Starting Somewhere

The beauty of having a regular salary is that I can now set aside some to explore small business opportunities :-) I am still not that business-savvy , but I am so relieved that I can now 'explore' without sacrificing basic needs. Realistically, normal people should not stop working to do their own business. I read somewhere (I forgot where...) that a good start is to use a part of your regular salary to try entrepreneurship first.

Anyway, here is my first venture out of the web! I am so excited about joining my first ever bazaar :-) It's just going to be a weekend market at the Boni Heights clubhouse, and I'm only renting space for 1 day, but it's still a start! It's a sort of extension and reopening of my online shop: http://www.alfacompany.multiply.com/.

I'll be selling really nice bags, purses, passport holders, folios, etc. and if everything works out, I will also have some premium organic soaps on sale :-) I am sooooo excited! And since this is a reopening sale, I just might sell some stuff at a promo price! I am looking forward to expanding our product line but cheers to STARTING SOMEWHERE!!

Here's a quick preview of what we're having:





For yummy bath and body treats, I'll be selling Emu Oil soaps and rubs at the market. The video below shows the whole Venus and Mars selection! Everything really makes me so excited but Alfa Co. can only handle the soaps as of now...

I have tried V&M and I just love the stuff. The best ingredient that the soaps have is Premium, organic EMU OIL! Emu oil is good for just about any skin problem: allergies, rashes, dark/ flaky skin, swelling, itchiness, etc. etc. According to www.emuoilguide.com:

Emu oil is a proven anti-inflammatory, with effects comparable to that of ibuprofen; a bacteriostatic, meaning that it does not promote the growth of bacteria; a Hypoallergenic which means it is not known to cause skin irritation or have any side effects; a highly penetrating oil that absorbs without leaving a greasy feel; and a non-comedogenic, meaning that it does not clog pores.

Emu oil naturally contains Vitamin E, which is a major antioxidant and healing agent; Vitamin A, a known skin repairer and antioxidant; Linoleic acid, which helps to ease muscle aches and joint pain; Oleic acid, which is a proven skin cell regenerator and anti-wrinkle agent; Sapogens, proven skin softeners; and Terpines, known antiseptics.

Emu oil products make wonderful moisturizers that can smooth and condition rough elbows, knees and heels; soften and moisturize hands and cuticles; reduce the itching and flakiness associated with dry skin; and protect the face and hands from wind and weather.

Best of all, emu oil skin care products contain powerful antioxidants, as well as a known skin cell regenerator and anti-wrinkle agent, helping to improve the condition of aging skin. Offering both skin-thickening and moisturizing properties, emu oil skin care products help counter the wrinkles and dry, scaly, thinning skin that commonly occur with aging by moisturizing, lubricating and replenishing dry or irritated skin on the face, hands and body: and by preventing additional moisture loss by forming a protective barrier.



See you at the Weekend Market! Dec 4, Saturday, 10am-8pm, 2F Bonifacio Heights Clubhouse, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig (It's actually Dec 4-5 , but I only signed up for Saturday :-) oh, and LTJG and Tonyo will be there to support their mommy!)

The one that got away... ;-)

Two of my highschool batchmates just got married (to each other!) They've been dating for 12 years (so their invitation said, I've lost count) and we've all been waiting for the "big day". They were one of the few (if any?) surviving couples from our batch since high school.

I wasn't able to go to the celebration because I was still uncomfortable with my stitches then. But my dad was there because he was also Ninong. The girl and I weren't really that close back in high school , but my dad and her dad were fraternity brods. I would consider the guy a close friend since he lived nearby and we used to hang out with other "dorm-dwellers" after school. We also loved to hang out at his house (always open to visitors)... so we were no strangers to his parents.

During the wedding, my dad met the guy's dad. When Tito Kaying found out that I was my father's daughter, he reportedly exclaimed... "Si Hanna? Hanna Fernando? Yan yung gusto ko paligawan kay Caloy dati eh!" My dad was so surprised that he called me just to tell the story. Later on during the parents' speeches... Tito Kaying again mentioned that there were 3 girls he liked for his son to court "sana" back then ... Gmeleen (our class valedictorian, now a lawyer), Lea (daughter of former UP President Emil Javier, now happily married and residing in Canada) and.. Hanna (now.. what?) . But of course, Tito Kaying also said that if he knew Chel (the bride!) back then, he would have liked her as well :-) Bumawi!

It was flattering :-) Caloy and I were never romantically linked so it was also funny that his dad remembered me. Anyway, I consider Caloy and Michelene "it" couple of our batch. Showbiz royalty :-) I heard it was a fantastic event and the two honeymooned in EUROPE! From time to time they uploaded photos in FB showing happy photos from Venice, Switerland, Paris, Greece.

Sheesh, sarap!!! (Joke ito... ) Sana nga ako na lang .. hahaha. What should one do to afford all those?

Anyway.. CONGRATULATIONS you two!!! You had us wait long enough for the wedding, don't wait too long for the little 'uns!

Deperate and Daring

Last Sunday, unidentified men broke into our Tagaytay home while my parents were sleeping. They rummaged through the rooms and also took my mom's bag which was sitting right next to her on the bedside table. They were able to get cash, my mom's phone and a collection of credit cards and ATMs. As one of our ninongs said, this Christmas season, people are getting more desperate and daring.

That morning, police found out that the house next to ours was also broken into (no people inside) , and that most of the non-valuable contents of my mom's bag was scattered across the neighbor's garden. They also found gloves and a knife. Were the robbers ready to kill?

Thank God my parents did NOT wake up. What could've happened then? They could have been killed. Up to now we are pressuring the subdivision's security and Tagaytay police to not let this slip. We have already been warned by some of the locals that police might just take advantage of us and ask for "allowance" in exchange for the real investigation of the case. There's a risk of shelling out money while a fake investigation takes place.

To date, what we have is an erroneous police report. I do not want to jump into any conclusions about our police force, because they are "brothers in service" after all. I hope this won't turn out to be a disappointment.

My Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy (FNAB) Experience

Huge sigh of relief.

Last week of October, I was bothered by the most painful sore throat I've ever had. No amount of Vitamin C / Strepsils / Orofar / Salt gargles could take it away. I felt weird because unlke my other sore throats, this one seemed to have "localized pain" . To make things scarier, I felt a marble like lump in my throat.

It was a weekend so I scrambled to find a clinic. We don't have a regular family doctor (maybe it's about time we get one) , so I just made do with the first clinic I saw. She checked me out, felt the lump , and said that it may just be a swollen lymph node - but she sent me for a thyroid ultrasound just to make sure. I declined antibiotics for the swollen nodes because that would mean I will have to stop breastfeeding.

When I had the ultrasound, we found out that (1) Yes, indeed I had swollen lymph nodes , BUT (2) I also had a small "nodular cyst" in my right thyroid. Sheesh. They advised me to visit an ENT doctor for interpretation and future action.

I decided to get an ENT closer to our home in Taguig, so the soonest available one was from Healthway at Market! Market! I was surprised to meet the handsomest doctor I've ever met (haha!). But hated him as soon as he told me that we had to perform a biopsy on my cyst to determine whether it was cancerous or not (benign). Now, I am super afraid of needles that when I was in 4th grade they had to chase me all the way home from the village clubhouse to give me a Hepa booster!

He told me that the sensation would just be like expressing blood from your arm, "Pero sa leeg nga lang ang tusok." WTF! That was reassuring. I asked him if he has ever pricked himself before and he candidly admitted giving himself Botox (kaya pala gwapo...) The procedure was called FNAB or Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy where they stick a needle through your throat to access the lump and get samples. Dr. Pogi scheduled me for an ultrasound guided one so we can make sure that he will just make one prick (because my lump was still small)

I wanted to put it off because I wasn't feeling anything anymore - but decided against it when I thought about Sam's colleague who got diagnosed with throat cancer. He used to always dismiss recurring sore throats.

The procedure was postponed TWICE. First because the radiologist was not available, then the next one was because Dr. Pogi had an emergency! I was so frustrated because I wanted it over and done with to put an end to the stress, and I wanted it done before I get back to work. My dad's doctor friend then referred us to a well-known pathologist who holds clinic in front of the PGH.

Apparently, this Dr. Avila is very well known! He performs FNABs and you get the result within 20 minutes (unlike in hospitals or labs where you have to wait for a week!). I waited for more than an hour with all the other patients who came to see him . There were people from Batangas, Bicol and one even came from Aklan! Turns out even big hospitals like Asian send specimens to him for analysis.

You know when they tell kids "parang kagat lang yan ng langgam" when talking about injections? Well, injections feel like REALLY BIG Ant bites, hehe. But for FNAB, I guarantee that it is even less painful than your red ant bite! I felt so proud and brave afterwards. Dr. Avila also told me that my lump was easy to find and it was a good thing that I did not waste my money on an ultrasound-guided procedure. I saved almost Php 3,000.00.

So there, I got my results. More than half of it I didn't understand - but was happy to see the word BENIGN. Good, good, good! I consulted an Endocrinologist and now I am on thyroid medication which can hopefully melt away the cyst. I am to take it everyday and will have to go back to my Endo for blood tests/ ultrasounds in a few months. Thank you God talaga that it's benign!

I really hope you wouldn't need this but I am throwing in Dr. Jose Avila's details. I really did not find anything realistically helpful to me on the net, so I hope this personal experience of mine on FNAB can help others in need.

Dr. Jose Ma. C. Avila, MD
Pathologist
Unit 307 3rd Floor
West East Center Bldg
1336 Taft Ave, Ermita, Manila

(he's also the Chairman for Pathology at UP PGH)

Clinic: MWF, 9-11 (first come, first served)
Tel Nos: 524-6143

Cost: Php 3,000 for one "prick" , additional Php 1,000 per additional prick (for multiple pricks) - might sound expensive but it is really cheaper and more efficient than having it done somewhere else - where they still have to send the specimen away to a lab for analysis!

I would like to thank my mom and dad who came with me! And I am happy to report also that the first four patients' results came out negative for cancerous cells as well. I hope all of those who remained in the waiting room were as lucky as us.

Diaper Rush

So great to be back here in our small home where everything is within reach. We had to be forced-evicted from Laguna because the house’s ceiling there was infested by termites! The smell of the pesticide is bad for the baby (and mommy , who almost got sick upon first sniff of the dust and the pesticide.. had to take major doses of Vit C.) My mom stays here with me throughout the day, and of course, my dad lives with us here.. so – kumpleto ang pamilya ngayon!

My days with Tonyo here are numbered tho, because I go back to the office next week and he gets left behind in our home in Laguna with Wowa. I will get to see him when I go home mid-week and the weekends. We decided not to get a new yaya yet while he’s so small. Probably in 6 months or so. I stopped breastfeeding already (or pumping) because I have a lot of medical stuff going on (but that’s another story) I’m liking it here at Boni – the downside is that we don’t have much TV (a hazy channel 2!!!!) and that I don’t have regular net access, just the portable Smart Bro which gets so slow sometimes.

Anyway, the purpose of this post is a diaper review! I’m just in that review mode, hehe. We have so far tried 3 brands: Huggies , EQ and Pampers Comfort.

When my aunt and uncle went home from the US last September, they brought with them 2 huge bags of Huggies Snuggles. They were soo cute with the baby Winnie the Pooh designs! This is why during the first few weeks, I really did not use them. I had to give daily diaper supply when Tonyo was in the NICU so I alternated the Huggies that I already had with some store bought Pampers.

However, the NICU used EQ dry whenever Tonyo runs out of diapers (and before I get to bring his supplies) So I am fully aware that he’s not allergic to any of them. I wanted to use EQ because they’re the cheapest ones, but when we brought Tonyo home and I got to do the changes personally, I changed my mind. Pampers Comfort, in my opinion, was true to its promise that for every 2 diapers with a different brand, you only use 1 Pampers diaper.

EQ simply falls apart even while changing (I think it has so many “loose flaps” that go all over the place). It also gets soaking wet and wee wee wets the bed or the baby carrier. I believe it irritates the baby whenever it gets squeezed. The seal is good tho, just like the commercial said: will still stick even with baby powder. The design is a bit blah but that’s not really important.. I got stuck with some EQ diapers when I asked Sam to buy "Pampers" and he thought I meant any diaper. Sigh, just like those "Colgate" , "Gasul" and "Xerox" stuff where people get confused re: the brand and the generic name!




Huggies look extremely comfy and sturdy, and super cute because of the design. It has nice circle Velcro flaps that holds really well! But, like EQ, wee wee also gets squeezed out! Baby’s butt is quite sticky every nappy change.




The best wee wee retainer for us is Pampers! Baby’s bottom is still dry even if the diaper is so heavy already! It really absorbs wee wee away from baby’s skin. Yey! It’s P&G’s gift to mommies. Tho slightly pricier than EQ, I’d rather get Pampers for convenience and comfort! Each diaper features a different animal character each time. What’s not quite good about are the adhesives. You stick it wrong the first time and you’ll have trouble sticking it on again. (I use medical tape when that happens..)





What we use I believe is the local version – we haven’t tried the imported ones but we soon will because my FAFI (former AFI barkada) friends just gave us packs of what looks like the imported kind! (Thanks FAFI!!!)

So there you go, EQ may be cheap , Huggies may be cute and expensive.. but mid-priced Pampers is the winner for mommy and Tonyo!

Husbands and Wives

My husband recently got transferred to somewhere closer. This pleased us a lot, but according to him, this is his busiest job so far. Which I think is true, his assignments before took him away for long periods but he got longer vacation time and when he's home, he's really home. This new job enables him to go home on weekends - but he has constant 'homework' and his phone beeps and rings nonstop about work-related stuff. Geez. Talk about being an underpaid semi-corporate slave.

Anyway, he has some office-related tasks that I can handle so he sometimes asks me to help out (sweetly). Yep, me and him staying up together oh so late working on his stuff. This is what I call making the most out of our time :: bonding over work!

Well, now he's at work and I have some of his homework. I came across an article written by one of his colleagues about a wife of a military officer (whose rank is wayyy higher than LTJG's). Since this article probably won't be available to the general public, I just wanted to share its essence to the military wives -- or to the OFW wives out there. I guess it applies to people in long distance relationships!

Husbands and Wives go their separate ways as Husband A and Wife A. After months or years of separation, pressure and change - they come back together as Husband B and Wife B. Their priorities and motivation may have changed dramatically. This is very challenging and often frustrating since these individuals process life changes differently. One has been dealing with pressures of war or work , while the other one is left behind single-handedly managing the household. This transformation make reunions difficult and married life tough to handle.

I really liked what she said, and I hope to be reminded about this whenever I feel frustrated about "forgotten" family priorities. Women (is this correct? Well, I admit that I am like this) tend to keep silent about feelings and hope that their significant others "sense" their needs and frustrations. But as the book says, Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus - they have entirely different cultures and languages. Throw in the complication of a military life or a long distance relationship, and you really, really have to work harder.