Michi Photostory

We’ve been here in Norway for almost three months already and one of the things that I really miss is Filipino food. I can cook Filipino dishes but the taste is not the same, maybe because I’m using different ingredients since not all are available. There is no longer Asian Market here and the nearest one is in Trondheim City. 

Yesterday, I was doing my newsletter for my email subscribers and I noticed that I only posted one article about my Summer in Norway series. Anyare! Hehehe! So now, let me continue my series, I still have a few posts in my draft before I start the Iceland Trip series.

If you remember my post last month, we went to Svartholberget and because of that, we went home very late. So the following day, as expected I woke up late and I did my usual routine. I was a bit surprised when I did not see my mom in the living room and kitchen.

She always wakes up early for her morning devotion, so nagulat ako na hindi pa siya gising. In my mind, baka napagod sa lakad namin sa Svartholberget so I checked my emails, messages and blog while waiting for my son na magising. Then out of the blue, my stepdad called me and he said, my mom was in the hospital. I was shocked, akala ko natutulog lang sila.


He explained to me everything. I wake up my son so we can prepare for our hospital visit. We ate breakfast, took a bath and we’re waiting for my mom’s update so we can go to the hospital. While waiting, ang dami ko naiisip.

- ganun kahimbing tulog ko at hindi ko namalayan na umalis sila ng bahay.
- kahapon lang naglalakad pa kami sa Svartholberget and mukhang okay naman.
- we’re supposed to have family lunch that day so canceled na.
- bakit ang tagal ng update.
- bakit mag-isa lang mom ko sa hospital

I don’t understand why we’re at home and we need to wait for my mom’s update. I thought my stepdad will just get something at home and we will go back to the hospital right away. Kaya nagmadali kami ng anak ko magprepare. My mom is in the hospital so we should be there.

Well, Philippines and Norway are different when it comes to hospitals. You don’t need to accompany your family member to the hospital. When my mom was not feeling well, dinala siya ng stepdad ko to the nearest hospital in the wee small hours, he was informed that my mom needs to go to another hospital for more labtests. The hospital is more or less 1 hour and 30 minutes away from our place. So my stepdad went home and we waited for an update if my mom goes home or needs confinement.


Ang tagal ng paghihintay, nagbreakfast, naglunch at nagmerienda na kami. Finally, while eating our merienda, my mom called so off we went to the hospital. The doctor advised my mom to stay in the hospital for more tests so we need to bring her clothes. Actually, on our way out, my mom messaged me na kahit hindi na daw kami pumunta sa hospital kasi mapapagod lang kami but I did not listen, we wanted to see her. Nagmamadali kami so we won’t miss the Ferry.

We need to ride the boat for 30 minutes and from the port, one hour drive to St. Olavs Hospital in Orkanger. Though Ørland has its own hospital, there are times that they send the patient to Orkanger or Trondheim if they need advanced tests or operations.


This is a public hospital so free lahat. The hospital is not that big if I will compare it to our hospitals here in the Philippines. My mom stays in a semi-private room so may kashare siya. We did not stay long because we need to catch the Ferry boat.


My mom was in the hospital from Saturday to Wednesday. We only visited her once, akala ko nga babalik pa kami before my stepdad goes back to work. Pero hindi rin, so my mom was in the hospital, my stepdad went back to work and my son and I were just at home waiting for my mom.

After 5 days, my mom finally went home via taxi. She underwent a lot of labtests and thank God okay naman ang test results. But since she still feels dizzy, she was advised to rest for few days, do some walking and light exercise and no driving yet. And because of that, ilang araw kami naglalakad sa Bruholmen.

Watch the video here.

At first, nawiwirduhan na wala kami sa hospital when my mom was confined. But my mom told me that when my aunt was terminally ill, they were not allowed to stay in the hospital room too. They reserved a room in a hotel where they can stay for few days.

Now, how I wish we have the same hospital in the Philippines when you don’t need to worry, when you don’t need to file a leave, when you don’t need to be absent in school and when you are at peace that is someone is taking care of your family. You don’t need to be in the hospital kasi may nurse nga naman.