MRSA and our teens

**Welcome to Teen/Tween Thursday!  If you have a post about parenting teens/tweens please link it up below**

Several months ago I participated in a webinar with Grant Hill and Clorox about the dangers of MRSA, particularly in schools and locker rooms.  I enjoyed the call, received a lot of information and my son got a signed Grant Hill basketball out of the deal.  Little did I know that this weekend I would be digging that information back out because my son had acquired MRSA, probably during conditioning for high school basketball.

Jared had a spot on his ankle that looked like a small boil one day and the next was red, pussy, warm to the touch and had smaller pustules next to it.  We took him to the ER (we were out of town for the 4th) where they had to cut and drain the large and smaller places on his ankle (suffice it to say, I almost passed out and it was horrible to see my baby in so much pain).  They sent the “discharge” for culture and started him on antibiotics.  He will be fine, although he has had some fever, developed a double ear infection and just doesn’t feel good.  But, this has definitely been a scary experience!

Here are some facts about MRSA (courtesy of Clorox):

What is MRSA and how is it spread?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most MRSA, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, infections acquired in the community are skin infections that may appear as pustules or boils that are often red, swollen and painful, or have pus or other drainage. These skin infections commonly occur where there are cuts or abrasions, and on areas of the body covered by hair.¹ Although serious MRSA disease is still predominantly related to exposures in hospital or health care settings, infections outside health care settings are increasing.²

MRSA is usually transmitted by direct skin-to-skin contact or contact with shared items or surfaces that have come into contact with someone else’s infection (e.g., dirty towels, used bandages).¹ Therefore, practicing both good personal hygiene and disinfection of items and surfaces are important in prevention of the spread of MRSA.

MRSA is fond of locker rooms, gyms and teen boys and girls involved in sports are at particular risk.  Please educate your child about this and educate yourself so you can recognize it and get them treatment right away!  And, if you think about it say a prayer for my Jared until this nasty infection clears up!

Taking care of the Dads in our lives

When I met my husband, he was underweight.  I mean he weighed less than I do now by about 30 pounds underweight and he was 6’2″. 

After we had been dating for a few months, I felt like our relationship was established enough to suggest that he go to the doctor.  He said, “I don’t have one”.  At twenty-three, he hadn’t been to the doctor since he was a child.

And at twenty-three you feel kinda awkward going to the pediatrician.

I found the man a doctor and he was diagnosed with a bleeding ulcer.  Antibiotics, antacids and changes in diet and how he handled stress made him better and within six months he gained 30 pounds and stopped looking emaciated.

You would think that would be enough of a personal success story to make my hubby a believer in seeing the doctor regularly.  Notsomuch!

I still have to nag strongly encourage each time he needs to go.  I get him to go maybe every other year.  He has had two inguinal hernias and getting him to agree to surgery was as difficult as scaling Mt. Everest.

So, as you can imagine, when I learned of this important campaign called Dad to the Doc, I had to participate.

As wives (and daughters and sisters and friends) we are the people that will get the men in our lives to take care of their health.  That is a responsibility we need to take seriously!

Visit Dad to the Doc and send the men in your life an e-card that encourages them to take care of their health.

Encourage your father, hubby and brothers to take the Healthy Man quiz here.

Have the men you know visit ahrq.gov/healthymen, which provides recommended ages for preventive medical tests, a health care quiz designed to test knowledge of preventive health care, tips for talking with doctors, a glossary of consumer health terms, and links to online resources to find more medical information.  Also, keep an eye out for the new PSA’s encouraging dad’s to take care of their health.

Did you know that new research has found that men are 31 percent less likely than women to have visited a doctor within the past year?  In fact, men report making fewer routine health care appointments compared with women (56.5 percent vs. 73.8 percent).
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the Ad Council are launching a new movement on behalf of their national public service advertising campaign designed to encourage middle-age men to learn which preventive medical tests they need to get and when to get them. 

National Men’s Health Week is June 14-20th.  Let’s commit to taking the health of the men in our lives seriously and convincing them to do the same!

Thank you to Global Influence for making me aware of this important campaign!

Listening to the still, small voice

I have been having some (not so fun) issues with my left leg in the last few weeks.  My doctor(s) attributed it to my MS and put me on a steroid dose pack.  While that reduced the swelling on the MRI, it did not resolve the problem.  What is the problem? Muscle atrophy.

Atrophy (according to Wikipedia) is the partial or complete wasting away of a part of the body (in this case my left leg).

God has a whole post about atrophy in His body (the church) swirling around in my brain.  But, that will come at another time.

This post is about how God speaks to us.  He didn’t just speak to people in Bible times and then stop.  His Holy Spirit lives in us and guides us- if we listen.

Yesterday, returning from the doctor I was not in a happy place.  Trying to digest the fact that my muscle is atrophy-ing (no idea if that is a word) and they don’t know why and they don’t know how to stop it was overwhelming.  Making the appointments for all the tests they want to do to figure out the cause of the problem was overwhelming.  Trying to figure out how to discuss all this with my husband without him panicking was overwhelming.  Letting myself think of how unfair it is to have MS, Lupus and now- something else causing this issue- was overwhelming.

I had brought my Bible along for the ride (cause I can’t drive right now) but couldn’t bring myself to open it.  I did, however, turn on the radio and one of my favorite songs that we sing at church came on.  The song is “I will Rise” by Chris Tomlin.  There are many words that instantly touched my heart but here is the line that grabbed my soul:

There’s a peace I’ve come to know
Though my heart and flesh may fail
There’s an anchor for my soul
I can say “It is well”

Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead

Overwhelmed?  How about the fact that Jesus overwhelmed the grave?  That is overwhelming, not my temporary, temporal circumstances.

Feeling still a tad angry, I said to God “help me”.  And three words came to my mind (and I know that I know that I know God put them there)

Check your medications.

Clear as day and something that none of my doctor’s had bothered to do.  As soon as I got home I googled muscle wasting and the names of my medications.  Second med I typed in had a big warning about this problem.  Not trusting myself, I called my pharmacy.  My pharmacist researched it, called me back and said “Call your doctor right now.  You need to have some blood work done”.

Yes, I have called my doctor and yes, they are on top of it.

But, isn’t God awesome?  And, what if I had continued in my overwhelming pity party and not reached out to Him?  Would I have heard that still, small voice?

Hearing God is a finer thing!

What is this blog for anyway?

I arrived home from Blissdom with a heavy heart.

Mind you, I had a fabulous time (with a capital F) and learned a lot.

I also realized that I had strayed from my passions- the passions that led me to start this blog in the first place almost two years ago.  I have been working on shifting my focus back to sharing life from my heart with my readers.  (All my product reviews, giveaways, professional organizing advice, etc. will be on my professional organizing site starting March 1st.)

I blog about life.

Life as an adoptive mom of a child with severe emotional and behavioral issues, life as a mama of all boys, life as a mama of all tween/teen boys, life as a wife, life with multiple sclerosis and lupus, life as a former foster child, high school drop out turned teen mom who found Jesus and has never been the same since!

I blog about cutting through the clutter of life…the things that distract us from seeing and enjoying the life and purpose God has for us. When I speak at mom’s groups and women’s events, I usually am either sharing my testimony or sharing how to get control of your calendar, manage your time, set realistic goals and priorities and handle money the way God intended.

I’m glad you stopped by if you are here from Kelly’s Korner and invite you to read my About Me page and/or listen to my intro video to learn a little more about me and this here blog ‘o mine.

Invisible Tuesday

Some of you know that I host a MomTV show on Wednesdays (at 1pm EST) called The Invisibles. The show focuses on living well with chronic/invisible illness.  To help my listeners and to educate my readers, I am going to start posting on the same topic that my show will focus on each week on Tuesdays.

Tomorrow’s show topic is Minimizing the Impact of Your Illness on Your Loved Ones.  Here are some tips related to what I share on the show.

• Your family member’s are not stupid, don’t treat them like they are.  Don’t say “I’m fine” if you aren’t.  Trust is an important component of family life.  Don’t become someone your family doesn’t trust.
• Remember that there are things children do not need to know specifics about (including finances and treatments)
• Resist the temptation to downplay your hubby’s headache when everything on your body hurts. Don’t make it a “one up” type of situation.
• If you lash out in anger, forget something important, etc.- apologize.  Don’t apologize for your illness but for your behavior.
• Plan your day so that you are at your best when you are around your family.  If that means taking a nap before they get home, it is worth it.
• Don’t buy in to the lie of the Devil that you are a burden or problem to your family. They love you and need you.
• Reach out.  Don’t shut out.

For all my tips and thoughts on this subject watch the Invisibles tomorrow.

It Wasn’t My Time

As most of my twittermom friends know, I have been in the hospital since late Wednesday night. I apparently suffered a saddle embolism, which is a blood clot that broke off in it’s entirety and traveled to my lung. The Lord spared my life (Psalm 54:4) and instead of the clot staying in one piece and occluding any major arteries, it split into several small pulmonary emboli that are currently in my lungs. Now, I am not a doctor but I can tell you that I almost died and that can certainly give you perspective on so many things.

Hubby and I were in bed Wednesday evening, just watching the President address the nation on the economic fiasco (hey, maybe I can blame him, lol) when all of a sudden it felt like I had a 300 lb person sitting on my chest and I could not breathe. I passed out, hubby called 911 and after an ambulance ride that deserves a post all it’s own, made it to the hospital and the competent doctors were able to figure out what was wrong and start me on the correct treatment.

Since then I have had a lot of time on my hands, sitting in the hospital being watched, prodded and poked by very kind and well meaning nurses, I have been thinking about all the things that God has blessed me with. I have had so much company (it has been exhausting) but I also feel incredibly loved. My hospital room looks like a funeral home with all the flowers- good thing I don’t have allergy issues I get to see my youngest live his 11th year (even though I spent his birthday here). My husband has not left my side except to eat and use the bathroom in days. It brings tears to my eyes at what I would have been missing but at the same time I have to confess….

When I heard the ambulance driver say “dude, I think she’s gonna die” (like I said needs a post of it’s own) I was not scared. I know where I am going when I pass my final breath on this earth. What awaits me there is welcome at any time! But God wasn’t ready for me yet. He allowed me to continue to be here longer for my kids, my hubby, my family and friends and to add another chapter to my testimony.

It wasn’t my time….yet. Let us all remember to live every day for Him and the path that He has anointed for us as we do not know the day, time or hour that God could call any of us home.