Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it. ~Ferris Bueller
Showing posts with label health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label health. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
SICK
Last Thursday C was diagnosed with his 7th ear infection since July; his third since the first of the year. He was put on a strong-ish antibiotic with the hopes that it would kill the bacteria once and for all. We were warned that the antibiotic would upset his stomach - possibly resulting in diarrhea. They prescribed a daily bowl of yogurt.
Forty-eight hours into the antibiotic, we noticed a little diarrhea. Nothing to be concerned about.
On Saturday afternoon, he woke up from his nap and threw up all over D. We assumed it was the result of the antibiotics. At dinner he threw up again. This was the sign he was sick.
[Side story: when he threw up, K was sitting across the table from him. As soon as he barfed (all over me, by the way), she threw up all over the dining room table. Over her meal and D's. Her gag reflex is STRONG.]
C continued to throw up into Sunday and then the dry heaving and diarrhea began.
I called the pediatrician at 1:30 Sunday afternoon, and she said to go to the ER. We were seen relatively quickly at the hospital. We were placed in a room - shared with two other patients (stories about their situations to come!!) - and hooked up to an IV. Four bags of fluids later, we were given the go-ahead to go home. It was about 2am.
On Monday - a few hours after leaving the ER - the diarrhea started flowing. After five dirty diapers, we returned to the ER. The wait was even shorter than the day before (likely do to the Inauguration). He was admitted to the hospital.
The past three days have been a waiting game. One filled with messy, messy measurements. Every diaper is weighed; every ounce of liquid consumed recorded. So far our liquids out are far greater than our liquids in. The diarrhea has been unending. UN-END-ING. And he doesn't want to drink.
Seriously, what kid wouldn't want to drink juice all day? or eat Popsicles at every meal?
Thankfully the amount of diarrhea has decreased, but not enough to warrant a discharge.
And tonight, we had a setback. He threw up. EVERYTHING he had eaten for dinner.
D is with him tonight. After a wardrobe change, a change of sheets, and a new IV he is sleeping peacefully.
I'm home with K, who is also sleeping peacefully - for the moment. She has the stomach bug now. Poor thing has been throwing up, dry heaving, and having diarrhea ALL.DAY.LONG.
I was sick yesterday. I made it through a long day at the hospital completely on mommy-adrenalin. Thankfully I'm keeping food down today. A fine diet of crackers and toast; complemented by coke.
As for C's prognosis, we are waiting. Waiting for the diarrhea to end. Waiting for the barfing to end. Waiting for him to drink. Waiting to be discharged.
Forty-eight hours into the antibiotic, we noticed a little diarrhea. Nothing to be concerned about.
On Saturday afternoon, he woke up from his nap and threw up all over D. We assumed it was the result of the antibiotics. At dinner he threw up again. This was the sign he was sick.
[Side story: when he threw up, K was sitting across the table from him. As soon as he barfed (all over me, by the way), she threw up all over the dining room table. Over her meal and D's. Her gag reflex is STRONG.]
C continued to throw up into Sunday and then the dry heaving and diarrhea began.
I called the pediatrician at 1:30 Sunday afternoon, and she said to go to the ER. We were seen relatively quickly at the hospital. We were placed in a room - shared with two other patients (stories about their situations to come!!) - and hooked up to an IV. Four bags of fluids later, we were given the go-ahead to go home. It was about 2am.
On Monday - a few hours after leaving the ER - the diarrhea started flowing. After five dirty diapers, we returned to the ER. The wait was even shorter than the day before (likely do to the Inauguration). He was admitted to the hospital.
The past three days have been a waiting game. One filled with messy, messy measurements. Every diaper is weighed; every ounce of liquid consumed recorded. So far our liquids out are far greater than our liquids in. The diarrhea has been unending. UN-END-ING. And he doesn't want to drink.
Seriously, what kid wouldn't want to drink juice all day? or eat Popsicles at every meal?
Thankfully the amount of diarrhea has decreased, but not enough to warrant a discharge.
And tonight, we had a setback. He threw up. EVERYTHING he had eaten for dinner.
D is with him tonight. After a wardrobe change, a change of sheets, and a new IV he is sleeping peacefully.
I'm home with K, who is also sleeping peacefully - for the moment. She has the stomach bug now. Poor thing has been throwing up, dry heaving, and having diarrhea ALL.DAY.LONG.
I was sick yesterday. I made it through a long day at the hospital completely on mommy-adrenalin. Thankfully I'm keeping food down today. A fine diet of crackers and toast; complemented by coke.
As for C's prognosis, we are waiting. Waiting for the diarrhea to end. Waiting for the barfing to end. Waiting for him to drink. Waiting to be discharged.
Thursday, January 17, 2013
SICK
For what seems like the 100th time this winter, someone in our house is sick.
Since mid-December we've had strep throat, fevers, bronchitis, ear infections, eye infections, sinus infections, coughs, runny noses, runny eyes, eyes matted shut with green goop, and a partridge in a pear tree.
This time around C is running a fever, blowing green snot bubbles, and pulling at his ears. We're off to the pediatrician in half an hour. I'm betting on double ear infections, a sinus infection, and the beginnings of an eye infection. For like the bajillenth time this year he'll be on antibiotics. Hopefully this time will be the last.
Having sick kids sucks. Without words C struggles to tell us he is not feeling well. His tell is his sick moan. He lies in his crib and just moans. Aaaaaaaah. Aaaaaaaah. Baaaaaaaaah. He doesn't scream. He doesn't cry. He just moans. Continually. We've learned that the moaning means he is hurting and he's hot. Last night the moaning began around 10pm. D held him until 10:30 (which is when I found the tylenol, which I failed to unpack after our vacation last week). I stayed up with him until midnight. He went back to sleep until 4am. He was up until 5:30 and then we all slept until 7:30. It was a long, painful, HOT night. Snuggling and holding a feverish baby for hours on end is not only exhausting, but it is hot. Smoldering.
This brings us to now. We're heading to the pediatrician - to hang out with other sick kids. It is going to be great.
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Post-appointment update: "raging" ear infection in his right ear, but he tested negative for both the flu and RSV. We're thankful for that. Thankfully he is sleeping now (8:15). Here's hoping he sleeps for most of the night. I'm planning to go to bed now.
Since mid-December we've had strep throat, fevers, bronchitis, ear infections, eye infections, sinus infections, coughs, runny noses, runny eyes, eyes matted shut with green goop, and a partridge in a pear tree.
This time around C is running a fever, blowing green snot bubbles, and pulling at his ears. We're off to the pediatrician in half an hour. I'm betting on double ear infections, a sinus infection, and the beginnings of an eye infection. For like the bajillenth time this year he'll be on antibiotics. Hopefully this time will be the last.
Having sick kids sucks. Without words C struggles to tell us he is not feeling well. His tell is his sick moan. He lies in his crib and just moans. Aaaaaaaah. Aaaaaaaah. Baaaaaaaaah. He doesn't scream. He doesn't cry. He just moans. Continually. We've learned that the moaning means he is hurting and he's hot. Last night the moaning began around 10pm. D held him until 10:30 (which is when I found the tylenol, which I failed to unpack after our vacation last week). I stayed up with him until midnight. He went back to sleep until 4am. He was up until 5:30 and then we all slept until 7:30. It was a long, painful, HOT night. Snuggling and holding a feverish baby for hours on end is not only exhausting, but it is hot. Smoldering.
This brings us to now. We're heading to the pediatrician - to hang out with other sick kids. It is going to be great.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Post-appointment update: "raging" ear infection in his right ear, but he tested negative for both the flu and RSV. We're thankful for that. Thankfully he is sleeping now (8:15). Here's hoping he sleeps for most of the night. I'm planning to go to bed now.
Monday, October 24, 2011
WELCOME TO OUR WORLD
This is the story of Baby C's birth.
As many of you know, I was scheduled to have be induced on Wednesday, October 12th. Deciding to be induced after my induction with K that ended in a c-section was a difficult one. It was Sarah who convinced me that I needed to at least try to VBAC. It wasn't until I talked with her that I realized how lucky I was to have a doctor who was willing and encouraging to let me try to be induced after delivering a baby via c-section.
The Monday before my induction, I met with my doctor and mid-wife to discuss my plans for labor. We agreed that I'd let the pitocin do it's magic for four hours. If after that amount of time nothing was happening, we'd opt for a repeat c-section. With a plan in place, I stopped eating and drinking at midnight on the 11th. At 5:40am, D and I were standing on the corner of our street by the metro station trying to hail a cab to get to the hospital by 6am. We arrived on time only to be told we were too early... it wasn't until I talked with the charge nurse about my plans to attempt a VBAC that were escorted into our labor and delivery room. It was the same room I had when I was induced with K. (This is just the first of many similarities between my two labor stories.)
I met with my doctor and several residents during my first hour in the hospital and was quickly hooked up to the IVs and monitors. They bumped my pitocin up slowly - didn't want to make my contractions too strong and rip my uterus. As soon as I started feeling some discomfort, I opted for an epidural. Managing my pain this go around was at the top of my priority list. If the epidural failed to take, I wanted to make the decision to have a repeat c-section with a clear mind; not in the throws of transition without my pain under control.
The anestheiologist was fantastic. Aside from the initial pain of the needle, the insertion of the epidural was painless - a pleasant surprise from my experience three years ago. About half an hour after its insertion, I started to feel some pain relief and the epidural continued to work until it fell out in my recovery room. Four hours into the induction came and went quickly. When we assessed the situation around lunchtime, I was making good progress and we decided to continue on. I was having contractions every 2.5 to 3 minutes and was around 5cm. Nice!
My doctor went off duty at dinner time. When we last talked she felt I was on track to have the baby before midnight. I was introduced to my night nurse and new attending on-call and sadly said good-bye to my favorite resident who would not be back until 7am. As evening wore on and nighttime set in, it was obvious to me that my baby would not be born on the 12th. Around midnight they examined me and I was about 7 cm. Not bad, but still a long way to go...
As the early morning hours set in, things got a little complicated... my legs went completely numb from the epidural and I constantly felt like I was falling out of bed, my blood pressure started to increase, the swelling in my hands and feet was getting a little out of control, and I started to run a fever. By 3am my fever was hovering at 103*. They started me on IV antibiotics - the assumption was that I had a uterine infection - and I completed my hat-trick of insertions --- I was lucky enough to have 1) a urinary catheter; 2) an internal uterine contraction monitor; and 3) rectal insertion of tylenol.
Thankfully the tylenol brought my fever down quickly and I felt much better. At 7am, my new nurse arrived and it was the same nurse that was with me through K's delivery (yeah!). Also, my favorite resident was back on duty and I was SO excited! We determined in the early morning hours that my baby was posterior. Since my pain was under control, I allowed one of the doctors to try to flip him internally. It was slightly uncomfortable (ok... it hurt) and the baby did flip over. But only to flip right back into the posterior position moments later. We decided (read: I was advised) to try to start pushing to see if I could get the baby to flip on its own.
And push I did... we pushed in this position and in that position - sitting up, lying down, on my right side. Unfortunately even at 10 cm dilation I still had a stubborn sliver of cervix that wasn't going away. During all my pushing my favor resident had to hold this little sliver of cervical tissue back - hoping the baby could slide around it. At 9am, we decided that I would try pushing for two hours. If during that time, the baby descended and flipped I was going to VBAC. About 45 minutes into pushing, my favorite resident told me to take a break. She left to consult with the attending OB. I was forced to sit up and pray for the baby to magically drop.
At 10am, my favorite resident and the attending came into the room to talk. Things were starting to get complicated... every time I pushed my baby's heart rate dropped, there was evidence of meconium in my amniotic fluid, my fever was increasing, and it had been 22 hours since my water was broken. While holding my hand, my favorite resident advised me to opt for a c-section. It didn't take much convincing. I knew the likelihood of a VBAC was slim to none. Plus I was tired, hungry, and feverish. After 28 hours of labor, it was time to return to the OR.
Since the baby would need to be immediately seen by the pediatric team due to the meconium, I called my mom and asked her to join us at the hospital. This would allow D to go with the baby and me to have my own care-giver in the recovery room.
At 10:30am on Thursday the 13th, exactly 24 hours AFTER my scheduled c-section from the day before, I was wheeled into the OR for my repeat c-section. Thankfully, due to a working epidural, I did not need a spinal block. All my medications were administered through the epidural. I was numb in 15 minutes and ready to go. My favorite resident was on my right side giving me encouragement and updates throughout the operation.
At 10:52am, we received word that it was a BOY!
I don't remember much - fighting back the urge to puke, trying to keep my shivering under control, and worrying about my little guy - but I do remember tears of joy and the sound of a baby crying. I also remember hearing someone say that he was a BIG little fellow.
D went to be with him as the pediatric team did there thing. I got word that he was healthy and weighed in at 9 lbs 4 oz; nearly three pounds heavier than K.
How on earth did that happen?!?!
D left the OR to go with the baby. I was left in the OR while the doctors finished putting my insides back together. At one point I remember telling the doctors I was going to sleep and that is exactly what I did. My favorite resident woke me up some time later to tell me that they were going to move me onto a different bed and back to my recovery room. When I arrived my mom was there along with D. We were joined soon thereafter by baby C.
He was perfect.
I spent four more days in the hospital recovering and fighting a UTI and uterine infection. My daily doses of three different IV antibiotics wiped out each of the infections and by Saturday my fever was gone for good. We received word on Saturday that I would be discharged on Sunday.
So at noon on Sunday, October 16th we left GW Hospital as a family of four.
And now we begin the next chapter of our lives...
As many of you know, I was scheduled to have be induced on Wednesday, October 12th. Deciding to be induced after my induction with K that ended in a c-section was a difficult one. It was Sarah who convinced me that I needed to at least try to VBAC. It wasn't until I talked with her that I realized how lucky I was to have a doctor who was willing and encouraging to let me try to be induced after delivering a baby via c-section.
The Monday before my induction, I met with my doctor and mid-wife to discuss my plans for labor. We agreed that I'd let the pitocin do it's magic for four hours. If after that amount of time nothing was happening, we'd opt for a repeat c-section. With a plan in place, I stopped eating and drinking at midnight on the 11th. At 5:40am, D and I were standing on the corner of our street by the metro station trying to hail a cab to get to the hospital by 6am. We arrived on time only to be told we were too early... it wasn't until I talked with the charge nurse about my plans to attempt a VBAC that were escorted into our labor and delivery room. It was the same room I had when I was induced with K. (This is just the first of many similarities between my two labor stories.)
I met with my doctor and several residents during my first hour in the hospital and was quickly hooked up to the IVs and monitors. They bumped my pitocin up slowly - didn't want to make my contractions too strong and rip my uterus. As soon as I started feeling some discomfort, I opted for an epidural. Managing my pain this go around was at the top of my priority list. If the epidural failed to take, I wanted to make the decision to have a repeat c-section with a clear mind; not in the throws of transition without my pain under control.
The anestheiologist was fantastic. Aside from the initial pain of the needle, the insertion of the epidural was painless - a pleasant surprise from my experience three years ago. About half an hour after its insertion, I started to feel some pain relief and the epidural continued to work until it fell out in my recovery room. Four hours into the induction came and went quickly. When we assessed the situation around lunchtime, I was making good progress and we decided to continue on. I was having contractions every 2.5 to 3 minutes and was around 5cm. Nice!
My doctor went off duty at dinner time. When we last talked she felt I was on track to have the baby before midnight. I was introduced to my night nurse and new attending on-call and sadly said good-bye to my favorite resident who would not be back until 7am. As evening wore on and nighttime set in, it was obvious to me that my baby would not be born on the 12th. Around midnight they examined me and I was about 7 cm. Not bad, but still a long way to go...
As the early morning hours set in, things got a little complicated... my legs went completely numb from the epidural and I constantly felt like I was falling out of bed, my blood pressure started to increase, the swelling in my hands and feet was getting a little out of control, and I started to run a fever. By 3am my fever was hovering at 103*. They started me on IV antibiotics - the assumption was that I had a uterine infection - and I completed my hat-trick of insertions --- I was lucky enough to have 1) a urinary catheter; 2) an internal uterine contraction monitor; and 3) rectal insertion of tylenol.
Thankfully the tylenol brought my fever down quickly and I felt much better. At 7am, my new nurse arrived and it was the same nurse that was with me through K's delivery (yeah!). Also, my favorite resident was back on duty and I was SO excited! We determined in the early morning hours that my baby was posterior. Since my pain was under control, I allowed one of the doctors to try to flip him internally. It was slightly uncomfortable (ok... it hurt) and the baby did flip over. But only to flip right back into the posterior position moments later. We decided (read: I was advised) to try to start pushing to see if I could get the baby to flip on its own.
And push I did... we pushed in this position and in that position - sitting up, lying down, on my right side. Unfortunately even at 10 cm dilation I still had a stubborn sliver of cervix that wasn't going away. During all my pushing my favor resident had to hold this little sliver of cervical tissue back - hoping the baby could slide around it. At 9am, we decided that I would try pushing for two hours. If during that time, the baby descended and flipped I was going to VBAC. About 45 minutes into pushing, my favorite resident told me to take a break. She left to consult with the attending OB. I was forced to sit up and pray for the baby to magically drop.
At 10am, my favorite resident and the attending came into the room to talk. Things were starting to get complicated... every time I pushed my baby's heart rate dropped, there was evidence of meconium in my amniotic fluid, my fever was increasing, and it had been 22 hours since my water was broken. While holding my hand, my favorite resident advised me to opt for a c-section. It didn't take much convincing. I knew the likelihood of a VBAC was slim to none. Plus I was tired, hungry, and feverish. After 28 hours of labor, it was time to return to the OR.
Since the baby would need to be immediately seen by the pediatric team due to the meconium, I called my mom and asked her to join us at the hospital. This would allow D to go with the baby and me to have my own care-giver in the recovery room.
At 10:30am on Thursday the 13th, exactly 24 hours AFTER my scheduled c-section from the day before, I was wheeled into the OR for my repeat c-section. Thankfully, due to a working epidural, I did not need a spinal block. All my medications were administered through the epidural. I was numb in 15 minutes and ready to go. My favorite resident was on my right side giving me encouragement and updates throughout the operation.
At 10:52am, we received word that it was a BOY!
I don't remember much - fighting back the urge to puke, trying to keep my shivering under control, and worrying about my little guy - but I do remember tears of joy and the sound of a baby crying. I also remember hearing someone say that he was a BIG little fellow.
D went to be with him as the pediatric team did there thing. I got word that he was healthy and weighed in at 9 lbs 4 oz; nearly three pounds heavier than K.
How on earth did that happen?!?!
D left the OR to go with the baby. I was left in the OR while the doctors finished putting my insides back together. At one point I remember telling the doctors I was going to sleep and that is exactly what I did. My favorite resident woke me up some time later to tell me that they were going to move me onto a different bed and back to my recovery room. When I arrived my mom was there along with D. We were joined soon thereafter by baby C.
He was perfect.
I spent four more days in the hospital recovering and fighting a UTI and uterine infection. My daily doses of three different IV antibiotics wiped out each of the infections and by Saturday my fever was gone for good. We received word on Saturday that I would be discharged on Sunday.
So at noon on Sunday, October 16th we left GW Hospital as a family of four.
And now we begin the next chapter of our lives...
Monday, June 6, 2011
138/90
This morning I had a normal check-up with my OB. I got to the office 10 minutes early and ended up waiting 30 minutes before being seen. Typical.
I was weighed (gained 5 pounds in the past month); peed in a cup; and went to get my blood pressure checked.
They put the cuff on my arm, and BAM...
138/90.
That is super high.
According to the NIH, prehypertension of systolic blood pressure is 120-139; higher is greater than 140. Diastolic hypertension (stage 1) is anything greater than 90.
Nuts.
I spent considerable time talking with my doctor about my diet, stress level, and activities. Then I was left to hang out on my left side for awhile.
After a short while, my blood pressure was back to normal.
And they let me go home.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
My last blood pressure reading was 97/68. I'm on the lookout for a host of symptoms indicating my BP is too high. If I have any of the said symptoms, I will head to the ER immediately. Other than the BP-issue, I'm healthy and so is Joel.
I was weighed (gained 5 pounds in the past month); peed in a cup; and went to get my blood pressure checked.
They put the cuff on my arm, and BAM...
138/90.
That is super high.
According to the NIH, prehypertension of systolic blood pressure is 120-139; higher is greater than 140. Diastolic hypertension (stage 1) is anything greater than 90.
Nuts.
I spent considerable time talking with my doctor about my diet, stress level, and activities. Then I was left to hang out on my left side for awhile.
After a short while, my blood pressure was back to normal.
And they let me go home.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
My last blood pressure reading was 97/68. I'm on the lookout for a host of symptoms indicating my BP is too high. If I have any of the said symptoms, I will head to the ER immediately. Other than the BP-issue, I'm healthy and so is Joel.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
MORNING SICKNESS
*** Written February 10, 2011
When I was pregnant with K, I had a little bit of morning sickness. I can remember feeling hot, dizzy, and slightly nauseous during the morning for several weeks. Once I came close to throwing up while on the train to Baltimore. But, all in all, it wasn't that bad.
This time around, things seem to be amplified. The nauseousness is worse and my ability to hold-back (or hold down) the vomit isn't going to last much longer (especially if things get worse in the coming weeks).
This morning, I got up and did 30 minutes with Jillian (30 Minute Shred), showered, ate breakfast, and got ready to leave. I left the house with a travel mug full of chai tea - as in a teabag of chai tea (not a latte or anything fancy; just straight up tea). As I was driving to Baltimore, I started to feel a little queezy. I opened a window to cool the car down and get a little fresh air into my lungs. I started to feel better. Once in B-more, I parked and started by trek to school. As I'm walking down one of the main roads of Baltimore, I was hit was a HUGE urge to barf.
LOVELY.
I actually stopped at a trash can along the sidewalk and stood there. Throwing up probably would have made me feel better, but I just couldn't do it. Instead I puked a little bit in my mouth and kept on walking.
Since then, I was thrown up twice in my mouth - a nasty, bile-fill, chai-flavored barf.
Um... I think I have morning sickness!
I would love to drink some ginger ale, but having a bottle of ginger ale on my desk at 8:57am screams, "I AM PREGNANT." So I'm going to pass for now. If I still feel sick and have the desire for a ginger ale in half an hour - when my advisor will be in a staff meeting and most students are in class and I can shut my office door - I will get one then.
Here's to not throwing up today...
When I was pregnant with K, I had a little bit of morning sickness. I can remember feeling hot, dizzy, and slightly nauseous during the morning for several weeks. Once I came close to throwing up while on the train to Baltimore. But, all in all, it wasn't that bad.
This time around, things seem to be amplified. The nauseousness is worse and my ability to hold-back (or hold down) the vomit isn't going to last much longer (especially if things get worse in the coming weeks).
This morning, I got up and did 30 minutes with Jillian (30 Minute Shred), showered, ate breakfast, and got ready to leave. I left the house with a travel mug full of chai tea - as in a teabag of chai tea (not a latte or anything fancy; just straight up tea). As I was driving to Baltimore, I started to feel a little queezy. I opened a window to cool the car down and get a little fresh air into my lungs. I started to feel better. Once in B-more, I parked and started by trek to school. As I'm walking down one of the main roads of Baltimore, I was hit was a HUGE urge to barf.
LOVELY.
I actually stopped at a trash can along the sidewalk and stood there. Throwing up probably would have made me feel better, but I just couldn't do it. Instead I puked a little bit in my mouth and kept on walking.
Since then, I was thrown up twice in my mouth - a nasty, bile-fill, chai-flavored barf.
Um... I think I have morning sickness!
I would love to drink some ginger ale, but having a bottle of ginger ale on my desk at 8:57am screams, "I AM PREGNANT." So I'm going to pass for now. If I still feel sick and have the desire for a ginger ale in half an hour - when my advisor will be in a staff meeting and most students are in class and I can shut my office door - I will get one then.
Here's to not throwing up today...
Sunday, December 5, 2010
ONCE AGAIN...
Once again, I am sick.
This time it is a nasty head cold. Complete with a severe case of laryngitis, a headache, and extremely low energy. I was asleep on the couch last night around 8:45. I also have been having some breathing troubles... I feel like I'm breathing through a straw - a fat one designed for drinking milkshakes. My breaths are shallow and I am winded after walking the 15 steps to our second floor. I don't have much of a cough. I have therefore decided I do not have something serious like bronchitis or pneumonia.
I have been washing my hands after every nose blow, sneeze, and cough. All the while praying that I do not spread my germs to D or K. We have a cookie decorating party, D's office holiday party, Zoo Lights, and other seasonal activities to attend in the coming week. I don't want to miss anything due to illness.
I had planned to get to bed early this evening, but the Steelers/Ravens game is on TV. Here. In my house. I am proud to say I am watching it on our 13 inch TV with rabbit ears. Thankfully our TV reception is good this evening.
Let's go Steelers!
I so rarely get to watch a game - not living in Pittsburgh and not have cable/satellite TV.
I'm going to take a little more advil and grab another cough drop and enjoy some football.
Here's to improved health and a Steelers victory tonight!
This time it is a nasty head cold. Complete with a severe case of laryngitis, a headache, and extremely low energy. I was asleep on the couch last night around 8:45. I also have been having some breathing troubles... I feel like I'm breathing through a straw - a fat one designed for drinking milkshakes. My breaths are shallow and I am winded after walking the 15 steps to our second floor. I don't have much of a cough. I have therefore decided I do not have something serious like bronchitis or pneumonia.
I have been washing my hands after every nose blow, sneeze, and cough. All the while praying that I do not spread my germs to D or K. We have a cookie decorating party, D's office holiday party, Zoo Lights, and other seasonal activities to attend in the coming week. I don't want to miss anything due to illness.
I had planned to get to bed early this evening, but the Steelers/Ravens game is on TV. Here. In my house. I am proud to say I am watching it on our 13 inch TV with rabbit ears. Thankfully our TV reception is good this evening.
Let's go Steelers!
I so rarely get to watch a game - not living in Pittsburgh and not have cable/satellite TV.
I'm going to take a little more advil and grab another cough drop and enjoy some football.
Here's to improved health and a Steelers victory tonight!
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
IS IT THURSDAY YET?
I woke up this morning to a crying TODDLER at 3am. She needed a diaper change and some milk.
As I climbed back into bed (less than an hour before my alarm was to go off) it was pouring outside. When my alarm did go off it was still pouring outside, and there was thunder and lightening. I'm pretty hard-core when it comes to running in not-so-good weather, but this was out of the question. So I skipped my morning run. Instead I grabbed an extra half hour of sleep, got up and dressed and headed off to school a full 10 minutes earlier than I normally do.
Each morning when I head out I have a cup of tea or coffee in tow. This morning was no different.
I rushed out of the house umbrella and coffee in-hand. I manged to stay relatively dry despite the crazy rain. I headed off on my normal route to school. About 15 minutes into the drive traffic started to back up. Ten minutes later things were so bad I found myself in some suburban neighborhood navigating myself north/northeast; hoping to find the beltway or 95 North. I managed to do so only to discover that I haven't avoided the cause of the delay. I was STILL stuck in traffic. Half an hour later I arrived at the scene of the accident only to be detoured through yet another suburban neighborhood. Thankfully I was closer to 95 now. I had dreams of being at school in half an hour; 45 minutes tops (with the rain and all).
I realized as I merged onto the highway that I had finished my morning coffee already.
I was bored in traffic so I drank.
One travel mug of coffee with skim milk in the car plus two glasses of water with breakfast.
Combine this with more than an hour sitting in traffic and you have the PERFECT STORM...
I had to go to the bathroom. HARD.
I passed the only rest stop along the highway thinking it would be smooth sailing into Baltimore. I could not have been more wrong. Traffic was backed up onto the highway entering the city. And once I got into the city I believe I hit EVERY.SINGLE.REDLIGHT.KNOWN.TO.HUMANKIND.
I thought my bladder was going to burst.
I got out of the car and felt like I was pregnant again. My center of gravity was all off.
Things were so bad I couldn't walk the three or so blocks to school. I ducked into a local eatery and used one NASTY public restroom. And I couldn't have been happier.
In short, my trip to school was about an hour and 20 minutes longer than normal. I do believe there was a fatality at the accident that caused the traffic delay. I nearly wet myself coming into work.
And when I finally arrive at my desk, I find out my advisor could not make it in today. I totally could have worked from home as we've communicated all day via email.
I did get a free lunch from the grad school this afternoon - it's orientation for the new students - and the lemon bars they had for dessert were delightful.
On top of all of this, I forgot my running shoes at home. So I cannot run at the gym today. Cross-training is even out because my Danskos will not cut it at the gym.
And it is still raining outside.
Is it Thursday yet?!?!
As I climbed back into bed (less than an hour before my alarm was to go off) it was pouring outside. When my alarm did go off it was still pouring outside, and there was thunder and lightening. I'm pretty hard-core when it comes to running in not-so-good weather, but this was out of the question. So I skipped my morning run. Instead I grabbed an extra half hour of sleep, got up and dressed and headed off to school a full 10 minutes earlier than I normally do.
Each morning when I head out I have a cup of tea or coffee in tow. This morning was no different.
I rushed out of the house umbrella and coffee in-hand. I manged to stay relatively dry despite the crazy rain. I headed off on my normal route to school. About 15 minutes into the drive traffic started to back up. Ten minutes later things were so bad I found myself in some suburban neighborhood navigating myself north/northeast; hoping to find the beltway or 95 North. I managed to do so only to discover that I haven't avoided the cause of the delay. I was STILL stuck in traffic. Half an hour later I arrived at the scene of the accident only to be detoured through yet another suburban neighborhood. Thankfully I was closer to 95 now. I had dreams of being at school in half an hour; 45 minutes tops (with the rain and all).
I realized as I merged onto the highway that I had finished my morning coffee already.
I was bored in traffic so I drank.
One travel mug of coffee with skim milk in the car plus two glasses of water with breakfast.
Combine this with more than an hour sitting in traffic and you have the PERFECT STORM...
I had to go to the bathroom. HARD.
I passed the only rest stop along the highway thinking it would be smooth sailing into Baltimore. I could not have been more wrong. Traffic was backed up onto the highway entering the city. And once I got into the city I believe I hit EVERY.SINGLE.REDLIGHT.KNOWN.TO.HUMANKIND.
I thought my bladder was going to burst.
I got out of the car and felt like I was pregnant again. My center of gravity was all off.
Things were so bad I couldn't walk the three or so blocks to school. I ducked into a local eatery and used one NASTY public restroom. And I couldn't have been happier.
In short, my trip to school was about an hour and 20 minutes longer than normal. I do believe there was a fatality at the accident that caused the traffic delay. I nearly wet myself coming into work.
And when I finally arrive at my desk, I find out my advisor could not make it in today. I totally could have worked from home as we've communicated all day via email.
I did get a free lunch from the grad school this afternoon - it's orientation for the new students - and the lemon bars they had for dessert were delightful.
On top of all of this, I forgot my running shoes at home. So I cannot run at the gym today. Cross-training is even out because my Danskos will not cut it at the gym.
And it is still raining outside.
Is it Thursday yet?!?!
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
STRETCHING and CORE STRENGTH
Since marathon training began, I have had few days of true rest. And by true rest I mean no mile long walks to the fountains with K in the jogging stroller; no back-and-forth to the stray park, library, and grocery store with my 21 pound toddler in a stroller; no walks back-and-forth to the grocery store with several bags of groceries. My rest day (Friday) has turned into a 2-3 mile day. Add those miles to the 30+ I'm running each week as part of my training and you get...
One tired, sore marathon training mama.
That's right folks. I'm sore and tired.
After last Thursdays 5am five-miler, I realized that something needed to change. I need to mix things up and add some rest into my routine or I wouldn't survive marathon training.
That day I received an email from a woman at church who teaches yoga and pilates. I responded to her email and asked her for suggestions on ways to improve flexibility and core strength. On Sunday after church, we had a wonderful conversation about stretching. Since then I've done some research into stretching and am putting together a 5 days a week 10 minutes per day stretching plan for myself. Once implemented I am going to add a 5 days a week 10 minutes per day core strengthening plan.
Now, one might think:
Hey stupid, you're adding more training/exercising to your plan. How is this going to help you combat your soreness and tiredness?
Yes, it is more time exercising, BUT from everything I'm reading I think it will be worthwhile. I know I need to stretch more. My hamstrings and achilles tendons tell me this each time I run. And core strength should help my posture to improve; not to mention make my tummy a little tighter. I'm also hoping it will help me release all of the stress that I carry around in the middle of my back.
Stretching 101 kicks off tonight around 8pm in the basement of my house. I'm planning to follow some of the stretching exercises highlighted by the folks at Yoga Body Naturals. I'm also skipping my cross training workout today to allow my body to rest a bit before running 6 miles at race pace tomorrow and a 15 miler on Saturday.
In addition to starting my new stretching and strengthening routines, I'm thinking about cutting two things I love out of my diet: 1) caffeine - yes, that means both coffee and coke zero; and 2) starchy snack foods. I might have to ease into giving up both - no need to induce a week of caffeine withdrawl headaches. And I'm definitely not planning to give up coffee days before I hang out with my father, who loves his coffee!
Plans and milestones related to stretching, core strengthening, and cutting back/giving up will be forthcoming...
One tired, sore marathon training mama.
That's right folks. I'm sore and tired.
After last Thursdays 5am five-miler, I realized that something needed to change. I need to mix things up and add some rest into my routine or I wouldn't survive marathon training.
That day I received an email from a woman at church who teaches yoga and pilates. I responded to her email and asked her for suggestions on ways to improve flexibility and core strength. On Sunday after church, we had a wonderful conversation about stretching. Since then I've done some research into stretching and am putting together a 5 days a week 10 minutes per day stretching plan for myself. Once implemented I am going to add a 5 days a week 10 minutes per day core strengthening plan.
Now, one might think:
Hey stupid, you're adding more training/exercising to your plan. How is this going to help you combat your soreness and tiredness?
Yes, it is more time exercising, BUT from everything I'm reading I think it will be worthwhile. I know I need to stretch more. My hamstrings and achilles tendons tell me this each time I run. And core strength should help my posture to improve; not to mention make my tummy a little tighter. I'm also hoping it will help me release all of the stress that I carry around in the middle of my back.
Stretching 101 kicks off tonight around 8pm in the basement of my house. I'm planning to follow some of the stretching exercises highlighted by the folks at Yoga Body Naturals. I'm also skipping my cross training workout today to allow my body to rest a bit before running 6 miles at race pace tomorrow and a 15 miler on Saturday.
In addition to starting my new stretching and strengthening routines, I'm thinking about cutting two things I love out of my diet: 1) caffeine - yes, that means both coffee and coke zero; and 2) starchy snack foods. I might have to ease into giving up both - no need to induce a week of caffeine withdrawl headaches. And I'm definitely not planning to give up coffee days before I hang out with my father, who loves his coffee!
Plans and milestones related to stretching, core strengthening, and cutting back/giving up will be forthcoming...
Friday, July 23, 2010
DEAR DR. FRIEDEN,
To: Dr. Thomas Frieden, MD MPH
Director, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Road
Atlanta GA 30333
Dr. Frieden,
About three weeks ago our home phone number was selected at random for participation in the National Immunization Survey. An avid fan of surveys, I was excited when the interviewer called last night. And as an epidemiologist myself, I was happy to provide valuable information to the CDC and other public health researchers.
Several minutes into the call, I told the interviewer that I did not have the exact date of each of my daughter's vaccinations on hand. The interviewer assured me that this was fine and we proceeded with the interview. I answered each of the questions asked.
After answering all of the survey questions, the interviewer asked me to provide the name(s) of each of the physicians who have vaccinated my daughter. I provided this information and helped the interviewer spell words such as associates and washington. Additionally, I had to explain to her that U.S. zipcodes only contain five digits after she pressed me for a six digit code. Then I was asked by the interviewer to provide my daughter's full name so that she (the interviewer) could contact my daughter's doctor and obtain her immunization records.
At this point in the interview, I told the interviewer that I would not provide the information she requested nor did I believe she had the authority to access my daughter's records if I provided the CDC with her full name and her doctor's name. The interviewer then persisted three separate times that I provide my daughter's name. I told her that I was under no obligation to provide an answer to any question she asked. I quickly told her the interview was over.
As a mother and epidemiologist, I am really disappointed by my experience during the National Immunization Survey interview. In addition to being pressured by the interviewer to provide information I was not comfortable providing, I also felt like she rushed me through the survey. She failed to speak slowly or clearly and I had trouble understanding her. Repeatedly I asked her to repeat a question because she was speaking so fast I could not understand her.
I failed to get the name of the interviewer.
I would like to issue a formal complaint to you. I was disappointed by the quality of the interview and was angered by her persistence to get me to provide information I did not want to provide. I am confident that she broke from the outlined survey script and am sure you realize that such a mistake will lead to decreased internal and external validity of the study results.
I would also like a formal explanation of how the CDC is able to obtain immunization records of children whose parent's give up their name during the interview. Are you telling me that my interviewer could have called my child's doctor today and obtain all of her immunization records without my written authority? How is that legal? How does this not violate HIPAA?
As much as I value and support the work of the CDC and other organizations conducting national health surveys, I believe that protecting private health information, respecting the wishes of the survey participant, and conducting the survey in a clear and easy to understand manner is of the utmost importance. Last night, I felt threatened by an interviewer worker for your agency and I hold you and your staff responsible.
You are never going to conduct valid and reliable surveys unless the participants feel protected, cared for, and respected. I do hope things will change.
Sincerely,
The mom at Slowly Growing Old Together
Director, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Road
Atlanta GA 30333
Dr. Frieden,
About three weeks ago our home phone number was selected at random for participation in the National Immunization Survey. An avid fan of surveys, I was excited when the interviewer called last night. And as an epidemiologist myself, I was happy to provide valuable information to the CDC and other public health researchers.
Several minutes into the call, I told the interviewer that I did not have the exact date of each of my daughter's vaccinations on hand. The interviewer assured me that this was fine and we proceeded with the interview. I answered each of the questions asked.
After answering all of the survey questions, the interviewer asked me to provide the name(s) of each of the physicians who have vaccinated my daughter. I provided this information and helped the interviewer spell words such as associates and washington. Additionally, I had to explain to her that U.S. zipcodes only contain five digits after she pressed me for a six digit code. Then I was asked by the interviewer to provide my daughter's full name so that she (the interviewer) could contact my daughter's doctor and obtain her immunization records.
At this point in the interview, I told the interviewer that I would not provide the information she requested nor did I believe she had the authority to access my daughter's records if I provided the CDC with her full name and her doctor's name. The interviewer then persisted three separate times that I provide my daughter's name. I told her that I was under no obligation to provide an answer to any question she asked. I quickly told her the interview was over.
As a mother and epidemiologist, I am really disappointed by my experience during the National Immunization Survey interview. In addition to being pressured by the interviewer to provide information I was not comfortable providing, I also felt like she rushed me through the survey. She failed to speak slowly or clearly and I had trouble understanding her. Repeatedly I asked her to repeat a question because she was speaking so fast I could not understand her.
I failed to get the name of the interviewer.
I would like to issue a formal complaint to you. I was disappointed by the quality of the interview and was angered by her persistence to get me to provide information I did not want to provide. I am confident that she broke from the outlined survey script and am sure you realize that such a mistake will lead to decreased internal and external validity of the study results.
I would also like a formal explanation of how the CDC is able to obtain immunization records of children whose parent's give up their name during the interview. Are you telling me that my interviewer could have called my child's doctor today and obtain all of her immunization records without my written authority? How is that legal? How does this not violate HIPAA?
As much as I value and support the work of the CDC and other organizations conducting national health surveys, I believe that protecting private health information, respecting the wishes of the survey participant, and conducting the survey in a clear and easy to understand manner is of the utmost importance. Last night, I felt threatened by an interviewer worker for your agency and I hold you and your staff responsible.
You are never going to conduct valid and reliable surveys unless the participants feel protected, cared for, and respected. I do hope things will change.
Sincerely,
The mom at Slowly Growing Old Together
Friday, July 9, 2010
HOT
It has been a crazy hot week here in the Nation's Capital.
We haven't seen temperatures below 80 degrees all week - even at night. I went out for a run on Tuesday evening at 7:00 and the heat index/real feel was 105. This morning I ran at 10 and it was a balmy 85 degrees with about 90 percent humidity.
It is hot.
In an effort to stay cool, hydrated, and comfortable during a heat wave, this is what we do EVERY DAY.
We love the spray park!
This morning K and I went out for a run, stopped at home to refill water bottles and then hit the spray park. I ran through the water and stood underneath some of the taller sprays in an effort to cool down from my run. It was the perfect end to a hot one.
We haven't seen temperatures below 80 degrees all week - even at night. I went out for a run on Tuesday evening at 7:00 and the heat index/real feel was 105. This morning I ran at 10 and it was a balmy 85 degrees with about 90 percent humidity.
It is hot.
In an effort to stay cool, hydrated, and comfortable during a heat wave, this is what we do EVERY DAY.
We love the spray park!
This morning K and I went out for a run, stopped at home to refill water bottles and then hit the spray park. I ran through the water and stood underneath some of the taller sprays in an effort to cool down from my run. It was the perfect end to a hot one.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
BODY IMAGE
I've been struggling with some body image issues.
Truth be told, pregnancy is hard on one's body. And I didn't even gain that much weight. 25 pounds and about 10 of them were water weight. I was so swollen by the end of my pregnancy that my watch did not fit. Today I actually weigh less than I did before K was born, but things just are not right.
I believe every ounce of fat in my body is now in my stomach. My pants still fit, but it's not the same. Shirts that looked good a year ago, just aren't fitting in the same way. I haven't put on a swimsuit since I was at the beach in August. I didn't swim once during the month of March when I was doing my virtual Ironman with Becky. And although I made excuse after excuse for not swimming, the truth is I didn't want to put my speedo on.
My confidence is shot.
In an attempt to lose some weight and start to feel good about myself, I started tracking calories and exercising with a purpose. I have been tracking everything I eat using Livestrong's My Plate. I'm also tracking my weight and my exercise.
Progress has been slow, but there are signs of progress:
I am comfortable wearing my size 6 pants again;
my running pants are fitting better;
I am not completely self-conscious about wearing my capri pants and striped running top this weekend (I wore this outfit for a little training run back in March and was mortified when I caught a glimpse of myself in a window).
So there is progress.
I have spent a lot of time thinking about my body, getting frustrated with my weight, exercising no matter how tired or hurt I might be, feeling sorry for myself, looking in the mirror...
And this has got me to thinking:
WHAT AM I DOING?
WHY AM I BEING SO HARD ON MYSELF?
WHAT KIND OF ROLE MODEL AM I BEING FOR K?
Being a parent is hard freaking work. There are schedules and plans; discipline and coddling; activities and nap times; bad habits to break and positive habits to build. There is little sleep, endless laundry, house pants that are watered with everything from tap water to soy milk, other plants that are slowly being dug up and dirt splattered on the floor. There are play dates, story hours, slides, swings, walks, trips to see the metro, etc...
Sometimes when I step back and take a view of everything, and not just the day-to-day activities, I really realize the awesome responsibility it is to be a parent. I'm not just a scheduler, planner, disciplinarian, transporter, provider, and cuddler. I'm also a role mode. I need to walk the walk, so to speak, and not just talk the talk.
When we were in NYC for the marathon in November, we visited with a really good friend (yes, you should read Ray's book). I remember him telling me that I was teaching K so many wonderful life lessons JUST BY LEADING MY OWN LIFE and training for and running the marathon. Through my actions, she was learning the importance of daily exercise, setting goals, eating healthy, striving for something most people would think to be unobtainable.
WOW!
Seriously, I'm teaching her all of that by doing my thing.
So what I am teaching her (directly or indirectly) through my struggle with my body image?
Again, to be honest, I haven't thought about this much UNTIL NOW. But I am realizing, slowly but surely, that I need to model good behavior related to body image for my daughter. This does not mean that I'm not going to try to lose the 15 pounds I want to lose. But I am going to do it in a healthy way. And I'm not going to beat myself up for not meeting a goal. And I'm going to get up every morning and be thankful for the day; thankful that I can exercise; thankful that we have healthy food in the house; thankful that I have a husband who supports and encourages me.
I want K to see in my a thankful mother, who is trying to lose some weight and be healthy. I want her to see someone who is enjoying life and working hard and taking care of herself.
I don't want her to think of me and think of the cranky lady in front of the mirror who changes her outfit two or three times before leaving for school in the morning.
I'm going to show K that you can love yourself through the good times and the bad; the fat days and the skinny ones.
I want her to see me model a healthy lifestyle.
Healthy snacking.
Healthy meals.
Healthy exercise.
Healthy living.
I am going to love myself and encourage myself through this rough/heavy/awkward patch. I hope to model the behaviors and attitudes I want K to pick up on and incorporate into the little person she is becoming.
Truth be told, pregnancy is hard on one's body. And I didn't even gain that much weight. 25 pounds and about 10 of them were water weight. I was so swollen by the end of my pregnancy that my watch did not fit. Today I actually weigh less than I did before K was born, but things just are not right.
My confidence is shot.
In an attempt to lose some weight and start to feel good about myself, I started tracking calories and exercising with a purpose. I have been tracking everything I eat using Livestrong's My Plate. I'm also tracking my weight and my exercise.
Progress has been slow, but there are signs of progress:
I am comfortable wearing my size 6 pants again;
my running pants are fitting better;
I am not completely self-conscious about wearing my capri pants and striped running top this weekend (I wore this outfit for a little training run back in March and was mortified when I caught a glimpse of myself in a window).
So there is progress.
I have spent a lot of time thinking about my body, getting frustrated with my weight, exercising no matter how tired or hurt I might be, feeling sorry for myself, looking in the mirror...
And this has got me to thinking:
WHAT AM I DOING?
WHY AM I BEING SO HARD ON MYSELF?
WHAT KIND OF ROLE MODEL AM I BEING FOR K?
Being a parent is hard freaking work. There are schedules and plans; discipline and coddling; activities and nap times; bad habits to break and positive habits to build. There is little sleep, endless laundry, house pants that are watered with everything from tap water to soy milk, other plants that are slowly being dug up and dirt splattered on the floor. There are play dates, story hours, slides, swings, walks, trips to see the metro, etc...
Sometimes when I step back and take a view of everything, and not just the day-to-day activities, I really realize the awesome responsibility it is to be a parent. I'm not just a scheduler, planner, disciplinarian, transporter, provider, and cuddler. I'm also a role mode. I need to walk the walk, so to speak, and not just talk the talk.
When we were in NYC for the marathon in November, we visited with a really good friend (yes, you should read Ray's book). I remember him telling me that I was teaching K so many wonderful life lessons JUST BY LEADING MY OWN LIFE and training for and running the marathon. Through my actions, she was learning the importance of daily exercise, setting goals, eating healthy, striving for something most people would think to be unobtainable.
WOW!
Seriously, I'm teaching her all of that by doing my thing.
So what I am teaching her (directly or indirectly) through my struggle with my body image?
Again, to be honest, I haven't thought about this much UNTIL NOW. But I am realizing, slowly but surely, that I need to model good behavior related to body image for my daughter. This does not mean that I'm not going to try to lose the 15 pounds I want to lose. But I am going to do it in a healthy way. And I'm not going to beat myself up for not meeting a goal. And I'm going to get up every morning and be thankful for the day; thankful that I can exercise; thankful that we have healthy food in the house; thankful that I have a husband who supports and encourages me.
I want K to see in my a thankful mother, who is trying to lose some weight and be healthy. I want her to see someone who is enjoying life and working hard and taking care of herself.
I don't want her to think of me and think of the cranky lady in front of the mirror who changes her outfit two or three times before leaving for school in the morning.
I'm going to show K that you can love yourself through the good times and the bad; the fat days and the skinny ones.
I want her to see me model a healthy lifestyle.
Healthy snacking.
Healthy meals.
Healthy exercise.
Healthy living.
I am going to love myself and encourage myself through this rough/heavy/awkward patch. I hope to model the behaviors and attitudes I want K to pick up on and incorporate into the little person she is becoming.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
TIRED
In a word, I am tired.I'm talking REALLY tired.
So tired that I fell asleep while holding K as she drank her milk before bed; so tired I could fall asleep standing up; so tired that even though I have numerous papers and a handful of assignments to grade before noon tomorrow I'm going to bed NOW. I didn't even take said papers out of my bag this evening.
The reason for my tiredness is simple: K. K has had two bad nights of sleep. On Tuesday she was up early. 4:37am early. Thankfully a clean diaper and a little milk were enough to get her back to sleep by 5:30. Last night sweet little girl started moaning at 2:31am. She was quiet by 2:53am. I thought we were in the clear.
Then she started SCR-EAM-ING. I went to see what was wrong and there she was sitting in her crib pointing at her toes yelling, "sockie, sockie-sockie." She managed to lose one sock last night and she was not too happy about it. After a sock change, diaper change, milk drink, and numerous rounds of Twinkle Twinkle and 10 Green and Speckled Frogs she was back to sleep. I, however, was wired. I seriously considered heading out for a 4:30am run.
What is wrong with me?
Instead I went back to sleep. I didn't sleep much; it was more of a lay there and be annoyed by every sound I heard inside and out. It was awful. I finally fell asleep sometime after 5am only to hear the alarm at 6am. I was showered, dressed, and out the door by 7:10am.
It was a long day. I even found the time and energy to squeeze in a run after class. I feel good about getting some exercise.
But I am pooped.
It is 9:30pm. I'm off to bed.
I am praying that K sleeps ALL NIGHT LONG. Is that asking too much?!?!
Monday, March 8, 2010
SNACK ATTACK
We've always eaten dinner late in our house.
Pre-K: by the time we got home from worked, said hello, goofed off, and exercised, it was 8pm before D started cooking.
Post-K: we enjoy eating dinner after she is asleep so we can relax and have adult conversations.
On a good night, we eat dinner around 9pm.
So the time between lunch and dinner is REALLY long. And I've become a snacking machine. On days when I'm at school I usually work out before heading for home. On these days I am SO stinking hungry when I arrive home. After saying good-byes to the nanny and the family we share the nanny with, I usually start snacking HARD. And then D comes home, starving, and he snacks, too.
It's the perfect storm for weight gain.
I snack big and then have a late dinner.
Bad news for my waist-line.
Noticing that I am not losing the weight I wanted to (in fact, I've gained a little bit back post-nursing and eating vegan), I decided that something needed to change.
My bad snacking habits need to stop.
And today is the day. I'm going to try eating a healthy, high-protein snack in the late afternoon (today it will be on my drive home from Baltimore to DC). I'm experimenting this week with protein bars (D bought me an assortment yesterday at the grocery store). I know I need to eat something post-workout and post-lunch. I'll be hungry and crabby if I don't.
But I need to curb my eating.
Packing a snack and limiting myself to said packed snack is the plan for now.
If this doesn't work, I'll be looking for a Plan B. Suggestions/recommendations are encouraged. Please let me know how you avoid snack attacks? And please share any healthy snacks you eat to curb your appetite between meals.
Pre-K: by the time we got home from worked, said hello, goofed off, and exercised, it was 8pm before D started cooking.
Post-K: we enjoy eating dinner after she is asleep so we can relax and have adult conversations.
On a good night, we eat dinner around 9pm.
It's the perfect storm for weight gain.
I snack big and then have a late dinner.
Bad news for my waist-line.
Noticing that I am not losing the weight I wanted to (in fact, I've gained a little bit back post-nursing and eating vegan), I decided that something needed to change.
My bad snacking habits need to stop.
And today is the day. I'm going to try eating a healthy, high-protein snack in the late afternoon (today it will be on my drive home from Baltimore to DC). I'm experimenting this week with protein bars (D bought me an assortment yesterday at the grocery store). I know I need to eat something post-workout and post-lunch. I'll be hungry and crabby if I don't.
But I need to curb my eating.
Packing a snack and limiting myself to said packed snack is the plan for now.
If this doesn't work, I'll be looking for a Plan B. Suggestions/recommendations are encouraged. Please let me know how you avoid snack attacks? And please share any healthy snacks you eat to curb your appetite between meals.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
VIRTUAL IRONMAN
In early February my friend, Becky, became a triathlete. She completed her first sprint triathlon in Florida (and braved some crazy cold swimming conditions - 60 degree water and 39 degree air temps).
She did not deviate from her training program once - seriously, she was freaking hard core and disciplined. The result: she finished her triathlon at her goal time and is in the best shape of her life. When I proposed that we train for a race together next spring, she was excited; even suggested a race that might be a lot of fun.
All this coming from a girl who prior to the triathlon had only competed in a single 5K.
She's freaking awesome.
In mid-February, Becky and I had an honest conversation about needing some exercise motivation and accountability. That is when SHE suggested doing a virtual Ironman during the month of March.
Here's how it works... we're tracking each of our workouts and aiming to complete 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles on the bike, and 26.2 miles of running before the end of the month. We're tracking our progress using a Google spreadsheet.
To date, I've swum 0 miles, biked 14.36, and run 11.1.
For me, the swimming can be finished in two workouts (I just need to get to the pool). I will be finished with the running after next weekend's 10 miler. I'm hoping to run at least 50 miles this month. The biking, however, is going to be my Achilles' Heal. Squeezing in enough bike workouts to total 112 miles is going to push me. It's also going to strengthen my leg muscles. And provide me with some much needed cross-training.
Assuming we both complete our Ironman in March, we will celebrate in May when K and I go to Florida to visit Becky!
She did not deviate from her training program once - seriously, she was freaking hard core and disciplined. The result: she finished her triathlon at her goal time and is in the best shape of her life. When I proposed that we train for a race together next spring, she was excited; even suggested a race that might be a lot of fun.
All this coming from a girl who prior to the triathlon had only competed in a single 5K.
She's freaking awesome.
In mid-February, Becky and I had an honest conversation about needing some exercise motivation and accountability. That is when SHE suggested doing a virtual Ironman during the month of March.
To date, I've swum 0 miles, biked 14.36, and run 11.1.
For me, the swimming can be finished in two workouts (I just need to get to the pool). I will be finished with the running after next weekend's 10 miler. I'm hoping to run at least 50 miles this month. The biking, however, is going to be my Achilles' Heal. Squeezing in enough bike workouts to total 112 miles is going to push me. It's also going to strengthen my leg muscles. And provide me with some much needed cross-training.
Assuming we both complete our Ironman in March, we will celebrate in May when K and I go to Florida to visit Becky!
Monday, February 1, 2010
UNCONDITIONAL LOVE
As a parent, I believe you learn (at least) a little something about unconditional love each day from your child. Take yesterday for example...
K woke up early with a nasty cough. D changed her diaper while I hurried downstairs to get her some milk. As usual, K joined us in bed for her morning milk. When she was finished she coughed. Then she coughed again; and again; and again. Before we knew it she was coughing uncontrollably - eyes closed and watering, face pink, whole body (all 18 pounds 6 oz) shaking. It was a nasty coughing fit. And what follows a nasty coughing fit?
The pukes.
Yup, my baby puked milk all over me.
And I didn't dry heave or puke myself.
I tried desperately not to focus on the warm, stank milk running down my chest and pulling along the elastic of my favorite purple sweat pants.
She puked down my shirt and in my hair.
But I focused on her. Tried desperately to calm her down (nothing like coughing, puking, and crying all at once). We took a bubble bath together to wash the puke off both of us. D rushed the nasty clothing articles to the laundry room.
And I love both of the more today than I did yesterday.
That's some unconditional love in my book.
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Health: obviously K has a cold. She slept terribly last night. We took her to the doctor today, and low and behold she has infections in both ears. That's ear infection number 3 & 4 for this winter. Lovely.
Me: I also have a cold. Lost my voice sometime last week, but it is slowly returning. Sinus pressure sucks. I am thankful for theraflu and advil cold and sinus.
Sleep: have not had enough. Going to bed as soon as I hit *publish*.
K woke up early with a nasty cough. D changed her diaper while I hurried downstairs to get her some milk. As usual, K joined us in bed for her morning milk. When she was finished she coughed. Then she coughed again; and again; and again. Before we knew it she was coughing uncontrollably - eyes closed and watering, face pink, whole body (all 18 pounds 6 oz) shaking. It was a nasty coughing fit. And what follows a nasty coughing fit?
The pukes.
Yup, my baby puked milk all over me.
And I didn't dry heave or puke myself.
I tried desperately not to focus on the warm, stank milk running down my chest and pulling along the elastic of my favorite purple sweat pants.
She puked down my shirt and in my hair.
But I focused on her. Tried desperately to calm her down (nothing like coughing, puking, and crying all at once). We took a bubble bath together to wash the puke off both of us. D rushed the nasty clothing articles to the laundry room.
And I love both of the more today than I did yesterday.
That's some unconditional love in my book.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Health: obviously K has a cold. She slept terribly last night. We took her to the doctor today, and low and behold she has infections in both ears. That's ear infection number 3 & 4 for this winter. Lovely.
Me: I also have a cold. Lost my voice sometime last week, but it is slowly returning. Sinus pressure sucks. I am thankful for theraflu and advil cold and sinus.
Sleep: have not had enough. Going to bed as soon as I hit *publish*.
Monday, January 25, 2010
2010 GOALS
I thrive on structure, routine, discipline, and at least seven hours of uninterrupted sleep each night.
Setting goals is important to/necessary for me.
I need to know where I am going and how I am going to get there.
I have spent numerous hours since the beginning of the month/year/decade thinking out, organizing, and laying out my goals for the new year. I know what I want to accomplish, I know why I want to do it, and I have a plan to get there.
Yet I am so freaking nervous about putting my goals out there.
What if I fail to achieve a goal?
Oh...the horror, the disappointment, the embarrassment.
SHUT UP ALREADY!
Without further excuses, here are my goals for 2010:
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HEALTH:
1. run 1000+ miles
2. run four races of differing lengths - 10k, 10 miler, 1/2 marathon, and marathon
3. do strength training twice each week (includes abs)
4. run a sub-4 hour marathon; sub-2 hour 1/2; and a 10k under 50 minutes
5. lose 10 pounds
6. lose the tummy/pooch above my c-section line (am I the only woman who had a c-section that cannot get rid of the fat?)
SCHOOL:
1. develop dissertation topic by end of February
2. have dissertation committee assembled by end of March
3. submit general research plan for May meeting
4. pass dissertation proposal defense by September 1st
5. schedule dissertation defense by June 2011
6. finish PhD program by September 1, 2011
7. complete my course-work by August 2010
8. secure an external research grant for dissertation research by August 2010
PERSONAL WELL-BEING:
1. read a book for fun each month
2. read two books with D
3. go out for coffee with a friend or alone at least once a month
4. pay for at least one massage
5. go to bed before 11pm on school nights
FINANCIAL:
1. pay myself for mommy-share days (I'm watching a friend's child one day a week and she in turn is watching K one day; this cuts down seriously on our nanny expenses)
2. with saved $, buy the new camera I've been eyeing for months and put at least $2000 into my IRA
REACH GOALS:
1. qualify for the Boston Marathon
2. train for an IronMan
3. get a real job
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
BEING A PARENT (aka how a little tough love worked for me)
Being a wife, mom, student, marathoner, etc... is hard work. SERIOUSLY HARD. A few months ago I posted what my daily schedule looks like. It is freaking NON-STOP from sun-up to sun-down. Things have changed - since K stopped nursing, our nanny-share moved to our house, marathon training hasn't officially begun - but my days are still busy. There definitely are not enough hours in the day or night. And when I put my head on the pillow, I want to sleep through the night (even if the night is only a few hours long).
Back in August we went to the beach and K's sleep schedule was rocked. HARD. My little girl who would normally sleep from 10ish to 5:30am was acting like an infant... up every couple of hours, wanting milk in the middle of the night, etc... Some bad habits were built. And we, as parents, were to blame. Her going to bed habits and sleep schedule were all off. We continued to treat her like a baby. I would spend upwards of an hour each night rocking her to sleep. By 9pm I was just getting her to sleep and still needed to do homework, run (if I skipped in the AM), and eat dinner.
K definitely owned me.
And I was miserable. Either I wasn't running or I wasn't getting enough sleep. And I definitely wasn't doing enough homework. I was grumpy. I was mad at myself. I was mad at D - mad that he wasn't doing more and mad that he was doing things that I should be doing (no win situation for him). It was a deadend situation.
SOMETHING needed to change.
On New Year's Eve, we went to a wedding. We got home around 2am. K was up at 2:45. I was up with her until after 5am. It was miserable. I was mad at her. I was mad at myself (you see the MAD theme, yes). I finally put her in her crib, told her I loved her, and walked out of the room. She cried. I cried. I woke D. We needed to talk...
I told him how mad I was; how something needed to change. And we came up with a plan.
We started a new bed/nap routine with K that includes some tough love. She gets her milk before both bedtime and naptime, in the evenings we brush her teeth, and we'll rock her or pat her back for a few minutes. Then we are out of there. She is responsible for falling asleep on her own. And she's responsible for sleeping through the night. No milk in the wee hours of morning. No cuddling.
To use K's new favorite string of words: "No, no, no, no, no!"
We've had a few tough nights with a crying baby in the room next door. And she usually fusses when I leave her room at night. Now the middle of the night cries are few and far between and the nighttime fussing is getting shorter. I only had to sleep one night in our basement because of her crying!
And I feel alive again. I'm not mad. I'm getting rest. Both D and I are able to exercise. I have time to do homework. And we're eating dinner before 10pm.
HALLELUJAH!
And things aren't just good for me. K is sleeping longer each night (not waking until 7:30 most mornings). On days I go to school I usually don't see her. This is sad, but I'm able to get ready so much faster, am at school earlier, and so eager to see her in the afternoon.
The discipline has been good for all of us.
Back in August we went to the beach and K's sleep schedule was rocked. HARD. My little girl who would normally sleep from 10ish to 5:30am was acting like an infant... up every couple of hours, wanting milk in the middle of the night, etc... Some bad habits were built. And we, as parents, were to blame. Her going to bed habits and sleep schedule were all off. We continued to treat her like a baby. I would spend upwards of an hour each night rocking her to sleep. By 9pm I was just getting her to sleep and still needed to do homework, run (if I skipped in the AM), and eat dinner.
K definitely owned me.
And I was miserable. Either I wasn't running or I wasn't getting enough sleep. And I definitely wasn't doing enough homework. I was grumpy. I was mad at myself. I was mad at D - mad that he wasn't doing more and mad that he was doing things that I should be doing (no win situation for him). It was a deadend situation.
SOMETHING needed to change.
On New Year's Eve, we went to a wedding. We got home around 2am. K was up at 2:45. I was up with her until after 5am. It was miserable. I was mad at her. I was mad at myself (you see the MAD theme, yes). I finally put her in her crib, told her I loved her, and walked out of the room. She cried. I cried. I woke D. We needed to talk...
I told him how mad I was; how something needed to change. And we came up with a plan.
We started a new bed/nap routine with K that includes some tough love. She gets her milk before both bedtime and naptime, in the evenings we brush her teeth, and we'll rock her or pat her back for a few minutes. Then we are out of there. She is responsible for falling asleep on her own. And she's responsible for sleeping through the night. No milk in the wee hours of morning. No cuddling.
To use K's new favorite string of words: "No, no, no, no, no!"
We've had a few tough nights with a crying baby in the room next door. And she usually fusses when I leave her room at night. Now the middle of the night cries are few and far between and the nighttime fussing is getting shorter. I only had to sleep one night in our basement because of her crying!
And I feel alive again. I'm not mad. I'm getting rest. Both D and I are able to exercise. I have time to do homework. And we're eating dinner before 10pm.
HALLELUJAH!
And things aren't just good for me. K is sleeping longer each night (not waking until 7:30 most mornings). On days I go to school I usually don't see her. This is sad, but I'm able to get ready so much faster, am at school earlier, and so eager to see her in the afternoon.
The discipline has been good for all of us.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
1000+ Mile Club
I've been searching online to find some motivation to get my a$$ out the door. I have BIG goals for 2010 (again, post on goals forthcoming), but my motivation is lacking. So I've been online looking for motivating sites, people, groups, etc... This afternoon I stumbled upon the Tall Mom 1000++++ Club, which is a group of women (an one man) who are aiming to run more than 1000 miles in 2010.
Sign me up!
If you break it down, 1000 miles equates to:
1,000/12 months in a year= 83.33 Miles per month
1,000/52 weeks in a year= 19.23 Miles per week
1,000/365 days in a year= 2.74 Miles per day
1,000/52 weeks in a year= 19.23 Miles per week
1,000/365 days in a year= 2.74 Miles per day
I can do that. And now that I've signed up for the challenge, I need to do that.
I estimate that I've run about 12 miles TOTAL in 2010. Pretty pathetic. I'm going to use my blog to publicly keep track of my progress. Hopefully I'll have a button on the blog to show my participation in the challenge. So much more to come...
Today I aim to run 4 miles. I'll end my run at Target (we need some baby supplies!).
Here's to logging lots of miles in 2010...
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
SNOT BUBBLES
Yes, snot bubbles.
K is recovering from her second ear infection in three weeks. Last week we went to the doctor on Tuesday, were so excited to see our favorite nurse practitioner (seriously, this woman is one of my favorite people - kind, caring, takes the time to talk and answer questions, always pleasant, and so knowledgeable), and received a clean bill of health. On Wednesday K barely slept. She woke up Thursday snotty, but not too snotty, and she was a bundle of joy. By Thursday evening it was obvious that she wasn't feeling well. She didn't sleep much on Friday. I called the doctor's office at 8am on Friday. The set up an appointment for 9:15am. I successfully dressed myself and K, got a diaper bag packed, packed breakfast for both of us, found my wallet, packed it, and was out the door in half an hour (is that world record). We took the train to the appointment and were there ON TIME. Un-freaking-believable.
We were seen right away. K had a slight fever and an infected ear. No wonder sweet little girl couldn't sleep. We stopped at the pharmacy on the way home and saw our favorite pharmacist, who just happens to be named Virginia. She is so kind to K since they share the same name. Virginia the pharmacist is named after her mother, Virginia Sr. I love telling her that K is named after her grandmother. Anyways, Virginia the pharmacist filled our prescription in 5 minutes and we were on our way home.
At home K ate some lunch and took her antibiotic without complaining. We then got a call from our photographer that the prints we ordered from K's first birthday photo shoot were ready for pick up. I was SO excited for an excuse to jump in the car. I was so tired of caring around a sick baby. K and I ventured over to Capitol Hill and picked up our pictures from Elizabeth. We came home just in time for a nap. Or so I thought...
As I was putting away my keys and taking off my shoes, K decided to barf EVERYWHERE. All over her; all over me. Lovely. Just lovely. There is no easy way to clean up puke so I just took all of K's clothes off and put her in the bathtub. She loved it. While she was goofing off in the water, the phone rang. I answered it. In the two seconds I turned my head to answer the phone, K pooped in the bathtub. Lovely. I picked her out of the bath and started to drain it. K slipped on the wet bathroom floor. It hurt. She wailed. I felt terrible.
I did a quick clean of the tub. Filled it back up with water and let her play/relax a little while longer. We also brushed her teeth, which she loves. I finally got her to sleep at 3pm.
She slept until 5:30pm. D was home from work before she was awake.
By Saturday she was feeling somewhat better.
No more pukes. No more poops in the bathtub. Ear infection under control.
This is when the snot bubbles started to appear. They are just beautiful. All different shades of greens and yellows. She put on a snot bubble blowing show at the bridal shower I hosted on Saturday afternoon.
Makes me so proud.
Upon some reflection, I've realized that snot bubbles really aren't that big of a deal. They actually make me laugh.
And laughter is the best medicine, right?
K is recovering from her second ear infection in three weeks. Last week we went to the doctor on Tuesday, were so excited to see our favorite nurse practitioner (seriously, this woman is one of my favorite people - kind, caring, takes the time to talk and answer questions, always pleasant, and so knowledgeable), and received a clean bill of health. On Wednesday K barely slept. She woke up Thursday snotty, but not too snotty, and she was a bundle of joy. By Thursday evening it was obvious that she wasn't feeling well. She didn't sleep much on Friday. I called the doctor's office at 8am on Friday. The set up an appointment for 9:15am. I successfully dressed myself and K, got a diaper bag packed, packed breakfast for both of us, found my wallet, packed it, and was out the door in half an hour (is that world record). We took the train to the appointment and were there ON TIME. Un-freaking-believable.
We were seen right away. K had a slight fever and an infected ear. No wonder sweet little girl couldn't sleep. We stopped at the pharmacy on the way home and saw our favorite pharmacist, who just happens to be named Virginia. She is so kind to K since they share the same name. Virginia the pharmacist is named after her mother, Virginia Sr. I love telling her that K is named after her grandmother. Anyways, Virginia the pharmacist filled our prescription in 5 minutes and we were on our way home.
At home K ate some lunch and took her antibiotic without complaining. We then got a call from our photographer that the prints we ordered from K's first birthday photo shoot were ready for pick up. I was SO excited for an excuse to jump in the car. I was so tired of caring around a sick baby. K and I ventured over to Capitol Hill and picked up our pictures from Elizabeth. We came home just in time for a nap. Or so I thought...
As I was putting away my keys and taking off my shoes, K decided to barf EVERYWHERE. All over her; all over me. Lovely. Just lovely. There is no easy way to clean up puke so I just took all of K's clothes off and put her in the bathtub. She loved it. While she was goofing off in the water, the phone rang. I answered it. In the two seconds I turned my head to answer the phone, K pooped in the bathtub. Lovely. I picked her out of the bath and started to drain it. K slipped on the wet bathroom floor. It hurt. She wailed. I felt terrible.
I did a quick clean of the tub. Filled it back up with water and let her play/relax a little while longer. We also brushed her teeth, which she loves. I finally got her to sleep at 3pm.
She slept until 5:30pm. D was home from work before she was awake.
By Saturday she was feeling somewhat better.
No more pukes. No more poops in the bathtub. Ear infection under control.
This is when the snot bubbles started to appear. They are just beautiful. All different shades of greens and yellows. She put on a snot bubble blowing show at the bridal shower I hosted on Saturday afternoon.
Makes me so proud.
Upon some reflection, I've realized that snot bubbles really aren't that big of a deal. They actually make me laugh.
And laughter is the best medicine, right?
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