BLOG
This personal blog is about sharing my thoughts and experiences.
My work life is about helping people learn the benefits of products and services that can help improve their quality of life. My blog is the same.
I hope something I write here will help someone else, in one way or another!
I do not receive payment for products or services I mention here.
A personal EKG device could save a life (maybe yours)
When I asked our son for his Christmas gift list and saw "personal EKG device," I said, isn't that expensive? Nope, he said, it’s around $100.
From several brands on Amazon.com, he chose a KardiaMobile 1-Lead Personal EKG Monitor for $79. It fits on the back of his smartphone.
Our son is interested in a healthcare career, and he is a wizard with digital technology. It sounded like a fun gadget for him, but I thought real EKGs happen at the hospital or the doctor's office. I doubted a device the size of a credit card could take an accurate EKG from your fingertips.
Little did I know, our son's Christmas gift would pay for more than money can buy.
As soon as our son opened his gift, he put two fingertips on the small device and tested his heart rate and rhythm. The results popped up on his phone. All was well. He tested my heart. All was well. He tested his dad’s heart. He said, Dad might have arrhythmia.
To be safe, my husband scheduled a visit with a cardiologist. The cardiologist confirmed my husband has arrhythmia (AFib). The cardiologist's nurse said she loves these personal EKG devices, and it probably saved my husband's life.
Arrythmia, or atrial fibrillation, is an irregular heartbeat. For some, it may be harmless, but for others, it is a life-threatening condition that can lead to strokes or blood clots. If it causes your heart to stop beating, you can die without emergency medical intervention.
My husband has the scary kind of AFib, and we hadn't even known it. He'd been tired, and I'd noticed his face looked pale, but we didn't realize he was dealing with a serious heart condition.
We learned about several available treatments, depending on the type of AFib. Treatments may include medication, a pacemaker, or surgery. My husband takes daily medication for his AFib.
Now he keeps a personal EKG device in his pocket, a KardiaMobile card that fits in his wallet. He even uses it to send data to his cardiologist.
This inexpensive device is a lot more than just a gadget! I recommend it, especially for those with a family history of heart problems. It might save your life or that of a loved one.
Of course, do read the instructions before you use the device, and check with your doctor if you already have a medical device that could interact with the personal EKG device.
We are fortunate our son asked for a KardiaMobile. Although he isn't in a medical profession yet, he can chalk up one success already!
If you're a picky person, you might pick a Crosstrek
Let's face it, getting a new vehicle is a big deal. We dread the what-if's: What if it turns out we don't like to drive it? What if we realize we don’t feel safe in it? What if we find the vehicle is bigger or smaller than we really need?
If you worry about those things, you might be interested in a Subaru Crosstrek. After driving it for six months, I'm still happy and relieved we chose it.
We wanted a subcompact crossover with full-time AWD and plenty of safety features. I’d be its primary driver, typically with only one passenger and possibly a dog. As usual (ask my husband), we went through an exhaustive selection process of checking online reviews, test-driving similar vehicles, and interrogating the sales people at dealerships.
We learned the 2023 Crosstrek has NHTSA's overall safety rating of five stars. Consumer Reports ranks it #2 in subcompact sport-utility ratings, out of 11 similar vehicles. The main issue reviewers mention is a weak base engine. We solved that by upgrading to a more powerful 2.5 liter, four-cylinder.
After all the comparisons, Crosstrek seemed the best candidate for:
-
Traveling short distances in a “wintry mix” without sliding sideways.
-
Filling the back of the car with groceries and a pet carrier, at the same time.
-
Driving a vehicle that doesn’t catch the wind like a food truck.
-
Getting on and off highways without being run over by a semi (with the upgraded engine, that is).
We’ve already had several Subaru Foresters, so we're familiar with Subaru's easy-to-use controls and Eyesight safety technology. Those are a definite plus.
The Crosstrek shares a platform with its cousin, the Impreza. We’ve had an Impreza already, and although it was fun to drive, we struggled with its ground clearance. Anyone with bad knees has trouble getting out of it. Aside from that, the Impreza is an inexpensive, great little car with AWD. That is hard to find, but it's best suited for people don't care about the ground clearance.
The Crosstrek has 8.7 inches of ground clearance. It's easy to get in and out of it. The Forester's ground clearance is only a half inch above that, and I’ve never seen a Forester stuck anywhere, period, and I've never heard anyone say it's too low.
We really like Subaru technology. For instance, if you subscribe to Subaru's subscription service, the Crosstrek mimics built-in navigation, even if that is not one of your car's options. Just plug your phone into the USB port beside the lighter socket, choose a destination on the phone, and hit Start or Go. A navigation screen appears on the vehicle's display, and the audio instructions come through the speakers.
Another tip: Current Subaru owners can get a loyalty coupon to apply to the purchase or lease of their next new Subaru from an authorized dealership. This is not a temporary deal. To get the loyalty coupon, you must call Subaru Customer Service directly, not the dealership. The coupon is applied to the vehicle cost, not to the down payment.
In the past we've gotten a $500 coupon. This time, after having multiple Subarus, we got a $750 coupon. If a five-minute phone call can get us $750 off, hand me the phone!
The Crosstrek feels cozy, sturdy, and steady on the road. I feel safe in it. I haven’t been blown away by a semi going 55, and I haven’t been blown around on a bridge by the Kansas wind. The groceries and pets fit fine.
I know I should be happy to drive any safe, reliable vehicle, but even so, I'm picky enough that driving the wrong one drives me nuts. If you are picky, too, and looking for AWD and safety features at a reasonable price, I recommend trying out a Crosstrek.
Every kid deserves a big dream and the tools to explain it
When you were a kid, did you want something passionately? A telescope? A train set? A puppy? I wanted something bigger. Like a lot of little girls, I wanted a horse, of course.
That's a big dream for a little girl whose family of eight lived in a little house, on a little street. In town. On one income. Even so, my dream came true, and it came true because I had the tools to explain it.
Every kid needs a dream. A big one. Our job, as parents, educators, aunts, uncles, and neighbors, is to nourish their dreams, even at a cost or inconvenience to ourselves, even if the dreams seem farfetched. First, though, kids need the tools to explain their dreams. We need to make sure every kid gets the most powerful tools we can give them, reading and writing.
I've always been a reader and a writer. When I was five, I marched into the library to get my first library card. I began checking out the kids' books about horses.
When my parents decided to try farming, I was ecstatic. We had a barn! I asked my mom if I could get a horse. She told me, no, horses cost too much. Undeterred (as usual), I asked, what if I get a free horse? Then can I keep it? She sighed and said, sure. I believe she doubted my persuasive writing abilities.
I put my mind to work. Our newspaper ran a weekly page for lost and found pets, free puppies, kittens, rabbits, parrots...why not a free horse? I wrote a letter to the newspaper, explaining my dream.
Weeks went by. One day a pickup truck pulled a horse trailer up to our barn. A farmer in overalls opened the back of the trailer and led out a beautiful mare. She was the color of burnished copper, with a white patch on her forehead. He told me her name was Dot. She'd been his daughter's show horse, a real Missouri fox trotter. Dot was getting on in years now, but she still had a spring in her step. He handed her reins to me.
From that epic moment, I learned that explaining our dreams is how they come true.
I bless that kind farmer, Mr. Webb, for bringing me Dot, and my parents for providing a cozy stall, feed, and hay. Dot wasn't really "my" horse but more of a "loaner" horse. Who cared? I was thrilled to see her every day, talk to her, brush her, and feed her. She wasn't a farm animal. She was my friend and inspiration. I remember the wonder of watching her gallop across the pasture, mane and tail flying. There's more than one way to be free, and Dot made me feel free, too.
Recently I visited our local library and saw a school bus in the parking lot. When I walked inside, everyone was smiling at a group of kids who skipped along the shelves, asking their teachers and the librarians questions. Even in this digital age, kids are still as excited about the library as I was at their age. Those trips to the library are a lifelong gift. When my parents took me to the library all those times, they were handing me the reins to my dreams.
There is a little more to this horse story. Unbelievably, Dot was expecting, so then we had two. Horses!
Save up some smiles with family stories and memory books
Do you record family stories? I've always thought I didn't have the time. In a way, that was true.
In the past few years, I've lost several loved ones. I haven't spent time creating family memory books, and now I wish I had.
Through all of that, I've learned that shared (or re-shared) family stories help me smile at the memory of lost loved ones, even when I miss them the most.
Looking at photos helps, but I wish I had put them in better order and written a note that makes sense now! Even so, looking at the photos usually makes me forget to be sad. Swapping stories about the photos is even better.
I am fortunate to have family members who remember the same stories I do, although usually our versions don't match completely. One of us may have a different perspective, or know why so-and-so did this or that.
Comparing notes can explain a lot of things! Grownups can be mysterious to kids. Eventually you grow up, too, learn more about what really happened, and have one of those aha! moments.
For example, when I was a kid, I wondered why my parents liked green beans so much. They crawled in the dirt planting beans and spent backbreaking hours in the garden picking them. I thought they really liked green beans.
As a grownup myself now, I know green beans are easy to grow and easy to preserve. With several kids to feed, canning a winter's worth of green beans makes sense, especially when you've got the kids around to help out.
Green beans are a comfort food for me now, along with all the other family foods and recipes, like my sister's sugar cookies or my mother's chocolate cake.
I don't have any photos of the garden, the shiny rows of Mason jars, or my mother looking relieved that she hadn't blown up the kitchen with the pressure cooker (at least, not that time). We have family stories about those things, though!
I'm thinking of making a memory book. Perhaps one day I'll need a little help remembering, and a memory book of stories and photos will fill in the blanks.
If you haven't lost close loved ones yet, trade stories and take photos while you still can. And, don't just leave the photos on a memory stick. (Paradoxically, my memory sticks tend to be forgotten, misplaced, or chewed up by a pet.)
I did make some baby scrapbooks for my son during the quiet times while he napped. I enjoyed it, but now I would choose digital technology to make a memory book.
Mixbook.com and similar sites allow you add your photos and captions to editable templates, backgrounds, and stickers. You can order printed copies.
Creating a memory book would be a gift for myself, and for other family members, too, especially the younger ones. Someday they might open the book, laugh at the stories, and perhaps have their own aha! moments.
You can't steer wrong when you visit the Ozarks
When people ask what you like to do, does the question give you pause? Does anyone really want the whole answer? I'm still finding new things I like to do all the time, but I've got an easy answer: "I'm from the Ozarks, and I like going back. If you haven't been there, it's time to go!"
The Ozarks has its own culture, grounded in its heritage. You can hear it in our interesting "hillbilly" dialect. It's entertaining, even to us. We like wordplay, especially for comic effect.
We may talk with a twang and picturesque language, to put it kindly, but our heritage is a huge selling point for tourism. Visitors fall in love with the scenery, boating, fishing, cultural landmarks, and fun family activities. In addition to the main attractions, there are plenty of other quietly enjoyable places to spend some time.
For example, I have fond memories of canoeing in the Ozarks, where you can find a lazy stream with little need to paddle or steer. Where there are streams, there are fish. I often read in the shade, while my husband likes to fly fish. Kids can enjoy a picnic, get some sun, catch minnows, skip pebbles, and fall asleep in the car afterward.
Like many Ozarkers, I love Silver Dollar City. I love smelling the woodsmoke as we stroll, looking at baskets and wood carvings. I love listening to mountain music, especially hammered dulcimer. (However, I empathize with the employees. I worked there one hot summer, sometimes in a sweaty granny dress.)
If you have a family with varied interests, the Ozarks is a perfect destination. It's within driving distance of Kansas City and St. Louis, and there's something for everyone. Music, comedy, and magic shows, the educational Ancient Ozarks Natural History Museum, the Ralph Foster history museum at College of the Ozarks, and lots of just plain fun stuff to do. Places to stay are plentiful, and it's one of the more affordable vacation spots. There are easy routes to get there, despite the hilly landscape. There are plenty of "vittles" to be had. If you like barbecue, fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and lemonade, you'll like the Ozarks. If you drive to Branson by way of Springfield and the town of Ozark, stop for lunch at Lambert's, the "Home of the Throwed Rolls." Be sure to catch.
There you have it. Those are some things I like to do back home in the Ozarks. In fact, just writing this gave me a hankerin' for a mess of beans!
