How will I know?

Well this is my new blog style..... I'm redoing what I started and making a promise to myself to write way more often... that will be my style too.  More writing, more ponderings of my life and how I'm living it.  It's a bit like the new bar height table that I purchased recently.... it came in bits and pieces that I had to put together, I did most of it myself - actually I was determined to do all of it myself, however, that did not happen.  I had to ask for the help that was offered to me. It was much appreciated.  I learned a thing or two about myself and about a table and chairs and when I (uh, we were)  finished, I sat on my chair and paused for a moment........ but then I knew I could trust it to hold me up.

Why is it when I buy a chair, I just  assume it will hold me up....  somebody else built it, someone else put it together and if it's a second hand chair, it's had lots of use before I got it....  When I put these chairs together, I had a moment of doubt or at least question as to whether it would do the job. I'm still giving this some thought, not about the fact that the chair "works", but that I questioned my own ability to make it "work"... hmmmm.

Well back to my new blog style and why it's like putting together a chair.... I guess it's the measure of trepidation that I feel about my own creation or creativity that makes me wonder if this will work for me.... how will I know? I'll have to think about that.... how do you think I will know this is working?

Noemia's Legacy

 

 I first met Noemia 27 years ago in Malakwa, BC. Knowing her, she would be so please to know she helped other women to live their best lives after reading her story.  Will you please pass this valuable information on, not out of fear, but in honour of my friend and passing on her legacy of hope for early, early intervention of cancer.  Thank you.

 

Prince George Free Press - Community

A legacy of hope ...

Martha Primus (left) and Laura Berkhoven read from the journals of Noemia Delay who died of ovarian cancer.

Teresa MALLAM/Free Press
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By Teresa Mallam - Prince George Free Press
Published: July 19, 2011 12:00 PM
Updated: July 19, 2011 12:34 PM

When a matriarch dies, she passes the torch to her children. She leaves a legacy.

Noemia Delay was diagnosed with stage four ovarian cancer in August 2009 at the age of 57. She passed away February 4.

Laura Berkhoven and her aunt, Martha Primus, came to the Free Press last week with Delay’s journals and read excerpts from them. They fought to hold back tears.

The two hope that Delay’s story will help other women recognize the first signs of the disease.

“The early symptoms are vague,” said Berkhoven. “When my mother first got sick, she wrote in her journal that it began with lower back pain, frequent urination and she was really tired getting up for work in the morning. She kind of dismissed all that because most women have those symptoms from time to time.”

But in Noemia Delay’s case, they got worse.

“In July 2009, she got a serious pain in her abdomen,” said Berkhoven. “She thought at first she just had gallstones. She was also given antibiotics for a bladder infection.”

On August 12, 2009 she had an ultrasound followed by a CT scan and blood work. The investigations revealed a mass.

This news was a severe blow to the family.

“When she found out, my mother was sad but never fearful. She just left it all in God’s hands. She started her first round of chemotherapy September 1 and then had surgery in Vancouver just before Christmas.

“She lost her hair due to the chemotherapy and I remember one day when she got out of the shower, I saw  these clumps of hair all over the shower (stall).”

On September 11, at Masich Place Stadium, Berkhoven joins Primus (Delay’s sister) on the local Walk for Hope.

“Last year, my mom walked with us in the Prince George Walk for Hope. She was still undergoing chemo treatments. During the walk, we heard the stories of other women who had the disease.”

Berkhoven and her siblings have fond memories.

“My mother always smiled and never felt sorry for herself.Her whole life she had served us, that was just her personality. So when she got sick, we finally got the opportunity to serve her. She was an incredible family person.”

Primus remembers her older sister as very brave during her illness and as a good athlete and runner when they were younger.

“She had a big garden where she grew vegetables. She was a very hard worker.”

Above all, she loved being with her family.

“We had a family reunion last summer and my mother was having physical problems.

“She couldn’t enjoy her food because the cancer blocks the bowels, so you don’t digest properly. My mother had lost a lot of weight but at the reunion she wanted to eat with us, as a family, so she did.”

Last November, for palliative care reasons, doctors rerouted Delay’s intestines to help her digest her food better.

“At that time, they gave her  two months to live so we already knew the outcome.”

Berkhoven hopes women will heed the warning signs.

“We need to listen to our bodies. From my mother’s death, we’ve been made more aware. Our family members have been tested in Vancouver for the presence of a BRCA mutation.” (Harmful mutations in certain genes produce a hereditary breast-ovarian cancer syndrome in affected families.)

The Ovarian Cancer Canada Walk of Hope in Prince George runs Sunday, September 11 at Masich Place Stadium. Sign up for the walk is at 12:30 p.m.

This is who I know in Victoria: For more information for Run/Walk for the Cure click here.

Coming Full Circle

It's true.  Twitter is awesome and remembering simple "thanks for the RT", "enjoyed our convo" or thank-yous to the folks who "mention" your twitter handle builds loyal following.  It's attractive when you're thoughtful, engaging and having fun on line.  There's great advice out there on how to do this well like the online show GettingEngaged   with co-hosts Yukari Peerless and Russel Lolacher.



Twitter connects business and fans on-line, but even better, Twitter connects people "irl" - in real. When folks meet    face to face, that is an opportunity to  make other businesses a fan too.  Sharing   information, expertise and collaboration hearkens back to  the community building of early Canada. Have we come full circle?  Has the technology we thought would isolate us from each other, actually brought us back to our roots? Back together?

Tell me what you think? 

Change is God... ahem, Good

Just letting you all know that Early Hours of a Newbie will NOW become my personal blog and everything to do with my teeth whitening biz, PearlBrite Greater Victoria, will go to my website www.pearlbritevictoria.com. So here we go.  Expect to see recipes, my own photos and artwork  and I'll be sharing some of my spiritual journey as well, and that's just for starters.

Oh and by the way....  change is good and I'm discovering that God is good too.

Ah Ha!

ten places for a tweetup - say yes and attend
nine wishes you hear other people express that you can grant
eight ways to encourage - think of them, make it anonymous
seven days in a week connect and engage with other humans
six foods you've never tried before - go for it!
five digits on your hand - reach out shake hands with more people

four words for 2011-" take care of yourself! "
 three things to make the new year better - You decide what they are.
 two people having coffee together - be the one who is listening.
one moment - where you say an honest, surprised "Ah-ha" and then start tweeting about it!

Four Points to Help Quit Smoking - Plagiarized

Plagiarized from:
http://www.lung.ca/protect-protegez/tobacco-tabagisme/quitting-cesser/how-comment_e.php

Quitting Smoking  - 

How to quit smoking

Most people find it hard to quit smoking. Quitting can be hard, but it’s not impossible. Many people like you have quit smoking. You can too. Counseling, medications, and other supports can help you quit.
If you’ve tried quitting smoking before but couldn’t do it, try again. Each time you try, it will get easier. You will be one step closer to quitting for good.
Now is the best time to quit. It’s never too late.

How should I quit smoking?

1. Pick a quit day
Choose a date within the next two weeks to quit. Don't wait for the "perfect" day – just pick a date and work with it. Put it in your calendar.
If you'd like:

• List your reasons for quitting - health, family, money.
• Write down some new hobbies you can do instead of smoking – exercise, knitting, making model airplanes- something to keep your hands and mind busy.
• Speak with friends, family, and colleagues and ask for support. Tell them about your plan to quit, so it feels more real to you.
• Start making the changes to push smoking out of your everyday life - stop smoking in the house and in the car. Make your house and car smoke-free, so no one is allowed to smoke inside.
• Learn about nicotine withdrawal symptoms and how to cope with them.

2. Choose two or more proven quit-smoking methods
There are many proven ways to quit smoking. To boost your chances of quitting, choose more than one method. Pick what seems right for you. Each person is different. You'll know what will work best for you.
Proven quit smoking methods:

• Join a support group for people trying to quit. Research shows that people in quit-smoking support groups are more likely to quit for good. (Find out about quit smoking support groups in your area).
• Get individual counseling in person or by phone. You can get counseling in person or over the phone, through a free smoker’s quitline. Both are proven to help people quit. There are free quitlines across Canada - find out about the one in your area. If you prefer to see someone in person, ask your doctor or quitline staff to recommend a counselor. The cost of counseling may be covered by your workplace or extended health plan, if you've got one.
• Take nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). The nicotine patch, gum, lozenge or inhaler replaces some of the nicotine you usually get from cigarettes. This can make nicotine withdrawal easier to manage.
• Ask your doctor about a prescription medicine called bupropion. It’s an antidepressant that can make it easier to quit.
• Ask your doctor about a prescription medicine called varenicline tartrate. It can take away some of your craving to smoke, and make smoking less enjoyable.
• If you slip up, don’t give up. Try again, and again... keep trying until you've quit for good.
• Ask for support from your family and friends.

Going “cold turkey” – quitting spontaneously, on your own - also works well for some people. Some people just decide to quit smoking one day - maybe it’s the day they find out they have a lung disease, or the day their grandchild is born. Maybe there is something else that motivates them. Many people who have quit smoking for good say they quit “cold turkey”. If you think going cold turkey could work for you, try it.

3. On your quit date, butt out completely.

• Don’t smoke, not even a little.
• Toss out your cigarettes, other tobacco, and ashtrays.
• Avoid people and situations where you will be tempted to smoke. If you usually smoke in a certain chair, don’t sit in that chair. If you usually smoke at a nightclub, avoid that nightclub for a while. Change your usual routine, so your new routine doesn’t include smoking.
• Go for a walk instead of a smoke.
• Be positive. Believe in yourself and your plan.
• Remember that nicotine withdrawal symptoms only last a short time. Follow these tips to cope with withdrawal symptoms.
• Get help from support groups, counselors and your local quitline
• Take it one day at a time. Remind yourself that once the withdrawal is over, you’ll feel better than you have in years. You deserve to feel better…. You’re almost there!
• Celebrate your success and give yourself credit! Tell people how long you’ve been quit. It's a major achievement and you should be proud.
• If you’d like, tell us how long you’ve quit. We’d love to hear from you and celebrate your success! You can use this form to submit your quit story.

Consider exercising more. When you're quitting smoking, exercise can help. Exercise is a healthy alternative to smoking, it can take your mind off your cravings, it can help your mood and energy level, and it can help keep off extra weight. If you are new to exercising, start slowly. A walk around the block is a good start.

4. If you slip up, don’t give up. Try quitting again.
Quitting smoking gets easier with practice. Every time you try to quit, you boost your chances of quitting for good. Most people who’ve quit smoking forever had to try 5 or 6 times before they could quit for good. This is normal.
Don't be discouraged if you slip up. You are not a failure. Try to figure out what the barriers were to your quitting. Were the nicotine cravings too strong? Did you go back to smoking when you were stressed? Talk with your counselor, doctor or pharmacist about your experience. Ask yourself how you can do it differently next time. If you think quit smoking medicines will make it easier for you to quit next time, ask your doctor or pharmacist for their recommendation. Then try quitting again. Keep trying.

Thanks!

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