Hold the Tylenol! Fevers do NOT cause Brain Damage!

If your little one has a fever, what is the first thing you do?

Get out the acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin/Advil), right?

thanks to Purdue University

It is a known fact that fevers help a body FIGHT an infection. It is a NORMAL and HEALTHY reaction to illness and shows your immune system is working the way it is supposed to.  Giving Tylenol unnecessarily may lengthen the healing process.

For low grade fevers, you can even hold off on the antipyretic (fever reducing medicine) and instead treat with sponging off or bathing with tepid water (DON'T use cold water, ice, witch hazel or rubbing alcohol!), hydrating with extra fluids, and dressing lightly - and don't pile on the blankets either!

All you are trying to do in treating a fever is - make your child comfortable.  Fevers do not cause brain damage despite what your well-meaning neighbor/relative/internet source tells you. Research says otherwise.

It's the symptoms around a fever that determine the seriousness of an illness.


Symptoms of concern:

1.   Breathing:  If your child is struggling to breathe, has flaring nostrils, sucking in between or under the ribs, muscles straining on the neck while sitting in a "sniffing" position....you will want them seen by an MD, it doesn't matter what the fever is.  Blue lips, earlobes and nail beds are serious emergency symptoms, it doesn't matter what level of fever.

2.   Dehydration: If your child has not had a pee in 12 hours or more and it is dark in color and less in amount and dwindling....that is a cause for concern.  They should pee every 6-8 hours.  You might want to consider switching over/adding Pedialyte if they are not taking in much.  Get it into them in whatever way you can - using a  spoon, dropper or whatever.  Dehydration is serious - no matter what the fever is.

3.  Lethargy:   If your child is limp like a rag doll, not responding and muscle tone poor and no matter what you do - they don't respond - it is a serious emergency - no matter what the fever is.  Yes, your child will not want to play as normal or be as active when they are ill - that's their bodies telling them to slow down so it can heal itself -  but they should still respond to you and recognize you and know where they are.

You can see the theme developing here.

A fever in of itself is not harmful.  Once again: it is the symptoms around a fever that determine the seriousness of an illness.

Children do tend to run higher fevers than adults. A body will self-limit a fever.  Your body has a thermostat that self-regulates, and despite what some well-meaning person told  you - your fever only will go so high....unless of course you are in an enclosed space with the sun beating down to over heat you - and that is something that is entirely different from a fever.

 If your child is comfortable, drinking sufficient fluids and peeing normal amounts and seems to be improving - you don't even need to give Tylenol/Motrin.  Remember: all you are trying to do is keep your child comfortable with the Tylenol/Motrin for the 3 or 4 days it takes to get better.

On the other hand, if your child has any of the symptoms above, or has a high fever that doesn't come down no matter what you do to treat it - that may mean your child may need to see an MD.
So, remember.

A fever can be your friend.  Don't panic at every little fever.  In an age that has Tylenol/Motrin as one of the main causes of liver damage - it might be a better idea to hold off on the medication.

 If there are NO OTHER SYMPTOMS, you can safely treat an axilla (underarm) fever of 40C (104) at home with medication, as long as it comes down with treatment by one degree in an hour.  If it goes up above 39.5 (103F) again after the effects of the medication wear off, take the little one to see your family MD before the end of the day or the following morning. 

Plan ahead.  If the fever lasts for 72 hours, make a trip to your family MD or Local walk-in clinic just to keep ahead of the game and avoid a possible Emergency Department visit.  Don't be disappointed if the MD tells you your child is "OK" or he/she "doesn't do anything" - after all, the last thing you want the MD to do is give an Rx that your child doesn't need or say is that your child is deathly ill, right?

If you do decide to give medication:  READ THE DIRECTIONS CAREFULLY.  Acetaminophen/ibuprofen, although seemingly innocuous - can - if used incorrectly - cause more damage than a fever.  Remember to give the medication an HOUR to work.

AND - NEVER NEVER NEVER give aspirin/asa to anyone under age 20.





Disclaimer:    Always follow your MD's advice. The above info is GENERAL info ONLY.   I am only a blogger, a retired nurse,  not your doctor.  I am not a substitute for a visit to your MD.   For babies under 6 months old, please consult your MD, as different standards/symptoms apply.  Information taken from reliable up-to-date sources.

Oscar

I am not really a movie buff.  

That's my husband's passion. If it weren't for his 10 foot movie screen in the "Man Cave", I probably wouldn't see any movies.

Tonight, while he watches the Oscars....I am on my computer.

There are very few movies that are really good.   We just watched "Secretariat" and I thought it was the best I had seen in a while.  But one movie really touches my heart, and I enjoy watching it every time.

The touching story is about an elderly woman who's only dream is to go back to her home town - a fictitious town in Texas called "Bountiful".



I know it's a 1985 movie, but if you have never seen it, you are going to have to make time for it.  Geraldine Page won an Oscar for Best Actress.   Her poignant performance lives on in DVD/online form.

The movie was a forshadowing of what was to come.

Geraldine Page died of a heart attack at age 62 in 1987 during a run on Broadway, only 2 years after making this movie.

Speaking of which ...

Cats.  They are fun creatures.

I know you probably have seen this video, but I had to put it out there.  The funniest part is right near the end...



I used to have a cat that would play "catch". I would throw the wad of paper up to her on the balcony, she would catch it in her paws, transfer it to her mouth then jump down from the balcony ledge, run down the stairs and bring it right to me - and drop it at my feet.

She would then run back up the stairs, jump up to the balcony ledge and wait for me to throw it to her again. She would do that for hours.

Why, no.

We don't have kids.

Can you tell?

And here I thought it was Over with...

Isn't it about time for spring?

Not that we have had much snow. The weather has been very mild, with only two small snowfalls late last year.

Not enough for my husband to bring out his brand new snowblower.

Yes, a snowblower. It was supposed to be an "la Nina" year, so in anticipation, my husband ran out and bought a snowblower last fall.

Used it once.

*sigh*

Today our cat decided to make use of the snow and build his version of a "snowman". No - he didn't do his *business* in the snow. He actually does do this just for the fun of it.

Weird cat.

Yes, It's true! I'm not the Only one who Likes it!

This is an independent review by a tech that rates new products:



Here is his article

You can also use your phone base with cordless phone.
You can pick your own "Vanity" number if you like.
You can change your location for 911 wherever you go if you are travelling in the USA.
No, I don't own shares in this company. :)
 (I wish I did!)
I just like the easy phone service and the savings.

Death to Exorbitant Phone bills - or- how I am saving $876 per year

Here's another gadget for you.

What the MagicJack looks like

I bought a MagicJack and cancelled my long distance phone service....kept our basic land line and now we will be using only our Magic Jack for long distance.

Now, if you have a cell phone with a really good plan, you probably won't have much use for this thing.

My husband and I like to take our trailer south of the border, and since the cheapest plan one can find in Canada for a dual-country cell plan is still outrageous at best, this little gadget will come in handy for us.

I had a cell phone when they first came out - way back when - but that was when I was working on call nursing.  It was useful for not missing those last minute work calls.  I have regressed since then.

I drastically reduced my cell phone use long ago - still keep it at $10 per month pay-as-you-go for travelling - in Canada - and even then, emergency use only (never while driving).    I don't feel a need to be continually on the phone, or to stay in constant communication with anyone.   I still text once in a while, but have mostly lost my quick texting ability.  When I can type at 80 words per minute - I find it annoying to text.

I kept my basic land-line service at $15 per month and high-speed wireless modem connect at another $15 per month. That's pretty good seeing as how I was, up until now, paying $103 per month for the exact same thing - minus the long distance and a few other add-ons such as call-waiting (annoying) etc.  

The price initially offered was $50 per month (after a 40 minute wait).  I thought they could still do better than that since the *other* company was offering the same thing for $40 per month. 

I was put through to a supervisor manager (after another 30 minute wait) who offered the new rate of $30 total per month.   That's a savings of $73 per month, which translates into $876 per year.  I can live with that.  It was well worth the extra effort.

MagicJack is now filling in that little niche of long distant calls/mobile phone.

What it looks like on your computer screen
You can use your phone or screen to dial

The MagicJack has been around for several years, and I installed it on my friend's computer in CA quite easily last year.

The sound is great, I haven't had any of the issues that you might see people complaining about online at various sites.  I find it clearer and more reliable than Skype, and since most of the people I have to communicate with don't use Skype and it is simpler for them to use a phone - I like to use the MagicJack.

The little device plugs into the USB port and uploads the hardware immediately on its own.  It's the size of a flashdrive or memory stick.  You can call forward to any local number, or just have voice messages sent to your email address as mp3 type files, or collect over the phone just as you would with your land line.

Friends of mine who moved to Germany for a year used it for their calls home (anywhere in North America)  with no problems.   You can pick whatever area code you wish - which allows family in that area code to call you on a local number.



All in all, for what you pay and the service one gets....it is well worth the $20 per year.

Well, that's reassuring...

I guess I have gone through all that agony for a reason. (previous post)

It has now been found that women who experience hot flashes early in menopause have a reduced risk for cardiovascular disease (11% overall), stroke(17%) and premature death.

Who thought to research this? 

Apparently, the study was done on 60,000 women over the space of 10 years.  Since the leading cause of death in Canadian women is Cardiovascular disease, this might be a reassuring sign for some.

Well, thank goodness. 

There is a positive side to all the discomfort I had been experiencing....

Yay.

Unfortunately, a footnote in all of this, I must admit, is a little disconcerting.  The study relies on the recall of women's memories of symptoms experienced.  

Problem?  It's a known fact that women who are going through menopause have memory problems.

Un-yay.

You have to Read this Story: earthquake

I had told my story a few blog entries ago, of when I was living in the East Bay San Francisco Area when the 1989 "Big One" happened.

By now, I am sure everyone has heard of the more recent 6.3 earthquake in the South Island of New Zealand - Christchurch specifically.

I have several friends on the North Island of New Zealand... approximately 600kms away from where the south island was hit yesterday (well, today by their time).

Read the heart wrenching story first-hand story written by a journalist - and mother - when she realized what happened and realized she didn't know where her children were....

 "The Day the Earth Roared". 

The story really makes one think of what one's priorities really are.

More Things I Won't Do

Although I have been an avid skiier in the past, and actually owned a ski chalet for a while at a gorgeous ski mountain in the interior, I just won't be doing anything like this anytime soon:




Skiing is fun and was a passion for a while, but now I prefer the warmer climes....

There is a mountain just behind our house where base jumpers leap off and can be seen floating to the valley below.

Not something I would ever do.

Ever.

Life with a Cat (except ours don't scratch furniture)

Words of Wisdom from Lady Gaga

"Some women choose to follow men, and some women choose to follow their dreams. If you're wondering which way to go, remember that your career will never wake up and tell you that it doesn't love you anymore."   .... Lady Gaga

me when i was a wee little one

Having lived most of my life on my own....I find this to be very true.  Of course, depending on what kind of relationship you find - it can be very different. 

I admit, it's true:  I am sometimes envious of friends that found their partner early in life and have developed a "family"....with children and now grandchildren.

But really, in the end, I followed the path that led to my "career" and I can honestly say, that although I would rather have been an artist - or maybe a mother, the practical choice I made to become an RN has served me well.  There are aspects of the life I lived and the knowledge I have that I would not trade for anything.

The fact that I have been able to stand on my own, and be master of my own destiny and make choices that, in the most part, were only made possible due to the career path I have chosen....is worth more to me than any other choices I might have made.

The brief feeling of envy is quickly replaced by a whole lot of other things in my life that are, although maybe to those with families seem unimportant, are very satisfying and give me a lot of peace and happiness. 

I don't regret not having children.  I don't regret most of the decisions I have made, and if I were to do it all over again...  I would walk the same path - only with these changes:

1.  Allowing myself to make mistakes and not flagellate myself for  them.

2.  Having confidence in my own decisions - not to second guess.

3.  Love more. No one can really say they love too much!

4.  Hate less. Now that is a waste of time and energy!

5.  Celebrate and enjoy my singleness more.

6.  Give more. There are always those less fortunate - and it improves one's mental health!

7.  Save more money and spend less on silly things that didn't matter much down the line.

8.  Not to focus on relationships with males as a measure of success in life.

Yes, I did grieve, at the moment, over failed relationships, but aren't failed relationships part of life and a means of growth?  For those, I am thankful.

I can look back at my life's path now and see what I could have done better and how much easier I could have made the experience, but then would I have had the same growth opportunity? 

When you aren't challenged in life, you end up with a shallow life.  It's these "growth opportunities" that mold character and create a life with dimension.

Expanding a little on the quote by Lady Gaga above, I have to say that the NUMBER ONE thing that has impacted my life, apart from my faith (and yes, that does include the decision to marry my husband!) is my decision to become an RN.  Take heart, nursing students - you have much to look forward to!

Being a sunny cold day,  I am spending my time contemplating......while my husband plunks away at my guitar!

Education - are we doing it wrong??

As I am contemplating furthering my education, I stumbled upon this little gem....

Food For Thought On a Saturday Morning

Listen to what he says about EMPATHY:

A Couple of Things you WON'T catch me Doing

This:


And This:



Never. Ever.

This item baffles me.  Why do we need someone or something to "monitor" whether we are doing healthy things or not?  Shouldn't we already be doing that?  And - if we get a "bad" report - if we are so lazy not to *actually* monitor our "wellness issues" without a gadget - are we really going to be doing something to correct our behavior?

Thanks to Hammacher Schlemmer:

"

                               The Wellness Monitor.

This device automatically tracks your daily movements and sleep cycles to help determine if you are getting enough exercise and sleep. Similar to NASA technology that monitors astronauts in space, the device's integrated accelerometer monitors the intensity and duration of movements, tracks steps taken and distance traveled, and calculates calories burned--even during activities that do not require walking. The sensor fits into the included wristband while you sleep and tracks tiny tremors in the wrist to determine how long it took you to fall asleep, how often you woke up, and how long you were actually asleep, not just lying in bed. When the device is within 15' of the charging station, it automatically uploads information to the manufacturer's website, where your readings are displayed on timelines and graphs. About the size of a USB flash drive, the wellness tracker clips to a belt or fits in a pocket. Includes software compatible with Windows 7, Vista, XP, and Mac for uploading readings to the website. Operates for 10 days after a 1 1/2-hour charge. 2 1/2" L x 1/2" W x 1/2" D. (1 oz.)

Item 78078

 $99.95

Available for Immediate Shipment.                                      
"

I guess if it's good enough for the astronauts - it should serve us well, right? 

Not in my books.

And tell me why exactly - I would want all my personal information uploaded to some manufacturer's website where godknows where that info is going to go or get used??


Personally, I don't really need a monitor to tell me that I am not getting enough sleep.  

I KNOW I'm not.


Really.

When Little Ones Inspire...

I love this tune by Garrett Viggers.

Apparently, how it was composed was quite surprising. The composers young son Judah was playing with his dulcimer - and serendipitously plucked out the first notes of the tune on it. The musician took note and inspired by what he heard - composed the rest of the song.

Then a fellow musician wrote a Celtic jig - so they inserted it into the song. The result is just as he describes: "The first and last half of the song remind me of running an emotional marathon with a nice stop off at an Irish pub to hang with friends before finishing the marathon."

Beautiful!

Here is "Judah's Jig" -


Marathon Man (Judah's Jig) Music Video "Behind the Scenes" from Garrett Viggers on Vimeo.

Since we are on the subject of Habits: Here's Coke.....

Apparently the secret original recipe for Coca-Cola has  been revealed by a radio program in Chicago.

Coke was created in 1886 by John Pemberton - and his recipe was  published in the Atlanta Constitution-Journal in 1979 - so reports the Magazine - "This American Life"....

Here's the ORIGINAL ingredient list :

Fluid extract of Coca, 3 drams USP (cocoa leaves stripped of cocaine)

Citric acid 3 oz

Caffeine 1oz

Sugar 30 (it is unclear from the markings what quantity is required)

Water 2.5 gal

Lime juice 2 pints 1 qrt

Vanilla 1oz

Caramel 1.5oz or more to colour

7X flavour (use 2oz of flavour to 5 gals syrup - a concoction made up of -cinnamon, nutmeg oil, neroli, orange oil and coriander)

Alcohol 8oz

Orange oil 20 drops

Lemon oil 30 drops

Nutmeg oil 10 drops

Coriander 5 drops

Neroli 10 drops

Cinnamon 10 drops

I prefer pepsi if I DO drink the stuff.  Which I don't.  Well....sometimes.  But NOT often.
Someone send the recipe to Dr Grumpy. 
The way he goes through Coke, he could save himself some money.

I like good ol' water myself.....

Thanks to this publication for pointing this out

Wine Headaches

Apparently a researcher at UBC has come up with a yeast that winemakers can add to their winemaking process that reduces the "wine headaches".    The dedicated scientist who came up with this has actually spent 15 years of his life developing and testing this particular strain which is now already being used in some wines that you are now drinking.

Winemakers are keeping mum about whether they are using that particular strain of yeast due to the fear of the general public of "genetically modified" anything,   and if they knew,  would people refuse to drink their wine?

Speaking of which:

Health Canada is about to change the labelling laws so that your average person can read the labels and understand what actually is in packaged foods.   What is that hydrolyzed plant protein in so many of our foods and what exactly is used in making it?  Maybe we will finally find out.

This is an improvement that is a long time coming.

They don't call it VD for nothing.....

This is not the kind of Valentine's Day gift you would want to give.

So, as a public service announcement, please, take precautions.  Yes there are diseases you can get that will always stay with you.






There is no point in crying about it after the fact.

And while we are on the topic.....if you are travelling -
Make sure you get all of your shots.....Hep A and B would be a great start.....

But don't depend on any sort of immunization to keep you VD free if you choose to carry on with risky behaviors.....











This has been your Public Service Announcement.

Thank you.

Live, Love, Laugh.... Letting go of the past..

A message to my blog friends! Thank you for reading!
My life is definitely filled with Sunshine!

I Wish the Same for you, too!

You Are Not Alone - even though it's Valentine's

With the advent of Valentine's Day comes the inevitable feelings of loneliness that comes with not being "paired up" or embraced in a loving relationship.

I stumbled upon this while on a friend's FB page - looking at wedding videos by Tyler Faires Productions.    I thought I would share this video because it says something important:

The Self-Worth Project from Tyler Faires Productions on Vimeo.

The "Self-Worth Project". 

In their own words:

"The Self-Worth project is an ongoing photo documentation of people embracing their deepest and most vulnerable insecurities.Through this project and our insecurities, we hope to bring people together by showing you that YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

We are all human, we all have insecurities, and through those we can start to form an understanding of one another, despite our race, gender, orientations, backgrounds and affiliations.

It is NOT meant to be political, religious or related to any race or orientation. It is a positive outlet for EVERYONE, because everyone should be included in sharing how they feel.

Unity is power, and through that power, we can change lives.

When all else has failed, choose love.
                                It will pull you through. "



I wish someone had said or shown me something like this to me when I was younger, going through life, stumbling from one thing to another.

Valentine's day is coming...run while you can!

Valentine's Message from Grandma to Grandpa 1925

Nurses tend to have a "different" sense of humor.  We all know that.

I suppose that would include my Grandmother.  I never really knew her to tell jokes or kid around much when I was growing up, but there were stories.

I recall looking through an old photo album at her house years ago.  I ran across a picture of my Grandpa with a bicycle in a crowd of young people.  There was a chunk missing in the middle of the photo - as if a person were cut out of it.

"What happened here?" I asked my mother, pointing to the hole in the picture, fearful that one of the little cousins had done it.

"Oh....that was a photo of Grandpa with his old girlfriend..."  Mom laughed. "I guess Grandma didn't like it that he had that photo...and cut her out of the picture..."

I looked at my mother in disbelief. What?? Grandma - jealous??? It was difficult to think of my Grandma having the same emotions as me....

So -  I can just imagine - Grandma in Holland - Grandpa in Canada - the two years they were apart and never seeing each other the entire time while engaged... waiting for Grandma to immigrate - her imagination perhaps running wild and that jealous streak rearing it's ugly head .....

It took weeks to travel from Holland to Alberta, Canada - by boat and then train - and the only trip out to see each other was going to be a permanent one.

To keep their relationship alive,  my Grandma would send letters and little gifts to prod my Grandpa's memory of their love....

Now, I know nurses can have a sick sense of humor and usually the gory stuff is shared with co-workers, not  family members.  Most people don't understand our sense of humor.....

I think that in the Harry Potter books, chocolate frogs were an item to give out -
perhaps that was a tradition way back when....??

But, in 1925 my Midwife RN Grandma decided that it was somehow romantic to send Grandpa a Chocolate Frog with a poem she wrote -  (and here it is - translated from Dutch to English) :

" If one wants to become a nurse, one needs to learn so much,
One sits for days studying with her nose in the books, Practical and Theory and lastly Anatomy,
In so doing we need a frog, and in bisecting it, it gets much bigger,
First under the microscope one clearly sees the movement of blood,
Then one works with the sinews, then the head is cut off to study it some more,
The blood streams between the threads,
With a needle one pricks into the backbone,
Now it's time for the heart to come out, first it must be drained,
And just as the doctor says, "A half hour yet before it stops beating"
But no, even if the heart is laying away from its body
(Even with poor eyesight you can see it constantly moving,)
The brains spill out; you'll be sure it'll be in next years' exams.
If you're a vegetarian don't eat meat, or fish,
Don't wear any fur or muffs, or leather shoes
If you come up against lice or fleas, don't kill 'em you'll pay for it
This whole story is a joke;
This frog is made of chocolate, so just enjoy eating it"

I wonder what my Grandpa thought.....??

A Pessimistic Valentine's Day coming up!

Holy Crap!

This post is probably not what you are expecting.

In Canada, we have a tv program called "Dragon's Den" where entrepreneurs present their invention/business to try and get funding from a panel of millionaires/billionaires.  A similar show is the American "Shark Tank" - which was based on "Dragon's Den" - who do use a couple of the Canadian "Dragons".  

The cereal product  "Holy Crap" was presented on Dragon's Den on November 17th, 2010.  Int the site's own words:

"My main cereal ingredient is Chia*** or Salvia Hispanica L. which typically contains 20% protein, 34% oil, and 25% dietary fibre. Salvia Hipanica L. contains the highest Omega-3 nutrient source found in nature with perfectly balanced Omega 3, 6, 9 profiles and ratios. My next most abundant ingredient is Hulled Hemp Seed, which is low in carbohydrates, contains more protein than milk, meat or eggs and is suitable for those unable to digest gluten, sugar, milk, nuts and meat.


Most of my customers mix 2 tablespoons of concentrated Holy Crap or Skinny B with 4 tablespoons of almond, rice, hemp milk or regular milk or they sprinkle 1 tablespoon on their yogurt, oatmeal, muesli or granola. Then they stir it up and wait 4 to 5 minutes …. My husband, on the other hand, likes to make it up the night before and leave it in the fridge. He says the raisins and cranberries taste like ambrosia the next morning.
About the name...I first printed a Holy Crap label as a joke after one of my first customers left a message telling me “Holy Crap…this stuff is amazing” and the rest is history.


Wheat free, gluten free, lactose free, vegan, high in iron and dietary fibre, our cereals contain the highest known plant sources of Omega 3, 6 and 9s and are filled with protein and antioxidants."

In the next few days post airing on tv, the company received 10,000 internet orders.   It now takes 6 weeks to deliver - due to the demand, but in Canada, there are a few stores that do carry it for the same price.

Quite the success story!

My cousin - who used to work with the creator of the cereal  at the same airlines, brought some with her for the Superbowl weekend, so I got to try it out.  She now makes her very own recipe for HOLY CRAP and calls it HOLY SHIT......(link below for recipe)

I have to say, it is delicious and healthy, and I will be going out and buying a couple packages. Yes, it seems expensive, but when you look at the quality - and the fact that you only have to use 2 Tablespoons - well, it's a bargain!

By the way - they ship all over the world.




***Chia has more Omega 3 than fishoil, flaxseed and marine algae....more protein, lipids, energy and fiber - but fewer carbs - than rice, barley, oats, wheat and corn.  It has 78 times less sodium than salmon, 237 times less than tuna.  It is an excellent source of calcium (more than milk!), phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc and copper! 

 - per the AZ university of Arizona press - "Chia Book"

NOTE:  Here is my own "recipe" for my cousin's version of the above.

XLV

When you see those numbers you think of Superbowl 2011, right?

To me it stands for something else.

If you were a kid in the 1960's, you would have watched the "Supermarionation" show - FIREBALL XL5 - the Marionette production of something similar- and the precursor to -  Star Trek.  I guess it didn't as far as Star Trek in the fan club category. 

I don't know what it was that kept our attention, looking at the Youtube videos of the show.  Maybe it was the thought that we could go out there and explore other worlds -which was a brand new concept back then - the dream that there was such a thing as futuristic computers and space crafts and flying machines - things that didn't exist in our world back then.



Nowadays, the program would go nowhere.  Our present world with iPads and iPods and laptops and cruising around the earth and even living on a Space Station - a show such as FIREBALL XL5 would even be considered boring.




I laugh looking back on the simplicity of the program. The low techiness.

But, it still took an imagination to come up with that show....and gave us something to dream about......


Something like Superbowl XLV

What Happens to the babies we deliver?

I have often wondered what happens to the babies I have delivered after they are taken home.

Honestly, sometimes I worry about some of  the helpless little ones -  given the display - or lack thereof - of parenting skills observed on the unit.  Just to clarify - I am not talking about parents that are just learning. Everyone has been there at one time or another.

I am talking about those traits that don't make for good examples within the community never mind for their children.  You know what I am talking about.....short fuses, thoughtless, selfish actions and downright laziness and worse.  Nothing you could use to report to the Authorities...but just that gut feeling.

When I was working in California twenty or so years ago, I stumbled upon a news story of one of a set of twin boys murdered by his own father - 5 months after he left our L&D unit. I recognized the name as one I had cared for during delivery ....so shocking and heartbreaking and tragic.

Occasionally we hear of other stories at the other end of the spectrum....success stories. I don't know if I was in on this young man's delivery but seeing as how he was only born 12 years ago, I may well could have been.

This kid from Burnaby, British Columbia has won 4 Gold Medals in the Juvenile men's skating competitions against kids almost twice his size and quite a bit older.


Age 12, Junior Men's Champion 2011:



Age 11, Junior Men's Champion 2010: (Kung Fu/Crouching Tiger theme)



Age 10, National Novice Champion 2009:


At age 8 in 2007 he won the National Junior Men's Championship.

Tonight he was featured on our local news. This is a quote taken right from his interview:

" Distraction is the enemy of the mind. So, whatever you want to get, then it all depends on the mind - and then the body will follow. So, if you are determined to it, it will turn out as a success"

Mature words, coming from a 12-year-old. I have met men 5 and 6 times his age with less wisdom and maturity, nowhere near the grace and charm.

Next season he qualifies for the International Skating Competition. 

I believe we will see him in the next Winter Olympics.

Yes, he's that good.

Whatever his parents did, they did something right.



"

speaking of iPads....this guy is giving out free ones

For your iPad

Next to the iPad....this is the coolest thing...............

You can get it with ($99) or without ($69)the keypad.

The aluminum light weight cover protects your iPad, plus if you want, you can have a conventional built in keyboard.

I love it. 
It's on my wish list....

Would David Foster write a Song for you?

What if you were 15 years old and as a result of an MVA was paralyzed from your waist down?

Would you feel that your life was over? Give up your dreams?
Would you be angry that your life isn't what it could have been?
Would you resent anyone and everyone...especially the one responsible for the accident?

Would you give up and  gradually become dependent on the government to provide for you and waste your life and spend your time wishing you could have lived a life with 2 working legs?

Or would you be like Rick Hansen?

Definitely Rick Hansen had enough reason to feel this way, because he was that 15 year-old.

 He was born in Port Alberni on Vancouver Island and raised in Williams Lake, B.C.  After his accident, he went on to graduate from high school and  and then UBC** with a Phys Ed degree - the first student with a disability to do so.

He became a paralympic athlete.  My cousin met him socially while working as an RN in the Spinal Cord  ICU at the now defunct Shaughnessy Hospital.  At that time he was in training for what was to come.

Inspired by Terry Fox, Rick decided to do something similar - only a little more ambitious. 

The Man In Motion World Tour was the challenge that tested his limits.   His Tour started in Vancouver - March 1985 - and he logged more than 40,000 Kms  over 26 months,  through 34 countries on 4 continents wearing through 117 wheelchair tires.   He finally rolled across Canada from the east to the west, ending up in BC Place Stadium - May 1987 -  to thousands of cheering people. 

 I can remember buying a sweatshirt with his Tour's logo on it and wearing it to work at the hospital.  Everyone was excited  -   a "Local Boy" doing such an amazing and inspirational thing.  He raised $26 Million for Spinal Cord Research and Quality of Life Initiatives on that Tour alone.

David Foster, a Canadian and well-known composer and record producer wrote a song specifically in honor of Rick Hansen.   "St. Elmo's Fire(Man in Motion)" was #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the USA in  September 1985.

"Heart of a Dragon" *** released in October 2010,  is a movie portraying Rick's entrance into Beijing China where one million Chinese hailed him as a hero.

Since it's inception, Rick Hansen's Charitable Foundation has raised over $200 Million for Spinal Cord Injury Initiatives and Programs.  His Organization funded the last $8 Million required to open the Spinal Cord unit at Vancouver General Hospital and is credited with being the driving force behind iCORD which is a network to share 'best practices' in spinal cord treatment across Canada and internationally -  so MDs and experts can share information on what does and doesn't work in the Rehabilitation of spinal injuries.

He and his wife Amanda Reid (his former physiotherapist) and their 3 daughters live in Richmond, B.C.

..........................................................................................................


“Who is more disabled - someone who can't forget tragedy or someone who can't walk - someone who can't chase their dream or a disabled man who does?” - Michael French, Director of Heart of a Dragon


.........................................................................................................
**University of British Columbia
***click on "scenes" to watch the trailers of the movie "Heart of a Dragon"

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad! :)

59 years married. Today.

They met on New Years Day on Grouse Mountain 1950. The little photo of my dad, taken that day, is in my mom's photo album, cut in the shape of a heart.

When they married, they could barely afford their wedding.

400 people were in attendance because my dad was a popular church youth pastor. The wedding cake was $15. The wedding dress was borrowed. The wedding feast was sandwiches and desserts that the ladies of the church provided.

Because they couldn't afford to pay for the cleanup, they spent the morning after the wedding doing ALL the dishes all by themselves and cleaning up the hall they used for the reception.

They went for their honeymoon by train to Mount Hood where they spent a week at Timberline Lodge for $46.

They are still together after all that time, living on their own, my dad 82 this year and my mom 80 this year.   

They can't believe the time that has gone by and the fact that they are still alive.  My mom told me on the phone tonight that they thought, when they were that young, they would never live to see 65.

Amazing. Where has time gone? 

For Children and for Peace

Jean Beliveau

Talk about ambitious!

Can you imagine one day realizing that your life isn't very meaningful and so you decide to quit your job and go on a long walk?

 Around the world......? 

Well this guy has and still is. *

Jean Beliveau **.  He started out from Montreal Canada, August 18th, 2000 - on his 45th birthday....and kept walking.  All he brought with him was what he could fit in one of those jogging strollers .....for 75 thousand kilometers,***  for 11 years, through 64 countries......

If you go to his website, you can read about his journey and some photos along the way.  He has been walking for coming on 11 years.....in support of the UN proclamation that this past decade was the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-violence for the Children of this World.

from Jean Beliveau's website

He met new friends along the way, was invited into people's homes and slept everywhere - in his tent, in a field, in a mausoleum once.  Some would invite him for dinner.  He gave talks at schools along the way to spread the message of peace. He met Four recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize in 3 different countries.  He met one bicyclist from Spain 3 times - the first time on a Peruvian road in 2002, the second on an Indonesian road and the 3rd in Timor Leste.

 Jean's  experiences changed the way he looked at people and life. 

His wife would meet him once a year where ever he was at the time. (check out their yearly photos!). His son and daughter (and once - his granddaughter!) visited him also.

 He landed in Vancouver, B.C. the other day.  He starts his trek across Canada on February 20th.
He is expected to reach Quebec by October this year.  He has a little under 5 thousand kilometers to go.

As interesting and impressive as his life must be,  I can't say that I would want to be in his shoes.....


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* he is my age! :O
** not the hockey player!!
***to put it in perspective, the circumference around the earth at the equator is approximately 40K kilometers.