your personal healthcare companion

Baymax doesn’t have anything on us. (except cuteness — that he has over anyone.)

why do we work like tomorrow won’t be around? why is it that we think that every little thing we do is the most massive and significant thing we’ve ever done until we do something bigger? why is it that we try and try and try to make things better for everyone but at the end of the day, we’re all just humanity?

Texts. Paragraphs, even. That’s what Joseph was writing for his close friend. He’s officially reached a crash out.

Being sick can turn the most compassionate and most dedicated of us all into a sobered and lonely individual.

Colds are humbling. The flu disheartening. And anything that restricts how we breathe, sleep, or eat is silencing.

As the world burns and turns and churns and learns around us, all of our achievements and contributions to that world feel null and void when we feel left behind — betrayed by the same human mortality that inspires us to keep going.

And that’s exactly what was happening to Joseph. He had to raise himself by himself and fast because his family came from nothing and were trying to become something. This made him extremely understanding and hardworking in the face of all adversity — especially adversity that was barreling towards others.

He would move mountains for his friends and family, making sure they were well taken care of should they ever fall ill, fall behind, fall in love, or fall out of touch with life.

But now he lay in bed. Just watched by his Baymax action figure. Sick. Potentially made sick by one of those same friends, who truly knows?

And he felt like there was nobody there.

For hours he lay in bed. Unable to sleep, but unable to walk, and certainly unable to do any work.

Hope was finite when it had been infinite just a night’s worth of hours prior.

It was the end of his massive, encyclopedic story.

This boy, the son of brave immigrants and brother to fiercely passionate young adults in this new world could succumb to sniffles and snot and suffocation at any moment.

And what did he have to show for it if nobody was going to come help him?

His phone remained empty as friends and family were at school, at work, or busy with their lives around the world.

Even his cat didn’t want to see him.

And then:

knock. knock. knock.

“Joseph? It’s mom, I made you breakfast.”

The mother he’d just taken care of the week prior when she was facing a cold came in. Seasoned eggs and garlic fried rice? Sign him up.

ding!

His friend messaged him.

“i’m outside with our homework for the day! get better soon, loser.”

And away his mom went to get the small paper.

More and more love came pouring into the small room in which Joseph confined himself. Now he could truly find himself and remind himself that it was his tried and tested resolve that forged all of this blessed life he now had to himself.

A supportive call from a friend. A bowl of hot soup dropped off by a restaurant owner. A cup of tea picked up by a neighbor. A warm hug delivered by a mom.

And slowly Joseph regained his strength. He regained his gusto. He regained a will to go on and keep the fight.

All because of him and his family and friends pushing him, caring for him, and showing him that he was not alone.

When we come together, Baymax has nothing on us. We are one another’s best personal healthcare companions.

I am satisfied with my care.

Author: Vien Santiago

Editors: Blenda Y., Luna Y.

Image source: Kelly Sikkema, Unsplash