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Second wave of swine flu pandemic begins to hit US[/size]
Surge in cases closes schools, strains hospitals[/size]

www.boston.com/news/health/articles/2009/09/28/second_wave_of_swine_flu_pandemic_begins_to_hit_us/

(Matt York/ Associated Press)
By Rob Stein
Washington Post / September 28, 2009

WASHINGTON - After months of warnings and frantic preparations, the second wave of the swine flu pandemic is starting to be felt around the country. Doctors, health clinics, hospitals, and schools are reporting rapidly increasing numbers of patients experiencing flu symptoms.

While most cases so far are mild, and the health care system is handling the load, officials say the number of people seeking treatment for the flu is unprecedented for this time of year.

In Austin, so many parents are rushing their children to Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas with swine flu symptoms that the hospital had to set up tents in the parking lot to cope with the onslaught.

In Memphis, the Le Bonheur Children’s Medical Center emergency room got so crowded with feverish, miserable youngsters that it had to do the same thing.

And in Manning, S.C., a private school where an 11-year-old girl died shut down after the number of pupils who were out sick with similar symptoms reached nearly a third of the student body.

“It just kind of snowballed,’’ said Kim Jordan, a teacher at Laurence Manning Academy, which closed Wednesday after Ashlie Pipkin died and the number of ill students hit 287. “We had several teachers out also.’’

“H1N1 is spreading widely throughout the US,’’ said Thomas Frieden, director of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. The CDC reported last week that at least 26 states are now reporting widespread flu activity, up from 21 a week earlier.

Even though some parts of the Southeast that started seeing a surge of cases first now seem to be showing a decline, that could be a temporary reprieve, Frieden said. And other parts of the country are probably just starting to feel the second wave.

“Influenza is perhaps the most unpredictable of all infectious diseases,’’ Frieden said.

The pandemic has prompted scattered school closings around the country in recent weeks, including 42 schools that closed in eight states Friday, affecting more than 16,000 students.

Many colleges and universities have been hit particularly hard, forcing some to open separate dorms for sick students. Ninety-one percent of the 267 colleges and universities being surveyed by the American College Health Association are now reporting cases.

The government is starting an unprecedented system to track possible side effects as mass flu vaccinations begin next month. The idea is to detect any rare but real problems quickly, and explain the inevitable coincidences that are sure to cause some false alarms.

In just a few months, health authorities hope to vaccinate well over half the population against swine flu, which doctors call the 2009 H1N1 strain. No more than 100 million Americans usually get vaccinated against regular winter flu, and never in such a short period.

The last mass inoculations against a different swine flu, in 1976, were marred by reports of a rare paralyzing condition, Guillain-Barré syndrome, a sometimes fatal paralysis. Other possible side effects could potentially include heart attacks, strokes, seizures, and miscarriages.

On top of routine vaccine tracking, these government-sponsored monitoring projects are planned:

■ Harvard Medical School scientists are linking large insurance databases that cover up to 50 million people with vaccination registries around the country for real-time checks of whether people see a doctor in the weeks after a flu shot and why. The huge numbers make it possible to quickly compare rates of complaints among the vaccinated and unvaccinated, said the project leader, Dr. Richard Platt, Harvard’s population medicine chief.

■ Johns Hopkins University will direct e-mails to at least 100,000 vaccine recipients to track how they’re feeling, including the smaller complaints that wouldn’t prompt a doctor visit. If anything seems connected, researchers can call to follow up with detailed questions.

■ The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is preparing take-home cards that tell vaccine recipients how to report any suspected side effects to the nation’s Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting system.

“Every day, bad things happen to people. When you vaccinate a lot of people in a short period of time, some of those things are going to happen to some people by chance alone,’’ said Dr. Daniel Salmon, a vaccine safety specialist at the Department of Health and Human Services.

Material from the Associated Press was included in this report.
© Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company.

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www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-09-27-flu-family_N.htm?csp=34

After a tragic loss, family steps up in flu vaccine trials

By Steve Sternberg, USA TODAY

Ian Moise died in December 2003 at age 6 months from seasonal flu.

Sean and Ryan Moise played "rock-paper-scissors" to see who would get their flu shot first. Faith bravely stepped up after her older brothers.
Unlikely pioneers though they may seem, Sean, who turns 13 Monday, Ryan, 11, and Faith, 4 "and a half," are among just 600 children in the USA in government-sponsored pediatric trials of the vaccine for H1N1, or swine flu.

The children are more motivated than most to fight flu. They know how serious it can be. In 2003, their brother Ian, a robust 6-month-old, died of seasonal flu. He lived less than 30 hours after symptoms set in.


INTERACTIVE MAP: Track swine flu by U.S. region
Q&A: All about the flu vaccines

"That's why, when I heard the vaccine trial was coming to Kansas City, I was so eager to get my children into it," says Julie Moise, 42. "I'm more afraid of the flu than the vaccine."

Sean fretted on Facebook that he was signing up to be a pincushion. He decided to go ahead with the trial, anyway. "The first time I was a little, kind of, freaked out because I didn't know what to expect," he says. "After a while, it's not really all that bad. And it's good to know I should be resistant to H1N1 if it comes around."

Flu can kill

An early peek at the trial's results appear to justify the family's confidence. The findings released Sept. 21 show that H1N1 vaccine appears to protect most kids 10 to 17 years old, who are among those hit hardest by the new influenza.

As in seasonal flu, younger children are likely to need two doses. "The response in young children is less robust, but this is not unexpected," Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the study's sponsor, said when the results were released.

In 2003, Julie Moise made sure all three children had had their flu shots. Just 10 days after Ian had the first of two vaccine doses he would need for full protection, he came down with the flu. Soon he was feverish and short of breath. A pediatrician confirmed the diagnosis and recommended treating his symptoms.

"That night he didn't want to lay flat in his crib," Moise says. "I held him in the recliner all night."

By morning, Moise developed flu symptoms, too. Her husband, Glenn, agreed to get Sean and Ryan off to school. Ian took a turn for the better, or so the family thought. His fever dropped from 104 to 100 degrees. His panting had turned into a sigh, Moise says. Still, she worried. And later that day, she called her husband at work. "I said, 'I don't like how Ian looks. Can you come home?' "

He found Ian sitting in his bouncy seat and picked him up. "At that moment," Julie Moise says, "he stopped breathing."

A postmortem showed his airway was plugged by mucus, which caused respiratory failure and cardiac arrest. Two things still nag at Julie Moise: First, how often doctors and nurses said "it's just the flu." More troubling is the guilt Moise feels because she and her husband weren't vaccinated. "You have to wonder," says Moise, a flight attendant, "did I bring it home?"

Ian's death turned the family into activists. They joined a group of other parents who've lost children, called Families Fighting Flu, to call attention to the risks of neglecting vaccination. They launched Ian's Rainbow Flu Foundation, which sponsors flu walks and vaccination clinics. And when the chance popped up to enroll their children in the vaccine trial, the Moises grabbed it. So did Laura Jaworski, Julie Moise's best friend, who enrolled her sons Zach, 3, and Nick, 6.

Children help out

Christopher Harrison, the lead investigator at Children's Mercy Hospital, says the Moise and Jaworski children were among 121 children from the Kansas City area in the trial. A parent's consent is sufficient to enroll a youngster, but all children sit in on the conversation with doctors as they explain the nature of the trial and ask parents to sign the consent form.

Children who've reached "the age of reason," Harrison says, sign a consent form, too. "It felt kinda cool," Sean says, "like I was taking responsibility for what I was about to do."

Harrison says most people enrolled their children in the trial to protect them from swine flu, especially with school approaching, but many also took into account the good that can come from the research. Most know that the vaccine is similar to standard flu vaccines, so it is likely to be safe and can't transmit the flu. As the trial was enrolling, he says, flu began spreading widely in Kansas City. In the past month, he says, half a dozen children with H1N1 have needed intensive care. A 16-year-old has died.

Moise notes that 36,000 people die each year of seasonal flu and says one death is too many. She begins reciting names of children who have died and whose parents banded together in Families Fighting Flu. "All these children were healthy. Every one had insurance," she says.

"How many times did I say in a 24-hour period, 'Oh, it's just the flu'? I didn't know flu kills healthy children. That's what's so scary."

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www3.niaid.nih.gov/news/QA/qaH1N1pedvax.htm

August 19, 2009
Updated: September 21, 2009


QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Pediatric Trials of 2009 H1N1 Influenza Vaccine at NIAID Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Units (VTEUs)

1. When did the trials in children begin?

On Monday, August 17, 2009, the Safety Monitoring Committee reviewed initial safety data from more than 500 volunteers enrolled in the first three trials of 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccines in adult and elderly people. The Safety Monitoring Committee determined that the pediatric trials could begin. NIAID agreed with those recommendations and authorized the two trials of 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine in children to begin the next day.

2. Who is on the Safety Monitoring Committee?

The Safety Monitoring Committee is a panel of outside experts convened by NIAID to evaluate the safety data from these and other VTEU 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine trials. The individuals on this independent committee are recognized experts in the fields of pediatrics, infectious diseases and vaccine practice and safety. They review and comment on the scientific study before enrollment begins. Once the study starts, the committee meets regularly to review data and safety information related to the study and is also available for ad hoc meetings as needed.

3. How many trials are being conducted with children?

At this time, the VTEUs are conducting two pediatric clinical trials of 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccines. Researchers participating in these two trials are located at several medical centers across the country (listed below).

4. What are the objectives and the design of these studies?

The two trials are enrolling children between 6 months and 17 years of age. Each trial will look at specific scientific questions:

Dosing Trial:

The dosing trial is assessing how large a vaccine dose, and how many doses of vaccine, are needed to induce an immune response that is predictive of protection.

Children enrolled in the trial received 15 or 30 micrograms of vaccine on their first visit and a second dose of the same strength of vaccine three weeks later. The trial enrolled up to 650 children at five locations nationwide (listed below).

Combination Trial:

The combination trial is testing a 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine given together with licensed inactivated seasonal flu vaccine. The goal is to determine if 15 micrograms of 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine can be safely administered at the same time or sequentially with 45 micrograms of the seasonal flu vaccine (containing three components with 15 micrograms of each), and if both vaccines will induce immune responses predictive of protection from future infection.

To be eligible for the combination trial, children must have previously received two doses of seasonal flu vaccine in one year or be older than 9 years. The trial enrolled up to 650 children at six locations nationwide (listed below).

5. Where are the pediatric trials taking place?

In all, 11 medical centers are participating in the pediatric clinical trials of H1N1 influenza vaccine:

The dosing trial is taking place at five locations:
Baltimore (University of Maryland School of Medicine VTEU, the lead site for this trial)
Nashville (Vanderbilt University VTEU)
Durham, NC (Duke University)
Kansas City (Children’s Mercy Hospital)
Seattle (Children’s Hospital, Seattle)
The combination trial is taking place at six locations:

Saint Louis (Saint Louis University VTEU, the lead site for this trial)
Atlanta (Emory University VTEU)
Cincinnati (Cincinnati Children’s Hospital VTEU)
Houston (Baylor College of Medicine VTEU)
Iowa City (University of Iowa VTEU)
Galveston (University of Texas Medical Branch)

6. Who makes the vaccines being tested in the pediatric trials?

Both trials are using a 2009 H1N1 flu vaccine made by Sanofi Pasteur in Swiftwater, Pennsylvania. The combination trial involves a licensed seasonal flu vaccine made by the same company.

7. Do the vaccines used in the pediatric trials contain thimerosal or adjuvants?

No. The 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine and the seasonal influenza vaccine used in these trials do not contain thimerosal or adjuvants.

For more information, visit NIAID's Vaccine portal, where you also can find information about adjuvants and thimerosal.

8. What data did the Safety Monitoring Committee evaluate to determine that the trials could proceed in children?

The Safety Monitoring Committee assessed initial safety data from the ongoing trials of 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccines from more than 500 healthy adult and elderly volunteers.
All clinical protocols are also reviewed and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before enrolling any volunteers.

9. Have some children enrolled in the study received a placebo injection? If so, will those children be offered the 2009 H1N1 or seasonal influenza vaccines after the trial is concluded?

No. Placebos are not being used in the pediatric trials.

10. What did early results from the dosing trial show?
Preliminary analysis of blood samples from a small group of trial participants showed that a single 15-microgram dose of a non-adjuvanted 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine generated an immune response that is expected to be protective against 2009 H1N1 influenza virus in the majority of 10-to 17-year olds, 8 to 10 days following vaccination. Younger children generally had a less robust early response to the vaccine.

The preliminary results are based on blood samples taken 8 to 10 days after the first vaccination. Immune responses were strongest among the oldest children, those 10-to 17-years old. In this group of 25 children, a strong immune response was seen in 76 percent who received one 15-microgram dose of 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine. Among 25 volunteers aged 3 to 9 years old, a strong immune response was seen in 36 percent of those given 15 micrograms of vaccine. In the youngest group, 20 children between 6 months and 35 months old, a single 15-microgram dose of vaccine produced a strong immune response in 25 percent of recipients.

These preliminary results were announced on September 21, 2009.

For more information, visit NIAID's Vaccine portal, where you also can find information about adjuvants and thimerosal.

For more information about influenza, including H1N1, visit NIAID's Flu portal.

Media inquiries can be directed to the NIAID Office of Communications at 301-402-1663.

[e-mail].
NIAID conducts and supports research—at NIH, throughout the United States, and worldwide—to study the causes of infectious and immune-mediated diseases, and to develop better means of preventing, diagnosing and treating these illnesses. News releases, fact sheets and other NIAID-related materials are available on the NIAID Web site at www.niaid.nih.gov.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH)—The Nation's Medical Research Agency—includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

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www.13wham.com/news/local/story/H1N1-Vaccine-Trials-in-Rochester/LJhJD2wF-U6OFqtRVe2yAA.cspx?rss=102

H1N1 Vaccine Trials in Rochester
Reported by: Elizabeth Schubert
Email: [e-mail]
Last Update: 9/25 3:33 pm

Rochester, N.Y. -- Dena Baccari is taking part in one of three ongoing trials for the H1N1 vaccine in the Rochester area.

When she heard about the study, she was curious but not completely sure she wanted to take part. Then she started doing some research.

Baccari, a second grade teacher, has done other medical trials, but she felt testing the H1N1 vaccine was important for her own protection and that of her students.

“If they were horrible side effects, I probably wouldn't have done it. But the side effects were very mild. Maybe headaches, nausea, redness, things like that,” Baccari said.

She Decided to try it and made an appointment at Rochester Clinical Research.

“They take blood the first day. They give you the shot. They do a physical on you, and make you wait for a half an hour to make sure you don't have any side effects,” Baccari said.

She didn’t have any -- not immediately anyway.

“The day after I took the shot, I had a really bad headache, and I'm not a headache person. But I just took a couple Advil, and didn't have any side effects after that.”

She says the trial requires a strict monitoring process. Participants take their temperature at the same time each day and keep a diary.

“They're very particular about keeping the diary and they ask a lot of questions after they look at the diary,” she said.

She has had some blood drawn and will get another shot in less than two weeks.

“After a week, I said, ‘Did people have side effects?’ And she said, ‘No, I can’t believe that a lot of people have come in and said there’s nothing. A couple people had headaches and diarrhea, things like that, but that’s it.’”

Trials for the H1N1 vaccine will last for six or twelve weeks and participants have blood drawn periodically so doctors can check antibody levels and see how long this vaccine lasts in the body.

The H1N1 vaccine is a standard influenza vaccine which has been used for decades. This is simply a strain change. However, doctors don't know how long the antibodies stay in our blood, so constant testing is necessary.

Between six and seven million doses of H1N1 vaccine will arrive during the first week of October.

The initial doses will be in spray form. The next shipment, a mix of spray and shots, will be available mid-October.

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www.flu.gov/individualfamily/vaccination/index.html

Vaccination

Vaccination is the best protection against contracting the flu.

You need two vaccines to be fully protected this year. The seasonal flu vaccine is different from the H1N1 (Swine) flu vaccine. The CDC is encouraging people to get both vaccinations, as soon as each is available. More…

The H1N1 (Swine) flu vaccine should be ready for the public in early-to-mid October. The FDA has approved four vaccines against the H1N1 (Swine) flu virus. More…

The CDC recommends that certain priority groups receive the H1N1 (Swine) flu vaccine as soon as it becomes available. The CDC does not expect that there will be a shortage of H1N1 (Swine) flu vaccine, but it is likely that initally, the vaccine will be available in limited quantities. More…

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The Seasonal Flu Vaccine and the H1N1 (Swine) Flu Vaccine
The seasonal flu vaccine and the H1N1 (Swine) flu vaccine are separate vaccinations. A seasonal vaccine is distributed routinely every year, the H1N1 (Swine) flu vaccine is in development for the fall of 2009.

The seasonal vaccine is not expected to protect against the H1N1 (Swine) flu and the H1N1 (Swine) flu vaccine is not intended to replace the seasonal flu vaccine. Each protects against a different virus and is intended to be used along-side the other.

It is anticipated that seasonal flu and H1N1 (Swine) flu vaccines may be administered on the same day. However, it is likely that the seasonal vaccine will be available earlier than the H1N1 (Swine) flu vaccine.

It is expected that the H1N1 (Swine) flu vaccine will require two injections per individual to ensure the appropriate immune response.

The usual seasonal flu is still expected to cause illness this fall and winter. Individuals are encouraged to get their seasonal flu vaccine as soon as it is available in early fall.

The H1N1 (Swine) Flu Vaccine

Working together with scientists in the public and private sector, the CDC has isolated the new H1N1 (Swine) flu virus and modified the virus so that it can be used to make hundreds of millions of doses of vaccine. Vaccine manufacturers are now using these materials to begin vaccine production.

On September 15, 2009, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced it has approved four vaccines against the 2009 H1N1 (Swine) flu virus. The vaccines will be distributed nationally to the states after initial lots become available in early-to-mid October. More information on the 2009 H1N1 (Swine) flu vaccine.

On September 21, 2008, the National Institutes of Health announced that that the H1N1 (Swine) flu vaccine will likely require just one 15-microgram dose for children 10 to 17 years of age. The immune responses in children nine years old and younger were not as strong. Studies show the immune response is very similar to the seasonal flu vaccination. More information on H1N1 (Swine) flu vaccine trial testing.

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Priority Groups Recommended to Receive the H1N1 (Swine) Flu Vaccine

The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a panel made up of medical and public health experts, recommends several groups receive the H1N1 (Swine) flu vaccine as soon as it becomes available:

Pregnant women because they are at higher risk of complications and can potentially provide protection to infants who cannot be vaccinated.

Household contacts and caregivers for children younger than 6 months of age because younger infants are at higher risk of influenza-related complications and cannot be vaccinated. Vaccination of those in close contact with infants less than 6 months old might help protect infants by “cocooning” them from the virus.

Healthcare and emergency medical services personnel because infections among healthcare workers have been reported and this can be a potential source of infection for vulnerable patients. Also, increased absenteeism among healthcare professionals could reduce healthcare system capacity.

All people from 6 months through 24 years of age

Children from 6 months through 18 years of age because there have been many cases of H1N1 (Swine) flu in children and they are in close contact with each other in school and day care settings, which increases the likelihood of disease spread.

Young adults 19 through 24 years of age because there have been many cases of H1N1 (Swine) flu in these healthy young adults and they often live, work, and study in close proximity, and they are a frequently mobile population.

Persons aged 25 through 64 years who have health conditions associated with higher risk of medical complications from influenza.

More information on the H1N1 (Swine) flu vaccination recommendations

More information for specific groups

The CDC does not expect that there will be a shortage of H1N1 (Swine) flu vaccine, but vaccine availability and demand can be unpredictable. It is likely that initially, the vaccine will be available in limited quantities.

In addition to the priority groups outlined above, the CDC has the following recommendations for adults certain medical conditions such as cancer, blood disorders, chronic lung disease, diabetes and several others:

Information About the Flu for People with Certain Medical Conditions [PDF]

Adults with Asthma Should Receive Flu Vaccination

What Adults with HIV Infection Should Know About the H1N1 (Swine) Flu

In addition to the vaccine recommendations, the following clinical guidance is currently available:

Interim Guidance for the Detection of Novel Influenza A Virus Using Rapid Influenza Diagnostic Tests

Dosage, Administration, and Storage

CDC Guidelines for Large-Scale Influenza Vaccination Clinic Planning

Antivirals drugs are prescription medications (pills, liquid or an inhaler). They can be used for prevention or treatment of flu viruses.

www.flu.gov/individualfamily/about/seasonalflu/index.html

Seasonal Flu

The seasonal flu is contagious and can cause mild to severe illness; and in some cases can lead to death. More…

The timing and severity of this year’s flu season is uncertain. More…

Type A and B flu viruses cause epidemics in the United States every year. More…


The symptoms for the common cold and the seasonal flu are similar. More…

Get vaccinated to protect yourself from the flu. If you do get sick, follow our treatment advice. More…

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Seasonal Flu Basics
Influenza (the flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It spreads from person-to-person and can cause mild to severe illness; and in some cases, can lead to death.

In the United States, yearly outbreaks of seasonal flu usually happen during the fall through early spring.

The best way to prevent the flu is by getting a flu vaccination each year.

Flu viruses can cause illness in people of any age group. Children are most likely to get sick because their immune systems aren’t strong enough to fight off the infection.

Some groups are more likely to have complications from the seasonal flu. These include:

those age 65 and older
children younger than 2 years old
people of any age who have chronic medical conditions (e.g. diabetes, asthma, congestive heart failure, lung disease)
Complications from the flu can include:
bacterial pneumonia
ear or sinus infections
dehydration
worsening of chronic medical conditions

Every year in the United States, on average:

5 to 20 percent of the population get the flu

More than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu-related complications

About 36,000 people die from flu-related causes

Download free flu materials from CDC

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The 2009-2010 Flu Season
Flu seasons are unpredictable in a number of ways, including the timing of the beginning, severity, and length of the flu season.

This flu season (2009-2010), there are more uncertainties than usual because of the emergence of a new 2009 H1N1 (Swine) flu virus.

Severity is uncertain. The 2009 H1N1 (Swine) flu virus – along with regular seasonal viruses – will cause illness, hospital stays, and deaths this flu season in the United States. Scientists are concerned that the 2009 H1N1 virus may cause the season to be worse than a regular flu season – with a lot more people getting sick, being hospitalized and dying than during a regular flu season.

Timing is uncertain. In past years, seasonal flu activity typically did not reach its peak in the U.S. until January or February, but flu activity has occurred as late as May. However, the 2009 H1N1 (Swine) flu virus caused illness, hospitalizations, and deaths in the U.S. during the summer months when influenza is very uncommon. So it is not known when flu activity will increase, when it will be most intense (peak), what viruses will circulate, or how long the season might last.

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Flu Viruses

There are three types of flu viruses: A, B and C. The A and B viruses cause epidemics (widespread outbreaks in a country) of infection in people every year in the United States.

Type C infections cause mild respiratory illness and are not thought to cause epidemics.

Type A viruses are divided into subtypes. Subtypes of type A that have been found in people worldwide include H1N1, H1N2, and H3N2 viruses.

Flu viruses are constantly changing. A global flu pandemic (worldwide outbreak) can happen if three conditions are met:

A new subtype of type A virus is introduced into the human population.

The virus causes serious illness in humans.

The virus can spread easily from person-to-person in a sustained manner.

The H1N1 (Swine) Flu met all three conditions and caused a worldwide outbreak. In late spring, the WHO declared that a H1N1 (Swine) flu pandemic is underway.

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Flu Symptoms and Cold vs. Flu
Common Symptoms
Possible Symptoms

fever (usually high)
tiredness (can be extreme)
headache
dry cough
sore throat
runny or stuffy nose
muscle aches

These symptoms may occur, but are more likely in children than adults:

nausea
vomiting
diarrhea
Note that these additional symptoms may also be a sign of the H1N1 (Swine) flu.

Is it a Cold or the Flu?

Flu and the common cold are both respiratory illnesses, but they are caused by different viruses.

Flu and the common cold have similar symptoms (e.g. fever, sore throat). It can be difficult to tell the difference between them.
Your doctor can give you a flu test within the first few days of your illness to determine whether you have the flu.
In general, the flu is worse than the common cold.
Symptoms such as fever, body aches, extreme tiredness, and dry cough are more common and intense with the flu.

Colds are usually milder than the flu. People with colds are more likely to have a runny or stuffy nose.

Colds generally do not result in serious health problems, such as pneumonia, bacterial infections, or hospitalizations.

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Seasonal Flu – Vaccination, Prevention and Treatment
Vaccination is the best protection against contracting the flu. You need two vaccines to be fully protected this year. The seasonal flu vaccine is different from the H1N1 (Swine) flu vaccine. The CDC is encouraging people to get both vaccinations. Get the seasonal vaccination as soon as possible and get the H1N1 (Swine) flu vaccination as soon as it is available in early fall.

More information on Vaccination

Find a Flu Clinic Near You and Get Vaccinated. Visit the Seasonal Flu Clinic Locator on this site.

For more prevention information, and what to do if you get the flu, follow our advice for Prevention and Treatment

CLICK HERE TO FIND PODCASTS ABOUT THE A-HIN1 FROM "CREDIBLE" SOURCES:

www.flu.gov/individualfamily/about/h1n1/index.html

HOW DO VACCINES WORK?

www.wisegeek.com/how-do-vaccines-work.htm

Before vaccines were invented the only way to create immunity in the body was to suffer through a bout of the disease in question. Once endured, providing you survived, your immune system could fight off any future infections before they took hold. B-cells in the bloodstream, responsible for fighting off the disease, retain memory of the disease. If the disease returned, the immune system launched a quick attack before the disease could take hold.

Vaccines are safe because the viruses or bacterias used in vaccines have been severely compromised in a laboratory by one of several strategies.

In the case of measles, mumps and chickenpox, the virus's ability to reproduce rapidly is weakened. Normally these viruses cause illness by reproducing themselves thousands of times in the body. The virus used in a vaccine may reproduce itself 20 times or less, but this is still enough to initiate B-cell reaction and cell memory. One or two vaccines of a live, weakened virus will make a person immune for life. Unfortunately this type of vaccine is not safe for people with compromised immune systems, such as those suffering with cancer or AIDS.

Another strategy is to deactivate a virus by killing it with a chemical. Now the virus cannot reproduce at all, yet the presence of the dead virus in the body still generates a response by B-cells, producing antibodies and a memory record. However, as safe as this method is for people with weakened immune systems, its drawback is that it takes several vaccines to achieve long-lasting immunity. Vaccines of this type include polio, influenza, hepatitis A, and rabies.

For hepatitis B only a part of the virus is used -- a protein taken from the surface of the virus. In this case B-cells respond to the protein, immunizing the body against the entire virus. This vaccine is safe for people with weakened immune systems but requires three doses for lifetime immunity.

Several bacterial diseases have vaccines based on using part of the bacteria as well. These bacteria make harmful proteins called toxins. The toxins can be inactivated with a chemical. Once the toxin is inactivated, the bacteria is harmless, and therefore so is the vaccine. Two examples of this type of vaccine are diphtheria and tetanus.

But the most familiar vaccine of all is the flu vaccine.

Many people get the flu shot every year, which contains dead influenza viruses, while the nasal-spray flu vaccine contains live, weakened viruses. The nasal spray is normally given to healthy individuals between age 5 and 49. The flu shot can be administered to anyone 6 months or older, regardless of health. Each flu vaccine contains 3 different flu viruses, prevalent that year.

As always, check with your doctor for vaccinations that are best-suited to your personal health profile.

[nodstar]

Hiya EDO Team

Thanks so much for keeping us all updated

Lotsa love

Nod

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General Notice to all Members

My apologies to you all for the delay in reopening the subboards

It will be a few more days .. but feel free to post in the other threads

lotsa love

Nod

[nodstar]

Samoa tsunami kills 'at least 20'[/size]

BBC News South Pacific
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8281616.stm



Map

A tsunami caused by a powerful earthquake in the South Pacific has killed at least 20 people and injured 50 in Samoa, local media report.

Dr Lemalu Fiu of the main hospital in the capital, Apia, said the number of casualties is expected to rise as the injured arrive from coastal areas.

An 8.3-magnitude quake struck at 1748 GMT, generating 5.1ft (1.57m) waves in Apia and Pago Pago, American Samoa.

A Pacific tsunami warning was issued, but it has now been cancelled.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC) said the quake struck at a depth of 33km (20 miles) some 190km from Apia.

Radio New Zealand quoted Samoan residents as saying that villages were inundated and homes and cars swept away. Some of the victims in Samoa are believed to have been children.

"I can confirm there is damage, I can confirm there are deaths and I can confirm there are casualties," a Western Samoa police spokeswoman told Reuters.

"I cannot say any more at the moment."


The water was swirling like a spa pool outwards [towards] the rim of the lagoon and in a few seconds the water sunk
Ula Osasa-Mano
Eyewitness

How earthquakes happen
Animated guide: Tsunamis

Samoalive News said local radio stations had been receiving reported of high sea swells hitting coastal areas on the eastern and southern side of Upolu island

"School has been called off for the day with tsunami warnings calling for people to head to higher grounds," the website said.

Witnesses have reported scenes of destruction.

"It's horrible... The village is gone and my once beautiful beach front villa has now being submerged in water," Josh Nayangu told the BBC after fleeing the area on a small fishing boat with his wife and son.

Ula Osasa-Mano, who was visiting family on the island, told the BBC the water along the Apia seawall was turbulent.

"The water was kind of swirling like a spa pool outwards [towards] the rim of the lagoon and in a few seconds the water sunk," Ula Osasa-Mano said.

General alert

The PTWC - a branch of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - issued a general alert for the South Pacific region.

Stuart Weinstein, the deputy director of the PTWC, told the BBC that the agency was monitoring the situation, but said the wave was expected to be "much smaller" than the 2004 Asian tsunami which killed about 230,000 people in 11 countries.

Mr Weinstein said Tuesday's quake had only had 3% of the energy generated by the 2004 quake.

He said he expected the quake to be destructive in the areas closest to the epicentre, but said it "remains to be seen" how far any devastation would spread.

By 2200 GMT, the tsunami warning had been cancelled.

The Samoa islands comprise two separate entities - the nation of Samoa and American Samoa, a US territory - with a total population of about 250,000 people.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Death toll rises after tsunami sweeps Pacific[/size]

By Correspondent Kerri Ritchie and reporters

Posted 51 minutes ago
Updated 9 minutes ago

ABC News Australia

www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/09/30/2700290.htm

Destructive: the quake struck off the coast of American Samoa this morning (Reuters: Hugh Gentry)

At least 40 people are now reported to have been killed in the Samoan islands after a powerful 8.3-magnitude earthquake sent tsunami waves smashing into the coast of Samoa this morning.

Many more people are reported to have been washed out to sea and there are reports that villages have been completely wiped out.

There are also reports that seven Australians are in hospital although Parliamentary Secretary for International Development Assistance Bob McMullan says all the injured Australians have received appropriate treatment and are stable. DFAT says Australians who are concerned about friends or relatives in the region can call a special hotline on 1300 555 135.

But fears of a major tsunami hitting New Zealand do not appear to have eventuated, with the latest reports from the country's east coast saying the tsunami was only 40cm high on impact.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre has now downgraded its Pacific-wide warning.

The tsunami was generated by a magnitude-8.3 earthquake which struck 190 kilometres southwest of American Samoa this morning.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said waves 1.57 metres tall hit American Samoa, while 0.7 metre waves were recorded in Samoa.

At least 14 people have been reported dead in American Samoa and at least five in Samoa. Reports said the tsunami flattened houses and swept away cars.

There are also fears for the fate of the island communities between Samoa and New Zealand, with three-metre waves reported from the area.

A reporter for Radio Polynesia told Radio New Zealand that villages were "wiped out" by the tsunami and people had been reported missing.

The Samoan capital Apia has been evacuated and thousands of people have been moved to higher ground. Neighbouring American Samoa has also been severely damaged by the 'quake and tsunami and it is expected casualties will be high.

A spokesman for New Zealand's Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully says the minister's office has received reports of five people dead in Samoa and "many more washed out to sea".

Australian resident Lynne Coles says she has been unable to get any information about family members on Samoa's south coast.

She says two of her cousins were killed in a car crash, caused by the initial earthquake. "They were driving on the road and as the earthquake erupted the road was cut in half ... the people were seen being thrown off the car as the earthquake erupted," she said.

The general manager of Southseas Broadcasting, Joey Cummings, said cars were swept out to sea and the water reached the second floor of the Pago Plaza building in the American Samoa capital Pago Pago.

Vincent Ilui from the village of Leone in American Samoa says the tsunami struck so quickly some people were drenched when they arrived on higher ground.

"Currently it's been announced on the radio, from the emergency operating centre ... that there's been 14 reported deaths so far and six of them are here in my village," he said.

Houses flattened

Olga Keil, a journalist working in Samoa, described the damage.

"We've got reports from the south-eastern side of the main island, where houses have been completely flattened, vehicles have been swept out to sea, boulders that have fallen of the mountain along the coastal areas," she said.

"But mainly a lot of houses in the villages on the coastal areas have been flattened by the waves."

Mr McMullan says a number of Australians have been injured but they have all received appropriate treatment and are stable.

"All of them have been able to contact their own families directly and none of them have said to the High Commission they need any special or extra assistance," he said.

"The reports from Australians suggest it was a very frightening event for people, both the extent of the earthquake and the impact of the tsunami, and we are now having to make very rapid contact with everybody."

Australian Nick Rees told ABC News Breakfast that his parents had called him to tell him the tsunami had hit the southern side of the main Samoan island, completely destroying their hotel.

"They've lost everything they have ... [but] they're alive and they're OK, my dad has broken some ribs," he said, adding that some people were missing from the hotel.

Mr Rees said he thought the guests had very little warning.

"There were people from their hotel missing... I'm assuming if dad's injured and there are people missing it was pretty quick," he said.

A brief statement issued by the Joint Australian Tsunami Warning Centre, operated by the Bureau of Meteorology and Geoscience Australia, said no Australian territory would be hit by the tsunami.

But senior meteorologist Tony Leggett says the New South Wales and Southern Queensland coastline could experience some unusual currents later this morning.

Russell Hunter, a journalist with the Samoa Observer, says the quake lasted a minute-and-a-half.

"There doesn't seem to be any damage around the capital. We are told there have been deaths on other side of the island as a result of the following tsunami - so far we are told three children in a small village on the other side of the island," he said.

Australian Miyako Armitage was working out in the gym of an Apia Hotel in Samoa when the earthquake hit.

"I thought that the men were rattling the weights a little bit too loudly, but it turned out to be quite a big earthquake," she said.

"So we ran out, as we stood around in the middle of the road we saw the building swaying quite a lot. That was quite scary."

The USA's Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre had earlier issued a tsunami warning for a large swathe of the South Pacific including Fiji, New Zealand and Tonga after the US Geological Survey (USGS) reported a 7.9 magnitude quake.

The centre later said an 8.3 magnitude quake had been recorded at a depth of 33 kilometres. It was not immediately clear if this was the same quake and the USGS's website did not provide exact details of its location.

In its preliminary earthquake report, the US Geological Survey put the epicentre 204 kilometres south-south-west of Samoa's capital Apia and at a depth of 85 kilometres.

The USGS said the region was struck by a 5.6 magnitude quake about 20 minutes after the first.

[nodstar]

Secret life of plants and animals vital in warming struggle[/size]

Sydney Morning Herald
www.smh.com.au/environment/secret-life-of-plants-and-animals-vital-in-warming-struggle-20090929-gb4j.html

TOM ARUP ENVIRONMENT CORRESPONDENT
September 30, 2009

THE world must invest more in identifying plants and animal species in the wake of climate change, the author of a new audit of global species has warned.

Arthur Chapman, an Australian researcher who has written the only report known to document all of the world's known species, said the extinction threat globally from climate change and other environmental pressures made it more important than ever to know what species existed.

He said a shortage of taxonomists - scientists who identify and classify species - in a number of key fields was slowing the global rate of identifying species.

Mr Chapman's Numbers of Living Species in Australia and the World report was released yesterday by the Environment Minister, Peter Garrett, in Townsville. The report collated existing scientific data and reports from a variety of countries, research bodies and official agencies.

It found that the world now has 1.9 million identified species, while Australia has identified just short of 150,000, just a quarter of all Australian flora and fauna.

It found the best estimates of all plants and animals species are 570,000 in Australia and 11 million worldwide.

Mr Garrett said yesterday that scientific research was alive and well in Australia and that the report showed that over the past three years ''we've discovered 48 reptiles, eight frogs, eight mammals, 1184 flowering plants and 904 spiders, mites and scorpions.

"But we have a long way to go - we have discovered and named only about a quarter of Australia's estimated number of flora and fauna. We need this essential information to do a better job of managing our biodiversity against the threats of invasive species, habitat loss and climate change.''

Mr Chapman told the Herald that Australia was one of 12 ''mega-diverse'' countries, and his report showed Australia had a greater rate of endemic species than first thought.

The report found that 90 per cent of mammals and reptiles found in Australia are endemic.

It also found that the 1541 of Australia's species are now listed as threatened with extinction, making up 9 per cent of the all threatened species on the planet. There are 16,956 threatened species globally.

The Greens senator Rachel Siewert said the alarming rates of threatened species in the report highlighted the urgency in protecting ''flora and fauna from processes such as land clearing, inappropriate development, disease and feral plants and animals''.

[nodstar]

TO ALL THE MEMBERS[/size]

Thanks for the pms ;D

It will be a few days more before the private section is open again

A soon as it's accessible, a pm will be sent you all.

Thanks for being so patient.

Nod[/size]

[emeraldsun]

A new wings report from Karen. Blessings to each and all, may we Holy re-member who we are.

The Dawn Breaks...A New Day Finally Arrives

September 28, 2009


Welcome!

With Mercury going forward once again, the final piece of our new arrival is finally in place. And with this event, we will see much more of a forward movement and a secure locking in of our very new spaces.

This means no more waking up pre-dawn, at 3:00 a.m., 4:00 a.m., or 5:00 a.m. and unable to go back to sleep! For many of us, we will finally be able to sleep through an entire night! We are removed from the higher realities, or what occurs in dream state, at certain intervals during the ascension process, as much is going on at these levels, and we need to be clear and removed while things are re-calibrating and being put into place. Thus, we may fall asleep comfortably, but continue to wake up precisely at the same time each morning, with an inability to go back again. It is all part of the process of moving forward.

As our disconnections have occurred in their entirety, and our new spaces finally and completely prepared, we need now only step into them with all of our being. Who will be alongside of us now? Who and what has “made the cut,” and is now residing where we are residing? (A brief note to forerunners: There are fewer souls at your level, as you are the ones forging very, very new territory, but rest assured, you will connect with your partners none-the-less.)

Individuals and energies who have assisted in bringing forth our new places and spaces, may suddenly depart, as their role was in assisting us to get where we needed to be, and now they will depart for their rightful and true spaces, if even no longer in ours. On this note, this final anchoring in will herald the new way in regard to the earth angels as the official caretakers of the planet. In times past, we assisted in bringing up the vibration of the planet, left for a new reality of our making, and now we will absolutely and unequivacably be at the helm, in control, and able to create without resistance and challenge, a very new earth within our very new reality. There will now be a distinct changing of the guard in regard to who or what is now in our new spaces.

Many are reporting sudden arrivals of new money. Whether in the form of inheritances, early retirements, gifts, or the like, these new sources of income will assist in placing many of us right where we need to be. These gifts from above, are supporting us in being where we need to be, creating our new release and new freedom, so that we can now completely anchor into our very new spaces. Like sudden synchronicities from above, we can know that all is in divine and perfect order as we are being supported as never before in strange and miraculous ways.

And yet some are still feeling stuck in between. Feeling stuck can occur when we have not yet been willing to really let go of what we need to let go of. If we are still hanging on to things, we will be placed in the energy of the old, where we no longer live and vibrate, and this can feel very uncomfortable at best. Another way to get “un-stuck” is to stay in positive thinking. To identify and envision what we really and truly want for ourselves in all ways, and know it will finally be arriving very soon. Going back to the old, no matter where we are now residing, can feel downright awful. We cannot go back, as the lower rungs are simply far too dense, and at this point, will feel like a reality where we simply no longer belong…somewhere from a distant past that belongs to someone else. And it can even make us feel ill and decaying.

With this new movement, rapid heartbeat can occur once again, as the energies are moving, and feelings of hyperventilating can occur as well. Before we arrived in this space, in weeks past, we may have experienced a definite squeezing, as though we were trying to push some density through a tight hole. This manifested as headaches, severe allergies, body pain, and an overall feeling of barely being able to move around. This has now passed, and feeling lighter, with perhaps lots of energy moving around in the head area, and even weight loss that actually stays off for a change, can be common symptoms as well. I have been thrilled to have lost 25 pounds in the past few months, and it is finally staying off, restoring me to my normal and familiar weight before the ascension process began.

As we begin to arrive in these very new spaces, we will also begin to connect with new people as well. Having lost so many with the advent of the separation of the worlds, we will now connect with very new families who will be right for us in every way. Some will be at lower rungs of the vibrational ladder than we may be, but will be needed in arenas where we need to establish our store-fronts. Others may be on higher rungs, but will be needed to guide and assist us. It does not matter what rung, as we will all connect in relation to where our energy overlaps, or what we have in common, and seeing the divinity in each and every face, is all that is ever needed.

Feelings of insecurity that we may have experienced in the past, due to having no sense of place and a loss of our old identity, will now cease to a large degree…thank goodness! With the advent of very new roles, perhaps new geographical residences, and new brothers and sisters to mingle with, things will now feel back to normal, if even a very new normal.

Most recently, and in times to come, energy shifts will arrive in big bangs. Like a missile hitting dense targets, we will feel big shake-ups for no apparent reason, and they will most likely not affect us at all. We are simply feeling the shake-ups that are occurring in the old world and old reality….a place where we no longer reside. These big bangs are like bombs going off behind a closed door, as although we may feel their impact in an indirect way, we will not be able to see and experience what they are creating, as we will be in another world entirely.

So although we will now have the world at our fingertips, becoming too giddy, focusing too much on having our own way and thinking it is all about us and what we want, will only serve to activate immense ego energy within, and defeat the purpose of the ascension process and all it has created up until now. Over and over I have seen this pattern…”Wow! My book has finally been published! Yipeee! Things are finally going my way! I got my new land! I bought a new house! I’m finally back on track and happy again!”

Yes, of course we are supposed to be happy. And yes, we are supposed to be able to create what we want. But what the ascension process creates, is a loss of our density within, or our ego states. So as we progress ever forward expanding and growing in consciousness, what we may have wanted to create in the past, no longer fits where and who we are now. This is why we are frequently blocked with the ascension process in regard to creating, as what we may have wanted to create at one time, no longer fits and we would simply have to undo our new creations, or back out and go somewhere else.

As we expand and evolve, we begin to notice what is around us, and most importantly, who is around us. Thus, it is not about us and what we want for ourselves, but much more about how we now fit into the whole. What do we desire to create, that fits into the whole and serves to support the whole? And know as well, that having large swings in mood in regard to being blissfully happy and joyous as everything is going our way one minute, and down and depressed because nothing is happening for us, are signs as well that our egos are running the show.

Stay centered with your new creations. Remember what the ascension process has taught us. Remember that suffering always serves to connect us to a higher place and to our source, as well as bringing us together. Know that we are always where we need to be, no matter what that looks like. Remember that there is no good, bad, right, or wrong, but only source within us at any given moment. And remember as well, to notice who is by your side, who has helped you the most, and who is in your new space, while you revere and honor their creations as well…as they are very much a part of your very new reality and will serve to sustain you in all ways.

With much love and gratitude,

Karen

Link at:http://www.emergingearthangels.com/2009/wings9.28.2009.html

On a personal note my world has certainly changed again. Out of the blue my MIA first born Daugther has shown up as if in divine order to be healed and made Hol-I again. Seems she has chosen to switch paths and stop whallowing in darkness mistakingly thinking she was helping lost souls. Whoo Hooo May she find divine grace within. What a weight lifted!

emeraldsun

[nodstar]

Sept 30, 2009 21:26:44 GMT 4 @emeraldsun said:

A new wings report from Karen. Blessings to each and all, may we Holy re-member who we are.

The Dawn Breaks...A New Day Finally Arrives

September 28, 2009


Welcome!

With Mercury going forward once again, the final piece of our new arrival is finally in place. And with this event, we will see much more of a forward movement and a secure locking in of our very new spaces.

This means no more waking up pre-dawn, at 3:00 a.m., 4:00 a.m., or 5:00 a.m. and unable to go back to sleep! For many of us, we will finally be able to sleep through an entire night! We are removed from the higher realities, or what occurs in dream state, at certain intervals during the ascension process, as much is going on at these levels, and we need to be clear and removed while things are re-calibrating and being put into place. Thus, we may fall asleep comfortably, but continue to wake up precisely at the same time each morning, with an inability to go back again. It is all part of the process of moving forward.

As our disconnections have occurred in their entirety, and our new spaces finally and completely prepared, we need now only step into them with all of our being. Who will be alongside of us now? Who and what has “made the cut,” and is now residing where we are residing? (A brief note to forerunners: There are fewer souls at your level, as you are the ones forging very, very new territory, but rest assured, you will connect with your partners none-the-less.)

Individuals and energies who have assisted in bringing forth our new places and spaces, may suddenly depart, as their role was in assisting us to get where we needed to be, and now they will depart for their rightful and true spaces, if even no longer in ours. On this note, this final anchoring in will herald the new way in regard to the earth angels as the official caretakers of the planet. In times past, we assisted in bringing up the vibration of the planet, left for a new reality of our making, and now we will absolutely and unequivacably be at the helm, in control, and able to create without resistance and challenge, a very new earth within our very new reality. There will now be a distinct changing of the guard in regard to who or what is now in our new spaces.

Many are reporting sudden arrivals of new money. Whether in the form of inheritances, early retirements, gifts, or the like, these new sources of income will assist in placing many of us right where we need to be. These gifts from above, are supporting us in being where we need to be, creating our new release and new freedom, so that we can now completely anchor into our very new spaces. Like sudden synchronicities from above, we can know that all is in divine and perfect order as we are being supported as never before in strange and miraculous ways.

And yet some are still feeling stuck in between. Feeling stuck can occur when we have not yet been willing to really let go of what we need to let go of. If we are still hanging on to things, we will be placed in the energy of the old, where we no longer live and vibrate, and this can feel very uncomfortable at best. Another way to get “un-stuck” is to stay in positive thinking. To identify and envision what we really and truly want for ourselves in all ways, and know it will finally be arriving very soon. Going back to the old, no matter where we are now residing, can feel downright awful. We cannot go back, as the lower rungs are simply far too dense, and at this point, will feel like a reality where we simply no longer belong…somewhere from a distant past that belongs to someone else. And it can even make us feel ill and decaying.

With this new movement, rapid heartbeat can occur once again, as the energies are moving, and feelings of hyperventilating can occur as well. Before we arrived in this space, in weeks past, we may have experienced a definite squeezing, as though we were trying to push some density through a tight hole. This manifested as headaches, severe allergies, body pain, and an overall feeling of barely being able to move around. This has now passed, and feeling lighter, with perhaps lots of energy moving around in the head area, and even weight loss that actually stays off for a change, can be common symptoms as well. I have been thrilled to have lost 25 pounds in the past few months, and it is finally staying off, restoring me to my normal and familiar weight before the ascension process began.

As we begin to arrive in these very new spaces, we will also begin to connect with new people as well. Having lost so many with the advent of the separation of the worlds, we will now connect with very new families who will be right for us in every way. Some will be at lower rungs of the vibrational ladder than we may be, but will be needed in arenas where we need to establish our store-fronts. Others may be on higher rungs, but will be needed to guide and assist us. It does not matter what rung, as we will all connect in relation to where our energy overlaps, or what we have in common, and seeing the divinity in each and every face, is all that is ever needed.

Feelings of insecurity that we may have experienced in the past, due to having no sense of place and a loss of our old identity, will now cease to a large degree…thank goodness! With the advent of very new roles, perhaps new geographical residences, and new brothers and sisters to mingle with, things will now feel back to normal, if even a very new normal.

Most recently, and in times to come, energy shifts will arrive in big bangs. Like a missile hitting dense targets, we will feel big shake-ups for no apparent reason, and they will most likely not affect us at all. We are simply feeling the shake-ups that are occurring in the old world and old reality….a place where we no longer reside. These big bangs are like bombs going off behind a closed door, as although we may feel their impact in an indirect way, we will not be able to see and experience what they are creating, as we will be in another world entirely.

So although we will now have the world at our fingertips, becoming too giddy, focusing too much on having our own way and thinking it is all about us and what we want, will only serve to activate immense ego energy within, and defeat the purpose of the ascension process and all it has created up until now. Over and over I have seen this pattern…”Wow! My book has finally been published! Yipeee! Things are finally going my way! I got my new land! I bought a new house! I’m finally back on track and happy again!”

Yes, of course we are supposed to be happy. And yes, we are supposed to be able to create what we want. But what the ascension process creates, is a loss of our density within, or our ego states. So as we progress ever forward expanding and growing in consciousness, what we may have wanted to create in the past, no longer fits where and who we are now. This is why we are frequently blocked with the ascension process in regard to creating, as what we may have wanted to create at one time, no longer fits and we would simply have to undo our new creations, or back out and go somewhere else.

As we expand and evolve, we begin to notice what is around us, and most importantly, who is around us. Thus, it is not about us and what we want for ourselves, but much more about how we now fit into the whole. What do we desire to create, that fits into the whole and serves to support the whole? And know as well, that having large swings in mood in regard to being blissfully happy and joyous as everything is going our way one minute, and down and depressed because nothing is happening for us, are signs as well that our egos are running the show.

Stay centered with your new creations. Remember what the ascension process has taught us. Remember that suffering always serves to connect us to a higher place and to our source, as well as bringing us together. Know that we are always where we need to be, no matter what that looks like. Remember that there is no good, bad, right, or wrong, but only source within us at any given moment. And remember as well, to notice who is by your side, who has helped you the most, and who is in your new space, while you revere and honor their creations as well…as they are very much a part of your very new reality and will serve to sustain you in all ways.

With much love and gratitude,

Karen

Link at:http://www.emergingearthangels.com/2009/wings9.28.2009.html

On a personal note my world has certainly changed again. Out of the blue my MIA first born Daugther has shown up as if in divine order to be healed and made Hol-I again. Seems she has chosen to switch paths and stop whallowing in darkness mistakingly thinking she was helping lost souls. Whoo Hooo May she find divine grace within. What a weight lifted!

emeraldsun

Hiya Emeraldsun .

I get Karen Bishops monthly updates as well.
No matter that they're channeled or intuitive, there's always
some worth in these sort of writings.

Personally I find her letters very uplifting

Thanks for posting it here

Peace Out

Nod

[nodstar]

Hey Papa T ;D

A PM awaits you

Nod