Health — Page 2

Swapping Roles with Aging Parents – Learning to Compare Medicare Part D Costs

This is one of two sponsored posts for Walgreens. Thanks to Walgreens for trusting Sunshine and Sippy Cups to tell the story of caregiving and comparing Medicare Part D plans. Compensation was received, but opinions shared are 100% mine – as always.

“To us, family means putting your arms around each other and being there.” – Barbara Bush… My family is everything to me. We’ve been through a lot of challenges. But at the end of the day, like most families out there, we all know that we will be there for each other. When I was sick as a little girl – my dad would make chicken noodle soup. My mom would brush my hair from my forehead, and sing me songs to help me sleep. So now, as my parents are ageing, and need more help, I’m trying to do my best to balance the demands of my new life as a mom with my responsibility to help through these new challenges in their life. After a lifetime helping me grow into a strong, compassionate, capable woman – it’s now my time to show them what a great job they did.

This is my dad. [Read more…]

Posted by Meagan Paullin on June 25, 2013 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | No Comments

Supporting Children’s Miracle Network Hospital’s Talented Kids

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of White Cloud for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

“No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted.” – Aesop… I am very passionate in my life about giving back. Whether it’s a small thing like dropping change in the Ronald McDonald house donation box when I pick up a Happy Meal for Abby – or something big, like helping to organize a charity benefit here in town {we’ve helped with several now!} – I think it is so important for each of us, every day, to find ways to give back to the world around us. Everyone complains about so many things – “Why doesn’t someone do something about that?” Well, for most problems, all of our small actions combined can really make a difference. Which is why I get super excited when big brands use their power, influence, and funds to do good things. Let me tell you about a new initiative from White Cloud that makes me smile…

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Posted by Meagan Paullin on June 5, 2013 Filed Under: Giving Back | No Comments

Are You a Caregiver? Learn How to Compare Medicare Part D Plans

{This is one of two sponsored posts for Walgreens. Thanks to Walgreens for trusting Sunshine and Sippy Cups to tell the story of caregiving and comparing Medicare Part D plans. Compensation was received, but opinions shared are 100% mine – as always.}

My family is filled with love and laughter, silly jokes and sarcasm, happiness and hugs. It’s also filled with an assortment of unfortunate health problems. My dad has suffered from Chron’s Disease since I was a kid. It’s led to so many surgeries and procedures and complications over the years. My youngest brother was born with Aortic Stenosis, and had open heart surgery at 16 to have the valve replaced. My mom is pretty healthy – she was always the caregiver. She took care of my grandpa when he had lung cancer, my grandma when she suffered from alzheimer’s, and many of my great aunts and uncles during their nursing home years. I learned so much from watching her do all of that – how important it is to have an advocate when you’re in the hospital or a nursing facility, how hard it can be to navigate all of the paperwork and procedures, and how expensive it can be as those bills all add up. And, one big challenge that many people deal with as they age is figuring out how to get the most from their health plan, and learning to save more on prescriptions by understanding their Medicare Part D plans. But I have a resource that can seriously help you – check it out:

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Posted by Meagan Paullin on May 22, 2013 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | No Comments

Why I Filed for Bankruptcy at 25, and What I Learned

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Aflac, to share my personal experience with insurance and medical debt. I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

Can you afford a medical emergency?… The average cost of a heart attack and the care needed to recover is $65,427, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services. A broken leg costs around $10,000. Some cancer medications can cost upwards of $10,000 per month. Add those up, and it’s no surprise that medical debt is the leading cause of bankruptcy is this country. I know from experience that even with insurance, the bills add up quickly, and can become overwhelming. Because it’s not even just the medical bills – it’s also the money you lose if you aren’t able to work for awhile. Many people believe that if they have health insurance, they’ll be ok if a health crisis hits – but do you have a real idea of what out of pocket costs will be if someone in your family gets sick or injured? I didn’t. And that’s what led to me filing for bankruptcy at the young age of just 25.

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Posted by Meagan Paullin on May 13, 2013 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | No Comments

Super Hero Gadget Cleans the Sneaky Allergens in Your Air

“Spring is the time of plans and projects.” – Leo Tolstoy… Boyohboy, does this totally describe my life these days! We’re in the middle of so darn many DIY projects around the house and property, it’s total chaos around here! But, at the same time – I am so excited to be celebrating spring with so many fun “refreshes” of our home and yard! But in the middle of all of the hustle and bustle, there’s one thing that has been a big challenge – the air. Yep, all three of us have terrible allergies, and the Mister has crazy-bad asthma. With so much going on – Trucks and tractors outside digging, dumping, pouring, and moving – plus the work inside – sanding, painting, moving, and building – it’s a wonder any of us can breath at all! And when you partner that with the regular allergy-inducers of spring, well, that’s a recipe for trouble, for sure. But, I have a very smart solution to share with ya’all – check it out…

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Posted by Meagan Paullin on April 1, 2013 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | No Comments

500,000 Kids Get the Wrong Medicine Dose…

Did you know that 500,000 times each year, a child gets into medicine that they shouldn’t, or gets the wrong dose to their medicine? How scary is that, right? We all know that there are some basic precautions to take, like keeping medicines up high, or in a locked cabinet. But there are SO many scenarios you might not expect, and so much information that can really help. I know from experience that even as an uber careful mom who worries over everything, things can still go wrong. I’ll share my story with you of when Abby got into the wrong meds, and then give you some awesome tips and tools to help keep your family safe.

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Posted by Meagan Paullin on March 28, 2013 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | No Comments

Learn How to Limit Additives in Kids Medicines

Treating cold and flu in kids – as simply and naturally as possible… When treating any type of illness, it’s best to take a “less is more” approach to treating it. This is important for every family – but is extra important for us. Keep reading to find out why, and learn an easy way to be sure that the medicines you use to treat your kid’s colds and flu symptoms are as simple as possible – free of yucky additives.

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