1. < Just Want to Talk

Gratitude Discussion Group

Posted by Debbra Williams, Alumna Mentor @debbraw, Nov 24, 2018

Hi everyone! Just before Thanksgiving @michellegraffradford posted a blog called Gratitude Changes Everything. She suggested three techniques to help incorporate gratitude into our daily lives:


  • Start the Day with Gratitude (before getting up think of three people you are grateful for)

  • Maintain a Gratitude Journal to record times when you are grateful

  • Count Blessings – not sheep! (Review the day and remember moments of gratitude)


Her blogpost was so inspiring that a lot of us decided we wanted to form a Gratitude Group to keep the attitude of gratitude going. The blogpost area is not an ideal space for a big discussion group so I am moving the discussion over here to the “Just Want to Talk” Group. Let’s use this space to share and discuss our Gratitude Journey. I’m going to suggest that we each try to take a minute from the day and post here what has made us feel thankful today. It can be as small as a stranger’s smile on the bus or as large as fulfilling a major life dream – or anywhere in between. We can also discuss how we are doing with the three techniques. Sometimes it is easier to form new habits with support from others.

Michelle's full blogpost is at the link below. You may want to review it or print it out to help get started!
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/page/living-with-mild-cognitive-impairment-mci/newsfeed/gratitude-changes-everything/
I look forward to hearing from others in the Gratitude Group and to having others join us here! Thanks to those who already shared great stories. If you haven't yet, what gratitude will you share today?!

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Just Want to Talk Support Group.

Sundance(RB) | @sundance6 | Sep 30, 2019
In reply to @parus "Hello everyone. I go for the biopsy this morning and then the waiting for follow up..." + (show)
@parus

Hello everyone. I go for the biopsy this morning and then the waiting for follow up appointment in 2 weeks. I have been having no symptoms that I am aware of-thing is I have so much pain I may not notice. No visible blood in urine.
So many of us are to be heralded as brave and continuing to trudge on. Oh yes, t'would be much easier to give into the pain and all of the things that accompany chronic pain. I do not think I need to mention the side effects of chronic pain.
My little scamp spent the day yesterday. He is my motivation right now. I did need to set up the card table yesterday to play with the plethora of creatures ranging from reptiles to a skeleton army. I just was not capable of playing on the floor!!! He is so tolerant of my inadequacies. He even told me yesterday he was going to tell his mom and dad he wanted to live with me. Days here are always play with some educational work/play intermingled.
@contentandwell While I was still working at the plant nursery where we also did what we could to educate customers about there plant material I told them that plants are like people. If they are happy in their location they will thrive. However, I like to believe I am a tad more adaptable than some plants.
As to medical communities all we as consumers can do is strive to work with it as bucking the system rarely works. Their goal has become efficiency and not their patients health. Trying to stuff everyone into the same box is placing them at risk. We are machines whether we like it or not-bar codes being embedded where easily scanned are not far from reality. I will not carry this thought any farther.

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WE ALL LOVE YOU AND ARE SENDING ALL OF OUR THOUGHT, PRAYERS AND BLESSINGS!
Suncance(RB)

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Parus | @parus | Oct 1, 2019

I will say thanks to all of my cheerleaders. I can say all of the support, caring and prayers I have a positive report for my connect family.
Things look good thus far. Back in 3 months for another check.
Thanks everyone as it helped me to keep trying and press onward. There is strength in numbers.
We are all to be commended on the success of an online community. A place to come and feel safe.
@colleenyoung You are to be congratulated as well as many others. We are all blessed to have friends here.
@hopeful33250 There I go getting sappy once again.
LOVE Y'ALL and relieved to have positive input and a heart full of gratitude for helping me through.
My son took me and when the doctor came in prior to the procedure the cat was out of the bag!!! BUSTED!! He was blindsided but not angry as he did understand. I do all I can to protect even my adult children.

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5 replies
Merry, Alumni Mentor | @merpreb | Oct 1, 2019
In reply to @merpreb "@parus - Best of luck today! I'm thinking of you! Let me know how things go?" + (show)
@merpreb

@parus - Best of luck today! I'm thinking of you! Let me know how things go?

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@parus- How are you doing?

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1 reply
Merry, Alumni Mentor | @merpreb | Oct 1, 2019
In reply to @parus "I will say thanks to all of my cheerleaders. I can say all of the support,..." + (show)
@parus

I will say thanks to all of my cheerleaders. I can say all of the support, caring and prayers I have a positive report for my connect family.
Things look good thus far. Back in 3 months for another check.
Thanks everyone as it helped me to keep trying and press onward. There is strength in numbers.
We are all to be commended on the success of an online community. A place to come and feel safe.
@colleenyoung You are to be congratulated as well as many others. We are all blessed to have friends here.
@hopeful33250 There I go getting sappy once again.
LOVE Y'ALL and relieved to have positive input and a heart full of gratitude for helping me through.
My son took me and when the doctor came in prior to the procedure the cat was out of the bag!!! BUSTED!! He was blindsided but not angry as he did understand. I do all I can to protect even my adult children.

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@parus- What tremendous news! Congratulations

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Mentor
Ginger, Volunteer Mentor | @gingerw | Oct 1, 2019
In reply to @parus "I will say thanks to all of my cheerleaders. I can say all of the support,..." + (show)
@parus

I will say thanks to all of my cheerleaders. I can say all of the support, caring and prayers I have a positive report for my connect family.
Things look good thus far. Back in 3 months for another check.
Thanks everyone as it helped me to keep trying and press onward. There is strength in numbers.
We are all to be commended on the success of an online community. A place to come and feel safe.
@colleenyoung You are to be congratulated as well as many others. We are all blessed to have friends here.
@hopeful33250 There I go getting sappy once again.
LOVE Y'ALL and relieved to have positive input and a heart full of gratitude for helping me through.
My son took me and when the doctor came in prior to the procedure the cat was out of the bag!!! BUSTED!! He was blindsided but not angry as he did understand. I do all I can to protect even my adult children.

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@parus This is so great to hear! [insert happy dance for you, here] I can't help but think that having your son there, and being in that environment to have him find out, took pressure off of you. So glad he did not get angry. Now, go enjoy the day, make your plans for the future, and smile.
Ginger

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Parus | @parus | Oct 1, 2019
In reply to @merpreb "@parus- How are you doing?" + (show)
@merpreb

@parus- How are you doing?

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@merpreb The day after being sedated is the typically the worst. It flares everything else up. I react poorly to anesthetics. I see and hear things that I know are not real in some way and the discomfort will pass. I stay home and away from others until I know my head is on straight or at least as it ever can be-Yes, a funny.
The doctor did a biopsy and was going by what he saw and having been doing this for years he was confident enough to say 3 months until another look. I now know what to watch for and to call the urologist and NOT the primary. My records are a mess no matter what I do. I had blood work done on my thyroid and TSH is waaay low. Still nothing about the results of this. All I can do is refill what I have and continue what I was told to do. Calling gets me nowhere nor does using my patient portal. I honestly don't know what the primary does as I have not been able to get through to any of them. 3 have hauled butt out and now another primary with the personality of a warthog. Continue to try and give her the benefit of the doubt.
I need to rest until my head clears. I am coherent enough to stay home and not get behind the wheel of a car.

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4 replies
Mentor
Jennifer, Volunteer Mentor | @jenniferhunter | Oct 1, 2019
In reply to @sundance6 "I have filled out any numuber of surveys from hospitals, doctors and insurance co.! None have..." + (show)
@sundance6

I have filled out any numuber of surveys from hospitals, doctors and insurance co.! None have ever mattered! I have never heard back on any of them. I feel it is a way to make you think that they care!
It's very sad the shape our medical industry as a whole has turned into in the last 20 years! They all use to care! It use to be 10% were not good, now I feel it has flipped the other way. There are only about 10% that I feel would measure up to standards 20 year ago!
Peace!
Sundance(RB)

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@sundance6 When I received a survey from Mayo after my spine surgery, I did more than just fill out the survey. The cover letter was written by the CEO who at that time was Dr. John Noseworthy. I had nothing but praise for the skill and compassion of my surgical team, and I wrote a letter about them to Dr. Noseworthy. I think it is important to recognize and appreciate the people who make a difference in your life. Having a team that cared about me helped me get through it all. To my surprise, I received a personal letter back from Dr. Noseworthy thanking me for my letter and telling me that he appreciated and recognized my surgeon as one of Mayo's best. When I got to my 6 week post op follow up, I gave my surgeon a copy of that letter and the one I had written to Dr. Noseworthy, and he was happy to have the letters and thanked me. I went on to express my gratitude even more. They say a picture is worth a thousand words..... Here's my story. https://sharing.mayoclinic.org/2019/01/09/using-the-art-of-medicine-to-overcome-fear-of-surgery/

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1 reply
Merry, Alumni Mentor | @merpreb | Oct 1, 2019
In reply to @parus "@merpreb The day after being sedated is the typically the worst. It flares everything else up...." + (show)
@parus

@merpreb The day after being sedated is the typically the worst. It flares everything else up. I react poorly to anesthetics. I see and hear things that I know are not real in some way and the discomfort will pass. I stay home and away from others until I know my head is on straight or at least as it ever can be-Yes, a funny.
The doctor did a biopsy and was going by what he saw and having been doing this for years he was confident enough to say 3 months until another look. I now know what to watch for and to call the urologist and NOT the primary. My records are a mess no matter what I do. I had blood work done on my thyroid and TSH is waaay low. Still nothing about the results of this. All I can do is refill what I have and continue what I was told to do. Calling gets me nowhere nor does using my patient portal. I honestly don't know what the primary does as I have not been able to get through to any of them. 3 have hauled butt out and now another primary with the personality of a warthog. Continue to try and give her the benefit of the doubt.
I need to rest until my head clears. I am coherent enough to stay home and not get behind the wheel of a car.

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@parus- We'll talk later, rest!

REPLY
Mentor
Jennifer, Volunteer Mentor | @jenniferhunter | Oct 1, 2019
In reply to @parus "@merpreb The day after being sedated is the typically the worst. It flares everything else up...." + (show)
@parus

@merpreb The day after being sedated is the typically the worst. It flares everything else up. I react poorly to anesthetics. I see and hear things that I know are not real in some way and the discomfort will pass. I stay home and away from others until I know my head is on straight or at least as it ever can be-Yes, a funny.
The doctor did a biopsy and was going by what he saw and having been doing this for years he was confident enough to say 3 months until another look. I now know what to watch for and to call the urologist and NOT the primary. My records are a mess no matter what I do. I had blood work done on my thyroid and TSH is waaay low. Still nothing about the results of this. All I can do is refill what I have and continue what I was told to do. Calling gets me nowhere nor does using my patient portal. I honestly don't know what the primary does as I have not been able to get through to any of them. 3 have hauled butt out and now another primary with the personality of a warthog. Continue to try and give her the benefit of the doubt.
I need to rest until my head clears. I am coherent enough to stay home and not get behind the wheel of a car.

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@parus All I can think of right now is a singing warthog wearing a lab coat. ( the singing warthog in the Lion King ) I hope you find a better doctor and you made me laugh. I'm glad you're doing well. I take desiccated pig thyroid hormones. Some patients can't make all the components from the synthetic thyroid medication and only do well on the natural hormones that are bioidentical. My functional medicine doctor prescribes only this. Brand names are Nature Throid and Armour. If you are on prescribed thyroid hormones, TSH is supposed to get lower because it is thyroid stimulating hormone that causes the thyroid to produce hormones. If it's doing too much, it causes an overactive thyroid.

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Mentor
Becky, Volunteer Mentor | @becsbuddy | Oct 1, 2019
In reply to @sundance6 "IF THERE IS ANY DOUBT THAT PEOPLE DON'T CARE ABOUT OTHERS, THEY JUST NEED TO READ..." + (show)
@sundance6

IF THERE IS ANY DOUBT THAT PEOPLE DON'T CARE ABOUT OTHERS, THEY JUST NEED TO READ A FEW POSTS ON MAYO CONECT AND YOU WILL FIND THE WORLD IS FULL OF CARING AND WONDERFUL PEOPLE!
BLESS YOU ALL!
Sundance (RB)

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@sundance6 😊😁🤗

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