Month: April 2020

Avoiding the Tragedy: A Look into Disease Prevention

The final section of my article on measles encephalitis published by phoebemd.com. Thank you, Phoebe!

PhoebeMD: Health + Inspiration

By Barbara Leonhard | Featured Contributor

Part 1 – Hope Was Not a Loss: A Story About Measles Encephalitis
Part 2 – Learning How to Walk Again: Barbara’s Story

Back in 1957, the year I almost died from the measles, my parents—unlike the parents of today—did not have to face the choice of vaccination, because there was no vaccine in existence (it wasn’t introduced until several years later, in 1963).

Therefore, it was important for me to share my experience with this condition because of the great controversy that currently exists over vaccines in general, and particularly the measles vaccine. Far too many children are not getting vaccinated against measles and other diseases owing to perceived risks, so now measles has returned as a virulent threat worldwide.

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A Rocky Start

Sapling, you shoot roots in the shallow bucket engorged with sharp bits of seed hulls left by the squirrels, picked at by cardinals.   Your tender, slender stem, elongated spine, extends from cracked dirt in a clay flower pot, the old home of an expired aloe vera plant. Can your trunk   lengthen and thicken... Continue Reading →

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Learning How to Walk Again: Barbara’s Story

Phoebemd.com published the second part of my article on recovering fully from measles encephalitis. The link to Part 1 is provided. The article is based on one of my poetry podcasts on Poetry: The Memoir of the Soul found at meelosmom.podbean.com.

PhoebeMD: Health + Inspiration

By Barbara Leonhard | Featured Contributor

[Part 1 – Hope Was Not a Loss: A Story About Measles Encephalitis]

My experience with measles encephalitis taught me a great deal. The greatest realization was that I could change my destiny. I had every reason to remain in the wheelchair because of the attention, sympathy, and love that not only I but also my parents received because of their poor little girl. But the attention from others could not offset the loneliness, the feelings of being diminutive and helpless, and the boredom.

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Ascent

Mountain, stoic, solid, staggering. I free climb in awe of you. Timid, I ascend. Parts of you open. My fingers and toes take hold on your stoic rock face, spine of your spirit. But I, too eager, slip. No rope to spot my fall. Harder, I grip. Upward, I embrace the expanse of you: cold slate,... Continue Reading →

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The Unwelcome Tenant

Today we are forced to sequester to prevent the spread of COVID-19. We realize how powerful we are when it comes to our wellness because we can make choices to prevent contagion by following the CDC guidelines and being loving to ourselves and thoughtful of others by wearing masks and gloves if we must be... Continue Reading →

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Hope Was Not a Loss: A Story About Measles Encephalitis

Phoebemd.com is publishing a series of articles based on another poetry podcast I did on Podbean. You have seen this story of mine before, and I will tell it until I am blue in the face if it saves lives. Kids need protection – we all do – from the measles.

PhoebeMD: Health + Inspiration

By Barbara Leonhard | Featured Health Story

In this article, I would like to share my story of how an illness I suffered as a child affected me. Particularly with the climate of today, I hope this will help inform people of the consequences that can develop in young children who are at risk of getting certain illnesses.

It was the summer of 1957, and it seemed to have happened all at once, where I turned from an active six-year-old girl to a helpless baby overnight. At that time, my family was living in Lewistown, Montana, where my dad was a Presbyterian minister. Mom was at home with three children, aged seven to four. That summer, all three of us contracted measles. But while my siblings’ illnesses took a more benign course, I developed a life-threatening complication: measles encephalitis—a serious and potentially fatal inflammation of the brain…

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Podcast The Shape of Our Light

https://meelosmom.podbean.com/e/the-shape-of-our-light-1585860479/ In this episode, I explore the shape of our light. Emotions can affect the shapes of water crystals, according to experiments done by Dr. Masuru Emoto, who wrote The Hidden Messages in Water (2001). He demonstrated that the shapes of water crystals are determined by the vibrations emitted by negative and positive emotional thoughts... Continue Reading →

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