Wedding prep jitters?

Just a year ago, I was also in your shoes. As a guy, all i knew about getting married was buying a ring (which is a whole wonderful journey in itself), and then getting on one knee and popping the question.

Last week, one of my friends recently got proposed to, and she was also at a loss on how to proceed with the planning.

So here are some pearls i learned along the way.

1. Make sure you get a good caterer. Everyone wont remember the ceiling arrangement, nor the wrapping on the wedding souvenirs. But they will remember if the food was bad. (Yes, shallow, but is reality).

2. Get Godparents which you know will guide you on the path to being better partners. And dont forget them after the wedding, make sure to talk to them and ask for guidance.

3. If you are planning on getting photographers, try to see their work. Alot of budding photographers are out there. I know the named ones are quality work, and that is what you are paying for. If you cant afford them, dont go broke trying to.

4. Down the road, your wedding will be a distant memory of happiness. Alot of people will tell you to save on the wedding, and spend on your lives instead. As a guy, its up to you if you want to fulfill your fiance's dream wedding, and noone should force their opinions on you. :)

5. If you are going to have a pre-nuptial wedding shoot, try to get the makeup artist and the photographers that you will use on the wedding. at least you get to try out if they are fun and easy to work with, and if their work is worth it.

6. Now number 6 is a BIG issue. The bridal wedding dress. If the bride wants it, it is in my humble opinion to let her have it. It's a once in a lifetime event.

7. Now i splurged on a manservice grooming thing. I got a barber to come to my room and give me a haircut and shave and ear burning. Yes, he got fire and burned my stray hairs. hehe heck, if the bride is spending on hair and makeup, and if you feel bad on all the expenses of the bride, or if the bride feels guilty on her expenses, try the service and help unload some of her guilt. hehe

8. I was lucky with the wedding rings. my wife's ninong sponsored it. hehe even got myself a stone. but try and plan ahead. youre going to wear that ring for your whole life.

9. One of the worst preps is the guest list. oh the dreaded guest list. You must really give this alot of thought. you need to check with the venue you want, with the capacity they can take. i had a guest list of 200. it was supposed to be a small wedding. both parents will want to turn it into a reunion of their peers, so expect the uncles and aunts from waaaay long ago to suddenly reappear. i actually had a falling out with my close friend from med school about this, where he suddenly didnt want to go since i was going to cut our other buddies from the list. Try to invite friends who mean something to you, and not because they might give a good gift. What i did, i halved the guest list between me and my wife, then gave my parents the space. expect they will do alot of serious inviting.

10. Fireworks - You dont really need them. they last for few seconds, cost you a few thousand, but make for excellent pictures.

11. Coordinators - you dont need coordinators, but they will make everything EASY. you dont want to be stressed on the day of your wedding. unless you have experienced relatives or friends that will do it, its easy to leave your problems in the hands of the coordinator. in my wedding, my wife really wanted to have the coordination services of Tuesday Vargas. I have to say, things were a breeze with her team.

12. Wedding suit: There are many reputable tailors in the metro. I have a regular tailor, where he does excellent fittings. but since it was a wedding, i thought i would try Kingsman tailors. Besides the awesome name (like the movie), they did a good job. a real master feel when you are in their shop. make sure to time the suit and time of finishing the suit before the wedding. but not too long before the wedding, as you may gain weight and cause the suit to tighten.

13. The pre-wedding seminars. We almost had to cancel the weddings due to them. Apparently, you need to attend pre-wedding seminars, or pre-caina seminars prior to weddings. and the schedules are sometimes extremely full! and when you get the certificate, you need a few weeks allowance to pass the certificates, also! and some churces are extremely strict about where you attend. and some are pricey. please do research on it.

14. Venue to stay before and after the wedding night: Some photographers take photos and videos in the grand lobby or staircases of hotels. Not all hotels are free about using their places to take pictures in. consider that, too. i got an extra room for the night before just incase some friends would be flying in or something. :)

15. Please do feed the crew/staff/photogs/coordinators good food. Jollibee is good, but please do take in mind they most probably eat that ALOT. Ask around, my coordinator suggested a good crew meal supplier. Ask around lagi, its free to ask. :)

16. Wedding day Emergency bag
- Now the prepper in me comes alive. haha bring a bag on the wedding day (well not you as the groom or bride, maybe a family friend or relative), where you have a bag of stuff for emergencies. Gum, mouthwash, Loperamide, pain relievers, duct tape, pin, marker, pen, paper, tissue, and most importantly, snacks! I attended a wedding recently, where the groom suddenly became diaphoretic while kneeling at the altar, ended up being so since he skipped lunch in a rush to get to the church.

17. Honeymoon: Face it, its really just an excuse to vacation. :) haha

18. Make sure to assign a relative to take care of the gifts, as they may sometime vanish. :(

19. Be sure to thank everyone for coming and taking time out of their busy schedules to attend your wedding. :)

20. Dont forget to enjoy! you did prepare ahead of time so that you can enjoy your special day. :)


Tags:
Wedding prep preparation
How to get married
how to prepare to get married
How to prepare for wedding

Polio Virus outbreak - short summary

As of Sept 19, 2019, the DOH declared an "outbreak" of polio in Lanao Del Sur, a province in Mindanao. DOH also confirmed that there are polio virus samples in the sewers of Manila.

So basically, what ive gathered from my readings, you should expect generalized symptoms such as fever, cough, colds, diarrhea, and vomiting.

The warning sign is if these symptoms have accompanied one sided arm or leg weakness.

It's deadly if the patient gets paralysis of the BREATHING muscles, causing them to stop breathing.

Recovery is usually expected to start by 6 months, meaning muscle function begins to return.
If by 2 years and there is still symptoms, it will become permanent.

The most susceptible are the 5 year old and belows, especially if they dont have the polio vaccine.

Overheard in the ER

Im going to be posting some of the things ive overheard in the Emergency room:

Doctor: May lagnat anak mo. Kaya ba ng anak nyo mag tablet? (Your son has a fever. Can your son use/tolerate a tablet?)

Grandmother: yes, kayang kaya nya mag tablet. (Yes, he knows how to use a tablet)

Doctor: Sige, painumin mo tong paracetamol tablet bawat 4 na oras (Have him drink this tablet every 4 hours)

Grandmother: ay, hindi nya pa kaya lumunok ng tablet! akala ko Ipad sinasabi mo. (oh, he cant swallow tablets yet, i thought you were talking about using an Ipad!)

Dengue Fever syndrome in the philippines

what is dengue?

Dengue fever syndrome is caused by the Dengue virus. Usually caused by mosquitoes with striped legs (Aedes aegypti), which is transferred when the mosquito bites the victim.

By textbook pattern, you should have about 3 to 4 days of fever. you may develop a non-itchy rash on your body, but rash does not mean severity of symptoms or progression of infection. on the 5th or 6th day, you will no longer have fever episodes, but this is the time your platelets would drop the most. and on the 6th day onwards, your platelet count should slowly increase again and the infection will resolve.

When should you worry
when you develop any sudden bleeding episodes without any reason, or vomiting or stomach pain. You will need to see a doctor as soon as possible.

What to expect when a doctor sees you:
you will most likely be ordered to undergo a blood test called a Complete Blood Count test, where they draw blood from you, to check the parameters of your blood if it looks like dengue. Usually, they will be looking at the platelet count, but doctors will also look at the different count, hematocrit and the hemogoblin count. Depending on your levels, or your symptoms, you most probably will be having repeated CBC tests done, depending on the picture of your blood and the severity of your symptoms.

Is there a test to check if it is Dengue?
There is a screening test for it, called the Dengue NS1 antigen, IgG, and IgM. The 3 tests are all drawn in one blood extraction, dont worry.

Dengue NS1 antigen is detectable in the blood in the first 1 to 3 days.
Dengue IgM is detectable in the 3-6 day.
while Dengue IgG is the marker for chronic (another term for old) dengue infections.

Usually, the doctor would order the Dengue screening test at least on the second day, unless the doctor is suspicious about the day the illness actually started.

Are there any alternative treatments to Dengue
They say you and make a concoction of boiled tawa-tawa leaves to help cure dengue. Personally, i have not seen it work.


OF COURSE, ACTUAL CONSULT WITH A DOCTOR IS WAY MORE RELIABLE THAN GOOGLING THE SICKNESS. BUT, IT ALWAYS IS GOOD TO RESEARCH AND BE PREPARED. 

Common Filipino / Tagalog Phrases that you can use in the Philippines:

Traveling to a country with a different language may be difficult. Here are some phrases you can use:

1. Saan ang = where is

2. ano = what

3. tulong = help

4. magkano = how much

5. banyo = toilet

6. paano (pronounced pa-a-no) = how

7. gutom ako = im hungry

8. punta = to travel, to go

9. ako = referring to yourself, "me"

10. kotse = car

11. kuryente = electricity

12. pagkain = food. also can be used as a verb that means to eat

13. inom = drink

14. alak = alcoholic drinks

15. sakit = pain


Travel tips:

1. It is wise to always carry a card or paper with the address of the hotel or place you are staying at on your person at all times, in case of emergencies. 

2. Most restaurants or shops usually employ a security guard, who can assist you if you are in trouble, need directions, or need help.

3. Most Filipinos can speak english, although not fluent. 

4. Not everyone is trying to help you, watch out for criminals always trying to rob you. 

5. Philippine tap water is not potable. It would be safer for you to buy water or even soda instead. 

6. Always come prepared with smaller money bills, some people would try to stiff you on the change.

7. Try not to deal with anyone thats not in a shop or counter. Many conmen abound in the philippines.

8. If you dont know what you are eating, it may be best to avoid eating it. 

9. Dont believe everything you are told. in case of something suspicious, ask someone in authority about it. like someone in a uniform.

10. Be wary of ATMs, there have been many scams about people trying to steal at ATMS. make sure there arent any devices connected to the ATM, or anything weird looking.

11. Do not drink or eat anything you are not sure off. There have been scams where conmen put sedatives in drinks to take advantage of the tourists.

12. Make sure of how you are going to get to a place before actually going. Research makes the trip more comfortable, and safer. 

13. The Philippines has a lot of exotic food, but may not agree with your tummy. in case of doubt, maybe you shouldnt eat it. :)

14. if you are going out, make sure you know how to get back to your hotel.

15. i would suggest not to travel with alot of money, as this will cause you to be targeted by possible criminals.

16. dont have your foreign currency changed at roadside shops or airports. Research online for the best prices. 

With all the catastrophes happening around us, you've probably thought of making an emergency bag. Here are some good ideas:

1. Flashlight

2. multitool - like a swiss army knife or leatherman tool

3. some form of rope to tie things

4. Identification

5. a small bottle of water

6. first aid kit

7. extra clothes

8. small umbrella

9. tourniquet

10. marker (such as a sharpie or permanent marker)

11. pen or pencil

12. small powerbank with charging cable

13. emergency contact numbers

14. reusable cup

15. toiletries like a travel toothbrush, soap, toilet paper, and toothpaste.

16. condoms - may come in handy to tie things or to carry water or to waterproof electronics.

Common Filipino myths DEBUNKED:

1. Softdrinks will improve diarrhea

This is a popular one ive heard. When with LBM or diarrhea, give them coke to settle their stomach. This is a no-no. The sugar will cause the diarrhea to become worse since, since sugar will draw your body's water into the stomach, causing dehydration.

Do take loperamide tablets instead.

2. Stepping over the legs of a human will cause them to have stunted growth.

This one is a classic. I have no idea where this comes from. and you have to cross over again to remove the curse you have caused.