Saturday, September 20, 2008
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Dearest Cara
(First posted in MySpace)
The song that I posted in my profile (whole again - atomic kitten) reminds me of my dearest cousin Cara. She would have been 21 years old this November 17 but that won't be anymore.
She was my closest and dearest mother side cousin. Being two years younger than me, she looked up to me as her kuya. We were together for as long as I could remember. From those annoying "cry baby" days of hers to her last breath... Well, almost.
You see, she was diagnosed with brain tumor sometime in 2005. Oh was she tough during those times. I was in my last year in college then. I remember the days when I went to Makati Medical Center to visit her. Those were bittersweet days for me. Bitter beacuse of the situation and at the same time sweet because that was the first time that I saw her resiliency and faith in God.
When she was having some sort of radiation treatment, she did not complain. Not once did we hear her scream or cry because of the pain. And then her hair began falling off. We cousins decided to support her by shaving our heads. Yes, also the girls. But no! I was the only one who shaved my head.
Support was overwhelming and before we knew it, she was back on her two feet and doing things she loved like playing sports (badminton, futsal, etc).
Everything seemed normal. In 2007, on my birthday, Cara, Paolo (another cousin) and I went to Tagaytay City-- our favorite resort city about 80 kilometers from Manila. We went there without the knowledge of our elders (hey I was 22 already then). We had a fun drive though it was traffic. We reached the cool city at dusk. Because the trip was made at the spur of the moment, we were not able to bring jackets that's why we were shivering while going tiangge (bazaar) shopping. We ate at our favorite Japanese Restaurant, had a few drinks, had coffee before going home. I remember that she even let Paolo pray for me... that I be given a long life, good health, she thanked God for me, etc. We had a fab time.
Last year at around October we noticed a change in her. her health was deteriorating. I remember crying during my trip to Boracay beacuse I was thinking of her. I won't go through all the details anymore.
During Christmas she seemed to be okay again. It was very unfortunate that I began to be very busy at work and we were not able to spend so much time together.
All of a sudden she was so sick again. She looked worse than she did when she was first diagnosed with the disease.
Then on April 15, 2008 she was rushed to Makati Med again. I said that I would visit her the next day. Unfortunately I was so busy at work that I totally forgot her. I called my aunt up to say that I would go the next morning. Well, it was not meant to be. When I woke up early in the morning I received a text message saying that she was no longer with us. I was shattered... bothered by my conscience for not visiting her the day before.
Oh well so where does the song fit in the equation? Well one of her fave bands was Atomic Kitten. The song "Whole Again" was one of our favorites. The music video shows the three members walking side by side while singing. Cara, my sister Carla and I used to always walk in the village and they would start singing the song. Cara would be Liz, Carla would be Jenny and they keep on insisting that I be Natasha. hahaha.
Oh well... I know that she's in a better place now.
The song that I posted in my profile (whole again - atomic kitten) reminds me of my dearest cousin Cara. She would have been 21 years old this November 17 but that won't be anymore.
She was my closest and dearest mother side cousin. Being two years younger than me, she looked up to me as her kuya. We were together for as long as I could remember. From those annoying "cry baby" days of hers to her last breath... Well, almost.
You see, she was diagnosed with brain tumor sometime in 2005. Oh was she tough during those times. I was in my last year in college then. I remember the days when I went to Makati Medical Center to visit her. Those were bittersweet days for me. Bitter beacuse of the situation and at the same time sweet because that was the first time that I saw her resiliency and faith in God.
When she was having some sort of radiation treatment, she did not complain. Not once did we hear her scream or cry because of the pain. And then her hair began falling off. We cousins decided to support her by shaving our heads. Yes, also the girls. But no! I was the only one who shaved my head.
Support was overwhelming and before we knew it, she was back on her two feet and doing things she loved like playing sports (badminton, futsal, etc).
Everything seemed normal. In 2007, on my birthday, Cara, Paolo (another cousin) and I went to Tagaytay City-- our favorite resort city about 80 kilometers from Manila. We went there without the knowledge of our elders (hey I was 22 already then). We had a fun drive though it was traffic. We reached the cool city at dusk. Because the trip was made at the spur of the moment, we were not able to bring jackets that's why we were shivering while going tiangge (bazaar) shopping. We ate at our favorite Japanese Restaurant, had a few drinks, had coffee before going home. I remember that she even let Paolo pray for me... that I be given a long life, good health, she thanked God for me, etc. We had a fab time.
Last year at around October we noticed a change in her. her health was deteriorating. I remember crying during my trip to Boracay beacuse I was thinking of her. I won't go through all the details anymore.
During Christmas she seemed to be okay again. It was very unfortunate that I began to be very busy at work and we were not able to spend so much time together.
All of a sudden she was so sick again. She looked worse than she did when she was first diagnosed with the disease.
Then on April 15, 2008 she was rushed to Makati Med again. I said that I would visit her the next day. Unfortunately I was so busy at work that I totally forgot her. I called my aunt up to say that I would go the next morning. Well, it was not meant to be. When I woke up early in the morning I received a text message saying that she was no longer with us. I was shattered... bothered by my conscience for not visiting her the day before.
Oh well so where does the song fit in the equation? Well one of her fave bands was Atomic Kitten. The song "Whole Again" was one of our favorites. The music video shows the three members walking side by side while singing. Cara, my sister Carla and I used to always walk in the village and they would start singing the song. Cara would be Liz, Carla would be Jenny and they keep on insisting that I be Natasha. hahaha.
Oh well... I know that she's in a better place now.
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