Endocrine Importance

Under threat?

There's a good post about EDC's (Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals) that highlight environmental threats. We don't know really if these chemicals are harmful, but the evidence is mounting.

Deformities, threats to immune system as well as hormone disturbances would be the ones worth keeping an eye on and so far investigations on frog deformities may shed more light on agricultural chemicals interacting with water supplies.

Keeping the endocrine system functioning at optimal level is more important than one might care. Trust us, living with Zaki and CAH made us realize that.

On another note, read about the relationship between the stress hormone, cortisol, hunches and how they may prove better than the brain in identifying threats.

Bit Hurried For A Long Movie

I'm not sure you're going to remember this after some time but with me and mum, you watched your first Harry Potter on the big screen a few days ago after almost a week of "Are you going with us or staying at home" discussions.

And so finally, we all went to watch Harry and the Half-Blood Prince amidst the backdrop of a dark, stormy weather, finding comfort inside the Mall of Asia not unlike our house, with buckets on the floor for a leaky roof and a bucket of popcorn in toe.

To say that it was horrible would be too much but it was too much calm before the storm of the next movie. It felt as if almost 3 hours were spent to drum up anticipation of the next film and most which are conversations and explanations for which a child, such as Zaki, isn't expected to appreciate.

Fortunately, she's as big as Potter fans as my wife and I are, so all things are easily forgiven.

It also felt good that we didn't pay to watch in IMAX.

We're now on our 5th Harry Potter movie hopefully for the 4th day in a row. And, yes, we adore Alfonso Cuaron's Azkaban.

Hey, Doofus!

First, pardon the language. Zaki's been picking up a lot of stuff especially on TV and owing to her genes, she's bound to be extra receptive to irreverent stuff. Much as I want to apologize, this dad can't help it. Innate punk.

But it doesn't mean I'm up to no good at all.

Failings and all, this is for you, Zaki.

I Believe in You from Jon Gordon on Vimeo.

Pill-popper

Zaki started oral steroids since day 4 but it was only last night that she was able to take it without us having to dissolve it before giving it to her.

How'd we do it? Wrap it in chocolate.

Now, she is a certified pill-popper. Pics to come.

Nothing Worse than a Health Scare

Health maintenance and prevention are like cost-savings from company efficiencies that turn incoming cash flow into profits.

A week ago, Zaki started having slight fever but nothing Paracetamol didn't cool down. She also had been suffering from a minor case of colds even before that and based on past experiences, we simply brushed it aside as one of those normal 'sick' days she's having. Besides, she's still as strong as an ox, mind you.

With no other unusual signs associated with H-fever or any infection (even aH1N1), Zaki enjoyed a fever-free day last Saturday and was her usual whirling dervish self - dancing and singing to the songs we were playing at full volume, a regular weekend activity. It seems that everything's good. Boy, if only we knew what was coming!

By Sunday morning, I was holding Zaki in my arms, feverish and with uncontrollable chills, having vomited about 4 times already. Giving oral medicines was out of the question so I just had to make do with giving her a sponge bath to cool her down, something difficult to comprehend when holding someone who's like freezing to death. Fortunately, it worked.

All the while, wifey had been preparing things we need for confinement only to find out at the
hospital that there were no rooms available so we were forced to spend a whole morning inside the ER with other parent with their sick kids. With all the health threats inside the ER, staying in there is like attracting more problems so as soon as Zaki's condition stabilized, we signed a waiver that we're leaving. Lab results were inconclusive that Zaki wasn't even prescribed antibiotics but which I decided to give by myself anyway.

At home, it's obvious that Zaki was feeling a bit weak but still pretty normal if compared to other kids. She still has that good appetite for anything she can think of which we promptly give her. But by this time, we knew we had to be on guard for any warning signs.

That night, her temperature began to shoot up again that by midnight we were again busy preparing our things to go to any hospital the second time, albeit to a different one and hoping to find an available decent room. We were fortunate to find one in a general hospital not so far from our place. After the lab tests came in, there wasn't any doubt about an infection.

Despite the lack of any clinical signs of pulmonary congestion, except for colds and even confirmatory lab tests the previous morning, it turns out that Zaki was in serious condition.

The diagnosis: Pneumonia.

We spent 2 days at the hospital at the only room we can get, a shared one where there's no TV, which Zaki, as a regular hospital vacationer, noticed immediately. (Wifey and I were not complaining though, even if shared, it's quite big and adequately separated. No TV means less noise and besides, she's a remote-hog!)

We're now in the last few doses of antibiotics which we continued at home. We've tried not to fall too much behind with office work but coming from that kind of experience just puts a toll on you both physically and mentally. As much as I'd hate to admit, I'm throwing creativity for a while and just try to survive for the next few days. There's no time out from being a parent especially to one who has to take some medicines daily for her entire lifetime and exacerbating that condition with other health threats can just leave you feeling spent.

But then, I'm not one to mope and as a popular Pinoy saying goes, 'I've been worried most of my life that I can't worry further anymore.'

Special thanks to the hospital staff for the exemplary care given us round-the-clock (that robs you of continuous sleep :) and to family, friends and Twitter acquaintances who have kept Zaki in their prayers and also to a few who went out of their way to surprise us with a visit. We feel blessed. Amen.