My name is Catherine Morgan, I'm a writer, nurse, and mother. This is a blog about women's issues, health & wellness, and inspirational thoughts. If you like this blog, you will love BlogHer.com where I am also a contributing editor.
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Find out all the places I blog at Catherine Blogs.
With all the attention breast cancer gets this month, it’s easy to forget that there are many other diseases that are also recognized in October. Next week, October 21st -27nd is Respiratory Care week, so I decided to devote this post to Lung Disease awareness, and some of the bloggers that are giving it to us.
There are many different types of lung disease…COPD, Asthma, Lung Cancer, TB, Cystic Fibrosis, Sleep Apnea, to name a few. All of these conditions can range from mild symptoms to severe, and even if you don’t suffer from one of them, it’s very likely you know someone who does.
I was doing a little blog surfing and came across a post at MyDD “What is a political blogger?” There are people that seem to think not all women blogging about politics can be considered political bloggers, I disagree. This is my response. What do you think?
What is a political blogger? I’m not sure we really need to “define” it, so much as we need to understand it. Political blogs are proof that many people want more than just the “main-stream” media to inform them of political topics and opinions. And the same holds true for readers of political blogs, many want more than a one sided, 24/7 view of politics. Women bloggers are offering diversity to their readers (who are potential voters), and that’s a good thing.
Women are a huge voting block, and in 2008 they will be voting on issues that are important to them, and many of these issues aren’t being sufficiently addressed in the same way they are on blogs authored by women. For this reason “all” political blogs are relevant, and there isn’t a right or wrong way to blog about politics.
If a “mommy blogger” blogs even just a few times a month on a political issue relevant to her readers, then she is reaching “voters”. For the most part, what we now know as “traditional” political blogging, has in many cases been a “mirror” of what is being reported in the “main-stream” media (although still better because it at least allows readers to comment with their opinions). But, this leaves a huge “political blogging” gap that is being filled by women, women with diverse ideas on both blogging and politics.
Women “will” be a force to reckon with in the next election, and blogging will be a defining part in that. With that in mind, I (with the help of many other bloggers) compiled a list of over 100 women (almost 200), that are blogging about politics. These women are blogging in their own “unique” styles, and reaching many voters.
So, (as far as I’m concerned) there is no way to “define” what a political blogger is, because a political blogger is anyone that is being read by a potential voter.
We talked about the importance of having “ready kits“, and the need for families to have supplies ready for both leaving, as well as staying in their home, during an emergency or disaster.
Recently the Home Safety Council did a survey to find out how prepared families “felt” they were for a disaster. What they found was; 64 percent of the children surveyed said they “think” their families are prepared for an emergency situation, but only 27 percent said that their family has a communications plan in place or has assembled readiness kits to use in case of an emergency. That’s a troubling statistic. How prepared is your family?
Suzanne from BlogHer did a post today about how violent the “pro-life” movement has become. Suzanne sites these facts about how hate and terror are permeating through the “pro-life” movement.
How many actual human beings – living and breathing, with family and friends who love them and value them – have been killed by so-called “pro-lifers?” Well, Dr. Bernard Slepian was killed in his kitchen upon return from synagogue by a life-saving sniper. Dr. David Gunn was shot and killed in the parking lot of the clinic he worked in. Religious Tolerance counts 24 murders and attempted murders by “pro-life” folks from 1993-2004. Almost 150 bombings, arsons, or attempted bombings or arsons took place against clinics, many with people inside. Further, 11,449 incidents with hate mail, harassing phone calls, bomb threats, and other terrorist tactics have been employed by “pro-life” advocates.
Pro-Life or Pro-Choice…You must agree that criminalizing miscarriage is wrong. — by Catherine Morgan (cross-posted at BlogHer)
I didn’t have something specific to blog about for todays post, I’ve been a bit preoccupied with my daughter this week (I’ll tell you more at the end of this post, if you’re interested), so I decided to Google women’s health for ideas.
Bloggers Are Changing The World? Yes, you bet they are! Are you one of them? Would you like to be? Bloggers are raising money, raising awareness, and raising hope, for causes all around the world. The best part about blogging is; anyone can do it, it’s easy, it’s free, and it’s also a lot of fun.
Is there an issue that you are passionate about, but you never thought you could make a difference on? Is there a charity you’ve always wanted to support, but you’ve never had the money? Now, through blogging, you can “Save the Planet”, “Feed the Hungry”, or even just start a local “toy” or “school supply” drive. The sky is the limit. Charity doesn’t even need to be the main purpose of your blog, you can blog about anything you can imagine, but still have a simple link on your blog to charities you support. This is what appears on the sidebar of my blogs…
I’m a little frustrated about not hearing more concrete answers from the presidential candidates on the health-care crisis in America. Let me clarify that; I am hearing a lot about how bad the “crisis” is, what I’m not hearing is how we are going to “fix” it. Why is that?
Forty-seven million Americans, or 16% of our population is uninsured.
Over 8 out of every 10 uninsured person is from a working family. (70% of those are from families where one or more are working a full-time job, and 11% from families working part-time jobs). These are NOT lazy people who just want a “free ride”, these are hard working American families.
TUESDAY, Aug. 21 (HealthDay News) — New research is bolstering the theory that obesity may stem, a least in part, from a common virus — one that helps create new, heftier fat cells.
I have a feeling I am going to take a lot of heat for this post. I’m going to tell you about braces and orthodontics, but I’m also going to talk about my personal opinion, and that always seems to get me into some hot water.
I have been told on more than one occasion that both of my children need braces. But, I’ve never actually taken either of them to an Orthodontist. The reason I never took them was; I have heard from many friends that when you take your child to the Orthodontist it is “free”, but once you are there you are basically put on-the-spot to make a decision to get the braces, or be charged for the visit. So, if you decide to agree to a payment plan at that moment, you avoid having to pay the $150.00 (or so) consultation fee. Bargain. Personally, I don’t know one person that has taken their child to an Orthodontist and didn’t leave convinced they needed to get the braces. Since I didn’t have the money, even for payment plans, I figured avoidance of this particular office would be my best bet. I also think that even though my children’s teeth may not be considered “perfect”, they look just fine.
I’m not saying that I recommend this “avoidance” method for all parents, I know that there are many instances when braces are an “obvious” necessity. Basically, I have a two part problem with this whole “to get or not to get braces” thing. One, is the “money” factor, the other is the “guilt” factor.
PISCO, Peru - The death toll rose to 450 on Thursday in the magnitude-8 earthquake that devastated cities of adobe and brick in Peru’s southern desert. Survivors wearing blankets walked like ghosts through the ruins.
Dust-covered dead were pulled out and laid in rows in the streets, or beneath bloodstained sheets at damaged hospitals and morgues. Doctors struggled to help more than 1,500 injured, including hundreds who waited on cots in the open air, fearing more aftershocks would send the structures crashing down.
Destruction was centered in Peru’s southern desert, at the oasis city of Ica and the nearby port of Pisco, about 125 miles southeast of the capital, Lima.
The United Nations said the death toll was expected to rise beyond the 450 reported by Peru. — read full article
Abusive Relationships: Are you or someone you know in one? How can you tell? What can you do? — by Catherine Morgan (cross-posted at BlogHer)How do you know if you are in an abusive relationship? Do you know someone who is? What warning signs can you look for?
Since nearly one third of American women have been in some sort of abusive relationship, chances are that one of these women may be you or someone you know. So, what do you do? How do you help? I think having as much information as possible is a good place to start.
Three Signs You Need To Know That Could Save Your Life — by Catherine Morgan (and cross-posted at BlogHer.org)
I received an email from a fellow BlogHer Nina Burokas yesterday, she suggested that I consider a post on stroke, and the three simple signs that we all should be aware of. Noticing one or more of these signs, and getting someone appropriate medical attention, could be the difference between recovery and death. I agree with Nina that this is very important information, and the more that it is blogged about, the more people that might be saved from understanding these signs of a stroke.
A few years ago, I was feeling alone. Despite my supportive family and a strong network of friends, diabetes was something I dealt with privately, the lone diabetic floating along in a sea of healthy people.
“It can’t be just me,” I said to myself as I tested my blood sugar and saw a number completely out of range, despite my healthy lunch and my calculated insulin doses.
“It can’t be just me,” I murmured as my insulin pump tubing caught on the doorknob and tugged at the infusion set.
“It can’t be just me,” as the tears of frustration pooled up in my eyes after reading the letter from my doctor stating that my A1c was, once again, over 7%.
The other day my mother received a phone call from her friend, “Louise.” She said to my mother, “Have you heard?”
“No. Heard what?”
“I have a lover!” she unabashedly announced.
All this might not be so shocking, except for the fact that Louise is 94 years old!
She went on to explain how after moving into her assisted living community, she met a 90 year old man, who we’ll call “Leonard.” Leonard is twice widowed and Louise is widowed after 60 years of marriage.
I was thinking about women I’ve known and come to admire. Sure, there are the ones we read about from history and hear about in the news. Mother Teresa, Princess Diana, Joan of Arc, Amelia Earhart, Isabella Bird and Melinda Gates are among women who enter my mind. Yet, who among the women you know truly motivate and inspire you? What is it about certain women that cause you to feel good inside?
Dieting and Weight Loss — It’s all about eating healthy foods, not starvation. — by Catherine Morgan
Successful dieting and weight loss comes from one thing, and it’s not a bottle or a book. Being successful at weight loss takes only one step…A commitment to eating healthy foods. Here are several posts I have done on the subject of dieting and eating healthy, and also many links to other bloggers blogging on the same subject.
Not too long ago, I did a post on BlogHers living, coping and blogging with chronic illness. At that time I hadn’t included BlogHers blogging with cancer, although I do agree that cancer is becoming more and more a chronic illness.
Cancer is in the news a lot these days. Elizabeth Edwards’ breast cancer, Fred Thompson’s lymphoma, Tony Snow’s prostate cancer are a few that made the headlines. But what’s most interesting about these reports is that they all are about cancer survivorship and not about cancer deaths. Cancer has become a chronic illness and in most cases the diagnosis is no longer a notice of imminent death. Rather it is the beginning of a long-term treatment process with remissions and exacerbations over many years. And with new treatments being developed with novel mechanisms of action, the odds are that this trend towards chronicity will continue. More cancers will become chronic illnesses and those that are chronic will take longer and longer to show their worst sides. — read full article
Many of our BlogHers are blogging about how they are living with the diagnosis of cancer. Below are a few that I came across while surfing through the BlogHer Health & Wellness Blogrolls.
From The Associated Press CHICAGO - A deadly gene’s path can hide in a family tree when a woman has few aunts and older sisters, making it appear that her breast cancer struck out of nowhere when it really came from Dad.A new study suggests thousands of young women with breast cancer — an estimated 8,000 a year in the U.S. — aren’t offered testing to identify faulty genes and clarify their medical decisions.
Guidelines used by insurance companies to decide coverage for genetic testing should change to reflect the findings, said study co-author Dr. Jeffrey Weitzel of City of Hope Cancer Center in Duarte, Calif. Testing can cost more than $3,000.
“Interestingly, it’s about Dad,” Weitzel said. Half of genetic breast cancers are inherited from a woman’s father, not her mother. But unless Dad has female relatives with breast cancer, the faulty gene may have been passed down silently, without causing cancer. (Men can get genetic breast cancer, too, but it’s not common.)
Weitzel said doctors often overlook the genetic risk from the father’s side of the family. — read full article
