Posts Tagged ‘The Brain’s Way of Healing’

2023 September 6 (at dear Sabine’s serene home); updated September 28, 2023; updated October 9, 2023; updated Oct. 15, 16, 2023; updated December 10, 2023

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Hello Everyone,

I wish you vibrant health!

Thanks to Everyone Who Cares About me,  Healers, Books, Our Immune System, Our Beautiful Ever-Changing Brain, Our Internal Organs, Our Body and Vitality!

In August 2020 (which was five months into “Shelter In Place” in the county I lived in during the COVID pandemic), Shingles virus “woke up” in my body …oh the pain and the rash on one side of upper torso. Then after the blisters cleared, the hot pain stayed. This condition is called “postherpetic neuralgia”.

Luckily for me, through neuroplasticity coaching from Dr. Danielle Rosenman,

books by Norman Doidge, M.D.,

lectures by Professor Lorimer Moseley about the “role of pain” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5p6sbi_0lLc

and the workbook TRANSFORMING THE BRAIN IN PAIN: NEUROPLASTIC TRANSFORMATION by Dr. Michael H. Moskowitz  and Dr. Marla D. Golden,

and, moral support from dear folks  who care about me …

I was successful retraining my Brain to stop sending chronic pain signals to Body Tissue.

However the pain sensation morphed into a sticky damp heat sensation.

These symptoms then awakened another virus in my nervous system. Also, COVID-Vaccination worsened my condition.

My internal thermostat is stuck at an uncomfortable down right yucky setting. My immune system had needed to use heat when Shingles virus got activated; however, my system is still in “fight” mode three years later.

Illness leads to depression … a nasty loop.

This is what happens when our systems are “too aggressive” trying to protect us.

By the way – Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus — the same virus that causes chickenpox. After a person has had chickenpox, the virus lies inactive in nerve tissue near the spinal cord and brain. Years later, the virus may reactivate as shingles. https://www.mayoclinic.org/

The “memories” of viruses (keloid scars from Shingles rash a “convincing” reminder)… telling my systems to continue fighting. Body doesn’t forget anything!

Brain-Body worn out from fighting.

Fast forward…

Through receiving Neuro Integration System (N.I.S.) treatments and Neuro Emotional Technique (NET) treatments from a master-level practitioner who is a chiropractor  – Dr. Jae Reed, D.C … my Body-Brain circuitry is learning how to reset and restore systems to harmony.

Through receiving Chi Nei Tsang treatments from a master-level practitioner – Stephanie Wilger, NC … my Body is sending direct communication to Brain.

Clear communication between Brain and Body REMOVES the obstacles, letting the Body repair itself the best way possible -  naturally.

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Chi Nei Tsang translates as “internal organs chi transformation”.

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Thanks to the encouragement from the folks I care about and who care about me, I  resume my work as a writer and story-consult and blogger, go to treatments, re-read books to learn about how hard the human body works, and, I turn depression into appreciating one moment at a time.

My Quest to Wellness by learning from Holistic Healers on how to receive and send instructions for what I call “Brain-Body peace talks”.

I am grateful to:

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I wish everyone vibrant health always!

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Here are the BOOKS!

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the book - Immune: A Journey into the Mysterious System That Keeps You Alive

Thank you, dear Sue, for gifting me the book

Immune: A Journey into the Mysterious System That Keeps You Alive

by Philipp Dettmer, creator of the popular science YouTube channel “Kurzgesagt—In a Nutshell”

https://www.youtube.com/@kurzgesagt/videos

Page 62 of the book IMMUNE: A Journey into the Mysterious System That Keeps You Alive by Philipp Dettmer
“Inflammation is the universal response of your immune system to any sort of breach or damage or insult. No matter if you burn yourself, cut yourself, or get a bruise. No matter if bacteria or viruses infect your nose, lungs, or gut. No matter if a young tumor kills a few civilian cells by stealing their nutrients or you have an allergic reaction to a food, inflammation is the response. Damage or danger – PERCEIVED OR REAL – causes inflammation.”

Book description from the publisher:

“You wake up and feel a tickle in your throat. Your head hurts. You’re mildly annoyed as you get the kids ready for school and dress for work yourself. Meanwhile, an epic war is being fought, just below your skin. Millions are fighting and dying for you to be able to complain as you head out the door.

“But most of us never really stop to ask: What even is our immune system?

“Second only to the human brain in its complexity, it is one of the oldest and most critical facets of life on Earth. Without it, you would die within days. In IMMUNE, Philipp Dettmer, the brains behind the most popular science channel on YouTube, takes readers on a journey through the fortress of the human body and its defenses. There is a constant battle of staggering scale raging within us, full of stories of invasion, strategy, defeat, and noble self-sacrifice. In fact, in the time you’ve been reading this, your immune system has probably identified and eradicated a cancer cell that started to grow in your body.

“Each chapter delves into an element of the immune system, including defenses like antibodies and inflammation as well as threats like bacteria, allergies, and cancer, as Dettmer reveals why boosting your immune system is actually nonsense, how parasites sneak their way past your body’s defenses, how viruses work, and what goes on in your wounds when you cut yourself.

“Enlivened by engaging full-color graphics and immersive descriptions, IMMUNE turns one of the most intricate, interconnected, and confusing subjects — immunology — into a gripping adventure through an astonishing alien landscape. IMMUNE is a vital and remarkably fun crash course in what is arguably, and increasingly, the most important system in the body.”

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Thank you, dear Loduskia “Dusky” Pierce, MFT, for having introduced me to:

the book - The Brain That Changes Itself

Dr. Norman Doidge’s first book – 

The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science

the book - The Brain’s Way of Healing

Dr. Norman Doidge’s second book –  

The Brain’s Way of Healing: Remarkable Discoveries and Recoveries from the Frontiers of Neuroplasticity

https://www.normandoidge.com

Look for Dr. Doidge’s interviews on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/@normandoidge6991

Thank you, YouTube Channel User The Agenda | TVO Today for posting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifYcE4-eI_s

“For a very long time scientists thought the brain was an organ beyond treatment. If something went wrong or if one was born with a deficit, the conclusion was ‘tough luck.’ Not so anymore. There are revolutionary techniques that can alleviate anything from chronic pain to Parkinson’s disease or Down syndrome. Dr. Norman Doidge lays it out in his book The Brain’s Way of Healing: Remarkable Discoveries and Recoveries from the Frontiers of Neuroplasticity. He’ll discuss this, and more, with Steve Paikin. ”

Dr. Norman Doidge explains:

“The Brain is NOT like a fixed hard-wired machine. The Brain changes it’s wiring – the word that describes this property is neuroplasticity. The Brain’s structure and functions can be changed by our activities and by our mental experiences.”

“Using energy to facilitate neuroplasticity for healing.  The ancient word ‘hælan’ – to cure, to restore, to make whole again.”

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Thank you, dear LaH, for having introduced me to Master Teacher and Healer Gilles Marin!

the book - Five Elements, Six Conditions

Five Elements, Six Conditions – a Taoist Approach to Emotional Healing, Psychology, and Internal Alchemy

Gilles Marin is the Founder and Director of the Chi Nei Tsang Institute and School of Taoist Healing Energetics, California, USA https://www.chineitsang.com

Co-directeur de  l’institut de Chi Nei Tsang, Nice, FRANCE   chineitsang.marin.free.fr

TaoTouch: The art to help people heal, get rid of pain, and bring back vibrant health by reconciling self, soul and spirit while triggering emotional processing.  This is done through a traditional Taoist monastic healing practice called Chi Nei Tsang, which works with deep and gentle abdominal touch to enhance health and vitality to the internal organs.

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the book - TRANSFORMING THE BRAIN IN PAIN

Michael H. Moskowitz, MD & Marla D. Golden, DO

TRANSFORMING THE BRAIN IN PAIN: NEUROPLASTIC TRANSFORMATION

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the book - SLOW MEDICINE

Victoria Sweet, M.D.’s book SLOW MEDICINE The Way to Healing 

https://www.victoriasweet.com/  Over the years that Victoria Sweet has been a physician, “healthcare” has replaced medicine, “providers” look at their laptops more than at their patients, and costs keep soaring, all in the ruthless pursuit of efficiency.

Victoria Sweet, M.D. is the award-winning author of God’s Hotel: A Doctor, a Hospital, and a Pilgrimage to the Heart of Medicine.

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My blog post https://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/brain-pain-scientist-professor-lorimer-moseley-uses-humor-to-help-us-understand-dark-side-of-pain/  contains my notes from –

“Getting a grip on pain and the brain – Professor Lorimer Moseley – Successful Ageing Seminar 2013?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5p6sbi_0lLc

“What we now understand about pain.”

Taoist Meditation: The Six Healing Sounds – YouTube  https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7UZa_zhOg9A

Sincerely,

Teresa Jade LeYung,

formerly Teresa LeYung-Ryan

Teresa_Jade_LeYung_wishes_everyone_peace_and_wellness__photo_by_Nan_and_MEK

http://www.OurBeautifulBrains.com  goes to Teresa Jade LeYung’s Blog

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Writing Coach Teresa says:

“I love helping writers identify the themes in their manuscripts to hook readers, and, build and fortify their platforms before and after publication. Reach out, not stress out.”

Love Made Of Heart ®

January 3, 2021 California USA 20:00-22:00

Thank you, Marie-Christine Cornet, for sending this lovely image from France!

Meilleurs voeux 2021!

 Story/Theme Consultant Teresa Jade LeYung says: “Adaptable Brain, Let Quiet Enter.”

IS part 2 of my trilogy to honor our Beautiful Brains.

Finding URLs (of videos posted on Youtube) for mentors has given me an opportunity to learn (again) what I can do to help myself transform persistent pain signals (when there isn’t new damage to body tissue) and depression signals… into a refreshed Brain so that I can do what I love doing during my waking hours.  I am most grateful to the precious people in my life who care about my well-being.

 May these sites help you, dear Reader, and your loved ones too . . .

 Norman Doidge, M.D.

https://www.normandoidge.com/

“Dr. Norman Doidge | The Power of Thought” on YouTube  https://youtu.be/2c5aTlq3nYI

Dr. Doidge’s first book – The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science (translated into 26 languages)

Dr. Doidge’s second book – The Brain’s Way of Healing: Remarkable Discoveries and Recoveries from the Frontiers of Neuroplasticity (translated into 19 languages so far)

Professor Lorimer Moseley

Dr. Danielle Rosenman

Teresa Jade LeYung’s Haiku poem 2020 December 28 Monday 03:55

Sweet raindrop music

May we all be safe and warm

Today and always

(Although the 5-7-5 structure was added on December 28, 2020 to honor the Haiku form,  the composition has been my fervent prayer for decades, long before the word “pandemic” was in my daily vocabulary.  Because Haiku poems aren’t titled, please accept the publishing date as identifier for this piece.)

Teresa Jade LeYung’s Haiku poem  2021 January 3 Sunday 20:40

Quiet please enter

Let Brain imagine Paris

Depression Pain leave

To read Part 1 of my trilogy on our Beautiful Brains:

Story/Theme Consultant Teresa Jade LeYung says: “Scarecrow in THE WIZARD OF OZ would feel NO pain” http://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/story-theme-consultant-teresa-jade-leyung-says-scarecrow-in-the-wizard-of-oz-would-feel-no-pain/

For other posts in my blog, please go to: https://lovemadeofheart.com/blog   If you look at right side of screen, you’ll see the category “Beautiful Brains Neuroplasticity”. Please click on that category to get all my blog posts pertaining to our our Beautiful Brains and Neuroplasticity.

Sincerely,

author Teresa Jade LeYung, mask by Emily O

Love Made Of Heart ®

Teresa Jade LeYung, an American naturalized citizen of Chinese ancestry, is a story/theme consultant, author of LOVE MADE OF HEART (daughter-mother novel archived at the San Francisco History Center and used by college professors), BUILD YOUR WRITER’S PLATFORM & FANBASE IN 22 DAYS (a workbook), and TALKING TO MY DEAD MOM Monologues (the first monologue received an award from Redwood Writers Ten-Minute Play Festival), an advocate for public libraries and public schools, creator of http://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/ , and, admirer of City of Light. Composing Haiku poems is a new love for LeYung.

P.S. October 11, 2020

THE Dr. Michael Moskowitz (Chapter 1 in Dr. Norman Doidge’s book  THE BRAIN’S WAY OF HEALING) has cowritten a most engaging workbook with Dr. Marla Golden – TRANSFORMING THE BRAIN IN PAIN.

Thank you, Dr. Moskowitz and Dr. Golden !!

Neuroplastic Transformation Workbook

YOUR BRAIN ON PAIN

by Michael H. Moskowitz, MD and Marla D. Golden, DO

https://shop.neuroplastix.com/Neuroplastic-Transformation-Workbook-92-W8PZ-LIIY.htm

Visit http://www.neuroplastix.com/ for Dr. Moskowitz’s and Dr. Golden’s webinars

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P.P.S.  October 12, 2020

During Q&A in Webinar Part One, Dr. Moskowitz praises how Professor Lorimer Moseley uses humor in his presentations and says to find his talks on YouTube.

“Pain, the brain and your amazing protectometer – Lorimer Moseley” https://youtu.be/lCF1_Fs00nM

 ”Professor Lorimer Mosely, ‘The Pain Revolution’, April 2017″  https://youtu.be/oji2mfcjisk

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October 14, 2020

03:33 – 07:00 California 2020 August 22

The best time to read books about improving one’s health, recovering from illness, how our beautiful brain works IS when one is not battling illness.

Five years ago, I read Dr. Norman Doidge’s books to help people I love; they were battling illness and disease, they didn’t have the bandwidth to read or listen to audio books.  Now, five years later,  I am the one who doesn’t have energy to read …  I am the person who is experiencing “brain continues sending pain messages even though my illness is running its course”.  Please, Beautiful Brain, STOP already.

I am thankful that I did read years ago; I know what to do to help my brain stop overwhelming me with pain signals.

Knowledge that leads to health and wellness – this is my wish for everyone.

Dr. Doidge’s books are most engaging- I learned from the stories – I did NOT have to look up medical terms; the footnotes were equally engaging.

NOT having current information about how our brains work (to help every part of the body) would be like operating life with the belief that the world is flat.

NOT having current information about how our brains work  is to give up on ourselves or people we care about and let other people’s attitude and behavior ( “there’s nothing more we can do about your condition” or “keep on taking these drugs and be warned about horrific side effects”) dictate the outcome of our well-being.

http://www.normandoidge.com

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Dr. Doidge’s books make for fascinating reads – our brains and the phenomenon of neuroplasticity -  thank you to all the patients who did not give up, their advocates and their physicians who did not give up, and the dedicated neuroscientists . . .  for providing the stories.

Even if your physicians and healers have not read this book . . . YOU can arm yourselves with the information and ask them targeted questions and give you referrals.  How can doctors know what you want when they juggle 20 patients in a day?

The Brain’s Way of Healing: Remarkable Discoveries and Recoveries from the Frontiers of Neuroplasticity

is vailable in over 100 countries, and 19 languages including translations in Italian, French, German,  Spanish, Portuguese, Portuguese-Brazil,  Finnish Hungarian,  Czech, Polish,  Romanian, Lithuanian, Bulgarian, Russian, Japanese, Korean, Chinese Traditional Characters, Chinese Simplified Characters, Turkish.

English Editions: North American Editions, (Viking Penguin U.S.A.) UK Edition, (Penguin U.K.) Australian & New Zealand Edition (Scribe) Kindle Edition, Amazon.     Audio books by Brilliance Audio in North America, and Bolinda in the U.K., Australia and New Zealand

In my October 21, 2015 blog post “The Brain’s Way of Healing – Chapter Titles and Index in Book Spark Hope and Motivation to Ask Physicians the Right Questions”  http://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/the-brains-way-of-healing-chapter-titles-and-index-in-book-spark-hope-and-motivation-to-ask-physicians-the-right-questions/  I had written:

I understand now. . . that our brains can change themselves, and, our brains create “maps” for every body part; if I don’t use a body part/a movement, my brain operates on a “use it or lose it” basis.

The Brain’s Way of Healing by Norman Doidge, M.D.

Chapter 1 Physician Hurt, Then Heal Thyself

Michael Moskowitz Discovers That Chronic Pain Can Be Unlearned

Chapter 2 A Man Walks Off His Parkinsonian Symptoms

How Exercise Helps Fend Off Degenerative Disorders and Can Defer Dementia

Chapter 3 The Stages of Neuroplastic Healing

How and Why It Works

Chapter 4 Rewiring a Brain with Light

Using Light to Reawaken Dormant Neural Circuits

Chapter 5 Moshe Feldenkrais: Physicist, Black Belt, and Healer

Healing Serious Brain Problems Through Mental Awareness of Movement

Chapter 6 A Blind Man Learns to See

Using Feldenkrais, Buddhist, and Other Neuroplastic Methods

Chapter 7 A Device That Resets the Brain

Stimulating Neuromodulation to Reverse Symptoms

I. A Cane Against the Wall

II. Three Resets: Parkinson’s, Stroke, Multiple Sclerosis

III. The Cracked Potters

IV. How the Brain Balances Itself—with a Little Help

Chapter 8 A Bridge of Sound

The Special Connection Between Music and the Brain

I. A Dyslexic Boy Reverses His Misfortune

II. A Mother’s Voice

III. Rebuilding the Brain from the Bottom Up: Autism, Attention Deficits, and Sensory Processing Disorder

IV. Solving the Mystery at the Abbey: How Music Raises Our Spirits and Energy

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Another book that ought to be in every home is

Victoria Sweet, M.D.’s new book

SLOW MEDICINE The Way to Healing 

https://www.victoriasweet.com/  Over the years that Victoria Sweet has been a physician, “healthcare” has replaced medicine, “providers” look at their laptops more than at their patients, and costs keep soaring, all in the ruthless pursuit of efficiency.

Victoria Sweet, M.D. is the award-winning author of God’s Hotel: A Doctor, a Hospital, and a Pilgrimage to the Heart of Medicine.

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Knowledge that leads to health and wellness – this is my wish for everyone.

For other posts in my blog, please go to: https://lovemadeofheart.com/blog   If you look at right side of screen, you’ll see the category “Beautiful Brains Neuroplasticity”. Please click on that category to get all my blog posts pertaining to our our Beautiful Brains and Neuroplasticity.

Sincerely,

author Teresa Jade LeYung, mask by Emily O, August 2020 COVID-19 pandemic

Theme Consultant / Author / Advocate

Teresa Jade LeYung

Love Made Of Heart ®

I wish you and everyone around you safety, kindness, excellent health, clear water, blue sky, delicious eats, and sweet laughter!

To help prevent spread of virus, I wear face-covering AND keep at least 6-foot-distance with people who don’t live with me.

No blaming No shaming; I protect myself and everyone else.

Teresa Jade LeYung speaks out and offers resources through her Blog: http://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/

23:40  28 July 2020 California

14:58  31 July 2020 California

Studying the performance by actress Marsha Mason (portraying Maggie Paul) in the movie CINDERELLA LIBERTY  (screenplay by Darryl Ponicsan) led me to watching (again) the movie THE GOODBYE GIRL (written by Neil Simon) where Ms. Mason portrays Paula McFadden.

By the way – the term “Cinderella Liberty” is used in the Navy -  a pass that expires at midnight.

In the movie The Goodbye Girl,  Richard Dreyfuss portrays Elliot Garfield (Mr. Dreyfuss’s performance brought him the Best Actor Oscar award.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-whraNgiWH0 )

In the movie version of the play LOST IN YONKERS (written by Neil Simon), Mr. Dreyfuss portrays Louie Kurnitz (Uncle Louie the gangster).

One video leads to another to another ….

Mindscape: Oscar-winning Actor Richard Dreyfuss on Living with Bipolar Disorder https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsE6c4XkiAc

The Menninger Clinic Chief of Staff John M. Oldham, MD, MS interviews actor Richard Dreyfuss who talks about his experience living with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder also known as manic depressive disorder.

Mr. Dreyfuss said:

“I started calling myself manic-depressive when I was 14.”

“… when people say ‘I looked up at the stars, I realized how small I was.’  Well, when I looked up at the stars, I knew how big I was.”

Dr. Oldham asked Mr. Dreyfuss about stigmas.

Mr. Dreyfuss said:

“I did not fall into the trap of hating myself.”

“One of the reasons I said that my manic-depression worked for me was that I was able to turn every bad thing into a good thing … when I was not a good academic student, I became the best glib talker in class. They couldn’t fail me because I was too vivid….”

“Right protocol of medication. I am Richard inclusive of my drugs.”

“The darkness of depression”

Mr. Dreyfuss didn’t use one-word adjectives; he told us stories (his experiences), he painted pictures for us.

Thank you, Mr. Dreyfuss! You have helped me gain understanding of how my mother suffered, also how she thrived, living with mental illness.

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Stamp Out Stigma is a consumer driven advocacy and educational outreach program designed to make positive changes in the public perception of mental illness and inform the community about the personal, social, economic and political challenges faced by people living with mental illness. Founded by Carmen Lee. Ms. Lee has moved to eastern USA. Ms. Lee, wherever you go, you educate, inspire, and empower us. Thank you!

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To: Mr. Sam Huss, Community Outreach Specialist at RehabSpot.com

Thank you for your email of July 30, 2020 asking me to include your page  “Determining If You Need Rehab or Detox” https://www.rehabspot.com/treatment/before-begins/determining-need-rehab/

BOOKS:

The Brain’s Way of Healing: Stories of Remarkable Recoveries and Discoveries by Norman Doidge, M.D.

The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science by Norman Doidge, M.D.

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http://californiaclubhouse.org/

California Clubhouse… Working to bring Clubhouse to San Mateo County in 2014  
     Our mission The mission of California Clubhouse is to give those whose lives have been disrupted by mental illness the opportunity to recover meaningful work and relationships as they reintegrate into the broader community.

Thank you, Diane W., for telling me about California Clubhouse’s  immediate goal to raise $350,000 to finance the 2014 launch.  June 2016 now – California Clubhouse’s home is in San Carlos!

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https://nami.org/

National Alliance on Mental Illness

From its inception in 1979, NAMI has been dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness.

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https://bringchange2mind.org/

 1 in 6 adults and almost 1 in 10 children suffer from a diagnosable mental illness. Yet, for many, the stigma associated with the illness, can be as great a challenge as the disease itself. This is where the misconceptions stop. This is where bias comes to an end. This is where we change lives. Because this is where we Bring Change 2 Mind.

BringChange2Mind.org is a not-for-profit organization created by Glenn Close, the Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation (CABF), Fountain House, and Garen and Shari Staglin of IMHRO (International Mental Health Research Organization).

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How the movie The Goodbye Girl and the movie Lost In Yonkers led to Dr. John M. Oldham’s interviewing Oscar-winner Actor Richard Dreyfuss Living with Bipolar Disorder, Manic Depression… led to my gaining a better understanding of how my mother suffered and also thrived living with mental illness.

I wish you and everyone around you safety, kindness, excellent health, clear water, blue sky, delicious eats, and sweet laughter!

Sincerely,

author Teresa Jade LeYung, mask by Emily O, July 2020 COVID-19 pandemic

Author and Theme Consultant Teresa Jade LeYung

“To help prevent spread of COVID-19, I wear face-covering AND keep at least 6-foot distance with people who don’t live with me.  No blaming No shaming; I protect myself and everyone else.”

August 7, 2018

Dear Readers,

I (Teresa Jade LeYung) write to you not as a novelist, theme consultant or found-object artist but as a memoirist, daughter of Mr. Leung, and a witness to joy and despair and a whole lot of kindness.

Papa was doing fine, as fine as a 84-year-old fellow with Parkinson’s Disease (and Diabetes and hypertension) could do. Just four months ago, he was using his walker several times a day … to go from his apartment to the balcony on his floor and to the courtyard in the senior building he lived in.  To show off in the hallway, whenever a caregiver was nearby (and I have photos to prove this), he would abandon the walker and use the handrail to traverse the seventeen feet to the door of his apartment.

On July 19, around 5:00pm while I was away on a writing retreat with two dear friends/colleagues, my sister (who was here for the summer) called me to say that paramedics were taking our father to an E.R.

A few days prior to this one, his caregivers had been reporting (in Cantonese) that our papa  was “looking sad”.  That morning of July 19, caregiver Mrs. G. had reported to my sister that Papa was feeling dizzy.  When my sister called me, my advice to her was to ask questions: “Had Papa eaten breakfast?  Had he been drinking water everyday? What was he doing before feeling dizzy?” He would be seeing his primary care physician that afternoon at 4:00pm … Well, our papa was in no condition to go to the appointment.  His primary care physician instructed my sister to call 9-1-1.

In E.R. and the hospital, our papa was being treated for pneumonia and urinary tract infection.

Pneumonia. When two friends heard the word “pneumonia” they gently prepared me for the worst case scenario. Well, Papa has beat the odds before.

He had aspiration pneumonia (probably caused by food or water going down the windpipe which led to bacteria infection).

And, he was fighting a urinary tract infection.

July 22 (the day that my sister flies home), Papa is transferred to a skilled nursing facility.  He had bounced back before, twice last year – dehydration and falls.  This time is different.

My papa is not Mr. John Pepper (the hero in Chapter 2 “The Man Who Walks Off His Parkinsonian Symptoms” in the book The Brain’s Way of Healing by Norman Doidge, M.D.).  Papa is his own hero, winning smile, flaws and all.

Papa Makes Decision “Where Do I Go Now?”  After Hospitalization.  While In Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation.

August 7, I asked the Director of Social Services at the skilled nursing facility where Papa was at…

“Could we please have a meeting, with a Cantonese-speaking interpreter, so that my father can hear in his native language…what his choices are when he is discharged? I want him to make his own decision. He’s been asking me to help him go home. He needs to understand what is happening.”

Miracles involving my father also involves the ticking of a clock.

The meeting would take place that afternoon. I asked dear friend Sasa to go with me (I needed someone to witness my role).  The meeting would take place after Papa has his lunch and before my friend would need to leave at 2pm.

Staff members at this institution are pulled in various directions during a work day. The Director of Social Services was most accommodating.  Sasa and I arrived at 12:30, patients were waiting for lunch which was served later than usual today.  1:00pm  Papa’s puree and “controlled carbs” meal arrived (looks delicious, really).

At 1:40pm all the characters for the scene were in place – Papa; director of social services; interpreter who is also activities director; my friend Sasa; Papa’s caregiver Mrs. G who was visiting; and me.

What are the 3 options when skilled nursing facility discharges Papa?

• Go home? He was receiving 5 hours/day of care through IHSS. He now needs 24-hour care.  Who will pay for the 19 hours each day? His monthly income from Social Security is approximately $1,000; $300 of that goes to paying rent of a studio apartment in a senior housing; the balance pays for food, hygiene products, telephone, TV, SF Paratransit. My sister and I can contribute up to $700/month. Care-giving costs $35-$40/hour; most agencies want a 4-hour minimum each day; our $700/month would buy approximately 18 hours.
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• Go to an assisted living home or a board-and-care home (fewer residents in these types of homes) – in San Francisco Bay Area, minimum cost is over $3,000/month. According to https://www.senioradvisor.com/san-francisco-ca/how-much-does-san-francisco-assisted-living-cost  on average, a senior can expect to pay approximately $54,000 per year on these services.
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• Accept a Medi-Cal bed in a nursing home for long-term care. (If Papa were to private pay, the cost of nursing home care would be more than $300/day.)  Because he has Medi-Cal (thank God), he would authorize Social Security to transfer his monthly income to the nursing home. http://www.canhr.org/factsheets/medi-cal_fs/html/fs_medcal_overview.htm Medi-Cal is a combined federal and California State program designed to help pay for medical care for public assistance recipients and other low-income persons. There are 3 of these beds (vacancies) in the facility right now, on the nursing home floors.
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The Michael J. Fox Foundation  www.michaeljfox.org

https://www.michaeljfox.org/foundation/news-detail.php?swallowing-and-parkinson-disease  In addition to the classic motor symptoms of Parkinson’s (tremor, slowness, stiffness, walking and/or balance problems), a person may develop changes in speech and/or swallowing.  Speech and swallowing therapy exercises, combined with Parkinson’s medication adjustment and, if necessary, dietary and/or behavioral modifications are the mainstays of management.

… to improve swallowing and lessen the risk of aspirating. These could include dietary modifications — such as thickening liquids — and/or behavioral strategies, such as avoiding drinking through straws, tucking the chin to the chest when swallowing or taking smaller bites at slower intervals.

To hear a webinar presented by Michael J. Fox Foundation on urinary problems and Parkinson’s… click here or look up any webinar by visiting at www.michaeljfox.org/webinars.

http://canhr.org

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http://canhr.org/factsheets/rcfe_fs/html/rcfe_evalchecklist_fs.htm

Since 1983, California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (CANHR), a statewide nonprofit 501(c)(3) advocacy organization, has been dedicated to improving the choices, care and quality of life for California’s long term care consumers. Through direct advocacy, community education, legislation and litigation it has been CANHR’s goal to educate and support long term care consumers and advocates regarding the rights and remedies under the law, and to create a united voice for long term care reform and humane alternatives to institutionalization.

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Sincerely,

Teresa Jade LeYung

http://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/papa-wins-parkinsons-disease-loses-papa-wins/

 Writing Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan a Big Fan of Volunteers at EBRPD and Regional Parks Botanic Garden

 In March 2017, I (Teresa LeYung-Ryan) retired from East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD). My last post with the District was at the Regional Parks Botanic Garden  (aka “a living museum” ) as half-time Senior Office Assistant.  Another title would be “Email Pusher” (in my early career, that was called “paper pusher”). Honestly, so much of my work was communicating online, and creating and distributing documents electronically. Interacting with coworkers (at the Garden and District-wide), assisting visitors and callers, and working with volunteers had brought me joy to last a lifetime. I thank each person who has been kind to me.

Today August 5, 2017 at “the living museum” Volunteers will be recognized for their dedication helping Regional Parks Botanic Garden staff accomplish their annual goals and commitments. The Superstar Volunteers during the last 10 years of my career at the Botanic Garden include Ron Clendenen, Rosemary Clendenen, Sue Rosenthal, John Rusk – these folks had received special recognition from East Bay Regional Park District. I had the privilege of working with these four and many other superstar volunteers.  The beloved volunteers who are now angels watching over the Garden include Jenny Fleming, Es Anderson, Jock Anderson, Pat Eckhardt, Carrie Sprague, Miriam Pollock, Wayne Roderick (as you might know, Wayne was Steve Edwards’s predecessor as Botanic Garden Director). By the way, Steve has happily retired too; his successor is Bart O’Brien.

Volunteers, I celebrate you all!

I advise everyone to get a copy of this book – the book that has helped me help my father and my friends and their friends and families. I am NOT a medical student.; this book is for everyday people. Through the stories in Dr. Doidge’s books, I am able to implement changes and find more resources for my parent and friends.

The Brain’s Way of Healing: Remarkable Discoveries and Recoveries from the Frontiers of Neuroplasticity -  the second book by Norman Doidge, M.D.

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I am Theme Consultant/Platform-Building Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan who teaches my clients (writers and artists) how to reach out, not stress out, before and after publication –

* identify themes in your manuscripts so that you can rewrite with ease;

* identify themes in your intellectual properties and create scripts for your websites/blogs, pitches, query letters, press releases, talking-points, one-minute videos, photo slideshows, and the all-mighty blog posts.

Please visit http://LoveMadeOfHeart.com/blog and http://WritingCoachTeresa.com  for resources.

Coach Teresa’s motto:  “Reach out, not stress out. Help your fans find you BEFORE & AFTER publication”

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