Stitched

Breakdown of my stitches:

7 - HEAD
  1. Open-Close Brain Surgery 2005 – 1st major surgery.
  2. VP Shunt 2005 – My head was super painful, I often passed out from the pain, hydrocephalus was already transforming, my head was so stressed from the pain.
  3. Cochlear Implant 2008
  4. Tumor Removal (that’s making my right eye to bulge out) 2011
  5. Immediate Brain Surgery (6cm progressive tumor that’s causing a lot of pressure) 2016
  6. Minor Surgery: Tumor removal in my forehead (thought it was just sebaceous cyst, was not diagnosed with NF yet) 1998
  7. Very minor surgery to close a scar from a rollerblading accident 1996- I fell on the ground & my chin was cut-open.


1 – LEFT ARM: Tumor removal (thought it was just sebaceous cyst, was not diagnosed with NF yet) 1996


1 – LOWER BACK: Tumor removal (thought it was just sebaceous cyst, was not diagnosed with NF yet) 1996 –my left arm was being closed, while my back was being opened. I was was very much awake & I was 12 years old then. That was my first minor surgery.


1 – LEFT RING FINGER: Tumor removal (thought it was just sebaceous cyst, was not diagnosed with NF yet) 1998 – this was done together with my                 forehead minor surgery


3 – STOMACH
  1. Gastrostomy 2006
  2. Feeding tube insertion – Gastrostomy 2006 –Yes, there were 2.
  3. VP Shunt 2005 – there is a tube inside of me from my head going to my stomach to drain the fluids.


1 – RIGHT HAND: A schwannoma near my palm was getting bigger and painful so it has to be removed 2009- I was able to watched the whole procedure and       it was about 20 or 30 minutes.


1 – RIGHT BIG TOE FINGER: Schwannoma removal 2012 – The tumor was so small yet very painful that’s why I had it removed.

TOTAL= 15 Stitches (so far)

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Updat: June 17, 2016

New Total = 18 stitches

– Tumor Removal + Reconstructive surgery

–Tarsorrhaphy

– Ewan ko? Basta kasali sa sugery. Eh may 2 staple wires daw.

35 Staple Wires on my head

After 18 days, the staple wires on my head were removed.

Here is the video taken by my dad:

My AMAZING STORY because God is in control

“Lord God let me share to the world how great YOU are & make this surgery a success!”

That’s what I thought before dozing off in the operating room. And after a minute (feeling like a minute had just passed but the operation was actually 5 hours long), I was already up because I wanted to eat omelet.  Then I saw Dr. Geraldine Jose, my anesthesiologist, smiling at me while I was being reclined on the bed and surrounded by all my doctors. The surgery was already over? I had to give a thumbs up because I felt OKAY; Since I can’t speak yet, I kept raising it.. I’m OKAY. I’m OKAY. I’m OKAY!!!!!!! The surgery was a success! Thank you Lord!!!!!

I can see how happy Dr. Willy Lopez, my neurosurgeon, and the whole medical team were while they all look at me with big smiles..  I too was very happy, although I move in limitation, I felt wide awake. Right away, I was a completely conscious.  It was so amazing!!! I was not feeling any pain or discomfort and it seemed like nothing happened, like I just slept for a minute. Very very very AMAZING!

And then I saw the exit sign when I was about to be wheeled out of the operating room and it was very very clear! Then I was brought to the ICU and I saw my mom, dad and  tita angie. (I can’t be able to talk yet so I wrote on the whiteboard and kept raising my thumb up. AMAZING!!!!!! I was very much OKAY! Amazing!

January 2016, I already felt like something was about to change in my life, something is not right with me. Changge is about to happen and it’s not a good kind of change. I don’t know. I wasn’t sure. I prayed. I told God about it. Don’t make me feel hopeless. Don’t make me feel like giving up. God assured me that He will take full control of me.

I am letting God take full control of me now. I’m not doing anything, HE is doing everything. God has been doing great things to me. Amazing!

I was feeling like I was getting worse and worse; my vision, mobility, swallowing eic. I was getting weaker.  And now I AM FEELING BETTER AND BETTER EVERYDAY! Amazing!!!!!!

When God assured me that He taking over my life, I believe Him completely. I gave Him my 100% trust. I mean I’m relying on Him 101%!

Actually, this has also been a wake-up call for me. I keep on praying the serenity prayer everyday as I start my day..

God grant me the serenity to accept the things that I cannot change, the courage to change the things that I can’t and the wisdom to know the difference. Amen.

I finally received the wisdom now. To know the difference between the things that I can accept and the things I can change in me.  I will get better. I will improve. God told me. I’m very much determined. I will improve. I decided to focus on myself this year and set aside the things I want to do. I will get better so that I can do more.  I will get better so that God can use me more!

Please don’t idolized me, I am not the one who is doing all these amazing things, believe me God is really taking over my life now. I am not in control, I am God’s instrument. I am letting Him use me.

Beside my BIG BIG BIG FAITH in God & in myself, I am also putting my faith is you! That you will help and support me as well. I can’t do this alone. You will help me, right?

In 2 months, (or less) when I have fully regained my strength back, I’ll be having another surgery to remove another tumor in my brain that’s causing pressure and we need to raise at least 700 thousand pesos for that.

How can you help:

1. My book KCAT CAN is very much available for 450 pesos plus shipping fee of 60 pesos for Metro Manila & 100 for provincial. Please message my mom, Madge Yarza on Facebook or send a textx message at 09272459400 with these details:
Name:
Mobile Number:
How many book/s?
Shipping address:

You can send the payment by depositing it either at BDO or BPI.

BDO
Account Name: MARIA KATHRINA L. YARZA
Savings Acct Number: 00 02 809 824 88

BPI Express
Savings Account # 1899 394 7 51
Name: Maria Kathrina L. Yarza

PAYPAL:
kcatyarza@yahoo.com

2. You can donate through:

- BDO
Account Name: MARIA KATHRINA L. YARZA
Savings Acct Number: 00 02 809 824 88

- BPI Express
Savings Account # 1899 394 7 51
Name: Maria Kathrina L. Yarza

- Western Union, Cebuana Lhuillier, LBC, Palawan, M Lhuillier, and other money transfer services.
- Here are the details:
    Recipient: Madeliene Lopez Yarza
    Mobile Number: 09272459400
    Address: 451-M M. Vasquez Street, Barangay Harapin Ang Bukas,                                      Mandaluyong City 1500 Philippines.

3. You can also go to my GO FUND ME page made by Tita Annie Campbell at : https://www.gofundme.com/vyxjfnd8

4. You can send your donation via PayPal at kcatyarza@yahoo.com

5. PRAY WITH ME

6. Please share my ongoing story to everyone you know.


THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

God is really taking over my life right now. I am not doing anything, God is doing amazing things in my life right now. Amazing! Amazing! Amazing! I am alive and I am strong because I have a very strong God! An amazingly strong God is working miracles on me every second and I can really feel it!

I also posted this on Facebook.