian Quantum Intergrated Healing-2
What is Quantum Healing Energy?
When Albert Einstein won the Nobel Prize for physics, it was the study of the behavior of photons, which seemed to act as a waves having frequency and amplitude and they had mass. Max Planck theorized that photons and electrons were changing energy levels, which could be detected. Eventually Planck was able to theorize and prove the smallest unit of measure that would hold itself together, which is called quantum. He was able to calculate how much energy was produced in an electron in going from one valence ring to another. This figure is extremely small -28 it is called Planck Constant. He was puzzled because he could measure the change at the quantum level, but he could not predict where the constant would end up. He can only see the evidence of it moving after changed position in the energy field.
Werner Heisenberg, a friend and a fellow theoretical physicist, figured out Planck’s problem. Heisenberg said that you could only know the probability of the event occurring because the action by the viewer affects the experiment. That is if you are looking at an object called A it goes position B when the experimenter tries to look at it. Then when you go and look at position B instantly the quantum goes to A’. You can only use probability functions a the quantum level where the A’ moves by Planck’s constant. We know that the smallest undivided thing in the universe is that quantum because quarks, mesons, etc. cannot exist for very long by themselves.
When God created the universe, He used the basic building blocks of the universe quantum. When you move quantum around you generate energy. The more you have of basic quantum. You can string together atoms, molecules, etc. and build life, as we know it
How Jesus Worked His Miracles
Jesus was a perfect human like Adam before his fall. Remember when Jesus assumed the mantle of humanity. He gave up his God given and rightful abilities as the Word in the Trinity. He functioned as a complete human with all the problems and temptations to overcome. In other words, if he did not fully give up his Godhood, it would make a mockery of his teachings because no one would be able to fulfill any of his teachings for their will was not strong enough for the task.
He knew that whatever the Holy Ghost would tell him that it was trustworthy or what we call faith. The word for faith in Hebrew is aman and in Greek, it is pisteuo. The word faith then means that whatever you know about someone, such as God, you know that it is trustworthy, truthful, and have assurance in the reliability of the speaker. When Jesus said in Matthew 18:18-20 “whatever you bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven” he displayed faith in that it would be so. When he said, in John 14:8-17, about having faith the size of a mustard seed to move a mountain he said it in faith, it was the truth.
Again, is very important to remember that Jesus operated through the laws of the universe that God obeys also.
Because of Adams sin, we lost the fellowship mind of God and what was once known out in the open became hidden from humankind. In Jesus’ own words he was able to cast out demons, etc. because prayed, fasted, and had faith to manipulate Quantum Energy that we call miracles, even when he was amongst a crowd of disbelievers such as his hometown crowd in Capernaum. The Bible states that he was not able to do great miracles only minor miracles of healing because of the great unbelief of the people of Capernaum, in Matthew 13:57-58. In other words, their thoughts and great unbelief stopped Jesus performing good works.
Their unbelief influenced the Quantum Energy.
In the world of Energy Healing practice you hear the term, “Whatever is the best for the client/patient do it.” The practitioner must maintain a positive attitude and the recipient at least a neutral attitude for healing to be effective. Yes, a positive attitude is necessary for healing to take place.
Judeo-Christian healers and the world both operate in the eighth dimension for healing. The huge difference is that Righteous Jews and Spirit filled Christians can communicate directly with the Holy Spirit at the ninth level.
Healing is Not a Cure, but it Helps the Hurting!
In truth, not everyone has the faith for a cure, but we can be taught to use what faith we have. Sometimes, the cure is going to heaven rather than surviving on Earth. Healing allows the family and patient come to terms with their departure from this life. Health care workers in the main have a difficult time letting go of their dying patient even when it is the best interest of the patient and family. Christian Quantum Integrated Healing helps health care workers to cope.
With over 6000+ published articles the National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH) has studied extensively CAM and has concluded that CAM is a potent help in healing and life transitions. The other good news is that Quantum Energy Integrated Healing can be done by anyone with very simple training. The desire of helping is more important than the technique. Is not simply positive thinking it is positive thinking with purpose and goals. Volunteers can be trained to help in hospitals, hospice, homes, and even at work to help the Healing Process.
End od part-2
When Albert Einstein won the Nobel Prize for physics, it was the study of the behavior of photons, which seemed to act as a waves having frequency and amplitude and they had mass. Max Planck theorized that photons and electrons were changing energy levels, which could be detected. Eventually Planck was able to theorize and prove the smallest unit of measure that would hold itself together, which is called quantum. He was able to calculate how much energy was produced in an electron in going from one valence ring to another. This figure is extremely small -28 it is called Planck Constant. He was puzzled because he could measure the change at the quantum level, but he could not predict where the constant would end up. He can only see the evidence of it moving after changed position in the energy field.
Werner Heisenberg, a friend and a fellow theoretical physicist, figured out Planck’s problem. Heisenberg said that you could only know the probability of the event occurring because the action by the viewer affects the experiment. That is if you are looking at an object called A it goes position B when the experimenter tries to look at it. Then when you go and look at position B instantly the quantum goes to A’. You can only use probability functions a the quantum level where the A’ moves by Planck’s constant. We know that the smallest undivided thing in the universe is that quantum because quarks, mesons, etc. cannot exist for very long by themselves.
When God created the universe, He used the basic building blocks of the universe quantum. When you move quantum around you generate energy. The more you have of basic quantum. You can string together atoms, molecules, etc. and build life, as we know it
How Jesus Worked His Miracles
Jesus was a perfect human like Adam before his fall. Remember when Jesus assumed the mantle of humanity. He gave up his God given and rightful abilities as the Word in the Trinity. He functioned as a complete human with all the problems and temptations to overcome. In other words, if he did not fully give up his Godhood, it would make a mockery of his teachings because no one would be able to fulfill any of his teachings for their will was not strong enough for the task.
He knew that whatever the Holy Ghost would tell him that it was trustworthy or what we call faith. The word for faith in Hebrew is aman and in Greek, it is pisteuo. The word faith then means that whatever you know about someone, such as God, you know that it is trustworthy, truthful, and have assurance in the reliability of the speaker. When Jesus said in Matthew 18:18-20 “whatever you bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven” he displayed faith in that it would be so. When he said, in John 14:8-17, about having faith the size of a mustard seed to move a mountain he said it in faith, it was the truth.
Again, is very important to remember that Jesus operated through the laws of the universe that God obeys also.
Because of Adams sin, we lost the fellowship mind of God and what was once known out in the open became hidden from humankind. In Jesus’ own words he was able to cast out demons, etc. because prayed, fasted, and had faith to manipulate Quantum Energy that we call miracles, even when he was amongst a crowd of disbelievers such as his hometown crowd in Capernaum. The Bible states that he was not able to do great miracles only minor miracles of healing because of the great unbelief of the people of Capernaum, in Matthew 13:57-58. In other words, their thoughts and great unbelief stopped Jesus performing good works.
Their unbelief influenced the Quantum Energy.
In the world of Energy Healing practice you hear the term, “Whatever is the best for the client/patient do it.” The practitioner must maintain a positive attitude and the recipient at least a neutral attitude for healing to be effective. Yes, a positive attitude is necessary for healing to take place.
Judeo-Christian healers and the world both operate in the eighth dimension for healing. The huge difference is that Righteous Jews and Spirit filled Christians can communicate directly with the Holy Spirit at the ninth level.
Healing is Not a Cure, but it Helps the Hurting!
In truth, not everyone has the faith for a cure, but we can be taught to use what faith we have. Sometimes, the cure is going to heaven rather than surviving on Earth. Healing allows the family and patient come to terms with their departure from this life. Health care workers in the main have a difficult time letting go of their dying patient even when it is the best interest of the patient and family. Christian Quantum Integrated Healing helps health care workers to cope.
With over 6000+ published articles the National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH) has studied extensively CAM and has concluded that CAM is a potent help in healing and life transitions. The other good news is that Quantum Energy Integrated Healing can be done by anyone with very simple training. The desire of helping is more important than the technique. Is not simply positive thinking it is positive thinking with purpose and goals. Volunteers can be trained to help in hospitals, hospice, homes, and even at work to help the Healing Process.
End od part-2
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Give Your Headache to Jesus, NOW!!
Healing is for today !
Recently, some time around June or August, a minister of the Gospel declared, rightly so, that the metaphysical aspects of yoga is not Christian. However, that does not mean that there is not some so what does this on form of truth in yoga. If you only do the exercises there is no problem with doing yoga. He is correct if you go into the universal love metaphysical nonsense. universal love/is godThe basic problem is that Buddhist/yoga assumes the position that of the yin-yang which is in error. Whereas, the Judeo-Christian position is that God is all positive and that Adam before his fall was also all positive. When evil came into the universe. It worked upon Adam eventually killing him. Therefore Judeo-Christian healing does not emphasize restoring balance but emphasizes restoring positivity.
Think of it like this. We are a life sized battery with our head/Crown is the positive and our contact with the earth/negative pole. When negative events occur such as sickness our full positive charge is depleted. And through quantum physics/healing the Father God has given us a way to recharge and fill up the human battery.
How does it help your headache! Good question. Before I am overwhelmed with at least three e-mails, yes healing does occur by other than Judeo-Christian people. However, the Righteous Hebrew and the Righteous Christian can go directly to the Holy Spirit. The Jewish Kabbalists recognize there are 10 levels or dimensions in the universe. Science has confirmed that there are 10 universes or dimensions ultimately. The eighth dimension where God's Creation's Spirit is called chaos, is the source for most of the healings. The Buddhist and others can tap into the eighth dimension and take a bit of it down to the seventh dimension where we live.
Righteous Hebrew's and Righteous Christians have the privilege to go to the ninth level.
If you would like more relief for your pain e-mail me at www.agape-heallinghands.com.
Some food for thought.
Dan
Recently, some time around June or August, a minister of the Gospel declared, rightly so, that the metaphysical aspects of yoga is not Christian. However, that does not mean that there is not some so what does this on form of truth in yoga. If you only do the exercises there is no problem with doing yoga. He is correct if you go into the universal love metaphysical nonsense. universal love/is godThe basic problem is that Buddhist/yoga assumes the position that of the yin-yang which is in error. Whereas, the Judeo-Christian position is that God is all positive and that Adam before his fall was also all positive. When evil came into the universe. It worked upon Adam eventually killing him. Therefore Judeo-Christian healing does not emphasize restoring balance but emphasizes restoring positivity.
Think of it like this. We are a life sized battery with our head/Crown is the positive and our contact with the earth/negative pole. When negative events occur such as sickness our full positive charge is depleted. And through quantum physics/healing the Father God has given us a way to recharge and fill up the human battery.
How does it help your headache! Good question. Before I am overwhelmed with at least three e-mails, yes healing does occur by other than Judeo-Christian people. However, the Righteous Hebrew and the Righteous Christian can go directly to the Holy Spirit. The Jewish Kabbalists recognize there are 10 levels or dimensions in the universe. Science has confirmed that there are 10 universes or dimensions ultimately. The eighth dimension where God's Creation's Spirit is called chaos, is the source for most of the healings. The Buddhist and others can tap into the eighth dimension and take a bit of it down to the seventh dimension where we live.
Righteous Hebrew's and Righteous Christians have the privilege to go to the ninth level.
If you would like more relief for your pain e-mail me at www.agape-heallinghands.com.
Some food for thought.
Dan
Friday, December 18, 2009
9 Tips Before THEY Amptuate your Legs beolw the Knees!~
9 Tips Before THEY Amputate Your Legs Below the Knee!
By Dan Wimer, RN, MPLC
I am a RN with 22 years of IV knowledge and I have been in the hospital 3 times in the past year. Two of the times I was on the receiving end of poor nursing care. The first stay, in May of 2009, the nurses managed to infect me with Staphylococcus aureus. The nurses at the hospital did not follow established protocols for the maintenance of an IV site. As the result of their neglecting basic IV protocols I spent 11 days in the hospital, twice; plus 3 weeks of home IV therapy, twice.
If poor care can happen to a RN it can happen to you. My wife and I are both RN’s, she in the area of surgical nursing and I in home health, IV’s, and Psychiatric nursing. We had problems, and we are supposed to be in the know; just imagine the lay person who does not know? I have put together a few tips for you to help survive poor care.
1. Take care of your Spiritual needs first!
Studies have shown that people that have a strong Spiritual background do better in stressful situations, like hospital stays, than the people that do not have strong Spiritual ties.
If you do not have a minister, talk with the Chaplin at your facility.
Now is a good time to take out and dust off your Bible.
Be prayed up, that’s a good thing to do in any case.
2. Good Records Keeping IS A Must!
Keep a list of your medicines in your wallet or your purse. Over the years, as a RN, I found people often forget what medicines they are on. Stress helps to you to be confused and forgetful. Often those who are with you are no help, even though they want help, because they do not know where that valuable information is or know how to get it.
Your Doctors, Primary or Specialists and ER need updated records/medicines lists in order to fully understand what is going on with you and how this new problem is different from before.
When I had my third stroke my wife had my medicine list. I keep it in my wallet. By the time EMT arrived I could not talk coherently; she had all the vital information they needed. 20 years of being a RN did not help; my wife had to deal with the EMT’s. Thank God for wives. (The last was for my wife, Christmas is only a few weeks away.)
3. 9-1-1 Call Now rather later!
The time to call is now, the “Golden Hour” starts when the first symptoms show up, not when EMS is called. 50% of first time heart attacks are fatal despite there being no prior problem or bad history about the patient.
Being a diabetic you have 5-7 times chance of having a cardiac incident.
When I worked as a Telephone Triage Nurse for a large insurance company, I was astonished by the lack of knowledge by my clients about the signs of a heart attack.
The most frequently occurring sign is heartburn that is NOT relived by antacids.
The most common symptom or feeling is that feeling of general discomfort or pressure on the chest, not pain. Usually, you get the response from the patient is that they are “just uncomfortable and if they burp they will feel better.”
Chest pain or pressure is the second most common sign of a cardiac event, and arm, jaw or leg numbness is the third. Often one has multiple symptoms.
Pain is not a good indicator of how bad the heart attack is. Many people report that they had little or no pain with their attack.
When in doubt call 911 and have the person chew 1 aspirin. Chewing ensures quick absorption of the medication.
Time is not on your side!
4. Now, for our sponsor, Mr. Stroke.
Like a cardiac incident, time is essential and I would give the victim an aspirin (ASA). There are two positions about giving ASA. I side on using ASA. The reason is that if it is a TIA (more about TIA later) the ASA helps thin the blood and reducing effects of the blood clot in the vein. If the stroke is a hemorrhagic stroke there is a better than 50% chance it is fixable.
There are 3 types stroke: Silent, Hemorrhagic, and Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA). Silent strokes are usually only detectable by brain test unless they are observed; but for our purpose there are 2 types; Hemorrhagic and TIA’s.
Hemorrhagic strokes are usually fatal with only a 20-30% survival rate, the blood vessels the brain burst causing rapid bleeding in the skull. The pressure built up by the bleeding vessels squeezes the brain which leads to death.
My mother died from this type stroke. She appeared to get better but the doctors were not able to balance the need for reducing the high pressure and stopping the bleeding. The area of the injury was inoperable. She died after three days.
TIA’s on the other hand the survival rate is 70-80%. My three strokes were TIAs. Of course the next stroke could be my last. Repeat TIAs increase the chance of getting dementia.
Again, diabetes increases the chances of having a stroke.
5. ER and/or the hospital-what a choice.
Take out your list now.
Well, after a long wait in ER you are now in your room in the hospital. Now the interrogation by the nurse begins. Remember, that you have brought your list with you.
It is scary that most married couples do not know what their spouses take for medicine. “He takes a blue pill for his high blood pressure. Or is it white?” Another killer is that men, more often than not, do not tell anyone that they have stopped taking a medicine. “I feel good so I don’t need it,” he says as he dies from his heart attack.
More women die from being cheap. They cut in half a pill to save money. However, they live longer than men, go figure.
6. Ask and Ask Again “What IS IT That YOU ARE Giving ME?”
Try to stick to a schedule that you use at home. The hospital is run for the convenience of the staff, not for you.
Timing of certain meds, such as Insulin, is very, very important. This is very important to diabetics since our bodies need food at regular times. In my case I take my insulin at supper time every 24 hours. Timing with my food is essential. The hospital staff thought at it was all right to give me my insulin at 9 PM, or when the pharmacy finally got the medication to the floor. I demanded that my insulin was to be given with my meals like I normally took it. The doctor agreed to write new orders.
In my case I take my blood pressure (BP) and my antidepressant meds at night. The reason that I take these meds like this is that they have a side effect of making one sleepy, drowsy, or tired so I use the side effect to help me to sleep at night.
The last time that I was in the hospital the pharmacy insisted that I take my BP meds in the morning; the B/P meds tends to make me very sleepy.
I was proactive and you need to be proactive also.
7. Ask: “What is that medicine and what is its purpose?”
Staffs are often tired and make mistakes. They should tell you what is the thingy (tech nurse talk) that your taking or the procedure your about to have. Question everything.
Do you see some trend in my line of questions?
8. You are allowed to sleep at night!
Unless you have a raging fever, a fever over 101.6F that is not resolved by meds, you need to sleep. The “little dirty secret” of medicine is that over 50% of healing is by the body’s own immune system. The heating up the body to over 101.0F burns up viruses and bacteria in our bodies. This is the major way we get healed.
By taking meds, such as ASA and Tylenol to keep fevers below 101.6F we wipe out better than 50% of our bodies’ own ability to get rid of infection. Sleeping also gives the body a chance to heal itself. We as a nation have forgotten the healing power of “good sleep.”
Unfortunately, hospitals are run as well oiled machine and we as patients are a necessary evil.
There is little reason to wake up a person after 10PM.
Each time I go into a hospital as a patient I have my Primary Admitting Doctor write orders that state that I should not be awakened for vital signs or routine labs between 10PM and 6AM.
Our bodies require at least 6 hours of sleep. More recent studies make a big case for 8 hours of sleep.
9. Question Everything!
All doctors and healthcare workers make mistakes from time to time. They/we do not make a habit of making mistakes but they do happen.
The most common mistake is medication error; either the doctor prescribes the wrong med or the wrong dose of a medicine. The second problem is the nurse gives the wrong medication and/or dose.
The problem is that the nursing staff is overworked and/or short staffed. Doctors, especially Family Practice (FP) practitioners, are overworked. Many FPs cannot do hospital rounds anymore because their workload is too great.
What is happening is that we find our healthcare workers are tired, frazzled, and pooped out.
The remedy is that you or your healthcare advocate must be always alert to the patient’s condition.
Bonus Round- Question Everything and Everyone!
If you have questions ask!
If the answers do not make sense to you have them rephrase the explanation.
It is your life not theirs that hangs out in the breeze.
Finally, I hope that if you, or someone you know, need to go into a hospital, you have a good result from that stay.
God bless you and yours.
Merry Hanukah, Happy Christmas, and a Joyful New Year!
Dan
By Dan Wimer, RN, MPLC
I am a RN with 22 years of IV knowledge and I have been in the hospital 3 times in the past year. Two of the times I was on the receiving end of poor nursing care. The first stay, in May of 2009, the nurses managed to infect me with Staphylococcus aureus. The nurses at the hospital did not follow established protocols for the maintenance of an IV site. As the result of their neglecting basic IV protocols I spent 11 days in the hospital, twice; plus 3 weeks of home IV therapy, twice.
If poor care can happen to a RN it can happen to you. My wife and I are both RN’s, she in the area of surgical nursing and I in home health, IV’s, and Psychiatric nursing. We had problems, and we are supposed to be in the know; just imagine the lay person who does not know? I have put together a few tips for you to help survive poor care.
1. Take care of your Spiritual needs first!
Studies have shown that people that have a strong Spiritual background do better in stressful situations, like hospital stays, than the people that do not have strong Spiritual ties.
If you do not have a minister, talk with the Chaplin at your facility.
Now is a good time to take out and dust off your Bible.
Be prayed up, that’s a good thing to do in any case.
2. Good Records Keeping IS A Must!
Keep a list of your medicines in your wallet or your purse. Over the years, as a RN, I found people often forget what medicines they are on. Stress helps to you to be confused and forgetful. Often those who are with you are no help, even though they want help, because they do not know where that valuable information is or know how to get it.
Your Doctors, Primary or Specialists and ER need updated records/medicines lists in order to fully understand what is going on with you and how this new problem is different from before.
When I had my third stroke my wife had my medicine list. I keep it in my wallet. By the time EMT arrived I could not talk coherently; she had all the vital information they needed. 20 years of being a RN did not help; my wife had to deal with the EMT’s. Thank God for wives. (The last was for my wife, Christmas is only a few weeks away.)
3. 9-1-1 Call Now rather later!
The time to call is now, the “Golden Hour” starts when the first symptoms show up, not when EMS is called. 50% of first time heart attacks are fatal despite there being no prior problem or bad history about the patient.
Being a diabetic you have 5-7 times chance of having a cardiac incident.
When I worked as a Telephone Triage Nurse for a large insurance company, I was astonished by the lack of knowledge by my clients about the signs of a heart attack.
The most frequently occurring sign is heartburn that is NOT relived by antacids.
The most common symptom or feeling is that feeling of general discomfort or pressure on the chest, not pain. Usually, you get the response from the patient is that they are “just uncomfortable and if they burp they will feel better.”
Chest pain or pressure is the second most common sign of a cardiac event, and arm, jaw or leg numbness is the third. Often one has multiple symptoms.
Pain is not a good indicator of how bad the heart attack is. Many people report that they had little or no pain with their attack.
When in doubt call 911 and have the person chew 1 aspirin. Chewing ensures quick absorption of the medication.
Time is not on your side!
4. Now, for our sponsor, Mr. Stroke.
Like a cardiac incident, time is essential and I would give the victim an aspirin (ASA). There are two positions about giving ASA. I side on using ASA. The reason is that if it is a TIA (more about TIA later) the ASA helps thin the blood and reducing effects of the blood clot in the vein. If the stroke is a hemorrhagic stroke there is a better than 50% chance it is fixable.
There are 3 types stroke: Silent, Hemorrhagic, and Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA). Silent strokes are usually only detectable by brain test unless they are observed; but for our purpose there are 2 types; Hemorrhagic and TIA’s.
Hemorrhagic strokes are usually fatal with only a 20-30% survival rate, the blood vessels the brain burst causing rapid bleeding in the skull. The pressure built up by the bleeding vessels squeezes the brain which leads to death.
My mother died from this type stroke. She appeared to get better but the doctors were not able to balance the need for reducing the high pressure and stopping the bleeding. The area of the injury was inoperable. She died after three days.
TIA’s on the other hand the survival rate is 70-80%. My three strokes were TIAs. Of course the next stroke could be my last. Repeat TIAs increase the chance of getting dementia.
Again, diabetes increases the chances of having a stroke.
5. ER and/or the hospital-what a choice.
Take out your list now.
Well, after a long wait in ER you are now in your room in the hospital. Now the interrogation by the nurse begins. Remember, that you have brought your list with you.
It is scary that most married couples do not know what their spouses take for medicine. “He takes a blue pill for his high blood pressure. Or is it white?” Another killer is that men, more often than not, do not tell anyone that they have stopped taking a medicine. “I feel good so I don’t need it,” he says as he dies from his heart attack.
More women die from being cheap. They cut in half a pill to save money. However, they live longer than men, go figure.
6. Ask and Ask Again “What IS IT That YOU ARE Giving ME?”
Try to stick to a schedule that you use at home. The hospital is run for the convenience of the staff, not for you.
Timing of certain meds, such as Insulin, is very, very important. This is very important to diabetics since our bodies need food at regular times. In my case I take my insulin at supper time every 24 hours. Timing with my food is essential. The hospital staff thought at it was all right to give me my insulin at 9 PM, or when the pharmacy finally got the medication to the floor. I demanded that my insulin was to be given with my meals like I normally took it. The doctor agreed to write new orders.
In my case I take my blood pressure (BP) and my antidepressant meds at night. The reason that I take these meds like this is that they have a side effect of making one sleepy, drowsy, or tired so I use the side effect to help me to sleep at night.
The last time that I was in the hospital the pharmacy insisted that I take my BP meds in the morning; the B/P meds tends to make me very sleepy.
I was proactive and you need to be proactive also.
7. Ask: “What is that medicine and what is its purpose?”
Staffs are often tired and make mistakes. They should tell you what is the thingy (tech nurse talk) that your taking or the procedure your about to have. Question everything.
Do you see some trend in my line of questions?
8. You are allowed to sleep at night!
Unless you have a raging fever, a fever over 101.6F that is not resolved by meds, you need to sleep. The “little dirty secret” of medicine is that over 50% of healing is by the body’s own immune system. The heating up the body to over 101.0F burns up viruses and bacteria in our bodies. This is the major way we get healed.
By taking meds, such as ASA and Tylenol to keep fevers below 101.6F we wipe out better than 50% of our bodies’ own ability to get rid of infection. Sleeping also gives the body a chance to heal itself. We as a nation have forgotten the healing power of “good sleep.”
Unfortunately, hospitals are run as well oiled machine and we as patients are a necessary evil.
There is little reason to wake up a person after 10PM.
Each time I go into a hospital as a patient I have my Primary Admitting Doctor write orders that state that I should not be awakened for vital signs or routine labs between 10PM and 6AM.
Our bodies require at least 6 hours of sleep. More recent studies make a big case for 8 hours of sleep.
9. Question Everything!
All doctors and healthcare workers make mistakes from time to time. They/we do not make a habit of making mistakes but they do happen.
The most common mistake is medication error; either the doctor prescribes the wrong med or the wrong dose of a medicine. The second problem is the nurse gives the wrong medication and/or dose.
The problem is that the nursing staff is overworked and/or short staffed. Doctors, especially Family Practice (FP) practitioners, are overworked. Many FPs cannot do hospital rounds anymore because their workload is too great.
What is happening is that we find our healthcare workers are tired, frazzled, and pooped out.
The remedy is that you or your healthcare advocate must be always alert to the patient’s condition.
Bonus Round- Question Everything and Everyone!
If you have questions ask!
If the answers do not make sense to you have them rephrase the explanation.
It is your life not theirs that hangs out in the breeze.
Finally, I hope that if you, or someone you know, need to go into a hospital, you have a good result from that stay.
God bless you and yours.
Merry Hanukah, Happy Christmas, and a Joyful New Year!
Dan
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
God is Medicine
God and Medicine-1
OVERVIEW
Recently, the FDA (Federal Drug Administration) had the makers of acetaminophen (Tylenol) place a strong warning (called a black box warning) about the dangers of overdosing on acetaminophen. Doctors have known that if you give a 170 pound man approximately 5000 mg, or 10 tabs of 500mg. of acetaminophen over 24 hours you run the risk of permanently ruining his liver and without a liver transplant you will die. We are victims of advertising Tylenol is not the only company, the pharmacy companies that tells only part of the story. What Tylenol says is reads…”doctors recommended” they do not say is that doctors use acetaminophen (Tylenol) because it causes less gastric upset than non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID’S) such as, aspirin (ASA), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin ), naproxen (Al eve).
All drugs have side effects, ALL treatments have side effects some have more and of course, some have less. This is true in Psychological treatments whether you use psychotherapy, drugs or a combination of both.
When I got my degree in psychology (1971) it was the “dark ages” we known so much more now. The last 10 years we as a people have learned more about psychology than all of the pre-vious times. We know that the level of dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, and epinephrine in the brain affects our emotions and our actions. The lack of, or too much, of a neurotransmitter often are the root of our psychological problem. The problem is this, what came first the mental symptoms (The Chicken) or the physical symptoms (The Egg)? The truth is that in many cases it is a mixture of both. Years ago psychology took a turn towards the medical model. When that happened psychologist and psychiatrist strolled hand in hand thru the tulips. The medical model was the only game in town. The medical model looks at the world with perspec-tive of being sick and the reasons for being sick. This model sees you’re as needing a cure, because you have a disease.
The roots of positive psychology go back into the ‘dark ages’ of the 1950’s. B. F. Skinner’s ‘rats nest’ behaviorist ideas ruled in psychology. His operant condition theory seems to rule at time. However, humanistic psychologists such as Abraham Maslow, Carl Rogers, Erich Fromm, shaped a more natural path to well being. Psychiatrists, for the most part, were looking at the medicine/sickness/disease model as their source of inspiration. Psychologists were looking at the person as someone who needed help to cope in the clients’ life. The difference being psychiatrist tended to look for the ‘magic pill’, which they eventfully found after many, many years of research. The psychologists were searching for the ‘magic therapy.’ Today, psychologist and psychiatrist generally agree that a combination of medicine and psychotherapy works well for most clients.
We come back to the Egg and Chicken, again. The question is if our thoughts/emotions are in control or genetics in control of our behaviors. The answer is an unequivocal, sometimes both. We know from recent research that severe mental disorders, i.e. schizophrenia, Bi-Polar (Manic-Depressive), psychotic episodes, Major Depression there is a genetic component in the ma-keup of the client. They lack or have too much of one or more of the neurotransmitters; they need medicine and psychotherapy. The vast majority of the people who need psychology help-can are helped by a form of talk therapy. Most patients can be helped by combinations of med-icine and psychotherapy. In the last 5-10 years Positive Psychology has come into its own as a viable tool in unlocking people’s potential and seeing themselves as their own best friend.
Happiness is Just around the Corner
The long promised salvation as come and it is the Positive Psychology and Resilience theories. Positive psychology and resiliency move in the realm of the here and now, not worrying about what the mother or your teacher did to you when you were 12!
Psychology has now has discovered resilience (about 20 years ago) due the pioneer work of Dr's. Martin Seligman, E.E. Werner, Al Siebert and others. Their work started as a look at people who were supposed have poor coping skills because their low socioeconomic status. They found that about 1/3 of the subjects were able to thrive in poor circumstances. This led to wondering why they were different, and eventually researchers were able to quantify the coping skills of this group. They were resilient in their everyday lives Researchers found that the coping skills of the resilient could be learned. The study of resilience helped to found to a school of psychology called “Positive Psychology.”
About 3,000 years ago the Bible stated that; “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”Proverbs 17: 22 (NIV) Another version reads; “A happy heart is good medicine, but low spirits sap one’s strength.”(CJB) Happiness has found a home. In the context of Resilience/Positive Psychology happiness means the good life. The root word is from ancient Greek. “…eudaemonia or eudaimonia, the good life, which is what Thomas Jefferson and Aristotle meant by the pursuit of happiness. They did not mean smiling a lot of giggling. Aristotle is talking about the pleasures of contemplation and the pleasure of good conversation. Aristotle is not talking feeling, about thrills, about orgasms. Aristotle is talking about what Mike Csikszentmihali works on, and that is, when one has a good conversation, when contemplates well. When one is in eudaemonia, time stops. You feel completely at home. Self-consciousness is blocked; you are one with music.” (Edge Foundation, Inc., 2004)
Happiness, then, is more than having good time or laughing out loud. The phrase, “simple pleasures” has a meaning to us. We, as a race, have strong feelings about sun sets and sun rises. They raise positive emotions in us. We can appreciate the beauty of nature. Happiness is knowing that what we do is fulfilling it does not depend on material wealth or other’s actions.
Resilience
END OF PART ONE
OVERVIEW
Recently, the FDA (Federal Drug Administration) had the makers of acetaminophen (Tylenol) place a strong warning (called a black box warning) about the dangers of overdosing on acetaminophen. Doctors have known that if you give a 170 pound man approximately 5000 mg, or 10 tabs of 500mg. of acetaminophen over 24 hours you run the risk of permanently ruining his liver and without a liver transplant you will die. We are victims of advertising Tylenol is not the only company, the pharmacy companies that tells only part of the story. What Tylenol says is reads…”doctors recommended” they do not say is that doctors use acetaminophen (Tylenol) because it causes less gastric upset than non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID’S) such as, aspirin (ASA), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin ), naproxen (Al eve).
All drugs have side effects, ALL treatments have side effects some have more and of course, some have less. This is true in Psychological treatments whether you use psychotherapy, drugs or a combination of both.
When I got my degree in psychology (1971) it was the “dark ages” we known so much more now. The last 10 years we as a people have learned more about psychology than all of the pre-vious times. We know that the level of dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, and epinephrine in the brain affects our emotions and our actions. The lack of, or too much, of a neurotransmitter often are the root of our psychological problem. The problem is this, what came first the mental symptoms (The Chicken) or the physical symptoms (The Egg)? The truth is that in many cases it is a mixture of both. Years ago psychology took a turn towards the medical model. When that happened psychologist and psychiatrist strolled hand in hand thru the tulips. The medical model was the only game in town. The medical model looks at the world with perspec-tive of being sick and the reasons for being sick. This model sees you’re as needing a cure, because you have a disease.
The roots of positive psychology go back into the ‘dark ages’ of the 1950’s. B. F. Skinner’s ‘rats nest’ behaviorist ideas ruled in psychology. His operant condition theory seems to rule at time. However, humanistic psychologists such as Abraham Maslow, Carl Rogers, Erich Fromm, shaped a more natural path to well being. Psychiatrists, for the most part, were looking at the medicine/sickness/disease model as their source of inspiration. Psychologists were looking at the person as someone who needed help to cope in the clients’ life. The difference being psychiatrist tended to look for the ‘magic pill’, which they eventfully found after many, many years of research. The psychologists were searching for the ‘magic therapy.’ Today, psychologist and psychiatrist generally agree that a combination of medicine and psychotherapy works well for most clients.
We come back to the Egg and Chicken, again. The question is if our thoughts/emotions are in control or genetics in control of our behaviors. The answer is an unequivocal, sometimes both. We know from recent research that severe mental disorders, i.e. schizophrenia, Bi-Polar (Manic-Depressive), psychotic episodes, Major Depression there is a genetic component in the ma-keup of the client. They lack or have too much of one or more of the neurotransmitters; they need medicine and psychotherapy. The vast majority of the people who need psychology help-can are helped by a form of talk therapy. Most patients can be helped by combinations of med-icine and psychotherapy. In the last 5-10 years Positive Psychology has come into its own as a viable tool in unlocking people’s potential and seeing themselves as their own best friend.
Happiness is Just around the Corner
The long promised salvation as come and it is the Positive Psychology and Resilience theories. Positive psychology and resiliency move in the realm of the here and now, not worrying about what the mother or your teacher did to you when you were 12!
Psychology has now has discovered resilience (about 20 years ago) due the pioneer work of Dr's. Martin Seligman, E.E. Werner, Al Siebert and others. Their work started as a look at people who were supposed have poor coping skills because their low socioeconomic status. They found that about 1/3 of the subjects were able to thrive in poor circumstances. This led to wondering why they were different, and eventually researchers were able to quantify the coping skills of this group. They were resilient in their everyday lives Researchers found that the coping skills of the resilient could be learned. The study of resilience helped to found to a school of psychology called “Positive Psychology.”
About 3,000 years ago the Bible stated that; “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”Proverbs 17: 22 (NIV) Another version reads; “A happy heart is good medicine, but low spirits sap one’s strength.”(CJB) Happiness has found a home. In the context of Resilience/Positive Psychology happiness means the good life. The root word is from ancient Greek. “…eudaemonia or eudaimonia, the good life, which is what Thomas Jefferson and Aristotle meant by the pursuit of happiness. They did not mean smiling a lot of giggling. Aristotle is talking about the pleasures of contemplation and the pleasure of good conversation. Aristotle is not talking feeling, about thrills, about orgasms. Aristotle is talking about what Mike Csikszentmihali works on, and that is, when one has a good conversation, when contemplates well. When one is in eudaemonia, time stops. You feel completely at home. Self-consciousness is blocked; you are one with music.” (Edge Foundation, Inc., 2004)
Happiness, then, is more than having good time or laughing out loud. The phrase, “simple pleasures” has a meaning to us. We, as a race, have strong feelings about sun sets and sun rises. They raise positive emotions in us. We can appreciate the beauty of nature. Happiness is knowing that what we do is fulfilling it does not depend on material wealth or other’s actions.
Resilience
END OF PART ONE
Friday, May 22, 2009
Cargiver Stress and Depression
Caregiver Stress and Depression
By Daniel Wimer, RN, PLC
Overview
Depression is normal in life changing moments. Whether trauma is physical or emotional it is normal to have temporary depression during and following trauma in our life. The problem can be grief, losing one’s job, finding out your loved one has Alzheimer’s, a heart attack, cancer, or a stroke, the list is endless yet has a huge impact on the affected. Depression affects both the caregiver and the receiver of care.
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) estimated that 14-17 million people, in the USA, have a form of depression. Mostly the depression is short lived less than 3 months and lifts by itself. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) uses a manual called the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th, Edition, Text Revision,” or simply DSM-IV-TR. In truth the manual is written by the American Psychology Association (APA) for the APA under contract. DSM-IV is the source for making diagnoses about mental problems.
The most common types of depression disorder include major depression disorder. Dysthymia is less severe but with chronic symptoms that do not completely disable, but preventing one feeling well or good about them. Bipolar disorder has cycling mood swings from depression to mania. Psychotic depression is coupled with psychosis. Postpartum depression goes with childbirth which strikes 10-15% of new mothers in about one month after childbirth.
Depression is a Real Problem
While statistics show that women have more depression, I think that the stats are skewed because men try to hide their depression. They think that it is not manly to show depression they think that it is a sign of weakness to have psyche problems.
What are the signs of depression? According to the DSM-IV, depression is diagnosed when five or more of the following symptoms of depression are present for most of the day for least two weeks. The following are the usual symptoms:
Continual sad, anxious, or empty mood
Feelings of hopelessness, pessimism
Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness
Loss of interest or pleasure in activities that were once enjoyed
Decreased energy, fatigue, being slowed down
Difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions
Insomnia, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping
Appetite and/or weight loss, or overeating and weight gain
Thoughts of death or suicide; suicide attempts
Restlessness, irritability
Persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment
Mania (severe highs-abnormal or excessive excitement)
Mania including unusual irritability, grandiose notions, racing thoughts, etc.
Survivors and their caregivers often suffer depression but not at the same time. The caregiver usually lags behind the survivor. They often suffer, especially survivors, a long term form of depression called, Dysthymia. In an article appearing in Stroke Connection Magazine-Sep/Oct 2003 titled “Depression trumps Recovery.”, Dr. Mark Huang of the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago writes:
“Some survivors who are depressed may not find the motivation to work in rehabilitation. They feel discouraged and hopeless. Hey may feel fatigue, sleep poorly, and they don’t eat well… Their thinking skills are also affected by depression. They have a hard time concentrating in rehabilitation. Their attention to detail is affected was well. Treating depression can improve thinking skills. The rehab team needs to be on the lookout for depression. They need to notice the survivor’s mood and participation level.”
Dr. Robert Robinson in the same article writes:
“Several studies demonstrate that most (emphasis mine) patients who suffer depression after a stroke do not receive treatment for it. Many doctors, as well as family members, tend to explain away depression as an understandable response to the loss and impairment stroke produces.
Depression can be effectively treated whether it is the result of biochemical change in the brain or it is psychological reaction to the stroke. He stresses, ‘It is so important for family members and caregivers to make sure that survivors do not explain away their depression and deny they need treatment because is ‘understandable.’”
Treating depression not only improves the survivor’s mood, it improves their physical recovery and their cognitive or intellectual recovery as well.
The sad fact is that most MD’s rely on information from drug representatives on the prescribing of antidepressants. The results are ‘Me-To-Drugs’ that are sold to doctors as the new cure. ‘Me-To-Drugs’ are basically the same but with minor changes in the chemistry so that the drugs can be patented. The MD-Family Practice or Internist does not have the time to study all of the new drugs and they rely on the drug reps’ to inform them what is what. The drug reps do not lie but they do not tell the whole story either. The results are that most depression symptoms are misdiagnosed or they are given the wrong medicine or the wrong dosage. Even worse often they do not stay on the medicine long enough to do any good. Then the caregivers pressure the MD’s to try a new medicine, and thus the cycle start over.
Help is on the Way
The caregiver and the survivor need to understand the depression is normal following life changing events. It is better to ask for help that you do not need rather than ‘toughing it out.’
The survivor needs to be honest in his or hers thoughts and feelings
The time to seek a Psychiatrist is at the start of the event, if his thinks one does not need his services, to much the better.
Psychiatrist’s goal is to eventually not need him
Caregivers should try to recognize the signs of depression not only in the survivor but in themselves.
Dysthymia can slowly slip upon you
Ask for ask for help from friends and family
Medicare and most insurances provide respite care for the caregiver, use it
You are not alone blog for support groups
Afterword
1. You should be able to recognize the signs of Depression
2. You should be able to recognize the signs of Dysthymia
3. Have a understanding of how that Depression affects the course of treatment
4. Seek professional help sooner rather than later
5. “Depression Trumps Recovery
Reprint Permission-If this article was helpful you are invited to share it with you own list at work or church, forward it to friends and family, or post it on your blog. Just leave intact and do not alter this in way. Please include the following paragraph in your reprint.
“Reprinted with permission from D.E .Wimer, RN and Associates, Inc (copyright @ 2009 by D.E. Wimer, RN and Associates, Inc, in Florida 813-997-6564)”
About the Author-Daniel “Dan “Wimer is dedicated to helping you achieve the maximum results in your personal and professional life. He is a Registered Nurse with over 20 years of experience in Psychiatric Nursing, and Professional Life Coach, with a BA in Psychology. Dan is a Communicator and a member of the National Speaker Associates of Central Florida. Dan is a “3 Time Stroke Survivor” who specializing in motivational survival skills for business and the individuals. His blog is Daniel Wimer- Professional Life Coach.
By Daniel Wimer, RN, PLC
Overview
Depression is normal in life changing moments. Whether trauma is physical or emotional it is normal to have temporary depression during and following trauma in our life. The problem can be grief, losing one’s job, finding out your loved one has Alzheimer’s, a heart attack, cancer, or a stroke, the list is endless yet has a huge impact on the affected. Depression affects both the caregiver and the receiver of care.
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) estimated that 14-17 million people, in the USA, have a form of depression. Mostly the depression is short lived less than 3 months and lifts by itself. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) uses a manual called the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th, Edition, Text Revision,” or simply DSM-IV-TR. In truth the manual is written by the American Psychology Association (APA) for the APA under contract. DSM-IV is the source for making diagnoses about mental problems.
The most common types of depression disorder include major depression disorder. Dysthymia is less severe but with chronic symptoms that do not completely disable, but preventing one feeling well or good about them. Bipolar disorder has cycling mood swings from depression to mania. Psychotic depression is coupled with psychosis. Postpartum depression goes with childbirth which strikes 10-15% of new mothers in about one month after childbirth.
Depression is a Real Problem
While statistics show that women have more depression, I think that the stats are skewed because men try to hide their depression. They think that it is not manly to show depression they think that it is a sign of weakness to have psyche problems.
What are the signs of depression? According to the DSM-IV, depression is diagnosed when five or more of the following symptoms of depression are present for most of the day for least two weeks. The following are the usual symptoms:
Continual sad, anxious, or empty mood
Feelings of hopelessness, pessimism
Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness
Loss of interest or pleasure in activities that were once enjoyed
Decreased energy, fatigue, being slowed down
Difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions
Insomnia, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping
Appetite and/or weight loss, or overeating and weight gain
Thoughts of death or suicide; suicide attempts
Restlessness, irritability
Persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment
Mania (severe highs-abnormal or excessive excitement)
Mania including unusual irritability, grandiose notions, racing thoughts, etc.
Survivors and their caregivers often suffer depression but not at the same time. The caregiver usually lags behind the survivor. They often suffer, especially survivors, a long term form of depression called, Dysthymia. In an article appearing in Stroke Connection Magazine-Sep/Oct 2003 titled “Depression trumps Recovery.”, Dr. Mark Huang of the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago writes:
“Some survivors who are depressed may not find the motivation to work in rehabilitation. They feel discouraged and hopeless. Hey may feel fatigue, sleep poorly, and they don’t eat well… Their thinking skills are also affected by depression. They have a hard time concentrating in rehabilitation. Their attention to detail is affected was well. Treating depression can improve thinking skills. The rehab team needs to be on the lookout for depression. They need to notice the survivor’s mood and participation level.”
Dr. Robert Robinson in the same article writes:
“Several studies demonstrate that most (emphasis mine) patients who suffer depression after a stroke do not receive treatment for it. Many doctors, as well as family members, tend to explain away depression as an understandable response to the loss and impairment stroke produces.
Depression can be effectively treated whether it is the result of biochemical change in the brain or it is psychological reaction to the stroke. He stresses, ‘It is so important for family members and caregivers to make sure that survivors do not explain away their depression and deny they need treatment because is ‘understandable.’”
Treating depression not only improves the survivor’s mood, it improves their physical recovery and their cognitive or intellectual recovery as well.
The sad fact is that most MD’s rely on information from drug representatives on the prescribing of antidepressants. The results are ‘Me-To-Drugs’ that are sold to doctors as the new cure. ‘Me-To-Drugs’ are basically the same but with minor changes in the chemistry so that the drugs can be patented. The MD-Family Practice or Internist does not have the time to study all of the new drugs and they rely on the drug reps’ to inform them what is what. The drug reps do not lie but they do not tell the whole story either. The results are that most depression symptoms are misdiagnosed or they are given the wrong medicine or the wrong dosage. Even worse often they do not stay on the medicine long enough to do any good. Then the caregivers pressure the MD’s to try a new medicine, and thus the cycle start over.
Help is on the Way
The caregiver and the survivor need to understand the depression is normal following life changing events. It is better to ask for help that you do not need rather than ‘toughing it out.’
The survivor needs to be honest in his or hers thoughts and feelings
The time to seek a Psychiatrist is at the start of the event, if his thinks one does not need his services, to much the better.
Psychiatrist’s goal is to eventually not need him
Caregivers should try to recognize the signs of depression not only in the survivor but in themselves.
Dysthymia can slowly slip upon you
Ask for ask for help from friends and family
Medicare and most insurances provide respite care for the caregiver, use it
You are not alone blog for support groups
Afterword
1. You should be able to recognize the signs of Depression
2. You should be able to recognize the signs of Dysthymia
3. Have a understanding of how that Depression affects the course of treatment
4. Seek professional help sooner rather than later
5. “Depression Trumps Recovery
Reprint Permission-If this article was helpful you are invited to share it with you own list at work or church, forward it to friends and family, or post it on your blog. Just leave intact and do not alter this in way. Please include the following paragraph in your reprint.
“Reprinted with permission from D.E .Wimer, RN and Associates, Inc (copyright @ 2009 by D.E. Wimer, RN and Associates, Inc, in Florida 813-997-6564)”
About the Author-Daniel “Dan “Wimer is dedicated to helping you achieve the maximum results in your personal and professional life. He is a Registered Nurse with over 20 years of experience in Psychiatric Nursing, and Professional Life Coach, with a BA in Psychology. Dan is a Communicator and a member of the National Speaker Associates of Central Florida. Dan is a “3 Time Stroke Survivor” who specializing in motivational survival skills for business and the individuals. His blog is Daniel Wimer- Professional Life Coach.
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