I remember the time when I first heard from Kaye that she was again pregnant way back 2006. My excitement went from 0 to 100! It’s like a different kind of rush actually, especially knowing that prior to this, we had a couple of miscarriages. What added to this rejuvenating joy was that Kaye had had a dream about a little boy being called by somebody from a distance. And the name the boy was called was Jeremy.

As researched, the name Jeremy is defined as “exalted by the Lord. ” Learning about this, indeed it gave me & Kaye a great sense of hope that this baby will be the best blessing we had been asking for as a married couple. And what’s more overwhelming about it, the name itself suggests that our baby would be a boy! “YAHOO!” was all my mind could shout out since we already have Kara, so a boy is definitely a wonderful gift for our growing family.

After more than 8 months of waiting, the time finally arrived. Coming from her final check-up, Kaye called me and said that her water is already depleting. So eventually, she has to be admitted in Asian Hospital in preparation for her delivery. Me, I went straight from the office to Asian, with all the jitters and coldness engulfing my whole body. Arriving at Asian, Kaye was already prepped and was given last instructions before the big moment. Around almost 1opm of June 1st, 2007, Kaye was already brought inside the operating room. As I waited, I was asked to dress in scrub suit for later I would be called inside. I could hardly contain myself as I imagined how it would be to see baby boy Jeremy for the first time. I was excited, at the same time afraid, since finally I’d get to find out how it was to become a full-fledged dad.

After an hour, a nurse from the OR came out and fetched me. And then, there he was. Only armed with Kaye’s Nokia 6300, I saw Jeremy for the first time. He was the most beautiful baby I’ve ever seen in my whole life. I couldn’t express the elation I felt being so close to him as he was cleaned by an assisting doctor. A couple of times, a thin tube was inserted in his mouth and nose to  remove excess amniotic fluids that he fed on when he was still inside his Mama’s womb. When the doctor did this, he often cried and boy, was he loud when he cried! But for me, his cries were music that you wanted to hear over and over. After removing the tube, and some white thingys (di ko alam tawag dun e basta puti hehehe!), the doctor made her measurements on Jem. Surprisingly, Jem was 5.30 lbs upon delivery, quite big considering he was premature on the time of birth. After they’ve finished with all initial statistics, Jeremy was  covered with a clean cloth, and finally, for the first time,  he was handed to me so I could carry him.  So how was it like? Well,  it it was really like God handed me a precious angel to take care for all time. He looked so peaceful and felt so fragile. I thought to myself, I am so lucky to have Jeremy as my son. I couldn’t really describe the awe and outpouring of love that I felt when I embraced Jeremy for the first time in my arms. At that point, I realized that Kaye was still on the operating table. I brought Jeremy  near her and tears flowed on her face. And of course, we did our first photo-op with baby Jeremy, eventhough Kaye still felt a bit groggy.

(Video to follow)

Afterwhich, baby Jeremy was taken to the nursery where he’d stay for the whole duration of our Asian stay. As I went back outside, Kaye was sewn up and brought to the recovery room. I went there afterwards until we were moved to a regular room the following morning. During the next few days and nights, I would frequent the nursery to look at baby Jeremy and see how he was. I never minded staying up late or not sleeping as much, as long as I got to see my boy. He was really a handsome baby, I should say! And more than that, he was mine. I never felt any prouder than that instant of just seeing him, holding him, and keeping him secure in my arms. And I thank God because finally, he’s already here, adding more sweetness and spice to my life, growing old with me, with Kaye and with her Ate Kara. Maybe, that’s also the reason why we added David to his name as giving praise to the Lord for his wonderful blessing to me and Kaye.

First carry of Baby Jem (few minutes after delivery on June 1, 2007)

Mama Kaye n' Jem

Ate Kara n' Jem (late 2007)

Dad n' Jem at a pictorial at home

Now, Jeremy is already 3 years old. But I always look back to the time when he first came out of this world. He is still my little boy… the little boy I swore to give a good life to… the little boy who’s meant to capture so many young girls’ hearts… the little boy that I will never be tired of loving, kissing and embracing whenever I have the chance. To you, Jeremy David, am looking forward to more years together. And everyday I thank God because you get to inspire me to do more and be a better Dad for you, Ate Kara and Cassie. Sana nga di ka na tumanda, as what Kaye always says. But even as we age, always remember… Daddy & Mama are so proud of you!

My Jeremy David

I love you, my Jeremy David! And thanks for giving me the privilege of being your Dad!

These past days,  the hot weather has really become a pain in the neck.  Or literally, a pain to every part of our body — our face, arms, nape, even to our hidden parts (censored!). The worst part of it, it can really hit hard on anyone’s health. For the last couple of days, I felt so stressed easily even if you stay indoors. Whether at home or at the office, the heat is something you just wish is gone for good. But that’s the sad thing. It doesn’t. Even when the sun has gone done, and you’d expect a cool breeze to ease it down (well, at least at home for that matter),  the heat wave that has bombarded your place for the whole day, stays… and I mean hindi nawawala or umaalis! Frankly, this has been the worst kind of summer that we have to experience to date. Imagine, temp records of around 38 to 40 degrees of scorching heat… now that’s very alarming! But what’s more alarming, especially in my family’s case, is the concern to my kids who are prone to asthma attacks especially in an erratic weather like we’re having now.

Unfortunately, the worse part did hit. My kids were admitted again at Asian hospital last April because of their asthma. Little did Kaye & I know that their exacerbations were already due to something worse… they have pneumonia already. But good thing that we had them admitted so they could get utmost care and medicines will address it. We decided of bringing them in since both Cassie and Jemy haven’t been eating at all. If not for their usual rounds of milk, they could have been dehydrated already. But even the milk intake has waned. So that was really a wise choice to do.

After a few days, both of them have coped up with meds and liquids. Soon enough they were eating more. I guess the only thing that made difficult for us to have them admitted was the fact that they’ll be inserted with the needle again. And that is really to difficult to bear, especially for Cassie who’s veins are overshadowed by her chubby built. Siguro, we just thought they’ll recover faster thru that so we’ll just bear the sight of the procedure.

Thank God the kids recovered from the infection. But still we weren’t taking chances since the heat is not going down. So when we got back from the hospital, we had everything on round the clock meds regimen, as advised by their pedia (incidentally, the one that took care of Kara has become their pedia na rin!). And after a few days, Jemy is again back to his kulit self, if not doubly kulit pa! Cassie still was selective with food then but eventually became her old self as well. Kaya we’re still grateful that the kids are back to normal now.

I guess we just have to deal with the heat wave better this time. Despite the rising electricity rates, I guess I’d rather keep them comfy all the time in a aircon-cooled room, so as not to be affected by the heat again. And maybe keep the fans running downstairs when they play around the sala just to be ventilated from the trapped heat of the whole day.

Last week, Jemy has showed signs again of mild asthma, as evident of his coughing. But before it got any worse, we already had him nebulized for a given schedule. Now he’s coughing is less but manageable. I just hope his condition will soon be over so I wouldn’t be as worried of him since Kaye and I are working. Though he may be nebulizing, Jemy is still as bubbly and playful most of the time, as well as talkative and matakaw especially during meals and merienda. With Cassie, haaay… she’s really adorable at the same time super kulit! Besides we think she’s really a lot stronger than Jemy. But overall, we’re not as alarming as the one last April. We just hope and pray that the heat wave would finally come to an end. Because more than just dealing with the sweat and scorching, sunburn feeling, it’s really hard to bear of seeing the little ones suffer again because of this climate problem, where anyone and everyone can’t do anything about… for now.

Hope everyone can stay cool if we can help it. And let’s deal with the heat wisely, for summer, I think, is still a long way to go…

The last 7 days were one of the hardest times Kaye and I have endured as a family. However, it was also during those 7 days that our faith and hope are in their strongest degree, especially in the kind of ordeal we experienced, that is finally coming to an end (Praise God!).

Recalling back, it was Thursday (November 26) of last week since my mag-ina, Kaye and Kara, left my parents-in-law home for Asian Hospital. Kara was already experiencing a 40-something fever at that time, and we still don’t know what triggered such onset. It was very hard to see Kara being bothered with her condition, which made it more difficult for her to sleep. Though when I got home, I reassured Kara that her fever will pass. But after preparing Kaye’s clothes at the apartment and went back to the other house, they decided to bring Kara to Asian, just to be sure our baby girl will be properly taken cared of.

As Kaye recounts, the attending ER physician (who she saw as pogi daw! hehehe!) initially wouldn’t want to admit them since it was just the first day of fever. Diagnoses were made on Kara afterward. But Kaye doesn’t want to take chances so she insisted that they be admitted so Kara is a lot safer since she’ll be checked round the clock, by the nurses and docs on duty.

As Kaye tends to Kara, I was left home to stay with the two kulets, Jemy and Cassie. Good thing, their attention is not much yet on what’s going around them. I then realized that it was the first time their Mama was not around. I just thought, maybe it’s just ok because I know I’m there with them.

The following day was the day of unexpected answers to Kara’s condition. And behold, the pedia doctor assigned to her suspected already that it might be a case of dengue. Still farfetched with the idea since Kara’s platelets were high, they will still have to work up Kara’s blood parameters from time to time. But come Sunday, the thing we feared came. Kara’s platelets went down tremendously breaking the 100 limit. It was then that we really have to be ready for anything. So the whole day, we search for possible donors (type O+) and even went to various blood banks like Red Cross in Manila for additional platelets for possible transfusion. Luckily, a lot did respond to our distress. But in the end, I was the only one who passed for the donation since around 5 of the other donors were denied due to some screening reasons. (My cousin, though he passed, can’t donate that day because he had alcohol the previous night. He donated Monday PM) At the end of the day, there were 4 bags of ready platelets, 2 yet to be screened, and 2 more to be processed (one is my blood).

In the first few days of the ordeal, Kaye and I couldn’t do anything. According to the pedia, we should let the condition (dengue) take its course. It’s the only way that we can determine that Kara will eventually become okay. But for us, especially for Kaye, that was really hard to fathom at that point. She needed to stay strong for Kara, assuring her that the things everyone is doing will lead to her faster recovery. I couldn’t help but notice that, though she doesn’t say anything or confer to me much, hirap na s’ya to bear the idea. The anguish, the fear of what might happen… all those sum up her silence. Ako nga, I feel guilty pa of not being their with her sa hospital because I need to stay with the kids at home. And it was really hard that Kaye and Kara weren’t at home. JUst thinking of them battling an illness by themselves, while me watching over the kids at home and not being there… it’s like the family was miles apart from each other. But that’s just it. Kailangan lang. Sometimes the strength one needs will just have to come from the thought that me and kids are there with them or Kara and Kaye are there with us back home.

Eventually, when I got to stay at the hospital that Sunday, it was again the only time that Kaye felt I was there with her. When she came out of the room, I was sitted outside on a vacant movable bed. She went to me, embraced me and started to pour her feelings about the experience. I hugged her so tight that I too felt her fear and concern to the whole thing. She needed my strength the most and I’m glad I was there for her and give her that push when on her own, the dengue concept was too much for her to battle by mind alone. I even decided to stay that night just to make her renew herself with much rest so she has regained strength to face yet another tough day with Kara’s dengue.

Monday arrived. I was still groggy for lack of sleep because I watched Kara most of the time. Then, the pedia hematologist came to the room early and told us about the possibility of Kara’s platelets still declining. What scared us more is that it will eventually reach 20 or close to it. Though they say most dengue cases reach that point, we weren’t ready for such count especially because it’s our Kara who’s on the line. Katakot isipin! But despite that possibility, Kara still remained bubbly and talkative as ever. Nanlalait pa nga at times, which we see as a good sign. Staying positive is the only thing that’s left for us to do. I went home by lunch time and felt uneasy leaving them behind. But Kaye insisted for me to do so since I’ll be going to work the next day, and Jemy and Cassie needed a parent to be with them. So when I got to the apartment, I played with the kids a bit, worked on my rakets a bit. But I really felt lost, siguro because I was aware Kaye and Kara are not around. And moreso, Kara is still fighting her illness. I thought sana ako na lang para siguro tapos na lang, tutal I’m a lot stronger (I think) and kakayanin ko yung sakit, much more yung pagextract lagi nung dugo from her arm. Ang sakit kaya nun everytime!

Tuesday. I thought of passing by the hospital before going to work. Then the worst news… the pedia hematologist found that the latest count places Kara’s platelets down to 23. So she was already to be transfused with fresh platelets later that day. Learning that, I decided not to go to office. I wanted to stay with Kara and with Kaye through the ending stages of dengue, to support them morally and spiritually. At around past 1030am, transfusion was already underway. Her vein was fast gulping down thru IV the platelets that can replenish those that where damaged. After an hour and a half, we waited for another 6 hours before Kara is extracted again of blood for another round of testing. Then we wait again. All throughout the day, I prayed harder, every hour until such time arrived when the results came in.

It was around past 7 or 8pm when the results came back. And it was worth the wait! Kara’s platelets went up by 13, from 23 to 36. Wow! Really a good sign! Apart from that, rashes became more obvious on her legs, and arms. The prayers really paid off! Kara, finally, is on her road to recovery already! However, another test will be done by 6am next day so as to see if indeed the platelets jive well with hers. Kaye and I were so glad of this turnaround. And hopefully, Kara will be back in shape in no time.

Tuesday… the make or break day. I prepared early so I could pass by Asian asap and stay longer. However, it was quite hard to leave that morning since Jemy was having asthma episodes again and Cassie had slight fever. Wawa naman precious babies ko. Good thing our meds at home are complete so treatment was ready para maagapan. Also the yayas are quite aware of what to do already that’s why, though I would still want to stay with them, I left for Asian. Bad trip though, my jeep service was slow so wala rin nangyari sa kakamadali ko. But actually, I was just in time. A few minutes after I arrived sa room, the pedia hematologist came. And she told us the nicest sound to our ears: Kara’s platelets again went up to 44. Indeed, it was great wake-up call, hearing that Kara will soon be out of the woods.

In all these days, Kaye and I battled fear, anguish, longing and even distance. Though most of the time we were apart, we made it through everything together in spirit, and in prayer. But in most parts, I’m happy that Kaye remained steadfast especially for Kara’s sake. And I’m proud of her, as a mother who stayed with our baby girl, a companion who assured that things will still be okay, and a partner who kept the family strong despite the difficulties the illness of dengue has brought.

I know the fight is far from over, but in time, Kara’s health will be back to normal. So what’s next after this? Well… the anticipation of coming home, where Jemy, Cassie and I are just waiting for Mama and Ate to arrive so they could get all the hugs and kisses they finally deserve after being away for a short while.

See at home soon okay? We LOVE you!!!