Saturday, November 13, 2010

"How About Doing Some Research...."

I recently posted a blog on the products Lunapad and Diva Cup, and apparently offended a person prompting her to call me "uneducated" and "9th grade." My position on theses two products was (and will always be) they are disgusting. Sorry, but that is how I feel. I am all for discussion and different opinions, but refuse to participate in name calling and bashing over a blog.

Her suggestion was "how about doing some research before going all 9th grade girl with your icks, yuck and ewwws." Thank you kindly for the suggestion, but I must say, I did look up information on the products on their respective websites http://www.divacup.com/ and http://lunapads.com/ I also watched a You Tube video on insertion and removal of the Diva Cup prior to posting the blog "Going Green.... Gone a Little Too Far, YUCK." I formed the opinion based off of the information I read and viewed. I read the testimonials on both products, and my opinion still stands.

I believe in protecting the environment, and I will continue my contributions through recycling, reusable grocery bags, energy saving light bulbs, etc. As well as continue to educate myself and family on being Eco Friendly. However, I will also have the right to decline to participate in a product that I don't see as sanitary or convenient for me. I will not criticize those who use the products, and never have. I just think it is gross, simple as that.

The ability for humans to make their own decisions and express their individual views is a beautiful thing. How boring the world we live in would be if we all thought and felt the same.

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Going Green.... Gone a Little Too Far, YUCK!




I am all about saving the environment, through recycling, energy saving light bulbs, turning off the water while I brush my teeth, but, really, reusable menstrual pads??? The Lunapad, disgusting if you ask me! No, I have not physically held one in my hand or trialed one, but the whole idea sounds gross. Here goes... I will wear a pad, soil it with bodily fluid, rinse it in the sink or carry it with me throughout the day (soiled) until I can get home to rinse it, place it in my washer, clean it to wear at a later date. GROSS!

I am not totally convinced of the "Going Green" factor either. It is recommended that you wash your undergarments separately from all of your other clothes due to bacteria that collects while you wear them. So, you will have to wash the Lunapads separate from all your other wash for sanitary reasons, because I am quite sure your husband won't want his underwear washed in the same load as your Reusable Menstrual Pads, I don't know, just a hunch! Therefore, you will use a whole lot of water for one sack filled with a few pads. However, I guess you could have enough for a full load if you let them collect throughout your entire cycle. YUCK, YUCK, YUCK!

Not as environmentally friendly as they appear to be. I get that you won't throw away another item that will fill our ever growing land fills, but seriously, we can't find any other way to save the environment? It is unsanitary, and all around disgusting, if I may say so myself.


Then, there is the Diva Cup. A soft, flexible silicon cup inserted into the vagina, much like a tampon, collecting your menstrual flow. You take it out, rinse it and re-insert it. DISGUSTING! Think about that woman who just emptied her Diva Cup in the stall you are about to exit! The previous occupant had to touch the same door you are about to touch.... with her soiled hand! Yep, gross!

In this case, I think sanitary trumps environmentally friendly!

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Simple Acts of Kindness

Driving on the highway the other day, traffic was thick and cars were flowing in on the entrance ramp one after another. What did I do? Speed up and get in front of the pack of cars trying to get onto the highway, or slow down and let them all in? I decided to slow down and let them in, and this gentleman in front of me must have waved a dozen times thanking me for letting him in without a fight. I had that good feeling for obviously making that man's life (at least for that brief second) a little easier.

I am in my car several hours a day, as I am a home health PTA, so I have seen many people who have needed help. In a split second, I have had to make a decision to help or continue on my way. The gratification of helping a stranger in their time of need is so powerful. Although your paths may never cross again in life, you have made a difference in their life and they will forever be grateful.

A few years ago, I was on my way to work. It was winter, and there was black ice that morning. I was at a stop light, and three cars back. When traffic started to move, I noticed an elderly man on his hands and knees in the bike lane. I stopped next to him, rolled down my window, at which time I saw blood dripping from his chin, and asked him if he was ok, and he replied "no." Did these other three vehicles in front of me not see this gentleman crawling on the ground? Incredible. I pulled over, got out of my car and went over to him. He told me he was out walking his dog, slipped on some ice and busted his chin. I called 9-1-1, had him apply pressure to his wound, and went up his driveway to his house to notify his son. When the ambulance arrived, I quietly got back into my car and drove to work.

You see, I didn't do anything major or amazing, I just got him help in the way of a phone call and a knock on a door.... simple! If I had not stopped, if more cars drove by and no one stopped, who knows what could have happened.

This past summer, there was another incident, this time it was an overturned vehicle on the highway. I was driving east bound on the highway and a Jeep Cherokee was coming towards me going west bound. It appeared the person driving lost control, hit the median and flipped the vechicle over on its top. I immediately called 9-1-1and, a gave dispatch the location. I sat there for a minute, took everything I had just witnessed in and took a deep breath. Then I thought, what if this person needs CPR? I know CPR, I need to help. I got out of my car, crossed 2 lanes of very busy traffic, jumped the median and ran to the car. The woman was pulling herself out of the window, and had only a small laceration on her forehead. A home health nurse was also there, handed me some gauze and we applied it to her head. In minutes, the EMTs arrived, and took over. I stood with this nurse and another witness, held hands, and prayed. Then, I went back to my car and continued on with my day.

Again, nothing extraordinary or outstanding, just a simple (but important) phone call, a little gauze and a prayer, then back to work.

Let's talk about something a little more "simple." For instance, holding a door, saying thank you, saying hi, asking how are you? Simple acts, simple questions, but what a difference it makes in someones day or maybe even someones life. Kindness goes a long way. It will always come back to you. Slow down, breathe in a little fresh air, open your eyes and look around a while. This Earth that we live on is extraordinary. Extend your hand every once in a while, and trust me, you will be amazed at what comes your way.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

"It Won't Be Like This For Long"

As a mother of three, a daughter 9 years, a son 2 years and another daughter 7 weeks old, I have been there, done that and still learning! With each child, I learn a little more. When do you take them out of their bassinet, and put them in their crib? When do you take away the pacifer? When do you transition from bottle to sippy cup? When do you start potty training? When do you boot them out of your bed into their own "big kid" bed? Ask these questions to multiple people, and you will receive various opininated answers. I remember talking with my pediatrican about some of these issues and her response was this.... "Everyone assumes that because I am a Doctor, my children hit every milestone on target, and I did everything 'by the book.' Well, that wasn't the case, and as your child's Doctor, I give you permission to lie!"

When the pediatrican said these words to me, I took a deep breath and let go of a lot of first time parent anxiety. The pediatrican told me that people would assume that her children slept in their own beds from day 1, threw the pacifer out before a year old and were potty trained well before turning 2. She stated, she would just look people in the eye and say, "well, of course they did." She said to me, no one will ever know whether or not your child does or does not do any of those things on a consistent basis, so tell them what they want to hear, "of course my angel does that!" So many friends and family criticized mine and my husbands way of raising our daughter....I mean we were young, what did we know?!

One of our "biggest mistakes" (if that's what you want to call it), was allowing our first born sleep in bed with us. It felt comfortable and secure to have her in the middle of the two of us. She was so peaceful and innocent when she slept, we couldn't resist. When did we finally "boot" her out? hhmmmmm.... when she was 7 and we were expecting number 2! We tried everything to get her to sleep in her own bed. She would start out in her bed, but in the middle of the night she would creep in our room, and snuggle up right in the small of my back.

I was 20 years young when our first was born, and starting my 3rd year in college. I took a year off of school when she was born, and got a job. Then an exceptional opportunity arose for my husband and I to live rent free in a house 2 doors down from my parents for a year. With this opportunity, I went back to school to pursue my original goal to become a Physical Therapist. I spent 12+ hours away from our daughter daily, not to mention the time I had to spend studying, too. To put it simply, I felt guilty. How could I be away for a majority of her waking hours, then make her go to bed, alone? I just couldn't. So, there she slept, in the middle of my husband and I... for 7 years.

So many people asked how do you do it? Why do you allow it? I thought about it and struggled with it for a while. Then, one day I told myself, there will come a day when she will not want my hugs, my kisses or to snuggle with me, and instead of wishing this time away, I was going to embrace it! While 7 years may seem long, she was the first. There can always be another little one, but not another first!

You can't get these days back. When the day is done, all that is left are the memories!