After a “Fall – Falter,” “Rise – Regain!” – A Revisit – July 2017

I have significant “Fall-Falter” events in first half of 2017 – March to June, 2017 – depression.

Starting July 1, 2017, I began to “Rise- Regain.”

I reviewed and renewed my life goals.  I set goals for the next one and a half year before I reach 70 years (January 31, 2019) – sort of a bucket list before I reach 70 years old.

I will finish my writings and online publications on the following:

• Medical Anecdotal Reports
• Medical Curriculum
• Hospital Administration
• General Surgery

I will create my own sense of well-being and happiness (along the line of to each his own).

I will be contented with what I have set as my limits (semi-retirement and slowing down in my profession; acceptance of “I can do only so much in life”).

I will put more emphasis on enjoyment of non-professional life.

ROJ@17jul13

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After a “Fall – Falter,” “Rise – Regain!” – A Revisit – 2016

Posted on July 31, 2016by reyojoson

I have a significant “Fall-Falter” event this whole month of July, 2016.

Tomorrow, August 1, 2016, I promise I will “Rise-Regain.”

ROJ@16jul31

After a “Fall – Falter,” “Rise – Regain!” – A Revisit – 2014

Posted on March 15, 2014 by reyojoson

In July 31, 2012, I coined this slogan for myself – “Fall-Falter, Rise and Regain!”

This is just one of the slogans that I have been using to help me go on in my life journey, specifically in implementing my life plan.   Some of the other slogans I use are: “It will come to pass!”; “Only do what matters most!”; “Live by the Day, by the Moment”; “You cannot do everything!”; etc.

I admit that I am not perfect.  Sometimes, or most of the times, at the frequency of at least once every 3 days, I usually feel I am going off-track in my life plans, in my daily, weekly, monthly things-t0-do plans.

What I will do is to tell myself, “fall-falter, rise and regain.”  I usually choose special days or occasions within the month to rise and regain.  The days of the month that I usually choose are the first day or 15th day of the month.  Sometimes, I use special occasions to rise and regain, such as Gregorian New Year; Lunar New Year; Easter Sunday; my Birthday; Philippine Independence Day; etc.  I also use beautiful dates to rise and regain, such as October 10; December 12, 2012 (12-12-12); etc.

Just like today, March 15, 2014, this is the middle of the month, I will rise and regain since I already felt as of yesterday that I am falling and faltering in my things-to-do plans.

“Fall-falter, rise and regain” has been very helpful to keep me on track and to help me accomplish my life plan.  Although I only officially coined the slogan in July 31, 2012, I have been practicing the principle since 1970 after my college days in UP Diliman.  At that time, I already started a habit of formulating and writing my life plan on papers.

ROJ@65@14mar15

ROJ@16jul31

Tips on Counting Marbles

July 6, 2017 – a patient and a Facebook friend manifested wish to follow what I am doing in my Counting Marbles Project.  I said gladly.  She asked me to teach her how to start.

Here is the outline:

You became 68 years old last May 8, 2017.  Your first lifespan target is 70 years old as this is the average lifespan of Filipinos.  From May 8, 2017 to May 7, 2018, you will be 69 years old which is equivalent to 52 marbles (1 week = 1 marble). From May 8, 2018 to May 7, 2019, you will be 70 years old which is equivalent to 52 marbles (1 week =1 marble). Thus, you have a total of 104 marbles to keep tab of from May 8, 2017 to May 7, 2019. From May 8, 2017 up to now (July 2, 2017), which had passed already, you already used up 8 marbles.  Thus, if you want to start the Counting Marbles Project on July 3, 2017, your starting number of marbles will be 96 marbles  or 96 weeks – up to May 7, 2019.

July 3, 2017 – 96 marbles

July 10, 2017 – 95 marbles left

July 17, 2017 – 94 marbles left

July 24, 2017 – 93 marbles left

So forth and so forth.

Write down what you still want to accomplish from July 3, 2017 up to May 7, 2019.  Keep track of what you are doing on a weekly basis.  Answer the questions: are you on track; are you satisfied and happy what you have done the past week; are there any adjustments you have to make, if yes, do them now; etc.

 

ROJoson Counting Marbles

Counting marbles is about reminding us of the limited time that we have on earth and that we should make each week and day count as much as possible in terms of doing what matters most for our loved ones and for ourself. It is also about prioritizing things in our life.

I have been counting my marbles since I was 45 years old (in 1994).

I am now 68 years going 69 years by January 31, 2018.  If one marble will be equivalent to one week, I have 104 marbles in my jar at the start of February 2017.  Since it is already July, starting July 3, 2017, I have 82 marbles to keep tab of up to January 30, 2019 (the year I will be 70 years old – my first lifespan target) – 82 marbles to remind me of the limited time that I have on earth and that I should make each week and day count as much as possible in terms of doing what matters most for myself and my loved ones and others.  Counting marbles is also about prioritizing things in my life.

Note: in my regular postings, I use 75 years old as a target.  Behind the scene, I am also using 70 years old as the first target.

See Link:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151954205770800.1073741892.726455799&type=1&l=faed5aee3a

ROJ@17jul7

Dealing with a Flat Tire

Today, July 6, 2017, at about 530 pm, after my daily walking exercise, I noticed one the tires of the car of my daughter seemed to lack air but not completely deflated and flattened.  I was deciding whether to bring the car to the vulcanizing shop before the tire becomes completely flatten.  I decided to observe further as I was not sure yet.  After I walked the dog which took me about 15 minutes, I saw the deflation of the tire was progressing.  Using portable air pump (usually used for bicycle and basketball), I tried pumping some air manually into the deflated tire hoping that I could inflate even a little bit to enable me to bring the car to a nearby vulcanizing shop without me having to change the tire.  However, I was not successful as there might be continuing air leak in the tire.  I decided the tire should be changed already.

I was looking around for external help such as drivers of other cars in the neighborhood. Unable to find someone to help me, I decided to change the flat tire myself, which I have not done for a long time.  I honestly dislike changing flat tire as it is difficult and dirty.

I had difficulty loosening the lug nuts of the flat tire using the usual L-shaped lug wrench.  I had to use a spider wrench and an additional long metal bar to be able to apply more force in loosening the lug nuts.   Then, I jacked up the car.  Then removed the flat tire.  Then, I got the reserved tire and finally changed the flat tire.

At one point, I was sitting on the ground already while I put in the reserved tire and released the jack.   I was tired.  It was really difficult and tiring for me to change tires nowadays.   At any rate, I made it.  I told myself (kaya ko pa pala,  I can still do it afterall).

After putting the spare tire, I noticed the spare tire lacked air to the point that it looked like I had another flat tire to handle.  I pumped in some air but was not successful as I noticed there was an air leak in the “pito”  or valve stem.

It was already past 7 pm and was already dark.  I was tired already.  I initially thought of  just parking the car properly along the side of the road and leave the flat tire alone and just fix it in the morning.  However, thinking that my daughter will use the car early morning the next day, I decided to take the chance (with still some air in the spare tire) and bring the car to the nearby vulcanizing shop (about 1 km away).  Bahala na or come what may.  Fortunately, I was able to reach the vulcanizing shop without destroying my spare tire.

In the vulcanizing shop, it was discovered that first tire had a long nail that penetrated it causing the flat tire.  The spare tire had a destroyed or leaking valve stem.  These were both fixed at the total cost of P400.00.

At 815 pm, I was back home physically tired and dirty.

Some lessons learned:

1.  I should always have a spider wrench and a long metal bar to facilitate lug nuts loosening.
2. I will try using hydraulic jack rather than mechanical jack as the latter consumes a lot of energy.
3. I and I will tell my daughter also to always have the spare tire checked regularly for functional substitution.
4. I will continue  to have an air pump always available in the car.  It still useful as a temporary measure to pump air into the tire to enable the car to reach the vulcanizing shop (let the boys in the vulcanizing shop do the difficult and dirty work of removing and fixing flat tires.
5. I will wear rubber gloves when I change flat tires to prevent my hands from getting soiled with dirt and grease.

Spider wrench

L-shaped wrench

 

Hydraulic jack

Hydraulic jack

Air pump

ROJ@17jul6

ROJoson’s Facebook Timelines Has Reached Quota as of June 2017

My Facebook Timelines has reached the 5000 friends limit as of June 12, 2017.  I cannot add more requests.  Actually, I have reached the limit last May 2017.  I just did “unfriending” for the inactive friends.   There is a limit to my doing “unfriending.”

Thus, I decided to create a Reynaldo O Joson 2 Facebook Group and Reynaldo O Joson Page.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1511295612255393/

https://www.facebook.com/Reynaldo-O-Joson-838073943009332/

These 2 will be an extension of my original Facebook Timelines.

For the information of those interested to be my Facebook friends.

 

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ROJ@17jun12

Work, just work and keep busy

If you are poor — work.

If you are rich — continue to work.

If you are burdened with seemingly unfair responsibility, work.

If you are happy — keep right on working.  Idleness gives you room for doubts and fears.

If disappointments come — work.

If sorrow overwhelms you and loved ones seem not true — work.

When faith falters and reason fails — just work.

When dreams are shattered and hope seems dead — work as if your life were in peril.

Whatever happens or matters — work.

Work faithfully — work with faith.

Work is the greatest material remedy available.

Work will cure both mental and physical afflictions

— From the “Silent Partner”

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Keep busy.

If you are unhappy, keep busy doing something.  Keep busy doing something for yourself but more importantly for others.   Chances are higher you will regain happiness when do something for others.

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Commit to the Lord whatever you do and your plans will succeed.  Proverbs 16:3

ROJ@17apr24

 

 

 

Preparedness to Respond to Destructive Earthquake

PREPAREDNESS TO RESPOND TO DESTRUCTIVE EARTHQUAKE

With the spate of earthquakes in Philippines lately, particularly in Batangas, we should be reminded to review and reassess our preparedness to respond to destructive earthquake.

 

How prepared are we individually? for our family? as a priority!

 

Self-assessment questions:

– Do we know how to anticipate collapse of a building or falling of objects so as to avoid injuries for ourselves and for our family?

– Do we know how to protect ourselves from collapse of a building or falling of objects?

– When do we do duck, cover and hold?

– When do we evacuate a building?

– Where do we evacuate?

– When do we go back to the building?

– Do we know how to protect ourselves when we are driving or riding in a vehicle when there is an earthquake?

– Do we know how to protect ourselves when we are in the beach when there is a danger of tsunami?

 

If you have comprehensive and correct answers to the above questions and you have a plan even mental plan, then you are prepared to respond to destructive earthquake.

 

If you are not prepared yet. prepare now to be prepared!!!!!!

ROJ@17apr9

Watch and Wait in Medicine and Earthquake

April 8, 2017 – afternoon – I experienced an earthquake situation while I was attending a lecture in Asian Institute of Management.

One of my insights is on Watch and Wait.

Watch and wait, watchful waiting, wait and see and wait and watch are phrases one sees in the Internet.  They carry the same concept. They are applicable in medicine and non-medicine setting.

In the medical setting, watch and wait, watchful waiting and the like is an approach to a medical problem in which time is allowed to pass before medical intervention or therapy is used.

In the non-medical setting, wait and see, wait and watch, and the like is an approach to a problem in which one wait to find out what will happen before doing or deciding something.

In the earthquake that I experienced on April 8, 2017, in the midst of the lecture, we saw the slide on the screen quivering (I saw it moving up and down rather than sideways). We initially though it was due to a computer or LCD glitch.  After a few seconds, we felt the earthquake or shake.  The earthquake stopped for a while.  After a few seconds, we felt another shaking of the building and also we saw the quivering of the slide.   Note: This was slide that quivered.

During the second shake, some participants were thinking of ducking until a table. However, there was only one table (there were about 50 participants).  I decided to stand up and duck under the frame of the door.  After the second shake, the group decided to vacate the building and went to the open ground outside the building of AIM.  After 30 minutes, the facility building officer declared safe to return to the building.

So, essentially, during the earthquake, the group did watch and wait or wait and see. During the second shake, the group was deciding to duck under a sturdy structure. After the second shake, the group decided to vacate the building, went to the open ground and waited for the building officer for advice.

Watch and wait, watchful waiting, wait and see and wait and watch carry the same concept.  They are applicable in medicine and non-medicine setting.

What are important to know are that there should be very closed watch or monitoring to enable timely and hopefully correct action and that this approach is not foolproof (does not guarantee 100% good outcome but it is most practical at best – as the building may collapse while doing wait and see or in the medical setting, the patient may suddenly develop severe complication during watchful waiting which may not be controlled anymore).

Links:

Watchful Waiting as a Treatment Modality for Medical Conditions

https://rojosonmedicalclinic.wordpress.com/2016/03/23/watchful-waiting-as-a-treatment-modality-for-medical-conditions/

ROJ-TPOR@17apr9