Simple Thoughts of Mine

Archive for October, 2008

Everywhere we see lot of food items with “sugar free” written on the package. Why? Because many are now suffering from diabetes, food companies are trying to help these people. But are these foods really sugar free?

Many so called sugar free foods (such as cookies, breads, candies, etc…) often are not sugar free because they have carbohydrates from flour or milk. So when you see that it is sugar free, it does not mean that the food has no sugar.

Read the labels on anything that said to be low-carb or sugar free. Think twice that it might be a prey of food companies by making false or deceitful advertising and the targets are the ones who’s in a low-carb diet. They use phrases like “no sugar carb” or “low carb” right on the box and it’s anything but lies. Not to mention that the price is quite higher.

Sean woke up one night from an ear pain, since I know little things about different diseases (from my medical transcription class), I gave him an otic solution since I know that he has an inflammation. I thought it worked out when Sean said the pain decreases.  But one day, I saw discharge from his ear.  I was so worried but also thankful that it doesn’t have a bad smell which means it’s not pus in his ear.  I brought him today to an otolaryngologist (ENT doctor) which happens to be a cousin of mine (Thanks to you, Dr. Rene Lacanilao). He diagnosed him having otitis media. 

According to Wikipedia, otitis media is an inflammation of the middle ear, or middle ear infection.  Otitis media occurs in the area between the ear drum (the end of the outer ear) and the inner ear, including a duct known as the Eustachian tube.

Otitis media is very common in childhood, almost always accompanied by a common cold. The  nose viruses that cause the common cold infect the Eustachian tube that goes from the back of the nose to the middle ear, causing swelling and compromise of pressure equalization, which is the normal function of the tube.

He prescribed my son amoxicillin (antibiotic) and Dimetapp (decongestant).  To continue Aplosyn (otic solution) but to the other side of the ear since it’s  starting to get red and to clean the infected ear with Hydrogen Peroxide 3% solution and bring Sean back after a week. 

I am very confident that Sean will be okay very very soon.

Let me tell you a story of a teen-age boy who had been in a deep slumber and now showing his strong will and determination.  This person is very close to me.  I won’t mention his name for privacy reason.  One day during his last year in elementary, he stopped from going to school for he had a very strong inferiority complex about his built (he is too fat).  The reason for such behavior…his classmates bullied him for being so big.  His teachers, guidance counselor of the school (Our Lady of Succor College) and his immediate family convinced him to go back to school, but noone succeeded.  Since that day, he seldom go out of the house as if he prisoned himself.  I remember seeing him only when there’s a fire in the neighborhood and everyone have to go out (we are neighbors in Marikina).  He was like that for 7 to 8 long years. 

Then one day, I received a call from his eldest sister asking me about the acceleration tests that this young man’s telling them.  Since I am working in Department of Education I told her all the information about the examinations.  His sister told me that he wants to go back to school.  Well of course the whole family were glad to hear this from him. His family were so supportive of him and sent him in a review center right away.  He then applied for 2 accelaration exams in DepEd – Division of Marikina City namely Philippine Education Placement Test (PEPT) for overage students presently enrolled and Acceleration and Equivalency (A&E) for out-of-school youth. Took the exams and waited for the results.

One day when I went to Marikina, I was so surprised when I saw this young man wearing a white uniform!  Yes!  He passed the A & E and now in college. Isn’t that amazing?!!  By the way, I asked him one time when we went out what made him realized that he wants to go back to school.  He simply answered me “When he turned 18, he just thought of going back to school”. 

I just hope that this story inspires people who have the same situation like his.