coming out of the dark (help/ heal/ cure on depression woman)

coming out of the dark (help/ heal/ cure on depression woman)

February 4, 2011

Coming Out of the Dark

Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
"I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry" (Psalm 40:1,NIV).

Patience is not my greatest virtue. I do not like to wait - for anyone or anything - which is precisely why you should never get in line behind me at the grocery store. It doesn't matter if there are two people or ten people in front of me, my line will invariably be the slowest line. I do not like to wait on God either ... but was forced to do so when I found myself sitting at the bottom of a pit called clinical depression. I was empty and more tired than I had ever been in my life. I kept asking, "How did I get here?"

Depression is not an overnight phenomenon. I can honestly say that I don't know a single person who has climbed out of bed in the morning and said, "Hmmm ... I think I will jump into the pit of depression today." Deliverance from that pit is usually not an overnight process either. It takes time and patience.

1. Wait. The psalmist simply says, "I waited." Waiting is not passive. Waiting is meant to be a time of preparation, a time of rest and healing,

• To wait means to accept the pit. Isaiah 45:3 (NIV) "I will give you hidden treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name."

Any time "LORD" is capitalized in Scripture, it means "Abba Father." This verse indicates that our Father has gone before us and in every dark moment or painful circumstance has buried a treasure or stored a secret. The only way we can find the treasure or learn the secret is to pass through that darkness. Some things cannot be learned in the light. To wait means to accept the pit, knowing it is for our good.

• To wait means to admit there is a problem. Isaiah 40:29 (NLT) "He gives power to those who are tired and worn out; he offers strength to the weak."

Emotional health begins at the point of emotional integrity with a willingness to say "I need help!" When clinical depression overwhelmed my life, my husband was the pastor of a large church in South Florida. We could choose to be transparent and real or we could sweep my struggle under the rug. We concluded that in order to be right, we had to be real. Dan and I shared my battle with the staff, the deacons and then with the entire church. Yes, we took a risk but learned an important lesson in doing so. A shared load is a lighter load. We were created to need each other.

• To wait means to be still. Psalm 40:1 "I waited ..." To wait means to hope in and look for someone or something who will rescue us.

  So much about God can never be known on the run. I was so wrapped up in serving God that I had failed to be wrapped up in Him. During those two years in the pit, I not only gave up every role of leadership, there were many times when I could not even attend church because of panic attacks. God taught me an important truth. He is more concerned with who I am than what I do. No one can take my place in His heart.

2. Be patient. It took twenty-two years for the McDonald's hamburger chain to make its first billion dollars. It took IBM forty-six years and Xerox sixty-three years to make their first billion. Harvey Mackay, in his book Swim with the Sharks, tells of an interview with the 88-year-old President of Japan's largest and most successful electrical enterprise. The interview went as follows:

Question: Mr. President, does your company have long-range goals?

Answer: "Yes."

Question: "How long are your long-range goals?"

Answer: "Two hundred and fifty years."

Question: "What do you need to carry them out?"

Answer: "Patience."

David said, "I waited patiently for the Lord." The word "patiently" means "without tiring and with perseverance." It took me many years to hit rock bottom. It took me two years to climb out of that pit and I am still climbing. Yes, I still battle depression from time to time. Depression keeps me broken and on my face before God - and that is a good thing.

Depression may not be the problem you are facing, but at some point in life, we will all face some kind of pit. It may be a pit that we have dug with our own hands of wrong choices or it could be a pit that has been uniquely designed for us by the enemy. But a pit is a pit - a place of paralyzing fear and numbing doubt that is constantly fed by our human frailty and desperate attempts to escape the darkness.

The good news is that God is drawn to broken people. Psalm 40:1 says "He turned to me." Notice it does not say that David turned to God. Honestly, I doubt David had the strength to turn to God ... so God turned to him. God heard the cry of David and he will hear yours. I don't know if you are in a pit and need help or if someone you love is in that pit and needs your help, but one thing I do know is that the purpose of the pit is to purify and then restore. Right now, surrender the broken pieces of your life to God. He can and will bring you out of the dark.

Let's Pray

Father, I am so tired. I can't hear Your voice or sense Your presence in my life. My faith is weak and I need Your strength to go on. Right now, I am laying the broken pieces of my life at Your feet and counting on You to come through for me.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Dear dog with owner of mastectomy (breast cancer)

Dear dog with owner of mastectomy (breast cancer)

Anyone who has pets will really like this. You'll like it even if you don't and you may even decide you need one! Mary and her husband Jim had a dog named 'Lucky.' Lucky was a real character.

Whenever Mary and Jim had company come for a weekend visit they would warn their friends to not leave their luggage open because Lucky would help himself to whatever struck his fancy. Inevitably, someone would forget and something would come up missing. Mary or Jim would go to Lucky's toy box in the basement and there the treasure would be, amid all of Lucky's other favorite toys Lucky always stashed his finds in his toy box and he was very particular that his toys stay in the box.It happened that Mary found out she had breast cancer.

Something told her she was going to die of this disease.....in fact; she was just sure it was fatal.She scheduled the double mastectomy, fear riding her shoulders. The night before she was to go to the hospital she cuddled with Lucky. A thought struck her...what would happen to Lucky? Although the three-year-old dog liked Jim, he was Mary's dog through and through. If I die, Lucky will be abandoned, Mary thought, "He won't understand that I didn't want to leave him!" The thought made her sadder than thinking of her own death.


The double mastectomy was harder on Mary than her doctors had anticipated and Mary was hospitalized for over two weeks. Jim took Lucky for his evening walk faithfully, but the little dog just drooped, whining and miserable.
Finally the day came for Mary to leave the hospital. When she arrived home, Mary was so exhausted she couldn't even make it up the steps to her bedroom. Jim made his wife comfortable on the couch and left her to nap..

Lucky stood watching Mary but he didn't come to her when she called. It made Mary sad but sleep soon overcame her and she dozed. When Mary woke for a second she couldn't understand what was wrong. She couldn't move her head and her body felt heavy and hot. But panic soon gave way to laughter when Mary realized the problem. She was covered, literally blanketed, with every treasure Lucky owned! While she had slept, the sorrowing dog had made trip after trip to the basement bringing his beloved mistress all his favorite things in life.

He had covered her with his love. Mary forgot about dying.. Instead she and Lucky began living again, walking further and further together every day. It's been 12 years now and Mary is still cancer-free.. Lucky He still steals treasures and stashes them in his toy box but Mary remains his greatest treasure.

Remember....live every day to the fullest. Each minute is a blessing from God.. And never forget....the people who make a difference in our lives are not the ones with the most Credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care for us.

the stone unthrown - adultery, sin, forgiveness

"What are we going to do with this Jesus," the chief priest asked the group. "He is going about healing people left and right. Everywhere I go the buzz is about Jesus. It's Jesus this, and Jesus that. And the crowds are calling him the Messiah! Everyone knows that the Messiah will not come from Galilee. If we don't get rid of him, we are going to have an insurrection on our hands."

"And ever since the buzz about him multiplying a few loaves and fish to feed over 5,000 people has circulated, his followers have multiplied as well. He must be stopped."
"I have an idea," Lucius responded with a gleam in his eye. "I happen to know a certain married man who is sleeping with his mistress at this very moment. I happened to see him slink into her house last night."

And as the hard-hearted Pharisees gathered round, a spiteful plan to trick Jesus began to unfold.
The sun was just peeking through the securely locked shutters of Morah's bedroom window. The predawn stillness was broken only by the songs of early rising birds floating on the breeze. Morah was a tangle of sheets, arms and legs as the man she loved lay sleeping beside her.

"Oh, Zachariah," she whispered as her fingertips brushed a stray lock of hair from his closed eyes. "If only you weren't married. I know this is wrong, but I love you so. And I have to believe you when you say you love me as well. We are risking our very lives with these frequent trysts."

Morah's musings were suddenly interrupted by a banging on the door.
"Open up!" the gruff voice demanded.
"Who is there?" Morah cried as she scrambled to find her robe.
"Open up or we'll break the door down."

"What's all the commotion," Zachariah mumbled as he groggily sat up in bed. "What's going on?"
Before Morah could even think to answer, the angry mob of religious men broke through the simple lock and into the lovers' hideaway.
"What is the meaning of this," Zachariah barked. "What do you think you are doing?"
"What do you think you are doing, my friend?" the Pharisee countered. "That is the real question here."

"Morah, daughter of Omar, you are under arrest for adultery under the Law of Moses!" the moral police spat. "Get dressed and come with me."
The Pharisee tossed Morah her night robe, but failed to turn his head as she slipped her trembling frame from the cover of the sheets and into the thin cloak. He grabbed her by the arm and began dragging her to the door.

"Where are you taking me?" she cried.
"You'll find out soon enough," the Pharisee growled.
"What about Zachariah?" the youngest man of the group inquired.
"Just leave him," the Pharisee replied. "We don't need him."

"Why don't you go back to your wife where you belong," the Pharisee called over his shoulder as the group left the room. And with that, the conspiring mob continued their trek to the temple with the half-clad trembling woman in tow. Two men flanked the weeping woman on either side, dragging her through the early morning hustle and bustle of the city. The bait was hooked, and now it was time to reel in the catch.

Like mice following the Pied Piper, a curious stream of townsfolk joined the parade. Jesus was already teaching in the courtyard with a group gathered at his feet. As always, Jesus' message and miracles drew large crowds. A distant rumble interrupted his gentle teaching as the angry mob and curious crowd approached. They marched right into the inner circle of the classroom and thrust the woman at the Master's feet.

Morah's unbound hair fell around her bare shoulders and fluttered in the early morning breeze. Her shame-filled eyes stayed riveted on the earthen floor, refusing to meet Jesus' gaze. Then one of the men pulled her to her feet and displayed her for all to see.
"Teacher," the pious Pharisee began, "this woman was caught in the act of adultery. The Law of Moses commands us to stone such a woman. Now what do you say?"

She didn't need to look at the man before her. She recognized his voice. It was Jesus.
Jesus didn't look at the woman's half-clad body as the others openly gawked. He looked into her soul.
Morah lifted her eyes and looked into the face of love. What do I detect in his gaze? she thought to herself. It wasn't contempt, disgust, or condemnation, but rather compassion, concern, and pure, unadulterated love. Somehow she knew that this was the look she had been searching for her entire life.

As Morah listened to the Pharisee's question, she understood Jesus' dilemma. If he set her free, the Pharisees would accuse him of ignoring the Law of Moses and deem him a heretic. If he sentenced her to death by stoning, then his teachings of grace and forgiveness would be negated.

The religious leaders already held the stones in their clenched fists, anticipating his reply. Their hearts were as hard as the rocks they held in their hands, but rather than give a quick answer, Jesus moved his gaze from the trembling woman and stooped to the ground. With his finger, the very hand of God-made-man, he began writing in the dirt.

A frigid chill swept through the Pharisees pious robes. Suddenly they felt the rawness of naked exposure as Jesus' eyes looked up at each of them and without a word, uncloaked their sinful thoughts and desires. With one look from Jesus, they stood soul bare and more exposed than the half-dressed woman before them.

Everyone held their breath. The silence was deafening. The tension was palpable. Finally, Jesus rose and delivered the verdict.
"If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."
Then Jesus squatted once again and continued to write.
One-by-one the Pharisees unclenched their fists, dropped the stones, and filtered through the crowd. The older men who had accumulated a longer list of sins turned to leave first, with the younger ones not far behind.

The remaining crowd listened closely as the drama continued to unfold. After the last of the Pharisees cleared the scene, Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are your accusers? Has no one condemned you?"
"No one, sir," she replied.

"Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
The woman turned to leave - but not before picking up a discarded stone to take with her.
"To remember," she whispered.

- The Stone Unthrown - Sharon Jaynes

Let's Pray
Dear Lord, this story of Your great mercy and grace takes my breath away. Just to think that the only person qualified to throw the stone was the very One who set her free. Help me to always remember that You have forgiven me of my sins. Help me to drop the stones I so quickly pick up to cast at others and extend to them the same grace You have extended to me.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen.

I hope your heart was stirred with the re-telling of this amazing story. We don't know the woman's name. I have simply called her Morah so we can paint a picture of a real woman with a real problem in our minds. Now let me ask a few questions...

When is the last time you held a rock of condemnation in your hand? Not a real rock, but a judgmental attitude?

When is the last time you acted like the Pharisees who were so quick to condemn?

Who do you want to be like, Jesus who showed grace and forgiveness, or the Pharisees who wanted to give her what she deserved?

Beauty Skin care tips from body shop

Beauty Skin care tips from body shop

So this is what the "akak akak" salesman taught me...

listen up.

If you have a combination skin, which means your "T" zone is oily, and you're very dry on your cheeks..you need to use this sea cucumber product etc etc...coz it kind of balances your skin (now that reminds me of origins Balance which mesmerized me much).

And the way you wash your face, always lather it in your hand, then first spread to the oily parts, i.e. your T zone (fore head, nose, chin).. with the remnants of the lather, wash your cheeks.

Vice versa, when you apply your moisturiser, you should pump a pea-size moisturiser onto your finger, spread it on your fingers/hand, and apply them evenly first on your cheeks. The remnants (if any), apply on your T zone.

I was like, "Wow... granma didn't know that!"

What about you? Do you know this before I share with you? =)

Have a nice day! ;-)

body shop malaysia sales promotion up to 70%!!!

Yeah, you heard it rite! body shop malaysia is on a 3-day sales, from 21-23 may 2010, up to 70% discount!

Nope, you guess it wrong - i'm in no way related to body shop, and am no fan of it. Somehow, early this year I was introduced to a vitamin C product which really got my eyes hooked on it. But the price was expensive.. i'm not of the medium-high income you see.. a low income employee I am... I won't want my money end up there.

So I waited.. and waited.. finally the day is here! I went to Jaya Jusco Kepong the other day visited the body shop outlet, it was fun, seeing so many price tags 5%, 70%, 70%, 50%... As I drooled my way in, a very polite salesman walked to me and greeted, "Hi, kak!"

I was thwarted, Hey, calling me kak ain't far from granma? Y can't he just address me as miss? Grrr.... didn't the body shop assistants attend Public Relations lessons before serving the customers? While I started finger-counting his age in my mind, my heart was still drooling at the 50%, 70%.. and finally I saw my target product.

He kept repeating, "Kak, akak... kak, akak..." which really frustrated me, but in between there was a rich outflow of product information and skin care advice, which got me really interested. Alright.. nevermind about the akak stuff. He knows his stuff. I shall forgive him. So here, I'd like to share with you some information which I've never heard of for my past years of skin care!

Many of you may have already known this, well.. i'm not those really really into skin care kind of person... so this is something new....

stay tuned...

Cut-off Slam finger door die graft

Julianna came out of the womb ready to meet every challenge with determination, every celebration with enthusiasm, and every mystery with the passion of discovery. Her fiery red hair was matched only by her fiery personality. She never did anything half-way, but with the throttle full speed ahead. Of the Price's three children, Julianna was the one who frequented the emergency room for stitches due to throwing caution to the wind as she whirled through her childhood.

Cut-off Slam finger door die graft

One day when Julianna was twelve years old, she rushed out her front door on her way to dance class. She slammed the door behind her as she hurried to catch her ride, but the door closed before all of her fingers followed her body across the threshold. Now you have probably have slammed your fingers in a door a time or two, and can remember wincing a bit. But Julianna never does anything half-way.

She jerked to a sudden halt, spun around quickly, and saw her appendages trapped in the closed door. When she opened the door to remove her hand, she was horrified to discover that all of it was not there. She had amputated the upper third of her second right finger.

"Help! Somebody help me! I've just cut off my finger!" Fortunately, the woman picking her up for dance class was a nurse. She rushed to the screaming ballerina.
"Julianna, where's your mom?" she asked.
"She's not here," Julianna answered between sobs.
"Nobody's here but Daniel."
"Quick," the neighbor instructed, "Let's put some pressure on that nub. Daniel, come help us!" she yelled. Daniel, Julianna's fifteen-year-old brother, ran down the stairs at the cry for help.

"Julianna's just cut her finger off. You have to find it. We've got to put it in ice and take her to the hospital right away." A pale-faced Daniel went to the scene of the accident. As he hung his head, he saw the finger lying at his feet. Trying not to lose his breakfast, Daniel picked up his sister's digit in a towel and handed it over to the nurse.

Well the good news is that they got to the hospital in time. The skilled doctor put Humpty-Dumpty back together again and told them to pray that the finger would reattach.

"We'll keep our fingers crossed," he said with a grin as he walked out of the treatment room. A few days later Julianna unwrapped the bandages, afraid of what she might find underneath. What she saw was not a pretty sight. Instead of a finger, she saw a black mushroom-like thimble sitting atop her nub.

"Doctor, we took the bandage off today. It's black and crusty and looks like a mushroom cap," her mom reported.
"It looks dead."
"That's fine," he reassured her.
"Don't worry. If nature is working properly, and it sounds like it is, the top will turn black, but underneath, nerves and blood vessels are reattaching. Underneath the thimble, a new finger is forming. She needs the old part in order for the new part to form underneath. In about three weeks, we'll know if the procedure worked. Just keep it wrapped and clean."

A few weeks after the accident, Julianna came to spend the night with us while she was attending a dance camp in my hometown. I had the pleasure of her company and the displeasure of changing her bandage. Her description was accurate.

Four weeks after Julianna had returned home, she wrote me a thank-you note for having her in our home. She ended by saying, "P.S. Guess what? My crusty thimble fell off and I have a new finger!" Now don't ask me how this happened. It is a mystery to me. But scripture tells of another mystery that is just as amazing.

Another grafting process that is just as miraculous. When God warned Adam and Eve not to eat of fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, He told them that their punishment for disobedience would be death. They did eat - and immediately their spirits died- their zoe life was taken away and they were cut off from God. As a result, every person after that time has been born with a dead spirit, including you and me. But God didn't leave us that way.

God demonstrated His love toward us, that while we were still a sinner (cut off, dead, rotten to the core), Christ died for us and made it possible for us to be grafted onto the living root - Himself (Romans 5:8, Romans 11:17). At the very moment we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, we receive a new living spirit (zoe life) to replace our old dead spirit.

In the twinkling of an eye - in the time it takes for us to say, "I believe," we become a spiritually new creation. However, God's process of shaping and molding us into the image of Christ, takes a lifetime. That process is how to become spiritually beautiful. Paul tells us: "And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit" (2 Corinthians 3:18 NIV).

Reflecting the Lord's glory!
I know of no other beauty treatment that will make a woman truly beautiful.

Let's Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, I know I became a new creation in Christ when I became a Christian. But sometimes, I just feel like the same old me. Please help me to become more conformed to the image of Christ today. Take away whatever needs to be taken away to reveal the beauty of You that is in my heart. Help me to be spiritually beautiful today and always. In Jesus' Name, Amen

Blood clot / stroke - indicator early treatment

B lood Clots/Stroke - They Now Have a Fourth Indicator, the Tongue
อาการบ่งชี้ 4 อย่างของเส้นเลือดอุดตันในสมอง


I will continue to forward this every time it comes around!
ไม่ว่าจะได้รับเมล์นี้อีกกี่ครั้ง ฉันก็จะส่งต่อไป

STROKE:Remember the 1st Three Letters....S.T.R.
เส้นเลือดอุดตันในสมอง (Stroke) ให้จำไว้ว่า อักษร 3 ตัวแรกคือ S.T.R

My nurse friend sent this and encouraged me to post it and spread the word.
I agree.
เพื่อนพยาบาลส่งเมล์นี้มาให้ และสนับสนุนให้ฉันส่งต่อไปอีกเรื่อยๆให้ทั่วโลกเลยยิ่งดี ฉันก็เห็นด้วย

If everyone can remember something this simple, we could save some folks.
Seriously..
ถ้าเราสามารถจำสิ่งง่ายๆเหล่านี้ได้ เราจะช่วยชีวิตคนบางคนได้..อันนี้เรื่องจริง

Please read:
STROKE IDENTIFICATION:
อาการบ่งชี้ของเส้นเลือดอุดตันในสมอง

During a BBQ, a friend stumbled and took a little fall - she assured everyone that she was fine (they offered to call paramedics) .she said she had just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes.
ระหว่างงานเลี้ยงบาร์บีคิว เพื่อนคนหนึ่งสะดุดล้มลงไปกองกับพื้น แต่เธอบอกกับทุกคนว่าเธอไม่เป็นไร (เพื่อนๆถามว่าจะให้เรียกแพทย์เคลื่อนที่มั้ย) เธอบอกว่าเธอแค่สะดุดก้อนหินเพราะยังไม่ชินที่ใส่รองเท้าคู่ใหม่มา

They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food. While she appeared a bit shaken up, Ingrid went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening
ทุกคนช่วยกันปัดเศษสกปรกออกไปจากตัวเธอและไปตักอาหารมาให้ใหม่ ตัว Ingrid เองหลังจากนั้นรู้สึกว่าจะมีอาการสั่นเล็กน้อย แต่ก็สนุกสนานดีตลอดเย็นวันนั้น

Ingrid's husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital - (at 6:00 pm Ingrid passed away.) She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ. Had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps Ingrid would be with us today. Some don't die. they end up in a helpless, hopeless condition instead.
หลังจากนั้น สามีของ Ingrid โทรหาเพื่อนๆทุกคนว่า ภรรยาเขาถูกนำตัวส่งโรงพยาบาล (และเสียชีวิตในเวลา 6 นาฬิกา) เธอมีอาการของเส้นเลือดอุดตันในสมองตั้งแต่ตอนที่อยู่ในงานเลี้ยงบาร์บีคิวแล้ว ถ้าทุกคนรู้ว่าเธอมีอาการนี้เสียตั้งแต่แรก บางที Ingrid อาจจะยังอยู่กับพวกเราในวันนี้ก็ได้ บางคนก็ไม่เสียชีวิต แต่ต้องใช้ชีวิตอย่างคนสิ้นหวังและช่วยเหลือตัวเองไม่ได้

It only takes a minute to read this...
ใช้เวลาอ่านบทความนี้เพียงไม่กี่นาทีเท่านั้น

A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke...totally. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough.
แพทย์ด้านประสาทวิทยากล่าวว่า ถ้าแพทย์สามารถไปถึงตัวผู้ป่วยเส้นเลือดสมองอุดตันได้ภายใน 3 ชั่วโมง แพทย์จะสามารถช่วยชีวิตผู้ป่วยได้แน่นอน ที่สำคัญก็คือต้องทราบว่าผู้ป่วยมีอาการของโรคนี้ วินิจฉัยได้ได้ จากนั้นก็ให้การรักษาภายใน 3 ชั่วโมง ซึ่งเรื่องจริงนั้นเป็นไปได้ยากอยู่

RECOGNIZING A STROKE
ต้องรู้ก่อนว่ามันคือเส้นเลือดสมองอุดตัน

Thank God for the sense to remember the '3' steps, STR . Read and Learn!
ขอบคุณพระเจ้าที่หาวิธีจำง่ายๆมาให้ STR

Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.
บางครั้งอาการของโรคเส้นเลือดสมองอุดตันก็เป็นการยากที่จะรู้กันได้ แต่ที่ร้ายแรงกว่านั้นก็คือ การไม่รู้อาจหมายถึงหายนะได้ สมองผู้ป่วยอาจจะโดนทำลายอย่างรุนแรง แต่คนรอบข้างไม่ได้รู้เลยว่านี่คืออาการของเส้นเลือดสมองอุดตัน

Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:
หมอบอกว่า คนที่ยืนอยู่รอบข้างก็สามารถรู้อาการได้ โดยคำถาม 3 ข้อ ดังนี้

S *Ask the individual to SMILE.
S คือบอกให้ผู้ป่วย ยิ้ม

T *Ask the person to TALK and SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently)
(i.e.. It is sunny out today.)
T คือบอกให้ผู้ป่วยพูด โดยอาจจะเป็นประโยคง่ายๆ เช่น วันนี้อากาศดีนะ

R *Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.
R คือบอกให้ผู้ป่วยยกแขนทั้งสองข้างขึ้น

If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call emergency number immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.
ถ้าผู้ป่วยมีความลำบากในการทำข้อใดข้อหนึ่ง ให้โทร.หาเบอร์ฉุกเฉินทันทีและแจ้งไปว่าผู้ป่วยมีอาการอย่างไร

New Sign of a Stroke -------- Stick out Your Tongue
สัญญาณใหม่ของเส้นเลือดสมองอุดตัน -- แลบลิ้นออกมาดู
NOTE: Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask the person to 'stick' out his tongue.. If the tongue is 'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other, that is also an indication of a stroke.
หมายเหตุ: สัญญาณอีกประการหนึ่งก็คือ ลองให้ผู้ป่วยแลบลิ้นออกมา หากลิ้นมีลักษณะม้วนงอ ตกไปด้านใดด้านหนึ่ง นั่นคือข้อบ่งชี้ว่ามีอาการเส้นเลือดสมองอุดตัน

Understanding maggot's life cycle - what is maggot?

Understanding maggot's life cycle - what is maggot?

Since we have been spending time together understanding about our pet's maggot wounds, why not spend some time now to understand the gist of a maggot's life cycle? =) It's interesting, i bet ya.

Maggot is the larval stage of the fly's life cycle. The term maggot is also used to refer to the larval stage of any insect.

Maggots are generally 4 to 12 mm in length depending on their stage of growth. Most maggots range from an off-white color to a light brown, though some can be a yellow or reddish color.

Maggots removed from a gaping myiasis wound of a dog, now trying to escape from the kidney bowl.

Maggots have one pair of tiny hook-like parts to aid in feeding and have no legs. The fly life cycle is composed of four stages: egg, larva (commonly known as a maggot), pupa, adult.

The eggs are laid in decaying flesh, animal dung, manure (in this case, dog/cat's wet/moist wound/skin) - whatever has ample food for the larva, generally in a moist area. After 8-20 hours, the egg hatches and the fly enters the maggot stage.

It begins to feed on whatever the egg was laid on. The maggot gorges itself with food until it is ready to enter the pupal stage, at which point the maggot travels away from the food source to a moist spot.

A H1N1 statistic chart

A H1N1 chart/statistic. I got this from a forwarded email, thus can't give much info on the sources. But I'm sure you can find the sources easily if you just google search "A H1N1 statistics".
Pay attention at the Mortality Rate.
Pay close attention to Malaysia's.
Then compare the measurements taken by Hong Kong and Malaysia to curb this issue.

Your eyes will be opened.

20 Cancer Symptoms Women Are Most Likely to Ignore

20 Cancer Symptoms Women Are Most Likely to Ignore
By Melanie Haiken, Caring.com senior editor

Routine tests like pap smears and mammograms are important, but don't rely on tests alone to protect you from cancer. It's just as important to listen to your body and notice anything that's different, odd, or unexplainable. You don't want to join the ranks of cancer patients who realize too late that symptoms they'd noticed for a long time could have sounded the alarm earlier, when cancer was easier to cure.

Here, some signs that are commonly overlooked:

1. Wheezing or shortness of breath One of the first signs lung cancer patients remember noticing when they look back is the inability to catch their breath. "I couldn't even walk across the yard without wheezing; I thought I had asthma, but how come I didn't have it before?" is how one woman described it.

2. Chronic cough or chest pain Several types of cancer, including leukemia and lung tumors, can cause symptoms that mimic a bad cough or bronchitis. One way to tell the difference: The problems persist, or go away and come back again in a repeating cycle. Some lung cancer patients report chest pain that extends up into the shoulder or down the arm.

3. Frequent fevers or infections These can be signs of leukemia, a cancer of the blood cells that starts in the bone marrow. Leukemia causes the marrow to produce abnormal white blood cells, which crowd out healthy white cells, sapping the body's infection-fighting capabilities. Often, doctors finally catch leukemia in older adults after the patient has been in a number of times complaining of fever, achiness, and flu-like symptoms over an extended period of time.

4. Difficulty swallowing Most commonly associated with esophageal or throat cancer, having trouble swallowing is sometimes one of the first signs of lung cancer, too.

5. Swollen lymph nodes or lumps on the neck, underarm, or groin Enlarged lymph nodes indicate changes in the lymphatic system, which can be a sign of cancer. For example, a lump or an enlarged lymph node under the arm is sometimes a sign of breast cancer. A painless lump on the neck, underarm, or groin can be an early sign of leukemia.

6. Excessive bruising or bleeding that doesn't stop This symptom usually suggests something abnormal happening with the platelets and red blood cells, which can be a sign of leukemia. One woman with leukemia described bruising in strange places, such as on her fingers and hands, as well as red spots on her face, neck, and chest. Another noticed bleeding gums. The explanation: Over time, leukemia cells crowd out red blood cells and platelets, impairing the blood's ability to carry oxygen and clot.

7. Weakness and fatigue "I kept having to sit down at work, and one night I was too tired to drive home," said one woman in describing the fatigue that led her to discover she had leukemia. Generalized fatigue and weakness is a symptom of so many different kinds of cancer that you'll need to look at it in combination with other symptoms. But any time you feel exhausted without explanation and it doesn't respond to getting more sleep, talk to your doctor.

8. Bloating or abdominal weight gain—the "my jeans don't fit" syndrome While this might sound too common a phenomenon to be considered a cancer symptom, consider this: Women diagnosed with ovarian cancer overwhelmingly report that unexplained abdominal bloating that came on fairly suddenly and continued on and off over a long period of time (as opposed to for a few days each month with PMS) is one of the main ways they knew something was wrong.

9. Feeling full and unable to eat This is another tip-off to ovarian cancer; women say they have no appetite and can't eat, even when they haven't eaten for some time. Any woman who experiences noticeable bloating or weight gain numerous times (the diagnostic criteria is more than 13 times over the period of a month)—especially if it's accompanied by pelvic pain or feeling overly full—should call her doctor and ask for a pelvic ultrasound.

10. Pelvic or abdominal pain Taken by itself, pelvic pain can mean a lot of things. In fact, because it's a common symptom of fibroids, ovarian cysts, and other reproductive tract disorders, doctors don't always think of cancer when you describe pelvic pain. Make sure your doctor looks at all possible explanations and does a full exam, since pain and cramping in the pelvis and abdomen can go hand in hand with the bloating that often signals ovarian cancer. Leukemia can also cause abdominal pain resulting from an enlarged spleen.

11. Rectal bleeding or blood in stool "I thought it was hemorrhoids" is one of the most common things doctors hear when diagnosing colorectal cancer. Blood in the toilet alone is reason to call your doctor and schedule a colonoscopy.

12. Unexplained weight loss If you notice the pounds coming off and you haven't made changes to your diet or exercise regime, you need to ask why. Weight loss is an early sign of colon and other digestive cancers; it's also a sign of cancer that's spread to the liver, affecting your appetite and the ability of your body to rid itself of wastes.

13. Upset stomach or stomachache As simple as it sounds, a good old-fashioned bellyache is what tipped off a number of lucky folks, whose doctors ordered ultrasounds and discovered early that they had tumors on their livers. Stomach cramps or frequent upset stomachs may indicate colorectal cancer; many cancer patients say their doctors thought they had ulcers.

14. A red, sore, or swollen breast Everyone knows to check for lumps in the breasts, but too often overlooked are symptoms closer to the surface, which can indicate inflammatory breast cancer. Some women described noticing cellulite-like dimpled skin on an area of the breast. Others noticed that a breast felt swollen, hot, or irritated. Red or purplish discoloration is also cause for concern. Call your doctor about any unexplained changes to your breasts.

15. Nipple changes One of the most common changes women remember noticing before being diagnosed with breast cancer is a nipple that began to appear flattened, inverted, or turned sideways. "My nipple started looking like it was turned inside out," said one woman. In addition, inflammatory breast cancer also causes nipple problems, such as itchy, scaly, or crusty skin on the nipple— so take any nipple changes seriously.

16. Unusually heavy or painful periods or bleeding between periods Many women reported this as the tip-off to endometrial or uterine cancer. Unfortunately, many women also said their doctors weren't responsive, overlooking or misdiagnosing their complaints as normal perimenopause. Ask for a transvaginal ultrasound if you suspect something more than routine heavy periods.

17. Swelling of facial features Some patients with lung cancer report noticing puffiness, swelling, or redness in the face. The explanation for this is that small cell lung tumors commonly block blood vessels in the chest, preventing blood from flowing freely from the head and face.

18. A sore or skin lump that doesn't heal, becomes crusty, or bleeds easily Most of us know to watch moles for changes that might indicate skin cancer. But other signs, such as small waxy lumps or dry scaly patches, are easier to miss. Familiarize yourself with the different types of skin cancer—melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma—and be vigilant about checking skin all over the body for odd-looking growths or spots.

19. Changes in nails Unexplained changes to the fingernails can be a sign of several types of cancer. A brown or black streak or dot under the nail can indicate skin cancer, while newly discovered "clubbing"— enlargement of the ends of the fingers, with nails that curve down over the tips—can be a sign of lung cancer. Pale or white nails can be an indication that your liver is not functioning properly, sometimes a sign of liver cancer.

20. Pain in the back or lower right side As vague as this sounds, many cancer patients say this was the first sign of liver cancer, known as one of the "silent killers" (another is ovarian cancer). Breast cancer is also often diagnosed via back pain, which can occur when a breast tumor presses backward into the chest, or when the cancer spreads to the spine or ribs.