My Heart Ties

Hollister to post story!!

Leah — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 13:41:53 +0000

Coming soon, Hollister is working on final approval to post Leah Humphries
story on their site. More details to come as they are available!

Merry Christmas Santa Didn’t bring me a new colon. :(

Leah — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:29:35 +0000

This Christmas I pondered the idea that
If Santa were real…would I ask him for a new colon?

My large intestine has been gone for well over
19 years now. One wonders after all this time if
actually toileting, like a fully functioning non-ostomy
woman, would help me in some significant way.

No one what’s an ostomy. No one chooses this

Procedure easily. Most of us, not all, choose an ostomy
as a last resort. We have suffered unmentionable

pain and indignity, and by having our colon removed,
have been given a second chance at life.

So, Dearest Santa Claws, Please understand that

A new perfect colon would have been just the ticket

19 years ago when I really thought I’d die without one.
Now, I see that after all this time what I really want is
to continue to be healthy and happy and well adjusted.
Please give said “colon” to a newbie. I am an ostomy
veteran and I can do just fine with out one.

All my love,

Leah

Emperor Moth

Leah — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:20:10 +0000

Story of the Emperor Moth
Unknown

A man found a cocoon of an emperor moth. he took it home so that he could watch the moth come out of the cocoon. On that day a small opening appeared, he sat and watched the moth for several hours as the moth struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no farther. It just seemed to be stuck. Then the man, in his kindness, decided to help the moth, so he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The moth then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the moth because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time. Neither happened! In fact, the little moth spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly. What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the moth to get through the tiny opening were God’s way of forcing fluid from the body of the moth into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon. Freedom and flight would only come after the struggle. By depriving the moth of a struggle, he deprived the moth of health.

SOMETIMES STRUGGLES ARE EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED IN OUR LIFE. IF GOD ALLOWED US TO GO THROUGH OUR LIFE WITHOUT ANY OBSTACLES HE WOULD CRIPPLE US. WE WOULD NOT BE AS STRONG AS WHAT WE COULD HAVE BEEN.

Your Relationship is Healthy If…

Leah — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:42:39 +0000

Your Relationship is Healthy If…

You trust your partner.
You treat each other the way you want to be treated, and accept each other’s opinions and interests.
You each feel physically safe in the relationship.
Your partner likes your friends and encourages you to spend time with them and wants to include them in his/her life as well as yours.
You make important decisions together.
Your partner understands when you spend time away from him or her.
You don’t feel responsible for protecting your partner’s reputation or for covering for his/her mistakes.
Your partner encourages you to enjoy different activities (like joining the volleyball team or football team, running for student government, or being in a play) and helps you reach your goals.
Your partner likes you for who you are – not just for what you look like.
You are not afraid to say what you think and why you think that way. You like to hear how your partner thinks, and don’t always have to agree.
You have both a friendship and a physical attraction.
You don’t have to be with your partner 24/7.
Your partner doesn’t force sexual activity or insist that you do something that makes you uncomfortable.
The Red Flag Campaign is a project of the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance and was created thanks to the generous support of the Verizon Foundation.

Emotional Abuse in Marriage

Leah — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:31:59 +0000

Emotional abuse frequently comes in the type of a massive enclose. It consist a range of behaviors intended at beating the feeling and the heart of the sufferer so as to achieve effectual control over partner. The diverse features of emotional abuse are loneliness, verbal abuse and financial abuse. Several times the abuser attempts to publicly isolate the partner so as to make him/her reliant on himself/herself for his/her essential societal requirements and aspirations.

A string of limitations and controls are forced above the sufferer, to increase control over his/her public life. It is the abuser who usually concludes regarding the people with whom the sufferer will interrelate and the associates with whom he/she will go out. Any outside communal support structure assess a warning and confront to the abusers influence over the sufferer. The abuser might often intentionally abuse the victim’s associates and associates so as to fright them away.

The abuser may route to emotional blackmailing, temper swings, irritability and rejection of conversation to compel his/her will above the sufferer. He/she might receive recourse to keenly spying over the sufferer and may honestly inquiry his/her faithfulness towards wedding. This is consistently conducted by awkward burden on him/her. The sequence of events may consist inspection on the dupe, give/take him/her of every transportation or ways of communication, asking about his/her every day schedule, blame his/her associates and family and so on.

By verbal abuse we often recognize crying, uproar and pronouncing names, which is awfully correct. However, all the time abuser may not be that obvious in his/her activities and may take alternative to a delicate technique by with silent abusive or embarrassing remarks. The essential purpose is to weaken the victim’s intellect of self-esteem and smash his/her sense of worth. Verbal abuse may also consists offensive and insulting the victim’s relatives, character name calling, being cynical, making fear, blaming, etc.

Financial abuse is an expansion of the emotional abuse where the abuser uses wealth as a device to increase power over the sufferer. The abuser may reject suitable economic liberty and hold the sufferer or may put impractical economic responsibilities on his/her shoulders. The abuser may display economically reckless behavior so as to upset or baffle the victim.

Though emotional abuse not like physical abuse does not leave us with battered eyes and inflamed faces, at rest it is poorer than physical abuse. The sufferer usually fails to understand that he/she is being mistreated and might have his/her brain and spirit intimidate to a level where he/she may believe himself/herself accountable for his/her troubles. In the long term, emotional abuse may acutely injure a person’s intellectual and physical strength. Emotional abuse is a suitable ground for separation and comes beneath the realm of awkward behavior. You have all right to defend yourself and your family from the long-standing injure of emotional abuse, even though it consists going for a divorce.

copyrighted / 2009 marriage counseling.

There is probably no surgical procedure that produces more misunderstanding and fear than an ostomy.

Leah — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:17:53 +0000

The Psychology of an Ostomy
When the physician first mentions an ostomy, every patient, without exception, has negative feelings. The younger the patient, the harder it is to accept an ostomy. There is probably no surgical procedure that produces more misunderstanding and fear than an ostomy.

After the surgery, the patient needs time to heal, to learn how to manage the ostomy, and to mentally adapt to these changes. In time, the patient usually finds that life is only slightly altered, if at all. Most would rather have the ostomy than their previous medical conditions.

Appliances and Care
A covering or appliance is necessary for all ostomies. Typically, a colostomy on the left abdomen may require only a pad. A colostomy on the right side and an ileostomy need a small, odor-proof bag that adheres to the body and cannot be seen through clothing. All hospitals and many physicians’ offices have nurse specialists who are extremely knowledgeable about the care of ostomies, and how to treat and prevent their problems. Odor from an ostomy is seldom a problem. Again, assistance is available.

How Does an Ostomy Affect Lifestyle?

Bathing — Tub or shower bathing is done much the same as before the ostomy. If an appliance is used, bathing can be done with or without it attached.Clothing — Generally, the types of clothing worn before an ostomy can be worn after surgery. Only minor changes may be needed, such as larger pantyhose and panty girdles for women, or a larger athletic supporter for men who exercise.

Exercise — There are few, if any, limitations on exercise and sports. People with ostomies swim, water-ski, play tennis and football, jog, scuba dive, and participate in practically any sport or activity.

Diet — Some minor changes may be required. The patient may find that certain foods and liquids cause diarrhea and/or flatus (gas). He or she then simply avoids these foods. There are many other foods available which work fine with an ostomy. A little experimenting may be necessary.

Sex — A strong, loving relationship always assures satisfactory sexual relations. An ostomy certainly does not make a person less masculine or feminine. The patient’s attitude is very important in maintaining sexual performance. In some cases, professional counseling is necessary, and the physician can assist the patient in obtaining help.

Travel — The only steps needed for traveling are advance planning and packing adequate ostomy supplies.

Social relationships — Each year about 100,000 people of all ages have this surgery. So, chances are you have socialized with people who have ostomies and you didn’t know it. Today’s devices are secure, lightweight, and unnoticeable. Who and what you tell about your surgery is up to you. Remember, this is an alteration to a part of your body. You are the same person, and there is no reason why your relationships with family and friends should change.

© Copyright Chek Med Systems®, Inc., All Rights Reserved.

Fawcett’s Focus

Leah — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 23:55:52 +0000

Fawcett’s death puts much needed focus on anal cancer

Digestive Health SmartBrief | 07/01/2009

Actress Farrah Fawcett’s public battle with anal cancer shed some light on a disease still overshadowed by stigma. Experts say too few people know the symptoms or are even aware of the disease, resulting in too many cases of anal cancer being diagnosed too late to treat effectively. Arizona Daily Star (Tucson) (06/26) San Francisco Chronicle (06/25)

15 Smart Woman Qualities

Leah — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 23:54:51 +0000

15 SMART WOMAN QUALITIES ~ by Joyce Lee
(taken from http://www.ideamarketers.com/?Woman_Smart,_Smart_Woman&articleid=477474)

1.A Smart Woman knows she has the power to create her life the way she wants. She doesn’t rely on other people to get her needs met. She knows her self-esteem comes from within.

2. A Smart Woman acknowledges that she is a spiritual being on a human journey. She knows she is connected to a power greater than herself. She contributes her energy to the betterment of the planet.

3. A Smart Woman is in constant motion towards well-being. She resolves her unfinished business. She is committed to her physical and emotional health.

4. A Smart Woman seeks understanding and alignment with her higher purpose. She embraces and expresses her authenticity. She knows that she has value and worth.

5. A Smart Woman minds her own business. She doesn’t gossip. She doesn’t get emotionally invested in the decisions/choices others make.

6. A Smart Woman has a private profile and a public profile. She has clear boundaries around sharing her personal details. She trusts the people she lets into her private profile.

7. A Smart Woman accepts that making mistakes is human. She admits her mistakes as soon as she makes them and moves on. She does not apologize when she is not wrong.

8. A Smart Woman radiates personal power. She makes her choices and decisions from a place of power. If she does lose her balance, she easily regains it through her sense of self.

9. A Smart Woman knows that looking after herself: ‘being selfish’, isn’t a bad thing. She knows that everyone benefits when she is healthy and well She understands that she can’t give what she doesn’t have herself.

10. A Smart Woman seeks balance in all areas of her life. She is aware of her work to home balance. She is committed to taking excellent care of herself in all respects.

11. A Smart woman has excellent social skills. She is comfortable representing herself in a professional manner. She conducts herself with power and grace.

12. A Smart Woman surrounds herself with positive energy. She chooses empowering and supportive friends. She seeks a career that affirms her passions, skills and intelligence.

13.A Smart Woman trusts her inner self and her instincts. She doesn’t play little so some one else can feel big. She affirms her intelligence, skills and creativity and does not hide these qualities.

14. A Smart Woman asks for help when she needs it. She humbly acknowledges her need for support. She is ready and willing to offer her support when appropriate.

15. A Smart Woman knows that she is a work in progress. She knows that ‘perfect’ is an illusion She knows that ’she will never finish growing and she will never get everything perfect.

So, there you have it. Do you recognize your self? Can you affirm that you know you are a smart woman? Take a moment now to feel good about your power, your worth, your Woman Smarts.

Being a Smart Woman means more than merely having a towering intellect. She is savvy and self-aware and moves through her life with power and grace. She has an internal compass to guide her. How many of these qualities are you willing to claim and embrace as your own? 1.A Smart Woman knows she has the power to create her life the way she wants. She doesn’t rely on other people to get her needs met. She knows her self-esteem comes from within.