Health

Me and my blog, one year together


It is astonishing how time flies! I cannot believe it is one year already since I had started “This Blogging Thing,” an unlikely name for a blog. Yes, my friends, today, September 7, 2012 is exactly one year since This Blogging Thing, and I came together, and we are extremely proud of the union. Things were rough in the beginning. There was a time when we were not sure whether we belonged. However, as the year progressed, we grew closer and closer. Today we are inseparable.

Still, none of this would have been possible without WordPress who has given us the platform and most of all, my beloved blogging buddies, who have embraced and invited us on their computer screens. To all, I would like to say thanks for your support. Your kinds words and encouragement have been tremendously inspiring. For that, I am extraordinarily grateful.

I look forward to your continued support over the next months, and years to come.

God blesses.

Noël

Horrific Pictures Of Patients in Military Hospital


I hate war and I detest those who advocate it. Still I am aware that some wars are necessary; such as the two world wars. Nevertheless, war is extraordinarily ugly, and horrific. It should be avoided at all cost. However, there are many who embrace war for selfish reason–money. They either do not care about the pain and suffering that occur on both sides of a war or they just do not care.

Recently there was an explosive Congressional investigation which revealed horrific new details about a U.S. funded military hospital in Afghanistan that kept casualties of or patients in “Auschwitz-like” conditions.

The investigation also revealed that Lt. General William B. Caldwell, then commander of the $11.2 billion dollars a year Afghan training program, tried to block the probe and ordered a cover-up.

There are two ongoing investigations looking into the Dawood Military Hospital abuses: one centered around the Military Whistleblower Protection Act, the other concerned with Caldwell’s politically-motivated decision to delay investigations into the hospital until after the 2010 elections.

What follows is an extremely disturbing look inside the Dawood National Military Hospital. It was compiled with sworn eye-witness testimony from the three U.S. Army colonels who blew the whistle on the scandal, as well as never-before published photos obtained by BuzzFeed.

The photos and corresponding descriptions were collected by U.S. military personnel in Afghanistan.
The images are extremely graphic. Click here: http://www.buzzfeed.com/rebeccaelliott/horror-hospital-the-most-shocking-photos-and-test

When an athlete comes to grips with her mortality and grows up


On July 7, 2012, Tennis superstar Serena Williams, won her fourteenth grand slam titles and her fifth at the All England Tennis Club (Wimbledon). Serena joins her sister Venus who also won five Wimbledon titles. It was an emotional win for Serena and her family as well as many of her fans.

However, without putting a damper on Serena’s spectacular win, the high point of the Tennis championships were her conduct and her performance. Serena seems to have finally come to grips with her mortality and grows up. This time around, she did not cause any media buzz, nor was she clad in any outlandish, over-the-top sexually provocative attire. Her grace and power was the focal point, and she conducted herself like a lady through out.

Still Serena’s 2012 story is an extraordinary and inspiring one. For her to come back from a life threatening illness to win Wimbledon, is no small feat. In her post game interview she talked about how she prayed to get back doing what she loves doing–playing tennis.

Read the full story here: Serena Wins 5th Wimbledon Title

Guillain Barre Syndrome was the thorn that brought me to Jesus


Every person who came in contact with Jesus Christ has a story to tell. The apostle Paul had his experience (then Saul) while on his way to Damascus to persecute the Church. I had mine in the St. Francis Hospital, in Hartford, Connecticut.”And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus; and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul why persecutes thou me? And he said, “who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, “I am Jesus, who thou persecutes; it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.” And Paul trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou has me to do? And the Lord said unto him, “Arise! Go into the city, and someone will thee what thou must do” (Acts 9:3-6).

Many of us grew up in Christian homes, where the gospel was taught very early in our lives. Still, some of us grew up in homes where the gospel was never mentioned at all.

I grew up in what I would call; a semi-Christian home. My mom was a praying woman, and Dad was a dreamer. I never saw my dad in church, but that did not stop Mom from indoctrinating me and my brother with the gospel of Jesus Christ. She made sure we knew all the popular church songs and Bible stories. Each week she would drill the Sunday School Golden Text into our heads, and when called upon, the Golden text was to be recited without error.

Mom was truly fired up for Jesus, but she never allowed her children to know Jesus Christ for themselves. She completely ignored the simple fact about Christianity: To be a follower of Christ, everyone has to have an awakening and a personal contact with Christ. Each of us must have our own Damascus road experience. Without that experience, you are doomed to fail because the moment you decided to follow Christ your enemies increased a 100 fold.

I never had a personal contact with Jesus as a young child. I was merely following Mom’s orders. It was not until I was stricken with a very dangerous autoimmune disease called Guillain Barre Syndrome. (That’s what the doctors told me, but years later I discovered that I was poisoned). I thought I was going to die. The enemy had me cornered, and the doctors who were attending to me had never treated anyone for this disease before. I had no place to turn to, so I called upon the Church and Jesus Christ–Jehovah Rapha.

The church came and prayed, and prayed, and prayed, and prayed for my deliverance. Today I am rejoicing in the Lord, completely healed and delivered from Guillain Barre Syndrome:

I can truthfully confess that prayer works. My God is ever faithful. Whatever he says, he will do.”Oh Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me” (“Psalms 30:2). I am now a new person and a true follower of Jesus Christ.

Rush Limbaugh issued public apology to Fluke


Talk show host, and leader of the Republican Party, Rush Limbaugh, has issued a public apology to Sandra Fluke for derogatory comments he made against her a week ago.

Fluke had recently testified about contraception before a Democratic panel, which placed her in the conservative talk show host’s crosshairs.

Fluke, a law student at Georgetown University who was advocating for health insurance plans to cover the cost of contraception, became the target of a series of attacks by Limbaugh. Besides calling her a “slut,” he also called her a “prostitute,” said that he wanted her to make sex tapes and post them online, and speculated that she only had a problem paying for contraception because she was having “so much sex.”

Limbaugh’s comments caused advertisers to flee from his show, and even promptedPresident Obama to weigh in. The statements also became an issue in the Republican presidential race.

Limbaugh — who has a long history of making incendiary remarks, and is not known to take them back — issued the rare apology on Saturday afternoon, saying he was “sincerely” sorry about his “insulting” characterization of Fluke. But he maintained that the birth control debate was about “personal sexual recreational activities,” not any broader health questions, and compared contraception to sneakers.

“For over 20 years, I have illustrated the absurd with absurdity, three hours a day, five days a week. In this instance, I chose the wrong words in my analogy of the situation. I did not mean a personal attack on Ms. Fluke. I think it is absolutely absurd that during these very serious political times, we are discussing personal sexual recreational activities before members of Congress. I personally do not agree that American citizens should pay for these social activities. What happened to personal responsibility and accountability? Where do we draw the line? If this is accepted as the norm, what will follow? Will we be debating if taxpayers should pay for new sneakers for all students that are interested in running to keep fit? In my monologue, I posited that it is not our business whatsoever to know what is going on in anyone’s bedroom nor do I think it is a topic that should reach a Presidential level.

My choice of words was not the best, and in the attempt to be humorous, I created a national stir. I sincerely apologize to Ms. Fluke for the insulting word choices.”