Messages By: bamagrammy

Martha:  I'm new to this group, but I had a friend whose mother was given thalidomide during her pregnancy.  My friend had numerous skeletal problems which were mostly limited to her pelvic and lower back area.  She was told it was because of her mother taking the drug while pregnant with her.  She also was told she'd never be able to have children. I lost touch with this lady about 10 yrs. ago so don't know if she continues to suffer problems.   

I was more interested in your knee replacements.  I am 64 yrs. old and limped around on a bad knee for almost 2 yrs.  A year and a half ago I had a total knee replacement.  A month later they went in and did a manipulation on the knee as it was not responding to physical therapy and they said it was scar tissue.  I have a 40 yr. history with Rheumatoid Arthritis which has caused me more fun than anyone should be allowed to have.  About 7 mos. after the manipulation was done, I developed septicemia poisoning.  It was based in the knee, went into the bone marrow, hit my brain, my heart, my pancreas and left me with strep pneumonia in both lungs.  They did a SECOND surgery on the knee to clean out the infection.  I now have Type 2 diabetes, congestive heart failure, a horrible time getting words out (its like I've developed a black hole in my mind and my thoughts fall into them and I have to dig them out), plus I'm still limping around on the darned knee.  So, not only did I NOT MAKE progress with the knee, I've now got a bunch of other problems and a lot more pain than ever.  I guess such is life.  But I refuse to live my life in a drug induced fog.     

While dealing with the RA over the years, I've learned that it hurt if I sat and cried about it or if I got up and tried doing things, so I chose to get busy.  Lots of times I would forget about the pain as I would get so involved.  Gardening was especially helpful at blocking pain.  Even if I didn't do anything but look at the weeds growing in the flower bed.  I loved to watch the worms and bugs running around.  Mother Nature was my salvation many times.  'Course, you're never nearer God's heart anywhere than in a garden.  And my grandsons are a true gift from God to help me deal with the pain.  Laughter is the best medicine and they DO MAKE ME LAUGH.  Chin up and enjoy the blue sky.....Sheryl   

This horrible incident has really hit everyone in the Birmingham and Mountain Brook, Alabama, areas very hard.  IT IS SO CLOSE TO HOME.  These are fine people and they had a beautiful daughter anyone would be proud of.  The Twitty's neighborhood is covered with yellow ribbons and numerous fund raisers have been held to help this family.  The Univ. of Alabama even held her scholarship for her in hopes she would return.  But it seems like its just not gonna happen.  My heart goes out to her mother and the family.  I say a prayer for all of them daily.   

I have heard that this type of incident is not all that uncommon in Aruba and that the 3 boys made a habit out of stalking young girls as a group and raping them.  Joran had a history of being a bully and being ordered to take anger management.  And Joran was so big and Natalee so small.  What really angers me is the fact that the father is helping in a cover up.  What an example for his son...   

The island of Aruba needs to be put on the U.S. traveler's warning list which is published by the State Dept. and used by travel agencies.  Also, I think travel agencies could do a lot of good by boycotting the island for honeymoon destinations, graduation trips, etc.  Hit them in the pocketbook where it hurts.  The island has a history of corruption and seedy goings on, so boycott them.  I know the population of Aruba are mostly nice people, but maybe it would encourage them to stand up against the corruption.  And, a good number of them did get angry at Beth's continued persistence.  You know -- it may be corrupt and a cover-up going on, but its their home and she was an outsider.  

Dr. Phil:  Thank you for getting involved in this situation.  The entire country needs to know the danger our kids are in when they travel to foreign places.  They need to realize it just ain't the good ole' U.S. of A.  We chaperoned a band group to Canada once and even up there the kids learned that the rights they had back home they didn't necessarily have there.   

Also, I feel the chaperones on Natalee's trip were not as vigilent as they could have been.  I've raised two kids and chaperoned many, many school trips.  These people just didn't seem to be as concerned about their responsibilities as they should have been.  I got the impression from newspaper interviews, etc., that they were along just to have a good time themselves.  This was not the way we chaperoned them in the Midwest!   

Please include the Twittys and Holloways in your prayers.   

I think people refer to Joran and his father as "running away"  because of the sudden change in his college plans.  Originally Joran was scheduled to go to a college in Florida, but now is in the Netherlands going to school.  'Course he's probably safer in Holland than Florida.  And don't forget - the father was also a suspect at one time.  (Did he pay the party boat captain to dump her at sea?) 

Also, many people do not understand the culture in the South.  Many of the churches and schools have programs that encourage young people to sign pledges and contracts to remain virgins until marriage.    And this family is involved with their church.  It is amazing how many young people sign these pledges and stand by them.   The churches in the South also have considerably more active programs involving their young people than other areas do.  Please do not be so quick to judge Mrs. Twitty when she says her daughter was "a virgin."  She quite possibly was -- but that's neither here nor there.   

She was still the victim of a horrendous crime and everyone knows the father helped the boys dispose of evidence.  We'd have to be REALLY STUPID to think otherwise.  But, he was in a position of authority and had money.......'nuff said.