THE FATHER - Love, Hope & Faith

"I have fought a good fight,I have finished the race, I have kept the FAITH"....

Today September 4, 2012 marks the 15th anniversary of the death of Tatay Monet.

A story that happened last 1994-1997, I was only 9yrs old when it all started.

May 1994 - Tatay was diagnosed with kidney failure, Nanay monitored his creatinine level and managed to drop it from 15 to 3 which is good and Tatay thought he was doin fine that time and started drinking beer again and eat BBQ / 'INASAL'. After a month he was diagnosed with chronic kidney failure and needs to undergo dialysis twice a week and sometimes 3 times a week in order to survive.

I was only 9 yrs old during that time and I had no idea that he was in a very critical condition. His medicine dosage are insane. I can feel the tube vibrating inside his wrist. I usually accompanied Tatay in the hospital for his dialysis coz Nanay needs to manage our small bakery. I can still remember after his dialysis we sometimes visit Lopues Mandalagan to get new stuff like school bag with wheels.
On a side note our Nanay works like a machine, non-stop! She was 'Jack of all trades' & Tatay's #1 most reliable special nurse.


We're in & out of the hospital and I can say it was our second home. The longest time he was confined was 30 days and my little sister was also absent in school for 30 days 'coz she doesn't want to leave Tatay. There were times na dun nkmi nangagaling papuntang school.

Tatay was very 'SUKI' of blood transfusion. Thanks to my Tito's & family friends who donated their bloods and very special thank you to Tito Boy Gonzales & Tito Johnny who donated most of the blood like every month.

WE DID NOT LOSE HOPE... we even asked help from famous 'Sorhano's' in Negros & Ilo-ilo and attended Fr. Legaspi's Miracle healing in Manila & Tagaytay.

June 1996 - Tatay was physically, mentally, emotionally & spiritually fit for Kidney transplant. But sad to say his kidney donor who is his sister backed out last minute. (Kinabahan po ksi bigla and she was too young during that time.) Tatay was very depressed but Nanay assured him that transplant will happen anytime soon and this time she will be the donor but first she needs to undergo series of medical checkups.

Due to over-thinking of so many things like san kukuha ng pera yung Nanay nmn pambyad sa dialysis ng Tatay, pambili ng npakadaming gamot, hospital bills, panu ung pagAaral nmn at etc. Tatay suffered from depression a common mental disorder. He can't anymore recognized his own mom & dad, his siblings, his relatives, his friends & his doctors. He was once asked if sino ung mom nya sagot nya c Toyang who lives across the street from our house. Lola Maret(+) was teary eyed the moment she heard it. But when you asked Tatay kung sino asawa nya at mga anak nya, ang bilis nyang sumagot 'Asawa ko si Nora, anak ko si April, Nene, Tata, Avon'. (crying while sharing this part) After a month and series of Psychiatric test bumalik sa ayos ang lahat. Nanay was advised to talk to Tatay and assured him that everything is alright and he should not worry.

December 30, 1996 The power of FAITH- (I can still clearly remember what happened during that day.)Early morning Tatay told Nanay that he was not feeling well, and that day he was scheduled for dialysis. Pumipitik na yung katawan ni Tatay na prang mastostroke. Nanay decided to leave our house earlier than usual. Its an hour & 30 minutes drive going to LN Mission Hospital (The only hospital in Bacolod before who had the Dialysis facility). We took a public utility jeep coz ung sasakyan nmn need pang mag deliver ng tinapay para may pambayad kami sa dialysis. On our way to the hospital bigla nlng inatake si Tatay... dali-dali bumaba yung mga pasahero except lng dun sa isa na hindi nmn kilala. Nakita ko na bumubula na yung bibig ng Tatay namin and Nanay gave him first aid assistance, nilagyan sya ng nanay ng kutsara sa bibig. Nsa tabi ako ng Tatay namin and I was holding his hands while praying. Sabi ko 'Lord please help Tatay wag nyu po syang kunin sa amin please po maawa na po kayo paano nakmi Lord please wag po wag'. While I was praying I noticed the man na hindi sumama sa pagbaba was seating in front of us, wearing sunglasses na may mahabang balbas and his hands nasa ulo ng Tatay namin and I can see a light coming from his hand (weird.. ayt? pero yun yung nkita ko). The PUJ driver rushed us to the nearest hospital, the moment my father was transferred to the emergency bed his eyes suddenly opens and it seems nothing happened, and to our surprised he asked us 'WHAT HAPPENED??'. The man who was seating in front of us never bumababa ng sasakyan and sumama na sya sa jeep umalis.
At Sanitarium hospital they cleaned Tatay's tongue, sumikip toh sa mouth nya and the Doctor told us very lucky daw Tatay namin kasi nbuhay pa sya at hindi naputol ang dila nya. Grabe daw yung kagat nya sa dila nya ksi lumalaban sya kaya ganun nlng ung pamamaga nito. And 'coz of what happened npabalita na sa lugar namin na patay na yung Tatay nmn at kung makakaABot man daw sa hospital magiging lantang gulay na daw. It was past 7 o'clock in the evening when we transferred Tatay Monet from Sanitarium Hospital to LN Mission. 9 o'clock and ready na sya for dialysis. After the dialysis dinala na sya sa private room nya and I was there waiting. Pumasok yung mga nurse nilinis ulit dila nya at nkita ko talga na nagsusuffer sya. He can't even close his mouth. Dra. Malata kidney specialist and his Doctor from the very beginning arrived and told Nanay what happened earlier was a miracle and sa hospital daw muna kami magSpend ng New Year 'coz they will monitor him 24/7. Past 11 na ng gabi before I sleep lumapit ako sa Tatay ko to kiss him goodnight. And before I close my eyes I told Nanay... 'Nay, gisingin moh ako ng 3am imponto at yung dalawang kamay ko na toh di toh magseseparate sa isa't isa kong hindi pa magaling yung dila ni Tatay'.

December 31, 1996 @ 3AM ginising ako ng Nanay ko and yung kamay ko nkaseparate na sa isa't isa and the first thing na ginawa ko ginising ko si Tatay at sinabi ko sa kanya 'Tay, nga-nga.. ahhh....' at when Tatay opened his mouth ngulat ako ok na yung dila nya na parang walng ngyri ni sugat wala na as in sobrang malinis. Dumating si Dra. Malata kinaumagahan at she checked Tatay's condition & medical records and right after that she told us that we can spend our NEW YEAR sa bahay namin.. YEYYY!! Good News!! HAPPY NEW YEAR INDEED!

1997 - First quarter of 1997 Nanay undergo series of medical checkup if her kidney is compatible with Tatay's kidney. And you know what the Doctor said? Tatay & Nanay's kidney were both of the same size and very compatible with each other.

Tatay's kidney transplant operation was scheduled on December 1997. BOOKED, SEALED & CONFIRMED.

Mid of August 1997 inatake nmn ulit si Tatay. He was confined in the hospital and this time my respirator na... di nkmi msyadong pinapapunta sa hospital nung time na yun. Last week of August 1997 when the Doctor asked the whole family if we still want the respirator or just decide and sign the consent to remove the respirator on him. The family decided to removed it.

September 4, 1997 around 7 or 8pm... 3months before his scheduled Kidney Transplant Operation- Tatay Monet finally joined our creator just 15minutes right after Avon my youngest sister gave Tatay a ByeBye I'm going home kiss (Tradition na ksi nmn na pagAAlis at pagDumating ng bahay dapat Kiss agad sa kay Nanay at Tatay) .


Tatay Monet as a father behind his illness..

Tatay's illness was never been an issue to us. He never failed to let us feel how much he loved us. Nkakapagdeliver pa nga sya nga ng tinapay sa mga suki nmn at nkakapagsabong pa. Tatay is also very famous sa lugar nmn sa sabong.. Judge sya ng mga manok (hehe) His ulitamate favorite hobby. Tandang Tanda ko pa nag pa 3 Cock Derby pa sya at sya yung promoter at tawag nya sa derby nya

'KAMANDAG NI BOK'

...Bok short for Boktot in Ilonggo or Kuba in Tagalog. Si Boktot ung tgapangalaga ng mga manok nya. After his successful 3 Cock Derby d next day sbi nya smn, bihis na kayo at bibili na tayo ng TV, wala ksi kmi TV at nagpromise sya na pagkumita yung Derby nya ibibili nya daw kami ng TV. He never failed to bring us Inasal na Manok na may itlog favorite ksi nmn yun. Pagdating nya ng bahay gigisingin nya kmi para kumain. Ilan lng yan sa npakaraming masasayang araw nmn with Tatay Monet.

Tatay Monet I know you're always there and WE know your LOVE for us is unconditional. We MISS you so much! Alam ko super proud ka at happy sa 'min.


Psalm 23:4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil,