Sunday, October 14, 2007

My Alter Life as Fertility Goddess

I should have seen it coming when my doctor diagnosed a myoma somewhere inside me where babies come from. It was an itty bitty growth that would soon grow up, I was warned. Rather harmless, except it was obstructive of motherly ambitions.

"Go and multiply now and I mean NOW-- or forever remain two," the OB-gyn as much as told husband and me.

That was countless years and countless babies ago. The duo has not only become a trio but a glee club that is not always in tune.

Myohmy! Whereohwhere has my little myoma gone ? That's a question which I’d have wanted to confront Dr. Young with, for all her U.S. training credentials (not from some Philippine med school, ha? hahaha!).

If it’s still inside me, it must have grown into an amulet. A fertility charm.

And that is how I have become goddess of fertility, with childless women worshipping at my altar.

Mary and Waiping did. They are two Singaporean women I met in an international program in KL some time in my prolific past.

They had no children yet, though each four and five years married, they told me during our getting-to-know you lunch. Their woebegone look gave away the yearning in their heart.

Their eyes popped when I told them how many I got or begot.

“If you want to have children, stick by me,” I declared, “I'm a fertility deity."

I am not sure if they believed me. But stick by me they did -- all through the one-month program. They’d flank me in class pictures. Hustle to get into my group during field work. Knock on my door to chat.

Waiping and I met again in Singapore three years later. The conference I was attending was held at the National Productivity Board where she and Mary worked.

I was delighted to meet again a very big, very pregnant Waiping. It’s her second baby she said. It was then I noticed she still looked woebegone and -- did I only imagine it? -- wary.

“And where’s Mary,” I asked.

“She’s on maternity leave. Her second, too."

Before I could react, she added: "I don’t think she wants to see you.”

43 comments:

Heart of Rachel said...

Oh, Annamanila, you always know how to deliver a great story. I enjoyed reading this amusing story and can't help but wonder if it is based on reality.

Thanks for the wonderful comments on my blog. I always appreciate your quality visits. :)

You deserve the award. You are fabulous!

You're very welcome.

Anonymous said...

sige, I will stay by you for one month. Haha pwede pa ba ako?

Anonymous said...

Would commenting regularly on your blog count as worshiping you, oh great holy goddess of the uterus? :)

ScroochChronicles said...

Sweet Jesus, I should have met you 7 years ago when I was trying to get pregnant. I too had a fertility problem and I was getting desperate. I did rub a couple of fertility gods from Thailand when they were visiting but I don't think it worked. I don't know who I rubbed the right way because after trying for 4 years we were pleasantly preggers.

Sus, kung nakilala kita nuon, eh di siguro di ganun katagal ang pagdurusa ko. Pero I should be careful now, baka pag nag-EB tayo at matitigan ako ng asawa ko, nakow :)

Great post!!

houseband00 said...

Haha! That cheered me up. =)

The least they could have done was name one kid after you.

Cute post, Anna.

Anonymous said...

Ha ha ha ha. What's next?

Is this related to the comment you made on my blog; who is the father, the mother of Filipino people and what we all want to be?

As a fertility goddess, perhaps you have something to do with ever growing pinoy population. LOL

Anonymous said...

I am definitely wanting to meet up with you soon.

My clock is ticking....

ann said...

hi! i think i should refer you to my aunt who's been trying to get pregnant for ages. she too had myoma. :)

Forever59er said...

Rachel!

This is a true story written tongue in cheek. Exazh siempre, as i haven't been anointed FG! hahaha.

But the myoma, our hurrying up to bear children before the myoma gets in the way, the childless Singaporean ladies, meeting them again in their fecund glories -- all true. But maybe I just imagined they may not have wanted to meet me again. :)

Forever59er said...

Noemi!

Awww. Gusto mo ba? I will refer you to a major deity. Minor lang ako eh, baka hindi ko kaya. hahaha

Forever59er said...

Toe!

Nope, it's got to be face to face kissing of the foot. It works better if done where the devotee is, in your case, in Cambodia. This deity likes to travel eh. hahaha

Forever59er said...

Scrooch cookie!

Ay sayang. My fertility talisman would have worked faster. Mas mura pa ang professional fees tho I'd prefer to call 'em tithes. hahaha

Forever59er said...

HB!

Ahahaha. Oo nga ano?

Sometimes I wonder if Waiping and Mary had more babies later.

Forever59er said...

Myepinoy!

This is a topic simmering in my mind for weeks now. Your posts on senior pregnancies and father of the nation only induced the simmering brew to full boiling. Ty very mucho.

Forever59er said...

Leah!

I agree hurry up before this fertility deity ticks away too.

:)

Forever59er said...

Ann!

Why doesn't your aunt have the myoma taken out? Pwede naman, di ba?

Ay, sige, tell her to get in touch with me. Ooops, akala mo tunay ano? hahaha

feng said...

like Cookie, took us 3 years to get pregnant. had to undergo work up pa and the meds, and the rituals, ay grabe.

maybe I could join the rest of the PMN Moms for the meetup, and I'll have my bulging tummy rubbed by you since we're trying for the second. :)

Forever59er said...

Feng!

Why not? There's no harm in trying ha. Who knows that all these were not just coincidences. Ay!

Anonymous said...

Hmmm, my ex-wife was diagnosed with the same thing too. Maybe that's the reason why we never had children, which is a good thing actually... :-)

Anonymous said...

that myoma was gone? incredible, a miracle even... a pity you're far away, my friend needs a bit of help, she's getting on a bit though...
yes, what a delightful post once again :-)

Gina said...

You know one of the fondest hopes in my heart , oh,dear goddess Anna, so if there is a way you could make that gift work on me thru cyberspace!

Teka, is Leah going to the Phils. for vacation? Baka pwede mong ipa-hand carry sa kanya? LOL!

Anonymous said...

If you don't really have a fertility charm, that was quite an amazing coincidence.

Forever59er said...

Sngl!

Maybe you're right sngl. But then a baby might have made you and ex try harder at your relationship. Who knows ha. :)

Forever59er said...

Pining!

I have had countless IEs later but no doctor has detected it. It was nature and the doctor's conspiracy to make me mother a mob. :) I am glad you liked this flippant post.

Forever59er said...

Oh, Gina!

For you I really wish I am authentic. hahaha. Let's think of something.

Forever59er said...

Jerry!

Corekajan. Amazing coincidence or who knows? ahem

vernaloo said...

hahahaha then I should stay away from you Anna hehe at least for now :)

Forever59er said...

Ay ... tell me when you're ready, then let's EB again. hahaha

Chateau said...

Hmmm.. Madami akong irerefer sa yo ha. Can I be your manager? LOL

Forever59er said...

Ok. If we can't cash in our blogs, then, let's go to business with this uncanny gift that I have. hahaha

Jap said...

Hehehe that was funny =) I can see you now getting banned in China, Anna lol =)

Anonymous said...

oh dear, dear... Perhaps I should steer clear from you, too?
:-P

this really made me laugh hehe

Anonymous said...

I should definitely, absolutely, schedule a meeting with you when we go home next time! :)
But seriously, I wish we could meet somehow. One of these days, what say you?

Forever59er said...

Jap!

I'd be banned in China but welcome in Singapore, Denmark, Finland and other countries that need more manpower. Haha .. at kumagat naman.

Forever59er said...

Auee!

I was also laughing while writing this post. Funny but really uncanny!

Forever59er said...

Kathy!

I absolutely agree with you, we should meet face to face whether or not you need my magic. When will your balik-Pinas be?

Anonymous said...

Mamsy!

Oh no. I hope this is not genetic.

Forever59er said...

Bonch!

If I didn't have the magic then, where would bonch be now?

Anonymous said...

Behold then the Goddess who is named Anna!

I had similar experiences also. A very close friend was always intimidating to me how he had wanted to have a son after two daughters. I kept on saying that I wish he get his desire. And truly, he did.

Another friend---not too close---was intimitaing to me that he had difficulty to have her wife in conception, for years already at that time. I just said that he must keep praying to the Lord for his wishes. And after about a year, I saw him and his wife was already pregnant.

Anonymous said...

ohmygosh, fertility goddess,anna, i have cousins who would want stick by you. how much you charge?

Forever59er said...

Major Tom!

Aah you're the masculine version of fertility goddess. hahaha yes, those coincidences that happened to you are amazing too.

Forever59er said...

Belle!

Hmmm May i refer you to my manager, Chateau (imomonline). hahaha

Tani said...

I'll be in Ilo-ilo for Christmas to visit my parents. I'll hunt for this place and try the P50 buffet. :)

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