Friday, December 23, 2011
All I Want for Christmas...
As the holidays come upon us, in my family, the question, "So what do you want for Christmas?" and the topic of the intermediate family gift exchange arises. The store shelves are full of all kinds of cool gifts, as are advertised on television: toys, gaming systems, fishing and outdoor equipment, electronics, etc. I haven't given much thought to this, although sure I'd like a Nintendo Wii, Amazon Kindle/Barnes and Noble Nook, books, compact discs (CDs), or digital video discs (DVDs), but I stand in my home and look around and am reminded of more immediate needs: my husband and I need new clothing and shoes to replace that which is too tight and worn out, my husband's broken hearing aids needs replaced, our broken vacuum cleaner needs replaced, we need new drinking glasses to replace those which have broken over the years, we need food in our refrigerator and cupboards, my husband's car needs the passenger compartment heating/cooling system blower fan reapired (as it's with little heat this winter) and it's brake rotors need replaced, repairs which will likely cost over $1000 of which we don't have. So in a sense, I guess I've grown up, matured, and gained new perspectives. Christmas and even life is no longer about what we want, but rather about what we need to get by in our every day needs. So in conclusuion, I don't want anything for Christmas this year, although clothing would be nice, and of course to spend time with my friends and family.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Texas Mom Denied Foodstamps for Months, Shoots Own Kids
This is sad...
Unfortunately there are those who'd politicize this tragedy in the name of the pro-choice view point. Pro-choice activists at the Facebook group Pro-Choice/Pro-Life Open Forum are quick to blame political opponents and assume this is the result of unwanted children. However, no where in the article does it state whether the children were planned or not. Also, I find it rather patronizing to assume one's children are unplanned or unwanted based on one's income and the number of children. Followed to it's premise, one could deduce from the above discussion (at Pro-Choice/Pro-Life Open Forum), this incident could of been prevented if this woman only had access to birth control and abortion, which I feel is classist and the antithesis to "choice", akin to telling low-income women they need to be limit their family size and get "fixed" like a stray animal for their own good. Also, they are missing the bigger picture of the many socioeconomic factors which contribute to poverty and desperation, such as in this case, which can't be fixed by pushing for birth control and abortion access as a cover all solution. I see an overwhelmed mother, with an untreated mental illness, who did not have access to community resources and who fell through the cracks of an overwhelmed, flawed bureaucratic welfare system (which, in my opinion needs reformed, not removed).
Texas Welfare Office Shooting: Mom Denied Food Stamps For Months, Shoots Own Kids
PAUL J. WEBER 12/ 6/11 09:24 PM ET AP
SAN ANTONIO — A Texas woman who for months was unable to qualify for food stamps pulled a gun in a state welfare office and staged a seven-hour standoff with police that ended with her shooting her two children before killing herself, officials said Tuesday.
The children, a 10-year-old boy and a 12-year-old girl, remained in critical condition Tuesday. The shooting took place at a Texas Department of Health and Human Services building in Laredo, where police said about 25 people were inside at the time.
Authorities identified the mother as Rachelle Grimmer, 38, and children Ramie and Timothy. Laredo police investigator Joe Baeza said Grimmer had recently moved to the border city from Zanesville, Ohio, about 30 miles east of Columbus.
Grimmer first applied for food stamps in July but was denied because she didn't turn in enough information, Texas Department of Health and Human Services spokeswoman Stephanie Goodman said.
Goodman didn't know what Grimmer specifically failed to provide. In addition to completing an 18-page application, families seeking state benefits also must provide documents proving their information, such as proof of employment and residency.
"We were still waiting, and if we had that, I don't know if she would still qualify or not," Goodman said.
Goodman said Grimmer's last contact with the agency appeared to be a phone call in mid-November. When the family entered the Laredo office on Monday shortly before 5 p.m., Goodman said Grimmer asked to speak to a new caseworker, and not the one whom she worked with previously.
Shortly thereafter, Goodman said, Grimmer was taken to a private room to discuss her case. She said it was there the mother revealed a gun and the standoff began.
Police negotiators stayed on the phone with Grimmer throughout the evening, but she kept hanging up, Baeza said. She allegedly told negotiators about a litany of complaints against state and federal government agencies.
Despite those complaints, Baeza said it wasn't clear what specifically triggered the standoff.
"This wasn't like a knee-jerk reaction," said Baeza, adding that Grimmer felt she was owed restitution of some sort.
Grimmer let a supervisor go unharmed around 7:45, but stayed inside the office with her children. After hanging up the phone around 11:45, police heard three shots, and a SWAT team entered the building. Inside, they found Grimmer's body and her two wounded children.
The children were "very critical" and unconscious when taken from the scene, Baeza said.
Multiple family members in Ohio and Missouri did not immediately return phone messages Tuesday. The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services said the agency had no information on Grimmer.
A YouTube channel the family appeared to have created in 2009 includes a profile that reads, "We are Shell, Ramie and Tim. Mom, daughter 10 and son 8. We like turtles, horses, and being outside. The kids have two turtles, an alligator snapper and a red eared slider. We work on naturalizing them and try to give them the most natural setting possible."
There are no videos uploaded. Tagged as favorites are an eclectic mix of nearly two dozen videos, ranging from a solar panel installation to a live clip of the band of AC/DC. The "Hometown" category reads: "We don't have one."
Goodman credited an office supervisor, a 24-year veteran of the agency, for ensuring the release of the other employees.
"He had told her he would try to help her, and that if she would let everyone else leave, he would talk to her," Goodman said.
Goodman didn't know whether Grimmer had a job, or whether her children were covered under Medicaid or the state children's health insurance program. The family had no history with the Texas Department of Child Protective Services.
The family's move from Ohio may have complicated Grimmer's application if the family had no Texas records the agency could check electronically, Goodman said. Grimmer also would have been denied benefits if she was receiving welfare assistance.
Grimmer also appeared to fall out of touch during her pursuit of food stamps. The mother originally applied July 7, but Goodman said Grimmer missed her first interview and didn't call back and reschedule for a few weeks. Her case was closed Aug. 8 for lack of a full application, Goodman said.
How much food stamp money a family receives depends on their income level. The average family on food stamps in Texas receives $294 a month.
Three months later, Grimmer called the agency's ombudsman Nov. 16 and requested a review of how her rejected case was handled. Goodman said the agency found that caseworkers acted appropriately after looking over Grimmer's file, and a supervisor called Grimmer's cell phone last Thursday to tell her the outcome. No one answered and the phone's voicemail box was full, Goodman said.
"The indications she had she was dealing with a lot of issues," Goodman said.
State welfare offices have come under scrutiny in the past for being overburdened, but Goodman said the agency has made significant strides in the past three years. She said wait times are shorter, and that Grimmer was scheduled for her initial interview just one day after applying. Grimmer didn't make the appointment, she said.
Goodman said it's not unusual for caseworkers to confront angry or confused benefit-seekers, but that it's very rare for a situation to escalate to violence.
___
Also, see Texas mom shoots self, kids after welfare standoff
Associated Press Writer Christopher Sherman in McAllen, Texas, contributed to this report.
Unfortunately there are those who'd politicize this tragedy in the name of the pro-choice view point. Pro-choice activists at the Facebook group Pro-Choice/Pro-Life Open Forum are quick to blame political opponents and assume this is the result of unwanted children. However, no where in the article does it state whether the children were planned or not. Also, I find it rather patronizing to assume one's children are unplanned or unwanted based on one's income and the number of children. Followed to it's premise, one could deduce from the above discussion (at Pro-Choice/Pro-Life Open Forum), this incident could of been prevented if this woman only had access to birth control and abortion, which I feel is classist and the antithesis to "choice", akin to telling low-income women they need to be limit their family size and get "fixed" like a stray animal for their own good. Also, they are missing the bigger picture of the many socioeconomic factors which contribute to poverty and desperation, such as in this case, which can't be fixed by pushing for birth control and abortion access as a cover all solution. I see an overwhelmed mother, with an untreated mental illness, who did not have access to community resources and who fell through the cracks of an overwhelmed, flawed bureaucratic welfare system (which, in my opinion needs reformed, not removed).
Saturday, October 15, 2011
The Joys and Challenges of Fostering
This past month, I took in and helped care for a neighbor's neutered male diabetic cat, named Cartman, on a temporary foster basis with my neighbor's blessing, to provide him with more individualized care and attention and hopefully to get his blood sugar under control. Cartman was a very loving cat. He was diagnosed with diabetes by a vet 2 years prior, but my neighbor was unable to afford the veterinarian care he needed and has a multiple cat household. She tried to manage his diabetes with diet with canned food (although inconsistently), and complicating this, Cartman was a picky eater. He was under-weight and I suspected his blood sugar levels were elevated. Unfortunately, my husband and I didn't have the money either for veterinarian care and insulin, so we took a conservative home treatment approach (in an other-wise healthy diabetic cat, this is acceptable, however in Cartman's case, this wasn't such a good idea, as I'll explain later). Since coming to my home, Cartman was put on a special diet of Fancy Feast White Chicken Appetizer/Friskies Chicken pate, Iams Kitten Pro-Active dry food (this was later phased out of his diet due to dry kibble having a high level of carbohydrates), and I supplemented this with Vita Gravy (for cats) and Cat-Sip mixed in his wet food, which he loved and lapped up, to help with weight gain. Also, I wanted to get a blood glucose meter to home test and keep an eye on his blood sugar levels and was waiting until payday, when someone on the Feline Diabetes Message Board told me about Newbie Kits for Cats, a volunteer effort which receives donations of diabetic testing supplies and puts together kits (with a blood glucose meter, testing strips, lancets, and special extras such as home-made catnip toys, a warming sock, and low-carbohydrate treats) which they then distribute to individuals who have difficulty affording these supplies. I received my kit today and was very grateful for this gift. Life with Cartman has been...interesting. Our weekday routine starts with Cartman meowing and demanding his food anywhere from midnight to 2am and breakfast at 6 am, which in the mornings, I feed him and ran interference so he doesn't get under hubby's feet while he gets ready for work. Then I lay back down for a bit, usually waking to a meowing kittty either laying on or next to my head and kneading my face. Because of his diabetes, Cartman is hungry more often than most cats and needs (or should I say "demands") to be fed wet cat food every four to six hours. After breakfast he typically would sleep for the rest of the afternoon. Because I work on weekends, Cartman goes back home to be cared for by his mom (my neighbor) and I pick him up either on Sunday night or Monday afternoon and we start the routine all over again :) Yes, it was a lot of work, but rewarding in having Cartman's companionship and unconditional love, and definitely worth it!
Update: On Monday, October 17th, Cartman took a turn for the worse, resulting in an emergency trip to the vet. Not good news.He was in acute renal (kidney) failure and shock. The vet informed us that the average life span for a cat once they're diagnosed with diabetes is 2 years and Cartman wasn't diagnosed until 2008 (when he was 7 yrs old) and his diabetes have been not well controlled for a few years. The vet informed us there wasn't much we could do, he may make it maybe another 24 hrs at most. We were both devastated. My neighbor was given the option of euthanasia or taking him home to make him comfortable as possible until he passes, where he'd be in familiar environment (which is what the vet felt was best) and she opted to bring him home. Cartman passed away in his mother's arms on October 18th a little after 5 o'clock in the afternoon, following complications of diabetes. Fly Free Cartman, land every so softly back in both your mommies hearts
Update: On Monday, October 17th, Cartman took a turn for the worse, resulting in an emergency trip to the vet. Not good news.He was in acute renal (kidney) failure and shock. The vet informed us that the average life span for a cat once they're diagnosed with diabetes is 2 years and Cartman wasn't diagnosed until 2008 (when he was 7 yrs old) and his diabetes have been not well controlled for a few years. The vet informed us there wasn't much we could do, he may make it maybe another 24 hrs at most. We were both devastated. My neighbor was given the option of euthanasia or taking him home to make him comfortable as possible until he passes, where he'd be in familiar environment (which is what the vet felt was best) and she opted to bring him home. Cartman passed away in his mother's arms on October 18th a little after 5 o'clock in the afternoon, following complications of diabetes. Fly Free Cartman, land every so softly back in both your mommies hearts
Cartman Hall
March 2001-October 18, 2011
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Help Stamp Out Stigma This Halloween
It's that time of year again...It's the season for ghosts and goblins, and unfortunately stigma for those living with a mental illness. Every year, some local haunted house attractions take the form of "insane asylums," featuring "mental patients" as murderers or ghouls. Halloween costumes, displays, or other products may reflect similar themes with straightjackets and statues.While it is often claimed such costumes and fun houses are only in humor and fun, not ment to depict mentally ill individuals, such depictions are based off of a sordid history of early mental health treatment, depicting actual hospitals and conditions the mentally ill endured during that time period. Also, when such stereotypes are used, where mentally ill individuals are only portrayed only as antagonists or villains, portrayed as violent, or when offensive or insensitive symbols (e.g., straitjackets), these perpetuate stigma and stereotypes which can be quite hurtful and damaging to those living with a mental illness today:
•Straitjackets represent extremely painful, traumatic experiences. Their image is hurtful to individuals and families who struggle with mental illness.
•Using straitjackets for entertainment demeans individual dignity and trivializes mental illness.
•Straitjackets are often associated with violence.
•Violent stereotypes are inaccurate and offensive. Most people who suffer from a mental disorder are not violent there is no need to fear them. Embrace them for who they are normal human beings experiencing a difficult time, who need your open mind, caring attitude, and helpful support.”(Grohol, 1998) Grohol, J. M. “Dispelling the violence myth.” Psych Central. (June, 1998).
•Lunatic" is an obsolete, stigmatizing, offensive term—just like racial and ethnic slurs that once were used in the past. "Pyscho" also is insulting and further perpetuates stigma, along with themes like "Halloween of Horrors."
These images reinforce shame and create the kind of stigma that the U.S. Surgeon General has found to be a major barrier to people seeking help when they need it. Remember, offensive portrayals of heart or cancer patients would never be tolerated. The issue isn't "political correctness." It's about human dignity and a public health crisis. Usually, no one intends to offend, but they need to understand that the effect is not only offensive, but also generates stigma. Here's what you can do if you encounter such displays and costumes:
•Complain directly to a store manager of an offending item and ask that a store product be removed from shelves. For chain stores, ask to contact the regional manager.
•Complain to the owner or sponsor of a Halloween attraction especially if it involves a service club and ask for the attraction theme to be changed. The sponsors may apologize but be unwilling or unable to change the attractions this year. If so, ask instead for a public statement or written promise to use a different theme in the future. Also, if the sponsor is a club, ask to make a presentation on mental illness at one of their meetings.
•If dialogue fails, have NAMI members, family and friends phone, send letters, or e-mail the sponsor—as well as to any newspaper or radio station running a promotion. Letters from allies such as hospital directors or medical societies may especially have an impact.
•Contact local newspaper editors and television news directors. Use the controversy as a "teaching moment" about mental illness and the need to eliminate stigma.
Together, you can help stamp out stigma this Halloween.
•Straitjackets represent extremely painful, traumatic experiences. Their image is hurtful to individuals and families who struggle with mental illness.
•Using straitjackets for entertainment demeans individual dignity and trivializes mental illness.
•Straitjackets are often associated with violence.
•Violent stereotypes are inaccurate and offensive. Most people who suffer from a mental disorder are not violent there is no need to fear them. Embrace them for who they are normal human beings experiencing a difficult time, who need your open mind, caring attitude, and helpful support.”(Grohol, 1998) Grohol, J. M. “Dispelling the violence myth.” Psych Central. (June, 1998).
•Lunatic" is an obsolete, stigmatizing, offensive term—just like racial and ethnic slurs that once were used in the past. "Pyscho" also is insulting and further perpetuates stigma, along with themes like "Halloween of Horrors."
These images reinforce shame and create the kind of stigma that the U.S. Surgeon General has found to be a major barrier to people seeking help when they need it. Remember, offensive portrayals of heart or cancer patients would never be tolerated. The issue isn't "political correctness." It's about human dignity and a public health crisis. Usually, no one intends to offend, but they need to understand that the effect is not only offensive, but also generates stigma. Here's what you can do if you encounter such displays and costumes:
•Complain directly to a store manager of an offending item and ask that a store product be removed from shelves. For chain stores, ask to contact the regional manager.
•Complain to the owner or sponsor of a Halloween attraction especially if it involves a service club and ask for the attraction theme to be changed. The sponsors may apologize but be unwilling or unable to change the attractions this year. If so, ask instead for a public statement or written promise to use a different theme in the future. Also, if the sponsor is a club, ask to make a presentation on mental illness at one of their meetings.
•If dialogue fails, have NAMI members, family and friends phone, send letters, or e-mail the sponsor—as well as to any newspaper or radio station running a promotion. Letters from allies such as hospital directors or medical societies may especially have an impact.
•Contact local newspaper editors and television news directors. Use the controversy as a "teaching moment" about mental illness and the need to eliminate stigma.
Together, you can help stamp out stigma this Halloween.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
An Update...
Yeah, I realize I've taken a pretty long hiatus. My laptop has been down for the last 8 months and was just recently repaired. But truth be told, although I have computer and internet access at the local public library, I just haven't felt like blogging much as of late. Maybe it's my depression, maybe it's my chaotic work schedule, I don't know. But do know that I will be checking in from time to time and posting sporadicly. So to my regular readers, I ask that you don't give up hope on me yet and to my visitors and new readers, I say welcome!
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Abortion Safety Questions and Answers
Q: Isn't Having an Abortion Safer Than Childbirth?
According to Jezebel, the claim "Abortion is safer than childbirth" comes from 2002 CDC statistics. In 2002, the CDC recorded 9 deaths out of 845,573 abortions. That's a little over 1 in 100,000. Also in 2002, the CDC recorded 8.9 maternal deaths for every 100,000 live births. From there, they deduct carrying a child to term was about 9 times more dangerous than having an abortion. However, there are some issues with this approach and deduction, with the comparison of abortion mortality and maternal mortality rates. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control report for pregnancy-related mortality rates: "In this report, a woman's death was classified as pregnancy-related if it occurred during pregnancy or within 1 year of pregnancy and resulted from 1) complications of the pregnancy, 2) a chain of events that was initiated by the pregnancy, or 3) the aggravation of an unrelated condition by the physiologic effects of the pregnancy or its management". This means pregnancy-related mortality rates are broadly defined to included the following: aggravation of a maternal pre-existing, non-pregnancy-related medical condition, pregnancy-induced maternal medical condition, miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, molar pregnancy, still birth, post-partum complications, and includes induced abortion. Therfore the maternal mortality rates are inflated and we are not comparing with the pregnancy mortality rate alone. In addition, regarding the CDC and AGI reports for Induced Abortions, mortalities resulting from induced abortion are typically under-reported as such. One reason is that a medical examiner may code the underlying cause of death on the autopsy report as the complication alone, i.e. embolism, septsis, hemorrhage, or anesthesia complications, rather than correctly as a legally induced abortion with specified complication. A good explination of this can be found here. Therefore it is misleading to compare pregnancy-related mortality rates to abortion mortality rates to obtain the conclusion that abortion is safer than childbirth.
Q: How Safe Is Having an Abortion?
Mortality and morbidity depend on gestational age (GA) at time of abortion. In the US, mortality rates per 100,000 abortions are as follows: (1) fewer than 8 weeks, 0.5; (2) 11-12 weeks, 2.2; (3) 16-20 weeks, 14; and (4) more than 21 weeks, 18. Let me put this into perspective for you. Consider that in 2002, 1.3 million abortions were preformed and 430,000 spontaneous abortions occured in the United States, (source: Unintended Pregnancy Statistics) for this purpose, a total of 1.73 million, correlating the number of total spontaneous and elective abortions to the above mortality rates for spontaneous and elective abortions <-- 0.5 in 100,00 is equivalent to 1 in 200,000, divide 1.73 million by 200,00 and so on --> this translates to the following statistic number of mortalities (or deaths) which occur for spontaneous and elective abortions (but keep in mind the actual numbers may be higher or lower), (1) fewer than 8 weeks, 8.7 deaths, (2)11-12 weeks, 38 deaths, (3) 16-20 weeks, 242 deaths, 4) more than 21 weeks, 311 deaths. To put a face on these deaths, the Real Choice website features the names and cases of women killed during abortions.
According to the CDC Abortion Surveillance taken during the years 1972 to 2002, the total number of deaths due to legal induced abortion were highest before the 1980s (despite widespread legalization in 1973) and during the years 1972 to 2002 there were more deaths due to legal abortions than illegal abortions, with a steady trend of of 12.6 abortion deaths average a year in the United States (see table 19), however the CDC admits that because these data are reported voluntarily, several limitations and under-reporting exist (see Limitations). Medscape's continuing medical education website, E-Medicine, features the following complication and mortality statistics for abortion:
Abortion Complications: complications of spontaneous and therapeutic abortions include (1) complications of anesthesia, (2) postabortion triad (ie, pain, bleeding, low-grade fever), (3) hematometra, (4) retained products of conception, (5) uterine perforation, (6) bowel and bladder injury, (7) failed abortion, (8) septic abortion, (9) cervical shock, (10) cervical laceration, and (11) disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Frequency of complications depends on gestational age at time of abortion and method of abortion. Reported complication rates according to gestational age at time of abortion are as follows: for 8 weeks and under - Less than 1% or less than 17,300 women will experience complications, for 8-12 weeks - 1.5 to 2% or 25,950 to 34,600 women, 12-13 weeks - 3 to 6% or 51,900 to 103,800 women, Second trimester - Up to 50% or 865,000 women, possibly higher.
H/T: Life Report's Link Party: On the Danger's of Abortion
According to Jezebel, the claim "Abortion is safer than childbirth" comes from 2002 CDC statistics. In 2002, the CDC recorded 9 deaths out of 845,573 abortions. That's a little over 1 in 100,000. Also in 2002, the CDC recorded 8.9 maternal deaths for every 100,000 live births. From there, they deduct carrying a child to term was about 9 times more dangerous than having an abortion. However, there are some issues with this approach and deduction, with the comparison of abortion mortality and maternal mortality rates. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control report for pregnancy-related mortality rates: "In this report, a woman's death was classified as pregnancy-related if it occurred during pregnancy or within 1 year of pregnancy and resulted from 1) complications of the pregnancy, 2) a chain of events that was initiated by the pregnancy, or 3) the aggravation of an unrelated condition by the physiologic effects of the pregnancy or its management". This means pregnancy-related mortality rates are broadly defined to included the following: aggravation of a maternal pre-existing, non-pregnancy-related medical condition, pregnancy-induced maternal medical condition, miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, molar pregnancy, still birth, post-partum complications, and includes induced abortion. Therfore the maternal mortality rates are inflated and we are not comparing with the pregnancy mortality rate alone. In addition, regarding the CDC and AGI reports for Induced Abortions, mortalities resulting from induced abortion are typically under-reported as such. One reason is that a medical examiner may code the underlying cause of death on the autopsy report as the complication alone, i.e. embolism, septsis, hemorrhage, or anesthesia complications, rather than correctly as a legally induced abortion with specified complication. A good explination of this can be found here. Therefore it is misleading to compare pregnancy-related mortality rates to abortion mortality rates to obtain the conclusion that abortion is safer than childbirth.
Q: How Safe Is Having an Abortion?
Mortality and morbidity depend on gestational age (GA) at time of abortion. In the US, mortality rates per 100,000 abortions are as follows: (1) fewer than 8 weeks, 0.5; (2) 11-12 weeks, 2.2; (3) 16-20 weeks, 14; and (4) more than 21 weeks, 18. Let me put this into perspective for you. Consider that in 2002, 1.3 million abortions were preformed and 430,000 spontaneous abortions occured in the United States, (source: Unintended Pregnancy Statistics) for this purpose, a total of 1.73 million, correlating the number of total spontaneous and elective abortions to the above mortality rates for spontaneous and elective abortions <-- 0.5 in 100,00 is equivalent to 1 in 200,000, divide 1.73 million by 200,00 and so on --> this translates to the following statistic number of mortalities (or deaths) which occur for spontaneous and elective abortions (but keep in mind the actual numbers may be higher or lower), (1) fewer than 8 weeks, 8.7 deaths, (2)11-12 weeks, 38 deaths, (3) 16-20 weeks, 242 deaths, 4) more than 21 weeks, 311 deaths. To put a face on these deaths, the Real Choice website features the names and cases of women killed during abortions.
According to the CDC Abortion Surveillance taken during the years 1972 to 2002, the total number of deaths due to legal induced abortion were highest before the 1980s (despite widespread legalization in 1973) and during the years 1972 to 2002 there were more deaths due to legal abortions than illegal abortions, with a steady trend of of 12.6 abortion deaths average a year in the United States (see table 19), however the CDC admits that because these data are reported voluntarily, several limitations and under-reporting exist (see Limitations). Medscape's continuing medical education website, E-Medicine, features the following complication and mortality statistics for abortion:
Abortion Complications: complications of spontaneous and therapeutic abortions include (1) complications of anesthesia, (2) postabortion triad (ie, pain, bleeding, low-grade fever), (3) hematometra, (4) retained products of conception, (5) uterine perforation, (6) bowel and bladder injury, (7) failed abortion, (8) septic abortion, (9) cervical shock, (10) cervical laceration, and (11) disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Frequency of complications depends on gestational age at time of abortion and method of abortion. Reported complication rates according to gestational age at time of abortion are as follows: for 8 weeks and under - Less than 1% or less than 17,300 women will experience complications, for 8-12 weeks - 1.5 to 2% or 25,950 to 34,600 women, 12-13 weeks - 3 to 6% or 51,900 to 103,800 women, Second trimester - Up to 50% or 865,000 women, possibly higher.
H/T: Life Report's Link Party: On the Danger's of Abortion
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Pro-Life Videos
Just wanted to share a couple of powerful, moving pro-life videos, two fiction and one based on a true story of a woman's horrifying abortion experience:
To Be Born
Official Movie Website
Synopsis:
To Be Born is about a young woman faced with an unplanned pregnancy that seeks to have an abortion. In the midst of the procedure, she finds herself in a regrettable situation when she hears her unborn daughter begin to describe the chilling details of what is happening to her.
Sarah's Choice
Synopsis:
Grammy-Award-winning recording artist Rebecca St. James stars as Sarah Collins, a young woman on the rise. As a junior account executive at a major advertising agency, Sarah is poised to get it all: executive promotion, salary increase, new car, fabulous apartment and first-class travel. Theres only one thing thats going to keep her from getting it, her unborn baby.
Full movie can be purchased on DVD at most Christian bookstores.
22 Weeks (Trailer)
Official Movie Website
Synopsis:
Based on a true story. The story of a woman using the name "Angele" who underwent a late-term induction abortion, at EPOC Clinic for Women, which went terribly wrong. Her full story can be found here and here
To Be Born
Official Movie Website
Synopsis:
To Be Born is about a young woman faced with an unplanned pregnancy that seeks to have an abortion. In the midst of the procedure, she finds herself in a regrettable situation when she hears her unborn daughter begin to describe the chilling details of what is happening to her.
Sarah's Choice
Synopsis:
Grammy-Award-winning recording artist Rebecca St. James stars as Sarah Collins, a young woman on the rise. As a junior account executive at a major advertising agency, Sarah is poised to get it all: executive promotion, salary increase, new car, fabulous apartment and first-class travel. Theres only one thing thats going to keep her from getting it, her unborn baby.
Full movie can be purchased on DVD at most Christian bookstores.
22 Weeks (Trailer)
Official Movie Website
Synopsis:
Based on a true story. The story of a woman using the name "Angele" who underwent a late-term induction abortion, at EPOC Clinic for Women, which went terribly wrong. Her full story can be found here and here
Friday, December 24, 2010
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Let Us Be Thoughtful & Thankful This Thanksgiving
As I'm sitting down for breakfast this Thanksgiving morning, I'm taking a moment to reflect on what I'm thankful for:
1)Freedom: to practice the religion of my choosing or not practice at all, the right to work, and the right to have a voice and vote
2)My Family and Friends: You know who you are. Thank you for being there through the hard times and by my side to laugh through the good times.
3)My Best Friend and the Love of My Life, "B": I just want to let you know that I love you very much. We've been through some hard times together, but we've made it though. Thank you for being there through the hard times and by my side to laugh through the good times.
4)Finding and becoming employed with not only one, but two jobs after 6 months of unemployment.
5)My supervisors, who took a chance and gave me the opportunity to gain experience, as well as work in a field I enjoy
6)The individuals who've helped us out during difficult financial times.
7)A roof over our head, which is safe and protects us from the weather.
8)Food on the Table
9)Clothing and Shoes to Wear
10)Experiences Which Let me Walk in Others Shoes and Keeps Me Humble
11)Chocolate
12)Our Two Cats: They've brought us companionship, comfort, and laughter, they're practically members of our family
13)Indoor Plumbing/Electricity
14)Hot Chocolate and Warm, Soft, Chocolate Chip Cookies
15)Books Which Comfort, Inspire, Make Me Think, and Entertain
16)Our Firefighters, Police Officers, and the Men and Women Serving Our Country...Thank you
17)Nurses, doctors, and nursing assistants, you heal and comfort, and are underappreciated for all that you do...Thank you
18)Minimal Traffic on the Interstate Highway
19)...and Safe Arrivals For Myself, My Friends, and My Family at Their Destinations
20)Two Words: Star...Wars
I hope everyone has a safe and fun holidays.
1)Freedom: to practice the religion of my choosing or not practice at all, the right to work, and the right to have a voice and vote
2)My Family and Friends: You know who you are. Thank you for being there through the hard times and by my side to laugh through the good times.
3)My Best Friend and the Love of My Life, "B": I just want to let you know that I love you very much. We've been through some hard times together, but we've made it though. Thank you for being there through the hard times and by my side to laugh through the good times.
4)Finding and becoming employed with not only one, but two jobs after 6 months of unemployment.
5)My supervisors, who took a chance and gave me the opportunity to gain experience, as well as work in a field I enjoy
6)The individuals who've helped us out during difficult financial times.
7)A roof over our head, which is safe and protects us from the weather.
8)Food on the Table
9)Clothing and Shoes to Wear
10)Experiences Which Let me Walk in Others Shoes and Keeps Me Humble
11)Chocolate
12)Our Two Cats: They've brought us companionship, comfort, and laughter, they're practically members of our family
13)Indoor Plumbing/Electricity
14)Hot Chocolate and Warm, Soft, Chocolate Chip Cookies
15)Books Which Comfort, Inspire, Make Me Think, and Entertain
16)Our Firefighters, Police Officers, and the Men and Women Serving Our Country...Thank you
17)Nurses, doctors, and nursing assistants, you heal and comfort, and are underappreciated for all that you do...Thank you
18)Minimal Traffic on the Interstate Highway
19)...and Safe Arrivals For Myself, My Friends, and My Family at Their Destinations
20)Two Words: Star...Wars
I hope everyone has a safe and fun holidays.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
On This Day Nine Years Ago
September 11th, 2001 at 8:46am, the first United Airlines plane crashed into the North Twin Tower and many lives were changed forever. Today, please take a moment of silence and bow your heads to remember the individuals and service men/women who lost their lives in this tragedy nine years today and to hold in your thoughts and prayers (whatever your spiritual beliefs may be) for our men and women serving over seas. Thank you. Peace and spiritual blessings to you on this day.
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