Reviews by kristinafh

kristinafh says "Despite The Negative Feedback, This Worked For Me" about Avelox 400 mg

kristinafh — Sun, 14 Oct 2007 23:17:57 GMT

Like clockwork, you can always count on me getting a cold at least twice a year. Blame it on the ever-changing, whimsical Indiana weather - where one day it's 90 and humid and the next day, it's 65 and mild.

About eight weeks ago, whatever comes into bloom, came into bloom and I started my usual sneezing fits. I popped my usual Claritin tablet (10 mg) and that seemed to take care of it. One thing though - I wasn't consistent - and on top of that, I was working too much, running myself down, and just not taking care of myself as I should have been.

The dreaded sinus infection set in. I absolutely hate getting a sinus infection because when I do, it practically paralyzes me.

When it came on (like a mack truck), I was prescribed my usual Z-pack. Most of the time, that does the trick and while it made a dent in my issues, three weeks later, I found myself feeling even worse than before.

The second round of antibiotics I was prescribed was something new to me - Avelox. Made by the...

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kristinafh says "Huge Variety and Great Prices" about Target Stores - Fishers, IN

kristinafh — Sat, 26 May 2007 21:37:11 GMT

Every time I tell my husband that I'm going to go to our local Super Target, he says something like, See ya next year!

He says that because he knows that despite my best intentions, I'm rarely able to spend less than two hours there. I just can't help myself! There are so many good deals and bargains and I swear - practically every week, there are new products that I just need to take a quick look-see at!

Our Super Target, located in Fishers, was built about six years ago. It's located in the heart of our small town - which makes things good (easy to find) and bad (intersection ALWAYS busy). The hours are decent and the available services (Food, Non-Food, Pharmacy, Portrait Studio, Optical, and Photo Center) are convenient.

Although there are two main entrances (the left leads into the food area, the right leads into the non-food areas), you'll find yourself naturally wandering from one side of the store to the other. The layout is such that there's a natural progression from one...

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kristinafh says "Best Brand of Energy Drink - EVER!!!!!!!!!!" about XS Energy Drink - Electric Lemon Blast

kristinafh — Sat, 26 May 2007 21:06:07 GMT

If you're at all familiar with my health issue - Nesidioblastosis - then it should be of no surprise that my endocrinologist is someone who I see quite often! During one of my visits, I was relaying to him that I was having difficulty with my energy level and most importantly - staying awake during my 1 hour + drive to and from work. Because I need to limit the amount of caffeine I have (i.e. very little - it will make my blood sugar spike highs and then lows quickly), my options seem to be limited. Even when I seem to get enough sleep, it just seems that I can't get and keep my energy at a decent level.

After he had me go through the typical blood tests, it appeared that my vitamin/mineral levels were fine (exception of a few that needed to be tweaked) he asked me if I had looked into any energy drinks to give me a boost. I said that I had however, I found that they contained too much caffeine and that whole caffeine roller coaster thing wasn't for me.

He left the room momentarily...

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kristinafh says "Delivers Results Without The Used Car Salesman Approach" about Sylvan Learning Center - Fishers,IN

kristinafh — Sun, 20 May 2007 13:44:11 GMT

My son has always struggled in school. Like many kids, he learns differently and the way that our public education system is set-up, one on one attention isn't possible. I've seen the ads for Sylvan (who could miss them!) and I decided - what the heck, I'd go in and have a chat with them. I was determined not to fall for any sales-y like talk because frankly, I'm not made out of money and at the end of the day, this is all about my son getting what he needs.

The director (Jennifer) of the particular center I went to was nice, personable and not the least bit sales-y. We talked about Ethan and my concerns. We found out that there were connections between us (her good friend Heather was Ethan's pre-school teacher for many years!). After that, she walked me through the process, explaining each part without making me feel pressured.

First up was an assessment-type test for Ethan. I had him tested on Math, English/Reading Comprehension and the results were just as scary as I thought...

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kristinafh says "He Gets Guinea Pigs" about Jim Dechand DVM - Banfield, The Pet Hospital - Indianapolis, IN

kristinafh — Sat, 19 May 2007 02:57:59 GMT

Sometimes, I can be naive. Before we owned guinea pigs, I had no idea that you had to take them to a special kind of a vet. Yep - you need to take them to a vet that specializes in "exotic animals". Guinea pigs...exotic? I would have never thought...

Anyway...

There aren't a plethora of exotic animal vets to choose from so our choices were limited. I called around and the closest available exotic animal vet was located inside the local PetSmart store - within the Banfield Pet Hospital. Normally, I don't think of a facility, located within a retail outlet - to be one which would hold a lot of credibility. I mean - doctor's are supposed to have free-standing buildings of their own, right?!

So maybe I rushed to judgement too quickly....

It had been awhile since I had interacted with a vet and honestly - I wasn't sure what to expect. From the moment that Dr. Jim walked in, we knew that he was a keeper.

I'm sure Dr. Jim is a lot like other vets. He's knowledgable. He's...

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kristinafh says "A Pediatrician Sensitive to Our Needs" about Dr. Debra Moreland - Internal Medicine and Pediatrics - Fishers, IN

kristinafh — Sat, 19 May 2007 01:53:45 GMT

When I was pregnant with Ethan 13 years ago, I took great care in finding a pediatrician who I thought could deal with my first-time mother anxieties. I interviewed several pediatric-types....certainly not an easy task, especially when you're in your last trimester of pregnancy.

Ethan's first pediatrician - Dr. Debbie Hulbert - was a wonderful and excellent pediatrician and around his 7th birthday, she became ill and was unable to continue her practice. This was upsetting for our entire family as she had seen Ethan through some difficult times.

I really wasn't looking forward to finding another pediatrician and to be honest - I put it off for as long as I could.

One day, Ethan was sick and I had to get him into a pediatrician. I called my own doctor's office to see if the nurse practitioner could recommend anyone and the person's name she gave me was Dr. Debra Moreland.

Dr. Moreland, who is part of the Internal Medicine and Pediatrics practice located in Fishers, IN, is an extremely...

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kristinafh says "It's All About Location" about Kroger - Fishers, IN

kristinafh — Sun, 13 May 2007 11:15:32 GMT

Here in Indianapolis, the grocery store industry is fiercely competitive. For many years, it was just Marsh and Kroger. Cub Foods came and went. Meijer, Super WalMart, and Super Target have a handful of locations but Marsh and Kroger seem to be the ones that this crowd migrates to.

When we moved into our neighborhood about ten years ago, we didn't have any grocery stores within a decent distance. A couple of years later, Kroger built a new store with some really great features and we constantly find ourselves stopping in there at least once a week because of them.

Although this has nothing to do with the grocery store itself, the #1 reason we even give this particular Kroger the time of day is because of its Pharmacy. This entire crew is friendly, professional, and extremely helpful. Last May, when I had my one and only Grand Mal Seizure at the other end of the store (Produce section), it was the pharmacy crew who was able to step in and furnish a great deal of information about...

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kristinafh says "Unique layout and products that are in stock" about Marsh - Noblesville, IN

kristinafh — Sun, 13 May 2007 10:57:24 GMT

One thing about Indiana that we seem to be sensitive to - we love our home grown businesses. In 2005, family-operated Marsh turned over the reigns to MSH Supermarkets Holding Corp., an affiliate of private investment firm Sun Partners Inc. CEO Don Marsh was replaced by a thirty year, Winn-Dixie Stores veteran, Frank Lazaran.

You would have thought that evil evil had entered into Indianapolis. That's how big of a deal it was.

Two years later, I notice very little in the way of "change". My husband complains that the one particular Marsh that we visit, has started to move around where products are located (and this drives him nuts). Sure, there's some movement, but for our particular store which was built a couple of years ago, the same unique and unusual layout exists and I find that the re-location of the products, make more sense from a consumer perspective.

What we like most about our neighborhood Marsh is their gigantic Produce, Deli, and Meat areas. There was a ton...

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kristinafh says "Why Brilliance and Connections Matter..." about Maurice Arregui - Nagan & Arregui Davis Incorporated - Indianapolis, IN

kristinafh — Sun, 13 May 2007 03:37:51 GMT

I live in Indiana.

We're not known for our cutting-edge...well...anything. In fact, people look at Indiana as a very conservative and somewhat backwards place to exist. Sometimes, it can be like that. Other times, it's nothing like that.

One area which I believe we've taken tremendous steps forward is in the area of medical care and research. When I became unexpectedly ill last year, it could have take years - and maybe never - before they would have figured out what the issue was. After all - how many people sat around and studied up on the little-known affliction of Nesidioblastosis? Exactly.

Through a series of complete freaky coincidences - there was a local specialist - Dr. Arregui - who was buddied up with the Mayo Clinic to study this phenomenon. Why? How? This didn't matter to me. The fact that he's in Indy, he's brilliant, and he's well-connected...it's what saved my life and brought me a shred of sanity.

Dr. Arregui, who is also known for his Laparoscopic techniques,...

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kristinafh says "When loyalty means nothing..." about Penske Honda - Indianapolis, IN

kristinafh — Sun, 13 May 2007 02:26:21 GMT

The Past

My first Honda was an accord - a 1979 Red Accord Hatchback that I purchased for $1999 from a Honda dealership in Fort Wayne. I didn't learn to drive until later in life - 19 to be exact - and the purchase of a car was a major thing for me. It represented another sign of maturity in my life.

With the exception of the purchase of one vehicle (complete disaster - sold it after one year), I have been a faithful Honda vehicle owner. I've own/leased Civic's, Accord's, and now I have a CRV.

I've always enjoyed my interactions with the various Honda Dealerships. For the most part, I've found everyone to be friendly, honest, and caring.

December 2006

I've been very lucky in the automotive world. Aside from flat tires (these seem to follow me wherever I go), I've been fortunate accident-wise. I did have one occasion in 2000 where a pick-up truck hit me on the side of my car. Fortunately, it occurred at very low speeds and I was more scared than anything.

In December 2006, I was driving...

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kristinafh says "A break-through for treatment in Autism Spectrum" about Janssen, L.P. Risperdal

kristinafh — Sat, 12 May 2007 03:14:57 GMT

I think that this is might be the first time that I have publicly talked about this.

My 12 year old son Ethan, was diagnosed recently with Asperger's Syndrome. While most parents, hearing this news, might be panicked or highly upset, I was actually relieved.

Why? For years, when I compared my own childhood to his, I knew there was something that was different. Ethan processes information differently. Ethan's interest in stuff is different - and I'm not talking about what he likes versus what I like.

Because Ethan is shy and well-behaved, he always flew below the radar. He is never the kid to make a fuss. Everybody likes him. Teachers think he is adorable.

In first grade, he started having a lot of anxiety. This didn't surprise me - both me and his father have anxiety issues that manifest in various ways so it wasn't a stretch to think that he inherited this gene.

We had him tested for everything. IQ? Normal. Hearing/Sight? Normal. Growing normally? Yes. Any...

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kristinafh says "We don't why - but it keeps me alive." about Sandostatin Octreotide

kristinafh — Sat, 12 May 2007 01:22:12 GMT

My story is not-so-short but definitely boring.

One year ago, I became afflicted with an extremely rare and relatively unknown condition known as Nesidioblastosis. At last count - there were less than 250 of us (adults) in the world - and most of us (except me - naturally) are over 50 and male.

So what is Nesidioblastosis?

Let's talk about what it isn't. It's not diabetes. Diabetes is a disease in which your blood glucose (aka sugar) levels are too high. Glucose comes from the foods you eat. Insulin is a hormone that helps the glucose get into your cells to give them energy. Your pancreas - and specifically islet cells - are what product insulin for your body.

Diabetes, Type 1

Your body does not make insulin.
Also known as insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
Also known as juvenile-onset diabetes
Account for 5% to 10% of all diagnosed cases

Diabetes, Type 2

Your body does not make or use insulin well. Without enough insulin, the glucose stays in your blood
Also known as non-insulin-dependent...

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kristinafh says "Wanna a wife? Make a movie." about Days of Thunder

kristinafh — Fri, 11 May 2007 00:37:33 GMT

When I recently saw Days of Thunder, I blinked. I forgot that in 1990, the quartet of Scott, Cruise, Bruckheimer, and Simpson, re-teamed to release the car-version of Top Gun.

The story goes like this: He's cocky, he's young, he's handsome - he's Cole Trickle (Tom Cruise). Cole wants to drive cars. Does he know anything about cars? Nooooo. He just likes how he feels when he drives around, in fast circles. Wow...easily entertained!

For some reason he's paired up with Harry Hogge (Robert Duvall), a former car builder and crew chief. His main reason for existing is to serve as the resident father-figure and moral authority for NASCAR. "Tires is what wins the race"...Harry (Robert Duvall)

Enter Cary Elwes (Russ Wheeler) or as I call him - the Val Kilmer (Iceman) of the film. He's evil almost to the same extreme that he was whimsical in The Princess Bride. Watching him here - almost negates his iconic status established when he played the irresistable Westley.

No film is complete...

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kristinafh says "To counteract your lack (of intelligence) thereof " about PHYTO Phytoprogenium Intelligent Shampoo

kristinafh — Thu, 10 May 2007 23:29:58 GMT

Hello. My name is Kristina and I am a new product - must have junkie. It's a trait that absolutely drives my family and friends insane however, I feel totally justified in my purchases because I am convinced that there's a reason I'll need this product or that product.

And good thing too because just a couple of weeks ago, I got myself in quite a pickle of a situation.I tried something new on my hair and it was a total disaster. My hair looked like straw and my scalp itched like crazy! And wouldn't you know? It was a Sunday and I couldn't call my regular hair stylist and I wasn't about to let a complete stranger try to deal with my situation.

On the verge of tears and wondering if I should call in sick to work the next morning, I suddenly remembered that I had purchased something that just might solve my issue - Phytoprogenium Intelligent Shampoo. It was one of my pricier, new product purchases and although I didn't have any justification for buying it, I just had this gut...

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kristinafh says "A stylish approach to keeping your hair out of your face" about Model Co Tiara Soft Cotton Headband

kristinafh — Thu, 10 May 2007 23:21:39 GMT

After fiddling for years with various methods to pull my hair out of my face (mostly for extended facial moisturizing time), I decided to purchase this nifty cotton headband - Model Co Tiara Soft.

Why do I like this? Aside from its stylish, hot-pink color, it's easy to put on and take off. For example, instead of one round, stretchy band (which you have to pull over your head), the Tiara Soft has two ends which come together and is held by velcro. This way, you don't have to worry about messing up your hair or getting various products on it.

Side note: I am notorious for doing this - I'll forget I have something on my face (like a mask) and I pull off a regular-old headband - bleck!

The head band is really soft and made out of cotton. I've had mine for about a year, washed it at least a dozen times, and so far, it hasn't faded.

It's a good investment for just under $10.

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kristinafh says "Wild Blackberry has a thousand uses!" about LaLicious Wild Blackberry Body Oil

kristinafh — Thu, 10 May 2007 23:02:10 GMT

A new day spa opened up near my house and when I went in to make an appointment, I decided to look around and see what beauty products and skin care lines that they carried. There were several brands I had never heard of - and one specifically - LaLicious Body Collection - was one of those which were new to me.

As I browsed through the rows of sugar soufflé scrubs, body wash, silky body butters, and body oils, I was pleased to see that they carried scrumptious scents like Brown Sugar Vanilla, Coconut Cream, Passionate Fruit Lime, Peppermint, Island Guava, Lily Mango, and Wild Blackberry.

Wild Blackberry?

That's right, wild blackberry. In all of my time of shopping for scents which smell more like the sweet fruit I love (blackberries) - I have never come across one which didn't have that icky and fake aroma which screamed cheap and bad ingredients. What would be the harm of unscrewing the lid in order to test my theory?

No harm. Just less money in my wallet. Then, it was time...

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kristinafh says "Just the kick-start your face is looking for..." about Kinerase Pro + Therapy Skin Smoothing Cleanser

kristinafh — Thu, 10 May 2007 02:55:59 GMT

At my last facial, my skin care consultant pulled out the newest Kinerase Pro + Therapy product line addition - their Skin Smoothing Cleanser. I was ready to resist. And then she said the magic words. This isn't just a cleanser, it's also an exfoliator. Oh my! Total justification for this purchase!

This 2-in-1 formula which contains an Alpha Hydroxy Acid blend of Malic, Lactic, and Citric Acids plus White and Green Tree extracts are dispensed into a nearly fragrance-free, white, fluffy foam of goodness that seamlessly glides across your face.

Kinerase suggests that you use this no more than twice daily and that somewhere between the 4-6 week mark, you switch over to Kinerase Gentle Daily Cleanser in order to avoid over-exfoliating your skin. Based upon the ingredients, I expected some skin irritation however, that never occurred.

And was the extra outlay of cash worth it? I think it was. Kinerase Pro +Therapy Skin Smoothing Cleanser is one of the most gentlest and effective...

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kristinafh says "Hard at work while you sleep" about Elemis Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Night Cream

kristinafh — Thu, 10 May 2007 02:45:42 GMT

I was first introduced to the Elemis skin care line while on a business trip. I decided to slip into a day spa for a facial and I was impressed with the aromatherapy properties of the product line. When I left that day, not only was my face looking brand new, but I slept like a baby that night! I chalk that up to the soothing and relaxing scents that are the trademark of the Elemis product line.

When their Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Night Cream was released, I was anxious to see if their treatment cream, which promised to stimulate my skin's natural cell renewal cycle, could truly make a difference in the appearance of my face. At the same time, I was concerned about how hydrating it would be given that my face is dry and night time is when I like to pamper my skin with as much moisture as possible.

I can report that I have not yet been disappointed with Elemis Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Night Cream. The spicy yet soothing scent relaxes me and nightly, I look forward to smoothing the...

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kristinafh says "Refresh your under-eye skin in less than 15 minutes" about Babor Sensational Eyes Hydro Pads

kristinafh — Thu, 10 May 2007 02:26:58 GMT

If I work at my computer for several hours without taking a break, I find that the skin under my eyes become thin, dark, and dehydrated. I'll never know why I continue to go against conventional wisdom which says I should take a break away from my computer every few hours however, at least I know that I have a product that can make my eyes bounce back in less than fifteen minutes.

Babor Sensational Eyes Hydro Pads are made from a stiff, fleece-like material and they're fragrance and color free. The nutrients included to revive and perk up my under-eye areas include grapefruit extract, witch hazel, and panthenol. In less than fifteen minutes, I can remove the eye pads and find myself looking like I just had a great night of sleep.

My only real complaint about this product is that it feels heavy under my eyes - like maybe it's creating even bigger gulfs!!! It took using two sets of the eye patches before I got over my gosh-this-is-going-to-make-it-worse thought process. Lucky for...

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kristinafh says "Red tea and pomegranate team up against aging" about Ole Henriksen African Red Tea Face Mist

kristinafh — Thu, 10 May 2007 01:55:09 GMT

For years I've known that tea is loaded with antioxidants and as I grow older, I struggle with my inability to get over the bitter taste of it. I've tried disguising the ickiness by adding various flavors but still - I can't mask that blech taste!

Well-respected skin guru Ole Henriksen has given me a reprieve from my guilt with the release of African Red Tea Face Mist. This hydrating facial tonic combines African Red Tea and White Tea along with pomegranate - known for its ability to defend your skin against harmful cancer-causing free radicals.

So, you must be wondering - does it miraculously turn back the hands of time? I'm afraid not. It does though, seem to put a spring into my step - especially when I start to have the post-lunch, crashin'-from-the-carbo-overload-blues.

It's like a shot of caffeine to my face and neck, combined with a subtle fruity/clean scent. Will l buy it again? Maybe. $28 is pretty pricey for an afternoon delight...Still...

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