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Greta

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Everything posted by Greta

  1. Agree with you completely about the irresponsible and inaccurate way the media sometimes reports it: the word "homeschooler" or "homeschooling" in the headline, and then way down in the report you find out they weren't legally homeschooling they were just truant. That's infuriating. And I also thought about the fact that the parents are most likely only claiming the homeschooling label to try to cover their own butts. But I was thinking more about the way the homeschooling community responds - like we accept self-declaration to be the definition of homeschooler in some circumstances, but not in others.
  2. ...do you still consider them homeschoolers? Once many years ago at a homeschooling group event, the moms got to talking about the state's legal requirements for homeschooling. They are very minimal here: each year you submit a form declaring your intent to homeschool along with your basic information (name, address, ages of children) and affirming that you have a high school diploma or GED. That's it. The state doesn't follow up with you or check in on you in any way. You don't have to provide a list of curriculum or take standardized tests, nothing. So, in this conversation, it came out that about half of the ladies there don't register, some because "why bother?" some because they were outright opposed to the state having any say in homeschooling at all, and were therefore making the conscious decision not to cooperate. And a couple of people in that latter group were definitely encouraging others not to register. I was in the half that did register, because my thought was, "why not comply with the law when it is easy and painless to do so, and harms no one?" But whichever group you fall into, would you think of all of these people as homeschoolers? I certainly did, and still do. When a "homeschooling" family makes the news for abuse or neglect, I note that when applicable, other homeschoolers are quick to point out that the family wasn't homeschooling, because they hadn't legally registered as homeschoolers. They were simply truant. While it's a perfectly valid point to make, I have never heard anyone make that point about normal, functional homeschooling families that aren't legally registered. It seems to me like we're taking on one definition of homeschooling when it makes us look good (or at least neutral) and another one entirely when it makes us look bad. Seems like it might be veering little into a "no true Scotsman" fallacy. I'm not sure I have a point really, just musing, wondering what your thoughts are. Do most of the homeschoolers you know comply with the law? Do you consider people who don't comply to be homeschoolers?
  3. I didn't realize they had so many accommodations - that's good. Maybe they would have put her on a stationery bike, so that she wouldn't have had to trust to her own balance. I'm glad that your test worked out well.
  4. Hopefully that's exceptionally rare. It just doesn't "feel" rare when you know someone that it happened to. I haven't had a chance to talk to my mom the last couple of days, but the more I think about it, the more I think you're right and she probably misunderstood. Surely no one would order a treadmill stress test for someone who has trouble walking, right?
  5. Well, darnit, I hate it when I inadvertently pass along misinformation! Gah! Thank you for the links.
  6. Yes, that is an important distinction! My mom has taken my grandma to several of her appointments, and she said this doctor doesn't discuss anything, doesn't look anyone else in the eye, doesn't spend more than five minutes with you. He rushes in, taps away on the computer, says "this is what we're doing" and rushes out again. My Mom was the one who took my grandma to the appointment that resulted in her diagnosis. Grandma had swelling of her hands and feet, and a rattle sound in her lungs. The doctor didn't even bother to listen to her breathing. He just ordered some blood tests and left. (My mom has tried very hard to get my grandma to change doctors, but she doesn't want to.) This time it was my uncle that spoke to him, so I can't be sure (because I haven't talked to him directly). But from what my mom said, I got the distinct impression that it was an order not a discussion, and my uncle put his foot down and said no.
  7. Something interesting I learned recently which might be quite relevant here: when wheat is fully grown and ready to harvest, it gets sprayed with massive amounts of herbicide (specifically glyphosate, the active ingredient in RoundUp). This speeds up the desiccation that must take place before harvesting, so it shortens the amount of time it takes them to harvest the crop. And what are the effects on the human body of eating food that's contaminated with glyphosate? Well, acute effects have been studied, but the effects of small amounts over the long-term have not been extensively studied. Animal studies have shown that it disrupts the natural gut flora, killing off the good bacteria and leaving the bad to flourish. And unhealthy gut bacteria doesn't just lead to digestive problems, it's also been linked to obesity, Alzheimer's disease, and a number of other health problems. So it may be that the problems that people experience from eating wheat having nothing whatsoever to do with the wheat, but with the herbicides that they're unknowingly eating with the wheat. And by the way, many oat, corn, bean, and lentil crops are also sprayed with glysophate. So the solution might be as simple as eating only organically grown wheat, oats, lentils, etc. that have not been sprayed with glysophate, rather than avoiding those foods entirely, or even soaking, sprouting, or fermenting them. Edit: I was WRONG about this! See plansrme's links below. Mea culpa.
  8. Thank you, Katy - that does make sense that medical providers would want to avoid discriminating against the elderly, and I certainly honor that intention. But I would hope that would usually take the form of carefully discussing all of the increased risks associated with age, and not just giving the same blanket recommendations to everyone regardless of age. But again, since I wasn't the one involved in the conversation, I can't really know for sure what was discussed. But this gives me hope that the doctor was at least trying to do right by her, so thank you for that. I must say I'm extremely skeptical (to put it mildly) of that claim that people would live to 120 if the elderly were given the same medical care as those under 70. First of all, that seems to be ignoring the fact that medical mistakes are a leading cause of death in the US. And secondly, while medical care is important, very important, there's only so much that medicine can do to counteract an unhealthy lifestyle, which is the leading cause of death. If doctors really want people to live to 120, they need to focus more on educating people about nutrition, exercise, stress relief, etc. and not just prescribe drugs and surgery. But I know I'm getting off on a tangent here, and that's not really where you were trying to take the conversation!
  9. That's weird - seems more like a waste of their money than anything. That could be the case here, and maybe I don't have all the details. As far as I know, there is no other treatment he is recommending besides the medications that he's already prescribed. So I'm not sure what the stress test would be proving. But I'm 500+ miles away and getting all of my information second- and third- hand, so who knows!
  10. I'm on day seven of constant migraines, so I hear you (my worst ever was 32 days straight, and then I got a ONE DAY break before the next round started!). Mine have been chronic since I started perimenopause. I don't know how old you are, so that may be irrelevant in your case, but if you're having any symptoms of hormone fluctuations, that could be playing a role as well. Tyramine is a major trigger for me, so avoiding chocolate, citrus fruits, nuts, and fermented/pickled/aged foods (this includes a lot of foods, from cheese to olives to soy sauce) is critical for me. Also, alcohol and sulfur-based preservatives (in dried fruit) are MAJOR triggers for me, and I suspect aspartame and MSG are as well, though I'm not as certain (I avoid them anyway!). If the allergy meds don't help, you might consider seeing your doctor about a preventive medication. If you are having 15 or more migraine days per month, that's considered chronic, and that's when they advise preventive meds such as beta-blockers, tricyclic antidepressants, botox injections, etc. I hope you feel better soon!
  11. I hadn't thought of that -- doctors are probably more likely to get sued for not ordering a test than for ordering a test that harms or even kills you.
  12. Good point - I should have mentioned that. My mom's understanding was that it was the treadmill test. But she wasn't at this particular appointment, so that's second-hand information. My other grandmother had the chemical stress test when she was in her late 60's or early 70's, and it was so horrible, she said she wanted no more tests, she'd rather just die. So I'm not sure it would be any better! Edit: this wasn't discussed at an appointment, but over the phone after her most recent appointment.
  13. Oh, I am so sorry about your aunt. And I appreciate your reply. It does seem to me like sometimes doctors don't weigh out the potential benefits of the test against the risks.
  14. My husband is quite athletic: he runs, he bikes, he hikes, he climbs, etc. He was experiencing a mild arrhythmia during exercise, so (among other things) the doctor ordered a stress test. This makes perfect sense: the arrhythmia was happening during exercise, so they needed to see what's going on with his heart during exercise. His resting heart rate was very low (athletic range), his blood pressure was perfect, his heart muscle was strong, and he was in very good overall health. So, I get the need for a stress test in this situation. It presents virtually no danger to do it, and the information is needed. Here's what don't get. My grandmother is 102 years old. She is still ambulatory but has poor balance. She must hold on to something while she walks (railings, furniture, a cane - but she refuses to use a walker.) She has fallen a couple of times, but luckily only bruises and scrapes, no broken bones. She's had high blood pressure for awhile. And she was recently diagnosed with congestive heart failure. And her doctor ordered a stress test. WHY??? What possible good could come from putting a 102 year old woman with poor balance and a failing heart on a treadmill to stress her heart?!? My uncle, who is not the only but the primary care giver to my grandmother, said "no way" to the doctor, so it's not happening (and all the other caregivers, like my mom, were in full agreement). But I'm just dumbfounded that the doctor would even consider such a thing. This is not a JAWM, I really want to know. Is my grandmother's doctor the complete idiot that I think he is? Or am I overreacting, and there really is some medically justifiable reason for putting her through such a difficult and risky test? (My opinion is no doubt colored by the fact that I've known two people who had heart attacks during stress tests, one of whom died.)
  15. If you have a Wild Birds Unlimited, or another local store like that, I would encourage you to ask there. They know what birds in your specific area will like. My local store helped me find a better hummingbird feeder, a specific type of suet that the birds go crazy for, etc. Also, again this may be regional, but we get a lot of activity at our thistle feeders. We feed a seed mixture at other feeders as well, but those tend to get taken over by pigeons. Pigeons don't eat thistle, so the thistle feeders attract a lot of finches. We are seeing a lot of goldfinches right now - so cute! Also, this may not be an issue where you live, but here in the desert, water attracts birds as much as the feeders do, maybe more.
  16. My dd hates math too. She was very disappointed to learn that she has to take Calc I and II for a Geology degree. She took pre-Calc this semester, and she did fine. She hated it, but she made it through! If I had known she would end up in a STEM field I might have pushed math harder so that she would have taken Calc I by now, but in a way I'm glad that I didn't. Math is tough, so that extra year of maturity going into it is probably for the best.
  17. Yeah, I changed majors too, but I always stayed within the sciences. I swore my daughter would never be a STEM major, lol! But I'm happy I was wrong. I didn't realize some colleges allotted less time for transfers, so I need to check into that! Thanks for mentioning it!
  18. And this is one (among several) of the reasons I was glad my daughter decided to get an Associate's degree before she goes off to her WUE school of choice. Hopefully she'll have enough classes under her belt that she can get her B.S. within the 8 semesters that they allow for. But, for anyone else considering that plan, just be aware that not every school that offers the WUE rate offers it to transfer students. So be sure to check whether it's for freshmen only.
  19. Radical change from art to paleontology! She's staying at the CC where she's been doing dual enrollment for now (she's just graduating next week, and she wants to stay to finish her A.S. in Geology). Then she's planning to take advantage of WUE at either Montana State or South Dakota Mines, because they both have good paleontology programs. (She's not looking for a career in academia, but wants to work at a natural history museum, and keep her art as a hobby, separate from her income.)
  20. Grew up on the Great Plains (Oklahoma), have lived in the Southwest (New Mexico) for almost 20 years. Briefly lived in upstate NY in-between. I always felt out of place in OK, though, and I knew by the time I was 12 years old that I wanted to move. So I wouldn't particularly say that it informed my perspective. I picked Southwest for the poll. It's been home for a long time now. And though I don't want to stay here for the rest of my life, it suits me better than where I grew up. And if I do end up staying here, I can be happy.
  21. I believe that you are correct on both counts. Still, a tuition discount for 4 years would be a huge help. And since I posted this, my daughter has completely changed her career and education plans, so this is all moot for us anyway! (Much to my surprise.)
  22. Yes, when I went low-carb, my triglycerides did go down. But everything else went up. LDL went up to scary levels. (Higher than yours, Hyacinth.)
  23. I highly recommend this video from Dr. Gregor. It's only a little over 4 minutes long, and it is packed with information and extensively referenced. It explains the research showing what optimal cholesterol levels are. After that, you might also want to watch: Does Cholesterol Size Matter? Eggs & Cholesterol: Patently False and Misleading Claims The Best Food for High Cholesterol Beans, Beans, They're Good for Your Heart Four Nuts Once a Month Can Oatmeal Reverse Heart Disease? Or check out any of the videos linked on this page.
  24. London. I've only been once but I completely fell in love with it, and I speak the language (more or less ) so that would make life easier! My husband would say Norway. He loves the landscape, he loves northern climates, and he's a big admirer of the culture. Can we have a winter home on some remote South Pacific island while we're at it? I've never been, but I've dreamed of it since I was a kid. And I'm not sure how well *I* would handle European winters (I've gotten spoiled to 360 days per year of sunshine here in New Mexico!).
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