Cranial Surgery: Success! It was double the awesomeness.

“Lord, please continue doing amazing things in my life. I don’t think I need to tell YOU to make my surgery a success because it will be successful like always, thanks to You!”

I’ve been telling those words to God everyday until I was waiting in the surgery suite, waiting to be transferred in the operating room.

Looks can be deceiving. It's not as painful as it looks

June 17, 2016, 7 am. After a couple of minutes waiting in the surgery suite, I was brought to operating room number 10. This is it! When I already felt like I was about to doze off from being sedated, the last thing in my mind was, “Lord, Ikaw na po ang bahala ha.” (Lord, it’s all up to You)

Before entering the Surgery Suite

And then I woke up. I was in the surgery suite again. The operation was done and I already knew that it was a success. It felt like I had a really good, deep and long sleep. I was asleep for almost 10 hours, that’s why. The surgery took that long huh? It was not only a tumor excision, reconstructive surgery and tarsorrhaphy were also done. Titanium mesh was placed and my right eye lids were partially and temporarily stitched together in order to protect it.

While I was looking at the exit sign in the waiting room (surgery suite) before the operation, I told myself, “Later, after this operation, I will have a clearer vision and that signage will not be too bright and cloudy anymore.” And I was right, the exit sign was clearer!

When they wheeled me out from the surgery suite, I thought I’ll be brought to the ICU and I was so surprised when they wheeled me back to my room instead. I was feeling very fine. It really felt like I just slept in the operating room. No ICU stay? Wow! This is the first.

Nothing was painful. My head was not feeling heavy. I didn’t feel any discomfort. I was as talkative as always. After a few hours or minutes, I asked my mom to give me my mobile phone so that I can see how I look like and then I clicked the camera and took a selfie before sleeping.

Hours after the operation. I was very much okay. I took that selfie by myself. :)

It was a sleeping galore. I didn’t felt like I got weaker, I kept on sleeping so that I won’t think of eating coz it’s NPO (Nil Per Os - nothing by mouth) for me. Haha. My red blood cells were low so I had blood transfusion while I was doing my sleeping escapade.

The following day, I was already on a liquid diet (YES!!!!), soft diet the next day and 3 days after the surgery, I was already back on a regular diet!

With my neurosurgeon, Dr. Willy Lopez

My taste buds, chewing & swallowing didn’t change. I already had a lot of major surgeries and it usually happens but not this time. I had numerous mouth ulcers and even sore throat after a major surgery and I’m so used to it but it didn’t occur this time. I didn’t get a bit weaker. Nothing changed.

Selfie!!!!

The only thing that needs to recover are the scars on my head. So I told myself that when the staple wires on my head are removed, it means I have fully recovered. But I never expected it to happen this fast. 1 week and 4 days after my operation, we went to my neurosurgeon’s clinic for a check-up. We thought that he’ll only remove the stitches on my eyelids, but he removed all the staple wires on my head as well. Wow. It’s already healed. Speedy recovery it is!

Dressing of the wound at home. I was discharged from the hospital 5 days after the operation

My surgery last April 11, 2016 was so amazing and I never thought that greater things are going to happen. Amazing! Amazing! Amazing! Because God is in control, amazing things keeps happening in my life and it gets more and more amazing!

Please don’t idolized me, I am not the one who is doing all these amazing things in my life. Believe me God is really taking over my life. I am not in control, I am God’s instrument. I am letting Him use me. This is all His doing, I don’t want to take all the credit for it.

I am strong because God is the strongest.

I am brave because God is at my back, in front of me, my left-side and right-side, above and below. He is all over me, protecting me.

I always feel so good because God is so great. He is the greatest!

I am able to face these challenges because I am not doing it alone. I am surrounded with awesome people and of course, an awesome God.

I am always ready because God already prepared me before I was born.

I am a fighter because God is with me in all of my battles.

I am a cheerful person because God is always making me happy!

Amazing things are happening in my life because an amazing God is doing it.

"How do you combat all the challenges in your life?This is a question that I often encounter. I always say that my biggest weapon is my faith in God and faith in myself.I have realized though that my faith in people is also important, especially those who are part of my life……”(Excerpt from Being Ready (April 11, 2011)

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for paying with me. Thank you for all your love and support. Thank you for helping me. Thank you for letting God use you and become His instrument to help me. Thank you for being one of my blessings. Thank you mother, father, sister & brother. Thank you Dr. Willy Lopez and the medical team. THANK YOU!!!

“God also knows that we need people to help us and to guide us. He sends mortals from different walks of life to help us in many ways and means. He is so able to show His power and might in doing His part.”

From now on, I will go back to focusing on improving my health and I am claiming that a big improvement will happen to me before the year ends.

When I become better, God can make use of me more!

Fight! Fight! Fight!

Neurofibromatosis is a continuing battle not knowing when another tumor will show up and cause me harm but I am not backing out. I will keep on fighting! God is bigger and stronger than NF!