PLEASE HELP ME SHOW MY VERY DEAR CHILDHOOD FRIEND, JANET, HOW MUCH I LOVE HER

 

Her name is Janet. Petite. Beautiful. She has as an instant smile and a giggle that makes you  feel tickled . She is crowned with  long, shiny black hair that is the envy of many. She has the finest cursive writing, and a matching knack for literary and poetry writing. She is a nurse spearheading efforts to control infectious diseases in the hospital where she trained and has been a loyal employee. She finds joy in traveling. She is quiet but rolls deep; simple yet complex in so many ways. A woman of God. Upright without being self-righteous. A doting wife,  loving daughter, sister to five siblings,  and an aunt that is looked up to by nephews and nieces that she loves to pieces. I do have the honor of calling this amazing chip of humanity, MY FRIEND.

 

Janet has recently been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, a disease known to be notorious, as it invades you quietly, leaving you symptomless until it has traversed your body considerably. Being both a doctor and a nurse myself, I have my fair share of witnessing disease and suffering and dying. But this?  Janet?!  My friend that I have known since we were four, the one that I walked to school with everyday; that I played Chinese garter with until we baked under the sun; whose allowance I put together with mine so we can buy plastic balloons and blow them up as big as we can and smash them against each other’s head; that I shared a lot of afternoons with for our H.E. duties under Mrs. Dimaguila; that I practiced with for so many hours learning Miss Anday’s dances, a favorite of mine was when they dressed us up as flowers except for the fact that our costumes were made out of crepe paper that stained our skins, while my least liked was the “bin-nasuan” in 6th grade because I had a major wardrobe  malfunction (thanks, Mom!) and she just laughed it off. I could go on and on about my countless childhood memories with her. We went to different schools after grade school.  I eventually emigrated, but we never lost touch

The news made me shudder. I am heartbroken. 

But Janet remains her cheerful self.  She still has that smile and giggle. She wears a brave face despite her tremendous pain and nagging symptoms. She is  unfazed.

Shame on me. So I re-think and look at things from a different perspective. I should be with Janet in fighting her battle instead of withering like an autumn leaf. 

 As I write this, she just got extubated after an extensive surgery. She is still fighting for her life in the ICU. Her hospital bills are piling up and there are more expenses in sight as her doctors come up with a definitive treatment plan. Cancer is not only a painful disease, but also financially draining. Please help me help Janet. Help me restore her smile and giggles;  that long, shiny black hair; that quiet complexity, that one beautiful chip of humanity..... so that this world will have more days as beautiful as she. 

Any amount you could give would be appreciated and sent to her with love and prayers of healing.