Scarlet Fever! Yikes!

My first blog for 2015 started with not-so-good tummy ache for my Ikay. A month after, my mother-in-law passed away and we made our way to Nueva Ecija to attend her funeral and burial. It was there that I suspect Ikay picked up something. We went back to Laguna right after the burial and I immediately notice Ikay's silence. She doesn't show her usual "kakulitan" sa byahe namin. She just said that her tummy is hurting again. I thought she was just hungry, so I bought her some cookies and some water. Back home, she still complain of tummy ache so I let her stay for the day instead of attending her class. 

Weekend passes, she's back to normal and I sigh a sound of relief. She was able to attend her classes on Monday up to Wednesday (2/23 - 2/25). It was "exam week". She even helped me put up her loot bags after review. 

The next day, was Ikay's 8th birthday. We were planning to give a small party the next day (Friday), and Ikay was also excited to distribute her loot bags  that day. As I prepare her for her school, I kay told me that her poop that morning was watery. I inspected her poop and it was indeed, with no sign of any hard or formed poop. But she told me that she was feeling fine and that her tummy was not even hurting. So off she goes to school only to be called by the school nurse later that Ikay was rushed to the clinic because of her stomach ache and she even vomited. So I fetched the birthday girl and went straight to the hospital for check-up.

Her tonsils were swollen. Ikay complained of even having a hard time swallowing her saliva. It was also that time that fever is starting to show up, signalling an infection. She was given two bottles of antibiotic (good for 10 days)  and a dozen of  questions for me about her tummy history. She was somewhat diagnosed with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome).

Arriving home, while Ikay was resting, I made my way to Mr. Google, and all of Ikay's previous symptoms whenever her tummy hurts is due either excitement or anxiety, common for children with IBS. 

But this time, Mr. Google also proved to me that Ikay's recent tummy aches and loose bowel and vomiting was due to her strep. Yes, her strep which turned to a Scarlet Fever, because that evening, fine, sunburned-like rashes started to spread all over Ikay's body. 

I thought she was just allergic to the antibiotic she took. But her pedia told me that antibiotic allergies would not look or feel like that. Alsado daw at parang mapa. Antihistamine was added to  her list of medicine to take. 

A week after, Ikay was all better. She lost a lot of weight and she feels ugly because her rashes started to peel. From her face, her hands, her feet, even her little buns were covered with peeling skin. The only thing that I can do is to slather her with loads of moisturizer. All over her body, even in her pelvic area and her buns.

And give her loads and loads of love.

Tummy-ache

     2015. My first post for the year.

     Pope-fever is on here in the Philippines (that's another story).

     Ikay's tummy-ache is also back. 

     You see, when my daughter was barely a year old, she suffered from Rota-virus. Every mom by now has heard it, or sadly, one of their sons or daughters must have also contacted it.  My daughter was hospitalized because of it, and not just once but twice (the second one was when she was 15 months).  It was a heart-breaking and exhausting experience. It was hard seeing her with the tube in her arm and losing all that weight because of the constant diarrhea and vomiting. 

     

     When she was around two-years old, she suffered  yet another attack of this virus. No watery poop this time, only vomiting. It was a milder form of the virus, and she was back to her old self by day 3. 

      Then came the years after that, same stories. She would usually have these episodes of tummy aches on the month of January and May (don't know why). Her doctor think it wasn't the rota-virus. She was tested of course, every year. Test for dengue (because she would have fever and diarrhea at same time), test for parasites, urine test (symptoms can be for UTI), blood test, etc.

    Since all her test shows negative, two culprits are there. She's either having dyspepsia (indigestion) and stomach-flu.  Sometimes my daughter has the tendency to eat "a lot". If she's bored, she would eat. And I always try to control these "eating habits". Sabi nga sa amin dito sa Pilipinas, masarap daw kumain ang anak ko. Pero mahina ang tiyan. 

     So Ikay's tummy-ache is back. She's been on a soft diet for 4 days now. No sugar, no oily foods. Her vomiting has subsided (thanks to Motilium). She's taking some probiotics for her tummy. and a lot of TLC from me and her Papa. She still pass a lot of gas, and her tummy has been aching on and off. She also missed some days on her class. 

      I hope tomorrow when my daughter wakes up, her tummy-ache will be gone and she will back to her sweet self again. I miss my little miss "matara".

Battle

My husband and I are currently in a battle right now. Well, he shoulder mostly of the battle. It's about his SMOKING. He's been into it for half of his life. Literally. He would tell me that he started smoking when he's about 14 or 15. That's a lot of wasted years to nicotine. :(

I too, smoked, but I wasn't that addicted. I started when I was still in college and continue the habit for at least 5 years. I remember that whenever my friends and I would go to some bar to unwind after work, I could finish a whole pack. I smoke as fast I could finish my drink. Which is usually a hard drink because I never drank beer (another bad vice). So, when my husband and I met, I swore to him that I would quit smoking, and I did that. I did quit and haven't had a stick for nearly nine years now.

So we sort had a fight after his bout with flu last week and lost a lot of weight. I told him to kick out the habit. He would always say, "Yes, I'll start tomorrow. Definitely. I'll just have 3 sticks a day.". And I would believe him...but sadly, it's been 6 years of telling him and he's still smoking. Its not that he's not trying. He even tried nicotine patch. But the patch is too expensive here that he did not continue with the patch program. He also tried substituting candies for cigars. But no luck.

Then I just snapped with our fight. I told him that if he's not going to do anything with the habit, that if he's not going to be more disciplined, then I might as well join him again too. And that got him worried. So today, he only had a single stick. I know that it'll be long before he could be totally free of this "addiction", but I am more than willing to help him, and encourage him to do the right thing, not just for our daughter but mostly for himself. I'm just blackmailing him right now (why would I go back to smoking?)... and it is working. So I'm happy, and so is his health.

If only we live in a country where healthcare is a priority. But sadly, our country really lags behind in this department. You got sick, you need to have tons of money to pay to get well. Palagi kong sinasabi.. "di bale nang kakaunti ang pera, basta walang magkakasakit." Because in the Phillipines, "health is truly a poor man's wealth".

Play-dough time!

Found an extra time to play with my daughter last night. Since she's been asking me forever to make her more play-dough, I thought of making her some. My husband said that he'll just gonna buy my daughter some clay in the morning but buying the commercial ones is a little bit expensive while buying the cheaper one is a little bit too hard to handle with my daughter's little hands.

So I searched online and hoping to find some recipe which does not include ingredients that I do not have at  home. Tadah! I did find one and it came from a mom and blogger Sanz.

I followed her recipe instructions but did not bother with the measurement since we will be making it one color at a time.
 

 

We put in water, next is oil, then the food color and a drop of banana extract for the smell.

 

Next is dumping in the salt and flour mixture. Mix it. 

 

 

My daughter does all the kneading, and at the same time, having fun doing it.

Since the colors that can be bought in the market near us are limited, I only have the colors yellow, purple and orange.

We made a bunch of different shapes with my daughter's toy molds.

We got some fries, a pineapple, a t-bone and a citrus

And what's this thing doing here? Eeewww   :)

Sarap Pinoy

Marami-rami na rin akong kakilala, kaibigan at mga kamag-anak na OFW, mga immigrant sa ibang bansa. Nami-miss daw nila ang pinas. Pero mas pinili nila na sa ibang bansa magtrabaho o manirahan kasi mahirap daw ang buhay sa bansa natin. They need to sacrifice their own happiness by working/living  abroad so that the younger ones (their children) can get a better life than them. Gaano nga ba kahirap ang buhay sa Pilipinas at napakdami ng naalis? Ang tatay ko, naniniwala na kaya mong mabuhay ng matiwasay sa bansa natin basta matyaga ka. Kasi sabi nya, siya rin daw galing sa wala. Pinag-aral din nya yung sarili nya at hindi umasa sa magulang nya, pero kahit papaano may naipundar sya bukod sa napaaral nya kaming magka-kapatid. 

I personally can see my father's reason. It all depends on one's wants and needs. One needed only the basics, but wants so much more. Basics - food, shelter, education, konting savings for health. Others are "wants", not basically needs.  But nobody can blame anybody for wanting more. For having a little of something, for working so hard all your life. Pero sabi nga ng tatay ko, kung basic lang..kayang-kaya. 

So, ano nga bang  meron sa Pinas na wala sa ibang bansa? Para ma-miss mo ng sobra ang Pinas? Na kahit anong sarap ng buhay sa ibang bansa ay mas gugustuhin mo na bumalik.

1. Family - Sino bang gusto na malayo sa pamilya niya? Wala. Kasi sa kultura ng mga Pilipino, mahalaga ang pamilya. Mawala na lahat, wag lang pamilya mo. Dahil may maga oras na kahit meron ka ng lahat ng bagay at pera sa mundo, kung hindi mo naman ito maise-sahre sa pamilya mo, bale wala.

2. Init -  Sobra ang init dito, dati kaya mong tiisin ang summer heat. Ngayon, wish ko na pwede. Kahit tag-ulan na, rainy season na o kaya e, -ber months na, grabe pa rin ang init. Kaya bago lumabas ng bahay, you need to protect your skin, kasehoda na payong o hat, pero sunblock, pinaka importante. Pero syempre, yung init ng pagmamahal ng isang Pinoy!

3. Extra rice / Unli-rice -  Sobrang hilig sa kanin ng mga Pinoy, kahit nakakataba. (Waiter, isa pa ngang rice dyan!)

4. Palengke -  Walang palengke na kasingbaho at kasing dumi ng tulad sa Pinas (feeling ko lang). Kahit pa yatang sabihin na 1st class municipality o 3rd class municipality e kasama na yung ganyang klase ng palengke sa atin.Pero masarap mamili at makipagtawaran kay suki.

5. Pagkain - Oo, masarap din ang pagkain sa ibang bansa. pero mas masarap pa rin ang lutong Pinoy (para sa akin!). Sa karinderya man yan, o sa isang restaurant o kahit simpleng luto ng nanay mo, masarap talaga kumain ang Pinoy. Kahit nga kamatis at bagoong lang ang ulam e, swak na!

6. Beaches - Need I say more? Beaches are the best here in the Philippines. Kahit worst ang airport natin (hayzzz), ayos lang.

7. Maynila, Cebu, Davao, etc. - Sino bang ayaw umuwi sa bayan na kinalakihan mo?

So, sa inyong mga OFW, uwi-uwi rin pag may time. Ipon-ipon din nga pamasahe pag may time. Kasi miss na kayo ng mga kababayan nyo. ('Wag nyo na lang pansinin pulitika dito, para hindi masayang ang happiness nyo. Hehehe.)

A Lot of First in a Single Day

It was a sunny day. A good day to be out and enjoy the sun. Last September 26 was my daughter's school field trip. The field trip that we chose not to attend because of some financial reason. Instead, my husband, my daughter and I headed to Manila to visit some sights. Sights that she's never been too. A good day for a lot of first time.

The first stop was the National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help or better known as the Baclaran Church. Going there, we took a bus to Manila, then took the LRT (Light Railway Transit) and got off on the last station, the Baclaran Station. It was my daughter's first time to ride the LRT. It was an exciting time for her. She even made  small sounds of the chugging train. 

On-board the LRT

Going to Baclaran Church brings back happy memories for me. It's been 8 years since the last time I have been there. It was the place where my husband, who was then my boyfriend, frequently visit. Even if my husband is into other religion (he is now a Catholic convert) when we started with our relationship, he stays with me inside the church while I make my prayers and "hiling" (wishes) to our blessed Mother. This is where I'd prayed so hard to have a child after months of trying. The Blessed Mother granted my wish and as I sign of gratitude, I brought my daughter to Her home. This is also a first for my daughter. Fond as she is of churches, she was asking a lot of question about the people she sees inside the Baclaran Church.

Baclaran Church

Inside the Baclaran Church

Sweet smile!

We had our lunch in a fastfood near the church after which, we linger around the shops in Baclaran to check out come tights for my little one. We got some  6 pieces tights for a mere 270 pesos. A real deal indeed! After that, we're off again to LRT bound to Rizal Park. 

We got off the UN station and walked all the way to Luneta. Again, another first my my sweet daughter, and for my hubby, too. Even in the heat of the afternoon, my daughter was too happy to be there. She was ecstatic in seeing the islands of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao and even asking me where the Bashi Channel is, which she learned from her Civic class.

Where's the Bashi Channel, Papa?

We had tons of fun in Luneta. Another first for Ikay is our ride in a calesa. There were also some doves in park which you can feed with bits of bread. And if ever you and your family got hungry, there's a lot of food stalls inside the park.

Calesa ride

Lastly, we went to Luneta to see the famous statue of Dr. Jose Rizal. Even if the rain was threatening to pour, we hurriedly took our souvenir photos. 

                                                      

Shy dove!

Lots of doves!

Dr. Jose Rizal

Behind the statue is the controversial building

            

It was a tiring but a fun day. Although we did not have that much budget for this trip, we still accomplish a lot of firsts for my daughter. Now, she is making a list of other places to visit. Till next time, till our next trip.

Atchara: Pickled Papaya

    Atchara is a famous side dish of Filipinos. Usually, it is served together with grilled, and fried dishes. It is very are affordable and has a long shelf-life. Every family has their own version of making atchara, and, today I am sharing mine. Although, walang sukat talaga yung pag-gawa ko, its up to your taste bud on how you want your atchara to taste.

     This recipe has been a money-making idea for me. Since it is very tedious to make, and that I have some allergy of sort in papaya's sap, I just make them every ber-months. 

You'll be needing:

- green papaya

- vinegar (anykind will do)

- water

- sugar

- salt

- pinapple tidbits

- pepper corn

- bell pepper

- carrots

- onions (optional)

- garlic  (opitonal)

     You need to peel, wash and grate (or slice thinly) the papaya. Put some salt, wash it again then remove the excess water. We usually put them in a clean cloth or katsa, then my husband and I would wring the papaya dry. Set them aside.

      In a pan, put some water, vinegar, salt, sugar and the rest of the ingredients except for the pineapple. Bring them to boil, but do not stir. When boiling, lower the heat, and taste your atchara solution. If it suits your taste, then its time the add the grated papaya. Turn off the stove. The heat from the solution will then cook the papaya (and it will cook easily since the papaya is already grated). Add the pineapple.

      Let it cool. When cooled, you can start bottling them. Bottles should be sterilized properly. 

Ready for bottling

   

Ready to be sold!