Nedia's Last Wish

Nedia's story told from her daughter Snooky's perspective.
Growing up, my mom was the hardest working person I knew. She lived in Hawaii for 27 years, most of it on my dad’s flower farm which was big time labor; even I even remember those hard times. I wonder how she did it day after day. She constantly sprayed chemicals in the flower nurseries which, though she properly protected herself from, may have led to her impending cancer. On top of maintaining a farm she also cleaned vacation rentals, and later when the farm was sold she worked in hotel housekeeping. In the end, perhaps she worked too hard. Coming from the hard earned life of the Philippines, my mom always dreamed of a better life here in the states but living in Hawaii was too hard to come by and in the end my parents ultimately moved out here to Sedona in 2012.

I had thought that would be the end of my mom’s troubles but the real trouble began just seven months later after settling down in Sedona.
She suddenly felt a huge pain in her left side and was rushed to the emergency hospital where she was given the dire news. It was a gastrointestinal stromal tumor, and though thankfully it was benign, she still needed surgery as soon as possible. I was there by her side in January 2013 when she had that successful surgery. But seeing her so weak absolutely scared me. Growing up, my vision of my mom was that of a super human, who did everything and anything that was given to her and still had the energy to be a mom to me and my sister. But my mom after the surgery and to this day had changed to that of a weaker person and one that was in pain. Chemotherapy medicines have completely drained my mom. She had bad side effects to everything; had pain in her fingers, feet, and at times could hardly walk. She had another operation for appendicitis. Ultimately she was told to stop taking any medication but just this last month, she felt pain in her stomach again and after having a biopsy she found out that her cancer had come back.

This time around, my mom’s surgery is set for November 17, down in Tucson. I will be with her again for the surgery. I think by now this whole cancer thing has left all of us in the family as weakened and in pain. Having to go to and from hospitals and seeing medical bills month after month hasn’t made it any easier for us. And though mom continues to work, even she admits she is slower than she used to be and of course, she’s in pain. I am hoping this will be the last surgery we will ever need. I am hoping, that at 56, my mom can still go on healthily for many more years. We have faith. With a little help WE CAN BEAT THIS!