The Moon Matters

Do you think you know about the moon? Do you even care about the moon?

In our day to day lives, we rarely take time to look upward at the heavens. The sun rises and sets without any fanfare and the moon is paid little attention with its constant presence in the sky out shined by the sun. But there was a time in history when the MOON MATTERED.

The Next Full Moon is Thursday morning, Oct. 17, 2024, at 7:26 a.m. EDT and it's a Supermoon; the Hunter's Moon; the Travel Moon, the Dying Grass Moon, or the Sanguine or Blood Moon; the start of Sukkoth; Sharad Purnima, Kumara Purnima, Kojagari Purnima, Navanna Purnima Kojagrat Purnima, or Kaumudi Purnima; the end of Vassa and Pavarana; the Thadingyut Festival Moon; the end of the Phaung Daw U Pagoda Festival; and Vap Poya.

According to the Royal Museums Greenwich, the “Hunter's Moon” was named by Native Americans, so named because it gives hunters longer periods of night with which to stalk prey during the fall months. All of the names for this particular moon and related festivals/celebrations would make one believe this moon is special. But this will be the third of four consecutive supermoons (and the brightest by a tiny margin).

The moon has always been viewed and painted in poetry as mysterious. Adding to the mystery of moons is the fact this supermoon is in the month when little ones and adults dress up as ghost, witches, and goblins. Did you know that the word lunatic comes from the Latin luna, because it was believed that people were more likely to exhibit aberrant behavior during a full moon? For many Pagans, the cycles of the moon are important to magical workings. It's believed in some traditions that the waxing moon, the full moon, the waning moon and the new moon all have their own special magical properties. 

Inevitably, sometimes controversially, the moon is associated with fertility, and many believe the moon's influence over love, sex, and reproduction is part of a rhythm seen in the natural world. Does a supermoon make you super sexy, super desirable, or super sexy? Maybe we should be paying more attention to the moon.

When the moon waxes, life is said to grow and abundance is present, whereas desire diminishes during its waning cycle. In New Zealand, Maori myth says that a young girl named Rona displeased the Moon so that he seized her and took her far away to him. Grabbing a tree, she dragged it with her, the tree symbolizing fertility.

In the above folklore, the moon is depicted as male, while in the majority of myths the moon is referred to as female. The moon is a feminine symbol, universally representing the rhythm of time as it embodies the cycles. The phases of the moon symbolize immortality and eternity, enlightenment or the dark side of Nature herself. The Moon is generally thought of as feminine; due to the connection between its phases and a woman's monthly cycles (that's where the term 'menstrual' comes from). As the average length of women's menstrual cycles matches the moon's 29.5-day waxing and waning cycle.

Isis is the moon goddess in Egyptian culture. N"Game is the moon goddess of West Africa. Her name translates to “the shining one.” N’Game was known for creating all of the heavenly bodies. Chang'e, is the moon goddess of China. She was married to Hou Yi, an archer and emperor. Cerridwen, commonly referred to as the dark moon goddess is the Celtic goddess of the underworld. She is the keeper of the cauldron of knowledge.  Artemis is the Greek goddess of the moon, hunting, archery and midwifery. Selene is the goddess of the moon in Greek mythology. Hecate is the moon goddess of magic, witchcraft, the night, ghosts, necromancy and of course, the moon. In the Mayan folklore, Ixchel translates to rainbow woman; she is the goddess of the moon, love, gestation, medicine and textile arts. There are many more moon goddesses, too many to name here.

Not only does the moon hold myth and mystery, but it has also crossed into our expressions. The expression "once in a Blue Moon" is derived from the rarity of the event, as it is a second full moon in a calendar month, occurring only every two to three years. There are also many people who incorporate the phases of the moon into spiritual practices and moon bathe.

A moon bath is a ritual that involves immersing oneself in the moon's energy during specific phases of the moon. It's a spiritual practice that's believed to help people connect with nature, find balance, and improve their overall well-being. Moon bathing was an ancient Indian practice that involved going outside and standing or laying under the moonlight to benefit from its healing properties. Instead of going outside like ancient Indians, today's moon bathers prefer the privacy of the warm waters of their bathtub, along with bath salts, candles, essential oils, and soothing music.

Many cultures believe the moon possesses the ability to cleanse and reset, making it a significant time for rituals and wishes. One popular belief is that wishes made under a full moon have a higher chance of coming true. People create "moon water" by leaving a glass container filled with water under the moon's light overnight, believing that it becomes charged with the moon's energy and can be used for various purposes.

In the Philippines, it is believed that no marriage should take place except during the period of the full moon, as good fortune comes only during that period. There’s also the superstition that exposing your newborn to the waxing moon will give the baby strength. Meanwhile, the Irish believe viewing the new moon through glass should be avoided, and that even the position of the new moon is important; for luck the new moon should be seen over the right shoulder, never the left.

No matter whether you pay the gray heavenly body any attention or not these days, it continues to maintain its magic and allure. No romantic evening is complete without a full shining moon and twinkling stars. Farmers no longer rely solely on the phases or stages of the moon for planting, but modern science and weather forecasts. The goddesses have long fell out of favor and few superstitions/myths remain. But the moon is always glorious. Just look up tonight.

And with the airwaves and internet flooded with politics, you may find some relief from the negative energy by going out tonight under the beautiful full Hunter's Moon and soaking up some moon rays to rid yourself of the negative energy. The chances are slim you will turn into a werewolf as many believed in the past happened during a full moon. But it is the month of ghosts and goblins, who knows what may happen.

Here are a few more beliefs about the moon.

The first time you see a crescent moon for the month, take all your spare coins out of your pocket, and put them in the other pocket. This will ensure good luck for the next month.

Some people believe that the fifth day after a full moon is the perfect time to try to conceive a child.

In some Chinese religions, offerings are made to the ancestors on the night of a full moon.

In some Native American legends, the moon is held captive by a hostile tribe. A pair of antelope hope to rescue the moon and take it the village of a good tribe, but Coyote, the trickster, interferes. The antelope chase Coyote, who tosses the moon into a river each night, just out of reach of the antelope.

The night of the full moon is believed to be a good time for divination and scrying. 

It is unlucky to have a full Moon on Sunday.

It is unlucky to see the first sliver of a new Moon through a window; you'll break a dish. And it's certainly unlucky to sleep in the moonlight, or worse, be born in the moonlight! 

It is unlucky to point at the new Moon or view any Moon over your shoulder.

Trump Will Be Mean To You For Me

ARE YOU SURPRISED AT THE REASONS PEOPLE SAY WHY THEY ARE VOTING FOR TRUMP? 

Ask undecided voters or supporters of Trump and you will get answers regarding the economy and how they were better off during his presidency. But come on, who really believes that?

Trump has crossed every level of decency. Several marriages and affairs, people filing lawsuits against him to get money for services rendered, phony universities making promises of education, sexual assaults, and the list of unethical behavior goes on and on.

Republicans stand behind family values. How can people with conservative values listen to a man insult, mock, and demean everyone at a whim? He encourages those who listens to him to be fearful or at least aggressive in their beliefs. Trump has made a recent call for a “violent day” of policing as part of his plan to push cops to be as brutal as possible and shield them from accountability. Trump, in Erie, Pennsylvania, called for shoplifters to face “one really violent day” and “one rough hour” at the hands of the police, arguing that it was Democratic policy to coddle offenders, and that taking the gloves off in the fight against street crime was the only way to render communities safe again. Trump called for “one real rough, nasty” and “violent day” of police retaliation in order to eradicate crime “immediately.”

Of course, this is not the first time Trump advocated for AGGRESSIVE or violent behavior. On 6 January, thousands of Trump supporters gathered at a "Save America" rally organized to challenge the result of last November's presidential election. In a 70-minute address, Mr. Trump exhorted them to march on Congress where politicians had met to certify Democrat Joe Biden's win. The attack began moments after he took the applause. He told those gathered, "You don't concede when there's theft involved. Our country has had enough. We will not take it anymore." He continued, "If you don't fight like hell, you're not going to have a country anymore."

He criminalizes ALL immigrants, legal and illegal such as Mexicans and Haitians. His comments regarding women are sexist and misogynistic. Even before he became president, Mr. Trump had a history of controversial comments about women. His comments in a 2005 Access Hollywood tape about grabbing women "by the pussy" are perhaps the most notorious and made headlines in 2016. His attacks on women are countless.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton: "She doesn't have the look. She doesn't have the stamina, I said she doesn't have the stamina, and I don't believe she does have the stamina."

Former Republican presidential hopeful Carly Fiorina: "Look at that face! Would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that the face of our next president?"

Senator Elizabeth Warren: "Goofy Elizabeth Warren, one of the least productive US Senators, has a nasty mouth."

Journalist Megyn Kelly: "You could see there was blood coming out of her eyes. Blood coming out of her wherever."

Assault accuser E Jean Carroll: "No 1, she's not my type. No 2, it never happened. It never happened, OK?"

Rosie O'Donnell: "She's a slob. How does she even get on television? If I were running The View, I'd fire Rosie. I'd look her right in that fat, ugly face of hers and say, 'Rosie, you're fired.'"

Ivanka Trump: "She does have a very nice figure. I've said if Ivanka weren't my daughter perhaps I'd be dating her."

Former White House aide Omarosa Newman: "When you give a crazed, crying lowlife a break, and give her a job at the White House, I guess it just didn't work out."

Donald Trump has a PATTERN. He's NASTY! He will say the most DEBASED things imaginable. He has no regard for rules of CIVILITY, ETHICS, or MORALS and people LOVE IT because he will be MEAN to people FOR them. There is no other conclusion to draw when a man has ATTACKED or OFFENDED almost everyone he has come into contact with. People of color who are successful are called DEI hires. DEI stands for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, which are concepts that are often used together because they are interconnected. They are a philosophy and culture that aims to create a more just society by acknowledging, supporting, and embracing people of all backgrounds.

Trump does what the average person cannot do without repercussions. The RACIST in his/her rural countryside cannot or may not have a minority they can openly tell GO BACK TO YOUR OWN COUNTRY. “Mass deportation now!” is a catchphrase for the Trump presidential campaign, as the Republican nominee proposes a crackdown on immigration that would oust thousands of undocumented people. “We’re going to have the largest deportation,” Trump said at a June campaign rally in Racine, Wisconsin. “We have no choice.” The crowd responded with a chant: “Send them back. Send them back. Send them back.” Even in modern times, there is a lingering sentiment that AMERICANS who are Black, should return to Africa even though Africa has never been their homeland. 

The average man (not all) who has a woman supervisor or boss would love to say she slept her way to the top as Trump insinuates Democratic Presidential candidate Kamala Harris has. Trump reposted a photo of arguably the two most ACCOMPLISHED politicians in America, Hillary Clinton and Vice President Kamala Harris. The photo was accompanied by a caption that is almost unspeakably vile, suggesting that the vice president of the United States slept her way to the top. 

Republican nominee Donald Trump has called Harris "dumb as a rock" and repeatedly — presumably intentionally — mispronounced her first name.  Steven Cheung, Trump’s communications director, doubled down: “Kamala Harris is, by all accounts, dumb as a rock. Even minorities like myself know that. She is weak, failed, and dangerously liberal,” he told NBC News.

Supporters of Trumps says he speaks for the AVERAGE man. Is THIS how the average man or people want to be represented? The answer is YES. There is no other reason to vote for such a man. Trump is needed to do what the average man is unable to do, be NASTY, MEAN, SEXIST, and yes, RACIST.

He has NO policies to make America better and RAMBLES about inconsequential topics when not BRAGGING about himself. In January, for example, he once described using an iron dome missile defense system as “ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding… Boom. Okay. Missile launch. Whoosh. Boom.” Trump: "I HAVE A CHART THAT'S MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE. I love tha..... is it around? .... is it around ... *wanders off and hugs the air* ... I sleep with that chart every night. I kiss it. I love it." “They’re going to take over a lot more than Aurora, Colorado, they’re going to go through Colorado, take over the whole damn state, unless … I become president.” Just google some of his speeches. No economic plan anywhere.

Even his supporters are leaving his rallies early. They have heard his usual speeches calling people out of their names and saying how BAD they are for America. He is not saying anything that matters for their daily lives. But he does say the things about others they want to say but can't get away with the way Trump does. Those who do stay to the end of his lengthy rallies wait anxiously for his INSULTS to fly. They can count on Trump to be mean FOR THEM.

Even Trump knows the only thing he has to offer is stand-up comedy at the expense of decent people. If Trump loses the 2024 presidential election, who will do the dirty work for Republicans? Will the UGLINESS demonstrated and applauded by the Right go quietly back into shadows and whispers of private homes and select circles? When the man chosen by the Right for his distasteful rhetoric is REPLACED (hopefully) by the JOY the Kamala/Walz ticket offer, what will become of those who cheered a man who once told the Proud Boys (The Proud Boys is a North American all-male, far-right, neo-fascist militant organization that promotes and engages in political violence) to "stand back and stand by"? Proud Boys members accounted for the highest number of extremist arrestees in relation to the insurrection (January 6th) with over 57 members and affiliates of chapters across the country arrested to date. 

Many people hate the term 'Politically Correct' because it means putting forth effort not to offend people. Not being able to say what you really want to say. I believe political correctness has been used when describing Donald Trump's supporters. It is not opinion that Donald Trump is corrupt, unethical, narcissistic, racist, criminal, and only concerned with his time in the spotlight. If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, it's a duck. There is NO DOUBT who Donald Trump is and who are loyal to him.

The 78-year-old is the first former president in US history to be criminally convicted, having been found guilty of falsifying business records. Federal prosecutors allege he pressured officials to reverse the results, knowingly spread lies about election fraud and sought to exploit the Capitol riot on 6 January 2021 to delay the certification of Mr. Biden's victory and stay in power. He's been charged with four criminal counts, including conspiracy to defraud the US and conspiracy against the rights of citizens.

Trump made a payment to the adult-film actress Stormy Daniels shortly before the 2016 election. Ms. Daniels was paid $130,000 (£103,000) to keep quiet about her claim that she had sex with Trump, which he denies. Providing so-called hush-money is not illegal. The jurors deliberated over two days before finding the former president guilty of all 34 counts of fraud under campaign finance laws.

Trump and some 18 other defendants are accused of criminally conspiring to overturn his very narrow defeat in the state of Georgia in the 2020 election. The racketeering investigation, led by Georgia prosecutor Fani Willis, was sparked in part by a leaked phone call in which the former president asked the state's top election official to "find 11,780 votes". Trump was hit with 13 criminal counts, subsequently reduced to 10. They include one alleged violation of Georgia's Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (Rico).

Finally, Trump will be tried to see if he mishandled classified documents by taking them from the White House to his Mar-a-Lago residence after he left office. The case against Trump is also about whether he obstructed the FBI's efforts to retrieve the files, as well as the criminal investigation into his handling of them. The majority of the counts are for the willful retention of national defense information, which falls under the Espionage Act. There are then eight individual counts, which include conspiracy to obstruct justice, withholding a document or record and making false statements. Trump has pleaded not guilty on all counts.

It's time to come clean REPUBLICANS, MAGA, FAR RIGHT, and CONSERVATIVES who CONTINUE to support such a man. The only reason you still support him is because HE WILL BE MEAN TO PEOPLE FOR YOU and you're spending a lot of time putting lipstick on a PIG. America sees you.

The Pregnant Woman Means Less Than The Fetus

WANT TO GO ON A WILD RIDE ABOUT PREGNANCY? Well, keep on reading.

When you think about a PREGNANT woman, what are your thoughts? Do you envision a woman glowing with her hands encircling her extended rounded belly? Do you think and wonder if the little bundle of joy is a girl or a boy? Most people when they see a pregnant woman have sweet positive thoughts about baby and mommy. But there is another side of pregnancy that is never discussed.

In America, there is an ongoing discussion about ABORTION. The FETUS is center stage. The fetus's rights trumps the mother's rights. Her life is put into suspended animation, and she becomes a HOST or VESSEL for a new life. Saying a woman is a host or vessel sounds cruel and harsh. But when someone else is calling HER healthcare choices while she is pregnant, those people make her into forced vessel or host. After she gives birth, then she is SEEN once again. Negative consequences experienced DURING pregnancy comes AFTER the needs and wellbeing of the growing child.

I write about the debate regarding abortion. I look at it from many angles. Today I thought about the LIFE of a PREGNANT woman. I knew I had heard this is a time in a woman's life where she is vulnerable to domestic violence. The ABORTION debate focuses on the baby. WHO focuses on the pregnant woman?

Pregnancy can often be an especially risky period for IPV (Intimate Partner Abuse), as many women report that abuse started or intensified when they became pregnant. Each year, an estimated 324,000 pregnant people in the United States are battered by their intimate partners. Homicide is a leading cause of traumatic death for pregnant and postpartum women, accounting for 31 percent of maternal injury deaths. Women suffering from domestic violence MAY seek a medical abortion to save her life. the pregnancy can be a product of domestic violence and NOT PROMISCUITY as many believe. A woman may choose to not birth a child into domestic violence. Not wanting to see her potential child SUFFER also from abuse is a MATERNAL instinct. But people view this as cruel and can't get behind such a decision.

Abuse often gets worse during pregnancy. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (also called ACOG) says that 1 in 6 abused women are first abused during pregnancy. More than 320,000 women are abused by their partners during pregnancy each year. 

Every pregnancy isn't flowers and butterflies. Those who are pro-life still maintain circumstances don't matter when it comes to the life of a child. There is no reason for a woman to MURDER a baby. This is a visceral, emotional stance. People respond and react based on emotions. On that same note, women are often depicted as OVERLY emotional during pregnancy. Their reactions are often viewed as over the top. Most often this hormone driven behavior is demonstrated by mood swings and sudden onsets of crying. People just accept it as part of being pregnant. This is also another side of pregnancy for many. Women who are taking medication for mental health disorders prior to pregnancy often have to go off their much-needed medication regulating their mental health stability. An unplanned pregnancy for a person with certain mental health disorders, pose medical problems and major decisions for the pregnant woman.

Scientist are beginning to study the brains of pregnant women. They have noticed significant changes in the pregnant BRAIN. The research is in its early stages and at this time. Positive aspects of the changing pregnant brain have been documented. One of the negative changes during pregnancy linked to changes in the brain is DEPRESSION. Even though the pregnant woman is seen as glowing, her brain may say something different. We all love the birth of a little bundle of joy. But don't realize, mommy may be going through some things whether she is aware of it or not.

A study of more than 100 new parents showed that pregnancy and birth cause changes in brain circuits that may be involved in empathy and bonding with the child. How wonderful. Will ongoing studies reveal not every woman experience this change during pregnancy? What are the consequences for the pregnant woman or even the mother after giving birth if this change in the brain's circuits do not take place?

Researchers also think some of the brain changes pregnant people undergo might prepare them not only for parenthood but for childbirth itself—by increasing pain tolerance, for example. That is an extraordinary thing in my eyes. I only believed superheroes underwent such changes. This should make one believe a woman's health care is in better hands of a physician than government restrictions with such extraordinary bodily changes.

A deeper understanding of the cellular and system-level mechanism will improve the understanding of how pregnancy remodels specific circuits to promote MATERNAL BEHAVIOUR. Pinpointing the synchronicity of gray and white matter changes that unfold in the maternal brain could be key to understanding the behavioral adaptions that emerge during and after pregnancy, such as honing the brain's visual and auditory responses to infant cues and eliciting maternal behavior. Such brain changes are linked to perinatal depression. Neuroanatomical changes observed over the course of a human pregnancy | Nature Neuroscience. Perinatal depression is a mood disorder that occurs during pregnancy and after childbirth. The symptoms can range from mild to severe.

Can you imagine a pregnant woman being given the news her unborn child may have genetic defects which will not allow it to go to full term while under the influence of brain changes already existing which cause depression? What if she was told her preexisting condition or conditions she developed while being pregnant is endangering her life under such brain changes? How much worse will this type of news be for the pregnant woman who is refused needed medical care due to government regulations while under the brain changes of pregnancy?

Science is proving a pregnant woman is more than a vehicle for carrying a baby. While being concerned for the growing child, we can't overlook the needs of the pregnant woman which have been unaddressed for centuries. SOMETIMES her medical needs REQUIRE an abortion. Pro-life supporters must know, even though a pregnant woman's body is designed to promote the development, survival, and care of a baby, changes in her brain can be a time in which she is most destressed. And when things go wrong during a pregnancy, not being able to make life-saving decisions can lay the groundwork or susceptibility to mental illness. 

No. I'm not saying that is why or a good reason to have an abortion. I'm saying the mother needs just as much attention to HER wellbeing as the developing fetus and science is just NOW acknowledging a pregnant woman's brain is no longer like it was before pregnancy. I'm saying pregnancy is a COMPLICATED and often times DANGEROUS time for a woman. 

The most noticeable changes to the study participant’s brain throughout her pregnancy was a reduction in cortical gray matter volume which persisted after birth. The majority of the outside layer of the brain consists of gray matter, which has a main job of processing information in the brain and helps control thoughts, emotions, memory, and muscle movement. This honing and fine-tuning of the material, the brain, is a process that happens early in development, again during puberty, and pregnancy probably reflects another wave of cortical refinement.

Additionally, scientists found noteworthy increases in white matterTrusted Source located deeper in the brain, which they reported peaked in the second trimester and returned to normal pre-pregnancy levels around the time of birth. About 60% of the brain consists of white matter, which connects different areas of the brain together to help with communication for focus, learning, and balancing while moving.

All of the above are the POSITIVES of the changes of the pregnant brain. But the research is in its infancy. When a woman's health care is being discussed, people should remember it is an INDIVIDUAL experience for EACH pregnant woman. People are ONLY thinking about and addressing concerns for the unborn child overlooking the mother's need for consideration. Pregnant women go through things!

In a previous post titled, Viagra Is Healthcare?, I listed reasons for a MEDICAL ABORTION. I want people to realize people are not advocating for abortions per se, but for the RIGHT to make their own health care choices during pregnancy. Not all pregnancies are the result of PROMISCUITY as Christians and men would have you believe. Things go wrong during pregnancy. Nine months is a long time where anything can happen to the pregnant woman or fetus. It is a vulnerable time with changes science has yet to understand. When looking at A+B=C (A= man, B= woman, C=fetus), we only focus on C. No one is saying anything about A, the men in the abortion debate. Pregnant women, B, lose their rights in regard to HER health. It is not A+B=C+D (D=those against women having choice in their health care). D becomes the one calling the shots for A, B, and C.

All I'm trying to say in this post is, don't forget about the pregnant woman. She may be going through something while pregnant that only her physician can help with. If ANYONE reading this post has experienced the negative, or never thought of circumstances during their pregnancy, PLEASE SHARE your story with me. People need to remember YOU in the equation of pregnancy. That you went through some things as the CONSEQUENCE of being pregnant.

Thank you in advance.

Trusted Sourcevolume, which persisted after giving birth. 

Viagra is Health Care?

 

We all know that cosmetic surgery is considered elective surgery, right? It is having a chosen surgical procedure which is not lifesaving in most cases. We are clear about ELECTIVE surgery, yet it is not regulated or focused on as an individual right in the way MEDICAL abortions are.

Women's health care has become a hot button topic. Defining what is and is not acceptable health care for women has been put up for public debate without a woman's voice having any more sway than any other voice.

Medical reasons which make it necessary to end a pregnancy are varied and the majority of the public are unaware of these reasons. A woman may be offered a termination for medical reasons (TFMR) if tests show that your baby is not developing as expected. This may be due to a serious genetic or structural condition. A woman may also be offered a TFMR if she has pregnancy complications that risks her life or to the baby’s life. 

The feelings a woman has when she needs to end a pregnancy for medical reasons are no less painful or valid than any other type of baby loss. Being told that you or your unborn baby are at risk is a painful and traumatic experience. Parents tell us that the guilt linked to making the decision can make it even harder. It is made even harder when the parents AREN'T allowed to make the decision.

The MOST common situation where a pregnant patient would need a procedure to terminate their pregnancy is a miscarriage. In medical terms, a miscarriage is called a spontaneous abortion, which can be confusing to patients. An estimated 10% to 20% of confirmed pregnancies in the US will end in miscarriage. The majority of these will complete without intervention; but some patients might require medication or surgical intervention, using the same procedure performed during an abortion.

The other large category of pregnancies where a physician might suggest or recommend an abortion is when the pregnant patient has a pre-existing disease that's associated with high maternal morbidity and mortality. This category includes a number of conditions, including cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease, Marfan syndrome, lupus nephritis, cardiomyopathy, and pulmonary hypertension. So just in that context, think of someone who has severe cardiac disease. By the time they make it to the third trimester and then at the time of delivery, they might not be able to survive delivery. 

Another key consideration when it comes to pregnancy and pre-existing disease is the use of teratogenic medications, such as medicines for Rheumatoid arthritis. These are medications that can cause birth defects or abnormalities in the embryo or fetus, and they include some of the most effective treatments across medicine. Unintended pregnancies occur even when someone is using highly effective birth control. And when physicians prescribe teratogenic medications to patients with reproductive potential, it is usually with the understanding that in case the patient became pregnant, abortion would be available to them as an option.

For some conditions, like lupus nephritis, there may not be any alternative, non-teratogenic therapies available. A disproportionate number of lupus patients are female, and lupus tends to manifest during childbearing years. And if they develop renal complications of lupus, which about 40% will, carrying a pregnancy to full term would be dangerous. The best evidence-based medications we have for that entity are both teratogenic, which harms the fetus.

With pregnancies indicating a clear need for medical intervention to end the pregnancy, the Republican party has decided that a pregnant woman and her doctor does not have the right to make those decisions.

Yet, when it comes to elective medical INTERVENTION to restore an ERECTION, only the man and his doctor has this delicate private discussion.

I know you're saying, "Wanting to have an erection after the biology of a man's body says its over is not equal to the death of a fetus," and you are right. But whether you believe the two are equal or not, what IF someone said WE DON'T CARE! We say no to YOUR medical need/desire/ What if your most FACT-based reasoning proves you, as a man, under a physician's care can still be told, sorry, WE will be making THIS decision for you.

As of June 2005, over 23 million men had been prescribed Viagra (sildenafil citrate) by more than 750,000 physicians worldwide. In 2022, ClinCalc DrugStats estimated that 1,127,720 patients in the United States were prescribed Viagra. Viagra is one of the most commonly prescribed and abused pharmaceuticals and is considered the most well-known treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED). it's abused! Isn't that a valid reason for it to be denied? Can you IMAGINE 23 million men's voices being ignored when it came to THEIR health care? Can you imagine 750,000 physicians being criminally charged for prescribing a medication? It IS crazy, right?

What makes the availability of certain types of health care for men be stamped as fine when LIFE THREATENING medical care is denied for women? Why isn't here an evaluation of ALL medical care to determine which should and should not be determined between a patient and a doctor? Let's put some more health care choices on the ballot.

Many feel justified in saying NO to select medical services offered to women. They say, "We are saving lives," with pride. But what are you DESTROYING in the process? The life you MAY be saving - you have NO investment in or future care of. IS THIS AN EGO TRIP by those who believe they are doing a good thing? What good have you done if a mother dies? 

The thing about health care is it BELONGS to an individual. I doubt any man, as he consults with his doctor, would want me there as he describes his erectile dysfunction, how long it has been a problem, and how he is suffering because of it. If there was another person in the doctor's office with men seeking Viagra, many would not do it. That is why there are so many Viagra commercials saying men can order the medication, without a doctor's prescription and it's mailed without a label so no one will know what they have ordered. Erectile dysfunction is as private as private can be.

The sad thing about this double standard of medical care is, there are millions of people who will fight for the right of MEN to have access to medical care THEY BELIEVE they need and are ENTITLED to.

It is hard to believe we live in a time of rampant cosmetic surgery just to get more likes online, and erectile dysfunction medication being mail order, and a woman can die or be criminalized for a medical abortion. But women have been here before.

An online magazine reached out to me years ago after reading a blog post I had made. This is that post they later printed in their magazine below.

My MoJo Online Submission in Issue 11

MEMOIR/SOCIAL COMMENTARY:

I NEVER THOUGHT I’D SEE THE DAY

By Dorothy Guyton

I think it was four-no five years ago I went to visit an elderly friend. Oh, that’s not a good description of this lady whose eyes and ears have seen and heard more things than most young minds could contain. She was a lady but was never ashamed of the hard labor she did with her dark palmed hands. These were hands that picked astonishing amounts of cotton and the same hands that slipped bail money in coffins from up North to Mississippi during Jim Crow for those imprisoned under made up charges with high set bail. Now, you get it. Now you know I was visiting a fountain of courage and wisdom who spoke in a paced, low alto, authoritative voice.

“Yes, Dorothy I would have loved to have more children, but I couldn’t. The doctor told me when I was in my thirties, I needed to have a hysterectomy, but my husband told the doctor no.”

Stunned for a moment, knowing I just misunderstood what had just been said; I asked the woman who spoke like spun silk to repeat what she just said. With a smile at my naive youth her skin color perked up and began to flush with undertones of renewed blood flow.

“Oh, yes Door-ah-they (I loved how she purred my name), a woman had to get her husband’s permission to have a hysterectomy back then even if her health was in jeopardy like mine was. It wasn’t until we divorced that I had the surgery. I think I suffer now for waiting so long.”

I left her presence haunted by the thought. I drove home swiftly with a new idea for a book swirling in my head aching to be released and jotted down on paper. I had grand plans for a four-part novelette.

It would begin with a slave woman and progress to the 1950’s, to 2009, and end in the year 2065, all dealing with the same core issue with different women linked to each other one way or another. 

(The story would begin) Aunt Addie was used to produce babies for her Master to sell. Her children all went for high prices, and each had an identifiable birthmark on them somewhere that looked like a star. Her prized off springs began to be known as a ‘Star Child’ and every slave owner wanted one. This was fine with Addie until she became pregnant by the love of her life who promised not to sell their love child, the master’s son.

Of course, the child was sold, love was lost, and it turned out she would never have another ‘Star Child.’ Years go by and the new Master (her old love) purchases a beautiful young girl who worked hard and now was the one counted on to birth the money children. When it comes time for the baby to be born old Aunt Addie was the midwife. The young girl pushed and pushed and then Aunt Addie saw it, the birthmark on the inside of the new young girl’s thigh in the shape of a star.

I can’t tell you the entire story, but not to be able to recognize or ever raise one of your children had to hit Old Aunt Addie hard. What had to hit even harder was that more ‘Star’ children were being birthed for market, with no say in the matter. Great little story of a past era we strive to leave in the past and move towards our future.

My, how time flies. The title of the book is going to be I Never Thought I’d See the Day. But I have lived to see the day. I live in a world where there is a debate whether a woman can have contraceptives, safe abortions, a place for breast exams, and procedures in a hospital that would save her life, but not if it endangered the unborn child’s life.

    Men are debating women’s issues without even asking for a woman’s advice. What a difference four or five years can make. I did not believe I would see a day, a time like this. My fictitious character, Aunt Addie, did not have any control or choice of her reproduction wishes, her own body. “How far have we come as women—or is the question —where are we headed as women?”

Say what you will, give reasonings as you will, but as long as Viagra is healthcare, so should medical abortions without interference from the public.

No More Thought and Prayers for Mass Shootings Christians!

How much longer will thoughts and prayers be offered when there is a MASS SHOOTING? If we are a Christian nation as many suggest, is it biblical to JUST offer thoughts and prayers for families who have been victimized by mass shootings who are asking for HELP? I say NO!

There was another mass shooting in Birmingham, Alabama, September 21, 2024, with 21 people injured and four dead. Mass shootings have become so common, we no longer shake our heads about it. Social media does become flooded with when will America do something about weapons, and I have the right to own guns. But no solution is ever reached to stop the death and suffering of people. And of course, there are thoughts and prayers offered.

In the Christian Bible in the book of James 2:14-16, "What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such a faith SAVE him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I WISH you well; keep warm and well fed, "but does nothing about his PHYSICAL NEEDS, what good is it?

Many people believe they are doing God's will by PRAYING for people to be well or to have their needs met. Of course, praying for one another is biblical. But we DEMONSTRATE Christ to the world by our ACTIONS. When there is a person or a people CRYING out for help, the Christian must go BEYOND prayers.

At least 131 people have died this year in those mass shootings, which are defined as incidents in which four or more people die within a 24-hour period, not including the killer — the same definition used by the FBI. Last year ended with 217 deaths from 42 mass killings in the U.S., making 2023 one of the deadliest years on record. Who is NOT aware of the suffering?

Gun control is always presented as a Second Amendment right. The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution states that "the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed". The amendment was ratified to ensure that citizens would still have the right to own weapons, even though the federal government would have the power to create a standing army and navy. Our forefathers made sure we were allowed to protect ourselves as citizens.

But what is a nation to do when what was meant to be a right for self-protection has become what the nation needs to be protected from? This may be where the citizens who also hold to the fact that our nation was founded under the guidance of religion, show their faith. The citizens, actively living their faith will balance laws which have gotten out of control.

The word INFRINGE in the Second Amendment means to actively break the terms of (a law, agreement, etc.). And gun owners will say the government cannot TAKE away their guns. But if a Christian knows his brothers and sisters are in NEED of help to try to stop the pain of mass shootings by semi-automatic rifles, there should be a WILLINGNESS to help instead of offering thoughts and prayers and walk away from their desperate need. There should not be a need for anyone to BREAK or infringe on the right to own weapons when the Christian willingly says I want to help my brothers and sisters in this area.

Christian gunowners who turn their back on the need for gun control which is killing our children and then offer up prayers for the safety of children in school, are not demonstrating their faith in God. James goes on to say in 2:17-18, "In the same way, faith by ITSELF, if not accompanied by ACTION, is DEAD. But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." SHOW me FAITH without DEEDS, and I will show YOU my faith by WHAT I DO."

Is the Christian by refusing to allow gun control to help others demonstrating their faith for THEIR security and life is in THEIR own hands and dependent on owning weapons? Where does God figure into their lives? Those who do not practice Christianity, or the WORLD, as Christians refer to them, put their trust in THEMSRLVES or others. The Christian's faith is in God. I know your response to this statement is God gave me the good sense to protect myself. Yes, God did. And surely, he gave you the good sense to help others in need through love and compassion.

We can read just offering thoughts and prayers is not a biblical stance for the Christian. John 17:14, Jesus prays to the Father, saying, "I have given them your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world". Some say that this verse means Christians should be "in the world but not of the world", and that this means not following the world's values, beliefs, and actions. Instead, Christians should follow Christ's word, represent Christ's kingdom, and show the Father's love and kindness. Continuing to stand by something so destructive as allowing assault rifles to be in the hands of any and everybody killing people in large numbers, and just think of self is not biblical. It's not Christian.

Christians choose soap box SINS to rail against while not living out the Word of God. Christians try to have things both ways and every way. It is NOT possible if you are living as the Bible which instructs Christians how to live daily. Christians are to see differently and behave differently. They are to be Christlike and that is demonstrated through their ACTIONS. Many people BELIEVE just because they advocate for Christianity, proclaim Christianity, and talk about Christianity they are GOOD Christians. Once again James says in 2:19, "You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the DEMONS believe that - and shudder."

Don't get me wrong. this isn't an attack on Christians. It is just one Christian saying to another, how are we loving and caring for our brothers and sister and even enemies. In the Bible, Luke 6:32 says, "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them". This verse is part of a passage that continues, "But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful." People have chosen sides about owning certain guns, one being good and the other evil. Christians have lost their FOCUS on their Christian walk by taking sides on material things.

Christianity goes far beyond THOUGHTS and PRAYERS. It must be demonstrated by actions through faith. 1 Corinthians 13:13, "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is LOVE. Does a Christian demonstrate the three when they turn their back on the need and loud request of people in large numbers to try to ensure the safety of their children as they attend school? If the answer is gun control, isn't that a simple request when your faith and hope is in God? Is this an opportunity for those who follow the Christian religion to stand and say I am not like the world putting my faith in worldly things to care and protect me? Is this an OPPORTUNITY to point others to live trusting God?

Living as a Christian is not a solo ENDEAVOR. Christians walk daily with the trinity of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, each encompassing LOVE. Our FAITH must be shown in our ACTIONS. Thoughts and prayers are SOLO actions. Turning your back is an action. Addressing a need is an action. 

Christian's must make decisions daily. They must die to their flesh daily. Our flesh, which is worldly, is concerned about our OWN wants, desires, and needs. In the Bible passages in James I quoted, we are encouraged to be CONCERNED about our brothers and sisters. Offering them words of COMFORT is not enough when they are in DISTRESS. 

WHEN WILL A CHRISTIAN nation realize thoughts and prayers are not enough? Even the Good Samaritan came to the aid of his enemy, Luke 10:25-37, when the religious men passed the man in need by. The passage said the Samaritan had COMPASSION for the man.

Thought and prayers regarding mass shootings allows the Christian to DO nothing. It justifies turning the back on a painful need. WHY pass up an opportunity to demonstrate FAITH, HOPE, and LOVE? Talking Godly is much easier than living Godly.

America's deadliest modern mass shootings. This PAIN requires Christian action.

1. Route 91 Harvest music festival, Las Vegas, October 2, 2017: 60 killed, more than 850 injured.
2. Pulse, Orlando, Fla., June 2016: 49 killed and 53 injured.
3. Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va., April 2007: 32 killed and 17 injured on campus.
4. Sandy Hook Elementary School, Newtown, Conn., December 2012: 26 killed.
5. First Baptist Church, Sutherland Springs, Texas, November 2017: 26 killed and 20 injured.
6. Luby's Cafeteria, Killeen, Texas, October 1991: 23 killed.
7. Walmart, El Paso, Texas, August 3, 2019: 23 killed, 26 injured.
8. McDonald's, San Ysdiro, Calif., July 1984: 21 killed.
9. Robb Elementary School, Uvalde, Texas, May 24, 2022: 21 killed.
10. Schemengees Bar and Sparetime Recreation, Lewiston, Maine, October 2023: 18 killed and at least 13 injured.
11. Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Parkland, Fla., February 2018: 17 killed.
12. University of Texas Tower, Austin, Texas, August 1966: 16 killed around campus.
13. Inland Regional Center, San Bernardino, Calif., December 2015: 14 killed.
14. Edmond post office, Edmond, Okla., August 1986: 14 killed.
15. Fort Hood, Fort Hood, Texas, November 2009: 13 killed.
16. Columbine High School, Littleton, Colo., April 1999: 13 killed.
17. Binghamton Civic Association, Binghamton, N.Y., April 2009: 13 killed.
18. New Jersey neighborhood and local shops, Camden, N.J, September 1949: 13 killed.
19. Schoolhouse Lane neighborhood and Heather Highlands Mobile Home Village, Wilkes-Barre, Pa., September 1982: 13 killed.
20. Wah Mee club in the Louisa hotel, Seattle, Wash., February 1983: 13 killed.
21. Century 16 movie theater, Aurora, Colo., July 2012: 12 killed, 58 wounded.
22. Star Ballroom Dance Studio, Monterey Park, Calif., January 2023: 12 killed, 9 injured.
23. Navy Yard, Washington, D.C., September 2013: 12 killed, 8 wounded.
24. The Borderline Bar & Grill, Thousand Oaks, Calif., November 2018: 12 killed, several wounded.
25. Virginia Beach Municipal Center, Virginia Beach, Va., May 2019: 12 killed.