Imagine you just got elected president

Imagine you just got elected president during the midst of the worst economic disaster in decades and your economic advisors sit down and say "Mr. President, if we just allow the economy to fall and self-correct, it will quickly bounce back like a ball, and everything will be fine. That's what we think will happen. But there's also a chance the economy will fall more like a beanbag, and then just flatline for many years, with 25% unemployment and massive homelessness, which will ultimately mean the government will have to spend trillions to restart the economic engine, and by that time it might not even work"

As the president, would you take the bet that the economy would bounce back like a ball? or would you take out an insurance policy so you won't be forever remembered as the president who allowed the economy to be completely destroyed?

Healthy AND tasty snacks

Does anyone have any recommendations on tasty and healthy snacks? I'm quitting smoking for the hundreth time and could really use some food variety as I comfort eat my way to nicotine freedom. I'm pretty open to anything, but for the next week and a half, I can't cook as I'm moving and already packed up most of the dishes (the roommates wouldn't clean what they used and I got sick of it).

Popcorn, baked chips,lots and lots of gum in different flavors (xylitol is good for you teeth), and also beef jerky. Freezed dried fruit can be expensive but it's crunchy, trail mix, sesame sticks, seaweed crunches, pickles, banana chips.

Fibromyalia and depression

I need advice on how to best come to a solution. My mother is 89. She has had Fibromyalia for the past 20 years. This led to falling, fibrofog, aches, osteoprosis and some depression. She is a very dependent person also.

I live 1200 miles away from her.My brother lives within 20 minutes of her. My nephew, his wife and very young sons live there.( My father died 6 years ago.)

For the past 12 years, I fly to take her to all doctors appointments and lay out/order her medication and suppliments. I finally found one of the top doctors for Fibromyalgia in my area to help her six years ago. Her health has improved.

I have tried to keep Mom independent by hiring a home healthaide after Dad died to help with taking medication, running errands, and give me reports of problems.She now is also getting meals on wheels.

My brother has never been able to lay out her medication or communicate well with her doctors/healthcare agencies/home aids well. My brothers major reactions are denial of a problem, yelling at doctor/home health aide/me,or taking away my Mom's personal freedom (he sold her car, takes bank account/money away, stops her mail delivery at home).

My concern is what will happen to my Mom as she enter her 90's. (She takes after her father who lived to 99 and has no other major health problems.) So far her weight is down, she is not eating well, has severe hearing loss, her skin tears easily, does not always take her medication.

I can't get my brother to realize that we need a long term plan now. I don't think home healthcare will work much longer. My mother acts dependent and as if this a conflict between her children. (It really should be her decision.)

I feel at 89, she needs a long term plan. I don't want to have to put her in the first available nursing home because she got hurt.I have thought of going to a third party, family counselor, to help come up with a plan with all family member present.

Anyone with some thoughts on how better cope with this situation? I wake up at night worrying about this.

What is a Pain Doctor?

This is my first time being referred to see a doctor for pain. In times past my doctor would give me a script for pain meds as I needed. I guess they are treating everything seperate now instead of Primary taking care of most care? I moved away and when I came back everything is different. I am going through alot right now, in addition to haveing a flare in my RA, my pancreas is not working, and causing me debilitating pain that pushes on my spine, which in turn affects my nerves leading to migraines, nausea, and so its been bad, but Im currently getting no treatment for it, because my doctor referred me to the rheumatologist, not understanding that whats hurting me most is my pancreas. So I ended up in ER from pancreatitis, and they referred me to see a doctor who specialized in that area, which I am, even though my doctor thinks its my arthritis.

I feel that can take second place to this right now, but what is different is that they dont write any scripts for enzymes, pain or anything, you have to go through a bunch of testing first to make sure its pancreas, ect..I asked what do I do for the pain in the meantime? They said oh you see a pain doctor for that. Im confused? So Ive been suffering with immense pain in tears at times, while I dont know what route to take? Am I to ask my PCP for a referral or do I just go call a pain doc on my own?

Does anyone have information on how to approach this situation. I know my pcp thinks its mostly my joints, and while that is miserable at times, my pancreas feels like it dying inside of me and I cant digest without bloating like a balloon no matter what I eat which I cant really do very easily. So I could have really used some enzymes at least? It seems like cruel torture to leave me without pain relief, at least the ER gave me morhphine which helped while I was there. Any suggestions? Thanks.

Applying eye liner on water line

I'm 39 and remember that, as a teenager, I used to apply my eyeliner in the surface of the lower lid. I haven't done that in years, and now I've started to wear contacts. I know it's a pretty standard method of applying eyeliner, but it kind of makes me nervous because it doesn't seem sanitary, and I wonder if it will flake onto my lenses and cause eye irritation or worse. I know some people even apply it on the UPPER lid's water line, which I've never even tried.

Can you please advise on the right and/or wrong way to apply inside the lash lines, which is the best liner to use for this, and how to keep from getting bacterial infections (i.e. do you replace the liner often? Would constantly sharpening it help?).

Thanks!

What gives?

Boscoe and I have lived in this new apartment for four months exactly. In the past eight years that I have owned Boscoe, he has never peed or pooped inside as much as he has these past four months. He has had his "once in a great while" accidents over the years that I can chalk up to my negligence to notice his signs but these incidences have no signs.

I keep him on the same feeding schedule, walking schedule, play schedule, everything schedule as he has been on the past five years (at least). The only change is location. The carpet, padding, and flooring WAS brand new before he started peeing and pooing on it...so it's not a previous animal scent he's covering. It's not the same spot every time, but 80% of the time, it's the same location.

I have even resorted to crating him at night and while no one is home to monitor/supervise him. I haven't had to crate him since he was three years old (due to "accidents").

WTF gives?

Maybe I overreacted but... Long sorry

I felt really affronted when I got an email from my Aunt about Saul saying that my SIL means well but just got busy with having a baby and working to explain away Saul's condition (cat I just took from them). I do not think she realizes how bad he was! Not to mention that this started well before the baby was born and she only went back to work two weeks a go.

Maybe I'm out of line but I replied:

"I really like her as a person and she's a wonderful parent but I can't say she meant well, though she wasn't doing it purposefully either. I don't blame her but I will not make excuses for her. It was a matter or priorities and Saul wasn't one. That's okay, she has other stuff to deal with but I believe she should've given him up, even to a shelter where he'd be humanely pts.

He was basically slowly starving to death which is what happens when diabetes goes untreated and his mouth is full of puss, he can't even close it correctly. His surroundings were filthy and he was severely neglected.

I don't mean to be so emotional but I disagree with your statement. However, I have matured a lot and I used to be very black and white about pets but now I realize someone can still be a good person but a lousy pet owner. She is one of those people. My Mom and I both agree that they should not get any more pets for a very long time."

I do not want this cat to cause friction between my family but I just felt like I had to speak up... Maybe I'm wrong and my aunt will take it as I'm badmouthing her. Opinions?

Has Anyone Heard of Reconnective Healing?

It is a form of "energy work", I guess you could say...developed or discovered by a Dr. Eric Pearl. You can google him if you wish more info. He also has Youtube videos.

Would be interested in talking to anyone who has taken his seminars or has a story about their experience with this energy.

I have taken his first 2 seminars and really thought it was legit (something was happening/being transferred there) -- I had a complete relief from my back problems over that weekend that I took the classes.

Just looking for others to talk to about it. It can also be done via distance healing.