November 29, 2012

I am giddy. We have a RESEARCHER!!!

A real live MEDICAL RESEARCHER!!! And he will be supervising THREE (count 'em - THREE!) fellows who will begin looking at the data we have been collecting on the children with neuromuscular conditions (including cerebral palsy) since June of this year.

I am so happy, I could cry. We now have 92 children seeing improvement in at least two of the eight categories we are tracking (increased appetite, weight/length gain, bowel change, tone/strength, cognitive, speech/communication, energy and sensory), which is giving us an 88% "success rate", a 100% improvement rate for children with Sensory Processing Issues (SPD) by week six, incuding an autism only subset, and 84% "Failure to Thrive" children gaining healthy muscular weight with 76% moving from "less than 5%" on the CDC growth charts to "10% or greater" within 90 days.

The project was/is about generating individual case study data to determine if there is a justification for further research, AND THERE IS!!!

Now this work can get the proper, rigorous scientific investigation it requires!

He has warned me that he will be the most skeptical person out there and I told him I am TOTALLY good with that because this *SHOULD* be investigated that way!!! And his credentials are IMPECCABLE -he is a published researcher, faculty at a respected teaching university, and former member of the United Cerebral Palsy Research Foundation Medical Advisory Board.

I am waiting on the email from his secretary to schedule the meeting to go over the data we have gathered so far.

I Am So Happy!!!

October 26, 2012

A Sincere "Thank You" to Mitt Romney

I believe Governor Romney has been a *GREAT* Republican candidate for President.

I truly appreciate some of the things he has brought to the table, and how frankly, he appears at heart to be a decent man, with a good family.

I like the fact he is a Mormon, and that only a few generations ago, the idea that this "minority religion" would have one of its adherents run for the highest political office is something that makes me proud of this country. I think I may actually still be alive to see a hajib wearing daughter of middle eastern immigrants stand for high office for one day, and it makes me smile; diversity makes my country STRONG.

I respect the fact he doesn't drink or smoke (despite the social pressure), that his marriage seems to have a strong basis of love/trust between the two of them, and (despite Tagg's rude comment, which he demonstrated good character by apologizing for), his children seem like good quality people.

I think about some of the other potential candidates on that side of the aisle - dear God in Heaven, NEWT! - whose lack of "family values" would have quickly become a sideshow in the race, and I am again grateful. I can respect a person who is/was willing to stand up and take the beating that running for public office brings to the table.

I think Governor Romney considers himself a plain-spoken man, who says what he thinks, and I truly, truly appreciate that.

Most importantly, I think he has clearly articulated the views of the Republican Party, and there is no misunderstanding on my end about what he would bring to the table if he were President.

He would restrict access to health care for women (abortions and birth control).

He would support corporate profits - and not the workers.

He would impose his vision of "moral" behavior on others at the expense of civil rights for LGBT.

He doesn't respect the findings of the National Academy of Science, and believes human beings have no ability to impact (for good or bad) climate change.

He doesn't seem to "notice" the issues our military deals with when it comes to the needs of our veterans.

His understanding of our place in the world seems guaranteed to send our troops into Iran and/or Syria; the importance of "face" seems to be something he is oblivious about in world affairs.

His understanding of most of the issues he talks about seems to vary depending on who he last spoke with; I don't think he knows how to 'google' for himself, or use analytical reasoning to determine whether opinions are valid.

He associates with people who appear to be fascinated with Rape, and its consequences, to the point where they almost seem to endorse it.

The Medicare "voucher" concept seems to be designed to enrich a small group, and endanger the health of senior citizens, as well as the mental health of those who have to explain the changes to them if they go through!.

There is more, but truthfully, I don't need to list them. I am clear on where the Republicans stand on every issue, and it isn't a place I want this country to go; frankly, the viewpoints seem designed to profit only a small portion of the country, which means I can't trust he (or they) will look out for the best interests of me, or my family.

As I said, I think he has been a GREAT candidate. I am very clear on where he stands, and why he thinks the way he does. I find him...inspiring. (http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021240371)

I am able to clearly contrast Republican views of "every man for himself/if I'm in charge, it is about me and my friends" (as explained by Governor Romney) with Democratic views of "let's work together/we *all* build a great America" (as explained by President Obama).

Thank you, Governor Romney. MY CHOICE IS CLEAR.

I am voting for President Obama. I am voting the DEMOCRATIC TICKET.

September 20, 2012

I am a Moocher. I intend to Mooch again.

I began working at age 16 part time in a local fast food establishment while going to high school. I am from a hard working middle class family, and in my family of origin there is no crime greater than "not working" that one can commit. (Seriously - when young-and-foolish, there was one female who brought home a suspected drug dealer, and the consensus was "at least he is not collecting welfare!&quot Truth be told, I *MOOCHED* off of my parents for all of the necessities of life prior to high school graduation, but I didn't realize it until I had to start paying my own bills. (The "magic electricity fairy" comes with an electric bill once a month, and if you don't pay her, the lights go off - who knew?)

I worked non-stop supporting myself and sometimes others until I was nearly 30, when my then fiance/now husband and I agreed I would quit my full-time job and return to school to get my Bachelor's Degree. I *MOOCHED* off of him for the eight months it took to complete 75 credit hours of college (I am an over-achiever - 28 credit hours the semester we were married - woo hoo!), then for another few months while I found a new job in my field. That was sixteen years ago.

During our sixteens years of marriage, there have been other times when I *MOOCHED* off of him. I am a computer consultant by trade, and sometimes I worked crazy hours for long periods of time, and then sometimes there were dry spells. The longest stretch of MOOCHING was when I spent five months on bedrest while pregnant with my twins, and then I was a Stay-At-Home Mom (aka MOOCHER!) with my premature babies for the first year of their lives. After they were a year old, I worked part-time for a while in 2008, before returning to the world of full-time consulting work in December, 2008.

For a very brief time in 2009 my husband was laid off (along with 80% of his company) when the auto industry had the whole "bankruptcy" fiasco. He *MOOCHED* off of my earnings, and also collected unemployment for the first time in his life.

Consulting work has had its ups and downs over the last several years, and I confess I have collected unemployment during some of the "in-between" periods - never had to before 2010, so in addition to MOOCHING off of my husband, I also sucked at the public trough, too. We counted ourselves fortunate that we didn't need any other assistance.

I refuse to be ashamed of the fact my Five Year Old Twins have been MOOCHING off of both my husband and I for their entire lives. I frankly expect it to continue for at least another thirteen years. It is just the way my family rolls.

I am currently employed in my field, and also extremely involved in a public charity effort that consumes more hours than I care to recount. My husband, bless him, is also among the employed. We look forward to the day when we can MOOCH in a state of happy retirement off of the government largess via our social security (assuming we live long enough). We have this ENTITLEMENT vibe going on about it; we pay money into it, and expect it to be there for us if/when we need it.

I also confess that both my husband's and my parents are MOOCHERS, too - after working for their entire lives, they retired and currently live off of their "government handouts" (except for my father, who passed away in 2005). One of my sisters MOOCHED off the government after being diagnosed with relapsing/remitting MS until she died from it in late 2003. I refuse to apologize for her, despite the fact I know she worked "under the table" when she could - $9K a year was simply not enough for her and her children to live on, so she found ways to make it work as best she could. (If she had access to medical coverage without it being job dependent, she could have worked over the table when she was up to it, but the system is set up so stupid - ack! Off topic!)

In my family of four, 50% of us (my 5 year old twins) HAVE NEVER WORKED. On a daily basis, they act as if they are ENTITLED to food, clothing, shelter, and medical care. Of the two adults in the household, I have spent more time as a "LEECH SUCKING THE FINANCIAL LIFE OUT OF MY HUSBAND" than he has me, but oddly enough, he still loves me, and we are still married.

I live in a Daily State of Entitlement. You might even call it a FOG of entitlement. Personally, I call it THE SOCIAL CONTRACT. The fact the Republicans have branded my entire family as "losers" -- my hard working husband a moron, my children as useless, expendable and worthless, and me a lazy idiot -- because someday I am going to GET after a lifetime of GIVE has me thinking they have absolutely lost their minds and need to stop embarrassing this country by insulting multiple generations of hardworking citizens.

At first, because my husband and I work / pay taxes, I didn't think Mr. Romney's remarks were about ME - then I realized they were. They were also about my parents, my siblings, and my children - despite the fact we have the whole Work Ethic / be embarrassed if you need help thing going on; that (delete unnecessary expletive) meant ME AND MY FAMILY!

And the more his Minions talk, the ANGRIER I get.

Remember that whole "we the People" thing in the Constitution? Apparently, it only meant "except for the MOOCHERS!" And the Republican definition includes every working family in America.

Eloquent words fail:

August 20, 2012

You Heard It Here First & DU Love Letter

Later this week I will be putting out a press release on behalf of the Preemie Growth Project announcing eight DOCUMENTED children (plus the initial two) experiencing unprecedented "dramatic improvement" in neuromuscular issues; specifically, cerebral palsy, hypotonia, hyperspasticity and dystonia.

It feels like a miracle, especially to the families involved. We have dystonic children gaining weight, a hypotonic child climbing monkey bars, and measurable decreases in hyperspasticity. Friday I watched video of a child using "eye gaze" equipment while holding up his own head with 45 cells comfortably, which gave him the ability to vocalize his thoughts and have a real conversation with someone else; Saturday a mother wrote me about her son being able to use crayons for the first time in his life, and today another mother shared how it felt to watch her son RUNNING DOWN A HILL.

Two months ago, after spending a year in speech therapy, the dystonic child could barely use 15 cells, and had to have towels prop up his head; the crayon wielding boy couldn't even think about holding his own fork, let alone a crayon, due to the painful hyperspasticity in his hands, and my running boy had to be assisted walking up and down a single flight of stairs.

To those of us who have been blessed with healthy children, these accomplishments may sound ridiculously simple, but the changes for these children in less than two months have been profound. We are also getting reports of cognitive, communication and sensory processing improvements. More importantly, the patterns are identifiably identical to those experienced by the premature babies (including my own) and appear to be repeating in the other children we are tracking. I can only pray that the rest of the children in our project - twenty-two as of today, with nine of them joining this last week - continue the same pattern of improvement the others are seeing.

I have hopes that continued investigation into this area will result in a new understanding of previously incurable conditions, and even if it can only benefit children under age twelve right now, that there may be hope for the adults in the future as well.

This journey has been documented here on DU since 2007 with the birth of my own premature twins, and the "neighbor girl" threads beginning in June, 2012. I can confidently state that without the assistance of several members here, especially my favorite "google warrior" foo_bar, I do not think this would have been possible. Skinner, EarlG and Elad - THANK YOU for creating this amazing site where I could count on support and information when I needed it!!!

Yes, appropriate medical establishment folks have been notified, and behind the scenes all kinds of stuff is going on - the amount of work required to make "this" happen in such a short time has been crazy making! - and it isn't going to slow down for a while as the word is starting to spread; all of the initial parents in our project have begun letting their support people know the cause of the changes, and various groups have begun telling each other, which means more work ---

Sorry! Not meaning to complain, but I am wearing multiple hats at the moment, and every now and then it gets a little overwhelming! Before I crawl into bed to create 'to-do' lists in my sleep - the bi-weekly parent report updates to the web page aren't done yet! three people have to be 'reminded' their updates have to be emailed, and can't just be phoned in! intake for the new child submitted today! brain trust discussion on cognitive improvements! follow-up on foundation report! finish the dratted press release! - I need to take this minute and just remember to be grateful.

What is going on is amazing. I am privileged to be involved in it. It is bigger than I am, and I am in awe on a daily basis at what I am seeing/hearing/learning.

And these children who are getting better against all odds? I am a part of their story, even if they never know my name.

And DU, you are a part of it, too.

THANK YOU!!!

August 3, 2012

Ramadan Day 15: "Its like Gold out here," said the homeless man...

when I gave him a bottle of water on my way to work this morning.

I think I've mentioned that "thirsty is the worst" for me, especially with the weather we've been having lately, so I've been carrying bottles of water with me for the homeless guys I see when I drive to work in the morning. A couple of them have staked out a place by the exit ramp of the freeway, and they seem to rotate who stands there every day. They even leave the "Homeless" sign in a piece of fencing so any of them can use it. They are polite and courteous, and one told me he only comes when he can't pick up "odd jobs" to cover things.

Today's guy had long, dirty stringy hair, and a scruffy "need a shave" look. I've seen him once or twice before, and he seems nice. I asked if his friend was with him today, and he said yes. Fortunately, I had brought two bottles this morning, and was able to give him both. He thanked me, and smiled when I apologized for not having more.

"Don't worry about it," he said. "Its like gold out here."

He really meant it when he said "it was like gold." The man I gave it to yesterday thanked me and told me he would use it to clean the cut on his (very dirty) hand.

Fasting is hard, and while its gotten easier (first week is always the worst!), the sleep deprivation thing (because I'm getting up early, and staying up a little late) gave me "fuzzy brain" yesterday afternoon. I was talking with my husband about it this morning; the homeless guys must be exhausted - having to stay "on alert" while being in uncomfortable places, with inadequate food or drink. Their problem solving resources must be very limited, especially the longer they are out there....

He said it was "like Gold."

We are not rich, but at the moment, I am feeling very humbled by how much I have, and I am grateful.

Halfway done at the end of the day...

July 29, 2012

Ramadan: Day 10 - Tired and Hungry, But Thirsty is the Worst

A third of the way through, and decided to post an update for those curious.

It's been good. Turned out I had the wrong calendar for sunrise/sunset (zip code typo maybe?), so it was only the first day I was up in the 3:30 am range - now I am staying in bed until 4:10 am! Woo hoo? Lol! Since the days are getting shorter, fast is getting shorter, too: today is from 4:51 am to 8:57 pm.

I have lost maybe one pound. I am noticing (same as the last three years) my "automatic moves" toward some of my bad eating habits: grabbing "junk" when I am bored, a fondness for chips, and the extra calories in my unnecessary but oh so beloved caffeinated frappe drinks. Fortunately, I had the wisdom to detox my caffeine addiction the week before, so the misery of that wasn't added to the challenge of "first week of fasting."

I am having to actually plan and pay attention to what I am eating (I go through phases of this during non-Ramadan times, too) to make sure I am eating a balanced diet during my limited eating time - protein, fruits and vegetables make me happiest, while breads give me a "full" feeling that is temporary/makes me hungrier sooner. This all seems pretty obviously explained when I type it, but knowing it logically is different than experiencing it, if you get what I mean.

The first couple of days my brain just felt "fuzzy" - maybe the sleep deprivation had a lot to do with it, but my thinking just didn't feel clear. I found myself thinking of homeless people - hungry and rousted out of sleep - and have been thinking of how challenging it must be to "problem solve out of the situation" under these circumstances. My memory, usually quite good, seemed impacted - I was "forgetting" things. I have lived with long term sleep deprivation (mom to premature twins -lol!), but this felt "different" - maybe hormones and adrenaline make it "easier"?

By afternoon my energy feels "low"; the first few days I also felt nearly faint, and weak. I know I am in no danger of actual starvation (thanks to my extra personal padding!), but the change in my sugar levels while my body adjusts/adjusted to the new schedule is/has been miserable at times. Again, I think of the proverbial "grumpy" homeless person....

I am striving to "be nice" especially because my good habit is "not snapping" which can be quite challenging because I seem to be getting less tolerant of STUPID while having more incidences of it myself!

Thirsty is the worst. Dry lips. Dry throat. Not wanting to talk (!). The taste of clean, cool water when fast ends is bliss.

One of the oddest things is that, as soon as the sun sets, I am suddenly NOT STARVED. I have noticed this in previous years, also. I wonder if this is some ancient survival instinct so hungry humans don't wander around in the dangerous night looking for food.

I eat anyway, of course. I just end up eating not as much as I thought I was going to while I fantasized about food all day.

Today will be a challenge, as I am going to be working on an hour long videotape lecture for a project that is very important to me. I was trying to get it done before Ramadan started, because not taking even a sip of water while doing such a long lecture has me wincing in anticipatory dread, but life didn't work out that way, and I need to get this done. I hope I don't screw it up. Sigh.

I am somewhat proud of myself, but in a "wow, I am actually doing this!" way. I feel inspired to try to keep the good habits (especially breakfast!) and add a few more when it finishes (back to regular exercise!). I feel like I am getting the point: I have much to be grateful for.

And I am resolving to carry a case of bottled water for sharing with the homeless men I see on the way to work for the next couple of weeks at least.



Original Thread at Beginning of Ramadan: http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002973625

July 27, 2012

My INALIENABLE Rights TRUMP Your SECOND Amendment Rights.

My rights to LIFE, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness trump your right to own machine guns, assault weapons, and anything that looks like something that could kill half a dozen people from a distance.

I don't know the names or technical specifications or whatever the heck else matters when it comes to the different types of stuff out there, but I. Am. Done. Arguing.

If you want to keep YOUR TOYS, then YOU had better figure out how to make sure the next crackpot off his meds isn't going to shoot up my kid's school, a movie theater, a local fast food restaurant, the street outside his drug buddy's house where my kid is playing jump rope - you name it.

I. Am. Done.

You want to keep them because they really aren't that big of a deal, and you promise you will take care of them, and you will clean up after any mess they make, and because you just LOVE THEM EVER SO MUCH?

Then YOU figure out a way to make sure everyone else stays SAFE.

If YOU, the person who wants this crap sold to "anyone who wants to join your hobby group" can't find a way to STOP YOUR FELLOW HOBBYISTS FROM KILLING PEOPLE, so help me I will do it for you.

And you won't like my solution. I promise.

Are we clear?

I asked, ARE WE CLEAR?

With great power comes great responsibility; you've been lying down with killer dogs and now you and all of your fellow hobbyist are under suspicion of fleas.

It is not MY responsibility to clean up after YOUR mess; if you want to keep playing, you'd better take care of the problem and I mean NOW.

Now go to your room and think about what you've done. And don't come out until you have some better answers than "because I want to" and "daddy said I could back in the olden days!"

Mommy's putting her foot down.

I. Am. Done.

July 19, 2012

Ramadan Begins Tonight/Tomorrow. I will be fasting.

No, I am not Moslem. This will be my fourth year. No one is making me do it, and if I "cheat", no one will care except me.

I find it ... empowering.

You see, Ramadan is a month long exercise in having an "Attitude of Gratitude."

The concept is simple: get up before the sun rises, and eat a healthy breakfast. Skip lunch. Eat a late supper.

From sunrise to sunset = No Food. No Water. No Drink.

It is the "in between" that changes everything.

You see, you aren't supposed to "ignore" being hungry, or thirsty.

= When you are hungry, you are supposed to remember there are people who do not have a choice about breaking their fast at the end of the day, and they will go to bed hungry.

= When you are thirsty, you are supposed to remember there are people who do not have clean water, and they will go to bed thirsty.

= When you break your fast at the close of the day with family and friends, you are supposed to remember there are people who do not have family and friends.

For one solid month, you are supposed to pay attention to how good you've got it, and remember those who don't. It is a visceral thing instead of a purely intellectual exercise, and for me, it is powerful.

Charitable giving from Moslems goes up substantially during Ramadan, and I *totally* understand why. There is something about "being hungry" that makes me very aware of the restaurants and grocery stores that are on practically every corner of my area. Food is everywhere, for those who can afford it. And clean water comes out of the tap without any effort on my part.

When you are hungry, you notice. When you are thirsty, you see. It changes things, at least it does for me.

The first year I fasted was the most challenging; there was one Sunday in particular where I was outside in the hot sun, and man! It was freaking AWFUL! I was so thirsty!

And I got it. My lunch money was donated to the Somalia Water Efforts.

The second year hit me the hardest, though. I had taken my twins (age 3 at the time) to the park, and we were having a small heat wave. Being the good mom, I was making sure they stayed hydrated (children, pregnant women, travelers, and anyone whose health would be compromised are NOT supposed to fast), while I was ready to about fall over every time I left the shaded areas. I was so thirsty...

And that was when it hit me: How would I feel if I couldn't give *my children* clean water??? If MY CHILDREN were THIS THIRSTY - and there was NOTHING I could do about it?

I got it again. Still think about it regularly two years later. Go Somalia Water Effort!!!

This year is going to be tough, not because of the "skipping lunch" part (altho psychologically, I swear that first week is quite challenging starting at 10:00 a.m.!), but because "sunrise" means 4:10 a.m. where I am at, while "sunset" is around 9:00 p.m. Mainly I don't want to get out of bed that early , but I've learned the importance of "breakfast" on those occasions when I hit the snooze alarm instead.

Its going to be some long days, but at the end, I will have Food, Water, and Fellowship.

I am very lucky. I am grateful. And I will remember those who don't.

I will practice my "Attitude of Gratitude" because I have much to be grateful FOR.

Happy Ramadan Everyone!


P.S. You are also supposed to pick "one bad habit" to get rid of, and "one good one" to take on. Mine are going to be "not sniping at family and friends" and "reading scripture daily"; also the above post is my understanding as shared by friends of the faith mentioned, and is not intended to be offensive to anyone.

June 10, 2012

I am the Person Who Posted (thread was locked when I returned)

I am the (volunteer) Executive Director for the Preemie Growth Project. We just completed a study on the effects of micro-nutrient supplementation on premature babies with a 100% efficacy/success rate. You are welcome to continue to pay attention to the website, although I am not soliciting your interest.) Here is the background for the post:

One of the babies in our study was born three months prematurely. At 9 months actual/6 months adjusted, the baby weighed 12 pounds and was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy on June 20, 2011. The mother was told her son would spend the rest of his life in a wheel chair. She joined the study on June 21, 2011. Ten weeks later, the boy weighed 22 pounds, and took his first steps.

The weight gain was normal for the study. The baby was the "worst" health wise, so the results were remarkable. However, there may have been a mis-diagnosis, so while it was noted (and bragged about), its just one of the remarkable things from the study.

Approximately four-to-six weeks ago, I was speaking with some new neighbors. They have a 9 year old girl who was born prematurely. At birth, she weighed 1 pound, 11 ounces. You can imagine the health challenges she has faced, among them a diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy. She has undergone countless surgeries, etc.

As a *neighborly* thing, I gave her family a bottle of the micro-nutrients we were using in the preemie study. (It is available over the counter, and there are dozens of similar brands out there, so please don't try to accuse me of peddling the stuff.) It was a friendly thing, and it couldn't hurt.

Friday night (June 8, 2012), I stopped by to visit, and was completely stunned: the child's CP symptoms are VISIBLY REVERSING. She is developing muscle tone, has gained an average of one pound of weight per week, has fine motor control, and a host of other small things that a CP parent/patient would understand. *I* am not a CP parent; I am a "preemie" expert, and I did NOT expect this type of result, let alone this quickly. *IF* this can be repeated - well, think it through, and see if your head starts exploding, because *MINE* did!!! I did not sleep a wink all Friday night. Saturday morning, I made some phone calls/left messages with some of the folks I know from my work with the preemie babies, but I won't be able to talk to anyone until business Monday.

So, let us review: our charter is for PREEMIE babies, not CP CHILDREN or ADULTS. The neighbor girl isn't even *IN* our study, so we can't even pin point the day her family started giving her the compounds, or document the change rate. There is no way to cost justify a study with "two" children, especially when the baby may have simply been a mis-diagnosis (despite the classic CP symptoms). Both children have physicians at Detroit Children's; I have been invited by the nine year old's family to go with them on July 6, 2012.

If we see the same thing as we have seen with the preemies, the girl will continue to improve over the next several months. The spasticity of her muscles is changing into ACTUAL muscles with "tone" (I will be doing a small video interview with her and her family at 7:00 p.m. EST, but won't be posting it without the family's permission.)

So, here is where I am at: the "holes" in the brains (aka "brain damage&quot may simply be a side effect, not a cause of CP symptoms, and if it is a micro-nutrient deficiency issue, instead of a life long problem, it may be correctable, reversible, and hopefully, obsolete. The fact that neurologists missed this is most likely because they haven't been reading Gastroenterology textbooks, but I am *not* looking forward to explaining to them that they have spent their lives getting it wrong!!! Also, we don't know if the long term effects of the micro-nutrient deficiency (*IF* that is what it is) are reversible in adults; I repeat, I did NOT expect a 9 year old to begin "reversing."

BUT *I* am not a CP expert. I needed to find some people with a dog in the fight. I've got a couple of people now, and I am now taking the discussion off-line with them.

No promises are being given. Two small miracles do not constitute a cure. I am not going to make any money off of this, nor will my organization. On the contrary, a lot of people will *LOSE* money if CP becomes a reversible malady with six months of inexpensive supplementation, which means not good things for anyone trying to bring it up for discussion.

Furthermore, I did not expect the post to generate such controversy. I made it at 9:00 a.m., and several hours later, no one had replied. I made an assumption it had sunk to oblivion, double checked it this morning, and discovered it had been locked, with me being maligned as all kinds of scum.

I reject the characterizations, and stand ready to defend myself in this thread. I realize the "hope" may seem cruel, but I stand by what I am reporting, and am grateful to the families who are stepping up to find out if this is a "repeatable miracle" or not.

If you don't see a quick reply, its because I am running late for my appointment with the neighbor girl. This is an amazing thing, and I am thrilled about it.

I have been having a private discussion with another DU'er, and I repeat the comment I made to her: either I am wrong, or the folks who haven't been able to find a "cure" for the last fifty years are. For the sake of thousands, I'm hoping I am the one in the right. But its going to take some other people's investigation to help find out. I can only pray this is the answer so many people have been searching for - what are the odds, eh? What are the odds a little girl with CP would move two houses down from the Preemie Lady?

June 9, 2012

Need to Connect with Parents of Children with Cerebral Palsy ASAP

Apologies for not posting in a very long time; its been a very busy time.

I need to connect with any parents of children with Cerebral Palsy; I am specifically looking for parents who are willing to try a non-invasive, no-risk "cure" for cerebral palsy without physician supervision as a supplement to whatever therapies they are currently undergoing.

I apologize, but I am not sure if this will work for adults, but it looks like CP *may* be reversible for children. Unfortunately, the sample size is too small to make any guarantees - one child was nine months old, and it *may* have been a simple misdiagnosis, but the other is 9 years old, and the change in four to six weeks is frankly incredible. (I would not have expected these results this quickly; she is standing unassisted for twenty minutes, has gained six pounds of muscle weight, and has gained fine motor control, among other things.)

Please do not mistake this message for a promise, but if I am right (and I am), CP is NOT an incurable disease, but a correctable, reversable deficiency. Some of the side effects may not be fixable for patients who have suffered the deficiency long term however, so the younger, the better. And I could be wrong. (But I don't think I am - just how on earth are we going to get this to the people who need it, if it works?)

Not a cure for cancer, not a cure-all, but a piece of the puzzle. If you know of someone who might be interested in learning more, please PM me to discuss.

Ida Briggs
Preemie Growth Project