One Day at a Time

For four days now after my Dad has been operated on for his bypass surgery, we were missing him at our regular room in the hospital. He has been in the Telemetry Unit at the Heart Station where doctors and nurses have been closely monitoring his vitals.

It was very tough for us, his family, to see him with tubes, oxygen, wiring, IVs, cathether and other equipment attached to him.

I see my Lolo Eddie in my dad while I was caring for him throughout his recovery. If my Lolo survived till a very ripe old age of 98, my dad has a great chance of reaching that too, if he so wills it with proper self-care, discipline and family support.

There were moments in the Telemetry Room when I see my dad as very sad, weak and immobile. But there were also glimpses of hope and thanksgiving in his eyes especially when we have our morning and evening prayers to our Lord who alone sustained him through his ordeal.

I’ve been telling him that many people prayed for him for his operation and still praying for his fast and full recovery. And Dad is most grateful for you all. ❤️

He is currently having his Physical Therapy under the care and supervision of his rehab doctor (Doc Wayne) for two sessions everyday. He is being equipped to continue this even when we get home.

These past several days were very trying for us. It was a ‘crazy’, tiring, challenging four days at the Telemetry.

Pray that we will soon be discharged from the hospital. It’s been since May 17 that we were all here.

For now, we just thank the Lord that he has just gotten back to us in his room at the 16th floor of Metropolitan Medical Center.

One day at a time. Dad will be on his toes once again.

Keep us all still in your prayers,
♥️ Leah and family

Stormy, Not Smooth

It was a “stormy and not smooth” operation as the doctor put it last night after dad’s surgery.

Six blood vessels were clotted. Dad’s BP and sugar were fluctuating at the time of operation. We were told that after surgery, the 24 to 48 hours was critical.

But after a day of close monitoring and observation, dad is a lot better now. His cardio doctor told us “he’s okay na.”

He is in Telemetry Unit at the moment being cared for by doctors and nurses there. Only immediate family can visit him (one a time) as per doctor’s instructions.

My mom and sister have seen him already and shared that he can now eat and talk.

And do you know the first thing he asked of my mom? “Umuulan ba?”

He knows a storm is coming our way.

I was telling my dad before his operation – “Dad, may bagyong parating. Baka sumabay sa operation mo. Ok yun. Blessing daw yun from heaven. Tsaka di ba we stormed the heaven for prayers?”

To which my dad replied with a smile.

Yes, storms may be scary. But storms are there at times to test our faith. There comes a moment when we are most fearful, Jesus calls on us to step out and walk on the water with Him.

My dad walked on the water. Jesus was with him. And we are certain, this storm will pass.

Thank you for being with us. ♥️

Hanging on,
Leah and family

The 25th of May

Moment of truth is coming.

Tomorrow at 7 AM, my Dad Leo will have his bypass surgery.

We enjoin you to offer prayers of healing for my dad and for a successful operation to be performed by Dr Nelson Lee and his team. (Metropolitan Medical Center)

We are allowing Daddy to just rest, relax and be calm tonight, trusting fully in God, our Ultimate Healer to work in the midst of everything.

We thank the Lord for providing for us for we acknowledge that He is also our Great Provider. To family and friends who have helped us (and are helping us) financially, you know who you are – our deepest love and appreciation to all of you. ♥️ May the good Lord bless you all back a thousandfold!

Dad will stay in the hospital for 10 more days after the surgery for post-operation care and monitoring by his cardiologist Dr. Erwin del Rosario and his team.

Pray also for my mom Evelyn, sister Menelyn, my husband Randy that we will all have the strength and endurance to provide the proper care and support for my dad.

Till then.

Keeping the faith,
Leah and family

P.S. If you are being led by the Lord to support us at this time in any way, you may privately message me.

Road to Surgery

We shall see these hospital halls for a bit more while.

My dad Meneleo Albano is having his bypass surgery on the 25th of May and we are storming the heavens for the Lord to show His power, might, and healing grace over my dad’s life.

He has started his pre-operation work up today with a Carotid Venous Scan. He has been given a Spirometer too to exercise and practice his breathing. Oral medicines and an injectable blood thinner are continually being administered to him.

Praise God that he did not have any chest pains today! He has also improved a lot in terms of appetite in eating. His vitals are good so far.

So yes, prayers do miracles. We thank you for storming the heavens with us. Please continue to pray.

Even if these hospital walls will be our sight for some time, I trust that our Lord above is watching over us and guiding us every step of the way.

—
For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

Matthew 18:20

♥️ Love to all,
Leah and family

Bypass

He was asleep. His sound of breathing emanated in the hospital room. I gazed at him for a few minutes. Then I found a tear in my eye.

My lesson on “parenting the parent” officially begins now. My dad just had his angiogram yesterday and results show he needs to undergo bypass surgery soonest possible time.

Kindly keep him in your prayers if you happen to know my dad personally. He is a very private person and shuns any attention on him. But things change. He needs all the love, care and attention right now.

We don’t know what will happen next. But trusting in the sovereignty and provision of the Lord in our dad’s life is what we are called to do at this time.

I will watch him sleep again tonight. The sound of his breathing will be music to my ears. For as long as there’s that sound, my living hope remains.

Praying all will be well.

—

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

– Romans 8:28

Birthday Musings

I am 46. Not so young anymore. But not that too old either.

But life has happened to me just the same.

When I was studying for my Master’s degree in Family Life and Child Development at UP Diliman, we had a course there on Family Dynamics.

I remember so well my oral report assignment was about adult children who are now acting as “parents” to their elderly parents. Tides are turning when one reaches this developmental stage.

You are an adult child. You now take on the responsibility of caring for your parents. Yet you are still their child. Role reversals happen. A balancing act must be attained.

I’m in this stage now. And I’m not prepared. I still haven’t found the balance. Hell, I don’t even know if I’m equipped to handle this stage.

But I trust that circumstances will teach me along the way. I guess my instincts will kick in and I’ll just know what to do when thrust in a situation with my parents. (Read: When they are utterly grey and old and sick.)

This scares me. Is it in me to face the challenges ahead as our family dynamics change?

Am I a good enough “parent” to my mom and dad? Will I be able to care for them with complete love, patience and understanding?

I still have time. I still have some years ahead of me to be the daughter that I can be for them.

As I close this day, I express my gratitude to the Lord that I still both have my mom and dad. I am deeply thankful the Lord has made me a little bit stronger and a little bit more mature to face what life holds for me.

Hanging on. Here’s offering my ultimate birthday prayer that the Lord will mold me to be the person He wants me to be – not only for my parents, but for my husband and sister as well.

Letting Go

I definitely set my sights on it. I imagined our life there.  How our lives will turn dramatically and give us a new sense of meaning and purpose.

My hopes were high. My dreams were etched in my mind.

Yet in a glimpse, those dreams became a blur. There were doubts if it will materialize. I questioned God. Were my motives wrong? Did we do something not right? Are we lacking in anything?

I spiralled. Just like when a setback happens to me. But after a night, I said to myself. Enough. No matter how hard I think of all the reasons why it happened, it was out of my control. Only God knows His ultimate reason for this.

The Lord gives, the Lord takes away. And just like that, it dawned on me, I should not put my trust in the things of this world. Everything is temporary. Everything is owned by the Lord. Whatever happens, if it is His will, it will come to pass. It will happen in His time and in His way, not mine.

Hard lesson to learn. It hurts when you expect too much and things don’t go as planned. Let our hands hold everything loosely, because that way, it is easier to let go and let God.