Saturday, September 11, 2010

Remember September...

A lot of significant moments in history happened in September... there's the infamous 9/11 in New York and the one-year ago Ondoy flooding. Oh but it's not all bad, Hong Kong Disneyland opened up it's doors in September, some years back. Isn't it known to be the 'happiest place on earth'?

In the home front, September is an anticipated month as we get to celebrate my Labidab's birthday! The quest for the perfect birthday gift, the plans to celebrate and trying to think of something unique to make the birthday as memorable, if not more, as the previous years.

But beyond the gift and celebration, I offer a silent prayer of thanks for the gift of life and his existence in my life :) I've been blessed having him next to me... likewise, I offer a silent prayer that he would be given more blessings, graces, guidance, good health, and more happiness.

So cheers... to the man of the hour, the best buddy, a partner in crime and the love of my life.... LABIDABS!



Monday, August 30, 2010

Neuralgia and the Maze called Makati Medical Center

One Wednesday during a very hectic week when our Global HR Leadership Team from Europe were in town, I had the most terrible headache experienced ever. I had to be at work at 7:30am that day to attend a Leadership forum and I attributed the pain to lack of sleep and stress. As the day progressed I had continued to do my desk job while nursing an ice pack at the back of my head. I went home early with the hopes of sleeping it off. The next day, went back to work, sharp pains still kept on shooting from the back of my head. I managed to do a presentation with the top HR guy (pale-looking and disheveled hair, mine not his!) and attended a few meetings but requested to leave early again. By Friday, I decided I really needed to see a doctor. Pain reliever was my new best friend over the weekend because it was the only think that kept me functioning normally. I did all required ENT tests (paranasal sinus xray, skull APL xray, audiometry, etc) to rule out possible ENT causes. When all tests came back normal, my last stop was a neurologist! Questions here and there, tests and checks....and voila, I was diagnosed with "Neuralgia". It's caused by affected or infringed nerves, in my case, emanating from my stressed and stiff neck. It was aggravated by 2 things -- heavy laptop backpack and sleeping with high pillows. Change in carrying-habits, medications, hot compress plus weekly light massage (wheeeee!) should make it better in the next couple of weeks. It's been 5 days since and I'm back to A-okay.

In the past days that I had been running to and fro around the newly renovated Makati Medical Center....it was all one giant maze! I kept on
getting lost...I'm not sure if its because it was too crowded or if they lack the signages. While it seemed to have significantly improved for posterity sake, I don't find it patient-friendly! So much walking to move from doctors clinics to laboratory, restrooms are not conveniently located, elevators are quite far from doctor's clinics... errr.... if I were in excruciating pain at that time, I would have probably be short-tempered already (thank God it's Maxicare paying for my check-ups otherwise, I wouldn't find it worth my pesoses).

With so much construction works still going on at that time, I hope it was just a phase that the maze is there to bear. Otherwise, I would recommend other hospitals to visit to.


Friday, August 20, 2010

Simple Thoughts to the Meaning of Life

...sometimes, we get so wrapped up and carried away with the busy-ness and demands of work and other responsibilities, that we forget to appreciate the simple ideas that make up more meaning to our Life...