Kidney appreciation day

I have learned a valuable lesson over the last 24 hours: never take your vital organs for granted.

A couple of days ago I came down with a bladder infection.  Nothing major, but unpleasant nonetheless.  I figured I could just flush it out with some cranberry juice and water.  No big deal.  Things didn’t really improve over the next couple of days, but I figured it would pass in time.

Then, last night I’m woken up at about 2:35 AM, wondering what that awful sensation in my back is.  I’ve had lower back problems for years, and they have been aggravated recently by all the bending, twisting, and lifting that I’ve discovered motherhood requires.  So I wake up thinking ugh, my back is really giving me troubles tonight. I tried changing positions over and over, and rather than it getting better, the pain kept getting worse and worse.  It was so intense that it was shooting down my legs and my whole lower back felt like it was a big red, radiating ball of pain (you know, like you see on the commercials).  I rolled over and got up on my knees, my face smashed into the pillow, hoping that would stretch things out.  Nothing.  Before I knew it I was rocking back and fourth on all fours and breathing raggedly.  I felt like I was in labor, except this time my back was intending to deliver…something, I don’t know, but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t a baby.

Eventually I woke up the hubby, gasping for breath between the shots of pain that were now stabbing through each side of my back.  He tried massaging it, thinking maybe I had really pulled my muscles or something.  Again, no relief.  At this point I realized that it wasn’t my run of the mill back problems.  Nope, it was my kidneys, and apparently someone had set fire to them while I was sleeping.  Seriously, the only thing I could compare it to was labor… and I experienced some pretty intense labor.

Brady was kind enough to get me a handful of ibuprofen and some water, and soothed me until I was no longer shaking and and moaning in pain.  I didn’t know if I should go to the ER or wait it out or what to do, so I laid down to see if the pain meds would kick in.  Fortunately they did, and somehow I managed to drift off to sleep.

I woke up in the morning feeling almost back to normal, but over time the stabbing, searing, throbbing pain in my back returned, and has been alternating between sharp pain and a dull ache all day.  I went to my doctor to get some antibiotics, so hopefully they will do the trick soon.

So all this time I’ve totally been taking my hardworking, dependable kidneys for granted.  I rarely give them a thought or even notice that they are even there.  But WOW, do they have a way of making themselves known when something goes wrong!

Tags: pain, sick

The first review, part I

I’ve decided that the first book I will experiment with will be one on feeding my child, since I feel extraordinarily clueless in this department.  You’d think it would be pretty easy and straightforward, but now that she is eating mainly solids and largely eschewing pureed baby food, I’m kind of at a loss.  She only has about 5 1/2 teeth, so she limited in what she can chew.  Add to that the fact that she is a very busy baby and often finds exploring her world far more beneficial than eating and I’m really in a bind.

I think my anxiety is compounded by the fact that last semester I took a basic nutrition class, which was interesting and informative, but it has me all worried about eating a balanced, healthy diet.  It has me even more worried that I am not providing my daughter a balanced and healthy diet, because surely she needs it more than even I because she is growing and developing, and what mother doesn’t want her child to have every advantage possible in this difficult world?

My nutrition book often touched on the fact that after 6 months of age a child’s iron stores can become depleted and it is often worsened by having a milk-heavy diet.  Toddlers tend to love milk, and will often fill up on that rather than eat their meals.  While little ones need several ounces of milk a day, it shouldn’t be their main food source anymore.    Sometimes I’ll watch Claire drink her milk and the words milk-heavy diet… milk-heavy diet…will circle in my brain, causing me to get all sorts of knots in my stomach and wondering  whether or not she is depleting her iron stores that very moment and will soon become anemic.

So, I picked up a book at the library and dove in.  For this installment I’ve decided to read the book Feeding: The Brazelton Way, by T. Berry Brazelton, M.D., and Joshua D. Sparrow, M.D.  Dr. Brazelton is a tenured pediatrician and a Clinical Professor of Pediatrics Emeritus at Harvard Medical School, and Dr. Sparrow is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, so I’m assuming these guys know their stuff.  They’ve written several other books on topics such as sleeping, soothing a fussy baby, potty training, etc.

Speaking of people named Sparrow…did you hear that Nicole Richie had a baby boy and named him Sparrow- as his first name? No offense if you decided to name your litlle boy Sparrow, I’m sure he’s a gem, but I think that poor kid is headed for some wedgies and good poundings on the playground due to his sissy name.  Anyway, enough of potentially offending people.  Back to the subject…

So I’m about halfway through the book and there have been some good tips and interesting thoughts, as well as a few things I think may not apply to all babies.  Dr. Brazelton starts out by talking about the importance of using feedings as a valuable time to bond and interact with your baby and to help further their development.  He mentions that as the child grows and begins to feed himself, the parent may have a difficult time letting go and allowing the child independence during feedings, but it is important to do so.  I will admit that while I sometimes love that Claire can feed herself and can eat a variety of foods, I often miss the quiet times we had on the couch together where she would grip my thumb and little finger with her tiny hands, eyes half closed, as I fed her a bottle.  I loved being able to put her over my shoulder and snuggle with her as I patted her back.  She still gets a couple of bottles a day, and I adore that rare time when she’ll sit contentedly on my lap without squirming to reach or grab or crawl away.  I love seeing her so relaxed, eyes half closed again, clutching and rubbing her blankie as I feed her a bottle.  She can hold her bottle on her own, but I love holding it for her.  I dread the day when I have to take away the bottle completely and those sweet, quiet times will vanish. Throughout the book Dr. Brazelton frequently touches not only on the child’s ongoing development with the feeding process, but on the parent’s as well.  I have a lot to learn about letting my baby grow up.

Oh dear, speaking of my baby, it sounds like someone is awake.  I’ll have to dive into this later.  Stay tuned!

Tags: book review, feeding

Update!

Ok, so I recently learned about the “I Pledge…” video that is to be shown to students (I told you I was a little out of the loop).  To be honest I really don’t like the whole wording of being “a servant to the President”, and it would be better if they displayed a picutre of America rather than Obama’s face, but overall the message is…positive.  It’s still not worth teaching our children to turn our backs if we have a different opinion, if you ask me. 

I think overall parents forget what a huge influence we can be on our children.  Just because something is taught or shown in school one day doesn’t mean that it will shape the future of the child forever.  I think this is easily proven by the fact that if parents get involved in educating their children about drugs/alcohol/sex, kids are more likely to make wise choices as opposed to if they just learn about it in school.  The same can be said for politics. 

Parents:  talk to your children!!!

Click here to view the video.  What do you think?

Political propaganda or a valuable learning opportunity?

I will be the first to admit that I am a little out of the loop when it comes to politics.  I realize that many will point their fingers and cry, “Shame!  Don’t you realize what our ancestors went through??  Do you take our democratic society for granted??  Don’t you realize you are not doing your part as an American???”  Yes, yes, and yes- but I promise I have every intention to do better!  I just don’t have the time…ya know?  And frankly…politics are kinda boring.  And frustrating.  There I said it.  Go ahead and throw rotten vegetables or stones or what have you.

But really, I do want to be up to speed on the important things going on in my country and in the world.  And I’m not completely oblivious, I just don’t know the nitty-gritty details.  I do love my country though, and I believe in the ideals it was founded upon. 

That being said, I have to be honest that I don’t quite understand what all the fuss is about regarding President Obama speaking to school children through a nationwide broadcast.  People!  Just relax for a minute!  Let’s think about this here.  Some argue that Obama is trying to “spread his socialist agenda” among the children of the nation, that this address is something you would see from a dictator in another country.  That he’s undermining the parents by speaking to the children directly instead of the family as a whole during primetime. 

Seriously? 

I’m confused.  I thought we wanted our lawmakers to be concerned about our childrens’ education and welfare.  I thought we wanted them be more involved. 

In one broadcast, one optional broadcast I might add, you really think he’s going to brainwash the children of the country?  BULL CRAP.  People, how often do your kids from home from school with a complete and total understanding of all that was taught that day?  Do you really think that your child will come home spewing democrat or “socialist” doctrine to all in sight?  No.  They are going to say, “Mommy, guess what?  I got to watch TV in school today!  The President was on TV and my teacher said we could watch.”   Older kids will likely blow it off as “boring”. 

As far as when the broadcast is happening, how many families do you think would actually sit down together to watch the broadcast?  Families don’t even sit down to dinner together anymore, much less a broadcast by a political figure. 

While I don’t know exactly what will be said by the President, I’m fairly certain he will not be discussing heavy political agendas.  From what I understand he wants to talk to kids about making the most of their education.  About setting goals and working hard.  Stuff that kids can understand.  STUFF THAT KIDS SHOULD HEAR.  I don’t care if it is said by a Democrat, a Repulican, a Communist, or even a prostitute.  If someone is willing to take the time to teach my children that the opportunity to learn is precious and valuable, I want them to hear it. 

If parents take their kids out of school to avoid this speech they are depriving their children and themselves of a valuable opportunity.  Maybe you don’t agree with everything Obama has to say.  Why not ask your child after school what they thought about the speech and the government in general and engage them in an age-appropriate political conversation?  Talk to them about your ideals and your feelings and how to make a difference in the world.  Kids have a right to form their own opinions too, and you can help them learn how to develop an educated opinion and take action appropriately.

We don’t want to teach our children that the way America works is by boycotting and badmouthing others.  Turning away simply because we are of another party or other religion or other race or whatever it might be.  We should be working together!  Appreciating what others have to offer and contributing where we can, being open-minded and thoughtful.  Please don’t teach your children ignorance.  Kids (and adults apparently) need to learn how to think for themselves, and taking away that opportunity is teaching them to be blind to the world around them.

It makes me sad to think that parents across the nation will allow their children to watch a scantily clad teenage girl bump and grind on a pole during an awards show for kids; or thugs point guns at each other to solve their problems on crime shows; or trashy, idiotic people scream obscenities at each other in reality shows.  But have them watch a well-dressed, educated, elected official talk about obtaining an education so you can contribute to the American society?  What disgusting and vile political propaganda!!

I am not a diehard Obama supporter, but I am not an Obama hater either.  I agree with many things he stands for, and I disagree with many other things too.  But when it comes right down to it, he is the President of the free world, and that does mean something.  We should teach our children to respect our elected officials, but that they are also allowed to form their own respectful opinions. 

That’s just my opinion on the matter. *Stepping off soapbox…*

See here, here, and here for related articles if you’re interested.  There are plenty of others out there too…

Tags: on my soapbox, politics

The case of the missing motivation

Oh my.  Sigh…What to do in such a situation?  I seem to have lost my motivation, have you seen it?  It’s actually gone missing for a couple of weeks.  I keep thinking it will come back, like a rogue cat off for an adventure but returning home eventually.  Perhaps a little mangled and worse for wear, but home nonetheless.  Maybe my motivation got in a vicious fight with someone else’s stray motivation and is dead.  It wasn’t very strong to begin with, poor thing.

It is especially apparent while I am at work that a very vital piece of me is missing.  Today actually has been better than the last few.  I’ve gotten a few things crossed off my list that were important.  But I still tend to want to hide in my cubicle in hopes that I will blend in with the drab blue-gray walls and no one will know I’m here.  It’s not a good way to do business.  I do want to do better, really I do, but…blahhhh….

As I drive to work I seriously try to give myself a pep talk.  It goes something like this:  Ok, you know you have to go to work and there is no way around it, so you might as well make the best of it.  It’s a good job!  Really, it’s not so bad!  Sure it seems as though you do the same thing day after day, after day, after day…but they treat you well and plus, you get paid!  And woman, your family needs to eat!  So perk up!  Sit up straight!  Slap a smile on your face!  Put some spring in your step!  All you have to do is buckle down, work hard for a few hours, and then you can go home to your lovely family.  You can do it!  You can do it…you can do it…you can do it…

Seriously, I’m not even joking you, I give myself that pep talk regularly.  But is it doing any good?  No.  Although, maybe if I didn’t do it my performance would be even worse.  A frightening thought.  Probably best to keep doing it.  Maybe it would be more effective out loud?  Nah, too weird.

This lack of motivation is also applying to my exercise/healthy eating regime.  Let me be more specific, my non-existent exercise/healthy eating regime.  I can’t seem to get my jiggly butt on that treadmill, even though the thought of a firm backside is somewhat motivating.  Just not motivating enough.  Therein lies the problem.

Oh…motivation, come back!  I can’t go on this way!  I promise I’ll take better care of you!  I’ll listen to you more, I swear!  Just come back…please?

Tags: exercise, work