Residential Painting in the Tulsa, OK area

For many homeowners, the interior look of their home is just as, if not more, important than the look of the outside.

Although unique furniture and extravagant artwork can help to make a room attractive and vibrant, high-quality interior paint helps all the more.

Many homeowners attempt to tackle the task of interior painting themselves, but often find themselves with a rearranged, half-painted room for several months. With Alliance Painting Tulsa, the interior of your home will be glowing with new paint in no time; and with no smudges or paint runs in sight.

Our painters are experts and will make your interior walls look so good that no one will even notice what is – or not – hanging on them! 

Even a house with beautiful architecture and landscaping can be improved by a fresh coat of paint.

The outward appearance of a home is very important.

Your house is one of your biggest assets, so it’s important to use skilled and experienced painters when giving your house a new paint job.

At Alliance Painting Tulsa, we are committed to helping you spruce up the exterior of your home in any way possible; from helping you pick colors to scheduling a convenient time for you. We are sure that our qualified painters will deliver work that blows you, and your neighbors, away!

Contact us today for your painting needs!

Steps for Supporting Grieving Family and Friends: Support vs. Comfort

What is the difference?  Well, comfort suggests a longing to free someone from their pain and make them feel a smaller amount of sadness, while support suggests a longing to offer assistance. Over time you’ve probably become good at the comfort part (we all have), so when you approach someone who is grieving your first inclination may be to fall back on words of positivity.  You really want to take away their hurt and so you find yourself saying things that look for a silver lining and which begin with “at least”.  Platitudes, “at leasts”, and inspiring statements may be well meant, but they often lessen the significance of a person’s loss and make it seem as though you either don’t care or aren’t giving attention to the reality that is in front of you.

Instead of endeavoring to comfort the person who’s grieving, we recommend focusing on what you can do to support them in moving forward through the hurt.  Try starting with the following three steps:

1.  Reiterate:

       “I do not want to provide comfort. I want to provide support.”

2. Ask yourself:

• What form of support is proper bearing in mind the closeness and/or tone of my relationship with the person who’s grieving?
• What does my friend or family member appear to need?  Emotional support? Logistical support? Both?
• What am I good at? What am I most skilled of providing?  What unique strong points do I have that could be helpful?

3.  Significant things to do:

• Show sincere care and compassion:
  • No one knows the right thing to say, so stop stressing.
  • Concentrate on giving the person care and compassion. Sometimes this is as simple as asking how the person is doing and then actually listening to what they have to say.
• Provide concrete assistance:
  • It’s useful to offer specific help. Consider a list of things you can do and then just go ahead and offer – they can always say no.
• Actively listen:
  • Talking to someone who will simply listen is sometimes precisely what a person needs.  
• Be present:
  • Without hovering, be available to the griever by letting them know they can call at any time and by casually check in once in a while.
• Remember:  
  • Grief lasts forever and people often continue to struggle for months and years after a death.  
  • Continue to check in sporadically, especially on days that might be hard like birthdays, anniversaries, Mother’s Day or Father’s Day, milestones and special events.  This will send the message that you understand and accept their enduring pain.  

Visit our site for more blogs! 

What to Anticipate When You Are going through the Grieving process

What are some common responses when you lose someone you love?

Grief can be agonizing and overpowering, and sometimes frightening. As you grieve, you may have anxiety about your responses. You may wonder if your feelings and responses are normal. Here are some of the commonly felt grief reactions as described by many people in mourning.

You may sense a range of emotions:

• Sadness or hopelessness that comes and goes suddenly
• Nervousness about life without your loved one
• Guilt or anger over things done and said, or things not done and said
• Appreciation that your loved one’s suffering is over
• Rejecting that the loss actually occurred
• Relief that you no longer have to be concerned
• Shock

You may experience feelings such as:

• Tightness in the throat
• Heaviness in the chest
• Loss of appetite
• Mood swings
• Sensing your loved one’s presence
• Hearing your loved one’s voice
• Extreme forgetfulness
• Excessive fatigue
• Sleeplessness 
• Trouble concentrating

You may act out of character:

• Crying at unexpected times
• Overeating
• Under-eating
• Wandering aimlessly
• Assuming the mannerisms or traits of your loved one
• Exploding in anger
• Telling and retelling stories about your loved one

These are all typical grief reactions. You are not going wild when you feel them. You are grieving because you dared to love.

 Visit us for more blogs!

A Grateful Heart

What are you thankful for? Here is a list to get you thinking. Happy November!

1. Something in nature - trees or flowers 
2. Some type of technology - phone or tv 
3. A household item - maybe the vacuum cleaner 
4. A personal quality you have - smiling 
5. A physical quality or trait you have - kindness 
6. A skill you have - cooking or sewing 
7. A food item - chocolate 
8. A specific book
9. Something that makes you laugh
10. Something about your job (or work you do)
11. A critter of some sort
12. A specific person and why
13. Weather that you love
14. A smell or scent
15. A specific song
16. A specific season and why
17. Your favorite taste
18. A favorite tradition
19. What you are passionate about
20. A location, city or country
21. An unexpected kindness someone did for you
22. Something common you take for granted
23. Favorite movie
24. Someone you’ve never met who inspired you
25. Something of great comfort
26. What technology you are thankful for
27. A hobby
28. A memory
29. A favorite place (big or small)
30. A holiday and why

Praise the Lord! Give thanks to the Lord, because he is good; his love is eternal.  – Psalms 106:1

Visit our site for more blogs!

Resolutions for Those Facing Chronic Illness

The normal holiday hustle and bustle is stressful enough, but when you add a serious chronic illness to the mix, life can be extra challenging. The cut-and-paste New Year’s resolutions we all fall back on like losing weight might apply to your situation, but there are a few other resolutions for those facing chronic illness to consider.

1. Give Yourself a Break

When you’re juggling a chronic illness and regular life, it can be difficult to find a moment to relax and unwind – but you should. Set aside a specific time when you can do something that gives you joy; talking to an old friend, getting your nails done or reading a book are great ways to unwind.

Another way to get a break is to ask for assistance. For many, asking for assistance is one of the toughest things they’ll ever have to do. But you might be surprised at how many of your friends and family will be happy to have a specific task they can do to make things easier for you.

Finding a space where like-minded individuals are going through the same thing you are, like a support groups, is another good way to relax and talk about your struggles with people who will understand. Ask your doctor for local support group options or check online with an awareness group specific to your illness like the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, Alzheimer’s Association or American Lung Association.

2. Advocate for Yourself

One of the best resolutions people facing a chronic illness can do for themselves is to become their own health advocate. Start by learning everything you can about your options, beginning with your health insurance. Make a point of understanding at least the basics of your coverage. If a procedure or prescription is denied, ask why and see if the decision can be changed. Sometimes it’s just a simple coding error that can be easily corrected.

Don’t just question health insurance providers; ask your doctor to explain all your options and the goal of each treatment as well. Make sure you’re on the same page about how the treatment will impact your quality of life. If you’re nervous about asking questions or afraid you’ll forget something, write your questions down in advance.

Finally, get your healthcare paperwork in order. Whether it’s an advance directive, a medical power of attorney or a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order, the best way to ensure your medical wishes will be respected is to put them in writing. Even healthy people can have an accident that renders them unable to communicate their wishes. Don’t wait until a crisis to have your paperwork in order.

3. Focus on What Really Matters

When you’re already stressed, it’s easy to let little things get to you. Try to remember that the most important things in life are the relationships with the people you love. Make a resolution to take time out to tell them all the things you want them to know in a life journal. Share photos, family history, and personal stories. Your family will cherish these memories for the rest of their lives.

Visit our site for more blogs

SIGNS OF A STROKE

Did you know that having a stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States? Maybe you’ve had a family member or you have seen someone on television suffer from a stroke but do you know what it is or the warning signs?

What is a stroke?

A stroke is a "brain attack". Although it is more common for women over the age of 55 it can happen to anyone at any time. It occurs when blood flow to an area of brain is cut off. When this happens, brain cells are deprived of oxygen and begin to die. When brain cells die during a stroke, abilities controlled by that area of the brain such as memory and muscle control are lost. How a person is affected by their stroke depends on where the stroke occurs in the brain and how much the brain is damaged. For example, someone who had a small stroke may only have minor problems such as temporary weakness of an arm or leg. People who have larger strokes may be permanently paralyzed on one side of their body or lose their ability to speak. Some people recover completely from strokes, but more than 2/3 of survivors will have some type of disability. Having a stroke is the leading cause of adult disability in the United States.

Signs of a Stroke

The American Stroke Association uses the acronym “F.A.S.T.” to spot the warning signs of someone having a stroke.

F- Face Drooping: Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile. Is it uneven?
A- Arm Weakness: Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
S- Speech Difficulty: Is the speech slurred? Is the person unable to speak or hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence and see if it is repeated correctly.
T- Time to call 911: If someone is showing signs of these symptoms call 911 or get to the hospital immediately. Check the time so you know when the symptoms appeared.

Some other symptoms may include: Numbness of face, arm or leg. Confusion. Trouble seeing in one or both eyes. Trouble walking, loss of balance or coordination. Sudden severe headaches.

Prevention

Luckily, up to 80% of strokes can be prevented.

The first step to preventing a stroke is to identify conditions that can increase your risk of stroke such as heredity, high blood pressure, heart disease, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, diabetes, hormones and circulation problems. All of these factors can be discussed with your health care professional.

Now that you’ve read our blog you know how to spot a stroke and how to prevent a stroke. You could save someone’s life as well as your own!

Visit our site for more helpful tips. 

Sources:

http://www.stroke.org/understand-stroke/what-stroke
http://www.strokeassociation.org/STROKEORG/WarningSigns/Stroke-Warning-Signs-and-Symptoms_UCM_308528_SubHomePage.jsp

http://www.stroke.org/sites/default/files/resources/prevention-brochure-2015.pdf

Truskett Law - Do you need a lawyer for an Insurance Claim

You've underwent a major loss from fire, theft, or some other tragedy and you've filed an insurance claim. You're not sure what your rights are, and you're worried about trusting your insurance company. You should be. Your financial interests and your insurance company's financial interests are in a natural conflict – You want a maximum payout, your insurer a minimum. An insurance claim is a business negotiation, pure and simple. So although you paid good money for coverage and good claim service, you may have to fight for it. And you may need expert help in that fight. In an ideal world no one would need to hire an attorney to get an insurance claim paid on time and in full, but in this world, many do.

To ensure a fair settlement of a large claim (in excess of $10,000), inform yourself by reading the resources that United Policyholders offers. And you must be a "squeaky wheel" and know when and how to get the right professional help if you need it. If you're reading this publication, you're on the right track.

Do you need knowledgeable help? Do you need an attorney? Do you need a public adjuster? What is a public adjuster? Can you handle it on your own? The first thing you need before making these decisions is a complete copy of your policy, including the "Declarations Page" and all "Endorsements" and "Riders".

Find our contact info here