Seysonn,, I don't agree with what you said. Let me give a link that showed that Salmonella, which I referred to above, can directly get into the flesh of tomatoes. I also said it wouldbe rare for Salmonella to do so, but it serves as a protoptype for this. Bacteria, fungi and parasites and viruses and viroids cannot be taken up by the roots b'c they are too big to do so. Root hairs are only several microns wide while what I mentioned above as to bacteria and fungi are MANY microns wide, depends on thes pecific pathogen. The soilborne systemic diseases we know of,like Fusarium and Verticillium attach to specific attachement sites ON the exterior of root hairs but Salmonella and Campylobacter and the enterotoxigenic E.coli s,for example, have no attachment sites on the root hairs. In the link below you'll also read about contamination of Mexican melons. I just got an e-mail yestrday, from George, a tomato friend,who lives near Rocky Ford, CO on the western slope which is reknowned for their melons and also peaches. And I know this b'c I spent many years in Denver and we looked forward to those making it over the Rockies to Eastern CO. Last year George sent me some Rocky Ford melons and they were great. But it's taken quite a few years to get them being popular again when several of the largest lplaces were shut down b'c of bacterial interior contamination of their melons. There were lawsuits and I think deaths as well,I didn't take the time to Google that event. Carolyn Here is a link that might be useful: Salmonella and tomatoes

Seagrass, you made me smile with the "old hippie" reference. That's what my kids call me and I remind them that I'm not THAT old, geez. When my Aunt Ronni had her mastectomy, nothing tasted good except chocolate milk, I think she lived on it. Nothing I could cook, bake or buy sounded good, except that chocolate milk, so maybe chocolate really does have medicinal qualities. I think the hats and scarves are a good idea, it's getting cold here, as well as a funny video or two, something family friendly since she has small children. I think letters and cards with maybe an occasional "I'm thinking of you" surprise would be nice, not overwhelming but enough to let her know you're thinking of her. Good luck to your friend and her family, she (and they) will be in my prayers. Annie

It bothers me that soy is touted as a healthy food, and many people are eating it thinking it's a good thing. But it's NOT. I avoid all types of soy, and I've never had cancer. I've considered almond milk, rice milk, etc. but have you read the labels on these products? Carrageenan is in them all, another thing I avoid. It's also in a lot of dairy, so I read labels to find products without it. Soy, carrageenan, aspartame, the list goes on of poisons we consume. The worst of all may be genetically modified foods, and most everyone is eating loads of GMO "foods" and they don't even know it. The only way around it is to eat a whole-food, organic diet with no pre-packaged foods, snack items or restaurants. This is very hard, time-consuming and expensive. But boy can I tell a difference in the way I feel. I'm just coming off of several months of lots of eating out and snack foods, and it is hard but I'm determined to get back to a healthier diet. From the studies I've read, soy is very bad for those with cancer and thyroid, but it also is bad for anyone. Just be aware of all the other bad things in our food supply, and take the time to read up about GMO's. It opened my eyes about the FDA, for one thing, and made me realize that we are all on our own for finding healthy foods to consume.

So if it's just stretching tissue/muscle/ligaments, support will help it. Especially, if you're never without support (which was the point of my "sleeping" comment. Oops! Left that out). If it's an inflamed lymph node, you'd have get well from whatever would make it inflammed. Good point joanie. Any other symptoms you hadn't necessarily as being associated with this? For example, congestion, wheezing, sore back or painful breathing, might indicate pneumonia like joanie said. Why I asked if any medications alleviate any of the problem? It's how I realize, what might be wrong. When I had a broken bone, nothing would make it stop hurting. Nothing. Not pain relievers, ice, heat. NOTHING! So off to a doctor I went. It wasn't one of those obvious, fall and it hurts. It was a hairline fracture in a non-weight bearing bone. So, really, I couldn't figure it out. Usually, whatever helps, or doesn't, clues me in to what direction I can go to feel better. Like, if I can take a handful of Advil and my back quits hurting, it wasn't nerve stuff. Does anything put a dent in your pain level? I would think hormonal issues wouldn't be affected by pain relievers either.