Giving in to vanity at Clara International

I had my first facial treatment a couple of years back. I had warts removed from my face at Flawless, since they had an ongoing promo then. As it turns out, I should have asked and researched first. Kasi, the promo pala was for flat warts only, and each elevated wart and skin tag (yes, there are many kinds) cost extra PER PIECE, and they also charged extra for those located on the eyes, which I all had, so some promo it turned out to be! I had so many warts (isn't it amazing how many are like invisible to our untrained eyes?) They decided to just slather the anaesthesia cream over my entire face, which they covered with a plastic wrap, cutting out holes for my eyes and nose.

Then some time last year, I saw another promo for wart removal on the net, and I was interested because the place was familiar to me, I would pass by it every day going to work. This time, I knew better to call first and ask if the promo included other types of warts. (In fact, every time I saw an online promo at other clinics, I would call ahead and inquire first. They would usually just cover flat warts.) When this clinic said that the promo was for all types of warts, I had no second thoughts about availing of the promo.

And when I got to Clara International, whose clinic is located along Sunshine Boulevard Plaza in Quezon Avenue (that compound where you can find Clownz Comedy Bar, just past Delta if you’re coming from Quiapo going to Quezon Circle), I was impressed by their facilities. Not ultra modern looking, but clean and comfortable. Even their restrooms were clean, not the cubicle type but really a single room like you have at your house, with toilet paper, hand soap and dryer.

But what I really liked was the treatment rooms. Where at Flawless, clients lay down on single beds arranged beside each other (with no curtains except for some where I think they would treat those who needed a bit more privacy), like in a hospital’s ward or emergency room, at Clara, each client is treated in separate private rooms. They even have a buzzer for assistance from other staff. They also provide a garterized tube-like skirt-looking garment that you put on while undergoing treatment below the neck.

My attending aesthetician or nurse (sorry, I forgot her name) had very light hands – even with my larger skin tags, when she would warn me that it might hurt, I felt just a vague discomfort that soon went away. And despite the promo being just valid for one area (face, neck or chest), she cauterized all warts she could find on my neck, chest (even under my breasts), and even armpits. No peklat too! 

The experience was really worth it so that when I received a text from them that they had ongoing promos on Deals4U, I took my chances again. This time, I availed of the Intense Diamond Exfoliation for P599. I had read a lot about microdermabrasion (that’s the technical term for this procedure, I guess), and I had never undergone a facial of any kind before, so I wanted to try this one.

I got there early, I think I was the first client there. My nurse was a different person this time. First she cleansed my face, then stroked the diamond peel wand across my face. It felt like the wand had something rough at the tip – this was the diamond dust, used to exfoliate the skin. At the same time, the wand would vacuum the exfoliated skin away from my face. For me, it felt soothing. I asked if it was whitening and she said that it only provided superficial lightening. I told her that it’s okay, I didn’t want to undergo whitening anyway because I enjoy outdoor activities and my work also requires me to go outdoors a lot.

After the exfoliation, she showed me a tissue paper with all the stuff she had removed from my face. She said it was a necessary procedure so they could show the clients what they had removed from the face. Ewness, so of course I didn't take a pic. Next time, maybe? heheh.

extracting my blackheads

The nurse then proceeded to extract my bigger blackheads. It wasn’t really that painful, just uncomfortable. She also warned me to expect a little pain because she was going to clean out a pimple at my temple – I didn’t even know I had any! But I didn’t feel much with it, just that she was removing something. My high pain tolerance really comes in handy sometimes. Afterwards, she showed me the removed blackheads. Again, no pic of this ewness. :-)

We were talking a lot of the time, and I learned that I had dry sensitive skin, although my t-zone was kinda oily. No surprise there, the blackheads are proof! She suggested for me to really make sure to use moisturizer, especially one with grape seed extract. She also suggested I get another kind of facial, the more complete one where I would undergo a more extensive facial massage, steaming to soften the impurities, and they would apply two kinds of masks to lessen the redness, because the promo did not include those. :-(

Then she wiped onto my face a cooling mask, and left me to allow some time for it to soak into my skin. Left to my own devices, I took the chance to take this picture, ha ha.

me with the mask

After removing the mask several minutes later, she wiped on some SPF cream, and reminded me NEVER to forget to use moisturizer and SPF. No worries there; moisturizer is always a part of my regimen (although I think I'll try other brands because I've been using Olay for quite some time now), and I assured her that SPF is one ingredient I always consider when buying products.

Then we were done. I dressed up and went to the restroom. With the lighting in there so much better than in the treatment room (where they use lamps for a better illumination of the area to be treated), I took an “after” picture. I liked the results. No redness and my face looks – and feels! – so fresh. 

fresh after IDE

Now I’m worried. I have two other cheaper (P299 each) vouchers for a different clinic. I wonder if I would have the same experience? I know that there will be no private room this time, just like in Flawless. I’m no expert on skin care or treatments, too, so I don’t know if I got a good deal or not, but I know I liked the experience and the way the staff at Clara treated me.

I know facials make an improvement on your face if they’re done on a more regular basis, and they’re really recommended for someone like me who’s exposed daily to pollution. And I really liked how it made my face feel so rejuvenated, kinda like the feeling you get from having a body massage. So I think I’ll click on Clara’s promo at Deals4U again. :-)

On Facebook, look for their page ClaraInternational. They have another branch in Greenhills. Once you’re a client, they text or call you for ongoing promos.

a heavy-hearted "bye, Lila; hello, Manila"

it's that time of the year again... nope, not Christmas, but summer time, when we are able to go to our province of Bohol, in that quaint little fourth-class municipality of simple, laid-back Lila which is about 28 kilometers from the provincial capital of Tagbilaran City. Lila is where my dad hails from, and ever since i can remember, it's where my brothers and i have spent our summers.

when we want to spend our vacations there, one week is simply not enough. first, we want to make the most of our transportation fare, which is no joke especially during the summer season where the province welcomes a LOT of tourists and a LOT of balikbayans because of the numerous fiestas during the merry month of May. second, and most importantly, bohol gives us our ultimate vacation high - a fantastic escape from the hustle and bustle of Manila. 

but even though we try to go to Bohol annually (except when I'm on official business or when relatives from abroad bring my husband and me along to play their personal tourist guide), we can still never get enough of it - sun, sand, sea, everything!! my husband (half-Ilocano and half-Pampangueno by blood but raised to be pure Ilocano) has also adopted this province as his own, too!

so why do i love being in Bohol? let me count the ways.....

why i love being in bohol, and what i will miss:

the awesome sight of the starry starry night, reminding us of how tiny we are in the universe

the sound of leaves rustling in the breeze, and crickets greeting the silence of the streets at 8 PM (!!!! too early!!!)

the sight and sound of waves crashing on the shore

the opportunity to swim and snorkel in the sea (free of charge) that is clear enough underwater to provide good visibility for several meters

marveling at the sight of different fishes swimming past you, and the joy of watching real life Nemos (clown fish) weaving in and out of the gently swaying anemone

the feel of the wind ruffling your hair and whistling through your ears making the heat a lot more bearable while you ride in the overloaded jeepney that's zooming to cover more than 28 kilometers in about 30-40 minutes, and the ability to cover that distance because there's no traffic

jumping on and off tricycles and habal-habal to get to your (short-distance) destination, and catching the "last trip " to get to your (long-distance) destination, making your travel a (sort of) adventure

eating fresh fish and seaweed and preparing food with veggies picked fresh from the garden

..... and the list goes on and on!

when it's "back in manila" and what i WON'T miss nor look forward to:

the glow of the stars will be overshadowed by lit up billboards and towering high-rise buildings

the sound of rustling leaves and crashing waves will be replaced by the honking horns of traffic and shouts of tambays even past midnight

the clear waters of the sea will be replaced by black waters filled with floating trash, or else be prepared to travel quite some distance or shell out some cash to enjoy the sea or the sight of different fish in life-sized aquariums

the experience of riding in overloaded jeepneys and catching the "last trip" will be replaced by riding in commuter trains, buses or FX available for more hours of the day

commuting to the office or the nearest mall will take forever because of traffic

the option to escape the heat during the commute is by riding a taxi instead, driven by hoodlums who will try to short-change you with the fare

veggies will be sourced from the market or from the nearest suking grocery store, unless you have a big enough garden in your background

..... and the list goes on and on. :-(

  

...... so i really wonder, why does everyone want to be in congested, noisy, polluted manila?

i guess it's fine for people who want to be part of the busy life and the blinking lights. and there are apparently more job opportunities here.

the reasons why i love going to bohol ain't unique. they are echoed in many parts of the archipelago. but really, i'm just happy and thankful that a city girl like me can really have a place like lila, bohol to go to, not as a tourist, but where I can enjoy a stress-free,laid-back life from time to time, a place where I can feel at, and call, home.

(Note: This post was originally posted as a "Note" in my Facebook page.)

ayayay, IUI!

(Note: This was originally posted as a "note" in my facebook account.)

how is it that every time i need serious medical attention, it always turns out to be a "difficult case"?

first was my bout with typhoid in 1993. i was said to be the first case of an antibiotic-resistant typhoid strain in manila; previous cases had only then been recorded in mandaluyong city, where it so happened that i was working. to make a long story short, my typhoid led me to emit fresh blood in my stool, and for the first 9 days i was in the hospital, "feverless" yet being transfused with blood, befuddling the docs, and subject for their discussion and debate. a collapse in the restroom on the 9th day, and on my dad's birthday no less, led to an exploratory laparotomy, an operation where they cut off around one foot of my small intestine which, my surgeon said, was showing signs of bleeding. then they just sewed up the two ends together. seven days later, i was free to go home, weighing only 75 pounds, with a huge 16-stitch scar running down my belly and 11 bags worth of blood running through my veins.

fast forward to 2011. i am in the women's health center of metropolitan hospital. i am here for a fertility work-up which i have been undergoing for how many years, under different OBs in different hospitals, since i've been married for 8 years and still with no kids to show as proof. :-) this time i am ready to undergo intrauterine insemination. prior to this day, i had been taking a combined fertility regimen of clomene for 5 days, and 3 shots of puregon on alternating days. i had also been undergoing transvaginal ultrasound so they could monitor my follicles and my uterine lining. 

on day 1 of my ultrasound (day 10 of my cycle) i caught the sound of worry from my OB (a reproductive endocrinologist) that my lining wasn't thick enough. this fact is important because the lining needs to be thick enough for a fertilized ovum to implant and become a baby. but then, the ultrasound had been done prior to my puregon (estrogen) shot. ditto on day 2 (day 12 of my cycle), although the lining had thickened a bit. by this time i had partially shifted to a diet of soy milk, wheat bread, wheat cereal, apples since i had read on the internet that these were estrogen-rich foods. i had to reduce my white rice intake too. anyway, my OB also said that we could push through with the IUI on day 14 of my cycle because the thickening rate of the lining was going fine enough, and i already had mature follicles.

so this is day 3 of my ultrasound, or day 14 of my cycle. pank and i are early at the hospital. while waiting for the doctor, i ask pank to accompany me to the nearby chapel and pray. there, i see an image of sta. clara. sta. clara, sta. clara! we had danced in obando a few years ago... quite an experience! but we had not gone since... i stand up and touch her image and in my heart offer a small prayer seeking her help. beside her,  so propitiously i think, stands an image of st. jude thaddeus -- our parish and personal patron! i touch him and offer a small prayer too.

back we go to the hospital for my ultrasound. my OB says my uterine lining is thick enough (the estrogen-rich foods could have worked!) also, one of the mature follicles is starting to decrease in size and there is already a little fluid in my cul-de-sac. she reassures me that it's fine, it means she wouldn't have to inject me with pregnyl for my follicle to rupture, saving me money. :-) but since it is about lunch time, she advises us to have lunch first, and return for pank to be able to provide his seed (environment-friendly ang term, palibhasa taga-DENR hahaha). 

we have a hearty lunch at nearby shakey's.. i try their shirley temple (lemon soda with cherry syrup) and i like its bubbly taste, perfect for the saltiness of my bunch of lunch. then we go back to the hospital to nap at the plush leatherette-covered cushions of the sofas in the empty 5th floor lobby. at the appointed time, pank goes on exile to that mysterious room assigned for men... hahaha... and he emerges a few minutes later (ang bilis?!). he hands over his "produce" for semenalysis and for washing (when they prepare sperm for better chances of survival and fertilization, removing the "bad quality" sperm). this would, we had been told, take some time. 

so we wait.

it is past 5pm. the nurse calls me and hands me the washed sperm in a small tube. she tapes the tube to my upper chest, telling me to cover it with my palm because it would need body heat. a bit later, my OB arrives with another female OB in tow. then they tell me to lie down and spread my legs, of course, and proceed to prod and poke into my nethers. (archaic ang dating, hehe..)

my husband and i are a bit worried when we hear the docs muttering how they are having a bit of difficulty because of how my cervix is positioned, added to the fact that i have a retroverted uterus. the catheter, soft as it is, is finding "resistance" and can not be easily pushed or guided into my uterus. they even need a hysterometer so they can better see how to guide the catheter in. by this time i am finding it uncomfortable, not really painful (i guess it's because of my high level of pain tolerance), while the docs ask time and again for this and that tool or whatever medical instrument or aid from the nurse.

i distract myself from the discomfort by reciting Psalm 23, which has never ceased to calm me every time i utter it, and by trying to read what is written in the lights overhead. from time to time i glance at my patiently waiting husband, who is standing beside me, and i smile to reassure him that i am okay even though it is as if i could feel that my tummy is being rearranged. uncomfortable, really.

i also think of how my mom once joked that it's just like what people do to breed pigs.. and i think, man, what an expensive way to have a kid... how impersonal, how clinical.. where's the sense of enjoying the act of making babies? haha. congress is debating about the RH bill and controlling the country's population.. fetuses are found stashed somewhere, babies are literally thrown away.. and here i am, with my legs spread and not enjoying it (oops.. censored!) just to have a baby! 

some 25-30 minutes later (in what was supposed to be a 15-20 minute procedure) they finally say it is done... my OB is sweating, considering that the room's air conditioning has been turned up. but i have to remain lying down with a pillow under my butt for about 15 minutes more while my hubby settles the bill and arranges our things.

while the nurse cleans up the used medical aids, we chat.. she wishes me luck because two previous IUI patients had not had any... one was in her 30s, the other in her 40s... and i'm 39! she wishes i would break the chain, especially since i have an attentive husband who had gone through the whole preparation and procedure with me. the two previous patients were both married to seafarers, and had limited time for the whole thing. disheartening though the news is, i am determined to stay positive. she says one of the patients wants to dance at the obando fiesta, and we say that we had danced there before and were not able to return.

it is almost 7 pm. kami na ang nagsara ng women's health center sa aming pag-alis.(its office hours are at 9am-6pm.) luckily, at a hospital where hailing a taxicab is so difficult, one comes cruising in to let off some hospital visitors. we jump in. well, not literally, since i have to be reaalllly careful with my movements. 

in the cab on the way home, we realize... it's may 18th. our wedding date is dec. 18th. what a nice date! how we pray that even though this is my first time to undergo the procedure, i would not have to repeat it (they say patients are given 2-3 maximum IUI procedures, and with no success, are then advised to try IVF.) i hope i have beginner's luck! first time lucky!

but i know, lucky actually means God willed it. and the clincher, because we realize it only as we reach home and sit down for dinner: may 18th is the feast day of sta. clara of obando, patron of those who request for a mate, or to bear children, especially female! and i had touched her statue that morning, and talked about the fiesta with the nurse, without realizing it!

♫ ♫ 

"Santa Clarang pinong-pino / Ako po ay bigyan mo / Ng asawang labintatlo / Sa gastos 'di magreklamo!"

"Santa Clarang pinong-pino / Ang pangako ko ay ganito / Pagdating ko sa Obando / Sasayaw ako ng pandanggo." 

♫♫