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EMOSYONAL na ibinahagi ni Karen Davila sa panayam sa kanya ni Korina Sanchez sa Korina Interviews na napapanood sa NET25 tuwing Linggo ng hapon ang ilang kuwento tungkol sa dalawang anak nila ni DJ Sta. Ana na sina David at Lucas.
Inamin ni Karen na ang biggest challenge at pinakamahirap na bahagi ng kanyang buhay ay nang ma-diagnose ang panganay niyang anak na si David ng autism.
Kuwento ni Karen, “David was born in 2002. At two-and-a-half years old, he was diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum. Pero hindi ko alam may autism siya.
“So noong maliit si David, ang cute, cute niyang bata pero hindi nagsasalita, walang eye contact, hindi ako tinatawag na mommy, nothing,” ani Karen.
Dalawang linggo raw silang umiiyak ni DJ dahil dito.
“Sinabi ng doctor noon na there is no cure. What I did was go to foreign doctors who actually gave a different treatment for autism.
“It was a committed lifestyle of change and si David today is not the same person. When you have a child with autism, you are committed. It is unconditional love,” pagbabahagi ni Karen.
“Kasi David today he is present in the moment, he speaks, but he was not that way before. So many parents, ikaw na you’re a mother, you feel so fulfilled na kinakausap ka ng anak mo,” aniya pa.
Tungkol naman sa pagdating ng second child nila ni DJ sa kanilang buhay na si Lucas, ang sabi ni Karen sa kanyang bunso, “Lucas was an accident, a pleasant accident. I was very scared na mamaya ‘yung autism ay galing sa akin or sa asawa ko so baka maulit.
“Noong nabuntis ako the second time, mahal na mahal ko si David pero sana ang anak na ito, ang batang ito, ito na ‘yung tutulong sa amin in the family with David.”
Dagdag pa niya, “Lucas turned out to be a typical child. Lucas is the one na binilinan ko na that, ‘You have to take care of your brother. One day, if me and your dad are not there anymore, you have to be the one na dapat kaibigan at kakampi.’ In the very essence, I told Lucas that has to be him.”
Inamin ni Karen na isa sa biggest fear niya ay ang mawala sa mundo sa maagang panahon dahil iniisip niya ang dalawa niyang anak, lalo na si David.
“Believe me when I tell you, I have fear sometimes that if I am gone early. Of course I pray na and I know that I will stay with them for a long time.”
Naikuwento rin ni Karen ang near-death experience ni David noong 2019.
“Don’t get me wrong, I think many of us are prepared to lose a parent, even a husband or a wife, but not a child. I think that’s the hardest,” ani Karen.
“That was a life-changing moment for me when David was about to die. We were able to rush him to St. Luke’s. After that, it was a recommitment to David. So when people ask me, ‘Is your commitment to your son’s autism for life?’ It is for life.
“That was the first time wherein I wasn’t in control of anything so I feel that has changed me mentally, spiritually, emotionally and I would never cry today now that I’m 51 because of work. But it’s because of people that we love,” aniya pa.
