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.

@jakeduck1
Oh crap. I’m so sorry to hear that. At least it’s not revoked. Get a lawyer if you can, don’t appeal by yourself. They know the ins and outs. You should qualify for Meals on Wheels now that you can’t shop?
What about mom? Does she live apart from you?

FL Mary

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@gingerw

@jakedduck1 What was the reason they suspended it? Was it for your seizure condition? Honestly, if you look at the situation from another viewpoint, very likely you would feel absolutely horrible if your suffered a medical incident while driving and hurt not only yourself, but an innocent person. I hope you will step back and take a long look at this turn of events.
Ginger

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@gingerw
I totally understand what your saying. My license has been revoked before and I believe I only appealed the suspension once. I forgot to take my medication and based on experience I’m confident that was why I had seizures. It’s a fact when my Anticonvulsant levels drop so do I. Since I was taking my meds religiously for 6-7 years and no seizures then missed them and seizures it seems reasonable why I had them. This happened before and I got my license right back. All depends on who you get. Hopefully my Neurologist will answer their 100 questions to there satisfaction.
I believe I only appealed once before and he knew someone with Epilepsy and understood some people are more likely to have seizures within certain time frames of missed medicine and medication levels.
If I believed for one second my medication wouldn’t stop my seizures provided my levels are within therapeutic levels I’d never want to drive. I went over 40 years without driving because I knew how dangerous it would be and I’d have seizures but my condition changed 7-8 years ago.
Thank you for your concern.
Jake

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@imallears

@jakeduck1
Oh crap. I’m so sorry to hear that. At least it’s not revoked. Get a lawyer if you can, don’t appeal by yourself. They know the ins and outs. You should qualify for Meals on Wheels now that you can’t shop?
What about mom? Does she live apart from you?

FL Mary

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@imallears
Why Mary, bless your heart. I never thought of that. I hate to admit it but maybe it’s all that weird food that most people like, with the possible exception of the octopus not sure about that. Does it taste like anything you can explain? My Mom and I live together. I have had my license revoked but I got it back. I thought a revocation was permanent, go figure.
Thanks again,
Jake

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@jakedduck1

Well, insert expletive,
DMV yanked my license. As of the 27th it’s suspended. They don’t mention any time frame so I imagine it’s for 1 year.
I’m going to appeal. I may get an attorney this time around.
Expletive! Expletive! Expletive!
Please excuse my language. Although it was expected it makes me so mad. 😡
Jake

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@jakedduck1 In many states as soon as the Dr.s report is that you are prone to seizures your license is revoked. The Dr.s responsibility is to notify the DMV It is for not only your sake but everyone on the road. Think twice Jake

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@parus

@debbraw It is a relief to not always be the "bad guy". I have been scraping the edges of the gratitude bowl too. Just keep trudging through is the best some of us can do at times. I am still struggling with a doctor and her cultural issues. Also trying to find a new primary which are hard to come by. With current doctor's cultural hurdles I need to find one. Still searching and completely exhausted. Although she is internal medicine which I was hopeful about as I was referred there by former primary who left. Doctors are leaving due to changes in policies. We are no longer human beings but machines.

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@parus I am about to be searching once again for a new PCP. I hate this. All of the good ones up here are not taking new patients. Now that the doctors are all owned by the hospitals it's a whole different world too, more like a business and they have 9 - 5 jobs with no OT since if patients are in the hospital they are cared for by hospitalists, and if they get sick beyond office hours they go to urgent care.

I was told the last time I had to find a new PCP to stick with a doctor of internal medicine, they are better at diagnosing generally, and are better for older patients. Family practice doctors are just that -- good for young parents and their children.

@jakedduck1 I'm sorry to hear about your license. If your seizures are under control then I hope you can get it back. I lived in fear of losing my license when I had cirrhosis with HE episodes. A person with an HE episode should not be driving and in some states that's an immediate cause to lose your license. I never lost mine, I am not sure if it's not a law here or in MA or if it was because my HE episodes had symptoms that let me know I was about to have one so if I was out I would immediately head home. Sometimes I would not get one at all, but sometimes an hour or two later I would. In between episodes I was perfectly cognizant, which is not true for many people who have HE.
JK

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@lioness

@jakedduck1 In many states as soon as the Dr.s report is that you are prone to seizures your license is revoked. The Dr.s responsibility is to notify the DMV It is for not only your sake but everyone on the road. Think twice Jake

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@lioness
In California a seizure suspension is 1 year but it can be reduced depending on circumstances. I’m confident I can prove why I had the the seizures. I believe the 7-8 years I haven’t had one and have proof my levels have been at therapeutic levels without any seizures. The other times when my license was suspended I never had a seizure during the suspension period (1 year)
Jake

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@contentandwell

@parus I am about to be searching once again for a new PCP. I hate this. All of the good ones up here are not taking new patients. Now that the doctors are all owned by the hospitals it's a whole different world too, more like a business and they have 9 - 5 jobs with no OT since if patients are in the hospital they are cared for by hospitalists, and if they get sick beyond office hours they go to urgent care.

I was told the last time I had to find a new PCP to stick with a doctor of internal medicine, they are better at diagnosing generally, and are better for older patients. Family practice doctors are just that -- good for young parents and their children.

@jakedduck1 I'm sorry to hear about your license. If your seizures are under control then I hope you can get it back. I lived in fear of losing my license when I had cirrhosis with HE episodes. A person with an HE episode should not be driving and in some states that's an immediate cause to lose your license. I never lost mine, I am not sure if it's not a law here or in MA or if it was because my HE episodes had symptoms that let me know I was about to have one so if I was out I would immediately head home. Sometimes I would not get one at all, but sometimes an hour or two later I would. In between episodes I was perfectly cognizant, which is not true for many people who have HE.
JK

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@contentandwell
Thank you for your concern. In California at least some people who have Focal Aware Seizures are allowed to drive as are people who only have Nocturnal Seizures.
I read Seizures happen in 2-33% of hepatic encephalopathy patients and apparently Non Convulsive Status Epilepticus is common in people with HE and seizures.
I’m glad you made it through without any.
Jake

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@jakedduck1

@lioness
In California a seizure suspension is 1 year but it can be reduced depending on circumstances. I’m confident I can prove why I had the the seizures. I believe the 7-8 years I haven’t had one and have proof my levels have been at therapeutic levels without any seizures. The other times when my license was suspended I never had a seizure during the suspension period (1 year)
Jake

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@jakedduck1 If you haven't had a seizure in 7 or 8 years why did they suddenly take your license?

You have an interesting statistic there about HE episodes. I never heard that, I just knew that not everyone gets them. I really hated them so much. After each I was so depressed because losing control is not something that is easy for me. I would think that when I felt one coming on if I just was determined enough I would be able to prevent it but of course that was not to be. I have not heard of Non Convulsive Status Epilepticus, I need to google that.
Thanks for being glad I made it, I sure am too.
JK

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@jakedduck1

@imallears
Why Mary, bless your heart. I never thought of that. I hate to admit it but maybe it’s all that weird food that most people like, with the possible exception of the octopus not sure about that. Does it taste like anything you can explain? My Mom and I live together. I have had my license revoked but I got it back. I thought a revocation was permanent, go figure.
Thanks again,
Jake

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@jakeduck1
Hi,
Octopus , when grilled, should taste like steak tidbits. It’s an art to cook and many restaurants fail at it. I would only try it at an upscale place and send it back if it was chewy. Same for lobster, which I never order...it should be tender.
Hope the appeal gets underway soon . As you said, you will know if you could drive safely or not. Having no license at your stage of life is a major life changer.
There’s some dangerous drivers out there without any medical conditions...someone I know comes to mind.
Good luck.
FL Mary

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@contentandwell

@jakedduck1 If you haven't had a seizure in 7 or 8 years why did they suddenly take your license?

You have an interesting statistic there about HE episodes. I never heard that, I just knew that not everyone gets them. I really hated them so much. After each I was so depressed because losing control is not something that is easy for me. I would think that when I felt one coming on if I just was determined enough I would be able to prevent it but of course that was not to be. I have not heard of Non Convulsive Status Epilepticus, I need to google that.
Thanks for being glad I made it, I sure am too.
JK

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@

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