On July 31st, 2017 developed my blog, https://katchallis.com
In October 2018, I had made it to my first goal- 100 people made visits to my blog site. Now, April 10th, 2020, A 1000+ haved viewed my blog site and some kindly left messages; thank you.
I write to inform, I write to Inspire, and I write to belong to something better than myself. I hope you enjoy what I have to say and then share me with your friends.
Kat
Free-will. God gave us free-will to choose our own destinies. The Holy Bible, Rom 3: 24, (NIV) states, “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe, There is no difference for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
I prescribe to the humanistic approach reinforced by cognitive behavioral theory. God gave us freedom and what we do with that freedom impacts ourselves and others. The question, “Why does bad things happen to good people?”
Allot of negative things are a direct correlation of someone exercising their freedom of autonomy, and thereby limit another persons free-will. An example would be a pediphile. The child does not ask for the misabuse to occur, they do nothing to deserve it, yet their freedom to choose is stripped from them through the actions of the pediphile.
God is disappointed and saddened by poor choice exercises in free will. We can make up excuses to try and justify one’s behavior choices, an example; “He/she couldn’t help themselves, they were abused as children,” or “He/she doesn’t know what healthy boundaries are,” or “They are sick minded individuals,” or finally, “It’s a family tradition.”
“The ends do not justify the means.” You have heard this quote many times. Usually it is said with regards to money. But it can also be said of freewill. See the utilitarianism philosophy.
Is it ethical to exercise free will under this context? God wants us to have relationships with each other based upon mutual respect and dignity. A healthy relationship allows others to be fallible while maturring into their self actuating and autonomous self.
Catechism of the Catholic Church: “1756 It is therefore an error to judge the morality of human acts by considering only the intention that inspires them or the circumstances (environment, social pressure, duress or emergency, etc.) which supply their context. There are acts which, in and of themselves, independently of circumstances and intentions, are always gravely illicit by reason of their object; such as blasphemy and perjury, murder and adultery. One may not do evil so that good may result from it.”
“In philosophy, what does ‘the ends justify the means’ mean? Utilitarianism is the “philosophy” or brand of ethics you are looking for. This philosophy says that the right decision, the moral and rational one, in each situation is the one that is best for the general good of humanity and not any single person.” (Quora, 2019)
“Cognitive-behavioral theory emphasizes the cognitions or thoughts a person has as an explanation as to how people develop and how they sometimes get a mental disorder. Cognitive-behavioral therapy, in a nutshell, seeks to change a person’s irrational or faulty thinking and behaviors by educating the person and reinforcing positive experiences that will lead to fundamental changes in the way that person copes.” (Hope, 2019)
Reinforcers can be praise or censure, or tangible items, instant or prolonged gratification. Teachers use cognitive techniques often to shape a students cognition of self.
Even when I had Dissociative Identity Disorder aka., multiple personalities, on some level I new I was responsible and accountable for the choices my other selves made. I may not have been aware of events in allot of circumstances that were told to me by counselors and psychiatrist when I became the main voice for all of us. In this humanistic approach, I would have been found guilty and liable for any misdeeds that occured while in a different persona. I don’t subscribe to the innocent due to insanity theory, that people use to get out of serving justice.
HUMANISTIC (and existential) THEORY AND THERAPY
This theory views human beings as basically good and positively, with the freedom to choose all of their actions and behaviors in their lives. What motivates behavior is “self-actualization,” of the desire to always seek out to become something more of oneself in the future. Because an individual can be conscious of his or her own existence under this theory, that person is also fully responsible for the choices they make to further (or diminish) that existence. Responsibility is a key ingredient of this theory, for all humans are responsible for the choices they make in their lives, with regards to their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. (Hope, 2019)
Hope Ministry, Types of Therapies: Theoretical Orientations and Practices of Therapists, March 26, 2019
Quora, March 2019. (www.quora.com/)What-does-the-ends-justify-the means.
The Holy Bible, New International Version, Book Romans, Chapter 3, verse 24.
If you are a mother, grandmother, or strong, caring, and compassionate woman has been given the title of mom, then this is for you. I hope that you have a wonderful Mother’s Day, filled with the love of your family. I hope that your children contact you to share a moment of your day. I wish you would fill the joy of being a new parent all over again. and I wish you much happiness.Happy Mother’s Day— Mom!
My mom’s are in Yukon, Oklahoma. Because of CORVID-19 Shelter-in-place, I will not be able to visit them in person. But I have sent homespun cards for each of them. My honorary mom lives in Portland, Oregon. I miss all my mom’s presence physically, but am encouraged by their presence in my life across the miles through phone calls and letter’s.
I know Mother’s day is a joy to most mom’s. Primary (0-12 yr’s) mom’s work themselves to death in preparation of the celebration activities. Secondary (13-35) mom’s have it easier and bask in their children’s remembrance. Senior (36-70) mom’s have it a little rougher as their children and grand-children are usually too busy to celebrate with them for a special Mother’s Day.
If Mother’s Day is not a joyful moment for you, then I am sorry for your losses. Having a loss child through death or design can be very painful. Some women can never get past the loss of one child to celebrate the life of their other child. Don’t be like that. Don’t slam the door closed for all eternity. Your living children still need a mother whether they are 2 or 62.
May God wipe away any tears of sadness and replace them with tears of joyfulness. Wishing you the very best of everything. Happy Mother’s Day
We just finished adding a privacy fence to the carport side of our house. We are currently adding on to the front porch and finishing Kassidey’s she-shed interior. Running electricity to the buildings. And she has great plans for her exterior decore. We are planning on building a miniature pond for the front gardens within the next month. Our place really looks nice- praises to God and our effort.
Our next two projects are to add on to the parking lot area with asphalt and either buy another building or finish the interior in Kathy’s she-shed. We have already added three 10′ x 20′ she/he-sheds, fences, laid an asphalt parking lot and installed a canopy. Reran the plumbing water lines, we are in the process of renovating Kassidey’s shower. We cleaned and created flower gardens. Painted the interior and exterior of the house. Added a new carpeting. New septic tank were installed after we moved in. We made repairs to the roof. So the house is in good near new condition and the land is even better. I take great pride in my homestead.
We are planning on a Fourth of July and one-year in our house party. If the shelter-in-place is lifted by then. I am so excited about it and have made culinary plans for grilled BBQ Texas style. The neighborhood fireworks are terrific with lots of big high aerials. And of course we will have our share, too. Life is good. God is good.
Living in faith is what is important, not money losses or poor decisions in the end. It is our attitude that makes the difference in our altitude. I can keep staying in buyers regret or I can move forward to a new day and a new opportunity.
Forgiveness of those who spitefully abuse you is what we are told to do. But, it is so hard to do. You wrestle with anger, indignation, and doing what Jesus told us to do. Satan of course keeps the pot stirred.
I am going through an issue right now that is testing my faith as a Christian. I want to curse the people involved and every aspect of the situation. But that would be wrong. Jesus tells us to love our enemies. To be totally honest I have sinned in this area today. But, I repented and asked God to help me and give me inner-peace and I believe he has.
Maxine always has a way with pithy words that are spot on target.
My sweet husband Robert, has Ankylosing Spondylitis and is in considerable pain most of the time. He is taking pain medication which is a new treatment for him, as his lumbar 2-5 vertebrae are deteriorating.
Living with chronic debilitating illness is hard on the person with the disease and hard on those who love them because, you are helpless in curing them. But help is on the way!
Greet each sunrise with prayer and thanksgiving in your heart, soul, and mind for God has blessed you once again.
God is our protection from being destroyed. God tells us that there will be hardships and task masters in life. But life is worth the living because we have God in our corner cheering us onwards. .
When I was in the hospital at Christmas time last year and knocking on deaths’ door, I was not afraid, for I knew my God was with me. I knew I had a place in heaven for he told me that he would go before me and provide an eternal resting place for me. I was not in a hurry to go, and God is not in a hurry to take me to his home.
Having faith in someone that defies all logical reasoning doesn’t make us crazy, it makes us unique, in that we can leap over logic and expand our mind to the untold opportunities that will await us.
Prayer is having a frank, no holds back conversation with God. He hears our cries and is just to answer us in his timing. God accepts our praises and gives us peace in return. Not just peace, but an everlasting, overflowing peace that defies all logic. So in the midst of all of our suffering is Gods’ kind of peace.
If you want God’s peace then ask him for it and it shall be given unto you. I am confident in this because I know my Lord Jesus Christ, the son of God. May the Lord be with you and give you comfort. Amen.
I scored 100% on this assignment. I hope that you learned something useful about the perceptions of principals and teachers. Although they are both in the educational field their responses to similar questions was surprising.
Table of Contents
Administrator Questions: Principal Dr. Edythe Leupp, Portland, Oregon. 4
Why did you go into the Education field?. 4
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about teaching?. 4
Why did you leave the classroom for administration?. 5
What are your favorite/least favorite things about administration?. 5
Do you view yourself as an instructional leader?. 5
How do you handle discipline issues with students?. 5
What is the vision of your school? How was it developed?. 5
How do you handle poor teacher motivation? Give examples. 6
Teacher Questions: Mrs. Sarah Diaz, B.S. White Settlement, Texas. 6
What is your teaching background. 6
Why did you become a teacher?. 7
What have you found to be your greatest strength?. 7
What is a weakness that you have or will overcome if you think it is warranted?. 7
In what ways do you mentor or help weak teachers achieve success?. 7
In what way have you been mentored by someone else?. 7
How do you handle unruly adult students?. 8
What is your definition of a Highly Qualified Teacher?. 8
What are your favorite/least favorite thing about teaching?. 8
How do you handle community involvement/social networking?. 8
Discuss the culture and climate of your campus and ways to make it. 8
How do you motivate a student, in this case, a parent? Give examples. 9
https://wwlifetimeachievement.com/2016/10/28/edythe-leupp/ 10
In keeping with the spirit of the assignment, which is visualizing the perspective of teaching verses administrative points of view in the public school system I interviewed Dr. Edythe Leupp of Portland, Oregon an administrator, previous principal, and primary school and secondary college professor. She has been an Inductee in “Worldwide Lifetime Achievement,” (2016) and Featured Member, Marquis Who’s Who (1994-2016). “Who’s Who in America.” Marquis Who’s Who has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion, and entertainment. (Oct 21, 2019.)
Both Dr. Leupp and Mrs. Diaz have a passion for teaching and motivating others towards excellence and self-efficacy. When Dr. Leupp teaches adult learners/teachers she is teaching a captive audience because students pay to learn from her. When Mrs. Diaz teaches adult learners/parents she is teaching a captive audience because to receive services they are required to attend her classes.
Dr. Leupp’s approach to teaching is to give unconditional love to her students and promote self-confidence and self-efficacy within the learner. Mrs. Diaz’s main focus is on giving her students options for a better life. The following is a selection of questions and answers interview style in my Perspective Analysis Paper assignment.
Education was the section for children and young people, and I wanted to work with children’s’ potential.
I had no least favorable. It was all favorable. I could see confidence and self-identity in the teachers/students I taught.
I was drafted in. They saw my potential as a principle who has self-confidence, otherwise, I would have been artificial.
Favorable was 24 hrs a day because I could show teachers how to purport self-confidence in children and other learners/teachers from within. There were not any least favorable.
Yes, I consider myself an inspirer, [inspiration] not a leader.
Why? Because I encourage teachers to be their potential with self-confidence.
Discipline is a disciple of following the bible, it has no relationship to the negative. Everything is positive. Exa: A boy ran into my car with a skateboard. I complimented him on being a gentleman and admitting it to me. We never handled the skateboard incident. It was unimportant, it was his self-confidence and self-efficacy that was important.
My vision was to provide a vision for everybody in the school to both teachers and children. It’s who I am. The principal has to have enough confidence in oneself to perpetuate it to those of whom she is responsible. EXA: If there was a discipline problem the teacher sent them to my office and I would have them to have a seat. I would tell the student that I am here to work. After a while, the student would sit and say he was ready to go to work. And I would say good, that is what we are here to do. And that was the end of the issue. Furthermore, when I was a principal in four schools, I confiscated the paddles and burned them in my fireplace at home; punishment is not apart of learning.
All teachers are motivated, that’s why they chose to teach. They need to encourage and be shown that you have confidence in them as an administrator. Exa: There was a student-teacher once who did not have very good self-efficacy. I showed her unconditional love and the belief that she is successful and that I knew she was smart. She rose to the aspirations that I held for her, and in turn, she held for herself.
I don’t respect it, because the Highly Qualified Teacher teacher knows how to show off. And the other teachers are invisible.
Degree’s: Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation Studies
Area’s of teaching- Adult parenting education classes/Parenting life skills
By default, I wanted to help parents learn, how to use different skills than what they have. By becoming a teacher in parenting skills. My rehabilitation degree helped in this area.
My greatest strength is being open to listening to others.
In terms of teaching, my weakness is, I think I become too personal with the client and emphasize too much with their story.
By demonstrating and modeling the correct behaviors.
I’ve been mentored by everybody I’ve met. I take advice if it is helpful from other people. I use knowledge of parents, co-workers, and if I feel it is sound advice I will incorporate it into my lesson plans.
Open, honest, understanding, patient, understanding and willing to learn. {me} So, they are willing to learn as well as teach you. Sara, “yes!”
I listen. I let them know I hear what they are saying. I acknowledge their frustration. Then I ask them if we can have the discussion later. Then I stop the discussion or argument and walk away and wait until they are at an even leveler mental state.
Education, experience, and attitude. A positive attitude all the way.
My least favorite thing, I think it’s running across people that don’t want to work.
I keep my work separate from my private life. I participate in parental advice forums and offer up advice to parenting forums that I attend on social media.
For the culture and environment that I have to teach in? I think including my story and history, letting them knowing about me so that they don’t think I am superficial, and they don’t think of a baseline of my knowledge. so that I am not coming in as a superficial, white, middle-class female. I must be experienced. I am mainly teaching ethnic minorities, a lot of discrimination, there is discrimination if I don’t share my personal history and my story.
I let them see the future. I give them options for a different future scenario. Exa: If they can incorporate the new life skills from an atypical family [dysfunctional] verse a normal family they can achieve success. That is they can have it if they take to the new skills I’ve presented to them.
I learned a lot from these two very different perspectives between the have’s and the have not’s in society and culture. A homeless shelter wants to break the dysfunctional behavior that leads to homelessness and often abuses. Whereas, the college set wants to change the world, one child, at a time. Self-efficacy is important in both groups as it defines their attitudes and ultimately their altitude on the cultural scale. The principal and the teacher each need self-confidence if they are to be genuine with their students and show that they truly care about them.
Diaz, Sara B.S.
Designations: Bachelor of Science, University of North Texas, Fort Worth, TX.
Highest Academic Distinction and Graduation with Honors (2018) at UNT, Fort Worth, TX
Posted by WHO’S WHO SITE ADMINISTRATOR on OCTOBER 28, 2016
Title: Educator (Retired)
Company: George Fox College
Location: Portland, OR United States
Achievements:
Interview found at following links:
April 19, 2020
Contents
Mental Health in the Workplace. 1
Workplace Violence Has Reached Epidemic Proportion. 5
NATIONAL INSTITUTE MENTAL HEALTH…………………………………………………………………………. 8
References ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 23
How is Mental Health in the Workplace depicted in the media?
The population as a whole culture tend to see mental health issues in the workplace as a negative trend. Organizations such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness, (NAMI) and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) are working to combat that stereotype. People with mental illness want to be treated like everyone else without mental illnesses– with respect. According to the article, Why employers need to talk about mental illness in the workplace, Joseph Rauch a contributor to Huff Post said, “Employees are afraid of discussing it with co-workers and bosses. They don’t want to lose their jobs, damage relationships or risk future employers learning of illnesses and judging them. The stigma of mental illness keeps them silent” He future noted on a blog that many mental health therapists shared those same beliefs and discouraged full disclosure to an employer. The stigmas associated with mental illness are multi-generational. However, the benefits can outweigh the negatives such as job loss or no accommodations given. Joseph Rauch’s self-efficacy allowed him to take the risk of disclosure by saying, “It’s a big part of who I am and I take pride in it, so feeling free to mention it at work makes me more comfortable and, ultimately, a better employee,” when given reason why he discloses to his employer that he suffers from mental illness.
How do these representations inform what we know?
Definition according to NAMI “Any mental illness (AMI) is defined as a mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder. AMI can vary in impact, ranging from no impairment to mild, moderate, and even severe impairment. *Serious mental illness (SMI) is defined as a mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder resulting in serious functional impairment, which substantially interferes with or limits one or more major life activities. The burden of mental illnesses is particularly concentrated among those who experience disability due to SMI.” I think that most people in our culture think of SMI as being the norm for those with mental illness. The Big Screen Media- Videos also portray mental health in positive and negative perspectives. The new [positive] film “Mad to Be Normal” is a biopic of RD Laing, a Glasgow psychologist who had unconventional ideas of treatment for mental illness.“Our mainstream perceptions of ‘madness’ are still fixated with movie scenes.”
What stereotypes do they perpetuate?
The stereotype portrays the mentally ill as seriously mentally ill; like those that go postal and commit homicide and suicide. Thomas Insel (2012) in the article, Preventing Suicide, One Employer at a Time state that there were 36,000 deaths annually due to suicide in the USA in 2012, which is higher than homicides and traffic accident deaths annually. Another fear that people hold about those with mental illness is the mentality that the mentally ill person will “go postal” at the workplace.
Workplace Violence Has Reached Epidemic Proportions (Charles Montaldo, 2019 ), “Workplace violence has reached epidemic proportions, according to the U.S. Department of Justice, with an average of three or four supervisors killed each month and two million workers who become victims of violence each year in the United States.” “The term “going postal” came into our vocabulary on August 20, 1986, at a post office in Edmond, Oklahoma, when employee Patrick Henry Sherrill, known as “Crazy Pat” to some who knew him, shot two of his supervisors and then continued his rampage killing a total of 14 co-workers and injuring seven others. Ultimately he turned the gun on himself and committed suicide. After this incident, there seemed to be a rash of work-related violence in post offices, hence the term, “going postal.” What motivated Sherrill’s action? He believed he was about to lose his job, investigators found.” (Montaldo, C. 2019) According to World Health Organization, Mental Health in the Workplace, A healthy workplace can be described as one where workers and managers actively contribute to the working environment by promoting and protecting the health, safety, and well-being of all employees. … Promote mental health by developing the positive aspects of work and the strengths of employees.
Does it support or contradict your current understanding of Mental Health in the Workplace?
What did I learn through this process?
When looking at the positive side of NAMI and CDC articles and recommended films, I grew hopeful that tolerance in accepting people with mental illness in the workplace is getting more prevalent. But then articles and movies that depict stereotypical deranged mentally ill sadden me. The dilemma of knowing when or if a prospective employee should disclose mental health issues in a job interview, or wait until after hired when forced to justify needing accommodation. As an educator, I feel compelled to give full disclosure to my prospective employer because we are talking about a potentially debilitating illness and the need for accommodations in the workplace, like an aide.
Center for Disease Control (CDC)
Insel, Thomas, Preventing Suicide, One Employer at a Time, August 1, 2012
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/about/directors/thomas-insel/blog/2012/preventing-suicide-one-employer-at-a-time.shtml , Accessed March 17, 2020
Montaldo, Charles, Thought Co., It’s Official: “Going Postal” Is Epidemic, April 03, 2019 www.thoughtco.com › Humanities › Issues › Crime & Punishment Accessed March 17, 2020.
National Alliance on Mental Illness, (NAMI)
NATIONAL INSTITUTE MENTAL HEALTH, Mental Health Information, Suicide Signs and Symptoms, https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/suicide-prevention/index.shtml Accessed March 17, 2020.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/what-happened-when-i-told-my-boss-i-was-struggling-with-mental-illness_b_8710756 Accessed March 17, 2020
WHO- Mental Health in the Workplace, accessed March 17, 2020.
http://www.who.int › mental_health › in_the_workplace
GSP Studios International, Mad to be Normal, 2020, Video Accessed March 17, 2020. http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20180828-how-cinema-stigmatises-mental-illness
Questions that I asked of myself and answered herein are:
How is Mental Health in the Workplace depicted in the media?
How do these representations inform what we know?
What stereotypes do they perpetuate?
Does it support or contradict your current understanding of the topic/population?
What did you learn through this process?
I interviewed four women from different backgrounds, they are as follows: Gay Nell a Small Business Vender, Sheila an Office Worker, Kassidey a SPED Teacher, and Virginia a Nurse. Two have a high school education, and two advanced college degrees, three are white, one is a Native American Indian the age range is 38 to 65.
How does the media portray mental illness positively and negatively?
GayNell- That everyone with mental health issues is crazies and should be medicated or locked up.
Virginia- If people don’t understand they can’t put it in a positive position.
Sheila- Media goes overboard with paranoia and mental health.
Kassidey- The media is out to sensational the news.
What is the average mentality towards mental illness in the media
Sheila- I think most people are negative unless they have been through it themselves or with close family/friends.
Kassidey- I don’t know about the media’s mentality
Virginia- The media does not understand mental health. Just what sells.
GayNell- Being a positive person, you acknowledge them. Self-preservation by acknowledging how they are. We use empathy to communicate with others. Communication works both ways with positive energy.
How do these representations inform what we know?
GayNell- Knowing each of your co-worker’s actions and attitudes. You have to get up with a good attitude and have self-confidence. Ans: Take you meds before get to work, take them again at lunch. Be humble and use your senses to acknowledge who they are and where they are.
Kassidey- I ignore the media hype- I work in reality with children who have special needs.
Virginia- There are many types of mental health just not “crazy“
Sheila – It’s not realistic depiction, media paints a negative view of mental health
How do you deal with negative co-workers?
GayNell- I have two choices. They can watch me work or they can help me work. You can go in seclusion and scream and pull your hair out. Everyone needs a hug to acknowledge how smart they are, That today is a sucky day but tomorrow will be better.
Kassidey- Ignore the negativity.
Sheila- I’m a negative co-worker. Try to encourage others to make me laugh. Be kind to one another.
Virginia- You usually don’t run across them that much. You need to explain things to them and
help out.
How is mental illness perceived in the workplace?
Gay Nell- Being a positive person, you acknowledge them. Self-preservation by acknowledging
how they are. We use empathy to communicate with others. Communication works both way
s with positive energy.
Kassidey- It used to be a taboo topic but in recent years there has been a big push to recognize burn-out, trauma, and the need for good self-care.
Sheila- If you are a caring person, they are supportive and encourage counseling.
Virginia- That everyone with mental health issues is crazy and should be medicated or locked
up
What stereotypes do they perpetuate?
Gay Nell- Positive, acknowledgment of negative thoughts or positive thoughts to emulate a role model. You treat them the way you want to be treated.
Sheila- Supervisors are encouraging her to be positive about other mental health issues
Virginia-If you have mental health you must be crazy.
Kassidey- not favored.
Does it support or contradict your current understanding of Mental Health in the Workplace?
GayNell- I can almost tell you upon first seeing a person I can tell what type of mood they are in. I change my attitude based on my perception of their attitude. I try to be comical with people.
Sheila- Superiors Support mental health in the workplace
Virginia- Somebody needs help adjusting should be supported.
If you had to choose full disclosure in a job, would you?
Sheila- I told my boss that I have General Anxiety Disorder and Depression. They were supportive. Sheila- That giving full disclosure, that supervisors do care and if they aren’t then you need to find a different job that makes you comfortable.
Virginia – Yes, If you don’t tell them in advance, they won’t know how to help you in a crisis.
Kassidey- Full disclosure of what? That I have an anxiety disorder? Sure. My job already knows that. The reason for that anxiety disorder? Nope. None of their business
GayNell- yes, If they tell I can watch out for them and run interference or give them a break before the crisis stage.
What did I learn through this process?
As a consensus, the media overdramatizes the mentally ill as being crazy and should be put away and or medicated. People tend to believe what they hear on media is factual information and usually adapt to those premises. The Joker on Batman movie depicts a creative, high-functioning man who is crazy and/or a sociopath. Unfortunately, this stereotype casts those with mental illness in a poor light. I know through reading articles on mental health and the workplace, and also I have three mental health disorders that have impacted the way I work in a workplace I can say that the stereotypes projected are wrong. Most people want to be healthy and be in control of their mental faculties and self-control. If it means taking medications and /or short hospital stays to get the medications onboard, then most people with mental health issues are willing to get it, if they live in a stable home environment. With sadness, I acknowledge that our homeless population is underserved by the mental health community. Many had gainful jobs but their untreated or mistreated mental illness took it away from them.
Actual Questions:
How is Mental Illness in the Workplace depicted in the media?
How do these representations inform what we know?
What stereotypes do they perpetuate?
Does it support or contradict your current understanding of the Mental Illness in the Workplace
What did you learn through this process?
How do you deal with negative co-workers?
What is the average mentality towards mental illness in the workplace?
If you had to choose full disclosure in a job, would you?
Hall, Gay Nell white, female, age 62, high-school education
Smith, Kassidey white, female, age 38, college education
Volk, Sheila, white, female, age 58, high-school education
Yousey, Virginia, Native American Indian, female, age 65, college education
How is Mental Illness in the Workplace depicted in the media?
Sarah- Media tends to overdramatize mentally ill people’s reactions to get a storyline. They create a huge production over symptoms.
Faith- The media makes our workplace seem like everyone is accepted and it’s not a problem if you have a mental illness.
Anna- I do not watch TV, so this is hard for me to answer but from what I did see, media is not showing much about the actual mental health illness. They mostly focus on disabled people in the workplace. Mental health seems to go forgotten.
How do these representations inform what we know?
Faith-Going into a workplace you think it’s safe to talk about mental illness with your co-workers but it is not like T.V.
Anna- the representations are limited. Many businesses, especially small, don’t even
cover mental health from what I understand. Beside basic visit to a therapist. Many
want general doctors to take care of the issue with a pill, without in-depth
assessment.
What stereotypes do they perpetuate?
Sarah- Stereotyping people with mental illness creates a level of good to worse as far as which diagnosis is the one that creates the worst actions versus a smaller symptom that is unnoticeable.
Faith-. The hierarchy of the workplace is still in place even if it is NOT talked about but must be followed. Exa: doctors, nurses, caretakers, and secretary.
Anna- stereotypes include the inability of full performance on the job, scare of mental breakdown in the workplace and inability to communicate or work well with others (team)
Does it support or contradict your current understanding of the Mental Illness in the Workplace?
Sarah- It contradicts my understanding in the workplace by the reaction when I find our a client has a certain diagnosis verse another one.
Faith- You do not talk about it so your co-workers will not talk about you. Or you get fired if they find out about your home life or mental illness. No extra hours or extra shifts if the boss finds out, but you need to be home more due to mental illness.
Anna- neither I guess. I look at the thing from a different perspective
How do you deal with negative co-workers?
Sarah- Negative co-workers cause me to avoid being around them. I just try not to join their teams.
Faith- Find our who they are as a person, and understand their point of view. Try to turn the negative into a positive.
Anna- It depends on how negative they are. Mostly I ignore them because it’s a waste to argue with ignorant people. If they push too hard I resort to teaching them a lesson.
What is the average mentality towards mental illness in the workplace?
Sarah- The average mentality is avoidance or if someone finds out then rumors are spread very fast around the workplace.
Faith- A weakness that you don’t talk about/
Anna- I don’t think I’m in a good place to discuss a normal workplace. I have a job that mostly deals with clients and I can only speak for myself. I don’t hand out with other agents a lot. Mostly our contact is via phone/text/email about a particular transaction
If you had to choose full disclosure in a job, would you?
Sarah-No, I would not choose full disclosure.
Faith- No full disclosure- it will be used against you. Maybe if you worked in the mental health hospital you would be understood.
Anna- full disclosure of individual mental health illness? No
How is mental health in the workplace culture perceived in the USA?
Faith- In the hospital mental illness is not handled. It is not perceived well and patients are sent to the psych ward or mental health rehabilitation center.
How does the media portray the mentally ill in the workplace in the USA?
Faith- In hospitals, the media portray that those with mental health are treated with acceptance like everyone else, but that is not reality.
How do family members support those with mental illness who work in the USA?
Faith- Family is more supportive when they understand at work. The hospital is not good about sharing with the family. Family cares, but the hospitals’ approach to mental health patients is to dope them up on medications and send them out the door to a psych ward or other facility.
How is mental health in the workplace culture perceived in Poland?
It’s much worse than it is here. Discrimination is obvious and political correctness doesn’t really matter. However, it is getting better. Mostly it depends on how people are raised. If they are rude, it will show tenfold toward the person with a mental health issue.
How does the media portray the mentally ill in the workplace in Poland?
It’s not really addressed much. I can’t give a very accurate answer to this though, because I’m not there for close to 20 years. I also choose not to watch polish news.
How do family members support those with mental illness who work in Poland?
Everything depends on severity. There is not much belief in ADHD and such, for example, or even autism. There are not many cases to be honest. As for lesser issues, families are trying to ignore it and make sure their family member is treated as anyone else and also develop necessary skills to how to deal with it. Where there are more significant issues, the family gets much more involved.
NAMI – National Alliance on Mental Illness, (NAMI)
NIMI – NATIONAL INSTITUTE MENTAL HEALTH, Mental Health Information, , https://www.nimh.nih.gov
Actual Questions
How is Mental Illness in the Workplace depicted in the media?
H ow do these representations inform what we know?
What stereotypes do they perpetuate
Does it support or contradict your current understanding of the Mental Illness in the Workplace?
What is the average mentality towards mental illness in the workplace
If you had to choose full disclosure in a job, would you?
How is mental health in the workplace culture perceived in the USA?
How does the media portray the mentally ill in the workplace in the USA?
How do family members support those with mental illness who work in the USA?
How is mental health in the workplace culture perceived in Poland?
How does the media portray the mentally ill in the workplace in Poland?
How do family members support those with mental illness who work in Poland?
Participants
Dewitter, Faith, white, us citizen, Registered Nurse
Diaz, Sara, white, us citizen, Homeless Shelter Case Worker & Youth Advocate
Lopez, Anna, Poland; Naturalized Citizen USA, Realtor
What did I learn through this process?
I am shocked! The myth and media were somewhat similar but the reality was very different. Even with positive spins from the NAMI and NIMI purporting the benefits of having behavior health in place at places of employment; the reality is that the employees take a huge risk with self-disclosure.
I have been living in a bubble. My church recognizes those with mental illness conditions in their HOPE Program; a counseling session in group therapy. My family and friends accept my mental illness and take it in stride. I assumed based on myth and media’s answers about the disclosure that it would be advisable for a prospective teacher to self-disclose so that the school principal could be prepared if an emergency arose in class. But the “reality” people say that self-disclosure is a quick ticket to being fired or not hired.
The media in all areas of media, myth, and reality are irresponsible and perpetuate the negative stereotypes of those with mental illness. Oprah had a woman guest on her show with Skitzophrenia and had her back a few days later and showed that woman having a rage in the green room, upsetting furniture and pulling at her hair and skin; she didn’t have the woman back as a guest. To those who understand mental health disorders, the guest was having a major anxiety attack that had gone “postal.
This brings me to another disquiet and that people in general associate those who have mental illness in the workplace as a potential threat of them going “postal;” losing self-control and harming others and or self. In Poland, mental health is frowned upon. Most illnesses such as ADHD and Autism are not believed to exist. Should one identify themselves with mental illness, society is rough on them for it. “As for lesser issues, families are trying to ignore it and make sure their family member is treated as anyone else and also develop necessary skills to how to deal with it.” (Anna, 2020).
Another area of concern is what nurses really think about patients with mental illness. One nurse in chapter two was supportive, while in chapter three the nurse was told to medicate and release the patient to other mental health services as quickly as possible. I take it that their health condition is second in the diagnosis and rehabilitation effort. When I was in the hospital for 30 days last December 2019 and January 2020, I spent three days in ICU and the final doctor was very abrupt and rude with me and released me in a matter of minutes from ICU after seeing me. I know my mental health was a factor in getting me out of ICU- which by the way was good that I was improving, but unsettling by the swiftness and his parting comments. I also know from experience, while in mental health facilities that the nurses are lazy and make the patients fend for themselves when clearly skilled nursing practices are required.
I also learned that being disabled has its drawbacks in the way people treat you. Whether it is physical like mental health, an outward physical ailment (wheelchair), or intelligence, people change their approach to you. Some pity, some are rude or callus, and some are angry at the one disabled. I think empathy should be the correct treatment rather than an emotional response. People are just that; humans, withal its strengths and frailties encompassed. Everyone deserves respect, even those who don’t respect themselves because of some mental illness.
The following script was taken from FaceBook, posted by Corey Dorsey.
Tracey Lynn asked a question in her comment: “This kinda post just weakens my faith , not to mention disturbs some people with PTSD.. God didn’t save my young daughter, why didn’t he send her someone ?”
I would like to try to answer her question and bring comfort to her. (See after script.) Corey Dorsey JacttSopnluufsonacmrsy f26oredo · 
The little boy put on his clothes for the cold and then told his father:”Ok dad I’m ready”His Dad, the pastor, said: “Ready for what?””Dad, it’s time to go outside and distribute our flyers.”Dad replied: “Son, it’s very cold outside and it’s drizzling.”The child looked surprised at his father and said: “But dad, people need to know about God even on rainy days.”Dad replied, “Son, I’m not going outside in this weather.”With despair, the child said: “Dad, can I go alone? Please!”His father waited for a moment and then said: “Son, you can go. Here’s the flyers, be careful.””Thank you dad!”And with this, the son went out into the rain. The 11-Year-old walked all the streets of the village, handing out the flyers to the people he saw.After 2 hours walking in the rain and in the cold and with his last flyer in his hand, he stopped in a corner to see if he saw someone to give the flyer too, but the streets were totally deserted. Then he turned to the first house he saw, walked to the front door, touched the bell several times and waited, but no one came out.Finally the boy turned to leave, but something stopped him. The child turned back to the door and began to touch the bell and pound the door strongly with his knuckles. He kept waiting. Finally the door was opened gently.A lady came out with a very sad look and gently asked:”What can I do for you, son?With radiant eyes and a bright smile the child said:”Lady, I’m sorry if I upset you, but I just want to tell you that God really loves you and that I came to give you my last flyer, which talks about God and His great love. The boy then gave her the flyer.She just said, “Thank you, son, God bless you!”Well, next Sunday morning, the pastor was in the pulpit and when the service began he asked:”Someone has a testimony or something they want to share?”Gently, in the back row of the church, an older lady stood up. When she started talking, a radiant and glorious look sprouted from her eyes:”Nobody in this church knows me. I have never been here, even last Sunday I was not Christian.My husband died a while ago leaving me totally alone in this world. Last Sunday was a particularly cold and rainy day, and it was also in my heart; that on that day I came to the end of the road, since I had no hope and didn’t want to live anymore.Then I took a chair and a rope and went up to the attic of my house. I tied and one end of the rope to the rafters of the roof; then I climbed onto the chair and put the other end of the rope around my neck.I then stood on the chair, so alone and heartbroken, I was about to throw myself off the chair, when suddenly I heard the loud sound of the door being knocked.So I thought: “I’ll wait for a minute and whoever it is will go”I waited and waited, but the door knocking was getting louder and louder every time. It got so loud that I couldn’t ignore it anymore. So I wondered, who could it be?No one ever comes close to my door or come to visit me!I released the rope from my neck and went to the door, while the bell was still ringing and the door was still being knocked on.When I opened the door, I couldn’t believe what my eyes saw, in front of my door was the most radiant and angelic child I’ve ever seen.He’s smile, ohhh, I can never describe it! The words that came out of his mouth made my heart, dead so long ago, come back to life, when he said with the VOICE OF CHERUB: “Lady, I just want to tell you that God really loves you””When the little angel disappeared between the cold and the rain, I closed my door and read every word of the flyer.Then I went to the attic to remove the chair and rope.I didn’t need them anymore. As you see. Now I am a happy daughter of the King.As the direction of the boy, when he left, was to this church, I came personally say thank you to that little angel of God who came just in time and, in fact, to rescue my life from an eternity in hell. And replaced it with an eternity in God’s presence. “Everyone cried in the church.The Pastor came down from the pulpit to the first bench of the front, where the little angel was sitting; he took his son in his arms and cried uncontrollably.-
Dear Tracey and suffers of PTSD,
God did send someone to help your daughter its just not the way you wanted it to be. Back in 1995, I suffered with Post Traumatic Stress (Syndrome)/Disorder, Multiple Personality Disorder, and Major Depressive with Bi-polar Disorder and Schizophrenia. I was messed up in my head.
My husband and two daughter clung to me in their love and support. We all believed the lie I would tell that “I’m doing better!” I was going three days a week to a psychologist for talk-therapy. I was getting worse. The PTSS/PTSD was in control and I felt like a burden to my family. I was costing my husband $35.00 per psyche visit so that was $105.00 per week that insurance would not pay + the costs of medications around $1200.00 per month for my co-pays. We paid for the Rx’s and two weeks of services monthly, long after I quit psychotherapy.
My point is we were sinking financially. I was a licensed and certified Educator who could not hold onto a job because of my mental health state of being. My girls had to give up ballet lessons and other extracurricular activities. So I felt like I was a burden that needed to be remedied, so I decided to kill myself.
I’ve written on this topic before so I will just encapsulate my story quickly.
As I lay there in my bedroom dying from a lethal concentration of prescriptions medications in my system. I have an apathy moment, a coming to Jesus moment. Everything was super quiet, my head was clear as a bell, and I had the question brought to my attention, “So you really want to kill yourself?” followed by, “your 13 yrs old daughter will be the one to find your dead body soon- do you want that to happen?”
I said “No! and help me Jesus! and he did. It could have gone very differently if I had answered Yes! to either one of the questions. You see, God gave me free will. He gave your daughter free will. No matter what her stinking thinking was telling her, she had a choice to make either before or during the process of taking her own life.
I don’t believe that it was a whim or un-thought-out plan that your daughter took her life, she must of been in allot of physical or mental pain.
But, I do know that she is in heaven if she chose (free-will) Jesus Christ as her LORD and Savior and GOD our Father and their Holy Spirit into her heart and mind. I was told that suicide was an unforgivable act of sin. I am glad that God is doing the judging on whether it is a sin or not. I believe that God takes the mental consciousness into consideration when he makes judgements about me.
On my suicide moment, I called my husband to say good-bye and wound up having my stomach pumped. I cried out for help with that call. My circumstances changed. Things got worse for all of us. I had to go to a daily daycare facility that charges my insurance $10,000.00 per month, we had to pay 20% of it for quiet awhile, until I was not suicidal thinking anymore. I’d like to say it was a quick recovery, but it wasn’t.
My family and mom wondered what they had done wrong to cause me to be suicidal. My mom penetrated my medicinal haze long enough for me to hear the pain in her voice as she told me repeatedly that she loved me. I truly did not know that she did. It was assumed that she would- being mom- and all. But I just didn’t think she cared about me one way or another.
You can bring comfort to your mind by knowing that you probably would not have been able to save your daughter from suicide. If she was thinking about it, and longing for it, you might have stopped her that moment; but she would have done it anyway she could. She had free-choice. I have free-choice. I decided to live, which meant have doctors probe my mind for stinking thinking and eradicate it. It was September 2001, that I finally found peace of mind and heart after being taken off of Lithium. In addition to the medication I was given Electroshock Therapy against my will. the EST has caused me to have Pseudoseizures ever since.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is real- you re-live moments of time and your decisions, even indecisions on repeat and total recall. You are constantly being bombarded with the negative aspects from your participation willingly or unwillingly in the events that causes the PTSD. So in essence you are being re-traumatized daily.
If you have PTSD, there is hope and help available. Reach out to your minister, doctor, mental health hospital, or a psychiatrist for help. You can also reach out on suicide prevention and help (free calls) numbers. You don’t have to go it alone. You don’t have to “keep a stiff upper lip” or have a “suck it up” mentality. It’s a rough road, but God did promise to help us if we ask. He sent Jesus for our eternal salvation and home and thereby fulfills the Old Testament promises of phrophecy which can be followed into the New Testament of Jesus Christ.
I hope I have caused you to have HOPE in knowing where your daughter is for eternity. I’m sorry she didn’t get an intervention from a person. But I do believe God was in the wings with the angle of death, waiting for her call.
Today is Resurrection Sunday… aka., Easter Sunday.
For Christians we hold this day most dear as it is the day we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was 30 years old when he began his short three years ministry. He performed medical miracles, signs, and wonders that was prophesied in the Holy Bibles Old Testament. The New Testament is the story of Jesus life, ministry, sacrifice, death, and resurrection into an eternal life… but the story is not finished until he returns and captures up all the dead in himself and the living that has remained faithful to the grace of God.
May the Lord bless you and keep you all the days of your life, in peace of mind and heart and stirring your soul with joyfulness.
Kat
Part-time to Full time employment
I want to teach Reading Literacy classes. I want to reach out to homeless people and
homed people to teach life skills such as filling out a job application, filling out a doctor’s
registration form, or a passport documentation, or security clearance paperwork.
My Credentials:
Master of Arts Professional Education degree
Bachelors of Science Elementary/Middle School Teacher Education
Teaching experience with adults and children on a 1:50 ratio.
Previous career as a Computer Consultant for 13 years
I will be looking for work in the teaching arena after graduation
in August 2020.
Thank you for your help and ideas.
Kat Challis (682) 313-2192
pic 1 is inside of card
pic 2 is the outside of card
I make these cards for encouragement to my followers at EVC Church.
1 2
My cold, cold heart is melted now
I seek for peace but don’t know how
I go to bed but only weep
My cold, cold heart won’t let me sleep
Your lonesome voice that seems to say
Your cold, cold heart will pay and pay
My tears pour down like falling rain
Through restless sleep I call your name
Perhaps someday beyond the blue
We’ll meet sweetheart and live anew
Where cold, cold hearts can’t enter in
We’ll laugh and love, sweetheart, again
My cold, cold heart is melted now
My once proud head I humbly bow
Your lonely face in dreams I see
My cold, cold heart has told on me
HOW FAR IS HEAVEN LYRICS
How far is heaven? Let’s go tonight
I want my daddy to hold me tight
A little girl was waiting for her daddy one day
It was time to meet him, when she heard her mommy say
Come to mommy darling, please do not cry
Daddy’s gone to heaven, way up in the sky
How far is heaven? When can I go?
To see my daddy, he’s there I know
How far is heaven? Let’s go tonight
I want my daddy to hold me tight
He was called so suddenly, and could not say goodbye
I know that he’s in heaven, we’ll meet him by and by
The little girl trembled, her tears she could not hide
She looked up for heaven and then she replied
How far is heaven? When can I go?
To see my daddy, he’s there I know
How far is heaven? Let’s go tonight
I want my daddy to hold me tight
_____________________
I was fortunate enough to have a father that had a wonderful voice and could play the guitar. Many of nights I would go to bed hearing him sing to my mother. By today’s standards the songs would be depressing…. that was the theme of 1950-60″s country and western music.
My sister inherited my father’s singing talent, although she rarely sings. I learned how to play the guitar- though not very well- by ear. My father could not read sheet music and I never tried to learn how. My daughters Rose and Kassidey were quiet the music guru’s, Rose would play the clarinet in her room. I would sit at the foot of the stairs and just listen to her play for hours. Kassidey kept switching instruments at the whim of the band directors. Both girls loved the marching band and spirit nights at school. Robert & I worked at the snack bar at all the games for six years.
You know you have to have some breaks of good in your childhood or you become psychotic. Memories can be wonderful things, nostalgic even. My dearest, Robert took some guitar lessons a couple of years ago and played “Happy Birthday” to me— it was wonderful to my ears. His hands stay riddled with swelling and arthritis so he can’t play now. He attempted to teach Zack on his child sized guitar. But like all children Zack goes through learning phases and didn’t really like learning the guitar.
I love to sign, but can’t carry a tune in a bucket, so I sing to myself anyways. Good thing church is big and the band is loud. Speaking of bands, my uncles and aunts would get together every time we visited maw-maw- and paw-paw. They were all very talented. We children would be sent to bed early and fall asleep to their gospel music. My uncle Loyal made a record in prison. My brother has it in his keeping like everything else of value from our father’s estate.
My grandparents lived in the mountains of north-east Alabama in a rural area of Piedmont. They lived directly on the side of a mountain– its steepness started at ten feet from the back stoop. The front stoop was about four feet off the ground and they had a huge log halfway up to climb on to get into the front door. It was always a task to climb up for anyone. They had a water well, smoke house, hog pen, and outhouse (the latter of) that no one used. You went privy outside by a tree and hope you didn’t get snake bit. They endured a land slide that almost wiped them off the hill, and a bear break-in that ransacked the kitchen. They did not have indoor plumbing of any sort. They had a kitchen sink that the girl children would was dishes in and take the bucket outside and slosh it on the ground when done.
The floors were made of rough pine wood soaked in coal oil, so your feet bottoms were always black and you had to wash them from the bedside every night. The six rooms were large and had a huge fireplace in the main sleeping room. It sure did get cold on the mountain at night. Speaking of night, the stars were absolutely wonderful to behold. You couldn’t see to the end of your nose it was so pitch black until you looked up and the whole world was opened up. and you were little all over again.
Kat
Tonight, a lady from my bible study group was careflighted to the hospital. She was placed on a ventilator and tested for coronavirus causing COVID-19, we are waiting on the test results. Her family is not allowed at the hospital to be with her, even though she is elderly- it’s too great a risk with the hospital staff not knowing her diagnosis. My heart ands prayers are with her all evening and night long. May God be gracious in his mercy and tend to her needs.
Robert and I were trying to remember if we had any contact with mutual friends in the past three weeks. It was mind-boggling because a visit from a mutual friend could expose us if they were exposed, according to the last news update. (A friend of a friend is your enemy.)
Social distancing, hand washing, masks, gloves and staying sheltered is the best preventative measure one can take against a flu virus. (Cleanliness is next to Godliness.) There is a shortage on cleaning solutions, hand sanitizers, and masks in the stores, as people try to protect their families. Wiping carts down or and wearing gloves in the grocery store is the best preventative and the mask , and six feet separation of course.
I am enjoying my time with my families during their haitatisis from school and work. I am helping Nate with his lessons and Kassi is helping Zack with his lessons. It’s more hand-holding as they gain self-efficacy in their assignments. The President Trump said schools are to remain closed through May 4th, 2020. They most likely will not resume school afterwards, but continue the distance learning. They will probably have one or two days at the end to return their books and gather their personal effects from their cubbies or lockers at school.
Kat
Have you ever looked back upon your life and seen a cross road?
When I was in 5th grade, I was a brown mouse — a little chubby but not fat just healthy looking. I had a southern states accent and not any friends at school. This wonderful woman Mrs. Wait took me under her wing, so to speak. She believed I was smart and told me so, even though my grades were C’ and D’s. She saw potential in me and encouraged me to write poetry.
When I was in my second semester of university, I was a wren- a little chubbier but healthy looking. I had lost my southern drawl by now after years of self-correction. I was failing college or rather it was failing me. Then, I met Dr. Edythe Leupp, a Teacher Education Advisor and Instructor took me under her wing, so to speak. She believed I was smart and told me so, even though my grades were D’s. She saw potential in me and encouraged me to write poetry. I published my first book of poetry and short stories a few years later, “The Dreamers Soul”.
Under her praise and tutlege I started earning A’s and nothing has stopped me since. You see, I had thought I was stupid and that the university was too hard for someone like me. (1st person to get GED and attend university in my family). I was on the verge of quitting. My Science professors thought poorly of my academics and let me know, I was down in the dump in my Socio-Psychology class. I sat in my desk long after everyone else had left, except this silver haired lady. She introduced herself and bought me a soda pop. I told her my troubles with college and she told me that I was underestimating myself and that I was smart and she would love to be my advisor. I was shocked all the other Science professors took turns advising me or passing me off to someone else, is more like it.
You can bet I was shocked to receive an A score in a course. I thought she had given it to me, but she beled that notion and said I had earned it; and it would be one of many to come — except in Science classes- they saw me as dumb (I only received 1 B).
Now, as I have three classes to go to complete my Master’s program, I have earned two B’s and ten A’s. I am currently taking two classes. I feel as though I am humbly smart, because of two very important womens point of view. My husband and children thought I was smart and still are. I may have not contributed much to working these past twenty-five years (mental-illness) but I have passed on the tenant that you must have faith in children and believe they are smart- even when statistics are screaming that they are stupid. We all learn in different capacities and having self-care is essential on the outcome produced by having faith in oneself.
If you are a teacher, and you are seeing a pattern in your low-functioning students– start praising them for anything sincerely. They may not have made a high score on that paper but they worked hard on three of the problems and it shows, given more time they would have maybe gotten it; so praise them for their effort. If you believe in them they will learn to believe in themselves, too.
Pandemic is a scary term with frightening implications. God assures us that in the midst of all terror he is with us as our protector. He tells us not to be afraid, but be strong and courageous. Basically, it means God has our back!
Our daily lives are disrupted with inconveniences like no work or school and being in seclusion and practicing social distancing when we are grocery store “hopping” to find necessities. The flip side is that we get to spend time with our family. We take time to teach them things they need to know beyond academics and instill them with hope and faith that all will be well, as GOD has promised. See post “Scriptures of Faith”.
I think with the media there is mass hysteria. I’m telling you to remain calm. Yes, the Coronavirus (COVID-19) is frightening, anyone with good common sense know that its’ not good to get it. But taking precautions like hand washing and social distancing and even self-seclusion are wise practices.
We should all pray to GOD for his help in this pandemic. He hears our cries and is faithful to answer.
For those of us who do not have Coronavirus (COVID-19) or Influenza A, we should rejoice and be happy that we made it through this season unscathed. Jesus tells us to “be of good cheer- for he is with us.” For those who have the flu virus, I’m sorry that you are sick, my heart goes out to you. Being sick is no fun and can be depressing as your body fights off the intruder of disease. The world is praying for you and themselves for this pandemic to end.
Remember to be kind to one another… this pandemic can bring out the worst in people because of fear. But have faith and courage to do what is right and forgive those who are whinney or hateful. Remember this is just a season in our lives and it will pass with time. Take care and be safe. Kat
Here are some scriptures to help you keep your faith strong: Joshua 1:9 Psalm 46:10 Psalm 91 Isaiah 41:10 Isaiah 41:13 1 Corinthians 16:13 Hebrews 11:1 Hebrews 13:5-6 As we face this worldwide challenge together, all of us at Joyce Meyer Ministries want to encourage you—you are not alone! God promises that He will be with us and He will never leave us or forsake us (see Joshua 1:5; Hebrews 13:5).
Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.
Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth,
Psalm 91: 1. He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 2. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my GOD, in whom I trust.
Psalm 91: 4. “Because he loves me, ” I will rescue him, I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. :15 He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him with long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation.”
Isaiah 41:10 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. v13 For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear, I will help you. v14a Do not be afraid.
Corinthians 16:13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. v14 Do everything in love.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Hebrews 13:5-6 … The Lord God has said “Never will I leave you; Never will I forsake you.” v6 So we can say with confidence, “The LORD is my helper, I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”
Approximately December 13th, 2019, my dog Summer and I were playing and she pounced on my abdomen like always, but this time she scratched my skin about an inch. I ignored it as no big deal. I noticed the area below it looked kinda bruised and assumed it was from Summer’s pouncing. On December 15th, I called the pastor and told him I couldn’t make the intercessory prayer that day – response no problem. I kept feeling like I had the flu, sleeping allot. The 20-23rd I had a temperature that was high. Kassidey came in every 4 hours and gave me fever reducer. I hallucinated and had delusions when my temperature reached 104* F. Finally, my fever broke and I told Kassidey my tummy hurt. SHe thought I meant food. I corrected her. She took a look and got Robert to come look. THey took me to Harris Methodist Hospital emergency room on Dec 24th, where I was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit.
The Wound-Vac had been removed and the wound was packed with a dressing. I arrived at West lake and asked the nurses Musfasausfa and Kaye to change my dressing as it was wet and my gown was soaked to. They refused and said it would be changed in the morning. They gave me towels to absorb some of the bodily fluids while I slept. At 12:30 a.m. I tried using the call button, then again at 3:33 a.m. no one came until 5:30 a.m. I texted Robert of my situation throughout the night. It was almost 9:00 a.m. before the wound nurses arrived to change the dressing out and install the wound vac. I had laid in my body waste for 12 + hours.
I had developed a wound that was Septic- blood poisoning- infection. Then a cat scan of my abdomen revealed a tumor on my left kidney and infection . Surgery on the lower left medial abdomen was performed the next day. They created an incision 21.5cm long, by 5cm wide and 11.5cm deep and removed all tissue from that area creating an open wound. A few days later on January 2nd, 2020, an machine called a Wound Vac was installed in the wound, to remove drainage of body fluids.
I had a negative reaction to the anesthesia, they thought I had a mini stroke. My left side drifted downwards. An MRI of my brain was performed and I was okay. I was moved out of ICU the 4th day. I was treated very well by all of the staff, doctors and nurses, dieticians and therapist. On the 20th day of treatment I was transferred to West Lake Center of Care (Rehabilitation) in White Settlement, TX. at 8:40 p.m.
I discovered the next day that the call light did not work at all. I told them if that was their method for contact then they needed to get it fixed immediately. It took five days for the maintenance to look at the problem and replace the call light and install light bulbs in the two room sconces- there was limited lighting in the dismal room until then. I was a fall risk due to my seizure disorder and weaken state. In the meanwhile, I had to go to the door and hope to catch someone passing by, we did try holding the button on the call light for 10 seconds, release, and repeat. That was not successful.
The weather stripping had come loose from the window and cold air was coming though, I complained my room was too cold and the staff agreed with me. I had two small thin twin size blankets that I brought with me. I asked for another clinic blanket and was told there were not any available. So I shivered until finally I went to sleep.
I am a diabetic patient. The dietician brought me another persons meal that had her name scratched out and my put in its place. It was a puree food plate…. it was awful, I tried to eat it but couldn’t tolerate it/ I was given another meal. The food manager Greg, came to see me, he took down my allergies and sensitivities to green veggies and some preferences. I thought great- wonderful service finally. Well, that was not to be. I was given a regular salt laden diet. I couldn’t eat the entree it was so salty. I send word to Greg about the salt. So they make an effort to not salt my food. However, even though they had it written on my meal ticket , no salt, peanut, or green vegetables (twice) I was brought meals with salads, broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts, etc. until the day before I left their service, then I was given to servings of mashed potatoes with gravy. For two days, I vomited my food after consumption, I lost 6 1/2 pounds that 1st week. I didn’t recheck to see if I had lost more when I left.
Friday. I am supposed to be discharged on Saturday, the Nurses were attentive now that the call light system worked, it still took over an hour for the nurses to respond to my request to see a nurse. The technician always came within 15 minutes of using the call light. The rental wound vac was put on incorrectly and the alarm would sound every two minutes all day and night long. I was sent home Saturday with it malfunctioning. I called the wound vac technical support and they walked me through testing the unit and determining how to fix leaks, change the canister out, then realize the issue is with the connection of it self to me was faulty. All Saturday night I stayed awake pushing the alarm off button, until sleep finally claimed me for three hours- alarm still in force. Sunday, an emergency call nurse came and changed out the wound vac and the unit worked great afterwards, no alarms going off.
Orange and brown leaves decking the halls in
garland and wreaths, with pumpkins scattered on the hearth.
A traditional Thanksgiving Day is rolling through the Fall,
Turkey and ham, cranberry pudding, and sweet potato pie
adorn the serving table in style.
Mother’s and fathers, children, and aunt’s, uncles, and cousin’s, and friends
adore the festivities of the Macy’s Store Parade and football touchdowns.
Bittersweet memories of those long ago are shared around the firelight
in hopes of bringing story-telling to a new young generation.
Thanksgiving is sharing with caring and hopes of a happy gathering
that makes one glow inside.
Happy Thanksgiving to one and all.
I twist, I turn, I spin, I dance...
Blurring the lines between poetry and prose
Stories, Poetry, and Recipes
Tales of humour, whimsy and courgettes
Here I share words and illustrations I discover on the journey within the crevices of my mind and the outside world. 💚
Providing literature to the city of Fort Worth since 1910
Serenity is golden... But sometimes a few ripples are needed as proof of life.
~ Be Here Now
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