A LIFE CHANGING DISEASE CALLED TB (TUBERCULOSIS)
“The biggest disease today is not leprosy or tuberculosis, but rather the feeling of being unwanted…” – Mother Teresa –
Health is an important matter for us humans. We really need to be in a harmonious and clean way of living in order for us to survive every day. But for other people, it doesn’t matter. Most especially to those who really can’t afford to buy their maintenance and other necessary meds to continue their living.
In our world today, we are into a survival stage. We are experiencing a different kind of sickness that nobody wants to happen, these so-called virus are already part of our lives, and that it only triggers last year.
But even before covid19 came, there’s this one true disease that killed the lives of many people, some survived and others don’t, but not because of the disease itself, but the feeling of being unwanted when this happens to you. According to medical studies, Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease caused by bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria usually attack the lungs, but they can also damage other parts of the body. It spreads through the air when a person with TB of the lungs or throat coughs, sneezes, or talks.
Tuberculosis (TB) was called “phthisis” in ancient Greece, “tabes” in ancient Rome, and “schachepheth” in ancient Hebrew. In the 1700s, TB was called “the white plague” due to the paleness of the patients. TB was commonly called “consumption” in the 1800s even after Schonlein named it tuberculosis.
Tuberculosis, a disease that’s already part of our history, and still part of our lives, that when someone acquired, there happens the biggest changes in all aspects, physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually. a feeling that you can never really imagine.
In this article, will be sharing a story of someone, who’s into that situation, a person with Tuberculosis or TB. Not to humiliate him or make fun and or make a story out from his situation, but to inspire us, to learn and to have an eye opener on what is TB all about. This story can make or break us.
Here goes Mr. Noel Mamaril, a 35 year old man from Las Pinas City, who happens to be a in Real Estate/Broker, during those times when TB was not part of his. He lives with his live in partner, and their daughter. It all started in the year 2007, he was 22 years old then, when at the peak of his career, he was very much into alcohol, smoking and late night sleep. At first, there was this feeling of heaviness on his knee, which he complained that burdens him a lot. But because there is a pain reliever which we can always depend on, a temporary feeling of being numb and being okay gave him the chance to go on to life.
Then came the age of 26, he felt the same ways again, heaviness on his knee and the thought that it was all because of his uric acid was high at that moment. So to make the story short, he went to see a doctor and it was all true, he has Gout (uric acid), so he needs to medicate himself and cure from that. For almost one (1) month, he suffered from this. But then, he continued to do the same old vices, though he knew it already that it was bad for him. He ignored it believing that it was just a plain and simple sickness that anyone can have.
It was during this pandemic season when he found out about this life changing disease. At the start of ECQ, his life was just normal, and he never felt anything attacking him. He has an online food business together with his brother and his wife. It was all normal then, everything was okay, thinking that it is just a gout (uric acid). When suddenly, he felt some unusual symptoms.
June 25, 2020, at the age of 35, He started to experience having night sweats, he ignored it then. Until one night he coughed and then there was blood on it. So they decided to see a doctor. They had laboratory tests, x-rays, etc. And finally it was confirmed that he has Tuberculosis (TB). The doctor gave him medicines to take and then he decided to go to TB Dots (program organized by the government) so he can have his medicines for free.
During that time, he felt something strange and a bit afraid of what might happen to him, now that he has TB. When asked what’s his reaction knowing that he has TB and then he said: “Kinabahan ako nun kase ang TB ay nakakahawa. Ang ginawa ko nun kinalma ko sarili ko at tinanong ko kung bakit at kanino ako nahawa.”
Noel is just one of the many Filipinos suffering from Tuberculosis or TB, and according to him there was no family background on TB or even high blood. That’s why he is asking himself, why and where did he get it? So many questions maybe for Noel and the answers are so few (as the lyrics of the song said). We may not understand the life we are in right now but for sure there is a purpose behind all of these. It maybe because of the lifestyle that we had before or it just meant to happen.
As we continue to seek answers and to see the story of Noel, let us offer him prayers to fight this disease. And to everyone else who’s into this situation. Tuberculosis or TB may not be good after all, but there is this one thing that we should know, that we should see and what we need to believe in.
