Combing the aisle of my local CVS, I found myself price checking and ingredient checking several medications....and not for the reasons you would assume. I wasn't sick.
In my fifth year working in a school, I felt I'd finally built up the steel strength immunity for which so many teachers are known, but had eluded me in previous years. Since stepping into the school I'd had countless stomach bugs, strep throat, bronchitis, ear infections, sinus infections, pink eye (twice), laryngitis, and staph infections. I felt at times, the only disease I missed was hand, foot and mouth disease. I was a germ magnet. I can honestly say, I've never been so sick in my life as I have been the last 4 years.
Well, that is until this year.....
But this particular reason for visiting my drug source was quite different. I needed some Robitussin.
A coworker brought to my attention a research study that compared conception rates in women who did and did not use Robitussin during the period of time surrounding their ovulation. Turns out, the women using the cough medicine saw higher preggo rates! Whodathunk?
It seems that Robitussin, as well as many other cold medications, has a very helpful ingredient - guaifenesin, which is an expectorant. In its traditional use, this drug thins the mucus lining the lungs so that it can be expelled, and clear the way for better breathing.
In a less traditional use, guaifenesin can be used to thin the mucus lining the cervix, thus making the passage easier for sperm, and (hopefully) lead to a baby being expelled 40 weeks later. So, I guess it still serves as an expectorant in this use, as well.
Robitussin. Turns out, it's not just for a cough.
I didn't buy any that day, but you can give it a try and let me know how it works out for you!
http://www.babyhopes.com/articles/robitussin.html
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
By definition...
Merriam-Webster is constantly adding new words to its dictionary as they arise in the world's lexicon - words like "swag", "f-bomb", and "sexting" just joined the official ranks in 2012.
Side note: What is our world coming to?
Beside the side note: Forgive me for ending the above in a preposition, please. At least I didn't say "swag".
And back to the matter....The dictionary is a great resource that I use frequently in the classroom - it's the ultimate reference tool that teaches kids to search out the answers to their own questions and empowers them.
But I must say, I've been pondering the meaning of one particular word of late, and the dictionary has brought little resolution.
Family.
What is family?
Merriam-Webster defines it as the following:
1) a group of individuals living under one roof and usually under one head
2) a group of persons of common ancestry
3) a group of people united by certain convictions or common affiliation
4) a group of things related by common characteristics
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/family
Not so sure that I agree with Mr. Webster, though.
Over the years, I've come to learn that family is what you make it. It may include relationships that are biologically based, and some that are choice based. Some can even be both!
But, why is it that some of the very people who you feel are guaranteed lifelong members of the family club aren't always the ones who act the most like family should?
What are the rules for family? We're taught that the golden rule applies to the way we should treat "others", so why is it that this rule is typically tossed in true family relations? Why is it that we often treat our "family" like strangers? Or even worse, why do we treat them like enemies? You would think that if the golden rule is appropriate for others, then surely something extra special, like say a platinum rule would be more fitting for someone as special as family, right?
Sadly, the logic I'm using here doesn't always ring true. We often treat our family worse than we do strangers, assuming perhaps that their forgiveness is certain. But the only forgiveness I've heard that comes with a guarantee is the heavenly sort. And the only love and respect I've heard that comes with a guarantee is also of the heavenly sort.
So, I'm challenging myself to redefine the term family in my world. It's a serious task so far, for the black-and-white thinker that I can be, but I'm working on it. Because along with learning that no relationship comes with a guarantee (family or not), I'm learning that many things (alright....most things) are not in my control, but some can be within my choice.
With that in mind, I'm reminding myself that ALL of my relationships can be of choice, whether or not they're rooted in common DNA. And if I choose a relationship, then I naturally choose the effort required to sustain it. And this quote is helping me keep all of this in mind:
"The mark of a true family is not one of blood, but of joy and respect in each other's lives. Members of the same family do not always grow up under the same roof." - Anonymous
Side note: What is our world coming to?
Beside the side note: Forgive me for ending the above in a preposition, please. At least I didn't say "swag".
And back to the matter....The dictionary is a great resource that I use frequently in the classroom - it's the ultimate reference tool that teaches kids to search out the answers to their own questions and empowers them.
But I must say, I've been pondering the meaning of one particular word of late, and the dictionary has brought little resolution.
Family.
What is family?
Merriam-Webster defines it as the following:
1) a group of individuals living under one roof and usually under one head
2) a group of persons of common ancestry
3) a group of people united by certain convictions or common affiliation
4) a group of things related by common characteristics
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/family
Not so sure that I agree with Mr. Webster, though.
Over the years, I've come to learn that family is what you make it. It may include relationships that are biologically based, and some that are choice based. Some can even be both!
But, why is it that some of the very people who you feel are guaranteed lifelong members of the family club aren't always the ones who act the most like family should?
What are the rules for family? We're taught that the golden rule applies to the way we should treat "others", so why is it that this rule is typically tossed in true family relations? Why is it that we often treat our "family" like strangers? Or even worse, why do we treat them like enemies? You would think that if the golden rule is appropriate for others, then surely something extra special, like say a platinum rule would be more fitting for someone as special as family, right?
Sadly, the logic I'm using here doesn't always ring true. We often treat our family worse than we do strangers, assuming perhaps that their forgiveness is certain. But the only forgiveness I've heard that comes with a guarantee is the heavenly sort. And the only love and respect I've heard that comes with a guarantee is also of the heavenly sort.
So, I'm challenging myself to redefine the term family in my world. It's a serious task so far, for the black-and-white thinker that I can be, but I'm working on it. Because along with learning that no relationship comes with a guarantee (family or not), I'm learning that many things (alright....most things) are not in my control, but some can be within my choice.
With that in mind, I'm reminding myself that ALL of my relationships can be of choice, whether or not they're rooted in common DNA. And if I choose a relationship, then I naturally choose the effort required to sustain it. And this quote is helping me keep all of this in mind:
"The mark of a true family is not one of blood, but of joy and respect in each other's lives. Members of the same family do not always grow up under the same roof." - Anonymous
Monday, July 16, 2012
D-Day
Woke up one morning in a funk and didn't understand why. Didn't want to turn loose of the sheets. Didn't want to leave my husband's side. Didn't want to shower. Had tears well up in my eyes without provocation.
Didn't want to do anything.
Took just a glance at my cell phone to figure out a potential underlying cause.
It was my due date - July 11th.
At the time when the doctor told me what the due date would be, I can recall making jokes with my husband about "7-11" and how we should be concerned that this kid could be open 24 hours like a convenience store, too.
Turns out, my due date turned out to be my very own version of "D-Day". Sure, it's extremely dramatic to compare something so tiny that it's barely a blip on the radar, to something as momentous as history's "D-Day". There are no mass casualties, intense sacrifice, insurmountable pain and loss of friends and heroes associated with my d-day. And there's definitely no need for a monument to memorialize such an event.
But through all of the differences, I have found one undeniable similarity - both days were game changers. The events of June 6, 1944 forever changed the course of WWII and subsequent world history. The landscape of France's coastline is still riddled with scars from battle. And, however small the events of July 11, 2012 were, they have forever changed the course of my life.
It stinks. Not what I had hoped for. Not what I had planned. And it will completely change what I expected to be the landscape of my own life.
But it is what it is.
What I thought would be the beginning of a new chapter in parenting, has in fact become something very different. For me, giving birth is most likely not an option in the traditional sense.
But it might be time for me to "give birth" to something else.
Maybe zucchini in my garden can be a starting point for now???
If that doesn't work, I'm moving on to a mini-cow........my husband just doesn't know it yet. ;)
Didn't want to do anything.
Took just a glance at my cell phone to figure out a potential underlying cause.
It was my due date - July 11th.
At the time when the doctor told me what the due date would be, I can recall making jokes with my husband about "7-11" and how we should be concerned that this kid could be open 24 hours like a convenience store, too.
Turns out, my due date turned out to be my very own version of "D-Day". Sure, it's extremely dramatic to compare something so tiny that it's barely a blip on the radar, to something as momentous as history's "D-Day". There are no mass casualties, intense sacrifice, insurmountable pain and loss of friends and heroes associated with my d-day. And there's definitely no need for a monument to memorialize such an event.
But through all of the differences, I have found one undeniable similarity - both days were game changers. The events of June 6, 1944 forever changed the course of WWII and subsequent world history. The landscape of France's coastline is still riddled with scars from battle. And, however small the events of July 11, 2012 were, they have forever changed the course of my life.
It stinks. Not what I had hoped for. Not what I had planned. And it will completely change what I expected to be the landscape of my own life.
But it is what it is.
What I thought would be the beginning of a new chapter in parenting, has in fact become something very different. For me, giving birth is most likely not an option in the traditional sense.
But it might be time for me to "give birth" to something else.
Maybe zucchini in my garden can be a starting point for now???
If that doesn't work, I'm moving on to a mini-cow........my husband just doesn't know it yet. ;)
Friday, July 6, 2012
Why you have to go and make things so complicated?
It should be as simple as a + b = c. But it isn't.
Sitting in my 8th grade algebra class, I can recall staring at the pages of my text book thinking my assignment was easy enough, only to come home that evening and realize while doing my homework that it was much harder than it initially looked.
Our health teachers would have us think that another math problem is simple, as well:
sperm + egg = screaming, pooping, expensive baby in 9 short months
But getting pregnant and having a child hasn't been as easy as they warned. The mechanics of it may be simple for some. In my case, however, none of it has been simple. Becoming a parent is by far the most complicated matter I've dealth with in my 30 years.
Why is it that some of the most basic things in life are so riddled with complication?
The decision to have a child is incredibly complex, or at least it is in my world. As strange as it may seem, I envy people who have such lackadaisical approaches to marriage and family planning. They make it seem as though their "accident" was their intention all along and it's no big deal. While I agree that everything happens for a reason, I prefer to think that my meager influence over my destiny can help make it for the right reason though....whatever "it" might be.
The old adage of "first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in a baby carriage" may be true for some people. But for me it breaks down to a math problem with a lot of additional variables that make it incredibly difficult for me to solve....even harder than that algebra homework. My problem looks more like this:
love + marriage (+ # of years we've been together - impact on children from husband's 1st marriage + folic acid - serious expense of 2 previous D&C's from miscarriage + unpredictable amount of joy to our lives - cost of daycare - sleep + potential regret) = baby in a baby carriage
Or does it?
I just don't know. I make it a point to remind myself that my life is not in my hands, but instead God's.
But, I sincerely hope He's better at algebra than I am.
Sitting in my 8th grade algebra class, I can recall staring at the pages of my text book thinking my assignment was easy enough, only to come home that evening and realize while doing my homework that it was much harder than it initially looked.
Our health teachers would have us think that another math problem is simple, as well:
sperm + egg = screaming, pooping, expensive baby in 9 short months
But getting pregnant and having a child hasn't been as easy as they warned. The mechanics of it may be simple for some. In my case, however, none of it has been simple. Becoming a parent is by far the most complicated matter I've dealth with in my 30 years.
Why is it that some of the most basic things in life are so riddled with complication?
The decision to have a child is incredibly complex, or at least it is in my world. As strange as it may seem, I envy people who have such lackadaisical approaches to marriage and family planning. They make it seem as though their "accident" was their intention all along and it's no big deal. While I agree that everything happens for a reason, I prefer to think that my meager influence over my destiny can help make it for the right reason though....whatever "it" might be.
The old adage of "first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in a baby carriage" may be true for some people. But for me it breaks down to a math problem with a lot of additional variables that make it incredibly difficult for me to solve....even harder than that algebra homework. My problem looks more like this:
love + marriage (+ # of years we've been together - impact on children from husband's 1st marriage + folic acid - serious expense of 2 previous D&C's from miscarriage + unpredictable amount of joy to our lives - cost of daycare - sleep + potential regret) = baby in a baby carriage
Or does it?
I just don't know. I make it a point to remind myself that my life is not in my hands, but instead God's.
But, I sincerely hope He's better at algebra than I am.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
They're everywhere!
Ever noticed something for the first time, and then you can't help but notice it everywhere you go?
I'm an avid Nissan Murano fan. Bought my first one in 2007 and just traded that one in for another one last month. I love them. They're comfy, roomy, sporty, decent gas mileage. I can remember when I bought the first one thinking that there weren't many of them on the road and I wouldn't blend in everywhere I parked.
And then I actually got out on the road and noticed they were everywhere.
When I traded in my first for the second, I thought for sure I would be driving something pretty unique - a pearl white, double sun roof beauty.
Yeah, right! They're everywhere, too! I see at least 2 of them each morning on my way to work.
And speaking of everywhere.......so are babies. And pregnant women.
I feel sometimes like I need to exit the building I've just entered and double check the sign on the door, feeling certain that I've just entered a day care or OBGYN clinic rather than a grocery store/nail salon/post office.
It's like someone spilled water on a Gremlin or a baby bomb exploded!
It's happening in my circle of family and friends, too. One niece is 7 weeks pregnant. And her sister (also my niece) is 8 weeks pregnant. And a dear friend is 9 weeks pregnant. And my coworkers, friends, sorority sisters are conceiving and expanding and birthing left and right!
I never took much notice of babies or preggo waddlers before my own stint with pregnancy - much like I never noticed that many Muranos until I drove my own.
And now that I look around, it's all I see.
Maybe, it'll be all I see when I look down one day, too.
I'm an avid Nissan Murano fan. Bought my first one in 2007 and just traded that one in for another one last month. I love them. They're comfy, roomy, sporty, decent gas mileage. I can remember when I bought the first one thinking that there weren't many of them on the road and I wouldn't blend in everywhere I parked.
And then I actually got out on the road and noticed they were everywhere.
When I traded in my first for the second, I thought for sure I would be driving something pretty unique - a pearl white, double sun roof beauty.
Yeah, right! They're everywhere, too! I see at least 2 of them each morning on my way to work.
And speaking of everywhere.......so are babies. And pregnant women.
I feel sometimes like I need to exit the building I've just entered and double check the sign on the door, feeling certain that I've just entered a day care or OBGYN clinic rather than a grocery store/nail salon/post office.
It's like someone spilled water on a Gremlin or a baby bomb exploded!
It's happening in my circle of family and friends, too. One niece is 7 weeks pregnant. And her sister (also my niece) is 8 weeks pregnant. And a dear friend is 9 weeks pregnant. And my coworkers, friends, sorority sisters are conceiving and expanding and birthing left and right!
I never took much notice of babies or preggo waddlers before my own stint with pregnancy - much like I never noticed that many Muranos until I drove my own.
And now that I look around, it's all I see.
Maybe, it'll be all I see when I look down one day, too.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Why can't you be frugal outside Winn Dixie, too?
I am so sick of working hard to be nice, and being surrounded by impolite people.
My entire life, I've worked hard to be polite, kind, welcoming, and accommodating to others. Sometimes, I've been more successful than others.
More frequently than not, I tend to worry about others' feelings more than my own. I've been known (and criticized) for apologizing for things and circumstances that are not within my control. And yet I apologize anyway.
I'm at a point in my life now, though, where I REALLY DON'T CARE to spare anymore....spare others' feelings, that is.
I know what I like. I know who I like. And I also know the opposites.
I no longer feel it necessary to spend my time accommodating people in whom I have no vested interest and who I know wouldn't pee on me if I were on fire, even if they were tasting salt and seeing yellow and I'd done them no disservice.
And yet somehow, I can't help but feel that this makes me a b*@ch. Why is that?!
When I go to the grocery store, I know exactly which items I should put in my cart and pay money for at check out. I know exactly which ingredients I need to make meals that will not only nourish, but please my family and myself. And I know which items to completely avoid because they're a waste of my money and time. For example, my family won't eat a bunch of bananas before they go bad and I wind up throwing them away, or making banana bread, another item which my family won't eat and I wind up taking to work. My family won't eat certain vegetables and my family won't eat a large jar of salsa before it goes bad.
So why buy it? Why invest in it?
Any logical person would tell you not to do so....you'd be wasting your money.
But when you're talking about people, instead of groceries, it's not quite the same. If you refuse to waste your money/time/emotion and invest in someone, you're regarded as a b*@ch, regardless of whether or not they are useless, detrimental, or beneficial to your life.
Why is that?
I can't say for certain that I'll ever truly understand it.
But I can say for certain that my grocery bill has been significantly lower since I've started shopping with detailed grocery lists. I simply do not buy an item that I've not deemed necessary enough to write down.
As a result, my life is much simpler, and my family's diet doesn't seem to be suffering whatsoever.
I might try writing another type of list soon, too.......
My entire life, I've worked hard to be polite, kind, welcoming, and accommodating to others. Sometimes, I've been more successful than others.
More frequently than not, I tend to worry about others' feelings more than my own. I've been known (and criticized) for apologizing for things and circumstances that are not within my control. And yet I apologize anyway.
I'm at a point in my life now, though, where I REALLY DON'T CARE to spare anymore....spare others' feelings, that is.
I know what I like. I know who I like. And I also know the opposites.
I no longer feel it necessary to spend my time accommodating people in whom I have no vested interest and who I know wouldn't pee on me if I were on fire, even if they were tasting salt and seeing yellow and I'd done them no disservice.
And yet somehow, I can't help but feel that this makes me a b*@ch. Why is that?!
When I go to the grocery store, I know exactly which items I should put in my cart and pay money for at check out. I know exactly which ingredients I need to make meals that will not only nourish, but please my family and myself. And I know which items to completely avoid because they're a waste of my money and time. For example, my family won't eat a bunch of bananas before they go bad and I wind up throwing them away, or making banana bread, another item which my family won't eat and I wind up taking to work. My family won't eat certain vegetables and my family won't eat a large jar of salsa before it goes bad.
So why buy it? Why invest in it?
Any logical person would tell you not to do so....you'd be wasting your money.
But when you're talking about people, instead of groceries, it's not quite the same. If you refuse to waste your money/time/emotion and invest in someone, you're regarded as a b*@ch, regardless of whether or not they are useless, detrimental, or beneficial to your life.
Why is that?
I can't say for certain that I'll ever truly understand it.
But I can say for certain that my grocery bill has been significantly lower since I've started shopping with detailed grocery lists. I simply do not buy an item that I've not deemed necessary enough to write down.
As a result, my life is much simpler, and my family's diet doesn't seem to be suffering whatsoever.
I might try writing another type of list soon, too.......
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Gross vs Net?
Have you ever paid close attention to the numbers on your pay stub?
I usually don't.
Unfortunately, I work in a field that believes paychecks are needed only once a month, so by the time my paycheck arrives, I'm so relieved to have SOMEthing, ANYthing that I don't pay any attention to the fine print on my check. I just care that there's no minus sign before the amount.
For some odd reason though, I peeked at all those tiny lines above my check amount this past month. And I kinda wish I hadn't.
I make a decent living, so that's certainly a plus. But there were a whole lot of minuses that made me completely forget the pluses. State tax, federal tax, short term disability (that's really just there in case I ever require maternity leave again, since my employer doesn't offer that benefit....apparently birthing a child is considered a disability! But, hey, it's only short-term, so at least I can look forward to a cure or healing.), insurance, retirement, yada yada yada. One quarter of my gross earnings disappears before I ever see it.
Thinking about this depressing payout made me think about my miscarriage, too. They seem a lot alike. I'm working a whole lot of hours for something that can be taken away in a matter of moments...for something that can disappear before I ever even get the chance to see it, much less hold it in my hands.
What's perhaps the most depressing about it is that those negatives, though painful, seem so big that they outweigh the positives.....when in reality they truly don't. I can quit my job and start working "under the table" and storing my money in coffee tins buried in my backyard, sure. I can give up on the idea of ever being a biological mom and send my husband for a vasectomy. But are either of those truly going to eliminate all those negatives, or just create a new set?
Regardless, I've got to keep in mind that whether or not I'm looking at the glass as half full or half empty, at least it's got something in it. Just like my pay check. Maybe one day I'll be able to say the same about my uterus :)
I usually don't.
Unfortunately, I work in a field that believes paychecks are needed only once a month, so by the time my paycheck arrives, I'm so relieved to have SOMEthing, ANYthing that I don't pay any attention to the fine print on my check. I just care that there's no minus sign before the amount.
For some odd reason though, I peeked at all those tiny lines above my check amount this past month. And I kinda wish I hadn't.
I make a decent living, so that's certainly a plus. But there were a whole lot of minuses that made me completely forget the pluses. State tax, federal tax, short term disability (that's really just there in case I ever require maternity leave again, since my employer doesn't offer that benefit....apparently birthing a child is considered a disability! But, hey, it's only short-term, so at least I can look forward to a cure or healing.), insurance, retirement, yada yada yada. One quarter of my gross earnings disappears before I ever see it.
Thinking about this depressing payout made me think about my miscarriage, too. They seem a lot alike. I'm working a whole lot of hours for something that can be taken away in a matter of moments...for something that can disappear before I ever even get the chance to see it, much less hold it in my hands.
What's perhaps the most depressing about it is that those negatives, though painful, seem so big that they outweigh the positives.....when in reality they truly don't. I can quit my job and start working "under the table" and storing my money in coffee tins buried in my backyard, sure. I can give up on the idea of ever being a biological mom and send my husband for a vasectomy. But are either of those truly going to eliminate all those negatives, or just create a new set?
Regardless, I've got to keep in mind that whether or not I'm looking at the glass as half full or half empty, at least it's got something in it. Just like my pay check. Maybe one day I'll be able to say the same about my uterus :)
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