The Pain of Hoping, The Agony of Praying Amidst This Pandemic

Amidst this COVID-19 pandemic, a slice of hope seems so aloof; praying is like an agony that when you hope for a miracle, you wait a long queue behind the prayers of five million people infected worldwide. Perhaps, the distance between heaven and earth is limitless; but with God, nothing is too far. I know that he can hear me.

My Prayer

Our Father in Heaven, today I pray again.
Remember when I asked how important for You that for my sister to receive the Sacraments that she needed? 

The next day you sent a priest to our home to give those Sacraments.

You heard my prayer. I was overjoyed.
Thank you! You sent someone like Fr William who took the risk to visit us.

Heavenly Father, you always know what's best for us.
Even if sometimes it will cause us pain.

Your way is The Way, for whatever reason, it is the best.

Unless, we will it otherwise, thus, you respect.

But the moment our prayer is sent to You,

You take charge. 

That night, when my sister was in severe pain,

We needed to bring her to the hospital.

Fear and anxiety enveloped us.

When situations seemed not to favour us,

You were there, Lord, to answer our prayers.

Thank you, You calmed our hearts.

Our prayers never stopped.

And there are many things to thank You Lord.

Chest x-ray revealed she had no pneumonia. 

What a relief! 

The next day, the blood clot in her bladder that was causing her severe pain dissolved.

And today, her swollen legs significantly improved, half as much fluid removed.

Thank you, Lord!

Tonight, Lord, we received sad news.

CT scan revealed she had pneumonia.

Oh, dear God, let it not be COVID-19.

You are more powerful than the virus.

Let not the situations be against us.

Let your power and Divine Mercy favor us.

Remember when You said that you answer our prayers even before we ask them?

You know in my heart, what I want, what I pray.

Let your mercy favour us.

Thank you!

This I pray in your Name Heavenly Father, in the Name of your Son, Jesus and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Our Lady of the Rose, intercede and pray for us especially my sister Ruby.

San Padre Pio, pray for us.

St John Paul II, pray for us.

All the angels and saints whom we hold dear, pray for us.

Dearest angels, send all the angels that my sister needs for her healing.

My Sister's Health Condition

My sister on 29 April

My sister was diagnosed with lymphoma beginning of this year. Fearing needles, she opted the holistic approach rather than medical treatment. Starting from a swollen leg because of edema, in time, two legs were affected. The size of her belly started to increase, indicating cancer growth around her lymph nodes.

The last time she walked outside was before the quarantine. She heard Mass at the Shrine of San Padre Pio. On 29th April, she could still sit well. Two weeks after, her body deteriorated so quickly. She could no longer hold herself up. She could hardly walk and sit well. Unable to lie down to sleep, she slumbered seated.

My sister on 18 May

On May 18, my sister's son risked sending her to a doctor. The doctor said that her body was showing signs of not surviving long. That day was emotionally stressful for us. To top it, our situation and her's had been made difficult by the existing quarantine situation. 

I was saddened by the situation if she could not receive the Sacraments she needed. Being Christians of the Catholic faith, the holy sacraments are very important for us. My sister being religious who also taught catechism subjects at schools, why let this quarantine deprive her of the Sacraments. Would there be a priest brave enough to come to our house to administer the sacraments?

So, I prayed: "God, if such Sacraments are important to you, let my sister receive them." The next day, a priest from our parish responded to my nephew's request. Alleluia! My sister received the three Sacraments that day.

Evening of May 19, my sister could no longer endure the pain from the inside of her body. We needed to make a decision considering the risk of being infected by the coronavirus, not only my sister but also whoever would accompany her. Situations were not favouring us. Prayer after prayer, a hospital with 2 rooms left available, admitted her.

Our prayers never stopped. We were happy to learn that the x-ray result showed no sign of pneumonia. Her heart was also good. Supposedly would be ICU'd because of low sodium, she was moved to a private  room instead. The next day, the blood clot in her bladder that was causing her the severe pain dissolved.

On her fourth day at the hospital, her legs significantly improved from being swollen. Almost half as much fluid excreted. But there's also some sad news. CT scan result just arrived showing signs of pneumonia. This is what we fear. We pray that it had nothing to do with COVID-19.

My sister, according to her son, is getting stronger. However, she was manifesting twilight signs. 

Financial Challenge

Makati Med is an expensive hospital. If we had a choice that night, we could have sent my sister to a public hospital. 

In two days, her hospital bill soared to more than 200,000 pesos, not counting the professional fees of at least 5 specialists. We asked for donations.

If you would be kind enough, we would appreciate your generosity. My sister put up a fundraising campaign on Facebook. If you wish to donate, please follow the link.