We finally finished boxing most of the gifts for our families this Christmas. The only problem is we got too excited shopping at Bjs not realizing if they’ll fit in the box or not. Hehe. Bottom line, there’ll be… either a 3rd box combined or 2nd box for both. We’ll see…
I phoned home (Philippines) yesterday AM. It was Adoy (my brother who just got married last Sep 12th) who picked up the call. The background was very loud that I had to ask why. He said they’re watching TV… as if they’re all deaf you know! Anyway, they were waiting for Ma and Pa to come down so they can have dinner. Then he said they have spaghetti, pork belly, and fruit salad. I said… “What’s the occasion?” He was like… nothing! I even joked saying he really has a lot of money. Then he said you’re going to have another “pamangkin” (niece/nephew). I said huh?! It turned out his wife is pregnant.
Congratulations, Adoy and Lanie!
p.s. I also spoke to Mama. I told her “Congratulations, Lola (Grandma)!” as soon as she picked up the phone. She laughed. Soon after, with a sad tone in her voice, she said something like… “naunahan ka na naman”. I just told her maybe it’s not yet our time. And if ever I’ll get pregnant (which we’re really hoping to happen), IFC and I will be very thankful. If not, maybe it’s really not meant to be. In God’s time…
The doctor asked me to start using ganirelix... another self-injecting drug. I was asked to take it with me for my appointment yesterday. The nurse gave me the 1st shot as it has to be done in the morning. This drug gives longer cramping than the gonal-f. It hurts a lot leaving a red mark for a while.
I’m undergoing fertility treatment right now. My doctor suggested that I do the self-injecting meds since I’ve already tried clomid for more than a year and I didn’t get pregnant. I started using gonal-f rff pen on September 19th and my visits to the doctor are becoming more frequent because of that. I also have to give blood samples every time to see how my body is reacting to the meds. They are constantly monitoring me so I somehow don’t worry and sometimes forget the possible side effects.
Yesterday, I had another visit to the doctor who told me that my estrogen level is really high. I must admit I know very little on human anatomy that I asked him if that is something I should worry about. He said… “Well, kind of”. He told me that I’m starting to produce follicles slowly. Preferably, that should be at the same level with the increase of estrogen. A high estrogen level may cause fluids in the lungs and around the abdomen area… with the patient looking pregnant when she’s really not.
I know there are risks involved so I just make sure I’m doing everything as told. Sometimes I’m already asking myself if I can still continue with this but I really want to have a baby soon. It entails a lot of time, effort and money but you got to do what you have to do.
Today is my brother Adoy’s big day! I think it’ll be over soon or maybe it has ended already. Anyway, Papa sent me a text message while on our way to work… around 745 A.M. (well actually we were to stop by at a store to buy a phone card). He said “call at this number _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _”. It was Mama who answered my call and she said to wait a little bit as they’re finishing up the bouquet tossing. We can’t really understand each other maybe due to the loud background. Suddenly, I heard someone said “we have a message directly from New York City” and the conversation went as follows:
Emcee : Hello!
Faye : Hi!
Emcee : Hello! Ate Faye… We’re here live from the Philippines. Everyone can hear you. What’s your message for Masson and Lanie? (pause) Hello!
Faye : (choking up) Hold on! I’m trying to contain myself! (My voice already cracking up) Now I’m crying! (Ehem!) I thought I’ll be okay?! But I wasn’t really able to sleep last night. Anyway, Adoy… Lanie… I feel really bad not being there. I’m sorry I am not there to celebrate this special day of yours. You know the reason why and there’s really nothing I could do about it. Congratulations and best wishes to both of you! They say marriage make two people as one but remember that you are still 2 different individuals. Love each other… accept each other’s differences… there will be problems along the way but I’m sure you’ll be alright… especially with the support of the family. (pause) I think that’s it!
Emcee : Ok. Thanks Ate Faye! Oh by the way, I’m a medium on a t-shirt.
Faye : O…..K….?! :)
(There were some parts of the conversation in Filipino and maybe some other parts that I can’t exactly remember anymore.)
Then I was off the air and was just talking to Adoy. I said “how’s everything?” He said “good! It’s like a variety show. Hehehe” He told me he’ll just send me a copy of the video. I didn’t anymore keep him long and hang up soon.
Oh what an awful scene I made! Haha! I was so ashamed and all the more I felt bad when I hang up the phone. Grrr! I really thought I am ok but last night… knowing the fact that they’re all busy… everybody’s there but me… I somehow started feeling so upset to the fact that I wasn’t there. Well what can I do…
Our company provided the lunch today in celebration of “Chuseok” (Korean Thanksgiving).
“Chuseok”, is a three-day harvest celebration demonstrating the importance of family to the Korean Society. Family members gather to prepare food and honor their ancestors. The celebration is usually done in the house of the eldest son.
Here are some of the foods we had earlier:
We had a 3-day weekend last week being Labor Day on 9/1. It was kind of tiring having gone to Tanger Outlets on Saturday and to the Queens Center Mall on Sunday. The “balikbayan” box is usually being picked up before October ends to make sure it gets there on or before Christmas. There are still a lot of things we need to buy though. I think we have enough time…
I have been in the US for almost 7 years now and while I constantly blog about my day to day experiences, I thought of creating another blog which will be more précised and descriptive of how it’s really like… not only in NY but in other states too as we continue to discover what this country has to offer. See you there!
IFC keeps on telling him that I have to learn driving and get used to it as well so I’ve been constantly practicing lately. 2 things about driving in NY… 1) there are just so many cars on the road; and 2) a lot of drivers are aggressive.
For a couple of times, he asked me if I can now drive in the highway. I said not yet. I still have to get comfortable and maybe avoid feeling tensed all the time. I drove home on Tuesday using the local road. Last night, I asked IFC if I could drive again and he said yes but he wanted me to use the highway. I asked him if he thinks I’m ready. He just said, “When are you going to try it? You would never know unless you do.” There are 2 highways that we can use…Grand Central Parkway (GCP) and Long Island Expressway (LIE). GCP has a lot of curves and bumps so IFC said I should use LIE until I get comfy. Well, I managed to get us home safe though I must admit there was a lot of traffic so I wasn’t running the state’s speed limit of 50.
Here are some lessons I learned from my driving experience so far… well for what I remember…
1) We went to Filene’s one time that when I parked, the divider line was in between the car. I had to reverse 2 or 3 times before I managed to park the car in between the 2 lines. IFC said that if I want to park somewhere on my right, I have to somehow position the car on my left so I will have room and that it won’t be skewed.
2) I was in the middle lane and someone from my right cut me to go to the left lane. I didn’t realize that right away. All I thought was he was cutting me to go to the middle lane and continue driving. I was still pressing the gas when I was supposed to be hitting the breaks. IFC (who is on the passenger side) pulled the wheel in a way that we wouldn’t also hit a car should there be one on the right lane.
3) I still have to work on my “judgment”… sometimes I go a little fast when turning; sometimes I thought I have enough space from the car in front of me that even if I don’t press the gas, the car is still running and suddenly I will realize I have to hit the breaks; or sometimes IFC tells me to avoid the holes/bumps on the road. I try but there are times that instead of avoiding it, all the more I drive on it.
4) Last night, I was unaware I went out of my lane 2 times. IFC said to always feel the wheel… that I have to constantly move it a little since the highway is not really straight.
5) The worst of all, I was driving on a two-way street with 2 lanes each. The oncoming car was partly on my lane (maybe he avoided something… I really don’t know) that instead of stepping on the breaks, I avoided it mostly taking the right lane. Thank God there was no car on my right! IFC said I definitely have to step on the breaks in that case. He said I can only do what I did if I looked into the side mirror to make sure there was no car and that I don’t have to take that much space in doing so.
Bottom line, I think I’m learning little by little… but I definitely need more time…
I find it really difficult to accept the “blame” when I know I’m not the person primarily responsible for it. I hope people would learn how to think first before saying anything. Being impulsive, more often than not, can be offensive!
My parents own 2 small stores in San Andres Bukid Market which offers dry goods... flour, sugar, and salt to name a few. I was really busy with the wedding preparation that I didn’t even have the time to pay a visit when I went home for a vacation in 2005. I know my father was disappointed with that. And so, when I was there last December 2007, I dropped by one early AM and even stayed for a few minutes to take some pictures (using my cell phone). :)
Most people who actually know me would probably find it weird (just like how I feel), that I enjoy watching the Olympics. I must admit though that IFC being so into sports has been a great influence.
Yesterday was the day!
As we were about to leave the apartment, I suddenly felt the need to do #2. I wasn’t sure if it’s because I was nervous or I really had to. Anyway, we were supposed to be at the Ambulatory no later than 830 AM. We arrived there at exactly 824 AM.
The paperwork at the Admitting was taking long. My doctor went out to the lobby and spoke to me… I introduced IFC as well. The nurse called me soon after. IFC and I went to the dressing room then proceeded to Exam Room 4 for preliminary testing… BP was taken, medical history was reviewed, allergies to drugs and latex, etc. etc. The anaesthesiologist came after, discussed how the surgery will go… I’ll be put to sleep (with a general anaesthesia), will breath in an oxygen tube, will have to have an endoscopy, laparoscopy, hysteroscopy, tubal lavage and some other procedures that I can’t remember the names.
Then, we walked towards the operating room (OR). I was really nervous that time. All the more I got scared when I saw about 7 people (maybe more) inside the OR not to mention all those apparatus including the lights on the ceiling that I just saw on TV before. I laid down the table. A nurse started putting patches on my chest… I guess to monitor my vitals. The anaesthesiologist on my left started putting the IV. She said I’ll feel something like a bee sting and some kind of burning on my hand. While she was doing that, she asked me what my favorite form of relaxation was. I said “beach”. She asked “where?” I said “nothing specific as long as there’s water”. She insisted so I said “let’s say the Philippines where I’m from”. She said “I’m not taking you there… you can’t relax in a place where your family is”. How about I take you to Maldives?” The nurse on my right put the oxygen mask and said “breathe normally”. Then, I looked at the ceiling, it got blurry, and the next time I know I was in the recovery room.
My doctor approached me and said that everything is normal. The left fallopian tube turned out to be open… which is in contradiction to what my doctor thought with the result of the hysterogram. He said he’ll see me in a month and probably start giving me the “injectables” as supposed to clomid. I then assumed that he just did the laparoscopy and endoscopy. He didn’t have to do the rest. I mean I don’t see the need to be dilating a tube that is open in the 1st place.
Soon, IFC was there beside me.
A nurse said I can’t be discharged unless I pee at least a 100 cc. So beside the dextrose I have, I tried drinking as much fluids as I can just so I can pee and eventually go home. The 1st try, the nurse opened the faucet (which I think has a psychological effect to help) and left me in the bathroom. I couldn’t. I mean I felt my bladder was heavy but it just wasn’t coming out. I went back inside. And while the nurse was taking off the IV, I felt I needed to go. And so I did but the container showed it was a little less than 100 cc. But thank goodness the nurse said I passed.
IFC helped me dressed up. He got the car and a nurse walked me to it.
We were still in the highway when I felt again the need to pee. We didn’t know what to do. I put my jeans under my legs in case I can’t hold it any longer. IFC said “can you still manage it till we reach Kohls? “ I said I’ll try. But I can’t anymore so he stopped by Applebee’s and I told the lady (while showing my wrist tag) that I just came out of the hospital and I really need to use the bathroom. She was nice enough to let me go.
Then, I was home.
I just don’t understand why some people are nice when they need something from you and yet the annoyance in their voice is very obvious when it’s the other way around…
Remember that hysterogram I had on June?! Well it turned out that my left fallopian tube is blocked (based on the pictures from the x-ray). My doctor said he doesn’t know why so he needs to perform a laparoscopy. And for him to unblock the tube, he needs to do a hysteroscopy as well.
The doctor said it’s not really a problem since the right tube is open. The chances of getting pregnant are lower though. The thing is… if I ovulate on my bad side, then I’ll never get pregnant!
Anyway, I’m having the surgery this Thursday… must admit I’m kind of scared!
My desk is by the window. You’ll see the tress and even the cars passing by. I felt cold around noon today for whatever reason… I really don’t know. So to help ease that feeling, I turned on the wall heater I have near me. Yes in the middle of summer! Haha! I was planning on turning it off after a few minutes but I completely forgot. Then, 2 of my co-workers walked towards the window and one noticed it and asked... "Is that heat coming out?". I felt so embarrassed but didn’t really take it seriously. I thought that’s funny! :)
Nothing really special or interesting happened over the weekend. I practiced driving as usual. I must admit I still get a little panicky whenever I encounter aggressive drivers. IFC keeps on reminding me to be alert at all times. You can never tell you know.
Anyway, we also went to Roosevelt Field Mall… didn’t buy anything though; Walmart… got some groceries and supplies; and we ate at this “restaurant” that we were so disappointed with the quality of the food and service as well. IFC wants to go to this restaurant ever since but we don’t have any branch near us. We didn’t have second thoughts upon seeing the restaurant near the mall. But I don’t think we’re going back there again ever.
