What A Slacker!

Hair Follicle Drug Testing

Add comment February 25th, 2010

Need to test your kids for drugs or maybe even potential employees?

Don’t rely on those pee-in-a-cup tests which only give you a few days worth of information. Use a more accurate hair follicle drug test with a longer testing range. You can now see results from as far as 90 days ago.

Parents with this easy test, you could actually test your kid without them ever knowing about it. Why risk that teenage anger being directed at you if you are wrong? Address the problem then confront them with the results. All you need is a hair sample to send off to the lab and in a short while you are armed with the truth. Couldn’t get any easier than that.

Note: if you do check out the info on the above site, the links at the bottom of the pages do not work use the ones in the header.

Power of Copper

Add comment February 12th, 2010

Way back when I was a kid in the 70s copper bracelets were all the rage. Fashion, like history, always seems to repeat itself. That is not always a bad thing. The good old copper bracelet is a good example of that. It seems like everyone is sporting a bangle or a cuff made of copper these days.

Besides being fashionable there are supposed health benefits to wearing a copper bracelet too. Not that it has miraculous healing powers or anything but it is thought to reduce pain and inflammation from arthritis by absorbing the copper through the skin.

Copper Bracelet Arthritis pain relief is not just another urban legend. Studies show that people can actual get more copper in there system via a bracelet than dietary supplements. Kind of cool isn’t it?

If you are looking for some very fashionable copper bracelets check out BillyTheTree.com, they have some really nice bracelets at great prices and with free shipping.

Why Go Without Health Insurance

Add comment February 12th, 2010

I was just reading about how about half of the country’s uninsured people actually choose to be uninsured not because they can’t afford it but rather they just don’t feel they need health insurance. Can you believe that? Even if you are young and healthy you still need insurance for the simple fact that you never know what lies ahead for you.

California Tonik Health Insurance was designed to address that very demographic.

Having health insurance was always something that was drilled into me by my parents. I could never have imagined being without it even when I was in my 20s.

Sponsored by TonikCalifornia.org

Target Pharmacy Closed in Middle of Day

Add comment April 30th, 2009

Target pharmacy has pissed me off. These days that is real easy to do (not that it isn’t pretty easy any old time, just more so now). Target no longer calls their customers — well, customers. They call them guests instead. I think it is to foster a better image, but it doesn’t work. All it does is allow them to ignore the age-old adage that the customer is always right (whoever heard of the guest is always right?) Heck, it even allows them to ignore the customer.

Well in my home the guest is treated with respect and gets pretty much what they want not so at Target especially the pharmacy. I went on Sunday; my only available day, to pick up my prescriptions and the pharmacy was closed for lunch! They can’t even man the pharmacy for the posted hours for their store. For god’s sake take people from other departments but don’t shut down in the middle of the day when people need to get their medications. I could not wait for it to re-open as I had to get to the hospital and it would be closed by the time I got home. I had to wait until my next day off to make a special trip in to Target just to pick up my pills. If I weren’t already boycotting CVS I would take my business there. Maybe I will see how the new Rite-aid does with my next Rx.

I’m just saying if you can’t be open during published hours then maybe you don’t deserve any business?

RAID Doesn’t Kill Just Bugs; Keep Away From Cats

Add comment April 29th, 2009

Wired magazine had an article a little while back that caught my eye, it was titled “Kills Bugs Dead, And Cats Too.” The article tells us what’s inside RAID. If you are a cat owner like me, you will be removing this dangerous substance from your home. I absolutely hate spiders and relied on RAID to rid my house of these eight-legged monster, I’ll just have to find a new way to kill those spiders.

Raid contains Pyrethrin and Pyrethroids, which are poisons that cause nerve cells to remain open too long, according to Wired this makes “the neurons fire repeatedly resulting in paralysis and death.” They also go on to say that these two poisons are supposed to be the least deadly pesticides to mammals. However, you still have to keep it away from your cat as cats’ livers cannot process Pyrethrin fast enough and will die.

I don’t know about you but I would rather keep my cat healthy and deal with a few bugs than hurt my bestest best friend.

I will keep my eyes open for an alternative to RAID. I have been looking at a few natural pesticides and hope they will work and be safe for my cats.

Hospital Horrors

Add comment January 5th, 2009

I had to go to the hospital for tests (more ultrasounds on my legs because of the accident) the Friday after mom’s funeral. It was hard enough going back into a hospital only days after my mother just died in one, but given the reception (or lack there of) at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Reading it is a wonder I did not snap. My appointment was at 1pm, bad time because most likely everyone takes there lunch from 12 to 1. When I first arrived there was no one in the reception area that I was directed to for patient registration. So I popped out to ask the person at the window I had just passed, but she was now gone. As I was going back into the waiting area a couple was coming in as well. I held the door for them and said something about nobody being here. Just then a lady popped out of an office a started to take the couples info. When I spoke up about being there first she got downright nasty to me saying she saw them come in first (DUH, I held the door for them as I came back in the room). After a little argument with her she finally took me in first.

Yes, I could have waited a few minutes, but as I said it was bothering me even being in the hospital in the first place and her treatment of me become a real issue for me. Why would any hospital have someone with such a horrible disposition working the desk where patients need some kindness and compassion? She had no idea why I was there or what my back-story was yet she treated me like dirt. I could have been there for a very serious test and been extremely worried about my health and the outcome of said test. If that were the case I certainly should have been handled with kid gloves not in the harsh manner that I was. In fact ever person walking into that room should be treated in a kinder, gentler manner than how she addressed me since you never know why they are there in the first place.

Once I was finally registered (by another person thankfully) I was directed to another unmanned waiting area. After my last experience I decided to stay put this time and wait to see if anyone ever bothered to show up. Someone eventually did and took me back for my test.

The lady that gave me my ultrasound that day was so kind and personable that it almost made up for the treatment I received when I first walked in that hospital. While I was back there they called a code blue (you all know what that is) and I got really upset as the memories flooded back to me. I told her that my mother had just passed away to explain my tears. She reached out and touched my leg telling me how sorry she was. I could tell that she was showing genuine compassion for me. She also told me if she were me she would not be having this test done. (But I knew Mom wanted me to find out why my legs are still so bad even a year after the accident, so I went.)

After my test was over I thanked her repeatedly for her kindness and for explaining what she was seeing during the ultrasound (techs won’t usually do that they leave it to the doctors who don’t really tell you anything). I just wanted to make sure she knew how much I had appreciated her that day.

Now St. Joe’s needs to find a few more of her to deal with the patients as they walk through the door and get rid of that grouchy one they have now.

Mom Passed Away Today

Add comment December 28th, 2008

Like the night before I fell asleep on the sofa, but I had a little help from the vicodin I took to ward off the headache I had for the past two days of crying. Although, just like the night before I got very little sleep.

I awakened with a sore throat and joked at the hospital that my Yugoslavia (uvula) was swollen (it was).

The doctor was repeating the test today to see if there was any improvement. Giving false hope to our family that any improvement would be a good thing. She could not have come back from this stroke. If she did she would have been on a ventilator and she did not want that. We had come to terms with what we were going to have to do at some point that day. Now we just had to let the rest of the family know so they could say their goodbyes.

The doctors came out to confirm what we had already known. She was not getting any blood to her brain. They then asked that my Dad, my sister and myself meet with them to discuss what would happen next.

When we went with them we were presented with a representative from the Gift of Life program asking if we would consider donating Mom’s liver to help save the lives of others. Mom being a recipient of a kidney (from her nephew – a living donor) she was always an advocate for organ donation. We did not have to think too long before all agreeing that mom would have wanted to help someone else and the only reason her DNR contradicted her driver’s license was because she most likely thought none of her parts would be good enough for anyone to use. We agreed to allow the liver donation. We did not know that this gift would prolong her agony and ours. We were promised it would be over by midnight they just had to confirm death and find a recipient. It drug on and on (and would have been longer and worse if we would have allowed them to take all the tissue they wanted – the gift of life is an amazing thing but allowing this to happen to your own loved one is another thing).

Mom was officially pronounced brain dead at 11:04pm, but they had to keep her on the ventilator until they found a recipient. By 3am we finally had to make them stop we just could not prolong the inevitable any longer. Nor could my sister and I stand to see our dad go through anymore of this emotional torture. We asked that they stop looking and remove the ventilator. Mom was finally at peace at 3:40am surrounded by those who loved her; my sister, my dad, our pastor and me.

We were at peace as well. Knowing her suffering was over then we could have closure. Not knowing when or where they would take her liver was too much to bear.

Dr. Chon stopped by tell us that organ donation was a very good thing to do and also try to explain to us why Mom died. He thinks it started as a very bad sinus infection, which would have caused the headache and vomiting. Being immunosurpressed it spread quickly. The stress of the infection then caused her blood pressure to rise therefore causing the stroke. Although we will never know a definitive answer this wraps up the last 72+ hours somewhat.

Mom in Hospital Day 2

Add comment December 27th, 2008

Dad and I went in to see Mom and the infectious doctor (I know that sounds like the doctor is infectious, she was a doctor of infectious diseases) came in and told us she had bacteria in her blood (pneumococcus) and the treatment would be the antibiotics she was on even if was meningitis so she was getting the right course of treatment for now. She also looked at Mom’s eyes. (I did not know this until later but Mom’s pupils were fixed and dilated since the day before. My sister knew that there were no reflexes and she had fixed pupils, but I was unaware. Dad and I still had some hope, being a nurse she was already preparing herself and her kids for the inevitable.)

The doctor finally came out sometime that evening to tell us all the test results (Mom’s brothers and sisters had all come back by then). It was not good news. Mom was not getting blood to her brain stem at all. He would not call her brain dead just yet said he had to repeat the test the next day. But the situation was dire. We told him she would insist on a DNR order should anything happen over night. My sister and I stepped out to see the test results for ourselves. It was scary to see only two small blood vessels supplying blood to a small portion of her brain and none at all to her brain stem.

So our prayers turned from “please help her through this” to “please give her peace”.

Once again we left to go home to sleep and take care of ourselves. I am so thankful Beth was there by my side every minute.

Mom Rushed to Emergency Room

Add comment December 26th, 2008

Today (26th) is when it all goes horribly, horribly wrong. I got up after sleeping in to go run a few errands and then off for another leg ultrasound to see how or if my veins working. Before I head out I got a call from Pastor Charles telling me that Dad had Mom at the hospital emergency room. That she had gone in with a really bad headache and they were testing her for a stroke and/or something else (I cannot recall what he said, just that it did not seem urgent at the time I spoke to him – mind you Mom has been through an awful lot including mild strokes, heart attack, increased inner cranial pressure, and numerous infections and has always bounced back).

It was not until I called my sister and then actually talked to my Dad that I knew something was horribly wrong. Dad told me to go on to my test, but I could tell by his voice that I should not. So I rescheduled and headed right to the hospital and I am glad I did as I would never have forgiven myself if I had continued with my normal day.

By the time I had gotten to the hospital Mom had already been taken to a room in the ICU and was placed on a ventilator to protect her airway. They said it was because her breathing had slowed in the ER after she was given pain medication. I don’t know if my sister got there while she was still coherent enough to talk to her or not. Seems she went down hill pretty fast once she had gotten to the emergency room.

The doctors had no real idea what was going on. They said it could be meningitis, a stroke or the return of the inner cranial pressure. They would not know until she had an MRI as the cat scans weren’t showing any signs of a stroke, especially if it was indeed a brain stem stroke.

She apparently coded once she was down in the MRI room as the rushed her back and called a code a code blue (did not know they still used that term) in CC (critical care). Upon hearing that I broke down. My cousin was hugging me telling me “we don’t know it is her” over and over, but I knew. I just knew it was Mom.

All mom’s brothers and sisters had gotten to the hospital by now so we had the waiting room full and the hallway. Crying nervous people all around.

A doctor came out and told us all that she did have an MI before they could do the MRI that they got her back quickly and did not think that it would cause any brain damage (at least not any more than she already had by that time). They still needed to do the MRI and scheduled it for the next day (Saturday). There was no change; they were starting IV antibiotics in case it was meningitis or another infection. They could not do a lumbar puncture since she was on blood thinners (Plavix, I won’t even get started on Plavix – yet), as she could bleed into her brain and make things worse. So they could not actually test for the inner cranial pressure or meningitis for a few weeks.

We went home after being reassured they would call if there was any change.

Soy in my Tuna

Add comment December 5th, 2008

Why are there soybeans in my Tuna? Good question isn’t it? When I pick up a can of solid white tuna in water that’s what I expect to get. But you will also get soy beans. The ingredients of Starkist Solid White Albacore Tuna in water are listed as: White tuna, water, vegetable broth, salt, phosphate, with The warning contains Fish and soybeans. Well The fish is a given (and supposedly salmon and tuna are the only ones I can have now), but where is that soybean warning coming from? The vegetable broth, which apparently doesn’t even need to be there as my call to StarKist to complain proved. So along with natural flavors watch out for anything listing vegetable broth!

I called to complain to Starkist that in water should mean in water and to ask if any of their tuna was soy free. They do have a premium Gourmet Choice tuna that is soy free. It is pretty much the exact same as the regular White tuna just no osy, a gold label, half ounce less all for about a dollar more. They sent me a coupon to try it.

The ingredients of the StarKist Gourmet Choice Solid White Albacore Tuna Fillet (gold can) are: white meat tuna, water, salt, sodium acid phosphate with the warning that it contains fish (nothing about being manufactured in a facility that handles soybeans). So this time in water means in water.

Bumble Bee also makes a Prime fillet Solid White Albacore in water (in a gold can) that is soybean free (no vegetable broth). The Bumble Bee Tuna is less expensive and has six ounces to Starkist’s 4.5 oz. We will see which one tastes better.

Soy Free Mayo Found

Add comment December 4th, 2008

The soy free Mayo Search may have ended. I think I have found the answer to mayonnaise problem (kind of). Thanks to all the people over at topix for answering some one else’s question it sure helped me.

Spectrum Naturals makes a Canola Mayonnaise that unlike Hellmann’s Canola mayonnaise truly is soy free. And it saves me from making my own. The whole raw eggs thing had me freaked what if I poisoned myself? But if I made it I could leave out the mustard (another allergen for me albeit a lesser of two evils for now).

Spectrum Naturals Canola mayonnaise ingredients expeller pressed canola oil, pasteurized whole eggs, filtered water, honey, distilled white vinegar, sea salt, mustard (distilled vinegar, water, mustard seed Salt), lemon juice concentrate, (warnings) Contains Eggs.

Haven’t tasted it yet, I hope it is good as it is answer to my prayers so-to-speak. Only problem is the price a small jar was almost six bucks. Plus I had to go into a health food store to get it. No I’m not afraid of hippies, it’s just everything and I do mean everything in there seems to contain soy in one form or another, The entire refrigerated section was completely soy. As I have said before — soy equals death to me. Not that my soy (or peanut for that matter) allergy is air borne it’s just such Close proximity to so much soy bothered me. I’m actually surprised they had this mayo there since vegans and vegetarians all seem to think Soy protein is a saving grace, it’s not. The only place for soybean oil is in gas tanks not our foods. The use of it in foods will only increase the number of people who become allergic to Soy. Think about it. In a way we are poisoning ourselves ever so slowly, I’ll try my new Mayo when I make my next Tuna sandwich.

The Great Margarine Butter Debate

Add comment December 2nd, 2008

All my life I have been told that margarine is better for you than butter. Maybe it is, but since my Soy allergy has kicked into full gear (it could potentially kill me) butter is the safest choice for me. Margarine like mayo is all made from soybean oil. Even if it says canola it only means with Canola the mass majority of the oil will be soybean oil. So I have abandoned margarine in my diet and have gone over to the buttery side of life. Taste has improved, but butter is hard unless you get the whipped butter. Like every thing else soy free butter is more expensive and to remain Soy free you have to stick with the brand names. Generics will slip in Cheaper bad for you ingredients.

I have found a pretty good solution to spread on my homemade bread (need to ask my mom to make me a loaf). My solution is Country Crock’s spreadable butter with Canola Oil. It was easily found in my grocer, no driving all over god’s creation to find it. It spreads easily and tastes good too,

Ingredients: Butter (cream, salt), canola oil, buttermilk, water, salt, lactic acid, Vitamin A

New favorite snack pickles

Add comment November 30th, 2008

Good old Vlasic pickles have been my favorite snack of late but I am apparently going to have to cut the kosher Dill spears out. Guess I did not read the ingredients list carefully enough. I really do need to be more diligent when it comes to reading labels. Smack in the middle of the list
is the dreaded “natural flavors”. Why on earth would pickets need additional flavors?

Looks like my Bread and Butter chips should be fine, I’ll just leave the Kosher dill for everyone else. Might explain my nausea of a few weeks ago when I would come home and grab a dill spear as a snack before my meals.

Vlasic kosher Dill Spears ingredients: Cucumbers, Water, distilled vinegar, salt, calcium Chloride, poly sorbets 80, natural flavors, Yellow 5.

Only 5 calories a pickle spear if you can eat them.

Vlasic Bread & Butter chips ingredients: Cucumbers, high fructose Corn syrup, water, distilled vinegar, corn syrup, salt, spice, Calcium Chloride, Yellow 5

Calories 25 for about 3 chips. 100-calorie snack would be about 12 pickle chips. I don’t think I could eat that many at one time. But they do make a nice side to my tuna sandwiches, (which are not completely soy free thanks to the bread).