Jabona Filipina

A simple maneuver which can save a lot of money and even lives..A patient on intensive chemotherapy is prevented from acquiring life-threathening infections by singing " Happy Birthday " during handwashing sessions. And Voila! at the end of the song, you're now prepared to handle your favourite and cute patient...use soap please..hand soaps from Foliage at 12 $ each (540 pesos)

The Confessions of Marian: A Teen-age Cancer Patient

Living or hearing news about young children suffering from serious diseases or undergoing general operation is quite normal for me. I would regularly see them on tv, read them on newspapers or even get the chance to know one of them. I always imagine what life's like for these young angels. And i would really love to be of help.

But it never came into my mind that someday i'll be able to experience it myself. It was the 10th day of December 2002 that marked my struggles. I was diagnosed to have cancer (Colorectal) Stage III. ANd from the moment i heard the results, i was totally shocked that i wasn't able to do anything but to cry and just get some comfort from my father. For a 16-year-old girl having to suffer one of the most serious diseases known today, i think having to accept the situation would really be difficult. At first, i thought that it would be the end and that i would live life far different from everybody. I felt discouraged. Discouraged to the fact that i would always be dependent on others and that i cannot be of service . I was afraid to lose my friends. I was afraid of being rejected, and i fear the day that i have to deny myself a lot of things.

Yes, its true, there would always be times when i get to be alone and feel sorry for myself and regret all the things that i've done in my past. But it never affected me that much because i got all the support that i need. I'm so lucky to have my support groups. From my family, my friends even those whom i don't know and most especially from my doctors. They brought me consolation and courage. My doctors have been very supportive and they have helped me gain my confidence and strength back. The situation was clearly explained to me. All the possibilities and consequences were prevented from me so much that i just saw myself walking with a BIG SMILE on my face.

For a patient like me, having to hear these kind of results would be very devastating. At first, i was totally confused and depressed about the way things were presented to me. They told me all possible operations that i might undergo and even told me that i might be a permanent colostomist. This might seem to be a very fast approach but i just thought that having the patient to be fully aware of her situation is very important. This would help both the patient and her family to prepare emotionally, mentally, spiritually and psychologically. My doctors showed me that having this kind of sickness is not a reason for me to give-up. Instead, they made me look at it as a challenge, as a stepping stone for my dreams. With this struggle, I think that it isn't bad after all. Thanks to them, it all turned out to be just fine.

Note: Marian passed away almost one year later because of liver metastasis...

Benches at the Woods

art de cu b etat

Tawasil and Lourna Fernandez paintings, Claudina painted bottles curtain the tiny windows, colour of the year (2006), hanging greens and sunset rays pouring into this resting cubicle

monasterio ng carmelita sa zamboanga

Fifty one years later of bombings, and abu sayaff/MNLF kidnappings, and amidst the locale's resistance to progress..the monastery still stand to unite the faithful in one special celebration... Time passes by..It was same time last year when they opened the monastery for public viewing.. I was one of the fortunate persons who saw its secrets..They do that every 25 years..

Nung isang taon....

Kakaibang pananabik ang namumutawi sa bawat isa...minsan lang sa isang pinagbuong pilak na taon ipinamamahagi ng mga monghang madre ang kanilang monasteryo sa mga mayayaman este mamamayan.

At anupa nga ba, isa tayo sa mga nakipagsapalaran upang makisama sa kanilang piging. Nakikain ng kaunti. Aba may alam sa cocktail? Kasabay syempre ang mga nananampalataya.. andiyan ang mga matataas na pangalan sa lipunan “alta sociedad” daw.. Aba makapigil hininga mong makakasalamuha ang mga pulitiko… mayayaman...mga banal o hinde... ususero man o nagtuturistahan sa lugar na ito ng mga malalambing, magaganda, nagtatagong mayaman, mapagkumbaba, pretensyoso, tsismoso, magarbo, inggitero, etsetera...(sabagay sa lahat ng bahagi ng Pilipinas yata)

Nandiyan ang makipagtsikahan ng sandali sa isang babaeng nakatrono at mahilig magpakuha ng larawan sa ward 8 kasama ang mga batang halos naghihingalo na sa kanser upang mailathala sa lokal na pahayagan na siya'y may naitutulong… ito'y nung isang taon nang namahahagi ng isang lumang telebisyon na galling lang pala sa iisang uugod ugod na hotel sa bandang valderosa. Mukha pang galing pirata (smuggled)...

Utang na loob po...

Isa na naman pong pagpapanggap...

Ngunit sa kabuuan, ako’y nagpupugay na maging bahagi ng ganitong pagdiriwang..Mas nakikilala natin ang isang lugar sa uri ng mga taong nakakasalamuha natin...upang maihanda uli ang ating sarili sa susunod na kabanata ng pakikipagsapalaran sa bawat pagsubok sa balat ng lupa..

MEMORIES OF SINULOG

aerial view of downtown cebu boasts of majestic mountainous background

the popular mardigras was well attended by people mostly from neighboring island provinces

everywhere is a photographer's dream shot

age of innocence:behind the abundance is the reality of poverty

colourful and gay

troublemaker should beware

grandiose and realistic costumes

juday among the champions

i was able to catch the famous pinoy smile among the participants representing their town's own produce and traditional dance

It was actually a rip-off from the oldest and queen of all festivals in the Philippine Soil-the Ati atihan- of Ibajay, Aklan.. Dinagyang of Ilo-Ilo followed suit, the Mascara of Bacolod, and name all the products or fruits unique in the Philippines and you're right-theres always a corresponding festival somewhere. Even Eggs had its own festival-poor San Jose, Batangas.. They could have thought of better way to showcase their town.. Capiz which was ever famous for ghosts/underworld creatures finally organized their own festival despite severe resistance from the Catholic Church.. Well its the Philippines, this is the only way we can show to the world our own culture and traditions in order to attract investors...for economic growth of course!

secreto el ciudad de zamboanga 4

The sun, the seas, the trees, and the land... all the right ingredients for a bountiful ground..

Raffy

I can feel, the end is near ... It is one of those inevitable moments that you’re afraid of becoming real..Even though from the start you know its gonna happen, but you just tend to forget..... you took for granted because you were happy after the first medicines took its effect and made the patient more comfortable and even better. Biphenotypic type of Leukemia is a very difficult disease to treat . That was explained from the start. And Raffy’s father and stepmother practically begged for available treatments.

One problem with treating leukemia is treatment-related side effects particularly infection and bleeding using the standard protocol. Even though the dictum is be “harsh in order to be kind”, i decided not to give him that. Its like providing treatment but you end up harming the patient because they cannot afford supportive treatments-blood products and IV antibiotics..They don’t have enough money..so that modifying the kind of treatment is the best thing that i can do....to suit their financial capacity while a little compromising on the outcome.. the possibility of cure..

He is one of my favourites, very malambing and very cooperative. And he knew what was happening to him from the start. Well most children do...Of course there were tantrums from the start of treatment-difficult to pacify during blood extration or hard-headedness in taking their meds.. but eventually they learn to comply.. That's when they feel that something is wrong with them and that they have to cooperate in order to play their favourite toys, and eat their favourite food..

At a tender age of 6 years, Raffy suffered enough. He was left by his biological mother when his parents were separated. But fortunately, when his father remarried, the love and care of a true mother was provided by his step mother.

He is weak, and feverish. I saw some inflammation and bleeding points on his gums...some bruises on his arms and legs..I felt some lumps on his scalp.. He kept on complaining of ankle and knee pains..Even in his condition, i had to promise ice cream-his favourite-just to make him happy, which gave a brightness on his face..I left immediately quite ashamed to show emotions from his stepmother who was also misty eyed...

I just hope, he will not suffer this time....