26 March 2008 -  Jacksonville, Florida USA                                        

 

The 'G.I. Bug' Knocks Us Down

My DH caught this bug last weekend and many of his co-nurses including some GI docs at the hospital suffered from it too in the last couple of days but his only lasted for a day although he still feels some queasiness on his stomach and awfully tired today but the worst part was mostly through yesterday so he went back to work.  

It says this G.I. bug is easily passed from person to person and generally spread through close contact with a person who's already been infected and, really, through contamination of food or objects that you come into contact with.

So it's not surprising when I suffered from serious bouts of diarrhea and vomiting--almost puking my guts out at one o'clock this morning thus I am feeling weak right now and to spare others the misery, I called out work today and probably until tomorrow if I still feel a little shaky.

Hay, buhay!  Staying home alone sick is never a fun thing to do. I have to find other stuff to do besides sleeping, watching movies and surfing the internet to regale myself with. 

Dr. Mallika Marshall said, “… while you're in the throws of the illness, you want to stay away from solid foods, caffeine, and milk products, because these can aggravate the symptoms and make you feel even worse” so that means I can’t use milk to bake muffins? Oki then I decided to experiment.  I baked blueberry muffins using Diet V8 Splash Blend Berry juice and strawberry muffins using a cup of fat free strawberry yogurt. To my surprise, it really turned out delish and I gobbled down  3 muffins already. YUM! We’ll see if it stays down until lunch time. My Darling Nurse says I need to drink plenty of liquid to stay well-hydrated and then maybe I can have some scrambled eggs later on.

You guys need to watch out this G.I. bug that has been floating around because this is a contagious virus!

'Winter Bug' Hits G.I. Tracts Hard
         Marshall: Similar To Flu, Lasts Up To 10 Days, And All Year-Round

(CBS) While the outbreak of influenza has been relatively mild this season, a similar virus is making the rounds. The "winter bug," whose formal name is viral gastroenteritis, can hit hard and fast, often with little warning.

The Early Show's Dr. Mallika Marshall explains that viral gastroenteritis is an infection that can be caused by a number of different viruses. The infection causes the lining of the stomach and intestines to become inflamed, which causes cramping and vomiting and diarrhea.  People suffering with it will often suffer serious bouts of vomiting and diarrhea, lasting from one to ten days.


Even though we refer to it casually as a stomach "flu," it's not caused by the influenza virus - the cause of the traditional flu. And even though we commonly see "the winter bug," or "stomach flu" in winter, we also frequently see it in the spring and summer. Really, it can happen all year round.

What are the symptoms? The first sign is usually that you just feel kind of "blah." You may feel fatigued or achy, and nausea, vomiting and diarrhea soon follow. Other common symptoms include headache, fever, and abdominal cramps.

The symptoms usually begin a day or two after you've been exposed to the virus, and can last anywhere from 24 hours to ten days, depending on the particular virus.

A lot of people mistake a stomach flu with food poisoning and tend to blame whatever meal they last ate for their symptoms, but in most cases it's a stomach virus that's causing the gut-wrenching symptoms.

The best treatment, Marshall points out, is rest and staying well-hydrated. The most dangerous consequence of having a stomach flu is dehydration, so the most important thing to do is frequently drink small amounts of fluids that aren't likely to make your symptoms worse. We call them "clear" liquids, because they are liquids you can see through -- things like water, ginger ale, sports drinks, popsicles, and clear broth.

While you're in the throws of the illness, you want to stay away from solid foods, caffeine, and milk products, because these can aggravate the symptoms and make you feel even worse.

Even though a lot of people will reach for the Pepto-Bismol or antacids, it's generally recommended that you stay away from these types of products, because they're unlikely to make you feel better, and could make you feel worse.

And if you have a stomach virus, you don't need antibiotics – they're useless against viruses, and can exacerbate nausea and diarrhea.

If you think that you're getting dehydrated, contact your doctor because, in severe cases, you may need intravenous fluids.

Viral gastroenteritis is easily passed from person to person. It's generally spread through close contact with a person who's already been infected and, really, through fecal contamination of food or objects that you come into contact with. You touch these things with your hands, then touch your hands to your mouth, and then, you're in trouble.

So, as you can imagine, you often get outbreaks in institutional facilities, where people are in close contact with one another, such as daycare centers and nursing homes.

You may remember that there was an outbreak of the "Norwalk virus" on cruise ships back in 2002, which caused a number of passengers to get sick with stomach symptoms. Well, that was an outbreak of a stomach flu.

The key to prevention is good hand-washing, and a lot of it. If know someone who is sick, wipe down any toys, doorknobs, countertops, etc. with a disinfectant. If you or your child is sick with the stomach flu, you should stay home until you're better, to avoid passing your illness on to others.

More on Viral Gastroenteritis, from the Web site of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

WHAT IS VIRAL GASTROENTERITIS?
Gastroenteritis means inflammation of the stomach and small and large intestines. Viral gastroenteritis is an infection caused by a variety of viruses that results in vomiting or diarrhea. It is often called the "stomach flu," although it is not caused by the influenza viruses.

WHAT CAUSES VIRAL GASTROENTERITIS?
Many different viruses can cause gastroenteritis, including rotaviruses, adenoviruses, caliciviruses, astroviruses, Norwalk virus, and a group of Noroviruses. Viral gastroenteritis is not caused by bacteria (such as Salmonella or Escherichia coli) or parasites (such as Giardia), or by medications or other medical conditions, although the symptoms may be similar. Your doctor can determine if the diarrhea is caused by a virus or by something else.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF VIRAL GASTROENTERITIS?
The main symptoms of viral gastroenteritis are watery diarrhea and vomiting. The affected person may also have headache, fever, and abdominal cramps ("stomach ache"). In general, the symptoms begin 1 to 2 days following infection with a virus that causes gastroenteritis and may last for 1 to 10 days, depending on which virus causes the illness.

IS VIRAL GASTROENTERITIS A SERIOUS ILLNESS?
For most people, it is not. People who get viral gastroenteritis almost always recover completely without any long-term problems. Gastroenteritis is a serious illness, however, for persons who are unable to drink enough fluids to replace what they lose through vomiting or diarrhea. Infants, young children, and persons who are unable to care for themselves, such as the disabled or elderly, are at risk for dehydration from loss of fluids. Immune compromised persons are at risk for dehydration because they may get a more serious illness, with greater vomiting or diarrhea. They may need to be hospitalized for treatment to correct or prevent dehydration.

IS THE ILLNESS CONTAGIOUS? HOW ARE THESE VIRUSES SPREAD?
Yes, viral gastroenteritis is contagious. The viruses that cause gastroenteritis are spread through close contact with infected persons (for example, by sharing food, water, or eating utensils). Individuals may also become infected by eating or drinking contaminated foods or beverages.

HOW DOES FOOD GET CONTAMINATED BY GASTROENTERITIS VIRUSES?
Food may be contaminated by food preparers or handlers who have viral gastroenteritis, especially if they do not wash their hands regularly after using the bathroom. Shellfish may be contaminated by sewage, and persons who eat raw or undercooked shellfish harvested from contaminated waters may get diarrhea. Drinking water can also be contaminated by sewage and be a source of spread of these viruses.

WHERE AND WHEN DOES VIRAL GASTROENTERITIS OCCUR?
Viral gastroenteritis affects people in all parts of the world. Each virus has its own seasonal activity. For example, in the United States, rotavirus and astrovirus infections occur during the cooler months of the year (October to April), whereas adenovirus infections occur throughout the year. Viral gastroenteritis outbreaks can occur in institutional settings, such as schools, child care facilities, and nursing homes, and can occur in other group settings, such as banquet halls, cruise ships, dormitories, and campgrounds.

WHO GETS VIRAL GASTROENTERITIS?
Anyone can get it. Viral gastroenteritis occurs in people of all ages and backgrounds. However, some viruses tend to cause diarrheal disease primarily among people in specific age groups. Rotavirus infection is the most common cause of diarrhea in infants and young children under 5 years old. Adenoviruses and astroviruses cause diarrhea mostly in young children, but older children and adults can also be affected. Norwalk and Noroviruses are more likely to cause diarrhea in older children and adults.

HOW IS VIRAL GASTROENTERITIS DIAGNOSED?
Generally, viral gastroenteritis is diagnosed by a physician on the basis of the symptoms and medical examination of the patient. Rotavirus infection can be diagnosed by laboratory testing of a stool specimen. Tests to detect other viruses that cause gastroenteritis are not in routine use.

HOW IS VIRAL GASTROENTERITIS TREATED?
The most important of treating viral gastroenteritis in children and adults is to prevent severe loss of fluids (dehydration). This treatment should begin at home. Your physician may give you specific instructions about what kinds of fluid to give. CDC recommends that families with infants and young children keep a supply of oral rehydration solution (ORS) at home at all times and use the solution when diarrhea first occurs in the child. ORS is available at pharmacies without a prescription. Follow the written directions on the ORS package, and use clean or boiled water. Medications, including antibiotics (which have no effect on viruses) and other treatments, should be avoided unless specifically recommended by a physician.

CAN VIRAL GASTROENTERITIS BE PREVENTED?
Yes. Persons can reduce their chance of getting infected by frequent hand washing, prompt disinfection of contaminated surfaces with household chlorine bleach-based cleaners, and prompt washing of soiled articles of clothing. If food or water is thought to be contaminated, it should be avoided.

IS THERE A VACCINE FOR VIRAL GASTROENTERITIS?
There is no vaccine or medicine currently available that prevents viral gastroenteritis. A vaccine is being developed, however, that protects against severe diarrhea from rotavirus infection in infants and young children.

©MMV, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

 

    15 March 2008 -  Jacksonville, Florida USA                                        

 

Navigationally Challenged

Believe or not, I am as navigationally inept as a creature from an outer space! So when I started driving here in the States in January 2000, I always have to ask DH to first drive me or sometimes he had to drive me twice to the place where I want to go so I knew exactly how to get there the next time I go in for an appointment or something. The reason for this is, I freak out easily and panic whenever I get lost.

Here's a classic recollection of a ‘dummy me’ experience when Bro Jim from New York visited me here in Jacksonville in 2002. We went to meet his long lost friend about 65 miles away from where I live. He printed directions off the MapQuest website and I agreed to be the navigator although I cautioned him earlier about my shortfall in that area.   He said that shouldn’t be a problem after all I am a college graduate and tech savvy at that.  Basically all he wants me to do is to look at the map, read the direction and tell him where to make the turns and stuff while he drives.   But you know how many times we got lost and ended up in the middle of nowhere? Twice! LOL

Admittedly, up until now I still have some serious problem when it comes to map-reading; tied with a complete inability to read road signs and directions.  Heck, if I am standing in front of you right now, I can’t even tell which direction is north, south, west and east without the aid of a compass unit.  Sometimes I'd chalk this up to being a neophyte driver let alone being a foreigner in this country but then again I have this same problem back in my own native country ever since I was a child. I recalled another experience; I was 9 years old then when my family first moved to the inner-city of Marbel now Koronadal City. One day, with my 11 month old sibling in tow, I followed my parents clandestinely to the supermarket then five blocks away from where we came from,  my mom found out we were following behind them.  She scolded me and told me to go back at my uncle’s store where we were temporarily relocated. Oblivious to the place where we actually reside at that time, I went back bawling my eyes out. Three hours later, I still couldn’t, for the life of me, locate the place where we live. My younger sibling started screaming as he’s been feeling hungry but there’s nothing much I can do except to cry out for help. Luckily, the lady that sells flip flops at the supermarket took pity on us, welcomed us to her booth, fed my baby brother then she called the police station. That’s where I knew my parents were freaking out and had a police blotter for me and my baby brother right after they found out we got lost. From then on, because of that traumatic experience, I never ever ventured alone in a place where I am not familiar with.

Now, this coolest gadget, Eclipse AVN700  In-Dash, Voice-prompted/Text to Speech Navigation System with a 7-inch Widescreen TFT Touch Control Display DH gifted me last Christmas gives me the sense of confidence to drive somewhere unfamiliar without fear of getting lost. Yaaay!

I am supposed to be the ‘Techie Girl’ in the family but this thing took me a while to fully master the function of each menu selection. The manual isn’t much of help for me either because I detest reading these 206 page complicated instructions.

Anyway, after nearly 3 months of playing/using it, I finally got the trick to it.   I’ve actually used the portable easy to use; 3-inch Magellan navigation unit before but nothing compares to this Eclipse AVN700  In-Dash, Navigation System.  The unit has a USA map databases built-in a 20 GB hard drive that has a lot faster operational speed than traditional DVD-ROM navigation. If I take the wrong turn or leave the recommended route, a new alternate route will be instantly recalculated and displayed within 2 seconds.

What I really like about this unit is, I can either programmed it to automatically or manually close/eject the screen in and out of the DIN as soon as the engine starts or switch off.  Plus the Anti-Theft Security System is a big sigh of relief!  What this means is if the unit itself is ever stolen or disconnected from the car, the system will automatically shut-off and will be deactivated until the Security Network PIN that I confidentially set like a password is entered during the re-installation process otherwise the audio and the whole navigation functions become completely inoperable. Very neat feature!

Another nice feature about this unit is the dedicated rear port for plugging in the rear view camera (Eclipse BEC106) which is an add on to AVN700 system to give me a clear view of the dangerous blind spot when I am backing up. See how clear the view is of my driveway from the garage when I was backing up?  This camera does come very handy especially when backing up in a big and busy parking garage in downtown.

Over all, the unit works amazingly great once you master how to navigate the different menus. The "text to speech" feature is so awesome and to me it's the most important feature to consider when you are looking to buy a navigation system because it tells you the exact street name you are going to turn to. For example it would say, "in 500 feet, turn right on 2560 Lincoln Street"  instead of just simply saying "in 500 feet, turn right".  Crutchfield customers had excellent reviews about this unit too although I have to agree with this mediocre at best review from Amazon that the map is an abysmal because it's not the most current map in the US therefore it won't locate the address of the subdivision/streets that have been built from midyear 2006 up to the current year.    However, I was told by Eclipse Company Tech Support that the software updates has yet to be released later on this year.   I really think you get what you paid for in this gadget and I would gladly spend the money for top-notch and most intuitive navigation system rather than the tiny screen portable ones or the ridiculously expensive Navigation system that you can get from the car dealership as an option to add on in your new vehicle.

I had both units professionally installed at Circuit City but it turned out that I didn’t quite like how they mounted the BEC106 camera behind the car so then I asked my handy man (DH) to redo it to where I want it to be mounted. One trip to Advance Auto Parts Store to get the parts and few pieces he needs solved the problem. DH really did a great job in mounting it to a more secluded place.

My DH is indeed a handy man, jack of all trades but master of none (;-) and with his innate military trait (obey first before complain) I know by heart that he’ll do just about anything and everything for me for what its worth. His colleagues at work actually thought he is a true definition of a Pussy Whipped Husband (”under the saya”) LOL.   Well, if there’s any truth to this pronouncement, then the only thing I can say is, he is the only Pussy Whipped Man who doesn’t get a pussy every time. Well, he’s lucky if he gets it once or twice a week. LOL

Seriously though, do you know what the big part of getting what you want from your husband is? Let me spill the beans. It just simply knowing the right timing and how to lovingly ask your husband; keeping him highly motivated and giving him a reasonable time frame to get the work done.  And while he is doing the work, you have to come out to offer him a helping hand, bring him something to drink, kiss him, thank and appreciate him for whatever he did whether it’s a job well done or not. That’s all I did to turn him into an obedient husband so NOPE he is definitely not a Pussy Whipped! My DH Tony just knows how to make his wife a happy camper ;-)

 

    5 March 2008 -  Jacksonville, Florida USA                                        

 

Am I Losing My Mind OR Just Simply Getting Old?  

I don't know why but lately, I am experiencing episodes of memory loss that seem to be more frequent than normal forgetfulness. I mean If I am experiencing this in my twenties, I am more likely to think it's just the result of being out of focus or preoccupied with something else. However, these days and as I get older, I oftentimes lose my train of thought.

Is this just due to aging? My mother used to say that it was terrible to get old because we seemed to always forget things. So I thought memory loss and confusion are considered a normal part of "senior moments" that most of us have in the second half of life. However, my MIL is 78 years old yet she remains mentally alert and is more cognizant of what and where she put things up.

But then again this Chief is only in his late forties and he poured sweet tea on his cereal? LOL
 

From: Rhebs
Sent: Friday, February 29, 2008 2:08 PM
To: D
Subject: Chief's Manpower Report

Chief D,

Please sign off Feb 28, 2008 Chief's Manpower Report for Fire District X.  You know I won’t be able to process payment for overtime and allowance for transfers unless the report has been signed off.

Thank you

_____________________________________________
From: D
Sent: Monday, March 03, 2008 7:09 AM
To: Rhebs
Subject: RE: Chief's Manpower Report

I have signed off on the report and also signed off on all overtime and out of position. Do you have to remind other chiefs to do their job as much as you have to remind me? I poured sweet tea on my cereal the other day so you can see how bad my mind is.

D

_____________________________________________
From: Rhebs
Sent: Monday, March 03, 2008 8:03 AM
To: D
Subject: RE: Chief's Manpower Report

Chief, don’t worry about it… you do way better than the other chiefs but I couldn’t blame any of you. I know how demanding your work as a Battalion Chief is and as we aged, some things just slipped in our minds from time to time… you know like shit happens sometimes hahaha

Heck, I even forgot my purse in the grocery cart last weekend at Publix. I was so glad the teenage gal who's in charge of bringing the carts back to the building found it and turned it over to the office manager so when I came back to the store an hour later I feel so comforted by the fact that I didn’t lose my purse. I have my check book in there, driver's license, debit/credit cards, SS card, insurance cards, digital camera, iPod, cell phone, and etc

You know when I got home and realized I left my purse in the cart at the grocery store's parking lot, my heart sunk and I beat myself up for it.  I really thought I'll never find my purse again.  I drove back to the store teary eyed yet praying that a Good Samaritan finds it and turn it over to the store's personnel.   I thank God for the two teenagers who are very honest.  Bless their hearts!!

Oh by the way,  you may not be able to see me online more often these days that's because I am doing some workload at home from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm aside from  doing volunteer work at AARP-IRS tax site every Saturday until April 15.  The reason for this is, one of my colleagues at work  that handles Accounts Receivable and Billing resigned last week and out of the many people in the our department, I was being sucked up to do the job but since I am loaded as it is with so much stuff to do in the office during the day, my boss lets me work OT at home. That's time and a half baby but I opted to get comp time rather than get paid every pay day.  So more vacation time for me this year and I am not complaining.

 

    1 March 2008 -  Jacksonville, Florida USA                                        

On Losing Weight Too Quickly

I am speaking by experience. After DH lost an incredible 75 lbs last year, the appearance of loose and hanging skin in his body is just too much for me to handle. The reason for this is if you loss weight too quickly, your skin does not have time to shrink to your leaner body shape.  While weight loss surgery maybe covered by medical insurance plans but skin removal is considered cosmetic surgery and is definitely not covered under any circumstances.

Also studies have shown that people who lose excessive amounts of weight very quickly have a greater risk of developing gallstones or kidney problem than those who lose weight at slower speeds. Therefore slow and steady weight loss is best.  So we are going to take this thing slow this time. 

For the month of February, I only lost a total 2 lbs that's despite of V-day feast and pigging out from the birthday party last weekend.  Guess what? I can actually fit in my wedding gown now, just have to work on my abs as it still a little snug in the waist line area. So NO, I don't have the guts to wear the size 4P Harley halter top yet.. not until I have a killer abs anyway ;-)  

Although DH put on 3 lbs last month but his clothes are fitting loose.  He's really been working out five times a week for two months now and that's a good sign.  I am hopeful he's going to start losing weight in the next few months.

DH bought this Homedics 535 - that measures Body Fat %, Body Water %, Muscle Mass %, Basal Metabolic Rate and Weight Analyzer scale from Dick's Sporting Goods for $75.00 and it did show we are continuously gaining muscle mass and losing body fat. Now that explains why we are not losing that much weight but were are trimming down in inches.

Anyway, here are the pictures from the birthday party last Saturday, February 23, 2008 at Bill and Marie Hiers' home in Orange Park, Florida. We all had a great time and as usual can't help but pigged out with Marie's cooking. Yum!  The party was more of family affair with  few special Pinay friends ;-)

           
Lesley, Rhebs, Janice, Ate Susan, Lucy and the host Marie