Few weeks before Christmas of 2005, I was in the office working as the Saturday duty and my wife called me, she was crying and her voice seems to falter every now and then. She together with my parents-in-law went to CGH that day for Bela's first checkup after birth with her pedia and everything was fine except for one thing and said that she heard a quiet, indistinctive sound and to medical interpretation, a murmur. She immediately reffered them to the best cardio doctor she knew for a second opinion which sadly is the same result and in her very early stage of life, she undergo 2D-Echo to make sure...And so the findings stand, she has a congenital heart disease and it broke mom's young mother's heart and that she'll carry it in her load every second, every minute and everyday for several months...I finished my tasks and before going home, i browse the internet for other hospitals and called them one by one and ask for the best cardio doctor's name and number to make an appointment. When I was on the cab reviewing the names that i got, i saw two the same name, the previous doctor in CGH is the same name of the cardiologist i got from St. Lukes so i explained to her "Mom, I think we already have one of the best doctor in town." From then on, we put our trust to him and followed everybit of detail that he wants us to do for daughter's health.
We're a very young parents to experience this but I'm a very positive person as an individual and I guess and hope that I remain strong for my family. I always make sure that i gave her strength and encouragement everytime I see her sad...It was the saddest Christmas we've experienced but I never cried nor see me sad in front of them not until now, all my tears are flowing from left and right eyes, all in red, from thousand miles away from home in very cold and snowy NY city...inside the bathroom...so as no one would hear...
Before I got the news from mom thru YM, I was on my way to NY from DC and as we would do before when we're here in 2004, we'd kill our time by watching a movie at the Regal Cinemas beside the Verizon Centre near Chinatown and we would eat there afterwards. And after my meal, I got a traditional fortune cookie, and as I open it, i said to myself, "whatever it is, i will not put my full attention to it" and so i went to the bus station for 150am ride. I arrived in NY at 6am, an hour early than schedule and went to McDo and went to Time Square after bfast. At 7, ToysRUs opens and at about 9, I was already at Kuya Andy and Ate Marivic's place in Brooklyn.
It's good to be back, knowing that I have a family in them and with jesse, the prettiest boxer I've ever seen...We drank coffee and did some chats and they got a Mac and asks if I can use it later and so did...I logon to YM and there was mom already online and she broke the news that after two years, bela's heart is totally healed coming from a saturday checkup with our cardiologist! It's the biggest gift we could ever ask from God and we could not ask for more...After a while, I suddenly remember the fortune cookie that says something about happiness. Truly, we're so happy for bela and for all who prayed and stayed with us in this challenging stage we've been through...
Thank you so much for all your prayers and love! Prays be to God!...
On the streets of Recto and Morayta you can find a lot of book stands where some of them are selling magazines as well. From here I saw that SI issue and I think I bought it for 15 pesos. It’s very rare that you find an SI magazine here because the subscription is limited to US and Canada. For years, I would hide my stuffs on one of my old school bag but sad to say, none of my childhood collections survived.