At this point in life, I’m considered as an adult - even though sometimes I don’t act like one. I completely realize now how much you did for me, and for that, I need to truly truly truly thank you - something that I think I haven’t done appropriately.
Without you, I wouldn’t have been able to march on that stage a while ago, let alone, finish college and graduate. Thank you for spending countless hours trying to earn money just to be able to send me to school and just to support my endeavors even if it meant extra work hours for you. You as parents basically characterize what a nurse is - Being a nurse means to hold all your own tears and start drawing smiles on people’s faces. You may think that I never thought about your hardships, nor have I ever tried putting myself in your shoes, but I have, and I really really appreciate every single minute of your life that you spent just to give us our lives today. I may have done countless of things that gave you unnecessary heartaches and pains and I know I can never take those moments back. I am really really really sorry for all of them. I hope I could take away all of the hate in your heart and have a fresh start. A fresh parent-child relationship without any stain from the past.
Thank you for allowing me to go into Nursing despite its bad reputation in the community. I promise you that I have no regrets in entering this course because I have learned and experienced far more things that I could ever imagine. Nursing school was where I learned that ABC’s aren’t just the starting letters for the alphabet, but instead, they stand for something more important for emergency priorities like airway, breathing, and circulation. It was where I was trained to always be punctual and actually wake up on my own without having to rely on someone else to wake me up. It was where I learned to care for a dying patient, and it affected me both physically and emotionally. How was it possible to care for someone I didn’t even know and yet still be able to pierce through my soul? Also, Nursing school was where I first encountered the miracle of life where I almost fainted yet battled with the fear of blood. Witnessing the hardships of a mother from the time of labor to giving birth and eventually holding her child for the first time with the biggest smile - as if she didn’t encounter pain a few minutes ago - is something beyond words and I truly appreciate you even more.
(Here's a picture of us during our night duty in the operating room where we had to stay up late waiting for a operating case to scrub in. We were a bit tired then.)
Nursing school has given me so much other rich experiences that has shaped me to who I am today and I am and will be forever grateful for that. Thank you for giving me this opportunity in life that many others can’t have.
Dad, Ma, thank you for giving me my education.
I hope to make you proud soon by claiming that M.D. after my name,
But for now,
Dianne Kathleen Ng Chiang, BSN University of Santo Tomas Bachelor of Science in Nursing Batch 2017
This one's for you, Dad and Mom!!! I love you!!! :*
The 2016 Asian Powerlifting Championships was held in Udaipur, India last June 7-12, 2016.
4 flights in 24 hours
Hainanese Chicken in Malaysia
Joke time chicken sandwich at Cochin airport. Because it was full of vegetables.. and a few pulled strips of chicken that you can't even taste D:
Last leg to Udaipur
Hellloo0o0o0o0o0o UDR, India!!!!
First misfortune: The service forgot to fetch us in the airport. How is that :((((((((
We stayed in Ananta Resorts and Spa in Udaipur, India.
Lobby
The room
Then we ordered food for dinner on our first night because we didn't know we had free buffet dinner as well! It was great tho. Mutton <3
Lamb chops
The following morning we had buffet breakfast as well (and everyday after that)
Coach Bets and my brother Archie were still on the way to India when this photo was taken :p
(L-R) Nicole, Rowella, Spencer, Me, Letecia, Regie, Tita Anne, and Preetiz taking the selfie.
With Tsung Ting Hsieh and Yang Sen of Chinese Taipei
(left) With Kuki Chang and Shao Chu of Chinese Taipei // and some Indian performers (right)
Night time outside the competition venue
Preetiz, Nicole, and I went around the mall to look for groceries.
The nearest mall was around 30 minutes away from Ananta so it was quite of a trip going to civilization hahahha
We ate at this really good Indian restaurant
And we really ordered another round of the same orders because it was that good!!
Right before going to the stage for our first lifts
My best lifts:
Squat at 147.5kg
I wasn't able to get my 3rd attempt of 165kg (vid above) d/t depth but I felt like my 3rd attempt was deeper than my first. Arghhhh.
Bench Press at 80kg
Deadlift at 145kg
Coach Bets' best lifts:
Squat at 167.5kg
Bench at 112.5kg
Deadlift at 182.5kg
And Spence getting his focus on for his turn during his day
and his best lifts:
Squat at 255kg
Bench Press at 170kg
Deadlift at 250kg
During the awarding, everyone was standing straight and in attention. Well we also stood straight, inattentive. Hahhaahhahahahaahajk
And it's time to raise the PH flag! All smiles for me and Coach Bets... not the people around us apparently D:
Yassss
I got 4 golds (Squat, Bench, Deadlift, Total) in the -63kg Junior Category
The guy on the left is Farshid Soltani, the president of the Asian Powerlifting Federation
Coach Bets got 1 Gold (Bench) and 3 Silvers (Squat, Deadlift, Total) in the -63kg Open Category
It's only her 2nd year in the open category! :O
Spence got 4 golds as well (Squat, Bench, Deadlift, Total) in the -93kg Junior Category
This year is his final year as a junior- time to unleash another beast into the open category! :p
It's quite late to express my gratitude to the people who helped me reach this point, but I will.
I really thank my brother for always coming with us everywhere during our competitions. He isn't a competing powerlifter, but he is our coach who wraps us, helps us wear our suits and shirts, loads our bars during our warm ups, carries everything for us, psyches us up, and gives his 100% support. Ahia, you are definitely a big part of our success. Thank you for always clearing out your schedule for me as much as you can, just to help. Thank you for being there whenever I breakdown or rant, and eventually bringing me to the spa when you think I need it. Thank you for being my workout buddy, though rarely. I really really treasure those days. Thank you for bringing me to Cebu right after India. I had the best post-competition celebration aka was surrounded by lechon. Will never forget our intense migraine after our pigout with almost a kilo of lechon belly. PS, we have yet to reclaim our 5k. LOL. Thank you, ahia :)
I want to thank my sister too for being the silent supporter. She wasn't able to come with us to India because of work, but I know if she could, she would. Thank you, ach for always backing me up when people go against my sport because "I'm a girl." For always telling me I'm not fat when I feel like a whale just to help me be in peace. Thank you for your random surprises like the pre-competition letter of encouragement and the new gym bag that you sent me via Archie in India. I felt your presence during the comp even though you were back home, chie. Thank you :*
And to my family who also silently supports me despite being so vocal about wanting me to stop lifting. Thank you for still allowing me to do things I love. For allowing me not to pass up this opportunity. I promise to always try to be safe and keep away from injuries. I hope I made you proud :)
I also thank my coach who has been there since day 0. Thank you for patiently coaching me despite the conflicts in our schedules. Thank you for watching over my training as well as my nutrition all throughout, and for being the best training buddy even when apart! Thank you also for helping me prepare myself not only physically, but mentally as well- for toughening me up when faced with stress from school, training, and the lack of sleep. I think that was the worst thing I had to tackle this cycle- my mental state. All the blood, sweat, tears, and abnormal cortisol levels was definitely worth it. And again, I'm really excited for what's to come next for us! :)
You wanna be the best? Then you have to #TrainWithTheBets!!!
Also, a big thank you to tito Eddie, the president of the Powerlifting Association of the Philippines for taking time to fix all of our flights, accomodation, and whatnot. Thank you for always saying yes to all of our requests to change airplane seats with you and Nicole hahaha. Thank you, too, for carefully watching out for us during our lifts, for reminding us whenever it's almost our turn, and for being our runner. Really really grateful for your help! :)
I also want to thank the whole PH Powerlifting Team for being a big part in psyching me up by supporting me during my lifts. I'm glad that everyone did pretty well during this comp!!!
Well last but definitely not the least- Spencer. There were times when I'd have to train apart from coach- and training alone makes me really really lazy. But there's this guy who always encouraged me to train harder and to complete all my sets *properly.* Thank you, Spencer, for the times that you adjusted your schedule just to be able to accompany me during those days. Thank you for bringing me out of my no-salt diet to enjoy more food- you're the only one who got me to not log anything in MFP nor count a single macro for more than 2 days. PR-ing at 3 months and counting LOL. Those final days of cutting stress for the meet was definitely worth it. Being fet is worth it!! Hahahaha. Thanks for making this India trip unforgettable despite all the misfortunes that happened. I'm really glad I met you for the first time in HK during the 2015 Asians. And 7 more first times after that. According to you. LOLJK. :p Glad to bring home 5 golds after the Asians niqqas! :)
