Our Trip to DC for Autism: Green Our Vaccines

Thank, Jim Carrey

2009-04-22T12:19:00.001-07:00

Got to Love him. Check out his response to CNN's Campbell Brown on Huffington Post.

Vaccine Court: Autism Debate Continues

2009-02-24T18:38:00.000-08:00

By Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and David Kirby

ANOTHER AUTISM CASE WINS IN VACCINE COURT

Something to celebrate. Thank you, Bill.

~~Mim

Holy Crap

2009-01-27T17:04:00.000-08:00

Mercury found in High Fructose Corn Syrup:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paula-crossfield/is-high-fructose-corn-syr_b_161331.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/leslie-hatfield/our-melamine-theres-mercu_b_161334.html

http://www.physorg.com/news152264729.html

Anybody think this might wake somebody up there? :/

We need more votes!

2008-12-15T18:17:00.000-08:00

Please make your voice heard!

http://www.change.org/ideas/view/vaccination_schedule

Thanks!

~~Mim

HPV Additive is Dangerous Food Additive

2008-11-21T10:27:00.000-08:00

Reposted from AutismCommunityDemocrats:

Joanne Waldron
NaturalNews
Friday, Nov 21, 2008

What do rat poison and the HPV vaccine have in common? The answer is a hazardous chemical known as sodium borate. Savvy readers may wonder what a toxin that is commonly used to kill rats is doing in the ingredient list for the HPV vaccine that is currently being pushed on girls as young as nine and is even being considered for men and boys. Unfortunately, the answer isn’t very comforting, especially for new U.S. residents for whom the HPV injection containing sodium borate is now mandated.

What is Sodium Borate?

Sodium borate, a boric acid salt also known as borax, has many common uses. In addition to its use as a rat poison, it is also used in laundry detergents, cosmetics, enamel glazes, flame retardants, and buffer solutions in chemistry. However, sodium borate also has antifungal properties, which means that its probable reason for being in the vaccine is to act as a preservative.

Sodium Borate Banned as Food Additive

Sodium borate is used as a food additive in some countries, but it is now outlawed in many places. For example, one Australian government recall site notes: “Product is Borax (sodium borate) which is a non permitted food additive and is harmful to health.” So, if it’s “harmful to health,” why is it being added to the HPV vaccine?

No Longer Used in Medical Preparations

The U.S. National Library of Medicine states in an article that boric acid is “no longer commonly used in medical preparations.” It’s a good thing, too, considering that the U.S. National Library of Medicine also reports that this substance used to be used to disinfect and treat wounds and that individuals “who received such treatment over and over again got sick, and some died.” In fact, the U.S. National Library of Medicine provides the number for Poison Control for people exposed to this chemical and notes that treatment for those exposed to it may include gastric lavage (stomach pumping), dialysis, and liquids by mouth or IV.

Sodium Borate Poisoning Symptoms Mimic Reactions to HPV Vaccine

Sadly, the information about sodium borate gets even scarier. Another government website article states that exposure to sodium borate can cause convulsions and other ill health effects. Interestingly enough, young girls who receive the HPV vaccine have reported similar symptoms to those that appear in cases of sodium borate poisoning. This particular government site provides the following warning regarding this chemical: “WARNING! HARMFUL IF SWALLOWED, INHALED OR ABSORBED THROUGH SKIN. CAUSES IRRITATION TO SKIN, EYES AND RESPIRATORY TRACT.” Given this information, is sodium borate really something that should be injected into humans? This is something the reader should carefully consider, along with the previously reported information, before choosing to receive the controversial HPV vaccine.

My Letter To Obama - BE the Change

2008-11-16T12:03:00.000-08:00

(Not too proud to beg, an email was posted to one of the autism lists I read as follows[AutismCommunityDemocrats]: Call Barack Obama a.s.a.p. and ask him to read "Changing the Course of Autism" by Dr. Bryan Jepson. Ask him to make sure the AAP changes their standards of care for children with ASD to include diagnostic tests for metabolic disorders, GI disorders, food allergies, persistent viruses, and environmental toxins including heavy metals. Then call again on the following Monday. He has no clue what to do unless we demand that he becomes informed by the DAN community. If we don't act, he will be informed by the AAP, big pharma, and insurance companies. Please join me in this. I beg you. And pass this along to all of your friends and relatives who would be willing to help.)

Can you help?

My Letter to Obama sent Sunday, November 16th, 2008:

Dear Sir,

I am the mother of two children who were both diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (my older son quite severe, his prognosis was "unknown"). Both my children are now nearly recovered. Please contact us, if you'd like to meet them, they are 9 and 6, and they are the light and focus of our lives. They are bright, verbose, aware, creative little beings and it took every last thing we had to help them become that way.

I have worked hard for the last 5-1/2 years using alternative treatments to help my children recover from their illness. I have also discovered that *I* am one of the 1 in 6 women the CDC says had a toxic level of mercury retained in her body when she became pregnant.

Ask any medical professional, any school nurse, any long-time teacher and they will tell you that the newest generations of our country's children are sicker than any previous generations, and that there is more "medicine" being distributed to children every day.

There is something wrong here! 1 in 150 children nationwide are now diagnosed with autism like mine were. Both my children have escaped their diagnosis by us paying out of pocket to alternative health practitioners (Defeat Autism Now! or DAN! doctors and Naturopathic Doctors) in order to recover my children. It has worked. We need to make this the standard.

Please, President-Elect Obama, read "Changing the Course of Autism" by Dr. Bryan Jepson. Please take a real look at what thousands upon thousands of parents are saying. Please make the AAP change their standards of care for children with ASD to include diagnostic tests for metabolic disorders, GI disorders, food allergies, persistent viruses, and environmental toxins including heavy metals. If I had known that because of the toxin level in my body at the time of my pregnancies that *I* had a metabolic disorder, my children might never have developed autism, because I could have addressed the disorder first to ensure their safety.

Mr. Obama, please, you must learn from the actual Autism Community, from those who successfully treat autism, from DAN! doctors, from parents of children with autism. Please, you must not be insular to this issue or it will get no better, and we'll continue to lose whole generations of boys (and some girls). Our children *are* the proverbial canaries in the coal mines.

If we do not speak up, the AAP, the CDC, the NIH, the PHRMAs, the insurance companies and the IOM will be the primary sources for information on autism, and the thousands, potentially, millions of us living with autism will have no voice, because we are being deliberately ridiculed, silenced, disenfranchised and criticized. But we are right. And these government-allied large powerful organizations out-speak and out-spend us in relation to the government as it now stands. No one will even listen to us. They've got highly paid lobbyists and lawyers. We've got sick children and are spending every waking moment trying to recover them, and we have...? No lobbyists, no lawyers, just a few brave doctors, scientists and an ever-growing community of parents. Please, listen to us?

Please, Mr. Obama, I BEG you. Listen to us. Look at our evidence. Listen to *our* stories. Then decide. I intend to contact you by phone as often as possible, and I will continue to write and encourage my friends and relations to write to you about this ever so important issue.

Autism isn't going away, not as it currently stands. We have been fortunate, blessed in fact, to recover our children. The most needy children are usually in homes that are unable to cover these alternative expenses. We are not wealthy, but every cent we have goes into my children's and now my treatment and recovery from the toxicity that has plagued us our whole lives. For the hardest years there, it was a banner day when I could buy myself a pair of socks.

Please. Please. Please help us... Listen to us.

A former primary delegate for Obama in Clark County, Washington State,
Miriam A. Mason

Effects of acute exposure to aluminum on blood-brain barrier and the protection of zinc

2008-09-16T11:53:00.000-07:00

1: Neurosci Lett. 2008 Sep 3. [Epub ahead of print] Links
Effects of acute exposure to aluminum on blood-brain barrier and the protection of zinc.Song Y, Xue Y, Liu X, Wang P, Liu L.
Department of Experimental Center of the Functional Subjects, College of Basic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, China.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18786610?

Effects of acute exposure to aluminum on blood-brain barrier and the protection of zinc.

" Our present studies suggest that aluminum increases the permeability of BBB by changing its ultrastructure and the expression of occludin and F-actin. Zinc can protect the integrity of BBB in juvenile rats that are exposed to aluminum and inhibit the decrease of tight junction protein occludin and F-actin expression in BBB."

Aluminum and zinc are two important trace elements in an organism. Although several studies have demonstrated their impacts on the intelligence, very little was known about their effects on the integrity of blood-brain barrier (BBB). To study the effects of aluminum and zinc on the permeability of BBB, different doses of aluminum and appropriate zinc were administered to rats. Evans blue was detected in brain to determine the permeability of BBB. The ultrastructure of BBB was observed under the transmission electron microscope. Immunohistochemistry and Western blot method were used to detect the expression of skeleton protein F-actin and tight junction protein occludin in brain capillary endothelium. The data indicated that compared with the control group, Evans blue in brains increased (P<0.01),>

Stunning New Link Between Vaccines and Autism Rates

2008-09-16T11:49:00.000-07:00

From AGE OF AUTISM

I used the "Autism Rates by Birth Years" data from TACA Now and compared it to public records about vaccine histories. I found that since the DTP vaccine in 1949 the ONLY time period with NO increase in autism cases is also the only time period with NO vaccines added to the CHILDHOOD schedule. The hep b was licensed during this time but it was not given to children until 1990. Also, the Hib was reformulated for infants in 1987, but due to a shortage, it was not added to the schedule until 1990 (There was a HUGE jump in autism rates in 1990). See for yourself.

READ MORE

~Mim

"Revolutionary" News From Medicine: 1 in 200 People Carry Mitochondrial Disease Mutation

2008-08-11T20:59:00.000-07:00

ARTICLE - THE HUFFINGTON POST – DAVID KIRBY

August 11, 2008

BOTH MITOCHONDRIAL "DISEASE" AND "DYSFUNCTION" APPEAR TO BE MORE COMMON THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT -- IMPLICATIONS FOR AUTISM, OTHER DISORDERS ARE "EARTH SHATTERING."

In February, when the US government conceded that vaccines had caused an autism-inducing reaction in little Hannah Poling, most experts declared that her underlying condition, a mitochondrial disorder, was exceedingly rare - so rare, in fact, that it had no bearing on other autism cases.

But today, the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation announced a "landmark research finding" showing that at least one in 200 healthy humans "harbors a pathogenic mitochondrial mutation that potentially causes disease." The finding was published in the current issue of the American Journal of Human Genetics.

"This is earth shattering news," UMDF Executive Director and CEO Charles A. Mohan, Jr. told me this evening. "Some of my colleagues are calling it 'revolutionary.' We have shown that mitochondrial disease is not rare."

Mitochondria are the little powerhouses found within most cells and are responsible for producing most of the body's energy. Mitochondria are key for proper neurotransmission and, for obvious reasons, are highly concentrated in cells of the brain and central nervous system.

Up until now, estimates of mitochondrial disease rates have held steady at about 1-in-4000 people. But this study shows that 20 times that number have genetic mutations that could cause mitochondrial disease.

"What this says to me is that many more than 1-in-4,000 people have mitochondrial disease," Mohan said. "And it tells me that 1-in-200 could develop some type of mitochondria-related disease over the course of their lifetime, depending in part on environmental triggers."

Mitochondrial disorders are found at "the core of many well known diseases and chronic illnesses, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and autism spectrum disorders," a statement from the UMDF said today.

Humans have two types of DNA: nuclear, and mitochondrial. The study looked at 10 mutations in mitochondrial DNA that are known to cause disease, and identified them in the cord blood of 1 in 200 newborn children.
.
The study looked exclusively at classic mitochondrial "disease." In the classic form, inherited mutations of mitochondrial DNA are passed down through the mother, causing a wide variety of pathologies, including seizures, digestive problems, paralysis, blindness, heart disease, neurodevelopmental disorders and other problems.

The classic form is often quite severe, and sometimes fatal. But it is not rare.

Which brings us to Hannah Poling: She does not have "classic," maternally inherited mitochondrial disease.

Hannah does share the same single-point mutation in mitochondrial DNA as her mother, Terry. But this mutation is apparently benign (Terry Poling is just fine), is not described in the medical literature, and is not associated with any pathology at all.

Instead, Hannah seems to have had a much milder, even asymptomatic form of mitochondrial "dysfunction" - one that led to reduced cellular energy, but no obvious signs of severe mitochondrial "disease."

In April, I reported that researchers in Baltimore were studying 30 children at one autism clinic who all had nearly identical markers for mild mitochondrial dysfunction. One of them was Hannah Poling.

All 30 children were developing normally until they encountered some type of immunological stress and began showing signs of regressive autism soon afterwards.

In 28 cases, the doctors said, typical childhood fevers caused the stress, while in the other two cases, including Hannah, vaccines appeared to be the exacerbating factor.

The doctors - who spoke on a CDC conference call that included executives from the health insurance industry -- reported that mitochondrial dysfunction was found in autism "in numbers that make it not a rare occurrence."

Some estimates currently put the rate of mitochondrial dysfunction in ASD at 7-20%, while rates among regressive autism cases could climb much higher than that.

This milder form of mitochondrial disorder, the doctors said, was probably caused by a mutation found in nuclear (as opposed to mitochondrial) DNA, and inherited through the father -- rather than through the mother, as in classic mitochondrial disease.

Shockingly, the nuclear DNA mutations that bring risk of dysfunction could be as common as 1-in-400 to 1-in-50 people - though no one knows how many people have developed actual mitochondrial disorders because of it.

Even so, we can now assume that classic mitochondrial "disease" desrcibed in this study (via mutations in maternal mitochondrial DNA) and mild mitochondrial "dysfunction" found in Hannah and others (via mutations in paternal nuclear DNA) are both associated with increased risk for autism.

And we can also now assume that neither form of mitochondrial disorder is rare. Moreover, whether the low cellular energy originates in mitochonrial DNA or nuclear DNA mutations, either way it could confer increased risk for autism.

That would mean a significant number of children between the ages of 1 and 2 who are walking around right now, potentially vulnerable to autistic regression triggered by some acute immune stressor - whether vaccine related or not.

"Mitochondrial dysfunction represents a major unexplored area of human biology of vital importance to human health," the UMDF statement said, noting that it also has been implicated in autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis and lupus.

"While it cannot yet be said that mitochondrial dysfunction causes these problems, it is clear that mitochondria are involved because their function is measurably disturbed," the statement said.

This new study shows that, "mitochondrial dysfunction is a major underlying risk factor for human disease," said Dr. Douglas C. Wallace, professor of molecular medicine and director of the Center for Molecular and Mitochondrial Medicine and Genetics at the University of California-Irvine.

He should know. Dr. Wallace is one of the world's leading mitochondria researchers, and a member of the UMDF's Scientific and Medical Advisory Board. He also has a 23-year-old son with autism.

In April, Dr. Wallace told the Vaccine Safety Working Group of HHS's National Vaccine Advisory Committee that over-vaccination of people with mitochondrial disorders was a deep concern, especially in light of Hannah Poling, who got nine vaccines in one well-baby visit.

"We have always advocated spreading the immunizations out as much as possible because every time you vaccinate, you are creating a challenge for the system," Dr. Wallace testified. "And if a child has an impaired system that could in fact trigger further clinical problems."

I take that to mean that children with impaired mitochondria might also have impaired immune systems. And children with impaired immune systems might not be able to handle, say, nine vaccines given at once.

The CDC says that multiple simultaneous vaccines are safe, "for children with normal immune systems," but makes no mention of the risk for everyone else.

But, as Dr. Wallace put it, "We do not know what is safe. We do not know what is not safe. We do not know the actual risk of a person with light mitochondrial disease has and being challenged either by vaccination or by a severe infection."

"Is there a relationship between mitochondrial disease and vaccination and mitochondrial disease and autism?" Dr. Wallace asked rhetorically. "Would a vaccination or infection initiate an incipient mitochondrial disease, as has been suggested?"

Only major investments in scientific research will answer these questions, which have become particularly pressing now that we know that mitochondrial disorders are anything but "rare."

"This will help us educate key members of Congress to motivate and encourage NIH to appropriate more funds to focus specifically on mitochondrial dysfunction and disease," Mohan told me. "We would like to see this result in a better understanding of the links between energy metabolism and what we call the "sexy diseases."

I likewise hope our nation's researchers will jump on this particular scientific train before it leaves the station.

It would appear that far more lives are at risk for far more diseases (well beyond autism) than we ever imagined.

* * * *

Later David Kirby would post to his email group the following:

Date: Mon, 11 Aug 2008 23:29:23 -0500
From: David Kirby

Mito disease in Mississippi - to put a human face on this subject, please visit this site.

*ALSO - A roundup of this controversy, written by Hannah Poling's great aunt, was published in the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

A Response - Governor Christine Gregoire's Office

2008-07-16T10:54:00.000-07:00

Ah, at last, a response from someone to my letter to my reps. I note here that it was neither Senator, nor Representative of my district. I wonder if they'll respond, since this is still as yet an out-of-the-mainstream issue.

Response:

Dear Miriam:

Governor Gregoire appreciates receiving your message to ask that she support the "Green Our Vaccines" campaign to pass legislation requiring drug manufacturers to make and market safer vaccines.

Your comments are clearly from the heart and the Governor thanks you for sharing information about your sons' development and your experiences with their vaccinations that you believe triggered their autism. What wonderful news - that one of your sons is no longer on medication. While medication seems to help some children with autism, others seem to benefit from alternative types of care. The Governor is pleased to know about your success with the treatment you chose for him.

Governor Gregoire also appreciates that you sent your message to your Congressional delegates because regulating the manufacture and marketing of medications happens at the federal level. You present a compelling argument to "rethink our vaccination policy and ideology" and you can be sure that the Governor will keep your concerns in mind. We know there is always more to learn about every issue. This one has raised concerns for many parents, which the Governor truly understands - she is, herself, a mother. As you are probably already aware, vaccines recommended today for infants and young children are available in forms that have no, or only trace amounts, of thimerosal. Our state chooses vaccines that contain no thimerosal, when available.

The Governor hopes that the rally you attended was informative and an opportunity to share information and to learn from others. She is aware of the progress that Jenny McCarthy has made with her own son's autism, work that surely spells hope for many parents. Again, thank you for your thoughtful comments. Governor Gregoire appreciates receiving your message.

Sincerely,

Gary Fugere
Constituent Services Manager
Christine O. Gregoire
Governor

- - - - -

The business about trace amounts of Thimerosal is really untrue. There are 11 vaccinations that still contain Thimerosal, including the flu vaccinations recommended for children 6 months and older. It's really up to the clinic what kind of vaccinations they decide to buy. Multi-dose bottles always have to contain preservatives, and that preservative is largely still Thimerosal. Single dose bottles are much less likely to contain "trace" amounts. But even "trace" amounts are not good for some people, as we have learned.

Another note, my younger son was never on any medications. There's been no need. His version of ASD is much more mild-mannered, just by nature. We've used homeopathics to help ease the head banging, but he rarely melts down beyond something that a good long hug and a lot of emotional support won't fix all by itself. He's also got a Chiari Malformation Level I, his lower brain is herniated 7 mm into his spinal column. Once he received surgery for that at 32 months, his language accelerated significantly. He's never been echolalic beyond reciting stories he loves over and over. His language has always been easier coming than his older brother's.

My biggest concern for him, actually, is the recurrence of painful symptoms from the Chiari Malformation -- what the future may hold in that regard. He still qualifies as having ASD, but I believe that is because he refuses to cooperate with the assessment anymore. He's had enough! I don't blame him one iota. I've had enough of them, too.

I'm thinking I might reply to this. Any suggestions?

~~Mim

These Are Difficult

2008-07-14T10:22:00.000-07:00

Here are more of Redhead60707's videos. They are very hard to watch, especially at the beginning, as she shows what severe mercury poison looks like. She has a point, however, and as one who's been dealing with a high body burden of mercury in my organs, trying to slowly get rid of it, these resonate with me:

Stop the Mercury - Start the Cure

Stop the Mercury - Start the Cure 2

The list she provides in assisting in recovery from autism are exactly what we have done to heal our kids, there is was, in a simple list.

Haven't we been using mercury too long now? Why can't we let it go? Find better alternatives. They are certainly out there! Oh yeah... forgot... not as cheap. :(

~~Mim

Video Prospectus - Autism

2008-07-09T11:27:00.000-07:00

When I really began to delve deeper into the reasons for my children's illnesses, I found a remarkable set of videos on YouTube created by someone who is obviously a remarkable person. They seem simple in format at first glance -- just pictures put with great music -- but they are actually jam-packed with worthwhile information. I learned to stop at each of the pages and explore the sources she drew from in her prospectus; and I learned and found huge stores of information. If you don't know what to look up next, she tells you in her videos. I admire and respect her work. She is an artist with a cause and a vision of the truth that we all need to face, no matter how hard it is. She gets to the meat.

Here are two of my favorite examples:

Autism - The New Paradigm

Autism - More Clues

Suggestion -- Stop them. Read them. Learn.

Thank you so much for being out there, Redhead60707.

~~Mim

The Rally

2008-07-07T21:44:00.000-07:00

Many days since posting. I ask forgiveness as life around here is always full and busy as we shine our own special kind of shininess.

The rally began with all variety of impressive speakers, among them Doctor Boyd Haley, Chairman of the University of Kentucky's Chemistry Department and one of the world's foremost experts on mercury toxicity and one of the originators of the idea that mercury might a big culprit in the development of autism, specifically the mercury found in vaccinations (Thimerosal, or ethyl mercury); Doctor Jay Gordon, an unusually courageous doctor who has looked deeply into the causes of autism, also Jenny's son's doctor; and John F. Kennedy, Jr., who needs no introduction.

It was also very hot, and Owen was bored with this particular part of the experience, and wanted to sit in a shady spot with a friend he'd made over his Zelda game... so I could hear the speeches, but could not spend time away from Owen, nor could I drag him out into the open sun away from this new friend he'd just made.

Here are some of the pics I did manage to get:
Where we'd walked from... see it in the distance?
There were a lot of children too hot under the sun, so many of us hid from it along the edges of the field -- it made the crowd look smaller, but it was a decent sized crowd that showed up. The costs of caring for a child with autism can prove to be so enormous that the prospect of being able to either afford to go to such a march, or to take time away from your child to go to such a march, is beyond most parents' capabilities. So again, thank you to our contributors! Every person there who found out we were from the state of Washington thanked us for our presence. We were needed!

My awesome kid!

And more statues, which Owen just adored:
Back where we came from this time with a little zoom:
RFK, Jr., who I wanted to go and hug, frankly,

I couldn't get a good picture of Boyd Haley, but I did manage to grab him for a hug (and step on his toe -- how embarrassing) at the very end -- something I'd discussed doing in an email to him some time back. :) Owen came and hugged us both, and I was able to introduce my kid who's so amazingly recovered and affectionate to Dr. Haley. A real honor.

The pictures I got of Jenny and Jim weren't nearly as good as the media's so I'll leave it to more experienced media sources, and to my earlier blog entry featuring Thrillcat's wonderful videos.

I have to say the most moving part of the whole thing was holding up the pictures of my children and the children of my dear friend Lisa Long towards the press cameras as "A Change Is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke played over the loudspeakers. It was an intense and emotional moment for all of us.

We did not get the chance to go see our representatives after the rally, as I did not feel I could ask more of Owen who had been such a trouper through this whole thing. He was marvelous!

As I gain information that is relevant to this site, or to the whole mercury as poison to our kids debate that's currently raging, I will continue to post entries for educational and informational purposes.

I hope we made a difference! It was a glorious experience for Owen and me and we came back better connected, closer and with a deeper understanding and respect for the other.

Peace be with you,
~~Mim

Happy Father's Day!

2008-06-15T15:36:00.000-07:00

Kim Stagliano's Post for Dads.

Good Day, Dads!

~~Mim

Wednesday, the March

2008-06-11T11:13:00.000-07:00

We got up, and Owen put on his Autism Awareness shirt to celebrate the day; we went downstairs for breakfast where we met many others who were already decked out in their Green Our Vaccines T-shirts. Owen played Zelda while I talked with other parents and met one sweet little boy with Asperger's and we chatted for a while. Owen and he got to talking about games a bit. The Channel Inn was going to have several rooms dedicated to marchers, but as it turns out, the hotel was completely full by Tuesday night! :)

It was hotter than the other days we had been there, so O and I opted for a taxicab this time. We'd been pretty careful with money and decided we could afford the cab to save on time and sweating heat!

Nonetheless, when we got there, there was already a HUGE line of people. We took our places at the end and waited... The march was to start at 10 am, we got there around 9:30. They didn't want us there before 9 am at all, so we had delayed a bit. The waiting wasn't much fun for Owen. He read signs, but really was hot and uncomfortable, and we were just standing there for a long time. I understood, and quietly cursed at myself for forgetting our hats. Once we got moving, things would get better.

Owen loved the Washington Monument, where we met to begin the march:

Too big for one picture where I was... the top:
The line forward:
The line just beginning to fill up behind us. 45 minutes later, and it was so far back I couldn't make out the end:

And then, at about 5 or 10 after the hour, we began to slowly move forward. We were both grateful to take some steps forward. We actually moved through the line more quickly than some folks were. We moved to try to close the gaps.

Just getting started:
Lot's of great signs:

Closing those gaps:They closed the street for us:
In fact, there were police sitting there, in short sleeved heavy black shirts with long black pants, with assorted belts and gizmo's hanging off of them, wearing full helmets, and not sweating a drop. I was wearing a sleeveless white shirt and light gray capri pants with sandals and I was dripping buckets. lol!! Acclimitizing to MY Washington means that I'm not at ALL ready for the OTHER Washington. All that heat and sweat and muggy made me long for the cool rains of home.

More signs. These women were nurses and a few of those syringes were *actually* used on their children. So are these nurses hysterical?

More architecture (Owen's favorite thing):

I should note that several chants went through the crowd -- "green our vaccines!" of course and then a chorus of "too many" with others answering "too soon!" Owen was as vocal, if not MORE vocal than everyone around us. People were high-fiving him left and right for his passion, and we'd only just recently discussed what a vaccine is. If he sees me passionate about something, he just leaps on with me -- how's that for super empathic? No self-consciousness there, total free expression, totally free passion! If some one shouted "too many!" Owen was shouting "too soon!" in response every time. I believe he motivated our little section of crowd quite a bit.

The Health and Human Services building, to which the crowd pointed their signs and shouted "shame on you". You could see people standing at the windows looking out at us. 10,000 had registered for the march, 4000 actually showed up. I guess that many people might make me look out the window, too. Despite their reticence at us, we hold their best intentions in our hearts, and believe they will do the right thing. Note the security guard outside, watching us.

First more or less clear shot of the Capitol Building:

The government's botanical gardens... how pretty:

Gosh, even the botanical gardens get federal police protection. lol! With Capitol Building --

Be neat if they felt that much reason to protect all our kids. Looking back at the crowd coming around the bend, in front of the HHS building:

Long line:

As far as Owen is concerned, the march was the best part of the whole day. They had boxes of water bottles, and they handed everybody bottles as we walked by. They kept reminding us to hydrate! Glad they did, we both needed it. It felt like 110 out there and the sun was blazing down. We immediately found a shady spot for Owen to lie down on the grass, drink his water and play Zelda. After a bit of organizing and crowd control, the rally began to assemble...

~~Mim

Tuesday in DC

2008-06-09T15:03:00.000-07:00

Tuesday was so much fun!!! We got up and munched some breakfast together, played some together, then caught a bus called The Circulator over to the Smithsonian museum. There was only one museum Owen wanted to visit, and frankly, I was totally into it, too! What else but the Air and Space Museum.

As soon as we got off the bus, Owen began his long fascination with fabulous architecture, statues, carvings, sculptures -- he adored it!! This was the first thing we saw and this was Owen's picture:
After wandering around this, we went inside, and Owen immediately was pulled in every direction. He couldn't get enough. Here are some shots:

The Russian Space Station:
Owen by the aft end of the Saturn 5:
He loved the missiles -- this one is the Tomahawk:

More missiles:
Lunar Lander:
Playing with exhibits:

Gettin' kinda tired by now:Time to go outside and hug a tree... No I mean really!
Actually, he'd read the plaque, for Fallen Comrades, WWII, 320th Bomb Group -- something about it made Owen hug the tree -- he's just got a sweet heart:
And some moments of reflection after lunch under the tree:

And some pennies in the wishing fountain, with lot's of expressions of joy and appreciation over all the fantastic amazing architecture around us:

We bought a couple of touristy things, a tie-dye t-shirt, all the rage in DC, apparently. And a snow globe of the white house. Owen informed the street vendor that when he grew up he wanted a shop exactly like the one we were in. lol!

It was 85 degrees of humid and we were both tired and hot, so we decided to return to the hotel for a swim, after building gazing for a short while. The water looked great, but...

It was cold:
No, I mean, coooolldd:
No, I mean REALLY cold!
It's DC, with some of the richest people in the world there and they can't heat their pool??
Okay, guess it's okay enough to clown around:
He made it in!!
How about you, Mom?
Noooooo, toooo coooold! I'll sit in the shade instead.

He swam for another 45 minutes or so, when the skies darkened quickly, and lightening began to strike amid loud claps of thunder and sudden explosive heavy rain. Aha. A T-storm.

Time to go in, have some dinner and watch the final state primaries, which Owen paid some attention to also... :) I guess following my lead.

Into the shower and then into bed, and again, Owen fell asleep literally in less than 30 seconds. How does he DO that?!

Tomorrow would be the March. We were going to march on the nation's capitol. HOW COOL IS THAT?

~~Mim

Our Trip Out to DC

2008-06-08T18:33:00.000-07:00

I had no idea, but Owen gets airsick...

The ride up and out to Newark was for the most part pretty fun. We opened Owen's new version of Zelda, Phantom Hourglass, and until the batteries ran out, we had fun together playing it. Owen enjoyed takeoff, liked being in the plane, but mentioned some dizziness as we climbed to 37,000 feet.

Owen on the plane:

It was the landing into Newark New York that was the killer. As we began our descent, Owen's ears started hurting a lot. One especially. I gave him some arnica for the pain and tried without success to teach him to gently pop his ears. Suddenly, he was discussing being sick, and out came the bags.

Suffice it to say that the entire half bag of tortilla chips, and a few other things eaten earlier on were probably not a great idea. The shirt, the pants and the backpacks all fell victim. lol!!

Once it was all over he felt much better, of course, and I had a little box of wipes and some kleenex to work with, so I didn't feel much better; we were landing and had another plane to catch in 45 minutes across the airport.

Once thankfully off that plane, we changed Owen's shirt, got everything as clean as possible, and then we enjoyed the view across the water of New York City, standing golden in the sunshine. It looked different to me... last time I saw it there were two big towers there, that were missing... even after all this time.

On to the next flight on an empty stomach and we did much better! :) As we took off, the plane turned and out the window across from us the green lady, statue of liberty stood there. That was awesome, even for only a moment.

We arrived in DC at about 4:30 pm... right about when rush hour began. Steamy hot, and crowded, we found our way to the Metro station, got our tickets, and took the train on towards the hotel. A few stops later, crowded cars with people riding home after work, a transfer to from the yellow line to the green line, and we reached our stop.

Up the enormously tall escalator, and we hit the air. Like a wave of almost damp heat. 90 degrees, feels like 105? And we walked, suitcase dragging behind us, through these unfamiliar streets, trying to navigate to our hotel. Good thing people were friendly. Every person we talked to also learned about the rally. Raising awareness!

We reached our hotel, the Channel Inn, on the water front, not too far away from the hub of DC activity and all those great old buildings and massive museums!

Our view from the Channel Inn (not great, but Owen liked the pool and the cranes):

Finally, we could kick off our shoes, drop our bags, clean up poor Owen, and eat some real food. The restaurant obliged Owen's request for extra crispy french fries, and after some food and a long shower, we collapsed into bed! I think Owen was asleep in less than 30 seconds!! lol!! Took me a few more minutes.

Tomorrow would be the museums and a look around town! This is unschooling at its finest.

~~Mim

Simpsonwood Transcripts and More RFK

2008-06-08T18:17:00.000-07:00

If you've watched the videos, in the third one, RFK Jr. refers to a meeting at Simpson wood. Here is the complete report on that meeting:

Tobacco Science and the Thimerosal Scandal

And if that is not hard enough to swallow whole and believe, here is the actual transcript to that very meeting he is talking about:

Simpsonwood Secret Meeting

These things are not to be taken lightly. Why did the CDC meet in this secret manner in the basement of the church where no recording instruments were supposed to be, with vaccine officials from Pharmas?

Hard stuff, the truth, sometimes...

~~Mim

The Actual March and Rally!

2008-06-08T17:16:00.000-07:00

Ha, found some fabulous videos of the speakers and the march from someone who has a caring attitude about these issues. There are plenty of people who are mis-labeling us as anti-vaccine, as hysterical, sharing some mass hysteria despite our apparent random numbers of people who don't know each other and who are coming to the same conclusions as one another.

Here is some lovely coverage from someone who is not labeling us, but offering us the respect we are due as human beings who have children with autism as video'd by thrillcats:

Green Our Vaccines Rally, #1 -- Pre-March

Green Our Vaccines Rally, #2 -- March

Green Our Vaccines Rally, #3 -- Speakers, RFK, jr.

Green Our Vaccines Rally, #4 -- Jim Carrey

Green Our Vaccines Rally, #5 -- Jenny McCarthy

Thank you, thrillcat!

~~Mim

Recovering & Press

2008-06-07T12:15:00.000-07:00

It began with a little scratchiness in my throat on Wednesday night before we left, and then, ah, of course, during the long stretch of a plane ride home, I felt sicker by the minute.

Now that we're back and safe, I'm just recovering from everything, and digging through my notes, remembering everything that happened. DC is a fabulous place to visit... but I wouldn't... well, you know. ;) Owen is completely fine -- hardly even know he went somewhere -- in fact, he misses DC and would go back there any time! Had a blast and a half!!

At any rate, I'm scouring through gobs of pictures now, and will start at the beginning in the next couple of days. In the mean time, here are a few article links from the press about the rally:

Abridged CNN News Story

Longer CNN Speech Coverage

Marching Over Vaccines and Autism (CBS)

Celeb Couple to Lead Green Our Vaccines Rally (ABC)

Alas, the local news story is available in print at KOIN, but they never actually posted the video. We've got it on VHS, and will transfer it over to DVD so we can post it here for download. Here's the printed story:

KOIN News 6 Local Story

I was sort of disappointed by the lack of coverage, to be quite honest. And we're still being labeled as "anti-vaccine activitists" which isn't accurate in this case. Is there something fundamentally wrong with asking that they be made green?

More in days to come! :)

Thanks to everyone who made this possible for us! It was a DREAM come true. We're full of stories and experiences, and cannot WAIT to share!

~~Mim

They've arrived

2008-06-02T18:32:00.001-07:00

After a big airplane adventure, Miriam and Owen arrived safe and sound in DC.

More from Miriam later.

--Bill

Our TV Interview

2008-06-01T12:04:00.000-07:00

We just finished with the KOIN News 6 interview. It will be airing tonight, Sunday night, on Channel 6, at 6 pm, and then another smaller story will run at 11pm tonight as well.

Also, KOIN will be calling me on DC on Wednesday to see how the march is going and do another telephone interview, so check out the news Wednesday night on Channel 6, too!

The story should be posted at their site directly after it runs:

KOIN News 6 Videos

Check it out! Raise awareness!

(Hope I did okay. Eeek.)

~~Mim

What's In Your Vaccines?

2008-06-01T09:41:00.000-07:00

Did you know that these are inside the vaccines your kids are given?

Mercury
Aluminum
2-Phenoxyethanol, a glycol ether like that found in Antifreeze
Formaldehyde
Aborted human fetus cells
Chick embroyos
Monkey kidney cells
Fetal bovine serum

And More:

Borax (sodium tetraborate decahydrate)
Latex (HepB)
MSG (monosodium glutamate)
Ammonium Sulfate
Gentamicin Sulfate
Neomycin Sulfate
Polymyxin B (an antibiotic)
Polysorbate 20 / 80
Beta-Propiolactone
Casein (milk protein, a known allergen for kids on the spectrum)

Vaccine Ingredients

And

www.safevaccines.org

~~Mim

Here's Our Sign!

2008-06-01T08:32:00.001-07:00

Here's the sign that we worked on, to be worn around the neck while marching:

The two kids who aren't mine are my dear friend's Lisa Longs kids, Matthew and Jack. I am honored to be carrying their pictures to Washington DC for the march.

~~Mim

TV Interview of Another Parent Who's Going

2008-05-31T16:22:00.001-07:00

This is from the jennyautismrally yahoo list. Someone else who's done a television interview and is going to the rally:

http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/19376044.html

~~Mim

Letter to my Reps

2008-05-30T18:48:00.000-07:00

Dear Representative,

My name is Miriam Mason, and I am a constituent of yours.

I wanted you to know that I am planning to attend the march and rally entitled Green Our Vaccines, on June 4th, in Washington DC. Myself and my 9 year old living with autism are flying to DC on Monday. The link to the site can be found at the bottom of this email.

Our story: I have two little boys who have been living with autism for most of their young lives. My 9 year old is significantly recovered due in no small part to biomedical and nutritional interventions. The only thing standard medicine could offer him was an antipsychotic drug to reduce his rage attacks. Thankfully, we are now weaned from the drug, but only with the help of alternative interventions. Because of all that has happened to us (twice), we are not huge supporters of the current illness system that permeates our country. We continue to choose alternatives and find them successful.

Right from the start, unfortunately, I carried a high body burden of methyl mercury before I ever had kids due to extensive dental work from childhood on. If there is any doubt as to the efficacy of this statement, please go to http://www.iaomt.org/videos/ and see for yourself the known detrimental effects of having over 11 mercury fillings in my mouth from my childhood onward.

In addition, I am Rh- so the medical system gave me one Rhogam shot during my first pregnancy, and two during my second. In addition, I was given flu shots during each of my pregnancies. Both types of injections contain a relatively high dose of a preservative called Thimerosal, which is approximately 50% ethyl mercury.

On the first day of my oldest son’s life, he was 8 pounds 9 ounces. He was given a vaccination for HepB, which contained an exponentially high amount of Thimerosal for his tiny size in 1999 when he was born. Three months later, he was given another round of mercury-containing vaccinations, and by four months old, my baby showed many of the early signs of classic autism. I could not put him down on the grass, because the sensory experience of the blades touching his skin made him shriek uncontrollably for hours, even while I held him and tried to nurse him. He became obsessed with license plates and sprinkler heads to the exclusion of everything else. He spent hours spinning in circles on the floor, rather than crawling about discovering his world, as a 10 month old should under normal circumstances. He didn’t develop language at all, and when he finally did at 4, it was so garbled and confused, it took us until he was 5-1/2 years old to have a “regular” conversation (see “I’m hungry.” “What do you want?” “Popcorn” – this was a major achievement for him).

My younger son was given the same HepB upon his birth. He was only 6 pounds 8 ounces. I was a little more skeptical about vaccinations by this point, and so I chose to reduce the number and type of vaccination, but still, by the time he was a year, his eye contact was gone, speech was non-existent, and he shunned contact with anybody outside of myself and his father.

Thankfully, I began to research what might have happened, and I stopped the vaccinations before either of my children received the MMR. I am so grateful we never had the MMR, because I believe from my own observation (being their mother), in my own scientific lab (my home), that the earlier vaccinations brought on the first signs of autism and that if I had allowed the MMR to proceed on schedule, my children would both be severely autistic, instead of the high-functioning autism they live with now.

How many? How many more? In a brand new study at the University of Pittsburg, scientists are able to create autism-like symptoms in monkeys by giving the infants the same vaccination schedule that our children are supposed to be doing now. So, only now they're doing studies of the vaccine load on babies, after already using American babies to test their theories on?

We need to rethink our whole vaccination policy and ideology. More is not always better. Earlier is not always better. Just because we can is not always better.

I am not opposed to vaccines.

I am opposed to too many vaccines too early, before a child has even developed an immune system to respond to the antigens we’re presenting to them and expecting them to create antibodies for. It takes 6 years or so before the body has a working immune system. At birth the kidneys and liver, which process toxins, are not developed; the blood-brain barrier isn’t even formed. And we’re giving these children heavy loads of toxins coupled with pathogens (diseases). Did we really think this through?

I am opposed to those vaccines containing ingredients that we know for a fact are harmful to humans (to any living thing) such as ethyl mercury, aluminum, antifreeze and formaldehyde, not to mention a whole slew of other inorganic preservatives and stabilizers. One of our methods for healing our kids has been to switch to an entirely organic diet, with very few processed foods. This has been key to their continuing improvement. Why would I go, then, when I have seen this improvement, and have my kid's blood stream pumped full of these toxins I work so hard to avoid to my kid's benefit? How does that make sense?

I am opposed to those who make vaccinations worrying more about their bottom line than about everybody’s kids. It’s cheap to send out vaccines in the manner they are currently being sent out.

Is it worth trading a case of the measles (for example) for a lifelong neurological condition such as an autism spectrum disorder? Really?

Not from where I am sitting. So I ask that you join with us in the effort to GREEN OUR VACCINES and support legislation that will require the Pharmas to make their vaccinations much safer – make them completely green, and we’ll all be a lot more willing to have our kids protected without having to worry about damaging them forever.

As parents, we will not stop talking about this until something is done.

Thank you,

Miriam A. Mason
Participant: Green Our Vaccines Rally
http://www.tacanow.org/jenny/dc-rally/green-our-vaccines-rally.htm
phone
address
email

CC: Senator Patty Murray
Rep. Brian Baird
Governor Christine Gregoire
Senator Maria Cantwell

Okay, Now I'm Nervous

2008-05-30T16:21:00.001-07:00

Ahhh, being a good little soldier in the march toward greening our vaccines, I dutifully sent press releases out to all our local news stations. Well KOIN News 6 took the bait, and now I've got an interview on Sunday.

This would all be fabulous -- and it really is -- except that my house is a disaster and I'm trying to pack and get ready. lol!!

Ah well, might as well dive in all the way. I'll be away from my computer when the story runs, but I'll have Bill post the link to it so nobody has to miss it.

They seemed to like the idea that we have trains all over the floors in our house right now. Trick is.... how to vacuum around them?

All I need now is for this 100.7 degree fever to back off.

~~Mim

Getting Ready

2008-05-30T09:49:00.000-07:00

Packing, figuring out what 80 degrees of humid, possibly wet weather means to have, bringing the right foods -- which means shopping -- nutritional supplements, digestive enzymes, painting a bright green sign with dark green paint "Green Our Vaccines!", gluing pictures of the kids on the sign, labeling shirts so if Owen gets separated from me in the crowd, my phone number is right on his shirt, having good literature to give our representatives, making sure O will be entertained on the long plane rides (Gamestop) all the while fighting against a cold that wants to take over and send me to bed to sleep!

Wow this is big!

A million questions/concerns come to mind -- my discomfort with flying in general, which I'm trying not to transfer to Owen. How will we do with the huge crowds? How many people registered for this thing anyway so far?! Does a sign count as a carry-on? Where am I going to find organic vanilla yogurt using public transportation in DC? How much is a cab from the airport to our hotel? And on and on and on...

But we're going!! And we're marching. Rain or shine. :)

~~Mim

Official Press Release

2008-05-29T20:55:00.000-07:00

For parent use for their local media

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact:

Amy Carson 828-776-0082

Actors Jim Carrey and Jenny McCarthy To Lead March of Thousands of Parents of Autistic Children on Capitol Hill

-"Green Our Vaccines" Rally Expresses Concerns Over Too Many Toxic Vaccines Too Soon for America's Children -

Washington, D.C. - Actors Jim Carrey and Jenny McCarthy will be joined by thousands of parents of vaccine-injured children from all over America on June 4th in Washington, D.C. for the Green Our Vaccines, Too Many, Too Soon, March and Rally. The rally will express the concerns of thousands of parents of autistic children who believe their children's autism was vaccine- induced. Jenny McCarthy joins these parents with the same conclusions about her son Evan, because he made a remarkable recovery from vaccine-induced autism through biomedical intervention therapies.

Local parent Miriam Mason will be traveling to Washington, DC to join them and to visit Congressional Representatives.

On Wednesday, June 4, 2008, parents of vaccine-injured children will meet at 4th Street SW and C Street SW at 9:45 a.m. to march to the West Capitol Grounds. A news conference will be held there for the media at 11:00 a.m. featuring Jenny McCarthy, Jim Carrey, physicians, and scientists. At the conclusion of the event, thousands of parents will be visiting their Congressional Representatives to ask for their support for legislation already introduced that would remove toxins from vaccines and reassess the current vaccine schedule.

Thousands of parents believe their child's regression into autism was triggered, if not caused, by over-vaccination with toxic ingredients and live viruses found in vaccines, such as mercury, aluminum, formaldehyde, and antifreeze. The Centers for Disease Control and the AAP dispute this, but independent research and the fist hand accounts of parents tells a different story. Additionally, autistic children around the country have seen dramatic recoveries from vaccine injury and autism when they begin to undergo biomedical intervention therapies to reverse the damage caused by toxic metals and viral overload.

"We think our health authorities don't want to open this can of worms, so they don't even look or listen to compelling evidence. While there is a strong debate on this topic, many parents of recovered children will tell you they didn't treat their child for autism, they treated them for vaccine injury", says Jenny McCarthy.

"If we are going to solve this problem and finally start to reverse the rate of autism, we need to consider changing the vaccine schedule, reducing the number of shots given and removing certain ingredients that could be toxic to some children," says Carrey.

This historic event is sponsored by Talk About Curing Autism, Generation Rescue, HEAL-Healing Every Autistic Life and Moms Against Mercury. They are supported by dozens of organizations from all over the country.

If press would like to attend this event please contact Ashley Jaffe or Amy Glickman of BNC-New York, for press passes.

We've Made It

2008-05-29T15:43:00.000-07:00

Please allow us to thank you to all who have donated!! We've recently been given airplane tickets to and back from DC from a dear cousin. And we have also received enough in donations to cover our hotel. It looks like we have a few additional donations which we will put to our food/train expenses.

Many thanks and blessings to all who have contributed!!

We've made it!! We're on our way to DC, this Monday, from Portland to Newark, to DC, and then back on Thursday. The march and rally is June 4th, so we plan on spending Tuesday getting to know Washington DC a little bit, and visiting The Smithsonian. Who knows? Maybe we'll just play on the grass areas surrounding the White House? This is Owen's trip as much as mine.

I have recently sent out an email as follows:

Friends,

I'm writing you to let you know that due to generous donations from friends, family and even total strangers, Owen and myself are going to be flying to Washington DC to march in the "Green Our Vaccines" rally on June 4th, 2008.

http://www.tacanow.org/jenny/dc-rally/green-our-vaccines-rally.htm

This is not because I am anti-vaccine, I am not. But I do believe that vaccines have been a contributor to my kids' ASDs. I believe they can be made with safer ingredients, and given in safer ways. Here is yet another fascinating study that has just come out:

http://www.ageofautism.com/2008/05/sick-monkeys-st.html

I wanted to let you know that if you want your child represented in this march on Washington, I would be honored to carry your child's picture to DC with me, and place it on a sign next to my kids' pictures for the march and rally.

If you'd like to be included, or know anyone else who might wish to, please have them send me (Miriam Mason) at two2marchdc@comcast.net

We will be leaving on Monday morning, so please try to email pics to us before the weekend, as we'll be busy packing and getting ready.

My best,
Miriam Mason
two2marchdc@comcast.net

- - - - -

Let me know if you have someone else to add.

I'll be bringing my camera, but no computer, alas, so I will post photos and the story of how it went upon our return.

Wish us luck! It's time to change mainstream ideals about how safe the current vaccination schedule is for our kids. Is it worth trading off measles/mumps/rubella for autism?

~~Mim

Fundraising

2008-04-07T15:21:00.000-07:00

We are doing something we never thought possible before. We are following our dreams and our hearts to go on an important once-in-a-lifetime march on Washington DC on June 4th, 2008.

How can we do this? We don't have $1800.00 extra dollars lying around to use for such a venture. But my son, Owen (9) is ready for such a trip, and it is such an important cause, so near and dear to our hearts, that we must try!

We have opened an account on Paypal.com as two2marchdc@comcast.net.

We are asking for any size donations, anonymous or not, to help us make this dream come true.

To find out more about this march, please go to generationrescue.org and click on the More Info link.

Love and light,
Miriam