Curbside Stories

I had a serious fall earlier this day. It was raining and the floor was slippery. I lost balance and fell on the left hitting my head hard. I heard a nasty "thud" sound. I was not able to get up quickly because I passed out for seconds. When I was able to see, although blurry, I immediately got up but it felt different. I had difficulty breathing. I went to the kitchen and sat for a while. After a few moments I passed out again. My grandmother had me lay down while she was wiping dirt off my head and leg. I had scraped my leg and bruised my wrists. My head hurt so much. I went to the hospital for a check up because it was the first time I hit my head that hard and the first time I got drowsy because of a fall. The doctor asked me several questions including if I vomited and still feel dizzy. The doctor requested me to have a skull x-ray just to check if I have fracture. After a few minutes of waiting for the result, the doctor said my skull does not have any fracture. I gav...

I got so clumsy today that I sprained my right ankle. Now, I could not move around the house without watching my steps and reaching for something I can hold on to. Photo from A. D. A. M . Sprain is a medical condition wherein one or more of the ligaments of the ankle is over stretched, torn or partially torn. Sprains happen when the ankle rotates beyond its normal range of motion like what happens when you trip, you fall or jump and then you lose balance. There are three types of ankle sprain: 1. Inversion ankle sprain (this is what happened to me). This happens when the foot becomes too much inverted (you turn your foot inwards). In this type of ankle sprain, the lateral ligament--anterior talofibular ligament--of the ankle becomes over stretched. According to studies, 90% of ankle sprains are inversion type. 2. Eversion ankle sprain. This is the opposite of inversion. The medial ligaments become over stretched when this type of sprain happens. 3. High ankle sprain. This least...

Today I thank my son's pediatrician who did not charge me for consultation. My son was sick since Wednesday due to cough and colds. I took him this afternoon to his pediatrician and he was given antibiotics and cough syrup. He is cordial and you can sense genuine care for his patient. He talked to my son about what he should not eat while he has cough as if he's talking to his own son. My son nodded to each reminder from his doctor as if he truly understands. God bless you, Doc!

I will be on leave for a few more days or until I am sure that the common cold has passed.  It is hard for me to concentrate when I am frequently sniffing or sneezing. Tips:   1. Drink more water than usual when you have colds. 2. Always bring a tissue or hanky in case you have to sneeze.  Do not share you virus, please. 3. Increase vitamin C intake either by eating fruits or supplements. Ciao for now. Photo from here .

I remember one crazy kid story about the population.  I don't know who thought of this story but that person sure made me scared when I was young.  My classmate in elementary said that there will come a time that the earth will 'fall off' its orbit and eventually the galaxy because it could no longer bear the weight of too many human beings living on it.  The idea of the earth being off its orbit and the galaxy scared the hell out of me.   I saw this photo in Filipino Free Thinkers.  The Reproductive Health Bill is in the headlines and the eyes of the Catholic Church.  The issue about this is not new,  the bill was proposed many years ago but did not really became a law because, well, many are against it.  Just tonight, I heard in the news that the Church will ex-communicate President Noynoy if the bill becomes a law.  The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) denied the rumors of ex-communication but still they are a...

I began monitoring my bone density three years ago.  I get free scans because I work in a hospital. My first bone density scan was fine, I was still in the normal range--that was before I got pregnant.  After I gave birth to my son in 2008, I was scanned again and I was surprised of the result--I was osteopenic.  Just last week, I had my bone density scanned again and I am still osteopenic.  I guess I have to take extra efforts in avoiding what needs to be avoided and doing what needs to be done to make my bones healthy again. Osteopenia is having bone mineral density that is lower than the normal range.  A score above -1 is considered normal, a score between -1 to -2.5 is considered osteopenic, and a score below -2.5 is considered osteoporotic. Bones become naturally thinner as we age but having osteopenia means greater risk of having osteoporosis.  According to studies, women are more likely to have osteopenia and osteoporosis because women have a low...

This is so icky... a mouse bit my finger last night while I was sleeping. I was awakened by a sharp ache on my right hand and when I looked at it, I saw my pointer bleeding.  The mouse did not take a big chunk out of my finger but it punctured deep enough to let blood out.  I wiped off the blood with an anti-septic and went back to sleep again.  The mouse entered our room when I left it open for hours yesterday.  I saw it running and sneaking into corners last night, I tried to ward it out of our room but it just doesn't want to leave soon. I had an anti-tetanus shot today just to be sure.  I will get back to that mouse when I get home.

I am not a drinker, I used to socially drink but that is just about it.  I had no idea that this night would be the night I'd have a drink after a very very long time.   I attended a party and it was fun, I could not resist a shot of tequila.  One shot led to another and another--I have had four shots of Jose Cuervo tonight.   I did not become tipsy.  I went home looking and feeling normal.  So normal that I am still blogging about it. It is when I got home that I remembered that the reason I stopped drinking alcoholic beverages is that I develop rashes within 24 hours of consuming it.  Good luck for me.  Antihistamine, I hope you will work like the last time.  

My grandmother on my father's side has diabetes and she's been on a strict diet ever since its diagnosis many years ago.  Diabetes is a disease of the pancreas that involves the hormone insulin .  This hormone is essential in regulating energy and metabolism of our body and if it is over produced or under produced, chances are, you have a diabetes.  Because diabetes is a metabolic disorder, doctors advise patients to monitor their blood glucose levels at regular intervals.  Poor or late management of the disease may lead to blindness, organ failure and even worse, death.  Diabetes is a preventable disease even if you have history in the family.  Doctors suggest these five steps to prevent diabetes : 1. Be more active - excercise regularly to prevent glucose from stocking up in your body and it boosts your sensitivity to insulin. 2. Eat fiber-rich foods - good digestion is also the key to eliminating excesses in your body.  Aside from preventing diab...

Here I am again lamenting about defying the aging process.  No, it is not about me.  I just happen to have found a cosmetic surgery clinic in Washington DC that does not only perform surgeries but also does non-invasive dermatological procedures that are budget friendly.  Vita Surgical Group operates as a team of specialized doctors to ensure that all procedures are done according to standards with the most innovative and state of the art machines and facilities.  If you want to know more about their services, go to their website and see how you can be beautiful without spending so much. In case you are a doctor and wants to be trained, Vita Surgical Group also offers training about the field.  Click on this link to get to know more about their trainings.

I have asked this one time in this blog: Will you consider going under the knife?  I mentioned not long ago about my accepting the fact that in two years time I will no longer be considered as a 20 something blogger.  The last statement isn't going to confirm that I will consider cosmetic surgery.  I know I wouldn't.  I just want to establish one point here... that I, like everybody else, will have visible signs of aging in no time if we will not do something to prevent its early occurrence.  I am sweating a bit about the 'aging' word.  I admit to not really taking care of my skin, I just put lotion on my body, wash my face with a facial wash when I wake up and before I sleep and if I am in the mood, I'd probably put a toner.  That is just about it.  I don't remember going for a facial or a dermatologist for that matter.  Well, now I realize that I have been a bad girl.  It is not yet late for me to change my skin care routine, I am a...

My son just got out of the hospital.  We stayed there for two nights (the reason for my being away in the blogosphere) to observe his condition.  He was diagnosed with mild pneumonia .  I talked my son into having chest x-ray on Thursday, he liked the idea but I was inside the exposure room to make everything believable to him.   My mothering skills was put to the ultimate test the past few days.  My son would ask me if we could go home, if I could buy him his favorite foods, if he could go out of our room.  Everything was handled by talking and convincing him of the things that he should and shouldn't do.  The IV line would serve as his reminder that we are not yet allowed to go home.  Thank goodness he was ready to go home after three days.  The first thing that he did when we got home was to sleep. What a week that was! 

 Image from Seoul Beats . Will you ever consider going under the knife after a certain age?  This question has been asked to a lot of people, mainly celebrities, who are pressured to look beautiful and flawless every single time.  Many admitted to have some "enhancements" made on their features and while some had totally denied it, their before and after pictures tell otherwise. Way back 2003, an office mate had a nose job.  She's been longing to have a pointed nose ever since she was a child and when she got  the funds for the procedure, she went on with it.  Actually, she didn't tell anyone her reason for filing one week leave so everyone in the office was surprised when she reported back to work.  The funny thing is that she couldn't look straight into our eyes maybe because during that time, cosmetic surgery was not that common.  Her looks improved and hopefully her confidence, too. I've read too many cosmetic surgeries gone bad , some h...

Cancer. One of the most dreaded diseases of mankind.  It chooses no one and usually attacks undetected.  So many researches have been made about the disease and fortunately scientists were able to find its prevention and cure .  My aunts were not spared of the disease.  They were in their mid-30s when the disease was diagnosed and it was just a lump on their breast that started it all.  Both my aunts have had mastectomy and underwent chemotherapy.  Both became bald in the process but that didn't stop them from living normal lives.  My grandmother in Germany would send both my aunts different types of wigs and silicone breasts to put into their bras, they would even joke about it.  In the process, there are so many questions and although a few went unanswered, we are still grateful to the Lord that there is cure and there is hope.  They recovered after a year and both are working again and living normal lives. Many, due to late diagnosi...

According to the report of the Office of the National Drug Control Policy, prescription drug abuse among teens has reached its alarming rate at 2,500 teens per day for the age bracket of 12-17.  It is even alarming to know that prescription drugs like OxyContin (an opioid analgesic) and Vicodin (narcotic analgesic) -- are often sourced from family and friends. To solve this growing problem, Dr. Drew together with his team invented the Rx Locker --a locking storage device that is designed to hold up to four prescription pill bottles.  The special feature of this storage device is the combination lock protected lid so your medicines will be kept safe and private in your medicine cabinet and away from your kids. The Rx Locker is only one of the many ways to solve the growing problem in prescription drug abuse among teens.  Right knowledge and information are still the best defense against this growing problem. To get a full review and to order Dr. Drew's Rx Locke...