Drip, Drip, Drip…

Up my arm the fluids go.

Tick, tock, tick…

Slowly time whittles away.

How long have I been here?

How long must I stay?

 

You can go soon they tell me.

Soon they tell me as I lay in bed

Still on a catheter.

Soon they tell me as all I feel is pain,

my brain bleeding profusely.

Soon they tell me as I no longer find motivation,

No desire to eat, none to move.

Soon they tell me.

 

Soon was two weeks,

Two weeks too long.

Two weeks I lay in an uncomfortable hospital bed.

Two weeks I had to be treated for a recurring illness.

Two weeks I lost motivation;

Two weeks I lost myself

 

But then…I found it.

I found a burning desire to live,

One to move on,

One to stop blaming God for a problem he could not control,

And instead be thankful I am still breathing…

Still alive…

Still able to think for myself,

Able to formulate clear and concise thoughts, movements, and feelings

Able to be my own person.

 

Not so many are as lucky as I.

Not so many will wake up from their sleep comas as I have.

While almost none will fall ill with viral encephalitis twice as I have,

those who do will most likely never fully recover,

And some will not even have a future to lead.

But I did …and I do

So, I will.

 

I will stay in school to study what I am passionate about,

To find a way nutrition can impact the body

And the brain.

To find a way it can help others stay alive

And stay healthy.

Because no one deserves to fall victim to any illness,

Especially one that can be prevented by a mere choice of foods.

I will help these people because I’ve already been helped,

Helped to live and to find this passion

And I couldn’t be more thankful.