My Birthday

August 1, 2007.

I was driving in the city, got stuck the impossible traffic jam, bearing the unbearable hot and humid weather, cursing the mad bus drivers who apparently paid their way to get their driving licenses, irritated by the irritating choking exhaust smokes from all the cars around me, got anxious by the disturbing sales quota, angered by the thought of the cunning competitors who are after my customers, got annoyed by the sly, two-headed principles who don’t keep their promises and I’m constantly worried about keeping my job… Sounds like a lousy weekday?

What a Happy Day! And I mean it. And I’m not crazy.

Just exactly a year ago, I was lying in the ICU, with a tube sticking inside my throat, fed on milk through another tube in my nose, countless other tubes coming out from various parts of my body to some bottles beside my bed… I was groggy and terribly thirsty and couldn’t talk because of the tube in my throat… I had no control of myself as even needed a machine to help me breath… I’ve lost my job just before the surgery and had no idea when the next job will come. No future I could think of or talk about; surviving the day was my biggest challenge.

I could never imagine myself driving in the city, complaining on lame stuff like weather, traffic and work a year ago! Life is GOOD! I consider today’s my birthday; I was ‘reborn’. Well, technically speaking, my heart was stopped momentarily and took over by a cardiopulmonary bypass pump during the surgery. It was then ‘restarted’ after the new arteries were grafted and Voila! I’m back!

Although I’m still having problems coping with stress and keeping cool with stupid things others do, guess I've learned to appreciate little things in life more. I’ll live.


-hs