The Day I Was Diagnosed Having Cancer

Written by MERYL SMILE MATIENZO


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On one hand, I often wondered why of all people I wasrepparttar chosen one. I’m still young, active, and vibrant. But I guess there seems to have no choice but to accept my fate. Whatever reason it was, I don’t know. Let me tell you all time and again, I’m not complaining but yes, I am sad. Wish I could turnrepparttar 125284 situation into a lighter one but it would not be. I just pray that people will remember SMILE as a human being prone to all inconsistencies. Let my memories stay with you all….

“ATE SMILE, wake up!” shouted Joseph, my younger brother. Oh my goodness! It was just a bad dream! A dream that taught me not just lessons but revelations. Allrepparttar 125285 while, I thought I’m dying with cancer but it was my SOUL and HEART that’s dying. What an eye-opener! Better wipe your tears away now my friends for SMILE is still around. But, I do hope this time a BETTER one.

MS.MERYL SMILE C. MATIENZO, is a B.S PSYCHOLOGY graduate from Letran-Calamba. She was the Vice-President of the Letran Supreme Student Council(2001-2002). She's a Senior Staff writer of the Knight Publication for three years and was a Dean's Lister during her College years. The author also was also nominated in the 2002 Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines. She now works as a Researcher.


The Theraputic Value of Scrapbooking

Written by Kathy Johnson, COTA


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The physical benefits of scrapbooking became evident to me while working with a young brain injured individual in Rehab. This person usedrepparttar cropping tools to increase her fine motor skills, as well asrepparttar 125283 photos to help with memory recall of loved ones and others from her life. Cutting with scissors or a paper trimmer and handwriting journaling helps build good fine motor skills as does using shapes and stencils. Visual/perceptual skills are also utilized withrepparttar 125284 activity.

Following directions ofrepparttar 125285 therapist or using an idea book help with organizing thoughts and following verbal and written instruction. The organization skills needed to complete a scrapbook page can assist a head injured individual withrepparttar 125286 skills needed in many aspects of their life, from Activities of Daily Living to work skills for returning to employment. The step by step tasks of building a scrapbook page allowrepparttar 125287 individual to process information and putrepparttar 125288 steps together to form a completed task. Then putting allrepparttar 125289 pages together to form a completed scrapbook reinforcesrepparttar 125290 idea of task completion andrepparttar 125291 overall understanding of getting an end product from their labor of love.

Overallrepparttar 125292 craft of scrapbooking can be therapeutic to all of us in some way. The companies that create scrapbooking supplies and tools are often coming out with easier and less complex ways to create scrapbooks. Someone with limited hand motion or cognitive skills can learn to master this wonderful craft with minimal guidance. I highly recommend scrapbooking as a therapeutic tool for anyone and hope that if you know someone who would reap its benefits, you will pass your love of this art form on to them.

Kathy Johnson, COTA Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant and Crop Camp Coordinator

Kathy is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant and avid scrapbooker for the past 8 years. She lives in Kansas and works in a small hospital full time, and scrapbooks any time she gets the chance. See more about Kathy at www.cropcamp.com


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