June 29, 2018 (Friday)

I haven’t slept well last night. I woke up 00:44 am JST and went to the toilet. I have to use my last pill. But I woke up again around 3:22 am JST. And from there I was awake. SO!!!!! I decide to go to family mart! Yey! Break the fasting before breakfast.

I ate pancake with maple syrup and hot milk tea! Of course with my nurse’s permission. I have the hotcake micro waved for me, it was hot and soft! Parang Jolibee!!! Back at my bed at 6:30 am JST.

It was a cloudy and rainy day. By the way this is the view from my window. Though the weather might be not nice, I feel nice today, no pain or anything. Starting the day right. I have to gargle the 2 types of gargle medicines. 1 for anti bacterial and 1 for fever blisters.

Breakfast time with Mrs. Higuchi. For breakfast, steamed cauliflower and carrots, 2 pieces of bread, margarine and strawberry jam, apple juice, banana and tea. But since I already ate, I only ate the vegetables, margarine and bread. The rest is for later.

This is my cute doctor, Yamaguchi Sensei (山口先生). Every day she makes rounds except Sundays.

My stats are doing good. I took 3 capsules of Cellcept  and anti bacterial medicine. Today is Friday, another medicine for protection against viruses added for today.

10:00 am JST, I got my shots Steriod Pulse 20mg, medicine for the intestines and took Furosemide 20mg. Nagatsuji Sensei made his rounds, took blood samples and he cleaned my neck for me. In fairness, he did well with the gauze today, compared to yesterday. Another blood test for today. Something is fishy, hhhhmmm… they are looking into something, I will know the results later. I took my bath at 11:00 am JST. I think I have the change the time. It seems that things get blurry after the shots. Hhhmmm, let’s change the time.

I have the difficulty of getting my stuff from my apartment because I have to ask my boss, Mr. Matsumoto or, my Indian friend/office mate, Pretty, to do it for me. It’s a little something too much to ask, considering that they are busy and taking their rest during their days off. But it’s a good thing that, it is so convenient here in Japan, on line shopping and next day delivery. Today, this was delivered!

Lunch time with my 2 roommates: Mrs. Morimoto, 87y/o and Mrs. Higuchi, 63 y/o. For lunch is white fish, steamed broccoli, 100 grams rice, string beans and carrots salad and tea. It was delicious and I ate it all.

2:00 pm JST shot: Steroid Pulse 20mg and took Furosemide 20mg.

Office time, actually this is the canteen where we eat, I stay here often after the shots, doing something over the laptop. I can’t tend to stay in my bed for a long time. It seems to sad and sickly.  And the sound of the keyboards will bother the others in the room. 

I ate the banana from breakfast as a snack.

Ms. Morimoto, the manager of the ward, talked to me today. Because the last time we talked, I asked her if there is a Lupus society inside the hospital. And the answer came. There is no in-house society, but the social workers said that there are immune system disease societies outside the hospital. But it seems that it will take some time for me to be able to join these. But it was a good news.

Today’s dinner was a little sad because I was alone. Mrs. Higuchi had a treatment all of a sudden and Mrs. Morimoto doesn’t want to eat out of her bed. Dinner: 100g rice, steamed tofu and carrots, steamed pork stripes  (Yes! it’s been a while), Chinese cabbage and carrot salad, jelly juice apple flavor, and tea.

As expected, Nagatsuji Sensei came with the results of the blood test. He said that my potassium level has gone low and he have to give another additional supplement, and there it is the big white one, Slow-K 600mg, and 3 capsules of Cellcept.

And he, braked it to me gently (singing!), Nagatsuji Sensei, told me the news! The schedule of the next month’s blood transfusion. This time, I will be having it Tuesdays and Thursdays. July 3, 5 ,10 and 12. This time he said that I will not eat lunch and will shoot anti vomit, anti pain, anti rashes before each session. But I asked for the omission of breakfast. He said that I will get dextrose instead. I will be wiser!!! 

As expected, they all want the fastest way to treat me that’s why they scheduled me urgently. I might also undergo bone density check, because the treatment might affect my bones.  

Though Nagatsuji Sensei had to break the news about the treatment, I had him laughing while we were conversing. He asked me why do I know about Potassium (k), and I said it is because it is very normal in the Philippines for the subject of chemistry to be studied! Right? He was so amused! He said that, it is normal for doctors like him to study that, but he didn’t expect me to know about that because he knows that I’m an accountant. I said, I  studied in a science high school and he was surprised, I am really a 頭がいい人 (atama ga ii), hhhmmm, bright person. (well classmates! Let’s go!!).  So we said good night.

I returned to my room, brushed my teeth and gargled. I changed into pyjamas, closed my eyes and prayed in silence.

But I can’t sleep  I have to take my anti irritation pills at 10:30 pm JST. Hoping for a good night sleep.

Japan, HOW?

I started working October 2009 for a with-in the city, but the Philippine’s largest shoe brand. I started as a rank and file employee in the General Accounting Division for 29 months. Then, I got promoted to an Accounting Officer, posted for 19 months. And promoted again to Accounting Supervisor, worked for 7 months more and resigned for personal reasons. (Of course!  you know what is the reason ).

2013, I am starting to regain my interest in studying the Japanese Language. So I enrolled myself in 1 on 1 tutorial on line class at UNMEI NIHONGO CENTER, Philippines. After I passed the Japanese Language Proficiency Test Level 4 and trained, I was lucky that the president, and one of my good friends who always support me, of UNMEI, hired me as a Part Time Japanese Language Instructor, for Saturdays and online sessions. Teaching the language made me more interested in it. Together with the person who really loves teaching, I have a really good experience learning and rendering services there. I made good and lasting friendship.

I worked part time at UNMEI while working full time for a subsidiary of a Japanese IT company here in the Philippines, as an Assistant Manager for the Accounting and Treasury Department. Where in the top officials are Japanese Nationals, so I can practice my little Japanese skills. I worked there for 18 months.

 I got my Japanese Language Proficiency Test level 3 last December 2014. I got the news that a partner school of UNMEI, wants to give me a little sponsorship and this led me to decide, to study the Japanese Language in Japan. So, I saved up and the rest loaned to my parents and my cousin J. I was really lucky my cousin sponsored my papers so I can study in Japan. (Because both of my parents are already retired, we don’t have documents for sponsorship).

I got my student’s visa, for my study at a partner school of UNMEI in Gifu City in Japan. Students are allowed to work part time, up to 28 hours a week. I worked part time for a Karaoke chain for 6 months. It was always midnight, so sadly I gave up. The rest I worked part time, at a convenience store. It was a really good practice for my speaking skills because I got the opportunity to talk to people and serving them. I got my Japanese Language Proficiency Test level 2 last July 2016. I fairly traveled well and been into some places in Yokohama, Chiba, Tokyo, Yamanashi, Shizuoka, Nagoya, Kyoto, and Osaka. I had my adventures there for 1 year and a half.

 I think my personality greatly changed. Now, I like a work that interacts with people than desk job. I learnt how to like to communicate with people, listening to them and taking time with them.

Learning the language and culture of Japan on site was really a good experience. By communicating with very polite and friendly people, I gained a lot of friends and experiences. I have seen another dimension of the world; it opened my mind and soul.

Self Introduction

I was a healthy normal person.

I was born in the May of 1988. Raised by my mother and father. My father was a 2^nd mate officer seaman (now retired). My mother was a licensed Midwife and focused on being a housewife when she got married. I lived a normal childhood life, playing with friends outside, sporty and boyish in Marikina City, Philippines.

I studied in a private school from pre-school to 6th grade of elementary graduated Salutatorian. 

Then, 4 years of high school in the city science high school making it to the 86th top 100 students (not much, though graduating from 180 students is not bad).

For college, I got a scholarship from an all girl’s school for B.S. Accountancy course. I studied in that school for a year. Ending up with only 4 students after the year was though (originally from 16 students). I transferred to a better school for accounting but losing my scholarship as payback. I graduated accountancy course in October 2008. With the last 3 semesters as Dean’s Lister. I took the Accounting Board Exams May 2009 and passed it luckily with one take.

June 28, 2018 (Thursday)

June 28, 2018

Today is the day after the last session of the blood transfusion.

Yesterday was though, the kickback was rough, but I’m feeling a little better right now.

It’s just that I feel pain in my abdomen, hhhmmm stomach. My tummy aches!!!! But I can bear it. I can bear it without pain killer, I think?!

Today’s breakfast: 2 pieces bread with margarine and marmalade, potato gratin, Chinese cabbage & carrots with a little dressing, tea and orange juice. 

I didn’t finished it all because my tummy aches, I did eventually used pain killer for me to eat. I really wanted to eat. All my doctors visited me for the day. They are worried about my tummy pain.

I took 3 capsules of Cellcept  and anti bacterial medicine.

My doctor, Nagatsuji Sensei (長辻先生), He’s so cool right?!!!! ( >.<)   took my blood sample from my neck to see the result of the result of the 1^st leg of the blood transfusion. It was so many!!! Some of the test needs to be done outside of the hospital, so it will take 1 week. I have to continue my 24 hour urine test. I need to put all my urine together for the whole day.

I got my medicines injected. Steriod Pulse 20mg and medicine for the intestines. Furosemide 20mg for ease in peeing. By the way, this needle was pierced yesterday as of date. Usually this should be usable for a week. But if the veins burst or any signs of pain, it will be relocated. I hope this vain will last for a week.

I choose to stay in the ward, my room (a room with 4 people). Resting waiting for my bath time 11:00am JST. All the patients have to share the bath. We have to put what time do we enter (in 30 minutes intervals). I always choose 11:00am JST for me to finish at 11:30am JST then do the rest and 12:00 noon is LUNCH TIME!!!

But after my bath I was called for the CT scan of my tummy to see if there is something wrong because it keeps on aching.

  

And after that I went to the in-hospital Family Mart (convenience store), to buy my favorite wanton soup. Let’s cheat for a moment. In the hospital menu, the is no soup.

I forgot to take a picture of my lunch. But it was 100g  rice, fried chicken, boiled pechay, macaroni salad and tea. I ate all the chicken and half of the rest. Of course I ate soup already. For 45 minutes I eat and rested at the same time. My stomach was still aching but I felt good because I ate real food. Not eating for 5 days is not a joke.

 2:00pm JST, it blood sugar count testing time. It was fine 96. Shots, Steriod Pulse 20mg and took Furosemide 20mg for ease in peeing.

I decided to eat ice cream! Now I got the permission from the nurse. Meiji Vanilla Ice cream while talking to my sister, Arc Lou, at the 5^th floor garden #2.

I spent the rest of the day doing the first blog, learning how to. Talking with my family.

I had dinner with my room mate Mrs. Higuchi (Her kidney was taken away 15 years ago because of cancer, and she was admitted again because the cancer might be recurring and may affect her lungs. She had water from her lungs also taken in this admission.)

While dinner, my doctor, Nagatsuji Sensei (長辻先生), discussed to me some of the results of the blood test. The blood transfusion works well. The stats are good except that RBC red blood cell count fell. Maybe because of my menstrual period or the other day that I vomited blood after the blood transfusion and received my intestinal clip.

It’s prayers time. By the way I’m Roman Catholic.

My nurse for tonight, isn’t she cute?! Maybe I have to find a match for her.

The hardest part of the day has yet to come. Sleeping. It seems that my body is being taxed by the steroids; I have difficulty of falling asleep. I have to take my pain killers via dextrose for me to get some sleep and my 1^st sleeping pill at 8:30pm JST, the 2^nd at 9:30pm JST.

Good night, hoping to have a good sleep.

I'm Lacey

Everything happens at the right time in the right place with the right people.

I’m Lacey, and I want to share with you my stories with fighting Systemic lupus erythematosus  (SLE), Lupus Nephritis.

Being sick and alone in another country is a big deal. How you will say to your family what has become of you, your daily state for them not to worry.