My Battle with C (An Update)

Dear insansapinas,

Battling cancer is like fighting an invisible adversary. You do not know where it is going to strike. Some have no warning signs that the person learns about it at its advanced stage. 


This is also a disease that does not discriminate its victims. It could be contracted by an ordinary person or a popular celebrity like Farrah Fawcett ; an ordinary citizen or a powerful leader of a country like Venezuela. Its president Hugo Chavez recently underwent a medical procedure to remove an abscessed tumor from colon as big as a baseball and is now undergoing chemotherapy treatments in Cuba.


In my early twenty's, I had three surgical procedures to remove cysts from my breast. Three of them were as big as play marbles.  They kept on coming back. Every time, it was sent to test for malignancy, I stopped breathing.Masyado raw mainsist ang cysts ko. Pasaway. Luckily, they were not malignant. The Power UP there must know that I was not ready yet.


In 2007, they found another lump in my breast. In the same year, I was diagnosed with C. Two cysts; one was abscessed were removed from my colon. The lump in my breast disappeared.


In 2010, I was diagnosed again with hepatocellular carcinoma or liver cancer in layman's language. The MRI showed two tumors.


In January of 2011, my oncologist recommended me for a medical procedure that is equivalent to 1,000 chemotherapies. 


The MRI after three months showed no response. The doctors were puzzled, 


At this time, my tsikiting gubat who is the least religious among my "litters" promised that he would pray to the Nazareno of Quiapo. When he was an infant, he was given a 50-50 by the doctor due to abdominal infection at 7 days old. I told him that I prayed for his healing in Quiapo. 


In March, another procedure was done by my surgeon, hoping that it would produce some positive results like shrinking the tumors. This is not a promise of cure but just a means to reduce the pain and to add at least some more months in my young (AHEM) life.


An hour after the MRI, my doctor called. I missed the call. I was too stressed after the procedure. The next day I returned the call. She wa ecstatic. She said that the tumors did not shrink. They're DEAD.
But she added that usually new growths appear as to when, they can not tell. She asked me what do I feel.
I do not know what to say. I know this is a battle. The cancer cells never give up. They may disappear and come back later,  aggressively.That is why it is a battle. You keep on fighting. 


Is it a miracle? I believe miracles do happen without necessarily having thunder and lightning as background or a supernatural phenomena that could not be explained. They happen thru people. Even a child may be the agent of the miracle. 


When I went to my oncologist, I asked him if he is going to prescribe me meds to prevent the tumors from coming back. He said that he won't. Only if they come back. SUS. 


Anyway I called up my son to thank him for prayers. I think going to Quiapo to pray for me has strengthened his faith. For me, it is a greater result of my battle with C.



Sabi ko, wala pang bakanteng computer sa itaas. He said that he is going continue praying  so that the tumors will not come back.


Now I have to attend to my other health issues which I considered an admission test for a greater life beyond. 


Pinaysaamerika