So much for saying in my last post that I was almost back to feeling 100%. Another week and two trips to the doctor have gone by and I’m just now starting to feel a bit better. The wife also developed a brief, mild cold during this time. In other words, she’s has been taking care of the baby by herself for two weeks on a tank that’s near empty. Something she’s not exactly thrilled about.
For these past two weeks, I’ve had to endure constant lectures from the wife about how weak my body is and how susceptible it is to colds. But the fact is, my body is not weak and it’s not any more susceptible to colds than the average person. I just don't really take care of myself when I do get a cold. If anything, I would go out on a limb and say that my body’s actually less susceptible to colds than the average person.
According to medical studies, adults have around 2-4 colds a year. I’m going to assume most of these people have regular office jobs. I, on the other hand, work at a school where the risk of catching something from a student runs a lot higher.
When I first got into teaching, I was sick just about every week. There was no avoiding it. Try not getting sick when you’re surrounded by kids that cough without covering their mouth, have runny noses, and don’t wash their hands. In short, they’re walking germ factories. But through the years, I developed an immune system that cut back the number of times I got sick.
If the average person gets sick 2-4 times a year, then I’ll say I probably get sick 3-5 times a year. That’s being sick once every 2.4 to 4 months. Not too shabby for working in a high-risk zone if you ask me. So, instead of going around and telling people how sickly I am, the wife should actually praise me for not getting sick more often.
We’ve both been surprised at how Caitlyn hasn’t gotten sick yet from all the coughing that’s been going on. But in reality, maybe we really shouldn’t be.
This is because during pregnancy, antibody-like proteins called immunoglobulin G (IgG), made in the mother's immune system, make their way across the placenta and into the baby's body. These immunoglobulins stick around for several months and are considered the most important antibodies for fending off bacterial and viral infections. They give babies an added level of protection during the time in which they are not effectively able to make their own antibodies.
Babies that are also breastfed continue to receive other immunoglobulins, proteins, and minerals from their mother. This process is called passive immunity because the mother is “passively” passing on her antibodies to her child. These immunoglobulins also help prevent babies from developing diseases and infections.
However, infants gradually get less and less benefit from their mother's antibodies as time passes by. A baby's immune system will continue developing during the first 12 months of life, but critically, it is at its weakest at around 6 months of age. This is the period between when the protection passed on from their mother starts to decrease and they are able to develop their own immunity.
For these past two weeks, I’ve had to endure constant lectures from the wife about how weak my body is and how susceptible it is to colds. But the fact is, my body is not weak and it’s not any more susceptible to colds than the average person. I just don't really take care of myself when I do get a cold. If anything, I would go out on a limb and say that my body’s actually less susceptible to colds than the average person.
According to medical studies, adults have around 2-4 colds a year. I’m going to assume most of these people have regular office jobs. I, on the other hand, work at a school where the risk of catching something from a student runs a lot higher.
When I first got into teaching, I was sick just about every week. There was no avoiding it. Try not getting sick when you’re surrounded by kids that cough without covering their mouth, have runny noses, and don’t wash their hands. In short, they’re walking germ factories. But through the years, I developed an immune system that cut back the number of times I got sick.
If the average person gets sick 2-4 times a year, then I’ll say I probably get sick 3-5 times a year. That’s being sick once every 2.4 to 4 months. Not too shabby for working in a high-risk zone if you ask me. So, instead of going around and telling people how sickly I am, the wife should actually praise me for not getting sick more often.
We’ve both been surprised at how Caitlyn hasn’t gotten sick yet from all the coughing that’s been going on. But in reality, maybe we really shouldn’t be.
This is because during pregnancy, antibody-like proteins called immunoglobulin G (IgG), made in the mother's immune system, make their way across the placenta and into the baby's body. These immunoglobulins stick around for several months and are considered the most important antibodies for fending off bacterial and viral infections. They give babies an added level of protection during the time in which they are not effectively able to make their own antibodies.
Babies that are also breastfed continue to receive other immunoglobulins, proteins, and minerals from their mother. This process is called passive immunity because the mother is “passively” passing on her antibodies to her child. These immunoglobulins also help prevent babies from developing diseases and infections.
However, infants gradually get less and less benefit from their mother's antibodies as time passes by. A baby's immune system will continue developing during the first 12 months of life, but critically, it is at its weakest at around 6 months of age. This is the period between when the protection passed on from their mother starts to decrease and they are able to develop their own immunity.
This why we’ve heard so many stories of other people’s babies getting sick after 6 months. So perhaps it’s a good thing I’m having my cold right now. Might as well put those immunoglobulins to work before they’re gone!
Speaking of getting sick, I'm currently teaching on the topic of health and what people can do to stay healthy. One way is to laugh. Did you know that babies laugh around 300 times a day while adults only laugh about 10-17 times? On that note, here's a joke to bring a chuckle out of you!
Question: What do you get when you cross a baby with soldiers?
Answer: Infantry!
Hyuk, hyuk, hyuk!
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| Cuter in overalls than a dress |
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| Grandpa and Caitlyn |
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| Practicing how to sit |
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| Trying to encourage her to crawl |
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| Look Ma! No hands! |
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| Sorry for making you sick! |
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| Trying on her new pj's |
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| Playtime with Ms. Bunny |
Caitlyn has now mastered the fake cry
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