The number of vaccines on the CDC list is continually growing. When I was a child I had just a few vaccines—polio and DTP. I had the measles, and so did my siblings. We now have lifetime immunity to the measles. When I breast fed my babies, they received protection…
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What Happened at Senate Hearing?
The U.S. Senate held a hearing on March 5, 2019: Vaccines Save Lives: What Is Driving Preventable Disease Outbreaks? I watched the hearing and saw pictures of the lines of parents that hoped to attend the hearing.There were more security guards on site than those present for the Kavanaugh confirmation.…
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Seeking Guidance for Parental Rights
Parents today have difficult issues to confront. As I was driving home from Michigan today I was listening to Janet Parshall on the radio.She was discussing a case that was decided by the Supreme Court of British Columbia. It hit me hard because a friend of our family recently disclosed…
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When It Is Time to Speak UP
When should we get involved in the political discussions in our country? Should moms and grandmas be activists? The book of Peter offers instruction: Make the Master proud of you by being good citizens. Respect the authorities, whatever their level; they are God’s emissaries for keeping order. It is God’s…
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Mothers, Girls and Flowers
As a nurse and mom I follow news about life and health. I am encouraged because New Jersey has a new campaign, Nurture NJ, to improve the health of mothers and their infants. One of the goals is to reduce unnecessary cesarean sections by employing midwives to attend women throughout…
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When Health Care Becomes Perplexing
Health care was one of the top issues in the midterm elections. According to a letter that I received yesterday from the School of Nursing at the University of Michigan (my alma mater) : We grapple with the knowledge that the United States is the top spending country in health…
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First Aid for My Husband
Sometimes accidents happen, and that can lead to making an informed decision about a medical intervention. My husband came into the living room holding a cup under his left hand. His little finger was bleeding profusely; he was making sure that he didn’t drip on the floor. He said, “Can…
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Simple Measures for Family Health: Herbs and Nutrients
Moms make many health decisions for their children. When someone in the family gets a cold there is a wide array of over the counter treatments to choose from. The pills and elixirs treat the symptoms but don’t help the immune system overcome the virus. Over the years I have…
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Wanting to Control: Learning to Release
It feels good when we think we are in control. As a mother I pursued the health of my children vigorously. I had been trained as a nurse at the University of Michigan. I believed in the medical profession and my ability to protect the health of my children. The…
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Illness, Resilience and Spirituality
Two years ago I began corresponding with Marguerite Bouvard. She was looking for contributors for an anthology on illness and faith. I offered to write a chapter about my family’s experience caring for our son during his treatment for leukemia. We continued to e-mail back and forth. I wrote my…