{Guest Blogger!}

This post is from my lovely guest, Breanna! Thanks Bree, you're awesome!
Happy reading, this is really great!

I've never been a guest on a blog before! How many times can I be a guest blogger? I love the site you've created and I'm so excited to spread the word and get more followers. If you want you can use what I wrote below for a post:

Constant Health Concerns When I Don't Take Time for ME

I'm currently taking a time and stress management course through the University of Phoenix online; on top of my current course in my degree program. There are a lot of things discussed that I'm struggling with that I thought I would share with you:

Many researchers have demonstrated time and again, that stress has profound effects, both immediate and long term on our bodies and minds. While stress alone does not cause disease, it triggers molecular changes throughout the body that makes us susceptible to many illnesses. The burden of chronic stress can undermine one's ability to cope with day-to-day hassles, and can exacerbate psychological problems like depression and anxiety disorders.

Has stress affected your everyday health?

You don't have to answer the question, just simply think about it.

It's all over MSN, Yahoo, and AOL front pages, "How to reduce your stress," I'll gander through the article and roll my eyes exclaiming to myself, "Yeah, like that's really gonna work." With three extremely active little ones majority of the times aren't gonna happen. It's not practical for me to take a walk outside when I'm stressed because getting the kids ready is only going to make me MORE stressed. Then constantly telling them to hurry up because I want to burn off some steam with only frusterate me more.

The trick is finding what works for you. That obviously doesn't work for me. There are a zillion and one methods out there and somewhere, someday, I'll find that method that works for me. Until then, I'm stuck here battling stress everyday, struggling with everyday activities; causing my health to decline. Some of the immediate affects include MASSIVE headaches, a constant struggle with fatigue (I could sleep 12 hours and still feel like I haven't had enough), and frequent cough/cold symptoms.

Another health symptom that I suffer from is Endometriosis. It's been a constant battle and I've been offered a hysterecomy on numerous occassions but I've been hesitant to follow through with the procedure because I think to myself, "I'm only 24, this shouldn't be happening to my body, if I want to have more kids I should be able too; not that it's in the immediate plan." If I were to get the hysterectomy I would also lose that sense of control, which I love so much, causing a whole other world of stress related problems.
I hate that I can't control unforseen situations and I really go crazy when I can't control my own environment.

In conclusion, in order to stay happy and healthy, to help us all with this constant struggle, we need to set aside some real "ME" time and don't foget about (enter your name here). I'm mostly stressed because of the million activities I have to do for someone else in a day, including caring for my husband and children (which I love dearly), but there is little to no return. When the "ME" time has returned, I feel rejuvinated and able to conquer the next stressful task; even if that is calming dealing with the in-laws.

~Just a paper cut for some...~

Today my daughter cut her finger. It bled quite a bit for such a little cut. I cleaned it up put a band-aid on and that was it.

This wouldn't have been the case a couple of years ago. Just that small amount of blood would have caused so much anxiety.

In elementary school, they would have a lesson on HIV/AIDS. They would talk about how we need to protect ourselves and raise awareness on this disease. They would tell us not to touch peoples blood or we would risk getting HIV. They would have 2 baby jars of water. One had food coloring while the other one didn't. They explained that they can touch all they want and they would not be infected. Then they poured the color liquid into the jar with water. They said once you touch someones blood who has HIV you will then be infected with HIV. Now both jars have the colored water.

Does anyone else remember that? I sure do and believe me it stuck with me for many years after that.

This was the beginning of my obsession of getting HIV.

I would walk around bare-foot. Then I would freak out if the thought came to my mind that I may have come into contact with blood. I would go to the sink and wash my feet. I would do this numerous times through out they day. I wouldn't eat anything that touch my finger. Going as far as eating around anything that my fingers would touch.

As I grew older, my compulsion and rituals have changed. As an adult, I worked in a day care. I would NEVER touch their blood. NEVER. If a child got hurt, he first thing I would do was grab a pair of gloves before tending their wounds. I wouldn't even comfort them until I had the gloves because I feared I would get HIV.

I would donate blood regularly, because I knew if I ever had HIV that they would tell me. So that was reassurance that I didn't have it. That is the true reason why I started donating blood.

When you go in for your first prenatal appointments, they Dr would ask if I wanted to be tested for HIV. With my first 2 I denied it. I couldn't bare the thought that I did something to contract HIV and pass it on to my children and husband. I would rather not know.

When I was pregnant with my third. Some how, I was tested for HIV. I think he just ordered the normal blood tests that time. The results came back negative.

I have feared for over a decade of getting HIV. I know I have been exposed to other peoples blood. It is inevitable. It took many years, but I think I have overcome this fear. Because today, when I treated my daughter's cut. There wasn't any anxiety. The thought came and went through my mind.

I didn't ritualized.

{It's 3:10am...}

I am so in love with this music video! I watch it when I am sad and depressed.
Which has been frequent, not going to lie.

Its 3:10am...yup...

I saw my therapist today and bawled my eyes out to her. Why do I have to deal with this? I didn't choose this....etc. I will leave out the choice words I used to express myself because I don't want this to turn into a sob-fest. I really want this to be the beginning of something incredible in my life, an inspiring twist of fate.

I feel like I'm getting to re-know myself, like the last 24 years have been somehow lead by a different person. My outlook has changed, though I'm not sure that's a bad thing at this point. I think I can be better. I WILL be better.

Not that an official diagnosis, which is what I have now, means that much. The whole world can fit into one diagnostic or the other. I am also a believer everyone could benefit from therapy, don't you?

I'm feeling unusually chipper, probably because I left all my negative energy at the therapist' door. It may be another manic phase, still deciding between the two... I'll let you decide which I'm hoping it is....

Enough talk. Watch the video, I know you'll love it.

-lynette

My Obsession

I seem to be a very normal person. I am married for almost 7 years and have the amazing children. I enjoy being a wife and a mother. I have a small business and awaiting placement for nursing school. I keep myself busy making crafts and decorating. Anything "do it yourself" is my kinda thing. People are often amazed that I have 3 young children, have a clean house, going to school, small business, and have time to be crafty. But really this is all to keep my mind busy from my thoughts.

I have Obsessivee Compulsive Disorder.

My mind just won't stop. It is full of guilt, doubt, and worry. I sometimes can't tell between reality and my fears. My fears control my life. I worry that I will become this awful person. I worried if I have done awful things and just can't remember. I obsess daily if I am not the perfect mom for my children. I have intrusive thoughts that will not leave my mind. I have to perform rituals do help ease the anxiety.

That is my story.

What is yours?