Martina Bagaman Sarmiento, Till We Meet Again

My mother in law has been the cement of the Sarmiento Family for 55 years, raised 3 children, helped raise her brothers 2 sons, helped raise 2 of her grandchildren and was an amazing grandmother to 10.  She was born in Shanghai China, migrated to the Philippines, met and married her husband of 55 years, migrated to the USA and worked hard her entire life.  She has said to us quite often "the day I stop working is the day I die".  She had traveled much and never missed a family celebration.  Recently she was diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure, which is treatable.  We went to visit her in early August and while we were there at her home she had suffered a hemoragic stroke, Kenny went to check in on her and found her standing by her bed unresponsive.  He got our son JT and our nephew Cleve to help him carry her down the hallway.  We called 911 and were fortunate enough to have friends there, one an ICU Nurse and one a Pharmacist.  They recognized she had stroked, so they helped with the EMTs. Within minutes she was on a gurney and off to the hospital with us behind.  The EMT's said as soon as they walked into the hospital she coded and was revived.  After a CAT Scan and other tests we received the news that she was brain dead.  We were all at the hospital at this point and Kenny's brother and family driving 4 hours away to be with her.  We had asked that they keep her alive until they arrived.  After watching her code and they had to work on her....it was all too much and with much anguish and tears Kenny, his sister Beth and I asked the ER Nurse & Doctors to stop.  We brought all the family in to say our goodbyes and I had the great blessing to hold her hand and sing church hymns to her.  Kenny administered a blessing to her and we all stood crying and loving her as she took her last breath.  At that very moment I thought to myself all the little things in life that people tend to blow out of proportion, the craziness that ensues in daily life all needs to be brought into perspective.  Life is truly short and we have so much to do, let each day be treated as a blessing.  Do unto others as you would have done unto you.

The funeral was attended by many and was as lovely as Marty was.  All the grandchildren sang, we as a family sang a song as well.  Many friends and family came from far distances to show their love and respect for such and amazing women.  The closing Hymn to her was "God Be With You Till We Meet Again".... and thats how we as a Sarmiento Family feel.

A Few Words About The Last Year.......

Over the last 5 months I have started a new Career, lost my mother in law to a stroke, sent our son JT off to College, came home to a water heater break and flooded home, been living in the Residence Inn for over 2 months and Celebrated a Birthday Post Chemo.

Starting a new Career has been so great for me, a blessing and so fun.   A great friend offered to train me in becoming a bookkeeper and Office Manager.  I have loved it and learned so much.

We lost the Matriarch of the Sarmiento Family, please read the Post "Martina Bagaman Sarmiento, Till We Meet Again".  

Taking my son to school was bitter sweet.  I know I can call him and skype him anytime however this is just a preparation for his Mission.  JT is doing so great and we had a fun road trip getting there.  As always funny things happen along the way but thats what make for fun family stories and laughs.

I return home with Dillon after our road trip to BYU-Idaho to find that Kenny and Makayla had cleaned the home from top to bottom for me.  Not a speck of dust, furniture all in place and nothing on the floor.  The next day I went to work, picked up Dillon after school then opened the front door to find our home was a Steam Bath.....our hot water heater pipe had broke and blew a hole through our Master Closet and Suite as well as flooded the kitchen and two hall ways.  Luckily we have renters insurance.  We have been at the Residence Inn now for nearly 3 months waiting for the Landlord to fix what needs to be done so we can move back in, which isn't looking so great now.  We have decided to move into another home but thats not as easy as one would think.

I Celebrated my 46th Birthday yesterday but it wasn't just any Birthday, it was the first Post Chemo Birthday.  I have learned that my life has a new normal for everything.  Tuesday I woke up feeling a little like I was going to get a cold, by 1pm I was feeling really sick so I emailed my Oncologist with my symptoms.  She told me to go to the Dr now!!!  By 6pm I as so sick the Dr put me on ZPack, Ear Drop Antibiotics and cough medicine (that made me sick to my stomach....yuk).  The Dr said my immune system is so low that any normal bug that one would be able to fight off could turn in to pneumonia for me quite quickly.  I am frustrated that I can't just fight off a bug, I can't just lose the weight that I put on over the last year, I can't get rid of my new condition Lymphodema.  BUT I am thankful for everyday I have on this earth and intend on making the best of each day.  I am so grateful for my loving and wonderful Husband Kenny, my amazing children and extended family.

This week last year I started my Chemotherapy, this week this year I have Hair, Happiness, Hope, Life and an Amazing Family.