Bookmarking the Truth
By Cathy Jameson
A few years ago when a blizzard kept us home for days on end, I had lots of extra time to clean out the closets. From that cleaning spree, I had 2 very large bags and 1 big box of items to donate. The items may not have been brand new, but they were in good condition and could hopefully serve a purpose for someone else.
My daughters were not sad to see their things go. I wasn't either. The things I was donating to the giveaway pile were a few t-shirts I no longer wore and a pile of books that I knew that I'd never read cover-to-cover. Only a few of the chapters and topics in the books interested me anyway.
I'd bought the books one or two at a time at thrift stores over the years hoping to use them for a research project. Instead of finishing the project, the books sat and sat and sat on one of our bookshelves. I spied them on that snowy weekend and decided that it was time for them to go back to the thrift store. I wanted to add a page of my own to each book before they were donated though.
I’d considered it a missing appendix or sorts. These books, all of which are meant to educate women during pregnancy or during the first few years of parenting, were missing something: the whole truth.
- In sections regarding autism, there was no hope that autism could be prevented (and treated).
- In sections describing vaccines, I found no warning that all liability-free vaccines come with risk and that they had side effects (or what to do about those side effects post-vaccination).
- In other sections of these books, when listing the vaccine schedule, information about vaccine exemptions was missing (including that all 50 states offer at least 1 exemption).
- In sections describing well-baby visits to the pediatrician's office, not one author mentioned that parents can (and should) question what their providers were saying.
What could be done? It would be too messy to jot some notes in each of the books, so I thought I’d add a bookmark. I’d place it in the sections that I thought needed further information, information I’d wished I’d known back when I was pregnant and also as a young mommy. Tucking it neatly, the bookmark held just enough updated information to the sections that I thought need clarification.
Since I'd bought some of them at thrift stores, several of the books were already rather old. Some information was still relevant, but other data in the parenting books was no longer current. Moms and Dads could easily find more current information on pregnancy, on parenting, and on what happens during well-baby and well-child visits now while reading online. But some people, like me, can't resist thumbing through books looking for information. That's why before these books went back to the thrift store, I slipped that bookmark in.
I like it when something I have in my possession can help another person. Sometimes it's things. Sometimes it's advice. I don't expect everyone to take my advice, but it is nice to know that other people occasionally do seek it. When what I have to offer is gently used children’s clothes, toys, or a stack of parenting books, like the ones I donated after the snow stopped, I hoped that they landed in the hands of someone who truly needed it. At one time, those types of books were like a motherhood bible to me. I'm sure they could be like that for a new generation of young parents as well.
Who knows where the information I'd inserted in the pages of those donated books eventually went. If only one brand new mom or one mom-to-be read it, I'd be happy. That’s because what she read could have led to more reading, more wondering, and maybe even to some questioning. As I've learned from past experience, reading and questioning and wondering are never bad things. They are all are very good things indeed.
Cathy Jameson is a Contributing Editor for Age of Autism.
Got a favorite book or website about autism, vaccines or special needs parenting you’d like to share? Go ahead and post it in the comments below.
Dear Lorraine, I am so sorry; my heart goes out to you. Is there any chance the union can protect you and fight the firing? ( After all, ensuring informed consent should not be a fireable offense, though I know it can be.) My thoughts are with you, and please hold your head up high. You are brave, and it is even possible that after the release of this new vaccine, your friends and family may , in the long term, come around to your way of thinking, about informed consent, as it seems particularly the second shot of the mRNA vaccines can have some very harsh effects, and it seems they are likely going to choose to get it. I am sure if no one tells them about the side effects, they will likely be very upset.
I hope you find a good job that you can love. (Have you ever thought about chart review ? I did it for a while, and it was a change of pace that was actually quite relaxing, for a while. Many insurance companies are willing to train, and like nurses with a lot of real world experience.) Home visits might be possible without requiring you to have a vaccine , as well. Thinking of you and hoping all goes well.
Posted by: hera | November 25, 2020 at 04:57 AM
Oh Loraine, I hope one day soon we are all vindicated for questioning xo
Posted by: False Scientists | November 24, 2020 at 11:33 PM
@Loraine
God Bless You!
You have laid up treasure in heaven:
"Matthew 6:19-21 - Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
I am continually persecuted for taking a stand on vaccines. Family is the hardest. Yet, we must always stand for Truth.
Posted by: Emmaphiladelphia | November 23, 2020 at 02:11 PM
Loraine, I am so sorry you are jobless because you care what happens to patients. For most of us we only risk our friends and families accusing us of being 'conspiracy theorists'. Difficult enough, but we can just shrug our shoulders and get on with it, knowing we have truth on our side.
I do really hope you find a job that you can be comfortable in - and that your family will come around to your way of thinking, even if just a little.
Posted by: susan welch | November 23, 2020 at 02:01 PM
Loraine
You are hero and always will be for doing the best for your son - I think it is a desperate position being a nurse that doubts. A terrible predicament.
Posted by: John Stone | November 23, 2020 at 12:53 PM
Well, I am now out of a nursing job due to trying to ask my patients and coworkers discretely if they have considered the possible risks of vaccine. So, naturally I think trying to keep others from joining the autism/cancer/ autoimmune/ disabled club is noble indeed. unfortunately, my family, daughters and husband disagree, with me. It is difficult, depressing and frustrating and job destroying to try to help others where vaccine injury is concerned. I am shunned by my own family and jobless. I try to hold my head up and keep living. I have put myself in the position of having to look for another nursing job where they will certainly require vaccination. Michigan Medicine did not require vaccination due to our nursing union who protects us from being force vaccinated on one hand and helps managers fire us on the other. Thanks for listening. My family considers me a loser for trying to help my severely disabled son and humanity. They call me crazy. I guess I am.
Posted by: Loraine Fishel | November 23, 2020 at 12:45 PM
Thanks Cathy, who would have thought a year ago that we would now all be considered asymptomatic carriers of CV19, churches and schools closed, masks on everywhere while we all wait for a miracle vaccine to save us.
They mock nearly every doctor except for one, who has done little but pass out medical money that they print up, which requires little responsibility for results.
Everyone in the nation is now on the "CV19 spectrum" which shows no sign of ending very soon. Hopefully the nation will catch on to the endless successful fraud enjoyed by some in the system.
Posted by: go Trump | November 23, 2020 at 06:19 AM
There are many vaccine and autism resources that have helped and people here probably know most of them. So I'll say one they may not know about. A You Tuber called "The Healing Cave Lady" helped me understand the GAPS diet by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride which is an offshoot of a book called "Breaking the Vicious Cycle: Intestinal Health through Diet by Elaine Gottschall. I resisted the Specific Carbohydrate Diet at first but when I read it, it explained experiences we had with our severely autistic son and the diet minus some food allergies helped his meltdowns to lessen. I also enjoy listening to Lisa from "Farmhouse on Boone" and her sister Lara from "Our Oily House" on You Tube. They don't do GAPS diet currently but they did in the past and still apply some principles from it.
Posted by: lorim | November 22, 2020 at 11:40 PM
Good job, Cathy! May there be one person who helped one child prevent vax injury!
Posted by: MamaBear | November 22, 2020 at 11:12 PM
Author C.S. Lewis was never shy about speaking the truth. He delivered it through brilliant novels, non-fiction and essays.
C. S. Lewis died this day, November 22, 1963. The same day as President Kennedy. Yet, their lights continue to shine:
Science, Scientism and COVID-19: Timely Wisdom From CS Lewis
https://stream.org/science-scientism-and-covid-19-timely-wisdom-from-c-s-lewis/
Excellent timely video.
CS Lewis’s Prophecy Coming True, As We Give Over Our Freedoms to Technology
https://stream.org/c-s-lewis-prophecy-giving-over-freedoms/
Posted by: Emmaphiladelphia | November 22, 2020 at 08:11 PM