Blogger reviews

I recently read some posts on a forum about bloggers making requests to review products and there were a lot of negative comments about it. For those of you that don't know, this is how it works: A blogger sends a request to review a product. If accepted, the company sends them a free product to try and review. The blogger then takes 1 to 2 weeks to try it out, take notes and write the review. They post it on their blog and tell you what they think. Sometimes the company will even host a giveaway through that blogger so you can win and try the product too.

What does this accomplish? For the blogger - it gives them a chance to try new things for free, build their fan base, and share the things they learned with their readers so the readers can make a more informed decision on products before making a purchase. For the company – it means more interest in their websites or place of business. Which then, can lead to more sales and growth.

Companies or individuals who decide to take a chance and give away something for free could get more sales and growth. There are no guarantees though. Are bloggers really just looking for handouts and freebies? Some of them might be. You can tell a good reviewer by the reviews. The more details put into it, the more time taken to make sure it’s well written and easy to understand = the more they care about what they are doing and saying.

What does all this mean for the readers? You can see for yourself pictures of the product that aren't touched up or photo shopped, read what a real person who has used it, thinks and knows about it, and make a decision that's more informed about the product or company. Most people buy things based on what they hear about it right? Your friend tells you, "Hey I just found this amazing deal on a super pair of shoes at So and So's." They show them off and maybe even let you slide your foot in to get a feel. What are you likely to do? Well, if you need or love buying shoes - you will probably head to that store and spend money there. Basically, you will be listening to a review.

That's what review bloggers are supposed to be about. Helping you see and experience something before shelling out your hard earned cash on something that might not be worth it to you later. So if you are a skeptic about review bloggers - I hope you can see them in a new light and maybe understand why some of us do what we do and ask for things like we do. And the rest of you readers out there - I hope this makes things a little more clear on what my purpose is when it comes to reviews. I will be completely honest about things. I won't write a rave review just because something was given to me free. Nor will I endorse something I don't believe is worth it. Hopefully soon, as my numbers of readers and followers grow both here and on my Facebook Fan page, you will see more reviews and maybe I can even start giveaways. Thanks for reading!

Looking to boost your income?

If you are like me, the economy these days may be prompting you to seek extra income here and there. I recently found an article that was in Woman’s Day magazine way back in 2009. My mom had given it to me right after I had gotten married and was struggling to make ends meet. I’ve pulled some helpful tips from the article to share with you guys. As of right now, I haven’t tried all of these for myself (though I definitely plan to try a few more) so if you try them out and would be so kind – please share some feedback and let me know how it went for you!

Sell your books:

Have books lying around that you can’t seem to sell or don’t need anymore? Check out Cash4Books.net. It’s a family-owned book-buying and selling company that has been going since 2004.

1.      Type in the book’s ISBN number (on the back cover or on the copyright page in the front) and it will tell you if they are buying that book and how much cash you can get for it.

2.      Complete the transaction online.

3.      Print out a prepaid mailing label.

4.      Pack up those books and send them in.

In just a few days, you should either receive a check in the mail or a deposit to your PayPal account. But you don’t have to stop there. If you scour garage sale and thrift stores – you might find more money-making books. Be sure to check which books are selling before you buy though. If your mobile phone is internet-enabled, you can check cash4books.net/mobile while shopping.

*WARNING* While you might hit the jackpot buying a book super cheap to resell at a high profit, remember there are condition requirements. So get familiar with them before you head out.

http://www.cash4books.net/

Join e-clubs:

Most retailers, restaurant chains, supermarkets, drugstores and travel-related companies offer some kind of rewards program to encourage customer loyalty. These rewards come in the forms of discounts, rebates or even free products. So if it’s free – join it! Most times you get something special on your birthday. Check the websites of your favorite restaurants and retailers to sign up. Also look at PriorityClubRewards.com where you can earn points towards free night stays at IHG hotels, air miles, cruises, electronics and more. http://www.priorityclub.com/hotels/us/en/home

Cold Stone Creamery gives you a rewards card and will send you a promotion for free ice cream on your birthday. http://www.coldstonecreamery.com/promotions.html

DisneyParks.com – you might get a free entrance to a Disney theme park for your birthday. http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/

*WARNING* Merchants and service providers use e-clubs for sales and marketing purposes. This means you’re likely to receive a LOT of emails from them, so you might want to consider getting a separate email account just for the e-clubs.

Freelancing:

Elance.com is an online workplace where small businesses connect with qualified professionals to get small jobs done. Writers, programmers, graphic designers, marketers or whatever skills you might have to offer – you can bid on jobs and get paid to do what you do best. https://www.elance.com/

Yahoo! Voices (previously known as Associated Content) is an open content network that lets anyone submit content on any subject. If the editors like it, they’ll pay you for it and give you bonus payments based on the number of views the article receives. http://voices.yahoo.com/

*WARNING* Make sure, if you have a daytime employer, that they don’t have any restrictions on you freelancing.

 Auto Insurance discounts:

If you have a teenage driver that is bringing home great report cards, check and see if your auto insurance company offers discounts for such a thing. They might knock as much as 10% off the top if your teen maintains a GPA of 3.0. Or perhaps someone in your household is a teacher? Some insurance companies give discounts to credentialed teachers (too bad they don’t recognize homeschool moms as teacher’s right??) and educational administrators. Some insurance companies might even have a discount for those that have a Bachelor’s degree in an engineering or science related field. And lastly, most insurers will give a discount for having all vehicles on the same company policy.  

*WARNING* Don’t assume that the insurance company will automatically give you every discount available. Speak up and ask about anything you think you might be qualified for that they could offer. Ask for a complete list and remember that not all companies offer the same things.

 Sell your Cell:

Most Americans these days tend to get a new cell phone every 12 months or so. But how can you get money back for the ones laying around the house taking up space? You might be able to sell it on eBay.com or list it on Craigslist.com. But there are other websites out there you might try. For instance – Flipswap.com. Just input the brand and model to see the buyers are willing to pay. You might try CellForCash.com too but I couldn’t get it to pull up on my computer. Both sites are supposed to let you print a prepaid mailing label for sending in your phone. http://flipswap.com/

*WARNING* Before you mail it, make sure you remove the auxiliary memory card, reset the password to 0000 and delete all of your information from the phone or remove its SIM card.

 Selling CDs, DVDs, and video games:

Check out SecondSpin.com. http://www.secondspin.com/ I don’t know much about how their program works. I think it’s similar to the cell phones and books websites.

My mother sent me some other helpful sites that might interest you about saving money and helpful hints:
http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/

http://frugalliving.about.com/

http://www.livingonadime.com/

 Hope this was helpful! Keep reading and following for future tips and possibly reviews to come.

Texas Chili Cook Off (Humor)

Okay so most of you have probably already read this before. Its been going around the internet and emails for years. And no matter how many times I read it - I still laugh until my sides ache. So a little humor for your day!

Notes from an inexperienced Chili taster named Frank, who was visiting Texas from the East Coast:

Recently I was honored to be selected to be a judge at a Chili cook-off in Texas, because no one else wanted to do it. Also the original person called in sick at the last moment, and I happened to be standing there at the judge's table asking for directions to the beer wagon when the call came. I was assured by the other two judges (Native Texans) that the chili wouldn't be all that spicy, and besides, they told me that I could have free beer during the tasting. So I accepted.

Here are the scorecards from the event:

CHILI # 1: MIKE'S MANIC MONSTER CHILI

JUDGE ONE: A little too heavy on tomato. Amusing kick.

JUDGE TWO: Nice, smooth tomato flavor. Very mild.

FRANK: Holy crap, what the heck is this stuff? You could remove dried paint from your driveway with this stuff. I needed two beers to put the flames out. Hope that's the worst one. Those Texans are crazy.

 CHILI # 2: ARTHUR'S AFTERBURNER CHILI

JUDGE ONE: Smokey, with a hint of pork. Slight jalapeno tang.

JUDGE TWO: Exciting BBQ flavor. Needs more peppers to be taken seriously.

FRANK: Keep this out of reach of children! I'm not sure what I am supposed to taste besides pain. I had to wave off two people who wanted to give me the Heimlich maneuver. They had to walkie-talkie in three extra beers when they saw the look on my face.

 CHILI # 3: FRED'S FAMOUS BURN DOWN THE BARN CHILI

JUDGE ONE: Excellent firehouse chili! Great kick. Needs more beans.

JUDGE TWO: A bean less chili. A bit salty. Good use of red peppers.

FRANK: Call the EPA, I've located a uranium spill. My nose feels like I have been snorting Drano. Everyone knows the routine by now. Barmaid pounded me on the back; now my backbone is in the front part of my chest. I'm getting plastered.

CHILI # 4: BUBBA'S BLACK MAGIC

JUDGE ONE: Black Bean chili with almost no spice. Disappointing.

JUDGE TWO: Hint of lime in the black beans. Good side dish for fish or other mild foods. Not much of a chili.

FRANK: I felt something scraping across my tongue, but was unable to taste it. Sally, the barmaid, was standing behind me with fresh refills; that 300lb woman is starting to look HOT, just like this nuclear-waste I'm eating.

 CHILI # 5: LINDA'S LEGAL LIP REMOVER

JUDGE ONE: Meaty, strong chili. Cayenne peppers freshly ground, adding considerable kick. Very impressive.

JUDGE TWO: Chili using shredded beef; could use more tomato. Must admit the cayenne peppers make a strong statement.

FRANK: My ears are ringing, and I can no longer focus my eyes. I farted and four people behind me needed paramedics. The contestant seemed offended when I told her that her chili had given me brain damage. Sally saved my tongue from bleeding by pouring beer directly from a pitcher onto it. It really ticks me off that the other judges asked me to stop screaming. Crazy rednecks! ! !

 CHILI # 6: VERA'S VERY VEGETARIAN VARIETY

JUDGE ONE: Thin yet bold vegetarian variety chili. Good balance of spice and peppers.

JUDGE TWO: The best yet. Aggressive use of peppers, onions and garlic.

FRANK: My intestines are now a straight pipe filled with gaseous, sulphuric flames. No one seems inclined to stand behind me except that Sally. I need to wipe my rear with a snow cone!

 CHILI # 7: SUSAN'S SCREAMING SENSATION CHILI

JUDGE ONE: A mediocre chili with too much reliance on canned peppers.

JUDGE TWO: Ho Hum. Tastes as if the chef literally threw in a can of chili peppers at the last moment. I should note that I am worried about Judge # 3.

FRANK: You could put a grenade in my mouth, pull the pin, and I wouldn't feel a darn thing. I've lost the sight in one eye, and the world sounds like it is made of rushing water. My shirt is covered with chili, which slid unnoticed out of my mouth. My pants are full of a lava-like mess, to match my shirt. At least the during the autopsy they'll know what killed me. I've decided to stop breathing, it's too painful. I'm not getting any oxygen anyway. If I need air, I'll just suck it in through the four inch hole in my stomach.

CHILI # 8: HELEN'S MOUNT SAINT CHILI

JUDGE ONE: A perfect ending. This is a nice blend chili, safe for all; not too bold, but spicy enough to declare its existence.

JUDGE TWO: This final entry is a good balanced chili, neither mild nor hot. Sorry to see that most of it was lost when Judge # 3 passed out, fell and pulled the chili pot on top of himself. Not sure if he's going to make it. Poor Yank.

FRANK: - - - - - Mama? (Editor's Note: Judge # 3 was unable to report)

Encouragement for the down trodden

Some days are harder than others. Today is turning out to be one of those days. My youngest son refuses to sleep on his own so after he falls asleep, I typically go lay down and a few hours later he comes to find me and lies down next to me. Depending on how tired I am I may not even notice until I roll over and there he is. This morning (much like most mornings) he wakes me up at 6:30 AM asking for his cup.  I told him to go back to sleep and tried to roll over but he answers no. Its time for mommy to get up and get to work. I struggle to roll out of bed and feel around the dresser for my glasses. I’m blind as a bat and feeling big as a cow since I’ve just passed the 32 week point in this pregnancy. I grab a diaper and we head to the kitchen to get his cup. He now wants me to turn on the TV but I’m trying to cut back on how much they watch. Even the educational shows these have questionable content and have my kids saying or doing things that makes me wonder, “Where in the world did you learn that?!” By now my oldest son has stumbled in and wants his drink too. They sit down on the couch with their cups and want the TV on. So I turn on Chuggington and begin contemplating what to make for breakfast. Here’s the deal – my husband works overnight. And he doesn’t drive. So at night I take him to work and in the morning I have to go pick him up. It can be quite a pain at times. I never know when he will get off work. More than once I’ve started cooking a big breakfast (eggs, sausage, toast, etc.) only to have him tell me he’s ready for me to come pick him up. Very annoying for someone who is OCD about completing tasks.

This morning I opted for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Not the healthiest, I know, but quick and easy. They finished eating and I began my cleaning. Vacuuming the whole apartment, finding a hole in my sons windowsill, washing the dishes, starting the dryer again since it didn’t dry the clothes completely (AGAIN), and going about getting the boys dressed and ready for when daddy finishes work. 7:30 rolls around, I’m out of breath and getting packages ready to be mailed (my husband has an online business selling Lego’s). I get a text, time to leave and pick him up! We get buckled in and head out. Wouldn’t you know it? Traffic as far as I can see down 1604. What normally takes me about 10 minutes now takes about 40. During our car ride, the boys are in the back seat getting restless. “Mom, go faster!” “Mom, he take his shoes off.” “Mom, we go to daddy HEB?” Now I’m wishing my car could fly….

Finally get to my husband’s job, pick him up and its smooth riding back home. From the corner of my eye I can see my husband signing. Once again its complaints about how tired he is, his aisle was a mess and he needs to get home and get to sleep since he has to work early tonight because of inventory. I tune him out and just nod occasionally. I’m feeling exhausted already and yet my day hasn’t really begun.

Once home I get the packages ready for the mail, have my husband start copying some paperwork I need mailed out today, get the boys ready for their bath, and try to prepare myself for a long day. My husband is frustrated that I need this paperwork ready this morning (I’ve told him I’d need it for the past 2 days already). He doesn’t like having to rush unless it’s something he really wants.

Finally everything is done that really needed to get done. He gets in the shower, the kids go play, and I take a moment to catch my breath and read. My mom had given me some pamphlets on marriage and living better. The first one I pick up is by Dr. James Dobson. I’ve heard him before. When I was still living with my parents we listened to a Christian radio station that often played Dr. Dobson clips. This one is titled Values in the Home, and is supposed to offer 38 principles that Dr. Dobson “has drawn from a lifetime of experience in Christian living and in human experience”. The one that seemed to shout to me right away was #7: Human worth does not depend on beauty or intelligence or accomplishments. We are all more valuable than the possessions of the entire world, simply because God gave us that value. This fact remains true, even if every other person on earth treats us like losers.

I really needed to hear that. Some days, like today, I get to feeling like I took the wrong path in life. That everything is headed downhill permanently. I want to throw in the towel and say, “I’m done!” Nothing more, I’m done. Statements like the one above, however, remind me that it’s just one of those days. As quick as it came and as bad as it may have been, it will be gone. Tomorrow will be a new day with new challenges and possibilities.

Further down at #8: Strong desire is like a river. When you have a strong desire for something the outcome can go 1 of 2 ways. If it’s the right kind of desire – things can go well. If you desire something that shouldn’t or isn’t meant to be – you will be very unhappy when things don’t go well.

#10: Comparison is the root of all feelings of inferiority. The moment you begin examining other people’s strengths against your most obvious weaknesses, your self-esteem starts to crumble! Everyone is strong and weak in various abilities. Comparing yourself or your life with someone else’s (probably because they seem to be doing so much better than you), leads to unhappiness and resentment towards them. It’s also a waste of energy. Some people may seem to have the perfect life, but underneath they are struggling just as hard if not harder. They put on a mask to make others think all is well and hide the reality.

#13: If you’re going through difficult times today, hold steady: It will change soon. If you are experiencing smooth sailing and easy times now, brace yourself: It will change soon. The only thing you can be certain of is change.

#17: One of the secrets of successful living is found in the word balance, referring to the avoidance of harmful extremes. We need food, but we should not overeat. We should work, but not make work our only activity. We should play, but not let play rule us. Throughout life, it will be important to find the safety of the middle ground, rather than the imbalance of the extremes.

I could go on with other encouraging words from this pamphlet but I have 2 little boys who need a nap and laundry that needs to get done…. So I’ll end for now and maybe write more later. I hope someone out there reads this and has a brighter day. You are worth more than all the world and its riches, so don’t let anyone or anything get you down for too long.

Easy Dark Chocolate Fudge

In the moodfor some yummy dark chocolate fudge? Here is a truly simplerecipe for an amazing batch of fudge. I recently made some and took it to theapartment manager of our complex. In her words, “This is better than sex! Melts-in-your-mouth goodness.” Enjoy!

Dark Chocolate Fudge

Ingredients:

2 cups(as-oz. pkg.) Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Chips®

1 can(14oz.) sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoonvanilla extract

(walnuts orother nuts are optional, I prefer my fudge to be straight up chocolate)

Directions:

Line 8 or 9inch square baking pan with foil.

Combine morsels and sweetened condensed milk in medium, heavy-duty saucepan. Warm overlowest possible heat, stirring until smooth.

Remove from heat; stir in vanilla extract (and nuts if you are adding them).

Spread evenly into prepared baking pan. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm. Lift from pan; remove foil. Cut into pieces.

***Warning: This comesout to be very rich, so I cut it into bite sized pieces.***

Scoliosis: affecting life and pregnancy

Scoliosis is a subject dear to my spine. I've had it since elementary school, though I didn't always know what it was. What is scoliosis? Its a disease within the spinal skeleton that causes the spine to grow into a curve instead of straight up and down. When I was in 1-2 grades, kids poked me in the back and laughed at my protruding shoulder blades. They referred to me as the girl with boobs in her back because basically thats what it looks like to a bunch of kids. Later, at 12 years old, I was walking through a thrift store that my mom frequented a lot. The owner was a nice elderly lady. Well, one day while walking through her store she started staring at me strangely. She came up to us and asked if I had been diagnosed with scoliosis yet. I had never even heard the word before and though my mother had, she never really noticed anything being odd. The lady pointed out some helpful hints for spotting the disease:

1. If wearing an outfit that zips up the back - the zipper often curves to one side with more progressed cases.
2. If a person having scoliosis bends over to touch their toes, you will see the shoulder blades protruding at various degrees. One might be higher than the other. This goes for the hips as well.
3. While standing straight (as a person having the disease can) one side will be lower than the other. One shoulder will appear to be slouched down and standing flat footed can be impossible for more severe cases as mine was.

Well, as you can guess, a visit to the pediatrician led to a visit to a pediatric orthopedic specialist. The best in the region I believe. He was the highest ranking doctor in his field at the time. Doctor R. J. Cummings (http://www.healthgrades.com/physician/dr-robert-cummings-xsvqy). He was very patient, explained everything clearly, and most importantly he never tried to butter up the truth. He told it like it was.
My case was far from usual. First, I had a double curve or S curve. This is where the bones in the spine curve to look like one large S instead of a straight line. Secondly, when they measured the degrees of each curve (tells them how far from a normal straight line it is), I had a 52 on the top and 58 on the bottom. Those are big numbers. First question they had was, "Are you feeling any pain or discomfort?" Well, no? Back pains were never any issue for me. I felt like a normal, healthy 12 year old. The next thing they wondered is why no one noticed until it had progressed that far. Well, mom didn't really notice much as it was. And while I noticed (I got teased for it remember?), I thought it was yet another manifestation of me being oddly different from everyone else. (Which suited me just fine since I enjoyed being the odd one that never fit in anyhow.)

So what does this mean? Well, when you have a more severe case like mine chances are slim that you can get by with a body brace. Mild cases that require treatment but not surgery, can be treated with the use of a body brace that straightens the torso and keeps a person in a rigid position until the bones are taught to grow in a straight line again or until they stop growing altogether. Moms sometimes love this idea for teaching their kids how to sit straight. Ever have your mom say, "Sit up straight! Don't slouch!" Body braces keep you straight whether you like it or not!

For my case and similiar cases, this wouldn't work. I was growing still and at a rate of 2 degrees a month I think it was, it wouldn't have taken much longer for me to end up in a wheel chair paralyzed and in constant pain. Surgery was needed as soon as possible. I began donating my own blood towards my surgery. 1 pint a month for 4 month. Its the safest way and provides for the better healing experience since a body is used to its own blood rather than having to be introduced to someone elses.
The surgery is called Spinal Fusion. For milder curves, 1 rod will be attached or fused to the bones with a few screws. As the bone grows, it follows the shape of the rod ensuring that it stays straight. For a case like mine, 2 rods were needed. The rods were fused with 4 clamps (2 on each side) and lots of screws. I was quite tall with a long torso though. The first surgery I had (out of 3) was done later the same year I was diagnosed. It went very well. Recovery included some strict rules for the next 6 months.

1. No bending.
2. No heavy lifting.
3. No twisting or turning.
4. No jumping (really is a bummer when you love trampolines and jump ropes).
5. No strenuous activities that could put pressure or stress on the spine.

I learned to do a lot of things differently. I learned to pick up things with my feet since I couldn't bend. My legs grew stronger since I had to squat down to pick things up if they were too heavy or awkward to get with my feet. I learned to like the couch since I couldn't sleep in my own bed comfortably for quite some time. I got used to having my mother come and help me bathe since I could only stand there and get the front of me. For someone who enjoyed her independence, it was a trial and half.
At 15 years old, I'm having pains in my lower spine. So when I go for another check up, they take a closer look at my X-rays. I find out that a screw had broken and was needing to be replaced because the curve was starting to grow again. Thus started the jokes about bionic girl needing her bolts tightened.... Normally a girl stops growing when she starts her menstrual cycle. May I point out, I'm not normal. I was still growing even though I should have been done 4 years before. Either the growing bone broke the hardware or the hardware broke allowing me to grow sideways again. So, surgery 2 commenced.
All was well for the next 3 years. In between surgeries I developed arthritis in my lower back and hips. This is normal when something metal is installed in the human body. Its often noticed when the weather changes. You feel it in your bones that a storm is coming, that rain is on the way. Just before I turned 18, I started having some pretty strong pain. Thinking that something might have broken again, we went in to check up on it. Everything appeared normal. X-rays showed nothing broken or damaged, blood and urine tests came back normal, and even the bone scan showed nothing out of the ordinary. I also had no fevers indicating infection, but then I don't think I've ever had an infection. Doctor Cummings decided to take the hardware out. I prepared for surgery #3.
It was only after he opened me up and took out all that metal that he found a severe infection eating away at the bones in my lower spine. During the operation, a PICC line was inserted. A PICC line is a peripherally inserted central catheter. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peripherally_inserted_central_catheter)  Its used to administer antibiotics over an extended period. The line was inserted in my right arm peripheral Cephalic vein, ran across my chest, and ended directly in my heart for optimal deliverance of the antibiotics. The original strand of infection was not easily diagnosed so I was released from the hospital with a temporary antibiotic that they later changed when the culture came back. For the next 9 months, I once again followed the strict rules, but I also had to be trained to give myself the required antibiotics to kill the infection. They had to be administered everyday, twice a day for 9 months non-stop. It was interesting going to work and having co-workers stare or shudder as I unrolled the outer line and started the long process in the break room. Its a multi-step process that can take about 10 minutes to complete.

• First you clean the insertion part.
• Then you flush the line with saline solution to clear out any blood that may have flowed into the tube.
• Next you put in the antibiotic (always checking to make sure air bubbles are out first). This one was the slowest part.
• Next came another dose of saline solution. This stuff gives you a very cold feeling as it runs up your arm and across the chest.
• Finally you put in the heparin lock to seal everything in place. It always gave me a bitter metallic taste in my mouth.

After everything was settled from the final surgery, the doc released me with a clean bill of health. He told me I could live a normal life and do pretty much anything that anyone else could. (Military didn't agree though.) The one warning he did offer was this: getting pregnant and having a natural birth may be difficult for me. I'm not 100% straight in the spine. My shoulder blades still protrude more than normal and my hips are not in perfect alignment with each other. One hip sticks out  farther.
Getting pregnant hasn't been the problem. I've got the 3rd bun in the oven right now. The pregnancies themselves, however, have had their very difficult moments. My first son was pretty smooth sailing until the end. Towards the end I had a lot of back pain. But then.... I also gained 45 pounds with him and had a lot of water weight gain that made everything hurt. My second son was harder. Even at the very beginning there were days when I could barely walk and I had to quit my job because of the pain getting to be too much. This third one has been the hardest of all.
When you have scoliosis, your spine doesn't curve and change like it should. When you have the spinal fusion operations, you are stuck ram rod straight. You never change or curve besides the normal bending over or tilting to the side. With exercize, you should be able to train your back to become quite flexible though. But during pregnancy, your spine won't accomodate the baby the way it needs to. My babies seek to curl up on my lower spine pinching the nerve and causing severe pain. If I move in just a certain way, it causes me to freeze up and begin to fall. Simple things like bending, walking or even driving hurts. Another problem during pregnancy that a scoliosis patient might face - not being able to breathe well. Since there is no room and things are crammed up anyway, your lungs may not be able to expand as well as they do normally. You find yourself out of breath doing simple tasks or even while walking.
I've done a lot of research on these things. I've seen many different doctors and gotten many different suggestions for pregnancy and labor issues.

• When you are not pregnant, exercize regularly. Build up the muscle strength in your back. It helps strengthen the bones. Doing sit ups, crunches, and weight lifting can help.
• Take calcium supplements. Build up the nutrients in your bones.
• During pregnancy, keep as active as you can without pushing your limits. Ask your doctor what they think is best for you since everyone is different.
• Water exercizes are always the best! It supports your extra weight and takes a load off. I like just floating in the water sometimes.
• If you are having trouble breathing, relax. Straighten up and stretch out.
• Some people have the option of physical therapy. For someone like me, this is not so much of option. Most health care providers see me as a liability and don't want to take a chance on me trying something and getting worse.
• Tylenol is about the only over the counter medicine you can take for pain. I don't suggest you take it too often though. It is a blood thinner.
• Heating pads are wonderful! So are hot showers and hot baths. Heat therapy soothes the muscles and relaxes you.
• Maternity belts can be helpful as well. They offer extra support under the belly and around the back.
• Discuss labor options with your healthcare provider. I couldn't lay on my back for very long. It was excrutiatingly painful. So for my second sons birth I had a midwife and gave birth at home. I endured the pains while walking around and standing in the shower in intervals.
• But no matter what - take it easy! If you have someone who can help you when things get tough, I strongly advise you to ask them.

I hope someone finds this information useful. Or at least learned something. Scoliosis affects so many people in so many ways. Chances are you know someone who has at least a mild case even if they don't realize it.

Show and Tell sonogram review

So as I've mentioned in a previous post, I'm pregnant with baby #3. I had the normal 2D ultrasound done with my doctor at the beginning of my pregnancy, but with those… Well, let’s be honest. Can you tell what you are looking at? I sure can’t. Everything looks weird and blurry and I mostly just tune out the doctor talking to herself and listen to the heartbeat. Since I’m planning to make this my last baby, I really wanted to see it. Not some black and white blob picture that doesn’t make sense to me. I went online and started searching for places around San Antonio that offered 4D sonograms. May I just say… wow! They are really expensive. Most places charge $200-$900 depending on the package you choose. I finally found one that offered a simple package including 2 2D pictures, 2 4D pictures, and everything on a CD - all for $110.00. Show and Tell, located on 16607 Blanco Road, Suite 801 San Antonio, Texas 78232 not only had the best prices, their staff is extremely friendly and patient. I brought my 2 young sons along and even though they ran around the room and kept talking, the sonogram tech just laughed. I had drank water all week exclusively until I felt like a bloated cow in an attempt to make the picture as clear as possible. I was really, really hoping that this one was going to be a baby girl. And sure enough, as soon as we got started her legs were open and that’s the first thing we saw. After that, the tech did everything she could to ensure we got the best pictures we could of the baby. She had me roll over, walk around, use the bathroom… and in the end I got some amazing shots of my beautiful daughter. That package that I chose was called the Peek a Boo Special. In the end. I paid only $100 because I booked right before the price changes went into effect. And instead of just 4 pictures - I got 4 color 4D pictures and I think 6 black and white 2D pictures. Truly a value.

So, if you live in San Antonio, happen to be pregnant and want a 2, 3 or 4D sonogram for reasonable prices I strongly suggest Show and Tell. If you don't get a clear picture they do everything they can to try to make it better and even have options for going back and trying later at a free or discounted rate. I also liked that they had the option of being able to Skype the session with a family member who is too far away to be there. And you can bring the whole family (up to 11 people I think).

http://www.showandtellultrasoundsa.com/