Wednesday, March 31, 2021

Vaccinated with Sinovac

It's time for people with co-morbidity (priority A3) to have their COVID vaccines. Manila LGU started yesterday. I got mine today. 


Syempre, at first I was a bit apprehensive. I don't know how the LGU will treat sensitive personal information (i.e. HIV status). But what the heck. I don't want to die of COVID, and I don't want to pass it on to my household members.

So I went to a vaccination center at Manila LGU. 7:30 AM para una sa pila. I think they also limit their inoculation to 300 for that day (parang narinig ko sa isang bantay).  For Manila, they require any of these documents as proof of co-morbidity: medical certificate, recent prescription of your maintenance medicine, medical abstract / hospital discharge notes. Other LGUs have other guidelines. Like forPasig, they require a medical clearance from a doctor. 

I brought several documents to be sure:
1. HIV confirmatory (mine was coded though, could be an issue)
2. Prescription of my ARV (mine was old, 2018. Dapat past 18 months lang)
3. CT Scan result with a note that I have HIV as history. 
4. Lab results for my past opportunistic infections (Crypto and PCP).

So, this is what happened at the vaccination center in Manila.

Step 1: You'll enter the school. They'll ask what your co-morbidity is.
I showed Document Number 3. Di ko binibigkas yun HIV. Tinuturo ko yun HIV sa papeles na dala ko para di marinig ng katabi ko. Di naman doctor yun sa first screening. I doubt it she understands everything that's written in the document. 



Step 2. Queue to take the BP.  They'll ask your co-morbidity again. So, di ko pa rin binigkas. Tinuro ko yun HIV sa document na dala ko. Deadma lang sya. Then she gave me this white form to fill-up at isusubmit sa next step. 


Step 3. Queue for another registration. They'll scan your pre-registration QR code and waiver. Doktor na ang nagsscreen dito. He asked me again what's my co-morbidity. Again, di ko binibigkas, pinakita ko yun HIV na sinulat ko sa white form. Yun katabi nyang assistant, isusulat yun details mo sa isang logsheet. She asked the doctor ano daw co-morbidity ko at sinulat yun sa form. Buti sensitive si doctor. He discreetly said HIV in a very low tone. Then ito na conversation namin ni Doc:

Doc: Cleared ka ba ng doctor mo? 
Me: Yes (kahit di naman ako talaga nagconsult sa doctor ko. Wala naman sa guidelines ng Manila na dapat may clearance)
Doc: Ano CD4 mo?
Me: 250 (pero di ko sinabi na 10 months ago pa yun).
Doc: Kaya mo na ba? Kaya mo ha? Baka mag react eh.
Me: Yes!
   
For me, the doctor's comments were unnecessary. If I haven't done my research, I would be worried to continue with my vaccination. Based on what I've read, COVID vaccine is safe and should be given to PLHIV regardless of CD4. Yun lang nga, the higher the CD4, the better. Kasi pag mababa ang CD4 mo, the published efficacy rate might not be applicable for your case. Mas mababa ang efficacy rate sayo.  But that doesn't make the vaccine more harmful to you.

Step 4: Queue for the actual jab. 
Just show your QR code. They'll scan it. Then babakunahan ka na. No need to disclose your HIV status here. May photo op dito. Maraming nagpapapicture, para ma post sa FB nila! Pwede mo rin tawagain si ate health worker na nakaputi sa picture para kunan ka ng picture. hahaha! Then lalagyan ka ng epal band-aid na may "I love Manila, VACCINATED", para pwede mo na agad gamitin sa photo op mo. Buti na lang di mukha ni yorme ang naka-drawing sa band-aid. haha!



Step 5: Go to the waiting area for observation. 
Bibigay mo yun white form na binigay sa Step 1. Yun form na ito, nakalagay na HIV ang status mo. Another disclosure needed. Then papaupuin ka for 15 min. After 15 min, using the white form na binigay mo, tatawagin ka at sasabihin pwede ka na umuwi. Syempre nakita uli nung nagbabasa na HIV ang co-morbidity mo. Pero deadma lang sya. 

Then, it's done. I'm now vaccinated with my first dose of Sinovac! See you again after 28 days. Syempre naki photo-op na rin ako. Pero sa bahay na. lol



Any side effects? I observed some minor ones. Parang medyo nahilo ako ng konti lang naman. Though baka psychological lang ito. Then, medyo sumakit yun ulo after 1-2 hours. Again minor lang. Medyo mabigat rin yun vaccine sa braso. Same feeling ng hepa vaccine. 


There you go... That's my COVID vaccine experience at Manila LGU. Yes, may disclosure ng HIV status na mangyayari, Pero medyo discreet naman.  I just hope they protect the sensitive info na nilagay sa mga manual forms, at di lang basta ikalat kalat. The good thing is I'm now protected from severe COVID, and there's less risk of passing the virus to other people. Looking forward to my next jab. 





 

 

 

 

  

Saturday, April 11, 2020

5 Weeks in the Lockdown


We’re on the 5th week in the lockdown. I open my FB, and I see memes and tiktoks showing exaggerated reactions when the lockdown was extended.  I open my Twitter. I see alters, complaining about not having sex for weeks. Swearing that once this is over, asses will be wrecked, cocks will be vacuumed like hell, and sperm will explode as Fukushima! I relate totally. 

Yes, it is so damn boring at home. No doubt! But I can cope… easily!

No. I’m no home buddy! Before the lockdown, I’m rarely home. On weekdays, I leave home early to work, and get home late, due to work and workout. On weekends, I wake up early, go out, have lunch out, play badminton, go to the gym, do some naughty stuff, meet friends, drink a bit, etc. etc. Then, I get home really late. For some weekends, I would even realize that I haven’t turned on my TV. So this lockdown has completely turned my life upside down, as most of you. So how do I cope?

Let me rewind siete anos antes (7 years prior).

2013, the year I was diagnosed with HIV – AIDS, stage 4!  I got hospitalized for 1 week, then for 2 weeks, then for 1 month, due to AIDS complications. When I got out of the hospital, my CD4 was still very low, at only 16. My immune system was severely compromised. Prone to any deadly infection. So, to  stay alive, I followed my doctor’s advice -- Stay at Home! Don’t Go Out! Else, you might get sick! Hmmmm… Sounds familiar. 

Year 2020, I’m hearing the same thing. Stay at home. Don’t go out. Else you’ll get sick and possibly die!

And that’s how I cope with the lockdown. Let me go back to my previous post --- Franklin Covey’s Circle of Concern and Circle of Influence. We shouldn’t waste time reacting to concerns we cannot control. Rather, we should focus on things we can control (the circle of influence).

Though I obviously don’t prefer this life in the lockdown, I just maximize what I can do while in the lockdown. 

Now… I sleep more, coz I don’t need to travel to get to work. I can work from home. I got time to clear the clutter at home. I got time to try some recipes on Youtube. I get to bake cookies and cakes. I got enough time to do my home workout program. I get to watch series from Netflix and IWant.  I get to watch BL series from Thailand! I can write blogs again. Etc. etc…

This is like déjà vu. My life 7 years ago repeated. The situation in the world is really bad, no doubt. All cities are locked down, economies in recession. And no one knows when will this virus end. But that's the Circle of Concern, which I don't have any control of. What my Circle of Influence though is staying at home and to stay positive. 

Saturday, April 4, 2020

Coronavirus - Why am I scared?

So.... we are in a middle of a pandemic which nobody expected we would experience in our lifetime. And, I'm scared... really scared!


This is now our 4th week in the lockdown. Why the lockdown? Because our healthcare system is so weak. We don’t have enough hospital beds to treat COVID19 patients with severe symptoms. Of course, we all know this already. We’ve been hearing this from the news every single day. But why am I scared?


Let me break it down. COVID19 affects the lungs. It could lead to pneumonia. If you got this complication, it means you will have shortness of breath. It means, it’s difficult to breathe! I know how it feels. I had PCP type of pneumonia 7 years ago as an HIV complication. Man, it’s so damn hard! I know how it feels to have difficulty breathing. Walking from my bed to the toilet was a struggle. When I was hospitalized, my doctor even refrained me from going to the toilet, which was only 3 meters away from my bed. I had to stay on my bed all day, all night. I had to do #1 and #2 on my bed. My doctor didn’t want my lungs and heart to exert so much effort trying to grasp for air. If it tires out, it will just give up. Eating was difficult too, as it made me grasp for air! 

That’s how difficult pneumonia is. And that was not the most severe case yet, because I did not reach a point when I had to be intubated due to its severity. Luckily, I got better after a week or two, and got cured from a potentially deadly infection.

Now, how does a severe pneumonia look like? Let me paint a picture. It’s even harder… a lot harder. I personally saw my parent experienced this. Due to cancer, she got pneumonia. When it got so severe, she was literally out of control, as she tried to grasp for air. Nagwawala na sa hospital bed. I witnessed it personally. That’s the time when the doctor intubated her. That means, naglagay na ng tubo as throat para dun na dumecho ang hangin, galing sa ventilator.

Now, imagine this, if our healthcare system gets overwhelmed due to COVID19, as in the case of Spain and Italy, people who need ventilators will not be given one. Because we just don’t have enough ventilators available. What happened to my parent, that’s what’s gonna happen to these COVID patients. That’s not just a few patients… hundreds. thousands… oh, sorry, it’s tens of thousands! It would even reach a point when doctors would have to choose which patient to give ventilators to. They decide who lives, who dies. Isn’t that apocalyptic? Hope we won’t reach that point.

So, I’m really glad that Duterte (though I’m not a DU30 fan) implemented this lockdown thing early on.  This is the only way to “flatten the curve” for now. And, this will only be successful if we all cooperate.

We can do this. Let’s follow our government. Stay at home. Distancia amigo. For our safety. For the safety of our frontliners. For the safety of my fellow immuno-comprised persons.  And, for the safety of our parents and grandparents. Let's flatten the curve, not to eliminate deaths... it's a given that people will die. But to at least reduce the number of COVID19 deaths. 

Sunday, July 29, 2018

Splash of Cold Water

Well, I have been complaining and ranting about my super stressful project at work. About working till dawn and losing my weekends for 2 months. Then, came an unexpected news from a close friend. She was diagnosed with a stage 3 cancer. Will undergo mastectomy, then multi-sessions of chemo, followed by daily radiation for weeks. This, plus the huge amount of cash she needs to spend for treatment :(

Truly, an unexpected sad news. But it's like a splash of cold water on me. What have I been complaining about? Yes, I despise the project I'm in, and can't imagine staying longer in this company if this will continue for 1 more month. But hey... I wouldn't and never will I trade my situation with my friend's. Mine is just temporary, and nothing compared to what she's in! Nothing compared also to my situation 5 years ago when I was diagnosed with advanced HIV. 

Sometimes we just focus too much on the negatives...

Saturday, June 9, 2018

Stressed at Work

Been working long hours at the office lately. I've only slept for 3 hours for 5 consecutive days. Working this weekend, and on holidays next week. I'm seeing this will continue for the next 3 weeks. 

Fuck, this is draining me. Physically for the lack of sleep, and more so, emotionally for the pressure and stress I'm eating! For the curse my boss is giving. Confidence level is too low now. 


Damn, this is taking a toll on my self-confidence, health and CD4. Last time I was so stressed at work was in 2013, when my CD4 dropped to all time low, got TB and Pneumonia and I found out I'm positive. I won't let that happen again. 


Fine, I've decided, this work pressure is just not worth it! Konting tiis na lang, I'll try to finish this project not to please my boss, but for the team who is staying with me to finish this project. Then, I swear, I'm gonna quit this job. I'd rather earn 50% less but still get a life after 6, than earn 50% more but live a miserable corporate life.  After all, I work to live - not live to work!


Sunday, October 8, 2017

New Pillbox


This was my pillbox 3-4 years ago. My daily meds could hardly fit in my 28-slot yellow pillbox. I was literally playing sungka every Sunday to organize my weekly pills. If I remember correctly, these were my meds: Fluconazole, Isoniazid, Azythromycin, Cotrimoxazole, Lamividune-Tenofovir-Efavirenz, Vit B Complex. For some of these, I take more than one tab per day.



Fast forward to 2017 (6 months ago), my CD4 finally reached 285, second CD4 test in a row that my CD4 count is over the 200 threshold. I finally heard what I’ve been wishing to hear from my doctor: "Prophylaxis days are over. No more liver-unfriendly antibiotics!"

Now, my yellow pill box is almost empty. Less meds to take. Good bye Sungka. My yellow pillbox has way too many slots for my one tablet a day ARV. Time to change my pill box!


Thank God! 4 years ago, when I was in my worst condition, I said “This too shall pass!” My new pillbox is proof of that saying! Worst has really passed.

Indeed, HIV doesn’t necessary kill. There’s treatment for it. ARV works like wonder!
So, get tested… now!  Before it's too late. 


Monday, August 21, 2017

Quick Update

No post for more than a year.  Woah.. such a long time. But yes, I'm very much alive. It's just that I'm too busy with my work and personal life. 

Anyway, just a quick updated.  I'm doing pretty good... actually, in excellent condition. 

VL is undetectable. 
CD4 - it's 286 already from a baseline of 16. Because that, all my prophylaxis meds have been discontinued. Thank you Lord! :)

Indeed, ARV works!
So, if you have a risky lifestyle, get tested... NOW!
PLHIV can live normal and healthy lives.

Sunday, March 13, 2016

Freedom Hike and Naturism

Hiking, trekking, mountaineering, waterfalls. Yes, I have done these a few times before, but only at rare times. Last time was when I went to Mt. Pinatubo. Before that was several years prior… back in college, as part of a mandatory community service in school.

Yesterday, I decided to join a newly found online group of outdoor and nature enthusiasts. New faces, new friends. We went hiking in the north. My first time as a PLHIV. I knew it would be a tiring trek. 10K up, then 10K back down.



10K! Whoaa… that must really be so tiring. But after 2 hours, when we got to the top, it felt like a reward. Morning dew. Cool breeze. Swaying trees.  Chirping birds. Fresh water. Grassy fields. Wild flowers. Rocky trail. Ice cold waterfalls falling from the mountain tops in a secluded cove. Totally isolated. It was literally ALL ours. No strangers. No other people. No ghosts nor enkantos - at least none that we saw. It was beautiful. Chill time. Relaxing… away from the busy city life. 

Man, this is such a beautiful world, ain't it? 3 years ago, when I was having shortness of breath due to pneumonia, I never imagined hiking is still possible. Now, 3 years after, I’m on top of this gorgeous hill.

As the area was all OURS, we deciding to go skinny dipping. You heard it right, nude swimming! Yes, we swam and roamed the area in our birthday suits. No shirts, no shorts, nor underwear. No, nothing, nada! Something I haven’t done before, and had never thought I would be doing, ever. - Disclaimer, no sex! It is strictly prohibited by The RULES! :) 

Indeed, it was truly one of the weirdest things I've ever done in my life. But, I must say, it was fun. It was really liberating. I felt free! I felt one with nature, with nothing hidden, literally. Everything’s exposed - my heart, my soul, and my penis. Everything… in full glory.   

After 4 hours of swimming, lying down, resting, eating and having casual conversation while naked, we decided to go back, while the sun was still up. We got back to the base camp after another 2 tiring hours of downhill trek through the rocky and sandy trail. Then, we reached Manila after traversing NLEX and EDSA in horrible traffic jam.

Damn, I’m back in the city: pollution, traffic, noise, crowd, and city el nino heat.  Darn, I’m back in a city where everyone is clothed, where everyone has got something to hide… deep within his well-ironed clothes. Back in this judgmental city. So bring it on... bring my closet back! I need to hide again -- my sexuality, my HIV status, and my “other” life. But I’m not complaining, just saying :) 


Well, it was a quick weekend trip. I'm glad I joined. It just feels good to quickly escape the city, and experience something new. More so, to strip myself of clothes, of stress and of worries. To liberate myself and be carefree even for just a few hours. And most especially, it just feels good to be "not sick" and enjoy nature, and life again! 


Friday, August 21, 2015

13 Reasons Why Buffet 101 - Eastwood is the Worst

I've been frequenting Buffet 101. Why not? It's value for money. Serving quality food at a reasonable price. But dude... the Eastwood branch of Buffet 101 is such a mess! Worst branch! 13 reasons why:  




  1. Shrimps and Crabs - For me, one of Buffet 101's main attraction is its live suahe and crabs. But this branch has none of it! Oh my mistake, I saw a label on a table.. chili crabs. But dude, during my entire stay in this branch, the plate was empty. Never refilled! Better change the label to "Better Luck Next Time!"
  2. Hot Seafood Roll Salad - Oh yeah, this Chinese dish is another fave of mine. Their version is unique. No dressing! How dare you call it salad if it doesn't have that white dressing. 
  3. Beef Station - Their beef carving station is crazy... Why? Simply because there's none! Well, this is the only buffet resto of its kind that doesn't have any beef in its carving/ roasting section. No steak, no roast beef, no prime rib... nay, nothing, nada! 
  4. Noodles - Their stir fry noodles is too salty!
  5. Takuyaki - Is it really takuyaki? me thinks it's a pancake roll! lol
  6. Lumpiang Shanghai - The only resto that serves shanghai without sweet and sour sauce. Kahit ketchup wala!
  7. Softdrinks - I suggest you rename your softdrinks station to evacuation center. A bunch of people queuing for ice and clean glasses. 
  8. Shakes - The only Buffet 101 branch that doesn't serve fresh fruit shake. 
  9. Tempura - So stingy. This resto refills its tempura in 8 pieces for such a huge number of customers! 
  10. Beer - I didn't get beer. But I saw one customer did. And the beer splashed! 
  11. Coffee - The coffee dispenser is misaligned. It spilled from my cup. So my capuccino became dark coffee!
  12. Scallops - It's not all bad. At least they have scallops. And I like the way it's baked. The second time I ordered though, it didn't arrive!  
  13. Aircon - I was sweating like hell. That fucking AC is not working! 
I swear, never again shall I visit this branch ever! 
Oh, by the way, 2 days after I ate here, I had diarrhea... I hope it's not because of this resto!

Saturday, May 16, 2015

Bulaklaking Taxi

I had my car serviced last weekend. So I booked a cab using GrabTaxi. Interesting, the driver's name is Richard Bulaclac. Then came the cab. 


His cab totally transported me into a different world. A whole bunch of bulaklak around me! Para akong nasa Santacruzan. O parang damit daw ni MJ Lastimosa! :) 




Sunday, May 3, 2015

Avengers Weekend

Last week was the weekend before Labor Day. It was an Avengers weekend. All cinemas were literally showing The Avengers! So, I bought my tickets online. Seats for 2, reserved! While watching, I tried to recall when my last movie in a cinema was? Hmmm.. guess what? It was a year ago! Another Marvel hero movie, Captain America! Huwaat? So only one cinema last year? 

How about the year before? Ohhhh... it was another Marvel movie, on Labor Day of 2013! Yes, that’s right! it was another Marvel movie. I remember clearly! That was my last movie before AIDS attacked me so hard! I remember clearly that I was breathing hard when I walked up the cinema stairs. Misdiagnosed by my “not so good” ex-Med City doctor as asthma, which turned out to be an AIDS-related pneumonia. Anyway, that’s already past! I have a lengthy blog on that. 

Now, 2 years after my HIV diagnosis, here I am again, in a cinema on a pre-Labor Day weekend. But things are so… so different now!

So many things happened in 2 years... like a movie climax, stretched in 2 long years. Peaks and valleys of my life. I had several AIDS infections (OI's). I filed a 6-month medical leave. I’ve recovered from my illnesses. I have gained my lost weight. Ugly skin's dark spots disappeared. Lost some loved ones. But the biggest difference of them all - I now know I’m positive.

Yes, I'm positive. But believe it or not, I have more peace of mind now than ever. Three years ago (a year before my diagnosis), I was so restless. Even if I still didn't have any OI's then, at the back of my mind, there's this lingering thought that had constantly been bothering me. That I could be positive! Yet, despite that, I refused to have the "Test." I feared ELISA so much! For I thought HIV means death (which is certainly not!). And if I were positive, how would I tell my partner? My family? And the stigma that follows... unimaginable! The mere thought of it was giving me so much stress!

Now, I'm positive. Confirmed. And I know it. Yet I’m more at peace than my pre-diagnosis years. For my virus is now under control. Thanks to ARV, viral load is already undetectable. Immune system (CD4)  has recovered. All the stuff that I stopped doing due to my Stage 4 AIDS and my very low CD4 have gone completely back… mall, badminton, gym, work, travel!

And most of all... what gave me peace was the acceptance and support I got from my family, partner and 4 close friends. I underestimated their capacity to understand and accept me unconditionally. 3 years back, I was so restless. Now, I'm a person living with HIV.  Yet, all fears are gone. I love my peace now!  I should have taken that HIV test long before my HIV became AIDS. I shouldn't have been bothered, worried, restless, "out of peace" all those years! I could have avoided those serious and costly OI's which could have taken my life. That's my grave mistake, I know! As for the others, they need not go my way. Free HIV test is in all corners of the country!




Oh, by the way, did I say that The Avengers was such a borta feast? The bods of Thor and Captain America... Fuck! Even Jeremy Renner and Robert Downey Jr., pwede pa rin :)

Saturday, March 7, 2015

Covey's Circle of Influence

I just attended a Franklin Covey training course. One topic was about Circle of Influence. In summary, Stephen Covey says that: "Your Circle of Influence includes those things you can affect directly. Your Circle of Concern includes all those things you care about but over which you have little or no control."
I found this topic interesting. Very applicable not just to my professional life, but to my personal & pozzie life as well.  

Looking back,  I asked, how did I handle my HIV diagnosis? How did I recover? Then, I realized I used Covey's Circle of Influence model. Yes, my HIV is a Circle of Concern... the virus is already in my body. There's nothing I can do with it. It has no cure (at least as of yet). It is undeniably a Circle of Concern! Something I can't control. But hey, no matter how high my viral load was then, there was still a space for Circle of Influence - things I can control.

So what are my Circle of Influence?

1. Managing HIV. HIV is uncurable. Accept it! But no matter how strong this virus is, it still leaves some Circle of Influence with it! HIV can be controlled! By taking ARV daily, the virus will stop multiplying, and decrease to almost zero level, making its number uncountable by modern test equipment due to its almost zero value. ARV is definitely my Circle of Influence!

2. Depression. HIV is deadly, highly stigmatized, and quite embarrassing to tell to anyone! Surely, one can easily fall into depression upon diagnosis. Had I fallen into this trap,  HIV's Circle of Concern would have gotten bigger... exponentially, eating up the space occupied by my Circle of Influence. Had I been depressed, it would have given me more stress, which would affect my immune system, which would make me even more prone to other sicknesses and OI's, which would give me even more stress. It's a vicious cycle that will make Circle of Concern get bigger and bigger, until I lose hope, stop fighting and die!  But luckily, I chose the other path... to fight on. Depression is a decision. It's not a Circle of Concern, but rather a Circle of Influence! I chose not to be depressed, I chose to keep a positive outlook. This gave me peace. This reduced my stress, which in turn helped boost my immune system. So, I was OI-free for quite some time, until my CD4 recovered to a much safer level from my baseline or 14.

3. Healthier Lifestyle & Prophylaxis. Certainly a Circle of Influence. Ample rest + No alcohol + Proper diet + No smoking... they boosted my immune system. Strictly taking propylaxis as prescribed, no matter how many, how costly and how strong their side effects are, guarded me from deadly OI's, while my immune system was severely compromised. 

4. Happiness. Most of all, I didn't let HIV stop myself from being happy! Happiness is a choice! I chose to be happy. It is definitely a Circle of Influence!

Result: my Circle of Influence kept getting bigger and bigger, eating up some space previously occupied by Circle of Concern. Soon, my viral load will forever remain undetectable. My CD4 will multiply to an even much safer level. And my HIV Circle of Concern will just be a dot as compared to the colossal Circle of Influence - A pebble in humongous Jupiter!


"When people focus on things they cannot control, they have less time and energy to spend on things they can influence. Consequently, their Circle of Influence shrinks." - Stephen Covey --> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8LM4C1l70U





Friday, February 6, 2015

2014 was the year when I...

January 2014, I posted a blog “2013 was my worst year ever” for having been hospitalized 3 times, staying more than 1.5 months in total in hospitals, and for being seriously ill (almost died type of illnesses) with Stage 4 AIDS-related infections.

So, what has 2014 been to me? I was thinking of writing 2014 was an even worse year than 2013. Why? 2013, I was in the brink of death, but I survived. In contrast, 2014 was not totally fortunate. I lost not one, but 2 family members in one quarter.

But, in hind sight, I refuse to make 2014 as my worst year ever. Rather, I would say that 2014 is my Come Back Year! From two painful losses of loved ones, and from my downiest down in 2013 healthwise, 2014 is the year when I recovered. Recovery from AIDS. Recovery from my loss. 2014 is the year when I gained my life back! 

Which made me want to revise 2013…. looking back, I realized that my diagnosis and illnesses didn’t happen in 2013 for no reason at all. Had I not been diagnosis as positive in 2013, I wouldn’t have moved back to my parents’ house in that year. I wouldn’t have spent time being at home and just home (not even working and going to malls for 6 months) with my family for almost a year before I lost a parent and lola forever. Although it was a rough 2 years for us, the crises were just well-timed. There were meticulously timed gaps allowing for recovery both financially and emotionally. Truly, everything happens for a reason.

Indeed, 2014 is a year I came back.  This super late year-end blog is an effect. Written 1 month late, for I’ve been so busy as how I used to be: work, friends, family, partner, mall, gym, FB, but of course without alcohol, bar, and saunas. Oh… I guess it’s time to bring back Church!  :)