Papa

S

ometime in 2002 my father noticed a “lump” at the back of his ear. He figured it wasn’t really serious and ignores it – but not until this “lump” gets bigger and he became weak. He finally had it check. Various tests were conducted and soon the moment we learned about it, we pleaded not true played before us…our father was diagnose with cancer. He has Lymphoma (cancer in the lymph nodes).

We couldn’t believe what we heard. We were shocked and confused. We couldn’t say anything. Our minds went blank. The doctors testified that it was a very rare sickness. The news was needless to say, very hard to take for all of us especially him. We just basically cried together.

He had to undergo chemotherapy sessions; eight sessions every two weeks – there came a time that he really became very weak.  

More than the physical trauma brought by cancer, he felt like its already the end of the world. He woke up in the middle of the night depressed. We questioned God sometimes…Why Him? It was a major turning point in our lives, especially him. It was very different from our usual and active lifestyle.

Having the “Big C” helped him realized a lot of things. He firmly resent the idea of dying…he was sure, he will win this biggest battle of his life. We were living life positively…we kept on saying “mabubuhay pa siya for the family”, with that it keeps him going.

We do everything to make him forget his illness and its the kind of support that makes him through the hardest time. His haircut was a testimonial of his optimism – few days after a Chemo Session, he discovered that his hair was falling out. Instead of letting depressed him… “inunahan na niya” he shaved his head.

A lot has happened, more than we care to remember – the pain and the depression, but it kept us strong and together as we faced this biggest battle of his life…a battle which we also fought with him.

After several Chemo Sessions, his body was responding to the treatment. Big improvements were observed…we were very happy at that moment. CANCER CAN’T AND WILL NOT BEAT HIM AND VICTORY IS DEFINITELY JUST AROUND THE CORNER.

But early 2004 his condition gets worst…he became weaker to a point that we had to rush him to the hospital. And hopes were slowly falling apart. After almost a month confined in the hospital he gave up on his battle. On May 8, 2004 at around 7:00 in the evening he died.

We realized that we had a lot to be thankful for at the time of our bereavement. Despite of all the pain we’ve gone through…we found light from the hands of our family, friends, relatives and of course God – who was our ultimate source of strength throughout this battle. He kept us whole when everything was falling apart.

Five years have past but as if it was just yesterday when you left us and we are still hurting.

Thank you for everything…

Thank you for being a good husband to mama; a good father and provider to us your children; a good son to your parents; a good brother to your siblings; a good son-in-law to lolo and lola and above all for being a good person to others.

               

We said this before and we’ll say it again…

                WE LOVE YOU VERY MUCH and WE MISS YOU

So long as we see each other again.

Love/022509