Posts Tagged ‘kidney’

DOH Might Copy Banned China Milk List

The melamine tainted milk from China creates worldwide milk scare. Philippine authorities prohibited the importing and sale of Chinese milk started last September 24. DOH together with BFAD conducted melamine test to all dairy products, imported or locally made dairy products.

Melamine also known as tripolycyanmide can caused kidney stones, renal failures and even fatalities. The chemical appeared to have been added to milk in order to cause it to appear to have a higher protein content.

As of now, these milks have found positive for melamine:

1. Mengniu Milk
2. Greenfood Yili Fresh Milk

Its all over the news that DOH said that we should wait to BFAD melamine test result because they are authorized to do the melamine test. There are some independent testing laboratories were also conducting melamine tests and announced that there is known luncheon meat and corned beef found to be positive for melamine.

Its been 10 days and yet the final result wasn’t finish? Would they blame independent laboratory for they speedykupad result? And now what? Tired or stressed? DOH undersecretary Alex Padilla announced this morning they might copy the banned China milk and milk based products from other countries such as USA.

In my opinion, its better be safe than wait for the final result. For now, every rumored positive on melamine is a big NO. Should we copy other countries list? What if the list is not that accurate? How about our local milk and milk based products? Every milk and milk based products should be tested, may it be local or imported products.

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.

Summer, Kidney Stone Season

Summer in a tropical country should be full of outdoor activities such as swimming, wakeboarding, kiteboarding, surfing, cycling and many more. There should be lots of fun with these activities. Summer is also considered as kidney stone season when people have the highest risk of obtaining a kidney stone during this season.

Kidney stones are made of salts and minerals in the urine that stick together to form small “pebbles.” They can be as small as grains of sand or as large as golf balls. Sounds simple but the “profound degree of pain” can radiate down the side and belly and can be accompanied by excessive sweating, nausea and vomiting. The pain will stop and starts again, its a cycle of pain. Normally, when you felt these symptoms, you have no choice but to rush to a nearby hospital. The pain is unbearable and can be compared to labor pains.

Its summer, studies showed that summer is kidney stone season. Here are the tips I want to share, I will update this if I remember additional tips.

• Dehydration is the primary culprit during this hot weather. This is the time of the year that we have to drink more than we usually have. Drinking 8 glasses of water daily is fine but if you are engaged in outdoor activity or any activity that will make you sweat, the more water you drink, the better. I drink 3 liters of water daily.
• Filipino loves patis (fish sauce), toyo (soy sauce), bagoong and other salty food, if not eaten with moderation will give us health problems. Actually, there’s no food to avoid but always eat a proper diet and always in moderation.
• Don’t drink supplements such as calcium unless prescribed by your doctor especially if you are a “stone former”. Drink milk in moderation as natural source of calcium. Calcium nutrient is also present to other food we eat.
• A large percentage of people have kidney stone in their kidneys they never know about. Patients who already have kidney stone history tend to get it again. Prevention is the key, a regular annual check-up of your kidney will help.

Its okay to have fun during summer but don’t forget your water!

kidney stone health issues pinoy