Memorial for Zeny Cenzon: April 2014

Apr 20, 2014

My Mom: As a Woman

Ma was born in Baguio in 1947 and grew up there. You'd think she'd be Ilocano, but she's actually Kapampangan.

Zeny in Aurora Hill

Born to Illuminado Cenzon and Barbara Joaquin on August 2, 1947, she was the 8th child and the youngest daughter in a brood of 10! Her siblings were Nads (RIP), Leony (RIP), Nining, Perla, Bishop Carlito Cenzon, Roger (RIP), Ed, Larry & Raffy.

She studied at St. Louis University, Baguio but she never finished college cause my very handsome Dad swept her off her feet, they got married, she went to Manila to start her married life and had me.

The Worst Day...

Last July of 2013, before her 66th birthday, my Mother died. After a week in the hospital, her heart just gave up and she slept forever. She has been struggling with her Diabetes for a long time and was injecting insulin daily... there were a lot of complications and her heart problem was one of them. On her last hospitalization before she died, she had End Stage Renal Disease. Her kidneys have failed and she will be requiring Dialysis 3x a week - if she lived, that is. But i guess, it was too much for her, the Dialysis. How i hate that word. When she found out that the D word was in her life, i know she got sad at that, but she was a fighter til the end and never showed me her fear nor her sadness. But i know they were there.

What a Peaceful Smile, Ma.

My Mother died. These 3 words have the power to shake the ground you walk on.. to shatter the very fabric of your life. You see it happen to other people, you see people die - but when the tragedy happens to you, you're still not prepared for it. Who can prepare for something so painful? Our minds have a way of protecting itself, that even when you foresee the possibility, you refuse to accept it. You will fight it so it doesn't happen.. so it doesn't become real.