Be well, birthday boy!

Summer was coughing one Thursday night with a slight fever. She wasn't able to go to school the following day. Come friday night, her fever hit 40.1 and no Tempra can make it go down, even when I wipe her joints with almost frozen face towel. Good thing her pedia texted back right away and instructed me to give her Dolan, which was magical!

Omar started feeling bad over the weekend. We had massage service for everybody on a Tuesday night.

Until Winter then started to cough too and got fever. I then brought the kids to the pedia. They were prescribed antibiotic, together with meds for cough and colds and nebulizer for Summer. Summer got well while Winter still got on and off fever. I then brought him back to the pedia a week after and he was prescribed a stronger antibiotic and had his x-ray and dengue test. I was told that if after the new antibiotic was given to Winter, he must not have fever or else he will then be admitted to the hospital.

And he still had fever. I texted the doctor and he texted back to admit Winter to the hospital. Knowing the long line for room admission, I called the hospital first to put his name on wait list while waiting for his test results the other night. Dengue test result was negative. X-ray result was cleared. The doctor recalled his orders and instructed us to bring him back instead to the clinic the following day for a follow-up check.

We went to the clinic today with a hyper boy. We went home and was instructed to just proceed with his medicines. And while I'm typing this down, he's starting to get warm again.

He's turning 3 on Monday. I hope he gets well by then. The environment nowadays are full of virus and bacteria, might be due to climate change as well. For my kids' sake and for my contribution to help save the environment, I will go look for eco friendly products for my gift for Winter so I can train my kids as well to love God's creation. But you have to get well first Winter.

Not sick, lots of gift, a happy birthday, a happy birthday celebrant, a happy mom! That's me!

Emergency!

Just to be safe, I have to bring Summer to the ER of St. Luke's for her cbc test. She's been sick with cough and colds and had on and off fever.

Dengue is so rampant and I cannot just sit still and wait for symptoms to arise so I have to take her test even if I'm confident that she doesn't have it. Confidence, this time, is not enough.

As promised.

As promised, have to bring the kids back to the dentist. Only for Summer but have to bring Winter just to familiarize him with the dentist. And this time, he went straight to the chair and was served first before his Ate.

Summer had her additional procedures and have to be back in a month. Good job kids!

Finally, a visit to the dentist.

I was pretty scared to bring my kids to the dentist. I'm a guilty mom for Winter's teeth.

Summer went in first and Winter was so curious he was over Summer while Summer was having her turn until he lied down next to his Ate Summer.

The dentist instructed Cory to properly clean Winter's teeth. He knew that I work and I do not stay home with the kids.

We'll just have to properly clean Winter's teeth and no procedure is needed. We'll just have to wait for 5 more years for replacement and to never take the remaining part of the teeth off. As for Summer, will have to be back on Monday.

Sharing

Both kids are down with colds, phlegm and cough. Nebulizer is a must so they both do it at the same time. Easier to get Winter use the nebulizer.

Hope it works.

Wall-to-wall

Since I'll be bringing Summer to the hospital, Mom ordered me to bring Winter as well to confirm if it's chicken pox.

I picked up Summer from school, then we had lunch at Shakey's. It's Summer's favorite - pizza, chicken skin from the fried chicken, and the mojos. Aside from the new kid's zone at the selected Shakey's outlets. The one closest to the shop is the world's biggest and has kid's zone.

It was confirmed. It's chicken pox. Summer got her booster shot. I requested for some creams for Winter's pox and was warned that it will be pretty expensive. Sayang naman puti ng anak ko kung puro peklat naman.

It will be 2 weeks of isolation from Winter. And since it's viral, we have to clean the house from wall to wall since virus can stay on the wall too.

Haayy, we keep on going to the hospital and drug stores. I bought Lysol too - both spray and concentrated solution for the house.

It's time to sterilize the house.

Uh-oh! It has water inside.

Winter was under my observation, as per instruction from his pedia. Should he get a fever, I have to have his blood test.

Thank God, he didn't get high grade fever, aside from sinat last night and this morning.

I gave him a quick bath and just as I was putting on his nappy, I saw some big rash on his butt. I searched his body and found that there's something strange on his foot. Winter had a band-aid on his foot yesterday when I brought him to his pedia. He had a mosquito bite and he keeps on scratching it so what his yaya usually do is to put bandage over it to stop him from scratching it. But what we thought was a mosquito bite was growing bigger and looked like it has water inside. And there are smaller ones on his arm and legs too. It's a suspected chicken pox, on a rainy day! Talk about global warming.

I immediately called his pedia. This time, my concern was on Summer. It's not the best time for her to catch the pox since she's having her exams on the first week of September. It's Quezon City day tomorrow and his pedia will not hold clinic. But since Summer must have her booster shot the soonest, his pedia accommodated us by going to the hospital at the same time he will do his rounds the following day. He has lots of patients checked-in at the hospital due to dengue.

He also instructed us to isolate Summer from Winter. How is that possible with just one room at the house? Solution, Omar and Summer will sleep at Mommy's house tonight! The doctor also prescribed another medicine for Winter.

When will this virus ever stop?

It's viral.

Winter's temperature was up the whole time last night, even after I give him his round of Tempra and even after I wipe him cold.

Since I do not know where his fever is coming from, I decided to bring him to his pedia. Or else, his next scheduled clinic will be on Thursday. Better be safe than sorry.

The doctor said it could be viral. I told him that I would be happier with viral disease over dengue. He just informed me that dengue is viral. Scary!!! Turned out that Winter's throat was full of 'nana'. I was just sooo relieved. So he gave us antibiotic then we're off for home. Just the same, he gave us a request for blood test just in case Winter's fever won't drop even with antibiotic.

We were able to get out of the hospital late already so we had dinner at Rack's at Magallanes. Happy that the boy was able to eat even with the 'nana' in his throat. He had macaroni and cheese.

Another day off work.

Winter's turn.

Omar was sick two weeks ago. I wasn't able to go to work the whole week. The week after, I was at the office the entire week catching up on my work loads. Summer had slight fever over the weekend. After school, I called home to check up on her. Nope, she wasn't sick anymore, but Winter is. He's having fever.

When I got home, prepared him for bed, took his temperature, gave him a dose of Tempra and wiped cold the back of his ears, his neck, armpit, singit and back of his knee. His temperature won't go down. He's not down with cold or cough either. I don't know what's causing his fever.

I just pray it's not dengue.

Rest Day.

Omar's doctor ordered him to take a rest the whole day today and go back to his clinic tomorrow for a series of test.

And Omar's idea of rest - going to Makro to buy stuff for his office. He won't even let me drive. Maybe because it is easier to drive than to handle the little boy while I drive.

The little boy was so ecstatic waking up and seeing me and Omar on his bed side. You could really see how his eyes light up and his smile, giggling while rolling over and over the bed. We brought him with us to Makro and he was so behaved.

After Makro, time to go back home for the doctor's prescribed rest.

Emergency, Take Two.

After our overnight stay at the ER or Paranaque Doctor's Hospital last night, we were instructed by Omar's internist to bring Omar to UERM.

It was 8am when I got calls from the family asking about Omar's condition until Omar texted his doctor and got to talk to him. Kuya Dante drove for us. I couldn't trust myself to drive for us with just 1 and a half hour's sleep. We packed our stuff, getting ready for admission.

He was in a convention and won't be back until lunch time. He called the hospital ahead and gave instructions to his resident doctor. The performed ECG and it was negative, alleluia! No pain relievers were given this time.

We were instructed to get our room already while Omar went to get his ultrasound with Mama. It was a full house and the hospital was under renovation after Ondoy and I got a Junior Suite. The only option then was a ward. When we all got back at the ER, Omar's doctor arrived, got the results from the ultrasound and gall bladder and pancreas were clear, aside from his pre-existing fatty liver. So he cancelled our room and instructed us to go home and take a rest. He prescribed medicines and told us to go back on Wednesday. It was a cousin of arthritis at the rib cage, according to him, with the pressure from Omar's cough aggravating the pain.

It was so hard to decide where to sleep - with Omar at the hospital or at home with Winter since I still breastfeed him. I even thought of brining Winter to the hospital at night but I'm sure the family will protest. God is good. He did not let me choose. He gave me both.

Emergency.

I woke up in the middle of the night with Omar standing by the bed. He was holding an ice pack by his side. Turned out he was in pain for almost an hour already. He was coughing and suddenly he felt a stinging pain on his left side. He was contemplating on going to the hospital. He talked to Mama. Kuya Olejoe and Mama picked us up at home to bring Omar to the ER at 11:30pm.

He had an X-ray but it was clear, no fractures or anything. He had his blood test for cardiac arrest and thank God it was negative too.

He was given Ketrimed for the pain. The pain was not relieved. He was given Tramadol through IV. The pain was not relieved. They gave him Nuvein. The med was so strong Omar fell asleep but the pain was not relieved either.

At 5:30am, we decided to bring him home to get his rest while waiting for his doctor's clinic time.

I was just in time to see Summer having her breakfast. I was still able to help her prepare for school. Good thing Kuya Dante was home to bring Summer to school.

I never knew I could have the energy to be up from 11:30am until 7am. I wasn't really sleepy but I just know I have to sleep, hoping Omar will be well soon.

Mom's cleared!

Mommy has been complaining for years with her stomach. She had her gal stones removed 6years ago and lately her upset stomach is back again. So she went back to see her gastro doctor and she was prescribed to have her gastro-colonoscopy. Mom was scared and did not have it done.

Finally, after monthssss, she finally had it done. Dad accompanied us at the hospital. We were at the hospital almost everyday a week before having her tests done and getting clearance from her cardiologist and endocrinologist.

We had her results in not less than 30minutes. She's clear and the doctor just saw minor scratches in her stomach which can be remedied by medicines in a month.

Hope all will turn out well with Mom now.

We're cleared.

October is Summer's 6th month of taking her medicines for her primary complex. Her pedia asked us to have her chest x-ray once again.

And we're cleared! No more morning rituals. For 6months, she would only let her Papa give her her medicines before breakfast unless Omar leaves early for work but she must be notified first. Pero bakit ganon? Payat pa rin sya? Di ba dapat tumaba na sya? haayyy...

2nd time around..

Summer went back to her dentist for her pasta for her upper teeth.

Sadly, the dentist gave her upper front teeth 6months if it would not be taken care of. I just hope the yaya wipes her teeth after eating when I'm not around.

First dental procedure

Since Summer will be having her rest day tomorrow, after watching Jack and the Beanstalk, I decided to bring her to the dentist before going home to Bulacan.

She initially wanted me to go first but the doctor knows his way around kids so Summer wasn't able to get her way.

Dr. Giron asked her to sit first and to do it fast since I have to be first hehe. He asked Summer to gargle, sprayed her teeth with air, told Summer that he'll just put something inside her mouth, prepared the 'pasta' (while Summer was asking him what he was doing, while Summer was telling him that she doesn't like it, while Summer was telling him that it's gonna be owie, while Summer kept on saying things again and again and again), asked Summer to open her mouth, spread the 'pasta' onto her teeth, voila! Finish! No water, no solid for the first 45minutes.

My turn - very good daw sabi ni doctor. Even if I had my last cleaning more than a year ago, he did not clean my teeth and asked me to go back at the end of the year instead. Okay pa daw teeth ko hehehe.

Still have to bring Summer back for her upper teeth.

First dental visit

Summer is sooo long overdue for her dental visit.

I brought her to a dentist in Malolos and was informed that she has 2 teeth that needs 'pasta' but can only be done by a pedia dentist. I attempted to bring her once to an Intellicare accredited pedia dentist before but the line was just too long. So this time, I asked Omar to bring the kids' cards to the dentist early in the morning so that when we reach the dentist after Summer's school, it will be their turn already.

Ang galing ni Dr. Giron! I prepared my camera but I totally forgot about it. He taught me and Cory how to clean Summer's and Winter's teeth. No toys pero napasunod nya mga bata, even Winter. Ang galing! Turns out 4-5 teeth lang pala ni Summer ang buo, halos lahat may tama na. Haaay!!! Nakakainis ang first dentist na dinalhan ko sa kanya.

Winter is due to go back after 3months. I can bring Summer anytime soon. Di kasi sya nagpprocedure sa mga bata on their first meeting.

May Check-up

Winter's due for his vaccine while it's Summer's follow-up check with her primary complex.

Summer gained 1kg from last month - which is good. Best if we can get more weight gain. Better than nothing. Good that she did not lose weight. Summer, knowing that she won't be getting any vaccine that day, talked a lot! She shared stories with her doctor - from her morning activities before going to the hospital to her birthday to her trip to Canada to her trip to the beach to her cousins Jaja and Julian, everything! Her doctor was so kind to listen to all her stories while checking Winter.

Winter, on the other hand, did not gain weight - must be with all his activities, crawling here and there. He had his second shot of his IPD. Ang mahal ha! Di naman pwede tipirin ang health ng family. I also discussed with his doctor why he hasn't grown any teeth yet. The doctor is giving me until his first year, or even until his 14th month, before we can check on him and make some test.

Everything's all good! Thank God!

Omar's turn.

It is Omar's turn to visit his doctor after 2 years!

We arrived at the hospital at 8:30am and left at 2:30pm. He had his blood tests, chest x-ray, full abdominal ultrasound, and check-up from his doctor.

While waiting for the doctor to arrive, I asked the secretary if the doctor's not planning to be accredited by our health card, and to my surprise, he is accredited! And I already paid for all his tests! I called HR right away and will just have to submit the ORs for reimbursement of at least 80%. Sayang pa rin yun.

And his doctor was so annoyed with him - with his weight gain, stopped taking his maintenance medicines, high BP again, high uric acid, high sgpt, high cholesterol, and the left side of his heart is getting bigger.

Doctor's instructions - No oil, No salt, and Stop playing basketball for the mean time. Got 4 medicines this time from just taking 2 and be back in a week's time.

Omar will have to stay healthy, the kids are too young! Back to lifestyle change. Kaya ko kaya syang sabayan?

Test Result - Positive

Not for me. And not a pregnancy test.

It's for Summer. The tuberculine test.

Yes, she turned positive for her skin test and she has primary complex. The limit was 10mm and hers turned out to be 11mm. It's just starting so maaagapan pa. She was given medicine which she will take for 6months.

Sana gumaling na sya at tumaba na.

Oh! And Omar was the one who brought Summer to the hospital and to the doctor since I was busy and cannot leave Malolos. Sweet noh?