The ICA announced, earlier this week, that they have produced three new mass media PSA’s on ICA that will appear in the next few months on DirecTV, America News Network Consumer Edition and the Radio Health Journal.
This is great news. We certainly need as many educational pieces as possible!
Jill O.
Folks… I received this lovely message from an IC patient after she received our birthday greeting. She raises an important issue…. criticism she’s taken from others about how any disease can be “cured” with the proper “thinking.” Check it out and tell me what ya think? Have you been told that it’s all in your head?? Have you been criticized for not believing that you could get better.
I have to share that one of my older friends from high school really crushed me after my diagnosis when she said that she would refer me to her “astral therapist” who would then tell me why I wanted to be ill. That person would then miraculously told me how I could improve my thoughts to cure my IC. Ironic when she called me a few years later to ask for advice about her son who was struggling with a chronic illness. I had to bite my tongue… but just barely. - Jill
Thank you , thank you, thank you! Your message came at a time when I really needed to know that true, real people understand what it means to have IC. Thanks for your honest positiveness, not the kind that I keep hearing, ie, “Believe that you will heal yourself and miraculously you will, if you believe hard enough. These thoughts, unfortunately inspired by the book “The Secret” which all of my friends seem to take for mantra lately make me really frustrated.
It is very cruel to say these things to a person with an illness when the person saying this is perfectly healthy. IC patients hope everyday, and we believe that a cure will come and I do this constantly. To accuse us of not healing ourselves because we don’t believe hard enough is the same as blaming us for our illness ( you know, we gave it to ourselves because we are not positive enough).
Thank you for putting the reality back into my life and for inspiring TRUE optimism about this illness. I wish more people would just understand the strength it takes to make it through the day and how despite all we go through we still manage to smile. THAT is optimism in its purist form, not the type fabricated by this “The Secret” book.
Whenever I get down, I think of your organization and all that you do each and every day to make our dream of a cure become a reality. You are miraculous to me.
Thank you for the birthday message. I am going to have a great day!
Alessandra B.
Share your thoughts now in the ICN Forum.
http://www.ic-network.com/forum/showthread.php?p=340433#post340433
I received an email this morning from my friend Beth who, knowing just how much email we get, only sends the really important ones. This IS hugely important for women out there. When health care is governed more by money than patient care (Yes, I know it’s always been this way).. but when patients are sent home immediately after major surgery without the resources to care for themselves, this IS a public health problem that we MUST address. Read on and, if you agree, please sign the petition and contact your senators and representatives to support this bill.
S.459 & HR 119 (& 758) - Breast Cancer Patient Protect Action of 2007
You can read the text of it by visiting http://www.senate.gov and then click on active legislation link. It is currently waiting committee hearings in the Senate. I’m not sure about where it is in the House of Representatives.
- Jill O.
————————————————
>From A Nurse
>I’ll never forget the look in my patients eyes when I had to tell them
>they had to go home with the drains, new exercises and no breast. I
>remember begging the Doctors to keep these women in the hospital longer,
>only to hear that they would, but their hands were tied by the insurance
>companies. So there I sat with my patient giving them the instructions
>they needed to take care of themselves, knowing full well they didn’t
>grasp half of what I was saying, because the glazed, hopeless,
>frightened look spoke louder than the quiet ‘Thank you’ they muttered.
>
>A mastectomy is when a woman’s breast is removed in order to remove
>cancerous breast cells/tissue. If you know anyone who has had a
>mastectomy, you may know that there is a lot of discomfort and pain
>afterwards. Insurance companies are trying to make mastectomies an
>outpatient procedure. Let’s give women the chance to recover properly
>in the hospital for 2 days after surgery.
>
>Mastectomy Bill in Congress
>
>It takes 2 seconds to do this and is very important .. please take
>the time and do it really quick!
>
>Breast Cancer Hospitalization Bill - Important legislation for all
>women.
>
>Please send this to everyone in your address book. If there was ever a
>time when our voices and choices should be heard, this is one of those
>times. If you’re receiving this, it’s because I think you will take
>the 30 seconds to go to vote on this issue and send it on to others you
>know who will do the same.
>
>There’s a bill called the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act which
>will require insurance companies to cover a minimum 48-hour hospital
>stay f or patients undergoing a mastectomy. It’s about eliminating
>the ‘drive-through mastectomy’ where women are forced to go home just a
>few hours after surgery, against the wishes of their doctor, still
>groggy from anesthesia and sometimes with drainage tubes still attached.
>
>
>Lifetime Television has put this bill on their web p age with a petition
>drive to show your support. Last year over half the House signed on.
>
>PLEASE!! Sign the petition by clicking on the web site below. You need
>not give more than your name and zip code number.
>
>http://www.lifetimetv.com/breastcancer/petition/signpetition.php
>
>This takes about 2 seconds. PLEASE PASS THIS ON to your friends
>
FDA Detains One Contaminated Shipment, Issues Import Alert
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today warned consumers to avoid using tubes of toothpaste labeled as made in China, and issued an import alert to prevent toothpaste containing the poisonous chemical diethylene glycol (DEG) from entering the United States. DEG is used in antifreeze and as a solvent.
Consumers should examine toothpaste products for labeling that says the product is made in China. Out of an abundance of caution, FDA suggests that consumers throw away toothpaste with that labeling. FDA is concerned that these products may contain “diethylene glycol,” also known as “diglycol” or “diglycol stearate.”
FDA is not aware of any U.S. reports of poisonings from toothpaste containing DEG. However, the agency is concerned about potential risks from chronic exposure to DEG and exposure to DEG in certain populations, such as children and individuals with kidney or liver disease. DEG in toothpaste has a low but meaningful risk of toxicity and injury to these populations. Toothpaste is not intended to be swallowed, but FDA is concerned about unintentional swallowing or ingestion of toothpaste containing DEG.
FDA has identified the following brands of toothpaste from China that contain DEG and are included in the import alert: Cooldent Fluoride; Cooldent Spearmint; Cooldent ICE; Dr. Cool, Everfresh Toothpaste; Superdent Toothpaste; Clean Rite Toothpaste; Oralmax Extreme; Oral Bright Fresh Spearmint Flavor; Bright Max Peppermint Flavor; and ShiR Fresh Mint Fluoride Paste.
Manufacturers of these products are: Goldcredit International Enterprises Limited; Goldcredit International Trading Company Limited; and Suzhou City Jinmao Daily Chemicals Company Limited. The products typically are sold at low-cost, “bargain” retail outlets.
Based on reports of contaminated toothpaste from China found in several countries, including Panama, FDA increased its scrutiny and began sampling toothpaste and other dental products manufactured in China that were imported into the United States.
FDA inspectors identified and detained one shipment of toothpaste at the U.S. border, containing about 3 percent DEG by weight. In addition, FDA inspectors found and tested toothpaste products from China located at a distribution center and a retail store. The highest level found was between 3-4 percent by weight. The product at the retail store was not labeled as containing DEG but was found to contain the substance.
DEG poisoning is an important public safety issue. The agency is aware of reports of patient deaths and injuries in other countries over the past several years from ingesting DEG-contaminated pharmaceutical preparations, such as cough syrups and acetaminophen syrup. FDA recently issued a guidance document to urge U.S. pharmaceutical manufacturers to be vigilant in assuring that glycerin, a sweetener commonly used worldwide in liquid over-the-counter and prescription drug products, is not contaminated with DEG.
FDA continues to investigate this problem. If FDA identifies other brands of toothpaste products containing DEG, FDA will take appropriate actions, including adding products and their manufacturers to the import alert to prevent them from entering the United States.
Consumers can report adverse reactions or quality problems experienced with the use of these products to FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program:
www.fda.gov/medwatch/report.htm
(800) 332-1088
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