MDRTB: A Resisting Virus to Fight

Have you heard about MDRTB? I know for sure most of you are not really familiar about it like me when we first heard about it. It was really unrecognizable term for us. I even ask myself twice if I heard it right.

Yes, I did. MDRTB stands for Multi-drug Resistant TB. It means that anyone who is diagnosed with it, the virus has evolved and has started to resist Rifampicin and other basic drugs for the disease. It diagnosed when TB has relapse, done with other test like sputum culture and x-ray.

Here in the Philippines, it is very common but is not understood by the community itself. Most people refuse to understand these situation rather they think of it as a scourge or epidemic without even doing some prevention. Why did I say these? Observe some people who coughs roughly without even covering their mouths? Others have even don't bother at all. See?

Have you heard about Pap Smear?

I heard about it but never see Pap Smear as a very serious & necessary routine for any mom & woman today. I just thought it was just part of a campaign made by health workers but never see its significance at all. 

Last August 16, my college friends and I had a reunion after such 8 years of not seeing each other although we usually talk on social networking sites. The usual laughter and teasing which are our bonding activities during the old day plus the 'karaoke' add on had complete our routine of enjoyment. But as we go along our relish, a topic was opened by Vanessa Griño whom is a medical representative; 'Have you had a pap smear ever?' Ooopps... I hadn't had one but although I heard about it.

Among the seven girls and a guy in the group, three of us are moms already and none of us had any Pap Smear since, of course aside from Vanessa. The thought of getting a pap smear or a pap test sank into e as days go on.  So one day, I pushed myself to get a researched done about the interest and value of it. I went to the city library of Davao located at the 3rd floor of the Sangguniang Panglungsod or the City Hall. 

I started to look and found out the best book talking about the Pap Smear or the Pap Test. And luckily, I could share it here without concerning of  practicing plagiarism. Hope these would also help other moms and woman out there to have a good comprehension about Pap Smear. 

What is a Pap Test?

 A pap test is the removal and microscopic examination of the outer layer of cells lining the cervic. Named after its inventor, Dr. George Papanicolaou, it is based on the principle that if the cells are normal, the result is negative. if abnormal cells are found, the the result is positive and the woman is asked to a repeat test to confirm findings. These cells are shed continuously and are contained in vaginal secretions. Samples are taken from the cervical canal during internal examination and sent to the laboratory for analysis with a microscope. 

-Surgery on File, Obstetrics and Gynecology by The Diagram Group
Paulette Pratt and Ellen Sarewits
Facts on File Publications
July 1, 1988


To be Continue.

How to help your child grow healthier after Primary Koch’s?

Last March 2011, my younger son was hit by Primary Koch's and now after a more that a year he is better now and I would like to share on how to help your child grow healthier after Primary Koch’s?

As I reveal the story behind my son’s situation, being about 2 years old then and now going four by next month, I see the difference between then and now.

Ponds's Flawless White

Pond's Flawless White Visible Lightening Daily Cream

At the age of 28, I am seeing a multiple lines between my foreheads and around my eyes. I was totally worried about it and I can't even take it. That's really part of life and to add with stress and sunlight, lines are really visible.

I sell beauty products as of now and I am really planning to try this when I get the chance. I really don't want to look older at my age for there was no reason to, right?

This cream is enriched with new VAO-B3 Complex and multiple UV sunscreens. This moisturizing day creams knows where the skin needs extra help. The usage should be every morning after cleansing the face and is said that for best results, put it also on night.

How I really wish this would help me a lot. Well, any suggestions on how to loose visible lines?

How a white spot on an eye be removed?

Last February 27, I had a check up for my eyes on an ophthalmologist at the Southern Philippines Medical Center.

But before that, on a Friday morning, I was preparing myself for work.Then, I noticed that on my left eye, on the dark portion was this white spot aside from being itchy and sore. So, I decided to have an eye check-up on Monday for I can't imagine myself loosing my sight forever.

Tonometer

So, being at the hospital at 7 in the morning. I patiently waited for hours just to assure myself. When finally, the nurse call me. The doctor started to ask me questions.

Doctor: What's the problem? 

Me: Doc, I had observed that my left eye has this white little spot on the dark portion.

So, she immediately instructed me to put position my face at this specific eye-exam equipment. A tonometer which used to measure the pressure of the eye. A very bright light was focused on an eye that makes my eyes teary. Then suddenly, she putted some yellow liquid drops(which I didn't get what was it), examined it again. 

She told me to get relaxed and told me that a portion should be scraped from that infected area and be examined at the laboratory. 

All I just told her was ok, but deep inside me, I was afraid. Imagine an eye be scraped? Whew!

The nurse, put some anesthesia drops on my left eye saying that its just ok. Minutes after, the doctor prepared this kind of blade which looks like to me a tiny knife. She started scraping the my eye. But I can still feel the sharpness of it and tears started to fall.

After minutes of scraping and scraping, finally it's done. Then, she told me to bring it the Laboratory/Microbiology Section. So, I immediately followed her instructions, paying it's fees first. The assigned nurse told me to be back after a day for the results. I went home praying and hoping that it'll be just ok.

One Day After:

I was on the hospital at 6am for I was planning that if I got finished earlier, I would've attend work. So, I patiently wait again for hours.

Ofloxacin

At 7:30am, I already got the result. It says: No Organism Found for the GRAM STAIN and No Fungal Elements Found for the KOH. As I understand about it, it felt relief. But not yet, I should hear first the doctor's say.

Hours passed and finally the time of revelation begin. I had the face to face with her again. As she was reading the result, she said that everything was ok. It's not a cataract yet should be removed. She prescripted me an anti-bacterial for for my eyes. She gave me Ofloxacin eyedrops, 4 times a day. I'll be using it for a week, but if it still there, a week of extension. And if in case it doesn't get lost after full 2 weeks of putting it, I should come back to her.

Now, it's been a week and it seems like it's still there. A week more, and the decision would be done.

How to overcome post-partum?

Baby Estian

I had a conversation with a friend and a mom also from high school, Nina Sky last Friday. Along with our chat, she asked me what is postpartum because a local famous artist is believed to be suffering from it.

As far as I remembered and understood about it, I told her that postpartum is a stage where a newly mommy, after childbirth, is suffering from an unexplained depression, insecurities or even jealousy from her newly born child. But I must say that it'll only last fro months as I've experienced it.

Yes, I did experienced and suffered from it. The first month was I always feel pity with myself. It feels like I'm all alone and on my own maybe because my partner's working and didn't have all the time to help me and gave me the attention I always wanted.

The days go on and was even worst when I just feel hate with my own son. When he cries, I didn't attend to him immediately. I even scolded him at one time.

Estian and Mom

Then along, I asked and reflect myself of what was going on with me. Why does I am reacting the way that I shouldn't be. A weird feeling that I couldn't understand at all. Both me and my partner really didn't understand that I was going on with postpartum depression.

I shared this personal experience of mine not to put a negative side of myself but rather would like to extend to both couple's attention that they must understand that there is this stage that moms who recently gave birth suffers from it.

my kids

Although I've overcome with it, after months of suffering, by the little help of my partner. The little time he focused on us made me help go through it. But I suggest that maybe when your partner helped you a lot by attending with your baby, helping you the responsibilities of taking good care of the baby even just helping to change diapers at night, checking you regularly in any way he can, it would've be a great help to overcome with it in no time.

Pampers Diaper

Comfort Foods Cookbook

Ooppss....Eating a lot of delicious and nutritious foods could also help a lot better especially to breastfeeding moms.


To see a well explanation of Postpartum Depression, click here.

Team Building Games

Personal Injury Solicitor

Mom's usually don't have a personal injury solicitor or as what I understand is a medical assistance especially in countries that are not quite economically stable. But what I realize is that we should consider also having it. Why? We, don't really hold everything in our hands.

What if one day, accidents happen? Where to ask for help? That is if help is always available. What to do? That is if you don't go panic. Have we ever realized how important having a medical assistance of our own? Because I think, if a mom could take good care of her family should also take good extra care for her own.

Primary Complex: Disease Our Children Fights

Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs in my field, since the payment is pure love.  

~Mildred B. Vermont

The reason behind all of my struggles to find home jobs instead of a regular job is that of my son's health concern. That's why I have to be a full-time and hands-on mom for him.

Late March 2011, my youngest son suffered from a repeated fever, cough and colds. So I decided to have a check up after a week(which was not right and having 2-3days of fever should see a doctor immediately). After physical check-up and lab test results, the doctor diagnosed bronco. With medications given like anti-bacterial and meds given for a week, and under observation but not yet admitted in the hospital. So, after a  week, nothing has changed and for a month, my son had taken three kinds of antibacterials, more dosage, much expensive.

So, we as parents, panicked and so much afraid asking what was really going on with him. He's getting thinner and loosing much more of his appetite. He doesn't play anymore and all he just do is lie on his bed. We consulted different pedia just for my son to get well. Imagine, a 2 yr.old boy suffering from an unknown disease.

The x-ray results states that he has water in lungs or in medical terms as pleural effusion. His pedia, Ma. Theresa A. Cruz,M.D. Pediatrician,DPPS recommends us to consult a pulmonary pedia whom is expert for of children's lungs. So, we decided to consult the experts in Philippine Children's Medical Center, located at Quezon Ave.,Quezon City. And finally, thanks to Dr. Carren-Anne P. Batalla,M.D. Pediatrics for the final conclusion( although with the help also of a lot of experts), my son having PCAP or Primary Koch's Infection simply known as Primary Complex/TB for children. Medications for 6 months was given and follow-up checks ups to be done for the next months.

As of now, my son has finished the race(6 months medication) and the last x-ray result was cleared. Yet the pedia says there is still a chance that the virus may attack if my son's infected again. I'll just have to take good extra care of my son.

Prevention for Primary Complex:

In much of the world, the only method available to prevent tuberculosis in children is administration of a bacille Calmett-Guérin (BCG) vaccine. The BCG vaccines have never been used in the United States and, currently, only one type is available that is difficult to administer and of dubious efficacy. When considering the total body of literature of BCG vaccination of children, the general conclusion is that the BCG vaccines prevent 60 to 90% of serious tuberculosis cases in children.^[107,108] Clearly, the BCG vaccines are better than no method of prevention, but they are not capable of completely preventing tuberculosis disease in a population of children. BCG vaccination has worked better in some situations than others. In the United States, the presence of HIV infection in the child is an absolute contraindication to giving BCG vaccine; internationally, the presence of asymptomatic HIV infection is not considered a contraindication to BCG vaccination.

To know more about Primary Complex, click here.

Dysmenorrhea:Pains We Suffer

I was having chat with my sister last night, I shared her about the good news I've had for the past days about my blogging course lessons and how my teacher interacts and corresponds with me positively. She was also happy about it yet quite not visible with her aura. What's wrong about her?

She was suffering a pain below her stomach. Oh, I see! Dysmenorrhea attacks! So she ask me how to cope up with the pain. Brilliant! I have to discuss about it in my blog and thanks to my sisiter.

Anyways, way back before when I was in grade school, since then I also suffer dysmenorrhea not until when I got pregnant. When I was in high school, I was a regular visitor in the clinic every month for heavy pains attacks. I almost got fainted despite my preparations when periods arrive. When times comes I felt cold inside me, yet the air breeze are warm, when my hands are almost bloodless, I knew then that I have to go to the clinic to take some rest and a warm compress which was helpful at that time.

Now, I don't even suffer that much at all. But I wonder what was really the cause of it? Is it really true that when you get pregnant, it will eventually fade away? Albeit, it really stops since I got pregnant.

So to answer our questions, here's a link Dysmenorrhea:Wikipedia

Moms Against Cervical Cancer

This is one of my fears. It's like I don't want to think of this situation not just for myself but for my children especially. As a mom, we usually set aside our own health for the reason that we are so much occupied for our family's concerns yet at the back of our mind we are afraid to left them behind.

Sometimes I realized, I should set a time to pay attention with my own health. Maybe go to an OB for a check up, but just thinking of the amount I have to spend, I backed out thinking that its much more needed by the family rather than just by me. But I did take the risk. Of what? My FUTURE.

What if, in the end I am diagnosed with cervical cancer? Whom am I to blame? It's me, for the reason that I set aside the chance taking extra good care of myself also. 

So, to help my fellow moms who wants to see for a free check up, I've researched my area to find out. Just see the link below to look for in your area if free check-ups are also available.

Cervical cancer is a disease that affects the cervix in the female reproductive system. The cervix is the lower portion of the uterus that connects the upper vagina to the uterus. It is about two inches in length. During childbirth, the cervix dilates, allowing the baby to travel from the uterus to the vagina. 

What are the Symptoms of Cervical Cancer?

In the early stages of cervical cancer, there usually are no symptoms. Cervical cancer symptoms begin to appear as the disease advances, invading deeper into the cervix and surrounding tissue. As the disease progresses, women may experience:

• abnormal vaginal bleeding, including post-coital bleeding
  
• pain during sexual intercourse, however this can be common and unrelated to cervical cancer
  
• pelvic pain
  
• heavy vaginal discharge

For more info about free screenings, visit the site of Department of Health, Free Pap Smear, or even the nearest Health Centers in your area. Hope this could help us.

P.S.
I'm gonna have my check up, ASAP.

At the family's heart is Mother
Whose love is warm and true
Our family home was a special place
All credit's due to you 

~Anonymous 

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Personal Injury Solicitor