THREE MONTHS OF ABSENCE - REVEALING MYSELF WITH CANCER AFTER 18 MONTHS ON STEEMIT

• BEFORE MY MAJOR OPERATION - WITH FEW OF MY CLASSMATES

The first three photos were courtesy of Don Guzarem, Chona's hubby. We were after for the moon which looked wonderful that night. In front is me, my niece and classmate, Chona, Sofia, Elvira, Patria and Chona's two kids, Brandon and Kevin.

Two weeks before my major operation - we gathered together in Engr. Elvira Zerna Abcede's house. Around her house is a function area, venue for any kind of celebrations. Sitting from left to right, Elvira, me, Sofia - our comedian, Chona, Patria and her hubby, Nonoy.

Back in Hong Kong weeks before I went home - during our leadership training. Sitting position - me on a jacket with hood. Behind me at the back with the red scarf is my best friend, Rose who accompanied me in going home and during my major operation, prayed hard for three hours along with my sisters and friends in high school.

Hello, my fellow Steemians!

Early on this year, I had an accident on the roof which looked as if it was an omen. My work was very stressful and the people around me surely added to that. Most often I would miss my time to eat especially in the morning when I was in a rush because of my driving work.

• SYMPTOMS

One night I drunk a glass of orange juice and a half glass of cranberry juice before going to bed. By dawn, I woke up with a pain in my tummy which was very alarming. In a few days, I had diarrhea that ended me in the hospital. During those days that I observed myself, I was thinking that I have cancer. As I knew, no one would feel the pain of cancer until it is over the limit of cancer cells - billion.

• DIAGNOSE OF CANCER

It ended up that I had the tumor in my ovary which the doctor said there's no way that it can be operated but turned to chemotherapy as an option. It didn't surprise me at all but was thinking how it all began. They all stared at me at the hospital as if I am going to die at that very moment.

I went home and saw my bosses with their worried faces. My colleague, Rose, started crying even before I arrived home. I didn't cry but thought of God, that He owns my life. God knows when am I going to die. So, I surrendered to him everything.

• BACK IN THE PHILIPPINES

March 25, 2018, I flew back home from Hong Kong along with my colleague, Rose just to make sure I got home safely. She flew back to Manila the following day. I rested for nearly a month and when I had my second opinion from another doctor, it made it clear that I really have to have an operation. If I would not go on, I would have to suffer wherein I wouldn't be able to urinate and even move my bowel. I had no choice but to trust God and leave everything to Him.

• MULTIPLE OVARIAN TUMOR

On April 17, 2018, I was admitted to Holy Child Hospital, Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental. The next morning, Wednesday, April 18, 2018, at 7:00 A.M. I was rolled to the operating room. The nurse told me to close my eyes as she injected the medicine to relax me. As I did, I was holding a tiny prayer book. I tried to open up my eyes when I saw the oxygen mask on my face and I drifted quickly as if I just slept for a short time. It took three hours of operation.

• EXCRUCIATING PAIN

I noticed they put a stocking on my legs as I was about to gain consciousness but it was interrupted by that excruciating pain in my tummy. I groaned and called my sister and my friend who were there for me praying, during my operation. I felt the pain reliever that was injected into my IV, it was also painful as it went through but the good thing was I also drifted away. I remembered I've received a total of three pain reliever IV injections to ease the pain.

• FAMILIES, FRIENDS, CLASSMATES, AND SCHOOLMATES

My classmates in high school back in 1979 who were very supportive of me especially during this time. They are kindhearted.

From left to right sitting - me, OFW Singapore - Maria Nenit Casil, Tanjay Health Center Head midwife - Patria Rosales. Behind sitting to my right is Ma. Chona Rosales, former Cathay Pacific Flight Stewardess, Engr. Elvira Zerna Abcede, Marketing Manager - Andresa Ycong from Lapu-Lapu, Cebu - who accompanied my sisters while waiting for me during the chemo session last May 24. Primary Teacher - Juliet Yee, and Civil Engineer - Eda de Guzman also from Park Vista, Cebu - where I stayed during my chemotherapy.

• THE HARD PART BEFORE AND AFTER THE OPERATION

I woke up the following day, Thursday, with less pain but I felt my tummy was so empty. As I opened my eyes, I saw my friends from high school, my family, and closest friends. I was assisted by my doctor to a sitting position and I sat there for an hour and took a few meters of walking. It was the first sign of a progress.

The next two days were very crucial for the removal of my catheter. I kept looking at it since the more it became clearer, the nearer it can be removed soon. In it, I could see the blood from my wound underneath. Another thing that I've been waiting was the belching, farting, and moving my bowel so that I could start eating slowly. I've been out of proper food since I was admitted and the fact that my tummy had been cleared from everything the moment I was there. They put a suppository in my rectum every two hours until 5:00 A.M. - two and a half hours before the operation.

After the visitation of my friends, families, and schoolmates, I've got a bloated tummy which disturbed me for two days. I couldn't sleep and kept moving here and there and I was feeling hot even with the airconditioning unit was on. When I laughed, coughed, and belched - I could feel the pain in my wound. I prayed hard that night, and I bravely bore the pain when I started vomiting. I did it at dawn and in the afternoon but it was the best way to relieve my tummy problem, indeed.

• RELIEVED AT LAST AND STARTED EATING

After that dreadful days, my catheter was removed and so I could sleep better. I was able to eat little by little until I gained my appetite back to normal. During those times when I was taking oral medicine, it would only take seconds for me to run inside the bathroom. I was about to be released a week after the operation but I stayed on the hospital until my stitches were removed. I went home April 26, 2018.

• BIOPSY RESULT

May 10, 2018, was my first regular checkup with Dr. Nailani Zamora Tan. She saw the biopsy result and told me to talk to my Oncologist, Dr. Pherdes Galbo from Cebu City. I had CA stage 2, Ovarian cancer.

• CHEMOTHERAPY

I went to Cebu on May 16, 2018, and saw Dr. Galbo and arranged my chemotherapy for the following week, May 24, 2018.

• These photos were taken when I first went to Cebu for my chemotherapy schedule

Perpetual Succour Hospital - Cebu Cancer Institute

• FIRST SESSION OF CHEMOTHERAPY

I had my first chemotherapy inside this hospital. I went to Cebu a day before my scheduled time. I was accompanied by my two elder sisters that had been living with me in Tanjay City, Negros Oriental - my hometown. We stayed in my friends' townhouse in Park Vista near IT Park, Cebu. It's a 10 - 15 minutes drive to the hospital.

The next morning we were up by 5:00 A.M. - had our bath and breakfast. By 6:30, we took a taxi going to the hospital. My other close friend from high school who is living in Lapu-Lapu, Cebu was already there waiting for us as we arrived. By 7:00 o' clock, the clinic opened and got our registration. We chose our chair inside the big room with a sitting capacity of 30 persons. I signed a form of consent before we started at 9:00 A.M. My first 15 minutes was a test if I would have an allergy and I did have, so, the doctor gave and anti-allergy and have me rested for minutes before we started again. We had our food in between including lunch. It took five and a half hours of chemotherapy. We were briefed by Dr. Galbo afterward before we all went home. Thank God I didn't throw-up after that chemo on that day. Dr. Galbo told us that the reaction of the therapy would occur mostly after three days.

• GOING HOME

We had our dinner at my best friend's townhouse - she insisted that we stayed home instead of going out for dinner. We slept early and departed in the morning bound for home. We took the Ceres Bus in going home as we did in going to Cebu.
My next session of chemotherapy is supposed to be this Thursday but moved it to July 5, 2018, since I will have my tooth be extracted first this week before it becomes worse after the next chemo.

Source: Google Photos

Source: Living Dumaguete

NOTE: Photos are mine except for those noted.