Take Your Pill-Xanax- Wishing You All a Healthy New Year, 2023

I just finished watching the Netflix documentary on the ant-anxiety drug, Xanax. It is very informative and I recommend the film to those suffering of anxiety. Here's a brief summary of the film from the article written by Linda Carroll from TODAY and some recommendations from the film producers, Maria Shriver ( former wife of Arnold S) and daughter Christina Scharwzenneger.    

"For years, the rates of anxiety — and the use of a fast-acting prescription drug to alleviate its symptoms — have been on the rise. The pandemic, experts say, has dramatically pumped up those numbers. A new Netflix film “Take Your Pill: Xanax” spotlights the alarming number of Americans using the medication Xanax to calm their anxiety.

Each year an estimated 19.1% of U.S. adults experience some form of anxiety disorder, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. That translates into 40 million American adults, the National Alliance on Mental Illness noted. The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that 31.1% of U.S. adults will experience an anxiety disorder at some point during their lives".

What are some drug-free ways to cope with anxiety?

Rather than drugs, Brown's practice exclusively uses exposure therapy, a "psychological treatment developed to help people confront their fears," according to the American Psychological Association.

“We prefer it because our goal is teaching people that they can be in situations that cause anxiety. They learn the ability to tolerate the anxiety," Brown explains.

“For a lot of people, the anxiety in and of itself becomes intolerable. It’s the fear of the fear. People with panic disorder fear the panic attacks. They’re so terrified that their body will start having anxiety symptoms, and they do all sorts of thing to stifle it,” she says.

Exposure therapy is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT.

“CBT, when applied to anxiety, generally provides an understanding of the relation between thoughts, behavior and emotions,” Thea Gallagher, Psy.D., an anxiety specialist and assistant professor at NYU Langone Health, tells TODAY.com.

Taking a medication like Xanax doesn’t help in the long term, she says. “When you stop, you don’t have the skills to tolerate anxiety. With CBT, it gets easier over time to tolerate the fear.”

For those not ready to commit to CBT, there are some ways you can help yourself, Gallagher says. These include:

• Getting enough sleep
• Exercising
• Breath training
• Mindfulness

It's best to practice these skills before you're in a situation where you're experiencing severe anxiety, Gallagher says.

 For complete details read: Article written by Linda Carroll in TODAY

 https://www.today.com/health/mind-body/take-your-pills-xanax-netflix-rcna60645

Meanwhile here are 2 photos of my Dungeness Crabs purchased for my New Years' Eve Dinner to be made into Torta de Cangreo ( Crab Omelet). 

Also Enjoy The David B Katague Clan Water Color Portrait. Christmas Eve, 2022

Thank you to All My Friends and Relatives Who Sent their New Year Wishes and Greetings

 

Stranded in St Louis on Christmas Day- Driving Adventure on the Way Home

Last December 18 to 25, Ditas and Carenna spent 7 days with me to help celebrate my 88th Birthday on the 20th. Then on the 24th the DBK Clan had an All White Attire ( Diner en blanc) Christmas Eve Party. The party and some photo was described in my recent blogs.

Early morning on Christmas day, Ditas and Carenna left Sacramento to St Louis via Southwest Airlines on their way home to DC. The rest of the story on Southwest Airlines scheduling meltdown has been in the news for the last couple of days and as of today it has not been resolved. The news detailed why SW was the only airline that had a meltdown and the most flight cancellations which affected the travel plans of thousands of passengers, Ditas and Carenna among the frustrated clients. Besides the inclement weather, the outdated schedule computer software and poor management planning was blamed for this hundreds of cancellations which can cause millions of dollars for refunds on meals, hotels and other expenses incurred by the SW airlines passengers during this period. 

Here's what Ditas posted on her FaceBook page with some photos of their unexpected driving adventure from St. Louis, Missouri to Alexandria, Virginia.

" Unexpected road trip courtesy of Southwest Airlines- 4 cancelled flights.  We sure hope they reimburse for 3 nights hotel, car rental with one way drop St Louis to DCA, gas and meals. Oh and 3 extra dog boarding nights, 2 lost luggage. And one fatal car vs big rig wreck on I-70-RIP. But it was an adventure and on our road trip Carenna Katague-Thompson and I figured out Taylor Swifts companion songs to her new Midnights albums. #bondingovertaylor #winterroadtrip"

The divine spirit, God or whatever you call her - was with us tonight. Our car was 75 yards from being crushed by a jackknifed big rig that slid on the icy Interstate 70. The car in front of us was not so lucky. Carenna and I were pretty shaken by what we witnessed but managed to call 911 and get emergency crew there. We are resting safely for the night and will continue our journey home to DC, slowly and cautiously. Keep us in your prayers of protection. Aad Guray Nameh, jugaad guray nameh, Sat guray nameh, Siri guru dev a nameh #ByGodsGrace

 

Ditas and Carenna Safely Home with Carenna's Guest Friend, Laila

Home Sweet Home- Leif was glad to be out of boarding school and Laila is visiting. All is good, tired but glad to sleep in our own bed.

For details on the Southwest Airlines Fiasco read:

https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/29/business/southwest-cancellations-history-charts-dg/index.html

 

The Benefits of Weighted Blankets for Anxiety and Sleep Disorders

One of my latest purchase last Cyber Monday was a weighted blanket(Hush) that was 60% off. It was a queen size and a perfect fit for the guest bedroom. I have never thought of getting a weighted blanket so I did some search and here's what I learned.

How Do Weighted Blankets Work? 

When you’re stressed, your heart beats too quickly. When this happens, it's important to look to stress relief and mindfulness techniques such as deep breathing, meditation to bring down your heart rate. The gentle pressure on your body provided by a weighted blanket can also help to calm you by activating your parasympathetic nervous system, which lowers your heart rate when you’re stressed. 

A weighted blanket uses “pressure therapy”, a calm-inducing amount of pressure on your entire body, similar to the feeling of being hugged, swaddled, stroked, or held. The right size and weight of a weighted blanket depend on the person’s needs.

Here are four conditions that weighted blankets can help children and adults with.

What Conditions Can a Weighted Blanket Help With?

Anxiety

Everyone experiences  at some point. It’s that feeling of uneasiness and worry, usually about something in the future. It can cause your heart rate to increase and your breathing to get faster, which is a result of your body preparing for stress.

If anxiety is constant, and it’s disrupting your daily life, you may have an anxiety disorder. Instead of worrying about an upcoming event, you may worry excessively about everyday situations. This can make your body feel like it’s in a stressful situation or environment most or all of the time.

Based on what’s going on around you, your autonomic nervous system — which controls basic bodily functions such as breathing, digestion, sweating, and shivering — prepares your body for stress or rest. This is often called the fight or flight response.

The pressure of weighted blankets puts your autonomic nervous system into “rest” mode, reducing some of the symptoms of anxiety, such as a quickened heart rate or breathing. This can provide an overall sense of calm.

Sleep Disorders

If you find yourself tossing and turning in bed every once in a while, you’re not alone. Some 20 million Americans have trouble falling asleep occasionally — and over 40 million people in the US have long-term, chronic sleep disorders.

“Stress and anxiety can cause a sleep disorder to begin with, or they can make existing problems worse. However, you don’t need to have a disorder for stress and anxiety to affect your sleep. Anxiety about the next day’s test or presentation can keep you up at night” explained Martin L. Levinson, MD, FACP, FCCP, physician at Penn Sleep Center Cherry Hill.

Because the pressure from weighted blankets prepares your body for rest by calming your heart rate and breathing, they help your body to calm down enough to get the sleep it needs so you can wake up feeling refreshed.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

“Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have a harder time with self-control, especially when it comes to paying attention and sitting still. This can cause problems at school or at home, and it can impact their learning, as well as their relationships with friends and family,” said Dr. Levinson.

Children with ADHD are often distracted by what’s going on around them, such as other people talking or what’s happening outside. It’s harder for them to focus on what they want to focus on, like the teacher talking.

By activating the sense of touch, the weighted blankets keep children from becoming distracted by other sensory stimuli, such as sounds, coming from their surroundings. This can help them improve their attention, remain on task, stay in their seats, and fidget less. If your child does not want to use a blanket in class, you can get them a weighted vest, which works similarly to blankets.

Autism

Dr. Levinson explained that “when someone has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), social interaction can be hard for them. This can lead to anxiety and stress, as well as make it harder to function in school, the workplace, and in public situations.”

The pressure from the weighted blankets can relieve stress for people with ASD and improve their ability to focus on the task at hand. It can also make them feel as if they’re being rewarded.

Individuals with ASD may also feel like sensory stimulations around them, such as noises and touch, are too intense. This can make activities like playing, working, and socializing more challenging. The pressure from a weighted blanket can actually help provide comfort from feeling over-stimulated and allow them to relax.

Are you interested in weighted blankets or other ways to alleviate anxiety? Request an appointment to discuss your anxiety and ways you can cope with a Penn Medicine primary care physician online or by calling 800-789-7366. 

https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/health-and-wellness/2022/march/weighted-blankets

 

Meanwhile enjoy this photo from our recent Christmas Eve Party:

 

 Front Row: Ditas. Philip, Alix and Marina ( Four of my Six Grand Children)

Back Row: Ruth, Ditas, Dodie, Me, Dinah and Wyeth ( Marina's boy friend). Brendan, Alix boyfriend took this photo.

 

Some Photos from Our Christmas Eve Lunch

Here are some photos from our All Filipino Dishes Christmas Eve lunch. With the exception of Philip( Dodie's son) all were en blanc as I requested.

Carenna, Alix, Ditas and Dodie-starting a few sets of mahjong game after lunch 

Thanking Ditas and Carenna for planning the party and ordering the dishes from Peenoy. The Ube cake was delicious and the suman brought and made by Brendan ( Alix boyfriend) has a truly authentic sweet rice cake. Thank you Dinah for the dessert, and Dodie and Ruth for the rum drink and other goodies.  

  

 

 

My Number One Choice for An Independent and Assisted Living Facility

Last March after my youngest son passed away, I have thoughts of moving to an Assisted living Facility closed to my oldest son ( within 15 minutes driving time), and have close social connections with other seniors. I did numerous search of facilities within 30 minutes driving time from my oldest son residence. I searched and talked to a dozen facilities and The Kensington at Walnut Creek was my Number #1 choice.  However, after talking to friends and neighbors I realized that I am not afraid of living alone and my neighbors are my social contacts as well as my 2 cats as companion.  Thus as of today, I am still in our home here in Fair Oaks, about two to three hours driving time from both my oldest son and oldest daughter residences. 

I do have a Home Care Aide( twice a week), Cleaning Ladies ( once a month), Lawn Care Man( 2 times per month) and a Home Service Massage Therapist ( once a month). 

Here's an e-mail from the Kensington inviting me again for a personal visit. My choice is their 2-bedroom unit.  

Thank you for your previous interest in The Kensington at Walnut Creek,  Earlier this year you requested information, and I don’t see a record of you coming to visit. Come visit us! We welcome all to see if The Kensington is a great option to find a social, safe place to live maintenance free.

The Kensington is nestled in the residential neighborhood of Walnut Creek, walking distance to convenient shops and restaurants.  Within our walls, is a family made up of residents and staff who make everyday a day to rise for.  Our community is well known for a place to live independently and maintenance free, while having access to personal help and not having to move apartments when you need more.

Visit our website! Website

 Independent and Assisted Living

1 Bedroom $6400-$6550

1 Bedroom deluxe $$6775 - $6950

2 bedroom $9000 - $9500

2^nd person fee $1200.

Memory Care

Starting at $9650 including 1^st level of care

One time Community fee $8000

The base price includes all day dining in our restaurant, weekly housekeeping, light linen and laundry service, all utilities, basic cable and Wi-Fi, scheduled transportation, programs, lectures, classes, outings and events.

CARE AND COSTS: For residents requiring assistance, care services are available, starting at $750/month, and are based on a physician’s report and assessment with a nurse at our community.   We help with bathing, dressing, grooming, escort to dining and activities, assistance with bathroom activities, medication management to include insulin injections and other activities of daily living. (see attached description of care assessment)

We require evidence of negative TB screening and a Covid-19 test no more than 24 hours prior to physical move in. Our resident services team does a fantastic job coordinating all of this to streamline the process.

PETS: Pets are welcome! Size limit and demeanor are considered. $25/mo. pet fee

SOCIAL and INTELLECTUAL ENGAGEMENT: We provide a full calendar of programming each month that our current residents assist in planning.  You will find daily fitness and balance classes and bridge groups.  Brain fitness is also important so we provide Intellectual programs such as jeopardy, life size scrabble, science hour, and Intellectual infusion.  In addition, weekly live music happy hours, a gardening club, outings, and scheduled transportation. Trips to museums, concerts, plays and just out to lunch are available for those who would like to venture out exploring all that the Bay Area has to offer.

I look forward to meeting you!

Happy Holidays!

Gayle Gois

Sr. Sales Specialist

The Kensington at Walnut Creek

Main 925-943-1121

Cell 925-886-3685

We create communities where we share passions, live in balance, and build a legacy.

 Meanwhile here's the latest photo of one of my companions-Robin

and one of the photos taken on my 88th birthday last Tuesday. 

Ditas, Carenna and I enjoying our Seafood Dinner from Red Lobster, 12/20/22

 

A Lucky Day Playing Mahjong on My 88th Birthday

Enjoying Lobster Dinner on My 88th Birthday

Yesterday, Ditas, Carenna,Yuka and I played mahjong after our Lobster Dinner celebrating my 88th birthday. It has been a while since I played my favorite game. Perhaps, the numbers 88 was lucky as I had a straight 6-games winning streak and another 7- pairs Game ( no jokers) won only after 4 draws. This is the first time I had a 7-pairs game won after only 4 draws. When I open my tiles, I had already 5 pairs. The next draw I got another pair.  My third draw I got the 7th pair. On my 4th draw I draw the winning set 567 of circles-drawing 6 with my 5-7 waiting set.  What a lucky day. I should have gone to the Casino. Attached are some photos during my birthday dinner.

 

I received more than 150 birthday greetings in FaceBook from the Philippines and here in the US. Thank you All for your BD Greetings and Good Wishes. One greeting was from a first cousin in the Philippines that I have not communicated for over 75 years. Indeed the ease of communication via social media is fantastic. Have a Safe and Happy Holidays to All!