Consultations

Consulted with four doctors throughout the weekend.

I first went to the MyHealth clinic at Festival Mall but I was not happy with the doctor who I consulted with. He was more concerned with my uric than with my sugar and just gave me allopurinol and there's something about his vibes that I don't like. So I decided to get another opinion.

Good thing that my OB's secretary called and said that they have a vacant spot in the schedule for me on that day. I quickly rushed to Asian Hospital and showed my OB my blood tests.

After checking the results, she recommended me to see three specialists: cardiologist, endocrinologist and hematologist. The cardio to check on my uric acid and triglycerides; the endo to check on my borderline sugar and the hema to get a second opinion on my low hemocrit results.

I was recommended to a Dr. Luna. He has a really posh office at the second floor. He's very matter-of-fact and he answered my questions. However, he was rushing through the consultation maybe because he has a line of patients waiting for him. Unfortunately, that's a pet peeve of mine. One thing I love about my OB is that she does not rush through consultation. Sometimes, I'm not aware that I'm more than 30 minutes inside her office because she wants to ensure that I have no more questions. He gave me medicine for my Uric Acid and Silimarine capsules for my fatty liver.

I then proceeded to the 4th floor for my appointment with the endo, a Dr. de Jesus. She shares the clinic wth Dr. Ejercito--the surgeon who did my laparoscopic appendectomy two years ago. Even if my sugar is still a high normal, she's still concerned about it as my HBA1C is above normal. She prescribed me to do an OGTT (i really really hate this test as I also took it during my pregnancy. I still haven't forgotten that sick, sweet, orangey taste. ugh ugh ugh. I'm also going to return to drinking Metformin which I initially took prior my pregnancy for my polycystic ovaries. However, the dosage is higher and I just have to bear the icky side effects.

Unfortunately, there was no hema accredited at Asian Hospital for Maxicare. I'll just have to look for another one. My OB just wants a second opinion on my previous blood tests which declared me Thalassemia free.

It's going to be a LOOOOONG battle for me. I'm returning to the gym on Tuesday with instructions to take it easy and not to push myself too much. Dieting is also a big part of my to-do list other than the medication. I have to take it easy on the sweets for now.

Flower Power!

Just one more day to go and I'm done with this Valentine craze--at least for this year.

It was crazy at work, with female and male officemates receiving boquets of flowers left and right. An officemate even received 3 bouquets from 3 different guys! Where is the fairness in that? All day long, I watched friends receive flowers, though logically I tell myself that there is no one who in his right mind would give me flowers, but I still hoped. By 5:30 I gave up and asked my dad to pick me up.

It's difficult to pretend that I don't care when there are all these flowers staring right at me. I did get a couple of long-stemmed roses (one from my Dad and another from a female officemate who gave flowers to everyone), but they don't count in my book. It's still different if you receive it from someone from the opposite sex who is neither your blood relative or a friend. I don't mean to sound ungrateful. Heck, it was really sweet of my dad to get us flowers, but it's still different.

I love flowers. I really do. What makes them more special is that it's not often that I receive them. I'm particularly fond of peach roses. Have no idea why I like that particular color when a friend informed me that it means admiration. (I learned that colors have different meanings). Tulips are nice too although they can be horribly expensive. That covers my knowledge on flowers though. Although I recently discovered Malaysian mums and the such.

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day. I gifted myself with a spa appointment at my gym. I'm having a chocolate scrub and body massage. That would really be nice. I don't know if I'm going out again tomorrow but I'll just play it by ear. I do want to see that movie with Mandy Moore in it. Actually, I wanted to see Gothika but it won't be out until March.

*sigh*Things really used to be VERY simple. I don't know why it has evolved to being this complicated.

Basti's First Birthday

We celebrated Basti's birthday one week later than his actual birthday. Feb. 7 at Galleria de Magallanes.

Endless Wake-up Call

I posted something about my wake-up call five years ago. I somehow succeeding in waking up. I lost some excess weight and ate healthier. However, the stress just got to me and since I'm an emotional eater, I gained back the pounds that I lost.

A couple of months ago. I got a trainer to help me lose the weight. It was fine for awhile but my fitness instructor prompted me to go to the doctor when I've been experiencing dizzy spells during our work-out. At first I thought it was because of the food that I ate or the gym but even if we addressed those factors, the dizziness won't go away and it was so frustrating for the both of us as I could not push myself as much as I would want. I've worked out in the past and this was the first time that it happened.

On Friday last week, I went to the doctor who prescribed me to have a stress test and blood test. The stress test revealed negative but when I saw the blood test, I just deflated.

In my 2005 wake-up call, it was my cholesterol, triglycerides and uric acid levels that were beyond the normal levels. In this blood test, there were more findings. Though the cholesterol and sugar levels are normal, my triglycerides and uric acid levels are high and my HIBA1C level (related to sugar) are a bit over the normal range. However, it was not that that caused my dizziness. A complete blood count showed that my hemoglobin levels were low. Hemoglobin is the iron-containing oxygen-transport metalloprotein in our red blood cells (thank you Wikipedia). In layman terms, it means that the oxygen in my blood is low. Basically, I have iron deficiency anemia.

What adds to the frustration is that the food that I can eat contradicts each other. For my anemia, friends have advised me to eat liver; but then that's a big no-no for my uric; for the cholesterol, I should eat oatmeal and veggies but then oatmeal is not good for my uric and there are some veggies that have high purine content. And the list just goes on and on.

I hope to see my doctor this weekend so I can really know what to do. I'm just lost right now and I miss my exercise. I really want to lose weight and be healthy again!

Neil Patrick Harris

Neil Patrick Harris aka Doogie Howser is a fond memory of my childhood. I remember watching his show and my friends and I got the inspiration of keeping a computer journal. We would type or thoughts on the computer, save it on a floppy disk and exchange disks to read each others letters/journals. It was quite cool back then.

He disappeared for some time right after Doogie and my glimpse of him was in Harold and Kumar. Now, he's quite successful in his new stint in "How I Met Your Mother" and has come out from the closet. His recent hosting gig at the Emmy's was the best. I find him really funny and engaging. I wish to see more of him like this.

If you want to sing along, here are the lyrics:

Nothing Suits Me Like A Suit
by Barney Stinson

I know what you’re thinking
What’s Barney been drinking?
That girl was smoking hot

Yes I coulda nailed her
But no it’s not a failure
‘Cuz there’s one thing she is not

To score a ten would be just fine
But I’d rather be dressed to the nines
It’s a truth you can’t refute
Nothing suits me like a suit

Picture a world where all the boys and girls
Are impeccably well dressed
That delivery guy in the jacket and tie
That puppy in the double-breast

That ’80s dude in mutton chops
That baby with a lollipop
That lady cop who’s kinda cute
Nothing suits ‘em like a suit

Wingman I can wear
They’re oh so debonair
The perfect way to snare
a girl with daddy issues

In navy blue or black
Check out this perfect rack
I want to give them a squeeze

Oh really? Then answer these questions
If you please

What would you do if you had to choose
Between your suits and a pot of gold? Suits.

What would you say
If you gave your suits away
In return you’d never grow old? Suits.

What would you pick
One million chicks
Or a single three-piece suit? It’s moot.

What if world peace
Were within your reach … Abbadabada I’m gonna stop you right there. It’s suits. Come on, Lily. Get your head outta your ass.

Two! Three! Four!

Girls will go and girls will come
But there’s only one absolute
Every bro on the go needs to know
That there’s no accepted substitute

I’m sorry suits, let’s make amends
My Sunday best are my best friends
Send casual Friday down the laundry chute

‘Cuz nothing suits the undisputed oft-saluted suitor of repute
Like a …. wait for it …
Suit!

Then again, she is pretty hot.