Saving for a rainy day

Me in blue blouse (top right) with friends

by Susan Palmes-Dennis

DO I have to keep my piggy bank or coin bank in the house or just dispose of it? This is my dilemma and my story.  

I'm really into savings but but I think my friends Ranni Cammarano nee Deloso, Jesette Kelly and Joan Lightle are igniting ideas on my sometimes loaded brain. 

For those of you who haven't read my stories the last few days I have been posting about my granddaughter Susane Lorette who got sick with dengue in the Philippines. 

For those reading this blog  and unfamiliar with “dengue”, it's a kind of illness caused by the bite of an aedes egypti mosquito. It already claimed many lives in Third World countries like the Philippines and will continue to do so until a cure and vaccine is found.

Until then it will continue to become a source of anxiety for families like my own, despite an assurance from the medical community that a vaccine will be ready next year. 

Far from home
Excuse me but I've heard that announcement a decade ago. In fact, I begin to suspect that the mosquitoes have partnered with the pharmaceutical industry to make dengue a profitable venture for both of them.

But to go back to my piggy bank story—it's when one of your own becomes sick and medical bills pile up that you begin to draw on the support of relatives and friends to keep you afloat when you're far from home as in my case.

These curious friends of mine checked if I'm still okay, being worried and all and invited me to a picnic in the house of Ranni. 

Yulie Amara Armstrong was there too while Nelisa Beth Perez Kremer who is now at Roanoke, VA and Dorena Reynolds were absent at the time. Dorena was working, I was told. 

So we met and I updated them on Susane's condition and they commiserated with me. Our conversation drifted to the custom of savings among Filipinos, trait passed from generation to generation.

Extra change
Everyone in the room agreed that savings is good for the rainy days. I subscribed to that virtue especially these times that I am now in the US because there's an  abundance of loose change in the house. 

Then out of nowhere I told them I have this “alkansiya” or piggy bank, a glass container with a seal where I place all my extra change.

The container has all the pennies, cents, quarters and dollars that were change from Ronnie whenever we dine out or shop for groceries whenever he uses credit or debit cards.

Many times I would look at my money and count them so I can wait when it is filled to capacity so I can buy something nice for myself at Belk or Kohls.

I recalled to my friends that when the container is almost full, there would be a message from home about an emergency and my piggy bank would be used to solve that need.

Penny saved, penny earned
Jesette asked me why I continue to use a piggy bank as if I'm a relic, a throwback to ancient financial history. I asked her, what's so questionable about using a bank? A penny saved is a penny earned. 

She then told me, why not save the money in a bank? Duh, that was obvious. But I cannot go to a bank everyday and deposit loose change. Jesette said the money should be placed in an open container. 

“Uncover it and set your piggy bank free,” she said. Ranni and Janni agreed. “It should be opened,” Joan said. 

All three said money would find a way for it to be used. I got a sense of deja vu, remembering what they said to a saying I heard in the past. 

I told their story to Beth Perez Kremer who not only agreed but told me not to use the glass piggy bank again. Being the Internet junkie that I am, I searched for piggy bank in Google and found this link on Mythbuster. 

The site said there's nothing wrong with saving money in a piggy bank, it all depends on what kind of container is used. The author recommended porcelain for a piggy bank.

The writer also said one should use feng shiu in knowing where to place the piggy bank. I don't know what direction my piggy bank is facing so I am blank when determining if it brings me good or bad luck.

Personally, I believe in saving money in whatever way you can so there's no harm in saving money in a piggy bank. What do you readers think? Please feel free to comment.

(Susan Palmes-Dennis is a veteran journalist from Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao in the Philippines who works as a nanny in North Carolina. This page will serve as a venue for news and discussion on Filipino communities in the Carolinas. Read her blogs on susanpalmesstraightfrom the Carolinas.com. These and other articles also appear at http://www.sunstar.com.ph/author/2582/susan-palmes-dennis.

You can also connect with her through her Pinterest account at http://www.pinterest.com/pin/41025046580074350/) and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Straight-from-the-Carolinas-/494156950678063)

Prayers for my Little Susie

by Susan Palmes-Dennis

The past few days have been rough for my family here in Charlotte, North Carolina in the US and in my hometown of Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental in northern Mindanao, Philippines. 

I chose to keep silent for the first few days  and privately pleaded to friends to launch a prayer brigade for my granddaughter Susane Lorette Palmes or Little Susie. 

Susane, who's named after me, contracted dengue and landed at the intensive care unit of Sabal Hospital in nearby Cagayan de Oro City, also in Misamis Oriental, northern Mindanao, Philippines. 

Pardon my ignorance but the initial reports I received were that infection set in on her brain resulting to seizure and in my frantic search for answers, I went to Google. I thought then that Susane had high fever and her platelets went down, which are the usual symptoms of dengue.

For a child I think the normal complete blood count (CBC) count is 150 and her platelets  went down to 16 last Friday.

White veil
Now Susane is still in the ICU for constant monitoring of her vital signs. In my previous article I talked about dengue and today, I want to talk about the power of prayers and how Susane's plight brought me closer to God.

I wanted to share what I experienced last Monday, July 14. On that day, I wanted to hear Mass but I don't have a ride. 

I told myself I can walk from Oakhurst to St. Mark Street and my phone rang and on the other end was my husband Ronnie. He said “Babe do you want to go to church?” I was shocked I nearly fell on the floor. I told him yes, I want go church.

I was lucky since the nine o' clock Mass had yet to start. After Mass I went to the Perpetual Adoration Chapel also at St. Mark Street. 

I stayed there for about an hour and when I went inside I saw a corner which looks like a store to me that houses religious relics, rosaries, prayer books, religious jewelry and in one corner, a white veil. 

Speechless
Talking to myself again, I said “I want to have a veil but I don’t have money in my pocketbook.” With a heavy heart, I left the chapel and went straight to the waiting car. 

When I was in the car Ronnie handed me a small plastic package with blue markings printed with the word “traditions: gifts for a life of faith.”  Inside was a lace Veil 36 triangular veil.

I was speechless and I was thankful when thinking about it. 

On receiving the veil, I felt the cold air on the nape of my neck and the hair on my skin stood on end. 

I believe, as many people do that things happen for a reason.  Some may call it synchronicity. Others call it luck but I call it miracles.

Prayer brigade
When I received news about Susane, I immediately contacted Consuelo “Sueng” Sabio,  a friend of mine back in the Philippines who heads the Women for Christ (WFC) of which I am a member and asked her to pray for Little Susie. 

I can only imagine she gathered the women for Christ and started the prayer brigade. She also informed me that she would contact Benie Sy of Alpha Tukod. 

I messaged Fr. Stephen Abao Olario who immediately responded to my request. Here at North Carolina I wrote Rev. Cielo Bueno Kramer in Greensboro who also prayed for my request and Susan Claire Wild of St. Mark Catholic Church who is our leader in the Rosary Makers group and asked them to mobilize a prayer brigade that would storm the heavens with petitions for divine healing. 

I also asked my sister-in-law Cheryle Dennis and her husband Bill. I knew they had a Bible study last Wednesday and they started with their prayers too. JS and Peggy Reid, a good friend of Ron also asked Susane's complete name so they can pray for her. 

I was going crazy that I talked to strangers and asked prayers. Family friend Dana and Ramon Pensado called from Texas and with their mother prayed with me over the phone. 

Pleaded
She spoke in rapid Spanish during her prayers which I understood a little like the term “poquito” as she asked God to heal Little Susie.

I was restless and anxious for three days especially when there is a blackout of information from home. My instincts later proved right when I was informed later that Susane's family were all at the ICU because she had a seizure and the infection reportedly set in on her brain.

This was the time when I talked to God as if He was just beside me; I implored and pleaded my case to Him. On reading the Bible, I came upon Psalm 28, A Prayer for Help, Psalm 27, a Prayer for Praise, Luke 8 and other readings.

Then His Eminence Cagayan Archdiocese Bishop Antonio Ledesma answered my message asking him to pray and that really lifted my weariness and frustration.

In that past few days, I spent time kneeling on my altar, reciting the rosary so many times and calling on all the saints; St. Joseph, St. Jude, St. Anne, St. Hatiri and Saint Pio of Pietrelcina.

Poor soul 
I was depressed and worried as it  broke my heart because I couldn't tell my daughter GG about the condition of her daughter. 

She is still flying home from Charlotte, North Carolina to Cagayan de Oro and didn't know that her baby was at the ICU. Ron and I decided not to tell her since told me GG flew alone and telling her about her daughter won't do any good. 

What made it worse was that GG was stuck in China due to Typhoon Glenda (international name Rassuman) in Manila, Philippines. The waiting for news on Susane was too much for my poor soul.

What gave me strength is my faith and friends praying for us and Ronnie who did not leave my side and cared for my needs even if he was recovering from his own illness and had to postpone his doctor's appointments.

There were other special friends surrounding me; Jesette Jomuad Kelly who visited me and brought food, Grace Gaither who like Jesette spent time listening to my stories and heartaches and lifted my spirits and Beth Kremer who also checked up on me when she noticed I haven't been on Facebook.

Recovery
I am fortunate to have these people in my life and to other friends who probably were praying or wondering why they didn't hear anything from me. 

I also thanked Angie Emery and David Edwards who would check on me and my family. Karen and Lisa Ron’s daughter also checked on the condition of Little Susie. I also thank Fr. Jay Lituanas for his prayers for my Little Susie's recovery.Big thanks also to Peter Mojica for understanding GG's unplanned leaving Zayne. I don't want to miss the remark of my dear Zayne who told GG
"Don't worry GG Tating would be okay and you come back and play with me." 

I began to realize again that faith in God is the last resort in times of danger, struggles and in just about any hopeless situation. He's the One through whom all things were made and in whom all things live and move and have their being. 

God is the greatest doctor and nothing is impossible with him. I think and realize now that the personal relationship I have with Him is like that between friends, only that He does all the listening and I have to cultivate my responses to Him. 

By the way, I forgot to mention that I registered in most of the online prayer groups who were not Catholic but still accommodated me without knowing my religion. After all. we believe in one God. 

Again my thanks to all of my friends and to people who prayed for the miracle of faith and the recovery of Little Susie.

(Susan Palmes-Dennis is a veteran journalist from Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao in the Philippines who works as a nanny in North Carolina. This page will serve as a venue for news and discussion on Filipino communities in the Carolinas. Read her blogs on susanpalmesstraightfrom the Carolinas.com. These and other articles also appear at http://www.sunstar.com.ph/author/2582/susan-palmes-dennis.

You can also connect with her through her Pinterest account at http://www.pinterest.com/pin/41025046580074350/) and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Straight-from-the-Carolinas-/494156950678063)

When will dengue be prevented?

My granddaughter Susane Lorette Palmes

by Susan Palmes-Dennis

When will that dengue vaccine be available in the Philippines?

I ask this because the past few days have been rough for my family in Tagoloan town, Misamis Oriental in northern Mindanao, Philippines and for me here in Charlotte, North Carolina in the US.

You see my granddaughter Susane Lorette Palmes was hospitalized after she had high fever and the results of her complete blood count (CBC) test showed that her platelet was low. The doctor's diagnosis was she had dengue.

Based on my online research, dengue is the leading cause of childhood hospitalizations in the Philippines. In Sept. 2011, the disease caused 285 deaths of children between one and nine years of age.

Hospital costs drain the pockets of the family, not to mention the anxiety which hangs over their heads like the proverbial Damocles sword.

Stable condition

I chose to keep quiet while Susane's mother GG flew from Charlotte to Cagayan de Oro. We decided not to inform her that her eight-year-old little Susie (she is named after me) was at the intensive care unit at Sabal Hospital.

On the fourth day after the fever subsided, Susane's seizures started and the doctors discovered that infection set in on the part of the brain that they call the emphalilities.

Susane is now in stable condition and I thank the Lord for all the prayers our family received from all over the world.

In particular, I would like to thank Mary Grace Gaither and Jesette Kelly for their prayers, which of course would be the next topic I'd talk about. In these difficult times, only faith as big as a mulberry tree can assuage one's anxieties and fears.

But I digress. Let me talk about dengue; as you know already it's an illness caused by the bite of a mosquito which causes high fever and low platelet count, among other symptoms. For a complete list of symptoms on dengue here is the link.

These dengue-carrying mosquitoes are becoming bolder and brazen in my hometown of Tagoloan.

Photo taken from Wikipedia

In my mind's eye, I can see them laughing at the so-called “4 o' clock habit” program of the government that consists of spraying chemicals on breeding grounds for dengue, which usually are those with stagnant water in them.

Top priority

While cleaning one's surroundings helps, you can't do anything about the other homes closer to you whose occupants may not be so concerned about cleaning their own backyard.

Mosquitoes fly anywhere they want to go. If there's a war on dengue, the mosquitoes appear to be winning and the humans are caught flat footed.

Eliminating dengue should be a top priority alongside the government's campaign against corruption and it's not political because we are fighting mosquitoes.

In the course of my media work in Cagayan de Oro, Misamis Oriental in northern Mindanao, Philippines, I knew how treacherous this illness is.

Quite a few succumbed and until now I am appalled that no vaccination or immunization was discovered by our authorities.

Research

I'll focus on on the epidemiology of dengue in children, the present surveillance systems and the Philippine government's efforts to stop these pernicious dengue-carrying mosquitoes.

The introduction of a vaccine will be essential to control the spread of infection that can harm and kill both children and adults. We heard a vaccine that would be available in 2015, but I‘ve heard that 10 years ago.

I wrote about my grandson Christian Mejorada who also contracted dengue. By the way both Susane and Christian are students of St. Mary’s Academy of Tagoloan town and there've been reports that a number of students also contracted dengue.

It has been said that “tawa-tawa”, a type of herb known in India as Euphorbia hirta, helped many in curing or at least slowing down dengue.

Photo taken from Wikipedia

In fact, my family followed this and we also tried “male” papaya leaves chopped finely as well as apple and durian.

I've read somewhere that there was research made on this but I just assumed that it was discontinued due to inadequate finding, which means nobody is pushing for this.

Vaccine

Statistics show that dengue can be fatal when left untreated. 

My question is how come if tawa tawa and the other plants and fruits I mentioned can help cure dengue, then why is the Department of Health or the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) not prioritizing research on this?

Why are we wasting government money for other projects that are only exploited by politicians and elective public officials for self-promotion? Why not dedicate public funds to find a vaccine or a cure for dengue?

How many years must we wait before the vaccine and treatment become available in the Philippines?

In the meantime I suggest that a dialogue be held between the parents and the administrators of St. Mary's Academy with the help of Tagoloan town officials so that ways and means can be implemented to eradicate these dengue-carrying mosquitoes so the children can be spared from the deadly dengue.

(Susan Palmes-Dennis is a veteran journalist from Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao in the Philippines who works as a nanny in North Carolina. This page will serve as a venue for news and discussion on Filipino communities in the Carolinas. Read her blogs on susanpalmesstraightfrom the Carolinas.com. These and other articles also appear at http://www.sunstar.com.ph/author/2582/susan-palmes-dennis.

You can also connect with her through her Pinterest account at http://www.pinterest.com/pin/41025046580074350/) and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Straight-from-the-Carolinas-/494156950678063)

Tales of the rain (acacia) trees

by Susan Palmes-Dennis 

The river at the side where the house of “Nang” (a Filipino term for female elder) Estela Pangca and the power cable of the Cagayan Electric Co. (Cepalco) are situated now in my hometown of Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental in northern Mindanao, Philippines used to be occupied by acacia trees (rain trees) many years ago. 

This same area is close to where the house of “Nong” (a Filipino term for male elders) Nato Sanches stood. There was also an acacia tree that serves as a giant “green umbrella” to the washers doing their laundry just below the culverts of “Nong” Toto Nacasabog. 

The acacia trees were so big and there were no landslides at the time. The old roots simply clung beneath the green earth, soaking up the rainwater. There was no river dike back then.

I messaged Air Force General Gerry Paduganan to check up on my old hometown because he was also raised there beside the river. 

“There were about three on the street going to the river that fell down when the culvert and hollow block business of “Tiyo” (uncle) Dolfo moved on the area. There's another tree near where the house of Estela Pangca, daughter of Iyo Bentong now stands,” Paduganan said.

That time the acacia tree was already old as seen in its deeply entrenched roots I saw as a child and later as an adult. 

Back then, I heard stories about the acacia trees being home to “engkanto (enchanted spirits)” or “diwata (fairies).” 

These spirits either bring blessings or curses on those who do good or harm to the forests and mountains. There were also stories about “white ladies” living near the acacia trees. 

The story was so real to my mind that I remembered uttering “tabi apo (excuse me)”  every time I pass by the trees at noon or night time.

Tabi apo is a term of respect to whoever resides in the tree so that good vibes would be passed on the passerby. As kids we were told not to be noisy near the tree.

On Saturdays whenever I get up early to do the laundry, I would have this eerie feeling when I reach that area that creeps up on the back of my neck. 

That feeling of dread was confirmed when I heard reports that a daughter of one of the neighbors was believed to be caught alive by the spirits. 

The elders of the community decided to head to the forest and implore the spirits to return the girl.

The girl was fair-skinned and beautiful and the residents believed she had been adopted by the spirits.

I was young that time but I joined the group that camped near the acacia trees. We made noises for so many nights but the girl never turned up. 

The family then transferred to the city. I don’t want to name them as they are close to the family.  At the time, I felt then that the acacia trees were the companions of the river, as if they are constantly communicating to each other. 

That incident only cemented my fear of the trees. It was only when I began to form my own opinion and looked back to what happened that I realized that the girl may have drowned in the river.

But to my young mind then, I believed that there may be some truth to the rumors that the Tagoloan river claims a life every year.

On the other hand, if only we can respect the trees like we did before we can help each other in protecting and preserving them for our own protection and those of future generations. I can only ask, are the acacia trees of my childhood still there? (Photos by Jong Casino and Elma Egama Gamones)

(Susan Palmes-Dennis is a veteran journalist from Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao in the Philippines who works as a nanny in North Carolina. This page will serve as a venue for news and discussion on Filipino communities in the Carolinas. Visit and read her website at www.susanpalmes-dennis.simplesite.com. Read her blogs on susanpalmesstraightfrom the Carolinas.com. These and other articles also appear at http://www.sunstar.com.ph/author/2582/susan-palmes-dennis.


You can also connect with her through her Pinterest account at http://www.pinterest.com/pin/41025046580074350/) and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Straight-from-the-Carolinas-/494156950678063)

The river of my youth

by Susan Palmes-Dennis

When I think back on my childhood, what comes to mind is a river, a wide and deep river that cascades from the mountains to the sea.

I grew up along the bank of Tagoloan River in Misamis Oriental, northern Mindanao Philippines which is located beside the back of the Catholic Church many years ago.

I don’t know if I can give any account about my early life without mentioning the Tagoloan river since it is imprinted in my memories. Even now, I can feel the cold water on my mind and the sound associated with it.

My first recollection of the river is when I was in Grade Two. At that time I can  wash diapers and rugs. If I chose the one below the house of my Grandpa, it is only me or Luz (Pete Naelga, an aunt), washing.

Doing the laundry isn't that fun because we usually have a heavy load and the conversations we had would occasionally be interrupted by the sound of wooden paddles slapping clean the soaped laundry for washing.

On Saturdays I want fun so I chose to wash at the other side passing through the houses of Iyo Dodo Neri and the culverts of Toto Nacasabog .

In this area there are a lot of people washing clothes since it was strategically located within a bed of stones that warm up the soaked laundry. There's also a century old acacia tree that provides a cool shade from the sun thus making it comfortable for washers to do their chore and talk up a storm. 

I can remember Lilia Dancing or her sister Gaga or Femia  with their mother Iya Lydia Dagus Dancing or my neighbor-friends Cherie Pacheco or her sister Gangga doing laundry, though not too often because they have helpers clean their clothes.

I also remember the group of Iya Denny Gaccion Paduganan with the family's working student Bernardita and Nang Sylvia Gaccion with her husband helping her with their laundry.

When “Nang” Gangging Nabong Pabelonio is around, doing the laundry is more fun because she would talk a lot and her laughter echoes across the river.

My mother also does the laundry near the river but she doesn't socialize as much. While waiting for the clothes to dry on the bed of stones, I went for a swim with friends who are either done with their chores or just hanging around near the house.

When I swim in the river, I can feel the stones and rocks but as I wade deeper I can sense the strong current which is why I swim with friends towards the island fronting the river.

Me and my friends consider those who swim far in the river to the island as tough and brave. Toto Pacheco(Cherie Pacheco Nairn) and I can do it. It helps that the river feels cool to the skin and clean;  no floating things except some branches or leaves from the mountains especially a week after some heavy rain.

The center of the stream especially has a strong current. I can only think of raging wild water. The beautiful green Tagoloan river offers a good view from that long island where one can regain strength after swimming there for sometime.

At times I enjoyed the swim so much that I forgot about the clothes drying under the sun resulting in yellowed instead of whitened, clean laundry. But that's another story.

Back in the old days, there's no riverside then, the houses were located along the river but there was a clear path leading to them and there were plants and trees beside the homes.

We used the river for all our needs; cooking, cleaning, washing, bathing and watering the plants. We don't drink from the river, we get it from digging a hole on the soft sand in an island fronting the main river.

The Tagoloan river of my youth was peaceful. Only when there is a typhoon or a flood does its appearance change from clear to murky, then brown. Back then, I can swim without stopping for anything or until my eyes are red from soaking up the water, as my mother used to observe.

When I was small, I thought then that the waters in the river came from Alaud down the home of Lola Eging then to our area to the Nacasabog. Only when I grew up that I learned that it was bigger and longer. Years later, I thank God that I spent my youth in the area and I wouldn't trade those memories for anything. (Photos by Jong Casino) 

(Susan Palmes-Dennis is a veteran journalist from Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao in the Philippines who works as a nanny in North Carolina. This page will serve as a venue for news and discussion on Filipino communities in the Carolinas. Visit and read her website at www.susanpalmes-dennis.simplesite.com. Read her blogs on susanpalmesstraightfrom the Carolinas.com. These and other articles also appear at http://www.sunstar.com.ph/author/2582/susan-palmes-dennis.

You can also connect with her through her Pinterest account at http://www.pinterest.com/pin/41025046580074350/) and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Straight-from-the-Carolinas-/494156950678063)