Tricks In Sickness

About once every year or two, I get a serious cold. Each cold is different from the previous one such that whatever I did to remedy the others does not work this time. It's as if I need a new trick every time I get sick. The persistent question in my mind is why the latest medical advances haven't found a cure for one of the oldest ailments known to man -- the common cold [see "Why is there no cure for the common cold?"]. This time though, a simple regiment helped me get over it in four days: 2x DayTime and 2x NiteTime, some lotion to rub on nose, plenty of rest, and VapoRub before heading to bed. I didn't have a cough or headache as in previous sicknesses. This is by far my best trick, the fastest the Rhinovirus A, B, or C (whatever this one was) has ever been defeated in my colds.

But the common cold is pocket change compared to what else I'm contending with. It is my Achilles' Heel, if you may, this annoyance that won't go away. There is a time I used to wonder why people couldn't just quit their addictions or stop  eating poorly to lose weight, why diets didn't work despite all the right actions, or why people seemed weak-willed in certain circumstances. That is, until my Achilles' Heel caught up with me. There are just some things you can't simply overcome on your own, no matter how hard you try.

At my March appointment this year, the dentist delivered some discouraging news to me: periodontal disease for life! It is still mild and can probably be stopped if aggressively treated, but will likely be a recurring problem. What I really heard her say: "did you never learn to floss and brush your teeth all these years?". The usual cleanings would no longer work; I needed continuous gum therapy, some of which would not be covered by my insurance. Of course I protested: I sought a second opinion and did my own research, but this wasn't a case of a dental office trying to sell me extra services I didn't needed. The truth was painfully here.

So I gave in. Each day involves two flossings, two brushings, and two swirls with nasty-tasting medical mouthwash. Every three months, I must visit the dentist to check my gum health (all that gum poking) and whether I have any further bone loss (via comparative x-rays). Wherever there is still some decay, direct injection of medication is done. Each of these visits can cost up to $500 out of pocket (in addition to whatever is billed to insurance). I don't even know what hurts most: the cost, the gums, or the lack of a permanent cure? Out of frustration, I thought about just getting dentures if it meant not having to visit doctors again (and curtailing the disease).

My wife wouldn't have any of that. It would be weird, a thrity-something with dentures because he hates dealing with doctors. Besides, it's only mild and manageable, with a good 15% recovery rate (mostly depending on how young you are). I can't chew hard stuff, but blending everything would be a worse option. So I'll keep the teeth, and take much better care of them. I'm wishing for a trick to make this go go away. Coconut oil maybe?

Pregnancy Readership

I've met two kinds of expectant parents: those who live the pregnancy with more information than even the doctors, and those who get by with at least recognizing when things go wrong. The former research every little event they observe and may even know the biology and chemistry behind it all. The latter just know that cramping is not good and that drinking alcohol is bad. I read a study once that suggested the happiest pregnancies are more on the uninformed side, mostly because they don't know about everything that could go wrong or what should be happening, which can be overwhelming and discouraging. In other words, how much should you endeavor to know about your pregnancy without losing the joyful experience that it is?

We are middle-of-the-road: know enough about what's happening so you know what to expect, can comfortably explain what is happening to you, and won't be alarmed about normal pregnancy events. Since I am the researcher in our home, I took on the responsibility of being in the know, not only because it is my personality, but also because I wanted this to be one of the ways I remain actively involved in the pregnancy.

So every Thursday morning during breakfast, we have been reviewing baby progress: we talk about the baby's development, and what should be happening to the mother. We review any upcoming procedures and appointments or areas of concern. We give ourselves some tasks and educate ourselves about various pregnancy topics (since this is our first). But mostly, we sync up on how our lives are changing, and what we should be doing to ensure a successful pregnancy.

I have read the usual lot of books (as shown in the image), but I settled for weekly newsletters that deliver just the nugget of progress we need to focus on that week. The websites send additional advertisement and special articles from time to time, so beware of an increase in emails when you sign up. Also, each author may have a different understanding of, say, "30 weeks": do they mean you have finished 30 weeks, or that you are in your 30th week? Are they counting gestational or developmental weeks (which is off by 2 weeks)? Some use weeks that end on the day of the week when your due date is (like our weeks end on Wednesdays), others use the weekend. Some begin sending the weekly progress newsletter in the middle of your week, others wait until you have finished the week. There are a lot of pregnancy tracking websites, but they provide almost the same information. My list below has a few that have relatively in-depth articles, and a few that I use to confirm what other websites are saying.

Baby Center (http://www.babycenter.com/pregnancy).
What To Expect (http://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/landing-page.aspx).
American Pregnancy (http://americanpregnancy.org/week-by-week).
Pregnancy Corner (http://www.pregnancycorner.com/being-pregnant/pregnancy-week-by-week.html).
Parenting (http://www.parenting.com/pregnancy/week-by-week).
The Bump (http://pregnant.thebump.com/pregnancy-week-by-week.aspx).
Baby Zone (http://www.babyzone.com/pregnancy-week-by-week/).
Pregnancy Symptoms Week By Week (http://www.pregnancysymptomsweekbyweek.org/).
BabyGaga (http://www.babygaga.com/calendar/pregnancy).
Countdown My Pregnancy (http://www.countdownmypregnancy.com/pregnancy/pregnancy-week-by-week.php).
Everyday Family (http://www.everydayfamily.com/pregnancy-calendar/).
Parents Connect (http://3dpregnancy.parentsconnect.com/calendar/1-week-pregnant/).
Lamaze International (http://www.lamaze.org/YourPregnancyWeekByWeek).
Netmums (http://www.netmums.com/pregnancy/pregnancy-week-by-week-guide).

I also like this one that's delivered everyday:
* Family Education (http://pregnancy.familyeducation.com/).