{{{Laura}}} I think the summers I spent working in a bindery loading JC Penny catalog pages into giant machinery helped me want college more than ever. I hope he can figure his stuff out without further misery to his parents.

I hopehe didn't eat something damaging.

smonster, a grumbly tumbly isn't usually too bad a sign.

Check for dilated pupils, drooling, bleeding, problems inside the mouth (sores, burning, etc.) and lightly press on his belly to see if there is any discomfort there.

If he is drinking normally, his energy is good and he's not throwing up or having elimination issues, he might just have a gurggly tum.

I stand by my recommendation of canned pumpkin, in any case.

Oh Laura, you have all my empathy and absolute wishes for a good outcome for him. But whatever happens, you need to understand, accept, and believe this: It is not your fault.

They are people from the first breath. They can be broken. They can be influenced. But they are never actually a parent's creation, and at some point their personality and desires take over and all we can hope is that our influence was enough to ground them through the mistakes they will make.

You've done your job excellently well. At this point it's really up to him, and he'll have to accept blame as well as credit for how it turns out.

All possible best wishes, to you, to his dad, and to him.

bonny, his gums and mouth look okay, and his tummy doesn't seem sensitive. He still hasn't eaten his food, but I put some treats in a toy and he went after those. Still haven't gotten any pumpkin, but I have some chicken broth I made yesterday with no salt. I'll strain some of that and see if he'll drink it.

Thanks, Beverly. I know these things, but I am marking your post to reread and remind myself.

Beverly is verra wise.

Still haven't gotten any pumpkin,

And you won't, at least until the new harvest comes in. [link]

Libby's has six cans of pumpkin pack left. Craziness.

edited because half my post was eaten.

Laura, so much ~ma for you and the family. You are a good mother, and if I didn't love mine so much, I'd want you. Bev is wise, and keep what she said close to your heart.

Joe is laughing about the Libby's pumpkin because for the 5 years he worked at Nestle US Headquarters, it was his job to take, process, and ship the order of canned pumpkin to Mexico in time for the Thanksgiving holidays (which he always thought was odd since Mexico doesn't really celebrate Thanksgiving, right?) Anyway, 15 - 20 palettes of Libby's canned pumpkin to Mexico every year and every year, no matter how early he started (usually around July or August), the pumpkin would barely make it there on time because of the whacky cutoms process.

One year he had to write up an "official" document on how the pumpkin was processed and canned. "Pumpkin is picked. Pumpkin is cooked. Pumpkin is canned."

I currently have 3 large cans and will be hoarding them.

Crap! I need to hit the healthfood store and buy up what they have left.

Still, for the stated purpose, do not despair. Get some nice yams or butternut squash and have them ready to boil up and freeze. It's not as quick as you might need for an emergency, but it's better than nothing.

It's the fiber you are looking for when it comes to the pooches.

I can't imagine Laura -- and I was lost at that age , too. Even though I was going to school. My thought -- He knoows, but let him know formally that you are unhappy. But that it is upto hom to figure out what is next . But as long as he is doing something ( school, working, or even volunteering ) you will back off. And that of course he can come to you for help.( not meaning money, but whatever) And if he does want to come back home , come up with a contract. ( min rent, call by 4 to tell you his dinner plans, and chore x and y are his) The contract is more so everyone can be adults.

You can freely ignore everything I said. but i think drawing boundaries for you might help