Meet Heather Dexter, an anti-vaxxer in Mee-chigan. Read her account of how she took her three kids through nearly six months of hell when they caught whooping cough. It is hard to describe her idiocy as she thought giving her kids enemas would cure the disease. She seemed to think the children were doing better as they got worse. You can't make this up. Keep in mind the woman is serious as she wrote this ode to child abuse.
With that in mind let’s rewind to one short year ago to what could be considered the most traumatic period of my life. Each child’s attitude and expression towards daily life was excessively dramatized as we endured a VERY lengthy immune building process.
It all started when my six year old, Madilyn, developed a cough. No big deal. Nothing that I would ever find concerning. Nothing that a few natural health remedies and some serious cuddling couldn’t wipe out in a few days. I mean shoot, we had been doing things naturally for almost six years with nothing but success each and every time.
14 DAYS
Madilyn’s cough had progressively gotten worse. I decided I was not doing enough. The regimen I had her on was not nearly what it could have been. So I intensified it:
Homeopathics; Aconite followed by Spongia and herbal tinctures Autumn Olive Berry, Black Walnut, Vitamin C, Minerals Zinc and Magnesium, and several herbal blends, along with loads of eucalyptus oil given or applied several times daily. And of course the obvious, chiropractic care, probiotics and optimum nutrition. (What? No Castor Oil?)
21 DAYS
My 3 year old son, Lucien, began coughing. Yes…it happened to be the same exact cough that Madilyn had started with nearly three weeks ago. At this point, Madilyn’s cough was beginning to scare me. She would wake in the middle of the night, multiple times a night, coughing so hard that she would puke over the side of her loft bed. Her normally rosy cheeks would drain pale until she was able to gasp for air. It was at this point that I realized this was no ORDINARY cold. I was in need of a second opinion… some non-parental help. (The concept of contagiousness seemed to escape her.)
I scheduled an appointment with a Naturopathic Doctor. I left the appointment feeling confident that once again I had this all under control. I jumped on Amazon, placed an order, and headed to our local health food store to get the natural remedies I didn’t have on hand. (See, now that is where she screwed up. Idiot should have taken that kid to a chiropractor. Nothing like getting the spine and nerves in alignment to make sure that immune system works properly. Wait a second. I see she included that in the earlier list. I WAS JOKING!!!)
I added many things to Madilyn and Lucien’s programs including: Olive Leaf Extract, Elderberry Syrup, Pau D’arco Extract, Light Therapy (No disco ball?) and Reflexology. We also stuffed large blankets under the head of their beds, so that they were sleeping on a 45 degree incline. This allows the lungs to clear and breath to come easier. (Wait, I WAS kidding about the chiropractor but damn woman, your kids will need one after you screwed up their necks. Um... why not just put bricks or phone books under the headboard. Wait a second, phone books. It has the word books in it. Never mind.).
35 DAYS (Yes, my kids have had whooping cough for a month BUT they are still alive).
Lucien’s cough followed the exact same pattern as his older sister. After any small amount of running, playing, or gymnastics movement, Lucien would break into intense coughing until he either puked or hacked up a glob of mucus. I was actually shocked each week that we didn’t get kicked out or sent home in the middle of his gymnastics coughing, yakking and hacking fits. {NOTE: He was no longer contagious at this time and the running caused him to expel mucus from his lungs. THIS WAS GOOD FOR HIM!} (Ah yes, the more your kid expels, the healthier he is. Don't worry honey, your mouth is pouring fluid out like a river but that means you are doing better.) (Wait a second. I re-read this passage. Kid was infectious and she was taking him to gymnastics class. Father forgive them....)
During the night, Lucien would cough until he barfed up mucus, proceeded by crying and screaming fits. He was genuinely terrified each and every time he woke from sleep without breath. At this point in time my husband, and I were now waking every 30-90 minutes through the night to clean up after or console one of two coughing, puking, screaming children. Let’s be honest, most of this time period I simply fell asleep cuddling them in their beds, waiting for the next coughing fit. This on top of a co-sleeping, nursling who expected me to be near her at all times. She often woke up to the sounds of her siblings coughing, puking, screaming, and crying that was happening every night…continuously. And we knew it was just a matter of time before Millie developed this same “thing.” One thing was certain, the situation was going to get worse. (So......... you have a baby near three kids with whooping cough... only you didn't know they had whooping cough BECAUSE you didn't take them to a real doctor. You know, one that could run tests, check bloodwork, and actually diagnose the illness.).
60 DAYS
Madilyn had been coughing for 60+ days. We hadn’t slept longer than 2 hours in months. UGGGGGH. Sleep, it’s for the select few parents who probably drug their kids or lock them in their rooms (OR ACTUALLY TAKE THEIR KIDS TO THE DOCTOR) That is not us. We read and cuddle to sleep every night. OH, how I just wanted to sleep for six hours straight for just one night, it would have been miraculous. (Did it ever occur to you that sleep deprivation can affect your cognitive skills?) The term “walking dead” described the new me. It was during this time, the first week in December that my husband sat me down, looked me in the eyes and said, “I trust you, but I am scared that one of our kids is going to die. You know it is just a matter of time before Millie develops whatever it is that Madilyn and Lucien have. It’s going to be bad, Heather. I think we need to go to the hospital. What are you thinking?” (What a wimp. I think my kids are dying, F the wife, F the marriage. I think she is killing them, well, never mind, I better not go there.)
We were now going into the holiday season. It was Thanksgiving weekend. Needless to say, we stayed home.
Part of me felt blind-sided and hurt, unsupported and ready to blow…that was the exhausted me. (Ah yes, its all about you, kids be damned. Their illness is a reflection on you, got it.) I took a deep breath and looked away, thinking before I spoke. I knew he had always been and still is the logical one. (Ya think?) I react emotionally, instinctively, often times before my mind has fully connected with my words. My truth just seems to spill easily from my mouth, a lot of times without the sweetness of being sugar-coated… just bluntness, pure honesty. However, I have learned that my truth does not belong to all of humanity. Each person is entitled to their beliefs and logic or training. (My truth? Because bacterial infections are "truths" made up by others?)
Logical me responded with, “I still feel confident that we are about to turn a corner here anytime now. I would like to schedule an appointment with our Family Doctor and see what I’m missing. This has got to be an illness that needs to be remedied in layers because it has been quick to mutate (Mutate? Back to the Future is coming to mind.). I am certainly not interested in an antibiotic, x-rays, a series of steroidal breathing treatments, or a vaccine which is all the hospital is going to recommend for us. I do believe their immune systems were built to handle this. I just need to find out what I am working with. Madilyn, is obviously getting better, you certainly cannot deny it. I know the other two can and will work through this, it is just a super slow process due to the lack of experience, or on the job training, done by their immune systems. Our Kids . . . They just haven’t been a whole lotta sick in their lives, babe! This is their time to gain immune stimulation, experience and true antibody production.” (Ah..... the Nietzsche defense).
My husband had already determined that our kiddos had “caught” the 100 day cough…The Whoop…Pertussis or Whooping cough. Whatever you want to call it. Again, he was right and I… I was in denial. (Yes, and he had caught castrationitis... a condition where a man loses his balls and is incapable of taking care of his family or protecting his kids from a bat____ crazy wife.).
There were outbreaks of Pertussis left and right across the west side of the state of Michigan, solely stemming from vaccinated populations. School systems were sending home unvaccinated kiddos until their parents chose to vaccinate them or obtain a waiver signed from their doctor. This was happening throughout several communities.
Wait what? Yes, the vaccinated population was responsible for spreading the bacterial infection known as Pertussis. (Um... did it occur to you that the unvaccinated kiddos were the ones suffering from and carrying the disease?)
I called the next day and scheduled an appointment with our family doctor for 10 days later, the week before Christmas. That was the soonest I could get in.
NOTE: This was the point in time when I was under the impression that I could not be my family’s doctor. I hadn’t considered taking each child and creating a program that was the most conducive to their individual healing. Today, I truly believe differently. Lesson learned. I believe that no one is better equipped to be the family doctor than Mama or Grand-mamma, given the right training. (It was too good to be true.Sigh)
It was really a good thing that we had our appointment scheduled because about three days before, Emilia started the cough. Here we go, all three of them hacking around the clock. Hacking so much that our ears hurt from the noise. By the time the appointment happened, Madilyn was not coughing much at all considering the past experience and was only waking two to three times to cough. In fact, she was doing really, really well… comparatively speaking. During the day she coughed several times an hour but no longer at the intensity or depth that she had. It was really just a dry cough that lingered. (Wow. And she will probably have more kids.)
Our family doctor spent about 30 minutes with each child and created a rigorous and intensified natural health program. (Wait a second. It just dawned on me. Was her "family doctor" a real doctor?)
We continued many of the things I was doing and added many essential oils: Ravensara, Frankincense, German Chamomile, Herbal Lobelia, Several Probiotics, and Enemas… Turns out the best way to clear out the lungs is through the rectum… (Yes, I'm laughing. I'm laughing so hard I can't even make fun of this. I've heard of talking out of your ass but damn!!!)
Her additions meant that I was literally doling out supplements, applying essential oils, or giving enemas to one of my kids every three to four hours around the clock. I cancelled everything on my calendar for almost four weeks (the week prior to Christmas, Christmas week, New Year’s Week, and the first week in January) focusing only on the well-being of the kids.
By mid-January, Madilyn was doing great. Lucien was turning the corner, for the better. He was now only coughing moderately throughout the day and waking only a couple times a night. But Emilia’s breathing had now reached the scary point. She was now coughing until she puked, making her normally rosy cheeks drain to pale. This was followed by crying, which would cause the process to repeat itself until often times she would just fall asleep due to pure exhaustion (It's ok honey. It hurts right now but in two months you will start to feel better but don't worry, mommy loves you and will keep loving you.)
It took a good 120-150 days from the start of the coughing for each of them to eliminate the bronchial damage and lung weakness caused by the bacterial infection, Pertussis. We spent hundreds of dollars on natural health products and consultations with various Naturopathic Professionals. It was a living HELL. Every day. It had an intense effect on my marriage and relationship with my husband. It caused me to question everything I knew about Natural Health. (No kidding, you friggin' idiot. Your actions would've been grounds for divorce and I seriously doubt any clear-thinking judge would have denied custody to your husband.)
We made it through using only natural remedies. My children developed REAL and TRUE immunity from being exposed to this bacteria and fighting it off naturally. It has been my biggest challenge to date as a mother. (Um, there is no lasting immunity gained. Your kids can get it again.).
I realize some of you might be thinking…“Holy wow, you are crazy or Heather – you’ve gone too far!”
I completely understand. I wondered that myself at times. I questioned my ability to parent. There were times I thought my husband was going to tell me times up, we are going in! Your thoughts and feelings are valid. Each set of parents must decide what is best for their kiddos. NO ONE ELSE can decide.
I just want you to ask yourself… How did people make it through for thousands of years? How did they get through the Spanish Influenza, the Black Plague, fevers and other ailments? (Um, THEY DIED!!!!!)
People, your ancestors have used natural remedies since the dawn of time to heal all things. Pharmaceutical creations have only been around for about 150 years. Most prescriptions have spent somewhere around 10 years from start to finish, including testing phases, before being allowed on the market to be used in experimentation on your family. We have no idea what the long term effects are going to be for all of these quick fix medications on our kids.
(Dexter removed this passage from her blog post but it was archived)
During this time, however, I received a very stern “talking to” from my father. He’s a veterinarian and has been for just shy of 40 years. (YES! A voice of sanity!) While holding ZZZZZ, he said to me, “Heather, there is a time and place for every thing and the time to go get an antibiotic is now. It may be that your pride has got you confused. I have watched you over the years heal ailments that I never imagined possible with natural remedies. I still wouldn’t believe the stories, if I had not witnessed you going through the process. However, I have also witnessed medicine save many lives over the years. I would hate to see you make a poor choice with your children at the expense.”
HOLY SHIT… What? Did he honestly believe I was sitting there doing nothing? (Yup, it's all about her, not her kids.) Couldn’t he see I was taking all the care in the world trying to make this work and heal them naturally? My heart broke. Tears streamed down my face. I grabbed my baby, turned my back to him and walked away. Did I know what I was doing? Had I gone too far? I headed to the bedroom to nurse her and myself to sleep.
I called my mentor and the founder of my Naturopathy school to gain yet another naturopathic perspective. She had nothing but good things to say. She once again boosted my morale. It was all I needed to hold strong over the holiday season (If the child had died, could we have gotten them for manslaughter? I know, wishful thinking.).
(She also removed this part)
By mid-January, XXXXXXX was doing great. YYYYYY was turning the corner, for the better. He was now only coughing moderately throughout the day and waking only a couple times a night. But ZZZZZ’s breathing had now reached the scary point. She was now coughing until she puked, often times turning purple* in the process. This was followed by crying, which would cause the process to repeat itself until often times she would just fall asleep due to pure exhaustion
*The edited post says "turn pale" or something similar. The original blog post said "turning purple" when "turn pale" is now used".
Dexter's post.
19 comments:
all three of them hacking around the clock. Hacking so much that our ears hurt from the noise. coughing until she puked, It was a living HELL. Every day. It had an intense effect on my marriage and relationship with my husband
breathing had now reached the scary point. She was now coughing until she puked, often times turning purple* in the process. This was followed by crying, which would cause the process to repeat itself until often times she would just fall asleep due to pure exhaustion
It took a good 120-150 days from the start of the coughing for each of them
middle of the night, multiple times a night, coughing so hard that she would puke over the side of her loft bed.
I as a mother can not even begin to imagine letting your kids such unnecessary pain. I do not believe in running to the dr. at every sneeze or cough; however, come on.
You let your kids you claim to love dehydrate, throw up everywhere cry themselves to sleep in pain and wake up not being able to breath. How cruel to scare them like that.
Worse is all the other people you put in danger.
This is just cruel beyond belief. That husband should be whipped. He should be so embarrassed at his total ineptness.
I would have believed this story to be fake if not written by her.
to quote Forrest Gump:
"stupid is as stupid does."
I have seen countless cases of otherwise seemingly intelligent people employ magical thinking.
Have a daughter in CA who wants to believe that any and all perceived illness or condition can be cured exclusively with changes in diet and supplements. Went to a naturopath who only further enabled the fantasy regarding her specific condition. Kinda like the folks who took vitamins and supplements all their lives and then got cancer, but thought that the vitamins and supplements would cure the cancer if they just continued, and hence refused conventional treatment. Opposite end of the spectrum is that group of folks who go to the doctor with a viral illness but expect and demand a shot of steroids, antibiotics and otherwise unhelpful therapies. Health care practitioners will often oblige because is easier that trying to educate people whose mind is made up AND it is a billable service that they can get paid for. When will people accept that conventional medicine and complementary therapies are not mutually exclusive?
I agree with Dexter's post (at the end).
"Frankincense, German Chamomile, Herbal Lobelia, Several Probiotics, and Enemas".
Yep, same here . . . That's always worked for me when I feel the old common cold coming on.
A warm enema, some German Chamomile & Frankincense does the trick everytime !
I'm 100% better after a good frankincense enema.
My paternal grandmother's answer to every ailment and complaint was to go down the steps to the bathroom and have a BM, as she called a dump.
This blog often has that affect on me.
Pertussis can be fatal. Her kids should be in foster care and she should be I jail, but it won't happen. When kids die from this kind of neglect the attitude it "she's suffered enough already" and no one gets convicted.
You all forgot Leprechaun tears and Unicorn urine for your enema formula.
What? No tree bark? That stuff cures cancer!
I can't believe not one person reading this called Child Protective Services or the police!
You still don't get to threatened the lives of your children with your ignorance or religious beliefs!
And, her children were contagious! God knows how many others were exposed.
Worse, these children likely will suffer the long term effects for the rest of their lives. They were oxygen deprived and there is probably permanent damage to their respiratory system!
Their general health is probably so compromised that the flu will kill them! We all know she didn't get them a flu shot!
This woman is the poster child for our current state of affairs ...The Age of Misinformation!
But, the people who didn't report her are poster candidates as well!
Gotta keep them poultices wet. Wouldnt want them to dry out and lose their effectiveness.
I read online that she was reported to Meechigan child protective services.
KF, then it's likely the juvenile court judge wouldn't sign the order to allow the children to be removed from the home to be seen by a physician.
While the social workers always get blamed in the press, the biggest hurdle is getting the legal authority to do a damn thing other than a home visit for the children. The social worker's observations and opinion that it's whooping cough won't ever cut it. No diagnosis of a life threatening illness, no protective custody.
Another of the new lovely Catch 22's in our legal system these days!
Find out what our social services or Health Dept. authority would be in a case like this.
7:37. Give me their number and I'll call them.
Oh wait........
Prediction: One of these children will die of pneumonia as a young or middle-aged adult from pneumonia after a minor illness, when there weak lungs could could expel fluid. This outcome will occur whether or not they have "converted" to modern medicine.
7:40
You be Josie Wales.
There was a political race in Madison this year. One candidate was a home school parent. He advocated for parents to be allowed to decide wherher to vaccinate or not. He would tell one group he was for vaccination then tell another he was against, yet those that knew him know what he really believed. He spent 275,000 dollars to get elected. Wake up people, you just elected an idiot.
I really just cannot believe this is real. As a mother, I will be damned before I would let my baby suffer even 10% to the extent this evil woman did to her children! You are a straight up moron and a beyond negligent parent not to vaccinate your children. Some people just should not be able breed.
These anti vaccine people are everywhere. Especially home school parents. You also see them at chiropractic offices everyday with there kids. Why does a baby or child need to be getting adjustments at a chiropractor. I see them all the time and it's just weird.
For dumb shit like this quack it isn't Meechigan, it's Michissippi.
Why is this story a surprise? Her name is Heather. HEATHER.
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