Geriatrics

Geriatrics is a branch of medicine that aims to promote health and prevent diseases and disabilities in elderly clients, as well as treat existing diseases and disabilities. Geriatrics focuses on health care of the elderly people. The term comes from the Greek word Geron which means “old man” and iatros means “healer.” Immobility, incontinence, instability, impaired intellectual memory, delirium, impaired vision and hearing, and use of multiple medications are some of the health issues and ‘geriatric giants’ that we always try to consider in elderly clients.
For almost ten years now, our family has been celebrating my grandfather’s birthday joyously every year, thinking that it might be his last. He is already 95 five years old, not getting any younger but surprisingly, he still appears to be physically in shape. Although at times he is experiencing joint pains due to arthritis, and it takes some effort to make our voices audible enough for him, generally he is an able-bodied old man. The picture shows the oldest and youngest member of the family, my grandfather at ninety five and my daughter at two. What makes the gigantic difference between them? My grandfather has already lived his life fully, while my daughter is yet to discover life ahead of her.

Nurse Licensure Examination…the Big Day

On the first day of the Philippine Nurse Licensure Examination, June 6, 2009, our students have big smiles on their faces on their first ‘big’ day. As we always term it every after post test during their review days, “so far, so good!” That was a good omen. Although it was too early to get confident about the exam, that’s how we want to perceive it. Positive attitude garners positive outcome. Remember the Law of Attraction? Well, let’s all have our fingers crossed.

Test Taking Tips in the NURSE LICENSURE EXAMINATION

1. Debrief yourself from stress.
-It’s about time that you relax and free yourself from stress.
Cramming is not helpful at this time.

2. Prepare yourself mentally and physically.
-Eat a balanced diet, eat regularly. Don’t skip meals and tire yourself from studying.
-Have adequate sleep.
-Drink your vitamins.
-Never read in dim light. Don’t stress your eyes days before the exam.
-When worries arise, try some relaxation techniques.
-Visualize oneself in taking the exam and turning in one’s best work.
-Avoid negative self talk.
-Don’t dwell on past testing failures. Learn from them and leave them behind.
-Gather and organize the necessary supplies for the exam.
-Have confidence that you will make it!

3. Manage your own time.
-Follow your own schedule and not of others. Don’t force yourself in group study if it’s not
suited for you. Chances are, you will not retain most of them.
-Make a checklist of the things that you need to review.
-Don’t overkill. Don’t give so much time in areas that you keep on forgetting.

4. Keep focused
-Keep calm. Panicking only leads to mistakes.

5. Get yourself motivated.
-Instill in you that you will become a nurse.

6. KEEP PRAYING.
-It’s our KEY to success. Remember that GOD’s GRACE POLICY of providing the best for
His child. Cast your burden upon Him and He will take care of you. Pray harder. GOD can
do more in three seconds than what you can do for yourself in three years.
7. Remember some of these test taking strategies:
* Read questions carefully from the first word o the last word. Do not miss out key words
that would lead you to what the question is really asking for. Underline KEYWORDS.
* Look for hints:
“most, first, best” - indicates must establish priorities
“further teaching” – means wrong statement or something negative
“understands the teaching” – means correct statement or something positive
*Rephrase or reword the question so it can be answered by yes or no, why, when, what
*STOP! Before looking at the choices, think of the answer first. Whatever that comes in
your mind first that matches one of the choices, this may come from your stored
knowledge and may be a possible answer.
*Look for qualifiers such as NEVER, ALWAYS, ALL, NONE… these are most often absolute terms. Generally, we don’t choose these options.
*Most of all, TRUST YOURSELF & TRUST IN GOD.


“OF OUR THOUGHTS, WE MAKE ACTIONS. OF OUR ACTIONS, WE MAKE HABITS. OF OUR HABITS, WE MAKE LIFESTYLE. AND OF OUR LIFESTYLE, WE MAKE OUR DESTINY. HAVE GOOD THOUGHTS AND YOU WILL HAVE GOOD DESTINY…”

Goodluck Nurses!!!

I feel dignified for being bestowed upon this Interesting Blog Award by my most admired online writer, Femmepower. Thank you for continuously giving me a boost. =)

Mock Board Exam

With heads bowed down, puzzling themselves with the complex questions of their pre-board examination, these forthcoming Registered Nurses are working their way out to surface the best possible answers. In no less than three days, it’s gonna be their “judgement day.” Each and every one of them are going nuts and agitated on their preparation, from the things that they have to bring, the instructions that they have to bear in mind, the proper way of shading the answer sheet, and the psyche that all of them have to safeguard and preserve for the big day. What a strain, but everybody must keep their cool. It’s a good thing that they are looking forward for our Grand Final Coaching on Thursday, and for the post-board party on Sunday night. It makes them stay poised and maintain their equilibrium. =)

The License is Mine!

The Nurse Licensure Examination for June 2009 is fast approaching. All our students are already on the level of moderate anxiety. Some of them are already having asthma attacks, and unfortunately, some who has a history of psoriasis are beginning to have exacerbations due to stress. They have a week more to get prepared and put everything in order.
There are more or less 78,000 nursing students who will be taking the June 2009 NLE. About 44,000 of those students come from Manila, 11,000 from Baguio, and 6,000 from Cebu City, and the remaining 17,000 goes to the rest of the country. And as usual, it is expected that out of the 78,000 examinees, merely half of them will be rejoicing when the result comes out. Optimistically, we suppose that all our students will be part of those rejoicing. It’s never too late. One whole week is still a lot of time to warm up and get ready, if not mentally, at least psychologically and spiritually. So brace yourselves future RN’s!

NLE Review Countdown

Ten more days and it’s already the June 2009 Nurse Licensure Examination. As early as now, we are already declaring that our students will soon be our colleagues in the nursing profession. This is our means of promoting positive outlook to our students. We uphold positive reinforcement. We believe that it is a better way of encouraging our students to give their best and make it to the passers' list. Through this, the would-be Registered Nurses’ confidence and spirits are uplifted and they are motivated to knock their fears off. Stress and anxiety are two of the biggest reasons why some students unexpectedly fall short of their board exam. They may be equipped with knowledge, but in most cases, they experience the so-called ‘mental block’ during the exam, which causes them to panic and eventually lose their confidence that they can pass the exam. It’s just like everything they have learned for the past few months of review went down the drain. That’s why keeping them posted how many days to go rings a bell to them of how well they are prepared for the boards, and that their preparation is geared towards taking hold of their license and not towards allowing fear to get in the way and let their chance slip away. The theme ‘It’s Raining License’ speaks of the countless opportunities ahead of them, the myriad of promising career that awaits them.
Our students also look forward to the last day of our review which is our Grand Final Coaching. Here, we just have fun, fun, fun. We prop our students in flaunting their talents. We have shows like Ms. Macho Gay, where in the contestants are certified males, videoke sing-along, dance performances per school, bidding of showcases, awarding of our top ten students, and mass. Stress debriefing activities like these are meant to alleviate the tension that they have been dealing with for months. We also do this to reward them from their hard work and perseverance. And as recommended, before taking any exam, let’s put our feet up, have a break, and take it easy! Believe…

Revived

Finally, I’m back! After a long time of silence, I’m here again extending my upcoming days’ events, and more. My hectic days are over. I have been studying for our review center’s rationalization on different exams because The Philippine Nurse Licensure Examination is just around the corner. Seventeen days to go and hopefully, all our students are going to be Registered Nurses then. This is what has kept me busy for weeks. We had to ensure quality review for our beloved students for them to be able to grab their license.

Anyway, as I have vowed before, regardless of how busy I become, I’m gonna keep on blogging. See you around!

Manic Wednesday Afternoon at the Park

It was Bea’s second time to go to People’s Park. She doesn’t have much memory during her first visit because she was just eleven months old then. I almost burst into laughter when I saw her reaction the moment she entered the park. She gave out a deep breath saying “wow!” with all her might. She ran as fast as she could, without deliberately thinking where to go. She didn’t know where to start her adventure. So I led her to the children’s playground where there are lots of swings, slides, seesaw, and a manual carousel (where I had to push it now and then to keep it spinning). Unfortunately, it was the ride that she enjoyed the most. I felt like I lost a pail of sweat. After a while, we roamed around looking at the fountains, wherein Bea was too elated to see the fish and the ducks swimming and wandering about. She also played with the enormous sculptures, which one of those she called ‘lola’ (grandma) sweeping the ground. One of her highlights that afternoon was the small wishing well, where she excitedly threw her 25 cents after I dictated to her our wish. Obviously, she found it peculiar but fantastic seeing countless coins in that basin-like spot because it was the first thing that she boasted when her daddy got there.

At long last, Bea was in low battery. She had a cone of chocolate ice cream to resume her animation. She even had a glass of cola to quench her thirst! After we had our dinner, luckily, she was completely knocked off. Now, it’s my pleasure to redeem my vigor. =)

Emergency Nursing

Emergency can be stumbled upon everywhere, at the most unexpected instances. It is a sudden and urgent occurrence, usually unforeseen, requiring an immediate action. Emergency crisis refers to circumstances in which quick action and judgement is necessary. It may not prevent undesirable consequences but if some medical and nursing interventions are done, it may help save lives. Here are some emergency conditions and actions that we must remember:

No pulse and respiration:
Perform CPR or Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation.

Choking and conscious:
Heimlich maneuver

Choking and unconscious:
Heimlich and finger sweep. Do not perform finger sweep to a child.

Choking conscious child:
5 back blows and 5 chest thrusts, remove object. Never perform finger sweep.

Choking unconscious child:
Give 2 slow breaths, 5 back blows and 5 chest thrusts, remove object

Motor vehicle accident:
Do not rush to get victim out. Contrary to opinion, most vehicle crashes do not involve fire.

Fires:
Do not let a person run if clothing is on fire. Do not get trapped while fighting a fire. Always keep a door behind you so that you can exit if the fire gets too big.

Farm animals:
Do not frighten an animal.

Hypovolemic shock:
Elevate leg 8-12 inches only if with no spinal cord injury. Do not raise legs if with chest injuries, breathing difficulty, or unconscious.

Anaphylactic shock:
Give Epinephrine

External bleeding:
Direct wound pressure, elevate, tourniquet.

Amputation:
Control bleeding; find severed part and seek medical attention immediately. Severed part – wrap in dry, sterile gauze or clean cloth; put in waterproof container; place wrapped part and container on bed of ice, but do not submerge in ice or cold water.

Eye injuries:
Seek medical attention immediately. Protect injured eye and patch unaffected eye to prevent movement. Do not remove an object stuck in the eye and do not apply hard pressure.

Chemical burns to eye:
Keep eye open and flush with water immediately.

Nose bleeding:
Sit upright, head bent slightly forward, pinch nostrils, breathe through mouth.

Chest injuries:
Check *ABCHs; stabilize chest using pillow, coat or blanket, and seek medical attention. Do not remove object because bleeding and entry of air in chest cavity will occur.

*Airway – head tilt, chin lift method or jaw thrust if with trauma
Breathing – look, listen, and feel for breathing
Circulation – check pulse at carotid artery
Hemorrhage – check for bleeding
Spinal cord injury – always assume a trauma to the head with spinal cord injury

Animal bites:
Wash with soap and water, control bleeding, and seek medical attention.

Insect stings:
Scrape stinger off, and wash with soap and water.

Snakebites:
Keep affected area below the heart level, clean with soap and water, splint part to reduce movement, and seek medical attention.

1st degree burn (painful with redness, mild swelling, and pain):
Apply cold wet dressing or soak in cold water. Do not cover with dressing after.

2nd degree burn (painful with deeper affection, blisters develop):
Apply cold dressing or soak in cold water. Cover with a dry, nonstick, sterile dressing or clean cloth.

3rd degree burn (not painful, deeper destruction, skin layers destroyed)
Cover with dry nonstick, sterile dressing or clean cloth; treat shock.

Hypothermia:
Get victim out of cold, replace wet clothes with dry warm clothes, keep flat and provide other sources of heat. Do not give warm drinks, they dilate the blood vessels more. Do not engage in physical exertion.

Heat stroke:
Assess for hot skin, high body temperature, altered mental status – seek medical attention immediately.

Heat exhaustion:
Move to cool place, raise legs 8 to 12 inches, remove excess clothing, sponge with cool water and fan.
Bruises, strains, sprains, dislocations, fractures:
Use R.I.C.E.
Rest
Ice (20-30 minutes every 2-3 hours during 1st 24-48 hours)
Compression (bandage 18-24 hours)
Elevation (but do not elevate fractures)

Swallowed poisoning:
Identify poison and how much and when taken. Call poison control center or seek medical attention immediately.

Heart attack:
Stop activity and place in half sitting position, with knees bent and padding under the knees.

Seizure:
Caution head; loosen tight clothing; turn to side; promote safety.

Asthma:
Sit upright, use asthma medication (inhaler, nebulizer), and seek medical help.

A Great Day Ahead

Whew! Finally, I’m back in my shell again, eating my favorite food in my favorite restaurant with my bestfriend. What a tough day! I started my day rushing myself to our office for an unexpected task, where I was supposed to be traveling to Tagum for some lecture in one of our review center’s tie-up school. Our lecturer who was scheduled for review here in Davao wasn’t able to make it, that’s why we had to give the students a 100-item exam to make up for the missed lecture, which I had to rationalize (explain to them the answers of each item) after the students had taken the said exam. I got done with my rationalization at around 12 noon, and my lecture in Tagum will start at 1 P.M., which means I had to travel in a flash, as if I’m one of the characters of the movie The Incredibles. I scuttled my way there, and fortunately I was just thirty minutes late. I didn’t even have the luxury of time to loosen up a bit because I had to start the lecture without more ado. I stood up in front, talking nonstop for three hours. At past 4 P.M., at last I’m done with my hectic day.
To pay off with such a stressful day, I eased up by dropping by my aunt’s house. We spent time just having a light talk. I compensated my exhaustion by “binge-eating.” Hahaha, don’t get me wrong, I’m not a bulimic person. It was just my way of rewarding myself. And I really had a great time.
Now I came to believe what a friend of mine used to tell me. She said that don’t say you’re happy because everything’s fine. It is better to think that we are happy because even if everything sucks, we are doing just fine!

Free At Last!

For nearly two years now, I have been in a relationship that was full of ups and downs. It started great, but of course, I would believe that all boyfriend-girlfriend relationships begin in a happily-ever-after genre. As time went on, each one’s lapses became a reason to clash. Open communication, meeting halfway, apologies, reconciliation, and promises were made to keep such relationship. But I guess if something is not meant for you, whatever means you take to have it, it will still end up slipping out of your hands. As a woman, I would love to be my man’s priority. Who wouldn’t want to be? But it’s a sad fact when there are other things or people who come first. I don’t put blame on those things or people, because it should be him who has the initiative to realize that being in a relationship denotes that you have an obligation with your significant other. It makes you less of a person as a girlfriend if he puts priority in fetching others instead of you, or if he has to just drop you off somewhere to give a ride to another. Don’t think that I’m too shallow. This is just one of those grounds. They are too many to mention, though.

I may sound in grief, but mind you, I’m not! I am more than joyful that finally, I got to realize my value as a person again. I am in high spirits that I was able to free myself from tyranny. Hahaha!

Best Friends

I have always found it astounding seeing a father and a daughter treat each other as best buddies. My cousin and his daughter were spending leisure time just hanging around playing their favorite music. With a guitar and a keyboard, this smart little girl was having wonderful time learning from her father how to play such instrument. They look so cute together! It’s amazing to witness that my cousin's interest in music reflects in his daughter at such a young age. She just cannot contain her excitement being taught of different tunes and melodies, and pleading for another attempt to be able to do it right.

It’s cool to have friends, yes I know… but nothing beats to have a father for a bestfriend.

Yummy Cheese!

When was cheese invented?

Countless countries claim the glory of having come across this delicacy. As per word of mouth, cheese was said to be discovered by a rider embarked with milk contained in leather pouches which came from the stomachs of young cows. To his disappointment, the milk became sour and had turned into curd. But surprisingly, when he tasted it, he liked it very much.

Strangely, there could be some truth in the legend of the cow’s pouches about rennet, a digestive juice found in the stomach linings of calves, which separates milk into curds and whey. As we all know, cheese is produced by the coagulation of casein, a milk protein from cows, buffalo, goats, or sheep. The milk is curdled through acids, like lemon juice or vinegar. The solids produced are then separated, pressed and shaped to its final form.

Chocolates

Did you know that in the beginning, our favorite chocolate drink was found to be a cold bitter beverage? The Central American Indians called this cold sugarless drink “cacahuati.” It comes from a finely ground roasted shelled beans of cacao, or cocoa tree. Carolus Linneaus, a Swedish botanist and taxonomist, gave cacao its scientific name Theobrama cacao, which means “cacao, food of Gods,” in Greek.
How do we make chocolates out of these beans of a cacao tree? As these beans are ground, a free-flowing ‘juice’ called chocolate liquor is obtained. This is where all kinds of chocolate products come from. In the early 1500s, Spanish explorers found this cold beverage too bitter that’s why they sweetened it with sugar and preferred to serve it hot instead of cold. The Indians, on the other hand, called it “chocolati” to differentiate it with the cold beverage “cacahuati.” ‘Choco’ for warm and ‘lati’ for beverage.

Septic Shock

Septic shock…the number one killer in the Intensive Care Unit, according to research. Sepsis is a serious medical condition which results to multiple organ failure, and eventually, death. It is caused by a decreased tissue perfusion and oxygen supply to the body as a result of bacterial infection. The bacteria spreads to the bloodstream, a condition called bacteremia. Toxins are then released by these bacteria which cause cells in the body to release substances that trigger inflammation. The body’s response to infection causes an abnormally high temperature with chills and weakness. Blood flow to vital organs such as the kidneys, lungs, heart, and brain decreases. As it gets worse, body organs begin to malfunction and blood pressure drops. Treatment should not be delayed. There must be immediate administration of antibiotics, oxygen, and large amounts of intravenous fluids to increase the amount of fluid in the bloodstream, thus increasing the blood pressure.

I can attest to this because my mom, too, was once a victim of sepsis. More than a year ago, my mom had cellulitis, an infection of the skin and underlying tissues. For days, she experienced fever, chills, and redness on her right leg, and eventually it became painful. She didn’t give it much attention until such time that she can’t bear the pain on her leg and she began to really feel weak and sick. We admitted her to the hospital and just a few hours had passed, she became so weak and almost had no life. Her blood pressure went down to 70/50 mmHg. She was delivered to the intensive care unit and was found out that she already had sepsis. She was given strong doses of antibiotics, albumin, oxygen, and different fluids intravenously. She endured such grave condition for almost a month in the ICU.

Looking back, it is truly a pain to remember such ordeal. But I guess that I should rather be glad that it had already passed and my mom bravely surpassed it.

Is it the Person or the Habit?

Oftentimes, when we get separated with the person that we used to spend time with, we find it difficult to move on. We yearn for the things that we usually do together. We find it unusual to go to places alone…feels weird when there’s nobody to share your stories with…or it seems strange when you feel like grabbing your mobile phone and text somebody, but you’ve got no one to send it to. But hey, come to think of it. Is it really the person that you are longing for? Or you just miss doing the things that you habitually do.
Truth is, it is only US, deep within us, who knows the truth. Nobody can say it for us. It could be the person because of how we feel for that the person, or it could be the habit of being with that person that had developed in us, and we just got used in doing it. How bizarre.

Toddlers Never Cease to Overwhelm Themselves

It’s amazing how toddlers challenge themselves in getting involved with adult matters. According to the developmental stages of Erik Erickson, toddlers (kids between ages 18 months to 3 years) focus on independence. This means that the child has to rebel against their parents’ wishes to gain independence. They resist parental demands, rather they are fond of giving orders. We usually hear them say “NO,” that is why toddler years are being referred to as the Terrible Two’s. During this stage of development, toddlers are very self-centered, possessive, often negative and frustrated, no ability to choose between alternatives, and they are resistive to change. It is a time for them to gain more control over their bodies and acquire new skills. Being able to perform activities by themselves and learning right from wrong gives them the opportunity to build self-esteem and autonomy. Temper tantrums are common, that’s why it is important for parents to be consistent in their discipline and set limits on the child’s acceptable and unacceptable behaviors.

Here are some parenting guidelines in dealing with toddlers:

· As parents, we must behave how we want our kids to behave because they copy parents’ actions. According to research, toddlers engage in so-called “emotional eavesdropping”, a term used when kids listen and watch emotional reactions directed by one adult to another and use this emotional observation and information to profile their own behavior. Yelling, spanking, being angered easily, and impatience may be imitated and instilled in their minds.
· Putting stress on appropriate versus inappropriate behavior is important. Positive behaviors should be recognized and rewarded. Setting limits and time-out should be initiated for negative behaviors.
· Teach them the concepts of thank you, sorry, please, sharing with others, and respect for others, young or old.
· Play with them; be their friends.
· Engage with activities like problem-solving, social skills, and creativity. This will enhance their gift.
· Listen to music together and sing with them.
· Read books and watch educational movies together. Have fun!

what is LOVE?

L O V E ...

is patient and kind;

it does not envy;

it does not boast;

it is not proud;

it is not rude;

it is not self-seeking;

it is not easily angered and keeps no record of wrongs;

it does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth;

it always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Avocado Fruit

Have you ever thought of a part of a man’s body that resembles the fruit avocado? An edible fruit with a distinct taste, avocado is derived from the Nahuati word ‘ahuacati’ or in Spanish, ‘aguacate’ meaning ‘testicle.’ Indeed, it is shaped like a testicle, a male reproductive organ that produces and stores millions of tiny sperm cells. Avocado has an oval shape with an elongated neck and a seed inside. But more than the shape, avocado is considered one of the most nutritious fruits in the Philippines. It contains vitamins good for our body such as Vitamin A, B, C, E, and K. It also has the necessary minerals like potassium, sodium, calcium, folic acid, and dietary fibers. Avocado is a good antioxidant and it can be used as treatment of skin disorders. It’s the best source to beautify ourselves, isn’t it? It may not be as famous as mangoes, apple or banana, since its taste is not so sweet, I still find avocado a fruit worth trying for. You can prepare it in different ways. It can be eaten with milk and sugar, a flavor of your ice cream, ice candy and shake, can be mixed with your vegetable salad, or just put some mayonnaise and shrimps on top of it!

My Angels

Eight years ago, our family was blessed with a cute, pretty little angel named Charlize Bianca. She’s the daughter of my elder brother. Everybody just loved her deep, tantalizing eyes, especially everytime they go big whenever we are talking and playing with her. As she grew up, we became fonder of her because of how witty and smart she is. She would make funny remarks like an old person, and she loves acting like she’s a TV personality. She was always the light of the family. Whenever I got home and saw a cute, small pair of slippers, I automatically become elated because I know that our angel is home. We would read stories, eat together and sleep together. I really treated and loved her like my own daughter. Time came when I finally got pregnant. Bianca was so excited with the baby inside my womb. I told her that my baby would be named Beatriz, derived from the word ‘beatitude’ which means happiness. She would always talk to Beatriz and say “I love you Bea”, and I would also tell her that Beatriz answered back and said “I love you too Ate Bianca.” I can really see the delight in her face and asks me why I know what Bea is telling her. I used to answer Bianca that I know what’s inside Bea’s mind and heart because I am her mother, just like how her mom feels about her, and she would accept it, pleased and gratified. On the day that I was about to deliver Beatriz, I remember that we were reading stories while I was waiting for my sister to get done in the bathroom. When it was my turn, I saw signs that it was already time for Beatriz to come out. I hurriedly told my sister about it, and my sister told Bianca that she must behave because Beatriz is gonna come out soon. To our surprise, she jumped and jumped on the bed shouting, “Beatriz is coming out! Beatriz is coming out!”, excited and overjoyed.

Another angel is now in the family, another light. There’s somebody again who brings joy to us, whom we look forward to when we go home.

Now that Beatriz is already two years old, and Bianca is going eight years old, they may not have the luxury of time to play and grow up together (since Bianca is already in Manila and Bea is in Davao), but everytime they see each other, they are still the loving cousins who treat each other like sisters and play together without the boundary of time and distance. These two little girls will always be my angels. And more to come…

“God has given us two hands – one to receive with and the other to give with. We are not cisterns made for hoarding; we are channels made for giving.”

Billy Grahan

“Our greatest glory consists not in never falling but rising everytime we fall.”

Oliver Goldsmith

“Wisdom is knowing what to do next; skill is knowing how to do it, and virtue is doing it.”

David Starr Jordan

Bonding Moments

A lot of people would say that the best thing we could give to our children aside from material things is quality time. This is one great way where we can show our love and care for them. And there are many different ways to spend our time with them. Some would prefer to go to shopping malls, eat ice cream at kiddie restaurants, go swimming, watch a movie, or go to parks. But for me, the best place that I can spend quality time with my daughter is inside the room, on our bed. No amount of food, shopping, or swimming can replace the feeling of being able to huddle and cuddle, kiss and embrace, play and tickle, and hear my little angel laugh and shout of excitement. She can even have her carousel ride, I being her human carousel. It’s also a place where I can tell her stories and teach her ABCs and 123s. And on that bed, we create memories, happy and meaningful memories. And come to think of it, what an inexpensive way to share bonding moments with my angel!
We may have distinct and unique ideas on how to have quality time with our kids. It doesn’t matter how or where. What’s important is we are able to impart to them how much we care.

Dengue Fever

I got a text message from my sister-in-law yesterday. It said that her three-year-old niece is diagnosed with dengue fever, and that her platelet count is going down. As a nurse, having witnessed and known how this disease attack and kill people, I really felt worried and scared. I can't imagine an innocent child suffer this kind of illness, because I, too, was once a victim of this. Experiencing abdominal pain, dizziness, weakness, and high fever is not easy. I told my sister-in-law to have her niece drink "tawa-tawa", a boiled herbal plant known to raise one's platelet. What is this illness that endangers one's life?
Dengue fever, or sometimes called, Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever, is an acute infectious disease transmitted by Aedes aegypti, a day-biting mosquito. They lay eggs in stagnant water found at homes and nearby places, such as flower vases, water drums, old rubber tires, and canals. Symptoms are manifested by a high fever, abdominal pain, weakness, skin rashes or petechiae (red tiny spots on the skin), vomiting, and dark tarry stools. Sad to say, there is no specific treatment for dengue fever. Patients are just advised to have adequate rest and drink plenty of fluids. It is essential to replace lost fluids for the patient to restore health, and in severe cases, transfusions are needed to control bleeding.

For now, there is nothing I can do for the three-year-old child but wait for their update. I just have to hope and pray that everything will turn out well and good.

These are four steps to accomplishment:

Plan succesfully

Prepare prayerfully

Proceed positively

Pursue persistently

"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is matter of choice."

Chopsticks for Chinese

Have you ever asked yourself why Chinese people use chopsticks for their food? Indeed, they have been doing this for about 2,500 years now. Traditionally, Chinese use chopsticks because of the way their food is prepared. It is being cut into small pieces so that it can be cooked quickly. Why? To save fuel, thus cutting it's cost.

Chinese people use chopsticks like tongs, picking up pieces of food and quickly tossing them into the mouth. They call it "kwaitze" which means "quick ones." They refer to "chop" as "quick", and this is where they derived the popular term "chopsticks." Through chopsticks, they can relay a message to their host. Placing them across the top of the bowl conveys a message that they wish to leave the table.

It may seem difficult to use chopsticks, but why not give it a try? Learning to use it can be fun, and it might teach us to live and work swiftly and productively, like Chinese people do!

True Savior

It feels great whenever we are blessed with people whom we thought would be our savior -- savior from painful experiences, savior from life's chaos. But it hurts more when you find out that this so-called savior would be that very person who would make you drown all the more, the one who would pull you down instead of lifting you up.

I, for one, is a person who had been through a lot of turbulence. We seek comfort from material things, or from people who give us false hopes and promises and make us believe that life is much better with them. But what we always miss out is seeking solace from the real Savior, our God. There's no much better life than living a life with a God, a life with faith and humility. We must let go of these false beliefs, that we can find peace and happiness with material things, as well as people who would only lead us to a more troublesome life and bring us all the way down. It is much more consoling to believe that our God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him, for nothing is impossible to them that believe in Him.

"In matters of style, swim with the current;
in matters of principles, stand like a rock."


Thomas Jefferson

The Ultimate Goal

Does a long distance relationship really do not work out, or does it depend on the couple how they want their relationship to end?
It is but true that you give a lot of time, effort, and emotional investment to attain and maintain a strong and healthy relationship. We do everything not to break it apart because we dream to have a successful and happy family. We believe that there is more security and assurance if, as a couple, we stay together, close and intact.
However, there are some couple who choose to be a thousand miles away from each other, to be able to provide the needs of their future family. They believe that it is one way of uplifting their financial status, which is also an important aspect in building their would-be family and raising their kids. But is it really worth the sacrifice? Does it really do good for the couple and for the family they are trying to establish? Or will it only lead the relationship to end up a broken one? Indeed, it would either make or break the relationship. Many would say that it would only bring the couple to look for somebody else because of that longing for love and affection. They say that communication alone is not enough because the physicality of a love one is also an important factor to be considered.
But I strongly believe that a genuine and steadfast relationship entails an enormous sacrifice. It doesn't only revolve in togetherness, physical affection, and feelings of love, but most importantly,it should rely on faith...faith on God and faith on each other. We have a goal -- to build a successful and happy family. Why don't we stick to that goal instead of allowing our fears to get in the way. It may seem unbearable at first, but as we get to realize what that big sacrifice is all for, the more it should draw us closer to our goal. Just like a puzzle, or a rubik's cube, you may have already built eighty percent of it, but sometimes there is a need to rearrange it and sacrifice a portion of that eighty percent to be able to fix the unresolved portion and make it to one hundred percent. I remember what a friend of mine used to tell me, 'we cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are.'

The best thing to give to:
... your enemy is forgiveness
... an opponent, tolerance
... friend, your heart

T.M. Balfour