Fasting and feasting - that seems to be the norm in my life these days as I have had a number of reunions with my former students and my older boy who came home a few days ago. Last Sunday, I met up with Geraldine whom I taught from 1992 to 1993. I had not seen Geraldine since July 1993 and honestly, I could not recognise her at all for she has blossomed into a beauty! Here we are at my favorite Starbucks outlet :-).
As an Economics student, she was just like her sister Lyn (pic below) whom I met again recently after a lapse of 20 years!!! Geraldine and I talked for over two hours and had such a sweet reunion - this time as friends. I can still remember the two sisters used to be so scared of me and it is wonderful that down the road of life, we can talk like friends, sharing from our hearts and reminiscing about old times.
Lyn is one of the sweetest girls I have ever taught in my life. She has such a sweet demeanour and the most beautiful and neatest handwriting I have ever seen in my life. Currently, she is expecting her second child. Not only is she a loving wife, she is a doting and self-sacrificing mother. Truly, Lyn and Geraldine are brilliant characters because of their parents' wonderful parenting styles - a fine balance of love, discipline and motivation without stifling their individual personality styles.
This afternoon, I met up with yet another former student - Kong Siew and his girlfriend Michelle at the Sushi King outlet near my home. I thought I would not make it because there was such a heavy downpour at about noon so it was terribly tricky to weave my way through the traffic. I had not seen Kong Siew since 1988 and I was so surprised that he really looks very matured and doctor-like :-). After dabbling in business for many years, he took a big step and went back to school!!! Kong Siew, who is the son of Dr. Michael Khor (Island Hospital) and the late Jade Khor, is a third-year medical student at the Penang Medical College.
This evening, I feel quite sad. My older boy will be going back to KL tomorrow afternoon. We had a dinner at YMCA Penang and despite the delicious selection of dishes chosen by yours truly, everyone of us really did not have the heart to eat. My younger boy burst into tears halfway through the dinner. Here we are - looking quite hungry and ready to dig in...I think my older boy looks like his father while my younger one takes after yours truly :-).
Needless to say, I ordered my favorite Guiness Spare Ribs...so yummy...
And of course my boy's favorite Nestum Butter Prawns, plus our favorite 'yau mak' vege and seafood beancurd.
Well, it will be a teary farewell tomorrow. My younger boy is very fretful as he has his music theory class in the morning followed by another lesson and will not be able to say goodbye to his brother. *sigh* Over dinner, my boy reminisced and asked me why I do not bake like I used to and he longed for the times when there was also a dessert after dinner.
Even without me cooking and baking, I am more horizontally challenged these days. In the past, I would bake cheese cakes at least twice or three times a week, creme caramel or creme broulee or cinammon buns and muffins...This year, I have only baked ONCE!!! Without my older boy around, the house seems to be more empty, the place quieter and the phone calls are largely for my younger boy.
It is difficult to let go of my baby but I have already and am preparing for the time when he has his own life, his own home and family. I only wish that I had had three or four kids so dear reader, please do not stop at one or two!!! Have more kids!!!
Sigh - I write this feeling so heavyhearted. I know I will be crying my eyes out tomorrow, even now. But that is life ...No matter how heartbreaking it is to say goodbye, I thank God that I have my family and that He has blessed me with my two boys and hubby and I cannot imagine life without any of them!!!
Oh - to be together again with loved ones - such a beautiful feeling....
David Zinn, a wise man I know, once said, "If we don't change, we aren't growing, and if we aren't growing, we are dying." Isn't that so true? Some change is welcomed into your life: a new hairstyle, a promotion you've been wanting, or a remodeled kitchen. Sometimes change is handed to you without your consent...a layoff, a divorce, or even the death of a loved one. And there's always self-created change that you still resist...losing weight, expressing your feelings appropriately or pursuing your dream job. The world and everything in it is constantly changing.
So many of us focus on changing other people around us, even though we know deep down this doesn't work. Or we stay stuck in a rut, complaining about how miserable life is to us. In fact, there is so much resistance to change that a book was written called Why Should I Be the First to Change? There are many answers to this question. First, you will be happier if you are continually growing and learning. Second, you are the only person that is responsible for changing you. Third, you're wasting your valuable time and energy waiting for others to change. When you change, people will follow. Lastly, by living your life to the fullest, you contribute to making the world a better place to live for yourself and others.
Then why is change so hard? And how can you learn to face change head on and embrace it wholeheartedly? Let's examine five key reasons we resist change and explore five new ways to learn to embrace change. By choosing to modify our perspective or outlook on change, change can become our friend and not our enemy.
Fear vs. Courage
One of the main reasons we resist change is fear. Sometimes it can be scary to change. The list of fears is endless: fear of failure or success, fear of being alone, fear of making mistakes, fear of rejection and certainly, fear of the unknown. It is normal to feel fear, but yet it is so crippling. Having courage does not mean we don't feel fear. It means we push through the fear and do it anyway. Ask any public speaker, extreme sports enthusiast or successful business entrepreneur. You have to take risks if you want to grow and feel fulfilled in life.
Jennifer was a single mom of two children who, for years, was a hair stylist. Reaching a point in her life when she wanted to make a career change, she had to make some difficult phone calls. Many of her clients had come to rely on her, but she didn't want to do their hair anymore. Jennifer was terrified of calling her clients to let them know she was changing careers. She imagined them being angry with her, or worse, not wanting to let her go. She felt trapped in her career because her time was being monopolized by hair clients. As one of her assignments, I asked Jennifer to clear her weekend by canceling all her hair appointments. She was to let each of her clients know that she was no longer going to be able to do their hair because she was moving on to something else. This seemingly simple task was not carried out because Jennifer was paralyzed by fear. So we made the phone calls together. After hanging up from her last client, I asked her how she felt. She was so relieved, but yet surprised that her clients did not react at all the way she had imagined they would. The fear Jennifer was experiencing was all in her mind.
When faced with fear, take baby steps. Oftentimes, we discover the change was not as difficult as we had imagined it to be. Each time we confront our apprehension and act courageously, we gain more power over our fear.
Status Quo vs. Opportunities
When I asked Becky what stopped her from leaving a miserable marriage, she told me it was comfortable. The marriage itself was not comfortable, but the life she lived was familiar, bringing her a sense of security. Let's face it. Humans are creatures of habit. Some people float through life behaving in the same way every day. Change never even occurs to them. The same argument occurs over and over, and their reactions are never any different. Or they stay in the same unsatisfying job year after year and become best friends with depression.
What about the opportunities that are being missed? There is a lot for people to experience in this world if they only open their eyes to change. Maybe a healthier friend or a dream career awaits them. Whenever my clients tell me how things are going to be, I always ask them "what if" you are wrong and "this" happens instead. It's important to explore what could be gained from change. Perhaps you don't see the golden opportunity ahead of you, but at the very least, by resisting change, you are missing the opportunity to learn what life has to teach. I am a firm believer that when you close the door, a new and better door opens.
Negative Thinking vs. Positive Thinking
Imagine your best friend invites you to join her for the local writer's club meeting. She knows you secretly wish you could write a book. You reply, "I can't go to a writer's club. I don't write well enough for that. People will judge me because I'm not a writer." She tries again the next three months, only to listen to your endless self-defeating remarks. Eventually she stops asking and so you never try your hand at writing. You never write a book and this just proves that you are not a writer. The self-fulfilling prophecy was manifested – you created exactly what you thought.
Let's roll the tape back. What if your response was, "I would love to go. I've always wanted to try and write. This will be a great experience for me." You and your friend go every month and at the end of the year, you publish your first book. Your brain will agree with anything you tell it. If you feed your brain negative thoughts, you will create negativity. Giving your brain affirmative food for thought will create the positive change you desire. A Native American elder once described his own inner struggles in this manner. "Inside of me there are two dogs. One of the dogs is mean and evil. The other dog is good. The mean dog fights the good dog all the time." When asked which dog wins he reflected for a moment and replied, "The one I feed the most."
Doing It Alone vs. Getting Support
Some change is so challenging or overwhelming that even the thought of trying is debilitating. When I think of parents who lose a child or the woman who needs to lose 150 pounds, my heart goes out to them. One can only imagine the monumental adjustment that lies ahead. Even smaller changes, like transitioning through a divorce or a job loss, can be difficult when you feel you are alone through the process.
Change requires supportive people. You need people who believe in you and who will encourage you on your journey. Sometimes you need someone to hold you accountable for what you say you're going to do. You need friends and family members who won't let you give up. You need love and understanding when you are struggling. Surround yourself with loving and helpful people, and call on a Source greater than yourself. Some changes are so difficult, but all things are possible with Divine intervention.
Control vs. Letting Go
It is human nature to control – our emotions, other people, our money, our life. However, much of change, which occurs in life, is uncontrollable. Our world is changing at an extremely fast pace, leaving us spinning our wheels as we attempt to adapt. Whether it's a natural disaster like Hurricane Katrina, a giant merger, or skyrocketing gas prices, it's all happening to us. Stress and resistance is the natural reaction to change.
If we can learn to let go and accept what we cannot control, life is smoother and change can be embraced. We don't know what greater plan is at work. When I first started my business, I worked extremely hard to control my success. As my fear of failure escalated, I fought harder and a vicious cycle began. Just when I had decided to give up (for the day or week), a tiny door opened. It didn't take long for me to figure out that I am not in charge here. God had a different plan for me and my timing was certainly not His. When I learned to let go and put my faith in God, opportunities for change and growth came out of nowhere. He blessed me in ways I would never have imagined.
One thing is certain. Change stops for no one. We can choose to resist and make life much harder, or we can face and embrace change, resulting in a life that cultivates and strengthens our character.
TAKE ACTION ASSIGNMENT:
What change are you resisting in your life right now? What are your fears around this change? Name 5 benefits of making this change. What negative thoughts need to be eliminated to support this change? And who can support you through this change? Take two baby steps this week to embrace this change.
"The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live." –Flora Whittemore
-written by Lori Radun-
Author's Bio
Lori Radun, CEC, AELC is a certified life coach, inspirational speaker and author of The Momnificent! Life ~ Healthy and Balanced Living for Busy Moms. As a motherhood guru committed to helping moms live magnificent lives, see why moms are visiting www.momnificent.com for the free Momnificent! newsletter, a library of expert advice, and continuously updated blog of mom-worthy news and developments.
The world is abuzz with the swine flu. As people scurry to get their vaccine while others remain skeptical and some theorise about conspiracies, it is important to keep abreast with the latest information lest we be swept away by feelings of panic, only because we did not look beyond the reports. Here are some of the latest facts:
1. VIRUS HAS PIG, BIRD and HUMAN COMPONENTS
The top agency for health in farm animals on Monday said Mexico's outbreak of deadly influenza was unleashed by a pathogen mixed from bird, human and hog viruses and branded the term "swine flu" as wrong and harmful to pig farmers.
The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) said the pathogen was "not a classic human virus... but a virus which includes [in] its characteristics swine, avian and human virus components."
"The virus has not been isolated in animals to date. Therefore, it is not justified to name this disease swine influenza," the Paris-based OIE said in a statement.
It said that science would show whether the virus was circulating among farm animals and the outcome should determine whether countries were justified in banning pig imports.
"Currently, only findings related to the circulation of this virus in pigs in zones of countries having human cases would justify trade measures on the importation of pigs from these countries," it said.
In an interview with AFP, OIE Director General Bernard Vallat described the virus as a "cocktail" of four different strains.
"The background of these strains has been reconstituted," he said.
"The avian strain is of American origin, and of the two swine strains, one is American origin and the other appears to be Asian. The human strain is American."
He added: "There is no proof that this virus, currently circulating among humans, really is of animal origin. There is no element to support this."
Vallat argued that "it would be really unfair to penalise pig farmers, who depend on their output for their livelihood, by talking about a risk which is not at all proven."
The OIE noted that past epidemics of human influenza epidemics with animal origin had been named after their geographical origin, such as Spanish flu or Asian flu.
"It would be logical to call this disease 'North American influenza'," it suggested.
Vallat said that "no-one, so far" had been able to show how or where the novel strain of virus had brewed.
Pigs are well-known crucibles for mixing viruses, able to harbour strains of flu that normally are specific to pigs, birds and humans.
Please CLICK THIS LINK to read the rest of the article.
2. Suspected H1N1 Flu Case Reported at California Marine Base
The Marine Corps commandant today confirmed a suspected case of what the U.S. Homeland Security Council now is calling H1N1 flu, but has been known as "swine flu," at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif.
American Forces Press Service - A male Marine reported to a medical clinic on base over the weekend complaining of flu-like symptoms. Initial test results indicate the H1N1 virus, and the service is waiting for further results from testing at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Marine Corps Gen. James T. Conway said.
The Marine, along with his roommate, are quarantined in the barracks, Conway said, adding that the roommate has shown no symptoms and the infected Marine is recovering.
"He's doing fine," the general said. "He's up and about. He said he feels pretty good. The doctors tell us that at this point, there appears to be no threat to him in terms of loss of life."
Doctors at the base also identified and restricted the activities of 37 other Marines who may have had contact with the infected Marine. The 37 are not officially quarantined, but are not allowed in public places such as unit formations and dining facilities.
The infected Marine was not given Tamiflu, an anti-viral drug used to prevent the flu, because he was past the point in his illness at which the medicine would have been effective, Conway said. All of the other Marines involved are taking Tamiflu.
The southern-California base is about 200 miles from the Mexican border, but the Marine had not visited Mexico, Conway said.
For the rest of the article, please click HERE.
3. WHO raises Swine Flu Alert Level
The global spread of swine flu, a pandemic, is highly likely, the World Health Organization said on Wednesday and raised its alert level to Phase 5, the next-to-highest level in the worldwide warning system.
Phase 5 has not been declared before. Phase 6 means a pandemic is under way. The health organization said its decision was based on the continuing spread of swine flu in the United States and Mexico, particularly the increasing numbers of unexplained cases among people not exposed to travelers or to institutions like schools or hospitals where many people have close contact with one another and high rates of transmission might be expected.
“All countries should immediately activate their pandemic preparedness plans,” Dr. Margaret Chan, director general of the organization, said at a news conference in Geneva. “Countries should remain on high alert for unusual outbreaks of influenza-like illness and severe pneumonia.”
The first death from swine flu in this country — of a 23-month-old child from Mexico who was being treated in Houston — was reported on Wednesday, along with more infections and hospitalizations.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 91 confirmed cases from 10 states, up from 64 cases in 5 states on Tuesday.
Dr. Chan emphasized the need for calm, but at times spoke as if a pandemic had already begun, saying, for instance, “W.H.O. will be tracking the pandemic.” She also emphasized that flu epidemics tended to take much higher death tolls in poor countries than in rich ones, and said her organization and others would need to make special efforts to help poorer nations.
She called for global solidarity, saying, “After all, it really is all of humanity that is under threat during a pandemic.”
President Obama, terming the outbreak “cause for deep concern but not panic,” took the unusual step of using a prime-time televised news conference, convened to mark his 100th day in office, to deliver a public health message to the American people.
“Wash your hands when you shake hands, cover your mouth when you cough,” he said from the East Room of the White House. “It sounds trivial, but it makes a huge difference. If you are sick, stay home. If your child is sick, take them out of school. If you are feeling certain flu symptoms, don’t get on an airplane.”
For the rest of the article, please CLICK HERE.
4. CONTAINER OF SWINE FLU VIRUS EXPLODES ON SWISS TRAIN
A container of flu virus samples packed in dry ice exploded on a Swiss train, injuring one person but posing no other risks to humans, police said on Tuesday.
The box held vials of swine flu virus, although a different strain than the H1N1 variety that has caused about 150 deaths in Mexico and infected people in the United States, Canada, Spain and Britain.
A technician was transporting the container on Monday night to the Swiss national flu centre in Geneva, where scientists are developing a flu test for humans, police said.
Please CLICK HERE for the rest of the article.
5. BAXTER seeks swine flu sample to begin work on vaccine
With world health officials worried about the global outbreak of another deadly virus, Deerfield-based Baxter International Inc. once again finds itself involved in the action.
Baxter confirmed over the weekend that it is working with the World Health Organization on a potential vaccine to curb the deadly swine flu virus that is blamed for scores of deaths in Mexico and has emerged as a threat in the U.S.
Shares of Baxter were up 2.4 percent, or $1.16, to $49.23 a share in trading Monday on the New York Stock Exchange.
Baxter, which has an emerging vaccine business, has worked with the U.S. and foreign countries in the past to develop vaccines for the H5N1 virus commonly known as bird flu.
Baxter has a cell-based technology that allows the company to produce vaccines more rapidly in the event of a pandemic than a decades-old method that uses eggs and can take weeks or months longer. Although the egg-based method has produced safe and effective vaccines, analysts say Baxter's method can cut production times in half compared with the older process.
"Upon learning about the swine flu outbreak in Mexico, Baxter requested a virus sample from WHO to do laboratory testing for potentially developing an experimental vaccine," company spokesman Christopher Bona told the Tribune.
In the past, Baxter has developed vaccines and worked with countries to stockpile vaccines even while they undergo experimental testing.
The idea behind the government stockpiles, in the case of the bird flu, for example, is to prepare against outbreak.
To read the rest of the article, please CLICK HERE.
6. SWINE FLU FEAR a boost for GILEAD
It's been a busy few weeks for Gilead Sciences.
Since Fortune last checked in on it, the biotech has reported record first-quarter revenues, completed its all-cash acquisition of CV Therapeutics, and launched the Phase II trials of its most promising pipeline product, the four-in-one, once-daily HIV "quad pill."
Now Gilead (GILD, Fortune 500) is in the spotlight again. As governments formulate their responses to the deadly swine flu outbreak, which has already claimed over 100 lives in Mexico and triggered a worldwide public health emergency, Gilead is one of the drugmakers that could benefit.
That's because its antiviral pill Tamiflu, which is marketed by Roche, is one of two drugs that is effective against this strain of influenza. Gilead collects royalty payments from Tamiflu sales, which peaked at $2 billion in 2006 as countries rushed to stockpile the drug against the threat of avian flu.
Tamiflu sales plummeted after governments finished building up their reserves. From 2007 to 2008, Gilead's royalties dropped 63% to $156 million, just 3% of annual revenues. But if countries are forced to dip into their stockpiles to combat the swine flu, sales could rebound.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has already released 12.5 million doses of Tamiflu, which Citigroup analyst Yaron Werber estimates are worth $250 million in sales. Confirmed cases of swine flu in the U.S. climbed to 91 Wednesday with the nation's first reported death, a 22-month old child who traveled to Houston from Mexico for treatment.
"It remains to be seen how much usage there's going to be and how much further stockpiling there might be," says Werber. "But we assume that the U.S. government will need to restock that $250 million worth of orders. For every $100 million in sales, that adds roughly two cents to Gilead's bottom line."
Other analysts are even more bullish. "Governments around the world, not just the U.S., that distribute Tamiflu are not going to take back the Tamiflu that's not used, so it's likely we'll see new purchases," says ThinkEquity's Jason Kolbert.
Gilead shares have risen 4% since Friday to close at $47.60 Tuesday.
Tamiflu - the tip of the iceberg
Any boost from Tamiflu sales would be a bonus for Gilead, whose main growth continues to come from its first-in-class HIV-treatment franchise (which has helped the biotech make Fortune's list of Fastest-Growing Companies for three out of the past four years.)
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7. Sanofi Aventis Invests 100 Million Euros In New Facility In Mexico To Produce Seasonaland Pandemic Influenza VaccineSanofi-aventis (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY), announced the signing of an agreement with the Mexican authorities to build a 100 million euro facility to manufacture influenza vaccine in Mexico.
The announcement was made during a ceremony attended by Felipe Calderon, President of Mexico, and Nicolas Sarkozy, President of France, who was in Mexico City for a State visit.
This facility will be built and operated by sanofi pasteur, the vaccines division of sanofi-aventis Group, which was represented at the ceremony by Chris Viehbacher, Chief Executive Officer of sanofiaventis. "By building this new facility, sanofi-aventis is proud to contribute to the strengthening of Mexico's health infrastructure and is eager to support Mexico's exemplary commitment to public health through influenza immunization and pandemic readiness", said Chris Viehbacher. "This investment illustrates sanofi-aventis' local approach to global health. This facility will benefit public health in Mexico and the Latin American region, in the context of influenza pandemic preparedness".
The agreement was signed by Birmex' (Laboratorio de Biológicos y Reactivos de México) and sanofi-aventis' representatives in the presence of Dr. José Ángel Córdova Villalobos, Minister of Health of Mexico.
Under the terms of the agreement, sanofi pasteur will manufacture influenza vaccine in collaboration with Birmex, a Mexican federal vaccine manufacturer. Birmex will perform certain stages of manufacturing and will be responsible for distributing influenza vaccines to the public in Mexico. Sanofi pasteur is planning to start construction of the new vaccine manufacturing facility within a few weeks. Upon completion within four years, the facility will have a yearly capacity of up to 25 million doses of seasonal influenza vaccine.
The new influenza vaccine plant will be built in Ocoyoacac, where sanofi-aventis already operates a facility. The plant will be designed to switch to pandemic vaccine manufacturing if a human influenza pandemic is declared and a pandemic influenza strain is identified by the World Health Organization (WHO).
As the world leader in research, development and manufacturing of influenza vaccines, sanofi pasteur is working to develop new and improved influenza vaccines to save lives and is actively involved in pandemic preparedness. Over the last five years, sanofi pasteur has been consistently investing in major expansions of its influenza vaccine production capacity in the United States, France, China, and now Mexico. With the production of more than 170 million doses of seasonal influenza vaccine in 2008, sanofi pasteur confirmed its global influenza vaccine market leadership.
Seasonal influenza overview
Influenza is a disease caused by a highly infectious virus that spreads easily from person to person, primarily when an infected individual coughs or sneezes. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the average global burden of inter-pandemic influenza may be on the order of 1 billion cases per year, leading to 300,000-500,000 deaths worldwide1. In temperate climate zones, seasonal epidemics typically begin in the late Fall and peak in mid-winter, infecting about 5-15% of the population each season, while In tropical zones the virus can be isolated year-round. The disease can affect all age groups, but rates of infections are highest among young children who spread the virus and are a potential source of infection in older age cohorts, whereas rates of serious illness, complications and death are highest in persons aged 65 years and older, as well as in persons with chronic cardiac or respiratory conditions1. The efficacy of vaccination in reducing the burden of the disease, as well as the economic burden of treating influenza, is well established.
Pandemic Influenza Overview
Influenza is a disease caused by a highly infectious virus that spreads easily from person to person, primarily when an infected individual coughs or sneezes1. An influenza pandemic is a global epidemic of an especially virulent virus, newly infectious for humans, and for which there is no preexisting immunity.
This is why pandemic strains have such potential to cause severe morbidity and mortality. In an attempt to minimize the impact of a pandemic, many countries are developing national and transnational plans against a possible influenza pandemic situation. For more information on sanofi pasteur and pandemic preparedness, please visit http://pandemic.influenza.com
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