Lizette and Tess

L

Thanks

Here are some of friends and relatives who took time out and visit Mom...Thanks a lot for sparing the time to be with us at this time when we really need your company and assurance that we are not alone at this low point of our lives - Jeffrey and his soon to be wife Christina who inspite of being busy organizing their wedding next week found time to drop by cheer Mom up. It's been a long ( or should I say 'loooong') time since I've seen Jeff and I'm glad to know that he's doing well working in Dubai with Cristina....

...to Atching Tetey and Jofer and his partner who took time out to visit us though it was late at night - it was just pure pleasure catching up with you guys and I really enjoyed our conversation- ang saya saya. ( To borrow the Mastercard ad---"PRICELESS!")

..To the Galang Family who travelled a long.... errrr...make that 'looooooooooong' (three hours travel time long) way from Pampanga to visit--kakatouch talaga. To Kong Amor and Aching Eileen who organized the trip ( I know you guys are busy too...thank you talaga ), to Dang Maring - kanyaman na nitang sale manuk a niluto mo!!!!! To Kong Boyti, Kong Orling, Dang Ancia - salamat a dakal a dakal---super niaman la rin pala detang tamalis ....

... Atchi Noy who took a day from her busy schedule and commitments (joke lang) and the Manalac clan - Atching Dinia, Kong Manolo, Brother Joey (kasi pamunuan naka 'tol kaya atin nang pag-galang potang i- address daca...lol)

to Mariett and family- kang atchi Letty ampo i Kong Abring who unfortunately are not in the photos....

...Kekayungan -- dacal a dacal a salamat!

She's out!!!!!!

Today Mom was given the clearance to go out of the hospital. She still has to do some physical therapy sessions at home while the bleeding is being controlled by the twice a day injections being given to her on a daily basis.

She is glad she is home because she is bored at the hospital. There have been friends and relatives that have visited her since she arrived and I am just amazed at the amount of people who have visited and consoled her in some ways.

To all the people who were so generous in giving us support at this low point in our lives- I want you to know that we value it very much. To all my friends who wished her well even though they never met her and offered prayers for her, thank you very much. To all workmates who emailed and wished us well- they haven't been unread, I was just so busy that is why I wasn't able to reply at a much earlier time. To Sue Walker of Intimate Apparel- Mom loves the angel you gave her. To the Country Road Men's team- thanks for the gift.

updates

I arrived in Manila Friday night then went straight to Cardinal Santos Medical Center in Greenhills to see Mom straight away. She looked better than I expected and apparently is doing very well in her way to recovery.

The operation on her foot went very well...there was a lot of inflammation still on her bandaged foot where they inserted all the steel supports. There was still some problems because she has internal bleeding from some busted veins and that is the problem that they are trying to solve at the moment. Thank God that her back and spinal cord are all intact- just swelling at the moment as far as that is concerned.

In the end I did manage to get a flight the following morning through the help of a colleuge's friend who works in a travel agency...

I finished what I had to do at work and gave a briefing of the floor plans and handover instructions to whoever is doing my job and wishing ' goodluck' as well...

I said goodbye to people I work with and I was surprised with their generosity in consoling me at this time- some even went out of their way of giving mom presents...thank you very much! I won't mention names but you guys know who you are and your good deeds are much appreciated...

I was just thinking ... for somebody like me - who , on a daily basis, tells you guys what to do, when you go on your breaks, pushes you to work hard...then harder...(lol) you still regard me in high respect....thank you guys very much, I am humbled by the goodness in your hearts.

No more Mr. Nice Guy

I started getting some numbers from the directory assistance from names of agencies on my mind....I dial the number that I got and....phone rings....a woman answers...

her: Hello...

me: Hello... can I speak to Ruth please?

her: ( sounds annoyed...) I'm sorry... Ruth doesn't work here, she actually works for Phil travel....

me:( I am so tempted to say 'whatever!' but time and time again I always say to my daughter never say that word to anyone...) ...sorry...I just want to enquire about the next available flight to the Philippines please...

her: ...to the Phi.......lip.....pines?

me: ( I am so annoyed by the response Id like to say---"no...to HOng Kong which is about two hours flight to the Philippines...which is - the way things are going.... is approximately the same amount of time I'd spend sitting here to get any information from you...) Yes...to the Philippines , please...

her: Phi..lip....pines- let me see.....

(one minute silence)

her: There is no available flight...( in her most disinterested tone)

me: What do you mean there is no available flight? Please tell me the earliest available flight via Philippine Airlines? Qantas? Or any other airline for that matter....please.
( by this time , I am so annnoyed by the inefficiency of this person I am struggling to be polite. Instead of telling her how to do her job I could have said---" Can you please grab that yellow and black book beside your computer....yes, that one specially printed for you that says- WORKING AT TRAVEL AGENCIES FOR DUMMIES....open it to the chapter that says- Handling Travel Enquiries....good...you're doing good...you're living up to the book's name....)

her: Philippine Airlines - July 31 earliest; Qantas first week of August...

me: any other earlier flight from any other airline?

(silence)



(...more silence....)



(...and yet more silence)

her: ...you there?

me: ( I am surprised I still am...) Yes, please...

her: None!

I just bloody hate monosyllabic people or people who cuts their answers as short as possible in the hope the other person goes away as soon as possible. By this time, I was so frustated it was time for ' no more Mr. Nice Guy' moment...

Me: are you there?

her: Yes...

me: ( ...in my nicest tone...) I was just wonderin' , since you know Ruth and Philtravel....could you give me their number please???

Click. She puts down the phone....
Harsh...I know, what I did but then....

The day after....

I tried to call the Phil. early in the morning in lthe hope that I could get any updates regarding Mom's condition..my sister is not answering, the phone in the house is just ringing....still nobody in the shops so no point in calling there....This time difference starts to annoy me....

I tried to be as normal as posssible at work....but the combination of a sleepless night and worrying about mom's condition is all working againts me. I may look calm on the outside but inside me is cyclone of emotions spinning- worry, uncertainty, anger , frustration, more worries....

I spoke to the boss and relayed the situation and the emotional wreck that I am at the moment ... and my intention to take a leave and see mom overseas. He said try to arrange my travel arrangements and update him as I go...

This thing couldn't have come up at the worst time at work- a time when we all are hectic for preparation for the scan count next week....which by the way I am in charge of all the men's areas. I told the boss I'd finish all the preparations for the areas that I am presenting and give a hand over to anybody who will be taking over....

I then headed off for the phone and starts ringing travel agencies....

the call

I was watching "Regarding HENRY' the other day when lthe jphone rang- pretty unusual for anyone to ring us at this time of the day... turns out to be the builder who rang earlier to give me a quote for a bathrooom renovation.

After ten minutes the phone rings again...I got a " what now?" expression on my face....turns out to be my sister....

me: Hello...

Her: Hello? why haven't you called lately?

Me: Didn't yyou receive my email telling you I'd go easy on calls 'cause the cost is getting out oof hand? Besides... my last call was 3 days ago...

her: It's mom she had an accident...earlier tonight..

..what followed became all blurry... a few words stuck out which I could remember....accident...operation....steel to be inserted on foot...serious....

That would be the start of a sleeppless night for me....

Margaret phoned me at about 6pm today telling me she is around our area and she brought some kalamansi for us from her garden....

She looked so good and healthy and it is hard to beleive that this is a person that underwent open-heart surgery a few months back. She is making very good progress and to know that she drove by herself to here , which is about an hour drive, is unbeleivable.

She went with Claryssa and she too have grown so much...

And by the way, the kalamansis are very nice- I already made a kalamansi juice for me...perfect for the cold winter night and provides me the much needed vitamin C for winter....

Forest photos

A kaleidoscope of forest scenes taken today.....just click to enlarge....

Raissa and Richelle

Raul

Raissa

Richelle

Some of the photos that I took of

Richelle at the park today.....