Ending the year with a bash

Yes, it’s still quite early but we already had our Year End Rewards and Recognition and also Mano’s send off party (yes, he has already resigned) last night. The event started with a sumptuous dinner at Dad’s Glorietta, after which we transferred to Red Box Greenbelt for the awarding proper. This is the first year that we had budget for Rewards and Recognition. That’s the reason why we were able to afford to book in such places hehehe. This is the first time. Anyway, aside from giving the usual awards (Best SE, Best BSA, Rookie-which we didn’t have), we had a new award which is the Most Promising award and of course several whacky awards hehehe. We gave away certificates and some tokens for the awardees and a multi-purpose bag for everyone!

For Mano’s send off, we prepared a scrapbook and also a simple token of appreciation. Some of us gave speeches. I was one of them of course. Part of my speech was to say sorry to him for what I have done a long long time ago ahihi. It was a little bit awkward at first but I was more at peace after that. Our IT director also announced that he will be working for us as a consultant until our current project is completed. Whew! As a finale to our tribute to Mano, we also sang a song for him.

After the awarding and send off ceremonies, it was party time. Mano was very relaxed and just let loose. It was my first time to see him that way. Also, everybody were having fun and just having a good time. We had billiards and videoke along with beers and more food. Everyone was free to express themselves and just do what they wanna do that to them spells fun hihihi. Some of us even transformed the couch into a stage hehe. I myself had a share of my moments. First off, I drank more than what I usually allow myself. So I was a little drank hik! Also, I danced like there’s no tomorrow, I sang until my voice became hoarse (not with the mic though and that’s ok) all the while drinking beer wahahaha. Don’t worry, I was just trying to have a good time because I was really tired and sleepless for the past weeks. I want to let go of my problems at work even for just a short period. And for some other reason that I prefer not to elaborate it here har har har! Since there were so many cameras tonight, I’m sure everything was capture. I hope I look ok in the pictures and videos wahahaha.

And the finale was a round of drinks at Starbucks. Thanks, SB, nawala amats ko bwahahaha.
Anyway, looks like the team enjoyed. I really, truly hope they did. This time, the ISMT did most of the work, from planning up to hosting the event. We just delegated some other things. But mostly, it was only us, that’s why it added up to our already busy schedules. But then again, it was all worth it. Whew!

Photo finish

I just got home from the office an hour ago. The team’s management team had to meet to plan for Friday’s activity. We were all laughing and amazed at the same time since we were able to plan for and execute some parts of the plan in 2 hours hehehe. We’re done planning for the major things. All we need to do now is to do the rest of the stuff, and that we have to find time in our already busy schedules. Whew. But it’s ok. It’s for the team.

When I got home, I just wanted to sleep but unfortunately, my mind’s still on a high and processing. I already read a book but it didn’t lull me to sleep. So here I am online. But by hook or by crook, I should already be sleeping by 3 AM. My dear self, please do so. Mamaya ka na uli magpaka-high.

Back at home

I’m back at home. Yifee! I have been discharged just this morning. Thank God. It was no fun staying at the hospital for that looooooonnnnngggggg (5 days, 4 nights).

The past week has been a roller coaster ride. I thought it was just another simple case of fever and flu, the one that I’ve been waiting for this year. You see, I get to be down with the flu at least once a year. This is the worst illness I have every year. So I was not surprised when I started feeling the symptoms Friday last week. True enough, I was sick all through Saturday and Sunday, which is still normal for me. By Monday, I was already feeling better. My fever went down though I still can’t eat normally. When my friends came to visit, they suggested that I better have myself checked in the hospital so off we went. Their findings were normal. So I went home expecting to be able to go to work already on Tuesday. But by Monday evening, my temperature went up and it continued until Wednesday, with the exception of a few hours a day where it went back to normal. By Wednesday, I’m feeling different about it already so I decided to have another round of check up. My friend has an aunt working for a doctor at St. Lukes so I went to him. I told him my story and he said I need to be checked again (x-ray, stool exam, urinalysys, CBC, etc.). I was given the option to be an out-patient while undergoing the tests but the doc finally made the call and had me admitted.

I had to wait for almost 6 hours before I was given a room. That was the longest wait in my life. I was just in the admission area sick and thus can’t think productively. After I was settled in a room, the nurses started to check on me. I had to be x-rayed so we needed to go the ground floor. To my surprise, a wheelchair was waiting outside my room wahahaha. My brother and I were laughing because I can still walk though it was slow but the nurse insisted that I use the wheelchair anyway. I guess it’s their protocol. Well, it’s a nice feeling to be pampered so who am I to complain right? J It was another 2 hours before I was left in peace on my first night. I was looking forward to sleeping the night and the next day away but I was off to another surprise. I think every 3 hours (even during the wee hours of the morning), nurses would visit me to check on my vital signs. Gah! So there, I had to wake up every now and then.

On Thursday, they still don’t know what’s happening to me. The doctor said it might be typhoid or it might be viral (hepa) so I was referred to an infectious specialist. They had to take more blood sample from me for blood culture. After a series of blood tests, the doctors noticed that my platelet count went way down so on Friday, they concluded that it was dengue. I was not given any medication. They just monitored my platelet count. Once it reaches 20K, I would need blood transfusion. Good thing, it didn’t drop that low so that on Saturday I was already allowed to go home but the doc advised that I stay for one more day just to make sure that my platelet count goes back to the normal level. Whew!

Thank you St. Luke’s for taking care of me. All of your staff has been very efficient and friendly. It’s nice to know that such a hospital exists. But much as I’ve enjoyed my stay, I’m not looking forward to going back again. Not in the near future, not even after many years. :)

Thanks to my team for the visits. Your stories, laughter and bullying of each other was a welcome change to the otherwise quiet and boring confines of my room.

Thanks as well to my company for taking care of my hospital bill. :) I think I’ve used more than half of my Medicard this year. :D

Thanks to my brothers for taking care of me. It was a little awkward for me at first because I’m used to taking care of myself but it was nice to have someone to take care of me for a change. I was afraid I would get used to it. Good thing I got well. :p

And simply, thank you, Lord for healing me.