The long wait is over!

I woke up early this morning and I still can't believe it... Everything that happened last night wasn't a dream. It was all real. The hundreds of congratulatory text messages (including that first one which confirmed the news); the endless phone calls from abroad, from Isabela and from Batangas; all the mobile phone calls made and received from colleagues and special old friends; and the warm, tight hugs from my family.

I think that this is, by far, my greatest achievement to date. My friends actually keep on telling me how proud they are of me: For hurdling the bar despite all my health issues. How I lost so much time for studying because of the hours I spent each week for dialysis. How I kept myself strong and positive and focused despite all the possible distractions brought about my kidney disease. My normal reaction was to brush aside all these compliments and I’d remark that we all had our different issues to deal with.

But looking back, tears start to well up my eyes (which does not happen very often). I remember all the hardships I went through. I even thought of not taking the bar yet to attend to my health. I remember dreading the days I had to go to the hospital for dialysis not only because of the pain but more so because of the fact that I’d lose so much study time. I remember my strict no-salt diet which really sucked big time. I’d have moments when I really wanted to give up but just didn’t show it because it was not expected of me. I am but human, after all.

Now, the long wait is over and I am truly grateful for all the blessings I have received. I think that this is, by far, my greatest achievement ever.