Ian Palmer – The Gray Nomad

Nov

Jessica Eubank: an Inspiration.

WHATS IN THIS BLOG: • Cerebral palsy. • The danger of driving. • Frustration. • When things seem hopeless. • The car that changed Jessica’s life.

Now and then I hear of a heart-warming story that is truly inspirational. This story was written from the perspective of Jessica’s mom who I know rather well. Here it is:

CEREBRAL PALSY. When you ask expectant parents if they’re hoping for a boy or girl, often the response will be, “Either as long as it’s happy and healthy!” Sometimes life throws a curve ball and the child you have been waiting for is not what you expect.

My eldest daughter Jessica was so excited to see the world that she came two months early.… More “Jessica Eubank: an Inspiration.”

Oct

Sleep loss: startling new info.

WHATS IN THIS BLOG: • A goldmine of info by an expert from Harvard. • Consequences of sleep loss are startling. • What about sleep apnea and insomnia?

HARVARD SLEEP EXPERT. At Harvard University, sleep expert Dr. Charles Czeisler unveiled a new sleep class for all freshmen. His work has exposed results of sleep loss that are startling.

The following bullets come from a podcast on NPR’s Here and Now, on 12 October 2018:

• Insufficient sleep can be deadly: causing traffic accidents, contributes to obesity and diabetes, • Harvard has a mandatory online sleep class for freshmen. It will soon be mandatory for upper classmen as well. Some reasons for the class are given below: • Student pressures: Some study groups organize to meet at 1 am.… More “Sleep loss: startling new info.”

Aug

Fish Creek, Wisconsin.

WHATS IN THIS BLOG: • Fish Creek beach. • A little like heaven. • Tragedy at Independence, Kansas. • The process of pain. • Any good purpose for the trials of life?

Fish Creek, Wisconsin is a tiny village pregnant with tourists in Door County – a finger of land that sticks out into Lake Michigan about a hundred miles north of Chicago.

FISH CREEK BEACH. I’m typing up my thoughts on my deck at 3 pm. Across the road is a beach. It’s not a man’s beach like in Australia with enormous waves crashing on miles of golden sand, and tanned surfer-hunks on the watch for rip tides. Fish Creek beach is only 75 yards long, with lawn not sand, and of course the water is fresh lake water not salt.… More “Fish Creek, Wisconsin.”

Dec

Kids and smartphones: The danger

WHATS IN THIS BLOG: • Nina Langton’s scary experience with depression and suicide. • The latest statistics on teenage mental health. • A teen’s brain is still developing. • Limiting smartphone use in schools. • Tips to get teens to put down their smartphones. • The Gray Nomad’s body-image and insecurity.

This blog falls in the category of Health and Hiking. My two other blog categories are Science and Energy, and Inspiration and Hope. My next blog is planned to be about cancer.

Teen depression has surged, fueling concern about iPhones and other smartphones. It’s become a serious issue. The following is excerpted from an article We need to Talk about Kids and Smartphones in Time Magazine on 6 November 2017, written by Markham Heid.… More “Kids and smartphones: The danger”

Sep

Teenagers cutting themselves

WHATS IN THIS BLOG: • Teenagers cutting themselves. • Anxious, depressed, and overwhelmed. • What are the reasons, and how can parents help. • Kara’s discovery

Just to clarify: each of my blogs centers on one of three things: (1) Inspiration and Hope, or (2) Science and Energy, or (3) Health and Hiking. The last two blogs about stress and depression and also this one about anxiety of teenagers fall into box number (3). Next week I shall rotate into another box, I promise.

I was shocked, to be honest, by an article in Time Magazine on 7 November 2016, entitled The Kids are not All Right, by Susanna Schrobsdorff, because it talks about teenagers cutting themselves.

MY GRANDSON, JADEN, IS A RUNNING BACK for the Independence Bulldogs.… More “Teenagers cutting themselves”

Aug

Depressed or not

WHATS IN THIS BLOG: • Feelings of uselessness, worthlessness, and depression. • Dr Hogsett’s take on this. • Some valuable solutions. • John and an immigrant. • Breaking news: test for clinical depression • Staci’s FitBit.

Just to clarify: each of my blogs centers on one of three things: (1) Inspiration and Hope, or (2) Science and Energy, or (3) Health and Hiking. The last blog about stress and this one about depression fall into box number (3).

I WENT TO CHURCH LAST SUNDAY, AND WAS GREETED BY A TALL STATUESQUE BLONDE LADY. She was friendly and complimented me on my jazzy belt from New Mexico. I found out she was Dr Anne Hogsett from Coffeyville Medical Center, Kansas. She once wrote an article in the Independence Reporter about depression.… More “Depressed or not”

Aug

Eight actions to reduce stress

I RAN ACROSS THIS LIST OF STRESS-BUSTERS IN AN AMOCO MAGAZINE. My old company Amoco merged with BP in 1998, so this list may be 20 years old, or more. However, it struck me as a very sensible approach to reduce stress, and all the items seem attainable for most people.

I scored 5½ out of 8, so at least I’m above 50%. My weakest one is number 3: Talk it out. I don’t do this enough with friends and family. I tend to slug it out alone. But I have talked with a psychologist for about six months after a doctor said I had acute anxiety syndrome. The counselor was a great help.

What is your weakest link? If you don’t mind sharing, please do so by adding your thoughts to the Comment box.… More “Eight actions to reduce stress”

Apr

Back pain hope: How Mary got her life back. Part 2 of 3.

BACK PAIN HOPE – WHATS IN THIS BLOG: • Cement injection into fractured disc. • The darkness. • Spiritual resource. • Laser Spine Institute.

BACKGROUND. This is Part 2 of a long story about hopes built and crushed. My goal is to chronicle the account of one remarkable woman’s faith and enduring persistence through a debilitating health crisis of back pain. In Part 1 (click here) Mary was immobilized by a new back injury received during a bad fall in her bathroom. She can’t drive, she can’t walk, and she can’t stand more than about 10 minutes without excruciating back pain. On top of this, the doctors missed diagnosing a compressive fracture in her thoracic T12 vertebra, and left her for two weeks thinking it was only a back sprain.… More “Back pain hope: How Mary got her life back. Part 2 of 3.”

Mar

Hope in back pain: how Mary got her life back. Part 1 of 3.

WHATS IN THIS BLOG: • Car wreck that leads to back pain • Back pain after surgeries • Back pain after tripping on a dog • Toward depression

This story is long, and therefore in three parts, each about one week apart. The person called Mary is close to me and I know her story first hand. She has given permission to write this account. To summarize her personality by two words, I would say Mary has an indomitable spirit. The word means to never give up. Winston Churchill, who led England against Hitler’s Germany, once gave a graduation address by saying only the words, “Never, never, never give up.”

HOPE CRUSHED IN TULSA. Twenty-nine years ago Mary was in a car wreck and broke her back.… More “Hope in back pain: how Mary got her life back. Part 1 of 3.”

Anxiety treatment – An Astonishing Alternative – About three years ago, I had an atrial fibrillation (AFib) while in California. My heart rate was 120 beats per minute for two days and a night. I knew this was dangerous, as it can induce stroke. I flew back to ABQ to see my heart doctor. He checked my vitals, did a running EKG, and gave me a scrip to counteract the symptoms. Also told me to keep away from caffeine and stress. Ha! The caffeine I could do without, but the stress…..? The full story of my stress-anxiety challenge is below as a Post-Script, which is optional reading. So I will cut here to what happened last night…….… More “Anxiety treatment – An Astonishing Alternative”

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Weed and Water (Paperback)

Weed and Water Reviews

Sit back, relax, clear your head and then prepare yourself for an entertaining journey. I loved the book, and found it hard to put down. When you are finished, ponder the Truth which was woven into the whole story. The Truth that I received.... Don't give up on God because He won't give up on you. I actually had tears in my eyes the last few pages. The book is very well done. -- Garland W. Ray (General Manager, Pep Boys).

I really enjoyed the book and I look forward to seeing it published. This is a book that taught me a lot about myself and a book that challenged me to grow spiritually. Definitely a book I would recommend. -- Trevor Taylor (Junior in Construction Management Technology at Oklahoma State University).

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Hiking Towards Heaven Reviews

"I read the book and it was very inspiring….. a must read!" — Ann Wasp, Houston

"Wow! I thoroughly enjoyed your book. What a blessing to read the words you wrote as you share your love of hiking with your love and belief in God. You depict God as someone approachable (which He is) and someone who understands us. Your book gives me the desire to go hiking and look at God's creation in a different way.Thank you. You did a great job!" — Bonnie Covington, Medical Supplies Sales, Albuquerque

"I enjoyed reading the book. The book's core theme is religious and moral philosophical concepts. The theme is developed through a girl's childhood. The scenery is beautifully described in the hikes. You are a silver-tongued orator, and I liked how you captivated the reader with conflict, then presented your thoughts via discussion." — Don Smith, County Judge (ret.), Houston.

"I read your book a few weeks ago and really enjoyed it! I liked the way you kept the story moving with the hiking adventures and challenges, the details about your hikes, and the very interesting character Michelle. You did a great job with dialog and interspersing the message of faith. It reminded me how much I like to hike, and how beautiful it is there in New Mexico. I would recommend your book to others" - Gayle Pearson, Attorney and Homemaker, Houston.

"What an amazing story! Michelle fascinates me enormously in all that she represents. Further, it strikes me that you brought something very unique to the relationship between Kara and Michelle, much more so than any other relationship in the story. I like Kara very much; you are very fortunate to have her in your life. I loved the way that you weave your love of hiking with Michelle’s lessons on the trail. My favourite poem in the book was “Don’t Quit”….. it resonated especially well with my own personal circumstances." - Genevieve Young, Petroleum Reservoir Engineer, London.

"I really enjoyed your book. It gives vivid verbal descriptions of fascinating hiking areas, and weaves intriguing adventures around you and your fellow hikers. It was instructive as to geography/topography, geology, and flora/fauna. The reader gets all of this plus spiritual guidance, so reassuring in times of need. The use of the coangel added a mysterious element to tie all this together. You wrapped up your book well in demonstrating the resources available through God. With all the low-level reading available regarding sorcerers and vampires, it is nice to see a book like this with a positive spiritual approach but which is educational as well. Good work!” - Joy-Marie, Real Estate Agent (ret.), Albuquerque.

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