Gilberto's Journey To Recovery

Sunday, December 24, 2006

Merry Christmas


Merry Christmas to all of the family and friends who read to blog to keep up on what’s happening with our father and his cancer diagnosis.

Pop has been feeling pretty well. He still gets chemo therapy at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia. They recently changed his chemo therapy medication. He now gets vectibux (generic name- panitumumab). This is a medication that he gets every two weeks. He seems to be tolerating it well. He will receive this for about 4 months and then they will repeat the CT scan to re-evaluate the status of his lung tumors.

As for our father’s spirits: he certainly goes through his roller coaster of emotions. Some times he’s out and about interacting with family and other times he stays in his apartment very recluse and waits for visitors and phone calls.

Recently his mom, Mama Catalina, had a severe allergic reaction to some medication. She landed in the intensive care unit on life support. The reaction caused her the have swelling on her tongue that then led to some airway obstruction. She is now home and recovering. She is very week. I went to see her yesterday and she told me that she just wants to go be with Jesus. She is a faithful Christina woman who is certain of her after life. Pop’s siblings are all planning to be with her for the holidays and to bring in the New Year.

We are grateful that God has given us another year with our dad.

This picture of Pop and Jim was taken last month when we all spent Thanksgiving Day at Ray (Chati) and Diane’s house.

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

Happy Anniversary, Gilbert(s)

If you ask my Dad, he will quickly tell you his greatest achievements in life are his children. Pop’s very proud of all of us and it started with Jimmy (or Gilberto Junior as Pop puts it). Jimmy celebrated his birthday today so I think it’s appropriate to say, “ Happy Birthday, Jimmy” and “Congratulations, Gilberto” on this the 47th anniversary of you first becoming a father.
Pictured above are Jimmy (left), Gilberto (center) and Ron (on the right).