Response to Angelina Jolie's Double Mastectomy

I read an article just recently, about Angelina Jolie's brave move of having a double mastectomy. A mastectomy is a medical procedure where the breast--or breasts (since it's a double mastectomy) are being removed due to a tumor or a strain of BRCA1 gene--a cancer gene.

You can read her story here. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/14/opinion/my-medical-choice.html?hp&_r=0

Angelina Jolie has always been known to be a badass movie actress, philantrophist, mother, and now, a film director. Her mother, actress and producer Marcheline Bertrand, succumbed to breast cancer back in 2007 at the age of 56. Having that breast cancer gene is the reason why Angie had the procedure done on her, knowing that she has an estimated 87% chance of getting cancer too, due to the BRCA1 gene.

It suddenly hit home. Back in 2007, as I have told you guys before, I had a surgery--a minor operation to take off a cyst on my right breast. I know I may not have the BRCA1 gene, since my mother doesn't have one. However, it still scares me, knowing that she had a total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral saphingo-oophorectomy a couple of years back after having multiple ovarian cysts and myoma. I had ovarian cysts before and I wouldn't be surprised if someday it would come back again.

Just like Ms. Jolie, my main reason to stay healthy is my family. I want to see my daughters grow up, graduate, get married and have kids of their own. See my grandchildren. Grow old and have old folks' talk with my husband. And I would not be able to do that if I get sick.

When our plans of moving falls into place, I am planning to save up money and get tested someday. To get better. Knowing that there's a history of cancer in my family, I can never be so sure. That I have to fight it--or prevent it, way before it finds me.

So to all those who can read this, please take the necessary precautions to stay healthy. With all the advanced technology that we have right now in the field of medicine, almost everything is possible to get cured.

Best of luck to you all.


xo
Aryanne

Fearless Friday: Things DO Get Better

It's been almost six years since I had a health scare. I think it's about time I tell the world about it. Here goes.

Back in 2007, a month before I turn 22, I was told by my former OB that I have cysts on both my ovaries and another small one developing on my right breast. I was worried because in my family, we have a history of cancer. That time, I remembered my Lola Citang had her breasts removed because of that. So yea, I was really scared.

Three days after my birthday, I decided to lessen my burden by having my breast cyst removed. It was just an out-patient thing and was done in less than half the day. Also, I started taking meds so my ovarian cysts would go away. Luckily, when I was checked a few months after that, all the cysts were gone and that the breast mass was benign.

It was a sigh of relief.

Now fast forward, 2008, I got married and was at first scared that my cysts might have affected my chances of having kids. Aside from that, I have a tilted womb. Yes, my child-bearing goals had been cut out for me reaaaal good. Haha!

I got married in May and learned that I was pregnant with my eldest daughter on the 4th of July. That was one of the best birthday gifts I have ever had, believe me. I never thought I'd ever see that day. But I did and it was glorious. I gave birth to Renee 2009.

Three years later (2012), I had my second child, Allie. Due to my previous birth, I had been worried that I might not be able to nurse Allie as I was not able to do that for Renee back then. I thought it was because of my 2007 cysts. Luckily, I was able to breast feed her. She's turning one this month and though, because of the operation, my breasts are very much uneven--one of them is 2-3 sizes smaller than the other, I am proud to say that I am still breast feeding her. Yay! :) For me, that's something that I never thought possible, thinking that the cysts may have an effect on my milk.

Why I am telling this now is really a great thing for me. I feel like I have been so scared for years, I wasn't able to talk about this for ages. I sent this story to HL Movement and was featured on their Instagram account some few months ago. I have never felt so good to read some of their responses. That I was able to move them. Inspired them to fight and be more positive, even in the craziest moments. I would like to share the photos here as well, if you don't mind.

So yea, that's pretty much it. Not so dramatic, if you may have noticed. But still, in these situations, you should always bear in mind that things DO get better. That there's always that silver lining. I hope this gives you guys something to ponder on. Stay healthy y'all!

Much love.


XO
Aryanne

Banay-nay Monday

Hello first day of the work week. It's another Manic Monday, for all of us domestic divas... Another week of cray-cray and chaos in our household, with just us moms to hold the fort, while the working poppas are away.

This morning, my eldest asked me if I could make banana muffins for them, after seeing the bananas on our table are starting to over-ripe. I think she's starting to get used to my habit of making over-ripe bananas into cakes. I'm not the type who wants things to go to waste. Anyhoos, she asked me if this time I could make it a bit "browner". That means, she wants it chocolatier than my usual.

Now, this momma's feeling a bit lazy today to start from scratch, so I "cheated" using Sharon's Banana Cake mix, tweaking the recipe a bit to fit the kids' taste a bit... KIDS, meaning even the MIL and the big kiddo at the office--my hubby. Teehee!

What makes up my "lazy" banana bread.

Here's my "lazy" banana bread recipe:

2 packs Sharon's Banana Cake Mix (200g box)
1/2 cup milk (Sharon's version needs water, I want it creamier)
6 tbsp oil (or melted butter)
2 medium eggs
2/3 ripe mashed bananas
2 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder (I used Goya Unsweetened Cocoa Powder)
5 tbsp sugar
1 cup chocolate chips; dusted with flour

1. Sift together all dry ingredients--cake mix, sugar and cocoa powder.
2. Mix with eggs, milk and oil until there are no more lumps.
3. Throw in the mashed bananas and chocolate chips.
4. Line muffin tins with cupcake wrapper or loaf pan with aluminum foil, shiny part side down.
5. Pour batter, filling in 3/4 of the tin.
6. If using oven, pre-heat oven at 375 deg. Fahrenheit. Pop cakes in oven for 20-30 minutes or until done. If using stove and steamer, boil water in steamer and place tins on steamer rack. Line the steamer top with cheese cloth or a clean towel. Cover steamer and cook for 20 minutes.
7. Cool cupcakes and enjoy.

***Quick tip: Dust chocolate chips with flour to keep chips from settling at the bottom of the muffin tins/ loaf pan. Also, if you have just recently removed the price sticker on the muffin tins and there's this sticky residue from the sticker, line it with a small aluminum foil to avoid the wrapper from sticking to the tin mold.

Nomnoms!!!

My 4 y/o and 11-month-old daughters love it! So does my child-at-heart husband, even bringing some of them to work (yes, like a preschooler with his own "baon"), sharing it with his awesome work friends, who are always excited whenever he brings baon to work. Haha!

Hope you guys enjoy it too. Happy cooking!

Homemade Playdough Project

Yesterday, my 4yo daughter asked me if we could buy her more Play-Doh. Even drew it's logo on a paper to show me how badly she wants it. Take note that she just started to learn writing last January so yes, this is a big deal for her to write something like that!

So I said yes at first. Later that night, I realized, why not make our own instead? A mommy-and-me project opportunity, yes?

This morning, got up early and prepped the materials. After breakfast, I told her that we'll make our own DIY playdough. The little angel was ecstatic! Below are the materials and instructions.

Materials

1 cup water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup salt
1 tablespoon cream of tartar
Food coloring
Saucepan
1 cup flour

Directions

1. Combine water, oil, salt, cream of tartar, and food coloring in a saucepan and heat until warm.
2. Remove from heat and add flour.
Stir, then knead until smooth. (The cream of tartar makes this dough last 6 months or longer, so DO NOT omit this ingredient if you don't have it on hand. That way, you don't have to make tons of it all the time.)
3. Store this dough in an airtight container or a Ziploc freezer bag.

I doubled the ingredients (2 cups of flour, etc.) so we can make lots of colored playdoughs. We made 6 colors total. The little lady's so excited, she's not talking to anyone right now. Too busy making her playdough pizza, she's ignoring us. Hahaha!

Anyhoos, enjoy! :)

Summer Saya at Splash Island, Laguna

A couple of weeks back, the hubby took us to his company's outing. The Lopezes, being a family-oriented company, has given their employees a chance to bring three of their family members/friends along to join in the fun. So the hubby and I quickly packed our stuff--his, hers and theirs (the kiddies, of course!) so we can have a day-long party at Splash Island, Binan, Laguna.

To make sure we won't get stuck in the middle of nowhere without gas or an over-heated engine, we stopped at Petron to load our gas tank, water and tires. All set for the road trip. Yay!

The kids were still asleep when we left for Laguna. Four hours later, the kiddies woke up to the sound of their father paying up for toll at the Southwoods Exit. Renee, my eldest, literally jumped off the backseat to see what's going on through the window! After seeing the ginormous green slide from the outside of the resort, a huge grin came out of her beaming face. Oh man, is she in for a treat!

That sure was fun. Any plans for summer as well?

Chicken Chews-day!

Happy Tuesday!

Today, I made Chicken Ala King for lunch and aptly called today, Chicken Chews-day! Get it? *wink, wink*

Here's my take on the dish:

3 cups water
1/4 kg chicken breast fillet, cubed
1 medium-sized carrot, cubed
1 can champignon mushrooms, sliced
1 medium-sized bell pepper, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small carton all-purpose cream
1 small carton evaporated milk
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp butter (optional)
1 tbsp all-purpose flour; diluted to 1/2 cup cold water
a dash of nutmeg
salt and pepper


1. Boil chicken in 3 cups of water and salt for 10-20 mins or until stock is reduced to about 2 cups.
2. Once cooked, dice the chicken fillet. Do not throw away the stock.
3. Sautee onion, garlic, and chicken in olive oil and butter. Make sure you pour the olive oil first before the butter. This way, the butter won't burn.
4. Throw in the mushrooms and bell pepper and mix with half of the stock. We call it "sangkutsa"
5. Next, put in the carrots and the rest of the stock. Let it boil until the carrots become tender.
6. Pour cream and milk and mix throughly. Then add the diluted flour to thicken the sauce.
7. Add nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste.
8. Serve with cooked/steamed rice.


Enjoy! :)

Allie's First Fall

Last Easter Sunday, I had the shock of my life. My youngest, Allie, had her first fall. It. Was. Scary!

I have had this experience with my eldest before and it was just as scary. I felt like I had a heart attack of some sort. Seeing my child on the floor, hysterically crying after that sunk my heart down to the soles of my shoes. I felt like I was the most horrible parent. I held her like there's no tomorrow and let her know that I'm with her. Like I would never let her go.

Am I a bad parent? I asked myself. I felt so terrible, it haunted me in my dreams that night. I mean, I just left her for about five seconds and next thing I hear was a big thud. And there was my child on the floor! UGH. I still feel crazy bad about it.

Anyway, she's fine. After a few minutes of crying, she's okay. No bumps, no bruises.

Thanks for letting me blab for a bit. :) Til next time. Cheerio!