Copyright Notice
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Dear Readers,
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May is National Stroke Awareness Month in the US, and this is extremely relevant for me, because four weeks ago, I had what my doctors believe was a mild stroke that required a trip to the emergency room and an overnight stay in the hospital for tests and observation. Thankfully, my symptoms are gone and nothing worse happened.
I also turned 60 on April 27th. My health scare inspired a special 60th birthday wish that I wanted to share with all our readers. For more about my own experience and birthday wish, please click here.
In honor of my own safety, of my wish for all of your safety, and of Stroke Awareness Month, I wanted to review with you the warning signs of a stroke. According to the National Stroke Association, the symptoms of a stroke or TIA (mini-stroke) vary depending on which part of the brain is affected. Seek medical attention immediately if you have any of these symptoms:
· Sudden unexplained numbness, weakness or other change in sensation of face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body.
· Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.
· Sudden trouble seeing or change in vision in one or both eyes
· Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.
· Sudden severe headache with no known cause.
If you experience any of these symptoms, for even the briefest amount of time or notice them in someone else, seek medical attention immediately. Don't wait for the symptoms to go away, because you cannot tell whether you are having a stroke or a mini-stroke. If you are having a min-stroke, a doctor can evaluate and treat the causes and set up a plan of action to prevent a stroke.
For more information about stroke prevention and recovery, please visit stroke.org and please pass this information on to everyone of any age who is important to you.
Wishing each of you a healthy, safe, and joyous month,
Irene van der Zande
KIDPOWER Executive Director/Co-Founder
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Boundary-Lowering Tactics to Understand
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In his groundbreaking book, The Gift of Fear, violence prediction expert and best-selling author Gavin de Becker describes a list of tactics that a rapist might use to persuade a potential victim to lower her boundaries so that she allows herself to get into an unsafe situation with someone she does not know. He also explains how these tactics might be used in other intrusive situations. With his permission, this article goes into more discussion about how understanding of these tactics can be important in daily life.
Use of some of these tactics does not automatically mean that someone is a bad person with bad intentions. In fact, some of these tactics can be very helpful when people are building a relationship. If we never lowered our boundaries with other people, we would have a hard time making friends, doing business, or enjoying social events.
However, it is important to notice how and when these tactics are being used and not let them stop you from making your own choices. Is this person is trying to get you to do something that you also want? Or are you are being persuaded to lower your boundaries in ways that might not be in your best interests?
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Read more
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Mayo Clinic
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Awareness is key to personal safety and is also essential in order to take charge of ones health. The mayoclinic.com website gives a wealth of well-researched clearly-explained information about all sorts of health issues, large and small. On a personal level, it was the symptom checker on the Mayo Clinic website that educated me to the reality the most people having strokes do not seek medical attention promptly, which puts them at a far greater risk of having a more serious problem.
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MANY
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Soda Foundation.
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