Seventeen Years After My Retirement from the FDA

Three of my more than a dozen FDA Awards-Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) award was my most treasured award.
Dr Janet Woodcock presenting my EEO Award Plaque, 1998
However, the award I will never forget is the CASH and Appreciation Award I received for my leadership to alleviate the sufferings of thousands of burnt victims during the terrorist bombing of the Pentagon and World Trade Center, September 11, 2001.

https://hubpages.com/education/the-day-the-world-trembled

I retired on October 31, 2002 from the FDA. So by the end of this month it will be exactly 17 years after my retirement from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Center of New Drugs, Office of New Drug Chemistry, Division of Anti-Infective Drug Products in Silver Spring, MD.

Today, I feel that my mind is not as alert compared to the previous years prior to my retirement. In addition, I also missed my interaction with my fellow workers and my Chemistry reviewers that I had supervised.

While writing this article today, I feel very happy and accomplished as I reminisced my professional life and career.  It is rich and filled with pleasant memories, but not with Gold or Money.

My life is not rich in terms of dollars or pesos, or material possessions( luxurious villas or mansion here or abroad, and expensive cars) but in pleasant memories and accomplishments.

https://whyretireinthephilippines.blogspot.com/search?q=afterglows

The following are the reasons why I feel very accomplished although not rich in gold, pesos or dollars and how it was attained. How was this attained?

First, I grew up in the 1940's in the midst of the Japanese-American War in the Philippines. My father at that time was a Dental Officer for the Philippine-American Guerrilla Forces in Panay and Romblon Islands. Thus, I did have a lot of contacts with American GI's from all parts of the US. These contacts initiated and triggered my desire and ambition to someday see and visit the US. ( I had no desire or dream to reside in US at that time)

https://hubpages.com/literature/my-childhood-memories-of-world-war-2

Second, my elementary and high school years were also filled with accomplishments. I graduated with honors in 6th Grade and valedictorian in my high school class. Except for a bullying incident in my freshman year, I had pleasant memories of my elementary and high school years.

Third, my college years at UP, Iloilo and Diliman, Quezon City were also filled with scholastic achievements. I received the Fernando Lopez Scholarship in Iloilo for attaining the highest grade in the whole university. In Diliman, I graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry missing 0.02 points to graduate CUM LAUDE(with honors).

https://davidbkatague.blogspot.com/2011/12/chapter-4-my-college-years-1951-1955.html

Fourth, my graduate school years at the University Of Illinois in Chicago were also filled with pleasant memories. Those years were the hardest years of my life. Those years started with seeing my first snow in US, followed by raising three children ( my 4th child was born after my graduate school years) while a graduate and teaching assistant and culminated with my doctorate degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry in 1964.

https://davidbkatague.blogspot.com/2011/12/fda-years-and-maryland-1990-2002.html

Fifth, my professional career working as a chemist for 20 years for three private companies and later for the federal government (FDA) for another 12 years ( as team leader) were unforgettable. My years in FDA were filled with awards and challenges. My 12 years in FDA was the most productive years in my professional career. My superiors informed me that I was the first Filipino-American Chemistry team leader in the Center of New drugs in the history of the US Food and Drug Administration. My Involvement with the United States Pharmacopeia was also one of the professional achievements I will always treasure.

https://davidbkatague.blogspot.com/2017/02/my-involvement-with-united-states.html

Sixth, Macrine ( my spouse of 62 years) and my involvement with the activities of the Filipino-American Community in the Washington, D.C., Kansas City, Missouri, Modesto and Pinole, California were memories that we will treasure and will never forget as long as we live.

Last, but not least were the civic, social and humanitarian projects that Macrine and I had been involved since the early 1960's here in the Philippines and US. Our involvement with the Marinduque International, Inc medical mission projects since 1996 to the present are memories we will never forget.

https://hubpages.com/politics/medical-mission-of-love-to-marinduque

Indeed, my wife and I are not rich in GOLD or SILVER, but in MEMORIES, ACCOMPLISHMENTS and relationships(thoughtful relatives and neighbors).
 
https://davidbkatague.blogspot.com/2019/10/a-thoughtful-relative-and-neighbor.html

For details of the above accomplishments and activities, visit my blog site at

http://theintellectualmigrant.blogspot.com 

NOTE: Advance Happy and Safe Halloween to ALL!

Macrine's Favorite Lunch and Other Pinoy Dishes

This is Macrine's Favorite lunch-Fish Taco Garnished with Cactus and Tomatoes salad.

Macrine enjoying her fish taco with cactus/tomato salad and  a dash of  mild Picante sauce

Her second choice of lunch is lengua ( beef tongue)* taco. Both tacos we purchased at our nearby Mexican restaurant- Tres Hermanos. On Tuesday the lengua taco is on sale for only $1.99 each. However, the fish taco is always $2.97 each all week.

There are several good Mexican Restaurants within 10 miles distance from our residence. As a promotion to attract more customers,our Bath lady informed us that on Wednesday, the tacos are only $1 in Elk Grove- about 30 minutes drive from our residence. Tres Hermanos is very popular. On weekdays from 11AM to 1PM, the waiting line to be served is about 15 minutes. The food however is excellent and worth the wait.

* Speaking of beef tongue( lengua), my favorite recipe in the Philippines is lengua Estofado

Lengua Estofado- one of my  favorite Pinoy dishes for special occasion

For the recipe visit :https://recipenijuan.com/lengua-estofado-recipe/

For other Mexican dishes that Macrine and I also enjoy visit this site:

https://myfavoritepinoydishes.blogspot.com/2018/11/enjoying-mexican-food-beef-tamales.html

For My Favorite Filipino Dishes read:

https://hubpages.com/food/my-favorite-philippine-dishes

For Angela's Dimayuga 10 Essential Pinoy Recipes as Published in the NY Times read:

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/07/dining/filipino-food-recipes-angela-dimayuga.html?searchResultPosition=2

A Thoughtful Relative and Neighbor: Starbread-A Discovery

Last Saturday, Macrine's sister, Jean Maeda, visited us and brought with her starbread.  Macrine and I enjoyed it very much, so I started searching in the Internet for the bakery near us. I found that there is a bakery in Natomas and also in Mack Rd in Elk Grove.  Both bakeries are about 30-40 minutes driving distance from our residence. I am wondering if there is one in the Roseville area.

I have heard of this sweet rolls, but this is the first time I have tasted it! Yum, Yum!


The next morning I woke up at 8:30AM and made the coffee. I started reading my FB page until 9AM.   When I walk to the kitchen, I was surprise to see a dozen still warm starbread in our kitchen table.  It was not there at 8:30AM.

I thought my son must have purchased it after his work shift ( he comes home at 1AM after his night shift as TSA officer). I woke him up and she told me, Jean( temporarily staying in Roseville at her daugther residence) drop by the house at 9AM with the starbread and siopao.  I must be so engrossed reading and updating my blogs, I did not hear the doorbell. Anyway, thanks a million again, Jean for the delicious sweet rolls. Your Manang and I enjoyed it very much.

Here's a short paragraph from the website of starbread:

Señorita rolls ( Starbread)were first baked in a humble store in Vallejo California all the way back in 1988 by Auntie Nelly, Uncle Romy Maranan and their five children.  It was not easy for them to raise five children and simultaneously run their bakeshop. However people were continuously drawn to the shop and the baked goods.  Soon everyone in Vallejo was drawn to the sweet little rolls.

For details and locations of Pinoy bakeries near you read this site:

http://www.starbreadca.com/about-us.html

Incidentally the flowers  above  and below were another surprised and unexpected gift from our neighbor, Lina Edison. Last week was full of surprises. Thank you Lord for a thoughtful relative and a neighbor.

Cloyne Court by Dodie Katague-An Update

I was looking for some old books at Amazon.  For some reason, I decided to look at Cloyne Court ( A Creative Memoir)*, my oldest son first novel(published in 2009). I was so surprised that only one used copy of the paper bound book is available and listed for $260.00. It used to sell for only $15.95 new.

*https://hubpages.com/literature/my-favorite-three-books

Who in this world would buy a paper bound book for $260? I have two(one autographed by the author) copies of this book. May be I could sell one for $200 and makes some money.  Anyway, in case you have not heard of the book here are three ( out of 16)  reviews I found very interesting. 

1. Five Stars out of Five

I googled "Cloyne Court" to find some other news and this book popped up. Intrigued, I bought it. People, I can verify that as unbelievable as Dodie's novelized account may be, stuff just like this ACTUALLY happened.

I lived at Cloyne Court for only one year, the 1965-66 academic year, but I could write a pretty interesting book about that short but potent experience. Lots of sophomoric craziness mixed in with being as serious a student as I could be. Just to give you a taste of daily living at Cloyne,

the following is off the top of my head...

...Motorcycles going up and down the hallway with mostly drunk student waitresses from the women's house down the street aboard the passenger seats at what was billed as a senior graduation dinner. The dinner had degenerated into a monstrous pre-Animal House food fight with tables flipped over for protection and the walls decorated with fragments of baked potato missiles and ketchup halos from what the Co-Op passed off as steak, a special food just for that event. That was a rather typical day from that year variously filled with dinner-time milk drinking contests that made Nathan's events look tame, perpetual poker games, giant vats of green beer brewing on the stove (bottles of which still exist!), sporadic but semi-serious water balloon wars with the fraternity across the street, parties stocked with girls bused in from Mills College who definitely would never return a second time, an incredible array of residents including one who would only walk on the dark tiles in the checkerboard linoleum floor; all this in a house that worked pretty well for what it needed to do. For $60/month I got 3 squares a day every day with unlimited snacks, putting 15 lbs on my terribly skinny frame in 3 months, and a double room with a terrific fella who is still a close friend some 45 years later.

Why did I stay only a year if it was so much fun? The following spring the USCA opened Ridge Project (now known unfortunately as Casa Zimbabwe) down the street from Cloyne, about which there definitely should be a book written. This was AFAIK, the first co-ed university student housing in the US, at least sanctioned by the university. An important note - although Ridge Project had university approval, it was totally STUDENT run with no university oversight, just like Cloyne. All the smart guys from Cloyne (still men-only at that time) moved to Ridge Project. I gather Cloyne went co-ed in 1972, after I graduated, so I have a pretty good idea of what happened at Cloyne in the 70's from my experience a few years earlier at Ridge Project. I could go on, but you had to be there. I'll just say that the experience was so obviously special that many of us who lived at Cloyne and subsequently at Ridge Project in the late 60s still have an annual reunion that draws over 40-50 people each time, and even many more at special times like our 2006 reunion marking the 40th anniversary of the opening of Ridge Project.

The late 60's and into the early 70's was a glorious time to be in college at Berkeley. The academics were perhaps at their peak before the attempted devastation by Governor Reagan, the political atmosphere was still very hot, post-free speech movement as the Viet Nam war raged on, and the SF Bay Area music scene veritably exploded, stoked by Bill Graham. It still stands as the most vibrant 4 years of my life. To some that may make it sound like I led a rather sad life, but Berkeley in the late 60's is just very, very hard to top.

So, I bought this novelized account about a special place in my life. I suppose novelizing what could have been a documentary/biography makes it more palatable and appealing, but to me, a straight telling of the events would be no less rewarding. So far, I have read the first 4 chapters of Dodie's account. It is a well written coming of age story with a solid feel of authenticity. AND I believe every word of it. It is great to see that Dodie appreciated the Cloyne experience as much or more than I did and had the talent to bring it to life in his book.

I'll add more once I finish the book.

2. Amazon Customer-  4.0 out of 5 stars 
I wish I had as much fun as Derek did in college

After reading Cloyne Court I realized how much fun I could have been having when I was instead working and doing homework! I graduated from a small liberal arts college that did not have student housing opportunities that the author did. I also realized that the generation above me did party and do naughty things, probably even more than I have so far. I guess I have some catching up to do.

One of the things that surprised me about this book is the amount of homophobia presented in the novel. I've grown up in an environment where people I think feel free to be "out" so it was scary to realize how closeted the men had to be just 30 years ago.

When I was done with the book, I remarked to my husband that I won't think about a plate of brownies again in the same way!
 
I recommend this book for anyone that has gone to college, or plans to go to college, or thought about going to college.

3. Cloyne Court is an interesting memoir by Dodie Katague of his years at Berkeley and his residence at the co-op. He learns to get along with people of all persuasions, and also has his first serious love. Katague discovers sex and all the joys and complications it can bring. Baby boomers especially will love reading this memoir and reminiscing about their own college days. Younger generations will read it and get an eye-opening new insight into their parents and that stodgy old guy in the next cubicle. This book is recommended for memoir readers and those interested in the culture of the 1970's and early 80's.

This novel, which I compare to The Magic Garden of Stanley Sweetheart by Robert Westbrook, follows our hero Derek as he enters UC Berkeley as a freshman until he graduates with less than honors. It¿s no surprise, as he is living at and experiencing life at Cloyne Court, the Sodom and Gomorrah of any college living situation. Sex, Betrayal, Drugs, Rock and Roll, nudist, co-ed showers, and the politics of the house make for a novel that has to be read. I really enjoyed this book.

This novel, which I compare to The Magic Garden of Stanley Sweetheart by Robert Westbrook, follows our hero Derek as he enters UC Berkeley as a freshman until he graduates with less than honors. It¿s no surprise, as he is living at and experiencing life at Cloyne Court, the Sodom and Gomorrah of any college living situation. Sex, Betrayal, Drugs, Rock and Roll, nudist, co-ed showers, and the politics of the house make for a novel that has to be read. I really enjoyed this book.

 

This novel, which I compare to The Magic Garden of Stanley Sweetheart by Robert Westbrook, follows our hero Derek as he enters UC Berkeley as a freshman until he graduates with less than honors. It¿s no surprise, as he is living at and experiencing life at Cloyne Court, the Sodom and Gomorrah of any college living situation. Sex, Betrayal, Drugs, Rock and Roll, nudist, co-ed showers, and the politics of the house make for a novel that has to be read. I really enjoyed this book.

Biography

Dodie Katague lived at Cloyne Court Coop from 1977-79 while he attended the University of California, Berkeley. he graduated in 1981 with a degree in Geography. He graduated from the University of California, Davis, King Hall School of Law in 1985. Since then, he is a prosecutor in Martinez, California.

Dodie is working on his second novel, "Rock Star Planet", a Young Adult science fiction adventure. He is waiting to retire to finish his third novel, "Devil Mountain DA", a fictional account of life in a dysfunctional district attorney's office.

https://www.amazon.com/Cloyne-Court-Dodie-Katague/dp/0981955339

My first book review I wrote in 2014:

https://davidbkatague.blogspot.com/2014/04/post-from-guest-writers-dodie-katague.html

Misplaced Old Photographs and Newspaper Clippings Found

Certificate of Donation, UPCAF, 2010

I was cleaning my desk and to my surprise found an old album with pictures that I have been looking for. The pictures are arrival of Macrine and Dodie to US in 1960, My Doctorate Degree Graduation photo from University of Illinois, 1964, photos of our first house in Missouri, Macrine's BS Nursing graduation, Newspaper clippings on Ditas Census work for 2010, my certificate of Donation to UP Chemistry Alumni and others below: 

My PhD Graduation, University Of Illinois, Chicago, 1964

Our First Home in Kansas City, Missouri, 1966-1969 during Mayor Bernabe's Visit

Macrine's Bachelor of Nursing Degree Graduation, Holy Name College,1983

Ditas Elected as Snow Ball Queen, PVHS, Pinole, 1982

The Juan Nieva Clan Mini Reunion, Boac, Marinduque

Stauffer Chemical Ad using my Photograph-1976

Ditas 2010 Census Publicity Activities

Macrine's and Dodie arrival to US with Mama Ellen Nieva Jambalos, 1960

Dodie's Wedding and Macrine's AA nursing degree graduation, CCC

Last Blooms and Harvests from My Garden this Year

The following photos from my garden are showing that Summer is ending and the Fall (Autumn) Season is here.

My pineapple plant fruit is getting bigger and may be ready for harvest by Christmas

I planted a new pineapple just this spring. I may have to bring it inside the house before freezing weather kills it

My okra and other pineapple plants are doing well under the sun

My potato bush with its numerous small purple flowers is a delight to the eyes

May be my last okra harvest this year( flower of okra is yellow)

May be the last yellow rose and cacti blooms in my garden this year

My Hanging Petunia Pot in her last glory of blooms

My Pyracanthas are showing the effect of cool nights

The above photos remind me of my gardens in Marinduque- our second home. Marinduque is a Gardener's Paradise!

https://hubpages.com/health/Life-in-the-Philippines-versus-Life-in-the-United-States


 

What is Sleep Apnea? Is It Hereditary?

Two decades ago, I was diagnosed with mild sleep apnea. My apnea was treated with positional therapy discussed at bottom of the page.  I know my deceased father suffered severe sleep apnea also( very loud snoring) although he was not officially diagnosed, since sleep disorders clinics had not been available in his lifetime . My oldest son has severe sleep apnea that required him to use the CPAP(4) machine. Today I just learned my oldest daughter is also suffering from severe apnea. So is this disorder inherited?  Here are three answers from the three websites. 

Answer from the Website 1:  The inheritance pattern of obstructive sleep apnea is unclear. Overall, the risk of developing this condition is about 50 percent greater for first-degree relatives (such as siblings or children) of affected individuals as compared to the general public.

Answer from Website 2: While there are many factors that can put someone at risk for sleep apnea, there is a strong possibility that sleep apnea can be hereditary. If you have a serious condition like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease or an endocrine or metabolic disorder, there is a significant chance that you may also be suffering from sleep apnea. Even lifestyle factors like smoking and using alcohol or sedatives or opioids can increase the risk of sleep apnea. Having a family member with sleep apnea could increase your chance of developing or having the disorder.

Answer from Website 3: Published in Sleep Medicine Review, researchers accumulated data that suggested there is a strong genetic factor for OSA. In fact, they estimated that 40 percent of the variance in apnea hypopnea index (AHI), which measures the severity of the disease, can be attributed to familial factors. The group theorized that hereditary factors such as body fat distribution, face and skull structure (craniofacial) and nerve control of upper airway muscles may be found in the DNA of individuals with OSA. Hence, the risk for developing OSA may be inherited.

Other studies have also shown the connection between AHI and genetics. For example, Caucasians, African Americans and the older population demonstrate about a third of the variance in AHI that can be attributed to genetics. In the largest family-based analysis, the Cleveland Family Study concluded that there can be up to 35 percent variance in sleep apnea severity due to heredity. And in a study conducted in Scotland, researchers discovered that in relatives of non-obese OSA patients there was an increased frequency of abnormal breathing during sleep.

Due to the knowledge that there is a high risk for people with OSA to develop life-threatening illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, stroke and diabetes, the medical community has tried to delve deeper into whether or not sleep apnea is hereditary. In Current Opinion in Pulmonary Medicine, a study appeared that suggested that OSA develops as a result of multiple gene-gene interactions.

What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea? Obstructive sleep apnea(OSA) is a condition in which individuals experience pauses in breathing (apnea) during sleep, which are associated with partial or complete closure of the throat (upper airway). Complete closure can lead to apnea while partial closure allows breathing but decrease the intake of oxygen (hypopnea).

Individuals with obstructive sleep apnea may experience interrupted sleep with frequent awakenings and loud snoring. Repeated pauses in breathing lead to episodes of lower-than-normal oxygen levels (hypoxemia) and a buildup of carbon dioxide (hypercapnia) in the bloodstream. Interrupted and poor quality sleep can lead to daytime sleepiness and fatigue, impaired attention and memory, headaches, depression, and sexual dysfunction. Daytime sleepiness leads to a higher risk of motor vehicle accidents in individuals with obstructive sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea is also associated with an increased risk of developing insulin resistance, which is an inability to regulate blood sugar levels effectively; high blood pressure (hypertension); heart disease; and stroke.

• (1)https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/obstructive-sleep-apnea#definition 
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• (2)https://www.resmed.com/us/en/blog/about-sleep-apnea/is-sleep-apnea-hereditary.html?b 
•  
• (3)http://curemysleepapnea.com/sleepsource/2014/01/29/sleep-apnea-hereditary/ 
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• The standard treatment for OSA is to wear a mask or device called CPAP.  If CPAP is refused by the Patient ( like me) there are other options listed in the following site:
•  
• (4) https://www.aastweb.org/blog/5-alternative-sleep-apnea-treatment-options
•  
• The standard treatment is a device called continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) that provides a continuous jet of air to the airway as the person breathes, which helps to keep the throat from narrowing during sleep. Positional therapy is an intervention that helps to keep the person on their side during sleep.

  *(Positional therapy for obstructive sleep apnea - ...

  
  

  Positional therapy is a behavioral strategy to treat positional sleep apnea. Some people have sleep apnea primarily when sleeping on their back. This is called the “supine” position. Their breathing returns to normal when they sleep on their side.

  
  

  https://www.cochranelibrary.com › doi › 14651858.CD010990.pub2 › full
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