Joey M.D.

While most of us would want to have perfect 20/20 vision, sadly, not all of us are blessed with such.  Thankfully, one of the most common causes of less than perfect vision is error of refraction, which is easily correctable by the right spectacles or contact lenses.  Or, if budget permits and you’re so inclined, there are also ways to correct vision surgically, that is, with laser surgery or lens implants.

Short of surgery, many people prefer contact lenses over glasses for various reasons, especially with higher refractions. Here are a few of the reasons:

• Better peripheral vision
• Less image distortion
• Doesn’t fog up with temperature changes
• Much lighter than glasses
• Difficult to use in sports
• Readily available over-the-counter at most optical shops (unless you have an unusual grade)
• For higher refractions, contact lenses are usually cheaper
• Aesthetically more pleasing

However, contact lenses also have their disadvantages.  These are the following:

• Requires special care — you need to clean them regularly
• May predispose one to corneal infections and other problems especially if not cleaned regularly
• Some people develop allergies to contact lens solutions
• Easily torn, especially soft and extended wear lenses
• Dry eyes are a common occurrence
• Need reading glasses for the presbyopic age group (age 40 and above)

One way to prevent some of the disadvantages of contact lens wear like allergies and infection and tearing of the lenses is to use disposable lenses.  These disposable contact lenses are use-once-then throw away.  They may seem more expensive, but when you factor in the fact that you no longer have to buy cleaning and deproteinizing solutions and have less need to change them when they become brittle and tear, well, that doesn’t seem like such a bad deal.  These may also be used for people who do not want to wear contact lenses all the time but want to use them for special occassions like their wedding day.

For people who are on spectacles but want to try out contact lenses, the of use disposable contact lenses is an option, so that they may try to see if contact lenses are right for their lifestyle in the long run.  This is especially if they are hesitant to buy the regular daily wear or extended wear lenses at the moment.

I’ve just given birth to a baby girl last week!  Childbirth has to be the fastest weight loss process.  Imagine, losing 15 pounds after a few hours!  And getting an adorable child in the process.

But I still have a long way to go, although not really by much.  I’m 9 pounds over my prepregnancy weight, which is not bad, considering I’m only 1 week postpartum and I haven’t done any diet or exercise yet.  I’m also breastfeeding, which means that I’ll be losing some more weight through that.  I also breastfed my firstborn, and was back to my prepregnacy weight when he was 3 months old, so I can attest to that.  After all, the body stores extra fat supplies during pregnancy for milk production so it stands to reason that breastfeeding will use up these stores and make you lose weight faster.

I never did get to my prepregnancy figure however.  My tummy remained a bit protruberant, like I was a few months pregnant, even 3 years after giving birth.  This time, I’m hoping to achieve a body that’s more sexy.  I’m aware though, that I need to put in extra effort for this, meaning I have to exercise to achieve the look that I want.

…for the past few days, I’ve had some difficulty logging in.  Blame it on the advancing age, pregnancy, whatever, I just plain FORGOT how to login to be able to write posts again.  Oh well…

Anyway, I hope I can be active again, at least after I get back from giving birth!  I’ll be admitted tomorrow and my Cesarean section will be on Thursday.  Will be in the hospital for a few days so you’ll probably see this blog updated again next week at the earliest.

When I get back, I’ll be proud mama to another baby.  This time it’s a girl!!!

Twitter is all the rage these days. Do you have a twitter profile? I do — you can follow me at http://twitter.com/ethanmama — if you’re interested in what I have to say, although I express myself more in my blogs like this one, The Working Mom, Tsinay and Practical Tips and More.

What is Twitter? Twitter is a service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing? Some call it microblogging. What’s interesting about twitter is that there are celebs and big time people there.

WhoCelebsTweet.com allows you to see what celebs are saying and who they’re saying it about.

I am Tsinay.  While I am of pure Chinese blood, having 2 immigrants as parents, I am born and raised in the Philippines.  As such, I am neither fully Chinese nor fully Filipino.  I am fluent in Filipino, English and 2 Chinese dialects (Fukien and Mandarin).

I am a doctor, and I love what I do.  I cannot think of any profession that would make me happier than being in my chosen field.

I am a wife.  Happily married at the relatively late age of 34 to my first and only boyfriend.  And I’m happy that even though romance came late for me, I married somebody I love with all my heart and someone who always makes me feel cherished and loved.

I am a mother.  Mom to one adorable, very active 3 year old son and a daughter who’s going to make her appearance in less than 3 months’ time.  I love being a mom.  Even if it’s probably the most difficult job I’ve ever had, I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything.

I am a daughter.  Probably not the best daughter in the world but I do try my best.  I love my parents dearly even though I did have arguments with them at one time or another.  I’ll probably still have some differences of opinion with my mom even if we both get older, but I know that she loves me and looks out for my welfare.  I love her too :).

I am a sister.  I have 2 brothers who played Voltes V, bahay-bahayan, card games, etc. with, who argue with me over what to watch on TV (I always lose because I’m always the minority, being the only girl).  With all their quirks (and mine too), we love each other as only siblings do.

I am a student.  Not only because I am trying to finish my Masters in Hospital Administration, but because I’m perpetually a student of LIFE.  There’s always something that life teaches me.  And although the lessons may sometimes be harsh, they shape me into what I am today.

So what am I?  Unfortunately, even I can’t really fully define who I am, because I am continuously evolving and changing.  What I am now is the result of everyone and everything that I have met and experienced, and who I will be is the result of people, things and events that will happen to me.

In all my years of being in the health care industry and seeing so many people come in for emergencies, I realize that it’s bound to happen.  A patient could come in with some emergency, incoherent or not able to communicate, and the people who brought him in are not aware of any of his medical conditions.  Does he have hypertension? Diabetes? Epilepsy?  Drug allergies?  Is he taking any medications?  These are important questions that would help the doctors in the emergency room tailor their management for this particular patient.

This is where medical ID bracelets would have come in handy.  You can have all your current medical problems and medications with you all the time.  Here is some info on medical IDs.

The great thing about medical ID bracelets is that they look great too!  They are worn as jewelry, so you won’t really feel self-conscious about wearing them all the time.  They don’t shout “sick person” but they do provide vital medical information when the need arises.  I found some great looking ones at the keepsafejewelry website.  They also have watches with alarms to remind you of the time you need to take your meds a medical database too.  Prices are quite reasonable for something that could make the difference between life and death.

In the age of computers, more and more patients are turning to the internet for medical information.  This includes information on who to look for medical attention.  After all, not all health concerns can be addressed by self medication and internet consults.

A site like Dr Foster Health is certainly very helpful.  It includes Hospital Guides where you can look for the best hospital that will suit your needs — including their proximity to your location and whether they are qualified to perform the procedure that you are about to undergo.  We should have one here in the Philippines!

Another great feature is the Medical Dictionary.  This explains the diseases, the procedures (diagnostic or surgical), terminologies (so you’d understand what your doctor is saying), and even the people involved in your health care.

They also have a complementary therapist guide for such alternative treatment modalities like acupuncture, homeopathy, chipractic med, herbals, for people who would rather go to these modes of treatment rather than the conventional medical therapy.

Overall, I think it’s worth checking out.  Even if you’re not currently based in the United Kingdom, the site contains a lot of information that looks more reliable than some other sites, presented in an easy to understand manner.

Congratulations!  You’ve finished your medical education and are well on your way to being the doctor you dreamed of.  You’re now looking at the world through rose colored glasses, where everything looks bright, shiny and new.  Enjoy this feeling!  It’s your achievement and you deserve it!

Do understand, however, that the world doesn’t hand you everything on a silver platter just because you’ve finished medical education and earned the letters M.D. after your name.  You’re still going on to internship (if your graduation comes just after clerkship), you’ll still have to pass the board exams in order to earn the right to practice, you’re still going to be heavily dependent on your parents.

My advise to fresh graduates would be the following: Continue Reading »