TheMommyBlog

Saturday, November 14, 2009 Family, Children's Health

DISCLAIMER: I did not let my daughter watch Kill Bill with me! She came in at the very last scene, and when I went to turn it off, she said, no, I want see the swordfight. It was a very stylized, elegant scene, until the part where they each got cut. At one point Lucy Liu receives a wound and her attitude changes and she apologizes for doubting Uma Thurman’s skills. Just I’m explaining the code of honor that requires one master to show respect to another, a trickle of blood falls on the white snow from Lucy’s white kimono. That was the image that startled her. I would NEVER allow her to watch a full movie like that.

Ghosts, monsters, dragons: What to tell kids
By Elizabeth Landau, CNN

(CNN)—When Melinda Roberts is watching animated movies with her kids—7, 9, and 11—she’ll help them recognize voice actors and talk about the creation process so they won’t get scared.

“They can get into the story, but feel a little bit safer about it because they know who the actor is,” said Roberts of San Jose, California.

A new study in the journal Child Development suggests that reassuring kids by telling them scary images aren’t real is helpful for those around 7 and up, but for the younger ones it may not be preferred. Researchers at the University of California, Davis, found that when preschoolers get scared, they prefer to think of the fantastical threat as “nice.” Read more…

Thursday, March 05, 2009 Family, News, Politics, Children's Health

I can’t believe it, but am so very glad the decision was made.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta of CNN has withdrawn from consideration for surgeon general in President Obama’s administration

CNN’s chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, has withdrawn his name from consideration for surgeon general, the network and the White House announced Thursday afternoon… Farrell said he’s been told Gupta had misgivings about both the pay-cut he would have to take and the fact that he might be reporting to two high-level bosses… As surgeon general, Gupta would make about $153,000, according to public information on federal salaries. It’s unclear what Gupta’s contracts are currently worth, but the surgeon general salary would be considerably less.

May I remind you that there is a groundswell of support for Dr. George Lundberg to be appointed Surgeon General. I know for a fact that he cares more about public health than the pay cut, and that he’d probably like to have as few as two high-level bosses for a change.

How you can help:

• Join the FaceBook group, DR. GEORGE LUNDBERG FOR SURGEON GENERAL
• Sign the PETITION TO PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA TO APPOINT DR. GEORGE D. LUNDBERG AS OUR NEXT US SURGEON GENERAL

Perhaps for the first time in recent history we believe that our Surgeon General’s first task is to use the “bully pulpit” of that position to help remoralize American Medicine in the following three areas. These three issues transcend any particular important scientific public-health topic per se like smoking, obesity, mental health, HIV/AIDS and many other worthy topics. But these core issues must be addressed first and foremost before any worthy scientific pubic health issue can be addressed effectively. So we urge our new Surgeon General to address the following upon entering the position.

1) Affordable health Insurance for all American Citizens.

2) Rebuilding Trust in our Federal Agencies that are Responsible for our Public Heath.

3) Wanton Overuse of Potentially Dangerous Medicines and Medical Technology – While the uninsured don’t receive basic medical care the insured (most of us) receive too many potentially dangerous medical interventions.

Dr George Lundberg not only is a consummate public health scientist who knows public health issues, he strongly embraces the above three priorities in words and deeds.

I can personally attest to that.

Thursday, February 26, 2009 Family, Life, Children's Health, Moms Like Us

I’m swerving off my usual sarcastatrack to talk about something that touches an astonishing number of families given the word “rare” in the description. This Saturday is World Rare Disease Day, and they have very simple objectives for 2009:

The main objective of Rare Disease Day 2009 is to raise awareness with policy makers and the public of rare diseases and of their impact on patients’ lives. Other main objectives of Rare Disease Day are to:

• Raise awareness on rare diseases
• Strengthen one voice of patients
• Give hope and information to patients
• Bring stakeholders closer together
• Coordinate policy actions in different countries
• Inspire continued growth of the awareness of rare diseases
• Get equity in access to care and treatment

Awareness raising events will take place in each participating country. To find out what is happening in your country, click here.

If that seems like a mouthful, at least watch this video about Baby Hannah, whom I want to snuggle and tickle and take home with me until I remember she is in the very best and loving hands already. You may want to grab a box of tissues. first.

Friday, January 23, 2009 Family, News, Politics, Children's Health

This is a comment I left this morning in response to the post entitled Dr. George Lundberg for Surgeon General by Brian Keppler of The Health Care Blog. Needless to say, this is a burning issue, and one that is near and dear to my heart as anyone who had been reading for a while will know!

Disclosure: I am Dr. Lundberg’s stepdaughter.

I have watched my stepfather’s career from the inside for over twenty-five years, and can say that everything that has been said about his professional life carries over to his personal life (not that I will say more about his personal life. I still want to be invited to dinner.). He is, bar none, the best role model for anyone who cares about the nation’s health care, or for their own. He has integrity, a very long view, an infallible moral compass, and an ability to look at matters objectively and see a solution that simply staggers.

He is acutely aware of what’s wrong with the health care system (oxymoron?) and bore frustrated witness to my being unable to obtain health insurance when the company I worked for shut down and ceased COBRA premiums. For nearly a year, I struggled to pay for care as a single (unemployed) mother of three while searching for coverage, which was ultimately granted through HIPPA via an absurdly circuitous route. If this can happen to me, with my knowledge and resources and contacts, it can happen to ANYONE. Just a case in point.

As a family member I may be biased, but I can assure you that there is pure transparency to this man. What you see is what you get, and that is quite a lot and not to be overlooked at this particular time, with this particular administration.

Read Severed Trust. Google his career. Do what you must, but do not let this one get away.

Here is the excerpt that stated his case so well:

The report that Mr. Obama’s Surgeon General choice might be neurosurgeon and CNN medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta produced an upwelling of strong opinion, particularly in the medical community. Some argued that Dr. Gupta has clearly demonstrated his abilities as an able communicator.

But others said that Gupta lacks the experience, seriousness and focus on public health. (I can’t help thinking that anyone who has achieved working neurosurgeon and national TV commentator status is pretty capable and serious, demeanor notwithstanding.)

And so it is that on Facebook, that Dr. Richard Lippin, a longtime Preventive Medicine physician based in Pennsylvania, has posted a letter he sent to President Obama and Secretary Daschle, urging the consideration of Dr. George Lundberg for Surgeon General.

The header reads: “We need a physician with the gravitas and the moral credentials and authority to use this bully pulpit position to speak for science and values based priority public health issues for all Americans. Dr. George Lundberg fits the bill.”

The letter provides a brief bio of Dr. Lundberg, the brilliantly eclectic, progressive, Alabama-born, down-to-earth physician who has been a visible mainstay of American medicine for decades. Dr. Lippin doesn’t mention Dr. Lundberg’s landmark 2002 book on American health care and reform, Severed Trust. (The title alone provides a lot of insight into Dr. Lundberg’s view of the world.)

But Dr. Lippin does believe the Surgeon General choice is about healing both America and American medicine, He writes, “we have a genuine crisis on many levels in US Medicine. Also we need desperately for the medical profession to regain its moral and ethical foundations and furthermore we also need medical leaders who must regain the trust of the American Public which has been dangerously eroded.

I agree with Dr. Lippin that those are the tasks, and I agree that Dr. Lundberg is a terrifically suitable candidate. Over many years, I have developed a warm friendship with him. It is impossible to not be bowled over by his range and grasp of issues, and by his unswerving willingness to stand clearly and openly for approaches that are tied to evidence and reason. The ultimate critical thinker, his judgments are founded most closely to merit, possibility and an unshakable belief in the correctness of the pursuit of excellence in health.

He is also bold and politically savvy. You don’t become the longest running Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of the American Medical Association (until he got politically at odds with them) and then build Medscape into the most widely read Web resource for clinicians worldwide unless you can continuously strike the delicate balances between science, sensibility and moral imperatives among your peers. Read more…

Friday, August 08, 2008 Children's Health, Fellow Parenting Authors

Remember when a bunch of mom bloggers went to Cincinnati to visit with Pampers? Remember? No? The runs through O’Hare, the broken eyeglasses, the falls out of the limo? Still nothing?

Well, you’ll remember this, by golly. I designed a new widget for donations to the “Support UNICEF’s Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus” effort, to be displayed on our sites.

Not one of us walked away from our visit with UNICEF USA’s CEO Caryl Stern unaffected by her descriptions of the thousands of preventable neonatal and maternal deaths from Tetanus, a totally preventable disease. The cost of a single vaccine? Five cents. There was no question we weren’t going to do something about it.

Lifesaving Immunization for Children

Every since its first tuberculosis campaign in 1947, UNICEF has been a leader in global immunization. Today we provide vaccine to 40 percent of the world’s children and help save two million lives a year. But thousands of children still die needlessly every day from diseases like measles, polio, or tuberculosis. UNICEF is committed to vaccinating every single child against preventable childhood diseases.

When war or natural disaster strikes, we do whatever it takes to get children immunized. We help broker ceasefires so that we can enter a war-torn region and vaccinate its children. After a disaster, we go door-to-door in the remotest areas to distribute lifesaving vaccines.

Here is the widget, which also has a home in the sidebar. Our hosts have really gone the extra mile and created a page just for us where you can make a donation and receive a tax reciept on the spot. Pampers will track the donations that come through this widget, so we can see how well we’re doing to support the cause.

To get an idea of how important that is to us, have a look at the video of Mr. McCleary’s (of Pampers) visit to Angola to see UNICEF’s progress with tetanus vaccines.

Dig around and see how many nickels you have laying around, and then think about each one of those saving a mom’s or baby’s life. And pass our links around so we can get this thing to go viral. If we can’t pull it off, who can? Who care more about moms and babies than other moms and babies? You can make a difference, and save twenty lives for each dollar. I just donated fifty dollars, and you know what a commitment that is for me right now.

Let’s take Tetanus out of the equation - having children is hard enough without knowing just how slim the chances or survival are without proper care and vaccination.

Thursday, July 03, 2008 Children's Health, Moms Like Us, PPD Resources

My best friend is pregnant with her second, and as always is Janie on the Spot with helpful backup. She sent me a couple of emails that are sent to her weekly from WhatToExpect.com. I don’t have the direct link to the articles so I’ll quote them here:

WEEK 11: DEPRESSION DURING PREGNANCY
“Could I have postpartum depression before the baby’s even born?
It’s not easy being blue — especially when everyone around you is expecting you to be rosy pink and giddy with excitement. The truth is, depression during pregnancy is as common — even more common, according to some studies — as postpartum depression is (though the postpartum variety gets all the press). And it’s no wonder. After all, pregnancy is a life-altering (not to mention body-altering) experience that can throw even the most eager parent-to-be emotionally off-kilter. The physical changes alone can take a tremendous toll (it’s hard to be giddy with excitement when you’re feeling crappy with morning sickness, fatigue, heartburn, fatigue, constipation, fatigue, bloating.…). Coupled with the emotional stress that pregnancy (and the upcoming transition to parenthood) can bring, it’s a recipe for depression — a recipe that’s shared by more than ten percent of expectant women.

No one knows for certain what causes pregnancy depression, but it’s almost a sure bet that those raging hormones play a significant role (just as hormone fluctuations can wreak premenstrual emotional havoc). Relationship problems, complications in the pregnancy (or a high-risk pregnancy), a history of fertility difficulties or pregnancy loss, or stressful life events (such as trouble at work or death of a close family member) can add to the strain. Depression is also more likely if you have a history (or a family history) of depression, or if you suffer from pronounced PMS.

Often, it’s difficult to diagnose depression during pregnancy because its symptoms mirror so many “normal” pregnancy symptoms: sleep and appetite changes (and every pregnant woman has those!), loss of interest in sex (ditto), anxiety, inability to concentrate, and general emotional instability. What’s not normal is to feel consistently sad, hopeless, or generally uninterested in life — especially if such feelings are keeping you from eating properly, sleeping regularly, or otherwise taking good care of yourself. To help you sort out whether your feelings are a result of normal pregnancy-related emotional changes, or whether they’ve progressed to depression, speak to your practitioner.

Wednesday, July 02, 2008 Children's Health, PPD Resources

A reader asked me this question, and I couldn’t respond fast enough, because I could almost feel the uncertainty and fear in her words. I’ve been there. And so have a million others, though few have the courage or courtesy to say it to your face. Then you end up feeling like a freak. It is my personal mission to prevent unnecessary freak-feeling wherever I can.

Q:Is it normal to have postpartum before giving birth?

A: I would say so! Depression is depression; it doesn’t wear a watch or check the calendar. There is so much going on in a pregnant woman’s body that it’s a testament to our species that we survive the process at all.

Post Partum Depression is what they call it when it persists for more than a few weeks or months after birth. It’s a narrow definition. For instance, I had it after I lost a twenty-week pregnancy and my milk came in even without the baby, then had it with my first, was just getting over it when the second came along, and then it rode straight on into the next pregnancy nine months later and still hasn’t gone away. We can’t call it PPD anymore, technically, but that’s when it started and now it’s plain ole depression.

It’s normal to feel this way while pregnant, and it can be hard when you don’t see anyone else going through it. Hormones and chemical turmoil do plenty to throw us off and not see clearly, and the prospect of having a baby to take care of can be as terrifying as it is thrilling.

Here’s a mantra: motherhood starts before the birth, and the pregnancy doesn’t end with the birth. You’re as good as pregnant for at least three months after birth as your body readjusts and continues to work overtime nourishing the baby. It’s just that the baby is on the outside now. The important thing is that you realize it, and try to find a safe place to vent without being judged, and if you want to write to me, you’re absolutely welcome.

They say that a pregnant woman is as different, physiologically, from a non-pregnant woman as a woman is from a man. It’s like a third gender. And it feels like it, doesn’t it?

I’m really glad you wrote and asked that question, because I thought about that exact thing so many times and didn’t know how to ask anyone. I would like to post this for others who might have the same questions, keeping you anonymous of course, anything you say to me is confidential. But I think this is important.

If you’re up to reading, these books will definitely give you perspective. They literally saved my life.

• The Girlfriend’s Guide to Pregnancy
• The Parent Trip
• The Girlfriend’s Guide to Surviving the First Year
• The Nursing Mother’s Companion
• The Expectant Parents’ Companion
• The Nursing Mother’s Guide to Weaning
• The Pregnancy Book: Month-by-Month
• The Birth Book: Everything You Need to Know to Have a Safe and Satisfying Birth
• The Baby Book: Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby from Birth to Age Two
• The Attachment Parenting Book

Good luck, and let me know how you’re doing…

Mindy