Mama Bea's Emotional Ordeal

I was depressed when I know what happened to Mama Bea's family. I was off for two days and when I came back to work I was told that two of her family had died. I don't know what happened but this news what very sad to me.

Mama Bea was my friend at work and already considered her as my adapted mom at work. We were so close to each other. We talked about our families and our experiences, our houses and what we love to do in general. I can share my problems to her and she can give me advises. We cliqued real good like a super glue. Many of our co-workers envied our closeness because I myself is really hard to please at work because of my stern attitude.

Mama Bea was different. We can joke at each other and that will make our night at work. I helped her with her assignments and she was there as well when I am busy. We complement each other that's why we were being envied. I don't know why I am so fond of her, same thing with her. She brings me cooked food from her country (which is Nigeria) and I liked it.

But this sad news was a bad news. I was also devastated about it. I texted her and gave her strength enough for her to strengthen herself for this sad ordeal. I hinted her some inspirational stories from the Bible which is pertinent to her situation right now. She texted me back that she is okay and was devastated but she never blamed God. She just believes that life is being unfair with her. Indeed... I couldn't say more than this.

Grief is a very sensitive emotional experience and it has to go to some stages. I told her to vent out her feelings if she is angry. It's just natural to have felt that way especially at this situation. Each one of us has to go through those stages differently. Some may take it longer to get over it some shorter. It just depends of your coping mechanisms to have survived the roller-coaster of emotions.

What I'd like to share her was the story of Job in the Bible. I told her that God had took everything from Job, stripped him of his dignity and standing yet Job did not rebuke God but instead thanked Him for whatever he had  and kept being humble with God. All his children and wife had also died and this happened for three generations yet Job did not complain instead had praised Him of his glory. In the end Job had live longer and survive happily with his progressive family lineage.

This proves that God has always a reason why things had happened in our lives and that he will reveal to us the answers of our unending question of "why these things had happened to me?" sentences. Let us allow God to steer our lives and always appreciate what he had given us and be grateful for it. And this also proves that material things and physical being will be left on earth when we're gone.

I hope Mama Bea is okay at this time. I really missed her and I have to offer her prayers for her loss for the time being. I couldn't do anything but this. I hope she can go normally with her grief and that she will be sane as she go along the different stages of grief. Will always follow-up on her. Please pray for Mama Bea!!!

Visiting The Blossom Trail

This is my long time desire and I just accomplished it. I've been planning to do it for several years but it seems that I always missed it each year. But this time I was on time and I witnessed the most stunning blossoms I've ever seen.

I went to Sanger, California to see the "Blossom Trails". It is an array of orchards in bloom. Orchard consists of nectarines, peaches, almonds, apricots, etc. And they all bloom at this time of the year which gave the area a full bloom of white and pink flowers. They only last for three weeks and they usually occur at the last week of February till the middle of March.

I drove about more than three hours going to Fresno, California just to see this place. It was a smooth drive and was uneventful. The highway was not that traffic and the drive was just effortless and not boring at all. So many sceneries to see and also some good music to listen to. I was driving alone but I was never bored at all.

When I arrived at Selma and Sanger I exited at Clovis Street then checked the map and started the "Blossom Trail". I started at Central Ave. then North Street then Adam Street then McCall Ave. then Academy Blvd passing the town of Sanger.

Sanger is a quaint town and it was very serene there. It reminded me of the towns in Texas where I came before. It doesn't even feel like country to me. The Centerville was just lined with few establishment but they were all close at this time due to the pandemic.

I passed by some orchards with white blooms. There were a lot of them actually and I took some pictures of those few orchards. I just took a selfie since I don't have a cameraman with me. The pink orchards were still budding and it seems that I came early. But I saw some few pink orchards in full bloom.

As what I've read the white blooms were the apricots and nectarines while the pink blooms were the almonds. Sanger is an agricultural town as evident by the scattered orchards around town. The trail covers a vast area and it is a long drive if you circle it around and it consist of around 60 plus miles or roughly an hour slow drive, sightseeing in your car.

I'm glad I went there and at last I fulfilled my desire to see the blooms in person. So much planning to do and at last I caught it just in time for them to fall off from the tree branch.

One more amusing thing  that happened is that when I was looking for my magnetic charger that feel off my driver seat I was honked by a guy in a pick-up truck. He asked me if I am okay and I told him that I am okay and then continued to look for my charger. He took of and then made a U-turn and parked.

He asked me if I needed help and I just noticed that he had a gun in his right side. I didn't realized he was a cop. Hahaha. He asked me for my driver's license which I willingly gave it to him. He asked me what I am doing and I told him I've been looking for my magnetic charger that fell off under my seat. I showed him what the charger looks like.

He then told me to continue looking for it while he's checking my ID at the police station where he radioed from his truck. Then after a few moments later he got back and handed back my driver's license. He then told me in a flat affect that I am parking in a private property and showed me more routes for the Blossom Trail.

Whew...… that was close to being served a ticket and good thing the cop was very nice and polite. And that's it.... I wish next year I could be back again and see both pink and white blooms at the same time. So long!

Peng's Hospital Ordeal

 I was been worried lately because Peng was admitted with severe abdominal pain. His mom was thinking it was just indigestion or severe constipation. But the pain still persisted for the whole night so I told her to bring him to the hospital.

My premonition was that he has appendicitis and I was right. He was admitted in the urgent care and eventually was transferred to Children's Hospital in LA. He was triaged as an emergency surgery but they still waited to observe him and started him on high doses of antibiotic. 

He stayed at the Pediatric floor for the entire night and was scheduled for surgery the afternoon of the following day. The wait since admission was almost 24 hours and I suspected that the appendix was ruptured. 

His fever was persistent, his blood pressure was critically elevated, his pain was to the roof, the poor child was suffering and he was made to wait for one day until his appendix ruptured as it was confirmed by the laparoscopy. He almost had died. 

The neglect of the surgical team was immense that the poor parents had almost lost the boy. Good thing he was a fighter and survived the risks of the surgery. He was courageous and had endured the pain. He was not even treated well by the nurse by not giving his PRN pain meds hours after the surgery and had pushed him to walk without even pre-medicating him for pain. 

This had happened considering he was admitted in a very prestigious children's hospital. He was not treated well.

I told his mom to complain with the social worker and file a grievance and you know what the social worker told her? That she had received a lot of complaints regarding the entire surgical team regarding the mistreatment of the patients. And I was right again pointing that this is a big medical neglect so I advised the mom to seek for legal advice because she has a case.\

She filed the grievance by calling the 1-800 number that the social worker had given her and was also planning to seek some legal advice regarding their plight at the hospital. I was  very surprised that this happened at the very top most children's hospital in the country. They almost lost their child!

Now, Peng was been discharged and was doing well despite still feeling some occasional pain but he has some PRN meds for that. I told the mom to keep encouraging him to walk to heal his wounds fast and to lessen the pain as well. I am glad he is in good health now and that every thing was okay despite of the scare and nightmare at the hospital.

The Awakening

My mind is reeling right now. I just don't know what to do. A lot of things happened in my life. I just want to take it slow but everything happened so fast. I am so confuse!

First thing up, this pandemic had wrecked havoc in our lives. Many family had lost their love ones. Some have no jobs and don't have any food on their tables. Others had scraped their earnings down to the bottom and just don't know what to do next. Isn't it life is so cruel?

The government is in disarray. Politics was down to it's dirtiest game. Politicians has been competing for the best and the people suffered. Other people had lost their trust to the government and the social issues had kept piling up. Total chaos indeed!

My life was not even that good. Was been working so much and now I'm burned out. I am just so grouchy at times and just kept quiet in m little corner at work. As long as I finish the shift that would be enough for me. Yes, we were short and I took advantaged of this time to work a lot so that I can save enough money for emergency purposes. I guess it will serve the purpose in the future.

What I am wary about is the tax this year. I am not sure, but I have the feeling that I will pay more than enough because of this unwanted overtime. In the end, I will be the one paying the toll. How's that? Not good huh?

Anyways, while traveling was been on halt, I sneaked out three times to Mexico this pandemic and o far it was harmless and easy. No problem at all. But the last one was quite stricter because they required me to get a covid19 swab when I came back to the US. So far it was negative, that's why I went back safe. They said I have to quarantine for ten days when I come back but it was not even imposed.

Yeah, I found a friend in Mexico who became so intimate with me but it was a short lived one because I felt that he is only up to the money for the relationship. I mean everytime he came to my apartment in Mexico money speaks a lot, in short I have to give him something. It dawned to me that the friendship won't last and I am ready about it. It was frustrating but that's the reality for gay relationships. Now I know how trying it is to have an honest relationship. I guess I'm destined to be a "mono-homo", hahaha.....

Good thing I don't have any expectations lately. I guess I just have to learn how to love myself and be happy when what I have and who I am. I just have to gear my focus towards self fulfillment and making myself assured that I am doing fine alone. It's time to pat my back and say that every thing will be okay despite the odds. In due time, I am self serving and I have to be ready embracing it.

Oh how I wish my friend from Geneva be with me right now giving me some yacking. Hahaha. I miss you Lisa!!!!