Finally a doctor who cares

Yesterday, after speaking to my friend Ruth, I found a doctor who really cares about his patients and takes the time to listen to the problems, and get to the bottom of them, and explains the medications that he has prescribed and how they should work and how soon they will work and also what is wrong with you or your child. He's a homeopath here in Durban, so if you would like his details then email me and I will gladly give you the details.

I took Chloe to see him yesterday because she was coughing to the point of vomiting and her nose was running more profusely than before, and I was worried that the incredibly sore throat that I have, I had passed to my poor little cherub. I had been giving her a homeopathic remedy called Cataro which was working a treat, and "detoxing" her sinuses, hence the runny nose, but it was the cough that was worrying me, as well as the thrush that seems to be getting worse in her mouth. So, we arrive at his rooms, and the receptionist was amazingly friendly (I'm sure Chloe's cuteness does help with that) and we were seen on time, which is another pet hate I have for most medical practitioners, and he introduced himself, so that you know who you are dealing with, and then does a complete background information gathering session, followed by the actual "check up". Chloe loved him, and was all smiles except for when he was trying to have a look at her throat. She is very anti anything in her mouth at the moment, because of all the medicines that have been forced down her throat. Anyway, after fighting to look into her ears (she wanted to play with the in-ear-looking-thingy) he said that she has infection of the Pharynx (see picture) and a shotty nose, which may be aggrivated by the dairy formula that she drinks. So, to make a long story short, he gave me 2 sets of drops to give her and some other SUPER probiotics to help with the thrush. I have to rub the probiotics into her mouth which ends up with her crying and unhappy, so that is not the best part. But, the very cool part was that he said that she looks very well and healthy. The other amazing thing is that you can call him at any time to ask him something if there is something you are unsure about or, he asked me to phone him with an update on her progress today so that he knows what is happening. I am also just really happy that the school are so good at administering her meds as well so I know that she will get them when she needs to.

So, I have to monitor her again tonight and see how she does, and then let him know in the morning and then we will take things from there. I'm just glad that we are getting somewhere, and I can get to see him rather than fight with unpleasant receptionists who tell you there is a 3 day waiting period to see the doctor, and usually it's not the one that you want to see anyway.

Fragrant Baby Powder

I found this recipe online, and thought it would be a good idea. Now the better idea is to add TeaTree Oil for nappy rashes. Now all I need to do is work out how much it would cost to make this and see if it makes more sense to let Elizabeth Annes (c) make it or make it myself. (Paul is really rubbing off on me)


- 225g cornstarch (Maizena here in South Africa)
- 3 drops lavender essential oil (again after some research, add some tea tree and lavender oil)

- Place cornstarch in a self-sealing plastic bag and add the essential oil drop by drop.
- Tightly close the bag and shake it to distribute the oil, breaking up any clumps through the bag.
- Let stand 4 days to distribute the essential oil. Use with every diaper change, or as needed.
- Potato starch or arrowroot powder can be used instead of cornstarch.

- Spice or salt shakers with large perforations in their lids make good powder containers.

Bonnet

Yesterday, I was beside myself with excitement.  I had an idea for making a bonnet for Chloe.  I have been trying to crochet a beanie for a week now and just getting more and more frustrated with every round crocheted.  But then, I was hit with an epiphany for making the bonnet, and it was SO easy.  2 squares sewn together along 2 sides and edged, with some ribbon to tie it on, and viola we have a bonnet.  I was dying to wake her up to try it on, but managed to hold myself back, and tried it on this morning.  In fact she wore it to school this morning.  I do admit that it is a little too small, but it's easy enough to make bigger ones.  Add more rounds to the granny square!

Now to teach Sandy how to make them :o)

If you can't beat them

Bwhahahaha! I know the feeling, been there and done that!

Antibiotics and rashes

On Friday last week I took Chloe to a GP because her eyes were oozing green goop and her sinuses were blocked, and the pharmacist I spoke to said she would need antibiotics.  So I went to him, and he gave Chloe come antibiotics and eye ointment and also a decongestant.  Now comes the fun part....

The decongestant shouldn't be administered to children under the age of 2 due to the Ephedrine HCL content.  So, without knowing this I had been giving it to my noonoo and she was not wanting to eat or sleep from it.  Anyway, thank goodness for the internet and research.  I stopped that very quickly.  Then the antibiotics that he gave her, are very strong and the day care mother said that she thinks that he was wrong in his dosage as there is another baby (10 months old) who was also on the same stuff and the gave her less than half the dosage this guy gave to Chloe.  Thank goodness the course finished today.  So now, Chloe has thrush on her bottom and in her mouth, she cried all of Monday night, and wouldn't eat for the better part of the weekend.

Thankfully with the prayer and support of friends we annointed Chloe (with oil) and prayed healing and blessing over her, and she slept much better last night.  My mom also brought some meds up from the pharmacist I spoke about in my last post, and that has also started helping.

Hopefully this evening her bottom will look a lot less inflamed.

xxx

Losing faith in medical practitioners

This weekend was a bit of a turning point for me...

 

I am losing faith in medical practitioners.  I took Chloe to a GP because the pead's are never available to help, and she needed to get sorted out as soon as possible.  So anyway, this guy prescribed medication for her, of which one shouldn't be given to children under 2 years old, because of the ephedrine in it.  Thank goodness for the Internet.  Anyway, then the pharmacist gladly gave the medication to me without batting an eyelid, knowing full well that the meds shouldn't be given to babies.

 

So what do I do? I can't get hold of the people who specialise in babies, and the people who you think should be able to help seem to not know what they are doing either, and then the people you expect to double check the doctor don't. 

 

There is about only one person that I trust in the medical profession at the moment, and I can't always ask her everything, but she is an amazing pharmacist, and seems to be the only person who gives a hoot.

 

I think that it is an injustice to the people who really need professionals to be professional, and be there to help.  I know that they also need a life, but at the same time, have staff who are pleasant and don't fob you off all the time as well.

 

Sorry to the readers here, but I have to get this off my chest.  In my sleep deprived state I need to be able to voice the dissatisfaction.  I phoned the pead's rooms this morning, and they always say, "phone back in half an hour" or "phone after 12" and it hacks me off.  I phone back in the time stated and they tell me the same story again.

 

The other issue I have is, they say that you can take the child to the emergency room and they will get hold of the pead.  They can't even get hold of him, so what is the poor person on the street supposed to do?

 

Argh!

The problems with complex life...

Noisy neighbours!

 

Last night was terrible, Chloe has been sick, the poor noonoo had sinus infection, which she is on antibiotics for.  The problem is, I have now discovered that she has thrush in her mouth and on her bottom, so she has been in pain all night. She was awake every half hour or so.  So I am shattered, which hopefully will excuse me if I don't completely make sense.

 

Now, back to the neighbours.... we live in a row of 3 simplexes, where our beroom wall is our neighbours kitchen / lounge wall.  Now, on any other night I wouldn't have been upset, but considering that Chloe was sleeping badly already, I was getting upset.  I think they must have been re-arranging all their funriture last night, in the kitchen and lounge, making a HUGE racket, and then also standing outside Chloe's bedroom window talking loudly etc.Sometimes I get so angry with the incosiderate nature of people.  They were backwards and forwards past our house for an hour, talking, running, one of the children were even riding a plastic "motorbike" up and down, and they make a HUGE noise.  I was ready to go next door and give them gears, but I thought it would be a bad idea, considering that I was tired, and not thinking completely rationally... but, as I had said, things only went south from there. 

So, I've been quiet...

Ok, Ok, I know that I have been very lax in posting recently, but I haven't really had much news (and writers block).

 

As you can see there has been some overhauling of my blog... different look and feel... let me know what you think, although it could change again soon, have found some really cool skins.

 

Life has been pretty tiring, looking after Chloe, missing Paul and getting back into the swing of things with work.

 

Paul was in Zambia for the whole week last week, so I had a fairly quiet week, work, look after Chloe and sleep.  I was in bed early every night last week.  I just couldn't keep my eye's open.  I must say that it was quiet and I was really happy to have him home again.

 

Things still haven't settled down with Chloe and she still has a blocked nose.  Her sleep is constantly being interrupted by the nose, and I am hoping that the humidifier that I bought will help.  I have also added Olbas oil to the humidifier which will apparently help clear her up, and so far there has been some improvement, but it is slow progress, and I am battling with all the wakings and never sure if she is hungry or just can't breathe.  There are also massage techniques that I can learn that will help with that, but I haven't had the time, or the funds to learn those techniques.

 

There has been an exciting development in my life, but I will have to keep you in suspense till it is official, so sorry for those waiting now with bated breath to hear what it is.  I will definitely keep you up to date with that development.  Just for those wondering, no, I'm not pregnant again.

 

All the increases in the cost of living have really made things tight in the budget and I have been looking around for cheaper but good nappies.  I was told about a factory shop which sells factory reject nappies (mostly cosmetic defects) and they didn't have any when I went there, so I gave that up as a bad joke.  But, in the mission of finding a cheaper alternative to Pampers, I was at a supermarket and was doing some research and found another brand which is as good as Pampers, but about 50 cents a nappy cheaper, so I think I will be buying those in a short while.  It's ridiculous how much they charge for the things.  There is the alternative of having cloth nappies, but then you have the problem of nappy rash and bucket loads of nappies to wash every day.  You have to weigh up the cost of the detergent and water as well when thinking of the towelling nappies. My mother said that she went through about 12 nappies a day with us and that is not an option.  I can't see that happening anytime soon.  Also the cost of formula has also gone up quite a bit, almost R20 a tin, which also bites quite hard.

 

I'm sad to say that I have become quite unused to Chloe at home, and the weekends are exhausting, looking after her, keeping her busy.  By the end of the weekend I am happy that she is going back to school, but at the same time, by 9am on Monday morning I am missing her like crazy.  Like a yo-yo I tell you.

 

Anyway, let me go, I really have run out of stuff to write now...

 

xx