I've linked below to one source that gives a brief overview of the various bacteria associated with food poisoning. Of course that applies not just to home-canned foods but fresh meats, dairy products, etc. Maybe people got sick or died in the past and no one thought of food poisoning as the cause. Maybe they were stronger than we are today; those who survived (didn't die prior to the age of five) may have developed forms of resistance by exposure to many bacteria we no longer encounter. (Some scientists have speculated our children have lost certain immunities because we are "too clean," which may account for higher rates of allergies, etc.) Maybe bacteria have just developed; it's easy to forget that bacteria are not static. Think how new stronger antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria are making it more and more challenging for doctors to treat some of the infections people get. Whatever few bacteria survive antibiotics will live to breed a new stronger generation of poisons. The law of nature is survival. The question now is whether we can develop new treatments faster than the bacteria can mutate. Maybe it's all of those things. All I know is it's better not to take any unnecessary risks (what Deanna called Russian Roulette). Doctors and hospitals aren't infallible and I'd rather not depend on them to cure me. It's easier to avoid the problem in the first place. Actually, I think our best chance to eat well and stay healthy is to process our own food, following the best and most current information available to us. We've certainly seen in the media lately lots of examples of problems with the commercial food chain. Food is strongly connected to our emotions and sense of ourselves. We all cherish family recipes and the rituals of food-preparation we remember. But it's no sin to update the approach, recognizing that conditions change. It needn't alter our affection for the parent or grandparent who first taught us and it isn't rejection. Carol Here is a link that might be useful: Historical Overview of Key Issues in Food Safety

This is probably what your doctor was suggesting, I didn't find any information as to the cost. I'm sure that was upsetting news, but at the same time, think of it as having your treatment 'in your own hands'...literally. "Low-Dose Parathyroid Injections. Although high persistent levels of parathyroid hormone can cause osteoporosis, daily injections of low and intermittent doses of this hormone actually stimulate bone production. Unlike most treatments for osteoporosis, including bisphosphonates, the benefits may persist even after the injections have been stopped. Teriparatide (Forteo), an agent made from selected amino acids found in parathyroid hormone, has now been approved for treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. Studies suggest it significantly lowers the risk of fracture and increases bone mineral density. In one small study, parathyroid hormone significantly reduced spinal fractures compared to hormone replacement therapy. Although not yet approved for men with osteoporosis, it may be effective for these patients as well. Although the treatment requires injections, experts believe that patients will get used to them, just as people with diabetes grow accustomed to insulin shots. Side effects are mild and include nausea, dizziness, and leg cramps. No significant complications have been reported to date. Of concern are early studies reporting bone tumors in mice who were given parathyroid long-term. Such effects have not been observed in humans to date. (Of note in this regard, persons with Paget disease, a disorder in which bone thickens but also, oddly, weakens, should not take parathyroid hormone, since they are at higher than normal risk for bone tumors.)"

Without getting sexist about the issue, now you have me thinking part of this might be a girl thing men don't understand. Men and women communicate differently, we all know that. And it starts young. Yeah, our sons and daughters both need verbal stimuli and physical stimuli. But there really is a difference in the equation. Girls and women generally need that verbal release of stress every day. Boys need a physical release of stress. I know mothers suddenly frustrated by their 10-12 y/o son's intense physical expression. Someone new to boys might be annoyed by the natural change level of aggression that comes on pre-puberty. Boys are more likely to naturally release their daily stress by wrestling with each other, hitting a ball as hard as they can, running for no reason. I've seen it with my boys. Girls have to tell stories to someone to get the feelings out. Sometimes the same story over and over again. But of course we don't make that an excuse to let our boys aggression or physical expressions run rampant. They have to learn to focus and release it in healthy ways, or without taking it out on other people. So I can see that girls need to do the same thing, learn to focus that need to release in words, without taking it out too much on the people around them. ;o) I don't think I'd get her a cell phone either. I'd get a journal. I can see that she would learn to use the talking to control you sometimes, hold you hostage just to test the limits of your patience or even if she's angry at your control over her as a parent so she flexes control where she can. I will admit to having done that a few times in my life. I remember my mother having conversations with me about how I was using words to control other people's feelings. So I think the trick would be to recognize when 1)she truly needs to be heard, 2)when she's manipulating you, and 3) when it's casual conversation that only seems manipulative b/c you're worn out from your own day before she even saw you. My 13 y/o is a boy and doesn't do the talking thing. But he does the physical bully thing to his siblings. I send him outside to release that energy in a better way. He is learning to recognize in himself the energy building in him that will either come out as anger or controlled with exercise. My 10 y/o is a boy, too, and is starting to feel that physical energy he doesn't know what to do with. DD is only 7, but talks a lot, especially in the car! Sometimes when the AC is running I really cannot hear what she is saying. I had to tell her the other day I can either listen to her or run the AC, "Is what you're saying important enough to let the car get hot?" It wasn't. LOL, she chose the AC. Sometimes at home I've sat and listened to her for 20 minutes. But then it's like it encouraged her and she doesn't stop, she follows me right to the bathroom door and keeps talking. I have to tell her "It's not your turn anymore." Or if I'm trying to get dinner going and can't pay attention to so many things at once, or the kitchen noises make it impossible to have conversation at the same time, I just tell her "Is this really more important that our family having some dinner?" She needs to learn when it can wait. I think this sounds like an issue of family dynamics. While you don't want to let one member's habit control the family dynamics, you can't let resentment of that person's habit control the family dynamics either. You have to be careful not to generalize and define that person by that one annoying habit.

The health dept. told me there were two pharmacies offering Shingrix in my community, CVS and one other regional chain one. My doctor is on haitus all month and I'm still debating on jumping ship. Either way, it will be at least a month before I can get any services from a personal physician. I still haven't heard back from my insurance company about coverage of the Shingrix, but I'll extrapolate from hubs experience with Aetna supplemental and project that it will be expensive for the vaccine and minimal if any coverage by my insurance company. I don't think my coverage will be better than his. But I have to find out for sure before I can maybe pursue some special program through our health department. But I'll bet that too will be minimal support. They need our money and have us over a barrel, so there you have it.