89th & 83rd Birthday for my Parents
Luncheon Lauriat for Ramon A Limjoco 89th and Helen Limjoco 83rd Birthday Sept. 7, 2008-Tagaytay Highlands China Palace, Mall of Asia, Manila. (Hold your mouse over the photos to see the captions describing who are in the various shots.)
I had two weeks to put together a
hurried guest list as I had not been feeling well up until a few days before the party. My mom and dad's birthdays fall within 1 week of each other. Most of the people we know live in or have easier access to Manila than Subic Bay Freeport, where we live. We all decided to have the luncheon in Manila. We had an intimate luncheon for 45 friends and relatives, hastily thrown together.
My parents kept insisting that I cancel the party
because of how unwell they said I looked, but I knew it would force me to Manila, and I thought I would just see my doctora after the luncheon on Monday.
My mom scheduled an exam by my Doc. Hildegarde Vistal, the day before the party on Saturday because she said she didn't like my color! My doctor coincidentally, had another office at a hospital very close to the hotel. My usual hospital was way further. Yes, doctors here see people on Saturdays! Doctora wanted to admit me to hospital that night after much examinings and test, but I didn't want to ruin my parent's joint birthday luncheon! I love them so much that I really wanted to have them enjoy the few people that could make it on such short notice. My parents have done so much for me, and at their ages, I never take for granted I will have the blessed fortune of sharing another year or day with them!
Strangely enough, it was me that would have gone before them without the emergency surgery the day after the luncheon! I didn't even know I was that sick! Gosh golly and I am a mere 60 years old and I feel like I am just getting started, since I have had a sickly body most of my life!
Another amazing coincidence was that the internationally renowned healing priest, Father Fernando Suarez just arrived in Manila from Vancouver at 4AM morning of the luncheon. He somehow called my parents and they told him I was in pain. He had my parents take me to where he was staying, not far from
the hotel we were in. He laid hands on me and prayed and the pain went away! I was able to function through the day.
Originally the diagnosis was that the abscesses were malignant. Who knows that the powers that be, working through Fr. Fernando Suarez might have at least taken away the cancer. He also honored us and our illustrious guests by attending our luncheon. Along with him came Congressman, and former Governor of my My darling aunt Baby Gala de Villa came and it always warms my heart to see her. I have the sweetest childhood memories of her that have lasted till this day! hometown of Batangas, Dodong Mandanas, and former Governor also of Batangas, Tony Leviste, both donated land for Fr. Suarez and his fellow
companion priests to heal and see people from.
One of our other guests was newly appointed Philippine Deputy National Security Advisor, Luis Chavit Singson, has always been very kind to me and Dave, and my parents. Even with the press hounding him for an interview in light of the newly announced Palace Cabinet appointment, he had media meet him at the restaurant rather than leave the
party. I thought that was very gracious of him.
A couple of groups of my dear 1st cousins came with their kids and a good time was had by all. We were joined later by good friend Annette Ablan, the Alcantara girls, Rubee, Avic and Jin, my nephew Dondi and his family, to to my photo album to see the whole list.
We ordered more food than I thought. I mean to tell you the food just kept on coming! It was like a decadent Roman feast, except in this case it was a Chinese Laureate.
I was so happy that my parents and guests had a long, relaxing, and enjoyable luncheon together with me and Dave.
That night, I slept early and fasted, knowing instinctively that I was in trouble. I have an abnormally high threshold for pain, when I get root canals I don't take any sedation or Novocaine!
When I was bent in pain on Monday, I was glad to have fasted! They had to
open me up that night! I was under the knife for 7 1/2 hours! I had 5 doctors attending me! Had I waited another few days or even a week, the doctors said my colon would have exploded as well as my bladder, along with the pustules. I would have been poisoned to death.
I was the worst case the surgeon had seen in his life, and must be in his 70's! My insides were so wrapped up in adhesions, abscesses, pustules, fistulas, they didn't even know what organs were what until
they painstakingly, and carefully cut bit by bit of bad matter away! Every time they would try to cut out an adhesion, one of the pustules would burst and I had to be suctioned and clean up...my entire inner cavity and colon, bladder and I don't know what all, were wrapped up with adhesions! I am grateful to be alive! God is good.
Fortunately, here in the Philippines, a suite room is less than a hotel room, and they allow members of your family to stay with you! My mom, Helen, stayed with me most of the time and was the best caregiver a gal could ask for!
My deepest and eternal thanks to all of you who made my parents birthday so very special for all of us.
My profoundest gratitude to all of you who kept me in their prayers, held healing thoughts and to Fr. Fernando Suarez for channeling his healing energy to me. The doctors said while I was in hospital, that I was recovering so fast for someone who had undergone such an intense surgery. I am trying to be patient with myself. I am always trying to make up for lost time.....sigh.
My eternal thanks to my most excellent Doctora Hildegarde Vistal, and her husband Dr. Godofredo Vistal, my anesthesiologist, who held my life in his hands. My many thanks to my brilliant, patient and kind surgeon, Dr. Marcelino Pojas, his son, Dr. Pojas,Jr. who assisted him during surgery and took the time to keep me
from having a colostomy! Thanks to my cardioligist Dra. Gracita Topacio who stayed till the end to monitor my heart during my time in the recovery room. Many thanks to Manila Medical Center, with their kind and attentive nurses and staff doctors!
The saga goes as after I got back home to Subic, there were some complications and I had to be admitted to a hospital in Olongapo....a scary thought, but Manila was so far away and I was getting dehydrated and unable to hold anything down. It all turned out well and I am alive....I am so grateful. God is good
CLICK the link below to see the Photo album of all photos of the luncehon in facebook.http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=8053&l=2f386&id=1063401730
Here is my musical slide show with Music by Celine Dion, called "Because you Loved Me" which is how I feel about my parents.
created by my company web division http://www.digitalwebgroup.com/
I had two weeks to put together a
hurried guest list as I had not been feeling well up until a few days before the party. My mom and dad's birthdays fall within 1 week of each other. Most of the people we know live in or have easier access to Manila than Subic Bay Freeport, where we live. We all decided to have the luncheon in Manila. We had an intimate luncheon for 45 friends and relatives, hastily thrown together.My parents kept insisting that I cancel the party
because of how unwell they said I looked, but I knew it would force me to Manila, and I thought I would just see my doctora after the luncheon on Monday.My mom scheduled an exam by my Doc. Hildegarde Vistal, the day before the party on Saturday because she said she didn't like my color! My doctor coincidentally, had another office at a hospital very close to the hotel. My usual hospital was way further. Yes, doctors here see people on Saturdays! Doctora wanted to admit me to hospital that night after much examinings and test, but I didn't want to ruin my parent's joint birthday luncheon! I love them so much that I really wanted to have them enjoy the few people that could make it on such short notice. My parents have done so much for me, and at their ages, I never take for granted I will have the blessed fortune of sharing another year or day with them!
Strangely enough, it was me that would have gone before them without the emergency surgery the day after the luncheon! I didn't even know I was that sick! Gosh golly and I am a mere 60 years old and I feel like I am just getting started, since I have had a sickly body most of my life!
Another amazing coincidence was that the internationally renowned healing priest, Father Fernando Suarez just arrived in Manila from Vancouver at 4AM morning of the luncheon. He somehow called my parents and they told him I was in pain. He had my parents take me to where he was staying, not far from
the hotel we were in. He laid hands on me and prayed and the pain went away! I was able to function through the day.Originally the diagnosis was that the abscesses were malignant. Who knows that the powers that be, working through Fr. Fernando Suarez might have at least taken away the cancer. He also honored us and our illustrious guests by attending our luncheon. Along with him came Congressman, and former Governor of my My darling aunt Baby Gala de Villa came and it always warms my heart to see her. I have the sweetest childhood memories of her that have lasted till this day! hometown of Batangas, Dodong Mandanas, and former Governor also of Batangas, Tony Leviste, both donated land for Fr. Suarez and his fellow
companion priests to heal and see people from.One of our other guests was newly appointed Philippine Deputy National Security Advisor, Luis Chavit Singson, has always been very kind to me and Dave, and my parents. Even with the press hounding him for an interview in light of the newly announced Palace Cabinet appointment, he had media meet him at the restaurant rather than leave the
party. I thought that was very gracious of him.A couple of groups of my dear 1st cousins came with their kids and a good time was had by all. We were joined later by good friend Annette Ablan, the Alcantara girls, Rubee, Avic and Jin, my nephew Dondi and his family, to to my photo album to see the whole list.
We ordered more food than I thought. I mean to tell you the food just kept on coming! It was like a decadent Roman feast, except in this case it was a Chinese Laureate.
I was so happy that my parents and guests had a long, relaxing, and enjoyable luncheon together with me and Dave.That night, I slept early and fasted, knowing instinctively that I was in trouble. I have an abnormally high threshold for pain, when I get root canals I don't take any sedation or Novocaine!
When I was bent in pain on Monday, I was glad to have fasted! They had to
open me up that night! I was under the knife for 7 1/2 hours! I had 5 doctors attending me! Had I waited another few days or even a week, the doctors said my colon would have exploded as well as my bladder, along with the pustules. I would have been poisoned to death.I was the worst case the surgeon had seen in his life, and must be in his 70's! My insides were so wrapped up in adhesions, abscesses, pustules, fistulas, they didn't even know what organs were what until
they painstakingly, and carefully cut bit by bit of bad matter away! Every time they would try to cut out an adhesion, one of the pustules would burst and I had to be suctioned and clean up...my entire inner cavity and colon, bladder and I don't know what all, were wrapped up with adhesions! I am grateful to be alive! God is good.Fortunately, here in the Philippines, a suite room is less than a hotel room, and they allow members of your family to stay with you! My mom, Helen, stayed with me most of the time and was the best caregiver a gal could ask for!
My deepest and eternal thanks to all of you who made my parents birthday so very special for all of us.
My profoundest gratitude to all of you who kept me in their prayers, held healing thoughts and to Fr. Fernando Suarez for channeling his healing energy to me. The doctors said while I was in hospital, that I was recovering so fast for someone who had undergone such an intense surgery. I am trying to be patient with myself. I am always trying to make up for lost time.....sigh.
My eternal thanks to my most excellent Doctora Hildegarde Vistal, and her husband Dr. Godofredo Vistal, my anesthesiologist, who held my life in his hands. My many thanks to my brilliant, patient and kind surgeon, Dr. Marcelino Pojas, his son, Dr. Pojas,Jr. who assisted him during surgery and took the time to keep me
from having a colostomy! Thanks to my cardioligist Dra. Gracita Topacio who stayed till the end to monitor my heart during my time in the recovery room. Many thanks to Manila Medical Center, with their kind and attentive nurses and staff doctors!The saga goes as after I got back home to Subic, there were some complications and I had to be admitted to a hospital in Olongapo....a scary thought, but Manila was so far away and I was getting dehydrated and unable to hold anything down. It all turned out well and I am alive....I am so grateful. God is good
CLICK the link below to see the Photo album of all photos of the luncehon in facebook.http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=8053&l=2f386&id=1063401730
Here is my musical slide show with Music by Celine Dion, called "Because you Loved Me" which is how I feel about my parents.
created by my company web division http://www.digitalwebgroup.com/
Comments