I have no idea what kind of cotton Bob is working with but I grew up with 100% cotton velveteen in the living room...in those days there was no family room and my mother would wipe it with a whipped up suds of a laundry soap and then wipe with a damp terry towel and it would look like new. I have a 100% cotton sateen fabric on my livingroom sofa...it's 25 years old and now very worn...but I kept it scotch guarded and spot cleaned whan necessary....and it lasted a long time. Granted not the family room, but I have 7 grand kids and there have been kids, dogs, coffee, wine and who knows what. It's all about the weave...cotton is very durable if it's not a satin weave and quality dyed. But I would make a rule, no eating on it by people younger than 20!!! If it's a good buy...go for it! If you get 6 or 7 years out of it....they will all be close to 20 and you can get it recovered in a cream colored linen....which would be my dream sofa! Linda C

I know this is a years old post, but I still want to add my two cents anyway. Just for any future readers, and you if you happen to read this again. First off, I'm so terribly sorry that you had to go through that, and I truly wish that I had been around, with the knowledge that I now have, back then. The VCUG procedure is terrible for both parent and child alike. I had to get VCUGs constantly as I grew up, and I want to say that the trauma a child experiences during them is nothing to glance over. By the time my fifth VCUG came around I literally collapsed on the ground, begging and crying for them to not make me go through it again. Now that I'm older, I'm learning more about what happened. The doctors say no to sedation because young children are at risk of never waking up. Others say that it's because the test won't work properly- it was pointed out to me that children have the potential to pee while their under, effectively ruining the test. But honestly, I say bullsh*t. I would have rather been put under and take the risks full-heartedly, rather than go through what I had to. I felt molested, I was in pain, and I felt betrayed by both the doctors and my parents alike. I still have a hard time trusting doctors and I don't feel like I can talk to my parents about important things anymore. In one of your later posts, you said that your daughter was likely to get over it long before you would. I'm sorry, but you're likely wrong. That event will always stay with her somehow- especially if she remembers it. I had the procedure multiple times, which made it worse for me, mentally, in the long run. I'm oversensitive about my lower body now, and more skittish than I should be. I refuse to use tampons because of what I went through, and intercourse is a never for me. As another person has already mentioned: I'd rather die than go through any similar situations that relate to VCUGs. I've actually developed PTSD because of the trauma- and I'm not the only one. Many people who went through the VCUG procedure as a child have claimed to be traumatized and to have developed depression or PTSD. So if your child does remember her VCUG (ask her)- even if it's just a little bit- I suggest you pay attention to her. Look for signs that the event still lingers as a more negative memory than it should be. Even if nothing is apparently wrong now, keep an eye open. It might take years before any type of mental symptoms show themselves. For me, the most noticeable symptom that can be seen from outside perspective would be my lack of motivation. My school work suffered and I seemed to have no will to do anything with my life. It was first believed that I was just lazy- which made me feel terrible... This can become a severe problem if you don't catch it soon enough. Another thing to look out for is over-discomfort in the doctor or dentists office. Those medical tables/chairs won't look as friendly as they once did. The doctors less so. For me, I'm overly sensitive about getting shots. My distrust about doctors sticking things into me has manifested to such a normal, simple thing that most people get used to. But even now, I feel sick to my stomach when the doctor says I need one. Finally, it's possible that she may outright refuse things like tampons and thoughts of having kids in the future. This is completely normal if she remembers the VCUG. She's likely to never let anything near her lower body ever again because of it. It brings back the negative memories. I refused tampons the moment I learned about them. I managed to avoid them for the longest time, even though everyone thought me silly. (This was before we knew why I hated it.) One day, though, we travelled to Mexico to swim with sea lions in the ocean. Just my luck that my monthly began the day before the trip... When we got there, the plan was to finally get me to use a tampon. My mother took me into the bathroom, and began to explain how it worked. Visualizing it in my head scared the H*ll out of me. I broke down crying when my mom told me that it would hurt a little. To me, a little meant a lot. Thankfully, my aunt had a better solution. (Pad, plus salt water, plus temperature change would slow/stop the flow and dissolve whatever managed to escape.) I still thank her for it whenever it comes up. Anyway, bottom line is, keep an eye out for any mental problems that might show up. Being three, she probably forgot, which will make this post somewhat useless. But it's still good to know, right? Just in case. I wish I could have been here earlier. To tell you that you NEED sedation- and not the extremely light stuff that just makes you drowsy. The procedure is painful- no amount of sugar-coating from the doctors would change that. After the VCUG, when you pee, it BURNS. I've come to say that, "It burned as if I was peeing out the fires of H*ll..." And it continues to feel like that for a few hours to a few days. And again, it can be mentally scarring. I'm glad that your daughter didn't have anything wrong with her, and I'm ever so relieved that she at least didn't have to go through more than one. I hope you're both healthy and happy right now, and living your lives to the fullest. (Sorry, this is long...)

I see there is interest in this so I'll link to my animal communicator's website. The communicator, Gayle Nastazi, has always been very helpful to me. I have used her services with many of my cats in various situations; from dire emergencies (missing animal- found after 3 weeks!), to behavioral issues, to intergration and rescue issues with feral and abandonned cats that come into my care. I always learn something from every session. Although I know the whole idea strikes some people as pretty far-fetched (and that's OK), I feel comfortable saying that it has worked very effectively for me, and that I think it makes resolution of some difficult issues much easier. One thing I can say for certain is that Gayle is completely legitimate. I have met her in person. I also have no financial interest in this referral - just a hope that my suggestion might be useful. Click on the clink below and look for the Animal Communication link at the top left of the page. Carry on from there if you are interested. RE: Various Animal pee cleaners/destinkes - I think many (most?) employ some kind of enzyme. My conclusion after using all of them is that after the bottles are opened and partly used that it's possible that exposure to air in the emptying bottle degrades the enzyme significantly. It always seems to me that they work like gangbusters at first and then less so, particularly if not used up in a short time. Then I try another brand and it seems to work better (even tested side by side), but eventually poops out, too. I have tried Odor-X, Nature's Miracle and Get Serious, along with scads of others. The pattern seems to hold for all, so now I only buy in quarts not gallons, even though it's 'way cheaper in big jugs. I haven't experimented with decanting a gallon into smaller jars and keeping them closed until I've used up the other portions. Also I find it's helpful to vigorously shake the plastic bottle before applying. The idea mentioned by olychik about using rags is v. interesting and I will keep it mind. I hope that my link may be useful to you. Here is a link that might be useful: Link to Gayle Nastazi, Animal Communicator's webpage

I think I'd resent "you aren't welcome at my house", no reason given, much more than "I can't stand the screaming, please go away & leave me to my aspirin". This has been going on for 3 years, doesn't sound like it's getting better or showing promise of *ever* getting better. Maybe a little fresh air & sunshine (letting the happy couple know that their daughter's behavior is ruining family get-togethers) are called for. If for no other reason, please talk to them for the little girl's sake; she won't be at home forever, & her behavior will make her very unlikeable at school/church/everywhere, which will make her miserable indeed. I wish you the best.