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Photo courtesy of PublicDomainPictures.net MYTH 1: There is something wrong with all foster/adopted children. Let's get something straight from the beginning. Kids do not end up in foster care or are not put up for adoption because there is something wrong with them. The majority of children do not wake up and hope to be taken away from the only family they have ever known. They don't ask to be born to drug-addicted parents. They don't choose to be neglected. They don't choose to be abused. They don't ask to be abandoned. Those are not things that children choose. Children are placed in foster care and adopted because there is something wrong with the adults who are supposed to take care of them. Some research demonstrates that nearly 80% of foster children have mental health issues. However, this data, in my opinion, is greatly skewed. Foster children and adoptees are put under greater scrutiny than the general population. If the data and same scrutiny is

As a senior at a small, private, church sponsored, conservative college in the Midwest, I decided that I would like to write my senior thesis for my history degree on Griswold v. Connecticut (1965).  Griswold v. Connecticut  served as a precedent for Roe v. Wade (1973). My premise was that the Supreme Court was actually more influenced by societal pressures and norms than legal theory would suggest. I further asserted that, although the Supreme Court judges were appointed by life to not be swayed by political and public opinion;  in fact, they were. I was mildly discouraged from my topic by members of my all male history faculty. However, the reason was not the one might guess. They believed it would be difficult to prove if the court had been swayed by public and political opinion or not. As one of my professors pointed out, volumes had been written on the subject with no decisive answer either way. Nevertheless, I persisted and pursued my study of " Griswold V. Connecticut: Co

There are many pros and cons to living in multi-unit housing, but a definite con is having neighbors on the other side of the wall. Even though someone is not living in the same residence as you, second-hand smoke can travel through air vents and affect your health. As a smoker takes a puff of any kind of cigarette, the smoke is emitted into the air. Smoke travels through the air, even if the air is not moving. The reason is that smoke has a higher density than the sitting air. In the winter and summer time, furnace and air conditioning fans move air throughout the building more readily.  At times nonsmokers may notice their clothing or furniture smells of smoke, even though they do not smoke. This is because second-hand smoke travels through the air and enters the fibers of clothing of those who do not smoke. This is true of any kind of smoke, be it from a pipe, cigarettes or marijuana. Photo courtesy of Pixabay.com Numerous studies have been conducted that demonstrate th

Yesterday, as I watched the live stream of the Women's March on C-SPAN, individuals called in voicing their reactions to the marchers and their thoughts regarding the march in general.  The calls that stuck with me were the ones that said (paraphrasing, of course) the following: "I don't see what these women are mad at about. They have freedom."  The truth is, that women have freedom, but they are not free. In their personal safety, women have freedom,  but they are not free.  Yesterday, as millions marched for women's rights, 1,871 women were raped in the United States.  As others marched, approximately 28,800 women (20 a minute) were the victims of domestic violence.  On the same day at least three of those women died due to domestic violence. In their healthcare, women have freedom, but they are not free. In 1873, the federal Comstock Law was passed.  The Comstock Law prevented the sale or the promotion of abortion or contraceptives. In 2016, almost a ce

Even more seasoned healthcare professionals focus more on the language interpretation and cultural aspects of health literacy rather than seeing the whole picture. Health.gov gives a rather extensive definition of health literacy. In simplest terms, health literacy is a patient's ability to receive information about their health and be able to apply that information to meet their health needs and to improve their health and well being. Although that sounds simple enough, it often is not. Even though studies have shown that using medical terminology does not assist in patient understanding of medical issues, clinicians continue to use complex medical terminology with patients.  Photo by Pineapple Supply Co. courtesy of Pexels.com That is the crux of the issue. Discussing medical issues with "me" at "my" level of understanding, as a patient, as a person, as an educated person. In order to do so, healthcare professionals first must take the time to determi

Imagine you are waking up in the morning. It's so cold. It snowed overnight and you snuggle up under your covers.  You check your thermostat. 70 degrees. You put your warm slippers on over your socks and grab a cup of coffee.  Then, you get in the refrigerator and prepare your breakfast.  After breakfast, you take a nice hot shower, brush your teeth, put on your deodorant, blow dry your hair, and go through your closet of clothes looking for something warm to wear. Now, imagine you are homeless.  You wake up in the morning glad you made it through the night. No one attacked you or tried to steal what few belongings you had.  The ground beneath you is cold and hard, although you are grateful you found a blanket in the trash.  It's so cold out, you can see your breath.  Last night, it got down to 20 degrees, and you can barely feel your toes.  You set a goal for the day to make it to the public hospital and see if you have frostbite.  You heard they may give you a sandwich,

This time of year, there may be a lot of information, emails, news blasts, and media coverage regarding open enrollment.  Open enrollment is a time when individuals can sign up for new health insurance coverage or renew existing coverage.  Changes to policies may also be made, including adding or removing a family member.  The amount and type of coverage someone may want can also be modified.  Nonetheless, the open enrollment period may vary slightly depending on the type of coverage someone is seeking. Medicare open enrollment period is from October 15 to December 7 . During this time, individuals can change their Medicare coverage and prescription drug coverage.  At this point, if there are changes in their plans' annual coverage, Medicare participants should have been notified.  These changes may be listed in an Annual Notice of Coverage (ANOC) or an Evidence of Coverage (EOC). Individuals with questions may call 1-800-MEDICARE or visit Medicare.gov. Medicaid and Children