Tag Archives: sickness

Being Sick

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A week prior to this writing I became very sick with the flu then a double ear infection. During this bout of misery I was trying to imagine what good could be found in feeling the way I did—like I said I was sick and probably not thinking clearly. As dramatic as it sounds, I started to wonder the “what-ifs” and think about my children being without a mother and my husband being without a wife. Then I had to snap back to reality and remind myself, I was just sick, I was not dying! While I was lying in … Continue reading →

I Really Wasn’t Going to get Sick this Year….

I wrote just this week about how I was going to avoid getting sick by taking Airborne, getting plenty of sleep, and taking my multivitamins. Well, it’s four days later, and as of yesterday, I am officially sick. Was it the Airborne? Did it not do its job? Am I just prone to sicknesses and I ought to just give it up and wave a white flag of surrender? Am I doomed to being sick forevermore? Right now? I would have to say the answer is yes, sadly enough. Yesterday was a crazy day for me at work and as … Continue reading →

How to Stay Healthy at the Office

I work in an office where people tramp in and out all day long. Employees, clients, and random people with nothing better to do (I’ve had a couple of those in the last week) all come down to the office to talk, which is fine, of course, except when they leave “presents” behind–those nasty things called germs. I have already been yucky sick this winter when I got a bad case of bronchitis and laryngitis. I was out of work for two days, which isn’t an experience I want to live through again any time soon. Problems are not solved … Continue reading →

‘Tis the Season For Colds and Flu

Last night it happened: the sick but visited our house, and if my guess is correct, she won’t be leaving for a looooong time. That’s how it works in households. One person gets sick, then a sneeze meant for the hand accidentally rockets into little sister’s face. Then little sister just HAS to give mommy a big, wet kiss. Then mommy gets daddy sick and so on and so forth…you get the picture. My son started kindergarten this year, so I knew it wasn’t likely that we would go the entire season without having some strain of sickness filtering throughout … Continue reading →

Making Your Home into a Healthy Zone, II

We all want our families and our homes to be healthy. Here are a few more tried and true ways to make your house into a healthier home: Dispose of Germs Using disposable products, such as paper towels and napkins, helps you throw away more germs instead of keeping them around. Many people use paper towels in the kitchen, but few use them in the bathroom, even though the bathroom contains many germs that can be a threat to health. If you do use cloth dishcloths, kitchen towels, and hand towels, be sure to replace them with clean ones often. … Continue reading →

Water Woes–A Trip Gone Terribly Wrong

My brother just got back from a surfing trip to Indonesia. I asked him about his vacation and heard little about the ocean’s waves and a lot about his waves of nausea. Like millions of travelers he fell victim to contaminated drinking water. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), contaminated drinking water is one of the leading sources of health problems for travelers, and can cause anything from mild gastrointestinal distress to serious bacterial diseases. The most common cause of water-borne illness is bacteria, such as E. coli, cholera and salmonella, but chemical pollutants can also … Continue reading →

Preventing the Flu and Other Diseases

We have had more than our share of sickness this winter. I am currently writing this blog with my sick two year old asleep on my lap. Having sick children is never easy and is often downright miserable. So this winter season follow these tips, recommended by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, to help keep the germs at bay. Wash, wash, and wash. Teach your children to wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. It is especially important to wash before meals and after using the restroom. Keep a small bottle of hand … Continue reading →

Steps To Avoid Calling In To Work

When it comes to attendance, a lot of people don’t understand what events really are unavoidable and what events they could have planned for in order to avoid missing work. The basic rule of thumb is that if it can be expected, then it shouldn’t keep you from going to work. There are a lot of reasons that people skip work and most of them can be planned for. Here are some of the main events that can be planned for in advance: You Need To Run Errands – I have graduates from my class who have been absent because … Continue reading →

Special Education and Children with Chronic Health Problems

Children with an acute or chronic illness have a tough road. Not only must they deal with the typical challenges of growing up, including school work, peer relationships, family stress, etc., but they must simultaneously cope with the symptoms of their disease. Conditions such as asthma, epilepsy, leukemia, sickle-cell anemia, diabetes, and even ADD/ADHD (Attention-Deficit Disorder/Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) fall under the classification of “other health impairment,” which is one of the thirteen recognized areas of disability. This is according to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA). (See my previous blog entry: “What Qualifies as a Disability?”) … Continue reading →

Treating Fevers

If your baby has a fever, what should you do? First and foremost, you contact your pediatrician. There are different schools of thought on what to do when children develop fevers. Babies under 3 months should be seen regardless of other symptoms. High fevers can cause problems in young infants or be indicative of extremely serious problems. However, a fever is a defense against infection. Some parents worry that by reducing the fever, you are reducing the baby’s natural defenses against the infection. A low-grade fever is often not as uncomfortable as a high one, nor as dangerous. It’s important … Continue reading →