Lydia’s "Graduation"!

There’s a time for joy

A time for tears

A time we’ll treasure through the years

We’ll remember always

Graduation day!

Sung by The Four Freshmen

Somehow I found myself singing this song yesterday not for Erica and Ala, who will be graduating at the end of this month but for my wife Lydia. You see, yesterday was her last day of chemotherapy and even if we both knew that the next few days would again make her body experience major discomfort (vomiting, nausea, weakness, cold and hot flashes, lack of appetite, etc..), we knew that it would be the LAST!

Four rounds of chemo finally done! Unless you go through it yourself or see a significant other suffer through it, it’s hard to imagine what a life-changing experience it is. I liken it to bootcamp under the toughest son-of-a-bitch drill sargeant! Or harder than the hardest thing they ever ask of contestants in Fear Factor. The chemotherapy which was administered by Dr. Francis Lopez in the clinic of Dra. Diana Cua, her surgeon was as tough as all chemos go, but was eased by the care and compassion given to Lydia by Nurse Lisa and the two doctors.

And so I would like to show off my wife’s “medal” and “graduation” certificate to all of you. She is a real hero! This is also my way of paying tribute to all those who are going and have undergone this. Julie Lumas, an old friend who comforted us with her own experience had her chemo last year. Joey Albert, a chemo veteran also finished her last round last week. The chemo experience bonds us all!



Certificate of Valor and Bravery!

Medal Bestowed on Heroes!

The graduate, Dr. Francis Lopez and Nurse Lisa!

After a month, it will be time for radiation which will be NOTHING compared to what she’s gone through. That’s another story but a far less dramatic one. God is good!