Tuesday, October 27, 2009

The Difference Between a Cold & H1N1 Flu

Know the Difference between a Cold and H1N1 Flu Symptoms:

Fever
Fever is rare with a cold.
Fever is usually present with the flu in up to 80% of all flu cases.. A temperature of 100°F or higher for 3 to 4 days is associated with the H1N1 flu.

Coughing
A hacking, productive (mucus- producing) cough is often present with a cold.
A non-productive (non-mucus producing) cough is usually present with the H1N1 flu (sometimes referred to as dry cough).

Aches
Slight body aches and pains can be part of a cold.
Severe aches and pains are common with the H1N1 flu.

Stuffy Nose
Stuffy nose is commonly present with a cold and typically resolves spontaneously within a week.
Stuffy nose is not commonly present with the H1N1 flu.

Chills
Chills are uncommon with a cold.
60% of people who have the H1N1 flu experience chills.

Tiredness
Tiredness is fairly mild with a cold.
Tiredness is moderate to severe with the H1N1 flu.

Sneezing
Sneezing is commonly present with a cold.
Sneezing is not common with the H1N1 flu.

Sudden Symptoms
Cold symptoms tend to develop over a few days.
The H1N1 flu has a rapid onset within 3-6 hours. The flu hits hard and includes sudden symptoms like high fever, aches and pains.

Headache
A headache is fairly uncommon with a cold.
A headache is very common with the H1N1 flu, present in 80% of flu cases.

Sore Throat
Sore throat is commonly present with a cold.
Sore throat is not commonly present with the H1N1 flu.

Chest Discomfort
Chest discomfort is mild to moderate with a cold.
Chest discomfort is often severe with the H1N1 flu.


The only way to stop the spread of the epidemic is to spread the awareness.

**this information was passed on to me via email and is the list/chart that is being distributed to Ontario Provincial employees. It is not a complete list of symptoms but certainly helps people decide if they should seek medical attention or advice. Remember if you have concerns always contact your doctor or other medical expert for advice and guidance.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

DAY AT THE MOVIES

I took the girls to a movie. It was one that they have wanted to see.  We saw Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs! I love the name and you have to check out the movie's website. It is so cool and just a total laugh.




Going to movies is a thing my girls often do with their Dad, while I'm at work in the evenings. It's just their thing. When the girls and I sat down and the movie started playing my oldest daughter said to me " Mommy, this is great. You never take us to a movie. It's always Dad!" It made me a little happy and a little sad. Happy because it is great to spend time with my girls, and a sad because there is so much I miss with my girls while I am a work at night.

We had a great time at the movie. It is a great family film and the kids just loved all the food falling from the sky, especially when a giant pancake falls on the school and all the kids scream! It did get a little scary towards the end and my youngest daughter, who is only 4, got a little scared. Overall, the kids gave the movie two thumbs up.

We already have our next movie date planned. It's is movie that we have been waiting for.  Where The Wild Things Are



We have long loved the book by Maurice Sendak. I love the message of the book and my girls love the wild rumpus!


Friday, October 16, 2009

WONDERING WHY?

I don't hate my current blog template...and frankly, I don't love it either. There is one thing I can't figure out is why my comment section for my post shows up in spanish. I guess it was created that way and was in the base template. The biggest question? Why can't I figure out how to can it. I don't speak or read Spanish. Sadly, I am a one language gal. English is my thing, I don't always speak it well but it's my thing anyway

MY SUPRISE IN A BOX

OK, anyone who really knows me knows how much I love a good cup of coffee. Well, OK a great cup of coffee. I have long been a coffee conisseur. The student centre/cafe at my university had great coffee. When I went to college I was spoiled, I couldn't even stomach the sludge they were serving at the college coffee shop. I NEED coffee to get through my day so when I heard that Tassimo Canada was on twitter giving machines away to tweeters I asked... " how can I get in on the action" and it wasn't long before I was lucky enough to get a machine.
I waited anxiously for days and then this week the lovely folks at FedEx arrived on my porch with a lovely big box.



And in that box was my perfect little Tassimo coffee machine and loads of coffee discs.


I am enjoying my machine. I have had several coffees BUT because I am so generous I served up my first cup to my friend Lisa. She had been hearing all about my twitter coffee machine all week and so when she heard that the machine had arrived she quickly came knocking at my door....two days in a row.




Thanks Tassimo Canada. I will keep you updated on how we like the machine, how well it works and how we like the coffee.

(P.S. I was given the machine free. There were no promises of reviews made and no requests made from Tassimo Canada. I will review the machine and the coffee just becase I want to and not because I have to)

Monday, October 5, 2009

WHY CAN'T I GET A ROUTINE?

I just noticed the date on my last blog post. Where the heck have I been. My plan was to post at least once a week, if not more, but I seem to find that a challenge. I understand the need to be a regular blogger if I am every going to have a chance at being successful online. Why can't I seem to keep on top of all of this.

OH YA....it might be because I am stretching my self too thin. Let's see, I have a full time job working weekday evenings, I also pick up freelance writing shifts here and there, I am a freelance magazine writer ( currently have 4 articles waiting to be written or finished), I blog here and I blog at BookieBoo.com and I am a twitter addict ( yes, I can accept that), oh and I am also a Mom and wife too. Not sure how I fit it all in. Sometimes I don't fit is all in that's for sure.

I guess it's all about balance. I don't have much of that these days. It's a challenge and something that I continue to work on every day. If you have any suggestions, tips or advice would love to hear it! Be Kind thought!