Lottery and Bottle Feeding

A friend and I went to one of the malls today. She said we will go IF it wouldn’t rain. When we were walking to the jeepney stop it wasn’t but en route to the mall it began to drizzle. And I got a text message that it was already raining on the other side of the area where we were heading. I thought what the heck.

Friend invited me to join her to get a lotto ticket. Why not. I decided to get one too. My first I think. If it wasn’t maybe the second.

While choosing my number I began to think, what are significant numbers in my life. Maybe my birthday, Andie’s… And then? Hmmm… I should begin collecting good numbers. Get people to share my life with and remember dates and numbers. And then use it as my combination for the lottery. But what is a good number? Lottery is a chance right? I hope that chance will favor us.

I got a text message that Andie has already started holding her milk bottle, at last!But alas, just as I thought, she wouldn’t show me her newfound skill. She’d only act like my baby… always!

Spring Cleaning-- Or is it Summer Cleaning?

It's Summer here in the Philippines. We do not have Spring season. It is just wet and wetter or hot and hotter. Take your pick.

I realized that I have really taken for granted my blogger blog. I was so absorbed with another site. Anyway, I am back and I am spring cleaning.

I will be posting as often as I can. I will keep everyone updated. And another thing, I have updated my blog name. For those who read my posts here, it had a previous name. Now I am really spring cleaning!

Happy reading!

Rooming In -Tale of a new mom 5

After a few hours of giving birth I came to as the nurses were wheeling me (or about to) to my room. They told me that they’re gonna bring me to my room now. I just nodded feeling quite dizzy still.

My mama was waiting inside the room when I was brought back. With her was my aunt helen. I was asked to lift my bottoms again so they can transfer me to the bed. How can they ask me to do that! After all that pushing I did, can’t they just lift me up and transfer me? haaay…

I knew it was still before 8:30, the tv showed it was still the morning show of ABS-CBN. So it wasn’t that long after I gave birth yet.

All of a sudden there were nurses around me. I have a student nurse, again. Some instructions were given and then I am left alone. Mind you, vital signs were taken every 15 minutes. And when you are super tired, it felt like they were so annoying… But I had to be patient… My sister is doing something like this…I don’t want her to suffer if I give the student nurse a hard time…

I must have dozed off, the next time I opened my eyes, they were wheeling in my baby. All cleaned up and dressed up like a babe! I haven’t seen a more adorable baby than my Andie… She looked so sweet. So innocent, with her very very black hair (and lots of it!), red lips, and very pink complexion! She looks like her father! In fact, she is the very image of her father, just a feminine version…

Delivery Room - Tale of a new mom 5

At 5:30AM when the PGI announced that I am ready to give birth I practically exhaled a sigh of relief. Said a short prayer and here goes everything.

Funny, when I was about to deliver I still have to climb down the bed (with the help of the midwife) and ride the wheelchair… wheel out of the labor room and into the delivery room. They called my attending physician, Dra. Darleen Estuart and prepared me on the table. It was not a very easy task climbing onto the delivery table I tell you! Especially when you are so ready to let out the baby in one go!

There I was on the delivery table, people around me seemed very busy all of a sudden. They were telling me not to push just yet… Dr. Darleen is on her way just yet… and they are still preparing everything… whatever it is that they are preparing! [giggle]. I was asked to move up and down of the table in preparation… amidst all the pain, I was asked to raise my bottom and move up and down the darned table. Can’t they just carry me and position me properly?

At the right side of the room was a wall clock. It’s now almost 6AM. I am ready to push. Doctor gave me instructions on what to do, and then it began… Real labor. The real act of getting the baby out into the world. They told me to push, not to shout when pushing and that I push together as they count. First push, I shouted. Dr. Darleen scolded me, as well as all the other people there. They told me to be quiet when pushing. I pushed and pushed to no avail… Dr Darleen asked the people to change my position (the leg was raised) and then so many push. But still nothing… It’s past 6 now. This time, one of the midwife (i think) helped me push Andie out.

One, two, three… and then I felt it. She’s out. Heard the loveliest cry I have heard my whole life. And then I saw the baby, very pink and lotsa hair! Lotsa curly hair! They cleaned the baby and then let her suck on to my nipple for a short time and then let me kiss her.

Andrea Felice is born July 27,2007 @ 6:36AM… I passed out.

Active Labor - Tale of a new mom 4

It’s past 10 and I am not allowed to stand up from my hospital bed. My water is already leaking, or so they say. And this means I am totally not allowed to leave the bed, not even to pee. Imagine, after about 25 years of going to the bowl to pee, I now have to pee using a bed pan, what?! Yeah, s#*t happens! hahahah…

Mind you, I pleaded my case. I told the nurses that I can still carry myself, pains are still far apart (yeah right!). But it was a futile exercise. I was not allowed to leave my bed, that’s my OB’s orders nurse says. So there I was, in bed, almost 11pm, they gave me an IV so the water won’t dry out until I am fully dilated. The nurse there also gave me a sedative for me to sleep, I will be needing the strength she tells me so I have to sleep and save it.

I awoke to a very very painful back. I looked at the watch inside the room and it says 2AM. Geesh, I slept for about two hours and now I am fully awake because of this agonizing pain. I tell you, it is painful. Very very painful.

It was sharp and it’s from my back. I can’t begin to describe how it really feels actually. It is just that… painful. So painful I could begin swearing. But Thea’s reminder kept ringing to my ears, “Dom maski unsa mahitabo, poise! As in, poise in the middle of the pain, poise sa pag ire, basta poise. Remember dili ka tabangan sa mga nurse ug mga tao didto ug magsige ka arte.” So even if I was really thrusting my butt forward (because of pain), I was like… hmmm… and biting my lips to contain the pain. At about 3am I asked my student nurse to go find a doctor so I can be checked. The pain has doubled, tripled or quadrupled and I think I cannot hold back my baby from pushing it forward.

A few minutes after, I saw the resident put on her gloves and now positioning herself to check me. Then she said, 6cms. I was like, what?! That resident reminded me not to push since I still have 4 cms to wait on to and that whatever pain that I may feel I should just breathe and try not to push, hold it in. Haaaaaaaa…. I was now crying out to God, it is so painful. Super painful and I don’t think I can endure it a minute, let alone hours more.

About an hour and a half after I was really in pain, I asked the students to go call a nurse so I can ask for additional sedative or anything that can at least help me with the pain… I cannot forget my line that instant, “Nurse, please do something about the pain…” hahahah… In active labor and I can coherently ask my nurse to do something about my labor pains! She just told me, “Only epidural can be given to you since we already gave you a sedative last night, it will be very bad for the baby…” Oh… epidural.. how much is that?, I asked. 7-10K. I was reeling… I cannot afford it.. I will be needing every peso saved. So I was like, please, rub my back! wahahaha!

At about 4:30AM, the pain has escalated. And this time, I really think holding back the andie is already impossible. I can feel that it is really time to push her out. Otherwise, Andie will push herself out of my tummy! One of the PGI (Post Graduate Intern) was awake, I asked him to check if it is possible for me to deliver the baby now. Yes, you read it correctly, the PGI is male. At this point, I really do not care as long as I get the baby out, male or not, just check me! That PGI was like, are you sure? “The other lady doctors are asleep…” I just told him, please… check! Okay, he was getting ready, he wore his gloves and when he was about to have me ready, a lady doctor came in. (And by God, he was like, thank goodness!) hahaha…

Okay here goes… pain has escalated since last night. I am ready to push… And… The lady doc (I really don’t know her name… sorry!) announced, 10cms, ready na ito! I was, thank you Lord!

In Labor - Tale of a New mom Part 3

I was asked to stay in bed until after the Internal exam to see whether my bag of water is still in tact (or not). And to really check my current condition.

After about an hour I was told that I can still walk around but cannot go out of the lobby. So there I was, in my funny gown, which I tell you always gets opened, all 39 weeks pregnant and in labor walking around the delivery room.

While I’m walking around I hear another woman in labor (she’s there since morning says the other pregnant woman in labor) crying out in pain. Honestly, even if I was all cool and calm, nervousness started creeping in. Will I be wailing in pain as that young girl? She’s 18 years old by the way. Petite, pretty, but in pain. In so much pain..

So, back to me. I can go out of the Delivery room into a short lobby (but still inside a hallway towards another operating room). I can walk around the area. Talk to my mama if she goes there or whoever goes there to see me.

People who saw me: Of course my Mama, aunt Helen, uncle Jun, aunt Marichu, cousin Ching and friend Wilmer–who has an operation in the other room.

They were like are you feeling fine? How long will you be there? Are you hungry? duh! I was like, I am okay… I feel fine. Contractions are far apart.

At about 5pm, Dr Darleen went inside the Delivery room to deliver one woman’s baby (the youngster). She talked to my mom for a short while while we were outside… She told my mom I was getting nervous. ha!

At around 7pm, Doc had me checked for another Internal Exam, I am still 4-5cms. After many hours of walking and the baby is still floating. geeesh! she tells me, it may progress fast or it may take many many more hours. Okay, at least I can still walk. But I am getting hungry.

At almost 10pm and many checks by the midwives, nurses and student nurse Doc Darleen did another check. I peed first and then went to walk towards the Internal Exam room. This time it was weird. The moment doc put in her fingers to check, some water leaked out. She asked if I peed or was I feeling the urge to pee. I said no, I just peed. Oh, your water might be leaking, she tells me. She inserted another apparatus to verify and indeed my water is leaking and I am not allowed at this point to walk around, to stand up. From there I am already to be wheeled back to my bed.

Hospital - Tale of a new mom (Part 2)

It’s my first time to be admitted to the hospital. I do not know how it goes when you go inside the emergency room (ER). I do not know what to expect.

Tito Jong, Mama and Love were the ones there when I was admitted. Tito had to ask one of the hospital people (a nurse maybe) to get me a wheelchair… geesh! They had to rush and look for one. I guess it (was) one of those days when a lot of patients came in to get hospital care. Anyway, on I go. I saw a familiar face, a friend from way back. She didn’t see me though.

When I was seated on the wheelchair one student nurse got information from me while my mother was “booking” me a room. I am supposed to get a bed in the ward. I was psyched to get a ward room in order to save the money we have. I really don’t know how much the delivery will cost me (us) so I have to be the frugal self. Just in case. But, OB ward is already full and I have to choose between a private room semi-private room. So, semi private it is.

After all was settled I was wheeled to the Delivery Room at the 2nd floor of the Brokenshire Hospital. My mother tells me that she also traveled the same route (to the 2nd floor) when she gave birth to me. The orderly wheeled me there and a nurse helped me don the gown. I wore a gown without anything underneath. No kidding… it’s SOP.

While mama went to the room to “settle” I was wheeled to the “inner” delivery room area where I was to be checked. I had an internal exam (yeeee!!!), and then a lot of people came to talk/ interview me. A nurse, a Doctor (they call it a PGI), a midwife, who also checked me often for contractions, and lastly a student nurse. It’s already past 2 and I haven’t had any lunch. The nurse in the delivery room told me that I was past the luncheon delivery of the hospital so I have to settle for biscuits and juice.

After everything was checked and rechecked, I was allowed to walk. By this time I was 4cms open (my cervix) and the water bag is still in tact. Contractions are about 5-6 mins apart and not that painful (considering the other patients inside the labor room). I was allowed to walk around the delivery room area as well as on the outer area but not beyond there. So I walked, and walked and walked.

Tale of a new mom

Tale of a new mom…

July 25, 2007 - Went to my OB-Gyn at around 2pm. The usual stuff happened. She checked my blood pressure, asked me of my discharges… I am already 39 weeks pregnant. She tells me that I can actually give birth anytime now. And I should give birth soon! She’s leaving on Aug 4 so I might as well tell my baby to come out soon now. Then back to work.

Slept at about 10PM. Feel tired tonight. Actually thinking of giving birth tomorrow. I just might.

July 26, 2007 - Woke up at about 5:30AM as usual.. I ate my breakfast
with mama, a li’l chit chat… then went in to take a bath. Inside the Bathroom, saw some pink stain on my underwear. I called my mama and showed it to her, even showed it to my sister (who’s a nursing student). THey asked me if I have contractions, I said I do have them but it still about 30-1 hour apart… and it was not as intense as they are telling me. So I took my bath and got ready to go to work.

At the office, OPS peeps keeps asking my why I am still at work, aren’t I gonna give birth soon.. Just told them, I just might today! When I went to the CR though it became apparent that I am on my way to give birth, when I peed, some blood went with it. There was no pain though… really. When I went back to our office, to my table and told the guys about the blood, they were like, what?! Punta ka na sa hospital… Hahahha! I was so cool and they are really getting very nervous. My YM status was –> Baby on the way! A lot asked me where I was and that I should have myself admitted to the hospital. hahaha! About 9:40AM, I called my mama who just came in her office and told her about the blood and that our company nurse advised me to go to the hospital lest I give birth in the office!

Before going back home, yes, I went back home (pa!), I was able to send some emails at work then I called my hun, and tol him I might give birth today or tomorrow. and that I won’t be able to be online for some time. and he has to call me.

At around 11am, mama called me and asked me where I am, and when she learned that I am still in the office, she told me to hurry up and go home. Everyone’s getting nervous!

Jay carried my things down and let me get a taxi for me to go home. THanks jay!

At home, Mama and Love are ready to go to hospital… I was like dilly-dallying. My contractions were still far apart. I thought, why hurry?

Tito Jong (papa’s youngest bro) is at home, his gf Ivy is also at his house, good thing! Tito jong can drive me to the hospital… I just let him buy food for ivy and gas for the car. (Thanks for the ride ivy!)

Do's and Don'ts after giving birth

I have endured the whole ordeal of labor and delivery, thank God! It made me realize a lot of things (which will be discussed in another post). And having done it alone. Literally alone the whole 9 months! Having people to visit you really is so welcome.

I awoke (fully) near lunch time. The baby was already beside me, beautifully sleeping.Mama took care of her, my aunt also made sure everything was in place. My food, baby’s things and all the other stuff that I might be needing was in place.

Visitors came pouring in around that time too. I had to sort of “freshen” up so I can look welcoming. ha! But I was allowed to not be that pleasant. 16 hours of labor isn’t easy you know!

There were a lot of things I wasn’t allowed to do. And this is almost true in our culture

1. I wasn’t allowed to take a bath. Elders says that you spent all your energy pushing the baby out, you should get it back first. True or not, I am following this. I was only allowed to wash my down there, then have a face towel to clean myself up.

2. Do not carry heavy things (besides your baby of course) or have someone do your heavy house chores. Related to number one.

3. Eat plenty of veggies, especially malunggay or moringa. It will help you produce more milk. In the Philippines there’s already capsuled malunggay.

4. Eat enough food, drink plenty of fluids.

5. Let the baby suck on you so milk will flow out. I do not believe that you don’t have milk. We all have. We are mammals, we have mammary glands!

6. If you’re not breastfeeding, choose the best milk that closely follows the taste of breastmilk.

7. Follow the advise given by your mom. You’ll thank her when you’re older!

Coffee... what's good about it!

Coffee lovers may be raising their cups at the growing stream of positive news about their favorite drink. For healthy adults, having two or three cups of joe daily generally isn’t harmful and it may have health perks. Some recent findings even suggest that coffee may help lower the risk of diseases like diabetes and heart disease.

A cup of coffee contains about 1 gram of soluble fiber, the type that can help lower cholesterol, according to a recent report in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Recent Harvard studies, involving more than 193,000 people, found that regular coffee drinkers had a significantly lower risk of type 2 diabetes than those who abstained. The more they drank, the lower their risk.

Despite coffee’s reputation for being bad for the heart, recent epidemiologic studies haven’t found a connection; some even suggest coffee can be protective. A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that healthy people 65 and over who drank four or more cups of caffeinated beverages daily (primarily coffee) had a 53 percent lower risk of heart disease than non-coffee-drinkers.

Coffee has more antioxidants per serving than blueberries do, making it the top source of antioxidants in our diets. Antioxidants help quell inflammation, which might explain coffee’s effect in inflammation-related diseases like diabetes and heart disease.

Magnesium found in coffee might help make cells more sensitive to insulin (increased insulin sensitivity results in healthier blood glucose levels).

Caffeine seems to have its own beneficial effects; the diabetes studies found that those who drank regular coffee had lower risks of the disease than decaf drinkers.

Caffeinated-coffee drinking has also been linked with reduced risk of Parkinson’s disease, gallstones, cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Bottom Line:

For most people who enjoy coffee, there’s no reason to cut back; there may even be health benefits. However, for some, exceeding one’s caffeine tolerance—which varies—can cause irritability, headache and insomnia. The temporary rise in heart rate and blood pressure could cause problems for people with heart disease, and new moms should be aware that caffeine passes into breast milk.

http://food.yahoo.com/articles/eatingwell/20858/filtering-the-facts-7-fresh-perks-from-coffee

How to get rid of an ex. [one of the best articles I read on this matter!]

MAU-RK! Mabuhay kayo. how to get rid of an ex

i should not be writing this but i must. i am not a mobile person, and I keep on forgetting my mobile phone, and when I got home I saw a message asking this question. HOW TO GET RID OF AN EX?

Well first and first foremost, let us go back to the basics. Let us draw the principles of an EX(may it be lover or something else). The basic definition of an ex is:

The prefix ex- first appeared in English words in the Middle English in words borrowed from French. It comes from the Latin where it was both a prefix and a preposition. Later in the Middle English period it became a productive prefix. It is akin to Ancient Greek (εκ-, εχ-, εχω-). Its meaning ranges from

• 1. "out, away" (example (exit)
• 2. "up" (abstract meaning indicating increase or strengthening of a particular quality, often negative - sometimes called intensive) (example (exaggeration, exacerbate)
• 3. "former, prior" (examples (ex-boyfriend, ex-president) This is a much later development and did not exist in Latin.

-wikipedia.org-

So for the basic sense of the word it is a former. So how would you get rid of the former MAU? Hmmm, hold your horses guys and gals... hooo. The simple answer is WE CAN NOT! And please dont laugh... tell me how can you get rid of something you can not see? But please be reminded that this is only applicable to those normal cases... it is a case to case basis. and if you have a different scenario, please contact Joe D' Mango or Dr. Love, I could not help you. Or maybe I could but it might take ages before I could brew a perfect formula.

But if you're question is how to forget an ex, or maybe how to eradicate her/him out of your routinary semi Pentium 1 system. Here are some things you could do.

keep your thoughts sane, rearrange your room(if you have one), by doing this you could see a different point of view. Its like reformatting your Operating System in your brain, by rearranging your room please dont forget to take things that would remind you of your ex. Please be reminded you are taking things that reminds you of your ex not because you antagonizing or your angry. ANGER is the last thing you want to feel while your doing this.

If you dont want to that, here's another tip, pick up a new hobby, change your lifestyle , do something that you have never done before. Collecting Garbage and recycling is a healthy habit, its something I am certain we dont normally do, by doing this we change not only our life but the mother earth's life span. Okay, if your thinking I am being silly then take something that you have never done before. BUT REMEMBER DO SOMETHING FOR THE BETTER. IF it will end you up in a MENTAL ASYLUM or JAIL then please don't do it. A diversion of attention can make a great difference

Fine you still feel lonely and helpless, then here's another option. Go make friends, or get reunited with past friendships, or relive your Former childhood "BARKADA" bonding moments. Just be certain of something, that your not placing your ex as an excuse to use the time of these people. Because if you do your only placing yourself in a circumstance where you are living life for a shadow of a non existent FORMER. and if you are on your low moments you are vulnerable to unnecessary temptations. AND I KNOW YOU DINT WANT TO DO THAT. Well if you want... then ITS UP TO YOU... JUST DONT COME BACK TO ME OR TO YOUR FRIENDS IF YOUR IN ANOTHER SH*T. Remember your ex is not your oxygen, you can live without him/her by your side. Its a habit of seeing or being with her/him, and all habits can be break. Hard...but it is possible.

And if everything doesn't seem to work, and you still feel that you love/ need that person. Then Gamble a little more. Push Your limits until you could give no more. Its like a diarrhea, when you dont have anything more to give then that's it.. no matter how you try, thats it. No more. Its like trying hard to puff a smoke from a cigarette left only with its filter, and that's it. But there is no harm in trying though. But dont push hard when it says pull. Learn to stop when you see RED. it means your bleeding .

okay, I will not include the thing about looking for a new relationship. change is a constant thing. Its part of the cycle. it could and might happen. one way or the other. DONT FORCE TO UPLOAD A NEW PROGRAM TO A system that is incompatible. it will never run..

the bottom line is this... no matter what we do the only time can tell. we can never forget someone who was part of our life, no matter what, they exist in the past. no matter how good or bad the relationship is, you would remember them one way or the other.

lesson number one, we can not get rid of an ex... they are already gone. lesson number two, to move on out of a relationship is create change. lesson number three, do some diversion. lesson number four reunite within people. lesson number five dont push when it says pull.

and for the major rules...the only way to move on is watch the clock/calendar... only time heals all kinds of wound. there is no best remedy for longing but wanting... but wanting is superficial feeling. we just created this force because we got used to this feeling that we are being needed.. and we needed that other person. but after the break up its all wanting...

not love itself but the habit of being there.

oh well i guess i made a lot of circles, and i made my point clear. just imagine... if i replied through text message it might have cost me so much.

loving and losing is part of the deal.. nobody said its easy.

darkmau

MALAYA!

-from the man in the fridge-

Tags: maurixio, contemplations, man in the fridge