New Vaccine for Parkinson Disease Looks Promising

Yesterday we went for our quarterly check up to Macrine's neurologist specializing in movement disorders and Parkinson Disease. As usual, we always talked about advancement and new therapies for Parkinson. I asked him if stem cell research is the latest and He said No. Since I have been following the Michael Fox News, I told the neurologist, that my guess is probably vaccine research. He smiled with an approving yes. He was not surprise that I mentioned vaccine research.

Jokingly I told him if the vaccine works, then he will run out of new patients, once the vaccine is approved. He just smiled and told me it probably will be another 4 years or more before vaccine is approved by FDA. He told me to read the following articles as follows:

https://www.michaeljfox.org/foundation/news-detail.php?vaccine-for-parkinson-reports-positive-results-from-boost-study

http://www.parkinson.org/find-help/blogs/whats-hot/december-2014

Macrine enjoying her lemon tree and trying to walk in the yard for her exercise after our quarterly check up from her neurologist yesterday. Today she tried to play the piano that I also posted in my FB page. To all who commented and like her piano playing and the above photo, thank you so much.

History of All Saints and All Souls Days

Macrine, Knitz (Amor) and I visiting the tomb of our parents, David and Paz Katague, in Barotac Viejo, Iloilo, Philippines

Yesterday and today, the TV news in the Philippines are all about traffic due to the hundred thousands of Filipinos visiting the cemeteries to honor and pray for their beloved dead relatives. Here in the US, its all about Halloween costume parties and "Treat or Trick" for children knocking on your door for candies. Last night we have only about 30 kids knocking at our door. A couple of years ago, we had twice that number. It must be the rain that discourage the kids ( with their parents) Treat or Tricking this year.

If you are not a catholic you must be wondering why the celebration. Here's the explanation and video that explain it all.

"On All Souls Day, we not only remember the dead, but we apply our efforts, through prayer, almsgiving, and the Mass, to their release from Purgatory. There are two plenary indulgences attached to All Souls Day, one for visiting a church and another for visiting a cemetery. (The plenary indulgence for visiting a cemetery can also be obtained every day from November 1-8, and, as a partial indulgence, on any day of the year.) While the actions are performed by the living, the merits of the indulgences are applicable only to the souls in Purgatory. Since a plenary indulgence removes all of the temporal punishment for sin, which is the reason why souls are in Purgatory in the first place, applying a plenary indulgence to one of the Holy Souls in Purgatory means that the Holy Soul is released from Purgatory and enters Heaven. 

Praying for the dead is a Christian obligation. In the modern world, when many have come to doubt the Church's teaching on Purgatory, the need for such prayers has only increased. The Church devotes the month of November to prayer for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, and participation in the Mass of All Souls Day is a good way to begin the month."

Barquillos and Ice Cream for Merienda

Today, Macrine and I had Barquillos( rolled milk wafers) and ice cream for merienda ( afternoon snack). This reminded me of my teenager days in Iloilo. This nostalgic memories reminded me of my Father, Dr David Jamili Javellana K(C)atague from Barotac Viejo, Iloilo, Philippnes. In the late 1940's just after the American-Japanese War in the Philippines, the third class town of Barotac Viejo did not have an ice cream store and bakery. So every week, my Father and I would take a 2 to 3 hour ride by bus to Iloilo City to purchase our monthly supplies of groceries and bakery goods. The roads at that time from Barotac Viejo to Barotac Nuevo were not paved and the bus trip was very bumpy. During the rainy season some parts of the national road is flooded.

However, in the early 2000 when my wife and I visited Barotac Viejo, the roads were paved, so the 60KM auto trip from Iloilo City to the town took us only about 55 minutes.

http://chateaudumer.blogspot.com/2014/12/where-heck-is-barotac-viejo-iloilo.html

If you are not familiar with barquillos: Barquillos are thin rolled cookies of Spanish origin. In the Philippines, Iloilo is particularly known for its barquillos. They are made by pouring a thin batter is onto a wafer iron (barquillera). Once the wafer is cooked to a light brown it is immediately rolled while still hot. It becomes a crisp rolled cookie when it cools. Barquillos are now available in local flavors like ube and pandan. Sometimes they are filled with polvoron powder to make a sweet called barqueron. Here in Nothern California, Barquillos are sold in our local Pilipino grocery store. They are imported from the Philippines. Here's a short video in how to make barquillos or rolled milk wafers.

The Sisters of the Cenacle in Asia and Donald Trump

Cenacle Sisters of the Philippines and Singapore( in Asia). My sister-in-law is in the middle row second from the left.

The other day my Italian-American neighbor who is a very devout and practicing catholic asked me what I knew about the Order of the Cenacle when she found out that I have a sister-in-law who is a Cenacle nun in the Philippines. So I did some Internet search and one of the many things I learned is that the word Cenacle meant the Upper Room.

I also learned that the founder Saint Therese Couderc was known for her humility. This word reminds me of Donald Trump, this year Republican Nominee for US President. Trump is a living example of the opposite meaning of the word humbleness and humility! Heavens forbid if he gets elected! To insure he does not get elected do not forget to vote for Hillary!


Now here's a short information from Wikipedia about the Sisters of the Cenacle.

The Sisters of the Cenacle (full title: Congregation of Our Lady of the Retreat in the Cenacle) is a Roman Catholic Congregation founded in 1826 in the village of Lalouvesc (Ardèche), France. The founders were Saint Thérèse Couderc and diocesan priest Jean-Pierre Etienne Terme. Today this congregation has branches in sixteen countries in the world.

The mission of the Cenacle is threefold: Prayer, Community and Ministry

The first video describes the inspiration and origin of this order of Nuns that I am very proud of. The second video are members of the Cenacle and Male Friends singing What a Wonderful World!




Celebrating 50 years of the Cenacle in the Philippines.

For details about the 2 singing nuns read:
http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/206601/these-nuns-can-sing-and-music-is-their-prayer/

Family Pictures Slide Show