It has been ages since I used this blog to write anything. This doesn't mean I haven't been writing. But rather, I have been writing using other platforms like Connect Nigeria and my website which is currently down. I have also been working on content marketing on my Instagram page (annkite0) and for the page of a religious organisation I was managing for over three years. 

                                     

I just happened to remember this page today including the challenges that made blogging here discouraging. I also remembered the reason I started blogging too. What started out of a sheer need to express myself died under the pressure of trying to keep up with the status quo of what was expected of me. Also, with alternative platforms where the pressure was not entirely mine to bear, the need drive to sustain this platform faltered. 

But one thing is still certain. I love writing and I will continue to use it as a means to express myself and the things I care about. I look forward to sharing as many topics as come to mind right here in the coming months. Let's go back to this being my secret hideaway where I can be free to express myself regards of who cares to hear what I have to say or if they get offended by my opinion. 

Here is a picture of me as at September 2022:

Until next time, ciao. 

World Anaesthesia Day: What you need to know

On the 16th October, while we foodies were celebrating World Food Day and discussing how to make food available for those most in need, the medical society was celebrating World Anaesthesia Day. It’s a day set aside to educate the masses on the importance of that sphere of medical science to their health care.

 Who is an anesthesiologist and what makes their work so important? Anaesthesiologists are physicians who give anaesthesia before, during, or after surgery or other medical procedures. Anaesthetics are used to block out pain or the memory of pain, leading to painless medical procedures. It also acts as a muscle relaxant in extreme cases and is capable of inducing a mild state of unconsciousness in patients.

 The practice began aeons ago, but the use of modern anaesthesia can be traced back to 1849 when a Boston dentist (William T.G. Morgan) used it successfully in a public demonstration on a patient at Massachusetts General Hospital. Before then people used to be told to bite down on cloths or other items when in extreme pain; some were even instructed to inhale substances with anaesthetic properties during procedures. But over time, it has been discovered that the body reacts differently(regarding side effects) to anaesthesia that is inhaled and that which is given intravenously. Although the dosage given can be responsible for that, it would seem the latter is the preferred method for human beings.

 An anesthesiologist is just as important to any medical procedure - especially those of a surgical nature - as the consultant or surgeons. The use of anaesthesia involves not only the administration of the drug before surgery but also monitoring of the patient’s vitals with machines during and after the surgery. It also includes watching out to reverse any unexpected adverse effect of the anaesthesia on the patient during or after the surgery. It’s not a-one-shoe-fits-all kind of practice because there are different areas of specialisation within anesthesiology. There is pain management, paediatric anesthesiology, or critical care medicine. As with any medical practice, it takes a total of 12-13 years to be a pro in this field.

I’m sure you are wondering how this information is useful to us Nigerians. If you’ve ever been on an operating table, you can relate to the importance of anaesthesiologists. In Nigeria, the tale of a two-year-old child died during a simple procedure because there was no anesthesiologist present after the surgery, have once made the headlines. Another regular occurrence is the inability to book someone in for a medical procedure because there was no confirmed report on how soon an anesthesiologist would be available. For such similar stories, the most prevalent question has been where did the anesthesiologist go?

The truth is, there is a shortage of anesthesiologists in the world. Most times in Nigeria, the available ones a booked back to back by different hospitals or health institutions. That is not to say I approve of a doctor leaving the theatre for any reason when the patient is on the operating table. My point is, such occurrences would be less frequent if we had sufficient doctors practising anesthesiology. For instance, in Benin City, there are only 52 anesthesiologists catering to over 5 million people. This problem is not unique to Nigeria because, in Liverpool, there are about 50 anaesthesiologists and trainees who serve over 150, 000 people in their community.

The implication of this is that many people find themselves in surgery without a certified anesthesiologist and when a complication arises, these makeshift arrangements cause a crisis. We may not all be knowledgeable in the medical field, but what we can do is, as patients, we can insist on having qualified health care providers. As parents, when our children studying medicine want to specialise, we can discuss the different medical fields with them and point them in the direction of anaesthesiology where there is a high demand for doctors with a range of employment options. Because an anesthesiologist can work with dentists, gynaecologists and surgeons during invasive surgeries, labour/delivery, cosmetic or eye surgeries, etc.

That is why this year’s celebration was tagged Count Me In. We all have a role to play in ensuring we get adequate health care. Once people are aware of any need, potential solutions begin to emerge. Until I met an anesthesiologist, I was blissfully unaware of why surgeries were planned around the availability of one. I’ve done my role in informing you. Now do yours in spreading this information.

Thank God it's Friday

Hey peeps,
Sorry for the long silence. I've been working on a number of things that kept me really busy this month. One of which was learning how to drive (I've always had a fear of driving myself) and second of all was releasing the e-version (epub) of my book - The Quilt - on okadabooks.com, an online website that helps publish Nigerian writers. For now it's only available to Android users who can download the app on their tablet or phones.

I've also had the privilege of reading some very interesting pieces and the pdf version of the novel Stardust (see cover art below). I'll share some of what I've read with you as time goes but for now, I want to talk about something else. As you all know, November in the USA is associated with Thanksgiving, (hence the title of this post) and every day of our lives we have reasons to be thankful. For example, I'm thankful today is Friday because my nuclear family and I, are going for a Couples Retreat organized by my church. I would have left the smallie at home but hubby refused so little Nathan will be crashing our 'alone time'. Apart from that, I've seen the program and trust me, we are going to have fun.

On my last post, I responded to a comment and got a request from a beautiful lady called Heather Von St. James. I couldn't help but associate with her story. She is a 7-year survivor of Pleural Mesothelioma Cancer [a rare form of cancer (malignancy) that most frequently arises from the cells lining the sacs of the chest (the pleura) or the abdomen (the peritoneum). Pleural mesothelioma is the most common form, often presenting with symptoms in the chest area]. So I've decided to join her 30 days of thanksgiving on blogsphere by sharing her story and giving thanks for something this month.

As for her former condition, MedicineNet.com says, "Mesothelioma typically results from exposure to asbestos. When mesothelioma affects the chest, the doctor may look inside the chest cavity with a special instrument called a thoracoscope. When mesothelioma affects the abdomen, the doctor may look inside the abdomen with a special tool called a peritoneoscope. Mesothelioma is diagnosed by a biopsy. Most people present with complaints of shortness of breath. They also can have complaints of chest pain. Surprisingly, this pain is often not pleuritic; that is, it does not get worse with deep breathing. This is surprising in that the pleura (outer surface of the lung) is often involved in this disease, and most other diseases involving the pleura are often associated with pleuritic pain (pain that worsens with deep breathing). Patients may also be asymptomatic, with the disease discovered by physical exam or an abnormal chest X-ray. As the disease progresses, shortness of breath increases and weight loss decreased appetite, and night sweats can develop. Local invasion by a tumour can result in changing of voice, loss of function of the diaphragm, and symptoms specific to the area and involvement of adjacent structures. There are three traditional kinds of treatment for patients with malignant mesothelioma. Often two or more of these are combined in the course of treatment: surgery (taking out cancer), radiation therapy (using high-dose X-rays or other high-energy rays to kill cancer cells), and chemotherapy (using drugs to fight cancer)."

Cancer no matter the name is a dangerous ailment and early detection still remains the best way to avoid endless hours of pain and sorrow. As for me, I'm grateful for life and good health. Until the next post, stay safe.

Life lessons reinforced by pregnancy

Sorry for the long silence. I became a mother this month and readjusting isn't easy. One thing that gets me through though is my little prince. The way he smiles in his sleep, the facial expressions, how he lets me know he's hungry... all worth it. Permit me to share some of his pictures with you, his name is Nathan Vwede Esievoadje.

When I got pregnant, I was told of all the pregnancy symptoms I would be experiencing and all rules I was expected to follow if I wanted a healthy baby. Somewhere along that journey, I found that this phase helped reinforce certain principles I’ve known to be ideal for having the best out of life. I call them Life Lessons. Below are a few:

1. Take a Break from Pills – Being pregnant has a way of reminding one of how effective the body’s immune system is especially if we take good care of our bodies and stay alert to its warning signs. Don’t get this wrong, no one said taking pills are bad but depending on them too much may not allow you understand what your body is saying because certain symptoms are signals to another illness/distress. Once your body adapts to having drugs for relief and you’ll need stronger medications which may have harmful side effects to your body. For instance, having a headache may be a pointer to the fact that you need to rest, eat or reduce the amount of stress you expose yourself to.

2. Eat Healthy – Maintaining a healthy diet may seem expensive and too much effort but that’s not exactly true. If you truly believe health is wealth, then you’ll take time out to figure out what nutritional value most of the foods we eat have and what portions are appropriate. If you compare the amount of money you’ll spend on drugs and hospital bills when you fall sick to the amount you’ll spend on eating right, you’ll see that the latter is less expensive. Incorporating fruits, veggies and fibre rich ingredients to your meals is a whole lot cheaper than even buying supplements and it will save you a lot of time spent waiting to see the doctor in any hospital.

3. Plan Ahead – Pregnancy gives only 9months to mentally, physically and financially prepare for a baby but planning in advance saves you a lot of headaches when the baby arrives. So it is with life. Whatever projects you embark on, it will do you a world of good to have a list containing all the things you require and strategies on how to acquire them in other to accomplish your life’s goals. That way you don’t make decisions under duress or forget anything that is vital to you. You may not be able to cover everything in your contingency plan but your worries of not being up to the challenge will be significantly reduced.

4. Get Knowledge – acquiring knowledge is not only for academia just as knowledge about fabrics is not restricted to people in the fashion industry. It would serve you well to know what fabrics work best in different seasons. For instance, most baby clothes are not only machine washable but also 100% cotton, why? Because cotton breathes. So when power outage becomes unpredictable and the heat feels unbearable, wearing clothes made out of cotton is your best bet and when the weather is cold, clothes made from wool are preferable. In every sphere of life you find yourself in, make a habit of doing research and studying to gain knowledge on it.

5. Dress Well – the principle of wearing clothes that flatter your figure is not for trendy singles only. No matter the circumstance you go through or the changes your body undergoes, there is no reason to dress shabby or sloppy. Learn to look good even when you don’t feel it. Looking bright and cheerful has a way of attracting pleasant things your way and it can help boost the pride of your significant other. When we make the effort to look good, it’s not only for ourselves but also a point of encouragement to the people around us who look up to us.

6. Get Expert Opinions – whenever you feel sick, don’t self medicate, seek professional counsel. What you think may be the problem may just be a pointer to something else, the root cause that needs to be dealt with ASAP. This principle also holds true for other areas of life like starting a business, raising a children; in general, dealing with situations that are unfamiliar to you. Experience is not always the best teacher, there are hard core truths you can learn if you decide to seek the opinions of those who have excelled in the area of your challenge.

There are lessons to be learned from every phase of life, you just have to be open to see them. These are just a few of the many great truths I’ve gleaned from being pregnant.

Acidic Delight!

I love lime! Not lemon, not tangerine but lime and the ripe one at that. Weird huh? Not to me. When we were growing up, my mom used to flavour our papaya (what we Nigerians call pawpaw) with lime extract and a pinch of salt. According to her, it was necessary to tone the sweetness of the fruit. Up until my days at the university, I thought that was all Lime was good for. You can imagine my joy when I walked in on a friend and saw her drinking lime juice. Knowing that lime’s natural sour and tangy taste packs a punch when eaten solitary, curiosity got the best of me and I asked her for the recipe.

Why Lime?
Before I disclose a trade secret of an affordable homemade drink, I find it expedient to explain why lime is a fruit we should incorporate into our diet every now and then. For one, it has no saturated fats, cholesterol, Iron and negligible amounts of Sodium. It is a good source of dietary fibre and Vitamin C as with all citrus fruits. That’s not all; traces of essential minerals such as calcium, folate, potassium, magnesium, manganese, patothenic acid, niacin, riboflavin, thiamine, copper as well as Vitamin B6 can also be found in it.

This makes lime, like any citrus plant, an ideal candidate for the prevention of diseases (e.g. cardiovascular, stroke, neural tube defects, anaemia, cancer, etc.). It is also used for preventing micro and over nutritional deficiencies because it contains phytochemicals. Unlike most citrus plants, lime specifically kills the bacteria that cause dysentery, cholera, typhoid and helps people in weight-loss programs lose weight effectively. So it is clear just how much we need lime in our weekly diet.

How to use Lime
The question remains how do we incorporate lime into our meals? I’ll share a few:

Lime juice – use the extract of ripe lime mixed with sugar syrup (boiled water and sugar) or just water and granulated sugar to form a drink. Chill the limeade for maximum enjoyment.

Pawpaw flavouring – squeeze the juice of the unripe lime onto the pawpaw/papaya and then add salt. You can eat it like that or refrigerate it so the lime juice can soak into it.

Flavoured teas – after dipping your teabag into a teacup with hot water, squeeze an unripe lime in and add sugar for taste.

Five fruit salad – mix the following in a bowl: seedless grapes, sliced banana, orange and pineapple chunks, cubed rock/mush melon (if available), finely chopped mint leaves, peeled and grated lime. Then squeeze in lime juice and concentrated orange juice. Serve when done.

Lime and Chicken – lime can be squeezed on grilled chicken or can be used to make a Caribbean Lime Chicken meal. This is done by combining chicken in dish with 3 tablespoons lime juice, the garlic, salt, thyme, pepper flakes, and black pepper. Mix well, Heat oil until hot and place ‘combo’ on an 11 -12 inch skillet. Ensure both sides of the chicken are cooked until brown then add onions and stir till they are both well cooked. Add tomatoes and curry powder to pan, leave to cook for a few minutes then stir in 1 tablespoon of lime juice. Serve with Ginger Rice (this is simply boiling rice with water and minced fresh ginger root).

Once I found out how often lime can be applied in my diet, I spared no expense in securing this very affordable fruit. There is another way to use lime but since i haven't tried that, i won't include it here. It actually involves grating the skin (popularly known as zesting)and incorporating it into meals. Honestly, i believe ingenuity and creativity lies in the least of us and it is how we use it that makes the difference. I like to see the upside of things and it this case with the lime, the benefits are richly rewarding. Try it someday.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Kittens in my home!

I love certain animals especially since I’ve had the privilege of being raised up with them as pets. Our family pets ranged from a Cat and a Monkey to Dogs, Chickens and finally Fishes – electric fish, catfish, goldfish, etc and yes all these pets had names. In my University days, a friend of mine, Jeme, was working on her final year optometry project which was about how effective the use of mushroom extracts were in curing cataracts. Her test subjects, three adorable cats which I named: Hopper, Stealth and Baby.

When she brought these kittens to my off campus apartment, my siblings and I fell in-love with them. I was particularly overjoyed because I felt our rat infestation issues would be solved. Since purchasing cat food is not an African thing, I decided to feed them with vegetable soup filled with pieces of smoked fish. For a while, it seemed like they enjoyed every morsel until a strange scent filled the air. We traced it and found our beloved kittens were stooling all over our apartment!

We tried to let them out but their ‘need to go’ was so frequent, we had to opt for getting them a sand filled kitty litter box. At the end of the day, Baby who had eaten the most had lost the most amount of weight. After that experience, I became a firm believer in the need for pets to have their own special kind of food packaged just for them. I know as a Nigerian, the concept of canned animal food is not popular because we believe they should eat what we eat. It’s important that we know that the pet foods are made with generic nutritional ingredients needed by your pet. If you really love your pet, you’ve got to do right by them because whatever affects them will invariably affect you.

Now that I’m married, my husband and I can’t agree on what pet to keep. He wants a cat, I want a dog but part of my reluctance to even come to an agreement on the subject comes from knowing that pets need a lot of special attention/care and can be pretty expensive to manage. If you are looking towards having a pet just know that you’ll have to feed them, bathe them, brush their teeth, immunize them, comb their hair/fur, take them for routine check-up at the vet’s when they're sick or having behavioural problems. if you must own pets, let your focus be on the benefits you’ll gain from having them healthy; which is a faithful companion. As for me, I look forward to having kittens in my home someday.

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