Being disabled is a GIFT

Its 20 minutes before 9:00 p.m – Monday ( March 21, 2011)  I just had my dinner and not feeling well.   My wife apple prepared corned beef cooked in tomatoes…she knew that this would cheer me up.  My loving apple and I have simple likes and “food tripping” is our luxury.

 It is “dialysis day” on Mondays.   A lot of things came to my mind while waiting for my driver in front of the lobby of Cardinal Santos Hospital.  It’s almost two years since I began my dialysis treatment.  What a journey!   I thought that I was about to die before we started with this “lifesaving” medical procedure.   I had my apprehensions, fears and nightmares.  But it was a decision we had to make otherwise, my life could have ended in a couple of days.  Now I am still fighting on.  I know in my heart that the journey has not ended but has just commenced.

I am inspired now to share my life with all of you friends and family.

Bo Sanchez had written about me a few years ago.  40 stories of passion was a bestseller.  It received very good reviews and I am so happy that a person in the U.K. was inspired with my life and my story gave her the strength to move on.  Jay, if you will read this.  Always remember that you are in my prayers.  In every petition I make, you are included.  I hope you do the same to the people around you.  For if everybody shares their love to others, life would be more meaningful.

My mom has always told me that my life story was like a “telenovela”.  A couple of television programs had approached me to feature my life…but I decline, I felt that it was not for me.  Since then,  I have been searching and praying for wisdom and discernment on what is my purpose in this world is, what should I do to make  people happy and inspired.

Now, there’s this voice telling me to write my thoughts  and share my life.  I am not a writer, please bear with me.    I am not even good in English, so please my apologies for some “tagalog” or “Ilocano” words.  What I can assure you is that all of this words and phrases came from my heart.

Today I will share my life as a person with disability

I had a golfing accident in 1998 at Eastridge Golf Club,  It was a freak accident, it was nobody’s fault.  It was just one of those accidents.   But, it drastically changed my life.  From an active golfer to a bedridden patient, what a shift.   I was a successful businessman and realtor at that time.    Fame and fortune was never ending.  We were the envy of our friends and colleagues.  But, a word of caution, this can easily be taken away.  So, never be attached with worldly things.  For it just comes and goes. 

It could have been easier to get over all of this trails if I had a loving and understanding spouse.  My ex-wife to my surprise turned into somebody I never knew.   She was so afraid of the consequences of my illness….she changed and saved herself.  She was syphoning off money from our accounts and she is always hot tempered.  So sad that she abandoned our ship while it was sinking.  Her faith was too weak.  She did not realize that GOD is our buoy and he will always keep us afloat. 

Living your life in a wheelchair is hard and embarrassing.  People look at you in pity and sometimes they are very judgmental.    I encountered some people saying at my back “siguro kaya nakawheelchair sa sobrang taba”.    Friends, sometimes it’s good to express your feelings but never to offend another human being.  Don’t wait for the opportunity to be in the same predicament because I am sure you won’t like it.

Coping is one way of defeating your difficulties.  I bought an expensive “motorized wheelchair”.  Now people envy me.  They are so amazed with my wheels.   You never get tired of “window shopping”.  After a few hours of going around, I could see my staff getting tired…now it’s time to stop and feed them.

I am so fortunate to have a very loving and caring staff.  They dress me up, do all the dirty stuff.   But, always do it with a smile.  We always laugh, I treat them like my younger brothers and members of my family.  They cry with me, hear my sorrows & pains and give me moral support.  “Sir, kaya mo yan”.  What a very touching word of love and compassion

Gerald R. Raymundo
gerald@geraldraymundo.com