Done with my Shoulder Physical Therapy

Well, it's over! The 6th was my last physical therapy session. Today was my followup consultation with Dr. Mancao. I showed her how my left shoulder improved.

She suggested that I do fly's much later though when I'm fully recovered. Cut out the volume too to prevent injuries. I suppose though that since their focus is rehab medicine, it's treatment and not prevention where their oriented.

English Camp and Stupid Trillanes' Coup d' Etat

I was under-time at the office today today just to make it at home and take Tita Gay, Sandra and Renz to the Muntinlupa Sports Center in time for the English Camp presentations.

And yes, we arrived there before 6pm, the announced time. Here's a blurry Renz and Sandra trying to kill time at the still empty gym.

5th and 6th Physical Therapy Session

It was my last shoulder therapy out of 6 sessions last night. I must say my shoulder feels better and stronger. I still need to meet Dr. Mancao though for my followup consultation. I just don't know when that'll be because she'll be away.

Toastmasters Timing Lights Device

I received the newly built timing lights from Anthony last Monday, Nov 19. This is the DIY (do-it-yourself) project I challenged him to do. This was brought about as a project I conceived as the Sergeant-at-Arms in my Toastmasters Club.

Here's the schematic diagram I gave him last Oct 22 that shows just the basic circuit. Resistors and other specs are not shown here:


Hawaiian Themed Birthday Swimming

We attended Jay's Hawaiian themed birthday for daughter Julianna. Only Renz and Dada went with us as the munsci kids had speech choir practice.

I was a bit hesitant initially since I was still worried about my left shoulder. Renz was insistent though. DH bought gifts at Pavilion Mall while I scoured around Mercury for possible cover caps for the timing lights' LEDs (more on that later). So tentatively I bought a couple more Theraherb VCO's (one kiddie choco and one sweet corn).

The Fresco (or is that Frezco?) Resort at Brgy. San Antonio was a bit hard to find. There were no clear signs for St. Francis 10.

But after asking folks, we found it was just right after Morales. We saw Mar already there and sat at his table.


Sandra even joined the pabitin. Here she is asking Renz to join.


where she managed to grab a few stuff!


Renz went on to queue up for the freebies. And he got a toy for greeting the celebrant.


Sandra and Renz getting more food from the buffet table. There was even a choco fondue fountain!


More freebies (hawaiian sun visors) from Jay Santos.


Time for swimming at the kiddie pool.


The pool's really too shallow for you, Da.




Finally, taking on the adult pool. The water's cold. There were only a few adults at the pool.


Renz playing around with his usual (un)balancing routine.


Renz also practiced his flutter kicks.


As for me, I gingerly tried the dog paddle which doesn't hit the sore shoulder part. But it was much too boring and so I boldly tried the freestyle and backstroke. I only had to rotate more so I don't overstretch the shoulder.

At around 3pm, we packed up and left. We went straight to Casa Medica SM Southmall after verifying with Rehab for my schedule.

Funny the therapy went really smooth. I think it was all the preliminary stretching that happened at the pool.




The Abstract Concept - Toastmasters Speech

Another advanced speech manual slammed! Today I went to the Cummins office at LIIP Mamplasan (my first time) for the Demo Meeting over at lunch. Finally.

This demo meeting has long been anticipated from Ann, but I suppose getting all logistics in order has become a challenge. Ann had wanted to get the top honchos to attend and I think that was the right way to do it.

Get the people who will buy-in to the proposal for the Toastmasters Club. Get them involved, and ultimately, committed into putting time and money to get the club off the ground.

Sandra's Birthday 2007

Happy Birthday Dada! Yeah, it's another of those Rocky Road days. We started really late coz the munsci kids had practice. I learned from Che that the cd "A Whole New World" I burned for her wasn't used.

Argh. DH came late too. None of these dampened Renz's excitement a bit. Da's blowout had chicken, chowking's pancit canton (expensive at Php95) and some siomai. Tita Gay cooked carbonara.

Physical Therapy Update

It was muscle strengthening time once again today for my left shoulder (bicipital tendinitis). We started with the usual: hot gel packs for 20 minutes and ultrasound for 5 minutes. Then it was stretching and exercises.

The basic stretching was composed of shoulder mobilization. Martin the therapist would take the arm and stretch it GENTLY outwards towards him while I'm lying.

He moves the shoulder around the socket, up and down and then left to right. He would also put his hand under the shoulder blade to aid in the mobilization.

A Mall at Our Doorstep

SM's here! Yes, finally SM Supercenter opened last Friday, Nov.16. Going home after the 2nd therapy session at Casa Medica the traffic was terrible starting at the Shell gas station.

It took me 30 minutes from Susana to our place where before it only took me 5 mins. As I passed by SM at as snail's pace, I kept wondering what prompted these hordes of people to come and block traffic.

Did they come for balloons? :D Later, I learned there were some the celebrities there, some buy-1-get-1 promos and freebies (no, not balloons).

Anybody Still Use a Typewriter?

Alright, I concede that many of our police stations still use typewriters - and maybe so do other goverment office. DH was looking for some docs and stumbled on our old manual typewriter. She opened and showed it to Renz and Sandra.


To these two, what they discovered is a mechanism of "awesome" proportions! They were SO excited just punching the keys and seeing the letters actually punched on the paper. They've gotten so used to our computer's keyboard and how the letters magically, yet boringly, showup on the monitor screen. So what this antique equipment physically does was fascinating to them.



Che's Birthday 2007

Happy Birthday Che! Too bad, no Marjolaine today coz the kids opted for a Rocky Road cake. It was okay but too soft for my taste. Che's class had a late practice today for their English Camp's Speech Choir.


Tomorrow, I'll be delivering my speech on A Fact Finding Report entitled "Drowning Prevention".



Rehab of my Left Shoulder

I finally received the office doc's request to see a physiotrist (rehab medicine) for my left shoulder. She calls it Frozen Shoulder. I was expecting the rehab to be requested since it's been almost a month now that the pain has remained.

I've not been getting a good night's sleep because of the soreness. This is especially when without realizing it, the shoulder goes into an awkward position.

The Demonstration Talk - Toastmasters Speech

Well, tonight was Toastmasters night and the speeches were all great! Too bad, club president Ma'm Lolet wasn't there.

I was busy all this week on pending projects and that emceeing job at the Service Awards Banquet at Bellevue Hotel last Tuesday. So I chose a speech topic that I'd find easy to deliver. The speech is entitled "The Eggbeater Kick" where I demonstrated how this treading technique is performed. It was both fun and easy to deliver because I've been regularly doing this treading technique for a while. I also brought along my laptop to show a clip of an underwater video. Vivs evaluated me for the speech and said she might just start re-learning swimming again. Cool!

Emceeing at the Service Awards '07

Last night I was part of the hosting group which emcee'ed at the Service Awards. The Awards Night was held at the Grand Ballroom of the Bellevue Hotel in Alabang.

I wasn't too impressed with my hosting "performance" though. There are a couple of reasons that I could think of.

Christmas Tree Pics 2007

After a long nap (tired from all that long driving from the previous days), I woke up with the Christmas decor already up! Yup, the Christmas tree and decorations went up early this year.

Maybe it's the long break, but the kids decided to put up the tree right after All Soul's day. I then suggested that we take pics for the Christmas picture. Here's a couple I chose for this year's tradition.

All Souls Day '07

Renz and I were both set to go to Garden of Memories memorial park coz we found our frisbee and boomerang. We had a late lunch in Makati and after a short nap (for me) went to the memorial park.

Karen is doing her biology homework and asking help from lola. Renz is anting to use the frisbee and boomerang. Unfortunately we didn't expect to be seeing so many people and it was rather dangerous to throw frisbees lest we hit some old grumpy ladies right on their heads.

All Saint's Day '07

We left at almost 6:30am and at the SLEX going northbound to Pampanga. Traffic was horrendous in the opposite lanes, going to the South! This was in the area of Alabang, Sucat and Bicutan.

Think we luckily missed the traffic? Ha! Heavy traffic started at SM City and it's been that way all the way going to the EDSA turn to A.Bonifacio.

We finally reached Pampanga at 9:45am. But then we were targetting 8:30am like on a normal Sunday. So yes, it was THAT bad.