Last month I had a chance to have dinner with angels, when I accompanied two friends to a special gathering of women who have had breast cancer.
The dinner was held at Mom & Tina’s Bakery Cafe in Pasig.
I think there were only two people there that did not have cancer—me and a husband who had accompanied his wife—he deserves a medal!
The minute I entered the room I really felt like I was in the presence of angels. I cannot describe it. Maybe it is because people who go through cancer see the world differently. They’re like warriors, touched by God.
I used to be very scared of cancer until I looked it in the eye when my cousin was diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia in 2007. After that, I learned a lot. I am still deathly afraid of it, so my defense mechanism is to help people with cancer, hoping that by doing so, maybe God will spare me?
Now in my 40s, it seems like I know quite a few people who are being diagnosed with cancer in their 30s, 40s, 50s.
Too young if you ask me. That and my recent discovery of Grey’s Anatomy (I am now in Season 8) have made me think about the three weeks I spent in Houston, taking care of my cousin at MD Anderson Cancer Center.
In January 2008, my other cousin and I first took an EVA Air flight to Taiwan before landing in Los Angeles
From LAX we changed planes to Houston’s Bush International Airport
After dropping our bags at a nearby hotel, we went straight to the hospital
I am always happy to see older people working (except at NAIA)
This way to my cousin
She passed away in 2008
This is where I prayed
The chapel was built in memory of Mirtha Dunn, who had been a patient at the hospital
Bless this couple
Dr. Guillermo Garcia-Manero (left) was my cousin’s main doctor
Dr. Charles Koller, bless him
Some of the nurses were Filipino
My cousin and I used to trip on this male nurse
and this is what chemo looks like. My cousin used to call it her “Christmas tree” 
My shift was from 2-11 PM—or earlier if my cousin got sleepy.
This was the cafeteria with Filipino staff too
Some cute guy buying ice cream
Here’s what I ate in Houston: my favorite chicken salad
Cafeteria food—that’s chicken, fish and pork chop
Really good steak from the hospital’s Oaks restaurant
and fish if I wanted healthy
Meet my favorite couple in Houston: Dr. Benjamin and Paz Tiongson
and their baby Aston five years ago
Is it crazy to say I miss this place?
Cause I do, but not hoping to visit a patient or be one
Because in spite of what happened in 2008, I had good memories too that I’ll always keep with me.
I just want to visit one more time and hopefully, maybe, not again.
Originally published at Chuvaness.com. You can comment here or there.