happy father's day!

Totoo pala na kapag naging magulang ka, mas pahahalagahan mo ang mga magulang mo.

Sa pinakadakilang ama na nagsunog ng kilay at nagsikap maibigay sa mga anak ang mga bagay na hindi siya nagkaroon.

Sa pinakadakilang lolo na sa halip na magpahinga ay nag-aalaga ng apo para makatulong sa anak.

Maligayang Araw ng mga Ama, Tatay. Sana po alam nyo kung gaano ko pinahahalagahan ang lahat ng sakripisyo nyo para sa amin.

part 2: what happened to me?

4. January 22. It’s my mother-in-law’s birthday celebration! The Estacions had late lunch at Trinity Restaurant at Seaside (at the back of SM Mall of Asia). I was not feeling well, so no more side trips.

mi cutie bebe

happy birthday lola!

5. As mentioned in # 4, I was not feeling well that day. I was shivering and my temperature started to rise. That night, I had a high-grade fever rising up to 40.2 degrees Celsius. I had to be isolated. My fever went on and off for days.


I was already two days absent so when I thought I’m already okay, I decided to go to work. I consulted our company doctor and she noticed the rashes in my arms. I was advised to go home and to take a blood test.


When Irvin went home from work, he immediately decided to take me to the hospital after seeing the rashes. So we went to the emergency room, took some tests and waited for the results. My platelet count was low but it was still within the normal range. My white blood cell count was surprisingly low. I had to be admitted to be sure about what my condition is.


Blood samples were taken regularly and a blot test confirmed it. I was victimized by dengue.


Luckily, my platelet count did not drop much. Slowly, it rose every time blood samples were taken.


After 3 days at the hospital, of not going to work and of missing Rian, I was discharged. Yey!


6. February 17. Rian had a slight fever in the afternoon. He was still high spirited when we picked him up that night.


At around 11 PM, Irvin and I were about to sleep when Irvin noticed that Rian was shaky. He was shivering but there were no other signs of fever. We noticed that he was pale too. Irvin rushed to Ate Sette’s room to ask what could be the cause. When we took his temperature, he was 38.5 degrees Celsius. But after a few minutes, I took his temperature and it was over 40 degrees Celsius. He threw up and we were already in a panicky mode. I immediately packed some of Rian’s things, got my wallet and cellphone. We were off to the hospital.


It was around midnight when we arrived at the emergency room. The fever already subsided. But we still needed to get urine and blood sample. The nurses checked on Rian’s diaper to see if urine sample has already been collected (through a small plastic with a rubber ring, something like that). We already decided to bring Rian home and just bring the urine sample once it was collected but fortunately, he urinated while we were in the hospital. The urine test showed a high level of infection in his urine. He had to be admitted.


I was not agreeable to Rian being admitted. He’s being overly active will not permit the IV to stay on its proper place under his skin. So I called up my friend, Rian’s godmother, Dra. Avilla, I mean Ivy, to discuss the situation with her. She explained to me that UTI is common to infants, boys and girls, and that admission is necessary because oral antibiotics won’t work as effectively as those to be given via IV. Okay then, Rian was admitted.


The decision is tough but what came next is way much tougher. Since Rian will be admitted, the IV has to be inserted. First the ER nurse, then another ER nurse, then the head nurse-on-duty, then the ER doctor, then another nurse. All of them tried to insert the IV either on Rian’s left hand or right hand or left foot or right foot. None of them had successfully done it.


Two hours of trying to insert the IV and Rian’s non-stop crying, our hearts were already breaking. I had to assist the nurse everytime the IV is inserted, my tears falling while telling Rian it’s not painful and that it will be over soon. We begged the nurses to put off putting the IV until the morning. They called up the doctor and they agreed.


Rian was exhausted, and so were we.


Rian’s pediatrician was not available. The reliever doctor came and explained the situation to us. He inserted the IV, with no hassle. Great! We learned that finding blood vessels is difficult if a person has just vomited.

Rian stayed in the hospital until Monday. We missed Kishie’s 5th birthday party, but the best thing was that he recovered. Thank God!

photo journal: starbucks moment

happy mother's day!

Mother love is the fuel that enables a normal human being to do the impossible. - Marion C. Garretty (A Little Spoonful of Chicken Soup for the Soul

Lately, my posts have been all about me being a mother. But behind my mother role is an equally important character...a daughter.

Nanay, thank you for the life and the sacrifices you have to make to help me be who I am today. I am so proud to be your daughter.



part 1: what happened to me?

It has been a while since my last decent post. I must say I missed blogging too. There has been a lot going on in my life now, and about 90% of my time is attributed to work and motherhood. I wanted to share so much of my experiences, happy and sad, but I just don't have the time.

No, I'm not ranting. Work gives me financial stability. And motherhood, it gives me the strength to fight life's daily battles. You know, at times, I wanted to quit my job and pursue my other dreams but I guess it's maternal instinct that says "Stop. Stay." I am not willing to sacrifice instability, at least not yet.

So, what really happened to me in the past few months of not blogging?

1. My good friend Agnes got married last December! Although our friend Sarah was not able to return to Philippines and attend her wedding, it was still good to have Mhay and Leng with us. I was not part of the entourage, but I was the commentator during the nuptial mass.

me and irvin

another one said "i do!"

Congratulations, Agnes and Tristan!

2. My first Christmas with my new work.

finance christmas party

finance exchange gift

ad christmas party

3. Meet-up with balikbayan friends. Mhay and Leng went home in time for Agnes' wedding and the Christmas season :)

dinner @ malens

mhay's signature wacky pose

AMA_E

rian meets titas!

a letter to rian

April 23, 2011

Dear Rian,

As I watch you sleep, reality sets in. You have grown so big that my arms get stiff when carrying you for a few minutes. You used to be the size of a sesame seed inside my belly. You were 3.5 kilograms when you entered the world, but now you are nearing 9. The smallest shirts used to hang in your tiny body, but now you are already size 4. Time flies really fast.


Before, I could leave you for a few minutes knowing you’ll be safe being sandwiched by two small bolsters. Now I could not leave you for a split second because before I know it, you have already gone from the center to the edge of the bed.


You have grown, and so is your world.


Tatay and I used to be your world. But now you have Lolo Ely and Lola Norma, Lolo Rey and Lola Tess, Tita Ninang and Tito Ninongs, Ate Kishie, and a whole lot more people on the street, in the neighbourhood. They are all trying to get your attention and your sweet smile.


Lolo Ely always says you are luckiest kid because you are loved by so many people. As I see it, it’s so true.


But sometimes I feel hurt when you would rather be picked up by someone else other than me. Sometimes I feel hurt when other people can make you laugh when I can’t. Sometimes I cry when I can’t offer you the comfort you need.


And then reality bites. Your world has expanded and you need to be loved by others, too.


I feel guilty because for a moment, I have been selfish.


Like Tatay discovering his newfound interest with his bike, travelling to places where I can’t go and bonding with new friends, you will be like him one day. You will discover the big world you’re in. You will learn about games and nursery rhymes. You will look for playmates and peers.

I can’t give you all the happiness you need. At times, you will be on your own. And I have to let you go.


Just like a mother eagle teaching baby eagle to fly, I need to prepare your wings so that you could soar up in the sky. By then, you will see me smiling, perhaps with a few tears of joy.


I know it’s way too early to be thinking about this now. You have just started standing on your own. You have just started babbling and saying things only you can understand. But as I said, time flies really fast. You’ll be all grown up one day, ready to be circumcised and ashamed to be kissed by me in front of your friends. I am taking this chance to tell you things as serious as this.


I love you, my forever baby. When things get tough for me, I always think about your rare smile and everything seem to be falling into place again.


Love,
Nanay

P.S. Here's a picture of us taken during Tita Ninang's birthday celebration. You are about 9 months and you are absolutely charming.

father and son

This is my favorite father-and-son picture of Irvin and Rian. So cute! Are they talking about me? :)