SNS killed my blog

Wow, it’s been ages, Blog!  Hello, hello, hello!

Ready for Christmas

I can finally move on.  This weekend, my mom’s urinalysis results reveal that everything is back to normal and her doctor has ordered her to stop taking her oral medication.  Yey!  

What I wish my city has

I’ve been absent from work for almost two weeks now since my mom was hospitalized for severe sepsis.  Her primary complaint was her hyperacidity, but at the onset, my aunt, who’s a doctor, ordered a urinalysis and discovered overwhelming infection, probably from a urinary tract infection [which has been recurring this year].  To make the story short, we are now in Cagayan De Oro City, and my mother is recuperating from a lithotripsy as it was discovered that the source of her infection was actually a kidney stone that has already lodged in her urethra.

Lauat Hair Treatment Shampoo

I’ve been meaning to write about this shampoo that I’ve been using for almost three months now, especially that I’ve made several entries on other falling hair treatment shampoos in the past. 

Silver Linings, one more time

Together with H, I accompanied my mom and her friend [who’s my close friend’s mother] to the 3^rd Silver Linings held at Grand Regal Hotel, Davao City.  This event, which was organized by icanserve foundation, is held every three years, gathering [breast] cancer patients, survivors and their families and friends.  It’s regarded as a homecoming, where the breast sisters and their families come as one to support each other and to empower themselves how to cope and fight the blasted disease.

Vaping

Hubby’s no longer smoking; he’s now “vaping”.  Is there such a word?

I bet only a few would know what I am talking about, especially in this part of the world.  Vaping is the word used when somebody is “smoking” an electronic cigarette.

What’s an electronic cigarette?  Wikipedia gives an elaborate discussion here.

I had accidentally read about ecigs while I was reading a blog about South Korea already imposing strict penalties for smoking in non-smoking areas and the writer was suggesting ecigs as an alternative.  I immediately searched about it and almost ended ordering online from a store based in the US.  Thankfully, I was able to search a little more and found a supplier in Manila.

The ecig has been around for more than six years.  I read it was invented in China and the latter is the primary supplier across the world.  When we went to Japan, I saw the ecigs on the counter as well [made in Japan, of course].  It’s legal to use the ecig in Japan and China [but illegal in Hong Kong!], some parts in Europe and some states in the US.

In the Philippines, the electronic cigarette is not a familiar device as an alternative to “analog” smoking, hehehe.  I remember during our trip to Europe, my hubby told me about this man who keeps smoking but his cigarette somehow did not run out.  That man must have been vaping, not smoking.  Then, my nephew recently told me while he was in an elevator, two Korean men were ridiculously smoking inside the elevator and he prepared himself to tell them to stop, until he noticed that the cigarettes were not “burning” when they were not inhaled.  That’s not smoke, boy, that’s vapor!

Hubby and I have reviewed our laws and as for now, there aren’t any laws banning the use of electronic cigarettes.  The electronic cigarette is not even covered by the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003, so technically it’s not covered by the “no smoking” policy because THERE IS NO SMOKE, ONLY VAPOR (like what happens when water is boiling).

I fully support the electronic cigarette as it is the only way for the smokers and the non-smokers to co-exist.  There is no secondhand smoke in vaping, so vape all you want, smokers!  I don’t believe the @hit about its potential dangers, because my gawd, HOW COULD THEY EVEN LEGALIZE TOBACCO SMOKING with its certain and absolute health hazards?  My stand is that, these users of ecigs are already addicted to nicotine and whether or not they smoke analogs or electronics, they are facing health hazards.  It has been repeatedly told that a single cigarette carries with it at least 4000 harmful substances to one’s body [and the passive smokers!].  How could that even compare to the LESS THAN TEN harmful ones present in the ecigs [as they say]?  The bulk of the harm in analog cigarettes is in the burning process which produces tar and carbon monoxide, among others.  In a single analog cigarette, there is 1.2mg of nicotine and 6mg of tar.  My husband, in his desire to quit smoking, was on the verge of buying a herbal cigarette but the consistent review against it is that since the herbs are still burned, there isn’t much of a difference with the tobacco based cigarette.  Thus, he’s on the ecig because it’s not lighted.

Of course, I am against both smoking and vaping because it is an addiction to nicotine.  However, it’s better that there is a lesser evil which will not harm us non smokers who wants to live healthily.  Ecigs are not harmless but they are less harmful.  It’s also cool that the liquid nicotine in the ecig come in different amounts of nicotine – 36mg, 24mg, 11mg, 6mg and NO NICOTINE because the users can control the amount and hopefully reach the point when they stop the addiction.

My hubby loves his ecig and has bought and ordered all the gadgets that comes along with it (extra battery, extra atomizer, eliquids in Marlboro flavor, etc.)  I have to say that I am most happy with the ecig.  There is no longer the annoying smell of tobacco in the air and we are co-existing happily [before he had to go out of the house all the way to the gate to smoke]. He no longer smells of tobacco too.   I also like it that he will no longer be offending and exposing innocent people to harmful smoke [vapor almost immediately vanishes as soon as it appears, I can’t even smell it].  My husband no longer likes the smell of tobacco smoke [yup!].  His lungs have cleared up and his sense of smell has returned that he is more sensitive to smell than me.  He has lost his smoker’s cough too.

Hubby is using a DSE 905 [Nomad/Screwdriver] model just like the picture in this post.  He wanted the model that will not be a replica of the analog cigarette.  The DSE 905 looks like a screwdriver and the led light is blue when he inhales it.  Presently, his cartridges are those with 24mg of nicotine, Marlboro Red flavor [yup, there are flavors too!].  He intends to lower the nicotine content slowly until he reaches ZERO NICOTINE CONTENT and if that happens, the ecig will just become a pacifier, hehehe.

I was kinda apprehensive if he could carry the ecig on the plane because we went to Japan earlier this month.  We passed by the metal detectors without any issue.  Several times during our domestic flights and international flights, he vaped on the plane stealthily and he went unnoticed because he made sure the vapor will not be visible [which happens when he holds it in a few seconds more].  He freely vaped in Japan too.

They say using the ecig is way cheaper than smoking analogs but that only applies to the Western countries where the cigarettes are so expensive.  In the Philippines, the cost of using an ecig and the analog is more or less the same, but you have to shell out a substantial amount when you start.

I bought my brother a DSE 901 in Japan as my pasalubong [because he was so jealous of hubby’s new toy].  He wants his with the appearance of the analog cigarette and the tip of the ecig lights up like a cigarette burning every time he inhales it.  His nicotine liquid flavor is Marlboro Menthol, hahaha.  Hubby’s friends are asking me about it too cause they want one their own as well [should I start distributing it in our city?], hehehe.

my brother's ecig ^___^

Our bone

My mother’s latest check up revealed that the suspicious “hot spots” on her bone scan are not metastatic lesions (thank God!).  Instead, it’s a bone disease consistent with age and since its asymptomatic, she will not be taking medications for it.

Last December, my mother-in-law slipped and there was no improvement on the condition of the damage to her bones that today, she successfully underwent surgery to put another steel brace in her other leg.

This got me thinking that we rarely pay attention to our bone health.  Emphasis is more given to controlling cholesterol count, blood sugar count, etc., but we just neglect examining our bones.  I only started drinking milk a few years back.

About ten years ago, I visited a bone specialist because of my consistent back pain.  After a series of tests, I was diagnosed with scholiosis.  According to my doctor, there wasn’t anything I can do about it because with my age that time, my bones were not growing anymore to correct the disorder.  Then, he said, since the span of time was quite long already with only a slight disfigure of my spine, I could live with it since the disorder was not progressive.  Even then, he instructed me and showed me some back exercises to do to make my spine stronger [which I did not follow, unless my back ached].

Due to the bone issues in the family, I read around on the matter of bone health.  I saw this post at supermarketguru informative:

You’ve heard it before – but taking care of your bones is critical; and while we all know the bone strengthening benefits from consuming lots of dairy products, and fruits and vegetables, there is a lot more you should know.Diets that are significantly high in protein (like many low-carb diets) can lead to loss of calcium in the body’s system. It was shown in a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that vegetable protein helps to retain more calcium in the bones than animal protein. While fish and reduced fat dairy products don’t seem to be a problem, other animal protein should be limited to 10 to 20 percent of your daily calories from protein if you are concerned about your bone health.

Diets that are high in sodium can also lead to a loss of sodium in the urine, especially in postmenopausal women. A good rule to follow is to avoid adding salt to your foods and try to avoid as much high sodium fast food and processed foods that you can – and always read that label to see just how much sodium is in the foods you are eating. The new recommended guideline for most healthy Americans is to consume less than 2,400 mg a day of sodium.

The European Journal of Nutrition recently found that two glasses of soymilk a day was protective in preventing bone loss. This is thought to occur because the phytoestrogen compounds in soy known as isoflavones prevent the loss of bone. Soy of course can be obtained from other soy foods such as tempeh, edamame (green soybeans), tofu, and soy nuts. Soy supplements from a synthetic isoflavone have not shown any bone benefit though, and may reduce the number of white blood cells in some people.

Moderate consumption of alcohol has also been shown to increase bone density, although drinking too much leads to lower than normal bone density and fractures. That is because high alcohol intake can inhibit your ability to absorb calcium. In the elderly, drinking causes a loss of balance and can therefore increase the risk of falling. So moderation is key, and that means no more than two drinks a day for men and one drink a day for women.

Caffeine should be consumed in moderation if you are concerned about bone density. The consumption of more than 400 mg of caffeine (the equivalent of four 6-ounce cups of coffee) has been linked to lower bone density in women and a higher fracture risk. This may be caused by caffeine blocking calcium absorption. A good alternative is tea, because it has less caffeine and may actually increase your bone density. Tea (black, green, or oolong) may strengthen bones because of flavonoids and fluoride that naturally occur in tea.

And for those heavy soda drinkers – here’s a warning – many studies report that carbonated soft drinks also increase the loss of bone.

Hope this post will get you thinking about your bone health too!

Pink October

The month of October is International Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  In seeking to create increased awareness of breast cancer, its primary purpose is to provide information for women about steps they can take to detect the disease early and to provide vital information and support to those affected by the disease.  I’m showing my support for this cause by making this entry here.

Until my mother was diagnosed with early breast cancer two years ago, I did not care less for the pamphlets, posters and the like with pink ribbons on it.  I usually see it in hospitals, particularly in the clinics of OB-Gyns.  After my mother’s diagnosis, my eyes have grown so alert in detecting them and reading the useful information it conveys.

When I hear of breast cancer, I repeatedly get an earful of how helpful a monthly breast exam can do to detect breast cancer in its early stage (hopefully it’s early).  The exam is so that one will “get to know” her breasts and determine what’s normal for her so that she can immediately go to the doctor if she notes some changes in them.

The proper way to do a self-breast exam is:

Begin by looking at your breasts in the mirror with your shoulders straight and your arms on your hips. Look for any changes in the size, shape, and color. Look for any dimpling, puckering, or bulging of the skin. Has the nipple changed position or become inverted? Is there redness, soreness, a rash, or swelling?

Now, raise your arms and look for the same changes.

While you’re at the mirror, gently squeeze each nipple between your finger and thumb and check for nipple discharge (this could be a milky or yellow fluid or blood).

Next, feel your breasts while lying down, using your right hand to feel your left breast and then your left hand to feel your right breast. Use a firm, smooth touch with the first few fingers of your hand, keeping the fingers flat and together. Cover the entire breast from top to bottom, side to side—from your collarbone to the top of your abdomen, and from your armpit to your cleavage. Follow a regular grid pattern, so that no areas are missed.Begin examining each area with a very soft touch, and then increase pressure so that you can feel the deeper tissue, down to your ribcage.

Finally, feel your breasts while you are standing or sitting. Many women find that the easiest way to feel their breasts is when their skin is wet and slippery, so they like to do this step in the shower. Cover your entire breast, using the same hand movements described in Step 4.

It is encouraged to do this exam monthly with these questions in mind:

1.  Has their shape changed since the last examination?

2.  Does the nipple look different?

3.  Is there any noticeable swelling in the armpit?

4.  Are there any unusual lumps or thickening in the breasts?

The steps sound so harmless, but you don’t know how anxious I get every time I do self-breast exam.  I don’t only do it once a month, but so frequently, especially when I take a shower.  I do the breast exam while lying down anywhere within the 8th to 1oth day from my period because I understand, these are the “quiet” days as there aren’t too much “hormonal activities” going on in my body – so there shouldn’t be lumps there.  I say this because during and immediately before my period, I really do feel some usual lumps in them (and I suddenly cannot wait for the period to end so that I can see if they’ll disappear!) and they get so tender.  The lumpiness and the tenderness vanish when I finish my period though (thank God!).

It is never said enough.  You have never heard it until you actually listen.

Again, sacrificing redundancy for the sake of emphasis: “Do self-breast exam regularly.”

Outpatient Care

To Cagayan de Oro City and back within twelve hours.

My mom, my brother and I were at the Cagayan de Oro Medical Center for my mom’s monthly biphosphonates infusion yesterday. It was tiring, yes, but it went well, so thank God.

Despite the land travel of three and a half hours (7 round trip by private car), I prefer getting her infusions there because all we ever prepare for is only to pay for the medicine (which is not cheap) and then we proceed to the chemotherapy room (though my mom’s not on chemo) and that’s about it. Our doctor’s secretary just let her sign the Philhealth forms and get my mom’s MDR (this is a member’s record issued by PHIC) and we go home free from other financial concerns immediately after (the new medicine now only takes 15 minutes).

The professional fees of her medical oncologist is only that paid by PHIC. I think this is because of the fact that my sister is a fellow doctor (and her former student) and it’s in their law on ethics (daw) that doctors should not charge professional fees on the immediate families of fellow doctors.

The hospital charges for the use of the facilities of the chemotherapy room as well as all the other incidental expenses thereto (like supplies – gloves, dextrose, etc.) are all paid for by PHIC.

Sadly, this is not the scenario in Manila. Whenever my mom is in Manila, she gets her infusions at the hospital where her primary medical oncologist holds clinic (who is likewise the teacher of my mom’s medical oncologist in CDO). It may be because her doctor does not know that my sister is a fellow doctor, (currently a resident in PGH where he is also the head consultant in Oncology) that he charges exorbitant professional fees for my mom every time he sees her during infusions (on top of the amount PHIC pays him). Of course, he should be paid for his services. As my mom says, it’s better to pay well so that she’ll be healed, hehehe. I really don’t care about the fees but he only stays there for a maximum of ten minutes and leave (when the process is two hours long), so that’s why I feel that the P 3,000.00 we paid him is too much. Oh well, maybe not, considering his standing in his field. Whatever.

But that’s not the point of this entry.

In that hospital in Manila, they don’t allow outpatient services to avail of the PHIC benefits. We have to pay for the chemotherapy facility services and the incidental supplies (no problem with the medicine as it is the same policy with CDO). If we want PHIC to shoulder the costs, we file for REIMBURSEMENT ourselves before the PHIC office here.

If I had the time (and if I could only express myself well in Filipino, hehehe), I would have complained and insisted on the law but what the heck, it’s not even that substantial an amount (er, not so since it’s less than P 2,000.00…). Nevertheless, the policy is anti-outpatient – it’s like luring the patients to “check in” instead so that they don’t have to file for reimbursement.

There’s nothing wrong with reimbursement if the latter would be a swift process, but it’s not. Apart from the ping-pong instructions and requirements given in tidbits by a PHIC employee, one has to wait at least 90 days to be paid. Ninety days is not short — in my mom’s case, she would have incurred additional three months worth of treatments again before she receives the reimbursement for the one she got four months ago. Aigoo.

In fairness to that hospital, it must also be because of this reason that they don’t allow outpatient services to avail of the PHIC benefits. I’m assuming it takes about the same time to collect their charges from PHIC for the in-patients, and disallowing out-patients on availing PHIC benefits would make a difference — it’s cash versus accounts receivable and cash is certainly better because it’s liquid. This is on the hospital’s perspective.

In my point of view, it’s outpatient welfare versus hospital interest and I need not write which should prevail between the two because it’s so glaringly obvious.

It would be nicer if that hospital would be a little less selfish and patient friendly, like the ones here in the provinces.

August 1

Very early on this day, I woke up to the sad news that my uncle passed away at 4:30 am.  As the conversation with my mom was about to end, she belatedly told me, “and Cory Aquino died earlier at 3:18 am”.

First on Tita Cory.  Yes, I am sad that we have lost our Icon of Democracy but more than that, I am sadder because cancer took her away.  Tita Cory had been my mother’s inspiration in her brave fight against this blasted disease.  In times when my mother would falter in her treatments and ready to surrender everything to the will of God and stop her treatments, we always reminded her of Tita Cory who had to undergo surgery, chemotheraphy and radiation therapy in her ripe age.  Somehow, my mom would again gather courage from Tita Cory’s strength and continue with hers.  In fact, when we first heard of my mother’s cancer likely spreading to the spine, we went to Makati Medical Center for second opinion and we trusted the findings there because “it was where Tita Cory was being treated”.  I haven’t had the chance to talk about Tita Cory’s death with my mother because we have been busy with my uncle’s wake but I’m pretty sure in the future she’d compare the course of her medical treatments with Tita Cory’s – there’s nothing to worry though because Tita Cory fought a good fight against cancer until the end.  Rest in peace, Tita Cory and thank you for your legacy.

About my Uncle Joel, he was my mother’s brother – in – law and husband of my mother’s youngest sister.  He was a Police Officer who was assigned in Wao, Lanao.  My auntie, being the youngest, did not go with him to the places he was assigned to through the years becuase she did not want to leave lolo and lola’s side and it was uncle who came home periodically to Butuan from time to time to visit auntie and their two sons.  Since he was assigned far, I only got to see him a few times a year, especially during Christmas season.

My fondest memories of him were the times he and auntie would take me with them to watch Sharon Cuneta movies, or Aga Muhlach movies during my childhood.  Back then, he used to tease me I look like Eula Valdez, lol.

When my father was dying, uncle rushed home to visit him in the hospital and spent time with him there.  I was surprised when he took time to come home immediately upon learning my father’s condition.

About a year after my father died, uncle had a stroke which left him half paralyzed.  His stroke left him speechless, although he can still understand us.  For five years, uncle was confined in their house at Narra Road, sitting on his chair, watching TV.  He sometimes went down the house to look at the outside world.  When he learned my lola passed away a year ago, he silently cried.  When another aunt passed away late last year, his tears were rolling non-stop down his face.

Since his stroke, uncle usually preferred to stay in his bedroom when we are in their house for family affairs.  At first, we purposely heed him to his room to bless his hand but since he always cries whenever we see him, we did not approach him anymore for fear that he might cry again.

Uncle had another stroke last week and for a week, he had been in intensive care unit because of his delicate condition.  Although I grieve for him, a part of me is also relieved that he has finally rested.  It was painful to see him during the five years he was living a difficult life as a paralytic man.  I cannot imagine how he must have felt to be so helpless when he used to be very active as a police officer.

My last happy memory of uncle would be the time when he celebrated his birthday last year in the beach.  His family and relatives from Lanao also came here to celebrate it with him.  Uncle was so happy that day and tears of joy continuously rolled down his face that day.

Rest in peace, Uncle Joel.  We will be missing you.