Day 15...

Wow! How time flies…. It’s day 15 and it’s time for another chemo session. It will be my 2nd session…. 10 more to go!

I’m now in the hospital waiting for my CBC with platelets count results. I’m so bombarded with work since I got back to work last Wednesday Nov 14, 2007. Last night we left the office almost 12 midnight…Good thing that my hubby is so patient waiting for me to wrap up my work since I am scheduled to be out again for three days.

So far I am now stronger than last week. I was able to walk more, eat more, and talk more! Hihihi…The numbness and tingling in my left arm persists from time to time. I already resigned myself that I will easily feel tired and accepted the fact that I will have difficulty of breathing from time to time…

Good thing that when my dear friend from college Tintin Balintong visited me in our not-in-the-map house last Tuesday, I am already stronger and was able keep my eyes open for a couple of hours. And of course able to talk non stop  It is also great that when my dear friend from college also Dennis Odiaz and his wife visited me in the hospital Sunday morning, I was finished suffering from feeling sick and throwing up everything I eat. Unlike when Ate Marrot and Auntie Linda (my hubby’s cousin and aunt) visited me Saturday aftenoon, I could barely hold myself.

At first I was hesitant as I am still slow in walking. I constantly pray that I will be able to arrive at the office before sunset falls. Add the fact that I am not allowed to expose myself to too much cold as my arms are so painful… But if I stay in a place where its is humid or warm (like our house) I have difficulty in breathing…so I opt to endure the numbness instead of staying at home 

The past days prove that God really make a way…I’ve never expected that aside from the people I emailed and beg for financial support, there would be others that are willing to extend some help. I was overwhelm when my dear friend Yvette told me the news that their relatives and friends from the US are sending their help. Some friends also forwarded my email and I think there are those who sent help anonymously.

I also didn’t expect that the response I’ll get will be that enormous. Thank you all for sending and pledging your sacrifices….

As of this time even though we are not able to get the full amount needed for all my cycles, somehow my medications will push through smoothly. It seems that God is sending his angels to lighten up the load that we are carrying….

As of last night, when I checked my bank account, the accumulated love offerings/pledges is 56,500! By the end of this month I will post the total amount that I’ve received and the total money spent for the two sessions.

God bless everyone!

Day 5 and counting...

Yep! you read it right...First cycle of chemo started last Nov 9. Thank you very much guys! kung di dahil sa inyo, hindi ako magkalakas ng loob na simulan na agad...

oopppsss...im getting ahead of the story...hehehe...excited kasi ako....biro mo after ilang days na nakatengga ako sa hospital e ngayon lang ako nagkaroon ng lakas na magcomputer hehehe...akala ko up to bukas pa ako malowbat...

nweiz here is my chemo plan para clear na din...medyo alam ko magulo yung mga explanation ko previously so eto trying my best to explain kung paano ba talaga sya (kuya?!) hihihi...

i am supposed to get 6 cycles of chemo. every cycle is composed of 28 days. in each cycle i am required to be confined in the hospital for almost 3 days para iadminister yung chemo drugs, twice. administration is thru IV(dextrose)...

so as i've mentioned na nagstart na yung first cycle ko nung nov 9 eto yung chemo plan,
here is the schedule:

(Nov 09-Nov 11) - confine sa hospital , so this is the start meaning Day 1 to 3
- Day 4 up Day 14 - go home, rest, work (if kaya) go on with life hihihi

(Nov 23-Nov 25) - confine again for 2nd session,
- Day 15 up Day 17

(Nov 26-Dec 06) - go home, rest, work (if kaya) go on with life hihihi Day 18- Day 28
- Day 28 (Dec 6) ends the first cycle

Day 1 (2nd cycle) - Dec 7...

ganun lang yung cycle....in between sessions i am required to undergo some tests to check kung okay ba yung mga platelets ko...this is to ensure that i am strong enough to continue...so dapat sandamakmak na talbos ng kamote at kangkong ang kainin ko ano para maiwasan bumagsak yung mga cells cells na yan, or else me gamot na ituturok sa akin which costs daw na 6000...haller! wishing that 100 pesos worth of kamote tops will surely do the job :)

for the past 12 sessions na nadaananan ko, this so far the hardest chemo treatment that i have experienced...now ko lang naranasan sobrang hilo, suka at hinang hina...hirap akong huminga...pang 13 n ito...so perhaps a good sign that better days are near...well, God didnt promise naman a smooth road, so since you guys sacrificed a lot to fund my treatment, better do my share by being strong and ask God more strength... I can't thank you enough, sa support and prayers nyo... May God Bless you all...

at first i was hesistant to start the session nung nov 9 kasi nga medyo di ko pa alam kung kakayanin yung payments. But God really made a way. Initially di ba 100K ang estimate sa akin per session so that means 200K per cycle. I was given a choice to do the chemo in delos santos medical center instead of st lukes tutal nagclinic din naman ang doctor ko dun. then if sa delos santos i will be able to get the medicine cheaper kasi sa med rep ko bibilhin thru my doctor. sympre mas cheap ang room ang board sa delos santos....

so i opted muna for a generic medicine since medyo malaki din ang difference kung branded. stayed in delos santos for almost 3 day, buy my own medicince and other parapernalia....

billing time : my doctor waived her professional fee, i was able to avail a deduction from philhealth and spend a total of P48,000 (first tsession treatment) !

Indeed God is good!

Update:

I'm now confine in Delos Santos Hospital room 408, from Friday afternoon up to Sunday late afternoon.
We would like to thank you all, those who offered their prayers and support...

Snowballed...

This is the email that started it all. I've sent this email to those whom I know their email addresses. Eventually it was passed on to others as well.

Dearest Friends,

Kamusta na kayo? Its been a long time since you’ve heard from me. I know na kahit walang communication, you continuously pray for my complete recovery. I thank you for that.

Pasensya na kayo if out of the blue bigla na lang akong mag eemail. I have been contemplating to email you for the past days na since I’ve heard the news but I have doubts. Alam ko naman kasi na each and everyone of you are all facing challenges. Yun lang I am pressed for time and I am desperately need all your help.

Its been a couple of months na since I feel this terrible pain sa back ko. As usual I dismissed it as yung scolio attack. Dagdagan pa ng ubo at sipon . Then the shortness of breath came. One day hindi na lang ako makabangon sa sobrang pain. Dolfenal to the rescue ang drama ko hehehe…

Until finally I decided to seek medical attention. Medyo matagal na kasi tapos hirap na din akong matulog. Oct 18 I was advised to have xray. Then the results came. Dumami at lumaki na yung mga pulmonary nodules sa lungs ko. Then me tubig na din yung lungs ko. Hindi ko nga alam kung scolio ko ba yung sumasakit or yung nakitang lung metastases eh.

My doctor advised me to have chemo ASAP. Syempre before chemo, me mga medical tests, and I am so thankful na nasagot ng medical card namin…So I thought… It turns out kanina when I am getting the results, I will have to pay for the lab tests as pre existing condition daw yun. Ganun din pala mas matagal pa yung resulta. I might cancel the other ones na pinapaulit kasi it will take a week na naman before the results…

syempre tulala ako nung sinabi kung ano ang iadminister sa akin (FOLFOX) and how much per cycle (200K+) . In a cycle (28 days) , I will be confined sa hospital ng 2 days twice. Tuliro ako to the max kung paano ang gagawin ko. Hindi pa nga kami tapos magpay nung mga medical bills na loan ko dati tapos eto na naman… Sympre kailangang kumilos, I ask again for PCSO assistance and I was advised mga 10-20k lang dang ang pwedeng ibigay sa akin.

I am opting to take a loan dahil I know hindi naman ako makakakuha ng ganitong kalaking halaga in a span of short time. so eto kinapalan ko na ang mukha ko…I am begging all of you… gawin na lang ninyo akong charity case please. I am asking again help from all of you.

I know I might sound imposing but I am desperate. I am begging kung pwede monthly pledge po.Yung monthly pledge lang ninyo ang pwede kong panghawakan na ipambayad ko sa monthly payments sa itake kong loan. I know na kahit maliit kapag pinagsama sama malaking tulong ang magagawa. I really need help po.

Thank you so much for understanding. I will understand kung ano man ang decision ninyo but please po I need your reply ASAP so as I will know kung ano yung mga options ko.

Again, pasensya na kayo kung super kapal ng mukha ko. I will trully understand kung ano man ang decision ninyo.

Please pray na din that the disease is still manageable, we need all the help we can get. Hindi ko na nga lang iniisip minsan kasi wala naman mangyayari if iiyak na lang ako lagi. We are exhausting all resources para masimulan na yung chemo ko but sa ngayon wala pa ding linaw kung kelan…I just hope I can still tolerate the pain. I’m trying my best to be strong for the people around me kasi mas mahihirapan po ako kapag nakikita kong nahihirapan sila.

Please please pray for us po. I don’t know kung ano ang dapat kong gawin. I am just trying my luck here and I fully leave it to God kung ano man ang maging results…I am praying to God that He will show us the way.

God bless,

Tere