biggish data

oopinkoo "thank you sa reply.
sige magpopost ako ng pics pero pagaralan ko muna how hehehe.
kasi april ako nanganak while i was in the hosp meron na naginterview sa amen about emergency medicaid nga daw. tapos we got a letter from a social worker na ipasa nga daw yung docs na iba para maprocess sigur di pa approcve yung emergency medicaid kaya bumababa pa yung bills, akala ko kasi automatically iaaply na rin nila si baby ng medicaid. pero few weeks after i gave birth inapply ko na si baby sa internet ng medicaid, everyday check ko sabi verification process daw wala naman nagbabago then two days ago pagkita ko sa account namen denied daw so tinawagan ko yung hotline nila kulang daw ng papers, sa totoo lang walang snail mail o tawag kame nareceive from them almost one month and half na since we applied nagpunta kame yesterday agad sa DCF office pinadrop lng s drop box yung papers wala man lang tanong tanong sbi for review it will take 6o days kaya either wait or apply na lang ulit, grabe pag tumawag ka naman sa hotline puro automated voice agent nakakaupset na parang wala kang matinong makausap.

ah pumasa kame sa wic kasi nung preggy ako part time job lang meron si hubby tapos ako minimum wage lang so pasado, now naman na nagapply kame for the baby nakapasa kasi si hubby lang may work ako wala, umabot pa naman kame sa bracket nakabitin ba" awa ng diyos. kaso ang takaw na ni baby yung supply sa kanya monthly sakto kaya i hope s next appointment namen sa kanila eh dagdagan nila yung supply hehehe pero okey lang kahit hindi kasi laki ng tulong nila sa gatas.

sa water naman ni baby dito sa jacksonville okey taw yung tap water for baby pero ako nursery water gamit namen mura lang naman iba na yung safe 101% di ba. sa diapers naman nung nagbaby shower ako iyun asked ko sa kanila diapers different sizes kaya dame pa kame stock hehehe pero nagiipon din ako pag sale "para akong langgam" hehehe.

nabasa ko yung profile mo from valenzuela city ka sa p.i? tama ba? kasi from obando bulacan ako familiar ka ba dun? or alam mo ba yung our lady of fatima univ sa valenzuela or hosp?

oo grabe yung pinagdaanan ko meron nagaadvise sken pede daw ako magdemanda within 40 days after the incident pumunta daw ako sa municipal county office at magask ng libreng law service firm, kaso sigurado daw dapat matiyaga ako.
wala na kasi kameng time 12 hours work na hubby ko, at wala naman ako makakasama pagpunta magisa at mahirap kasi may baby na.

haay iaaply ko na lang ulit sa internet kesa maghintay ako ng 60 days, kasi due na mga vaccines by july kung di pa maaprove magbabayad kame from ourn pocket.

nakakatawa nga CS ako then i had my first week check up after the cs operation ang mahal ng binayaran ko pero guess what sino naglinis ng incision ko "ako" kasi yung resident doc tiningnan nya lang yung incision site ko without taking off the gauze sabi nya everything's look good, ako pa nagsabi arent u gonna clean it? sbi nya hayaan mo na lang magfall sbi ko i want it to be cleanse, sbi nya i have so many patients im the only resident dr today. if u want feel free to do it by yourself, hayun ako naglinis ng tahi ko sa clinic" she said i will see you after 6 weeks.ginawa ko hinabol ko nagpaprescribe ako ng birth control pills. wala ng nga siyang turo turo. thank you na rin kahit pano nga may alam ako inaaply ko na lang sa sarili ko. naisip ko lang yung mga iba na patients na pinapabalik balik.

o sge thank you thank you syo!! at sa inyo

have a good night everyone!!!

talk to you all later...

o sge,

hi. first of all, congratulations!

Actually, that resident is one SOB, if you'll ask me. Was the same when I asked for an antibiotic for some cystitis and the darn resident-on-duty did not want to give me one because my freakin' dipstick urinalysis was negative for it. I had all the signs/symptoms plus 3 home dipstick tests (hubby swiped some from work

)showed that i had an infection. I was in my first trimester then and the last thing i wanted was for the infection to reach my then unborn child. I was finally able to get a scrip from the on-call OB. I complained to my OB about that incident and she was puzzled, too, as to why they did not give in to my request.

Anyway, I am a 2-time CS and the first time, I cleaned the wound myself (was in the RP). this second time, I did not touch it at all. They took the gauze off after 48 hours and did not apply anything else on it, so that it was just some steri-strips on top of the incision (in addition to the subcutaneous sutures, of course). The strips they put WILL fall off and you need not clean it. You are allowed to bathe without having to cover the wound site and it is perfectly safe. Of course, you will need to inspect it for any discharge. Still, it was not good practice for him to treat you the way he did. A patient is a patient and should be treated accordingly, whether or not he has a roomful of other patients to see. Or he could've asked a med assistant to do it for him, if he could not. Poor patient care indeed! :angry:

About baby formula....you may want to apply for membership to Strongmoms.com ( i think, for similac) or Enfamil for formula samples and coupons. Vaccines...have you tried your local public health clinic? You may want to inquire there, too for possible free vaccines.

Speaking of which....I have some Similac coupons expiring in July...anybody want them? They are $5 off.

ryandgracey

Female

Philippines

2010-05-25 22:12:00

@Eve, kami ni Greg ay nagbabalak ng sundan si Zac Walang halong biro yan Gusto nya kasi magkasing edad lang baby namin pra magkalaro sila isa pa kasi naming kinoconsider is mag 42 yrs. old na asawa ko so gusto magkababy na agad pra naman daw makalaro nya pa babies namin Kayo may balak na ba?

Yung pa lang kinukwento ko na baby ng kapitbahay namin na mababa ang iron level ay nakauwi na today from the hospital. He spent 9 days dun at ang sakit nya ay HLH. I-che-chemotheraphy cya Kaya siguraduhin natin na may enough iron ang mga babies natin sa katawan dahil mahirap na.

omg...talaga? are you sure you can handle a toddler and an infant at the same time? Zac will still be in diapers pag sinundan kaagad. I have a 7-year-old and a 5-month old and it isn't easy :blink:

...what more if it was a toddler and a 5-month-old? but that is your prerogative

Good luck to you both

Anemia or any cause can lead to stunted growth :yes:

ryandgracey

Female

Philippines

2010-05-25 19:25:00

Pano ba nila chini check ang iron ng baby at ano symptoms na mababa ang iron ng baby mo? Natakot naman ako kasi breastfeed si Letcher. Isang beses lang sya mag formula sa isang araw minsan wala talaga. Pero continues parin yung prenatal vit ko. Yung ngang binili naming Enfamil na isang lata eh di pa nanga2lahati. Sayang nga yung mga coupons ko. Sinong me gusto? (Enfamil and Gerber good start)

as long as your diet has high-iron food in it, you're good to go. i breastfed maizy till she was 3 month old but i had to supplement with formula kasi she wasn't happy. i was on iron supplements kasi i had some post-partum bleeding and my hemoglobin plunged to 75. am still on them now....by choice as my hemoglobin is, more often than not, on the low side.

babies typically are born with enough iron stores to last them the first 4 months. At 4 months, these iron stores begin to fall and baby would then need supplemental iron, usually found in iron-fortified formula, baby cereal...and mommy's iron-fortified milk

And, hence, my other reason for starting Maizy on baby cereal and baby food. :yes:

ryandgracey

Female

Philippines

2010-05-17 21:32:00

I wish there were something I could do to go into business for myself so that I could be home more after the baby comes.

Brian in Tennessee

Such is the sacrifice that needs to be made t provide for the family. We wished the same but the most my hubby could do was maximize his PTO from work so that he was home for a month or so. He looks forward to the end of his shift so he can rush home and be with us

ryandgracey

Female

Philippines

2010-05-14 17:48:00

just releasing some steam.....maizy is just SOOOO cranky today. :wacko:

she had a little fever yesterday till this morning and a runny nose. she's been without a fever for about 10 hrs now but she's still cranky. she still manages to eat her food though. kaya lang, super-cranky...di lang masubo yung toys nya, iyak kaagad with matching luha a.k.a. the REAL cry. Sigh.....

is getting hard to feed her the lasr couple of days kasi she's learned how to make "raspberries" (blow bubbles) with her saliva...she does it a lot during mealtime so that ayun...sends a shower of baby food all over her rocker, and all over herself in the process. but sige pa naman pagkain nya. somedays, she eats 3 meals a day, minsan twice.

hay salamat...nakatulog kakareklamo. hmm...you think i'd be able to finish making supper nang di sya umiiyak??? :unsure:

ryandgracey

Female

Philippines

2010-05-13 17:20:00

Excited akong gumising kaninang umaga for Ethan's first swimming lesson. just wanna share a part of the video and pictures
Next saturday will be my turn to dip into the pool..hayyy iba talagang feeling pag mommy ka lahat nang ginagawa nang baby mo ay super happy ka...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvyloofdSJ0

cute, cute naman ni ethan at ang gwapo

looks like he's enjoying it...fun for him and fun for daddy and mommy :star:

am hoping na mag-swim lessons din si maizy, at least before alec goes back to school. :innocent:

ryandgracey

Female

Philippines

2010-05-01 17:25:00

QUOTE (minang @ Dec 16 2008, 10:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (dbears @ Dec 13 2008, 07:51 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Is the annotation on your daughter's visa really class A? if she has been given a class A annotation and she was not required to undergo sputum test and/or treatment maybe there was just a mistake. My kids had class B2 annotations which is not active, not infectious tb... and the recommended optional 9months tb treatment was just for "prevention" according to health department here, just in case the PDD positive result was not because of the BCG but real exposure to people with active tb... when you get here you just have to stand your ground. they read me some stuffs about tb and also the benefits of the preventive treatment (and only skimmed through the page on side effects

)... i cut them off, i told them i already studied what i could about my kids case, i told them also that my kids never had any history of primary complex, that we don't live in squatters area or depressed areas in the Philippines, that there is no history of tb in my family and my kids go to a private school where exposure to tb was lesser compared to public schools and if they would really insist on my kids getting the treatment, they should at least give them another tb test, the "quantiferon-tb gold test" (which is available to big city department of health facilities but not in small cities like ours here).. i know anybody could be exposed to tb anywhere in the philippines but i just have to say something so they would stop pushing for the so-called 9months preventive tb treatment. When i first declined, they went out and discussed something (2health workers), then they came back and went at it again, i stood my ground and said the stuffs i just mentioned, they went out and discussed again and then came back and had me signed papers saying i declined the treatment and told me that should i change my mind, i could go for it anytime i want to. They also advised me that since quantiferon tb test is not available in their facility, i should try to get the it in a private hospital or any hospital in the bigger city just to eliminate any doubts. (i really ought to, wala palang time to go there and wala paring budget) I just said, ok and thank you.

department of health office standards and procedures vary slightly from state to state and county to county, just arm yourself with everything you know about tb and your child's medical history and you will be good to go.

i wish you the best and have a happy holidays.

dbears, my daughter's visa had also this in her visa Annotation Class A or B (TB)....etc, i just received our visa today and we are leaving on the 28th of this month. What will I do at the POE? Is there any problem with my daughter's visa? PLS HELP!

I guess you will be advised by USPHS when you reach the US. She is not barred from entering. You'll probably be asked and advised that the local health authority will get in touch with you.

I brought this to my kid's pediatrician and we talked about it a bit, told her the TST results and she recommended therapy which I have started. We aren't leaving till April anyway.

BTW, you may want to have her and your passports affixed with the CFO sticker already as the holidays are nearing and CFO will be closed from the 24th till next year, perhaps.

ryandgracey

Female

Philippines

2008-12-16 12:15:00

Is irrelevant to me now. Her pedia has started her on drug therapy and she will be in her 4th month when we enter the US.

ryandgracey

Female

Philippines

2008-12-16 07:47:00

Ok...I just met with my child's pediatrician and discussed her case a bit. The pedia was, uhm, aghast to say the least when I told her that the child had a TST of more than 10mm which, by practice, is indeed positive. Now, given the child's age (she is 6), by the standards of the Philippine Pediatric Society, even with a negative Xray --- and I really do not know what her resutls are--- this is considered a positive indication of primary complex and a treatment course of at least 6 months is warranted. Primary complex, in itself, does not disqualify the child for a visa since the child is basically non-infectious, i.e. the child cannot transmit the organism. A child who has not had primary complex before will not get it from another child with primary complex but will rather get it from an infectious adult. She attends a private school in a private subdivision but that does not exempt her from getting the disease elsewhere. All children are at risk of getting the disease simply because they are in the Philippines. US docs do not have much experience in treating patients with Primary Complex nor TB because the disease is not that common in the US unlike here. The Phil Pediatric Society set up these guidelines on aggressive treatment because TB is a common occurrence here.

Now, back to whether my child is Class A...I do not know. The annotation is "Class A OR B (TB)". I read the CDC guidelines for the civil surgeon and it basically says that Class A is infectious and Class B is Latent TB, meaning non-infectious. My child was classified as either, which leads me to believe that they either do not know whether or nor she has an infection, or do not know how to classify her and are just playng safe. As per recommendation of the PPS, my child will undergo treatment with triple-drug therapy for 6 months. This should ease the minds of the USPHS knowing that she would be in her 4th month of therapy when we enter the US.

I am quite disappointed with SLEC though....I saw on the coats of those in the immunization and TST rooms and some say PEDIATRICS. As a healthworker, it is their responsibility to make the patient aware of whatever is going on. According to medical ethics, THE PATIENT HAS A RIGHT TO BE PRIVY TO HIS/HER MEDICAL RESULTS. And we were not given any. All we are told is, "You passed. Go an have your immunization." And then you see an annotation such as the one on my child's papers. I don't care if they are following the Panel Physician's guidelines. They are PHILIPPINE docs, for heaven's sake! They should still follow guidelines of treatment according to the local setting. And inform patients of whatever results they have.

ryandgracey

Female

Philippines

2008-12-13 10:43:00

Thank you very much for this info. Yes, I am a doc but when it comes to my child, the doc takes a back seat and the maternal instinct takes over. I still take her to the doc for a simple cough or cold, even if I know there is nothing serious, but it seems that I lose all my knowledge when it comes to her.

Yes, it was a good choice that you declined the option of giving your kids anti-TB drugs. These drugs have very notorious side effects and if it can produce effects in adults, how much more in children whose elimination system is not as well-developed as an adult. Is why I do not give my child any antimicrobial unless absolutely necessary, and most certainly not a strong one. Her immune system is pretty strong despite the frequent cases of cough and cold in the environment, esp in school. And she certainly does not lack appetite (she eats.....umm....3 meals and several snacks) which is the usual harbinger or Primary Complex or childhood TB. Was just alarmed by the annotation. Class A TB is infectious TB, after all, and would alarm anybody.

So, we wil have her go for a repeat X-ray once there, and whatever US Immigration tells us. Plus, we have reservations already and I am not so keen on a Feb trip....fares cost more too.

Again, thank you and have a very Happy Holidays!

ryandgracey

Female

Philippines

2008-12-12 22:52:00

Does the annotation on the visa "Class A or B (TB) Requires attn of USPHS at POE" mean that the results of the medical exam are valid for a shorter time? We were not advised anything regarding need to medicate nor length of validity. Vaccinations were given so that I surmised that there was nothing really wrong.

What are the implications of this annotation? We have an April 7, 2009 reservation...medical results released Dec 2, 2008.

Anybody in the know? Am impatient waiting for Monday to call SLEC...

ryandgracey

Female

Philippines

2008-12-12 12:44:00

A bit venting re: SLEC

QUOTE (forever_green @ Feb 18 2009, 10:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (ryandgracey @ Dec 13 2008, 10:58 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi guys. Thought i'd vent out a bit. The following paragraphs are lifted from a thread I had started about my child's visa annotation. SLEC is nothing, compared to SLMC. I don't know what kind of docs are working there but they are not doing a very good job of being docs...and Filipino docs at that. Looking back at the entire medical exam process, everything was done hurriedly, in my opinion as a doc. I am disappointed, really. Disappointed that these docs don't know how to classify let alone advise treatment or prophylaxis or even just give advise to patients about their medical exam results.

"Ok...I just met with my child's pediatrician and discussed her case a bit. The pedia was, uhm, aghast to say the least when I told her that the child had a TST of more than 10mm which, by practice, is indeed positive. Now, given the child's age (she is 6), by the standards of the Philippine Pediatric Society, even with a negative Xray --- and I really do not know what her resutls are--- this is considered a positive indication of primary complex and a treatment course of at least 6 months is warranted. Primary complex, in itself, does not disqualify the child for a visa since the child is basically non-infectious, i.e. the child cannot transmit the organism. A child who has not had primary complex before will not get it from another child with primary complex but will rather get it from an infectious adult. She attends a private school in a private subdivision but that does not exempt her from getting the disease elsewhere. All children are at risk of getting the disease simply because they are in the Philippines. US docs do not have much experience in treating patients with Primary Complex nor TB because the disease is not that common in the US unlike here. The Phil Pediatric Society set up these guidelines on aggressive treatment because TB is a common occurrence here.

Now, back to whether my child is Class A...I do not know. The annotation is "Class A OR B (TB)". I read the CDC guidelines for the civil surgeon and it basically says that Class A is infectious and Class B is Latent TB, meaning non-infectious. My child was classified as either, which leads me to believe that they either do not know whether or nor she has an infection, or do not know how to classify her and are just playng safe. As per recommendation of the PPS, my child will undergo treatment with triple-drug therapy for 6 months. This should ease the minds of the USPHS knowing that she would be in her 4th month of therapy when we enter the US.

I am quite disappointed with SLEC though....I saw on the coats of those in the immunization and TST rooms and some say PEDIATRICS. As a healthworker, it is their responsibility to make the patient aware of whatever is going on. According to medical ethics, THE PATIENT HAS A RIGHT TO BE PRIVY TO HIS/HER MEDICAL RESULTS. And we were not given any. All we are told is, "You passed. Go an have your immunization." And then you see an annotation such as the one on my child's papers. I don't care if they are following the Panel Physician's guidelines. They are PHILIPPINE docs, for heaven's sake! They should still follow guidelines of treatment according to the local setting. And inform patients of whatever results they have."

I am not sure about this, but reading your post, I think that what the doctors at SLEC did was just to do the job that is requireed of them, that is, only to examine if an applicant will pass or not pass the medical exam for his/her planned immigration to the US. I mean, probaly they were briefed, or they were thinking that they are not there as attending physicians but only as PE physicians and therefore the actual management of a person's illness/ disease/case is not really included in their scope of responsibility.
FYI, a lot of doctors (am not sure if all of them, actually) are doctors at SLMC themselves.

I have been a panel physician myself, screening patients for employment. So I, too, was not these patients' attending. Yet, in addition to recommending these patients as fit for employment or not, it is also upon my shoulders make recommendations regarding certain conditions they may have that does not affect their ability to work. While it the SLEC physicians' job to recommend us applicants for immigration to the US, it is also an unwritten duty for them as physicians to advise us on whatever condition we may have. Again...patients have a right to know about the condition of their health. Every self-respecting licensed doc knows this. But what the SLEC medical exam is, is an assembly-line kind of process. The human side of being a doc is lost and the applicants become products for evaluation.

Yes, sad thing is, most of these docs are SLMC docs.

ryandgracey

Female

Philippines

2009-02-20 11:45:00

A bit venting re: SLEC

QUOTE (blukiss24 @ Dec 14 2008, 08:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sorry Grace! I believe it's really unfair since she has a negative Xray! They will for sure ask another CXR here and as what dbears said since US law they will let her have the treatment for 9 months! You could explain the situation with the doctor here. SLEC at least should have just put annotation like PPD +. Sad thing is I don't think you could give her QTF test since I heard it's not yet advisable for children?

I dunno what to say but best of luck to you and to your baby!. Explain it to the doctor here.

Vida Taylor

Sigh...

Thing is they did not say anything about her X-ray. Only that she was PPD +. NOthing else. No advise. Nothing! They are guessing her diagnois with the annotation they put, and are leaving it in the hands of USPHS to diagnose her...duh?

Look at what they told dbears....they made her choose what to do with her kids?????

Isn't that why they are docs/healthcare workers? To offer proper medical advise and not let her doctor her kids?

Anyway...my baby will start her triple therapy tomorrow. Her dose is based on the lowest per kg body weight, since she is still a young child.

Thanks anyway...and am glad you are now in the clear

ryandgracey

Female

Philippines

2008-12-14 08:20:00

A bit venting re: SLEC

ryandgracey

Female

Philippines

2008-12-13 10:58:00

How ship personal items to USA

I went ahead and sent 2 boxes at 70lbs each to m husband thru manila forwarders. I did not encounter any problems, save for the US customs paperwork. Boxes were picked up on a wednesday and shipped out on a saturday. 30-40 days to reach Ohio. Boxes will first go through the main office in Los Angeles and will be deliverd via FedEx ground to Ohio. I think it's like $150/box to the LA office with additonal charges outside of CA. Be mindful though that this is not a privilege for anybody...as stated on their website, it is for US residents and legal permanent residents. I would've qualified, if it were nt for my lack of a SSN which will be asked in the Customs supplementary dclartion forms. I had my husband send me all the needed forms with his signature on them, attached a phtocopy of his passport including the visa pages to prove that he was in the Philippines in hte last 12 months. You are a K3 so that if your hubby was here recently, you can send your stuff to him.

I will prbably be receiving my boxes myself.

I have looked for a company other than DHL, FedEx et al and unfortunately, i have not found any that would ship from the Phils to the US witha reasonable price. Even Johnny Air, which was going to charge me $230 to ship jsut 1 70lb box. Easier to send from US to Phils.

Oh...shippers will not accept food, pirated items, and ALL liquids (lotions, body wash, shampoos, et al), including bar soaps. I sent some of our clothes, books, toys, all-orig DVD's (they can open and check for all i care), some of my bags, too. And don't forget to put a packing list in the boxes and keep a copy of it for youself.

ryandgracey

Female

Philippines

2009-03-14 01:20:00

no exit permit needed for my son

Hey....we're flying out the same day. We are going on a Cathay Pacific flight to HK 6:30am though, then United Air to Chicago.

Will be a challenge to keep our kids pre-occupied and not be restless, eh?

Safe trip to you and your son

ryandgracey

Female

Philippines

2009-03-14 01:28:00

PHILIPPINE POST OFFICE

QUOTE (jasman0717 @ Jan 15 2009, 02:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't know how they do it but they sure can sniff the money out

Been luck so far with philpost and fed ex. Hubby sends packages thru padded mailers whose adhesive is so thick, you can't help but tear the entire envelope to get it open. My mother-in-law sent some money to her newest grandaughter the same way too. Also, my frequent appearance at QC philpost helps...they don't bother to inspect my packages anymore. He sent our wedding rings thru fed ex but did not declare them. Instead, he put "documents" which was true too. And when he sent me that xmas care package, he put his own "security tape" so we'd know if it was opened.

ryandgracey

Female

Philippines

2009-02-02 12:27:00

first day in US.

Hi!

First of all, congrats for making ti there safe. My baby and I will have our turn in two weeks...just waiting for her graduation day from preschool and then i can focus on our final packing.

Just a quick question (due to my sporadic OCDing)...how'd you fill up the customs declaration form? Are we non-residents? or US residents? I looked at the form on the US customs website and I honestly don't know how to answer some. We are definitely not visitors who are entitiled to just $100 worth of belongings, as stated on the form......right?

Thanks very much!

Gracey

ryandgracey

Female

Philippines

2009-03-25 06:12:00

ANyone who just had X-ray in the Philippines

You may want to have an Xray done at a good hospital with an updated Xray machine for more accuracy. Of course, it will cost more than the usual but at least the resolution of the the film is better. Children require 2 views....a PA and Lateral views.

ryandgracey

Female

Philippines

2009-03-26 22:38:00

Medical dilemma - please help!

Well, sputum culture for TB remains to be the gold standard in diagnosing TB, and not a sputum smear.

My 6-year old had a 14mm TST and was Xrayed but the results were not disclosed to me. We had our interview as scheduled but i noted a notation on her visa "TB Class A or B". I was bothered and brought this to the attention of the child's pediatrician. She was started on anti-Koch's meds for Primary Complex on the basis of the extremely positive TST which means that she had been exposed to it. She has gained weight and appetite since then which tells me that maybe she did have Primary complex. Anyway, she is now in the middle of her 3rd month of meds. Her pedia will be issuing a certification that she has been on meds since December.

ryandgracey

Female

Philippines

2009-03-25 06:26:00

cheapest ways to ship personal effects

We shipped two balikbayan boxes of our personal belongings to my husband in OH March 7th thru Manila Forwarders. Boxes reached CA (where their port is) about 10 days later. There was a problem with with US Customs bec my husband's signature not matching the one on his passport which created a 2 week delay. He called their office yesterday and he was told that customs has released the boxes and will be at his doorstep within the week, hopefully. There is an additonal fee if boxes are to be delivered outside of L.A. I think I paid a little over $200 for each 70-lb box.

You are the spouse of a K3 visa holder so that, provided you ahve been in the Philippines within the past year, you may have her stuff shipped to there. She cannot ship on her own as she is a non-immigrant spouse and she will be needing a SSN for the Supplementary Customs Declaration. Oh...and this is a One-time privelege only for USC's and legal permanent residents. I found it cheaper than fedex or dhl or even Johnny Air Cargo. Unfortunately, there isn't much companies shipping out to the US. Is more expensive too, than it is to ship from the US to here.

ryandgracey

Female

Philippines

2009-03-28 06:13:00

Visa Approved!!

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE BOTH OF YOU!!!!! Now starts the begninning of forever...

ryandgracey

Female

Philippines

2009-04-03 11:05:00

got a question

Yes she does. Be sure to bring her vaccination records.

ryandgracey

Female

Philippines

2009-04-03 21:37:00

It's about time..

Yes,

Yes, it is about time. In about 8.5 hours our daughter and I begin our trek home to the man of our lives. I have mixed feelings, happy and sad at the same time, admixed with some excitement and exhiliration plus some apprehension. I am leaving the home I have known since the day I was born, embarking on a trip for life with my future. Seems like it was just yesterday when my Love and I went on this site which has played a vital role in making what was once a much-coveted dream a reality. Thank you very much to everybody for helping us achieve this. Thank you to those who had made it for providing the inspiration to keep us up and moving.
To sasha414: Hang in there, girl. Your time is almost up. Keep smiling. Will email you soon.

To my hubby Boorai: thank you for your love and patience. We are going home, Daddy. Our baby is very, very excited to see her princess bed in her Daddy's house

To those who have yet to begin their journey or are currently in it, do not lose hope in the face of the seemingly endless wait. Your time will come and you will rejoice just as we do.

Thanks VJ family! God Bless all of you!

ryandgracey

Female

Philippines

2009-04-06 09:01:00

swine flu

QUOTE (mhaze @ Apr 26 2009, 08:11 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (AmyStan @ Apr 25 2009, 06:59 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As of 24 hours ago (last update I saw on the news), 68 in Mexico had died from what they believe is the swine flu, with another 2,000 or so infected (again, presumably swine flu). In the US, only a couple dozen or so were believed to have it. Considering the populations, this is currently very small for both countries. But it is causing concern because it has evidence of spread person-to-person. I live in a border state (Texas) and I'm not personally concerned about it (yet, anyway). The media has been reporting it because they all want to break a hot story and not be accused of not alerting the public. Border states would be more likely to be affected (Texas, Arizona, California, New Mexico). What state will you reside?

thats good thing to know..we will reside in ohio..so its far from the border states..
thank you

QUOTE (rheanick @ Apr 25 2009, 07:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (mhaze @ Apr 26 2009, 06:52 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

anyone heard of swine flu? it started in mexico and it went to US..
now im heading to US this may 01..
pinays in US..any advices? is it bad already?

thank you

I'm in Arizona. Still alive here.

hehhehe...alive and kicking eh?
thank you

I've been in OH for 2.5 weeks now and the only thing I got is some seasonal allergic rhinitis. But yes, swine flu is very real. Started in Mexico, now with 68 deaths, cases also noted in Texas, Canada and NYC. Would be a good thing to build and strengthen your immune system.

ryandgracey

Female

Philippines

2009-04-25 21:28:00

Girls, this is it!

When did I know....hmmm....well, we both knew our future even before we actually met. but I guess that was not enough. The first time he came to visit, when he entered the doorway, my daughter sent straight to him and let him carry her and hug her. My daughter does not take easily to people she isn't around much, including my brother and my cousins. But with Ryan, she had no qualms about him and went to him straight away, much to our surprise. The next instance was when my mother told me that he had poured out his heart to her, telling her of his ardent devotion to myself and my daughter, that he was ready to have us in his life. He picked me up at the clinic armed with a dozen red roses and a very big smile, telling me that my mother had given him her blessing. A couple days later, he asked me if I was ready to be in his life forever. And I will always be.

ryandgracey

Female

Philippines

2009-04-06 09:57:00

Age difference between Filipinas and americans (Poll)

USC hubby 35. Me, 37 going 38 next month. He is mature beyond his years though and we agree on a lot of things. Practically read each other's minds, too. Married just 8 months but it seems we have been always together. Life is good

ryandgracey

Female

Philippines

2008-08-22 13:08:00

usapang garden

Well, Ryan gave me the freedom to re-arrange a.k.a. renovate/re-sow/in-other-words-fix his yard. Started with a plant box under the kitchen window in which i plan to put a few herbs and tomatoes for easy picking when needed. I have two young tomato plants there now, one Roma variety for my pasta dishes, and one Beefmaster for my sandwiches. I plan to start some basil, rosemary, and tarragon in small pots in the kitchen and then transfer them outside by summer time. Thankfully the dog chases squirrels away...or at least frightens them.

I am relegated to pulling out small weeds rather than digging them up and turning the soil, now that I am early in my pregnancy. I plan to lay down some mulch to keep the weeds down for now. We have to take down the bushes in front of the porch as we both hate them, and replace them with a bed of flowers. I have a few tulips at the base of a tree in the corner of the yard though I wish that i could cut-off and steal the bulbs of my neighbor's various-coloured tulips and plant them in my yard

ryandgracey

Female

Philippines

2009-05-14 13:51:00

medical exam

QUOTE (o0pink0o @ May 30 2009, 11:00 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (pinoy&pinay @ May 30 2009, 10:42 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

THANK YOU FOR THE REPLY... i guess ill just wait till i get better than risk to have the SPUTUM EXAM

That is what I would do Good Luck and pagaling ka na

Get yourself better, then drown yourself and vitamins and get your immune system in tip-top condition. good Luck!

Pink,

congrats...I'm about a week behind you

ryandgracey

Female

Philippines

2009-05-30 11:27:00

Case completed in May

Hey! CONGRATS....finally!!! You are going to be in a whirlwind till interview day and the day of your flight. Good luck to your interview. Am sure it will be a cinch for you

ryandgracey

Female

Philippines

2009-05-30 11:21:00

How to help adjust when here?

Been here for almost 2 months now and it was not hard for me nor for our daughter to adjust. My husband did not want me to feel isolated so he got me a Jeep. First thing I wanted to do was to get familiar with the differnt places where me and the baby could hang out i.e., the parks, the groceries, and the malls (of course!). I also got myself busy with planning and trying to help renovate the yard (I'm 9 weeks on the way so I can't do much), doing the household chores and getting on the laptop. I get to call my folks and friends every week, call my mother-in-law and my grandpa-in-law. I get to speak to my US relatives and friends too. I was an MD in the Phils and left my 2 clinics and yes, I get bored out of my mind sometimes. But being able to get around on my own makes a difference. Next month we are going to the Taste of Chicago...cna't wait for that!

I guess you've done what you could to ease her loneliness and so the rest must come from her and her willingness to get herself out of it.

ryandgracey

Female

Philippines

2009-05-30 11:10:00

Calling cards, US to Philippines

BTW...we're from Dayton, OH. Might be making our way there to Cincy in the middle of summertime.

ryandgracey

Female

Philippines

2009-05-30 11:22:00

Calling cards, US to Philippines

your relatives can connect the magic jack to their pc at home and can call you (and you, them) anytime without any charges. my cousin set up theirs so that they can consult with me anytime with their maladies (sigh!)

ryandgracey

Female

Philippines

2009-05-30 11:17:00

Visa Approved!

hi!

I told you that you wouldn't have a problem. Congratulations and an advanced "WELCOME TO THE US of A"!!!

Have a safe (although i'm sure it will be a restless one for you) journey.

ryandgracey

Female

Philippines

2009-07-22 09:10:00

question: can somebody give me tip for driving

I began driving here on my RP license a couple days after I arrived...with my husband beside me, of course. I found out later on that they would allow me to use that license as long as it was not expired, but I would eventually want an OH license (for ID purposes, too). I read the DMV manual a few times. Everything in there will prepare you for the "written" test..."written" kasi it's on a computer screen. You are allowed to commit just about 10 mistakes (I think) on the 'written" test. Once you pass that and get your learner's permit, drive around your area as much as you can. Pay attention to your speed limit (although I go above that a bit basta there are not cops around), your turn signals (I got a mark on my practical test that I signalled too early). Practice turning at intersections without a "left turn signal" sign, and right-turns without the "no turning on red" sign. Oh...the first part of the practical test, I had to drive between two marked poles 9 feet apart forward about 20 ft into one of two similarly marked areas (also 9 ft apart) and then back out of it and into my starting point WITHOUT stopping...you can slow down but you cannot stop. I drove a Jeep Cherokee so you can imagine such a large vehicle i had to get into the cramped space. The DMV man (cute guy, too

) directed me around the immediate neighborhood behind the licensing center. Took just about 10-15 mins over all and I left eh building with my new license.

My problem now is remembering which route/interstate to take when I want to go to the malls....

Oh...and pay attention to the STOP signs because they really mean "STOP".

ryandgracey

Female

Philippines

2009-07-24 12:12:00

During argument or conflict with your spouse/fiance...

Married almost 2 years. I wouldn't say we ever argued over something. We never hold things back although my hubby is usually the one who asks first if there is anything wrong. I am the quiet, patient one who needs his coaxing sometimes to talk. But we never let the day end without resolve...it just isn't right. Otherwise, he is such a sweet although sometimes "sutil" and "kulit" loving and supportive husband and father.

ryandgracey

Female

Philippines

2009-08-10 13:13:00

Are Filipinas Vampires?

I was born with ilocana-brown skin to fair-skinned (well, I mean fair-skinned pinoy) parents (my father is half-spanish mestizo). Never had a problem despite having 2 siblings whose complexion was fairer than mine. I have not really used any whitening products, except on some areas on my legs which were due to an immune-mediated syndrome. And that product was just some papaya soap with some medication included. The marks have lightened some but my brown color remains the same. I don't use any now; just some sunscreen when I stay out in the sun too long. Then again, I can't stay in the sun too long because I get really bad headaches. Hubby loves me as I am and adores my skin color. Nothing like a sweet, honey brown Filipina, eh?

Oh..my li'l girl has a nice golden brown complexion that has attracted a lot of attention, too...

ryandgracey

Female

Philippines

2009-08-16 21:03:00

update of my baby that have no hearbeat

God has other plans still for you, I suppose. He will grant you a child in time. Just be patient and have faith. Our sincerest sympathies...take care

ryandgracey

Female

Philippines

2009-08-25 15:16:00

My wife is Pregnant

QUOTE (PhiLandShiR @ Aug 12 2009, 02:33 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hello everyone,

My poor wife is so sick from the nausea of her pregnancy. She is not sleeping well and can not eat without vomiting it back up 15 minutes after eating.

I am worried about her health and the health of the child.

Is there anything any of you ladies from the Philippines can tell me that she could take to help reduce the nausea? What do you ladies do to get through this trying time? She calls her mother everyday and that helps I am sure but as her mother has had 10 children its all old hat to her and she is not really all that sympathetic...

I plan to speak to our doctor this afternoon as well.

-Phil

Small frequent feeding and avoid anything oily/fatty. some soda crackers may help. Morning sickness should resolve by the 12th or 14th week.

Congratulations, btw

ryandgracey

Female

Philippines

2009-08-11 14:18:00