Speech Therapy for Mariel

I know how frustrating it is if your 1-year and 9 -month old baby can't even utter the word "mama" but it would be easier to understand when you know that she is profound deaf. Basically, she can't hear so she don't know that sounds exist. She would look at our lips but she might just be wondering why our mouth is opening even when you are not partaking food. 

For her, she opens her mouth because she was about eat and that is the reason why she eats a lot - as in everything. 

  

But on May 15, I enrolled my Keiichi in Casa del Nino and inquired if they have an inhouse speech pathologist that could help Mariel in her speech therapy but unfortunately, they don't have one. They suggested that I contact Trails Center in La Marea, San Pedro, Laguna but they don't have any slot anymore to accomodate my child, unless I enroll her in their class perhaps. So I remembered taking note of Maria Lena Buhay Memorial Foundation, the only oral school for the deaf here in the Philippines which is located in Blue Ridge-B, Quezon City. I called the school and viola! I was give a call back on that night and we scheduled Mariel's first speech therapy. 

The first session was just a warm welcome and orientation for Mariel. She doesn't like to put on her hearing aid which made the session almost impossible to handle since she needs to hear us speak and label things. What we just did is to let her hold our throat as we say MAMA, MOO, AWW, KOKAK, etc or feel the air coming our of our mouth everytime we say PAPA. I know she was sleepy but what made the session a success is her willingness to see our mouth moving, coloring pictures when asked, trying to move her oral mechanisms even if no sounds are formed and her courage to try a lot of things - except of course at that time, wearing her HA. 

According to Mrs. Buhay, Mariel has a graet chance to talk because she makes sounds and she imitates our mouth movements. Just tonight, she started trying to say "mama" which she can sometimes say when she is crying. She also puts her little hands on my throat as I talk and feels the vibration. I do wanna cry but it is not the right thing to do. 

At least in our end, we have started a milestones that will surely made a difference in our lives. QC is indeed that far from Pacita but I did finished in Diliman so I can't see any reason for my child not to attend therapy sessions in Libis. 

I am now working in Convergys, Nuvali, Sta. Rosa and I am glad that my day off is on Fridays and Saturdays and I can accompany Mariel in QC. I will try to post more pics soon and perhaps, more milestones of Mariel. 

Cochlear implant is not a priority anymore since I don't wanna take the risk. If the speech therapy could do good to Mariel, then that is what we will have.

Mariel and Keiichi's Day Out

Just posting pics from my kids day out in Festival Supermal in Alabang. Taken in Pixie Forest. 

Those are not matchboxes :-)

Be Very Busy

Why so? Simply to divert attention, to pass time, to just move on - these are my reasons.

It's impossible not to feel pain especially when you lost someone so important in your life. Moving on means having to live your life unaffected by loneliness and longing and for me, the best way is to be occupied most of the time.

Right after finishing my caregiving course in San Pedro Manpower Development Institute on March 20, I started training for Convergys Philippines in Alabang on the 23rd. I will be assigned in Nuvali, Sta. Rosa and I must say, I am really excited and eager to earn (money, experience, fun, friends...you name it!) :-) The Convergys Nuvali building is such an spectacular site - it is situated in an "eco-zone", the building is eco-friendly and a colleague told us that you can see the Tagaytay skyline from the building. It also has a lagoon and I must say, I remember my walks in the UP Science complex area in Diliman during my college days - from NIGS or CS to the Math Building, when I went there to submit my documents. The place is so relaxing - the trees, the lagoon, the green grass, the landscape.

I still have lot of plans but I think I have to learn what to prioritize. Right now, my top priority is to be in a job where I can grow as an individual and be financially independent.

My family are now adjusted with my schedule and I hope to be more productive now that I am earning my own money.

To wrap up, I want to share something that struck me yesterday from our trainor Mark. "One is the master of one's happiness", "learn to have fun in every task you do" and "ENJOY! Look at the brighter side of life." all the time...

For latest pics, you can view most in flickr or in my friendster account.

Iel walks at 1 year 5 months

At last! Mariel can now walk unaccompanied. We know that her vestibular sense (read: balance) was damaged to some extent so we did not expect her to walk alone so soon. She also knows now how to hold a pen - in tripod grip- and scribbles only in paper! She won't write unless you give her a piece of paper.

She is also fixated to her own possessions - she knows her own bottle, her own place in the dining table, her own toys. She even boxed her Ate Keiichi when her ate sat on her cart. She shows different emotions now and starts showing her temper. Pag galit, nakabusangot at nananampal. Pag masaya, nakangiti o natawa pero nanampal pa rin hehe Para din siyang hapon na mahilig magbow ng head. And she even want you to bow your head too in recognition, pauso nga niya ang forehead kissing e hehe

Above is her walker/cart. We havent reassembled it yet because it's quite high for her. She cannot touch the floor if it's in a cart shape. When tired, she just remove the toy pad and sit in the compartment. That's how creative and resourceful she is :-)

Nanay Lydia Finally Healed and Rested Forever

Nanay Lydia, as we all call her regardless of our affinity, passed away on December 10. We were all shocked and saddened. We never expected that it would happen too soon. Nanay was ready, she knew it was coming but we are not. As what daddy said, our lives will no longer be whole again but we all need to move on - for the sake of our children.

When I decided to try my luck in Singapore in February, Nanay Lydia insisted on taking care of Mariel in Pangasinan even when she was recovering from stroke. When she learned that Mariel is deaf, she cried but bravely told me that Mariel is still lucky because she could be the next Jamilla (PBB?) and that everybody loves her.

LAst October, she was diagnosed with heart enlargement, peptic ulcer and gallstones. She was already being monitored for her type 2 diabetes, hypertension and possible complications when she had stroke. Nanay was static when she learned that Mama Lita and Jade are coming home in March 2009 but she kept on saying that "baka hindi na tayo magkita kung March pa kayo uuwi". So Mama decided to come home earlier. Nanay was so excited and said "Sasama ako sa pagsundo." Mom and Jade arrived in Manila on October 16, Nanay Lydia was even here to fetch them in NAIA.

Nanay was in and out of the hospital since October. On the second week of November, her cardiologist decided to let her go home with the IV. Our uncles and aunties just asked nurses in our village to inject pain reliever when she experienced gallstone attack.

I just know how painful it was to be inserted IV over and over again. Plus the pain inside the abdomen radiating to the lover right portion of shoulder. Perhaps the pain caused nanay cardiogenic shock. The doctors said it was her heart that caused her life.

It was easier for us to let go of Nanay because we don't wanna see her go through those painful symptoms and medical processes. We were in denial at first, we tried to argue and blame ourselves but we also tried to gather strength from each other. We cried and cried...we hugged and cried on each others shoulders.

It was devastating...it was painful. As mama had said, "Nanay is no longer here, the one who holds the bond among us." Nanay is such a wonderful grandmom to me. She was the one who took care of me and Ranny. She may no longer be with us physically but what she taught us will forever be in us.

We love you Nanay. Thank you for everything. I am not what I am now if not because of you. You did not only teach me how to live but also how to touch other people's lives the way you did to other people. I love you so much.

Mariel's First Four Teeth

Oh well, lots have happened but nothing can compare with this milestone... She got her first four front teeth...move over hippos... :-)

Mariel's 1st Birthday

As usual, mali ang spelling ng name ng baby ko! Keiichi was named Kelichi by Goldilocks on her first birthday din...I never expected that we will experience it again with Lira Mariel. Her name is too common and easy to read and spell. Nevertheless, the cake was beautiful and delicious.


These are some of her guests. Carrying her is Ate Melissa. Actually, most of them are Ate Keiichi's friends.

Spaghetti was cooked and prepared by Kuya Alex and Ate Vicky (Sayang wala silang kuha!) The lumpiang ubod was made and sold by Daddy's suki Kuya Joel. Ate Amor Magracia, mommy's classmate in Nursing Aide, cooked lumpiang shanghai especially for Mariel. Ate Vic also prepared a special birthday macaroni soup for the celebrant - Macaroni, ground beef, carrots and horse radish leaves (in other words, malunggay!).


This is her girft, she thought it was food hehe

She is now learning to walk and eats a lot of solid. In no time, she will be competing with Ate Keiichi.