Help Haiti Heal!

 

     On Wednesday February 3rd, Acupuncturists Without Borders will be sending a group of practitioners to the Dominican Republic!  They will be there to help the victims of the recent earthquake, assist other health organizations, street clinics, The Dominican Republic Red Cross, local hospitals etc.  I just received an email with all the details & so far they’ve managed to raise just over $10,000 in monetary donations as well as $2400 in Acupuncture supplies.  Please help out with whatever you can, our goal is to raise about $7500 more!  Please click on the Poster and the website below to find out how to donate and help!  Acupuncture is such a wonderful medicine during traumatic times like these, it’s cheap, easy, effective and travels well! 

Website:  Acupuncturists Without Borders

Poster:  Haiti Poster color

[Via http://essentialhealing.wordpress.com]

Microcurrent and Light Rejuvenation - Free Webinar

February 2: Energy Light Rejuvenation (ELR): How to deliver a leading edge esthetic service and become a client magnet

With Teri Sherman, D.C. and Darren Starwynn, O.M.D. Free of charge

Tuesday, February 2, 2010 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM Pacific time

Learn the latest methods for one of the top income producing services you can offer – a service with a very high satisfaction track record. Estheticians offer ELR as a signature service in spas. Acupuncturists and doctors often offer it as a part-time adjunctive service to create a new income stream.

Topics to be covered:

• How ELR works
• Overview of application techniques
• The role of color light therapy in ELR
• The whole-body health benefits of ELR
• How to integrate ELR with medical or holistic healthcare practices
• Resources for successfully marketing the service

Register for free at:  http://east-westseminars.com/free_webinar_series_2210.php

[Via http://drstarwynn.wordpress.com]

Twiddling my thumbs

Thanks for your support regarding my “should I” or “shouldn’t I” contact my SIL for her birthday.  What a big baby I am.  I ended up phoning her, but she wasn’t home so I left a message.  I also sent a text (and had already posted her a pressie) so hopefully that is enough to make up for the fact that I am bitter and twisted. 

I stumbled across a quote today.  I wanted to recognise the person that posted it (as I hate to steal ideas) but can’t remember which blog I found it on now.  Oh poop.  So if you are reading this and thinking “hang on, I said that” then please let me know, I’m not being a word thief, I’m just wielding a crappy memory.

The quote is originally from Eddison and it summed up how I feel about our IF journey so far:

I have not failed, I have just found 10,000 ways that don’t work

Too true, right?

Nothing in particular is happening with me right now.  Work is crazy-busy.  I am exhausted.  I am a bit down in the dumps.  But I am still here and am wildly twidling my thumbs until my review appointment on the 29th January.  Then I’ll be twiddling my thumbs even more till my 2nd opinon appt with the supposed magical RE on the 25th February.  So at this rate I am going to wear out my thumbs from all this twidling and it will be March before we see any more IVF. 

There is one person who is clapping her hands with glee that I am giving IVF a break for a few months, and that is my acupuncturist.  She’s been dying to have my ovaries to herself for a while and now is her chance.  I am carrying on with my weekly appointments with her and am finding them fantastic.  She’s given me a book to read to help me understand the theory behind it… so far it is just sitting on the table beside my bed, unopened.  But I do plan to read it.  Even in my ignorant state I can still appreciate the benefits of this therapy.  Yesterday I actually fell asleep on the table! It was only for a few minutes (i think) and it scared the crap out of me as when I woke up I think I did a big snore/snort.  How embarrasing, but I was in the room by myself so it could have been worse if I had an audience.  I walk out of these appointments literally feeling like I am floating, I am so full of bliss (not a  natural state for a stress freak like me) its amazing.  At yesterdays appointment she wanted to kick my ovaries into  getting a period as I’m on day 29 now and as my cycles are really long I wouldn’t be expecting AF for another 1-2 weeks.  My Acu lady wants to tweek my cycles so that they are more in line with the normal 28 day one (goooooood luck to her) and I have to tell you,  that today when I woke up I really really felt like I was getting a period and I have started spotting so I am assuming she’s on her way.  How weird is that?  I can only relate it to acupuncture as, like I said, my cycles are always really long.  I know thats what my acu lady was hoping would happen, but I never really thought it would happen.  How many times have you been promised things along this IF journey, only to be dissapointed when the results didnt follow through?  Yeah, you get my point.   So although it isn’t much, its a small blessing and a little hope that maybe my body can behave itself when handled properly.

Another blogger took the words right out of my mouth today.  I have been trying to find a way to carry on with ‘life’ without letting IF interfere with it.  I know the theory – Don’t make plans for a baby as it might not happen and then you’ll be dissapointed, etc.  So the theory is to carry on with life and plan holidays and whatever else I’ve been neglecting because “I might get pregnant”.  Obviously I’ve pretty much put my life on hold for 4 years and it hasn’t done me much good.  But how do you put aside the most important thing in the world to you and pretend it doesn’t matter anymore?  As The Pitter Patter said so perfectly “I don’t want to think of this year without a baby, so how can I not plan for it?”.  I guess I need to find a balance somewhere, somehow.  Any suggestions?

[Via http://egghunt.wordpress.com]

Acu, oops, and thanks!

Getting ready to head out the door for a much needed long weekend, but wanted to write a quick post.

Firstly, for all of those who thought I had my act together, I’ve proven you wrong.   This morning, on my third day of injections, I totally FORGOT to do my Lupron before leaving for work this morning!!  I got up early (really, on time) and just blasted out the door without doing it!  (I have it planned for 6 am, so I do it right before I leave if I get up on time, and right when I wake up if I sleep in…and I guess I’ll have to set an alarm for the weekends. )  S – my hero – totally rearranged his whole morning in order to go home, get it, and then drive it in to me in the city (not happy about it, but he did it).  Thank goodness!  Today, I’m definitely thankful for my wonderful hubby.  So I ended up doing it four hours late…not a huge deal for day 3, although I definitely don’t plan to repeat that.

In other news, I went to my first appointment with a new acupuncturist – located right down the street from my RE, who works in conjunction with Western medicine (and my RE’s office in particular).  Some of you may remember my breaking up with my old acu…mostly over a misunderstanding, but also because he just couldn’t get behind IVF and I really wanted someone who could see the value in the two treatments combined.  The new acu is super sweet (a little hard to understand, but that’s okay!) and over half of his patients are there for fertility treatments.  He’s a little more expensive than I was hoping, but it will be fine for 5 or 6 treatments, just up to and through the transfer.  He also reminded me that I need to get back on track with my diet, so wish me luck!  Maybe I’ll wait until after the weekend.

Finally, just wanted to leave you with the passage from today’s daily devotion:

In times of crisis, we grasp the importance of every hour. During our ordinary routine, however, we often forget that each day is a second chance. “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I hope in Him!’ ” (Lam. 3:22-24).

We can choose to live with thankfulness for God’s mercy and grace, with confidence in His faithful care, and with hope because He is with us forever. Today, God offers us a second chance in life. Let’s make the most of it! —David McCasland

In light of the crisis in Haiti, let’s all remember to be thankful for what we have, and to treat each and every day as a fresh start.  Hugs!

[Via http://lifebytheday.wordpress.com]

Portsmouth Drug Interventions Programmes

The Portsmouth Drug Intervention Programmes webpage contains good info on many available addiction services and I found most of this info there There is also wide range of other addiction access points, advocacy and other services not specifically ACT based.

ACTinAddiction is available at:

Baytrees residential detoxification unit:

St James’ Hospital

Locksway Road

Portsmouth PO4 8LD

Tel: 023 9268 3370

Fax: 023 9268 3389

Kingsway House

130 Elm Grove

Southsea

Portsmouth P05 1LR,

Tel: 02392 291607

* also offer an ACT for Anxiety course.

Cranstoun CDA

67 Kingston Road

Portsmouth P05 1LR,

Tel: 02392 291607

* run an Open Access Service which is based at Fratton Community Centre.  Yoga classes 1.30pm to 3. Also offers acupuncture and many other services.

PUSH OFFICES

157 Elm Grove

Southsea

Hampshire

PO5 1LJ

Tel: 02392 297 364

Mobile: 07847 176 933

Email: info@pushingchange.org

** Best first point of reference for anyone.

PUSH is a user self help organization, offering advocacy and support services.

E’s up

130 Elm Grove

Southsea

PO5 1LR.

023 9282 5140 (there is a confidential answer phone outside normal office hours)

A users support organisation, for under 19’s.

PS. John Pounds Centre in Portsea have a great gym and various other health classes including Kung Fu, aerobics and Kundalini yoga.

[Via http://actinaddiction.wordpress.com]

Patients Needed for Acupuncture Study

By Angela Johnson

Rush University Medical Center is currently enrolling patients in a pilot study exploring the role of acupuncture for pain management in pediatric patients.  You may be eligible to participate in this study if you are 5-20 years of age and experiencing pain.

According to research studies, 30 to 70 percent of pediatric patients with chronic illness experience pain. To help manage pain, 12 to 84 percent of pediatric patients utilize complementary medicine.

Studies demonstrate that acupuncture has been found to be helpful in reducing pain in several adult and pediatric conditions. Additionally, studies show that in pediatric patients, acupuncture is feasible and accepted as a supportive therapy, and considered safe.

To inquire about your eligibility, please contact me at (312) 563-2531 or via e-mail at angela_m_johnson@rush.edu.

Angela Johnson, MSTOM, MPH, Dipl OM, LAc, is a nationally board-certified Diplomate of Oriental Medicine providing acupuncture for patients at Rush University Medical Center.

[Via http://rushinperson.wordpress.com]