Opening the door to my mom's room, a ventilator on 100% oxygen support greeted me. My mom had difficulty breathing the night before and had to be on 100% support. Her lungs can't even function at its basic. The doctor said that her lungs are too stiff, in layman's term, that it can't even expand to let air in on their own.

After talking with the resident doctor in charge of her treatment, things aren't looking bright. My mom is not responding to the antibiotics and is taking it's toll on her kidney. She's being injected a solution to decrease the potassium levels in her body. Given she has been intubated for more than 14 days, the doctor is now recommending to insert the ventilator tube below the neck area to prevent further infection. Given that the cancer is causing the lung complication, any type of treatment for the lung recovery will be hindered by the cancer.

If that wasn't bad enough, she had an episode where she was blinded for a few minutes. A complete darkness, as my mom described. Tearing up, I had to stay by her side as she's reacting to the blindness. But after 5 minutes, she regained her sight. A sign of relief. But after talking with the doctor, it might have been caused by the lack of oxygen to the brain, or something worse.

I asked the doctor to start her nutraceuticals again, as she is only fed with the essential calories for her everyday energy, without anything to battle her cancer. Hoping at least her prescribed supplements will do it's wonders. Hope.

We're nearing our third week here in Makati Med and the medical bill and doctor's fee are piling up, now at 533,000.00 PhP. My mom and my family would really appreciate any help we can get as we have reached our financial limits. My mom is still fighting her illness - smiling ate her visitors and nurses even in her most painful, as her visitors can attest - but it pains me to see her like this.