Tina pleads for help

SMS Texts via Yahoo Messenger, 13:25: GMT+08 to 13:55

Bern: Hi Tina. My apologies if I'm interrupting a seminar. I'm sorry life has no doubt been extremely difficult for you today. I wonder how you are.

Tina: Bern I'm now in seminar, we have lecture right now. But tomorrow we will start d formal seminar; my problem [is that I] need to buy personal needs.

Bern: Thank you for that info Tina. To avoid interrupting your seminar again, I'll text you from Yahoo maybe 3 hours from now.

Tina: I'm not sure if I can [come] back tomorrow in seminar, coz I cannot afford to buy uniform, sorry to say this. Please help me.

Tina: Please help me Bern, so I can buy my needs for seminar.

Bern: This is an extreme situation for both of us. I'll contact you later.

Expenses overwhelm poor, pregnant, bleeding woman and relatives

E-mail from Tina sent at 14:42 GMT+8

Dear Bern,

1. This is the prescription of Dra. D . . . :

Duvadilan 1 tab, once a day, need 7 pcs, 17.20 each, total cost 119, Hemostan 500 mg 10 cap, 2 x a day 22.50 each, total cost 225, Beniforte or Hemarate 1 tab. once a day, only available in Mercury drugs was Hemarate cost 11.00 each, total cost 674.

2. Then I spend Dr. fee cost 1,500 in 2 times each, yesterday and today dra.* Fees.

3. Then after Dra.* D . . . give a request for ultrasound on May 28, to see if there [is] a development and to avoid premature labor, it will cost again 1,500.

4. I Hope you understand, I also scan the result of ultra sound before which [was] requested in doctor in Provincial hospital last April 27, 2007.

5. I almost spend 2,500 for Liza check up and medicine, then my problem was another 1,500 on May 28, for ultrasound and another dra.* fee, need another 2,500 almost.

6. The money I have was my allowance for operation maybe on the first week of June, and I don't know yet what will be the exact expenses, what I can do? I want to save the life of the baby, that why I do that, I [know] that will be my next problem soon, how I can return the money I spend for Liza, and another expenses on May 28?

7. The main problem of mine was the allowance of Liza ‘s 2 child Ken and Kert, which Ken now I need to enroll in kindergarten this coming June, it's also my responsibility, also the situation of Liza, I hope we avoid premature labor, coz we experience it before on her 2nd child Kert, [who] was [in an] incubator for 1 month, it's so hard and so expensive. The allowance for their milk, diaper, and food, that make my life harder, but what I can do, I'm the elder and my responsibility [is] to help them, specially this moment.

8. I try to open a ATM account so I did not bring cash in hospital - it was BPI Express Teller International . . .

9 I hope Bern you can help me regarding my problem about Liza and kids' situation.

[Liza's husband] Roderic was now in Alabang suffering illness in TB.

Tina.

*Dra. is an abbreviation for "Doktora", female doctor.

One crowded hour

Sound, sound the clarion, fill the fife!
Throughout the sensual world proclaim,
One crowded hour of glorious life
Is worth an age without a name.

Thomas Osbert Mordaunt (1730-1809), The Call.

Promises to keep

These woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Robert Frost: Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.

Stopping by woods on a snowy evening

What about the poem? People argue about what it means. Some critics say there is a deathwish in it, in reference to the fact that he has left the main road, is trespassing and heading toward the frozen lake.

Few readers seem to know that Frost himself commented about the poem. It had a very private and personal meaning. Frost had gone to town to buy toys for his children. But what he found was too expensive and other shops were closed. He was out of work and very poor. It was Christmas Eve and his children were eagerly hoping for presents from Santa. He is coming back with an empty wagon. The night has gotten late and he takes a shortcut. It is the darkest evening of the year, not only because of the calendar, but because of his great sadness. He stops for a moment with his horse as his one companion, although the poor animal cannot understand what is wrong. The man’s promises to keep are with his family. No matter how bad he feels, he cannot die and he cannot run away. They are depending upon him.

Father Joe: Miles to Go Before I Sleep. Excerpt. Father Joe is a Catholic priest in the Archdiocese of Washington, DC.

Filipino government health funding grossly inadequate

On 3 February 2006 a Filipino blogger known as Obi Macapuno drew attention to the gross inadequacy of government funding for public hospitals in the Philippines. I take the liberty of quoting, below, excerpts from three of his paragraphs:

I am aware that health care and medicine prices are currently a hitch on the local social welfare concerns. Pero, naman! I didn't realize it is "THIS" huge a problem, na pala. I mean, I grew up on a military clan. . . . I was born on a military hospital, been operated on a military medical facility, checked by military dentists, and heck even circumcised by a soldier!

But a couple of days ago, my sis decided to stage her birth on a private hospital. Can't blame her though . . . a public hospital is still a public hospital, and don't be a hypocrite to disagree with me that it really is worrying to consult on one especially when it's the life of your children or a relative that is being dealt upon. . . .

Which brings me to my point . . . why can't most of us have that confidence on publicly-funded clinics? I, alone, can produce a long list of reasons, but one of the most upsetting items in it is the fact that most of our public hospitals are incapable to compete with the private ones. It may come to us as "normal" just because private medical bodies have the monetary strength to fund but I tell you, IT IS NOT THE WAY IT SHOULD BE. The government has the almighty power to recruit the best medical team and provide the most advanced of medical facilities in the country that will leave private hospitals cower[ing] in comparison. BUT sadly, our government (that our heroes have sacrificed their lives to create) have more important matters to attend to . . .

Source: http://boyhalohalo.blogspot.com/2006/02/am-radio-sa-umaga.html