LOVE IS A HEART DISEASE
Every story has a brilliant introduction, a creative one that hooks the reader. You may look at the title of this story and think it’s a love story and honestly it might be. Where does Love start? Well, it starts in the heart. The problem with me is that my love can be damaging. My family has a history of heart disease. Sounds depressing, no? Well, truth is, it is not that bad. And when I say ‘My Family’ I mean both mom and dad’s side. This story is about two events that I hold close to my damaging heart. I would have tissue when reading these.
June 2004, Was the last month that I have seen my Grandfather. My Grandfather was the biggest role model in my life. He was family oriented, was a barber, and the community loved him. All he would ask in return would be a smile, because when you smile you bright up the world. I remember going to see him in the hospital and I really had no problems with hospitals till these moments. My Grandfather looked in pain and struggled to not showing it. He hated the feeling of being weak. And he was in pain; he would still have that smile on his face. The reason why he was in the hospital was because of Heart Disease. I only saw him a couple of times while he was in the hospital, and I would bring him chocolate ice-cream; he loved chocolate ice-cream. My mother went to go see him because she loved him so much. The last thing that they did together was watching a movie. The movie they watched wasn’t one of my mother’s favorite, but she watched it with my Grandfather. The movie is “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” the better version with Gene Wilder. Now every time that movie is on, and my mother catches a glimpse of it she will curl up and start sobbing. I was around the age of middle school, and looking back at this situation I wish I got to spend more time with him. But, knowing the type of person my Grandfather is he wouldn’t want me to dwell in the past, but look forward to the future. He would say “Just Keep Smiling.” I miss you Grandpa.
If that was not that emotional enough for you, maybe this will break that wall. After I finished my second year of college I went to Wisconsin to visit family. I spent most of my time with my Grandmother, my mom’s mom. And, I spent a day with my Aunt, my dad’s sister, and my cousin. My Aunt took my cousin and I to the museum because they had a Mummy Exhibit, and it was wicked. We would walk around the museum and be astonished of the exhibits. But, I did notice my Aunt struggling on walking. She would have to take frequent breaks, and she told my cousin and I to move ahead and have fun. Being stubborn I said “No” and stayed with her. I visited Wisconsin to see family, not a Mummy Exhibit. So we stayed and talked about found memories that we shared together, while creating a new memory. Well, a few days later I flew back home. And, than a week after I came home, my dad received a call that my Aunt was in the hospital. She had bypass surgery. The doctor said her heart was not in the best shape. My Aunt wasn’t healthy, and that came to haunt her. My Aunt never woke up after surgery. The funeral was a week later, and I could not go. I had started summer school, and ironically the class I was taking was Anatomy and Physiology. Do I regret not going to the funeral? I do not. I want to enjoy the last moments I had with her rather than morn for her. My family tells me when someone dies, “that they are not in pain anymore so don’t pity the dead.” I don’t, I will live my life, remembering the good times than the bad times.
These two events are just some of the heart problems that run in my family. But, I was just telling you it runs on both sides. You can say I am cursed, and I cannot really argue that point. I would say it is a blessing, but I would be lying. I’ll say it is a life lesson. With the heart disease that runs in my family, I can learn to take care of myself. My Grandfather was a good man, probably the best man I have ever known besides my father, but a great man none the less. And my Aunt was a nice lady. I loved them both. So, I guess at my young age my heart disease is love. And to keep it at just love and not damaging, I need to be healthy, eat healthy, and exercise. Also, I just need to live. Seize the Day, Carpe Diem.
-King of Thrones
June 2004, Was the last month that I have seen my Grandfather. My Grandfather was the biggest role model in my life. He was family oriented, was a barber, and the community loved him. All he would ask in return would be a smile, because when you smile you bright up the world. I remember going to see him in the hospital and I really had no problems with hospitals till these moments. My Grandfather looked in pain and struggled to not showing it. He hated the feeling of being weak. And he was in pain; he would still have that smile on his face. The reason why he was in the hospital was because of Heart Disease. I only saw him a couple of times while he was in the hospital, and I would bring him chocolate ice-cream; he loved chocolate ice-cream. My mother went to go see him because she loved him so much. The last thing that they did together was watching a movie. The movie they watched wasn’t one of my mother’s favorite, but she watched it with my Grandfather. The movie is “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” the better version with Gene Wilder. Now every time that movie is on, and my mother catches a glimpse of it she will curl up and start sobbing. I was around the age of middle school, and looking back at this situation I wish I got to spend more time with him. But, knowing the type of person my Grandfather is he wouldn’t want me to dwell in the past, but look forward to the future. He would say “Just Keep Smiling.” I miss you Grandpa.
If that was not that emotional enough for you, maybe this will break that wall. After I finished my second year of college I went to Wisconsin to visit family. I spent most of my time with my Grandmother, my mom’s mom. And, I spent a day with my Aunt, my dad’s sister, and my cousin. My Aunt took my cousin and I to the museum because they had a Mummy Exhibit, and it was wicked. We would walk around the museum and be astonished of the exhibits. But, I did notice my Aunt struggling on walking. She would have to take frequent breaks, and she told my cousin and I to move ahead and have fun. Being stubborn I said “No” and stayed with her. I visited Wisconsin to see family, not a Mummy Exhibit. So we stayed and talked about found memories that we shared together, while creating a new memory. Well, a few days later I flew back home. And, than a week after I came home, my dad received a call that my Aunt was in the hospital. She had bypass surgery. The doctor said her heart was not in the best shape. My Aunt wasn’t healthy, and that came to haunt her. My Aunt never woke up after surgery. The funeral was a week later, and I could not go. I had started summer school, and ironically the class I was taking was Anatomy and Physiology. Do I regret not going to the funeral? I do not. I want to enjoy the last moments I had with her rather than morn for her. My family tells me when someone dies, “that they are not in pain anymore so don’t pity the dead.” I don’t, I will live my life, remembering the good times than the bad times.
These two events are just some of the heart problems that run in my family. But, I was just telling you it runs on both sides. You can say I am cursed, and I cannot really argue that point. I would say it is a blessing, but I would be lying. I’ll say it is a life lesson. With the heart disease that runs in my family, I can learn to take care of myself. My Grandfather was a good man, probably the best man I have ever known besides my father, but a great man none the less. And my Aunt was a nice lady. I loved them both. So, I guess at my young age my heart disease is love. And to keep it at just love and not damaging, I need to be healthy, eat healthy, and exercise. Also, I just need to live. Seize the Day, Carpe Diem.
-King of Thrones