It has been 3 years since the last time we were able to celebrate Christmas and New Year’s Day with our papa. It’s so hard for us to be complete since during this season, my father is working out of the country as a seaman. It really makes me sad. I remember back when I was still a little kid, I’ll cry to sad Christmas songs like that one famous Filipino song “Sana Ngayong Pasko” hahaha. Then opening our television makes me cry too because a lot of shows during that season have themes that are most likely centered on family and incomplete/separated families are the general idea. TBH, I easily cry hahaha even on little things.
Finally this year, we heard the news that his line up on the first week of December won’t push through. We’re so happy at that time because finally we can be with him this December. We know that on his part too, it was never easy to celebrate this season without us.
VIDEOCHAT, BUT NOT THIS YEAR
Good thing that we now have technological advancements like Facebook that will let you see each other through a video call, no matter how far you are from them.
But my mother was so happy to know that he’ll spend it with us this year. They were the ones who arranged our Christmas tree, a little bonding time ❤️. We were already so excited to celebrate it, but then super typhoon Odette came and destroyed people’s lives, including our plans. We’re supposed to do some karaoke (because that is what we always do during this season), and Filipinos are really well-known excellent singers in the world. Whoever gets the highest score after singing will win a prize money ❤️.
When the clock ticks 12 am and as we welcome Christmas day with glee and hope, my relatives (Father side) go to our house to eat with us and give gifts to everyone. It’s the time of giving and receiving. But because the electricity in our area was still not fixed, we celebrated it with only lights from our phones and flashlights. Anyway, we’re still together and happy amidst that dilemma.
Every night after the storm hit Cebu, we stay outside our house for fresh air and to relax, but a lot of mosquitoes will bite us so we have our Off lotion with us to keep them away.
MY FATHER'S NOT FEELING WELL
Our all-time favorite (my brother, father and ofc me too) deliciously-cooked humba and pansit made by my mother for our family to share together.
December 31, my father said that he’s not feeling well, and it shows. He had a fever. 8pm that same day, we still were able to take our “mandatory” family picture with the use of our flashlights so that you can see our faces hahaha. We took a lot of pictures, for remembrance and bonding time. My father was still smiling even though he’s already not feeling well. After our dinner, his body ached and he can’t bare it anymore. He already has chills and he slept early hoping that it will go away after that. My mother kept on wiping his sweat while he’s sleeping. We’re praying that he’ll get well soon.
Even with that, he still woke up at midnight to greet us all a Happy New year huhuhu. We kissed, hugged and greeted each other. He slept after that right away.
AFTER ODETTE, IT BECAME HARDER TO FIND ONE
On January 1, my father already felt pain on the right side of his stomach when he woke up. We’re worried that it might be appendicitis since my brother already had one before and they have the same symptoms. So we hurriedly went to a hospital to have him checked by a doctor and have his CBC and urine examined.
Since HP diagnostics near us was closed that time because of electricity shut down and some private clinic too were closed for the same reason, we decided to try our luck on public hospitals. We arrived at this hospital at around 2pm but 6pm came and we’re still not yet entertained. We really need to do this because we need the sign of a doctor first and have him checked before we can proceed with laboratory tests. And since the doctor is more focused on emergency room that time, the doc will really have a hard time to accommodate us all, especially outpatient-status like us. There is even a patient there lining up with us that has a bleeding forehead because he got into a road accident and fell over. He was not entertained early too.
While waiting, we kept on checking my father’s body temperature, but it still around 38 to 39 degrees Celsius. We’re already so worried at this time. We decided to have him confined because if by any chance it really is appendicitis, then it’s really dangerous because it might burst anytime, causing more problem. We can’t risk my father’s health.
READY FOR HOSPITAL ADMISSION
We went home and prepare our things just in case he’ll really get admitted. We contacted my cousin to borrow their driver and car. When we arrived at the hospital, I can see how my father is freezing and weary. It really is heartbreaking to see my father in that state because he’s already old and as I told here earlier, I easily cry.
When we arrived there, we found out that they don’t accept admission anymore because they’re already full of patients. Good thing he was still accepted for check-up and lab tests. We were told that we need to pay the PPE of the person that will handle my father. We closed our eyes and didn’t mind the expenses for a while. We prayed outside and hoping that it will turn out fine and nothing bad will happen. We were just recently devastated by Odette, now here comes another problem. We hoped that he won’t get admit because if ever that’s the case, we need to get him and find another hospital that can accommodate us.
Thank God, it turned out it’s not what we thought it was. The result stated that he had UTI and some small kidney stones. Could’ve have been worse but thank God He heard our prayers.
He was advised medicines to make it better and some antibiotics as well. We was also advised to have a full ultrasound to check his kidney furthermore. But they don’t have that equipment at that moment because it malfunctioned. We had it checked on January 3.
When the lab results came, he was prescribed meds to take and good thing it was really effective and he recovered fast. Because of that, he decided to push through with his postponed job and travel to Manila.
Same as when I was still a little girl, I still cry my eyes out everytime he leaves us for work. But now that I'm already an adult, I do it secretly since I don't want them to see me in that state anymore hahaha.
My father has a lot of thank yous to say to God for helping him and the problem didn’t turned out that bad.
He was tested COVID-19 negative from the swab result he had in order for him to be able to work again and go to Manila for the crew change of the ship.
ANOTHER PROBLEM, DENGUE ALERT
A few weeks after, here comes my brother with Dengue. Might be because he kept on sleeping outside and not minding mosquito bites that much. Thankfully he was not admitted and was only prescribed with medicines to treat that and increase his platelet count in his body.
Yamyam, our very cute dog, will stay inside my father's room to be there with him while he's not feeling well. They're just too close to be separated hehe. The day my father left to Manila, he still keeps on waiting by the gate, hoping that his owner will come back and greet him once again. It was a sad scene to watch, so I just carried my dog up and go inside our house.
Might not be a good start for my family but… even with that, we’re still thankful for everything God did to us. We’re together and fighting. What happened to us is not the worst out there and we recovered fast from the problems that arose. My father got the chance to work again and my brother got better in no time. Prayer really works. Times like these will really test our faith in Him. ❤️
THE GOOD B.I. is a group of 4 employees-friends from Cebu City wanting to share their adventures and random ideas with everyone. The group’s future stories to tell will be so vast and diverse. Imagine having four brains to share different ideas and might end up in a disagreement. A feat that others might be so fearful to do, but they believe that it is what will make their posts more exceptional and remarkable.
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