Take an extra leap today

February 29 only happens once every four years. So make this day extra special and be a better person.

The start of February 29 shifts me to a different mood. Why... a friend called me and asked if i still work in ___ (name of office withheld). I listened to the query, this friend said that a person is willing to pay me (and/or any person capable of doing) to alter a certain document. The answer I gave, "I am not able doing it and more so I am not willing to do it." The conversation ended there but locking me up on thinking.

All of us citizens are sick and tired of a corrupt government, I know that for sure. But why, to a certain extent, shall we need pushing ourselves to something illegal if we have all the options to do that something legally? Time and money are sure factors yet in exchange of dignity, shall we have the guts to bribe money for it?

If we truly want to have a better government, everything shall start from ourselves. Do all things the right way.

Happy leap day of the year everyone!

Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent

The Catholic Church in the Philippines teaches the importance of Ash Wednesday as the beginning of the Lenten season. On this day, everyone faithful is encourage to fast, abstain and do charity (these shall also be practiced on Good Friday). The cross on the forehead signifies a reminder that all of us must admit our sins and repent for we are all from ashes and will soon end as ashes.

Lent also known as "Quaresma" that means Forty in Latin, is observed before Easter. It begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Easter vigil. Though the total number of days from Ash Wednesday till Easter is 46, when lent was observed, the 6 Sundays were exempt from lent as Sunday was considered as day of celebration of the resurrection of our Lord.

Lenten season is a period of preparation for the passion week, which begins on Palm Sunday and ends on Easter, the main and biggest feast of the liturgical calendar of the Catholic Church. Jesus began His ministry with fasting for 40 days and nights (Mathew 4 : 2) and finally ended with His sacrifice on the cross. In the old testament, we have a number of instances where people fasted, the more notable one is the fasting of Nineveh (Jonah 3 : 5) and even the king of Nineveh sat in ashes.(Jonah 3 : 6)

Traditionally, the palms of the previous year (of Palm Sunday) are burnt and the ash is made and blessed and put on the foreheads of the faithful on Ash Wednesday using the words, remember you are dust and to dust you shall return (Genesis 3 : 19) or repent (turn away from your sins) and believe in the gospel (Mark 1 : 15).

The faithful go for the way of the cross which is conducted every Friday during this period. People also give up certain habits like smoking, drinking alcohol etc.

The colour of the vestments to be worn by the priests during the Mass, is purple, except on 19th March, the feast of Saint Joseph, 25th March, the feast of annunciation and on Maundy Thursday the colour would be white, while on Palm Sunday and on Good Friday it will be red.

Though Lenten season looks like a difficult period, it is certainly the most joyful period, as we are united in prayer and are spiritually preparing to celebrate the greatest feast – Easter. So, if you are making sacrifices during this period, do it cheerfully, (God loves a cheerful giver..... 2 Corinthians 9 : 7) for the love of Jesus who died for us. It is a way of saying “Thank you Jesus.”

Just a little sacrifice will make this day a meaningful one.

(contains excerpts from unknown authors)

Valentine's Day and the patron of hearts

Let's have a little religious side on this day of hearts.

The history of Valentine's day (including the story of its patron saint) is still a mystery up to this generation. As a matter of fact, the Catholic Church recognizes three saint named Valentinus or Valentine, all were martyred.

One legend said that Valentine was a priest who served Rome in the third century. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than men with wives and children, he outlawed marriage for young men. As Valentine realized the injustice of the law, he secretly performed marriages for young lovers. The emperor discovered his actions and Valentine was put to death on February 14, 269 AD.

Other stories say that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons and experienced tortures. According to a legend, prisoner Valentine actually sent the very first "valentine greeting" after he fell in love with a young girl (probably the jailor's daughter who visited him often). Allegedly before his death, he wrote her a letter signed "From your Valentine" an expression still used at present time.

The VOICE is gone but will echo in many hearts

Whitney Houston (1963-2012)

It is just freaky that last Saturday I am humming "a few stolen moments is all that we shared..." and suddenly my brain is booming to "I wanna dance with somebody, I wanna feel the heat with somebody, yeah..." even if no music playing anywhere. And to my surprise I suddenly remembered my childhood and the background suggests "I believe the children are our future.." and I can't imagine why I am reminiscing all Whitney songs. The songs that literally most of us grown up to.

Cover of Whitney Houston

Definitely, Miss Whitney Houston is such a loss to the music industry. With such incredible talent, who would have thought of someone who could sing as if having a CD on her throat. Her songs are the greatest masterpieces and mostly used in singing competitions. Her power and fame; her struggles and hardships: those made her marked. It seems so soon that the life of the extraordinary VOICE will end. It seems tragic. Truly, living a life hurting yourself is not called life at all. If only all of us can live by the phrase "learning to love yourself is the greatest love of all."

Goodbye Whitney...

Pulmonary Tuberculosis: Surviving and Moving On

Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) is one of the top causes of deaths in the Philippines. The disease is caused by a certain virus or bacteria (which I will not elaborate anymore) present in the air. When inhaled this virus will destroy the lungs.

Probable tuberculosis (Photo credit: sandrabermudez)

I never imagined that I would get this kind of illness as the common symptoms were not visible at times. First of all, I am overweight. Second of all, I don't suffer severe cough. Yet, it was in October 2008 when I coughed fresh blood (excuse for those sensitive brains) and suddenly I felt numbness because of nervousness. I eventually thought I would die and the end is near. I went to the doctor and got my chest radiated on the x-ray (lol). The results said Koch's extensive with cavity. After that I have to undergo three sputum examinations in two days. Praying that it would be negative but sorry to say that it was a big POSITIVE. (I was still on denial even if I knew that the results would be it after coughing those red fluids.)

The doctor specializing in Pulmonary cases from the Quezon Institute (I'm sorry I forgot your name doc but thank you very much for the great advice and help) immediately referred me to a DOTS Course (Directly Observed Treatment Short Course) in Malolos Health Center, all for free. I was treated for six months, two months of extensive phase and four months of maintenance. I left my work in those period. After the treatment, I was cured and able to work again.

Sad to say, the scar (in the lungs) is there forever. All previous x-ray plates of the patient must be kept so that next time that a chest x-ray will be needed, the radiologist will compare if the spot or infiltrates visible are stable. That means no bacteria is causing it to evolve into any suspicious haziness. Although some doctors will still require sputum examinations just to make sure no bacteria is present.

Image via Wikipedia

Let me summarize the truths about tuberculosis:

1. Anyone can acquire the disease and there is no exception. It depends on the person's immune system for the bacteria to be active.

2. The bacteria can be acquired through the air we breathe. Once acquired, it lives inside the body. The rays of the sun can kill it outside the body.

3. Chest x-ray is not enough for a diagnosis of TB. Any suspected patient must undergo direct sputum smear microscopy. If the sputum is negative and the patient is still suspected to carry the disease because of the symptoms (underweight, severe cough for two weeks), the patient will be referred to a panel of doctors for evaluation and right treatment.

4. A TB carrier must wear mask to protect people around him. He must be in a well-ventilated room with sunlight as much as possible. There is no need to isolate the patient. A patient is considered non-infectious in two weeks of treatment.

5. The patient must strictly follow the prescription medicines for six straight months. Tuberculosis is a mutant disease and once the bacteria became immune, the patient will take more time to be cured (the least will be eight months and even long years with vaccination).

6. While undergoing medications, some side effects will be: orange-like color of urine, numbness of arms or limbs, tolerable chest or back pains, and darker skin color. It is important to take vitamins (B-complex or any prescribed by physician) while treatment as some organs are sensitive to the medicine such as kidney and liver. Drink lots of water to flush out dark colored urine.

7. TB is curable but scars will still be in the lungs (just like any other wound) and once you undergo chest x-ray exam, the radiologist might read it as PTB suspicious or something like that. It is important to keep previous x-rays and inform the radiologist on the PTB history for the radiologist to compare if the visible spot is stable meaning it might be the scar caused by previous PTB.

And most important of all, follow your health partners, increase the immune system and have proper hygiene.