Letters to the Editor
Published Letters: 134 Editor's Choice: 12
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I side with the FDA.
[Read the article: Your baby in utero: The movie]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Did you know that ultrasound can be used to break up kidney stones? Look up Lithotripsy at wikipedia.
Would you trust the development of your fetus to proceed normally, if you're bombarding it with ultrasound all the time?
This device is more akin to an X-ray than it is to a camera. It should not be used for entertainment value! Sure, one X-ray may not harm a growing fetus, but unless it's an emergency situation doctors usually choose alternate diagnostic methods to avoid X-raying a pregnant woman. The dentist has a lead apron to cover your body while they X-ray your teeth, but they still advise you to wait till your next visit for that, if you're pregnant. Ultrasound is no different, until proven safe.
The only way to prove that it is safe would be to have clinical trials. Assign some pregnant women to have weekly ultrasounds and others not. Let's see how many pregnant women line up for this. Anyone out there interested?
Maybe someone will set up trials on animals of varying sizes, to determine if there's a risk. Even then, the risk might not be physical, but there might be a mental risk. Still want to roll the dice?
This should not be considered a toy.
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Little-known bit about Kaiser's health plan
[Read the article: HPV vaccine recommended for preteen girls]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]This is a quote from the SF Chronicle article today about this subject:
"The federal advisory panel recommended that all women up to age 26 be vaccinated against the virus, though it is still unclear whether the vaccine is effective in women who have been exposed to the virus. Kaiser said it will not cover the vaccine for women who already have had sex."
Read that last sentence again. Kaiser plans to check your virginity before paying up for the shot that will save them money by trying to prevent you from getting cervical cancer. It doesn't matter that you don't have HPV and would like to try not to get it - if you've had sex, you have to pay for those shots yourself. The federal advisory panel says women up to age 26 (why that age? Is there some magic about that, that you can't get HPV after that age?) should get the shot, so why is Kaiser refusing to pay for it if you're an adult woman who's had sex but hasn't (yet) contracted the virus?
SHAMEFUL.
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Afraid of change
[Read the article: Should I stick with my girlfriend through her cancer?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]When I first read the LW's letter, I was all prepared to wail on him for being all self-centered, all of his questions were about him and his needs, etc. But reading the responses gave me a chance to think, and I'm ready to cut him some slack. First of all, yes, since he's 30, he should be more mature than this. But some people lead more charmed lives than others.
Most of us, by age 30, have had enough of our plans derailed to realize that there are no sure things in life. He's built up this plan for his life: complete college at 22, check. Good job, check. Fall in love by 30, check. Married with kids by 35, on schedule for an on-time completion. House with white picket fence, summer house, retire at 59 1/2, etc. etc. It's good to have a plan, and goals, and to work toward them. But now this guy is facing a point where life has thrown a kink in his plans. And now he has to do some thinking. Which is more important - the plan, or the today? And he's paralyzed with fear. What if he makes the wrong choice?
Obviously he's either used to having his own way, or else that things just magically go his way. He just has to learn - like all of us do - how to handle it when things no longer magically goes his way, and accept that "life is what happens when you're making other plans". Is there anyone out there that is living the exact life they planned for themselves when they were young? I know I'm not. That doesn't mean it's worse, or even that it's better. It's just different.
As for advice directly to the LW: Loosen up a little. Let that plan get a bit dog-eared and scribbled over with changes. Your life should not be a simple management exercise. Just like all work and no play isn't good, neither is rigid worship of a plan. And think about this - you could toss this woman aside, get a new girlfriend, move in with her, and one month later SHE could be diagnosed with cancer. Or maybe one month after you marry the new one. Or one month after having that child. It could happen. Anything could happen. All of your "worst fears" could still be realized even if you drop your current girlfriend to try to avoid these things. Maybe that'll throw the fear of over-planning into you!
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Of course it's a loaded word
[Read the article: Should a rape victim, at age 14, be called a woman?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I have to expound on what Linda said, about how often the phrase "young woman 14 years old" is used. I'm sure Planned Parenthood deliberately uses this phraseology to emphasize the pregnant person's maturity as far as being able to decide for herself on an abortion, without needing parental consent. It is difficult to justify getting outraged about a "child" being raped at 14, whereas if this teen were still alive, and were pregnant and seeking an abortion, pro-choicers would insist she was a "young woman" capable of making that decision for herself.
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Whining about liquids
[Read the article: What else we're reading]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]All this whining about not being able to tak liquids (including breast milk) on planes is a load of crap. There's one perfectly reasonable alternative already available for every liquid that you might want to bring on your flight, and it is CHECK YOUR BAGGAGE. Sheesh! So someone's crying that their baby will have to switch to formula because they're too damn important to wait 20 minutes at baggage claim after their flight? And they're blaming this on the airlines and the TSA? Get a clue, people!