aha!…what was that again?

Hi peeps,

Long time no blog for me…

Unfortunately the title above held true for me recently…

I got infected by a (@$!#%^&*) TROJAN !!!!! Actually it was a spyware aka adware.  I kinda knew right off the bat that something was wrong because after I clicked a winrar file I had downloaded from limewire, a dos prompt window appeared on screen and downloaded something in my system (without the InstallShield being activated).  It was a scary type of virus/trojan because it attached itself to the Windows program itself and Windows did not even detect its presence.

After surfing for a few more minutes, I noticed ads kept on popping up (even though I had a pop-up blocker).  That’s when I decided to "cure" my computer.  I tried looking for the program itself to delete it.  To make a long story short…I ended up deleting a lot of stuff; in which case the next time I opened the computer, the Windows won’t run anymore…and I had to re-format my hard drive and re-install my Windows and ended up erasing all my files…and I don’t have a back-up file of my pics and docs…haaaaaaay!!!!

oooooooooooooookaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!

enough…

just to let you know that I’m back on line taking baby steps and being careful opening up emails and downloading stuff…I got a new anti-spyware program too, and new anti-virus…thanks acer! You’re a God send…I’m currently looking into online web storage to back up my pics and docs (and my videos too–min of 200 mb per vid) anybody know of a good storage site, please let me know, need more permanent space (not those that will delete after 90 days if nobody downloads it, hmph).

I’ll see you around the blog! and Take care surfing!!!

A late Birthday greeting to all my friends and family members whose birthday falls on the month of March. Better late than never, right? If I failed to include you for this month, please remind me…

I wish I could be with you on your special day, but distance and circumstance leaves me to send my best wishes from afar.

The month of March signifies some beginnings and endings. For the kids, it’s the end of the school year in the Philippines and start of Summer vacation. For the graduates, it may be the end of long exams and start of long lines for the employment office. The first half of March is attributed to the sign of Pisces, which is the last sign of the Zodiac cycle; while the last half is attributed to Aries, the first sign of the Zodiac cycle.

Astrologers say that the position of the stars and planets determine your personality at the time of your birth. Read on—if you’re a Pisces or Aries—to see how on the mark your zodiac sign personifies you.

Pisces is the twelfth Sign of the Zodiac, and it is also the final Sign in the Zodiacal cycle. These people are selfless, spiritual and very focused on their inner journey. They also place great weight on what they are feeling. Emotions define Pisceans, and it’s not uncommon for them to feel their own burdens (and joys) as well as those of others. The intuition of the Pisces-born is highly-evolved.

Pisceans are represented by a pair of fish, a symbol that makes them seem to ‘go  with the flow’ and not ‘make waves’. Both of these labels are true, since Pisceans are fluid and easygoing, in keeping with the Mutable Quality assigned to this Sign. The fact that two fish (as opposed to one) represent this Sign also signifies the duality of Pisceans, their yin and yang sensibility. Their voyage between consciousness and an unconscious dream state says much about their intuitive, almost psychic natures.

Pisceans are compassionate, charitable and will quickly put the needs of others ahead of their own. It’s this kind of self-sacrifice that keeps Pisceans going. The flip side to their giving natures? The oft-timid Fish are likely to be taken advantage of by less well-meaning souls.

The Element associated with Pisces is Water. Those born under this Sign easily relate to the emotional and unpredictable nature of water. Pisceans feel a great deal, and they also can feel misunderstood much of the time. They’re not quite pushovers, but they’re certainly sensitive. They revel in their compassionate and imaginative natures, and love to cater to others. When it comes to relationships,

Pisceans can be very romantic, dreaming up delicious treats for their lover. Pisceans are generally gentle and relaxed people who are on the shy and reticent side. Relaxation for the Fish comes through sports - especially any activity that gets them in the water. Pisceans love to swim; an easy glide in a pool or the sea alleviates much of their stress.

The great strength of the Pisces-born is their compassionate and charitable nature. They love to help others, and do so in the most imaginative of ways. It is their compassion and empathy that win people over.

Aries is the first Sign of the Zodiac, and that is how those born under this Sign see themselves. Arians are the leaders of the pack, they are always first in line to get things going. The leadership displayed by Arians is most impressive. This is because they are extremely charismatic. Arians don’t shy away from new ground, either. Those born under this Sign are often called the pioneers of the Zodiac, and it’s their fearless trek into the unknown which often wins the day.

It is the Ram that symbolises Aries, and that’s both good and bad news. Impulsive  Arians (and there are more than a few) might be tempted to ram their ideas down someone else’s throat. This method can achieve important goals for everyone. The sheer force of Aries can accomplish a great deal. The

Element associated with Aries is Fire. This results in constant action, enthusiasm and a burning desire to play the game. Arians love physicality, so they will not sit on the sidelines for long, if at all. Making things happen is the most important thing for these people. Arians are also unafraid of stepping onto new terrain.

Arians play as hard as they work. These folks are happiest playing a spirited game of football or engaging in the martial arts. In the game of love, the Ram’s ardour is unquestioned, although Arians can also be playful and romantic with their mate.

The great strength of the Aries-born is in their initiative, courage and determination. They love to get things going, and are fearless along the way. Their dynamism and competitive spirit add considerably to any projects they undertake.

zodiac readings credits : http://allstarz.hollywood.com/horoscope/piscesprofile.htm and http://allstarz.hollywood.com/horoscope/ariesprofile.htm

I had a patient with tetanus who died today.

This patient was referred to me for co-management and I inserted a tracheostomy tube and NGT to ficilitate breathing and feeding because patient was unable to open her mouth for almost 5 days (lock jaw).

Patient eventually was hooked to a ventilating machine to assist her breathing, given ATS and tetanus toxoid, Pen G and Metro IV for the tetanus bacteria; given diazepam drip and muscle relaxant to relieve muscle spasms.

After 2 days on ventilator, relatives were appraised of the long term treatment which may last from 2 weeks to 1 month.  Financial obligations were also discussed.  The ventilator machine and oxygen supply would amount to 10,000 pesos a day.  This does not even include the hospital stay, IV meds, doctor’s fees and other payables of hospital supplies and laboratory work-ups. The relatives decided they cannot afford the use of the ventilator and asked the doctors to unhook her to the machine and be transfered to a lower rate room.  That night, the patient passed away.

I can’t say that I blame the relatives of their decision, although, I am disappointed because I have really high hopes for the patient’s recovery.  The patient is a widow in her early 50’s who recieves a small pension from her late husband.  One of the sons is a construction worker in Manila with his own family, after he learned that his mother was hospitalized, he immediately came to Calapan to see his mother and had to take off several days from work (no work, no pay).  another son does odd jobs, has his own family but lives in his mother’s house and sometimes depends on the mother’s pension.  I’m sure even if you pooled all their resources, it is very difficult to come up with 10,000 pesos a day, let alone for 2 weeks or a month.

A day prior to their mother’s death, I advised them to approach social service to help them meet some of the financial obligations.  Institutions like Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Organizations gives money for this purpose, but the process is long and tedious.

If anyone in my family, myself included, would necessitate this kind of medical treatment, would we make the same decisions this family made? We are not poor, but we are not rich also. But, I think even my family will have a hard time coming up with 10,000 pesos a day. 

I have some patients, especially the old ones, some with cancer, some with TB complications, who would ask me to discharge them from the hospital because of financial difficulties.  They would like to go home, surrounded by their families, surrounded by things that are familiar to them, and wait to die. I respect their decision.

Around 2002, internet cafes were sprouting around Metro Manila, I would usually go for internet access, but majority of kids go there to play games.  I got interested in the dark fantasy game Diablo II: Lord of Destruction after I watched some kids playing it.  It was kinda fun killing all the monsters, zombies, skeletons and other forces of evil, but the most exciting part is after you kill them, you get money or an artifiact in return.  The aftifact can be a weapon, armour, cap or helmet, boots, belt and even some other weird stuff.

Another thing about diablo 2, you can choose from 7 expansion characters to use as a hero. Being a girl, I usually choose the sorceress or amazon.  The sorceress is cool to use as a heroine because she has lots of spells and magic powers. Imagine bolts of ice or fire coming from her hands. While the amazon is very agile and fast in combat and uses weapons very well. 

Sometimes I would play for hours until early in the morning, especially after I got my own computer.  But of course, I stopped for a while because I had to go into residency training. 

While training as an ENT resident, I had to stay at the hospital for 24 hours on call, but there isn’t much to do. ENT is a specialty with few emergencies, and our hospital has an Emergency Department that sees the patients first.  Sometimes, I would even sit around the ER area just to see if any ENT cases would come in. 

Since I had time on my hands, I started playing diablo again in the hospital (our department has its own computer).  Later, the ER resident was refering a patient to me so I went down to take a look, while waiting for x-ray results, I started playing in the ER computer, the other ER residents saw it and started playing, too.  We would even compare what items or artifacts we have discovered. 

Afterwards, I had to stop playing because I had to study for the ENT boards and start my own practice.

Here in Calapan City, life is more laid back and since my clinic hours is only until 3 pm, I still have plenty of time to spare after I make my rounds. So I started playing again.

This time, I am using the Druid as my character (even though he is a guy).  He has lots of cool powers and is even able to shape shift into a werewolf or a werebear. The werebear is a more powerful character, but it moves too slow.  The werewolf on the other hand has a weaker attack but moves faster.  The druid is also able to call other animals to fight for him like the crow, wolf and bear.  Creeping vines also lend assistance to poison enemies or even to bestow added life.

Sometimes I also have an assassin who fights by my side.  The best thing about diablo, even though I’ve played the game before, is that there is always something new to discover.  This time around, I even got magical boots that I’ve never seen before that enables the character to run faster and adds life and mana bonuses. How cool is that!

Aah! playing diablo makes me a kid at heart, but its serious gaming mind you…there is so much happening on the game that you have to be constantly aware and concentrate on what to do next. 

Even years down the road, I see myself revisiting this game again.  I wonder if there will be a Diablo 3…

I got a chance to watch Lani Misalucha in concert last Saturday at the Araneta. My mom and Tito Di was supposed to treat their balikbayan friend, but she was not feeling well, and since they have an extra ticket, they asked me to come home early.  I came straight from Calapan to the house and left right away to get to the Araneta.  It was a 5 hour trip and instead of resting, go gimik agad. hahahaha. It was worth it, though.

Actually, I think this is the third time I’ve watched her in concert.  She has a really powerful voice on stage, which is surprising for me because before she started appearing on TV, I was listening to her songs on the radio on crossover 105.1, and her voice was really mellow, smooth and very soothing…but in concert she would usually show her "birit" talent.

Her guest singers for the night were "heavyweight" singers Frenchie Dy, Philippine Idol Maureen Marcelo (napudpod yung keypad ng cell ko kaka-vote sa kanya) and Pure Energy Gary V. 

She usually includes songs like Loving You, Very Special Love (new album carrier single), Love Me Again, Come In From The Rain, Never Knew Love Like This Before and other jazz favorites. I really like the number of Lani M and Gary V. where they mixed Hataw Na and Boogie Wonderland (kudos to musical director Louie Ocampo) great dance-on-your-feet number. 

In her previous concerts, she would mimic and make fun of famous diva singers, this time she imitated Tina Turner, Diana Ross, Celine Dion and Witney Houston, this one was a really funny segment because she would immitate the singer’s mannerisms while performing in an exagerrated manner.

Lest not to forget Lani’s operatic tendencies (have you heard Laklak sung mala-opera?) This time she sung Memory (theme song from Cats) mala-opera afterwhich she received a standing ovation and sung other Barbara Streisand faves.

For my relatives in the States, if you have a chance to catch Lani Misalucha in concert, please don’t pass it up,  I think she has a regular gig in Las Vegas, but not sure which hotel.  This pinoy talent is world class.

Belated Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all!!!

And a special birthday greeting to my cousin in Texas, whose birthday falls on St. Patrick’s Day and is of course named Patrick, but among family he is called Kuya Bobot. Happy Birthday Kuya Bobot!

During the Spanish period and until a few years back, the Catholic friars would not baptise a Filipino child unless he carries a name of a saint or a name from the Bible; but Filipinos who were considered indios during those times only knows few names considered acceptable like Maria, Jose, or Pedro; so the friars would use the catholic calendar as a guide.  If you were born on March 17, which is St. Patrick’s Day, then your child when baptised will be named Patrick (if it’s a girl then Patricia).  since I was born on December 13, when spanish-speaking countries would celebrate Sta. Lucia’s Feast Day, I was named Lucia during baptism, as suggested by my grandmother (thanks Mamay Femiang) in addition to my name Amycel, which I’m sure the priest thought does NOT sound saint-like (hahahahaha).  It wasn’t until I was in second grade that I learned my fullname. a boy who may have the same birthday as me may be named Lucio.  I feel kinda off with this name, sounds sinister, or sounds like the contra-bida in old Sampaguita pictures "ang mapang-api na si Don Lucio" hahahahaha.

Going back to the feast day of St. Patrick, it is not as elaborate a celebration here in the Philippines.  St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland, so they celebrate it there BIG time.  In the US, the states of New York and Chicago also celebrates St. Patrick’s Day.  I believe, sometime before the turn of the century, during the Great Potato Famine in Ireland, a lot of Irish immigrants went to New York and Chicago and setttled there, so until present time, they still carry the tradition of celebrating St. Patrick’s Day

here is some information on St. Patrick and its celebration from the encyclopedia Britannica:

feast day (March 17) of St. Patrick, patron saint of Ireland. Born in Roman Britain in the late 4th century, he was kidnapped at the age of 16 and taken to Ireland as a slave. He escaped but returned about 432 to convert the Irish to Christianity. By the time of his death on March 17, 461, he had established monasteries, churches, and schools. Many legends grew up around him—for example, that he drove the snakes out of Ireland and used the shamrock to explain the Trinity. Ireland came to celebrate his day with religious services and feasts.

It was emigrants, particularly to the United States, who transformed St. Patrick’s Day into a largely secular holiday of revelry and celebration of things Irish. Cities with large numbers of Irish immigrants, who often wielded political power, staged the most extensive celebrations, which included elaborate parades. Boston held its first St. Patrick’s Day parade in 1737, followed by New York City in 1762. Since 1962 Chicago has coloured its river green on March 17th. Irish and non-Irish alike commonly participate in the “wearing of the green”—sporting an item of green clothing or a shamrock, the Irish national plant, in the lapel. Corned beef and cabbage are associated with the holiday, and even beer is sometimes dyed green to celebrate the day. Although some of these practices eventually were adopted by the Irish themselves, they did so largely for the benefit of tourists.

I was lost to freindster for more than a year. Sorry bout that.  I forgot my password and could not log in until I lost interest.  But now I have reactivated it and refound my friends.  I hope to maintain ties with you all whereever we may be on earth.

I’m in a hurry to finish reading Angels and Demons by Dan Brown.  I’m alternating between the ebook in my pocket pc and reading from my printed copy that I have bought last year but have not had a chance to read.  After Angels and Demons,  I have to finish Da Vinci’s Code before Friday.  Why this Friday, you ask?  Because I want to finish the two books before the National Geographic channel will be showing a 2-hour show on Unlocking the Da Vinci’s Code and I have to read the book to understand what the show is talking about.  I found out that Angels and Demons is the prequel to Da Vinci’s Code that’s why I’m trying to finish that one first.  I’ll let you know when I finished and how the show went.  Right now I’m about a fourth way to the Angels and Demons, its fast-paced and not boring at all but I’m more into romance than mystery/suspence type of reader.  I’ll see you next week…or maybe sooner…