How can this be Happenening?

Thursday of last week my mother called my sister, Shawnta and I three way. This was not unusual for us because we usually do this about three to four times a month. This time was different; I could tell there was something wrong; she was not her chipper self.  Whether she wanted to talk about one of the grandchildren or let us know something ridiculous my daddy had done; she was always in a good mood. Her mood was very solemn this time. The information she had for us was nothing like we expected. The results from her CT scan, she had a month ago, showed suspicious spots on her pancreas and her blood enzyme level is very high. She tried to tell us without crying and in fact did very well; until she told us they think it may be cancer. How could this be happening to our mother? Shawnta and I were in disbelief; we were strong for her and could not wait for her to give the phone to our daddy. Finally, she gave him the phone not a moment too soon; we both broke down crying. My daddy kept telling us the doctors don’t know for sure yet. We have to keep our faith, pray and not give up. They are supposed to go back to the doctor on Monday to meet with her doctor. Shawnta and I believe the meeting with the doctor is to let our mother know how advanced the cancer is.   

My mother has six grandchildren which range in ages from 2 to 19. She does not want us to tell them anything just yet. My sister has two girls, Allie, 19 and Erin, 17; I have four boys, Blake, 10, Logan, 5 Jordyn, 4 and Nathan, 2. I think Allie, Erin, and Blake will be upset with us for not telling them now. They are old enough to know something is going on. Logan, Jordyn, and Nathan are too young to understand what is going on, so I understand not telling them. We all have been on pins and needles just waiting for Monday to get here. What does the future hold for my family?

Dealing with ADHD & ODD

I had always heard my mother say ADHD is something parents made up; so they wouldn’t have to make their children mind. I believed this to be true for many years; and was so ashamed after we found out my second son, Logan has ADHD.

When Logan was a baby he would sometimes become upset over little things but we never thought anything of it. As time went by his aggression became more & more out of control. He would become agitated by simple things: such as one of my other sons getting too close to where he was playing, if they looked at him the wrong way and especially if he thought they were laughing at him. He would occasionally turn to physical retaliation; which he would be punished for but never seemed to help. When Logan was 4, Jordyn, our younger son came to us and told us “Logan scares me sometimes.” I do believe that was the most chilling thing I had ever heard one of my sons say. He started kindergarten in August 2011, and the first few months were a nightmare. He was not able to sit still, concentrate on his work, control his emotions or retain anything he has learned. I didn’t know what to do, where to go, or to punish Logan every time he did something that was against the rules. I was so confused not wanting others to think of me what I had thought of other parents for years. I had to have some kind of help, so I called the pediatrician to find an answer. She referred us to a psychologist to have Logan assessed. After months of play therapy, the psychologist was leaning more towards Asperger’s Syndrome. We tried several different techniques but to no avail; Logan still had his issues.  We decided to try another psychologist; someone that would exclusively treat pediatric patients. After only two sessions with the new doctor, he decided Logan needed to be tested for ADHD. We had to wait four days for the results; it was like waiting an eternity. The results came back diagnosing Logan with ADHD (attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder) and ODD (oppositional defiant disorder). There was finally a reason why he acted out the way he did; could there possibly be peace in our home? I kicked myself a thousand times for believing my mother all those years. A decision had to be made to place him on medication or let him be the way he was. There are so many different views on the medication for ADHD, but I had to use my motherly instincts and put Logan on the medication. A whole new world opened up to him and I do not regret anything we have done. Logan seems to be at peace and does not look for every little thing that might agitate him. He actually enjoys school now and he & his brother get along great.     

Does the FDA really care about our food source?

I would say that the auditor's that were hired did in part cause the fatal listeria outbreak in the cantaloupes. Why would the auditor's give advice on the packaging system at this time? On the other hand, why would Jensen Farms take this information & implement it? If the system you have in place is working for you & the product has been safe thus far, why change now?  It’s not worth anyone losing their life for a company to save a few dollars. In my opinion Jensen Farms & the auditor's both contributed to the outbreak. They were both negligent & therefore responsible to some degree for the 30 deaths that occurred. Maybe we should come down on these auditor's where it really hurts, their pocketbooks. It is quite possible, that if we require them to pay restitution to these families, that lost a loved one, and these companies would do a better job. Who's to say that Jensen Farms didn't pay over & above the auditor's normal fee? And in return they obtained a 10 of 10 ranking. Why would anyone not think this is a conflict of interest?
True enough the United States has had an enormous amount of budget cuts over the past several years. I can understand cuts here & there, but to have a system where the producer pays an auditor to inspect their own product.  As citizens we all count on the FDA to protect our families from these types of dangers in our food. One solution may be, to set up an account for the producers to pay their inspection fees into. After the fees are collected then the FDA would hire the auditor's. I would think this could be a solution to the matter at hand.  I don't know about others, but I prefer to know that mine & my children's food is safe. So please make cuts elsewhere and protect the food we consume!