The Dawn Of Dementia

Today, I was so dragged out from my work. It is my second day but it seems that I am very sore and tired. I have to go home and get some much needed rest. My body needs to catch up after working back to back. I need and deserve a damn break.

I still need to go back tonight anyway. Haist. I don’t know what to do.

I went home from work and the drive down at La Brea Hill was so foggy. The clearing was heavily enveloped by a cloudy-foggy mist and I couldn’t see the Hollywood Hills from afar. 

The road started to get populated with cars as the lockdown in Los Angeles was already lifted on April 19. I will no longer enjoy the wide road on my way home. Albeit, the traffic this Wednesday morning was not that bad. I got home in a haste. But then, the street cleaning is still off, so no offense tickets will be served today or else the cars that parked on the wrong side of the road will be ticketed. 

I got home, stashed my bag in the sofa and then I decided to throw the thrash downstairs. When I went back, the door locked itself. I did not realized that I locked it when I went down. And I didn't realized I left the keys inside. 

It was still early to wake up my landlord at 0830 so I decided to walk around the neighborhood for 1 full hour, to exercise. I’ve been planning to do this weeks ago but I was procrastinating hence I have not done it for 2 months ago. And besides I was always tired from work when I got home.

To pass the time, until I can wake up my landlord, I started to amble around the neighborhood. I already did 3 rounds of walking around the vicinity then I felt some passion to do or continue more. Since it was foggy, it was kinda cold and I was only wearing a shirt and a basketball short. 

So, I decided to wake up my landlord since it’s already 0930 or so. And good thing he was up already when I went home from walking. I asked him if I can borrow the spare key at my apartment and he immediately gave it to. 

I went up to open my apartment and took a comfy jacket then went down, return the keys, and continued my walking exercise for another full hour. 

I went home at 1040 but the sun is not out yet. It was a gloomy and cold morning today. I cleaned up my face, moisturized, and then went to sleep because I have to go back to work tonight, which is my Friday anyway. Thank God!

Remembering Our Dear Amor

The world is in chaos because of the emergence Covid19 virus that hailed from Wuhan, China late last year. And while the world was watching how China was scrambling amidst the immediate lockdown of the whole city, the whole world did not expect that it will spread that fast all over the globe like a lightning.

Starting from Milan to London to Washington State, USA and then blew away all over the world and everywhere. It was a scary thing to hear everyday from the major news networks. Almost every time you open television you can see and hear the devastation of the virus everywhere. To date the number of cases had reached more than 3 million with thousands of deaths already recorded. 

Lately, my very dear friend and beloved classmate, Amor Padilla, had died because of the complications of Covid19. She was the first casualty among WVSU-CON Batch 91. Her sad story was the product of irresponsible healthcare management in London, where she worked as a nurse manager at NHS Healthcare System.

 She was been sick for a while at her house and when she got worse, her husband called 911 to bring her to the hospital, only to be advised by the medics to stay at home and quarantine (self isolate) herself because of the reason that she'll get sicker if she goes to the hospital.

But despite the abrupt rejection by the numb medics her husband nervously drove her to emergency room where she was placed on venturi mask immediately. 

Our school batch has an update panel on Facebook, so we knew what is happening to her. When I heard that she is on the venturi mask, immediately a gnawing feeling run through my spine and then a day after that we were told that she was in ICU and was intubated, which I long expected when she was in ER.

Her prayer warriors had increased exorbitantly diligently and dedicatedly praying for her safety and good health but in the end she had succumb to the complications of Covid19 maybe due to her asthma and diabetes. Prayers should somehow help or maybe somehow answered but in this situation, it did not. We were devastated.... Maybe there is a reason why God let this to happen to our dear Amor. 

We were all crying, depress, and sad, sharing all our individual sentiments and frustrations about the situation because our beloved friend was eternally gone. Some were in a complete denial and some offered comforting words to those who really felt devastated and sad about the horrifying and unexpected news. We will no longer be with her for she was taken by our dear Lord.

She passed away on 4/10/20, which is a Good Friday. We were all struck hard by her passing but we have to gradually accept that she is in a comfortable place now with our dear Lord and the rest of the Batch '91 who passed away. She will be one of Batch 91’s heavenly angel!

Amidst this Covid19 fiasco, we were surprised again by Annie Gargantiel's account of conquering Covid19 and its complications. She was also sick for 14 days and had quarantined  herself at her home in Wales, UK together with her husband and only son (not ill), observing social distancing strictly. She was in her room suffering from high fever, SOB, and excruciating bone pain, supervised by her doted hubby, where she almost decided to go to the hospital but was adamant to do it because she's scared of getting more sicker if she goes there. She went out of her room after 14 days, Covid19 free, but still recovering and weak.

She was still weak at that time when she revealed to us her sad and brave story on Facebook. Many were shocked and suddenly a lot of well wishers had flooded her Facebook account and Batch '91 Facebook account panel. We were happy for her and her family's survival from the challenge of Covid19.

Another story revealed by Richie Gil on Batch 91's panel, that one of our dear classmate in New York, Arlyn Degayo, was diagnosed with Covid19 and was asking for our en masse prayers. After several days, Arlyn responded in our board that she is doing well and recuperating well despite she was still weak.

Unfortunately, the sad and painful remnants of Amor's passing had still lingered in us and we were still painfully mourning for her immediate demise. Her funeral service, which was facilitated by the class, will be done virtually on 5/1/20, which is a Friday, at 6:00PM and was already 3 weeks after her passing. Some of our classmates will share happy thoughts and memories about her virtually. Unfortunately, I cannot join the group because of my work.

I will miss you my dear friend and I am happy that you will be together with our dear Lord God and also our dear friend Doreen. Please be my angel always. I miss you both.