Alphabet Interupt for a Press Release

For Immediate Release
NEWS RELEASE
Multiple Sclerosis Patients Denied Treatment in Canada
(Fredericton, New Brunswick, March 13, 2011) – The “Beyond MS Association of Canada” is planning an education, advocacy and fundraising tour to begin on Canadian CCSVI (chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency) Awareness Day, May 5, 2011. The “New Hope for Multiple Sclerosis 2011 Canada Tour” will share personal accounts of how a treatment (venous angioplasty) for CCSVI has given multiple sclerosis (MS) patients a new lease on life.
CCSVI is a condition marked by limited blood flow from the major veins that drain the central nervous system. The reduced blood flow from the brain and spinal cord is caused by collapsed or blocked veins and is treated by venous angioplasty. Although the connection between CCSVI and MS is not yet fully understood, the results experienced by MS sufferers who have received this treatment are remarkable.
Venous angioplasty is still experimental in Canada. The federal government has taken the position that evidence is lacking to support it as a viable treatment for MS. In spite of the controversy surrounding this treatment, more than 10,000 people worldwide have received venous angioplasty including Tim Donovan, the Tour’s spokesperson. Donovan left Canada for venous angioplasty in 2010. The improvements to his health were almost immediate and life changing. In addition to improved mobility Tim experienced enhanced balance and cognitive functioning.
Donovan has been successfully sharing his story in New Brunswick and plans to continue across Canada with a team of volunteers who are helping to organize the Tour; “seeing is believing”, he says. Informative rallies are being planned in major cities and towns, from St. John’s, Newfoundland to Victoria, British Columbia.
400 Canadians die each year due to MS complications. This number does not include those who have given up on their fight as the suicide rate for MS patients is seven times the national average. There is an urgent need to voice the MS community’s concerns and raise the Canadian publics’ awareness of venous angioplasty which presently represents the most effective means of treating CCSVI and consequently MS.
The “Beyond MS Association of Canada” is a national charity that has advocated for MS sufferers since 1997. The “New Hope for Multiple Sclerosis 2011 Canada Tour” is its latest venture in the hopes of making testing, treatment and follow-up care widely available in Canada. This Tour is being sponsored by Canadian businesses and individuals who have joined their voices and resources to make a difference and give “New Hope” to the MS community in Canada.

-End-

For more information or to get involved please contact:
Tim Donovan
President, "New Hope for Multiple Sclerosis 2011 Canada Tour"
Director, “Beyond MS Association of Canada”
E-mail: timmary1@nb.sympatico.ca
Website: www.newhopeforMS.ca

K:Karma

K: Karma: One's action determine destiny

This karma thing is really hitting home. I think about all the dumb things I do and the end result. Nobody to blame but myself. Yet at the same time I see the  stupid actions of others having an impact on me. Does it mean that I in turn am stupid because I allow it to happen?  It's confusing. For example I'm having problems at work again ( and I really hate that my blog posts are so often about work). An individual who works on the same team as me  is seeking a work accommodation  That's fine, but they have dragged me into their mess. What a mess too!!  I tried to explain to this person that just because they can't get the same accomodation as me (working at home ) doesn't mean that they should try to wreck what I have. But that seems to be the way people operate at my office.

How dumb of me to think that being open and honest about my MS was right.  It's being used against me and I'm really am getting fed up. I can't even think about the future  because it just looks so bleak. All I can do is live day to day and hope for the best. Not something I'm very good at;  but I'm learning.

My plan to design and sell an MS bracelet is out. There are so many people out there who are already doing this and there are so many different fundraisers . One person selling Avon to raise money for a friend's MS surgery. Another selling bracelets and having an MS fund raising dinner for the same reason. I didn't want to raise money for myself. I wanted to give the money to keep going  the legal action for CCSVI surgery. Now I guess I will just give my own money and try and come up with another way to rise some cash for this cause.

OK now I have to review my entire blog for any work references. Have to prepare myself for a new battle; which is really the same old battle. It sucks!! 

J: Japan

 J:Japan

What can I say about the crisis in Japan?.  I have a deep fondness for all things Japanese. I correspond with  a few people there through my post card club and some of them have been able to post messages about what is happening to them. What would I do if I suddenly found myself homeless and out of work? That's the situation for many there, as well as coping with the worry of missing family and friends and facing the devastation of their world.  Then there is also the deepening  crisis over nukes. The latest report is that the radiation is spreading and people in the area have been told to stay indoors to avoid radiation sickeness .

I don't know what to do except say a prayer.

I: International Women's Day

I: International Women's Day

Happy 100th birthday!! Check out events happening all over the world 

I use to belong to the Women's Commitee at work I enjoyed it ; loved organizing seminars. The three best ones I'm proud of:  A female police officer who gave a talk about her experiences when she was sexually assaulted. She did everything wrong and wanted to share that, along with information about the right things to do. Can you beleive she didn't report the assault because at the time she wasn't wearing a bra, and thought she would be blamed!!

Then there was the seminar with "Men Against Violence Against Women" I was sick when it happened but Oh Wow! I was told that there was a huge turn out.  So many men coming to me afterwards and thanking me for making them more aware.

Finally, the speaker from Willow, a group for breast cancer survivors. The director of our office breaking down crying when she admitted to her breast cancer ordeal!! She gave an excellent impromptu talk  about how to get through it The applause afterwards was deafning

So what happened? The chair of the committee took credit for all the  hard work by me and the other members.  Not even a crumb of recognition! She did it to further her career and it worked!!   I was so disillusioned that I quit.

Is this the price we pay for joining the cut throat world of business?

Happy Day to all you women out there who work hard. You make a difference.  

H: Happy Rambles

H: Happy Rambles

Already March!! Where did February go?

I came across this website Happy Rambles It's a journal where, everyday you list five things you are thankful for. The idea is this will help improve your mood and lead to positive thinking. I'm giving it a try. Right now, I have so many things to worry about, I could use a bit of a boost.

Tomorrow I have a meeting at work to "review" my situation. Rumour is that they are going to take away my tele-work and that there are lots of people who want me to lose it. Not because they want it . They always claim that they could never stand working at home; as they  would miss the social atmosphere of the office. That makes me laugh, a bitter laugh, because it is such a poisoned atmosphere. I think they just can't stand that somebody else has something they don't have . Don't you just hate rumours ? So right now everything sucks!!  
My MRI has been rescheduled to April 1st. Happy April Fool's to me

G: Good Intentions, Government, Groceries

G:  Good Intentions, Government, Groceries

Good Intentions. Like everyday saying "Oh yeah I should update my blog" Then the day goes by and suddenly I'm too tired, so I say "Oh guess I'll do that tomorrow" and tomorrow and tomorrow. Yes, good intentions and MS.  That's a road not only leading to Hell, but a bumpy one, filled with all kinds of things to stumble over. I must learn not to make commitments if I'm uncertain I can keep them. 

Government. The problem with any comments about government, is that  they end up becoming political. I make the occasional comment about politics here, but try to avoid it. Too much hassle and seems so pointless.  All I can say is, I don't understand how people can have such a rigid ideology.That they identify with the "right" or "left" and there doesn't seem to be any inbetween. I have been described as a small l Liberal. I took a test that said I was a left leaning libertarian! Is that even possible?

 I describe myself  as a social  liberal  and a fiscal conservative. For example: I think all drugs should be made legal. Well I guess they are already, but we are such hypocrites about it.  I also think there is too much waste in government and over spending. I get really tired of people always with their hand out, including rich folks, who should know better. I'm not going to go into details beause that would be pages and pages. It's simply to show that my ideals are all over the place.

Over the Christmas holidays I got into a  heated discussion with a friend about their politics.  I commented to them "You're a Conservative, that's cool, but seriously, you swallow whole every single thing  that "right wingers" believe? "I mean , you really  think it's possible  that humans and dinosaurs co exsisted ?" "AND, you are an educated person with a Phd and an agnostic? "

That doesn't mean I let the "left wingers" off the hook (gee I hate the terms left and right wingers) I commented to another friend that  it is immossible to think that we can all love one another. Everybody has prejudices and biases. The only way to avoid those being imposed on others is through legislation. You can pass a law to prevent a bigot from discriminating, but you sure can't stop them from having their beliefs.

I can recall a time when the line between right and left was a blurry one. Not, anymore and I think that is why we are in such a mess. 

Groceries . Is it just me or have  grocery prices  gone totally crazy? How can they possibly say that inflation is low? It seems that every time I do a grocery order, it costs me more for the same thing.  Ok, it's true, I'm fussy about what I eat. I make almost everything from scratch because I hate the taste of packaged foods.
I really don't know how much I can cut back and anyway, it seems pointless, because EVERYTHING is expensive.  And what's up with all these individual serving sizes of food? Last time I  did my grocery order they had on special, a plastic container filled with one serving of soup . You heat it up and eat it right out of the package. It cost $2.89!!  Not only a rip off, but Bleck!! How can you eat hot soup from a plastic container? That can't be good for you.

F: Food

Ok this is sort of cheating because I'm going to talk about my diet, which is sort of food related.

 First, here's an  interesting article  about obesity. There's no escaping the fact that a low fat diet, rich in fruits and vegetables, and complex carbs, is best and that modern life makes us fat.

Then there's my modified  protien diet. Modified, in that along with my protien, I can have 100 grams of carbs everyday. That's enough to be able to have some fruits and vegetables, a bit of rice or other starch, and the occasional treat.  No limit on fat either, which maybe is bad, but I like the idea that I can eat bacon and fried eggs cooked in butter in the morning with no guilt. AND, that breakfast lasts me all day until dinner time.  I munch on an apple or orange during the day. Keeping in mind that I do eat dinner very early.  Unlike other diets I have tried,  I don't get cravings and don't think about food all the tim.e In fact I can go an entire evening and not get the munchies; not even after having my THC vapour!!

The results? I can't say exactly how much weight I have lost, since I never weigh myself. My ex  husband use to joke that it was against my religion to own a weigh scale. I always found that weighing myself just got me discouraged and I would give up on dieting. As an alternative, I have certain clothes that are my guide to how much slimming down I have done and still  need to do.   The ultimate test, is a pair of jean shorts that are over 30 years old. If I can get into them I know I'm really slim. Haven't had  the nerve to try those yet.

    Now, I'm not dieting because I want to look like a model.It's mainly for health reasons. Last summer while I was at an outdoor fair, I received a measuring tape from the Heart and Stroke Foundation.  What a shock to measure my waist and find out I was in the danger zone !! The more weight you carry around your waist, the greater your risk for heart disease and stroke. There is also a risk for type 2 diabetes, which leads to so many health problems, including Alzheimer's!! Having MS is enough of a burden without adding any of that scary stuff.

Yeah I know I will most likely gain it all back and more; and all that bacon must be wrapping itself around my heart, but at least for now I feel pretty good. It is the easiest, least stressful diet I have ever tried.