Tricks of the Trade to Get through the Day

Pregnant or not we all face those days of sheer exhaustion where we just don't think we will make it through the day. And it's barely 8:30am. Under normal circumstances we can chug back several venti starbucks like a frat boy doing keg stands during Greek Week and carry on with our day. Pregnancy however, prevents us (or should) from caffiene loading and creates an even great exhaustion problem.

Imagine if you will a worm hold in space centered over your abdomen sucking your energy away from you in a swirling vortex. There is no Starbucks at the edge of the Universe. Real life is not a Douglas Adams novel despite feeling like a depressed robot on auto pilot!


So as a courtesy to you I have put together my list of things I have adapted to, to make it through a day.

1) Water-there is no caffiene but keeping your body hydrated helps keep it running more efficiently and helps with the sandy dry eye feeling.

2) Walking (especially outside)-when my head keeps jerking towards my desk like its magnetized, its time to take a 10 minute walk to get some fresh air and circulate the blood. If you have to do this twice an hour so be it.

3) Decaff coffee or Hot tea-the warmth and flavor almost tricks the brain into thinking you are fueling up on your caffinated beverage of choice. It gives you a temporary psychological boost.

4)Food-I've never been a snacker. I was doing good to eat 3 meals a day. As your pregnancy progresses your eating habits change with it. Frankly, there isn't room to eat large meals and you don't want the heartburn that comes with it. so you start eating little bits every few hours. This keeps your energy level more even as well. I keep a LOT of fresh fruit around me now. I'm not sure you will find my desk without an apple and water bottle hanging out together.

5) Power Naps- a necessary evil. yes, they are never long enough and you may still feeel groggy but sometimes catching 10-20 minutes of shut eye in your car at lunch is a necessity for your mental stability (so you don't stab a co-worker with a letter opener because they just want shut up during a meeting).

6) Protein- It's burned slower so gives you a more consistent energy level than carbs. Carbs are like an energy drink-they pin your eyelids to your forehead immediately but unlike Joan Rivers cheek bones, they almost as quickly sag to your chin a short time later.

Finally: Caffiene. I know its the forbidden fruit of pregnancy but you can safely have small quantities of it. And Really? I would rather hype my kid up in utero every now and again than risk a car wreck because I fell asleep at the wheel.

Common sense is the key and all of these tips are spread through pregnancy books but as its a daily grind for my insomniac self, I thought it worth its own post.

Picture Credit.

"Handing" out Information on CTS

I think one of the biggest misconceptions about pregnancy is pregnancy itself. You hear the horror stories from pregnant people about the aches and pains and exhaustion and morning sickness but you tend to brush it off because you want the end result so badly you can taste it.

I think we tend to rationalize in our minds that people are drama queens and things are not really as bad as they make them out to be. Then we get hit with one of those rare occurrences that you don’t hear so much about (or maybe not so rare but not as prevalently talked about). Is it the end of the world? No, of course not but it damn sure can effect your life, moods, outlook etc.

Pregnancy Carpal Tunnel. Not something you expect to get, think about getting, prepare for getting and it can seriously “cramp” your life. My pregnancy has been rather mild. It was traumatic in the beginning with the unsurity of it. There were a few weeks of some good bouts of Morning sickness but other than that and some typical exhaustion, it has not been too bad. I’ve watched my weight (slowly climb that is), tried to eat healthy and had this false idea that if I could just keep my weight down I could avoid some of the discomforts many people experience. (I’m so delusional). Then my body lost control of itself and that idea went out the window this past weekend with my sanity.

You don’t realize how much you use your hands until you can’t. When your wrists ache and your hands start going numb and swelling it seriously affects your quality of living. I can’t walk for long periods without this happening. I lasted 6 minutes on the treadmill last night before they got to the point of numbness they actually felt like they were dipped in hot water.

My desk job, which everyone assumes to be so easy during pregnancy? I grit my teeth and cry through part of it because the pain in my wrists is so bad. Flipping through stacks of paper to organize chronologically (flip, pull, insert, twist, flip) is excruciating. I can barely get the cap off my water bottle and forget about opening jars while cooking.

Last night, just so I could try and sleep, my husband had to massage my hands. This morning, before I could get out of bed, he had to rub the right one and physically open it as it was balled in a clawed fist with stabbing pain and numbness and I couldn’t seem to open it myself.

Sitting here typing is giving me tingly warm sensations through my fingers so I can foresee if this keeps up and/or gets worse as predicted, I will be forced into a blogging/internet break. So again, my one outlet will be taken away from me. Just another part of me being lost to myself.

Is the sacrifice worth it? Of course it is but I’m not going to lie. It’s damn sure hard to get through the day to day of it all happily through the pain and it is definitely taking a hand in my mental state.

So here’s what you need to know about Carpal Tunnel during pregnancy:
Symptoms:
• Tingling or numbness in part of the hand (thumb, index, middle or ring fingers)
• Sharp pains that shoot from the wrist up the arm
• Burning Sensations in the fingers
• Morning stiffness or cramping of hands
• Thumb weakness
• Frequently dropping objects
• Waking at night with hand pain and numbness
• Numbness in hand while driving

(Yea, I actually have ALL THAT...nice huh?)

Carpal Tunnel during pregnancy affects 28% of pregnant women but mostly in the age range of 29-62yo. (They need to check those figures. I know it’s been done with modern science but seriously how many fucking pregnant 62 year olds are there?)

What CTS is: The median nerve, traveling through the “tunnel” of the wrist bones, is compressed by the flexor tendons. The nerve responds by sending pain signals and not carrying normal sensory information. It is usually brought on by water retention. (Hmmm maybe this is why I gained 6 pounds in one weekend.)

Treatment Suggestions:
• Reduce Salt intake to aid in the water retention issues.
• Practice Yoga (yea...I’m having a hard time considering this one since that’s going to HURT)
• Wrists braces
• Try not to do repetitive wrist motion that will aggravate it
• B6 supplements (though clinical studies have shown that this really isn’t significantly effective)
• Massage
• Regular breaks and position changes
• In more serious cases: cortisone shots in the wrist (I’ll be avoiding that particular one unless absolutely necessary)
• In Extreme Cases if the symptoms to not improve after pregnancy there is a simple outpatient surgery (but this is an extreme rarity for pregnancy induced CTS).

Sources: www.pregnancytoday.com ; www.babycenter.com ; www.ehow.com .

Controversial Discussions-Financial Aid and Diet

I was involved briefly in an internet discussion about junk food versus nutritional food and what is acceptable to purchase when receiving government aid.

I have to say that I have several views on this subject that I didn’t have time to get into in one lunch hour. So let’s just break it down and see if I can articulate it to make some kind of sense. (and here’s where you get a bigger glimpse into my very judgmental and warped mind).

A) I understand living with a certain amount of money for food and having to choose how to best appropriate those funds to maximize them. It’s called a budget and is not exclusive to those receiving aid. It should be a common denominator across the board. Some peoples’ budgets may be higher than others making it easier to make decisions, but all responsible (and therein lies the problem) people should have a budget for groceries.
I shop cheap, at discount stores, at multiple stores trying to maximize my dollars. Not everything I buy is the healthiest choice. Example: I may skip the whole wheat pasta for a box of regular pasta because it’s cheaper. I do not however skimp on making homemade sauces which are better for you and if done right are cheaper. You can pack a lot of veggies, vitamins, protein etc in a good homemade sauce. It’s a balance act.

B) I am not against all junk food or having someone buy it. I’m not about to say “if you are poor you can’t buy a candy bar.” My husband is a junk food fiend. Seriously. It disgusts me at some of the things that man can pack away. To keep him from becoming mutinous I am committed to buying him a junk food item now and again. At Halloween we have a bowl of candy out. It will last for several weeks though a bag of Swedish fish disappears in 30 minutes or less. During the holidays I bake cakes, cookies, brownies etc periodically. I give in on the occasional bag of chips. He takes Poptarts for breakfast. Heck, I enjoy my Coco Pebbles cereal sometimes (ahem every morning during second tri!). The biggest problem in our house is by far soda.
Part of this stems from his growing up poor and nutritionally uneducated. They ate hamburger helper without the hamburger. Canned Fruits and Veggies were a luxury item that they hoarded when they were brought in the house. They lived off bags of chips because they were cheap and in bulk at the discount places. This makes me sad beyond belief and I am constantly counter acting his habits (which have improved greatly over the past several years) because I will be damned if my son is going to learn to eat crap from him.
I work very hard at providing balanced meals, fresh fruits and veggies every week mixed with a few convenience foods (frozen scalloped potatoes) for time constraints. I shop the farmer’s market and grow my own veggies but in the winter I am all about buying frozen veggies, rice etc. Not all processed food is crap and the occasional crap is not going to kill you.

C) I don’t actually know how some people buy a cart full of crap groceries with or without paying for it with government aid. We all know I’m a judgmental person no matter how hard I try. If I’m in line at the store, I am not one to browse through the National Enquirer. I’m more likely appraising what’s in your cart and comparing it to my own as I have seen many people do. If you have an entire cart full to the brim of sugared cereals, processed junk food, frozen family meals, soda, etc. I’m going to judge. If you are a ringless male, I’m going to judge and probably feel sorry for you a little bit. If you are a man or woman with a kid or more in tow, I’m going to judge and probably want to slap you for your poor choices and what you are teaching/not teaching your children about nutrition. You can bad mouth society’s judgments on fat/poor/ugly people all you want but the fact is if you are living off a diet consisting of mostly junk and processed foods you pretty much deserve to be looked down upon for your bad skin, fat rolls etc. That type of food shows in someway even if you have an exceptional metabolism so don’t think if you are thin you are exempt.
I say this fully aware that I’m overweight and I get judged. I haven’t made the best choices. I was not informed about what my body required since my PCOS was misdiagnosed but that’s only a part of my weight. If I had made healthier choices long ago, I have no doubt that my weight would not nearly be what it is. When I finally did figure out what I was doing, my weight started improving tremendously. And I did it ON A BUDGET.
The point is, there are certain things I get embarrassed about purchasing: tampons, condoms, KY Jelly, Pregnancy Tests and copious amounts of junk food. (Especially if I’m buying them all at the same time. Don’t ask, it was only once, swearsies.)

Now add to that my discomfort if I were on government aid (which now a days they don’t have those pesky “stamps” but a card that looks like a credit card…not sure who they think they are fooling, we still know what that flag flying piece of plastic is folks.) I would melt into a little puddle of mush standing in line with a cart full of crap and whipping out a food stamp card. Maybe I have too much pride or don’t understand what needing help is truly like. I understand there are situations that call for help and my heart goes out to those people (I actually know a few and do not begrudge them their aid at all).
I have been blessed in so many ways which include family always willing to lend each other a helping hand, a strong work ethic and a sense of pride in making my way in the world even if leanly. I hope I NEVER have to rely on the aid of our tax dollars for any reason and I would bite my pride in the ass if it meant putting food in my child’s mouth but I damn sure wouldn’t lose all my pride, knowledge and moral decency by buying crap. It would mortify my southern lady sensibilities down to my toes.
Poverty does not equate to uneducated or unhealthy. At least it shouldn’t. Unfortunately, it seems like more people who are thrown into poverty, the worse they eat and that’s just sad. There are a lot of programs out there designed to assist in teaching people better choices, other ways of eating, nutrition etc. For example, community garden projects are becoming more abundant though in my opinion not nearly as common as they should be especially in the cities. It is more of a reflection on our society’s ineptness that we have so many uneducated in nutrition, living in a poverty level and consisting off of a crap diet than that we live in a society that financial aid for those people.
Do I think we should dictate that only people who can afford it be “allowed” to buy junk food? YES. Junk food is a luxury item in my opinion. I wouldn’t go as far to say its so luxurious it needs to have a Fat Tax added to it as Bev Perdue, the idiot Governor of NC believe but it is something that should be considered a treat and not part of a regular diet. Luxury as in “Extra; indulgence; or bonus”. If you can’t afford bonus items in your weeks menu/budget plan then you don’t get the treat. Occasional candy bar/soda/pack of cookies? No big deal. An entire cart full? Yea I have a problem with it on several levels.
People want to defend a person’s right to do what they want and live like everyone else even if they are poor. It’s the American way. Well, NO it’s not. The American way is to work your ass off to purchase those things you want and have the freedom to do so. You have the freedom to work and earn as much money as you want and live the way your earnings justify. Living outside one’s means is what has turned our economy upside down in the first place. I’m sick of the entitlement theories. “I’m entitled to what you are because we are all equal.” No we aren’t. If you are taking assistance, you don’t have that luxury (as in Comfort; extravagance; lavishness). Luxury of choice does come with having your own earned income. So I absolutely do not believe someone on welfare, food stamps and other assistance programs need to be getting their hair done, fake nails, going out to eat etc. If I can’t afford to do so off of what I make, then I don’t get those things. I have to abide by my paycheck and my budget to afford my lifestyle. If your lifestyle includes taking tax dollars that other people pay in, then you adjust your lifestyle to that level of income. Yes, it pisses me off when people I am paying for have more luxury items than I do working my ass off. Our systems have been abused for far too long. Statistically, its not ALL people on welfare etc. and I am not making that generalization but it’s the few that are constantly brazen about it and in your face that make it really hard for the rest who are trying their best to get some where and get off assistance to deal with the impressions portrayed by the few to the rest of us.

The Power of My Vote

Today is VOTING day in America. Every election is important and we should always exercise our right to vote. I’m not trying to get all political on my blog even though I am a very political person. However, I think it’s important to bring attention to this day just as we would a holiday or other important day in our history and daily lives. Every November 2nd, history is made somehow even if it’s not widely known to the masses. Each person, even in the lowliest of offices has the potential to change other’s lives in ways unforeseen (or foreseen). Whether its good, bad, logical or emotional, people across this great nation are inserting their political opinions and taking stands today at the polls.

This is a great honor that we can do this even when we don’t agree with how the vote goes. People by nature do not always agree with each other. That’s the beauty of humanity. We try things, we see if they work and when they don’t we have opportunity to change them. Sometimes one group of people has the advantage and other times another group does. It balances the desires and wants of all people by creating a natural checks and balances. One president and his congress may focus on some issues dear to their side, while other issues go unaddressed. When change happens, the direction focuses and appeases another group.

Some people align themselves through their hearts, through their dreams and desires, through their wallets, their religions, their ideals. There isn’t necessarily a right way because there are so many issues concerned.

I vote for the way that is best for the future of my children and the prosperity and safety of my country in a world riddled with war, hatred, and economic unease. The important thing is that you vote. You stand up for what you believe and you make educated guesses by looking at what people stand for. You don’t rely on heresay and political ads but look behind the scene at voting records, platforms and resumes. Do a little work yourselves and teach your children to do the same for more educated voters. This is our legacy that we leave to them.

The power to think freely and choose people that best represent the direction of their country and their future. Our choices are not always good, but it is still a choice.

So today, think about these precious lives we carry or will carry or have carried. What will you do today that will benefit them tomorrow? What will we as a nation leave for them? Today, HLB goes to the polls and is very much a part of my vote. I hope it will be the first of many trips to the polls during his/her lifetime.

Heating Pads During Pregnancy

I actually had to Google “heating pad during pregnancy.” Why? Because I have become addicted to mine and I got worried about using it on my lower back where my pain is centered today.

I’m happy to report that they are considered generally safe though not recommended to use on your abdomen. The largest concern is heating up your core body temperature which is the same reason Hot tubs are not recommended because it can cause birth defects and miscarriage according to the March of Dimes. (at least the few articles I scanned).

So it’s better to be safe than sorry even when you feel stupid wondering about such a mundane thing as a heating pad.

Of course there are probably safer heating pads to use than mine. It’s about 20 some years old, the cover is long gone and the cord is crinkled though no wiring is exposed. This sucker gets HOT! (I’ve had red welts on my skin for days because I fell asleep on it).

Since my back problems at work were not improved any when I fell on the concrete floors Friday thanks to lovely Armorall in front of the women’s restroom, my heating pad and chiropractor will be my sidekicks for at least another week.

Being an Obese Mom

It’s hard to look at oneself honestly and even harder to admit to the world at large our major flaws but in the spirit of full disclosure (and the fact that ya’ll have seen my pictures) I am not only a woman living with PCOS but also obesity (partly stemming from the PCOS). I have not lived the healthiest of lifestyles. Not to cast blame but before I knew about the PCOS I would try diets and exercise routines and I would get extremely frustrated at the lack of losing weight so I would give up. I’ve been fighting my weight for years. I basically do not know how to live without fighting my weight.

After being diagnosed with PCOS, I started reading, researching and learning. Combined with my recently developed food allergies, I lost almost 46 pounds before getting pregnant again. Even though my Dr. told me he was not too concerned with my weight because of how my body carried it etc. something in me (that little fat girl that has been mocked and pushed down for years) blamed me for my miscarriage. The one thing I have also been labeled and had other’s (and myself) blame me for was being fat so naturally I blame myself and my weight for losing the one thing I wanted most. My Dr. tells me its not true and statistics tell me its not true, but I can’t help but wonder. So I worked really hard and before this pregnancy lost the weight. Is it healthy that I’m so obsessed DURING my pregnancy with my weight creeping up? Probably not. But I take the high risk specialist’s advice seriously when he recommended I don’t gain ANYTHING! I’ve been trying I swear. I did really well until week 14 when the weight started piling on. I’ve gained 6 pounds in the past two weeks without changing my eating habits…which means, I have to change my eating habits to counter act the baby growing. (Baby is already helping in this area by turning me into a vegetarian me thinks. Baby must have been listening to that conversation! LOL)

If you read WTEWYE, it makes fat people out to be monsters if they choose to get pregnant before being “ideal weight.” What they don’t mention is that sometimes you take the risk because if you wait till you have lost all the weight, then you are a lot older and your fertility issues are even further along so you reduce your change of conception and increase your chance of other baby related issues. It’s like being forced to choose between two evils and either way you go you are chancing the health of your baby (and yourself). It’s not a fun place to be and if I think too hard about it, panic and fear sets in at the chance I made the wrong choice and am a horrible person for choosing to bring a baby into this world as a fat mom. I wish I had been diagnosed in my early 20’s and had a longer time frame for counteracting this and my choices may have been different but I didn’t have that choice or time frame to work with.

I found an article that brings up the weight issues in Health magazine (May 2009) called FAT by Ginny Graves. I’m not going to review the article because basically any article talking about obesity in women is a fear mongering article but mostly, they should be. People are more scared of cigarettes than fast food and in today’s society, they probably should be about equal (slight exaggeration but it’s not all together false. A burger may not kill you but a lifestyle of fast food surely will). Here are some facts, quotes etc. from the article that really stand out to me though:

“An astounding two-thirds of American adults, including 65 million women, are overweight or obese- a rise of 10 percent in just a decade. According to a new study, all adults in the United States will be overweight or obese in 40 years” at that rate.

“In fact, an ADA survey recently suggested that people are more afraid of shark attacks and snake bites than diabetes, even though diabetes contributes to more than 230,000 deaths every year-compared with 5-10 a year from sharks and snakes!”

“Being obese can lop as many as 20 years off your life.”

“1 Fat Ratchets up your risk for cancer.
2. Fat can make cancer treatment and recovery difficult.
3. It’s hard on your heart.
4. It makes exercise unappealing.
5. Fat is bad for your brain (more likely to have dementia in later life)
6. It doesn’t do much for your mood (no shit Sherlock)
7. Fat takes a toll on joints.
8. It puts pressure on your bladder.
9. It isn’t good for your other organs.
10. Fat may produce a backlash in the bedroom (low sex drive, performance issues, lack of enjoyment.)
11. It makes some medical tests tricky.
12. It may affect your medical care.
Some Doctors associate obesity with unpleasant character traits, like hostility, dishonesty, and poor hygiene, research has shown. In fact, in a survey of nearly 2,500 overweight and obese women, 69% said they’d been on the receiving end of a doctor’s bias. The result, according to a 2008 report from the Yale University Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, is that doctors spend less time with overweight patients and are even reluctant to perform preventive screenings and exams. (I have definitely been the victim of weight bias by a Dr. and it was an awful experience).
13. It can interfere with your fertility.
Obesity accounts for 6 percent of infertility cases in women. Too much body fat may produce too much estrogen, which can suppress ovulation. In one study, the probability of getting pregnant declined in women with BMIs higher than 29-and for every one-point increase in BMI, there was a 4 percent lower pregnancy rate. In other research, obese women had high levels of fats and inflammation in the fluid surrounding their eggs, an environment that could affect an egg’s developmental potential. Even a 5-10 percent weight loss may dramatically improve pregnancy rates, but it’s important to establish and maintain a healthy weight before trying to conceive.
14. It makes pregnancy riskier.
Overweight and obese women are more likely to have GD, Pre-E, and cesarean sections-all of which pose risks to mom and baby. They’re also 67 percent more likely to have a miscarriage than normal-weight women, researchers in the UK say. (sigh)
15. It may even affect your baby’s health.
In a study of nearly 15,000 mothers, more than 10,000 of whom had babies with birth defects, it was found that obesity was associated with seven birth defects, including spina bifida, heart defects, shortened limbs, and hernias. (::chews nails in terror::)
16. It may make asthma harder to treat.
17 It keeps you up at night.
18. It makes you less likely to be hired.
19. It can affect your bottom line. (earn less in jobs than normal-weight people).

That’s some pretty scary and powerful stuff. My advice to anyone who is overweight (whether extremely or not) is that you have to make the decisions based on all the factors not just weight but do whatever you can to lose weight before pregnancy and maintain a healthy low-gain DURING pregnancy. It’s not just a physical thing, it’s an emotional thing as well, and I question myself all the time if I can handle what happens should something be wrong with my baby because of what I CHOSE to do. Good luck to anyone with these decisions to make and anyone who is going down this same road. It’s not an easy journey no matter what choices you make.

I’m a 32 year old Obese woman with PCOS and Infertility who chose to get pregnant without losing as much weight as I probably should have versus waiting till I was possibly older with increased issues due to age and PCOS/IF and it haunts me even while I’m ecstatic to be carrying this precious child that I pray every day is healthy and not suffering from my choices.

The Undiagnosed PCOS

I am a woman living with PCOS. To be exact, I am the one in ten women living with PCOS. PCOS is the leading hormonal disorder among women of reproductive age and the main cause of infertility. I recently stumbled across an article in Health magazine (October 2009 by Harriet Brown and Kimberly Holland) that actually speaks frankly about it as one of the top 7 women’s issues that Doctors still miss today.

PCOS is most simply a woman having an imbalance in insulin (which regulates blood sugar) and causes the typical male hormones to have too high of levels (all women have them but in a woman with PCOS, they are higher). The abnormally high levels of insulin also “bombard the ovaries, causing them to produce too much testosterone and develop cysts. Half of all women with PCOS end up with pre-diabetes or diabetes.”

Symptoms include:
Irregular periods or none at all (check)
More hair on face, chest, back, and limbs (check)
Acne (check)
Baldness (thank goodness that’s not a check for me)
Rapid, substantial weight gain that seems impossible to control(triple check and check some more)

There is no conclusive test for this disorder but several small tests plus your symptoms can help a Dr. determine a diagnosis. “Check your reproductive organs for signs of masses or growths using a pelvic or vaginal ultrasound and physical exam. Blood tests are used to measure levels of glucose and several hormones; they also can exclude abnormalities, like hypothyroidism, that mimic PCOS.”

Unfortunately, there is no fix for PCOS. There are treatments that focus on the symptoms and help with fertility issues, limiting risk of diabetes and heart disease. “Birth Control pills help regulate menstrual cycles, lower androgen levels, reduce hair growth, and clear up acne. Metformin, which controls blood glucose and lowers testosterone production, can help you lose weight.”

Birth control has its own set of side effects and risks though especially after 35 years of age.

I have dealt with PCOS since puberty even before I knew I had it. Had I been properly diagnosed back then, I may have avoided some of the things I have been through in my life and been properly prepared for the fertility issues I faced. PCOS is very real and very painful (emotionally). PCOS can also trigger other issues like Chronic Fatigue Syndrome due to the hormonal imbalance. Being diagnosed with PCOS does not provide an instant remedy or even a totally confined diagnosis/path.

What really hit home about the article is that “More than 40% of women who are eventually diagnosed…have basically been told that they’re just too concerned with their health or they’re a hypochondriac.” What it forgot to say is that we’ve also been told “there is no reason, you are just fat because you eat too much. Quit putting food in your mouth and get off your lazy arse.” Yea, because in a body conscious society when you are trying every diet known to man and nothing is working, a comment like that is going to help.

We have been stigmatized, made fun of, struggled and defined by something most of us didn’t even know we had. I’ve become a stronger person since being diagnosed. I know more about my body then I ever hoped to (with much more to learn) and I have found a passion to share my knowledge with others and teach my children so they do not suffer from ignorance.

Knowing is half the battle. Arm yourselves with knowledge and help others get the tools to fight. Through information, proper diet, modern medicine etc. we can help ourselves and others to be prepared and live with a brighter future. Pregnancy does not fix PCOS and nothing I do will ever make it go away.

REDBOOK, can we date?

Interestingly enough, after my explosive attack on the Ladies Home Journal yesterday, I went home to pour through more magazines and found yet another article on Birth control in Redbook, August 2010 by Aviva Patz.

Redbook, however, did not propose an article on preventing pregnancy but more on “Birth Control with Benefits.” They actually CITED where their statistics and research came from, talked to Dr.’s and OBGYN’s and highlighted each method they discussed, what other benefits it had for your body, and effectiveness against pregnancy. While they did mention a few cautionary tidbits, they did not highlight the downsides as much as I would have liked and they did not mention Monitoring your fertility at all. I can forgive them for that last though as the aim of this article was to discuss options of birth control that can help with “other” issues such as PPMD, Bloating, Mood swings, heavy flow etc., not necessarily your options for preventing pregnancy.

Quick Highlights:
“Nearly half of the pregnancies in this country are unintended, according to research from the Guttmacher Institute, and MORE than half of pregnancies in women in their 40s are unintended, according to a study in the journal Family Planning Perspectives. ‘If you’re not committed to having a baby right now, you need to find birth control that you’ll use consistently and correctly,” says Anita L. Nelson, M.D., a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of California, Los Angeles.” Now I don’t know if these statistics are all true but THANK YOU for citing your sources. “Redbook talked to top ob/gyns and contraception experts to find out which method will give you the benefit you need most right now.”

One thing that this article did do was dispel the myth that you actually have a period while on the pill. I think this is a misconception many women have. “The period you have on the Pill isn’t a real period—it’s just bleeding, and it’s not really necessary,” Nelson says. Since the contraceptive hormones suppress ovulation, the lining of the uterus doesn’t thicken and there is no need for your body to slough and expel it with a monthly flow.”

The article highlights the Mirena hormonal IUD, Extended-use oral contraceptives, even a few name brands such as Yaz, yasmin and Ocella, NuvaRing and the ParaGard copper IUD. Each of these were described (and thank you for telling exactly how they are inserted/taken and what they do) in association with what they help: superheavy periods, major pre-period bloat, breakouts, mood swings, vaginal dryness, and options without hormones.

All in all, a very well written article with a point of view. You (and I mean I) can always find something lacking if I look hard enough but if something has a point, is written well and not deceptive, I can give kudos where kudos are due.

REDBOOK, can we give this relationship a trial run? I like your style. (and that goes to show how much I have aged since I used to think of REDBOOK as the “adult” magazine. Crap, when did I become an adult? Must have been when I hit 30).

I'm Breaking Up with Ladies Home Journal

My Great-aunt Doris has several women’s magazine prescriptions. After the magazines have made their rounds through the family, they end up coming to me so I can pick through them for recipes etc. Going through a stack of them this weekend I discovered an article in Ladies Home Journal (July 2010) by Catherine Bolgar (who I now believe is a complete idiot) on Birth Control that struck me the wrong way.

In my opinion, there were several misleading statements and an overall underplayed message about women’s fertility. Even our journalism is continuing this cycle of not educating women about their fertility and how their body works. It disturbs me greatly.

The first and second sentence of the article rubbed me the wrong way: “It seems as though every week another celebrity is talking about her quest to have a baby. There’s so much focus on infertility in the media these days that it’s easy to forget you can get pregnant right up until menopause.” WHAT? There is very little TRUE information about infertility in the media. The “celebrities” CHOOSE to have IVF, Multiples etc because they WANT to, not because they HAVE to. Thank you Ladies Home Journal for being so blasé about a very real issue that is certainly NOT discussed as it should be in the media.

Under the category of Single and Dating, one of the methods recommended is an IUD. “is much less trouble and works up to 12 years with lowest failure rates.” No mention of what COULD happen should you get pregnant with an IUD or the increasing frequency of pregnancies, ectopics and miscarriages with the IUD, not to mention that IUD’s can move with as little as a 10 pound weight increase or drop. More and more information is being learned about IUD’s, and info is changing all the time, for them to be so flippant about recommending this to a young woman.

Then there is the contradictory statements: “It can take you as long as a year to get pregnant after stopping Depo shots.” Very next sentence: “Talk to your doctor if you have trouble conceiving six months after suspending birth control.” Well, if it takes you up to a year as a healthy couple or AFTER suspending the shots, shouldn’t you wait 12 months before getting panicky? They go on to say, “the doctor uses the date you last ovulated to calculate your baby’s due date.” Why NO, no they don’t. They use your OVULATION date IF YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS, which the majority of women don’t and thanks to YOUR article probably won’t. They use the first cycle day (day 1 of your last period) and add 14 days to get an ESTIMATED Due date.

By this time I’m getting highly irritated at the complete lack of intelligence in the article but the next paragraph lends a doozy. “You can get pregnant a month after the baby is born, especially if you’re not breast-feeding.” Whoa. 1) I would hope you aren’t having sex in that first month as it is doubtful the doctor will release you for 6 weeks so shouldn’t that be 2 months? 2) The way that sentence is written leads you to believe if you are breast feeding you won’t get pregnant. WRONG.

Not ONE explanation of how your body works, the varying times of ovulation, not relying on the 14 day method etc. At the very end of the article they do a chart of options and the very last option with a blip for explanation: “Monitoring Your Fertility-This method has no hormones and is inexpensive but somewhat complicated. Has a high failure rate of 3-25%.”

O.M.G. No explanation as to WHAT it is, HOW you do it, etc. How fucking complicated is taking your damn temperature every morning and plugging it in to a chart? How hard is it to write a three sentence semi explanation and refer them to books or online resources should they want to investigate this method further. The whole article is promoting the IUD and even talks about sterilization but can’t even mention properly how to monitor your fertility or lack thereof?

This outdated view of requiring medical intervention, procedures or hormone inducing contraceptives pisses me off. We are not TEACHING women about our bodies and how they work and giving them the proper view of responsibility, we are shoving medications down their throats without blinking an eye. What kind of “journalist” and “women’s magazine” promotes that kind of misinformation? Do they really think they are helping women or are the writer’s and editors just that stupid?

The tag line touts “There are lots of choices…Here’s how to decide which method makes the most sense for your body and your life stage.” Yet, they do not give you real information, or an accurate overview. Way to go Ladies Home Journal. I am one of the least “crunchy” people I know, but I do not believe in belittling a woman’s intelligence and giving out such poorly written and researched information. You are officially off my reading list and I will shout it from the highest hills that you are the poorest choice for women’s health issues. You are basically a magazine with fluff ads on surgical weight loss and facelifts but have no care to represent what the majority of women NEED to know. How does it feel to be complete journalistic sell outs to your advertising dollars? You make me sick.

Fat Girl Bumpology 101

It’s no secret that I am a large girl. Amazonian in fact. If you can’t tell by my pictures, I’m fat. I’ve always fought my weight since the onset of puberty (now we know why, thank you PCOS). What you may not be able to tell is that I am also 6 foot tall. So the word large is not at all a foreign word to me. To be an overweight woman, I do carry my weight well (I’ve even had Dr.’s tell me that so I’m not delusional here people.)

I think there are of course stigma’s and myths associated with being an overweight pregnant woman though. First, anyone and everyone who has read What to expect When you are Expecting has probably had it ingrained in their heads that it is a malicious thing to do to a future child to get pregnant while overweight by even a pound. That book is hateful. Second, if you do get pregnant, you are surely going to have complications and Gestational Diabetes and Pre-E etc. So what about those girls that “didn’t know they were pregnant?” Well let’s talk about those because that ties into this whole myth thing.

Obviously, as a larger woman you are told not to gain much weight while pregnant. Your body will not starve the baby if you aren’t eating for two but will use some of your fat deposits for energy. SCORE! So based on this information and MTV you automatically go into pregnancy thinking you will never show, never have a bump and if you are lucky at 32 weeks or so, your fat will round out and you will for a few weeks look like you are pregnant before giving birth to a baby elephant (or having the baby fall out on your shoe, take your pick). NOT TRUE.

I chose to get pregnant while overweight for many reasons. 1) I am 32 years old with PCOS and struggled for 3 years to get pregnant with meds. 2) My dr. deemed my body healthy and capable to carry a child with little problem. 3) My physicals came back normal. I did however, struggle to be as healthy as possible which included quitting smoking and losing 44 pounds. I was absolutely confident that I could maintain my weight and be healthy during pregnancy.

BWAHAHAHAHAHA. Lies, lies and more lies. I have seen a specialist and I am at a higher risk for GD and Pre-E but just as much so because of PCOS than because of my weight. Put the two together and wa-la, greater risk. I have tried to maintain my weight diligently and did great…until this week.

As soon as second tri hit, it was like a light bulb went off in my body and BAM, instant pooch. Here’s what happens when a fat girl “pops” (though I highly doubt it can be considered a pop but for lack of better terms, lets go with it). Ready?

Your fat pokes out. You can’t tell you are pregnant unless you know someone intimately. Sure enough though, that pooch, roll, gut, whatever you want to call it, is rounding out, getting hard and STICKING OUT THERE but not in a cute bumpish sort of way. More like a “I just ate 20 cheeseburgers from Mickey D’s sort of way.”

I could possibly take a picture but I’m not sure there is a way to take it without losing some of my ego and/or grossing anyone out with a picture of my fat encased in jeans. I have a feeling that my idea that I could go to almost 30 weeks without maternity clothes was probably a pipe dream at best. I’m not sad I am showing after all, but it is kind of disconcerting as a woman who has always watched her weight to see a two pound scale difference but what appears to be a 15 lb difference in my clothes. I am in my FAT GIRL jeans overnight! You know, those jeans I kept from when I was 44 lbs heavier as a reminder of what I was? Yea, I’m wearing those today. They are still falling off my arse and bagging at the hips, but not very loose in the stomach. My regular jeans still fit but are way too uncomfortable when sitting. I went for comfort.

So to all my fat girls out there, be warned. Your bodies don’t do what we think they are going to do and I can imagine if I’m showing now, this could get really awkward here in 20 weeks. I’m imagining Shamu tossing on a beach while children laugh and point.

To all you skinny huzzies, don’t snicker behind your computer screens, because your bodies can do funky things too and I hate you. Just kidding. I don’t. I would love to have a beautiful bump and not look like a beached well. Bravo for you for keeping fit and trim!

Let's talk Insurance

Admittedly, I’m not good at this whole insurance thing. Most of my adult life I have either had insurance through employment or I haven’t. I never paid attention to what my coverage was because I didn’t have a choice. It was a set plan, they gave me a card, I handed it to the doctor and paid a co-pay. Then I lost insurance when I became an independent contractor and had a few medical mishaps that nearly killed me financially until I got married and DH was eligible for insurance through his company. Then I got insurance again and all of a sudden I was learning what was covered, what wasn’t, deductibles etc because honestly, the plan wasn’t great but it’s a small company and it was better than nothing. Now we have a choice, because both my company and my husbands company have insurance plans. His insurance plan still sucks (what we are already on) and they are raising the prices by 20% so his company is currently dropping them and searching for another provider. Panic attack ensues until I realize, wait, I’m eligible for insurance through my company NEXT WEEK. Problem solved, but I wanted to see what I’m getting into. Make sure it’s not WORSE then what we have now. It seems to be a pretty good plan. I have analyzed what parts of are real interest to me at the moment as outlined below. Also, it will only cost us $41.00 out of each paycheck (I’m paid every two weeks) compared to the almost 200.00 from each of my husbands paychecks that we are paying now. That’s a savings every two weeks of $159.00 which is $344.50 PER MONTH and $4134.00 per year. So it’s like we are getting a $4000.00 raise. HECK YEA. 401K here we come (which I’m also eligible for which DH doesn’t have at his company!). Plus the deductibles and co pays are A LOT Lower then our current plan so that should save us even more out of pocket.

Infertility

Care, supplies and services for the diagnosis of infertility and treatment of the Sickness or Injury which caused the Infertility.

Treatment must be rendered on an outpatient basis.

The Plan does not cover any service that provides assistance in achieving a Pregnancy, I.E., artificial insemination, in-vitro fertilization, in-vivo fertilization, gamete Inter-fallopian Transfer (GIFT), Zygote Inter-Fallopian Transfer (ZIFT) or similar procedures to achieve Pregnancy.

So that is both good news and bad news. The insurance will not assist us in getting pregnant but will cover the RE and the medications to treat the hormonal issue of PCOS which can also aid in getting pregnant. Since I’ve achieved pregnancy before addressing the hormonal aspects, fingers crossed that I can do so again.

All maternity related expenses are covered under the Plan.

Allergy Care

The Plan covers allergy treatment including, but not limited to, office visits, serum, scratch testing and laboratory testing.

Chiropractic Care

Covered except for maintenance or to PREVENT worsening. It is only covered if chiropractic therapy is administered directed at functional improvement (active treatment).

Mental Disorders and Outpatient Mental Health is covered according to the benefit payment Maximums.

In-Network Benefits
Deductible $500.00 per family
Max Out-of-Pocket Limit: $1500 per family

Out-of Network Benefits
Deductible: $1000 per family
Max Out-Of-Pocket Limit: $3000.00 per family

General Inpatient Hospital Services and Birthing Centers In Network: 90% Out of Network 70%.

ER: If patient is admitted no co pay. If patient is NOT admitted $50.00 co pay.

These are the basic items that apply to us in our current situation. There is a lot more in depth of course. We are required to get pre-certification (as in call first and approve our birthing facility etc so they are prepared for what their costs are going to be) but that’s not a big deal. It looks like perhaps my deposit won’t be as great this time around (like last pregnancy I had to fork out 1400 by the 7th month or my Dr. would not deliver me) since this insurance plan pays more than my current one.

So, I’m getting a little excited about it now that I’ve been investigating it. What do you think? What are your feelings about insurance? I think it sucks that very few plans cover getting pregnant if you are infertile and consider those procedures elective. One part of me sees why it would be considered elective because you don’t have to have children and many people ELECT not to, however, as an infertile it discriminates against me because I don’t have the CHOICE naturally and therefore if I CHOOSE to have children I HAVE To seek medical intervention, so I think there should at least be available riders for those programs. Since my company is self-insured though, riders do not exist so I’m at least pretty happy with what I’m going to get (that low price also covers dental and vision btw but my brain is focused solely on fertility and anything my body is psycho enough to pull currently that might effect that, like the allergies).

In other news, my Dr. has decided to keep me on the Clomid Metformin cocktail. I’ve only been on it one month this time around and it worked on the Fourth month (which is average results) last year. Interestingly enough, I realized I started it last year at the same time as this year. I honestly hope it doesn’t take four months. I really can’t handle getting pregnant the exact same time of year as I did last year, having the same due dates and everything. That would be excruciatingly hard I think, but I guess I need to take what I can get huh? Let’s just say I hope it works A LOT quicker than that for more than one reason.

Wellness Topic

This is prime season for allergies. Having recently come into my discovery of how bad allergies can be, I’m very aware of them this year. I have an allergy to mold and mildew which has been compounded by my environment (my job). In this economy, I have to learn to work around my allergy since I can’t leave my job. Jobs are too hard to come by. Some interesting information that came from an NC County Wellness Newsletter is definitely worthy of passing on.

Studies show that a healthy diet rich in certain foods will help keep your respiratory system strong, boost your immunity to allergies and help fight infections. The article quotes an article written in Thorax, a health journal that noted islanders who ate Mediterranean foods had fewer allergies. The foods in this type of diet that aid in protecting against allergies are: nuts, grapes, oranges, apples and fresh tomatoes. These foods have natural anti-inflammatory and are loaded with Vitamins, antioxidants and good fats.

The full list of foods:
Nuts: magnesium (increase lung function) and vitamin E (immune booster).

Apples, oranges and tomatoes: anditoxidants, vitamin C.

Grapes: the skins especially have antioxidants and resveratrol (reduces inflammation and offers protection)

Fish: Omega-3 fatty acids decrease inflammation and offer protection

Green, white and black teas: reduce inflammation, boost immunity by increasing proteins. Hot tea with lemon in the morning activates the movement of nasal cilia which helps prevent sneezing with allergies.

Zinc: found in oysters, lean beef, shrimp, crab, legumes, whole grains and tofu. Has antibacterial and antiviral effects and assists with immunity.

Me personally, I eat a LOT of tomatoes in the summer. I always feel better in the summer? Coincidence? I think not. My own tips to add to this, take vitamins. I’ve learned a lot by trying to eat locally and in season. Right now I’m eating a lot of spinach, peas, strawberries, and asparagus. That is what is in season right now and I can get it fresh. These are loaded with good vitamins and iron. In the summer, it is easier to eat fruits and veggies because it’s the season for them (here in the south). I can also not stress enough my new love for Green Tea.

I started taking Green Tea as it is suggested it can aid in fertility but no matter that it is an excellent source of antioxidants. In the few weeks I’ve been on it, my allergic reactions are almost undetectable and I now go DAYS without reactions at all OFF of my medicine! How fabulous is that?

Either way, a healthier body is a better environment for a baby. Taking Class C meds for allergies during pregnancy are not necessarily harmful but not necessarily OKAY. So why not take steps now to make yourself feel better and get your body in a great shape for future or current baby! Good luck!

What IF?

Everyone has there ups and downs. We all know IF, pregnancy etc is a roller coaster and I have said it many times before. If you have read my blog for even five minutes you know I’m an emotional Six Flags all on my own. I just talked about being the strong one for everyone around me but today I had an abject lesson in strength.

I’m having an off day. I don’t feel like working. I don’t feel well. My back aches, I’m tired, and I’m obviously whiney. As I texted Beth and she tried to support me and keep me optimistic which is usually the role I always try to take, I realized that we have opposite days. When she’s down, I’m up. When I’m down, she automatically takes the UP approach. We do this for each other. I do this for other’s and other’s do it for me. ALL.THE.TIME.

This is a hard road, but it is a little easier with people who understand and support each other around me. I WISH no one around me had to go through this. Its not something I wish on anyone and I would rather be alone if it meant no one else had to know the emotional and physical pain of IF and loss, but I can’t say that it doesn’t help to have these amazing women around me. “Pain is inevitable, Misery is Optional.”

My sister has actually been trying to read up on PCOS and what goes on. She admitted that her eyes kind of glaze over and it’s a LOT of information to digest and she doesn’t understand. She doesn’t understand Luteal Phases and basic reproduction of our bodies. She’s trying. It begs the question, would any of us know if we had not had issues or found online boards of knowledgeable women who did? Would we have taken the time to LEARN all this technical stuff if we didn’t have to? For someone to fully understand what I go through, they have to be educated on what our bodies do. Sometimes that’s hard for me to grasp, but I definitely appreciate that she is trying. She is trying to learn what my body doesn’t do and what to say during conversations that aren’t offensive. She read the IF article I sent and has read other’s IF blogs. I appreciate that. That is an amazing step in her support of me.

It makes me wonder if I should push for EVERYONE to learn this information even if they don’t know people with IF or loss (because so many people don’t ever let on). It’s like an embarrassment that people hide in the closet. They don’t want to bring people “down” by talking about their misfortune and dead babies. We can talk about breast cancer and prostate cancer till we are blue in the face. But we don’t talk about defective uteruses? That’s taboo? Really?

So what do I do? How do I educate people? Do I bite the bullet and contact my preacher about starting an IF related Journey group for other members of my church? Do I spread out and start a RESOLVE group in the triad? What if no one shows up? What if SEVERAL show up? How do I TEACH and HELP and SUPPORT them when I am still learning and struggling EVERY DAY? And what if…I get pregnant? Will that hurt them to see me pregnant and will it demean the message and the knowledge I’m trying to convey? Will I start a group only to disband it a few months later when I start showing? My preacher is starting a series on GO. Go out and minister in your backyard, to the world. Share the knowledge, but to me, God isn’t the only thing that needs addressing or sharing. When you have a very real pain, sometimes your relationship with God suffers and sometimes you turn more fully towards him. What if this is my chance to minister? What if Infertility and the struggle to create and supporting those going through it is my calling to share God’s love to others? What IF this is part of his plan for me?

"10 In bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and prayed to the LORD. 11 And she made a vow, saying, "O LORD Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant's misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the LORD for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head."

What if I just DO it? What if I just quit asking questions and take action to help others on a more local scale? What IF?

Metformin

Since today has been a discussion of drugs, let's go ahead and speak of the other one. Metformin. Typically a drug used for Type II diabetes but has also been prescribed recently for PCOS sufferers as it helps regulate insulin levels and hormones which keep the body from ovulating correctly. It has its own side effects which can be attributed to my issues of late just as easily as clomid though I distinctly remember having a few issues on just the clomid last time, but the worst? was definately when I started the IF cocktail as I like to call it.

Another resource that specifically talks about the side effects? HERE. I definately have the gas. Lord Help me do I have the gas. The nausea, seems to be sporadic, thank the heavens.

There isn't really anything to say about monitoring on Met. My GP says that Metformin is one of the mildest drugs out there with the fewest side effects. (probably meaning severe) and I should feel comfortable taking it despite all my allergy issues. (that only made me feel slightly better and still took me two months before I made the commitment and popped a pill. Did I have success? Yes. I don't know WHICH med/method etc worked because on the fourth cycle of Clomid I was also on the second cycle of Metformin and then we added Preconcieve. Was it one or all of the above or coincidence? We will never know, so for now, I'm dealing with the side effects in all their plentiful glory, and praying that it works again and I dont' have to stay on it for a few more months. I want this to be our month, our cycle, our sticky egg meets sperm and hangs out for nine months. In the meantime? I'm passing on information.

Beginning Again and Infertility Awareness

This week is Infertility Awareness week. Something that has not been highly publisized or recognized despite the fact that it affects 7.3 million Americans. (I don't know the figure worldwide). It is not limited to women and is a highly emotional and often complicated process for couples. It is heartbreaking, devastating and all consuming in their lives.

As you all know, I know this. I've been struggling for over three years now to have a child with one pregnancy ending towards the end of the first trimester and one chemical pregnancy. But I am, unfortunately, not alone in this fight. There are others. Hundreds of others. Like the fun and talented Jenny. The ambitious and beautiful Mrs.S. The vivacious Johanna.. The Very zen and spirited American Tribal. The beautiful and amazingly strong Jeanna. And the sweet and hopeful Dee. These women are just a FEW of the amazing women I have met that suffer along with me.

Infertility hurts. The common comfort sayings that issue from people's mouths without thought such as "Relax" and "When the time is right" do not help. Telling me you had trouble getting pregnant when it took you two months, is not even close to being comparable. Telling me you have ADHD and understand what its like to go through life broken? Bitch please. You have no idea.

For everyone out there reading this, whether you suffer from infertility or not, please educate yourselves. Spread the word this week so that other women can have the support and understanding they need. Visit sites, read statistics. Hug your friends who are suffering.

I have an amazing network of women and bloggers who are supportive. Do we always say the right things to each other even though we KNOW what catch phrases are meaningless? Absolutely not. As a society we seem to be programmed with certain "comfort" phrases that vomit forth automatically. Faith phrases may be fine for one but a slap in the face for someone else. No one is perfect. Even those that suffer from the same issues can slip up with someone else, but you can tell when someone is sincerely offering understanding and comfort from someone who just has diahrea of the mouth and is clueless. No matter what though, they need understanding. Just shut up and listen sometimes. You can't fix it. Nothing you say will fix it or make it go away or make it easier. Infertility is a lonely dark road full of depression, excitement, and fear. It's often a long journey with crossroads, straying paths, and broken bridges. It's a journey that so many of us are forced to take without choice.

It is not my job as an infertile woman to provide a home for all the orphans out there. Could that be a possibility in our future. Yes. By all means it may be. But I will not adopt a child as a substitute for a biological child. I will adopt one because I want to. So please don't say "you can always adopt." Adoption comes with its own heartaches, struggles, budget and pitfalls. It's a beautiful and amazing thing but its not the answer for everyone and is not the responsibility of those of us who have trouble. Life isn't fair but we shouldn't be looked down upon as inferior because of a medical condition that we have no control over. Again, Educate yourselves and those around you. You never know who is going to go through this that you may know.

And with that, I will end by saying it is fitting in a way, that this week I finally stepped up to the plate. I took my medicine. Literally. Last night was the first night of clomid. We are TTC with medical help once again. So in this week, while I stand up and recognize Infertility for everyone and encourage you to spread the word for all of us, I continue the effort for that one thing that will complete us...a baby of our own.

All my love to all my girls and I pray that 2011 will be a wonderful birth year for our little ones.

Protect Your Children

This post is not meant to scare anyone, so don't freak out. As many of you know, I am in Real Estate and I have to take Continuing Education classes to keep my license every year. Now, while this is the bane of my existence right now, I do learn something new occasionally and this year I took a class on Environmental Hazards because it sounded interesting.

A few things stood out to me:
New statistics show that 75-90% of the population now has a predominantly indoor sedentary lifestyle.
EPA says that our indoor air quality is 10-200 times worse than outdoor air quality.
New construction techniques which improve efficieny also creates an environment for mold which can include toxic varieties due to new construction materials and the air tightness of methods.
150,000 known species of MOLD.

What does this mean to you? Be aware of health issues where you live whether you rent or own. This includes but is not limited to Asbestos building materials, formaldehyde (more prevalent in newer construction), Radon (all over the United States and probably world wide), Lead Paint (structures built prior to 1978) and MOLD. Be very concious of humidity and moisture in your home to help prevent mold issues.

These issues can cause serious health issues for everyone but are especially noticeable in children under 6 and pregnant women. While I may be reduced to a bored mass of blubbering tears from these classes, it is worth it to share information with all of you and my clients, so I wanted to take this opportunity to post a simple reminder. Consider yourself reminded and more informed. If I can ever answer any questions, please let me know. Much Love to all of you and your loved ones!

*Disclaimer: I am not nor do I claim to be an expert on any Environmental Hazardous Issues nor on Real Estate in any area other than North Carolina. I will however help direct you in the appropriate direction/professionals/agencies/organizations if any of these issues are of concern to you.