Graduation Show...
Abacus Show off... =)
Dancing with the group
Friday, August 20, 2010
Saturday, August 14, 2010
我不知道风是在哪一个方向吹 -徐志摩
我不知道风是在哪一个方向吹—— 我是在梦中， 在梦的轻波里依洄。 我不知道风是在哪一个方向吹—— 我是在梦中， 她的温存，我的迷醉。 我不知道风是在哪一个方向吹—— 我是在梦中， 甜美是梦里的光辉。 我不知道风是在哪一个方向吹—— 我是在梦中， 她的负心，我的伤悲。 我不知道风是在哪一个方向吹—— 我是在梦中， 在梦的悲哀里心碎！ 我不知道风是在哪一个方向吹—— 我是在梦中， 黯淡是梦里的光辉。 写于1928年Thursday, August 12, 2010
Picnic day at Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto
Nathan Phillips Square is an urban plaza that forms the forecourt to Toronto City Hall, named after Nathan Phillips, mayor of Toronto from 1955 to 1962. The square is the site of concerts, art displays, a weekly farmers' market, the winter festival of lights, and other public events, including demonstrations.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Markham, Ontario - Canada's Hi-Tech Capital
Markham is a town in the Regional Municipality of York, located in the Greater Toronto Area of Southern Ontario, Canada. Markham is the largest town in Canada, is the fourth-most populous municipality in the GTA, after Toronto, Mississauga, and Brampton.
Markham was first surveyed as a township in 1793 by William Berczy, who in 1794 led 75 German families from Upstate New York to an area of Markham now known as German Mills.
At present, Markham comprises six major communities, which include Buttonville, Cornell, Markham Village, Milliken, Thornhill, and Unionville. Since the 1980s, the town has been recognized as a suburb of Toronto. Many high-tech companies have head offices located in Markham for the relative abundance of land, low tax rates and good transportation routes. ATI Technologies (now known as AMD), IBM Canada, Apple Computer Canada, Motorola Canada and many other well-known companies have chosen Markham as their home in Canada. Hence, the town has been branding itself as Canada's "High-Tech Capital".
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Sunday, August 1, 2010
First Emergency Room Visit
Saturday night 2am, the Everitt family visited a local ER for the first time. Annabelle was experiencing some extreme pain in her left ear (caused by cold), which rudely interrupted her sleep.
After the real life experience, I have to say... All movies and Televisions are lying about how quickly and responsively the ER doctors are. In reality, this is not the case at all. No one cares if a child (or anyone) is in pain, no one cares if you have waited for so long with a crying baby (when there are less than 5 people in the waiting room, including security and police). A simple 5 minutes chat, made us wait for over an hour in 2 different waiting rooms.... Sigh! (the best conclusion... stay healthy, away from the hospital)
How does an ear infection occur?
The small space behind the eardrum in the middle ear is normally filled with air. It is connected to the back of the throat by a tiny channel called the Eustachian tube.
The middle ear space sometimes becomes filled with mucus (fluid), often during a cold. The mucus may then become infected by bacteria or viruses. Children with glue ear who have mucus behind their eardrum are more prone to ear infections. Sometimes an ear infection occurs 'out of the blue' for no apparent reason.
What are the symptoms of an ear infection?
- Earache is common, but does not always occur.
- Dulled hearing may develop for a few days.
- Fever (high temperature) is common.
- Children may feel sick or vomit, and can be generally unwell.
- Young babies cannot point to their pain. One of the causes of a hot, irritable, crying baby is an ear infection.
- Sometimes the eardrum perforates (bursts). This lets out infected mucus and the ear becomes runny for a few days. As the pain of earache is due to a tense eardrum, a burst eardrum often relieves the pain. A perforated eardrum usually heals within a few weeks after the infection clears.
A note about earache
Earache is a common symptom of ear infection. However, not all earaches are caused by an ear infection. If a child has earache but is otherwise well, an ear infection is unlikely. A common cause of mild earache is a build up mucus in the middle ear after a cold. This usually clears in a few days. Sometimes pain that you can feel in the ear is due to 'referred pain' from other causes such as teeth problems.
What is the treatment for an ear infection?
Most bouts of ear infection will clear on their own without treatment within 2-3 days. The immune system can usually clear bacteria or viruses that cause ear infections. However, treatments that may be advised include the following:
Painkillers
If the ear infection is causing pain, then give painkillers to children regularly until the pain eases. For example, paracetamol (Calpol, Disprol, etc) or ibuprofen. These drugs will also lower a raised temperature which can make a child feel better. If antibiotics are prescribed (see below), you should still give the painkiller as well until the pain eases.
Recent research studies have found that a few drops of a local anaesthetic drug (lignocaine) placed into the ear may help to ease pain. Further studies are needed to clarify the use of this treatment. However, it seems logical, and may become more widely used over time, especially in children with severe ear pain.
Antibiotics - are prescribed in some cases only
Antibiotics are not advised in most cases. This is because in most cases the infection clears within 2-3 days on its own. Also, it is best not to take antibiotics unless needed, as side-effects such as diarrhoea or rash can sometimes be a problem. Antibiotics are more likely to be prescribed if:
- The child is under two years old (as the risk of complications is greater in babies).
- The infection is severe.
- The infection is not settling within 2-3 days.
- Complications develop.
When an ear infection first develops it is common for a doctor to advise a 'wait and see' approach for 2-3 days. This means just using painkillers to ease the pain, and to see if the infection clears. In most cases, the infection clears. However, if it does not, then following a review by a doctor an antibiotic may then be advised. Sometimes, it may be difficult to see a doctor again in 2-3 days if things do not improve - for example, over a weekend. In this situation a doctor may issue a prescription for an antibiotic with the advice to only use the prescription to get the antibiotic if the condition does not improve within 2-3 days.
What are the possible complications from an ear infection?
It is common for some mucus to remain behind the eardrum after the infection clears. This may cause dulled hearing for a while. This usually clears within a week or so, and hearing then returns to normal. Sometimes the mucus does not clear properly and 'glue ear' may develop. Hearing may then remain dulled. See a doctor if dulled hearing persists after an ear infection has gone.
If the eardrum perforates, then it usually heals over within a few weeks once the infection clears. In some cases the perforation remains long-term and may need treatment to fix it.
If a child is normally well, then the risk of other serious complications developing from an ear infection is small. Rarely, a serious infection of the bone behind the ear develops from an ear infection. This is called mastoiditis. Very rarely, the infection spreads deeper into the inner ear, brain or other nearby tissues. This can cause various symptoms that can affect the brain and nearby nerves. See a doctor if a child becomes more ill, does not improve over 2-3 days, or develops any symptoms that you are not sure about.
How does an ear infection occur?
The small space behind the eardrum in the middle ear is normally filled with air. It is connected to the back of the throat by a tiny channel called the Eustachian tube.
The middle ear space sometimes becomes filled with mucus (fluid), often during a cold. The mucus may then become infected by bacteria or viruses. Children with glue ear who have mucus behind their eardrum are more prone to ear infections. Sometimes an ear infection occurs 'out of the blue' for no apparent reason.
What are the symptoms of an ear infection?
- Earache is common, but does not always occur.
- Dulled hearing may develop for a few days.
- Fever (high temperature) is common.
- Children may feel sick or vomit, and can be generally unwell.
- Young babies cannot point to their pain. One of the causes of a hot, irritable, crying baby is an ear infection.
- Sometimes the eardrum perforates (bursts). This lets out infected mucus and the ear becomes runny for a few days. As the pain of earache is due to a tense eardrum, a burst eardrum often relieves the pain. A perforated eardrum usually heals within a few weeks after the infection clears.
A note about earache
Earache is a common symptom of ear infection. However, not all earaches are caused by an ear infection. If a child has earache but is otherwise well, an ear infection is unlikely. A common cause of mild earache is a build up mucus in the middle ear after a cold. This usually clears in a few days. Sometimes pain that you can feel in the ear is due to 'referred pain' from other causes such as teeth problems.
What is the treatment for an ear infection?
Most bouts of ear infection will clear on their own without treatment within 2-3 days. The immune system can usually clear bacteria or viruses that cause ear infections. However, treatments that may be advised include the following:
Painkillers
If the ear infection is causing pain, then give painkillers to children regularly until the pain eases. For example, paracetamol (Calpol, Disprol, etc) or ibuprofen. These drugs will also lower a raised temperature which can make a child feel better. If antibiotics are prescribed (see below), you should still give the painkiller as well until the pain eases.
Recent research studies have found that a few drops of a local anaesthetic drug (lignocaine) placed into the ear may help to ease pain. Further studies are needed to clarify the use of this treatment. However, it seems logical, and may become more widely used over time, especially in children with severe ear pain.
Antibiotics - are prescribed in some cases only
Antibiotics are not advised in most cases. This is because in most cases the infection clears within 2-3 days on its own. Also, it is best not to take antibiotics unless needed, as side-effects such as diarrhoea or rash can sometimes be a problem. Antibiotics are more likely to be prescribed if:
- The child is under two years old (as the risk of complications is greater in babies).
- The infection is severe.
- The infection is not settling within 2-3 days.
- Complications develop.
When an ear infection first develops it is common for a doctor to advise a 'wait and see' approach for 2-3 days. This means just using painkillers to ease the pain, and to see if the infection clears. In most cases, the infection clears. However, if it does not, then following a review by a doctor an antibiotic may then be advised. Sometimes, it may be difficult to see a doctor again in 2-3 days if things do not improve - for example, over a weekend. In this situation a doctor may issue a prescription for an antibiotic with the advice to only use the prescription to get the antibiotic if the condition does not improve within 2-3 days.
What are the possible complications from an ear infection?
It is common for some mucus to remain behind the eardrum after the infection clears. This may cause dulled hearing for a while. This usually clears within a week or so, and hearing then returns to normal. Sometimes the mucus does not clear properly and 'glue ear' may develop. Hearing may then remain dulled. See a doctor if dulled hearing persists after an ear infection has gone.
If the eardrum perforates, then it usually heals over within a few weeks once the infection clears. In some cases the perforation remains long-term and may need treatment to fix it.
If a child is normally well, then the risk of other serious complications developing from an ear infection is small. Rarely, a serious infection of the bone behind the ear develops from an ear infection. This is called mastoiditis. Very rarely, the infection spreads deeper into the inner ear, brain or other nearby tissues. This can cause various symptoms that can affect the brain and nearby nerves. See a doctor if a child becomes more ill, does not improve over 2-3 days, or develops any symptoms that you are not sure about.
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