Family bond, how do you spend it?
Blog #12
March 29, 2022 @ 4:20 PM
How was your day?
Isn’t it very hot today?
Did you spend quality time with your family recently?
What are the things that you usually do with them if you have the time?
Do you usually spend it at home or outside?
For today’s blog, I want to share with you how we bond.
(Photo taken by me when we went to Boljoon)
**We do both spend our binding at HOME and OUTSIDE HOME.**
Activities when at Home
Usually, we spend our bonding moments at home. It is less expensive, and everything is already there in the house. These are the activities our family does when we bond at home.
1. Watching Movie is Netflix
When watching movies together with my kids, of course, the genre is favorable to them. We watched Sonic the Hedgehog, The Son of Bigfoot, The Croods 2, Trolls, Despicable Me 2. One time, we have started watching “All of us Are Dead”, but guess what, I only heard screaming from my two daughters, so we stopped the movie. My son, Ayden, also loves watching Pokémon.
2. Swimming
We constructed a small swimming pool at home for the kids. Especially in this hot weather, they dip into the pool and enjoy the water. As usual, the water level should only be the waist level of my son.
`(Photo is mine)`
Barbecue Party
There are times that we decide to eat on our lawn then cook a barbecue. So before dinner, we marinate the meat then around 5 pm we start cooking the barbecue. We also add hotdogs and sometimes fish if available.
**ACTIVITES OUTISDE HOME**
1. Biking
Biking is my husband’s hobby. We have a one-kilometer place here near our house. So, each of us riding the bicycle, we drive from our house to the airstrip. My son would ride with my husband.
`(Photo is mine)`
Jogging
Upon reaching the airstrip, we jog from one end to another together with the kids. My son, Ayden, sometimes got so tired and asked his father to carry him.
`(Photo is mine.)`
Going Uphill
Sometimes, we go to places uphill like Mantalongon or climb mountains like Osmeña Peak. Take pictures of the beautiful scenery there.
`(Photos are mine.)`
4. Going to the beach
Most of the time, we go to the beach early in the morning. Like around 5 am before the sun rises. Our children love the beach, and it is so refreshing to witness the sunrise and give us another hope for the day.
`(Photo is mine.)`
Giving quality time to the family is essential for every child’s growth. We as parents should not keep that opportunity while they are still young and appreciate the activities, we do with them. These are the foundation of growth that they will cherish forever until they grow old.
How about you my read.cash family? Did you spend your free time it wisely?
This is all for the blog today. Thank you for sparing your time.
Hurray! It's Saturday.
Saturdays…
The weekend that we always long for when it is still weekdays and busy in our respective tasks. When it is already Saturday, I felt lazy to do something after a very busy and productive week. However, we must do our chores at home.
For today’s blog, I will be sharing our activities for the day.
MORNING
I woke up around 8 am in the morning. My sister usually prepares our breakfast. We had ham and egg. Later, my son woke up also since I was not there in bed already. I would take a bath and eat breakfast. My two daughters woke up next and I asked my second daughter to make a coffee for me. So, we had our breakfast. My son is not eating rice. He ate biscuits and drink milk for his breakfast. Before starting to clean, I took my youngest son to the shower first and watched his favorite Blippi show while we are busy doing chores. So, we had to clean the house. My eldest was assigned sweeping the floor, my second child was wiping the windows and I was mopping the floor. Before lunch, my two daughters took a bath to refresh.
NOON
My sister went somewhere else. So, I prepared “nilagang baboy” for lunch. We were very full and had regained our needed energy. My eldest washed the dishes since it is her turn to do so. My son, Ayden, ate fried potatoes for lunch.
If you are wondering, why he is not eating the normal food. In my previous blogs, I have shared with you that he has a bilateral cleft lip and palate. Though the lip surgery and palate surgery were finished already, he has no appetite for rice yet. We do not know why. Maybe you have an idea, please comment down below.
To continue, after lunch we had to finish the modules. So I checked their answers and explained to them some of the parts that they have wrong answers.
AFTERNOON
At 2:30pm, my son Ayden was already sleeping so I had the chance to focus on checking modules of my two daughters. While checking their modules, I alternately read some articles here in read.cash and leave some comments.
Around 4pm, I decided to cook “champorado” since we have left-over rice. So we had “champorado” for snacks. At 5pm, Ayden woke up from sleep and asked for snacks so I gave him biscuits and water. We went outside so that Ayden can run around in front of the house. Ate Andrea (my eldest), watered the plants, and Aliyah (second child) picked the dried avocado leaves. We set a small fire outside. The daylight is fading so we had to went inside the house to prepare for dinner.
EVENING
For dinner, we had boiled egg and the “humba” cooked yesterday then we will just reheat it.
After the dinner, we continue the modules and eventually few modules will be left for tomorrow.
That’s how my day turned out. It was tiresome but productive all the way.
How about you my read.cash family, what have you been up to all day?
God bless to all of you my read.cash family. Happy weekend guys!
(Note: All pictures are taken by my and edited in Foto Grid and Canva App.)
Blog#11
March 26, 2022 Saturday
Her story- "Our Memory"
Blog #10
March 25, 2022 Friday
Good day my read.cash family.
Today was a very busy day. A lot of things have been going on in school and at home.
This afternoon, we were able to visit the wake of our previous principal who passed away because of lung problems. I do not know the exact details about it.
I just also remembered the time when I experience a loss of a dear loved one.
Last January 2020, our family mourned for the early death of my niece.
She was a very jolly and supportive big sister to my two daughters. She was a very good dancer. They call her “Ate Samie”.
This started when she was getting her laboratory as a requirement to study education units in CTU-Cebu City. At that time, she was working in an agency as a Recruitment Officer. This time when the doctor read her lab results, it showed that she has a very high creatinine level.
What is creatinine and its normal level?
Creatinine is a byproduct of normal muscle function. It is a metabolite of creatine phosphate, which the muscles use as an energy source. https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/creatinine-test/
The greater someone’s muscle mass, the higher their creatinine levels. For this reason, males tend to have higher creatinine levels than females. https://bestpractice.bmj.com/topics/en-gb/935
The primary way in which the body removes creatinine from the blood is by filtration through the kidneys and then excretion in the urine.
( source: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/when-to-worry-about-creatinine-levels#creatinine)
According to the *British Medical Journal*, the usual reference range for serum creatinine is 60–110 micromoles per liter (mcmol/l), or 0.7–1.2 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl), for males and 45–90 mcmol/l (0.5–1.0 mg/dl) for females. https://bestpractice.bmj.com/topics/en-gb/935
( source: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/when-to-worry-about-creatinine-levels#creatinine)
The doctor advised her to be hospitalized so she quickly called up my older sister. We were very shocked to know the news where in fact there are no signs that indicated that she has it. It was around August 2019 when she was admitted. She stayed in the hospital for three weeks. She was diagnosed with chronic kidney failure. The doctor said that only 10% of her kidney is functioning. She was really crying and could not accept that her life would come at that point. Her mother, who is my older sister, advised her to accept because there was nothing, they can do about it. Though it breaks her mother so much seeing her daughter in such a feeling of helplessness, she should be brave also for her daughter. She was in dialysis while in the hospital. It was three times a week. There was something inserted into her neck. It was where the dialysis machine was connected. That’s how bad the situation was.
They asked if they can be discharged because the bill also was getting bigger. Our family made contributions for the hospital bill at that time. At that time, each dialysis cost Php5,000 or USD100 per session, and that was three times a week. My sister was so problematic that time each time they were scheduled for dialysis. Our family has been supportive to them but of course, we have our own expenses and the salaries are somehow just enough.
Eventually, they were able to enroll in Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSCMMC)-Cebu City in the dialysis center. They were paying less than Php2,000 or USD40. It is a government hospital and sometimes the schedules were not followed because sometimes the machine would have some technical problems. The three times a week schedule would fall two times a week only. I can really feel the struggle they have to take both my sister and her daughter.
She was able to attend the first birthday of my son last September 2019 and made the decorations and balloon. She even took the birthday pictures for her cousin.
She was my make-up artist during our night at our barangay during the teachers’ nite. My second daughter’s make-up artist for her dance number during the nite for the elementary.
The following day after the nite, she experienced difficulty in breathing because she was not allowed to get too excited, too sad, overworked, and stressed. So, the oxygen was attached to her since there was one unit prepared for her.
She has a cheerful disposition always. She even made a video of the “Tala Dance” challenge which was popular at that time.
She spent her Christmas 2019 with her mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, and sibling (kuya).
January 2020, they were scheduled for dialysis. My second daughter will be joining the Sinulog in the school, and she needs a headdress. So I asked her to buy one for me for her cousin. She said that she will be texting and sending pictures for me if she could buy one. She and her boyfriend planned to witness the fireworks for the Sinulog after her dialysis.
That day, my older sister called up and said that my niece was rushed to the hospital because of difficulty breathing. She said that its as if it is already the end. She was revived but already with a ventilator machine. I can’t explain how I felt that time. I know that it would really come to that point but it was just too sudden.
My husband and I visited her at the hospital, and I could help but cry. I was crying inside because my sister was there, and I want to be strong for her also. We called up my kids and let her hear their voices. Telling her to be better because they would be waiting for her to come home. The feeling that from the looks of it that it is really the end but there was still a grain of faith that somehow and maybe a miracle would happen.
January 23, 2020, Thursday, the doctor talked to my sister to decide because it has been days, but she has no response to the medications. So, my sister and brother-in-law waited for the older brother to be at the hospital. By the afternoon of the same day, the family decided to take off the ventilator and observe if she still can breathe on her own without the machine.
January 24, 2020, the ventilator machine was taken off. As described by my sister, somehow all her body has become reddish. She was pronounced dead. She was 25 years old. It was very painful and we cried for her.
Today, there are moments when I can think about her. What if she is still here? She could see her cousins getting bigger already. At some point also, I become teary-eyed remembering her.
Death is inevitable. We may not understand the feeling of those who mourn when it is our time to mourn. We cannot explain the pain of those who lost their loved ones when it is our time to feel the pain. Everybody says that when someone died, we should not be sad. Instead, be happy because eternal life is waiting for them. No more pain. No more suffering.
We make every minute count and spend our time wisely. We may work very hard for the money but do not forget to spend time with family and friends.
Take a break. Bond with family. Live healthily.
(Photos were taken when she was already on her dialysis.)
(My two daughters were so happy receiving their Christmas gifts from Ate Samie.)
(They were very close ever since.)
This article is dedicated to Ate Samie. We love you so much. Our hearts remember you always.
Thanks for giving your time to read my article. Do not forget to hit like. Leave your comments, and upvotes. If you have any suggestions for my next article, please write down on the comment section.
Thank you for your time.
For my other blog, you can click the link below:
https://read.cash/@Ayen22/lets-eat-f248c9a9
https://read.cash/@Ayen22/life-changing-goal-family-journey-a96c79a1
https://read.cash/@Ayen22/challenge-accepted-c9cd2089
https://read.cash/@Ayen22/what-is-more-than-labor-pain-af8b2f3c
https://read.cash/@Ayen22/music-from-nature-2d80b0d4
https://read.cash/@Ayen22/a-life-away-from-home-coming-home-85ee734c
https://read.cash/@Ayen22/a-life-away-from-home-part-2-4d5b4498
https://read.cash/@Ayen22/a-life-away-from-home-part-1-1c73fd0e
https://read.cash/@Ayen22/a-glimpse-of-myself-7cc89e52
Let's Eat!
Blog #9
March 23, 2022 ( Wednesday)
As I was sitting in my classroom. I can feel the scorching heat of the sun outside.
So, I decided to write something today just to somehow relax.
______________________________________________
As I was browsing my phone last night, I have come across some pictures.
It was then I remembered that during the start of the community quarantine because of the spread of Covid-19, a lot of us have done things we normally do not do.
Online selling has become phenomenal and many of us got hooked on cooking food at home. Any menu that we can think of, and others have posted recipes on social media. Since everybody stayed at home, we think of ways to make time to bond with family. Of course, we get together on special occasions and we eat together. Food definitely is the answer.
So here are some of the food that I have cooked during the pandemic.
1. Pancake
The all-time favorite breakfast and snacks of my kids as well as yours truly. Very simple to prepare and surely your kids will love it too. I got the recipe from the site below but I made some adjustments based on our preferences after many attempts.
recipe link: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/21014/good-old-fashioned-pancakes/
Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
4 tablespoon sugar (add depending on the sweetness you like, either brown or white sugar)
a pinch of salt (very small amount only)
1 cup milk (you can use fresh milk or evaporada)
1 large egg
1 tablespoon oil
Cheese (in small bits)
Vanilla (for a yummylicious smell)
Procedure:
1. First, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Set aside.
2. Second, beat the eggs then add the milk.
3. Third, combine the mixture of dry ingredients and the mixture of egg and milk.
Mix thoroughly, you can use a hand mixer.
4. Next, put the cheese, oil, and vanilla then mix.
5. Lastly, preheat the pan, then place enough amount of the mixture in an average heat. Flip once the other side is golden brown. Enjoy!
*(Note: Photo is mine and edited in Photo Collage app)*
2 . Mango pie
It is like the all-time favorite mango pie in Jolibee with a twist. Why? Because it is using slices of bread. I got this recipe while browsing Facebook during the first months of the pandemic.
Ingredients:
Slices of bread (take of the sides of the bread)
½ kilo mangoes (crushed)
Slices of cheese
Sugar
Lemon (optional)
Egg
Bread crumbs
Cooking oil
Procedure:
1. In low heat, cook the mango with sugar then squeeze in some lemon. Set aside.
2. Flatten the bread then place a slice of cheese on one side and put enough amount of the cooked mango.
3. Cover the bread with its other half then use a fork in closing it.
4. Roll the stuffed bread on the beaten egg, and then to the bread crumbs.
5. In low heat, fry the stuffed bread. Flip once it is golden brown then put in a strainer Caution: Be careful in eating because the filling might be very hot.
*(Note: Photo is mine and edited in Photo Collage app)*
3. Bichu2x (I don’t know it I spelled it correctly)
This is the perfect snack food. This is using sweet potato as the main ingredient.
Ingredients: sweet potato (camote)
flour
sugar
cooking oil
Procedure:
1. Shred the sweet potatoes then put sugar based on your level of sweetness
2. Mix water and flour so that the shredded sweet potatoes would stick together.
3. Mix the shredded sweet potatoes and the water-flour mixture.
4. In a frying pan, place enough amount of the mixture and fry. Flip when it is golden brown. Then enjoy!
(Note: Photo is mine.)
Those are some of the favorite foods we prepared during the lockdown. I feel hungry while I was typing this article. Hope you enjoy and try some of the recipes. See you in my next article.
Hope you had a great time.
Do not forget to push the like button, leave your comments and upvotes.
Note: All pictures are taken by me.
If you haven't read my other articles, you can click the link below.
Life Changing Goal – Family Journey
Blog #8
March 22, 2019 (Tuesday)
Wow, we are very busy preparing for the limited face-to-face classes.
Power draining both physical and mental aspects.
How are you today read.cash family?
Hope all is well.
For today’s blog, I will be continuing our family’s journey for our son’s life-changing goal.
PREPARATION
We were admitted on January 22, 2019, at around 5 p.m. I was there together with my older sister who is the one looking after my children since birth. I was then still uneasy and problematic because the Philhealth was not cleared yet. I am also worried about the insertion of the needle for the IV fluid. It took around three attempts by the nurse but still unsuccessful insertion of the needle. It really breaks my heart to hear my son crying. It was then they try to insert it on the feet and thank Lord it went through.
January 23, 2019. Lip surgery scheduled date. At 2 a.m., we were advised that our babies are no longer allowed to eat or drink anything in preparation for the surgery. Around 5 a.m., the nurse and anesthesiologist have called up for a briefing on how the process would be. All four parents were present, and my son is third in the lineup for the surgery.
I have mixed emotions at that point, I am happy because we are already in the first step for transformation and a better life for my son. I am worried because my son is still 4months old and I do not know if how painful it can be after.
SURGERY
The first patient went inside the operating room around 8 am and have started the operation around 8:30 a.m. I am eagerly waiting for our chance to be operated on since all the babies were uneasy because they have not eaten anything.
At last, we were called up to the operating room around 11:30 a.m. Only one person can accompany but the nurses would assist. I had to take off my clothes and put on the lab gown, shoes, and hair cap. I am nervous yet happy while going inside the operating room. So, I laid my son down on the operating table, they placed it like oxygen but somehow it would make him sleep while the operation is going on. I went outside and waited in the recovery area. I cannot explain how I felt at that time. The operation starts around 12 noon. After one hour, my son came out of the operating room with blood on the mouth. He was still half asleep and cannot manage to fully move his body. After some time, we went back to our ward. He still slept though without food. He can barely move his mouth because he was afraid. Upon clearance from the doctor, they were able to drink cold milk in a syringe or dropper. On our part, we used the pigeon bottle for the cleft.
AFTER OPERATION
January 24, 2019. Around 8 am, we were oriented on how to care for the wound, the dos and don’ts, and the follow-up check-up. This time luckily, my Philhealth confirmation went through, and have been discharged without paying anything.
The photo was taken at the morning last January 24, 2019. (Photo is mine.)
We are very thankful to Noordhoff Craniofacial Foundation Philippines, Inc. for the opportunity of availing of their free services.
Thank you for reading this article. I will try my best to come up with articles you love. See you next article as our journey continues!
Do not forget to hit the like, leave your comments and upvotes.
Challenge Accepted!
Blog #7
Date: March 17, 2022 (Thursday)
It has been a very busy three days.
It’s as if we are always running out of time.
Today, I’ve decided to take a break and give time to think about things and prioritize.
So, I want to share with you how we cope with the challenge given to us.
A lifelong challenge that would test our family.
You already know from my previous article that I had a son with a bilateral cleft lip and palate. Since that moment, we have researched from different sites and viewed videos in Youtube on how to correct it. Though both of us have stable job, it would not be enough to pay the expenses for the surgery if we consult in a private doctor. Until such time, we have come across Noordhoff Craniofacial Foundation Philippines, Incorporated (NCFPI). One of the nurses in the hospital also told me that one of her relative had the same case and came to the same organization. This organization is one of the guardian angel that God has sent to us.
A brieft background of the organization:
Noordhoff Craniofacial Foundation Philippines, Incorporated has been providing subsidies for the treatment and hospitalization of craniofacial, cleft lip or/and cleft palate patients since 2006. They provide pediatric consultation, pre-operative NAM, surgeries, speech therapy, pediatric and dental dentistry, orthodontic treatment, psychosocial services, and other services. It is founded by Dr. Sam Noordhoff in Taiwan in 1989. (source: https://www.ncfphil.org/about-us/).
So with this, we made a call and inquire regarding their services. Without so much thought, we decided to fly to Manila and went there for the consultation. We have packed a lot of things since my friend, that we had to undergo pre-operative NAM (Naso Alveolar Moulding) for three months before the cheiloplasty (lip surgery). I have filed a personal leave without pay. October 28, 2018, we flew to Manila and stayed at my aunt’s house in Cubao, Q.C. October 29, 2018, we went to the clinic in Our Lady of Peace Hospital in Parañaque City where they have a clinic on Mondays every week. My first-time using Grab application for transportation going there. I was interviewed by the social worker Maam Gina. Good thing, no matter what your social status, they will accept the patient if it is a craniofacial case.
When I arrived there and stayed longer, I realized that I am not the only one in this situation. Different craniofacial cases can be seen especially cleft cases. God really moves in mysterious ways.
I was then lined up for the pre-operative NAM. This time the dentist said they can refer us back to Cebu since they have a volunteer before that has a clinic in Chonghua Mandaue. At first I was said but then I’ve come to realize that we can go home and would not be away from home for three months. That’s why, I automatically called my husband and asked him to cancel my personal leave. Good thing, It was not signed yet.
So, we went back to Cebu and consulted Dr. Larissa Ang-Lim, a pediatric dentist with focus on special needs dentistry. She welcomed us and recommended us to another foundation that still focuses on cleft care with an office here in Cebu. The Mabuhay Deseret Foundation is God-sent also along with NCFPI.
A short background of the foundation:
The foundation a community that works together to care for individuals with disfigurations and other debilitating conditions. These conditions include cleft lip/palate, crossed eyes, and club foot. It is founded by Dr. William Jackson and his wife Audrey in 1988. (source: https://mabuhaydeseretfoundation.org/our-history/)
Every Saturday, we will have our consultations and NAM adjustment at Dr. Lim’s clinic free of charge because of Mabuhay Deseret Foundation (MDF). I can still recall; we will be living home around 4-5 in the morning because we have an 8:00 am appointment at the clinic. For three months also, we must take care of the NAM placed in my son’s mouth. I must take it off in the morning and clean it before going to work. Even though my heart was crushed when my son would cry out loud, especially when I had to clean, take it off, and put it on but I need to do it to have a good outcome. It is like a routine to us.
In January 2019, my son was cleared from the NAM treatment so the dentist told us that we can have the lip surgery (cheiloplasty) either in Cebu or Manila. We opted to have the surgery in Our Lady of Peace Hospital under NCFPI. On January 14, 2019, we came back to Our Lady of Peace Hospital for the laboratories. We were so prepared that we thought we could be admitted that day but unfortunately, we must come back by next week since our laboratory was already 1:00 pm and the result would be next Monday.
Fast forward, to January 21, 2019 (Monday), I was so nervous if there would be any problems. My son’s weight passed (5kilograms minimum requirement) and the X-ray result cleared. I was processing the admission papers then suddenly my PHILHEALTH contributions had problems. There was a delay in the contributions that’s why I cannot be cleared in the system. I made a lot of calls until I spoke to Mam Irish (in-charge in PHILEAHLTH). Luckily, another heaven-sent, she promised that the contributions would be updated by the following day. So, I begged the social worker that we can be admitted. She cleared us and admitted us that day. We are a total of four patients admitted, three lip surgeries, and one palate surgery.
Up to this moment, I thank God for all the blessings given to us. He is always there for us no matter what. This has changed our perspective in life and has come to appreciate even the tiniest things we have.
I have mentioned the organization’s name because I might be of help to others also who need their help. They do the services for free based on my experience.
I hope that you continue to follow our family’s journey for my son. See you in my next article and tune in for the continuation of the journey.
If you have relatives in Metro Manila with cleft cases, you can click this link to contact them:
https://www.ncfphil.org/contact/
If you have relatives in Manila, Cebu, and Davao with cleft cases, you can click this link to contact them:
https://mabuhaydeseretfoundation.org/contact-us/
Click the link below for Dr. Lim:
http://pediatricdentistrycenter.com.ph/aepd/graduates/dr-larissa-ann-ang-lim
Disclaimer:
The background of the two foundations has been taken from their respective website, link below:
https://www.ncfphil.org/contact/
https://mabuhaydeseretfoundation.org/contact-us/
http://pediatricdentistrycenter.com.ph/aepd/graduates/dr-larissa-ann-ang-lim
What is More than Labor Pain?
Blog #6
March 14, 2022
It was September 21, 2018 at around 6:00 a.m., I have seen blood in my underwear but I did not feel any stomach pain. This time I was 39 weeks. My father-in-law accompanied me to the hospital since my husband was still on duty. The doctor sent me back home because it is only 3cm.
Around lunch of the same day, stomach pains were already starting in long intervals and still manageable. Past midnight, September 22, 2018, the pain is already in shorter intervals than it was. So by morning, we decided to go back to the hospital. When the doctor performed an IE (internal examination), it was around 6cm dilation. Though it was still far from full-term dilation, we decided to be admitted since our residence is 20 minutes away from the hospital.
This is my third pregnancy. I gave birth to my second child last November 2012. The last two labor experience was not so prolonged because they injected me with oxytocin to augment the labor. However, this time around, they did not inject me with that. So, I experienced the labor pains from its long intervals to shorter and stronger intervals. It is like my body was very stressed and exhausted since the strong labor pains started past midnight. It was like I cannot remember how painful it was with my two pregnancies and suddenly I got struck with the pain I felt this time. It was painful, and nobody can help you except that you had to calm yourself and bear the pain.
Around 3:30 pm, September 22, 2018, I felt that the labor pains were too short and too strong, so I ask my husband to call the nurse because I think the baby is about to come out. So, the attending doctor performed an IE (internal examination) and found out that I was already in full-term dilation. I was rushed to the delivery room; the pain is unbearable, and I want to push the baby out. I was inside the delivery room and all the labor memories I had, kept flashing into my mind. When the contraction starts, I had to push really hard. I had so many attempts and it is like all my energy has been used up since the labor pains started early in the morning. The doctor told me, not to get pregnant next time if I don’t have the adequate energy to give birth. Good thing, the doctor still helped me and performed the fundal push together when I’m pushing the baby out.
September 22, 2018 at 4:33pm, I gave birth to a healthy baby boy. While I was looking at him, there is something on his face, and thought it was just some of the residue from inside. He was placed on my chest; I saw that there is a deformation on the nose and mouth portion. I cannot explain my feeling back then.
All mothers want the best for their children. We pray for safe delivery and a healthy baby after delivery. Who would have thought that he would come out like that? Never in our wildest dreams considering this moment in our lives.
When the assigned pediatrician came, they explained the case of our baby. He has a bilateral cleft lip and palate. My baby has cleft or in the Tagalog term “bingot”. Our whole world has been crushed by the news.
What are we going to do?
Can surgery repair this?
Where can we get the money to do all the surgeries?
How can we feed our baby?
Why did this happen?
Did I do something bad during pregnancy that my baby came out with this?
These are the questions that came into our minds and so many more that I couldn’t remember.
I was so exhausted from giving birth added by the fact that my baby has a cleft.
THIS is more than LABOR PAIN.
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Thank you for taking the time to read. Tune in and find out about this journey.
Please continue to read and support my articles.
Music from Nature
Blog #5
March 12, 2022, Saturday
Is music found in nature? Can only humans create sound to make music?
What is Music?
*Based on New World Encyclopedia:*
**Music** is an auditory art comprised of meaningful arrangements of sounds with relation to pitch, rhythm, and tonality. Another definition of music is "a natural and intuitive phenomenon operating in the spheres of time, pitch, and energy, and under three distinct and interrelated organization structures of rhythm, harmony, and melody." https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Rhythm https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Tonality https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Intuition https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Harmony https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Melody
*From Merriam Webster:*
Music is vocal, instrumental, or mechanical sounds having rhythm, melody, or harmony.
In a human sense, music is a sound pleasing once heard depending on the mood or even gender.
Perhaps our innate attraction – and universal reactions – to various elements of music since it is created on a foundation based in the natural environment. Recent research has found that the music of both humpback whales and many bird species have surprising similarities to the structures of our human music.
We already know that some animals have evidently make music out of the sound they make. Animal singers use their songs to communicate. They may share the location of food, find one another, or attract a mate. They may sing to scare off a rival or warn others of danger. And, like humans, some animals, including birds and whales, sometimes seem to sing just for the sheer joy of it. Here are some of the animals that sing.
Click the link below to know more of the abilities of the animals above:
https://a-z-animals.com/blog/10-animals-that-sing/
**What do you call this music?**
**BIOMUSIC ……**
**Biomusic** is a form of experimental music that deals with sounds created or performed by non-humans. The definition is also sometimes extended to include sounds made by humans in a directly biological way.
Why am talking about this? Music from nature like the animals, from water, and from wind.
Have you ever wondered, do plants make music? Same with animals and humans, it is a living thing.
While my husband and I are browsing through Facebook, we have come across a video about this.
PlantWave! Have you heard about this?
Tune into nature and listen to the music of plants.
I was so amazed by this technology. Connecting to nature using the device and a headset.
How does it work?
**01.** PlantWave detects slight electrical variations in a plant via two electrodes placed on the leaves.
**02.** These variations are graphed as a wave, which is translated into pitch messages that play musical instruments designed by our team.
**03.** Other characteristics of the wave change the textural qualities of those sounds.
**04.** The result is a continuous stream of pleasing music that gives you a sonic window into the secret life of plants.
Connectivity & Configuration
PlantWave can be used with a mobile device for easy listening or with pro music equipment for advanced applications.
Benefits of PlantWave:
1. Connect with nature
2. Relax
3. Focus
4. Increase Presence
To know more about this technology, click the link below:
https://web.facebook.com/brutamerica/videos/393961835685858/
https://www.plantwave.com/
Our emotions are profoundly tied to musical sounds, while we also have a deeply rooted emotional connection with nature. The music of the natural world provided the foundation for crucial aspects of our human evolution, making our connections with both music and nature innate.
The use of music in environmental education can help to inform students through ideas incorporated in musical lyrics, while also enhancing interest in environmental topics. Music can also enhance perceptions of the value of the natural world, especially when nature itself is recognized as being musical.
Anyways, this is not to market the device. I just want to share it with you because I am so stunned by this technology.
What do you think about PlantWave?
What are your thoughts about it?
Thank you for taking the time to read my article and please continue to support me.
Please check out my other articles below.
Disclaimer:
Some contents are taken from below link:
https://a-z-animals.com/blog/10-animals-that-sing/
https://www.plantwave.com/
https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Music
https://web.facebook.com/brutamerica/videos/393961835685858/
A LIFE away from HOME – Coming Home
Blog#4
March 11, 2022
HOME is where our heart feels comfortable.
HOME is where we feel that we belong.
HOME is where our hearts feel unexplainable happiness.
Working overseas has its benefits and shortcomings that we need to consider before finally making a big decision.
ADVANTAGES
· Higher Income and better employment benefits. ...
· Travel and experience abroad. ...
· Global career and profession marketability. ...
· Independence and better life style. ...
· Prestige and recognition....
DISADVANTAGES
· The experience is never going to be what you expect. ...
· You might experience discrimination. ...
· Limited employment opportunities. ...
· Culture Shock..
· Being homesick is one of the worst disadvantages of working abroad..
For those who have experienced working overseas, would you agree to this? Maybe you can add your thoughts about this.
How about those who have family members working overseas, do you want them to work locally or overseas?
Every individual has his/her own reason for deciding what is better for him/her. Most Filipinos decide to work overseas basically for the family and to attain maybe financial freedom.
As an OFW before, I have the same reason as every OFW has. In my case, I have decided to come home and build my family in our home country.
I am grateful also that my partner before waited for me to be back home. We are happily married today with three beautiful kids.
Challenges never stop in our lives, at least, we have each other to support and back up one another.
Please support and learn from my other articles below:
https://read.cash/@Ayen22/a-glimpse-of-myself-7cc89e52
https://read.cash/@Ayen22/a-life-away-from-home-part-1-1c73fd0e
https://read.cash/@Ayen22/a-life-away-from-home-part-2-4d5b4498
Disclaimer:
Some contents were taken from the below link:
https://www.google.com/search?q=advantages+and+disadvantages+of+working+overseas&sxsrf=APq-WBu_Tet_ZHEk5tLIIm_tEUfgx9jkSw%3A1646982174748&ei=HvQqYvOLLe3R2roP6OqpwAM&oq=advantages+and+disadvantagesf+working+overseas&gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAEYADIECAAQDToHCAAQRxCwAzoHCAAQsAMQQzoECCEQCjoHCCMQsAIQJzoFCAAQogQ6CAgAEAgQDRAeSgQIQRgASgQIRhgAUNsJWI42YPhGaANwAXgAgAHRAogBgiSSAQgwLjExLjYuNJgBAKABAcgBCcABAQ&sclient=gws-wiz
a LIFE away from HOME - Part 2
Blog#3
March 10, 2022
This is a continuation of my journey.
I am just glad to share it with you.
Shocking culture and environment. Asians have a very different culture from the Middle East.
FOOD
Asians, specifically in the Philippines, are big fans of rice coupled with our favorite dishes like adobo, sinigang, caldereta, kare-kare, lechon and many more. One thing Emiratis and other nationalities hate is the odor of dried fish or “bulad” which is very opposite to us..
The Emirati food includes **meat, fish, and rice**, with lamb and mutton being the more favored meats; tea and coffee are the preferred beverages, with spices like cardamom, saffron, and mint added to give it a distinctive flavor. One thing I remembered is they have this “tsai” wherein the tea is mixed with milk.
Since it is a Muslim country, ***haram*** (Arabic word for forbidden) food like pork is not allowed for them but there is a designated area in a supermarket where pork and pork-related products can be bought. They only eat ***halal*** (Arabic word meaning permitted) food.
CLOTHING
Filipinos wear t-shirts and jeans as casual attire but sometimes shorts also as everyday clothes. Western-style clothes at the office and formal gatherings. We prefer more comfortable clothing.
The traditional dress of Emirati men is a Dishdasha or a Kandura. This is a single-piece ankle-length garment. In their homes, they sometimes wear half-sleeved Kanduras, but formal Kanduras are always full-sleeved.
They wear Gutra as the headdress. The Gutra, which is a square piece of scarf, protects their head and face from the scorching heat of the desert. They would also cover their faces with it when the dust is too high. Agal is used to hold the Gutra on the head.
The traditional outfit of Emirati women is Abaya. An elegant loose fitting flowing black cloak. The Abaya is always worn on top of other clothes. Underneath the cloak, women wear traditional or western clothes. The dark cover also helps hide the bright-colored garments.
CLIMATE
The Philippines has a tropical climate with high temperatures, high humidity, and abundant rainfall.
Dubai has a hot desert climate. They have extremely hot weather, hot winds, and high humidity during summer and extremely cold also during winter.
EMPLOYMENT
These differences of culture never made me discouraged to look for a job. I went for an interview from one employer to another in the hope that I can be hired.
My first employer was managed by two Emirati sisters, and they have treated me like their equals. My work is to process visas and help set up companies in UAE. The name of their company was Business Support Services. They picked me up in the morning and we went to the office together. I cannot forget that they asked me why I am so thin that I am eating rice while the two of them only eat shawarma but gained souch weight. I just find it funny to remember now. It was short but memorable.
After that employment, I was then hired at a real estate developer and broker company, KM Properties LLC. This time I worked as a customer service representative. The struggle is real aside from communication but handling the not-so-good customer was tough. Conversing with different nationalities from an Emirati, Iranian, Chinese, Indian, Egyptian, Australian, Canadian, and others made it so challenging. The good thing is my Indian manager was really very nice and approachable as well as my teammates who are Filipinos also.
People like them made it lighter though I am miles away from home.
OUR FAMILY BACK HOME
Fridays would be the weekend in Dubai. So, this is the time when we can attend mass at church, bond with other “kabayan” as we call fellow Filipinos in Dubai. Most importantly, we call our families in the Philippines because this is the time with a low rate for calls. By the time I can speak to them, homesickness hits me. I would sometimes cry. I have experienced a lot of misunderstandings with my boyfriend before. I cried a lot back then but what can I do. Of course, I need to work hard and send money to my family.
Most of the time, we follow what our parents want because they know what is best for us. But eventually as we grow up, we learn to decide on our own, outside our comfort zone. That is why after almost two years of working abroad, I decided that it is my turn to follow what I want and what my heart desires.
Hope you continue to read and support my next article.
You can check out my other articles on the link below.
To know more about me, click this link : https://read.cash/@Ayen22/a-glimpse-of-myself-7cc89e52
For the Part 1 of A life away from HOME, clink this link: https://read.cash/@Ayen22/a-life-away-from-home-part-1-1c73fd0e
Disclaimer:
Pictures and some contents are taken from the link below.
Ctto: https://www.dayoutdubai.ae/blog/safari/traditional-dress-of-uae-dubai/
https://www.google.com/search?q=the+staple+food+of+emirates&bih=610&biw=1366&hl=en&sxsrf=APq-WBtLTCvfshkEkKCAT9qivDfJFdxtfg%3A1646912389866&ei=heMpYqbANIv30AS3yKa4Ag&oq=the+coomon+food+of+emirati&gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAEYADIICAAQFhAKEB46BAgjECc6BQgAEJECOgoIABCxAxCDARBDOgcILhDUAhBDOgsIABCABBCxAxCDAToRCC4QgAQQsQMQgwEQxwEQ0QM6BQgAEIAEOgQIABBDOgUILhCABDoICAAQgAQQsQM6CAguELEDEIMBOgsILhCxAxCDARDUAjoLCC4QgAQQsQMQgwE6BwguELEDEEM6CgguEMcBEK8BEEM6CAguEIAEELEDOggIABCABBDJAzoICC4QgAQQ1AI6CwguEIAEELEDENQCOgsILhCABBDHARCvAToECAAQCjoECC4QCjoECAAQDToKCC4QxwEQrwEQDToICAAQCBANEB46CQgAEMkDEBYQHjoGCAAQFhAeOgoIIRAWEAoQHRAeSgQIQRgASgQIRhgAUABYxTlgl1RoAHABeAGAAeoEiAGxN5IBDDAuNC4xMy43LjEuMZgBAKABAcABAQ&sclient=gws-wiz
a LIFE away from HOME - Part 1
Our dream in life is what keep us going every day especially when we are single and young. As young as elementary days, we are asked what we want to become in the future. In my younger years, I just want to finish my studies and be able to support my family also. I never imagine a LIFE away from HOME.
COMFORT ZONE
After graduating college, I’ve worked as an audit secretary in a pawnshop company for one year. Working and interacting with other people is not new to me since I was a working student during my college days. I am excited to apply what I have learned then. After a year, I felt something is missing and of course, my salary is in the minimum amount, so I resigned and was hired as a customer service representative in one of the call centers in Cebu City. I was amazed by the new environment and the adjustment of the new working schedule. Working on the graveyard shift and sleeping in the morning and I felt exhausted for three months though the salary is promising that time year 2007.
While I was working that time as a call center agent, my older sister is already working in Dubai, so she asked me if I want to work abroad. That time, my husband was already my boyfriend but of course, it was an opportunity then, so I grab it. The process was not easy from getting the passport, sending documents to the embassy for the red ribbon if I am not mistaken plus the pocket money. I was able to complete the documents and borrow some money for the pocket money.
STARTING MY JOURNEY
February 2008 and I am 22 years old. I traveled to Dubai all by myself and my first time on a plane. It was a long journey from Cebu to Hongkong then to Dubai. When I arrive at the Dubai airport, it was like a dream. I can remember that I borrowed a cellphone from an Indian national to call my sister. I felt ashamed but I don’t have a choice because my phone was not yet registered in Dubai. I stayed with my sister in Karama, Dubai together with other Filipinos. The flat has two rooms, one room for the landlady and we stayed in the second room with eight (8) tenants in it. The accommodation in Dubai is expensive so the housing situation then was manageable. But for those who have been an OFW in Dubai, supposedly house tenants other than the authorized lessee are not allowed. Police checked rooms randomly. When going outside, we had to carry our passports and resident cards for those with working visas. What amazes me most, all buildings are air-conditioned. All expensive and delicious food that I cannot afford to eat in the Philippines, I can eat in Dubai.
During my time, applying for a job in a foreign country is somehow unique, especially in Dubai. Applicants place advertisements in the newspaper that you are looking for a job. Another way is to use the newspaper and send emails to the prospective employer. What I fear at that time is the direction of going to an interview for an employer. I cannot always ride a cab because it is expensive, so I need to take the bus. Not like here in the Philippines that buses can load and unload anywhere on the road. In Dubai, each bus number has a designated loading and unloading area. So that time was a total adjustment mentally, emotionally, and psychologically. In short, it was a culture shock.
The journey continues to my next article.
A glimpse of myself
Hello there. I am happy to be part of this platform and able to share my experiences and ideas.
I am happily married with three kids. My daughters are Andrea Kelsey and Aliyah Fay, and my son is Ayden James. I am currently working as a public-school teacher in my hometown Dalaguete, Cebu.
During my high school days, I really want to be a flight attendant. Unfortunately, my parents cannot afford to send me to such school. So, I applied as a working student at University of Cebu-Main Campus. Though it was tiresome, but I can eventually say now that all of it was worth it. From waking up early in the morning and going home late at night, it was a great opportunity for me. With the guidance of the Lord and my parents coupled with hard work, I graduated my bachelor’s degree in Commerce – Management Accounting.
I have tried different work from being an office clerk, customer service representative and even tried working abroad. Going to Dubai for work really broaden my perspective in life. Having met with different nationalities and being able to exchange ideas with them has somehow ignited my self-confidence and develop my social skills. I can say that it was such a fantastic experience that I would be happy to share with my kids. Maybe you have wondered, why did I stop working abroad? Why did I come back home? It’s a long story and will be in my next article.
As a teacher, I am happy to share these experiences to my students and become an inspiration to them.
Now, I can firmly say that experiences really make us a strong person. As a working mother with three kids is not that quite simple. Time management is important to achieve our short term and long-term goals.
I am a newbie here and am excited to meet new friends and learn.
Until my next article…..
@Ayen22
