-an experience that has greatly influenced my life
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Sitting on the rocking chair in the upstairs living room, I stare at the television, not really paying attention to the show. All I here is the voice coming from the phone my mom was holding. "...Florentina has lung cancer. They said she'll have to do surgery and go into Chemotherapy." I recognize the woman's voice, it sounds like my aunty Shirley. "We'll just play by ear and see who will be able to take her to the doctor. Besides that, all we can do now is pray that grandma will get better." Getting up from my chair after my aunty hung up, I turn to see my two brothers, my mom, and my dad look at me. "Grandma will be all right," I say, "I know she will."
A year passed since my family and I found out my dad's mom had lung cancer. She lost almost all her hair so she always had her short, curly, dark brown wig on. She was definitely doing better though. It was Friday and the sun was slowly rising above the mountains. Since it was teacher institue day, I didn't have school. I decided to go with my dad and visit my grandma at her house in Kalihi. As we parked in the narrow driveway, I heard faint crying coming from the house. I jumped out of the car and squeezed my way towards the door.
When I stepped inside, the crying became louder. I looked to my right and saw my grandma lying down on the coach sleeping with her brown wig off. I walked to the room across the entrance and saw my aunty Marilyn with my cousin Zachary, who was screaming his head off. As my aunty turned and realized it was me, she said, "Oh hi Kris! I was just about to wake grandma up to watch Zach because I have to leave for work, but since you and your dad are here, would you mind watching him?" Of course I said I didn't mind, I didn't want to wake my grandma up. When my cousin Zach started to calm down, my aunty left for work.
"Oh boy, he's a handfull," I told my dad. For a two year old, he was extra big and tall, and he was also autistic. Since he barely knew how to talk, he kept throwing tantrums when we didn't get him whatever he was trying to tell us. He would stomp his feet, fall on the ground, try to kick us if we got close, and cry loudly if wanted something. It was amazing my grandma stayed asleep during all the tantrums. Although my grandma was getting better, I knew she was still weak, that's why I was glad my dad and I were there, I thought my grandma deserved a long rest if she had to watch Zach everyday.
Ever since that one day at my grandma's house, I always went back. I wanted to help my grandma take care of Zach, I also wanted to help take care of her. She was still weak, and could only walk short distances. She ate very little and lost a lot of weight. But she was fighting the cancer, she was getting better. She was able to take care of Zach and cook filipinio food. She was able to talk story with others, even though her voice was quiet. My grandma never gave up, she fought the cancer. She influenced me to never give up and to take care of others. Everyday, I still pray for her to get better.
