Espesyal na liham para sa aking mga Idol -Janet N. at mga politiko

At dahil malapit na ang National Heroes Day at kayo ay itinuturing kong mga bayani, sa gitna ng aking pagpapagamot sa karamdaman sa bato, inilalaan ko ang espasyong ito para sa isang espesyal na sulat para lamang sa inyo mga idolo ko.

Dear ate Janet N., at mga kagalang-galang na politiko ng ating bansa:

Bago po ang lahat, nais ko po talagang ipaalam sa inyo na ako po ay inyong number 1 fan. Hangang hanga po ako sa inyo.

Ate Janet N., ang galing nyo po talaga. Bagamat kayo ay galing sa hirap, sa isang iglap lamang ay nagkaroon na kayo ng napakaraming bahay kasama na isang malaking bahay na may upper house at lower house. Ang inyong mga sasakyan ay koleksyon ng iba't ibang mga tatak ng mamahaling kotse.(Pwede humingi ng kahit isa?) Ako ay tuwang tuwa nang malaman na meron kayong mamahaling property sa Estados Unidos. Lalo pa akong natuwa ng makita sa instagram at blog ang inyong anak na laging suot ang latest at mamahaling brands at kasama pa ang mga sikat na celebrities. Katumbas yata ang isang party ng anak nyo sa halaga ng isang kidney transplant procedure.

Saksakan po kayo ng bait. Nagpapatira kayo ng pari sa isang property nyo na may upa na P280,000 kada buwan. Idol ko rin po kayo sa katalinuhan dahil kayo ay isa mga talagang nakakaintindi kung paano ang sistema sa pork barrel. Nakakagawa po kayo ng NGO ng galing sa bula at naipapamalas nyo ang galing ninyo sa negosyo dito.

Sa aking mga idolo sa paggawa ng batas at mga politiko. Saludo rin po ako sa inyo.

Sa kabila ng mga paratang ng katiwalian at kung ano pang kalokohan at kahit pa nga "convicted" sa anumang pagkakasala, lagi naman kayong nananalo sa eleksyon at tinatalo ang mga matitinong sumerserbisyo sa bayan. Ako ay manghang mangha din sapagkat alam kong karamihan sa inyo ay napakayaman na, lalo pa kayong yumayaman sa pagpasok nyo sa pwestong inyong kinauupuan. Kaming mga nasa dialysis center ay aliw na aliw pag nakikita ang mga magagara niyong kasuotan tuwing SONA sa gitna ng kahirapan naming kumuha ng pambayad para sa susunod na dialysis.

Kayo po ay huwaran sa pagsunod ng batas. Marami po kayong naturuang mga tao pagdating sa pagtatago sa mga alagad ng batas at sa pagpapaospital pag mahuhuli na. Kayo ay para talaga sa katotohanan - halata naman sa suporta nyo sa FOI bill at sa inyong mga SALN.

At gaya ni ate Janet, ang galing nyo pong humanap ng paraan para makalikom ng milyones para sa sarili galing sa kaban ng bayan. Business-minded. Kupit milyon pag may time. Paburger naman dyan! Kayo na!

Lagi kayong busy, laging may proyekto -- magpapagawa ng daan, masisira, gawa uli, sira uli, gawa uli. Utang na loob namin sa inyo ang mga proyekto nyo na galing sa buwis pero sa inyo nakapangalan na may kasama pang smiling na larawan.

Di lang kayo pampamilya (sa dami ng pamilya na inyong sinusuporta), pang-isports pa. Buo ang suporta nyo kay Pacquiao pag may laban sa labas ng bansa. Mas marami pa ata ang nasa boxing venue kesa nasa session hall ng Kongreso. Tunay na makabayan.

Number 1 rin kayo sa pag-imbestiga ng mga bagay-bagay para mapamalas ang galing sa pagdebate pero ang galing nyong umiwas pagbaboy na ang pinag-uusapan.

Hindi sapat ang sulat na ito para malagay lahat ng mga kahanga hanga niyong mga katangian.

Isa lang masasabi ko sa inyo. Kayo ang bagong bayaning tinitingala namin. Salamat sa inyo idol, ang bawat Pilipino ay punung-puno ng pag-asa.


Ang inyong masugid na tagahanga,

Buboy

Being there

Yesterday, I received a Facebook message from a colleague who just underwent a kidney transplant through Philhealth's Z-package. He said to me that I could already visit him. I was glad to see that message because for one, it meant that my friend is already OK and number two, I always wondered how it is to be a kidney transplant patient a few days post-surgery and here I am with a patient who is already day 4 post-operatively who is apparently doing well.

I went to the hospital and asked from the public assistance desk as to where the transplant unit is located. I eventually reached the unit and knocked at the door. Opening the door was a nurse assigned specifically to the unit. He gave me a mask and slippers to wear. I stayed in the waiting area which served as the sala, kitchen and dining area also. Adjacent to it is the actual room of my friend who was already seated on that room's sofa looking very good already. You would not know from his appearance that he underwent surgery. I said to myself, "So this is where I will stay when I will be lucky to have a kidney transplant!" We talked with me staying in the waiting area.

My friend shared to me his journey toward a transplant which was full of ups and downs, denials, depression and sometimes tears. He said it helped that along the way, he learned that he was not alone and that there are others like me who also have kidney disease which have "adjusted". With the transplant, he realized there are still so many good people and also he took God for granted in the past. And now seeing me, he felt it was his duty now to inspire others, fellow kidney patients to be positive. Without him knowing it, he is actually starting to fulfill his advocacy by talking to me. He is being there for me at that point. He was helping me in a way.

His younger sister is also being there for him. She donated her kidney without my friend asking her to do so. And his siblings were equally supportive of him helping him cope with his condition as well as raise money. According to him, his friends (also including those not expected to help) came out and supported him and he was very grateful.

It really helps patients like me to have someone to talk to who can relate to your condition. Soon we will be forming a support group within our dialysis facility. I already started to make a Facebook group which is open to all Filipino Kidney patients which can act as an online support group. In there, people can exchange experiences not just regarding their illness but also sharing ways to get aid from PCSO and other agencies.

Knowing that people are there for you is like medicine for patients like me. There are many ways to show kidney patients that you are there for them. As simple as a Facebook like is already big enough, what more if it's voluntary donating one's kidney to a one needing it to extend his life. Like many others, I am still in need of a kidney especially that relatives from my mother's side cannot donate because PKD runs in the family. I have B+ blood and as of the moment, CMV negative.

While waiting for a kidney donor, I have been blessed with many supportive friends and relatives. The support has kept me alive and I intend to pass on the support by being there for my fellow kidney patients.