Summer in the Philippines was glorious in April and May 2005, notwithstanding the weekly changes (mostly increases) in the price of gasoline.
April 7 was the day I had my first set of laboratory exams, after spending six months in cancer treatment. The results of my chest X-ray and ultrasound of the entire abdomen were good, with no trace of spread or recurrence. Praise God! It does seem that surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy worked together to rid my body of all those cancer cells. Still, we live a day at a time.
My next check up will be via a PET scan in July. My oncologist said the PET scan will be able to detect the smallest cancer lesions, especially in the lymph nodes. However, some co-survivors tell me the procedure tends to over-read, that is, it will tell you that you have cancer even when you don’t. I guess there is no perfect way to do these things and I can only trust in God’s infinite mercy for everything to be well.
Also in April, I started going to a medical doctor-acupuncturist on a weekly basis. Traditional Chinese Medicine is based on a philosophy very different from the one of Western Medicine. I hope these twin approaches I am submitting to will complement each other and enhance my total health and well being.
During the summer, I was able to join two badminton doubles tournaments, losing all the games I played, yet immensely enjoying the experience. The first one I joined with my neighbor and good friend Tata as partner. It was a neighborhood tourney and we were classified in the lowest skill level. The second one I joined with my husband as partner. It was a fund-raising tourney of the Philippine Pediatric Dental Society and again, we were classified in the lowest skill level. I had a lot of fun and practice kept my weekends busy.
Aside from badminton, I also joined taebo classes in the office twice a week. Research shows that vigorous exercise of 5x a week can reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence by as much as 50%.
More important than looking after my health with tests and doctor visits and exercise, I spent the summer renewing my ties with friends and family.
I had lunch with members of the ICANSERVE yahoogroup which I joined last year soon after my first chemo. ICANSERVE is a non-stock, non-profit organization led by breast cancer survivor Kara Magsanoc-Alikpala. It does high impact information campaigns for breast cancer awareness and runs a counseling hotline.
The group, through the facilitation of member Tina, treated several leukemia wards of the National Children’s Hospital to a day out in Sta. Rosa Estates, Laguna. Gino and Dana made loot bags for the children and joined the activity held on April 30, opening their young minds to the reality of severe sickness affecting even young children, as well as the blessing of hope and the strength of prayer in adversity.
Unfortunately, two among us (ICANSERVE members) passed away in the summer (both due to metastasis or spread to other organs of the body). And with the group membership becoming even bigger, we are made keenly aware of how prevalent breast cancer is in the Philippines.
Norman and I (and at one time Gino and Dana) were able to visit our fallen sisters prior to their demise, and we were touched by their fighting spirit. It has not been easy coping, but we learned so much from meeting these lovely sisters of ours. I grieve having lost them, but I also celebrate having known them. It brings me much consolation to hold hands with such brave women during this most unpredictable journey we share.
I also made time for high school friends visiting from Canada and the U.S., meeting up with pals from our growing up days in Tondo. I am happy to be reminded that bonds of friendship from childhood do last forever.
My mom arrived in May from the U.S. where she lives with my sister. She will stay in the country until August. My youngest sister finished a two-year work contract in Saudi Arabia and has chosen to stay in Cavite with her two children. My brother and his wife and son are also visiting from Saudi Arabia. They will return to the Middle East within June.
Being with my mom, brother, sister, nephews and niece brought immense joy to me and my family. Gino and Dana were thrilled to be playing with their cousins, grateful to be loved and cherished by “not only” their mom and dad. =)
It was indeed a great summer, bustling with activity, yet filled with moments of reflection and opportunities to love.
To cap the wonderful two months, I returned to school to continue my MBA studies. I will spend two nights a week in UP Diliman in yet another trimester of adventure.
Every day God creates a whole new world of miracles for me, and for anyone who dares or cares to see. I thank God daily for the gift of family and friendship and good doctors and kind officemates and considerate classmates and courageous sisters in affliction. I pray always to be worthy of their kinship.
For my own peace of mind, I resolve to live my life to the full…simply because I do not know how long or short this life would be.
