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In May 2015, Lorina and Jason Troy of Texas had just welcomed a new baby boy into the world. But when the child’s head kept growing, so did their concern. Appointments with medical specialists kept leading them to the same wrong answer.

When Lorina’s second son, JJ, was born, she had no idea there was any potential problem with her child. She did not know that an ultrasound near the end of her pregnancy had shown JJ’s head to be two weeks larger than normal. No doctor mentioned there being any abnormalities when JJ was born, even though his head was still bigger than usual. Even after his birth no medical personnel said anything about JJ’s head continuing to grow. Lorina was concerned but not alarmed. 

However, when JJ started vomiting a lot, Lorina took him to their pediatrician where he was diagnosed as having a stomach virus. They were simply sent home with instructions to keep him hydrated. But the vomiting didn’t stop. Lorina took JJ to an urgent care facility and eventually a children’s hospital. All agreed it was just a stomach bug even though JJ’s head had continued to swell along with the stomach upset.

Eventually, Lorina managed to get the doctors to do an MRI on JJ. They discovered there was a fluid build-up in her son’s cranium. This can be a sign of head trauma and they immediately assumed the worst and accused Lorina’s family of child abuse. She asked for a second opinion but was denied. She said, “I told him, my son has never been hurt in any way, could this be anything else? And he told me, yes, but since he’s a baby and can’t talk, we are just going to go with abuse and walked away.” So Lorina’s children were taken from her and placed in foster care.

Soon after, her husband Jason, was charged with two felony charges of child abuse, which carry a sentence between five and 99 years. These charges caused him to immediately lose his top-secret government job. The couple searched for a lawyer who would take the case. They were forced to sell their home to pay for attorney expenses. The Troy family ultimately ended up losing over $80,000 in fees, medical expenses, and lost wages.

Over the following two years, JJ was seen by numerous doctors but continued to be misdiagnosed. Eventually, a doctor in Maryland discovered JJ had Benign External Hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus is a condition where cerebrospinal fluid builds up in the cranium, causing an enlarged head among other symptoms like vomiting, seizures, and breathing difficulties. It can be present at birth and is the result of genetic abnormalities, problems with fetal development, or complications at birth.

With the new diagnosis, the charges were dropped, and the parents were reunited with their children. But they feel the medical and legal systems have failed them. How was it possible for two loving parents to so quickly be labeled abusers and have their children taken away?

In the mid-1970s, new theories on child abuse were being formed. Infant cranial injury inflicted by blunt force trauma, shaking, or a combination of forces came to be known as “shaken baby syndrome” (SBS), more often today referred to as “inflicted or abusive head trauma.” The idea that certain head injuries were indicative of child abuse grew and soon a new sub-specialty in pediatrics formed: child abuse pediatricians. 

The child abuse pediatrician became the linchpin in a successful child abuse prosecution; in so doing they took on the conflicting roles of health care provider, investigator, medical expert, accuser, key prosecution witness, promoter of the prime hypothesis, and defender of their own past medical decision making regarding abuse. Without their testimony regarding the prime hypothesis there could be no convictions. 

For whatever reasons, over the years, these specialists began to hold more power over the medical establishment to the point of being considered almost infallible. Today, colleagues are reluctant to contradict any findings made by child abuse pediatricians, so getting second opinions can often be difficult. That is a large reason JJ’s diagnosis came from a doctor from another state. And the legal system sees these specialists as experts in their field. Therefore, there is no reason to question their determinations or authority. This has increasingly led to child abuse pediatricians misdiagnosing accidental injuries, dermatological issues, and developmental disorders as abuse when they were not. 

The Troy family is trying to heal from the trauma of separation, legal battles, and financial loss. Lorina has become an advocate for families like hers that have experienced devastating results from a child’s misdiagnosis. She lobbies lawmakers in Texas, California, and Washington D.C. to change laws on getting second medical opinions and the role of CPS in instances like these. She also talks to the press to raise awareness of Hydrocephalus and stories of misdiagnosis like hers and many other families across the country. Lorina says, “Our strength came from our faith, our prayer, and the love and support of family and friends. But we went through the most challenging events of our lives, and it has strengthened us.” She has now written a book, titled “Miracles of Faith,” that goes into the details of her family’s journey through the medical and legal systems and how their faith saw them through it all. It is available directly through the publishing company, Westbow Press, A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan. 

If you are faced with a day when you have nothing to do, staying home and baking cookies is a great way to add excitement. There are so many kinds of cookies you can make, but vanilla sandwich cookies are an all time favorite. They have a light creamy taste, which is perfect as an ice cream topping or by itself with a cold glass of milk.

If you are looking for a vanilla sandwich cookies recipe you can make to brighten up your day, here is one we recommend.

Vanilla Sandwich Cookies Recipe

Ingredients:

For the cookies:

• 100g (or ⅓ cup + 5 teaspoons) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
• 100g (or ¾ cup + 2½ teaspoons) powdered sugar
• 1 large egg
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract
• 115g (or ¾ cup + 2 tbsp + 2 tsp) all-purpose flour
•  A pinch of salt

For the filling:

•  ½ cup buttercream

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and line two baking sheets with baking parchment.
2. In a medium-size bowl, beat butter until smooth with a wooden spoon. Add powdered sugar, egg and vanilla, and stir. Add flour and salt and stir until the batter is smooth and has a thick buttercream consistency.
3. Transfer batter to a piping bag fitted with a medium open tip, and pipe 1-inch dollops onto the baking sheets. Make sure to leave space between the dollops, as the cookies will spread in the oven.
4. Bake (one sheet at a time) in the middle of the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies have turned a golden color. Remove from the oven. Allow the cookies to cool completely on baking sheets.
5. Once cool, use a piping bag fitted with a small star tip to fill the cookies. Start in the center of each cookie and spiral outwards. Place the second cookie on top and press down lightly.
6. Serve the cookies cold or at room temperature.
7. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for three days but they will start to lose their crunch over time.

Can I Use Vanilla Essential Oil Instead of Vanilla Extract?

If you look at a vanilla sandwich cookies recipe, most will call for vanilla extract. If you don’t have any in the house, you may be wondering if your vanilla essential oil can do as an alternative. In most cases, the answer would be no; however, the NOW Foods company makes an essential oil that is so pure, it is considered “food-grade” and can be used for cooking.

NOW Foods has been providing sports nutrition, beauty products, supplements and organic whole foods since the 1940s. Their Vanilla Essential Oil is made with two simple ingredients, vanilla oil and jojoba oil. Not only are these safe to ingest, they also smell great when diffused.

So the next time you are looking for something to do, why not try your hand at a great vanilla sandwich cookies recipe like the one we have listed above? It is sure to brighten up your day, and your taste buds will thank you later!

Memphis offers everything from the blues to civil war history, with plenty of delicious eats in between. There’s so much to see and do, after getting a taste you might find yourself searching through the Memphis houses for sale so you can enjoy unlimited time there, but for now, if you only have one day here in this Tennessee city, here’s how to do it right. 

Morning

Start your day the way many of the locals do, with a delicious country-style breakfast at Barksdale’s with classics like biscuits, cheese grits, omelets, eggs, and bacon. While it’s no-frills, you can expect a warm welcome with friendly service and a sense of community while surrounded by autographed glossies of famous Memphians like actress Cybill Shepherd, Grizzlies’ stars and political signs. 

Just a 5-minute drive away is Sun Studio, often referred to as the spot where rock ‘n roll was born – public tours are available that reveal the Sun story and its stars, including Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash, with lots of memorabilia on display. They start at the bottom of every half hour until 5:30 p.m., and you can even have your photo taken in the very place where the legends once recorded.

From here you can easily check out the National Civil Rights Museum and the Lorraine Motel, paying homage to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (who stayed in room 306 in April 1968) and others who’ve fought for civil rights throughout history. 

Afternoon

You can’t visit Memphis without seeing Graceland, the home Elvis Presley purchased in 1957 for $102,500 when he was just 22 years old. As tourists usually arrive in the morning, it’s usually less busy in the afternoon, with the last tour starting at 4 p.m or 5 p.m., depending on the time of year and day of the week. You’ll be able to explore the magnificent mansion, including The King’s legendary jungle room, his pink Cadillac, record collection, elaborate costumes, and the aircraft that he traveled on from show to show. 

If you aren’t still full from breakfast, Graceland hosts two restaurants, Vernon’s Smokehouse, renowned for its Memphis BBQ, and Gladys’ Diner serving classic American cuisine. Just keep in mind that you might want to save room for dinner. 

Evening

Charlie Vergos’ Rendezvous is a long-time Memphis institution, serving BBQ in a downtown alley for over 70 years. Located just across from the famous Peabody Hotel, the ribs, dry rub done true Memphis-style, are a favorite of former President Bill Clinton and thousands come to sample them. Afterwards, enjoy the best show in town at The Orpheum, an opulent theater built in 1928 hosting Broadway productions, big-name concerts and entertainers, theatrical performances, and summer movie series.

Sample the nightlife, starting on famous Beale Street, enjoying the blues at B.B. King’s or among the beer-loving goats at the Irish dueling piano pub known as Silky O’Sullivan’s. In the heart of the scene is Alfred’s, famous for its live music, including popular cover bands for dancing on Friday and Saturday nights. If the weather cooperates, you can also enjoy the only rooftop patio on Beale, a fabulous place to spend the rest of the evening.

If you are soon to be walking down the aisle with your partner, this will be a day to be remembered for both of you, and if any occasions warrants pulling out all the stops, it is a wedding. In this article, we will be giving you some advice on how to plan the perfect day, just in case you need some help.

• The Wedding Reception – If you would like your wedding party to be one that is remembered for all the right reasons, call in the outdoor caterers, who have the know-how and the equipment to make sure that things go as planned. You have more than enough to do with arranging everything else, so let the experts handle the catering and you can focus on having a good time. Themed weddings are really in vogue at the moment, so why not ask everyone to help by getting into the spirit of things and creating a theme to be remembered?
• The Venue – Ideally, the venue would be one that has extensive experience catering for wedding parties, as they would have you covered regarding parking, overnight accommodation and anything else that you might need. Choosing such a venue means there’s nothing left to organise, as they are able to handle everything.
• Transportation – Hopefully, you will only make your entrance and exit to your wedding party once in your life, and with affordable sports car rental, you can really do this in style. Whatever your favourite supercar, you can rent this from a specialist rental company and when it is time to leave the reception for the honeymoon, you and your partner can experience a supercar. You might prefer something a little more traditional like a horse drawn carriage or a gleaming white Rolls Royce, and either way, there are online providers who can arrange everything for you.
• The Entertainment – As we all know, a wedding party is nothing without some lively entertainment, and whether you choose a live band or a local DJ, it is worth spending some time making sure that your choices are suitable for all. Ask the DJ to prepare a few playlists that would appeal to the older crowd, plus something for the youngsters.
• The Menu – An important aspect of any social gathering, the menu could be a buffet style arrangement, or you could opt for the traditional sit-down meal, and then there is the question of drinks and refreshments. Some people allow their guests to order what they like and settle up at the end of the event, while others will put an amount of money behind the bar and once that is gone, everyone pays for their own drinks. The choice is yours.

A wedding party is the perfect time to spring a few surprises, so don’t be surprised if your guests have a few little things planned to unfold sometime during the evening, and with some careful planning, your wedding party will be one to be remembered for a very long time.