First Aid Tip #1

This is something I learned through experience and I found it to be effective, at least in the situation I was put in. So here I am as a mother, sharing and jotting it down for future "emergencies".

Last Sunday we were having BBQ at a friend's place and Ashley was playing with their daughter in the backyard. Halfway through, she complained of pain in her hands and feet. A close inspection from Tex told us why- she had splinters in her hands and feet. When babies are younger, splinters don't really affect them because their skin shed and expand so easily, the body somehow knows how to "remove" the foreign object by itself. Also babies don't play at the backyard as much as a toddler, climbing up trees and roughing it out in the "wild". Well, like how we used to do it back home, we tried to remove the splinters with sterilized needle. It was easier removing the splinters from her feet because the skin at the bottom of her feet is less sensitive to pain and thicker. But removing splinters from the palm is more challenging. Ashley wouldn't let us go near her hand with the needle and 2 days later, I discovered that the splinter affected area was red, possibly it is inflamed. Suddenly I had this smart idea of soaking her in the bath tub until her sin goes wrinkly. The skin was so soft then that I could easily remove the splinter with a tweezer.

So, for future splinter emergencies, just soak the affected area in warm water (I would advice doing during their normal bath time) and viola, remove the splinter there and then!

Post Mother's Day drama - Chapter 2

Well, Tuesday morning started off well. I was so glad to see Ashley running around during playgroup and acting like her normal active self once more. Little did I know that there is more "drama" coming our way.

Hubby got back from work with bad gastric pain. He suspected that it might be food poisoning from his lunch or the funny-tasting water from his drink bottle. Poor man was so sick he didn't even touch his dinner. I wasn't feeling great myself, thinking that it might be another morning sickness spell and so I skipped my dinner too. Ashley was the only one who enjoyed and finished up her dinner. Good gal! Well, it turned out that my decision to skip dinner was a really bad one. By midnight, I was so hungry I could hear the gastric juice churning in my tummy. I know I should get out of bed and get myself something to eat but the chilly air and the comfort of my warm bed was too tempting. That was the 2nd bad decision I made. By morning, the hunger pangs resulted in gastric pain. I was having diarrhea and threw up everything I had for breakfast. Even though hubby was sick himself, instead of resting and concentrate on getting better (He took medical leave) he took care of me and Ashley. I stayed in bed most of the time and I felt much better by dinner time. I asked hubby later that night if he was really sick (he appeared to be ok), this was what he said:"I saw that you were so sick, I decided to get well sooner so I that can take care of you". That was a perfect score answer. What a great man I have got there eh?

The remedy for gastric/stomach upset is surprisingly different from what I was taught from before. The doctor's advise was to not eat solid food until the stomach feels better. Instead replace the meal with ORS. The stomach needs to take a break and it is actually good to let the system clear. Did it work? Yes! I was back to my normal self the next morning. Hubby still feel sore around his tummy but that was because he didn't get the rest he needed. Today, it is his turn for some much needed pampering.

Post Mother's Day drama

On the Monday after Mother's day, Ashley woke up complaining of stomachache. She has never had stomachache before. I thought it was due to colic or constipation (which I can safely rule out because she does her big business everyday without fail) so I just applied some ointment on her tummy, hoping that it would help. She stopped complaining for 2 minutes before she cried out in pain again. I was so worried. She didn't want her breakfast, and only manage to finish half her cereal after much coaxing from me. 5 minutes into her breakfast, she threw everything up. By this time, I was in panic mode and I was madly flipping my "Baby and Child Care" book (This is a great book, very comprehensive and thorough). There are several causes for stomachache in toddlers, ranging from "nothing to be concern about" to medical emergencies. I checked for the symptoms and I was glad to be able to rule out appendicitis and the more severe cases. I narrowed her stomachache to intestinal spasm, gastroenteritis, or just "something that happen for no apparent reason". Ashley had a nap and she seemed to be alright after that. I was complacent once more and when she asked for chocolate milk, I was only too glad to offer it to her. Bad choice. She threw up the entire box of chocolate milk and she refused to eat dinner. Hubby and I decided to bring her to the doctors but when we got there, the waiting queue was 2 hours and 45 minutes long! It was already 8pm when we got there, so we thought that we should just go home, let Ashley have proper rest and see how things go the next day. That was the right decision. Ashley woke up this morning asking for breakfast, chocolate milk to be exact which we replaced with Milo-kosong. She was all chirpy and finished her breakfast. It is 1.30pm and from the looks of her energy during playgroup and the way she finished her lunch, I can safely say that she is alright.

I did an analysis of the possible causes of her stomachache episode. I think it has got alot to do with the curry rice she had for dinner and the glutinous rice (lo mai kai) she ate for lunch. She did say that the curry was hot but she kept eating it, alongside 2 puri, white rice and some of my kuih. I guess the combination of the food caused indigestion and irritated her stomach. I do feel bad and blame myself for the poor girl's "suffering". But I have learned my lesson and hopefully I will be a better mum after this.

Trafic woes? What are you talking about?!

Somebody, I mean alot of people must have got so fed up with the recent traffic jam at the construction site, leading to hubby's office. Mid-last week, the traffic was back to normal! I couldn't believe how smooth going the office hour traffic was. So, it's back to the normal pleasant 20-minutes drive to work for us! YEAH! It was a great relieve as we could have never afford to get another car, albeit a secondhand one. I am not giving up the dream of owning my dream car though. A beautiful, London taxi look-a-like Chrysler. Hehehe......dream.....dream......

Blessed Mother's Day

Today is Mother's day. This year marked my 3rd Mother's Day celebration as the celebrant. I wanted to blog about my Mother's Day weekend, to remember all the beautiful memories given to me by my hubby and my precious daughter.

Since I was young, my dad always encouraged us to venture into new things. He said that experience in life is more important than material wealth. That explains why I enjoy and appreciate new experiences more than material gifts for any of my special day - birthday, Christmas, anniversary, Mother's day etc. My hubby knows that perfectly well and it kinda work out perfectly for him as well as he doesn't have to go through the headache of thinking up a gift to buy for me each time.

This Mother's Day celebration was a weekend-long affair for me. On Saturday, I was given 2 hours off to myself for pampering sessions. I had my hair cut, done a French spa-pedicure and fed myself on the latest fashion magazines. Pedicure and hair treatment are my 2 most favourite indulgences. Since I no longer have income, I have significantly reduce such luxuries. I felt so rejuvenated after the pampering sessions, that even though I got home to find a very hungry girl and that hubby forgot to cook the rice for lunch, it didn't upset me one bit. In the evening, my wonderful friend, Sylvia asked me over to her place. I told her a few days before that I have craving for chicken curry. So, she went through the trouble of cooking me some chicken curry with capati, wrapped the yummies in a hamper-like pack and gave me a mother's day card. I was deeply touched by her generosity and kindness. On Sunday, hubby took us to the city to experience the IMAX cinema. We were watching "Under the Sea-3D" and all I can say is that it was AWESOME! We had dim sum for lunch and hubby allowed me to eat whatever and however much I want. We were totally stuffed.

I did get somethings from hubby and Ashley though. This is the 1st time Ashley gave me a handwritten card (with some help from daddy). She is getting pretty good at her drawing now and she has got the wildest imagination. I shall keep the card forever.

Thank You Lord for mothers and also for the gift of motherhood. Bless all the mothers in the world. Amen.

Traffic Jam.....in the suburb!

Driving in the suburb has always been pleasant over here in Australia. The roads are wide (the newer ones and this excludes the road to the city), the traffic is smooth, the scenery is beautiful- very green and of course, literally toll-less! I used to enjoy driving hubby to work (we've only got one car and Tex's office is quite near to our home), listening to Heart 103.2FM, a Christian radio station and chit-chatting with hubby.

However, when we got back from our CNY break this year, things changed drastically. There was a new marketplace currently being developed halfway through the road to Tex's office and it has caused massive jam. It usually takes us 20 minutes to get to his office but now it has taken 40 minutes. We tried to get to the office at different times to avoid getting caught in the traffic but it didn't work. If we leave early, we got stuck with the school traffic. If we leave later, we got stuck with the office goer's traffic. There is no win-win situation. So hubby has been arriving at the office later and later by the day. Praise God that his company is very flexible with the working hours so we don't get too stressed out if we are running really late.

I do hope that the construction will complete soon so that the road condition can go back to as before. Otherwise, I would really hope that I can have a car of my own soon. It is just too time consuming and tiring for me to get Ashley and I ready in the morning, drop Tex at office, rush back to playgroup/Bible Study/library story time/playdate/housework, etc. By the time we got home and have lunch, I hardly have time to rest before getting started on dinner preparation, play and bath Ashley and then another mad rush to pick Tex from work. Who says life as a stay home mum is easy?! I am ready for bed by 9pm, if not earlier on most weekdays.

I guess traffic jam follow the Malaysians wherever they go. Let's hope the government won't get Samy Vellu's toll booth idea and start charging the road users! That I think, would REALLY piss me off.