Attorney General Bird Warns Iowans of “Pig-Butchering” Scams

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, April 25, 2024
Contact: Alyssa Brouillet | Communications Director | 515-823-9112 | alyssa.brouillet@ag.iowa.gov

DES MOINES—Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird today issued a warning to Iowans about a rise in “pig-butchering” scams.

In a pig-butchering scam, con artists build trust with their victims and “fatten them up” for a rip-off by flirting or developing a friendship over a long period of time. Often, scammers will first reach out over social media messaging apps and find common ground with their targets. The con artists then tell a story to convince the innocent victim to send money through cryptocurrency, where the money cannot be tracked or retrieved.

A recent example out of southeast Iowa serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of online scams. A 69-year-old man was befriended by a scammer posing as a young woman on Facebook. The scammer, who went by “Delia” from Illinois, talked with the man on Facebook messenger and over the phone for months to build the man’s trust. They bonded over common hobbies such as cooking. She then persuaded him to send money through Bitcoin, making him believe that the money was going to a pretend investment company. He started with just $1,500. But when the scammer sent fake screenshots of investment statements showing he had made $750,000 off of it, he continued to increase his investments. He invested a total of $164,000. The man even borrowed against the titles of his two Harley Davidson motorcycles. This scam came at a time when his wife had just lost her job, and they could have used the money more than ever.

“Pig-butchering scams are evil long-cons,” said Attorney General Bird. “Scammers prey on Iowans’ emotions to build trust over time before stealing their savings, ruining relationships, and taking advantage of people when they are at their most vulnerable. We are spreading the word to stop the scam.”

Pig-Butchering Scam Tactics:

• Scammers connect with Iowans on social media or dating apps, pretending to flirt or build a friendship.
• They build a relationship with their victims over time, often for weeks or months before asking for money or “investments.”
• After building a trusted relationship with their victims, scammers will tell them a story to persuade them to send money through cryptocurrency.

How to Protect Yourself:

• Be wary of connecting with strangers online, and do not accept friend requests from people you do not know.
• Do not send money through cryptocurrency. Once that money is gone, you cannot get it back.
• Seek advice and do thorough research before making an investment.
• Do not send money to people you do not personally know. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
• If Iowans are suspicious of a scam, they should contact their friends and family or the Iowa Attorney General’s office.

If you or someone you know has been targeted by a pig-butchering scam, contact the Iowa Attorney General’s office at 888-777-4590 or file a complaint online: https://www.iowaattorneygeneral.gov/for-consumers/file-a-consumer-complaint.

What pet owners should know about heartworm

Pets owners go to great lengths to ensure their animal companions are happy and healthy. Nutritious diets and routine visits to a veterinarian are two ways to keep pets healthy. Pet owners also can educate themselves about various conditions that can adversely affect their pets’ health, including heartworm.

What is heartworm?

The American Heartworm Society notes heartworm is a potentially fatal disease caused by foot-long worms that can live in the heart, lungs and associated blood vessels of affected pets. A pet affected by heartworm can develop severe lung disease, heart failure and organ damage.

Are all pets vulnerable to heartworm?

The American Veterinary Medical Association® reports that heartworm primarily infects dogs, cats and ferrets. However, wild animals like foxes and wolves also can be infected, as can animals like raccoons and opossums that many people see in their backyards and local parks. Humans also have been infected with heartworm, though the AVMA® notes such instances are rare.

Heartworm and dogs

The AHS notes dogs are a natural host for heartworms. Heartworms that live inside a dog can mature into adults and even mate and produce offspring while inside the dog. Numbers increase if the dog is not treated for heartworm. Even if a dog is treated, the effects of heartworm infection can linger after the worms are gone, contributing to lasting damage to the heart, lungs and arteries.

Symptoms of heartworm infection in dogs may not manifest early on. The AHS notes that it’s more likely symptoms will develop the longer the infection persists. Such symptoms may include:

· A mild, persistent cough

· Reluctance to exercise

· Fatigue after moderate activity

· Decreased appetite

· Weight loss

According to the AHM, active dogs, dogs with heavy heartworm infections or those with additional health problems frequently exhibit pronounced clinical signs.

Heartworm and cats

The AVMA notes diagnosis of heartworm in cats is more difficult than it is with dogs. Unlike dogs, cats are not natural hosts for heartworms, and the AHS reports most worms in cats do not make it to the adult stage. In fact, many cats with heartworm have no adult worms. That contributes to the difficulty of diagnosis, and it does not protect cats against harmful side effects of heartworm, including a condition known as heartworm associated respiratory disease (HARD).

The AHS notes that signs of heartworm in cats can be subtle or very dramatic. Sadly, the AHS also reports that the first sign of heartworm in some cases is the sudden collapse or sudden death of the cat. If cats exhibit symptoms, those signs may include:

· Coughing

· Attacks that mimic an asthma attack

· Periodic vomiting

· Lack of appetite

· Weight loss

· Difficulty walking

· Fainting or seizures

· Fluid accumulation in the abdomen

Heartworm poses a potentially serious threat to cats and dogs. Pet owners are urged to speak with their veterinarians about heartworm prevention and what to do if a pet becomes infected.

Did you know?

There’s some truth to the popular notion that “laughter is the best medicine.” The United States Department of Veterans Affairs notes that laughter has physiological effects on the body that lead to changes in body chemistry and brain function. For example, laughter increases heart and respiratory rates and oxygen consumption over a short period. These changes ultimately move individuals into a state of relaxation. Additional research has found that laughter can lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol, supporting the suggestion that laughter is an effective and even multi-faceted “medicine.”

How families can show their appreciation for teachers

Great teachers go above and beyond for their students. Students benefit from those efforts in the classroom, but many adults also can name one, two or even more educators whose lessons and enthusiasm for learning has benefitted them long after the final bell rang on their academic careers.

The efforts of teachers who go the extra mile for their students are worthy of recognition and appreciation. Families who want to express their gratitude to teachers can do so in any number of ways.

Write a note. A personal note from a student or parents or both can warm the hearts of teachers. Personal letters may not be as common as they once were, but they remain a thoughtful way to express gratitude and appreciation to people who have had a positive impact on a person’s life. That makes a personal, handwritten note an ideal and meaningful way for families to show their appreciation for a teacher.

Pitch in at school when the opportunity presents itself. Teachers seek a helping hand at various points in a given school year. A teacher might ask for volunteers to assist with holiday parties or special school events or even request help coming up with extra school supplies or items needed for a particular project. In fact, a recent survey from the Association of American Educators found that public school teachers spend an average of $673 per year of their own money on school supplies. Parents can express their appreciation for teachers by responding with enthusiasm to requests for supplies, When responding, parents can ask teachers if there’s anything else they can do to help and offer to volunteer their services during class parties.

Organize a class gift. A gift from the class around the holiday season and/or at the end of the year can let teachers know their efforts have not gone unnoticed. By pooling their resources, parents can give teachers an especially nice gift. A night out at a local restaurant or tickets to a show can make for a well-deserved excursion for educators who often work long past the school day to help students learn.

Contact higher-ups at the school. An email or phone with a school principal or another higher-up in the local school system is another way for parents to ensure the efforts of a teacher are recognized. Let the higher-ups know when a teacher has made a positive impact on a child and how much their efforts are appreciated.

Many teachers go to great lengths to support their students. Families can recognize those efforts in a host of meaningful ways that will let educators know how much they’re appreciated.

April 22, 2024

Have you ever hit a deer while driving? The odds are pretty good you have if you live in Iowa. According to State Farm Insurance, Iowa is one of the 17 highest risk states for deer-vehicle accidents. West Virginia is the worst with what they calculate as the odds are one in seventeen. Wisconsin was at 1 in 38, and Iowa 1 in 63.

According to a 2022 study there were around 2.1 million deer-vehicle collisions a year. The cost was estimated at $10 billion in economic losses a year. And the accidents accounted for some 59,000 human injuries and 440 human deaths.

Here are some tips to avoid looking like I did a couple years ago.

Deer are most active in spring (fawning time) and fall when the bucks are most active.

When driving where the woods grow close to the road you have less time to react when a deer comes out to cross the road.

Avoid distracting driving, slow down in areas known to have high deer numbers, use your high beams when possible, but don’t blind oncoming traffic.

Car mounted whistles are not proven to reduce or prevent collisions, but do use good use of your car horn.

If you see one deer, be on the look out for more right behind it as they follow one another in single file.

Look for the reflection of headlights in a deer’s eyes on the shoulder of the road.

Scan roadsides, especially around wooded areas, fencerows, field edges and areas near water.

DO. NOT. SWERVE.

The chance of swerving to miss the deer often results in hitting something else, like a telephone pole or another car.

April 22, 2024

“The times they are a changin’” is a song written and recorded by Bob Dylan back in 1964.  It came to mind when I was writing this email. Let me tell you about things that “are a changin’” around here.

Last week Neighbors Magazine (where my “As I See It” column has been published since January 2013) made an addition to how they publish their magazine. They added a Web site: (www.neighborsmag.net)

Neighbors Magazine, in its 12th year of publication. offers rural friendly content covering Southeast Iowa and all the Midwest. You will find columnists that portray lifestyles of rural living and articles that cover local businesses, and personal stories of our readers. In addition to its Web site it also distributes a free, full-color print version that is mailed to all of Keokuk County, and portions of Iowa, Jefferson, Mahaska, Poweshiek, Wapello, and Washington Counties.

The Web site offers a second option on how to read their magazine. It also allows anyone from outside the distribution area to also enjoy the stories and advertising they publish in print two times a month. I personally send hard copies to several friends that have moved out of the area. I also have an email group that I send a copy of just my column to.

With the changes the editors of Neighbors Magazine have made, I decided to also make some changes.

For those of you that want to read my column, all the other columns, the articles, check on all the ads – the whole magazine – you can now find it on their Web site.

I have also been thinking of a way to pass on some of my thoughts on “A little bit about a lot of things” that haven’t been included in a column for the magazine. (Some results from my research.)

I recently published a book that included all my old columns published from 2013 through 2023. I am now offering a special “Introductory Offer” for the book. It includes a FREE lifetime subscription to a special email titled “As I See It – Monday Morning Musings.”  The email will be sent out on Monday of each week. The emails sent on the second and fourth Monday of the month will also include my column from the magazine that was published the previous Thursday. (See more below.)

Introductory offer of $30
Purchase includes a  FREE Lifetime Subscription to:
As I See It – Monday Morning Musings

A weekly email that includes “A little bit about a lot of things” delivered to your Inbox on Monday each week. Emails on the second and fourth week of the month will also include my column from the magazine that was published the previous Thursday.

(When I discover something interesting, I drop everything and share it with my neighbors.)

Mail your payment, shipping address, and email address to: 
Wayne Kneeskern, 400 N Washington St, Richland, IA 52585

60 years of Innovation

– C.C. Hoffman

Entrepreneurship is not only an American trait, but it certainly is one that seems to be more prevalent here than in other parts of the world. Independence, self-reliance, and necessity have often combined in the heartland to produce a myriad of products, ideas, and innovations that have contributed to the advancement of industry, economy, and our country.

The story of Vittetoe, Inc. is one such story here in our backyard. The almost 60 year history of this endeavor is replete with examples of innovative thinking, development, and overcoming challenges to not only survive, but also to thrive.

It begins in the 1960s just outside of Keota. Here, Francis Vittetoe needed flooring to elevate hogs off the floor. Getting the hogs up accomplishes two things: first, it gets the animals up and out of floor litter, waste, and other materials that can lead to health issues; second, it allows waste products to filter below which in turn makes it easier to clean. Not only did Francis need this for himself, but his neighbors were looking for a solution to the same problems.

Francis developed a wood and metal based flooring system allowed the individual floor boards to be easily replaced/removed when necessary, but also solved the elevation and cleaning issue. He did this in a garage (as many good products got there start) and grew from there. Soon, many in the area were using Vittetoe’s flat flooring system. Manufactured entirely locally, the endeavor began to grow quickly. The business incorporated in 1965 and started manufacturing more flooring systems.

The following decade, Francis’ son David took over. Eventually to be joined by his brother Bernard. At this time, Vittetoe’s began researching new materials for their flooring systems. While wood was a good and cheap option, it had one problem. It tended to decay rapidly, especially as the numbers of animals on a given farm continued to increase over the years. This lead to steel being chosen to construct the entire floor system. At first this was a carbon steel, but was to be replaced by stainless later. Regardless of the materials, the flooring continued to be manufactured on site just south of Keota.

The next decade (mid 1970s to mid 1980s) saw the business continue to grow in floor manufacturing. More people were employed (both full and part time), and processes were refined. During this time the company also began selling other products essential to raising pork (watering units, fixtures, heaters, and the like). It was the mid 1980s that would see then next big change for Vittetoe Inc.

You see, while the family was running the hog flooring business, they were also still farming their own land. And, as things are wont to do, changes happened in how grain was harvested. The new crop of combines worked great for getting the crops out, but they had a problem. They tended to leave chaff in large piles behind the machine. These piles caused problems during harvest and then the next spring. Being predisposed to innovation, the Vittetoes began developing a combine attachment that would spread the chaff evenly.

After research and development, they came up with the Vittetoe Chaff Spreader. Research included developing ways to attach to most of the popular brands of combines. They took the product to market mainly through implement dealers and soon were selling a number of units every year. Thousands of spreaders were manufactured during the 1990s and 2000s, but eventually the feature was added to most major brands as an internal component. However, Vittetoe’s still manufacture the attachment and sell it regularly to this day.

The early 1990s also saw the company join forces with a building company. This has allowed Vittetoe Inc. to offer turn-key hog operations since 1993. Here, you can tell the company the size and type of operation (farrow, finish, both, etc), and they will develop the plans, build the appropriate buildings, and outfit them with necessary and desired features so that you need only bring the animals to start producing pork! In the early years, those operations were on the order of 40 crates or so, but over time the operations they produce have grown to 1000 crates in size or greater.

Along the way, they also have developed other product lines such as Show Stopper Equipment, Friesen Seed Handling Equipment, KSI Conveyors, and EPS buildings. Show Stopper might be the most recognized of these. This line of products was put together to help livestock showers display their animals. Vittetoe’s provide everything from harness, leads, and grooming equipment to their own line of manufactured groom tables, gating, and shoots.

Today, Vittetoe’s is still a vibrant and varied business. David and Bernard are semi-retired and the third generation of the family is working their way into the business with Todd, who manages the daily operations. They employ 30-35 people full and parttime and actively support their community in many ways.

The retail store is open to the public Monday through Thursday 7:30 am to 5 pm and Friday 7:30 am to 3 pm. You can also shop and purchase online at their website www.vittetoe.com. The store is located at 2112 Keokuk-Washington Rd., Keota, IA 52248.

Dixie Shipley & Delta Grocery

April 15th, 1962 was just like any other day for Dixie Shipley. Every day of the work week, Dixie would drive to Oskaloosa for her office job at an overall factory. On this particular April day, her life would completely change. Returning home from Oskaloosa, her husband Melvin, better known as Tobe, announced to her that, “You don’t have to drive to Oskaloosa to work anymore; I bought the grocery store for you.” It was a bit of a shock for her as she said, “I didn’t know I minded driving to Oskaloosa to work.” She wasn’t too upset though and put in her notice at the factory, joining her husband in owning and operating the Delta Grocery, which she has done ever since.

Fortunately, the grocery store wasn’t the young couple’s first introduction to owning a business. They had already owned a restaurant in Delta, which had two locations between 1959 and 1967. Tobe also ran a clock shop from 1967 until 2001, so they were certainly capable of running and maintaining a business.

Prior to their business ventures, they started dating between Dixie’s junior and senior years in high school. One night, while walking to a pizza parlor after their shift as carhops, Tobe pulled up in his car and offered to give Dixie and her friends a ride to their destination. Dixie and Tobe began dating after that. They were married a year later in December of 1961 and were the owners of the Delta Grocery just six months after marriage. Tobe passed away in 2001, and Dixie has continued to run the grocery ever since.

Owning a grocery store wasn’t all that Dixie had her hands on. She spent 24 years as a substitute mail carrier for the post offices at both Eldon and Sigourney. Tobe spent his time at the clock shop at the back of the grocery store or in Sigourney painting signs for businesses. He also painted freehand designs for demolition vehicles and did some oil painting; the Delta covered bridge being his most popular subject matter.

Over the years Dixie has seen many changes inside and outside of her store. When she first started, all of the inventory was delivered. Today, only Little Debbie, Pepsi, and Dr. Pepper makes deliveries. Because of that, she has to restock her inventory on Sunday afternoons before opening at 4pm. She has also seen changes in the kinds of things she has sold over the years. There weren’t any electronics sold in 1962, hunting and fishing licenses, lottery tickets, nor were there credit cards to pay with. All of those things are common in today’s grocery stores. Dixie has seen plenty of change on the outside of her walls as well. The elementary school closed years ago in 1974, the bank closed its doors in 1988, and the post office said goodbye to Delta in 2008. One of the bigger blows to Dixie was the loss of the bank. When it was open, she would pop in to make deposits and get quarters for change. Now, without a bank in town (and one that was right across the street) Dixie is forced to close the grocery if she needs to travel to one.

One thing that makes her grocery store so unique is all of the things that grab the attention of visitors. Dixie enjoys collecting Christmas gifts, salt and pepper shakers, and miniature lighthouses, among all of the other treasures she has collected over the years. She has an entire aisle dedicated to her personal collections, which are not for sale. She is an avid collector of Delta memorabilia and has a display case of various Delta treasures. She also keeps her wedding album in the store and is more than happy to allow anyone to look through her memories.

She is on a first name basis with all of her regular customers; many come in to grab a snack but also to say hi and check on her. Dixie says that a lot of her customers are from the area and quite a few are residents of Delta. She also catches travelers on their way between Ottumwa and Waterloo.

If Dixie has any thoughts of retirement, she hasn’t indicated them yet. When asked about her future plans, she said, “I guess I don’t really know. I just take one day at a time.” As a young girl she always “figured I would just work for somebody local”. She never imagined that she would be working for herself. Looking back at her life as a grocery store owner, Dixie says, “I’ve enjoyed what I’ve done and the people that I’ve met have been very special to me.” As long as she has customers, it’s inconceivable that Dixie will ever close the Delta Grocery.

Delta Grocery
101 N Center Street
Delta, Iowa 52550
(641) 624-2080
Hours: Sun 4pm-6pm; Mon-Sat 8 am-6pm

Photos: Jacob Glandon
Video available at https://youtu.be/ipELSxXfC3M

Photo: Jacob Glandon

Solar Eclipse 2024

– Jacob Glandon, Black Oak Films

The long awaited total solar eclipse of 2024 is over. People across the United States and the world traveled to the areas of totality to experience a truly once in a lifetime moment. For the folks in Carbondale, Illinois, this wasn’t their first opportunity to view a total eclipse from the comfort of their backyards. Back in 2017, another solar eclipse swept across the United States, passing through southern Illinois. So the people of Carbondale, in a seven year period, have seen two total solar eclipses. That’s an incredibly rare occurrence in such a short amount of time. While planning their eclipse festivities, Carbondale took advantage of these circumstances and chose, “Once In A Lifetime. Again” as their slogan, something that certainly sums up the rarity of two total solar eclipses. The city is also being called the “eclipse crossroads of America,” after it has had such great luck with the last two eclipses.

Back here in Iowa, we were unfortunately not given the opportunity to view a total eclipse. Iowans did travel to the areas of totality, but myself along with many others, stayed home to view the eclipse. Although it didn’t get completely dark like the areas of totality did, the amount of light reaching Iowa did decrease enough to be noticeable. The temperatures also dropped upwards of 7 degrees in our area despite not losing all of the sun’s light.

Without solar glasses, people would have only noticed the decrease in light and drops in temperatures. It’s amazing to think that hundreds of years ago people may not have had any idea an eclipse was happening if they weren’t within the area of totality.

Graphic: Data: AirDNA; Map: Erin Davis/Axios Visuals

Looking back on the eclipse, we can see the lengths that people went to view it. Airbnbs across the path of totality were completely booked, creating an amazing map that illustrated the amount of people who were staying in the eclipse zone. As the days and weeks go by, we will surely hear about more stories about the experiences of people who made their way to see the full eclipse.

While the eclipse has come and gone, we still have other astronomical events to look forward to. 12P/Pons-Brooks, or the Devil Comet, is viewable right now until April 21st. It is currently approaching the Sun on its 71 year orbit. The Lyrids Meteor Shower will reach its peak on April 21st and on April 23rd, April’s full moon, the pink moon will reach its fullness. The next total solar eclipse will be on August 12th, 2026 but will only be visible as a partial solar eclipse in parts of the United States. It won’t be until 2044 that a total solar eclipse is seen from the continental United States, but it will only reach Montana and North Dakota. A year later on August 12th, 2045, another total solar eclipse will carve a path from California to Florida but will once again only be visible as a partial solar eclipse from Iowa. By then, a whole new generation will be experiencing a solar eclipse for the first time. I just hope it won’t be cloudy!

“There’s sunshine and fresh air. Let’s play two.”

Ernie Banks played for the Chicago Cubs from 1953 to 1971. He was nicknamed “Mr. Cub” and “Mr. Sunshine.” He used the phrase above to remind himself and other players that whatever their complaints, they got to play a game for a living, and hear the cheers of strangers. It is a reminder to all of us to cherish life and the chance to have work that gives enjoyment to others.

As I see it, why not take a page from Mr. Banks’ life as a baseball player and start this column with: “Let’s play two! Let’s play two!” Ernie was referring to playing a doubleheader (two games in one day). But the subjects that follow aren’t baseball related … so please don’t stop now; but read on.

Game One is about “living alone.” Game Two is about the “trials, tribulations, and trauma” that most people will find themselves working through at some point in their lives.

During lunch the other day a friend said to me: “I am thinking about finding my own place and living alone. I wonder if I will feel comfortable in that situation. Do you know if there are any side effects living in those conditions?”

My answer came from some research about that very subject: YES! There are side effects.

• You run the risk of experiencing ‘extreme contentment’ – a direct result of inner and outer peace, uninterrupted happiness, and consistent mental AND emotional stability.
• The atmosphere in your home and your moods will consistently be all your own from day to day, and not influenced (a.k.a. messed up) by any other person.
• You’ll be able to go to bed and get up whenever YOU think it’s right for you (including taking a nap without interruption any time of the day).
• You can sleep with 1, 2, 3 or more pillows, ‘steal’ all the blankets and covers for yourself, and hog the entire bed, lying flat-out ‘star-fished’ at any given time.
• You can cook, eat, and drink whatever you want.
• You can watch, read, or listen to anything you like without ‘needing permission’ to do so, and/or face continually being questioned for doing such – (as if you need to actually ‘justify your decisions’ to any other person for their acceptance and approval).
• You can go out anywhere, for as short or as long as you like, or change your mind the minute you step outdoors and go right back inside.
• You can shop wherever and buy whatever you like – or not, etc. etc.

So… I would highly advise you to think VERY carefully before you continue down this “path less traveled” – there are consequences that some people never get to experience – (or perhaps are just too afraid to). Co-incidentally, some of those people will be the very ones who may speak out the loudest and most often AGAINST your choice of these “questionably hazardous living conditions.” That’s when you will know that you’re on the right path; that this is most likely the best thing to be doing for yourself; and can reassure yourself to stay on it. And also know, that many of those others would join or trade places with you, if only they had the opportunity, courage, and/or wherewithal to do so.

Oh, and welcome to ‘the club,’ (btw).

That takes care of “Game one” of our doubleheader. Game two starts below.

There are days when I have minor “trials and tribulations” to work through. This little poem I read recently will help explain one of them:

“It’s been that kind of day. Realized I had to use the bathroom. Got up and walked across the house to the pantry. Couldn’t remember why I was in the pantry. Remembered I had to use the bathroom. Walked back across the house to the bathroom. Sitting on the throne I remembered why I had walked to the pantry… Toilet paper.”

Now on to a more serious thing called “trauma,” which is defined as either physical or psychological (mental or emotional) stress. After World War I, soldiers were known to have problems with what was labeled “shell shock.” Then following the Viet Nam War, the term used was “PTSD” (post-traumatic stress disorder). Trauma was categorized two ways: one known as the “big T” for the major problems such as the death of someone you love, experiencing abuse, having a serious illness, a natural disaster like a tornado, or an extremely difficult relationship resulting in a breakup or divorce. The second one known as the “little t” for such things as loss of job, minor illness or injury, or financial worries. All are difficult and a disruption to daily life, challenging our ability to feel healthy and happy.

If you feel shocked, saddened, anxious, or otherwise overwhelmed by an occurrence like one of the above, you’re probably experiencing trauma. The trauma isn’t the event or experience itself but rather your body and mind’s response to it. Traumatic stress affects the brain, which makes it crucial to take steps toward recovery and mitigate its negative effects and impacts as much as possible.

Some pointers I found in my research on how to deal with trauma: Remember there is no “right” or “wrong” way to feel. Don’t ignore your feelings, it will only slow recovery. Avoid obsessively reliving the traumatic event. Reestablish routine in your life. Put major life decisions on hold. Get help from an accredited therapist.

I also found some quotes to understand things better and hopefully aid in the healing process.

“With trauma we may feel like we have failed because we have had a bad
day, a bad week, a bad month, or even a bad year. But you know what?
If you wake up in the morning, you haven’t failed. If you brush your teeth,
you haven’t failed.” – Roxane Gray

“Often what happened to us takes time to reveal itself. It then takes courage to confront it and peel back the layers of trauma in our lives. This is where healing begins. – Opray Winfrey

“One of the hardest things to learn is that we are worth recovery.” – Demi Lovato

“Healing is not a one-time event, but rather a journey. Healing from the
wounds of trauma, is a journey from helplessness (which is the essence of
trauma) to mastery. – Jasmin Lee Cori

“In searching for ways to heal, you will find that kindness is the best way.”
– Lady Gaga

“Someone who has experienced trauma also has gifts to offer all of us…
in their depth, their knowledge of universal vulnerability, and their
experience of the power of compassion. – Sharon Salzberg

That completes “Game two” of our doubleheader for today.

As I see it, before closing I should leave you with a follow-up to my poem above. Just wanted to let you know, being I live alone, I will now be storing a spare roll of toilet paper in the bathroom right next to the throne.