Bee careful (tips for bee&wasp stings)

November 19, 20151 Comment

So I never thought of bee allergies, well I did, I know my mom’s arm once turned blue from a wasp sting and I watched the Movie My Girl where Macaulay Culkin’s character died from bees attacking her. I just didn’t think my husband would end up hospitalised and even after three days under hospital care still be walking around with his lips looking like botched botox and his arms covered in marks.

It was super scary and we were not prepared for it at all so I did what I always do, I researched the heck out of it and this is what I came up with courtesy of allergyuk.org this is for bees and wasps (couldn’t find local resources)

Symptoms

1. Localised reactions
Swelling at the site of the sting, which can be more than 10 cm in diameter and last for more than 24 hours. The rest of the limb may be involved but no generalised symptoms are present. These reactions are more common in children than in adults.
2. Mild systemic reactions
These reactions are characterised by skin swelling and hives in an area of skin remote from the sting. Children experiencing these reactions are not thought to be significantly at risk of future life-threatening reactions compared to others. However, in older children and adults, such reactions are considered to be a risk factor for a future severe reaction.
3. Moderate / severe systemic reactions (Anaphylaxis)
Any or all of the following symptoms may be present:

Swelling of throat and mouth
Difficulty in swallowing or speaking
Difficulty in breathing – due to severe asthma or throat swelling
Hives anywhere on the body, especially large hives
Generalised flushing of the skin
Abdominal cramps, nausea and vomiting
Sudden feeling of weakness (drop in blood pressure)
Collapse and unconsciousness

The symptoms of anaphylaxis occur because the sting causes the release of allergy-producing chemicals (mediators) into the blood which can affect the whole body, and in particular, the breathing and blood circulation.

Management

If the sting has been left behind, it can be helpful to remove it gently in order to prevent further venom release. Do not pull it out with your fingers, and this may squeeze the venom sac causing the opposite effect. It is best to flick the sting out with your nail. Generally speaking, wasps do not leave their sting behind, this means that they may sting you more than once. If possible place an icepack (pack of peas will do) on the area of the sting and ideally sit down or lie down, especially if feeling faint.
1. Localised reactions (involving swelling of affected area, urticaria and flushing):
Use a non-sedating, rapid acting antihistamine as advised by your GP or pharmacist. Large local reactions can also be treated with oral steroid tablets as soon as one is stung and repeated daily for up to 3 days. These tablets will need to be prescribed by your GP.

2. Anaphylactic reactions:

If an adrenaline (epinephrine) auto-injector device is available, use it immediately
An ambulance should be called immediately.The controller must be told that the patient is suffering from anaphylaxis
Keep the patient lying down and stay with them. Don’t let them stand up or walk
If they have not recovered in 5 minutes, give a second adrenaline injection, if available
Even if the patient recovers quickly, they must still go to hospital for observation in case of delayed or repeated reactions
If the patient has an asthma blue inhaler, they should use it AFTER the injection. But do not delay administering the adrenaline injection

Please check out allergyuk.org for more info you could save a life

Real Wahms of SA: Kat teaches

November 18, 2015Leave a comment

Today we chat to Kath Kenyon, she has taken her love of learning and turned it into a career 🙂
She does private tutoring and has found real joy in watching others learn…here is her story 🙂

Tell us about your family

I am a mom of two, living with my husband, who’s an engineer.

I have a nine year old boy and a two year old little girl.

Why did you become a work from home mom

I was teaching in the State sector and just got sick of the admin and the internal politics. I was in the fortunate position that my husband supported my choice to venture forth and set up private practice.

What was the most unexpected part of becoming a wahm

How much of an emotional roller coaster it can be, and how rewarding too.

What has been the hardest part

Finding students for my morning slots. There are lots of children for lessons after school, but I found that many homeschool parents are very wary of professionals.

What is the most rewarding

Watching children’s faces light up when they grasp a concept, and also being told by the Department of Education that they wished they could “lock me in a cupboard so they could tap into my skills whenever they need them” when I had to terminate working with a particularly dangerous boy with whom I had managed to achieve a great deal more than had happened beforehand in his life.

What is your day like

I do the school run for my own children, before starting to teach at 8. I teach till 11 and then have a break until 2:30, when I teach again until 4:30

Tell us about your business

I am a private remedial teacher. I offer individual and small group lessons as well as tailor made workshops for those parents where private lessons are beyond the budget. I also offer training for teachers at schools and am trying to find ways of improving inclusive education in South Africa. If possible, I would love to collaborate on designing a specialist curriculum for children that will equip them with basic skills in Independent Living.

Where did business idea and name come from

My name is Kathryn, often shortened to Kath or Kat, so I decided to incorporate that and I also wanted to ensure that people knew a bit about my business from the name — hence the Learning Kat brand.

What sets you apart

I try to find ways to help children where extra lessons are a luxury — by training teachers and parents in techniques they can use themselves. I also use a multisensory approach to learning and find that a personalised curriculum allows me to do this best, so I use the child’s interests in designing an integrated curriculum that will develop a range of skills through different activities delivered within a theme — such as minibeasts. Where we are learning about a variety of creatures, their habitats, food webs, ecology, mathematical skills in the form of data handling, addition, subtraction, fractions, comprehension skills, creative writing, art and more. We have a wormery,, and farm and tadpole nursery set up to keep it real.

Activating survival mode

November 17, 20152 Comments

I actually feel quite guilty admitting how overwhelmed I’m feeling seeing as how the world is actually pretty much in tragic conflict.
Since my family is safe and none of my loved ones are living as refugees I should be feeling pretty blessed but I’m just feeling tired.

You see, Rob was admitted to hospital yesterday. The test results have revealed a severe bee allergy (OMW I cant lose my husband like that boy died in the movie My Girl that movie made me so mad/sad, why did no one warn me he was going to die…I digress) Rob is not at death’s door yet, he is just covered in welts and is extremely uncomfortable and in a lot of pain and breathing is tough. Also I miss him as he is staying for at least one more night.

A funny thing happens after years of marriage (almost 7 years now) you become unconsciously reliant on each other, even if a large part of you marriage was spent apart (when he was at police college).

It becomes deadly obvious when your routine is thrown out of wack. We do things pretty effortlessly; I pack a bag, he gets Aidy ready, he straps him in, I lock the doors. He does supper, Aidy and I pick up supplies at the shop. I do bath time he does bed time…

Even though he goes away with work the sudden leaving is quite different. We do things pretty independently but it’s usually with the other in mind… He does game night with Aidy so I can play squash and I do crafts when he jogs. After just one day I realise I don’t have him to wake me as he heads off to the early train, the water in the kettle is not boiling when I get to the kitchen and I didn’t have to prepare an extra lunch last night.

Last night he was not in the kitchen whipping up something and I didn’t get a message from him and Aidan to bring home milk and a lollies, I’m still tired from a HECTIC WEEKEND and have a bunch of orders to complete and products to review but without Rob that’s going to be tough (he keeps overly helpful – I cut it for you mommy – hands busy)

Thank God for amazing friends though; Last night two of our closest friends unexpectedly brought me supper and snacks for Rob and took Aidan out so I could make visiting hours despite missing the train.

I have extra shifts this week and am still promoting both business because I could do with the money…

I know things are going to be okay but joh! When your tired is tired you have to activate survival mode *yawn*

Thank Goodness for Monday

November 16, 20153 Comments

I had a doozy of a weekend (and Monday morning if you count being dressed for the rain while the sun beats down on me as I wait for the train which is running ridiculously late).

– I’m glad it’s Monday because it means the cleaning lady comes 🙂
On crazy busy weekends I’m not the most homemakerish (when am I ever) Aidan takes advantage of me being distracted by work by being extra messy. This is why the floor of his room looks like the war scene in the lego movie. The rest of the house is not far behind, he particularly loves to fill his play shopping trolley with various items in our house and drive them around. I stumped my toe on a tea canister this morning – need I say more.
We have been doing very well with the clean up after play thing but on crazy busy weekends the house usually takes the brunt of the attack.

– I’m glad it’s Monday because all doctors and things are open.
It looks like Rob is allergic to bees, here we were faffing over Aidan who got his first sting when Rob started breaking out… He went to emergency room and meds meant he couldn’t keep his eyes open for most of the weekend. Last night we thought he was finally better but during the night he became so swollen he is practically unrecognisable…so back to the Dr and thankfully this time without the weekend pay in.
Meanwhile we are running a bee holiday resort in our jacaranda tree and Aidan has been stung three times in two days … so not good.

– I’m glad it’s Monday because I finished an order list which looked impossible and now I get to give it over to customers 🙂 I had a lot to get done so I was expecting a bumper weekend. I didn’t expect to have emergency dental work done and then lose a whole day from feeling sick and drowzy due to to the injection though (my body never reacts well to that). I didn’t account for the heat getting to Aidan and him wanting mommy the whole time. Then when I pull an all nighter I am woken up by a husband who needed to be rushed to the hospital…So I was very glad (pleasantly surprised even) to see packages ready for delivery this morning.

-I’m glad it’s Monday because Aidan goes to school and can burn off some energy. He was so hyper this weekend I can’t even explain it…I can say that at some point someone came to the house looking for me. He heard his dad say I was in the shower so Aidan thought he would be nice and open the bathroom door to prove to them “mommy is in the shower” not sure who was more embarrased me or them! (Me it was me).
At some point I heard him use the full phrase OMG (repeating after TV in the next room) and when I told him it was not nice to say he asked if it was a bad word like Sh!t. I HAVE NO WORDS. Oh he was playing with Caleb when I noticed unhappiness. I asked him why Caleb was crying and reminded him to be gentle he then responded that he was gentle and only hit Caleb softly as they were playing boxing. NO WORDS

– I’m glad it’s Monday as I can restart the healthy eating thing; because somewhere between sewing my butt off (if only that was literal) running after a hyper kid who has too many questions (who is Santa’s family and why Christmas trees not Christmas flowers) and looking after a stubborn – I can do everything despite being too swollen to bend a finger – husband, I decides junk food was a good breakfast option and things went downhill from there.

– I’m glad it’s Monday because it means we have made it through a busy weekend unscathed.
HAVE A GOOD MONDAY ALL 🙂 do share your favourite part of starting a new week

“First Christmas” ornaments for kid to make

November 16, 2015August 7, 2016Leave a comment

So it’s Aidan’s first Christmas, no I’m not suffering from amnesia, I know he is almost three and we haven’t only recently become Christian, so that statement is technically false… It’s his first Christmas in the sense that it is the first time he is able to understand and verbalise his interest in Christmas.

He is mesmerized by the trees and décor in the shops and he is very interested in the story of Christmas which makes it the perfect time to share our beliefs with him.

Rob and I believe in God and our spiritual relationship is very important to us but we also believe that there are many ways to serve God (no one way is the only and ultimate-don’t stone me for that, thanks) and for that reason we research and respect other religions and want to share that belief with our kid.

Even so, we believe it is very important to share the story of the birth of Christ with Aidan so I’m desperately looking at ways to share this with him in a fun informative way.

He is a deep thinker and I do not want to confuse him. He already asked “Why does Father Christmas bring presents and not the wise men like in the story”… so ja, there’s that – he is tricking me up at the age of 2 people!!!

Here are some Christmas Crafts I found on the net… I’m considering doing one for every night of advent (because I’m high) a little ornament every night is sure to go down well with my little crafter and next year I will try this ADVENT STORY which seems amazing 🙂

CLICK THROUGH:

Foodie Fri-Dae (chicken & corn salad)

November 13, 2015August 7, 2016Leave a comment

I’m beyond excited about my new guest post series!!!
I’m featuring a fellow arty farty creative type (Ok this girl made her own wedding dress so she beats me hands down).
Davene Prinsloo is a sought after wedding/lifestyle photographer, but lately the pictures that really got my attention are the food pics she has been posting on Instagram.
She has embarked on a more healthy lifestyle but opted away from supplements,shakes and pre-made mixes, instead, she cooks from scratch and has definitely uncovered a new talent.
I managed to convince her to share some of her favourite recipes with us over the next few weeks and if you want to know more about this “Jacky of all trades” be sure to check her out on her BLOG

I am so making this later 🙂

Chicken and Corn Salad (serves 4)

Ingredients

2 tbs of olive oil

1 tsp Parsley

1 tsp Thyme

250g pack of frozen corn

4 chicken breasts

1 pack of mixed salad leaves

Seasoning (I used Ina Parmen’s Garlic and Chilli and Lemon Pepper Seasoning)

1 chopped tomatoes

1/3 chopped cucumber

1 sliced avocado

Method

Boil the corn in a small pot filled for 20 minutes (or pop the bag in the microwave for 5 minutes, if you’re fine with microwave cooking).
Throw the olive in a pan and put it on the stove.
While the oil is heating up, half the chicken breasts horizontally and then slice them into strips.
Season the strips well with thyme, parsley & seasoning of choice (If you’re using the same seasoning as I did, use the Garlic & Chilli) and add them to the pan, frying them until thoroughly cooked through. By now, the corn should done, strain it and let it cool down. Remove the pan from the hot plate and let chicken cool down as well.

Rinse the salad leaves and plate them in four different bowls. Season the leaves well in the plates (use the lemon pepper seasoning).
Distribute the cucumber, tomatoes & avocado equally amongst the four salad bowls.
Place it as desired on the bed of salad leaves.
Season slightly.
Scatter the corn equally on top of each of the salad bowls. Distribute the chicken equally amongst the four salad bowls. Enjoy.

*thanks so much Dae, looking forward to the next installment

Just Ella Bella