My husband and I were married on July 2, 2011 in Red Bank, New Jersey. A few months after being married, I found out that I would need a kidney transplant. While this was somewhat of a surprise, it wasn’t something that hadn’t crossed my mind. My Mom was diagnosed with Medullary Cystic Kidney Disease when I was in middle school. She eventually went on to need a kidney transplant. At the time, my Dad was not a match to donate to my Mom, so she went on the UNOS waiting list. Several months of dialysis, she then received a call that there was a kidney for her. My Mom is by far the strongest woman I know. Seeing her strength is what helped me to get through my own transplant.

My symptoms of high blood pressure and rapid elevated kidney function were not the same as my mom’s kidney disease, I had, what our nephrologist  called, “Chronic kidney disease.” We then began our trek in January 2012 to getting listed on the UNOS lists at one hospital per state. My Mom, my Dad, my husband and I would make the drive together where they tried to make me laugh and make light of the long car rides. It was at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania where I was getting over 30 vials of blood drawn to prepare for what was ahead when my husband said he wanted to be my donor. We had never even talked about him being a donor. I was shocked and honored that my husband of only a few months was willing to sacrifice his own life to save mine. That was not something that I had never expected of him. I always envisioned waiting like my Mom had done for a kidney from the UNOS list.

A month later, I was driving to work when I received a call from one of the transplant coordinators that my husband was in fact a candidate to be my donor.  After all of the tears poured down my face, I was parked in the parking lot of my school and I looked up to find the most beautiful rainbow right in front of me. I knew at that moment that this wasn’t by chance, this was fate. I called my husband to tell him the news and we both breathed a sigh of relief. After many trips from New Jersey to Pennsylvania, we decided that the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania was going to be the place we had our kidney transplant. This was the same hospital with the same team of doctors that my Mom had when she had her transplant. When the doctors all remembered her and her transplant, we knew we weren’t just a number and that we are in good hands.

The morning of our transplants, almost one year after getting married, my Dad, my Mom and my sister came to pick up my husband and me to take us to the hospital. My husband’s parents followed us. It was hard knowing our lives were about to change forever. My husband was called in first to be prepped and have surgery first. I remember going in to see him before his surgery and just sobbing that if he wanted to back out, it was OK and that we could just go home and I would wait for a kidney. He told me no, and that he was doing this for me and for our family. He tried to make me laugh with the silly hairnet he was wearing, but I couldn’t help but cry. My husband was about to sacrifice his life and it was all for me. That is the kind of love that every girl dreams of, but just not quite like this.

As I sat in the waiting room with my Mom on one side and my mother-in-law on the other side of me staring at the screen with updates on where my husband was, those minutes felt like an eternity. They both kept telling me to stop looking at the screen and that everything was going to be fine. Well, they were right. When I went in for surgery, all I asked was to see my husband as soon as it was over. I wanted to make sure he was OK. I woke up in the recovery room and my Mom was standing over me and holding my hand. I asked to see my husband and sure enough, they wheeled my bed over to his where he was awake and waiting to go to his room. I was so relieved to see him and so happy that we were both OK.

The next morning when I woke up, I was on a mission to see my husband. They had put us on opposite sides of the floor so we would get up and go see each other. My mom pushed my IV cart as we slowly walked over to his room. When I got to the doorway, he said “Oh man, you’re up and walking already?” It made me laugh and that was when I felt the pain of the transplant. We joke that he made me laugh so hard it hurt. We spent our first wedding anniversary recovering from our transplant. My husband’s kidney is the greatest gift I will ever receive. He gave me a second chance at life and for that, I will be eternally grateful. He is not only my husband, but he is my best friend, my soul mate (by every definition of the word), and the father to our beautiful son.

 

feature image Fernanda Nuso via Unsplash

Melissa Christopher
Tinybeans Voices Contributor

My name is Melissa. I am a mom to an incredible 5 year old boy. My husband, my son, and I live in the same town that I grew up in. In those 5 years of being a mom, I have learned a lot about myself and can't wait to share it with you. 

The U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission is recalling two infant teethers due to choking hazards. Both products contain items that can become dislodged and pose a risk to small children.

Keep reading to see all the details.

PlayGro Clip Clop Infant Activity Rattles

Playgro is recalling its Clip Clop Infant Activity Rattles because the abacus ring on the horses back can come off and release the small beads, posing a choking hazard to small children.

To see if your teether is part of the recall, the affected products contain batch code number 010053 or 010082 printed on the back of the sewn-in seam label. The product package will contain UPC code 9321104011459. Currently no reports have been received of choking.

The teethers were sold at Walmart stores and online at Walmart.com from Nov. 2020 through Jan. 2021 for $5.

If you have an affected product, stop using and contact Playgro for a free placement. The company can be reached at 855-775-2947 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. PT Mon. through Fri., email at customercare@playgro.com, or online at https://us.playgro.com/ and click on the Safety Recall link located at the top of the page or https://form.jotform.com/vgadmin/PlaygroRecall to register on-line for a free replacement or for more information. 

B. toys Firefly Frank Infant Teethers

Battat is voluntarily recalling its B. toys Firefly Frank Infant Teethers. It's been found that the plastic wings can detach from the body of the teether, posing a choking hazard to young children.

The teethers were sold exclusively at Target and Target.com from Jul. 2019 through Feb. 2021 for $6 to $10.

The company has received 14 reports of the wings pulling off or pieces breaking, and one report of a child choking on a part of a broken wing. If you have one of the teethers, immediately take away fro children and return to a Target store for a full refund. Consumers can also contact Battat to return by mail for a full refund.

Call Battat toll-free at 844-963-2479 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST Mon. through Fri., email at recalls@battatco.com or online at www.battatco.com and click on “Recalls” located at the bottom of the page for more information. 

––Karly Wood

All photos: Courtesy of U.S. CPSC

 

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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recently announced a recall for Target’s Cat & Jack baby rompers due to a possible choking hazard. If you have this product or think you have this at home, read on for more info on this important recall.

The current recall includes the Cat & Jack Baby Heart Ears Rompers. According to the CPSC, the heart-shaped graphics on the knee areas could come off the romper. This poses a potential choking hazard. Target has received 40 reports of the hearts detaching and one report of a choking incident.

photo courtesy of U.S. CPSC

This recall includes 44,359 rompers sold in sizes newborn through 24M. The gray rompers have red hearts on the knees and hood, a red and white-striped lining inside the hood, red trim on the pockets, wrists and ankle areas. Along with the colors and decor, the recalled rompers also have snaps on the legs.

Product numbers included in this recall are 206-09-6476, 206-09-6477, 206-09-6478, 206-09-6479, 206-09-6480, 206-09-6481, and 206-09-6482. Find the product numbers on the white tag inside of the romper.

If you have one of the recalled rompers, stop using it immediately. Return the romper to a Target store for a refund. Customers who purchased the romper online at Target.com should contact the company to get a prepaid return label. Contact Target with questions at 800-440-0680 between 7″00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. CT seven days a week or visit Target.com and click on “Recalls.”

—Erica Loop

 

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It’s no secret that people love succulents but when you combine them with whimsical trolls, magic happens! Small business owner of The Drunken Witch Co., Chyenne Rotsch has been collecting old school trolls for years, crafting them into works of art. When she shared her creation on Facebook, it received over 51,000 shares!

Rotsch tells Red Tricycle, “I randomly started buying second hand trolls from thrift and antique stores and wanted to create something different with them. My mom has a huge garden of succulents, so I decided to try some making some as planters with clippings of her plants to sell and they instantly became a hit.”

Rotsch shares just how she creates these one-of-kind treasures by “cleaning and removing their hair. This can be quite the process as vintage adhesive has a strong bond.” Then she drills a hole in their feet for drainage, adds a few pebbles, fills with coconut fiber soil and then a succulent clipping. For extra stability, you can also add a few pebbles on top.

“I think they are just so fun and bring back sweet memories of my childhood all while combining my passion for succulents and plants,” says Rotsch.

Rotsch isn’t currently selling her creations on her Etsy shop, but you can follow her instructions above to make your own. You can also shop The Drunken Witch Co. and pickup a few crystal trolls!

––Karly Wood

 

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Out of the ordinary, strange, unprecedented…However you say it, the last year has been a whirlwind for parents. With these added challenges, moms have shown the world just how extraordinary they are. From balancing at-home learning to taking care of others to helping their communities, so many moms are creating a better story for themselves and for everyone who relies on them.

To celebrate the remarkable power of moms and inspire moms everywhere, we’ve teamed up with Once Upon a Farm, an organic children’s nutrition company co-founded by Jennifer Garner, for our A Better Story Starts Here Contest. Now through March 31st, tell us about a mom who is creating a better story for themselves, their family or their community for a chance to win! We’ll select five honorees who will be featured on the Red Tricycle website and will receive a one-year subscription from Once Upon a Farm, along with a $100 Visa gift card! For each submission received, we’re also giving back to Save the Children—a non-profit organization helping kids grow up healthy, educated and safe across rural America. Red Tricycle is donating $1* and Once Upon a Farm is donating 10 pouches** to support families across the country.

The entry period for this contest has ended. Stay tuned for the winners! Official rules available here.

*Up to $2,500
**Up to 25,000 pouches

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.

HOW TO ENTER: The Contest (“Contest”) will run from 3/22/2021 at 12:00 a.m. PST to 3/31/2021 at 11:59 p.m. PST and will run on the Red Tricycle website. Any entries received after the contest has closed will not be included in the Contest. In order to enter the contest, participants are required to do the following:

  • Submit a short description of a mom who is creating a better story for themselves, their family or their community.
  • Submit their email address and the email address of the mom they’re submitting

Only online entries will be eligible. No print submissions will be accepted for entry into this Contest. Any use of automated or programmed methods of effecting entry is prohibited.

ELIGIBILITY: Open to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and District of Columbia who are 18 years of age or older at time of entry. Employees or Sponsor, their affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising and promotion agencies and their immediate family members and/or those living in the same household of each are not eligible to win the prize package.

SPONSOR: This Contest is sponsored by Once Upon a Farm (“Sponsor”). Sponsor reserves the right to cancel the Contest at any time and substitute another promotion in its place. The Sponsor is deemed to be the party providing the prize package for this Contest. The Sponsor is responsible for prize fulfillment within 30 days of the winner providing requested mailing information. If winner does not receive prize within 45 days, the winner is to email Red Tricycle for follow up (kenzie@tinybeans.go-vip.net). The winner forgoes any prizes after 180 days without follow up.

WINNERS SELECTION: Five winners will be selected within 72 hours after the close of the Contest period from among all eligible entries received during the Contest.

Winners will be determined by Red Tricycle and Sponsor. Entries for winners will be judged on the following criteria:

(50%) Quality of Submission — We’re looking for moms who have made big strides in bettering themselves, their families or their organization

(50%) Adherence to Theme – Remember, this is all about starting a better story.

Weekly winners will be selected from submissions received between the following dates: March 22, 20201 to March 31, 2021.

Winners will have 48 hours to claim their prize or a new winner will be selected. A list of winners can be requested at any time by contacting kenzie@tinybeans.go-vip.net. Red Tricycle is not responsible for electronic transmission errors resulting in omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operations or transmission or alterations of entry materials, or for technical, network, telephone equipment, electronic, computer, hardware or software malfunctions or limitations of any kind, or inaccurate transmissions of or failure to receive winner’s emailed information on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet, email being inadvertently flagged as junk or other email form, or at any website or any combination thereof. Every reasonable attempt will be exhausted prior to prize forfeiture and a new winner being selected, including, but not limited to review of all sub-folders and accounts where emails may inadvertently be directed.

PRIZES/APPROXIMATE RETAIL VALUE: Prize is valued as follows: FIVE (5) PRIZES: One (1) one-year customizable subscription to Once Upon a Farm, valued at $775, and one (1) $100 Visa gift card. Prize winners will be required to submit an IRS W9 form. 

GENERAL: Subject to all federal, state and local laws/regulations. Neither Red Tricycle nor their affiliates will have any liability whatsoever for any injuries, losses or damages of any kind caused by any prize or resulting from acceptance, possession, use and/or misuse of any prize or participation in these promotions. By participating in this promotion, entrants agree to be bound by the Official Rules and the decisions of Red Tricycle, which are final and binding in all respects. Red Tricycle is not responsible for any typographical or other error in the printing of the offer or in administration of the promotion.

INTERNET: Red Tricycle is not responsible for electronic transmission errors resulting in omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operations or transmission or alterations of entry materials, or for technical, network, telephone equipment, electronic, computer, hardware or software malfunctions or limitations of any kind, or inaccurate transmissions of or failure to receive entry information by Red Tricycle on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any website or any combination thereof. If for any reason the promotions are not capable of running as planned for any reason Red Tricycle reserves the right in its sole discretion, to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Contest and select the winners by random drawing from among all eligible entries received from all methods combined up to the point of the action taken by the Red Tricycle.

By submitting a Contest Entry, Contest Entrant warrants and represents that: (a) Contest Entry does not infringe upon the copyrights, trademarks, rights of privacy, publicity or other intellectual property or other legal or moral rights of any person or entity; (b) Contest Entrant owns all rights to the Contest Entry, including without limitation, copyrights, and has received prior written permission from a third party if any Submission was photographed or videoed by someone other than the Contest Entrant him/herself; and (c) Contest Entrant will indemnify and hold harmless the Sponsor, Administrator and related entities, agents and assigns from any claims and damages (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising from or relating to the breach or alleged breach of your representations and warranties herein, the Contest Entry, or Contest Entrant’s conduct in creating the Contest Entry, the acceptance or use of any prize or otherwise in connection with this Contest.

PHOTO SUBMISSIONS/RELEASES: If the photograph or video submission contains any material or elements that are not owned by the entrant and/or which are subject to the rights of third parties, and/or if any persons appear in the photograph or video, the entrant is responsible for obtaining, prior to submission of the photograph or video, any and all releases and consents necessary to permit the exhibition and use of the photograph or video in the manner set forth in these Official Rules without additional compensation. By participating in the Contest, participants give Sponsor and Red Tricycle the right to share participant’s images, videos and text.

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: By entering this Contest, all entrants agree to release, discharge, and hold harmless Sponsor from any claims, losses, and damages arising out of their participation in this Contest or any Contest-related activities and the acceptance and use, misuse, or possession of any prize awarded hereunder. Red Tricycle assumes no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, or delay in operation or transmission; communications line failure; theft or destruction of or unauthorized access to Contest entries or entry forms; or alteration of entries or entry forms. Sponsor is not responsible for any problems with or technical malfunction of any telephone network or lines, computer online systems, servers or providers, computer equipment, software, failure of any entry to be received on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any website, human errors of any kind, or any combination thereof, including any injury or damage to entrants’ or any other persons’ computers related to or resulting from participation, uploading or downloading of any materials related to in this Contest.

RIGHT TO CANCEL OR SUSPEND CONTEST: If for any reason the Contest is not capable of running as planned, due to infection by computer virus, bugs, worms, trojan horses, denial of service attacks, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes beyond the control of Sponsor that corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of this Contest, Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual(s) who tamper with the entry process, and/or to cancel, terminate, modify, or suspend the Contest.

AMENDMENT: Any and all rules and regulations stated within, may be amended for a specific Contest to be in compliance with the rules and regulations of a specific Sponsor. Any amendment of rules and regulations will be stated in the Contest post.

PRIVACY POLICY/DATA COLLECTION: Information provided by you for this Contest is subject to Sponsor’s privacy policy located at https://tinybeans.com/privacy-policy/ (“Privacy Policy”)

 

Music icon Paul McCartney is about to become a children’s book author—again! the Beatle’s book Hey Grandude! garnered plenty of acclaim. Now McCartney is back with a new title that is another can’t-miss for the kiddos.

Random House Children’s Books in the United States and the UK’s Penguin Random House Children’s Books recently announced the sequel to Hey Grandude!, Grandude’s Green Submarine. The new book continues the adventure McCartney started in Hey Grandude!, telling the tale of a magical grandpa and his grandchildren.

photo courtesy of Penguin Random House

The sequel follows Grandude and his grandkids as they search for Nandude!, the music-loving grandmother. McCartney said of the book, in a press release, “I’m really happy with how Hey Grandude! was received, as this was a very personal story for me, celebrating Grandudes everywhere and their relationships and adventures with their grandchildren. I love that it has become a book read to grandkids at bedtime all around the world.”

The musician/children’s book author continued, “I always said if people liked the first book and there was an appetite for more, I would write some further adventures for Grandude—so he’s back and this time with his special invention, Grandude’s green submarine!”

Grandude’s Green Submarine ($18.99) will make its grand debut on Sep. 2, 2021. McCartney’s book is available for pre-order right now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and from Penguin Random House.

—Erica Loop

 

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It’s National Snack Day—and Kellogg’s has a super-sized way to celebrate! The beloved brand recently announced the release of SMORZ Jumbo Snax. Now Kellogg’s is adding to the Jumb Snax line with a brand-new Cinnabon Bakery Inspired Cereal version.

You don’t have to take a trip to the mall’s food court to get the cinnamon-y goodness of Cinnabon. Kellogg’s Cinnabon Bakery Inspired Jumbo Snax bites have the classic taste of the ooey, gooey buns, in a convenient travel-friendly pouch.

photo courtesy of Kellogg’s

Why did Kellogg’s decide to bring back Cinnabon Bakery Inspired Cereal and SMORZ Cereal as jumbo-fied snacks? Erin Storm, senior marketing director of Kellogg All Family Cereal, said in a press release, “Kellogg’s Cinnabon Bakery Inspired Cereal and SMORZ Cereal have incredibly devoted fan bases, and we’ve received numerous social media requests to bring back the cereals.”

Storm continued, “The new Kellogg’s Jumbo Snax additions give fans what they desire—another way to satisfy their cereal cravings, anytime, anywhere, with two new melt-in-your-mouth flavors.”

Along with the new Cinnabon and SMORZ flavors, look for other Jumbo Snax varieties in the cereal aisle, including Fruit Loops, Corn Pops, Frosted Flakes Tiger Paws, and Apple Jacks. Find Kellogg’s Cinnabon Bakery Inspired Jumbo Snax in retailers nationwide starting this April for the suggested retail price of $5.49 for a 12-pouch multipack.

—Erica Loop

 

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New Kellogg’s Cereal Mashup Is Breakfast Bliss

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Lisa Tschirlig Hoelzle’s two kids were only playing in the basement for 10 minutes when her son Noah came in with news. Abigail had “something stuck in her hair,” and that something turned out to be a mom’s worst nightmare.

Noah had poured an entire container of “Bunchems” on Abigail’s hair––tiny velcro toys that are normally used to create shapes and animals. The little girl now had nearly 150 of the sticky toys tangled in her hair––a result of the kiddos trying to get them out before calling on mom. Lisa describes the coming ordeal as an “out of body experience” and we tend to agree.

Overall, it took 20 hours for Lisa to remove the tangly toys, using a combination of mineral oil, a comb and a whole lot of patience. Mom even shared with Red Tricycle that “The true miracle was that my Abigail was so amazing with it she was comforting my tears

❤️
.”

Since the ordeal, Lisa shares that she has received countless photos from other families who’ve all dealt with the issue. She was even contacted by an elementary teacher who purchased them for indoor play and one Bunchem got stuck in a student’s hair. The teacher shared that it took the assistant principal and nurse an hour to get out one!

Lisa has filed a formal complain with Spin Master, the maker of Bunchems, especially pointing out the warning label that says “may get tangled in your hair” is not strong enough. She says that an additional warning should be included that addresses that the toys can can become matted in hair––and that including a shower cap would definitely help!

––Karly Wood

 

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I was challenged to write a piece about a word that I would erase. I chose the word Label and here’s why: 

Red flags. 

There were always red flags. 

I didn’t want to see them. 

I didn’t acknowledge them

I didn’t want to admit that something wasn’t right. 

I justified. 

I enabled. 

I made excuses. 

I was scared.

Not of autism.

Looking back I didn’t even know enough about autism to be scared of it. 

The label. 

The label was what I feared the most. 

I vividly remember thinking that something isn’t right, but a label isn’t going to make anything better. 

To me a label was failure. 

It was a limitation. 

It was closing the door on my son’s future.

It was giving up. 

And it was this beautiful journey of autism that showed me how wrong I was. 

Because that label saved us. 

That label is something I am so proud of now.

That label got my son everything he needed and more. 

That label took away his limitations.

It gave him a fighting chance.

That label created a glass ceiling that he shatters every day.

That label gave me the most amazing support system with other moms that children received that same label. 

The best decision I have ever made was making sure my son received the label of autism. 

Coming to terms that the label will always be apart of our lives was a hard pill to swallow. 

It’s still something that sometimes gets the best of me. 

But in the quiet times of the hard, it’s something that I couldn’t be more thankful for. 

I think back to that mom that was at the beginning of the journey. 

A journey she didn’t want to embrace.

A journey she didn’t even know she was on.

A journey she wanted to go away.

A journey that she couldn’t imagine being part of her life.

A journey that would change her for all the right reasons. 

That mom opened her heart to that label. 

She made a decision to accept that label and everything that came with it. 

The good. 

The bad.

The pretty.

The ugly.

The setbacks. 

The victories. 

And that same mom that was so scared of that label, realizes now there was nothing to fear. 

That mom now embraces that label.

That mom now loves that label.

Because that label was always there.

That label was always part of her son.

Intertwined in those red flags that she didn’t want to see.

In those red flags that she now sees and embraces because of that label. 

Don’t fear the label my friends, fear the life you would be missing out on without that label. 

That label will always be part of what makes my son who he is.

That label will never determine what he can and cannot do.

But that label will always make me proud of anything we face and overcome.

And for that, I will always be thankful that the label of autism is a part of our lives. 

And as for that mom starting on a journey she never thought would be part of her life, I hope she’s just as proud of me as I am of my son. 

We’ve both come such a long way since we received the label.

And together we will continue to walk over shattered glass. 

 

Shannon is a proud boy mom, Hairstylist, and passionate Autism Advocate. She lives in New Orleans, Louisiana with her two sons Murphy (5) and Merrick (2).  Murphy was diagnosed with Autism at the age of 3. Follow her family as they journey through Autism together on Adventures in Autism with Murphy Facebook and Instagram page.