As I wrote the title, I had to think of which treatments fell into the different categories. A traditional medical treatment - from the modern traditional standpoint - would be medication/drugs. Truly traditional treatments for ailments are acupuncture therapy, aromatherapy, massage, herbs, spices, essential oils, teas, etc. I guess those are deemed non-traditional now. That really doesn't make sense to me. Aren't traditions things that are passed down from generation to generation? I don't think that Aleve is something that will be a "secret cure" that a grandmother one day will pass along to her grandson after he knocks his knee while floating from one space station to another.
Yesterday, I used chamomile oil to help soothe my headache...I felt a migraine coming on and it went away after some chamomile oil on my pulse points. I also spritzed my clothes with eucalyptus and spearmint to help with my congestion. I also drank some herbal tea for my sore throat. I got through the day okay and then caved and took a decongestant before bed...0nly after I also did a saline sinus rinse. For the boys, I have a humidifier and vaporizer going to help with their congestion and we are using the nebulizer with the prescribed medication. They are staying hydrated and are taking antibiotics.
As for me and mine, we will balance the traditional with non-traditional because the less artificial chemicals we introduce to our already sick bodies, the better...at least that is what I think.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Three little letters: R S V
Cole and Rhys started having the sniffles mid-week last week. The cough came on by the end of the week and Cole started having a fever on Friday. Kelly's boys had been sick and were well on their way to recovery by the time Cole's fever started worrying us. I decided to put off the doctor until Monday to give them the weekend to work it out. Monday came and both boys had coughs still and the fevers would come and go.
I was struck with the news from the doctor that Rhys has Bronchitis from RSV and Cole is on the verge of Pneumonia from RSV. He sent us home with a nebulizer and a large bag of medication from the pharmacy. I have to call the Dr. with an update today and then take them both back on Wednesday for a follow-up. We are to do the nebulizer every 6 hours for 7 days. I am really hoping that their lungs clear up soon. It is stressful and with Chris and I both infected, we are mustering the energy needed to care for ourselves and the children.
Chris is working from home today and it is snowing pretty good. Kelly and her family had decided to stay for a few extra days but after I got the news from the doctor that the boys were this sick and the treatments would be for such a long time, I decided that is was probably best that Cole has more opportunities to rest without the temptation to play with Carter and Grayson. I also knew that we would be house-bound and none of the kids or adults would enjoy that for too long. It was hard to say because I didn't want them to leave. The boys so love being together and having two extra adults in the house would have meant more opportunities for Chris and I to rest too. At the end of the day, Cole will get the rest he needs and Chris and I will work out a good schedule to rest too.
I was struck with the news from the doctor that Rhys has Bronchitis from RSV and Cole is on the verge of Pneumonia from RSV. He sent us home with a nebulizer and a large bag of medication from the pharmacy. I have to call the Dr. with an update today and then take them both back on Wednesday for a follow-up. We are to do the nebulizer every 6 hours for 7 days. I am really hoping that their lungs clear up soon. It is stressful and with Chris and I both infected, we are mustering the energy needed to care for ourselves and the children.
Chris is working from home today and it is snowing pretty good. Kelly and her family had decided to stay for a few extra days but after I got the news from the doctor that the boys were this sick and the treatments would be for such a long time, I decided that is was probably best that Cole has more opportunities to rest without the temptation to play with Carter and Grayson. I also knew that we would be house-bound and none of the kids or adults would enjoy that for too long. It was hard to say because I didn't want them to leave. The boys so love being together and having two extra adults in the house would have meant more opportunities for Chris and I to rest too. At the end of the day, Cole will get the rest he needs and Chris and I will work out a good schedule to rest too.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
General Update
So, my best friend Kelly and her family are visiting so I have been very busy. Her boys, Grayson (5) and Carter (2) have been keeping Cole very busy. He loves when they come and so do we. Our valiant Ravens lost to the Steelers on Sunday and Chris and Scott went to witness the defeat at a local restaurant bar. All of the boys have varying degrees of head colds and we are suffering through random symptoms related to sinuses and coughs.
Kelly is venturing on a lifestyle change program so I am helping with some diet and exercise suggestions and encouragement. We have been on several walks - I even went out on Friday morning before 7 when it was 0 degrees outside...now that is dedication!
Now that I am feeling a little ill, I am staying closer to the couch but am trying to still be good with the diet and trying to work out some. They have a wii fit and I have a short-term goal to reach before they head back to SC on Monday...we shall see!
Kelly is venturing on a lifestyle change program so I am helping with some diet and exercise suggestions and encouragement. We have been on several walks - I even went out on Friday morning before 7 when it was 0 degrees outside...now that is dedication!
Now that I am feeling a little ill, I am staying closer to the couch but am trying to still be good with the diet and trying to work out some. They have a wii fit and I have a short-term goal to reach before they head back to SC on Monday...we shall see!
Monday, January 12, 2009
Work Retreat
I left on Thursday night for my work retreat on the Eastern Shore. While I was on my way, Michael called to let me know that he and his wife had just picked up the others from the airport and they were on their way too but would stop for dinner. I met up with them at the restaurant and it was really nice to have this initial introduction on completely neutral territory. It was really nice. I didn't eat and they were all finishing up when I got there. Bibi, our Marketing person, rode with me to free some space in the SUV they were all in. Siobhan, our Community Services Consultant, lives in DC and she, along with Michael, the Insurance Broker and visionary/founder/funder, Michael's wife Cate and their son Bodhi, and Zach, our Enviornmental Services Consultant were in Michael's dad's SUV - along with all of their luggage! Along the way, Bibi and I realized that we had met before when we went with a group to a Redskins game with Michael about 6 years ago.
Anyway, after a not-so-quick stop at the store, we arrived at Michael's parent's weekend/summer home in Cambridge. The home is a ranch style house with an expansive front lawn on the banks of the Choptank river - the river is very wide and resembles the intercoastal waterways as it is brackish water and has beaches along the shore. In the back, there is a pool and a "little house". I always referred to this as the pool house but it is really just a little house. The downstairs is a study with a half bath and a pull-out couch and up a flight of lighthouse-style wooden steps there is a bedroom with pitched ceilings and a full bath. Bibi and I shared the little house so I got privacy to pump and she was able to conduct her night time routine of sleeplessness without disturbing anyone else.
After we all got settled in and unpacked, we hung out and played some games and got to know each other a little better. That first night, I didn't get to sleep until after 1am. I was up on Friday morning at 6:30 and went for a run, took a bath, and met up with everyone in the kitchen for a light breakfast at 8. We were ready to get started at 9. We set up our work space in the room with a picture window that stretched across the front of the house facing the river. This window is about 4 feet tall and 6 feet long. We began with some exercises that got to our individual motivations and expectations of the retreat and our commitment to the project of establishing and running this company. Throughout the day, we discussed our working relationships with each other, an overview of the business model, we defined our target market, and after a 3 hour conversation and coming together, we were able to define the company in a concise way that had not been done to date. By the end of the day on Friday, we had established that The World Benefits is a services provider that integrates environmental, social, and wellness initiatives into employee benefit plans. We ended for the day at 10pm.
Friday night, I had a hard time going to sleep after the mental overstimulation of the day...I was exhausted. On Saturday morning, I was up at 7:30 and, after a quick bath, I went over to the kitchen and met Freddie, our DC-based wellness consultant and soon after that, Scott, one of Michael's friends who has an MBA and can give us advice on our business plan and service offerings, arrived. So, the 8 of us gathered again and began to hash out our services and sales lifecycle. After lunch, we began to compile our "business blueprint". As we continued down this line of discussion, we concluded that we needed to set exact budgets and determine how many clients we would need to break even and if that client goal is attainable. After this exercise, we did determine that it is viable and that meant a lot to all of us - obviously. Sunday morning came quickly and we got stuck into reviewing and hammering out the client lifecycle which was the final piece to the puzzle before we can determine our marketing strategy. Freddie and I left after a quick photo session at 1pm. Unfortunately, we weren't able to get much in the way of marketing hammered out but we were able to define many of the components that will help Bibi start that process. It is exciting and feels great to have had this opportunity to get to know each other better.
Chris did great at home and Cole was fine with me going. It was sweet to see Rhys's face-wide grin when he saw me for the first time and the squeeze around my neck when Cole woke from his nap and realized that I was home was so warm and nice. He hugged me tight and said, "I missed you so much!" That makes it all worthwhile.
We got a lot of work done and there is so much more to be done but it was a wonderful experience and the level of energy and enthusiasm within the group makes me feel like there is nothing we can't do.
Anyway, after a not-so-quick stop at the store, we arrived at Michael's parent's weekend/summer home in Cambridge. The home is a ranch style house with an expansive front lawn on the banks of the Choptank river - the river is very wide and resembles the intercoastal waterways as it is brackish water and has beaches along the shore. In the back, there is a pool and a "little house". I always referred to this as the pool house but it is really just a little house. The downstairs is a study with a half bath and a pull-out couch and up a flight of lighthouse-style wooden steps there is a bedroom with pitched ceilings and a full bath. Bibi and I shared the little house so I got privacy to pump and she was able to conduct her night time routine of sleeplessness without disturbing anyone else.
After we all got settled in and unpacked, we hung out and played some games and got to know each other a little better. That first night, I didn't get to sleep until after 1am. I was up on Friday morning at 6:30 and went for a run, took a bath, and met up with everyone in the kitchen for a light breakfast at 8. We were ready to get started at 9. We set up our work space in the room with a picture window that stretched across the front of the house facing the river. This window is about 4 feet tall and 6 feet long. We began with some exercises that got to our individual motivations and expectations of the retreat and our commitment to the project of establishing and running this company. Throughout the day, we discussed our working relationships with each other, an overview of the business model, we defined our target market, and after a 3 hour conversation and coming together, we were able to define the company in a concise way that had not been done to date. By the end of the day on Friday, we had established that The World Benefits is a services provider that integrates environmental, social, and wellness initiatives into employee benefit plans. We ended for the day at 10pm.
Friday night, I had a hard time going to sleep after the mental overstimulation of the day...I was exhausted. On Saturday morning, I was up at 7:30 and, after a quick bath, I went over to the kitchen and met Freddie, our DC-based wellness consultant and soon after that, Scott, one of Michael's friends who has an MBA and can give us advice on our business plan and service offerings, arrived. So, the 8 of us gathered again and began to hash out our services and sales lifecycle. After lunch, we began to compile our "business blueprint". As we continued down this line of discussion, we concluded that we needed to set exact budgets and determine how many clients we would need to break even and if that client goal is attainable. After this exercise, we did determine that it is viable and that meant a lot to all of us - obviously. Sunday morning came quickly and we got stuck into reviewing and hammering out the client lifecycle which was the final piece to the puzzle before we can determine our marketing strategy. Freddie and I left after a quick photo session at 1pm. Unfortunately, we weren't able to get much in the way of marketing hammered out but we were able to define many of the components that will help Bibi start that process. It is exciting and feels great to have had this opportunity to get to know each other better.
Chris did great at home and Cole was fine with me going. It was sweet to see Rhys's face-wide grin when he saw me for the first time and the squeeze around my neck when Cole woke from his nap and realized that I was home was so warm and nice. He hugged me tight and said, "I missed you so much!" That makes it all worthwhile.
We got a lot of work done and there is so much more to be done but it was a wonderful experience and the level of energy and enthusiasm within the group makes me feel like there is nothing we can't do.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Retreat
I am heading out tonight for a work retreat until Sunday. I am of several minds about this trip. I am excited to be going someplace surrounded by work colleagues and full of adult conversation. I am sad to be away from my boys for so long. I am nervous about throwing myself into an intense work environment after not working in the traditional sense for almost three years. I am also concerned that Chris has to keep the boys - without a break - for so long. I would be worried about having to do that myself and, while I know he can do it, I will be thinking of him a lot...hoping that he isn't stressed out and that the boys are cooperating.
I will report on the results of all of these things when I return.
Rhys: Rhys is pulling up and crawling all over. This means, he has found the toilets, dog food, and trash cans. Oh joy! He also is babbling and teething. Poor guy.
Cole: Cole's language continues to astonish and delight. Yesterday, when we were watching a weather report, he said, "That is thirty-three. See that, mommy, that is twenty feet...and twenty shoes too!" He is so funny. He was clearly talking about temperature and then measurements but was confused about what feet means in terms of measurement.
I will report on the results of all of these things when I return.
Rhys: Rhys is pulling up and crawling all over. This means, he has found the toilets, dog food, and trash cans. Oh joy! He also is babbling and teething. Poor guy.
Cole: Cole's language continues to astonish and delight. Yesterday, when we were watching a weather report, he said, "That is thirty-three. See that, mommy, that is twenty feet...and twenty shoes too!" He is so funny. He was clearly talking about temperature and then measurements but was confused about what feet means in terms of measurement.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Ah 2009
So, Chris headed back to work today and it finally seems like a new year. The boys and I were still tired - catching up, I guess - so we had a lazy day around the house. I went for a pre 7am walk this morning with the dog and went alone for a second walk after Chris got home from work. I made a pasta bake and am already suffering from heart burn. I choked down some plop, plop, fizz, fizz and am hoping that I will find relief soon. I guess I can add tomato sauce to the list of things that I can't eat...
Meanwhile, I am proud of the walking and am hopeful that the same drive hits tomorrow and every day beyond. I loved the feeling of my tummy getting flat and the sense of accomplishment I had when I walked every day. I want to run...I really want to run. I want to be healthy and happy. I want to make a difference and feel the difference.
COME ON 2009!
Meanwhile, I am proud of the walking and am hopeful that the same drive hits tomorrow and every day beyond. I loved the feeling of my tummy getting flat and the sense of accomplishment I had when I walked every day. I want to run...I really want to run. I want to be healthy and happy. I want to make a difference and feel the difference.
COME ON 2009!
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Ta-ra 2008!
I was inspired by a fellow blogger to do a quick recap of 2008 so: Here Goes!
My parents rang in 2008 with us here which carried on a tradition of being with them during the holidays. My belly was blooming and Cole was getting geared up for the terrible twos. Cole celebrated his 2nd birthday with his Daddy on a Sunday morning before Chris headed to San Francisco for some work training. He enjoyed a party with friends in the form of a play group play date on his actual birthday. 
We worked feverishly to ready the house for the birth of our second son, Rhys. My weight was staying the same but he was growing so quickly. My doctor determined that he was full size and ready to come 3 weeks before my due date. We were thrilled and blessed that the Lord gave us a healthy baby and that I managed to recover well and quickly from the delivery.
Cole was very stressed out when Rhys came home and, in turn, that stressed us all out. We were at each other's throats for the first few days until we finally realized how to respond to his bad behavior and balance the needs of the newborn with the desired attention level of a 2 year old.
I continued to be busy with MOMS Club as President until the end of June when the new board took over. Cole and I participated in a lot of activities and hosted some too. We love our play group and try to get together with them regularly. We all managed to stay healthy through the summer and by the time my birthday came around in August, we had found our groove and were doing really well. I drove with the boys to SC by myself and my mom came back with me to visit and keep the boys through Labor Day. Chris and I went to see Jimmy Buffet and my dad came up the following weekend to witness Rhys's Christening and to drive mom back home.
Sadly, the very next week, I had an emotional breakdown that can only be described as a shattering of my ability to cope. I was crushed under my own inability to care for my children or myself any more. My doctor prescribed zoloft to treat postpartum depression. Throughout the remainder of the year, I would make some attempts to go without the medication but only realized that I did need it to help me get by. This was a tragic turn of events for me because I have been surrounded by strong women who have more stress than I do and cope just fine with it by just "bucking up" and I felt like I had failed myself and my family by not being strong enough. I now know and should have known then that there was nothing that I could do and something was really broken inside me. The medication was a necessity and I wouldn't have taken it if I knew of another way to get through this particular time.
We went on a vacation to mark our 5th wedding anniversary. We took the kids to the Great Wolf Lodge in Williamsburg VA. We had a lovely time and even though I managed to catch a cold half way through the vacation, I wouldn't have changed a thing!
We went to SC for Thanksgiving and then celebrated Christmas here. Rhys learned to roll over, sit up, crawl, and grew two front bottom teeth by the end of 2008. It was such a great year in so many ways and now that I reflect on it, I feel more blessed than ever!
My parents rang in 2008 with us here which carried on a tradition of being with them during the holidays. My belly was blooming and Cole was getting geared up for the terrible twos. Cole celebrated his 2nd birthday with his Daddy on a Sunday morning before Chris headed to San Francisco for some work training. He enjoyed a party with friends in the form of a play group play date on his actual birthday. 
We worked feverishly to ready the house for the birth of our second son, Rhys. My weight was staying the same but he was growing so quickly. My doctor determined that he was full size and ready to come 3 weeks before my due date. We were thrilled and blessed that the Lord gave us a healthy baby and that I managed to recover well and quickly from the delivery.
Cole was very stressed out when Rhys came home and, in turn, that stressed us all out. We were at each other's throats for the first few days until we finally realized how to respond to his bad behavior and balance the needs of the newborn with the desired attention level of a 2 year old.
I continued to be busy with MOMS Club as President until the end of June when the new board took over. Cole and I participated in a lot of activities and hosted some too. We love our play group and try to get together with them regularly. We all managed to stay healthy through the summer and by the time my birthday came around in August, we had found our groove and were doing really well. I drove with the boys to SC by myself and my mom came back with me to visit and keep the boys through Labor Day. Chris and I went to see Jimmy Buffet and my dad came up the following weekend to witness Rhys's Christening and to drive mom back home.
Sadly, the very next week, I had an emotional breakdown that can only be described as a shattering of my ability to cope. I was crushed under my own inability to care for my children or myself any more. My doctor prescribed zoloft to treat postpartum depression. Throughout the remainder of the year, I would make some attempts to go without the medication but only realized that I did need it to help me get by. This was a tragic turn of events for me because I have been surrounded by strong women who have more stress than I do and cope just fine with it by just "bucking up" and I felt like I had failed myself and my family by not being strong enough. I now know and should have known then that there was nothing that I could do and something was really broken inside me. The medication was a necessity and I wouldn't have taken it if I knew of another way to get through this particular time.
We went on a vacation to mark our 5th wedding anniversary. We took the kids to the Great Wolf Lodge in Williamsburg VA. We had a lovely time and even though I managed to catch a cold half way through the vacation, I wouldn't have changed a thing!
We went to SC for Thanksgiving and then celebrated Christmas here. Rhys learned to roll over, sit up, crawl, and grew two front bottom teeth by the end of 2008. It was such a great year in so many ways and now that I reflect on it, I feel more blessed than ever!
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