By the time you’re reading this, Cherie Gil should be on her way to the US for the long-delayed, oft-postponed surgery on her throat that has been bothering her for God knows how long, that’s why her voice has become raspier and raspier, making it difficult for her not so much to deliver dialogue as to sing.
Her ailment is called Reinke’s Edema — “Not a very pretty name,” said Cherie in jest during an exclusive interview with Funfare a day before her departure, her voice harsh that I had to ask her to repeat some words because they came out garbled. “I’m going to Boston for the surgery and the doctor happens to be the same one who treated Adele,” adding still in jest, “Sosyal, di ba?”
The surgery is scheduled on June 4. Cherie said that she will be put to sleep with general anesthesia during the surgery and it will take her three months to recover.
“Perfect timing,” said Cherie, “because I just finished Legacy (the GMA soap) and I’ve been planning to take a vacation. I’m not doing any new project so I’m taking advantage of the long break. I’ve also been planning to spend more time with my kids who are in New York. That’s why I chose to have the surgery in the States. It’s been a long-overdue hiatus with kids and they are looking forward to taking care of me.”
For two weeks after the surgery, Cherie will have to keep a “vow of silence” and, again, she said it’s “perfect timing” because it will give her chance to go into meditation. “I guess I can get by through sign language. After that, my doctor said that I could start talking but only for 15 minutes per hour.”
On the fourth week, Cherie said that she will start with her voice rehab and therapy.
“My doctor advised me to just stay at an apartment (with my kids) so that I don’t have to be going back and forth to the hospital because I have to see him every week.”
Before her departure, Cherie did pre-surgery preparations.
“My doctor told me that I’m not supposed to smoke anymore and no more drinking,” said Cherie. “I guess I will have to do that even after the surgery. It’s good because I’ve really been planning to stop smoking.”
Turning 49 on June 21, Cherie considers the milestone the start of what she called “the second half of my life. I will be done with the first half of my life’s century and I have no regrets.”
The first half has been fruitful for Cherie especially career-wise. Her private life was punctuated by the break-up of her marriage to iconic violinist Roni Rogoff who will be in New York helping their children nurse Cherie back to health.
“Roni and I have remained good friends,” volunteered Cherie. “We have regular communication. We’re really connected,” adding good-naturedly, “he can accompany me when I start to sing during my rehab.”
Back home in September, hopefully fully recovered, Cherie will start work on several projects — With a new voice,” she assured, “a better voice.”
One of the projects is the GMA talent search Protégé in which she will again act as one of the judges — “ala Jennifer Lopez in American Idol,” said Cherie, again in jest.
She has also been tapped to play Mrs. Robinson in Repertory Philippines’ staging of The Graduate, reprising the role played by the late Anne Bancroft in the classic 1967 Mike Nichols movie, with Dustin Hoffman as Benjamin (the graduate). It’s not yet known who will play Benjamin in the Repertory play which will be mounted sometime in October.
“I will do some singing in the play,” said Cherie, “and it will feel like I’m starting all over again as a singer. I haven’t been able to sing because of my ailment.”
The Graduate is being staged on Broadway and, as Cherie would put it, “perfect timing” because she can watch it while she’s in New York.
For her parting shot, Cherie said, “I want to assure everybody that I will come back with a new voice. I’m not giving up on myself. I love what I’m doing and I want to continue doing it.”
(E-mail reactions at entphilstar@yahoo.com. You may also send your questions to askrickylo@gmail.com. For more updates, photos and videos visit http://www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on www.twitter/therealrickylo.)