Life on Earth Log 007 | Fun Holiday Plans Postponed Again

Our plans this week include general cleanup and putting up some Christmas decor. It's late, I know, but the store looks a bit boring without them. We might attract more customers when we make the store look festive for the holidays. It's been really busy and this week is our last chance to decorate. Which reminds me, we need to decorate the church building as well, not in the common holiday fashion, but to promote Thanksgiving Day on December 24.

On top of all these we still need to keep the business running and I currently have a design project. The good thing is I can freely schedule all these tasks.

All plans have been settled, all schedules set. We just have to make them happen.

This morning, I received one text that changed everything we had planned.

It was from my mother. She informed me that my father has a case of really bad hiccups. How bad was it? The only time he would stop hiccuping is when he is throwing up. The vomit itself seem to have blood in it. We can only assume that based on her description of the color. This has been going on since last night.

I do not live with my parents anymore but we keep in touch. I see my brother in church every Sunday, sometimes during the midweek services. I get updates from him. Phone calls are our more usual means of communication so receiving a text would mean something serious. 

Tatay is still recovering from stroke. It was around December last year when he was hospitalized for it. Inabot na nga kami ng Noche Buena sa ospital. (We even spent our Christmas Eve in the hospital.) It was not a very fun holiday. By experience, Tatay is one of those patients who test patience.

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Sana naman hindi na kami mag-Christmas sa hospital. (We'll really appreciate if we don't have to spend Christmas in a hospital room again.) It seems that we are going to celebrate less of Christmas and more of Tatay's stroke's anniversary. To be honest, my first reaction to receiving that message was anger - I'm pissed that this is happening just in time for the holidays.

I remember telling my father that he has to take his medication and therapy seriously. If he wants to live long enough to see his future grandkids he'll concentrate on full recovery within a year. I know people who have done it so I'm frustrated that his recovery is taking so long. Maybe it's just not the same for everyone. I try not to blame him for what happened to his health and why of all days, he's experiencing this bad case of hiccups and vomiting today.

After unloading my frustration in prayers it was time to make adjustments. We still don't know if Tatay will be sent home today or if he will be admitted. If ever he needs to stay in the hospital for a few more days, I'm prepared to set up an office there and resume work while looking after him, just try and accomplish tasks wherever possible. We just have to make the best of our situation no matter how bad it is.

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I know I should be working on those tasks I mentioned instead of blogging. Actually, I finished most of the business-related tasks. Kanina nga wala ako sa wisyo habang nagsasalang ng labahan at nagsasampay. (This morning while doing the laundry, I'm so distracted with the news.) My husband noticed how absent-minded I was. I just need to write about this because if I keep it in my head it will mess up with work. Now that I have, I can concentrate on doing design later in the afternoon, here in the store or in the hospital if possible.

It's not the most ideal thing to happen this Christmas, but we have to remember that for some reason God allowed it. We can choose to complain or be calm and trust God's wisdom in all of it.