The Governments Axing Of Lifeline

I was chatting to a friend via Facebook this morning. My friend is one that dedicates some of his time (voluntary) to Helpline.

Helpline provides free 24 hour health assistance for people
with issues such as depression, bullying and suicidal thoughts. I am keen to perhaps get involved in the future.

So, this morning he told me that the Government is withdrawing funding, so Helpline only has enough money to run for another 6-12 months. This was a real surprise because New Zealand has some of the highest suicide rates in the world.

So Helpline is doing everything possible to stay afloat. The New Zealand Government has very much increased the amount of money put into roading. Our road toll is far to high.

Here is some statistics for you. If you look at current figures, the Government is putting over $600,000 per person saved from road death or serious injury – about 900 people over 10 years. In that time, based on current figures , over 5000 may die from suicide . I know it’s not really a positive conversation, but these are obviously the facts. So you would think that they would be prepared to invest more money for them wouldn’t you ?

Government says it has increased mental health spending by 300 million over the last 7-8 years, which is an impressive figure. They say that helpline will be replaced with other resources, but will these resources be able to fill this role ?

Only time will tell I guess… I’ll watch this space.

Click here to watch the piece on “Seven Sharp” – NZ Current Affairs Show

Positive Attitudes About Aging

It’s kinda funny that everyone wants to live a long life but the idea of getting old doesn’t really appeal to anyone. It’s a bit contradictory don’t you think ?

Maybe we could say that life is like wine, it becomes better with age. But there are good things about all stages of life. I now think about my teenage years and think how sweet it really was. Back then it was stressful with things like school work and popularity. Some of these things I now realize are so silly.

I guess we can’t do much about aging. I do find it hard to believe that 40 isn’t that far away for myself ( I’m 35 ). It’s a bit scary, because it seems like I just left school. The last 15 years have really flown by. I used to think how I was only a third of the way through my years, but I guess I’m a bit further down the track now.

It’s up to each of us with some aspects of aging. There are some out there that look much older than they are. How do you feel about aging ? I read in a magazine that people that have a bad attitude towards aging have a slower walking speed and worse cognitive abilities than ones positive about aging. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT ?

I do look forward to the years to come though. I love my children but I do think about them getting older. I’m not saying I wish they were turning 18 tomorrow. As they get older they come more independent. As I have said in recent posts, our youngest will be at school next year. I’m exciting for her and myself.

It’s often said that people don’t reach their best until their later years. That’s true in some instances. Think of the histories most successful people. I look forward to that myself. We also have the ones in their early twenties, maybe even late teens that have reached unbelievable success.

In today’s society, T.V , magazines and social media have altered the way we look at getting older. Well, social media is where it’s at because of young ones. Technology is what the world is all about. I recently watched on 60 minutes how dangerous technology is. That’s true. It’s exciting but also frightening. If we aren’t careful, many will end up unemployed. During the discussion of this on 60 minutes, they talked of a McDonald’s restaurant been run by robots. FREAKY !!

So, try to keep a positive attitude and look forward to what is yet to come !!

Magnesium & Epilepsy

Have you ever heard of Magnesium as a treatment for Epilepsy ?

                                                                                     Doing a google search, I see that there are a few articles / bit of info about Magnesium and Epilepsy. One would have to have a chat with the doctor first before they jumped in boots and all. But if you were to eat a few foods high in Magnesium, I don’t really see the harm. There is a difference between what we are eating and the medication we are taking. Our eating is a way to keep it all natural.

 

November !! An Exciting Epilepsy Month

Bring on November !!

We’ve got some Exciting Epilepsy things coming up in November. In a few days here in my home town,  we have The Brain Train. The Brain Train is an event to really learn the facts, ins and outs of Epilepsy. We have some exciting speakers coming like my past Neurologist . People will really be able to have their questions answered by simply putting their hand in the air. People really do need to learn the facts. There isn’t enough public knowledge of Epilepsy. It’s also an opportunity for people with Epilepsy to realise that they are not alone.

 

So, next……Our Car Boot Sale !!

The New Zealand Epilepsy Foundation Support Group – Waikato .This is our group/board here in my home town. On the 8th of November we are having a Car Boot Sale.  So, bring your Car or Ute along, pay a small fee and see if someone else is interested in a few things you no longer require. We’ll have the BBQ going, so it should be a productive morning. It’s exciting for us to get these events going. As we all know, actions speak louder than words.

 

 

I am also taking part in a November Epilepsy Blog Relay .  Every day in November, someone will put forward a blog post around the subject of Epilepsy. There are a few subject within the subject of Epilepsy. My post will be about Genetics. Is someones Epilepsy Genetic ?  Or are they the only one in their family with Epilepsy. I know for myself I’m the only one with Epilepsy. I’m also the only one in my family not wearing glasses.  You never know what your gonna get.

 

 

It’s fantastic to be involved in all 3 of these activities. I love the feeling of being involved, working with others, making a contribution. Together everyone achieves more.

No More Topiramate !!

Yes, that’s right, no more Topiramate.

Tomorrow is my last day of Topiramate. I’ll then just be taking Levetiracetam and Lamotrigine. I have been in the process of cutting down to 2 drugs since my visit to the Neurologist in mid July. Each month I took 25 less. I was at 50 mg twice a day.

So, will this make a difference ? Who knows. I haven’t really been the best lately. At the end of last week, I had turns 4 days in a row. But it’s all emotional. What I mean by that is that most of the time I know why my turn happened, what brought it on. If we look at the year so far, I was better in the first half.

Here is my number of turns month by month.

• January – 3
• February – 3
• March – 4
• April – 4
• May – 6
• June – 6
• July – 4
• August – 6
• September – 4
• October ….so far – 5

So, has the small increase got anything to do with medication ?  I don’t think so. We’ll have to wait and see. I’m still keen on seeing a Hypnotist. I did speak to one a while ago. He said they weren’t allowed to see the likes of myself, that they could be held accountable for anything that happens. There is a Hypnotist that advertising that she can relieve stress, confidence…. all types of emotional stuff. I’ll think I’ll give her a call sometime.

Let’s see if no Topriamate makes a difference. I’ve been on it for a very long time !!

Helping Your Teenager Stay Active and Healthy with Cancer

by Matt Rhoney

The long journey from being diagnosed with cancer and going through the treatments is a life altering one. For a teenager who has been used to physical activity and boundless energy, the experience is one that can be filled with frustrating moments. If your teenager is recovering from cancer, physical activity and exercise in moderation can help speed up that recovery. The level and rate of activity will not be like during the pre-cancer days, but it should not be ruled out completely. Here are a few tips on keeping your teen healthy and active while undergoing cancer treatment.

Healthy Exercises for Cancer Patients

Several studies have found that regular exercise and physical activity helps cancer patients in fighting the cancer, and also helps to keep it away once they are healed. There is no doubt that rest is important and necessary however, research shows that if you are able to incorporate some form of regular physical activity that can be largely beneficial both to health and spirit.

Too much rest and very little exercise works against the body because it weakens the muscles and can lead to unhealthy weight gain or increased feelings of fatigue.  Your child’s exercise routine should not be too strenuous so that they do not use up all their strength. Get the doctor and cancer team involved in planning physical activities that can be safe for your particular case. Exercise during and after treatment should be incorporated in a safe and responsible way, along with activities your teen already enjoys. Cancer should not be allowed to erode your child’s quality of life.

Paying Attention to a Healthy Diet

Diet is a major part of cancer treatment and is important to help fight the disease, and also to maintain the health of the patient. Nutrition is one of the major weapons to be used in this battle. However, one of the effects of cancer treatments is loss of appetite and weight loss. It is important to try to maintain a healthy weight during the treatment phase. Modern cancer care includes nutrition therapy that explains how to eat healthy. Encourage your teen to embrace healthy eating habits so that their body is in the right state to fight cancer.

Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle

It is crucial to maintain a healthy lifestyle. If your teen lived a sedentary lifestyle before being diagnosed with cancer, now is the best time to change that. Focus should also be on healthier eating habits. Here are a few general recommendations from the Mayo Clinic:

• Exercise regularly, but start slowly.
• Eat more vegetables and fruits – at least 2.5 cups of fruit and vegetables daily.
• Choose healthy fats.
• Eat healthy carbohydrates such as whole grains, legumes and fruit.
• Maintain a healthy body weight.
• Cut down on alcohol.
• Quit smoking.

Although cancer is more common that we would like, it is possible to beat cancer. There are many survivors who can testify to that fact. Adopting a healthier lifestyle can give you the ammunition you need to fight one of the greatest battles of your life. Encourage your teenager to make these lifestyle changes. Most importantly, always stay positive and keep your spirits high, regardless of the circumstances.

Are you or your teen battling cancer? What tips can you share for staying healthy and active pre and post treatment?

Matt Rhoney is an avid reader on trending topics and a writer in his spare time. On the beautiful coast of North Carolina you will usually find him catching up on the latest news with locals or on the beach surfing, kayaking or paddle boarding. He loves to write pieces on health, fitness, and wellness, but often writes about families and safety.

Embarrassment

Embarrassment – a feeling of self-consciousness, shame, or awkwardness.

Are you someone who suffers from embarrassment ? ” Suffer” probably isn’t the most appropriate word to use. Maybe I should say feel Embarrassment.
This is something that I have gotten past. Epilepsy has played a part in this.

I no longer feel silly. I’m happy to laugh at myself. I’m sure you have been told that we need to laugh at ourselves. There is no need to feel embarrassment because of Epilepsy, so it’s a good idea to spread that into the rest of your life.

When it comes to Epilepsy I always think of the fact that Epilepsy can become part of ANYONE’S life. In some ways I’m actually proud of Epilepsy. I’d be happy if I never had another seizure, but I’m somewhat proud of where I am and where I want to be in the future. Yes, I have my bad days, but don’t we all ?

We can’t live our life’s trying to please everyone, so that’s why you have to forget what others think. I even think of not caring what others think. That may sound like a bad attitude to some, but I assure you it isn’t. Once again, I know where I am at. I know who I am. I’m 34 years old.

I often say I wish I understood how I would feel now when I was in my late teens. Those teenage years, many stress about the likes of homework. 20 years later you have your children to think about and the likes of paying a mortgage. What about retirement ? Once I reached 30 though, I realised that there was no need to be cool when I was at school. This is something I’m determined to get through to my children. It puzzles me that many people are friends through Facebook, but if you saw these people in the street, they wouldn’t even look at you. Why not ? Surely everyone has moved on from their school days.

If people want to worry about how you look, what your wearing, let them.  Just don’t worry about it yourself.

“The rate at which a person can mature is directly proportional to the embarrassment he can tolerate.” – Douglas Engelbart

“Most things in life are moments of pleasure and a lifetime of embarrassment; photography is a moment of embarrassment and a lifetime of pleasure.” – Tony Benn

Does V Drink = Seizures ?

How many out there with Epilepsy think about what they eat or drink ?
Do you really think what you eat or drink effects your seizures ?
I think it probably does, but what extremes do you want to go to.
Yes, I think we all know that Alcohol is something to keep away from.
I do keep away from Alcohol. I have the odd drink here and there, but it would only equal one drink a month…..if even that.

As we know, fruit , veges and water are the keys. The world is becoming more and more obese every day. Our household has veges at least every 2nd night.

In July and August, I had 4 turns ( seizures ) each month. But there is something that could be contributing to this. I have a drink of V once a week. I have being seeing this as my little treat. V is a drink that is very high in Sugar.

V contains –

Sucrose, Guarana, Caffeine, B Vitamins, Taurine   

It’s interesting to read up on these ingredients. We all know that everyone should be careful with their Caffeine intake. I have never been a coffee or tea drinker. I do have a milo / hot chocolate with my breakfast, but that’s pretty much it. I’m sure you know someone that has many cups of tea or coffee every day.

I have read that energy drinks can interact with medication, so this could be the case with myself. I have tried to go by the policy of moderation. Moderation is the key to everything. This is why I only ever have one V drink a week. I don’t like paying for them either, but we have to treat ourselves occasionally. I feel a bit guilty sometimes for spending the $3-4 dollars (NZ) the V costs. I usually buy 500 mls.

I haven’t had a V in about 10 days now. So, I’ll try and completely stop drinking them. We’ll see if this has any effect on things.

Life is so much about routines and habits. I think you can look at so many things like this. There are so many things that people start , then they can’t stop. This can be from smoking and drinking or even children needing their teddy bear in bed at night. Crazy comparison ? My wife says it is. I say that because there are times when our son has come in to us in the middle of the night because he can’t find his teddy. I think if children weren’t given soft toys when they are first born, they would be fine without them.

I have already discussed drinking tea and coffee. I never started in my early or late teens, so I don’t do it now. It’s all about starting things. If you never start doing certain things, you won’t find yourself having to stop.

Sorry if you find a few things I said sound rather bizarre.

All the best
🙂

I’ll Pack A Lunch ( Alpaca)

On The Bus

Today my daughter and I had a bit of a different Friday. Our Fridays are normally away from kindy, but we went on a kindy trip today. The trip was to an Alpaca Farm. Do you know what an Alpaca is ?

Part of the fun was the bus ride. Sound a bit weird. My girl and I have probably never been on a bus without her being in the pushchair….maybe once.
The Alpaca’s were a good time. They are a different sort of animal . Not as common as the sheep or cow.
All the kids got to feed the Alpaca’s. There were some real friendly ones. The kids also got to stomp in the mud  !!! Always a good time, right ?
So, a fun day out !!
It’s nice to be sitting here in my P.J’s on a Friday night – 7:30 pm 🙂
That’s always a good time. We’ve got the weekend ahead of us.

All the best

oxox

If You Keep Losing Sleep Your Gonna Be……

 

My daughter is currently asleep on the couch. She has been for about the last hour and a half. She doesn’t really sleep much during the day anymore.

Every creature on earth needs a rest, whether that rest is during the day or during the night. We all sleep. We need to eat and we need to sleep. To much attention is put towards our diets and sleeping isn’t talked about enough.

Sleeping gives your body a rest. This prepares it for the next day. After a day, your mind and body need a holiday. Your brain needs to sort things out. Without it, your brain will mess things up.
Maybe sleeping is when our brain sorts out all the information, solves all the problems.Perhaps all the scientific stuff is done as we sleep.

As we know the amount of sleep a person needs depends on age.
Babies need a lot. About 14-15 hours a day. But once we each adulthood
we can get by on 7-8 hours of sleep.

Kids between 5 and 12 ages need somewhere between 10-11 hours sleep.
I enjoy this at the moment. Our two children ( 3 & 6 yrs ) go to bed about 7 pm every night, which equals about 12 hours. So, what do I enjoy ? That time when we are child free. Sound Cruel ? It’s just nice to relax without the kids.

Does missing a nights sleep make you grumpy ?
50% of the time I fall asleep in front of the TV. If you were to miss 2 nights, you would start to have real problems. As mentioned earlier, your brain and body need sleep to function. I don’t know how anyone would cope with no sleep at all over 48 hours.

Eventually it will become impossible for the brain to function, to send those messages to the rest of your body.

I think a lot of things in life are about habits. Good habits, bad habits. There are many things we do every day. Like eating our meals, brushing our teeth. Sleep is very much a habit. You can be in a good or bad habit with your sleep. I sometimes get into bad habits with my sleep by getting up at 2-3 am and watching TV for an hour or 2, then getting up early. But, if I go to bed at a good time, like 9-10 pm and read for a while, I can spend the whole night there. If I have to visit the toilet during the night, I sometimes have temptations not to go back to bed.

RESIST TEMPTATIONS !!!

 

 

Silverchair – If You Keep Losing Sleep

Epilepsy Blogs/Sites – Take a Look

Here are 5 Epilepsy Blogs I recommend you take a look at.

Living Well With Epilepsy

Life At Full Volume

Seize”ure The Day

Astrid’s Words

Finding Freedom With Epilepsy

 

ENJOY !! 

 

Neurologist Appointment……In A Couple Of Days

YES, THAT’S RIGHT !!

Just a couple of days to go and we are off to the Neurologist. 

My last visit was 15 months ago. 

So, I have been very excited about this. It should have been a few weeks ago, but I got a phone call, which put it off for a few weeks. It made me a bit angry at the time, but….never mind.

I have had big changes in medication since my last visit. I have had big improvement with seizure numbers as well, but then I feel it’s slightly gone backwards again in the last 3-4 months. I’m looking forward to taking all my records and having a chat. I write everything down. When I had a seizure/turn and why I think I had it. So, I’ll keep you posted on what comes out of our appointment !!

HAVE A GREAT DAY !!

And………At The Zoo….

Epilepsy Stigma – The Uneducated Public

This post is part of the Epilepsy Stigma Blog Relay which will run from June 1 through June 30.

Follow along and add comments to posts that inspire you!

My Epilepsy joined me at puberty, which is about 20 years ago.

Epilepsy is something that the public are very misinformed about, but at the same time everyone is an expert. Well, many think they are experts. The public need to be much more informed. When one is having a seizure, it is often misdiagnosed as another type of health condition/issue. I have experienced this many times.

The public needs to know ..

• Epilepsy is not contagious
• People with Epilepsy are capable of employment
• People with Epilepsy are not violent
• Epilepsy can become part of anyone’s life.

There are many types of Epilepsy and when people hear the word Epilepsy, they only think of Grand Mal Seizures. Some with Epilepsy are afraid to be out and open with their Epilepsy . Some with Epilepsy are ashamed. Many with Epilepsy often wonder if they should be honest when moving forward with their career.  Yes, of course you should. You need to be open and honest in all avenues. Your new employer isn’t going to be happy to see a seizure 2 weeks into your new employment if they knew nothing of it. Tell these people about your Epilepsy. If they choose not to employ you just because of your Epilepsy, that’s discrimination. Just because you have Epilepsy, doesn’t mean you aren’t capable of the position.

When meeting new people, you may not like it, but Epilepsy is a part of your life. If people turn away from you when they hear of your Epilepsy, they are not the sort of people to be forming relationships with. Others should love you as you are, Epilepsy or not. The best thing for everyone is to be loved by those closest. Family should love you wherever life takes you.

Everyone needs to understand that Epilepsy could join them tomorrow. But, many have the “No, that will never happen to me ” attitude. Another common one is “No one in my family has ever had Epilepsy so..” Anyone can have Epilepsy, at any stage of life.

Epilepsy may have got you down at some stage in life, but it may become part of your motivation down the road . Epilepsy has become somewhat of a passion for myself. Sound crazy ? Well, as said, many know very little about Epilepsy, so why not be part of the solution. I’m excited about doing this as a board member with the New Zealand Epilepsy Foundation.It’s fantastic to be part of getting more information out there and helping Epilepsy gain more publicity. In doing this, I hope to continue meeting others with Epilepsy. There are quite a number of people with Epilepsy. Think of  1-2 % of the population. I look forward to finding some of these people.

When I mention my Epilepsy , most of the time the person I am talking to will say they know someone with Epilepsy. Everyone seems to know someone with Epilepsy.

Don’t let your Epilepsy own you. Do the things that you want to do. There is a perfect job for us all. That job is called life. So try to enjoy everyday.

NEXT UP: Be sure to check out http://www.faithfulmomof9.com  for more on Epilepsy Stigma. 

To view all the blogs from the Epilepsy Stigma Blog Relay – 2015, visit:

 http://livingwellwithepilepsy.com/epilepsy-blog-relay-2015       

Emotion Sickness

Emotions !!!

The last week has shown me that my Epilepsy is very much an Emotion Sickness. What do I mean by that ? Well, firstly I get the term “Emotion Sickness” from a song title. “Emotion Sickness” is a Silverchair song. Silverchair are an Australian band. Their music is what I live off.

If I could remove my Emotions from my world,I think  we’d be well on track to getting rid of a large number of my turns/seizures. In the last week, I have had 4 turns. That’s a fairly big number. These occurred 4 days in a row.  It’s easy to see why I had 3 of these by looking at what was going on. Where I was, who I was with, what was been discussed. I can sometimes predict a turn is going to happen.

If you did remove Emotions, it may help with the Epilepsy, it may not.  Emotions play a pretty important part in our life’s. Think about the people you love, the things you love doing. What it feels like when your successful, or when your having a good time. Different feelings come from different places. It would be handy if you could see what feelings are coming. It would arrive at a gate or door…. It is your call whether you want to “let it out”, but it would be even better if you could also decide whether you wanted it to occur at all. Maybe it’s about being a bit more controlled in the way you think. Some of the situations I have which bring turns on are pretty minor. But they must still be enough to flick a switch. Our Emotions are part of what make us who we are. Are you an Emotional person ? Or are you more like a brick ? ( bricks don’t cry ). Do you like having a cuddle ? Do you tell someone special that you love them ?   Do you cry at the movies ? There are many parts to the way our minds work, along with our Emotions. Isn’t the mind an amazing system !!

I have made inquires into Hypnosis. The person I spoke to was willing to set an appointment, but there was a problem in that they would have been liable if anything had happened from that appointment/appointments. It’s still an area I’d like to explore. If someone can use Hypnosis to quit smoking, I think it’s worth giving it a shot for Epilepsy.

Thinking, Partying & Turns

Hello, so what do ya know ?

It’s been an interesting week…
What have you been up to ? What do you know ?
I’ve been thinking about alot of stuff, like the next few years. I am always doing that, but every now and again it hits me again that I really need to sort out what should be happening in the next year or two, because our daughter starts school at the beginning of  2017. So, I was looking at the education ideas I have looked at before. I have my doubts about studying. This may sound like a negative attitude, but is it worth spending a few thousand dollars at this stage ?When I say “stage”, I’m talking about the fact I am now married with 2 children. We have a mortgage to pay. If I study ,there is no guarantee it will bring an income. I think studying at this stage of life ( mid 30’s ), is alot different to studying soon after finishing school.
What have I been looking at studying ? Mostly I.T ,Website Design and Development.I also think about Accounting, whether that would be worth looking at. I also research Forex Trading. I would love to be successful at this. But, it’s not something you learn overnight.  I’m currently involved in the Home Business of Lyoness. This is very new to New Zealand, so it won’t happen overnight either.

So, we had a pretty busy weekend. Today ( 18th of May ) is our sons ( Hayden ) 6th birthday. On Saturday we had a few of his friends here for his birthday party. Everyone had a good time. It had the theme  of Pirates. We had the usual party games such as pass the parcel, pin the tail on the pony, (although we played pin the cross on the treasure ) , and a treasure hunt. Hayden had a Pirate Ship birthday cake. Below is the music we used for pinning the cross on the treasure.

I had turns ( seizures) Saturday and Sunday. They were both pretty much at the same time in the day and also for the same reason. They came during conversation. So, like about 80% of my turns, they happened because of emotions. You would think there would be a way to deal with that. To me it seems so simple. But,  maybe not. I often feel like I’m going to have a turn, and I’ll say “I feel like I’m going to have a turn”. It then doesn’t happen. I wonder whether because I say this , it scares the turn away. But there are times I feel like it’s going to happen, but I don’t get the chance to say this, or for some reason I don’t. This was the case on Saturday.  This is all frustrating. I went to the Neurologist last May. I’d love to go again since I’ve had a couple of seizure free months. But there is a real shortage of Neurologists, so who knows whether we’ll get an appointment anytime soon.

All the best 🙂

Is Feminism Really Necessary ?

I get rather sick of seeing articles about feminism. Why ?
Well, is there really any need for it ? What is the point of it ? If a woman says she is a feminist, what exactly does that mean ?
Google Feminism …. and what do we find ?

Feminism is a collection of movements and ideologies that share a common goal: to define, establish, and achieve equal political, economic, cultural, personal, and social rights for women. This includes seeking to establish equal opportunities for women in education and employment.

I believe there are equal rights for woman these days. It is now 2015, not 1915.  Look at families. In many, both the Man and Woman work daily. Yes, a parent may stay at home until their children are at school. I’m currently at home myself. I don’t see a problem with that. I believe that’s a better idea than placing your children in daycare from practically the day they are born. Which is more important to you.. your career or your child/children ? I think it’s pretty sad if your career comes first.
We need to remember, Men are unable to give birth to children, that’s just the way it is. It’s through no fault of their own.

Here in New Zealand there is currently more Woman finishing tertiary education than Men. Full credit to them for that. There is discussion over whether woman are considered for major employment, such as CEO positions (chief executive office,managing director). Also if they receive the same salaries as men. Of course they should !!
Take a look at certain countries such as New Zealand, Australia & The United Kingdom. They have all had Female Leaders in the past. Will Hillary Clinton be the next U.S President ?

Been a Stay At Home Dad myself, I don’t really care what people think of me been at home. Some may think it’s a bit funny. But, what is the difference between Dad been at home, or Mum/Mom been at home….. NO DIFFERENCE AT ALL. I think in 20-30 years time, it will be a 50/50 split between Men and Woman at home, although the number of parents at home will continue to slowly decrease.

It’s up to any Woman or any Man to achieve what they want to achieve. If one works hard with determination, anything is possible.