Friday, September 27, 2019

2019 SCA St. Eligius Competition Prep - part 1

Some pictures showing the pre-work in food preservation that I will be displaying in November at the competition in Connecticut.


 2019 St. Eligius Competition prep: Experiment in storing root vegetables. They are completely covered with the medium and located on the lower level of my townhouse where it is coolest as I do not have a root cellar. From Left to Right: Sand, Straw, Sawdust



2019 St. Eligius Competition prep: Storing Apples - base is sawdust, then straw, apples, more sawdust and completely covered with straw.



2019 St. Eligius Competition prep:Ongoing test of carrots in the back and apples in the front to test liquid preservation methods. All produce was canned raw with no seasonings, salt or spices. From left to right:
  1. 1) Produce in vinegar, modern water bath canning method to form air-tight seal
  2. 2) Produce in vinegar - sealed with wax
  3. 3) Produce in vinegar - closed only with a lid/cover
  4. 4) Produce in honey - closed only with a lid/cover


2019 St. Eligius Competition prep: I did experimental preservation of orange peels. Done with sugar on the left and honey on the right.

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Tuesday, September 24, 2019

IDS 402 Discussion on Historical Issues of Wellness

FASHION AS FAILURE


Melissa Dawson posted Sep 24, 2019 8:21 PM
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From the earliest days of human civilization we have relied on visual clues to identify enemies, allies, strangers and social peers. Clothing materials could tell others about the environment you came from: seal furs for those living near the ocean, wool that shows you keep flocks, leather indicating you had access to deer hides. Gradually these differences would become both more regulated and more subtle.

         For this discussion I am going to focus on women living in the British Isles as this is the demographic I have the most experience with, and knowledge of.

After the Battle of Hastings in 1066 the male Normans were easily recognized amongst the Saxon and Celt men due primarily to their hair styles. The Normans favored a very short, almost bowl-shaped, hair cut that was made to fit under their battle helms while the native groups in Britain rarely cut their locks. For women, the length of the sleeves on an outer gown were symbols of status as extra material would indicate someone who did not need to perform a lot of manual labor, and the more extreme tippets were worn by the conquering Normans. In the 13th century gowns became more form-fitting and laced up the sides. Again, the tightest gowns were worn by women in the upper social classes as being tightly laced into clothing limits ease of movement and makes working in the fields or with livestock very challenging.

         By the 14th century the ruling houses were solidifying the Sumptuary Laws.  These were the rules that dictated which groups could wear what items, it also limited who could wear specific colors and fabrics. As fashion become more complex the gap between what the working classes wore and the ruling/aristocratic classes donned became more and more obvious. Now it was not just about color or materials (rough linen versus silk), but your clothing and appearance sent a public message about who you were in society, your power, wealth and status expressed through what you wore.

         By the mid 19th century the availability of mass media in the form of magazines were touting the “right” and “wrong” ways to dress, look and behave. Of course there had been this social tension on women for hundred of years, but in a more subtle manner. There were Ladies at Court and in large Estate Homes who would compete with their peers over who had the largest hairdo, the most expensive lace trims, the tallest shoes or the “best” complexion based on whatever the current Queen looked like. It was a form of kissing ass where the goal was to emulate the most powerful woman in the country as a way to indicate you aligned with her and her realm. However, it was a game played by relatively few women, the working class and peasants were just glad to be able to afford a new gown each year and less concerned with outdoing their neighbors every day.

         But the Victorians took things to the extreme in fashion, as they did in almost every aspect of life and design. Now it was not just about emulating the Queen, but women were spending more and more time and effort trying to conform to whatever the latest magazines said was the “best” way to look. And some of the ways women went about trying to be “in fashion” were extreme and deadly. Lead, arsenic and bleach was used on the skin trying to get a certain luminous glow – they also poisoned the wearer and could cause death. If you did not have natural curls there were blazing hot devices and chemicals that claimed to give you the perfect hair texture – that is if the chemicals did not burn off your hair or you did not get blisters from the hot iron rods touching your cheek. Is your fiancée a fan of Rubenesque women? Then stay indoors, eat fatty foods and give up riding or walking to pack on those pounds. Is his favored look the monastic ascethetic? Then limit yourself to only herbs and water then use a stick to rid yourself of any food you had been forced to eat by a concerned parent. The 1890s Gibson Girl, the Flapper, WWI America’s Sweetheart look, Poodle Skirts and saddle shoes, Twiggy, the power suits of the 1980s, up to the recent trend for necklines plunging to the navel the expose the entire sternum.

         We tend to think of Anorexia, Bulemia, body modifications, piercings and dying our hair wild colors as modern issues done by women under 30 who are looking to define themselves. But it has been going on for centuries. But why? Why the need to believe that in order to be popular, successful or happy we must look a certain way? According to who?

         Unfortunately for most of our modern history it has been men who have not only dictated what women should wear and how they should behave – but then lead the charge in criticizing them for trying to follow the trend and coming up short by their standards. Young women especially in today’s culture are overwhelmed with “should” and completely impossible to reach standards. Even the models do not look like the models thanks to PhotoShop. And so a young woman’s self- esteem, emotional health, financial status and social integration are placed at risk because their jeans are not a specific brand, and their hair the wrong color or they are actually wider than a piece of copier paper.

         This undo influence and pressure disrupts not only their own psychic Wellness but that of society overall. Instead of developing their talents, learning about the world and how they want to be a positive influence with it – too many girls, and women, are expending their energies on the superficiality of “fashion” and gaining male approval. Of which I have found no supporting document to show that either pursuit has ever enhanced a society’s Wellness. And in fact our overall Wellness may be enhanced by letting go of many of the Labels others try to attach to us.
SOURCES

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Friday, September 13, 2019

IDS 402 Discussion on Factors, Challenges, and Dimensions of Wellness

Sprituality


Melissa Dawson posted Sep 13, 2019 8:13 PM
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          I am working towards my degree in Psychology to complement my prior degree in Biology with the goal of being certified as an End of Life Doula. I will function as the primary non-medical support person for the patient in whatever they, and their family or support system, need. This will encompass emotional, physical, social support or what other help they need during the dying process.

          In light of my future plans I have selected to discuss the Spiritual dimension.

          From my prior experiences with Hospice over the last 25 years I have seen where people who are in the dying process no longer care much about Finance, Occupation or Intellectual dimensions. Even their Environmental, Social, Physical and Emotional interests move out of the foreground of their thoughts. Not to say that they don’t, at some point during their Hospice stay, seek to put their affairs in order, have final conversations or amends as they feel proper. But, the majority of people become more focused on the spiritual in whatever way they understand that as part of their preparations to transition from this existence.

          Spirituality can be seen as the most intimate of the dimensions. When people are children they often are aware of whatever spiritual discipline their primary caregivers observe. As we become adolescents it is natural to explore other ways of thinking and belief as a way to test for ourselves what resonates with us personally. This can cause issues in families for whom the observance of a specific belief system is seen as something just to be accepted and not questioned at all. An individual’s journey along the Spiritual dimension can cause them emotional or mental distress, aside from the stress of falling out with their family unit, when what they had been taught through out childhood and adolescence is no longer a belief system they can say with integrity as an adult that they can support. For many this change is how they express their beliefs can also cause Social isolation if their former community is not willing to allow a different viewpoint to co-exist. However, I believe that having a belief system of faith, spirit or consciousness is important as part of the overall well being for each person. By taking time to thoughfully read, discuss and meditate upon relevant writings, spending time with others who have adopted your new faith years earlier and can be mentors, and finally by allowing yourself to be gentle with your home environment in not forcing them to accept this change in an instant – then a person can define for themselves what they believe.

          When we look back on world history there are countless examples of how faiths and belief systems have wreaked havoc, and brought positive change, to societies and peoples. Change is not always a negative thing – Scientific advances, Social awareness along with Art, Music and Literature all evolve and grow within a variety of changes. Often simultaneously. And it is not always fair or just as we understand those concepts in today’s mindset, but they all have molded the world we currently know and reside in.

          I know that for myself, when I feel spiritually grounded and in harmony with my community, and connected to my purpose while living in a way that does not compromise my beliefs or ethics – then I am a much happer person. More at peace and feel able to give to others from a place of plentry. Giving to others is very difficult when you feel your spititual tank is running on fumes. This feeling calm and centeredness is what I hope will make me an effective EOL Doula and advocate for my patients. When Hospice first became an optiuon in the United States, the dying process had been commandeered by the Medical profession which seemed to view death as an insult to doctors personally. As if the death of a patient under any circumstances was a personal smear on their character and abilities – even those patients for whom there were no treatment options, only pallative care.

Andreas Walker’s 2017 article highlights how these views have begun to change. Granted, the change has been more embraced in Europe where Hospice began, but it is moving into the awareness of American doctors, especially those who work with terminal and life-threatening disease states. The article not only states clearly that spiritual support does not have to be linked to a religion but can be viewed, as I stated earlier, as an overall belief system in what a person’s purpose in this life is, how they fit within the overall context of country, planet, universe and their beliefs about what occurs after the physical body stops functioning. Medical personnel do not necessarily need to pray with a patient or their family, although if this is acceptable to all parties it is an option. Supporting the Hospice patient’s Spiritual well-being is to acknowledge their beliefs, honor their wishes for care and intervention within that belief as long as ethics or laws are not violated, and sometimes just be in each other’s precense for a while.

During interviews with various Hospice personnel the researchers found that there are as varied an understanding of Spiritual well-being as there were participants. Even among those who identified with a specific belief system in common, such as Buddism, there were nuances in how they defined it. What they did have in common was a common goal of helping a patient overcome any fear they may have about the dying process, and to understand and accept what was happening to their physical body. They concluded that by ignoring this dimension of a person, their passing could be more distressing for everyone involved.

SOURCES

Eight Dimensions of Wellness | SAMHSA - Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2017). Samhsa.gov. Retrieved 6 November 2017, from https://www.samhsa.gov/wellness-initiative/eight-dimensions-wellness

Walker, A., Breitsameter, C. (25 Apr 2017). The Provision of Spiritual Care in Hospices: A Study in Four Hospices in North Rhine-Westphalia. Journal of Religion and Health.  56(6): 2237-2250. doi: 10.1007/s10943-017-0396-y
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Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Making SCA garb - 05

This is the second re-make of the ethnic garb I purchased at a local yard sale.

For this one - the outfit's pants were an exact fabric match to the tunic. So I opened the tunic side and sleeve seams as well as completely disassemble the pants. Luckily the pant's angles had matching trim to the sleeves so I could make the adjustment seem more like an original concept.






















I did remove the bottom Paisley embellishment as I felt it made the outfit more fitting for everyday wear.









Serving the Head Table at the Feast for Harper's Retreat in 2019










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Wednesday, September 4, 2019

IDS 402 Discussion on Wellness

            As a part of the required classwork for this class are Discussion Board Posts. Where you are to write a coherent, cited posting of at least two paragraphs, addressing specific ideas, concepts or information from that week's assignments. The second part of this process is to respond to a specific number of classmates with reply prompts to further discussion - not just a "I agree" comment. 

          Sadly, but perhaps not all that surprisingly, I rarely get replies to my entries. Nor do I get engagement with my response to others. postings. This may be because I offer feedback on things they did not cover per the assignment (?) Either way it is disheartening. I know I should not take it personally because, most importantly, my instructor(s) like them a lot and I always get "A"s. 

         So I will be sharing a few of what I consider my "better" items. 

 *****************************************************************

Module One: Health and Wellness

 
Melissa Dawson posted Sep 4, 2019 7:43 PM
 
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After earning my first degree as a double major (Biology and Applied Mathematics) I worked for a variety of companies. Pharmaceutical, Pharma-development and Medical Devices with, and without, pharma piggy backs for the past 21 years. However, after going through my third downsizing in that time I am back earning my Bachelors in Applied Psychology with plans to certify as an End of Life Doula working with Hospice patients and their families/support system(s). I live about 30 miles North and a bit West of Boston, MA with my 3 cats and hope to resume being a Host Parent for international teenage girls attending high school once I am working in my new field.

My primary academic interest is the process and effect our hormones and body chemistry have on our psychology. How does a change in brain or endocrine chemicals change or effect our behavior, moods and coping skills. What specific adjustments to care and interactions with a Hospice patient need to be undertaken to provide the best standard of life for them as they transition from this existence to the next – however they perceive that next level/place to be.

When considering the discussion topics I see a very clear delineation between HEALTH and WELLNESS. Specifically as they relate to Hospice Care – HEALTH is the measurable functioning of individual body systems in order to assess the overall functional level of that body (aka our “meat suit”). These measurements provide data that can be used to adjust levels of medication, hydration, nutrients and pain management options. This for me is the technical part of caring for the physical body, similar to the maintenance and care that is required to keep a vehicle in optimal operating condition.

WELLNESS is a less definable measurement, and is completely subjective to the person involved. What one person sees as optimal conditions for wellness (an isolated cottage surrounded by gardens and livestock with limited technology and two close friends in a nearby village), another may view as borderline torture. What we define for ourselves as the optimal levels of physical endurance, social interaction, proximity to modern amenities, or income sources depend largely on our personal history and psychology. Both of which are fluid and do change over our lifetimes. As we grow and evolve as people, our requirements for feeling WELL will adjust as well.

Working with, and caring for, my mother as she went through the dying process clearly highlights for me the difference between HEALTH and WELLNESS. She died in June of 2015 from kidney failure, brought about due to diabetes and the effects of a serious injury that required several surgeries, over-dosage or certain medications, and two bouts of c-diff followed by a heart attack over a period of three years. So from the data alone her HEALTH was not only seriously compromised, by most accepted definitions it stunk. She was clinically very Unhealthy. And yet – she still had her WELLNESS. She had dozens of loving, caring friends spend time with her at home. Her children and grandchildren adored and respected her. She had a husband of 52 years who would do anything she asked. Her spirit was at peace, her heart unburdened with regret or “I should’ve dones … “ Her faith was solid and abiding and she knew she was in control of her decisions up to the end. These factors are what made her WELL even as her physical body was shutting down.

By using the four lenses with each person, or situation, I have faced, and will face in the future, a more complete understanding of the optimal way to address each situation will benefit the family and patient.
  • History – is there family history of a disease state or illness. Have there been traumatic events that led up to their condition being what it is currently.
  • Sciences -  How does the patient react to specific chemicals / foods / medications etc. Is it necessary that their air be filtered in order to facilitate easier breathing? Do they require specific foods for proper system function?
  • Humanities – What has brought the person joy or comfort throughout their journey here? Do certain pieces of music cause pleasant or painful memories – are either emotion wanted? What has been their unique way of being in the world? Are they known as the Hostess, Nurturer, Hermit or Aloof. What expressions of creativity do they wish to have around them during this time?
  • Social Sciences – How has the person interacted with their family, culture, social groups, neighbors? Are there relationships they want to mend, things that they have left unsaid or apologies that they want to make. This can help not only the patient but those left behind. Clearing the air of long held hurts or grudges unburden both people and let the transitional processes happen more effectively.

SOURCES

Chambers, R. A., & Wallingford, S. C. (2017). On Mourning and Recovery: Integrating Stages of Grief and Change Toward a Neuroscience-Based Model of Attachment Adaptation in Addiction Treatment. Psychodynamic psychiatry, 45(4), 451–473. doi:10.1521/pdps.2017.45.4.451
Kirkland, A. (2014). What Is Wellness Now? Journal of Health Politics, Policy & Law, 39(5), 957–970. https://doi-org.ezproxy.snhu.edu/10.1215/03616878-2813647
Prilleltensky, I. (2013). Wellness without fairness: The missing link in Psychology. South African Journal of Psychology, 43(2), 147-155
Savolaine, John; Granello, Paul F.(Fall 2002). The Function of Meaning and Purpose for Individual Wellness. Journal of Humanistic Counseling, Education and Development; Alexandria 41(2), 178.
Shaughnessy, J. J., Zechmeister, E. B., & Zechmeister, J. S. (2015). Research Methods
in Psychology. 10. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.
VandenBos, G. R. (Ed). (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological 
Association (6th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
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