Booby Poison 10-25-2019

When one hears the word cancer, they immediate stop and think the worst.

When one hears the word treatment, they immediate think chemotherapy.

When one hears chemotherapy, they think losing hair.

When one thinks losing hair, they think humility.

When one hears humility, life is over.

Now picture yourself being a breast cancer patient and facing that list step-by-step.

But not only may you be on chemotherapy you may be subjected to radiation or hormone treatments, too. Sometimes the treatments are so aggressive on the female body that you may not be able to conceive a child.

Not only may you lose your hair, you may lose a lot of weight, you may lose one or two of your ‘symbols of femininity’, and by doing so you may never be able to breastfeed your child.

The strain of breast cancer takes a toll on every aspect of life and it is grueling to see. I haven’t experienced breast cancer first-hand and I have not seen a loved one go through that disease. However, I have seen and heard stories and it breaks my heart the sacrifices that survivors make and the anguish their families go through. But to understand this, we need to understand the disease itself.

Breast Cancer is when a tumor is developed in the tissues of the breast and it begins to attack the healthy cells in the body. The symptoms range from discharge of the breast to a swollen mass. The treatments range from chemotherapy to hormonal treatments.

According to Breastcancer.org, “1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer over the course of their lifetime” which is a scary realization within itself because you don’t know if that can be you. The best way to check and see if you don’t have breast cancer or, if you do have it and catch it early, is to have a PAP smear/breast examination done by your physician. It would only take a few mins and if caught early could save your life.

Breast Cancer is a terrifying disease affecting thousands of women and men across the world. According to breastcancer.org, “41,760 women are expected to die in 2019 from breast cancer” and although, the mortality rates are decreasing, the number of deaths is still too large.

Please join me in recognizing the strength of the amazing women and men battling this disease, thanking the medical teams building defense against this disease, and giving support and counsel to those families living the disease.

Let's fight this Booby Poison Together!!!!

The Slashing Truth (9-6-2019)

POP. Slash. Gulp.

Do these sounds mean anything to you? Probably not because they might be common sounds that you hear daily or maybe jump at watching a movie. But, to some it is a sound that means serenity, relief, and on some occasions, Goodbye.

Suicide has many meanings such as being dramatic, ’easy way out’, psychopathic, and good riddance that are promoted through the media and bullying. But that is simply not true.

Suicide is simply taking one’s life. The meaning is simply we were too late to save them.

The reasons for doing so however can range from mental illness, overwhelming traumas back to back, and a result of bullying.

Those who are plagued by the thoughts of suicide are victims because the traumas and the stress of life is too much for them to handle and, in the moment, they feel completely alone and want to end their suffering.

According to MacroTrends.net in 2016, “the suicide rate for the United States was 15.30%, a 2% increase from 2015” (MacroTrends, 1) and they were the 16^th highest country for suicide rates. After looking at the statistics further, it showed that from 2000-2016 males were the most likely to commit.

To me these statistics were shocking and it is ever more shocking where the US stands. According to the American Psychological Association, “Suicide was the 10th-leading cause of death in the United States in 2016” (APA, 2) and from these numbers I believe it’s growing.

But, enough of statistics it’s time to truly understand why individuals would resort to ending their lives. Investigate and explore inside the minds of the victims and walk in their shoes.

Some reasons why individuals turn down this treacherous path, as mentioned earlier, are mental illness, intense life traumas back-to-back, and bullying.

Some mental illnesses commonly associated with suicide are depression and bi-polar disorder. Those who have depression have low levels of dopamine and serotonin, which are brain chemicals that help balance a person’s mood. Those who have bi-polar experience what I call the ‘light switch effect’, which means they bounce between severe depression and abnormal increased happiness. Both of these disorders can lead to suicidal thoughts if the depression becomes unmanageable. Both are manageable with prescriptions and therapy.

Intense life traumas along with PTSD (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder) are another reason. This is a common factor for veterans, especially because they experience the horrors of war and they see intense violence. It is hard for traumas such as war, death, and destruction to escape our minds. Even the tiniest daily activity can trigger an episode and cause a person to recall those events. Most with PTSD are never again the person they were prior.

And, finally bullying. Bullying is a trauma I know all too well and it is an injustice that infects our youth like a putrid fever. Bullying is simply and quite frankly an act of emotional, psychological, and physical abuse. A simple name calling or a rumor being spread can affect a person. If the person being bullied becomes overwhelmed or they feel trapped from all sides then it can lead them to taking drastic measures to end it.

Suicide is what most believe is their last resort to stop the overwhelming stress and pressures of life. But we can change that by showing our support and being there to lean on. The thing that victims/or those struggling need to know is that there is someone there to listen, someone who cares, someone who believes them, and someone who is willing to help them overcome everything. All they simply need is a hand. The Slashing Truth is we are just as guilty if we do nothing when something could have been acted upon to prevent it.

Works Cited

(1)    https://www.macrotrends.net/countries/USA/united-states/suicide-rate

(2)    https://www.apa.org/monitor/2019/01/numbers

 

Naval Sister 2-5-2019

Naval Sister (2-4-2019)

I never thought I would see the day where I would have a sibling in the armed forces. I never thought I would be traveling hours from my home to see my brother transition into the Navy.

It was eye-opening.

I have some family members and close friends who are or who have served in the Armed Forces and it pales in comparison to having your own brother serving especially a baby brother.

It’s a wake up call for me because now my brother isn’t so little anymore; he’s grown up and I’m prouder than I can say.

From when he played midget football as a smurf to now serving at 23 years old as a Naval Sailor I’ve seen him accomplish so much. It’s impeccable the integrity, maturity, and work ethic he has achieved and posed over the years. Along with those qualities he has a good heart with which he shows his care and devotion to his family and friends. This man is my brother and I am proud.

Immersing my brother with pomp and circumstance is more of an honor than anything else because how could you not boast about all the accomplishments and successes he has completed. Seeing him walk into the drill hall and his division being recognized gave me a sense of pride that I never felt before.

All I thought was that’s my brother.

Kyle Brenden Searfoss

It was a bittersweet moment for me because I was happy he had fulfilled a grueling bootcamp and graduating, but I was sad because I wouldn’t get to see him as often as before.

So, my heart ached, and tears were held back.

In feeling those intense emotions, I gained a new respect for military families. I now know their sacrifices, I now understand the pain and nail-biting anticipation, I now understand the joy of seeing your loved one when they’ve been gone for weeks/months., etc. I now feel the burden of what they bear, and it feels like we are soldiers, too.

I am not serving like he does. I am serving as part of his support system of which is a lifetime responsibility and honor.

I have a Naval Brother and I am his Naval Sister.