Beware of H1N1 Hoax

There is a hoax email making the rounds about the H1N1 vaccination. At first glance, it appears legitimate, but after a bit of research it turns out to be a hoax.

I am in no way telling everybody that they should (or should not) go right out and get an H1N1 vaccination when it is available. That is between each individual and their physician. But nothing riles me more than hoaxes and urban legends that spread whatever propaganda the original author intends to promote.

The email starts like this:

"My sister just called, for those of you that don’t know she is a RN in the ER at Baptist. They had a meeting this morning on the H1N1 vaccination, and the doctors at Baptist are advising that their staff and patients NOT get this vaccination."

It goes on to make a claim that a child of the hospital employee received the H1N1 vaccination, and now has Guillian Barre Syndrome. As evidence, it gives a website that at further review, is a neuro medical site with information about the symptoms of Guillian Barre. There is nothing on this site about the current H1N1 vaccine.

If this were the truth the physicians at whichever "Baptist" medical facility (there are a zillion of them in the U.S.) would be alerting more than just their staff in some secret meeting.

Here is what I found on Google. It looks like a lot of people have already received this email. But, notice: Sometimes the sister has no name, sometimes her name is Kim, sometimes her name is Kay:

Search Results Swine Flu Email

When in doubt about anything regarding your health, please talk with your physician. Get a second opinion if you are still in doubt. But don't get your "second opinion" from a chain email... or even from a blog like mine! :-) See a health professional.

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P.S. If you are interested, here is my post about the swine flu from back in April, before they developed the soon-to-be released vaccine.


P.P.S. As of 10-5-09, but symptoms beginning 10-3-09, I myself have been diagnosed as having the h1n1 flu. Let me describe my symptoms:

1. Haven't felt like eating anything for 3 days.
2. My body feels like it has been pounded with three large bricks.
3. My head feels like it is being shot out of a cannon.
4. My fever has hovered between 102 and 103.5.
5. My throat is on fire.
6. I need help to walk to the rest room.
7. I have alternated between freezing in Antarctica and roasting in Hades.

I went to the doctor yesterday and tested positive, so I am now taking Tamiflu. I noticed a big difference within hours of starting it, but have a long way to go. This flu is real, folks, and it is awful.

Friday night Dancing

I have made it no secret that I love square dancing, and that is where I met Arthur when I was sixteen years old. But I would like to tell the story of how it all began.

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, a square dance hall was created.


The place was a dancer's dream. Huge oak beams supported a magical building that was large enough to hold 18 squares of dancers. Generations of families would drive from miles around for a day or evening of dosados and allemandes on the huge, shiny floating wood floor.

The hall became the host of many different square dance and round dance clubs from the region, and many posted their club signs along the walls. From daybreak to bedtime one could always find something going on there, no matter what time or day of the week. There were senior clubs on weekdays. Young adult clubs on weeknights. Teen clubs on Sunday afternoons. Each club had it's own unique personality, along with it's own enthusiastic caller.

This wonderful place in Livonia, Michigan was named "Modern Squares," often lovingly referred to as "The Barn."

Sadly, sometime in the late 1970's, the Barn burned to the ground, and was never rebuilt. The different clubs scattered to separate locations, and much of the magic was lost.

But it was at The Barn, as a teen I first learned to square dance. Looking back 35 years later, dancing with the Teen Wheelers remains one of the favorite things I have done in my life.



Ah... what great memories!



But what ever possessed me to start square dancing in the first place?

My best friend started dancing at the "suggestion" of her parents. Actually, the suggestion was more to the point of a threat of dish duty for the following million or so years if she didn't. So, Kathy ended up accepting the offer she couldn't refuse... and ended up LOVING it!

So, as a best friend will, she told me all about her wonderful new discovery.


"Stephanie! You have to go square dancing with me next Sunday! It's a blast!"


"Um... SQUARE DANCING??? No WAY! That's for SQUARES!"

"You don't know what you're talking about! It's so much fun. And... wait 'till you see all the cute GUYS that are there!"

As it turned out, I had nothing else to do the following Sunday afternoon. Plus the enticement of the availability of "cute guys" was enough to convince sixteen-year-old me to give it a try.

So, on a cool day in September, I reluctantly joined Kathy at the Barn on Seven Mile. Or, rather, she dragged me there!


Here are a few treasured photos from my early days of square dancing.























Well, that was then.

This is now! Arthur and I returned to square dancing two years ago. We dance with a club called "The Swinging Rebels." Once again we have a dance to prepare for every couple of weeks. It takes me back to my teen years, getting all dressed up with the anticipation of having a great time! (and I'm embarrassed to admit... I love an excuse to wear a petticoat and frills.)

These photos were taken at the recent Central District festival.



I was the lucky winner of this horse from a prize drawing! :)












Here is a 30 second clip for Film Clip Friday:




I have no doubt that I will continue to square dance until they carry me out of the hall!

I Miss My MTV!

Right after I moved to Oklahoma in early 1982, I signed up for cable TV for the first time in my life. The week we settled in to our new home happened to be the week of MTV's first birthday.

I loved nothing better than to come home after a long day of work and chill for hours with Jimmy on my lap, in front of the special effect music videos of the time. Now, this was back when they actually had music on MTV, and no commercials. Remember, MTV was short for "Music Television!"

Here is a small sample of what they were playing then. Such fun memories from when I was in my 20's!

I miss my MTV. I WANT MY MTV BACK!!!!!!!! Waaah!


The Steve Miller Band




The DOG POLICE




The Clash (Sorry, this one comes with commercials, but I simply couldn't leave it out...!)

- -

And, of course... DIRE STAITS!!! They want their MTV, too.

State Fair '09

Gentle musing

Another birthday without you here. Happy Birthday AB, wherever your spirit rests today. I love you.

"Our Song"


( unable to find a decent video. Ignore the ads.)

Band Royalty beats up her Brother

(Not really, but almost!)

Here is a short trip back to last fall, when my beautiful, lady-like daughter was a member of the Band Queen court. Brother was pestering her, and she put a stop to it. :)

I'd almost forgotten about John's long hair stage.

Save our children from....?

I never, in my life of freedom in America, expected to sign a permission slip in order to allow my child the right to see the President of the United States speak on television.

As a matter of fact, when I was a school kid, if the President made a television appearance, it was a Very Big Deal. The whole school would be sent to the gym or auditorium in order to strain our eyes to see the industrial black and white televisions bringing us a moment in history. Even if our parents didn't agree with that particular President, it opened dialog so we better understood the way our government worked, and what important issues our parents supported.

To me, there is something very disturbing for controvery to occur over our children watching an address given by the man elected to the highest office in our nation.

Dog Days

Thirty seconds of memories for Film clip Friday. This is me as a kid with two of my favorite companions.

I still miss these pups. They were my buddies.

A tiny dash of serendipity

Sometimes it just takes a little thing to make my day, and one of those little things happened this afternoon.

I was busy at work, buried under the usual mountain of back-to-school shot records and paperwork that I deal with every year. Suddenly, the door to my clinic burst open, and there stood a harried looking gentleman from our downtown IT department.

He said, "Here is the computer power source you ordered."

"Um, I didn't order one." I said, while remembering that was something on my to-do list.

"The order says it's for the clinic at this school."

He came over and inspected my laptop.

"Nope, the serial numbers don't match the order. Must not be yours!"

I pushed my papers aside, glad to have a good reason to leave my desk. I directed him to the office, and the secretary checked with the rest of the staff to see if they had ordered a cord. All the responses were negative.

"Well, I guess I need to take this back downtown to see if they can figure out where it really goes."

It was then that I asked, "How do I order a new cord? I thought I needed to bring my computer in to you, and I have been too busy. My cord has something wrong with it and won't work half the time."

He asked my name, handed me the cord and said, "It's yours! I'll just get another one for the other person. This saves me a trip."

It really was no big deal, but it made me smile!