💓Glaucoma Awareness Month💓

January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month, an important time to spread the word about this sight-stealing disease. Currently, more than 3 million people in the United States have glaucoma. The National Eye Institute projects this number will reach 4.2 million by 2030, a 58 percent increase.
Glaucoma is called "the sneak thief of sight" since there are no symptoms and once vision is lost, it's permanent. As much as 40% of vision can be lost without a person noticing. Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness. Moreover, among African American and Latino populations, glaucoma is more prevalent. Glaucoma is 6 to 8 times more common in African Americans than Caucasians. Over 3 million Americans, and over 60 million people worldwide, have glaucoma. Experts estimate that half of them don't know they have it. Combined with our aging population, we can see an epidemic of blindness looming if we don't raise awareness about the importance of regular eye examinations to preserve vision. The World Health Organization estimates that 4.5 million people worldwide are blind due to glaucoma.

What is Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that gradually steal sight without warning. Although the most common forms primarily affect the middle-aged and the elderly, glaucoma can affect people of all ages. Vision loss is caused by damage to the optic nerve. This nerve acts like an electric cable with over a million wires. It is responsible for carrying images from the eye to the brain. There is no cure for glaucoma—yet. However, medication or surgery can slow or prevent further vision loss. The appropriate treatment depends upon the type of glaucoma among other factors. Early detection is vital to stopping the progress of the disease.

Types of Glaucoma
There are two main types of glaucoma: primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), and angle-closure glaucoma. These are marked by an increase of intraocular pressure (IOP), or pressure inside the eye. When optic nerve damage has occurred despite a normal IOP, this is called normal tension glaucoma.
Secondary glaucoma refers to any case in which another disease causes or contributes to increased eye pressure, resulting in optic nerve damage and vision loss.

Symptoms Of Glaucoma
Symptoms of open-angle glaucoma are:Gradual loss of peripheral vision, usually in both eyes
Tunnel vision in the advanced stages See how the progression of glaucoma may affect your vision.

Symptoms of Acute Angle-Closure Glaucoma
Acute angle-closure glaucoma is a medical emergency and must be treated immediately or blindness could result in one or two days.

Acute angle-closure glaucoma signs and symptoms include:
Severe eye pain
Nausea and vomiting (accompanying the severe eye pain)
Sudden onset of visual disturbance, often in low light
Blurred vision
Halos around lights
Reddening of the eye
Symptoms of Chronic Angle-Closure Glaucoma
This type of glaucoma progresses more slowly and can damage the optic nerve without symptoms, similar to open-angle glaucoma.

Similarly, people with normal-tension glaucoma will not experience any symptoms until they begin to lose peripheral vision.


Regular Eye Exams are Important
Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the world, according to the World Health Organization. In the most common form, there are virtually no symptoms. Vision loss begins with peripheral or side vision, so if you have glaucoma, you may not notice anything until significant vision is lost. The best way to protect your sight from glaucoma is to get a comprehensive eye examination. Then, if you have glaucoma, treatment can begin immediately. Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness among African-Americans. And among Hispanics in older age groups, the risk of glaucoma is nearly as high as that for African-Americans. Also, siblings of persons diagnosed with glaucoma have a significantly increased risk of having glaucoma.

Risk Factors
Are you at risk for glaucoma? Those at higher risk include people of African, Asian, and Hispanic descent. Other high-risk groups include: people over 60, family members of those already diagnosed, diabetics, and people who are severely nearsighted. Regular eye exams are especially important for those at higher risk for glaucoma, and may help to prevent unnecessary vision loss.\

Glaucoma is nothing to play about. If you have been experiencing any of the symptoms listed above, please get an appointment as soon as possible. Unfortunately, as I stated previously, there is no cure for glaucoma, but there are medicines to slow down the progression. Below I have posted a website if you are so incline to donate to a cure of Glaucoma. Until next time, take care of yourself and each other

https://support.brightfocus.org/Default.aspx?tsid=9589&_ga=2.96505759.1827453644.1580350541-1375320260.1580350541

Christy Sparrowhawk

🎭 National Hobby Month 👩🏽‍💻

National Hobby Month happens every January, just as the new year starts. Everyone has a hobby or interest, or something they enjoy doing in their leisure time. 

My hobby happens to be writing and let's be honest, Secondlife. Building a career, being a mom and family woman in the game helps escapes the real world we live in that is not always so inviting.

 Below are some ways you can celebrate National Hobby Month.

Figure out what your current hobby is. Take a survey to determine the best hobbies for your personality. Ask yourself what you enjoy doing, in a non-work, family committed, or education environment. Do you like to take pictures of things? Do you like to collect random items?

Draw out a list of related activities to your hobby. If you enjoy taking pictures, list different subjects of things that you might be interested in, for example, people watching versus how animals, such as birds, act in public. If you like to knit, see if there's any projects that you haven't done before.

Do an online search for ideas. Pinterest is an excellent place to start, as it's filled with categories of images shared by others. Hobbes is also a great place to go. You can also do a YouTube search for tutorial videos, such as fingernail art or how to complete a certain level in a video game.

Ask around. Try see what hobbies your family and friends have. People from every angle has different likes and enjoyments and you might come across something that would be of interest to you

Commit to your new hobby. There's many discussions amongst New Year's Resolutions and how people do not always "keep" to them, but make this new hobby something for you. It all starts out with creativity and self-encouragement.

Find someone who enjoys the same hobby so that you actually stick with it.

Take up a class. Many public places, including craft stores and other businesses, offer classes, preferably during the weekends or evenings. Classes are the best interaction because you're with other people with the same interests as you.


Evaluate after some time if you enjoy or are satisfied with your hobby. It does take some time to getting used to something new, but if it's something related to your old hobby, you'll soon realize that there's more possibilities out there and could enjoy it more rather than trying to suit yourself with a whole different interest.

Try to make some money out of your hobby. Committed hobbyists are known to rack up money by creating their own things and selling their completed products to others. Take a picture of your things and put it on sites like eBay or Etsy.

Signing out...

           Dr. Destiny C. Shaw

                   aka   Big Sister On Point

🩸 National Blood Donor Month 🩸

Many people do not realize how important blood donation is each month. There are many diseases and many needs for blood bags in the hospitals. I know first hand about the importance of blood donation because I have someone in my life that normally needs at least 10 to 15 bags of blood per year. It's important and it can save a person's life.

Some ask the question, "Why should I donate blood?"

You don’t need a special reason to give blood.
You just need your own reason.

Some of us give blood because we were asked by a friend. Some know that a family member or a friend might need blood some day. Some believe it is the right thing we do.

Whatever your reason, the need is constant and your contribution is important for a healthy and reliable blood supply. And you’ll feel good knowing you've helped change a life.

When you give blood you will receive a mini physical to check your
* Pulse
* Blood pressure
* Body temperature
* Hemoglobin

What can you expect if you give blood?
Come prepared. Have a light meal and plenty to drink. Bring your donor card, driver's license or two other forms of identification. Bring the names of medications you are taking.

You will go through
* Registration - The staff and volunteers will sign you in and go over basic eligibility and donation information. You will read information about donating blood, and will be asked to show a donor card, driver's license, or other form(s) of ID.

* A mini physical - You will answer some questions during a private and confidential interview about your health history and places you have traveled.
They will check your temperature, pulse, blood pressure and hemoglobin level present in a sample of blood.

* The donation - The actual donation takes about 8-10 minutes, during which you will be seated comfortably. The process is safe and sterile. Red Cross staff and volunteers will be available if you have any questions. Certain donation types, such as platelets, red cells or plasma, can take up to two hours.

* Refreshments - After donating, you should have a snack and something to drink in the refreshments area. You can leave the site after 10-15 minutes and continue with your normal daily activities. Enjoy the feeling of accomplishment knowing that you have helped save lives.

How can you be eligible to donate?
To ensure the safety of blood donation for both donors and recipients, all volunteer blood donors must be evaluated to determine their eligibility to give blood. The final determination will be made on the day of the donation at the blood drive or blood donation center. If you were deferred from donating in the past, you may be able to donate again.

Donation Type                                                     Donation Frequency*

Blood (whole blood)                                             Every 56 days

Platelets                                                             Every 7 days, up to 24 times/year

Plasma                                                                Every 28 days, up to 13 times/year

Power Red                                                           Every 112 days, up to 3 times/year

Learn more about donating blood and think about donate blood as soon as possible. 

Signing off
Dr. Destiny C. Shaw
aka Big Sister On Point ~I am a donor~

🤴🏾 Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr Day 🤴🏾

Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, what many are happy about is to have a day off and some wish they had a day off. This day is not just a day off but it should be a day on. Especially with all the things going on in this world today, I pray that people are reflecting on what this awesome man really stood for us, what he worked toward and what he made happen.

In the words of Coretta Scott King...http://www.thekingcenter.org/meaning-king-holiday

The Meaning of The King Holiday

BY CORETTA SCOTT KING

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday celebrates the life and legacy of a man who brought hope and healing to America. We commemorate as well the timeless values he taught us through his example — the values of courage, truth, justice, compassion, dignity, humility and service that so radiantly defined Dr. King’s character and empowered his leadership. On this holiday, we commemorate the universal, unconditional love, forgiveness and nonviolence that empowered his revolutionary spirit.

We commemorate Dr. King’s inspiring words, because his voice and his vision filled a great void in our nation, and answered our collective longing to become a country that truly lived by its noblest principles. Yet, Dr. King knew that it wasn’t enough just to talk the talk, that he had to walk the walk for his words to be credible. And so we commemorate on this holiday the man of action, who put his life on the line for freedom and justice every day, the man who braved threats and jail and beatings and who ultimately paid the highest price to make democracy a reality for all Americans.

The King Holiday honors the life and contributions of America’s greatest champion of racial justice and equality, the leader who not only dreamed of a color-blind society, but who also lead a movement that achieved historic reforms to help make it a reality.

On this day we commemorate Dr. King’s great dream of a vibrant, multiracial nation united in justice, peace and reconciliation; a nation that has a place at the table for children of every race and room at the inn for every needy child. We are called on this holiday, not merely to honor, but to celebrate the values of equality, tolerance and interracial sister and brotherhood he so compellingly expressed in his great dream for America.

It is a day of interracial and intercultural cooperation and sharing. No other day of the year brings so many peoples from different cultural backgrounds together in such a vibrant spirit of brother and sisterhood. Whether you are African-American, Hispanic or Native American, whether you are Caucasian or Asian-American, you are part of the great dream Martin Luther King, Jr. had for America. This is not a black holiday; it is a peoples’ holiday. And it is the young people of all races and religions who hold the keys to the fulfillment of his dream.

We commemorate on this holiday the ecumenical leader and visionary who embraced the unity of all faiths in love and truth. And though we take patriotic pride that Dr. King was an American, on this holiday we must also commemorate the global leader who inspired nonviolent liberation movements around the world. Indeed, on this day, programs commemorating my husband’s birthday are being observed in more than 100 nations.

The King Holiday celebrates Dr. King’s global vision of the world house, a world whose people and nations had triumphed over poverty, racism, war and violence. The holiday celebrates his vision of ecumenical solidarity, his insistence that all faiths had something meaningful to contribute to building the beloved community.

The Holiday commemorates America’s pre-eminent advocate of nonviolence — the man who taught by his example that nonviolent action is the most powerful, revolutionary force for social change available to oppressed people in their struggles for liberation.

This holiday honors the courage of a man who endured harassment, threats and beatings, and even bombings. We commemorate the man who went to jail 29 times to achieve freedom for others, and who knew he would pay the ultimate price for his leadership, but kept on marching and protesting and organizing anyway.

Every King Holiday has been a national “teach-in” on the values of nonviolence, including unconditional love, tolerance, forgiveness and reconciliation, which are so desperately-needed to unify America. It is a day of intensive education and training in Martin’s philosophy and methods of nonviolent social change and conflict-reconciliation. The Holiday provides a unique opportunity to teach young people to fight evil, not people, to get in the habit of asking themselves, “what is the most loving way I can resolve this conflict?”

On the King Holiday, young people learn about the power of unconditional love even for one’s adversaries as a way to fight injustice and defuse violent disputes. It is a time to show them the power of forgiveness in the healing process at the interpersonal as well as international levels.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is not only for celebration and remembrance, education and tribute, but above all a day of service. All across America on the Holiday, his followers perform service in hospitals and shelters and prisons and wherever people need some help. It is a day of volunteering to feed the hungry, rehabilitate housing, tutoring those who can’t read, mentoring at-risk youngsters, consoling the broken-hearted and a thousand other projects for building the beloved community of his dream.

Dr. King once said that we all have to decide whether we “will walk in the light of creative altruism or the darkness of destructive selfishness. Life’s most persistent and nagging question, he said, is `what are you doing for others?’” he would quote Mark 9:35, the scripture in which Jesus of Nazareth tells James and John “…whosoever will be great among you shall be your servant; and whosoever among you will be the first shall be the servant of all.” And when Martin talked about the end of his mortal life in one of his last sermons, on February 4, 1968 in the pulpit of Ebenezer Baptist Church, even then he lifted up the value of service as the hallmark of a full life. “I’d like somebody to mention on that day Martin Luther King, Jr. tried to give his life serving others,” he said. “I want you to say on that day, that I did try in my life…to love and serve humanity.

We call you to commemorate this Holiday by making your personal commitment to serve humanity with the vibrant spirit of unconditional love that was his greatest strength, and which empowered all of the great victories of his leadership. And with our hearts open to this spirit of unconditional love, we can indeed achieve the Beloved Community of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream.

May we who follow Martin now pledge to serve humanity, promote his teachings and carry forward his legacy into the 21st Century.

Times has change and then times has not changed. This man worked so hard for so much and the world today seems to be taking a backward spin. Let's not let his dream be in vain but, let's help keep his dream a live.  As he said, "I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear." While many "hate" what is going on in the world right now, let "love" guide you to help do something great to improve it!

Signing out...

Dr. Destiny Shaw

         aka

             Big Sister On Point

🎉🎊🎈 Happy Birthday Michelle Obama 🎈🎊🎉

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICHELLE

On this day in 1964, a queen was born. A queen who would grow up to make history and open many doors. She grew up to be a lawyer, a mother, a wife, but most importantly, she would go on to be the First Lady of the United States, Mrs Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama. 

Born to Fraser & Marian Robinson, her father was a city-pump operator and a Democratic precinct captain. Her mother was a secretary at Spiegel's but later stayed home to raise Michelle and her older brother, Craig. The Robinson family lived in a small bungalow on Chicago's South Side. Michelle and Craig shared quarters, sleeping in the living room with a sheet serving as a makeshift room divider. They were a close-knit family, although they didnt have much. Raised with an emphasis on education, both Michelle and her brother learned to read at home by age four. Both skipped the second grade. By the sixth grade, Michelle was taking classes in her school's gifted program, where she learned French and completed accelerated courses in biology. Michelle went on to attend Whitney M. Young Magnet High School, the city's first magnet high school for gifted children, where, among other activities, she served as the student government treasurer. In 1981, she graduated from the school as class salutatorian. 

Following in her older brother's footsteps, Michelle attended Princeton University, graduating cum laude in 1985 with a B.A. in Sociology. She went on to study law at Harvard Law School, where she took part in demonstrations calling for the enrollment and hiring of more minority students and professors. She was awarded her J.D. in 1988. After graduating law school in 1988, Michelle worked as an associate in the Chicago branch of the firm Sidley Austin in the area of marketing and intellectual property.

Then love happened. They met at Michelle's first job as a lawyer at the Chicago firm Sidley Austin. Barack was a summer intern to whom Michelle was assigned as an adviser. Initially, Michelle refused to date Barack, believing that their work relationship would make dating wrong. She eventually caved and the couple soon fell in love. After two years of dating, Barack proposed to her. Michelle and Barack married at Trinity United Church of Christ on October 3, 1992. They have two beautiful children, Malia and Sasha Obama. 

Michelle has been an inspiration to many women around the world. She has been involved with volunteering and changing lives for the better. As first lady of the United States, Michelle focused her attention on issues such as the support of military families, helping working women balance career and family and encouraging national service. During the first year of the Obama presidency, Michelle and Barack volunteered at homeless shelters and soup kitchens in the Washington, D.C. area. Michelle also made appearances at public schools, stressing the importance of education and volunteer work. While in the White House, she made sure that all her families and guests meals were organic. Michelle remained committed throughout her time as first lady to her health-and-wellness causes. In 2012, she announced a new fitness program for kids as part of her Let's Move initiative. Along with the U.S. Olympic team and other sports organizations, she worked to get young people to try out a new sport or activity. 

Not only has she done so much, the one thing that stands out about this beautiful lady, is that she never lowered herself or her standards when faced with sexism, racism, or disrespect. She always stayed a lady, and conducted herself with such poise and grace, that she forever will be my First Lady. No one that came before her handled their self like a queen as she did. Her famous saying, "When they go low, we go high" She has always held herself to standard that many of us should hold ourselves to. 

So today, Enjoy your birthday queen! You are an inspiration to us all!!! You will always and forever be my First Lady!!!  

Big Sister Sweet N Sassy

Christy Sparrowhawk

National Bubble Bath Day

On a cold winters’ day, relaxing in a nice hot bubble bath sounds like the perfect way to the end of a stressful day but little do you know that you just celebrated National Bubble Bath Day, which is celebrated on January 8th.

 

I mean honestly you don’t need a reason to hop in your tub and pour some bubble bath into it. You can add the candles and the glass of wine to aid in the ambiance (that would be a good pic too...ijs). However, using those bubble bath ingredients may have some hidden benefits that the candles and glass of wine won’t have. It has been proven that bubble baths can be very beneficial to your health. Even if you are a strict shower person after reading this you might want to try out some of these bath-tub secrets.

Some of the health benefits can include stabilizing your blood pressure, reducing your stress, help your immune system and aiding in your sleep at night. Heat therapy, such as soaking in a tub for 20 minutes or so, can help stabilize your blood pressure and contribute to overall better heart health by increasing and improving blood flow to and from the heart. Not only will your body feel less sore and more relaxed following a bath, but studies have shown that bathing can also help you experience less mental fatigue (stress). Increasing your body temperature with a hot bath can boost your body’s ability to fight infections and viruses. Simply making a routine out of relaxing in the tub at the end of a rough day has been proven to improve your sleeping schedule and quality.

There are so many kinds of bubble baths that you can’t really choose only one. Also, there are now natural remedies to add into your bath so you can release the toxins from your day out or in. Some of the most popular bubble baths can be bubblegum, vanilla and cherry blossom scented. The most natural remedy to put in your bath is a combination of lavender, peppermint oil, Epson salt and mint. This helps with releasing those daily toxins I previously talked about.

There’s nothing quite like the warm feeling from a relaxing bath. You’re finally allowed some “me” time, and you feel clean and luxurious. So, I know what I will be doing later tonight, I will be preparing me a nice hot bath with lots and lots of bubbles. Until next time my faithful readers, be blessed.

Dr. Mic Kohana

Big Sister Concrete Rose

Epsilon Line 2015