Have you read Malcolm Gladwell's Tipping Point? No? You should, it is really fascinating. In it he talks about different types of people. I fall into the connector category. If I come across information I think is useful, I feel compelled to share it. Sometimes this is a good thing and sometimes I should probably MYOB. I hope this is one of those times when the info I have is helpful.
You've heard of Sudaphed right? The ubiquitous little red tables that dry out your runny nose. The main ingredient in the original Sudaphed was psuedophedrine. Sadly, it is also one of the key ingredients in crystal meth. So, awhile back the FDA, ordered retailers to remove products with pseudophedrine from publicly accessible shelves.
Big Pharma knew that we, the American consumer, were not a particularly motivated group and that standing in lines was not one of our favorite pastimes, so they reformulated many of their cold products eliminating psuedophedrine and in my rarely humble opinion, rendered them as useful as sugar pills.
What most people don't know is that you can still get many of the original formulations, but you have to ask a pharmacist for them AND provide a photo ID and signature for tracking purposes. Thank you thank you almighty pharmacist (or more likely a pharmacy technician) for providing me the one thing that actually provides me relief from my common cold symptoms.
Now, about the same time the FDA pulled psuedophedrine products from the shelves, the powers that be (I believe it was the FDA and the American Academy of Pediatrics), also instituted new regulations banning most multi-symptom cold formulas for children. The AAP said they didn't work anyway. Really? How many of them have hung on to their sanity by a thread with a congested and miserable 1 year old only to be saved by Pedicare? I have friends who SWORE by Triaminic. Hey, they worked for us!
I spoke at length about this change with my children's pediatrician and she said the biggest problem was that most parents were overdosing their children. Once again, a few dorks who can't read labels ruin it for the rest of us. Grrrr. We talked about psudophedrine. She said that yes, it was safe for my kids (who were 8 and almost 4 at the time) and she gave me the doses. She did warn me that some people don't react well to psudophedrine. This is a fact of which I was well aware. My husband cannot take decongestants as they increase is heartbeat and give him the shakes.
This is all leading somewhere I promise.
We are fortunate. Truly, the kids don't get sick much, and I'm not one to offer medicine at the drop of hat. However, by the time my son had his 4th cold settled into is ears and developed into raging ear infection I was ready for something, ANYTHING to stop the insanity. I talked to my pharmacist (not the tech) and she agreed to order me a bottle of liquid psuedophedrine. Whoo Hooo! Yay! Amen, Hallelujah and Praise Be . . . aaaaaannnnnnnndddddd then the colds and ear infections stopped.
This is the first cold either of them have had in a long time. I was determined that this time I was going to keep the goop out of his ears. Yes he's older and he's grown significantly, but I wasn't taking ANY chances. That said, I was a little wary of what his reaction to psuedophedrine might be, so I held out the first few days. I gave him Benadryl (also doctor recommended), and that dried up his nose some, plus had the added benefit of making him a tad drowsy. Today we tried the psuedophedrine. The first dose was effective and he seemed fine. About 5 hours later we gave him a second dose. ZING, PING, POP, ohmygawdhaveyouMETmysonthebabblingpinball??????????? He's an energetic kid to begin with, but now he was just off the charts. At dinner, my husband said "you could never give him this and send him to school." Well, I could, but I really LIKE his kindergarten teacher. The directions say every 4-6 hours. I supposed if I'm desperate, I might try it again, and spread the doses out even farther, but I'm thinking we'll stick with Benadryl.
My daughter on the other had as been find on psuedophedrine (she can take the tablets). It has worked well for her. Just another way that they are COMPLETE opposites. So, if your family is suffering with runny noses, consider standing in line and getting some psuedophedrine, just keep an eye out for babbling pinballs.
Please note, I'm not a doctor, nor do I play one of TV (10 points to anyone who gets THAT reference), I am simply sharing my experiences with a product that I like and have purchased with my own money. You should talk to your doctor and pharmacist before starting any new medications.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Friday, November 6, 2009
Don't Gimmie No Lines and Keep Your Germs to Yourself
The stories are everywhere; you can’t open a paper (for those of us that still read them) or turn on the radio without hearing the words flu or H1N1 mentioned. The topic is all over Facebook and Twitter as people lament their illness, or that of their kids and spouses.
The flu is serious business, it can be deadly for some populations, but arguably, for most people, it is just uncomfortable and inconvenient. Yet as Americans, we take any kind of illness personally, it is like some sign of weakness to admit that you weren’t able to fight off a stupid little virus. So, rather than doing the smart thing and staying home and keeping the germs to ourselves, we put on our superhero capes (or martyr robes depending on your perspective) and soldier on, runny noses, scratchy throats, hacky coughs and all.
Sick days to the working person are like those plastic decorations on a cake. They look good in an employment offer, but you aren’t really supposed to consume them. Some companies even reward employees who DON’T use sick days. This means that super Joe or Jane comes to work spewing germs thus infecting poor Mary or Marty who doesn’t have the strongest immune system and ends up taking sick time. Joe or Jane gets a reward at Mary or Marty’s expense.
The age-old argument is “I don’t have TIME to be sick”. Really? Why is it that doctors say the best remedy for colds is rest and fluids? If you’d stay home when you are first sick, I bet you’d find you feel better faster than if you barrel on like a locomotive infecting everyone for miles.
Don’t even get me started on parents who send sick kids to school. In most cases, I don’t blame the parent as much as I do the parent’s employer. When I was volunteering in my daughter’s second grade classroom, I overheard J, an obviously sick child tell the teacher she couldn’t go to the nurse because her mom would lose her job if she left work to care for J. What is a teacher supposed to do with that?????
My kids inspired this post. Both are home today. I kept the younger one home yesterday because he was a veritable faucet of mucus and is not good at blowing his nose, remembering to cover his mouth when he sneezes or coughs, or washing his hands. Germs are the only things he is good at sharing. He’s 5, I am optimistic this will change. He didn’t have a fever and spent most of the day be-bopping around the house.
The older one also had a runny nose yesterday and the beginnings of a cough, but since she is better at containing her germs and she BEGGED (really!) to go to school. I sent her. I send decongestant with her and when she visited the nurse yesterday, for a regular dose, she complained of a scratchy throat, so the nurse took her temperature it was 100.3. So, home she came. Both kids are still spewing liquid today, but both are better. Still, they are home. Don’t misunderstand me; I’m no saint in this game. I’ve sent my kids into the fray plenty of times when they weren’t 100%, but never when I knowingly thought they were seriously ill.
I’m not really sure what the answer is. Employers complain, that sick time costs money and lost productivity, but I think they are being incredibly short sighted. If they’d allow employees the time to stay home and get well, I think they’d find that that productivity would increase because when employees ARE on the job, they would be well and focused on their work rather than ill and jonesing for that next cold medicine fix.
I work for myself, so I have fairly liberal sick time policies. How about you? What kind of sick time policies does your company have? Can you work from home when you are sick? Are you at risk of losing your job if your kids get sick?
The flu is serious business, it can be deadly for some populations, but arguably, for most people, it is just uncomfortable and inconvenient. Yet as Americans, we take any kind of illness personally, it is like some sign of weakness to admit that you weren’t able to fight off a stupid little virus. So, rather than doing the smart thing and staying home and keeping the germs to ourselves, we put on our superhero capes (or martyr robes depending on your perspective) and soldier on, runny noses, scratchy throats, hacky coughs and all.
Sick days to the working person are like those plastic decorations on a cake. They look good in an employment offer, but you aren’t really supposed to consume them. Some companies even reward employees who DON’T use sick days. This means that super Joe or Jane comes to work spewing germs thus infecting poor Mary or Marty who doesn’t have the strongest immune system and ends up taking sick time. Joe or Jane gets a reward at Mary or Marty’s expense.
The age-old argument is “I don’t have TIME to be sick”. Really? Why is it that doctors say the best remedy for colds is rest and fluids? If you’d stay home when you are first sick, I bet you’d find you feel better faster than if you barrel on like a locomotive infecting everyone for miles.
Don’t even get me started on parents who send sick kids to school. In most cases, I don’t blame the parent as much as I do the parent’s employer. When I was volunteering in my daughter’s second grade classroom, I overheard J, an obviously sick child tell the teacher she couldn’t go to the nurse because her mom would lose her job if she left work to care for J. What is a teacher supposed to do with that?????
My kids inspired this post. Both are home today. I kept the younger one home yesterday because he was a veritable faucet of mucus and is not good at blowing his nose, remembering to cover his mouth when he sneezes or coughs, or washing his hands. Germs are the only things he is good at sharing. He’s 5, I am optimistic this will change. He didn’t have a fever and spent most of the day be-bopping around the house.
The older one also had a runny nose yesterday and the beginnings of a cough, but since she is better at containing her germs and she BEGGED (really!) to go to school. I sent her. I send decongestant with her and when she visited the nurse yesterday, for a regular dose, she complained of a scratchy throat, so the nurse took her temperature it was 100.3. So, home she came. Both kids are still spewing liquid today, but both are better. Still, they are home. Don’t misunderstand me; I’m no saint in this game. I’ve sent my kids into the fray plenty of times when they weren’t 100%, but never when I knowingly thought they were seriously ill.
I’m not really sure what the answer is. Employers complain, that sick time costs money and lost productivity, but I think they are being incredibly short sighted. If they’d allow employees the time to stay home and get well, I think they’d find that that productivity would increase because when employees ARE on the job, they would be well and focused on their work rather than ill and jonesing for that next cold medicine fix.
I work for myself, so I have fairly liberal sick time policies. How about you? What kind of sick time policies does your company have? Can you work from home when you are sick? Are you at risk of losing your job if your kids get sick?
Friday, October 2, 2009
Albinism Featured on 20/20 on ABC
I have albinism, a genetic condition that causes a lack of pigment in the skin, hair and eyes. This means I have very fair skin, bright blonde hair and blue eyes (blue, NOT red). Oh, an far from perfect vision. When I say “I have albinism.”, some people look at me funny. When I say “most people are more familiar with the word Albino.” Often a light bulb goes off. “Oh, I went to school with an albino.” Or, “My husband’s, sister’s, brother-in-law’s daughter is albino.” Many in the albinism community recoil at being called an albino. It doesn’t phase me so much, but that is a post for another day.
For me, albinism is an inconvenience. It is a pain slathering on layers of sunscreen, wearing a hat everywear and wearing sunglasses even on a cloudy day. BUT, at least I have sunscreen to protect my skin from skin cancer, I have contact lenses and glasses that help me see well enough to drive. I do not have the ultra rare kind of albinism that comes with medical complications. Nor, do I fear for my life every time I leave my house.
Since 2007, at least 53 (probably more) people with albinism living in Eastern Africa have been violently murdered for their body parts. The victims are tortured and killed by violent means as folklore often requires the killer to drink the blood of their victim to ward off dangerous spirits. The corpse is then hacked to pieces and sold to witch doctors for use in potions and salves.
I’m sorry, to be graphic, but the story is THAT disturbing.
According to ABC News, the story was broken by a BBC reporter who went undercover to try and expose the heinous crimes. It has been slow in starting, but there is a movement a foot lead by several non profit organizations including NOAH, Under the Same Sun, and Positive Exposure to shine a spotlight on these atrocities and force the governments to hold those responsible for these crimes accountable for their actions.
For more than a year NOAH has been working with ABC news on a story about albinism. The final product will air tonight on the ABC News show 20/20. There are stories of Americans with albinism, but most of the show is devoted to the crisis in Tanzania. There are preview clips here. From what I can gather this show is NOT suitable for a family audience.
I’m a little uneasy about the content of the show. For the most part, albinism is a rare and misunderstood condition. The lack of vision presents a real problem, but most of the challenges arise from our society’s intolerance of difference. I’m glad the situation in Tanzania is getting some attention. People with albinism there live a life very different from mine in so many ways. I hope that while they highlight the challenges that people with albinism face, they also show that people with albinism are not doomed to a life of suffering (at least not in the U.S.).
If course the irony of a segment about people with a visual impairment on a show called 20/20 isn't lost on me.
Tune in an let me know what you think.
For me, albinism is an inconvenience. It is a pain slathering on layers of sunscreen, wearing a hat everywear and wearing sunglasses even on a cloudy day. BUT, at least I have sunscreen to protect my skin from skin cancer, I have contact lenses and glasses that help me see well enough to drive. I do not have the ultra rare kind of albinism that comes with medical complications. Nor, do I fear for my life every time I leave my house.
Since 2007, at least 53 (probably more) people with albinism living in Eastern Africa have been violently murdered for their body parts. The victims are tortured and killed by violent means as folklore often requires the killer to drink the blood of their victim to ward off dangerous spirits. The corpse is then hacked to pieces and sold to witch doctors for use in potions and salves.
I’m sorry, to be graphic, but the story is THAT disturbing.
According to ABC News, the story was broken by a BBC reporter who went undercover to try and expose the heinous crimes. It has been slow in starting, but there is a movement a foot lead by several non profit organizations including NOAH, Under the Same Sun, and Positive Exposure to shine a spotlight on these atrocities and force the governments to hold those responsible for these crimes accountable for their actions.
For more than a year NOAH has been working with ABC news on a story about albinism. The final product will air tonight on the ABC News show 20/20. There are stories of Americans with albinism, but most of the show is devoted to the crisis in Tanzania. There are preview clips here. From what I can gather this show is NOT suitable for a family audience.
I’m a little uneasy about the content of the show. For the most part, albinism is a rare and misunderstood condition. The lack of vision presents a real problem, but most of the challenges arise from our society’s intolerance of difference. I’m glad the situation in Tanzania is getting some attention. People with albinism there live a life very different from mine in so many ways. I hope that while they highlight the challenges that people with albinism face, they also show that people with albinism are not doomed to a life of suffering (at least not in the U.S.).
If course the irony of a segment about people with a visual impairment on a show called 20/20 isn't lost on me.
Tune in an let me know what you think.
Friday Randomness
Last night was our annual trip to the fair. I love the fair, mostly for the food, but the crafts and the animals are fun too. But oh, the food. Last night I had three home made pierogies. 1/2 of a sweet Italian sausage with onions and peppers, a sixteen ounce old fashioned root beer, 1/3 of a funnel cake and 2 pieces of chocolate fudge. I resisted the gigantic donuts and the cider donuts. The only thing I didn’t see that I was looking for was chocolate covered bacon. Based on Twitter conversations, it is all the rage. Maybe next year.
This week’s episode of CSI New York really annoyed me. Yes, yes, I know it is TV, it is fake, but the whole technology is evil plot was annoying. Are any of the things that happened on that show possible? Yes, most definitely, but it wouldn’t be easy. Is it possible that one person could hack ALL of those systems and time things perfectly? No way! Yet, I’m sure there are some who watched that show who will never trust a GPS again. Grrr
On my walk this morning, I turned the iPod off when I started heading for home. I just walked and listened to the sounds around me. My mind drifted (as it is oh so wanton to do), but I just took a deep breath and studied the bright red leaves. It was nice. Think I might do that more often.
Towards the end of the walk, I encountered two kids waiting for the bus. I said “Morning” and they returned the greeting. Just after I was out of sight of their driveway, the little boy yelled “MORNING!”, I could hear his sister shhshing him, so I yelled back. He replied and I decided to add a twist and shouted “MARCO!”. I could hear him giggle. “POLO!” came the reply. We kept this up for the better part of a quarter mile. It was fun.
And so dear reader, those are the random thoughts occupying my mind on this fall morning. Later, I hope to have a post about a life threatening issue people with albinism living in East Africa are facing.
TTFN.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Quick Dinner Recipe for Leftover Roast Beef
We had a fabulous sirloin beef roast last week. Despite our best efforts, we had a ton of leftovers. A-Man and I enjoyed the remains for lunch and in a few sandwiches, and still there was enough left for a second meal.
I had planned to make beef stroganoff, but realized I didn’t have any noodles. You might be able to eat your beef stroganoff over rice, but I need noodles.
I pondered a few alternatives, but ultimately decided to create my own recipe. Introducing, Beef Stroganoff Pie!
Ingredients
1 Package prepared pie crust for a two crust pie.
1 Onion, chopped
Garlic Cloves chopped (I used 4, use more or less to your taste).
2-3 sm. cans of mushrooms (an equal amount of fresh mushrooms sliced if you have them).
1-1.5 C Leftover roast beef
1 can Cream of mushroom soup
1 can Beef broth
2 tsp Celery flakes
1 tsp Beef bouillon (you can eliminate this if salt is a concern)
2 tsp Parsley
Salt and Pepper to taste.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Bring the pie crusts to room temperature according to directions on the box and drape one crust in a pie plate.
In a 2 quart pan, saute the onions and garlic in your fat of choice (I used a little butter, but olive oil would work just as well) until the onions are transparent.
Add the mushrooms and saute until cooked.
Add the beef and saute for a minute or two (see the first note below).
Add the soup, beef broth and spices and bring to a simmer stirring occasionally. Let simmer for 10-15 minutes until the mixture thickens (you may need to add a little flour).
Pour the mixture into the bottom pie crust.
Top with second crust and poke holes in the top to release steam.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until top crust is lightly browned.
I served it with a salad. A-Man and I both liked it. The kids didn’t, but they don’t like beef stroganoff (thus why I need the noodles), so this doesn’t surprise me.
Notes:
The cut of beef you use will impact the cooking time on the stove top. If you have a tougher cut, you will want to let it simmer longer to tenderize. In this case, the cut was already tender, so I kept cooking time to a minimum to avoid over cooking it.
I meant to add a splash of red wine (1/4 cup or so and I use Merlot) to add depth, I definitely want to remember this for next time.
Next time I’d probably add some sliced carrots to the pie and serve with a loaf of cheesey garlic bread or crusty french bread.
If you can let the pie filling sit for awhile the flavors will blend nicely.
Try it and let me know how it worked for you. Did you add/delete anything? What did your family think?
I had planned to make beef stroganoff, but realized I didn’t have any noodles. You might be able to eat your beef stroganoff over rice, but I need noodles.
I pondered a few alternatives, but ultimately decided to create my own recipe. Introducing, Beef Stroganoff Pie!
Ingredients
1 Package prepared pie crust for a two crust pie.
1 Onion, chopped
Garlic Cloves chopped (I used 4, use more or less to your taste).
2-3 sm. cans of mushrooms (an equal amount of fresh mushrooms sliced if you have them).
1-1.5 C Leftover roast beef
1 can Cream of mushroom soup
1 can Beef broth
2 tsp Celery flakes
1 tsp Beef bouillon (you can eliminate this if salt is a concern)
2 tsp Parsley
Salt and Pepper to taste.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Bring the pie crusts to room temperature according to directions on the box and drape one crust in a pie plate.
In a 2 quart pan, saute the onions and garlic in your fat of choice (I used a little butter, but olive oil would work just as well) until the onions are transparent.
Add the mushrooms and saute until cooked.
Add the beef and saute for a minute or two (see the first note below).
Add the soup, beef broth and spices and bring to a simmer stirring occasionally. Let simmer for 10-15 minutes until the mixture thickens (you may need to add a little flour).
Pour the mixture into the bottom pie crust.
Top with second crust and poke holes in the top to release steam.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until top crust is lightly browned.
I served it with a salad. A-Man and I both liked it. The kids didn’t, but they don’t like beef stroganoff (thus why I need the noodles), so this doesn’t surprise me.
Notes:
The cut of beef you use will impact the cooking time on the stove top. If you have a tougher cut, you will want to let it simmer longer to tenderize. In this case, the cut was already tender, so I kept cooking time to a minimum to avoid over cooking it.
I meant to add a splash of red wine (1/4 cup or so and I use Merlot) to add depth, I definitely want to remember this for next time.
Next time I’d probably add some sliced carrots to the pie and serve with a loaf of cheesey garlic bread or crusty french bread.
If you can let the pie filling sit for awhile the flavors will blend nicely.
Try it and let me know how it worked for you. Did you add/delete anything? What did your family think?
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
My Birth Story - Part Two
Dear Mama To Be
Yesterday I told you of my first birth experience. Today I’ll share the second.
We started trying for number two when Fish was almost two and a half. We also decided to sell our house, put everything we owned in storage, move in with my in-laws, and start building a new house. Stress much? And I wondered why I didn’t get pregnant! I was unhappy with my new doctors and in general annoyed that my body couldn’t just get pregnant!! So, I talked with A-Man (who wasn’t as adament about a second child as I was), and we put an end to the quest for baby number two. We traded the minivan for a smaller car, and I made several work and volunteer commitments, and yes, six weeks later, I was pregnant (truly know how annoying this to those out there still trying to get pregnant).
The second time, I still desperately wanted that vaginal birth, but because I was a VBAC, my only option was a hosptial delivery, still I went the mid-wife route for pre-natal care.
Fish told everyone who would listen that she was getting a baby brother on June 1st. I told her again and again, that a) we don’t get to pick, we get what we get and b) that babies come when they are ready. Didn’t I go into labor at 5:15 am on Monday June first! It is worth noting that A-Man was on a 5am bus to Boston. I got Fish off to pre-school, called him and told him to finish whatever was urgent and to get on bus home. Again, start and stop. I did everything I could to keep labor progressing. When A-Man got home, I got permission from the mid-wife to get in the hot tub. That helped, but still with the stop and start. I called the midwives in tears. I wasn’t going 60 hours again. The nurse wasn’t particularly sympathetic. We went and registered A-Man’s new truck, picked Fish up from pre-school and I came home ang got in the shower (we have two heads oooooo, ahhhhh). That did the trick. I ate something, we sent Fish home with my in-laws and called the mid-wife. She asked if I could wait half an hour and I said yes if I could get in the hot tub (we kept it a 100 degrees). She said yes, so I did.
She called in half an hour and I could barely talk. It was time.
We drove to the hospital and during admitting, I puked on the nurse (2 for 2) and we did the tub again. I got cold and by 10 something at night 17 hours of labor at this point, it was time to push. I pushed, and pushed, and got nowhere. Rest, Try again, no go. The mid-wife went to get the doctor for a consult. I knew where we were headed and I didn’t care. This time I knew, it was just a process and what mattered was the end result. The doctor came in and had me push through a contraction and he agreed, they weren’t productive. Time for a c-section.
A-Man looks at me and says “Do you want me to call anyone?”. We flew solo this time because all of my close friends lived an hour and a half a way. No, I said. About 10 minutes later it occured to me that he wasn’t asking for me. I said, “Do you want to call someone?” Yes, yes he did! Ooops.
My Sister-in-law came and she was TOTALLY into the surgery. I was more with it this time and got a kick out of her interest. The doctor said “It’s a boy” and I clearly remember thinkging “What am I going do to with a boy?” then the doctor said “Ow!” Mim bit him on the way out. His APGRs were off the charts.
On his post-op visit, the surgeon told me that Mim was posterior too and that my hips were very small. He said the first surgeon should have noted my small birth canal and that frankly I should not have been allowed to attempt a VBAC. Even it the baby wasn’t posterier, it is likely he would have broken something on the way out.
I tell you my stories not to frighten you everyone’s experience is different. I own my choices. I’m horribly independent and hate medical intervention. In hindsight, I wish I had scheduled the second c-section, but at the risk of repeating myself, the final result is all that matters.
I know how hard you worked just to get pregnant and how much you have enjoyed pregnancy. By your own words, you are a control freak and a planner. I tell you my story to demonstrate that things don’t always go as you plan them. When it comes to labor and delivery, that couldn’t be more true, so do your best, but keep and open mind and be prepared to be ok if things don’t work out according to the pictures in your head.
Oh, an relax, you are going to be an awesome mom!!
Love,
Reesie
Yesterday I told you of my first birth experience. Today I’ll share the second.
We started trying for number two when Fish was almost two and a half. We also decided to sell our house, put everything we owned in storage, move in with my in-laws, and start building a new house. Stress much? And I wondered why I didn’t get pregnant! I was unhappy with my new doctors and in general annoyed that my body couldn’t just get pregnant!! So, I talked with A-Man (who wasn’t as adament about a second child as I was), and we put an end to the quest for baby number two. We traded the minivan for a smaller car, and I made several work and volunteer commitments, and yes, six weeks later, I was pregnant (truly know how annoying this to those out there still trying to get pregnant).
The second time, I still desperately wanted that vaginal birth, but because I was a VBAC, my only option was a hosptial delivery, still I went the mid-wife route for pre-natal care.
Fish told everyone who would listen that she was getting a baby brother on June 1st. I told her again and again, that a) we don’t get to pick, we get what we get and b) that babies come when they are ready. Didn’t I go into labor at 5:15 am on Monday June first! It is worth noting that A-Man was on a 5am bus to Boston. I got Fish off to pre-school, called him and told him to finish whatever was urgent and to get on bus home. Again, start and stop. I did everything I could to keep labor progressing. When A-Man got home, I got permission from the mid-wife to get in the hot tub. That helped, but still with the stop and start. I called the midwives in tears. I wasn’t going 60 hours again. The nurse wasn’t particularly sympathetic. We went and registered A-Man’s new truck, picked Fish up from pre-school and I came home ang got in the shower (we have two heads oooooo, ahhhhh). That did the trick. I ate something, we sent Fish home with my in-laws and called the mid-wife. She asked if I could wait half an hour and I said yes if I could get in the hot tub (we kept it a 100 degrees). She said yes, so I did.
She called in half an hour and I could barely talk. It was time.
We drove to the hospital and during admitting, I puked on the nurse (2 for 2) and we did the tub again. I got cold and by 10 something at night 17 hours of labor at this point, it was time to push. I pushed, and pushed, and got nowhere. Rest, Try again, no go. The mid-wife went to get the doctor for a consult. I knew where we were headed and I didn’t care. This time I knew, it was just a process and what mattered was the end result. The doctor came in and had me push through a contraction and he agreed, they weren’t productive. Time for a c-section.
A-Man looks at me and says “Do you want me to call anyone?”. We flew solo this time because all of my close friends lived an hour and a half a way. No, I said. About 10 minutes later it occured to me that he wasn’t asking for me. I said, “Do you want to call someone?” Yes, yes he did! Ooops.
My Sister-in-law came and she was TOTALLY into the surgery. I was more with it this time and got a kick out of her interest. The doctor said “It’s a boy” and I clearly remember thinkging “What am I going do to with a boy?” then the doctor said “Ow!” Mim bit him on the way out. His APGRs were off the charts.
On his post-op visit, the surgeon told me that Mim was posterior too and that my hips were very small. He said the first surgeon should have noted my small birth canal and that frankly I should not have been allowed to attempt a VBAC. Even it the baby wasn’t posterier, it is likely he would have broken something on the way out.
I tell you my stories not to frighten you everyone’s experience is different. I own my choices. I’m horribly independent and hate medical intervention. In hindsight, I wish I had scheduled the second c-section, but at the risk of repeating myself, the final result is all that matters.
I know how hard you worked just to get pregnant and how much you have enjoyed pregnancy. By your own words, you are a control freak and a planner. I tell you my story to demonstrate that things don’t always go as you plan them. When it comes to labor and delivery, that couldn’t be more true, so do your best, but keep and open mind and be prepared to be ok if things don’t work out according to the pictures in your head.
Oh, an relax, you are going to be an awesome mom!!
Love,
Reesie
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
My Birth Story - Part One
Dear Mama To Be,
I’m sure you’ve already received bucketloads of a$$vice from people about everything pregnancy, labor and delivery and parenting related. You’ve probably heard more birth stories than you’d care to think about. If you are overwhelmed or feel like you’ve got it under contol than leave now, no hard feelings. If you are open to yet one more perspective, keep reading, and I’ll share my experience with you.
My overwhelming advice for you about labor and delivery is hope for the best, plan for the worst and know reality will be somewhere in between. almost ten years after my first delivery, I can assure that while at the time it seems momentous, in the overall picture, it is a point for reference, just like many others in your baby’s life.
Keep in mind, Fish was a Clomid baby and I wasn’t even supposed to get pregnant that cycle because my ovaries didn’t show enlargement (turns out I had a cyst masking the size of the ovary). Not only did I get pregnant that cycle, but at first, I was pregant with twins, the second sac self terminated within 10 days. I didn’t fight nearly as hard as you did for my baby, but it was work none-the-less.
Some would call my labor and delivery of Fish, a nightmare, I would call it an experience of my own making. I wouldn’t do it again (and I didn’t sort of), but I own my choices and have no regrets.
I read all of the literature about natural delivery. I’m not fond of lots of rules and I really don’t like medicine. Like you, I wanted to deliver at a birth center with limted medical intervention. I went into labor on a Thursday night and we immediately called my friend JS to come over. She and A-Man alternated by my side throughout the night. Labor started and stopped and started and stopped. Come morning we sent JS home. Labor started and stopped through out the day. I called the birth center, they didn’t want to see me yet. The start and stop when on all day Friday and Friday night. Finally, at 11pm Friday night, the mid-wfe suggested some wine to relax me so I would sleep. I only had hard liquor in the house (not even a beer). At this time, A-man didn’t drive, and JS is a recovering alcoholic, so getting wine was out of the question. Let this be a lesson to you :).
I was BEGGING the midwife to let me come in so I could get in the tub. Ours wasn’t big enough and I was convinced that time in the water would get things moving. No go, I wasn’t far enough a long and they were short staffed.
I took a long hot shower and went to bed. Again with the start and stop labor. Saturday afternoon, I got permission for JS to take me to the Y so I could get in the pool. I swam throughout my pregnancy, so they were used to seeing me. I was right. We got in the pool and almost instantly contractions started coming at a regular interval and then buliding with intensity. We swam for an hour and then headed home. Finally I was allowed to come to the birth center. It was 7pm. I was in that soaking tub as soon as she checked me. Labor kept building, but I wasn’t getting anywhere. I rested and tubbed and nothing. Mostly the mid-wife left us alone to labor, which was what I thought I wanted. JS was growing concerned that I wasn’t progressing and after the mid-wife checked me at 3am, Jeanne followed her and advocated for me, strongly. We had notced a valley in my stomach and a tight band around my abdomen. The mid-wife thought that maybe she should call the doctor. I knew at that point, we were going to the hospital. It was more than 50 hours at that point and no doctor was going give any advice without seeing me. I was right. Part of me was dissapointed, most of me was exhausted. I knew I’d given it my best, and I just couldn’t do anymore. I remember sitting in admitting and the very young girl asking me questions and growing impatiet when I wouldn’t answer. “Contraction” A-man growled at her. A-man doesn’t growl at anyone. The doctor checked me and Fish was ok, but showing signs of fatigue as was I. “I know you don’t want a c-section, but I think it is best for both of you.” At that point, I just wanted it to be over. Then, my concern switched to A-man, medical stuff ain’t exactly his bag. I told him if he didn’t want to come in, that was ok. He said he was good, but JS would likely be a little closer to the action than he was.
They prepped me for the ER (including giving me something to empty my stomach), I vommited bile all over a nurse, lucky her. A-Man told me he called his mom and he & JS were prepped for the OR with me. I went in first and the anesthesiologist told me to roll on my right side. I told him to go to hell. Enter the world’s smallest nurse. I swear she couldn’t have been more than 4’ 8’‘ and maybe 80 lbs. soaking wet.
”Sqeeze my hand“ she said.
”I’ll hurt you.“
”Squeeze my hand“ she barked. I did and the anethesologist gave me the epidural, at which time they rolled me on my back and I promptly told him he was my best friend.
The surgery was painless. JS was right beside me and A-Man, behind her.
It’s a girl YESSSSS, I was right.
”Oh and she has the brightest blonde hair“. No shock there really.
Fish had some meconium in her lungs, so she and A-Man went to the NICU while JS stayed with me as they finished up.
They brought Fish to me in revcovery and after a little encouragement, she latched on.
Once I could move my legs, We were brought to our room. JS, went home, and Grammy and Grandpa arrived. They took A-Man back to the house and out to breakfast (where he fell asleep sitting up), Fish went to the nursery (something I had not planned on, but I was SOOOOO exhausted, I knew it was for the best).
We all got a few hours sleep and they brought her back to me to nurse. From then on, she was with us unless we went downstairs to grab a bite in the cafeteria.
All totaled, I was in labor for close to 60 hours. Fish was head down, but posterier (facing the wrong way) and there was no way she would have made it out vaginally. Because of the c-section, I had a 4 day stay at the hospital. For someone who vehemently did not want a hospital birth, I had a great hosptial experience. I even wrote a letter to the director of nursing to complement her awesome staff.
Coming out of that experience, my advice to any who asked was a) trust yourself b) listen to your body and c)remember it is the end result that matters.
Tomorrow, the arrival of Mim.
I’m sure you’ve already received bucketloads of a$$vice from people about everything pregnancy, labor and delivery and parenting related. You’ve probably heard more birth stories than you’d care to think about. If you are overwhelmed or feel like you’ve got it under contol than leave now, no hard feelings. If you are open to yet one more perspective, keep reading, and I’ll share my experience with you.
My overwhelming advice for you about labor and delivery is hope for the best, plan for the worst and know reality will be somewhere in between. almost ten years after my first delivery, I can assure that while at the time it seems momentous, in the overall picture, it is a point for reference, just like many others in your baby’s life.
Keep in mind, Fish was a Clomid baby and I wasn’t even supposed to get pregnant that cycle because my ovaries didn’t show enlargement (turns out I had a cyst masking the size of the ovary). Not only did I get pregnant that cycle, but at first, I was pregant with twins, the second sac self terminated within 10 days. I didn’t fight nearly as hard as you did for my baby, but it was work none-the-less.
Some would call my labor and delivery of Fish, a nightmare, I would call it an experience of my own making. I wouldn’t do it again (and I didn’t sort of), but I own my choices and have no regrets.
I read all of the literature about natural delivery. I’m not fond of lots of rules and I really don’t like medicine. Like you, I wanted to deliver at a birth center with limted medical intervention. I went into labor on a Thursday night and we immediately called my friend JS to come over. She and A-Man alternated by my side throughout the night. Labor started and stopped and started and stopped. Come morning we sent JS home. Labor started and stopped through out the day. I called the birth center, they didn’t want to see me yet. The start and stop when on all day Friday and Friday night. Finally, at 11pm Friday night, the mid-wfe suggested some wine to relax me so I would sleep. I only had hard liquor in the house (not even a beer). At this time, A-man didn’t drive, and JS is a recovering alcoholic, so getting wine was out of the question. Let this be a lesson to you :).
I was BEGGING the midwife to let me come in so I could get in the tub. Ours wasn’t big enough and I was convinced that time in the water would get things moving. No go, I wasn’t far enough a long and they were short staffed.
I took a long hot shower and went to bed. Again with the start and stop labor. Saturday afternoon, I got permission for JS to take me to the Y so I could get in the pool. I swam throughout my pregnancy, so they were used to seeing me. I was right. We got in the pool and almost instantly contractions started coming at a regular interval and then buliding with intensity. We swam for an hour and then headed home. Finally I was allowed to come to the birth center. It was 7pm. I was in that soaking tub as soon as she checked me. Labor kept building, but I wasn’t getting anywhere. I rested and tubbed and nothing. Mostly the mid-wife left us alone to labor, which was what I thought I wanted. JS was growing concerned that I wasn’t progressing and after the mid-wife checked me at 3am, Jeanne followed her and advocated for me, strongly. We had notced a valley in my stomach and a tight band around my abdomen. The mid-wife thought that maybe she should call the doctor. I knew at that point, we were going to the hospital. It was more than 50 hours at that point and no doctor was going give any advice without seeing me. I was right. Part of me was dissapointed, most of me was exhausted. I knew I’d given it my best, and I just couldn’t do anymore. I remember sitting in admitting and the very young girl asking me questions and growing impatiet when I wouldn’t answer. “Contraction” A-man growled at her. A-man doesn’t growl at anyone. The doctor checked me and Fish was ok, but showing signs of fatigue as was I. “I know you don’t want a c-section, but I think it is best for both of you.” At that point, I just wanted it to be over. Then, my concern switched to A-man, medical stuff ain’t exactly his bag. I told him if he didn’t want to come in, that was ok. He said he was good, but JS would likely be a little closer to the action than he was.
They prepped me for the ER (including giving me something to empty my stomach), I vommited bile all over a nurse, lucky her. A-Man told me he called his mom and he & JS were prepped for the OR with me. I went in first and the anesthesiologist told me to roll on my right side. I told him to go to hell. Enter the world’s smallest nurse. I swear she couldn’t have been more than 4’ 8’‘ and maybe 80 lbs. soaking wet.
”Sqeeze my hand“ she said.
”I’ll hurt you.“
”Squeeze my hand“ she barked. I did and the anethesologist gave me the epidural, at which time they rolled me on my back and I promptly told him he was my best friend.
The surgery was painless. JS was right beside me and A-Man, behind her.
It’s a girl YESSSSS, I was right.
”Oh and she has the brightest blonde hair“. No shock there really.
Fish had some meconium in her lungs, so she and A-Man went to the NICU while JS stayed with me as they finished up.
They brought Fish to me in revcovery and after a little encouragement, she latched on.
Once I could move my legs, We were brought to our room. JS, went home, and Grammy and Grandpa arrived. They took A-Man back to the house and out to breakfast (where he fell asleep sitting up), Fish went to the nursery (something I had not planned on, but I was SOOOOO exhausted, I knew it was for the best).
We all got a few hours sleep and they brought her back to me to nurse. From then on, she was with us unless we went downstairs to grab a bite in the cafeteria.
All totaled, I was in labor for close to 60 hours. Fish was head down, but posterier (facing the wrong way) and there was no way she would have made it out vaginally. Because of the c-section, I had a 4 day stay at the hospital. For someone who vehemently did not want a hospital birth, I had a great hosptial experience. I even wrote a letter to the director of nursing to complement her awesome staff.
Coming out of that experience, my advice to any who asked was a) trust yourself b) listen to your body and c)remember it is the end result that matters.
Tomorrow, the arrival of Mim.
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