Category: Health

24 Nov 2024 Thankful In Pain

by saymber, posted in Bipolar life, Health, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Spirituality and Religion, Veteran Affairs, Writing and blogging

Good day to you. I hope this finds you well. Today was the last of the I AmThankful series at church today. We got to listen to the inspiring story of John and Kristin who relocated to Middleton from California last year. In the midst of their transition they were thrown a major curve ball. One day Kristin was in severe pain and it turned out she had gall stones. A large one ended up rupturing and caused septics! When all was said and done she ended up losing part of her arms and both hands. She was wearing a prosthetic arm/hand on her right side. She said it was her faith that got her through it! A very inspiring story! It goes to prove something that I’ve said and has proven true in my life that if you think you have troubles just talk to someone else!

Messages from Pastor Jayson included these key points: 1) Contentment is a choice 2) Life rarely goes the way we think it should 3) A Faith that can’t be tested can’t be trusted and The things we focus on will determine our contentment.

Something that comes to mind for me and my experience is God always has a plan even in our suffering and discontent. It’s in his timing not ours! Every trial I have faced has been for my greater good in the end. If I was still living in Texas I would be so much worse off! I don’t think I would have found the church family I have or the relationship with Jesus I have now.

Philippians 4:13New International Version

13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

19 Nov 2024 Adversity

by saymber, posted in Bipolar life, Health, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Spirituality and Religion, Veteran Affairs, Writing and blogging

Hello to you from the chilly yet sunny state of Idaho. I hope this finds you well – if not I hope you know you are loved and people you have never met are praying for you. I pray for the world and those who think they have no one who cares for them each day. With the latest headlines we are facing great uncertainty and as brothers and sisters need to keep eachother in prayer even more than ever!

This morning I went over to my Aunts house and road with her to meet with some ladies from the last Bible study we did. We tried to meet and have coffee at The Harvesters but it was practically standing room only! So we had a change of plans and went to the Bible study leaders home instead. We each talked about our stories – especially health. Each of us has experienced and continue to experience adversity. What we have in common is leaning on our faith in Jesus to face those trials. I have only recently started to refer to God, my Lord, my savior as Jesus Christ. Growing up Roman Catholic we weren’t really taught that. I only ever believed in God. Since moving here to Idaho I have turned my life, my soul, specifically to Jesus. What’s ironic about that is every single manic episode I’ve had has in some way involved Jesus! It’s refreshing to not be manic and have Jesus in my life.

Adversity strikes us all in one way or another. It is how and to whom we turn to that makes all the difference as we face those trials. In my not so distant past I often tried to face and figure how to navigate troubles on my own. Having a relationship with Christ has helped relieve the burden of life’s adversities and I don’t feel so alone. When I go to church on Sundays I feel so welcome and part of a family apart from my biological family.

Romans 5:3-5New International Version

3 Not only so, but we[a] also glory in our sufferings,because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

26 August 2024 Fall Feeling

by saymber, posted in Art and Poetry, Bipolar life, Health, Mental Health, Spirituality and Religion, Writing and blogging

Hello to you. It’s been awhile since I’ve written to you. Not much new has been going on here with me. I just got back from a walk around the block and it was cooler. It’s starting to feel like fall already! The sunset is earlier and the temperatures are dropping. I’m not complaining! The only thing I haven’t liked about fall is cleaning up the leaves from my neighbors trees. Since I had one of them cutback it shouldn’t be as bad this year.

Leaves crinkling and curling

Breezes cooling sending them swirling

The skies are filled with birds traveling south

The beauty of the sight evokes awe from my mouth

Ever since I’ve gotten back on Depakote my creativity has gone away. It’s the sacrifice I’ve had to make for sanity! I miss the good parts of the highs or mania. It seemed like I had endless energy, thoughts and ideas. I don’t miss not being able to sleep and the endless chatter of inhabiting spirits. I have been stabile for over a year now and I’m grateful. Now if I could just lose the weight I’ve gained and stop feeling like a weeble wobble in my head I’d be all set!

Psalm 92

It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name, O Most High,

proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night,

to the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp.

For you make me glad by your deeds, LORD; I sing for joy at what your hands have done.

How great are your works, LORD, how profound your thoughts! (verses 1-5)

22 July 2024 Change

by saymber, posted in Bipolar life, Food, Health, Home, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Spirituality and Religion, Writing and blogging

Hello to you. How are you? It’s 104 degrees here in Idaho! Thank God for air conditioning! I have been waiting til later in the evening to walk and it’s still quite warm and the air quality is poor. I have to do something to tackle my weight problem and making myself get out and walk is one way of doing that. Change is not just my activity level but what I’m eating. My Aunt and I got together last Wednesday and cooked some meat together for meals. I have been really grateful to have them. What happened is I was told my blood sugar levels were headed into pre-diabetic levels and I weighed in 40 lbs heavier than just a few months ago! A side effect of the medication I take for my mental health is feeling hungry all the time. So I’m having to change my snacking habits in addition to what I’m eating for meals.

Just a brief word about President Biden stepping down I think that was a good move. I don’t know much about Vice President Harris. Hopefully she will choose a good running mate. I personally wish it was Robert F Kennedy Jr.

Do Not Worry Matthew 6:25-27

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[e]?

13 May 2024 Improvement

by saymber, posted in Health, Spirituality and Religion, Veteran Affairs

What’s one small improvement you can make in your life?

One small improvement I can make in my life is to exercise more. Today I went to my physical therapy appointment at the VA in Caldwell and she could tell I have improved in my strength but I need to do more. I am weak in my glutes – the muscles in my buttocks and those that support my lower back.

Hebrews 6:10-11New International Version

10 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. 11 We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized.

2 April 2024 Switch

by saymber, posted in Bipolar life, Health, Mental Health, Spirituality and Religion, Veteran Affairs, Writing and blogging

Hello to you. I’m experiencing a little frustration about my experience with the VA. I just found out I’m losing my counselor in a couple months- same thing happened with my psychiatrist! It keeps happening! They are interns that graduate and move on and then a new doctor switches in. It’s frustrating because I have to keep starting over! The positive thing is may be a new perspective will be helpful – I will just have to see.

2 Corinthians 5:17New International Version

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here!

29 March 2024 Laugh

by saymber, posted in Bipolar life, Health, Spirituality and Religion, Veteran Affairs, Writing and blogging

What makes me laugh? I laugh at comedians like Gabriel Iglesias – he is my favorite! It doesn’t matter how many times I watch his shows I always laugh. Another one is Sebastian Maniscalco. I’m the type of person who goes to a comedy show and laugh embarrassing loud! Live comedy is a lot of fun. I laugh at potty humor pretty easily!

I went to physical therapy today and I am really weak in my glutes and core. She gave me some exercises to do to regain some strength. I see her again in May so I will have some time to work on things between now and then. She was really informative.

Today is Good Friday, it’s always been hard to understand what was so good about such a solemn chain of events. Our church is having a service this evening at 6 pm.

Mark 10:33-34New International Version

33 “We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, 34 who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.”

21 March 2024 More

by saymber, posted in Bipolar life, Health, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Spirituality and Religion, Veteran Affairs, Writing and blogging

What do you wish you could do more every day?

I wish I had more stamina and energy to do more exercise each day. I need to lose weight!

Ephesians 3:20-21New International Version

20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen

30 Jan 2024 Complain

by saymber, posted in Health, Spirituality and Religion, Veteran Affairs, Writing and blogging

What do you complain about the most?

I would have to say I complain the most about my health. Within the past couple of years my health has taken a down turn. Today my doctor said my blood work and thyroid are fine. I’ve been scheduled for an EKG next month to make sure my heart is ok as I’m getting winded so easily. He is also sending me a topical treatment for my back and prescribing vitamin D as I was showing a low there. Getting older sucks! I remember a time when nothing bothered me physically! It seems like the fall I had a couple winters ago really has taken a toll on me – especially my back. It makes it hard to lose weight and be more active with a hurt back. The other thing is the tightness in my ears and rolling sensation when I walk. I worry sometimes that I’m going to trip and fall. Anyhew, my health is definitely what I complain about the most these days.

Psalm 41:2-3New International Version

2 The Lord protects and preserves them—
they are counted among the blessed in the land—
he does not give them over to the desire of their foes.
3 The Lord sustains them on their sickbed
and restores them from their bed of illness.

26 Jan 2024 Tradition

by saymber, posted in Health, Spirituality and Religion, Veteran Affairs, Writing and blogging

Write about a few of your favorite family traditions.

The main tradition we still have in my family is celebrating birthdays and the holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas. My Aunt doesn’t like to miss an opportunity to celebrate! This next month we are celebrating birthdays from January and February. My cousin will be turning the big 60 so we want to make it special. He and I share the same birthday just 4 years apart. There is usually cake, candles and presents. It’s nice to be together and celebrate.

Yesterday I cleaned at the Grace House for the first time and boy did I get tuckered out! I just don’t have the stamina I used to have. Ever since the fall I had a winter ago I haven’t been the same. I will have to work my way back up and get stronger.

Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)”So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.