My Home for almost a Week: Sta. Rosa Hospital & Medical Center

As I have said in my earlier posts, I got confined to Sta. Rosa Hospital & Medical Center. It is a tertiary hospital located beside Waltermart in Sta. Rosa, Laguna. Dito na ako nagpaconfine para mura mura and besides, kailangan kumita ng hospital na ito since we have stocks here.

Super dali ng admission dito. I didn't wait that long. In less than 30 minutes, may room na ako. My hubby got me a big private room. The one with a TV, refrigerator and bathroom. Sabi ko nga sa hubby ko dapat semi-private lang kinuha niya. He told me that I need not to worry and said to me Ano ka ba? Hindi ito tulad ng Makati Med no!. And he was right. The cost of the big private room there is just P1,000.00 per day. Ang mura no? When I gave birth to my twins at Makati Med, the small private room costs around P2,800.00 per day that time. Pero ito, big private room P1,000.00 lang. San ka pa? Kaya go!

I didn't regret that I was confined in this hospital. If ever I'll get confined again (crossing my fingers), I'll choose this hospital again. For me, the plus points of this hospital are:

• Room is presentable - maganda siya promise
• Room is clean - the room is cleaned twice a day (one in the morning and one in the afternoon)
• Room is spacious
• Sheets are changed everyday
• Hospital food is sufficient
• 2 benches for the guests in a room
• Friendly hospital personnel
• Friendly and attentive nurses - they treat you well and sobra kang pampered
• Accessibility to grocery and restaurants - hindi ka magugutom!

Pero siyempre there are some minus points. Pero eto lang naisip ko:

• Walang kwentang ROD (resident on duty) - may bayad yan ha pero kinuhaan lang ako ng history na walang kalatoy latoy
• Super Mega Kaduper tigas na bed. Talo pa ang orthopedic mattress sa tigas eh.
• Lastly, medyo ginutom ako (pero plus point din ito kasi I was forced to diet...hehehe). Napahaba fasting ko ng ilang araw eh. First, nung nagpa abdominal ultrasound ako, 2nd yung napostpone na surgery ko, 3rd yung surgery ko mismo and 4th nung post-op ko.

Ang babaw ng mga nega no, so overall well-recommended talaga ang hospital na ito sa mga hindi mapiling katulad ko. =)

For remembrance, I took photos of my room. 6 days din ako dito ha. Hindi biro yun. Nakakabuang. Hehehe...

4th Floor Hallway

Room 422 - My Room

My uber tigas na bed

1st bench which needed to be reupholstered

TV and table

CR

the fridge and 2nd bench

Pwede na no? A more affordable hospital with the same result! =)

Manang's Spoof: On Balloon Colors

Manang is the yaya of my twins. I just want to share you our funny experiences with her. Actually, sa mukha pa lang niya, kuwela na...

Manang with Ian & Chris at Ayala Triangle

Last Saturday, at the gas station on the way home...

Manang: Kambal, kambal, look oh...there are balloons (pointing at bunch of balloons tied to the motorcycle).
Kambal: (Went to the window to look at the balloons)
Manang: Chris, what color is that? (pointing at the blue balloon) ... that's blue...blue balloon...
Chris: Blooo
Manang: Very good! How about that? (pointing at the red balloon)... that's rid... rid balloon...
Me: Patay tayo dyan!
Manang, Mommy & I: (laughed to death)

Grabe! That is one of the reasons why I want to be a housewife. Mahirap na at baka makuha ni kambal ang accent. LOL!

My Laparascopic Cholecystectomy Experience

Honestly speaking, I really don't like to undergo a laparascopic cholecystectomy. Sino ba naman ang gustong matanggalan ng laman loob di ba? We are created by God perfectly wherein every part of our body has its own function. Feeling ko, abnormal na ako if I lack one. Pero I have no choice, maga na ang aking apdo (gallbladder). If I don't do anything about it now, it may lead to other serious complications at baka ikamatay ko pa ito.

Sa totoo lang, hindi naman ako takot magpa-opera. Ang kinakatakot ko is baka hindi na ako magising after since I need to be in general anaesthesia.

During the day of my operation, puro kalokohan pa ako so that I won't be able to entertain negative thoughts. Nandun yung nilabanan ko yung mga gamot that would make me feel groggy. I challenged myself na I won't be able to sleep and be able to fight the effects of the drugs that they injected to me. Ayun nga, it worked. Hindi ako inantok at nagdadaldal pa ako. Nagulat na naman yung doctors sa loob ng operating room wherein they asked if the nurse gave me the meds coz' I'm suppose to be calm and sleepy that time.

Take note, nagpicture pa kami ni hubby before the procedure (addict lang talaga). LOL!

Here is my hubby completely geared up:

Dr. Ryan Nino C. Padua

And me, literally doing wacky faces and take note, I'm already on the operating table:

Feeling 'di Kabado

When the surgical team is already complete, nakita ko puro lalaki. Medyo nakakailang talaga. Nakakahiya kasi, makikita nila ang big tummy ko na full of stretch marks. Hehehe... Pero OK lang daw yun sabi ni hubby kasi puro professional naman daw sila and nandun naman siya. So ayun na, start na ng operation ko. The last thing I remembered is when my anaesthesiologist whispered to me "Cheryll, matutulog ka lang ha..." while making me smell some gas.

At around 9:00pm, parang nagkaroon ako ng ulirat. Nakita ko pa nga si hubby beside me watching Big Bang Theory eh. Pero that time, something is running inside my head. Parang like this one...

photosource

Totoo...Promise, ganyan talaga tumatakbo sa utak ko habang unti unti akong nagkakaulirat! Eh nung medyo dumilat ako, naputol. Feeling ko kulang pa ang pagtransfer ng files kaya pumikit na ako and I tried to sleep again. Nung feeling ko 100% complete na ang pagtransfer ng memories ko, nag-isip ako ng kalokohan na gagawin ko sa hubby ko pagkagising ko. So here is what happened...

Me: ubo...ubo...ubo...
Doc Padu: went towards me and made himas my ulo... Be, Bebe...
Me: looked at him strangely...  Sino ka?
Doc Padu: Hindi mo ako kilala?
Me: Hindi eh.
Doc Padu: Hindi mo ako nakikilala? Ano pangalan mo?
Me: Hindi ko alam eh.
Doc Padu: got his iPad and showed me the pictures of our twins... Eto, nakikilala mo ba sila?
Me: nagpipigil ng tawa... Hindi rin...Sino ba sila? ...since hindi ko na talaga mapigilan ang tawa ko... Joke! Joke! Joke!
Doc Padu: Ikaw talaga puro ka kalokohan!!!

So ayun, tawanan kami ni hubby sa loob ng recovery room. I asked him what happened during the surgery and bakit that time lang ako nagising. He told me that magang maga na ang gallbladder ko na malapit na magkainfection kaya natagalan yung operation. Instead of the normal 2 hours, almost 4 hours inabot operation ko. Makapal na raw yung gallbladder ko and nakadikit na raw sa liver sa sobrang maga kaya natagalan. Siyempre, ako si atat, nagyaya na ako bumalik sa room.

When I came back to my room, ihing ihi na ako. So I told my hubby to assist me to the restroom. He told me to just pee on my nappies. Ako naman, I said Huh? Wala naman akong suot na diapers ha? Walang nagawa si hubby. So ayun na nga, I walked kaagad. Yan ang isang benefit ng laparascopic kind of surgery. Hindi masyadong masakit and mabilis ang recovery.

The following day, walk walk walk na ulit ako and upo lang. Yun kasi advice ni hubby para mabilis daw ako makarecover. Even the nurses, nagulat kasi normally daw yung ibang patients nakahiga lang daw. My surgeon saw me also and asked me how I was. Sabi ko OK naman ako. Hindi naman ganoon ang pain, parang normal puncture wounds lang, and nakautot and nakapoo na rin ako. He was happy about it and said that I can go home na the next day.

Yehey for me! I can be with my twins na at home. Almost a week din yun ha. Medyo naburo ako sa loob ng hospital. Pero maganda rin ang effect ang pag-stay ko, kasi naforce ako magdiet. Ilang days ako NPO (nothing per orem). Lumiit yata yung bituka ko eh...hehehe...kaya nasanay na akong konti ang kinakain. Kidding aside, nagpromise na ako na I'll eat healthy na by eating veggies and fruits na lang as much as possible.

So that's it! I'm looking forward to a healthier me. =)

Food That I Love = Fatty Liver = Gallstones

When I still have my gallbladder, I heart food. I do food trip with my husband anywhere. In short, basta pagkain na masarap, kami lang ang tanungin niyo, alam namin ang sagot. I became so abusive to my body that I don't care about my health as long as I eat good food. As a result, I had a fatty liver which then caused the gallstones in my gallbladder.

Here are the list of the "High Cholesterol" food that I love eating which I already bid goodbye (this list is not necessarily in order):

1. Pork Chicharon - both with and without Laman (Original Lapid's Chicharon)
2. Chicharon Bulaklak
3. Chicharon Bituka
4. Sisig
5. Bulalo (specially the bone marrow or "utak")
6. Liempo
7. Crispy Pata
8. Pork Chops
9. Creme Brule or Leche Flan
10. Century Eggs
11. Salted Eggs
12. Ice Cream
13. Beef Tapa with Crispy Taba
14. Steaks
15. Pizza
16. Chicken wings
17. Kentucky Fried Chicken
18. Kare Kare (specially the bituka)
19. Hamburger
20. Jollibee Burger Steak
21. Corned Beef (Palm and Purefoods)
22. Luncheon Meat (SPAM, Maling and Greatwall)
23. Aligue
24. Taba ng Talangka
25. Spare Ribs
26. Dinuguan (Kanin Club's Crispy Dinuguan)
27. Bagnet
28. Longganisa
29. Kowloon Jumbo Siopao

My recent operation was a wake-up call for me. My children are still young and I don't want to die young. I still want to see them grow. Aside from that, mahal magkasakit. I don't want my savings to end up paying for my hospital bills.

So now, I shifted to a vegetarian diet but not that strict naman. Pwede pa rin ang cheese, milk and eggs pero iwas lang.

Wish me luck to a better health! =)

My Lack of Post Last Week

Maybe you are wondering why I didn't blog last week. That is because I was confined in the hospital for almost a week. I underwent a major surgery kasi. It is called laparascopic cholecystectomy. Maybe you are thinking what the hell does that mean (ang hirap kasi intindihin and ipronounce, parang tongue twister kasi). Well, in layman's term, it is the removal of the gall bladder through small punctures in the abdomen to permit the insertion of a laparoscope and surgical instruments (source: wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn).

I had 4 episodes of severe abdominal pain since May 2012. The first attack is when we were in Florida. Hindi ko siya pinansin. All the while I thought naempacho lang ako and masakit lang ang likod ko so itinulog ko lang. Sa awa ng Diyos, nawala naman after ilang hours. The next attack is when we went back to Texas after our long road trip. Again, I thought I just over ate kasi ang dami ko rin naman talagang nakaing Kare Kare since nasabik kami sobra sa Filipino Food. Pero in this attack, sobrang sakit talaga. As in I almost fainted because I had DOB (difficulty of breathing). This time ko lang din nalaman na yung back pain ko is caused by the abdominal pain. Muntik muntik na ako maER in this attack. Kaso lang tiniis ko lang ng bonggang bongga kasi ang gagastusin sa ER ng America ay bonggang bongga rin kung sakali. Again, sa awa naman ng Diyos, nawala rin kinabukasan. The third attack naman is during our company outing in Boracay. Pero this time around hindi naman ako nagover eat and I really didn't know what caused it. Pero buti na lang manageable lang ang pain unlike the 2nd attack. Itinulog ko lang din and nawala naman the following day. Pero during this attack, medyo nagwoworry na ako na I might have pancreatitis. Yung fourth attack naman is when we went to Subic last week. Ang may sala dito ay ang mahiwagang chicharon kasi I didn't eat that much naman nung dinner eh. Ayun, at around 9pm, nagstart na siya sumakit ulit and nageelevate yung pain. So my hubby and I decided na magpunta na kami sa ER ng Baypointe Hospital and Medical Center (Eto kaya na namin bayaran kasi Philippine Peso na...Hehehehe).

At Baypointe, they just thought that it is simply gastritis. They just gave me pain meds and meds for my digestion. Pero the doctor advised us to see a specialist in Manila. Namanage naman yung pain kahit papaano pero meron pa rin pain kinabukasan. Pain na tiniis ko para hindi naman masira ang araw namin for our twins. Pero grabe ha, sobrang nanlalamig na ako and putla that Sunday afternoon.

Come Monday, may pain pa rin so I decided to file sick leave so that I can visit a specialist. Tiniis ko yung pain until afternoon since 2pm ang clinic schedule ng Gastroenterologist sa Makati Medical Center. Hala, when we went there, hindi magcliclinic yung doctor. Buti na lang nakita ng hubby ko yung friend niya na Gastroenterologist. Sa kanya na lang kami nagpaconsult. So nagpagawa lang ng lab requests, PFA (Abdominal Xray) and Upper Abdomen Ultrasound. Pero he suggested na ipaconfine na ako dahil hindi pa ako kumakain since Sunday ng gabi. Supposedly magpalab exams lang ako sa HP Diagnostics pero I decided na lang din na magpaconfine na lang since medyo mahaba na yung days na may pain pa rin akong nararamdaman. So ayun, we went directly to Sta. Rosa Hospital and Medical Center since masgusto ko maconfine dun para hindi masyado malaki ang magiging hospital bill ko (kuripot lang talaga...hahaha).

At Sta. Rosa, very easy ang pagkaadmit ko since my husband practices there and take note ang attending physician ko is my very own husband. Hehehe... So nung nasa room na ako, inumpisahan na gawin mga requested lab exams ko. Luckily, negative ako sa pancreatitis since I have normal amylase and lipase. Then sa PFA, nakita na marami akong gas. In short, kinakabag ako. Then, the following day pa nagawa yung Upper Abdominal Ultrasound since I need to fast for 8 hours.

During the ultrasound, I was just observant since wala sa tabi ko husband ko that time. Kinutuban na ako na there is something wrong with me since the technician called the sonologist to verify something. Eto naman ako super atat, tanong ako ng tanong sa kanila if they saw something. Ayaw naman ako sagutin. They'll just relay na lang daw the results once I get back to my room. Bad trip talaga. Kabado na nga ako, sinususpense pa ako. So I called my hubby and told him that I feel that there is really something wrong with me.

When my hubby got back to the hospital, he talked to me. He explained to me that I have 3 gallstones in my gallbladder. He told me that I need to undergo operation since one of the gallstones is already located in the neck of my gallbladder which already made my gallbladder distended. Siyempre, I'm his most pasaway na patient. So I dismissed the idea of operation kaagad. Sabi ko, I'll try to change my diet first baka mawala after 3 months. Ang tigas daw ng ulo ko so he asked for a surgeon para malinawan ang isip ko.

So nagrounds na yung surgeon ko which is Dr. Malolos. He talked to me and explained to me my condition through a drawing. At first, sinabi ko muna yung suggestion ko pero tinakot nila ako pareho since nasa neck ng gallbladder yung isang stone which might cause other complications such as pancreatitis and jaundice. Ok fine...fine...talo na ako so I agreed na to do the operation the following day.

The following day, nadefer ang operation. Super baba naman ang aking Protime (something to do with the clotting). So pinurga muna ako ng Vitamin K para maging at least 60%. So, nagkaroon na naman ako ng idea na baka may divine intervention na nagdedelay ng aking operation.

The time came when they need to test my Protime again. Naku, sobrang nahirapan yung med tech na kuhaan ako ng dugo. Medyo namurder yung balat at ugat ko sa kakatusok niya. So maybe this is the sign I thought. So kinulit ko na naman si hubby na baka shinashake lang ako ni Lord. I told him na kapag hindi pa rin umOk yung Protime ko, papaultrasound na ulit ako at baka nawala na yung gallstones ko. Super bad trip na sa akin ang hubby ko dahil parang ayaw ko daw sa kanya maniwala at super tigas ng ulo ko. Hehehe...

Hanggang dumating yung results ng Protime, humihirit pa ako kay hubby. Eh paano ba naman, sobrang above normal naman yung results this time. Kala ko pa naman, may lusot na ako, pero tuloy pa rin daw operation ko at 2:00pm.

Well, mukhang medyo mahaba na ito. I'll just have a different blog post for my operation experience. =)

Food Trip: Cold Stone Creamery

When we were in L.A., our cousins made us try Cold Stone Creamery. What is special about this ice cream store is that you can create your own ice cream mix. I got a cheesecake ice cream with graham crackers and some mallows. What I can't forget about this ice cream experience is that I ordered and finished a "Gotta Have It" size of ice cream. Biggest size kasi yun. Just imagine how much calories I ate. LOL!

I would like to share to you some of the pictures that I took...Too bad I forgot to take photos of my ice cream =(

The store's facade

Their Signature Creations Menu

Inside the store

Ice Cream

The Add Ons

Waffle Cups

I'll miss this =(

Stopover at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport

Part of our flight in going to the U.S. is a four hours stopover at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport. At first, we were thinking of what to do there since we have our twins with us and we have a lot of stuff. But when we get there, hindi man lang namin napansin na lumipas na pala ang oras and it's time for our next flight already.

The airport kasi is very nice. Ang laki laki niya and there are a lot of facilities. We strolled around the airport first and checked the stores there. Then we went to the children's playground para hindi mainip ang mga kulilits. While the twins are on the playground, we surfed the net using our iPads since there is a free WIFI. In fairness, ang bilis ng WIFI sa airport kahit free siya.

Of course, we took some pictures at the airport kaso konti lang since bitbit namin mga kulilits.

family picture



Ian and Chris

 The kulilits at the playground...

Another Weekend Lakwatsa

It's a Saburday! It's the last day of work for the week. Yipee for me! More time for my boys and hubby. We are going to Subic later and I'm soooo excited.

A pharmaceutical company have an event tonight at Subic and my hubby was invited. Everything will be sponsored - transportation, accommodation, food and tour. My hubby told me that we are going to stay at The Lighthouse Marina Resort. He also told me that we are going to Zoobic Safari this afternoon and will be watching the Pacquiao vs Bradley fight tomorrow. Isn't it a WOW? That's one of the perks of being a doctor. =)

Have a nice weekend!

If You Pay Peanuts, You Get Monkeys

Before leaving for U.S., I decided to buy a pangharabas bag that I'll be using for one month. Nanghihinayang kasi ako if I use my other bags. Most of them kasi signature, baka malaspag lang and siyempre hindi naman pang everyday use yung mga yun. Lalo na ngayon na halos lahat binibitbit ko. My stuff, my hubby's stuff and my twin's stuff. Just imagine kung gaano kasiksik and bigat ng bag ko every time magkakasama kami.

So during my last minute shopping at SM, I saw a big blue faux leather bag. Sabi ko ok naman ang style and tama lang ang laki para mapagkasya mga things namin - wallet, ipad, passports, etc. Aside from that, sale din so I bought it for a thousand only. Sabi ko ok na ito, kahit malaspag di masakit sa bulsa.

It is a Jiovanni International bag and below is the picture:

Jiovanni International Bag

When I arrived home, I showed it to my hubby and told him that I bought a chipipay bag. I told him na susubukan ko lang kung ok din magcarry ng ordinary bag. He just smiled at me.

Eto na ang best part. Day one pa lang ng travel namin. As in nasa NAIA Terminal pa lang kami, checking-in our baggages, bumigay na yung isang part ng handle. Tapos while walking papunta sa Miascor lounge, unti unti nang bumibigay yung ibang part ng handle. My goodness gracious talaga. Hindi man lang nakaabot sa US. Natawa na lang kami mag-asawa. Talaga palang totoo ang kasabihan na "If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys". Sinabihan na lang niya ako na next time, wag na ako bibili ng kung ano ano lang.

Now, I tried na gawain yung bag. Sayang din naman kasi dahil di ko man lang nagamit ng matino. Tinahi ko yung handle and tinibayan ko ang pagkakatahi (super weak talaga ang pagtahi kasi isang hila ko lang sa thread tanggal na ang tahi). I'm just hoping na magamit ko siya at least 3 times. Pagnasira pa rin, that's the time na ipamimigay ko na siya.

Kayo guys, what are your experiences in buying bags?

I'm Almost Late

I'm almost late today. Muntink na akong hindi umabot sa grace period. Thanks to Skyway and to my Schumacher hubby. Hehehe... Late na kami nagising this morning. Late na rin kasi kami natulog, around past 12:00 midnight na. I waited for hubby kasi, nagrounds pa siya ng patients niya. Di rin ako masyado nakatulog kasi the twins have colds din. Kawawa nga si Ian Boy kagabi eh, kaya pala maya't maya ang gising at umiiyak kasi may phlegm siya. Ayun bandang huli, nagsuka siya. At least, nailabas niya lahat ng phlegm niya and nakatulog na siya ng maayos.

Ako naman here sa office, ngongo parin and parang asong kahol ng kahol. Ang hirap kumilos talaga pag may sakit. Sana naman mag-effect na ang pag vitamin C overload ko.

It's a Friday guys, I hope you'll have a great weekend! =)

My Mispelled Name

Eversince I'm a child, my mom always fails to spell my name correctly. As a proof, here is a note that I got from her last Wednesday (don't mind the wrong spelling of "kindly"):

Actually, the real spelling of my name is C-H-E-R-Y-L-L.

Guess what? During my early childhood/gradeschool days, I used to spell my name as C-H-E-R-R-Y-L-L because that is the spelling that my mom thought me. So all my examination papers, name tags, name labels and even my first passport and US VISA contained that spelling of my name. Until when I'm in grade six, when I discovered the real spelling of my name through my birth certificate. Since then, I already spelled my name correctly. It's no joke ha. Ang hirap mag-adjust since nasanay na ako ng C-H-E-R-R-Y-L-L na spelling ng name ko. Lagi ako nagkakamali at first, buti na lang nasanay din kaagad. =)

Food Trip: Soma Restaurant & Bar

Honestly, I'm not yet finish consolidating our US pictures. I'm very busy kasi right now sa work. Ang dami pang dapat tapusin.

Anyway, I would like to share you our food experience at Soma Restaurant and Bar. It is located in San Francisco, California.

Our Tito Manong (my mom's first cousin paternal side) knows that my hubby and I love food and that we love trying on new restaurants. He knows also that my hubby loves burgers because every time my parents go to the US, he is always requesting an In and Out Double Double for a pasalubong. So, he promised my hubby that he'll bring  us downtown to taste a very delicious hamburger.

So one afternoon after we went to the Palace of Fine Arts, we went downtown to eat the hamburger that our Tito Manong is talking about. At first he wasn't sure about the restaurant that we went because it sounds like Mediterranean. But he is quite sure that the restaurant is on that spot. He asked me to check on the restaurant's menu if they are serving hamburgers. They are serving hamburgers so we went in. He asked the waiter if it is the same restaurant as before. Well, it is confirmed that it is the same restaurant. They are even serving the same menu. What only changed is the name and ownership. Before it is Uncle Joe's now it is called Soma Restaurant and Bar.

Here are the pictures of the restaurant and the food that we ordered:

Facade of the Restaurant



Menu Board



Inside the Restaurant

    

Restaurant's Bar Section



Restaurant's Menu

My dad ordered this. He told us that their pizza is delicious. The toppings are fresh mushrooms.



Mushroom Pizza

My cousin, Anthony ordered this. It seems to be delicious also because he finished it all.

Pepperoni Pizza


Tito Manong, my hubby and I ordered their classic hamburger. They serve it with crispy fries. Caution: eat it while it is burning hot. According to my Tito Manong: "Kailangan kong kainin ng mabilis dahil hinahabol ko yung init.". Well, he is correct, it is best eaten while it is hot. My hubby and Tito Manong had their burger medium rare while I had it well done. Based on my experience, I should have chosen it to be medium rare. Medyo matigas kasi yung well-done burger nung lumamig eh. Masakit sa panga.. Hehehe...

Classic Hamburger



the inside



Well, hindi nagkamali si Tito Manong sa pagbida ng burger na ito. It is really delicious. Actually, nadala rin siya ng bun. Super sarap ng bun - it soft and very tasty. According to Tito Manong, they make their burgers from scratch kaya matagal ang serving.

The price range in this restaurant is  around $12.00 to $15.00. Medyo expensive siya if we convert it to Peso. But I think it is reasonable for a mid-scale restaurant in San Francisco.

 

I'm Really Sick Thursday =(

I told you yesterday that I feel sick. Well, I am really sick. I have cough, colds and sore throat. I think dahil ata sa Boracay trip yan eh. Nag-uulan kasi when we were there that is why almost everybody, including my dad who seldom gets sick, is sick in the office.

As a remedy, I am taking Berocca right now. As in Vitamin C overload. Hopefully, I'll be well within the day. Ang hirap kaya ng may sakit.

If you were to ask me how hubby and I are doing now, we are in good terms already. We had a heart to heart talk yesterday. I said my piece and he said his and finally resolved the issue. Sana lang, crossing my fingers, hindi na maulit muli.

Ganyan talaga ang mag-asawa. Problems/challenges are part of married life. There is no such thing as perfect relationship.If it is perfect, abnormal yun. These problems/challenges make our relationship grow stronger and even prepare us to bigger challenges in life.

So that's it. Have a great Thursday! =)

I'm Still Not OK Wednesday

I'm not really OK today - physically and emotionally. Physically, because I feel sick - para akong tratrankasuhin. Emotionally, because my hubby and I had a fight yesterday and we are still not in good terms today.

I really feel that he doesn't care on how I feel. Paulit ulit na lang. He never listens to me. He keeps on hurting me. I hope that he'll be sensitive naman to what and how I feel and give importance to me as his wife.

I just hope and pray that this problem will be resolved na since I'm very emotionally stressed already. =(

Tuesday Blues

I'm early to work today but I'm not in the mood. Many things are bothering me right now specifically my own family. I just feel useless as a mother. I feel like we (my husband and I) are not in control of our own children and family. It just seems that the decisions that we are making right now are based on how other people will feel and not on what we really want and think is the right thing to do.

This is really disturbing. Even our relationship as a couple is being affected already. We really need to do something about it ASAP.

I know this is just a test or a challenge to us to make our family stronger. In fact, wala naman binibigay ang Diyos sa atin na hindi natin kaya malagpasan di ba?

I'll just hold on...

Food Discovery: Biggie Softdrinks (3 Liters)

When we were in Texas, I'm so amazed when I saw these:

Imagine, may 3 Liters softdrinks na pala? This is for parties or to someone addicted to softdrinks (like my brother who is so addicted to Coke...Hehehe...Peace bro!).

Super natuwa lang ako kasi first time ko makakita ng 3 Liters softdrinks. =)

Food Trip: Town Dog's

Our cousins (Jaime and Kuya Jobet) brought us to Sta. Monica Pier during our trip to L.A. While walking around, we saw Town Dog's. Jaime recommended it to hubby and told us that it was featured in the food channel.

Jaime ordered this for hubby:

                                   

This is hotdog sandwich is really good! Sulit ang money. Ok rin kasi there is a twist in the sandwich. As you can see, there are some chips on it.

Below is the hotdog stand. Talagang nagpaphoto op ang hubby here. Hehehehe...

You can see, happy na happy si hubby. Pangarap kasi niya to eat at a hotdog stand sa US eh. Actually, ang gusto niya Sabrett sa New York kaso nga lang wala sa itinerary namin ang New York. Next time na lang siguro pag bumalik kami sa US. Ang tanong: kailan kaya yun? Hehehe...

Flight Experience with Twins: Manila to L.A.

Our trip to the US is extra challenging. In our flight going to L.A., it was only hubby, our twins and me who traveled. You can't just imagine how tiring the flight could be - with the long travel hours, balikbayan boxes and the kulilits(the twins). Grabe, sa NAIA pa lang during our check-in, tagaktak pawis na ako. Eh paano ba naman, ayaw ng kambal kapag nakapark lang ang stroller, nagwawala sila. They want it mobile. Ayun mukha akong tanga sa kalalakad sa kanilang dalawa. Just imagine me pushing two strollers at the same time around the airport.

During our flight naman, buti naman behave sila. Hindi sila pumipiglas while they are on our lap. Medyo naging cranky lang sila dahil mainit sa plane. The hassle part lang is when it's time to eat na. Pareho kami ni hubby may kalong na baby, so we take turns in eating. Ako muna ang kakain habang kalong niya yung mga kulilits. Then after I eat, siya naman. Ay naku, nabad trip nga ako during our first meal. Nung turn na ni hubby, biruin mo feel na feel niya ang pagkain ng food ng eroplano with matching nuod ng TV. Sabi ko nga sa kanya be conscious and sensitive naman. Nung ako kumakain, super paspas ako kasi bitbit niya yung 2 at inaalala ko na nahihirapan siya, tapos ako pinabayaan na. Hmp!

Aside sa meals during the flight, ang hirap din yung part na magpreprepare ng milk nila. Lalo na masikip and may hawak na baby. Asar nga ako sa stewardess kasi hindi helpful eh. Nakatitig lang talaga sila. Haaayyy...

Another challenge is yung pagpee namin ni hubby. Ako lang yata ang nakapag restroom eh. Si hubby sa sobrang uncomfortable sa flight hindi nakapagrestroom during the 12-hour trip (Taipei to LAX).

So when we arrived at LAX, sobrang dugyot and mukhang harassed kami ni hubby. Yun bang feeling na super lagkit and baho na. Ang first thing talaga na nasa isip namin ni hubby that time is to have a good bath.

Eto talaga yung mga times na sana may bitbit kaming yaya. Super stressful pala talaga if you have twins. Pero at least we survived. Hahaha...

Interest Charges REVERSED!

Before our US trip, I settled all our credit card bills para wala na akong iisipin na bayarin. So those credit cards without statement of account (SOA), I called their hotline to know the payment amount due and paid it immediately.

All the while I thought everything is okay already until the day I went back to the office after our vacation. There are a lot of mails in my desk. I opened them one by one until I came across my Standard Chartered Credit Card SOA.

To my surprise, the payment amount due said by the voice prompt during my phone inquiry differs from the SOA. Nawindang talaga ako because I know that I'll incur interest charges which I am allergic at, that is 3.5% interest per month ha which is 42% interest per annum. So I immediately called the bank's hotline and inquired how much the interest is, explained the reason why the amount was not paid and requested for the complete reversal.

I explained to them that I want to settle my credit card bill before I go to the US. And since I have not yet received the SOA, I just inquired through their hotline the payment amount due. And yes, I'm aware that there is a transaction that is not yet paid but I thought that it is still floating since what was said in the voice prompt is just a partial amount. Masunurin lang naman ako so I paid the amount that was said by the voice prompt. I even told them to trace my credit card history that I never failed to pay my bills. In fact, I pay my bills in full and in advance (kasi nga takot ako sa utang). Aside from that, I told the agent that I'll pay the unpaid amount immediately that day to prove them that I'm in good faith when I setttled my credit card bill last month.

After my explanation and request, the call center agent told me that she noted that I'll pay that day. She even instructed me to pay in cash in Standard Chartered Bank so that the payment will be posted within 24 hours. She then told me to call the following day to request for the reversal and informed me that there is no assurance that my request will be granted.

The following day, I requested for complete reversal of the interest. At first, the call center agent told me that he cannot grant my request. I protested because that is the first time it happened to me and I'm not an irresponsible credit card holder. So he let me on hold again. Then again, he said that the interest cannot be reversed since the system won't allow him to. Siyempre, I didn't agree. I told him na masama sa loob ko na magbayad ng interest since I know that I'm a responsible person and in the first place may fault din sila na misleading yung voice prompt nila (FYI: At Standard Chartered Bank, you should make separate inquiries for outstanding balances of the principal and supplementary card). I told them that I have other credit cards with supplementary also that when I inquire about my payment amount due, the whole payment amount due is given to me unlike theirs. I even told him na may higher person/authority (whatever you call them) na pwede magreverse ng payment sa system. "Alam ko yan, impossibleng walang pwedeng makagawa niyan. We have a systems development company", I told the call center agent.

He let me on hold again...After a few seconds, he told me that he already addressed my concern and forwarded it to the higher person. He told me to call after 3 to 5 banking days to know the status of my request.

After 3 days, I called again their hotline. And good news, they reversed the interest that they charged me. So thank you Standard Chartered Bank kahit pinahirapan niyo ako ng bonggang bongga. =)

Lesson I learned: Since I know how much I owe the credit card company (I'm so OC that I list all my credit card purchases), I will pay it all even if some transactions are still floating to prevent this kind of problem.

Nakapanghihinayang

Have you experienced buying things on their regular price and then the following day you'll see that they are already on sale? Nakakapanghinayang di ba?

It was just last Saturday when I went to Landmark to buy prizes and materials for our company outing's teambuilding activity. I was so happy then because I found cutie and usable items which I think our staff would like. Then, just this afternoon when I came back to Landmark to buy bread, ang bumungad sa face ko sa entrance ay napakalaking streamer na "Sale! Up to 50% off on Selected Items from May 31 to June 3, 2012."

Nakakaloka di ba? Hinayang na hinayang ako talaga. All the items I bought last Saturday are 10% off kasi. Sayang, pandagdag din sa prizes yun or savings na ng company. Hindi kasi biro yung discount na makukuha ko kasi ang laki ng napamili ko that time.

Anyway, tapos na yun. Wala na akong magagawa kahit maglulumpasay pa ako. Isipin ko na lang is prepared ako and hindi ako nag rush di ba? Think positive na lang! =)