Trust

A friend of mine related this story to me and the mother involved and she both asked me to share it. Trust, what does it mean?

According to Merriam Webster, trust is the firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something.

For a pregnant woman or new parent, it means being able to believe in someone who should be reliable and truthful, especially when it comes to medical care for herself or her child. I have had the 'conspiracy theory' conversation many times with the women I work with. This conversation sounds something like, "well, don't they legally have to give me true and complete information so that I can give true and informed consent?" ... and then I reply that providers are supposed to, but it doesn't always happen.

And I end up sounding like a conspiracy theorist... until email after email just like the one below shows up in my inbox... and now I have permission to share one of these stories.

"Last week, my non vaccinating friend and I were hanging out when our daughters shared a granola bar. Later on that week, she called me up to let me know that her little one was just diagnosed with measles because of a rash that showed up and that, after a long talk with her husband and the doctor they then decided to start vaxing both girls... her youngest will be 4 months at the end of May.  

This little one had cold symptoms about 10 days before the rash and never had a fever. It made me question the diagnosis. The rash looked exactly like measles but no other corresponding symptoms in the days surrounding the rash. More accurately, the doctor said it was, "measles of some form"...

She and I started researching - me because something didn't sound right, while she started researching because she was talking to the director and assistant director of her daughter's preschool. They were telling my friend that if it were measles, the doctor would have to report it to the CDC.  

In order to do that they would have to have a confirmed diagnosis through a blood test. The pediatrician told my friend that doing a test wasn't necessary, that it would take 3 weeks to get the results back. The director has a friend who works at this pediatrician's office. So she called and talked to her friend. Obviously this friend couldn't tell the director much but she did say "don't worry one bit, its definitely not measles".  

Then the director mentioned to my friend that the doctor probably jumped to the worst case scenario and allowed my friend to jump to the worst case scenario because of her vaccination status. 

At that point my friend still had no idea what the rash might have been from but, during our text conversation, she mentioned she had to go back the next day for a check-up because of her daughter's double ear infection. She is going to ask them to do the blood work to check and see if she is now immune to measles.  

Then she mentioned that maybe the rash had something to do with the ear infections or the amoxicillin her daughter was taking. I asked if she had had amoxicillin before. She said no, but that the doctor said it was not an allergic reaction. her daughter's dad is allergic to penicillin. So I looked up amoxicillin rash. It looks strikingly similar to a measles rash. An allergic rash itches, a non-allergic one doesn't. Amoxicillin rash begins on the abdomen and spreads. 

Measles rash begins on the face, usually near the hair line and moves down. She had no spots in her mouth (which is tell-tale for measles) and no fever (which can get up to 105). My friend believes (as do I) that she was pushed into rethinking her stance on vaccines; that the doctor use the "fear of measles" and her daughter's lack of vaccines to misguide them.  

I asked my friend if she told the doctor where the rash started. She said she did (on her belly) and that the doctor suggested they give her Benadryl. If Measles doesn't go away with Benadryl, and the rash isn't from an allergic reaction, why would you recommend Benadryl?  

Maybe I shouldn't be, but I am absolutely shocked, speechless, and disgusted by what this doctor did. As far as my friend having reconsidered her stance on vaccinating her children, she re-reconsidered and has reconfirmed her non-vax beliefs. "If she reacted like that to a regular medication, how in the world would she react to vaccines?!" was her conclusion."

A parent should be able to trust her provider. But how can they trust providers when those same providers use any in possible to try to coerce, mislead, or ridicule that same parent into making choices that the parent would not, otherwise, make.

Unethical, untruthful care, like that which was experienced in this situation, occurs more often than we would like to admit... and more often than the medical field will ever admit. So care providers, this is a shout out to you: if you want us to trust you, then you have to be trustworthy. If you want us to respect you, you need to provide us that same respect.

Shots in the Dark

Shots in the Dark is an amazing film with an interesting history... it was never released.



You can get it, though, from their website, and I highly recommend every parent watch the following 8 films... or buy it yourself.

















I'm not saying to not vaccinate, I am begging you to question and educate before you stick that needle into your or your child's skin. You can't undo a vaccination. Be prepared to assume all risks in the event one occurs to your family.

More on vaccinations:
PBS and Vaccinations
The Big Stick
Gardasil and Guarding my Daughters

The Big Stick

I am not going to tell you what is right for your families value system. But, as you know, the debate over vaccinations and their safety are very heated.

Many women/families who choose to vaccinate, though, do so relying on the advocacy and accountability of independent medical professionals and organizations that tout the safety and effectiveness of these vaccines.

I would welcome you, no matter what your stance on vaccinations, to read How Independent Are Vaccine Defenders, an article written by CBS as an investigative report.

I, personally, cannot take the word of someone who takes money from an organization for it's promotion - not when there are so many questions surrounding it's safety and effectiveness. Can you say ethical issues?

Before you dispute this, consider the following conundrum:

I have a wonderful breastfeeding relationship with my child. There are no indications that there is anything amiss. I go to my pediatrician, who weighs my child and then says "I think it would be healthier to give him formula. We can measure it, there are no side effects or harm to it, and it will show that we did everything in our power to circumvent an issue cropping up later in life where he was malnourished".

Later, once my child is sucking away on formula and refusing my breast, I realize he has allergies to the formula content, gets more ear infections, has upper respiratory infections, etc... on a whim, I look into formula funding and find that my pediatrician gets a 'bonus' from the formula manufacturer for every sample he leads a woman toward, hands out, or otherwise encourages.

This is the same situation (BTW, the above situation does occur as well). Yes, most everyone receives payment for their work, but when their work could be detrimental to my child's health, or there is a strong possibility of risk or harm, shouldn't we, the consumer, know all of the facts, who is lining who's pockets and at what expense, and what political and financial agreements these professionals have with other companies?

This undermines the credibility of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Every Child By Two, and pediatrician Dr. Paul Offit, in my opinion, and strengthens my belief that we don't know enough about the majority of our vaccines to be pushing them so staunchly on the public.

Do your research!

Thank you, Corinne, for bringing this to my attention.

Gardasil

Gardasil is getting some bad publicity..

Gardasil has been the subject of 7,802 "adverse event" reports from the time the Food and Drug Administration approved its use two years ago, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Girls and women have blamed the vaccine for causing ailments from nausea to paralysis -- even death. Fifteen deaths were reported to the FDA, and 10 were confirmed, but the CDC says none of the 10 were linked to the vaccine. The CDC says it continues to study the reports of illness....

Two girls allege in court that the vaccine made them sick.

One -- Jesalee Parsons of Broken Bow, Oklahoma -- got the shot at age 13.

Jesalee's lawyer, Michael McLaren, said she got the shot on February 27, 2007 and soon developed a fever and felt pain. The next day, he said, Jesalee felt pain in her chest and abdomen.

Her mother, Laura Parsons, said Jesalee spent weeks in the hospital and underwent two surgeries after developing pancreatitis. She says the federal government should have studied the drug more before approving its use.

"I just feel let down by the government," Parsons said.

Merck says it could be a coincidence that the girls got sick after receiving the vaccine.

Their patient information pdf risks include:

• pain, swelling, itching, and redness at the injection site.
• fever.
• nausea.
• dizziness.
• vomiting.
• fainting.
• Fainting can occur after vaccination, most commonly among adolescents and young adults. Although fainting episodes are uncommon, patients should be observed for 15 minutes after they receive HPV vaccine.
• Allergic reactions that may include difficulty breathing, wheezing (bronchospasm), hives, and rash havebeen reported. Some of these reactions have been severe.
• Additional side effects reported include swollen glands (neck, armpit, or groin), Guillain-Barré syndrome (which can cause death by cardiac arrhythmia), headache, joint pain, aching muscles, unusual tiredness or weakness, and generally feeling unwell.
  

Merck (the manufacturer of Gardasil) attests, though, that their vaccine is not to blame for these illnesses, including 10 deaths that occurred shortly after the vaccine was administered.

Hmmm... even though one of the risks that we know about can lead to death? Even though one doctor who worked as a researcher during the HPV clinical trials , stated "We don’t know yet what’s going to happen when millions of doses of the vaccine have been given and to put in place a process that says you must have this vaccine, it means you must be part of a big public experiment. So we can’t do that until we have more data" (as reported in this article)?

And the reports keep coming...

And the numbers keep rising...

More news shows medical professionals backpedaling just as fast. Can you spot the incongruency in this statement?

"The immediate risks are minimal. The FDA looked at those. We have not seen any major catastrophes," says Dr. Benrubi." (emphasis mine, in case you didn't catch the problem herein).

This is a frightening table taken from another bloggers site.

And here is one more girl's story.. along with a nice tidbit about how Michigan requires it of girls entering middle school and Texas will soon be following suite. Virginia is already there as well, with 24 other states rallying to show the almighty pharmaceutical company their support.

The Almighty Merck - though - has over-marketed, under-tested, and grossly over-touted their success.

If you want to get up close and personal to one such gal whose rapid decline toward total paralysis coincide STRONGLY with her last Gardasil shot, visit Jenny's family here, and spread the news.

I stand by my earlier post... and now with more reason than ever.

Gardasil and Guarding My Daughters

I read an article today titled, "Many Moms Unwilling to Have Younger Daughters Get HPV Vaccine."

The whole article bothers me with such terminology as 'refuse to follow', 'opportunity to educated', and more... hinting that those mothers (like myself) who do not see the benefit, but fully recognize all the risks, of the Gardisil vaccine are not educated and should follow the herd to be a good parent. But this comment just. floored. me.

"This shows that there's a difficulty in having mothers recognize that their children will become sexually active at a relatively young age," said Dr. Jay Brooks, chairman of hematology/oncology at Ochsner Health System in Baton Rouge, La. "It's a process and it's an attitudinal change that has to occur."

This doctor (and article) is saying that we should expect and know that our young children will be having premarital sex.

I don't expect my daughters will. Some of you are thinking 'she's naive'. But no, I expect that my daughters will not seek out the company of a member the opposite gender who cannot respect them. I expect that they will be raised with an integritous group of friends who will help keep them accountable. I expect that they will be raised with the understanding and appreciation of a courting relationship rather than a dating relationship.

I expect to take my responsibility seriously... to protect them from temptation, teach them about the value of abstinence, demonstrate for them a healthy marriage relationship and to respect the marriage covenant.

I expect to teach them about motherhood, how to appreciate and respect their physical body. How to understand their bodies longings as healthy but created for a specific design.

That is what I expect. And if that means not 'following' the CDC's guidelines, then I am proud to not be a part of that herd. Their daddy and I pray that they will be raised up in the way that they should go so that they would not stray from it. I won't give permission for a precaution to an act that should not be an permissed.

It is my job to protect them in that way, not by injecting them with a potentially very harmful substance. *sigh*

And finally, on the medical side of things, an article posted on Natural News.com talks about the risks of the new HPV vaccine. The risks of this vaccine seem to far out weigh the benefits.

Many doctors are not recommending this vaccine, because in addition to the serious adverse reactions and deaths that have been reported, they have concerns about the vaccine’s long-term safety and efficacy. In her well-written book called The Parents’ Concise Guide to Childhood Vaccinations, Dr. Lauren Feder notes that the pain that many girls experience after the shot is probably due to the aluminum adjuvants in the vaccine. She also cautions that the vaccine contains polysorbate 80, a substance linked to infertility in mice. After some deliberation, it was her opinion that the vaccine had more risks than benefits.

What About Vaccines??

I hate to bring this hot topic up, but I have been asked enough... "what about vaccines???"

IMHO, why would ANYONE inject their children with a foreign substance, a 'dead' virus, or cocktail without first researching it? Consider this, by age 6, the CDC wants your child to have 33 different cocktails injected into your child. And they are attempting to add more yearly.

What is in your child's shots? Well, here is a short list of just some of the ingredients found in these vaccines...

• vesicle fluid from calf skins
• chick embryonic fluid
• hydrochloric acid
• mouse serum protein
• monkey kidney cells and calf serum
• rhesus monkey lung cells
• mouse brain
  
• thimersol
• formaldehyde
  
• ammonium sulfate
• aluminum potassium
• monosodium L-glutamate (MSG)
• human diploid cells from aborted fetus

cited references: National Vaccine Information Center and Informed Choice

Anyone else slightly disturbed? Not telling you what to do, just asking you to STUDY before you STICK.