I have loads of warm and fun memories around Christmas. I love most of the music, the decorations, the lights and the way the whole atmosphere just changes for a couple weeks. Watching my daughter this past week getting all excited about the Christmas music and decorations made me smile and realize another aspect I love about this time of year. It just brings out the kid in me. I think that is part of the appeal.
No one can really claim to the have the perfect family and I am no different, but there was something about the time from Thanksgiving to January 6, that just seemed to always bring out the best in the family. Thanksgiving dinner was a big deal that included way too much food as it had to cover both the traditional American cuisine and some of the elements the Filipino cuisine. So dinner would include a turkey, lumpia, punsit, stuffing, ambrosia, cranberry sauce, etc. Same thing would happen on New Year's Day. Both days would involve a game or two of street football or just some time running passes or playing catch.
In the days leading up to Christmas there was the tree hunt where we would go out to some local farm to cut our own tree. We would decorate it while listening to Mom's music collection such as the Osmond Family Christmas or Johnny Mathis. We'd have egg nog in our special cups. There would be the the critiques from Mom that we were hanging too many ornaments in place or clumping the tinsel.
Christmas Eve, my sibllings would camp out in my room because it was downstairs and closer to the Santa action. We'd tell stories and and try to stay up to hear when Santa came. We did this until I left the house for college.
So, now is the time to start some similiar traditions in our house.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving was warm, cozy and simple. No stress. No muss. Friends and family gathered at my sister in law's home. The weather was perfect and we were able to take the girls to the park while dinner finished cooking. We played. We talked and relaxed.
There was a fun element to the dinner. The secret ingredient was corn. Yep, each person was assigned to bring a dish that used some element of corn in it . . . corn flour, corn meal, corn, corn nuts, corn syrup, etc. We brought turkey tamales as an appetizer. Others brought ChexMix with corn nuts in it, corn relish, corn bread stuffing, corn ice cream (apparently very popular in the Philippines) and pies made with corn meal crust. Yes, I tried the corn ice cream which was ok, but the texture kind of made it not something I would try again. There was also shredded carrot in it.
But, for the sentimental softy side of me, the best part of the day came the next day. My sister in law who hosted the dinner, bought a Promise Basket in all of the guests names from Heifer International. It was a wonderful reminder of all the things we have to be thankful for this year and that we have the ability to share our bounty with others.
There are lots of ways to give back to society. I have donated money and time to various charities over the years. I have purchased from places that have a cause they support such as Greatergood.com or the Breast Cancer site.
However, I was thinking that is even a simpler, cheaper way to give a little and that is to be polite and share a little kindness on a regular basis everyday. Be a courteous driver and maybe let someone merge in front of you once in awhile. Hold a door for someone. Smile more often. Get outside and meet your neighbors. Talk to your checker at the check-out line instead of gazing off into space as you are hypnotized by the drone of the scanner beeping your items. I am just thinking of some ways I have tried to be more polite and I usually feel better about it.
I think it is just a matter of taking a breath and a moment to realize we have so much to be grateful for and to be negative, closed in and impatient is just a waste of time and energy. I see examples everyday that there are far worse things in life than to be cut-off in traffic.
There was a fun element to the dinner. The secret ingredient was corn. Yep, each person was assigned to bring a dish that used some element of corn in it . . . corn flour, corn meal, corn, corn nuts, corn syrup, etc. We brought turkey tamales as an appetizer. Others brought ChexMix with corn nuts in it, corn relish, corn bread stuffing, corn ice cream (apparently very popular in the Philippines) and pies made with corn meal crust. Yes, I tried the corn ice cream which was ok, but the texture kind of made it not something I would try again. There was also shredded carrot in it.
But, for the sentimental softy side of me, the best part of the day came the next day. My sister in law who hosted the dinner, bought a Promise Basket in all of the guests names from Heifer International. It was a wonderful reminder of all the things we have to be thankful for this year and that we have the ability to share our bounty with others.
There are lots of ways to give back to society. I have donated money and time to various charities over the years. I have purchased from places that have a cause they support such as Greatergood.com or the Breast Cancer site.
However, I was thinking that is even a simpler, cheaper way to give a little and that is to be polite and share a little kindness on a regular basis everyday. Be a courteous driver and maybe let someone merge in front of you once in awhile. Hold a door for someone. Smile more often. Get outside and meet your neighbors. Talk to your checker at the check-out line instead of gazing off into space as you are hypnotized by the drone of the scanner beeping your items. I am just thinking of some ways I have tried to be more polite and I usually feel better about it.
I think it is just a matter of taking a breath and a moment to realize we have so much to be grateful for and to be negative, closed in and impatient is just a waste of time and energy. I see examples everyday that there are far worse things in life than to be cut-off in traffic.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
My PSA for November: Diabetes Awareness
I was reading around in my nursing journals and discovered that November is Diabetes Awareness and Nov 14 is World Diabetes Day.
Most of the patients in my ICU have diabetes or are admitted due to a complication from diabetes. Some of my co-workers are getting diagnosed with it and some of my friends and their family. Shoot, if I am not careful I may be diagnosed with it soon myself.
One of the more upsetting stories I run across when it comes to diabetes is the man in his late 20s or early 30s who has been ignoring symptoms of diabetes due to ignorance or stubbornness for a while. He finally comes in when either he has started losing his eyesight or problems from his failing kidneys bring him in. Unfortunately at that point, he may be looking at permanent blindness or amputation or dialysis with a life expectancy of less than 10 years.
What is diabetes? Regardless of the type of diabetes you have, the complications that arise are due to your body not having enough insulin (a hormone that comes from your pancreas) to help convert glucose (sugar) to energy. There are 2 types. One type (Type 1) results from a lack of insulin, meaning that for some reason the pancreas just isn't producing enough insulin. The other type, (Type II) is more related to the cells in your own body becoming resistant to the insulin that is being produced. Your pancreas is producing insulin, but for several reasons, your body is ignoring it and thus lots of glucose is left floating in your blood stream and body resorts to other means to generate energy.
What can happen if your diabetes goes untreated? What are long term effects of diabetes? You have increased risk for serious infections and limb loss, peripheral nerve loss, kidney failure, cardiovascular disease, stroke and blindness. But, it is not all gloom and doom for diabetics. It is very possible to live a long productive life with this diagnosis if you get the treatment you need and make the necessary lifestyle changes required.
What are some signs and symptoms that you should go see your doctor? Here you go:
Most of the patients in my ICU have diabetes or are admitted due to a complication from diabetes. Some of my co-workers are getting diagnosed with it and some of my friends and their family. Shoot, if I am not careful I may be diagnosed with it soon myself.
One of the more upsetting stories I run across when it comes to diabetes is the man in his late 20s or early 30s who has been ignoring symptoms of diabetes due to ignorance or stubbornness for a while. He finally comes in when either he has started losing his eyesight or problems from his failing kidneys bring him in. Unfortunately at that point, he may be looking at permanent blindness or amputation or dialysis with a life expectancy of less than 10 years.
What is diabetes? Regardless of the type of diabetes you have, the complications that arise are due to your body not having enough insulin (a hormone that comes from your pancreas) to help convert glucose (sugar) to energy. There are 2 types. One type (Type 1) results from a lack of insulin, meaning that for some reason the pancreas just isn't producing enough insulin. The other type, (Type II) is more related to the cells in your own body becoming resistant to the insulin that is being produced. Your pancreas is producing insulin, but for several reasons, your body is ignoring it and thus lots of glucose is left floating in your blood stream and body resorts to other means to generate energy.
What can happen if your diabetes goes untreated? What are long term effects of diabetes? You have increased risk for serious infections and limb loss, peripheral nerve loss, kidney failure, cardiovascular disease, stroke and blindness. But, it is not all gloom and doom for diabetics. It is very possible to live a long productive life with this diagnosis if you get the treatment you need and make the necessary lifestyle changes required.
What are some signs and symptoms that you should go see your doctor? Here you go:
- Thirsty and drinking more often, plus going to the bathroom more frequently
- Weight loss when you aren't really trying to lose the weight
- Weakness and fatigue
- Tingling or numbness in your hands and feet
- Blurred vision
- Dry, itchy skin
- Cuts that take a long time to heal
- Easy to bruise
That was my PSA for November. :)
Saturday, November 10, 2007
2 books in less than 5 days!?!?
Yeah, believe it or not I finished 2 books in less than a week. I think the last time I did something like that I was in my early 20s and that was awhile ago.
I finished "Eldest" by Paolini, his second book in the series. It was much better than his first and I think it was longer too. I enjoyed his descriptions of the elves, discussions on the various faiths and of course, the relationship with the dragons. What a wonderful piece of escapism. I finished it and got online to see when the final book in the series was coming out and found out two things. One, it is no longer a trilogy but is now called a "cycle" and will be 4 books long, not 3. Two, the third book won't be out until Septemner 2008. Yep, a whole freakin' year away!! Ugh.
So, I slept on that bit of news and started a little book I had picked up at the library last week. "Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress" by Sijie. What a surprising little book. It was a refreshing light read, that although was simple was still able to provide rich imagery of the events. I loved how it ended and loved the quote. It brought a smile to my face. It peaked my interested in the French auther, Balzac. Balzac was a prolific tortured writer, but I think I may try to read one of books if I can find it at the library. I also found that the author (Sijie) directed a movie version of his novel in 2002. I guess I am a smidge behind the times.
Now, I either need to attack the pile of nursing journals and texts from classes taken recently or try to find another book to read. I do have this one book that I still can't seem to finish. I am still mired in the foreword, that I stupidly thought I should read. The book, "A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius."
I think I'll try the nursing journals. :)
I finished "Eldest" by Paolini, his second book in the series. It was much better than his first and I think it was longer too. I enjoyed his descriptions of the elves, discussions on the various faiths and of course, the relationship with the dragons. What a wonderful piece of escapism. I finished it and got online to see when the final book in the series was coming out and found out two things. One, it is no longer a trilogy but is now called a "cycle" and will be 4 books long, not 3. Two, the third book won't be out until Septemner 2008. Yep, a whole freakin' year away!! Ugh.
So, I slept on that bit of news and started a little book I had picked up at the library last week. "Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress" by Sijie. What a surprising little book. It was a refreshing light read, that although was simple was still able to provide rich imagery of the events. I loved how it ended and loved the quote. It brought a smile to my face. It peaked my interested in the French auther, Balzac. Balzac was a prolific tortured writer, but I think I may try to read one of books if I can find it at the library. I also found that the author (Sijie) directed a movie version of his novel in 2002. I guess I am a smidge behind the times.
Now, I either need to attack the pile of nursing journals and texts from classes taken recently or try to find another book to read. I do have this one book that I still can't seem to finish. I am still mired in the foreword, that I stupidly thought I should read. The book, "A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius."
I think I'll try the nursing journals. :)
Friday, November 9, 2007
Randomness at the drug store
There is has been a plague hovering over our house since mid-October. First, the daughter comes down with the creeping crud that causes the cough that sounds like a lung or parts of the lung are coming up, the sore throat and hoarse voice and copious amounts of snot that looks like it could be used as a green glue. She would cough so hard she caused herself to puke. Then this lovely illness passes to the husband. Then, just when I think the plague has passed I get it and lost my voice for almost 4 days and had to use 2 sick days for work.
My voice is returning, the cough is nearly gone. The daughter's cough has been gone for maybe a week. The husband still has a residual cough. Things are looking up. It is a new month, but it doesn't last. Yesterday the daughter starts grabbing at her lower abdomen, about where the bladder should be and starts screaming and saying she has to pee. This continues on for the rest of the night. I take her in to the doctor today and expect a diagnosis of bladder or urinary tract infection but that is not the case. She is stumped. All the symptoms of a bladder infection but the lab results say no. So, I am told to take her home, make her drink her fluids and give her nice warm baths, with no bubblebath.
After a couple of hours of still dealing with her pain and cries and runs to the bathroom, she has started to puke now and I can't really give her anything. So, I decide to go to the drug store and pick up some Coke (great for upset stomachs) and maybe some rectal Tylenol. If someone is puking so much they can't keep down medicine, sometimes you can give the medicine through the rectum and at least they can have some relief from pain.
So, I am browsing the aisle at the drug store and discover that they actually do have pediatric doses of rectal Tylenol. Then I discover what is truly amazing, dissolving Tylenol. These sweet little tablets that just dissolve on the tongue, which means they are absorbed straight into the blood stream through the oral membranes! My god, what a fantastic invention. That goes into the shopping basket.
Next, I am off to the stomach aisle. You can't typically give a kid with stomach flu anything for it, especially something like Pepto-Bismol because it contains aspirin. I decide to check anyways since I found this amazing new form of Tylenol. They did have this product on this shelf that said it was an anti-emetic for kids so I read the label. Ingredients listed were glucose, fructose and phosphoric acid . . . surprisingly those are the same ingredients in the Coke I had already thrown in the basket. Coke for an upset stomach is a remedy that has been passed on for a long time and now someone has put some of those same ingredients in a medicine so they can charge more for it. Go figure. I am definitely keeping the Coke in the shopping basket.
Next comes the beginning of the really funny part of this shopping adventure. The doctor had a theory that maybe some of the pain she is experiencing is from irritation from either too many bubble baths or time in the chlorinated waters of the hot tub. She recommended warm baths or sitz baths for the daughter, so I was in the feminine hygiene aisle to see if they had something you could add to warm baths to help with discomfort. There was a guy there browsing the condom section. I am thinking, 'Good for him. Practicing safe sex.' Then I remember I had seen him earlier looking in the booze section with his girlfriend while I was buying the Coke.
By the way, there was nothing in the feminine hygiene department for the daughter's ailment. I ended up just using a normal hot bath.
I am finally at the check out line and who is in front of me? The guy who had been shopping for booze and condoms with his girlfriend. Yet, he was buying only one item . . . a fakey rhinestone, sparkly thing that I think was for her hair or maybe was a bracelet. That was it.
I am left wondering did he decide he wasn't going to get lucky and gave up on the booze and condoms? Or, is she a cheap date and only needs some fake bling to get excited? Maybe he already had enough condoms? Who knows, but it was kind of amusing. Fakey bling from the drug store.
The dissolving Tylenol and Coke were big hit back at home.
My voice is returning, the cough is nearly gone. The daughter's cough has been gone for maybe a week. The husband still has a residual cough. Things are looking up. It is a new month, but it doesn't last. Yesterday the daughter starts grabbing at her lower abdomen, about where the bladder should be and starts screaming and saying she has to pee. This continues on for the rest of the night. I take her in to the doctor today and expect a diagnosis of bladder or urinary tract infection but that is not the case. She is stumped. All the symptoms of a bladder infection but the lab results say no. So, I am told to take her home, make her drink her fluids and give her nice warm baths, with no bubblebath.
After a couple of hours of still dealing with her pain and cries and runs to the bathroom, she has started to puke now and I can't really give her anything. So, I decide to go to the drug store and pick up some Coke (great for upset stomachs) and maybe some rectal Tylenol. If someone is puking so much they can't keep down medicine, sometimes you can give the medicine through the rectum and at least they can have some relief from pain.
So, I am browsing the aisle at the drug store and discover that they actually do have pediatric doses of rectal Tylenol. Then I discover what is truly amazing, dissolving Tylenol. These sweet little tablets that just dissolve on the tongue, which means they are absorbed straight into the blood stream through the oral membranes! My god, what a fantastic invention. That goes into the shopping basket.
Next, I am off to the stomach aisle. You can't typically give a kid with stomach flu anything for it, especially something like Pepto-Bismol because it contains aspirin. I decide to check anyways since I found this amazing new form of Tylenol. They did have this product on this shelf that said it was an anti-emetic for kids so I read the label. Ingredients listed were glucose, fructose and phosphoric acid . . . surprisingly those are the same ingredients in the Coke I had already thrown in the basket. Coke for an upset stomach is a remedy that has been passed on for a long time and now someone has put some of those same ingredients in a medicine so they can charge more for it. Go figure. I am definitely keeping the Coke in the shopping basket.
Next comes the beginning of the really funny part of this shopping adventure. The doctor had a theory that maybe some of the pain she is experiencing is from irritation from either too many bubble baths or time in the chlorinated waters of the hot tub. She recommended warm baths or sitz baths for the daughter, so I was in the feminine hygiene aisle to see if they had something you could add to warm baths to help with discomfort. There was a guy there browsing the condom section. I am thinking, 'Good for him. Practicing safe sex.' Then I remember I had seen him earlier looking in the booze section with his girlfriend while I was buying the Coke.
By the way, there was nothing in the feminine hygiene department for the daughter's ailment. I ended up just using a normal hot bath.
I am finally at the check out line and who is in front of me? The guy who had been shopping for booze and condoms with his girlfriend. Yet, he was buying only one item . . . a fakey rhinestone, sparkly thing that I think was for her hair or maybe was a bracelet. That was it.
I am left wondering did he decide he wasn't going to get lucky and gave up on the booze and condoms? Or, is she a cheap date and only needs some fake bling to get excited? Maybe he already had enough condoms? Who knows, but it was kind of amusing. Fakey bling from the drug store.
The dissolving Tylenol and Coke were big hit back at home.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Why the corn picture?
You may wonder about the corn picture on my page. I love Fall. All the colors, the leaves, the pumpkins and even the lighting. There is something almost magical about the lighting on a sunny Fall day. I took the dried corn picture at Swank Farms Corn Maze. Enjoy some other pictures I have taken during Fall.
And, Happy Halloween!Friday, October 19, 2007
The happiest place on earth? Depends. . .
I went to my happy place recently, Disneyland. I took my favorite D-land partner, my daughter. There were so many moments that were priceless for me due to their comedic nature.
First . . . The daughter was so excited about the trip that she actually woke up 4:30am on the day of departure. We flew to D-land so by the time we were lining up at the security gates at D-land it was about 10:30 a.m and she had been up for 6 hours with about only 6 hours of sleep from the night before. For those without kids, this is a recipe for disaster. It was one of the hottest days on record for October in Anaheim and apparently several schools were closed due to Columbus Day. It was hot and it was crowded. She immediately started whining about the heat and standing in line. She eventually started saying she didn't even want to go to D-land. I knew she was whining more because she was hot and tired. We finally get inside the gates and we are standing in the happiest place on Earth and what does my daughter say? "Wendy (from the movie Peter Pan) is not here! I am not happy!" This is punctuated with foot stomping and a healthy pout. I am chuckling and behind me a woman with her husband says, "That's not right. She's in the happiest place." Of course, they were chuckling too.
Second . . . I ask, "Do you want your picture taken with Mickey Mouse? Do you want to meet Mickey?" She says, "No. I don't like Mickey. I only like Pluto." I am surprised we weren't escorted out of the park after that comment.
Third . . . "Mom, can we stay in Disneyland forever?"
Fourth . . . She says after riding Pirates of the Carribean, "I saw Captain Sparrow 5 times and the guy with the octopus face was talking at us with his face on the water. I like Captain Sparrow. "
First . . . The daughter was so excited about the trip that she actually woke up 4:30am on the day of departure. We flew to D-land so by the time we were lining up at the security gates at D-land it was about 10:30 a.m and she had been up for 6 hours with about only 6 hours of sleep from the night before. For those without kids, this is a recipe for disaster. It was one of the hottest days on record for October in Anaheim and apparently several schools were closed due to Columbus Day. It was hot and it was crowded. She immediately started whining about the heat and standing in line. She eventually started saying she didn't even want to go to D-land. I knew she was whining more because she was hot and tired. We finally get inside the gates and we are standing in the happiest place on Earth and what does my daughter say? "Wendy (from the movie Peter Pan) is not here! I am not happy!" This is punctuated with foot stomping and a healthy pout. I am chuckling and behind me a woman with her husband says, "That's not right. She's in the happiest place." Of course, they were chuckling too.
Second . . . I ask, "Do you want your picture taken with Mickey Mouse? Do you want to meet Mickey?" She says, "No. I don't like Mickey. I only like Pluto." I am surprised we weren't escorted out of the park after that comment.
Third . . . "Mom, can we stay in Disneyland forever?"
Fourth . . . She says after riding Pirates of the Carribean, "I saw Captain Sparrow 5 times and the guy with the octopus face was talking at us with his face on the water. I like Captain Sparrow. "
Fifth . . . "Mom, can you please take my picture with the candy corn. I love candy corn." As do I do, sweetie, as do I.
There were several other moments, but the last one I'll leave you with, "Mom, I want to stay here forever but I miss my daddy and my big dog." Ah, the dilemma of a 4 year old.
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