Sums It Up...

This sums me up pretty well lately since I have been fairly limited at this stage of my pregnancy:

Can I get an amen ladies?

=)

Many Blessings,

The Mama

Little Miss: Flu or Poisoning?

mercury poisoning,

a toxic condition caused by the ingestion or inhalation of mercury or a mercury compound. The chronic form, resulting from inhalation ofthe vapors or dust of mercurial compounds or from repeated ingestion of very small amounts, is characterized by irritability, thirst,excessive saliva, loosened teeth, gum disorders, slurred speech, tremors, and staggering. Symptoms of acute mercury poisoning  include a metallic taste in the mouth, thirst, nausea, vomiting, severe abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea,and renal failure that may result in death. Also called hydrargyrism, mercurialism. See also Minamatadisease.
http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/mercury+poisoning

Little Miss has been complaining of her stomach hurting ever since Tuesday.  I didn't know if it was just a coincidence that it happened right after she was exposed to the mercury Monday night.

This morning I went in to get her up and she said right away that her tummy hurt and just laid there.  I picked her up and she was rag doll-ish. She would just fold over when I had her on my hip.  I sat down with her in the rocker and she just sprawled there and wouldn't even talk( which anyone who knows Little Miss knows how significant that is).

She mumbled milk so Sissy got her some milk.  I took Little Miss's( I have no idea if that is the right use of the apostrophe there) temp but it was normal. Kind of was hoping she was running a temp because that isn't a sign of mercury poisoning.

We silently rocked in the chair for quite sometime.

She perked up some and we went down stairs.  She played some with her blocks and was talking and then she started throwing up.

Blech.

I still haven't heard the results of her blood work Tuesday so given that she is sick today I called to check.  They said the results still hadn't come in yet but would call as soon as they did.

Pray that is just a bug going around and that she gets over it soon!  We are suppose to go to a wedding reception tonight and we are all looking forward to it so I am hoping she is fine the rest of the day.

I will update everyone on the test results for both Little Miss and Princess as soon as they come in, which is hopefully soon.

Many Blessings,

The Mama

Our Mercury Light Bulb Ordeal

Monday night Little Miss broke one of those new light bulbs the gov't mandated this year.  

You know, the spirally ones that are so 'green'?  

The ones that contain enough mercury to contaminate 6,000 gallons of water? 

The ones where when you break them the mercury vapor comes pouring out and if you come in contact with the broken bulb you can't simply wash the clothes because it will contaminate your washer but instead you must THROW AWAY your clothes?  

The ones where you have to evacuate everyone( especially children and pregnant women and also pets) from the area right away and air out the room for 15 minutes before even attempting to clean up the broken bulb?

The ones where you have to also shut off your A/C or furnace so it doesn't blow the toxic mercury vapor throughout your house?

The ones were no one is suppose to go in the area for several days after the clean up of the broken bulb?

The ones where you can't vacuum or sweep up the the broken bulb because it sends that mercury powder/vapor in the air?

The ones where you are suppose to throw the rug away if a bulb breaks on it or CUT OUT the part of your carpet where it landed and broke?

The ones that require gloves to remove a broken bulb and then it isn't enough to put it in a plastic bag, but you need to put it into a glass container with a lid and totally remove it from your house?

Wow, I am so glad we have these new earth friendly bulbs right??

So after breaking the bulb, Little Miss and Princess decide to be very helpful and clean it up.  Lovely.

Thankfully, I was not on the same level of the house that this broken bulb occurred on. So the unborn baby was/is fairly safe.  

But we did have to take Little Miss and Princess to be tested for mercury poisoning(via a blood test). We will know the results  in a day or two.

When I called the Dr, the nurse was shocked at what all you had to do when a CFL(Compact Fluorescent Light) bulb broke.  I told her that I shared her disbelief.

I have come across some articles that say there is more mercury in a can of tuna.  But all I know is that when tuna juice squirts on my shirt I don't have to throw it in the trash or evacuate the room for several days, ya know?

I suspect it's the mercury POWDER/VAPOR in the new light bulbs that is the real bad guy (compared to liquid mercury in old thermometers).  Mercury Vapor/Powder is very easily inhaled and quickly absorbed into your body and brain.

So needless to say, I am throwing everyone of these wonderful new bulbs and getting the old school black market bulbs that might cost a bit more in electricity but doesn't put the health of my family at risk.  Not to mention the money it would cost a person to go to the Dr.'s and get blood tests. You can also get halogens which have no mercury in them.

Here are some sources of info about clean up of bulbs and issues with the mercury in them:

• Compact Fluorescent Light Bulb or Compact Toxic Bomb

• B Barnes says:

May 19, 2014 at 6:25 am

The scenario I would like to have input with regards to is as follows:
The cfl bulb is in a fixture which refines a person to climb a ladder and reach over his or her head to change the bulb. while doing so the bulb breaks causing the powder in the bulb to shower down in the face of the person changing the bulb. It gets in the person’s open eyes, open mouth and is breathed into the person’s lungs. Thus the exposure is a) absorption into the system via direct contact with the eyes, b) ingestion by mouth, c) absorption via lungs both at initial breath as the powder was in the air while the person looked upwards toward the light fixture as the bulb broke and subsequent breaths as the powder is on the person’s skin of the face, lips, hair, hands, arms, clothing and d) absorption through the skin of the person’s face, neck, hands and arms.

What level of exposure could a person receive in this scenario?

I experienced this specific scenario and had a number of symptoms that followed. Bad taste in my mouth like I was constantly sucking on pennies. An intense wave of nausea about to minutes after the exposure that lessened only slightly but never went away for days for which I ultimately required prescription nausea medicine, A nearly immediate loss of motility lasting 4-6 weeks. The only way I could eliminate stool was by ingesting the OTC liquid used to cleanse in preparation for a colonoscopy plus miralax plus a prescription medication for constipation plus high fiber content foods plus a fiber supplement AND regular use of FIeet’s anemas.

Eventually the bad taste went away and normal motility returned. I continue to have waves of intense nausea or more mild nausea that lasts for several days.

The exposure happened on Feb 13 and today is May 18.

-http://ashartus.wordpress.com/2011/09/27/mercury-exposure-from-compact-fluorescent-lights/

• Department of Public Health Fact Sheet
• How to Clean Up Broken CFL's ( this one addresses clothing/bedding/fabric that comes in contact with the broken bulb.  Also note the very last line about your shoes)
• A child exposed to a broken CFL bulb will receive 8,000 times the recommended amount of mercury vapor
• Mercury Exposure ( pay attention to the 4th bullet down under 'Mercury Poisoning Facts' in this medical article as it pertains to the mercury powder/vapor found in CFL's)

The issue too is that often mercury poisoning doesn't show symptoms for days or weeks and most of them can be hard for a child to communicate to you.  Our pediatrician reconfirmed this with me today.  

I hope this has shed some light on what you need to do if one of these new, wonderful light bulbs breaks.  We had broken several rules right off the bat before I thought to ask my husband what kind of light bulb it was.  

Never a dull moment...

Many Blessings,

The Mama

It's Official!

Our newest addition will arrive on December 5th via a scheduled C-section!

I can't wrap my brain around it. 

I keep on thinking ahead to Christmas and other things going on post December 5th and realize I do not have the new baby in any of those happenings.  I have to mentally insert her into the picture.

I started having those dreams.  You moms know which ones I am talking about.  The ones where I forget about the baby for minutes, hours or weeks at a time.  I hate those dreams. 

Repainting a dresser this week that will go into Little Misses room and then we'll move her dresser/changing table into our room.  The baby's clothes have been washed for 2 weeks but I haven't had anywhere to put them yet.  

Getting my cloth diapers and accessories next week.  YAY!

Want to do up a few freezer meals sometime too.

Speaking of that, if anyone wonders what they can get me/baby/family it is simple:  MEALS.  I think this is the single most important thing you can do for a family who adds in another 

member to the fold.

( whether biological or adopted)

So that is the latest here. 

Many Blessings,

The Mama   

30 Weeks Bump and Sissy's 13th Bday

Sissy turned 13 a few weeks ago.  We officially have 2 teenagers in the house.  Wow.  

She made her own cake this year-double layer yellow cake with chocolate buttercream frosting and covered in fondant.

She wanted to go beachy so she looked up how to do the shells in fondant

( the 'pearls' are chocolate sixlets and the 'sand' is crushed waffle cones)

I think she did a fantastic job and it tasted yummy too!

Sissy had a couple friends over and all of us except Little Miss and Princess went laser tagging.  

We had coupons for 2 games but I was about to pass out after the 1st 30 minute game so I sat out the last one.  The girls then camped out in the trailer overnight.  I think they had a pretty good time.

And here are my 30 week pictures( technically 30 weeks 2 days)

I have 8 weeks 4 days till the new baby arrives!!!  

I am definitely feeling like  I am in the 3rd trimester.  In other words I am very uncomfortable.  But I am trying to relish these last few weeks of pregnancy as much as I possibly can.

Our house is on a no electronics challenge for the month of October

( that includes cell phones, ipods, computer, TV, etc)

But the Hubby and I do get 30 minutes on the computer each day since there are important things we have to check in on.

With that said, my 30 minutes are up!!  Got to go!

Many Blessings,

The Mama