Wise words from a client.
A couple of days ago I got a call from a client.
He asked me first how I'm doing.
I tell him I'm doing great.
Naturally, I ask him how he's doing.
Not so good he says, 'they found a lung tumor'.
He proceeds to tell me his computer broke down again.
Something happened and presumably, Windows, decided to do a repair install.
After the computer finally rebooted, the pc was empty.
They did leave a nice note on his desktop with all the programs the repair removed.
Including his, Office, Email and a bunch of other stuff. (So useful...thank you Windows)
We conclude he's better off with a new PC.
Today I went there to install it
I arrive at his house and he opens the door.
We first sit down for coffee. (Just for me, the chemo makes it taste like shit, I'm told)
We talk about the tumor.
He tells me the moment you hear the bad news, the things you really care about become much more clear.
And a computer is not one of them! (I laugh. I get it)
He laughs when I tell him that for men getting sick is extra worse. (He's knowns about man flu.)
We talk and it's serious and fun in a good way.
After, I go to his office and install his new machine.
It takes longer because he forgot his email password (chemo, makes you forgetful I'm told, it's nasty stuff).
I call the provider and sort it for him.
Because of that, we are slowly running out of time.
He made an appointment at the barber because this morning when combing his hair big chunks fell out.
He's not going to wait for it. Shave it off now.
I think it's a boss move.
I do make it in time. The computer is sorted.
I wish him good luck and leave.
On my way home I think about what he said.
'The moment you hear the bad news, the things you really care about become much more clear'
The words still resonate with me tonight.
Nothing like being told that you have a potentially fatal disease to make this crystal clear. Frivolous things fall by the wayside. You make time for the important people and things in your life. You live each moment to the fullest.because you don't know how many you have left. I don't know which is worst; the disease or the treatment. Both radiation and chemotherapy make you sick for days after a treatment. Food loses its appeal because the taste buds have been altered. Your hair falls out in clumps and your skin becomes dry. I give a tremendous credit to the people who meet these challenges head on and never give up. That is what courage is all about...
The incurable chronic disease is given to us. What depends on us is to be able to accommodate it, and to turn the worst into better.
@exyle this was a very touching story. Yes when you hear terrible news, your priorities become clear as a bell.
This resonates with me as I lost my dear mother 3 years ago to cancer. She had an awful pain one day all of the sudden and no idea what was wrong, and long story short, she lost her fight 2 weeks later.
Our entire family was in shock for a long time, in disbelief I guess.
Thank you for this moving story sir, God bless you!
I'm sorry for your loss. That must have been tough.
But dont you also have the feeling then sometimes @exyle that everything you say is non relevant talking to him, and you would just wish that he would talk talk, and you do the listening?? Afraid to say something stupid that is totally non comparible to their shit?
example: I wrecked my car last week (true story) and because we dont have power so no washing machine, I walk in my work outfit. Im a nurse. Patients recognize me, but I dont always recognize them. Last week a old man shouted 'nurseyyyyy how are you'. I did recognize him, he was with me for a lot of surgeries and is now missing a lot of toes.
I reply: 'heyyyyy, Im good surviving and so, but how are you, why are you outside??'
him: 'yeah the storm took my house, and those shelters are too full to wander around. I need to keep wandering to keep the blood flowing in my feet before I loose more toes'
Me: ' So where are you staying now?'
Him:'outside!!! Im okay here, nobody bothers me! But why are you walking? You normally drive by here'
Me: 'I flipped over my car a couple days ago'
Him:'Wow, thats terrible!! Cant they get you a new ride, because you guys have to be taken care of '
And these words coming from a man sleeping on the streets after multiple surgeries worrying about me.... I was so embarrassed.... I gave him coffee, without daring to say anything more
nice post my friend, these words have so deep meaning indeed, we use to spent our life's in a very casual way we have a lot of things and plans in our mind but we don't give much attention to them, even though we know in the back of our mind that these are most important things, but the moment we hear a bad news all those things getting much more clear in our mind and we starts to think about these thing instead of anything else.
Well in opinion it's a bad habit, we have to develop our life's in such a way that we put first thing first and then move forward, e.g for a student what is the most important thing obviously his study but if he spent his time and giving more attention in playing then this is bad and suddenly when he hear's that his college announce a paper in a very next week, he eventually begins to get worried and study becomes more clear in his mind but then the time is so short and he didn't produce good result.
So in my opinion we all should need to think about it that what is the most important thing in our life and then put that thing on a No.1 spot and in this way we able to achieve much better results. Stay happy and awesome my friend and thank you very much for sharing your experience and knowledge with us.
Many people say that the chemo is far worse than the cancer itself.
"He laughs when I tell him that for men getting sick is extra worse."
That made me chuckle. :-)
From what I gathered it's shit beyond belief. I hope it will work for him.
Treat every day like it's your last. You never know when your day will come.
Recently, we have been having a lot of wind storms in Ottawa. There have been micro-bursts where the wind jumps from 0 to 120km/hr.
Outside of the local hospital, a twice kidney transplant recipient was recently killed when a tree was blown over on her. story
Think about that ... To be a dual kidney transplant recipient means that her kidney function dropped below 10%, she was put on a list, received a kidney. Then, with the new kidney, her cumulative kidney function again dropped below 10%, she went on the list again, then received the second kidney. - Having gone through that, then to be struck by a tree while in front of the hospital!!!
Appreciate every day you have the luxury of living.
I would add in health. But it's very true.
Agreed.
A virtual toast to your health!!
Cheers
Sometimes it takes time to let some important thing sink in. It is once more proven that value of life isn't found in things.
well said.
Hope him a quick recovery
Thanks for sharing with all steemians
Argh.. Such an atrocious disease. I hope the doctors caught it early and he will
be able to fight his way through it.
His words are certainly true. You only start to truly appreciate what you had when you lost it.
I hope he fights cancer.