Friday, December 03, 2004
Health is realli the most impt thing of our lives. No matter how rich u r, as long as ur health fails, even if u have all the money in the world, it's not gonna help u at all.
My mum has this good fren from sec sch, let's call him Uncle J. Uncle J is happily married wif another of my mum's best frens (they belong to the same clique) and has sons aged 15 and 18. He is a lecturer at a reputable polytechnic, and the sole breadwinner of the family. He is a warm person, a doting father to his sons, a good husband, and a veri loyal fren. Most importantly, he has always had a clean bill of health.
Some time during mid October, during 1 of my usual phone conversations wif my mum (i was in my hostel), she told me, while holding back tears, that Uncle J has juz been diagnosed wif kidney cancer. He had been feeling unwell for the past week, and lost his appetite. He went to a doctor and was referred to the hospital immediately, where he was officially diagnosed wif cancer. His doctor said that 1 of his kidneys r badly swollen, and thus he was scheduled for an operation to remove it 2 daes later. He was told that he had good chances of recovery after the op. Everyone (including my mum and me) began to pray for him.
Things did not go the wae we wished. After the op, he was told that his cancer was in the 3rd stage, and that it has already spread to a major blood vessel ard his kidneys. This news dashed all the hopes of his family and frens. His elder son was doing his A levels during that time, and made a mess outta it coz he was not in the mood to study at all. His wife was devastated, but had to put on a strong front as she did not want her husband to lose hope. But things did not stop there. After undergoing a full body scan last week, the report that came out shattered everyone. His cancer has progressed to the last stage, and it has already spread to his lungs. He may have less than 2 years left. Upon reaching home, his whole family hugged together and cried bitterly...
Juz todae, my mum was told that Uncle J was hospitalised. He had an infection of the wound from his previous op. We can't help but think, this may be the start of his sufferings...
I've onli met Uncle J thrice, and all that i knoe of him is through my mum. Yet, i realli feel so upset every time i thought of his condition now... I can't do anything to help him or his family... How can someone who has been healthy all his life contract a terminal disease suddenly? He had the best of all worlds - a happy family, a well-paying job, everything was going fine for him. How can God deal this kind-hearted man such a harsh blow? I can't imagine how his family is going through now, coz even an 'outsider' like me is feeling realli sad for him... Things happened so suddenly, who can accept this cruel fact? And wat's the most saddening part? It's the fact that he has to suffer all the wae till his death. And wat will happen to his wife and sons when he eventually pass on?
It's times like this that make u reflect on ur own health, and oso how u've been treating ur loved ones ard u. The most basic thing we can do is to maintain a healthy diet (will elaborate more in one of my next entries) and to exercise regularly. Also, treasure all ur family and frens and neva take them for granted... Coz it's a blessing that they r still by ur side...
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