Baked Parmesan Tilapia

Warning: This my first attempt at a "foodie post"
This is one of our family favorites. Believe it or not, Tilapia is something I can fix, and everyone in my family is happy. This is definitely not a healthy variety, but it sure is tasty :) I found a couple of recipes on Food.com and combined them to get this. Enjoy!

Baked Parmesan Tilapia

Ingredients:

6 thawed tilapia fillets

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 lemon

two scallions finely chopped

2 cloves garlic finely chopped

salt

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese (we use the kind in a can)

Directions:

Cover a flat baking sheet with tin foil (one with edges is preferable so the juices don't run off). Move the top rack in your oven to the second highest placement. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

In a bowl combine the mayo, scallions, garlic and salt (about 1/4 tsp). Cut your lemon in half and squeeze half of the lemon juice into the mayo mixture, and stir in along with the parmesan cheese. If it seems runny to you, add more cheese. The consistency should be slightly thicker than the plain mayo.

Place the tilapia fillets on the tin foil, and drizzle the melted butter over each individual fillet. Sprinkle salt over the fish, and then squeeze the remaining half of lemon juice onto each piece. Take the mayo mixture and put a scoop on each fillet and spread it so the top of each is completely covered.

Place in the oven and cook for 12-15 minutes. Check the fish, it will be done when the fish flakes (pulls apart) easily, and the top is starting to brown. Depending on the thickness of your fish it may take up to 20 min. to finish.

Serve it with a nice starch, some veggies and you've got yourself a delicious meal!

Handbook Installment 1

Being prepared: Lists of items for doctors visits and hospital stays

Having a sick child can be a scary thing. Especially when they are medically fragile. Keeping your head on straight and being able to think of all the things you might need can be stressful just when you don't need any more stress. So, the trick is to have it all prepared before hand, so all you have to do is grab your bag and run.
The following is a list of things to always have in the "diaper bag". If this seems like too much stuff to constantly carry around, keep the list in the diaper bag and make sure you have the items before you head to the doctor's office. I've made a couple different lists because an infant's needs are going to be different from a toddler's needs, and even more different than an older child. Medically fragile children are constantly at one doctor or the other. This list is what I had every time i went to the doctor and the reasoning behind it. You will need to modify it to the specific needs of your child.

Infant Diaper bag

• diapers (I usually had around 10)
• wipes (full package, these are great for cleaning more than just little bottoms)
• two full outfits
• extra receiving blanket
• pacifier (or two)
• diaper rash ointment
• enough water and formula for at least two feedings. (My son had an extra calorie mixture so I had these pre-mixed in little containers). ( if your child has a GTube, then whatever supplies are needed for that) (and if you are able to breast feed you are beyond lucky!)
• list of current medications and doses and times given (many times your doctors office has a program you can sign up with, and they will print off for you your child's complete medical history, including medications, doctors, past surgeries etc.)
• comfort items (favorite toy, blanket, etc.)
• snacks for mom (enough to tide over a skipped meal)
• book, magazine, something for mom's (or dad's) entertainment
• an extra shirt for mom/dad (barf, poop, pee happens, usually on you!)

Toddler Diaper Bag:

• diapers
• wipes
• one complete outfit
• four hours worth of food (in whatever form your child takes it)
• medical history
• entertainment for child (toys, books, other)
• comfort item for child (for us this was an iPod, nothing soothes him like music, and with headphones placed close to his head he was able to hear the music, without disturbing others. We also put a couple of his favorite videos on it, priceless for the extra long doctor's visits)
• food for parent
• Entertainment for parent (book, magazine, smart phone, etc)

These are basic items that any child/parent will need (yes need). Depending on the medical condition of your child there may be other items you should bring each time, for example oxygen, dressings/bandages, pain medicine, any medicine that needs to be administered at a certain times, ways to protect your child from exposure to other things (like a blanket to throw over the infant carrier or stroller) I usually estimated things would take an hour longer than anticipated, and two hours longer if I thought extra tests would be run.

Speaking from experience, and much time spent at the doctor's office, it is much better to be over prepared then under. If you have the things you might need, then you don't have to stress about the little things and be able to concentrate on what the doctor is telling you. It is so hard to be anywhere, and not have the things you need to help your child be comfortable and happy.

Extra tips: Write down the symptoms you are concerned about. I found that without fail I would start talking to the doctor and not be able to remember everything I was going to say. I'd get flustered and feel silly. Also, when you sign in at your doctors office, request to be put in a room immediately. You'll have to wait for the same amount of time to see the doctor, but it wont be in the waiting room with all the sick children.

Being prepared for a hospital visit

If you think there might be something seriously wrong with your child, there are a few more items you should be prepared with.
For the first year of my son's life I had a toiletry bag ready to go. Whenever I felt he might need extra medical help, I would take it along. These are the items I included- things that will tide you over until someone can bring you long-term supplies.

Toiletry Bag

• travel toothbrush (one with a lid so it could just go back in the bag)
• toothpaste
• contact solution
• contact case
• extra pair of contacts
• disposable razor
• shampoo
• body wash
• travel size deodorant
• fingernail clippers
• lotion
• chapstick/ lip gloss
• pair of glasses (throw these in last minute)
• mini notepad and pen
• hair tie, clips, etc.
• mini brush/comb

If you don't have an extra shirt in your diaper bag, bring along one of those too. And if you feel inspired to bring an extra shirt, you might want to throw in a clean pair of socks, because wearing dirty socks for three days can get kind of stinky.... literally.

Hospital stays

When your child is medically fragile it is good to have a game plan/philosophy for the inevitable hospital stay. After having to leave our little one every night for three months when he was in the NICU, we decided we would not be leaving him alone in the hospital again. As a result, one of us is always in the hospital with our son. Most pediatric rooms have a fold out bed, some more comfortable than others :-). I have friends who do better if they go home every day, and others who split the week between home and the hospital. The distance of your home from the hospital will also help determine some of the logistics of a hospital stay.

The following is a list of items it is good to have for hospital stays. In our situation hospitalizations have occurred in hospitals more than an hour and a half away, so running home for something, or for meals, etc. hasn't been an option. This list is assuming the hospital stay will be for a week or less

Hospital list
Clothes

• One shirt for each day you think you'll be there (usually each shirt can be worn more than once, but this will insure you have enough in case your stay is extended, or if you are spit up on, etc)
• A pair of pants per every 2-3 days
• Enough under garments for one per day, plus an extra (inevitably you are there longer than the doctors say. If you want a more realistic time frame, ask the attending nurse what the average stay is for whatever type of procedure/issue you are in for.)
• Socks (again, pack an extra pair or two)
• Slippers or flip flops for the middle of the night. (I usually end up getting up at least once in the middle of the night to see to my child's needs, help the nurse, etc., it is nice to not have to either walk around barefoot, or have to put on my socks and shoes to do so)
• Pair of pajamas or sweats (choose something you wouldn't feel embarrassed having the nurses, doctors, or techs seeing you in because blood work, rounds, and doctor visits usually occur between 5:00 and 9:00 in morning, typically before 7:00 a.m. in my experience.)
• Jacket/sweatshirt (even if it is summer outside, hospital rooms are generally cold)

General note: choose clothing you are going to be comfortable in, -in my experience you will spend at least one day holding your child for hours on end in a hospital chair going numb and not wanting to move a muscle because your child has finally found a comfortable position and stopped crying. Comfy clothes are a must. Also items that you don't care about getting potentially stained (throw up happens, and medicine doesn't
always go where it is supposed to).

Entertainment

• Books (I suggest a variety of types of reading material... A least for me my mindset tends to differ from day to day, so what I feel Iike reading changes as well)
• Laptop/iPad (while these aren't necessary they provide convenient access to the outside world, and a different type of diversion... Most hospitals now have free wifi)
• Cell phone and charger (I would state firmly that a cell phone is a necessity for a family with a medically fragile child. Even if it is just one you add minutes to as needed, there are so many things you will have to address from the hospital, family to keep updated, neighbors/friends to enlist help from, a spouse (hopefully) to coordinate things with, not to mention the very basic fact that it can get lonely sitting in a hospital room day after day with no other adult interaction than that of the occasional visitor, and the personnel assigned to your child)
• Something to do that doesn't require much thought or focus (Hand work like Knitting or crocheting, card games, doodle pads, cross word puzzles, word games, etc. )

Food

• Food can get expensive, and it can be hard to coordinate time to slip away with the hours of the cafeteria, etc. So it is always good to have a few snacks in your bag to tide you over a skipped meal, or just for those times you need something to munch on. Choose things that have protein and that can be more filling than candy and chips, although those things have a place too. Believe me, the need for comfort food (chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate) is very real, and paying $1.50 for a candy bar.... bites.
• Every hospital I've been to provides ice water for parents, and some provide coffee.

Items for the hospitalized child

• comfort items- favorite blanket, stuffed animal, music, etc.
• entertainment: favorite music, videos, or toys
• anything you can think of to make the stay easier for your child. For example, my son refuses to drink from a rubber nipple, it has to be silicone, so I always have one with me in case the hospital doesn't carry one.
• communication devices (if needed)

*** Hospital stays are hard, emotional, stressful times, for you and your child. Being prepared, and taking care of your needs will give you the strength and ability to take care of your child during this hard time.