December 2016 - Moving forward

Henderson-Hughes Health Partners (H3P) created Amplify Your Expertise to inform you, our readers about little know health issues. We apologize for the inconsistency through the years and look forward to being back on track in 2017.

2016 as with any other years has seen many deaths but the ones that are getting noticed are those of celebrity. It has many wanting to fast forward to the new year. However if they were to think seriously about the request, they would know that deaths will come in the new year too.  The sad part is that people are missing the depression that comes with the lost of a loved one. We as fans do feel a loss of a celebrity but not in the sense of those in the personal circle. Their void is much different that those of the fans. They knew them before the world did. Shared the struggle before the lime-lights shined on them. The regular people who choose to stand on the sidelines and applaud. We do the same for our families just with no notoriety. At some point in our lives we will experience losing a grandmother, grandfather, mother, father, sister, brother, son, daughter, aunt, or uncle. Some of us may get over the death of the person quickly and others may be forever stuck in the absence of their presence. If this is you check out GriefandMourning.com http://griefandmourning.com/resources for resources to help you in your grieving process.

As we welcome 2017, health improvement is usually one of the top 5 resolutions. Whether the goal is to quit smoking, drinking, drug use or lose weight, it all begins with being willing to make that change. Change takes time. The key is to set small obtainable goals to see your progress. For tips on a new healthy lifestyle regarding diet and exercise for 2017 check out https://www.choosemyplate.gov/. Need help to stop smoking check out https://smokefree.gov/. If 2017 is the year to limit alcohol consumption check out https://www.rethinkingdrinking.niaaa.nih.gov/. Thinking-about-a-change/ for tools. Lastly for drug abuse help check out National Institutes of Health(NIH) National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) https://easyread.drugabuse.gov/ for tips and tools on drug abuse prevention.

Happy New Year from the entire team of  Henderson-Hughes Health Partners (H3P)

August 2016 - Skin deep

As a seasoned parent, I believe I am well versed on the variety of illnesses that children could acquire. That was until I met and fell in love with my granddaughter Trinity. I knew that premature babies could have illnesses that dealt with lung, heart, brain and skin however I never imagined the laundry list of issues that would come with such a little baby girl.

Knowing that sensitive skin runs in our family it wasn't surprising that Trinity was diagnosed with eczema. Her mother has it and so did her deceased grandfather. The doctor first gave a prescription for a topical cream. After a few weeks we noticed no improvement. Another appointment was scheduled where a prescription for ointment was given. After a few more weeks passed we noticed no improvement.

Time to call the dermatologist. The pediatrician wanted more trial and error with different creams and ointments. After much frustration and one unhappy baby we finally called the insurance provider to find out the steps to obtaining a prior authorization. After a brief educational conversation with a wonderful representative, I found out that I just needed to find a dermatologist and inform the insurance plan and they would reach out to the doctor.

Here's an example of what my granddaughter's legs looks like.

The day finally comes for the dermatology appointment. I know that we will get some relief for Trinity. Going into the appointment I was aware of how to treat eczema from caring for my daughter. My first statement to the doctor was that I didn't believe Trinity had just eczema. The doctor informed me that I was correct. Trinity not only has eczema but also has ichthyosis. First thing that came to my mind was ichthyology the study of fish. Ichthyosis is a skin disorder named after the Greek word for fish. People who have ichthyosis experience overheating, dehydration, as well as itchy skin. In the case of Trinity her ichthyosis falls on her skin around her eczema which can make her pretty miserable at times. At this time there is no cure for ichthyosis. Comfort measures giving to us for Trinity are frequent baths, anti-itching liquids, and exfoliating the skin. For more information on ichthyosis check out "Living with Ichthyosis."

Reference:

http://www.firstskinfoundation.org/content.cfm/Ichthyosis/Living-with-Ichthyosis/page_id/741



July 2016 - An experience with health protocol

We are about to take a journey through a day with health professionals. At the end of this journey the goal is to see where improvements can be made to ensure better patient satisfaction. Our experience begins with a visit to a local doctor. At the doctor’s office you get a battery of tests done because you haven’t been feeling well and needed to know just what has been going on with you. After all of the tests were completed you are giving a return visit for a couple of weeks to go over the test results. As you wait the days that eventually turn into weeks, you become very anxious about what could possibly be the results of the tests. You pray for good results and continue to wait for your appointment day to finally arrive.

The follow up appointment day has finally arrived and you are cautiously excited about getting answers to why you haven’t been feeling quite yourself. You arrived at your appointment and get your vitals taken and wait in the room for the doctor to arrive with your test results. A knock comes at the door and the doctor comes in and tells you that all of your tests came back negative. They could find anything wrong with you. In your frustration you tell the doctor this cannot be correct you know how you feel and it is not normal. The doctor tries to console you but it just makes you more frustrated so much so that you say since you will never find an answer to why you feel the way you do you may as well kill yourself. In your frustration you fail to see that the mood of the room has now changed. The doctor has called security to take you away so that you don’t do any harm to yourself. You try to explain to the doctor that you only said you would kill yourself out of frustration and haste but it was too late. Security was on the way to the doctor’s office to get you.

Security arrives and it is not just one security officer, it is six security officers. They are all there to escort you to the emergency room. You explain to the security officers that there was a misunderstanding and that there was no need for their services. The security officers respond that you could either walk calmly with them or you would be taken by force. Not wanting to be embarrassed any more you walk with security to the emergency room. In your mind you are thinking this can’t get any worse than your six person escort but sadly you are wrong.

Once you arrive in the emergency room you are greeted by nurses, patient care advocates, and more security. You are told to remove all of your clothing and given a paper pants set to wear. Your phone, wallet, and money are all taken from you and you are placed in a room with the bare essentials. You have no way to tell your family where you are and your frustration continues to grow. You ask if you are on a psych hold and a nurse tells you no. You ask why you are here and are told that it is simply to speak to someone. In all of the confusion and the non-answers you are hearing all of the laughter and joking of the staff and can’t help but wonder if it is about you. However to not bring any more problems your way you remain quiet.

Four hours have passed and you realize you have to go to the bathroom. There’s no bathroom in your room but there is one in the hallway. So you ask the nurse to use the bathroom and she comes to get you to take you to the bathroom, where you learn that you have to use the bathroom with the door open. How humiliating for you. This day began so simple with just wanting to find out what was wrong with you and now you have a stranger watching you use the bathroom. You would cry but you will not give them the satisfaction of thinking you feel defeated. You ask your nurse why you are being treated this way. The nurse responds that you are on a psych hold. You say you asked whether you were on a psych hold and you were told you were just under observation. So you ask when you will speak to a doctor. You have to wait for a teleconference with a psychiatrist.

It has now been ten hours since this experience began. All you want is to get out of the hospital and go home and lay down. Yes, you are very angry and vow to sue everyone involved with your mistreatment. Finally the psychiatrist is available to speak to you and decides whether you can be allowed to leave. You explain to the doctor your plight and why you were frustrated enough to say you should kill yourself but you had no intentions of killing yourself. The doctor decides that you are stable and allows you to go home. You rush out of the hospital so that no one can change their mind at the last minute. Once you arrive home you explain to your family what happened and why you couldn’t return any of their calls or texts. You take a shower, get into your pajamas, and get into bed ready the end this day’s experience looking forward to the start of a fresh day.

A few take a ways from this experience: 1) Be careful of what you say in the presence of medical professionals it can be used against you. 2) Try your best to cooperate with the staff. 3) When dealing with an upset patient remember patience. 4) Lastly take time to communicate fully with a patient it will help deescalate the situation.

May 2016 - Beautiful, Loved and Blessed

When it comes to people committing suicide people usually say they were brave or cowards. From my own experience I was downright selfish. It was all about how I was feeling and how I wanted to end my pain. I have survived an abusive mother but still had contact with her on a daily basis. For my 9^th birthday, my mother gave me a gift that would shatter my new safe and happy world. In front of all the party guests she announced that she never wanted me. I was a product of rape and she never loved me. I was only alive thanks to my grandmother asking her not to have an abortion. Needless to say the party ended quickly.

My first heartbreak and I didn’t know how to soothe the pain. I would cry but I still didn’t feel any better. I kept playing the words my mother said over and over in my head. Each time the pain felt worse than the previous time. I had plunged deep into despair. I was still able to function as normal but when I came home I was back to my extended pity party.

I was still new to the neighborhood so I had no friends to speak to about my feelings. Everyone that was at my party was connected to my mother and really had nothing to say to me. They just looked at me as if I was a bird with a broken wing but no one offered to help with helping me heal. As time passed, the hole in my heart got bigger and I could not stop the pain. So I decided I would end the pain.

What does a 9 year girl know about ending pain? I knew nothing at all. I did know that my grandmother kept aspirin in her night stand. If I took enough aspirins that pain would go away and I would be a constant reminder to my mother of her pain. It was a perfect plan. At least I thought it was a perfect plan. I just needed to gain access to the aspirins without my grandmother knowing it.

Eventually, the opportunity came where I could get to those aspirins. A new problem arrived. They have a safety cap on them. How was I supposed to open them without damaging the top? I put the aspirin back into the drawer and walked out of my grandmother’s room. Would there ever be an end to the pain I felt? Will I live the rest of my days feeling unlovable?

Time passed and another opportunity came to get those pills. I had learned how to open the aspirin bottle with a butter knife and noticed there was no damage to the cap. I took a handful of aspirins and I swallowed them and I went into my bedroom and lay down and waited to die. I went to sleep and I woke up with a headache. I also woke up without the despair. I have no idea why but my 9^th birthday was no longer playing in my head. Maybe it was the headache or maybe it was the much need rest I received with taking the aspirins.

It was 1981 and suicide rates were low. “The suicide rate has risen by a quarter to 13 per 100,000 people in 2014 from 10.5 in 1999.”(Bichell, 2016). There are quite a few theories about why there is a rise in suicides in children from medication, lack of health care, and puberty. As a parent I know how working outside the home affects the children. A busy life makes you unable to see any warning signs when they happen. There is more access to medications as well as other means to commit suicide especially via the internet.

Prince wrote a song titled, “Beautiful, Loved and Blessed.” If only I could have spoken to my younger self to let her know just how beautiful, loved and blessed she was in spite of the pain she felt. Although our mother made a public declaration on not wanting us in 1981 she truly did love us and we would be there for her while she took her last breath in 2000. Thankfully, my younger self didn’t succeed in taking our life so that we can be here to help people of all ages with our programs we created for Henderson-Hughes Health Partners (H3P).

If you know or you are expericing thoughts of suicide please get help by calling the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800) 273-8255. www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org. If you have experienced the loss of a love one and need to talk with someone you can contact the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. For Crisis call (800) 273-TALK (8255) and for the office call

(888) 333-AFSP (2377). www.afsp.org

 

References:

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. www.afsp.org

Bichell, R. (2016). Suicide Rates Climb In U.S., Especially Among Adolescent Girls. Retrieved online. http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/04/22/474888854/suicide-rates-climb-in-u-s-especially-among-adolescent- girls?utm_source=npr_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=20160423&utm_campaign=npr_email_a_friend&utm_term=storyshare

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org

April 2016 - Single parent: choice, consequence, or both?

As of late I have been thinking about my journey to becoming an adult. I wish that I could say that it was paved with all wonderful days that lead me to many opportunities but that’s not the case. My mother abused and neglected me as a child. I can remember the horrible days living with my mother wishing for an end of the pain but mainly wondering what I could do to make my mother like me enough to stop beating me. As a child I didn’t know how to hate my mother because she was all I knew as family. One day however, I met my grandfather who came to get me and brought me home to live with my grandmother and him.

I remember walking the blocks to Vicksburg and how foreign it was to me. When we finally reached the apartment building I remember how huge it was compared with the four family flat on Gladstone. This new life I was presented seemed like an answer to my prayers and in many ways it was but I still had to face or deal with the damage that was caused by my everyday life with my mother as well as adjust to a new house, new rules, and new parents.

Over the years with living with my grandparents I was able to heal both the physical and mental wounds. Most importantly I learned just how real parental love felt. Contrary to popular belief I wasn’t spoiled by my grandparents. I received what I needed and if I was lucky I might get a want fulfilled. As time flew by I experienced my grandparents’ breakup and my grandfather’s death which I believe was the catalyst in my decision of wanting to be a single parent. I had no idea what being a single parent really meant at all I knew was that I saw the pain my grandmother was in after my grandfather left and I decided I didn’t want to experience that type of pain.

In 1992, 888.5 live births to unmarried women per 1000 total live births for the 19 year old age group (National Center for Health Statistics, 1995). In the state of Michigan, 21,431 unmarried black women gave birth in 1992(National Center for Health Statistics, 1995). I was one of those women. I had no idea how to be parent especially a single parent but more importantly I had no idea of the struggle of a single parent. I was so caught up in not wanting to experience the drama and pain from relationships that I didn’t acknowledge how my experience would affect my child.  My daughter didn’t want for anything except a real relationship with her father but her father didn’t reciprocate her feelings. After allowing an on and off relationship between my daughter and her father over the years, I decided it was time to have the ultimate conversation with my daughter’s father about what his intentions were as a parent. Was he going to be the father she needed and be in her life or continue to be the somewhat nonexistent relationship they had created? In time the decision was made for him when I met my husband and started a new life chapter.

The decision of a selfish teenager back in 1991 has caused damage to the child I chose to have in 1992. My daughter had her first child in 2010 at the age of 18. 2013, she had her second child. April 2014, both children were removed from my daughter’s custody due to neglect by the Department of Child Safety. In December 2014, my daughter had her third child that was also removed by the Department of Child Safety.

In 2016, the decision to be a single parent is not given a second thought. When I decided to become a single parent in the late 80’s, early ‘90s it was not a popular decision. Now that I am older and hopefully a bit wiser, I can see why single parenthood is not a great decision especially when you are 19 years old. No, I cannot undo the damage that I caused by my selfish choice but I can help in the healing process. No parent or child is perfect. We all have flaws. The great thing about life is that we get chances to repair our mistakes if we still have breath in our bodies.

Reference: June 1995. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital and Health Statistics. From the CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION / National Center for Health Statistics. Births to Unmarried Mothers: United States, 1980–92. Tables 5 and 6.