Paint-a-smile trip this Christmas

Donations are all ready, carefully labeled, sealed and packed. At exactly 2:00AM tomorrow, members and volunteers of the Rotaract Club of Sampiro will take the road to BAGUIO via Victory Liner (Pasay Terminal) for our annual Christmas gift giving project. And from Baguio, another six hours of grueling trip to Sagada. Hold on to your best grip along the way guys! Bring out all the fun and laughter and surprises we’ve got for them. I just wish on May 2009 (BALIK ESKWELA MONTH), no excuse can ever get in my way not to join you again.

And oh, a bottle of persimon wine when you get back, please? Sorry, I like it more compared to the taste of their famous rice wine. :P

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Got excess?
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hypokalemia

After hearing mass last Sunday, my cellphone beeped. It was a message from my youngest sister that my father was brought to hospital due to potassium deficiency, or hypokalemia. I wasted no time and phoned momsy to know how popsy was. I really don’t have any idea of its cause and the effect of it to a diabetic person like him. I’ve search over the net and landed with this health article at wiseGeeK:

Potassium is a mineral necessary to good health. It maintains the water and acid balance in blood and tissue cells, assists in muscle building, and transmits electrical signals between cells and nerves. Early symptoms of hypokalemia, or potassium deficiency, include dry skin, muscle weakness, fatigue and slow reflexes. If the deficiency develops rapidly, heart problems may result. Left unchecked, a condition known as hypokalemic paralysis may develop, in which the entire body goes stiff. This is a very serious condition requiring immediate medical attention.
Known causes of potassium deficiency include excessive diarrhea and vomiting. The treatment in these cases should be for the diarrhea and vomiting, and ensuring there continues to be sufficient potassium in the diet. Mineral supplements may also be necessary. If the vomiting is self-induced, as in bulimia, psychiatric treatment may be indicated.

Hyperthyroidism, an illness of the thyroid, the main hormone producing gland, is also known to cause potassium deficiency. It, in turn, may be caused by an imbalance in other minerals similar to potassium such as magnesium, sodium and calcium. There are numerous treatments available for hyperthyroidism, all requiring some level of medical supervision.

Medications known to increase the likelihood of potassium deficiency include diuretics, cortisones and drugs for controlling high blood pressure. Alternate medications and/or treatments can be explored with a medical professional. If changing medications is not feasible, it may be necessary to supplement with potassium or mineral tablets.

To date , papa is still at the hospital receiving medical care in the hope of lowering his complication rates. I believe in the possible factor behind the benefits associated with prayers. So, to those who made their time scrolling down to read this post, I humbly ask for a simple prayer for healthy recovery of my deareast papa. I'l be more glad also if you can share your life encounter or any knowledge related with hypokalemia.

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Kickin' at 59

Got excess?

I am not referring to any excess fats you’ve got on your body but on excess blessings you’d like to share this Christmas. This year will never be complete for us, rotaractors, (young Rotarians as they call us) not to paint a smile on kids’ face especially this coming holiday season. The members of the Rotaract Club of Sampiro under the term of Ms. Cristina Espinueva and some volunteers from our would-be daughter club (composed of nurses from Makati Medical Center) will press on with our continuing project for our three-year-adopted barangay in Sagada, Mountain Province. We’re through with our Eskwelang Kwela last May; an annual BALIK ESKWELA project wherein day care kids including their teachers benefited school supplies in line with the smooth opening of class 2008-2009. And before the year ends, the much awaited annual pre-christmas gift giving will be our last strike. The final trip shedule is set on November 28 – December 01, 2008. Sad to say that only on this event, I won’t be able to join them on their worth-butt-aching trip and on the day of gift giving due to prior commitment. But inside of me, I’m clapping in delight knowing the project that we have started during my term as president way back 2006, became a continuing program. Big thanks for the unfailing support of our long-time-bighearted sponsors. We assure you of club’s feedback report and supporting pictures as soon as the group got back from their grueling trip. Their donations have gone a long way in carrying our club mission to keep the kids of Sagada happy by letting them experienced city life-like activities away from the real urban zone.

Here let me take you from the past.

2006: (1) Bringing ICT closer to the people of Barangay Ankileng, Sagada, Mountain Province (2) Sagada Pre-Christmas Gift Giving

2007: Eskwelang Kwela: A Balik Eskwela Project for the children of Barangay Ankileng, Sagada, Mountain Province

2008: Eskwelang Kwela 2: A Balik Eskwela Project for the children of Barangay Ankileng, Sagada, Mountain Province

So, nowhere to put in your excess? The Rotaract club of Sampiro is accepting any form of donations: old clothes/toys, books, slippers/shoes, monetary contributions, etc. Feel free to leave your comment/s or email me at cyankyle@yahoo.com on how can you be of help.

Be merry by sharing your excess.

Related posts:

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Missing you, friend

Now that Christmas is just around the bend, I can’t help but missed a very dear friend of mine. Seven months have gone by since the day she left for JAPAN. She’ll be staying there for a year as representative of our local government and might (based on or last online communication) be requested to extend due work exigency. The first few months not seeing her physically especially at work, were kinda odd. Though we belong in one department, we are separated by working floors. She’s up at the fifth floor and I’m at the fourth. She usually visits me for a quick chat and kulitan over whatever foods we’ve got to share with. She’ll either crack the day with me by covering my eyes with her doll-like hands or hit my both ears with fingers while she stands at my back. I just loved being with her, talking anything under the sun, laughing at certain things, arguing over small things and ending the conversation with compliments and agreement. She really inspires me a lot - having someone like her listen to my sentiments, experience, insights and ideas without criticizing my beliefs and principles in life. Respecting the way we value each other’s existence is our irreplaceable friendship foundation. We may be separated no longer by floors now, but by miles and miles in distance, we never neglect to pause from our busy working days, and find our way to nurture our friendship though online and telephone conversation (she just called this morning, thanks for waking me up dear) Hearing her voice for one hour while I was still on my bed, was like talking to her as if she just got out of my bed also. Back then, we were night crawlers and usually share the same bed in my pad or hers, whichever place is closer from the gimikan area we’ve been. And I have to admit, my night life has been deprived since the day she took her flight. And that I chose not to go out. Well, I am setting it aside for now, but definitely will recommence as soon as she got back. Uhm, I am in the stage of polishing some of my dance moves :P. We’ll see if these will go with the rhythm on the dance floor by then, lol

Nevertheless, this upcoming Christmas will never be the same Christmas as last year. Our annual activity together will not come to pass for this year: midnight madness schedule at Marikina Riverbank, the joy of ours while jointly wrapping our Christmas presents for our loved ones and the delight of visiting our adopted children in Sagada for their much awaited pre-Christmas celebration (but I’m not worried actually, the event will push through without us, our club headed by TIN-TIN and some volunteers will be there to continue what we have started) These are actually some of the things we enjoyed doing when its nearly Christmas. But despite our physical distance, life is still good having her aound-my sounding board across the miles. Miss you, ANNA. Take a peep at some of our recent bonding shots.

Doing sideline together as teambuilding facilitators held at Montemar Beach Resort, Bataan

Sagada and Baguio: Our last glance together

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Sayonara for now