Weekends with Corazon

Corazon survived cervical cancer. Then she had it again. She is a very strong woman. Underwent chemotherapy for the second time. Corazon survived cervical cancer the second time. One afternoon, doctor called us in. Corazon might have it again. 

I am Nanoy. 27 and Corazon is my mother. I am a government employee. And my sister is my boss. Like any regular paying job, Saturday and Sunday are my off. 

Corazon is a strong woman. I never saw her cry after everything she went through.They say you can see pain in one's eyes. I never did. If I was asked what kind of a woman she is, I would say, she is tough. She never surrenders. "Fighter," as her doctor says she is. 

First Chemotherapy. She asked if she will loose her hair. No, she didn't loose her hair. I remember waiting outside Perpetual Soccour Hospital every session. I peek through a window hole to check her out from time to time. There she is, holding her rosary with eyes closed. I know what she is praying for. I pray for it as well. When session ends, I get us a cab and we go home to our rented house. We prepare her dinner and talk to her about the session. She always manage to smile but whines about the food. She lost her appetite. That's normal they say. But we encourage her just the same. And she listens. She survived.

Second Chemotherapy. She asked if she will loose her hair. Yes, she did loose her hair. With constant conversations about it, she understood the process. We bought her a wig. She wore it. She wore it with style. She survived. Her hair grew back. We got rid of the wig and the memories with it.

We did our regular visit with our doctor. She was checked-up. Doctor says she might get it again. We were advised to undergo CT Scan. Corazon didn't want to. We decided to forgo. 

Corazon was diagnosed with Cervical Cancer stage IVB, she survived it, the year was 2009. Two years after, 2011, she was diagnosed again and survived it again. Corazon is a survivor, she is surviving, she will survive.

My weekends with Corazon are all that I have now...(to be continued)

Truly tickles,



Ulpiano