My Mama

It’s been a while since I spent some quality time with my mama. We used to have lunch at least once a week to catch up on each other’s lives. She’s been too busy lately and it wasn’t with me. Yes, at 34 years old, I still miss my mama. A child can never be too old for some mothering.

Hong Kong with my sister Anna & Mama in 2009

Mama has been a homemaker all her life and that continues on until now since she’s taking care of my brother’s children. She used to tell us that once we have children of our own, we’re out of the house. I guess that doesn’t apply to all because she’s taken the role of mothering her grandchildren. I don’t really get it. As to why, it is quite personal to share so let’s just leave it that.

In my nightly conversation to God of thanksgiving, complaints (Yes, I’m only human. I talk to God like he’s my friend and I admit I have complaints too) and prayers, I thought of my mama and how she willingly gives her time and care to everyone who needs it most.  She’s selfless and it defies all parenting rule there is. So now I understand. I just hope that people around her can make things easy for her. And I pray that God grants her good health, strength and peace of mind. 

Mama, for all your goodness we are grateful. =)

Random Thursday

Today is Thursday and I’m feeling a little sad. I’m not sure if it’s because of the gloomy weather or because Mike is going out to visit Mama E, my mother-in-law. Don’t get me wrong; of course I want him to visit his mom. I’m just probably going to miss him.  I know... I know... arte because Mike and I are together almost 24/7, but we have so much fun together that it’s hard not to be with him even for a day.

I'm happy that we still enjoy each other's company even after being together for 7 years.  We even make sure to have a weekly “coffee date” at Seattle’s Best in Bonifacio High Street every week. He said this should be our quality time together and “talk” – like we haven’t had enough talking! Haha! It’s a plus that we make each other laugh. I often tell him I’m so glad he has a good sense of humor and he’d say it’s a good thing I have something in between my ears. Life would’ve been so dull without each other!

Anyway, he promised to make me pancakes for breakfast using the sugar-free syrup we bought from Rustan’s Supermarket two weeks ago. Since he’ll be out today, I guess I’ll have to wait until tomorrow.  Have I told you he makes the best tacos? Such a spoiled wife, aren't I? =)

Bills, Bills, Bills

Don't you sometimes wish you have parents who are willing to provide for you even if you're already married? Don't you just wish you live with your parents rent-free or better yet give you a house of your own? Don't you just wish all you need to think about is where your next travel destination is going to be? I do! I do! I do! But then again, what will that do to my self-esteem? When Mike and I decided to live together (yes, we did before marriage -- no judging! ), we wanted to test if we're going to be on each other's nerves or we'll do just fine. We did well as a result. We're still married aren't we? We realized, though, that independence is not as easy as it sounds. It entails  working our butts off. But waking up in an apartment you own with a husband sleeping beside you makes you realize you may not have everything you want but you definitely have everything you need. Working hard for something is definitely rewarding. Try it! =) 

Will be going back to my check book and my bills now. In just a blink of an eye,  I'm going to have to do this again next month. Yikes! 

Don't worry, we'll explain why we decided to live together first before getting married. On my next post, I promise. Toodles! =)

Bitter Sweet Diet

After so many pricking, I return to Dr. Litonjua's clinic for the test results the very next day. The verdict?

My eyes almost popped out of their socket after hearing Low Purine Diet and No Source of Simple Sugar. Ano daw? Sheeeeeet!  For those who don't know my eating habit, it's appetizer (sweets) - meal - dessert (obviously, sweets). This means a big NO to all the items below! OMGeeeeeeeee! 

The first few days were hard. Everytime I beg Mike to allow me eat some of my remaining stash of sweets, he threatens to tell my Tita about it. Balasubas! No loyalty. LOL!

On my 5th day, imagine my happYness when my good friend Joan left this for me at the lobby when I got home! They are SUGAR FREE! I hear angels singing! OA! Hahaha! Gone in 60 seconds. Mas OA! Hahaha!

Seriously, ang sarap. Salamat bakla! Happy tummy!!! 

When it rains, it pours: Goiter & Diabetes

I think God has so much faith in me that he showered me with two additional gifts (aside from my heart condition) : Yes, I have just been diagnosed with goiter and diabetes. 

When it rains, it pours. Sheeeeet!

Aside from my bulging eyes which is an obvious symptom of a thyroid problem, I really didn't expect that I had goiter. It has been a while since I've been experiencing symptoms of thyroid problems but I just ignore them. I am weak most days. I quickly get tired. I can usually work 8 hours a day but I notice it gets shorter and shorter. Sometimes, I work for 3 hours but it feels like I've been working for 10. There were even days when I can't lift my arm. That's how weak I got. It frustrates me. What my mind wants to do, my body can't handle. Mike was worried. One day, Mike said we should make a pact -- we agreed to start taking care of our health for each other's sake. 

Fine. 

So Mike enrolled himself to the gym. Three weeks after that, I decided to finally see Dr. Augusto Litonjua with the help of my Tita Jem. She promised to be with me every step of the way. All my love for you, Tita! Good luck sa bulsa!

He was known to be really sungit and strict so I was a bit scared. But when I finally met him, he was very serious but with a dash of sarcasm and sense of humor. I loved him right away! When asked why I haven't seen my endocrinologist for more than a year, I told him (aside from the financial factor -- in my mind lang)  that I didn't want to add on my already plenty of medicines. To which he replied, "Hija, pasalamat ka may gamot pa na pwedeng inumin para sa sakit mo. Yung ibang tao, kahit gano kayaman, wala nang gamot na pwede para sa sakit nila." 

Oo nga naman.

Don't you just love him? I do! More so because I found out that he is one of the best if not the best in his field. After all, he is not called "The Father of Philippine Endocrinology" for nothing.

My Story by Heather Von St. James

Mesothelioma Cancer. My Story.

Heather and lovely daughter Lily

"You have cancer." Those are some of the most feared words in life. I was on the receiving end of those words at the prime of my life. I had given birth only 3 1/2 months before to my beautiful daughter, Lily. I was being informed that I had cancer. To be precise, I had malignant pleural mesothelioma -- a form of cancer normally caused by exposure to asbestos.

"Wait a minute. Isn't asbestos banned?" When I tell people I have cancer, these are usually the first words that pop out of their mouth. The second question is, "where and how were you exposed?" "No" is the answer to the first question. "Secondary exposure" is the answer to the second.

My father worked in construction, and came home with asbestos on his work clothes and in his car. The dust from his work harbored asbestos. That innocuous-looking white dust contained millions of toxic asbestos fibers invisible to the naked eye.

At the age of 36, when I was diagnosed, the Mayo clinic was only aware of one other person who developed mesothelioma at such a young age. The normal patient is usually older, male, and a tradesman. This includes men who work in heating, plumbing, etc.

Then wives of tradesmen began developing mesothelioma. Doing things like their husband’s laundry exposed them to asbestos. Shaking a dusty shirt before adding it to the washer sends anything on that shirt airborne. Also, teachers were exposed to asbestos at their workplace. These women represented the next generation of mesothelioma patients. I was only the tip of the iceberg.

Following me were growing numbers of children who were being diagnosed with mesothelioma. These were children who attended schools where asbestos was degrading. Children were also playing in insulation laden with asbestos in attics across the United States.

All across the country, children were jumping into their daddy's welcoming arms when he came home from work, unknowingly placing themselves in danger of a lifetime of illness at the hands of mesothelioma.

As time went by, I met more and more sufferers of mesothelioma who were my age or younger. Many were only just beginning their lives, with families of their own, new jobs and careers, only to have everything come to a sudden stop when they learned of their diagnosis.

I take some solace from the fact that advances in treatment for mesothelioma are helping more and more of them beat this cruel disease. This includes mesothelioma patients from all age groups.

So if you are like me and have learned that you have mesothelioma, have hope as I do. There is a community of people with mesothelioma that can support you as they have for me. Someone is there to support you, let you cry on their shoulder, and celebrate with you when you have victories.

Why am I sharing my story? To make people aware. If I can bring a little hope to dispel the fear of this disease, I have done my job.

- Heather

Know more about Heather and her cause by liking her Facebook page here. 

You've got mail!

In my previous post, I already told you about Heather. It began when I received a comment on my post Second Mothers. She said she had a question about my blog.

....and here's her response when I sent her an email. 

Heather says:

Hi Rory! Thanks for emailing me. The reason I have reached out to you is because of your blog! I am 43 and a mother to a quirky little 7 year old, Lily. She is my only child, and my whole world. When Lily was just 3 1/2 months old, I was diagnosed with Mesothelioma; a type of cancer that kills 90-95% of those who have it. As I’m sure you can imagine, the first thing that came to mind when I was diagnosed was my baby girl and how I wasn’t going to be able to watch her grow up.

After intense treatment and recovery, I’m still here 6 1/2 years later and cancer free! My journey with cancer was a terrifying one and I'd like to turn my pain into purpose and become someone that other people can look to for guidance, inspiration, and hope in situations like my own. I contacted you because I feel that your blog would be an excellent place for me to share my story. I realize that you may be thinking my story is not exactly a perfect fit for your blog audience, but I’m trying to raise awareness of this horrible little known cancer that is such a deadly killer (and sadly, 100% preventable) Would you accept a guest post from me about my journey as a new mother with cancer and the dangers of asbestos? I would love if you could at least include my link in your blogroll! Here is the link to my blog: www(dot)mesothelioma.com/blog/authors/heather

Either one would be such a great help to me. Let me know what you think!

First off, I'm so ecstatic that someone outside my usual readers -- namely my family (haha) -- reads my blog. I wrote this blog to share my thoughts to anyone open to read it. My purpose is just to put my thoughts out there since my husband usually gets disinterested with my stories when he's heard it the third time. Haha! My blog isn't one of those fashion or beauty blogs. Don't get me wrong, I'm fond of reading those but it's just not my personality. So I guess you can say this blog is pretty boring since it's mostly about my life, hence, imagine my surprise when I found out someone read it! Weeee!!! The beautiful thing about it is that I get her story and I feel for her. Please help me share her story and you might help prevent someone from having mesothelioma cancer. Watch out for her guest blog and please share. =)  

Asbestos and Cancer

It's such a wonderful surprise to know that someone who aren't family or friends actually read my blog! Last week, Heather Von St. James reached out to me so I can share with my readers her advocacy to help find a cure for mesothelioma. According to www.mesothelioma.com, Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer affecting the membrane lining of the lungs and abdomen and the primary cause and risk factor for mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos.

Heather was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma three months after giving birth to her daughter Lily Rose. I am not a mother but I can just imagine how distressed I would be to know that I might not be able to see my daughter grow up. In her blog, she shares her journey through her battle with mesothelioma cancer.

Heather before her Extrapleural Pneumonectomy Surgery (EPS)

I have been in and out of the hospital several times in my life too. I have been in the regular room, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and even the Telemetry of Makati Medical Center and I know first hand how difficult it is to be in a situation wherein you are not in control. I am full of energy and I plan ahead but what my mind wants to do, my body sometimes cannot handle. It is frustrating most of the time and it's a daily battle with me but all I can do is trust that God will do what's best for me. Read more about Heather's battle with pleural mesothelioma on my next post. Who is better to tell her story than Heather herself!!! I'm excited to tell you that for the first time, I'm having a guest on my blog so watch out for it soon!

- God is truly the greatest HEALER-

Second Mothers

No, this is not a typographical error. Second Mothers--I have two of them. Either I’m that lucky or God knew I’m going to be hard headed someday that I will need all the guidance I can get. Haha! Let me tell you about them.

Mama Jez is my mom’s sister. According to pamahiin, someone should buy your baby to save her from her medical condition (I was born with a weak heart) so my Mama Jez paid my mom a peso as an act of buying me from her. Crazy story, I know but that’s what my mom told me.  Mama Jez is my Santa Claus—Christmas or not! I had everything when I was a kid because of her. When I wanted a Barbie, she bought me many. Then she added Ken. Then Barbie had a kitchen, a sofa, a house and a car! When I collected stationeries, she bought all the cool stationeries that I want at Gift Gate! I was in stationery heaven! Mama Jez is not all about material things though. She has been such an influence in my life. She taught me to go after my dreams. She believed in me that I began to believe in myself too. In all my endeavors, she supported me. Success or not, she has always been there for guidance.

Christmas 2011

Mama Jez isn't vocal about caring. She just lets you feel it. It's always nice bumping into her at the Power Plant Mall in Rockwell. Oftentimes, I would text and ask her where she is so I can purposely bump into her. Hahaha! Being with her is such a joy. She's so selfless. She just loves to love.

One of our Power Plant encounters

If Mama Jez is my basket of positivity, Tita Jem is my vacuum. I remember crying to her on the phone in the parking lot right after my career heartbreak (which has its own entry). She absorbs everything I give her—my joys, my pains, my worries. She was the first person I told about Mike back when it was just a crush. We were at her house playing Noel Pointer’s ‘Never Lose Your Heart’ and talking about love. She listens intently to all my stories. She never gets bored. If she is, she has a good way of hiding it. LOL!

Pampanga January 2009

Whether it’s a business or a belief, she backs me up all the way. A few years ago, I won black jack in the Casino. When it was time to cash in my tokens, I realized the cashier gave me less than my winnings. I complained and demanded to see their security video. They refused to at first but I was being oppressive and burdensome to a point. Looking back, I cringe at the thought of me, a twenty-something small time player, being so demanding to high-ranking Casino officials. All through out the drama, Tita Jem stood by me and supported me 110% knowing I can be right or wrong.

My 34th Birthday

My Second Mothers. They give me a push when I’m unsure. They catch me when I fall. Drama all the way na but Moms, thank you for loving me the way you do. Thank you for believing in me. And when I fail, you never judge. You hold my hand when I cry. When I pour my heart out, you just listen. You give me a home when I'm lost. Thank you. Life is so wonderful with both of you in it.

Trivia: They split the bill on my birthday dinner. Grabe talaga!!!!!!! <Hugs>  

Scarf It

If I would be asked what my favorite accessory is, I'd say it would be a scarf! Yessss! I'm a scarf lady! Compared to a jacket or a blazer, I prefer bringing a scarf since it isn't too bulky nor is it too thick. I don't get cold easily anyway! Here's a cute scarf I recently bought from one of the well-loved British high-street fashion store, Miss Selfridge, which opened in Greenbelt 5 last May. 

Also sharing this video from fashion blogger Wendy Nguyen on 25 Ways to Wear a Scarf all in 45 minutes! Nice ha! Try them na! 

Laundrista

Time runs by so quickly! I did not realize that my last post was last year! I apologize to you, my readers (or lack thereof...haha) if I haven't updated for a while. Life has been so packed since last year. I remember not even being into the Christmas shopping spirit last December due to full schedule. So you ask, what have I been up to?

After opening a Nail Spa with two friends, I thought it was time for another project. This time, I decided to go back to my first business love -- the laundromat. I have been in the business for 7 years now. My first shop failed. Yes, it did and I'm not ashamed to admit! My dad told me that it is in failure where one finds strength and determination to move forward. Naks! I was too young then. Just off my 5-year corporate life, I decided that a 9 to 5 job wasn't for me so I jumped into becoming an entrepreneur. I was too nice that I let people take advantage of me and it was actually what led to its failure. I've learned a lot from that experience so when I put up the next one, it was a success! I think I'd be drowning in debt right now if it wasn't so. Thank you, God!

So here's to another blessing. I partnered with a good friend on this project so we can afford more machines because I know this time, it is going to be an instant hit.

Logo I made. Yes, did it myself!

Located at the basement of this very nice Clubhouse.

Gorgeous community!

Let construction begin!

Machines delivered one by one. Wee!

My banner layout.

Reception table and the husband praying for dirty clothes. LOL!

Many have been asking if I am open to franchising. I am not yet ready for that. However, I offer consultation services for those who are interested to dig into the laundry business. You may contact me for more details. What have you been busy with lately? Care to share? =)