Ondoy Tragedy

Typhoon Ondoy has left many Filipinos devastated. Though my place wasn't that affected, still watching the news made my heart sank. I feel like I want to be a part of helping them since I've been in their place when I'm in need (though in a different situation).


I may not have the chance to do my part in volunteering, still technology made it easy for us to do our part. Now, there won't be any excuse for not helping them. Lend a hand by donating to Red Cross Philippines. Text RED to 2899 (Globe) and 4483 (smart). Amount allowed: P10,25,50,100,300.

For donations via Credit Card or PayPal, you may click on the following links:

ABS-CBN Foundation


Ayala Foundation


Dynamic Teen Company


GMA Kapuso Foundation


Philippine National Red Cross

This won't take much of your time so please, do your part and be a blessing to others. Thanks :)



(Pictures posted here were taken from my cellphone cam. I got stranded and I wasn't able to go home that day.)

It's been a year...

Was suppose to update this blog last August 29 but I've been fairly busy with things, personal stuff. Anyway, it's been a year and everything went smoothly. Maree (or Moja to us) is very active, as if she never underwent an operation.

We went to her doctor for her annual check up and everything went well. Her ECG's normal, the pressure's normal, the heart's stitches are intact, etc. We're very thankful that this journey ended well. And now, she'll face another journey in her life, normally.



To celebrate the anniversary of her successful operation, we went out and took her and her cousins at the mall with my mom and aunties. (Aug 31). Let her play and enjoy everything, run anywhere, things she wasn't able to do when she had ASD.



I know that I've been saying this over and over but still I think it's never enough to show you, tell you, how thankful I am for everything you have done to make this possible.


Thank you for your prayers, your support, your love for my child. And because of that, she can now live a normal life, face everything with confidence.





Though I can't reach each and everyone since we're far apart, some even world's apart, I believe that God will be shower you with blessings.




Again, THANK YOU... from our hearts. THANK YOU SO MUCH.


Sending much love to each and everyone.... *hugs* God bless :)

(Other pics are posted here :P )

Thank You

I would like to thank everyone who made this possible. The surgery was successful. Here are the pics:

August 26, 2008 / August 27, 2008
Maree was confined around 6p.m. on the 26th and she's really enjoying her stay at the hospital. She even asked me if she can stay for 10 days! haha. She's aware of what the doctors will do to her but what she doesn't know is that they'll open her up. The following day, series of tests were conducted like xrays, blood count..etc. She ate everything that she can that day coz she can't have anything, even water, at 12 midnight.



August 28, 2008

Nurses came in the ward around 5:30am to get her ready for the surgery due 7am. She was shaved from chest down to her legs. We were already nervous that time but we're optimistic. We know everything will be OK. She was brought down the OR around 6am. The nurses were trying to convince her to remove her clothes but she's persistent. On our way to the OR, she was crying, telling me that she doesn't want to remove her clothes. By the time we reached the OR around 6:45am, the doctors came and assured us that everything's gonna be just fine. Maree was holding my hand so hard but when the anesthesia started to take effect, she slowly lose her grip. And that's when began to cry.

The waiting is the hardest part. We were called around 9:30am at the recovery room where the surgeon told us that the surgery is a success. This picture was taken from the recovery room.

August 29, 2008

We were told that Maree has to stay in the ICU for further monitoring of her blood pressure coz it doesn't go down. But with everybody's prayer, around 6pm, she was transferred in the room and we we're told that her blood pressure are stable.

August 30, 2008

A fully-recovered Maree greeted us in the morning. She's happy showing off her scar hehe.

August 31, 2008

At the hospital's play room. She doesn't look like she went through surgery. Thank God. Thank you all.

We got to go home on September 1. Home Sweet Home.

We are forever grateful to each and everyone who prayed and helped our child. Thank you Thank you Thank you very much :)

Thank You For Bringing Life To This Child's Tired Heart

It has been a long and struggling journey for me and my family eversince Maree was diagnosed with ASD. We have tried everything and now, the prayers and patience has paid off. Everybody who took part in saving my daughter's life, please accept my sincerest thank you. As I have said a million times, words could never express how thankful I am for everyone's kindness.

Thank you for the time you have spent in helping us get through this.

Thank you for giving time to spread this link and sharing it with others.

Thank you for lending a hand.

Thank you for your guidance.

Thank you for your prayers.

Each and everyone of you played a big role in our lives, especially in my daughter's life. I hardly know most of the people who helped us. Most of them are a thousand miles away from us. But I still do hope that this will reach them....Thank you thank you thank you so much.

May God bless us all...

Surgery is set on the 28th of August at the Philippine Heart Center.

Prayers are highly appreciated.

Faith in God

She had her recent check-up this 6th of June and during her check-up, the doctor's finding was that the pressure on her lungs are starting to build-up. She immediately asked for a 2D-echo to check if she can still undergo an open-heart surgery.

Maree had her 2decho that day and THANK GOD she can still undergo the surgery. But the doctor warned us that it really has to be this year, the sooner, the better. She said that there's no exact calculation on how fast will the pressure in her lungs build up but if we can have the surgery this year, then it's still safe.

She even offered us a lesser package, 300,000 peso value for the surgery including the blood that has to be transferred to her during the operation, so that we can have the surgery this year.

To those who have helped, prayed and donated, my biggest thanks to all of you.

Matt. 19:26

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

My Angel, My Life

On March 2004, my daughter, Jerthrude Maree Sarmiento, was diagnosed with ASD (Atrial Septal Defect). It's a congenital heart disease and the only cure is for her to undergo an open-heart surgery. A year later, her pedia-cardiologist heard a 2nd murmur and found out that it's coming from her cleft mitrial valves (congenital mitral regurgitation). The doctor advised us to have an open heart surgery as soon as possible because a complication might affect her in someway and will be too dangerous for her. The complications are sometimes irreversible that even a surgery can't help. For now, she's taking furosemide until the time of her surgery.

It has been 4 years and still she haven't been on surgery. She recently had a check-up where her doctor advised us to have the surgery the soonest possible time before it's too late. We're still raising the 400,000 peso surgery value and up to this date, we have raised an amount of 25,000 pesos with the help of friends and the people who have read this. This year is our target for her operation. Miracles do happen. And I never loose hope. Thank you so much to the good Samaritans out there.

The internet is the only option I know to help me give my daughter a healthier life. Though some may have doubts regarding this matter, I will assure you that I will never put my daughter's life here if I'm just making this all up. This is the only way I know to speed up the process of raising the money we need. I'm also seeking charities everywhere hoping that one of them will help us. Some people may not understand or criticize me for asking for help from strangers but I guess anyone who's in my position who's running out of time will do the same.

If you need any documents or anything to support my plea, please email me. I'll be more than willing to send you any information and/ or laboratory tests you will be needing. I have also posted the results online, click here.

Thank you so very much. I hope and pray that the Lord God will touch your hearts after reading this and I hope you'll be a part of saving my daughter's life. To those angels who helped us all these years, from cash to kinds to letters, I hope to meet you all someday. Though it may be difficult since we live worlds apart, please accept my sincerest thank you. You are heaven sent.

Thank you very much. May God bless us all..