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Learning to say goodbye.
I sat nursing my newborn son in what’s affectionately called “the yellow room.” It’s been that color for many years, since my mother-in-law was a girl. It was her bedroom back then- where she made her memories as a little girl, a teenager, a young woman. While sunlight danced around the cheerful walls, I nursed my son and noticed how he clenched my index finger with his tiny fingers. With his delicate hands wrapped tightly around mine, I was overwhelmed with love for this new little life.
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The best newborn sleep advice I’ve ever received: Part 1
Before my daughter was born, I read a lot of parenting books. I was probably as prepared as a first-time mom could have been. And yet, when that little bundle finally made her appearance, I didn’t feel prepared at all.
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A silent killer in young athletes - sickle cell trait
The stories have become all too familiar to us: local news coverage shows a high school athlete who has collapsed unexpectedly during a game and is being rushed to the hospital. It is every parent’s worst nightmare.
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Keep your (and your child's) head in the game
As parents, we often like to encourage our kids to play sports. There are many valuable skills to be learned through sports: improved hand and eye coordination, teamwork and sportsmanship, just to name a few. And, of course, sports are also fun!
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Should my family eat cantaloupe?
On September 14, 2011, the FDA announced that Jensen Farms issued a voluntary recall of its Rocky Ford-brand cantaloupes after being linked to an outbreak of listeriosis. Although Jensen Farms is located in Colorado, their cantaloupes have been shipped to multiple states, and many reports of listeriosis have been linked to these cantaloupes. As of October 6, 2011, a total of 109 cases of listeriosis associated with these cantaloupes have been reported to the Centers of Disease Control (CDC), and 21 deaths have been reported. One pregnant woman was affected and had a miscarriage as a result of infection. Cases have been reported in 24 states, and all symptoms have been reported on or after July 31, 2011. This outbreak has been one of the largest outbreaks of listeriosis in the United States since 1989. So far, no cases of listeriosis associated with the Jensen Farms cantaloupe have been reported in the state of Florida.
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Protecting young athletes with proper hydration
For every person participating in athletic activities, proper hydration plays a crucial role in maintaining health and physical ability. For those of us who live in a hot, humid climate such as Central Florida, we must be vigilant to ensure that our bodies and those of our children are protected from dehydration.
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Thumb sucking: learning to let go
My little friend Harper sucks her thumb. She is the cutest and sweetest 5-year-old: funny, shy and loves on my little girl like a big sister. I never thought much of it. Some kids suck their thumb; some don’t. But, I’ve come to realize that this seemingly innocent habit can become quite a challenge for many families.
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A safe start to swimming
As the mother of a toddler, I sometimes feel as if my day is spent preventing one accident after the next. Is she standing too close to the stove while I cook? Can she reach the cord where she might pull the iron down on her? Did I close the front door behind me? Is she splashing in the toilet? What in the world did she put in her mouth!?!
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An extra dose of hope
Most people never think about hospitals. I’ll admit that I never paid much attention either until I started working here several years ago. Very quickly, I began to realize what a special place Arnold Palmer Hospital truly is. Seeing all of the children who come here for treatment brings two emotions to the surface. The first is uncertainty because I can’t imagine my daughter getting sick. I get scared when I think about her tiny little body having to fight off serious illness or undergoing surgery.
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Fulfilling a dream: Dr. Joseph's story
If you ask any of the oncology nurses here at Arnold Palmer Hospital who their favorite doctor is, they will all have the same answer. It is Dr. Joseph. To the untrained eye, Dr. Joseph may not actually look like a doctor at all. He may look strikingly similar to an 8-year-old who is suffering from leukemia. But don’t tell him that.
