Just returned from a week of R & R in Key West, where we rang in my 50th birthday. While we weren’t totally unplugged, we managed to hold down our internet activities to about twenty minutes per day so we could take full advantage of the sunshine and easy living. Like a lot of visitors, I was tempted to stay.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Taking two minutes per month out of your busy schedule to perform a self breast exam could save your life. Please share this valuable information with the women in your life. Breast Patrol… Fighting the Terror Within

Is Marijuana a Miracle or Menace? How you view it just may depend upon your individual circumstances. Interesting comments from folks with multiple sclerosis follow the post.

Between traveling and laying around pool side, I managed to finish two novels. Quickie, by James Patterson, had me going with all its twists and turns, but by the time I reached the final chapters, I thought it to be a case of overkill. The Associate, by John Grisham was another winner from the master; I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Monday it’s back to full-time work and plugging back in, but I think I’ll keep a piece of Key West in my mind’s eye. Aaaaahhhh

R – E – S – P – E – C – T… find out what it means to me. My contributions to Care2.com’s Causes blogs thus far have been in the Health Policy section, but this week I decided to stray from my home turf. If you’re curious what got me so all fired up, check it out: R – E – S – P – E – C – T.

Health care for humans — no way. For our pets — absolutely. That GOP Health Plan is For the Dogs.

Imagine looking into the mirror and not recognizing yourself. Alzheimer’s disease steals memories, the precious bits and pieces that make up our lives. It is a disease that is as horrifying to those who must bear witness as it is to those who have it. Learn more by reading Memories Lost…

More than a million people in the United States have multiple sclerosis… or is it half a million… or a quarter of a million… does anyone really know? Both the Senate and the House have pending legislation that, if passed, would create a registry for MS at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Read more about the legislation: Multiple Sclerosis by the Numbers… but Who’s Counting?

I just picked up another Grisham novel that I’ve neglected. I’m about half way through and will definitely finish it, but I’m not getting as much enjoyment out of it as is usual with a Grisham. The Partner is missing something important — that one person you want to root for. Maybe I’m missing something here, but I don’t care so much about these characters. The thing is, I still enjoy the writing and, hopefully, it will pick up in the second half.

There’s a new networking site called Women on the Verge that is worth checking out — it’s a great way to promote your skills and your business. You can also follow them on Twitter @WomenOnTheVerge.

Can a slope be both sticky and slippery? Sure, if you’re talking about adding a tax to sugary soft drinks — that’s why my take on the subject is called Taxing Soft Drinks – a Sticky, Slippery Slope.

Speaking of slippery slopes, how about that Baucus health reform bill? Seems to me that the Baucus’s Gang of Six is Beating up on the Average Joe — mandated to buy insurance, but with no public option. Thank you, sir, may I have another?

Your signature is worth six cents, and can safe a life, so please take a moment out of your busy day to read Money for Your Signature. Also, it’s a mind-boggling statistic, but approximately 13 million children right here in America are at Risk of Hunger every day.

“You Have Multiple Sclerosis” Those are Fighting Words, so ignore the temptation to climb into bed and pull the covers over your head — get in there fighting! My MS has been giving me a break of late, and it shows.

Ever have one of those days where nothing seems to run smoothly? That’s describes my entire week. The good news is that the weekend is here and I’m still plugging away, none the worse for wear. I still have one article to write before Monday and a list of chores to tackle, but the change of seasons always uplifts and inspires me.

My woman’s intuition has never been particularly good, but I’ve got the feeling that positive change is around the corner. Right or wrong, it’s a great feeling.

You know about the Big O, but what about The Other ‘O’ ? It’s something every woman should know…

There’s a lot of emotion connected to owning, using, or observing someone using a handicapped parking placard. For people who truly need one, Handicapped Parking should be a Guilt-Free Zone.

What can be said of the President’s Address to the Joint Session of Congress? What he actually said got less attention than the hecklers did — ah, yes, our esteemed members Congress. Meanwhile, Obama Scolded the Republicans and Defended the Public Option. It was one hell of a night.

Do you fear a Death Panel? You should. The Death Panels are run by our nations insurers who routinely deny coverage to the sick. This story in this article, Young Man Dies for Lack of Public Option, is a a real eye-opener. No family should have to suffer such senseless tragedy for lack of health insurance.

Even as a long-time Grisham fan, I managed to go a few years without reading his work. Recently I picked up a copy of The Last Juror, and thoroughly enjoyed losing myself in the lives of his characters. Now that’s entertainment.

I’ve got the writing bug bad this week and am hoping to spend some quality time with the book, still a work in progress. Write on…

Do you tweet? Give a tweet to @ninaneely and congratulate her on her nuptials earlier this week.

Closed Minds Shout Down Disabled Woman in Wheelchair. You’ve got to see this to believe it. The woman in the wheelchair did what I’m not sure I could do. She kept talking. She kept trying, despite the venom aimed in her direction. She deserves to be heard and I felt compelled to write about her this week. Please take a moment to “hear the voice of the disabled.”

My other contributions to Care2’s Reform Health Policy included The Politics and the Morality of the Health Care Reform Debate and Brace Yourself for the September Showdown on Health Care Reform. Many thanks to all the kind people who have re-tweeted and promoted my posts this week. This is a crucial time for reform and we need all the voices we can get.

Have you ever heard of a Pseudo-Exacerbation? In the case of multiple sclerosis, it’s not a psychological term – In fact, Pseudo-Exacerbations in MS are Grounded in Reality

I just had the pleasure of watching a delightful movie called The Answer Man. Both funny and dramatic, it’s a thoughtful script and brilliantly acted. Catch it if you can.

It’s hard to believe, but it’s Labor Day Weekend. Let’s make it a good one!

Debbie Zipp, of In The Trenches Productions, posted this video about her thoughts on health care reform. It’s a mother’s plea, straight from the heart called “Death Threats?” I’m still working behind the scenes with the ladies from ITTP and encourage you to check out their blog Women Over 40 Rock! You can get their updates on Twitter @ITTProductions.

Many of my fellow Care2.com Cause bloggers posted their thoughts on the passing of Senator Ted Kennedy this week. My contribution was Farewell to Senator Kennedy, Champion of Health Care Reform. He will never see his lifelong dream of health care for all Americans come to fruition, and his death is huge loss to health care reform advocates. At the end of the article I’ve included links to additional posts on Senator Kennedy.

Did you know that there’s such a thing as Women’s Equality Day, commemorating the passage of the 19th ammendment? I used that anniversary to sound off on women’s health care concerns in Women’s Equality Day: We got the vote, now how about health care? Some of the facts of women’s health care are quite shocking.

The American Heart Association is calling on Americans to pay attention to added sugars in our diet. I am curious to see how this poll turns out: Sugar Rush: Will You Cut Your Sugar Consumption? I’m not much for sugar or sugar products myself. I’m pretty sure I’m well within the guidelines already. Salted popcorn is my addition.

I wrote a piece for Care2’s Living with MS section titled MS on the Job: Workplace Protections Under ADA. Page views were pretty high and I got the impression that disabled workers are feeling shortchanged. If you’ve experienced troubles in the workplace due to a disability, please share your story in the comments section of the article.

As always, comments and suggestions are welcome.

Happy reading!

Life can take you in directions you never saw coming. I certainly never set out to write about chronic illness or take up the charge for health care reform. Personal experiences over the last several years combined with a mid-life awakening and here I am, doing just that… and loving it.

With all the talk about socialism and Hitler and guns, we’ve lost sight of the real problem — health care in our wealthy country is not what it could and should be. People are hurting and it’s time we get back to the problem at hand. I wrote an article this week about the Fight for the Public Option, and one that asks the question, “Is Bipartisanship Necessary to Pass Health Care Reform?” Reform is do or die in 2009, so please take a look at Care2.com’s Reform Health Policy blog and join the discussion.

Multiple Sclerosis: It’s a Family Affair was my weekly contribution to Care2’s Healthy and Green Living. Just how profoundly chronic illness affects the whole family is often overlooked. It’s another one of those Invisible Symptoms of MS.

Sometimes there’s Nothing Left to do but Play the Game, and my writing buddy Nina asks the question Hot Box or Ice Box? Nina is a Twitter newbie, so show her some Twitter love and follow her @ninavanderford.

A tip of the hat this week to Steve Williams of Care2’s Civil Rights and Human Rights Causes. Over the past several months I’ve come to rely on Steve’s articles to keep me informed on issues that I may have otherwise missed. You can also follow Steve on Twitter @stevenblue.

Happy reading!

This week my good friend Nina wrote a piece titled Yearly Checkup. She also took the plunge and is testing the waters of Twitter, so if you are a fellow tweeter, please follow @ninavanderford and help her feel welcome.

Odd Jobs and Life Lessons was my nod to those crazy jobs that turn out to be valuable learning experiences. In an effort to clarify some phrases common to multiple sclerosis, I wrote Deciphering MS Speak, which was published on Care2.com’s Healthy and Green Living.

Over on Care2’s Causes section, where the topic of health care reform is hotter than hot, I posted Pre-Existing Condition Danger Zone and Obama at Health Care Town Hall: “I’m not in favor of death.” As you might expect, there is an intense debate going on in the health policy section lately.

We’re expecting some very special company this weekend and I’m looking forward to our visit. The internet will be taking a back seat for a few days…

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network wants Health Care Reform NOW, not Later for Cancer Patients. An ACS CAN study revealed that a cancer patient with access to Congress’ current health plan would fare pretty well. Check out the video included with this post.

There’s a “shout ‘em down” mentality going on at health care reform meetings. I am not a fan of this tactic, but thought I’d take a poll to find out how our Care2 readers feel — you can see the results here: Health Care Reform? Shout ‘em Down at the end of the article.

We tackled the issue of Multiple Sclerosis in the Marriage at Care2’s Healthy and Green Living. Judging from some of the comments, I consider myself very fortunate.

The last six months or so have brought some jobs that require different styles of writing and have helped me to stretch my skills a bit. Unfortunately, I put the book on the back burner these past few weeks. Gentle prodding from my son and my husband tells me it’s time to get back on it. I don’t think either one of them is going to let me get away with abandoning the project.

As a result of my online writing and Facebook, I’ve also managed to reconnect with some people I’d lost touch with years ago. Modern technology definitely has its benefits.

After a crazy week of varied technical difficulties, we are back in the game and playing catch up. It is truly amazing how dependent we’ve become on modern technology to get through the day, but if you’re work is based online, it’s an unavoidable hazard.

Appearances can be deceiving, especially when Dealing with Invisible Symptoms of MS, or other chronic “invisible” illnesses. It’s a common topic in MS circles, and one I felt was worth revisiting this week on Care2.com’s Healthy and Green Living.

Should Pharmaceutical Ads be Banned from TV? There’s a spirited debate going on about this post Care2’s Causes section. We’re also discussing the news that UV-Emitting Tanning Devices are Carcinogenic to Humans. In addition to the Reform Health Policy cause, Care2 cause bloggers also weigh in on Animal Rights, Civil Rights, Environment & Wildlife, Global Warming, Human Rights, Politics, and Women’s Rights. There is no shortage of opinion and active participation and networking is encouraged.

I’ve long been a fan of John Grisham, but haven’t been reading him for the past several years. I just picked up The Last Juror and within two pages was pulled right into the story, remembering why it was that I enjoy his books so much. Fully fleshed out characters, a sense of place, and a damn good story.

Why the rush on Health Care Reform? “Families are being Clobbered” – it was a powerful statement by the president, and really hit home for a lot of clobbered Americans, but others don’t see it that way at all. A very animated debate is taking place over this one.

Have you ever heard of Fragile X Syndrome? National Fragile X Awareness Day was this week, and presented a good opportunity to write about it. This article did not generate a lot of comments, but they are nothing short of astonishing — really makes you wonder. If you are not familiar with Fragile X, it’s worth the quick read to learn more.

It’s been awhile since I’ve done any backlink checks on my website or blogs, so I was fairly surprised to find my articles mentioned around the blogosphere and that the Fragile X post was referenced on the Daily Kos. I’ve got to admit that it brought a smile to my face.

Staying Cool with M.S. was my contribution to Care2.com’s Healthy and Green Living this week. With the summer heat in full swing, staying cool is high on my own agenda.

The Chronic Disease Fund exists to help the underinsured with chronic illness to receive the medications they need — and now they are on Facebook and Twitter, too! You can learn more about the CDF by connecting with them online.

Conversations Over Dinner now resides on a new server and the RSS Feed has been changed. If you subscribe via RSS feed, please update your bookmark.