Prevent Ticks and Enjoy Life Outdoors #FloatingHospital #IC #ad

This post was sponsored by Floating Hospital for Children as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

 

 

My husband and I have adopted three children and he already had two children.  The five children (three now grown) have always been the light of our lives.  Everything we do is for them or about them.  But four of the children have always had significant struggles.  Medical professionals are a major resource in our lives and hospitalizations are far too frequent.

 

However, I am eternally grateful for all the medical professionals who have worked tirelessly for our children.  One of our children had been sick for almost a year, in and out of hospitals – and no one could figure out what was wrong.  Finally, one of the hospital visits resulted in the most reassuring sentence ever for a parent – “Don’t worry, we will not rest until we figure this out”!  And they didn’t.  Within three days in the hospital, his most recent diagnosis was determined… Another few days to get treatment under control and manageable and he was on his way.  He has had some setbacks over the last three years but at least everyone knows what they are dealing with now.  Pure dedication on the part of the medical professionals.

 

 

As I do this post – one of my children is in the hospital again – and apparently he also was at this same exact time last year.  The good news is he hasn’t been in the hospital nearly as much this year but still, his special needs break my heart.  He is the sweetest boy ever and he just goes with the flow for his hospitalizations.  His view of life is quite simplistic and he is happy happy happy.  We know he is getting all the care he deserves – but it is very difficult not having him at home.  I am praying that this time is only for a couple weeks.

 

And those are not the only two children in and out of hospitals – I wouldn’t say it is a way of life… But after 25 years of this, it really has become just that.  Hospital staff becomes a second family.  We learn our way around the hospitals almost as well as the custodial staff.  We learn where we can take a break near the hospitals.  We learn what our children’s needs and wants are at that moment – because they are very different than their needs and wants when they are home.

 

And… when they are not in the hospital, they are always under someone’s care.

 

These are all reasons why the Floating Hospital for Children is so critical.  Their work is precious and priceless.  They are special and they work hard to be the best.

 

This Floating Hospital for Children is committed to creating a child-friendly environment to help kids feel strong when they might be scared. To do this, they offer children courage in the following forms of entertainment while a child is at a clinic visit or admitted to the hospital.

 

 

 

My kids are most at home with horses and dogs.  They can turn their mood or pain around immediately.  Nothing makes them feel as good as the animals who love them.  As a family we spend a great deal of time outdoors – camping, hiking, biking but also on the farm with our horses.  All of this activity means that ticks are likely something we will encounter on a regular basis and so far this Spring that has been exactly the case.  Due to weather conditions and predictions, ticks are expected to be even more abundant in the Northeast this spring.  We have definitely experienced that.  One outing at the farm and we seem to be finding ticks for hours afterwards.

 

 

Experts are definitely encouraging people to take precautions every year and so far we have had to be extra careful this year.  What can we all do to try to prevent tick bites?  Lynne Karlson, MD, Chief of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine at Floating Hospital for Children at Tufts Medical Center shares tips for preventing tick bites and what to do if you find a tick on your child:

  • Use insect repellent containing DEET.
  • Wear long pants, tucked into socks, and no sandals in the woods.
  • Check your child every evening for ticks. In order to transmit Lyme disease, the tick must be on for greater than 24 hours.
  • If a tick is found, use a gloved hand to pull it straight out. Then wash the bite with soap and water.
  • If you live in a wooded area, get tick tweezers to help remove the bodies of the ticks before they become completely embedded and do damage.

 

These are excellent tips – staying indoors is not the answer.  I am all for spending as much time as possible outside and enjoying life rather than screen time.  We just need to be more aware and thoughtful.

 

The Floating Hospital was initiated in 1948 to help patients and their families cope with the stress of illness, injury, disability, and hospitalization through a range of services including tutoring, overnight privileges for parents, support groups, and play.  Play is such a huge focus and plays such a crucial role in a child’s healing process.  It is a vital component of children’s lives, and is the major way that children communicate, learn, rehearse, relax, and have fun. Through play, children gain a sense of master and control, leading to an increased ability to cope with stress, and to express their feelings. Floating Hospital pioneered the concept of integrating play into the daily routine, and it is an important part of the care Child Life provides.

 

Floating Hospital for Children communicates the strength, courage and determination of the patients that inspire us every day.

 

Floating Hospital for Children is the full-service children’s hospital of Tufts Medical Center

  • Located in downtown Boston with partnerships in the community
  • Floating Hospital for Children provides pediatric inpatient and outpatient services in every medical and surgical specialty—from general pediatric services to the care of the most complex cancers, heart diseases and traumas.
  • At Floating Hospital for Children, our patients are our inspiration, and they prove to us every day that you don’t have to be big to be strong.
  • Floating Hospital’s strength is its size; a smaller, more intimate environment allows patients and families to feel comfortable and truly experience family-centered care.
  • For more information on keeping your kids healthy and strong, visit www.floatinghospital.org.


We are so fortunate to live within a decent distance to this Floating Hospital for Children.  I never have to worry about them receiving care that is perfect for them.

 

My children have proven over and over again – You Don’t Have To Be Big To Be Strong.  I admire each and every one of them and want nothing but the best for them and all the happiness ever.

 

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15 thoughts on “Prevent Ticks and Enjoy Life Outdoors #FloatingHospital #IC #ad

  1. Cheryl says:

    First let me say you are an amazing mom. You and your family are in my prayers. This hospital sounds like a wonderful organization as well. We are an avid outdoors family and always on the look out to be the safest we can be. Thanks for the great reminders on tick safety since we will be hiking in the northeast this summer!

  2. Jen Temcio says:

    I believe that play is an important component to learning, so to hear that this hospital is using this same concept makes me grateful. I’m sorry that you have had to deal with being worried about your children’s medical situations. That is difficult for a mom.

  3. Tina Gleisner says:

    You’re so right that the people we spend lots of time with become part of what I call my extended family. This can be the doctors at a hospital, at a school or just about anywhere. They are the ones that make life wonderful, even when we’re working together to solve one problem or another.

    PS Yes it’s important to understand & avoid ticks so I better check because I’m visiting my best friend in NY, after wintering in Arizona where there are no tickes.

  4. Joanna says:

    These are some good tips on how to prevent getting bitten by ticks. I used to have a dog when I was a child and summer was a real pain. Back then the options were limited on what you could do to prevent them.

  5. Leigh Anne Borders says:

    Believe it or not, this is perfect timing for us. yesterday we went to an outdoor play and when I returned home I had two ticks on me. I had sprayed my child down with bug spray, but I did not do that for myself. I thought I was fine with long pants on and a sweater. I will definitely use bug spray with deet from now on.

  6. Nichole Shirell says:

    This is such an amazing storing your family is truly blessed . I love to hear lean read stories that show so much love. I praying the floating hospital continues forever it is giving children comfort. And that is great tick information.

  7. Jennifer says:

    I can only imagine how hard it was to have your child in and out of the hospital for so long. My little girl was hospitalized for a seizure when she was an infant and it was such a scary moment for my husband and I. Praying for good health and strength for your family! It is so good that you found Floating Hospital and you know you can trust in them. It\’s challenging to find a trusting doctor, let alone hospital, so I know you feel relieved!

  8. Carol Cassara says:

    I’m so glad that the floating hospital has helped so many kids, including yours. It’s always tougher when the kids are the ones suffering. I think it’s also very important to take precautions during any season, each one presents us with a different virus or illness.

  9. Echo says:

    It is amazing that we live in a day and age where we have this available. Prevention is that key, but help is fantastic to have readily available.

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