On Life and Death: Remembering that Sunday at Crate Cafe

I sit here at Crate Cafe, sipping my coffee and gazing out at the peaceful street in Busay. As sun shines and the breeze carries the scent of the mountain, I am reminded of the simple pleasures of life. Reminding that amidst the hustle and bustle of our daily life, we need to take a step back and appreciate the little things that bring us joy. It's a beautiful day, yet my mind wanders around to when life is anything but uncertainty.

OCTOBER 30, 2022. It was a Sunday. My siblings and I were enjoying some much-needed time off from work and school since it was a long weekend. Little did we know that our lives were about to change drastically. My mother had felt ill the past few days due to a mild cough, looking exhausted and pale, but we never expected what came next. I was shocked when my sister yelled for me to come downstairs. I saw my mom gasping for breath. We checked her glucose levels, and they were dangerously low. We phoned an ambulance and rushed her to the hospital, hoping for the best but fearing the worst.

As it turned out, my mother had developed kidney disease, and her glucose levels were just the tip of the iceberg. She had to be hospitalized for a month, a challenging time for our family. We were all juggling work and visiting our mother at the hospital while trying to keep up with daily life. My mom responded well to the treatment and was supposed to be out of confinement in two weeks.

But it wasn't long before things turned worse. My mother developed pneumonia, and her condition deteriorated rapidly. We were devastated, and it seemed like we were losing her. She was neede to hooked on a ventilator. And, we feared the worst when there was a posibility that she'll needed to be in ICU.

During this time, I realized just how much my mother meant to me, more than ever. She had always been there for me through thick and thin, and I couldn't imagine life without her. As I sat by her bedside, praying for her to pull through, I promised myself I would do everything possible to ensure she recovered.

Days turned into weeks, and we spent every moment we could by her side. It was exhausting, emotionally and physically, but we refused to give up. Slowly but surely, my mother began to show signs of improvement. Her kidney function improved, and she was eventually taken off the ventilator.

It was a long road to recovery, but my mother pulled through. We were overjoyed, and I knew we had been given a second chance. We continue to take better care of my mother and cherish every moment with her.

Looking back on that experience, I realize how fragile life is. It can be taken away from us instantly, and we must make the most of every moment in our lives. For whatever the future holds, we can make the most of the present.

As I finish my coffee, I am filled with gratitude and awe for the beauty of life. The sun shines down on us, warming our skin and reminding us of the endless possibilities. Life filled with twists and turns, but it is also a precious gift we should never take for granted.

My mother's strength and resilience have inspired me to be a better person, to appreciate the small moments of joy, and to embrace the challenges that life throws our way. Her fight for survival has taught me to never give up, to believe in myself, and to hold onto hope even when things seem impossible. My mom fully recovered but needed to continue some treatment.

Reflecting on my earlier story about my mother's health scare, I am grateful for places like Crate Cafe that provide a respite from the chaos of life. It's a place where I can slow down, take a deep breath, and live the present moment. As I travel onto the bustling streets of Cebu, I am filled with a sense of appreciation for the beauty of life. The situation and experience will always be with me, reminding me to cherish every moment and never lose hope. It was a good weekend spent in introspection at the scenic Crate Cafe.

_{All photos are from the author.}