Ritual Cleanse - Day 3 (that didn't happen ...)

When going to bed last night I spiked a fever. It came out of now where. Throughout the night I couldn't get warm or comfortable enough to fall into a deep enough sleep. The times I did doze off I would wake up soaked in a cold sweat. By the morning I was a wreck and still had a low grade fever. My body was so exhausted that I physically couldn't get out of bed.

Thank gawd for my parents! My mom got Princess D ready for school and my dad drove me to the doctor. The doctor said that the cleanse was not the problem. The problem was another sinus infection that was draining into my lungs, and I got dehydrated from the cold sweats. After she gave me fluids and antibiotics then sent me home to rest. I spent most of the day sleeping ... and EATING!

I did not complete my third day of the Ritual Cleanse, but I am not disappointed. Two days on a juice only diet was a huge attempt for me. My system does feel cleaner and lighter (now that I am hydrated again). I don't feel the need consume such a large amount of food in one meal like I did before. Too keep up with maintaining a healthy green diet I will start drinking a Naked Truth Green Machine Superfood Juice Smoothie every day. As for attempting a cleanse again ... I think only one day once a year is enough for me.

Ritual Cleanse - Day 2 (almost there ...)

This morning I woke up totally refreshed from one of the best night's sleep I have had in a while! I felt light on my feet, clear headed and determined to take on my second day of the Ritual Cleanse.

Yesterday was not easy. The juices did not taste like I expected them to. I had a negative attitude with the first gulp of juice. The Boyfriend has been extremely skeptical. So, I expected today to be much harder because I knew what was ahead of me. Thanks to a lot of supportive tweets cheering me on and wanting to join in, I had a complete change of attitude and it kicked my willpower into gear.



The juices went down much easier today ... even the spicy lemonade. What was hard was seeing food around me. This morning my daughter had a crepe with caramel sauce for breakfast. Then she brought home leftover macaroni & cheese and chocolate cake from dinner with her grandparents. It is torture seeing my favorite comfort foods and not being able to eat any of them. I miss tasting different flavors or feeling the texture of different foods.

One more day of juice before I can enjoy eating again. I can't wait!

Ritual Cleanse - Day 1 (2 more long days to go ...)

Since I went to Vegas at the end of January I have not been well. My asthma has been out of control causing fluid in my ears and sinuses to be out of control too. I have been going through rounds of prednisone, shots of cortisone, and changing inhalers to find anything that would work. The wheezing and coughing has forced me to miss a few Tuesday night hip hop classes (which I am not happy about). With my body being polluted with meds and not exercised regularly I have felt run down and ... well ... yucky. I figured that it is time to do some "Spring cleaning" with my body (the closet will have to wait a couple of weeks).

Stefanie from Ooph recommended Ritual Cleanse. Considering how fabulous she looks I figured that she wouldn't steer me wrong. The cleanse includes 6 freshly pressed 100% organic juices designed to drink throughout the day for maximum nutrient absorption. A single day of has more than 15 lbs of raw vegetables and fruit. My goal is not to lose weight (even though I really need to) and I am not looking for a miracle to cure my asthma. I simply want to clean out my system of the toxins and congestion.



This morning when I was leaving the house to take Princess D to school I discovered a a big green bag sitting on my doorstep. It was filled with 18 bottles of green and orange juices. Now, I have no problem drinking green juice (in fact I really like The Naked Truth Green Machine Superfood Juice Smoothie), but when I saw how much there was I realized that maybe I was a bit desperate when I agreed to 3 days.

The first juice went down easily thanks to my eager attitude. The second was not as easy since my urge to actually chew on something was kicking in. I snacked on some cucumber slices throughout the day to help keep me going. By juice #3 I was getting sick of the same overwhelming flavor of celery, spinach and kale. It was the fourth juice -- the "spicy lemonade" -- that almost made me quit. It gave me heartburn and I thought it wouldn't stay down. I welcomed back the green juice as my 5th for the day. It actually tasted better and got rid of the heartburn. I finished off the day with a sweet and filling juice.

So, I made it through my first day complaining A LOT. I do feel lighter on my feet and I am looking forward to a good night sleep. Tomorrow will probably be even harder since I now know what to expect, but I know I can do this!

Yoga for Hope

I started practicing hatha yoga in 2000 when I was living in San Francisco. For 2 years I twisted my body in a heated room at least 3 days a week. I was in the best physical and mental condition of my life.

City of Hope has also discovered the benefits of yoga. Patients are offered gentle restorative yoga classes as a complementary therapy to traditional treatments. This program has had a profound impact on quality of life for many City of Hope patients.

On Saturday, March 5, 2011, I will be participating in Yoga for Hope, an event to bring awareness to the benefits of yoga practice for patients with life-threatening illnesses. The proceeds will go to benefit research, treatment and education programs at City of Hope, one of the nation's leading centers for cancer treatment and research.

Please support me and City of Hope's work. All donations are fully tax-deductible. Let's help improve lives together.

Here is information about Yoga for Hope if you would like to join me:

DATE: Saturday, March 5, 2011

LOCATION: Hilton San Diego Bayfront, 1 Park Boulevard, san Diego, CA 92101

REGISTRATION FEE: Adults (16+) $40 online or $50 day of event

Registration: 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
Ceremony: 9:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Yoga and Meditation: 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Vendor Booths Open: 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Featuring renowned yoga instructors Stacy McCarthy, Tim Miller, Bonnie Saldivar-Jones, Michael Fukumura and Claire Petretti, as well as yogi musician Steve Gold.

Baseline

In 1986 my aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer and in 1991 she lost her battle. She was only 51 years old. I turned thirty-something this year and considering my family history my primary care physician advised me to have a baseline mammogram taken.

Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month I knew it was time to face my fears. I don't really know which scared me more ... the screening process or the results. All of my previous breast exams found nothing odd, so I was pretty confident my scans would come back fine. But I have always been warned about how uncomfortable the mammogram is.

I endured 3 scans per breast. No matter how serene they hospital tried to make the room look the squashing and the pulling was beyond uncomfortable. What was even worse was the technician's freezing cold hands.

After 15 minutes my first mammogram was all done. The next day my scans were ready and showed that my breasts were healthy. I can rest easy for another year.



Go check out my post for the Saving Second Base eCookbook Project.

Share

Lunch Box Party sponsored by Fresh & Easy

I want to feed my daughter foods that not only taste good, but are good for her. Now that she is in Kindergarten I have joined the ranks of the moms that have to pack lunch and snacks Monday through Friday. Princess D is getting tired of eating the same old things I have been giving her for a while now. Enter Fresh & Easy, who are opening up more and more locations all over San Diego. If you haven't shopped there yet, you have to! They support local growers and businesses, have very reasonable prices and are all about healthy eating.

With the start of the school year they introduced their new line of kids food -- Goodness™. This new line is wholesome, natural foods such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and other foods that are naturally good sources of vitamins and minerals. Fresh & Easy worked hard to limit the amount of sugar, sodium, and fat in the Goodness™ products. They have no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives, no added trans fat, no high fructose corn syrup, no artificial sweeteners, and no added caffeine!





I have been wanting to get a bunch of local mom bloggers together for our kids to play (and simply meet some of them in person). Having this group together was a great opportunity to help spread the word about Fresh & Easy's Goodness™ new products. So, this past weekend I hosted a Lunch Box Party sponsored by Fresh & Easy. They provided all of the delicious food for the kids to try and for the mom's to snack on.





We didn't have the fabulous San Diego weather you typically hear about, but the moms had a good time chatting while the kids had fun playing, coloring and snacking. Hands down favorites for the moms was the salami and gouda cheese (which also double as an ice pack for San Diego Momma's daughter). The kids' favorites were Goodness™ Kettle Corn and Coco Boulders cereal.



That night my mom cooked up the Goodness™ Mac & Cheese for my daughter and Miss' son. This mac & cheese is is not only delicious, but is made with whole grains and has 4 grams of fiber! So even I indulged in some cheesy goodness with out feeling guilty.


Thank you to all of the wonderful moms who came to my Lunch Box Party: Miss, Hip Mom, Bird Rock Fabrications, San Diego Momma, Mama Mary Show, and Not Just Another Jen. I hope you ladies and your kids had a good time. Let's do it again soon!

Huge thank you to Fresh & Easy! They provided the food for my Lunch Box Party and a stipend for hosting. I was not asked to post about them or their products. All statements are my opinion and my opinion only.

Share

Save the Hooch Giveaway winner is ...

Earlier this month I wrote a post about having HPV and to help educate and spread awareness about cervical cancer prevention announced that I was giving away a yellow bag filled with the Debra Macki mineral eye shadow palette for the Yellow Umbrella (value of $36), a yellow umbrella, a Save the Hooch pin, and a Pearl of Wisdom pin (value of $6.95).

I want to thank the 20 people who entered my giveaway. Some shared their personal stories, some actually learned about HPV, but all showed their support in helping to educate and spread awareness.

There can only be one winner. Thanks to random.org the winner of my Save the Hooch Givaway is ...



I have some extra Save the Hooch pins so if you entered and would like one please email me your mailing address.

Share

Jacked Up On Sugar + Yucky Poo = My Sunday

Sunday was just one of those days when things with your kids (and when I say "kids" I mean Princess D and Chloe the puppy) just don't go quite right ...

Chloe + Quaker Chocolate Chip Chewy Granola Bars = Jacked Up On Sugar

After my morning shower I headed into the dining room to have breakfast with my aunt and cousin (who were visiting from LA). My mom asked if Chloe was with me. She wasn't since I had been in the shower. We started calling for her and heard complete silence which is never a good thing when this puppy wears a bell on her collar. I went looking for her and found her in my daughter's room (where my aunt and cousin were staying since Princess D was with her daddy for the weekend) licking the wrapper of a Quaker Chocolate Chip Chewy Granola Bars.

Apparently my aunt had a bag of food sitting on the floor in the bedroom. Since Chloe is genetically a hound she sniffed out the food ignoring all of the fruit in the bag and going straight for the good stuff. She was able to tear open the wrapper and gobbled up every morsel of granola and the chocolate chips.

Daschunds are notorious for being over weight, so we are very cautious about not giving Chloe anything other than her dog food, chews, broccoli, green beans, apples and bananas. We are also very aware of what she should never eat -- grapes, raising, onions and chocolate. So you can imagine my horror when I realized what she had eaten.

Luckily those Quaker Chocolate Chip Chewy Granola Bars don't have too much chocolate in them to cause Chloe any health risk. But, the poor puppy did get "all jacked up on sugar" (as Princess D would say). I kept Chloe contained in her fenced off play area where she proceeded to pull everything out of her crate, clawed at a frisbee for 10 minutes, and thrashed around with every toy until she passed out.

Lessons learned:
1) All food must be stored in the kitchen and kept out of Chloe's reach.
2) Even if you can't smell it, Chloe can!


Princess D + Sugar-Free Life Savers = Yucky Poo

At 615pm on Sunday I got a txt message from The X letting me know that he was on his way to drop Princess D off and that "she has had yucky poo for the past couple of hours". They had been at his friends' house all day so that he could watch the Padres vs. Giants game while Princess D played with his friends' kids.

When they arrived I asked what she had eaten to try to figure out if she had a stomach bug or if the "yucky poo" was due to something she ate. Sure enough all she had consumed was a chocolate chip muffin, chocolate milk, a few crackers, candy and some rice she only had 3 spoon fulls of because it was brown and not white. (She is half Asian after all!) After they left she said she was really hungry so I fed her some chicken, broccoli and noodle soup. All of which she inhaled, but completely expelled not long after. I asked her what kind of candy she had been eating today and she described Life Savers. The next morning I found a candy wrapper in the entry hall for Sugar-Free Life Savers and asked Princess D is that was what she had been eating. Excitedly she replied "Yes, I had 7 of them!"

I know that sugar free candy can cause diarrhea if you eat to many, so I looked up the nutritional information for Sugar-Free Life Savers and here is what I saw in screaming bold capital letters:


EXCESS CONSUMPTION MAY HAVE A LAXATIVE EFFECT



Additionally, you will see that the serving size is only 4 and my 39lb 5 year old had almost double the recommended amount. It is no surprise that Princess D had "yucky poo"!

Lessons learned:
1) Princess D needs to ALWAYS ask mama (or which ever adult she is with) if she can eat something BEFORE she eats it.
2) Original is ALWAYS better than sugar free.
3) If you are looking to lose a few pounds or are constipated eat Sugar-free Life Savers!


Neither of these things were bad enough to spoil the lovely weekend, but they could have been avoided or they could have turned out very bad if either of my "kids" consumed even more.

If you don't already know what your dog shouldn't be eating WebMD has a really good slideshow.

If you don't know about the side effects of sugar free candy read this and this.

Save the Hooch Giveaway

I have HPV (Human Papillomaviruses). Not the HPV that causes warts. The HPV that causes cancer.

Abnormal cells were first detected on my cervix when I was pregnant early 2005. I had to wait until after Princess D was born to have a biopsy to prevent any risk to my pregnancy. Luckily the results came back negative and I didn't think about it again until I had an abnormal pap December 2008. At the time I had just left my husband and was under a tremendous amount of stress and anxiety which is more than likely what caused the HPV virus to get aggravated.

In January 2009 my OB/GYN performed a colposcopy to get a better look at the cells. They were multiplying and it didn't look good. In February 2009 I underwent a procedure to remove the cells and part of my cervix to be biopsied for cervical cancer. This procedure was physically and emotionally agonizing, but waiting for the results were the worst days of my life. I had never felt more lost, alone and scared. I couldn't sleep thinking about how I was going to raise my daughter as a single mom fighting cervical cancer, or if I survived would I ever be able to have another healthy pregnancy again.

A week later my biopsy came back negative.

Now, I get screened every 3-6 months. Paps are extremely unpleasant to begin with, but add in the increased chances of cervical cancer and it takes unpleasant to a whole other level. Last month I went in for my routine screening I had been neglecting. My OB/GYN lectured me on being diligent with my screenings because not staying on top of my HPV is how cervical cancer can go undetected. Work has been stressful, but my overall quality of life has been so much better over the last year, so I hoped that the HPV virus was still in remission.

A week later I got my results.



At the BlogHer '10 expo I had the pleasure of meeting Christine Baze who started the Yellow Umbrella Organization after she won her battle with cervical cancer. We shared our stories and she pinned me with her "Save the Hooch" button.



The next day I was so excited to see that I had won a mineral eye shadow palette for the Yellow Umbrella by celebrity makeup artist Debra Macki and my own yellow umbrella!

Did you know that every year 500,000 women develop cervical cancer and almost 300,000 die of it. Almost every case of cervical cancer can be prevented by getting routine paps and the HPV test. To help educate women about cervical cancer prevention I am giving away a yellow bag filled with the Debra Macki mineral eye shadow palette for the Yellow Umbrella (value of $36), a yellow umbrella, a Save the Hooch pin, and a Pearl of Wisdom pin (value of $6.95).

TO ENTER:
You will earn one point for each of the following actions:
- Leave a comment on this post.
- Tweet the following: I entered the Save the Hooch #giveaway to help spread awareness about HPV & cervical cancer:http://tinyurl.com/3yjn68q #savethehooch

Contest ends on September 30, 2010 at 11:59pm PT. I will pick a winner at random.

For more information on HPV and Cervical Cancer:
Yellow Umbrella Organization
TheHPVtest.com
The Pearl of Wisdom campaign

BlogHer '10: The good, the bad & the ugly

I have been drowning in work since I got back from BlogHer '10 in New York that I haven't had time to write anything. Seems like my client's can't handle me taking 4 days off! But this weekend Princess D is with her dad and The Boyfriend has his Terror, so I have some time to quickly write this post before the puppy wakes up from her nap and wants to play. So, here is the good, the bad and the ugly about BlogHer '10 ...

THE GOOD

The Boyfriend is not, I repeat NOT, a blogger. I introduced him to Twitter and have to remind him to check Facebook. Having him come to BlogHer '10 was a HUGE deal for both of us! He has always been very supportive of my social media obsession and is really curious about why we do what we do. Most of you know I only get to physically see him about 20 days a year, so this was of course the was the BEST part about the trip. But, what made him coming on this trip even better is that he got to meet most of my online friends. He even enchanted every mommy blogger he met with his British accent. I have to give him the Boyfriend of the Year Award for wearing a picture of Miss as a mask at the CheeseburgHer Party! It is things like this that make me love him more ...



The second good thing about this trip is seeing friends ... some I get to see every couple of months, some only once a year at the BlogHer conference, and some I have never met face to face. These people provide an incredible online network and support system. I learn from them. They challenge my thinking and creativity. They have opened my world up to more opportunities. They are why I go to these conferences.



Then there is the conference itself! This is my second year attending the annual BlogHer conference, so I can only compare this year to last year. This year the expo was HUGE ... 2 full floors of vendors! The parties at the conference location were bigger. And, there were suites to visit. But this also leads me to ...

THE BAD

The conference was almost too HUGE. There were events taking place at other hotels nearby the conference location happening at the exact same time. There were sessions that were happening at the same time forcing me to choose because there were not repeated at another time. There was so much SWAG to bring home I had to check an extra bag AND ditch some stuff. And, I only saw about half of the people I wanted to see.



I know I see her about every other week and she is my BFF, but I didn't get to see Miss experiencing another BlogHer conference with me. She was supposed to come this year. In fact, we had made all of our plans (flight, apartment rental, sightseeing) together with our boyfriends ... a double date long weekend. Sadly, about 2 weeks before we were to leave she found out that her new job wouldn't let her go. One of the goals for attending this year as to introduce our new blog 2 Hot Bloggers + a Bottle of Wine. I represented both of us, but made sure she wasn't forgotten.



THE UGLY

I never would have chosen to go to New York in August. I don't mind heat, but I hate humidity that can't be relieved by a nice tropical ocean breeze or a dip in the sparkling clean Pacific Ocean. What makes New York humidity even worse is that the thick air is mixed with dirt and exhaust that sticks to your skin, hair and clothes leaving you with a black film that I washed off every time we got back to the apartment. A day of walking blocks and avenues sightseeing and shopping then going down into the inferno New Yorkers call a subway station pretty much takes a year off your life. Have you ever seen what happens to Whitney Houston when she sings? Within 5 minutes of a song she is sweating so much it is dripping down her face and neck ... that is what I looked like every time we were in a subway station. It's not sexy or even remotely attractive. The only thing I can say about New York summer humidity is that it makes a decent sunset.



Along with all of the SWAG, I also brought home a not so pleasant stomach infection and must have given it to The Boyfriend (and I heard other's got too). Neither of us were able keep anything in our stomachs for 5 days. The stomach cramps and fevers were almost as intolerable as the New York humidity. I still don't know why we got it, but I am going to blame it on all of the food sampling at the BlogHer '10 Expo.

In the end it was worth the trip! So, will I do it all again next year? You bet I will because BlogHer '11 will be here in my hometown ... SAN DIEGO! No getting up at the crack of dawn to catch a flight out of LAX! No hotels or apartments to coordinate roommates with! No worrying about how to bring home all of the SWAG! All of the money I get to save I can put towards a full conference pass! So stay classy San Diego ... we have a conference to host!

Share|

Gone to the dog ... BlogHer '10 actually!

I adopted Chloe 2 weeks ago as a birthday gift for Princess D. In that short amount of time we have fallen completely in love with her big round eyes and floppy ears. She has turned our home into her den and the garden into her playground. Because of her we are watching a lot less TV because we are playing with her and we all laugh a lot more ... especially my daughter.



It is hard juggling a full time (and very demanding) job, parenting a princess, and maintaining long distance relationship. Then you layer on two blogs, guest posting and online social networking. For the next few months I am volunteering my time to be a team captain for my company's San Diego Start! Heart Walk team. I barely have time during the day to eat, but I try to make sure I get 7 hours of sleep.

And, then I got a puppy.

People who say having a puppy is like having a newborn are totally RIGHT. Housebreaking and crate training are going really well, but at night Chloe needs to go out every 2-4 hours. I remember nights when Princess D was a baby were I would fall asleep on the floor next to her toddler bed waiting for her to fall back asleep. I am right back to those days. After I take Chloe out to wee I lay back down next to her crate to help her to fall back to sleep. I wake up an hour later with the right side of my body numb and aching. When I wake up for work in the morning HATING my alarm clock all it takes is seeing that adorable face who is so excited to play with me before I take D to school and head into the office, and I totally forget how tired I am.



So here I am ... spread entirely too thin and completely sleep deprived. My cure ... BlogHer '10 in New York! I am currently on the #partyplane with a bunch of my favorite crazy blogging ladies being distracted by gogo wifi. The Boyfriend will fly in tonight for out "kid free" vacation! It will be 5 days with my honey blog conferencing, drinking, networking and let's not forget some serious sleeping! I will miss my girls, but Mama needs some "me time"!

Share|

It's all about the heart

For the past 3 years I have walked for my company team in the San Diego Start! Heart Walk. This year I volunteered to be a captain for one of our company teams.




If you haven't been reading my posts ... oh wait, what posts you say? Exactly. I haven't had much time to write due to my current day job workload. Because all I can think about is work I can't find anything really good to write about. You might have seen on my Twitter stream about how much I am drowning at work, but even finding 140 characters has been difficult. So, why would I take on another major responsibility of helping my company raise over $40,000 for American Heart Association?

One word ... FAMILY.

My mom's side of the family is riddled with heart problems. My mom suffers from high blood pressure and thickening of her heart wall. One of her brothers had a triple bi-pass at the age of 55. Her other brother had heart failure at 53. Two of my cousins had strokes before the age of 40. They are all survivors, but will have to work on having healthy hearts the rest of their lives.

I am walking for them. I am walking to have a healthier heart. I am walking for my daughter's future.

American Heart Association's mission is to build healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke. By acting as a team captain I hope to become heart healthy, encourage more people to think about being healthier and help raise money that will go towards life-changing research, programs and services.

Make a donation now!

Share|

NaBloPoMo - Day 4: Grown in. Pulled out.

Back in December I went out with a few of my favorite girl friends (*whispers* in Las Vegas). I had on a pair of Jessica Simpson wedges that I have worn many times. The difference this time is that I wore them for 6 straight hours ... dancing. Later that the next morning my feet and toes hurt, but I thought nothing of it. A few weeks later I still couldn't feel my big toenails. A month later when I took my polish off I saw that they were badly bruised. Then in March, my toenails FELL OFF. If you don't know, my feet are one of the parts of my body I actually do like, so this was traumatic for me! Unfortunately, the trauma didn't stop there.

Last week my right big toe started hurting. It was swollen and red. The nail had been growing back, but it was clearly not growing in correctly. My mom took a look at it and said that maybe I had an ingrown toenail. I have never had an ingrown toenail before, so I didn't know what to do. I tried to clip it, but that didn't work. In fact I think it made it worse. After a week it got so bad that couldn't ignore it anymore. I saw my doctor on Wednesday who prescribed me an antibiotic and referred me to a podiatrist.

Yesterday I sat nervously in the waiting room. The thought of someone digging at my very sore toe made my stomach queasy. When I heard my name called I put on my bravest face and shuffled into the patient room. The doctor checked out my toe and gave me the option of attempting to let it grow out on its own or letting her perform surgery right then.



I chose the later option ... the right choice. She quickly shot my big toe up four times with a local anesthetic. I can't begin to explain how painful those shots were. A squeak of pain escaped my lips with each "little pinch". My eyes welled up and my leg shook uncontrollably as she injected the anesthesia. Ten minutes later I couldn't feel my toe at all.

What the doctor pulled out was so much larger than I expected (I will spare you the gory photo). I didn't experience any pain when the ingrown nail was being pulled out. I didn't feel the doctor bandaging me up. I couldn't even feel my big toe as I hobbled out of the office. Now ... I feel constant aching and stinging that remind me of what used to be there, but the painful pressure is all gone. Hopefully in a few weeks I might be able to paint my toenail again and wear heels (open toe this time)!

Share|

NaBloPoMo - Day 3: Live the present moment

The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, nor to worry about the future, but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly.

~ Buddha

I suffer from anxiety which got aggravated during the collapse of my marriage.

I would scrutinize about what went wrong in my marriage and when it all started to go wrong. Why didn't I fix it when it started to go wrong? Why didn't I leave the marriage sooner? Why couldn't he see what was going wrong? Why couldn't he understand my point of view or want to try harder to meet my needs? Why couldn't I stand up to him before?

When I wasn't fixated on my past I was fretting over my future. How could I tell my daughter that Mama and Daddy were no longer living together and that it was my choice? How could I ever learn to depend on a man when I got so used to depending only on myself? How am I going to be able to rebuild my finances? How were we going to be able to co-parent Princess D when we couldn't even get along on one phone call?

Thinking like this was driving me insane. All of the anxiety was destroying me from the inside out. First the facial eczema. Next the excruciating neck pain that landed me back in my chiropractor's office once a week. Then the double ear infection. Finally, my cervical cancer scare.

Then I read the quote above from Buddha. At first I thought "impossible"! How can you not mourn the past? How can you not worry about the future? Isn't focusing only on the present seem irresponsible? Then my therapist explained it to me. Don't pretend your past didn't happen, but don't dwell on it. Dwelling will simply keep you from moving forward. I had made my decision, now was the time to accept it and apply what I learned from my past to my present decisions. I can't predict or control the future, but by being mindful of how things shift and change in the present can help shape my future. More importantly, at the end of every day I can find satisfaction in what I accomplished and look forward to being a little bit wiser the next day.

In no way have I perfected this way of thinking. I still mourn. I still worry. If I didn't I wouldn't be human. But, I sure am happier and healthier now that I am living in the present.

Share|

Listen to your body

I mentioned a while back that I had been a bit sick. I understated the situation. I was very sick for too long.

For the first time since I was a teenager I got a urinary tract infection. The memory of the intense pressure and razor blade sharp pain came rushing back to me the second it started. My mom rushed out to get me a jumbo jar of cranberry extract pills and an even bigger bottle of cranberry juice. She also brought home an over the counter medicine called AZO that relieves the symptoms (and turn my pee neon orange) while the cranberry does its magic.

The home treatment seemed to be working. I felt much better as long as I took the pills daily and on time. Life kept going as usual. I even double fisted my beer and cranberry juice at the GNO at Universal City Walk.


Photo credit: JustOneMiss

That Sunday night I started to get cramps in my lower back and abs. They were the worst I have ever felt. I just figured it was gnarly case of PMS thanks to the UTI. I took some Tylenol and crashed out.

On Monday night my daughter came home from her dad's complaining that her ear was bothering her, so I kept her home on Tuesday and schedule for her to see pediatrician the next morning. My dad entertained her while I worked from my rocking chair in my room, but later on in the afternoon I had him take me to my storage unit so that I could get some stuff out. On the car ride home I started to get a horrible cramp in my lower back. By time we got home my entire body was aching and a fever took over. I was shivering uncontrollably unable to get warm. I could barely text Miss letting her know I wouldn't be able to work on our Room 704 post. Then I passed out. Two hours later I woke warm again, but weak and aching.

In the morning I called my doctor for an appointment after my daughter's. After 3 hours at our medical clinic my daughter was diagnosed with an ear infection and I was diagnosed with a kidney infection. We were sent home with antibiotics and told to rest. My pain and fevers lasted for about a week even with the antibiotics and ibuprofen. At the tail end of the second week I woke up with an uncontrollable cough. Once again I found myself in my doctor's office, this time with a lung infection. One more week of high dose antibiotics finally did the trick.

I am still rebuilding my immune system with a new multi vitamin and asthma inhaler. I have also learned my lesson that UTI's CANNOT be cured with cranberry alone.

Share|

NaBloPoMo Day 12: Thankful for my health

I have been sick for a week now and I am miserable. Sinus congestion all day long. Violent coughing in the morning and evening. Soar throat and almost no voice. And, I am exhausted. Since I have asthma any little cold goes straight to my lungs. This time is no different. My doctor told me I just have a cold and prescribed me a strong cough syrup.

For years now I have maintained a good job which gives me excellent medical benefits including yearly flu shots. I see my doctor as soon as I start to feel like I can't control an illness. I take daily vitamins. I see a chiropractor and an acupuncturist to help reverse the damage my stress has on my body. I see a therapist to help me keep my head straight.

I work hard to maintain my job so that Princess D and I have medical insurance. Because my X hasn't maintained a job that offers medical benefits, and my divorce is still not final, I continue to provide for him too. If I didn't have this job the cost of medical insurance would be outrageous or impossible due to my asthma and for my X because of his back and hip surgeries.

Many people don't have the luxury of medical insurance because the can't (or don't want to) maintain jobs. The possibility of a national healthcare system has Americans really thinking ... and I am one of them. The concept is brilliant, but you hear about people who know how to take advantage of the system and the rest of the working tax payers suffer from it. So, what is fair? Until people become honest and less greedy there will never be a right or easy answer for all.

As for me, I will continue to work hard and take care of my health for my daughter.

Share|

Under pressure

I am entering my 4th week of training and fund raising for the American Heart Association 2009 Start! San Diego Heart Walk. I have started going on 3 mile walks about 4-5 days a week. I have been drinking protein smoothies every morning and eating much healthier (thanks to my mom who is a fabulous cook). I have met my fund raising goal of $500. And, I still have 3 more weeks to go!

First, I want to thank all of you that donated helping me to reach my goal. Your money is going to a very important cause.

Second, I know I have met my fund raising goal, but I would love to beat it (pun intended). So, please donate now if you haven't.

Finally, I want to tell you a little about me this week ...

I have always paid close attention to my blood pressure knowing that heart disease is a is a problem in my family. When I was pregnant with Princess D I craved everything that dietitians frown upon -- pasta, cheese, cookies, bread, french fries, ice cream. I craved junk food which showed when I visited my obstetrician for my 3 month check. My blood pressure was elevated higher than what it should be at. I had heard stories about women losing their babies due to Pregnancy Induced Hypertension (PIH) and it scared the daylights out of me.

After my check up I made a trip to the grocery store. I stocked up on fruits, veggies, whole grain products, soy milk and peanut butter. For the next 5 months I ate healthy snacks every hour. I even woke up at 3am every morning for a glass of soy milk and a banana. I even practiced prenatal yoga 3 days a week. Every check up I had after my 3 month check up my blood pressure was perfect and I was gaining the recommended amount of weight.

I went into labor with Princess D two weeks before her due date and for some reason my contractions started to slow down after my water broke. The prenatal nurse administered pitocin to get things moving along. By the time I hit 4cm I was in so much pain my blood pressure started to rise. The labor staff gave me an epidural and took blood to test for Labor Induced Hypertension. I didn't want to panic which would cause my blood pressure to rise more so I started my yoga breathing and soon the epidural kicked in.

In the end, Princess D was born healthy and my delivery was issue free. It is so important to eat healthy during your pregnancy especially if high blood pressure or heart disease runs in your family. Know your blood pressure ... ask about it at every check up and take the free exams at your local pharmacy. It might save the your life or your baby's life some day.

Share|

My attempt at becoming a human pin cushion

A few weeks ago my therapist suggested I try acupuncture to help with my chronic neck pain and eczema. She gave me a number of a doctor she buys her green tea from. I have been seeing a chiropractor for my chronic neck pain, but I still use topical cream in an attempt to control my eczema. If this acupuncturist could fix both issues at one time I figured why not? I would much rather try alternative and natural remedies than have to pop pills forever or get sliced open. So, I made an appointment.

This afternoon I walked into an acupuncture clinic and was greeted by a very tall and slender Caucasian man. He has a head full of wavy brown hair and looked like he should be working in computers instead of practicing Chinese medicine. He moved so gracefully and spoke so calmly it was a but unnerving at first.

After discussing my life and the reasons why I was willing to get pricked with a bunch of tiny needles he had me lie face down on a massage table. The first pin was placed in my right ankle. It didn't feel like much ... a little tap. Next one was in my other ankle ... same feeling. Then a couple more in my hands. He put a bunch along the back of my neck and a few at the top of my head. It wasn't until he put one in my elbow and calf that I actually felt the pins.

The sensation is indescribable. I could feel my nerves respond to the needle as he twisted them. A warm sensation under my skin seemed to spread slowly to the surrounding areas relaxing me. When he left the room I actually began to fall asleep. I jolted just as I began to fall into a REM cycle and all of the needles quivered quickly reminding me that they were sticking in me!



Removing the tiny needles happened so quickly that I barely felt anything. The doctor told me to take my time getting up and after I did I wished I had taken his warning more seriously. My head was dizzy and I felt like I was moving through water. The neck pain and slight headache I had when I walked into the clinic was gone and I was incredibly relaxed and happy. Whatever that man did seems to have made a difference in just one session! I go back on Wednesday hoping that I will feel even better for BlogHer. Now if only I can find a way to get a photo of me looking like a pin cushion!

Share|

Spring ... a love/hate relationship

Aaah ... Spring. Flowers blooming. Leaves covering the tree branches that were bare for the past 6 months. Bees buzzing. Baby animals being born at the zoo. The sporadic rain showers. Beautiful garden weddings. The return of sandals and longer days. What a glorious season!



Unfortunately, for me spring also means red eyes, constant sneezing, itchy skin, sinus headaches and the return of allergy induced asthma.

When I lived in San Francisco I did a full round of allergy testing and started getting weekly shots. I am horribly allergic to pollen (specifically grass), dust mites, mold spores and dander. The constant moisture in the Bay Area helped keep my allergies somewhat under control, but a clear and dry day will send me running for the medicine cabinet in a disparate search for an anti histamine.

When I moved down to San Diego then got pregnant with Princess D I stopped the allergy shots. I am on daily medication to keep things under control, but Spring has arrived once again.

The first day we were in San Francisco is was raining, but by middle of the second day the rain let up allowing the pollen to rise and as expected my dreaded allergies kicked in. My eyes started to itch and water. I started sneezing. Then on the drive back to San Rafael from the city I developed a horrible sinus headache. When we got back to the hotel I took a 3 hour nap (something I never do). After taking some Zyrtec D and drinking some caffeinated tea my headache subsided, but I could feel it lingering just waiting for that little bit of pollen to flare it back up.



The past few days the weather has warmed up significantly in San Diego. With the extremely dry weather and the high levels of grass pollen in the air I have begun the battle with my allergies. Time to break out the humidifies, ionizers and change out all of the filters. Time for daily double doses of allergy meds and and Excedrin. And, my accessories will include Kleenex with aloe & lotion.

Spring ... you are beautiful, but you suck.

crossing the finish line

Today I walked the American Heart Association 2008 Heart Walk. I had a fundraising goal of $350. Thanks to some very generous people I beat my goal by $110!

It was a great day for a walk in Balboa Park with some of my co-workers. And, I am proud to say that I crossed the finish line!



Ok, it was only a 5k but I got up at 5am to do this! That is the real accomplishment!

If you are still interesting in giving to this very important cause you can still donate on my personal page.