Cardiovascular Disease and Women

Blog 10
Is heart disease common in your family? What are some of the environmental, physical, cultural, socioeconomic , and educational factors that impact the prevalence of this disease?
Heart disease is very common in my family; because my father has already had a heart attack my mother has hypertension, also my brother has hypertension too. We just found out my oldest son has high blood pressure and the company in which he was trying to get hired won’t hire him till he get it under control. The Grandfather on my mother side died of an aorta aneurism by age 65 and my grandmother on my father side died of congestive heart failure by the age of 82. So I can say definitely yes that my family is prone to heart disease.
On the prevalence of this disease in my families history were not aware any problems till they were much older and the medical society started finding out the causes of this leading cause of death, which was especially true for the set of grandparents. My mother blood pressure was diagnosis by the time she was forty and she is dealing with it at this time.
Our social economical factors are the job force is finally is starting to look at employee’s from a different aspect if they are hiring person who are not fit to do the job, as well as health insurance companies. The nice part is for my son since the American Heart Association has made society aware of these issues, at their physical health before hiring has health my son to be aware that he has hypertension. Colleges studies just announced today on the NBC channel 5 news station that if one has a heart attack and they drive themselves or another drives them, they will a longer wait in the Emergency Room rather if they had arrived by an ambulance. Culturally our American society is changing rabidly learning not to eat out at fast foods and advocating exercise. Hopefully one-day women will not be on the leading list of heart disease!

"Nutrition, Exercise,and Weight Management"

Blog #9

How was the issue of food and weight discussed in your home?
Dealing with major issues with eating disorders is still a huge topic even today in my own parent’s home. Now my mother did have some valid points nutrition. She felt everything should be cooked from scratch and no junk food. So when we at the movies we were allowed popcorn but no artificial butter. She felt if you were over on the thick side then you were healthy. On when it came to my father, he was a strict about us eating everything on our plates. Daddy felt you should also eat all the seconds and thirds you could stand. There was one problem this family did at the dinner table and that was argued while you were attempting to enjoy your food. So gaining weight with him didn’t bother him till he became a Diabetic and he still is a food alcoholic.
Was it ever a control issue or a point of conflict for you?
Yes, I had to eat everything or else I would get into big trouble at the dinner table. It created many eating problems latter in my teenage years. I learned to chew my food and wait for a moment to place the food in a napkin and then be excused to go the bathroom where I would flush my extra food down the drain. Later as my weight increased I learned to exercise in excess to burn those unwanted calories. I’m just grateful for my first husband who taught me that I did not have to live that way.
How much influence do you believe your family has on the way you feel about food and your body today?
Yes, my family dynamics did influence how I eat and looked at my body.
That is an endless subject but I’m grateful for the therapist I had during my last pregnancy. When I had gain over 40lbs from my last baby I was miserable over my bodies appearance. He made me stand in front of a mirror and say I was loved the way that I look now and I would have to say that I love my self out loud. I had to learn how to eat healthier food groups and exercise. I did have to loose weight this last year because Diabetes runs so high in my family tree; however, I did it in a slow fashion over a year’s time instead of staving myself into nothing Today I’m more at peace with the way I look and content. No more do I have to starve myself to look at and fit into today’s extreme skinny fashion world.

"Menopause and HRT"

Blog #8
Menopause and HRT
#3 Interview a woman who has or is going through menopause and has decided to take hormones. Allow her to share with you the reasons she has chosen to take them and how she feels it is beneficial for her health.

This is a Self Interview of my journey into Menopause:
As we deal with learning these issues in this class. I’m still not sure if I have this rehabilitating disease called Osteoporosis, because about a year and a half ago I did have a bone density test and showed no signs of it; however, within the last year I keep breaking my bones and not one of the doctors has even suggested the possibility of Osteoporosis. Early in my Pre Menopausal life when I really knew that I was in the downward phase of my life. The doctor prescribes the use of the pill for me because of the hot flashes and night sweats. The pill seemed to do okay for a few months then a horrible nightmare began. I started having massive headaches and then when my period arrived I passed blood clots for days. My doctor told me to quick talking the pill and I decided not to take anything for the systems of Menopause, but just rather to deal with the heat flashes as they came.
I guess over time I’m just one of those women with the attitude of hormone replacement didn’t work for me. I felt it was just better to deal with the issues at hand, than to deal with unknown side effects of how my body would react to HRT. I have talked to many women who have gone through this journey and I felt I would deal with it this manner.
I still have other issues that I dealing with. The doctors just don’t seem to want to listen to me when I come in the ER. The county hospital has it’s own system and I have to wait till they deal with one issue at a time.
Just trying to get a Primary Doctor has taken about a month now, hopefully this week when I get to meet my first assigned doctor here at the county maybe now I will get to address these other issues.

Reproductive Tract Infections

Blog #7 STD"S

What would you tell a friend or loved one who suspected that she might have an STD but was afraid to get tested?

When talking about a personal issue about having an STD is a real serious question to ask a stranger, but if it is your friend then it might not be so hard. If you have a friend who you are extremely close to then it is not so hard to tell them. I would suggest they go to the public health clinic in there county, or go to their own personal doctor if they feel comfortable with them.
Many factors of holding off on going to a doctor for treatment can actually do more harm to themselves. I would let them know they don’t know what kind of disease or virus they may have been exposed too. Not getting treatment can be really serious and if they go and get help. That is one thing that I would insist upon. If I knew them and I had the gas and time I would ask them if they would want me to go with them.
You can only suggest things to people and if they don’t want to follow ones advice, then that is all you can do.

"Live and Let Live"

Should prenatal testing be routine for all pregnant women?

Blog #6
Prenatal Testing
Well I could discuss this topic for days! One of the reasons is that all test have their risks. Urine test really are not as high on the platform of risks, but taking blood can introduce bacteria into ones bloodstream and start a whole chain of problems; however, we do have a team of antibiotic to ward off such infection, but this still goes into the bloodstream and the infant does get a dose too.

Next we have the ultrasound procedures. With ultrasound you have some risks the level of exposure in very small amounts of radiation. The exposures to radiation are very small, but still you are exposing radiation, which are accumulative of through out ones lifetime. But that is if you a frantic hung up on radiology!

Now the prenatal testing is the taking of amniotic fluid during the gestation of the pregnancy. The reason is it’s one of the most serious procedures that a woman has to make. It may be simple for a Doctor to perform in his office; however, it has very serious risks behind it. One it can induce the onset of labor, can induce a bacterial infection to the woman and the infant. There are many factors that one has to choose to decide on this procedure. Pregnancy is first already a physically and emotional time throughout the three trimesters.

Now sharing my own personal views on it, I didn’t chose to do one on my first pregnancy because I was very healthy. On my last two pregnancies I was much older. The reason for this procedure wasn’t because I worrying over the possibility of having a Downs Syndrome infant, but rather that I could not survive the physical stress on my heart and kidneys. I actually had several Obstetricians refuse to take me because I was so high risk. But eventually I found a young doctor who took me on and make me feel safe through out these last two babies.

On the my delivery dates for both babies at about the eight month for each infant, they started drawing the fluid to determine if they could survive outside of the womb. The test they were looking for the development of their lungs or fetal lung maturation. On both babies every week I went in his office to have this test preformed; however, on each one of the test I started having some minor labor pains, but my body managed to not go into labor. But on both babies when I had the third amnio synthesis test, I started into labor and was admitted into the hospital for my cesarean section. They are considered premature infants and I have had to deal with developmental issues with these children. So as with any test or procedure, one should weigh the pros and cons and I'm a firm believer in most tests during pregnancy.

But in all it was well worth it!

"Contraception and Abortion"

1. Part(A) In what ways could someone's culture, beliefs and practices influence contraceptive decision-making?

This question is a definite Yes; Someone’s cultural belief’s can play a huge factor in ones contraceptive decision. I was taught not to allow religious preference to decide my fate; however, it did play a role in my life. Catholics are very strict on the birth control and abortion practices. I have actually had to make a serious decision in my life and with my body. My best friend, who had been my childhood friend, placed a value on my body and our friendship. I was in a bad spot and I choose to term my unborn child, she placed our friendship on the bartering table. I went ahead with my decision and she didn’t speak to me for months. Later when I couldn’t understand why she did this I confronted her. She stated ending our relationship was she because she was a devout Catholic and that is the reason she ended it.

1. PART (B) Provide thorough examples based on some of your readings and your own personal experiences. What were the beliefs about birth control/contraception within your own home and family?

Growing up, I learned about being responsible for my decision of using birth control. I experience problems with my parents and I was too young. Letting them know I was using birth control only aggravated my home situation. I was able to go to such wonderful clinics as Planned Parenthood off my bus route to get birth control. I learned from how not to get pregnant as a result of this clinic.

2. Interview a woman on her decision to have children or be "childless".

Recently in the ER I had plenty of women who I could interview! One person named Jane Doe, as we will leave her anonymous. She was the oldest and left responsible for helping to raise her siblings. Her mother never used birth control and felt the more children she had to more food stamps and money the State would fund. This left a bad taste in her mouth, which affected her out, look in having children for herself. She had one child and she told me she had her tubes tied. But what brought her in the ER along with me was she felt sick. The sad new for this young women is the news came down while several of us waiting on the County Hospital to get too us. This nurse just came right out and told her she was five months pregnant. Well needless to say we all heard a painful cry because she couldn’t really even term the baby because she was to far along. So us older gals just comforted her in it would all work out. But when you are the one in that spot its little hot! She went to the sonogram to be sure she didn’t have a tubule pregnancy. I did get to her when I checked out of the ER on the 13th of February and she informed me the baby was okay.

"Luv-Sun Rain King's Super Bowl Sunday 2008"

Well I have to share this Super Bowl Sunday about Luv-Sun Rain King this late morning. I woke up and told him I was ready, he gives his little kitty moan and yawns out with the little red tongue curling upward and he off the wait till I finish my small routing in the bathroom.
I always go for the coffee and see if I feel like eating a bowl of cereal or decide if I want to cook for myself. If the newspaper is already on the breakfast table I will go and just scan the front-page section. Why this morning I want to share this story which is really so simple but to me the most beautiful site for one to see.

I’m looking down at the paper and turn to see Luv-Sun Rain King sitting facing out the window looking at the old condemn cat house which was once a lovely housing from my cats. He is posed looking like the fines Doric temple from Greece. His neck is erected long and ears slightly jiggle with the slightest sounds. He hold always his right paw bent with an arch in it, as he sits with a straight angled line from his head down to bottom. Last but not least he has his tail curved wrapping around his body.

I call out his name and he turns to me as if he say’s I still looking for them to return and goes back to posed position at the window sitting in the chair. Once I start my return to the room where I must do my homework, he starts his decent off the chair and come following me. He stops to see the toy, which is at the leg of the sofa and looks up at me with these azure eyes, which show a purplish deep blue color, begging me to just give him a throw of the old toy. Of course one cannot deny his pleasure so early in the morning. I give it a toss and off he goes so happily playing with his paws with the big pounce for his plight at catching his prey.

Soon I’m back here getting things in order to start the journey for homework and he returns to my area with the toy for one more toss and I do. When he is finished he returns by my side his and assumes his position beside me and looks up at me with those beautiful blue eyes he so posses. You can feel his emotions by the way he looks up at you, and I know he tells me how much he loves me back as I tell him the same. I have been blessed once with a great Siamese as a young adolescent but not like this in my lifetime. He is truly the one of the Greatest Siamese of my lifespan!

Have an old picture of him but my camera is broke but is soon to be repaired.