Blog 13 Is it a sign of weakness or strength for a woman to admit that she has a problem with druds or alcohol?

Women are strong as oxes. We have jobs outside the home, take care of the laundry and housekeeping, and take care of the childrens needs. I think a lot of us do not want to admit that we are not perfect. It is definietly a strength for a woman to admit she has a problem and to seek treatment. We all tend to worry about everyone else until we hit rock bottom, then we notice we need to help ourselves.

Blog 12 What can be done to reduce the stigma and shame that still surrounds mental illness?

Medical record confidentiality is the first step. A person's records are their business and should not be seen at all unless that person is a threat to someone else or themself. I deal with many children and do not know specific diagnosis, however, the families share the information needed for me to provide and protect the child. Also, education is a vital part of reducing the stigma an shame from mental illness. Most people hear the word, mental illness, and make the decision that the person is dangerous. If people would learn more about different mental illnesses I think there would be much less stigma around mental illness.

Blog 11 If everyone lived "with our future in mind" do you think that we would live different?

In our teenage years we are not thinking about living the right way for our future. These times are probably some of the hardest on our bodies. Drinking and smoking are big things in high school and college. At this age, we chose not to realize the damage these two products do on our body. I think individual who have grown up in a home with a parent who has been ill understands the great reasons to start taking care of themselves when they are young. I definitely think if we changed our behaviors at an early age the drinking and driving, drugs, smoking would not get the opportunity to due such harm to our body.

None of us know what is in store for us in the future. I had no idea that I would face cancer before I was thirty-five years old. However, if we live life better with health and exercise it lowers the risk for major illness. It gives us the opportunity for longevity in our life. Many of us are blessed with longevity in our genes and to enjoy it taking better care of yourself in younger years is a must.

Blog 10 What factors can influence women to adopt healthier lifestyles and engage in preventive behaviors so as to reduce their risks of CD and Cancer

Women live their lives for their husbands and children. They tend to forget to take care of their selves while taking care of the family. Risk factors for cardiovascular disease include age, genetics, race, obesity, smoking, hypertension, elevated cholesterol, sedentary lifestyle, diabetes, and menopause. Women need to change their behaviors in obesity, smoking, and a sedentary lifestyle. These are items in which we have control over by using diet and exercise, stop smoking, and continual exercise. Race and genetics is something we do not have control over. Racial differences include Blacks having a higher rate of high blood pressure with more complications. You can look at it as it is predetermined in your hereditary. Mexican American are predestined to be more obese. Lifestyle changes in diet and exercise are the best steps to a healthier lifestyle for women. Make sure you take time for yourself. I am definitely one of those individuals who forget to put myself first sometimes.

Blog 9 What are the biggest challenges to do regular exercise and a healthy diet that you face? How are these challenges going to change for you over

The biggest challenges that I face everyday with exercise and diet is the schedule I live in my home. I work at a before and after daycare, my workday starts at 6:30 am to 8:30 am, then study until 2:30 , return to work and finish at 6:30pm. Dinner normally happens about 7:00pm or later.I have an eighteen year old son that plays baseball who keeps an extremely busy schedule. My current exercise consists of playing with the kids at the daycare and caring clothes up the steps of my home six or seven times a day. As you guys know, I am a breast cancer survivor, eight years I was very thin and fit. Eight years of cancer treatment has put about 45 pounds on me. It has been a constant battle do the medication that I must take to prevent cancer from coming back.

The next five years brings a lot of excitement for me. The ten year cancer free mark will help me get off almost all my medications. Not having these medications I will be able to lose much quicker. Also, upon graduation I will be teaching school and I will not be working late hours any longer. I have taken the right steps already. I joined Fit After 50 where I go work out every other day. I am not fifty yet, however, I do not have to go watch all these skinny young girls working out wishing I could be there again. I know that I will probably never get back to that, however, I can lose the weight that cancer added and firm it all up.

Blog 8 What bother's you most about getting old? What makes you feel good about ageing?

Getting old is a natural part of life. I have never had a problem getting old. My health changed eight years ago on March 23, 1999 when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I was always a very healthy person. Dancing was my exercised and I did a lot of it and kept very fit. The challenge I was dealt with cancer interrupted my great life and began to break down my good health. I knew that I would beat breast cancer but had no ideas of the side effects of the treatments and the disease. The fatigue that started during chemo continue for quite a long time. The middle-age weight gain started after beginning to take tamoxifen and continued to increase for over five years. My ageing processed was altered due to the treatments. I went through medical induced menopause at 35 years old. The thinning of the bone increased dramatically after taking tamoxifen for five years. At 43 years old my bones are as thin as an 80 year old woman's. I look at all of this and think it is better than being dead. I knew that this was part of ageing, however, I never thought I would go through menopause at such an early age.

What makes me feel good about ageing? Ageing has given me the maturity to accomplish goals in my life. After getting to my five year cancer free mark I decided I needed to live my life to the fullest. I decided to go back and finish my college education. In three years I have completed an Associates in Child Development and a Bachelors in General Studies in May. It is pretty cool my son graduates from high school in May also. In my life plan there was never cancer on the menu. I beat it!! Ageing has never been a problem for me and it has given me opportunities I never thought about when I was young.

Blog 7 What would you tell a friend or loved one who suspected that he/she might have a STD but was afraid to get tested?

I would tell this individual that they need to be tested. It is a matter of good health. There would be given options on where they could go. If you do not want your regular doctor to know, Planned Parenthood, a place to get tested. While there they would be given information on the risks of STD's and the damage they can do to someone. If it was my husband of twenty years , he would be tested first, then counseling to determine where he got the STD.