165 Comments
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Susie Olesen's avatar

No wonder your blood is boiling. Mine is, and I don’t even live in Missouri. Thanks for sharing this rotten to the core story, Jess, and hang in there.

Susan McMichael's avatar

I am 100% with you.

Bren's avatar

I grew up in Missouri & this makes me so sad to hear. Thanks for all you & others do!!

Kathy Quick's avatar

Mines boiling and I’m not even diabetic

Gayla Dunn's avatar

My sentiments exactly! Breathe, Jess, and I’ll pray for your health in the meantime. Thanks for all you do (I am from Missouri and worked in a rural school district, but now live in Kansas).

P.S. I want a P.O.O.L shirt like your friend’s! Love it!

Elizabeth  Trezona's avatar

Same ✌🏻💙🇺🇸

Sandra Nicht's avatar

I hope every silent citizen in that room with you grows a spine and votes these smug grifters out, or demands some resignations.

Karen Kane's avatar

Please take care of yourself, Jess. We need your voice! I imagine the health of millions of Americans is in danger due to the stress and anger we feel at this administration and its minions. It seems never-ending. Thank you for continuing to fight for Missourians. I live in IL but have loved ones in MO and am appalled at what goes on there.

Marian Lilley's avatar

I enjoy listening to you on Instagram and seeing some of your substacks. You make me wonder if all this bad stuff is going down in MO then other states both red and blue must have similar types of issues. I mean I know they do but you keep reminding us and it's important. You do your research and get into the nitty gritty. You are a great citizen of MO and do the people there a service with what you do/say. Thanks for continuing to teach the rest of us. ML from CO

Jess Piper's avatar

Thank you!!!

Nina Simmonds's avatar

I totally agree Marian! Jess really knows her stuff and can back everything she writes with facts and figures. She amazes me…

Robbie Lacy's avatar

Agree wholeheartedly and also wishing there were more just like you Jess to refute the lies of those enriching themselves in my state (Alabama) and country.

Please take care of yourself !!!

Fisher's avatar

a former public school teacher who wants to weaken public schools....sure. he already had his career so screw the young teachers right?

Susan Spande's avatar

Under stress, there's a hormone cascade for the pancreas to release glucagon, which in turn breaks down to glucose. It was a quick energy release for running away from tigers in the tall grasses. Now? Not so helpful.

" If they're high, they're dry" was drilled into me as a paramedic: Take good care of yourself and drink lots of water.

Jess Piper's avatar

I’m not good about staying hydrated and I needed that reminder. Thank you, friend.

Ally House (Oregon)'s avatar

Another good stress mitigator is "square breathing"; Take a full breath through your nose on a count of four, hold it for a count of four, exhale through your mouth on a count of four, and hold empty for a count of four. Do that cycle four times.

That is a technique I used when running with lights and sirens to an emergency; it really does slow your system down. I've also used it as a negotiator and as an instructor when I felt a stress response building.

If it calms cortisol and adrenaline, it should work on insulin as well.

Purobi Phillips's avatar

It is called Pranayama. Something similar to this has been in practice for many centuries in India. My husband does it (I had to teach him) to control his high BP tendency. It works. Jess, Google it and practice. Ally, thank you. We all need Jess.

Untrickled by Michelle Teheux's avatar

I have tried this but feel starved for oxygen if I hold empty for four.

Ally House (Oregon)'s avatar

Start by counting faster, just keep it square.

Mary Russell's avatar

I learned it as inhale 4, hold 8, exhale 4; repeat. Hold the air low, in your belly, not high in your chest. Don't hold empty.

Ally House (Oregon)'s avatar

That’s interesting. I’m working on using all my lungs, focusing on the top part (tuba player stuff)

Untrickled by Michelle Teheux's avatar

That also makes me feel really unwell.

I cannot understand the concept of belly breathing. My lungs are in my chest, not my belly!

Anne Bloomenthal's avatar

But when the expanding lungs press down on the diaphragm, that puts pressure on the belly to expand.

maggie towne's avatar

There are these nice little carriers you can sort of have on your body that don’t take up too much room that will hold bottled water so it’s always with you… For hikers

well you need to drink your water! Because you’re a warrior!

Untrickled by Michelle Teheux's avatar

I drink at least a gallon a day. I never have to force myself to drink more — my thirst drives me to it.

Brenda Feeney's avatar

Please take care of yourself Jess so you may continue your important work.

Susie S's avatar

Me, too, Jess ! I struggle with that, too !!

Debby Rubin's avatar

In Mary Geddry’s newsletter, I read about a bill introduced in Hawaii to block the effect of Citizens United. The bill prevents companies incorporated in the state from political spending, period. It will be interesting to see if it’s struck down by SCOTUS, but in the meantime, it seems promising, and some other states are following suit. I don’t know if it would affect orgs like Herzog, though… but perhaps states can take those on, too.

Ally House (Oregon)'s avatar

Montana is working something similar!

Teri Gelini's avatar

Jess those of us in Florida are seeing the same grift and theft of public school funds. I will be so glad when desatan is no longer our governor as he has almost single handedly destroyed most of what we in Florida love. One good thing that has happened is Slagator Alcatraz has been shut down..And when drumpf went to the Villages that was pure red during the last presidential election his recent visit was not a welcome one as they realized he's was driving up all their costs and as retirees that only have so much money. These people are not the typical uneducated that have voted for MAGA these have turned on MAGA big time. So there may be hope out there for us regular folks. About your blood sugar...You should always eat something within an hour of getting up in the morning as if you don't your liver continues to push our glucose to keep thing working and it is not good to have that happen. At night when you are sleeping the job of the liver is to supply you with the stored glucose from the day to see p everything working while you sleep. Just some unrequested info from an RN.

Jess Piper's avatar

I appreciate your advice, friend.❤️

Teri Gelini's avatar

Hope it helps to get your blood sugar back down to some point of normal. Sorry you are having this issue but it is understandable. I love reading your posts. You are a warrior

Susan McMichael's avatar

Take care of yourself Jess . Good on you for standing up!

john maeglin's avatar

“The official mission of the Herzog Foundation is to “catalyze and accelerate the development of Christ-centered K-12 education.”

You say “That sounds benign”, but it doesn’t sound at all benign to me.

Jess Piper's avatar

I think I was a little too nice in that statement

Ally House (Oregon)'s avatar

It "sounds benign" to people who don't see a problem with it. Me? My hair is on fire.

Susie S's avatar

Mine, too, Ally !! Grrrrr

Lucy Dyment's avatar

Yes my blood gets very upset over what is happening in the world. And I live in Canada. 🇨🇦

Mary Beth Buffaloe's avatar

I love what you are doing and saying! For your blood sugar and mental wellbeing, try taking a 10 minute walk before these events.

Ally House (Oregon)'s avatar

Excellent suggestion, Mary Beth!

Susitrav's avatar

My blood is boiling also!😡

THIS is the same thing our Tennessee lawmakers have done and are doing. Corrupt, proud, smug 😏 Oh, racist, as well!

Donna Herrmann's avatar

Take care of yourself, Jess! You are so valuable in your truth-telling and need you to continue to hold these thugs accountable!

Linda Minniear's avatar

First of all, please take care of yourself! Thank you for standing up to these “representatives”. These PACs are nothing but legalized bribery.

Voucher systems have gutted public schools across the nation under the guise of school of choice. The wealthy already sending a child to private school get a break and those of us without means are left with seriously underfunded schools.

Lisa Brenner's avatar

Keep exposing this! By the way, I gained weight during the first Trump administration, lost during Biden, and gaining again during Trump. It all has to do with my blood sugar levels. Stress is a real killer.