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Wednesday, July 20, 2011

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

8 comments:

biyay said...

may kasabihan nga "masamang dao......" hehehehehe
i'm glad nawala na yung cancer

cathy said...

ayaw pa talagang payagan.
sabi naman ng doctor di pa ako totally free. so MRI naman after 3 months para mhuli kung may gusto na namang magsquat.

Lorena C. said...

so glad to hear of this Good News. will continue to pray that those squatters will not come back

Anonymous said...

Eeeeeeeeee confirmed confirm no need proofs biyay hahahahaha.
Im glad mam Im really glad,ngayon lang ulit ako nakasilip good news pa nabungaran ko,thats the power of prayers,di ako relihyosa mam pero naniniwala ako sa power ng prayers,we pray that it will not comeback again,for that,im willing to buy you a drink,anytime, anywhere,just tell me mam when you plan to go back in phil for a visit,i will go home too to buy you a drink......cheeeeeeeers!

~lee

cathy said...

lorena,
kailangan talaga manatili akong masamang damo. hehehe

cathy said...

lee,
hindi rin ako relihiyosa. hindi ako yong lingo-linggo na nasa simbahan pagkatapos mang-aapi ng kapwa. nambubugbog lang hahaha.

pero nagdadasal din ako. pero ito pinadaan ko na sa anak ko. baka di na ako pakinggan sa dami ng favor na hiningi ko. kung gaano ito katagal, accepted ko na.

Anonymous said...

congratulations on you new lease of life! sana maligaw yung big C para di na bumalik

cathy said...

lalagyan ko ng do not enter.