Tuesday, December 3, 2013, the IETF ( International Essential Tremor Foundation ) will be part of a call to action that will change the calendar and help make history! We are celebrating a day dedicated to giving -- when charities, families, businesses, retailers and more will all come together for ‪#‎GivingTuesday‬ - a movement to celebrate giving and encourage more, better and smarter giving during the Holiday Season. 

Consider giving something back today and this festive season. Together we will show how the world can do much more with our wallets than just consume. We invite you to be part of this global or national giving celebration particularly to a health foundation such asThe International Essential Tremor Foundation or associations such as  The Parkinsons Association, Disability Associations, Breast Cancer, Cerebral Palsy etc thats dear to your heart.

Thank you and be blessed

Shaking.....and shaking some more, those horrid hand tremors!

Have you ever seen someone with tremors (shakes) in their hands, head, tongue or legs for that matter?
I am sure you have even thought..."Shame, how embarrassing!"  or  "Shame, I hope that never happens to me!"

a spiral drawn by a person with hand tremors like me

Well, yes to the person with the tremors, yes its embarrassing at times even humiliating and it even affects their self confidence which eventually causes depression and even a withdrawal to their social lives.

For the past 36 years I have been plagued with tremors in the hands, often jokingly responding to people by stating I have withdrawals from not having my tot for the day, but still it has made me very self concious.  As time has progressed, so has the tremors.  Going from doctor to doctor to find out cause and treatment has been to know avail, a million diagnosis has been made, lots of money spent on tests, scans, mri's etc.

My experiences are:
When I lay down, I shake, my bed shakes;
I cant hold a cup of coffee it shakes all over;
I eat with a spoon or the food shakes all over the place;
I drink with a straw in my cup of coffee if I go for coffee somewhere;
I order toasts or wraps so that I can use my hands, utensils are out;
I can no longer do my arts and crafts, i shake too much;
When I read I need to place to book or kindle on a hard surface and still my body quivers;
I cannot pour water from a kettle, or pot;
I try to do tapestry, but I shiver so much before the needle enters the area;
My water consumption is from a bottle not a glass;
I cannot fasten my tops with buttons, I now wear pull on pull off items.
I struggle to fasten my bra;  (no im not going without my wonderbra)
I cannot write or sign my signature, my son has power of attorney;
My hair is now cut short, I cannot blow dry my hair.
I monitor my tremors with a lift pulse downloaded from essentialtremor.org/
and the list can go on and on.........

Over the past 6 years I have really declined in health, diagnosed with fibromyalgia, heart flutters, atrial fibrillation, nerve pinching, you name it its being diagnosed, even thyroid. 
I even did self diagnosis and research on MS, CFS etc out of desperation.  Things got so bad in 2012 that I thought I would never see December 2012 and got my will and papers finalised.

Finally in July 2012 I was referred to a Neurologist. He immediately ruled out Parkinsons and Wilson's Disease and told me what I have is Severe Essential Tremors,(www.essentialtremor.org read more about it here)  

Again, lots of tests were done, medical costs spiralling and medical aid exhausted, medication called Lyrica 125mg tried out (not covered by med aid), which had a strange effect, I felt I was on a high (like helium in a balloon is how my head felt) like someone with ADHD but the negative was that I never thought rationally, I was forgetful  short term memory problems and would make silly decisions, driving was a problem as I would blank out mentally while driving and when reaching my destination couldnt remember what happened between point a to point b.  Then, on a day in July 2013 I slipped, breaking my leg in 3 places and displacing my ankle, and its still not 100% healed.  My leg just gave way under me, apparently due to tremors.

During  this period I underwent more tests, medication changed to Myocilin 125mg and Occupational Assessment done to assess my ability to work, where finally the Neurologist has declared me unfit for work and placed me on permanent disablement.  Then, the depression decided to find place in my life.  Again anxiety/depression medication has been adjusted to double dosage as I just felt I have no purpose to life any longer.  

Not being able to sign ones signature or the ability to write has left me in a really poor mental state, it felt like a part of me has died.  I'm mourning this part of me, i'm mourning the part where I cannot make a cup of coffee or even cook, i'm mourning that my independence has been ripped from me.  All that works easy is my mouth and at times a sharp tongue(I say this honestly but with sadness and regret to those close to me I hurt). And now, I am now, If the word is correct, totally bereft of my life, and i'm only 52.

But all is not lost.

Despite my very dark days recently and still at times now, I have stilled grasped and held very firmly the hand of my Heavenly Father and have fought my soul fight together with Him.  Psalm 62 says it....Our Hope is in YOU Lord, my Soul finds rest in you Lord.

In reflecting on my life forward I know I need to :

• Accept my chronic disease
• Redifine my life...where to from here in Now, 6 months, 12 months time
• Focus on the passion that has been driving me in my soul for the past 2 years and that being Coaching people with disabilities (is this why I have to walk this walk? To understand?
• Enforcing and reinforcing the myths and facts about people with and facing disabilities.
• Securing my own home to be more disability user friendly, eg bath out shower in
• Most importantly keep my life firmly grounded with knowledge that God is my Jehovah Jireh, the Light to my life
• Very importantly to still nurture, love, guide, support my son emotionally and spiritually
• Start a new life, leaving the old behind and starting afresh.

Nothing in life can ever brace us for these unexpected turn of events in our lives. 
Today we are still planning the next 13 years to retirement, planning our 60th birthday celebration, saving to want to go on holiday, and suddenly in the blink of an eye its a case of....helloooo..."Change of Plan".  

How aware I have become that life is lived now, here, this moment...hoping to fill it with Joy, Happiness, Laughter and the ability to cry without blaming or reproach.

May I encourage you...next time you see a person with the shakes/tremors, dont laugh, dont joke and call them names eg uncle / aunty shake shake as colleagues have done to me, rather show some empathy- showing understanding and caring of how they might be feeling.  
You never know when you could find yourself in such an unfortunate situation.

If you too are facing some form of chronic disease/disability...please be encouraged by this thought...God is ALWAYS in control, He is the Captain of our ship, He will never let us become stranded..He directs our path.  Psalm 37:24 says  that though we stumble and fall, we will not be bruised/hurt/overwhelmed because He holds our hand.

I trust that thru this blog, you will understand and support people facing these

challenges in life.  We no different, we have feelings and emotions too...just love us for who we are on the inside.

Greetings and blessings to you!

"The doors we open and close each day

decide the lives we live."

~Flora Whittemore

How many times have your heard the saying, "When one door closes, another one opens"? It seems no matter how many, we often forget this in times of crisis, disappointment and unrequested change.

We need not fully understand why a change is occurring to ask ourselves: Am I going to let this door hit me in the rear or am I going to 'break on through to the other side'?

Very often the doors that close are positive for us!  Let's be honest, whether it be fear or insecurities, we often wait too long to make the necessary changes on our own . There are times when we ought to be grateful for the closure and consider what new and more positive paths await us.

The choice is always ours. Are you a survivor or a victim of change?

I always advocate for survivor and therefore, thriver!

Go ahead, look back and ponder for a bit, always remembering, "The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live." 

Now, please spend the rest of your time and energies finding and going through the new, more positive door. It is through this door you will discover your best self and gain the ability to enjoy all the wonderful life experiences that await you.  

Believe: You too can "break on through to the other side".

Sharing this with you from:    Positive Adaptation and 'Think, Feel and Do'  your way into becoming the best you can be.  Remember, life is to be enjoyed, not survived!

The art of wearing a mask, or is it?

Wearing a Mask: People who suffer from low self-esteem try to look calm when they are not; try to hide their embarrassment when they think they've made a mistake; attempt to look like they understand a discussion when in fact, they don't; try to look confident when they feel inadequate; and exert a lot of energy trying to "look good." They feel that others will think less of them if they show emotion or admit to “not knowing” something and try to maintain the appearance that all is well, when that is not at all how they feel. They feel too vulnerable to let others see that they have problems or that they have difficulties in their lives.

We all wear a mask hiding our true identity and easily turn into the greatest actors and actresses in the attempt to deceive those who surround our lives.  

The mask we wear disguises and hides who we truly are inside and protects our soul from being tainted and torn in shreds by the harsh judgement of others. 

The smiles and laughter we display are clever devices hiding our pains and sorrows we carry within us. While the tears and heart break displayed for all to see only show the thin cracks of the mask we wear, allowing small portion of how we truly ache inside be seen from observers quietly watching for you to reveal yourself. The choices and actions that we make are often deemed adequate by our friends, family, and the strangers that seemingly enters our life. As people get to know you, they are unknowingly lied to, becoming friends with the illusion you created for them to see. 

 One day we will look in a mirror and realize that we don’t know the person who is staring back at us. We will learn that the mask we have worn for so long became our true face, and the one underneath that has been to afraid to be shown to the world has become our true disguise. That it was hidden for so long that we have even forgotten the person we once truly were, and we’ll be afraid to know who we once were ourselves.

People with low self esteem are so good at using these masks, for what ever reason, however we need to be brave and honest enough to ourselves to identify the type of mask we are wearing, work on developing our self esteem, and brave life with who you truly are.   

Be true to yourself:  be who YOU want to be not what others expect you to be, don't live by the opinions or choices of others, never sacrifice who you are for others, 

Be true to yourself:  Open your eyes to the beauty around you, open your mind to the wonders of your life, open your heart to those who love you, and ALWAYS, ALWAY be true to yourself. 

Thats it for now...here's raising my cuppa to you,
be blessed....

Dear Workaholic

The Workaholics: These low self-esteem sufferers know they have the ability and skills to be successful in their careers and devote the majority of their time and energy into making that happen. Success brings them a degree of satisfaction and feelings of adequacy as long as they remain in the job or position from which they get praise and/or respect and reward. Tending to gravitate where they feel best about themselves, work becomes a form of self-sabotage, as they place work before family or social arenas in which they feel less adequate. Workaholics often don't have time for a personal life or ignore and neglect those who are in their lives. Often they become overachievers.

Do you know of some one that's a workaholic?  I sure do, even I have been termed by people as being a "workaholic"  One day, a friend of mine Paul, told me to get a life, because all I do is work, work at work work at home, work for this or that, but never take time for me and then for my family.
Did I change? No, I just reshuffled things a bit to look like I changed, and made excuses..."Oh, Im still at work, trying to avoid the traffic you know" or "I'm just busy with a student, you cant chase them out and say you going home now!" when in fact the student left ages ago but you still hanging around in the office.

Why do we do that?  Is it because there are just so many demands in the work place lately that you even go to the loo with you iPad, Blackberry Z10 or PS4/5 or whatever device that is now so convenient that you can work from home, in the car, on the toilet, while on a holiday, in Church?  I mean...it can operate on silent right? No one will know what you typing away there.

Are we avoiding something or someone?  Maybe you avoiding those GIANTS in your head, maybe you avoiding being lonely, or maybe things are not as it should be at home.

Do you have anything to prove at work? Oh I can really get started on this topic....particularly where we find ourselves presently in South Africa,  in the unhealthy work climate of employment equity, the undermining, the jealousy of colleagues one to another, backstabbing and just plain old insecurities.  But, its not the answer is it.

So how do we overcome the insecurity of being a Workaholic?
Tuff question I do admit.
1. Realise it can become addictive
2. What are you avoiding in your life?
3. You work hard to prove your worth?  

• Identify Why you feel inadequate or worthless?  
• What can you do about it?  
• Better your skills?  why not
• Whatever it is, whatever it takes   DO IT

There is only one person in life that can manage and in a sense direct your life and give you the permission to pursue what ever you intend to do...and that is YOU.

In saying this, its also important to rely on God to provide you wisdom and guidance, leading you to a wonderful invigorating sense of joy freedom and happiness.

This reminds me so of a song we often hear in Church.......Psalm 37:3

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord

And He delighteth in his(your) way

Tho’ he(thats now you) fall, he (you)shall not be utterly cast down

For the Lord upholdeth you with his hand

Be Blessed...here's raising my cuppa to you!

Do you drive a car? Can you remember when you did your first hill start?

The learning process

In the process of finding ourselves, we need to realise, its no plain sailing or getting in the car and going, there are the rules we need to learn, understand the directions, under stand the basics of the upkeep of a cars engine, interior and exterior, we then pass the learner stage, and finally pass the test to drive our vehicle on the road.  

Similarly is our life and relationships skills. 
We have to first unlearn bad habits then learn how to relate properly. It will feels strange at first, we fail a few times, get it right on some occasions, but remember that practice makes perfect. Communicating, sharing and being willing to work on (like a car service) our relationship with ourselves and with others is vital to ensure all the cogs are working insync. 

Hope you keeping up with your hourly journal, remember, change is not easy, keep those tissues close by, but once you get it right..start the engine, keep it in neutral for a while just until you ready for the next gear change.

Until next time...remember you are important to yourself first and then to others...

1. oh! let me share some me humor on this topic...when I feel im not  good enough or going thru a ruff patch emotionally, I apply my reddest lipstick, look at myself in the mirror, and say, "hi sexy...i think you are just oh so cute," pout my lips and say "mamma loves you" then give myself a kiss myself in the mirror and walk away....when I think of this action I have such a good laugh at myself, but heck, why not!

Blessings...and here is sharing my cuppa and some me humor with you

Oh heavens! Are we so needy...

Being Needy is a basic need...however all or many people believe that they are lovable and knowing that they are loved. When people have low self-esteem, however, they are anxiously unsure of themselves and likely even question if they are lovable. One of the main ways people try to find an answer to this question is to look to others, hyper anxiously watching the others’ behaviours, listening to their words and tone of voice, mentally recording the ways that person acts toward them, even keeping score of what they think works and doesn’t work. Of course, all too often their conclusion is not accurate.

Desperately seeking reassurance that they are lovable, those with low self-esteem look outside themselves and at the behaviour of those closest to them, to find answers to the question of being lovable. Then, if the person who professes to love them, does not act in ways that they think would indicate this love, the person being needy: 1) try harder to please in order to win the love and attention of the significant other 2) become angry when they feel the significant other is withholding giving them what they need, or 3) feel they must be deserving of this treatment and conclude that they are indeed, unlovable. Finding this explanation unbearable, however, they continue to vacillate between depression and anger toward the person from whom they want affirmation.

Unfortunately, much of the disappointment the “needy” persons have toward the significant other is the result of their own insecurity, their neediness that demands constant reinforcement, their unreasonable expectations, their irrational expectations, poor communication, holding in feelings, and all in all, chaos.

People need to satisfy their emotional needs. These are intellectual – thinking about what they are doing or want,existential – existing satisfactorily, and relational – relating to others around them, communicating or sharing your emotional needs with a trusted person/friend/life coach.

So how do you do this?  How do you move from emotional needy to being emotionally free?

• Write down your 10 needs in life. (just one word)
• Place them in priority order...YOUR priority.
• Write down next to each one 
• HOW you want these needs met
• WHAT you can do by having your needs met
• WHY you can benefit from changing your neediness to being more positive
• Finally...working thru this in your journal, take a bold 1st step and show you can change.

Joy, happiness and satisfaction comes when you set yourself free

So ...learning with you step by step, I raise my cuppa to you

Life is a journey..lets grab hold of these challenges and celebrate

a life of emotional freedom,

Blessings