THREE WIGS: A REFLECTION

I never had the chance to write about my Mom yet. At least not after she has had her first chemotherapy session last July. And it's what, September? She celebrates her 56th year this coming 21st and since i've already bought her gifts last night, i would just like to FINALLY write down what I think of her, and the things she's undergoing at the moment.

You see dearest amigos y amigas, Mom has breast cancer.

*pauses for effect*

You can close your gasped mouths now less flies mistake them for potential breeding places.

You may be wondering why I can still be funny despite the gravity of my Mom's condition. The truth is, i've cried hard enough already. I've cried in the presence of the most unusual suspects, I've cried myself to sleep, even while seated on the toilet. I like crying. It unclogs my ducts of dirt.

Anyways, I've moved on. Many people always remind me to put up a brave face in her presence, to be her strenght especially in these times when she is starting to feel wary (and weary) of future chemo sessions and would like to stop at 4 (from the required 6).

It pained me to see her lose her left breast and i know, I know too well how much Mom loves herself, her hair most especially, the perfumes she uses, her pillows, her nice skirts. It pains me to come home every morning from work to see her cursing her new wig (made of human hair so you can just imagine how terribly expensive it was). Although she didn't opt to have reconstruction, we do find time get a little laugh out of her hindi pantay na breasts. Until this morning when she finally used a silicone breast, she had to make do with tissue paper and several bra pads to capture what once was.

Part of my happy mood today was because of seeing her looking happy and comfortable with herself. A little more and she can have her hair growing back in no time. But that's still 4 sessions and Ps 129,000 more from now.

I recall that fateful afternoon when she decided to undergo frozen section to find out what it is that she really has.




Note: I'm stopping here for now. Will resume this blog when I'm ready again.