Rolling into town this week is Kevin Werbach’s Supernova at Mission Bay #SN09, Scott Kirsner’s Building Audiences at BAVC, and Ken Goldberg’s Future of the Forum at UC Berkeley.  Meanwhile in Vegas, the International Film & Music Festival Summit will be training screeners and festival directors, chatting about programming strategies and brainstorming the future role of festivals as distributors. You can follow that conversation at #IFFS09, #IMFCON09.  We’ll be here in San Francisco focusing on Supernova as well as dropping in on the San Francisco International Auto Show at Moscone to check out the latest in auto-entertainment platforms. Supernova will be streaming live at:  http://bit.ly/sn09stream. Network age briefings at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/supernova.  Here’s the guide:

Tu 12/1 Supernova @ Mission Bay
9, Social Networks in the Workplace
Denise Howell, This Week in Law, Alex Macgillivray, Twitter, Kerry Krzynowek, Deloitte, Gabe Ramsey, Orrick
10, Trademarks and Intermediaries
Eric Goldman, Santa Clara University Law School, Samir Jain, WilmerHale, Laura Covington, Yahoo!, Dan Dougherty, eBay
11, Copyright:  A Fair (Use) Fight
Zahavah Levine, YouTube, Ashlie Beringer, Gibson, Colette Vogele, Larry Downes
12, Lunch
1, Opening Remarks
Kevin Werbach, Wharton
1:10, Pervasive Connectivity Alters Everything
Danah Boyd, Microsoft, Adam Greenfield, Nokia
2, Changing Networks
Werner Vogels, Amazon, Jonathan Zittrain, Harvard, Bradley Horowitz, Google
3, Break
3:30 Networks for Change
Umair Haque, Havas, Anil Dash, Expert Labs, David Weinberger, Cluetrain Manifesto, Andrew McLaughlin, Deputy US CTO
4:15, Break
4:30, Strategic Change
Chris Anderson, Wired, Peter Guber, Mandalay, Phil McKinney, HP
5:45, Surprise Entertainment
6:30, Opening Gala & Tech Showcase

W 12/2 Supernova @  Folger, 101 Howard/Spear, Suite 500
7:30 Breakfast
9, Strategies for a Connected World
Kevin Werbach, Wharton, JP Rangaswami, BT, John Hagel, Deloitte, Umair Haque, Havas, Ellen Levy, LinkedIn
10:30, Wharton Talks
Karl Ulrich & Eric Clemons, Wharton, Larry Strickling, NTIA
11, Building Startups Today
Dave McClure, Founders Fund, Rashmi Sinha, SlideShare, Christine Herron, First Round Capital, Bruce Jenett, DLA Piper
11, Is There a Media Business?
Lisa Stone, BlogHer, Jim Griffin, WMG, Catharine Hays, Wharton, Cory Ondrejka, Second Life
11, Privacy and the Social Web
Kraig Baker, Davis Wright, Harriet Pearson, IBM, Anne Toth, Yahoo!, Deirdre Mulligan, UC Berkeley
12:30, Lunch
1:30, Real-Time Flow
Tim O’Reilly, Dick Costolo, Twitter, Brett Slatkin, Google, Monica Keller, MySpace
3, Life in the 21st Century
Esther Dyson, EDventure, Bernardo Huberman, HP Labs, Linda Stone
3, Broadband After Unviersal Connectivity
Joe Waz, Comcast, Paul Brigner, Verizon
4:30, Nicole Wong, Google
6, Cocktails

Th 12/3 Supernova @ Folger, 101 Howard/Spear, Suite 500
7:30, Breakfast
8:30, Fun with Fun with Charles Hudson, Serious Business
8:30, Telecom as Software with Jonathan Christiansen, Skype, Craig Walker, Google
10, Data Minimization
10:30, Taking Data Seriously with Chris Kemp, NASA Ames
10:30, Tech Meets Sustainability with Adam Werbach, Saatchi, Robin Chase, Zipcar..
12, Lunch
1, Roundtables
2:30, Closing Plenary
Jimmy Wales, Wikipedia, Craig Newmark, Craigslist

8 Tips For Avoiding Holiday Weight Gain

Will you be trying to avoid gaining weight this holiday season?  If so, you’re not alone.  But this is a tough time of year to be watching your weight.

So…What can you do to avoid the dreaded holiday weight gain?

Well, its NOT diet (save that for your New Year’s resolution).

Until then, here are my top 8 tips for avoiding weight gain this holiday season…

Read full post at catherine-morgan.com

We all know that no one gets into writing – or blogging – for the money. So, what’s it all for? I ponder this very question from time to time and wonder what it is that keeps me going, or coming back for more.

Without a doubt, I would have to say that being introduced to so many amazing writers, inspiring individuals and awesome parents is what makes this whole ride worthwhile. Knowing that there are people reading these words and sharing similar ideas and experiences encourages me to keep writing, sharing and reading.

This year on Thanksgiving, I want to take the time to thank each and every one of you – especially those of you who took the time to comment on my blog this past year. Many of you I have had the pleasure of meeting in person, either at BlogHer, or here in San Diego at a local event.

It’s been an absolutely fantastic journey so far and I look forward to getting to know each of you even better.

• Ali @The Rehan Family
• Amy @AmyMusings
• Ann @AnnsRants
• Astacia @Mamikaze
• BlondeMom @BlondeMomBlog
• Carrie @ItsFrugalBeingGreen
• Cat @SparksPhotography
• Christina @ChristinaRodriguez
• Deborah @ComfortJoyDesigns
• Deanna @LilDevilMama
• Diane @TheMommyDiaries
• Dr. Leah @SingleMommyhood
• Emmie @LifeBehindTheCurve
• HeadlessMom @TheHeadlessFamily
• Heather @RookieMoms
• Janice @5minutesformom
• Jason @KimandJason
• Jennifer @MySailorsMistress
• Jenny @JennyOnTheSpot
• Jessica @BernThis
• Jim @BusyDadBlog
• Joe @Joeprah
• Kelly @ChildhoodClothing
• Kelly @MochaMomma
• Kristin @HalfwayToNormal
• Leah @Bookieboo
• Lotus @SarcasticMom
• Mary @MamaMaryShow
• Matthew @ChildsPlayX2
• Mel @ADramaticMommy
• Rachel @ASouthernFairyTale
• Rachel @SingleMomSeeking
• Shauna @ShaunaGlenn
• SingleMom @SingleMomSurvives
• Sugar @SugarInTheRaw
• Theresa @RockOnMommies
• Tonya @ThisAndThat

Thanks to everyone who has visited here, read my words, laughed out loud, cried with me, or simply clicked here by mistake.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Healthy Hip Parenting
Peace Begins in the Home

The CDC estimates that there are 76 million cases of food-borne illnesses each year, and of that number more than 300,000 will be hospitalized and 5,000 will die.  Those are high numbers, especially considering these types of illnesses are very preventable.

On Thursday we will all be sitting down to Thanksgiving dinner, and some of us will even contract one of these food-borne illnesses.  But there are things we can do to reduce our risk of of food-borne illness.

To start, here is a great video on Holiday Food Safety from the FDA website…

From Nourishing Thoughts – Holiday Food Safety Tips…

It’s food safety month. With all the holiday food preparations for large groups it is easy to forget some good food safety habits. We are defrosting foods, preparing some foods early, other foods are sitting out for periods of time. To help you keep your foods germ free, here is a list of some key reminders:

From Anne Louise’s Edge On Health Blog – Spice Up Your Holiday Cooking…

Everyone wants a great tasting Thanksgiving feast. Isn’t it nice to know that seasoning with herbs and spices can also kill the bacteria, fungi, and viruses that cause food poisoning?

Better yet, some—like cayenne, cinnamon, garlic, and turmeric—offer well-documented benefits for autoimmune disease, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, lung and neurological problems.

From Consumer Reports – Ask The Expert About Thanksgiving Food Safety…

Foodborne illnesses don’t take a holiday just because we do. When you are cooking your turkey, use a meat thermometer to make sure it reaches a temperature high enough to kill bacteria. And remember to keep your cooking surfaces clean to avoid cross-contaminating foods.

Food safety is a big issue all year round, not just around the holidays.  Here are some reasons why.

Last month BlogHer contributing editor Kim Pearson wrote – Once Again, Food Safety is an Urgent Concern…

Let’s get one thing straight; I love a good, juicy, flame-grilled burger, preferably with cheese. But I’m not dying for one.

Unfortunately, a story in today’s New York Times reveals that after years of industry self-regulation, tens of thousands of people are sickened every year by E. Coli. a bacteria commonly found in animal feces. In a small percentage of those cases, people are sickened to the point of paralysis or death.

From The Congress Blog – Food Safety Bill Should Be Passed By End of Year…

Millions of Americans are sickened with food-related illnesses in the United States every year, with hundreds of thousands of people hospitalized and thousands more dying as a result.

Congress has a historic opportunity to address this critical issue. A food safety bill moving through the U.S. Senate this week has strong, bipartisan support. Lawmakers should act quickly to pass the bill by the end of the year and give the U.S. Food and Drug Administration enhanced authority to oversee the safety of the nation’s food supply.

From Elizabeth at Moms Rising – We Need Food Safety: Ashley’s Story…

My five-year-old daughter Ashley loves to swim, go to ballet class and tag along after her big sister Isabella. To the world, Ashley is a picture of health and vitality. While she appears to be thriving, my husband and I struggle to deal with her multiple daily medications, a severely restricted diet and the near-certainty that she will undergo several kidney transplants – all because of contaminated spinach containing E. coli 0157:H7 she ate as a toddler.

Ashley was only two years old when, fighting a serious E. coli 0157:H7 infection, she spent six weeks in a hospital, and four months on dialysis. Today, her kidney function is estimated to be less than 25 percent.

From Eat. Drink. Better – Food Safety and School Lunch Programs…

If foods in school lunches came from local producers, growers, and processors, schools would be able to more easily trace food back if there was a problem. And eliminating the storage and transportation steps in the middle could cut down on the possibility for contaminants to get into food or for food to be stored improperly.

There are some people working on this issue. According to The National Farm to School Network, 42 states have operational farm to school programs which reach about 8,943 schools. I have to admit I don’t know the details about those programs or what other programs there are, but this investigation provides at least one other good example of why it should get looked at further.

Also See:

• Progress Towards FDA Food Safety
• From NPR – Advocates Press Congress To Pass Food Safety Bill
• From Dr. Susan – Holiday Food Safety When You’re Pregnant
• S.T.O.P.  – America’s Voice For Safe Food
• FoodSafety.gov

Are you worried about food-born illnesses this holiday season?  Are you taking precautions to prevent these types of illnesses?  Have you or a member of your family ever contracted a food-born illness?  How bad was is?

My Thanksgiving food safety tip is…Never stuff the turkey.  I stick onions, garlic and seasonings inside the turkey while it cooks just to add flavor, but I always make the stuffing separately.  What are your tips for holiday food safety?  Let us know in comments.

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
at Catherine-Morgan.com and Women4Hope

Unless you’ve been under a rock all week, you have probably heard about the government task force that has recommended new guidelines for breast cancer prevention.  It goes something like this…

If you’re younger than 50 or older than 75, you no longer have to worry your pretty little head about breast cancer, or getting those pesky boob squishing mammograms.

Hallelujah!  I wonder how long it will be before we go back to giving women Valium for chest pain?  Who needs preventative care when it’s not 100% effective anyway?  Hell, just go ahead and give us anti-anxiety meds for all of our ills…I’ll betcha we save a bundle on healthcare costs. Women already outlive men by a bunch of years, maybe this will even things out a bit…Isn’t equality what we’ve been cryin about all these years?

OK, I know, I went a little too far with my analogy.  But seriously, this is what’s going on…

*Read full post at catherine-morgan.com

So insidious:

Over the past few days, a Biblical verse has reportedly topped the google trends charts. It is also turning up in bumper stickers and tee shirts across the country. It reads:

“Pray for Obama: Psalm 109:8”

But what do you see when you look up that Psalm?

“May his days be few; may another take his office.”

But take a look at the whole psalm, especially the lines immediately after this one — lines the original framer of this sticker — and many others after him/her could not have failed to miss:

9 May his children be fatherless
and his wife a widow.

10 May his children be wandering beggars;
may they be driven from their ruined homes.

Diana Butler Bass in her blog on Sojourner’s Magazine says “Thus, the “Prayer for Obama” does more than anticipate that he leaves office; it entreats God to destroy the president.”

(via)

Your Thoughts?

Over the last few days, for no reason whatsoever, I’ve been feeling pretty low. I’ve been keeping quiet, staying away from my usual connections – both online and in real life. Today, I had a ton of things to do after dropping off my son at school and I was starting to feel really anxious, frustrated and impatient – with myself and my office equipment.

As I was trying frantically to get this week’s newsletter out before 5pm (my personal deadline), I decided to check in to my Facebook page for a quick distraction and to see what everyone’s been up to today.

What I saw made my heart stop and I have been sick with worry ever since. Right there at the top of the page was the status update that I had to read twice before I realized that I needed to sit down (but I was already sitting down).

Anissa Mayhew

Anissa Mayhew is in the ICU after suffering a stroke this afternoon. Her husband, Peter, updated her Facebook status and there are thousands of us (literally) standing by waiting for the next update (and to learn whether or not Anissa was wearing clean underwear when she was admitted into the hospital).

For those of you who don’t know Anissa, let me quickly share the list of sites that she writes for, starting with the blog that is dedicated to Peyton, her youngest daughter who was diagnosed with leukemia in 2006.

• Hope for Peyton
• Free Anissa
• Aiming Low
• The Mayhew Review
• Blog Nosh

Just last week we celebrated with Anissa as her daughter reached a full year since her last chemo treatment. Anissa’s brought us along on her journey, through the ups and downs of Peyton’s treatment and recovery.  I have cried and laughed with Anissa over the years, mostly laughed, since it’s Anissa’s sense of humor that is the most prominent part of her personality, besides how genuinely compassionate and sweet she is.

I had the pleasure of meeting her, finally, in Chicago this past summer at BlogHer. She sat on the floor in front of me during the Humor Panel and upon noticing me, instantly put Aiming Low stickers on both my nipples. Yes, this is the Anissa that I  love and admire and laugh with and am now praying for.

I look forward to laughing with her again soon. Please keep her in your prayers. She’s in ours!

#prayersforanissa

Happy Healthy Hip Parenting
Peace Begins in the Home

The Great American Smokeout happens every year on the third Thursday in November, and it has been going on each year since 1977.  This is a day that smokers all across the country are encouraged to not smoke, or at least cut back on their smoking for one day.  Each year millions of smokers participate in the smokeout in the hope that this one step will be the catalyst to their quitting permanently.

On the American Cancer Society’s website you can find a lot of great information to help you with this challenge…

• Reasons to Quit
• Guide to Quitting Smoking
• Planning your Quit Day

You can also read about the history of The Great American Smokeout here.

From Suite 101…

The American Cancer Society uses this yearly event to not only draw attention to the health issues and dangers that accompany smoking, but also to point smokers who struggle with quitting towards the many resources and tools available to them.

It has been proven that success in quitting smoking is greatly increased when smokers have support. This support can come in a number of ways. The ACS recommends that smokers eager to kick the habit employ one or more of these resources:

• nicotine replacement products (such as the patch or gum);
• counseling;
• prescription medication to lessen nicotine cravings;
• joining a stop smoking support group;
• using telephone smoking cessation hotlines;
• guide books;

Are you a smoker?  Will you be abstaining from smoking for the Great American Smoke Out?

Here’s a look at some of what other women are blogging about quitting smoking…

READ THE FULL POST AT catherine-morgan.com

Do you know someone who suffers with Alzheimer’s disease?  Or someone who is a caregiver to a loved one with this devastating disease?  If so, you understand the heartache associated with an Alzheimer’s diagnosis.

Who are we without our memories of past experiences?  For most of us, the though of losing our memories to Alzheimer’s disease is horrifying.  But there is much more to Alzheimer’s than memory loss.

*Read full post at catherine-morgan.com

Description

This is in defense of an article I wrote on extremists and social media on mobile phones or IPODS. I do not use those methods of media, and blogged on our green lifestyle

Please click and read link below

Sharing a Little Green Part of Me | BlogHer.

Thanks to tools like the WordPress analytics tool, Google Analytics and HootSuite I can gauge how many people visit my blog, website and Twitter feed, which sites refer the most readers, most popular posts, etc.

When it comes to referrals, I am eternally grateful to sites like  Web English Teacher, FreeReading, Reading Rockets and the Reading Tub (amongst many others) for continuing to send large amounts of traffic to this blog and for sharing so many wonderful posts and literacy resources themselves. It is so wonderful that from Dubai, I can connect with literacy-lovers from around the world!

Yesterday, I noticed two new referral sites that I thought I would share simply because their content was so useful to me!

The transliteracy sideshow above by librarian Bobbi Newman and featured on library professional Gena Hasket’s post on BlogHer is an excellent presentation to share with educators, learners, librarians and parents on the importance of transliteracy – the ability to read, write and interact across a range of platforms, tools and media. Thanks Gena for recommending that readers think about and promote transliteracy. And, thank you for sending readers here to this blog!

I would also like to give a shout out to the American Association of School Librarians for including a link to this blog in the School Library Media Specialist’s Roll in Reading Toolkit. If you are looking for toolkits and advocacy materials for helping parents, teachers and others understand the importance of transliteracy, digital literacy, information literacy, etc., make sure to view all of the toolkits on the American Association of School Librarians’ site.

Thinking about transliteracy…

Anna

@bon_education

It’s true.

I was so excited about the trip to Chicago and the chance to meet bloggers in real life. I talked about it non-stop for a few months. I saved up all of my money. My cousin and I had great plans for fun times. Then about two months before the blogging conference FINALLY arrived, I talked my Hubs into letting me launch a photography business. On a dream and a prayer, we built a little website. By the time July arrived, my little photography business had taken off! I was already raising my prices because I didn’t have time to take on so many sessions. I’d overbooked myself and was desperately trying to churn out edited photos in time for the next client. My trip to Chicago turned into a business trip as I booked lessons on photography and met a friend for headshots in the park. It was wild and exciting but also draining.

Then in August school started. I cut my schedule back and I picked up new tricks for streamlining the editing process, but still I was working almost every evening after school on a shoot or editing. Life seemed full and hectic. Hubster says I had a shorter temper than usual. I was obviously strained.

My load lightened a little in September as I cleared room for Bri’s birthday. Things weren’t so overwhelmingly busy anymore. In October I started to feel major burn out with school. There are so many perks to working from home and my expectations for my job had been unrealistically high. I thought that all of my problems with teaching were due to the inner city school system. When I moved to my new job, I’d expected the kids to be perfect and the paperwork to be lighter. The kids, while much better, are still in fact kids. We won’t even start talking about the paperwork.

So that’s what has happened. The photography business has consumed all of my free time. I love taking pictures and seeing the final results! It’s been quite an adventure.

November is Epilepsy Awareness Month.  I hope this post will provide information and facts about epilepsy, while also showcasing women blogging about life with seizures.

Here are some epilepsy facts from CURE Epilepsy…

• Epilepsy affects over 3 million Americans of all ages – more than multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, and Parkinson’s disease combined. Almost 500 new cases of epilepsy are diagnosed every day in the United States. Epilepsy affects 50,000,000 people worldwide.
• In two-thirds of patients diagnosed with epilepsy, the cause is unknown.
• Epilepsy can develop at any age and can be a result of genetics, stroke, head injury, and many other factors.
• In over thirty percent of patients, seizures cannot be controlled with treatment. Uncontrolled seizures may lead to brain damage and death. Many more have only partial control of their seizures.
• The severe epilepsy syndromes of childhood can cause developmental delay and brain damage, leading to a lifetime of dependency and continually accruing costs—both medical and societal.
• It is estimated that up to 50,000 deaths occur annually in the U.S. from status epilepticus (prolonged seizures), Sudden Unexplained Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP), and other seizure-related causes such as drowning and other accidents.
• The mortality rate among people with epilepsy is two to three times higher than the general population and the risk of sudden death is twenty-four times greater.
• Recurring seizures are also a burden for those living with brain tumors and other disorders such as cerebral palsy, mental retardation, autism, Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, multiple sclerosis, tuberous sclerosis, and a variety of genetic syndromes.

I found this video on a blog called My 3 Peanuts – It is a very informative video that explains exactly what happens during a seizure.

Understanding Epilepsy…

READ FULL POST AT catherine-morgan.com

Thanks to Lisa Stone, cofounder of BlogHer, for this month’s Songs for Writers selection:

“Wuthering Heights” by Kate Bush.

What’s your suggestion for Songs for Writers?

Hey Cincinnati Women Bloggers!

If you missed registration for tomorrow night’s CWB/Cincy Social Media event at Empower with Jory Des Jardin from BlogHer, never fear. CWB has 8 tickets available for members.

If you are interested in attending, email CincinnatiWomenBloggers@gmail.com.  The first eight women to respond will receive a ticket.

Cincinnati Women Bloggers has partnered with Cincinnati Social Media for an event Thurs, Oct. 29th: Building Community with BlogHer’s Jory Des Jardins.  A limited number of tickets are available. Registration is open, here: http://bit.ly/44pWuT

The latest research on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome has it linked to a cancer-causing retrovirus…

Last week I was reading a lot about the latest research linking Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) to the XMRV Retrovirus.  Some of the articles even implied that people suffering with CFS (like myself) should be excited at the possibility that this news could lead to better diagnosis and treatment of CFS.  But, it’s not exactly good news for CFS patients, especially for patients hoping for a cure.  Here’s why…

Read full post at catherine-morgan.com

*cross-posted at BlogHer Health & Wellness

Last week I was reading a lot about the latest research linking Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) to the XMRV Retrovirus.  Some of the articles even implied that people suffering with CFS (like myself) should be excited at the possibility that this news could lead to better diagnosis and treatment of CFS.  But, it’s not exactly good news for CFS patients, especially for patients hoping for a cure.  Here’s why…

While finding a virus linked to CFS may sound promising – Just cure the virus and you cure the disease.  It’s much more complicated than that.  The virus being linked to CFS is a retrovirus, it’s not the sort of virus we can just throw some anti-viral medicine at to get rid of it.   It’s a complicated process, but it goes something like this – Ordinary viruses attack a cell and eventually kill it during it’s process of spreading to other cells.  Retroviruses don’t just spread they also mutate the cell (without killing it), so mutated cells go on to replicate and spread the virus as well as the cell mutations.  So the cell mutation part is what makes this type of virus more difficult, and why we are hearing it compared to the HIV virus (another retrovirus).  But this is only one study, there will need to be many, many more studies before we have any definitive answers.

While I appreciate the fact that CFS is finally getting the attention it deserves, there is still a lot of research to be done.  This retrovirus finding is a very important “key” to unlocking the truth about this debilitating disease.  However, I don’t necessarily see it as the smoking gun.   Granted, I’m not a scientist, but I do have my personal experience with this disease (and the medical background of a nurse), and this is my first impression about these latest findings…

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a disease that (among other things) weakens a person’s immune system.  So this finding of a specific retrovirus being found in a large number of CFS patients is a classic “what came first the chicken or the egg” scenario.  Did the weakened immune system create the perfect petri-dish for this virus to exist?  Or did this virus contribute to the weakened immune system?   The bottom line is – There is much more research that needs to be done before we can get the answers we are looking for.  I do hope that these new findings can at least put to rest any idea that CFS is “all in the head” of the patient.

I actually had a neurologist tell me a few years ago (to my face) that he did not believe in my diagnosis.  If that’s not bad enough, when I called him on it, and asked if he thought my symptoms were all in my head…He told me that I probably had MS (multiple sclerosis) and it just hadn’t been able to be diagnosed yet.  What?  This “so called” medical specialist was so against acknowledging that chronic fatigue syndrome could exist, that he actually had the nerve to “pre” diagnose me with a condition that I had already been tested for and told I did not have.  Explaining that “if” my symptoms were real, then I would have to eventually be diagnosed with a “real” disease.   I’m not a violent person, but I REALLY wanted to punch this man freak in the face…I think he graduated from the Doctors for Dummies School of Medicine (and that’s all I’ll say about that).

OK…Sorry for the rant, I’ll get back to my feelings on this latest research now.

Don’t get me wrong, I am ecstatic that there is finally some actual scientific research being done on chronic fatigue syndrome.  I was beginning to wonder just how long doctors would be allowed to get away with making personal judgments on whether or not to “believe” in a CFS diagnosis (a diagnosis that is already accepted by the AMA and CDC).

I hope these latest finding will (at the very least) help educate both the public and the medical community, that this is a real disease with real symptoms that need to be treated–not ignored.  This is from a statement I wrote for the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Advisory Committee that met in Washington D.C.  (in May of 2007), and I believe it is still relevant today…

Being a single mother is not easy under any circumstances, but being a single mother with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome has been particularly difficult. I have been suffering with this insidious cluster of debilitating symptoms (referred to as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), for over ten years. But it has only been more recently that I have come to accept that this condition isn’t going away. The funny thing is, even though I am caught in the middle of mourning for the person I might have been, and accepting the person I am, I’ve begun to feel hopeful. Hopeful because, by letting go of the burden of needing to be cured, I am also letting go of the idea that if I just got more sleep, or got more exercise, or took the right combination of medications, or found the right doctor, that somehow I would be better. This thought process is exactly what keeps someone with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome down. It puts a judgment on them, that they are somehow responsible and this is not true. So, letting go of this type of destructive thinking is half the battle with this disease. And I think that is why this type of awareness (that is being done here today) is so important.

I believe we can all agree on the importance of research so that a diagnostic tool can be found, and a treatment developed. However, what is equally important, but continues to be overlooked, is the acceptance by doctors that this is a “real” medical condition and not an “emotional” problem.

Are many people with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome depressed? Of course they are. Anyone suffering from a chronic debilitating medical condition, is most likely going to have some degree of sadness, anxiety, or depression associated with it. A physician wouldn’t dream of telling a patient with Lupus that depression is the cause of their disease, but surely there are many patients with Lupus who are also depressed. And by all means, depression, whether associated with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, or any other medical condition, needs to be addressed and treated. Depression is a symptom associated with this disease, not the cause of this disease. By “blaming” this disease on depression, or any other “emotional” disorder…Well, that is simply “blaming” the patient for their disease, and that couldn’t be farther from the truth.

The truth is, doctors become doctors for the same reason I became a nurse, so they can help people. And, I think doctors feel helpless when they have a patient that they can’t “fix.”  Herein lies the problem. Patients can not, and should not have to WAIT to receive compassion and treatment from their doctors, until scientific research has found a way to cure them. Just as I have come to accept my condition, doctors must come to accept this condition and treat the patients and their symptoms accordingly.

There is so much a doctor can do to help a patient with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. The most important is to accept them and their diagnosis. Don’t tell them you don’t believe in the diagnosis. What purpose does that serve, other than to degrade them? Second, do not pass judgment on the patient for their condition. Treat patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome the same way you would treat anyone else with a chronic medical condition, with respect and dignity. We are not just patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, we are human beings. Third, work together with the patient to address the specific symptoms of their disease. It doesn’t matter what you call this disease, a physician CAN treat the patient and their symptoms regardless of what the name of the disease is. A physician CAN treat the patient and their symptoms regardless of whether research has found a cause or cure for the disease.

These are simple things, that could be implemented right now. Today is what matters to us. Today is all any of us have. Help us get through today, then tomorrow, and then help us take one day at a time towards being as well as we can be, given our disease. If you can do that, you will be making a huge difference in our lives… Anything less, is tantamount to “doing harm”. So please – Do No Harm – that is all I ask.

So…That’s what I think about it, and I’ll step off of my soap-box now.  I would love to know what you think in comments.

Here is a video from the 2006 Awareness Campaign by the CDC designed to inform physicians on the treatment of patients with CFS (obviously my neurologist wasn’t in attendance)…

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
at Catherine-Morgan.com and Women4Hope

Do you know what ‘eos’ stands for?…Evolution of Smooth. And they mean it, too.

EOS gave away some fabulous shave cream and amazing lip balm at BlogHer 09 and I quickly became addicted.

Not only does their Ultra Moisturinzing Shave Cream totally live up to the promise of being so moisturizing that you can shave wet or dry, but it smells clean and is creamy – not a foamy mess. I’ve tried the Island Blue, Cucumber Melon, and the Sensitive Skin (fragrance free) versions but I can’t wait to get my hands on the Vanilla Bliss and Lavender Jasmine. All of them also have antioxidants to help skin look smooth and refreshed – and goodness knows, at my age I can use as much antioxidant power as I can get my hands on! Also, they’re not overpriced! At about $3.50 a bottle, they’re worth every penny – they last FOREVER. I just used the last of the bottle I received at BlogHer a few weeks ago. It just kept going and going. And the bottle is soft, recycleable plastic – making it easy to grip in the shower and it doesn’t leave a rust ring in the corner. The texture is more like a lotion than a shaving cream – it’s not gel-ish or foamy at all – it’s creamy and thick and easy to apply. It’s also cute…and I’m a total sucker for packaging…take for instance the Organic Smooth Sphere Lip Balm…don’t even get me STARTED! (OK, get me started….)

First, it’s organic…nice, right?! Then you get flavors like Sweet Mint (little slice o’heaven) and Summer Fruit (a light, citrusy scent that doesn’t make you feel like you’ve been sucking lemons)…seems too good to be true, huh?! And to top it all off, it’s packaged in a cute little sphere that sits on my nightstand table and is easy to grab and use in the middle of the night – when my lips need some moisturizing. When I first saw it, I thought ‘now this is odd..how am I supposed to apply this round ball to my lips?’ But honestly, it’s super easy to apply and makes my lips feel nice and kissy (so says DH). Happy feature?…Pineapple loves the shape of the ball and pretends to put on the lip balm and smack her lips…priceless!

I’ve purchased the Honeysuckle Honeydew Lip Sphere (sounds yummy, huh?!) for stocking stuffers and I thought you might appreciate some stocking stuffers of your own – so, eos has agreed to let me give away 2 BUNDLES of their products!!!! (LUCKY YOU!) They were kind enough to send me the Sweet Mint Lip Sphere, the Summer Fruit Lip Sphere, the Cucumber Melon Shave Cream, and the Sensitive Skin (fragrance-free) Shave Cream…and you can win a similar bundle! All you have to do is follow the instructions below to enter and you can have some awesome stocking stuffers…or fill your own stocking…shhh….I won’t tell!

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY

Visit the eos site and leave a comment below letting me know what eos product you’d love to get your hands on. – 2 Entries

Become a fan of PineappleBabble on Facebook – and let me know you have. – 1 Entry

Become a fan of eos on Facebook – comment about that, too. – 1 Entry

UDATE: Winners of the eos products giveaway are @Photina and @Jenn!!!! Email me with your addresses – and congratulations!!!!!!!