My Body Declares War on Me

Warning: graphic pics of how my body rebelled

Apparently, 2007 is the year my body has declared war over my mind and spirit. The body is winning.
Warning don't proceed if you don't like disgusting pictures of my leg, such as the ones I've posted before.
Also, this blog won't be long because i'm suffering right now just typing this.

January 31
I pass the damn kidney stone during my prep period at work.
This was a relief because it was a crazy week as I tried to juggle coaching, talent show rehearsals, and teaching.
I literally was making the track throwers do drills on the grass in front of the theater, while discussing with my treasurer how to check the errors in the pepsi bill.
I come home this night and the refrigerator is broken (still isn't fixed)

Feb 2
Ahhh Talent Show... another story in and of itself
more fighting with parents who couldn't get in because of the sellout

Feb. 3
Recovery
yet my groin was hurting... i thought it was just sore from track drills

Feb. 4
a huge bump grows on my leg... painful but tolerable

Feb. 5
go to work
way too much pain... it intensifies the more I stand
i call for an appointment to Kaiser during 1st period

the doctor takes one looks
sees the redness
and tells me that he is going to admit me into the hospital
i just thought i was going to get some pain relief for the infection
nope... i'm there until Feb. 8

maybe there'll be more details later
but here's what happened
a vein in my leg burst
it happens to be directly in the same spot in the leg where i was hit by a softball in the playoff game last year
the pain in my groin was actually a lymph node warning me that the area was also now infected
while at the hospital, I am also diagnosed as having Type II diabetes

here's what my leg looked like when i got home.... so this is after 4 days


i couldn't even have a blanket covering the area for it was so sensitive

this is on satuday. you can see the pus building because the white blood cells are fighting the damn infection



oh, yeah, this whole time i can't walk
i can't really do anything for myself and that sucks how much you take certain things in life for granted

here's sunday

the darker red area in the center kind of to the right and above the gleam is blood pooling
it later looked like a huge sac
it becomes so saturated under my skin that it starts to force its way out through follicles

my mother drains it and it fills up again in about 2 hours

it was probably a teacup full of blood
it was drained four times
i'm thankful it's exiting that way and not clotting underneath the skin

doctors told me not to go into work all this week... during rent-a-senior

so my body took the initiative and gave me some time off
more details when i have less pain

just a stones throw away

last wednesday, for some odd and fortunate reason, my brother happened to be over the house with his friend Keith. He noticed I was moving odd even for me. Some aching, throbbing pain was searing into my right kidney. After a valiant hour of attempting to ignore it and continuing my stupidity, Lance drove me to the emergency room.

It's never a good thing when you're the patient in the waiting room who makes all the other patients waiting uncomfortable. I was writhing in pain in my seat somehow holding the screams at bay. Thankfully, the wait did not add to the torture because I was called in after 5 minutes. I was given the last hospital bed for the moment is stall 22 (i interpret that to be a lucky sign). The luck continued when the nurse find my vein immediately, for it usually takes a few tries. Even better, the IV went in along with some morphine and some other drug to reduce the swelling in my kidneys. I was a classic kidney stone case. A couple hours later I was finally drugged enough to go home, but I did get my first ever CT scan (not as claustrophobic as I expected).

unfortunately, I missed school on thursday and there was no substitute available for me, but I did go in briefly to leave lesson plans. Three co-workers who have experienced the joys of giving birth and passing the stone all said that the stone was more painful. This does nothing to assuage my fears, especially because the stone seems to be moving so slow. The stone is near the bottom of my kidney and its been 5 days. It could take another week or so to pass and that's when the real pain comes.

Yet, Friday was another difficult day. I attended the funeral of Grandma Junio. She lived a good life. She was always funny and lived to be 97 years old. It was the first time I ever attended a funeral at Golden Gate National Cemetery, the one near Tanforan. It was kind of surreal seeing gravestone with people born in the late 1800s and the mall in the background and planes flying overhead.

The night should have been better because Lance was having a birthday party at Suite 181. And I love going out to dance. Alas, I remained laid up in bed nursing my kidney stone.

And woke up still in too much pain to attend the much anticipated fanfest at the ballpark. There were 20,000 people there and I was not one of them. I called Lance to see if he was going and I learn that after the party on his way home about 10 minutes away from his freeway exit... a car slammed into the back of him. First off, he remains in good spirits and did not have to go to the emergency room. He is supposed to get himself checked out medically tomorrow. But can you believe... a Lance and this other car were the only ones on the freeway at 3am. He was driving the usual speed and another car literally rear-ends him at full speed. Good thing my brother wasn't at a stop or forced into hitting anything. Then the car that hit him slows briefly and then runs for it. Those BASTARDS! But Lance did get a license plate...

so 2007 is off to a strange start...
hopefully when i see you all again, i won't be pissing through a strainer anymore waiting to give birth to a 3mm stone...

American Express Ad -- my version

American Express Ad

Well, one of my friends filled this out and told me to do the same... i'm doing this because he bets I won't do it because I never respond to emails... Ha! I'm posting my results...
Please feel free to comment on my list or your own responses

From the American Express Advertisement in Entertainment Magazine:

Point of view #1-the public mask

1. My name - Derek

2. Childhood ambition - Travel to Mars

3. Fondest memory - Sitting at the beach in Marina by myself

4. Soundtrack - My life soundtrack or from an actual film, hmmmm... So I Married An Axe Murderer; "Home Sweet Home" and "Here I Go Again"

5. Retreat - Fort Funston when there aren't too many people around

6. Wildest dream - the Nobel Prize for Literature... no, wait, that's still possible... winning an Olympic gold medal in the discus

7. Proudest moment - waking up everyday

8. Biggest challenge - waking up everyday; seriously, taking care of myself

9. Alarm clock - is set too soon... except now it's off for winter break

10. Perfect day - knowing my purpose in life

11. First job - scooping ice cream at Baskin Robbins

12. Indulgence - time

13. Last purchase - the DVD collection of Six Feet Under for 50% off

14. Favorite movie - Hard Boiled; Eternal Sunshine...; Star Wars; The Saddest Music in the World;

15. Inspiration - "The Touch" Transformers Sdtk; Maggie Gyllenhaal; Barbara Mori; Ennio Morricone

16. My life - has too much static cling and requires a tune up

17. My card - Is rejected

point of view #2- personal mask

From the American Express Advertisement in Entertainment Magazine:

1. My name - Psychoverse

2. Childhood ambition - become a Greek or Norse god

3. Fondest memory - first kiss

4. Soundtrack - "Speed of the Sound of Loneliness" Nanci Griffith

5. Retreat - escaping to Marina... if I can't get there quickly... section 138

6. Wildest dream - "to need" and find love

7. Proudest moment - admitting it was over

8. Biggest challenge - overcoming myself

9. Alarm clock - are the devil's instruments

10. Perfect day - wake up next to her at no specified time, sit at my desk and churn out the poem of the day, get together with friends over dinner to share anecdotes, and cuddle back up in her arms

11. First job - in a previous life my mother believes i was a priest and thought i would become one again in this life... apparently, teaching is close enough

12. Indulgence - a tub of strawberry cheesecake ice cream on a foggy night at the beach and everyone dipping in

13. Last purchase - paid for with my soul

14. Favorite movie - Cinema Paradiso, In the Mood for Love, Somewhere in Time; Love Me If You Dare

15. Inspiration - the themes of #14

16. My life - is semi-fulfilled, well more like a quarter-fulfilled

17. My card - Is empty and on the run

point of view #3-the teacher mask

1. My name - "P"

2. Childhood ambition - be an astronaut; but now that has kinda evolved into that moment in Contact when Jodie Foster sees the universe and says that they should have sent a poet because that's the only who could describe what she sees.... this way i can be both writer and scientist

3. Fondest memory - my first day in the classroom when a student was shocked to see me and asked if I was actually Filipino

4. Soundtrack - "The Touch" from the Transformers sdtk; "The Measure of a Man" from the Rocky V sdtk;

5. Retreat - going out of town

6. Wildest dream - teach my own children one day; maybe opening up a Comics & Collectibles store so I can sit and read and escape a few more times a week

7. Proudest moment - when a student says thank you; Eloquent Graffiti

8. Biggest challenge - overcoming student attitudes toward reading/learning/writing/life

9. Alarm clock - Is currently set for 6:00 a.m. ...

10. Perfect day - everyone turns in their homework; we have a great discussion that reminds me why this is not all in vain; and my veins don't hurt from standing all day

11. First job - My first day substituting and the class I had was at Westborough and my sister was in the room next door and asked me why it was so loud and crazy in my room

12. Indulgence - Breathing; " "

13. Last purchase - Little Miss Sunshine DVD; Lost soundtrack

14. Favorite movie - Un Chien Andalou; Shawshank Redemption; Rashomon; Say Anything; So I Married an Axe Murderer;

15. Inspiration - my fellow teachers and students

16. My life - on track

17. My card - needs credit

if you would like to see other masks, it will have to be in person...
if you want to see the true mask...

the past month

so here's the reader's digest version of the past month

plenty of out-of-town buddies swung through town even before the Thanksgiving holidays...

I ate at some of the top restaurants around San Francisco... you must eat the butterscotch pudding at Scott Howard... that dessert made my "what would I want for my last meal!" list...

had a birthday...
the club was great
even broke up a fight
cuz some drunk woman tried to attack one of my guests

my birthday was a day off from work "officially"
had lunch at Bettie's Oceanview Diner in Berkeley
had dinner at Koi Palace (first time there, actually)
had dessert at Lucky Chances... (official sign i'm getting old)

took my students to the Warriors game
where I was almost arrested for scalping tickets
because they saw me handing out 30 tickets
and a little cash in my hand

strange atmosphere at work lately
seems that the students, the teachers, and myself are all extremely emotionally disturbed...
too many details that can only be divulged in one-on-one conversations...

and now for the pics...


celebrating my sister's and my birthday at Rouge


mikey comin' out to party with us


teachers have lives too

a rainbow above El Camino... look how distinct it is from the camera on my phone.. you can even pick up the reverse second arch

i think raph actually likes to draw me more than himself...

taking a moment to reflect

so Saddam is convicted and it's announced just prior to our elections
as soon as the republicans lost... gas prices beginning to soar back up

SNL: Weekend Update:
in an ironic turn of fate, Iraq has caused a regime change in the United States

i've been blessed of late having friends near me... actually going out nearly every weekend to rediscover what makes life so worthwhile

and here's why it should be appreciated

i just found out a former student of mine who graduated in 2002 just passed away...
22 years old from a heart attack...
his funeral is tomorrow
it seems like a student at school or one i've taught has passed away each year for the past few years...

in a moment of respect & prayer
here's a bit about him



Peter Justin Manubay

MANUBAY, Peter Justin, born June 28, 1984 in San Francisco, to Dorothy Jeanne de Castro of Sacramento and Numeriano B. Manubay of Quezon City, Philippines. Peter passed away peacefully in his sleep in Berkeley on November 7, 2006 of a heart attack.

Beloved brother of Michael (Rian) Manubay. Devoted grandson of Meneleo (Nel) and Fe de Castro of San Francisco and Rosario B. Manubay and the late Pedro Manubay of Utah. Loving nephew of Imelda de Castro, Eymard de Castro, Rafael de Castro and Susan Anderson, Jocelyn and Alex Quintana of the Bay Area, Jeremias and Susan Manubay of San Diego, Generoso and Jenny Manubay of Las Vegas, Ponciano and Marieta Manubay, Ignacio and Julie Manubay, Pablo Manubay and Victoria Manubay of Utah, Ruben and Luningning Manubay of Idaho.

Peter is also survived by his adoring cousins, Isabella de Castro, Alexi Quintana, Kim Manubay, Ever Manubay, Arra Manubay, Julius Manubay, Samantha Manubay, Jasmine Manubay, Jeanine Manubay, Genson Manubay, Troy Manubay, and Tara Manubay.

A graduate of El Camino High School in S. San Francisco, he earned a coveted Gates Millenium Scholarship and was a senior at U.C. Berkeley. Peter was devoted to his family, cherished friends and fellow members of the UCB Asian American Association. A creative soul, talented writer and poet, he also played the saxophone and flute. Peter loved gaming, anime, and monkeys.

Loved ones are invited to join the family at a Viewing and Vigil Service on Monday, November 13th from 3:00 pm - 9:00 pm at DUGGAN'S SERRA MORTUARY, 500 Westlake Avenue, Daly City (650-756-4500). Please plan to briefly share a happy, memorable moment about Peter. A Rosary Service will be held at Duggan's at 7:00 pm on Monday. Duggan's is a few blocks from the Daly City Bart station.

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Tuesday, November 14th at 11:00 am at MATER DOLOROSA, 307 Willow Ave., S. San Francisco, (650-583-4131) followed by a Committal Service at HOLY CROSS CEMETERY, 1500 Mission Road, Colma. Please contact the family for donations in lieu of flowers.

Time to celebrate

Time to celebrate

I noticed I didn't have emails for some of you who subscribe to this. If you are 21 and over and didn't receive an evite from me, i have the wrong email for you.

http://www.evite.com/app/publicUrl/psychoverse@hotmail.com/scorpio
www.rougesf.com

here's the info by the way...

other more important things to celebrate...

Mostly good news for Election Day...
woo hoo... take back congress... California better start having a voice now... you'd think being the most populous state would count for more but it's only 1/50th of a vote

there's one change on our school board... ugh!!!!!! i was dreaming of two... maybe i'll go another 4 years without a real raise... i don't even get my yearly increments...

Anyone notice the cast of Roseanne is everywhere

Roseanne showed up on My Name is Earl--looking like a nun
Laurie Metcalf had a great part on Desperate Housewives... she said and did what you always think and wish you could do...
John Goodman just showed up on Studio 60, but his role looks to increase in part 2 of the storyline...

TV news
man,,, i gotta go 13 weeks without lost... the fall finale wasn't good enough for me
Heroes, however, is starting to escalate; by the end of the month we're supposed to find out the source of the powers... and what the hell is Micah's power...

Bell Game this Saturday... for some reason i ended up telling stories of old bell games to Ms. Berg in her office after school... she couldn't believe I was on the field when the bomb went off while I was on the field...

Random Musings 10-03-06

yesterday's Garfield... Jon mentions it's weird having a girlfriend and Garfield spits his coffee out all over him...

this past weekend was probably the worst San Francisco Sports weekend ever!!!!!! at least the Raiders gave it up to and now we have the Bay Bowl on Sunday... one good thing... Budweiser filmed the crowd for a future commercial and the cameraman decided that 138 was worthy and he sat directly in front of us while we cheered... we had to sign a release and everything which of course my cousin who works in a law office critiqued... also, the Giants loss Friday is partically attributed to Cairo, Anthony Balunsat, and Javy practically jumping me and ruining the 138 focus which happened exactly when the Dodgers homered to tie the game... bastards... you boys are lucky 138 didn't kick your ass cuz you pissed them off

i'm really getting into the new shows Heroes and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip... quality TV... so what do I do when What About Brian returns next Monday... ahhhh.... the dilemmas...

and Friday Night Lights debuts tonight vs. House... just not fair...
but Lost premieres tomorrow...
at this rate I will never finish grading...

thanks to everyone who helped contribute to the Tanforan high school competition...
EC registered over $15000... creaming the competition
evidently, the mall stopped filling our thermometer because it didn't go high enough...