MG Update - Oct 2009

Had a consultation with Dr.W this time in Selly Oaks Hospital. Thank goodness I don’t have to wait for 6 months before I can see him. I told him of my problems early September where I had a virus infection or a flu. It made my myasthenia worse making my breathing laboured and feeling increasing weakness all around. My GP Dr. P increased the dosage of my Prednisolone from 10mg daily to alternate 15mg/10mg daily. Problem is, it makes it hard for me to sleep at night which in turn reduces my rest and makes me tired which then makes my MG worse. Catch 22.

So it’s timely that Dr.W saw me 2 days ago who told me to increase my Azathioprine to 50mg 3 times a day. Plus he gave me a logbook for my blood tests, which I should have prior to seeing him, in order to monitor it more closely. He also told me to avoid taking sleeping aids like Piriton if I can help it.

Here are my dosages as of 16/10/2009:

Prednisolone – alternate 10mg/15mg per day
Azathioprine – 50mg x 3 per day
Levothiroxine – 50mcg per day
Metformin – 500mg per day
Sodium Alendronate – 70 mg per week

FLashForward

At last a sci-fi TV series that is only a few days late from the airing in the US. With FlashForward, we’re more or less in sync with the US. Fortunately, it is not the same as what happened to Heroes where we here in UK have to wait for months after the US airing. During which time I have to carefully avoid any websites that gives spoilers of episodes.

FlashForward is a story of a supposed worldwide occurrence where everyone blacked out (or sort of fell asleep) for precisely 2 min. and 17 secs. Everyone had a glimpse of what will happen to them 6 months in the future. For some what they saw was bad, while others were hopeful of a good future. The phenomenon is being investigated by an FBI team headed by Mark Benford (Joseph Fiennes) who himself is in personal turmoil over what he saw in his future.

I won’t give any spoilers here. I just want to say that this is a highly recommended sci-fi thriller TV show. Me and my family can’t wait for the next episode to roll in. Our Monday evenings definitely includes sitting in front of the telly and finding out what happened to Mark, his wife Olivia, his daughter Charlie, and what his FBI team uncovers about the mystery.

MG Update - Aug 2008

Well it looks like my MG is getting pretty persistent. I'm having shortness of breath and limb weakness again despite having my steroids increased more than 3 weeks ago. So today I went back to my GP to aske for his help. This time he told me to increase my steroids to alternate 15mg/10mg per day while keeping the rest of my medications the same. I do hope it will stabilise my MG. The last thing I want is for it to flare up into a major episode.

My GP also assured me that he will contact my neurologist about my condition and told me to come back after two weeks. Here are my current dosages:

prednisolone - 15mg/10mg alternate daily
azathioprine - 50mg x2 daily
levothyroxine - 50 mcg daily
metformin - 100mg daily
alendronic acid - 70mg once a week

Three Years Too Late

I'm sorry folks, I tried, God knows I tried. Middle-aged people are supposed to be listening to pop or reception-lounge-easy-listening music. Nothing to raise your high blood pressure and such. But I just can't help being a rocker and even I myself am surprised that I am capable of appreciating indie rock music. Imagine that!

I've chosen to ignore the Arctic Monkeys ever since all that hype came out three years ago. I was thinking - surely they're not as good as what the media make them out to be. Since then I've always dismissed them as all hype and no substance. You know how much the air the British tabloid media is capable of. Though I should not have been so flippant since I haven't really listened to them at length except from some snippets one hears from BBC Radio 1. As it turned out one night when I usually have an hour of quiet to myself, I chanced upon Channel 4 airing their Live at the Apollo concert (recorded more than a year ago) because there was nothing else to watch. I thought I'd grit my teeth and bear it out 'til I become sleepy.

Well whaddayaknow, listening to their high energy music I was mesmerised, sat up and took notice and the more I listened the more I like what I was hearing - you know their music. So this is the Arctic Monkey they were talking about. I trawled YouTube for more of their other songs and like some infatuated teenager they got me hooked. I was telling my husband if I were a teenager now I would be head over heels obsessed with them.

I love their catchy riffs, the punk rock -like energy, and the fact that their contemporary lyrics speak of their everyday experiences in their own words not some flowery poetic bland verses of abstract ideas. Love also the fact that they retained their Sheffield accent even in their songs. Just listen to their first hit "I Bet You Look Good In The Dance Floor". The Glastonbury Festival of 2007 almost turned into a giant karaoke session with everyone singing and dancing along.

Notable in the band is their songwriter and lead guitarist (usually) Alex Turner and Jamie Hedges who can spew out great beats in the drums. In terms of musicianship, the first things I noticed are those two - lead guitar and drums.

"When The Sun Goes Down" is their first song that I liked while my youngest, who's only 8 years old, loved Mardy Bum. Other songs of theirs I love are: "Flourescent Adolescent", "Certain Romance", and "Teddy Picker" among others. Now I'm eagerly awaiting for their new album that going to be released next month August 2009. Go on YouTube.com and search for the Arctic Monkeys. They're good live performers as well if I may say so.

So there you go, I'm one rocking middle-aged momma. I wouldn't have any other way ... really.

I think I'll post my Led Zep piece next to keep the theme running. Hehehe!

MG Update - July 2008

Experienced some MG relapse starting around 17th of July. This must be because a few days before that (9/7/09) I was so very exhausted with my whole day trip with Joshua to and from Croydon. We rushed back home again in the afternoon to see off Janine to her prom. As expected I was very tired afterwards. The next day I had flu-like symptoms and I think this aggravated my MG. A week later I was having double visions and had trouble breathing.

I quickly phoned my neurologist's secretary who upon hearing my breathing problems told me to see my GP right away and call my neurologist's registrar. I followed her instructions and my GP called my neurologist right there and then. My GP then increased my prednisolone from the alternate 5mg/7.5 mg to 10mg everyday. By the time I went back 4 days later, my breathing was better and I didn't have anymore double visions.

My scheduled appointment with my neurologist came up on the 28th of July and in our meeting he examined me and advised to continue with my daily 10mg prednisolone for six weeks then reduce it to 7.5 mg for four weeks then put it back to my normal alternate 5mg/7.5mg.

Current dosages:

prednisolone - 10mg daily (for 6 weeks)
azathioprine - 50mg x2 daily
levothyroxine - 50 mcg daily
metformin - 100mg daily
alendronic acid - 70mg once a week

Harry Potter Grows Up

Now I know why some people don't like this movie. It's not light and happy like the previous episodes. The theme is dark which correctly reflects the way it is in the book. In fact I can't remember much scenes where the lighting was bright. If ever it was, it's more hazy kinda blurry rather than the previous episodes' bright sunny lightings.

Do I like it? Yes I definitely do same as my kids who fittingly said that it's meant to have that dark theme because the book is the same. It would be disturbing if they try to make light of a heavy subject as death and murder. I particulary like the special effects like when Harry was in the pensieve the first time and all the objects in the memory were taking shape from smoke-like ink - fabulous effect. Then there are the ones from the cave scenes where the sea of fire emerged then it parted like the Red Sea. It didn't help that Dumbledore looked like Moses!

This movie adaptation of a book is no different from others that they have to take out a lot of stuff. But I didn't reckon they would add something else like the burning of the Burrow. I never read of any burning house in the book only an attack on the Weasely's home.

We definitely recommend the movie. In fact, we'll buy the DVD once it comes out. Although I wouldn't rate it the highest among the Harry Potter movies.

Sung-an, Mercedes, Eastern Samar

Well, as most of my linked friends and relatives in Facebook already knew I've been back to the Philippines for a little over two-week break (thanks to the generosity of my sister Citas). On one hand, I wish it could be a food-discovery trip but on the other, I knew my time is too short in seeing and meeting up with relatives and friends I haven't seen at least in the 10 years I've been away. One thing I made sure (and with a lot of determination) is to visit my father's hometown of Sung-an, Mercedes, Eastern Samar. It was the first time I've ever set foot on it. There were always talk in the family of visiting it since I was small but it never came to fruition. Thankfully I persisted and witnessed in full glory the beauty and other quirks of my father's village and heritage.

The goddess of weather was cooperating. I arrived in the Philippines during the wet season - meaning the typhoon season. Samar is well known to be the doormat of typhoons in the country. Most of these severe tropical storms make landfall in Samar and as expected the populace are well experienced to deal with them. Tourist industry-wise this is the low-season. Mercifully, there were only a couple of short showers during my stay which for the most part was hot and very sunny.

One thing pleasantly odd in Sung-an, there weren't any mosquitoes! Well at least in the four-nights I slept there I haven't seen one nor been bitten by one. So we slept completely mosquito-net-free with no insect screens on the windows and with only an electric fan to keep us cool. Try doing that in Manila and you'll get literally lifted by a swarm of mosquitoes!


We stayed in my Auntie Dining's (my father's sister) place which is across the road from the village church and a stone's throw from the local primary school. So every morning we were woken up by the daily drill of primary school pupils reciting the times table or the singing of the national anthem at flag ceremony.


This is the village church opposite my Auntie's place. It's the hub of the community.


We also went to the coastal area of the village which is only a few hundred meters walk away. I really couldn't say 'beach' because the water edge is almost completely covered by mangroves. Probably because their area faces the gentle currents of Leyte Gulf. This road leads to Sabang, a place where there is a bridge that connects Sung-an with other adjacent villages.

From time to time, me and my siblings hear our father describe a small island owned by their family. It might not be a good idea to subdivide it because the current size of the whole clan means we would probably get a bucket of sand each. Hehehe!


And here it is - Margano Island. It's about 5 hectares big and like the area, completely covered by mangroves by the water edge except for a small beach for access. What I like about this pretty island is that during low tide you can walk the 300 meters from the mainland. If you can't wait for the water to recede you can always borrow one of the small outrigger boats (banca) parked in a small beach in the mainland.


That's the daongan (beaching place) of Margano. No one lives there now but there was a time when my Auntie Goning and her husband lived there for a whole year. I think it was cool of them to live there. Imagine being cut-off from almost everything but yet near enough to access supplies to not worry about your survival.


Starfish, sea cucumbers, shrimps, and small crabs abound around the island. How about that - a four-armed starfish? That's the first time I've seen one! But it's actually rather common there.

Noticed the nice resolution of the pictures? My BIL Derek lent me his high-end Nikon Coolpix camera which accounted for these great images. Thanks Derek!


Although administratively Sung-an is part of Mercedes town, almost everyone goes to the town of Guiuan where major businesses and shops are located. Above is the old Guiuan church originally built in 1595.


This, a tricycle, is my local taxi which, because of the seriously rough roads to Sung-an, on riding it feels like being in a 30-minute workout in the gym.


One of the curious things I saw, see that tiny little hut on the left of the above photo? That's the local petrol station. LOL. Big and small glass bottles of Coke, Pepsi, or 7up are filled with petrol (gasoline) or kerosene. Customers are mainly tricycles.


I chanced upon the 61st anniversary of the founding of Mercedes town. They have a simple ceremony at a stage opposite the municipal hall. Naturally, town and village officials attended including representatives of local schools. I was surprised to see not one but three marching bands. One from an elementary school and the others from the two high schools in the town. Despite the dwindling student population (lots of people have migrated to the cities) they still have marching bands in their schools - how cool is that? And I have seen quite a number of advertisements everywhere - saying "band members required apply here" or "band practice every Tuesday and Thursday" or "band practice area - inquire inside". I could guess there must be a lot of musical/performing talents in my Tatay's province. It certainly showed among my paternal relatives. Several cousins are professional singers or dancers. My father's uncles used to be part of some mariachi-type of band. I certainly love music and dance which I can attribute to my father.


We also went to Sulangan (yes aboard that tricycle), a small island at the very tip of Samar province. People from all over Samar, Leyte and beyond visit this small island because of the miraculous image of St.Anthony in Sulangan parish church.


Probably the only other significant sources of income here, besides the tourist commerce the pilgrims bring, are fishing and seashell crafts. The most notable of the latter is the prevalence of the golden cowrie in the area. They are relatively rare because their habitat is around 10 fathoms (60 feet) deep and they only come out at night! Imagine diving and hunting at those depths and in complete darkness.


Just look at those beautiful, plump, golden, bottom-of-leche-flan-caramel colour of these wonderful shells. These ones I saw being sold in Sulangan ranges in size from 1.5 to 2.5 inches. Less perfect ones are pegged between 800-1000 pesos while the most perfect one there, the one I really fell in love with, was offered to me after much haggling at 2000 pesos. It was worth less than £30.00 ! But I was not sure if these beautiful shells are allowed through British customs. So sadly I have to let go of it.


Of course we won't miss the beautiful beaches of Samar. On the way, we went saw this PAG-ASA weather station. Being the doormat province of typhoons, it's just appropriate for Samar to have one of its own.

Do you notice the wide paved road? This used to be the old airfield of MacArthur's WWII time. In fact, the new Guiuan airport they're preparing to replace Tacloban's to become the local domestic airport, used to be a WWII airfield as well. Tacloban airport will be extended and redeveloped to be handle international flights.


One of the resorts we went to admire the beach is Dumpao.


Nice shady trees to shelter from the sun.


A World War II memorial right in the resort.


Dumpao is your typical palm-fringed white sandy beach. Nice!


There's a curious mushroom-shaped formation among the cliffs. I wonder what it is?


Calicoan island's popular side is the one facing the Pacific. When the waves are strong you can bet surfers are not far behind.


Another Calicoan island scene. We saw a number of beach-front lands for sale there. Wonder how much they cost?


Buyayawon is a barrio near Sung-an. It's got a beach called Haclagan which I really find quite charming. But they apparently don't maintain it that much such that there are sea urchins and other sea creatures in their beach that can injure bathers.


You don't know how hard it was to photograph San Juanico bridge aboard a passenger van travelling at 70mph. I think it's beautiful. I would have loved to stop right in the middle of the main span and take pictures but I didn't think I have a chance with our reckless driver.


One more time for San Juanico.


We went to and from Tacloban airport via Cebu Pacific. They're quite good actually. The morning flight incoming to Tacloban was on time but the afternoon flight outwards was delayed by 30 minutes. Not bad.

There were lots more beautiful Samar scenes I failed to record in picture especially ones in the van ride between Guiuan and Tacloban. I'm just glad I persisted in visiting my father's place. Now I feel my sense of identity is much richer and more defined.

Maupay nga adlaw ha iyo tanan.

Love Day

I was fortunate enough to be part of a group of talented bloggers called Blogging Berks. We used to do regular postings according to certains themes in a blog. Though in its recent incarnation I was just too busy with life to have the time to write for it that's why you can't see my name there.

Mec, one of the blogkadas, was so sweet and gracious enough to make this wonderful Valentine's Day presentation. Isn't it great? She's not only generous to her friends but she's also a talented writer and digiscrapper.

Thanks Mec! And Happy Valentine's Day to all of you !!