Tatiana’s grandest battle

By Eireen A. Manikan

I was more than shocked when I learned that another tragedy had fallen on the royal and most famous family of America – the cancer diagnosis of Tatiana Schlossberg, the 35-year-old daughter of Caroline Kennedy with Edwin, and granddaughter of Jackie Onassis and John F. Kennedy. Tatiana has acute myeloid leukemia, also known as inversion 3, discovered two years ago after she gave birth, and it is known to be an aggressive type of cancer that is terminal.

She wrote such a tugging piece about her illness wherein she described her initial reaction of disbelief, thinking that she was the healthiest person she knew, physically active and not feeling any pain or ache within her body. She also feels such regret about not being able to live a longer life with her awesome family and her wonderful husband, whom she describes as a genius. She is also baffled by the fact that this illness usually hits older people, and here she is, at the prime of her life and very young at that, facing this diagnosis.

I have read so much about this family that I used to think that as much as they are the luckiest in that part of the world, they are also one of the most tragedy-ridden. There is even a term to describe it: the Kennedy curse. Tatiana’s grandfather was shot in that famous parade, her great-uncle too (RFK), her uncle John Jr. perished in a plane crash together with his wife, some cousins died under not-so-normal circumstances – the list goes on, and now this.

There are probably two main reasons why I am finding it a little bit difficult to process. One is the fact that when mortality slaps you in the face, you are rarely ready to accept it. I actually admire Tatiana’s kind of peace and acceptance right now as she shares to the world what she is going through. I am certain there was a lot of anger and disbelief at first, but there is such a graceful kind of acceptance in the way she writes about it now. My initial reaction was that no amount of wealth and influence can save you when “your time comes.” It may lengthen your life a little but all the same – unless a miracle intervenes. You would think that their influence and reach could give Tatiana a magic pill to hold on to, ensure access to the best doctors, and maybe try out unreleased medical treatments or interventions for this kind of illness.

The greatest battle, though, that Tatiana is trying to win over – and which I can totally relate to – is how to ensure that memories of her life with her great family will stay with her forever. In her essay, she speaks about remembering everything since the diagnosis and the fear of losing it once she dies. In some of my melancholic moments, I would always think if I can hold on to my wonderful memories forever and if I will be able to carry them with me beyond. Just like Tatiana. That wish, that hope, could only come from having thousands of wonderful moments from the people who matter, who love you no matter what, and who will ensure that you have thousands more to remember until you go. (Source: www.newyorker.com)