1. Mom from Manila | Ramblings of a Mom about love, life and everything else in between: November 2011

Sunday, November 13, 2011

100 Days

It has been years now that I have not been watching any local TV series. I remember back when Mama was still alive, we would sit beside each other and watch those teleseryes with so much gusto. I believe that the reason why I really stopped watching them is because I don't have someone to watch them with. I do not want my kid to be into these TV series so I really never encouraged him to watch them. until recently, Hubby discovered 100 Days to Heaven. It is the story about a filthy rich businesswoman who was plotted to die of a car accident but was rejected at heaven's gate. She was sent back to Earth to make amends with the people she had done wrong. It was something that we can share with our kid. It teach about being good and that we are only given one life so we have to use our talents and time to the fullest. It teaches how one mistake could actually create a string of different things and make a big difference. Hubby started watching it because he was more into the business ideas that the show was sharing. To be honest, the Philippines does not have any good stories for TV series but this one was done in good taste. It saddens me that it is about to end but that is really how things should be. Everything has to come full circle. I just hope that the show has implied their lessons on their audience. As for me, I was actually thinking what if I was the one who only had 100 days to live? How should I spend the days?

Hmm, Ikaw? Paano?

Tuesday, November 08, 2011

Random Characters

One of my online accounts was hacked recently and because of that incident, I decided to change to passwords that is really hard to guess. I was thinking of random characters for a password and this came to my mind "MKE8VF5A3UH4". Now, the only thing left is for me to think of ways to remember if I make this my password.

Care to share how you remember your passwords?

MM: Allergy Attacks

Last Wednesday,we had Crabs in Salted Egg Sauce for lunch. The whole family was delighted to feast on the crabs specially the kid. He was even nostalgic because he remembered eating Black Pepper crabs in Singapore last year. After lunch, we took our afternoon nap. When I woke up, I fried the Turon with Bacon and Cheese and then wake the kid up and snacked on the turons. And since that was my rest day from work, I took a long luxurious bath. I was still inside the bathroom, when I heard the kid shouting how itchy his feet were feeling. Hubby told him that he left the door wide open hence mosquitoes are coming in and started to pester him. The kid knocked on the bathroom's door and then he shown me his feet. His feet started swelling and he complained of itching. I finish what I was doing and immediately handed him a teaspoon of sugar. I read somewhere (and a doctor confirmed) that sugar is the first aid treatment for someone being attacked with allergies. This is not the first time that he experienced the itchiness after eating seafoods. The first time was with tiger prawns. What bothers me is that each allergic attack seems worse than the previous one. He was not treated by the teaspoonful of sugar so to speak. I asked Hubby to immediately buy an antihistamine so can drink it. I was searching on the net for alarming symptoms. I read an article that mentioned that swollen mouth is a sign to be really alarmed off. I was not able to sleep the whole night even after the kid was able to drink his antihistamine. I was on the lookout of other sign that could be too alarming. Gladly, after the dose of antihistamine, the sweeling went down and the itchiness became bearable and he was able to sleep through the night.

I hate that this is my Mommy Moment for this week but yes this really is. To be honest it was the first time in this year that I was alarmed of his health. My kid hardly get sick apart from the usual cough and colds. I realized how important it is to know what foods and medicines would threaten the lives of our little ones. As a mom, we have to be really aware of the foods they are allergic too. I talked to my cousin who is a doctor and he told me that I still have to let him eat seafoods though in moderation. This would make his body to produce the antibodies for the allergens. I think it is call desensitization. Though, I always have to carry his antihistamine in our travel bag.

I learned my lessons now. I will always be on the lookout for allergic reactions especially with other seafood and will always make sure that we have available antihistamine wherever we go.

Saturday, November 05, 2011

Vertigo, Here You Go Again!

After almost four years of not having Vertigo attacks, it visited me again just last week. I almost forgot that I had vertigo till it paid another ugly visit on me.

Vertigo /ˈvɜrtɨɡoʊ/ (from the Latin vertō "a whirling or spinning movement"[1]) is a type of dizziness, where there is a feeling of motion when one is stationary.[2] The symptoms are due to a dysfunction of the vestibular system in the inner ear.[2] It is often associated with nausea and vomiting as well as difficulties standing or walking.


When it showed up four years ago, sysmptoms were rare but I got really scared. Apart from the nausea and vomiting, I loss my sight for about ten minutes. Unluckily, I was alone in the house that day. I was blind but had to find my way to grab the phone and call my husband and the office because I was supposed to have my shift in 3 hours. When hubby came in, he saw me crying in the room, vomiting on the side and confused on what I should do. Since, I do not know yet that it was vertigo, I was thinking what could have happened to me. My world was literally spinning. I could not even stand or walk without any help. I need someone to hold on to just to stand up. When the blindness went away, I asked Hubby to accompany me to the nearest hospital. When we get there, the ER doctor asked me to lay down and gave a shot of some medications. I fall asleep and when I woke up, I was told they gave me relaxants and I was told I had to take in some meds for the next two weeks. I was also told to limit coffe or any caffeinated drinks as studies are showing that caffeine heightens the attacks of vertigo in some patients. That was the last time I experienced vertigo till last week. Early morning when I got up from bed, I already felt dizzy. I didn't think that it was vertigo already. I was able to go to work though I cannot say that I function properly. I was burdened not just with dizziness but with occasional urges of vomiting as well. When I was on my way home, I was yawning a lot in the train and even in the jeepneys. When I arrived home, the dizziness heightened up and was already creating a lot of discomfort on me. Needless to say I was able to sleep but I was not able to get up the next day. My head is spinning so is my world. It was as if the whole area revolves. I dreaded another atack of vertigo but true enough like other illness it will strike you when it is least expected, when you are to busy worrying about a lot of things. Yes, the doctor said the main reason why I had the attack was because I was to stressed. Yes, it is indeed my body's way of telling me to lighten up and take some rest. The sad part is that I had to bear the agony of vertigo because I am not to take any anti-vertigo pills since I am also trying to conceive. Doctors tell me just to rest and take some leave from work. If the attacks heightens, I can take as much as one pill a day just to lower down the dizziness.

Guess, I might be staying home for the next couple of months.

Friday, November 04, 2011

MM: Mama's Birthday

This day could have been Mama's 54th birthday, but she is celebrating her birthday without us. Instead of the usual videoke feat that the family used to have whenever he natal day came, she is being sung to by angels. Instead of the usual food , she is enjoying food for the soul. Yes, she is no longer with us. The last birthday she celebrated with us was her 50th. It was really a blast. All her loved ones were there. I was able to bring in her friends from her heydays. I was really exhausted that day even a week before the big event. I supervised everything: from foods, to her clothes, to the visitors. It was to repay all the wonderful birthday memories I had that she was able to give me; from my 1st, my 18th and even to those that I was spending away from her. And it was not only my birthdays that she made special, even those of my brothers and that of her only apo, my son. She never failed to remember cooking our favorite dishes during our birthdays. So, on her 50th birthday, we gave her what we could give back.


We called all her dearest friends, gave her sisters from Pangasinan and Cebu their fare so they could attend. We bought her a three-tiered cake, which she really adored. His brothers danced with her ala cotillion. Their were roses for the wishes and balloons for more wishes. We were able to show her how important a person she was and how she touched a lot of lives. But, we did not know that was going to be her last. She joined her creator six months after her 50th birthday. But up to this day, she is remembered during her birthday and each day. On top of anyone else, I look up to her as the ideal mother.



Mama, I know you are still there looking down on us, guiding us in your own way. I know, we had our times of disagreement but I know as well that even before I asked for forgiveness, you've already embraced me including all those faults. I hope I am making you proud with how I am fulfilling my job as a mother to my son now. I am so blessed to have you as my mother and I would not want anyone else. I love you, Mama.




mommy moments