Diary of a First Time Mom is teaming up with UPMC to help families fight flu season! Although we received some form of compensation for the UPMC AnywhereCare promotion, all opinions remain our own.

Dear Diary,

The weather outside is frightful! But what’s even scarier–flu season. Like today’s snow storm, the flu is cancelling classes across the county, sending students home sick. Last week, I was hit hard with a stomach bug. Then, my daughter started to complain about feeling under the weather. In the past, I had to drag my daughter to the doctor’s office, or leave a message at their office and wait impatiently for a nurse to call me back.

Now, I can receive immediate attention, without ever leaving home, thanks to UPMC AnywhereCare. UPMC AnywhereCare offers patients with non-emergency symptoms quick online access to high-quality care–anytime, anywhere. You use video to connect face-to-face with an online UPMC provider and receive a personal diagnosis and treatment plan if necessary. If needed, they can even send prescriptions directly to your pharmacy.

If your child is three-years-old and up, you can use UPMC AnywhereCare to seek advice for the following conditions:

  • Cold
  • Cough
  • Pink eye
  • Rash
  • Diarrhea
  • Sore throat
  • Vomiting

Just sign up  online. Or you can download the app at the Apple App Store or get it on Google Play.

Meanwhile, I’m making sure I do everything to protect my family from the flu. We received flu shots, and we’re washing our hands with long, soapy scrubs more than usual.

Hey DFTM Fam–What are you doing to ward off the flu? Have you downloaded and used the app yet? If so, share your online experience! You can enter for a chance to win a digital thermometer by registering for UPMC AnywhereCare before March 5th.

About The Author

Vlog Mom/DFTM Creator

Not long ago, Heather Hopson hosted a television show in the Cayman Islands. Today, she's back home writing a different kind of story as a new mom. In her 15 years working as a professional journalist, this by far is her best assignment! Growing up, she dreamed of becoming Oprah Winfrey. She was the features editor for her school’s newspaper and a teen talk show host for her city’s most popular radio station. She went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Michigan State University. After graduation, she worked as a television producer and reporter at CBS, NBC and Fox affiliates throughout the U.S. Instead of heading to Chicago to join Ms. Winfrey on her set, she bought a plane ticket to the Cayman Islands instead. She arrived five days before a category five hurricane! She lived in paradise for seven years, hosted an award-winning television show and traveled the globe with a government delegation. She also served on the board of directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters and spearheaded a Send a Kid to Camp campaign. Then, she relocated to Washington, D.C. to obtain a teaching certification and instruct 8th grade reading at a high needs middle school. She later returned to her hometown of Pittsburgh, PA to raise her daughter Caitlynn, now 4-years-old. During her 10-month-stint as a stay-at-home mom, Caitlynn inspired her to create this blog, and Diary of a First Time Mom was born on Mother’s Day 2012. Two years later, she expanded the family to include 20+ writers. Currently, Heather serves as the communications director at Allies for Children. In addition, she is the owner of Motor Mouth Multimedia, which ranked #49 in Startup Nation’s Home-Based 100 Competition sponsored by Discover Card and Sam’s Club. Recently, The Pittsburgh Foundation and The Heinz Endowments selected Heather to receive an Emerging Black Artist award to develop Diary of a First Time Mom.

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