July 2008 – Page 2 – HEALTH FREAK MOMMY

My Sunday

Today I had a Sunday filled with activities. I got up at 7am and quickly took my bath, checked my email and fixed milk for Alycia and Sherilyn. My mil went to the market and brought our maid along. It’s always tough when I don’t have someone helping me with the 3 girls in the morning. Whilst I was busy bathing Baby C upstairs, Sherilyn who was alone downstairs and still eating her breakfast (she takes forever to eat all the time) peed on the floor. After cleaning the mess, I brought her upstairs and hubby helped me bathe the 2 older gals. Alycia kicked up a big fuss and cried as she didn’t want to wear the dress that I had chosen for her, which was a new Disney dress that koo mah bought her from Hong Kong. She insisted in wearing her new Zara Kids jeans (also bought from HK) but it was loose and we haven’t bought her a belt yet. When it comes to choosing her clothes, Alycia always wins and she ended up wearing a loose jeans and had to keep pulling up her jeans which kept falling off her waist the whole day!

Next, when I was nursing Baby C, she choked and puked. Luckily hubby came to our rescue and managed to catch her puke with a little pail (that I use to catch vomit) just in the nick of time. Otherwise, we would be terribly late for church if her vomit got on my clothes and on the floor. After all the rushing, we finally reached church, albeit a little late.

After church, we had lunch at Zipangu Japanese Restaurant at Shangri La Hotel. I really enjoyed the food there but lost my appetite half way through eating when Baby C poo pooed big time and I had to break my back cleaning her bum with her on the stroller in the washroom, that was really cramped. Oh yes, she also poo pooed in the church and I also broke my back cleaning her bum. Gosh, I really hate to clean her pooed bum when there’s no baby changing room.

Back home, when the 3 gals were asleep, I worked out on the trampoline for half an hour to burn off some of the calories that I had piled up during the Japanese buffet lunch today. Then, I bathed the 3 gals and off we went to hubby’s uncle’s house for dinner and came home at around 9:30pm.

I’ve just put my the 3 gals to sleep and it was easy peasy tonight as the 3 of them didn’t nap long today.

Though the Japanese buffet spread was really good, I stayed determined to stick to 80% protein and 20% carb. I ate terriyaki Unagi, grilled salmon, salmon fish head, salmon salad, cod fish stew, a little beef and chicken and some salmon and butter fish sashimi.

I even managed to resist myself from touching the tempting cakes and Japanese mochi and just ate fresh fruits and Edamame beans for dessert. My determination and sacrifices have paid off. I can now fit into most of my old pants!

Throughout lunch, Baby C refused to sit on her pram. She kept whining till we took her out from the pram. Daddy, mah mah, kakak and I had to take turns to carry this fussy princess. But we all enjoyed carrying this sweetie pie who kept smiling at us. Doesn’t she look sweet in this Baby Disney dress that koo mah bought her from Hong Kong?

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Baby C Proudly On Her Tummy

At 3 months, 1 week, my baby can finally push her arms up and raise her head while on her tummy. For the past one week, she’s been trying hard to flip over and when she’s stuck on her side, she will yell out loud, making sounds like an angry cat, on the verge of fighting with its enemy, LOL!

And with a little help from me, my baby was proudly on her tummy, turning her head away as she enjoyed the view surrounding her.

The victorious look!

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Precious Poop

Baby C has not poo pooed today, making today the 3rd day of her not emptying her bowels and I am worried sick. I would not say that it is constipation as she did not strain herself in her effort to poo poo. I have been feeding her with plain water and massaging her tummy since yesterday but nothing seemed to work. I even brought her to the pediatrician today but the dr. say it is not unusual that breastfed babies have long episodes of not emptying their bowels. I have been checking Baby C’s diaper every hour or so in the hope of seeing poop. Yes, for the first time, I am so looking forward to seeing Baby C poo! If she poos, I will be the happiest mum around and I will even be happier than receiving gold or a presidential dollar as gift!

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My Saturday

I had a good Saturday morning with my 3 gals. I had wanted to get up at 7am to go jogging alone but had forgotten to set my alarm clock and overslept. Alycia and Sherilyn woke up shortly after me and I quickly fixed them milk, brushed their teeth and got them ready so that we can all go out for a jog before the hot sun comes out. I then woke Baby C up, nursed her and changed her. So at 9am, my maid and me, along with my 3 daughters went for a 15-minute jog round the neighborhood. It’s been ages since I last jogged with them. After jogging, we went to buy breakfast and thereafter, we went to the park. My 2 older gals really enjoyed sweating it out in the good morning sun.

Once back home, the gals had breakfast while I took a quick shower before Baby C woke up from her nap. After breakfast, Alycia and Sherilyn went to the patio and jumped on the trampoline. Then, I got a call from my old classmate. She had asked me for party ideas for her son’s first birthday celebration next month. She thought I would have lots of brilliant ideas for throwing parties since my hubby is a caterer. Oh not exactly actually as I don’t really help my hubby out in his business. I just directed my friend to celebrations.com, the place for expert advice, ideas, tips and simple planning tools for parties and celebrations. After I hung up on the phone with my friend, I went online and ordered a baby gift for my blogger friend who has just given birth to a baby boy this morning. We may go to Harvey Norman in the evening and thereafter to Tesco to shop for groceries. How was your Saturday?

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Millenium Cactus Juice

I finally bought a pack of E. Excel Millenium Cactus Juice to try from my former classmate, after much pondering. After hearing all the goodness and praises for this very costly infection-fighting concoction of juices, I decided I want to give it a try – to my 2 older girls (esp. Alycia) who are always down with throat infection. I am also feeding this to Baby C – just a small teaspoon a day as the juice is known to fight off infections. Hopefully, it can fight off the bugs responsible for causing her urinary tract infection (UTI).

I don’t know how effective it is in helping Alycia and Sher fight off the bugs that always cause them throat infection but when I had very bad vaginal yeast infection 2 days ago, I took a quarter glass of this juice and the following day, the infection cleared! Coincidence or a fact, I don’t know. I have to try a few packs on my 3 kids to be able to see the results. There goes my hard-earned money but oh well, if it can buy good health, I won’t mind a bit.

Anyone taking this too? Care to share your experience with this juice?

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Outdoor Entertaining Ideas

Lately hubby has been really busy with his catering business. He is so busy he hardly has the time to come home for dinner on most days. Sometimes I feel like a single parent who has to mind my 3 kids myself most of the time. Well, I shouldn’t complain. It’s good that he is burying himself in his work rather than spending his time and watching TV at home. He always tells me that I would be even more worried if he spends most of his time at home rather than at his shop or office. Even when hubby’s at home at night, he will be reading books on catering, cook books, dining ideas and he is also constantly in search of unique outdoor entertaining ideas for his customers.

If you are looking for great outdoor entertaining ideas, be sure to check out celebrations.com, the place for expert advice, ideas, tips and simple planning tools for your parties and celebrations. At this site, there is an interactive community space for sharing party ideas, recipes, photos and videos. You can also win fabulous prizes when you participate in their best party contests. Are you always eager to read the inside scoop on the hottest celebrity parties? You can check them out at celebrations.com. Do bookmark this website and check them out the next time you are planning a party.

No. of times viewed = 188

Baby C Has Grade 3 Kidney Reflux

The hospital called this afternoon. The nurse conveyed to me the report, which states that Baby C has kidney reflux or VUR grade 3. I had expected it to be grade 3, and thankfully it is not grade 4 or 5. The hospital has also given us a nearer appointment date, which is in 2 weeks’ time.

Now, I can only pray that Baby C’s kidney reflux will resolve by itself and that she does not require surgery. I read that 50% – 85% of cases with grade 3 VUR will experience spontaneous resolution of VUR, meaning that the problem will resolve by itself over time.

Here’s an excerpt on the treatment and prognosis of Kidney Reflux, from Answers.com :

Treatment depends on the grade that is diagnosed. In grades I and II, the usual treatment involves long-term use of a small daily dose of antibiotics to prevent the development of infections. The urine is tested regularly to make sure that no infection occurs. The kidneys are evaluated regularly via ultrasound and VCUG (every 12 to 18 months) to make sure that they are growing normally and that no new scarring has occurred. Grades III, IV, and V VUR can be treated with antibiotics and careful monitoring. New infections, scarring, or stunting of kidney growth may result in the need for surgery. Grades IV and V are extremely likely to require surgery.

Surgery for VUR consists of reimplanting the ureters into the bladder at a more normal angle. This adjustment usually improves the functioning of the valve leading into the bladder. When structural defects of the urinary system are present, surgery will almost always be required to repair these defects.

Prognosis
Prognosis is dependent on the grade of VUR. About 80 percent of children with grades I and II VUR simply grow out of the problem. As they grow, the ureter lengthens, changing its angle of entry into the bladder and resolving the reflux. The average age of VUR resolution is about six to seven years. About 50 percent of children with grade III VUR require surgery. Nearly all children with grades IV and V VUR require surgery. In these cases, it is usually best to perform surgery when the patient is relatively young, in order to avoid damage and scarring to the kidneys.

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Online Drug Reference

When Baby C was prescribed with Trimethoprim, an antibiotics to prevent Urinary Tract Infection a month ago, I did a Google search to find out more about this drug. I was really worried of the side effects it would have on Baby C as she has to consume this drug for several years due to her kidney reflux. I had to read articles from several websites to gather the information that I wanted. Today, I found out about this fantastic website called epocrates.com, which is an online drug reference for thousands of drugs. I keyed in the word ‘Trimethoprim’ on the search box in their website and within seconds, I had all the information that I wanted to get on this drug. I am glad I found this website and I have already bookmarked this site for future reference.

This announcement was paid for by Epocrates

No. of times viewed = 157

The Amazing iPhone 3G

I was browsing the section on technology in today’s newspapers and read about iPhones. Reading about the new Apple iPhone 3G, I am just so tempted to buy one too. Firstly, the prices of iPhones have dropped significantly recently, making it a very affordable toy to own. Secondly, the speed of 3G is twice as fast as the previous version, making it possible to switch seamlessly between EDGE, 3G or WiFi. Thirdly, the new iPhone 3G has a built-in GPS. This is a very good feature for me since my sense of direction really sucks. I can find my location, search for places and get directions by just typing keywords of the place on my iPhone 3G. Fourthly, I can play good quality games on the iPhone 3G and lastly and most importantly, I can surf the web while I am on the go! Amazing isn’t it?

If you are also very tempted to buy the iPhone 3G, get your iPhone 3G at TigaDuaCellular.com, an online shop for high technology products. Tiga Dua Cellular has a full selection of smart phones, PDAs, digital cameras and MP3 players. You should also check out the HTC Touch Diamond at this website. I am really impressed with this stylo-mylo, compact mobile phone that has a 3D touch screen. Tiga Dua Cellular.com sells the HTC Touch Diamond at wholesale prices. Do check them out today!

No. of times viewed = 161

Count Our Blessings, Lest We Forget

Each time I am at the pediatric department of Hospital UKM, which is a government hospital, I tell myself that I am really blessed with 3 normal beautiful gals. Though Baby C has a kidney reflux on her right kidney, it is still not as bad as those parents I’d seen at the hospital with kids who are plagued with more severe and life threatening problems.

Some of the parents I’d seen at the pediatric department have kids stricken with leukemia, some parents came in with kids who were born totally abnormal – with a bloated and disfigured head and abnormal facial features, one mother came in with a cute and adorable baby girl who has a hole in her heart, another mother came in with her teenage son who appeared to be mentally retarded, some had kids with Thalassemia and I also saw a few mothers who came in with their child who appeared really floppy and severely retarded mentally (and pushed on a specially designed pram) stricken with cerebral palsy. When I see these kids, I really feel for the parents. Yet, these parents appear cheerful and strong emotionally.

So to all parents out there who have normal and healthy kids, count your blessings and thank God for them. Never mind if they drive you up the wall all the time. It’s a blessing that they are capable of being hyperactive and mischievous to drive you bonkers. Just imagine the lives of the parents with kids born mentally and physically retarded or stricken with a severe ailment.

No. of times viewed = 447

Baby C Has Kidney Reflux

The MCUG test went smoothly today. We reached Hospital UKM at around 9am and went to the pediatric daycare ward for the catheter to be inserted into her urethra. When the doctor arrived, I carried Baby C into the procedures room and I was told to leave the room. I really hate it that I couldn’t be with Baby C each time she has to go through such painful and traumatic times. I was told to sit at the waiting area but I just stood outside the room and held on to my rosary and prayed fervently to God that He will remove Baby C’s pain and discomforts. I was told that Baby C did not cry when the tube was inserted into her urethra but only cried when she was given an antibiotics jab on her bum. Clever me had brought along some toys to the hospital and I told the medical assistants to keep her distracted with them.

Next, we brought her down to the Radiology Department for the MCUG test to be carried out. I will never forget the 2 hours I spent there. First, something really embarassing happened and all I could say was “oh sh*t!!”. Check out my other blog to read.

When it was finally Baby C’s turn to go into the X-ray room, my heart pounded. I felt really anxious and nervous. I again took out my rosary and prayed fervently. I have not felt so worried sick for a long time. The last time I felt this worried sick was when I was pregnant with Alycia (only 10 weeks preggers) and I was suspected of having German measles. I could hear Baby C wailing her lungs out and all I could do was to pray, with a BIG lump stuck in my throat and watery eyes. When her cries intensified, the radiologist came out to ask if Baby C had any pacifier. I told her that Baby C does not suck one but gave her Baby C’s toys and teething ring. Moments later, I didn’t hear Baby C’s cries anymore. The toys managed to distract her. Those painful cries from Baby C will forever be etched in my memory.

The procedure went quite fast. When I heard the radiologist called out “Cassandra’s mother, please come in“, I rushed into the x-ray room and quickly picked Baby C up from the x-ray table and hugged her tightly. I can never forget how worn out her face was from all the crying. I then asked the radiologist if Baby C has kidney reflux and my heart was crushed when she said yes. The report, which would indicate what grade her reflux is would only be out in 2 days and the hospital would call to notify us.

Some of the disadvantages of a government hospital are that you have to wait for hours for your turn. And know what? Our next appointment to see the nephrologist is only in 3 months’ time! Goodness, how can we wait that long? Of course, we would like to see the nephrologist ASAP to see what’s the next course of action. After pleading for a much nearer appointment date, we were given an appointment which was scheduled for September! Goodness gracious, no wonder many patients with terminal illness and patients waiting for transplants had died while waiting for their turn to seek treatment in government hospitals. We will see how it goes. We may bring Baby C to a private hospital but that’s going to be very costly and all her bills will not be covered by insurance since it is a congenital problem. I am praying that Baby C’s kidney reflux is only a mild grade and that it will resolve by itself as she grows older.

Baby C’s pink bear rattle and the frozen water-fiiled teething ring helped a great deal in distracting her. The radiologist told us that the frozen teething ring managed to pacify her and stopped her from crying.

Baby C’s Fisher Price toy.

No. of times viewed = 215

Learning To Trade In Stock Options

If you think learning to trade in stock options is difficult, you may be wrong. I found out about poweropt.com today, the website where you can learn everything about stock options. At poweropt.com, you can learn how to make profits with their iron condor spread strategy. With PowerOptions’ suite of tools, you can find, compare, analyze and make money on stock options trading. There are easy tutorials to get you started and toll-free customer support. What’s more, there are free coaching sessions and a full access of 14-day trial with no credit card required. Whether you are a novice or an experienced options trader, PowerOptions will be able to help you in your stock options trading endeavor.

No. of times viewed = 293

Update On Baby C’s Suspected Kidney Reflux

We will be bringing Baby C to the hospital to have the MCUG test done tomorrow morning. The test is to see if she actually has a kidney reflux. I am really worried that Baby C will be in great pain as she will NOT be sedated! I can imagine how she will struggle when the nurses or doctors are trying to insert the tube into her urethra… without any GA or sedation…. and this has been causing me much distress. Please pray for her, that the procedure will be successful, without any complications and that Baby C will be free from pain, discomfort and any negative side effects. And most of all, please pray that Baby C does not have kidney reflux or any blockages.

No. of times viewed = 258

Baby C @ 3 Months Old

Cassandra turned 3 months old on 9 July 2008. At 3 mo, she can now lift up her head when on her tummy (but lazy to push herself up with her arms), loves to smile and can even laugh out loud when I tickle her armpit or do silly things with her, is very alert, loves being talked to and sung to, loves being carried and loves gurgling when someone talks to her. She also loves licking her frozen teething ring filled with water.

No. of times viewed = 488

Paintball

Paintball is a very fun outdoor adventure hobby. Avid paintball participants play on specially laid out paintball fields which contain specific boundaries, barriers behind which players can hide and zones that are neutral. There are also indoor arenas for playing that are complete with viewing areas and lighting. You can also play paintball at a secluded area where there are no bystanders. You can either buy your paintball guns, borrow them or rent them from a paintball shooting range. If you are shopping for paintball equipment, ZephyrPaintball.com has a complete line of paintball equipment ranging from invert mini paintball guns (MINI boasts some of the hottest new technology to hit the paintball industry in years), paintball goggles, hats, jerseys, dye, paintball field gear and much more. If you want to do something different and adventurous, try paintball today.

No. of times viewed = 138

Ouch…..

This morning, I managed to go out for a half an hour jog, just me alone, without clingy Baby C tagging along. I woke up at 7am, hurriedly brushed my teeth, went to the kitchen to gulp down a glass of apple cider vinegar with psyllium husk, turned on the baby monitor in the kitchen and asked my maid to go up to check on Baby C if she cries and quickly left the house. It was pretty stressful as I had to do everything hurriedly and quietly, before my 3 monkeys woke up. I could still feel the pent up stress inside me when I jogged and as I jogged down a slope, I suddenly lost balance and fell…. and lay flat on the tar road! My knees and both my palm were grazed and bled slightly. My hands were also wet with soap water as there was a puddle of water on the road from a neighbor who was washing her car. Sigh…. how unfortunate, but that did not deter me from continue jogging and I even packed home some sinful food for breakfast after jogging! Luckily I wasn’t badly hurt and luckily there weren’t any oncoming cars. Now, both my upper arms hurt too.

No. of times viewed = 197