Isabella's Lolo

Isabella's middle name is Emma. She was named after my dad, Emmanuel, who died about a year before she was born. Seven years ago today in 2002, we took my dad to the hospital because he had been suffering from some weakness in his right side and had collapsed while trying to stand up. An MRI of his brain showed a tumor. Unlike Isabella's tumor which is a primary tumor, my dad's tumor was a secondary tumor which had spread to the brain from his lungs (he had been a smoker all his life). On March 28, 2002 he went into surgery to have the tumor taken out. He then underwent some chemotherapy for a few weeks, but died less than 4 months later on July 25.

Today is also exactly four months since we took Isabella to the hospital and found her tumor. It was on that day that our lives were devastated with the news, and I in particular could not help but think about my dad's short battle before succumbing. By all accounts, Isabella is doing much better than my dad did. After his surgery, he never regained mobility and his speech was greatly diminished. Aside from her weakened right hand, which is greatly improving, Isabella's recovery has been nothing short of miraculous, and we hope that she will be fully cured.

But her battle is not over yet, and we still have quite a tough road ahead. Isabella never met her "Lolo" (which is filipino for grandfather), but unfortunately she now has more than just a name in common with him.