Christmas Eve 2008

It's the 24th of December. Nakakatamad mag-work kasi nga off mode na rin ako talaga. We only punched production up to 9:30 am. Then, we were able to see the night shifters and we had lunch together. In the afternoon, we also had a photoshoot c/o Jantzen. Here, see below our christmas smiles:

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4pm came, I knew that Hone's waiting for me downstairs so I rushed and we went to our next destination. Hone and I needed to buy last few things like, fruitcake, his gift for my mom, his gift for Ahia Bhon, donuts and cake. Grabe, super pahirapan bumili cake, talagang "What is out, is what all we have." Buti nalang, nahabol kong bilhin yung half Mango cake sa Red Ribbon, or else. Then, we went home. Sobrang nakakapagod sa mall.

***

When we got home, I rushed to wrapped the groceries for Junior's family. FYI. Junior was my subject last year in my case study. I know, wala nanamang pagkain sa hapag nila. Last year, sobrang nakaka-iyak yung scene na yon, ung binigyan namin sila ng food. Hai. Then, when we were on our way to Junior's house, nag-iisip ako kung dun pa rin sila nakatira, pero hopeful naman ako na mabibigay ko eh. Then, when we got there, tulad ng nakaraang Pasko, pahero pa rin ang eksena.... malinis ang hapag, walang nag-aabala, tahimik ang bahay. Lumaki na si Junior pero hindi umayos ang pag-iisip nya, ganon pa rin kasi nga Special Child siya. Nakita ko ang ngiti nya pagkatanggap ng regalo ko, ganon din ang ngiti ng mga magulang nya, pagkatanggap ng groceries. Masarap sa pakiramdam ang makapagbigay at makapagpasaya. On our way out, may nakita pa akong Special Adult, orthopedic case yon, hirap na hirap siyang maglakad kasi nag-twi-twist yung body nya, tapos baku-bako pa ang daan. Binigyan namin siya ng some amount ni Michael.:)

***

Pagdating sa bahay, inayos ko lang yung mga gifts na dadalhin kina Amma. Tapos nun, hindi na ako makakilos sa sobrang pagod. Ayaw ko mag-react sa mga nangyayari. Basta NR ako for awhile. Natamad na din ako magluto ng Carbonara na recipe ni Kuya Alex. Naiisip ko, bukas na lang. I needed to take a bath para ma-charge. Ayun nga, pagkaligo ko, para akong celphone na na-charge. Kinulit ko si Kisha sa room.

***

Diko namalayan na dumating si Hone at pinaabot na ang mga gifts nya. Dumaan muna siya kina Amma, balik na lang daw sabi ni Tito. Tapos nakita ko yung paper bag, pero walang tulips like nung pinagusapan namin. Anyway, nung dumating siya, ayun, binigay niya na yung gifts kina Papa and Mama, sobrang natuwa naman sila, lalo na si Papa, kasi nga, walang siyang belt, tipong yung panggarison yung gamit niya, yung tela. Eh, ayun, yung regalo sa kanya, leather tapos may panyo pa. Si Mama naman, yung necklace nga ung regalo ni ahia, sabi nga ni Mama, parang napaka-expensive naman daw. I know, tuwang -tuwa yung dalawa sa kanya. Ako naman, nung binuksan ko yung gift, sobrang natuwa ako, diko inexpect talaga kung ano yung gift nya sakin. he gave me a jacket. Nakakatuwa, kasi kaya nya pala sinasabi na "white table". ang ganda grabe, parang napaka-expensive, anag ganda ng tela. Hmmm,,, susuotin ko yun sa birthday ko.:) Thank you Hone! I wished na sana magustuhan nya din yung gift ko.

***

Then, we went to Amma's house. Ayun, mingle muna sa kanila. Tapos, kain konti, then, I asked Ahia out, haha, nakakatawa kasi dami istorbo samin bago ko mabihay yung gift. I told HOne na, "Actually, white table din, gift ko sa'yo, sana magustuhan mo." Then, I took the gift form my bag. Naalala ko pa yung reaction niya, na parang, nahihiya buksan.When he opened it, I saw his beautiful smile. Then, ako nagsuot sa kanya ng bracelet. Kung i-cocompare ko yung gift ko sa gift nya sakin, sobrang walang sinabi yung gift ko. After our special moment, nag-ala-Mrs. Santa na ako sa mga kapamilya niya at namigay ng regalo, konting picture, kwento. ayun sulit na sulit na ang Eve. I needed to go home, cyempre, magcchristmas naman ako sa amin di ba. Hinatid ako ni Hone back to our home:)

***

Thank you sa lahat ng bumati sa text, diko man kayo lahat na-replyan, I still wish you and your family a blessed, wonderful and merry Christmas.

Losing a Sense

If you are to lose one of your senses, what would you choose to lose?

Of course, nobody would want to lose any of their senses, not even me. I can’t and won’t give up any of my senses- taste, touch, smell, feel, hear and sight. If I do, then, I wouldn’t be able to appreciate all the wondrous blessings of God.

Though, I know for a fact that I have an eye problem since I was in Grade School. I would always sit near in front of the blackboard and always in an aisle portion. Yet, it was already in college when I learned that I am part of the growing population of the Special Children who have eye defects. I even called myself a legally blind person.

I am myopic. My lenses are thick enough. I often do not want to wear it 'coz whenever I do, I feel twice older as I really am . So I tend to do my job, travel around and perform stuff not wearing the thing which will make my eyes see a 20/20 vision. (Well, except when I badly need to see something on board).

Back in June 2008, after recovering from "sore eyes", I was referred to see an eye specialist and undergo a test in eyes that would prove the doctor’s suspicion. I asked the ophthalmologist if it was immediate, she answered, “It wasn’t but it was necessary”. So, I postponed seeing a doctor. “I’m busy”. “I have no time”. “I forgot”--- these were my excuses to my mom and Mykel whenever they push me to see the doctor as I was advised. I postponed it for months and months and months and months and months and months and another month.

All along, I thought I’m okay. Yet, there were days that I feel I would fall down due to dizziness. Whenever that happens, my world literally revolves, even when I’m sitted. I started to worry about myself but as hard-headed as I can be, I still didn’t visited the doctor. Instead, I just changed my lenses and then continued doing my stuff. I didn’t have much time- I work at night and I was then taking two major subjects for the Graduate Studies in my 4th Term.

Until, 2nd week of December came and amazingly I had the luxury of time to do the things I always wished to do. So, I decided to see a doctor this time.

Our company’s HMO provider referred me to Dr. Abesamis-Dichoso of Medical Plaza. I told her about the doctor’s suspicion and my postponement of seeing further a doctor. She made a lot of things to my eyes—without knowing, everything were tests. She explained a lot of things to me and made me understand the processes that we were doing. She even informed me that the normal size of the eye is 3; some have people have size 5- but it is normal too, only there eyes are really big. Yet she told me that the size of my eyes is neither 3 nor 5. Mine is 4. I asked her, “So, I’m not normal?” She answered, “Of course, you are, but it’s just that- it’s the size of your eyes.” Alright. That was confusing. Not the normal sizes which are 3 and 5, but still normal. She even measured the pressure of my eyes. She said, “The pressure of your eyes is 18. The normal range is from 11 to 22. You are 18. Your eyes have a high-normal pressure.” She explained it was normal but high. So it’s still normal. Why bother more?

Dr. Dichoso was explaining that it was impossible for me to have the doctor’s suspicion 'coz it mostly happens to 1.) Asians- which I am; and 2.) People ages 45 and up- which I am not and far from being one, since I am only 24 years old. She told me that the instrument I was being referred to take is available only in Makati Medical Center, so she needed to refer me again the following day.

That following day came, I took the tests. The results seems unlikely. How did I know 'coz I heard one of the staff teaching another co-staff… “Kapag wala, dapat walang puti. E, yan merong puti,.” I wanted to continue her statement…. “So, meron?!” What the fudge! But I didn’t reacted, I composed myself, calmed down and waited for Dr. Dichoso’s interpretation and finding of the tests results.

When I went back to Medical Plaza, the results were really not yet available but the one I brought to Dr. Dichoso made her restless. She talked with the person who administered my test inside their room for quite long minutes. That moment, I wasn’t thinking anything about the result. All I wanted is to go home. When she was done talking on the phone, she called me inside a room, talked to me and said, “We need you to take diurnals.” What’s that? She continued, “It’s a series of test that will measure the pressure of our eyes, just like what we did yesterday.” Okay. “Yet, this time, we need to get the pressure of your eyes every hour starting 6:00 am to 3:00pm.” That long! “We will schedule that.” Ah, alright.

The scheduling happened. Originally it was scheduled on the 26th of December, but since I’m brainy and wise, I remembered that I have an excess Sick Leave in the office and thought it would be better to schedule it on the 22nd of December- Monday, so I wouldn’t need to go to the hospital on a day after Christmas when everyone are still resting (except for my workmates). As planned, 22 has been scheduled for my Diurnals.

Today, Hone took a leave in his work to be with me in my diurnals. Indeed, the pressure of my eyes was taken every hour. It wasn’t painful but I felt as if my eyes were very thick. It was a long process that I survived.

At the end of it, Dr. Dichoso said, “The results of the tests today were good. Everything’s normal, which is very different from the result of your test last Friday.” Aha. “Let me text you once we’ve discussed the results.” Whew! Thank God.

If I were to lose a sense, I wouldn’t allow it to happen. I know especially God wouldn’t allow it to happen to me too. I just entrust God everything.

Red Box

We, the tenured INV5 Agents had our team building at Red Box, Greenbelt 3. We invited Ruel and Raph to be with us. Jinky and Kris were also there.

Here are the pix:

Smile muna!

Wala lang!

Karaoke King and Queen

Nice Pose Raph, effort ha?!

Jinky and Kris, TL and Supe of INV5/ATO

Ruel, ex-supe of INV5 (hindi halata noh?!)

Lhen, Mommy E, me and Jinkz

Love my headband!

"Anong kanta yan?"

Nice shot!

It's your chance, Mommy E!

Hala, ayaw paawat.

With Anju

The Final Four of INV5- Mommy E, Lhen, Vic and Me

Final Girls of INV5

Sige, walang tigil ang pose.

Psst, may restroom naman, ba't jan ka?

Shy daw!

Weh? Pa-angel ka pa, eh may buntot namna sa likod.

Violet naman suot mo eh!

Ayun!

Looking for X or is it the X looking for Him?

Pa-picture sa bagong gising.

One.. Two... three... Talon

Bye-Bye!

Nightshift Reunion

Christmas Shopping 2008

It's the third Christmas that Hone and I went together shopping. I love doing it with him. I enjoyed buying presents in the Night Market because I can get discounts considering that the prices are already low.

Thursday night was a tiring one. Good thing we already ate our dinner first before doing the shopping.

***

Friday afternoon, we were bound to eat in Dad's first, foods flooded in Dad's and we made sulit of our Php 140.00.:)

Kain lang, Hone!

Full ka na!

Then, we went straight in Greenhills to buy shoes and other stuff more.

The show

***

Saturday morning, we wrapped the gifts while the Christmas songs continued to play. Hone asked me if I'll be giving a gift to Junior, one of my subjects in case study last year. I immediately answered him "Yes", reminiscing the last Christmas which made their family smile.

Can't wait to distribute all these presents!

The Greatest Sayings about Life (Funspirations)

"In life don't just trust people, who change their feelings with time. Instead, trust those people whose feelings remain the same, even when the time changes."

"Never explain yourself to anyone. Because the person who likes you doesn't need it, and the person who dislikes you won't believe it."

"Don't let someone become a priority in your life, when you are just an option in their life. Relationships work best when they are balanced."

"Don't write your name on sand, waves will wash it away. Don't write your name in the sky, wind may blow it away. Write your name in the hearts of people you come in touch with. That's where it will stay."

"Whatever you give to life, it gives you back. Do not hate anybody. The hatred which comes out from you will someday come back to you. Love others and love will comeback to you."

"For everything you have missed, you have gained something else; and for everything you gain, you lose something else. It is about your outlook towards life. You can either regret or rejoice."

"An arrow goes forward only after pulling it backward. Bullet goes forward only after pressing the trigger backward. Every human being will get happy, only after facing the difficulties in their life path... So do not be afraid to face your difficulties. They will push you forward."

"Remember, you are born to live. Don't live because you are born. Don't go the way life takes you... Take life the way you go!"