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here she was coming off the elevator and I looked her in the eyes and said to her, I wish I were the one who would deliver your baby. She looked surprised and said, no thankyou I will go to the hospital. I said to her there is nothing more precious then the birth of a baby and your baby will be a perfect child. She smiled and said, papa Sean it will be here soon.
1. Americans are loaded with credit-card debt. The average American household with at least one credit card has nearly $9,000 in credit card debt, according to CardWeb.com, and the average interest rate runs in the mid- to high teens at any given time. 2. Some debt is good. Borrowing for a home or college usually makes good sense. Just make sure you don't borrow more than you can afford to pay back, and shop around for the best rates. (Continued on page 4)
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Times are the most difficult for an expectant mom who is living in a shelter. Right after birth the State does all it can do to not allow the mother to have the baby and this is what happened to Shalonda. One day after the birth, Protective Services showed up and told her she couldn’t keep her baby. Although their intentions were done out of concern, I still could not sit back and let this happen. We fought and fought to make sure this new mother who did demonstrate that she could handle a baby at a shelter could indeed walk out of the hospital with her little one. Finally the state allowed her to keep the baby. Ok mom picture yourself right now in the same situation. How would you feel? Picture yourself in the hospital
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lost my Father to a Seizure in our Pool. In his generation, he chose to keep his Epilepsy a secret – for fear of being discriminated against. Due to his Seizures he was discharged from the Air Force during The Vietnam War and lost several jobs after that. Unfortunately, he let this “disability” effect how he felt about himself. My Father did not always take his medication, and finally, he went swimming alone. I did not find out about my Father’s Epilepsy until he was in a coma and dying. My only anger about his death was that I loved him So Much and he did not let me Love ALL of Him. He did not let me know him. I am 34 and also Epileptic. I am not ashamed. I know I am human and I have limitations. I don’t let myself get too tired or too hungry. I try not to get too stressed-out either (if at all possible!) I take my medication. I let everyone know (who needs to know) about my health problems. The medication I take has a 95%
claim it in the name of poverty and and your little one was just some claim it in the name of protectborn and then the State comes in out ing the baby. Has anyof nowhere and body in this state come says, you can’t take the baby Right after birth the up with a plan that home because state does all it can would make sure this does not happen? you live in a shelter. Mom, do to not allow the What defines a bad mother? A mom who right now you’re mother to have the is poor and has no roof back to the moover their head? Is ment of having baby and this is every case of child your baby and then some what happened to neglect really child neglect or has society stranger just Shalonda. neglected the mother comes in and and not allowed her to takes your newhave access to good born. Go ahead services, which would allow the look at your current child and picture mother to thrive. Even I have called them not there with you right now. Protective Services on moms to proAll because of poverty...not very fair tect the children but this case seemed is it? In times like today this is a different; this mom demonstrated very common occurrence and it hapeverything that was needed to propens almost every day in America to (Continued on page 7) a mother who is homeless. Some
chance of hurting any baby I want to have – so I don’t get pregnant. Remember the saying, “The Truth Will Set You Free???” Well, I would rather embrace the truth (___tty as it may be) and live accordingly – than live in fear – always running from others and myself. Good News Though! Self-Love is commonly a lifelong process. -Florence Karp Comments of the Homeless Voice n any given day we have at least two seizures here at our shelter. Some of us here probably know the emergency procedure better than EMS. Now with so many seizures, would you now be able to guess how many of our clients can’t find a job that will allow them to work with them having a condition of seizures? Well, a whole bunch of our clients cannot get a job because they have seizures. In fact their seizures are more frequent because of the lack of medication because
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Here are The Facts: 1) Of 2,381 reported drowning deaths (in Florida, between 1992-97) 58 (or 2.4%) were reported to be Seizure-Related. 2) The highest number of Seizure-Related drowning fatalities were in adults ranging between 25-34 years old. Also … The Epilepsy Foundation encourages people with Epilepsy to engage in sports and recreational activities as part of a positive approach to an active life. Here are some precautions recommended when you are swimming or practicing other water sports: 1) Review your Seizure Control to determine whether water sports are appropriate at this time. 2) Do not swim alone. Always swim when a Lifeguard or Experienced Swimming Buddy is near. 3) Life Jackets are recommended (especially) when you are swimming in water that is not as clear as a Swimming Pool. 4) Do not get Over-Tired or Too Cold in the water. KNOW YOUR BODY. 5) Don’t let your Seizure Meds. get Wet – many are known to lose their effect when exposed to Water. 6) If Flashing Lights bring on your Seizures – wear Appropriate Eye Gear to Reduce the effect of Light Reflected on Surfaces.