My Morning Workout Nightmare

I'm quite proud of myself that I was able to partially complete my objectives for this day. After a month of procrastination and exhausting my scapegoats I finally did it! I went jogging early in the morning! I was quite amazed at my determination to lose weight hehehe. I woke up at 4:30 and started jogging at around 5:00 am on the highway. Yup the highway since of some reasons that I have posted here. The dawn was actually beautiful, it seemed as if it was still 12:00 am and the stars were still twinkling and the moon was still up. I told myself that this was a good day to jog. But the beautiful "evening like"-dawn turned to a scene taken out from a horror movie.

So there I was jogging with my headset on and my workout playlist playing. I was running and occasionally slow down my pace when I see people passing by and I keep a safe distance (for all I know they could be dangerous and I couldn't see their faces). The wind was very refreshing but suddenly I realized that this part of the road was very dark and the branches of the trees were like reaching towards the road. This is where hell broke loose. I didn't stop and continued running as fast as I could making sure that I'm at the middle of the road because I don't want to be jumped by "anything" at the sides of the road that had very thick bushes and foliage. My feet were already aching when all of the sudden I see these glowing eyes jump out from the bushes! Damn did I get the scare of my life and I quickly evaded the tiny eyes just to discover more of them ahead. I'm pretty sure that it wasn't a cat because a cat's eyes don't glow in the dark. They only shine when there is light pointed toward their eyes. I still am not sure what those creatures I saw but I didn't want to stop and find out. I'm thinking that they were frogs because the body was small (but do frog's eyes glow in the dark?).

I was already running a kilometer or more when I suddenly felt dizzy. I immediately knew that this was it. I had to go home if I didn't want to collapse on the highway with those creatures around me. I felt like I was going to have a stroke but this must be because I didn't warm up and I was working my self too hard. This was when my fatigue took over. My music wasn't helping since I had a headache. I couldn't run too because I was so tired so I had to walk home. Geez, i was thinking that I'm such in a miserable state.

I was walking home when all of the sudden a dog walked across me to the other side of the street when *Bang*! a truck just passed by hitting the dog. I didn't even notice the truck as it was going real fast and it did not have bright lights. I was thinking that that dog could have been me if I suddenly crossed the road... the dog yelped in pain and I was guilty because I couldn't do anything for him. I can't bring him home because I'm still very far away and that he might be rabid and bite me and all. I had to be safe so I did what i could do, leave him behind. I'm still guilty up to now.

Upon arriving home I gave a sigh of relief but my doggie. Missy, was acting crazy and played with me by nibbling on my lower pants. But at least I'm home. I made sure that my heart beat slowed down a bit and I crashed into my bed with aching legs and an aching head. I arrived home at around 5:45 am and woke up at around 9:00 am.

With my bad experience I swore never to jog again that early in the morning. I'll just have to wait until we move in into our condo unit in Canada so that I could have the right exercise facility. It's safe and it's near my home so I have no problems about collapsing anywhere (but collapsing would be bad of course). I just have to let my body adjust to my exercise routine of course. Overworking my body will do more harm than good.

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My Workout Songs

I actually don't workout hahaha! But I plan to do some jogging and decided to create my workout playlist. It is undeniable that music affects our emotions, intelligence, and health. Even without words, music can make us joyful or depressed, energized or sleepy.

Listening to music that induces relaxation, before taking a test has been proven to temporarily enhance IQ and improve scores. Music also has unending benefits on our health.

With regards to health, it has been proven that music reduces blood pressure and music is also used as a form of therapy to pain and to calm patients in mental hospitals.

Mark Tramo, a neuroscientist at Harvard Medical School, commented on a study which "showed that the heart muscle of people exercising on treadmills didn't work as hard when people listened to music as it did when they exercised in silence."

That is why I spent some time creating my perfect workout playlist and here it is:

1. Any songs from Britney Spear's Blackout (yup I love it!)
2. Stronger - Kanye West
3. Elevator - Flo Rida Feat Timbaland
4. I Got It From My Mama - Will.I.Am
   
5. Low - Flo Rida feat t-Pain
6. Feedback - Janet Jackson
7. pump it - Blackeyed Peas (or any songs from them actually)
8. Sexy Back - Justin Timberlake
9. Like This - Mims
10. Dance Like There's No Tomorrow - Paula Abdul
11. Easy - Paula DeAnda
12. Aikoi - Kajiura Yuri
13. In the Church - Kajiura Yuri
14. 19 Sai - Suga Shikao
15. I'm Coming - Rain (Bi)
16. Fergilicious - Fergie
17. Tokyo Drift - teriyaki Boyz
18. Get It On the Floor - DMX
19. Show Me The Money - ???
20. Not Gonna Get Us - t.A.T.u.
21. Any Song from Panic! At the Disco!
22. Please Don't Stop the Music - Rihanna (or any other of her songs like Break it Off, etc)
    
23. I'm A Scatman - Scatman Jack
24. maria - Kim Ah Joong
25. Outta My Head - ashlee Simpson
26. Me & You - Cassie
27. Die Another Day - Madonna
28. Do It Well - Jeniffer Lopez
29. Push It - Salt & Pepper
30. Fighter - Christina Aguilera (or her other fast tempo songs)

So how do you choose songs for that incredible workout playlist? Here are some guidelines:

• The song must have a fast tempo with a nice beat to it that would want you to move more
• A song that you personally love (therefore don't just copy other people's workout playlist)
• A song where you lose yourself making you forget your fatigue and make you go an extra mile.

Music is a great motivation to keep on going and it is fun to listen to music right? Happy workout guys!

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Corazon Aquino & Colon Cancer

I was actually shocked to discover that the former Philippine president, Cory Aquino, was announced by her daughter, Kris Aquino, a famous celebrity, that Mrs. Aquino was diagnosed with colon cancer. We know Mrs. Aquino as a living symbol of democracy as she was swept into power by a peaceful EDSA I revolution to overthrow the then President, Ferdinand Marcos. She also was the one that helped bring the current President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to power and is also ironically the one joining protests to bring President GMA down. But this time she faces a far more bigger battle, a battle for her life as she fights against colon cancer.

So what is colon cancer? To know that we must first define what cancer is.In a normal body function, rapid division and multiplication of cells are needed to regenerate and heal the body. But there are times when the growth is uncontrollable and spreads (metastasizes) into other parts of the organs where it continue to divides and replaces normally functioning cells with abnormal cells. Cancer cells multiply so fast that they may occlude blood vessels and steal blood flow by forming their own vasculature stealing normal organs their blood supply thus the organ dies. And for the people who are confused, tumors are abnormal proliferation of cells and there are two kinds of tumors, benign and malignant. Benign is non-cancerous and does not spread so it can be safely removed by surgery. The dangerous kind of tumor is a malignant tumor as it is cancerous. Even if the malignant tumor is removed, remaining cells could still multiply at a more rapid rate that is why chemotherapy (the use of medication to kill cancer cells) is also required to kill cancerous cells, but unfortunately it also kills normal cells but that would be a different topic.

I'm not sure if Mrs. Aquino's cancer is malignant or benign, but I'm guessing that it is malignant because she wouldn't have let the whole Philippines know that she had cancer. So let me share the some relevant information as to what causes colon cancer, signs and symptoms of colon cancer, what the treatment is, and what the preventions are. These are very important to know as this could save your life one day.

So what causes colon cancer? It's still unknown but it is believed that a high fat diet increases one's risk for colon cancer. Why? Breakdown of fat leads to the formation of carcinogens (cancer causing substances). Although cancer is not contagious, it is hereditary so if you have any relatives with any kind of cancer then you are at high risk for cancer.

Symptoms of colon cancer are numerous and nonspecific. They include fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath, change in bowel habits, narrow stools, diarrhea or constipation, red or dark blood in stool, weight loss, abdominal pain, cramps, or bloating. Other conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (spastic colon), ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, diverticulosis, and peptic ulcer disease can have symptoms that mimic colorectal cancer (from medicinenet.com).

The treatment for colon cancer, like any other cancer is surgical removal to prevent the metastsis or spread of cancer cells to other organs. But treatment does not mean that you will be treated immediately. Factors as to how much the cancer had progressed plays an important role. This is why prevention is better than treatment because one only notices that one has cancer when it is already too late when the cancer has already grown and spread causing the signs and symptoms.

Preventing cancer entails a healthy lifestyle like eating healthy avoiding fatty foods, carcinogens like charred meat, drinking too much alcohol, etc. But the best prevention is early detection. It is recommended that all individuals over the age of 40 have yearly digital examinations of the rectum and their stool tested for hidden or "occult" blood (from medicinenet.com).In a digital rectal exam a doctor inserts his finger through your anus and feels for polyps (abnormal growth). For males, a digital rectal exam is like hitting two birds with one stone as the prostate gland can also be checked for prostate cancer at the same time.

Other early detection procedures are flexible sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy. Here a video camera is inserted to see how your colon looks checking for abnormal growths and other anomalies.

For more information please visit this site: medicinenet.com

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Deciphering the Doctor's Handwriting

We all heard about the Da Vinci Code right? But there is something more difficult to comprehend and very difficult to decipher: the doctor's handwriting... it's a great mystery why Doctor's handwriting is illegible. There is also this study conducted by the British Medical Journal to check if doctor's handwriting were legible. Guess what the result is? Doctors Fail Handwriting Test!

For years now I have always been told that my handwriting is like a doctor's. This is meant to be a joke of course, but can also be misunderstood for an insult. It is true that I had my own share of horror and eye strain from trying to read and make sense of the scribbles and marks written by doctor's on their Doctor's Order.
In fact I always have to team up with my other duty mates to help me break the secret of the doctor's handwriting. But we always end up making mistakes. It amazes us though that my clinical instructors are able to understand this foreign handwriting. We always ask our CI's in wonder how in the world do they understand those scribbles and doodles? Their answer? Lot's of experience with doctor's orders. But even the experienced staff nurse also makes mistakes because there are doctor's handwriting are so encrypted to the point that deciphering it is no use. Just a thought: Doctor's should get into the date security business.

But what is so important about doctor's having legible handwriting? Simple, a misunderstood order could lead to death of a patient. Don't believe me then take some time to read this article from BBC News: Health Doctor's Scrawl Blamed For Patient's Death. As the article shows a poorly written order or prescription could lead to a patient's death.

But let us not flame our doctors because it is not their fault too that they have such illegible handwriting. We also have to think that they have a lot of patients to take care of that is why they have to do their charting very quick. But how come nurses are able to have more legible handwriting when nurses are the ones who are with the patient 24/7 and are always documenting every procedure they do for every patient?

But there is nothing we can accomplish with complaining that we can't understand the doctor's handwriting. What we can do is look for a solution. The best solution with this problem is electronic orders or prescriptions. The orders and prescriptions are just flashed into the monitor with beautiful and neat computer generated text. This may be already true to First World Countries like USA, Canada, and the UK. But in the case of the Philippines? We can't do anything but pray that the doctor writes in print or we nag them to death to interpret their handwriting or our license is on the line. Wait, I don't have a license yet.

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Skipping a Meal Leads to Brain Death

Hypoglycemia is the medical term for a level of blood glucose (blood sugar) that is too low to meet immediate energy needs of the body. Glucose is a sugar that our bodies use for energy. A normal level of glucose in the blood is between 60-110 mg/dl . If you are hypoglycemic you will encounter the following symptoms: sweating, feeling warm, dizziness, difficulty speaking, inability to concentrate, hunger, drowsiness, anxiety, confusion, nausea, trembling and headaches.

There are two types of hypoglycemia. And these are:

• Fasting hypoglycemia can occur when a person goes without food for eight or more hours. It can be caused by certain underlying diseases (tumors of the pancreas, severe liver disease, adrenal failure) that upsets the body's ability to balance glucose.

• Reactive hypoglycemia is when blood glucose levels fall too low within a few hours after eating. This type rarely has a serious underlying cause. and is not easy to diagnose.
  

But I guess that the type of hypoglycemia that students are more associated with is Fasting Hypoglycemia. Nursing students are guilty of skipping breakfast especially if the duty is very early in the morning and don't expect them to eat lunch either. My duty mates said that they don't want to eat because they want to finish whatever they are doing first. But I wonder what makes them so busy that they don't eat lunch? But I can never go on if I don't eat lunch. I can skip breakfast (I'm used to it) but I can never skip lunch because if I do I'll just end up very grouchy because as shown in the symptoms above, I get a headache and my body weakens because there isn't enough energy being created because of a rapid decrease in blood sugar.

But skipping a meal is not the only cause of hypoglycemia. Other causes are: alcohol on an empty stomach, taking too much insulin, exercising hard without eating a snack first, eating excessive amounts of carbohydrate foods.

But if you think that hypoglycemia can only lead to headaches and body weakness, think again! Hypoglycemia an lead to the decrease supply of glucose as fuel to the brain, resulting in impairment of function (neuroglycopenia). Derangements of function can range from vaguely "feeling bad" to coma (rarely) permanent brain damage or death.

So never skip a meal guys! If you do skip meals because of uncontrollable circumstances then always bring food with you that are high in sugar like candy or chocolates so that you can have something to munch on even when you are on duty.

***
SOURCES:
University of Iowa
Wikipedia

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Don't Eat Anything That Doesn't Rot

Before I talk about food that doesn't rot please take time to watch this video. Trust me, the video is very interesting and it kind of makes you think what large food companies are creating these days, not to mention what chemicals they add to our food.

Some would say that http://diet.com author and obesity activist Julia Havey is a load of bullsh*t and that it's understandable that any food item would decay and this is just unreal. My comment? No comment, Lol. But another acclaimed author and journalist Michael Pollan agrees with Ms. Julia Havey and argues that what most Americans are consuming today is not food but "edible foodlike substances."

If you want to read the full interview with Michael Pollan then you can check it out at Alternet.org. But the bottom line of the interview is are we really eating real food or a frankenstein-creation that is not really living because it does not decay because it is filled with different kinds of chemicals and preservatives.

I will not be surprised if our food of the future would be those bland capsule like space food because people are only more concerned about vitamins, minerals, no cholesterol, and etc. Anyway, although exercise may help in losing weight, eating the right kind of food would also be important. And this right kind of food would of course be the organic food, aka REAL FOOD.

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Writer's Block!

Aah! Oh my God! I'm having writer's block! I don't know what to post in my nursing blog anymore! Like I had thought of an idea a while ago but then it just *poof* flew away. I hate being out of school. I feel like I'm being drained of ideas and such. I know that there are so many things to write about but nothing seems to be nursing related and I want this blog to be 100% nursing or health related.

But posting this ranting won't do anything right? Wait! I just remembered the topic that I'm going to write about. It seems that my memory isn't that bad, Lol!

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Signed up for BloggerWave!

I just signed up for BloggerWave and boy am I happy! You might already have an idea what BloggerWave is and yup you sure are right! BloggerWave is an excellent program that gives you the opportunity to earn money while doing what we bloggers love the most: BLOGGING!

So what are you waiting for? Why don't you check out BloggerWave for yourself? You have nothing to lose but instead you earn money!

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Delaying Tactics

Boy! Am I good with delaying stuff hahaha! Last night I have planned again to continue my dream of losing weight (for health reasons, not for image reasons hahaha!) even if it meant disobeying the wishes of my mom! But sadly I stayed up late talking with my brother in the living room. Who would've thought that I could have those 7th Heaven mushy heart to heart talks with my brother... ewe... hehehe... I realized that I don't know much about my little brother and having that talk makes me think that he's human after all hahaha! I respect and understand him more now that we had that talk and I promised myself that I won't be that strict to him and be mean and all that stuff.

Anyway as expected, I didn't have a good sleep. In fact I woke up before 4:15 am, the time I plan to wake up to exercise. I knew by then that I wouldn't be able to wake up and have the energy to exercise. And to my surprise my mom actually woke up at 3:00 am and checked up on me to see if I was actually in my room. Hmm... I wonder where she gets her information and knew that I had plans to sneak out of the house? hehehe? Is it mother's intuition?

Anyway, I bet that I won't be able to wake up early later because I have to look after the new camcorder that my mom bought. Since it's new I have to wait for it until it's charged for 3 hours. My mom came home at 9:00 pm so I have to stay up until 12:00 am to unplug the camera. And of course since I love gadgets, I want to play with it and all so tomorrow's exercise is once again rescheduled...

I wonder if I really want to exercise or is my subconscious telling me that I don't really want to wake up that early in the morning to lose weight. Ok what is with the losing weight thing anyway? I'm not that obese really, well maybe a few percent obese but not that much! It just happens that I'm not tall enough that's why I'm obese hahaha!

I just want to get rid of my big tummy for health reasons. Being obese could lead to many health problems concerning the circulatory system not to mention psychological problems brought about a disturbed body image hehehe.

Anyway as I have read in an article by Tina Juan, one reason why I have a big tummy is that I have poor posture and that my abdominal muscles are weak that's why my internal organs are bulging out... ok my post is becoming nasty so I'll end it here.

Bottom line: Eat right, exercise daily, and most of all straight back and suck my gut! Hahaha!

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Nursing: Back To Basics

Today I have heard what I have feared the most... It's bad enough that I have to transfer to another school and lose my chance and my dream of graduating from Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan. But my fear had been realized. My mom has told me that I might have to take some 12th Year Subjects and then go back to 1st Year College just like what a friend's child had gone through...

I was at first at denial and I was rationalizing, a defense mechanism, that I would not actually have to go back to the very beginning because I already have an Associate in Health Science Education and I had already been capped and badged... but then I realized that the education system in Canada is different from the Philippines and that some of my subjects might not be credited at all.

It's sad but if you weigh the pros and cons, going back to first year in a new country and a new life might not be bad at all. Here are the pros and cons that I have thought of:

the CONS:

• my batch mates will graduate ahead of me
• I'll finish my Bachelor of Science in Nursing when I'm 23 or 24 years old
• my 3 years of studying, hardship, and turmoil will be all for nothing
• If I fail the challenge exam/placement exam I might go back to high school (darn I forgot my high school concepts already)
  

the PROS:

• starting fresh will give me a chance to master the Nursing concepts and theories
• I have an edge over my new fresh high school graduate classmates
• better quality education and clinical exposure [I'm sorry XU, but studying at University of Alberta (hopefully, fingers crossed) is being in the real thing, the ideal nursing setting]
• I can easily land a job in Alberta and I'll be prioritized over foreign nurses
• I'll be with my family and will not be left alone in the Philippines

Oh my, I'm like a newly hatched chick that will have to go back to my egg shell and start the process of hatching all over again. But I have made my decision, I will study in Canada so that I can be with my family even if I have to go back to 1st year. The pros seems promising and when I graduate I won't really be that old.

Besides, I don't want to shift to another course because there is no other course that I would want to shift to. My dream and my goal is to be a Registered Nurse, and that is what I will become.


***
Photo belongs to cameradude

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Nurses Needs FUN Too

Being a nurse is not an easy job (especially if you're an RN in the Philippines). One is faced with an extremely unfair patient to nurse ratio that you are overworked but underpaid. Nurses are faced with so much stress from trying to save their patient's life to having to do with disgruntled and discontented family members. There are times that nurses suffer from ulcers and distended bladders because they are so busy (from caring for a lot of patients) that they forget to eat and even neglect relieving them selves in the bathroom.

I won't be amazed if a nurse suddenly had enough and just have a total break down. That is why nurses should also have their own "ME" time and take some time to relax. And what better way to relax than play some online casino games right? Gambling could be quite relaxing and just having the thrill of the game is the best cure for a nurse's fatigue and stress from the hospital.

But the thing about online casino is that there's just too much of them around in the internet that it could just bring more agony than relaxation. With a nurse's time being limited one does not have the luxury of time to check each of the 3000 online casinos out for reliability and genuineness.

But that's not a problem anymore because I have found one simple solution! You can just check out online casino reviews. With Pro360, an online casino review site, you don’t have to worry about anything and you can start playing and have fun in no time!

This online casino review site is very user friendly and has a great design. All you need to know about online casinos are here and they conveniently have a Top 20 Best Online Casino category. They have very professional reviews and the games you want to play are all neatly arranged. What's most important is the personal reviews of other players like yourself so that you could really feel safe. And talking about safety, Pro360 shows an online casino site's credentials and certificates.

So for the tired and weary nurse who needs a break, try Pro360 now to find that online casino that suites your taste and preference.

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XU @ 75!!!

Xavier University Jubilee Music Video in celebration of its 75th founding anniversary.


GO ATENEO!!!

Words can't tell how proud I am to be an Atenean! For 75 years, XAVIER UNIVERSITY - ATENEO DE CAGAYAN have been forming men and women for others who are competent, committed, and compassionate.

XAVIER UNIVERSITY, the first Jesuit University in the Philippines and the first university in Mindanao. Celebrating its 75th year of truth and excellence! From being literally demolished during World War II it now rises in it's shining glory as it is now. Rooted in history and I know will continue to go on strong and build better leaders for our country, the Philippines.

Again, I am PROUD to be an ATENEAN!!!

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Receiving the Spreaded Love

I am so honored to have received these awards that were very generously shared by rnfreebies! I am really at lost for words. Never have I in my wildest thoughts did I imagine that someone could really appreciate my blog and the things I write in here. Thank you very much! But this award is not only for me but for my readers and the other nursing blogs out there who want to spread TLC (that's Tender Loving Care) through Nursing.

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How to Stay Healthy on a Plane

I got this e-mail from my mom and I thought that I'd share it with everyone. Uhm, this information I think came from MSN pages.

.:The Problem: Dry Cabin Air:.

The low humidity in airplane cabins tends to dry out the sensitive mucus membranes in the upper airways where viruses and bacteria can take hold.

What To Do:
* Keep drinking. Ideally, have 8 ounces of water or fruit juice for each hour of your trip.
* Stick to bottled or canned water and juices, and limit alcohol or caffeinated drinks, which can be dehydrating.
* Consider skipping drinks that may be made from airline tap water, such as coffee or tea. Also, ask for your drinks without ice when traveling from countries where water safety is questionable.

.:The Problem: Blood Clots:.

Blood clots (deep venous thrombosis, or DVT) can develop in the deep veins of the legs, especially on long flights. They can lead to a potentially deadly embolism, sometimes days after the trip. At particular risk: individuals who have had recent orthopedic surgery in their lower limbs, those with vascular or circulatory problems, some cancer patients, the severely obese, smokers, pregnant women and those on hormone replacement medication or contraception pills, and those with a family history of blood clots, says Dr. Phyllis Kozarsky, a consultant to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

What To Do:
* Stretch and walk around, if you can, every hour or so.
* Do in-seat ankle extensions and flexes, wiggle your toes, move your arms and legs around.
* If possible, get your legs above your heart—easiest if you are in a first-class sleeper, but also possible in a bulkhead economy-class seat, where you can put your feet up on the wall in front of you.
* Avoid sitting with your legs crossed or sleeping for long periods of time.
* Ask your doctor about prescribing medical graduated compression socks if you are at risk for blood clots.


Those who experience the symptoms of DVT—swelling, warmth, redness in the leg, or pain that is noticeable or worse when standing or walking— should notify a flight attendant. (And do not massage the leg, which could be dangerous.)

.:The Problem: Germs in Close Quarters:.

The Federal Aviation Administration reports that 75% of commercial airliners now use air filters that can intercept almost all of the harmful bacteria, viruses and other contaminants in the cabin. Still, that may not be enough to protect you from the germs of the sneezer sitting next to you.

What To Do:

* Bring your own lightweight microfiber travel blanket and pillow cover for long flights, because you can never be sure that supplies onboard are clean. (Airline cleaning schedules vary.)
* Wash, wash, wash your hands after touching potentially germy surfaces—door handles, toilet seats and handles, lavatory sink spigots, magazines or other people’s hands. Also, use clean hands when touching your mouth, eyes, nose or any food. “The most common way of contracting an infection onboard is by contact with an infected surface—not by breathing infected air,” says Jolanda Janczewski, an occupational health and safety consultant.
* If you can’t get to soap and water, use an antibacterial gel cleaner. Choose one that is at least 60% alcohol, recommends Dr. Christie Reed, a travel-health official at the CDC. Small, 2- to 3-ounce samplers that comply with stricter airport carry-on rules for liquids and gels are available at most convenience stores and drugstores.
* Use bottled water—not tap—for brushing your teeth.

.:The Problem: Blocked Ears:.

Traveling at 35,000 feet can cause painful and potentially dangerous changes in ear pressure when the plane is ascending or descending. Passengers traveling with head congestion are particularly susceptible.

What To Do:

* Chew gum, suck on candy and keep swallowing. Says Dr. Reed, “Swallowing helps to equalize pressure. Sips of bottled water also help.”
* Consider depressurizing ear inserts (available in adult and children’s sizes at most drugstores), which also can help to equalize air pressure.
* Have a cold? Ask your doctor if decongestant medication would help. (Check security rules for packing nasal spray.) And don’t hold your nose and blow hard, which can do more harm than good by potentially damaging your eardrum.

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Smorty - Get Paid For Blogging

We all are familiar and have seen this funny man riding the small bicycle in various blogs and websites while we go blog hopping and surf the net. Well, that is not something to be amazed of because Smorty is one, if not the best, service that connects bloggers to advertisers by allowing advertisers to advertise on blogs.

Bloggers are happy because they get paid to blog while they speak out their opinions on products and the things they want to blog about. Smorty is a service that is very easy to understand and use because it has a very user-friendly web layout and the services are stated in simple plain English. No technical terms so even newbies like me could benefit totally from Smorty's services.

For advertisers, they are given an easy access to blog advertising. With several blogs on the net, Smorty gives them blogs with substance where they can advertise on blogs with out any worries. Advertisers pay bloggers, bloggers writes great posts about their opinion, then everyone is happy.

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Nursing Garage Sale!

Hi everyone! Let me invite you to my garage sale! Please check out my Nursing Garage Sale for used nursing books at very reasonable prices plus more nursing stuff! ^_^

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On Exchanging Links

If you want to exchange links, please do not hesitate to inform me by placing a comment at my chat box or in any of my posts. You may also e-mail me at vincentb88@gmail.com for your exchange link request.

You may also add this button to your site as a link:

Here is the code :

<a href="http://mynursesnotes.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h121/vincentb88/my-nursesnotes.gif" /></a>

If you want you could also add my other blog, GRIM ANGEL

<a href="http://vincentbautista.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h121/vincentb88/grim-angel.gif" /></a>

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Exercise Attempt Foiled

After planning to jog or cycle early in the morning these past few days, it was quite amazing that I really woke up and was so determined to exercise (I need to lose some weight, Lol!). I was already preparing myself, I've already changed and all. And as I was putting on my shoes my mom asked me what I was doing.

At first I was a bit defensive because I didn't want her to know that I wanted to lose weight and told her that I just want to take a walk (a walk? 5 am in the morning? What was I thinking?! I could have lied better hehehe). But my mom was not to be fooled and she told me that it would be best if I stayed at home since there are a lot of stray dogs in the neighborhood and that I'd only catch a cold.

Even if I planned this exercise routine for so long now, I decided to take my mom's advice because I'm an obedient loving son (hahaha). Actually I realized that my mom was right. Our neighborhood is not that decent and I'm even afraid to walk around thinking that some stupid delinquents would play a trick on me or something.

So I delay my exercise plans until we move to our new condo unit in Canada. My mom tells me that it has great exercise facilities plus an indoor heated swimming pool. But should I really wait two months to lose some weight? Well, I could always just take minimal servings. Maybe that would do. But I don't plan to starve my self to death because that would be uhm, fatal?

Besides I'm not that overweight.

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200 Pounds Beauty

This is a music video from the Korean Movie "200 Pounds Beauty". The song is entitled Maria and is sung by the main actress of the movie herself Kim Ah Joong. Anyway the song is a Korean rendition of Blondie's "Maria" for your information. Here is the lyrics:

"Maria"
(English translation)

She moves like she don't care.
Smooth as silk, cool as air.
Ooh, it makes you wanna cry.

She doesn't know your name and your heart beats like a subway train.
Ooh, it makes you wanna die.

Refrain:
Ooh, don't you wanna take her?
Wanna make her all your own?

Chorus:
Maria.
Youve gotta see her!
Go insane and out of your mind.
Medina.
Ave maria.
A million and one candlelights.

Ive seen this thing before.
In my best friend and the boy next door.
Fool for love and fool of fire.

Wont come in from the rain.
Sees oceans running down the drain.
Blue as ice and desire.

(Refrain & Chorus)

Ooh, dont you wanna break her?
Ooh, dont you wanna take her home?

She walks like she dont care.
You wanna take her everywhere.
Ooh, it makes you wanna cry.

Shes like a millionaire.
Walking on imported air.
Ooh, it makes you wanna die.

(Chorus 4x)

So and if you're wondering what the movie is about you can watch it from Crunchyroll and here's an interesting synopsis from Lunapark6:

"Han-Na is a very big girl with a warm heart. She is also gifted with an unbelievable voice from God. Han-Na has always wanted to be a pop-singer, but due to her appearance, could only work as a faceless singer. She provides the vocals for a popular singer named Ami, a beautiful young lady that can’t carry a note to save her life.

Also, Han-Na is in love with Ami’s music producer, Sang-June, but it is a one-sided love. One day, Han-Na is invited to Sang-June’s birthday party and receives a red dress from him to wear to his party. Han-Na is excited, yet scared. The dress is revealing and quite extravagant. With her very large figure, she is not sure if she could wear such an outfit. She does eventually go to the birthday party in the red dress, but is mortified when petite Ami appears in the same red dress. During the course of the birthday party, Han-Na absorbs more emotional trauma and she simply disappears……..

One year later, after Han-Na’s extreme makeover (major plastic surgery), Han-Na takes on a new identity and becomes Jenny. Jenny has a near perfect body and face. Nobody recognizes her, even her best friend. Meanwhile, the producer Sang-Jung is searching for a replacement singer for Ami, but can’t find anyone close to the talents of Han-na. Han-na as Jenny, now comes back into the picture and auditions for the job. Sang-Jung is immediately floored by her. She has the absolute beauty and that stunning voice. Soon afterwards, her dream that Sung-June will fall in love with her, is about to come true. Unfortunately, Ami is now jealous of her and feels threatened by her sudden success. She researches into Jenny’s background and comes up with the truth about her true identity. Will this ruin Jenny’s career?"

So you might ask me what the relevance of this post is to my blog... my answer? It's very relevant! It does not only concern physical health but it also includes mental health and even all around wellness. Think about it, we are surrounded by media that brainwashes us into thinking that skinny girls and buffed boys are the only thing beautiful.

Because of this g that the media is trying to portray, we have a society that looks down on obese people and think of them as ugly. In return these poor obese people become so affected that they are socially impaired and worst are driven to a life of self-pity and self-hate up to the point that they think of suicide.

We also have skinny people who believe that they are fat and ugly thus we have our beloved bulimics and anorexics. By the way the difference between anorexia and bulimia is that in anorexia, it affects mainly teenage girls (and even boys!) and is described by starving themselves to death so they are underweight. Bulimia on the other hand affects women to their early to mid-20's and they retain a normal body weight because they eat a lot but purge or throw-up the things they ate. Both bulimics and anorexics are laxative (a drug that makes defecation easier) addicts by the way.

But if you ask me, isn't it true that we find people who are skinnier more attractive? I am guilty of being a skinny person lover than a chubby person (but that depends if the person is cute hehehe ^_^). I even plan on dieting this summer because I see myself as fat, but I don't crash diet because I know that more harm can be gained from it rather than good. Crash dieting as defined by diethack.com is drastically cutting back on the amount of calories and fat that you take in on a daily basis. Similar to a starvation diet, a crash diet is often paired with other weight loss "fixes," including extreme exercise routines and the use of diuretics or diet pills.

So what are the effects of crash dieting? Well for one you become malnourished and there tends to be a"yo-yo effect" where a person not only regains his normal weight but also additional weight when he goes to his normal diet. diethack.com also emphasizes the following effects of crash dieting:

• iron, vitamin B12, potassium and sodium deficiency

• liver and kidney failure

• heart attack

• stroke

• osteoporosis

• anorexia

• bulimia

But again the main reason why cause why people crash diet is because other people makes fun of obese people and bring their self-worth down. It would be nice if they don't treat obese people as monsters. People should really be educated that nothing would be gained from name-calling. Although the obese should lose weight but they should not lose their dignity in the process.

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Leaving on a Jet Plane

Today I went to the city to get all my papers done. I gave the secretary of the Dean of the College of Nursing at Xavier University (XU) a letter requesting for a recommendation letter stating that I was indeed a student in the College of Nursing and that I am eligible to enroll in a nursing program in another school.

Yup, you heard me right. I'm transferring to another school. But I'm not transferring to another school because I failed or anything and definitely not because I kicked out or I dislike XU. I'm transferring schools because my family and I are moving away to Canada this May. It's quite sad really that I won't be able to graduate as an Atenean nurse. But I'll always be an Atenean in my heart and in my actions... as I told my clinical instructor, at least I won't have to worry about being the cause of a non-100% passing rate on the PRC Nursing board exams.

My God, this is one big hell of a step for me and my family. I'm very scared but at the same time excited because I sure do want to travel and experience something new once in a while. It's not like moving to a new place is a daily happening right?

I will sure miss my friends, my clinical instructors, and of course my beloved school. I'm also quite concerned that I might have to go back to 1st year college because my subjects might not be credited, but this fear is allayed by the fact that an Ateneo school is widely known and recognized in the Philippines as well as in the international field. Oh well, if i do go back to 1st year that would be fine with me since I really want to study again because I'm afraid that I'm forgetting some of the concepts that I have learned.

I just hope that everything turns out for the best.

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Anti-Filariasis Medication

At last after a few days of waiting we finally got our share of the Anti-Filariasis medication. If you ask me, although the Department of Health has good intentions of eliminating Filariasis in the Philippines, their Anti-Filariasis Program is poorly implemented (well maybe in our Local Government Unit anyway). In our case, the people in our neighborhood were informed but the stocks of the drug was very limited and scarce. If we didn't go directly to the source, the main "barangay" (neighborhood) health center, then we wouldn't have received our anti-filariasis drugs. The information flashed on the TV was quite misleading and the people at the Barangay Hall were also misinformed.

With this kind of program implementation I doubt if the program would reach it's goals. One reason why people in the barangay don't go to the health center even if the services are free is because they consider going to the health center as a hassle and the line seems to go on forever. So if the information dissemination about the Filariasis program is vague then the outcome would more likely be a failure. The information dissemination was way better in Cagayan de Oro than here in the province.

But I salute our President, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, for using her powers for the good of all issuing EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 369: ESTABLISHING THE NATIONAL PROGRAM FOR ELIMINATING LYMPHATIC FILARIASIS AND DECLARING THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER OF EVERY YEAR AS MASS TREATMENT FOR FILARIASIS IN ESTABLISHED ENDEMIC AREAS.

Lymphatic filariasis as defined by Executive Order No. 369 is a parasitic disease primarily affecting children, women and men living in endemic remote areas; Lymphatic Filariasis is a debilitating and disfiguring disease, comprising about 76% of cases living in 4^th to 6^th class municipalities in 36 established endemic areas out of the 48 probably endemic provinces in the country; advances in the field of diagnosis and treatment make the disease one of the six eradicable diseases as declared by the International Task Force for Disease Eradication, as documented by endemic countries able to eradicate the disease such as Japan, Korea, etc;

So I encourage all Filipinos to avail of the said drugs to prevent Filariasis and to go to your nearest health centers while supplies still last. Don't wait until you become like this:

Filariasis
Photo Credit: Stanford University

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My Brain is on Vacation

As of this very moment I am officially an Out-of-School-Youth. Yup damn right I am. It's time to have my summer vacation started and have the rest period that I have been waiting for for the past few weeks now.

Finally, a little more "me" time and more time for sleeping and all that none sense. "None sense" you ask? Well, although I've been praying to be out of school and just bum around it's not that rewarding.

I'm at home all day with out anything worth doing. The past few weeks I've been fiddling around with my computers at home doing system checks, downloading/updating softwares, and downloading pc games which I don't have the interest to play with (well not yet of course).

I have prepared well for this summer vacation from buying anime DVD's and PC games so that I won't get bored. But surprisingly, I find playing PC games and watching movies a complete waste of time. Oh my God! What am I saying? I love PC games and watching anime. But for the past couple of days now I have been more interested in blogging about health related stuff so that my brain won't become stagnant.

Yup, I want to learn. I'm not a big nerd or geek but I don't want to forget everything I've learned in school so I want to keep my brain in tip-top shape by blogging. Who would have guessed that my addiction to blogging could be worth while huh?

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I Passed My Exams!

I'm quite happy that I got through my exams and passed both my nursing lecture and related learning experience final exams. I'm quite confident that I will also pass in the final grade (well I'm still hoping at least). My quizzes aren't that good but my term exams are quite ok.

On the other hand, my block mates and I were able to pass our grand case study/presentation of a 47 year old male with acute coronary syndrome and pulmonary embolism likely with hypercoagulable state secondary to polycythemia vera. Our grand case presentation may have a lot of corrections and errors but it was quite amazing that we even passed.

In nursing research my group's thesis proposal of "Factors that Influence the Adherence of Delivery Room Nurses to Sterile Technique in Cagayan de Oro" has been accepted even if there were also errors and corrections starting from the cover page to the last page.

But you know what's ironic? I may have passed my major nursing subjects but I have doubts if I passed English. Oh my gosh! Imagine what were discussing in English! Art and it's history! The exam is harder than our medical-surgical nursing exam, imagine that! Oh I just hate history. Like what use do we have for knowledge about art and sculptures in the medical field? Is it needed so that we could have something to talk about with our patients who are inclined to art?

Anyhow I really thank God for aiding me in passing my exams! Like I didn't study for our exams and I still passed! I am really so happy!

At last! No more Medical-Surgical Nursing! Yehey! Welcome Summer 2008!

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