The UST That I Knew

I could not count the times I blogged about University of Santo Tomas, the Royal, Pontifical and oldest university in the Far East. It makes one proud of being an alumna there from high school to college.  We fondly call it USTe. I had so many photos of it which I took over the years whenever I had time to take a visit. I remember that the last time I visited the place was when Nissa had her thyroidectomy first week of September 2019 at the UST Hospital.

The very first time that I set foot there was during the summer of 1969. As I graduated from the province, I was quite late in taking the entrance exams for high school students. Since my dad also worked there, I was allowed to take the high school entrance exams at the office of the principal. At first I had a hard time adjusting to high school life. Most of my classmates were honors students from known schools in Metro Manila. I just garnered First Honorable Mention when I graduated from grade school. What I liked most about high school? The friends and classmates I got to know better, our English, Science and History teachers, quite disliked Algebra and Trigonometry. I loved  Chemistry and Physics though.

When I was in college, I worked for a time at the UST Main Library, Humanities Section. I was proud to be called student librarian and I gained lots of friends in the process. That’s where I learned to appreciate serious reading. I loved the rituals of attending early morning student masses at the UST Chapel. Finally earned a degree in Economics when I left the university.

It has changed a lot, more buiĺdings, pavilion and research center over the years. Proud to say that Nissa, Josef and I are alumni of UST embracing a good Catholic education in the process.

Got some photos from the net since I already uploaded most photos I took over the years.

This is the main building of the university.

HAPPY 413TH  FOUNDING ANNIVERSARY USTe.

Still Waiting

When I had blood extraction last Saturday for the JAK 2 mutation assay, I asked the medtech in -charge when it will be available. She told me  I’ll get it by Friday which is today. I informed the doctor’s secretary to reserve a slot for me (it is by appointment and the clinic is only on Monday and Friday).

I was at the Hospital’s ambulatory care unit before 6am only to be told that every Friday is their schedule to run such test and will be available this coming Tuesday. I asked if I could just get it by Friday because I need to re-schedule my check-up Friday next week. The clerk in charge agreed. I have to call and text the doctor’s secretary to inform her of the change in schedule. If I may say, they are prolonging my agony.  Such endless waiting.

Hot, Hot, Hot

Gosh, it is so hot.  You could probably fry an egg outside. It’s 36°C here in our neck of the woods.

PAGASA, our weather bureau said in the news that Metro Manila would reach 43-44°C today. That is dangerous.  We are located in the eastern side of Metro Manila.

Although it’s kind of windy outside, it blows hot wind.

Losing Myself In Books

The past few days, I’ve been trying to forget the ‘would be’ outcome of my JAK 2 mutation assay.  Not  inspired to blog for several days but just lost myself reading.

Found three books that I rated five⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ each.

The Warsaw Orphan by Kelly Rimmer was inspired by the real-life  heroin who saved thousands of Jewish children during WWII. Read that book and wrote a review a long time ago. Irena’s Children: The Extraordinary Story of the Woman Who Saved 2,500 Children from the  Warsaw Ghetto by Tillar J. Mazzeo.

Hurt and hope, loss and love along with anger and forgiveness, such speaks The Warsaw Orphan.  If you are a historical fiction fan, this is an absolute must-read. It speaks of the power of hope, love and survival during one of the darkest times in history.

I also love Kelly Rimmer in The Things We Cannot Say giving it another  five ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. It is a moving,compelling and heartwarming story that covers so many topics such as war, love, loss and friendship. A coming of age story that speaks of love amidst the dangers of war-torn Poland. It speaks of a family’s desire to know its roots.

I haven’t read David Baldacci in a while. He is brilliant in A Calamity of  Souls, another five ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ for me. A white lawyer defending a black man. Taking up the fight against racism, the subject is nothing  new but this was written well. The author explained that it took him a decade to write this book. I just love courtroom scenes.

Done with 37 books out of 75 I promised myself to read this year.

Daybreak

The orange hue

is rapidly turning into blue

Then there is this soft light

emerging

To light the whole world.

How Nate Looks Now

Nate is learning Taekwondo lessons this summer.

It was their recognition day yesterday. More photos at https://nonnaarlene.wordpress.com  Would not want to upload them all here since I am saving on space.

More on JAK 2 Mutation Assay.

So I had my JAK 2 mutation assay yesterday morning with three vials of blood extracted. I’ll get the result on Friday.

My medtech friend, a Filipina who is in the US and used to work at a hospital there explained to me what JAK 2 means. If you have it, it means you have a bone marrow disease. If it turns out negative, there are two others that she told me for further testing, CALR and MPL mutation which are equally expensive like the JAK 2. Those were what the hematologist told me. I just didn’t know the names.

In one of my youngest brother’s messages, maybe this has something to do with my previous cancer almost fifteen years ago and never drinking  milk in the process so my bones are weak. According to mom, I was breastfed when I was a baby. I have never drank milk in my life except  that one month stay at the hospital when I was seven months pregnant with Nissa so she will grow inside my womb. She was born prematurely at 3.9 lbs. And was left at the hospital two weeks after birth. Imagine pinching your nose every time the nurses give that glass of milk every morning for the whole month. I didn’t like the taste and felt nauseaus. I had preeclampsia before and that started my ordeal until now.

Sometimes I feel so down but I am not losing hope. Lifting it all up to Him.

JAK 2 Mutation Testing

I couldn’t bring  myself to write the past few days  because I am clearly disheartened about what is happening to my health.

Last Monday finally,  I  went to the Medical City hospital to consult a hematologist, after several months of high platelet count. And this time, my white blood cells are also elevated. I haven’t heard of JAK 2 mutation testing until the hematologist discussed it with me. She asked about my medical history and looked at my previous lab tests and other medical procedures done in the past. She checked my medical prescriptions and took note of them.

Thank God for answered prayers. Intellicare which is my  health insurance approved the procedure. The ambulatory care unit  of the hospital quoted a costly sum of 16K for the procedure. The hematologist said that if the result turns out negative, there are other two tests that have to be done. I googled what the test is all about and I am a little afraid of what they will see later. I am scheduled to undergo  the mutation  testing tomorrow. Josef will accompany me to the hospital.

Another journey to traverse. NEED YOUR PRAYERS please. THANK YOU so much.

And There Are More Books

When I was in college working as a student librarian at the UST Main Library, I was more into reading Psychology, Philosophy, Ethics and English literature. From time to time, I would delve into those classics that the Humanities Section have lots of. I learned to appreciate Sylvia Plath and Ayn Rand. I share the same birthday with S. Plath.

I was transferred to the Asian Section for a year before I left the library. There I met and read the works of Kahlil Gibran, some Japanese poets  and World History. I was fascinated by what happened during WWII when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor and it occupied the Philippines. The only stories I heard before about the war were from my grandmother and my mom who was still in her teens that time.

My love for historical fiction started then. I can’t count the number of books I read about WWII. I  still read them until now. There is something that gets you  engrossed reading about the 20th century too, how life was back then although they were written in fiction. One of my favorite books that chronicled how life was in a concentration camp during WWII was Man’s Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl. He was a prisoner of war. I love Leon Uris’ books too. There was a time I collected his books but most of them got flooded in 2009. Mila 18 and QB VII were favorites. Just finished German Wife by Kelly Rimmer, in the middle of reading The Things We Cannot Say by the same author and will start The Warsaw Orphan soon. They are all about what happened during WWII.

I would never get tired of reading historical fiction books but insert some thrillers from time to time.

These Uplifting Quotes

I recently read a book by Matt Haig called A Comfort Book. It makes you think about life and as the title suggests, very comforting to read. It’s a manual of reflections for an increasingly stressful world. Although he has many books published, this is my first time to read one. Jotted some quotes to share with you. It reminds me of Sarah Ban Breathnach’s book Simple Abundance, A Daybook of Comfort and Joy. Here goes:

One Beautiful Thing

“Experience one beautiful thing a day. However small. However trivial. Read a poem. Play a favorite song. Laugh with a friend. Gaze at the sky just before the sun’s final tumble toward night. Watch a classic movie. Eat a slice of lemon drizzle cake. Whatever. Just give yourself one simple reminder that the world is full of wonders. Even if we are at a point in life where we can’t appreciate things, it sometimes helps to remember there are things in this world to enjoy, when we are ready.”

“It is a strange paradox, that many of the clearest, most comforting life lessons are learnt while we are at our lowest.”