August 8, 2020, Saturday - I didn’t know why, I suddenly had the urged to call up my sister Helen. I asked about her well being. She said she was fine. We talked mostly about our eldest sister Theng, who had Alzheimer and confined in a home. Our communications with Theng were through phone calls now, so Helen and I exchanged notes regarding our eldest sister’s well being and lucidness. Then I happened to mention to Helen about a chinese medicine called Lian hua which had become a crazed item in Manila for treating covid fever. I asked her if she heard about it. Alas, she was clueless. She thought it was for treating stomach trouble. I mentioned to her about a certain Philippine General who took it and the Abalos family as testimony to its efficacy. I also mentioned that I had asked my daughter Martha to inquire on how to get the medicine. Then Helen said, to tell Martha that incase she was buying, to buy some for her too. I got a bit irritated that Helen had not been well informed in social media and was not resourceful. I told her that Martha as of present was still inquiring. That the best person for Helen to approach would be my sister-in-law Diane, the wife of my brother Wilson. That Wilson and Diane were more capable to know where to buy Lian hua since they had more connections and besides they had people to do errands for them too. From this topic of acquisition of Lian hua, thus we ended our telephone conversation. Anyhow, I messaged my daughter Martha that afternoon to include Helen whenever she had the chance to buy the Chinese medicine.
August 9, 2020, Sunday - After attending my online mass at 10:00 to 11:00 AM, my daughter Martha informed me through Messenger that my sister Helen and her children Bernard and Carlo were manifesting flu liked symptoms last Saturday night. “ Hah?! But I just talked to her yesterday and she was okay!“ Because I messaged Martha about buying Lian hua for Helen, she thought I knew it already. Anyway she said that Helen and her sons were able to get Lianhua that same day from my brother Wilson. That they had taken the Chinese medicine and were feeling better. My brother Wilson that same Sunday also texted me about Helen and her family’s condition. It eased my mind though that they were feeling better and had no fever. I attributed it to the taking of the medicine. I believed my guardian angel whispered to me on August 8, to call Helen and informed her about the Lianhua. It was no coincidence that things happened so fast, as she was able to ask my brother Wilson that very same day for the medicine and was delivered to her immediately. Thank you O Lord for helping. Thank you my Guardian Angel for guiding me.
August 11, 2020, Monday - Martha got her order of Lianhua and she sent two more boxes of the medicine to Helen through Grab Delivery. Bernard and Carlo were getting better but we were concern about Helen because she had other health issues. Luckily she was consulting an online doctor through the recommendation of Ben Siy, our cousin-in-law, the husband of my cousin Adele.
August 12, 2020, Tuesday - Helen’s covid test together with Carlo were confirmed positive. Bernard who was also having the same symptoms came out negative. They kept at home. My children advised the boys to monitor their mother’s oxygen level.
Succeeding days.......Although Helen had no fever but she was feeling generally tired. Then she began to have diarrhea. Ever since she got sick, I did not call her anymore because I wanted her to rest. Besides I was such a coward, I did not like to hear from her because I was scared. Instead, I waited for my siblings particularly Wilson to give me updates. I dreaded waiting for news. But I prayed for her fervently. I added one more rosary to my prayers everyday for her healing. I offered mass healing intentions for her and her sons at Queen of Peace Church. I mustered people to pray for her too. I used the social media like Facebook and messenger to ask people to pray for her and her children. I constantly pleaded to the Lord to help her. I searched for a particular saint to help her. I initially called on Pope John Paul II, but as of late I thought of Mother Theresa of Calcutta as more appropriate in her case. I requested my Lady Medriatrix Group of friends to pray for her, my Protestant friends too, most specially Aihua Co. Sadly I didn’t have too many friends, yet everybody seemed willing and sincerely concerned and prayed for her.
August 17, 2020, Monday - I missed a call from my brother Jun at night. I did not return his call. I tend to get hysterical over the phone. I texted him to send me text messages instead, but he didn’t reply. That night I was consigned for something worse. But something inside my head kept on repeating “Trust in the Lord.”, “Trust in the Lord.”. I don’t know but somehow the phrase came out to me like some kind of a music I heard before, something like “cast in wind”. Again, I messaged all my friends, urging them to keep on praying for Helen’s full and safe recovery.
August 18, 2020, Tuesday - I texted Carlo in the morning to inquire about his mom. He replied that his mother was alright, but her oxygen level was fluctuating and the online doctor advised Helen to have her lungs x-rayed. I began praying frantically again, asking the Lord, praying and hoping that nothing was wrong with her lungs. By late afternoon though, I received text message from Jun, that Helen’s x-ray showed she had covid pneumonia. Her doctor advised her to go to the hospital immediately or her condition might worsen. My cousin Adele also sent me the same message. Finally Carlo texted me that his mom would be brought to the hospital by Bernard. She would stay at the er until a room was available. Despite being frantic, I thought she was better off with professional medical assistance. I wrote a letter that night to our Blessed Mother, Our Lady of Lourdes. I placed my healing petitions for Helen in my mini grotto, along side with my earlier letter of petition for my sister Imelda. “Trust in the Lord.”, “Trust in the Lord”, my brain kept repeating whole night through.
August 19, 2020, Wednesday - I waited for news. My brother Wilson appeased us. He was able to talk to Helen from the hospital. Helen was confined in an aircon tent with 6 other covid patients. Accordingly she was feeling better. But never to trust this covid sickness. My family and I continued to pray for her fervently.
Succeeding days.....Helen was transferred to a private room. A 24 hour care giver was provided her. I kept on praying. I was sincerely waiting for Saturday, the feast day of the Queenship of Our Blessed Mother. I believed Our Lady would surely make her well during this her feast day. Our Blessed Mother would intercede for her, Helen being a Marian devotee. I talked to God...consider how Helen had influenced me in cathechism and prayers during my childhood years. That she had been faithfully lighting candles to Our Mother of Perpetual Help during her visitation to the Baclaran Church. She was also instrumental in my pilgrimages to designated churches in Manila during the Year of Mercy. She is a child of our Lady and of our Lord. God have mercy on her.
August 22, 2020, Saturday, the Feast of the Coronation of Our Blessed Mother - I woke up early to attend the Manila Cathedral online mass at 7:30 AM. But somehow due to my frantic nature, I misread an announcement and decided to attend instead a later mass at 9:30 AM at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Retiro Street, Quezon City, with the special occasion of the pontifical coronation of the blessed statue of Our Lady of Lourdes. I realized my misreading too late, I had but to attend the long long online high mass now. I was restless during the mass. But on the other hand, I was thinking that maybe my guardian angel wanted me to participate this event. For I do believe my guardian angel is guiding me. I believe God has mobilized all the angels and saints to help us humans in this time of pandemic. What was two hours of mass participation for the healing intentions of my sister Helen and her family. She had been suffering for two weeks already. With this thoughts in mind, I began to appreciate the special rites of the pontifical coronation. In the afternoon, I received reports that Helen was improving. Her oxygen level was normal and was taken off from the oxygen aiding her. She was now breathing normal room air. Her diarrhea was also improving. Her heart beat was also normal. She had yet to submit to lungs X-ray on Sunday. There was no trusting the covid disease. We earnestly kept on praying for her full recovery.
August 23, 2020, Sunday - Helen’s X-ray showed improvement. According to her, she may be released from the hospital sooner than expected, maybe on Monday. We continued to pray fervently for her full recovery.
August 24, 2020, Monday - I waited the whole day for news. I was so anxious. I was an emotional wreck. I dare not inquire from anybody else though. Around 4:30 in the afternoon, I texted Jeannette about some trifle matter. She pm me that Helen was already at home. O Thank God!!! Praise and bless the Lord!!! Prayers are indeed powerful! But Helen was still generally feeling weak and tired. The whole family had to still be quarantined for another 21 days. O Lord, thank you, but please bring her to full and complete recovery!
Today is August 27, 2020, Thursday....Last night my husband and I and our household continued our weekly Wednesday night participation of the healing rosary, live streamed through Manila Cathedral. Wednesday is the devotional day to Our Mother of Perpetual Help. I believe our Blessed Mother is helping Helen. With this confidence, I gathered courage this morning to inquire about her condition from her sons. I texted them. And this was the answer of her son Bernard..... “She is good. Looking better and also eating more. Carlo and me are also doing good. Ok. Thank you!“
O Lord, thank you. I will never stop loving you. Your love is our protecting shield. Thank you. Amen.
Prayers are all powerful!!! I do believe in miracles!!! Thank you everybody for praying for my sister Helen. Thank you God!!!
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