Have you seen this video that's going viral in facebook? I think it was entitled "Paying It Forward". It's about this media crew who tried to set-up a scene where one pretended to be a homeless guy, another giving the man $20 and taking him to a bar to eat and another crew pretended to be this bartender who was harsh to this homeless guy. They were trying to see how many would mind having this homeless guy around the bar. You would be surprised at some of the reactions. By the end of the show, it changes your outlook towards homeless people. It changed me!

We were at Abreeza today and while the kids were playing, we were suddenly invited to Fruit Ninja. I don't know if you're familiar with this game app. I saw it first in Samsung Apps, where you slice different fruits. And since it was free, we went in. The whole show was fun for the kids. It wasn't boring really. It was fun all in all. 

During the show, they asked for young volunteers. The male host took one girl. And the female host took one boy. One look at the boy and you'd think he was homeless. He had rugged and ripped clothes. I was impressed with the female host. She didn't take a second guess. Believe me, the kids had so much fun. 

So after the show we went for a meet and greet with the main characters. Actually the kids did, I just took the photo. And while we were waiting for their turn, 'the' kid who went up the stage was trying to see if he could also have a photo taken with them. But he didn't have any passes. This big hunky guy wearing the SECURITY shirt was trying to shoo him off. But this other guy, who I think was with the event coordinator came up to this kid and gave him 3 passes for him and his friends. I was so impressed I wanted to go up to him and commend him but I didn't have the chance to. 

He said something to the hunky guy but I didn't hear and understand it. Nevertheless, he did a great move. 

So let me ask you, if a homeless guy came near you and asked for food, what would you do? Would you take him to a restaurant and give him food? Or would you look the other way?

By the way, here's the photo I took of the kids at the show. 

     

Powerful Day

This day has been filled with emotions. I have talked with all sorts of people in one day. I have seen them open up and shared their lives. I have come to know how they have struggled with their own problems. 

It is quite amazing how people are very different even when they share the same family name and grew up in the same household. 

When I'm alone, I tend to think how my life have evolved and how I have changed. If you ask what I would changed, only that my mother was not sick. I would want her to be her bubbly self. Other than that, nothing more. My experiences in life had made me a lot stronger. The people I have met along my jouney has shaped my outlook in life. If it were not for them, I wouldn't be who I am now. 

I learned not to dislike everything that is uncomfortable. For it is an opportunity to grow. I have learned to smile even to my enemies. This way I have gained more friends. 

My journey is not over, more friends are coming, more lessons will be learned. My doors are open and will always be open. 

Happy Anniversary Papa and Mama

Through the years I've seen how you two have grown. I've seen how you two have fought and kissed and made-up. I've seen how you two have strived to put all of us in a good school. You are the best parents anyone could ever have. Happy anniversary and I pray that you'll have many many more years together. I love you pa and ma. 

                              

Stay Strong Mama

It has been a week full of emotional roller coaster rides. You know when people say, "It's all up to you Lord" that doesn't really mean people just stop hoping. But sometimes when you're emotionally, physically, mentally tired, you just leave everything up to HIM. 

Ever since mom was diagnosed with cancer, I've cried the hardest. I always see her as the strong-willed person who loves to laugh, and eat and have fun and still finds a way to smile even when the world is against her. 

I tell you she is really strong-willed. After her first set of chemo in China, doctors were amazed that she barely had vomiting and dizziness. 

When she got back to Davao, she went to get her nails and hair fixed. And the first set consisted of two rounds of chemo at different intervals. 

The second time she went for chemo, she stayed there for more than a month. The first and second week after she got back, she was weak and barely touched her food. But the week after, she regained her strength and was eating her food. The second set consisted of 2 rounds of chemo with immunotherapy and cryotherapy.

The third time she left she stayed for less than a month with 1 round of transarterial chemo and other forms of chemo.

The fourth time she left she stayed for just a week. But for me it was the start of what was about to come.

Mom was already in and out of the hospital in between her stays here in Davao. Be it for blood transfusion or albumin therapy, I've seen how she was from so weak, barely gets out of bed to being out of bed all day doing her cross stitch. It was a pattern I was beginning to get accustomed.

The ordeal started when she finished her last round of transarterial chemo. Before their scheduled flight back here in Davao, she had, as I was told, chills and high grade fever. They didn't think they'd be able to make the scheduled flight. Thank God her fever subsided. However, they didn't make their scheduled arrival. When they were nearing Philippines, they were sent back to China due to heavy rains and then upon arriving China, they were again flown back to the Philippines all in one day. Imagine the stress mom had to endure. They had to reschedule their flight back to Davao the next day.

When she arrived home, she was weak, she was sleeping most of the time, crying in pain. She was taking oral chemo drugs that I wish I wasn't the one giving her those but I had to to complete her treatment. She still had chills and high grade fever. All the while thinking it was due to oral meds, initial blood count was taken 3 days from the onset of fever. Besides the decreased hemoglobin and decreased platelet which was expected, everything else was normal. But she was not getting any better.

The next day we just had to bring her to the hospital. She was weak, barely able to get inside the car, slept in the car. At the ER her BP was low and to think she was hypertensive. I was starting to worry. While in her room, she was barely awake, slept most of the time, creatinine was high. Repeat count showed elevated WBC. And her BP wasn't getting any better.  In fact it was getting lower. That's when I though I was going to lose my mom... My 55-year-old very active, full of life,strong-willed mom. Blood culture done, antibiotics started, norepinephrine initiated. Now it was just a matter of waiting for the drugs to do their magic. 

It was like all my energy was sucked out of me. Got home at 12 midnight. The next day I was still drained from the event the day before. My only outlet for times like that was to cry... Thank God for a loving, selfless husband who offered his shoulder, arm and ear.

To cut the story short, mom made it through the night. As of this post, norepinephrine was discontinued. Her BP is normal. Initial consideration is Sepsis. Although we are still not out of the woods, I'm praying to God that she gets better soon. We promised her a vacation after she finished her treatment. Something I know she's looking forward to.

I would like to thank you all for the prayers you have offered, is offering and is thinking of offering a prayer for her. It is highly appreciated.

Glinard, dad, pi, loves... Thank you for the unending support, love and care, not only for me, the kids, but also to mama. You have been the instrument to her treatment from start to finish, or on the way to finish line. 

Oh and by the way, I have long surrendered to God's will. We always tell each other and even to mama that God is her ultimate doctor. Her doctor in China, her doctors here in Davao and even us are just instruments of God. 

What good came up with this experience is that we learned to trust God, we learned to surrender to His will, especially my mom.