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	<title>Comments for Home of the Four Trans</title>
	<link>http://fourtran.com</link>
	<description>(actually, three Trans and a Cao)</description>
	<pubDate>Thu, 24 Jul 2008 10:54:22 +0000</pubDate>
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		<title>Comment on Back to work by Jennifer</title>
		<link>http://fourtran.com/2008/07/20/back-to-work/#comment-1690</link>
		<author>Jennifer</author>
		<pubDate>Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:12:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid>http://fourtran.com/2008/07/20/back-to-work/#comment-1690</guid>
		<description>I miss you, too Ngocy!!!!! I think of you at every single party that we have. We need to catch up!!!! This is not right. You are a total California girl.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I miss you, too Ngocy!!!!! I think of you at every single party that we have. We need to catch up!!!! This is not right. You are a total California girl.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Back to work by Ngoc</title>
		<link>http://fourtran.com/2008/07/20/back-to-work/#comment-1687</link>
		<author>Ngoc</author>
		<pubDate>Tue, 22 Jul 2008 22:17:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid>http://fourtran.com/2008/07/20/back-to-work/#comment-1687</guid>
		<description>I know you're one the best and your wedding coordinating skills are basically a part of you!  It's like riding a bike!  You're very very inspirational.  Miss you and Love you!</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I know you&#8217;re one the best and your wedding coordinating skills are basically a part of you!  It&#8217;s like riding a bike!  You&#8217;re very very inspirational.  Miss you and Love you!</p>
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		<title>Comment on Nothing to wear by Megan</title>
		<link>http://fourtran.com/2008/07/18/nothing-to-wear/#comment-1675</link>
		<author>Megan</author>
		<pubDate>Fri, 18 Jul 2008 12:16:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid>http://fourtran.com/2008/07/18/nothing-to-wear/#comment-1675</guid>
		<description>I'm the EXACT same way. My clothes are sooo old and outdated. I love having new stuff and feeling pretty, but I just can't justify it anymore. Soooo the result is an outdated mommy. I haven't gotten my hair done in many months. I need help!

I agree that feeling pretty enhances your mood. Go buy a few basic things and it will help out a ton!</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I&#8217;m the EXACT same way. My clothes are sooo old and outdated. I love having new stuff and feeling pretty, but I just can&#8217;t justify it anymore. Soooo the result is an outdated mommy. I haven&#8217;t gotten my hair done in many months. I need help!</p>
<p>I agree that feeling pretty enhances your mood. Go buy a few basic things and it will help out a ton!</p>
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		<title>Comment on Justin&#8217;s baby book by Megan</title>
		<link>http://fourtran.com/2008/07/11/justins-baby-book/#comment-1664</link>
		<author>Megan</author>
		<pubDate>Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:57:54 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid>http://fourtran.com/2008/07/11/justins-baby-book/#comment-1664</guid>
		<description>Sounds very familiar! Too much other stuff going on and then time slips away. I loved your list of things Justin is doing now. Maybe just try writing about that on here once/week. It will be fun to come back later and read those.

About your other post, I like the t-shirt idea. Make Justin a shirt that says, "Wash your hands first, please!" :)</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Sounds very familiar! Too much other stuff going on and then time slips away. I loved your list of things Justin is doing now. Maybe just try writing about that on here once/week. It will be fun to come back later and read those.</p>
<p>About your other post, I like the t-shirt idea. Make Justin a shirt that says, &#8220;Wash your hands first, please!&#8221; <img src='http://fourtran.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /></p>
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		<title>Comment on Parties, parties, and germs by Nikki</title>
		<link>http://fourtran.com/2008/07/15/parties-parties-and-germs/#comment-1663</link>
		<author>Nikki</author>
		<pubDate>Tue, 15 Jul 2008 17:26:18 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid>http://fourtran.com/2008/07/15/parties-parties-and-germs/#comment-1663</guid>
		<description>Sounds like you have a lot to celebrate! Happy birthday to all of you!</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Sounds like you have a lot to celebrate! Happy birthday to all of you!</p>
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		<title>Comment on Justin&#8217;s baby book by Nikki</title>
		<link>http://fourtran.com/2008/07/11/justins-baby-book/#comment-1650</link>
		<author>Nikki</author>
		<pubDate>Fri, 11 Jul 2008 15:26:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid>http://fourtran.com/2008/07/11/justins-baby-book/#comment-1650</guid>
		<description>Ahhh yes. It sounds to me like you are experiencing what lots of parents do. It seems to become harder to keep track of everything the more faces join the family dinner table. I can only imagine how it must feel, but I know it happens. Case in point: I have 3 photo albums from my childhood. My middle sister has 2. My baby sister has 1. I am quite certain it doesn't mean our parents cared any less for my sisters than they did for me... they were just busier, which can't be avoided at some level. I think all you can ever do is the best you can manage... and being there for all of those moments is infinitely more valuable than remembering to write them down. Besides, like Loi, perhaps, I happen to think the blog is a very special gift for him, whether or not it is as tangible as the pages of a book.

Nikki</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Ahhh yes. It sounds to me like you are experiencing what lots of parents do. It seems to become harder to keep track of everything the more faces join the family dinner table. I can only imagine how it must feel, but I know it happens. Case in point: I have 3 photo albums from my childhood. My middle sister has 2. My baby sister has 1. I am quite certain it doesn&#8217;t mean our parents cared any less for my sisters than they did for me&#8230; they were just busier, which can&#8217;t be avoided at some level. I think all you can ever do is the best you can manage&#8230; and being there for all of those moments is infinitely more valuable than remembering to write them down. Besides, like Loi, perhaps, I happen to think the blog is a very special gift for him, whether or not it is as tangible as the pages of a book.</p>
<p>Nikki</p>
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		<title>Comment on &#8220;Genetic defect links respiratory disease and congenital heart disease&#8221; by Jennifer</title>
		<link>http://fourtran.com/2008/07/09/genetic-defect-links-respiratory-disease-and-congenital-heart-disease/#comment-1649</link>
		<author>Jennifer</author>
		<pubDate>Fri, 11 Jul 2008 06:45:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid>http://fourtran.com/2008/07/09/genetic-defect-links-respiratory-disease-and-congenital-heart-disease/#comment-1649</guid>
		<description>Nikki, I often wonder how my doctors feel when I come in with information. So, I don't tell them what I've read or whatnot. I should have more courage to. I am often afraid that they'll reject any information that I present to them because I am not a doctor. I've been told that doctors hate it that their patients research online because the internet is sometimes loaded with untrue information. 

Anabella, I would love to know what you learned while you were at the study. Justin is not old enough to be a subject.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Nikki, I often wonder how my doctors feel when I come in with information. So, I don&#8217;t tell them what I&#8217;ve read or whatnot. I should have more courage to. I am often afraid that they&#8217;ll reject any information that I present to them because I am not a doctor. I&#8217;ve been told that doctors hate it that their patients research online because the internet is sometimes loaded with untrue information. </p>
<p>Anabella, I would love to know what you learned while you were at the study. Justin is not old enough to be a subject.</p>
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		<title>Comment on &#8220;Genetic defect links respiratory disease and congenital heart disease&#8221; by Anabella</title>
		<link>http://fourtran.com/2008/07/09/genetic-defect-links-respiratory-disease-and-congenital-heart-disease/#comment-1648</link>
		<author>Anabella</author>
		<pubDate>Fri, 11 Jul 2008 02:25:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid>http://fourtran.com/2008/07/09/genetic-defect-links-respiratory-disease-and-congenital-heart-disease/#comment-1648</guid>
		<description>My daughter Chloe has attended a study at the NIH involving PCD and Heterotaxy.  It is indeeded amazing.
Anabella</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>My daughter Chloe has attended a study at the NIH involving PCD and Heterotaxy.  It is indeeded amazing.<br />
Anabella</p>
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		<title>Comment on &#8220;Genetic defect links respiratory disease and congenital heart disease&#8221; by Nikki</title>
		<link>http://fourtran.com/2008/07/09/genetic-defect-links-respiratory-disease-and-congenital-heart-disease/#comment-1646</link>
		<author>Nikki</author>
		<pubDate>Thu, 10 Jul 2008 15:10:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid>http://fourtran.com/2008/07/09/genetic-defect-links-respiratory-disease-and-congenital-heart-disease/#comment-1646</guid>
		<description>I'm often amazed at how much and how little medical science knows about the conditions that affect us as humans. In all probability, even highly-motivated and up-to-date experts will have gaps in their knowledge.

I was surprised by how little my very seasoned and well-respected OB/GYN knew about molar pregnancy. It's very rare, true, but he's seen it before, and most of my questions met with, "I honestly don't know," or "I don't remember." I ended up learning most of what I needed to know by researching on my own.

I think this sort of thing -- including your finding of this press release -- is further proof that we always have to be healthcare advocates for ourselves and our loved ones. While we may not have the training and context that allow us to be experts, we are very often the ones who ask the right questions and persist until we get the answers we need from the people who know.

I still remember the laughter I got from the moment when my Dad's Gastroenterologist asked me if I was "in the field," after I asked some rather detailed questions about my Dad's case. I told him "No, I just researched what I knew and did a lot of reading." The laughter was his later when I betrayed my ignorance and he urged me to "get back to my reading." Still, the point had been made. I wasn't going to sit idly by and wait for someone to dole out little bits of information when I could possibly have a positive impact by asking questions or requesting a second look at something. Besides, it helped me to feel less helpless in the face of the suffering of someone I love and in the shadow of something much bigger than I was.

I hope this clue, whether or not it provides some insight into the particulars of Justin's case, will keep you going on that path of discovery.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I&#8217;m often amazed at how much and how little medical science knows about the conditions that affect us as humans. In all probability, even highly-motivated and up-to-date experts will have gaps in their knowledge.</p>
<p>I was surprised by how little my very seasoned and well-respected OB/GYN knew about molar pregnancy. It&#8217;s very rare, true, but he&#8217;s seen it before, and most of my questions met with, &#8220;I honestly don&#8217;t know,&#8221; or &#8220;I don&#8217;t remember.&#8221; I ended up learning most of what I needed to know by researching on my own.</p>
<p>I think this sort of thing &#8212; including your finding of this press release &#8212; is further proof that we always have to be healthcare advocates for ourselves and our loved ones. While we may not have the training and context that allow us to be experts, we are very often the ones who ask the right questions and persist until we get the answers we need from the people who know.</p>
<p>I still remember the laughter I got from the moment when my Dad&#8217;s Gastroenterologist asked me if I was &#8220;in the field,&#8221; after I asked some rather detailed questions about my Dad&#8217;s case. I told him &#8220;No, I just researched what I knew and did a lot of reading.&#8221; The laughter was his later when I betrayed my ignorance and he urged me to &#8220;get back to my reading.&#8221; Still, the point had been made. I wasn&#8217;t going to sit idly by and wait for someone to dole out little bits of information when I could possibly have a positive impact by asking questions or requesting a second look at something. Besides, it helped me to feel less helpless in the face of the suffering of someone I love and in the shadow of something much bigger than I was.</p>
<p>I hope this clue, whether or not it provides some insight into the particulars of Justin&#8217;s case, will keep you going on that path of discovery.</p>
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		<title>Comment on &#8220;Justin is optimistic&#8221; by Cathy</title>
		<link>http://fourtran.com/2008/07/06/justin-is-optimistic/#comment-1643</link>
		<author>Cathy</author>
		<pubDate>Wed, 09 Jul 2008 02:27:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid>http://fourtran.com/2008/07/06/justin-is-optimistic/#comment-1643</guid>
		<description>Isn't it amazing how they can keep smiling despite everything?  Everyone with a stethescope wants to listen to Marek's shunt (which he hates), but he smiles at them all...  What incredible boys we have!</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Isn&#8217;t it amazing how they can keep smiling despite everything?  Everyone with a stethescope wants to listen to Marek&#8217;s shunt (which he hates), but he smiles at them all&#8230;  What incredible boys we have!</p>
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