I shot someone on October 20th!

This is Megan, Heather and me (on the right) at the Senior Expo giving flu shots to...you guessed it...seniors. We had a blast! I am shooting Megan in this picture!...I'm not sure what Heather was doing?

Loons and Moons

Again, from Steve. Enjoy.

Two doctors, a psychiatrist and a proctologist, opened an office in a small town and put up a sign reading:

"Dr. Smith and Dr. Jones: Hysterias and Posteriors."

The town council was not happy with the sign, so the doctors changed it to read:
"Schizoids and Hemorrhoids."
This was not acceptable either, so in an effort to satisfy the council, they changed the sign to "Catatonics and High Colonics." No go.
Next, they tried "Manic Depressives and Anal Retentives." Thumbs down again.
Then came "Minds and Behinds." Still no good.
Another attempt resulted in "Lost Souls and Butt Holes."
Unacceptable again! So they tried "Analysis and Anal Cysts." Not a chance.
"Nuts and Butts?" No way.
"Freaks and Cheeks?" Still no go.
"Loons and Moons?" Forget it.
Almost at their wit's end, the doctors finally came up with:
"Dr. Smith and Dr. Jones, Odds and Ends."
Everyone loved it.

All Hallows Eve or Halloween?

So where did we get the name "All Hallows Eve" anyway?

Well, Pope Boniface IV designated November 1st "All Saints Day" to commemorate the saints who died as martyrs for the church....possibly trying to replace the celtic festival of the dead, Samhain. This Nov 1st celebration was called "All Hallows" or "All Hallowmas" meaning "all saints day" from middle english. Naturally...October 31st became "All Hallows Eve" and then, as it is now, Halloween.

This is not to be confused with any or all of the Deathly Hallows.... :)

Bobbing For Apples?....Sick!

Where did the tradition "Bobbing For Apples" come from?

When the Celts (my peeps) and the Romans started merging their cultures, bobbing for apples became an All Hallows Eve tradition. It was originally to honor the Roman goddess, Pomona- the god of fruit and trees. Her symbol was in fact...the apple. Since the Romans honored her on a day late in October...the cultures combined and they started bobbing for apples on October 31st.
...Plus it is extra fun on Halloween (a day known for death) because what better way is there to spread infection to a whole group of people at once!...I challenge you to find a better way! ~S

Halloween Hangman

A little something to get you feeling the Halloween Spirit!

My brother-in-law, Steve, sent this to me and I think it is absolutely awesome!

I Dare you to beat 855 points! Mwahahahaha!!

Post your high score and we will see who is a master at Halloween Horror!

I want to play Halloween Hangman!

A.R.U.P- Admirable. Rara Avis. Urbane. Professional.

Dr. Ron Weiss (uncle Ronnie) received the Ward Burdick Award for Distinguished Service to Clinical Pathology on October 19th in New Orleans. This particular award is given to a member of the American Society for Clinical Pathology and recognizes significant contribution to Pathology and sustained service to the profession.

Dr. Weiss is currently a Professor of Pathology at the Universityof Utah and President of ARUP Laboratories. He is an extremely humble individual and very deserving of all the accolades.

Some may think that ARUP (Associated Regional and University Pathologists) describes Ronnie in his career...but I say Ronnie describes what ARUP really means....

Admirable

Rara Avis

Urbane

Professional

This is an outstanding accomplishment and a great example to those of us who are still trying to make a dent in the world. Thanks Ronnie!

Click the link to learn more about Ron Weiss:

http://www.aruplab.com/AboutARUP/PressRoom/PressRelease/2007/2007.10.12.jsp

...Oh Yeah....GIVE BLOOD.

Thoughts for Tots: To Treat or Not to Treat...That is the Question!

'Tis the season to feel yucky! Keep your kids healthy with good hygiene practices. When this fails...consider what you are putting into your child before you run to the store to fix that cough or runny nose. It must be safe, right?....it's over-the-counter! Well, here is everything you wanted to know (and more) about chillins, bugs and drugs.

The manufacturer of some very common cough and cold products for children have voluntarily withdrawn some of their combination products. This is not due to their questionable safety but to the misuse patterns that lead to overdose and in some cases death...particularly in children younger than two years. See the list in the right hand column for medications recalled.

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The Real Scoop...

As pharmacists, we do not recommend the use of cough and cold products in children younger than two years old because they have not proven to be effective and have caused severe adverse effects. In this case, the risks outweigh the benefits. Here is why.

There is very limited data on the efficacy of these products and the data we do have show no evidence that OTC cough and cold medicines are effective in children.

Schroeder and Fahey looked at 7 trials of cough and cold products in children. All studies showed that antitussives (codeine and dextromethorphan), antihistamines (diphenhydramine, bromopheniramine, and chlorpheniramine), and antihistamine-decongestant combos were no more effective than placebo in treating cold symptoms. Expectorants (guaifenesin) did show mild improvement over placebo for children with a productive cough.

The potential side effects of these medications in the case of an accidental overdose include increased heart rate, muscle coordination disorders, nystagmus (involuntary rapid movement of the eyeball) and in extreme cases can cause the heart to stop and/or result in death.

The Pediatrician's Accrediting Body has come to the same conclusion not to use cough and cold products in children less than 2 years.

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Fever

Believe it or not...fevers are great! It is our body's way of burning the heck out of bugs inside us! Let the child's body do its job as long as they (or mom) can tolerate it. (Don't forget to hydrate!)

There are certain instances, however, when we do get concerned about fever.

1. If the temperature increases rapidly...because fevers can trigger seizures in small children (<5)
2. If the fever is greater than 103.1 F. Above this Temp...all bets are off. The fever is no longer beneficial.
3. If the infant is less than 3 months old.

What kind of thermometer is the best?...

Please throw away the cool space technology such as the infared forehead swipey thing...if you have it...do an experiment. First, try it right against your hairline. Now...try it just above your eyebrows. Fancy that...there is about a 10 degree difference there...just about the difference between being hypothermic and burning necrotic...just kidding...sort of....just don't use them. Sorry to say it, but tympanic is also not very reliable.

The most accurate of all thermometers is...drum roll please...the rectal one! Yay! Next in line is the oral, so depending on the age...choose one of these! :)

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Blah...Blah...Blah...So when do I use what?

My first recommendation to all parents is to invest in a cold humidifier. Hydration is key! Keep the fluids coming...especially if the child has a fever. Bulb suction of nares or saline nasal spray may also provide relief.

Tylenol (acetaminophen) and Motrin (ibuprofen) are both excellent choices to treat runny noses and coughs. They are relatively safe with minimal side effects. Ibuprofen may cause a little more upset stomach but may help the aches and runny nose better than Tylenol. Tylenol is usually better tolerated and does the trick for fevers (only if you need to treat of course!), sore throat and earaches.

Mucinex (guaifenesin) may be a good choice if the child has a productive cough. It will help break up the mucus so it can come up and out!

NO Pepto Bismol or aspirin!!! Salicylates can cause a severe disorder known as Reye's syndrome or even death.

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Safety Tips and Tricks

• A single caregiver should administer medicine (prevents accidental duplicate dosing).
• Only use a single medicine.
• Use an appropriate measuring device (silverware is not an appropriate measuring device!). The pharmacy will have these for you if you need one...just ask.
• Use only the correct formulation. Adult vs Pediatric vs Infant...they are all different. Do not use the adult formulation.
• Follow the instructions exactly as indicated on the box or as directed by a healthcare provider.

When to go to the Doctor

1. If an infant less than 3 months gets a fever
2. Children with a fever over 103 F.
3. Fevers that last longer than 3 days.
4. Any child with febrile seizures or stiff necks should go to the ER immediately.

Don't forget...use of these products does not help the cold go away faster; it just treats symptoms. Weigh the risks to benefits before taking any medication, especially for children.

How Ben met Sara

Ben and Sara's Engagement Photo

I have been tagged by Camille (my sister-in-law) to share the events of how Ben and I met. Conveniently this all happened 5 years ago! This November 27th will be our 5th year Anniversary! So here are some common questions we get from those who don't know us very well. Sorry....I'm long winded. Enjoy.

1.) How did you guys meet?Background: Ben was currently working for my uncle at Teraflex at the time. My cousin (Ben Falkner) also happened to work there so they were friends.
So, my cousin called me up one day and asked if I wanted to go see the Testaments with "us". I assumed this would include some of his siblings. So, I debated whether to even shower after work because I was dead, but hesitantly I did. When they came and picked me up, I couldn't help but notice it was all couples in the car. As we were heading downtown he asks me, "So do you know Ben Ridges who we set you up with?". I immediately thought to myself "I didn't know this was a date?!" so I replied, "No." So we met Ben at Carl's Junior downtown and rode over to the ZCMI Center and went to the food court for dinner. I wasn't sure if Ben was going to pay for me or if he even considered this a date so I said I wasn't hungry and just got a water to drink to avoid the awkwardness. I in fact was hungry. So we went and saw the Testaments. It was good. Then we went to Leatherby's after for ice cream...so I was starving by this time so I got a HUGE cup/bowl/gallon of Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream...and I ate it all...well I could have if everyone wasn't waiting for me to finish! I stopped hoovering the ice cream to look lady-like or whatever and we left. They dropped Ben off at his car and then dropped me off at home.
I think Ben said maybe 10 words to me the whole night...which I understand now being married to him for 5 years. I had fun but I thought I would never see him again. Little did I know...as I was eating my three pounds of ice cream Ben was falling in love....awwww.
So, not expecting to ever hear from him again I get a call a week later and it's Ben. He asked me to go to little Moab with him and we were inseparable ever since.

That date also happened to be the first date for Ben (my cousin) and his wife, Kim!...Interesting. There must have been something in the water...or ice cream.

....I sure am glad I showered.

2.) How long did you wait to get married?Here is the time frame for some significant events that year....We met May 15th (while I was still in High School mind you) and had the blind so-called "date". Then he called back a week later and we went to little Moab on May 25th. We were inseparable from then on. I graduated from High School on June 10th or so. We got engaged on July 22nd and got married on Wednesday November 27th 2002 in the Salt Lake Temple. The wedding was originally scheduled for December 21st, but due to some unforseen changes in circumstance we moved the wedding up.

3.) How did Ben propose?
Well, he took me up in the hills behind his house to see a waterfall and have a picnic. Ben had to baja the Blazer he was driving to get it up where he wanted to go. He showed me the waterfall and stealthly snuck away to initiate his plan. As I came around to the front of the car he had a blanket laid out. While on his knees he handed me some flowers, opened the ring box and asked me if I would marry him. Of course I said yes and hugged him. We stayed up there a little bit while we watched the sunset creep across the sky. I still remember the vivid colors of the clouds and how blue the sky was that evening. The song by Shawn Colvin called "Never Saw Blue Like That" seemed to perfectly depict the atmosphere and experience that day. That is why I had my sister-in-law Camille sing and play it for me at our wedding.

4.) What was the reception like?
The reception was beautiful! It was held at the Alumni House at the University of Utah on Saturday November 30th. A ring ceremony was held for those who were unable to attend the temple sealing. It was awesome. I had Camille and Tyler (a neighbor) sing 'The Prayer' ( in both English and Italian). My uncle Ronny, read a wedding blessing in Hebrew and we exchanged the rings. It was magical. I hope somebody got it on tape...I still haven't seen any film of it. (If you have a copy please let me know!)
I refused to have a line because...let's be honest...who wants to stand in a line to talk to the bride and groom or people you don't even know. On the flip side...I wasn't going to make my people stand in a line to talk to people they don't know. I wanted it to be fun and relaxing for everyone. Anyway...I wandered around and chatted with people and it turned out great. I had on a big pair of fluffy white socks to keep my tootsies warm. The cake was of course my favorite with Spice Cake and Buttercream Frosting. The flowers I chose were Stargazer Lilies and the decoration colors were Ivory and Red. It turned out absolutely fabulous! My dress was Ivory with champagne accents and a long train that busteled in the back.

5.) Where did you go on your honeymoon?

We couldn't go on a honeymoon so we stayed at the Anniversary Inn for two nights in the Country Garden Suite. We went to the Salt City Jail for dinner the night of our wedding and it was good and cheap...Bonus! The next day was Thanksgiving so we spent the day relaxing and lounging around. That night, we went to have dinner somewhere...and the only place that was nice enough and open was Spencer's Steakhouse...and what an excellent choice that was! It is now a tradition. We try to go back to Spencer's every year for our anniversary because it is so dang good! I definately recommend the steak...or the seafood pasta...or the Bleu Cheese Iceberg Head...or the......mmmm.....

Annual Ridges Family Camping Trip

This weekend we went on our Ridges Family Annual Camping Trip. Usually we go camping, or cabining or moabing, but this year we stayed here in town and spent the weekend together. We had dinner at Sizzlers, played some new games, watched some movies, went bowling, mud bogging, and jeeping up American Fork Canyon.

My Victory for this weekend was at the Bowling Alley...who knew?! I was clearly getting beat until the very end...I swept the game when I Turkeyed the 10th frame! Wahooo!

Here are some pictures of the weekend. Enjoy.

Arpeggio?...Empfindung?...Ritardando?

Here is an announcement for all you people interested in learning the piano!

My sister-in-law, Camille Davis, is now taking more students for piano lessons! I believe they are mostly Saturday lessons between 9:00 am and 1:30 pm. So spread the word and get involved in the wonderful world of music!

Let me just tell you from my experience of hearing her play in musical productions (and my wedding) that she is amazing! She is the one that I would want teaching me or my kids if I had some...That said...Hurry up!...Spots fill quick!

Let me know if you are interested and I can get you her information. Thanks!