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Originally posted by Drea D:
I think I heard you can rub a fabric softener on your hair, too? Or maybe I dreamed that.

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Originally posted by Sophie:
I would be on a disability pension if it ever hit -10C. Seriously, I wouldn't physically be able to get out of bed.

When it was 16'C the other night I was semi-seriously discussing with my friends how nice it would be to have a kang, and if they thought it would be difficult to get planning permission to build one.

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Ok, but our houses are actually heated to 20-22oC all winter. So are our cars. And all public places, including the subway. I'd rather have -10oC outdoors and 20oC indoors, then 15oC everywhere (which is cold if you're not wearing a good sweater, I agree.)

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Originally posted by kena:
Ok, but our houses are actually heated to 20-22oC all winter. So are our cars. And all public places, including the subway.

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Good point. I met a woman from Helsinki when I lived in the UK, and she said she was colder in Britain than she'd ever been in Finland because in Finland they build properly for the cold with air-lock entrance halls and things, whereas in England houses still tend not to have double-glazing and buildings can be quite draughty.

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Originally posted by shadowfalls:
speaking of pee, here's something I'd totally rather not have to ask...

I think I have some kind of stress incontinence. Meaning that whenever I laugh or cough too hard, I pee a little. I'm only 20, so it's not like I'm old, and I've not had sex or had a child, so it's not weakened muscles (I would think) that kegel exercises would fix. My bladder also fills up rather easily, and I pee a lot during the day- and I don't een drink a lot. Really just at meals.

I'm fairly certain a blood test I had a couple months ago was tested for diabetes and was negative, so it's not that either. Anyone else deal with this?

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Me! I'm really weak when I laugh too hard. I've had negative blood tests for everything, and been meaning to bring this up to my doctor the next time I'm in... but I don't think my problem warrants its own appt. I'm sure I'm dehydrated more often than I should be, but that's a little better than embarrassment for now.

Here: http://www.sdreader.com/php/ma_show.php?id=111804A
is a really interesting link about hot tubs.

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Originally posted by Drea D:
I think I heard you can rub a fabric softener on your hair, too? Or maybe I dreamed that.

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Originally posted by Sophie:
20'C is freezing, you Canadian nutter! Definitely weather for long sleeves and possibly a jumper as well.

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Originally posted by sneakers:

Here: http://www.sdreader.com/php/ma_show.php?id=111804A
is a really interesting link about hot tubs.

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Originally posted by ralphyr:
Yes sneakers, very interesting although how they can say it is exactly .14gms is anyones guess. Did they do a random survey of 1,000 people?

I wanted to know about iron levels. I gave blood this week and also got my period. My iron levels were way above minimum so I'm not really worried. What I wanted to know is.
Do your iron levels drop after your period or is this blood from the 'reserve' stores anyway? I know that I should know this but blame the catholic education I got and I didn't study biology.

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Your hemoglobin (red blood cells, the ones that carry oxygen) levels can drop a teesy bit after menstruation, but it is usually nothing to worry about unless you are one of those unfortunate people who have extremely heavy periods. The amount of blood loss during a normal peirod is really not that much and the blood they take during a normal donation is blood you can spare. Just eat lots of iron-rich foods for the next few days if you are concerned to perk yourself back up.

I work on a surgical floor at a hospital and we are quite interested in hemoglobin levels post-op. I had one patient who lost between his surgery and his drains around 1 litre of blood and his levels were still above normal (unusual, but wonderful)

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Originally posted by pollyhyper:
I don't mean this to sound insensitive or anything; I just wondered...

When a mute person burps, does it make a sound? Sneezes?

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Pollyhyper, I don't think being mute would interfere with a person's ability to burp, because it's your body that makes that sound, not your vocal cords. (Uh, I believe, I could be wrong on that...)

Might be different with sneezing - part of that is a sound made by your nose, but most of us also vocalise some kind of 'ah-choo', and I imagine a mute person wouldn't be able to do that. So maybe their sneezes would be all tiny-sounding, like a pet's?

Kellyrae, whistling is done by blowing air through your lips, has nothing to do with vocal cords, and should therefore be no problem for a mute person. Humming, on the other hand, would be challenging, I think.

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Originally posted by PB&J:
Your hemoglobin (red blood cells, the ones that carry oxygen) levels can drop a teesy bit after menstruation, but it is usually nothing to worry about unless you are one of those unfortunate people who have extremely heavy periods. The amount of blood loss during a normal peirod is really not that much and the blood they take during a normal donation is blood you can spare. Just eat lots of iron-rich foods for the next few days if you are concerned to perk yourself back up.

I work on a surgical floor at a hospital and we are quite interested in hemoglobin levels post-op. I had one patient who lost between his surgery and his drains around 1 litre of blood and his levels were still above normal (unusual, but wonderful)

Also to all of you people who think -10 celcius is cold... where I am from that means Spring is coming!!! (In the middle of winter here it can get to -30 or -40 plus a windchill, the normal temp ususally hovers around -15) I am usuing my back porch to store Christmas baking right now!!

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Originally posted by yellowdog:
In the summer the NY weather man will talk about 70% humidity like it is going to suffocate us all. I just sit back and laugh....

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Originally posted by meggo:
Michigan summers can get really humid too - you'd think 100% humidity would mean rain but alas - not always!

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Originally posted by ziola:
I burnt two of my fingers on steam this morning. So far I've put them under cold running water for 15 minutes and under an ice-pack for 40, but they still hurt. What do I do now? And what about when I have to leave the house? Polysporin maybe?

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I've been using b@nd-@id antiseptic wash, and I notice it has quite the numbing effect -- however, I've been using it on a piercing, I'm thinkin' on a burn it may sting. Possibly. I'm not sure about that tho, it's the same as bact!ne and that's not supposed to hurt, right?

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Originally posted by ziola:
I burnt two of my fingers on steam this morning. So far I've put them under cold running water for 15 minutes and under an ice-pack for 40, but they still hurt. What do I do now? And what about when I have to leave the house? Polysporin maybe?

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Ok, this is kind of late, but: Polysporin, the kind that says "+ pain relief" works pretty well to numb the pain of small burns/paper cuts/slicing the skin off your left index fingertip, like I did last night. Yay lidocaine! Actually, IIRC, any product with a "-caine" should work; I think I saw a Bandaid-brand benzocaine spray for that purpose.

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Originally posted by jpunca:
well snowboarding was fun, but the mountain won and I am now still covered with bruises after three days. Anything I can do to make them go away faster?

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For so long I dyed my hair and of course it was dry and I always had to use moisturizing formula conditioner, and lots of it. Until last month I hadn't dyed it for years -- part of the reason I dyed it this time was to dry it up a bit! Now I can barely get away with a DROP of conditioner (if I don't use any, I get major static head activity) and I can't go more than 1.5 days without washing it.

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Originally posted by meggo:
But then - what is high? I've broken limbs & have had them hurt - but not to the point where I pass out or become incoherent or anything.

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See, that's what I wonder! I know I'm not a total wimp, but I feel pain, you know? I have no idea how to gauge it on a scale. I've been saying medium.. maybe I'll just stick to that!

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Originally posted by jpunca:
well snowboarding was fun, but the mountain won and I am now still covered with bruises after three days. Anything I can do to make them go away faster?

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Originally posted by jpunca:
so does anyone know what a cracked rib feels like? the pain from the bruises is fading, but the middle of my left ribs still hurts really bad.

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Originally posted by jpunca:
so does anyone know what a cracked rib feels like? the pain from the bruises is fading, but the middle of my left ribs still hurts really bad.

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Cracked ribs hurt like hell, mostly when you breathe. I don't know what the difference between a cracked rib and a really bad bruise would feel like, though. there really isn't much they can do for you - immobilise your torso, which is uncomfortable and itchy. Maybe give you some pain meds. But if you suspect you have a cracked rib, you should ABSOLUTELY go see a doctor. Ribs, as the protection of some pretty major parts including your heart and lungs, shouldn't be cracked and sharp and floating around in there.