More adventures with Elli

Well, she didn't break anything this time.

*snicker*

Last night while attempting to copy Ike's jump, Elli fell down from the top of the play structure's ladder. She landed pretty good, arms out to protect her face, but of course lots screaming occured. I picked her up, gave her lots of love and when she calmed down a bit, put her back on the ground. Big mistake! Screaming renewed. After determining that she was protecting her right foot, I called Kaiser and got her an appointment. After taking X-rays nothing obvious is broken. Doctor told me to ice it down (uh-huh) and keep her off it (yea, right!). I've kept her doped up on Advil since and she's walking, with a limp, all over the place, and she even climbed back up that ladder.

That's my girl!

A cogent article against the HPV vaccine.

Unfortunately, I can't post it because it came from a magazine I subscribe to and I'm not paying for an online subscription either. But (just in case you want to go hunt it down) Its on page 44, May/June 2007 of Mothering Magazine.

Basic argument. By age 50 over 80 of women are infected with one HPV virus (there are over 100 several of which cause cancer), Gardasil (by Merck) protects against 4 (2 that cause cancer, 2 that cause herpes). HPV is one of many co-factors that cause cervical cancer (smoking causes 30% alone), not the only reason you develop cancer. Gardasil uses aluminum hydroxide as a stimulant, which raises question about future cases of Alzheimer's (aluminum collects in the brain) and no real long term study has been done on the safety of aluminum hydroxide used in that fashion. Also, a Merck study on the immune response of the vaccine in pre- and adolescents, was not tested for safety past 14 days after injection (i.e. no check after day 15, so, no long term study). The other argument that struck me was that yearly Pap smears have reduced death by cervical cancer by 75% since the '60. The fear is those women with the vaccine might skip their annual exam (because they think they are covered), and thus miss cancer caused by one of the other HPV viruses.

To be devils advocate. I must point out that this magazine is subtitled "natural family living" so to begin with they aren't very pro-vaccinations in the first place. They are also against circumcision and pro-organics. Its a good mag, but it was very nice to see an article against the vaccine that didn't once bring up the idea that it would make young girls promiscuous.