BLACK HEALTH AND BLACK WOMEN….IT IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH!

February 4, 2008 at 4:26 pm · Filed under Black Children, Black Family, Black History, BLACK HISTORY WOMENS HEALTH, DIABETES, DIALYSIS, KIDNEY FAILURE, SELF REFLECTION, Selfesteem, Shakely Food Supplements, single parenting, Weight Struggle of African American Women and tagged: black family health, economics and health coverage in 2008, health insurance coverage, Womens health

Ladies,  of all races….please read this blog and think about yourself for a moment or two.  When I was young,  I played for hours as a pre-teen.  Then I began to mature and had to start addressing my health as a young woman.

  When I was a teenager,  my mother did not take me to the doctor because my father and my mom were separated and I was no longer covered under my father’s health plan. 

 I had braces on my teeth for two years,  but when my father separated and left my mother and I,  the dental coverage for my teeth stopped.  I had missing teeth,  and a very wide gap in the front. 

The dentist took the braces off but neglected to take off the wire that had finally closed the gap in my teeth.

  I ended up with swollen gums and I had to spend hours pulling that wire out.  It got stuck and I had to go to the dentist again to have it removed. 

My mother did not have a health, or dental plan to pay for it.  The dentist did want to work on my mouth at all. 

 That was a very terrible experience to say the least. The dentist was annoyed with my mother for asking and needing help.  I felt worthless and unloved by my father. 

My own sister who was 7 years older than me at the time and had a good paying job had a terrible attitude toward my mother and I.

  My sister had influenced my father to take me and my mother off of his medical and dental coverage. (  ***note:  my father died of sugar diabetes when he was 59 years old and he left my sister a lot of money.—thus the reason for her heavy influence over him.  My mother never attempted to fight it because she did not know about it until years later.)

 My Mom had been a stay at home mother and did not have any skills except for house cleaning.  My Mom had gone to college but due to the domestic issues with my dad did not complete college.   I did not have an annual medical check up until I was actually in my late twenties and thirties.  I gave birth to my son when I was 32. 

 My child is 14 years old now.  I have been going to the doctor for various issues over the past five years.  I am 269.1 pounds currently. 

 I am truly obese.  I used to do karate, and gymnastics.  I swam laps and kept my meals healthy between the ages of 18 years old and and age 30 years old.  

Now I have to c0me to you this day and state the obvious…..PLEASE TAKE CARE OF YOURSELVES LADIES. 

 Yes it is black history month…but health is for all races and creeds to be concerned with. 

 I almost lost a big toe due to finger nail salons and my ignorance about foot and toe health.  I was stuck  at home for  about 4 months. 

 I had surgery on my big left toe to clean out dead material every two weeks. 

The year before that I had  knee surgery.

  I have been looking into trying food supplements and rebuilding my immune system.  My hair has become thin,  and I wear various hair styles that hide it.

So for black history month ladies….forget about tanning salons,  hair weaves,  nail polish and  pedicures,  and facials. 

 Let us women of color look deep inside to our HEARTS,  OUR LIVERS,  OUR KIDNEYS,  OUR VEINS,  OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM,  OUR NERVOUS SYSTEMS AND OUR LEGS, OUR ARMS,  OUR CHESTS,  BREASTS,  OUR REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS,  OUR TEETH,  OUR SKIN, AND ANY OTHER AREAS. 

Take off some of that nail polish and go to a nutritionist and see where you stand on health and nutrition. 

 Take out those contact lenses and see what your opthamologist sees when he checks your eyes for glacoma.  

 Our families need us,  and  we need and DESERVE to have the best quality of life possible.  Many medical tests can be painless,  and simple and quick.  Get over the fear,  face your fears,  and the outcome will be for the better. 

 Take a friend with you to the doctors appointments if you need a supportive person by your side.

Your daily love and care for your job,  family, and friends is black history, white history,  yellow history,  brown history  in the making.

 Make good  history by keeping your doctors appointments and monitoring your health.

  If you do not have health coverage make an effort to contact local agenices that may offer low cost health coverage for you,  and free coverage for your children.

Till next blog…..

BLACK,  WHITE,  YELLOW,  AND BROWN  WOMEN HEALTH MATTERS……..

IT REALLY DOES!!!!

RIVEROFLIFELISAJOY!!!!

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