I'm Fine

On Tuesday I took my second and third final exam. On Tuesday my brain felt like an inflated balloon. On Tuesday I started getting minor headaches. On Tuesday I lost my appetite. On Tuesday I got all feverish. On Tuesday I slept through 3/4 of the day. I contracted Dengue on a Tuesday.

Okay, I didn't, but that entire day felt like mush. I returned home at 6pm and hit the mattresses, putting off desperately needed studying for my next exam. I didn't care.

Then. I woke up at the lovely hour of 2am with the wonderful realization that my fever had subsided. And, which is more, I was functioning properly, meaning in the 2 precious hours I was awake that morning, I was able to get my stuff together. I went back to sleep and at 6:30am I walked out the door and headed for school.

My plan was simple: take the exam and run back home. Well, I only finished half of my plan. Midway to school I got light-headed. And this light-headedness turned into nausea. And this nausea led to my almost passing out on the train. What I really needed to do was vomit -- but you can't really do that on the train. So the whole 2 minutes between stations I was praying to God to at least let me get off the train before I embarrassed myself in public. Fortunately, I have a good God who granted me that one request. I jumped off the train and with what little, blurred vision I had, I stumbled my way into the restroom.

And after that little episode I knew I couldn't take my exam. So I skipped to Part B of my plan and ran back home.

I took a quick nap and after an hours rest I called my guardian who came back to the house and drove me to St. Luke's hospital. At the hospital they took the usually tests.

My temperature was normal (fever gone). My blood pressure was 70/100. My blood sugar was 80mg (normal is 70-100). I had no viral bacteria or whatever in my blood. My sodium and potassium levels are insignificant (which just means to say I'm properly hydrated). My platelet count - which helps indicates whether or not you've got Dengue - was 152,000. Which is still normal, but low. The safe range is 150,000-400,000. And just to be sure, they wanted me to return and get another CBC to make sure my platelet count rises.

So why did I blog about this? Well, for one it makes for a nice story -- but I've have like, 3 things I want to say about this whole experience.

1) Hospital fees suck if you don't have insurance. Here are the fees that were written on my Statement of Account.

Pathology Institute

• complete blood count: 455.00
• sodium & potassium: 780.00

Emergency Room

• CBG/Blood Monitoring: 550.00
• Disposable Cap/Pc: 8.00
• Genius Disp. Probe Covers: 22.00
• E.R. Fee: 910.00
• Arcoxia 120mg Tab: 129.00

For a grand total of P2,284.00.

Honestly, I don't think St. Lukes really helped. Fortunately, they were nice enough to give me a discount -- though I have no idea what it's attributed to (0006108 less: 20% discount). So I paid P2,283.00.

I took another CBC test this morning and it cost a whopping P150.00 pesos. Maybe it was the air-conditioning I paid for. Anyway, I feel ripped off.

2) Solutions
It's funny how people try to solve the problem of Dengue (if a mild case of dengue was what I had): vaccines, herbs, hydration techniques, rest. What ever happened to attacking the problem at its core? Namely, MOSQUITOES! I think that's the real threat to mankind: bloodsuckers.

That night I went home and turned on my Baygon liquid mosquito killer (which smells like flowers) and waited for the mosquitoes to drop and die like they do in the commercials. Well, the mosquitoes don't die. I had to do it myself. Out of the dark corners of my room mosquitoes started popping out, one-by-one. I think my big hands are a blessing from God, because I was able to slap SEVEN mosquitoes out of the air. Well, my point is Baygon products don't work -- so don't buy anything made by them.

If the government wanted to solve the Dengue, they should invest in lazer-gun technology that will, quite literally, zap the mosquitoes out of the sky. That kind of technology would solve a lot more problems than a pill ever could.

3) Once you have a baby you officially become a mothering mother... to everyone.

Grace Christian Church Fam-Con: Ilocos

The conference took place at Fort Ilocania Resort. They say they built this resort for one of Marco's daughter's wedding. Everything about it is beautiful.

After an 8 hour bus ride, we had breakfast at the Java Hotel. Some of the young professionals who joined the conference.

FIR had a mini zoo.

Saw a Helmeted Guinea Fowl Benggala. These guys actually came from Africa. I remember last last Christmas when Paul tried running over one of these in his Jeep -- it's impossible.

Took my DSLR into the pool. Bad move -- everyone started chasing me.

Windmills. They say one of those things cost One-Eight-Oh Million Pesos!

One of the games we played at night. Image a cross between Charades and Picture Perfect.

My three little friends.

Flower pic for all my flowery peeps.

Shoot, I forget what cathedral this is called. But an architect major was able to explain to me the butt-rests on building's sides. (hahaha, kidding!)

Went to a real zoo.

Didn't see any "do not feed the animal" signs.

Nor were there any "do not touch the animals" signs.

But watch out, these things bite!

Went to a pot factory. heehee

And visited a street with old fashioned houses. If you've been to Macau, it's like their Portuguese streets.

Bell Tower

Night shot.

Benson hya. Official Photographer.

Thank you Kat for the zoom lens. Can you see the bunny on the moon?

Rob and Jen's Wedding!

Here are a few photos from Ahia Rob and Achi Jen's wedding. It was Spectacular! Gorgeous! Lovely! hahaha.

Congratulation Ahia Rob and Achi Jen!!!

Doulos

That aint the Doulos. That's the Melville, the shipped parked behind the Doulos. But it makes for a great picture.

Ahia Spencer, achi Catherine, achi Eleanor, and I went to the Doulas at 4pm, Sunday afternoon. Big mistake. The line went all the way down the pier, and zig zagged like a scribble at the end of the picture. It was insane -- sooo many people.

You know there are too many people when you recognize people in the sea of faces. Saw Divine's gang and Cathleen's family. Cat's family left because there were too many people. Fortunately for me, Spencer and Eleanor knew people on the boat, so we got to cut (which I feel guilty about.) It was like one of those club scenes where the bouncer only let's in the VIPs. We were special.

Think that was the fire station.

Notice how they're going up the main entrance and the place I where I'm standing is on a different level.

Welcome home who-ever-you-are. (Anna with an H.)

Forget his name, but he was the Bouncer. He's from the Netherlands and he makes funny faces. And he's 18.

TAIWAN! TAIWAN!!! TAIWAN!!!!

The Engine Room. Bam Bam!

This guy looks like Samuel Tan, Rev. Stephen's brother. Ya think?

The gang minus Spencer. Left to right: Me, Ellie, Jina, Cat, Ilona, Benjamin, and Joshua. We rock.

They've got a trampoline in their cabin!

After the tour, 830pm. Cat's not feeling too well.. Sea sick?

From the outside -- without the long line of people.

Good bye Doulos. See you again in two years.

Where in the World Is Lao?

So I've disappeared from the world the past two weeks. And I've received a lot of "dude, where have you been?" minus the dude part. Anyway, my parents, sister, brother-in-law, and 6-month old niece arrived two weeks ago and I've abandoned my routines to match up with their crazy schedule. Below is pretty much a picture story of where I've been.

My family visited relatives on my mother's side of the family -- they travelled to Bauan, Batangas for my grandmother's 80th birthday. She had a party at her church and it was packed. I didn't get a picture, but this one was taken on the way there. The moon was huge, and sadly this picture does not do it justice.

The next week we travelled to Samar to visit my father's side of the family. The first thing we did after we hopped off the plane at Tacloban Airport was go visit the giant McArthur and his comrades. This is where the United States made their return during World War II.

My uncle had a cat at his house. He looked like two-face. He's awesome.

My brother-in-law, Paul, and my Ate, Katrina.

My father with his binoculars and Paul with his mega zooooooom zoom lens.

My grandmother owns this pier, and we just dropped by to check things out and to visit some old friends.

Whenever we go to Catbalogan (where my grandmother and uncle lives) we go to this spring. It's comes out of the mountain and it's freeeeeezing cold. I didn't swim in it.

My super photogenic cousin, Isabel.

Relatives. Hehe.. My grandmother on the right just turned 83.

We are dead serious. Peace.

Their reaction to "Anna's walking!" (the emoting game)

Question: How many people can you fit on a tricycle?

Anna's adorable. All smiles.

The beautiful sunset from the roof of my grandmother's house.

While everyone else was at class on Tuesday, I was bumming around under the sun at the beach.

Family picture. This is the only picture I got where Anna isn't pouting.

Six digits in Anna's mouth -- impressive!

She sucks on everything.

Mzungu drinking coconut milk.

Tacloban has one of the prettiest man-made structures in the Philippines. The place is called Rafael's Farm and it's absolutely gorgeous.

Everything about it, including the surrounding mountains.

And the wall-less structures where you can dine for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Mango Turon!

Chocolate Cake!

Mango Shake!

And a little lake to top it all off.

Hmm.. I didn't get in as many people pictures as I had hoped. Oh well. At least now you know that I'm not dead.