Resolutions for My Facebook Friends

 

 If you read my post last year about resolutions, you know that I have a problem with them.  I don't write New Year's resolutions for myself, I would much rather write resolutions for other people.  

I may lose Facebook friends over this post but I write this anyways.  This year I am going to write resolutions for all my Facebook friends.

2014 New Year's Resolutions for My Facebook Friends: 

1. I resolve not to post about my exercise routines.  I will not post how many miles I have run or post pictures of myself exercising at the gym.  I understand that no one needs to know this.

2. I resolve not to post pictures or status updates with curse words in them.  It is just unnecessary.  As an adult, I should be able to express myself without being vulgar.  I understand that some of my Facebook friends may have children that can read and if they walk by a computer and see their parent's FB feed they should not have to read that nonsense.

3. I resolve not to declare my undying love for my significant other through Facebook.  I will yell into the next room and tell them in person rather than declaring it through my Facebook feed.  I am aware that this might make my Facebook friends throw up in their mouth when they read it. 

4. I resolve not to over use the "count down" post.  I will only post major milestones until the "big event."  I will avoid daily updates such as "only 187 more days until our sweet baby is due" and then the next day "only 186 more days until our baby is due."  I am aware that my Facebook friends can do simple math and can figure out how long it is until the baby is due without the daily updates. 

5. I resolve not to be depressed on Facebook.  I vow not to complain about being single and how I wish I had a boyfriend.  I will try to be content with whatever my marital "status" may be.  

6. I resolve to check all of my "controversial articles" on Snopes before I share them on my news feed.  It is a simple step that I can take to help stop the spread of misinformation.  

7. I resolve not to post pictures of my feet.  I don't need to explain this one.  Feet are gross and I understand that no one wants to see that. 

8.  I resolve to try not to post about my "first world problems" on a daily basis.  I understand that chipping my nail polish does not qualify as a crisis for my Facebook friends.

9. I resolve not post pictures of myself "clubbing," especially if I am over 30 years old.  Again, no one wants to see that.

10. Finally, I resolve not take "selfies" during the year 2014.  "Selfies" are not attractive for anyone that is not a child.  

What resolutions would you like to see written for your Facebook friends?

 

Using Facebook to Gain Perspective

 

I have written before about the dangers of Facebook.    There are many ways that Facebook can be used negatively.   Facebook can also be used positively.  I like to use Facebook to post pictures of the kids so that my mother in law can keep up with her grand kids with the click of a mouse.

Today I used Facebook to gain perspective.  I looked back at this date,  May 29th, on my Facebook timeline.  First I looked at 2012.   On this day in 2012 I was in a much different place than I am today.  

With my son Lucas the day before my surgery

One year ago today, I was heading into surgery.  I was diagnosed with breast cancer and was having a lumpectomy to remove the cancer.  I was also having a second surgery to remove my ovaries since my cancer was fed by estrogen.  If that wasn't enough, I was also having surgery to remove and repair other parts that were damaged during childbirth.  

My daughter was just 11 weeks old when I went into surgery

On this day last year, I did not know what my prognosis would be.  I wasn't prepared to be in the hospital for 5 days away from my three children. I wasn't prepared for the weeks of radiation treatment that I would need in the weeks to come.  

Looking back at what was going on during this day last year has helped me to gain perspective.  Today I got really frustrated when an expensive product I ordered was defective and I had to send it back to the manufacturer.  Reminding myself of where I was a year ago helped me to understand that today's problem was a small problem.  I don't need to get stressed out over the small things.  I need to ask myself, "Will this problem matter a year from now?"  

I survived breast cancer.  I can surely manage during these minor inconveniences in my life.  

What were you doing a year ago?  Did you complain about something on Facebook last year?  Does it matter today?    

Think before you post!

Philippians 2:14

Do everything without grumbling or complaining.

Facebook Is Dangerous

Every article a friend posts on Facebook is true, isn't it?   Facebook can be so dangerous.  People post their points of view and opinions and state them as if they are fact.   

Sometimes these people link their viewpoints to an article to help it seem more credible.  You have to realize that these sources are often not based in actual research and are opinion pieces or hoaxes rather than factual articles.

Why do I care?  I am a breast cancer survivor.  Everyday I see one person or another post about cancer cures on their Facebook pages.  These people are often not cancer survivors themselves.  They post about certain foods and a change in diet being a way to cure cancer.  This drives me crazy!  As a cancer survivor I am offended by these kinds of posts.  Anyone that has lost a loved one from cancer understands why this offends me.

By posting these articles about various foods being the cure for cancer they are implying that if they were to receive a cancer diagnosis that they would treat it naturally by changing their diets and eating these "life saving" foods.  They are doing society a disservice by posting this.  Why would they want to stop someone from seeking life saving chemo or radiation treatments?  If a food was really a cure for cancer, you don't think that the medical community would jump on that?   

When I received my cancer diagnosis, I wanted that cancer out of my body.  I wanted to follow the protocol for the best possible results.  I do not have a medical degree so I do not act like I have one.  I did research the treatments that I was receiving and tried to be as knowledgeable as I could. I trusted the doctors that they wanted me to be cancer free too.  There was no way that I was going to try to eat a food and hope that it would cure me.

I have even seen posts where people try to convince others that mammograms are dangerous.  Really?  If a doctor suspected that they had cancer in their body, do they really want us to think that they would avoid a mammogram and "hope for the best?"

When people post these "cures," be careful!  Talk to an actual licensed physician and talk to people who have survived a cancer diagnosis.  Find out what they think of these so called "magic" foods.   Do your own research by checking these articles out on websites like snopes.com.   There is a current hoax going around that states the articles came from Johns Hopkins, a very reputable hospital.  John's Hopkins posted this rebuttal letter in response to the hoax.

 I encourage all patients to ask questions.  Don't blindly follow the internet or your doctor.  Get the facts and take the time to discuss your treatment with knowledgeable people who have survived cancer.