After the Storm

Two days after the storm "Ondoy" left the country, we are still on the process of cleaning the house. Floodwaters entered our living room on Saturday morning and less than an hour later our living room and kitchen were submerged in waist-deep muddy waters. We had no choice but to move some of the furniture upstairs and create a makeshift kitchen so we could still eat. Around 4 pm, electricity was cut off which makes it harder for us. There we were, with only the glow from a candle as a source of light, praying the rains would stop so the floodwaters won't rise anymore. It was a scary, sleepless, long evening for us. 

Thankfully, when we woke up on Sunday morning, the floodwater has dropped from waist-deep to knee-deep. We only waited a few hours until the waters finally subsided and we started our clean up. We had to bring down the furniture from the second floor of the house, we had to scrub the floors, the walls, the chairs and tables again and again so we could remove the mud. We are not yet through cleaning up until today. 

It's very tiring, my whole body is aching. Sentence for today, "an anodyne makes you feel good".

Anodyne: A source of soothing comfort.

Some things never change

I am one very observant person and it doesn't take much for something to draw my attention or to amaze me.Me and hubby are big Chinese Cuisine fans. For quite a while, we've been frequenting this Chinese dining place, Silver Star, where his father usually buys Pancit. We ordered take out one day, a serving of Lomi, Chopsuey (my favorite), Lemon Chicken and Shanghai Rice, and we became regular customers since then. When we first came there, I immediately noticed an old school cash register. I didn't think it was working until the cashier punched in our order. I wanted to take a picture then but I was hesitant because I thought the cashier was in a foul mood.  I always wanted to take a photo of that old cash register but I didn't have the guts to ask until yesterday. Me and hubby together with our friend Bong decided to have lunch at Silver Star. I told Bong of how I really wanted to have a picture of that register and he just stood up and went to the cashier. He took photos while making short conversation with the cashier. We learned then that the restaurant was built in 1947, it was still a hotel then. Then the hotel was moved upstairs and the restaurant itself was built in 1948 or 1949. The cash register was bought in the 1950s. It's almost 6 decades since the cash register has been bought and it is still working until now. I asked the waitress if the cash register has undergone repairs since it was bought and she said she doesn't know one instance when the cash register has been broken. Amazing, isn't it?

Time, I got tons of it!

It's been a week since I filed my resignation from work and it's a huge understatement when I say, "I am getting a little bored." I got the whole day (and night) at my disposal, to do whatever I want to do, to go wherever I want to go. But due to the consistent rains pouring down the city, I'm stuck at home.

So, what else to do when you can't go out. Lots! Here are some of the things that take up most of my time now that I am officially a "B-U-M":

-Do the laundry. When I was still working, me and Hubby used to do the laundry only on weekends when both of us don't have to go to work. Now that I have the time, I do the laundry almost everyday so our dirty clothes won't pile up.

-Clean the house. Back then, I only clean our room because that's where we usually hang around even when there's no work, but now, I do the whole house as well. It takes about an hour or more, so that's more than an hour less of getting bored.

-Read. I still have a few books left from my last visit to Booksale. I have disciplined myself to make one book last at least a week to minimize my expenses on books. I used to read one book for one day so imagine how many books I have to buy to satisfy my daily cravings for a story. I'm now reading The Chamber by John Grisham - my favorite author.

-Play online games. I'm hooked to Zynga and Playfish games on Facebook. These games are what makes my days less boring. I already maxed out the levels in Farmtown and Restaurant City. I am now on the process of buying a house and designing my apartment in Yoville, I'm taking good care of my fishes in Fish World and I visit my pet every now and then in Pet Society. See, I am awfully busy these days. =)

-Post a blog, blog hop, answer surveys. Being stuck at home limits the topics for a blog so I am only updating this blog every few days. I visit the updated blogs on my blog roll and then I answer surveys if there is an available one.

-IM friends and relatives. It's nice that some people are concerned with how you are doing and how you're coping up with the post-resignation blues. 

It is pretty depressing when you allow the situation to get into your head and when you concentrate mainly on the fact that you are useless unemployed. What you should do is keep yourself active, don't stress yourself too much about unemployment, make yourself useful and keep yourself busy. There are a lot of things that can be done with time that you didn't usually have until now. That's what I am doing. =)

Saying Goodbye

Yesterday was my last day at the office. I left not because I have found a new job or that I am not in good terms with my colleagues. I left because of health reasons. My pulmonologist advised me to resign due to the recurrence of my Bronchial Asthma and GERD or Gastroesopageal Reflux Disease. I should take a rest for at least a month while under medication or I should find a job that's on the regular shift (day shift).

I got the medical certificate of not fit to work on Saturday and since then I could not sleep. It was a very hard decision that needs to be thought over and over until I am sure that it is really the right thing to do. I am tempted not to tell my superiors about the doctor's diagnosis because I truly do not want to leave the company. Tuesday morning, after weighing the pros and cons and after much deliberation with my husband, we arrived at the decision that I should resign. Healthwise, it is the best and only thing that needs to be done.

I was supposed to go on shift Tuesday night, meaning I'll report at 9pm and leave at 5:30am Wednesday morning. But, while on commute, I had an Asthma attack and decided not to finish the shift and just leave when I'm done with the paperworks and the meetings.

I first talked to my Team Lead, handed over the medical certificate and my resignation letter. Tears started to flow. We talked and she told me that it's really a hard decision but I do need to prioritize my health over anything else. Then, she scheduled a meeting with our team. The one meeting that I fear the most as I know I cannot control my tears when I say "this is it for me". As expected, I cried as every team member gave messages of good luck, get well, we'll see you again and we will definitely miss you. It's really a sad moment for everyone because we, as a team, are a solid group and it's heartbreaking that one has to leave. We may have our differences but we try to work around them and find some things that bind us together. As we left the conference room, everybody had puffy, red eyes from crying.

I then met my manager and told him of my plans that I will take a rest first as advised by my doctor, he wished me luck and that he and my team lead will be there if ever I needed anything. I proceeded to the Human Resources Dept and asked for the necessary exit papers, decided to return next week to complete my clearance forms.

Then it is time to say goodbye.

I hugged my teammates, my batchmates from training, other team leads. It is really hard to say goodbye and I could not say the word. I stayed at BPSI for less than two years but it felt like I stayed longer than that. It felt like I've been friends with everybody for a longer time than those mere 17 months that we worked together.

I still can't say the word goodbye, so I'm just saying, "I'll see you around, guys!"

Through Good and Bad Times

Before I went to college my mom used to tell me that the happiest days would be my highschool days, my friends during that time will be my friends till I get old. College would mean serious business, no more time to slack, she said. I think this will be the first time that I can say, "Ma, nagkamali ka jan!". =)

College is hard, yes, but still it was a lot of fun. When you're with the right people, even the hardest of all thesis defenses will be a breeze. I am lucky that I met wonderful friends during college. Sure, there were times that we disagree over the petty little things, but we all kissed and made up afterwards. 

After graduation, it was hard to keep up with each one of us, given that we are based in different cities and we all have different work scheds. Organizing a get together can be quite a challenge. 

Now, 7 years after graduating from college, we finally pulled it off. When my bestfriend Mhy's flight home from Singapore was confirmed, our other friend Cai, who was now based in Cebu, immediately booked a flight and came to Manila. We are to meet on  Saturday, August 22nd, at Barrio Fiesta in UN Ave.

It was a blast! It's as if we were never apart for 7 years. We talked about a lot: married life (only 3 of our friends are not married yet), having kids, work, our college life. We had a great conversation over a sumptuous dinner of Sinalab, Crispy Pata, Pinakbet, Laing, Kare Kare and Sinigang. After dinner, we proceeded to nearby Starbucks to have coffee.

There, we were met by 3 other college batchmates (Errol, Richard and JR). We had another round of good conversation, endless laughter, more photo ops. We left at around midnight since Starbucks is closing already. We said our goodbyes and promised to meet again next year. =) 

New Finds - shoes

My bestfriend Mhy arrived from Singapore last Saturday. She'll be here on vacation until the 30th.

Me and Mhy have so much in common and one of them is our love for shoes. =) We're not very particular with brands so long as it fits us, it's comfy, it's cute. Given that I now live closer to her home here in the Philippines (Tondo, Manila) and our homes are just a ride away from Divisoria (the tiangge capital of the Philippines), we just cannot resist the urge to shop. 

So, on Sunday afternoon, we met and went to Divisoria. She needs to buy a few things to bring back to SG because she said things are super expensive in SG compared to here. She's supposed to buy work pants, lots of blouses and shoes. Unfortunately, we couldn't find a pair of pants that fits her well, I think we just bought one or two pairs. Then we're off to 168 Mall to buy blouses. I knew of a stall there that sells nice tops, be it for work or for leisure, at very reasonable prices. But, because we arrived there at 7:30pm, most of the stalls are already closed including the stall that I'm talking about. 

So, we just went around to look for shoes. It's quite hard to scout around since some of the stalls are closing already. Then, we chanced upon one stall that sells quite a lot of pairs of shoes. We immediately made our selections, asked for our sizes and bought and bought. I bought three pairs and Mhy had four pairs. Talk about hoarding! Haha! We even had a pair of the same design but of different colors, Mhy bought the purple one and I bought the cream one. No worries because we didn't spend a lot on these shoes, after a little haggling we got each pair for the price of 200 pesos each (that's about 4 dollars each). Quite a bargain!!

On conceiving

I never thought I would want to conceive this much. Sure, I wanted to have kids but never this eager that I find myself getting paranoid with the simple symptoms (?) like lack of appetite (i'm not really hungry that time), getting sick after eating (I ate too much, as usual), nausea (I have vertigo). Yeah, yeah I'm probably not pregnant.

But still, I can't stop stressing about it. I even found myself looking at a book on getting pregnant (almost bought it actually).  We've only been married for short of 4 months and I'm already troubled on not having the capacity to bear a child. I might as well consult an OB-gyne. 

Soon, I wish I could put to use the home pregnancy kit that I bought which is stashed inside my underwear drawer. It doesn't hurt to be prepared, right? =)

Great Find - Neutrogena Hand Cream

Last night, an officemate handed me a tube of Neutrogena Hand Cream (Norwegian Formula). She said she thought of me when she saw that on her dresser because she knows how I love lotions and creams. She guarantees me that I am going to like the product. And I couldn't agree more!

This product works wonders. With just a small amount, it softens your hands instantly and I assume that with long term use, you'll have really soft hands and no more dry skin. The tag line is definitely correct "just a dab heals dry skin". 

She used to sell this at the bank where she previously worked because her grandmother kept on sending these from the states and she's got a lot of stocks. But, this one tube she gave me for free. Isn't it great?! No worries, when I've used up the whole tube I'm going to ask her for another one and I'm going to pay for it already.

I definitely recommend Neutrogena Hand Cream. I now have super soft hands in an instant. :)

Yummy Avocado

Yesterday, my father-in-law arrived from Cavite. Whenever he or my mother-in-law comes to Manila, I always look forward to one particular pasalubong that they bring. Avocadoes. They only have one tree in their backyard but this particular tree is so abundant with fruits come avocado season. 

The avocadoes are really delicious and of good quality - the kind that cost a lot here in Manila - but my inlaws are againts on selling the harvest. They say that when you sell the fruits, the tree won't produce the same quality nor the same amount of fruits as when you give them away. Well, it doesn't matter to me if they don't sell it as long as I get a few kilos of the produce. =)

It is almost the end of the avocado season and that's the reason why I only got a few. Still, it will satisfy my cravings for fruits and sweets.

Avocado +  sugar + Alaska Evaporated Milk = Yummy Dessert!!

Super Cool Wedding Processional

I love this video, if only I was able to watch this before we got married, our wedding would probably end up like this. Haha! The entourage must love the couple so much for them to allow themselves to look silly in front of everybody. What a fun wedding it probably turned out!

30 on the 30th ( A Token of Gratitude to 30 Years of Dedicated Companionship)

Today is the 30th of July and it is my parent's 30th wedding anniversary. Let me tell you a little of their love story.

On the 22nd day of June, 1946, Vicente Yboa, Jr. was born. The 5th child in a brood of 10, Vicing, as he is fondly called, was raised in Catbalogan, Samar but eventually went to Manila to continue his college education as a Mechanical Engineering student in Mapua. He then applied and got accepted in Koppel, an airconditioning company.

Exactly 9 years after Vicing was born, Divina Tan - Baby as she is lovingly called - was born on June 22, 1955. Also, the 5th child in a brood of 10. She was raised in Pasay City and took up Accountancy in University of the East. Took internship and later got accepted as a regular employee in Koppel.

That's where it all began. Vicing took notice of the tiny girl from the Finance Dept in Koppel. He pursued her, even taking the time to go to UE where Baby was taking classes after work. She didn't feel anything towards the man nine years her senior and used to hide whenever she sees him at the gate of the university. But the man is insistent on getting her affection and eventually his hard work paid off.

July 30, 1979 - they got married at Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Pasay City and started their own family. With 6 children, life then was never easy. There were tuition fees to think of, utility bills that needed to be paid, mortgage payments got delayed. Through it all, they stood beside each other, supporting each other, praying together, never left despite the difficulties they have to face. Time came that it was really a financial crisis that even the most basic need of a human being was never met, education was put on hold, business got bankcrupt, still they remained strong -  for each other, but most importantly for their children. 

As they say, there is always a silver lining. With the love and support of every member of the family, they survived. The children finished school, Vicing retired from Koppel, Baby remained a doting mom/wife at home. Life still challenges them but their union has been tested by time and it has remained strong and it will remain strong for all the years to come.

30 long years of love, support, understanding and respect. It is with utmost pride when I say I am the daughter of Vicing and Baby. I am a witness to the long journey of their companionship, I am a living legacy of their undying love for each other and I will be eternally grateful for the way they have raised me and my siblings. I will not choose any other set of parents if I will be given the chance and for me they both truly are "The Best Parents in the World".

Happy 30th Anniversary, Mama and Papa. I love you both.

Weekenders

Tomorrow's a Friday and unlike everybody I'm not too excited about the weekend. I'll be undergoing an Endoscopy procedure on Sunday for my GERD (Gastro Esophagial Reflux Disease) and it scares me to death. I'm super afraid of injections (see Why I hate hospitals? post), what more if a tube is to be inserted into my mouth??!! 

Anyway, just to divert my mind from thinking about the procedure too much, I listed here my to-do list for tomorrow. I've got a lot to do with so little time.

1. Go to the COMELEC (Commission on Elections) office and register. I'm 29 y/o and yes, I will be a first time voter next year. Haha! I'm not too proud about it but then it's better to be late than never. For registration procedure go to the BagongBotante website.

2. Pay bills. Our electric, credit card and broadband connection bills all arrive during this time of the month but our electric bill has not been delivered yet. 

3. Have some of my mock christmas gifts printed out. =) I know it's too early for Christmas but then I don't want to rush and I wanted to give out gifts that are personalized. I tried creating some and I just want to see the print outs if they're okay to be given as gifts. If not, then I'll think of other ideas.

4. Drop by Divisoria and scout around for Christmas gift ideas. It's better to be early to avoid the holiday rush, the prices are way cheaper these days than during the Christmas season, it won't stretch the wallet as I plan to buy a few gifts this payday and then the next payday until my list is completed. I don't want to spend my 13th month pay come December as it will be allotted to my savings account. 

5. Wash and iron clothes. I won't be here in Manila this weekend because the procedure will be done in Laguna. So, my weekend chores should be done tomorrow.

I wish I could accomplish all of these and then I will worry about the Endoscopy. =)

I'm just a girl!

I just love Nine West and XOXO items. I only own 1 bag of each brand, the Nine West bag was given to me by my cousin when she went to the states and the XOXO bag I bought from my sister. I find it relaxing (all the while, drooling) whenever I browse the net for these items. I'm on the search for the cheapest supplier on multiply and ebay. Here are some finds that I'm still thinking about purchasing. (no budget yet for a couple of months) =(

Movie Theatre Pet Peeves

I really hate it when:

1. People won't turn off their phones or at least set it in silent mode when inside the theatre.

2. People won't stop explaining the movie to their seatmates. 

3. People answer calls during a movie unmindful of the others that can't quite hear the movie but can hear their conversation very clearly. People can be soo thick.

4. Kids blabbering away, throwing a tantrum with the parents not doing anything about it. I think kids shouldn't be allowed inside the theatres, unless they're 6 and above to understand the movie.

5. People putting up their feet on the seats infront of them. Hello! There are people infront of you. Manners, please!

6. People who can't hold it in and have to go to the bathroom every few minutes. Please, just find a seat closer to the exit points so you won't have to bother the people sitting next to you whenever you have to stand and go to the bathroom.

All these me and hubby had to endure during the almost three hours of watching Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. It wouldn't have been that bad if only the movie was great. But, no. Harry Potter 6 sucks. 

Highs and Lows of Working on the Night Shift

I am one of those night owls as some of you may call it or here in the Philippines I may be tagged as "aswang" - a Filipino slang for shapeshifters or mythical, evil, vampire-like creatures that generally roam at night. I may be tagged as one not because I look or act like one but simply because I'm awake at night and asleep by day.

Working on the night shift for more than seven years exposed me to the pros and cons of the job. During these hard times, with recession ongoing in some parts of the world (Philippines included), I find it amazing that some BPOs here in Manila are still hiring for more employees. I see their ads on the net, on the newspapers, on streamers/banners and I even received one text message scheduling me for an interview eventhough I never applied for any position in that company. Hence, the inspiration for this blog. What drives young and old professionals alike to alter their body clocks and work on the night shift? And what makes those working on the night shift leave their jobs making the demand for more BPO employees rise? Let me share with you my views.

Highs:
1. Good compensation and benefits package. Most companies offer a basic compensation of 10,000 Php, with hmo coverage. As for those getting hired for the night shift (well, most BPOs really, even those with shifting scheds), basic compensation starts at 14,000 Php, with hmo coverage, transportation allowance, rice allowance, hazard pay and 20% up of night differential.

2. Assistance on tuition fees for those wanting to extend their education. I've heard of most companies offering this additional benefit to their employees especially for those working at night.

3. Some companies offer sign in bonuses.

4. Unlimited cups of coffee, chocolate drink or tea.

5. Working on the night shift gives you more time during the day to do chores, process legal documents without taking a leave from work (as government offices are open during the day shift).

6. Drive your kids to school and fetch them afterwards.
 
Lows:
1. It's hard to sleep during the day. Especially for a humid country like the Philippines, the afternoons are the worst because the temperature can get as high 42.2 °C (108 °F), well that was on April 29, 1912 in Tuguegarao according to Wikianswers.com. Nowadays, the hottest it has gone was 34°C.

2. Deep eye bags.

3. Hyperacidity (for frequenting the vendo machine for the unlimited coffee)

4. Hypotension (Low Blood Pressure) due to lack of sleep.

5. Hormonal changes.

6. Stress. Studies show that most people working on the night shift are more prone to stress than those working on the day shift. (Ref. American Journal of Epidemiology)

As we can see we are basically torn between two things when deciding if we should or should not work on the night shift: money or health. It all depends because what works for some might not work for the others.  Decide wisely.

Review on Keni Po, Tagaytay, Philippines

Keni Po is located in 110 Calamba Rd., Sungay West, Tagaytay City. It is beside Ina ng Laging Saklolo Church and on the way to Picnic Grove. It is a quaint B&B, simple amenities but great service and very affordable rates. They have single/twin rooms, family room and a villa. There is also a pool and little garden at the back. Although we weren't able to swim when we stayed there, we just took pics.

This is where hubby and I stayed during our honeymoon. I stumbled upon this place when a cousin of mine recommended it to me. I browsed through the net and came upon their website. Reading thru many of the positive feedbacks left by Keni Po's clients, I decided to book the place (well, an aunt booked it for us as a wedding gift).

Check-in time should have been 1:00pm, but we weren't able to make it since we were traveling from Manila right after our wedding reception. We arrived there at around 4 in the afternoon but the gracious front desk attendant still greeted us with a warm hello and a friendly smile. And if I may add, I even got VIP treatment because as I went down the car, a staff came up to me and held an umbrella over my head to protect me from the sun. I did not expect that from a B&B. Talk about customer service!

The rooms are a little bit small but that's expected as Keni Po is only a B&B/Lodge. The room furnishings are a twin-sized bed with huge fluffy pillows, side table and a couple of chairs. There is also a mini refrigerator loaded with mineral water, soda and beer; a cable tv and a blow dryer. The bathroom is clean with bath tub, hot water system, shower and toilet. It would have been better if the management could provide a cabinet/closet for the clothes because what they have there are only hooks and couple of hangers behind the door. 

Food service is open 24 hours. They have excellent tapa, the beef is really tender and very tasty. Their sizzling sisig is also very good. Delivery would take 10-15 minutes. Not bad. 

The staff are very courteous and always ready to smile. The VIP treatment (with the umbrella) was given to me again when we were leaving Keni Po.

If you are budget-conscious and looking for a clean, affordable place to stay in tagaytay, I would definitely recommend Keni Po. 

Website: Keni Po

Contact Number:  046-4830977

Education for the Undomesticated Me

My parents both worked when I was growing up hence the reason behind me and my siblings being raised by yayas. I was used to having my meals set already from the time I woke up until I came home after school. My clothes washed and ironed for me. Even when I left home and stayed at a dorm during college, I never washed my clothes, I would either bring home my laundry every weekends to have it washed at home or bring them to a laundry shop. Nor did I cooked my meals as me and my dorm mates would just eat out to nearby fastfood chains or canteens or if our budget won't allow it we'll just settle on the ever-reliable Century Tuna or Lucky Me Pancit Canton.

So, it is no surprise when I end up an ignorant undomesticated wife.

Cleaning is no problem for me, it's an easy task that I can perform. The hard chores for me are washing the clothes, ironing and the worst would be cooking. The first time that I washed my husband and mine's one week's load of laundry I felt really bad for myself. I felt "kawawa" because imagine the volume of clothes (shirts, jeans, jackets and even towels) and I have to do it by hand. We don't own a washing machine yet. When I was finished my back was aching, my hands looked like the hands of an old lady and I've got scratches on my wrists and fingers. It's hard but I at least did it. 

Ironing is hard as it would mean standing up for at least an hour. We even bought one of those steam irons that you can see at the Home Shopping Network. You fill the tube with water, press the button and your shirt is ironed out front and back with just a few swipes. You can even hang your clothes when you use the steam iron so you don't have to use the ironing board at all. That tool is of great help to me, it makes the job easier and faster plus it is energy saving as it does not consume electricity unless you press the button.

Now, the hardest is cooking. Sure, I can fry eggs and the like, I can cook rice, I can do the famous adobo, but the taste buds of my husband's is entirely different from mine. The first time that he asked me to cook, it was tapa with gravy sauce, more like the sizzling type. Difficulty level for this dish would only be minimal as the gravy sauce is instant, you just pour in water and mix, the tapa is only fried. I don't know what I did wrong but the end product tastes like very salty, burnt tapa. Even the gravy sauce tastes different. Haha! I was fighting back tears when me and my husband were already eating because I can see that he's just forcing himself to eat what I cooked. After we ate, I immediately went to the bathroom and cried. =) 

Well, at least my only problem would be cooking, my husband cooks well and I know that he'll do that willingly for as long as when I learned how to cook just so he won't have to endure another of my cooking disasters. Maybe I'll borrow my mom's cookbooks or maybe I'll enroll in a culinary class. Dream on... Haha!

I can't wait

I've been craving for these cupcakes since end of May but I had to wait for another month until the owner, Clarissa, is open for booking again. When I visited her website and learned that she's accepting orders for July, I immediately placed my order of her very sumptious frupcakes treats. Due to my sickness, I won't able to come with my teammates' outing today but with Clarissa's frupcakes...I sure am going to be alright.

Tomorrow is Frupcakes day!

Please visit Clarissa's site at: Frupcakes

Simple Pleasures

Movie dates are what my hubby and I enjoy the most, we usually watch the first viewing sched just as the mall opens so there won't be a lot of people in the cinemas.

This morning Deck and I went out to watch Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen. This date was long overdue, had to be postponed because I got sick the week that it was first shown. He probably noticed that I've been moping around the house for more than three weeks and I was getting pretty irritated by boredom so he treated me out today. We didn't, however, had the time to have our usual "eat-out" after the movie because he's on the night shift tonight, so we only brought in food and ate inside the cinema. We shared a tub of BBQ fries and a hotdog sandwich, I bought him a Mudslide Smoothie from Ice Monster and I had my ever-favorite Mango-Banana Fruitas Shake. Yum... The simple pleasure of movie dates, my loving husband and comfort food. 

I feel a lot better now.

Why I hate hospitals

I've never been a sickly person...until these last few years. I can only remember one time during college that I got admitted due to Amoebiasis, got pricked numerous times by a nurse that didn't know how to insert the dextrose needle... and from then on I promised myself I will never be hospitalized again.

But then, no matter how hard we try to avoid getting sick..the unhealthy lifestyle, unbalanced diet, and working in graveyard shifts...puts our health at risk.

Hence, the reason why I was hospitalized again. My lungs are weak according to the doctor, my asthma has gotten worse and I've developed Pneumonia on my right lung. For 4 days, I've been lying in my hospital bed, not wanting to move too much for fear that my dextrose might come loose that it might have to be transferred to my other hand. Even when my left hand has gotten swollen, I refused to have it removed and transferred to my right hand. 

The scaredy-cat that I am, I admit I'm scared to death of injections. Even the tiny flu vaccine scares the hell out of me. So, imagine the pain that I have to endure during those 4 days. The steroid injections every 8 hours is the worst torture I've ever had, because as the medication was injected thru IV, the pain flows from my hand up to my arm, it's as if all my veins would pop out. 

I have to take better care of myself from now on. So, as not to get stuck by needles again.