The Clueless Mom - Page 2 of 19 -

My Struggle with PCOS

September 25, 2015 7 Comments

At the beginning of the year, a lot of stressful things occurred. My son was confined on New Year’s Day and a few weeks later I was re-assigned to a new client who had more demands than my previous one. The stress kept piling up over the following months and I noticed how I gained a lot of weight, how my acne increased and how I felt down a lot. I found myself just wanting to stay in bed the entire day and just eat, work and sleep. I lost interest in my usual hobbies including blogging, which explains why you haven’t seen anything new here lately.

Just this summer, I convinced myself to start changing my lifestyle by exercising more often and eating well. It was tough because I continued to feel the pressure from work and I carried the stress with me even after work hours. Exercising helped me feel a bit better but at the end of the day, my mind was always clouded with thoughts of my being a failure at work. A few months into my “lifestyle change”, I decided to weigh myself and realized that I gained more pounds and I also noticed some clothes got tighter. You can imagine my disappointment. I knew I was supposed to lose weight at that point, but for some reason by body was not responding to my weight loss efforts.

Bothered by my inability to lose weight, I decided to see a doctor. I figured it might be hormonal because of my persistent jawline acne and my delayed menstrual cycle. After a few consultations and tests she determined I had PolyCystic Ovarian Syndrome or PCOS and that I was having a hard time losing weight because I was insulin resistant. I was told that being insulin resistant comes with PCOS, like a ‘package deal’, and that it means that my body is not processing insulin properly. Although I felt frustrated upon finding out something was wrong with me, I felt somewhat relieved that I could finally put a “name” to everything I’ve been going through. I wasn’t just “not trying hard enough” or “Stressed lang” like most people around me would say. More importantly, now that I am working with a doctor to manage my condition I don’t feel so alone anymore and I am finally getting proper care.

I didn’t realize though that treating my PCOS symptoms would be tougher. You see, my doctor wanted to address my delayed menstrual cycle first above everything else, so we set the acne and weight gain issues aside and worked on regulating my cycles and for this she prescribed me some good ‘ol pills. I’ve never taken birth control pills before for a prolonged period – I lasted about five days and gave up because the side effects were terrible. I raised this concern with my doctor and she told me I had to deal with the side effects and give my body about a month to adjust, plus the pills were supposed to help with my acne. She also wanted me to continue with the diet and exercise and to avoid stress because it can aggravate my condition.

Being on the pill for a month was a roller coaster ride. During the first few weeks I was just a huge mess – I had headaches, I couldn’t sleep, I always felt nauseated especially at night (which covers my work hours), I had mood swings and cried for no reason, and my acne grew WORSE. It affected my productivity at work and I got even more stressed. A week later the side effects seemed to subside, but just when I though things were getting better, I was going down the roller coaster again. It was just horrible. The worst part was that my next cycle was still delayed.

At this point I spoke to my supervisor at work, and explained my situation. She understood how tough it was for me and she agreed to help me find another position if I pay my doctor a visit and get recommendation for less stressful work. It just so happened that I was due for a check-up. When I spoke to my doctor, she said I had to stay on the pill for another month and if it yielded the same results I’d have to switch brands. Seeing that I was indeed under a lot more stress than before, she agreed to write a recommendation for less stressful work. That same day, I got word from my supervisor that my client cancelled his contract with me – an immediate cancellation. Although the cancellation was not due to my performance, I still felt disappointed. However, I couldn’t stop thinking that the timing seemed to be convenient to my situation. As my husband likes to say, it’s as if it were “God’s will”.

My supervisors decided to give me two weeks off before taking on a new position at work. If anything, they want me to feel better before I take on a new client again. I think that’s just what I need – time to deal with the stress and “reset”. I’m really glad that my supervisors accommodated my request and understood my situation. So here I am now, typing away on my blog and trying to bring it back to life (Ugh, that sounded cheesy!). I can’t believe that I didn’t get the chance to blog about my birthday last May, or my Little Troublemaker’s birthday last June, and our latest stories and milestones.

If you’re one of my readers, I’m sorry if I’ve been away for so long. There’s just been so much to deal with but I’m working on getting back on my feet. I have this crazy list of things I want to blog about, and I will be sure to scratch them all off my list.

I’m curious to know though if are other moms out there with PCOS. How are you dealing with these crazy symptoms? Please feel free to share in the comments below, I really want to hear from you because I’m new to this. Thank you!

The Little Troublemaker

My Toddler’s Wardrobe

June 15, 2015 No Comments

When my son was less than a year old, he was always showered with gifts, especially clothes. There were always a few pieces that he never got to wear because he outgrew them too soon. Even with the surplus of clothes, my husband and I still liked buying him a few unique pieces we’d find while shopping.

Now that my son’s a toddler, his wardrobe has significantly decreased to a few basics. We no longer buy him cute costumes and matching clothes or ternos. These are the staples in my toddler’s wardrobe.

Sandos

No brainer, with the tropical weather and all. I bought him two packs of these in time for summer along with lampins which we insert between his back and his sando or shirt to absorb any sweat. I got these sandos at Robinsons Department Store for about P300 for a pack of three. I bought them in a bigger size so he won’t outgrow them easily.

T-shirts

My son has a good number of shirts which were pasalubongs from my parents’ trip to the US and Canada last year. He wears them when we go out, and sometimes at bedtime when his pajamas are in the laundry. We still but him new ones once in a while, like these from Uniqlo (UT Collection) and Cotton On Kids. I like how they are super soft and breathable, I bet they’re comfy too.

Pants

He only has two pairs of pants – jeans for days out at the mall and jogging pants for his afternoon walks. We used to buy him pants all the time but we realized it wasn’t practical because he rarely goes out. I scored these GAP jogging pants at a tiangge in Festival Mall for P150, I liked how comfy they felt and that they were thick enough for in case he tripped and scraped his knees. Too bad there weren’t many of the same kind, they mostly had leggings and skirts for girls.

Shorts

We don’t stock up on pambahay shorts because my son keeps cool by wearing just a sando and his diapers while indoors. I prefer it that way because it means less laundry plus I can easily see when his diapers need to be changed. He does have a pair of shorts that we bought from Gingersnaps that he occasionally wears on days out at the mall. I like to pack it as a spare for his jeans.

Shoes

He used to have four pairs of shoes but when my sister in law gave him these Spongebob Crocs last Christmas, he would never wear another pair. He has grown fond of them to the point that he would not even try a new pair of shoes! Now we just stick to this one, he walks fine in them and I like how they’re easy to clean. I think though that it would be nice for him to have a pair of sandals to alternate with plus I’m a big fan of sandals – they’re comfy and casual and I just love them. The thing though with boy’s sandals is that there aren’t many designs to choose from in malls – mostly cartoon characters or typical patterns unlike girl’s sandals. I love browsing girl’s shoes and sandals because I like imagining how I would dress a baby girl if I had one. When I’m randomly browsing online stores I can’t help but check them out them – all the laces and pink, frills and purples and everything else girly. You can check out ZALORA Marketplace for cute finds for your little one like sandals for baby girls and you’ll see what I mean!

Pajamas

When we don’t have the AC on, I only have him wear a shirt to bed so that he feels cool. But for most days, which is when we have the AC on, I let him jump into these pajamas. They came in a pack of three from Mothercare and were a gift from his grandpa. I prefers these because he’s covered from the neck down, making him less susceptible to mosquito bites so that we don’t need to slather mosquito repellents all the time. Since he only uses them at night, I hang them in the morning and let him use them again at bedtime.

That sums up the current staples in my toddler’s wardrobe. I like to think that keeping this clothes to a minimum is practical and he gets to wear everything – no more feeling bad when he outgrows a piece of clothing. If I do need to buy him a new shirt once in a while I buy it in a bigger size so that he can use it longer – nothing too awkwardly big though!

What staples do you have in your toddler’s closet? Share them with me in the comments below.

Reviews

My Brow Makeover at Brow Lounge Alabang

May 21, 2015 17 Comments

If there’s anything else I’m clueless about besides motherhood, that would be make up. No matter how many video tutorials I watch, I just suck at applying make up, especially doing brows. Earlier this year I overplucked my brows and looked ridiculous for the longest time, good thing I work from home otherwise I’d be forced to learn how to fill in my murdered brows, which I can assume would not go well.

So I grew out my brows for months and they turned into this hideous shapeless mess. I decided that I would finally have my brows done at one of those brow salons I’ve read about online. After a bit of research I learned that the brow salon closest to me is Brow Lounge in Festival Mall, Alabang. I decided to finally pay them a visit earlier today.

I was in a hurry today so I didn’t have time to stop and carefully compose my photos. I just stole some shots as I was going through the salon. Typical me.

When I arrived the salon had just opened. It was clean and the ambiance was very welcoming. The staff who assisted me at the reception area was Rhea, she had me sign up and in a few minutes she ushered me into the salon.

Clueless Moments

Waiting For Something Beautiful

May 10, 2015 1 Comment

I’ve been having an unbelievable streak of bad luck these past few months. Do you know that feeling when nothing seems to be going your way – as in nothing? It’s as if I’m being picked on by the universe.

In March, my husband and I decided to finally buy our very own car. Spanking brand new one. In a week, the hood got damaged when it hit the gate while we were parking it.
I was having an extremely difficult time coping with my job – I couldn’t meet my weekly goals but for everyone else, it was smooth sailing. Imagine telling your client for five days straight that you booked them zero appointments no matter how hard you tried!
Early in April both my son and I got sick, and my son is still under maintenance for his bad asthma attack from New Year’s day. He had a terrible cough and cold and he couldn’t sleep well for weeks. His meds were expensive and it was difficult to see him sick.
A few weeks later, I fell victim to an ATM skimming device scam, and lost one month’s worth of my salary. Would you believe that my Chinese horoscope predicted a “robbery” in the fourth month of 2015. Surprise, surprise.
A week after that, my client was about to cancel their contract with me because they weren’t satisfied with my output. I was hanging by a thread but they decided to give me another month.

You might think I’m being overdramatic, and maybe I am, but when things like this pile up you just feel like your at your wit’s end. I guess what hit me hard the most was losing our money, because we had important plans for that money.

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve cried last month. There were times when I just wanted to stay in bed and mope all day, times when I wanted to down a bucket of ice cream and boxes of pizza, and times when I just wanted to curse at everyone. But I can’t, and I won’t. Because I’ve been through tougher times and worse things, and especially because I wasn’t raised to be weak in the face of hardship.

I keep telling myself to still be thankful,

..that we’re not broke, that we have a roof over our heads and that we still eat three times a day.

..that Ethan is better now, that I still have my job, and that our car is still intact.

..that I have a family who cares, that I have a husband who works hard for us and always reminds me to stay positive.

..and that I have a son whose smile gets me through the toughest days.

Life may suck right now, but a friend told me that despite everything that’s going on, something great is bound to happen. And I believe her. You know that song by Robbie Williams, “Something Beautiful”? The lyrics really refer to finding love, but there’s this part of the song that I like a lot that I relate to life in general:

“May you find that love that won’t leave you
May you find it by the end of the day
You won’t be lost, hurt, tired and lonely
Something beautiful will come your way”

I always remind myself that things will get better, that “something beautiful” will eventually happen. No matter how bad some days can be, I still pray and thank Him for the good things – for having people I love who help me get through these bad days. Sure, tomorrow could be worse than the day I was scammed, or the day I almost lost my job, but I believe that tomorrow is still something worth looking forward to no matter how much bad luck as rained on me.. because tomorrow might be the day that “something beautiful” happens to me.

Reviews

Review: Human Nature’s Balm for All Seasons

April 16, 2015 No Comments

This is not a paid review. The product was a personal purchase and this post is my honest opinion of Human Nature’s Balm for All Seasons.

I’m the type of person who always needs balms when on the go – I easily get dizzy and and a whiff of menthol always helps me feel better. I used to always carry Chinese menthol sticks that my mom used to buy me and I admit sniffing on them all the time when I was pregnant without even knowing what’s in them! Yikes!

So when I spotted Human Nature’s Balm for All Seasons in a nearby supermarket, I threw a box right into the cart without even checking the price. When they rang it at the cashier I realized it only cost P99.75, not bad!

“One whiff is all it takes to get you hooked. Breathe in the goodness and let the good vibes from this mint balm soothe away the tensions of your daily hectic lifestyle. With an infusion of peppermint, eucalyptus, and bergamot, let this all-around wonder balm help relieve stress, mental fatigue, dizziness, body aches, and even skin boo-boos.” –from the Human Nature website

Would you believe that I have already been through four pots of this stuff since December? Let me tell who why I love Human Nature’s Balm for All Seasons.

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