Posted on Monday, July 18, 2016

Where To Go For Your Loved Ones Summer Injury

Unfortunately injuries are far too common in the summer time, especially if you have kids. And sometimes it can be difficult to determine if your loved one’s injury warrants a trip to the emergency room or if it’s something you can take care of at home. You don’t want to overreact but you also want to get them the proper care. In order to determine the type of care that’s necessary, I have put together a guide of where you should go for your loved ones summer injury.

Minor injuries can be dealt with at an urgent care. They typically have shorter wait times and you get in and out pretty quickly. Injuries that can be taken care of at an urgent care include UTIs, minor burns, insect and animal bites and wound infections.

More serious injuries warrant a trip to the emergency room. If your child falls out of a tree and breaks a bone, especially if it’s a compound fracture, you must take them to the ER. Breathing issues, allergic reactions and chest pain should also be treated in an emergency room. If you feel as though your loved one has a concussion you should take them to the ER immediately Signs of a concussion include loss of consciousness, nausea, vomiting, headaches and ringing in the ears.

Injuries sustained during sports, such as a sprained ankle, should be taken to the child’s primary care doctor first. Your doctor can determine the severity of the injury and the next steps that should be taken.

It can be difficult to determine the appropriate type of care for a specific injury but these tips should help you make a good decision on where to take your loved one.

For more healthcare tips for you and your family, check out my workbook for dealing with caring for your children as well as your aging parents: Life in Sandwich Generation. Life in the Sandwich Generation is a workbook filled with information, tips and tricks for managing the demands needing to care for your aging parents, as well as taking care of your children. It details how you can involve your children in the process, how to learn more about your parents health and finances, while still making time for yourself and your spouse. You can find it here for only $10!

Posted on Thursday, July 14, 2016

Preventing Burnout For Those In The Sandwich Generation

There comes a certain point in your life when your children still need your help, but so do your parents. This can put a lot of pressure on you and add extra stress to your life. Trust me, I know how you feel. In fact, I wrote a book about it.

July is National Sandwich Generation month, recognizing the efforts of caregivers everywhere. With the needs of your kids and your parents, it can be hard to find time for yourself or your spouse. I have put together a list of tips on how to take care of yourself while living life in the sandwich generation and help you prevent burn out.

First, divide up chores. Have the kids pitch in. Sure, there are certain things they can’t do, but you can have them take the dog for a walk or put away the dishes. If they’re older, have them help you with your parents. Have them take grandma to the doctor or go to the grocery store. This will make it so there is less on your plate.

Second, don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you have siblings ask them to help. Create a schedule. One week it will be your turn to help mom and dad with stuff around the house and the next week you can rotate. Also employ the help of trusted neighbors. Ask your parents neighbors to keep an eye on the house. If they notice something abnormal have them call you so you can go check on mom and dad. This way, if you don’t have time to stop over on a regular basis, you can still have the comfort of knowing they are safe.

Third, plan ahead. This way there are no surprises. If you know your kids have a baseball tournament out of town this weekend, make sure you help your parents out earlier in the week. If you know mom and dad need groceries, take them earlier in the week. Let your siblings know they are going to need to be available to help while you’re gone.

Fourth, be sure to make time for yourself. When you feel like you’re being pulled in a million different directions, it’s important to do something for yourself to relax. Treat yourself to a manicure and pedicure or hit the gym. This will help relieve some of the stress.

Life in the sandwich generation can be tough. But these tips will help prevent burn out.

For more healthcare tips for you and your family, check out my workbook for dealing with caring for your children, as well as your aging parents: Life in the Sandwich Generation. Life in the Sandwich Generation is a workbook filled with information, tips and tricks for managing the demands needing to care for your aging parents, as well as taking care of your children. It details how you can involve your children in the process, how to learn more about your parents health and finances, while still making time for yourself and your spouse. You can find it here for only $10!

Posted on Monday, July 11, 2016

Preparing For Baby: Making Sure They’re Healthy

Once you find out you’re pregnant, you have to make a lot of decisions; what color will you paint the nursery? What will the child’s name be? But possibly the most important decision is choosing the right pediatrician.

As many of you know my youngest daughter was born with a life-threatening illness. In my first days home with her she showed no signs of being as ill as she was. She was my quiet one. At her two-day check-up her pediatrician noticed she had jaundice, which isn’t uncommon. Because I already had a two-year-old at home, doctors thought it would be easier to readmit her in to the hospital to give her light therapy until the jaundice cleared. This was divine intervention. The child that I thought was just quiet and sweet was actually very sick. After a few days, on Mother’s Day, a possible diagnosis was given. The disease my daughter had required an operation, and she was only four days old. After that she had a colostomy for about a year.

But things are much different now. She is a healthy, thriving, beautiful, 20-something-year-old, living in New York. Looking at her now, you would have never known how sick she was as an infant. Without the right medical care and guidance from doctors, we may have had a different outcome.

I sympathize with parents who have sick children. And in order to help make this process easier on you I have put together a list of things I found helpful while going through this process.

First, before your baby is born, be sure to interview pediatricians. Make sure it is someone you can communicate with. This saved my daughters life.

Second, be serious about where you deliver. Make sure the doctor’s viewpoints are aligned with yours. If you want to do things naturally, make sure they are accepting of your birth plan. So many moms are looking for a hotel-like experience — a gorgeous room with concierge. However, when you have a sick baby, you need a hospital with all of the services, such as NICU and pediatric surgeons, among others. You’ll only be there for two days; the resources are more important than the room.

Third, once you have confidence in your pediatricians and hospital, follow their advice. You don’t want birth to be the first time you’ve met.

In the end, remember that if you have other children you need to make a plan to take care of yourself, your other children and your marriage. It’s a balancing act. Many moms just focus on one sick child, allowing many marriages, including mine, to fall apart.