Category: Today’s blog

There is an epidemic and you are not alone. She is been waiting for those results for awhile. She received some of them a few weeks back. The company could not finish running all the results, there was not enough material. She had to wait. She was sitting in a rolling black computer chair wondering what will be next. Then a sound that is familiar came through. A pin drop in the air. Is it good news? Is it something helpful or something annoying? There was a new message. She glanced; kind of half interested so see what it was. Then she thought, well here it is. The results I been waiting for. What will they tell me. A lot of things were running through her mind. What will I find out? Should I open the results now? Wait until I get home? What will all this mean?

These tests are more and more common. She was seeking out this test because there had been a lack of answers. She has been trying hard to get better, to feel better. Nothing seemed to be working. A lot of people are in those same shoes. What shoes? She got what she had from her parents, grandparents, great grandparents. There was not a lot of choice in the matter. Just the way she was born. She could not wait, the intensity of emotion filled up the office. The sun was shining outside, the trees were watching intensely. The workday was almost over. Just do it her mind commanded. She did.

The workday was almost over. Well, why not, she thought. What the worst that could happen? She opened up her CRI genetics health report. She started to read about her genetics as they relate to her health, allergies, sensitivities, metabolism and so forth. The more she read the more it made sense. Quick caffeine metabolism, caffeine anxiety, allergies to cats, dogs, and pollen, high triglycerides, low salt sensitivity, the list goes on. Now those teary eyes and swollen eye lids made more and more sense. It was like switching on a light bulb. The more she read the more she understood herself, her family, and problems she has been having. Then there it was. The result that made tears come to her eyes. It still does every time she thinks about it. It has been a struggle and a fight for over 20 years now ever since her second child. It all made perfect sense now. It is not just her, there is a genetic disposition that is working against her. Not just one gene. Six. Three in each category. The categories, just looking at them so simply written with and explanation made her head spin. It almost seemed surreal. She was in another dimension.

It has been 20 years of wondering what she has been doing wrong. Why she does not feel healthy, why she does not look the way she used to look. Here it was. Genetics plays a huge part in it so she will need to work extra hard to get better and get healthier.  It’s been so long. Here are the answers. Tears are flowing and she is trying to understand what it all means. What it means is that she will have to work extra hard for the rest of her life. The struggle will not end. Here are the genes that were handed down to her by her ancestry: genes RS10968576 is AG RS12444979 is CC and RS4771122 is GG. Looking at them does not mean a lot, they just seem interesting numbers, then the description comes.  Higher predisposition to high BMI (body mass index). The genes tell her to prefer high calorie foods, tell her that it will be difficult to maintain weight. The list goes on. Another three genes although they are on different chromosomes, numbered 3, 6 and 16 tell the difficulty to maintain weight and experience the yoyo effect as it is described in the report. Greater difficulty staying in shape comes from both parents. She has to exercise more, not have any drinks, no sugar or use tobacco products. Good to know she thought. Smoking and alcohol was never a problem. Bread and sweets on the other hand, well that is another story.

One interesting fact it the bottom of the page it stated the confirmation as to why this is a big problem. It is not just a problem for her. She knew this. There is an epidemic. Obesity epidemic. The processed foods don’t help either. Fat and sugar loaded foods don’t hep either. Also, genetics play a role. The things she craves, the things others crave. Others who took this health test over 76% people got the same results, two parents, high difficulty to maintain weight. What does this mean for our future, she wondered. About 20% people had moderate difficulty maintaining the weight, this left about 2.6% little difficulties and some inconclusive results. She did not know how many people took this test, still it is most likely a good representation of the population. So, the population is predisposed to obesity, yet look at our food stores. Full of fatty and sugary foods. Welcome to the new evolution, she thought. Well she will just have to work harder. She will. No other choice. She has this sentence taped to her computer screen: “Never give up”. She is me and I won’t give up.

Hope you will join the fight to be healthier with me. This piece was written for myself and the group of Transformers for our weekly weight loss challenge requested by my coach Allison. She asked us what courageous thing we can do this week. I said I will write about my struggles to maintain my weight. Hope you enjoyed. Stay healthy, stay safe.

It was an early spring day, she was standing there, her hair down, slight wind in the air. It was a parking lot. A place where many people come and go. She was looking at me and I was looking at her. A secret glimpse. The drive was not easy. I was sitting in the back seat, to her right and I know that here I am, and yet, I am about to leaving again in a few moments. My emotions were up on the car ceiling. The world felt like it was spinning around me. Two weeks flew by so quickly, it was just not enough time. I appreciated every moment. This was 2 years ago. There was no need to say any words. I could see it in her eyes, the movements in her body, the unspoken words, I knew that my tears will follow. The truth of deep love and caring for each other. It is hard to say goodby when you do not know when it will be again to see your mother, and as a mother to see your child and let them go again. It might have been a normal day for everyone else. Not for me, and not for her. There was an understanding between us that only a mother and a child can feel. A bond that forms while in the womb and gets stronger while growing up. There are moments that are wonderful and moments that we tend to forget. The last moments for me were in the airport saying goodby.

I talk to my mother often. It is not the same. Especially now. The borders are closed and I can not even go to see her even if I would want to go. She is thousands of miles away, yet she is with me all the time. There are many times when I think : ” What would my mother say now? What would she tell me to do?”. Even if she would live close by today, I could only see her from far apart and could not hug her, hold her, or be close to her. It is certainly a difficult time for mother’s day. I am grateful for all the mothers. Not just the human ones. I am amazed by all the wonderful mothers of the animal kingdom as well. I am also very grateful for all the step mothers, adopting mothers, grandmothers and sisters, foster parents and the list go on and on. I am grateful for everyone who takes care of others. When I think of mothers I also think of “mother nature” and I am grateful that there is air that is breathable and food that is edible and natural elements that can be used to provide housing. I am grateful for all the wonders of the world. I hope that all of the mothers and children out there will be able to connect today and keep in touch through tough times like this pandemic.

I hope that I can see my mother and my children again in person. Today, I also want to thank for all the people who are working on that solution to make connections possible again, and all the people who are social distancing and wearing protective masks to protect themselves and others. Many people who had died in the past months because of the coronavirus are older, many of them must be mothers. I thank all of you who tried and keep trying to keep them safe. It is definitely a unique and different mothers day that I had not seen before. The best anyone can do for their mother is to stay away and wish happy mothers day from at least 6 feet. I think mothers day is a nice tradition, on the other hand I appreciate my mother every day. I am grateful for each day we are both on this earth. Mom, thank you. Love you.

Last weekend I drove to Salem Oregon to attend NAMI’s yearly conference. I had met some wonderful people and learned a lot about services that NAMI and affiliates provide. Some of the services that affiliates reported from the past year included but not limited to ending the silence, family and friends, CIT trainings, support groups, stigma event, basics trainings, health fair, family to family classes, table events, outreach to schools, mental health first aid, suicide prevention, launching a website with resources, sib-shops for kids siblings with mental who have mental health issues. Two counties are currently working on opening a Clubhouse for mental health support including Clatsop county and Mid Valley. It was nice to see all the collaboration and the impact that NAMI affiliates all together created in their communities. It might not seem a lot when we look at one community but adding all of them together there are a lot of services and programs that are provided. Volunteers are always needed for more support. From all of the US NAMI Oregon is #7 in providing program delivery and #11 on the number of people served.

It was great to meet the new Behavioral health director from OHA Steve Allen, and hear his vision for the future of mental health in Oregon State. He discussed multiple legislation’s. Aid and Assist admissions doubled since 2012. IMPACTS SB973 Improving People’s Access to community based treatment. He discussed improvements needed in children’s behavioral health including assessments, in home treatment(Medicaid), Crisis and treatment services (CATS), youth suicide prevention efforts. Additionally, he discussed school mental health investments, the student success act. He talked about HB 2257 as it relates to Substance abuse disorder and chronic illness. He talked about the new CCO 2.o integrated care with behavioral health benefit. Steve Allen emphasized that adequate provider network is needed to assure timely access to mental health care. It is not acceptable not to have enough providers, he added. He discussed challenges and complexities in rural areas. He felt that sometimes the least experienced people are the ones working with the most complex mental health patients. His vision is to provide wrap around services where the individual is in the middle and they are surrounded with a system and a team that provides simple, responsive and meaningful service delivery. He feels it is essential is to identify what is the most important thing to the individual in their life and start there. He would like to see decreasing barriers and simplifying work flow. Go upstream. I was very inspired by his talk.

There was a session on Clubhouses and Chadwick Clubhouse from Roseburg,OR did a very nice presentation on their new clubhouse. There was a member testimony. He described how the clubhouse helped him after he had a breakdown. Now he works for the clubhouse as staff. It is always nice to hear when people are supported. Roseburg’s clubhouse now been open about one year and just also received their own 5013c. They will become an independent organization. They are looking to hire a new director as well. Medford,OR clubhouse (Compass House) director Elizabeth Hazelwood was also present and provided data that showed the need for mental health support in the United States and the effectiveness of the clubhouse model. Elizabeth has been working with Chadwick Clubhouse, providing support for them. Clubhouses are a wonderful way to provide non clinical mental health support for those in need. They create a work ordered day, a community where people can feel safe, useful and appreciated. It was wonderful to see all the accomplishments from both clubhouses. I am very excited that a clubhouse will open soon in Clatsop County as well.