Anna Rivers

A Journey of Compassion and Care at Pacific Global Medical Center In April 2024, what began as a festive getaway in Cabiao, Nueva Ecija, turned into a defining moment of trust and gratitude. It was my 38th birthday, and my husband—already feeling under the weather—insisted on celebrating. Two hours into the party, chills overwhelmed him. I found him shivering under a blanket in our room. The next morning, nausea and headaches left us both weak, but my priority was getting him to proper medical care. First Impressions and a Change of Heart When we arrived at Pacific Global Medical Center’s Emergency Room along Mindanao Avenue in Quezon City, I hesitated. I’m used to sprawling hospitals, and smaller facilities often lack equipment. Within minutes, those doubts vanished. Attentive nurses and doctors sprang into action, ordering comprehensive labs and scans. Every test was explained, and no step felt rushed or overlooked Dedication to Diagnosis and Treatment The results were clear: a liver...

Photo from Getwallpapers Understanding Anxiety and Depression: A Personal Journey Many of us—especially here in the Philippines—hear the words “anxiety” and “depression” tossed around, but few truly grasp the depth behind them. I used to think they were just fleeting moments of fear or sadness—minor hiccups that would fade in a day or two. I was wrong, and I learned that the hard way. --- When It First Hit In the last quarter of 2021, I began to notice an undercurrent of unease I couldn’t shake. My business—which had been my pride and safety net—started to wobble. As revenue declined, my expenses and bills stubbornly climbed. I felt trapped in a cycle I didn’t know how to break. What really sank me wasn’t just the financial strain; it was the loneliness.   1. My friends and family were just as stretched—asking them for help felt unfair.   2. I feared their judgment of the decisions that got me here.   So, I tried to handle it all on my own. --- The Descent ...

LUGAW OVERLOAD Photo from Lugaw Pilipinas Marilao Facebook Page 📍 The Hunt: Discovering Lugaw Pilipinas I was on the hunt for a quick snack when I stumbled across Lugaw Pilipinas tucked inside Casa Milaben Building, Brgy. Ibayo, Marilao. Its unassuming facade almost had me walking right past. But curiosity won—after all, a place named Lugaw Pilipinas has to nail its porridge game. 🥣 The Menu & My Choice Six lugaw variants beckoned: 1. Lugaw Plain   2. Lugaw Egg   3. Lugaw Puso (with chicken heart)   4. Lugaw Bulaklak (with chicharon bulaklak)   5. Lugaw Lechon   6. Lugaw Overload (a feast of all toppings) First-timer? Go straight for the Lugaw Overload—a ₱99 masterpiece crowned with puso, egg, bulaklak, and lechon. ⏱️ Service & Packaging • Wait Time: ~12 minutes   • Packaging: Optional sturdy tubs at +₱12 each   Yes, the wait is a touch longer than grab-and-go lugaw spots. But watching them layer each toppin...

On the night of January 17, 2025, we gathered at home to celebrate my husband’s 59th birthday with a few of his closest colleagues. What began as a carefree evening of laughter, stories, and wine slowly wound down at midnight. By one o’clock, the last of the glasses had been cleared away, and we sank into bed, sleepy and content. But at 4 a.m. on January 18, a quiet urgency stirred me awake. My husband stood at the foot of the bed, eyes wide with alarm—he had passed bright, pure blood. My heart pounded as I imagined every horror: a heart attack, lung trouble, internal bleeding. Grateful that he handled the worst of it privately—I never saw the blood—I ushered him into the car and we sped to the emergency room. Blood tests confirmed his hemoglobin had dropped to 11.4 g/dL. Fearing continued bleeding, the doctors admitted him and scheduled an urgent colonoscopy for the following day. I paced the hospital corridors, praying it was nothing more than hemorrhoids or diverticuliti...

This is our first time in Siargao, so I want to have a wonderful experience in this place. My husband and I are not surfers, but since Siargao is one of the booming tourist destinations in the country, we need to try and visit it. Accompanying a great experience when you go to a place is the hotel where you will stay. Therefore, I made sure that the hotel we choose will provide us with a good experience and one that I can recommend to everyone. On our second day in Siargao, we dedicated our time to scouting for a hotel for the rest of our stay. We did not book online because I prefer to visit and see the place before we book it to ensure that it meets our standards and requirements for a hotel, so that we will not get disappointed upon our arrival. In our search, I had three options, and among those three, I chose Siargao Island Villas. This is due to the following reasons: THE HOTEL The hotel is truly beautiful and very classy; as soon as you enter the lobby, you are immediately greet...

  Photo from Harborside FB Page We arrived in Surigao City just in time for lunch—tired, hungry, and craving something comforting. After settling into our hotel room, we asked the friendly staff for dining recommendations. Their top tip? Head to the boulevard. It’s lined with food spots, perfect for choosing what suits your cravings. With the midday heat at full blast, we were on the lookout for an air-conditioned place to cool off while we ate. That’s when we stumbled upon Harborside. A quick glance at their posted menu showed some promising options, so we stepped inside. We ordered Kalderetang Kambing—my husband’s favorite—along with baked scallops, buttered chicken, and tinolang native na manok. The Kalderetang Kambing was wonderfully tender and impressively clean-tasting, without the usual gaminess of goat meat. The only thing I noted was its sweetness, which was a bit stronger than expected. A slightly toned-down sweetness might allow the dish’s classic savory richness to shi...