Will Leading Technology Help us With Chronic Illness?

I just watched a youtube video about Watson.  Some of you may recognize this computer as the one that played the game Jeopardy on television.  It has been designed to have cognitive computing intelligence.  The video I watched, What will you do with Watson, got me thinking about technology and medicine.  In a partnership between MSK (Memorial Sloan Kettering) and IBM, they'll be using Watson in the fight against Cancer.

After watching a few videos, I began to have contrasting feelings around the concept of Watson assisting with patients.  Posing the question, what would I do with Watson, I immediately went to my experience with Fibromyalgia.  During the 11 years since I was diagnosed, I've met with numerous doctors who have not been equipped with enough information about Fibromyalgia to adequately treat me.  The go-to phrase, that I heard often was, "I don't know what to do with you."  And because they didn't know what to do with me, I suffered and went through numerous unsuccessful and expensive treatments for many years.  I often faced a crossroads of giving up or seeking out yet another doctor in the hopes that I would find help and health one day.  I persisted in the shadow of feeling as though I was a cast off or misfit because I had medical issues that are not known or misunderstood.  This made me feel invisible and unworthy of helpful treatments, compassion and attention.  If the medical specialists don't see my illness as a real illness, does that mean that it doesn't truly exist?  NO!  It exists and deserves attention.  I deserve treatment that works for me and doesn't have a catalog full of side effects (but that's a whole other blog in itself).  So, could Watson help people who are in similar situations as me?  We are the forgotten children set to wait in line until there's enough independent research done.  Then will we get our turn?  Will it be too late?  How many of us will have given up by then and lived a poor quality of life because medical research hasn't caught up with us?

For years, it was assumed that my sadness through the cold winter months was because of seasonal depression.  Although I had numerous other symptoms pointing to a thyroid issue, the blood tests showed that I was in 'normal range'.  With my new doctor, he took my symptoms into consideration at the same level of importance as my blood tests.  We discovered that thyroid treatment eliminated the sadness.  This is just one example of how medical science doesn't consider the lower edges of their bell curve or symptoms having as much importance as blood tests.  Some of us don't fit into the bell and appear to be in normal range for blood tests.  It doesn't mean we are less important or less deserving of a high quality of life.

The topic of research and data being entered into Watson brings up another question.  Who is monitoring the information getting loaded into Watson?  Will they ensure that the information is independent of the parties that fund research in order to sell more prescriptions? Is Watson working for the betterment of the patients or the engorgement of funder's bank accounts?

At this time, I'm going to assume that Watson is for the benefit of the patients, with that and lowering medical bills being the highest priorities.  In that case, Fibromyalgia patients may benefit as well.  There is new research done every day in regards to Fibro and relaying this new information to doctors takes time.  Watson could make the information available to doctors at a much faster pace.  Medical professionals will not have to take time away to go to conferences to learn about new findings in this area.  This information can be accessible in the exam room.  Watson will be capable of evaluating the symptoms, blood tests, research and treatments without emotion or stress clouding decision making.  I can see how a computer would have the ability to keep the goal of offering the opportunity of the best quality of life and health to each patient.  I feel the project of using Watson in health care, has the potential to benefit people by getting them the best knowledge of their diagnosis and treatments faster than ever before.

Although I've had poor experiences with my diagnosis' and treatments, I believe Watson will be a great improvement to how medical care is handled now.  Without my past experiences, I may not have been able to see the benefits as clearly as I see them now.  I'd let Watson analyze my medical data and I'm incredibly curious about what he'd spit out.

Thank you for reading, forwarding and following!!!
Terri

Growing Every Day

I've discovered another gift of fibromyalgia.  It seems as though I have more empathy and compassion for others.  Not just those who are diagnosed with fibro or a chronic illness, but everyone.  The more I am loving and compassionate to myself regarding my experiences in life, the more I am called to be there for others.

My wonderful Mom and amazing sister, both, have worked with Seniors throughout their careers.  When I was younger, as a shy and scared kid, I was afraid of older people.  I'm not sure why, but I connected with young children much easier.  My education, experience and career was mostly with infants through third grade.  Toddlers were my favorite.

During the last month, my Mother-in-law, who is a beautiful 71 year old woman, became very ill.  Her body was failing her and she went from the hospital to a rehabilitation facility.  My husband is an only child and he spends about 20 hours a week caring for his 87 year old father, who lives by himself two towns over.  My Mother-in-law, I call her Ma, has lived on her own for 30 years and prides herself on her high level of independence.  When it became clear that, between the diabetes and COPD, she may never be able to live independently again, she needed some support.  I was called to step up and get over my weird fear and see what I could do to help.

Have you ever gently and cautiously leaned in a new direction in life and realized that you really
enjoyed the new direction?  I've impressed myself.  I had no idea that I'd be good at juggling...I mean managing all the doctors, nurses, social workers, medications, overseeing care, searching for long term care and being a consistent and nurturing support for Ma.  She and I joke and laugh.  We've cried over some of the changes and look forward to the new coming our way.  Ma and I also have a pretty good agreement.  When I need to care and nurture myself, I do just that.  Sometimes it's a day of rest and sometimes it's many days in a row.

Now, don't get me wrong...It's not all rainbows and unicorns.  I just choose to focus on the rainbows and unicorns because they bring me joy.  The other stuff is a contrast that reminds me to move through with gratitude and to focus on the blessings.

Who knew I'd marry an amazing man in 2012 and have a great opportunity to get to know my Mother-in-law, so well, in 2013.

I'm growing every day and it feels wonderful to welcome this new growth and a new family member with open arms and an open heart!

Thank you for reading, forwarding and following!!!
Terri

Perfect Example...Must See

This post is a follow-up to my post, Where you are is exactly where you're meant to be.

I know I just posted my blog for today, but I just had to share this amazing video.  An amazing girl with a disability and her older loving brother...


Please Watch.  Oh, and have a tissue close by :)

Just Keep Moving...

My bed just wouldn't release me this morning.  I was so incredibly tired.  I felt stuck.  I'd wake up, groggy and close my eyes to get some more rest.  My body was heavy and weak.  I'd open my eyes and see 7:45, fall back to sleep, wake up and see 8:03, fall back to sleep, etc.

In my half wake, half sleep, I began to have these horrific dreams or thoughts.  I tried to shift my thoughts and think about what I'm grateful for, but the dream had a strong hold.  It was terrifying.  I was able to interrupt the streaming story line of horror to be conscious enough to know that I had to move.  I had to ground myself in the here and now.  I immediately sat up, firmly placed my feet on the floor and opened my eyes wide.  I could see that I was in my safe home and I could hear the sounds of all three of my children, confirming that they were all safe too.

I never know when the post traumatic stress disorder is going to rear it's ugly head.  I often feel I have things under control.  I avoid the news. I purposefully seek out movie reviews from friends to make sure it's something that won't trigger me. I know how to ground myself and be present.  It just doesn't seem like enough because I'm still haunted by memories of my childhood or fears about my children's safety.

Once I knew where I was and what was going on, I sipped some water and wept.  I didn't want to let the terror take over so I distracted myself by checking emails and FB, just trying to connect with the world I've created; a group of people and circumstances that are positive and forward moving.  I was having difficulty figuring out what to do next.  I was still stuck.  I literally felt as though I was unable to move from sitting on the edge of the bed to anyplace.  Then my husband came in and sat next to me.  He must have had some sort of sixth sense because he showed up at the perfect time.  I told him that I wasn't even out of bed yet, but I was already overwhelmed with the day ahead.  I'm not sure why I didn't tell him about the dream.  Maybe it was still too fresh.  Ray sat with me for a while, kissed me on the forehead and headed back to work.

His presence gave me the strength to just get up and move.  I wasn't sure where I was going or what I was doing, I just knew that sitting there, any longer, wasn't going to make things better.  I wondered if I should eat then shower, then get dressed, then go food shopping then make our juices.  Or should I go make breakfast for the kids, drink a juice, take a shower, get dressed, go shopping. I thought, maybe I should go out to exercise (in the rain), shower, drink my juice, make the phone calls that need to be made, go shopping.....AAAARRRRGG!! It was just too much! I chose to stand up and put my robe on.  I made one decision at a time.  I just kept moving.

My day progressed and I finally felt comfortable telling Ray why I was so out of sorts.  He is so compassionate and loving.  He kissed me and said he loves me and that everyone is safe and fine.  Ray drove me to go shopping and we spent the afternoon making the juices together.

I'm grateful for my loving husband.  I'm grateful that I have such wonderful triplets.  I'm grateful to have such supportive friends and family surrounding me.  I'm faithful that the PTSD and depression will subside and I'll experience life with ease and grace.

Thanks for reading, forwarding and following my posts!!!