Since last week I have been tortured emotionally and mentally by my 3 year old girl. SHE REFUSED TO EAT!
It has been almost a week now and she still refused to eat. This is what I am going through everyday:
Morning (8am) - made her a bottle of milk, usually 7oz and she will finish half only
Breakfast (10 ish) - refused to eat anything
Lunch (1pm) - when we're preparing rice she will say she already had her food and she's not hungry. We'll force her to eat the food and she will sulk and pretend to vomit and will insist that we give her small spoons only otherwise she will throw up (small as in 1/3 of a teaspoon!). We'll struggle to make her finish about half a bowl of rice. Sometimes we just give up after a few spoons cause she will start crying, and we'll start losing our temper etc.
Tea (3pm) - another bottle of milk, sometimes she won't finish
Dinner (6pm) - similar struggle as per lunch
Last milk feed (9pm) - she usually will fnish this one but sometimes insist that we make her just half a bottle.
I am really upset. Why did she suddenly become like this? She used to love her milk and will eat whatever we eat. What makes her change so suddenly? It will be easier if we give her junk food as in ice cream, chocolate, McDonalds etc. She will take them with no problems.
I've de-wormed her 2 weeks ago, will the de-worm cause loss of appetite? It doesn't look like it cause she will finish the entire ice cream so her appetite is definitely there, just that she's selective of what she wants to eat. I brought her to the doctor cause I was really worried and he said de-worming will not usually cause loss of appetite but he said it could still be a possibility.
The doctor also asked if there was anything else that we've changed in her life in the last few weeks prior to this new 'phase'. The only other thing we did was that we've stopped sending her to the babysitter since Reni arrived. Could this have caused her to be emotionally upset and hence this horrible phase to get our attention?
I have tried talking to her, asking her what was wrong but all she said was 'I don't want big mouth' ie referring to small amount when we feed her. She did not tell me anything else.
I am going to lose my mind very soon. Should I just let her starve until she ask me for food????
What should I do?????? I am just worried that she will fall ill if this goes on.
Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts
Friday, December 9, 2011
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Traditional chinese medicine
Because of the marathon in the last 2 months and because I am sick and tired of feeding the kids antibiotics, cough and cold syrup and paracetamol, I have started to look to the east. Now that they are well, I want to boost their health with some traditional chinese medicine so they won't fall sick so easily and won't need to rely on western medicine so much. Most importantly the chinese medicine will not make them lethargic, tired, have cold hands and feet and most importantly there is almost no risk to allergies (not suitable for babies with G6PD though). My sister recommended me a chinese doctor in Klang, her kids are regulars there.
The doctor prescribed some herbs for Zac and Hayley. The herbs are blended into powdery form so it would be easy to feed (just dilute in water). I also got some prescription for papa and me, ours are in the form of herbs, roots and leaves. The medicine is very bitter, very tough to get Hayley to consume them but Zac seems to be able to tolerate it much better. And because Zac is not even 1, I reduced the quantity. The doctor prescribed 1 tea spoon of powder but instead I only gave him half.
The goodies for papa and me
Apart from traditional chinese medicine, I am also giving them:
1. Cordyceps
These little worms cost me a bomb. My next door neighbour and the salesman at EYS said they are very good for lungs and should be taken after a bad cough/during a bad cough to heal the damaged lungs. Cordyceps enhances immunity, therefore building resistance against coughs and colds. It reduces phlegm, strengthens the lungs and fortifies the kidneys. It is also very good for health. Another friend also said it is recommended to improve appetite. It sounds like the perfect solution for my kid's cough and cold and Hayley's poor appetite. I boil it with birds nest and rock sugar (1 piece of birds nest with 3 Cordyceps) and will give the kids once every 2 or 3 weeks. Hayley will get half a bowl and Zac just a few small sips. The chinese doctor is against me giving Zac Cordyceps (she said not to give when they are too young) but I think it is ok to give in small controlled quantity. Plus I am only giving once every 2 or 3 weeks.
We've so far had this once and since then Hayley's appetite improved tremendously. She's less picky and more willing to try out new stuff and she's eating much faster and in bigger quantity too. I don't know if it's mere coincidence or if it's really the results of Cordyceps. Don't really care :-)
2. Pearl powder
I usually keep stock a few of these at home and use when necessary. I was introduced to pearl powder by the babysitter and also my sister. My family members are very prone to throat infection (meaning our body gets heaty very easily which leads to throat infection and then fever) so we usually take pearl powder to reduce the heat as and when we feel it coming. Apart from cleaning excess heat, pearl powder is also used to calm the nerves and improves eyesight and complexion. Everytime I noticed the kid's lips turning red or their body feeling a bit warm, I will give them some of these powder, I usually mix into their milk. Haylet gets a bottle and Zac half a bottle. In the past I used to just get them from normal chinese medicine shop but Alice made me realise that I could be feeding my kids some unknown powder if I am buying it from unreliable sources. Since then I get them from EYS. I didn't know EYS actually sell them until recently. 6 bottles costs RM108 and member gets 5% discount and because of promotion, they are giving an additional 5%.
3. Bo Ying Compound
I was introduced to Bo Ying Compound by Leona. Again this is from EYS. I went to EYS to enquire and the salesman told me it is a good product to give to kids to maintain their health. Bo Ying Compound alleviates fever and cold, eliminates phlegm, calms nerves, removes wind in the body, increases blood circulation, promotes health, detoxification and anti-inflammation. It can be given everyday but I prefer to give just once a week. Hayley can take 1 bottle and Zac half a bottle. I don't usually give it to the kids weekly but will give from time to time. Although I know chinese medicine will do no harm but I still prefer to give in moderation and as and when necessary.
4. Manuka honey
I haven't got this yet but this is something I would like to get next. They have it at EYS and also at GNC. EYS is a bit pricier than GNC. Manuka honey is also a good supplement to boost overall health and some of my friends told me their kids does not cough as much after consuming Manuka honey. It is also a valuable aid for the healing of burns, infected wounds and ulcers, and assists in treating dyspepsia, stomach ulcers and other digestive disorders. It can help relieve skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis and acne. Manuka Honey also soothes sore throats and helps to speed up recovery from colds and flu. Manuka honey is to be given daily, 1 teaspoon once a day. Unfortunately, it is not suitable for Zac as he is still under 1 year old.
Honestly, a combination of all the above do cost me a bomb but if it will help my kids get stronger naturally and fall sick less often (hence saving on medical bills and trips to clinics), I think it is all worth it. I don't mind cutting up some of my personal expenses (not that I spend a lot) to cater for these.
I'll see if a combination of the above actually works better than multivitamins, vitamin C, fish oil and yogurts which I use to give to Hayley on a daily basis. Despite her taking these supplements religiously, I didn't really see an overall improvement in her health. Plus these supplements are not cheap too. Some even said multivitamins are actually very heaty and if the kids does not consume enough water, they will end up getting sick!
The doctor prescribed some herbs for Zac and Hayley. The herbs are blended into powdery form so it would be easy to feed (just dilute in water). I also got some prescription for papa and me, ours are in the form of herbs, roots and leaves. The medicine is very bitter, very tough to get Hayley to consume them but Zac seems to be able to tolerate it much better. And because Zac is not even 1, I reduced the quantity. The doctor prescribed 1 tea spoon of powder but instead I only gave him half.
The goodies for papa and me
Apart from traditional chinese medicine, I am also giving them:
1. Cordyceps
These little worms cost me a bomb. My next door neighbour and the salesman at EYS said they are very good for lungs and should be taken after a bad cough/during a bad cough to heal the damaged lungs. Cordyceps enhances immunity, therefore building resistance against coughs and colds. It reduces phlegm, strengthens the lungs and fortifies the kidneys. It is also very good for health. Another friend also said it is recommended to improve appetite. It sounds like the perfect solution for my kid's cough and cold and Hayley's poor appetite. I boil it with birds nest and rock sugar (1 piece of birds nest with 3 Cordyceps) and will give the kids once every 2 or 3 weeks. Hayley will get half a bowl and Zac just a few small sips. The chinese doctor is against me giving Zac Cordyceps (she said not to give when they are too young) but I think it is ok to give in small controlled quantity. Plus I am only giving once every 2 or 3 weeks.
We've so far had this once and since then Hayley's appetite improved tremendously. She's less picky and more willing to try out new stuff and she's eating much faster and in bigger quantity too. I don't know if it's mere coincidence or if it's really the results of Cordyceps. Don't really care :-)
2. Pearl powder
I usually keep stock a few of these at home and use when necessary. I was introduced to pearl powder by the babysitter and also my sister. My family members are very prone to throat infection (meaning our body gets heaty very easily which leads to throat infection and then fever) so we usually take pearl powder to reduce the heat as and when we feel it coming. Apart from cleaning excess heat, pearl powder is also used to calm the nerves and improves eyesight and complexion. Everytime I noticed the kid's lips turning red or their body feeling a bit warm, I will give them some of these powder, I usually mix into their milk. Haylet gets a bottle and Zac half a bottle. In the past I used to just get them from normal chinese medicine shop but Alice made me realise that I could be feeding my kids some unknown powder if I am buying it from unreliable sources. Since then I get them from EYS. I didn't know EYS actually sell them until recently. 6 bottles costs RM108 and member gets 5% discount and because of promotion, they are giving an additional 5%.
3. Bo Ying Compound
I was introduced to Bo Ying Compound by Leona. Again this is from EYS. I went to EYS to enquire and the salesman told me it is a good product to give to kids to maintain their health. Bo Ying Compound alleviates fever and cold, eliminates phlegm, calms nerves, removes wind in the body, increases blood circulation, promotes health, detoxification and anti-inflammation. It can be given everyday but I prefer to give just once a week. Hayley can take 1 bottle and Zac half a bottle. I don't usually give it to the kids weekly but will give from time to time. Although I know chinese medicine will do no harm but I still prefer to give in moderation and as and when necessary.
4. Manuka honey
I haven't got this yet but this is something I would like to get next. They have it at EYS and also at GNC. EYS is a bit pricier than GNC. Manuka honey is also a good supplement to boost overall health and some of my friends told me their kids does not cough as much after consuming Manuka honey. It is also a valuable aid for the healing of burns, infected wounds and ulcers, and assists in treating dyspepsia, stomach ulcers and other digestive disorders. It can help relieve skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis and acne. Manuka Honey also soothes sore throats and helps to speed up recovery from colds and flu. Manuka honey is to be given daily, 1 teaspoon once a day. Unfortunately, it is not suitable for Zac as he is still under 1 year old.
Honestly, a combination of all the above do cost me a bomb but if it will help my kids get stronger naturally and fall sick less often (hence saving on medical bills and trips to clinics), I think it is all worth it. I don't mind cutting up some of my personal expenses (not that I spend a lot) to cater for these.
I'll see if a combination of the above actually works better than multivitamins, vitamin C, fish oil and yogurts which I use to give to Hayley on a daily basis. Despite her taking these supplements religiously, I didn't really see an overall improvement in her health. Plus these supplements are not cheap too. Some even said multivitamins are actually very heaty and if the kids does not consume enough water, they will end up getting sick!
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Lets get sick together marathon
I have to say that the last 2 months must have been the toughest for us since Zac was born. The entire family signed up for a marathon, the lets get sick together marathon! :(
It all started 2 months ago when Hayley brought back the cough and cold bug. She had cough, runny nose and throat infection and was having fever as high as 39.6 over a couple of days which warranted an emergency visit to the 24 hours clinic nearby home one night. Her fever was consistently high especially in the middle of the night so we're constantly up sponging her and checking her temperature. She had no appetite and it was difficult to force food/medicine down her throat. She was basically on fluid for the 5 days.
This time she also passed on the bug to Zac. This was Zac's first time getting unwell since he was born. Zac also had the cough and runny nose. Although Zac didn't get the fever (thank God), his cough were horrible. He's got so much phlegm you could literally hear him wheezing when he breathes. Because the cough was so bad he didn't really get much sleep at night as he was constantly coughing. The child specialist said the phlegm were in his lungs and it would take a while for it to clear. She prescribed antibiotics as well so both my kids were heavily on drugs and antibiotics.
After about a week they were both getting better. Hayley's cough was improving and although Zac was still wheezing slightly, it didn't really disturb him as much. And then it was my turn. I too ended up with throat infection and fever and was out of order for about 3 days. I too had to rely on antibiotics.
As I was on the road to recovery, it was papa's turn. He's got the symptoms and suffered the same fate. Papa's condition was pretty bad. The first antibiotic prescribed by the doctor didn't work and he was still feverish on the 5th day (doctor suggested the dengue test). He went back and asked for a stronger one. Luckily the 2nd one worked.
I thought the nightmare was over when everyone was getting much better and then it started all over again. Sigh......
Hayley's cough and runny nose came back and because Zac have not recovered fully, he contracted it again as well. This time he ended up with the throat infection and his fever soared to 39.7 and his face was all red and shiny and scared the shit out of me. We gave him suppository and it only worked after about an hour! Doctor prescribed with him antibiotics again. He had fever for 3 days and requires lots of sponging and monitoring at night. The strange thing that we found out during his fever bout is that the side with the swelling is hotter than the other side. When we took his ear temperature, the right ear reads 38.5 and the left ear would read 39!
As for me, I got gastritis for the first time and was in pain the entire Sunday despite being on medication. Papa strangely was also feeling unwell on the same Sunday, fever and headache so can you imagine 2 sick adults watching over 2 sick kids?! It was really tough and time passed so slowly. The entire family was sleeping a lot on that Sunday.
It's been a week since the marathon and we're still recovering. Hayley's cough is gone but she's still sniffing slightly. Zac's cough is almost gone but his nose is still runny. Papa's fever is gone but occasionally still gets the headache. I am still on medication for my gastritis and is no longer in pain.
June and July was really tough on us. If I am not mistaken, I think the number of visits to child specialists and clinics in just that 2 months was somewhere between 10 - 15 times. Imagine that!
It all started 2 months ago when Hayley brought back the cough and cold bug. She had cough, runny nose and throat infection and was having fever as high as 39.6 over a couple of days which warranted an emergency visit to the 24 hours clinic nearby home one night. Her fever was consistently high especially in the middle of the night so we're constantly up sponging her and checking her temperature. She had no appetite and it was difficult to force food/medicine down her throat. She was basically on fluid for the 5 days.
This time she also passed on the bug to Zac. This was Zac's first time getting unwell since he was born. Zac also had the cough and runny nose. Although Zac didn't get the fever (thank God), his cough were horrible. He's got so much phlegm you could literally hear him wheezing when he breathes. Because the cough was so bad he didn't really get much sleep at night as he was constantly coughing. The child specialist said the phlegm were in his lungs and it would take a while for it to clear. She prescribed antibiotics as well so both my kids were heavily on drugs and antibiotics.
After about a week they were both getting better. Hayley's cough was improving and although Zac was still wheezing slightly, it didn't really disturb him as much. And then it was my turn. I too ended up with throat infection and fever and was out of order for about 3 days. I too had to rely on antibiotics.
As I was on the road to recovery, it was papa's turn. He's got the symptoms and suffered the same fate. Papa's condition was pretty bad. The first antibiotic prescribed by the doctor didn't work and he was still feverish on the 5th day (doctor suggested the dengue test). He went back and asked for a stronger one. Luckily the 2nd one worked.
I thought the nightmare was over when everyone was getting much better and then it started all over again. Sigh......
Hayley's cough and runny nose came back and because Zac have not recovered fully, he contracted it again as well. This time he ended up with the throat infection and his fever soared to 39.7 and his face was all red and shiny and scared the shit out of me. We gave him suppository and it only worked after about an hour! Doctor prescribed with him antibiotics again. He had fever for 3 days and requires lots of sponging and monitoring at night. The strange thing that we found out during his fever bout is that the side with the swelling is hotter than the other side. When we took his ear temperature, the right ear reads 38.5 and the left ear would read 39!
As for me, I got gastritis for the first time and was in pain the entire Sunday despite being on medication. Papa strangely was also feeling unwell on the same Sunday, fever and headache so can you imagine 2 sick adults watching over 2 sick kids?! It was really tough and time passed so slowly. The entire family was sleeping a lot on that Sunday.
It's been a week since the marathon and we're still recovering. Hayley's cough is gone but she's still sniffing slightly. Zac's cough is almost gone but his nose is still runny. Papa's fever is gone but occasionally still gets the headache. I am still on medication for my gastritis and is no longer in pain.
June and July was really tough on us. If I am not mistaken, I think the number of visits to child specialists and clinics in just that 2 months was somewhere between 10 - 15 times. Imagine that!
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Mild HFMD?
As most of you would know that my girl contracted HFMD and we found out on Saturday 28th May when she complained of mouth pain and refused dinner. There were no early warning as she didn't get any sort of blisters/rash on the hands or feet or buttock or even fever. It started with only ulcers in the mouth.
We took her to the doctor on Sunday morning and the doctor said HFMD usually will have blisters/rashes and told us that although there were none, she very likely contracted HFMD as there were quite a number of ulcers in the mouth (tongue, sides of the cheek and even the top). She sent us home with some painkiller and oral gel.
I've heard a lot of scary stories about how kids will refuse food, milk or even water because of the pain. My sister's 3 year old had it few months back and it was terrible. My sister had to force the 'watermelon frost' into her mouth to numb the pain so she could eat/drink something. I panicked. My girl is known to be very picky with food (very 'siu ceh' and 'yim chim') and I was worried on how to get food into her mouth if she's going to be in such pain.
Thankfully it was pretty smooth for us. On Sunday itself I got her to gargle with salt water a few times a day and the ulcers were bearable as she could still eat and drink and even brushes her teeth. She complained of pain from time to time but she still managed to eat (mainly porridge) and finished up her milk. She continued the salt water routine for the following few days.
Apart from the pain caused by the ulcers she was fine. She was quite her normal self. However, we still tried to keep her away from her brother as much as we can. We sent the boy to the babysitter after confirming that he was fine during daytime. I also did a lot of cleaning, disinfecting and wiping at home. The home smelt like Dettol all the time :-)
After being confined at home for 4 days, we sent her back to the babysitter on Wed so I could go back to work. On Thurs I found out that the other baby (Jovin who is 10 months old) at the babysitter contracted the same thing. She didn't have blisters/rashes as well but only ulcers in the mouth. Could she have contracted it from Hayley? If she did then I would feel really bad. But then why didn't my boy get it? He spent more time with Hayley than Jovin did. Anyway, Jovin also got better after a few days. I am starting to feel that this isn't really HFMD, it may be a new type of disease or a mutated one that is going around town. Apparently the doctor Jovin visited told her mom that he has seen 3 kids with the same symptoms just on that morning itself. So parents out there beware!
The next thing which I will need to do would be to change her toothbrush, cups, teats, drinking bottle etc to get rid of the germs once and for all...
We took her to the doctor on Sunday morning and the doctor said HFMD usually will have blisters/rashes and told us that although there were none, she very likely contracted HFMD as there were quite a number of ulcers in the mouth (tongue, sides of the cheek and even the top). She sent us home with some painkiller and oral gel.
I've heard a lot of scary stories about how kids will refuse food, milk or even water because of the pain. My sister's 3 year old had it few months back and it was terrible. My sister had to force the 'watermelon frost' into her mouth to numb the pain so she could eat/drink something. I panicked. My girl is known to be very picky with food (very 'siu ceh' and 'yim chim') and I was worried on how to get food into her mouth if she's going to be in such pain.
Thankfully it was pretty smooth for us. On Sunday itself I got her to gargle with salt water a few times a day and the ulcers were bearable as she could still eat and drink and even brushes her teeth. She complained of pain from time to time but she still managed to eat (mainly porridge) and finished up her milk. She continued the salt water routine for the following few days.
Apart from the pain caused by the ulcers she was fine. She was quite her normal self. However, we still tried to keep her away from her brother as much as we can. We sent the boy to the babysitter after confirming that he was fine during daytime. I also did a lot of cleaning, disinfecting and wiping at home. The home smelt like Dettol all the time :-)
After being confined at home for 4 days, we sent her back to the babysitter on Wed so I could go back to work. On Thurs I found out that the other baby (Jovin who is 10 months old) at the babysitter contracted the same thing. She didn't have blisters/rashes as well but only ulcers in the mouth. Could she have contracted it from Hayley? If she did then I would feel really bad. But then why didn't my boy get it? He spent more time with Hayley than Jovin did. Anyway, Jovin also got better after a few days. I am starting to feel that this isn't really HFMD, it may be a new type of disease or a mutated one that is going around town. Apparently the doctor Jovin visited told her mom that he has seen 3 kids with the same symptoms just on that morning itself. So parents out there beware!
The next thing which I will need to do would be to change her toothbrush, cups, teats, drinking bottle etc to get rid of the germs once and for all...
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Skinny me
I am one of the lucky few (or maybe unlucky to some) who tends to lose weight very quickly after child birth. I was back to my usual weight around Zac's full moon and would continue to lose weight slowly unless I stop breastfeeding.
I would get so skinny that I would look lethargic and frail. I could no longer fit nicely into my jeans or clothes and would look like I am wearing clothes I borrowed from someone else. Some of my friends even commented that all that is left is just my head! As I am also slightly tanned, I look really horrible (will look even more tanned) if I lose too much weight. My mom will ask me each time she see me if I have been in the sun although I have not!
During Hayley's time, I stopped breastfeeding at 8 months because I was getting thinner and thinner and my sister advised me to stop breastfeeding for my own sake. With Zac, even at 5 months, I am already having problems fitting nicely into my clothes. I am not going to shop for new clothes because I don't think I can easily find XXS and I know when I stop breastfeeding I will eventually return to my usual weight and the clothes will then be too tight for me.
Do any of you out there experience similar problems? Is this even a problem? I don't know. I just hate looking at my closet in the morning and not having anything suitable to wear despite it being full to the brim. And I get concerned when people ask me why I am so skinny and why I look so lethargic! I want to look good and not sick!
I tried to put on weight by eating more than the usual. I snack anytime I want to, I eat before I sleep, I eat all sorts of healthy and unhealthy stuff but I am still the same except that I developed a tummy because of my bad eating habits. I worry that if I let it get out of control by eating too much, I might have problems controlling my portions when I eventually stopped breastfeeding.
I would get so skinny that I would look lethargic and frail. I could no longer fit nicely into my jeans or clothes and would look like I am wearing clothes I borrowed from someone else. Some of my friends even commented that all that is left is just my head! As I am also slightly tanned, I look really horrible (will look even more tanned) if I lose too much weight. My mom will ask me each time she see me if I have been in the sun although I have not!
During Hayley's time, I stopped breastfeeding at 8 months because I was getting thinner and thinner and my sister advised me to stop breastfeeding for my own sake. With Zac, even at 5 months, I am already having problems fitting nicely into my clothes. I am not going to shop for new clothes because I don't think I can easily find XXS and I know when I stop breastfeeding I will eventually return to my usual weight and the clothes will then be too tight for me.
Do any of you out there experience similar problems? Is this even a problem? I don't know. I just hate looking at my closet in the morning and not having anything suitable to wear despite it being full to the brim. And I get concerned when people ask me why I am so skinny and why I look so lethargic! I want to look good and not sick!
I tried to put on weight by eating more than the usual. I snack anytime I want to, I eat before I sleep, I eat all sorts of healthy and unhealthy stuff but I am still the same except that I developed a tummy because of my bad eating habits. I worry that if I let it get out of control by eating too much, I might have problems controlling my portions when I eventually stopped breastfeeding.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Zac's turn to be sick
My poor boy. It finally happened to him. Now he's having some slight runny nose and occasional cough. Sigh... I guess with him being near me and the ceh ceh (in case you're wondering, Hayley is still having her runny nose and cough and me still having my cough) isn't helping either. All these runny nose and cough is like a marathon... never ending...despite all the medications and visits to the doctors.
I read somewhere on the web that if I am unwell and I am breastfeeding, there is a high chance that I might pass the bug to the baby BUT if the baby do catch whatever I have, it will be less serious than what I am having and it will help him build better immune for the future. I sincerely do hope that this is true. Let's just hope that my breastmilk will help make him stronger.
I wish and pray that we will all get well very very soon...
I read somewhere on the web that if I am unwell and I am breastfeeding, there is a high chance that I might pass the bug to the baby BUT if the baby do catch whatever I have, it will be less serious than what I am having and it will help him build better immune for the future. I sincerely do hope that this is true. Let's just hope that my breastmilk will help make him stronger.
I wish and pray that we will all get well very very soon...
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Sick people at home
Hayley started it, she has got this marathon runny nose (been for weeks now) which eventually lead to cough. She has got serious cough, those where she will cough until she throw up! She even had nose bleed one time which scared the hell out of me. I have never seen so much blood coming out of her nose before and panicked and forgot to take photos. Ever since her runny nose started, she developed this nose picking habit. She kept telling me there are things in her nose - referring to those dried up mucus. Don't know if she picked up the habit from school or anywhere else. She will pick her nose whenever she's in bed or whenever we are not watching. This habit plus me constantly asking her to blow her nose must have injured or caused a rupture in the small veins in the lining of the nose. Anyway, I really don't want it to happen again so we are now trying hard to stop this habit of hers and hopefully her runny nose will go away soon. She started taking her med last Friday (1 week now) and will be finishing her med soon and the runny nose is still there (haiz). Looks like we might have to pay another visit to the paed and ask her for a stronger med that will work.
As for me, I somehow caught the runny nose bug from her which lead to cough and subsequently FEVER! On Wed I tried to self cure (trying to avoid taking medication since I am still breastfeeding) with panadols and sleep. It didn't work. On Thurs I was forced to see a doctor as I felt horrible (lethargic, hot, joints aching) plus I was worried that I might pass on the germs to Zac or papa if this prolonged. I was given 7 types of medication for flu, fever, cough, pain and inflammation. On Fri, I still felt lousy in the morning but subsequently felt better in the afternoon. I still have some cough but thankfully no more fever. At times like this I really wish the maid was here...maid oh maid... where are you????
Looks like what my sis said was true. She told me once my little kiddo starts going to school, she will get sick and she will bring back those germs and make the entire household sick. And everyone at home will take turns to fall sick. Looks like it is happening already.
Now I am trying hard to stay away from Zac and keep Hayley away from him as well, which of course is a very difficult thing to do. I also need to constantly remind papa to take his multivitamins and vit C to make sure he stays healthy.
Once Hayley gets better I am going to beef up her immune system. The paed advised me to give her fish oil, multivitamins, vit C and probiotics. She is currently taking fish oil, multivitamins and vit c. I need to find some good probiotics for her. Any good recommendation?
As for me, I somehow caught the runny nose bug from her which lead to cough and subsequently FEVER! On Wed I tried to self cure (trying to avoid taking medication since I am still breastfeeding) with panadols and sleep. It didn't work. On Thurs I was forced to see a doctor as I felt horrible (lethargic, hot, joints aching) plus I was worried that I might pass on the germs to Zac or papa if this prolonged. I was given 7 types of medication for flu, fever, cough, pain and inflammation. On Fri, I still felt lousy in the morning but subsequently felt better in the afternoon. I still have some cough but thankfully no more fever. At times like this I really wish the maid was here...maid oh maid... where are you????
Looks like what my sis said was true. She told me once my little kiddo starts going to school, she will get sick and she will bring back those germs and make the entire household sick. And everyone at home will take turns to fall sick. Looks like it is happening already.
Now I am trying hard to stay away from Zac and keep Hayley away from him as well, which of course is a very difficult thing to do. I also need to constantly remind papa to take his multivitamins and vit C to make sure he stays healthy.
Once Hayley gets better I am going to beef up her immune system. The paed advised me to give her fish oil, multivitamins, vit C and probiotics. She is currently taking fish oil, multivitamins and vit c. I need to find some good probiotics for her. Any good recommendation?
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Heat rash attack 2
The heat rash attacked my poor girl again. The first time was in August and it lasted for slightly more than a week. This time we brought her to the paed and the paed said it wasn't heat rash. It was what chinese called 'fung mok'. I am not sure what it is called in medical terms. Anyway, the paed said it was an allergy, she is either allergic to some foods or some new washing detergent or some insects etc. The paed said it was mild and asked me if I gave her any new foods in the last couple of days. I honestly cannot recall giving her anything new and I bet the babysitter would tell me the same if I were to ask her on Monday. Hayley is 2.5 and she's eating everything we eat especially when we go out, it will be very tough to monitor her food.
Anyway, I am glad we brought her to the paed as the paed prescribed her with Atarax and the moment we gave her the first dose (she needs to take 3 doses a day for 3 days) the rashes disappeared. The paed also prescribed another med to be taken once a day for 2 weeks to hopefully get rid of this allergy.
Now the hard part is monitoring the food and if we can't find the source to it and should it happen again, we might need to document her daily food intake and routine to hopefully find the culprit.
As for eating the med, now that she's older and cheekier, she knows how to say no, how to keep her mouth closed and how to run away and hide the moment we take out the med bottle. The only way we can give her the med without any hassle is to bribe her with 1 M&M chocolate. We know bribing is not good but we're glad it worked.
Anyway, I am glad we brought her to the paed as the paed prescribed her with Atarax and the moment we gave her the first dose (she needs to take 3 doses a day for 3 days) the rashes disappeared. The paed also prescribed another med to be taken once a day for 2 weeks to hopefully get rid of this allergy.
Now the hard part is monitoring the food and if we can't find the source to it and should it happen again, we might need to document her daily food intake and routine to hopefully find the culprit.
As for eating the med, now that she's older and cheekier, she knows how to say no, how to keep her mouth closed and how to run away and hide the moment we take out the med bottle. The only way we can give her the med without any hassle is to bribe her with 1 M&M chocolate. We know bribing is not good but we're glad it worked.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Help! My daughter got heat rash!
Since Sunday we noticed some rashes around Hayley's feet and body. They looked like blisters or small mosquito bites or Chinese called it 'fung mok'. Some appeared in patches, some just one or two. Sometimes they even appear on the face. The heat rash will appear out of the blue and then suddenly disappears. Initially we though it was food allergy but we did not recall giving her anything strange or new prior to the symptoms.
After monitoring her for a few days, we noticed that she will get the rashes more when she was hot ie in the afternoon and they will apparently get better after she has had her bath.
Both the babysitter and my mother said not to worry about it as they are just heat rash and will go away in a few days. My mom who was an ex nurse asked me to apply some calamine lotion when the patches appear. The rashes doesn't seem to bother Hayley as well.
Today is Thursday (5 days after the first symptom) and the babysitter said she is still getting the rash in the afternoon. When we took her home in the evening, only a few could be seen, probably because it was cooler in the evening.
What should I do now? How long more do I have to wait before I have to bring her to a doctor? My mom said there is nothing the doctor could do, they probably will prescribe some cream or some medicine to treat the itch. Have anyone else experience this before? Is there any other home remedy that I could try?
After monitoring her for a few days, we noticed that she will get the rashes more when she was hot ie in the afternoon and they will apparently get better after she has had her bath.
Both the babysitter and my mother said not to worry about it as they are just heat rash and will go away in a few days. My mom who was an ex nurse asked me to apply some calamine lotion when the patches appear. The rashes doesn't seem to bother Hayley as well.
Today is Thursday (5 days after the first symptom) and the babysitter said she is still getting the rash in the afternoon. When we took her home in the evening, only a few could be seen, probably because it was cooler in the evening.
What should I do now? How long more do I have to wait before I have to bring her to a doctor? My mom said there is nothing the doctor could do, they probably will prescribe some cream or some medicine to treat the itch. Have anyone else experience this before? Is there any other home remedy that I could try?
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
He finally quit smoking and I hope its for good
I just have to say that I am so proud of papa. Papa has been a smoker since he was a teenager. When we started dating, he promised me that he would reduce his ciggy intake and being the naive me, I believed every word. I know quitting is impossible for someone his age (with all the peer pressure) and therefore I didn't ask for the sky. I requested for him to cut down and I think the request is fair. I am a non smoker and I don't want to cut short my life because of 2nd hand smoke.
During the many years we were together, almost 13 years, papa's consumption of ciggy has been up and down. On days where I nagged constantly, he would reduce it to a few sticks but when I forgot to nag or got tired of nagging, he would increase it to 1 box a day or possibly more which I wouldn't know.
Although he is a smoker, he is responsible. He doesn't smoke in the house and he will smoke away from us. I warned him that he can never smoke in my face or near our baby and he obliged.
Papa has been very sick last week (he rarely fall sick and even if he did, it normally wouldn't be that bad) and finally took the determination to quit smoking. He hasn't smoked a stick (he told me so and I believed him) since last Friday. So he's been nicotine free for 6 days now. 21st May will be a memorable day. I am so so so proud of him. Nothing he do would make me happier, not even a diamond ring, than his decision to quit smoking. It's like the best gift he can give to me.
You see, I am quite sensitive towards cigarettes as I lost my dad to stroke. My dad smoked since he was a teenager too and he passed on at age 55. A very young age. He had heart and cholesterol problems since he was 40. The doctor warned him to stop smoking as they would make the condition worst but he wouldn't listen. Like most typical stubborn old man, everytime we nagged he would say that he knew a lot of people who didn't smoke or drink but yet died at a young age. He didn't quit and continued smoking until the day he went into coma and he finally couldn't smoke anymore.
I didn't want the same to happen to my own husband. He's like a reflection of my dad. Smoking since his teenage years. I am so worried for him and for us. But now I can finally see some light at the end of the tunnel. All I am hoping for is that this will be permanent.
Go Papa Go!
Monday, January 18, 2010
My resolutions for 2010
It is almost the end of January and I suddenly realised that 1 month is almost gone and I have not really given a thought about what I want to achieve this year. Well not that I can achieve all of it but I would at least like to have a checklist to put me in 'check' :-).
I like seeing a list of things that I want to do and having to tick it off after I've done it gives me big boost and motivation to do even more. So this is something I would like to continue doing year after year - being busy and having no time is no excuse :-).
The top of my list would have to be GOOD HEALTH
I started paying more attention to my health from late last year as I do agree with some blogger moms that we have to make sure we're healthy in order to be around to look after our family and kids. So I did my blood and urine test in December (I have phobia towards needles so for me to go through the ordeal takes a lot of courage) and found out that I have some minor cholesterol issues and I am low in iron both of which I have to deal with. I am happy to have found out about it now before it got too late. To deal with the cholesterol issue, doctor advised a change in diet (more greens, more fruits, more fibre) and also exercise. I have started changing my diet, taking salads for lunch and Quaker Oats for breakfast ocassionally or when I can as well as avoiding fast food, oily and fried stuff. I do still ocassionally pamper myself with those treats but they are definitely not as frequent as they used to be :-). I also started taking slow jogs 3x a week for about 15 - 20 mins. I will gradually increase the speed and duration over time. On the iron issue, I bought some supplements at the recommendation of the pharmacist.
My lunch (not exactly healthy as I've got thousand island dressing on it)
In 6 months, I will need to get another blood test done to see if there are improvements. If there are then I will have to continue with the effort, if not then I may have to consider medication.
Next on the list would be TO BUY A HOUSEWe have been longing to buy another house for sometime now. It is really difficult to find a suitable place in a location that we like with the limited budget we have. Prices of properties have gone up so much that its scary. Hopefully we will have better luck this year.
Moving on will be TO HAVE ANOTHER BABY and TO SUPPORT A CHILD
4 in a family is the ideal number to us. My hubby wanted 6 actually but I know he's joking! I cannot imagine going through child birth 6x. Sorry NO NO! 2 for me would be perfect, someone for the other to play with and to provide support as they grow up. Hopefully we will get a boy but even if its a girl we're happy. There is nothing more important to us than a healthy little baby.
I also want to give back to the community by supporting a child. I know this can be done easily via World Vision for a meagre RM50 a month. There are so many children out there living in poverty and they deserve to go to school, have proper medical facilities and lead a better life. By donating RM50 a month, which I think is really a small amount, we can make such a HUGE difference in the life of a child. I should have done this earlier but I guess it is still not too late to do now.
Next on my list would be TRAVEL
This is a selfish resolution. Papa and I have not travelled (I mean a real holiday to somewhere nice and far without the baby) for some years now. Our last holiday alone was 3 years ago. We still go for short and local trips once a year with the little girl but it would be nice to have a break just the 2 of us to somewhere nice and relaxing. We still have not given a thought about where to go but hopefully we can go somewhere this year. We just need to make sure I'm not pregnant and we have a reliable person to look after Hayley when we are away.... hmmm... looks like we won't be going anywhere after all :-)
My resolutions can go on and on as I have a few from last year and previous years which I didn't manage to achieve and also a few more which suddenly just came to mind :-). Anyway, going to put them in bullets from now on so I won't end up writing an essay:
- spend more time with family and friends
- continue to perform (dance) once in a while
- learn swimming (have been in my list for years, for someone with a phobia, how do you think I should start?)
- learn another language - Mandarin (it will come in handy at work but am still trying to make time for this)
- climb Mount KK (been on my list for years and its still not done and I think it's going to remain in my list for a few more years)
- get a bicycle so I can ride around the neighbourhood instead of run (NEW and easily achievable, but whether I actually use the bicycle or not after buying it is another story :-))
- consider sending Hayley to her first playgroup/nursery when she turn 2 (NEW and not sure how my babysitter will react to this, will need to gauge her reaction soon and also to find a nursery that will accept 2 year olds nearby)
- get a maid to help out around the house (NEW and we're still considering the pros and cons)
That's it for now. Am sure there will be more to come....
Thursday, December 24, 2009
My first blood and urine test
Apart from a simple blood test when I was pregnant to determine my blood type, I have never had a blood or urine test done for as long as I can remember. You see, I am terrified of needles, I can faint when I see a needle or when I see blood. I have a phobia towards this combination - blood and needles.
After Hayley was born my weight plummeted and my regular GP recommended a blood and urine test just to make sure I am ok. I got his letter back in Sept, went to his clinic a week later but he failed to draw blood out of me. He said my veins were too fine and my blood was thick. He poked both my hands and couldn't draw a single drop. My face was turning white and I almost fainted. I told him to stop. He asked me to come back next week to try again. I didn't go back.
Last week (yes it took me so long to build up my courage) I went to Pathlab. This time papa and Hayley came with me, I need their support. The lady at Pathlab escorted me to the back of the room and took out 3 bottles (to store the blood) and big needle. I kept telling her that I might faint, I have phobia and she must be quick and gentle.
She poked into my hand, I wasn't looking but I could feel it. I felt my head getting light and then it was over. She took out a big bottle of blood and transferred them to 3 smaller bottles. I didn't dare to see but was glad it was over so quickly and with so little pain. I also provided urine.
Yesterday I went back to collect my report and thankfully there was nothing major. Apart from being low in iron I had slighlt high cholesterol. I was advised to take multi vitamins to boost up my iron and to avoid fried and oily food.
I am relieved that I don't have to worry about this anymore until end of next year. Yes, I want to do this on a yearly basis to keep my health in check. From now on, I am going to try and eat more healthily cause I want to be alive to see my baby get married and I want to be alive to see my grandkids. In order to do that, I must be healthy :-).
After Hayley was born my weight plummeted and my regular GP recommended a blood and urine test just to make sure I am ok. I got his letter back in Sept, went to his clinic a week later but he failed to draw blood out of me. He said my veins were too fine and my blood was thick. He poked both my hands and couldn't draw a single drop. My face was turning white and I almost fainted. I told him to stop. He asked me to come back next week to try again. I didn't go back.
Last week (yes it took me so long to build up my courage) I went to Pathlab. This time papa and Hayley came with me, I need their support. The lady at Pathlab escorted me to the back of the room and took out 3 bottles (to store the blood) and big needle. I kept telling her that I might faint, I have phobia and she must be quick and gentle.
She poked into my hand, I wasn't looking but I could feel it. I felt my head getting light and then it was over. She took out a big bottle of blood and transferred them to 3 smaller bottles. I didn't dare to see but was glad it was over so quickly and with so little pain. I also provided urine.
Yesterday I went back to collect my report and thankfully there was nothing major. Apart from being low in iron I had slighlt high cholesterol. I was advised to take multi vitamins to boost up my iron and to avoid fried and oily food.
I am relieved that I don't have to worry about this anymore until end of next year. Yes, I want to do this on a yearly basis to keep my health in check. From now on, I am going to try and eat more healthily cause I want to be alive to see my baby get married and I want to be alive to see my grandkids. In order to do that, I must be healthy :-).
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Is it safe to de-worm a 21 month old?
Lately, my little girl is not eating as much as she used to and is not showing keen interest in food except for some selective food ie her all time favourites like cheese, yogurt, peanut soup etc. She is also putting her fingers into her mouth quite often and scratching her buttocks more frequently too.
The babysitter suggested that I de-worm her. She said its a common thing to do for toddlers her age due to the food they eat (and the other junk food she gave her quietly without my knowledge) and the frequent 'hand in mouth' habit.
I checked with our paediatrician and she recommended Zentel which can be given every 6 months. The prescription would be 5ml for toddlers below 2 and 10ml for 2 and above. I bought Zentel (syrup type) from pharmacist a few days ago but have not (until now) decided if I want to give it to her. Maybe I'll give her later today and I certainly do hope not to see the squiggly friend tomorrow when she poo.
As an adult, I don't even practice de-worming every year. I only take it when I remember or when I feel some discomfort 'there'. What about for kids? Do you know if it's safe or if it's recommended to de-worm every 6 months?
The babysitter suggested that I de-worm her. She said its a common thing to do for toddlers her age due to the food they eat (and the other junk food she gave her quietly without my knowledge) and the frequent 'hand in mouth' habit.
I checked with our paediatrician and she recommended Zentel which can be given every 6 months. The prescription would be 5ml for toddlers below 2 and 10ml for 2 and above. I bought Zentel (syrup type) from pharmacist a few days ago but have not (until now) decided if I want to give it to her. Maybe I'll give her later today and I certainly do hope not to see the squiggly friend tomorrow when she poo.
As an adult, I don't even practice de-worming every year. I only take it when I remember or when I feel some discomfort 'there'. What about for kids? Do you know if it's safe or if it's recommended to de-worm every 6 months?
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Blocked eye duct
I've come in contact with a lot of babies or kids before becoming a mom myself. I have to say that I have not heard about blocked eye duct before until it happened to my little girl.
When she was younger, there were a couple of days where her eyes would produce some sticky discharge and it would be more teary than usual. Sometimes her eyes would be glued shut by those sticky substance when she woke up in the morning. The paed advised me to clean her eyes as frequently as possible with clean cotton soaked in warm boiled water. After a few days she was ok.
A couple of weeks ago she started having the same problem on her left eye. Sometimes mild, sometimes pretty bad. Her eye white looks normal and it doesn't seem to itch as I don't see her rubbing the eye often. I cleaned her eye and told the babysitter to do the same but the problem refused to go away. I finally took her to the paed today (just in case) to get it checked. The paed said it was a blocked duct and told me to massage the tip of her eye, in circular motion and then rub it down towards the nose. This was supposed to help unblock the duct and move whatever mucus that was blocking it down to the nose. I was also told to put a drop of normal saline into her eye every 4 hrs. If the problem persists after a few days, I was advised to use the antibiotic eye drop. I hope I dont have to use it. The consultation and med costs us RM75.
When we arrived at the clinic this afternoon Hayley refused to step into the clinic. She remembered the place. After some coaxing, she entered and started playing with the toys. When our turn came, we entered the paed's office and she cried like she was tortured. All the paed did was to look at her eye with a little torchlight and I had to hold her body and hands while the nurse held her head straight. She fought and struggled and continued to scream at the top of her lungs. Boy.. she was so uncooperative. I am not sure how it would be as she gets older. I was planning to give her Hep A jabs when she turn 2 in February and now I am really concerned.
As we've not been to the clinic for a while, we weighed and measured her height. She now weighs 10.27kg, she was 9.65kg at 18 months. Her height was slightly inaccurate as she wasn't co-operative. She was 82.5cm at 18 months but 82cm at 21 months.
When she was younger, there were a couple of days where her eyes would produce some sticky discharge and it would be more teary than usual. Sometimes her eyes would be glued shut by those sticky substance when she woke up in the morning. The paed advised me to clean her eyes as frequently as possible with clean cotton soaked in warm boiled water. After a few days she was ok.
A couple of weeks ago she started having the same problem on her left eye. Sometimes mild, sometimes pretty bad. Her eye white looks normal and it doesn't seem to itch as I don't see her rubbing the eye often. I cleaned her eye and told the babysitter to do the same but the problem refused to go away. I finally took her to the paed today (just in case) to get it checked. The paed said it was a blocked duct and told me to massage the tip of her eye, in circular motion and then rub it down towards the nose. This was supposed to help unblock the duct and move whatever mucus that was blocking it down to the nose. I was also told to put a drop of normal saline into her eye every 4 hrs. If the problem persists after a few days, I was advised to use the antibiotic eye drop. I hope I dont have to use it. The consultation and med costs us RM75.
When we arrived at the clinic this afternoon Hayley refused to step into the clinic. She remembered the place. After some coaxing, she entered and started playing with the toys. When our turn came, we entered the paed's office and she cried like she was tortured. All the paed did was to look at her eye with a little torchlight and I had to hold her body and hands while the nurse held her head straight. She fought and struggled and continued to scream at the top of her lungs. Boy.. she was so uncooperative. I am not sure how it would be as she gets older. I was planning to give her Hep A jabs when she turn 2 in February and now I am really concerned.
As we've not been to the clinic for a while, we weighed and measured her height. She now weighs 10.27kg, she was 9.65kg at 18 months. Her height was slightly inaccurate as she wasn't co-operative. She was 82.5cm at 18 months but 82cm at 21 months.
Monday, October 5, 2009
We've been busy
Didn't realise that I have not blogged since Sept 20th. Well, we've been really busy with a couple of things in the last couple of weeks ... we've been sick, then there were 2 weddings and 3 birthdays that we had to attend to.
Here comes the full story...
Stomach Flu
The entire family had our share of stomach flu during the mid of Sept. Hayley started it on 16th Sep, me on 18th Sep and papa on 19th Sep. She vomitted after almost every feed (milk or solids) and had watery stools. Thankfully apart from the vomitting and diarrhea she is still an active little one and is very attentive. We monitored her for 2 days and although her condition improved we still brought her to the doctor before the long Raya weekend (just in case). Doctor prescribed some medication and told us there were no need to change her formula to lactose free or soy based as she seems to be improving. However, we were told to give her milk in small quantity every 1.5 hours to give her tummy sometime to digest and to make sure she wasn't dehydrated.
Her condition got worst the following day and I immediately changed her usual formula to lactose free formula. Everytime we give her the usual formula, her stools would become very watery. I gave the doctor a call and she told us to put her on lactose free milk for 2 weeks at least. We gave her Isomil and Nursoy and she didn't like any of those and refused to take her milk. In the end we had no choice but to give her Similar LF (she took this before at 11 months old as she had mild diarrhea back then) and luckily she was ok with it. This formula was meant for babies below 12 months so we were concerned but the doctor assured us that it was ok. The milk is very expensive too, about RM20 for a small tin which will last for 3-4 days. We were also told to give her plain and simple solids for a few days.
As of today Hayley is still on the lactose free formula. We plan to slowly introduce her back to her usual formula starting from today. Hopefully she will be ok [fingers and toes crossed].
As for papa and me, we vomitted as well and had watery stools too during the first couple of days. Mine lasted 4 days but papa's lasted 8 days. Imagine having 3 sick people in the house and we had to look after each other despite being sick. Thankfully my mom came to the rescue over the weekend. She helped cook lunch and dinner for us. It really made a difference to have healthy home cook meal.
As for the stomach flu, doctor said it was infectious. So I am not sure how Hayley caught it but I am sure she must have passed it on to me and then to the papa. She even passed it on to the little boy at the babysitter's. We felt so sorry for him.
My birthday
My birthday was on 22nd Sep and it was nothing to shout about this year. We didn't go for the usual fancy dinner as Hayley and papa were still having stomach flu and I was just recovering. Instead we went for a quick lunch at Canton Bay, plain simple Chinese food which wouldn't upset our tummy. But still it was a happy occassion as I got to enjoy it with the people I loved the most.
As we've been together for 12 years now, we have stopped surprising each other with birthday presents (and possibly end up buying something that our better half doesn't like). Now we just pay for whatever our better half want. Although we won't get the fun of opening a surprise gift, we both agreed that this would be a more practical solution.
So, what did I pick this year? Well, nothing yet.. hahaha. As we're planning a year end trip to Singapore (in conjunction with my company's year end dinner) which will be Hayley's first trip overseas and also her first time on a plane (tickets booked), I plan to redeem my birthday gift there :-)
Weddings
We attended 2 weddings. A cousin's wedding on 19th Sept (all 3 of us were still down with stomach flu then) and papa's friend's wedding on 26th Sep (papa was still having the flu). Hayley tagged along to my cousin's wedding (which was compulsory as it was a family affair) but we left her at home with my mom for the other.
She was such a handsful at my cousin's wedding that we didn't stay long. She was making a lot of noise with the bowl and spoon, running around and banging into the waitresses, demanding for food etc. Papa's frequent need to use the loo didn't help either. We left the wedding early and it was indeed a tiring day for all of us.
As for papa's friend's wedding, we decided not to bring her so we could enjoy the evening to ourselves. Luckily my mom was free to come over to babysit for the night. And luckily Hayley didn't create a havoc when we both left the house.
Mom said she was a darling and very easy to care for. After feeding her dinner (porridge), she gave Hayley some fruits and played with her or watched TV with her. She didn't fuss a bit and entertained herself with her toys and her favourite TV channels. She even asked for milk close to bedtime. After her last feed, she went to bed in less than 30 mins. When we got home around 11pm, she was already in dreamlad :-).
Papa's birthday
Papa's birthday was 1o days after mine, 2nd Oct. I took leave to celebrate it with him, like I do every year. Since it was a Friday, we decided to leave Hayley at the babysitter's to have some private time for ourselves. We both felt very guilty for doing this but since we have 2 other dinner celebrations on Sat and Sun, we decided not to bring her along on Friday. We went to Tony Romas and papa enjoyed his favourite rib eye steak. Tony Romas was kind enough to give the birthday boy a free dessert, delicious vanilla ice cream with hot chocolate cake. It was nice to enjoy our lunch in such a carefree manner. We walked a bit at the mall after lunch and enjoyed some small chats. It was nice.
Saturday night we celebrated papa's birthday again at a Korean BBQ restuarant in Solaris. This time it was my sister's treat. We even bought a cake for papa. Hayley enjoyed singing the birthday song, blowing out the candles and eating the cream on the cake.
Papa too planned to redeem his birthday gift in Singapore :-)
Grandma's Birthday
We celebrated grandma's birthday on 4th Oct in a Chinese restuarant in Ampang. I could still remember the time when the entire family could easily fill 3 tables and yesterday we had 6 tables! How the family has grown. The oldest there of course would be my grandma who is almost 90 and the youngest is a little baby girl who is not even 2 months old. She was the 4th generation.
My grandma enjoyed herself surrounded by family members and loved ones. The kids (too many to count) enjoyed running around the restuarant and making lots of noise.
We kept Hayley occupied in her seat with food but after about an hour, she demanded to get some floor exercise :-). That was it for us. Lots of running around chasing after a 19 month old from there on. We got home around 11pm (thanks to traffic, even on a Sunday night!).
Glad that all the events were behind us now. Although tiring, they were fun and memorable (except for the stomach flu part) and left me poorer :-).
Photos will follow in the next post. As for today, I took leave to enjoy some me time at home and maybe dropping by at Ikea later :-).
Here comes the full story...
Stomach Flu
The entire family had our share of stomach flu during the mid of Sept. Hayley started it on 16th Sep, me on 18th Sep and papa on 19th Sep. She vomitted after almost every feed (milk or solids) and had watery stools. Thankfully apart from the vomitting and diarrhea she is still an active little one and is very attentive. We monitored her for 2 days and although her condition improved we still brought her to the doctor before the long Raya weekend (just in case). Doctor prescribed some medication and told us there were no need to change her formula to lactose free or soy based as she seems to be improving. However, we were told to give her milk in small quantity every 1.5 hours to give her tummy sometime to digest and to make sure she wasn't dehydrated.
Her condition got worst the following day and I immediately changed her usual formula to lactose free formula. Everytime we give her the usual formula, her stools would become very watery. I gave the doctor a call and she told us to put her on lactose free milk for 2 weeks at least. We gave her Isomil and Nursoy and she didn't like any of those and refused to take her milk. In the end we had no choice but to give her Similar LF (she took this before at 11 months old as she had mild diarrhea back then) and luckily she was ok with it. This formula was meant for babies below 12 months so we were concerned but the doctor assured us that it was ok. The milk is very expensive too, about RM20 for a small tin which will last for 3-4 days. We were also told to give her plain and simple solids for a few days.
As of today Hayley is still on the lactose free formula. We plan to slowly introduce her back to her usual formula starting from today. Hopefully she will be ok [fingers and toes crossed].
As for papa and me, we vomitted as well and had watery stools too during the first couple of days. Mine lasted 4 days but papa's lasted 8 days. Imagine having 3 sick people in the house and we had to look after each other despite being sick. Thankfully my mom came to the rescue over the weekend. She helped cook lunch and dinner for us. It really made a difference to have healthy home cook meal.
As for the stomach flu, doctor said it was infectious. So I am not sure how Hayley caught it but I am sure she must have passed it on to me and then to the papa. She even passed it on to the little boy at the babysitter's. We felt so sorry for him.
My birthday
My birthday was on 22nd Sep and it was nothing to shout about this year. We didn't go for the usual fancy dinner as Hayley and papa were still having stomach flu and I was just recovering. Instead we went for a quick lunch at Canton Bay, plain simple Chinese food which wouldn't upset our tummy. But still it was a happy occassion as I got to enjoy it with the people I loved the most.
As we've been together for 12 years now, we have stopped surprising each other with birthday presents (and possibly end up buying something that our better half doesn't like). Now we just pay for whatever our better half want. Although we won't get the fun of opening a surprise gift, we both agreed that this would be a more practical solution.
So, what did I pick this year? Well, nothing yet.. hahaha. As we're planning a year end trip to Singapore (in conjunction with my company's year end dinner) which will be Hayley's first trip overseas and also her first time on a plane (tickets booked), I plan to redeem my birthday gift there :-)
Weddings
We attended 2 weddings. A cousin's wedding on 19th Sept (all 3 of us were still down with stomach flu then) and papa's friend's wedding on 26th Sep (papa was still having the flu). Hayley tagged along to my cousin's wedding (which was compulsory as it was a family affair) but we left her at home with my mom for the other.
She was such a handsful at my cousin's wedding that we didn't stay long. She was making a lot of noise with the bowl and spoon, running around and banging into the waitresses, demanding for food etc. Papa's frequent need to use the loo didn't help either. We left the wedding early and it was indeed a tiring day for all of us.
As for papa's friend's wedding, we decided not to bring her so we could enjoy the evening to ourselves. Luckily my mom was free to come over to babysit for the night. And luckily Hayley didn't create a havoc when we both left the house.
Mom said she was a darling and very easy to care for. After feeding her dinner (porridge), she gave Hayley some fruits and played with her or watched TV with her. She didn't fuss a bit and entertained herself with her toys and her favourite TV channels. She even asked for milk close to bedtime. After her last feed, she went to bed in less than 30 mins. When we got home around 11pm, she was already in dreamlad :-).
Papa's birthday
Papa's birthday was 1o days after mine, 2nd Oct. I took leave to celebrate it with him, like I do every year. Since it was a Friday, we decided to leave Hayley at the babysitter's to have some private time for ourselves. We both felt very guilty for doing this but since we have 2 other dinner celebrations on Sat and Sun, we decided not to bring her along on Friday. We went to Tony Romas and papa enjoyed his favourite rib eye steak. Tony Romas was kind enough to give the birthday boy a free dessert, delicious vanilla ice cream with hot chocolate cake. It was nice to enjoy our lunch in such a carefree manner. We walked a bit at the mall after lunch and enjoyed some small chats. It was nice.
Saturday night we celebrated papa's birthday again at a Korean BBQ restuarant in Solaris. This time it was my sister's treat. We even bought a cake for papa. Hayley enjoyed singing the birthday song, blowing out the candles and eating the cream on the cake.
Papa too planned to redeem his birthday gift in Singapore :-)
Grandma's Birthday
We celebrated grandma's birthday on 4th Oct in a Chinese restuarant in Ampang. I could still remember the time when the entire family could easily fill 3 tables and yesterday we had 6 tables! How the family has grown. The oldest there of course would be my grandma who is almost 90 and the youngest is a little baby girl who is not even 2 months old. She was the 4th generation.
My grandma enjoyed herself surrounded by family members and loved ones. The kids (too many to count) enjoyed running around the restuarant and making lots of noise.
We kept Hayley occupied in her seat with food but after about an hour, she demanded to get some floor exercise :-). That was it for us. Lots of running around chasing after a 19 month old from there on. We got home around 11pm (thanks to traffic, even on a Sunday night!).
Glad that all the events were behind us now. Although tiring, they were fun and memorable (except for the stomach flu part) and left me poorer :-).
Photos will follow in the next post. As for today, I took leave to enjoy some me time at home and maybe dropping by at Ikea later :-).
Monday, September 14, 2009
Muscle strain and Tui Na
I had a bad muscle strain over the last week and I thought I was having a heart attack! We have history of heart problems in the family (my dad) and we do pay special attention to whatever aches that is near the heart or feels like it's coming from the heart.
It started with some minor chest pressure/discomfort on the right side which travelled to the left side after 3 days. I went to see a GP near the office who said I could be having some gastric problems (I don't have gastric problems in the past) and pescribed me with some anti inflammation for the chest and gastric pills. I was told to monitor for a few days and to return if the pain didn't get better or got worst. 3 days later instead of chest pressure/discomfort I was having pretty bad upper backache (in between the shoulder blades). I couldn't sit, sleep or walk comfortably and I couldn't even carry Hayley without being in pain.
I went to see my regular GP and he confirmed that it was merely a muscle strain. And my heart was fine. He checked my blood pressure and heart beat a couple of times and said they were perfectly normal. I was hugely relieved.
The muscle strain, he said, was a result of being in stress, overworked, lack of quality sleep and rest. The body reached its maximum and decided its time to send out some warnings. He prescribed me with some painkillers, muscle relaxant and gave me a day of sick leave to rest at home.
Instead of resting at home and being in pain, I decided to seek out some traditional treatment. Friends and colleagues recommended tui na and a couple of them recommended Reborn. I went to Reborn and since it was happy hour (office hours), I paid RM78 for an hour of foot reflexology and an hour of Tui Na back massage. I find that a pretty good deal.
The foot reflexology was ok (I can't really compare as I don't do foot reflexology that frequent to be able to tell the difference). It was a combination of pleasure and pain. The masseurs commented that I don't sleep well and my shoulders are not good when I reacted in pain when she applied pressures on certain spots. I would say she was spot on.
After about an hour, we went upstairs for my back massage. I was given a pair of shorts and was told to take off my shirt and bra. I lay on the bed face down and the torture began. The back massage was painful. Almost every part that she presses hurts. I am not sure if it hurts because I was already in pain originally or it was meant to be. Some parts hurts more than the others.
The masseurs kept asking me if she should reduce her strength. I guess she could tell from my body gestures and the sounds I made when I was in pain.. haha.
She ended the body massage with some hand and head massage. I didn't like it when she massaged my face using the same hands that touched my back and hands. Anyway, I think if I were to go back next time, I'll ask her not to touch my face!
After the massage, I left with a sore back. When I got home, I found this:
Not sure if this is again normal but it does scare my little girl. She kept saying 'pain pain, pain pain' and blew at my back to relieve the pain while rubbing it... sweet eh... hehe
Its been 4 days after the treatment and my back is less painful now and the marks have more or less disappeared too. I was told that I need to do this more than once to see the results over a period of time. I don't mind doing this once or max twice a month but definitely won't do more than that.
It started with some minor chest pressure/discomfort on the right side which travelled to the left side after 3 days. I went to see a GP near the office who said I could be having some gastric problems (I don't have gastric problems in the past) and pescribed me with some anti inflammation for the chest and gastric pills. I was told to monitor for a few days and to return if the pain didn't get better or got worst. 3 days later instead of chest pressure/discomfort I was having pretty bad upper backache (in between the shoulder blades). I couldn't sit, sleep or walk comfortably and I couldn't even carry Hayley without being in pain.
I went to see my regular GP and he confirmed that it was merely a muscle strain. And my heart was fine. He checked my blood pressure and heart beat a couple of times and said they were perfectly normal. I was hugely relieved.
The muscle strain, he said, was a result of being in stress, overworked, lack of quality sleep and rest. The body reached its maximum and decided its time to send out some warnings. He prescribed me with some painkillers, muscle relaxant and gave me a day of sick leave to rest at home.
Instead of resting at home and being in pain, I decided to seek out some traditional treatment. Friends and colleagues recommended tui na and a couple of them recommended Reborn. I went to Reborn and since it was happy hour (office hours), I paid RM78 for an hour of foot reflexology and an hour of Tui Na back massage. I find that a pretty good deal.
The foot reflexology was ok (I can't really compare as I don't do foot reflexology that frequent to be able to tell the difference). It was a combination of pleasure and pain. The masseurs commented that I don't sleep well and my shoulders are not good when I reacted in pain when she applied pressures on certain spots. I would say she was spot on.
After about an hour, we went upstairs for my back massage. I was given a pair of shorts and was told to take off my shirt and bra. I lay on the bed face down and the torture began. The back massage was painful. Almost every part that she presses hurts. I am not sure if it hurts because I was already in pain originally or it was meant to be. Some parts hurts more than the others.
The masseurs kept asking me if she should reduce her strength. I guess she could tell from my body gestures and the sounds I made when I was in pain.. haha.
She ended the body massage with some hand and head massage. I didn't like it when she massaged my face using the same hands that touched my back and hands. Anyway, I think if I were to go back next time, I'll ask her not to touch my face!
After the massage, I left with a sore back. When I got home, I found this:
Not sure if this is again normal but it does scare my little girl. She kept saying 'pain pain, pain pain' and blew at my back to relieve the pain while rubbing it... sweet eh... heheIts been 4 days after the treatment and my back is less painful now and the marks have more or less disappeared too. I was told that I need to do this more than once to see the results over a period of time. I don't mind doing this once or max twice a month but definitely won't do more than that.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
I finally gained weight
My weight used to be very consistent before I got pregnant with Hayley and it plummetted a few months after I had her. During the worst months, I was 5kgs under my usual weight. Jeans and clothes no longer fit nicely and friends would comment that I often look frailed, skinny and lethargic. It was so bad that I had problems buying clothes as I can only wear XS and not many brands offer clothes in XS :-(
For some reasons, I found it tough to gain weight during those months. I was often sick and even my regular GP monitored my weight very closely for me - he was concerned. My weight remained the same for a few months.
2 weeks ago, I stood on the weighing machine again and voila... not only did I get back my usual weight, I even gained an extra kg! I have never been able to reach this number except when I was pregnant. Motherhood can really mess up our system man! :-)
My old jeans and clothes can now fit nicely (in fact they are a bit tight now and I only realised it after I stood on the machine.. haha). I am not sure what contributed to the sudden weight gain. I was trying to think of the reasons and here are a few possibilities:
- We moved office in April to Mid Valley (which is closer to home) so I do not deal with travelling stress as much as I used to. And definitely do not have to deal with flooded roads anymore.
- Hubby cooks more often of late too and he is on a diet so he made me finish everything.
- I am sleeping longer hours now compared to before. I normally put Hayley in her crib around 9pm and while I accompany her to sleep, I would often end up sleeping myself until the next morning. So I am getting about 10 hours of sleep a few nights a week.
- Hayley is now 18 months 3 weeks old and she is so much easier to care for than before. She can now eat whatever we eat and I do not need to 'stress' about what to cook for her, how to balance the nutritions, how to make it tasty so she would finish them etc etc. Told you I was kiasu. Anyway, now I am not as stressed as before when it comes to preparing her food.
My guess is the reduction in stress (travelling and looking after a baby) which contributed to the weight gain OR maybe it was a combination of all the above :-). Anyway, doesn't really matter. I am happy that I can go to clothing shops now and pick up a size S dress and the possibility of me being able to fit in them nicely is much higher now ~lol~
Monday, August 24, 2009
More on H1N1
I received the following email today and found the information pretty useful and interesting. Although I can't confirm the accuracy of the information, I will share it anyway. I have posted the entire email here so please read at your own discretion :-)
For some unknown reasons, I can't put a row between the paragraphs. So it looks kind of cramped up and messy. Sorry about this.
For some unknown reasons, I can't put a row between the paragraphs. So it looks kind of cramped up and messy. Sorry about this.
Some tips for prevention from AIMS doctor, although bit lengthy but worth reading.
Thanks to media hype about H1N1, several people who trust me have either approached or called me to advise. The hype in media about the utility of face masks and N95 respirators as a tool for general protection against H1N1 can't be deplored enough. Yesterday, a friend who listened wanted me to write down briefly what I advised so that he could tell others in similar words. Hence this short email to friends whom I have advised recently (and others whom I haven't yet). Please realize that this is not an official advice, especially the one about face masks or N95.
Most N95 respirators are designed to filter 95% particulates of 0.3µ, while the size of H1N1 virus is about 0.1µ. Hence, dependence on N95 to protect against H1N1 is like protecting against rain with an umbrella made of mosquito net.
Tamiflu does not kill but prevents H1N1 from further proliferation till the virus limits itself in about 1-2 weeks (its natural cycle). H1N1, like other Influenza A viruses, only infects the upper respiratory tract and proliferates (only) there. The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/ throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it's almost impossible not coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is.
While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps – not fully highlighted in most official communications - can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu):
1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications).
2. "Hands-off-the-face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (unless you want to eat, bathe or slap).
3. Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don't trust salt). H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/ nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don't underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.
4. Similar to 3 above, clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water. Not everybody may be good at Jala Neti or Sutra Neti (very good Yoga asanas to clean nasal cavities), but blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.
5. Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C (Amla and other citrus fruits). If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.
6. Drink as much of warm liquids as you can. Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.
All these are simple ways to prevent, within means of most households, and certainly much less painful than to wait in long queues outside Govt. hospitals.
Happy breathing!!
Sunday, August 23, 2009
H1N1, are you scared, yet?
With the news on death and infected rates rising everyday, I am terrified of this deadly virus. Honestly, I wasn't that terrified when it started cause to me it was just another type of cold. In fact I think more people died of dengue than H1N1 BUT seeing how things are handled in our country and how unprofessional some of our health professionals are, I have lost faith. I read in the newspaper almost everyday that people have died because they were not treated on time and how some patients with flu symptoms were refused of the throat swab, how some clinics refused to stock up on Tamiflu because they were too costly and they are concerned that no one would buy them etc.
These news disturbed me. With a little toddler at home who will not wear a face mask even if you force her to and who won't know how to wash her hands properly yet with soap and water, you bet I was concerned.
So I ask myself what can I do to reduce our risks. Inspired by a post I read from Life As A Mummy, I started my effort of prevention by:
1. reducing trips to outdoor - be it playground or shopping malls. If we really have to go, I will bring along hand sanitisers and antibacterial wet wipes.
2. bought a box of face masks just in case as you never know when they will come in handy. With people hoarding the masks, they may run out when you need them so better be prepared than be sorry. Although I read somewhere that face masks are actually useless and in fact they can cause more harm if not properly used, I don't really care. All I know is for the sake of my little girl, I am not taking chances.
3. bought some hand sanitisers - these are useful when you go outdoor especially when you have a little toddler who likes to touch everything and everyone.
4. bought some antibacterial wet wipes - I use them to wipe trolleys, baby chairs, tables etc before I put Hayley in them.
5. washing my hands as frequently as I can and if I have to sneeze, I make sure I cover my mouth with a tissue so I always remind myself to keep a pack of tissue in my handbag or at least a tissue in my pocket.
I really hope the virus would go away soon or the antiviral shot would be available very soon and available to everyone instead to those working on the frontlines and those of high risk groups.
I will be travelling to Singapore on Mon for work and I really dread travelling at times like this. Anyway work is work and I can't run away from my responsibilities. I will make sure I wear a mask and use antibacterial wet wipes very often. Call me kiasu, I don't really care :-)
These news disturbed me. With a little toddler at home who will not wear a face mask even if you force her to and who won't know how to wash her hands properly yet with soap and water, you bet I was concerned.
So I ask myself what can I do to reduce our risks. Inspired by a post I read from Life As A Mummy, I started my effort of prevention by:
1. reducing trips to outdoor - be it playground or shopping malls. If we really have to go, I will bring along hand sanitisers and antibacterial wet wipes.
2. bought a box of face masks just in case as you never know when they will come in handy. With people hoarding the masks, they may run out when you need them so better be prepared than be sorry. Although I read somewhere that face masks are actually useless and in fact they can cause more harm if not properly used, I don't really care. All I know is for the sake of my little girl, I am not taking chances.
3. bought some hand sanitisers - these are useful when you go outdoor especially when you have a little toddler who likes to touch everything and everyone.
4. bought some antibacterial wet wipes - I use them to wipe trolleys, baby chairs, tables etc before I put Hayley in them.
5. washing my hands as frequently as I can and if I have to sneeze, I make sure I cover my mouth with a tissue so I always remind myself to keep a pack of tissue in my handbag or at least a tissue in my pocket.
I really hope the virus would go away soon or the antiviral shot would be available very soon and available to everyone instead to those working on the frontlines and those of high risk groups.
I will be travelling to Singapore on Mon for work and I really dread travelling at times like this. Anyway work is work and I can't run away from my responsibilities. I will make sure I wear a mask and use antibacterial wet wipes very often. Call me kiasu, I don't really care :-)
Doing my bit for the environment
Lately, I have started getting rather serious in doing my bit for the environment. I am not talking about planting more trees or getting a hybrid car. I am not taking a giant leap, instead I am taking baby steps one at a time.
Here are some of the things I started doing. although nothing to shout about but I am sure every little bit will make a huge difference:
1. Using napkins on Hayley instead of disposable diapers on weekends. In the past, I can use up to 5 or 6 disposable diapers a day. Now, I use napkins in the day and only 1 disposable diaper at night. Well, 2 if we go out. I was not able to do this when she was younger as she was breastfed and would poo numerous times a day - they get messy and tough to wash. Over time I got used to the comfort of using disposables. Now, I am back to napkins. I was hoping that she can go on napkins everyday but unfortunately I could not convince the babysitter to do the same (her reasons are she live in a condo and has no place to hang the napkins and she has no time to wash them).
2. Sorting my garbage. I keep the aluminium cans, plastic bottles and papers separate from my other rubbish. I would try to drop them into the recycling boxes (above) at the malls and if I can't, I would make sure they are bundled properly for garbage collectors to pick them up. I have seen these guys sorting the recyclable items before throwing it into the garbage truck.
3. Reducing the use of plastic bags. Although I am not bringing my own bag when I do my grocery shopping, I will make sure I use as little plastic bags as possible. And the plastic bags I brought home would be recycled as my garbage bags. So they are put to good use.
I am a busy mom who needs to manage my career, baby, husband and my home. If I can make a difference by contributing whatever I can, I am sure you can all do it too. Let us do our bit for a better, greener and healthier future for our kids!
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