#Swagbucks Spring Reading Team Challenge!

Here's another fun team challenge to help you earn SB from Swagbucks! For those of you who don't know what Swagbucks is, it's a website where you can earn cash back on everyday tasks you do online like shopping, answering surveys, discovering deals, and watching videos. You can even earn for searching the web! 

If you've never tried Swagbucks before because you didn't know where to begin, their Team Challenges are a great way to learn the ropes! Their latest, the Spring Reading Team Challenge, begins Monday, March 20th. 

Here's how you can join the challenge and the site:

1. Click here to join the challenge and be assigned to a team. Pre-registration is going on right now! If you don't already have an account, you can sign up on this page as well.

2. Starting March 20th at 8am PT, in addition to earning SB you'll contribute points to your teams total as you complete different activities on Swagbucks.

3. Check back on the page often to see the scores and what you've contribute so far. 

All members who participate and contribute at least 400 points to their team’s total will receive a SB bonus in the form of a SB Swag Up Rebate on their next gift card! 

Not only that, but if you earn 300 SB before April 1st, you'll get a 300 SB bonus (as long as you've signed up under me)!

Members of the 1st place team will receive a 50 SB Swag Up Rebate, members of the 2nd place team will receive a 25 SB Swag Up Rebate, members of the 3rd place team will receive a 10 SB Swag Up Rebate. Your SB Swag Up Rebate will be made available on Friday, March 24th and will expire on Sunday, April 9th 11:59pm PT

#TheKerrieShow Goes to #Chicago Day Two: Adler Planetarium and Public Transportation

Here is my best tip for day two: call your bank before you leave town so they don't think someone stole your credit and debit card and are buying 6 one-week Ventra train and bus passes in Chicago. You're welcome.

Another tip is when it's freezing cold, make sure you take note of your stall number in the parking lot so you don't have to send your son back to get it so you can punch it into the parking meter. Parking at train station = $7 per day. Adler Planetarium today was FREE (get a Kansas City Science City/Union Station Membership, people from KC!). Other costs include a few hats at Walgreen's, lunch at Pot Belly and Dunkin Donuts for the train ride home. Read on.

This was our view out of our hotel room in the morning.

So, You Want To Go Backpacking? You'll Need To Read This

Backpacking is actually a lot scarier than it sounds. You’re out by yourself in the wilderness, usually without mobile phone signal, and you’ve got to somehow get yourself from A to B before the sun goes down. It’s tough enough if you’re just walking along a flat path by a lake. But it’s really hard if you’re clambering your way over mountains and along rocky ravines.

To do backpacking right, you need a lot of high-quality equipment. When you’re miles from civilization, you rely on your stuff to be durable and to work when you need it to. The last thing you need is your boot breaking half way up a climb or your tent letting in water as it rains outside.

Why Go Backpacking?

Going backpacking might not seem like a good idea. It’s dangerous, and it’s hard work. After all, you’ve got to lug a massive backpack around all day. Why go to so much effort when you could spend your free time chilling out on a beach somewhere with a waiter bringing you cocktail refills?

Pixabay

Simply put, it’s about the adventure and the thrill. Backpacking always brings new experiences and new beauty, no matter where you go.

If you’re just getting started, you might want to limit yourself to around 10 miles per day. It takes a little while for your body to get used to the demands that you put on it. Walking further than 10 miles can leave you feeling exhausted with sore muscles and blisters on your feet. Remember, if you go backpacking, you’ll be carrying a weight of around 25 pounds on your back, which makes walking uphill a lot more difficult. As you get more experienced, you should be able to increase the mileage above 15 miles per day, and perhaps even 20.

What Do You Need?

Every backpacker needs the essentials. For starters, you need a good pair of boots. Sites like  http://workbootcritic.com/mens-timberland-earthkeepers-review offer all the latest reviews on footwear. Choose boots which are proven to last under severe conditions and that provide plenty of grip for when you’re clambering over slippery rocks.

Sites like http://gizmodo.com also recommend that backpackers take a hefty backpack that is strong enough to withstand the elements. The best backpacking backpacks are those that have a frame. Frames help to take the strain off your shoulders and onto your hips, a much more natural load-bearing joint. According to Gizmodo, it’s possible to get a backpack with a frame for less than $100.

You’ll also need a sleeping bag. Sleeping bags with man-made fillers - rather than duck down - tend to be much lighter and easier to pack away than regular down sleeping bags. If you want enough space for the rest of your stuff in your backpack, choose a synthetic sleeping bag and always add an extra 10 degrees to the rating, just so that you can stay comfortable at night, should the temperature dip below freezing.

Finally, you’ll need a tent. One-man tents are the best, since they’re small and easily fold away.

The Basics of Thrombocytes

Basics of thrombocytes

Many people have not yet heard the word ‘thrombocytes’ but they know it by the other way -‘platelets’. Yes, both are same. These are blood cells responsible for blood clotting. Thrombo means clot and the term is used with conditions and diseases that affect platelets and blood clotting.

Normal thrombocytes

Thrombocytes are being originated from the cells Megakaryocytes, which is observed in the bone marrow and is essential for normal blood clotting.

Platelet count

Complete blood count ( CBC) is a test checking the numbers, size and health of thrombocytes. Platelet or thrombocyte count is substantial for a doctor to know before and after any surgery so that potential bleeding and clotting issues can be predicted and effectively handled. It is vital during chemotherapy and radiation as these can decrease platelet production in the bone marrow.

·         Normal range of platelet count is 150,000 – 450,000 per microliter.

·         Mean platelet volume describes the normal size of platelets. Younger platelets are bigger than older ones, hence an increased volume means you are making and releasing them quickly. On the other hand, a low volume means changed production in the bone marrow.

·         Platelet distribution width indicates the variation in the size of platelets or so-called thrombocytes and this suggest conditions that affect the platelets.

Thrombocytes function tests are performed if there is a symptom or chance for excessive bleeding, and to observe anti-platelet medications as well.

Thrombocytopenia

This is a condition of low platelet count in the blood. There are many causes for the condition, such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy, which inhibit platelet production due to the suppressive effects on the blood.

Other conditions that may cause low platelet count or thrombocytopenia include viral infections that affect the bone marrow, HELLP syndrome in pregnancy, autoimmune syndromes like lupus, a mechanical heart valve, immune thrombocytopenic purpura, heparin antibodies, severe alcohol abuse, certain medications, live disease, toxic exposures and severe sepsis.

Platelet count below 20,000 per microliter is life-threatening condition as it could cause spontaneous bleeding, which may be hard to stop. In that case, the patient may be given a platelet transfusion.

Thrombocytosis

You might have heard it by other way – high platelet count. This condition generally occurs due to a primary bone marrow disorder, such as essential thrombocytosis or due to chronic inflammation in the body, iron deficiency anemia, infection, or removal of spleen.

Thrombocytosis is usually found in cancer patients, especially with gastrointestinal cancer, and also with breast, lymphoma, ovarian and lung cancer. This could be due to inflammation related to the malignancy, which stimulates the production of platelets in the bone marrow. Thrombocytosis can also be caused by conditions like IBD and rheumatoid arthritis. Besides this, a temporary elevation in the platelet count can occur after a trauma or major surgery.

There are many things you would want to know about thrombocytes. Platelet count is something that we can’t take it as granted. To know more about this major component in the blood, visit thrombocyte.com.

Sad Face: Turn That Frown Upside Down

Pexels At: Pixabay

We can all feel a little blue sometimes especially when it feels like things just aren’t getting better. Long-term sadness isn’t good for anyone; it can easily lead to clinical depression as well as a whole host of other illnesses that you’d never guess could be connected to your mood. For instance, did you know that prolonged episodes of sadness can cause ulcers, IBS, and even heart disease? We can’t stop ourselves from feeling upset occasionally but that shouldn’t mean you give up smiling!

Ten Minute Tears

We know you probably think that ten minutes isn’t nearly enough time to express everything you feel but the thing is you don’t want it to overwhelm you. Negative thoughts won’t just drag you down, making you feel like a victim but also have you thinking you’ll never be happy again. Just like happiness, anger, worry, fear and confusion sadness needs to be felt to move past it, releasing those thoughts and getting yourself in a better frame of mind. It may sound hard at first but ten minutes or less can allow you to sit with your feelings, cry if you need to or listen to melancholy music without it interrupting your whole day.

Start Small

No one says that you need to bound into work looking like the cat that’s got the cream every day. In fact, if you’re suffering from depression the fact that you got out of bed, dressed, ate breakfast and left the house is something to celebrate! Try to focus on happy thoughts and small goals that you’ve accomplished throughout the day even if there as little as having coffee with a friend, going for a walk or laughing at a colleague's funny joke. Don’t forget to remember the amazing things in your life such as family, friends, loved ones, pets, your home and your job and make a list of everything that might make you feel positive about the future.

Look After Yourself

When we feel down, lack energy or are too tired we often forget to look after our most basic needs including showering regularly, cleaning our teeth, brushing our hair and making sure we get enough sleep. Our bodies know when we aren’t emotionally well which is why stress and sadness is often seen in the face first. Lack of sleep tends to lead to bloodshot eyes and tired skin, and you may notice you’ve developed spots or cold sores due to constant stress. You can log on to https://homeremedyshop.com/30-simple-home-remedies-for-cold-sores to find out what cold sores are and how you can treat them properly. However, establishing a good thorough skincare regime, making sure you eat properly and scheduling regular visits to a dermatologist as well as a counselor can help.

Help Others

Focusing on someone else's problems often allows us to forget our own! Keep your mind off things by helping someone else in your community, why not check out

what opportunities there are in your area at https://www.voa.org/volunteer? You’ll soon make new friends, start feeling happier and spend less time thinking about yourself and more moments improving the life of someone less fortunate.

Pexels At: Pixabay