Posts Tagged ‘CHD’

October 7th, 2010

Internet Harassment & Terrorist “Activists”

Yesterday I sat in horror watching one of the worse internet assaults I have had yet to witness. It is no secret the laws regarding internet harassment are lose, and need a lot of improvement. I have dealt with them one-on-one in recent months with my local police department, as well as our local FBI office because of a level of harassment that has come through my own personal website. But because of the loose laws, nothing could be done, and these same criminals continue to get away with their harassment.

Well, I am disgusted to say I was witness to the harassment of a mother who lost her son in the recent days. Joshua died of a Congenital Heart Defect that he had been battling with since he was born. In the days before his death, his religious family made the decision to have him circumcised, and that is where the harassment began. Rabid intactivist’s jumped down her throat, harassing her, leaving comments on her blog which were nothing short of grounds for arrests on harassment, and made me literally sick to my stomach.

But it all took the cake when the little boy passed away the next day. These rabid terrorists started flooding her website with comments about the circumcision killing her son, calling her selfish, and all kinds of nasty comments. This mother is going to be burying her son. She does not need to be harassed because of a private medical choice she made for her child. Anyone who has the balls to harass a woman whose child just died deserves to be in JAIL!

Some of the comments that took the cake?

“My heart sure doesn’t break for her. On the contrary, she got exactly what she deserved. If every baby who was mutilated died, it might put a stop to the practice. This so-called tragedy is good publicity for outlawing genital mutilation. I hope she feels guilty for the rest of her miserable life & my sympathy for her is ZERO.”

“They didn’t care. It was more important that his penis be cut up than he live.”

“The doctors are trying to feed them the lie that the circumcision didn’t kill their son. This is why, even though it doesn’t seem ‘compassionate,’ people need to let’er rip on her. No, people should not be silent and ‘compassionate.’ While everyone is feeling sorry for the mother, what about the child?”

Guess what rabid intactivists? All you have done is make yourselves look like giant assholes! Which is EXACTLY what you are for harassing a mother whose child just died.   Disagree with her all you want, but SHUT THE FUCK UP!

It is NOT all about YOU or YOUR choices or OPINION. In fact, NO ONE cares what you have to say about Joshua or his family. You are ONLY fueling the fire against you.

But just when I thought it couldn’t get any worse… A blog I stopped reading forever ago because of plagiarism, extremism, and downright horrible and scary opinions stepped into the ring against this mother.

First off, when you are talking about organizing a protest against this family, and the hospital this child died in, you cannot call your website “Peaceful Parenting”  there is absolutely nothing peaceful about your website at all. It is filled with hate and lots of it. Including the post you wrote with grossly inaccurate information about the death of baby Joshua. But the icing on the cake? Stealing his pictures from his mothers website to further your hate filled agenda.

I hope they take you to court and you get what you deserve.

Before I close, I know there are many intact advocates out there that are not taking part in this, and I applaud you for staying out of this. This post is focused on those who have taken part in harassing this family.

April 15th, 2010

More Than Just Photos

This past week I have really taken a focus and interest in my photography since I downloaded an awesome new program for editing at the suggestion of the always awesome Sarah from One Starry Night. She is totally my tech go-to-girl for blogging, photography, web design, anything. In fact, Sarah created the design for this blog, and acutally built it with her… bare fingers? LOL

Anyways, I have been doing a lot of photo taking, editing, and donating, and I wanted to share some of the photos.
But first, and more importantly, I wanted to share some information about a Fundraiser I donated a print to.
Many of you know, and could never forget Cora’s Story, the story of a mother and the loss of her young newborn daughter to an undetected Congenital Heart Defect. Emily over at Baby Dickey decided to put together a fundraiser for Kristine’s (Cora’s Mother) new charity which was officially made a nonprofit organization on April 7th, 2010.
Cora’s Story is her parent’s way of helping more parents to be educated about CHD and encouraging more people to have their children screened, as well as encouraging the Pulse Oximetry test in the hospital at birth.

So because Kristine has touched a special place in my heart since the day I met her, I not only took a photograph, but also edited it with Cora’s Story in mind.  I later donated an 8×10 print of this as a reward to anyone who donates to Emily’s Fundraiser.

If you would like the chance to win this print, make a donation to the fundraiser above. From now until the end of the fundraiser which is May 30th, I will be donating $5 from any copy of this print sold through my Etsy Store. So if you would like a copy yourself, check it out.

Now onto some of the other prints I have worked just as hard on this week, I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

This photo was taken at Booth Memorial Park in Stratford, Connecticut. A notoriously haunted spot here in Connecticut, with beautifully maintained grounds by a wonderful crew of volunteers, as well as the towns workers. I titled it Beautiful History as this spot has so much in regard to history locally.

This is a flower, obviously, (LOL) which was also photographed at Booth Memorial Park during my travels. I am still looking for a name for it, so if you have any suggestions, please let me know!  I am not good at naming pictures!

Amazingly, I took this in my mothers driveway. I decided to name this American Life because that was the first thought I had in my mind when I really sat down and started looking through the photos I took that day.

Peaceful Purple, something I took a couple weeks back when random crocus’s started sprouting out of what used to be our front walkway.   Just one more!

Last but probably my favorite picture to date is something I decided to call She Stands Alone. Another picture of one my front yard crocus’s that surprised me this spring.

I really hope you enjoyed the pictures as much as I enjoyed writing and sharing them. I am so happy to have a nice new camera that I can take kick ass pictures with!

February 13th, 2010

Keeping Cora in our Thoughts

Today is the last day of Congenital Heart Defect Awareness week and to help celebrate, and remember that we need to spread awareness of CHD and Coras story all year long I will be wrapping the week up with a follow up interview with Kristine Brite, Cora’s Mother, and a huge advocate in the CHD awareness movement. Without her I would have gone on living my life like most people, not knowing anything about CHD.

Danielle :  How did you like being on the Momotics Radio Show to kick off CHD Awareness Week?

Kristine : “The Momotics Radio interview gave me so much confidence to start the week! I had never told Cora’s Story on air. I was admittedly nervous all week. Radio interviews are way out of comfort zone. But, you made made me feel so comfortable. Thank you!
Although Cora’s Story is sad, and we both shed quite a few tears, I think your show also showed her story is one of hope. Cora is making a huge difference. She is saving lives.

I also immensely enjoyed the discussion your show spurred both on the air and after. Members of the CHD community started talking about holding weekly chat sessions. Mothers I had only chatted with online called in and we got to talk about the indescribable impact CHD has had on our lives. For that, I’m forever thankful to you.

The show started discussion that lasted the entire week. Life saving discussion.”

Danielle : Where else have you written a guest blog this week?  (Links)

Kristine : “My fellow bloggers have been so gracious. Not only did I write several guest posts, several bloggers wrote posts about Cora and CHD as a surprise to me. I started the week on the Blogess Army where I wrote about finding out about CHD from the coroner.
Next, I moved to a blog of a mom who also has a child with CHD, Garibay Soup, where I used Cora’s perfect looking picture to illustrate that any child can have CHD.
My post on Baby Dickey, meant a lot because Emily’s son, Ryan, was born a few weeks after Cora and was the first baby Cora helped. I got a little poetic on The Angel Forever. And, on The Spohrs Are Multiplying, I welcomed Cora to the world.
Yesterday, I wrote about what every mother needs to know about CHD on Atlanta Mothers Guide .
Today, I’m also on The Bluemoon Girl talking about Cora’s other gift. And, I’m not done! I have a final CHD Awareness Week guest blog planned for tomorrow. But, I’ll keep that a secret.”

Danielle : What do you want people to know about CHD Awareness Week?

Kristine : “We saved lives this week. I personally read the story of a baby diagnosed because of all the awareness efforts. A mother recognized some of the symptoms in her child.

I’m still absolutely floored I didn’t know about CHD before Cora. When I read that CHD kills more children than all forms of childhood cancer combined, is the most common birth defect, and gets little in the way of funding for more research shortly after Cora’s death, my jaw dropped. Every mother needs to know about CHD for their children and their friend’s children. We’ve got to demand more research and attention be shifted to this serious public health issue.”

Danielle : What would you like to say to women and families touched by CHD?

Kristine : “I work for you, too. I will never stop. I’m here for you always. Feel free to write to me at my personal email, kbrite@gmail.com.”

Danielle : What do you want people to know about Cora’s Story?

Kristine : “She saves lives. She improves lives. She changed me forever. She brought such love and joy in my life. I know her story sounds like a horror movie at first read, but it’s full of such hope, joy, and compassion. I work for her always. I dedicate all to her. I try to find ways to improve other peoples lives all in her name. Cora is one amazing baby.”

Danielle : What is your new website and Contact information for anyone who would like to work with you on CHD Awareness?

Kristine : “Cora and I now blog at http://www.corasstory.org. My email again is kbrite@gmail.com.  My full name is Kristine Brite McCormick. I still forget and go by my maiden name all the time, so you might see either name. I’m here for all mothers. Anytime.”

This week has taught me so many things, and I hope through our posts about CHD awareness and the radio show, we are able to reach out and help someone, or save a life.
If you missed the radio show earlier this week, you can click play on the Blog Talk Radio icon below to listen. Please disregard the conversation Kristine and I had AFTER the show was over, we were unaware that the show would continue to record even after the time frame was over. LOL!   But it does make for some pretty funny moments.

February 5th, 2010

Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week

Sunday will mark the beginning of Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week which will run from February 7th, to Valentines day, which I find fitting considering valentines day is always represented with hearts. It makes it easier to remember, don’t ya think?

But the reason I am taking the time to post about this because most do not know that CHD, short for Congenital Heart Defect, is the #1 birth defect in the United States.  It is estimated that 25,000 babies are born with CHD every year, and that works out to 1 out of every 115-150 births.  Another shocking number is, 10,830 babies are born daily in the US, meaning around 411 of them will be born with some form of CHD.

I didn’t really know much about CHD until I got on twitter in January and really got involved. I noticed lots of people that I already followed talking about CHD and Cora’s Story. So I set out to learn more about Cora and her story, and that is when I met her mother Kristine Brite.
Cora was born with an undetected CHD and passed away on December 6th 2009 while breastfeeding in her mothers arms.

Since the loss of Cora, Kristine, her mother has been struggling with losing a child, but becoming an activist for CHD and mandatory pulse oximetry testing on all newborns, which tests for CHD, hopefully helping prevent CHD from going unnoticed or undetected in any more babies.

Because I feel that this is such an important topic, I decided to kick of CHD Awareness Week with a special Momotics Radio show on Sunday at 3:00pm EST.  I know a lot of people will be watching the Super Bowl, including my husband and children, but I feel like this is such an important subject to talk about.  Myself, and Kristine Brite will be discussing Cora’s Story and how to help prevent others from going through this.

Join us!