I think my lovely daughter moving out is what finally sent me further down.
My best friend and neighbour moved away in the spring, and the new neighbours who moved into her house dont speak to me, since i asked their son to stop being nasty with my little boy. My bro and his family lived opposite,and they have now also moved away.
I am also a full time carer for my parents. This in itself is a really drain on my energy levels, as having the arthritis, already makes me suffer from fatigue. My mother can be quite demanding, and she lets me know about it if i am not available when she requests me for something.
My mother in law, is very demanding of our time, and can be very nasty if we dont do things for her either.
My husband was unemployed for 3 years and is now working 12 hour shifts so i am alone a lot of the time, apart from when 6 yr old son is in from school or weekends, and its just me and him.
I live in a small village, with nothing much here to do. I have to rely on a really bad bus service to get about or wait until hubby is off and use the car.

So basically i feel stuck here, with life passing me by. I feel like i have run around after everyone all my life and i am still doing it. Ive brought up my kids, and now i have to care for elderly parents. I know its down to me to get off my arse and do something, but i keep finding barriers.

You got a herbalist near you? if so go there and tell them about your arthiritis.YOu can also make/buy nettle tea as it helps to fight rheumatoid arthritis, it`s simple to make you just fight some nattles (away from traffics/roads) and you just pick the leaves,you then just put them in a sauce pan with some water and then boil them, and you can also eat the leaves aswell it tastes like spinach.
Here`s a link to all the benefits you get from nettle tea
That`s what i`d advise.OR you can look on the internet for teas and herbal remedies for rheumatoid arthritis.

God bless hope you feel better soon.

How is everyone doing? I am doing fairly well. Keeping my showers cool and moving in a slower motion.

I have a question. I will be using a sleep apnea machine with a humidifier soon. I know that humidity in the shower makes breathing more difficult for people with COPD. So, will the machine with the humidifier affect my breathing while I try to sleep? Does anyone here at the forum use the sleep apnea machine with a humidifier?

Hey Nancy! Nice to know you’re doing well!

I use a CPAP with a humidifier. If I don’t use it the air is just too dry. Mine also has a heater on it, but I don’t use it – it just makes air too hot and dry…

I love my passover humidifier. It seems to cool the air and helps me breath better.

Hope that helps…

Note: It is illeagle to solicit in most neighborhoods without a permit and so you should not even be letting them in the house.

One of my neighbors actually let them into their house, and they would not leave until you buy their $3000 vacuum cleaners. They stayed almost two hours, and eventually got very nasty and verbally abusive. The neighbor had two small children at home and these thugs seemed like they were going to cause trouble. Thus the neighbor called the police and these «salespeople» ran out the door and sped away.

Watch out for Kirby Vacuum cleaners sales reps visiting your neighborhood- especially in the Plano area.

The police came and said that they received numerous reports about them, and have been looking for them all evening.

So please be aware of these individuals. They have been known to be very abusive and possibly dangerous.
So if someone rings your doorbell offering this type of service, call the police right away.Do not let them into your house.

DUBLIN– Doris Granny D Haddock will speak at a noon rally at City Hall Plaza in Manchester on Wednesday, September 8. Haddock will talk about her vision for a democratic society, the goals of her senate run, and key labor issues in New Hampshire. In the event of rain, the rally will be held in the Alderman’s Room, on the 3rd floor of City Hall. After the speech, she will walk through downtown Manchester, following a route that will take her from Elm Street to Granite, Commercial, and Spring Streets. Mrs. Haddock will visit the site of the former Bee Bee Shoe Company, where she worked as a cost production designer for 20 years. She retired from the company in 1972; the company shut down in 1973. In the evening, Haddock will attend the “Taste of Manchester” at various locations
downtown.

Mrs. Haddock is walking into towns and cities along the Old Post Road Route #3. Since the official launch of her campaign in Portsmouth, she has walked in Greenland, Stratham, Exeter, Plaistow, Derry, Kingston, and Hampstead, East Hampstead, Chester, Hudson,
Nashua, and Merrimack. The public is invited to join her on her walks. Schedule and route information is available at www.grannyd.com.

CONCORD, NH – Tom Bergeron, host of Hollywood Squares and America's Funniest Home videos, will be kicking off canvasses Saturday for the Kerry-Edwards and other local Democratic campaigns in Stratham and Dover, NH.

The Kerry-Edwards campaign officially kicked off the final stretch of it campaign with a rally in Springfield, OH at Midnight last night. After four nights of attacks out of New York and four years of a failed, divisive Bush presidency – record job losses, skyrocketing health care costs and an America more dependent then ever on Middle East oil, Kerry stressed it is time for a new direction for America. While Bush sees none of his failures and stubbornly offers us four more years, Kerry and Edwards' plan to make America stronger at home will get America headed in a new direction.

«The final stretch of the campaign has officially begun and it is time for Democrats to roll up their sleeves and get to work,» said Bergeron. «It is clear that John Kerry and John Edwards understand that a stronger America starts at home.»

CONCORD, NH – Today the Nader campaign filed its nominating petitions in the Secretary of State’s office. Democratic State Party Chair Kathy Sullivan raised questions about the integrity of the process in which the ballot signatures were gathered.

«We will continue to look at the signatures closely. In state after state, Ralph Nader has accepted petitions, funds and help from the Republican Party and engaged in questionable tactics. Based on the information we have there are significant irregularities with the petitions submitted by the Nader campaign today, including evidence that many petitions were obtained under false pretenses. Unfortunately, this is consistent with what has been happening in other states. It's time for Nader to denounce Republican help and refuse to accept any petitions gathered improperly.»

HUDSON, NH – Former McCain supporters now supporting John Kerry were joined today by veterans and Kerry-Edwards supporters to say that they now support John Kerry for the same reasons they supported John McCain in 2000.

“John McCain has said that John Kerry possesses the leadership and the qualifications to be Commander in Chief and we couldn’t agree more,” said George Fleming, veteran and former McCain supporter. “It’s clear that Kerry and McCain share many of the same values and have fought numerous times together on key issues – such as campaign finance reform, ensuring better treatment of military families and ending corporate welfare.”

John McCain in Hudson today spoke to veterans at the local VFW hall about why they should support George Bush when in fact Bush has differed with McCain on how the war in Iraq should have been handled, privatizing social security, environmental reform and the energy bill.

“We were so disappointed when the Bush campaign in 2000 waged one of the worst smear campaigns I’ve ever seen attacking McCain’s service in Vietnam,” said Fleming. “Now Bush is doing it to Kerry and McCain has defended John Kerry against the attacks of a fringe Veterans group saying the attacks, which were financed by a prominent Republican donor were, ‘dishonest and dishonorable.’”

John Kerry was an original cosponsor of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform measure and successfully amended the measure in a way that allows future greater reforms. Kerry and McCain led a bipartisan effort to end taxpayer-subsidized corporate welfare. John Kerry teamed up with McCain in 2000 to get military families $28 million in additional allowance to those who were eligible for food stamps. They also fought together to investigate the POW and MIA Vietnam veterans issues, which was a difficult and strenuous task that McCain praised Kerry for his leadership and efforts in handling it.

“George Bush has turned his back on Veterans and America’s working families,” said Fleming. “John Kerry has the strength and experience this country needs from its President. There is a distinct choice in this election. George Bush has done nothing but divide our country and John Kerry and John Edwards can bring it together once again to build a stronger America, more respected in the world.”

John Kerry & John McCain Working Together in the Senate

John Kerry and John McCain have become great friends during their time in the Senate and have worked together on a number of issues important to America’s Veterans

John Kerry Worked to Pass McCain Feingold Reform Measures – John Kerry was an original cosponsor of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform measure which was signed into law. Kerry supported the measure and voted to ban «soft money» contributions to national political parties and restricting issue ads from targeting specific candidates within 30 days of the primary or 60 days of the general election. Kerry also successfully amended the measure in a way which may allow for even greater reforms in the future. [107th Congress, S. 27; S.Amdt. 160; Senate Roll Call Vote, #64]

John Kerry & John McCain Worked Together to End Corporate Welfare – John Kerry and John McCain led the bipartisan effort to end taxpayer-subsidized corporate welfare. “One prong of the attack on corporate welfare is the McCain-Feingold-Kerry Act, which was approved by the Senate Committee on Government Affairs in [1998 and] is a bipartisan effort…The Corporate Subsidy Reform Act, as it is known, would create a panel of experts, picked by the president and by Congress, to recommend reforms of existing subsidies to private companies.” John Kerry was tired of the average American taxpayer having to subsidize some of America’s largest corporations. “Kerry cited figures demonstrating that [from 1998 through2002] the total amount lost by the government from tax loopholes for corporations will eclipse total discretionary spending” of the entire federal budget. [Journal of Commerce, 1/13/98; AGI website - http://www.agiweb.org/gap/hearings/corpsub.html]

John Kerry & John McCain Teamed Up For Better Treatment for Military Families — In 2000, Kerry voted for the McCain amendment to provide a further $28 million to service members for an additional allowance to military families who are eligible for food stamps—a problem John Kerry wants to end.. Kerry was a cosponsor of John McCain’s Troops-to-Teachers Program Improvement Act which would provide stipends to members of the military who have recently retired or been discharged and are interested in becoming teachers. As recently as 2002, John Kerry voted for another pay raise for the men and women in the Armed Services. The 2002 vote provided “$10.4 billion for military construction and family housing” and “authorizes a new special compensation program which provides significantly enhanced compensation for military retirees with 20 or more years of service who incurred a qualifying combat-related disability.” [106th Congress, S.4 & S. 389; Office of Senator John Warner; Senate Roll Call Vote 1990 # 214;1999 #26; 2000 # 61; 2002 #239]

Kerry & McCain Work for Higher CAFE Standards – Kerry teamed with John McCain to propose an historic increase in the nation’s fuel efficiency standards. The measure, strongly opposed by President Bush and the automotive industry, would substantially increase the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards while both improving the environment and lessening America’s dependency on foreign oil. “Kerry, McCain propose new fuel rules–Automakers fight increased standards–U.S. Sens. John Kerry and John McCain have reached a joint proposal to increase the Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards to 36 miles per gallon by 2015 from the current fleet average of 24 m.p.g.” [Detroit Free Press, 3/8/02]

John Kerry and John McCain Led the Bipartisan Investigation into Vietnam POW/MIA – John Kerry and John McCain, both veterans of the Vietnam War, teamed up to investigate the issue of POW/MIA’s in Vietnam. Kerry was Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on POW-MIA Affairs and traveled to Vietnam on several occasions to search for evidence of American POW/MIA’s in Vietnam. Kerry and McCain “doggedly investigated” an important and volatile issue which some described as an “unglamorous task that nobody else wanted.” After the investigation, the bipartisan committee ultimately declared that there were probably soldiers left behind in Vietnam, but there was no compelling evidence that any were still alive.” Regarding the investigation, John McCain said, «John Kerry handled the chairmanship of that committee with tremendous skill and sensitivity.» [Boston Globe, 6/21/03; Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 4/24/03; The Hill, 11/29/00; The New Republic, 6/3/02]

McCain Praises Kerry’s Work for POW/MIA Issue – «Senator Kerry handled the hearings with consummate skill and patience,’ says committee member John McCain, a Republican from Arizona who was a seven-year POW and who disagreed with Kerry&. McCain says that Kerry's patience and ability to compromise produced a document that he would have thought impossible. ‘I come from a different political philosophy, but I find him an honest, sincere, dedicated individual, who devoted a year of his life to this.’ » [Providence Journal-Bulletin, 4/3/94]

Kerry and McCain Strongly Supports Reforming VA Concurrent Receipt Policy – John Kerry strongly supports ending the ban on Concurrent Receipts for disability and retired pay. In the Senate Kerry has cosponsored the legislation to end the ban and strongly supported its unanimous passage—despite the threat of veto from the Bush-Cheney Administration. “John Kerry, a decorated Vietnam War veteran, joined with his fellow Vietnam combat veterans in the United States Senate — Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), Sen. Max Cleland (D-GA), Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) and a decorated veteran of World War II and Citadel graduate – Sen. Fri
tz Hollings (D-SC) — wrote to President Bush to express their deep concern with public reports that the White House staff may recommend to the President that he veto the FY 2003 National Defense Authorization Act if the conference report includes strong language authorizing the concurrent receipt of veterans' disability pay and military retirement pay.” [107th Congress, S.2051; Kerry press release10/16/02]

McCain vs. President Bush on Key Issues

Iraq

McCain Feels that Mistakes Were Made in Iraq. “I think several [mistakes have been made]. One was the lack of sufficient troops there which allowed the looting to take place, which established kind of a lawless environment. I think any law enforcement person would tell you that the environment is a very important aspect of it. The fact that we island-hopped and left certain areas of towns and cities around Baghdad as well as in the Sunni Triangle alone. I think it’s because we probably didn’t make sufficient plans to turn over the government as quickly as possible and a level of expectation that probably was unrealistic, which led to a certain amount of disappointment, but a lot of it had to do with lack of sufficient troop strength at the time that ‘combat phase’ was over.” [McCain, NBC News, “Meet the Press,” 5/16/04]

McCain Feels that There is No Strategy For Transfer of Power in Iraq. “Finally, and perhaps most importantly, we need a political strategy. We do not currently have one. With no one identified to lead Iraq after the transfer of sovereignty, and with some questioning even the date for the handover, there is a political vacuum in Iraq today. We need to reduce the uncertainty as soon as possible by announcing our plan for events after June 30.” [McCain Speech To the Council on Foreign Relations, 4/26/04]

9/11 Commission

McCain Co-Sponsors Legislation to Create Independent Body to Investigate September 11. Along with Sen. Lieberman, McCain introduced legislation to create a 14-person National Commission on Terrorist Attacks that would be separate from legislative bodies. The plan allowed for the top four members to be chosen by President Bush and the rest of the commission would be appointed by “the chairmen and top-ranking minority members of key congressional committees.” “I think the American people deserve it, just as they deserved a thorough and complete investigation with the assassination of President Kennedy, just as they needed a Tower Commission after Iran-contra, just as they needed a commission after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln,” McCain said. [USA Today, 12/24/01; AP, 12/21/01]

Bush Initially Opposed to Independent 9-11 Commission. Bush opposed an independent inquiry into 9/11, arguing it would duplicate a probe conducted by Congress. In July 2002, his administration issued a “statement of policy” that read “…the Administration would oppose an amendment that would create a new commission to conduct a similar review [to Congress’s investigation].” [Statement of Administration Policy, Executive Office of the President, 7/24/02; Los Angeles Times, 11/28/02]

Patients’ Bill of Rights

Bush Backs Limited Patients’ Bill of Rights, Less than McCain’s Proposal. George Bush has announced his support for a patient protection legislation drafted by Sens. Bill Frist (R-TN), John Breaux (D-LA) and James Jeffords (R-VT). The legislation written by Frist-Breaux-Jeffords does not allow for patients to sue in state court. In addition the law would not allow for punitive damages and cap all damages at $500,000. There is no estimate for how many American would be covered by the Frist-Breaux-Jeffords legislation but the Washington Post reports that it would be less than the alternative written by McCain-Edwards, which expand protections to 160 million Americans. [New York Times, 2/7/01; Washington Post, 5/15/01, emphasis added]

Energy Policy

McCain: “The Energy Bill is the Worst Case of Pork-Barreling and Vote-Buying I’ve Seen.” Senator John McCain (R-AZ) has been one of the most vocal critics of the energy bill “It’s a leave-no-lobbyist-behind bill,” said McCain. He added “the energy bill is the worst case of pork-barreling and vote-buying I've seen.” McCain added, “This legislation is very timely because if we pass it, Thanksgiving will come early for the Washington special interests. The American public will be presented with an enormous turkey stuffed with their tax dollars.” McCain stated that with so much pork in the energy bill he felt like “a mosquito in a nudist colony.” [San Jose Mercury News, 11/15/03; San Francisco Chronicle, 11/21/03; Boston Globe, 11/21/03; Salt Lake Tribune, 11/21/03]

Environmental Policy

Bush Broke Promise, Appeased Coal and Oil Industries Campaign Donors. In a March 2001 letter to Republican Senators, Bush said he decided to back off this campaign pledge to regulate carbon dioxide emissions from power plants after encountering strong resistance from the coal and oil industries, as well as Republicans. “I do not believe, however, that the government should impose on power plants mandatory emissions reductions for carbon dioxide, which is not a 'pollutant' under the Clean Air Act,” Bush wrote in his letter. [AP, 3/13/01; Washington Post, 3/14/01; Bush letter to Senator Chuck Hagel, 3/13/01]

McCain Co-Sponsor a Bill to Restrict Carbon Dioxide Emissions. McCain introduced legislation to greenhouse emissions and reduce them using a market-based trading mechanism, limiting carbon dioxide, mercury, nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide emissions. [Los Angeles Times, 10/7/01; Environment and Energy Daily, 8/6/01]

The Franklin City Democrats and the Hill Democrats will open a campaign office in downtown Franklin on Friday, September 10, 2004. The office opening will take place at 7:00 pm at 366 Central Street in Franklin.

Democratic candidates for Governor, U.S. Senate candidate Doris “Granny D” Haddock, Second District Congressional Candidate Paul Hodes have all been invited. A representative of the Kerry/Edwards campaign will be on hand as well.

Local Democratic candidates, including Peter Burling running for the State Senate and Lawrence Hennessy and Jim Ryan, candidates for the NH House, will offer remarks as well.

Franklin City Democratic Chair Larry Hennessy noted: “I am very pleased that the Democratic Party will have an office in downtown Franklin. We believe it very important to reach voters and be available to connect with voters as we near this critical election that is a short time away. Democracy works when voters are able to meet and discuss issues directly with candidates and our office demonstrates our commitment to offering good candidates for public office that are available and responsive to voters and citizens.”

The grand opening is open to all and will begin at 7:00 pm. Coffee and beverages will be available.

For further information, please contact Larry Hennessy, Franklin City Democratic Chair, 934-6452.

CLAREMONT, NH – Former Vermont Governor Madeleine Kunin highlighted the Kerry-Edwards plan to cover every child with health care at a Good Beginnings resource center today in Claremont.

«John Kerry and John Edwards will cover all children and millions more adults under their plan to lower health care costs,» said Madeleine Kunin. «John Kerry has a lifelong record of fighting for children's health care. George Bush doesn't have a plan or a record to talk about. New Hampshire's working families and children deserve a leader who will fight for them every day, not one that hides behind misleading rhetoric.»

By extending state-based programs, the Kerry-Edwards plan will pick up the full cost of coverage for the more than 20 million children enrolled in Medicaid. In exchange, states would expand coverage for families up to 200 percent of poverty and for childless adults up to 100 percent of poverty. As a result, the Kerry-Edwards plan will extend reliable coverage to 26.7 million Americans who are currently uninsured, 95 percent of all Americans, and every child.

As Governor of Vermont, Kunin won the battle and signed into law the state-funded program, Dr. Dinosaur, that ensured health care coverage for every child in Vermont under the age of six. The program expanded over the years and included thousands more children. Today, Vermont enjoys the lowest rate of uninsured children in the country.

«John Kerry has the strength and the determination to get the job done,» said Kunin. «Kerry has made providing every child with health care a top priority throughout his career and he will not rest as President until the job is done.»

As a United State Senator, John Kerry fought for the creation of S-CHIP and to expand health coverage for children. John Kerry was there at the beginning
of the fight to insure America's children and he worked with Republicans and Democrats to pass the largest investment in children's health care since
Medicaid.
The State Children's Health Insurance Program provides funding to cover 5 million children. In New Hampshire roughly 6,500 children are enrolled in the
S-CHIP program. In 2000, John Kerry supported an additional $11 billion in funding to expand Medicaid and S-CHIP coverage over the next five years.

Additionally, Kerry voted to allow states to expand coverage under the Medicaid and S-CHIP to the parents of the children enrolled in the program. The
health care crisis in this country is getting worse by the day. Health care costs have skyrocketed while Bush has been in office and he has done nothing
to address the problem.

John Kerry and John Edwards believe that all American families are entitled to the security and peace of mind that comes from knowing their families
have the coverage they need to stay healthy – without breaking the bank.

Good Beginnings of Sullivan County is a private non-profit primary prevention program serving new families. It is one of eight Good Beginnings programs
in Vermont and New Hampshire. The program was initiated in Sullivan County in 1992 based on a model started in the Upper Valley. All of the Good Beginnings programs operate in a slightly different way based on the needs and resources in the communities served by the program. Some Good Beginnings programs are independent non-profit organizations and some are under the umbrella of a larger organization.

Each Good Beginnings program is funded locally with a variety of grants and each program offers a slightly different menu of services depending on the needs of the community and the available funding. However, every Good Beginnings program includes a volunteer home visitor program that trains experienced mothers to be mentors to new parents.

Concord, NH – Former Vermont Governor and Ambassador to Switzerland Madeleine Kunin will campaign in New Hampshire Wednesday to discuss John Kerry’s plan to cover every child with health care.

She will visit Good Beginnings of Sullivan County, which is a private non-profit prevention program, which offers numerous services to new families including a volunteer home visitor program that trains experienced mothers to be mentors to new parents.

From 1985 to 1991, Kunin served as Governor of Vermont, where she played an instrumental role and signed into law the Dr. Dinosaur program that allowed every child in Vermont to have health care coverage. Over the years the program continued to flourish and the poverty line was dropped so that more children could be covered. Today, according to the Kaiser Family foundation, Vermont has the lowest uninsured rate among children in the country.

Kunin is currently a Distinguished Visiting Professor at the University of Vermont in Burlington and St. Michael's College in Colchester where she frequently gives guest lectures on a number of issues, including history and Women's Studies. She serves as President of the board of the Institute for Sustainable Communities (ISC) a non-governmental organization, which she founded in 1991.

Kunin graduated cum Laude from University of Massachusetts and earned graduate degrees at Columbia University and the University of Vermont; she was also a fellow for the Program for State and Local Government at the Institute of Politics, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. Born in Zurich, Switzerland, Kunin immigrated to the United States with her mother and brother because of the threat of the Holocaust in 1940.