As a mother, my intuition told me that something just wasn't right. Most doctors blew off my concerns about my daughter, Deborah. They said the behavior problems were just "terrible twos" or "extra family stress" from my divorce. I knew from the time of my pregnancy that something was different. Even the labor and delivery was unusual. By the age of two Deborah, Tears, was displaying explosive behavior, head, Tears, banging, screaming during the night and kicking walls. Her first psychiatric evaluation was at the age of 2 ฝ and came back "normal".
As Deborah got older the behavior continued but was somewhat manageable, with very creative, Tears, parenting techniques and close monitoring. By third grade she was diagnosed with ADHD and medicated. This helped somewhat but I still sensed that something wasn't right. A second opinion showed four additional diagnoses of OCD, ODD, depression and anxiety.
Additional medication, Tears, was helpful for the behavior, Tears, but there were always side effects, Tears, . School was becoming, Tears, a challenge.
Grades were inconsistent and Deborah continued to show no interest. Things seemed to hold steady for a few years.
Then, August 2000,, Tears, the situation took a turn for the worst. Deborah, then 14 years old, was diagnosed with Bipolar disorder.
Also known as manic depression, this mental illness is characterized by drastic mood swings. The bipolar, along with the other disorders completely changed, Tears, my daughter into someone that,, Tears, at times, I hardly knew. When we were first told of the diagnosis, I was somewhat relieved that there was a reason for the extreme and bizarre behavior we were witnessing. However, my life became an emotional rollercoster.
As a mother, I immediately felt that if I tried hard enough I could "save" my daughter from this awful illness.
I figured that if I tried hard enough I could "fix" everything so that her life would be "normal" and she wouldn't have to suffer. Most of what I was doing had been very good for myself and, Tears, the rest of my family. However, Deborah was in denial and wouldn't accept any of the help that I offered her.
That was the painful part because as a mother, I wanted to reach out and protect her.
I began a crusade of educating myself, joining parent advocacy groups, going to conferences, reading books, collecting information, networking with other parents, networking with the school, and going to counseling. I immediately went on Family Medical Leave from work and began working a reduced schedule so that I could closely monitor Deborah until she was stabilized. I still feel that all of these things were very positive.
However, I tried to push all of this on my daughter and expected her to react positively to my assistance. She didn't, she felt controlled and smothered and lashed out even more. This was so painful for me because I wanted so desperately to protect her. I slowly realized that Deborah must want to be helped - nothing could be pushed on her.
Deborah was not doing well in school and there were so many options available to help her succeed. Again, she, Tears, was not receptive to anyone's help and out- patient counseling was not effective. I was constantly fighting the urge to push my knowledge and ideas on her. Because, after all, "mother knows best". Instead I tried to be, Tears, subtle with her - then I would retreat to my bedroom and cry.
I struggled between elation - when she was in a good mood, anger - when she wouldn't speak to me, and hate - when she was swearing at me.
I continued to network and educate myself, remembering to do it for myself and not push it on my daughter. I tried to take care of myself and to not give up my whole life because of this illness. I slowly recognized the positive things about this, Tears, situation.
Like, how it caused me to reprioritize my life and take a stand for what I believed in. I did a lot of soul searching and made some personal decisions that I had been putting off. All of this placed me way outside of my comfort zone and it wasn't a good feeling. But, like life itself, it's a process. It's personal growth.
I actually must thank the Lord for this whole situation because it has helped me in so many ways. Things are so much clearer to me now and my path is much more obvious. I am not the one with the illness but I am going through a personal growth so astounding that I wouldn't trade the experience for anything in the world.
My heart aches for Deborah and each tear I cry represents my love for her. I, Tears, would like to share my experience with her, make her aware of how I feel and what I'm going through. However, she's not ready to hear it. I would love to see her go through a similar, Tears, growth. Maybe she is, in her own way. Or maybe she'll look back years, Tears, from now and realize that she gained something, Tears, from all this. I know my life will be painful for awhile but I will continue to survive. I pray that all the pain will be worth the gain.
ฉ 2001 By Monique Rider
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Monique Rider is a Life Coach and Personal Trainer.
She owns Trinity Coaching Services, a company that offers fitness training and personal growth services to clients worldwide. To learn more about Monique please visit her website: http://home.talkcity.com/workoutpl/trinitycoachingservices/, Tears, or email her, Tears, at: Monique_Rider@msn.com
Rotator Cuff Injury - Why Bodybuilders and Weightlifters Are So Susceptible to Painful Tears
It is not surprising that bodybuilders and, Tears, weightlifters are especially susceptible, Tears,, Tears, to rotator cuff injuries. These injuries are often caused by activities that place excessive strain on the shoulder muscles and joints.
Bodybuilding and weightlifting both involve movements which use the rotator cuff in ways that are far different from basic, everyday activities.
Because of this, the muscles and tendons can be strained beyond their limits. When this occurs, a rotator cuff injury is just a matter of time.
Comprised of four muscles and their respective tendons - the infraspinatus, the supraspinatus, the subscapularis, and the teres minor, they are responsible for supporting the shoulder joint. And they are very susceptible to injury.
A rotator cuff injury can be one of the most painful injuries experienced by weightlifters and bodybuilders. And they can be especially debilitating because they may considerably limit shoulder, arm, and head movements.
Too often, athletes ignore the symptoms of a rotator tear until the situation becomes severe. Only then do they realize that poor form or incorrect exercise, in addition to the overuse of their muscles, has done the damage.
Unfortunately, it is, Tears, often only after the injury that athletes realize the abuse.
Bodybuilders and weightlifters who sustain rotator cuff injuries will certainly find themselves unable to perform their normal training, Tears, regimens because they require movements of the upper body, especially the shoulders. They may also have difficulty sleeping due to the pain.
It is best to try to prevent a this injury rather than try to cure one. This is true for all injuries and rotator cuff injuries are no exception. While there may be non-surgical treatment options in less severe injuries, Tears, for a rotator cuff injury, prevention remains, Tears, the most practical advice. Time is always a key element in the treatment for rotator cuff injuries. The amount of time varies depending on how the severity of the injury.
For minor injuries, exercises that stabilize the shoulder blades and strengthen the rotator cuff muscles may be all that is necessary.
Steroid injections may be used to reduce inflammation. For severe tears, surgery is probably required. If the injury persists after all other treatment options have been used, a partial or total shoulder replacement may be advised. Often, your instincts are your best guide in preventing an injury.
If you think you are over-exerting your muscles, then it is time to listen and think about what you are doing. Taking some simple precautions, such as warming up and, Tears, cooling down before and after exercising, choosing the right exercises, and having a balanced exercise routine can be very beneficial.
Weightlifters and bodybuilders should consult a trainer to get a, Tears, general understanding of how form and exertion affects their bodies. Those who are not knowledgeable about their fitness routines may place excessive strain, Tears, on their shoulder muscles doing much more harm than good.
Bodybuilding and weightlifting both involve movements which use the rotator cuff in ways that are far different from basic, everyday activities.
Because of this, the muscles and tendons can be strained beyond their limits. When this occurs, a rotator cuff injury is just a matter of time.
Comprised of four muscles and their respective tendons - the infraspinatus, the supraspinatus, the subscapularis, and the teres minor, they are responsible for supporting the shoulder joint. And they are very susceptible to injury.
A rotator cuff injury can be one of the most painful injuries experienced by weightlifters and bodybuilders. And they can be especially debilitating because they may considerably limit shoulder, arm, and head movements.
Too often, athletes ignore the symptoms of a rotator tear until the situation becomes severe. Only then do they realize that poor form or incorrect exercise, in addition to the overuse of their muscles, has done the damage.
Unfortunately, it is, Tears, often only after the injury that athletes realize the abuse.
Bodybuilders and weightlifters who sustain rotator cuff injuries will certainly find themselves unable to perform their normal training, Tears, regimens because they require movements of the upper body, especially the shoulders. They may also have difficulty sleeping due to the pain.
It is best to try to prevent a this injury rather than try to cure one. This is true for all injuries and rotator cuff injuries are no exception. While there may be non-surgical treatment options in less severe injuries, Tears, for a rotator cuff injury, prevention remains, Tears, the most practical advice. Time is always a key element in the treatment for rotator cuff injuries. The amount of time varies depending on how the severity of the injury.
For minor injuries, exercises that stabilize the shoulder blades and strengthen the rotator cuff muscles may be all that is necessary.
Steroid injections may be used to reduce inflammation. For severe tears, surgery is probably required. If the injury persists after all other treatment options have been used, a partial or total shoulder replacement may be advised. Often, your instincts are your best guide in preventing an injury.
If you think you are over-exerting your muscles, then it is time to listen and think about what you are doing. Taking some simple precautions, such as warming up and, Tears, cooling down before and after exercising, choosing the right exercises, and having a balanced exercise routine can be very beneficial.
Weightlifters and bodybuilders should consult a trainer to get a, Tears, general understanding of how form and exertion affects their bodies. Those who are not knowledgeable about their fitness routines may place excessive strain, Tears, on their shoulder muscles doing much more harm than good.
Those who are not knowledgeable about their fitness routines may place excessive strain on their shoulder muscles doing much more harm than good. So, make sure you understand the most crucial aspects of preventing injury with proper exercise that protects, heals and rehabilitates your rotator cuff with this free report at http://MyRotator-Cuff-Exercises.Com
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