Health Issues

Ex Senator Ramon Revilla Sr. Suffered From Stroke

Former Senator Ramon Revilla Sr., had a stroke this afternoon. He was rushed to St. Luke’s Hospital in Quezon City. The report was confirmed by his son, actor turned senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. I heard, this was the second time that the former senator suffered from stroke.
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Nutrition In Nutrition Month 2008

The month of July is celebrated as the Nutrition month in the Philippines. I don’t know how other schools are celebrating the event but in my youngest son’s school, they encourage students to eat healthy and nutritious food.

My son’s science lesson this week is about nutrients that our body needs. Their adviser also encouraging the class to bring nutritious packed lunch, vegetables if possible and no junk foods. Actually, they don’t sell junk foods in school canteen although I don’t buy chips for recess. Anyway, I don’t have problem with my kids eating habits, they eat vegetables. My son’s assignment tomorrow is to have vegetable for their lunch. I was thinking of cooking burger steak with corn and carrots but my son asked for his favorite, stir fried baguio beans. Sometimes, parents learned something from their children. I was thinking of a “show-off” meal but here he is asking for a simple meal.

Then I went to palengke (market) to buy ingredients. And I saw the very long line of people waiting for their turn to buy NFA rice. I thought, there’s no rice shortage already? NFA rice now costs php18.25 per kilo. How come fancy rice price becomes even higher. We used to buy sinandomeng last month for php32 per kilo, now its php38-42 per kilo. I don’t know what rice we are cooking now, it is 34 per kilo. With the high price of rice, gasoline, electricity, water… together with unemployment, no salary increase… What will happen now to nutrition of our fellow Filipinos?

Rudy Fernandez Dies At 56

Our business association supposed to have a meeting at 6pm tonight but our president texted me he may be late or may not make it to our meeting because he will cover a news report about Rudy Fernandez’ death. After reading the SMS, I thought I misunderstood it and read it again.

Rudy Fernandez, better known as “Daboy” to entertainment world battled for periampullary cancer for two years. He was confined at Cardinal Santos Medical Center for almost a month and signed a waiver so he can went home last Friday. I guess, people are unique individuals when they felt that they are leaving, he choose his last minutes at home with his love ones unlike my tatay who choose to leave not in our home but in the hospital.

My condolences to his family, his wife Lorna Tolentino, his sons Renz Marion, Raphael and Mark Anthony Fernandez and to the movie industry.

news and info Rudy Fernandez pinoy

National Kidney Month 2008

As we spend our day in Trinoma, there’s an exhibit that caught my attention. I seldom checked the exhibit in the mall, neither did I go to the mall to see an exhibit. The banner says National Kidney Institute are giving free kidney check such as urinalysis, FBS (fasting blood sugar) and BP on May 30, 31 and June 1 for first 100 patients to welcome the month of June, National Kidney Month with the theme: 25 Taong Pangunguna Sa Serbisyo Para Sa Kalusugan Ng Bato Ng Sambayanang Pilipino. Kidney health information streamers were displayed, there were lots of people reading the informations on kidney stones, renal transplant and other renal diseases.

Having my tatay (father) as a kidney transplant patient, my auntie (my dad’s sister) who underwent a kidney transplant procedure six years ago, my other auntie (my dad’s youngest sister) currently on dialysis and me having kidney stones for 3 times. Should I need to elaborate more why kidney issues have a soft spot in my heart? Its impossible not to blog about it.

Let me share the activities for the whole month of June in celebration of National Kidney Month:

1. An Exhibit showcasing the different services of the Institute at Trinoma (from May 29 to June 1, 2008) and NKTI (June 2 to 6, 2008)
2. Free Kidney Check on following venues and schedules : at Trinoma, May 29 (3pm – 5pm), May 30 and 31 (10am – 4pm) and June 1, 2008 (10am – 12nn); at NKTI on June 3 – 5 and June 16 – 19 (7am onwards; First 100 patients per day); June 6 and 20 (for NKTI employees and immediate family)
3. Kidney Transplant Association of the Philippines (KITAP) Mini Olympics on June 6 & 7
4. Pediatric Nephrology Activity (artworks of NKTI pediatric patients afflicted with kidney disease) on June 12
5. PA-DRE ( Free Digital Rectal Exam)- Philippine Urological Prostate Health Outreach on June 14
6. FUN RUN, Tree Planting and NKTI Employees Games on June 22 at the Quezon City Memorial Circle
7. Golf For A Cause Tournament at the Orchard Golf and Country Club on June 24
8. Post-Graduate Course in Laparoscopic Urology (Laparoscopic Workshop) on June 25-27
9. Maria Corazon Torres Javier (MCTJ) Foundation-sponsored kidney transplant for an indigent patient
10. Gathering of kidney transplant recipients and donors sponsored by the Kidney Transplant Association of the Philippines (KITAP) to promote camaraderie and inspiration among patients and to recognize longstanding kidney transplants
11. Nurses Forum and Employees Program (sportsfest, awarding of NKTI model employees and fun games) on June 27
12. Search for Outstanding Kidney Transplant Recipient and Kidney Donor
13. Radio and TV guesting organized by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), Renal Disease Control Program (REDCOP) and the Public Information Office(PIO) of the Institute.

My Tatay

My father woke us up and asked me to brought him to the hospital. Being a kidney transplant patient, he was prone to illness and diseases. An isolation room in the hospital is like a home to him. We got used to the scent of hospital, the smell of antibacterial, alcohol, medicine, bleached bedsheets for two years after his kidney transplant operation. In other words, the day is just one of those days.

This time, he had difficulty in breathing. His nephrologist guarded all the possible complications, my tatay (father) is 57. My dad underwent dialysis for almost a year before kidney transplant, my younger sister as the donor. Me, being the eldest failed the matching test for having small kidney stones.

Going back, we went to the hospital with my cousin (tatay is his godfather) and my 2nd son at 6am in the morning. After all the test have been done, we were finally in his hospital room at 9am. He had dextrose and oxygen but makulit to get near the window to see the morning sunshine. He looked like he had asthma attack but he didn’t have asthma. After I finished attending to his needs, I asked him if he felt better. He said yes. I told my cousin that we’re ok and he can go to his work. I told Tatay, I will take a quick nap in a couch beside his bed where my son was sleeping. He said, he will also sleep.

I hug my son and tried to sleep. I can’t sleep, just resting, facing my son. I didn’t stand long with that position, so I changed position so that I can see tatay. I was looking at his face while sleeping when I noticed that there was something wrong with his face. It seemed, he was sleeping but it wasn’t. Tatay… tay… tatay… he didn’t respond, didn’t move. I called the nurses to checked my father, then the room is filled with nurses, residents and doctors.

It happened 10 years ago, today is Tatay’s 10th year Death Anniversary. Time flies so fast, my memory still remembers every details of that day. I miss him so much… my family just came home from Loyola Memorial.