Setback - Recently Updated Pageshttp://setback.wetpaint.com/pageSearch/updatedRecently Updated Pages on http://setback.wetpaint.comen-usinfo@wetpaint.comTue, 05 Jun 2007 21:49:41 CDTTue, 05 Jun 2007 21:49:41 CDTwetpaint.com60Setbackhttp://image.wetpaint.com/image/1/YxbroexQGSMHFzkILD2byg29187http://setback.wetpaint.comDiabeteshttp://setback.wetpaint.com/page/DiabetesLeta-Lhttp://setback.wetpaint.com/page/DiabetesTue, 05 Jun 2007 21:49:41 CDTThere are three types of Diabetes. Type 1, Type 2 and Gestational diabetes, brought about through pregnancy.

Quite simply, individuals with Diabetes have excess glucose in their blood, caused because the pancreas cannot produce the necessary amounts of insulin.

More than 150,000 New Zealanders have either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. Complications from Diabetes may include damage to your vision, skin conditions, impotence and cardiovascular problems, to name a few.

For many, Diabetes can be successfully managed through adapting to a few lifestyle changes and most likely medication, because at this time, there is no known cure.

Related Links

www.diabetes.org.nz Diabetes New Zealand

]]>Heart Diseasehttp://setback.wetpaint.com/page/Heart+DiseaseLeta-Lhttp://setback.wetpaint.com/page/Heart+DiseaseTue, 05 Jun 2007 21:48:40 CDTCardiovascular disease accounts for approximately 40% of deaths in New Zealand annually.

Smoking, obesity, poor diet and hereditary factors are significant contributors to increasing your risk of heart disease. Life style changes are imperative following your diagnosis and Setback encourages you to share your stories and offer advice to all of New Zealand.

With Heart disease accounting for so many deaths each year, it is definitely time to get serious about lowering the risks and the contributing factors. Prevention is the simpliest cure for non-congenital cardiovascular disease.

Related Links

www.nhf.org.nz National Heart Foundation of New Zealand
www.sparc.org.nz Sport and Recreation New Zealand

]]>Parkinson's Diseasehttp://setback.wetpaint.com/page/Parkinson%27s+DiseaseLeta-Lhttp://setback.wetpaint.com/page/Parkinson%27s+DiseaseTue, 05 Jun 2007 21:45:10 CDT Parkinson's Disease is a progressive neurological condition. Progression of this disease and the severity of symptoms varies between individuals. However, continued advancement in treatment is allowing Parkinson's sufferers a better quality of life than some years ago.
Approximately 1 in every 500 people have Parkinson's Disease. Setback provides you with the opportunity to meet people just like you,who are also living with a Parkinson's diagnosis.

Related Links

www.parkinsons.org.nz The Parkinsons Society of New Zealand

]]>Multiple Sclerosishttp://setback.wetpaint.com/page/Multiple+SclerosisLeta-Lhttp://setback.wetpaint.com/page/Multiple+SclerosisTue, 05 Jun 2007 21:43:41 CDT Multiple Sclerosis is a disease of the auto-immune system. The possible emotional and physical affects of this disease are many and varied, as are the periods in remission. Approximately 4000 people in New Zealand have this disease.

MS is more frequently diagnosed in women than in men.It is my hope that you will have an opportunity to connect and share your stories through Setback.

Managing the symptoms and accepting some changes in your lifestyle are key factors in living with MS.

Related Links

www.msakl.org.nz The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Auckland
www.msnz.org.nz The Multiple Sclerosis Society of New Zealand
www.mstaranaki.co.nz The Taranaki Multiple Sclerosis Society

]]>Strokehttp://setback.wetpaint.com/page/StrokeLeta-Lhttp://setback.wetpaint.com/page/StrokeTue, 05 Jun 2007 21:40:37 CDT Approximately 7000 people each year in New Zealand will have a stroke. Further research has taught me that strokes are the leading cause of disability in New Zealand and that 1 in 8 people will have a stroke in their lifetime!
A Stroke is caused by a lack of oxygen to an area in the brain and the result ultimately depends on which part of the brain has been affected.

Managing your lifestyle after a stroke and coping with any disability caused by a stroke is ongoing. It is especially important you minimise your risk of another stroke.

Depression, anxiety and fear often affect people recovering from strokes and adapting to the lifestyle changes.

It is my hope that you now have an opportunity through Setback to connect and share your stories with people just like you, or offer advice to family and friends, supporting a loved one through a stroke diagnosis.

Related Links

www.stroke.org.nz The Stroke Foundation of New Zealand

]]>Cancerhttp://setback.wetpaint.com/page/CancerLeta-Lhttp://setback.wetpaint.com/page/CancerTue, 05 Jun 2007 21:39:14 CDT For some of us, Cancer may be a beginning, a wake up call, something that inspires us to 'do more', 'be more', 'try more', it may be a time to consolidate our lives, reflect on all that is valuable to us. For some, a time to rest and take stock... it may be a journey that brings about an ending or it may become a trigger for motivating urgency in activities only previously dreamed about.
An individual's capacity to cope with adversity is variable and every response to a Cancer diagnosis is equally varied. Cancer brings about many thoughts and feelings. You may feel a myriad of emotions... Anxiety, fear, guilt, frustration, confusion, sadness, grief, anger... to name a few.

A Cancer diagnosis can affect every aspect of your life... although it doesn't have to.

Related Links

www.cancernz.org.nz Cancer Society of New Zealand
www.livestrong.org Live Strong: The Lance Armstrong Foundation
www.relayforlife.org.nz Relay for Life

]]>About Setbackhttp://setback.wetpaint.com/page/About+SetbackLeta-Lhttp://setback.wetpaint.com/page/About+SetbackTue, 05 Jun 2007 21:35:05 CDT

This is Paula's Dream


Setback is a dream 'realised'. When I was diagnosed with Malignant Melanoma in June 2005, although I found the internet useful, what I ultimately found frustrating was the lack of people in my environment that could identify with me.
I worried that confiding in family and friends, may have them believing that I wasn't coping, because I knew my diagnosis was creating anxiety for more people than just myself.

While anticipating and waiting for my surgery, I had many nights alone. My partner at that time was an international adventure tour operator. He was away for the 2 weeks prior to my surgery... so there were many sleepless nights. Anxiety, fear, distress, irrational tears and an accompanied feeling of emptiness, brought about by a complete lack of energy.

It wasn't a pleasant experience and I wondered how other New Zealanders cope? Mums and Dads, coupled with the extra stress and worried how their diagnosis will affect their family, or parents coping with a diagnosis of a child. With separation and divorce statistics so high nowadays, I became concerned for the people diagnosed everyday, who may inevitably have no one to confide in. Setback intends to build a network of friends for all of New Zealand, groups of people who can identify with individuals in times of adversity and through their recovery. Setback will be a friend when your spouse is at work, support during a sleepless night, somewhere to laugh, somewhere to cry and somewhere to share as much or as little as you wish on any given day. Your contribution will help others understand the effects of a diagnosis.

There are however a few people in particular, some of whom I have never met,who motivated me to just 'get on' with this website.

A good friend of mine... her mother died of Multiple Sclerosis some years ago, I thought about how a website like this may have entertained her mum in the later stages of her illness. And now an equally good friend of mine is living with MS, so I hope she gets to benefit from this website.

My grandfather, 'Pop', died of Mastastized Prostate Cancer, December 1997. I was too young and selfish at that time to appreciate what was happening to him and how sick he actually was, I was naive I guess, but I am not anymore.

A friend of mine's father had a stroke in 2005 at retirement age. He had worked all his life, planning with his wife how they would spend their retirement. It was not the stroke itself that disabled him, but the head injury he suffered in the fall during his stroke. Now living in a rest home and only occasionally recognising his wife and sons, my friend's mother learns from medical professionals that her husband will never recover. In that minute her dreams of growing old with her best friend are destroyed. She committed suicide last year. It kills me to know she felt so helpless and I love my mum too much to ever imagine not having her around. Within such a short time, a perfectly planned life was dissembled so tragically.

Another friend of mine is Nicholas. He is a true inspiration living with disability caused by multiple strokes. He is the strongest, most mentally capable human I know. He has 'locked in syndrome'. His mind is able,his body is not, although he is proving medical professionals wrong and if anybody was to achieve this, I am certain it will be Nick.

Sonia. I followed her journey with Breast Cancer via a thread on a message board. She was one amazing lady!! She passed away in December 2006, leaving behind a family that adored her. I think about her and her family often.

Penelope. No tragedy here, just an amazing women, that I met during my recovery.

Dr Steve, my most favourite general practitioner.

My Mum and Stepfather, they truely love me.

My Dad, supported my equestrian lifestyle up until full time work and boys... Now at 32, he is helping me return to riding and I am so grateful.

My Bluecrush surfer girls!! Fi, Lee Lee and Bex.

Fiona, Lou, Tom, Nicky, Mel, Jan, Kelli, Lisa, Nan, Tania, Craig, Raewyn, Mike, Gen, Eryn. Raine, Storm, Sam, Bubs, Posh, Mel, Alan, Hamish, Jane, Val, Anne, Jo, Jeff, Jane C, Karen, Matt, Lauren, Daphne, Jeremy, Mr Swann, Bill, Kevin, Dave, Sue and Nathan, who has been the dynamite under my backside and Leta, who has made a dream a reality! ...so many people have inspired me to pursue my dreams, probably completely unaware of their contribution.

Paula Williams

]]>Homehttp://setback.wetpaint.com/page/HomeLeta-Lhttp://setback.wetpaint.com/page/HomeMon, 04 Jun 2007 23:35:19 CDT

Welcome to Setback


Setback has been created with the intention of connecting all of New Zealand's people who have been diagnosed with a debilitating condition.

Setback will bring together people that may otherwise not have had an opportunity to meet, and will unify all those sharing similar journeys. Setback intends to relieve some of the stress brought about by your diagnosis and provide you with a directory of services that may simplify some everyday decisions.
A setback, in my mind, is something that slows you down and calls for your attention, if not demanding it! A setback insists that you stand still for a moment to re-evaluate. So many New Zealanders are burdened every day with news of a disease or a disability, suddenly forced to confront adversity. Setback cannot prevent this or diagnose anyone, it is a place to empty your head, make friends and get advice on how to approach and adapt to your diagnosis.

Please feel free to add your story or questions in the comments section on any of the Setback pages.


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