2021 resistance

I feel helpless a lot. I feel defeated often. The pandemic is still raging on with the new Delta variant. Fox is gaslighting it’s viewers and telling bold face lies. That is nothing new actually, but they are more brazen in what they lie about! (hint: the election being stolen) Donald J Trump is holding rallies to continue to build on his fascist movement. Talking heads in powerful positions are following him blindly (probably blackmailed by Russia kompromat *looking at Mitch, Lindsey, and Kevin*). Our planet is in peril with the climate crisis. Voting rights are being attacked again. There is so much to discuss, but this post is going to focus on the threat of fascism in our country right now. Please read, get involved, and help save America!

A lot has happened since my post on 2020 resistance. I was correct in being alarmed & having the foresight that Donald Trump was not going to leave office in the usual manner we have witnessed for generations over the history of our country. There has ALWAYS been a smooth, peaceful transfer of power…

until January 6th, 2021…

Until Donald J Trump that is. He railed on about how the election was stolen to his zombie followers, and they believed him. They believed him even after several states investigated and did audits to prove that the election of 2020 was the most secure election we have ever had. That happened because people turned out like NEVER before! It wasn’t close enough to fudge the numbers this time, and he was so upset about that. He’s a narcissist so that shouldn’t surprise anyone. He is a demagogue so his refusing to concede shouldn’t have surprised anyone. We have witnessed throughout history what these figure heads do in order to maintain power, or to take power.

The insurrection that happened on January 6th should not have surprised anyone either, but majority of the nation seemed stunned that the insurrection happened at the capital. He stood at a podium behind a bullet proof shield and told his followers to march down to Congress, and for them to stop the steal. Mo Brooks stood there shouting about the day was the day that they were taking names and kicking ass. All the while he wore bullet proof jacket underneath his clothing. People were stunned that these things happened, but they shouldn’t have been! Donald Trump told us in 2016 he was a nationalist. He told us who he was every damn time he urged his followers to use violence against black people like we did in the good ole days he would say. He told us who he was when he made fun of a disabled reporter, when he urged men to belittle women, when he declared that news media that was critical of him were the enemy of the people, he spent so much time showing us and telling us who he really is, yet here we are, people still want to play out this shock and awe reactionary process. We don’t have time for that folks.

We do not have time to be shocked and analyze the mental faculties of Donald J Trump, his family or his supporters. He will be the nominee in 2024. He has a real chance of winning by any means necessary. Kevin McCarthy is helping him build a larger base with his own subtle ways of expressing misogyny, his subtle way of expressing his conspiracy support for the big lie (the election being stolen), and he isn’t the only one doing these things to help ensure Donald J Trump will, in fact; be the next GOP nominee in 2024. The days of traditional conservative values that were less fascist no longer exist folks. We do not have time to sit and try to convince you the parallels between Donald J Trump and Adolf Hitler; or the parallels between the GOP and fascism. We need you to read, and learn where you can, and listen! We need to focus our support on the news media outlets who are actually calling this out by name for what it really is because truth is the most important thing in the fight against fascism. It is important to share knowledge about fascism and educate the populace, so everyone is aware what is actually happening. Every person needs called out by name, and immediately put in the spotlight for their corruption, their lies, their tendency towards violence, and their gaslighting! It has to be called out every single time! Nothing these fascists do should surprise anyone if people know the history of how Adolf Hitler rose to power.

If we know how Adolf Hitler used Germany’s system against itself to gain absolute power over the people then we should be seriously evaluating and fixing our own system to prevent anyone from achieving that goal. We know Donald J Trump will use the system to gain control because he already tried to do so when he told the DOJ to just say the election was rigged, and he tried to use his Vice President Mike Pence to nullify the election. These are not unprecedented events in our country, though people seem to think they are. We had eleven states secede from the United States in 1860 after Lincoln was chosen for the presidency. What Donald J Trump and the GOP are doing right now is not unprecedented, so try and stop being shocked because we need all hands on deck here. Accept reality that this is happening, we were warned from history lessons, and the reality of what was to come was spoken from the horse’s mouth Donald J Trump when he said, “I’m a nationalist!” in 2016.

Things we need to evaluate and bring immediate change too while Joe Biden has the power of the senate is the electoral college. We need to seriously think about how easy it is for them to be corrupted and cast votes for a candidate that the population did not choose (popular vote should win & G. W. Bush is example of a corrupt electoral college). This also reminds us that the Supreme Court needs expanded (G.W. Bush appointed to presidency by SCOTUS ruling) to ensure justice is upheld. A stacked court is not a just court. Another focus is the media! We need to support media telling the truth, and we need to strip the media outlets who are gaslighting viewers while spreading dangerous propaganda in their place on cable. There should be more than 6 media companies controlling our information!Information is power! We need to join forces with those we may not have been too keen on joining pre Trump like The Lincoln Project or MeidasTouch. We need to urge those with name recognition, ability to raise funds for ads, etc. We need to support journalists like Jake Tapper, Anderson Cooper, Stephanie Ruhle, Rachel Maddow, Nicole Wallace, Katie Tur, etc. We need to lambaste every anchor on Fox like Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson, etc. for being liars, and fascist.

We can’t continue to be afraid to use this term fascist because not using it confuses the public about what is really happening. It allows people to be manipulated when the phrases “they’re being hyperbolic,”and “this is nonsense,” are being used. This works because many people do not know what fascism is! It is just a catch phrase thrown around for most people. Most people have no idea what fascism is or how it differs from socialism, communism, etc. This is where people like Jake Tapper, etc. needs to use their voices to educate people on what fascism is and point out that the GOP is; in fact, using fascist tactics to gain power in our country right now. Yes, you will have to wear two hats now. A journalist hat and a teacher’s hat. I know it isn’t fair, but you’re the guardians of democracy; with that comes great responsibility and unfair expectations at times. Suck it up and get your two hats on because you’re patriots. You’re real patriots.

When you educate the population about what fascism is and lay out what the GOP are doing, it clearly shows that this is not hyperbole, or paranoia on the resistance (ANTIFA) side. These are some things that Germany lacked when they began their resistance fight trying to stop Adolf Hitler from gaining power. They appeased him because they thought they could control him. They didn’t have social media to help combat the false narratives used by the Nazis. They didn’t have televised anchors to brutally point out the facts and point out the fascist tactics that were used. They didn’t have history to compare what they were facing to help them decipher how dangerous these appeasements were for them. They didn’t have mass media groups to help spread information like MeidasTouch or Lincoln Project. WE DO!! We must utilize every tool available to us to help shine a light on what Donald J Trump, Kevin McCarthy, Ted Cruz, and all the other figure heads of this fascist movement are doing to attain control. We need to fix parts of our system that are supposed to provide us with checks and balances that have failed us previously. Electoral college (abolish it), the Supreme Court (expand it), news media (strip labels from news sources who are actually entertainment like Fox Entertainment), call out fascists by name, and shine a light on the tactics they’re using (Kevin McCarthy using misogyny and wanting to normalize beating women) compare these tactics with specific tactics used in Nazi Germany so people can understand what the fuck is happening. I wish I was as eloquent as Steve Schmidt, but here we are. I am doing my part to attempt to stir a passion in you about the importance of what is happening, so that maybe you can join the fight happening right now in this country. This is what I can do right now to help resistance. I can write, perhaps not as well as many, but I can share information. I can donate to groups like Lincoln Project and MeidasTouch because they need money to get ads televised. There is so much we can all do that will make a difference! This isn’t a training exercise America. This is a real fight against fascism happening in real time! Please suit up and join the ranks of resistance. We need you!

Neurostimulator- health update

I finally had a neurostimulator surgically put into my back to stop the nerve pain down my legs. The pain was so bad I could barely walk anymore. I looked all over for someone to help me. It took the mayo clinic to put it frankly to me about my situation. They told me bluntly that there is no surgical fix to my problems and that I’m looking for something that isn’t going to be found. They said the best advice I could take is search out a pain clinic and see what can be done to manage my pain.

I did just that! MAPS were the place where I’d find my ability to walk again with no more nerve pain shooting down my legs! After trying injections with no long-term success in stopping the nerve pain my last two options were laid out on the table for me. The first choice was a morphine pump, which I was not going to take no matter what. The second choice was a neurostimulator that would surgically put into my back that would trick my brain in receiving tingling sensations before the pain single was sent. I had low hopes.

They set me up for a trial to see if it would be successful. I was set up for a week to see how it would work. It was FABOULOUS! I couldn’t wait to get it permanently put in! After trial was a success we set up the surgery date for it to be put in. It was done in February of this year. Since the implant I can walk now with no nerve pain. I can sit for longer periods of time without having to get up every ten minutes due to pain. I am still limited in many ways but at least the nerve pain is completely gone now.

The implant should last five to six years. A normal implant would last up to ten years, however, I have to have mine on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week so that takes battery life off of machine and how long it could last for me. I am very pleased with the results of this implant. Technology is amazing and by the grace of God I can walk again! The machine also helped me eliminate many meds I was taking. I went from 12 prescriptions to TWO!!

I would recommend this option to others who have neuropathy, sciatic nerve problems, or any other nerve pain.

Help me STAND UP TO CANCER!

It was 1996 when I lost my dad to lung cancer. A few years before he was diagnosed I lost my uncle Johnny to cancer. In 2005 I lost my aunt Eve to ovarian cancer. I have an aunt right now fighting to keep cancer at bay. Have you lost anyone to this awful disease? Do you have someone fighting right now with it? Please help me, and millions of others stand up to cancer and one-day find a cure.

All you need to do is click the Stand Up To Cancer Icon on the right sidebar and rate a video sponsored by Sprint. Leave your name with a message and they’ll donate to the cause! It really is that simple! Then if you wish to you can join social vibe and help like me get others to support a cause you believe in.

Thank you!
Rachel

Me and My Lyrica

I want to discuss lyrica for a bit here. I hope you don’t mind. After all, I do suffer from fibromyalgia and perhaps you do too. I’m sure you all have seen the commercial out for the drug.

I have been taking it for a while now. I must say that it has been a miracle drug for me. Not only has it helped with my fibromyalgia on most days, it has helped me with the nerve pain I have from a tumor I have attached to the sciatic nerve in my back.

There are different sets of dosing recommendations for lyrica depending on what you have been prescribed lyrica for. For fibromyalgia, which is what I was given the lyrica for, I have been put on the dose of 450mg. 450mg is the highest dose recommended for fibromyalgia patients. I tolerate the drug so this dose level works for me. We tried the lesser dose level 300mg, but it was not suiting my needs. The higher dose allows me to function all day on most days.

I do however have a few complaints and concerns about it. The medicine makes me feel a slight high feeling when it first starts to work. I worry about addiction with long-term usage of the pill. I seem to want to snack a lot lately. I’m not sure if that is due to the lyrica or one other pill I take. It makes me want to constantly be moving or doing something too. I have twitches now due to the lyrica. They are a little bothersome but hey I’ll take it compared to how it was before the lyrica. Right now that seems to be the only qualms I have with the medication. I’ll keep you posted if things change in the future.

I’m done for the night. Reading a book right now and I want to go do that and relax before I head to bed. Have a good one.

Until next time….

JO

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