Thankful Thursday

Today is a very lovely day with the sun shining down on Iowa:-)  It's still cold outside (37F) but it's so much better than heavy showers of rain (and worse, snow). 

Can you tell that my tulips are also happy with the weather? 
Can't wait to see them bloom!

My daffodils are beaming too!

My vegetable and herb seedlings

 

I am very thankful that my sister, Lynda, has an improving thyroid levels based on the recent findings from her donor's tests.  She still has to consult a specialist to make sure it is controlled.  She used to have a very high thyroid hormone level and it made her feel very tired and she even had hair loss because of it. :(  I know how awful it is to lose hairs.  I had terrible hair loss last year and it was really scary.

Last week, just a couple of hours after I wrote the post about her testings and my kidneys, she texted me that the transplant coordinator called her up and told her the surgeon said her left kidney is good for donation.  At that time, I was struggling whether it was okay to feel happy about it.  I felt that I will be very self-centered if I will be elated, because it's about me. She will undergo pain because of me. Ugh, that is so hard to accept.  But you know how a true friend and sister she is to me? This was her reply:

 

She actually jumped up and down rejoicing for me! She really is beyond me!  I am very much humbled by her love.  Thanking God seems to be not enough for Lynda! I am acknowledging that God is the ultimate source of blessings and grace, and He is directing Lynda to do this out of love. Oh, I can go on and on about how I can't get over with all these blessings...Anyway...

 

I am also thankful for the recent blessing that God gave me.  Yep, there's more! A new part time job in the town's library.  Do you remember how I prayed for it?  I couldn't think of the better timing.  I was just thinking of where to get extra money for medical bills.  Please don't think that I am complaining because I am not.  I am grateful for dialysis, for blood tests, and for medicines.  Still, I have a need to be able to pay for those.  The co-pay for one of my medicines, the phosphate binder, Renagel, costs about $450. It's not cheap, sadly.

 

God gave me a job which fits to my schedule! How cool was that?  I still have a lot to learn though.  I am so thankful for my very kind and helpful boss and co-workers, and all the nice (and forgiving) patrons:-).  What I like about my job, aside from my nice co-workers and meeting a lot of people in town, is that I can bring my son after school, where he can work on his homework, read, and use the computer while waiting for his dad to get him. 

 

I thank God for all His blessings!

 

 

 

 

OVERWHELMED With BLESSINGS (The Story of my long lost SISTER, and my Kidneys)

I have been full these days...full with love and blessings.  I don't really know how to explain this feeling... it's hard to process.  I know God loves me and has always provided for me and my family...but this one latest blessing is quite hard to comprehend. 

In October of last year, while I was with two of my closest friends (Amanda and Lynda) in Costco, I heard the most touching offer of my life.  Lynda told me, "Pearl, I have been praying for this...I want to give you one of my kidneys.  I didn't tell you before because I don't want to get your hopes high because of my thyroid problems.  I want to get tested for you.  I asked my husband if I could do it, and he said yes."

(Those might not be the exact words she said but I believe those are pretty close.)

I couldn't believe what I just heard.  Who am I to be given such love? At that time, I couldn't even express my feelings.

I would like to mention that I didn't ask Lynda for her kidney.  She offered it out of the generosity and love in her heart.  SHE is truly one of the few selfless and bravest persons I have ever met.

I haven't disclosed in this blog what really was and is happening to me, starting January of 2012.  I've been sick.  I was diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease and is currently undergoing dialysis treatments thrice a week.  It was an immune disorder disease called IgA Nephropathy. The only thing that could get me out of dialysis is if I receive a new kidney. Dialysis is a treatment wherein a machine is cleaning out my blood for 3 hours per session, three times a week.  During my treatments, I'm also given  the necessary "blood foods" like epogen (a hormone which directs the bone marrow to make blood cells, Vitamin D (to regulate parathyroid hormone and calcium pathways), and iron supplement.

The kidney offer itself is overwhelming already. Then, her willingness to get out of her comfort zone, to get tested is already beyond me.  How much more IF we undergo the transplant itself?  I might faint!

The day of testing, April 9, 2013, at the Univ. of Iowa Hospital
 

With two beautiful friends (Lynda and Amanda) on the day of testing.

                                         
I am still overwhelmed!  We've been praying for the Lord's will to be done ever since the day she told me that. So far, what we knew was we MATCHED! She is overall healthy, and I praise God for that.  The surgeon still has to decide about the physiological (or should I say, technical?) aspects of her left  kidney though. Her thyroid levels should also be checked by a specialist.

We now call each other SISTERS. We are blood and tissue sisters:-)  Who would have thought?  I'm brown and she's white, lol! We're both beautiful though:-) hehe

I'm trying so hard not to get my hopes high.  If it turned out that she couldn't give me one of her kidneys, then I will still be very grateful.  Not everyday would you get that BIG an offer, and I had it!  Besides, if that will happen, I might not get her kidney, but I'll still have her as a sister and her family as our family here in Iowa.  God really loves me!

The Problem With Shopping Online

Our family has been faithful customers of the Amazon because of it's reliability and security.  However, there's this seller who supposedly shipped the book I ordered for my son on March 12th, but until now, we have not received it.

I thought I double checked the place of the seller and made sure the place is in the country.  It usually takes USPS 3-4 days to ship within the US.  So if this seller was telling the truth about them shipping the book in March 14 (they got my payment on the 12th but in the email they sent, they shipped it on the 14th, quite confusing!), USPS might really be lagging behind...OR NOT!

I wish all sellers will be prompt and honest.

I am Bilingual

I am a bilingual.  My first language is Filipino.  We have a lot of dialects in the Philippines, but in our province, we speak the national language which is Filipino or Tagalog.  Since we were conquered by Spain for 300 years (from 1500s to 1800s), we have known a lot of Spanish words too, and they are incorporated in our language. English was introduced to us in school as one of the major subjects.  We continue to develop our skill by reading English reading materials, listening to English music, watching English films and TV shows, etc.

 If I'm not mistaken, Philippines is the number one country which caters to call center businesses in all of Asia. Filipinos obviously gained a lot by including English in our school curriculum. However, not all countries have opportunity to learn English.  For a lot of people whose only language is their national language, translations services is helpful especially in the fields of business and academe.  After all, the majority of textbooks and journals are written in English.  If you're a scientist and would like to publish your work in a refereed scientific journals, I'd recommend hiring a translation company to help you write it in English.

I don't know with other bilinguals or multilinguals, but for me, when I am conversing with somebody in English, I'd process it first in Tagalog and then think of how to respond in good English.  Both translating and processing are simultaneously going on in my mind.  Writing is another thing though, one has a lot more time thinking when writing compared when engaged in an actual conversation.  In a way, we do have a busier brain:-) 

Since we live in the US now, it is our responsibility to know how to clearly communicate in English.  We may have learned the language since grade school but it is still different when you actually communicate with people whose first language is English. I, for one, learned that we pronounce a lot of English words differently than how they should be said.

Ah, the beauty and complexity of languages!

HAPPY EASTER!

My SIRI Post #1: Screwdrivers

Snow Day...Again!

Dear Winter,

First of all, let me thank you for making Iowa so white, this time of year.  I already told you, I prefer it white, than grey, brown, and black.  However, don't you think lingering snowstorms are too much showing off already?  Plus, kids are having too much fun with schools being closed, and too much of everything is not good.

Last week, my son and I shoveled the 5-inch snow in the driveway.  My husband was on a trip, so I had to do it, or else, my good old Camry won't be able to get out of the garage.  Then, I drove on a sleek road.  It would be great if I have a 4-wheeler though, or even this school bus (refer to the picture below).  I get nervous too, from the looks of other drivers, who are obviously getting impatient with my 30-40mi/hr driving in a 55mi/hr limit highway.
 

Picture taken from a Facebook page.

 

I just don't understand, why of all times, when hubby was not here, would you like to pour out your glorious, white snow?  I told you, he's out of State until Friday this week.  I don't mind shoveling 1-2 inches of snow.  I did that yesterday in half of our driveway, it was not too tiring. BUT, 4-8 inches today would not be fun!  So, if you please, stop snowing already and try to melt those snow in our driveway.

Oh, by the way, in just over two weeks, it will be spring time!  Can you please move over graciously and let SPRING have her time, without you lurking around?  I just don't want my plants and bulbs be confused again, like last year.  I would appreaciate it, if you'd let my lilacs and tulips bloom this year.  Thank you!

Me

Note:  The cute idea to write to Winter was taken from Lynda's facebook status last week.  Here it goes:

Dear Winter, apparently you didn't get the message *last* Winter, when I broke up with you. Here's the thing - we're through. We are never ever ever getting back together. Take your tired snow flakes, your nasty ice patches and pathetic -20 wind chills and *leave*. Really, you're bordering on being a stalker. With no love at all, ~ Me ~