DECEIVING

Not even 10 seasons or ER, 5 seasons of CSI and 2 seasons of HOUSE, M.D. could help me comprehend a fraction of the medical jargon I've been barraged with these last couple of days. Trying to achieve clarity through a fog of terms like congenital, myoma, resection and others I couldn't even begin to ponder the spelling of, has been a trivial consequence I've taken to heart as I attempt to assuage the true repercussions of my Tita Cecile's stay in the hospital: worry and panic.

What started as a routine surgery for acute appendicitis, turned into a procedure of chance. The doctor opened her up, planning to fix her appendix, but instead was forced to extract a large mass previously diagnosed as harmless. It had swollen up, pushed against her stomach and intestines, causing her unbelievable pain. No appendicitis; just a benign tumor sitting in the wrong place.

It’s so weird to see Tita Cecile so unable to do things. Next to mom and my grandmothers, she’s superwoman to me; with a successful career, a nice home, a nice car, the most amiable disposition you’d ever encounter and a timeless knack for loving everyone around her, family, friends and strangers alike. Now she’s in bed, unable to walk effortlessly due to post surgery pain; unable to eat solid foods in order to allow the stitches on her stomach to heal, strapped with an IV for sustenance. It scares me to see her this way. People are always scared of what they’re unfamiliar with, and seeing her in this state is more unfamiliar to me than anything! But I have faith that she’ll be ok.

So, please keep her in your prayers. I know it would help her recovery.