Liezl living life day by day

When Liezl and Albert Martinez were in San Francisco, California, they would start their Christmas tradition on Dec. 23 when they cut the tree and trim it together with their kids, Alyanna, Alfonso and Alissa.

“We would go to a forest and cut the tree ourselves, just like what the Americans did,” recalled Liezl in an exclusive interview with Funfare. “But now that the kids are grown, we spend Christmas the way families do back home. We go to church, partake of the noche buena, and on Christmas Day we go to my mom’s house and Albert’s mom’s house. Very traditional.”

Liezl and Albert have been married for 27 years (they eloped on the night she turned 18 by escaping from the Hillsborough house of her mom, Amalia Fuentes, in San Francisco) and have spent Christmas the same number of years.

“The most memorable of those 27 Christmases was the first,” added Liezl. “I had just given birth to Alyanna, our eldest child, on Dec. 3. It was our first Christmas together with our first baby. And, of course, another memorable Christmas was four years ago, in 2008, when I had my last chemo on Dec. 23.”

In May that same year, Liezl was diagnosed with breast cancer (early stage) and she had to undergo a series of tests before the doctor declared her cancer-free.

“Actually,” Liezl clarified, “my last chemo was supposed to be on Jan. 9 the next year but I begged him, ‘Please do it sooner, gift mo na sa akin.’  I was fed up with the chemo sessions and I wanted to start the New Year chemo-free.”

I noticed that Liezl had a small scar on her upper right chest.

“It’s from my porta cut,” she explained. “My veins were very small and the doctor had difficulty locating the right nerve for the chemo. Pumuputok ‘yung veins ko, so they had to something like a catheter para makadaan ‘yung chemo. The porta was surgically done.”

They had to resort to that procedure when, after a long period of remission, her cancer metastasized in her lungs early last year. But she stopped it after she underwent a stem-cell therapy.

“I was too weak to go to Germany for the therapy,” continued Liezl, “but luckily, we found out that one of the best doctors in the world who could do it was right here. He’s a Fil-Am. They sent my cell to Germany and the procedure was done here. I got six shots, once every month. Before, after the chemo, I would lose my hair. This time, after the stem-cell treatment, my hair was intact and the usual post-chemo symptoms were gone — you know, loss of hair, weakness, dizziness, vomiting, etc.”

A month ago, Liezl had her regular check-up and, thank heavens, she’s again cancer-free.

“I really have a lot to be thankful for, first to God for giving me another chance, to my husband for working so hard. You know, even if the technology is there but you can’t afford it, wala rin naman mangyayari sa’yo, di ba? Let’s face it, medyo mahal ang treatment na ‘yan so it’s really mabigat sa pamilya namin financially. I thank God that He’s giving my husband so much work.”

That’s why this Christmas is much more memorable to Liezl and her family.

“As I said, I thank God for giving me another chance. Now, I feel physically okay.”

What she and Albert, and sometimes with their children (Alyanna is 27; Alfonso is 25; and Alissa is 20), usually do is spend quality time together — travelling. After Christmas, the family will hie off to Boracay. Two years ago, I bumped into them at the Baclayon Church in Bohol where they spent the Holy Week (and, like us, brought home bottles of water believed to be miraculous, taken from a deep well at the altar).

Besides Liezl, Albert also has to take care of his mom who is, like Liezl, in remission. When his younger brother William Martinez suffered a stroke a few years ago, it was Albert who also took care of him.

“Mamang is doing well,” assured Liezl. “We were diagnosed one month apart so it was really mabigat for Albert, sobra. He’s the panganay and the breadwinner, so everything falls on his shoulder. As much as possible, kapag may mga konting-konti akong idinadaing, I just don’t tell him anymore. When he’s home, I want him to relax; I try to show him that I’m okay because I don’t want him to worry pa. It would be harder if, you know, siya naman ang…because we are all dependent on him.”

How did all the trials change the way she looks at life?

“Well, I’m so daring now,” Liezl volunteered. “I do bungee-jumping. When we were in Sydney, I climbed the Harbor Bridge. Next year, if we push through with our trip to Beijing, I will jog along the Great Wall. You know, I have a bucket list. I have a lot more things to do,” adding, “so please, Dear Lord, let me!”

She has made peace not only with herself, with the people around her and with the world, but especially with her mom.

“Ay, ang tagal na! Last month, my mom and I, together with my kids, attended the canonization of Pedro Calungsod in Rome. We were there for a month, pasyal-pasyal…masaya! I have learned not to take things seriously. Kapag may konting problema, konting unos, I just shrug it off. I just take things a day at a time. Noon, pino-problema ko ang buong mundo, lahat ng problema ng lahat ng tao kini-carry ko. Now? What for? I always wake up every morning thanking God for giving me a new day and at the end of the day, I ask God, ‘Please let me wake up again tomorrow!’ I live life day by day.”

Asked if she has any inspiring words for (especially) women in the same condition as she is, Liezl smiled.

“Don’t lose hope. Keep the faith. Cancer is not a death sentence.”

(Note: For more on Liezl, watch Startalk at 2:30 p.m. tomorrow on GMA after Eat, Bulaga!.)

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