Yay! First 5000 visits!

Yay! My site reached 5000 visits! It’s another milestone in my blogging stint. I promised myself that I will celebrate every time I reach 1000 visits. Actualy, its already 5,223.  So here I am again after 30 blog entries in almost four months! I thought I can never do this.  I know I am shallow but hey, this is mine, ok? hehehe

A few days ago, I read a blog post which states:

It would be such a big waste of time if you make a blog and nobody reads it.

She is definitely right. I should have done other more productive or profitable endeavors than writing a blog. I don’t even get money out of this. But I take pleasure in blogging simply because I write what is from my heart and I know that there are people out there who read my blog, no matter how few they are.

Aside from that, I continue to practice my English. I have been with the Deaf and boy, their English is still much to be considered! Most of the time I get too much frustrated reading their text messages and even writing a simple excuse letter in my class. Deaf people (at least in my country) often write the way they sign. Everybody who is familiar with Deaf community knows that sign language has its own distinct word order and syntax. The problem with the Deaf is that they write what they sign. I’ll tackle about this peculiar “culture” they have on my future blog entry.

The Deaf’s life is so colorful, their culture is so rich. I still have many tales to tell, stories to say and dramas to discover about them. So, thank you very much my dear readers. Thank you also for those who made wonderful comments. I hope I may continue to be inspired in doing this.

Deaf-mute girl raped in front of deaf classmate

This one is disgustingly horrible! It just happened a couple of days ago. The news article was written in our vernacular. I’ll try my best to translate it accurately in English for our international readers.

STA. CRUZ, Laguna Province - A drug addict ruthlessly raped a deaf-mute student in front of his male classmate, after they were both abducted two days ago, in Barangay Gatid of this town.

As of yesterday, the victim named “Sarah”, a student of Baptist Heritage Bible College School for Deaf and Mute  are still covered with fear while giving her statement to PO1 Andrea Abion of Womens’ Concerned Desk. The suspect, Leo Salvador, 26 years old, single, was arrested by C/Insp Frederisk Mead, Cheaf of Police in Sta. Cruz.

According to Mead,at around 9:30 in the evening, the “Sarah” was walking together with her classmate Jerry Falcon, 21 after attending a church service when they were allegedly stopped by the suspect which was under the influence of drugs near Sunstar Mall.

They were forced by the suspect into a dark and grassy place. Because the two cannot speak, they were not able to shout to ask for help or escape. When they arrived at the crime scene, the suspect started to forcively undress the deaf while touching her private parts. While he is doing his hideous acts, he coerced Jerry to kneel beside him and watch while he is doing his merciless deed. Despite his refusal, he cannot do anything because of fear.

Relatives of the victim noticed that she was not yet home for more than an hour after the church service so they decided to look for her. After a few minutes the suspect was caught in the hands of the police who responded from Sta. Cruz Intelligence Operatives led by P/Insp. Percival Gabinete.

Even if she was still in the state of trauma, “Sarah” still insisted on the policemen that Falcon has no hand on the crime and she positively pointed on the suspect who did it.

Visit the Tagalog version entitled “Pipi’t bingi ni-rape sa harap ng kaklase” - People’s Journal Online Edition reported by Mr. Gil Aman.

Are Deaf people in need of healing?

Fr. Fernando Suarez - Photo courtesy of fatherfernando.com

While I was having a quick scan on my favorite online newspaper, the Philippine Daily Inquirer, I chanced upon this news item entitled “Stage set for RP as global healing center”.

Our country, being a former Spanish colony, is a devout Catholic. Spiritual healers and so called “quack doctors” are a dime-a-dozen here. Then there are healing priests. Fr. Fernando Suarez, is one of those. He became popular in the country because he was able to heal the blind, deaf, mute and lame. There are series of “miraculous signs” that happened while he is around and for sure thousands of people believed in him. Whenever he preaches, throngs of devotees flock to the church where he is.

In his homilies, Suarez always cites the lack of prayer, the no-longer-having-time-for-the-Lord attitude, as the essential ingredients behind His disappointment (manifested in rampant terminal ailments such as cancer) and His joy when people return to His fold (manifested in rampant healing). He uses Suarez’s touch as an instrument for these messages, which are as old as those in Genesis and Exodus.

Fr. Fernando Suarez CC, was born in the Province of Batangas in 1967. After spending much of his life living and working in the Philippines, with a Chemical Engineering degree, he came to Winnipeg, Canada in 1995. In Canada, he continued to pursue his desire to follow the Lord as a Roman Catholic Priest, something he strongly felt God was calling him to become. In 1997 he joined the Companions of the Cross religious community of priests and seminarians, founded by Rev. Robert Bedard in 1985 in Ottawa, Canada, and Fr. Fernando was ordained to the priesthood in 2002.

I have not seen him personally nor have I seen him heal the deaf and blind. I also haven’t met any deaf or blind who can prove that they were healed through his ministry. But there was this recurring TV commercial late in the evening where he was able to partially heal a blind boy. His parents were interviewed and testified about the miracle through Fr. Suarez’s touch. Well, the Bible states that Jesus was able to make the blind see and the deaf hear. I believe that because I’m a born-again Christian. But going back to my question, are deaf people really in need of healing?

To know more about Fr. Suarez and seek Divine healing, visit his official website at: http://www.fatherfernando.com

Parents of deaf children must be presented with all options

In my post Early Detection of Hearing Loss or Deafness, I received a very interesting response from Robert Mason, a deaf blogger. He said,

I personally have no problem with the simple diagnostic screening of human newborns and infants and youngsters to detect their hearing level whether they are deaf or not. I object to the language written into the Re-Authorization of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention like heavily emphasizing on “medical intervention” and “appropriate programs” which will push parents of deaf babies and youngsters to the biased information without any additional options for acquiring the sign language and educational means.

I totally agree with him on this although I don’t have any idea about the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention program they had in the US. I know there is an equivalent order like that in our country but I’m not familiar with it. I believe parents must be presented with every possible options and not just focusing on medical intervention and cure.

I remember a few years back, I met this Canadian audiologist friend and a brother in Christ. His name is Douglas Clutton. I really admire him a lot because aside from being a professional audiologist, he is a very faithful Christian, a proud father and of course a great sign language interpreter. He is a member of Fishermen for Christ Crusade. After he helped establish the school for the deaf in Ligao, Albay, he went to Bulacan to again take care of another deaf congregation before settling for a year or so interpreting at Greenhills Christian Fellowship where I met him. He also worked in a multinational hearing aid company here for a few months before the whole family was recalled and went back to Canada for good. Based on his experiences, I believe he has experienced both sides (cultural and medical perspective) and thus can be unbiased in his diagnosis. I hope he reads this blog because I want to re-establish our connection.

He told me that many parents always ask him about “options” for their deaf child. As an employee of a hearing aid company, it is expected of him to be biased and push for the product. But his Christian values always guide him. He often explains to the parents of his patients that hearing aid is not a be-all, end-all solution. If he diagnosed a child to be profoundly deaf, then hearing aid would be worthless. There are other options including learning sign language and finding a school for the deaf for their child. He would cite examples of Deaf people who are successful despite their inability to hear. Pushing a child to talk or to hear would exert undue pressure on him and false hopes on the family. Same is true with deafness in any level. Knowing other alternatives would be very beneficial in making the right choice for the parent and the deaf child.

This is in stark contrast with another audiologist I met in a famous hospital here. Ervin was scheduled to participate in the 6th International Abilympics Competition in India in 2003. One of the requirements is to have a medical document certifying that he is truly deaf. When we went to his clinic, we were surprised at the first thing the doctor asked of him.

Why did your parents not take care of you and allowed you to stay deaf and miserable for the rest of your life?

Now, that was very distasteful and hurtful. I interpreted the exact words to Ervin. Although we felt offended, we simply kept things to ourselves and our Filipino culture of respect to the elders had its way on us. But I still, countered him by responding,

Despite his disability, he is still successful in his own rights. He will be representing the country in an international contest which is a very hard feat. Wouldn’t that count?

However, he still insisted on blaming Ervin’s parents for his “demise”. tsk tsk tsk…

PS: Ervin won the bronze medal in the web design competition besting more than 30 countries around the world.

Humorous stories from Philippine General Hospital

Hello guys,

This is unrelated to deaf experiences. But I just have to share this with you especially to my Filipino readers out there.  This one is just forwarded to me and I really had a great laugh. To my American readers, I’m sure you won’t understand the Tagalog part but I’m pretty sure you will laugh on the English ones. Have a great Sunday!

ACTUAL SENTENCES FOUND IN PATIENT’S MEDICAL CHARTS at PHILIPPINE GENERAL HOSPITAL (PGH):

1. Patient has chest pain if she lies on her left side for over a year.

2. On the second day the knee was better, and on the third day it disappeared.

3. She has no rigors or shaking chills, but her husband states she was very hot in bed last night.

4. The patient is tearful and crying constantly. She also appears to be depressed.

5. The patient has been depressed since she began Seeing me in 1993.

6. Discharge status: Alive but without permission.

7. The patient refused autopsy.

8. The patient has no previous history of suicides.

9. She is numb from her toes down.

10. While in ER, she was examined, X-rated and sent home.

11. The skin was moist and dry.

12. Occasional, constant, infrequent headaches.

13. Patient was alert and unresponsive.

14. Rectal examination revealed a normal size thyroid.

15. She stated that she had been constipated for most of her life, until she got a divorce.

16. The lab test indicated abnormal lover function.

17. The patient was to have a bowel resection. However, he took a job as a stockbroker instead.

18. Skin: somewhat pale but present.

19. Patient has two teenage children, but no other abnormalities.

********
Sa PGH, may tinatawag na Central Block. Nandoon ang Radiology Department kung saan ginagawa ang mga X-rays, Ultrasound, CT Scan at Radiotherapy. Dito ko naobserbahan ang evolution ng mga pinoy medical
terms. May mga pasyente o bantay na aking nasasalubong, ang madalas magtanong ng direksyon. Mga Versions ng CT Scan:

1. “Dok saan po ba ang Siete Scan?”
2. “Doc saan po ba magpapa-CT Skull”
3. “Doc saan po ba CT Scalp”
4. “Doc saan po ang CT Scam?”

**********

Madalas akong mapagtanungan ng direction papunta sa Cobalt Room. “Doc saan po ba ang Cobal” Yes, laging walang T. Marami ang gumagamit sa term na Cobal. Saan napunta ang “T”. Marami din kasing nagtatanong,
“Doc, saan po ba ang papuntang X-Tray?”
Conclusion: Ang “T” ng Cobalt, ay napunta sa X-Tray.

*********

7:00 am. Nagbigay ang kasamahan kong doktor ng Instruction sa bantay ng pasyente, “Mister, punta po kayo sa Central Block at magpa-schedule kayo ng X-ray ng pasyente ninyo.” 3:00 pm. Kadarating lang ng bantay.
Nagalit na ang Doktor, “Mister, bakit namang napakatagal ninyong bumalik? Pina-schedule ko lang naman ang X-ray ah.” Sumagot ang bantay, “Eh kasi po Doc, ang tagal kong naghintay sa gate, hanggang
sabihin ng guwardiya na sarado daw po ang Central Bank kasi Sabado ngayon.” (Nasa Roxas Blvd ang Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, at sarado nga naman yon kapag Sabado)!

***********

Nang mag-rotate ako as intern sa Pediatrics ng PGH, mahal na mahal talaga ng mga nanay ang kanilang mga anak na may sakit. Pilit nilang tinatandaan ang mga gamot at tawag sa sakit ng kanilang anak.
Doktor: “Mrs. ano po ang mga gamot na iniinom ng anak niyo?”
Mrs 1 : “Doc phenobarbiedoll po.”
Doktor: “Ah baka po phenobarbital. ” (Gamot sa convulsion ang phenobarbital)

**********

Doktor: “Mrs. ano po ba ang antibiotic na iniinom ng anak ninyo?”
Mrs 2: “Doc metromanilazole po.”
Doktor: “Ah baka po metronidazole. ” (Gamot sa amoeba ang metronidazole)

*************

Ang tawag sa recovery room ng PGH ay PACU (Post-Anesthesia Care Unit)

Doktor: “Mrs., tapos na po ang operasyong ng anak ninyo, punta na Po kayo sa PACU.
Mrs 3: “Eh Doc, saan po sa Paco? Sa may simbahan po ba o sa may palengke?

***********

Doktor: “Mrs. ano po ba ang sinabi ng dating doktor kung ano daw ang sakit ng inyong anak?”
Mrs 4: “Eh Doc sabi po niya Tragedy of Fallot.
Doktor: “Ah baka po Tetralogy of Fallot (Isang Congenital Heart Disease ang Tetralogy of Fallot)

************

Biglang nagtatarang ang isang nanay at sumigaw.
Mrs: “Scissors! Scissors! Nag-sciscissors ang anak ko, Doc!”
Doktor: “Nurse, diazepam please, nag-seizure ang pasyente!”

*************

Doktor: “Mrs. ano daw po ba ang sakit ng anak ninyo?”
Mrs. 6 : May ketong daw po.
In-examine ng doktor ang balat ng pasyente. Wala siyang makitang senyales ng ketong. Tumawag pa siya ng isang Dermatologist para mag-examine nang husto. Wala talaga.
Doktor: “Mrs. sigurado po ba kayong ketong ang Sakit ng bata?”
Mrs : “Eh iyon po ang sabi ng doktor niya dati. Mataas daw po ang ketong sa ihi dahil may diabetes.”
Doktor: “Ah ketone po yon! (Ang positive ketone sa Ihi ay senyales ng kumplikasyon ng diabetes.)

**************

Doktor: (Sa buntis na mrs. na nagle-labor) “Mrs. pumutok na po ba ang panubigan mo?”
Mrs:”Eh Doc, wala naman po akong narinig na pagsabog.” (Hanep!)

Early Detection of Hearing Loss or Deafness

Last Sunday, I met one of my favorite deaf students after interpreting in a worship service. His name is Marlon. He’s still the smart, short, boyish looking and always smiling boy I have been fond of since I became his teacher almost a decade ago. We had a little chit chat while having lunch with other deaf friends. He told me that he is now a regular employee in a medicine factory in Sta. Maria, Bulacan. Meeting him brought back memories on how we stayed for almost a week in his hometown in the island of Marinduque and had a talk with his mother. She said that although she is already a registered nurse, she never thought that Marlon was deaf until he was six years old. He was misdiagnosed as autistic. It was too late when they found out that the findings were wrong because he started schooling at age eight.

This brings to my entry,

How do we know if our child is deaf or not?

Hearing loss is often misdiagnosed. It can be equated with cerebral palsy, autism or even having ADHD. However, there are a large number of children who suffer only from a mild or moderate hearing loss and not as severe as those. They are at a great disadvantage because it is difficult to identify their impairment. It even has an adverse effect on language development and consequently, on educational skills. Children with such hearing loss are able to hear the loud vowel sounds but will have difficulty in discriminating soft consonants like ’s’, ‘k’, ‘th’, ‘p’, ‘b’ and ‘d’. This often misjudged children and becomes difficult for the parents and teachers to understand the child.

A child with possible mild or moderate hearing impairment often demonstrates the following behavior:

• - needs to have instructions repeated;
• - always misunderstands instructions;
• - has difficulty with spelling;
• - has language problems;
• - has difficulty with spelling due to problems discriminating sounds; and
• - shows inattentiveness, listlessness, withdrawn, aggressive and badly behaved.

On my next entries, I will feature the expected responses of a child and basic guide for parents and teachers to recognize a child with a hearing impairment.