Every year, specifically in May or June, our department sends us for our annual routine medical examination. This is to ensure that teachers have a sound body and mind, so we can provide our full service to our students without interruptions such as "Ouch, my knee aches" or "I can't breathe".
The Wake Up Call
It started with the usual routine: height, weight, blood pressure, and blood tests, the ECG, and the part we all secretly fear, the blood chemistry. We joked around the bench in the waiting area, comparing who gained more weight after two months of summer break and who forgot to fast properly, over-fasting and under-fasting, hahhahaha. But the laughter got a little bit quieter when the medical results came in.
- High Cholesterol
- Low-density fats
- High blood sugar
- Borderline this, elevated that
It turns out that most of us had numbers that would make any doctor raise an eyebrow.
The Not-So-Healthy Celebration
So, what did these slightly alarmed people do, and slightly in-denial colleagues decide to do next? That’s right—we went straight to the nearest pizza and halo-halo spot. After all, we were hungry from all that fasting!
There we were, sharing slices of fully loaded meat and cheese, laughing over colorful bowls of halo-halo topped with ice cream and leche flan. We had so much fun munching, laughing, and sharing stories, and had jokes about our arteries being blocked with cholesterol. This was like a farewell party for our healthy arteries.
The Irony We Couldn't Deny
As we dug in, the irony wasn't lost on us. Here we are, fresh from the medical laboratories, and we just had a serious consultation with the doctor, and with some medical warnings, indulge ourselves with the foods that the doctor exactly warned us about. But somehow, it was a bonding moment for us, a reminder that we are all in this together, flaws and cravings included.
Lessons Over Extra Cheese
The experience taught us something. First is we need to take our health more seriously. Second is that food brings us all together, but it doesn't have to wreck our health, and lastly, maybe next time, we can have a laugh over colorful vegetable salad and grilled fish.
The Plan With Cholesterol
Right then, we're planning to start our 30-minute walk every afternoon, fewer excuses, more water, and less soda. We are not getting younger, and again, health is wealth.
Final Thought
Our medical exam may be a warning for us, but change takes time. For now, we're aware, we're laughing, we're planning, and hopefully, we're realizing the plans and above all, we're learning - one slice at a time.
Thank you for reading this article.
Love,
Note: All Photo collages in this article were made through Canva. All photos are mine.
