Hello Writing Club community!

Greetings and a big hug to all the writers and readers who make up this club of which we are all a part, today I would like to talk about a friend, Gabriella, who vibrates high as she alone, she is a source of light for others and today I will tell you her story.

Gabriella or as some friends call her, Gaby, is one of the most luminous women I have ever met in my life, always in a good mood, always on the verge of a laugh, it is impressive how with her bulging eyes, she has been the life of the party wherever she goes, a woman like few others, today I come to tell you her story.

To tell you about her life, I have to tell you about her cancer; she has a total of 3 victories! Of which I was present in her life in the last one, at least as present as a friend can be, however I know the story and I can tell you from the beginning.

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Her first battle was her being a child, as she says she began to feel dizzy and with a headache at the young age of 9 years old, her mom at first did not know what to do and in a hurry took her down the hill of the chorus in her vehicle at full speed, since Gaby fainted for the first time while they were going down the hill, suddenly and without warning.

Gaby says that the mother looked like a ghost, that she was pale to the point where she didn't look like her, she had just spoken to the pediatrician who had some hematology results in his hands, they were severely altered, and the pediatrician wanted to speak to the oncologist at the hospital.

Soon after came the first chemo, Gaby describes the pain as a fire that was alive, burning her veins from the inside, but that fire comforted her heart and her mother, it gave them a chance to live, she and her mother clung on, many cousins and aunts passed by the hospital door, they went to see her weekly, even her father came at one point, she had not seen him for a year.

With time and a dozen therapies, cancer went into remission, Gaby's mother dedicated it to God, the doctors were stunned, they thought it would take longer or more chemo sessions, they suspected a possible return, and they were right.

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Gaby had a beautiful fifteen years, she was in a full waltz with her stepfather, a man like few others, a father like no other, she did not expect to be suddenly unconscious at that moment. Much less know that she had leukemia again, it had been four years since the last time.

Her stepfather through tears and sobs embraced her mom, and together they were at the side of the hospital bed, it was at the first chemo session in this batch, where Gaby finally gathered the courage and said daddy to her mom's husband, for fear of never being able to recognize the role he had in her life, she took the step.

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Soon she went into remission again, with a total of 30 chemo sessions since she was nine years old, Gaby looked at herself in the mirror as her hair fell into her comb, I'll be bald she thought and started thinking about wigs, about looking beautiful even if artificially.

Soon she entered the university, she wanted to study away from her parents, both were afraid of losing her and flooded her with love. She decided to study at the University of Zulia, where I met her only a year later, we were at a rock concert, I was selling cigars with a friend, she sat next to me, and asked me to give her her first cigarette, "to another one with that lie" I thought since Gaby already had a cigarette mark on the fingers of her right hand.

I gave her the cigarette anyway, I didn't know that she shouldn't smoke, I learned it later, but I loved her bulging gaze, she inspired me confidence and my friend fell in love with her instantly, he lost himself in her, and soon after they were a couple for a couple of years, and I was the adoptive brother-in-law who knew everything but said nothing.

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Her third cancer came, leukemia just like the previous ones, she one day picked up her things, broke up with my friend, and went back to Coro all of a sudden. She said nothing, she just sent me an SMS saying that something came up, that she was not feeling well, that she thought she had cancer, a week later she confirmed it to me by another message.

The friend was still mourning the separation, so I kept quiet until she told him, which when it happened, the poor guy went after her, which was useless because he could only see her sitting or lying on a bed.

Eventually, she went into remission again, this time she broke her record and had a total of 30+ chemo sessions, I thought it was getting harder and harder for her to go into remission, she also had a couple of radiotherapy sessions, I don't know exactly why, and she never told me.

When she came back, she came back changed, smoking together, she soon told me that she would break up with my friend, that she wanted to live differently now, that she no longer trusted cancer to leave her alone, and she was right, just two years later, she relapsed again, this time, however, she was living in a somewhat chaotic way while doing chemo.

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She began to prostitute herself in an upscale bar, she told me in great detail what she lived, I had become her confidant, the one who never gave an opinion and always listened. She had her partners, they came and went, she listened to my problems with my partner, and everything was a connection of trust, as long as there was enough to smoke of course. Eventually one day I went into remission, and she said; "Gordo I'm graduating, and I'm leaving, I want to set up my own life, in Coro with my parents". I hugged her, and said goodbye then, although we saw each other dozens of times afterward, we both knew that our friendship was already closed.

Who knew that a couple of years later, she decided to leave the country, and with a chat message she told me about it. My friend and she both ended up living in the same country by chance, they saw each other but there was no flame or resurgence, they became confidants and friends, nothing more. And eventually, she moved away from, me and all the friends she left in Venezuela.

I have always wondered what it is to live with a detachment to life, Gaby lived like that for a long time, the last time she got sick she changed her life to be more detached, and according to what she told me, it was one of the reasons why she left, she said she wanted to do more in her life than die in a low paid job in Venezuela, she wanted to see the world, live outside this country, take care of her parents, she wanted to see the sky in different countries; I smiled, "at last she was living with love for life" I thought, and it is so hard to think and remember how lively that look has always been, always looking darkness and death in the face, while laughing and seeking to be light for others.

Gaby, is currently living in Peru, but I'm sure she still has an energetic look like the last time I saw her a few years ago. From what friends who have met her in Peru tell me, she looks happier than ever, content to be able to send some money to her mom and take care of her and all the family. She is happy to live in her condition, and not in the conditions imposed by cancer, happy to live with that look she always had, those bulging eyes that shine in the light of the lighter in the middle of a rock concert.

With this I close Gaby's story, I send a hug to those who have read up to this point, if you have any friends who are going through chemo or radio, I just recommend you to be there and listen to what they have to say, believe me, that is worth gold for your friends. Don't mourn, don't add more weight to them, be the friend that gives unconditional support, be the love and caring, the light that helps.

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Spanish

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¡Hola comunidad de Writing Club!

Un saludo y un fuerte abrazo para todos los escritores y lectores que componen este club del cual todos formamos parte, hoy quisiera hablar de una amiga, Gabriella, que vibra en alto como ella sola, es una fuente de luz para otros y hoy les contare su historia.

Gabriella o como le decimos algunos amigos, Gaby, es una de las mujeres mas luminosas que he conocido en mi vida, siempre con un buen humor, siempre al borde de una risa, es impresionante como con sus ojos saltones, ha sido el alma de la fiesta donde sea que va, una mujer como pocas, hoy vengo a contarles su historia.

Para contarles su vida, he de contarles sobre su cáncer; Ella tiene un total de: ¡3 Victorias!, de las cuales estuve presente en su vida en la ultima, al menos tan presente como puede estar un amigo, sin embargo conozco la historia y puedo narrarles desde un inicio.

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Su primera batalla fue ella siendo una niña, según cuenta ella comenzó a sentirse mareada y con dolor de cabeza a la corta edad de 9 años, su mamá al comienzo no supo que hacer y con apuro la bajo del cerro de coro en su vehiculo a todo dar, puesto que Gaby se desmayó por primera vez mientras bajaban del cerro, de repente y sin aviso previo.

Dice Gaby que la mamá parecía un fantasma, que estaba pálida al punto donde no parecía ella, acababa de hablar con el pediatra que tenia unos resultados de una hematología en manos, estaban severamente alterados y el pediatra quería hablar con la oncologa del hospital.

Poco después vino la primera quimio, Gaby describe el dolor como fuego que estaba vivo, calcinando sus venas desde dentro, pero ese fuego consolaba su corazón y a su mamá, les daba oportunidad de vivir, ella y su mamá se aferraban, muchos primos y tías pasaban por la puerta del hospital, la iban a ver semanalmente, hasta su papa vino en un momento dado, tenia un año que no lo veía.

Con el tiempo y una decena de terapias, entro en remisión el cáncer, la mamá de Gaby lo dedicó a Dios, los doctores estaban anonadados, pensaban que tardaría mas tiempo o mas sesiones de quimio, sospechaban un posible regreso y tenían razón.

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Gaby tuvo un hermoso quince años, estaba en pleno vals con su padrastro, un hombre como pocos, un padre como ninguno, ella no esperaba quedar inconsciente repentinamente en ese momento ni mucho menos saber que tenia leucemia de nuevo, habían pasado cuatro años desde la ultima vez.

Su padrastro entre lágrimas y sollozos abrazaba a su mamá y juntos estaban en el lado de la cama del hospital, fue en la primera sesión de quimio en esta tanda, donde finalmente Gaby reunió el valor y le dijo papá al esposo de su mamá, por miedo a no poder nunca reconocer el rol que tenía en su vida, tomó el paso.

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Pronto entro en remisión de nuevo, con un total de 30 sesiones de quimios desde sus nueve años, Gaby se miraba al espejo mientras su pelo caía en su peine, quedare calva pensó, y comenzó a pensar en pelucas, en verse hermosa así fuera artificialmente.

Pronto entró en la universidad, ella quería estudiar lejos de sus padres, ambos tenían miedo a perderla y le inundaban de amor. Decidió estudiar en la Universidad del Zulia, donde la conocí tan solo un año después, estábamos en un concierto de rock, yo me encontraba vendiendo cigarros con un amigo, ella se sentó a mi lado y me pidió que le regalara su primer cigarro, "a otro con esa mentira" pensé, puesto Gaby ya tenía marca de cigarro en los dedos de su mano derecha.

Igual le regalé el cigarro, no sabía que ella no debía fumar, lo aprendí luego, pero me encantaba su mirada saltona, me inspiraba confianza y a mi amigo le enamoro al instante, se perdió en ella, poco después fueron pareja por un par de años y yo fui el cuñado adoptivo que sabía todo pero decía nada.

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Vino su tercer cáncer, leucemia igual que los anteriores, ella un día recogió sus cosas, terminó con mi amigo y regresó a Coro de golpe, no dijo nada, solo me envió un sms diciendo que algo surgió, que no se sentía bien, que ella creía que tenia cáncer, una semana después me lo confirmo por otro mensaje.

El amigo aun estaba llorando la separación, por ende cumplí en callarme hasta que ella le dijera, cosa que cuando ocurrió, el pobre muchacho fue detrás de ella, cosa un tanto inutil por que solo podía verla estar sentada o acostada en una cama.

Con el tiempo entro en remisión de nuevo, esta vez rompió su récord y tuvo un total de 30+ sesiones de quimio, pensé que cada vez costaba mas que entrara en remisión, también le hicieron un par de sesiones de radioterapia, no se exactamente porqué, ella jamás me lo contó.

Cuando volvió, volvió cambiada, fumando juntos, pronto me contó que terminaría con mi amigo, que quería vivir de otra manera ahora, que ya no confiaba que el cáncer le dejara en paz, y tenia razón, tan solo dos años después, volvió a recaer, esta vez sin embargo, ella al mismo tiempo que hacia las quimio, vivía de una manera un tanto, caótica.

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Comenzó a prostituirse en un bar de lujo, me contaba con lujo de detalles lo que vivía, me había vuelto su confidente, el que nunca opinaba y siempre escuchaba. Tenía sus parejas, iban y venían, ella escuchaba sobre mis problemas con mi pareja y todo era una conexión de confianza, siempre que hubiera para fumar claro. Con el tiempo un día entro en remisión y ella dijo; "Gordo me gradúo y me voy, quiero montar mi propia vida, en Coro con mis padres". Le dí un abrazo, y me despedí entonces, aunque nos vimos decenas de veces después, sabíamos ambos que nuestra amistad ya estaba cerrada.

Quien diría que un par de años luego, ella decidió irse del país, y con un mensaje de chat me aviso de ello. Mi amigo y ella ambos terminaron viviendo los dos en el mismo país por casualidad, se vieron pero no hubo llamas ni resurgimiento, se volvieron confidentes y amigos, nada mas. Y con el tiempo ella se alejo de mi y de todos los amigos que dejo en Venezuela.

Siempre me he preguntado, lo que es vivir con desapego a la vida, Gaby vivió así por mucho tiempo, la ultima vez que enfermo cambio su vida a ser mas desapegada y según me contó, fue una de las razones por la que se fue, decía que quería hacer mas en su vida que morir en un trabajo mal pagado en Venezuela, quería conocer el mundo, vivir fuera de este país, cuidar de sus padres, que quería ver el cielo en distintos países; yo sonreí, "al fin estaba viviendo con amor a la vida" pensé, y es tan difícil pensar y recordar lo vivaz que siempre ha sido esa mirada, siempre mirando a la oscuridad y a la muerte a la cara, mientras reía y buscaba ser luz para otros.

Gaby, actualmente vive en Perú, pero estoy seguro que sigue siendo una mirada llena de energía como la ultima vez que la vi hace algunos años. Según me cuentan los amigos que se han encontrado con ella en Perú, se ve mas feliz que nunca, contenta de poder enviar algo de dinero a su mama y cuidar de ella y toda su familia. Esta contenta de vivir en sus condiciones y no en las condiciones impuestas por el cáncer, feliz de vivir con esa mirada que ella siempre tuvo, aquellos ojos saltones que brillan a la luz del encendedor en el medio de un concierto de rock.

Con esto cierro la historia de Gaby, les envió un abrazo a aquellos que han leído hasta este punto, si tienen alguna amistad que esta pasando por quimio o radio, solo les recomiendo estar allí y escuchar lo que tienen por decir, créanme que eso vale oro para sus amigos. No se lamenten, no les agreguen mas peso, sean el amigo que da apoyo incondicional, sean el amor y el cariño, la luz que ayuda.

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I used Deepl and Grammarly as supplements to the writing of this text. .

He usado Deepl y Grammarly como complementos para la redacción de este texto

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