Do you ever drive a well-known route, say to or from work, and realize when you get to your destination that you can't recall exactly how you got there. The details are all a blur -- all you know is that you left your house this morning, and now you're in the parking spot at your office.
That's how I feel about the last six weeks.
One moment I was enjoying the last lazy days of summer, and now I'm enjoying leftover turkey soup. Blink.
It got me to wondering if I'm really 'living in the moment.' Not to sound too Oprah, but when life seems to be rushing by like this, I do wonder if I'm actually living each moment, or just looking ahead to the destination and not enjoying the journey. Life is zooming along with kids, work deadlines, house projects, social activities, etc, that each and every day seems incredibly full and offers no opportunity for reflection.
Sometimes I feel that I'm too busy doing things and looking ahead to what needs to get done, that I don't enjoy the 'now' and aren't really in touch with the moment. Each day feels like one big to-do list, and the only way I get satisfaction is if at least 3/4 of the items are checked off by the time I go to bed. Is that really what life should be about? Getting 'stuff done'?
You often hear about people who go through illness or some other life-changing event and, well, it really changes their lives. They say that each day is a gift and they live it to its fullest -- Carpe Diem and all that. Am I in need of a life-changing event to get me off of the fast lane and stopping to smell the roses? (sorry about the mixed metaphors) Maybe I just need to stop making to-do lists? Or maybe I need to stop looking at the clock/calendar and start looking closer at the faces (including the little ones) of the people in my life?
I'm looking for inspiration. Next up on the car stereo for my commute-to-work audio book: The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
When You've Had a Bad Day...
We all have those days, don't we? When you feel that nothing is going your way, when a situation at home or at work is stressful, and you can't seem to see beyond the problem. You complain about your life, you feel sorry for yourself and even ask 'why me?'
Here's a little something to put your life in perspective: Nick Vujicic was born with no arms and no legs, yet somehow he manages to have this amazingly positive outlook on life and does so many things you don't think he's even be capable of. He is thankful for what he has, and embraces life with humour and endless possibility.
As another blogger, who brought him to my attention, said, "He focuses not on his body, not on the world woe, but on all the things he is grateful for. He doesn't ask 'why me', he just decides he can do it. He can do anything. I don't feel sorry for him - I feel a bit envious of his inherent gratitude and knowledge of how to use it. I am in awe of his ability to take his own "defects" and turn them around to instill confidence in young girls, to teach them that they are beautiful."
After watching this video, have another look at your life and see all the potential that is there.
Here's a little something to put your life in perspective: Nick Vujicic was born with no arms and no legs, yet somehow he manages to have this amazingly positive outlook on life and does so many things you don't think he's even be capable of. He is thankful for what he has, and embraces life with humour and endless possibility.
As another blogger, who brought him to my attention, said, "He focuses not on his body, not on the world woe, but on all the things he is grateful for. He doesn't ask 'why me', he just decides he can do it. He can do anything. I don't feel sorry for him - I feel a bit envious of his inherent gratitude and knowledge of how to use it. I am in awe of his ability to take his own "defects" and turn them around to instill confidence in young girls, to teach them that they are beautiful."
After watching this video, have another look at your life and see all the potential that is there.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Back Home
We were finally paroled (er... discharged) from the hospital yesterday afternoon, and it feels good to be home. It felt even better to sleep with the lights off last night... in my own bed. I'm sure Charlotta felt the same.
As arduous as the EEG monitoring was, I'm so glad we did it. I had a good talk with the nurse just before we left the hospital, and she said that they had gotten a lot of good data about Charlotta's seizures. When the doctor has a chance to review and analyze the recordings, it should provide us with some insight as to how best to further treat Charlotta seizures and what some good options might be. It looks like brain surgery might still be on the table, but she also told me more about another option called the Vagus Nerve Simulator (VNS). The VNS is a sort of pace-maker that gets implanted just under the collar bone and is attached to the vagal nerve, which is a 'super-highway' to the brain. The VNS sends out electrical impulses every couple of minutes, and this has been shown to decrease seizures in some patients. The doctors don't know quite how or why it works, and it doesn't work on every one the same way, but it might be worth a try.
We'll know more in a few weeks when we have a follow-up visit with the doctor. For now, we're going to enjoy our freedom and a weekend trip to Whistler!
As arduous as the EEG monitoring was, I'm so glad we did it. I had a good talk with the nurse just before we left the hospital, and she said that they had gotten a lot of good data about Charlotta's seizures. When the doctor has a chance to review and analyze the recordings, it should provide us with some insight as to how best to further treat Charlotta seizures and what some good options might be. It looks like brain surgery might still be on the table, but she also told me more about another option called the Vagus Nerve Simulator (VNS). The VNS is a sort of pace-maker that gets implanted just under the collar bone and is attached to the vagal nerve, which is a 'super-highway' to the brain. The VNS sends out electrical impulses every couple of minutes, and this has been shown to decrease seizures in some patients. The doctors don't know quite how or why it works, and it doesn't work on every one the same way, but it might be worth a try.
We'll know more in a few weeks when we have a follow-up visit with the doctor. For now, we're going to enjoy our freedom and a weekend trip to Whistler!
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Video Intensive EEG Monitoring
For the last 30 hours, I have been confined to a hospital room with my daughter Charlotta as she undergoes Video Intensive EEG Monitoring. As I have mentioned before, she has epilepsy and has had seizures since birth. We have been on a variety of medications over the years, as well as the Ketogenic diet for 4+ years, but nothing has ever seemed to stop her seizures completely. She still has between 5-10 small seizures a day.
Last year, her neurologist wanted to take a broader look at some other treatment options to get her seizures under control. One of the options she mentioned was surgery (yes, as in brain surgery) to remove the particular part of her brain that was the starting point for the seizures. After my husband and I had picked up our mouths off the floor, the Dr explained that surgery was an under-utilized but quite effect treatment in the right circumstances. Those circumstances being that the seizures were indeed stemming from one particular place. In order to determine where the seizures are coming from, we were referred to a three (or more) day session at the hospital where they would monitor her brain waves 24/7.
Fast forward to today: Day 2 of our EEG monitoring. So far, she has had a number of typical seizures -- which is good, because you want to capture as much seizure brainwave activity as possible. The downside to all of this is trying to keep an active 10-year-old girl entertained while being confined to a bed. She has 35 electrical leads glued (literally, epoxied) onto her scalp, which are held in place by a netting cap and attached to a 15 foot cord which is attached into the wall of the hospital room. We have exactly enough cord length to go to the bathroom. Now I know what those poor dogs feel like who are left tethered to a stake in the backyard!
I have to observe Charlotta at all times, and whenever I see any seizure activity I need to press an indicator button as well as write it down on a log sheet. Did I mention that we are also videotaped 24 hours a day and that the lights have to stay on in the room at all times so that the video recording will be visible and that I'm not allowed to open the window or even the blinds in the room as that will also mess with the lighting for the video recording and that she was on orders to get only 4 hours of sleep last night because sleep deprivation can be a trigger for seizures?
OK, I know I sound like I'm complaining, but I do realize in the end that this information will be helpful in the treatment of her seizures even if she's not a candidate for surgery. I am grateful that we have this kind of service available to us, and that it's so close to home. Plus, I've had some great visits from family members to help pass the time.
It is also a very humbling experience to be on the Neurology ward of Children's Hospital and see all the other kids who are much worse off than my own. It reminds me that good health is a true gift and that we should remember to appreciate our healthy children.
Through it all, Charlotta has been a real trooper. She actually likes hospital food, thinks it's a real thrill to be able to eat in bed, and loves having Mom all to herself to play Barbies with ... talk about a glass-half-full kid!
Last year, her neurologist wanted to take a broader look at some other treatment options to get her seizures under control. One of the options she mentioned was surgery (yes, as in brain surgery) to remove the particular part of her brain that was the starting point for the seizures. After my husband and I had picked up our mouths off the floor, the Dr explained that surgery was an under-utilized but quite effect treatment in the right circumstances. Those circumstances being that the seizures were indeed stemming from one particular place. In order to determine where the seizures are coming from, we were referred to a three (or more) day session at the hospital where they would monitor her brain waves 24/7.
Fast forward to today: Day 2 of our EEG monitoring. So far, she has had a number of typical seizures -- which is good, because you want to capture as much seizure brainwave activity as possible. The downside to all of this is trying to keep an active 10-year-old girl entertained while being confined to a bed. She has 35 electrical leads glued (literally, epoxied) onto her scalp, which are held in place by a netting cap and attached to a 15 foot cord which is attached into the wall of the hospital room. We have exactly enough cord length to go to the bathroom. Now I know what those poor dogs feel like who are left tethered to a stake in the backyard!
I have to observe Charlotta at all times, and whenever I see any seizure activity I need to press an indicator button as well as write it down on a log sheet. Did I mention that we are also videotaped 24 hours a day and that the lights have to stay on in the room at all times so that the video recording will be visible and that I'm not allowed to open the window or even the blinds in the room as that will also mess with the lighting for the video recording and that she was on orders to get only 4 hours of sleep last night because sleep deprivation can be a trigger for seizures?
OK, I know I sound like I'm complaining, but I do realize in the end that this information will be helpful in the treatment of her seizures even if she's not a candidate for surgery. I am grateful that we have this kind of service available to us, and that it's so close to home. Plus, I've had some great visits from family members to help pass the time.
It is also a very humbling experience to be on the Neurology ward of Children's Hospital and see all the other kids who are much worse off than my own. It reminds me that good health is a true gift and that we should remember to appreciate our healthy children.
Through it all, Charlotta has been a real trooper. She actually likes hospital food, thinks it's a real thrill to be able to eat in bed, and loves having Mom all to herself to play Barbies with ... talk about a glass-half-full kid!
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Where did July go?
Blink. It's almost August.
July has been a busy month, no doubt, but it's hard to believe the summer is half over. Here's a recap of the past month:
Charlotta (on the right) and her friend Hailey with their camp counsellors.
(Nothing says 'summer camp' like tie-die t-shirts.)
Looking ahead to August, things look just as busy. Whatever happened to those lazy summer days spent reading a novel in a hammock and sipping gin and tonics? (oh yeah... that was before kids...)
July has been a busy month, no doubt, but it's hard to believe the summer is half over. Here's a recap of the past month:
- Attempted a sugar-free diet for exactly 6.5 days and then promptly fell off the wagon when we went on our camping trip. Hello over-processed, sugar-laden convenience foods, my old friend.
- Speaking of our amazing eight-day camping trip to Skaha Lake in Penticton, I got all crafty and made a video of it. As Steve and I said to each other, the sure sign of a good camping trip is when, on the last day, instead of wanting your own bed and comforts of home, you decide that you would stay an extra week if you could.
- The weekend after we came home from camping, Steve and I dropped off Charlotta at summer camp in Squamish, and then went on to have a glorious, child-free 24 hours to ourselves in Whistler. (Steve's sister Julie took care of Ashley and Jack for the weekend.)
- In between all of this, I've managed to get in a few days of work, but today I was off to Squamish again to pick Charlotta up from her camp. She had a great time, and the counsellors took really good care of the kids.
Charlotta (on the right) and her friend Hailey with their camp counsellors.(Nothing says 'summer camp' like tie-die t-shirts.)
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Sugar Free Me
OK, it's been six days since I started cutting sugar out of my diet, and so far I'm doing pretty good. I haven't turned into the wild-eyed, desperate lunatic that I thought I would have, so that's a good sign, right?
According to my self-made 3-Step Program, I'm well into Step 1, which is eliminating all the obvious sweets, bakery goods, juice, jams, chocolate, etc, from my diet. I've also been very careful about the sugar contained in the processed foods I'm eating (Step 2). You would not believe what all has sugar in it. Take this test:
Which of the following contains sugar:
a) mayonaise
b) ketchup
c) beef jerky
d) all of the above.
If you chose d) you're right. (By the way, I don't normally eat beef jerky but was at Costco the other day looking for a sugar-free snack food and thought beef jerky would have been a safe bet until I looked at the ingredients list.)
Take a look at the some of the products/condiments in your home and you'd be surprised how hard it is to avoid sugar. If I was the paranoid type, I could come up with this great conspiracy theory about World Domination by Food Manufacturers by getting us all hooked on sugar.
As for Step 3 in my regime, I'm still eating fruit which has natural sugars in it, and I don't think I'll give that up.
Overall, I've felt OK and haven't felt nauseous or had a headache (which is what happened when I tried to go without coffee for 24 hours back in university.... crazy girl). But I still have this vague feeling of not being satisfied even after I've had a big meal. I've been trying to quell my craving for munchies with nuts, so obviously any weight I would have lost by eliminating sugar has been replaced by the bazillion calories in every handful of nuts. But still, I do crave SOMETHING SWEET.
We're going camping for a week on Saturday, and I think (I know) I'm going to fall of the wagon with all of the convenience foods you rely on when you're camping. However, at that point I will have gone a week without refined sugar, so at least my body will have had a break from the 'white poison.'
According to my self-made 3-Step Program, I'm well into Step 1, which is eliminating all the obvious sweets, bakery goods, juice, jams, chocolate, etc, from my diet. I've also been very careful about the sugar contained in the processed foods I'm eating (Step 2). You would not believe what all has sugar in it. Take this test:
Which of the following contains sugar:
a) mayonaise
b) ketchup
c) beef jerky
d) all of the above.
If you chose d) you're right. (By the way, I don't normally eat beef jerky but was at Costco the other day looking for a sugar-free snack food and thought beef jerky would have been a safe bet until I looked at the ingredients list.)
Take a look at the some of the products/condiments in your home and you'd be surprised how hard it is to avoid sugar. If I was the paranoid type, I could come up with this great conspiracy theory about World Domination by Food Manufacturers by getting us all hooked on sugar.
As for Step 3 in my regime, I'm still eating fruit which has natural sugars in it, and I don't think I'll give that up.
Overall, I've felt OK and haven't felt nauseous or had a headache (which is what happened when I tried to go without coffee for 24 hours back in university.... crazy girl). But I still have this vague feeling of not being satisfied even after I've had a big meal. I've been trying to quell my craving for munchies with nuts, so obviously any weight I would have lost by eliminating sugar has been replaced by the bazillion calories in every handful of nuts. But still, I do crave SOMETHING SWEET.
We're going camping for a week on Saturday, and I think (I know) I'm going to fall of the wagon with all of the convenience foods you rely on when you're camping. However, at that point I will have gone a week without refined sugar, so at least my body will have had a break from the 'white poison.'
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Hi, My Name is Kim and I'm an Addict
It began innocently enough a few days ago at a Canada Day BBQ. I was chatting with a friend who had recently gone on a "cleanse" by eliminating sugar from her diet for 3 weeks. She said she felt great (well, actually the first week was Hell on Earth, but for weeks 2 and 3 she felt great), she dropped 10 lbs and when she started to consume sugar again, she felt that she didn't have the appetite or crave it has much as she had pre-cleanse.
So, my friend's experience combined with the fact that we know how bad sugar is for your health, made me think of my own habits. And friends, I am willing to admit it: I am a sugar addict. I know this after trying to go a measly two days without any sweet treats. Sugar, I'm beginning to believe, is an addictive substance just like alcohol, nicotine or drugs. The proof is simple: try going without it for any length of time and see how hard it is.
However, like with most addictive substances, I think the key to success is not trying to quit cold turkey. I did try that a few years ago (when I had thrush while nursing one of my kids) and it was darn near impossible. Instead, I have a 3-step plan to wean myself from sugar:
Step 1. Try to eliminate the obvious sugary sweets from my diet first. That means the jam on my toast, the square or two of chocolate after dinner, the dessert, the ice-cream, the vanilla syrup in my Starbucks Earl Grey Tea Latte, any bakery goodies, and on it goes. I think this first step will be the biggest and hardest to do, but the key is not to give up if I cheat a little. Which, let's face it, is bound to happen.
Step 2. Avoid the processed foods that sneak sugar in (even though they don't taste sweet). You'd be surprised at the wide range of foods that have sugar in ingredient list: ketchup, salad dressing, flavoured potato chips, "healthy" cereal, peanut butter, and a bazillon other condiment-type products in my pantry.
Step 3. Reduce the amount of high-sugar fruits I consume. I'm not sure I'll even get to this step (especially with all the yummy summer fruits now available), but it would be the final step to consider if I wanted to be hard-core about doing this sugar cleanse.
I'm on Day 2 of Step 1 at the moment, so I don't want to get ahead of myself. So far, I've turned down Timbits (donuts) that Steve and kids brought home yesterday, chocolate brownies, and the temptation to reach for a square of chocolate when I was doing the dinner dishes tonight. This afternoon, I actually felt really tired and had low-energy -- a sure sign that my body was missing the sugar.
It will, no doubt, be an interesting week ahead as I detox. I hope I don't get too grumpy or decide that it's all not worth it and snarf down a box of Oreo cookies in one sitting.
I'll keep you posted...
So, my friend's experience combined with the fact that we know how bad sugar is for your health, made me think of my own habits. And friends, I am willing to admit it: I am a sugar addict. I know this after trying to go a measly two days without any sweet treats. Sugar, I'm beginning to believe, is an addictive substance just like alcohol, nicotine or drugs. The proof is simple: try going without it for any length of time and see how hard it is.
However, like with most addictive substances, I think the key to success is not trying to quit cold turkey. I did try that a few years ago (when I had thrush while nursing one of my kids) and it was darn near impossible. Instead, I have a 3-step plan to wean myself from sugar:
Step 1. Try to eliminate the obvious sugary sweets from my diet first. That means the jam on my toast, the square or two of chocolate after dinner, the dessert, the ice-cream, the vanilla syrup in my Starbucks Earl Grey Tea Latte, any bakery goodies, and on it goes. I think this first step will be the biggest and hardest to do, but the key is not to give up if I cheat a little. Which, let's face it, is bound to happen.
Step 2. Avoid the processed foods that sneak sugar in (even though they don't taste sweet). You'd be surprised at the wide range of foods that have sugar in ingredient list: ketchup, salad dressing, flavoured potato chips, "healthy" cereal, peanut butter, and a bazillon other condiment-type products in my pantry.
Step 3. Reduce the amount of high-sugar fruits I consume. I'm not sure I'll even get to this step (especially with all the yummy summer fruits now available), but it would be the final step to consider if I wanted to be hard-core about doing this sugar cleanse.
I'm on Day 2 of Step 1 at the moment, so I don't want to get ahead of myself. So far, I've turned down Timbits (donuts) that Steve and kids brought home yesterday, chocolate brownies, and the temptation to reach for a square of chocolate when I was doing the dinner dishes tonight. This afternoon, I actually felt really tired and had low-energy -- a sure sign that my body was missing the sugar.
It will, no doubt, be an interesting week ahead as I detox. I hope I don't get too grumpy or decide that it's all not worth it and snarf down a box of Oreo cookies in one sitting.
I'll keep you posted...
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Last Day of School... First Day of Summer Holidays
Ah, that fateful day came today for my kids. This half-day was filled with report cards and art projects and workbooks and teacher gifts and thank-yous and farewells and see-you-in-Septembers. Nothing but a long summer stretching out ahead of us like an endless highway on the prairies. No really, I'm looking forward to it.
Do you remember the end of school from your childhood? You had the whole summer ahead of you: camping trips, time at the cottage, family holidays, playing on the street, visiting friends, ice creams and staying up late. Of course, somewhere in mid-July the boredom would set in. "Mom, there's nothing to do." Of course Mom was full of suggestions about helping weed the garden, fold laundry or cleaning up your room.
Doesn't it make you nostalgic for your childhood and that time when you had no worries or concerns except for what you would be doing that day or the next? In these days that are filled with work pressures, kids' needs and over-scheduled calendars, don't you wish you could recapture that carefree, simple time again?
Maybe that's my goal for this summer: to live like a kid and enjoy each day to the fullest.
Do you remember the end of school from your childhood? You had the whole summer ahead of you: camping trips, time at the cottage, family holidays, playing on the street, visiting friends, ice creams and staying up late. Of course, somewhere in mid-July the boredom would set in. "Mom, there's nothing to do." Of course Mom was full of suggestions about helping weed the garden, fold laundry or cleaning up your room.
Doesn't it make you nostalgic for your childhood and that time when you had no worries or concerns except for what you would be doing that day or the next? In these days that are filled with work pressures, kids' needs and over-scheduled calendars, don't you wish you could recapture that carefree, simple time again?
Maybe that's my goal for this summer: to live like a kid and enjoy each day to the fullest.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
The Bloggy-moon's Over
OK... I'm feeling the blogger's guilt. My last post was almost a month ago, and whatever happened to my goal of posting once a week? Life gets busy I guess, and other things take priority. It's not that I haven't had any good ideas about what to write -- I could tell you about the awesome new windows that were installed in our house a few weeks ago, or my business trip to Fredericton, New Brunswick -- but somehow, I just haven't found the time... No time like the present, right?
For the windows, I want to do 'before' and 'after' photos, so I'll start with my trip to the East Coast. I went to Fredericton for 4 days for the Canadian Association of University Continuing Education annual conference. A colleague and I were giving a presentation on Email Marketing on the last day of the conference, so the conference experience was not quite as leisurely as I had hoped. Instead, we spent most of our "free time" preparing our presentation and overcoming our public speaking jitters. All-in-all, it went as good as could be expected, considering that the competition (the concurrent presentation in the room next door) was giving our free wine and cheese.
The town of Fredericton is quite cute, but a lot smaller than I had envisioned. When I got off the plane, my big-city eyes couldn't believe the small airport with its single baggage carousel and the one other propeller plane on the tarmac.
Like all trips, it was nice to get away, but even nicer to come back home to my family (and the awesome new windows that were installed on the house in my absence -- more about that later!)
For the windows, I want to do 'before' and 'after' photos, so I'll start with my trip to the East Coast. I went to Fredericton for 4 days for the Canadian Association of University Continuing Education annual conference. A colleague and I were giving a presentation on Email Marketing on the last day of the conference, so the conference experience was not quite as leisurely as I had hoped. Instead, we spent most of our "free time" preparing our presentation and overcoming our public speaking jitters. All-in-all, it went as good as could be expected, considering that the competition (the concurrent presentation in the room next door) was giving our free wine and cheese.
The town of Fredericton is quite cute, but a lot smaller than I had envisioned. When I got off the plane, my big-city eyes couldn't believe the small airport with its single baggage carousel and the one other propeller plane on the tarmac.
Like all trips, it was nice to get away, but even nicer to come back home to my family (and the awesome new windows that were installed on the house in my absence -- more about that later!)
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Try Something New
Today I tried something new. This is big news because in my day-to-day life, if I'm honest with myself, there's not too much new stuff going on. But today was different and it felt exhilarating to do something that I've never done before.
Friends of ours bought a Stand Up Paddleboard (yes, it has an acronym: SUP) a few weeks ago. Unfortunately the 11+ft board did not fit up the stairs or elevator to their apartment, so they've been storing it in our backyard. Today, all of us went to White Rock beach to go "SUPing." The couple who own the SUP are pretty good at it (he's a surfer so it comes naturally), but my husband and I had never tried it before. So Steve goes out first and has a hard time staying upright on the board. It looks really shaky and slippery, and not all that stable.
Then it was my turn. I felt apprehensive because I don't naturally have great balance and I really didn't want to get wet and if Steve had a hard time, I would have an even harder time. Anyhow, I get a 3-minute tutorial on how to keep my balance and am advised to start by kneeling on the board. So out I go, knowing that I would last exactly 17 seconds on this board and then end up dragging it back to shore.
Well, I started on my knees and did OK. "Hmm," I thought, "I can do this. I'll just stay on my knees." So I'm paddling on my knees for a while, and then I think, "What the heck, I'll try to stand up." Then, to my surprise, I stay standing. So now I'm standing and paddling (this is what you are supposed to do) and I'm feeling mildly confident. I do end up falling in eventually, but I had a really good run at it. After taking my dip in the Pacific Ocean, I climb back on the board and continue to paddle up and down the beach. I'm actually gone for quite a while so that Steve comes the shore to check on me, gives me a wave, and heads back to the kids and the beach blanket.
No, this isn't me -- just some random online image. But this is what I'd like to think I looked like (minus the sun visor and rainbow, of course!).
Anyhow, it felt really good to overcome my reluctance and try something new today. As we get older, it's not often that we challenge ourselves and I was really surprised to find that I was good at something new. But I think that even if I wasn't good at it, I would have been proud of myself for taking up the opportunity to have new experience. Today reminded me that it's a big world out there and sometimes we get too comfortable with what we know and do.
When was the last time you tried something new?
Friends of ours bought a Stand Up Paddleboard (yes, it has an acronym: SUP) a few weeks ago. Unfortunately the 11+ft board did not fit up the stairs or elevator to their apartment, so they've been storing it in our backyard. Today, all of us went to White Rock beach to go "SUPing." The couple who own the SUP are pretty good at it (he's a surfer so it comes naturally), but my husband and I had never tried it before. So Steve goes out first and has a hard time staying upright on the board. It looks really shaky and slippery, and not all that stable.
Then it was my turn. I felt apprehensive because I don't naturally have great balance and I really didn't want to get wet and if Steve had a hard time, I would have an even harder time. Anyhow, I get a 3-minute tutorial on how to keep my balance and am advised to start by kneeling on the board. So out I go, knowing that I would last exactly 17 seconds on this board and then end up dragging it back to shore.
Well, I started on my knees and did OK. "Hmm," I thought, "I can do this. I'll just stay on my knees." So I'm paddling on my knees for a while, and then I think, "What the heck, I'll try to stand up." Then, to my surprise, I stay standing. So now I'm standing and paddling (this is what you are supposed to do) and I'm feeling mildly confident. I do end up falling in eventually, but I had a really good run at it. After taking my dip in the Pacific Ocean, I climb back on the board and continue to paddle up and down the beach. I'm actually gone for quite a while so that Steve comes the shore to check on me, gives me a wave, and heads back to the kids and the beach blanket.
No, this isn't me -- just some random online image. But this is what I'd like to think I looked like (minus the sun visor and rainbow, of course!).
Anyhow, it felt really good to overcome my reluctance and try something new today. As we get older, it's not often that we challenge ourselves and I was really surprised to find that I was good at something new. But I think that even if I wasn't good at it, I would have been proud of myself for taking up the opportunity to have new experience. Today reminded me that it's a big world out there and sometimes we get too comfortable with what we know and do.
When was the last time you tried something new?
Sunday, May 9, 2010
A Gr8t Mother's Day
Today was an awesome day!
It started off with a cup of tea and three hand-made Mother's Day cards from my kids. I also got a macaroni necklace (thanks Jack), a big hug (thanks Charlotta), a Kindergarten-made baby-food jar full of bath salts (thanks Ashley - although I don't know if I'll get around to having a bath in this decade) and a beautiful bouquet of flowers (thanks Steve).
I then wolfed down a bowl of porridge, donned my running gear and went to join 50,000 other Vancouverites for the 10K Vancouver Sun Run. The weather was great, my friend and I got an awesome parking spot (always important!) and we had a great run. Another member of my running group had sent an email out a few days ago with a some last-minute tips and one of them -- which I took to heart -- was hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. And although I was up at least twice a night to go to the bathroom for the past few nights, it really paid off today when I felt like a million bucks after the race and for the rest of the day. I never new what a friend I had in water!
I wanted to share a cute thing that happened as we were waiting at the start line. It's wall-to-wall people, so you can over hear everyone's conversation (but that's just an excuse, because I'm really not above eavesdropping). Anyhow, there were these two 14-year-old boys in front of us, who came to downtown Vancouver on the bus/SkyTrain. It's now 9:10 am and one boy looks at his transit ticket and says to his friend, "Hey, if we finish the race by 9:45 we can use this ticket to go home again!' To put this into perspective, the Olympic-caliber winner of the Sun Run completed the run in about 30 minutes, so it was highly unlikely that these boys would finish in 35 minutes, but I just loved their optimism and resourcefulness.
The other thing I remember about the run was at about kilometre 8.5, I saw someone holding a pink sign that said "Go, Mom, Go!" and I took it personally.
In the afternoon, my Mom came over to our house and we ate Strawberry Shortcake and drank coffee on the patio while the kids played (and fought -- I didn't say it was perfect) in the backyard. Oh, and did I mention that the weather was actually warm and sunny for the first time this Spring in Vancouver?
Here's hoping I don't have too many aching muscles tomorrow. Water, do your magic...
It started off with a cup of tea and three hand-made Mother's Day cards from my kids. I also got a macaroni necklace (thanks Jack), a big hug (thanks Charlotta), a Kindergarten-made baby-food jar full of bath salts (thanks Ashley - although I don't know if I'll get around to having a bath in this decade) and a beautiful bouquet of flowers (thanks Steve).
I then wolfed down a bowl of porridge, donned my running gear and went to join 50,000 other Vancouverites for the 10K Vancouver Sun Run. The weather was great, my friend and I got an awesome parking spot (always important!) and we had a great run. Another member of my running group had sent an email out a few days ago with a some last-minute tips and one of them -- which I took to heart -- was hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. And although I was up at least twice a night to go to the bathroom for the past few nights, it really paid off today when I felt like a million bucks after the race and for the rest of the day. I never new what a friend I had in water!
I wanted to share a cute thing that happened as we were waiting at the start line. It's wall-to-wall people, so you can over hear everyone's conversation (but that's just an excuse, because I'm really not above eavesdropping). Anyhow, there were these two 14-year-old boys in front of us, who came to downtown Vancouver on the bus/SkyTrain. It's now 9:10 am and one boy looks at his transit ticket and says to his friend, "Hey, if we finish the race by 9:45 we can use this ticket to go home again!' To put this into perspective, the Olympic-caliber winner of the Sun Run completed the run in about 30 minutes, so it was highly unlikely that these boys would finish in 35 minutes, but I just loved their optimism and resourcefulness.
The other thing I remember about the run was at about kilometre 8.5, I saw someone holding a pink sign that said "Go, Mom, Go!" and I took it personally.
In the afternoon, my Mom came over to our house and we ate Strawberry Shortcake and drank coffee on the patio while the kids played (and fought -- I didn't say it was perfect) in the backyard. Oh, and did I mention that the weather was actually warm and sunny for the first time this Spring in Vancouver?
Here's hoping I don't have too many aching muscles tomorrow. Water, do your magic...
Sunday, May 2, 2010
This is going to hurt me more than it hurts you
This is the phrase that came to mind this past weekend as we were forced to discipline our 4-year-old son. I say forced, but what I really mean is that we had to make good on a promise if we were ever to have any disciplinary credibility with our kids.
Here's what happened: A week ago Thursday, my husband got the talk of shame from our daycare. Jack had been hitting other kids when he got angry and even (gasp) bit a child. It didn't come as a total surprise, as he had had violent outbursts against his sisters at home, but we just chalked that up to family dynamics and sibling rivalry. Now, after the warning from daycare, we were mortified into action.
First came THE TALK (violence is bad, use your words instead), which wasn't as effective as we had hoped. Then came thethreats of punishment, I mean logical consequences. We told our little man several (read: 235,989) times in the previous week that he if did not behave (read: stop hitting other kids) he would miss his hockey lessons on Saturday. It was going OK for a few days, then he hit Ashley's little friend on Friday. Goodbye Saturday morning hockey lessons.
The hard thing for Jack was that he wasn't just not going to his hockey lesson, he had to come along and watch Ashley play hockey as they are in the same Little Gretzky's class. Cruel, I know. He took it surprisingly well, and we used each opportunity as he was staring longingly at the ice as a "teaching moment."
Was it an effective way to discipline him? What were our options? It would have been unbelievably hypocritical of us to spank him for hitting other kids. Timeouts seem too light-weight for doing something as major has hitting or biting another child. I think our only choice was to warn him of the consequences if he did this bad thing again and then -- this is key -- to follow through with our promise. I think it hurt us more than it hurt him.
The whole issue of disciplining or guiding our children has been one of the most challenging and unsure areas in our parenting experience so far. It makes think back to my own childhood and try to remember what forms of punishment or discipline actually helped me learn a lesson and which just made me hate my parents more (sorry Mom if you're reading this, but we're all good now, right?).
Anyhow, the most depressing part of this weekend's tough love experience is that we're only just dipping our toes into the ocean of teaching our kids the lessons of life. Can't wait til they're teenagers!
Here's what happened: A week ago Thursday, my husband got the talk of shame from our daycare. Jack had been hitting other kids when he got angry and even (gasp) bit a child. It didn't come as a total surprise, as he had had violent outbursts against his sisters at home, but we just chalked that up to family dynamics and sibling rivalry. Now, after the warning from daycare, we were mortified into action.
First came THE TALK (violence is bad, use your words instead), which wasn't as effective as we had hoped. Then came the
The hard thing for Jack was that he wasn't just not going to his hockey lesson, he had to come along and watch Ashley play hockey as they are in the same Little Gretzky's class. Cruel, I know. He took it surprisingly well, and we used each opportunity as he was staring longingly at the ice as a "teaching moment."
Was it an effective way to discipline him? What were our options? It would have been unbelievably hypocritical of us to spank him for hitting other kids. Timeouts seem too light-weight for doing something as major has hitting or biting another child. I think our only choice was to warn him of the consequences if he did this bad thing again and then -- this is key -- to follow through with our promise. I think it hurt us more than it hurt him.
The whole issue of disciplining or guiding our children has been one of the most challenging and unsure areas in our parenting experience so far. It makes think back to my own childhood and try to remember what forms of punishment or discipline actually helped me learn a lesson and which just made me hate my parents more (sorry Mom if you're reading this, but we're all good now, right?).
Anyhow, the most depressing part of this weekend's tough love experience is that we're only just dipping our toes into the ocean of teaching our kids the lessons of life. Can't wait til they're teenagers!
Monday, April 26, 2010
Almond Flour Scones
OK, I promised a recipe or two when I started this blog, and this is one of my favourites lately. I got the recipe from my sister-in-law Julie, who got it from a friend of hers who is gluten intolerant. Despite the gluten-free label, these scones taste really great! They are kind of moist and chewy.
Don't be scared off by the more obscure ingredients (agave nectar, grape seed oil), they are all available at most grocery stores.
Combine almond flour, sea salt and baking soda in a large bowl. In smaller bowl whisk together eggs, grape seed oil and agave nectar. Mix with dry ingredients. Add raisins. Spoon onto parchment paper lined baking sheets. Makes 12 (distribute batter accordingly). Bake at 350 degrees C for 12-17 minutes until browned. Leave on tray to cool for 20 minutes.
Enjoy!
Don't be scared off by the more obscure ingredients (agave nectar, grape seed oil), they are all available at most grocery stores.
- 2 ½ c Almond Flour (ground baking almonds; often available in the bulk food section of the grocery store)
- ½ tsp Sea Salt (fine)
- ½ tsp Baking Soda
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1/3 c Grape Seed Oil
- ¼ c Agave Nectar (light)
- 3/4 cup Dried Cranberries (or raisins, blueberries chocolate chips)
Combine almond flour, sea salt and baking soda in a large bowl. In smaller bowl whisk together eggs, grape seed oil and agave nectar. Mix with dry ingredients. Add raisins. Spoon onto parchment paper lined baking sheets. Makes 12 (distribute batter accordingly). Bake at 350 degrees C for 12-17 minutes until browned. Leave on tray to cool for 20 minutes.
Enjoy!
Saturday, April 10, 2010
A Good Trip
This past Easter weekend, my younger daughter Ashley and I flew to Toronto to visit my dad and step-mother. I hadn't been back to visit them in over a year and thought it was time again. My dad has advanced Alzheimer's and has been in a nursing home for the last 3 1/2 years and, as is the nature of his disease, is progressively declining in his functions.
I initially thought to bring Ashley along because my brother, who lives in Ottawa, was going to bring his daughter (who is a year older than Ashley) down as well, and it would be a good chance for the cousins to see each other again. As it turned out, my niece couldn't make it, so just my brother came down.
We all had a good visit just the same and, I think, gave my step-mother a much-needed dose of moral support. She's been on her own in terms of caring for my dad and does a wonderful job of visiting him daily, but I'm sure sometimes she feels that it's all up to her. It really sucks having aging parents that live in a different city from you. My brother and I are so grateful that our step-mom is there for our dad.
Before we got to Toronto, there was one part of the visit that I was nervous about: What would Ashley think about seeing her grandfather in a nursing home? (All of her grandparents in Vancouver are in their 70s and healthy and active.) And, how would she react to the other Alzheimer's patients in the home and their sometimes odd behaviour? Well, I shouldn't have worried. She totally AMAZED ME! She was so natural and accepting, and just wanted to help him out. "Can I push the wheelchair, Mom?" "Can I help feed Opa his snack?" As for the other patients in the nursing home, she was more curious than worried or frightened.
Never underestimate the capacity of a six-year-old.
I initially thought to bring Ashley along because my brother, who lives in Ottawa, was going to bring his daughter (who is a year older than Ashley) down as well, and it would be a good chance for the cousins to see each other again. As it turned out, my niece couldn't make it, so just my brother came down.
We all had a good visit just the same and, I think, gave my step-mother a much-needed dose of moral support. She's been on her own in terms of caring for my dad and does a wonderful job of visiting him daily, but I'm sure sometimes she feels that it's all up to her. It really sucks having aging parents that live in a different city from you. My brother and I are so grateful that our step-mom is there for our dad.
Before we got to Toronto, there was one part of the visit that I was nervous about: What would Ashley think about seeing her grandfather in a nursing home? (All of her grandparents in Vancouver are in their 70s and healthy and active.) And, how would she react to the other Alzheimer's patients in the home and their sometimes odd behaviour? Well, I shouldn't have worried. She totally AMAZED ME! She was so natural and accepting, and just wanted to help him out. "Can I push the wheelchair, Mom?" "Can I help feed Opa his snack?" As for the other patients in the nursing home, she was more curious than worried or frightened.
Never underestimate the capacity of a six-year-old.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Snitch
I like to think of myself as one of those live-and-let-live types (my husband probably disagrees), but today I went out of my way to report someone who wasn’t doing their job properly. Here’s what happened:
On Friday night, a friend and I went for a walk by the beach. As we were making our way home, we saw a man with several stacks of the local newspaper – The Peach Arch News – in a baby stroller (obviously, his means of delivering them). I didn’t think much of it since the local paper is published on Sundays, Wednesday and Fridays. In fact, I went over to him to ask if he had an extra copy of the paper, since the delivery of it to our home is unreliable, and I covet the Friday edition for its grocery store flyers.
Anyhow, after the man gave me a copy of the paper, my friend and I walked away, but also started to look at him a bit more closely. He was stopped by a large garbage can (the kind they have in public parks) and was cutting the bundle strap on each bundle of papers and was stuffing the papers into the garbage can. When one garbage can was full, he would push his stroller another 20 metres to the next garbage can and cram that can full of papers.
As we kept walking, what this guy was doing started to bug us on so many levels. First of all, it's dishonest. The newspaper publisher is paying this person to deliver the paper to a certain set of houses, and he’s not doing that. Secondly, it's wasteful. He was stuffing the newspapers into the garbage can, so they weren’t even being recycled. And finally, I’m one of those people who look forward to my local newspaper, and if this guy were my carrier (he’s not), I would be pretty pissed at what was happening to the paper which I wanted to read.
So this morning, I snitched on the guy. I called the circulation desk of the local paper, and left a message with my story, along with my name and number in case they wanted more details. I didn’t feel great about ratting out the guy (OK, maybe I felt just a little great), but I know if I hadn’t done this, it would have annoyed me every time I went to look on my doorstep for the local newspaper and it wasn’t there, and I would have wished I reported this guy when I had the chance.
On Friday night, a friend and I went for a walk by the beach. As we were making our way home, we saw a man with several stacks of the local newspaper – The Peach Arch News – in a baby stroller (obviously, his means of delivering them). I didn’t think much of it since the local paper is published on Sundays, Wednesday and Fridays. In fact, I went over to him to ask if he had an extra copy of the paper, since the delivery of it to our home is unreliable, and I covet the Friday edition for its grocery store flyers.
Anyhow, after the man gave me a copy of the paper, my friend and I walked away, but also started to look at him a bit more closely. He was stopped by a large garbage can (the kind they have in public parks) and was cutting the bundle strap on each bundle of papers and was stuffing the papers into the garbage can. When one garbage can was full, he would push his stroller another 20 metres to the next garbage can and cram that can full of papers.
As we kept walking, what this guy was doing started to bug us on so many levels. First of all, it's dishonest. The newspaper publisher is paying this person to deliver the paper to a certain set of houses, and he’s not doing that. Secondly, it's wasteful. He was stuffing the newspapers into the garbage can, so they weren’t even being recycled. And finally, I’m one of those people who look forward to my local newspaper, and if this guy were my carrier (he’s not), I would be pretty pissed at what was happening to the paper which I wanted to read.
So this morning, I snitched on the guy. I called the circulation desk of the local paper, and left a message with my story, along with my name and number in case they wanted more details. I didn’t feel great about ratting out the guy (OK, maybe I felt just a little great), but I know if I hadn’t done this, it would have annoyed me every time I went to look on my doorstep for the local newspaper and it wasn’t there, and I would have wished I reported this guy when I had the chance.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
A Rose By Any Other Name...
As I was sitting in front of the TV tonight, eating a bowl of ice cream and watching The Biggest Loser, I got to thinking about running and pasta (two important themes in weight-loss!). In particular, I got to thinking about how the names of these things have changed over time. Remember when people used to go jogging? Well, now you go running (I'm actually a runner and, trust me, no one goes jogging anymore). What about when pasta used to be noodles? And have you noticed that people don't talk about their car anymore, but their vehicle?
It's not the like the actual item changes, just what we call it changes. I have no sociological opinion on why this happens, but I just think it's interesting. Can you think of other items that used to be called one thing in, say, your childhood and now have a different name?
It's not the like the actual item changes, just what we call it changes. I have no sociological opinion on why this happens, but I just think it's interesting. Can you think of other items that used to be called one thing in, say, your childhood and now have a different name?
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Blindsided
I've been around a while and, through sheer volume of life experiences, have come to expect the unexpected and am usually prepared for most things. This past week, however, I was blindsided by some unforeseen news.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, our oldest daughter has epilepsy as well as a few other health concerns (by the way, the rash turned out to be nothing and she is still able to take her anti-seizure medication). Anyhow, about 2 years ago I noticed that when she bent over, one side of her back seemed uneven with the other side. I went to our family doctor about this, and asked if we could be referred an orthopedic specialist. A few months later (yes, months, this is the Canadian health care system after all), we got a call from the specialist asking that we get x-rays. We got the x-rays taken in February 2009, but they were sent to our doctor's office instead of to the specialist. I finally tracked them down and long story short, when I called the specialist's office later in the Spring, they informed me that they had had a look at the x-rays and would book us in for an appointment next year. I asked the receptionist,"Next year as in 2010?" "Yes, 2010." I took that to mean that our daughter's situation wasn't that dire and that we would be seen for a routine check up in due course.
Fast forward to March 2010. We finally saw the orthopedic specialist at the Children's Hospital this past Tuesday. Right after we got checked in with the orthopedic department, they sent us for another set of back x-rays. Then we were in the small examining room waiting for the doctor. The first six words out of his mouth were: "She's going to need back surgery." OK, I am exaggerating here. He talked for about 3-4 minutes about scoliosis and how physiotherapy and back braces didn't really work, but the only part I remember is : "She's going to need back surgery." Totally did not see that coming.
My jaw was probably still hanging open when he explained that the x-rays from last year showed a 41% curve in her spine, and the x-rays from that morning showed a 56% curvature, and at this rate we needed to do something fairly quickly. He also said that puberty tends to cause most cases of scoliosis to get worse, and since she was only 9 years old, the worst was yet to come. The titanium rod that they would insert in her back during the surgery would correct the current curve as best it could, and prevent any further curving.
The doctor put us on the waiting list for surgery, which was 1 1/2 years long, and we need to see him again in 6 months to get updated x-rays and check on her situation. So, I guess the good news is that we've got a year and a half to prepare ourselves for the surgery, and I'm sure I'll have a long list of questions for the doctor when we see him again in 6 months.
I was pretty bummed out about this news on the day that we had the appointment, but am getting used to it. As my husband said (looking on the bright side, as he often does), at least this is a defined problem with a straightforward solution. The treatment that has been proposed for so many of our daughter's other health issues are wait-and-see or let's-try-this, so at least this situation is a little more cut and dry. Still, it's one more thing on our plate and one more thing she has to go through. Compared to many kids her age, she's had a tough go of it. But to her credit, she is a real trouper and I'm sure she will take this all in stride, too. I just need to follow her example...
As I mentioned in an earlier post, our oldest daughter has epilepsy as well as a few other health concerns (by the way, the rash turned out to be nothing and she is still able to take her anti-seizure medication). Anyhow, about 2 years ago I noticed that when she bent over, one side of her back seemed uneven with the other side. I went to our family doctor about this, and asked if we could be referred an orthopedic specialist. A few months later (yes, months, this is the Canadian health care system after all), we got a call from the specialist asking that we get x-rays. We got the x-rays taken in February 2009, but they were sent to our doctor's office instead of to the specialist. I finally tracked them down and long story short, when I called the specialist's office later in the Spring, they informed me that they had had a look at the x-rays and would book us in for an appointment next year. I asked the receptionist,"Next year as in 2010?" "Yes, 2010." I took that to mean that our daughter's situation wasn't that dire and that we would be seen for a routine check up in due course.
Fast forward to March 2010. We finally saw the orthopedic specialist at the Children's Hospital this past Tuesday. Right after we got checked in with the orthopedic department, they sent us for another set of back x-rays. Then we were in the small examining room waiting for the doctor. The first six words out of his mouth were: "She's going to need back surgery." OK, I am exaggerating here. He talked for about 3-4 minutes about scoliosis and how physiotherapy and back braces didn't really work, but the only part I remember is : "She's going to need back surgery." Totally did not see that coming.
My jaw was probably still hanging open when he explained that the x-rays from last year showed a 41% curve in her spine, and the x-rays from that morning showed a 56% curvature, and at this rate we needed to do something fairly quickly. He also said that puberty tends to cause most cases of scoliosis to get worse, and since she was only 9 years old, the worst was yet to come. The titanium rod that they would insert in her back during the surgery would correct the current curve as best it could, and prevent any further curving.
The doctor put us on the waiting list for surgery, which was 1 1/2 years long, and we need to see him again in 6 months to get updated x-rays and check on her situation. So, I guess the good news is that we've got a year and a half to prepare ourselves for the surgery, and I'm sure I'll have a long list of questions for the doctor when we see him again in 6 months.
I was pretty bummed out about this news on the day that we had the appointment, but am getting used to it. As my husband said (looking on the bright side, as he often does), at least this is a defined problem with a straightforward solution. The treatment that has been proposed for so many of our daughter's other health issues are wait-and-see or let's-try-this, so at least this situation is a little more cut and dry. Still, it's one more thing on our plate and one more thing she has to go through. Compared to many kids her age, she's had a tough go of it. But to her credit, she is a real trouper and I'm sure she will take this all in stride, too. I just need to follow her example...
Saturday, March 13, 2010
A Big Dose of Inspiration on the Small Screen
Like most Vancouverites, I'm still faintly aglow from the Olympic spectacle and overwhelming public spirit that overtook our city a few weeks ago. However, last night as I watched the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games opening ceremony on TV, I was moved by the individual spirit and joy of each athlete that entered the BC Place stadium.
Competing in a sport is hard enough, but try doing that when you are missing an arm or a leg, or both. Through determination and perseverance, these athletes have overcome physical adversity to do many things that able-bodied people can't, or don't even try to do.
There's a lesson for all of us in their example. Even if you don't have any physical disability, all of us have experienced hardship in some form or other in our lives. Maybe it's illness, maybe it's job-related, maybe it's about family and loved ones, maybe it's about your relationships. Whatever your unique misfortune is, these athletes have shown us -- have reminded me -- that with a positive attitude and hard work, almost anything is possible. We don't need to wallow in our situation, we have the ability to do something about it. Be inspired by the courage of others who have overcome difficult circumstances, and make the best of each day.
So here's looking forward to another week of watching amazing performances by not only physically, but also emotionally inspiring athletes.
Competing in a sport is hard enough, but try doing that when you are missing an arm or a leg, or both. Through determination and perseverance, these athletes have overcome physical adversity to do many things that able-bodied people can't, or don't even try to do.
There's a lesson for all of us in their example. Even if you don't have any physical disability, all of us have experienced hardship in some form or other in our lives. Maybe it's illness, maybe it's job-related, maybe it's about family and loved ones, maybe it's about your relationships. Whatever your unique misfortune is, these athletes have shown us -- have reminded me -- that with a positive attitude and hard work, almost anything is possible. We don't need to wallow in our situation, we have the ability to do something about it. Be inspired by the courage of others who have overcome difficult circumstances, and make the best of each day.
So here's looking forward to another week of watching amazing performances by not only physically, but also emotionally inspiring athletes.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
The 3 C's of Sustainability: Create, Consume, Cash-In
What's the first commandment of that eco-savvy citizen's pledge Reduce, Reuse and Recycle? It's Reduce, right? It always amazes me then, that there are plenty of successful businesses that sell eco-friendly stuff... stuff that you almost always don't need. Where's the Reduce in that?
We live in a consumer-driven society and that fact is inherently at odds with being sustainable. How can producing, packaging, shipping and selling something, and then casting aside the old (presumably non-green) something be good for the planet? In what bizarre frame of logic can we consume our way to being green? Perhaps the collective consciousness doesn't even question our consumer lifestyle, and figures if you are going to consume, we might as well make it green. Or maybe we realize that consumerism is bad, but instead of living with less, we can assuage our guilt by at least buying something that is green.
If you're wondering what started me on this rant, it was a 2/3 page article in the Style section of our daily Vancouver Sun newspaper which featured a local online company that was doing a booming business by selling eco-friendly products. "We focus on unique, contemporary products that look good... they just happen to be good for the planet, too," the owner is quoted as saying. Of course, like the "circular recycled steel container that has everything needed to grow four different types of chocolate-coloured flowers, including organic seeds, wooden stakes and growing instructions" for $17. Would a paper envelope of wildflower seeds from your local garden shop for 79 cents not be less resource intensive, and still give you nice flowers to look at?
What we need -- along with the reusable sandwich wrap and natural soy crayons -- is an attitude adjustment when it comes to what we really need. Is living with less such a high price to pay for a sustainable planet?
We live in a consumer-driven society and that fact is inherently at odds with being sustainable. How can producing, packaging, shipping and selling something, and then casting aside the old (presumably non-green) something be good for the planet? In what bizarre frame of logic can we consume our way to being green? Perhaps the collective consciousness doesn't even question our consumer lifestyle, and figures if you are going to consume, we might as well make it green. Or maybe we realize that consumerism is bad, but instead of living with less, we can assuage our guilt by at least buying something that is green.
If you're wondering what started me on this rant, it was a 2/3 page article in the Style section of our daily Vancouver Sun newspaper which featured a local online company that was doing a booming business by selling eco-friendly products. "We focus on unique, contemporary products that look good... they just happen to be good for the planet, too," the owner is quoted as saying. Of course, like the "circular recycled steel container that has everything needed to grow four different types of chocolate-coloured flowers, including organic seeds, wooden stakes and growing instructions" for $17. Would a paper envelope of wildflower seeds from your local garden shop for 79 cents not be less resource intensive, and still give you nice flowers to look at?
What we need -- along with the reusable sandwich wrap and natural soy crayons -- is an attitude adjustment when it comes to what we really need. Is living with less such a high price to pay for a sustainable planet?
Sunday, March 7, 2010
A rash of bad luck
Hardly 48 hours into my 'look on the gr8t side of life' blog launch and already I've encountered a major challenge. Our oldest daughter, who is nine, has epilepsy. Since her birth, we've been trying to control her seizures with medication, diet and have even considered a few therapies that fall on the far side of alternative (hyperbaric oxygen therapy, anyone?). About nine months ago, we began a new medication that showed great promise. The only hitch was that we had to be very vigilant to make sure she did not develop a rash, as this is a sometimes fatal side effect of the medication, Lamotrigine. She had actually tried this medication when she was about five years old, developed a rash within the first week and had to come off of it immediately. This time around, we began with really low doses of the medication last summer, and ever so slowly increased them to give her body a chance to get used to it. She has been doing very well on the medication and we are almost up to our recommended dose now.
You know what's coming next, right? This morning as she was getting dressed, I noticed some spots on her leg. I called my husband over and we discovered that she had spots all over her right leg. Not good. He took her to Children's Hospital (the only place we take her because of her complicated medical history, plus they have a neurologist on call -- and did I mention it was Sunday?). Anyhow, it was a tense couple of hours as they did blood and urine tests to try and figure out if the rash was caused by the medication or not. If it was the medication, we'd have to stop cold turkey, and we were worried about what would happen with her seizures AND if we could even find another medication that would be as effective. We've been on half a dozen medications over the last 9 years, and this has been the best one, so you can understand how much was at stake. Luckily, the tests indicated that the rash was not caused by the medication. We have a follow-up appointment with a dermatologist tomorrow or the next day to find out what it could be -- hopefully something 'normal' like chickenpox!
We're so thankful that this rash turned out not to be caused by the medication, but it really does put in to perspective how tenuous life can be when you've got a child with health concerns. It could have easily gone the other way, and we'd be stressed out this very minute about how were going to find another treatment that was as effective for her. I guess, though, we would have just dealt with that if it happened. It brings to mind this great sports quote (and I have no idea who said it): "In life, you can't choose what position you play, but you can choose how you play it."
You know what's coming next, right? This morning as she was getting dressed, I noticed some spots on her leg. I called my husband over and we discovered that she had spots all over her right leg. Not good. He took her to Children's Hospital (the only place we take her because of her complicated medical history, plus they have a neurologist on call -- and did I mention it was Sunday?). Anyhow, it was a tense couple of hours as they did blood and urine tests to try and figure out if the rash was caused by the medication or not. If it was the medication, we'd have to stop cold turkey, and we were worried about what would happen with her seizures AND if we could even find another medication that would be as effective. We've been on half a dozen medications over the last 9 years, and this has been the best one, so you can understand how much was at stake. Luckily, the tests indicated that the rash was not caused by the medication. We have a follow-up appointment with a dermatologist tomorrow or the next day to find out what it could be -- hopefully something 'normal' like chickenpox!
We're so thankful that this rash turned out not to be caused by the medication, but it really does put in to perspective how tenuous life can be when you've got a child with health concerns. It could have easily gone the other way, and we'd be stressed out this very minute about how were going to find another treatment that was as effective for her. I guess, though, we would have just dealt with that if it happened. It brings to mind this great sports quote (and I have no idea who said it): "In life, you can't choose what position you play, but you can choose how you play it."
Friday, March 5, 2010
Another gr8t day gets off to a rocky start...
Whew... well, that was utterly painful. In my quest to start my own blog, I was sidelined to the point of almost quitting by having to choose a 'unique' blog/user name. I guess that's what happens when you come late to the party. It is 2010 after all. I'm sure if I had started my blog in, say, 2005 I could have had my preferred name: HerSoapbox.blogspot.com
Oh well, I chose anothergr8tday (and I had to get creative with the '8' since 'great' spelled the normal way was already taken) because I'm truly trying to look at life in a positive way. Although small things and yes, sometimes big things too, might not go my way, each day is really a blessing and should be valued for that. Glass half-full. Look on the bright side. Attitude of gratitude. (Sorry, don't mean to get all Oprah).
Anyhow, let's see how this goes...
Oh well, I chose anothergr8tday (and I had to get creative with the '8' since 'great' spelled the normal way was already taken) because I'm truly trying to look at life in a positive way. Although small things and yes, sometimes big things too, might not go my way, each day is really a blessing and should be valued for that. Glass half-full. Look on the bright side. Attitude of gratitude. (Sorry, don't mean to get all Oprah).
Anyhow, let's see how this goes...