MaryO

Well, who knew??? The blue bands - which I got the fewest of, of course - are the most popular of these bands and they're nearly sold out before I even have them here.

As a result, I've ordered 80 more of the medium blue, 40 of the large blue and 20 of the small (children's) size.

These are due to leave the supplier on June 17th (maybe earlier, like the last ones!), so I should be shipping these out before the end of June.

As it turns out, the bands shipped today, and I should get them next Monday (June 6th) WooHoo.

As a result, I'll be opening the store up to the immediate world (it's number one and 2 on Google right now) and the price will go up to the poll-listed price. About $5.00 last I looked.

So, if you want to get some of the $3.00 ones, go for it now. The price will be going up on Sunday, June 5th.

If you're going to the Wisconsin Barbecue the next weekend, and want some of these, please let me know how many, of what color, and I'll try to bring them to you there.

The original post, with date corrections:

Since many of you voted for $3.00, you may to pre-order these, for that price. After 06/5/2005, the price will go to whatever the poll suggests, probably the $5.00 it is now. Pre-order here.  This special price is to allow message board members get them at a lower price than the public at large.

 

These are shipped by Priority Mail, so the shipping charges in the US ($3.85) are the same for up to 5 bands.

 

You can order by personal check or credit card (through PayPal, although you don't need a PayPal account) at this link.

 

This shopping cart is a new piece of software to me.  If you have any problems with it at all, please email me or PM so I can figure out how to fix it.

 

As I said before, people making donations of at least $15 (or subscriptions, after the 3rd month) to the website who also give me their mailing address will get a free band. When you fill out the PayPal form, be sure to give me your mailing address and band preference (yellow, medium or large, or blue, medium only).

Since many of you voted for $3.00, you may to pre-order these, for that price. After 06/10/2005, the price will go to whatever the poll suggests, probably the $5.00 it is now. Pre-order here. This special price is to allow message board members get them at a lower price than the public at large.

These are shipped by Priority Mail, so the shipping charges in the US ($3.85) are the same for up to 5 bands.

You can order by personal check or credit card (through PayPal, although you don't need a PayPal account) at this link.

This shopping cart is a new piece of software to me. If you have any problems with it at all, please email me or PM so I can figure out how to fix it.

As I said before, people making donations of at least $15 (or subscriptions, after the 3rd month) to the website who also give me their mailing address will get a free band. When you fill out the PayPal form, be sure to give me your mailing address and band preference (yellow, medium or large, or blue, medium only).

The rest of the shirts are up in yellow now, too... Cushie Store. They all have the same newer back, as in the image above

This poll will close on June 3rd. Then there will be a special "pre-order price" until 06/10/2005. Then the price will go to whatever the poll suggests, probably the $5.00.

As I said before, people making donations of at least $15 (or subscriptions, after the 3rd month) to the website who also give me their mailing address will get a free band. When you fill out the PayPal form, be sure to give me your mailing address and band preference (yellow, medium or large, or blue, medium only)

The back of the t-shirts is the logo for the Cushing's Help.com site (similar to this one) and the CUSH.org site, the toll-free number and copyright info:

I could send up to a pound by Global Priority Mail - Flat-rate Envelope (Small) annd it would get there in 4 - 6 Days. That would be $4.00 US

Hi Mary,

 

Should we let you know our exact orders on this post now?

 

Thanks,

No...after we get the price sorted out, there will be an order form of sorts where you can say how many of which color, which size.

There's no reason why someone couldn't order some, sell them at a profit themselves and then donate the money to CUSH. I'm sure that CUSH would appreciate that offer.

I don't have a lot of brochures to send out, but I guess I could send out some with every order. If anyone wants a lot of them, you can get them from Cathy Gifford (ChatiCat).

I was also thinking of sending out complimentary bands to people who make a donation or subscription (and leave their mailing address) to help with the upkeep of the boards, sites, and other related expenses. Note that this is NOT the same as donating to, or joining, CUSH

As I've said in another post:

People interested in the silicone bands - I've ordered 60 medium (7 3/8") yellow silicone bands, 40 medium blue, and 60 large (8 3/8") yellow. These all say CUSHING'S HELP & SUPPORT.

These are are made from 100% silicone, and are stronger and longer lasting than rubber bracelets. Reminderband™ works closely with the production facility to guarantee that quality is consistent in all sizes and colors. To ensure that we are producing the highest quality silicone bracelets on the market, the Reminderband™ team conducts ongoing production tests and research. Rest assured, Reminderband™ is second to none.

If all 140 of these get sent out, I'll order more...and you can let me know what phrase you'd like to see on them. I would have to order any other phrases in lots of 20 each. There could be other colors, if you want to get away from the blue and yellow - and there's a glow in the dark version!

The estimated shipping date to me is Friday June 10th.

Hi Mary,

 

Thanks so much for taking the time and putting out the money for the bracelets. Let us know where to send the check and how much for each one...I am guessing $5.00/ band? I am looking forward to sporting them around town. If you are still taking suggestions for what they should say, I think they could just say CUSH on them or Support Cushing's Awareness....Just a thought.

 

:-) Cheers,

Jaimie

What is the usual cost for these kinds of bands? I'm completely clueless about this! Maybe I should do a poll!

I weighed a Livestrong bracelet on my postal scale and it weighs 0.2 oz

So 5 of them together only weigh an ounce? That's really lightweight.

I was planning on sending them priority mail, but the flat rate for that is $3.85 for the first pound. So someone could order 80 of these things for one shipping rate.

I'm not sure what the shipping costs will be yet. Does anyone have one of these that they could weigh and tell me how many ounces each is? Thanks!

"Support Cushing's Awareness" is just a little too long. They say that we can have up to 24 characters only, but it looks like the apostrophe in Cushing's doesn't count as a character. BUT, for an extra dollar each, we could get a second phrase.

For the future, if there are people interested in other colors, these are available, but I'd have to get the lots of 20 still:

***Glow in the dark debossing (the text) is harder to see.

People interested in the bracelets - I'm ordering 60 medium (7 3/8") yellow silicone bands, 40 medium blue, and 60 large (8 3/8") yellow. These all will say CUSHING'S HELP & SUPPORT.

These are are made from 100% silicone, and are stronger and longer lasting than rubber bracelets. Reminderband™ works closely with the production facility to guarantee that quality is consistent in all sizes and colors. To ensure that we are producing the highest quality silicone bracelets on the market, the Reminderband™ team conducts ongoing production tests and research. Rest assured, Reminderband™ is second to none.

If all 140 of these get sent out, I'll order more...and you can let me know what phrase you'd like to see on them. There is a limit to the number of characters, though.

The cost, when I order 140 at a time, is $3.00 each, plus whatever it turns out to cost me to send them out. In the future, if I place a larger order, they will be cheaper. In the future, I could also order children's sizes (in groups of 20) which would be 5 7/8" if there is any interest.

The estimated shipping date to me is Friday June 10th.

Denise, there are yellow T-shirts coming, with a different back than the older shirts. One is already up, the Cushing's Survivor model.

Yellow T-shirt link. This goes up to size 2X-large 50-52".

Front

Back

I hope to have some of the other titles up soon - Cushing's Expert, Support Staff etc up later this week.

Are there any phrases you'd like to see on the front? For next April, I plan to do a Cushing's Awareness Day shirt.

No keychains...yet, though.

Would anyone be interested in any of these? I have some "free" time later this week and could design them.

There's not much room on the License plate frame, other than maybe a slogan like "It's about time there's some support for Cushing's" at the top and the website on the bottom. I would find room for an image of the ribbon pin, too.

The cost for a License plate frame would be 10.99 plus shipping, and the bumper sticker, 3.99 plus shipping.

These would be available from the Cushie Store

Cushing's ribbon magnets, like those for troop support, would be something that I'd have to order personally, so I'd need to know that there was a bit of interest! The approximate cost for these, in 2 colors (yellow and blue) would be: If I order lots of 250, $2.75 each (plus s/h), 500 @ $2.50, 750 @ $2.10, 1000 @ $2.00. Please let me know asap, so I can get these started.

This site also makes the Wristbands which they say is better quality than Silicone rubber, but I'd have to call them for a price quote.

If there is any interest, a yellow Messenger Bag, BBQ Apron, Boxer Shorts, Camisole, Classic Thong (not for me!), Dog T-Shirt, Greeting Cards (6), Hooded Sweatshirt, Infant Creeper, Pillow, Toddler T-Shirt, Women's Raglan, and Yellow T-Shirt may be added. If you're interested in any of these with Cushing's logos on them, please let me know!

Hello.

 

I am curious to know more about what a non-cushie can do about awareness or support. Until recently I have not had any knowledge of this at all. Thanks to a good friend who lead me to this site, I now have some basic knowledge. I would just be curious as to what a person can do for cushies in terms of getting the word out to the state and federal governments that this is all very real.

 

I see a state (Wisconsin) senator quite often and would like to know if anything could be done at the state level to help.

 

Any input will be appreciated.

 

Eric

Thanks, Eric! There are lots of ideas on here on how to spread the word: Cushing's Awareness Day, April 8 has ideas about writing to Senators, Congress people and such. Spread the Word has ideas for newspaper articles, CUSH Medical Brochures to had out to doctors, anyone who could use them.

Awareness Day has lists of Senators, Congress people and some sample letters.

Thanks again!

Update:

http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress...al/11428639.htm

Posted on Tue, Apr. 19, 2005

 

Daily Life: An article about "Hurried Woman Syndrome" that appeared on on April 12 mistakenly reported that stress can cause Cushing's syndrome.

Woo Hoo!

Sorrel, there's a discussion on the boards about the Toyota ad here: http://boards.cushings-interactive.com/invboard/index.php?showtopic=10523&hl=toyota. I tid a search for "Toyota" with the option of any date on the boards, and came up with about 8 or so places that this ad was mentioned, as well.

I only saw this ad once. I was hoping that it was gone.

"In fact, those little stresses of everyday life will ultimately have a big toll: Stress can damage hearts, cause blood-pressure problems, Cushing's syndrome and more."

From http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/l.../printstory.jsp

Posted on Tue, Apr. 12, 2005

Hurried, harried

Many women racing down the fast lane of life may be suffering from a newly named and dangerous syndrome.

BY MOLLY MILLETT

Pioneer Press

If you're too hurried to sit down and read this story, sit down anyway and take a deep breath.

Now, here's the news: You might have Hurried Woman syndrome.

Dr. Brent Bost, a prominent Texas obstetrician/gynecologist with a holistic approach to medicine, developed the phrase after taking the time to really talk to his patients about their lives when they were visiting him for their annual pap smears or other routine appointments.

Again and again, he sees exhausted women pushing aside their own well-being while juggling the responsibilities of home, family, work and other obligations.

"The root cause is chronic stress," says Bost.

To help American women get off their hamster wheels, the doctor has studied the problem of hurried lives, spoken and surveyed other OB/GYNs across the country and has written a book, "The Hurried Woman Syndrome: A Seven-Step Program to Conquer Fatigue, Control Weight and Restore Passion to Your Relationship" (McGraw-Hill, $22.95).

"I think most women can identify with the title," says Bost. "Our pace of life continues to accelerate. We've got 24/7 news; we can talk on our cell phones while we're using the toilet. I used to dictate letters, and it was a 10-day process after mailing the letter and then waiting for the mailed response. Now, e-mail makes it a much faster process. I do wonder if we are reaching the edge of our ability to handle it."

But how do you know if you have this syndrome, which Bost says affects one in four patients, or 30 million women? It often afflicts women between the ages of 25 and 55 with children between the ages of 4 and 16. But others develop it, too, such as people juggling stressful careers or caring for sick relatives, says Bost.

The doctor looks for four red flags:

• Fatigue

• Moodiness

• Weight gain

• Low sex drive

The syndrome, says Bost, is caused by the same chemical imbalance as major depression, but since the imbalance is not quite as severe, he describes the syndrome as "predepression."

Bost says the DSM-IV, a reference guide for mental-health professionals, classifies what he calls the syndrome/predepression as "minor depressive illness" with three to four symptoms of depression of at least two weeks' duration, but he doesn't like that classification. Why? Because the doctor says there is nothing "minor" about the way Hurried Women feel, and depression has negative connotations for many women who don't want to be labeled.

Whatever the malady is called, any woman who exhibits Hurried Woman symptoms should see her doctor for a thorough check-up, says Bost, but she also needs to examine her hurried-life choices.

"It's a lot of stuff that your granny would have told you," says Bost. "Learn to say no; tell your husband to help do the dishes; take your hand off the throttle; smell the coffee; get back on the exercise wagon; get off the Atkins Diet."

Bost's book is one of many that has hit the market recently that address the issue of today's stressed-out woman, including "Perfect Madness: Motherhood in the Age of Anxiety" by Judith Warner and "The Mommy Myth: The Idealization of Motherhood and How It Has Undermined Women" by Susan Douglas and Meredith Michaels.

The Pioneer Press asked a stress expert to read materials from Dr. Bost's book and give us a second opinion.

"I think so many men and women now lead incredibly busy lives … that's the nature of the society we live in," says Mary Jo Kreitzer, Ph.D., R.N. and director of the University of Minnesota's Center for Spirituality and Healing.

"People are juggling a lot of balls. In my mind, the bottom line is that it's so important that people take charge of their health and look at their lives from a perspective of health and wellness. That's what (Bost) is doing in his book," she says.

"Sometimes, I think there's nothing new, it's more how you package it. This is not a medical syndrome, but there's a lot of literature out there on the effect of stress and not eating well and not exercising."

To combat this kind of stress, Bost's prescription for a better life involves seven steps:

Create balance in your body: Start the healing by scheduling a thorough check-up. Take vitamins. Get in some aerobic exercise. Limit sugar, alcohol and caffeine.

Find the right caloric balance: Avoid trendy diets and aim for a 40-30-30 ratio: 40 percent of your diet should come from protein, 30 percent from fats and 30 percent from carbohydrates. It comes down to counting calories, says Bost, which isn't glamorous, but it works: "After years of counseling patients on the subject of weight loss and watching their progress on all kinds of diets, I assure you that calorie counting done properly works well compared to any other diet method I've seen," he writes.

Exercise, no matter what: This is a crucial step for re-energizing a Hurried Woman but often a difficult one for her to find time to do. Her schedule is so busy, and she feels too tired to squeeze in anything more. But Bost says you must expend energy to get more energy. Try something simple to start, like a brisk walk on your lunch break or doing exercise tapes/DVDs at home.

At first, do a minimum of three half-hour exercise sessions weekly and add a session after two or three weeks or push up the time in each session by 10 minutes each week until you see improvement, with a limit of a one-hour session. A side perk of finding time to exercise, says Bost, is that you give yourself the gift of finding time for yourself.

Rekindle the fire: In family life, Bost says, a man sometimes substitutes work for his relationship with his wife; a woman substitutes her relationship with her children for the one with her husband. Hurried women need to learn not to push their men away (and becoming less hurried should perk up your sex drive); men need to remember that doing the dishes or vacuuming will get you more affection than picking up a bouquet of flowers.

Identify your priorities and set reasonable limits: Immediately begin "the year of saying no," says Bost. Learn to limit your activities. After this year, you will gain a better perspective on what you can and want to juggle. Hurried women often lose track of who they are, what's important to them and where they wish to go, Bost says.

Get the best of stress: Why is it so crucial to become unhurried? We've learned to accept our busy, stressful lives, but just because we see that pace as normal doesn't mean it's healthful, says Bost. In fact, those little stresses of everyday life will ultimately have a big toll: Stress can damage hearts, cause blood-pressure problems, Cushing's syndrome and more.

"There are long-term ramifications if you stay hurried," says Bost. "You are going to shorten your life span."

Some good news: In his book, Bost actually prescribes retail therapy to feel better — that's right, ladies, shopping!

"It has to be monitored, but sometimes going out and doing a little shopping for yourself, maybe spending $30, can feel good," says the doctor.

Organize your world: Clutter is stressful, so getting a handle on this really will make you feel less stressed. Also, get a big family calendar and put it where everyone can look at it, says the doctor; set limits on children's activities; delegate chores.

Stephanie Astrup, a stay-at-home mom of three children ages 5, 3 and 6 months, says she is definitely a hurried woman, but she's not sure if she has the Hurried Woman Syndrome. She thinks hurrying is a habit for her, since she feels rushed even if the day isn't jammed full.

"I think I would read this book because even though I already know a lot about the things to do, like exercise and eat well, you need to hear it to remind you of what you should be doing," says Astrup.

"I also need to tell myself that these years, when my children are small, aren't going to last forever. I need to worry less about toys on the floor or milk that has spilled. I am also trying to cut back on activities, like MOPs (Mothers of Preschoolers group) and my sewing group, because I'm going to be vice president of the PTA next year."

For tips on how to reduce stress, visit the University of Minnesota's Center for Spirituality and Healing at www.csh.umn.edu and click on the prompt for "Keeping U well through online learning" near the bottom of the center's home page.

For more information about the Hurried Woman syndrome, visit www. hurriedwoman.com. The site includes Dr. Brent Bost's attitude and mood assessment quiz and a Q&A with him. You also can submit your own question to Bost, who lives in Texas, and is married with four children.

Molly Millett can be reached at mollymillett@pioneerpress.com or 651-228-5505.

© 2005 St. Paul Pioneer Press and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.

http://www.twincities.com

Another idea. Check out the Endocrine Society Newsletter post on the boards at http://boards.cushings-interactive.com/inv...t=11981&p=97479

The cover story was Cushing's. A letter to the editor thanking them for highlighting Cushing's would be a good idea. Email ENLetters@endo-society.org to send a letter to the editor. Maybe some would be published and the doctors (endos!) who read this could get the patient's eye view.

That was an interesting article.  Where can we get copies of that magazine??

As far as I know, you have to be a member of the Endocrine Society to get this.

You might be able to get just this one issue by emailing EndocrineNews@endo-society.org though. That's the email address for comments and suggestions, so whoever reads that email might be able to direct you to the correct place to ask, if not there.

Maybe letters to the editor thanking them for highlighting Cushing's might be a good idea. Email ENLetters@endo-society.org to send a letter to the editor. Maybe some would be published and the doctors (endos!) who read this could get the patient's eye view.

Thanks for the link, Cherri. I had looked for that before the last email newsletter from here came out and ran out of time, so I just scanned it in myself. The link will be helpful, too

It should be big enough to read. Usually, there's a little square image that comes up on to of the pictures and you can click on that to enlarge.

I can make the pictures bigger if anyone has trouble reading them. I didn't want to make them too big because images take up a lot of server space, though.

From this month's Endocrine Society News - Cushing's as Cover Story!

Double click on any image to view full size.