Category Archives: Health

Happy New Year 2024 !!

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I am wishing you all a Happy New Year 🎊🎊🍾🍾

2023 was a stressful year, full of hurt, disappointment, illness, death, struggle, and ineffectiveness. Despite all of it, I am grateful that I overcame it all.

Being a caregiver to my Mother, who now has cancer for the forth time, has been soul shattering. I felt trapped and unappreciated. My mother was experiencing a type of dementia due to the meds she had to take. A few months ago, the meds stopped working ! Her oncologist immediately changed protocols. The new protocol is working on shrinking the two tumors in her liver and destroyed the nodule in her lungs.

I am embracing 2024 as my year of triump. I am focused on winning and will NOT allow anything nor anyone to distract me.

My daughter is now 7. She is the most amazing gift 🎁. She is thriving and so intelligent. This child is so much different than we were as kids. She is almost like a little adult, the way she processes things. She is very compassionate and sensitive.

I look forward to exploring the world 🌎 with her this year. We are researching and trying to select a country to expat. I am over the US. I need a change and I am determined to ensure that my child cultured and educated. She loves learning and exploring. She has more stamps in her passport that most adults. She loves going on ‘Holiday’…

I am looking forward to preparing for a move and being able to spend half the year abroad every year and prepare to purchase a home in another country.

2024 is going to be epic !

It has already delivered bad news. We arrived at the beach and got settled into the condo and went down the hall to let CGB’s honorary Grandparents know that we arrived safely and learned that her Grandmother passed away unexpectedly two days before Christmas ! We would have expected for her Grandfather to pass, as he too has cancer, but it’s on his nose. He is 101 years old. It was heartbreaking 💔. He didn’t even recognize us. A nurse /caregiver opened the door, which was strange because we were expecting Rose Marie to open the door. She fell a fee months ago and broke her shoulder. She didn’t tell us about that and we knew that Armand had fallen. She got a UTI and bed sores in the facility she was in so her brothers hired a private duty nurse and had her moved back to their condo. The nurse told me that she was skin and bones, although she was always tiny, she was withering away. The nurse was fattening her up, and she seemed to be improving and was doing a lot better. Two days before Christmas, she took ill and was hospitalized and passed away 18 hrs later with Armand and the nurse by her side. My daughter was hurt and could not understand why Armand didn’t know her

I brought them so Lemoncello that I made, which they Love. He smiled when the nurse told him that we brought Lemoncello. She told me that he had had a very bad day was way off, which was unusual for him. He is normally very sharp and aware. A few weeks ago, he and Rose Marie were super excited that we were coming to visit and staying for at least a month. I was looking forward to cooking some of their favorites and spoiling them.

Despite this sad news, I refuse to get sidetracked. I am determined to be productive and make this happen for my family.

I pray that you all have a productive, successful, healthy, and abundant new year.

Until next time,

V

Mommy Make Over – The 411

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It has been a whirlwind past few months. Thanksgiving week was spent in Naples, Florida with our family supporting my nephew and his basketball team’s tournament. We drove back to our lakehouse the night before Thanksgiving and I got up at 6am and prepped a full Thanksgiving meal, although I was not supposed to be doing anything but recovering from surgery. My sister and niece drove back up to spend the day with us before departing on an evening flight back home.

I spent the weeks leading up to Christmas relaxing and recuperating. My whole family was supposed to fly in for Christmas, but two of my nephews failed their covid test the day before departure and tested positive for covid. It was heartbreaking because their Dad passed away in September, unexpectedly, and they spent the holiday alone.

New Years was quiet for us, as we spent it at the lakehouse and cooked dinner and chilled in pajamas. I hired Glitzy Christmas to decorate the lakehouse, since I could not, and we put up six Christmas trees throughout the lakehouse. Three of the trees are still up and we light them up at dusk lol. I might not take them down !

I am currently almost 16 weeks post op. I am healing up and for the most part happy with the results. My surgeon did a fat transfer to fill in my hips and to me it looks like love handles. I am going to have them lipo that area with plasma to make the skin shrink to correct it. I also have a little scarring around my navel and I will see a dermatologist to have something done to flatten it out.

Here is a pic of my progress thus far:

I am looking for a trainer so I can whip my body into shape by Summer. I will post pics and updates of my progress.

The Grace and Favor of God – The 411

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So… remember the lesion the radiologist said was on my mother’s spine? Remember that the oncologist was perplexed as to why she had no pain or discomfort in the left shoulder area, given the diagnosis?

My mom was sent the next day to radiology oncology for further evalution and to get scheduled for radiation therapy to nuke the area. The doctor looks at her PET Scan and CT Scan and does another scan in office and looks at my mom and says “THERE IS NOTHING THERE!” Well, look at GOD ! Won’t He Do It?

The doctor informs my mom that even if there is a lesion there, that is nothing to worry about. He ordered an MRI to be on the safe side and said that if it shows anything there, they will do five radiation sessions to nuke it so it does not cause problems down the line, but it is not a life threatening situation.

My mom is over the moon, as are we.

Only God !

So…. My Surrogate Is Pregnant… And It Is NOT Mine !! – The 411

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IMG_20190326_185459_323.jpg

Disappointed… Heartbroken… Pissed… In Mourning…

All of those things I feel all at once.

How I found out? The intended surrogate posted a jokey type post on Facebook announcing that she was not getting fat, but was pregnant. Since it is April, I thought maybe it was an April Fool’s prank.

Yesterday, I decide to text her and ask if she were joking or truly pregnant. After three long hours had passed, she responds, Yes 🤦🏾‍♀️ lol.

WTF do you mean LOL?

Over a year ago, this woman, who is 28 with three children, offered to be my surrogate after hearing me lament about the fact that I can not carry another child and that my sisters were physically unable to. She volunteered to be my surrogate and I happily accepted the offer. I told her that I would be ready in 2019. We have discussed all the particulars and as early as a month ago, we agreed that she would start the IVF process in September and transfer one embryo at a time. I have four eggs on ice and whatever embryos result will be what we have to work with.

I explained in detail what the process would look like for her and she was even excited about gifting me this opportunity to have a sibling for my daughter. She joked that she would have “our” baby by Summer and get her body back.

I am beyond livid ! And to add insult to injury, she attempts to deflect and gaslight me and say she is offended that I am not happy about her “unexpected blessing.” I am sorry but, four babys, three or four baby daddy’s, and the prospect of another welfare check is NOT an effing blessing. At what point do you grow up and become responsible for yourself, your body, and your family?

As mad as I am because an entire year has been wasted that could have been spent searching for a surrogate and that was wasted planning and preparing for another child, I must also realize that God will block anything that is not for me.

The last thing I want is my child coming through the spirit of a broken, promiscuous, child in a grown woman’s body !

I am hurt that all of my dreams of a future with my daughter and a sibling just got flushed down the drain.

I can not imagine being broke and just tossing away the opportunity to put $10,000 in my pocket for me and my children over a few moments of pleasure. She has said numerous times that she is very fertile. She knew better ! I assume she popped up pregnant trying to tie a man down. Newsflash, that NEVER works !

Obviously, the “no sex” or “no unprotected sex” clause which would have been in the contract in effort to protect my unborn child would have been ignored. For an unmarried surrogate, this would have been a requirement.

I honestly know I should accept this as a blessing in disguise, but my heart will not let me at this moment. I am angry and irritated. I feel duped and used. I absolutely hate putting faith and trust into someone only to be let down.

Now, I have to start this impossible search all over again ! Agencies are ridiculous and I am not spending another $100,000 to get a child.

It looks like my daughter may be an only child and I will be forced to destroy my remaining eggs. I am very grateful for my daughter, do not get me wrong. She has been asking me for sister for weeks now, thanks to an episode of Peppa Pig and also some other show she is infatuated with.

My heart is broken not only for me, but because I wanted my child to have a sibling and not be alone in this world…

CBD Oil Benefits for Fertility – The 411

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(Source Sensitimes.com)

shallow focus photography of cannabis plant

 

Infertility problems are surprisingly common, in fact, estimates that at least 10% of the female population have difficulty getting or staying pregnant – meaning, that more than 7 million women are alone facing fertility issues.

Regrettably, women are not the only ones who may additionally experience infertility issues. This issue affects both men and women on an equal level among couples experiencing infertility, kind of 35 percent is because of the male, while any other 35 percent is due to the woman. Every other 20 percent is a combination of both male and female factors, and the final 10 percent is unknown.

However, there are now some alternative therapies are at the upward thrust for helping with infertility issues. One of the popular therapies is CBD. This terrific cannabinoid has profound effects on fertility, greater of which is listed below;

What is CBD and What does it do?

CBD or cannabidiol has more than 40% of the extract of cannabis plants and is easily accessible. Used for the treatment of anxiety, seizures, PTSD, and leukaemia.

CBD is also used to ease pain during contractions, According to a study done by the Journal of the Society for Reproduction & Fertility. However, how useful is CBD for male and female fertility and IVF and how safe is its use is what we were going to find in this article?

CBD And Male Fertility

Infertility is a common problem faced by couples in today’s society. However, women are not the only one being affected by it. According to a study done on couples experiencing infertility, 35% were due to problems in men, 35% were due to problems in women, 20% were due to the combined problem in men and women whereas the 10% problems were unknown. Hence before trying to find solutions for infertility, one must find out the cause of the problem and then consult their doctors.

A research study conducted by doctors at the Ruhr University, Germany provides evidence that there is an active link between CBD and male fertility. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) in our body plays a huge part in fertility. It is a regulatory system which looks over almost every metabolism in our body. One of the systems in our body governed by ECS is the reproductive system. When CBD is administered into the body, it helps ECS to work more efficiently and smoothly.

Studies also suggest that the use of THC may stunt the sperm maturation process and impact the testosterone level adversely whereas the same is not right for CBD. It is observed that the use of CBD helps in the acrosome reaction which is the process of fusing of sperm into the plasma membrane and then entering the female egg for its fertilisation. Use of CBD is thought to allow the sperm to enter the female egg and fertilise it effectively. However, the research done in this field is not enough and need more attention. However if more studies in this area were conducted, then CBD can prove to be a significant breakthrough in helping to solve the different fertility issues.

CBD, Female Fertility and IVF Treatment

CBD works differently on the male and the female body. In women, it not only helps in getting women pregnant but as mentioned above, also helps in the delivery of the child. In a few cases, it is seen that if a woman used too much THC in her early months of pregnancy, CBD could be used to reduce its effect on their foetus and their bodies.

Studies have also shown THC to have the adverse effect on implantation, conceiving and ovulation, but with CBD, promising results have been discovered. Even though the research studies done in this area are slim, it is seen that CBD can help to reduce pain, inflammation, seizures, anxiety, spasms and much more.

Remember…

CBD is an effective method of getting pregnant in cases of male as well as female fertility problems. It does not have any side effect like THC and actually can be used to reduce the side effects done on the body by THC. Not only can it be used to increase the chances of being pregnant, but also helpful throughout pregnancy and in relieving contraction pain.

Trimming the Fat – Two Year Old Chronicles – The 411

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Time to trim the fat! Once your child turns 2, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that you reduce her fat intake to less than 30 percent of her daily calories. You don’t have to zealously monitor fat intake. Just switch from whole milk to 2 percent, and look for low-fat versions of cheese, yogurt, and ice cream. For the rest of her diet, provide a balanced offering of whole grains, lean meats or beans, fruits, and vegetables. Don’t cut out fats entirely; your preschooler’s growing brain and body depend on them for proper development. And many dairy products that contain fat are also terrific sources of calcium.

Soon your child will begin looking more like a “big kid,” as her limbs and torso start to lengthen and her proportions begin to resemble those of an adult. She’ll gain about 2 1/2 inches and 5 pounds this year. If you’re concerned that your preschooler is overweight, talk to her doctor rather than instituting any dietary restrictions on your own. Kids’ nutritional needs are different from adults’, so you should get his guidance.

Twenty Two Months Old – The 411

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I am still in awe of this little creature I birthed. She is now 22 months old, soon to be 23 months old in a few weeks.

She is a sweet, strong-willed, chatty, music loving, learning enthused little girl. She is the perfect mix of silly, smart, curious, and loving.

This little girl is the best gift God could have ever blessed me with.

I am still torn as to whether I will have another via surrogacy, but I will soon make a decision.

We are busy preparing for the wee one’s birthday bash in London.

We will be departing the day after her 2 yr old physical. I am praying she doesn’t feel irritable after the appointment. I am not certain if vaccines are on the agenda but I do know that she is getting her first blood draw. I hate it ! I am glad that allergy testing will be done.

Ten Companies Which Cover IVF – the 411

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https://www.whattoexpect.com/news/preconception/companies-impressive-ivf-fertility-treatments-benefits/?xid=nl_YourDailyNewsletterfromWhattoExpect_20180107

1. Bank of America


Bank of America


Coverage: Unlimited


Bank of America is a winner when it comes to fertility benefits, providing unlimited services and no dollar limit on employees seeking fertility treatments. In all, around 2,500 employees, spouses or partners received coverage under the plan in 2016 alone. They were also one of the first to do so — all limits were removed from plans in 2011.


2. KKR


KKR


Coverage: Unlimited


Global investment firm KKR provides employees with unlimited benefits for fertility treatments. One note: In order to be eligible for the benefit, employees must have a consultation with an infertility support provider first.


3. Starbucks


Starbucks


Coverage: $20,000


Employees are limited to $15,000 medical, and $5,000 for fertility drugs. The neat thing about Starbucks is not necessarily how large the benefit is, but how widespread it’s distributed. In fact, all employees, including those who work part-time (at least 20 hours per week) are covered under the plan. According to company spokesmen Reggie Borges, Starbucks takes a lot of pride in providing its employees with fertility benefits.


4. Spotify


Spotify


Coverage: Unlimited


The Swedish music streaming service is known for its great benefits and its fertility coverage is no exception. The company offers unlimited coverage of IVF, as long as patients can prove medical need.


5. Bain & Company


Bain & Company


Coverage: Unlimited


Bain & Company was called one of the best places to work by Glassdoor, and this may be why. The global management consulting firm provides unlimited IVF for females with male partners with medical necessity, reciprocal IVF for women without a male partner (When one woman undergoes treatment to create the embryos, while the other receives the embryo transfer) and donor sperm for women without a male partner, as well as coverage for egg freezing.


6. Facebook


Facebook


Coverage: 4 cycles of IVF


The social media giant provides coverage for four cycles of IVF which covers both fresh or frozen cycles. They also cover pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGS testing) to genetically test embryos prior to implantation with IVF. The benefit is open to all employees (no pre-authorization required).


7. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation  


The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

 


Coverage: 4 cycles of IVF


In January 2017, the foundation began offering employees infertility treatment coverage. The company covers four cycles, and by the end of the third quarter more than three dozen employees had already taken advantage of the benefits at an average cost of $55,600.


8. Pinterest


Pinterest


Coverage: 4 rounds of IVF


Starting this year, Pinterest will offer its employees four rounds of IVF with no cap on amount, meaning each cycle is covered regardless of cost. The company will also cover the cost of egg freezing, and provide $5,000 for coverage of adoption and $20,000 in net benefits for surrogacy coverage.


9. Salesforce


Salesforce


Coverage: 3 cycles of IVF


Cloud computing company Salesforce provides three cycles of IVF to their employees with no maximum cost limit. They also provide coverage for PGS testing. Salesforce waives pre-authorizations and makes IVF benefits available to any employee, meaning it doesn’t have to be medically necessary for employees to be eligible.


10. Chanel


Chanel


Coverage: Unlimited


Fashion mega-company Chanel provides its employees with unlimited access to IVF if employees demonstrate a medical need. Fertility IQ also ranks Chanel as the best within its industry in terms of fertility coverage because while a number of tech companies offer unlimited coverage of IVF, Chanel is one of the only companies in the fashion industry to do so.