sarahcare

My 2 year old daughter was attacked by a dog a few weeks before Christmas. The dog punctured a hole through her lip and left several teeth marks on her face and head. While she has physically healed, she has had the same bad dream since the attack.

The dream is that a porcupine is trying to poke her face. I know it seems juvenile, but I'm assuming the porcupine itself symbolizes the dog's teeth and the pain she felt when it happened. I can't help but assume that it is directly linked to the dog attack.

She always wakes up in the middle of the night screaming saying the same thing. She has never had a bad dream before (or at least one that she has made aware of to me) and it is clear that the event was traumatizing to her. She has these dreams 2-3 nights a week and sometimes during her day naps. We have tried everything and are starting to feel terrible that she cannot sleep well. We never bring up the actual attack because we don't want to inflict further mental damage so when we calm her down we always tell her that her dream isn't real and that porcupines are nice animals. We have showed her pictures of cute porcupines, told her that her favorite stuffed animal will protect her, told her stories about nice and heroic porcupines, let her sleep in our bed etc...

But all of these work temporarily and she ends up having the dream again. My husband and I aren't sure what else to do. Should we contact her doctor? Any advice would be appreciated!

My father is 60 years old and has never had a seizure in his life up until last thursday evening. It was your well known "Grand-mal" seizure and we immediately called 911. After that he continued to have seizures, just milder, throughout the night and next day. He was put on anti-seizure meds but was still seizing. He was given an Ativin drip but was still seizing. He had an episode every 2-3 hours for the next few days. It was like clock work. They did an 2 MRI's and 2 CT scans. The first MRI and CT scan showed nothing. Blood work showed some low levels of sodium and potassium but other than that is vitals were good. He had one more very short seizure that left him spaced out. After all of his other seizures he would be spacey and wouldnt speak for up to 20 minutes but always came back. This one left him blank for almost 24 hours. He wouldnt sleep or close his eyes. He wouldnt say or acknowledge us. He just stared.

He was transferred to another hospital to have an EEG done and had it on for almost 2 days. He started speaking again but his short-term memory was virtually non-existent. During the time of the EEG he had no seizures and his memory was coming back. They were getting ready to discharge him when he had a simple focalized seizure. Totally different from the seizures he was having a few days before that. He was fully aware and conscious and was in clear pain. His right arm was completely stretched out and his right leg was shaking viciously. The right side of his face was stiff and cramped up. Ever since then, he has been unable to feel anything in the right side of his body. He also cannot lift up his right arm. He can barely move his right leg. They did another MRI and it showed some mild swelling in his frontal lobe. They weren't sure if it was from the previous seizures or infection so they did more blood work. The blood work came out negative and they were talking about a possible spinal tap.

Again, he went 2 more days without a seizure. They were getting ready to discharge him and were going to treat the swelling and for addiction. They figured the seizures were over and the most important thing was to treat his swelling, do some physical therapy for his arm and leg and get him into an outpatient rehab. Assuming his body was just collapsing under all of the medication.

(Sidenote: My dad has several degenerative back diseases and has chronic back pain. He has been on muscle relaxers and painkillers heavily for the last 5 years. He has lost 100lbs and is very thin)

Just a couple of hours ago, right before discharge, my dad started seizing again. And hasn't really been able to stop. It's focalized so, he is again aware. He is in pain and the doctors are calling this a rare case. None of the ant-seizure meds are working and they seem out of ideas. Besides the spinal tap, what else is there to do? What is going on with my dad? Should we get a second opinion? Any suggestions would be great.

I am planning on volunteering at a no-kill, non profit animal shelter and they would only give me directions to their location, but would not provide an address. It isn't on their website either, is this odd and why would they do this?

Ever since my grandmother died 4 and half years ago, my father's mental health has gone completely downhill. I'm talking about everything. He has a terrible temper, depression and a completely negative outlook on the world. Nothing makes him happy and is constantly in a "bad mood". He blames the family and everyone around him for his sadness and claims he just wants to be alone (even though we know it's not true). If we just weren't around to annoy him basically, everything would be better.

Well, my sister left for school and I moved out about 2 years ago with my family thinking that maybe he did just want to be alone. My husband and I just recently moved back with my parents trying to save money for a home and realized how much worse my father has gotten. He has always been a little bit of a clean freak, but it has gotten to the point of OCD. It really is scary how obsessed he is with cleaning things and he is reasoning is always irrational. The house is in constant turmoil because "dirty" things seriously upset him and everyone is tired of walking around on eggshells.

More on his background: He retired when my grandmother got sick. He took some time off of work to take care of her and once she died he never went back. After she died his medical problems got worse and every year since then he has been less able to walk and do normal things without pain. He has had to take more medications for his pain and hardly ever wants to eat. He doesn't even look like my dad anymore with all of the weight he has lost.

It's difficult to have a conversation with him. Anything you say he only has a negative response too. It's really really sad and he has aged a great deal since he started staying home. He forgets things often and isn't as intellectual as he used to be.

He thinks everyone is against him and always talks about how there is nothing left to live for.

It's not that I don't know he is the way he is, I do. But I want to help him and nothing has worked. I know that my grandmother's death hit him hard and that a mix between the medication and never leaving the house is what is keeping/making him this way, but there has to be another way to help. I don't want him to die this way.

He went from 56 to 80 years old in 4 years...mentally and physically. I just don't know what to do. His relationship between my sister and I and my mother is severely strained and I can't watch it all fall to pieces.

He only agreed to see a psychologist once and she diagnosed him with depression in 15 minutes (which upset him so much and I can see why. How can you diagnose someone in one session??) and he never went back. He won't let us talk to his doctors and he always says "I'll get help soon" and never does. I don't want him to go to some mental institution because I know sometimes those places do more bad than good. We've tried talking to him, begging and pleading with him. Nothing works. He's stubborn, angry with life and doesn't want to change. I feel like I'm watching him die and everyone else in my family is so sick of it that we just live side by side as opposed to together. Help?

Anyone else been through a similar experience and what did you do?

I got a text from a Yahoo! user and all it said was "lochir: hi, u bna daam a jil torol sain uu?"

and I really hope I don't get anymore. Does anybody know why?? I'm paying for stupid text messages like that.

Also, Yahoo! does not have any of my numbers, and I have never given a Yahoo! user my cell phone number.

So whats going on here??

I had my son just about a year ago and STILL have extra skin. It literally is skin, not a whole bunch of fat because I can grab it with my hand and pull it out like I'm stretching a piece of gum or something.

Well I've done everything work out wise, and I've lost all of my baby weight more (I actually weigh less then when I first got pregnant) and while I have a nice body, I can't wear anything that will reveal my stomach or a tight shirt because it looks okay when I stand up, but when I sit down all the skin rolls show. It is so embarassing and it seems to me the only way is surgery (by reading past answers).

Basically, when I lay flat on my back, my stomach looks like a waterbed and it is very wrinkled and stretchmarky. I hate it so much and NOTHING is working. I'll do anything to get rid of it!

Is there some kind of miracle out there? I'd hate to have this kind of body at only 19 years old...

My 8 month old son is one of those babies that loves to breastfeed more than anything else and has latched on from the start so when he doesn't nurse I know that something is wrong.

He started teething and his first 2 bottom teeth came in and then he stopped being so cranky. Randomly last night he refused to nurse (around 9 pm) and I assumed it was from teething because he had been drooling more these past couple of days.

Well by morning he still refused to eat so I made an appointment with his pediatrician and they checked everything and said he was fine and probably teething so they prescribed him an elixir to numb his gums.

I realized later that he sucks on EVERYTHING else but will not nurse. He has only nursed once in the past 24 hours and I am not sure when this becomes serious and possibly another issue.

So I was wondering if/when should it be considered bad and an emergency or if this just happens and I should ride it out. I don't want him to get dehydrated poor thing

I tried to make strawberry meringue and my meringue separated. Theres a foamy puff on top and a sugary syrup on the bottom.

I put cream of tartar and confectioners sugar (slowly) and its really watery, nothing is working to form the peaks.

Is there anyway to save this so I don't have to throw away 6 egg whites? Any suggestions would be great.

My son is almost 8 months old and still breastfeeds every 2 hours or so (maybe just a little bit longer than that but its pretty rare) and I was wondering when this was going to change?

When I asked his pediatrician he said that this is normal and it would be a little while before it passes. I hear mothers talk about their older kids and how they just nurse them in the morning and before they go to bed.

I introduced solids to him when he was 5 months old and while he likes some foods he doesn't eat very much and would rather breastfeed.

Have I just gotten him used to eating every 2 hours and he doesn't need to anymore or is he actually hungry?

It would be nice to be able to go out longer than 2 hours. So I'm wondering when it is fine to start spacing it out more?

My son is almost 8 months old and this past week or so I have noticed him jerking his body and at first I couldn't tell if it was voluntary or not. He arches his back up and stick his stomach out and makes a funny face like he knows its coming on and its going to happen. His arms and legs also straighten out.

He does this 2-3 times in one shot about twice a day for the past week.

It doesn't seem to bother him at all and he is acting normal and active as usual (minus his congestion) but I don't know if I should call the doctor or not.

I am a little worried because it looks like he can't help it and he just gives a blank stare when it happens. Does anybody have any idea of what it could be or why he is doing this? Any help/advice would be appreciated.

And he is breastfed if that makes a difference (so its not an allergy to formula)

I went to get my tattoo fixed/redone a little over a month ago and it hasn't peeled or started peeling yet.

The first time I got my tattoo it started peeling in about a week or two and then once it was done it didn't look as new (which I liked because I like the look of an older tattoo rather than the "just done" look)

Well the artist needed to darken some spots so I went back and he basically went over the whole thing again and it hasn't peeled or anything. It still has that "new" tattoo look and I don't like it..it almost looks fake. It has been a while and doesn't looks like it is ever going to peel or sink into my skin. It still looks raised

I know it takes a while but it didn't take this long the first time and it's a very small tattoo with no color or shading.

Is it ever going to peel or did I do something wrong?

My niece and nephew are about 2 and a half years old and I want to get them a little gift basket for Easter but I don't know what to put in it or what candy/food is appropriate for a 2 year old?

(They already have a lot of toys)

Any ideas?

I've had a headache for 7 days now and its so annoying and painful! I just got over strep throat and I thought my headache and sore neck was the cause of my headache but its still here and worse.

Its only on the left side of my head and it throbs but does move around to the back of my head or on top. I've been irritable to the sun and loud sounds and if my headache does go away those make it come back.

I don't know what to do...is it serious enough to see a doctor? I've tried a lot of home remedies and have taken motrin and tylenol..nothing works. Is it EVER going to go away?

I can't take it! Any suggestions?

I've been looking up the pros and cons of vaccinations because everytime my son gets them (he's 7 months old now) he has a reaction. He'll usually be very happy, sleep well and eat well but afterwards he doesn't sleep well, he cries/screams harder then usual and gags at everything and it lasts for a long time but eventually passes.

I started doing research about vaccinations and how they're run through animal bodies to reduce its potency and contains harmful chemicals such as formaldehyde etc. and that they have killed many children (although they say that doctors won't admit it because vaccinations are "supposedly" better for you, than bad).

When I searched this question on yahoo answers

there were people were like "ABSOLUTELY! get your children vaccinated! what are you retarded? my kids were fine!" and some people said their children have died hours after the vaccine or have had seizures because of "unknown" reasons.

I find this very horrible and so sad and I am confused.

My 7 month old son will go through crazy sleeping habits depending on the week. For 2 weeks or more he'll wake up 5 or 6 times and refuses to go to sleep without breastfeeding. Rocking him, soothing him while he's still in his crib and whatever else I manage to come up with never works for long.

He may fall asleep but he will wake up 10 minutes later and just cry/scream for another 2 hours.

I hate leaving him alone to cry but sometimes I just have no energy and strength to continue doing whatever I may be doing.

On random weeks he'll sleep pretty much the whole night but it never lasts. (He usually gets worse after his immunizations and his habits last for a month)

I'm a single mom that goes to school early in the morning and I know there is no "norm" for baby sleeping habits but is anyone in the same boat with me and can offer some advice or tips on how to handle the situation?

Could there be any flaws in the TurboTax program or does the IRS check it before it goes to the public?

My baby's father wants to claim our son as a dependent and there is an option on TurboTax that says that he can but when I went to the IRS website 1040 instruction sheet is says that the dependent has to live with you for 6 months out of the 2007 year before you can claim them. My son lives with me not his father yet he insists its okay because TurboTax has an option on there that says he can claim him even if the dependent does NOT live with him.

I don't want to break the law (obviously) but he definitely thinks TurboTax is right and I'm pretty sure the IRS is. Should I call them and will I even be able to get through to speak to a representative or is it not even worth it? Does anybody have any experience in this?

And no we have never been married.

I haven't done any type of cardio excercise in a long time but I recently started again and I get this severe itching all over my body. No its not exercise-induced Urticaria because I don't get hives and the itching doesn't last, and I know its my body sweating because its stop itching as soon as I stop my excercise but I was wondering if this was ever going to go away or if there is anything I can do to help prevent/ease the itch?

Its almost unbearable and I would really like to start excercising again.

And yes I wear workout clothes and no new detergent/lotion/soap etc lately.

If you knew what you did now when first had a child would you change anything and if so, what? Or is there something you wish you knew then..if so, then what is it?

Just curious! I hear moms say that all the time...

"oh if I only knew then...."

I was reading an email about night feedings for babies and it said

"If you haven't already done so, it's a good idea to start tapering off night feedings. Almost all babies can physically make it through the night without a snack sometime between 3 and 6 months."

I had no idea that I should do this. My son is breastfed and 5 and half months old and wakes up 2-4 times a night (which I assumed was always to eat).

Is the statement above true and should I stop feeding so much?

Is there any obvious signs of being pregnant right after having a baby? I'm nursing still and my son is 4 months old and I'm a little worried I might be pregnant..again!