To Jodi, Jill..GHT: A topic that excites us!!

December 17, 2004

Hi Jill, Jodi, others..

Just taking a peek at this hot discussion on GHT. I have been around for 8

years on various listserves, and find that this issue comes around from time

to time. It tends to create very heated, emotional discussions. Jodi made

great points, and I agree with her, so I won't repeat them here.

I am one of those parents who fits into two categories, and oddly they

co-exist! My son has taken GHT for 5 years AND I am skeptical of overuse of

meds! But, there has to be some trust as we go through this process with

our children. As Jodi said, most sectors in our society are money-making

entities, whether it's the people who publish textbooks for our schools,

provide the therapy for our kids, stock our shelves with food, etc...What

balances unending " greed " is who we are as a people, oversight,

communication, and yes, government agencies.

I think discussing the pros/cons of any treatment for our children is very

useful. I would hate to see it censored off this list. GHT is tricky

because we parents HATE the fact that we have to give our kids shots and

give a medicine for a long term! Unlike some other meds, however, time is

our enemy. With every month, every day that passes by, our children's bones

get closer to stopping growth in the growth plates. We don't have the

luxury to wait until every potential controversy is settled.

I have a very personal relationship to this issue. I am surviving breast

cancer, and one year away from diagnosis, the studies keep changing as to

what meds to take. Just yesterday, a study came out saying that 50% of

early stage breast cancers do not benefit from chemo. I just finished my

chemo earlier this year!!! If I had to do it again, would I risk all the

damage chemo does to the body (hair loss, bone loss, etc..) to go for that

50% chance of being helped? You bet. Will there be a study next year

saying that the Tamoxifen I am taking actually hurts me? Maybe. We have to

take a leap of faith and trust that our children's " team " (the docs, the

listserve, other parents, therapists, FDA, government, etc...are on our

side!)

And, on a MAGIC note. NExt year's convention will have a new presentation

on the statistics of GHT therapy and its success/issues. I'm really looking

forward to it.

Katy Badt Frissora

co Consultant, Silver Syndrome Division

126 Lexington Avenue

Fair Haven, NJ 07704

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