07.04.09
Being a woman is not that easy
It was exactly 3 Fridays ago when our hopes and dreams for a new member in both families was troubled. After we heard no fetal heartbeat and a 4-week difference in gestational age last June 4, I religiously followed my OB’s advice for medications and complete bed rest pior to another scan after 2 weeks. See my previous post here.
Since Val left for Cebu on the 7th, I was then restricted in the 4 corners of my parents’ room with the TV as my constant companion during daytime. Their room is nearest the bathroom and I would transfer to my room before bedtime. My brother would bring my meals upstairs, wash my dishes and refill my 2L water bottle. Hmm… I used to consume almost 2 and a half bottles of water.
06.30.09
Do we have to have reasons in everything that happens?
It was more than 2 weeks since I left the hospital. I’m healed physically but not completely. My quick 38-hour confinement has brought tons and tons of questions to which only God can answer. The pain I felt gradually eases as my supportive friends and families continue to comfort me.
Reminiscing the incidents from ER to Rm 274 and from OR to the recovery room, I almost wanted to pinch myself to wake up from that nightmare. One minute I’m happy as a bee, the next minute I found myself in a hospital bed with those needles and medicines while seeking each one’s eyes for answers if I can still save my baby.
I was able to accept our loss after hearing other women’s stories. Some have worse cases than mine. One even shared her ordeal – 5 gestations with only 2 successful pregnancies and 8-month bed rest with heavy bleeding in each 5 pregnancies.
What happened seems like a dream – a dream so vivid that can sometimes bring tears in my loneliness. Why? How? When? It just happens with no specific reasons. MJ just slipped out into the bedpan as I peed – as simple as that.
06.15.09
Dear Li’l MJ
Dear Li’l MJ,
When you gave me signs that you were conceived, we were all ecstatic! Your Father wanted to let the whole world know how happy he is. He wants you to call me Mommy and him Papa.
I can’t see what’s happening inside your tiny home. All I know is to provide you the nourishments you need, watch my actions and religiously follow the doctor’s advice in taking my vitamins. I’m not a fan of milk but I always think of your well-being so I obediently take 2 glasses a day. I frequently read articles on what to expect while you’re inside my tummy. I refrain from drinking softdrinks and eating junk foods, walk away from people who smoke, cut off my travel escapades, cease from using colognes and perfumes, and avoid anything that may harm you. Bulges on any part of my body seems pleasingly pretty!
06.07.09
For the baby
June 4. The day we’re all waiting for. I was 11 weeks pregnant based on my LMP – last menstrual period. My husband even came home to listen to the fetal heartbeat in my womb. I had a transvaginal ultrasound since the fetus is less than 3 months old. It was so awkward to have a device inserted through me that I could have backed out yet my excitement overcame me.
05.22.09
What I will miss
I experienced spotting on the day I was supposed to have my monthly period last month. It was one of my signs of having a heavy period in the next few hours or the day after. However, it went lighter to no signs of having my monthly period. I thought it could just be due to stress of travelling from Cebu to Victorias City then doing some laps in Sta. Fe Resort.
Eight days had passed, I deliberated I might be positive. And the pregnancy test confirmed it! Everyone – my families, Val’s families, our friends – got excited. It was still too early to take any ultrasound so my OB prescribed Folic Acid and milk until my next visit.
04.26.09
Those were the days
Those were the days when my parents would stay late at night until the wee hours of the morning as they alternately lull me to sleep. I would cry as soon as they put me back on the bed. Yes, they had to carry me and pat my back for me to sleep soundly.
Those were the days when the whole neighborhood knew that I was taking my bath – morning or afternoon or any time of the day. I cried and screamed like hell.
04.22.09
A garden wedding in a resort
I’ve been friends with Jinoe and Quennie for 13 years since our Freshman days in La Salle. Like Val and I, their friendship grew until they were one of the couples whose togetherness leads to marriage.
It was more than a year of hands-on preparations. Through those 11 years of ups and downs in their lives, they finally exchanged their vows last April 19th. As early as last year until last Sunday, Jinoe and Quennie never left out each other in attending to their wedding up to the minute details. It was a real teamwork of two couples very much in love.
Cool summer vacation
Mommy’s (my mother-in-law) initial plans included going to Palawan or Baguio City for a family outing. However, time and budget forbade us to push through with it so they decided to have an overnight stay at Gawahon Eco-Park in Victorias City last April 15th. Val and I arrived from Cebu on that same day and we left for Victorias City in the afternoon.
Victorias City is approximately 30 km north of Bacolod City and Gawahon is 18 km from Victorias highway. There were some parts with rough roads and Gawahon Eco-Park is a government-owned vacation spot situated uphill. For skilled mountaineers, they could go hiking up to the peak of Gawahon mountain.
04.16.09
Team Bertonians love their TL
Val’s team’s outing in Kawasan Falls gave birth to the name Team Bertonians. It was said that they met a man named Berto in Kawasan and he stayed with them like a real friend. They had their own social network site exclusively for Team Bertonians and they even printed a set of t-shirt and polo shirt with a design and a name of “Team Bertonians.” I was their new member in their site just a month ago. Val also bought me a set of the team’s shirts.
Into the Mooon
Last April 5th, HP-Tech Operations Managers, Paul and Ella, generously treated their team leaders for a lunch at Mooon Cafe – a Mexican-inspired restaurant in The Walk – as a reward for a good performance for the month of March. I wasn’t able to take a photo of the restaurant’s logo but it looks like “mooon” because there was a pair of round eyes after the first letter “o”. Their account reached the highest 4-dollar RPC the previous month. I don’t know what RPC means but it has something to o with their sales quota.
The restaurant has a unique design of ceiling fans and colorful displays on one side of its wall. It has a high ceiling interior and everything, including the crews’ uniform, is Mexican-inspired. Upon entering, one can see the sign “abierto.”
04.06.09
Extended celebration
We pushed through with our plans to have a swimming session at D’ Family Park in Talamban hoping to start our regular swimming sessions once a week. The staff were still cleaning the pool when we arrived so Val jogged for a few minutes then we waited for them to finish as we watched some people playing with their dogs. Well… they were not ordinary dogs. They were huge.
2 in 1 + 1… Happy Kaarawan! ( 2 of 2 )
I bought a box of colorful cup cakes to add up to Val’s mini birthday celebration. However, I forgot to buy a small candle to have something to wish and blow.
04.02.09
2 in 1 + 1… Happy Kaarawan! ( 1 of 2 )
Dahil nasa magkaparehong buwan ang kaarawan ni Val at ang kasal ng mga kaibigan naming sina Jinoe at Quennie, minabuti naming ipagdiwang na lang dito sa Cebu ang kaarawan ni Val. Tatlong VL lang kasi ang pwede nyang kunin sa isang buwan at buo nyang kinuha yun para isang uwian na lang yun pagkatapos ng semana santa.
03.30.09
Nature’s art at Seafront, Lilo-an
Val’s team had another reason to celebrate. His team made it to the top again. This was in time before their team was reshuffled and before the change in their schedules took effect. Four agents from Val’s team will be transferred to a different team so that he can concentrate more in handling his cluster team leaders.
To reward the team’s hardwork, they were given a whole pork lechon. They decided to have the party with JM’s team at Seafront, Lilo-an instead of Mountainview as earlier planned by JM’s team. The two teams arrived at Seafront around 8 p.m. last Saturday.
03.27.09
10 Dove St… But where’s the dove?
There was no special occasion last night. It was Val’s regular shift night but we had dinner at Dove St. with his co-TL JM and JM’s girlfriend. The place is cozy and private located in a posh Sto. Niño Village. I was awed with the huge and beautiful houses built in this village. It is necessary to have your own vehicle or hire a cab to go to Dove St. Public jeepneys also pass by the village but you have to take a 15-minute walk from the main entrance to Dove St.
A typical busy Monday
Mondays are always busy. I don’t know why when it is still the same day of the week, the same day when people goes to work or to school. It was already 10 a.m. when we left home for SM City to renew Val’s driver’s license. We first dropped his laundry in CSV just along the way and the traffic going to the bridge already built up.
We assumed that it will only take an hour at most to complete his license’s processing. Guess we were wrong when we reached the LTO License Renewal Center at the 2nd floor. There was already a very long line by 11 a.m. at the HLO medical testing center. Taking the drug test, medical test and other tests are very essential in the driver’s license renewal so there was no point of skipping the tests. He had no choice but to wait for his license will expire next week.
Land trip to Cebu
I had no specific date to travel back to Cebu so taking the land trip is the safest option. I could travel at any day I want. Much to my delight, Val’s car was ready for travel. Papa (my father-in-law) made sure it was in its best condition and completed its yearly registration in LTO as well.
Mommy (my mother-in-law) set the schedule to leave for Cebu. They fetched me as early as 4:30 a.m. last March 22 which is a Sunday. It was still dark, of course, when we took the shortcut way in Don Salvador Benedicto to San Carlos City. The other route was through the perimeter of Northern Negros which would take about 3-4 hours.
03.20.09
Single or married life?
Girlfriend A caught a text message from Boyfriend A’s cellphone which the latter received from another girl. He denied anything romantic linked to that girl. GF A believed it and continued to trust her boyfriend. Six months or so passed, BF A was caught off guard by GF A. Hurtful words were released to the other girl by GF A and eventually, GF A and BF A called it quits.
Girlfriend B saw a text message from Boyfriend B’s cellphone. It was just a forwarded text message yet there was something going on between them as doubted by GF B. BF B, like BF A, vehemently denied all the accusations. Their relationship continued until GF B caught more and more mushy love text messages from BF B’s cellphone which ended their 4-year relationship.
03.09.09
Get groovy with Raymond and Jo-an
Jo-an and I had been classmates since our elementary years. Our friendship grew and we even became closer during our high school days. We used to hang out at each other’s house to finish our school assignments, to study for our exams or to simply spend time chatting.
I had slept over at their house in Doña Juliana several times but the most memorable one was when we had our Junior-Senior Prom during our Senior years. Since we didn’t have our own car yet, I would hitch a ride home with Jo-an if we stayed out late.
03.05.09
A wedding and a trip to Mambukal falls
Pao, Paul and JM came to Bacolod on the 28th of February to attend their co-worker’s wedding in Sta. Clara Subd. chapel. All 4 of them are Val’s co-workers from Cebu. Since Gerry, the groom, was busy on his big day, Val took the privilege to host Gerry’s 3 guests since they were not able to attend our wedding when he started in Teletech. They stayed at home at 12th St. occupying our room. It would be more convenient for them ‘coz the room has its own toilet and bathroom.
