My baby pic. My mom said I was a healthy baby, she had no any idea that I had a congenital defect...

When I was 10 years old, I got sick. I was diagnosed to have a branchial cyst (a congenital defect) 10 years after I was born.  My mom of course was surprised.

I had my first surgery when I was 11 years old.  It was not successful.  So the lymph nodes located on the right side of my neck kept coming back.

The growth of the cyst would start to appear after one month from its eruption.  It would grow slowly and gradually for a period of 2 or 3 months until it would reach its peak and become swollen.  The inflammatory process would occur for 4 to 5 days, sometimes to 10 days.  During this time I would feel tremendous pain and I would just stay home and my activities would become limited.  I would know also when it was time for it to erupt because the movable fistula would be soft and tender to touch and the excruciating pain brought from it, would start to vanish. Then it would recur back and start to accumulate pus, then it would erupt and grow back again and so on and all over again…  I never stopped coming to school though even from my grades school, to  high school , up to my college years.  So that during those times that I would get sick I would normally miss my classes, quizzes and exams.  I was lucky that I got good grades on all of my academic subjects and my professors would always allow me to take special exams.

I developed insecurity too during my high school days because of the scar on my neck from surgery.  But when I was 15 years old, I regained back my confidence because my dad introduced me to Yoga.  He gave me a Yoga book which I studied and followed religiously.  And when I entered College. I was even more happy that I won the title “Miss Orientation”.  It was a beauty and brain contest for all Freshmen Students.  And not only that on our Sports Fest that school year I became the representative for all Freshmen students to compete with the higher levels – the second year students, the third year students to 4th year students to win the title for the Miss University.  And guess what?  I won the Title.  I felt really blessed in spite of being a sick girl as me to have won those Titles.  The Secret Book was not discovered yet but the attitude that I learned from the Yoga Book that my dad gave me was of great help in gaining back my confidence to always think of JOY, PEACE, SMILE, LOVE.  Plus spirituality- the Faith that I always have with God.

Finally, I underwent my second and last surgery when I reached the age of 21. We found a EENT Specialist who correctly identified and diagnosed my illness.  He suggested another surgery which was a success.

I thank God that mine was not malignant. But imagine to have a chronic disease for about ten years of your life?  It was of course, difficult years of my life but with all of the love and care of my mom,( who already passed away last January 2002), and my dad,who at the age of 78 years still strong and healthy, I was able to cope with it.  Big plus of course, my gratefulness to my Father Above for His unending love and strength He provided me, then and up to this very moment and to more joyful days to come.

I wrote the following poems when I was 12 to 14 years old.  I am happy to share them with you.

GOD

Every time I feel gloomy
I come to your side
To seek for your comfort
You’re the only one
Who can understand me
And you’re always there
To help me

You are my best friend
As well as my Father in Heaven
Telling all the bad things I’ve done
And asking for your forgiveness
Trying to be a good girl of yours
Because I know you’re going to get
Me someday to live with you forever

And

When I feel happy as I always do
Still I am there with you, sharing
All my gladness and joys and I feel
That you’re happy too
Maybe I’ll never feel happy
As I am now
If you would forsake me…

But I know and I believe
That you would not
Because you love me so much
More than I know
And I am going to live
With you forever…

FROM HERE TO THERE

From here, I can feel you
That magic touch of your hands
Gently rested with mine
To assure I am with you

From here, I can hear you
That voice commanding me
To tell everyone to love you
To make them all brand new

From here, I can tell you
That I want you to be mine
To serve you with all my heart
Willing to live with you

And so I will be here
Just to wait for you to come
For you’ll bring me to your home
And we’ll both be happy there.

HE LOVES ME

I can feel his presence
That He’s in me
And I can tell with sense
He really do love me

He used to guide my way
He would want me
To be good everyday
Because He loves me…

WITH HIM I’LL ABIDE

In my bed, here I lain
Cannot stand the pain
For seven I’m in vain
Wanting to stop the rain

But

I trust almighty God
He’ll never make me sad
He’s always in my side
And with HIm I’ll abide…

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Happy Thanksgiving Day To Everyone!!!