From Cuba on Chavez’s Cancer

Warhol P.

HAVANA TIMES — My father died in 2000. His cancer started in his colon, a situation that led to an operating room where the doctors removed the polyps that had invaded that part of his body. After surgery they said the operation had been a success.

He was then sent home with a plan for chemotherapy treatment.

Seven months later, his stomach began to bloat. It became filled with fluid, which required him to go to the hospital often to have it emptied – it bothered him when he breathed.

Two months were enough for him to finally die in a dreadful manner.

Once cancer appears, it’s almost impossible to stop it.

Numerous misrepresentations have been made about the situation President Chavez is facing, plus there’s still no clear discussion about what type of cancer he has.

The truth is that there are some types of cancer that are less aggressive, and with good treatment these can be eliminated.

Recently I’ve been thinking a lot about the condition of the Venezuelan president, how he’s dealing with it (and not only him, but also his family). Inevitably my thoughts go back to my father, who within a short period turned into a living corpse lying on a bed.

I remember him spending entire days doing nothing but vomiting. Even though he was hungry, he couldn’t even eat soup, he couldn’t swallow anything.

I’m one of those people who think that no human being should go through something like that.

It hurts to think that Chavez might die that way, even more so when I think about how much he has done for his people throughout his terms in office.

I’m trying to think positively, and though I know that cancer is almost impossible to fight, I can see that at least Chavez is trying. I hope that everything goes well and that we can again see him smiling, desiring the best for our peoples.