Living Amidst the Coronavirus Pandemic

As of this writing, the World Health Organization declared corona virus as pandemic.  This means, the virus has already infected a lot of countries.

Here in the Philippines, specifically here in Metro Manila area, the number of infected individuals started to rise this week which prompted the government to cancel all classes starting last Tuesday, March 10, 2020 until Saturday.  My children's school even declared the end of this school year.  Last periodical exams were waived and student's need not go to school.  So officially, it is already my children's summer vacation.  Well, I think it is a good move so as not to risk our children's health.

There are no work suspension, so business as usual.  In our office, hand sanitizers and alcohols are located in all access points and temperature check is being done on all employees upon entering the building.  Door handles and elevator push buttons are being sanitized regularly.  A lot of employees are wearing masks but I'm not really comfortable with that and besides it's really hard to buy face masks nowadays.  Anyway, I don't have any symptoms of flu, so better give the priority to use the face masks to those who have symptoms and to all our hard working medical personnel who are very much in close contact with this virus.

Here in our place of residence, elevator push buttons were covered with plastic and sanitized every 30 minutes and temperature check is being done to all residents and visitors entering the premises.  All social gatherings including regular fitness activities were cancelled.
     

Elevator buttons covered with plastic and sanitized every 30 minutes.

Late this afternoon, a lot of information regarding possible lockdown of Metro Manila was spreading and the result is ... panic buying.  I went to our local grocery store, just near our place and there was a lot of people.  Grocery carts were all used up, others are using plastic containers being sold by the store ... I think they will also buy that.  Common grocery items inside each grocer's cart are rice, canned goods, milk and alcohols.  I just went home after seeing a lot of people inside ,,, anyway we still have some food supplies at home.  As long as we have rice, we won't starve. 
       

Scene at our local grocery store this afternoon

In times like this, I think we need to calm down and not to worry so much.  Too much worrying will stress us that without knowing it, our immune system is becoming weaker and we are getting more susceptible to corona virus.

For now, we just need to follow what the authorities are implementing.  If not really needed, stay away from crowded area, stay at home, practice good hygiene.  Boost our immune system by eating nutritious food, get our natural vitamin D from the early morning sun and get enough rest.  Most of all, don't forget to pray so that God will guide everyone so that this virus will be contained and not spread anymore.

God bless the Philippines.

God bless the world.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

As seen on the result of the EMG test performed on both my arms, I was diagnosed to have a Carpal Tunnel Syndrome on both my hands with the left hand more severe than the right hand ... I have not yet felt the symptom on my right hand but it also has that Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

The doctor explained to me that nerves are compressed on the carpal tunnel (wrist bones) ... thus the name came from ... the compressed nerves caused the numbness on my finger tips and the pain I felt in my arm.  This syndrom is usually caused by a repetitive hand movement which is done for a prolonged period, the most common is working on computer keyboard.

Before the EMG test result confirmed that I have a carpal tunnel syndrome, the doctor already prescribed me with an anti-neuropathic drug to relieve the pain.  She also prescribed a separate Vitamin B Complex, additional to the multivitamins I am taking.

The doctor gave me two options in treating my carpal tunnel syndrome.  The first option is to continue on the prescription she had given me but this time, the anti-neuropathic drug to be taken only when their is pain in my arm.  The second option is for her to recommend me to an orthopedist for a possible surgery to loosen the carpal tunnel and release the pressure on my compressed nerves.  For the moment I chose option one hoping that the compressed nerves will just loosen on their own with the help of Vitamin B Complex.

The doctor respected my decision but she reminded me that if the symptoms still persist, I should see an orthopedist.

So far, after a few weeks of taking the Vitamin B Complex and the anti-neuropathic drug, the pain in my arm subsides but the numbness on my finger tips still there but not that severe as before.  I hope my hands will heal totally because its hard to do my daily chores with my hands not in good condition. 

Preventing the Spread of Conjunctivitis or Sore Eyes

Last Thursday my son's left eye was irritated and it swelled a little that we have it checked by an ophthalmologist.  The doctor's diagnosis is conjunctivitis or sore eyes and she prescribed Fucithalmic, a mild anti-bacterial eye drop.

Conjunctivitis is contagious that the doctor advised us not to let CJ go to school for one week, she gave us a medical certificate in case the school would need it.

Contrary to what I know, conjunctivitis or sore eyes cannot be transmitted by just looking at the infected eyes of a person so wearing sunglasses offers no protection for others.  Instead, the infection can be transmitted through direct contact with tears or eye discharge of the infected person.  Nasopharyngeal secretions can also transmit the infection through coughing or sneezing.

To prevent the spread of sore eyes, my son was advised to always wash his hands with soap and water and we were advised not to share pillows, towel, cell phones and other things that are possible for a direct contact with the tears and eye discharge of CJ.

Since CJ is only 5 years old, he needs assistance in wiping his tears and eye discharge which makes us very much vulnerable to sore eyes so we just make sure that whenever we touch his eyes, we immediately wash our hands thoroughly with soap and water and as much as possible we don't put our hands on our eyes.   Kissing and embracing him is also limited.

I hope CJ's eyes will be healed soon so he can go back to school, play with his friends outside and most especially we can kiss and embrace him again.

 

Taking a Much Needed Rest

Last Friday I was not able to report for work.  I had a headache, fever which reached to 39.2 deg. Celcius and my muscles ached.  The night before, I already had a headache and I thought it was just another migraine attack so I slept earlier thinking that I would be okay the next morning.

Friday morning I woke up still having a terrible headache and this time, it was accompanied by fever and muscle pain.  I felt terrible that morning so I just stayed in bed.

The whole day I did nothing but stay in bed and sleep, drink a lot of water, eat fruits especially the citrus ones and took Bioflu, an over-the-counter anti-flu drug.

Taking the much needed rest and medication was effective that in the afternoon my fever subsided and my muscles did not ached anymore.  My head was a little bit heavy but this time it was tolerable.  The next day I was already okay and I was able to do some light household chores so I did not bother to have a check-up with the doctor anymore.

I'm not sure if it was flu that hit me last Friday but the symptoms I experienced were that of a flu.  I just don't have a cough, stuffed nose and sore throat which are also symptoms of a flu.  And besides, I did not expect to be affected by flu this year because I had my anti-flu vaccine last June.  Anyway, as what the doctors usually reiterate, having a flu vaccine doesn't give a 100% guarantee that we can be flu free for the whole year since every year there are new strain of flu virus which are not included in the vaccine so it is really possible to be affected by flu even if we had our anti-flu shot.  The good thing is that, if ever we will contract the said virus, the effect would be minimal.

Well. whatever it was, I was thankful because I was forced to take a rest, my much needed rest after abusing my body for the past weeks, sleeping past midnight, eating a lot of meat, missing on my daily multivitamins and so on and so forth.

Most of the time, our body tells us to slow down but we tend to ignore it so we end up with sickness which are actually preventable.  I have learned my lesson and from now on, I'll try to listen to what my body tells me.

An Indescribable Feeling

I was told this morning that one of my friends at the office had undergone a D & C the other day. D & C is acronym for dilation & curettage or in Filipino term “raspa”.  She was pregnant and having the said procedure only means that something went wrong with her pregnancy.


Hearing of news like this only reminds me of my own loss just early this year. 

I was 7 weeks pregnant then when I experienced a little spotting, just a little spot of brownish discharge. At first I didn’t mind it because I didn’t feel any pain or discomfort but when the discharge continued for another day (although it is only in very small quantity), I contacted my obstetrician and asked if it was normal, she told me that it’s not normal and I have to see her for a check-up.

When I arrived at the doctor’s clinic, my doctor instructed me to have a transvaginal ultrasound so she will know the condition of my baby. I complied and went to a nearby clinic for the ultrasound. During the ultrasound, the doctor told me that my baby has no heartbeat…..what???.... I don’t know how to react because it was the first time I heard of such a finding and I thought my OB will just give me a medication or supplement and everything will be alright. I have two normal pregnancies before and I never thought of having any problems with my third.

                                               My Ultrasound result

I went back to my OB’s clinic and gave her the report of my ultrasound. There, she explained to me that I have a missed abortion. There’s nothing more she can do but to remove the content of my uterus so as to prevent an occurrence of infection which will put me in danger once the infection will spread.

I was shocked at what I heard and I don’t know what to do. I texted my husband and he too was shocked. Just a month ago, we were happy to know that we will have our 3rd child and now….I just can’t describe the feeling.

I was admitted in the hospital and was prepared for a D & C procedure.  It took only less than 30 minutes for the curettage procedure and I was discharged from the hospital after two days confinement.  Physically, I had a quick recovery except for an onset of a high blood pressure two weeks after the procedure. My OB gave me an anti- hypertensive drug and my blood pressure returned to normal after two weeks. Regular monitoring was advised for my blood pressure. Psychologically, I was still devastated after a few months after my miscarriage. I kept on thinking that what happened was my fault, that I did not took care of myself really well that affected my baby’s condition. I blamed myself for what had happened.

It’s been 4 months since the miscarriage happened and I’m thankful that I have moved on. I learned to accept the fact that my 3rd baby is not meant to stay with us and I believe he/she is much better up there. Focusing more on the blessings  that God has already given me (my husband, my children, our relatives and friends), helped me to move on faster.

For my friend, I know, no words can describe how she felt right now but life has to move on. Things do happen that our mind and heart can’t comprehend but God has His plans, He sees the bigger picture…let’s just continue trusting Him.

“Healthy By Choice” by Cynthia Llantada

I was browsing on the bookstore shelves for something interesting to read when I chanced upon this thin, soft bound book entitled “Healthy By Choice” written by Cynthia Llantada.

The author is a breast cancer survivor and what is interesting about her is that she survived the deadly disease without undergoing a chemotherapy or radiation. Yes, you read it right…without chemotherapy or radiation.

So to find out how she did it, I bought the book. I was really intrigued at how she battled cancer without undergoing chemotherapy. This is the first time I heard of a cancer patient who survived the disease without the use of this modern technology.

After reading “Healthy By Choice”, I was really amazed at how Ms. Llantada fought her battle. She is really a fighter and she didn’t let cancer consume her. She did her own research and consulted not only from doctors practicing conventional medicine but also those who practice alternative medicine. She made her choices and she did not let her doctors decide for her. She highlighted the importance of knowing the root cause of her disease which lead to her effective treatment.

Ms. Llantada made me realize that indeed, being healthy is a matter of choice. If we want to be at the prime of our health, we should aim and work for it. Lifestyle modification is required and self discipline is a must.

Nail Biting in Children

Nail Biting in Children By Liz Rispin

Many children suddenly develop the habit of biting their nails and as parents it becomes a difficult task to make them get rid of this habit. While this is more common with the school going children, yet many toddlers and preschoolers might also develop the habit of nail biting.
So, if your child has started the habit of nail biting, then you should be rightfully concerned. It is unhygienic and can lead to various infections. A child might develop this habit for various reasons. He might be tensed, internally depressed or might even be imitating a friend. Therefore it is also important for you to address the cause, before you impose external means to get rid of this habit.
Here is a list of the few ways in which you can help your child get rid of this habit.
If your child is capable of understanding the situation or is old enough for conversation, you might talk to him or her about the bad effects of nail biting. It is certainly not enough to say that it is a bad habit, and therefore you want him to stop. If he understands the ill effects and the pain this habit might cause him later, he might try to stop. And in this case, it is important that you make it a point to acknowledge his effort and praise him if he manages to discontinue biting his nails.
If your child has developed this habit, you cannot possibly stop him by punishing him. In certain cases punishment has produced the opposite effect. It has made the child more adamant, and immune to reproaches. Punishing him for something which he cannot control will not make him get rid of the habit, and will only contribute in making him a difficult child.
It is important for you to trim his nails and keep them short so that it becomes difficult for him to bite his nails.
If your child is still a toddler, try to keep his hands engaged with toys or other things. This will divert his attention and he will probably no longer be interested in biting his nails.
Peer pressure can work wonders for school going children and reactions from the schoolmates can automatically put a stop to this habit.
If your child persists with this habit, and it becomes destructive, then taking professional medical help might be a good idea.
Getting your child to stop the habit of nail biting might be a difficult task, but these steps will help you achieve the result in a quick and effective manner.

Check It Out:
Take just 2 minutes to check out Personal Development Plus to see how you can improve your life today. You owe it to yourself to take control of your own Personal Development - You'll feel better for it.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Liz_Rispin

Parents should really be concerned if their children gets the habit of nail biting. Unhealthy habit such as nail biting should be stopped before it becomes a hard habit to break.

ORACARE

I'd been eating a lot of onion and garlic these past few days, may it be raw, grilled, sauteed or boiled with vegetables. Aside from the health benefits I get from them, they also taste good..... eoooow...... is what my children say whenever they see these foods on the table. Anyway, they are still young, their choice of food can be modified little by little.

The only downside I get from eating a lot of these onion and garlic is the smell of my breath, it's really awful, especially a few hours after eating these stuff. Thanks to the commercially available Oracare mouthrinse. Oracare is effective in getting rid of the smell and it doesn't sting. Most of all, Oracare is proudly Philippine made.