This is going to be a multi-part post, as we progress through our treatment.
So, as you know, Carson is a sick kid. He's had tons and tons of respiratory issues. We've spent more time than I care to remember at Chateau Children's (those sofa beds really suck!), and as the years have gone by, things have seemed to get worse, instead of better. Over the winter he was diagnosed as having Reactive Airway Disorder, and we started him on Singulair, an inhaler, added in steroids, nebulizer treatments, allergy meds, and the list went on and on. We finally pushed for some allergy testing, along with chest and sinus x rays.
We found out our kid is allergic to life. No joke. He is allergic to pollen, ragweed, pretty much every tree and grass. Weirdly, he tested allergic to peanuts and dairy, though he's not had issues with either as far as we know. The worst part? He tested hugely, crazily allergic to dogs and cats. Like, levels that are unheard of. We (had) a dog and a cat. He'd just gotten the kitten for Christmas. We immediately re-homed the animals, which definitely helped. We also got a new pet, Franklin the Fancy Mouse. (he is not allergic to mice). But, things still weren't great.
So, my friends at Omaha Area Natural Parents suggested we seek chiropractic care. I'd always wanted to, but our insurance doesn't cover it, and after a foreclosure and bankruptcy, I couldn't afford it. At a meeting with OANP and two local chiropractors, we were offered care, and we jumped on it.
Dr. Melissa Waszak from Aligned Health and Wellness is simply amazing. She has such a huge heart, and truly cares about her patients, and helping them get well. I'd love to shout from the rooftops about how much we love her!
Anyway, I really knew nothing about chiropractic care, and thought I'd write some pieces about what care is like. My idea of chiro care was what I saw on an episode of That 70's Show. I totally pictured necks being wrenched, and hearing things snap, crackle and pop!! Definitely not the case!
At our first visit, we were greeted by Sarah, Dr. W's assistant. She gave me some paperwork to fill out, and then was really great talking with Carson. There are toys in the waiting room, so he was well entertained. There is quite a bit of paperwork... questions about what is currently troubling you, along with past medical history.
When we were finished, we went into an exam room, and talked with Dr. Waszak. We discussed our issues, what treatment would be like, what to expect, and then we went into the x ray room. No x rays were taken of Carson, but I had x rays of my neck. Upon examining both of us, it was determined we both have sublexation of the neck. Basically? Are necks are all wonky, and not how they should be.
My treatment plan would involve 24 visits, the traction table (don't be scared, it's actually awesome), adjustments, and acupuncture, and Carson's involved 18 visits, adjustments and acupuncture. Our first week we went every day!
So, now you'll need to tune in for my next post, about the beginning of care, and all about Dr. Waszak!
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
The Cup
I swore I'd never do it. That it wasn't for me. I'd stick to the chemical laden alternative. And then... well, I don't really know what happened. I think it was all of my friends persistence at hounding me to do a review. So, here we land. I got a Lunette Cup.
Fair warning: if you are a dude, or squeamish about your nether yay-ya (bonus points if you get that reference), you may want to look away now. This post involves who-has, blood, and well...there is a pretty iconic toilet scene. You have been warned.
I'm assuming most of you know what a Lunette Cup (or any menstrual cup) is. If not, here's the low down. It's a little silicone cup you shove up your boy howdy that collects the goods during your period. Sounds weird, but frankly.... so are tampons that are chemical filled, or pads which are frankly just gross. To me, anyway. The cup easily folds up for insertion and expands once in place.
This should be a no brainer. Until you add a Megan to the equation. We all know I'm not full of grace. But really... how badly could I screw this up? Epically, my friends. That's how. Let me paint you a picture.....
So, I purchase the Lunette Cup at my local cloth diapering/natural parenting store, Baby Junk. I went in thinking I'd get a different brand (rhymes with Shmiva, starts with a D), but everyone recommended the Lunette. Plus, it came in purple. That's important. I mean, it will spend it's time shoved up a love tunnel, so it should be pretty, right?! Right. So, I purchases it and went on my merry way. Thanks to Mother Nature, I was able to use it right away.
I remove the little cup from it's satin bag (pretty fancy, eh?!) and read the instructions. Basically, you are to push it flat, so both halves are touching, then fold it in half again. Seems easy enough. Then? Well, you basically just shove. Slightly uncomfortable, but mostly just a strange feeling. When the cup is in place, you are supposed to turn it, to make sure it expands fully and is locked and loaded. Now, I bought the size 2, which is for anyone who has had a baby, regardless of method of delivery. It seemed to be a good fit, but there was no way on God's Green Earth that I could rotate that mofo. I kegel'ed it up a bit, and hoped for the best. Once in, the thing was a delight! I couldn't feel it at all.
Fast forward to removal. Now I'd heard you could leave it in for up to 12 hours. I left it in for 8-10, I can't remember exactly. Lesson number 1. This is way too effing long. How did I learn this, you ask? Why, let me tell you! To remove, you have to "break the seal" since suction is what keeps that little bugger in. The recommended way is to work your finger into your lady bits next to the cup, and push the side of the cup inward, to break the seal. Awesome idea. In theory. As soon as I pushed the cup in, the cup overflowed. Ghastly sight, yes. But, I'm a Mom and I deal with bodily fluids all the time. My own blood covering my hand an arm like a scene out of "Carrie" wasn't THAT bad. The issue? That little mofo became more slippery than Lindsay Lohan in the justice system. I was rapidly losing my grip, the side had re-expanded and frankly, I just panicked. I started yanking. Lesson number 2. If you don't break the seal effectively, it will rip your cervix out of your body. Or so it feels. So, hickey in place on my cervix, I finally get that bad boy out. And it slips from my hand. Into the toilet. Where I had peed. And now approximately 10 gallons of blood sat.
What the hell do you do?!?! I mean, I paid $40 for that bad boy. My mind raced, and my stomach heaved. And then I did it. I plunged my hand into a bloody bowl of urine. I bumped the cup with my hand, and as I went to grab it.... poof! Down the hole it went. I'm pretty sure my anguished cries could be heard two states over. I then shoved my hand down the hole. No dice. Twenty minutes I spent fishing around, and that bad boy was GONE. I contaminated myself for no reason. NOT COOL.
After I showered 3 times, I stomped around the house yelling at anything that dared look my way. I finally decided to write the people at Lunette, looking for some support. I mean... I can't be the only one this has happened to, right? Yeah, wrong. I got an email back stating I WAS the only one! People had dropped them, but never literally lost them down the shitter. In a weird way, I felt kind of awesome. I mean, let's face it. That email made the rounds to everyone at Lunette. I'm a celebrity.
The kind people at Lunette (seriously, they are SUPER helpful) offered to send me another, if I'd share my experience with all of you. So, I hope you are enjoying my blog of shame.
Thankfully when I received the new one, I had no other shenanigans. Honestly? I love this thing. I find it super easy to insert, and it expands easily. I have a super heavy flow, so for a few days, I have to empty it every 3 hours or so. But that's much better than the hour I was getting from tampons. And on the lighter days, I can then leave it in for 12 hours if I want. The silicone is soft and pliable. It's easy to clean, easy to use. I'm not going to lie, there is definitely a learning curve, and you have to be comfortable with handling your Notorious V.A.G. (Jessica, I'm talking to you). But really, a few times using it, and you are golden. It's MUCH more comfortable, and you are able to use it for a much longer time. It's green, it's economical (though I know the $40 price tag up front is a lot to swallow, if you are used to paying $6 for a box of tampons) and it's much better for your body. Frankly, I think every damn one of you should run out and buy one now. Yeah, even you over there with the penis. Give it to your wife!
I have not tried any other menstrual cups, though I did purchase a Fleurcup. I haven't used it yet, so I can't report on it. I purchased it after the first Lunette disaster, but got my replacement pretty quickly and I just haven't branched out. I want to give a big shout out to the folks over at Lunette. Mostly, for keeping their hysterical laughter to themselves and not making me feel like more of an idiot. Well, that, and their customer service is just great. Super quick response, really helpful suggestions, and they definitely care about their product and helping the consumer use it correctly! The website is incredibly helpful when trying to figure out sizing and using it for the first time.
While I started this review out with a comical horror story, you can pretty much rest assured that I'm the only jackass on the planet who will have this issue. I really DO recommend trying the Lunette, and frankly... isn't that saying a lot, considering my first experience? If I can endorse it, anybody can and should use it!
Fair warning: if you are a dude, or squeamish about your nether yay-ya (bonus points if you get that reference), you may want to look away now. This post involves who-has, blood, and well...there is a pretty iconic toilet scene. You have been warned.
I'm assuming most of you know what a Lunette Cup (or any menstrual cup) is. If not, here's the low down. It's a little silicone cup you shove up your boy howdy that collects the goods during your period. Sounds weird, but frankly.... so are tampons that are chemical filled, or pads which are frankly just gross. To me, anyway. The cup easily folds up for insertion and expands once in place.
This should be a no brainer. Until you add a Megan to the equation. We all know I'm not full of grace. But really... how badly could I screw this up? Epically, my friends. That's how. Let me paint you a picture.....
So, I purchase the Lunette Cup at my local cloth diapering/natural parenting store, Baby Junk. I went in thinking I'd get a different brand (rhymes with Shmiva, starts with a D), but everyone recommended the Lunette. Plus, it came in purple. That's important. I mean, it will spend it's time shoved up a love tunnel, so it should be pretty, right?! Right. So, I purchases it and went on my merry way. Thanks to Mother Nature, I was able to use it right away.
I remove the little cup from it's satin bag (pretty fancy, eh?!) and read the instructions. Basically, you are to push it flat, so both halves are touching, then fold it in half again. Seems easy enough. Then? Well, you basically just shove. Slightly uncomfortable, but mostly just a strange feeling. When the cup is in place, you are supposed to turn it, to make sure it expands fully and is locked and loaded. Now, I bought the size 2, which is for anyone who has had a baby, regardless of method of delivery. It seemed to be a good fit, but there was no way on God's Green Earth that I could rotate that mofo. I kegel'ed it up a bit, and hoped for the best. Once in, the thing was a delight! I couldn't feel it at all.
Fast forward to removal. Now I'd heard you could leave it in for up to 12 hours. I left it in for 8-10, I can't remember exactly. Lesson number 1. This is way too effing long. How did I learn this, you ask? Why, let me tell you! To remove, you have to "break the seal" since suction is what keeps that little bugger in. The recommended way is to work your finger into your lady bits next to the cup, and push the side of the cup inward, to break the seal. Awesome idea. In theory. As soon as I pushed the cup in, the cup overflowed. Ghastly sight, yes. But, I'm a Mom and I deal with bodily fluids all the time. My own blood covering my hand an arm like a scene out of "Carrie" wasn't THAT bad. The issue? That little mofo became more slippery than Lindsay Lohan in the justice system. I was rapidly losing my grip, the side had re-expanded and frankly, I just panicked. I started yanking. Lesson number 2. If you don't break the seal effectively, it will rip your cervix out of your body. Or so it feels. So, hickey in place on my cervix, I finally get that bad boy out. And it slips from my hand. Into the toilet. Where I had peed. And now approximately 10 gallons of blood sat.
What the hell do you do?!?! I mean, I paid $40 for that bad boy. My mind raced, and my stomach heaved. And then I did it. I plunged my hand into a bloody bowl of urine. I bumped the cup with my hand, and as I went to grab it.... poof! Down the hole it went. I'm pretty sure my anguished cries could be heard two states over. I then shoved my hand down the hole. No dice. Twenty minutes I spent fishing around, and that bad boy was GONE. I contaminated myself for no reason. NOT COOL.
After I showered 3 times, I stomped around the house yelling at anything that dared look my way. I finally decided to write the people at Lunette, looking for some support. I mean... I can't be the only one this has happened to, right? Yeah, wrong. I got an email back stating I WAS the only one! People had dropped them, but never literally lost them down the shitter. In a weird way, I felt kind of awesome. I mean, let's face it. That email made the rounds to everyone at Lunette. I'm a celebrity.
The kind people at Lunette (seriously, they are SUPER helpful) offered to send me another, if I'd share my experience with all of you. So, I hope you are enjoying my blog of shame.
Thankfully when I received the new one, I had no other shenanigans. Honestly? I love this thing. I find it super easy to insert, and it expands easily. I have a super heavy flow, so for a few days, I have to empty it every 3 hours or so. But that's much better than the hour I was getting from tampons. And on the lighter days, I can then leave it in for 12 hours if I want. The silicone is soft and pliable. It's easy to clean, easy to use. I'm not going to lie, there is definitely a learning curve, and you have to be comfortable with handling your Notorious V.A.G. (Jessica, I'm talking to you). But really, a few times using it, and you are golden. It's MUCH more comfortable, and you are able to use it for a much longer time. It's green, it's economical (though I know the $40 price tag up front is a lot to swallow, if you are used to paying $6 for a box of tampons) and it's much better for your body. Frankly, I think every damn one of you should run out and buy one now. Yeah, even you over there with the penis. Give it to your wife!
I have not tried any other menstrual cups, though I did purchase a Fleurcup. I haven't used it yet, so I can't report on it. I purchased it after the first Lunette disaster, but got my replacement pretty quickly and I just haven't branched out. I want to give a big shout out to the folks over at Lunette. Mostly, for keeping their hysterical laughter to themselves and not making me feel like more of an idiot. Well, that, and their customer service is just great. Super quick response, really helpful suggestions, and they definitely care about their product and helping the consumer use it correctly! The website is incredibly helpful when trying to figure out sizing and using it for the first time.
While I started this review out with a comical horror story, you can pretty much rest assured that I'm the only jackass on the planet who will have this issue. I really DO recommend trying the Lunette, and frankly... isn't that saying a lot, considering my first experience? If I can endorse it, anybody can and should use it!
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Carson's 4th birthday... Lorax style!!
This is the AWESOME cake that my bestie Jess made! If you are in need of a cake, cupcakes or more, check out Confetti Creations!
Here is the setup, complete with truffula trees!
Best party theme, ever!
The cake was lemon with raspberry, and the cupcakes were funfetti.
Top of the cake. Aren't the truffula tufts awesome?
On pinterest, the jar that I saw was filled with orange jelly beans or M&Ms or something. But do you know how expensive that is? Eff that noise. I put a couple orange napkins and a leftover orange boa in there. Call me a cheap bastard, if you will.
Mini truffula trees. I have a permanent dent in my thumb from shoving the straight pins in! The tablecloth was just 2.5 yards of Chevron fabric. I have a thing for Chevron. Just ask Brooke.
I used tin cans to hold the utensils, straws and photo props. I found the Lorax ribbon on Etsy.
8oz mason jars were the cups!
This Lorax party was based off of the movie. So, we have humming fish (goldfish crackers), brown barbaloot bears (chocolate teddy grahams), truffula seeds (sunflower seeds) and mini marshmallows, which the Once-ler fed the bears.
Cups, and the juice behind. I printed out a Lorax face and cut it out to put on the juice jar.
Each guest got to plant a spider plant, and that was the "goodie bag". Cost effective AND environmentally friendly!
The kids loved having their pictures taken by the truffula trees!
Birthday boy!!!
A made about the best face EVER!
My Dad!
Jessica and Ethan!
My Mom and Carson
A family of Loraxes!
Thursday, August 9, 2012
King's Pointe Waterpark!
We were once again lucky enough to be invited to stay at King's Pointe Resort this summer! We went for the first time last year, and had a terrific time. This time was no different! When we arrived, we were greeted warmly, and they even had a fold up frisbee for Carson, which he loved. We had a Queen Room, overlooking the lake, and it was a gorgeous view! The rooms are wonderful--very clean, well kept and best of all, spacious! There was plenty of room for everything! The bathroom is nice and spacious, and our room even had a fridge. Not every room comes with one, but we requested one, and received it.
We were all kind of tired and cranky from the car ride, so we decided to order room service from the Regatta Grille. We knew from past experience that the food was good. Unfortunately, we did have an extremely long wait, but I will say they kept us up to date, and were very apologetic about it. They were hit with a bunch of orders at once. There is really something to please everyone on the menu, and I love that they have kid friendly foods.
Every staff member that we interacted with was so nice, and they all went out of their way to interact with Carson. This was important to me, and I took note, because this is not a kid themed resort. Yes, there is a water park, but there aren't any goofy characters, so I wouldn't necessarily expect staff to be so good with kids. But they were! Another thing to note... unlike other water park resorts we have stayed in, this one is quiet. You don't hear kids screaming up and down the halls, or babies crying in other rooms. It was definitely peaceful and relaxing!
Now... the water park!!! I'll be honest, we did not spend much time indoors, because the outdoor attractions were so great! And we couldn't pry Carson off the diving board! I am always leery of public pools, because many seem to be dirty. Hair, leaves, debris... but the King's Pointe pools are extremely clean. There are also a LOT of life guards on duty. While I never took my eye off of Carson, and we had him in a puddle jumper life belt, I felt pretty comfortable with him in the water, and paddling around. He can swim just fine, but I wasn't ready to just toss him in a big pool like that with so many people.
There are a bunch of attractions for kids... slides, buckets that dump water, spray areas... and they are all in one area, so you can keep track of your kid. Even though C was on the verge of being too big/old for them, he still loved it all. There is also a set up with floating lily pads and a cargo net above them that he was pretty enamored with! There is no want for things to do!! This year I took the plunge and went down the funnel slide, or as I like to call it, the toilet bowl. :) It was a pretty cool ride... you go down an enclosed tunnel at a high rate of speed and it spits you out in a giant funnel. The goal is to spin around as many times as you can before you drop down the center. I went around a lot! I will say the current when you drop down is strong. Im a good swimmer, and it disoriented me for a minute. I asked the life guard how many people a day they had to fish out, and she said quite a few! There are also 3 other big water slides located in the same area, along with a lazy river. All are fun, and not too scary. One even has holograms that play inside, when you are riding down!!
The resort is set right on Storm Lake. While we didn't swim in the lake, we did walk around the paths, check out the beach, and hit the playground next to the resort. The playground is big and really nice! We had a hard time prying C off of it. There is also a nice little garden area to stroll through. There is a lighthouse located next to the resort, and you can go to the top of it. The view is amazing!
Storm Lake is small, and very friendly. We met up with some friends who were at the resort too, and found a local bar and grill to eat at. The food was good, and so was the service. There are lots of little local places to check out, as well as your chain fast food places. There is a grocery store, and we found a Dairy Queen, too. What good is vacation without ice cream?!
On our way out of town, we hit a few of the historical sites, too. There were some very cool older buildings that we checked out, and we also hit the windmill farms a ways out of town. They were really neat to see so close up!
In our opinion, King's Pointe and Storm Lake offer a really great, relaxing vacation that is not too far from Omaha, but far enough to give you that "Im out of town and relaxing" feel. We truly love King's Pointe, and how friendly they are, and how top notch their resort is. We hope it is a part of our summer every year!
We were all kind of tired and cranky from the car ride, so we decided to order room service from the Regatta Grille. We knew from past experience that the food was good. Unfortunately, we did have an extremely long wait, but I will say they kept us up to date, and were very apologetic about it. They were hit with a bunch of orders at once. There is really something to please everyone on the menu, and I love that they have kid friendly foods.
Every staff member that we interacted with was so nice, and they all went out of their way to interact with Carson. This was important to me, and I took note, because this is not a kid themed resort. Yes, there is a water park, but there aren't any goofy characters, so I wouldn't necessarily expect staff to be so good with kids. But they were! Another thing to note... unlike other water park resorts we have stayed in, this one is quiet. You don't hear kids screaming up and down the halls, or babies crying in other rooms. It was definitely peaceful and relaxing!
Now... the water park!!! I'll be honest, we did not spend much time indoors, because the outdoor attractions were so great! And we couldn't pry Carson off the diving board! I am always leery of public pools, because many seem to be dirty. Hair, leaves, debris... but the King's Pointe pools are extremely clean. There are also a LOT of life guards on duty. While I never took my eye off of Carson, and we had him in a puddle jumper life belt, I felt pretty comfortable with him in the water, and paddling around. He can swim just fine, but I wasn't ready to just toss him in a big pool like that with so many people.
There are a bunch of attractions for kids... slides, buckets that dump water, spray areas... and they are all in one area, so you can keep track of your kid. Even though C was on the verge of being too big/old for them, he still loved it all. There is also a set up with floating lily pads and a cargo net above them that he was pretty enamored with! There is no want for things to do!! This year I took the plunge and went down the funnel slide, or as I like to call it, the toilet bowl. :) It was a pretty cool ride... you go down an enclosed tunnel at a high rate of speed and it spits you out in a giant funnel. The goal is to spin around as many times as you can before you drop down the center. I went around a lot! I will say the current when you drop down is strong. Im a good swimmer, and it disoriented me for a minute. I asked the life guard how many people a day they had to fish out, and she said quite a few! There are also 3 other big water slides located in the same area, along with a lazy river. All are fun, and not too scary. One even has holograms that play inside, when you are riding down!!
The resort is set right on Storm Lake. While we didn't swim in the lake, we did walk around the paths, check out the beach, and hit the playground next to the resort. The playground is big and really nice! We had a hard time prying C off of it. There is also a nice little garden area to stroll through. There is a lighthouse located next to the resort, and you can go to the top of it. The view is amazing!
Storm Lake is small, and very friendly. We met up with some friends who were at the resort too, and found a local bar and grill to eat at. The food was good, and so was the service. There are lots of little local places to check out, as well as your chain fast food places. There is a grocery store, and we found a Dairy Queen, too. What good is vacation without ice cream?!
On our way out of town, we hit a few of the historical sites, too. There were some very cool older buildings that we checked out, and we also hit the windmill farms a ways out of town. They were really neat to see so close up!
In our opinion, King's Pointe and Storm Lake offer a really great, relaxing vacation that is not too far from Omaha, but far enough to give you that "Im out of town and relaxing" feel. We truly love King's Pointe, and how friendly they are, and how top notch their resort is. We hope it is a part of our summer every year!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
