I'm still tired

Again. I'm so tired. I'm never at a good place at work. I'm always stuck with my projects. I'm out of smaller tasks to gain confidence from. Like I'd get over them quickly that I have to deal with the major ones too soon. Huhu. It's dreadful, this feeling. I don't like it.

I have a big one that's already sitting in prod but I have to fix some errors first. And it's annoying because we don't have access to prod so I will have to keep on requesting for the prod people to update it, which is embarrassing for me. It was working in UAT so I don't know what gives.

Besides this big one, I have two other big ones that are completely overwhelming me. I don't know what to do. I want to give up. Oh Lord. How do people work for decades??? I'm just so tired of it all I just want to become a housewife and take care of my husband, and Koomi, and the house. I'll just enable Jeckie to earn as much as he can to maintain our current lifestyle. Yeah, like what traditional women used to do haha.

I thought it gets easier but I guess I haven't even started.

A Comprehensive Guide to Different Types of Wounds and Their Care

Photo by Diana Polekhina on Unsplash

In our daily lives, wounds, whether minor or severe, are inevitable. They could result from a simple kitchen mishap, a tumble on the playground, or a more serious accident. Knowing how to correctly identify and treat different types of wounds is an invaluable skill, potentially preventing minor injuries from becoming serious and helping serious wounds to heal more effectively. This guide aims to provide a comprehensive overview of various types of wounds and their appropriate care.

Classification of Wounds

Wounds can be categorized in several ways, including by cause, depth, and whether they're clean or infected. Here are some common types:

1. Incisions or Cuts: These are wounds caused by sharp objects such as knives. If shallow, they often heal well with minimal care, but deep incisions might require medical attention to prevent damage to nerves, tendons, or muscles.
2. Lacerations: Caused by a tear or blunt force, these wounds often have jagged edges, and they can be deep, affecting not just the skin but also the underlying tissues.
3. Punctures: These are typically caused by a pointed object piercing the skin. They can be superficial or deep, with a risk of introducing bacteria into the body, leading to infection.
4. Abrasions: Commonly known as scrapes, these wounds occur when the skin rubs or scrapes against a rough surface. They usually involve just the outer skin layers.

Basic Wound Care Steps

Regardless of the type of wound, the first steps to wound care remain the same - clean the wound, stop the bleeding, and protect the wound.

1. Cleaning: Use warm water and mild soap to gently clean around the wound. Avoid getting soap in the wound as it can cause irritation.
2. Bleeding Control: Apply gentle pressure with a clean cloth or bandage until the bleeding stops.
3. Protection: Cover the wound with a sterile bandage or dressing to protect it from bacteria and prevent infection.

Wound Care Products

Once the wound is cleaned and protected, using suitable wound care products can promote faster healing and reduce the risk of complications. There are various products on the market, including antibiotic creams, adhesive bandages, gauze, and specialized dressings. Your choice depends on the wound type and severity. For instance, for deeper, more serious wounds, hydrogel or alginate dressings may be appropriate as they maintain a moist environment conducive to healing.

Professional Wound Care

While many minor wounds can be managed at home, some situations require professional help. Deep wounds that don't stop bleeding, wounds with embedded debris, animal or human bites, or wounds showing signs of infection (redness, swelling, warmth, or pus) should be evaluated by a healthcare professional. Also, anyone with a severe wound or a wound caused by a major trauma should seek immediate medical help.

Conclusion

Understanding the different types of wounds and their appropriate care is crucial for effective wound management. From cleaning to bandaging, and selecting suitable wound care products, these steps can facilitate the healing process and minimize complications. However, never hesitate to seek professional help when a wound is severe or shows signs of infection. Your health and well-being are always worth it.

I'm so tired

Urgh I've been pulling my hair out trying to make this PowerShell module work but it just won't run consistently! Module in question is dfinke/ImportExcel. My problem is I've been getting the error 

Unable to find type [OfficeOpenXml.ExcelPackage]

randomly a lot which has prompted me to do several things which sometimes work and sometimes won't. What I've been doing every time that appears is reinstall a different version of ImportExcel, which fixes the problem but every time I log off and get back to work the following day I'm fucking faced with the same error. Beats me why! I'm looking at a more permanent fix because obviously I can't keep reinstalling forever...

For added info here's how I do a reinstall...

I open Windows Powershell as admin
Uninstall-Module ImportExcel until I get a No match was found, then...
Install-Module -Name ImportExcel -RequiredVersion 7.8.4 or whatever version 

Usually a reinstall gets it fixed... but still... I don't know why I keep getting the damned error. I've read it has something to do with EPPlus.dll not getting loaded properly but seeing that it worked last night and then decided not to the next day is just so weird to me. 

Hay.

Smart Strategies For Starting A Fitness Business

Starting a fitness enterprise can be incredibly rewarding. Indeed, you can enjoy assisting people in reaching their exercise objectives and living a better lifestyle. Research shows that the industry is projected to grow by 171% by 2028. The numbers make it compelling to consider starting a fitness center, whether full-time or as a part-time gig. Are you a fitness fanatic or already like working out? Now is a good time to make money while doing what you love. Below are a few tips to guide you in getting started.

1. Decide your fitness business type

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Several types of fitness firms are available, each with advantages and disadvantages. You can work as a fitness instructor, teach lessons, or run your own business. If you're considering launching a fitness company with no money, becoming a fitness instructor is a low-cost option. Still, it takes an extensive understanding of nutrition and fitness approaches. Running a facility necessitates a significant investment, but you can rely on the knowledge of others. When considering beginning a fitness company, gym franchising possibilities also exist. Your final decision will depend on the kind of fitness business you intend to run.

2. Write a business plan 

After deciding your type of fitness business, it's now time to plan. If you haven't chosen a name for your business, you can use a name generator to get a few suggestions. You'll also need a business strategy, an official document covering your venture's purpose, goals, strategy, and financials, not forgetting rent, insurance, gym equipment, and so on. It often comprises a business description, sector and customer assessment, an operational strategy, and financial predictions. You may customize it to meet your specific requirements. This document will guide you and help you stay organized as you lay the foundations for your business.

3. Get a dedicated space 

Even if your company is entirely digital, you'll need to consider where you'll film your fitness videos and hold your online sessions. It's crucial to have a consistent appearance for your set, so choose a brightly lit space in your home and use the same place for each of the videos in your series. Renting a location for a full-fledged workout center requires more time and money. The good news is that many landlords are currently eager to negotiate rent, but it would be useful to wear your bargaining hat to get the best deal. Consider factors such as location, space, and cost, among others, to ensure you get value for money.

4. Obtain the required permit and insurance 

When establishing a gym, you must comply with the specific business licenses and permits mandated by your state and local authorities. It is advisable to consult your town, city, or county clerk's office. One essential permit is the certificate of occupancy, which verifies compliance with building codes, zoning laws, and government regulations. If you are leasing the gym space, it typically falls upon the landlord to obtain this certificate. Running a gym entails certain risks not typically associated with other businesses. Potential hazards may arise as individuals work out, use equipment, and move around the premises. Obtaining small business insurance is crucial to cover various scenarios, particularly for incidents involving customers on the premises.

5. Acquire training

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Getting some training is essential in launching a fitness company. Whether you want to learn how to establish a training business or run a gym, you must have some fitness experience for others to be confident that you know what you're about. You may consider several credentialing organizations, such as the NCCA or the DEAC, which approve legitimate credentials. Of course, physical training isn't the only knowledge you'll require. You'll also need to conduct many studies to determine what it requires to begin a firm.

[Recovery Logs] ACL reconstruction surgery with meniscus repair

See I knew something was wrong when it's been 10 weeks since my knee injury (from playing badminton) and I haven't fully recovered yet. For reference, here's my previous recovery logs where I didn't recover at all lol: https://www.theblahger.com/2023/01/recovery-logs.html

For context, I got injured playing badminton on January, let myself rest for a couple of weeks, but then felt too excited that I walked an hour on a treadmill on an 11% incline and then swam the next day. That's how I re-injured myself, prompting a knee reconstruction surgery. That's also proves how mind isn't over matter when the matter is out of hand lol.

Sometime in April I got an MRI which confirmed a chronic ACL tear on my left knee plus some serious meniscal tear. Doctor advised to get knee surgery, which went well on June 24.

In my understanding, they're gonna replace the torn ligament in my knees with a graft from my hamstring and screw it (literally), then shave off my torn meniscus so the edges are smooth and not sharp and damning to my bones. The technique they used (knee arthroscopy) is a vey minimally invasive procedure so there's not a lot of incisions made, making it easier to heal from the surgery.

It was my first time to undergo surgery so I didn't know what to expect. I was mostly worried about coordinating the LOA from my HMO provider and the hospital but turns out I didn't need to do that myself since I will be admitted pre-op which means the hospital will take care of calling our HMO for approval. I think the bill ran up to ₱180k, which included everything from the surgery, two nights admission, professional fees, and everything else I perused during my stay. Only thing not covered are the implants - and I opted for a bioabsorbable screw and button type so that set me back ₱85k. 

I was mostly excited to get over this major part of my life because I badly want to workout already. Now with a renewed sense of my mortal limits I promise to be more careful and more mindful of what I do with my ageing joints.

June 24 - day of my surgery. I was scheduled 6pm and was told to shower using a pre-operative bath kit they gave me consisting of two sponges and a bottle of some kind of antimicrobial bath gel that smells like alcohol and betadine or something. I was wheeled in the operating room by 5pm. The most painful part of the surgery was getting injected with anesthesia through the spine. After that I was sedated and would wake up from time to time feeling woozy. I just let myself fall back to sleep. Two hours later the surgery was completed and I was brought to the recovery room where they took an x-ray of my knee. Moments later I was brought back to our room where I immediately ate cos I felt so hungry. Surgery required me to fast for 10 hours so I haven't eaten anything in almost 12 hours at that point. Unfortunately I didn't know food and anesthesia don't go well together that as soon as I ate I just puked it all out. I felt sleepy afterwards and didn't fight it.

Here's my recovery logs so far...

Week 1

Jun 25 - it was a struggle to go home in this state. My leg was braced, I couldn't put any weight on it so I had to rely on crutches. It was also very painful and super swollen. Hard to go to the bathroom to pee. Had to put a chair in the shower so I could take a bath. Thank God my husband helps me with everything, I love him. I'm taking a bunch of meds for swelling, pain, and GI tract. Also antibiotics.

That's how my leg looks like on the first week. Everything swollen from the thigh down. I dress it every two days as instructed. Every day I'm able to put more and more weight on my left foot which is nice 😀.

Week 2

Jul 5 - it's been more than a week since my surgery and I can now walk without crutches but not too long because it gets tiring. I've finished all my meds too and is just taking it slow, wearing braces as much as I can to keep my leg straight. I do feel some kind of shooting pain when I'm pivoting though which is concerning because I thought I'd have brand new knees and I just have to wait for the swelling to subside. Will ask my doctor when I follow up.

Note to self: https://www.stoneclinic.com/ACL-reconstruction-meniscus-repair-post-operative-physical-therapy-protocol

Jul 7 - Barely used my crutches today. Still wearing braces the whole time. Can shower standing up now. Can wash the dishes as well. Felt a sharp shooting pain once; I think I accidentally pivoted. Otherwise, good progress. 😊

Jul 8 - followed up with my surgeon. Suture removed. Doctor mentioned the shape of my meniscus was adiscoid instead of crescent shape; which made the tear more painful as it goes in contact with the joint. Was advised to start rehab next week.

Week 3

Jul 12 - can walk better now. Can sleep without braces. Still wearing knee support. Can shower standing up for the most part but still gets tired so I still need the chair hehe. Can work the kitchen now, albeit slowly. Have been able to go out to the mall as long as I only walk short distances. Didn't use crutches the whole day. Can sit with my let bent slightly. Can ride the front seat of the car now, but have to scoot forward so my thighs don't get too pressed on the seat if you know what I mean. There is still some swelling on my calf. Still can't see my ankles. 

Jul 13 - Consulted with a rehab doctor as well as scheduled by rehab sessions. Poor flexion - straightest I can go is 30°. Closest I can bend my knees is 60°. Stopped wearing braces. Can walk faster. Still need crutches for aid. 

Week 4

July 18 - Day 1 of rehab. Got super tired with all the exercises I was taught. My leg is still swollen. Was advised to do warm and hot compress and continue the exercise at home. I also learned how to use my crutches properly. All this time I was putting my weight on the armpits, turns out it has to be on the hand support. No wonder I was slouching and feeling more tired when I use them, half the time I give up and just use it as a cane. Hay.

TBC

Get a Frenchie they said, it will be fun they said

I feel like I'm in a state of paralysis at work. I have loads to do but don't know where to start. I have a bunch of open items that aren't moving and I feel like if I could just close at least one project I would gain some momentum with doing the others. But here we are.... hayy.

To be honest I've been pretty damned preoccupied recently. We got a French Bulldog and ever since it came life has never been the same. 

Meet Koomi! Born January 15, 2023, we took him in on April 18 when he was three months old. He's five months in this photo.

His first few weeks with us were a nightmare. He came in sick, was in an out of confinement; apparently has coronavirus. He was pitiful but all I can think of was that he's being a pain in the ass. He would poop and pee everywhere. Diarrhea levels that at one point was charcoal black. He would chew on everything he could get his teething mouth on, to the point where we'll be awaken with him choking on chips of wood he's munched from our bed post. We couldn't focus on work because we have to watch him all the time. I was so tiring. And for the most part I was angry at the dog. He was just a puppy, I know. We wanted to give up but was never decided on it. Every day we try again. Every day I get bursts of anger. Every day I lose my sanity. I asked my friends for support and the consensus was IT GETS EASIER.

And damn they were right.

Eventually we got past the point of buyer's remorse and entered the point of no return lol. Weeks passed and we see him recover, slowly regaining his energy, slowly warming up to us. We were getting to know each other, and we were slowly getting our sleep back. It was just a few weeks ago that we would dart up every fucking hour in the middle of the night at the sound of his gargling (which is really just him chewing his paws), or his heaving (which is usually followed by his puking), or his abnormally loud hiccups. The slightest off in scent would send us upright, waving a flashlight in search of a puddle or a mound. It was beyond exhausting. I've had several breakdowns.

What made it more frustrating was because he was sick, we couldn't complete his vaccines and therefore couldn't take him out, in turn locking us all in the house with nothing to do but to tolerate each other. It made me very anxious. 

But that was two months ago. As soon as he recovered and completed his shots, we were slowly able to take our lives back, more importantly our sleep. That's when they say it will get better. I didn't believe my friends, thought they were brainwashed lolol but here we are, two months later proving them right. I used to hate the term furmom or furparent but I'm mothering the heck out of our dog and would gladly take the label now. I'm a freaking furmom to this stubborn bundle of joy and I'm loving it.

I'll make another post about what I'm learning raising a Frenchie, things I wish I knew before we got a dog. I'll call it Frenchie Tips cos it's punny haha stay tuned!

Nobu Hotel City of Dreams Manila - the staycation that felt like a dream

Stayed two nights at Nobu during Holy Week and I might say, it's so far the best hotel staycation we've had! Nobu is one of the three hotels that is part of the integrated casino resort that is City of Dreams Manila. The other hotels are Nuwa and Hyatt Regency. We chose to stay at Nobu because mainly Jeckie wants to try something out at the casino, ako naman I liked Nobu's interior. ♥

I uploaded a Room Tour vlog on YouTube, check it out here: [Room tour] Nobu Hotel City of Dreams Manila - Deluxe room, breakfast, amenities

We booked through Agoda and checked in early at around 2:30pm. Room wasn't ready yet and we were made to wait around 30mins for it. It's a peak date (holiday) so it's expected that rooms can take longer to get assigned.

When we got to our room I was pleasantly surprised. I super love how it's designed. Normally I would prefer elegant, modern, or minimalist styles but I think I've graduated from that cos I really appreciate the Japanese inspired theme. It's very characteristic.

The big brush paint accent on the wall, the roman shades, the roll-up blackout curtains, the lamps, I love the room so much! ♥ FYI I used to hate that big wall accent whenever it comes up in my feed but now I love it so much I specifically requested for it lol. 

We didn't get a room with a bath tub but it's more than fine. Maybe next time!

The large TV is an Android TV which is something I really admire because most hotels still only have cable which nobody uses anymore, so we always have to bring our Mi TV Stick just to watch Netflix or YouTube or Disney+. Glad we didn't have to set it up this time. ♥

I learned about this late, but apparently all the food at the minibar is complimentary. There's soda, juice, m&ms, and cup noodles.

Besides check-in taking too long, another thing I didn't like was that they're not responsive through email. Which I don't really mind but that's minus points in terms of hospitality for me. 5-star hotels usually are very responsive through email. Okada, being another busy hotel, never missed my emails. Anyway. Just to compare... cos I normally email hotels after booking to confirm, reiterate my requests, and subtly hint if we're celebrating anything cos most of the time they take cues and prepare something hehe.

Oh wait, Smart signal is bad in the room. We're on the 8th floor facing the pool. Little to no reception at all. But the free internet is fast and doesn't require a username and password so yey.

They don't allow outside food. Understandably so cos they have their own retail area where you can eat, so yeah take note. There aren't a lot of food choices though. And most of the shops are high-end so we didn't indulge. We focused on the restaurants. Personally the only familiar names are Mary Grace, Mango Tree, and Starbucks, and they're the cheapest in the lot haha. There were a bunch of unfamiliar restaurants but owing to the fact that they're in a casino resort, we have above average expectations. And they did not disappoint! We ate at Red Ginger (Southeast Asian) and Season 88 (Chinese, Filipino) and I highly recommend both when you're in COD! 

They gave us three breakfast options. Option 1 is buffet breakfast at Hyatt. Option 2 is ala carte dining at Wave restaurant (by the pool). And Option 3 is ala carte in-room dining by Nobu. We stayed two nights so on day 1 we tried the buffet, and on our last day we ordered in-room.

Hyatt buffet was just okay, there weren't a lot of choices to be honest. But it's all good. I don't tend to eat a lot during breakfast anyway so my plate was mostly continental, you know... bits of everything... pancake, bacon, eggs, potatoes, sausage, coffee.

Personally I prefer in-room dining because Nobu is serving and they have a good breakfast menu. Day 2 we got Nobu Style eggs benedict which was perfect.

We also got side salad, fresh fruits, bread, and juices. I love it!

Wave is the one option we didn't try cos it's too hot to dine out here.

We didn't think of eating at Wave because of the heat wave haha. Sobrang init sa labas grabe I don't think we would enjoy breakfast by the pool, but their menu looks good din!

They have a cute sized gym hehe. There are enough cardio equipment, a rack of weights, medicine balls, and other machines, but it's pretty tight.

No enough space to lay down a mat and maybe do some yoga. To be fair I don't think people would even use the gym when they're here.

What really made this staycation special, and like I said, the best haha, was that we were able to win everything we spent here by playing at the casino. And before you say we're lulong, let me be clear that I'M NOT PROMOTING GAMBLING because we all know it could lead to a serious addiction... 

yeeeeaah, that's about the extent a disclaimer I can make...

but I still wanna share my excitement cos it's quite an elated experience for both of us. Something I want to relish but also control cos there's no knowing the depths of this rabbit hole we just peeked through haha. 

Thankfully, we came in with a strategy (ah! like many others before us haha). My husband taught me the martingale betting system which effectively works with roulette. But it's not foolproof okay, it's a slow process depending on your risk appetite. Like any wise man would say, bet only with what you can afford to lose. Have an exit point and a reward ceiling. I'm not gonna elaborate the system but so far in the few times we played we never lost. Sometimes we gained only a little bit, but overall our 14k yielded over 50k. We were ecstatic cos that's more than enough to pay for our whole stay plus everything we ate there haha. 

When we wanted to eat at a restaurant we'd just play for 2k and call it a day. That's basically how we enjoyed our stay hehe. It feels so freaking good. We're on a high. But it's so dangerous, this feeling, this brewing addiction, if you may. And we only ever hear regret stories about gambling so I have to be very very clear about my motivations every time we enter the playing field. 

What's really off-putting thing about the casino though, besides losing and the growing possibility of being addicted, is the lingering smell of smoke, which is common naman with Casinos I think but I didn't realize I'd hate it so much I'd gag. I wore a face mask the whole time but I still couldn't stand it specially when someone in the same table is actively smoking. To be fair, COD smells better than Okada. Slightly or maybe because it's larger. The cigarette smell in Okada is too thick and the place feels cramped. Over time you get used to it but again it sucks when someone nearby keeps puffing hehe.

Yeah I should stop raving about our measly winnings. It feels immoral to be proud of this. I shouldn't be proud of it.

But yeah we would love to go back to City of Dreams haha. Char.