The Day That We Fear Has Come

No blog post for the last few weeks because so many things happened in our family. It was a series of events, how I wish happy lahat but it wasn’t. It was like riding a roller coaster, up and down ang emotions. In one moment you feel sad and then one moment, you need to push yourself to smile because it is a happy celebration. Nakakaloka! 

The day that we fear has come because a few weeks ago, my mother-in-law passed away. She was one of the strongest people I know and hindi ko nga alam kung saan siya humuhugot ng lakas. She raised 6 children, unfortunately, my two sisters-in-law passed away.

It was year 2010 when my eldest sister-in-law passed away because of colon cancer and in 2019, my sister-in-law lost her battle to uterine cancer. Then, in 2020, my mother-in-law was diagnosed with colon cancer. 

My late mother-in-law survived uterine cancer so we also hoped that she could fight the colon cancer. She underwent colon cancer surgery and finished all chemotherapy and the results were good so we thought, okay na. But in 2021, she went back to the hospital for a cholecystectomy. Oh no, another surgery again, and unfortunately, it is also the start of her dialysis. 

So since 2021, she spent most of her life going to the hospital for dialysis, check-ups, surgery, and confinement. I can’t imagine kung paano niya kinakaya ang lahat. Imagine nagkauterine cancer, may diabetes, nagkacolon cancer, nagkagallstones, nagkacataract and nagdadialysis pa. 

I witnessed how she tried to be tough and hold on even in pain. Maybe that is the reason why God took her home, she experienced so much pain in this world. We were sad because she was gone but we felt relieved because we knew that she was in a better place, no more crying, fear, or pain. She will be missed and Christmas gatherings will not be the same without her. 

I found this poem and I don’t know who is the original author but this is the exact words that I want to tell her because I am forever thankful to her for raising a loving son and blessed me with a wonderful husband. 

You are the Mother I received 

 the day I wed your son 

And I just want to thank you, Mom 

for the things that you have done 

You have given me a gracious man 

with whom I share my life 

You are his lovely mother

and I, his lucky wife