Pain Has a Purpose

Sunday, August 17th, 2025

This morning, I got bathed like a baby by the nurse. Yes, full-on sponge bath vibes, except with something way fancier than baby wipes. Apparently, there’s this magical thing called disposable antibacterial wash gloves. Soft, antiseptic, alcohol-free, basically a life hack wrapped in a wet bag. Where has this been all my life? I immediately checked out a pack on Shopee. You know, just in case I ever travel or, let’s be honest, feel too lazy to shower at home 😜

By midday, my freedom arrived. The catheter was removed, and I was finally allowed to try walking to the bathroom again. Liberation! Except, tiny detail, I felt like a bloated pufferfish. My stomach was tight, full of trapped air, and the doctor reminded me: “Mobilize. Move around. You’ll feel better once gas passes.” He also gave me pills to help me deal with it.

So there I was, standing next to the hospital bed, summoning every ounce of strength. I thought, Yes, this is it, the grand release. And oh, it happened. Sweet relief. But then… why did my leg feel weirdly squishy? Surprise, surprise! It wasn’t just air. It was… the other kind of release. At that exact moment, my husband was sitting right beside me, happily munching on crispy duck. Suddenly, the bebek lost its b's to become just “eek.” Ewww.

Cue horror and hilarity colliding at once. I wanted to laugh, but my stomach protested. I wanted to hide, but where? Yet there he was... my husband, the picture of calm stoicism. He gently cleaning me up, rinsing off my clothes, and then… going right back to eating, like nothing had happened. No complaints, no grimace, not even a sigh. Just pure Zen. Honestly, I don’t know if it’s love, enlightenment, or both. Either way, I felt safe.

Later that afternoon, my kids arrived with my mom. We gathered in my hospital room, tuning into online Sunday service together. Pastor Alvin Rajagukguk spoke about pain and purpose. His words felt like they were aimed straight at me: pain is a gift. It signals when something’s wrong, so we don’t ignore it. It draws us closer to God’s purpose, teaching us not to dwell on the size of our suffering but to look for meaning in it. Watch the sermon here.

I’ll be honest: sometimes pain feels pointless. It just hurts. It drains. It embarrasses (see: unexpected poop incident). But maybe the point is right there: humbling us, reminding us of our limits, and nudging us toward grace we can’t generate on our own. Maybe suffering shrinks when we find humor in the mess, or when we lean into love instead of pride.

By evening, my husband switched places with our eldest daughter and my mom. He escorted my youngest back to her dorm, then headed home to prepare for his Monday marathon of meetings. Meanwhile, my eldest (thank God for her day off) would spend tomorrow keeping me company, tag-teaming with my mom. I keep thinking: what did I do to deserve this family? Their care, their presence, their patience... <3

As I sit there with a sore belly, a grateful heart, and a slightly bruised dignity, I realize something: pain really does have a purpose. It slows us down enough to notice the love around us. It reminds us we’re not built to do life alone. It teaches us that being cared for is not weakness, it’s actually a quiet kind of strength. And the foremost, to draw us closer to God's purpose.

And if all else fails, at least pain gives you stories worth telling. I mean, who else can say they turned a poop mishap into a sermon illustration? 😁 Don’t run from your pain. Hold it gently, listen to what it’s trying to teach you, and when possible, laugh at it. Because sometimes, the holiest thing you can do in a hospital gown… is giggle (without hurting the sore belly!).

Cheers,
Nuniek Tirta

The Waiting Room of Life

There are few things in life that test our character more than waiting. Not the kind of waiting where you’re stuck in traffic with your favorite playlist on, but the heavy kind; waiting without certainty. The waiting that weighs on you because you don’t know if it will end tomorrow, next month, or next year. I’ve been thinking a lot about this today because something big just wrapped up. A long-awaited promise was finally fulfilled. And in the process, I witnessed firsthand how differently people behave when placed in the uncomfortable chair of “ the waiting room of life. ” Imagine a waiting room where everyone has been told their name will be called someday, maybe soon, maybe late. You’d see at least two kinds of people. Some people sit quietly, open a book, maybe start a new project on the side while glancing occasionally at the clock. They don’t need to narrate their suffering to the entire room. They choose dignity over drama. They know that patience doesn’t have to be ...

What I Learned from Timothy Tiah - Founder of Nuffnang

Last Sunday when I entered VIP room at JWEF , I was introduced to this guy with his mini version boy on his lap, and his pretty wife with white top and red skirt. We had chit chat and he told me he’d be in Jakarta this Tuesday, and I told him that we’d have 57th #Startuplokal Monthly Meetup on Tuesday night. To be really honest, only a very few did I know about him until he shared his amazing story on JWEF stage a few minutes later, and get inspired that I took note and now share this with you all. Timothy Tiah founded Nuffnang with Cheo Ming Shen at 2006 when he was 22 years old, with 150k RM startup capital, partly borrowed from his father. He simply founded it because there’s nobody built it before, while the demand was actually there. The site was launched in February 2007. Sales ≠ cashflow On earlier years, although Nuffnang sales highrocketed, the cashflow was poor. At one point he only has 5k left in bank, while there were invoices need to be paid out urgently. He came to Hon...

Waiting and Celebrating

This morning was wonderfully slow, the kind of slow where time doesn’t feel wasted but savored. Everyone in the house had their own lazy rhythm. No alarms, no rush, just soft hours unfolding. By two in the afternoon, we finally left for Pondok Gede to check our first house. We had it lightly renovated: The old, tired canopy was taken down, so the two-story house could breathe and look elegant again. The walls and fence got a fresh coat of white paint, giving it that “new beginnings” look. The cracked tiles were replaced, no more tripping hazards waiting for unsuspecting guests. The windows were repainted, catching a bit of shine when the sun hits. House for sell or rent, near Mall Pondok Gede. Contact here. Now it’s neat, clean, and... how do I say this... ready to meet its "jodoh". Although we don’t know yet if the match is a buyer or a tenant. Should we sell it? Should we rent it out? We don’t have the answer yet. And for someone like me, uncertainty is both fascinating a...

Going Home with a 270 Million Bill and a Prayer

Thursday, August 21, 2025 This is it! The day I finally got discharged after 10 nights in the hospital. After surviving ESWL for kidney stones + laparoscopy for appendix + mini laparotomy for myom and uterus removal. In the morning, Dr. Eko came by with the golden ticket: “You can go home today.” And previously, Dr. Ong team also said the same. Finally! I’d been waiting for that sentence like a kid waiting for recess. Of course, it’s never as simple as “the doctor said I can go home.” Nope. There’s a whole backstage performance involving the nurses, admin, pharmacy, and let’s not forget the insurance company. Meanwhile, my husband was busy running back and forth between the hospital room and the car, carrying bags, while I reminded him, “Don’t forget to buy bread for the nurses and staff.” Doctor on duty replaced the dressing on my laparoscopy wounds, but left the laparotomy one alone. Too wet, too risky. I didn’t even argue, I’m just glad someone else was brave enough to de...

Less Fighting, More Understanding

Sunday mornings have this magical way of stretching out slowly, like they don’t want to end. This morning was one of those slow mornings, the kind where the house hums gently, everyone moves at their own pace, and there’s no rush to do anything other than exist. We had plans to go to church, but of course, life had its own little lesson in patience: the War Ticket frenzy. Thousands of people rushing online just to get a spot for worship every week; it’s kind of insane when you think about it. Praise the Lord indeed for the technology that lets us all battle for our pews without elbowing anyone physically. After church, we went for a late lunch, and that’s when I discovered MOKKA tucked away in a corner of the mall. I’ve walked past this mall so many times, but I never noticed it before. It’s funny how sometimes good things are hiding in plain sight, waiting for someone else to point them out. The restaurant was quiet compared to the line at Lekko just down the hall. And while MOKKA’s f...

Staycation, Wedding Edition

Sometimes the best kind of joy doesn’t come from running away. It comes from choosing to be fully present somewhere new, even if it’s still in your own city. Some weekends don’t just rest your body; they quietly reset your spirit too. Saturday, October 4, 2025. The day I’d been waiting for finally arrived: staycation day with my husband! It had been ages since our last one. Unless you count that time I stayed overnight at the hospital (which I don’t, thank you very much). This time, we had a much better reason: a wedding. Since the venue was quite far from home, we figured, why not make a little weekend out of it? After finishing some work and a blog post (because apparently, I can’t truly rest without typing something first), we headed out at noon to... drumroll... PIK 2. Predictably, it was scorching. The kind of heat that makes you question all your life choices. But honestly, I’d missed the seaside vibe too much to complain, fake or not. We parked at The Land’s End, and after walki...

Cold and Bold

Saturday, 16 August 2025, past midnight “Bu, bu, operasinya sudah selesai ya Bu.” “Dingin… dingin…” Those were the first words that came out of my mouth when I woke up from surgery. Not exactly poetic, but hey, when you’ve just survived laparoscopy and hysterectomy-laparotomy in one go, you don’t wake up quoting Shakespeare. You wake up asking for blankets. I remember shivering, my teeth chattering, my body completely confused about what just happened. The nurses rushed to wrap me in layers, and I drifted in and out of consciousness, half-aware that my life had just been handed back to me, stitched and stapled and sewn together. And honestly, that’s the thing about life, isn’t it? We often imagine survival arriving in big, cinematic ways. Dramatic music, bright lights, maybe even a slow clap. In reality, sometimes it shows up with a shaky whisper: “dingin… dingin…” The doctors told my husband it was quite long, delicate surgery. My appendix alone took nearly an hour, and removing my my...

Not Winning, Still Blooming

Every year, my husband and I get invited to the BCA Wealth Summit at the Grand Ballroom Kempinski, Jakarta. Same venue, same buzz, same format, even the same familiar faces. One of them is Ko Michael, who insists on not being called “Pak” because it sounds too old, hehe. It’s always nice to catch up with him, exchanging updates on investments, startups, and the comfort of knowing we’re still orbiting in the same world. With ko Michael the owner of King Foto Indonesia at BCA Wealth Summit One of the things that always makes the Summit worthwhile are the sessions that stretch my mind. Mari Elka Pangestu, Vice Chairwoman of the National Economic Council, talked about The New Trade Paradigm and Its Implications to Indonesia . One line stayed with me: in a world shifting from globalization to regional blocs, Indonesia needs to think less like a passive participant and more like a proactive designer of its role. It reminded me that wealth is not just about assets,...

What's the point of wealth?

Sometimes the mind gives up long before the body does. And sometimes, the body quietly follows the signals the mind keeps whispering. Today’s event reminded me that resilience isn’t just about having strong savings, but also having a strong brain. Every year, I get invited to Permata Wealth Wisdom , kind of like my annual “school trip” to The Ritz-Carlton Pacific Place . This year’s theme: Resilient Wealth, Confident Future. I arrived at 9:30, just in time for the keynote speech by Airlangga Hartarto , Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs . The topic: Navigating Indonesia’s Economy Amid Global Shifts . Basically, he talked about how Indonesia’s economic resilience relies on innovation, infrastructure, and inclusive growth. Then came the talk show, moderated by my friend Aline Wiratmaja , with the panelists: Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) , the former Governor of Jakarta , with his trademark blunt honesty. Josua Pardede , Chief Economist of Permata...

Stomach Peace and Birthday Plots

Thursday, 04 September 2025 New achievement unlocked: my stomach behaved today! I mean, zero drama. No bloating, no extra gas, no rushing back and forth to the toilet like I’m training for the 100-meter dash. Just one smooth, dignified bathroom trip. My digestive system is finally acting like a responsible adult. And the secret? My self-imposed “no onion, no Yakult, no chia seeds” rule. Harsh? Maybe. Effective? Apparently yes. Though honestly, I still don’t know which of those three sneaky culprits is the real villain in my stomach saga. Is it the onions that I used to love in every dish? The supposedly good-for-you Yakult? Or those chia seeds that look harmless but might secretly be plotting against me? Who knows. All I care about is: today, I am free. Two days now without painkillers. Sure, I still have a small stash of them from the doctor, but they’re staying in the drawer like an emergency-only squad. (Hopefully never needed again.) It feels like I’ve passed a level in some strang...

The Diary of a CEO's Wife

Search This Blog