As americans, we are forced to eat mass produced, chemically altered foods just because it's cheaper to produce in great quantities. This is a leading cause responsible for the depression, obesity, cancer and many other health problems running rampant through our country. When are they going to stop poisoning us and what is it going to take for us to get some good organic food around here that is'nt so ____ing expensive? We would be able to accomplish so much more as a healthy, clear headed society. Just think what we could do with all the money that is being soaked up by drug research and quick fixes. I'll take a nutrient rich apple full of spots and bugs over one that's been pumped full of miracle grow and pesticides any day. That's the one that will be a little more likely to keep the doctor away.|||A pack of seeds is pretty cheap. I grow alot of my own food!|||With knowledge, there is hope.

Thanks for reminding us.|||What proof do you have that mass production leads to depression, obesity, cancer, and other health problems. I say focus your attention on bad parenting, smoking, and poverty, as these are the leading causes of those problems. Mass production leads to nothing. Make wise choices, eat well and stop worrying about being poisoned.|||We Americans are NOT forced to eat any particular food….we HAVE choices. Unfortunately too many of us choose the quick fix for ourselves and our families…the excuse is cause we are busy…or our family refuses to eat nutritional foods. We are locked into some bad eating habits and we have to choose on an individual basis to let go of the bad habits. There is hope for those who care to change their life style eating habits….Also…as parents do…so do the children….You gotta wanna!

Yes, pesticides are a problem, but there are organically grown fruits and veggies available in co-ops and grocery stores. They cost a little more….but are still cheaper than a fast food dinner at Mickey Ds etc. The ones available near me rarely have brown spots….and so far..NO BUGS/WORMS!

The meat problem is more difficult….at one time I was a vegitarian, but these days I am hooked on a good steak etc. I was healthier and leaner when my meat intake was minimum.

The money thing? We wouldn't save money. The government and research stock holders, not to forget the pharmacuticals companys, make lotsa money from keeping us in ill health, or doing little except talk in encouraging a healthy life style…even by making us sick. The small farm/farmer is losing and the corperate farms are winning. The HOPE is in individual decision and the willingness to pay the extra for the healthiest food.|||Dietary education with government support and a long term change in the publics reqirements for food stuffs is the way forward. Many other wealthy countries have similar problems|||There is no hope. Someone like myself is on an extremely tight budget in order to be able to buy organics and remain healthy. Healthier foods are more expensive and for those that can afford them. People have choices, yes, but people are also subjected to work, wages, and social movements.

I didn't have the choice of being born into luxury, nor middle class, nor having the stability in my early years to be able to afford myself a good career.

When people are in a disposition like mine, so called "choices" become extremely limited.

Also, when living in a dreaded state like FL, there are very limited choices to buying organics. In most cities of FL, they don't sell t r u e organics.

It would be foolish to say that people's choices are unlimited. They aren't.

There isn't going to be hope. With the rise in population, more people are growing up to not care than to care. Those who are conscience about what is going on in every aspect of life, are becoming smaller in numbers while those who don't care are becoming larger in numbers.

So, just do what's right for yourself and if others around you are interested in what you have to say and motivated to change, then help them along. Just remember that you can't change those who don't really want to.

My boyfriend is already a catastrophe.

He was born 4 months younger than he was supposed to.

He has asthma, he's skinny and weak and a triplet.

He's had problems a lot, and he's a genious.

He's been having nose bleeds everyday…but it's not just a nosebleed.

He gets dizzy, his head hurts, and usually he can barely stand up and he almost faints. It's really scary actually.

So there are times when there's blood pouring out of is nose [and sometimes mouth].

He dad thinks it's "just" a nose bleed and he won't get him checked out. [He has this ideal about how men are never sick and if they are, they're not men.]

I've had a father who died in cancer.

He was bleeding too. People with leukemia nleed too sometimes to my knowledge.

Other things my boyfriend told me he's been experiencing:

headaches, his eyeball hurts, his neck hurts, weakness, tiredness.

Please help me or give me a website where I can research because Google won't help at all.

Thanks a lot.|||Wow !!! Your boyfriend's dad needs to rethink his attitude a bit, wot a meany !!

Please don't stress about this, I would say that his nose bleeds are due to insufficient Vitamin C in his diet??? His dizziness, headaches, migraines, inability to balance are all due to Vitamin B12 deficiency !! Really, truly, check and see if he's been eating properly.

Foods rich in Vitamin C are:

Citrus fruits, berries, green and leafy vegies, tomatoes, cantaloupe, cauliflower, potatoes and green and red peppers.

As well as increasing his intake of vitamin C rich foods I suggest he takes a good quality Vitamin Supplement. You can get Berocca in OZ which is combined with Vitamin C and B vitamins. You know the big orange tablets that you drop into a glass of water and drink when they have finished fizzing?? That's them.

The best vitamin C supplement is one that contains the complete C complex of bioflavonoids, hesperidin and rutin. (Sometimes these are labeled citrus salts.) The white pith underneath the skin of citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, tangerines is where the bioflavonoids, hesperidin and rutin lie. These simply increase the healing properites of the Vitamin C making it more effective.

Daily doses most often used are 500mg to 4g. Rose hips vitamin C contains bioflavonoids and other enzymes that help C assimilate. You can get Rose Hips tea bags from any major supermarket or health food store and it is really yummy!!

Rose hips vitamin C are actually the riches natural source of Vitamin C. (The C is actually manufactured under the bud of the rose - called a hip.)

As far as the B12 vitamin deficiency goes, I agree with you, it can be totally terrifying if you don't realise that it is simply a vitamin deficiency.

Has he been under extra stress lately? Most likely by the sounds of it. You need to get him to increase his intake of foods rich in this vitamin, ie: yest, liver, eggs, milk, cheese and fish, kidney and pork. The B group of vitamins - B1, B2, B3, B5, B6 and B12 are a water soluble group of vitamins. Therefore, the body can neither produce or store these vitamins. It is very important to supply your body with foods rich in all these vitamins on a daily basis or suffer from a myriad of ailments, as you have detailed. In stressfull situations, we need to increase our intake of the B vitamin complex as our bodies will use more.

I suggest you get him a good quality multi B complex supplement (tablets) from the chemist. Just ask the pharmacist to recommend a good quality one for you to buy. Don't buy them individually as they work best synergistically (as a group). Don't buy synthetic vitamins as they are very hard to digest. (They're the real cheap and nasty ones.) Expect to pay about $25.00 AUD for about a month's supply.

Recommended daily intake for adults is 2mcg. For B12 to be properly assimilated through the stomach it is necessary to be combined with calcium during absorption to adequately benefit the body. Simply drink with milk/milk substitute such as soymilk, rice milk or goats milk.

B12 vitamins will alleviate any chest pains and palpitations he may be having. It will also increase his energy levels, maintain a healthy nervous system, relieve moodiness and irritability, ease depression, fatigue and exhaustion and improve concentration, memory and balance. Any nausea and aches and pains should also disappear.

Does he also have sore lips, mouth and tongue, cracked and splitting skin around his fingernails and grainy and sandy feeling eyes? If so, this is also a vitamin B deficiency, vitamin B2 (Riboflavin). Thsi vitamin will be included in the Multi B complex supplement that you buy. The recommended daily intake for adults for this vitamin is 1.2 - 1.7mg.

Foods rich in B2 are milk, liver, kidney, cheese, leafy green vegies, fish, eggs, yoghurt and beans.

If he is a vegetarian and has excluded eggs and dairy products from his diet, then he needs vitamin B supplementation (all the vitamins in the B group in one tab). if he keeps regular "Happy Hours" and drinks a lot once again, the B group of vitamins needs to be taken as a supplement.

If you choose to follow my advice you'll be very pleased you did as you will get relese from your symptoms within a day or so. In actual fact, you should get some degree of almost immediate improvement.

Oops, nearly forgot, if he's got sore eyes ask him if they are really sensitive to daylight/bright lights??? Or that he has trouble seeing clearly enough at nightime, then this is a Vitamin A deficiency.

Best natural sources for Vitamin A are fish liver oil which can be simply bought in capsules, carrotts, dark green and yellow vegies, eggs, milk and dairy products, and yellow fruits. The color intensity of a fruit or vegetable is not necessarily a reliable indicator of its beta-carotene content (Vit.A).

Gee, I'm so glad you came on line with all of these symptoms and that could help you out. I hope you decide to follow my excellent advice for he will certainly get almost immediate relief if you do. Perhaps instead of getting a multi B complex supplement you could just go get him a really good quality multivitamin for boys/men, making sure you tell the pharmacist his age group. The choice is yours. Please try to get him to pay attention to his food intake !! We only get one body and one chance, at least make your bodies a nice place for you to live………. afterall, you're the only one that has to live there !!

PEACE & LIGHT & GOOD HEALTH 2 U BOTH

****** EDIT ******

I'm so sorry my answer is so long, but it's info you really needed to have and I'm really keen to help you the best I possibly can. GOOD LUCK

******************

………………….:0)|||Thanks, hope you follow my advice cos your boyfriend sounds really rundown and all he needs is to just eat properly !! ………………….. :0)

PEACE & LIGHT Report It
|||Your boyfriend's dad sounds like a real winner…..

Alright, let's move on.

Ok, your boyfriend is NOT a catastrophe. He's not. I know people who were born with bad feet, allergies, small bladders, the list goes on. But as long as your boyfriend has all of his parts, who cares about the other stuff-it's just bothersome $hit. There's medication, weight-gain products, and free weights.

The mouth bleeding concerns me, but you know, the mouth and nose are connected, so it could just be overrun, gross as that is.

Where is your boyfriend's mother?? Can/will she take him to the doctor?? If there's one in your city, he could take himself to the free clinic. Google "Free Clinic in <your City>, <your State>" and see what comes up for your city and state.

Here are some websites, I hope they help:

http://kidshealth.org/teen/safety/first_…

http://www.entnet.org/healthinfo/nose/no…

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/nosebleed… (Pay close attention to the section entitled: "When to Seek Medical Care." If any of it applies to your boyfriend, he should print it off and give it to his dad to (Duh!) let him see the warning signs in writing).

Have you or anyone you know experienced the following?

I just saw a guy on the news who lost facial hair from cell phone usage. I notice a lot of uninformed people always say "it's never been proven that cell phone radiation is harmful" but the fact is it is still very controversial. According to the news the research has not been done 8 years after being promised by the government.

Both the USA and UK governments have experiment with using microwave frequencies on humans and have been able to make them lethargic and in some cases every subject contracted cancer. BTW ever put a cell phone near your eye? Tell me you need a study to tell you not to put microwaves to your head after that!

Anyway, I just mention the above to avoid all the people who respond with "nuh uh! cell phones aren't bad! *drooool*."

I'm not interested in your uninformed opinion. My question is, have you are anyone you know experienced anything like this?|||Unlikely to cause any loss of hair unless it has been used for EXTREME prolonged periods (i.e. greater than say 8hrs/day), but if you were using it for that long I think there would be more to worry about than just hair loss!! However, there is no doubt in my mind and educated experience with radio frequency (RF) transmissions, may have adverse effects on human tissue. It is still early days and time will tell as it did for smoking, asbestos related products and countless of chemicals and herbacides, in the past.

The simple fact is that everyone should be aware that the longer you use the phone the greater the adverse affects are likely to be. There is no doubt whatsoever, and it is well documented that high levels of RF are DANGEROUS! Cell phones transmit at much lower energy levels, but their consistant and prolonged use may well have a cumalitive effect.

Although there is no proof to indicate that mobile phones can cause cancer, there is sufficient debate to cause doubt as to the relative safety. The thing is, it is a mutlibillion dollar industry and it will not be quashed without definite proof, which may not arise for some decades. As a telecommunications engineer I am aware of the power density levels produced by mobile phones and the effect they can have on different people.

Mobile phones transmit using radio frequency radiation (RFR). Dependant on the network this can range between 800MHz and 2GHz. These are radio waves located within the electromagnetic spectrum. X-rays which are known to cause cancer through ionizing radiation are also within the electromagnetic spectrum, however, RFRs cannot cause cancer in the same way as x-rays because RFRs are non-ionizing.

However, high levels of RFRs can cause health effects through heating the human body (thermal effects). To address this health effect, the Radiocommunications (Electromagnetic Radiation Human Exposure) Standard 1999 specifies limits on public exposure to RF radiation from mobile phones. The limits set by this Standard are only a fraction of the levels needed to cause thermal effects.

Whilst it cannot be shown at this point in time that the thermal effects from mobile phones are a health hazard there is a considerable body of scientific literature which describes the effects of RFR in biological systems that cannot be directly attributed to heating. These effects are referred to as non-thermal and have been demonstrated to cause alteration in animal behaviour, or changes in the functioning of cell membranes.

To limit the possible adverse effects mobile phones may have I would suggest that anyone concerned about their use should;

- Limit the prolonged use of mobiles to under a couple of minutes at a time.

- Use the phone in handsfree speaker mode.

- Avoid using the phone in a confined space (such as in the car or building) as this causes the phone to radiate at the higher power levels to get a signal out.

Personnaly I avoid using the phone as much as possible and if I need to use it I keep it under a few minutes or use it in hands free speeaker phone mode.

Should you wish to have a bit more reading on the subject from a non-engineering perspective, the following Cancer Council link may be of interest;|||No and I've been using a cell phone for over 10 years now….

this person interviewed may have had an illness to begin with.

it's kinda like using a cell phone at a gas tank… it's not going to really explode.|||nope Not truth maybe this guy is exception. but that has nothing to do with the hair loss|||Nope, coz I'm not too frantic in using one.!

And yes, waves from the cell phones are dangerous. It alters the electron in human body (sort) and eventually may result in loss of hair.

Microwaves has high frequency, lolz!

They actually have a cure for cancer and AIDS and all that stuff but the government and pharmaceutical companies are just cashing in on all the money that people donate to "research" for a while?

I mean why wouldn't they? Its not like they care about the common person.|||most definitely!|||laughing is a cure for cancer|||Nope. If there was a cure, one could obtain it in a foreign country where our pharmaceutical companies have no leverage for a large amount of money that only the rich could afford, i.e., stem cells.|||If a proven cure existed, someone would make a 'killing' selling it on the black market.|||Ummm… actually, there really isn't a cure for cancer. “Cancer” is an extremely vague term used to describe any malignant tumor. It encompasses a huge range of specific diseases that have very different causes and effects. Though the general process of cancer formation is the same, the ultimate manifestations are not, making it impossible to slate one treatment as the cure for all cancers. On top of this, it is often a combination of agents that lead to cancer. There is often a genetic predisposition to the disease (as with breast cancer or prostate cancer) as well as an environmental agent (such as UV radiation in skin cancer or certain chemical carcinogens). Age and the general “wearing our” of the genetic material (DNA) is also a common culprit. For these reasons, the best “cure” for cancer is actually prevention and early detection.

So, no, I don't think that at all. I think that there is not enough money going INTO research on cancer, AIDS, etc., but I don't think that money that does go into it is being diverted.

My dad has been feeling his sister's spirit around him since her tragic sudden death from cancer. Over the last 8 years he swears she hasn't crossed over yet and it this really makes him sad. He doesn't know what to do to help her cross over. Does anyone know what I can read (or audio tape) to get advice about what he/we need to do to help her?? My dad is very disturbed about why she is still here and no matter how hard he tries to listen and be alert to her to signs he can't figure out why she hasn't crossed over. This isn't a joke. I need some help or advice of what I can do to research this more. Please give me any and all appropriate suggestions. Thanks so much!|||Try some of the Sylvia Browne books. They are very informative and when read have a truthful feeling to them. Spirits visit us but should not have to stay here. Some of them get "stuck". Alot of people are going to tell you that your dad is nuts and this is a bunch of phooie but to thoes of us who have had these experiances it is very real. My mother had the ghost of my grandmother trapped in the house and she was causing trouble in the house. My mother (after reading alot of books about it) simply had to say to her on one of the occasions when she was being active "Go Home! This is not your home anymore, you dont belong here." For my mom it worked but I cant tell you the same will work for your dad. I sympathize with what your dad is dealing with. Tell him to embrace his sisters presence and to re-asure her that he will be fine if she moves on and that he knows she will be one of his guardian angels. I hope this has helped you. I dont think you are makeing it up and I pray for your fathers strength.|||When I was in high school (back in the 80s) I took a psychic lit class and one of the authors we read the most of was Ruth Montgomery. You could go on to amazon and look her up, it appears she wrote a few books in the 80s and a couple in the 90s.

I keep reading about all these dog and cat foods being recalled. Now they are more of them poping out of the wood work. So how do you know which is safe and which is not safe. I have been doing alot of research on dog food, and have found some interesting things out. Did you know pedigree has an ingredent in it that may cause cancer in dogs it is called bha/bht. I have been feeding my dog this brand for over a year and he just passed away, I also know of a few other people whos dog has died while eating this brand. So my question I guess is Now what?|||i use to feed my dog hill's science diet and eukanuba. i recently changed because i was feeding her the eukanuba pouches and got a recall scare. so, i started researching and found out that those brands are pretty much crap. i switched to castor and pollux natural ultramix and than i heard its nice to switch dog food once and a while so i want to try merrick turducken next. but visit the http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/ to rate dog food.

the new dry food im feeding her has bits of fruit in them and the wet food resembles beef stew (bits of potatos, carrots, and peas). she freaking goes crazy for it. her breath smells better too now. =T

www.merrickpetcare.com/

www.castorpolluxpet.com/

www.dogfoodanalysis.com/|||I use Nutro dry dog food, lamb and rice meal. It makes is coat very soft and shiny too|||Eukaneba and Science Diet. Neither of them have been recalled. Those are the two that I've always fed my dogs.|||I recommend dry and a lot of water. they are not covered by the recall.|||Purina Bentiful or Any Science Diet food.

Iams has been known lately to cause problems in pets, hence why vets no longer recommend IAMS…. Whatever you do …NEVER buy Generic brands like OLD ROY and Hill Fair, you may as well put your pet to sleep because you will malnurish the pet. Once again ….PURINA and SCIENCE DIET|||There have been no problems with any of the dry dog foods.

Only with cans & pouches….|||I have been feeding my Pedigree and knew nothing about the cancer thing. As a matter of fact I just got back from the store to buy it for them since it wasn't involved in the recall.

You could grill or bake any meat and add rice and veggies. I just don't feel like it.|||Try Dick Van Pattens or Chicken Soup for the Dogs Soul. Something like that, I can't remember the whole name. Also, read about the BARF diet. It's bones and raw foods. Now, not everyone can feed the raw foods and can't stand the smells. So, read some articals on how to read food labels. I know all of this recall is scary and that's why we dog owners need to educate ourselves on what goes in our babies mouths.|||wellness eagle pak old mother hubbard… any of the top of line foods… people i dont think relize that pet foods that cost under 20.00 bucks arent that good for your dogs and cats… were if you feed more expensive foods you are actully feeding them meat that is ok'd by the fda for humans to eat… and they are not getting all the nasty by-products, and other euthinized animals and cows with mad cow and hoof an moth disease….

have you ever thought about a raw food diet??? if so you should look in to it there are alot of of really good benifits to their digestion and health|||purina puppy or dog chow is what i use. I worked for many vets and they have all fed their dogs purina. good luck.|||Easy- if you can buy it in Petsmart or the grocery store, it's total crap.

You need to find a natural pet store and buy a quality brand- none of those have been recalled, and none have been found to contain carcinogens (which are in most foods sold at Petsmart and grocery stores).

Good foods: Innova Evo, Wellness, Chicken Soup, Canidae, Merrick, Verus, Timberwolf Organics, Artemis, Avoderm, Fromm, Evangers, Professional, and Solid Gold.

Bad foods: Eukanuba, Purina, Alpo, Pedigree, Iams, Kibbles N Bits, Science Diet, Pro Plan, Beneful.

All my cats and dogs eat Innova Evo or Wellness, and I feel comfortable and confident in knowing they won't get sick like the dogs eating cheap foods.|||You might want to consider making your own. There is a vegetarian dog food recipe on the home page of this Animal rescue/adoption organization.

http://www.ahan.org/

If you scroll down the page, you will see a green dog graphic which reads: "Download a free vegetarian dog food recipe"|||I have used Science Diet for over 20 years, but I only feed the dry dog food. My Dogs have done great on it, and one of my dogs was being shown.

You can make your own dog food, many people do that. Using Chuck roast or similar beef and

Sunflower oil is an excellent source of linoleic acid and

vitamin E, which are important for a healthy coat and skin

Beef liver provides iron and many trace vitamins and minerals

Brown rice and barley supply carbohydrates for energy, and are a good source of B vitamins

Oats are a good source of zinc.

The cook these ingredients together.

I would add a good quality vitamin supplement to this also.|||I am so sorry that your doggie died. If there is a good side to the recall, it is that people are questioning whether commercial foods are really healthy for pets. There are not too many dog and cat foods out there that are truly good for pets, in spite of what the pet food companies say. I think they only care about the bottom line, most of the time. I think Wysong is an exception to that. They make some cooked foods, but are honest to tell people that cooked food is dead food and shouldn't be fed exclusively. At least their food is all human-grade.

I just wrote an answer to someone else and told them about a column I found that is written by a Jack Russell Terrier! LOL Her daddy is a veterinarian and he has 7 Jack Russells that Tracks calls the "Jack Pack". She writes about all sorts of things, like stuff that can poison your pets and what to have on hand for pet emergencies, etc. But, she is a raw-food dog and she is very passionate about healthy food for pets. Her columns are in a little online paper called "Siskiyou Source". You can read all her columns at www.siskiyousource.com, click on Current News and then on the date of the paper you want to read (they are near the end of the paper). Some of the columns about food are on these dates: Jan. 25, '06; Mar. 8, 15, 22, '06; Oct. 4, '06; Jan. 3, & 17, '07; and Feb. 7, '07.

I really learn a lot about commercial dog foods and how to feed my pets better from her columns, and lots of other stuff, too, and they are fun to read. I make my own pet food now and most of it is raw. I even grow sprouts and juice wheatgrass for my pets now and they love them! They are so much healthier and their coats are beautiful. They never have allergies or ear infections anymore and their teeth are beautiful and white - no tartar! I learned all this stuff from Tracks. She has recommended websites and books for more info, too.

I hope this helps and I hope your next dog lives a long and healthy life!|||My dog eats Wellness, he loves it and it is a great food.

I'll give u answer later, stay tune

1 day ago - 2 days left to answer.

Additional Details

12 hours ago

thanks for all input!!

These are what I've got 4m yesterday vote!;~

1.Aries= 6 votes

2.Taurus=2 votes

3.Gemini=7 votes

4.Cancer= 1 vote

5.Leo= 6 votes

6.Virgo= 4 votes

7.Libra= 3 votes

8.Scorpio= 7votes

9.Sag= 5 votes

10.Cap=6 votes

11.Aqu=4 votes

12.Pisces=1 vote

Keep on vote guys!;)

** This is not a superficial votes

I have scientific astrological research behind this…|||libra has 3 votes only? are you kidding me

these votes are only based on what kind of zodiacs are here on YA, and who attracts them, they also probably all voted for their sign.

so far ive noticed people in here are scorpios and gemini.

*looks at the votes* thats about right|||LEO

thats me|||im a sag! the 17 of Dec :)|||I'm not a guy nor do I like guys but I will say Libra!!!!! Cuz I am one! :)|||Hottest guy? What the hell? Well, since I'm a Scorpio I might as well vote for myself|||Im a girl cancer Goshhhhhhh so difficult haha

Well, I would agree, Cap gemini and scorpio are actually the ones I would have said have the most attractive guys!

Taurus and Libra have nice-looking guys too, buuut um..I'd just rather not speak any further please please don't make me Lolll….it's hurtful (tear.) lol. (i kid) (don't worry cancers aren't thaat mushy, people. Lol)

Anyway

Yah I agree Leos are slightly cuter than sagg guys

Aquas…ehh..

lol

OMG though, Pisces! Some really adorable guys are under that sign…..however……..yes, it's not so much because of their looks but their personality ^^.

But there ARE some pretty hot pisces out there =)

Definitely. mm-hmm.

So I will give you pisces some needed and well-deserved points lol and vote…PISCES!!

There ya go my little fishies ^_^ haha. =) Yes yes eat up those points………..^^ ok one by one now……. >.>…..

uh.

uh.

Ok I've stopped talking to myself now. You can all go about answering this question and all the others urself now, thanks. =) Lol…………

toomuchfun…|||Leo guys are the hottest!|||ARIES FOR SURE!!!|||Aquarius, Leo, Scorpio and Sagittarius.|||I say Capricorns they are hott and sexy!|||Aquarius Because I am one I am not gay just answering the question

I am a valentines day baby.

I have been married for 7 weeks now. Both our spouse past away from cancer. my new husband has 3 daughters, 11yrs, 14 yrs, 171/2 year old. I have a daughter 17, and son 21. We went to a teacher parent conferance for my husband daughter,(17 1/2 year old) she is senior, but taking junior courses because she failed them last year. was informed last night she is not doing her homework and fail to pass in essay on college/ research. She also had to write and essay on Woodrow Wilson due today. When we arrived at home I asked her " how the woodrow wilson coming along" Well, that didn't go over to well , I was told i was stepping over my boundies. and don't confront erin anymore about her school work.this young lady is stubborn: selfish;lazy; on VERY, confertational. Irish blood I guess. Was I wrong for saying something? What ever I say to her she runs back to daddy and complains and argues with him. Should I say out of this area(school work) and let him handle it?|||she might just be afraid that you are wanting to take her mother's place. u need to speak with ur husband and let him know u want to talk to his kids and let them understand that you are there for them, whether they want you to be or not. i went through 1 stepmom and now im going through another, but i still have my real mom as well. i am also 17 1/2yrs. old too. but my stepmom was a ***** and acted like she precious daughter was all that matter. but you actually care. too bad mine wasnt like that, oh well. but when your husband tells his kids especially the 17 yr. old let them know that you both want to talk, not just you, because then they won't want to open up. but have a family talk like after dinner or after school, but not during dinner, because some people might not have an appetite if they have to talk about something that they dont want to. but dont get upset over anything they say, let them open up and listen to everything they must say. if no one starts talking then u start out the conversation by asking how they feel about you or u being there now for them to talk to. good luck, and be kind and listen don't act like their mother. step parents have to worst job, they have to just sit back and enjoy the ride.|||Talk with Daddy and find out the real scoop into why it has been ignored.

Your on the right track.|||it is just a difficult age!go to the schools psicologyst and ask how to act!|||Yep, bide your time, she'll be out of there in about a year. In the meantime, let her dad deal with her issues as long as she is respectful to you when it matters.|||yeah im only a teenager but. i think that she was just mad because it was incinuated that she needed to do work when she didnt want to, so she tried to get you off her her case by saying what she thought would hurt/get to you the most.|||Sweetie, stay out of it. Let the dad do the work. She is a teenager already and it's gonna be difficult to get her trust. Focus on gaining her trust little by little, but don't push things.|||As long as he is willing to handle it….let him. You don't need to butt heads with a step-daughter because you aren't going to win. However, she better learn real quick that when she flunks out of school, you aren't paying for her to live either. If both you and your husband can't present a united front…you better leave it to him. I wouldn't even go to P-T conferences anymore. It's nice to want to help, but don't get dumped on every time you try.|||I would just leave it to him - she probably resents you and wants to give you a hard time - my partners daughter from his previous marriage went into my closet and smeared face cream all over my clothes - there was no reason for this, I`ve only ever been nice to her… dont forget all those hormones raging round all over the place at that age - I really would stay out of it and let him handle it.|||just step down. your going to lose this battle everytime

i understand, there's a respect issue. she probably gets by with alot. jsut stay away tell your new husband how you feel, tell him you are concerned, and tell him your staying out. congrats on the new hubby and good luck!|||I am a senior and I have to take some junior classes, but not because I was lazy I just didn't have motivation. I wish that my parents were there to help me. You should help her because if you don't it may stick with her. Like if she has to repeat her senior year, she has to have motivation that a mother knows how to give.

Good luck!|||I recommend that you agree with your husband how you will handle these situations with both lots of children. It's important that you agree to support one another in front of the children and discuss any disagreements on your own. If not, your life will become a battle ground and no one will be happy.

Demonstrating a united front from the outset will stop this kind of behaviour and make everyone's lives easier.|||Let your husband handle his rude disrespectful daughter….Sounds like she needs to talk to someone….how did she handle her mother's death? You didn't do anything wrong…just trying to be helpful….but I really think there is something wrong with her….|||At that age they are all that way but your being a step-mom probably isn't beneficial to you. I would leave this one up to her dad and let him deal with her.|||talk with your husband, you have every right to be concerned for her welfare.. you might not be her mother, but have taken on that resposibility. she needs to respect you. seems to me she needs a kick in the butt…|||you need to sit down and have a talk with her about the fact that you are not trying to replace her mother nor do you want to be her mother. explain to her that you wish to be in her life and you ask questions because you genuinely care about her. Tell her your frustrations so she understands that its not one sided.|||I have a friend in a simular situation!!

You were not in the wrong but it is only the beginning, or it was for my friend. The best thing is to stay strong and not let them push you about.

This will put alot of strain on your relationship but so long you both commuicate.

My advice is to keep asking her how things are going at school. Eventually she will learn that your not an enermy that you just want to help and perhaps be a friend!!

Just remember this can take time.

Stay strong and i hope it all works!!

Good luck xx|||You were not wrong you were right to care! However, a step mother is a thankless job. You need to tell your husbnad what happened, and he needs to talk to her. She sounds like she has problems dealig with hte deathof her mother, thats why she is doing bad in school..and she may have a problem with you because she was not ready for her dad to get remarried and did not want him to replace her mom. Just have him talk to her, and say, i know you may not yet be comfortable with (you), but when I am not here, i expect you to listen to her because i put her in charge, so if i found out you did not listen you willhave ME to deal with. Also refrain from using the titles (step daughter/mother) with her because she sounds as if she is not ready for them. Good luck. :)|||Just 7 weeks married….how long did it take you to adjust to major 'stuff' in your life when you were 17 1/2? EVERYTHING should be left to the father (concerning his kids) until you can establish a solid friendship with these kids (and get a grip on the idea that it may never happen). But at some point they may be willing to work with you.

Or not. It's the nature of blended families.|||Before talking to her, you should talk to him. Just let him know that you are trying to do what's best. But in the end it will be his choice because it's his daughter. What ever you decide, make sure that you are united and stick to it. Only stay out of it if that's what he wants. But it will only hurt her in the long run.

Good luck.|||Being 17 myself and having a Step-Mother in my life, I think that you may want to start your relationship with her from another perspective, maybe as (even though I know your Married) only do things that a friend of her Dad would. Would a friend of her Dad ask her questions about her HW? No. Start it off like that. You have only been in her life for 7 Weeks, and as teenagers authority is the enemy for us. She may have been very close to her Dad before, and feels threatned by your presence. Although it would be in her best interest to do her work so she can pass, you must let her start to learn from her mistakes so that your advice will become all the more valuable in the long run.|||I have a step daughter who is 16, she is mouthy and rude….I have found that no matter what I say..it is wrong and wronger. I just stay out of things, let her and her father deal with stuff….I am kind to her however….it has been made clear to me that she is not interested in what I say and will do the opposite. In fact last year I told her she was going to fail in math just to check this theory…..she got an A.|||Who said you stepped over bounds? If step-dtr, she's wrong but she's a teen. If husband, he was really, really wrong.

It is your job as step-parent to assist your step-child who is still a minor with all aspects of her life, certainly including school.

Definitely talk to husband and you both agree on how to handle. You shouldn't be asked to step aside. You were asked to welcome the child into your home, so therefore you have rights to parent the child.

p.s. stubborn, lazy, selfish, confrontational - all age-appropriate for teen.|||First- you and dad get on the same page. If he doesn't care, then why should you?

Second- make it clear what the plan is- is she allowed to stay in the house after she graduates or fails? Or is she expected to get a job and be on her own? If dad plans on her living there until she's 40 regardless, then you kind of have a problem there.|||she may feel she's grown she may feel that you are taking her moms place talk to dad ask if there may be ways to become her friend as well as a parent it'll take longer because she's the oldest and the family has grown find a way to be there for her if she needs someone she'll come around|||My husband has a daughter who just turned 13. If I were you, since this child is 17 years old, I think I'd just leave things up to her dad. Should he approach you about helping in this school work area, then I'd talk to him about what he expects. Once you all have that ironed out, both of you sit down with the daughter and tell her what the new deal is going to be.

As far as other aspects of life in your household, I suggest that you and your husband sit down and figure out how things are going to be done and how tattle-telling is going to be handled. Then, both of you sit down with the children still living at home and spell it out for them. Don't forget to divulge the information about punishment for a child who runs to daddy because you took your rightful authoritative place in your own house.

Good luck.|||First of all, I'm sorry for your loss. Second of all, I truly believe that step-parenting is one difficult job with too many gray areas, and I wish you success. Sounds like your 17-year-old stepdaughter is angry, perhaps about many things, and she may not be ready or even able to talk to you about it. But she needs to speak with someone. Dad may not be the best choice either. If college is her goal, there's no time to mess around.

I was faced with a stepdaughter with anger issues as well. She was convinced that I was the anti-Christ and did her best to make it impossible for us to live together. But with the help of a counselor, we survived. She's in her thirties now, a loving mother herself. Happy endings are possible.

Good luck to you, and never lose faith.|||yes maybe it is time to just step back and let daddy handle it . If she fails again then make an agreement with daddy that you are going to handle it from then on . i think this girl has an attitude problem and your husband should have backed you up . blended families are very hard to begin with . good luck .|||I too am a step mom my step daughter is only 8 but still gives me a little attitude. It's hard because we are suppose to be the mother figure yet they don't see us that way. One tip is to discuss this with your husband. He knows his daughter and it may be best for him to handle things with his daughter but he also may want your help, it's hard to be a single father. I would suggest helping out with the daughter when asked by either her or your husband. By pushing your love on her it will only draw her farther away. It's hard and I wish the kids would just understand that we are just trying to help them and love them. Good luck!!|||you did not raise her and you are not her mother.STAY out of her business.|||Yes and no she need to understand that you are in her dads life now. Do this sit her down and tell her I do not want to get into ur business but I am your dads wife and I care for you that is why I ask you I am not her to replace your mother I am here to be ur friend someone you can talk to. Ask he if she wants you to be involved ask her what he problem is with you and how you guys can get along give her attention. And if all fails do what my father did to be he took everything away cell phone tv everything.|||I would just stay out of it, she is nearly grown and will have to accept you on different grounds.

I have never heard of this procedure, even with 17 years of caregiving in a hospice environment. My mom is scared to death. Can anyone tell me what this involves? Is it as risky as it sounds? Is this common practice?

To fill you in a bit…. he had prostate and bladder cancer. They did surgery and removed the tumor. Since the surgery he has not been able to tolerate any kind of oral nutricion (not even water). It's been a week. Now they are saying they HAVE to do this procedure. We NEED real info on this. I promised my mom I'd research it for her, but I don't even know where to begin. Any info would be greatly appriciated! Thanks so much.|||it's done all the time, it is called total parenteral nutrition, TPN for short. An intravenous cathetar is placed in a large vessel, usually in the neck, sometimes in the shoulder or chest, and yes it goes near the heart, but NOT into the heart. The reason is so the blood is moving swiftly and can dilute the solution rapidly the closer to the heart the cathetar is. This is not an unusual therapy, I personally have cared for many many patients that have recieved TPN, and it always benefitted them, gave them strength to heal up, and all of them eventually began eating again. Don't freak out, tell your mom to relax, it really is a good way to go.|||It's called a central line, and would not be inserted into his heart, but would be inserted into a major vessel next to his heart. It would be threaded there from a vein in his neck, shoulder or arm. He is likely being put on total parenteral nutrition, which is a way of giving people the nutrients they need through their blood, bypassing the stomach and intestines. Risks associated with this are mostly due to infection, because you are opening access to the inner body that bacteria don't usually have. This risk can be minimized by keeping the skin site sterile.

It is very important that people get adequate water and nutrition or they may die. They will also have a harder time healing from surgery without adequate nutrition. Another option is a surgical feeding tube into his intestines/stomach, but TPN (total parenteral nutrition) is a good bridge if you expect him to be able to eat on his own in the near future.|||What he is having is called hyper all.. The nutrition is not going directly into his heart. He is having a large needle inserted into a larger vein so he can get more nutrition. I have had this procedure many times because i have a colon disease.

Having a larger vein and needle allows for more fluids and higher calorie and nutritional supplements. It doesn't hurt. There is nothing to be afraid of. The caregiver will be told how to clean and care for this catheter (needle). It helps so much and then he won't have to worry about getting stuck a bunch of times because the other veins are smaller and unable to accept thicker fluids.

Good luck guys. It looks much worse than it is. It just looks like it's going into the heart.It actually is in what is called the subclavian vein.|||First of all, I am not a medical professional, but maybe I can ease your mind somewhat. My father just got out of the hospital after three long months. He was in ICU at Hershey medical Center for a month. He had alot of problems, the prostrate being one. They also gave him nutrition through an IV, but not in his heart. They usually insert a central venous catheter and it feeds the nutrition directly into a patients bloodstream. Normally, they dont leave these in for a long time as they are a source of infection. If they need this long term, they usually use a Silastic Broviac or a Hickman. I am not a medical professional, but we went through so much with my dad (still are, actually) and we took notes and asked 1,000,000 questions about every procedure. Luckily, all of my sisters and I worked in health care, ( I was a phlebotomist for many years and so I was a little more familiar with the various lines) They will wean your dad off the iv feed, but it takes time. Our dad had a tracheostomy, so it took a little longer. They had to do swallowing evaluations on him to see if he could swallow food,(cuz of the trach) and then had to make sure he could tolerate it. They started him on liquids, including jello and things like that, then they went on to pureed foods, then to semi-solids etc. I know how scary it is, but its is necessary to keep your dad alive if he cant take anything by mouth. It took my dad three weeks to finally pass the swallowing evaluation, and they removed the catheter, but then he still had to go slow to see what he could tolerate. He still cant tolerate certain foods yet. It takes some people awhile. Especially when their body hasnt had any real food in for such a long time. Like I said, they dont like to leave the lines in any longer than necessary. Please go to the site LifeSteps to read up on this, this is where we learned so much. Just in case there are no doctors aboard to answer your questions here. I also recommend asking lots of questions, most doctors are happy to explain things to you. If they seem reluctant, dont be put off, they HAVE to tell you . Dont be afraid to ask… I have run into docs who seem to think that the family doesnt have a need to know, but it is your legal right. But you need to gather as much info as possible because your dad will most likely go home still needing some care from you, his family. I wish you lots of luck and hopefully, someone will answer this question with more detail. Go to that site, you will find lots of good info.

EDIT!! Yay, I knew there would be some great answers for you! Dont panic, your dad is in good hands.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071120/ap_o…

I will say I have to thank to groups who opposed stem cell research because if they can solve the flaws in this method then it will be vastly superior, cheaper, easier and be able to produce greater quantities.

Now I now this is still new and has side effects like cancer that they are working on so it is not ready to go yet…….but does anyone see where this could be objectionable or a reason we should prevent it once they get the process nice safe?|||No, I really don't. Many Fundamentalists will probably still complain just because it has the word "stem cell" in there though.|||God created them..we didnt..

im against it..|||Not when no harm comes to anyone. donate the cells and see if we can cure some of these terrible diseases. It should be donated through the umbilical cord only though|||Fireball,

With your 3rd grade reasoning skills your kids should have no immunization shots. Cuz after all, god didn't create those shots either.|||Most people who oppose stem cell research only oppose embryonic stem cell research and completely support the use of stem cells derived from adult cells.

Why is this? because exctracting embryonic stem cells causes the death of the embryo which many religious groups feel is a human being, simply at a different stage of development. The only thing that seperates you and I from an embryo is time. Embryo's already have their complete and full genetic structure of 23 chromosomes, in that sense they are already a unique individual.

I'm all for stem cell research when it doesn't involve destroying embryo's.