Why I Now Support My Daughters Getting the HPV Vaccine: A Change of Heart

Yesterday, I received a WhatsApp message from Alycia telling me that some healthcare personnel visited her university, offering free HPV vaccines to female students. Since she hadn't taken the HPV jab before, she decided to get it. Years ago, I advised Alycia and Sherilyn to skip the free HPV vaccines offered at school. At that time, the research I found didn’t convince me that it was necessary, and I felt uneasy about the possible side effects.

However, as time passed, and after further conversations with my gynecologist and conducting updated research, my perspective on the HPV vaccine shifted. I became more confident in its importance, particularly in preventing cervical cancer and other HPV-related diseases. Earlier this year, Cass took the HPV vaccine, and now Alycia has as well.

What’s even more interesting is the recent change in HPV vaccine guidelines. Previously, the vaccine was administered in three doses, which deterred me initially. However, recent findings led the World Health Organization (WHO) to revise their HPV vaccine recommendations, supporting a single-dose regimen in many cases. The Pan-American Health Organization followed this guidance in September 2023, and by February 2024, 37 countries had adopted this new approach. This means that both Cass and Alycia only need one dose instead of three, a big win in terms of convenience and protection.

Alycia also mentioned that the free vaccines were sponsored by the National Cancer Society of Malaysia. This is a big deal because if we had to get the vaccine outside of this initiative, it could easily cost several thousand ringgit. I’ve also told Sherilyn that if the National Cancer Society visits her university to offer the free vaccine, she should take it too.

I’m grateful that my daughters now have access to this crucial protection without the burden of high costs. I feel more confident about this decision, and I’m relieved that they are on track to be protected against the risks of HPV. If you have daughters and are on the fence like I once was, I encourage you to speak to your healthcare provider and do your own research. The more informed we are, the better we can protect our loved ones.

Scary Video Shows How Quickly Bacteria Becomes Antibiotic Resistant

Prevention is better than cure. I am all for this adage.

Do watch this video on an experiment by Harvard Medical School on how quickly bacteria becomes antibiotic resistant. They mutate, evolve and become so strong that even the most powerful of antibiotics can't defeat them!

And I am speaking from experience. When Cass was put on prophylactic antibiotics EVERY DAY since she was only a fragile 6-week old infant, the antibiotics did not work on preventing a UTI (Urinary Tract Infection).  Despite taking antibiotics every day, she would get a UTI attack once every 3 weeks.  Every single month. This went on until she was strong enough for a surgery at 13 months old weighing a mere 8kg.  I went through many nightmares with Cass when her doctors told me that the sensitivity test report showed that no safe antibiotics were suitable for her. The bacteria had evolved into mutants, resisting even strong antibiotics.   Imagine, if a doctor tells you that your child has an infection that no safe antibiotics could cure.  What would you do? How would you feel? I can still remember my exact feelings on those cold nights in the hospital staring blankly at the sensitivity test report with my doctor sitting next to us and scratching his head trying to find a solution to treat Cass.  How did Cass and I even survive those days?  I can only pray that we will never have to go through those harrowing moments again, ever.

And that is why I am doing all that I  possibly can  to prevent another UTI from attacking Cass.  Ever since she had a UTI attack in November last year, she's had a series of mild UTI attacks.  When she had quite a bad UTI attack in November last year, she was put on strong antibiotics via IV for 5 days and another 7 days of oral antibiotics. The after-effects of antibiotics on the body is really damaging.  Cass' immune system was weakened. I am very sure that the antibiotics did not completely kill all the resistant bacteria (and they multiply when conditions are conducive), thus the series of mild UTI attacks every 3-6 weeks, post November 2015.

Cass is now under a very 'controlled' lifestyle by me. She drinks Izumio hydrogen water 3 times a day, pops 1-2 Super Lutein capsules every day, pops a potent probiotics once or twice a day, drinks boiled barley and Job's Tears water every other day, coconut water every other day and I limit her intake of acidic food. She also drinks Waterfall D-Mannose every four hourly.   Sweets and junk food are banned. Sweet food is limited. Sugar and refined flour products only feed the bacteria, as with an acidic environment. Food that I cook is less sodium, less sugar and less oil. I try to avoid using bottled sauces with preservatives, coloring and other harmful chemicals.  She has to pee every hourly. And the toughest part is waking her up at 2am every single day to bring her to pee.  Drinking lots of clear liquid and peeing is key to flushing out the bacteria, NOT antibiotics.









Watching this stunning video of disease will surely bring pandemic movies like “Contagion” and “Outbreak” to mind. A Harvard Medical School study tested the strength of bacteria against powerful antibiotics on a “mega-plate” petri dish. And guess who lives in the end?

In the experiment, bacteria is placed on the sides of a petri dish and then advances to the center as it encounters different types of antibiotics, each more powerful than the last. The scientists created a time-lapse video to show its rapid evolution over the course of two weeks. You can see the bacteria (in white) as it fights through layers of antibiotics, multiplying and morphing as it spreads. Over the course of time, the superbugs become impervious to drugs and not only survive, but also thrive as they increase in size and strength. It shows how antibiotics are truly powerless against mighty evolution.

The experiment is one of the first large-scale looks at the evolution of bacteria (or, arguably, of life) and how even our most powerful drugs can’t kill germs. Which leaves us with only one conclusion: This is both really cool and totally unnerving.







A new experiment shows how bacteria can fight it's way through antibiotics. Photo Credit Scharvik/iStock/Getty Images


Video and article, courtesy of Livestrong.com

Making The MRI Manageable

If there is an MRI in your future, there are a few tips to keep in mind to make the scan a little easier. An open MRI scanner is often the best solution if you are afraid of being in small spaces or if you are physically unable to be inside the machine.

One of the things to keep in mind is that you should leave your modesty outside the door. You will likely have to wear a hospital nightgown, especially if you will need to stay in the hospital for a few days after the scan is completed. You can't wear anything metallic, and you should tell the technician if there is anything in the body that is metal as the machine is a large magnet. Some of the things that you might not think about are hair bows and earrings.

While in the scanner, don't move at all. This will only mess up the image, and you will likely have to repeat it until a clear image can be seen. You aren't strapped down on the table, and no one is in there to hold you down so that you don't move, so you will have to use willpower to not fidget while the machine is circling around you to take a picture. Patience is a virtue as it seems like it takes forever to get the results back. However, with the digital age, doctors can usually see results of the scan a short time after it's completed.

Some people think that you can't breathe while you're getting an MRI. It's alright to breathe, and the technician might tell you how to breathe at times in order to get an image of the lungs or other areas of the body. If you're afraid of being in the machine, then close your eyes. It doesn't prevent any kind of magnetic ray from harming the eyes as the scanner is safe, but it can make you feel a little more at ease with being in a confined space. The technician will tell you when you are done with the scan so that you can finally relax for a while before the results are back.

Getting the Right Diagnosis When Dealing with an Illness

When you are sick, the last thing that you want to fool around with is not getting the right diagnosis. You already feel terrible, and you are likely experiencing a lot of uncomfortable symptoms. You want to go to the doctor, get diagnosed, receive treatment or medicine, and then continue on with life. You do not want to miss multiple days of work, and you do not want to lose out on time with your family.

Part of getting the right diagnosis when dealing with any illness is using the different tests that are available to doctors and other medical professionals. These tests have been designed in order to detect problems that you may be experiencing. Some individuals get frustrated when their doctor orders a bunch of tests. However, this is an essential part of diagnosing a health problem. The doctor will be able to look at the results of the tests and then come up with a treatment plan that will help you get over your illness.

There are a wide variety of tests that are available for doctors to use nowadays in order to help their patients. Some of these tests include a complete blood count and a urine test. Other tests are more invasive and some require ffpe samples. Doctors can learn a lot about you and the health issue you may be experiencing by means of these tests. When they look at your complete blood count, they will be able to determine if you have an infection, if you have anemia, or if you are dealing with a serious health problem. The results of your complete blood count can lead the doctors to use other more specific tests in order to help you get the diagnosis right.

Most doctors are able to diagnose your health problem after doing just a couple of tests and asking questions about your health history. If you are uncomfortable with the results they give, it may be necessary for you to get a second opinion. Individuals sometimes feel a little bit uncomfortable doing this. However, it is essential for you to take your health into your own hands and be sure that you are getting the right diagnosis. There is absolutely nothing wrong with getting the opinion of more than one doctor. In addition to giving you the right diagnosis, you will also be able to get multiple opinions on different treatment options that are available.