I don't normally get on a soap box about any topic but I have to get this off my chest.
This past Saturday held the first Earth Hour. Some people embraced the idea seeing it as a positive step towards change. Others, whom I will refer to as the 'cynics' were far less supportive. It was turning off lights for one hour on a Saturday evening, I mean , really, does it get any easier than that??
We sat around in candlelight with family and had a great conversation that may not have taken place with the lights on. I know we did not have any major impact on climate change by doing this but hopefully we showed our son that we were making an effort to make a change and that these small changes can make a difference. This is the world that he and his brother or sister are going to inherit after all and because of that I am more environmentally conscience than I have ever been. My husband and I try to do little things everyday that make a difference in our household and hopefully, the earth.
"What difference will it make" another cynic said to me....well I want to know what does doing nothing accomplish? The one hour turning your lights off was really just symbolic to help raise awareness and that, my friends, is what makes the difference. All these little changes will make a difference if people participated more and complained less. The cynic at CBC who referred to Earth hour as a bandwagon is an idiot and only needlessly adds to this negative attitude.
Now that Earth Hour is over, we can all become more pro-active in making a change. Turn off those lights, turn down the heat, leave your car at home when you can walk, reduce, re-use and recycle every day, demand less packaging and better waste management from manufacturers. These are all just 'little' things but if we all did these 'little' things it would have a huge impact on our environment and we would make a difference.
There...I have stepped off the soap box.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
Learning from our mistakes
My husband and I have always put our son's health and safety above anything, as most parents do. There was one mistake about 3 years ago that we made and I wonder where where my mothers instincts were and why they didn't kick in.
Our soon to be 5 year old son was diagnosed with asthma around the age of 2. He only needs his puffer when he has a chest cold, when he's been around animals (especially dogs) and, in rare circumstances, when he's very active. When he was diagnosed, his pediatric allergist provided us with a puffer and a prescription for Singulair. We were told it was very safe and effective for treating asthma, especially in children. My husband who suffered from asthma for years remembers lying in bed as a kid, not able to breath enough air into his young lungs and being absolutely terrified, thinking he was going to die. Neither of us wanted our son to have to go through this, and so, putting way too much trust in a doctor's advice, we put him on it immediately, thinking we were doing the best for our son. He wasn't treated with it for very long and I wasn't a bit surprised today when I read this.
He was on it for 2 weeks and in that time we watched our loving, sweet, happy little boy who had a perma-grin on 24/7 turn into a sad, sullen little boy who was starting to be very physically aggressive towards his daycare friends. He woke up from nightmares and was very quick to react in anger and with tears, which was very rare for him. It was heartbreaking to watch this change in personality and I started to think if it was the Singulaire doing this to him.
One morning, after a particularly rough night and morning with my son, I called our pharmacist and asked if this could have anything to do with the medicine. He advised us to stop giving it to him immediately and speak with his doctor. Not only did we stop giving it to him we told his allergist that we would never be giving it to our son again. He told us that he didn't think our decision was wise and that his asthma would probably get worse. We still refused to continue with this line of treatment and were willing to risk any alternative. As far as we were concerned keeping him on this drug was a detriment to his mental health and could do more long term damage to him than an asthma attack ever could.
I started to do some research on the net and found a few blogs of parents who believed this drug should be pulled from the shelves because it has done the same thing to their child with no mention of it on the side effects information sheet that comes with the prescription. There was also mention that some parents believe it is linked to autism.
We certainly don't regret getting him off that drug. The change back to his normal self was instantly noticed and literally overnight we had our sweet, cuddly, funny little boy back. Although he still has asthma we treat it with prevention, education and his puffer. We talk about it with him and answer all is questions in a way he understands. He is very aware of the fact he has asthma and asks for his inhaler when he needs it.
If we are supposed to learn from our mistakes than I got one hell of an education on dolling out prescription medication to my son without doing research on it first.
I'm so sorry baby.
Our soon to be 5 year old son was diagnosed with asthma around the age of 2. He only needs his puffer when he has a chest cold, when he's been around animals (especially dogs) and, in rare circumstances, when he's very active. When he was diagnosed, his pediatric allergist provided us with a puffer and a prescription for Singulair. We were told it was very safe and effective for treating asthma, especially in children. My husband who suffered from asthma for years remembers lying in bed as a kid, not able to breath enough air into his young lungs and being absolutely terrified, thinking he was going to die. Neither of us wanted our son to have to go through this, and so, putting way too much trust in a doctor's advice, we put him on it immediately, thinking we were doing the best for our son. He wasn't treated with it for very long and I wasn't a bit surprised today when I read this.
He was on it for 2 weeks and in that time we watched our loving, sweet, happy little boy who had a perma-grin on 24/7 turn into a sad, sullen little boy who was starting to be very physically aggressive towards his daycare friends. He woke up from nightmares and was very quick to react in anger and with tears, which was very rare for him. It was heartbreaking to watch this change in personality and I started to think if it was the Singulaire doing this to him.
One morning, after a particularly rough night and morning with my son, I called our pharmacist and asked if this could have anything to do with the medicine. He advised us to stop giving it to him immediately and speak with his doctor. Not only did we stop giving it to him we told his allergist that we would never be giving it to our son again. He told us that he didn't think our decision was wise and that his asthma would probably get worse. We still refused to continue with this line of treatment and were willing to risk any alternative. As far as we were concerned keeping him on this drug was a detriment to his mental health and could do more long term damage to him than an asthma attack ever could.
I started to do some research on the net and found a few blogs of parents who believed this drug should be pulled from the shelves because it has done the same thing to their child with no mention of it on the side effects information sheet that comes with the prescription. There was also mention that some parents believe it is linked to autism.
We certainly don't regret getting him off that drug. The change back to his normal self was instantly noticed and literally overnight we had our sweet, cuddly, funny little boy back. Although he still has asthma we treat it with prevention, education and his puffer. We talk about it with him and answer all is questions in a way he understands. He is very aware of the fact he has asthma and asks for his inhaler when he needs it.
If we are supposed to learn from our mistakes than I got one hell of an education on dolling out prescription medication to my son without doing research on it first.
I'm so sorry baby.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
To sell or not to sell....
That is the question...The answer is: SELL!! After much thought and debate the old man and I have decided to go ahead and sell our 2 bedroom house and upgrade to one with 3 bedrooms to accommodate our growing family.
It took a lot of convincing but I have finally relented. The Husband has a lot of good arguments and I now agree with him. (He comes from a line of very convincing relatives and they all have a way of swaying you to their side).
So, in preparation of getting our house on the market, I have been purging a lot of stuff that I have in storage in each closet, cupboard and box in our house. Each thing I came across I became very aware of the fact that I am a pack rat, much like my dad I hold emotional attachment to things. I had a huge box FULL of all the art that my son has done since he was 11 months old. That is when he started going to daycare and art was a big part of his day, still is 4 years later actually. Anyway, I found a piece of paper with 1 line made with a green crayon...then there was a another piece of paper with 1 smiley face sticker on it. I smiled and then said goodbye to it as I tossed it in the huge pile I had going for recycling. No tears shed or hemming and hawing over what I should keep and what I should throw away. My husband was very proud of me. Had my dad been with me he would have said "Why would you want to throw that away?"
So, that's that. The decision made and I feel ok about it...for now. Come moving day I am sure I will be a mess. I will have to say goodbye to the first home my hubby and I have ever owned, my garden that I stressed over for 5 years, the place that we brought our first born home, where he learned to walk and talk, the corner of his room where I rocked him to sleep; the marks on the door frame where I've measured him (he is growing so fast!). It will most likely be the place we call home when our 2nd child is born. We will have to say goodbye to the aunt who lives right next door and has been a god send on several occassions, our deck that we are so proud of and a great place to hang out on a warm summers night with drinks and friends....or just drinks.
Every inch of that house, inside and out, holds a memory for me and the vast majority of them are wonderful. But I do know that there will be another house with even more rooms to make wonderful memories in.
The crazy plant lady neighbour we have certainly won't be disappointed to see us go....but that is another story about a dog, a fence and a couple of ass faces.
It took a lot of convincing but I have finally relented. The Husband has a lot of good arguments and I now agree with him. (He comes from a line of very convincing relatives and they all have a way of swaying you to their side).
So, in preparation of getting our house on the market, I have been purging a lot of stuff that I have in storage in each closet, cupboard and box in our house. Each thing I came across I became very aware of the fact that I am a pack rat, much like my dad I hold emotional attachment to things. I had a huge box FULL of all the art that my son has done since he was 11 months old. That is when he started going to daycare and art was a big part of his day, still is 4 years later actually. Anyway, I found a piece of paper with 1 line made with a green crayon...then there was a another piece of paper with 1 smiley face sticker on it. I smiled and then said goodbye to it as I tossed it in the huge pile I had going for recycling. No tears shed or hemming and hawing over what I should keep and what I should throw away. My husband was very proud of me. Had my dad been with me he would have said "Why would you want to throw that away?"
So, that's that. The decision made and I feel ok about it...for now. Come moving day I am sure I will be a mess. I will have to say goodbye to the first home my hubby and I have ever owned, my garden that I stressed over for 5 years, the place that we brought our first born home, where he learned to walk and talk, the corner of his room where I rocked him to sleep; the marks on the door frame where I've measured him (he is growing so fast!). It will most likely be the place we call home when our 2nd child is born. We will have to say goodbye to the aunt who lives right next door and has been a god send on several occassions, our deck that we are so proud of and a great place to hang out on a warm summers night with drinks and friends....or just drinks.
Every inch of that house, inside and out, holds a memory for me and the vast majority of them are wonderful. But I do know that there will be another house with even more rooms to make wonderful memories in.
The crazy plant lady neighbour we have certainly won't be disappointed to see us go....but that is another story about a dog, a fence and a couple of ass faces.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Happy St.Patty's Day!
Happy St Patty's Day everyone! I can't let this day pass without a 'shout out' to my Irish peeps in Newfoundland. Newfoundland has a very rich history with the Irish and is the only Canadian province where the day is a holiday.
What a shame!
It is estimated that about 80% of Newfoundlanders have Irish ancestry on at least one side of their family tree. The family names, the features and colouring, the predominant Catholic religion, the prevalence of Irish music – even the accents of the people – are so reminiscent of rural Ireland that Irish author Tim Pat Coogan has described Newfoundland as "the most Irish place in the world outside of Ireland".
Newfoundland is the only place outside Europe with its own distinctive name in the Irish language, Talamh an Éisc, literally "Land of the Fish" but meaning "the Fishing Ground".
There are many Irish-derived English words that still form a vital element of the island's vocabulary. Have a look at The prestigious Dictionary of Newfoundland English, an invaluable guide to interpreting the 'language' when in Newfoundland.
I am so proud to be from that beautiful province and highly reccomend every Canadian go visit this part of their country. Especially on St.Patty's Day where they say if you can't make it to the Emerald Isle itself, this is the next best place to celebrate!
What a shame!
It is estimated that about 80% of Newfoundlanders have Irish ancestry on at least one side of their family tree. The family names, the features and colouring, the predominant Catholic religion, the prevalence of Irish music – even the accents of the people – are so reminiscent of rural Ireland that Irish author Tim Pat Coogan has described Newfoundland as "the most Irish place in the world outside of Ireland".
Newfoundland is the only place outside Europe with its own distinctive name in the Irish language, Talamh an Éisc, literally "Land of the Fish" but meaning "the Fishing Ground".
There are many Irish-derived English words that still form a vital element of the island's vocabulary. Have a look at The prestigious Dictionary of Newfoundland English, an invaluable guide to interpreting the 'language' when in Newfoundland.
I am so proud to be from that beautiful province and highly reccomend every Canadian go visit this part of their country. Especially on St.Patty's Day where they say if you can't make it to the Emerald Isle itself, this is the next best place to celebrate!
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Boy or girl?
I am just over 32 weeks pregnant and had my bi-weekly ob/gyn appt this morning. The heart rate was 156 and my uterus is measuring 31 weeks and his/her head is down and has taken "the position". I was excited when the dr. told me this and thought that meant I could go into labour sooner than expected. No such luck she said, I am going to have to wait for this one. The burning question that I have now is whether or not this little one has an extra appendage.
As I was sitting at my desk, when I returned from the appointment, I was suddenly overcome with an overwhelming desire to know what the sex is. I suddenly felt like I am not prepared enough and that I am doing some kind of disservice to this baby by not having his or her things lovingly put away in the closet and room decorated in the appropriate colour for gender like I did with my first. I remember how I would go into the room that I had prepared for my son (months before he was born) and stare at the empty crib and try to imagine what it would be like to have a baby lying in there. Sometimes I would put a newborn outfit down on the crib mattress and dreamt about how amazing becoming a mom would be.
So after this panic attack, I thought of my son, now almost 5 years old and the absolute love of my life. He doesn't remember that his room was ready the day he came home from the hospital or even know how everything was put in it's place or how I stared down at the crib and imagined him. But he is loved beyond anything I could imagine by his daddy and me. This baby will be too, regardless of whether or not a space in our house is decorated and set up to welcome him or her home.
I am already head over heels in love with this little person who keeps me awake at night with a game affectionately called 'kick the bladder' and I can't wait to start this next chapter in our lives.
The room may not be ready, but I am.
As I was sitting at my desk, when I returned from the appointment, I was suddenly overcome with an overwhelming desire to know what the sex is. I suddenly felt like I am not prepared enough and that I am doing some kind of disservice to this baby by not having his or her things lovingly put away in the closet and room decorated in the appropriate colour for gender like I did with my first. I remember how I would go into the room that I had prepared for my son (months before he was born) and stare at the empty crib and try to imagine what it would be like to have a baby lying in there. Sometimes I would put a newborn outfit down on the crib mattress and dreamt about how amazing becoming a mom would be.
So after this panic attack, I thought of my son, now almost 5 years old and the absolute love of my life. He doesn't remember that his room was ready the day he came home from the hospital or even know how everything was put in it's place or how I stared down at the crib and imagined him. But he is loved beyond anything I could imagine by his daddy and me. This baby will be too, regardless of whether or not a space in our house is decorated and set up to welcome him or her home.
I am already head over heels in love with this little person who keeps me awake at night with a game affectionately called 'kick the bladder' and I can't wait to start this next chapter in our lives.
The room may not be ready, but I am.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Oh me Nerves
As they say in Newfoundland..."oh me nerves!" Nervous...that's how I'm feeling these days. Ok, I am naturally nervous about things like global warming, the environment, the war in Iraq and the election south of the border but the things I am REALLY nervous at this very moment are really quite simple.
1. Nervous about having baby #2
2. Nervous that his/her room is not ready and probably won't be before he/she makes an appearance
3. Nervous for my coworkers who have not found a replacement for me for my mat leave and we have such a heavy workload at the moment
4. Nervous that I will never get the body back that I worked so hard for before I got pregnant
5. Nervous about starting this blog and that I am going to suck at it.
This can't be good for the baby can it?
1. Nervous about having baby #2
2. Nervous that his/her room is not ready and probably won't be before he/she makes an appearance
3. Nervous for my coworkers who have not found a replacement for me for my mat leave and we have such a heavy workload at the moment
4. Nervous that I will never get the body back that I worked so hard for before I got pregnant
5. Nervous about starting this blog and that I am going to suck at it.
This can't be good for the baby can it?
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