I'm very hesitant to make any comment on the Terry Shiavo case as I'm really not sure how I feel about it. Am just very glad I'm not one of the judges involved. However, having said that, I can't resist posting to say that I totally understand and agree with what Patrick's saying. It's along the same lines as my problem with the Catholic church's stand. On the one hand, I was taught that birth control is wrong because it interferes with natural progression. Well, isn't keeping someone alive by means of artificial measures such as a feeding tube, ventilator, etc. also interefering with natural progression?

Of course it is.
And there is no "right answer" in a case like this. It a very personal, case-by-case situation. The only "wrong answer" is for the government to interfere with citizens personal lives. And anyone who compares a feeding tube being used to prolong the life of a human in a persistent vegetative state to kidney dialysis must have absolutely no personal experience with modern medicine and care goals.

The woman's parents are reacting in the same way most people's parents would. You'd do anything to keep hope alive for a child's recovery.

It's so important to have your wishes in writing. It's just too hard for family members to come to this conclusion on their own. We must protect them, and give them hard evidence of the best reason for the disconnect: they are following our directives.

We have no right to judge the family involved with the case. Unless you have faced these decisions, you cannot imagine how difficult it is.

Very well said, Dreamer2!

Rant: People that refuse to believe in modern medicine but tell everyone to just "believe" in other areas of life.

Rave: Only one month of law school left! No more school forever!

Rant: Seeing kids on the news getting arrested for trying to bring water into Terri Schiavo. Why are their parents letting them get involved in a situation where they could be arrested and why aren't those kids at school?

Rave: The rule of law and the great Constitution will prevail (hopefully) despite all of the politicking.

Rant: Seeing a family's despair and tragedy be fodder for the media and political right to life agendas. Why can't they let both families deal with this tragedy in peace.

Rant- I watched one of my sweet little students escorted from school by our school police officer yesterday afternoon. I found out this morning that her 2 yr old sibling was dodging traffic naked (40 degree temps)yesterday which led to the discovery of the house in completely horrendous conditions- feces on the walls, THOUSANDS of cockroaches, alleged prositution and drugs. I know it happens everywhere but this is a great little midwestern "Mayberry" kind of town where we aren't used to such news.

Rave- Today a new coworker guessed that I was her age and wondered if we had children of the same age. I'm 10 years older than her so that was a nice moment.

Rant- Media Sensationalism

Rave- Self sufficient children who do their own laundry and pack their own suitcases. Not that I give them a choice.

Rave- Tomorrow I celebrate my birthday in FL. Happy B-Day to me. Happy Easter to all.

Rant:
North Carolina State lost tonight.

Rave:
Duke lost tonight

Will the Tar Heels be the next to go?

RANT: North Carolina didn't win it pretty...........

RAVE: But they won!!! WHEW!!!

Rave: The "check engine" light isn't on anymore.

Rant: Now the air bag light is blinking on and off...

Tune in tomorrow for the latest chapter of Lee Ann's Nissan Maxima Dashboard Updates! ;-)

Lee Ann

Sorry for the late post: SO's (significant other) dear friend's daughter is a medical oncologist married to an anesthesiologist and her son is an infectious disease internist.
She almost certainly has BRCA 1 or 2 gene given her (late onset in her generation) family hx.
SO's former spouse has advanced Parkinson's as well - the horrors of biology are in full bloom here this Spring.
Rave: The DMN published its annual wine tasting results (www.dallasnews.com).
The '04 Hardy's Nottage Hill SEAustralia Chardonnay is VG for $4.99.
M

RANT: My seven-year old granddaughter woke up with a temperature of 105 this morning, with a sore throat, and feeling horribly sick.

RAVE: She's much better tonight, temp back almost to normal with Motrin, doesn't have Strep.

QUESTION: Have any of you known anyone who had an untreated Strep throat that then led to Rheumatic Fever, which can damage the heart, etc.? While encouraging my family to be vigilant about this kind of thing, I wonder if this possibility is blown out of proportion..........

RAVE: Tar Heels in Elite Eight tomorrow! Go Carolina! :-)

Hi bonniebroad, unfortunatly I went through school with a boy who had strep throat that was not diagnosed and yes he did end up with Rhuematic Fever and consequently heart problems. Many years ago of course.

From what I understand (and I am sure not in the medical field) it is important to have Strep Throat taken care of immediately. I hope that your little granddaughter continues to get better immediately.

Bonniebroad, when I was in high school back in the stoneage (graduated in 1970), I knew someone with a rheumatic heart. And my mother used to talk about people she knew with the condition. But I don't know of anyone younger. Presumably, now that kids are usually treated for strep pretty promptly, it doesn't happen.

Good Morning Bonnie and Happy Easter. This happened (strep to RF) to my aunt when she was a child but that was MANY, MANY, MANY years ago. In this day and age, it is rather uncommon because of treatment. My oldest son used to always have these terribly high fevers with a flaming throat, but it never turned out to be strep throat (but of course he was always seen by a md).

Wishing your granddaughter a speedy recovery so that she can dive into all of her Easter candy :D Then you'll know she's feeling better.

Thank you, Fodorite buddies, for your comments, and Happy Easter to you all. (A close relative of my DH had the Strep to RF thing, but I'd never known anyone else so was just wondering...) Darling GD is feeling much better now, ready to enjoy her basket today. Children can bounce back from these viruses so quickly! Just received an e-photo of her opening her basket........ thank God for modern technology, huh? I can SEE that she's better! :-)

NOW ANOTHER RAVE/EASTER SURPRISE: (drum roll!!!!!!!) I just dropped my 40th and 41st pounds this morning! :-d JOY, JOY, JOY!!! (And it wasn't the surgery preventing calories going in... you won't believe how much mac 'n cheese, and Stouffer's meatloaf I've consumed in three days, along with Easter egg cake! =-o )

Have a fun and blessed day, all!

This looks like a fun thread but can someone please explain its origins and meaning to me?

Bonniebroad - just to follow up on the strep question - I'm an RN and also had untreated strep quite a number of years ago. Here's the scoop: the strep germ is pretty easily defeated by penicillin. It's possible that these days there are more resistant bugs around, but there are also effective antibiotics if the penicillin doesn't work for some reason. That specific germ also causes scarlet fever, and can also infect kidneys (causing glomerulonephritis, which I had) or heart (causing rheumatic fever). None of those complications will take place if strep throat and/or scarlet fever are treated promptly with penicillin. We had a pediatrician when my kids were little, who wasn't competent and didn't diagnose my son's scarlet fever. Eventually I insisted on a consult; it was then accurately diagnosed, but when the other kids and I came down with it, the pediatrician didn't even suggest penicillin. I ended up in kidney failure and was hospitalized for a month - but even then, I got penicillin in time to prevent anything permanent. The kids, fortunately, didn't develop complications. We fired the pediatrician, needless to say. There is a test for strep - which, incidentally, is not a virus but a bacterium. That's why it responds to antibiotics. If your little granddaughter is suspected of having strep, I have no doubt that her doctor will test and treat accordingly. Have a great Easter!

Meetshare, thanks for your input. My GD did have a throat culture yesterday, and there was no Strep. Her pediatrician says she obviously picked up some rowdy virus at school..... So glad you came through your problems with no permanent damage. A bad pediatrician is a scary thought......... but we know they're there, don't we?!

And a Happy Easter to you, too. :-)

Another strep story...

My son scratched his finger on a thorn at recess one day (around 3rd-4th grade). He put his finger to mouth and sucked on it, and then went about his business. I didn't know anything about it until the next morning when he woke up with a throbbing finger that had the ominous "streaks" running towards his hand.

Took him to a wonderful pediatrician, who immediately did a throat culture. Turns out he had strep, which had transferred from his mouth to the cut on his finger, and he was currently sporting one of those bacterial flesh-eating diseases. Yikes, huh?!

Antibiotic cleared everything up fast, but it was a scary realization of how quickly things can turn ugly. Never a dull moment with kids, eh?

Dreamer, who would think you'd end up with such a problem after a child just sucks a scratched finger???? We've all done that!!!! I'll think about it before I do it again.......