A Mother’s Day Poem

Posted in family, mother's day, poem by

Sharing this beautiful poem and taking time to greet all moms –

Happy Mother’s Day!!!

♥️♥️♥️

MOMMY

You can cook food
that tastes so good.
It makes me want to hop
until you tell me to stop.

 

You give me too much hugs
but you’re afraid of bugs.
Always working hard
You deserve a reward.

 

You smell so fine
and your hair is divine.
You are so sweet
yet you’re also neat.

 

You like beautiful things
you’d also like wings.
So you can fly far away
and zoom around all day.

 

I enjoy having fun with you
i hope you enjoy spending time with me too.
Daddy and I really do love you
i hope that you know that too.

 

you bring this family together,
and because of you our love will last forever

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A filipino fairytale

Posted in family, love, Wedding by

Happy tears, lots of it!

God was indeed so generous and gracious, His will triumphs over anything.

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The wedding was so beautiful and memorable, worth all the pains, wait and hurdles. We met numerous challenges, family emergencies/illness, problems, people and hindrances. There was a time when we thought we’d lose my in-law due to a critical condition and wedding date was compromised, but God intervened. It was His timing, so perfect.

I cannot thank God enough for this dream-came-true.

Seeking a good coordinator was the first step. So, I prayed for one and God gave me the best in town @events by miss p. The rest of the suppliers were equally amazing. Working with them were a bliss 🙂

We opted a very simple & uncomplicated wedding. Skipping many traditional and fancy components like not having bridesmaids and groomsmen, no lengthy or scripted photo shoot, etc. The venue itself was a Spanish antique house turned into a restaurant in Malacañan. Making the wedding more intimate. 

It was in Malacañan since we invited President Duterte and Madam Honeylet. And we are so honoured to have our principal sponsors during our wedding. 

 

with principal sponsors

Sec. Sal Panelo in behalf of President Rodrigo Duterte , Vice Mayor Jenny Sandoval in behalf of Madam Honeylet Avanceña, Mayor Joseph Estrada, Cong Jonathan dela Cruz in behalf of Senator Bongbong Marcos, Senator Tito Sotto, Gov. Imee Marcos, Cong. Rogelio Espina, Dra. Cecil Espina, Marose Borromeo Soberano, tatay Dondong Limchua, & Mrs. Diana Limchua

A Cebuano – Jun Escario made my beautiful wedding gown. Made up of separate pieces for I know exactly the trouble on pee-break while wearing a gown 🙂 It’s crafted with intricate french lace & imported fabric. Overall look is a fusion of Spanish-Filipiniana with accents of gold and of course my favorite – ecuadorian roses. 

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They say that grief can strike anytime, and so there I was, emotional and missing my father who passed away recently. You can read it my first post My wedding without daddy 

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yes, happy tears… as if there’s nothing else to do but cry. My uncle brought me together with my mom. 

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Fortunate to have our family and friends with us on this wondrous occasion. A celebration of love that stands against all odds.

 

The historic Basilica Menor de San Sebastian is the perfect church for our wedding. Though I felt we were on time constraint, had a quick photo session after the ceremony, still it justified the moment’s theme. Constructed in 1621 & completed in 1891, it is the only all-steel church in the Philippines and designated a National Historical Landmark since 1973. First time we visited this church, I was in awe for its beauty and grandeur. We are also blessed that this year, the parish is preparing for the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first image of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. Being a devotee myself, I felt so blessed by Mama Mary who has been a witness and a constant help in our journey.

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My sister Monica, sang us to tears. Moved by every word and notes. The officiating priest is worth mentioning, he is a Cebuano and has been in our compound during his younger days. His sermon was very timely and important. Using the abbreviation C.A.L.L. – c for communication, a for affection, love and loyalty, reminding us of these values every marriage requires. Being together for more than a decade, time has proven that staying in love is effortless if it is true. The foundation is Jesús, and that makes it a solid one. 

 

 

Pausing in prayer and remembrance, paying tribute to our late loved ones, especially my dad & brother who died a year ago. They are forever in our hearts…

much love,
mitch.e

 

special thanks;

events: Events by Miss P
photo/video: Thee Creation Media
florist/stylist: Amelia Blossoms
preps: Holiday Inn & Suites Makati
church: Basilica Menor de San Sebastián
reception: Casa Roces
bridal car: Don Robert
gown: Jun Escario

Gifts any mom would love on Mother’s Day

Posted in beauty and wellness, Gift Ideas, health and beauty, mother's day by

There’s a myriad of gifts to give your mom this Mother’s Day but giving her something useful, practical and that will last is what we all desire for our special “Mama”.

So here are five (5) gifts any mom would love to receive on Mother’s Day. 

  • Organic soaps

Every mom loves to be pampered and bath time is no exemption. Lathering in organic, handmade and natural soaps is the most inexpensive luxury. Main reason is because they often lack time and just stick with the basic skin care – a gentle bar of soap. Gift her with one that is not just any soap but also effective to remove skin problems like acne, pimple marks, warts, and other imperfections. Tried and tested by the Japanese – Kojic Acid Soap is a perfect example, and so are the likes of Rice, Oatmeal, Gluthatione, & Papaya Soaps. 

Price starts at P100 shop here POSH BOUTIQUE ONLINE

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  • Makeup

Another staple, whether it is lipstick, eyebrow pen or powder. Moms need to look put-up and fab even in a time constricted life. Featured in past post How to look lovely when you’re always in a hurry – some beauty hacks for busy mothers.

*A Korean makeup trend is orange or peachy lippie hue that compliments almost any skintone.

Price starts at P99. Shop here POSH BOUTIQUE ONLINE

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  • Skin Care

The fame of K-beauty is due to its emphasis on skin care. From the simplest sheet mask to the more sophisticated serum and oils. The goal is to have clear, smooth and fair skin. And who doesn’t like that?!

Price starts at P39. Shop here POSH BOUTIQUE ONLINE

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  • Travel essentials

Mothers don’t need to travel in order to have these must-haves, these are essential items in any working mom. Commuting can bring so much stress to our dear momsies especially in dealing with Manila traffic. Bag organisers or cosmetic bags are very practical and so is eye cooling mask. Relaxes tired eyes from a day’s work or trip. 

Price starts at P149. Shop Here POSH BOUTIQUE ONLINE

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  • Coin Purse/Wallets

Koreans also came out with cute, fashionable and most importantly – affordable coin purses/wallet. Moms know first and foremost how to save every peso coin. Giving her a purse will be of greatest use for her and she will surely be delighted.

Price starts at P49. Shop here POSH BOUTIQUE ONLINE 

 

 

PLEASE NOTE: PHOTOS DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE ACTUAL COLOUR OR APPEARANCE OF THE ITEM. 

much love,

mitch.e

dealing with Diastolic Dysfunction

Posted in family, health, health & fitness by

Diastolic Dysfunction as simplified in previous post – Explaining Diastolic dysfunction in simple terms, is a heart condition when diastole part is not functioning properly. 

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Before treatment, it must be accurately diagnosed since it has similar symptoms as Systolic Heart Failure. 

Treatment – first means a change of lifestyle & medicine (some doctors call it Cardiac Rehab), or an invasive option which is surgery to replace a damaged heart valve. And the following managements should be prescribed and supervised by your cardiologist.

  • strict control of hypertension

  • aggressive treatment of coronary artery disease

  • use of diuretics to control pulmonary congestion

  • use of vasodilators to make blood vessels open up, increasing in the size of the blood vessels allows more blood to flow through. This lowers the blood pressure and lessens the workload of the heart

  • use of beta blocker or calcium channel blocker to relax the heart muscle

  • or an ACE inhibitor to relax blood vessels and lower blood pressure. Helps the heart to pump more blood out to the body.

  • strict water and salt restriction to prevent congestion

  • weight control

How to take care of a family with Diastolic Dysfunction?

  • let them rest, shorten their working hours if possible

  • help reduce stress – anxiety and anger can increase heart rate and blood pressure. A relaxing and calm environment will help promote a stable heart rate and blood pressure

  • monitor their blood pressure and heart rate regularly

  • help them limit their salt intake

  • remind/give them their medicines on time

  • assist them to manage their weight and watch out for sudden weight gain that may be a sign of congestion

 

God bless your heart,
mitch.e

 

Medical References & Further Readings:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21861070

https://www.texasheart.org/heart-health/heart-information-center/topics/diastolic-dysfunction/

https://www.summitmedicalgroup.com/library/adult_health/car_diastolic_dysfunction/

https://academic.oup.com/bjaed/article/9/1/29/465857

 

 

Explaining Diastolic dysfunction in simple terms

Posted in family, health, health & fitness by

This post will try to explain the condition called Diastolic Dysfunction in layman’s term.

First, we have to know the two parts to the pumping action of the heart. You can use the photo below as reference.

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1. Diastole – first part, when blood collects in the lower heart chambers (left & right ventricles)

2. Systole – second part happens once the ventricles contract and blood is pushed from the right ventricle to the pulmonary artery and from the left ventricle into the aortic valves.

Diastolic Dysfunction refers to when diastole part is not functioning properly. The heart stiffens and ventricles do not relax so they cannot fill with blood and causes blood to “dam up” in other parts of the body.

Pressure in the ventricles then increases as blood from the next heartbeat tries to enter. This leads to extra pressure and fluid building up in the vessels of the lungs (referred to as pulmonary congestion) or in the vessels that lead back to the heart (referred to as systemic congestion).

Pulmonary congestion – causes fluid to leak from these vessels into the lung alveoli, causing pulmonary edema. This condition clogs oxygenation of blood in the lungs, resulting in shortness of breath and in worst case scenario even death if the condition is not discovered and treated actively.

The systemic congestion – has detrimental effects on other organs in the body such as the kidney and liver, as a result of poor organ perfusion. Swelling and congestion may also occur in the legs and within the abdomen.

Causes and Symptoms:

The major causes of Diastolic Dysfunction –

  • Obesity and unhealthy lifestyle

  • High blood pressure

  • Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (the walls of the heart become thick and stiff)

  • Aortic stenosis (narrowing in one of the heart valves)

  • Coronary artery disease

  • Restrictive cardiomyopathy (scars or deposits that make the heart muscle stiff)

  • Aging

Symptoms can be from nothing to shortness of breath or labored breathing, unusual swelling of the legs/feet, and fast or irregular heart beat.

If you manifest the above symptoms and a family history of heart disease, consult a trusted Cardiologist and the following tests will help diagnose if you have Diastolic Dysfunction.

  • Chest X-ray

  • Echocardiogram (ECG)

  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

 

God bless your heart,

mitch.e

 

Medical references and for Further reading:

https://www.summitmedicalgroup.com/library/adult_health/car_diastolic_dysfunction/

https://academic.oup.com/cardiovascres/article/45/4/813/299300

https://www.news-medical.net/health/Diastolic-Dysfunction-Causes.aspx

https://www.healio.com/cardiology/learn-the-heart/cardiology-review/topic-reviews/diastolic-dysfunction

 

 

My wedding without daddy

Posted in family, love, motivational by

Still in cloud-9 days after my church wedding. Another dream came true all to God’s glory… It was a sunny Saturday afternoon, sky was clear, weather was fair. Even the notorious Manila traffic seemed to be cooperating and so we arrived in Basilica Menór de San Sebastián 40 minutes early. Long enough to finish praying the rosary, simultaneously I talked to the chauffeur and coordinator assistants. I convinced myself not to cry, “yep this is nothing” anyway Dadi is smiling down from heaven and I’m sure he is very happy for me. Finally this day came, after twelve years of anticipation…

I wrapped the rosary around my wrist like armor to strengthen me. 

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I thought I was equipped not to cry,

I thought wrong.

The antique steel door slowly unclosed. I was instructed to count 5 seconds before making the first step. The door flung open, and there my poor heart started beating rapidly. So fast that it felt like my heart leaped off my chest. My hands were shaking. The coordinators kept on reminding to walk slowly, I heard them faintly for my heart was much stronger ~ it desired the man standing in the altar waiting for me. 

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“love knows no limit to its endurance, no end to its trust.

Love still stands when all else has fallen”

1 Corinthians 13:7-8

I looked way pass him, still trying to stop the welling of my eyes. Yet, it made me more emotional. To see the image of the blessed Mother Mary (Our Lady of Mt. Carmel) was the best reminder of this dream that was about to unfold. All attempts failed and I wept, using up the tissue prepared in my hidden pocket. At that moment, everything else was blurry in my sight, I didn’t mind looking terrible and drenched in tears.

Happy tears. 

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Then, I looked at the right of the altar and saw a familiar cross with the sacred image of Jesus. A similar crucifix as that of Lourdes, France. The church is such a perfect setting, everything seemed so surprisingly wonderful and surreal. 

Little trivia: The church is the only all-steel church in the Philippines, made by a French engineer – Gustave Eiffel who also made the famous landmark Eiffel Tower in Paris. 

And it hurts because a year ago my father died suddenly and unexpectedly, missing him in the most significant day in my life… I would have wanted him to be there even in wheelchair. But, the turn of events were tough, became even more difficult when my father-in law was again hospitalized and placed in ICU and my mom-in law needing to stay with him. And so both my in-laws and my Dadi were missing, it was painfully sweet and special.

Fatherless wedding. 

The wedding was almost perfect, maybe perfect, because everything was God’s gift to me and Erik. 

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I opted for a simple one and specifically asked the photo/videographer to capture raw, candid, real emotions. I skipped many traditional scenes and the reason for this is that my life has too much melancholy and sadness already. No need to be fancy and dramatic. Masking the blues with laughters, giggles and smiles. At the back of my mind, I’d wished for Dadi to be there, handsome in his Barong Tagalog. Maybe, a chance for us to bond and to be a little vocal of how we actually feel. I missed the opportunity to tell him I love him, a goodbye never said, a guilt that affects me and regret that changed my life then on. 

This post is to honor the memory of my dad, for my late brother as well. Taking opportunity to remember with love those who are no longer with us, they are in our hearts forever.

Happily ever after continues on next post…

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Thank you to these awesome people/team ♥️
P/V: Thee Creation Media http://www.theecreationsmedia.com
Wedding Coordinator: Events by Miss P https://www.facebook.com/eventsbymissp/
Preps: Holiday Inn, Makati
Ceremony: Basilica Menor de San Sebastián
Reception: Casa Roces Malacañan
BridalCar: Don Robert
Florist/Stylist: Amelia Blossoms
Gown: Jun Escario http://www.junescario.com
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My Endometriosis Story: Post Op

Posted in health, health & fitness, women’s health by

God decided to do certain things in a certain way,

and why He did this is a secret known only to Him.

– Paulo Coelho

Pre – operation, I would have diarrhea and extreme lower back pain every menstrual period. The reason for this was explained later on by the laparoscopy procedure done to me. They found out that my posterior uterus adhered to the intestines already. And you could imagine the monthly agony I went through, I felt like dying every time. Area/s affected by endometriosis will most likely manifest symptoms of pain & discomfort yet some cases I read are asymptomatic (oh lucky them!)

To simplify its definition – Our womb (uterus) is where a baby grows when pregnant. Endometriosis is a disease in which the kind of tissue that grows inside the uterus grows outside the uterus.

Our womb (uterus) is where a baby grows when pregnant.

Endometriosis is a disease in which the kind of tissue that grows inside the uterus grows outside the uterus.

The procedure provided a great relief but it was short-lived. For new findings of cysts, adenomyosis and enlargement of uterus were seen recently as bleeding becomes heavy again. I regret relying on the temporary relief of surgery. I thought that was it and oblivious of what could have been a chance for me to be healthy-er.

Many studies showed that unhealthy diet, chemicals and environmental pollution, lifestyle and mostly stress, compounded over time are the culprits behind our afflictions. Though there is no clear explanation for the cause of this illness, I believe that I’m guilty on the “work-related” stress, environmental factors and unhealthy eating which brought me to this present state of health.

it’s not too late…

There’s hope.

About a month ago, I become a member of Endometriosis Philippines Group, and it’s heartwarming to belong to a group that knows exactly what you’re going through, to have an advocacy and bring awareness to this disease.

Next post I will share the medicines, supplements, homeopathic medicines and vitamins I took or currently taking, which provided relief or just a waste of money. Of course, my body’s reaction can be entirely different from yours.

herbal supplements for Endometriosis

Still hoping to help other Endo-sufferers.

Thanks for your time.

mitch.e

 

Learn more:

My Endometriosis Story: Journey through Pain 

What is Endometriosis, signs and symptoms (UCLA-ObGyn)

Endometriosis- Symptoms and Causes by Mayo Clinic

16 Endometriosis Symptoms www.medicinenet.com

Our group – Endometriosis Philippines Discussion Group