I don’t know about you, but there are some things that just really get under my skin. Some of these are misconceptions that people believe to be true, others may be common grammatical errors, and others may be just annoyances in general. Below are ten of these things-with the facts included. You might learn something-or maybe you have some of your own to add to the list! Enjoy.

1. There is no such thing as the “stomach flu.” It irks me when people say someone “has the flu,” just to find out that it’s really a gastrointestinal illness. The flu, or rather, influenza, is a contagious respiratory illness that can lead to fatal complications. Find out more from the CDC here: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/index.htm

2. Stop blaming your Thanksgiving sleepiness on the turkey. You’ve probably heard this many times-that the L-tryptophan that is contained in turkey is what makes people sleepy after a Thanksgiving meal. Buzz! Wrong answer! The sleepiness is due to the “usual suspects” of food, such as carbohydrates, fats, and overeating in general. But if you like to exist in a state of denial, go ahead and blame the turkey, anyway. http://chemistry.about.com/od/holidaysseasons/a/tiredturkey.htm

3. You do not catch the common cold by exposure to cold or dampness. The common cold is caused by a virus – the rhinovirus. http://www.commoncold.org/

4. Vegetarians do not eat chicken. Eating chicken as your only meat, therefore, does not make you a vegetarian You may be a “Flexitarian” or “Semi-Vegetarian” instead. Vegetarians are classified as lacto-ovo (eat eggs and dairy products), lacto- (eat dairy products but no eggs), or ovo- (eat eggs but no dairy products). No animal products beyond eggs and/or dairy products are consumed.

5. Storm “watches” mean that conditions are favorable for producing that type of storm. They are not something to panic about, but just to be aware and prepared just in case the storm develops. Storm “warnings” mean that there has been that type of storm spotted, and to take appropriate measures for your safety. So please, don’t get your panties in a wad when you hear the term “watch.” Use some common sense.

6. This Book of the Bible – Hosea – is not pronounced HOE-SAY. It is HOE-SAY-UH!! You need to pronounce the “a” at the end. Hosea was not some Hispanic dude, people.

7. You cannot “might could” do something. You “could” do something, but leave the “might” part out. Example: “I might could go to the store” should read, “I could go to the store.” Save yourself the extra word. You might need it for something more appropriate later on.

8. “Vitamin Water” is not a healthy drink. First, the only vitamins it contains are B-complex and C, because they are water soluble (most vitamins are fat soluble). Your daily intake of these vitamins is likely already sufficient. Second, it contains an artificial sugar, crystalline fructose. It’s closer to a soft drink than a health drink. So don’t go waving your “health food” in my face-if you do, the joke’s on you. http://scienceline.org/2007/12/03/ask-intagliata-vitaminwater/ - PS: did you know that Glaceau, the maker of Vitamin Water, is a subsidiary of Coca-Cola? Yep.

9. Southern Illinois is south of Springfield. Chicagoans please note: Kankakee is in Northern Illinois; Peoria is in Central Illinois. When I say I’m from Southern Illinois, please do not insult me by suggesting I am from one of those places. For those who need a map: http://www.mapsofworld.com/usa/states/illinois/

10. Always seek the truth. People often spend too much time listening to opinion and speculation, and not enough time separating out the facts. Use critical thinking-don’t let someone else do your thinking for you. Everyone has bias, and some more than others. Turn off the “talking heads,” read a newspaper instead, and underline the FACTS presented. Hopefully what they have stated as fact is just that-but you can’t trust all news sources. So keep an open mind-and remember that all are innocent until proven guilty.

Update:

 Here’s another, courtesy of @sparkyfirepants:

It’s not “butt” naked, it’s buck naked. Chris Rock was wrong.

 

 

 

I am finding that on some occasions that smelling aromatherapy scents kicks up my neuropathy pains. I guess it triggers the senses and stimulates the nerves and goes straight to my feet. I hope this does not mean I will have to eventually give up the Bath and Body Works items that I love. Weirdness.

Today I was trying to explain to a friend the types of pains and sensations I experience with neuropathy. Her husband was recently diagnosed with the same, and she was having a difficult time understanding what he was describing to her. This is quite common, as neuropathy brings about manifestations that are unique.

Thankfully medication (Cymbalta) keeps most of the symptoms under control, as I’ve found that after missing a dose, the pain can be quite intense. The colder than normal weather lately has been aggravating the condition, which primarily affects my feet/toes and fingers.

Here are some of the common issues I deal with:

• Cold sensitivity. Cold temperatures in the air increase the pain in my feet and fingertips. It causes a burning feeling in my fingertips, and sharp, stabbing pains in my feet. It also causes my feet to feel ice cold, even under several blankets.
• Sensitivity in fingertips. This is mostly noticeable when I am using the laptop. My fingers are especially sensitive when using the touchpad. Lately this has kept me away from sites like Facebook more, because things like app requests require a lot of “clicking.”
• Pain in feet and toes. The pain varies and is not at all consistent. It ranges from knife-like stabbing pains, to feelings of “electric shocks”. There’s also occasional pins and needles feelings, or the feeling that I am walking on rocks even when on a flat, carpeted surface.
• Loss of sensation in feet. Believe it or not, with neuropathy you can have both pain and loss of sensation at the same time! My feet feel like there is a stocking on them when there is not-this is called “stocking-glove sensation.” I’ve also almost scalded myself in the past in hot bathwater, not realizing the actual temp.

The symptoms increase when I am tired, sick, or there is a drastic change in the weather. Earlier this week, for example, we went again from milder temps to bitter cold in a day, and I was in agony as a result. I am also finding that the symptoms increase after I eat-especially if I eat sweets. I am not diabetic, but it’s possible my neuropathy is due to a diet-related condition. At this point, it’s considered “idiopathic” – cause not known.

Hopefully this will be of help to someone who is dealing with a friend of family member diagnosed with neuropathy. I’ll post more in a day or two about care and how to keep the patient more comfortable.