How many of you have had the flu? Probably all of you at one point or another... Or you could be like me and have had the privilege of multiple encounters with my influenza virus friends - that is, until the last few years when I gave in and got....
The Flu Shot.
Three simple words that at the same time inspire feelings of joy (I don't have to feel like I've been beaten with a stick and dumped in freezing water at the same time.) and feelings of trepidation. (What effect can the vaccine have on me and my baby?) The word "vaccine" has become a flashpoint for supporters and detractors alike. Celebrities rant and rave at each other trying to rally folks to one side or the other. (On a side note, why do we care whether our celebrity of choice supports one thing or another? As a society, we really should look at ourselves in the mirror when Lindsey Lohan can influence people...yikes) While the childhood vaccination debate will rage on and on, I'm just going to discuss the flu
This was one of the frist blogs I wrote, but also still one of the most common questions i get in my practice. I thought it was worth repeating.... Enjoy.
Anyway, a question that I'm asked a lot is "when is the right time to start a family?" I wrote an article about this is Lacamas Life (It's a magazine in Clark County, in case you don't know!) a couple of years ago. My answer then is the same as it is now. There is no right time.
"What??!"
It's ALWAYS the right time. (Well, there are a FEW obvious exceptions! HA!) More and more, women are in professional jobs. Time is often a commodity that is in short supply. Professionals often say to themselves, "If I can just get through (fill-in-the-blank), I'll have more time." Of course, we all know after that comes another something that "if I can just finish this..."
My wife and I thought finishing medical school would be good before having kids. Then we thought finishing our residency training would be better. THEN we thought it
Man, the weather has been horrible. I am currently stuck at Southwest Washington Medical Center at the Family Birth Center. I've been here for over 36 hours. The nurses and doctors have mostly managed to make it in or have stayed over to help. First thing is if you do come to Southwest to have a baby, please thank your nurses. They really are dedicated to helping people have babies in any sort of difficult situation. A lot of them are giving up time with their families to be here for the patients. They don't have to stay extra, but they do. Thank them.
I've received a lot of phone calls in the last couple of days asking what people should do. "Should I come to the hospital even though my symptoms aren't that bad? If they get bad, I don't want to be trying to drive quickly through the mess!" "But what if I come and nothing's going on and I have to go back home? Should I risk the road conditions for nothing?" It's a tough situation. Ideally, you would get a medical
Bed rest. Those are two words that most soon-to-be moms really don't want to hear. How can a woman just lay in bed all day and really not get up?? Who's going to watch the kids? I can't leave my job! Those are just a couple of reasons why true, strict bed rest really is a very, very difficult thing to do.
I hate telling women they need to be on bed rest. Unfortunately, bed rest is really the only proven method of making certain conditions better. Studies have shown that home bed rest and real hospital bed rest have very different results. Bed rest can mean the difference between delivering right away or in many weeks. Depending on how early you are, that can mean the difference between a child with a lifetime of problems and a child with no problems at all. There are many who promise to stay in bed at home, but it's really hard to really not get out of your bed at all all day and night. Getting up only to use the bathroom and one personal hygiene trip a day to the bathroom.
