Canada For Haiti

2010 January 24

If you would like a graphic of similar nature for your blog, website or facebook I will be offering service pro bono (free) until the end of February in support of Haiti and the victims of the earthquakes (there were two, an after shock of 6.7 was recorded after the first larger earthquake). Please support Haiti and Canada for Haiti and give what you can. They’ve raised 27 million dollars already and 1 Canadian dollar equals to 2 Haitian dollars. If you can’t give, spread the word and give that way. Every little bit counts!

The Mommy Files

2010 February 7

The Kill Box

2010 February 7

The method of euthanasia used by the Elliot Lake city for strays, unadoptable animals and unclaimed animals is the most cruel and inhumane methods ever used. They are the same methods that were used in the Holocaust on human beings and by the now defunct gas chambers of the jailing system for criminals.

Rapists and child murderers in the States get more humane treatment than these animals. They use lethal injection now for criminals in States where corporal punishment is on the law books (Florida, Texas to name a few).

WARNING: VERY GRAPHIC

Elliot Lake – This is your community! This is your city council that doesn’t give a damned about life and respect for life. It has been made known that the council has stated that if our local no kill shelter, which is now running at a deficit quite soon and will be forced to close its doors without financial help, closes they will gas all the animals that we have in that shelter. Mother cats with their babies, puppies, dogs – all of them.

The Kill Box is not quick, it is merciless and some don’t even die right away and must be gassed again. They scream, howl and even fight each other to escape. They leave each other bloody and bruised before being gassed to death. Convulsions, defecating on themselves, running in circles because there is no space to move with that many of them in the Kill Box together. When they are done with the adults, they pile the babies on top of the dead and dying adults. The babies wag their tails because they trust us, they trust us with their lives, the very well being and we betray them. We are mass murderers of the very essence of innocence and sacredness of life. We, as a species play god with Mother Natures babies, picking and choosing who lives and who dies. Who are we to presume that we are gods in this world, in Mother Natures playing fields of life that we may have the odacity to remove from another sentient, feeling, living and breathing entity its right to life?

We have deemed the use of gas chambers, Kill Boxes for humans to be inhumane and against the rights of living breathing people. That these acts are of a nature that can label “rulers” and “kings” war lords who have committed the worse of the worse of sins against a nation of people. Animals feel pain, suffering both emotionally and physically. They cry with us, they laugh with us, they hurt with us and they bleed as we do.

The effects of Carbon Monoxide poisoning (the gas used in Kill Boxes)

Exposure to carbon monoxide is most commonly accompanied by the following symptoms:

  • Headache
  • Dizziness
  • Nausea
  • Flu-like symptoms, fatigue
  • Shortness of breath on exertion
  • Impaired judgment
  • Chest pain
  • Confusion
  • Depression
  • Hallucinations
  • Agitation
  • Vomiting
  • Abdominal pain
  • Drowsiness
  • Visual changes
  • Fainting
  • Seizure
  • Memory and walking problems

Can you stare into the eyes of your own sacred and beloved furry companion, knowing what you know now about Kill Boxes and gas chambers? Can you ignore this, I can’t. I won’t.

Support SAD – we need your help! http://www.SADElliotLake.com OR Go straight to our Canada Helps page and donate today – https://www.canadahelps.org/DonationDetails.aspx?cookieCheck=true

Motherly Connections

2010 January 26

Pulling your circle of support around you as a mother and woman is one of the most fundamental tools any woman has and needs.  It’s the center of a womans world to have her circle of female friends. Something I’ve never had until recently. Most of my circle are distanced from me by miles between us but I do have one in particular that lives just right next door.

I’ve mentioned Bull Dog before, we’ve become pretty close. Being able to commiserate with another woman has been not only relieving but cathartic. Every day we walk the three little ones (my two, her one) to daycare and back. It’s been nice having someone hang out in the mornings and we don’t even have to say a word. Coffee and mutual facebooking or chatting about our personal issues and hashing them out. Getting a fresh set of eyes our own situations and personal developments.

She’s been a very huge bright spot for me, a saving grace. We know each other as if we’ve grown up together. We mesh well together with many commons and I consider her blood. I now not only have a younger sister in Belleville but now have a younger sister right here, next to me. We nourish each others feelings, nurture each others lives and bring to the table companionship and sisterly togetherness and love. It’s amazing how one can be so connected to someone so finitely that it feels like sisterhood.

We have the same goals, the same parenting styles and the same thought processes. When she is sad, I am sad. When she is happy, I smile for her and am happy. She’s been an awesome connection and joy to have in my life. I’m pleased to know her, to have the opportunity to be here for her and her here for me. She is truly a kindred spirit.

Vaccination Without Doctor Consent

2010 January 23

ARTICLE

The article, done by a nephrologist (kidney specialist), has me highly disturbed. I’ve never made it a secret that I am against vaccination without consent or informed consent. I’m pro informed choice myself. I don’t vaccinate and that’s my given right as a Canadian because of our Charter of Rights treating vaccines like a procedure rather than medications that can scripted or over the counter (good lordy, imagine vaccines as an OTC in any pharmacy – that would be horrible).

I find it deplorable that hospitals are taking policies like this and allowing pharma representatives to walk into a patient room and dump their product selling directly on their “consumer” rather than the medical field. This means they are directly marketing vaccines to the “consumer” because we all know they aren’t patients to Big Pharma, they are a business. A for profit business not a medical institution, making these in hospital, sick patients their direct consumer of product they shamelessly peddle – it’s like hospital room door to door sales tactics.

It sickening to me because I highly doubt that sales pitch rep is giving the whole story, just re-spewing “statistical” data (I quotation mark that because those statistics are skewed, we’ll never know the true numbers ever) from the CDC, WHO and their own, for their own interests, studies in their pharma facilities. Honestly, if a doctor came to you with their own interests of a study they set up, are running and wanted you to take a medication that they invented without proper information or knowing what it was – would you take it? If you asked for the information and were not provided that information with a resounding “no you can’t have it” would you still do that study with that unknown and unnamed medication?

Let’s take it a step further – your doctor tells you you need an operation for XYZ. He tells you it needs to be done but stops there. Doesn’t tell you why you need it, if there are any complications or tells you there are none and then proceeds to put you in an environment of salesman to customer – pitching the surgery at you like you are shopping around – would you be comfortable doing that XYZ operation with no idea or information on it?

Then why do we treat vaccines like this – it’s a medical procedure, a medication. Albeit, a preventative one but still a medication. This is the wrong way to advocate for ourselves, our families and the communities we live in. We need to inform ourselves of all pros and cons. Not just what they want us to hear or see. It’s up to us to make the informed consent – not some Big Pharma sales rep, not some hospital, not some doctor or nurse.

We all research our televisions, cars, phones, computers before we buy and yet this is just a luxury. We have no luxury to turn back the clock when it comes to our well being and over all health. Our actions are permanent when it comes to our over all health shouldn’t we take the time to understand what it is we are doing medically to ourselves before we do it?

Pets, Pain & Behaviours

2010 January 20

In the past there have been a plethora of studies on how pets affect our pain tolerance levels. As a fibromyalgia patient I can say these studies are truly on target. My dog is there for me without judgement, without harsh words and with a complete understanding for me.

He doesn’t tire of my constant complaints concerning my daily chronic pain. He’s always there to put his head in my lap and offer up some love whether I am fatigued from my disease, in severe or moderate pain or just having a somewhat sensible day.

It’s not only my disease that my husky will notice either, he knows when I need a nudge on the elbow to say he is there. He knows when one of us is hurting physically or emotionally. When I cry, he lays at my feet and looks up at me patiently waiting for much needed hugs.

Just the other day, my oldest had an accident at a friends house that required stitches. Before those stitches were administered Kemo laid his head in my sons lap to comfort him. My children are very much his babies, his cubs. We are one big pack, taking care of each other and caring for the health of each others emotional well being.

Funny thing is, Kemo was a rescue. I’ve heard so many misconceptions of rescues being dangerous, not fit for family life, not likely to be rehabilitated to society. This is such a shame that so many think on this level. All my life I’ve had a rescue animal out perform a “bought” (sic adopted) animal from pet stores. My Kemo has seen five house holds, we are number five and his forever home. He was branded a problem dog, a dog with behavioural issues – digging, burying, pulling on the leash, blow out shedding and much more.

The problem is, these behaviours are not behavioural issues. These are instinctual to a husky, they are of the Spitz genetic lines. The oldest working dog genetic line. They are bred and built for pulling, digging and burrowing. They pull sleds, they dig to find people that need help, dig to keep warm in arctic temperatures as does their burrowing instincts to keep warm as well. Their coats need brushing every day, they blow out shed twice a year. These are normative issues with the husky breed.

I believe in educated ownership and responsible ownership. I believe we must educate ourselves on our pets to better communicate with them, to take better care of them and to have a healthy relationship with them. Rescues have been both the highlight and sadness of my life. High lighting a great love and respect for such strong and brave animals while being saddened by their plight as a rescue animal.

The pain and suffering of rescue animals is heart breaking. Especially when I know that most rescues, beyond extreme situations, are adoptable and very loving creatures. They all want their forever home, they all want to be loved without judgement and to be understood. We ask for respect, should we not dole out the respect back to those animals out there that love us without condition?

Duma Key

2010 January 20

I have been enjoying what little reading I can get in lately. I’ve been reading Duma Key by Stephen King. I find it interesting how the duality of the book reminds me of King’s own experiences with an auto accident and the main character’s construction accident. The emotional and mental issues that are prevalent in most accident victims lives runs parallel in the plot of the story.

I love the references of art (sic drawing) to the art of writing, the pain that is involved in both. I also like the fact that King sticks to the age old adage of “write what you know”. He knows about the emotional turmoil of the art of writing, he knows about the mental depression of accident victims (being one himself). He knows the parallels of artistic medium and how they cross each others paths.

I’ve always loved King’s penchant for descriptors. It puts me, as the reader, right in the middle of the story. It makes me feel part of the story and Duma Key is living up to that beyond my wildest expectations. Then, I’ve always been a King fan and have my father to thank for my love of King’s work. I know not every reader likes extreme descriptions that can take multiple pages to read. It’s a personal preference like a good cup of coffee.

Would You Do It?

2010 January 18

Lynn Gilderdale – She suffered from ME (myalgic encephalopathy, a chronic pain disease). Her mother assisted in her bid to end her life successfully. Out of the love and sacrifice of self her mother chose to help her end the suffering and pain that Lynn was going through. She was bed ridden, unable to sit up with out losing consciousness, in complete utter pain from every breath, every movement, every hiccup or sneeze. Could not swallow anymore (had a NG tube) and required what we call here a main line (pic line) for medications.

Lynn chose to end her life rather than suffer the inevitable and impending indignities of dying frail and very sick. She led a life lacking of quality. I’m a fibromite, I also have costochondritis, scoliosis and IBS. If ever I were to come to that stage where I am degraded and devoid of quality of life I would do the same. I don’t know if I could ask my mother to assist me or my husband or one of my children (surely an adult by then I hope) – I don’t think I could ask them to hold that over their heads or have my “blood on their hands” so to speak. It would be selfish of me, not the act of suicide but the act of expecting a loved one to assist one in ending ones own life.

No, I would not ask them nor expect it of them. What I would expect is my own wishes to be respected. If I were in Lynn’s situation, with no quality of life and no end to the suffrage of a disease that rips the body apart but shreds the soul even more then I would expect my family and friends to respect my wishes to die by my own hand, while I still had some dignity left. I would rather die in dignity by my own hand than die by a disease that rips apart your sense of self, your mind, your soul and any sense of individualism and dignity. Suicide is not always wrong in some situations, it is sometimes the only solution to releasing someone of an ache far greater than the destructive disease shows. When it’s time to go home and the body and mind can’t seem to follow that, it’s only our right as individuals to say I’m ready to go home now and go at peace, surrounded with love.

Freelance Work

2010 January 17

It can be difficult to say the least, freelancing in any industry. Especially when there are kids at home on weekends and time sharing of the computer. My hubby is a tow truck driver but he also freelances as a deejay while I freelance as a graphics designer. Some projects for both of us require the larger screen or the larger drives on the tower computer. Not an easy task when both of the freelancers in the house need the same system to work with.

The laptop is good for quick, easy graphics designing needs and the tablet makes it a breeze to do them. The only problem with the laptop is the screen size and coloring of the display when tilted the wrong way and it gives me a doozie of a headache if I work too long on the laptop. Both systems have the materials I need for work but the tower with it’s 19″ screen.

Finding and getting freelance projects are also a full time job. It’s amazing how much competition is out there. People who’ve been doing it longer than you, people who have more equipment and capital than you do, sometimes (and I will admit this) more talent than you do (sic than I do).

It’s frustrating in the slow months to sit there and watch all the good contracts go out to those who get awarded those contracts. It’s always for the best though, customer is the one who matters more than the freelancer does. They must feel comfortable and at ease with the person they are working with for their graphics needs. Then there’s the issues with weekend working (which I had the luxury of doing this weekend) with a myriad of children both my own and not my own running in and out of the house and rooms. Very interesting to work with that much noise factor, that much chaos.

Uniquely, I thrive on chaos and noise though. It’s almost calming until it hits monsoon proportions though. That’s my limit, the unnecessary monsoon style noise, screaming or shrill shrieks that just stimming me right out.

Late Xmas Gift

2010 January 16

Well, turns out my hubby got his Nikko 450 pre amp and amp after all. He picked them up today as his late Christmas gift (only almost a month late). He’s playing with it now downstairs and making a racket. I’m hoping my neighbors don’t get to nasty about it and call the cops on us. They already did this to another neighbor not that long ago.

Big B is out on his sleep over he was suppose to have yesterday with Little Man. Beaner has a friend over, J tonight. I had 7 kids in my house (admittedly 5 of them were mine) eating Papa Bear’s famous lasagna. We made a batch for Little Man, his Baby Sissa Bear and his mum. They’re going through some rough moments right now so we’re doing our best to make the transition easy for all three of them. I enjoy “Bulldog” and her company (apparently a nickname she picked up in her teens from friends – it’s fitting with her personality, she’s very Mama Bear like I am). Great lady, wonderful mum and impressive person – I couldn’t ask better of a friend.

Littles are still enjoying their daycare, getting along well. Although, my 4 yr old has taken to regressing (part of her PDD NOS) backward to diapers at night and part of the day (naps at daycare). It’s frustrating, this is the 3rd or 4th time she’s regressed for potty. I know I have to be patient with her. She’s also taken to biting lately when she’s frustrated, not using her signs or what words she does have. She bites Boo Boo (2 yr old) a lot lately. Not very nice at all right now.

Got the fur brat his new yearly dog tags this week, I was helping out with SAD for selling on the last day that it was 15 dollars instead of 30. Now I don’t have to worry about it so much and don’t have to spend more on it. Fur brat has already cost me 250 dollars in the last 9 months for “dog at large” issues and playing fur Houdini.

Papa Bear is working a lot lately, busy as a bee. I’ve been a little slow with work but I’m sure it’ll start picking up soon. I’m not worried at all yet. That’s it for updates for now, Big B is still doing awesome with the stitches and doing very well both physically and emotionally.