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Welcome to my personal thoughts and opinions…travels and personal encounters…momentary acquaintances and lifetime connections as I view life through the pink-tinted spectacles of breast cancer.

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March 24, 2007

HOME AGAIN

Two cycles down, four more to go. As usual, I am feeling fine physically and the adrenalin is high.


This week though will be tough. The challenge I face this next seven days, however, won't be the after effects of my chemotherapy. Rather, on Friday my niece will be having her grand debut, one I was looking forward to for years. Her dad, my brother and her mom separated years ago and she now lives with her maternal aunt here in Iloilo. I have been the closest kin to her from our side all those years and I have watched this girl blossom into one fine young lady. I was really looking forward to this one. On Tuesday, Angela graduates from elementary. Then a few days after that Kiko graduates from high school at Pisay. Just the thought of missing these three momentous occasions is a hard pill to swallow.

But the way things have been going so well for me, only God knows how He will beautifully see me through.

March 4, 2007

OVER THE HUMP

The last three days were pretty bad ones. My nails suddenly turned blue and the ones on my thumbs felt like they were about to fall off. My hair started coming off in clumps, my scalp feeling as if I had just been through a week-long catfight. My tongue felt like a bottle of glue that even a glass of water tasted like rubber. It seemed like all the muscles of my body were constantly aching but I was explicitly told to keep away from Ibuprofen. Last but not least, we had to pay off our first hundred thousand installment for my treatment.

My oncologist had to come to the house twice to give me shots to pull up my white blood cell count. Poor Bong had to camp out on a folding bed just outside our bedroom door after running around the whole day and studying the whole night for Sunday’s service.

But today…after using up buckets of ice cubes and a whole bottle of liniment oil, I am up and about, feeling so much better. I just ate scrambled eggs and the taste of the tomatoes was euphoric on my tongue as well as my spirits. Now I begin gearing up for the next chemo cycle which will be in two weeks.