Please tell me. What is the first thing that springs to mind? Ice cream. Pizza. Steak. "Mmm.. I want," "Oh..pizzaa!", "Steak? Yessss please!" What's the matter with me - I just ate. Don't worry, you're not alone. Let me tell you about a friend of mine, James.
James's toughness is one of the qualities that most impressed me. Have I mentioned his drug-abusing pals? When you hear his narrative, it's like watching an action movie where he gets into a battle and it's just him and four friends against a gang of 20 or so. They would hurl billiard balls at them and shoot arrows that would just miss James by a hairline. He was young and reckless at the time. It's an entirely different story when he has a family who relies on him.
I called him as soon as I found out he had CoVid. He sounded like he was on vacation. His voice lacked any hint of trepidation. I asked him how he manages to stay cheerful in the face of adversity. His response to me was straightforward: faith. What we both didn't know was how much faith it would need from him to make it through that year in 2021.
What troubled him the most was his 86-year-old mother, who had also contracted CoVid while living at their house. To make matters worse, there was this contact tracer who was hell-bent on transporting his mother to a quarantine center, something his mother refused. As a result, when the contact tracer called James, he denied having his mother with him at home - instead claiming that his mother was simply alone in Zambales (their ancestral home), and that there was no need to transport her to a quarantine center. The contact tracer didn't believe it and said that he'd be paying them a visit the next day to see whether his mother was truly not there.
So the plan was for James to drive his mother all the way to Zambales before daybreak (while fighting CoVid) to conceal his mother's true location. What he didn't realize was that his life would never be the same again after the next 5 hours.
Despite the appealing alternative of sleeping on it and hoping the contact tracer was just bluffing, James was a conservative by nature, and he couldn't risk it. So, despite his grogginess, he and his mother went to Zambales. During the trip, there were heavy rains (the kind that makes you feel nervous, as if something terrible is about to happen).
Thankfully, they arrived safely, and his mother was already in Zambales. Do you know what a hydroplane is? It's a state in which no matter how steadily you drive, you won't be able to manage the automobile for a split-second since it slid through a flood puddle. The same thing happened to James, except his lasted 7 seconds, which was more than enough to knock the Fortuner off the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX).
The SUV turtled twice at a speed of 90kph. Regardless of how tough James was, all he kept saying was "Oh, God. Oh, God...". When the SUV began to flip, he remembered being beaten with a barrage of blows from all directions. The crashing ceased. Thank God, he felt he still had a pulse. He smelled gas but he couldn't move. He knew he had to get out of the automobile, but how?
With full determination, he crawled out the window shield and onto the pavement. He checked for shattered bones but was unsure. He was unable to move his lower extremities. He couldn't believe what had happened. He merely sat there, motionless, waiting for a good Samaritan to come along. It had been an hour and there had been no one. Until a patrol found him later. Fortunately, the car did not explode, but the wreckage was beyond repair. They had assisted him to stand since his limbs were immobilized. He was returned to Zambales and sent to the nearest hospital. Because he is a CoVid patient, he had to be treated outside of the hospital. He couldn't complain though; considering what he went through, there were no broken bones and only minor bruises. He also underwent a battery of tests to ensure his safety. Everyone wants to witness a miracle. James just didn't think he'd be the one. After he received the preliminary results, he is not only proclaimed free of any serious injury, but also CoVid-free. He wanted to become a better version of himself after surviving everything and being given a second shot in life. As he and his family were celebrating the unmistakeably miraculous moment that they also shared with their relatives and friends, the findings of the more thorough examinations were out. If life is a rollercoaster, what happened to James just had to be it. The rest of the ride just had to be that cool breeze on your face after a brief moment of violent tumbles and turns. Unfortunately for James, his was not that kind of ride; his was Final Destination happening in real life where the ride went haywire and James plummeted off to the ground.
James and his wife were summoned to a meeting with the physicians (believe me, you don't want to be summoned to a meeting with the doctors). They were both perplexed - what could it be? Why can't the findings just be mailed?
When they arrived, a head surgeon approached them and greeted them. "The reason we called you here is to tell you about what we found in your results," the doctor explained. James and his wife were holding hands. "We discovered a 12-cm lump, and it has encroached your spine. We think it's cancer.", the doctor added.
When he found out about his condition, he started thinking about how it would change everything and how he would cope, and I saw his habits deteriorate. Whenever we tried to remind him to reduce his carbohydrate intake, he would dismiss the topic by saying that it was too late because the situation he was in was irreversible. As a friend, I just had to be there for him, but I can't imagine how difficult it was for his wife. He had practically surrendered his life to fate when he received another call from the cancer institute, which could save him. Unless it's the other way around.
The doctors' greetings were more cordial than the previous ones. They informed James that the radiotherapy sessions had no effect on the mass, but they had discovered an alternate approach, which is why they asked for a meeting.
The tumor is large, but it has not spread. This is fantastic news. James restored his faith. The surgeons may be able to remove the tumor entirely, eliminating the need for chemotherapy. So James agreed to the operation and began to feel hopeful again.
The procedure took 17 hours. With the fixed position in the operating room, James' face was swelled. The doctors were forced to slash into his muscles and bones. They used titanium implants to rebuild the spine. Despite the fact that James was clearly in pain during his rehabilitation, he was eternally thankful. He made a secret agreement when he prayed that if he survives, he will change his lifestyle, adopt better eating habits, and stop the bad ones.
True, it's been two months, and anytime I've been invited to weekend events, there have been no chips or liquor. The entire family began eating healthily. It was challenging at first. They're becoming tired of fish, lettuce, and just soda without liquor. Weekend nights also ended earlier than usual. This continued, and they were extremely proud of themselves as a family.
Four months later, there was a week's supply of chips, several types of liquor, and no more fish nor salad. They said they were for visitors. But I'm not so sure.
This is a classic example of no matter how well we regulate our eating habits, we will eventually relapse and fail. Our appetites are very normal. It's all part of having fun in life. What we need is an option that provides the same pleasure without the negative impacts on our bodies.
This is what we specialize in. We don't want you to miss out on one of the biggest joys that brings families together - eating. Feel guilt-free bliss on birthdays and even on weekends when you crave cake or anything sweet. Satisfy your appetites without feeling guilty or having to justify ourselves to others, all while enjoying delicious meals with our loved ones.
Comentarios