My bout with pneumonia

Dear Mama,

    I was just discharged last night from AUFMC. I was admitted Sunday last week for pneumonia, Mama. So, I stayed one week there, and of course I wasn't able to work. I am still not working today, Mama. My doctor advised me to rest for 5 more days. So, I'll be reporting back to work next week. Hopefully, I still have work I can go back to then.

    I thought it was just one of those regular flu I was having, Mama. Two weeks ago, I had recurring fever and I was coughing, too. I self-medicated - Biogesic, Bioflu, and drank lots of water. Hoping it will go away as in previous cases, Mama. But I was getting dizzy and sometimes had shortness of breath. That's why last Sunday, our children decided to take me to the hospital, Mama. All blood chem tests and swab tests were negative, but the X-ray showed I had too many phlegm in my back, and I was diagnosed with pneumonia. 

    So, I stayed in the hospital for one week, useless. I disrupted the schedules of our children and left a lot of my work in the office hanging. I tried my best not to overthink and focused on my healing, Mama. Of course, it wasn't easy and I failed as usual. Overthinking seems to be in my system.

    Anyway, I'm really hoping things will get easier in the coming days, Mama. I'm really tired of all the stumbling we're having.

    I guess I'll stop for now before I'll start whining again.

    I miss you, Mama.

    I love you.

                                                                                                            Daddy

Saturday day out

Dear Mama,

    Earlier, our children and I went to Newpoint Mall in Nepo because Angel wanted to see the cosplay event there. We stayed there until around 4:30 p.m. Mama, and then we proceeded to Nepo Quad and had our early dinner. Of course, courtesy of Ralph. After dinner, we had our drinks at a coffee shop, also in Nepo Quad. We went home at around 7 p.m., Mama.

    Tomorrow is the La Naval Fiesta, Mama. Of course, we won't have anything. It will be just an ordinary day for us. I don't know if we'll go to Sta. Teresita. I'm too lazy to go out tomorrow. That's why we went out today because I wanted us to rest tomorrow. 

    Anyway, my songs in Spotify is getting traction already, Mama. It's not much, but at least I get at least 1 stream per day on my songs, aside from me. I'm praying it will pick up soon. I don't want to be famous, I just want to earn enough money so that this mad dream of mine could pay for itself somehow. That would be enough for me, just so I can share more of my songs before I leave this life.

    Oops, I think I'm getting serious. Maybe I should stop for now. Until my next letter, Mama. 

    I miss you.

    I love you.

                                                                                                Daddy

Good and not-so-good

Dear Mama,

    Last Sunday, our children and I went to the mall to check the ToyFest. It was the first time in a long time that we went out and we were not hurrying, Mama. Nobody has to go to work on a night shift after we had our dinner. It was good, and also not good, because that meant Ralph and Angel has no work that's why we weren't in a hurry.

    Another not good thing is that Angel is not feeling well, Mama. She's sick since yesterday. She was fine when we came home last Sunday evening. By Monday morning, she's no longer okay. I'm not sure if it was a side effect of her medicines, or something else triggered her again, Mama. I hope she feels better soon.

    On the good thing, Ralph left earlier at around 7:30 p.m. He has an onsite job interview in Clark, Mama. By the way his interview was scheduled, it means he'll be working night shift again should he get the job. I'm not sure, but he probably like night shift better, Mama. Or he just got accustomed to it because he got more night shift jobs than daytime jobs. Anyway, I wish him luck.

    That's all for tonight, Mama. I will be sleeping in a while. I'll just think and overthink for a while.

    I wish you were here. I miss you, Mama.

    I love you.

                                                                                                    Daddy

We are now complete

Dear Mama,

    We are now complete during dinner. Of course I'm trying to put a positive point to it, Mama. We are complete during dinner because Ralph and Angel are no longer working. I'm fine with that, honestly, but I'm worried about them, Mama, especially Ralph.

    Ralph is looking for a new job now, he's been sending applications again. Angel is not yet looking as of now. She's planning to go into business again, Mama.

    I'm praying things will look better for us in the coming days.

    I wish you were here, Mama.

    I need you.

                                                                                                    Daddy

Plot twists

Dear Mama,

    I went to my doctor yesterday for my quarterly check up and I brought my blood test results as I mentioned in my previous letter. I said I was worried about my blood sugar, right? Do you know what my doctor said when he saw me, Mama? He said my cholesterol has shot up. I did not even remember seeing that! I thought everything was okay except for my blood sugar which I was worried about. He even asked me if there were too many occasions lately, Mama.

    He said I went from 60+ from my previous test to 110+ in this latest lab test. He advised me to work on it, Mama - diet and exercise, or he might need to increase the dosage of my maintenance. For now, he kept my dosage at status quo, just make sure it will improve next quarter.

    When I asked him about the prediabetes result, he said I should not worry about it. It's still minimal and might be caused by the difference in fasting hours. It can be corrected, of course he also advised me on my diet.

    But that's not the only plot twist, Mama. Yesterday, at around 1 a.m., Ralph went home from work. I wasn't aware because I was sleeping then. Good thing, Edgar was still awake and he was able to open the gate for Ralph. I just read the messages in the group chat when I woke up.

    Ralph said they were sent home. Their client terminated his contract with their company, and it was 'effective immediately.' And just like that, Ralph is now unemployed. No warning, no heads up, just termination of employment. They will be paid for the whole month, Mama. After that they will have 60-day redeployment phase, wherein the company will find some client who hire them. But during those 60 days, they will be on a no-work, no-pay status, Mama. After that 60 days, when the company can't find client for them, they will have to let them go. BPO is fucked up system, Mama.

    Angel is also planning to resign. I am not sure if I already mentioned this in my previous letter, Mama. She is planning to resign because of the toxic treatment of their superiors who are all power-trippers. which by the way is common in BPOs, Mama. She hasn't filed yet, though. Although she already advised her immediate supervisor and was told she will have to render 30 days for her resignation. Which I think is stupid, Mama. They threatened her with termination, and yet if she would voluntarily resign she would have to render 30 days? That's just one shade of power-tripping I was talking about, Mama.

    So, I guess I can't retire yet, right Mama? Actually, I still have 1.5 years 'til retirement. My problem is, I don't have any savings, and our children aren't settled yet. I know, it's all fault. I'm sorry, Mama. I failed.

    I'm really sorry.

                                                                                                        Daddy

Visit to the doctor

 Dear Mama,

    Tomorrow is the day. I will go to my doctor tomorrow, Mama. And I will bring my lab test results. Although I already read the results, I'm still hoping he'll say something else. That it's just okay, we can still recover from it, it barely passed the limit, or something.

    I'm just bluffing myself, Mama. I know. The result was clear. I can't deny it. Actually, I have been experiencing the symptoms even before I had my blood test, Mama. Always tired, always thirsty, always want to pee, and always sleepy. Although I was just blaming it on lack exercise, Mama.

    I don't to be a burden to our children, Mama. 

                                                                                                    Daddy

My latest lab test results

Dear Mama,

    Last Wednesday I had my quarterly blood test for CBC, FBS, and all other things included in my prescriptions which I cannot understand. Thursday, of course, we went on our staycation for Ralph's birthday, and Friday I was too tired. So, I only got my results this morning, Mama.

    I did not immediately look at it when I got home, I had to do a lot of things in the house. When I was done, I sat down in my bed and look at the results, Mama. At first, I thought everything were okay. I mean, they are all okay, Mama. Except when I realized that I miss the first line - the FBS.

    It went over the prescribed limits, Mama. And based on the notes on the side, it was on the pre-diabetics range. Next Wednesday, I will have my quarterly check up, and I need to show my lab test results to my doctor. This is just the first it happened, Mama. I hope there won't additional medicines nor diet precautions. 

    Must be the reason why I always feel tired, Mama. I'm afraid. I feel down right now.

    I miss you, Mama. I wish you were here.

                                                                                                        Daddy

Ralph's birthday celebration

Dear Mama,

    We were able to celebrate Ralph's birthday twice this year. The first one was last week where we had our dinner at Buffet 101 in SM Clark since they have 3+1 birth month promo, Mama. The second one was last night where we had a staycation in a compound villa with pool.

    It's like we rented the whole place, Mama! Because there were no other guests. Probably because it was a weekday. That's why I enjoyed the peace and quiet of the place, while Angel enjoyed dipping in the swimming pool. Ralph, most of the time slept in the room.

    Last night we played a board game in our room. It's always fun when we play board games, Mama. Because our children are very competitive, but we were laughing all throughout the games because of the rules of the board games. We played 2 sets of games, Mama. The overall winner was Edgar.

    We had our staycation on a weekday because it was Angel's day off, Mama. The three of us - Ralph, Edgar, and I had to take avail of our VL. But it's all worth it, Mama. We had fun and we were able to rest. Of course, it would have been a better celebration if you were with us.

    I really miss you, Mama.

    I love you.

        

                                                                                                    Daddy