Hi all,
I have been trying to get caught up on the Digests and to figure out what
everyone is talking about.  We on AOL started getting some digests a few days
ago, but I don't think I got 'em all until this weekend (I still have not
been able to retrieve them from the archives for some reason....)

Poison Ivy:  My mother did not get it until she was 65!  She always swore by
Fels Naptha Soap (an ugly yellow-brown bar of soap that she kept in the
basement) to prevent breaking out.  Apparently it is supposed to remove the
resin from the skin.  Anybody know anything about this?

Food coloring:  One night, my son had RED feces.  I was getting ready to call
the doctor when I remembered he had been eating those (awful) rainbow colored
ice cream cones and that must have been the color of the day.  I wouldn't be
surprised to see that it colors other stuff too!

Cow milk: First, it was interesting to read how some people are grossed out
by tasting human (unpasteurized) milk.  There is a dairy near here that sells
raw milk.  The cows are certified and many people drive from miles around to
buy their milk!  Too bad humans cannot be certified!

 I thought that I remember hearing that when Michigan  had high levels of
pesticides (was it a spill or something?)  that they killed the cattle
because they were afraid that there would be toxic levels in the animals (am
I hallucinating????).  It is my personal belief that antibiotic-resistant
germs may be developing as a result of the low chronic doses of antibiotic
that we are exposed to in our meats and poultry.  I also wonder what it does
for our children (does it serve as a growth enhancer, speed maturity,
etc....?)  I am not aware of any media expose that has asked the questions
that we have.  Maybe we need to put a bug into someone's ear!

Upper for the week:  I was counseling a prenatal mom the other day and she
indicated that she wants to breastfeed this "last child" she is pregnant
with.  I asked her what she had heard about breastfeeding and she replied:
 "Oh, I once breastfed my youngest when I was across town and didn't have any
formula, so I know I can do it!"  I have always heard that many mothers try
breastfeeding even if they express a desire to bottle feed, but I never had
anyone tell me she had done it!

Thanks to all of you who responded to my cancer question.  I will post
updates as I learn of them.

Bye,
Martha Brower (Dayton Ohio), Queen of errant thoughts  (Today's
thought....when will Consumer Reports test breast pumps?  I'm sick of phone
calls from mothers who "don't have any milk" because their E------- pump
can't get it out!)