Skip to main content

Posts

#FirstMoments with My Miracle Baby - JSM

My son is already a healthy and handsome 15 year old and in his senior year in high school. Looking at him, you would not think that I had any problem giving birth to him. Or what I had experienced before I had him. So, when I received an email from Mom Bloggers for Social Good and invited to share my birth story with Save the Children , as they present the 14th annual State of the World's Mothers Report , just in time for Mother's Day, I knew I just had to tell my own birth story.  My son was actually my second pregnancy. The year before I got pregnant with him, I suffered a miscarriage at the first trimester. It was painful and a little discouraging, especially when it was discovered that I had an ovarian cyst, which might have also triggered my miscarriage. They said my left ovary was going to be removed and I was prepared for that...I knew I could still get pregnant with just one ovary. During the operation, my OB-Gyne discovered that the right ovary also had ovar
Recent posts

Advocacy: Global Newborn Health #newborn2013

It has been 15 years since I gave birth to my baby boy - Jean-Sijent. Friends and readers know how often I talk about him on and about the advises (aka warnings) I love to discuss here.  Everything happens for a reason they say but back in 1996 when I had a miscarriage with my first baby, I did not believe that at first. It was only after my doctor discovered an ovarian cyst and realized I needed a surgery did I believe. After less than a year, I got pregnant again despite the fact that my ob-gynecologist said I was not that fertile enough. Because of my situation, I was really very careful and I was taken care of really well by Dr. Anne Goingo. I was lucky that she gave me all the time and attention because there were complications on my part. And most importantly, my son was born healthy and without complications. Not all newborns are fortunate to be born that way. Unfortunately for my brother, he and my sister-in-law had some problems with their 2nd baby. On the 3rd day, my n

Boston Marathon 2013 - #PrayForBoston

I did not have the time to watch the news this morning as I was running late...but then I heard the words: explosion, Boston Marathon, injured, dead...the numbers were not very clear. As soon as I got into my PC, I checked twitter...where I knew I could easily get the updates. Reading about the explosion was bad enough, but it was more when you get to hear more about those that were personally affected, like the girl who is said to have been killed while running for her cause or the guy who was planning to propose to her girl after her run...he was waiting for her at the finish line. I really feel for this guy, don't ever take for granted anything you have cause nothing last forever #prayforboston twitter.com/Nhannon1104/st… — Nick Hannon (@Nhannon1104) April 15, 2013 It gutted me to read about these things...but still it makes you feel good at the reaction of the people...how they stood strong and helped in the only way they could. Sometimes the news is so devastating t

Kate Winslet's What If

What If Here I stand alone With this weight upon my heart And it will not go away In my head I keep on looking back Right back to the start Wondering what it was that made you change Well I tried But I had to draw the line And still this question keeps on spinning in my mind What if I had never let you go Would you be the man I used to know If I'd stayed If you'd tried If we could only turn back time But I guess we'll never know Many roads to take Some to joy Some to heart-ache Anyone can lose their way And if I said that we could turn it back Right back to the start Would you take the chance and make the change Do you think how it would have been sometimes Do you pray that I'd never left your side What if I had never let you go Would you be the man I used to know If I'd stayed If you'd tried If we could only turn back time But I guess we'll never know If only we could turn the

Real Men Treat Women With Respect

This video caught my eye on tumblr recently. My fellow Madridistas are young and I often see what's important to them. It's nice that I get to see that men are not all a@$%holes....gotta show this to my son although, I can proudly say that I know he is one teen who treats women with respect, like he does me and all his aunts and my colleagues.

UP Education: Where is it going?

Last Friday I read  the news about the young woman who committed suicide because she was being asked to pay off her loan and she couldn't take it anymore. As one of the those students who experienced the first time the UP system used the Socialized Tuition and Financial Assistance Program  or STFAP, as it is more popularly known, I was also one of the first of thousands of students who opposed it. Supposedly, the STFAP calculates school fees based on students' family income, in a bid to minimize state support for those capable of paying full tuition and divert funds to the financially needy. It is supposed to adjust the tuition fee's based on the capacity of the student to pay. Unfortunately, getting the correct bracket is a long, complicated and tedious process, with so many supporting documents required. And sometimes it can happen that you are put in the wrong bracket.  It makes you ask, as I used to ask, why should I be the one to worry about these things when

Things A Son Should Know Before He Turns 18 and Leaves Your Side

Family and friends know how much I love making lists. From list of things to do to list of things to live by and lists of what to buy today or in the near future. I write articles with all kinds of lists that have included the list of the most beautiful liberal art colleges to smart and beautiful politicians and even the most worthy WAGS. So when I read an article with a list of what one mom believed she must give/teach her son, I loved it. Though I do not remember if it was a blog post or an article but it certainly stayed in my mind and I vowed that one day I would make one for my son. As my son grows older there is a certain satisfaction in me because we have come this far but there is also a degree of fear that my kind of rearing may have done a damage or two. Looking at my son and how he interacts with society, I think I can give myself a pat because he turned out right. Still, I can’t help but worry that in the future he might make a mistake. Am not saying he is not entit