In a week, I’ll be reminded once again how fast time has passed. Although Texas is barely beginning to feel like fall–other days, not so much–it’s a constant reminder of how many seasons we’ve gone through. Sitting in a classroom or the library, the days may feel long, but our time is short. One of my favorite places to study is on the fourth floor of the library, the quiet floor, next to a window where natural light flows through and brightens the room. It’s where I feel time flows the slowest.
In a week, it’ll be the five year anniversary of my dad’s passing. Almost half a decade. I always imagined the beginning of 2020 to start out with a bang, and it did, but not the way I expected it to. It was a blur at the time with drives to the hospital and going home at night, and all of a sudden it was over when we sat with the doctor. With two options presented before my mom, brother, and I, we chose to save our dad.
We let him go.
He was a handyman, engineer, and an architect with a heart of stone and sunkissed skin. He showed his love through his actions like making food, renovating our house, and driving us everywhere. Once upon a time, he lived in the mountains in the Philippines among his ten other siblings, catching birds with slingshots and driving jeepneys. So who were we to take away his way of life? How could we choose between keeping him with us yet living as a vegetable or letting his heart fade into nothingness?
During the holidays, it’s a joyous time to be able to see our loved ones, spread cheer, and share food. Keeping that in mind, it’s important to take care of them, especially those with chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes. According to the American Heart Association (2023), the most cardiac deaths occur on December 25, followed by December 26 and January 1. Furthermore, there is a higher mortality risk in stroke patients during the holiday season, coined as the “holiday season effect” (Huang et al., 2019).
There are many factors that can increase the risk of heart attacks or strokes, such as cold temperatures, stress, and overindulgence of food and drinks. The holidays are supposed to be a time of love, gratitude, and joy. Not a trip to the ER.
Death is inevitable, but we can at least prolong it for just another moment. Take a family walk under the sun for half an hour. Make sure your parents don't skip their medications. Maybe instead of that extra spoonful of mashed potatoes, substitute it for fruit.
Sometimes, I wonder how our holidays would have been like if my dad was still here. Things can still be a little grim, the lights slightly dim, and the cheer with a little less laughs. Although I ponder about the past, what’s before me is a family that, nonetheless, stays together no matter the fights and the disagreements. Every moment counts with our loved ones, and I, for one, am grateful to spend my winter break with them–eating, laughing, playing, and talking.
In two weeks, I’ll be back on the fourth floor, studying for boards (and beyond). Oh, to lock in with Anki and Sketchy and no worries in the world except to pass exams, it must be a dream. All the while, sitting next to a window, I’ll be reminded, once again, to look out and enjoy the view.
As students, we forget sometimes.
-7.svg)
At AAPI Chronicles: Voices in Medicine, we are committed to fostering a supportive and inclusive environment where the AAPI medical community can share their stories, celebrate their achievements, and advocate for a more equitable and compassionate healthcare system.
