My turn...and a little pumpkin carving

Anyone getting sick of hearing about the flu?? Oh yeah...that was me that posted about it in my last post like two minutes ago...

Bubby will not be going to school tomorrow--poor little guy is coughing so bad he gags, though fever is gone. Little Miss WILL be back in school (thank goodness). Unfortunately, I started coughing last night before bed and I woke up this morning with the aches and yup...my fever is 101 (update: make that 102). So, I guess it's my turn.

WE DID ENJOY OUR PUMPKIN CARVING!

I carved this one...honestly, I was kinda impressed with myself! By the way, those little carving kits are pretty cool!

Daddy also participated...

Little Miss enjoyed doing hers and wanted to "count the seeds". Yeah, that didn't happen!

Thank goodness that they're old enough to do this part now!!

Congressman Blasts H1N1 Vaccine Distribution to Gitmo Detainees During Shortage - FOXNews.com

And I say...SERIOUS??

Congressman Blasts H1N1 Vaccine Distribution to Gitmo Detainees During Shortage - FOXNews.com

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Most know that I didn't get the vaccine, however, the majority of the United State's citizens that want it haven't either and we're giving it to suspected terrorists (WHO ARE BASICALLY IN A QUARANTINED SITUATION ALREADY)??

What do you think?? Would they be doing the same thing for our guys??

Getting better...

Slowly but surely we're getting there!

Little Miss is feeling better and is back to being her little stinker self. Bubby is still running a fever (now on day four) but it is lower and he's acting more himself. They were actually out of school today and Tuesday anyways...so here's hoping they'll be back in the game, come Wednesday.

Both Home Sick

Bubby woke us up about 6am this morning because he had a headache, his nose was so stuffy, and he had a dry cough. His fever was 102.2 so I gave him an Ibuprofen and decongestant then sent him back to bed. His headache and sore throat has stayed away all day and so did the high fever. Unfortunately, evening is at hand and his fever is back up to 102.4...you can tell he just feels yucky.

Little Miss has ran a low grade fever all day...this is day three for her. She too has a dry, unproductive cough but without complaints of aches, headache or stuffiness. Hopefully, she'll be through all of it soon.

Funny that neither one of them feel too bad to irritate the other...I've been dealing with that all day...

Now hubby and I stare at each other and wonder, who is next? And is this just some bug or could it be a case of mild H1N1 or the seasonal flu?

I opt out!

You knew it was coming...there's no way I can't share my own decision.

As many know, I'm a Registered Nurse that works in the Intensive Care Unit. Thanks goodness that we have so many educated and well-qualified doctors that work everyday to save lives. If I'm in a car accident or cut off my finger, I want an incredible surgeon to patch me up and sew everything back together. If I develop respiratory failure, I want a knowledgeable pulmonologist to help my lungs recover. When I get a nasty bacterial infection, I'll take the antibiotics I need to help me get better. Doctors, pharmaceuticals, hospitals, treatments, etc. definitely have a time and a place.

I signed a declination this week refusing the seasonal flu vaccine as well as the H1N1 vaccine at work. I feel like I made an informed decision...I've read what the WHO and the CDC says about this new flu. I've watched programs on regular TV discussing the concerns about not receiving vaccines as well. Of course, I've also read a lot on other sites like Dr. Mercola or other bloggers that have looked into this hot topic--Giovanni's World seems to have done a very thorough job of researching, and has multiple links that supports his own choice.

This is my advice. Research. Read. Investigate. Don't follow blindly but make an informed decision that you feel good about. I've opted out. The hospital I work at has basically said that there is every possibility that I will not be working when and if the "pandemic" is declared. I was told there is suspicion that this will start around December through March. That means for four months I won't have a pay check, however, I have to do what I feel is right for me and my family. I'm hopeful that this whole Swine Flu scare will have been much ado about nothing and we'll sail through, making their proposed statistics mean nothing.

And on a lighter note...

DMV Healthcare

A friend shared this today at work (on lunch break with his i-phone...what did we do before we had them??) and as we watched it, we laughed. Partly, because it's true...

H1N1 Flu Vaccine

From what I understand, many companies are requiring the H1N1 flu vaccine as well as the seasonal flu shot, or risk possible termination. What is everyone's thoughts about that?

"Eat Now, Pay Later"

Yesterday I was driving home from eating with the hubby (why does that have to be such a great pastime??) and I saw a billboard that said "Smoke Now, Pay Later". For some reason it hit me...that's what I do...I don't smoke, but I do eat what I want and I don't pay any attention to the calories, fat, cholesterol, etc. So, I thought "Eat Now, Pay Later". Working in the ICU, I see so many people that are in their early 60s with chronic health conditions, many of them due to the life choices they have made. I always think to myself "Big red flag, Ronnie, this is going to be you...".

This morning I went over to my in-law's house and checked my blood glucose before eating anything and my result was 136. For those of you that don't know, that's called hyperglycemia. I really should call my doctor and keep monitoring my blood glucose every morning to see if it's become a chronic condition or if I'm just having intermittent highs. Either way...BAD...I don't want to be a diabetic. Unfortunately, my father and all of my grandparents were diabetics, thus I'm predisposed as it is. When you add an extra 50 pounds to the mix...you have a 33-year old woman that's pre-diabetic.

At the age of 28 I developed hypertension. My cholesterol has been high since I was about 20 years old. After my second baby, when is seems like my body "broke", my triglycerides were 850 (normal is 150 or less). When you group all of these problems together you have Metabolic Syndrome and it's estimated that one out of six people have this.

"If you've just been diagnosed with metabolic syndrome, you might be anxious. But think of it as a wake-up call. It's time to get serious about improving your health. Making simple changes to your habits now can prevent serious illness in the future." This statement is from the WebMD site, and I'm thinking about how accurate it is. By adding frequent exercise and a healthy diet, I could lose weight. Weight loss would very likely lower my cholesterol, triglycerides, blood sugar, blood pressure, and I would probably wind up feeling better all the way around. That being the case, why haven't I done it? Why don't I do it??

So, I'm challenging myself to get well! Anyone else interested?

Generic Wellbutrin

MSN health recently published an article discussing Budeprion XL (generic Wellbutrin) and the possible problems/side effects of it and multiple other generic drugs. I found a lot of the information to be very disturbing and some of the symptoms to be eerily similar for my husband and myself, who have both been on Budeprion. Bad Bargain: The Dangers of Generic Drugs is a must read in my opinion because so many of us do use the generic drugs because they're cheaper and many insurance companies mandate it. My doctor at one time prescribed Glucophage for me for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and I was unable to take it due to the severe GI problems that it caused me. When I notified my physician, she stated that she wanted me off the generic Metformin and wanted me to take the name brand Glucophage. Kinda make you scratch your head and go, "Hmmmmm...".

Hypothyroidism

About eleven months after delivery of my little girl, I went in to see my primary care physician and jokingly told him that I thought I had congestive heart failure. He looked at me strangely and he asked me why I would think that. After telling him that I didn't really believe that, but there was just something wrong, I explained to him how I had significant shortness of breath when walking into the hospital from the parking lot. I also had pitting edema (swelling) in my legs. Although I had lost down to about 168 pounds (yes, I know...that's still too much) after having the baby, I was up to 197 pounds. I remained totally exhausted a great deal of the time and my immune system was not doing a very good job. He said that he wanted to check my thyroid...and then I waited.

I'll never forget the morning that he called. "It's not all in your head." When I asked him if I had hypothyroidism, he explained that I had pretty significant autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto's thyroiditis) brought on by my last pregnancy. But I was thrilled...there was a reason for my exhaustion, for my depression, for my apathy. I was started on thyroid medicine and within a few weeks I felt so much better. I routinely follow up with my endocrinologist because, believe me, I don't want to go down the road I was on before.

Hypothyroidism. A disease that changed my life. A disease that is typically very easy to treat. It's estimated that millions of people have this disease...ten percent of all women...and have no idea. I posted a link that explains more about this disease.

So arm yourself with knowledge about this disease...and so many others...it could ultimately save a life!