i’m “born again”…ahehehe…

literally, it just meant, “i’m back”.

i’ve been quite for about 2 years now but i’m trying to revive the things i used to do sometime before. i miss writing blogs and my precious manuscripts so here i am now trying my hands again. i do hope my magic isn’t over yet and that i still have a place for me to start all over again.

God speed everyone.

may the good Lord provide me the strength to continue this life ‘s journey and cope with life’s mysteries.

weehhh… I received an email from miss apple telling me nasa prints na ang libro ko. kasali raw sa new release ng september issues ang aking pang-apat na baby. yes, i consider my books as my babies coz sa akin sila nanggaling. they were products of my very wild imagination (hmmm… “they” parang tao nga ang tinutukoy).

do please grab a copy of More Than Words Can Say. happy reading

Weeh… I’ve been very busy these past few days that I was not able to post this “Acknowledgments” I ever wanted since the publish of my third book entitled “Dapat Ka Bang Mahalin”. I would like to acknowledge the following for their wondeful support in my writing of this book:

God, who has been so good and gracious to me all these years as He provided me strength, inspiration, wisdom, and vision to write this book. To Him, I give honor and greatest thanks.

My family, especially my husband, Neil Kenneth B. Bunani; and my little angel, Neil Kristoffer B. Bunani, who have been my source of constant inspiration and moral support; and my siblings – Ann Margarit and Bernadith Shiena P. Bersano – who gave me the chance of a lifetime to become part of the MSV family by informing me about their invitation for romance novel writers.

Dr. Reuel N. Relampagos for sharing with me his expertise in his field of interest (radiology and sonology). He unselfishly answered my querries about fractures. 

Lady Love Cabilla, Rizzel Patayon, and Sheri Loren Picos, whose friendship, inspiration, and support I treasure.

Lastly, thank you to all whose names this page may overflow, who in small and big ways, have in one way or another helped me in the making of this novel. I share with all of you the joy of knowing that I have not worked in vain.

ang saya-saya ko talaga ngayon. i just received an email from miss apple telling me that the latest manuscript i’ve submitted for evaluation was “APPROVED”. hanggang tenga talaga ang ngiti ko ngayon.
thank you talaga kay Lord for this very good news

Just this May 2, 2009, Saturday, I went to see a doctor of rehabilitation medicine to seek medical consultation regarding my suspicion of having a carpal tunnel syndrome. I had these tingling, numbness, burning, and painful sensation from my wrist to the fingers for over a week prior to the said consultation. These collections of symptoms bothered me at night causing me my many sleepless nights. And if my memory’s serving me right, I did experience the above symptoms a couple of months ago. So, when I spoke to Dr. R. J. Villanueva, he then confirmed that I do suffer fro Carpal Tunnel Syndrome or CTS.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome or CTS is a collection of symptoms that can include tingling, numbness, burning, and pain from the wrist to the fingers. Its common cause is repetitive motion with the hands (e.g. tapping a computer keyboard, punching cash-register keys, working a jackhammer) thus CTS is considered a cumulative trauma disorder. Other medical conditions that will cause CTS are: rheumatoid arthritis, hypothyroidism (low levels of thyroid hormone), pregnancy and overweight.

Carpal Tunnel is a narrow passageway, about the size of a postage stamp that runs through the wrist. It is surrounded with nerves, blood vessels, and nine (9) various tendons which is packed like a strands of spaghetti, that controls the finger movement. Repetitive motion or medical conditions cause these tendons to swell thus decreasing blood flow and compressing the median (middle) nerve, the nerve that supplies blood to thumb, index finger, and middle finger. This compression can cause the numbness, pain, tingling, and burning sensation. If left unchecked, muscle wasting and permanent damage to nerves can result.

How to keep hands and wrist healthy in order to reduce symptoms of CTS (Carpal Tunnel Syndrome):

1.) Stay in shape - practice good nutrition, get adequate sleep, take frequent exercise breaks and avoid smoking (cigarette smoking slows down systemic or whole body circulation)

2.) Take minibreak – take one (1) to two (2)-minute break every twenty (20) to thirty (30) minutes and longer break every hour.

3.) Don’t snooze and lose – many doctors believe that because the fluid in the body is redistributed when we lie down, so more of it accumulates in the wrist thus symptoms are usually felt at night. Sleep position may also cause wrist-nerve compression especially when one hand is tucked under the head. So its better to change sleep position to keep wrist from being bent or compressed.

4.) Take some weight off – excess weight can compress nerves in the wrist

5. Rotate jobs - rotate between jobs that use different muscles and avoid doing the same task for more than a few hours at a time.

6.) Keep it in “neutral” – keep body and wrist in a comfortable neutral position while working. Neutral position in the wrist means wrist is always in straight linbe not cocked. Rearrange the level of keyboard or workstation sothat you don’t have to strain, reach, or bend your wrist.

7.) Get the right grip - use the whole hand when you griup on something.

8.) Alternate hands - give your dominant hand a break. If you are right-handed then learn to use your left hand.

9.) Watch those pressure point – for typist, keep wrist off the edge of the desk or table for this can cause excess pressure on their wrist.

10.) Soften and slow down - slow down and apply only the force needed when working because powerful movements done at high speed cause CTS

11.) Decrease bad vibes -  for people who use vibrating tools like sanders and jackhammer, take frequent breaks and when possible operate the tool at the speed wiht least vibration

12.) Watch for symptoms and take action - pay attention to early warning signs of CTS such as morning stiffness in the hands or arms, clumsiness, inability to make a fist or thumb weakness. Take preventive and self-care action immediately

Immediate self-care during episodes of CTS:

1. ) Keep your hands straight up (vertical) for few minutes until symptoms subside.

RATIONALE: Vertical position of the hand, wrist, and forearm will drain the accumulated fluid that compresses the tendons or nerves

2.) Ice it – place an ice pack on the wrist and palm

RATIONALE: Ice reduces swelling and inflammation

3.) Use wrist bands or splints that is prescribed by the doctor.

4.) Bend four fingers (excluding thumb) until a gentle stretch is felt

RATIONALE: Bending the fingers will decompress the tendons or nerves

5.) EXERCISE – exercise can help promote blood circulation and stenghten muscles and tendons

a). Wrist exercise – palms down and hands out, rotate both wrists five times in each direction.

b). Five-finger Stretch – spread five fingers of both hands far apart and hold for 5 to 10 seconds. Repeat 3 – 5 times.

 

NOTE: No medication is indicated for CTS.

Nag-nose bleed na naman ako sa kaka-edit ng recent manuscript ko that’s why itinaas ko na muna ang bandera ng “timeout”. Pahinga na muna sandali kasi ang carpal tunnel baka mamerwisyo na naman mamayang gabi. hehehe.

Kakatamad talagang mag-edit. For me, editting is the hardest task fiction writers do talaga kaya sometimes inaabot ako ng siyam-siyam kapag hindi ako masyadong inspired. grrr… Sana matapos ko na ‘to. I promised Ms Apple pa naman na this week maisa-submit ko na ang ms na ‘to for evaluation. Pray, pray, pray na naman ako nito na sana “APPROVED” ang mabasa ko sa email ni Ms Apple pag nagfollow-up na ako. Hay!!! Buhay novelist.

Uy! Siyanga pala, I kept on promising to put an entry about Carpal Tunnel Syndrome pala ano but I never did. Sana pati yon mailagay ko na rito. Busy kasi ang Mommy na ‘to kaya minsan nakakaligtaan na ang ibang task. hehehe… (pinag-assignment kasi ako ni Ms Apple *pabulong*)

happy mother’s day sa lahat ng nanay at sa mga feeling nanay. hehehe

child caring & child rearing are not as simple as their definition. gosh! i just fully understand the truest meaning of parenting, of being a mother when i became one. kahit inaral ko ng inaral ang tungkol do’n when i was in my college years, ang hirap pa ring i-apply ang theory sa reality. ang dami pang emosyong kalakip ng pagiging ina and those emotions are sometimes hard to deal with (especially if one is not that emotionally mature, those teenage moms for example). geeh!!!

but i’m not saying na hindi ka na magiging mabuting ina if you are on your teenage years. wala naman yon sa napag-aralan o sa kung anupaman because every woman has its own mother’s instinct.

kahit yong mga hindi nagluwal ng bata ay pwede pa rin naman maging ina. (just read it in the bible guys) – LOL

HAPPY MOTHER”S DAY ulit.

lalalala… (sing & dance yan).

i’m so happy talaga ngayon coz one of my tinitingalang novelists visited my site thus giving me a comment on one of my entries. ang saya-saya ko talaga. natuwa na nga ako nong maging kachickahan ko si hannah wabe sa MSV chatbox at sa site ni elise, ngayon she did visit my site… kaya naman napapa-happy dance ako katulad ng madalas gawin ni yumi.

thank you talaga hannah. bow din naman ako sayo coz you chose to stay at home rather than working away from your children at ipagkatiwala ang mga bata sa yaya. yon ang tinatawag na unconditional parental love.

good bless to all mommies and advance happy mother’s day na rin.

happy dance (kembot, giling2x)………..

Just received a letter from my father. Masarap sa pakiramdam yong may nagbbigay sayo ng sulat noh coz you knew may personal touch yon. Mas naaapreciate ko ang ganon…hehehe

Trina Etong’s death caught my attention since last week not because her husband Ted Failon is a popular anchorman but because of what her daughter Kaye and some of her close friends said about her death, that she committed suicide. The “SUICIDE” thing really rings a bell on my ears. I don’t want to be opinion-centered since the investigation on her death is still on-going but basing on Ted’s statement about her unusual behavior during their Holy Week’s vacation in Cebu and her close friends saying she had thoughts of death did make me jump into a conclusion that she did kill herself.

As what I have learned from my psychiatric nursing sometime before, suicide is the outcome of a person’s inability to deal with catastrophic stress resulting from biological or psychological illnesses, including mood disorders. Mood disorders have four categories: 1) depressive disorders, 2) bipolar disorders, 3) mood disorder due to a general medical condition, and 4) substance-induced mood disorder. Of all these four categories, I will give much emphasis on depressive disorders (which is further categorize into: major depressive disorder, dysthymic disorder, and depressive disorder not specified) because the connection of major depressive disorder and suicide is alarming.

Key features of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is at least 2-week period of maladaptive functioning that is a clear change from previous level of functioning with at least five of these symptoms:

1) Depressed mood

2) Anhedonia – inability to experience pleasure or markedly diminished interest in pleasurable activities

3) Appetite disturbance

4) Sleep distubance

5) Psychomotor Disturbance

6) Fatigue or loss of energy

7) Feelings of worthlessness or guilt

8) Diminished ability to concentrate or indecisiveness

9) Recurrent thought of death or suicidal ideations

You see, the connection is eminent. So if you have known someone who is depressed and has a tendency to commit suicide, you better check this out:

1) Suicidal ideations – a person’s thoughts regarding suicide including suicidal gestures and threats

2) Suicidal gestures – a person’s nonlethal self injury acts (e.g. cutting or burning skin areas, ingestion of small amounts of drugs)

3) Suicidal threats – a person’s verbal statements that may declare intent to commit suicide

4) Suicidal attempt – actual implementation of a self injurious acts with the express purpose of ending one’s life

Suicidal ideation is the first phase that may precede to suicidal attempt (the last phase). Aside from the stated above, common expressions of suicidal individuals are the ff:

1) Cry for help – this is the admission of one’s inability to handle problem

2) Escape – one’s longing to run away from the problem

3) Loss of self-esteem – failure in an area of great personal investment

4) Martyrdom – one’s thought that nobody cares about him/her and that everyone would be better off without him/her

5) Relief of pain

Suicidal individuals usually cry for help in order for them to be rescued. That’s the very reason why a lot of them leave a note or make a telephone call before making an attempt. This is their way of saying “Hey, listen to me. This is serious.” Talking to them and asking them directly about their suicidal intentions will provide useful information and will not drive them to suicide and often provide them a sense of relief as if someone hears them. So, communication really plays a very vital role amongst depressed and suicidal individuals.

Oy! Ang haba na pala ng lecture ko… este entry pala. I do hope this will help you guys in assesing for a suicidal individual. You too can use your psychiatric eyes in order to decelerate if not stop the growing number of suicide in the country.